Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Neofish 06-25-07, 02:09 PM	After some dicussion with my players (ultiamately leading me to ask a dumb question here on the boards). We have all decided that perhaps the ToB can do for the barbarian what it has done for the paladin and fighter, effectively replace them... So I decided to expand upon the Tiger Claw list as an alternative to taking the barbarian class. What do you guys think? Fury of the Savage Soul (or Primal Rage, Furious Rage, Savage Frenzy, Can't decide yet as to which one is the best). Tiger Claw (Stance) Level: Swordsage 1, Warblade 1 Prerequisites: 3 Tiger Claw maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: Stance (see below) You adopt a stooped, leering posture, like a preadator ready to strike, as your inner most thoughts of animosity and bloodlust are made manifest. You surrender to your inner beast and become driven more by instinct than skill, pocessing unbridled strength and primal vigor that can only be matched by your ravenous bloodthirst and reckless abandon. But letting ones self go is taxing on the body, mind and soul and thus this stance can seldom be used out of dire need, and when in need, only for a short duration. Initiating this stance causes the martial adept to fly into a vicious, blood crazed rage. While in this stance, a martial adept temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a +2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class. The increase in Constitution increases the martial adept’s hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away as soon as the martial adept can no longer maintain this stance (either by becoming helpless, or if the duration expires), in which his Constitution score drops back to normal. (These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.) While in this stance, a martial adept cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. While in this stance, the martial adept also loses the ability to initiate any martial maneuvers that are not of the Tiger Claw discipline. In addition, due to the taxing strain this stance puts upon the body's Ki , he is prevented from refreshing expended maneuvers. A martial adept may still use any feat he has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats. A martial adept can maintain this stance for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character’s (newly improved) Constitution modifier. A martial adept may prematurely choose end this stance before the duration expires (either by spending a swift action to adopt a new stance or a free action to end it). At the end of this stance's duration, the martial adept is removed from this stance, loses all the modifiers and restrictions and becomes fatigued (–2 penalty to Strength, –2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter. A martial adept may initiate this stance only once per encounter. And only a number of times per day per four initiator levels she pocess (1 a day at 1st, 2 at 4th, 3 at 8th, etc. level he can use his rage ability once per day.) Yup, the Barbarian's rage via a stance, I think, the adaptation went well, but being afraid that it may in fact be to much, I added the line that only tiger claw maneuvers may be used in that stance, and your maneuvers cannot be refreshed. The benefits of raging are nothing to sneeze at, so I feel this limitation may help to balance it out. Also, this obviously lends itself into creating higher level stances, about the same time a normal barbarian would gain his greater rage, you could open up the option for an appropriate level tiger claw stance OR, if you feel that taking multiple stances isn't the right course to improving this rage, how about high level boosts? But having him burn another maneuver and another swift action doesn't seem to good. Perhaps just feats maybe? Wolf's Pace Tiger Claw (Stance) Level: Swordsage 1, Warblade 1 Prerequisites: 2 Tiger Claw maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: Stance (see below) You are swift and light on your feet, able to move and dash like the wolf. While in this stance you gain a +10ft. bonus to your base movement speed. You may not initiate this maneuver if you are wearing heavy armor or carrying a heavy load. Again, just the Barbarian's fast movement. Grinning Wolf Glare Tiger Claw (Boost) Level: Swordsage 1, Warblade 1 Prerequisites: 1 Tiger Claw maneuver Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: 5ft. Target: One enemy Duration: 1 round/initiator Saving Throw: Will You aim you sights on an enemy, fixing him a preadatory gaze as you to lock eyes for a single moment, you sneer and flash your teeth, your wild eyes filled with unspeakable determination, unnerving him as a hare gazing upon a wolf before the impeding bite. You choose one opponent adjecent to you which you also threaten, that opponent must make Will save (DC 11+ your str mod) or become shaken for 1 round per initiator level you pocess. Add 1 to the DC for each successful melee attack you have made this round. Blood Fang Strike Tiger Claw (Boost) Level: Swordsage 3, Warblade 3 Prerequisites: 3 Tiger Claw maneuver Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: Current encounter The sight your enemy reeling back in pain from one of your lethal strikes and the smell of his fresh blood gives you a maddening resolve, ignoring your own wounds you spur on, determined to finish off your prey no matter the cost. Tales speak of tiger claw adepts slaughtering dozens despite suffering mortal wounds themselves, they continue on in a wild death theroes, killing everyone before sccumbing to thier own horrid injuries, much like a cornered beast, thier frenzy lends them a beastial vigor in the face of danger. After successfully scoring a critical hit against an opponent, you may initiate this maneuver. You gain 2d6+ 1/initiator level temporary hit points. These temporary hit points cannot exceed your maximum hit point total and only last for the duration of the encounter. Multiple applications of this maneuver do not stack. If you initiate this maneuver before a previous use's temporary hit points have gone away (either by taking damage or if the encounter ends) the new use of this maneuver replaces the previous remaining temporary hit points. Vicious Wolf Strike Tiger Claw (Strike) Level: Swordsage 3, Warblade 3 Prerequisites: 3 Tiger Claw maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 full round action Range: melee attack Target: One enemy You lunge at your opponent with shocking speed, striking and tearing into an arm or leg before he can react, maiming him for the remainder of the fight As part of this maneuver, make a charge attack. when you reach your opponent, make a jump check with DC equal to your opponents armor class, if the check is successful your opponent is considered flat-footed for your attack and takes 1d4 points of dexterity damage in addition to your normal melee damage. If your check fails, you may attack normally, but do not gain the benefits of charging or this maneuver (you still suffer the -2 to AC for one round). Anyway, these are just a few things off the top of my head, what do you guys think? I'm still working on my broken wave discipline, and i'd like to kow if my ideas even carry the faintest traces of balance and proper flavor. So tell me! Don't be shy. If you think they are bad, tell me! Rip into them, tell me what's wrong with them so I know how to correct it.
Neofish 06-26-07, 12:56 PM	So what's the deal folks? Am I posting on the wrong forum?
windscar18 06-26-07, 12:57 PM	O_o? I dunno...Barbarians were already reasonable by themselves....I don't think there's really a need to replace them.