Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Zack2216 05-04-07, 03:15 PM	So, what I've got here is a new Discipline that I'd like to incorporate into future campaigns that I'd participate in. It's called Sky Serpent (although, the name is just a place holder until something better comes up). I drew my inspiration from a couple of places, and through this Discipline I wanted to have a Ch'ien T'ai Ch'i Ch'uan/ Snake/ Stormy weather theme. Using concepts like repeated circular movements to build up chi and power, foiling attacks with good rooting and yielding, and then have your lightning, thunder and wind themed attacks and abilities. I payed good attention to the power levels of the other disciplines, and what was possible at specific maneuver levels. It is a Swordsage Discipline, although I could see it as a Warblade discipline as well. Also, the prefered weapons of the style are Unarmed Strikes, Daggers, Spears, Javelins, Staffs, nunchaku, and the chain whip. I was hoping to get your opinions on the below maneuvers, in hopes of making them better balanced, better named ("serpent" is used in part in a lot of the maneuver names), and fun to play. For some of the maneuvers, opposed balance checks sound better than balance vs. their attack. For others, the opposite is true. Maneuvers and Stances- 1st Level Shocking Fang: Boost- Deal 1d6 lightning +1/initiator level Winged Serpents Grace: Stance- gain the effects of feather fall Serpents Undulation: Counter- Ruin Grapple attempt, use balance trip foe and move him to any square you threaten Double Jump: Boost- On a successful balance check, Jump off of thin air. Serpents Gift: Boost- While prone, may move up to your move speed and ignore attacks of opportunity. 2nd Level Sky Serpent Flaps It’s Wings: Strike- Blow back opponents in a line with a gust of air originating from your attack Hurricane Turns the Body: Counter- When attacked by an opponent flanking you, you may turn and lash out, possibly tripping and moving him with a successful balance check. 3rd Level Sky Serpents Venom: Stance- Deal additional Sonic damage to opponents that you flank or are defenseless against you. Coatl Yawns: Strike- Deal 4d6 lightning Damage to enemies in a short line Tornado’s Embrace: Boost- Ranged attacks have a 50% to miss you for one round 4th Level Serpents Swiftness: Stance- Gain +1 AC and +1 reflex each time your opponent misses Illusory Coils: Strike- Opponent struck believes that he is pinned by a giant snake Serpent Evades Tiger: Counter- Ruin Charge attack. Throw opponent with successful balance check and deal sonic damage. 5th Level Storm’s Fang: Boost- Attacks deal +2d6 sonic damage +1/initiator level Coatl Exhales: Strike- Opponents in a line take 6d6 lightning Damage. Thunder Smites The Aggressor: Counter- You gain an attack of opportunity against an attacker within reach, takes +6d6 Sonic Damage 6th Level Thunder Clap: Strike- You deal 6d6 Sonic Damage to those in a 20ft radius of you. May break equipment. Sky Serpent’s Secret: Stance- Your weapon base damage is equal to your unarmed strike base damage. Great Serpent Squeezes: Boost- Your arm becomes a snake, gain a bite attack and improved grab. Tornadoes Touch: Boost- Attacks deal extra bludgeoning damage and send opponents flying. 7th Level Crane Spreads it’s Wings: Boost- Strike one foe, free attack against another Great Serpent Yields: Counter- Avoid attack with successful balance check and gain an attack of opportunity. Snakes Venom Run’s Deep: Strike- Attack deals 4 strength and 4 dexterity damage. 8th Level Fangs Dig Ever Deeper: Boost- Successive attacks deal extra lightning damage. Great Serpent Crushes: Boost- Independent serpentine extensions constrict foes. Ride the Lightning: Stance- Gain Temporary Flight with successful balance check. Hurricane’s Secret: Strike- On successful Balance check, single attack deals triple damage and sends foe flying. 9th Level Sky Serpents Fang Pierces The Stone Dragon: Strike- Opponents are struck by lightning, taking 100 damage. Sky Serpent Crane Spreads It’s Wings Sky Serpent (Boost) Level: Swordsage 7 Prerequisite: 3 Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You You lash out at 2 opponents with seemingly impossible speed, attacking in two different directions at once. If the 1st melee attack you make during your turn hits, you can immediately make a free attack at your highest attack bonus against a different enemy that you threaten. You can only gain one free attack each time you initiate this maneuver, regardless of how many successful attacks you make this round. Coatl Exhales Sky Serpent (Strike) [lightning] Level: Swordsage 5 Prerequisite: 2 Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 standard action Range: 60 ft. Area: Line Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half, Fortitude Negates (see below) With a great Kiai, you channel your ki to your mouth and unleash it in the form of lightning. As a master of Sky Serpent advances, he learns to strike as the storm does, even through his ki. This maneuver allows you to generate a blinding flash of lightning, similar to a blue dragon. With this maneuver, you blast forth a line of lightning that deals 6d6 lightning damage to everything in a 60 ft. line. Creatures in the area can attempt a reflex save (DC 15+your wis modifier) for half damage. This is a supernatural ability. Coatl Yawns Sky Serpent (Strike) [lightning] Level: Swordsage 3 Prerequisite: 1 Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 standard action Range: 60 ft. Area: Line Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half, Fortitude Negates (see below) With a great Kiai, you channel your ki to your mouth and unleash it in the form of lightning. The Sky Serpent discipline teaches students how to manipulate the element of their ki, teaching how to channel lightning and thunder. This maneuver allows you to generate a flash of lightning, similar to a blue dragon. With this maneuver, you blast forth a line of lightning that deals 4d6 lightning damage to everything in a 60 ft. line. Creatures in the area can attempt a reflex save (DC 15+your wis modifier) for half damage. This is a supernatural ability. Double Jump Sky Serpent (Boost) Level: Swordsage 1 Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: 50 ft. Area: Special Duration: Till end of turn As you move through the air you collect cloud-stuff under you feet, just sturdy enough to act as a platform from which you can leap again. Sky Serpent disciples seek to emulate the sky serpent, and in doing so learn to not fear the sky. Using ones ki, the student is able to create a short lived platform made of cloud-stuff that only he can stand on. Make a balance check DC 15, adding your Initiator level to the result. If you succeed, you can stand on it. If you fail, you fall right through. The size and number of platforms increase as you Initiator level increases. It is possible to scale great heights at later initiator levels. I.L.____Platform size 1-5____one 5 ft. square 6-10___two 5 ft. squares 11-15__three 5 ft squares 16+____four 5 ft. squares This is a supernatural ability. Fangs Dig Ever Deeper Sky Serpent (Boost) [lightning] Level: Swordsage 8 Prerequisite: 3 Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: till end of turn Channeling ki, each successive strike against an opponent unleashes more and more of your ki. Picturing the relentless assault of a storm, your ki becomes as lightning to destroy your opponents. Each of your strikes releases a larger amount of ki than the last. Each strikes churns your ki faster, which is then channeled into and through your attacks. You must initiate this maneuver before you make any attacks this round. If one of your attacks misses, this effect ends. Your attacks don’t have to be against the same opponent each time. All additional attacks after the 5th continue to deal +6d6+6 lightning damage. Attack__Lightning Damage 1______+2d6+2 2______+3d6+3 3______+4d6+4 4______+5d6+5 5+_____+6d6+6 This is a supernatural ability. Great Serpent Crushes Sky Serpent (Boost) Level: Swordsage 8 Prerequisite: 4 Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 1 minute Lightning and storm cloud emanate from your body and coalesce into two Huge serpents that attach themselves to you, becoming extra limbs to strangle your foes. Great skill is required to be able to control your ki in such a way. By summoning and compacting storm cloud and lightning into two living extensions of yourself, you become a fearsome opponent on the battlefield. You gain 2 additional bite attacks, whose reach is 10 ft. greater than your normal reach. These bite attacks attack at your highest attack bonus and have a base damage equal to your unarmed strike damage, but deal lightning damage instead of physical damage. You also gain Improved Grab with these bite attacks. When you hit with either of these bite attacks, you may start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. While grappling with these extensions, you can also constrict on a successful grapple check. Your constrict base damage dice is equal to your unarmed strike damage dice. Also, on a successful opposed grapple check you can act normally while one or both of your extensions is grappling. This check is made at no penalty. The extensions have an effective strength score equal to 18 + your initiator level. Also, your extensions grapple as Huge creatures, and use your rank in Balance in place of your base attack bonus when making grapple checks. This ability overlaps any other ability that increases how many limbs you have. This is a supernatural ability. Great Serpent Squeezes Sky Serpent (Boost) Level: Swordsage 6 Prerequisite: 2 Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 1 minute Lightning and storm cloud emanate from your body and coalesce into a Large serpent that replaces one of your arms. By Channeling your Ki and manipulating the very air around you, you are able to create condense cloud over one of your arms, turning it into an even more dangerous weapon than it was before. While you are still able to wield two-handed-weapons, your new limb gains a number of benefits. Instead of an unarmed strike, that arm now performs a bite attack that deals an equal amount of lightning damage instead. Also, if you hit with this bite attack, you may start a grapple as a free action without provoking at attack of opportunity. If you win the grapple check you establish a hold and can constrict, dealing unarmed strike damage. You can maintain a hold of the opponent with this arm and act independently on a successful grapple check, made at no penalty. On grapple checks made with the arm, your arm grapples as a Large creature and you may and use your rank in Balance in place of your base attack bonus when making grapple checks. This is a Supernatural ability. Great Serpent Yields Sky Serpent (Counter) Level: Swordsage 7 Prerequisite: 3 Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 immediate action Range: Melee Attack Target: One Creature You yield an opponents attack, redirecting it with your body just as it makes contact. But, as one side of the body is redirecting, the other side is striking at a defenseless opening. When you initiate this maneuver, you allow your opponent to think that you will be hit just long enough to cause them to over reach and give you an opening. Make a Balance check as a part of initiating this maneuver. If it is higher than the opponents attack roll, then you succeed in yielding your opponents attack and take no damage. You may make an immediate attack of opportunity that your opponent is considered flat-footed for. If your opponent fails an opposed balance check, your opponent moves back, landing prone 5 ft. away for every 5 pts of damage you dealt. If there is something in the way, your opponent stops early and takes 1d6 damage, dealing the same amount of damage to the creature if a creature is what stopped it. Hurricane’s Secret Sky Serpent (strike) Level: Swordsage 8 Prerequisite: three Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: One Standard Action Range: Melee Attack Target: One Creature By channeling the howling force of the hurricane, you circle your weapon and with it your Ki. You then unleash it in a single, swift, devastating strike that sends your opponent flying. By slowly circling your weapon while build your ki you are able to build hurricane like momentum for a single attack. To keep this movement in check, you must make a balance check, DC equal to your strength score +5. If you succeed on the Balance check, your attack is primed, and if it hits deals three times your normal melee damage. If your opponent fails a balance check DC 5+ your strength score, your opponent moves back, landing prone 5 ft. away for every 5 pts of damage you dealt. If there is something in the way, your opponent stops early and takes 1d6 damage, dealing the same amount of damage to the creature if a creature is what stopped it. If you fail your balance check, you make your attack roll at a -2 penalty and deal normal damage Hurricane Turns the Body Sky Serpent (counter) Level: Swordsage 2 Prerequisite: One Sky Serpent Maneuver Initiation Action: 1 immediate action Range: Melee Attack Target: One Creature You are surrounded, and the moment you are struck you lash out with snake-like reflexes in an attempt to neutralize an opponent. Whenever you are attacked by an opponent that is flanking you, you may activate this maneuver to turn on them and attack while they are attempting to withdraw their weapon to make another strike. If this attack hits, you may make an opposed Balance check, with any bonuses to Trip based on size or stability. If you win, they land prone in any square that you threaten. If you lose, nothing happens. Illusory Coils Sky Serpent (strike) Level: Swordsage 4 Prerequisite: two Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: Standard Action Range: Melee Attack Target: One Creature Save: Will Negates Duration: 1 round per 2 initiator levels [I]You surround your weapon with a serpent made of smoke that coils around your opponent when you make contact with your weapon, making your opponent believe that it is bound tight and pinned by a serpent. You surround your weapon in a powerful illusion. If your attack hits, your opponent must make a will save (DC 14+ your wisdom Modifier). If it fails, then your opponent believes that a monstrous snake is strangling it, and has pinned it to the ground. Ride the Lightning Sky Serpent (stance) Level: Swordsage 8 Initiation Acton: 1swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: Stance Through your Ki you create a cushion of lightning stable enough to support your weight. You immediately rocket through the sky, standing on a serpent like lightning bolt. You gain a temporary 90 ft. fly speed with perfect maneuverability, depending on how well you can balance on a lightning bolt. When in this stance you may attempt to use the ability of this stance by making a balance check. You can only attempt to use the stance once per turn. The result of your balance check determines how long the effects of this stance last. If you are still in the air when the effects of this stance end, you immediately fall to the ground. Balance Check__Flight duration DC 25_________one move action DC 30_________one full round action DC 35_________One full round DC 40_________Till the end of your next turn This maneuver is a supernatural ability. Shocking Fang Sky Serpent (boost) Level: Swordsage 1 Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: end of turn Your weapon crackles with lightning as it lunges to your opponent. By channeling your ki into your weapon as you transform it into lightning, you learn one of the basic principles of the Sky Serpent Discipline. Till the end of your turn, you weapon deals an additional 1d6 lightning damage +1 per Initiator level you have. This maneuver is a supernatural ability. Serpents Undulation Sky Serpent (counter) Level: Swordsage 1 Initiation action: 1 immediate action Range: melee attack Target: one creature Your body yields as your opponent attempts to get a hold of you. However, you lure it into a trap allowing you to counter and leave your foe sprawled on the ground. Whenever an opponent attempts to initiate a grapple, you may expend this maneuver. Make a Balance check opposed by your opponents grapple check. If you succeed, instead of your opponent getting a hold, you throw him. He lands prone in any square you threaten. Serpent’s Gift Sky Serpent (boost) Level: Swordsage Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: one move action Your opponent trips you, but you land on a ki generated cushion of air that allows you to move out of harms way. You can expend this maneuver if you are prone on the ground. If so, you may then move up to your move speed floating along the ground supported by a ki generated cushion of air. You ignore all attacks of opportunity this movement incurs. This movement does not make you stand. Standing after this movement incurs attacks of opportunity as normal. Sky Serpent Flaps It’s Wings Sky Serpent (strike) Level: Swordsage 2 Prerequisite: one Sky Serpent Maneuver Initiation Action: 1 standard action Range: melee attack; 60 ft. line (see text) Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates By channeling your ki into a single strike, you are able to generate a powerful gust of wind that blows away all but the strongest of your opponents. If your attack hits, you also generate a spell effect similar to Gust of Wind. However, as your initiator level increases, so does the power of this gust. Refer to the DMG pg 95 for more information about the effects of wind this strong. I.L.____Wind Speed 1-6____50 mph (severe) 7-12___74 mph (windstorm) 13-18__150 mph (hurricane) 19+____200 mph (tornado) Sky Serpent’s Venom Sky Serpent (stance) Level: Swordsage 3 Initiation Acton: 1swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: Stance You are taught to take advantage of your opponents openings, and this stance epitomizes that philosophy, allowing you to shoot destructive ki straight into your opponent’s body. While you are in this stance, you deal additional damage to opponents that leave openings for you to take advantage of. Similar to the Rogue Sneak Attack ability in application, you deal additional sonic damage whenever you attack a flanked or defenseless opponent. In place of sneak attack damage, however, you deal +2 points of sonic damage per Sky Serpent Maneuver that you know. This sonic damage ignores object hardness. Serpent Evades Tiger Sky Serpent (counter) Level: Swordsage 4 Prerequisite: 2 Sky Serpent maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 immediate action Range: Melee attack Target: One creature With a yielding side step, you send a charging opponent sprawling. With this counter, you can attempt to redirect a creature that intends to make a charge attack against you. Immediately before the creature makes it’s attack, make an opposed Balance check against it. If you succeed on the check, the creature does not get to attack you, and you can then move it up to 2 squares in a direction away from you. You may make an attack of opportunity that deals +4d6 sonic damage to it if it is within reach. Storm’s Fang Sky Serpent (boost) Level: Swordsage 5 Prerequisite: 2 Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action Range: Personal Target: you Duration: end of turn Through your Ki, you channel the rattling, humming power of thunder into your weapon. Through continued training, you expand your storm manipulation to thunder, enabling you to channel it through you weapon for a short time. For the rest of your turn, your melee attacks deal an extra 2d6 sonic damage +1 per initiator level. Serpent’s Swiftness Sky Serpent (Stance) Level: Swordsave 4 Prerequisite: 2 Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action Range: Personal Target: You By imitating the coiling, yielding movements of the snake, you improve your reaction time in combat. You learn from your foes attacks, learning how best to yield or deflect his style. While you are in this stance, You gain a temporary +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves each time your opponent misses you. This bonus is cumulative for the round and applies against all opponents attacking you. It lasts until the start of your next turn. Sky Serpent’s Secret Sky Serpent (stance) Level: Swordsage 6 Prerequisite: 3 Sky Serpent maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: Stance While in this stance you generate an aura of menace that leads all opponents to believe that all your weapons are equally deadly. The Sky Serpent Discipline teaches that all weapons are viable, and that all students must be equally proficient with both their weapons and their empty hand strikes. This stance exemplifies that. While this stance is adopted, the base damage of any weapon you wield is equal to the base damage of your unarmed strike. Snake’s Venom Runs Deep Sky Serpent (strike) Level: Swordsage 7 Prerequiste: 3 Sky Serpent maneuvers Initiation Action: one standard action Range: melee attack Target: one creature An opening at a vital pressure point presents itself. You take advantage of it, hampering your foe’s physical prowess. Striking at a vital pressure point you hamper your opponents control over his physical strength and his coordination. You deal 4 strength damage and 4 dexterity damage. These effects go away if he receives any sort of magical healing. Sky Serpents Fang Pierces The Stone Dragon Sky Serpent (strike) Level: Swordsage 9 Prerequisite: 5 Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 full round action Range: 60 ft Area: 60 ft. area Burst centered on You Duration: instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex Half Summoning your ki, you summon a great storm cloud over head. Floating into the air, you catch a lightning bolt just as it’s about to strike you. Collecting it in your hands into a large ball, you shoot towards that ground at great speed. Upon contact with the ground, lightning shoots in all directions, blinding all that look upon you, sundering the ground beneath you and smiting all around you. Only true masters of the Sky serpent discipline can master this technique. The lightning caught is the representation of the culmination of Ki built up over the course of your training. When it touches the ground, it explodes outward, dealing 100 lightning damage to all opponents in the area. You take no damage when you use this maneuver. Reflex DC 19 + your wisdom modifier. This maneuver is a supernatural ability. Tornado’s Embrace Sky Serpent (boost) Level: Swordsage 3 Prerequisite: One Sky Serpent maneuver Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: you Duration: 1 full round You use you Ki to summon a whirlwind around you strong enough to blow away common projectiles. You use your Ki to summon a whirlwind around you that kicks up dirt and makes it difficult to hit you with ranged attacks. For the round after you use this maneuver, ranged attacks and ranged touch attacks have a 50% chance to miss you. Thunder Smites the Aggressor Sky Serpent (Counter) Level: Swordsage 5 Prerequisite: 2 Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 immediate action Range: Melee Attack Target: One Creature In reaction to an opponent striking you, you react with the speed of lightning and strike with an accompanied roar of thunder. Whenever you are struck in combat, you can expend this maneuver to gain an immediate attack of opportunity against the creature. This attack deals +6d6 sonic damage. Thunder Clap Sky Serpent (strike) Level: Swordsage 6 Prerequisite: 3 Sky Serpent Maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 standard action Range: 20 ft Area: 20 ft. area Burst centered on you Duration: instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex Half; fortitude negates (see text) You raise your hands and in an explosive demonstration of ki generation and control create a thunderclap that deafens those around you and shatters their weapons. You clap your hands together, creating a thunder clap that deals 6d6 sonic Damage to those around you. Those that fail their reflex save need to make a fortitude save. If failed, their equipment takes an equal amount of sonic damage. This sonic damage ignores hardness. Both saves are DC 16+ your wisdom modifier. Tornado’s Touch Sky Serpent (boost) Level: Swordsage 6 Prerequisite: One Sky Serpent maneuver Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: you Duration: till end of turn Save: Reflex for Half (see text) You surround your weapon in a volatile whirlwind that causes opponents strike to be sent flying. Your melee attacks deal +2d6 bludgeoning damage +1 per initiator level. Opponents struck while this maneuver is active move back 5 ft per 5 pts of extra damage this boost deals, away from the character, on a failed reflex save DC equal to the full damage of the attack. Winged Serpents Grace Sky Serpent (stance) Level: Swordsage 1 Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: Stance Through direct application of your light body training, you are able to avoid harm from falling great distances. While in this stance, you are under the effects of Feather Fall as per the spell.
Crashy75 05-05-07, 12:18 AM	Could you increase the font size of the maneuvers? It's kind of hard on the eyes. Please reply when you have done so and I'll take a closer look at your maneuvers.
Midnight_v 05-05-07, 12:35 AM	Interesting stuff ...needs a few better names but I do like the theme its funny I'm aways thinking about that soul drake thing they mention in the JpM this makes me wonder if there should be a stance in this school that connects you to evil or unholy damage. . . perhaps thats a whole different school. > < M
Zack2216 05-06-07, 02:51 AM	I have changed the font size, and I've also made a couple changes to some maneuvers. Clearing up explanations, tweaking maneuver strength, stuff like that. Something I noticed though, I haven't written up Ride the Lightning. I'll get on that. Midnight_V- A stance like that sounds like it would be better suited in the devoted spirit school, since it has alignment based attacks and stances.
Zack2216 05-06-07, 12:49 PM	I've written up Ride the Lightning stance. I've included it in the main post above, but I'll paste it right here for reference. Ride the Lightning Sky Serpent (stance) Level: Swordsage 8 Initiation Acton: 1swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: Stance Through your Ki you create a cushion of lightning stable enough to support your weight. You immediately rocket through the sky, standing on a serpent like lightning bolt. You gain a temporary 90 ft. fly speed with perfect maneuverability, depending on how well you can balance on a lightning bolt. When in this stance you may attempt to use the ability of this stance by making a balance check. You can only attempt to use the stance once per turn. The result of your balance check determines how long the effects of this stance last. If you are still in the air when the effects of this stance end, you immediately fall to the ground. Balance Check__Flight duration DC 25_________one move action DC 30_________one full round action DC 35_________One full round DC 40_________Till the end of your next turn This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Drachasor 05-06-07, 04:13 PM	If you could bold the maneuver names and some other stuff, that would help. If you edit your post, ctrl-b should put bold marks around a highlighted portion. It is still a bit awkward to read. Try to copy the format used in ToB as far as bold and size goes. Anyhoo, Sky Serpent is better than some names....for instance, Lightning Snake would not be a very good name. -Drachasor
Zack2216 05-06-07, 07:27 PM	That should help. In my word document on my lappy, as I typed the above out I bolded and italicized along the way. I definately see the difference.
Crashy75 05-07-07, 09:12 PM	ooohh You bolded it too. Yay. Printed. Will get back to you.
Zack2216 05-10-07, 03:04 PM	So, anything too powerful, or is everything as powerful as other maneuvers at that level?
Crashy75 05-11-07, 05:41 PM	Internet went down at home. I have to say that I think Winged Serpents Grace is too weak/conditional. It needs something more unless you are in a game with a lot of falling (never been in one myself). Also, I think it would be good to stick with the save formula (10 + (maneuver level) + ability mod) for the most part.
Zack2216 05-12-07, 03:10 AM	What maneuvers would be more appropriate having a basic save versus an opposed check?
Zack2216 05-16-07, 01:55 PM	Here is a new stance that I'd like to know whether or not needs tweeking. Rippling Sword Sky Serpent (stance) Level: Swordsage 1 Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: Stance By using your ki and softness of body, you are able to undulate your weapons at high speed, making them appear to move like a snake in your hands. Through ki manipulation and softness of body, you are able to vibrate your arm and create the illusion that your weapon ripples and moves like a snake. This allows you to throw off your opponents timing, piercing their defenses. However, it can be difficult to control, and without proper focus, you may miss your opponent yourself. Your initiator level represents your understanding of the technique, and how much of your opponent’s defenses you can ignore. When you are in this stance, you may ignore up to +1+1/4 initiator levels in bonuses to your opponents AC. Your rank in balance determines what bonus types you can ignore (IE if your initiator level is 12, and your balance rank is 15, you ignore up to +4, but only if their total shield, dodge and insight bonuses to AC are at least +4). Your opponent must be able to see what you are attacking with in order to be effected. Balance Rank_Bonus Type Ignored 4+__________Shield 9+__________Dodge 14+_________Insight 19+_________Dexterity The idea is to have a stance that allows you to ignore some or maybe all of an opponents bonuses to AC. However, it can't bring any of the above AC bonus types into negatives. So, if your opponent is say, a dragon the relies entirely on natural armor, then this stance is useless. It is good against swift dexterity fighters, but not say, the great axe wielding barbarian (atleast until later levels). So, is it too potent for a 1st level stance? Crashy75 mentioned that the feather fall stance (Winged Serpents Grace) was too situational. Would this be a good replacement?
Suden 05-24-07, 02:19 PM	I like your discipline. The abilities seem balanced and flavorful. There were a couple though that I think could use some tweaking. Shocking Fang does 1d6+1 per initiator level, it should be capped like level one spells at a maximum of +5. Otherwise, a 20th level dual wielder could potentially add 1d6+20 to eight attacks, too much for a level one manuever. I'm not as sure about Storm’s Fang, it seems a bit too powerful for a fifth level maneuver, but I don't know where it should cap to make it balanced. Maybe a straight 4d6 or even 5d6 sonic per attack rather than 2d6+1 per level (5d6 is about the same as 2d6+11)? Winged Serpents Grace might work better as a counter. Then it can be used as an immediate action as needed. It fits thematically so you should keep it around, just not as a stance. I like the concept of Ride the Lightning, but it seems a bit underpowered for an 8th level stance. You could probably drop the balance checks altogether, a 15th level swordsage using his only stance should be able to stay on the lighting bolt every round. I don't think it would be overpowered, after all swordsages aren't ranged attackers, it would just allow them to catch pesky wizards and fliers or escape from trouble quickly. Besides, a 15th+ level swordsage isn't going to be failing any dc 25 balance checks, so you might as well cut down on the dice rolling. I like the Rippling Sword stance, but I think it would make more sense to move dex higher (lower?) on the list. I would think an experienced meleer would be more familiar with dex than anything else, bypassing dodge and insight acs should be trickier. I don't think the stance is too powerful, it scales well and at best it gives the swordsage an attack bonus on a par with a warblade or fighter, and that only against certain opponents.
Zack2216 05-24-07, 09:26 PM	For Rippling Sword stance, I assumed that being able to ignore dexterity at lower levels would make it too powerful. Kinda making it a "must have" for Swordsages of all specializations. However, reversing the progression makes sense too, because dexterity is one of the most common AC modifiers, as you said. For the maneuvers that add xd6 +1/initiator level in damage to all attacks for a round, I just followed the precedent set by a couple of the Desert Wind maneuvers that have the same mechanic (xd6 +1/initiator level with no cap), just with a different element type. I like your recomendation for Winged Serpent's Grace, Suden. It would make a good counter for lower levels, and can be replaced by better maneuvers. Plus, it's "easy" to get a ring of feather fall as well. I was worried about making Ride the Lightning too powerful (I didn't want it to out shine the Balance on the Sky stance either). If I remove the balance check mechanic, should I just make it so that the stance gives you a fly speed just for 1 round at a time, ending and causing you to fall at the end of your turn?
Yue Ryong 06-13-07, 07:17 PM	Wow, this is nice. I may make a Talosian BBEG based around this. I am surprised at the lack of an equivalent to Flame's Blessing, or any sort of stances to resist wind problems. As is, it's a little difficult to picture the heroes taking seriously a villain who flies in on a lightning bolt and then gets blown off of it at the last second.