Cross-Discipline Maneuvers (3.5e Variant Rule)

Author: Havvy (talk) Co-Authors: Foxwarrior, MisterSinister Date Created: April 3rd, 2011 Status: Finished Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Cross-Discipline Maneuvers

Introduction

While it would be good for our systems to make some kind of verisimilitude-based sense, this doesn't often happen. In the Tome of Battle, disciplines seem to live on an isolated island from each other, never mixing, despite the fact that the nine disciplines taught by Reshar were... well, taught by the same guy, at the same place, for a significant length of time. Thus, it seems highly weird that no combination or transplantation of techniques occured. Thus, to keep transparency with similarly described systems (powers, spells), we include the concept of cross-discipline maneuvers, which belong to multiple schools.

Rule Mechanics

A cross-discipline maneuver belongs to more than one discipline. They will usually have a connection to both disciplines, as well as prerequisites relating to both disciplines. They are marked with the [X-Discipline] descriptor.

For the purpose of save DCs, use whichever is more favourable to the martial adept initiating the maneuver.

A character must have at least one maneuver in each associated discipline before taking the cross-discipline maneuver. This prerequisite should already be in the maneuver's prerequisite field, as per the examples on this page.

Examples

Argument from Small Numbers

Coin's Edge, Eloquent Speech (Boost) [X-Discipline]
Level:	3
Prerequisite:	One Coin's Edge Maneuver, One Eloquent Speech Maneuver
Initiation Action:	1 swift action
Range:	Personal
Target:	You
Duration:	Until the end of your next turn
Saving Throw:	None

"Since I hit with this attack, surely I shall hit with every attack."

Roll a d20. Until the end of your next turn, whenever you would have to roll a d20, that is the number you will roll.

Brutal Murder

Shadow Hand, Tiger Claw (Strike) [Death, X-Discipline]
Level:	5
Prerequisite:	Two Shadow Hand Maneuvers, One Tiger Claw Maneuver
Initiation Action:	1-round action
Range:	Melee attack
Target:	One creature
Duration:	Instantaneous
Saving Throw:	Fortitude partial

You dramatically raise your scythe above your cowering foe. Rooted to the spot in their panic, they simply crouch there as you slice their head off.

Make a melee attack against the target. You automatically roll a natural 20 on the attack roll, but must roll normally to confirm the critical hit. In addition, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 15 + Dexterity modifier) or die.

Only the Fortitude save to avoid death is a Death effect; immunity to Death effects does not protect against the automatic hit.

Note that Brutal Murder is a 1-round action, not a full-round action: the target has an entire turn to get out of reach and make your maneuver effectively wasted.

Shadowshatter

Domestic Tarrasque, Shadow Hand (Stance) [X-Discipline]
Level:	2
Prerequisite:	One Domestic Tarrasque Maneuver, One Shadow Hand Maneuver
Initiation Action:	1 swift action
Range:	Personal
Target:	You
Duration:	Stance
Saving Throw:	None

Your attacks flicker through the plane of shadow, destroying the objects' potentials before flickering back to reality to finish the job.

While in this stance, your attacks against objects ignore hardness and deal double damage.

This maneuver is supernatural.

Soulquake

Essential Cut, Domestic Tarrasque (Strike) [X-Discipline]
Level:	6
Prerequisite:	One Essential Cut Maneuver, One Domestic Tarrasque Maneuver
Initiation Action:	1 standard action
Range:	Centered on you
Area:	All objects within 10 ft./point of essentia
Duration:	1 round/3 levels (D)
Saving Throw:	Will negates (object)

You release a pulse of incarnum, infusing everything in the area with it. Objects infused in this way hop, vibrate, and shatter.

Spend some amount of essentia. All objects within the area become infused with this essentia. Each round, every object in the area takes 1 point of damage per initiator level.

In addition, each time a creature enters a square occupied by infused terrain objects, that creature must make a Balance check (DC 20 + initiator level) or fall prone. You are the only creature exempt from this effect, as the objects calm down slightly in your immediate presence.

Unlike most other Essential Cut maneuvers, essentia spent on Soulquake isn't regained until the effect ends.

This maneuver is supernatural.

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