c R E D I r s

D E.S IG~ ERS SE ~ JO R AR T D I RECT O R 0&0

R ICHARD BAIEl, MATTHEW S l.I N£TI. STAer LoNGSTlEET
PUNt. B RUN NER
ART D I REC TOR
ADnI TI O ~ A L DES JG~ M Ali K.oLro wsn
J OSU H C Al.l rt.EJ.. JI.. CO\'ER ART iST
O E \' F.L O P ER S E l le P OLAl
M In. M U l LS (LEAD), A SDY C OLUSS, IXTER IOR A RTISTS
STEl H!.N ScH treElT. M in D ONAIS, KALMA N A !'i'DI.ASOFSUT. S n VE ELUS.
J ESSE DEeu a W ATN E E. NGLA N D. E~U LT FIE.GE..... scmm,
ED ITO RS H OWAl D L TOS. Ju p N u.l1u P.
T OI.ST'£I N N ORDSTI.AND. M ICHAE.L P HJLU n .
C HIIS T HOM.U SON. P V:l<."T WlLUAMS
A I NIE SWU ll. BETH TlOTT
ED IT ISG ~ f A :s' A G E R GR AP H IC DESIG SE R
K IM M OHAN M AU Koi xowsr r
DES I G X :-'i A . ·AG E R G R AP H IC P RODUCT IO X S PEC I ALI S T
C HIISTOr HEI P El l INS E.llS Doaarzs
D EV EL OP ~l E ~ T :\I A X A G ER B I AG E TEC HS' IC I A X
J ESSE. DEeu a B OB J OJ.DAN

D I R EC TO R O F RP G R& D P R OD U C T I O ~ ~ IA:\'AGE RS
B ILL SUVICSU J OSH FISCHEl., R ANDALL C u.w s

Based on t he ori&itul D l'SGFDSS 6.: D II.AOOSS· rules cre:al.:d b) E. Gar)' Gn~;u and Dn .: Ar Ol."SOIl, and l he new D l':'{;FDSS& D uoo!-lI
game J.:siltn.:J b)' Jonada n Tweet , ~ l ont.: Cool, Slip \\'i ll ~ nu, Richard Haker, and Peter AJliWlll,

"This product U~ Upd;1In1 materia l from the v3. r revision,

T his \ \ 'IU RI)§ 01' THF. CoASr game prodll(l contains no Open Game COI1lent. :\0 ]lOClion of this ll1Vl mar be reprodll('Cd in an)'
for m Il·ilhour "Tillen permiuion. To learn more about t he Open Gaming L icense and the d'20 Sysrem Licen se, please visit \1\"""'.
•I,i1.ardu om !dl O.

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CONTENTS
I n lru<!UCII<l1L . I'nft.ctcllnl' 01M,,·.d aDd Bodv
Rt'p'ngT,1om " OftptION'St'nllJwl
'"
c hapl"''' , : UtKi ples ohhe- S.....,...L •••••••.•• 7
• ordllng Sm:lCl:O "" EIC'l'n.aI Bbdr
Jao:k Pbcwml M. . '''''
C~~r
!'iwcmlUir IS
8
SIurJ.,o{Cranllr
" Mnlrl of Slnr '"
l!o
Swnngllard W'rnoI".. J4 Ruby "'ruehl Vlnd.a.IOf. 111
HUlmn Swon!SJ~ SunU\& P~hlt' 18
S~QW S<t n ~l .
W.rbla.k :0 Chaput ) : Slad., Ma l ic •..••. ... )]
'"
~u.nw~_ .J' C1utplrr " The :-;,nr Swords .•.• . ..••.... I JI
Ch.pur 1: sk ills . nd ","t5 , ••••. 27
Sr. slull.,nd UW'S. ,.
., RtM! YIn, MIMV.:tn "'-rJpom oCLrpq 1)1
Innutlftl M, rwtn...n.ad Su~n ~"'il'ul<! (DeHn'.l:·uw1
h:aumida.-
KnowWrr lol;,n
.17
Conc r nl n rLOn. "
ss Fmhftil A'~n~r (Drvolrd Spiril, .
112
t 14

M~ IIl.ll 1 Lore . •••,_ "" Inlli, lor If'\'\'1

Rnolvinl' M m r uw r or SUI\CII'
'0
•• 19
Suprrn.aIClully DI~mond Mlnd .
K~m>lr (Ir(1O Hrul l. . .
It.
1)7
Sew Fu ts. . .. ~8
R«owring U f'C' nJ rJ ~hneuvrr,. <0 £....rmd...1 Edit<" 1 ~l'l i n& Sun). . ....•. IN
Ad'PIlV", Sly l... . . ,, 2 ~
MUlul Pow"," and .!>bglC

...
.......nglna; Strike ..••.•..... .28
<0 Umbrtl A..'n (S!ttdow Ilt nd) . . . . . . . . . . 140
:-'h ~uvrr and Slance ~Knpuom .<0 Unfenered (Slonr OTagon) .... ... 141
stadt' Mrd iu lion . .28
N,m.. Tiger fan,(Tliu CI.W).. . 144
[No. .. rt r ll~ . . . . . . . .. .29
.!>tan...1D1Klpllrw III.tJr of lhr l..lu ClIldri ( \t'hil~ JUvionl IH
~rl Wind Dodge .
DrvotrJ Bulwark . '" (TV f'l'),
" "" ale h r m l
'n..
O,.. SpU ll . "'" I!Jc'KT'pMl
... ~I
H
H
ChtP IU 7:
~bl litl Xrl pn ..
,141
147
E~"... Rrflnrs _ )0 l'o:rw'ol'"npcnSprcuIAbtlnin . . ..... 1 4~
Pterequreue . H
EXln Grin'...! M'~\I\'r l .• . )0 Aplln.Jr Wr . po n. . 14 ~
In lll'lIon ACltorl H
E.un RnJ,~ M~'...r .30 "'. n l.ll DI'lCJ rL rw- \l·rJpon . . ,14H
~n~ ... .H
frUlni Sun AIlK k S", w:
"n I'OUI hrml . 149

..
T.IJ"UIC' M..rwu"'f
0"'
Illl.UIlIC1lnty __ CrownoCWh.>le k.I,~ns .• H9
lrunbnn Allra . __ Oar::lllcm
"
...
S6riflj: Throw Ch..aptrr l ,SineS-.J, "' gomlfn •..••• 151
M .m. 1 Su ~
"lanai Srudr __~_ " 5po:ll Rr''' llnc.. St.l.,.,.n b lr., how .I SI
Plyc blC Rc-~ " DescripfIW Ten ktho..lula.. 14

Il.Ip..1AloWull . . ... "

"
LeofnulJ "llN'll'~ and Su ncn Vtollr.yrw I~

Sen}", '-bnill Scnpe

~ IuJow BUd.. . . . .
." ch.apu~·r. :
!>bnC'u"-rrs a nd Slane.., ...•..•.47
.s
s1udow Tridsr",_ "
..n
M'N'U""r anJ SIUIICe LPn
DnntWind ~l
SIDEBARS
Son, 01" 1Ju.Whirr ~n
." DrnJId ~pirn -S7
Ikbind lAc Curhill- Blend.ng ~nrn , ,
SlUp Kid __
SWM ro-...r .•...•. __ • "
.32
Dumond "tmd
IronHrw
'l
.66 The Suw Dlsclpllnn. .
Kuping Tnc],; oi Il.ndird
s
sudJ ..n It«oovrrv . H St'tnngSun . . 70
SUrc'rlor Unn mrd Smt. e, ... n mol hprndrd ~bneuvns. . . . . .. _18
Slu<L;rw Hand . . . . . 75
TIger BIoodffl .•.•.. IncofJ'O"'.1 Subeype 79
.... B Slonll' Dr2gon 81
Unnrrvinl c,lm . .H TigerCb..•••. .••. . .. 81> ShifT.." ,"d lhr 9looddJW MJoIrt . . . . . . ':17
Throw AnyThi ni _. . . .. . . . 101
\ '11.1 RC'C o~·..ry . . . .. . . . •••••••
whut." R..lIvrn Dr r..n .
." Wbllr~n . . . . . . . . ....90
Slopping J RNllnu ni '\I'r Jpon . . . . . . . 1 0~

Tlctk:al r ..:lIL • "

.H
Chapl..r S: Pr e I lgr C IU IU •.. • .• , ..•.•..• •95 ~ltg ic hrm, . nd Introducing

Clarion COm man d..,_

Ouuru Honzon
Flub U~ni.ng ..
.
.. H

H
Ad....nang .!>h n ul ProgresSIOn
Mm w MII'rlt
Sanmun,l"\~I_
BIoodcbw MUler
96
9fi
9fi
9fi
~ltnul ~ltllnl'~" ..•.
Stir.,.,.n k.Ik,hut Lorr
Anod wr k.Ihluu J .
klhDrktl.tlDn
I SO
151
15)
15&
~Il.uor .... _..
" RloodSIQfTQ IIUdc 100 Vtll<yrw Lorr 158
 (Ull Hamill TlInrohor, lIlt lIIronls'l!l:t )(1111,"
tmr es (ailed /ht Iron Dragim. It W,JS l u4uJ
J.ftlll,·J tilt High Inqlllli/'1r llf TtI1I11<11111
tht DraJ::ollskllll Ttmr/t. If WilS 11\'110 slm'
tlliJimon \'lln'luh·Kral rrI tl't' f ool! TOII't'r.
AIIJ it II\U myCOlllrad..sanJ I who tXCI~J
tl!imlllJ ftll)"tTmfnll1llOll from O",mul,'11'/"tv
yr,m llgo.lIllJugh 'woofIlly jntllJs ,lr,.J homNy
111 ,I'i rrociSl- Such art my JaJI.
I h,,~'t 1' \I'IL/m 'lf tlu Ilron.lforlll'l'tIly )'0"1"- stuJymgIIII' slIblr'lr{
\ra y,m,1st'arrllirlg ferr myown /nu m""S1lFl' asa uernor 1111,1,IS <I
11('f'Wn. 111I:i toIIJink IIltlt Ilim ,I hl tlt 1I'IH· rIWII' 11"111 11'''''11 I sl"rk(/,
bllt I ntnst [{a ll( t)"IIjuJg mt llt tllollurI". I spend my ,fdyS Itl1Chlllg
IlCOI!', Ihlll ll1hly houcr 'ht f\lIIJ I JhI(\' {ol/cowl',lllly wlt" [C'!;{f.
SDlmof 111\' sllllit'lls {all from thc Wav,ItIJ tur n too Ilier l'Ufllllls.
Som.. boaomt ' hl1lllpiam ofgoo.l 'lIlJ Jlufret. Ofllin liSt' It! YItll,hUl~
10 wm :zk ttrn "'t wn)llgs In ,I,,· world, Bilt ,111 who 5fdo: lilt 'X'I1Y
must bt "lUgl,' . bttliUSl' It il llO t for tht suror,lsmilh 10 wlY 1I1Ulhir
fm b1l1J"s 11'111 srillllu blood of llu 1I'ICktJ or Ilu mnOC(llI. l'kt<lll
knoldtJgr, Ihr Sublmll' Wl1Y (<ill No ustJ for good or dI.
Atlf'I,1 11011', young 0JIfS, mid I will t'ldfl1vor 10 I(MIl YOli somr
sm,1/1 p.1rt o{tilt' Inllll oflfu mrord.
Theworld ofrhe IJI..)~~ DkN.XlS.sgameisfilledwilhclur·
T
aceers whopursut' Ibt'waysofbanle, &roarUosdt'stroy thcir foes
in berserk frenzies, and rangers ire mastersof thehum Paladins
rely on their virtue inti courage 10 su stain them against thei r
opponenlS. Fighters master an array of special maneuvers and
attacks [ 0 owrccme th e mons ters and villains the y encounter,
BUI the highes t of a warrior's arts is the SubllIllt Wily-thc secret
lore th at leaches a figbnng cha racte r how to meld his inner
strength, traini ng, and disci pline into rhe perfect weapon.
The Suhlime Way is nOI m agical-at least, nOI in.a no rm .a l
sense. It is a light in g system thai harn esses a srudenr's di sci-
plin e and determination th ro ugh k nowledge, practice, an d
study. A mas ter of the Sublime Wa)' ca n perfo rm martial
explous Ih at are neariy superhuma n-s-and. in (act, some of
them actual ly transcend the natural.
Like fightt'fS, stude nts of the- Sublime \\:'.ty master a number
of special maneuversand strikes to deft'.al lbcir foes. But. whik
a fighlds list offcns represents vanocsccmbaucchoiques tha I
he can use for anack or defense, rbe maneuvers ofa Sublime'
Way master represent small moments of clarity, self-knowledge.
piew.ceperfecrcn. A figh rer USC"5 PowerAttac k to strike harder,
bu r a student ofthe Sublime' Waywhow'lnls rcacccmpltsh the
same goal performsa V\"ry specific mental and physicaleun:lsc=
that results in a mighty blow-if it is executed just right.
Some believe th:i1 a pracmioner cfthe Sublime \X'aycn:ates
the power for his maneuvers by invoking a cosmic principle
of perfecnon. This rhecry holds that if the student mO\'('S in a
precise p3llem while calling to mind the veryspecific mental
images or analogies corresponding to that maneuver, he forges
a briefcon nec tion with a source ofpower tha t lends strength
and precision to h is strike. O thers believe tha t followers of rhe
Sublime Way dra w the necessary pow~r fro m thei r own souls
by harnessing b -the ene tgy of li fe, But whatever the rrurh
of tbe ma tte r, the resuhs nre spectacular. Few can ma tch Ihe
agility, strength. an d ski ll of a master of the Sublime Way.
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY
Vou need rhe th ree D&D core rulebooks- Prdrtr'l H,m,UlOOk
(PH), Ollllg.'Oll ,~ I ,lSltr'i Gllidt (D.\lC), and M on sftr .\ Iml li al
('\ 1.\1 1--(0 make rhe best use of Tolil t of Baltic. Th.· Bookof
:':111{ SUllmls. Thisbookoccasionally me-ntions material from a
few 0&0 supplements. such as .~fomlir .~ttllllltilin. Complrt.-
AJl't lilurt r. and Comp/tlt Wamor, bur none of the-se suppl....
mears are necessarv to get the most out o(Tomi 4 Bartle,
A QUICK PRIMER
lome of&tdt:TIl( Book ofNilit S\l\lrJ, describes a system ofspecial
combat "spells"k nown as the Sublime Way,the Nine Disciplines,
or blade magic. Here are some of the saliemrcrrns and facts you
will need 10 be familiar wirh as you peruSe'this book.
M artial Adept: A character with one or more levels in
rh e crusader. swordsage. or warblede class is k now n as a
martial adept.
M aneuver: A maneuver is a spe ci fic, one-s ho t effect that a
martialadept ini tiates. In th is way, a maneuve r is func tio na lly
similar 10 a spell. H owever, a martial ade pt usually doesn't
use up or expend maneuvers Juring the course of a day of
adventuri ng th e way a spellcaster does. He hegins each new
encoumerwnh all the-maneuvers he' readied for the day avai]-
able to him. When a martial adept initiates a maneuver, it is
temporarily expended until he chooses lO perform a special
action required 10 recover his expended maneuvers.The type
of action necessary varies for each martial adept class.
The three hasic lypt'Sof maneuvers are boosts. counters,
and strikes. In addition, martial adepts can learn special
abi lilies known as srances (wh ic h are describe-d later in
Ibis introduction).
BOIHI: A boost augments a us er ·s abilities, usually attacks,
in some mannet, For example. a martial adept who studies
the Desert Wind di scipline can wreathe his wf'apon in flame
10 deal extta fire damage on a successful h il.
Coullter. A cou nt er is an immediate action that allows a
ma rllal adepi to foil an opponent's atlacks, For example. the
Stlting Sun discipline teac hes its adhere nts to avoid a foe's
charge by stepping aside .
Slnke: A Strike is a special alt.:k tha t draws on 3 discipline's
teachings 10 invoke a special effec t. The Stone Drago n dis-
crpline, for example, teac h es us adherents to slam into rheir
ene-mies with crushing blows .
~ I ani al Discipline: A martialdiscipline is afamily or school
ofnunt'\n~ thatsharesoee common phiJosopln'or effi.a. Nire
manial disciplines exist, eac h ccnsisring offifreen to twe nty
maneuvers and stances. The- rune disciplines are called Desert
""ind, DevotedSpirit, Diamond ~lind, Iron Heart, Sernng Sun,
Shadow Hand, Stone Dragon. Tiger Claw . and While Raven.
Most martial adepts don't have- access 10 all rhe disciplines.
~taneu v('rs Know n : The collec tion ofmaneuvers a rnarnal
adep l has learned . You can think of lh is as th e ma rtial adept's
spellbook or spellltsr. A ma rtial adept's class and level deter-
mine thl' nu mb cr an d level of man euvers she knows.
M aneuvers Read ied: Most mar tla] ade pts cannot keep all
maneuvers they know ~ady at all rtmes.At the begtnotog of
each Jay, a martial adept chooses sornecf th e maneuvers she
know'S as her tread ied" mane uvers (the numberls determined
by her class and level ).These are rhe maneuvers she can iniri-
are. A martial adept can change her readied maneuvers at any
lime, bUI doing this requires 5 mi nutes of rest, mednanon.
prayer,or rhe performance ofvarious practice routines. The
specific details depend on the mar tial adept's class,
Stance: A stance is a special type of maneuver. Each stance is
apercu lar fighting poo;e that grams a marrul3deprspecial ben-
efitsand options. For example, rbe Tiger Claw discipline teaches
SUllCes lhat alJo..,., the user to unlock her Ieral,animalisric nature.
unlike other maneuver'S, most stances can remain in effl"C"t for
an indefinite time. All stances acharacter knows are available to
her at all times. A character can adcp r a stance, or-change from
one stance to another, as a swift action.
Key skill: Every mart ial maneuver is lied ro a skill, such
as Balance, Concentration, or Ju mp. Som etimes key skills
come in ro play in the initiatio n ofa maneuver. bur mos tly Ihey
represe nt the ideals aro und wh ich rbcir res pecnve disciphnes
ate centere-d.
Initi ate; A marttal adepr uses a martial maneuver bvtnitiat-
ing u. So instead ofcasting a spell or ma nifesting a power. a
character initiates a maneuver.
In it iat or Level: Some maneuvers have effects that vary
with rhe level of the character i n itialing them. lnmaror
level is functionally equivalent to caster level or manifesrer
leo.'C'l-il·s simply the relevant class 11"\'('1 of rbe m artial adept
who initiates rbe power.
C rusad er: The crusader is one of rbe three martial adept
srmdard classes described in Chapter 1, Crusadersare warriors
who use rbeu-devonon and zea] to powC'r martial maneuvers.
Swo rdsage: The swcrdsage is another of [be martial
adept standard classes from Chapter 1. Swordsages are ·blade
wizards ·-mystic swordfighters who can accomplish aston·
ishing feals of mania I prowess. They know more m artial
maneuvers than other martial adepls, and Ihey have access
to the most martial disciplines.
W arb lad e:The th ird o( l he man iaI adep t slandard classes
dcscribl,J in Chapter I is the \\'arblade. These pu re warr iors
 are ascetic champions who use marlial ma neuvers in place of
the fears c r rage that a fighrer or barbarian would empl oy.
NOIl' I wl lllptil k oflh... NI IU SworJ s. TIl(V art uo !tIt r"' /lgtll JI ,
yOllllg Ollt- I hllw lu n two of IIlt m III my Ir'H'r/ s. Th IS is lilt
(r(gmlllllg of Ihm llm'y.
rllrlt 'l f/lllll N ago, 11 )'CIllUg hlllJllln ,aUtd Rts har talllt 10
}t uJy at lilt h o "~obl m mOIlIlII(r)' of Ur-TltaldlloJr. l1lt hobgobllll
m 'O rJ lllolslen ad ll1lnnltT(,f enl d lN h allJ thtll/mgt'S. bUI, to tht;r
SllrI'm/, RtdloJ r \llnln'(J, 11ICy Stll4' Iholl ht rnlll lrr tlluglll, olllJ
so Ihrr prrmllltJ Ill'" 10 TtmoJlrl
from Iht m , Rtlhll( ItarntJ Ilu ~trt ls of Iht lroll H ta rl. l ~ t
most fitrtl ollld Jlffi n<h sclu",1 of ~laJtWo ,* III Iht world. whttl
hi had madtTtd Iht Iron Htarl. RMilr look hi s ltal.'t and \I'tll/
nnl to Iht CTtill GoIdm Deert, whiTt ht prNlnl"d '"IJlSllj to II,t
W"mJ Dtn'lsJrts of AnJTilrnol. Whtn ht hoJJ moJ I/cu J Iht DtSirt
\t'md scllool. Ilt II'(nllo Iht 1l1ol"dl forronJ Ihl .lawn tlnd sluJlrJ
Iht It'll)'S of lhi Stt!lng Sun . III Iht l paU of anl111lnt n an, RNIr,r
J.J whal no ont tlsr kill tl't!"!>t-(11 olMtto J o: Ht mas/tTtd olllI1I1:t
of till martloll JISClplllltl.
III Iht dllYS of Rt shtlr, Ilrt lIldll!1Juill ill woll. phllosopluts. oJnJ
IradlllolU Illal ll't know ol l lht Subl Ime Way u'(Tt sralfm d har-
"f
ha:arJlvamrss tlllll'Orfd AJ ht Tt1l1s /hi wmollsdllCfplinrs Wtrt'
lilt ptr!NI of nlUls, t<l(h Iltlrlllg to prow /111 J ll ro: rion ty of h l ~ oll'n
srhool ol't'r all ti,t olhm.
Rut IliWltlg IlllIllt u d llll milt ,IISllplltlts. Rtdltlf JlI 014110 tllJ
thIS nl'<1lry. H.' rtlurn tJ 10 toleil plolu whiTt ht haJ ll l/dlid alld
look Its smgl... mOlt rro mlilllg du,ltIl t ill hu oll'l1 apr Ttlihu. Thm
h t l...d hu IlIllt ,Irp rr nlrcrl la Ih,' Slt nsplrt MOlmta m s, wlitrt Itt
{ou lI,ltl l llu Ttmple of tht Nmt Swardl. f or mllllY)'ta rs, Rishor
all,llus NII1....\.fastt n Wllghl flit' plilh to per/ahon, ll'<1/king folrllur
,fow n Iltt TOtTJ of tIlt SUb/III1" \"'a y Iha" olll)'UIU had bi:fort-or
SIllCi. H llllllrt ,ll af Itud.' Ilb ttl"'t la Ilttm 'Irld ltlln ltd m uch fro m
Ihejr limp/t.
Afl t r ol (tll!llry o{slully llllJ Irlld llllg, RfSholr (alltd his m'Hler!
t0t:.'lht r ,,,,.1 tolll tllt lll ht w,n It'avlI1 g to tr,H'rlllre world olgolll1.
A~"'la,l ntt'tf toudlt,1 hml, ollu r Iha ll lo II'hllill lus Ihlir olud lllle
1m fact. Tltt "IlIlt rn Noggr,l hllll III sI")"' bul R...lhtlr rrjlMJ. BrJoTt
lit I tfl ,lll ou~h , hI' g,lI't ,,,ell nlal lcr oJ grfl-a sword dill I tm bodi..l
BEHIND THE CURTAIN :
BLENDING GENRES
I~ Tome oj Bau/e m~l t ia l ~r lS for the DuPiCE0N5 & DllACONs Game?
Is II good only for an Orienlal Adventures-style game? Does it
challenge your conception of a Western Europe an fantas y world?
In short: Sort of, no, ~nd we cerla inly hope so .
If you've ever pl.ayed a ninj.a or nmurar-or for that malte r,
a mo nk- am id a group of ·stan dard- D&D her oes, then th is
book is for you . T h ~ n k s to the influence of lap .lIlese .anime,
Hong Kong action mOVies, and populal video games, the notion
of a fanusy selli ng hu grown very broad in the last few yeal'5 .
F.antu y g~rning isn't lust about knights and cas tles and dragons
anymor e. N inj ~ s ~ nd s~mll ra i, ronin .and shugenja , yakula and
monh - .aHthese ~nd more h~ve gradllally filtered into people's
expecta tIons for a f.antuy world. Games such as Finol FQn ta~r
and Soul (a lib..r, as well as movies s llch u Kill Bill an d TIle
Mauix. are excellent eumples of how m.artlal arts have become
_ _ _ _ _ _ ______
__ _ _ _____,..... set
tIlt prl nClplts,lkllll, ,Ill.! pluloj(lplll' oflht "nflin t'SfiNt Jl snpl," t .
A l /CiliA: .ts IIU St SIIW .l S rrmllill I").~"ltr,
M Ilu Ttn/plt IVIII 11(1 '(1 {ill~"
Ill' lol,ilh.. Nillt ,\ 1,1IIm. - Nlll\' l J:I'." AnJ II" srI oft.IIo nt. 011foot
(In,1 ullilr m"jl,l.w lUsr II" ft(lrt.l llot h lll~ III tilt lI'(1rlJ. NoO'lt t'Vl'T
SilW IWlI ,lg..IUI.
AIlfth lllt ",ISStJ, .m,1Ollt byont Rt l!lol r's or lglllal Jl srr r ln Jl t l!
"rrrtl/flltJ to tht lf oll"llan ,k Tht dllJ(IIh Illry lefl bt lllnJ btt,1,"t
"lItdt" III Illt llOll'1I nghl,olll'! " lrrillol rJtJ tilt nlllt l!1'(IrJl lI'llh
grtoll catr. Bul cue I1Ighl, lht rol"dlolw lard K.z;lIr-Tlut tollllt to
tlu Ttlllp't of "it NUl( SII'(l rJ s. li t oJJapltJ tlu gUlsr of ol 1I'(,u y
Ir,wtltr olnJ Il'llS glllfll wrltomt 011 'ht ttmplt. K.1: ur-l1ltl stok
SlIJVn loJ l CloJ rl lr , Iht In'OrJ of DloJ mOlld M Ind, tlnd [ltJ wllh II
mt o Iht II\UlrlllllJI. Thr ma slt n pu n ut J. bUllhry 'oliid nol , al:h
Ihl tltl'tf rablhlw rnnct.
frolll Ihol t Jay Oil, Iltt Itm"'t btg.In 10 fall. slow!,. olt fin l, lhi
sllldmJs of tilt Va n01/1 Jut'rlml'S ftll 10 blCkmllg. ,onsumtd br
Iht qUllllon ofII'III,h JIoIlh 11'. h ML BNl ts and argwmtnJs bt', amt
lIt1n gu lS and JtaJl, J I'r ls. III Ilmt. lht rcm.:l,"lIIg masin'S n lltd
IhtTlgtT wrJ tlnJ lhi Shade'\\' Mllltff - lI'no hoJol ,.LoUtJ 10 m llrJn
tht TNI-fro m Iht Iimplt to rrdorr orJ t r olnd hanno" y.
[lIrllgtJ by lh/lf nl lt, lilt Iwo Ollttl1s1 ma llt n alll/J WIth etUh
olht r, olll,llogrlhtr Ihty rlllStd an anny oj mon sttn In Ilu WllJ
mOUl1lolillS. A yroJfafltf tlw r nllt.lh t y rtlunItd al tht 'uaJ of
II ftanomt IlorJf oll1J J NIrDfl"'! lilt ftmrk It If waJ 'ltal oJJl tlllIl
molil/rs Jlid tlllll nl8hl. ArrorJmg 10 IlgmJ , Ih.. SPlTlt Sulttr
sft", tilt SIIIlJOll' }.la llt r oll1J woJlI"t" lor" l1p.lrt by Jtmo n ~ TJI~
wmJlonl olPlJ fltt h OrlmllsltrJt!taltd fIJ t TI~tr lDrJ but ajtemuTJ
fd l ill l'<Itllt 'lg'lIInll ht ji:lllPlli llllJ J Tll~tlIlS Clftlli evil army. •"'olIlY
Irt.'olSIITtSoj tilt It lllr lt, mdu Jrn g IIIi tlghl rrllllllnlllg sworJs, weft
il,l llt rt, l lo Iht fO llr WI/ Ilk .\I,ll1l1,(rt" carmll offby mo ns/tn from
Iht s h",lo\\' Tlgtr h" rd.., bill llt It olsI Iwo wrrt rtsnuJ by !<'mrlt
st lldt/lls WhCl 11111 11 0:1 g....t 10 tSlap" ,
You 1l0W kilOit' tIl( 1"1:l1l1l1l1g of Iht' sI"ry of Iht Nmt Swordl,
R,lIllS ytlll WIll 1((, eMh of 1I1r b1aJN hili lis 011'11 story, olllJ IIll1St.'
Iloms tlrt rlol{lmlht ll. II II Illi,1Illal lllrllt doJ y lilt Ni"t Swords will
br brollglll tog..thrr agam, Rrdl,rr w ill Tl."turn from hl5lI'a nd r ring.
'Illd IhirmollYWill bt m lort ,l lo IlIr worM. I do 1101 know If any
part o{llu talt I lloll't folJ Illnu, bltl it is ,1 good sfory, ISIt lIol?
- Hu ran Tu ri}"t'shor, swords3ge
~-
-Westernized- in film and e1ec!tonlcgaming-and how ea gerly
Weslern audie nces have ~ccepted m.artlal arts Idioms in the 'r
action sto ries and g~me~ .
Tomeof Boll/e: Boo" oflhe Nine Swords dehbe~ tely blends the
genres of F.ar East .action games ~nd Ihe -typiul " D&D game
world. Portion s of t hi ~ m.aler;.a1 resemble ~ martial·arts supple.
ment sUit.ahle for .an Orienlol Advlnlures gam~ . O th er parts,
however, deliberately f~n t ast i ciz e and gene ridze martial art s
idioms (such as fighting schools ~nd special comba t ma n eu~rs)
~ nd impo rt them into the def.ault D&Dum paign. More than any
other, this book lepresents -culture·b lind- D&D: f.antasy gaming
in.a world where Silent ninl.as .andw~nderlllg kllng.fu m.asters Irve
side by Side wilh no ble p~I.adlll5 and fea rsome monsters . Tome
of BaitIe i~n ' t your parents' D&D-It's bigger, bold er, and even
more fant.itStic th.an ever befo re.
'D
~-------
 J lilt ht.trl of th l' $ubhlllt \'t',ly, rO llll ~
JlllllWh, lirs Ollt SIInr1r rrarrJ: TIll' II'l1r-
rior who knowl IlimSilf111'rfrfily(a" nol be
,lr/ra/l'd. You CI1" "ol r rtdlrl whrrr you will
tij::hl, Or1l'halll't'l1pol1l you will}itlJd ose I1ll1anc/,
-cr 1r0ll' )'tlur (11(1/11,'\ will \Inu 111YOiI. But )'Oll ((111 prrrarr )'Ollrldf
far Ihat ", omrnllhroli~h conslallt pr<1clru, sluJ y,<lnd nj1«hon.
ClI1'Jun YllUr OWII bOlly, IIIl11d.l1lld spml.tUld you(allnol hell'bUI
!'t' VI(fOrilJllI owr )'011' rnl Jrllti.
f rom tlul N ilI' prt mu r 111m Illru Jullncl rOI1Js. Silt 11,11"
nnl\lrh on lilt po,lI, ofpIIYlu.d masltTl' Ott o'nl i "II~l rblItJt---(l1I1
tl,t IIIoslslrlllful alldJ/J I(.:I Ii'd ll'i1man 111 lilt lI'o nJ f u rr t iZnJ
Wl ro n'lpnm Ul ll1I:., Iht u'drHildr ""01l'S tUI ftilr.
ill( cm<'lJtr IS 11 1I'.1rTior who lukJ I'u lor)" Ihroll!:" ,Ill dis·
.lJt!m< of ll,t 11'1111. Oe:l'Ollon, r,tly, i1nd :,'all1u lit, 11","1"'"\. A
(,,,,,aJ l r Norlmus ,I l,vlIIgI'nstl ofhrrJ"lJy" 111/1----.1/'1 lI1llrurfltrll
u. h., D' WII>:t.IIUt wh" C,UI OI'ttlOm , III n',hll lib!. ilJ
11/ Ilh onlYIJI' s"urf'<-'"~r.:Jf htr Ih mJth
Tiu IlmJ roil,1 n Ihr Fllih of Ilu slI'ordSllgt-fht rolld f 'h1L't
tollolwJ J"r 11101/ of Illy 11ft rlu i\l'CIrJ Mgt sub 10 blOW hu 011'11
mUla, 1111,110 ,If"tll't' ,IHllllt! wIth pafal d Imly. 11 i5 d t.nty tht
btll of Ilu IJI rtf olrrroddlt's-ll,d then, I am ,1su'1.'lrdsagt. \'(/1,11/
tilt wOlllJ ""lei rxrul IIII' 10 Sdy?
- Harran Turi yeshor
ThQSt' who devote their 11\"1'~ to studying some aspect of the
Sublime Way J~ known as rnarnal adepts.Ail are skilled In
personal cornbn bUl lhry rtl)' on percepnon. learning, and
willpower, In addinon 10 purr physical aputude for banle.
. lanial aJrpu 11; [0 fuse u nglble physical prow~ ~ wuh
urmcsrcomrol of the mind and spirit.
The three mmlal.Jl'f'I.cb s~ are the crusader, swcrdsage,
lind warbbdt' three randard c~sC'!> are summerlzcd
be "
 In rllal maneuvers and ccnfroruth ose tee s [hal are anat be ma
10 he r C:JU ~I'
Sw onl ..;aAC: AI~o kn own as :J blade wizcrd. a swc rdsage
IS a mar tial :arlis l wh o ha s learned how 10 invo ke a unique
fo rm of magic 10 accomplish t ruly superhuma n (and suprr-
n;lIunlll·xploi IS.
Wa rb la oe: A warhlade is an exemplar-of pu re mart ial skill.
lhough helacks rhe supe rn arura l powe r of the crusa de r-or
swordsege, he is full y equ ivalent 10 the barbarian o r figh te r-i n
terms (Ifco mbat ski lls, relvmg o n marti'l l m ane uvers instead
of rag e o r fears .
--::-:-:--_--,-;-:-:----;-;-'-'CRUSAQER
~.\ l .:lkl your ptlllt u'llh Il'h.:ll(l.'tr 1'111" Jtllr you. wonhip, "'hlPlstrr,
1MJ arrl Iht n\'OrJ of PrIor, .mJ r w1l1 "ill f.:lll In my IInkt'"
-D;aresa, crusader of Pebr
Devceed kmght. divine ..gem, tnsrru men r of vengeance. pet'r'
less fighn ng rn:achmC'-lht' crusader IS a warrior dedicated
ro good. evil , [aw, ChJ05.l,)r some other cause. She seeks OUt
and dC'..t reys th e enemies of ber cbosen faith. Serengt heoed
by prayer or ;absolule' devo no n 10 a principle. a r mored by
unsh akable fatrh. anJ driven by he-r convictions, a good
crusad er is a m ight ~ weapon againv t tnjus uce and ma lice.
An evil crusader, on the other hand, Is a cru el and fearsome
warrscr of dark ness.
A c rusade r wh o embraces a re bgton o r holy faith is simi-
lar to a paladi n in Ih 3t she commands a number of holy (or
unholy) powe rs. Howe ver. a cr usade r h3Sno skill wnh divine
spellcasnng: she is a mantal adcp r whose maneuvers are
unpredicl 3bll' gifu of divine pmw r. Tr usling in Ih e pow'er
ofher ch ost'n deil Y. she allo ws f3ith 3nd intuition 10 g uidl'
her through bmll.'. ~hny crusadl'fS r~ei""e th e call [olheir
cau st' ea rly in life, blll never sl udy formally ;at :J temple or
mon aslery. Th \·sc wurior s arc gifled wil h a n;arural2bility
THE NINE DISCIPLINES
I wil/sptok now oj Ihe Nine Dlsciplines lho l ~ompriu Ihe Sub lime
Way. At lend carefully, )'Oun8 one.
Desert Wind IJ Ihe discipli"e ofmowmenr. Speed is the weapon
of Ihe worrior who follows OilS pOlh. He strikes and retreols con·
Handy, "ever st anding still in boll /e. He is a leopingf/ome-o
bur"i"g Slro"o ofrhe wones.
DeKlted Spml is the dlSCiplme ofseJfkrrowiedge a fld spiTlluaJilf,
and Ihose who follow this palh arm Ihtm u lves with purity and
Jallh. No olhrr WOrrlor IS beller sUlud to eonfron t Ihe m inions IJf
eVIl-but beware. bu oll5t som e choou 10 pervert t his disdplire
by worshiping powers ofdarkness instead ofpolWrs oflighl.
To pract ice Diam ond Mmd is 10 learn the secret of action
wilhoul I'olilion . A D.amond Mind ade pt can moke th e rain-
drops ssorld u ill if he wishes. He un derstands thol ony boule is
o cO"uu of wills, and Ihot vict ory is ineviloble fo r t he wo"ior
who wins Ihat CO nle51
Iron Hearl is Ihe quesl fo r skill, pure ond s.mple. A wo",or wl:o
fo llows tnn pOlh slud.es ever more comple. ond diffie-u /t ma nell-
-----./'.
nfo f bonle The deep com m union he shafn wilh the spirit of
cou ses a sword fa Income a livmg Ihmg'" his hands.
.......---..:..-..........
10 c ba n nel rhe d [\ In" {'nt'rgles II I th en cause. bur In a r:l!W
urnamed manner. A crusader has absolute f;lith in her ab ll-
nv to d raw on I he source of her power, bu r she never qu ite
knows how Ih ~ 1 pow\'r wi ll mJnifesl .
MAKING A CRUSADER
A crusade r is primaril}' a {rent-line mel ee banler. much like-
Ih t' fighter or paladin. Her mar ual maneuvers gtve her mo re
tactic a] Jle xib ilil Ythan t he fighter an d ma ke her a d)'n;amlc
a nd well-rou ndedcombaranr. Mosl CrUSJdl"rs also make gOOtI
leader s, si nce Ihe y are borh cbarismanc and dedicated.
Abi li l ies: Strength and Coas uruncn are vnal rc a au-
seder. since she ts cfren In ha rm's wavlmelhgence IS usef ul
for gaining plenryof skill points, which a crusade r needs ro
purchase rhe ranks in Dip lomX)'. Intim idate, a nd Balance
the key skills for he r martial disciplines. Dt-"teri ly is useful
for OIny character In combat. bur a crusader's abllil )' IOwear
heavy armor means Ih at ~he is no t as dependent o n a high
Df'xteril Yscore as o rher charscters.
Races: ~Iosl crusaders are humans, half-el..-es.or dwarves,
because rhe Ideals ofde\hcJli o n. service.zeal, a nd courage .ll re
important in both dwuf and human cul tures. Elves.gnomes.
a nd halflings gf'nerally lack the serious ness, single-minded
devonon •and moderate fOl n.lIIiClsm required lOSUCCt"eJ JS cru-
sade rs. Half-orcs n rely become crusade rs, bur rhose who do
foll ow lh is pcrh oflen excel ar it. ~ h ny half-orcs spe nd their
lives sea rchi ng for an idea l ro believe in o r a co m m un n v 10
wh ich Ih t'y ca n belong, am i rhe way of rhe crus ade r appeals
ro suc h souls.
Alig n me nt : A crusader can c hoose any alig n me nt e xcept
neulral- sh e musl sta nd for so me ideal, whether chaos,
good , evi l. law, or a co mh in31ion o f princi p les. To be a
c rusa de r is 10 de....ole onC'~ d f wholehl'uledly 10 a cause or
deil y, and Ihis way of life ll';aves no roo m for indl'cision or
unwilli ng ne ss 10 comm il A crus;aJe r's ;a lig n m enl reflecis
The way of the Stlli"8 Sun changes weak ness into strength and
f olly i" IO wisdom . A praClilianer of lhis school studies Ihe orr of
permill ing on advef1Qry 10 defeat himself
A fol/ower afl he Shadow Hand u rods a lo"ely an d don8uOUS
pOl h. His is Ihe rood ofsreollh. afdeceit, ofblows st ruck with out
answer, and of deat h in the dark. A Shadow Han d mostu lulls
before his adversary el'en k"o ws he is in peril.
Stone Dragon is the discipline ofstrengrh, ofendu rance, ofpure
physical and spiritual power. A warrior of Ihe Ston e Dragon IS 0
hardr f oe wilh Ihe strengl h ofthe mounlain .Iself", his gmsp.
He who studies Ihe Tigu Claw seeks 10 unleash his hidden
sovagery-Ihe ferol insr"'ctJ and blind animal roge Ihatluri wllhm
This warrior is slrong. quid , and unpred ictab le. copable oj lear-
ing maS! opponents aport with his bare hands .
And jinolly, IVt' come to Ihe diSCIpline ojthe White How,,-tke
polh ofthe greal capta in, the leoder of warriors, and the cf1Jsoder.
A While Rawn disciple studies Ihe art offight ing in ~oncert with
his ollies. ond uses hisfi erce WDr cTles 10 great effect in boille .
These are Ihe Nine Disciplines. Some whisper ofa secrel Te"lh
---'----
Path , bul , think such rumors are no more than bard's tales . Pay
them no attention. my sludent'
 her chosen cause, and III some GISt'S molds ,h t' ma neuvers
she em use.
Good and lawful crusad ers are more com mo n than chao tic
or evil ones, since obe dience and service come mo re east I)'
to charac ters of the former alignments. However, rhe ra re
evil crusader is a force 10 be reckoned with. She is a cruel
and fearsome reavcr-s-a scou rgt' who preys on the weak and
defenseless 10 honor her dark pnrone
Sta rri ng Go ld : bd4w!O gp (150 gp).
Starting Age : As paladIn (PI I IO'J),
CLASS FEATURES
First and foremost , a cr u sader is a competent com-
beram. She fights as sk illfu lly as a Iigbrer. paladin,
or ranger does , rC'lying on ht'.a\'y armor
and a good selecnon ofwe.1pons to
gam the edge over he r opponents.
To this basic fighti ng prowess,
she adds several ab.l.lie" derived
from her absol ute failh and devonon
10 her chosen ide al. ""hen fighting for
her cause . a cr usade r be-comes an umrop -
pable forc e on the banlefteld. Terrible in juries
might send less dedtcared warriors r unning fr om
the fight, but a crusader trans-
fo rms such serba cks into
m ar tial fury rha r enables
her 10 fight on lo ng after
other warriors would have
been ove rwhel med .
Acrusader masters asmall number
of ma rtia l rnane uvers as shc gains levels. Derived
from her extraordinary se lf-discipline,
the se maneuvers include catechisms of
Iauh. spiritual devoncns. and rhe abil-
ity 10 strike spec tacular blows in
th e service of her palron or cause.
Arm ed wu h rhe power of her faith,
shl' can shaner boulders , shrug off t'nemy
attac ks, or rally an army with a singll' ICI
of br avery.
Weapon and A r mo r Proficiency: As a crusader, you
ate pr c fictem w uh simple weapons, martial weapons,
light , medium. and heavy arm or, and all sh ields.
:\lan eu \'e rs: You begin your caree r with knowledge
of [lve martial maneuvers . Th t' discip lines ava ileble
to you art' Devoted Spirtt , Slone Dragon , an d
Wh itt' Ravt' n.
O nce you know a maneuver, you mu st ready u
before vcccan use il (see ManC'U\"C'rs Readied.be-low).
A maneuve r usable by cru saders ISconsidered an exrracrdi-
nary ability unll'ss olherwise nOled in its description. Your
maneuV('niare not af(eclt'd byspeoll resistance,and you do not
provoke allacks ofoppon un ily when you iniliale one.
You learn Jddi lional rnaneU\'ctSal highC'rIl'vels,as shown
on Table I - I. You must mt't'r a m.1neU\'t'r's prt'requisite to
l(';Im II S« Table }-I , page l~. rodt'll"rmlOeIhe highest-level
maneun"rs \'Ou can learn,
Upon reaching -tth leve l, and n everv even-numbered
crusader leve] aflt'r lh ar ((,Ih, Blh, 101h, and so on), you
can choose rc learn a new maneuver in place of one you
already know, In e ffect, you lose rhe old maneuver In
excha nge for rbe new one, Youcan choose a new ma neuver
of any level vou like, as lo ng as you observe you r res tr tc-
lion on the highest-level maneuvers you know; you need
nOI replace rhe old maneuver with a maneuver-of rbe same
level. For example . upon reaching 10lh leve l. you co u ld
rrad... In a singll" ts t-, znd-, jrd- cr-uh-level maneuver for a
maneuver of 51h level or lower, as long as you
meet the prerequisite of rb... new maneuver
You can swap only a Mngle maneuver al
any given level .
~laneU \Trs Readi ed: You canreedv
all five maneuvers you know al H I
~~I, bUI as you advance in level and
learn more maneuvers. you must
eho c which maneuvers to reedv
You ready maneuvers by pnying
fOI 5 mmurev The maneuvers \'OU
choo t' remain readied unri] you
decide 10 pray again and change
them . You need not sleeper rest for
any long period of lime in order 10
ready veer maneuvers, any time you
spend 5 minutes in praver, you can
change your readied maneuvers,
You begi n an e ncounter with all
your readied ma ne uvers unexpend-
ed , regardless of how many limes you
mighl haw alrea dy use d rhem since you
chose rhem. When )"OU inu iate a ma neu-
ver.you expend it for rhe currem encounter;
!;O each of your readied maneuvers ca n be
used once pt."r enco urner tunless you recover
them. as dl'sc rilx'd below),
Crusaders a re un ique among mar-
Iial adc p rs. rely !ng on flashes of d ivine
tns ptraucn 10 use rbei r mania I maneu-
vers. As such, vou do no t control access to
\'OUf readied maneuvers, Before you lake
your firsl action in an encounter, two
of your readied maneuvers (ran dom lv
determined] are granted to rOu. The res t
of your readied maneuvers lore withheld,
cu rre ntly inaccessible. AI the end ofeach
turn. one previous ly withheld maneuver
(again. randomly de termined] is gramed to you,
and thus becomes accessible for your next rum
and subsequent turns. Youcan freely choose 10 imriare any
m.tneuve r Ihal iscurrentlv granled when your lum begins,
bUIyou cannOI inlli:lIe a wlfhht'ld mant'uvet. Ifyouchoosl"
not 10 em ploy a maneuvef in a gi\-en rou nd, your currently
gt:lnted mant'U\'l't"i rem.1ln availab le, and a prt'viously wilh-
h~ld maneu\"t'r IS gra med, as descnbed .1bO\'('.lnO(her word ~ ,
II does n'r mJ lter If )'OU U'i.(" your maneUVl'r\ or nOI-al lhe
cndofe3Ch o! ) our lurM one " 'lIhheW mJnt'u\'er trom your
TULE 1-1 : TH E CR U SAD ER H IT DI E: 010
Bue Fort ••r will Maneuvers Maneu ve rs Stances
l evel
h' .,
Attack Bo nus S~ve
,2
SlIve Save
.0 ·0
Special
Funous countel5lrlke, sledy resolve 5
Known
s
Readied
s 12l
Kno wn
1

.,.,., .,., ,
2nd .2 .J .0 .0 Indo mitable so ul s s (2 2
l,d .J ,J Zealous surge sr 2
4th
"h .,.,/.,
•• ••
.,.,•• '1
Stee~ resolve 10 s
7
s (2
s(
2
2
6th .2 ·2 Smite 1 dil 7 s2 2
7th
8.h
91h
..71..2
..8}.. ]
...j}..J,
.,.6 ·2
.2
.J
.2
.2
.J
Steel rese....e 15
8
8
s '2l
s2
2
J
9 J
10th ..10 ..5 .7 .J .J Die Hard 9 J
111h .11 .. 1..1 ·7 .l .J 0 l
12th ..12 .. 7 ..2 .8 •• •• Steel resolve 20 '0 J
13. ..1) .. 81·] .8 •• ••
••., .,••
Mete J

••
lJ,th ..14l.. 91..4 .9

."., 12 ., •• ., .,.,
151h .151..10"1. 5 .9
16th .11 ·'0 Stee resolve 25
••
11th
,,,
18t h
.7 ·2
.18 . 13 .8 .l
.10..
.11 ., .,., Smite 21dil 13 ••
20t h
19)0141 9 .... .11
..2°1..151..10/.. 5 . 12 ., ., Steely resefve ]0
I
,. 7 (4)
Clas s Skills (4 .. Inl mod ifier per level. )(4 a tls t level): Balance, Concentration. Crllfl. DipJomacy. Intimidate. Jump.
•
Knowledge (hIstory) . Knowledge (religion). Marllal lore*. RIde.
- New skIll desaibed on page 28.

selecucn of readied maneuvers is gra n ted to }'OlL Over rhe
course of a (t'w ro unds, all you r man eu vers will even t ually
be gram ed.
If. at rhe e nd of your rum, you can no t be gra med a ma neu-
ver because you have no wi t h held ma neu ver s re ma i ni ng,
you reco ve r all e xpended ma ne uve rs, and a new pa ir of
read ied man euver s is granted 10 you. Randomly determine
which of your ma ne uve rs a rc gran ted an d which are with-
held. At rhe en d of you r next ru m . a with he ld maneuver is
granted to you, and rhc whole proc ess ofdi vine inspir at ion
begi n s again .
You begtn a n en coun ter wnh an addi tional gra nted maneu-
ver a t 10t h level (bringi ng your to tal to rh ree), a nd aga in at
20t h level (bri ng ing you r roral ro four ).
Stance s Know n : You begi n play with knowledge ofone
ts t-leve l stance (rom th e Devot ed Spt ru, Stone Dragon. or
wh tre Raven di scipline. At and. [lib, an d 14th level. vcu can
c hoose an ad ditional stance. Unlike maneuvers. stances are
not ex pe nd ed, and vcu do not haw to ready rbe m . All rbe
sta nces you know Ire availabll" 10 you al all umes, and }'eu
can cha nge rhe sta nce you c urre mly use as a swifl action. A
crance is an ex rraordmarv ability unless otherwise Slated in
th e stance desc ription.
Unlike w ith maneuvers. you cannot lear n a new stanc e H
higher I('\-'("Is in place of one you already know.
St eely Resolve (Ex): Your sum-me dedicatio n and inte nse
focu s allo w you 10 te mporaril y se t aside the pain and h inder-
i ng effects o f inju ries. When an o pponent stri kes you, t he
injury does nOI immeJialt'ly effect you .
You han "a dela yt!J damage pool rhar allows you to fo restall
t he ef(('cts of many inju ries.Thi s pool begins ar 0 with each
encounter. When you are s nac ked, any hi t po int da mage the
blo"' dt'als i ~ added 10 you r de layed dam2 ge pool. Ar Ih e C'r:d
-your next t urn ,you uk!" Janu~ equal fOthe 10121 SIOted in
your d..layed damage pool. which t hen rese ts 100. Any healing
you r..ceive ca n either increase your current hi t pc im rc ral as
normal o r reduce IhC' tot al damage in your delayed da mage
pool. Wh t'n you receive h,'aling, you choose whet he r n affe cn
your damage pool, your hi f pc ims.cr bcrh (you ca n spln the
am ount o f hea ling as you .....ish). Most c rusaders Opt to kee p
as mu ch da mage in rhetr dclayed damage pool as possib le to
maximi ze the benefi t of th eir furio us counrersrri ke abil irv
{see below).
Specia l effects tie d lo an attack, suc h as energ}' d rai n, stun.
an d so fo rth. still afft'c r you as normal, an d their effecls are
not de laye d by t hi s abi lity. Fo r example. if yo u are b itten
by a ve no mo us sp ide r, you mus t still auem pr a Fcrnrude
save aga inst th e poison rrn med rarely. even th ough rhe bit..
damage shi f ts Int o your delayed damage pool. By rb ... same
to ke n , any ot he r special auack that imposes a cond it io n.
suc h as a med usa's P....t rif}'i ng gaze, takes immedia te effec t
o n you.
AI l SI leve l, your delayed damage pool can h old up to 5
poi nts of damage, Any damage beyond thai comes off your
hit po inrs as norm al. The maximum damage your pool holds
increases by S 031 -ub. Sth, 12th. tsth. and 20th level-
Furious Co u n re r s t rf ke (Ex): You ca n channel the pam
of your Injuri es in to a boiling rage t hai lers you lash OUI ar
your enemies wuh renewed vigor a nd pov."t"r. Each att ack
th at srrt ke s YOU only pushes you onwa rd 10 greate r glo ry.
Du r ing yo u r rurn. you gai n a bonu s on anac k ro lls and
d am age ro lls ...q ua l to t h e cu rre nt value of yo u r delayed
d a mage pool (see steely resolve, above) divided by 5, and
ro u nd in g dow n (m in i m um .. t). You ca n o n ly gain a maxi-
mum bonu s o n allack ro lls a nd damage roll s of ~ 6 from
fu rio us cou mers rrt k e. USC' the ta bl e below ro quick Iv
det ermine Ihe ;u tac k bonus and damage bonus from fun-
o us counlersrlike, ba~ed o n th e amount of damage In you r
 delayed d.a mage pool rhlSabil it v '~ benefits lasr until rhe
end of your turn.
Delayed Damage Furio us Counterstrike
.,.,
Pool Points Bon us
110-14
-'
15- 19
20-24 .,.,
.]
25-29
30. .6
lndom lrable So ul (Ex): Beginningal2nd b-el. you draw
upon the power of your unwavering fauh to steel vee-self
against the enemies you face. Your persona lnv, energy. and
dedicanc n to your bllh make 11 possible for you to shrug off
anacks that rarge r your wtllpcwer.
You add your Ch.1rism.l bonus (if .1ny) as 3 bonus on Will
S4VeS. This bonus dot'S not slack wirh thai from a paladin's
dwme grace .1bility.
Zealous Surge (b): Your boundless energyand dedica-
lion ro vour cause .lllow~"OU to throw off rbe effect of.1 special
att ack, spell, or other arrack that would otherwise hinder or
hum you . Once per dloy, from 3rd level on, you can opt to
recoil a single savi ng throw. You mUSI abide." b)' the result of
the- new, second saving throw, even ifit is lower tha n the firs t.
This abi lity does nOI require an action. You simply decide to
use ir after see ing the resu lt of your saving throw roll but
before the DM tells you ifi l [ails or succeeds.
Smi le (Ex): Driven bythe courage of vour ccnvicnons and
the ironclad stre ng th of your be liefs, you ca n srrtke back ar
those who da re stand agains l your cause. Slart ing at 61h level.
once pe r day, you can concenrrareall youra nger, hatred. and
de termination into a sing le snack. O n rhe nex t m elee att ack
you make. you gain :t bo nus on you r attac k roll eq ua l to your
Charisma bon us (if an y) and a bonus on damage equal to your
crusader level.
At tsrh level, you gain an add itional use of smile per day.
D ie Hard (Ex): AI 10t h leve l, you gain Die H ar d as a
bonu s fear.
M ell ie (Ex ): You can resist magica l snacks wi th g re-ate r
effecnven ess than o ther warners . Beginning at rarb level,
by drawing on you r bound less energy and ded ication 10
your cause, you can shrug offeffects thai would hinde r even
the toughest ....-arricr. If )'Ou succeed on a Fortitude or will
save against an attack Ihal ....-ould normally produce a lesser
efftoeton a successful save(such as I spell w·u h :t saving throw
entry of W ill ha lf or Pomrude partial), )'OU instead nega te
Ihe effect . You do not gain the benefit of menle ..... hen you
are uncon scious or sleeping.
PLAYIN G A CR USADER
When fog chills rbe banlefleld. and you r frost-rimed
mail wei ghs on yOllrsliffening musc les, your faith wa rms
you. It is the fi re rh oll burns inside, illu mi naring you r life
wilh the ideals o f your patron or cause. Alms or ar ms for
rhe Impoveri shed, a hand o r a lash for the downtrodden,
mercy or crueh y- you J ecidt" acco rdi ng to ),our f:tith. As
hvmg InSlrument of your cause, vou have worked for
veers to become a we apon wo n by of you r Idea l. \'(Ihert'
others he sitate. yo u press on wirh Certa inl Y. u ns h akable
in )'Our beliefs.
"\ 5 :t crusader, you un dertake adventures acco rd ing 10
th e dictates of your cause, your temple. or your consc ience.
You mighl find yourself tn a SW2mpy m ausoleum slaying
infideltrolls with a sword in one ha nd and a flask of acid in
the othe r, o r bouncmg across sahuagin-Infesled wave-s on a
ha lfling sloop because you owe a fr iend safe pass age acro ss
rhe sm ilS. You mlghl even find youNelfon the cold. muddy
field of battle, charging shoulder to shoulder ..... nh ~aS3 n I S
and soldiers, raising pitchforks and shields against th.. pelt-
109 Ut storms of the enemy. The on ly constant is the depth
oflOUr d... vcncn to your cause-c-rhe night winds will muff
OUI the Sl.ar'§ before vour fideli ty C'vt'r wavers.
REUGION
Your choice ofden y is paramount, since religion is an obv i-
ou s target for the devol ion and zeal embodied by rhl."i class.
If you are good . you mighl serve Pelor or St. Cuthbert. or
perhapsjoin the beleaguered crusadersoi Heironeous. who
ate filmous for their tenacious defe nse ofmany a lost cause,
Alternatively. ifvee are a dwarf, ~I orad in is a natural choice
fur patron. You might join the Ruby Kn ights ofWr-e jas, who
are rep uted to be tain ted by rhe necroreancv of IheirWilch
Goddess. Chao tic crusaders are rue, but those .....ho worship
Kon:l. are oflen par.lgons ofthe Slone Dn gon discipline, and
Ebl on n a's ambush ing crusaders lend to be adep t at uking
and h oldi ng fo res tla nd. If you are evil , you might take lip
the cause ofNerull or Eryt hnu l the Many, whose crusaders
are-plagues upo n the land .
OTHER CLASSES
You r power ste ms fro m you r devouon to your cause. and you
value martial prowess, de dica tion, and self-disc ipline. You
gen erall y ge t along well .....uh paladi ns, cle rics. fighters, and
warblades. as lon g as their alig nm ents are compatible with
yours. You mlg h r scorn th ose o f antitheuca ] alig n me nts as
he nbensor ta rger them wi th your proselyti zing, depe nd ing
on th e evangelis m inherent in )'ourown religion. Mon ks and
swordsages are also wor thy compan ions for you, althoug h
their reli an ce on 1:1 and ski ll, ra ther than failh and ar mo r,
is suspect. Th e su bte rfuge of rog ues , the superficial uy o f
bards, and the susceptibility of most arcane- casters tO .1
single grearaxe blo..... force members of those classes [ 0 prove
themselves before ea rni ng your es teem.
COM BAT
Your specific tactics In bailie depe nd on th e discipline yo u
chose and the maneuvers you hZ\-'C' learned. HO.....e ver.certai n
tacncs are co mmon 10 all crusaders.
As a zealous pro ponent of you r cause, you are generally at
the forefrcm of an y bailie. Hgbung on th e from line allows
)'OU to maxirrnze the benefits you gain from your class ab ili·
ues.aa d also roprctect a weaker all y br absorbing an enem)"s
blows yourself. Doing so benefits both you and your pa rty
in v:mou~ ......ays Fit I , your ,reely n'solve abilllY mahs am
anacks you J eh \ er atle r t.1lung da mage bo th more :tccur:lte
 and more pcwerful rhan Ilwy w ere before you \V<'f1. injured
Furtherrnc re.ff opponents focu s 0 11 you.they cannot injure
your all lt,~ _ Thu ~ , laking datnage each rou nd should be yom
goal. TIlt' sooner you ca n engage the rough est opponelll in
melee. ,ht· fa~ll'r you ca n OOl51er you r anack s. As a crusade-c.
you re af r out be st whe n you can lake on the monster o r
oppcnenrrhar deals th e mo« da mage.
Other racncs \"lIT)' according to your chosen di scipline.
Stone Dra gon cru saders favor head -on c ha rges, bo uld er-
rolling mr o (lpponrllls and mouet ain-harn me nng anyone
left sundmg. 1f you have a high Srrength SCOr('. you should
consid er fea rs that rake :tJvant.1lge ofth,u.1Ibllilyifyou cheese
thi S path (such as POWtrAltac k Cle:n'l", lmpfOl..ed Bull Rush.
Improved Overrun. and ImpTO\-N Sunder As a Devoted
Sp lrn cr usader. some of your maneuvers funct ion only
agamst crea tures wuh opposed alignmen ts. Devoted Spirit
crusaders are orun hunters on the bcu lefield . dedicated fO
chasing dow n the most dan gerou s foes. H you are a While
R.1I' ·e n crusader. you art more grocp-ortemed th an other
crusaders. I- ighllng , hou1Jer to shoulder with allies . direct-
tn g flan ks. coordirunng charges, and coveri ng a cleric while
he heals rhe wounded art among the specialues of a While
Raven cr usader.
AI high levels. your menle ability affords you an ext ra
measure o f co nfi de nce when you confron t ene m ies th at
us!" <; pe lls o r ~ pc- lI likc- sblll ues. Man y demon s, devils.
and ether outsiders have spe ll-like abrlil ie s, an d these are
precisely rhe fo.' s Ihal you :tTC' trained 10 van qu ish Ipar-
ricu larly if you' re a Devoted Spi ri l crusader). Com bined
wnb rhe in domitable sou l abtluv, menle ca n prove to be
su r passingly powerfu l.
ADVAN CEMENT
Ever since the Splti l See ker was 10m apart by demons
during th e caus trcphtc baule rhar ended in the dest ruction
and di spersal of rhe Shadow Tiger h ord e, m aster crusader s
have so ug h t 10 attai n his pl.'rft·cl harmony of spir it, body,
and weapon masrerv.Ln three warring stone cit adel s. rhe
co m bat m asINS of the Vix Th olm, th e Rub j- Kn ig ht s of
\'(/.'1.' ja s, and rhe re rh dekala [see page 154) each reach pil-
grims the three p recepls of combat: ski ll. se lf·d iscipline .
and knowledge.
To lake tra ining 011 aciladel, you musl mainf:lin maximum
ran ks In you r most importanf skills. Rare is a crusader who
doe s nOI have m axim um r;mks in the skill mos t appropriue
(0 ~r pJlh (Balanct" for Slone Dragon. Il'lIimidalt." for Devol~
Sp lfll , :lnu Oipl o m:lq ' for W hite Ra\·en ). In addi lion, you
li,'(" an d d lr by your discipli ne. If you hope 10 ach ie\'e IflIe
ma slt"ry. yo u mu sl ch(I(Xe your J Isclplint' w isely and de'·Olr
~otlN'lf 10 il co mpll"fely. If you're ph}'5ic:ally weak. you would
be iII·advised 10 pur su., Ih., pal h of the Stone Dragon . bUI
your slreng lh ofwill mighl St'eve you well on the palh of ,he
DevoleJ Spirit .
If you It" adv3nci ng as a Ston e Dragon adepl. you seek 10
;lequire ll.. m~ . I,'un ft'JI ,a nd dt"\'C'lop m:lneuve r com bina-
li Ons Ih:lt emphaslu st re ng lh and J Ift'CI confronla lion.
If )~urs 15 ,he p3th of Ihe" whllt" Raven, you focu s o n you r
dt -hlp ahllllle5 and thl." Iactlcl ueulls ofcomb2t. II lOU
embmc, lilt" nevored SPlllt JI ctpltne. vou IIIrn lnw
culnva n ng WI .. dom and dt'\"QUI fauh.
HUMAN CRUSADER STARTING PACKAGE
Armor: Scale mai l (-+ ~ AC , armor check pen :l lr r-~, speed
20 fl .• 30 lh.).
Hl' a\'y wood en shreld (-+2 AC, arm or c heek penahv -2
10 lb.l.
We apo ns : Longswon:I (luS,ceil 19-20/ x2. ~ lb, one-handed
slash ing),
Shonbow (l d6, nil x3, range in c. 60 ii., 2 lb.• pie rcing
Ski ll Sr!t"c ti on : Pick a number of skills equal 10 -I
l n r mcdtfier.
Sltill R.mlts Ability Armor Checlt Penalt,
Balance ..
Concentration" Con
D~ ac} ..
lntlm,dalt' 4 Cha
Jump .. Str 6
MathaI LOre! 4 Inl
R,e 4 Del
Spot (cel 2 w.s
fea t ; \l?e:lpon Focus rlongsword ],
Bonus Feat : Iron Will.
Cea r : Back pack wn h warers ki n, one day's trail rations
bedroll, sack, flint and SII.-eI, 3torches. quiver w ith 10 at"lU'I"S.
tent. traveler's audit, cold weather ou tfi t, ho ly symbol.
Cold: zd.. gp.
CRUSADERS IN THE WORLD
~HlIlt" 1ll1l owr II,.. III1U1Jrr, IIIC'lII flarJ JUlI lIlU IC'11,1,lolt'll 'rom
lIlt J't',II., 111,' drmtlll ~1,1,lts II\''' ,lIl11H1I,'roU S lJslh,',1rivlIIg spdm
of d..d . r ul tilt' VI' T'lolll1 HHSJ,I,·rs IIeMII','/T ground_ I Ng'"1 10
1',·/1<'1\' fllat fill' Il!Ollllf,lm 1I'(IuI.Ish,ltjlllifrom uliJer 1lJ,' mlsdJa5
fUI r..rM!' th,'y )"Ielll..,l '" I 111(11:
- Oarh Na..'urb, dwarf pilgri m of Heircneous
Cr usaders br ing c13shi ng steel. st irring speec he s, and
intense fervor 10 rhe campaign. Tht' first sig n of a cru sader s
presen ce rmghr he a kntghr-herald riding alo ne down lh.,
Proct"ssionall o Ih,' King's Fane , wh ere he la ck s a scroll
to the door and promptly gallops off. his helm et~ visage
revea ling nothing.
Crusaders can launch grand cru S:ldes, eac h of which
ca n serve 3S I h ~ found3tion for a th ou sand 3d \'entures.
Crusaders wh o su pport 1C'55 Ihan popular causes m ight hold
cla ndes ti ne mt enngs in Ihe nighl, filled w ilh wh ispered
negotia llons . Ah t'rn at h 'ely. if war has 31rta dy bro ken OUI.
the c:lmp aign m ighl fealure bal liesalong ra m parts studded
wilh balliSf3e and bom bardloJ wilh flaming pitch. A crusade
mig hl be a on..·ti me occu rre! nce when a pa..sm g army mm es
th ro ugh Ih,' kingdom's hintt'rlJnds, or it mighl ~l.'fve :l~
Ihe enlire foc u s of the- ca mpaign, wi lh Ihe PCs m oving up
Ih rou gh the ran ks of a holy army to Itad the ch arge on Ibe
in fidels ' 'tronghold.
Cr usade rs ca n also mo\'(' Ih rough a. campaign world
individuall y. Perh ap, a PC cru sader is the bst adherent of
ht"r C3use. deSl1nt'd to make a gloflous f1l131 H:lnd against
 an evil Ihar has consu med ht"l hl'f1lagt'. ..;Iw rrnght jcin wuh
other adven tu rers. seeking st reng th in Ih('ir co mpany. A
PC crusader co uld also be an t'vangl.'hsr fro m a f.lf land who
has come 10 the campaign area 10 spread the word of her
cause-s-and pe rlups even 10 rec ruit adve nturers whom she
ca n rake back 10 her ho m...land to fight alongside her. Per-
haps a PC c ru ~dt"r is blH·ly JC CU\t.J ofhercsv and forced 10
travel alone . dodging bounty hun ters and assassins, all while
upholding her ideals wuhcut rhe support or respect of her
ers twhile colleagues.
D.~ILY LIFE
A crusader views th e world rh rccgh rh e (win lenses offailh
and banle. A farmt'r ~c'1"lhng the furrows . a merchanr hawking
or:llng~ and po n cry, an apprennce lo;tsllng his fingers with
an Iron ICally mlsfi rt'J r Ufn ml: h,mJ.-to the crusader; these
e\eryd.1Yslg hlS are nOI random occurrences , bur building
blocks in rh e ba ilie between good and C'\'I l. l:Jw an d chaos .
For wh om does the farme r 10 11. and to wh om does he P3Y
(.1XIl"S- a good baron. an evil cou nl? Is the mercha nt (nding
With pmoslSof~erull or changing monies wilb dark emissa r-
IC:S [rom th e rerh deb la?If IhC' apprentice Ie-arm his spe lls, 10
WhJI end will he.' uve tht m) In every facet cfhfe. rhe crusader
sees some embodiment of h...r principles.
NOTABLES
0 \ er the centuries since the gft'at batt le rhar resulted in the
destrucnon ofrhc Sh adow TIger herd..., m;IOYcrus aders have
sc ug hr rc emulate rhe Spiru Seeker,Thi s enigmatic crusader
slew rhe Shadow M au~r and was subse que nrlv rorn apart
bv demons. bur few Iacrs about hi s life are knownMany,
In fact , argue thai the Spirit Seeker was a female. and many
more argue over the exact fanh thar ch is mysterious figure
embrace d . The Vix Th ol m bd ie\'e Ih at Ihe SeC'ker was a
de vol C'e of Heironeous, bUl rhe Chapeaux and Stars of Sf.
cmhben cbim h im as thl' ir own .Thl.' Ruby Knight s of Wee
Jas claim th at he sou ght Ihe- spirilsof che dead an d was thus
firml y in the Jashe ca mp,
ORCAKIZATIONS
Afle r Ih e TC'mple of ~ i ne Swords colla~ed, many crusaders
(ounded marti;al ordt'rs allied w ilh Iheir rt'l ig ions. These
new organlZallons place d t he dt'it y befort' Ih e swo rd-a
re\'ersal oi tht' temple's r riotlliC's. The mos l powerful and
sec rC'tl\'eof rhe se orders s un'i\'(' lod ay. ~I a n y, hO\\·t'\,C'r, pC'r-
ish t'd as a result of t'Cclesi.1stical in fighl ing. The established
church hierarchies did nOl lruSt Ihese new ' s\\'Ord orde rs,~
m an y of which h .1d rrco\'Ne-d C' nough Irl.'asu re- from IhC'
[311en Te-mplC' ofl\:i nt' Swords 10 make their mt'mbers very
\'\'~ahhl,'. Pu tgC's an d pogroms "'t'recommon as Ihcochurche-s
assetled connol over IhC' o rde-rs and seized Iht'ir wea h h.
Thl' church o f s l. curhbert subsu m..-d its cr uude r o rtlC'r.
bUI many OIher ch urchl' s eX IC'rm inalC'd Iheir crusad ers in
the RIght . rh t' church of Heironeo us rose abo \'e such pe tty
cyrannles, and il still mai nl3 ins a co rd i.11relallonsblp with
liS cruS3:derordtr. the Vix Th olm, Ihough the rrl.uionsh ip
IS , ornell mr s stra in ed by rivalry . Fro m the SlUt Ihe Ruby
KntghlsofWt'e Jas swore a bmdln gcoven ant -a dark paCI,
according 10 some- co serve Iht' lu gh priests and pnesr
esses as the mi lit ary arm of rhe Wit ch Goddess's temples.
and rhe v conti nue 10 do so. Crusader orders dedicned 10
Pelor, Hext or, Ehlonna , an d Nerul l also exist, and rumors
abound of hidden templ es rh at hou se cr usaders who nat-
rcwly escaped the purges.
In a large .1nJ openly ack nowle dged cr usader orde r, pro-
motion is based on baulefield performance. The ban lefield
ho....rever, is gencorously defined It could be 3 polmcal ban le-
field on which vscrorv co nsists of IhC' grant of Ihe ....'estern
\'tlley 's taxanon rights from rbe Exchequer. II might also be
a specific banlefield, such as th e hedge pnscn of a demon
pnnct' in an ancie nt dungeon, ..... here v lClorycan be atta ined
by rhwanmg th ... capnve s .111l.'mpI Sat t"SCa ~. Th e batllefidd
cculdeven be a spt.ritua l one, where victory is the delivery of
pilgrims ro a hclv su e flut will tns pirt' rh em 10 DC'\\' height<;
of religious fervor.
In .1 pC'fSC"CUIC'd crusader order. pro molion is ofren based
Simply o n survival. S t'W bl ood is \'lui and special, so a
crusade r who successfully recru u s a relublC' new member
is acco rded great honor. .\IJ nv perseeured o rders develop
pyra midal h ierarchies in which a member's recruits all rank
below her in seniority.
N PC REACTIONS
.\ fany lay people canner tell a crusader from a palad in u nril
the larrer call s his horse from the sky or 1a~"S hands on the
maimed . Like paladins, crusaders of good alignment ofren
become he roes ro peas ants , laborers. and others 10 whom
gold is a d rea m 3nJ sil ver an always flee nng reality. M OSI
noblesdi sr ru sr cr usaders because their beliefs lake J higher
pncruy in t heir Hves tha n w eahh and SlaIUS. Paradoxi-
cally, m OSTes tablished clerics also dtcrusr crusadcrs-c-no r
o nly because of Iau h-based riva lries bUI al so because o f
the implici l acknowll.'dgml·nl l ha r :J c rusader order co u ld
we3ken rhe in lluence of non;afllliaH'd churches in a reg ion's
polilica l landscape.
CRUSADER LORE
Characters w ilh ta nh In Know ledg(' frrligion) C.1n feSt'arch
crusaders 10 lear n more about them, When a chancter makes
a skill check, teadorparaphraSC' th e following. including the
ir.form alion from Imler OCs.
DC 10: Crusaders.1rr ho r-blooded lC'alol s whose ft'lvor is
u nrrlit'ved by wisdom.
DC 15: Crusadrrs follO\\' the SublimC' Way, st't'king co J'lC'r-
fect Iheir comb31 skill to be tl..-r serve tht'irdeil\·. Thev're n OI
like cle rics. an d they don t he.allhe sick or exo~iSt" ~ndead.
C!USaderspossess ven·!itde O\Trt magic, unless youconsoo
wha t Ihey can do wi th rheirs\ n1s as magi cal.
DC 20: Crusaders can stand up 10 punishment that no
oth er individual can endu re. shrugging off e"C'n IhC' mos t
powt'rful of aflacks.
CRUSADERS IN THE GAME
IJl.'pendi ng on Iheir ahgnment and d isposition . crusaders
can ap pear as alltes o r t' ne m le pal ron, or Iyrants, \'OU
can USIe' InBC' crusader organizallOm 100fCer Ihe Pes worK
 gu3tulng ptlg rtm ca ravans, re mevt ng ue m s from a rival
reltgro n's vaults, or re prese nnng In l' orga nization a t cou rt.
An evil crusader order mighr rarger rhe PCs' homeland for
invasion Of perst'cu l~ 311 members oftheir race. Tn e leader
flf I n evtl crusader order ca n make an excellent recu rring
vill.1 i n for your campaign-e-especia llv tfbe uses his pcltn-
c31 c10UI to pass laws Ih21 make life difficult for the PCs.
For example, he mlghl institute z-hour delays 31 rhe city
ga les, forb id foreigners ro possess muhraland adamantine,
req u ire Ihal all spellbocks be registered and copies stored
at the owner's expense, at th e like.
A crusader character expects that his combat prov..e ss will
aid rhe party in its fights and that his religious affiliation will
have meaningful consequences in the game world. Acrced -
ingly, you should populate your encounters with monsters
that oppose your crusader's Ideals. Skerchmg out in advance
how a campaign's impcrtam NPCs wtll TeaCI to zealot ....ar-
riot'S is time well $pC'nt.
ADAPTATION
One way 10 adapt crUS.1Jt't'S is 10 remove rhe religious flavor
from the class and replace it with regional or racia l elements.
In such an arrangement, a crusader would oppose creatures
from enemy It'r rilory or-of a different race. In like manner. MIROS X AVT, CRUS ADER OF ERYT HNUL
her martial maneuvers would represent not catechisms of
fallh lind divlne mllgil bm abailie.' tradllion of slavers lundt'.
down ove r th e ce ntu rie s.
SA MPLE ENCO UNTER
Crusaders pu rsut" their causes, wha tever they mighl be, wuh
an unmatched zea l. Any ti me rhe PCs become Involved
in an emotionally or politic.::llly charged adven ture ~
crusader might appear. A crusader is especially easy to
Introduce within th e context cf e church, as a holy lo r
unholy) knight dedicated to one dtsnncr and specific
aspec t of his detry,
[L 8: MilOS Xavt is a crusader of Eryrhnul, although he
post's as a crusader of Hetroneous shepherding a small flock
cffive human and seven dwarf pilgrims on a journey to rhe
sacred site of Kcshrra Amnom, the highest peak in the Sun-
spire Mounrains, and rhe inspiration for Reshar's lost epic
poem explaining his mcnvanons in unifying the N1DePaths
Mtros is in facrleadtng a group of twelve disguised kenku
marauders. They beg the PCs 10join them and help esccn
them 10 the holy mount. Once out of sight of civilizatio n,
rhey th row off rbetr cloaks and attack while sc reeching the
praises of the Cod of Slaughrer,
CR 4
M.11e human crusader 4
NE Medium humanoid
tnit ... 4; Senses Spot ...1, Listen ...1
languag es Common
AC 19, touch 10, flat- footed 19
(+7 armo r, +2 shield)
hp 29 (4 HO)
For t ... 6, Ref +1, Will ...) ; zea lous surge
Spe ed 20 ft. (4 squares). base sp eed 30 ft.
Melee mwk mo rnings tar +9 (l dS+3)
Ranged light cross bow +4 (l d S/1 9- 20)
Base Atk +4; Grp ... 7
Ark Op tions furious co un te rstrike, s teely resolve 10
Com bat Gear 2 potion5 ofcure light wound5
Mane uver s and Sta nces Known (ll4th):
Siances-martial spirit (1st), stonefoct s tance (1st)
Slrikes-chargi ng minctaur'[ (1st), crusade r's stri ket
(lst), do use the names (lst). leading the att ackt
(lst), mountain hammert (2nd), stone bones']
(lst). vanguard strike (lst)
Di5ciplines: Devoted Spirit, Stone Drago n. White Rave n
t Readied maneuver
Abilities Str 16, Oe~ 10. Can 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 13
Feat s Improved Bull Rush. Power Attack, Wea pon Focus
(morningstar)
Skills Balance +6 (-1 in armor), Diplomacy +7, Intimidate
+7, Jump +9 (-4 in armor)
Po sse ssi ons combat gear plus ... 1 splifH ma;/. heavy steel
shield, masterwork mornings tar wnh blunt s tee l
head painted to resemble Pelcr's shining visagt', ligh t
crossbow with 20 bolts
KEN kU SNfAkS (12) CR 1
See Monster Monua!lII, page 86. If you do not have Momur
Monua/III, use twelve disguised gnolls (M M 130).
_ _ _ _ _--'s..uWl.l..O"""'RDSAGE
11, l(~ IJ nno r mJllllJtS<1 r.uk of dull. if)'Ull llU /:: Ill<" tmmlllg hld l'(lIJ
)'O ur i nrPllI(l' MO ll'S, pt rltlJJ"I )1111 \/ulUIJ It,ll'( flu fi.o:l,lll1g to 1'11'.-
-c- Chen, swordsage
A master of marlial m.aneuvt'rs,lhl" swcrdsage iS :I physical
adept- 3bladewizardwhoseknowledgeof rbe Sublime '.': ':1)'
ll.'ts h im unlock pot ent abilities. man y of which are overtly
supernatural or mlglc31 In nature Depe nding on .....hich
dtscipltnes he cheeses ro slud\',:1 swordsage might be capable
ofwalk ing through walls, Ieapmg dozens of feer Inrc rhe air,
sh att ering boulders wuh a single touch. or even mas tering
rhe ele mems of fire or sh adow . Wha tever his specific trai n-
ing ,a swordsage blurs the lint' between ma nial prowe ss and
m ag ica l skill.
MAKING A SWORDSAGE
Desp ite his spectacular combat moves , a swcrdsege is not a
typlc:lIl front-line- melee combaram. Ahhougb a fighter, bar-
barian. cr warblade might ~wing a sword more accurately, or
wuh grea ter force, I swc rdsage depends on h is repertoire of
rnarr ia]smkes and srarces.'tb ts cha racter is also no t Imended
[0 be a replacement for an arcane spellcaster, even lhough be
can create a number ofshorHangt' area effects. A swordsage'e
role w tth m an 3d\'enturing pany isn'l easily defined, but his
com bmanon of maneuvercbdu y, supernatural power. and
martial arts is useful in almos t ,m y encounter.
Abil it it·s: Dex terity and WisJom are crucial 10 a sword-
sage. Since he wea rs on ly Iighl armor, he mus t re ly o n agi lity
and shrewdness 10 avoid attacks ,an d as suc h h is Armor Class
IS augme nt ed by h is W isdom mod ifier as well as his Dexter-
uy modifier. A swordsege can ge l along with an average
WI\Jom score, bm to excel, he wams agocd Wisdom bo n us
~mCt-::I swordsage often engages in melee , Stre ng th is al so
Important - although he can use the w eapon Finesse [eat to
•.overcome a low snengtb score, and his array of martial strikes
can make up for an y lack of damage potential. Intelligence
ht·lp~ a swordsage master th e skills necessar y 10 co ntin ue
progressing alon g the path of th e Nine Swords, and Co ns ti-
tution is as im portant to h im as it is 10 any ch ar acter.
Races: ~t osl swordsages are hu m an s. h is no t u ncom-
mon for mem ber s of other rac("s 10 lake up Ihe pa th , thou gh
dW3rwS and gnomes ra rely do. Dwa rves are tOO fi rmly
gtoundeJ to aJa pl easi ly 10 th e ascetic lifes tyle s\\'Ordsagl's
often favor , a.nd the few dwarfswordsages wh o do exis ttypi·
C311\, focus on th e 5[01\(" Dngon discipline_Gnomes find mos t
swordsagt'Ssingu l.a[ly humorle~ s , a.hhough members ofthis
race ocnsiona.lIy lake up Ihe di scipline of Ihe Setting Sun.
bfi:ause rh l"Y understand beller than most how wea.kness
can be fu m ed to strength. llalf-orcs account for a surprising
number of swor duges. e~pt'('i311y in the more warlike dis·
clpllnes ofS rone Dn gon and TigerCIa.w. Mem be rs of this
nce art' well suited [ 0 en dure the Jiificulr ph ysical regimen
of ~Iud\' a. nJ pncrice Ih ar Ihe~ disciplines reqUire.
Ali g nmen l: A swordsage (.an choose any alignment. The
studv of th e Sublime Wa.y is its own end, and wh ether any
p.uticubr Mudent chooses to employ whar he has lennc'd
10 Ihe r\"1ce (If good . e\'11 law, or chaos is nor conSid fC'd
agntftcam b y roost who foll ow this path , Acccrdmglv. 3
typ ical SWOrdS2gc'h3Satleasr one neutral component in hl~
align ment, representing a certain det achment from "'Orldly
matters. Coed sword sages lend 10 be free-rca rmng charnpicns
oi the weak end downtrodden. The less com monplace evil
swcrdscge s heILeVI:' tha.I th eir ma.slery of the marnal arrs has
mad e them supenor to everyone around them.
Stnt i ng Gold : .. d~ "I O (t OO g p~
Starti ng Age: As monk.
CLASS FEATURES
o f all rhree rna mal ade pt c1nses, swordsages learn and
can ready the mos t man euvers . Th is edv amage gi ve s them
unpanlleled versauluv in a given encounter, In one bailie,
a swc rds age might Iulfill rhe role of the rogue, lurking In
s~"S and slrtking when fees are least prepered. In anothe r.
he might be scorching enemies Wllh un snacks. much like
a wizard. In snll another fight , he might [ear an enemy apa. n
with his barebands. m.uc h ing3 barbartan's ferccry wi th his
ewn dis tincti\'e srylecfbloodrhirsn ness. Whate~..er the occa-
sic n, 3 swordsage ts able to ccm nbure. often III completely
unexpected wa.ys.
Weapon and Armor Pr06cienq.': As a swcrdsage, lOU
are pro fictem With simple weapo ns. rmrual melee weapons
rinc lud ing those Ihal can be used as th rown weapons). and
ligh l ar mor. hUI nor wnh shields.
~taneuvers : Yo u beg in your career with know ledge o f
six martial m aneuvers. The disciplines available to you art'
Dese rt W ind, Diamo nd Mind . Scttmg Sun, Sh adow H and,
Srone Drago n. and Tiger c law,
Once you k now a maneuv er, you mu st read y if be fore yo u
can use it (sec Maneu vers Read ied. below).A maneuver usable
by swordsagl·s IS conside red an eXlur1 nl inary a.bility unless
othe rwise noted in u s de scripnon. Your maneuvers are not
affect ed by spell resis tanc e, and you do nOI provok e attacks
of c ppc n un uv wh en you initiate one.
You lea rn additiona l maneuvers at higher levels, as shown
on Table 1-2. You must meet 3 m aneuver 's prerequisite to
learn it. Sec Table 3-1 , page 19, ro dcrermine the high est-level
maneuvers you C3 n learn
Upon rea chin g ~th level, and al every even-numbered
s\\'Oro sagt' Il'\'el after Ih:n (6Ih, 8th, IOlh, .and so on), you ca n
choose 10 learn a new maneu\'t"r in place of one you a.lready
know. In t'ftl."C t, you loS(' th e old m aneU\'er in exchange for
th e nt'\\' on e. You can choo..e a new manl'uver of an y level
you Iikt', as long 35you obs er\"eyour restricli on on the high-
t"H-IeVei man euw rs you k now; you nt'ed nOI replac e the old
manl"U\'er wll h a maneuver of the s.1me level For exa mple,
upon reaching 10t h 1("\'('1. you cou ld ltade in a. single 151-, 2nd-,
3nJ.or ·uh-It'\'el maflC'uverfora mant'U\'erofSih boelor lower,
as long as you meN Ihe prt'~u is ile of rhe nC".'!· maneuvrr.
Youca.n swap only .a single maneU\'er at a.ny giwn lc\·el.
~fa nr u \'t'f$ Readird: Vou can read y four of your sill:
maneuvers known 3t 1st level. and as you advance in level
a.nd learn more maneU\'e~, you are able to fe2dy more, bul
you musl slill choose which ma.neuvt"fS 10 ready. You rndy
vour maneu\ b). meduating and exercising for:;: minUIt'S
Tho!' maneu\ )00 ChClOSoe remam readied unlil you decide
T .... l f 1-2: TH E SWOIOS...CE

l evel
aa se
Attack Bonus
..0
Fort ...,, .,
wilt
Save Save Save
..0
HIT DIE: 08

Special
Maneuvers Maneuvers
Known Readied
Stances
Known
hI QUick to ~et ..I, 6 4
disciplme focus [weapon Focus)
2nd +1 +0 ...3 +3 AC bonus 7 4 2
lrd ...2 .1 ..] ..3 8 5 2
eth +3 +1 ..4 +4 Disciphnp focus Inslghtful s!rlke 9 5 2
5th ... 3 ·1 ~4 ...4 QUIck to act +2 10 3
6th·4 +2 5 +5 11 6 3
ltM ...5 ...2 5 5 Sense malIC 12 6 3
8th +6/+1 +2 ..6 6 D,sci line focus 13 1 ]
9th ...6J.l +].6 ..6 v.Slon 14 Z 4
10th +-7{+-2 +3 ..7 ...1 uick 10 ~C I ...] 15 8 4
ll1h .8/...3 ...3 ..7 +1 1 8 4
I2lh .9/+ 4 +4 · 8 +8 Discipline focus InSI ht 'ul strike 17 8 4
131M lObS .4 ... 8 ~8 J 9 ..
14th .101 ...5 ... 4 ..9 +9 19 9 5
15tM ... .6f+l .5 -9 ·9 QUick to act +-4 2 5
16th ·12.1.2 .5 ..10 ·10 DlsclfU,nefocus de fenSlYesul1Xe 21 10 5
11th ·13 . . .3 +5 10 10 Improvedev.slon 2 5
lStM ..-13/+8/.] ... 6 ...11 11 23 11 5
1.9JM +14/....4 ·6 +IT .11 24 11 5
201M ...15/+10/+5 ..6 ...12 +12 Dual boost3/da y, quick 10 act ..5 25 12 6
Class Skills (6 + Inl modifier per level, x6 at 1st level): Balance, Climb, Concentrat ion, Craft, Heal, Hide, Intimidate , lump.
Knowledge (history) Knowledge (local), Knowledge (natu'el , Knowledgp (nob ility and royally), Lis ten. Martiallore t , Move
Silently, ProfeSS ion, rtldp. Seese Mot~, Swim. Tumble.
New skilldescribed on page 28.
to med uare agaln.nd change them. You need not sleep e r srvle. Each time you gain th e discipline focus abil ny, elec t
rest for any long period of time ro reads- your maneuvers:any om' or the six sword sage di scipline s to which rhal focus
umc you spend S nurunes in medu auon . you can change yccr applies. You can select a difft'rt'n! discipline each n me you
readied maneuvers . gain discipline focus, hUI you musr knower least one mamal
You begin an en counter with all your readied maneuvers maneuver from rhc selected discip line. Even if you selec t a
unexpended. regardle ss of how man y time s you might have differenr disciplinl' ar high er levels, your d iscipli ne ChOICt'
alread y used them since you chose them. \'C 'hen you iniuate for carher abilities does nor change.
a maneuver. you expend it for th e current encounter, 50eech Thi s focu s mantfests in the followin g ways.
of your readied maneuvers can be used once per encounter \'fMpoll ,"«us:At tst level,yougain the benefit of [he Weapon
(u nless you recover them. as dcscnbed below). Focus {eat for weapons assoctared wu h the chosen dist"lph n....
You can reccver an expended maneuver by usi ng a Full- Sec th e d iscipli ne descr ipt ions in Chapter ....
round action ro quk kly meditate. Doing thisdocs nor provoke It' i lgh lf lll s trlkel: Al 4th level, yOll ca n add you r W isdo m
aua cks or opport uni ty. If you comp lete you r medirntion, you mod ifier as a bon us: on dam age rolls whenever you exec ute
ca n choose one expended maneuver ro refre sh. It is now :t st rtke from the chosen d iscipline. A[ 12th level. you can
available for use in a subsequent round. choose 3 seco nd disciplint' to which this abil ity applies.
St ann's Known: You begin play with kacwledge of one lh.'.fmSll't' Sl<lllu : Atllth level, you gain 3 ... 2 bonus on saving
tsr.level srancc from an~·di scipli ne op.m to you. Ar znd. srh. throws whenever you adop t a stance from the chosen di sci
s th. I·Hh, and zorh level, ~'ou can choose addino nalstances. plt ne. Ar 161h level . you can ch oose a second discipli ne 10
Unlike maneuvers, stances are nor expended , and you do which this abiliry applie s.
nOI have to ready them . All the stances you know are avail- Vou gain a +2 bo nus on Mar ua l lore chec ks made
able 10 you ar all time s, and you can c hange the stance you regardi ng:i maneuver in a di scipline in which vou have
currently use as a s\\'lf[ action . A stance is an extra ordinary dts ctpltn... focus .
ability unless otherwise stared in th .. stance descrtpuon. Q u ic k to Act (Ex): You gain a +-1 bonus on Inma uve
Unlike with maneuver , you ca.nno[ learn a new stance at c hec ks This bonus Increases bv I a[ 5th. 10th. r srb. and
higher levels in place of one you already know. zc th level.
AC Bon us: Srafling n znd level. roo can add you r Wisdom Sense M ag ic (5 u); Beglnnlng:il 7tb 1('\·('1. you can spe nd
modifie r as a bonus rc Armo r Class, 50 long as you wear lighl 10 minutes focusing upon a weapon or suit of armor. If you
armor . are une ncu mbered, and do not use 3 sh ield. This succeed on a level check (DC 10 + th e cas ter level oi th e
bo nus to /lC applies even against touch attacks or when you wt'apon or armor ), you can iden t ify th e prop ernes o f t ha t
are tladooteJ. However, you lose rh is bonus when you are uern . including its enhancement bonus and specta! ab lll·
Imm obilized or h..lpless. ties.This abilil\' does no r ft'\ ...011 the properties o f attlfJC ls or
Di scipl in e f o cus (Ex): As a swordsage, you can focu s legacy we:ipons. Ihough it does indicate t hat such ilem\ are
ur tnlnlng 10 t ke ad\'2nIJgeofrach di sci pl me ~ fighting ~ignlflCantly poy..r rful
 Evaslon (Ex ): AI <)Ih It'wl .you can avord even m3gICai and
unusual arracks with g real aglluy. If you m ake J succes-Iul
Reflt'x saving throw ..gains l an arrack th..t normally dea ls
damage on I suc cessfu l save. you inste ad rake' no damage .
Evasion C.1n be used onlv if vou are weari ng light armc r or
no armor, If VOLl are helpless. )'OU do nOI gam the be nefit
of evasion .
Improved Evasion (Ex): From 17th level on you gain
rh e benefit of improved evastcn. You still ta ke no da mage if
you make 3 successful Reflex S3\'r agamst an arrack and even
If vou f:til lh e Rt'flex save', you lake' only ha lf damage from
rheausck. tf vou are helpless, ~'OU do nOI gain rhe benefir of
ueprcved evasion.
Du al Boost (Ex): W hen you re ach 20 t h 1('\'t'1. you cau
use two boost maneuver s aimulta neoualy, Whe'n('~r you
nunare 3 boost ma neuver, vcu ca n also Iniria te any crher
boost maneuver rh31you know as a Iree acnon. Both boosts
you in mate are expended normally, You ca n use this ability
three times ~r dey,
PLAYING A
SWORDSAGE
To you . sword is nOI sim ply a
11
sharpened length of steel, II is rh..-
wisdom of the smuh. the fire
oi the forge. and rhe ShOUIS
and ringing blows of your
ban les It IS your teacher
and vocr srud ... nt, your
life and your death.
When vour mind is
tempered like' the
blade. no feat of corn-
batp~~ is beyond
you . You can ru n
on rhe weapons
ol your foes, strike
an enemy unseen.
and flip In scuctamlv
away from rhe frus tra ted
rtposre "through it all, you
se ek to und.. rs rand rh e secret
kn owl .. dge of co mb at Everv blow is 3
re...e lanon, and every wound 3n apocalypse. In the end , you
and your sword are not hing wuhour each Othef.
You and you r (('lIow s\\'ords3ges adven l un~ for a plelhor:a of
rt'3 son~ :-.l'eirher Ihe religious ft'fvorof the cru..ader nor the
hunor que sl of Iht' warbladt' «Ius"s you 10 travel rht' world.
~t ore than faith, mort' than glory, \'ou seek crula \'l;"helher
you find th31 1ru lh in Ih(' hurbllngacid ~wampssouthofthe
Delug.. Ju ngle , in a scren:hingJungle harpy ~t, or in the
g ulle t of 3 purplt' worm . you 3~ driven 10 un cO\"erit. learn
II , and master ir.
REUCIOf'
Religi on m ighl be enr i ~ ly immaleri31 to you. or you mIghl
find comlofl In Ihe ('xistel'lCt' of the Uppt"r Of" l.o\\:er Pia.nes.
II u n e among the mmorily of m 'Onk ages who f(""."f:('e J
clem \lOU \\'O~hlponl' who is remote and generallv retrain..
from meddhng in rh.. lives of rnonals. acccob rbe U nc an ng
IS a favorite among your fellow swordsages. A f..w, however
choose 10\ rshrp th l · Shalrn,Obad-Hn. becausehis neutral-
lI y align.. well with the sword sage nouon thai the truth of
steel is not wh ar you want u ro be, bu r stmplv wha t it IS
OTHER CLASSES
You ha ve learned [0 look p3sr rh e profession and see the
Indl\'ldual. finding more truth In a person's deeds th3 n in
her abtl ltil'S. Once you have ascertained rhe measure of her
soul you co nsider her profc.'s510n and ki lls. You prize orher
rmrual adepn-cespecullv orb er swordsag es-c-as friends and
a l1i~ both for rht'ir co mbat prowess and tor their 3bili lY [0
pIty to each OIhef s strengths. Flanking rog ues are alsovalu-
ablC' allies in battle. Clerics and arc ane casters are invaluab le
companions. but \'OU resent spellcerers who cas t are3 spells,
wdl spells , or slmiiar dweomt'fS lhat alter the bartlefield and
limit your mobility and cpnc nc
CO M BAT
Rathe r dun rushmg inro combar wuh
[he m m dle s rage o f a barbe r-
ian or Iht' foolhardy courage
of ;/I warblade, you assess
youropponernsand try to
achieve racncal suprem-
acy th rou gh position
and marna ] maneuvers.
YOUf lack of armor
profici ency mea ns
tha i you are best suit-
ed to a skirmish-style
anack-e-cne in which
ve u can use your high
mobility to flan k an
e ne my and s t rike
ha rd and fast. How-
ever, yOlJ are perfecrly
capable of standing
toe to talon w ith
crocks and wyve rns
when necessary. p;l.rry-
mg f;tng with blad e and using your martia l maneuvers 10
cut a parh th ro ug h your enemy's front ranks.
'lou have aCCt·~ s to an amazing arr ay of powerful martial
maneuwrs. You h3\'e exclusi\lt' acceS$ to the De-sert Wind.
Sh.:JJow lland, and St'lting Sun disc iplines, and you would
dowt'1! to learn at Least so tnt' m;ano."uwrs from {h~ You ha\'r
the gt\"3tes t range of mant'u\'c~ of any mutial adepl, 50 you
shou ld ha\'r multiple sirikes, COUnlt'fS, stances, and boosts
zvawble ;afrt'r J U~t 3 ft'w In>els In thi'" cms.
ADVAf'CEMEI\'T
'our tralnmg beg.an when )'OUwon an app~ n[iceshlpw i [ h
a mt' ntor-eilhc-r an indiv idual h er m il swordsagt' or an
Instructor .11an ,nclc.'nt s....'Otds.agC' It'm ple d3:t ing bx l ro the
flanl ol rhe .sludO\\·llger Horde You knew lnat wmnmg.
J ~\\ord ~ 3 gl' appremice-hip woul d nOI be t';hy--- Ih;ll In 13('1 SW O RDSAG ES IN THE WORLD
if would be an ordeal designed 10 It'SI vour wo rth In sor-ie I CllUI.l mull llti"lmunt pt:rfllllU ImgmFlg In tilt lorthllJ:hl Tht
unu sual W3 V. Eighty I mf'rN.'1 hil,'I"lltTflI rht (,Hlit lltu , through III1S ,l(l(lr. 111(
The masrers of rh.. Harad n cvtn r emple are known 10 make Slllluul, crumpltd {I t I lilt IldMrtl, It'L1S slllllmilmg,-
rhe young boys and girls w ishing TO undertake train ing WJ!l - Kalin Sro nehelm, castellan of O rlep Tor
In the courtvard for wasons on end. through rain.snow.and
rhe acld cloud storms of rerh delub 31T3Cks. Occasionally the The pontificarlng recluse. the wandering nwsnc, the mamal
masters might send a por ofporridge 10 rbe counyard for the scholar-c-all these and more are swordsages. These marna!
aspirants. and even mcrecccasicrullv-c-nev..r mcre rhanorce adepts bring a combination of m.... mal acumen and phvstcal
per ao;on- lht"Y select one child 10 enter rhrough the Ivory Pro\\"l'~~ to the world. wilh a po renri.ll toadvance in a nu mbe r
and Hom Gales. The EighlYEmpresses havea different selec- of Jifferrnt direcnons-c-offensfve. defensive, su pport. and
rion proclMS for rbetr prcregcs. The masrersbring each vocng qUick·Slrikt"-I~y make excellenr additions ro .advent un ng
lady st'par:I.lt"ly into ,h... Dressing Room of Opala I. whose parlil·~ . when the campaign action veers our ofthe dungeon
walls. mirrors, Incense lamps, pots of rouge, and songbird and into the royal courts, darkened chambers. and diplonutic
cages art" draped with 1.080 shtmmeneg gold, red. pink , halls of the kingdom, aswordsege's inclination reward Int el-
orange, an d fuchsia silk ribbons. The girl is allowed 10 suy lee mal pursuits and his natural role as a scbclar-c-mama l
as long as she likes In rhe dressing room; she has but 10 give and otherwise-c-al low him to remain a strong cont ri buto r
I signal when she is ready to I...ave. After she is It'd away, one ro rhe pany.
ribbon is re moved from rhe room, Tht"n she is broughr beck.
If she can name rhe color of the nbbon that was removed. DAILY LIFE
she IS accepted: otherwise, she is rumed .1way forever. A swordsage spends rbe majority of his time pe rfec u ng
As.1 swc rdsage. your selection of disciplines and martial his an. The mental and spiritual demands o f the Subli m e
m an euvers is paramount 10 your success, You might choose Way require constant anen ricn, so he can spa re h n le nme
ro foc us on man euvers from a single discipline, burlearning for carous ing.
a few maneuvers from the other schools is almost always An in all its forms is often.1 passion for swcrdsa ges. M :my
advi sable. True success in combat requi res a wide vanetv of find refreshment and a wellspring of srreegth in the arts of
mart ial man euvers. sculpn ng, painti ng, po.... t ry, calligraphy, roc k-Slac k ing, or
illusory pallrms.
H UMAN SWORDSAGE A swcrdsage wnb an app renrice spends m uc h of his rime
STARTING PACKAGE traini ng h is sr ude nr. A swcrdsage withou t an apprentice
Armor. Studded le:uher (+l AC, armor-check penchy-a. might or might not spend lime seeking one out. acco rding
speed ]0 ft., 20 lb.). 10 h is wh ims.
Wea pons: Long'iword (ldl',ttiI19-2oj,.2,4Ib.,one-handed
slashing). NOTABLES
Light crossbow (1I."1R, crit 19-10, ran ge inc. 80 fl ., 4 lb.• Opala I, the Empress lncamadtn e and fou nder of rbe EighlY
piercing l Empresses, was a swordsage. Known as much for her wisdom,
Ski ll Sclection : rick 3 number of sk ills equal to 6 + her dan ce , and he r ribbons as for her swords. she is regarded
Inr mo difier. by many as th e prototypi cal swc rdsage-c-screne, poi sed, an d
deadlr Mod ern notable swordsages include the Sage of Snow
Skill
Balance ,,
Ranks Ability
D"
Armor Check Penalty
-1
and Sha do w, wh o lives at rhe peak of one of the Sunspires
near Koshrra Amnorn, and Skc rrgb, a half-orc pariah who is
Concentration Co,
.,..,
shu n ned by his na rive tribe forqueslioning rhe un mllig.ned
I-ie.al
Hide 4 -1 war frenzy diclall'd by th e sha mans of H e Who Watche s,
IntImidate 4 e Skurrgh is presenrly looking for an apprentice bUI has rel IC
lu mp 4 s" -1 find one he considers suitable. ~ta ny of the more de dic ated
Knowledge (local) ..
Martial LO ft" .. ,,," :lsp irants pr efer ro wai l in Ihe rain and snow outs ide rhl'
Ha rad Devin Tt"mple ra rber rban risk th eir training o n a
Move Sllenrly 4 DO' -1 rogw.. ha lf.o rc.
Ride 4 D"
Sense MotIve 4 Woo
Spo t (ccl 2 Woo ORGANIZATI ON S
Tumble 4 De. -1 The Harad Dev in Templ e has recruited and tr ained sword-
sages forcenturit's. !\I.any of ils alu mni we,2r in trinle Urt oos
or brands on tht" inSide of Iheir forl'ums thar record fng-
Fea l : DoJ.ge.
ments of the order's hislory. It is said rhat if all the sages of
Bonus Feat: ImprO\·eJ Inuiativt>.
rhe Hand u..-\"In Tt'mple wtore to li ne Up,one couL:l re 3d the
Gear: Bal:kpack wuh wJlerskin, one day 's rrail nriom,
en rire history of th e Sunspire !\{ounuins and Deluge Jungle
bt"droll,sack, flint and sud, 3Iorcoo.qui\·erwilh 20 arrows,
regions from lhelr ratt oos. :lOO tha t Ihei r bnnds are slgils th.at
tl'nl tnvt"ler 's outfil. cold uealher our fit.
ca n un lock.1 spell of epic propofl ions .
Goltl: 2d4 gpo
 the wcmcnofthe Eighl~' Emrn'~ ~e~ also carrv till' marks
of rher r order, whi ch in Ihl ~ case arc ribbons. Each you ng
lady wh o win s acceptance to rhe order ad op ts the ribbon
trom her inducuon ceremorw as her persona l symbol. Unlike
Ih~ mark ings associa ted wuh th e Harad Devi n Tem ple. no
legen d ccnnec rs rh e rib bons of the Eigh lY Empresses with
;lny gl'e3ler epic . In fact. these dccc ran on s appc'ar to have no
meaning at all :"./0 color. bra idwork. or fri nge Signifies rank OTHER CLASSES
within the order, and nopamcula r manne r of displav-c-harr-
bow. cho ker. or wns tband-c-has .ny mea ni ng bevond lhl'
preference of the individual membe-r.
\bny ocher swordsage organua ucns
extst as well . The tyrical order is a
sm al l. well-organized , organic un u
rb at ex ists for a smgfe purpose .
One" SWOrd52gc' crgaruzancn might
\ Iwrdt' -king Blech Forktongut' slew twe n ty sulxhieftuns in <1
focus on the hislOry of . parneu-
lar cc mba r nylt'. while another is
sworn 10 protect the ruler ofa 1ac.1
popelano n, At least cee swcrdsage
organizancn has devo ted ilsdf 10
studymg the cc mbar techniques.
mlgr.Hof)' pat terns. and warren
cu lture of the Sunsptre Moumnn
umber hul ks . presumably with an
t'yt' toward eventual ly ex ter mi na t-
mg them. Such dau nting usks are
T)'pla l (.art'fcrswordsages, whose pa-
uence and calm ness oflen lead them
10 con sider plans Ih <11 mig ht take de-
cades or even ce nt u ries 10 execute.
NPC REACTIONS
!\loSt authcrtry figur es an d governm ent of-
fICials do nOI apprecia te swc rdseges. Like
crusaders, these m art ial adepts are often
dedicarcd to a higher cause th an th e in-
teresrs of the local ea rl o r lord , and
unlike warblades, swordsages are nOI
easi ly bou ght. Thus, governraems.
churches, and other civic and religious
oTgJniul ion s generally Irt'::I1swordsages uilh
a greal d...al ofcaution . Cr;n»ltlf .~/.Jl,
M\'fch<1 n rs, o n the ot ht'r h:lnd, t'mbnce ch.",p;ltlr It! liN Jlt'WfIIrltJJ~. st'crt'ts o f the Perfect Strike, the ~' are likt'!y 10
swordsage s. W ho elst" wou ld buy an ancient
com,lhC' ChlPpt'd comb of a long-dt'ad rriDCt'SS, or:a petrifieJ
dngon c1:aw' In addilion ro purchasing curiosities and an
suppl~ patticulu 10 his InTC'ttSIS, a SU'ONsagt' d sopm..-ides
busint'S s for smiths, cupenlecs, :and slablecs as hC' praeticl,'s
hi m.an ial mane-u\"l"t"S in an t'[(Orl I" maintain <1 consUnT
SUte- of pal ienl readiness.
RACES
Elves and swords<1gt's oflen gel along famously bt'ciluse
of thl'lC simllu long-rerm \'iC'wpoinu and tht'ir appTt'Cia·
lion for hlSlOry, Dwu \'t's <1ppreci.1 tt' Ihe seTious na tUfl"
01 wordsagt"s and t ht' fin l" Sculplu rt' thar m any oi rhem
praducl' Gnomes hJ\·e a low-hate rl"lanonshlp wnh these
masters o f ma rtia l kn o.....led ge: They apprec iate the sword-
sages sens e of h lslo ry and love of bardic ar ts but dislike
t!leir rendencv to rake life serioudv. Half-e lves o fte n dis-
like swo rd sages, seeing in rh... lr selec uve app rennceslu p
procC'ss an echo of rhe exclusiona rv am tu de that those
of mixed blood sornerimes experience.
Swcrdsages rend to h ave more m co mmon with cle rics and
wizards than with Ihl' melee fighring classes. Barbarians In
pamcular are apr: to be- annoyed byaswordsage's prcchvuv 10
analyze or 311t'a~1 contemplate <1 combat before, duri ng, and
aflt'f the-actual fighl mg. One ofOpaI<1's fnuri lt' questions was,
"How does <1 S\ \UN mean'- II IS said Ih<11 rhe ore barbari.1n
rage while trying fa discover the meaning of tbar question
SWORDSACE LORE
Characterswuh ranks in Galher lnfornurionor Knowl-
edge (hislory) can research swordsages 10 learn more
abour them. \l'ht'n a cbaracrer makes 3 skill check.
read or paraphrase rhe follow ing,
includ ing rh e in forma rioa
from IOU-C'f Des.
DC 10: A swordsage is a fan-
cy s w ord-swtnger who thi n ks
be knows more about sword-
play than <1nyone else.
DC 15: Like warhlades an d
crusaders. S\\'OrdSJgeJ walk rhe Suh-
lime Way, But th ey donor JUSt wal k
il-tht'Y study it, Ihey s...arch it. lht'y think rhe re's
a meaning in u. Th ey look for rhe wisdom of
their swords, th e srorv ofeach sw ing, and the
h istor y of each Ice .
DC 20: Swordsages are patient. calm, and
II"Ihal. l1U'y gain the most mvsttcal powers ofall
th ose who walk the Sublime Way.
SWORDS AGES IN THE CAME
Whl'n characters need to know th e rruename of a reth
dekala prophet , the res ti ng pl ace of Ih e la St
lit'uten:lnt of rhe Shadow Tigt'r H ord e, or the
seek OUI a swo rds<1gt'. Such moments provide
ex:ellt'nt opporrunilies 10 inlrod uct' swor usages into <1 n
ongoing campaign that has not previously included ma r-
lial adepis. If a pla)"er \\"JnlS 10 pl<1Y <1 swordsage in such :I
campaign, the charaCier m igh l be !>Ough t OUI by an anc ient
sword agt'-I hl" b I pl"2Clil ion C'r of his lund-and laughl tht"
St'CR'1S of Ibt' Sublime W<1)·. If you are using Dungnm .\l ,u ln ',
Gtol.u JJ. a PC could .1cquirt' a spiril comp<1nion- the spirit
of an .:Indenl swordsage who hb ~t'IeC1ed he r 10 be thl' firsl
in a new gen era rio n of ma n ial scho lars.
When dt'\'eloring a 5uttdsagt"cluraett'r, ronsidt'r his focus
Dces he defint" hi msel f by his ffiattW maneu\·ers. h LS <1n
.m':! hi S rd 'i1lOnshlr~ wllh Nrcs) PIU\·lde::l swordSJgt' wuh
chdknge' loall f.KC"~ oihLS character. His high skill poinls
 e 1I"tH com bat Jh llllll' S. anJ m 3gl~ allh l r t' mu n't h al 1ll'10;
equaltv at horne in a dungeon. in the hallsofa pa lace.a nd in
:I .....l zan l s tower. A gooJ enemy for II su rdsage i..onc agatmr
whom hl' must use 311 hi s skills, 311 hiS mane uvers, and all
hi s knowledge.
....D...PTATION
Th(' name ~w0n152g(' naturally tmphes a charact er who car-
nes a sword or w(";llpon of some kind However. a swordssge
works very well as a superna tura] mamal arust or almos t
any sc hool or ongin. To create II monklike cha racter wub
3 rrem... ndous arra y of Iamasuc moves and st ri kes, give rh...
swordsage the m onk's unarmed smke progression 3Dd
remove hi S lighr armor proficiency. If vou pre fer, you could
InSIC'3J emphasize rhe rnagtcal ral...nrs of the swordsage :,y
giving rhe swordsage the :lbiliry 10 learn arcane spell s In plsce
of maneuvers of eq uivalem level In general, spells from the
school s ofabju n lion, evccancn. and rransmuranon are mcst
appropriate for a swordsage of rhls type,C'S f'l"Cu llyspells with
3 range of personal or touch. Th(' arca ne spell is ·cas t" as if
II were J martial ma neuver. In this case. you sho u ld remove
the class's ligh t armor proficil"nc\' and red uce the swcrdsage's
H it Dll' to d s .
SAMPl.E ENCO UNTER
Swerdsages can be en countered anywhere: in large cities. in
the wtldemess. Of on rhe road to nowhere.
EL 6: Thl" hlghwaym.:ln k nown 3S the Crimson Mask
plagues rhe roads and pathwa ys near rhe Free CiI Y. Br draw-
ing on rhe power of h is martial maneuvers. he swoo ps in
to surprise hi s enemies . figh ts th em 10 the brink of defeat,
demand s 1I ra nsom 10C(";llS'" h is attack, then disappear s back
into the fores t. Crimson Mask is, in truth, a worshiper of
O lidammara who seeks 10 steal from rich adventurers and
d islribute the money la the needy, HI.' (3 reSlillie wht"thl'rhe
sleals from 3 heroic f1313Jin or:l ht"an leoss mercena ry because
he ft'els IhJI nl.'ilht'r i\ likely 10 Joa nYlh ing useful Wilh lhe
mo nt'y. Thus, he has no m mpunCl ions abo ut laking iI .
CR IMSON MAS K CR 6
Mall" half-elf swo rdsag e 6
CG Meodium hum anoid (elf)
Init .. 8; Sen se s low-ligh t vision; listen ... 5, Spot +5
l anguages Common , Elvl"n
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footl"d 16
(De. +2. Wis +1, armo r +5)
hp 49 (6 HO)
Imm une sll"ep
Fort ... 5, Ref +8. W ill +7 (+9 aga ins t en chantments)
S~ lO ft .
M el ~mwk scim itar +7 (l d6+2J18-20)
Ranged longbow ... 6 (l d8/xl )
Base Atk +4; Crp · 6
Alk Options discip line focus (inSight ful strike-Deseort
Wind)
Comb.11Gea r 2 poIIO"'S of cure lIght wou,.,ds
Maneuveol'S lind Stances Known (ll 6th);
Siances-child of shadow (1st) . flam("s bleSSing (15( ,
holocaust cloak (3rd)
t" k, S btl ring nou rlshf (l SI). chargmg m lnotaur
(1st) , dealh mark t {l rd}. shadow blade techniqu e
(1st), stone bones (lst)
Boosts-burnmg blade (lst), burnmg brandt (2nd),
distracting ember (lst), Wind stride (lst)
Counters-nr(' r1poslet (2nd ), zl"phyr d anc('t (lrd)
Disciplines; Desert Wind, Shadow Hand , Stene Dragon
t Readied maneuver
Ab!litieos Str 14. D('J. 15. Con 14, lnt 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
SQ able to nonce se cret or cc nce a'ed doors
Fellts Alertness. Dodge , tmpr eved Initiative. weapon Focus
(scimitar, light mace. light pick, s pear. falc hion)'
Skills Bal3nce +13, Diplomacy +1, Gat her Information ... l
Hide ... 11 . jump ...13, ustee 5. Move Slle ndy +-11 . Search
·2, Sense Motive .10, SPOI 5. Tumb le ...13
Poss eossions co m bat gear plus 2 studded leather.
masteorworlF: scim itar, c/OQk of resistance ... 1, longbo w
wilh 20 arrows
_-,.-....,...---:-......,...,,---W
~AR.B.LAQE
"' It'lll borll ((lrlI..,r, J hllvt lht hrlltl of illion. fh r sll'lftn m of lin
tll,lilt. llnJ lh t llrrllglh of'l Jril, II! 111 "lIl1lt J {m J rU t pt."'lt In
w ntlul rnfullon. and In I'ldory (1"lIltllll(lII. Thr god~ thrmW"lt~
ml'r my hOllr of glory."
-Ammon. 3; warblade
The warblade was born for conflict, Swift, strong, endunng.
and unerlv co n fident in hi s mania! sk ills, he seeks to rest
himself :Igain sl worthy foes. Bail ie is beautiful to him-:1
perfect moment in wh ich life hang s suspended o n rhe
brlghl edge of a swo rd . Sheer combat skill is importanr tc a
warblade. so he trains inrenselv wnh h is chosen weapons But
even more im po n ant are his arhlenctsm. endurance, daring.
reck lessn ess, and joy in the hou r of danger, Warblad('s, et ten
called sword princes, live for rhe ch ance to tes t rhernselves
in baule-c-rhe stronger the foe. the greater rbe glory onct'
an enemy is dl'feoaled.
MAKING A WARBLADE
1\ warbllHll' is a frond in e ml' l!'!' co mb au n r, m uc h li kl' J
barbarian or fig hll·r. Heo eongages his enemies lOe [0 lOt' an d
Jl·fea ls Ihem th ro ugh skill;l l arms.
Ab iliti e s: Purl" ph ysical pt'rfection is a wa rblad e's idt'a l.
so Strength , Dex lerilY, and Const itu tion are aB vilallO
him. Becau s{' m aslrrin g a bewilJering va rie t y of marll.l l
m aneuve rs is difficull. Inlelligence is also im porr an l 103
warhladt'. be clluse he apprl"Clat es rh e bonus ski ll pOlnl~
and many of hi Scl ass fea l u r('s reward 3; h igh Inreoll igt' nce
bonus. Given Ih e choit(' betwe('n W isdo m anJ Ch an sm a,
a warblade is m ore likeoly 10 boos t the laner-Ihe be tter to
wear Ihl" mantlt' of gl ory he hopes to w in wi th his dt"eJs
on the balliefleold.
Ract's: The wa rr ior CUhUflOS Ihal give rise to WJrbbdt"S
at(' mosl oftl' n fou nd in human . elf, and hobgoblin bnd~.
Admirarion for alh lt'tic prow("Ss, Ihe maniallJeal, .a.nd sh«r
physical da ring IS common amon g Ihese flIClt'S , Th" gnhyanxi
also Illike greal pnde in th rir martial skill and 1I Dumber 01
warblaJes can be lound among Ihls race. rhl.'2f\'es apprt'Clatt'
a warbladeo's manial prowt"~s bUI mighl ~h.. away fro m e~
TAiU 1-3: TH E WARl LAOE HIT DIE : 012
Baie Fort Ref Will Maneuver s SUnces
Le ve l
'« .,
Attilck Bonus
.,
Save Save Save
_0 +0
Special
Battle clarity (Refle_ saves),
weapon aptitude
Readied
1 ,
Known

2nd +3 +0 +0 UnCilnny dodge 4 3 1

3rd ~3 ...1 1 Ihllle ardor (wt,ul confIrmation) 5 1 1
4th .4 +1 1 5 4 2
5th _I .1 Bonus feat 6 4 2
6th +2 +2 Improved uncan~ dodge 6 4 2
7th .2 +2 Battle cunn ng (damage) 7 4 2
8th +2 +2 7 4 2
9th ..J Bonus feat 4 2
10th ... 3 .. 3 a 5 3
llth ..3 ..3 Battle slClII cppcsed clledts) 9 5 3
12th .4 .4 9 5 3
13th " B o n u s feat 1 5 3
l ..th ..... 10 5 ]
1St BailIe master 0 PpoItLlMII~ ]
16th ...10 11 6 4
17th + ft'at 12 6 4
18th ...11 6 ... 6 12 6 ..
19th 11 13 (, 4
20th ...20/ +15/ +10/... 5 ... 12 6 +6 Stance mastery 13 7 4
Clas s Skills (4 ... lnt modifier per level. x4 at 1s t level): Bala nce. Cli mb. Concentra too n. Craft . Diplomacy, Intimidate, Jump,
Knowledge (hIstory). Knowled gt' (local). Martia l l o re· , SWIm. TurTll*
New skIlldescribed o n page 28.
weemng praise. Hal l1ings gen erall y adm ire Oilb lenc prowess, M a n e u ve r s : You begin your career wuh knowledge of
bUI most find rhc stri ngent requirement s of Ibis dass roo three martial maneuvers. The disciplines available 10 you
challenging. Half-orcs and savage humanoid races generally are Diamond !<ttind, Iron Heart.Stone Dragon. Tiger Claw,
do nol appreciate beaurv in mot ion in quu.. the same way that and While' Raven.
their more civilized counterpart s do: they fight to destroy Once you know a maneuver, you must ready il before you
rheir en ...mres. ncrro ccver rhemselves inglory. Gnomes feel can use It (see Maneuvers Readied, below).A rnaneuverusable
no particular need 10 try themselves in battle: Ihey are happy by warblades is considered an extraordinary ability unless
with their normal pursuits. otherwise noted In its descnpnon. Your maneuvers are nor
A li gnm e nt : A warblade can choose any alignment, alTecled by spell resistance, and you do nOI proi..e ke attacks
th ough many prefer chaotic o....er lawful. After all, a warblade ofopportunity when you Imuare one,
set'k~ 10 win glory through individual deeds oi prowess, Youlearn adduional maneuvers 3 1 higher levels, as shown
su he IS unlikely 10 adop t a personal code emphasizing on Table 1-]. You must meet a maneuver's prerequisite to
obedience over freed om [0 im provise. Good warblades are learn it,'sl'l"Tabll' :\· 1, pagt' ]<J, lodClermine the hight'l't-k....el
champions of {he weak and downtrodden; evil ones are maneuvers you can learn.
" lCIOUS warlords who exult in rhe defeat and humiltaucn Upon reaching ·" h level. and at e\'ery even-numbe re d
o t the ir foes. warb lade leve l afll'r thar (Mh, srh. 10th , and soon), you can
Sla rt i ng Cold ; 5d4>< 10 (125 gp). choose to lear n a new maneuver in place ofone you already
St art ing Age: As barb arian, know. In effec t, you lose till' old maneuver in exchange for
rbe new one, You can choose a new maneuver of any level
CLASS FEATURES you like . as long as you observe your restriction on rhe
',X' hen nghrlng. you rely on an ever-increasing repertoi re of highest-level m aneuv..rs you know: you need nOI replace
spectacular mamal maneu vers. Dependi ng on which Jisci- the olJ maneuver with a maneuver of the same level. For
plmes vou choose ro stu dy, you might be a mcngccse-swif example, upon reaching ierb 11.'\'1.'1 , you could trade in a
ki rrmsher wh o uses speed 35your sword and shield, a fierce Sing le Ist-. znd-, ~nI - or .Jlh·level maneuver ior a maneuver
master cfblades. or a bold comma nder who leads your alltes of 51h 11.'\·('1 o r lower, as long as \OOU meet the prerequislle of
1010 banle. You r maneuvers are th e signatu re moves rh:al rhe new manl."U\Tr, Youcan swap only a single maneuver at
serve to define you r characte r. any given level .
Regardless of the path you choose. you acqui re a modest ~ t aneu\'ers Readied: You can ready all three of the
nu m be r of bonus feillS that make you quicker, more agile, maneuvers vou know al tsrlevel. but as vou advance in level
and more arhleuc th an most othe r warriors , a:ullearn more maneuvers, you must choose which ma neu-
Weapo n a nd Ar m or Pro ficiency: Youare proficient with vers to ready ' a u readv VOUt maneuvers by exerctsmg for .s
simple and martial mel ee weapons /including those lhal can numnes. The maneuvers you choose remain readied unnl ycu
be u ed as thrown weapons~ light and medium armor and decide ro evem again an d change them. You need no l ~It"t"r
II shield s e ept lower shlelJ.s. or re->I for n n pt'llJ,J olnme 10 reaJ r your maneu\'e
~n) ume von spend ~ mtnutes m pracuc e, )'OU can cha nge , pt lall.....non . ~ net' you re treated as be! ng a -41h-1t'\T llightt"r
YOu r readted maneuvers. for ,hI Spurpose. rhese eftecuve figh ter levels stack wu h Jny
You begtn an encounter wuh 311 your readied maneuvers actua l fighter level .. you have. Thus, a fighter 2/wubb dt" -4
unexpended , regard less of how many tunes you migh r have would also qualify for Wt'3pon S~cializa lion,
31rl"ady used them wnce vcu chose rhem . When you Inma te Youalso haw the flexibililY to adjus t your weapo n rratn-
;I ma neuver, yo u eXJ'{'nJ it for rhe current encounter, so each Ing, Each morning. you CJnspend I hour in weapon pracnce
o f your readied maneuvers can be used once per encounter to change the designated weapon for any ft'at you have that
(until you recover them. as dcscrfbed belowj, apphcs only to a SIngle weapon (such as Weapon Focu s) '1'00
You can recove r- all expended maneuvers with a single swiit mUSI have she newly designated weapon avatla ble duneg
acnon. which mus t be immediarelv followed in the same your practi ce "t"!'''lon 10 make rhis change. For exampl e If
round with a melee ;11- you wisb [0 change the
tack er using a sund:tro designated weJpon for
actjon 10 do norhreg your Wl"'2pon Focus ft"at
else m rhe round (<;uch from grenswcrd 10 long-
:IS execcnng a qUick , sword you must have 2
harmless flounsh wuh longs word available 10
\"OUt weapon . \'ou C2f\- practKI" wuh dunng your
not ininate a maneuver practice session.
or change your stance You can a.dJusl an ..
while you are recov- number of your feats rn
l."'ring your expended Ihis way, and you don I
maneuvers . bur you have to adjus t rhem dl
ca n remain in a stance in rbe same wa.y. How -
in which yOIl began ever. you can't cha nge
your rum. the weapon choices in
Sr ances Kn own: such J way rhar )'OU no
You begin play with longe r meet th e pre req-
knowledge of line 151- uivite for som e orh er fe;l.l
level seance from any you possess. For instance,
d iscipline opt' n to war- if you have bo rh Weapo n
blades. At .uh . 10th, Foc us {longswo rd ) and
and terh level. you can WI"3pOn Spec taltzaucn
chooseaddmonn lsranc- (longsword), yo u can r
es. Unlike maneuvers. change the designated
stances are nOl expend- weapon fo r Wea po n
ed. end you do nOI have Focus unless yo u als o
10 reJdy th em. All rhe change the weapon for
stances you know are WeJpon Specialtzaric n
available 10 you al ;III in the same way,
rim es , and you can Unca n ny Do dge
change the stance you lEx): At 2nd level, you
ate' currently using as gain the ability to react ro
a swif action . A stance danger beforevocr senses
is an exrracrdinarv abihry unle ss otherwise stal ed in the would normally allow you to do so, You retain your Dexter-
stance descrrpnon. it)' bonus to AC (If any) even ifyou art" caught Ilar-foored or
Unlike with maneuvers . you can not learn a new stance U struck by In invisibtt' anacker. However, you srtlllcse your
higher levels in p12Ct" of one you already know. Dexrerirv bonus 10 AC if you art" immobilized,
Bart lc Cla ri t)' (ExI: 'IOU can enter a state of almost mvsu- If vou alreadv hOI\'(' uncanny dodge from a different cla ~~
cal awareness of rhe battlefield around you. As long as you (barbarian or rogue , for example), you automatically gam
art" nOI Ilar.foored, you gain an insight bonus equa l to your improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.
lntelhgence bonus (maximum equals your warblade levelj Balt ic Ardo r [E x]: Tht' sheer 10\'t' of banle lends unca nny
on your Reflex saves. strength 10 your blows . Suiting at jrd 11"\'1"1, you ga in a n
Weapon Aplit ude (Ex): Your training wilh;l wide ra.nte insighl bonus equal to your Ir uelhgencebonus on rolls made
ofweapo nno and lactics gives you grt"alskill ""ilh paniculu 10 confirm criliC21 hits .
""t'apons,Youqualify for fl"lts Ihal usu.all.., re-qUIrt" a minimum " onus Fl"al: AI Sih le\'t'I, you g.1in.1 bonus feal fro m Iht'
numbe-r of fighler k ..t'ls {such as Wl":Ipon Specialliz.ation l as list gl\'t'n below, Youmust meet Iht' prere-qutsite for the feat
Ii ) OU h"d" fighlcr Int'I equal 10 \"OUr wublJde It'\'el-l, For you selt'Ct. b't'Ty lour 1t'\C'ls Iht'l't'aftl"r(al 9th, t 3th, and t-Ih
e a.mrle as a Mh·lew l "arbladt', ..'ou could lake Wl."'a.pon le\·l."]), you ch~ ..notht' r bonus ft'al fro m I ~ list.
 ROU IH I t iJllu ': Acrobat ic, Ag tl e . Arhlenc. nl 2d Mt'dm· brash app ro ach to life. O ther good warblades favor Pelor,
non , Rlm d· Fight, Com ber Reflexes, Dieha rd. End urance, Herrcnecus. and. In rare cases. dou r St. Cuthbert. If you 3.~
Cre ar Fcrurude.f rnpr oved In itiative, Iron WI!I. lron hean , evil. )"Ou probably champion the cause ofErythnulor Hexrcr.
light n m g Retlexes, QUick Draw, Run, Slon e Pewe e", Tige r A rumored secret sec: of warblades follows Vecru,c1alm ing to
Blooded , Unnervi ng Calm", White Raven Defense" be the descendants of the loyal army tha t watched horrified
New ii.'ats described in Cha pte r 2. as its commander, Kas,comrnured his famous berraval.
Ha r tl e Cu n n f n g (Ex): Your instinct fo r seiling rbe
moment gives you a signi6cant advan tage over fee s unpre- OTHER CLASSES
pared lor your attack. At 7th level. you gain an inSight bo nus 1kc.2USC' you appreciate the long years of study and pracnce
eqoal rc your Imelligence bonus on melee- damage rolls ntcessuy to become 2 master of ccrebar, you hone grea t
agains t flat-footed or flanked oppone-nts. respect for figbrers and pa1:l.dins-rhough }1X1 some nmes
8,)llle Skill (Ex): Youanticipate your enemies plO) ~ and f~l,a nvalrv wilh (hem. as well. Youdont get along tOO nell
tXIICS. At Iltb level. yougain an insight bonus equal to your wlrh barbarians because rhry seem incapable of properly
In[elligence bonus on any check made tocppose an enemy's bestowing or receiving honor. Buds are olmong\'OUr f.1VOntC'
bull rush, disarm. ferm . O\~ITUn, sunder. or Irip OIl1empt"_ ccmpamon( as long as they st2\-out of rbe W2)' and leave the
Barrle ~I a ... tery (E:.:): Younotice rhe most subtle openings glory of the 6ghl to you -and sing of your success later rn
and cues olTe~ by your opponents. At 15th level, you gain tavern and hall. Borh Jh'ineand arcane spellcasrers are for-
an insight bonus equal to your Intell igence bonus on melee eign to your pursuit ofphysical perfection. so yousee them as
anack rolls and melee damag... rolls nude whenever you make little more th,an:a means of support Icrvour cwa endeavors.
an ,at rack of opportunity. For that mailer. you rarelvwork well wnh other warblades,
I mproved Une lln ny Dodge l(X):At Mh Intel and higher, stace they are as ecmperuwe as vou are, and you're :llw3.\'s
you can no longer be flanked: you can ~,aCI 10 oppo ne nts suspicious ,hal one of them mlghl I t)' to steal your glory.
on opposite srd...s ofvcu as ea~ly as vcu can react to a single
attacker. See the barbarian class feature (PH 26) for more COMBAT
Informanon. \'ou revel in melee. Your place is battling face to face with
Stance M aster)' (Ex): AI 20lh level. you can have IWO vrccks and umber hulks, where you can deal maximum
stan ces active simul taneously, When you use a swift action damage while keeping such monsters away from the softer
to initiate or change your stance. you can Initiate or change targets in yourown pattv, You make good use ofvour various
one or both stances. battle-keyed abilities 10 give yourself an important edge in
combat. Alrhoug h these abilnies might no r be as physiC1l1y
PLAYING A WARBLADE impressive as a barbarian's rage, they can grant a sigruficanr
Mastering the techniques otblade and shie ld is important to boost 10 defense. as well as siruariona l bonuses on attack and
\ "DU , bu t even mere important is the sense of daring. reckless' damage rolls. Unlike rage, your class features carry no fatigue
ness.and even joy that transports you in the hou rofdanger. You penalry, You r lack of proficiency with heavy armor is bo rh 3.
I1ghlfor ~ Iory, rhe th rill of co mbat. and perso nal honor. Thus. blessi ng and a curse-it allows )"OU 10 ente r combat qUlck l}-
you approach each encounter as if th e bards will sing of it for but leaves you vulnerable to rhe ene my.Consider laki ng feals
ages. Everv raging bulen e that breaks through ih e cobblesrones such as Improved Toughness (see olnlrltlt W'llm or)to mcrease
in the bazaar,everydragon snarling on irspileofcoin, and every ~'OUr ability ro soak up damage and partially offset your lack of
reth d~·kala cha mpion 5till carrving a s...vordofthe Shadow Tiger he;n·y armor. ChOO5t' bonus feat s that enha nce your capeb ilt-
horde is an cpponunuy for you [0 U' SI you r skill. prove your nes (such as Blind·nghl or Improved lninar jve) or bclsrcr
heroi sm ,and shine ever brighrer. Co ld and magic are pleasanr )'our weaknesst·s (such liS Iro n w ill).
tokens, but the real rne3surr of your success is th~ height of You consider swonlplay to be high art . and a manial m3.ne u-
the obelisk com mt'morating you r triumphs. verro be the artist's sighiHure on h is mast erpiece. Le:l.rning
As 2 warblade, you 6nd adventure wherever an opportunity mmy maneu\'t'rs In one discipline genenlly makes you more
for glory e"islS, A more mercenary character might ignore an lewl in combat than a warb lolde who learns a few maneu-
Impe cu n ious burgomaster's plea for :lid. bUIyou are quick 10 vers from each of sew-nl discipli nes. This phenomenon
!>tep in. IJking the accolades ofthe "'ilIagers and the raplure stt-ms from the facr Ihal lak ing many maneuvers from one
o f comb,at as p,ay along Witb a sm211 bit of gold . Diplom3.tic di;cipline while lugeh' Ignoring the res llels you master
m ls!>lons haw allthe appeal ofweak le2 for you . but ne;nly higher-level m2neU\'ers sooner. You gain onh· thirteen
any 6ghl will do , hen a quick hunl through Ihe ~\\'trs for maneuvers OVl'r Ihe couISe of twenry'It'\'els, so m2ke your
a n b id o lyugh can become:l suiuble adventure. as long choices carefullv
as the otyugh is a worthy opponenl and some townsfolk
are presenl to ho nor }'OU when you emerge, sbme--co\'C'red ADVANCE MENT
bur victo ri ou s. \l'arblades come fro m all walks ofl ife. Perh aps you were.2
poor youth who l,acked Ihe rt'spect of tht' upper class and
REUCIOI' now seeks to red.r~s Ih lSinequily and win the praise o f 311
If \aU are good·aligned you prob,ably wo rship Konl HI S th rough you r figh ll ng Perhaps your d rive to succeed was
Indeptndent 2nd ami:lbl)· ~Il igerent n,nure re tleCl5 your Inrotn li~ Ihe In n ate power ol.ll sorcarr.
 \ ..ur racro maue rs lutl e: anyone wnh th e d rive ro Win gillry \'= arbl.l,le IL\~ b, mue le lDJ ree l. hUI their inte ract ! n
Ihrough comber beagood caml lJa rr for werblede train ing. Tht' wn h rill" campa ig n wo rld I nOI limited 10 tra di ng sword
lir sl w arblades ro emba rk on the path of the Iron Heart were s las lH'~ for talon rakes These characlrrs arc keenly aware o f
hobgobli ns. rht·y were the firsr 10 teach Reshar, and rhetr their social sran J ing, and for rhem. gl ory and hono r are al
discipline wasthe Iirsr lhal Ill' mastered. In the centuries rhar Il'asl as irnportan t as gold and gems. Becau se these pr eci ous
hav.. followed. hobgoblins have nor forgotten th is Iacr. and inrangiblt's cannot be won by strength of blade alo ne. war
Ih ar race sul l produces mere warblades rhan m any others. blades cons tantly find themselves embroiled in liaisons wnb
Elve s and ha lf.t'h s oftcn rakt' up this class be cause Ihey genera ls, kings, pnncecses.archprelnes. and others who ca n
app recia te Iht' warblade s view of bailie .liS a gloriou s art. and confer rhe hon or of an enure society upon a victorious hero.
rh.. marnal dwan s [avor u a~ well Outsiders often wonder The whispers of coa nesa ns, rhe bad inage of ba rd s. an d the-
ill a warbladeacademj In whi ch wncbronized lines of young wn of ari..rocrars ca n be' a\ significant 103 wa rblade's career as
would-be \\-arblades praCIIce Iht'lt weapon forms. espectallv ihe grams .JnJ phase spiJt'r'i ofrbe Sunspire ~l oun[,jil1§-a.nd
wh en Ih l'Y not ice lh at t hese orde-red ra nks include elves. even mort' ferooous.
hobgoblins, and dw-arves. BUI as a warblade, you know Ih l Warhlade-s in adve nturing part ies m ust stri ke a balance
It IS (h e an of rhe swo rd Ih al makes a true ....-arr tor. no: 1 be tween gro up and mdwrdual goals . Ide-allv. the pa rry's parh
coiocidence of IKe gua rantees Ihe warbhdt' beth th e thrill of combat and rhe
As }'QU become rna«' slulle d. your most Impor u .nl deetsices laurels oian accla lmt'd hero. In ca!>('S where ani)' o ne or the
are whIch mane uvers 10 learn. When selecnng maneuvers, Iry orher IS pos sib le suc h as a ~tt'ahh miSSIOn toexnrpare a rerh
no r to choose anv In u olatlon. Instead. pICK IWO or th ree dekala ce ll ope-rati ng In emblrrasSlngly high gover n ment
thar work well In sy nergy so rh al one m aneuver ca n ser Circles. or a crucial esco rt rrnssscn in which the danger comes
up anoth er. no r irom fbs hlng ..words but from the waywa rd nature of a
J auph in ),l he warblade m ust bide hIS rime and acee-pl t he-
Hl'MAN WARBLAD E STARn "G PACKAGE ne... d 10 sac rifice- one objective for analher. Never for long.
•\ r m or: Scale mall ...... AC, arrecr check penalrv -a . speed howe ver. dot'Sa prince of lht' sword allow himself 10 fo rgo
20 fr., ]0 lb.). rasnng rhe heady ru sh ofcomba t and [he sweet adulation of
Heavy woo den ..hl e-ld (+1 AC , armor chec k penahy -2. she mulmudes.
lU Ib.i,
Wt'apu M : LongS\\UN (IdS,cru 1'1- 10/ le 2. 4Ih ., one-ha nded DAILY l.IFE
slashing). A warblade musr rratn consl'Jntly (0 milinrain hi,>puiss anc e,
Shorlbow (Idli, Cril le J, ran g\' inc. 60 fl ., 2 lb., pierc in g). Thus, much of hi s day is spt'nl worki ng through forms,jab-
Ski ll Sel t'cr io n : pick ; l num be r of sk ills equal ro 4 1- Inl bingal woodl'n effigies,and sw inging weighted swords. M any
modifi...r. \'l:1rbbdes are affiliart'd wilh S\ 'IOro tempk'Sor dojos Ihat alieNI
Ihl'm s pact' 10 pra cti cr . While ou! advenruring, a prince-o f
Skill Ranks Ability Armor Check Penalty swords o(len spt"nds hi s lime a[ night on \V3lch pnet ici ng
Concen lr3t.on
Jump
Balance
••
•
Co,
St,
D..
-.-. hi s brea lhing exerci Sl'S and slrelChes. Th t' ch aracler takmg
Ihe nexi wa rch is lik ely 10 wak e an d find his predecessor in
Dlplomac
Inl,ml date
•• Cho
Cho
Ihe rn.'l's, ml'dilliling wirh mr asureJ brealhs 3nd suppo rted
on ly by a branch under eac h far-flung ankle.
M.lI rllal LOfe
•• ,,' O ne , " he has rea ch l'J a H' spcclable levt'l o f accomplis h-
Climb
Knowled e •2 ,,,
S" ment , a warbladt' m ighl rake Ihe l cadersh ip fe.n and begin
leach ing his own pup ils a[ a sc hool-eirher hi s previous
Spot {"J w" academy or one- he has fnu ndt'J. Teachmg allO\vs a warbladt'
10 p row h is won h 10 many sl udt' nts on a d3 ily basis-and
Ft at : \'('eapon Focus t1o ngm'O rd~ [he mllre prrs rigious rhey are-, Iht' be lle-r. S able s' d aughll'rs
(Janus Ft at : Improvt'J Initiative. 3nd so ns are highly sought -aflrr sl ude nts. A posi[i\"t' word
Gtar: Backpa ck wu h wale rsk ln . one day 's trail ratio ns, from Iht'm .placed in lh t'right car, can e.a rn a w3rblade honor
beJrolJ, sack , Oinr an d SIt"t'1. 3 la rches, qui\'erwith 20 arrows, a rova l aud ience. or e\"Cn an hon or gua rd and a ship for hI S
te nt . tr:t\'C'Ie-r's oUlfil, co ld wt'athN oUlfil. nexi journ l'y.
Cold : 2d4 gp o
NOTABLES
WARBLADES IN THE WORLD Famous \\...rb laJ es fall inlo Iwo c:ltrgorirs.: those who recruil
rtlt dub IIn,1j.(f1lpt1 ..d Iad "ff llltImUltan.. blocks. lI '''Tlll n g Ui af foll owers 10 found a swo rd lemple or form an adventuring
Ja ll~rllh(",1. /1It J ll'oJrf IIllJ J lI~ lll Jv,...,I, JtNlrng(l rclrtoJl, butl ilT band . and those who ope r3te InJepenJenriv. Amo ng the
tlurJ 1\'lJla lI'IJrhl'hl..anJ <I >lUllt'" 0{1110.' Bnghl Anni l. H"oll1f'!rd. warbladl's wh o have fou nded thl'ir own schools, Ihe one
s1I' lIl gtilt IlrtI .... r hulk'lllloJIIJ,bln off, Ih,'ll iln klllg It S{'\,\,ll l lln ,'S kn own as Ihl' Brighl Annis IS famous for her mtrcilCh
ltIilr,' bcfort Iltt "toJlurt 11,1 W h;lJ d lll tt rrd 10 th.. fIoo r.~ Il'3in ing rechniques. f ewer [h an ant"In len of her studenls
Oorrom Vt'shlhufe-II. sn'Onh·.a~w oi Ihe !\lurienl Te-mple m2nagt' [ 0 campier!' hl'r tutt' bgf' ~ la ny pt'n~h whilt' spu
ring wuh Ihelt inq rUClO rs or 3[t' los l in Brigh t Anms s
 rt;"rocl ou ~ qut'~ 1 (or rbe lll'aJ~ uf d rew, who m <he bla mes for
rhe dearh of 3 love r long ago. Am ong rhc warblades who
refuse 10 l ie IhC'm~ t'h'e ~ 10 a r 3rt icula r school or demes ne
air' Allek Thrall , an outcast of Ihe bobgobf n ma sters o f the
Iron Heart school. He i ~ kn own 10trade his former schools
secret s for brigh t gold . The charcoal-sk in ned dwarf swo rd
prince Marddkurhcr Pwarna.the scou rge of the Seeke rs of
Resh ar Ia gtvup Ih ~l hopes 10 redi scover the , 'In., Swords
and has ten Reshar's rerurm. Whelh('r Mard ilk uth c r's
mcnve is fear, je:alousy, o r an Jge nd.1 he Iu s managed 10
conceal eve n fro m the Sage of Snow and Shadow.t he dw arf
report edly hun ts down matl1:113J('PIS who st'ek 10 reunue
the S ine Swords,
ORC....N IZATIO r-;S
8C'C3Use of their Independent and sometimes downright
chaouc natures, manv warblades refuse 10 join rradiuonal,
hie rarchical orgamzauons, though Ihey are not averse [0
rhe greater glory of founding cne Thus, some warblade-
creat ed c rgamzaucns have one or more warblades in 3
leadershi p pcviucn, whtle the rank :t:nd [ile consists of
fighters, rangers. and bards , wbccan record the deeds of the-
crganuancn's leaders.
Mardi lk ur hc r Pwarna h:ls bui lt up a ne twork of spies.
assassins, and rangers across the Suesptre Moun ratns and
th .. [kluge j un gle. These imi ivrduals mt'l:1 in concealed safe
houses, tree bli nds, and moum atnstde caves in th e pe aks
gath ...red ,11 rhc skirts of th e Mother Mo unt ain, Ko shtra
Arnncm. Members ofIhis organization C:IO advance th rough
the C3p lu re of any adep ts see king the Nine SWONS, bUI
Mardilkurhor maintain s an iron g rip on command.
Th... Bright Ann is welcomes all princes of the swor d to
her open·air dojo in Ihe soulllern f"n s of Ihe Del uge Jungle.
A l·onsummate leacher, she is harsh even by w3rblade stan-
liard .. Her students are regularly requir ed ( 0 mak... fora ys
lOW the dark placcs benealh Ihe earth 10 hunt dark elves .
Any \\'3rhlaJ c who slays large numhers of dr ow is g ua ran-
tl'ed advance ment.
Coundess o l he r w:lrb l:ldt' orga nil.31ions rise 3nd fall
acco rding 10 the mercuri31 fortunes of Indi vidual swo rd
princes . Most of Ih l"se mO\'l'mt'n IS ue ded icared to th e
gee.lIer glory of Ih eir fou nde rs, although :I fair numbi."r
.lte, 05hm sibly al le3sl, focused on 3massing coin or arca ne
power, Because Ih e warlike nalurcs of Ihl'i r leaders guar-
antee a high cas ualty rale, mosl such organizalions are
ah\'a ys eager for new blood.
NPC REACTIONS
Co~·emment s , churches, :tnJ spy rings love to employ war-
blades. Easily mOlivaled by promiSt"S ofgold, glory . and land
whlchevt'r tbe l'mployers po"<;('SS a surplus of 3 1 the mome nt),
w::trbbJes can lend t'utl lenl. efficienl musell' lo any mission.
A wi~e pat ron sends companions ofolher c1as~ along with
a warblade, though , 10 kt"f'phim on lrack. Many kings 3nd
high pneSh h.1ve bt"f'nleft cursing in Iheir cha mbers when
wo rd reached Ihem of Ihe ir hired muscle's fick le de'Cisionto
abandon Ihe Job. seize Ihe goal for hiSown, or ewn ch:tnge
Sldl'S 10 gam grea ler glo ry
RACES
The stole. tacnurn. clan -oriented mindset of dwarves IS
anathema 10 the frec-rbtnktng. hra ~h , and indwidua lm
warblade . Bur even SO, :I ~u rptls l ng number of dwarves (oflen
outcasts from rhetr clans) choose 10take lip thlS path. Con-
versely,warbladt'" arc often admired by rhe more gregarious
races , includ ing hum ans. balflmgs. and gn omes , for th .... r
hfe-cn.rhe-edge. devil-may-care all nude.
OTHER CLASSES
Fighters. paladins, and other from-lme fighters welcome
warblades as brothers In steel ~h g ...s however. are ofren
susp icious of ""::trbladl'S and lend fOgsve rhem a wide be rt h
Rogues often see warblades ilI~ usefu l muscle, so eager for
gkor)' and gold Ih.1llhey can e.aslly be duped. In rbe absenc...
oi orh er mouve s mcsr classes an d races regard warblades
wuh a C:lUIIOUSanJ hesuam eye. I he chaouc and individu-
alist rurure of warblades means Ih31they sometimes make
unreliable companions, and no o ne wa nlS 10 be caugh t In
rhe Sunspsres while Ih... pa rly Swarblade POUIS In h is tent,
unsausfi...d with hiS splu of the I:tsl batle's loot
WARBLADE LORE
Characters with n n ks In Calher Informanon or Knowledge
!nobil ity and roy:alty) can research warblades and learn more-
abcut rhern. when.:l cha racter mak es 3 ski ll ch eck, read or
paraph rase th e Iollcw tng, including thi' inform ation from
lower DCs.
DC 10: A warbladc is a flghler with delusions of immor-
talil Y. These glor y-hounds thi n k rh...y ca n hve foreve r in a
bard's song!
DC 15: w arbladcs w:tlk Ihe Sublimi' Way, and fe-w can
match thei r skill with we3pons,A warbladl' C3n learn combat
m::tneuvers from many different diSCiplines, so you can't
gu~ss fht' slreng lhs Otwt'akn t'sses of any warblaJe yo u [:lce
in baltIc, He mighr move Wilh Ihe speed of th ought. tumble
Ii~ a boulder Ihrough your rank.s, or a!rack wilh Ihe S:lvagt'ry
of a beas i.
DC 20: A w::trblade tenth 10 be 3 ch aolic c re3Iu rC'. H is
dOYo'nfall is his pride -he cannOI abide 3n affront 10 his pres-
tige. The promise of ho na r and th e laurels of :I city are often
enough to emice a warblade [ 0 risk hIS life. An enterprise's
possib le reward-be II glory or gold-is much more impa r-
tanl 10 a warbiJde Ihan Ihe potential m h. whICh he often
disrega rds com plelely.
WARBLADE S IN TH E GAME
Combal is Ihe natu ral C:tmpaign enl ry point for wubl3des.
wilh Ihe su n glinling off Iheir polished umor, Ihese ch ar-
aCiers Iilenlly sh ine in combal. The fin t warbl:tdes in vour
campaign might bt, a brother and sIster seeking to reslOre
thei r family name by d...fe3ling the mosl re nown~ fighler in
the area (o ne oflhe Pes Thelrmulial maneu\'t'rshave been
passed dO\\'n in secre l for gt'ncra lions, and at bst th~e two
luve chos('n to rewal lhcmst'hoes In the name of redemplio n
and tt'cowred hono r.AltemJIJ\'t'ly, if a PC IS Ih... hrsl warbbde
In your c3mp,a1gn work! hI' mlghl eXpt"tl l"nce an ep lph3ny
In b::tttle fOre~Ll\\'....J b\' Ihe soolhs3\·lOgs of:t m)"'St,m
 h~ a co ng regnnon rhm rrses to us feer whenever he ,' OltoN
You might also consider making warbl ades revohmonartes
fighling for freed om Talher than seekers of pe rso na l glory
Their lack of magica l sk ill plays well 10 the idea that war-
blades are oppressed fight er s work ing 10 subvert a powerful
arcane regime Ihat denies the USt' of magic to all but us
chosen age ms.

SAM PLE ENC OUNTER

Warblades slay in one place only as long as Ihey receive con-
stanr adulation. Once rheir fame begins 10 die down. they
an" on rhe road again.
[1 5:The warblade Vardalak Axebearer wanders the land in
search of a master who can lead him 10 glory. He challenges
any warrior who St'C"mS sktlled to a nonlerhal duel. Ifhe lose-s,
he swears to serve the victor for a week. Unfort unately, his
service is:I mixed blessing. Vardalak is tough and useful in
a fighr , bUI his short temper, tmperuosuy, and rude na ture
meke him" burden outside of bailie. His last two mas ters
broke camp early, lea\'ing him snoring loudly ar the side of
the road .

VAROAlA K A XEBEARER CR 5
Male dwarf warblade 5
CN Medium hurnanctd
[nit +4; Senses Listen +1, SPOI +1; darltvision 60 ft.
l anguages Common, Dwarven
AC 18, louch 11, Ilar-footed 18; +4 AC .against giants,
uncanny dodge
(DeK +1, armor TS. shield +2)
hp 53 (S HOI
Re sist stability
Fort +7 (+9 against poison), Ref +3, will +1: ...2 on saves
agains t sp ells and sp ell-like effects
sage, so rhnt hi s fi rst use of a martial maneuver becomes the Spe ed 20 ft.
fulfillme nl of a prophecy. Melee +, dworvtn woroKt +10 (ldlO+4/x3)
O nce warblades have becom e an establis he d pa rt of a Ranged javelin +6 (ld6+3)
campaign wo rld, they find th ei r niches on th e ba ttlefield, Alk Op tions +1 on att acks against orcs and gobli noid s,
batt le ardo r (+1 10 confirm critical hits)
in rhe roya l court, an d in th e twin arenas of public opinion
Base Alk +5; Crp +8
and public en ter tai nmen t. Wirh rheir crowd-pleasi ng mar-
Combal Gea r 3 porions ofcure lighr wounds
ti al ma neuvers, warblades make exce-llent gladia tors. and
th ei r Ih irs t for glory oflen leads them !O rhe p ublic ga mes. Maneuvers an d Stances Known (ll5th):
Sl an ces- .absolul e 511"1"1 stance (3rd), punis hing
However, war blades are equa lly like ly to become enmeshed
stance (1st)
in rbe webs of court in trigue, playing cardinals off Juke's Strikes-exorcism of steelt (3rd), rabid wolf sl riket
and tnfenus off dauphins in a game that rh ey fin d nearly as (2nd), steel windt (lsi), steely st rike (1st)
rewarding and exciting as swordplay, Whereas a rogue m ight Boosls-sudden leap (lst)
lament rhe loss of his riches and a cleric his loss of faith, a Count m - wall ofbl.adest (2nd)
wa rb lade feels no deficiency more kee nly th an the loss ofthe Disciplines: Iro n Heart, Tiger Claw
public's admiration. t Readied maneuver
Abilities Sir 16, DeK 13. Con 16. Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 6
ADAPTATION SQ stonecunning (PH 15), weapon aptitu de
Ca mpaign worlds withou t large, established nations or Feats Diehard, Quid Draw·, Weapon Focu s (dwarv en
c rgantza ucns can snll offe r warblades a chance ar g lory . waraKe)
Becom ing the he ro ofa village can be just as meaningfu l IS Skills Balance +8, Concentration +l1, lntim id ilte +6, Jum p
becoming the hero of a nauon-c-especallv if rhe warblade TlO. Milrtiallore +9
Possessions combat geilr plus ... 1 mith rol shirl. masterwork
k nows every pe rson in the village. can inquire about the
heavy shiel d. T1 dworwn IlIQrO l'e, 2 jilvelins
innkeepers grandchildren by name, and is mer in the temple
 he stances. srrikes, co un ters. and orh-
er opuons I h ~ r ~ ma rtial adept lear ns
from her various disci plines help de-
fine her. bur she has access to other fools
as wel]. This chapter focuses on skills and
fears t h iU aug me nt. ImprovC',and modify a marual adept's
use of maneuvers. In add ition, some of the feats and op-
t ions presented here make II possible for characters other
than martial adepts, such as clerics and fighlers . 10 gain
access 10 maneuvers.
1 h C' follo..... lng new uses for IWOeXIsting skills,:ls well as IhC'
new Marnal Lore skill, shcwca-,e the abilities and ralems
((Immon l) cul uvned b)· martial ade pts In part icu lar, the
new use of Inrim fdate-c-a duel of wills-is a ccmerseone of
DI'\'Oted SPltIl aJl'pl s ractl cs
INTIMIDATE (CHA)
You can use thi s skt ll ro pa tlici pa l ~' 10 a duel of wills before
a fight begin s.
Duel of ,,"'ill..: Youcanconfrom a pot C'nrialenemy in the
moments before a I1ghl brC'aks ou t and attempt 10 crush his
will while be dot' s Ihl' same 10 \'OU.
Immedi:uoc'I)' before Intnanve Is roll ed fer eit her side, )'011
C3.n ins riga rc a duel of W i lls bv sC'll'Cung a si ngle ene my
you are aware of wnhin 30 ieC'r . O nlv cha rac te rs with
Intelligen ce scores of3 or higher can engage In a du el of
Will s, and rhe paruclpanl mu st be able 10see one-ano ther;
You can I auempe rc msngarc merc Ih..none duel of Will s
per encoun ter
\'('hen you mhg:rrt'rbe dUt'1 u~uil i ly b>. fixmgJ cold steel v ."
SI4re on vour oppon em \OU ( old nan' can respond 10 one
of rbrec way
sdlrlit Th l pen:llry on \I tnlflam
1
!\D"I~~'.011 n t ~l}nlhdlm
 I~thtn' th ~ ( htdl.-nlw If youropponen r Ignores vcur challengc
10 engage m a contest ofwill s, make a DC 15 I ruimidate check.
If yo u succeed. yo u gain a t l morale bo nus on attack rolls
against Ihat oppone nt for I round.
PlIrllClp.%lt : acrh you and your chosen foe mu st make an
Innmldare check. The characrer wuh [he h igher resul t ga.ns
a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and da mage ro lls against
rhe loser, and the loser takes a - I pe nalty on arrack rolls and
damage ro lls against the winner, Ifthe re sult is a lie, neil her
character gai ns :lnr benefit. Th('S(' bonuses and penelnes !:lsI
for rhe du ranon of th e encounter.
Acrion: Non e le sugau ng a Ju('1ofwi lls requires no action
anJ occurs before inmanve is rolled.
Try Again : No,bur you ca n inst igate a second duel ofwills
wi th th e same rarger afte r 24 hours have passed,
Special: If you have the Unnerving Calm fear. you can
use vou r Concemranon skill m pbceof you r Intimidate skill
when t'ngagmg in a duel of wi lls.
KNOWLEDGE (LOCAL)
((NT; TRAINED ONLY)
You ca n use the Knowl ed ge (local) ski ll to ans wer ques-
nons about variou s marti al pracriti on ers and tradi t ions.
For example, yo u ca n an ...mpt a Knowledge (local) check
to idenrify a monastic order or swordsage sch ool known to
practice a panlcu ler martial di scipline, 10 recall basic facts
about rhe ph ilosophy or teach ing pracnces of a particular
dt scipliae, or to recall the adventures or exploits of famous
martial adepts.
MARTIAL LORE
(INT; TRAINED ONLY)
You ca n use thi s skill 10 identify martial maneuvers as soon
as they are initiated .
Check: You ca n illl'nt ify maneu vers an d discipl ines us-d
by a combarar u. The DCs for Martial Lore check s relating 10
various task s are sum mar ized below,
DC Task
10 ... maneuver level Identify a mancuver Dcing
Inmated by someone you can
see. No acnon required. No
retr
10 + man euver eve! Idcontify a maneuver reccrd e
on a martial script. One Iry
per day. Requires a full-ro und
action.
20 - targer's inttlator level Determine all disciplines known
by a particular creature by
watctung tt Inlttate at least one
maneuver. No action requrrec
Rcotry only If tnt' subject tnttiates
another maneuver.
Action: Varies, as nored abo ve.
Try Again: S~ above.
Special: A sword sage gains a +2 bonus on a }'brt ial Lore
check involving a maneuveri n a discipline in which he has
dl sc iplm e focu s.
Feats are Ihe backbone ofany warrior's comber prowess. and
marna] »deprs are no exce ption. Tht' following feat s expand
on Ihl' teachings ami abihnes embodied by rh e nine martial
disciplines. Orher feats III th is section allow charac ters 10
gain acce ss 10 ma rtial maneuvers wnhour ga in ing leveis as
a crusader, swordsage, or warblade.
ADAPTIV E STYLE
\'C'ilh just a shan period of medua rion , you can cha nge you r
maneuvers and lactics to meet the rbrear you currently face
Prerequisi te: Crusader.swordsage.ce warblade leve l lSI .
Beneli t: You can change your readied maneuvers at any
lime by raking a full-round action. If you're a crusader, your
cum-ru granted maneuvers are lost and you gain new gran ted
mane uvers as if vou had JUSt readied your m an euver s for
rhe day.
Normal: You Can change maneuvers only by spend ing 5
mimues 10 do so.
AVEN C IN C STRIKE
Your streng t h of will and srrong sense of justice allo w you
to smite your fees.
Pre reqa tst te: Any good alig nment.
ne ncfi e: As a sw ift action, you can cha n ne l the pcwer of
you r faith an d energy to enhance a single attack you make.
You gain a bonus equal to you r Charisma bonus (if any on
rhe atlack ro ll and dam age roll for rhe next me lee attac k 'au
make agamsr an ou tsider with the evil subty pe . You can use
thi s abil ity a number oflimes pe r day equal toyour Charisma
bo nu s (m inimu m I).
BLADE MEDITATION
YOII have learn ed a med itan on th at grants you insight into
the mart ial d isciplines you have stu d ied.
Prerequisite: Co ncentration t rank, base attack bo nus ...4,
one man euve r fro m any dl sctplin e.
Bene fit : Wht'n yo u tak e fh is fear, choose a di scipline.
You gai n a -+ I bonus on damage roll s w u h all rhe prc ferred
weapons of you r chosen disci pl ine when using a strike
co mbat mane uver, 3Swell as a +2 bo nus on checks involving
the disciplines key skill The save De s ofany maneuve rs rhar
you perform from th e chosen d iscipli ne are in creased by I,
if rhe y have a sat'e DC.
Th e weapo ns an d ski lls associated wi th each di scipline aft'
given be low.
D.'st TI W'lIIJ : Sctmnar.Hght mace, Iigbr pick, spear, fal-
chion; Tumble.
Dn'llJtJ Sp lnl: Falchion, grea tclu b, maul.... lo ng swo rd ,
Int imidate.
DralfulIl,1.l,frnJ: Rapier. shorrspe ar, tride nt , bast ard sw o rd
(kata na); Concemrancn.
lnm Hellrl: Basta rd swo rd, dwarven waraxe, long sword,
two-bladed sword; Balanc e.
Srllmg $1111 : shari sword. nu nc haku, u na r med strike
qua ners raff Sense Motive.
Slhl,j(lll' Hlm,l: Dagger , sat, si:mgha m. short swo rd, spiked
cha in, una rmed strike; Hide.

srcue Drllgoll: GreatsworJ , grca raxe. he;wy mace, unarmed
strike; Balan ce.
I'lgtrClllw: Kama,kukr t,handaxe,claw.grearaxe, unarmed
strike; Jump.
\'('1111.' RlI V( II : Longsword . bauleaxe, war hamrne r, gre at-
sword, halberd; Diplomacy.
Speci al : t\ fighter can selec t Blade Mediu lion as a
bonus feat.
Described in till" Cotlll,rtl" \'(o',I"'IIT supplement.
DESERT FIRE
The power of t he Desert \'('ind surges through )'O U. and you
find power in rhe motion of the hot winds and sh ifting sands
that you can chan nel into your Desert Wind strik es.
Pr erequ isite: O tK" Desert \'('ind st ri ke.
Benefit : If yo u m an" al least 10 ft"t"l awol)' fro m vo u r o rsgr-
hal pocinon before usi ng a Desert W ind strike in rhe sa me
round.j har smkc deals an ex tra Id 6 points of da mage.
DESERT WIND DODGE
\our trai n ing in rhe Desert Wmd di scipline allows r oo 10
dance acrovc the banlefield like a bli sterin g sirocco ,
Peerequtstre. Dex 13. one {)("wrt \,(Imd maneuver.
Benefit : If you move at least 10 feet fro m your origi nal
pcsiucn, vougai na +1 dodge bonus 10ACanddeal an ex tra I
poInt of fire damage with any an ack you make wu h asc irnn ar,
IIghl mace , light pick. spear or falc h ion. Th is benefit laSlS
unnlrhe SlUt of your next turn
A ~rJS4s,t _, ~l lPi"J 1JoJs,t
t. " v. iJ " If rtri,,'sblO'Ws
Specia l: Desert W ind Dcdgeean be-used in placecf Dodge
10 quali fy for a feo1 t. pr esti ge class. or other special ability,
If you alre ad y have Dod ge wh en you select Desert Wind
Dodge, )'OU can choose 10 1051." rhc Dodge fear and gain a
new fear in its pla ce. You mu st meet the prerequisite for
the ne w [eat.
D EVOTED BULWARK
Because of your stau nch devo non 10 you r cause and you r
Devot ed Spi ru rraining, you can stand your ground even in
rhe face o f an enemy's reso u nding arrack.
Pre re quisite: O ne Devo ted Spiri t ma neuve r.
Benefi t: If :1O enemy deals damage 10 you with a mele e
anack, you gain a ~ I morale bonus 10 you r AC un ul rhe en d
ofvour next turn.
DIVINE SPIRIT [DIVINE]
The fervor and dedicancn of the DC'\'OleJ Spirit discipline
combined with your faMt lcal ad he rence rc a divine power.
turns you into a fo m of sprruua l energv . Wi th on lv 01
moment's focus . you can channel power 10 enhance you r
figbnng talen ts.
Prereq uisite: Abiluv 10 turn or re-bu ke u ndead . one
Devored Spiril stance.
Benefir: While In a Devoted Spirit stance, you can expe nd it
rurn or-rebuke undead altempl as an immediate ecuco 10 heal
voerself a number ofhn points equal ro j vou r Chans m:t
mcw..lit"ier If an) minimum I rm
TAIl[ 2- 1: NEW FEATS
General Feats Prerequ isites Benefit
Adaptive Style Crusader.swordsage. Change readied maneuvers with a full-round action
or we-blade level 1st
Avenging Strike Any good alignmenl Add Cha bonus on attack and damage against an evil outsider
a few limes per dily
Blade Meditation Ccncemrance 1 rank, ..1 damage on strikes, +2 on slull check. +1 sa v e DC With
base attack bonus +4. dcsciphne-related weapons. skills, and maneu vers
one marllal maneuver
from any discipline
Desert Fire One Desert Wind strike +ld6 skirm ish damage when using a Desert Wind strike
Desert Wmd Dodge Del 13, Move 10 eel. ~1 A • • 1 flre damage
one Desert wtI\d maneuver
Devoted Bulwark One Devoted Spifll maneuver +1 AC when foe damages you
Evasive Re ell'S Del 13 sta t y take 's·[t. step nstead of an.attackof op~rtunjt1
Extra Granted Maneuver Crusader levelIst Ready' one more manC"uver from l?ur maneuvers known
Extra Readied Maneuver Swordsage I~e Ist Reaay one more maneu ver r m yo r maneu ve S 1'1
Falling Sun Attack Stunning Fist. Make Setting Sun str ike a stunning attack. +1 to DC of
one Settmg Sun strike stunning attach and Setting Sun str Ikes
lronhearl Aura One Iron Heart stance Ad,acent allIes gam .2 bonus on saves while you are
in an Iron Heart stance ~;;;~
Martla Stance One martial maneuver learn one mulial stance
Martlal'S'tudy Gain the use of a marna maneu.. . er
Ripid Assauh Base attack bonus +1 +ld6 melee damage In first round of combat
Shadow Blad e One ShaOow and maneuver Use Dell; modIfier Ins te'a of Str mOOI ler 0 Clamage rolls WIth
Shadow Sun weapons
Shidow Trickster Cuter level tst. +1 bonus on save DCs otillusions while in a Shadow Hand stance
one Shadow Hand stance
Song of the hue Raven Berdic music'"{inspire Use inspire courage as swift acncn while in a White Raven-stance
courage) one White Raven maneuver
Snap Kick Improved Unarmed Strike, Make an ell;lra attack. all attach at-2
base attack bonus +6
Stone Power Str 13, Trade attack bonus fOf temporary hit points
o e Stone Dragon maneuver
Sudden Recoverl One martial maneuver Recover an e~ ended maneu v er as a swifl action 1 day
Superior Unarmed S rilie Improvea Unarmed Strike , Deal greater unar med c amage
base at tack bonus +3
Tiger Blooded Ability to rage, wild shape. Knock smaller foes back 1'1 i e raging or wi 5 ape
or shift: one Tiger Claw maneuver
Unnerving Calm Concentration 1 rank, Use Concent ration in duel ofwills. gam +2 oonus on attacks
one Diamon d Mind strike after successful du el for] rou nd
Vital Recovery Two martial maneuvers Heal 3 + level points of damage when 01.1 recover a maneuver
White Raven Defense One WHite Raven ma neuve r +1 bonus to AC wliile ai:Jjacent to al y; aCljacent a res gain ... 1 AC
while you wield a White Raven weapon

1 A fighter can select rlns feat as one of his fighter bonus feats .

EVASIVE REFLEXES
When an opponent gives you an opening in combat. you
know exactly what to do : slip away.
Prerequisite: DC"X 13.
Benefit : When an opponent gives you a chance to make
an arrack of opportunity, you can instead immediarely rake
a S-foOililep.
Special: Evasive Refle-xes can be used in place ofCombat
Reflexes to qualify for a fe:l1, prestige class , or crher special
ability. You can take both this feat and Combat Reflexes .
EXTRA CRAI\TTED MANEUVER
You are especially devout or insightful. and you have more
control over which ofyour martial maneuvers are currently
granted rhan other crusaders.
Prerequisite: Crusader level tsr.
Bene-fit: You begin each encounter with one additiona l
readied maneuver granted. This feat also applies when you
determine a new set of granted maneuvers after recovering
expended maneuvers . For example, if you are a Sth-levelcru-
seder. you normally begin an encounter or finish recovering
expended maneuvers with rwoof your five readied maneuvers
gran ted. and the remaining rhree maneuvers wuhheld. \'(-Ith
rhis fear, three ofyour five readie-d maneuvers are granted, and
only two art" withheld. Naturally, this benefit provides you
wuh a better array of maneuver opnons early in a battle.
Special: You can rake this feat only once.
EXTRA READIED MANEUVER
You are an unu5u311y perspicacious student of rhe Sublime
\'(.'ay. and you find il easy to keep a large number of maneuvers
ready for use .
Prerequisite: Swordsage level tst.
TABLE 2-1 : NEW FEATS (CONT .)
Divine FeOllt Prerequ isites Benefit
D'VIne SPlflt Ability to turn o. rebuke tnslantly heOllI you.self wtule In a Devoted Spint stance
undead, one Devoted SPirit sraoce

Item Creation Feat Prereq uisltes B en~fit

SCribe MartlOllI Script Crusader cr Create martIal scripts
swordsOIIge level 1st

Psionic hats Pre requ i si~ Benefit

InstOllnt Cbr Iy Ccncemrauen 7 rOlnlcs Use 5W fl action to gain pSlon c focus after l",tJOIIt'"g
011 successful m r a SUlk
E_pend ps.cmc ocus olIO pewe e points to recover 011 maneuve r

TOIctial Feats
OarlO Commillnd r
D,stanl Horizon
F.athU sw I ee t:,i e rIp. Ion
Gloom Ruor 5« feilt cescn tlon
Perfect C1mty ee eat eSC(lptlon
orMI dandBod
Reillp,n TOIl ons
Scorcb ni Ir co
ShOllrds of Granite
Stormgu:lrd rr

Benefi t: lncrease rhe numberofmaneuVl'rsyouan ~ady
for your swcrdsage levels by one, for example. a 5Ih-It"\'t"1
swcrdsage ca n normally ready six maneuvers. With this feat,
she can ready sewn.
Special : You can take thi s fear only once.
FALLING SUN ATTACK
Th e discipline of the Setti ng Sun leach es you how to tur n
an op ponen t's suengths into weaknesses. You can identify
precis ely the correct spot on your opponent's body 10 deliver
a !tfunnmg at tack.
Prerequt sn e: Stu nni ng Fist, one Selling Sun st rike.
Benefit : You ca n decla re any Seuing Sun srrtke delivered
wuh an unarmed sm ke 10 be a stunning at tack . ln add tncn.
add t to rhe save DCofyeu r Sru nn ing Fist anacks and t rorhe
5.1Vt' DC of you r Selling Sun strikes. Usi ng th is feat expends
a use of you r stu nni ng arrack for the day_
INSTANT CLARITY [PSIO NIC]
You have sharpe ned yourconcenrration to me point thar youcan
focu ~ you r psio nic abilities wuh jU~1 an ins tant's thought.
Prerequis it e: Concenrrancn 7 ranks,
Benefi t: You can take a swifl action 10 become psionically
focu sed affersuccessfully imrianng a martial strike. Youcan
use rhis abililY three rimes per day,
x crmal. A character without this feal must rake a Iull-
round aclion to become psionically focused.
Spe ci al : Instant Claruy can be used in plsce c f'rhe Psionic
Med u ano n froal (see rtpanJlJ PsW"" $ H,m,UlOOk) to qualify
for a feal, presugc class, oral her special abilny, Youca n take
both th iSft':n and Psionic Meditation.
IRONHEART AURA
'lour ~ Irrnglh of spiri t and martral traim ng inspires rbose
a rou nd u
Pr ere q u isite: One Iron Heart stance.
Benefit: While you are in any Iron Heart stance, adjace ru
allies pin a +2 morale bonus on saving th rows,
MARTIAL STANCE
Youhave mastered rhe fun damenrals ofa mart ial disc ipli ne,
and you are now ahle 10 master one ofirs stances.
Pre req u istre: Om' mar tia l maneuver.
Benefi t : W he n you gai n th is fC.1 l, you Can selec t any
stance from a discipli ne in wh ich you already k nower leasr
one man euve r. You mu sr meet the normal prerequ isite of
the sta nce. Your ma mal adrpt level for using this ma neuve r
is equal 10 your levels in ma rtia l adept classes (if any) -t 1{2
your levels in other classes.
Spe cia l: You can choos e th is feat more th an once. When
you take th is feal again , yo u gai n kn owled ge of a new
stance. You do no r h ave 10 choose a stance from the sa me
disci pline you sel ec ted th e first ti me, bur )'011 m usr k no w
at leas t o ne ma nial maneuver from th e d iscipli n e o f th e
stance you choose.
spect a l: A [ighter can select ~f arl i al Stance as a bonus
ftat .
MARTIAL STUDY
By studying rhe basics of a manial discipline. you learn 10
focus your Inand perfect the form needed to use a maneuver.
As a result, you g:lIn Iht' use of a comber maneuve r.
Bene fn : Whe n you gain rhts feal, you mus t choose 3
discipline of ma rtia l ma ne uvers, such as Dese rt Wi nd. Th e
kry skill for rh e chosen J lscipline be-com es a class skil l fur
all vou r classes tcurren r ;lnd future).
SeI(,,(1an~ maneuver from the chosen di scipl ine for wh ich
you meet rhe prerequtsne. If you have ma rtial adeptlevels.
this maneuver becomes one of your maneuvers k nO'\\ n
I:' vou do nzn bah- marual dt"pt leve! you can m e rhrs
 m neuver o nce per e ncou n ter as a mamal :If.lepl with an
I runner ll' \ el equal 10 t :! your c h.1racltr le\ ~I . If you do ncr
hJ\t, m.1rll:l1 adept levels whe n you rake Ihi s fear, and you
lan-r gain a level in a class Ihal grant s maneuvers kn own ,
I hese new maneuvers can be used o nly once pl'r encou nter
an'! have no r..ccverv mel hod . If \'OU late r ga in levels in a
mutiaiadepi class (crus ade r, swcrdsage, or war blade), you
use rhe reco very method for maneuvers lea rn ed as a result
oi those clas s IrvC'k but your prev ious maneuvers (gained
through Ih l~ feal or rbrough premge class It"\'ds) do nOI
gam a recovery method
A man eu ver learned through thIS fN I ca nnot be
exch anged for .ll d ifit"rent man euver If you are .1 crusader,
wordsage, or warblade Sff rhe class descnpncos in Chap ter
I fer derail s on swapping DUI maneuvers as you gain !e\·els).
Once you choose a maneu ver wuh Ibis fear . you can not
change it.
Specia l: You can rake this fut up to three times. Each
nme you rake it after the first. vou gain one of two be n-
efu s. You ca n cho ose a new drsciplm e. gaming one ofi:s
maneu vers and its key ~k lil as a class skill, as descr ibed
ebcve . :\h t"rnati vely: you can choose a ma neu ver from
.1 drsctpltne 10 wh ich )"OU have alree dv gai ned access
by means o f this fut. In either case. you must meet the
mantu"er ~ prerequi sit e.
Spcoci al : A fighter ca n select ~l aru al St udvas a bonus
fC'al
PSYCHIC RENEWAL [PSIO NIC]
Your memal strengt h and psio nic abi lities all ow yOll 10
focus your mind on comba t and use you r most devastati ng
maneuvers more [reqceml y,
Benefit: As a ~\Vifl action, you ca n recover any expended
maneuver by expending you r psionic focus 3.nd spc'nd ing
poWl"r polnl Sl'quJIIOthe maneuver 's levt"l.
RAPID ASSAULT
Your figh ting sl}'le emphasizes lak ing fot's dow n wilh quick,
powerful blows,
Pn'ret]uisi tc : Base atlack bonus +1,
IIl·n l.'fit ; In lhl' fitst rou nll of combat, you r mdt'c atta cks
lI..a1 an eXira Id6 poin ts of dam age.
SCRIBE MARTIAL SCRIPT
[ITEM CREATION]
You know tht." se-cfC'1ofcr ....allng manul scripts-small slips
of paper InlOwh ich you infuse your own martial powC'r .lind
skill. Th l' user of:l scnpt you ha\'r CfNlcd gains lh t" abilil\'
to ust' a mant"uW'rrou kn ow.
Pre rt"qu isitc: Cru~de r or swordsagt leo.'c! lst.
8 ('n efit : You can infuse the knowlrdge of any m ane uv~r
\"Ou k now JnIO a muml scrip t (sec Manial Scri pls. page H!').
Tht" markl't price of:l mart iai scr ipi is equa l 10 the iniliatvr
It.· wl m3neu,,~r levt"l " 50 gp oYou must spe nd 1/ 25 of thi s
muket pnce" in XP 3nd use m:llt"nliis cos ling 1/ 2 Ihe'marke l
pnct". Scribing a mart ial scr ipt takes ant" d ay for coach 1,000
p ollIS mArket prlct"_
LIke- pollan or roll a scripr (In be u~d onI yam:e .
SH
In dWWUT">("(lt you r tUlnlng In rhe Shadow Hand discipline
vou leam 10 uce your natural agili lYand speed to augment
your attac-ks wit h certain wt"3 pons,
Prercqu tsit e: O ne Shadow Hand sta nce.
He nt'fit : Wh ile you are in :I Shadow Hand stance and
anack wllh on e of rhe disc ipli ne's preferred weapons . you
can add your Dexter ilYmodifier 35.1 bonus on melt-co damage
for snacks miiJe wnh rhe weapon.
Specia l: Shadow Blade can be USE'd in place of \X'eapon
Finesse 10 qualify tor a ft".:lI . prestige class. or ocher special
ability If th is substitution allows vou to gain a benefit thu
normally applies to all finesse wt".lIpom (those descnbed m
the Wt"apon Fint"s~e ft".lI1 descnpucn),Ir insread apphes anI.,
to the Shadow Hand discipline's preferred wt"apons
SHADOW TRICKSTER
Your ma~ lcry of the Shadow Hand discipline lets youaugment
your illusion spells with the stuffof shadow.
Prere-quisite: Caster level rn , a nt" shadow Hand srn ke
n~nefi t : While you Ire-in 3 Shadow Hand 'Itancr , th e save
DC for any Illusion spell you cast increases bv 2
You al~o gam a ..2 bonus on damage rolls whe n makmg;l
sneak auack•a sudden srrike tsee the ninja class descnpnon.
page B of Complrl< AJl'nltl4rn). or when you flan k you r target.
SONC OF THE WHITE RAVEN
Thl"\X'hill" Raven d iscipli ne shows you how to rouse dedica .
no n JnJ fervo r wit hi n your allies' hearts. Such teach ings can
aug men t and improve your mu sical abililY.
Prerequts n c: Hardie music (inspire- courage), a nt' Whilt'
Raven maneuver.
Ben efit: W hile you are in any W hitt Raven sta nce . vou
can activate your bardlc music abililY 10 inspire cou rage 3'1
a swiflaClio n. Yourcrusader and warbl:adl" le\·els suck with
YOUt bar d l\"vels 10 dt"ll."rmin t" Iht" bonus gra nlt'd by your
inspire' cllurag("ability.
SNAP KICK
You h3ve cominUl.J 10 hone you r unarmed com bat sk ills, and
you dcal mUll' J amagt' wilh you r un armed stri kes.
Pn'retl"i!ii ll": Im proved Unarmed 5Irikt", base atlJck
bunus -+ 6,
" ("n("IiI : Wh..n you makea mt"!t't' atuck wirh ont"o r mOft'
melee weapons llOclud ing a slandard allac1:. full allac k. or
even a!>l rikt"maneuver), )'OU nn nukt" an adJuional:lllack lit
your h igh esl altack bonus. This attack is an uru rmed 3ltac k
Ihal d...als damage l'\jual loyour base unarmed an3ck da mage
.. II :!. \'OUfSIr bo nus . You (au a -:!. penallY on all alla('k rolls
you ffi3kl" Ihl Srou nd.
STONE POWER
Thl." princirl~s of Ihe Sio nt" Dragon di SCipli ne teach you
how 10 galhtr and foc us your raw, ph ysical stre ng th lOte
an atlJck.
PrerC'quisi te: Sit 13,one Stone Dt3gon ma neU\'f'r.
lle n e fi t : W hen you ust" an attack aCllon o r a lull JI-
lack aC lio n, o r you iOlllale a SlOnt' Dragon strikC' in mele ..
 com ba t. ro u ca n rake ~ pena lt y
IJrl.'r eq u i'ih t': Abil it y to rag e,
of as much as -S on you r auack
dnfr (such as Iht' shiflt'r ability from
roll s. Tbts number can no t ex-
Iht' EIIl lAo !'o.· c.:a mpaign se ning or th e
ceed you r bast' attack bonus.
bloodclew master presnge class fl.'a-
You gam temporary hu points
lure; st't' page !If». o r wild shape; one
equal rc twice rhe num ber [h 31 Tiger C law maneuver,
you subtract from ~'OUr attac];
Bendit: Whilt' YOU art' In
rolls (10 3 maximum o( +10). a rage. shifred. or wi'ld shaped
These temporary hit points inr o an ani m31 form , you ca n
last unul rhe begi nmng cf anempt to knock back 5 ft'('I ;I
your nt'Xt turn. creatu re of your stze catt'go ~
Spt'ci.:a l: Stone Power o r smaller that you hil wuh
C3n be used in pla ce of
3 Tiger C law st ri ke unless II
Power ."'nack 10 qU3li fy succ eeds on 3 Forti tude save
(or 3 (t'al, presage class . or ( OC to .. t I2 }'a1r charactt'l'~Tl
orht'r speci31 3bilily. You ~ you r Str modifit'r). This move-
C3n rake both rh is ft'31 merit does nOI provoke an acks
aad Pewer Arrack. of opponunu y.

SUDDEN
RECOVERY
¥OU C2n ulSIanrly recove r
you r focus, balan ce, and
personal energv aClerus-
m g a martial maneuver,
Prcreq u tsite: One Manial
ma neuve r.
Ben efit : Once per day as
a swifr acrion, rou can in-
sramly recover anexpended
maneuver, It is now ready again.
If you are a crusader, the maneuver
LS also granted immediately,
SUPERIOR UNARMED
STRIKE
Your II nartned strikes b3\'C become increas-
ingly deadl y, ena bling you ro srrtke your Tbr hlMNl of" pr~dator r /f IlJ tbrolll,b ig nore your challenge, you gain a +2 morale
foes in Iheir mos t vulnerable areas.
Prerequisite;ImprovedUnarmedStrike,
base attack bonus . ].
gen efie: Youdea l more damage with your una rmed strikes,
3S shown on rhe uble below
UI\'NERVING
CALM
You kno w that rbe sec ret ro
defeanng your enemies lit's
...v uhtn the still cemer ofyourown
mind When your enemies mee t
your eves, t ht'Ysee o nly calm and
certain death aW~iting them.
Prerequ tsite: Concemra-
ti on I rank, ant' Diamond
xund smke.
Bene fit : You can use
your Concenrrauon skill in-
ste ad ofyo ur Int im idate ski ll
when you engage in a duel of
w ills (see page 27). You gain a . -4
bonus on sk ill ch ec ks made 10 resolve
:a due l of wills. If your ene my chooses 10
I~ "~I"J of " Til,er CI,,:.o .kpt bonus on snack rolls against rh n opponent
for I round .
Norma l: Resolving a duel ofw ills requires an Intimidate
check. You gain a +1 morale bo nus on attack rolls against an
opponC' nr who Ignore s your challenge.

Cha r~c ter l evel VITAL RECOVERY

l'd Prej-artng yo u rself ro execure mere-of your maneuvers gwes
4th - 7th you the chance to carch a quick second wi nd and recover
8th-11th
l2I h-1 5th from da mage \IOU have sust ained in rhe 6ghl.
16th-20th Prereq uts tte: Two marttal m aneuvers.
Bcondlr: When you recover one or mere expe nded maneu-
vers. you heal 3 pomh of damage + 1 point per character level,
Sp ecia l: If you art' a monk. yo u in s read dea l u na rmed
You ra n gain this beeefir only once per encounter.
dam age as a mo nk (ou r It'v('15 h igher.

TIGER BLOODED WHITE RAVEN DEFENSE

Thr Whlft' Raven drsctphne h3s lau ght you to shine as J
The Tiger claw di scipline reach es studen ts ro mimic rhe
gleaeang beacon of hope and end ura nce amid rh e chaos
rampan t. feral qcahnes of .il wild animal Whl.'n )'ou assume
of Mille.- ~ Ol (f nl~ Jo you illd }'OtIr ~ ll l C's bur you also a13\\
.ilnanuru.! ionn. or allt'asl Jesct'nd in lo a Wild, bt' sll.illstalC',
slrt'ng lh and s upport from Ihem
stnkf. wllh supe-rio r strt'nglh an J accuracy
 Prt"rt"luisltt': O ne Whitc Raven sta nce.
Benefit : Whl.' n vou 3rC' in a Whul" Raven stance and
adJacenl 10 al It'asl one ally, you gam a ~ I bonus 10 AC, Fur-
rhe rmore, when you arc wielding one of the WhitC' Raven
dl ' Llpilnf.' s preferred wecpc ns.eacb ally adjacent ro you gains
a . 1 bonus 10AC ThC'sC' bonuses don't apply when vcc're
Ilar-foored
h.' als wub Ihe lactica l descriptor allcwcharacrees 10pcrfcem
a number of powerful maneuvers.
Ifyou're rlaymg a character w ho Ius it lacneal feal, I(Syoor
rt'SponsihililYto keep track of the actions you're performing
as, u 'K"I up thC'abllilY rhat rhe f~t enables lOU 10 perform.
lrs also a good idC'a to briefly mention 10the D ~ t Ihal you're
\\ rking toward performing a taclinl ability.
Some of the tactical It'als refer to the first round, second
round. and soon. These terms refer to the timing ofthe sbil-
Ity, nor rhe banle as a whole. for example. you don'l have to
use Comhal Expertise an sh.. firsl round ofcombat to begin
a IXlical abililY thai uses thai fcoal. The round in which )"OU
use Combat Expertise 10 complete an ability is ccnsidered
rhe firsl round of the ability's use.
CLARION COMMANDER
On rhe baulefield. you ate a naruralleader; You issue orders
and coordi narevour allies, buryou also learn 10 take advantage
of Iheir actio ns and maximize the fruits ofreamwcrk. Whil"n
you mack a foe wuh your allies, the combined resu lt ofyour
efforts can be dcvasranng.
Prereq uisite: White Raven Defense. base arrack bonus
t6,IWO W hi ll' Raven maneuvers,
Benefit: Tht' Clarion Commander feat enables the use of
th ree u Clleal options.
folJolt'lIIg Up:To use Ihis option, you must make a success-
ful DC 20 Diplornacyc heck as a move acno n after hu nng ycur
target with a melee anack.H you hit thai targe l again on your
nex t rum , the iarger prcvokes an atta ck ofoppcrtuniryfrcm
an ally (If your choice (assurr ung atleast om' is in posi tion to
make such an snack).
Ptr "tlljjll r l.w k: To use th is opllon, you make a DC 20
Intimidate check againsl an opponenl as a st andard action. If
Ih is chr ck succel"ds:lnd you make:l successfu l melee alrack
:lgains l Ihe same foe on your next turn. you md your !lIies
C3n Ireatl hat enemy as flanked for I minute.
Pllt Llrl:To lise Ihis 0plion , you musl use the aid anolher
action (Pl-I t H 10gram an ally a bonus on his nexi att3ck
roll againsl m opponenl bolh of }'ou threalen, If your ally
allacks and hits Ibal enemy, \ ' OU can make an immediate
,ul.lck of 0ppoTlunity against thai urgec You gain Ihis
bendll if your all.,. hib th e foe before- Ihe start of your next
turn. You gain rht' alla ck of o r po n u n it y only on thl' finol
successful atlJck.
DISTANT HORIZON
:\ n in itia le of the Selting Sun somelimes learns a iet of
mb al maneuvers llut combine 10create the Distanl Ha n ·
/. nfightingform ThlSlorm leaches vou bow to recog nize an
opponent s \waknt'C;s <, In tht' curre nt moment. 3~ well a<, 10
the futu re. r\ blow (truck now ruins an opponent s defenSt"s
againsl your next vcllev of attack..,
Pre req uisite: tm 13, Falling Sun Arrack,basearrackbonus
+6. rwc S{'lI ing Sun maneuvers,
lkuefll : The Di'tant llorizon fea r enables the use of th rer-
racucalcpncns.
COlllullml PIUIl; To USt' this cpncn. you must move an
opponent :lIIleUI 5 feet with a bull rush attack or a Seru ng
Sun strik...., On your nex t turn. you gain a +.f bonus on any
Srrengtb. Dexterily. or grapple checks you make agaimt
Ih .ll foe .
Tum lilt fllNn:To usc this opnoe. a fOC' must charge you and
enher mis~ you wuh his charge anack or be unable to attempt
rhe attack (perhaps because- ofyour use ofa maneuver), O n
you r next turn, you can make a charge snack against tha t
foe even ifyou cannot move more than .5 feel. You ca n also
make a charge attack against that enemy even if you canno t
charge in a ~tr.lIlght [ine.
Luling Wtill: ~J'OI:To use this option. you must hit a foe that
you flank wilh at least two melee anacks c e your (urn. O n
your next turn , as J standard acnon. )'OU can make a single
melee arrack against your foe witha -2p.enalty.lfthis attack
bus. your foe rakes an extra 1 pcim of damage from C'\Try
melee at tack 1hat h its him for rhe nex t minute.
FAITH UNSWERVING
The inmate of rhe Devoted Spiri t knows milt h is fanancis m
and devotion 10 a cause are enough 10 C3rry him th rou gh
almost anything. Thi s tactical feat allows you to draw on thl.'
reservoir of energy. As your foes injure you, you become a
more dau nt in g foe.
Pre req uisite: Devoted Bulwark.base arrack bonus +6,tWO
Devoted Spiri t maneuvers.
Ueneflt : The faith Unswerving feat ena bles the u se of
th ree raClical options.
I\fl'f' U/l lht PrWlIn':To use thi s option, you m ust make a
charge attack agains t a foe. If you hit, at any time be fore rhe
star t ofyour nex t turn you can lake an immedia te action 10
move up 10 your speed tmmedtarelv after tha i foe moves, as
long as you end your movement adjacent to that urgt'l.
Talu ('l ilt for Ilu TtoJ,":To Ulie Ib is oplion, you must hi t an
opponenl with:1 melel' atu ck. Af anytime before Ihe' starl of
your nex t lurn. you Cim take an imm....dia le 'Clion to block a
melee attack made by Ihat opponent ifhe urgets one ofyou r
:1l1ies, You m ust be adjacl'nt 10 Ihe ally to use Ihi s abil ity,
and you musl decide 10use this ability before you know thC'
ft"suh of the enl'my's :111.ck roll. If Ihe aluck h its your aUy,
rol1 1d20 and .dd your AC to the resuh. If the resu lt of Ihis
roll is grealer than the opponenl's atuck ~suh. he hits \'011
imle3d, l'ven if the allack roll 's resu lt wouldn't nonna.Uy bl"
high enough 10 hit you
Out Lui Stnkt:To use Ihis option. you musl ~ Ihe subjl'CI
of an attack. spell, or ability tha t reduct'S ,·ou 10 0 or fewer
hil points, AS.ln Immediale action. you can rnO'\'(' u p to ;
feet and makl.' a single melee attack with a +5 bonus on th e
aluck roll. You g.lin a bonus on ~'our damage roll equa l 10
you r charaCie r Il'\·el. ThiS attack is consi de red ,] s l renuou~
 ecuoo RegJrdlt's~ of t he resul t of YOllr at tac k you ~t1Il I11k e
rhe damage (rom Ih e attack rhat rrlggered rbis abilit y. You
complete this Im mediate acnon before dropping to oor il'wl'r
hit points.
GLOOM RAZOR
Ibe teachings of the Shado w Hand discipline allow you 10
confuse you r enemies. Your auacks .a nd parri are infused
wuh rhe stuff of sh adow. Th rough ca re fu l rra rnmg and
doctpline. you learn 10 use you r lu to inhibil a foes fighting
abililY wuh you r sha dowy nature.
Prerequ tstt e: Hide- 9 ranks, Shadow Blade. base m eek
bonus .6, t wo Sha dow Hand m aneuvers.
Rrnefi l : Th e- Gloom Razor feJI enables rhe use of th ree
recu cal cpnces.
Lml"flIlg Gloom:To USC' this optIOn, )"OlIropporumt must m iss
you d ue 10 ccncealmenr. On your nex t tum, ~"OU ca n nuke :I
Hide check opposed by ycerfce's Spot check as. swi ft action.
If Ih ls c heck succeeds, you gain rhe bl."nt't1 t ofan In VIlJrlllh'
spell againSllhJl foe unti l t he e nd of your rum .
.\' ''IIH1!: sIIdJ"lt's: To use this o ptio n, you must dea l da mage
to an cnemy w it h a melee mack and move arleas t 10 ft'el
during your turn. On your n ext t urn, you ca n t rea t rh at
enemv as flat-footed agai ns r rhe first melee arrack you make
In thai rou nd.
slwJolt' sl'r: To use chi.s opucn. you must make a successful
melee an ack against an o rpone nl you flank. O n your next
rum . you C.1 n make a DC 20 Tumble check if you a re- adJ3'
cenr tc your foe. If rhis check succeeds . as a fre e act ion you
C3n move 10 3ny square 3dp cenl to your opponent without
provo ki ng attacks of oppcrt u nirv from a ny op ponenl.
PERFECT CLARITY OF MIND
AND BODY
Yo ur mas rerycf rhc Diam ond Mi nd dis cipline allows you 10
tap into reserves of spiritual and physical strength that other
war n o rs (.:annol imagine using. Through locu s, dedic.:ation,
.:and a hl'ig htened aw.:areness of yo u r inner 13lenl s, you push
yo ul""elfbeyond your limil~ .
P~requis ite: Unnerving Calm, bllsc .:allack bonus .6, tWO
DIamo nd M ind manruve- rs,
Benefit: The Perft"Ct Clarityof ~find lind Bod y fe3t enables
t he use of t h ree 13Ctical o plions
COI/t,1Sprlllg: To uSt' this o plio n, you musr USE' l he total
defe n se acti o n and move no more th .:an 5 feet on your IUrn.
O n your n~xt ru rn , you gai n a . 30-foot bonus to )'o u r bnd
s:peed .1nda ..2 bonus to AC as you burst across the b311 lefield.
You C.1n m.1ke 3 sin gle atta ck afler moving in lhis round, i.f
you don't mO\'e- mo re t h:J. n double your modif1t"d sp«tJ.
' _rtrl .\h nJ :To usC' l h is o pllo n, yo u m ust firsl de-fro:o t an
enemy in a duel of wills (see pagC' 27). O n your neXI t um,
vou gain a ..4 monle bo nus on :onyroll you make todisa rm ,
(t'1 0I, or lrip thai e-nem y.
Prt n lIu AJ I'allfllgr:To use l hisoption, you must damage,
d ls u m , or lrip.1n o ppont'nl. O n your next rurn, yo u can
m2kco a DC 20 Inlimidate cht'Ck ag:rinsl yo ur oppo ne nt as:o
1m- twn Iflhiscb«k )u cct"fib, vou r foe Iakes. -2~nal,,·
.en It.;Kk rolls for 1 round
REAPING TALONS
1J;'b('n fighting with the Tig er C law di scipline's preferred
weapons , you ca n usc a varietv of combat o ptions that maxr
min the benefit s of wielding lWO weapons.
Pre requi su e: Two-Weapon Fighnn g. b:tse att ac k bonus
..6, t wo Tiger Claw maneuve rs.
Benefi t: The Rt'aping Talons fe3t ena bles th e use of three
lac ne-al opllons
Focl.tj,(J Alwull: To use thi s optio n, you must fight defen-
sl\ e-Iy, u se lhe to tal defense :lC llon, o r u se the Com bat
Expertise- fe.1t 10 gain a .3 bo nus 10 AC in ret urn for a - 3
pe-nalcy on anack rolls. You must also w ield any tWO preferred
weapons of rhe Tige r Claw discipline and move no more tha n
5 feer . Keep rrac k of esch opponent that :J.tl.1cksyouafle r yo u
take tnal KIiOn. O n your next tu rn ,asa fu ll-round action, you
can make a sIngle melee att ack :lgainst each oi the oppone nt \
llut anacked you o n the previous round Oil your bighest arrack
bonus, You must st ill th reale n th e enem il"S~"OU arrack w it h
this 0p"on.
Cor lltrrJ PrtJal{lr: To us c Ib is opllon, )'ou mu st hir your
foe with rwc anac ks l hal each use o ne- of the one-ha nded or
lighl preferred we .:apons of th e Tiger Claw d iscipline (ku krt .
urn:t, h3nJaxe, unarmed srrtke. o r cla w). On ~'OUr nexl turn,
lUU gai n a .1 bo nus on attack rolls against this foe for each
cppo ne m th at t h reate ns you .
Tillon slutlJ: To use Ih is option, you must h it the you r foe
with two a rrac k.. that each u se o ne of the preferred o ne-
handed o r light weapo ns of rhe T igerC law di scipline- (kuk ri.
kama , handaxe, u na rmed stri ke, o r-claw), On your next turn,
if yo u fighl d ef~ n sively o r use the roral defense action, yo u
gain a +2 shield bo nus [ 0 AC againsr rhar foe (in addition to
the normal AC bo nu s granred by thai action).
SCORCHING SIROCCO
As a student o f the Desert W inJ, t he burning fury of t he
desert sirocco IS at vour ccmma nd. fn ba ttle , you call upon
irs power 10 hurn you r enemy and le nd you spe ed.
Prerequishe: D\'sen W ind Do(lge , b:tse Jtlack bo n us . 6,
tWO Dest>n Wind m3neU\'ers.
Benefil : The Scorching Sirocco l~al enables the us e of
three- l:lcuc:tl 0Pllons.
fill' lhr rlalll t£To USC' thi.s option ,you must deal fire dam3ge
toJ;[ foe. On yournexrlurn, you ca n :J.Itempr a DC 20Tumble
chec k as a move ;le i ion . You must be adj.:acenlro rhe Iargello
liSt' lhis 3bililY. If you succeed, ~'our opponent c.1tches fire
(D.\ IG 303~
.\l llrl: of Fm :To use Ih is optio n, you must deal fire damage
lo a fOt" wi l h:l De-scn W ind st rike. O n you r nexl turn , you
OUSt de :ll6re damage to thar foe again and make a DC 20
5pe llc nfl c hec k. If you succC'r"'d, Ihe O.1mes spread across
you r urget. granling )'OUr all ies a - 2 bo nus on attac k rolls
agai ns t her for I rou nd,
~n(t of 111l11lt i: To use lhisoplion. you mUSI mOl'l." alle-asl
lofeel and ini li:Jte:l Desen Wind stance. On your next l um ,
)"OU g:rin a .2 bonU5 on Tumble cht"Cks. If you succeed on J
Tumble eM-d. [0 2\o~id an . tlack of opportuniry, lhe opponrnt
whose at lac.k )'OlI .1voideJ lake, IJ(. polnlSof fil'C' .umage as
m\""Sucal fl.am tWIrl arou nd
SHARDS OF GRANITE
like the g reat Stone Dragon , YOU hammer th rough
your op pone nt s' defen ses usi ng raw, bruta l
s rrengrh. Each blow su nde rs ste el, sbn-
rer bone, and cleaves th rou gh
Flesh. W it h e ach sUCCeS'I\'l' at-
rack YOU make, you hil with
greater fo rce.
Pr erequi sit e: Slone
Power baseanack bonus
~6 . IWO Stone Dragon
m aneuvers.
nt-nefit:The Sh:mls
c fCrmue (e31 ('n3bk~
the U~ of three racn-
cel opncns.
B.l:flcnng Smll.h - To
use (his o pt io n, yo u
musl make' a successfu l
melee anack usingoneo£ the
preferred weapo ns of the
St one Dragon dtsctpltne
greai swc rd, g rt'<II l l u.
heavv mace, or un armed
~trikt') and take .. -5 ~n-
airyon the snack roll using
your Stone POW':-f feat. If
you hu. you Ignore the target's
hardness (if any).
lI'nuralmg ...rn kr. To usc this
option, you mU~ 1 hurhe same crea-
l U I"(' at least rwo limes in the same
ro und usi ng one of the preferred
weapo ns ofthe Slone Dragon disci-
pline (g rearswc rd. greataxe. heavy
mace, o r un arm ed sm ke).
On yo ur next turn . you
ignore' any penalty you
fake on your aua ck roll
fr om your Slone Power
feat when making ;t roll 10
confirm a critical hi t.
U" ~I"rl"l~l( On "<IUIl111: To use
IhlS op ricn , you must make a
successfu l melee ausck using
one of rhe preferred weapons
of the Slone Dragon discipline
gr casword. gre:IIJU , heavy
mace , or u narmed srri ke),
an d rake a - 5 penalry on the
at tack roll us ing vou r Stone
Power fear. If you hu, you r melee
ana cks against lhar crea tu re on
you r next tu m overcomes its dam-
age- reduc no nuf Jny).
STORMGUARD
WARRIOR
Th e Stc rrnguard Warrior feal
t>nco mfQSses a n umber of rhe
more advanced tactics and rcc b
rnques you would us e as a slUJ cn r
of the Iron Hear t school.
Prerequ isite: Prcficr encv with an Iron H eart preferred
weJpon (bastard sword, dwarven warexe.Icegswcrd. or 1\\
blade d swo rd .. lronheart Aura. base sn ack bonus ..6, 1"'0
Iro n He art maneuvers.
Be ne fil : The Srcrmguard War-
rior feal enables the use of three
racucal opncns.
ChollHltllht 51Drm:To use rh ls
op rto n . yo u mU SI ch oose to re -
[r arn fro m makmg one or m or e
avai lable attack s of opportum-
ry .1Ig.1l insr .1l singte opponent
O n yo u r next turn , \ 'OU gun
• +4 bonus on :uu(k rolls
and damage rolls for each at-
u ck rh.1lt you refrained fro m
making against the same
oppone-nt. You gai n rh ts
bo nus only agai ns t an op-
po nen r th at you re frained
from making an attac k at
opporrunirj- against in the
previous round.
Com~al Rhythm: To use
thi s option, youca n choo se
to make mel ee touch attJcks
in place of nor ma l melee
allack s agai nsr an opponent.
These la uch attac ks dea l no
damage. For each melee rou ch
an ack that hits, yO Il ga in a ..5
bonus on m elee damage rolls
again st rh at sam e f~ on you r
nt"X! tu rn .
fl g/Ilihe Hmlc: To use rh ls
opnon , you must deal d amage
10 arleesr t W O different foes on
your turn with melee attacks
or Iron Heart stri kes. O n you r
next tu rn , if you fight defen-
sively or take 3 - -I pe naltyon
you r arrack rolls wi th you r
Combat Expe rtise f~a t If
you have it. you gain a
t 2 bo nus on arrack rolls
against any foe you damaged
Nol n'~11 """ ; r ." r.oIr>r1 '''''" v iIW """ J 1M MII"",!t with a melee arrack or Iro n Ilean
-f "" ,..rJuq """,",,I ...itb tM Sb4rJs " Gr"""itt' 1t'''''1 strike during th e previous rurn.
-- he' uncanny power of the Sublime Way
springsfrom a blend of physicalskill.
menial self-discipline, and adherence
10 distinct martial philosophies. M anv
of the maneuvers of the various martial
..dlsl;'lpiines are n't magic al all-they are simply demonsrra-
lions of near-superhuman skill and rra ining. Although
ma ny cfthe maneuvers and methods taug ht by the Sub lime
WJy are mundane in execution and effect, their resulrscan
ornenmes rival spells The warriors who studv the nine
heels are capable of banlefield ie3 1io beyond those that
:Irradmonal lv sc hooled and rra tn ed warrior can hope 10
o mplish The typ ical figh ter might display greJI skill in
eapcn s h.m e CU IS. thrusts, and parnes. bUI J srud enr of
the Sublime 'IX'3Ybelieves rhat masteri ng a weapon ~Ulrt''i
df-JiSClpll nt' 3nJ spiritual euster uv In add iu on 10learning
b f' on CI phySical pcsrures and movements
th is cbaplcot ccv nan th e baSIC gurdelme .md ru les ~
rhe maneuver . 'em descnbed th
ter ral ;11. ,m a!oeo u to
PL.rtr'1 II,m,lt'OOk. II covers rhe bavicsof the dtfterenr types of
stances and maneuvers-c-smkes. coumers.and boosts-and
presen ts informanon on how rh.. maneuver syStem Interacts
wirh othe r ga me elemcnrs. such as spell resistance.
~fJrlIJI powe ~ fJU Into rwo broad catcogones: stances and
maneuvers (wh ich Include b ~I S , counters, :md mikes}. A
ruamal maneuver I~ a discren- extraordinary or supernatural
elTeet IharIS temporarily expended arler use,Astance is tle\ er
expended and is alwlI)'$ ;l\OIIilabk 10 you.
You ca n u se :I pamcular sta nce or maneuver as m;m y
umes as you hkt' In J smgle day. bU I each nme vou use iii
ma necver \OU Il'mponnly expend It-you lose a lm le of
'lOUT mconul t u vcu ..xheu I ume mall rucn o f you r
~ lUI kl or eaergy, or YOU sim ply fin ish the move OUI of
two nd n UUJn lat I nch rhe sam m ack again
~=~,:,":m~
!
proper Off' ndmemalsr
~il'Il:",,u.'''pt'ndrd m neu
t t' fim
 In combat rhurallows yl11l ro recover one or man' expended
maneuvers. Thr type of action necessary depends on what
type of marti al adepr you are; see Chapter 1 Icr deu tls on
each cla~s's maneuver recovery mechanism. As a resuh.
you can normally US('C'3ch ofyour readied maneuvers once
per encounter, but someumes you can recover one or mote
maneuvers you used earlier in rh e encounrer and use rhem
agam You never expend or us.. up your stances, to rht'y art'
always available.
READYING MANEUVERS
You do nOI need ro ready your stances ahead of rime . E\'{'ry
stance you know is 21ways ;a\'2iI2blt' ro you. However, maneu-
vers requlrt' preparation In rhe form of exercise, prayer,
rneduanon, or simple rnemal rehearsal. Therefore, rou must
,hOOSt' a selectio n of readied maneuvers from 211 the maneu-
Vt'TS you know. Onlv your readied maneuvers art' availablt'
for irnrnediare use.
The number of maneuvers you can ready at one time
depends on your class and level.jfyou do not have any levels
in a martial adept cla"s (jar example, you learned :1 ITUn{'J-
ver by means of the .\1.1"121 Siudy ft'al you can ready each
maneuver you know, For example, If you have chosen the
~lJ rtlal Srcdv feal t wo nmes and know rwe martial maneu-
vers. YOU automancally ready both th ose maneuvers, and
you can lise eac h of those maneuvers once per encounter.
You can take the Martial Studv fear a maximum of t h ree
rimes If you are a rnarual adept and you have the Martial
Srudy f('al. you do nOIgain any bonus 10 your abililY 10ready
maneuvers-c-r he maneuver you learned with the feat is jusl
one more maneuver known from which you can select your
readied maneuvers.
If you advance in a prestige class that gr:m ls you additional
maneuvers. that class derails how many additional maneu-
vers you can ready These extra maneuvers readied add 10
your maximum number of maneuvers readied, whe ther you
determine Ihat number due to your class level in crusader,
swordsage. or warblade, or by the number of rimes you have
tak en Ih t' Mart ial Study feal,
It tSpossible for 3 character ro gain Ihe 1 13"ial SluJy feal
befo~ entering a cla~s thai granrs a progression for powrrs
-~
KEEPING TRACK OF READIED
AND EXPENDED MANE UVERS
You might find it useful 10 man~gt your currently OIvaiiable
maneu....ers by using physical objt'clS to represent the maneu-
vcrs you have readitd_ A Stl of index cards or playing carlls
1000btied WIth the names of your maneuvers works very well.
As you tlpend your re..d,ed maneuvers. Simply turn the card
face· down or sian a ~dlscard pitt- of elptnded maneuvers.
When you recover an Il"lpended mantu.. . er. relurn il 10 your
~hand· of available mOllntuvtrs. You could also usc toktns
su ch as polr:tf chIps In the samf' wOIIy, as long as you can tabel
them c1e.arly.
If you rt' .a crus.adt'r, you also nt'ed 10 Ir~ck your granled rna'
______---,...__ ..._..,/''''' =
uver label tach card wllh the namf' of 011 readied maneuvef.
CD
rt'adu'd In rhts r,lst', lise tilt' class's number of maneuver
readied. Add anv moJlf1eTS from prestige classes rc the cia.'> "
nu mber o f maneuvers readied.
Io rn d y ma neuvers. )'OU require 3 brief period of pnc
lice , exercise. me di ta tion, or ptayer. The exac t natu re a t
the exercise or me dnanon depe nds on your ma r ti al adept
class, bu r eac h class requires S minu tes of preparation nme
SIOCt tach marual maneuver requires a precise ccmbtn
lion of rechntques for garbertng inner tnergy, rrarmng
muscle memory. speaking prayers or carechisms, and e\ n
focusing the mind on specific conct'pts or ana logies, most
martial adepts can't keep every maneuver they know 01 1
rhe forefront of their minds. You do nor need ro be- well
rested to readv your maneuvers. but you do need to be able
10stand and move wirhcut restrain t......s long 35 you a re nOI
physically disturbed during your exercise and medlra non
you can exchange your prr\'lously chosen se t of readied
maneuvers for a new set of readied maneuvers. Unlike a
Wizard preparing her spells. you canner choose to leave ..
readied mancu.... er slot unfilled.
INITIATING MANEUVERS
AND STANGES
To uunare a maneuver or a stance. you must be able to move
Youdo not nCI,'J to be able 10speak. You irnr iare a maneuver
by rakmg rhe specified trunauon action, A maneuve r mi ght
require an tmrnediate, swift, move, srandard.or full-rou nd
acnon 10 minare. The process of initialing a maneuver IS
simila r 10 Ihat of casting a spell or manifesung a p sion ic
power, ahhougb th ere are some key differe nces (see
below), You can only choose to initiate a ma neuver rh al
is currenrly readied and unexpended. In addition. Ii yo u
arc a crusader, rhe maneuver you choose must be gra n ted
to you-you can't choose 10 in it iat e 01 mane uver rh ar is
cur re ntly w h hhcld.
You in itiate a stance as a swtf action. A stance remains in
('fftcl indefinuely and is nOI expended. Youenjoy rhe benefit
your stance confers un ril you change to another stance you
know as a swift act ion . YOIl can remain in a sta nce otll ~i de
of co mba l situalions, and you can enjoy its be nefi r while
elCploring or tta\'eling.
Keep your cards f~ct down. Todtll!rmine which maneuvtrs art
granted to you. all you have to do is deal yourst'lf a card, The
fact.up cards in fronl of you represent your granted maneuvtrs,
the face-down cards are re..d,ed man euvers th'lI are currenlly
wllhheld. You reco....er your t'lpt'nded mantuvt'rs whtn you go
to drOllw a card and there are none It'ft fAce down. At thai po'"1
shurne 01111 your maneuverc.ards togethe r and draw new grOll nted
maneuvers for the nelt round.
If you know more Ihan one su,nce, consider d Oing the
umt thing for your stances and ktep a small hand of sta nces
alongsidt your hand of maneuvf'rs, IndIcate which stance
you arc cuutntly uSing by keeplfIg rh3t stance on top of the
olhers. When you change your stance, rf'OIIrr~nge your stack o j
....
stancts accordingly
5: __
, _ _ _ __ __ _ __ _
CONCENTRATION
Unlike with spel ls or psioni c powers. you need n OI co ncvn-
trate to imriate a man euver or stance. Furthermor e, if )'O U an'
injured or affC'c led by hosnle spells. powe rs. or ma neuve rs
while ini tialing a m aneuver or assumi ng a stance. you do n't
1M,," rhe maneuver or Mance.
Enem y interferenc e might make cert ain maneuvers
impossible 10 ccmplere. For examp le, if an enemy who
readied an acnon 10 trip you when you SU rf e d you r rum
knocks you prone, you wou ld nOI be able 10 us e a m an euver
that required you to charge. Similarly, if you begm your
turn grappled or pinned . ~'OU might find thai most of the
man euvers evarlable to you simp'" wont be of arw use until
vou get free .
If you initia te a maneuver .1 nJ s ubsequenliy n n', U~ II
during your (urn. th e man euver IS still co nsidered expended. SELECTII\C MARTIAL MAI\ EUVERS
You are conside red Il.I have- used ItS mmanon action for rhe
purpose ofdererrnmmg whar acno ns remain available 10 you
on your rum
You do nol provoke att x ksof orpoorl u n ity when }'OU inm-
ate a maneuverer suece unless 115descn pnco eoxplicidy ~ys
otherwise. Some- maneuvers allow you to mov-eo, ch arge, and
rake orher actlcns that cou ld provoke snacks ofoppo rt un ity.
Unless the-maneuver de scription specifi cally says rhar such
acti ons do nOI provok e macks of opportunity. they do. For TABLE 3-1 : H ICHES T·lE Yfl MANEUVER S KNOWN
example, if you use a maneuver 10 charge a foe. and during
that charge- you move in .1 way thaI provokes attacks ofoppor-
tunit y, you provoke rhern as norma l unless rhe maneuver
description ex plicitly says other wise.
INITIATOR LEVEL
Some maneuver s and stances have variable effec ts (such as
dural ion) Ih al depe nd on initiator level. However, maneu-
vers are- nOI Impa ct ed as siro ngly by a user's leve l as spells
are, This d iffer ence in effec t is pri m:arily a bala nce and
game pls v issue. Smce you can usc m aneu vers re pea ted ly,
rhev lend to seal... poor ly, r\S you auat n h igher leve ls, you
RESOLVING A MANEUVER
usuall y use yo ur le w-le ve l ma ne uve rs less oflen (if yo u
OR
bavcnr already rraded rhe m our for higher-le vel sta nces, as
described in the rnartu l adepr class descr tpucns in C ha pter
I), Manv sta nces, boosts . and co u nters . however, rem ain
useful across alllevels.
If yo u are a si ngle-class character, yo u r in iriator leve l
equals your [eve ] in the class rhar pr ovides access to martial
maneuvers (crusader;swordsage.crwarbladekIf you lack any
marttal adcpr levels, your ininator level is equ al to 1/2 your
charact er le-v't'l.
M ULTICLASS CH ARACTERS
E"'en when you gain leve ls in a class tha i does not granl
martial ma ne uvCls. )'ou r undcolS13nJ ing of Ihe- martial
disciplines sli l1 incRases, A highly sk ill ed fighte r has Ihe
basic co mbal lu ining and cox pe rie nc e nCl.'ded to masle r
aJv3nced maneuvers. If you arco a muhiclass manialadepl.
Olnd you learn a nl'W mOlneU\'l'r by :lIu in ing a new ll.'\-eol in a
manlal ade pt class, derermine your IhU1..1tor level by adding
rog...ther\'our level in Ihat clas~ + 1/ 2 you r levels m all orhl.'r
clas'o look up IhC' re~u h on Ihe lable be-Iow todetennint"
the lughesr-Ievel ma ne uvers you can take, You ~ r i ll haw 10
meet J maneuver s prereq uisite 10 learn it.
For example , a zt b-level c rusader/S lh ·leve l swc rdsage
has a n inuiator level of 91h for det ermtmng the highe~ l­
levd m an euvers he can rake as a crusa der. :\5 a result. he
C3nrake Slh-level crusader maneuvers . As a swcrdsage, h is
iru ria ror level is s rh . allowing him 10 ra ke er h-level sword-
sage ma neuve rs .
This process applies 10 all of a character's levels, whe-ther
lhe)' are in marnal adepr classes o r orher classes.
Pres uge classes work a hnled iffe~nlly, ln mos r cases, you
add the full presuge cla....level to your manial adep t leve l to
determine your mmarcr level. Set' the pres tige cbss descrt p-
nons in Chapter 5 for derails .
~ I ueh like- spells. rnamal maneuvers are c rga mzed by level .
Higher-level maneuvers are more pcwerful rhan lower-
level ones. As you gam I"" e-Is, you have rhe c pnc n to select
brgber-level maneuvers , Your level In a manial adepi class
der...rmines rbe highest-I~I mane-uvers you can selec t. For
example, a 5 I h-I~ 1 wa rblade can ~1Kt maneuvers of jrd
level er lower,
Initiator
..... d Maneuver l evel
ls t-2nd '>I
3cd-4th ',d
5 - 61 J d
7th-8th 4th
9th-l0Ih
l Ith-12lh "h6,h
Blh-4th 7th
15th-161h ' th
171h. 9th
STANCE
Once you have chosen a ma n euver 10 ini tia te, yo u mu st
resolve its effects.
Arrack Roll s: Ma ny maneuvers include an arrac k o f
some kind All cffe nstve combat actions, even t hose thai
don't d amage oprom'nls (s uch as d isarm and bull rush ), 3R
considered snacks. All ma neuvers Ihat cppcnems C3n resls r
with saving Ihrow'S.lhal deal damage, or Ihat otherwise barm
or hamper subjects aft' considered snacks.
Bonus Types: Some maneuvers and stances gnnl bonuses
10 ability scores o r Armor C lass , on anacks or da mage. on
S3\~ , or on a number ofother \"anables. Each bonus has 3 tn )C'
lhal in dica les why or how it is gnnled_w ilh Ihe e-xception
ofdodgl'"bonuses, IWO bonuses of Ih e sa me Iypeo geneully
don 'l suck.
Ifa maneu ver or slance-does no l identify the Type ofbo nus
conferred. ils effect s suc k w ith 311 other effe-cl s modi fy-
ir.g the same characrerisl ic or att riburco, Untyped bon uses
all,\,-ays Slac k.
AClions du ri n g a M aneuver. The Initiation AClion lint"
of a m3neu\erde~cnpllon proVides tht>3ction reqUired 10
uS(" tha t maneuver f or xJmple th e- Inilialion actIon 01
 IIll' radlnut charge maneuver is I full-roc 11J aCI ion , Th us,
01 spari of your full -round action, you br ing about the effect
in th e maneuver descrtpnon. In rhis case, the maneuver
allows you to make a c harge at tack wub a number of
addi rio nal benefit s.
RECOVERING EXPENDED
MANEUVERS
You begin each e ncou n te r with all your readied maneu-
vers unexpend ...d . \'(fhe n you In iria re a maneuver, it is
expended-you can ne r use it agai n until you recover it.
You can recover expe nded maneuvers in two ways: through
speci al ac tio ns or at the end of an encou n ter. You never
expe nd a sta nce.
Specia l Actton: 11051 mart ial adep ts can refresh some or
all ofrhel r expended maneuvers in th e course of a banle by
raking a spe cia l act ion 10 do so. The type of specia l actlcn
req uired depends on a marti al adep t's cu ss (Dr fear) selection,
as su mmarized below.
Crusilder.A cr usader recovers expe nded maneuvers when-
ever no more wit h held ma neuvers can be gran ted [ 0 hi m
(the rou nd in wh ich his last withh eld mane uver is g ranted
doesn't count).
SworJmgr: A swordsage can recover one expe nded maneu-
ver o f his choice as a full-rou nd actio n.
U'llrbla'/e: A warblade ca n recover all of h is expe nded
maneuvers as a swift act ion, followed by making a mele-e
au ack or using a standard action ro do noth ing else in the
rou nd. Ifhe ininares a man euver or changes his stance du ring
:I rou nd , he C:II1·t recover h is expended ma neuvers.
Multidll SSMat filll Adept: A characte r wi th lWO or more
martial ade pt classes keeps rrack ofhis readi ed man euvers,
exp end ed maneuvers, and recovery of expended maneuvers
separately for each class.
Clhlra(/er ll'itrl lheM'lrtr,11 Shl,ly ftat: Acharacter who kno ws
one or more martial maneuvers through the Martia l Study
fear b ut does not otherwise h ave a level in a mar tial adept
class ca n not recover expended maneuvers th rough any son
of specia l actio n. He can only recover expended man euvers
at rhe end of an encounter (see bel ow).
End of t he E n co unt e r : Wh en an encou n ter ends, a
NAME
martial adep t automa nca lly recover s all ex pe nde d maneu-
vers. Even a few moments out of combat is su fficie nt :0
refr esh all man euvers expe nded in [he prev ious batt le. In
[he case of a long , drawn -out series of ftghr s, or if an ade pt
is out of cornbar ennrely assume rhar ifa character ma kes
no arracks of :ln y k ind, in itia tes no new man eu ver s, and
is not tar geted by :lny ene my anacks for 1 full m inut e, he
can recover all ex pended mane uvers. If a cha rac te r can't
avoid att ack ing or being an ccked for I mi nute, he can't
MARTIAL DISCIPLINE
au romatica lly recover h is man euver s an d mu st use specta I
action s to do so in stea d .
MARTIAL POWERS AND MAGIC
In gen eral, marti al maneuvers and stances that create supc·r-
natural effects are tran sparent 10 magic or psion ics. However,
martia l maneuve rs rarely Imcracr with spells or powers. O nce
a ma neuver is initiated, the effect last s on ly for you r turn
unless orherwtsc noted, giv ing all opponent lit d e oppOrtu-
nily to coun ter it.
Ex t r uo rdin a r y or Supcr n ar ura l Ab il itie s : ~ Iarti:ll
maneuvers and stances an' never spells or spe ll-like abilities.
Un less the descr ipti on of th e speci fic man eu ver or stance
says o therwise. trea t it as an ex traordina ry abil it y. Thu ..,
these abtltues work JU S[ fi ne in an lIntimagicfidd or a dead
mag ic zone. A maneuver or sta nce can't be d ispelled or
cou nrcrspc llcd, and init iati ng one does not pro voke attacks
of opportu nity.
If a maneuver is overtly magical or otherwise uses a super-
natu ral power source, iI is noted asa supernatural ability in Its
description. In this case, the maneuver obeys all the sta ndard
ru les for supernatura l abi lilies.
Der ecr tng Ma rtial Man eu ver s: Most mane uvers don't
crea te persisrent or long-last ing effects , and rhe results are
obv ious ro an y observer. However, idem ifyi ng a speci fic
rnaneu ver, sta nce, or d iscip li ne requires th e Ma rtial Lore
skill (sec pagl' 28).
~ t u hip le Effect s: Mart ial maneuvers and stances usually
work as described in Cha pter 4, no matter h ow many other
powe rs, spe lls, or magical effect s happen to be operating in
th e same area or on the same su bject. Wheneve r a maneuver
Drsta nce has a specific effec t on other man euver s, powers, or
spells, its descriprion explains the effecr. Most martial adepts
can use on ly on e sta nce at a time, but some hig h-leve l adepts
might be able to use two stances at on ce.
Stack ing Effect s: Man euvers or stances rh ar provide
bon uses or pe nalt ies on att ack rolls , da mage rolls, saving
th rows, an d othe r arrribu res do not stack with each other
unless spe cifica lly noted within their descr iptions.
MANEUVER AND
The various mart ial maneuve rs available to prac lirion ers of
the Sublime Way are described in Chapter 4: Maneuvers and
Stanc es. The description of each power follows a standard
form at, which is explained below.
This entry ts the name by whic h the maneuver is generally
kn own. However. it's fairly common for variou s schools or
rrad tuons of the Sublime Way to bestow their ow n names
on maneuver s. f or example, th e swooping d ragon st rt ke
maneuver might be k no w n as th e dra gon's po unce, the
gen tle reminder, or somethi ng as esoteric as Liam fall ing
down the mountain .
Each maneuver belongs to one of ni ne mart ial d iscip lin es.
The man euvers in a d isciplin e are loosely linked by commo n
effect s, ph ilosophi es. or fun crtons. Th e second li n e of a
maneuve r or stance descript ion provides the name of the
relevant discipline, along with irs type (see below),
jus tlike man euver names. the names of martial disciplines
vary widel y from one locale to anot her. In facr. the rerm disci-
plin e is nor universally u sed. Disciplines might he known as
schools, traditions, philosophies, regimens, teac hings, pmb s.
 or srvles. For example. the Desert \'..;'i nd discipline might be
know n in some areas as the Creen Naga sty le or th e Wakeful
Dre amer ph ilosophy.
Each di scipline is tied to a sk ill th at rnig b t be used in the
execution of so me of its maneuver s. In addition, various
weapons lend th emselves ro tbe phtlcscpbvcr maneuvers of
different disci pli nes.
The nine disci plines include the follow ing.

D ESERTWlND
Speed and mobil ity are the hallmarks of th e Desert Win d
d iscipli ne. Desert Wind maneuvers often in volve blinding
flurries of blows, quick charge's. and agile footwork. Some
maneuvers from this school. however, draw power from
the supernatura l essence of the desert and allow an .;adt'pt
pracriricner to scour his foes with fire.
Theke}' skill for Desert Wind maneuvers is Tumble. Weap-
ons assocta red with Desert Wind include the scimitar. light
m ace, light pick, falchion , and speu.

DEVOTED SPIRIT
Faith , piety , and purity of bed)' and mind ate' the wellsprings
of a warner's true power. Devoted Spirit maneuvers harness
a pract ino n...is spiritual strength and her zealous devolion to
3 cause. This d iscipline includes ene-rgies banefu l to a crea-
tUR!opposed 10 the Devoted Spirit student's cause, abilities
[hat ca n keep an adep t fighr ing long after a mote mundane
war rior would fall to h is enemies, and strikes infused with
vengefu l. fana tical power.
Intim id ate is th e key skill for Devoted Spirit. Devot ed
Spirit assoc iated weapons include the falchion. grearclub,
longsword, and maul.

DIAMOND MIND
True qui ckness lies in th e mind, not the bod y. A stude n t of
the Diam ond Mind disc ipline seeks to hone h is perceptions
lind di scipli ne h is thought s so that he can act in slivers of
ti me so n arrow th at othe rs ca n not eve n pe rceive them . A
corollar y of this speed of th ought and act ion is rhe co ncept
of the mind as the battlegrou nd. An en emy defeate d in
h is mind must in evitably be defeated in th e rea lm of rhe
physical as wel l.
Concentrati on is rbe key ski ll for Dia mond Mt nd . The
rapi er . sborrspear, bas tard sword (kata na), and trident are
th e associated weapons for Diamond Mi nd.

IRON HEART
Absolut e- m3slery of the sword is the g001of the Iron H eart
discipline. Through unending practice and study. the Iron
Heart adept ach ieves superhuman skill with her we3pons.
Iron H eart ma neuvers are dernonstranons of uncanny mar-
rial ski ll-weaving palIerns of steel that dizzy. confuse. and
ulumalr ly kill with no recourse.
Th e key skill for Iron Hean is B313nce, since J perfect
understa nd ing of motion is essennal ro maneuvers in
rhis di scip li ne. The b..srard sword. dwarven warne, long-
sword and two-bladed swo rd are the associ ated weapon s
for Iron Hearl .
SFl TlNG SIIN
<; ul"n glh IS an illu sion. Adherents {If th e Setling Sun p hi-
losophy unJt'rsl and Ihal no warri or can hope 10 be stronger,
quicker,and mort'skillful I haneve ryoneofher enemies.There-
fore, [his Ji sciplim' includes maneuvers thai use 30 adversary's
pow...rand 'pc.·(·d agaiml him. Selling Sun maneuvers incluJe
th row s and tm uanve strikes.111(' highest forms ofth e &ning
Sun requi re an a.!l·pllll t'rnp'Y herself of preconcepnon and
impulse 10 beco me a hollow vessel unhindered by warn.
Sense Motive IS the keyskill (or ,he'Setting Sun discipline.
The associated w<,apons for Stoning Sun are the short swore,
quanrrsuff. au nchaku , and unarmed strike.
SHADOW HAND
• rever show an ad\'n~ry what he C'Xpt'CI S 10 !>et'. The Shadow
Hand discipline emphasizes deception. misdi rection. 2nd
surpnsc. The most efft"Cl!\r blow LS one struck against 3n
enemv who does not even kn ow he IS In danger. Because
t he qudy of decen a a philosophy o fte n leads int o darker
pracnces. some sh.Jdow fhnd maneU\'t'cs<-mploy the soper-
na tural cold and darkn~s~ of pUf'f' shadow.
The kev sktll for rhe Shad ow Hand discipline is Hide .
Shadow Hand 3.SS0CUted weapons include the dagger, shon
sword , sal. siangbam, u narmed strike, and spiked chan.
STONE DRAGO N
Th e strength and endurance of the mountains ep itomize
th e Slone Dragon discipline. The merhodical and relenrlese
application of force allows a student of this philosophy to
defeat any foe . Strikes of superhu ma n power and mani-
festations of perfect , idealized force make up the Stone
Dragon maneuvers,
Balance is the key ~k ill for the Stone Dragon disc ipline.
Th e associated weapons for Stone Dragon are greerswoed.
g rearaxe. h~avy mace, and unarmed strike.
TIGER CLAW
Co nsciousness is the enl' my of tnsu nct. The Tiger Claw d is-
ctpbne teaches that mania! superiorit y ca n be ach ieved b!,
di scardi ng the veneer ofcivtltzarlon, along with the higher
thoughts rhar fetter a warrior's action s.TIger Claw maneuvers
emulate the strikes, ltap) , and po u nces of anima ls. When
In fused wi th 1.1 pow~r, so me Tige r Claw maneuvers also
allow a martial adepr to take on animalistic cha racte rtsncs,
speed, and bloodlust .
TIger Claw emphasizes srrcngrh and spel"'d. so Jump is the
kev sl,,11 for thiS dISCipline.The kukri, kama. cl:r.\·, handaxe,
g f'f'au.xe, ;and unarmed J>tri ke art' tht' as1>OCiatoo weapons fo ~
l1ger C law,
WHITE RAVEN
No warrior figh ls In isolation . CooperatIOn, tt'amwork. and
leadt'rship c.an giw two warriors Ihe str~ng t h offive. and live
warri ors th e slrt'ng th of tw<-my. The Hudefll of the \l'hill'
Raven maslt'T"i maneu\'l.·cs tha t combine the slrenglhs of[wo
or more 011!L('"!; o1gainst 01 common foe. shouts and balllf'CTies
Infused wn h b are Iht' \Ignat urt' maneU\'eTS of tht' Whilt'
fLIVen d lS<:lpline.
Dtplornacy I ~ the ke\ kil l for While Raven. "] ht s d is
plt ne's .Issocla led w<,;a pons are Ihe longsword, banleaxe
warhammer, grensword. and ha lberd,
(TYPE)
Most rnama l powers fall in to cne offour ca regc nes. boos l
counte r. stance, or xttike . Some maneuvers don' t falluuo
i1 ny of t hese cnegc nes. bu t Ih("s(' are e);Cep[lO n S 10 the
rule. The maneuver c ate go ries bel ow refer to swifl and
immed iate actt on a. a co nce pt presen ted in earl ier books
s uch as l.\J'<1'IJ(J PSlOru" HllllJ book and COrnpltll ....J l'('nlllrer
If ~"Ou are unfamilia r wn h rbem. see th e' Initiation Action
secuon below
Boo st: ThI S category covers maneuvers that allow a
warr ior 10 focus h Imself, summon hrs In en~ rg r o r ot her
source of power, and un leash It th rough his me lee attacks.
A crusader wh o draws a dee p brea th. sho uts an invocation
to his god or cause. and th en unleashes a m ight}' arrack IS
using a boos t.
A boo st IS a maneu ve r th at gu ntS a bo n us, cfren on
arrack roll s cr d am ege ro lls, for th e duration o f your turn
A boos t always requi res a SWift acncn. usu.ally allOWing
you to init iate it be fore unleashmg a standa rd acncn o r a
full attack . Som e boost s imparl additional effects. suc h as
stun or faugue , 10 your at tac ks, and o thers provide so me
addulonal effe ct on an enemv you have just successfu lly
struck in ball It'. If a boost affects your arracks, i t ap plies
10 all of you r atta cks for the rou nd in wh ich it was ir uri-
ared. b ur its effe ct e nds at the end of your turn. A boos t s
effecr appliee for it s duration, no mauerwh tcb weapon yo u
migh t wield in rha t round , Even if you switch wt'apons
in the mid dle of you r rum. the effect of th e boost ap plies
to yo ur new we apon as read ily as th e previous wea po n
Each maneuver's de scription g ives you she de tails o f each
boost's effect.
A boost doesn't have to mod ify a melee attack. It co uld
provide a bonus on a skill check. to you r speed, and so on
but such maneuvers an' relatively rare .
Co u nter: A counter is a fa« , usually defensive man euver
tha t you use 10 foil your opponent's act ions. A swcrdsage wh o
dodges to just beyond a rampaging minoraur's teac h is using
a counter.
Th .. Setting Sun school featu res man y coun ters, because ir
focuses on teach ing students to turn an oppone nt's strength
against him , Coume rs are immediate actions thaI you atte mpt
during a foe's turn. Usu.Jll y, your oppone n t m ust make a
specifi c action , such as an .au ack against you, for you to use
3 countl"T.
Stri ke : A sln kt' is a mant'u\'t'r Ihal allows a speculal rack.
A w.arbladt' who deli\'l"TS a singll" blow that slays an ogre is
using a J>trikco. A slrikl' imparts somt' .ad\';Intageor bonus over
a standard 3113Ck, such as extra damage, an additional effeet
such as blinding ill f()(', and so forth _
Strikes almo~t ;always reqUIre a sunda rd o r fu ll -round
action 10 com plett' . :\ t OS[ of th~m in\'ol\'e a m~le .. a[f;lck 3,,,
par t of co m plt"lln g the maneu\·er. If t he attack hits, r our
opponent [ypic.3Uy f;lk~s norm.31 mt'le-edamage. as wt'lI ;a~
suffe-Tlng Ihe effect of the ~trikt'. \'('ht'n mald ng a slTlke
you use your has~' anack bonus, all arrack an d damage
modifiers. weapon damage, and so forth, as normal.
You can rnake acritical hir wnb ast r tke. and in a few
cases, a critical hit grant s you additio na l benefits. You
do nOI multiply extra damage from a stri ke with a
successful cri tica l hit. You treat il just as ),OU would
t"X1t3 dam age fro m a no the r special ability. such as
sne ak :utack.
Because strikes 01110\\' for a speci fic form of attack.
you cannot benefit from spells or effec ts th at granr
you exrra snacks when making a strtke fsuch as the
h(l ~It' spell or a speed weapon). You are nOI taking a
full arrack acttcn when you initiate a Strike, even
if its initial ion action is I full-round action , In
addition , you can not ccmbme special at tacks
such as sunder or bull rusb with strikes , even
if you havefears Ihat make su ch speci al snacks
more poten t. H owever. some strikes enable you
10 m ake special atta cks as pan of their Ininanon:
see rbe specific maneuver descnpncns in Cha pter
" for det ails.
Stance: A sta nce is ne t a m an euver, but a
specific fighn ng m et hod that you m aintain fro m
round to rou nd . So long as you rnaintain a stance,
you gai n some benefit from it. A swcrdsage initia te
of the Sh adow H and schoo l wh o creares a concealing
sh ro ud of shado w e ne rgy wh ile he moves is u sing
:1 stan ce.
You ca n initiate a stance as a swift action, When yo u
enter a stance. you im media tely gain its ben efit. You
continue to gain the be ne fit of a typical stance as long
as you remain in it. Some stances give you a be nefit on ly
when you meer certain condi tions. For example, a
stance might grant a bon us when you move , when you
remain in th e same spot, or if you eu ack a stun ned
or flat-footed opponent.
You can u se a sing le swift action 10 en d on ...
stance and b egin an other. or yo u can c hoose 10
simply end your curre nt stance without enteri ng a
different one. You conrtnuc to gai n a stance's be nefi ts
until }'Ou switc h ( 0 a new stance or end yo ur current
one. At the Start of your turn, you mig ht be in a stance
t h at grants you a bon us on attack rolls. You cou ld make
your att acks-c-galn ing rbe stance'sbonus-c-rhen use
a swift actio n 10 switc h to a sta nce tha t gives you a
bonus toAe.
Your stance en ds if you are ren dered he lpless for
any reason. If you later recover, you mu st use an other
swift action to initiate your stance once again.
Stances are considered maneuvers for the purpose
of fulfi ll in g p rerequisites for learning higher-level
maneuver s, orqualifying for pre stige classes or feats .
For example, if 2 Stone Dragon maneuver req uires you
to know one Sto ne Dragon maneuver, an d you know
tho: sicnefccr stance (a rsr-level Stone Dragon sta nc e).
you qu alif}' to rake the higher-leve l maneuver.
[DESCRIpTOR]
Some maneuvers have descrtprors I hal further defi ne rbem
These des criptors appear on the same line 3S the discipline
of the maneuver.
The descript ors Ih al ca n app ly 10 maneuvers are cold. elec-
Iric ily, ev il, fear. fire. force, good, mind-affecting, teleport.
and sonic. Most of these de scri ptors have no gam e effec t by
them selves. bUllhey govern how a maneuver in teracts with
orher maneuvers. powers, spells, or abilmes.

LEVEL
This entry gives the martial adept class or classes tha i have
accessto this maneuver:crusader,swordsage.cewarblade.The
line also gives the maneuver's level within that class.
You can learn any maneuver you like by c hoosing the
Marlial Study fe31, regardless of class. Howeve r, you must
still meer rhe prerequisite of the maneuver;

PREREQUISITE
In addition to meeting rbeclass and I~I requirements before
you can learn a maneuver, you must rnee r a ce rtain se r of
requirements 10 be able to choose rhar maneuver as one you
know, Stances are considered maneuvers for rhe purpose of
rneeri ng a prerequ isite [0 learn a new maneuver.
You ca n't learn a maneuver unless you gai n a level in a
mamal adep r class. a level in a prestige class th ai g ran l~
maneuvers known, or you lake the Marti al Study feat.
Mane uve rs Known: Some or th e more powerfu l maa eu-
vers require you 10 learn one or more other maneuvers in the
same discipline before they can be selected.

INITIATION ACTIO N
This en try descr ibes the tvpe of action you must expend
[ 0 ac tivate a mart ial ma neuver, In some cases, you initiate

a ma neuver, and it s effect laslS for t he res t of you r ru rn

(or beyon d), In othe r cases, man euvers las t only as long
as rhc act ion required 10 in iriate them (t swift act ion, I
immediate acti on, 1 move action, 1 stan dar d acuon. or 1
full -rou nd acti on).
Sw i fl Action : A swifl action consumes a very small
amount of time, but rep resen ts a larger expenditure of effort
and energy t han a free ac tion, You can perform one swi ft
actio n per t urn without affecti ng your ability to perfo r m
0 1her ac tio ns. In rh at regard, a swift action is like a free
action. However, you can perform onlya single swift action
per tur n. regardless of what other actions you take. YOIl can
take a swift action any time }"Ou would norma lly be allowed
to rake a free action .
Cast ing a quickened spell or manifesting a quic kene d
power is a swift acnon, so }"OU can't initiate a maneuver wuh
an ininanon action of 1 swift action in the same roun d th at
you cast a qu ickened spell or use a quickened power,
Immedlare Action: Much like a swift action, an irnme-
dia re ecucn consumes a very sm all amount of time , but
represen ts a larger expenditure of effort rhan 3 free action.
However, un like a swift action, an im med iate action can be
perfor med .1.1 any time-s- even if It's n OI you r rum. U Sing
an immed iate action on your rum is the "arne as using a
swlf acucn , and COUIU S as your sw irl act fon for the rum.
You cunne r USl" another immediate actfc n or a swift action
unnl after you r nex t turn if you have used an immediate
act ion when il is not currently you r turn (t'ffecrively, using
an immediate act ion before your turn is eq utvalem 10 us ing
your swi ft actio n for rbe coming turn),
You canno t use an im mediate action if you are curre ntly
Ilar-footed.
RAN GE
A maneuver's range indicates how far fro m you it can reach .
~hny ma neuvers are treated as Personal-range effec ts.
because you initlare [he maneuver 10 give yourself a specia l
bonus or c.apability for the round.
Standard nngt's include (b ut art' nOI lim ited to) th e
follo....-ing:
Personal; The maneuver affects only you ( bul might g lve
you an unusual pcwer er abilit y tha i affects others for rhe rest
of you r lurn).
Touch; You must [ouch a crea tu re or object to affect tr. A
lauch maneuver thai deals damage can score a critical h it
jusl as a weapon can. ahhough you do not mul tiply th e exrra
dam age from a mane-uver on a successful critical bit.
Mel ee Attack: Thl." maneuver affects any crearure you
mak e a successful melee arrack agai nst.
Adjacent: The mane uver affects creatures within I square
of you . Some ti mes you only affect adjacent creatures .11 the
begi n mng ofyour [urn or at the end of YOUt rum, bUI othe r
maneu vers might affect any crea tu re you move adjace nt to
during the co urse of your tum. See the spe-cific maneuver
descripti ons for derails.
Range Ex p res sed in Feet : Some man euvers have no
standard ran ge category, ju st a range expressed in feet.
D URATION
TARGETING A MANEUVER
You might hav e to make som e c hoice about whom your
maneuver is to affect or whe re ir will origina te. This entr y
describes the maneuver 's Iarget or target s, it s effect. or its
area. as app ropriate.
Target or Target s: Most maneuvers affect a specific creature
or object (or more th an one creatu re or objec t) that you de sig-
na te as your Iarget or targets. You must be able to see or touch
the target, and you must specifically choose th at targe t.
Some m aneuver s ca n be initiated only on Willing largelS.
You ca n declare yoursel f a willing Iarge r :lt any time (even
ifyou're I le r-focred or ir isn 't your t urn). Unconscious char-
acters are always considered willing, but a character who
is co nscious bUI im mobi li zed or helpless is not auroman-
cally w ill ing.
Some man euvers targe t you (b ur they might confer an
unusual ab ility 10 affect other creatures for the rest of your
rurm, If the tar get ofa maneuver is "You,"you do not receive
3 saving th row-s-you receive the benefit of the maneuver
automatically as long as you meet any other requi re me nts
for iniriaring it successfully.
Orher maneuve rs 3ffect a creature or creatu re s that you
successfully hi l wi th 3 mel~ atuck, :md some affect a creature
you successfully h it wi th a melee or nnged touch Jttack.
Ar ea:Some maneuvers can affect an area.Youmight be able
10 ch oose th e po int where rhe m aneuver's effect originates.
but otherwise you usu ally do n't co ntrol whi ch creatu res or
objects an area m3neu\,er :lffeclS.
Burst: A burst affects whatever Ircatches in its area, includ-
ing crea tu res you can't SC'e. It can't affec r creat ure s [hat have
roral cover from its point of origin. Th e defsulr shape for a
burst is a s phere.
Emwrhl tlon: An emanauon functio ns like a burst. except
Ihallhe effect conti nues to radiate from th e poi nt of ori gin
(of[en you) for the duration of rbe m aneuver.
Srrrwd:A spread effecr spreads ou t like a burst. bu t ca n IUm
corners. You select rhe point oforigin.and rhe effec t spreads
OUI a given distance in all di rectio ns.
Effecl: Some maneuvers create something rather than
;tl"fecli ng things rhat are already present.. Youmust design ate
rbe location where these things are toappea r. either by see ing
it or defining it . Range determines how faraway an effec t
can appe-ar.
Line of Effec l : Maneuvers Ihu affec t a ta rget c eber
than you require line ofeffect. A lint' of effecr is a stUig ht,
unblocked pa th thai indicates what an effl."ct can affect. A
solid barrier cancels a line of effec t, bur line of effeer is
no t blocked by fog , d ar k ne ss, and ot her factors that limit
normal sight.
You must have a clear line of effeetto an}" larger that you
initiate a ma neuver against, or to any space in which you wish
10 crea re an t'ffecl 3t range (if you r man eu ver 3110ws that). A
burst or eman at ion affec ts on ly an area. creature. or objects
10 which Ir has 3 li ne of effec t fro m its ori gin .
An othe rw ise solid barrier wnh a hole of at least ! squa re
foot thro ugh it does not bloc k a maneuver's lin e ofeffl"ct,
A ma neuver's duration rells you how long its effecr lasrs .
End of Turn : The man euv er 's effecr lasrs until the end of
your rum, then ceas es 10 functio n.
Instantaneo us:The effl"Ctof rhe maneuver comes and goes
the ins tant the maneuver is In lnated , th ough the consequences
might be lcog-lasnng. For exam ple. the moment of alac riry
boost take s only 3 swlf action to initiate, bUI if imp roves your
initiative cou m for th e duration of the com bat.
One-Round Durations: Some durations are measured as
1 round. You gain the capa bility [0 pe rform wh ateve r s pecial
effect or att ack the m aneu ver permits on your rum. Immedi-
3[ely before your action in th e rou nd afte r you initiated the
maneuver, irs effect comes to an end.
St3nCe: This dural ion indicates rh ar the abi lity is a sta nce ,
and therefore ends on l)' when )'o u will it 10 end. when you
become helpl ess, or wh en you fulfill a specific cond itio n
described in rhe sta nce 's descript ion .
Ti med Durati ons: Man y maneuvers last some number of
rounds or mi n utes. \'('hen the time is up, the energ)' sustain-
ing the effecr fades. and rhe maneuver's effect ends.
So D u rat ion: The effect of a maneuver without a dunnion
lasrscnlv as long as if lakes you rciruriate the maneuver, Some
maneuvers t lasr" less lhana full round Such isofren rhe case
fer m:meuwrs Ihat deal ext ra damage on top of your nornul
 melee damage. For exemple, a stri ke wi th an irunatlon action
of t sta nda rd act ion would effec tivel y have J duration of 1
standard action; th e effect ofth e strike is rtcd 10 th e action of
mak ing the arrack. Wh en rhis is t he case, no dura tion emry
is g iven .
SAVING THROW
Somet im es, a man euver with a special effec t or supernatu ral
augmenta tion that targets an ene my allows the creatu re or
object to make a saving throw to avoid some or all of I he effec t.
The saving throw line in a m aneu ver descrip tion defines
wh ich type ofsavi ng th row II maneuver allow s.
N eg at e s : Th e maneuver has no ad d itio na l effec t on a
subject th at makes 3 successful saving throw,
Partia l: The maneuver causes an effect on its subject,
such as dear h . A successfu l saving th row mea ns th3t so me
lesser effect occurs (such as being dealt damage rather than
being killed).
Half The man euver dea ls damage,an d a successful saving
throw h alves th e dam age ta ken (round down).
None: In a case where no saving th row is allowed, the
savi ng th ro w line is omtne d.
Savi ng Throw D iffic u lty Class: The formu la for J eter-
mining a saving throw DC against a maneuver's spe cial effect
is provided in th e maneuver's descri ption.
SPELL RESISTANCE
Un li ke s pe ll descr iption s or power descriptions, m art ial
maneuvers do n't have a spell resistance or power resis tance
entry. Since m an euvers are extraordina ry or su pe rna t ura l
abilities, not spell s or spell-like abilities, spe ll resis tanc e does
no t affec t a maneuver.
DESCRIPTIVE TEXT
Th is por rion of th e m aneuver descript ion explains wha t the
maneu ver does and how it works. It begi ns wit h a sentence or
IWO ofirallcized "read-aloud" text that gives players an image
of how the maneuver does what it does. If one ofth e previcus
lin es in the man euver descript ion included "see text," rhts
sectio n is where you fin d the explanation .
LEARNING MANEUVERS
Martial adepts iniriare mar tial mane uvers and sta nces. These
m aneuvers are manifesta tions of supreme marti al sk ill,
focus, and cla rity. They 3150tap into a su blime universal
energy or ki; by performing a maneuver to perfect io n, a
mart ial ade pt can ac h ieve amazing feats of ma rtia l and
at h letic prowess.
Mart ial adepts do nor have"spe llbooks,"bu r they do ready a
select ion oftheir maneuvers ahead of lime. Unlike ch aracters
wh o pre pare spells, martial adepts ca n quick ly choose a new
selection of readied maneuvers wt rh a brief pause 10 exercise,
medlmre, or pr:lY. M am al udeprs do not h ave 10 readv tht'lr
stances; all srances known are available at all rim es.
ADDING MANEUVERS AND STANCES
M artial ade pts us ually lea rn n..w m an euvers a nd sranc os
when they anain 3 new level. Nor every disciplin e is available
to every character.
Ma neu vers a nd Stances Gained at a New level : Marna]
adepts trai n , medtrare, and practice bet ween adventures and
while resting. W hen a mar tial ad ept learn s a new maneuver
or stance because she gained a level, you can assu me that thi s
new knowle dge represents the effects of practice and stu dy
over th e cou rse of Jays, weeks, or even months.
In de pe n dent St ud y: A martial adept can att empt to devise
a new ma ne uver or stance independe nt ly, adding to an exis t-
ing d iscipline. A OM dec idesiftt's possible for a character to
develop 3 new maneuver.
If a OM permits th e crea tion of a new maneuver, observe
the following guidelines.
First, the martial adept requires a safe place to me di tate
and practice. This effort wtllrake a number o f days eq ual to
3" rhe maneuver's level, so ifth e adept is devisi ng a zrh-level
maneuver, the research will require 21 days.The adep t pays 50
X P p..r day of stu dy, which r" presents an in te nse regimen of
medit at ion, fastin g, and practice designed to focus the mind
and spirit on the task at hanJ.
A martial adept can'r create a new m aneuver of a hi gher
level th an th e adept is capable of learni ng.
Ar rhe end of the requisite tim e for stu dy and pract ice, the
martial adept attem pts a Martial Lore check (DC 25 ..(2 x th e
m an eu ver's level ).
If th e chec k succeeds, the character learns th e maneuve r
rhe next tim e she has an opportuni ty fO learn a new m ane u-
ver rhroug h level advancement or feat selection. If rhe check
fai ls, th e new maneuver is not yet perfected. an d sh e m ust
go throug h the stu dy and pracrtce rim e agai n if she wants
to kee p trying (alt hough she rega ins the XP she has spent
rh us far).
A OM shou ld work wi th the player before the attempt 10
develop a ne w m an euver hegins, and give her gu idan ce o n
the param eter s unde r whic h a ne w maneuver or dis cipli ne
mig h t be acceptable (see Crea ting New Spells, DMG 35).
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Some creaturesare naturally gifted in the Sublime \Vayandca n
make useofmartial maneuverswrrhour having levels ina marnal
adept class.These inborn abilities function much like spell -like
abilines or ps i-like abiliries. characters using m art ial scripts
(see page 147) can also make use of martial ma n euve rs.
Inirhn ing a maneuverthrough an in nate ability, or by using
3 mag ic item, wor ks just like initialing 3 maneuver nor mally
does. You do not provoke at tacks of opportu rriry, an d you r
maneuvers are not subject to spell resist an ce.
-- OIl klll'lI' by uou- tlhll tilt ONt.'rt Will,'
mastt" sluJy stmll' Of aIr arid fiu, from
tilt' llltl of IJuir scrrrutilrs 1110' brmg forth
ffalll"/o NIIlJ OTkill ,JI,'lrfl1<'mlN.. Yct tilt /itt
.IOfl nol rr~IJt 1/1 Iht ~Ittl, Ill)'s1uJ..nl; if USl/IN
4U tht m,lSltr,anJ th,' ~ltd Ii llmrlv aWIIJI.II Ihmllgh lI.fJlch Ih.: firr
u gUI!Itd to th, m'hltt', pllrrost rc mil forth Ih.: flamt'. till' Desert
\t'mJ lIlao;!'T{lTill'llll hu Willa NrTrll ilnd f,/,HftJ plau ,a Jrl<'Tt
1(·alt..wnJ wllh ,I lun of blllll,i! llrtnglll cI£M al hand. In his m ind
It, rlCGlls Iht fOCUlln!l'chanls or lI'\lrds taughtla 111m, htanngtJum
m 1m o!l'n tl1TS (l'rn If It, Jo.'t n,,' lJ"t'ak thrm awud; m hu NtJv
tIC r.crnlis a rn'Cl\" rh~I('11 tII,w,mrnl, a qlllckf'lJU "f til( sword
jll 'l li l liu nglll arr ,md al II/II tilt rigId ~rt.:J. for alllllStanl, thr
nl.: ftthwrn mm.I, body, arlJ srinll~ rrrjtd-illIJ lilt fiJ'N (If lIu
,l'Si'rl slm HlT~r lurt'l at 1 1l ~ ,,'mlllallJ, So If IIIfIr carl, of I!I, NUll'
DIl<""lrlmrs. WIllig onc,S OW, whtrt .hall II bt,,'ltl ~ ~
Harran runvesbcr
Each of the nine Jisciplim'soClhc Sublime Wayiscomposed
ofa n um ber ofspeci fic sta nces an d ma neuvers-c-namely.
strikes, bOIJSIS , and counters. Much li ke J. sorcerer's
spells. each stance or ma neuver is a specific abil ity thal
a characte r mljl; h t know. But while a sorcerer's spells
rely o n arcane power thal is depleted by ccnrmuous use.
a ma rria] adC' p(s abrhnes are alwavs available to hi m JS
long 3S he h:l~ a few m mutes to preparC' th e- maneuvers
he wishes (0 U' C'
The table hc.-Iaw provides a summarv of wh ich disciplines
are availab le to each of the th ree martial adept standard
da~sc,. Th " It I (II m.l.n"u\ flo and rane es Ihat beg m o n
the next page ee orgamzed by levelte escendrng c rder, and
alpluberic;aUv bv Ji",lrhnt' in each 11:\'t"1 s lisf In Ihese IiSh.
the drsctphne names are rru red or reduced 10 ant" word
I :I\'\: spa
TABLE 4 -1 : DISCIPLIN E ACCESS BY C LASS shallow 1Iiadc Iechnlque: Strike- Roll two
Crusader Swordsage warblade snacks use lower resu lt 10 deal bones cold
Desert Wmd No Yes No damage
Devoted Splnt Yes No No Stone Charging M tnotau r: Srrike-c-Chargm g bull ru h
DIamond Mmd No Yes Yes des Is damage, ignores attacks ofopporrun ny.
Iron Hearl No No Yes
Slone Bones: Sirike-Gain DR 5!adamanll llC'
Setung Sun No Yes No
Shadow Hand No Yes No Sto nefoot Stance: Sunce--.-2 bonus on Strength
Sto ne Dragon Ye-s Yes Yes checks. ..2 bonus 10 AC agaimt larger foes .
Tiger Claw No Yes Yes Blood in rh e 'Waler: Stance-Cain· 1 bonus on
While Raven Yes No Yes attacks and damage for each crincal hn .
Hunte r's Sense: Suncl."-Gain seem.
MANEUVER AND Sud den Leap: Boost-Jump as a swift action
Wolf Fang St rike: SlTike-Atlack with t.....o
\\Tapans.
''''hih' nol ste ring Vo ice: Stance-Allies gain.2 bonus
1ST LEVEL on Will saves , ...~ against fear.
Desert Blistering fl ou ri sh : Strikto-Daule creatures Douse the f lames: Sirike-Target annot make
around you. alucks of opportunity for I round.
Bumin g Blade: Boosl_lkallJ6firt .. I/inillJ,tor It'a ding thl."' Att ack: Srrike-s-Alllesgain - 4 bonus
level. on snacks against foe you strike.
DistfaCling Ember; 800';t- Fireelementalappears, Lead in g rb e Ch a rge: Sunce-Allies deal ..1
flanks enemv, damage/inilialor level on charge attacks.
Flame-'s Bless ing. Stance-Cain fire resista nce
based on Tumble ranks. 2N D LEVEL
Wind srrtd e Boost-+to-ft. bonus to speed, Desert Burning Brand: Boost-Gain ~5-ft. reach , deal
De\'O Cr usa der's St r ike: 5trike-Succ~ssful anack fire damage.
allows you to heal Id6 .. t/initiuor level Fir e Riposte: Coun ter-Coun ler foe-s .3.113ck wi th
I ron c uard's Clare: Sunce-Enemies l.:Ike - ... fiery rea ch Ihal deals ...db damage.
pe nalty on arracks against }'Our allies, Flashing Su n : Sirike-Gain extra an ack.
Mutial Spi ri t: Srance -e-Heal :! hit poi nts with f lalchling's Fla me: s rrtke-c-Ccae deals 2d6 fire
e-ach successful attack. damage.
Vang uard Strike: gmke-c-Alhes gain +... bonus Devc roehammer- Sirike-Ovt'rcome foe's DR. deal
on attacks agams t target . ..2d6 damage .
Diam Mo ment of Perfec t Mind : Co unter- Use Shield Block: Counler-Granl sh ield bon us ... 4
Conct'l1ll"3lion check in plan' of will save, as ,\C bonus 10 ally.
Sapphire Nightmare Blad e; Stri ke-Opponent Diam Act ion Before Thought: Counter-Use Con-
fl ar-foored , - tde damage with Concen tra tio n ccu trarion check in place of Reflex save.
check. Emerald Razor: Sirike-Turnmelee strike into
Stann' of Clarity: Srance-c-Gain +2 AC again'l touch anack.
one foe, -2 agains t all others. iron Disarm i ng Srrike: Sirike-Wilh successful .1 1tack,
Iron Punishing St ance: Sunce-Allacks deal +ld6 attempt 10 d isarm foe.
dam age, bUI you have - 2 10 AC. Wall of Blad es:Counter-Replace AC with snack
Steel Wind: Strike - ,\uack rwo cppcnems. roll result.
Steely Slrikc: S tr ike_~ bonus on one att ack, Set lIa m ing Defense: Coumer-c-Llse Sense Mouve
enemies gain ..... bonus on attacks agai nst you. . check 10 dodge attack.
Set Co unte r Charge: Counrer-c-Ruin cha rge anacc, Clever Positioning: Srrtke-c-Swep posit ions wuh
force charging foe to move away from you. target of mack.
M ight )·Throw: Sirike-Grab foe, rhrow him up shallow Cloak of Deception: BoosI-Tum Invisible un n]
to 10 ft. rhc end of your tu rn .
Step of the Wi n d: Sunct'--Ignofe d ifficult Dra in Vitality: Strike-Atuck deals a points of
terrain, gam bonus against foes in such rerram. Consurunon damage.
Shadow Ch ild of Shadow: Srance-c-Ycugain concealment shadow Jaunt: Teleport 50 ft. through shadows
as lcog es YOU move. as ~ lanJard action,
Cli ng ing Sh adow Strike; Strike-Foe suffe:"S Slone Mountain H ammer. Strike-s-Deal +2d6 damage.
10'\> ml~s chance on auecks. overcome DR and hard ness.
Island of Blad es : Siance-You and allies flank Stone Vis e: Slrike-Deal ..id s da mage, an ack
all adjacent foe immobilizes creature.
 nger Claw 3 1 the Moon: Smke-. Make Jum p chec k
deal ...2d(. damage.
Rabid \\'"'olfSlrikC': Slrik('--+.f bonus on attack
deal +2d6 damage. - 4 AC for I round .
w h ile Banlc Leader's Charge: Slrlkt' -No attacks uf
opportunitv whil... cba rgmg , deal -tedamage.
Tactical StrikC': Strike-DC'al · 2d6 damage,
adjxenl allies mQ\.T S rUI
3RD LEVEL
Desert Death Mark: Strike -Enem y lakes extra fire
damage and explodes in a fier)' spread.
Fan the Flames : Strike-Ranged roach atta ck
deals 6d6 file damage.
Holoc aust Cloak: Stan ce-c-Anack ers rake 5 fire
da m age.
Zephy r Dance: Cccr uer-c-.." AC against sing le
attack.
Devc Defensive Reb u ke : ~ 1 -FQ('!i you strike musl
arrack you or provoke arrack of opporrunirv,
RC'vilali Ling Smke. Smke-c-Successful attack
allows you 10 heal JJ 6 .. l!in itialOr level
Thid,l·t of BladC's: Stance-c. s· fI. steps provoke
s nac ks from vou.
Diam Insight ful Strik e: Strilu..- Use Conce nrrano n
chec k rc dcrerrmne damage.
Mind O"C'r Body: Cou n rer-c-Use Coacentra ucn
check in place of Fort itude save.
Pear l o(nlack Doubt: Sranc...- Gain +2/\C each
lime foe misses you.
Iron Abso lur e Sll·d Stance: SI3nce-..to-ft. bonus 10
speed .• 2 Ae with movem ent.
Bxorcism o f Steel: Slri kl'-S rrikC' oppo ne nt's
w eapo rt. II de als -4 damage.
Iro n I tea r t Su rge: Remo ve effl'ci. gain ..2 mor ale
bonus on macks.
~ et Devasr arf ng Throw : Srrike Grab fa e, throw
him using leverage. strength.
Feigned Opening: Cou nter-c-As an imm ...diate
act ion, provoke 3n attack, then counter.
Gia nt Kil ling Style: Stene... -+2 bonus on euac ks
and t.f bonus on damage againstlarger fDC's.
Sh adow Assassin's Stance: Stance-Gain sneak au ack
~ 2d6.
Dance of the Spider: Stance-You climb walls
like a spider.
Shadow Garrote: Smke-c-Ranged touch m ack
deals SJ6 pom rs of damage.
Strength Draining Srrtke: Slrik~Your ansck
deals ~ perm s of Srrength damage.
ron... Bonecru..her: StrikC'- Dt"31.,.4d6 d.1m,tge. ..10
bonus o n aluch 10 confir m critic.11 bits .
Crusbing Weight of thl' Mountain: Srancl'-
ConslriCI for 2d6..1-1/2 limes SIr when gr.Ippling.
Roots of che Mountain: Stance-.l0 bonus on
chn:ks 3gJlmi bull rush, tnp .1ndOlhers and g3ln
DR2 -
Stone Dragon'c Fury : Strike-Deal t ~J6 d a magC'
agllnsl objects. co ns t ructs.
Tiger Flesh Ripper: S l rike- FQ("sat uc ksa nd AC h2\~
- 4 penalrv,
Ll·;aping Dragon Siance: Srance--+l0 on Jump
chec ks. always co nsi de red running for jumps.
Soaring Raprcr Strike: Strike-Attack larger tee
from above wi t h ..... bonus. deal ~6 damage.
W'oh'erine Stance: Stance-c-Use any weapons
wh lll' grappled
\\"hile Lion's Roar: Bocs t-c-Defear C'nemy. allies deal
.. s damage.
Tacncs ofrhe Wolf: S lanc~You andallWs deal " I
damage 2 imtiator levels agains t Flanked target
Wh itC' Rave n Tacetcs : Bocs r-c-Al lv's ini tiative
cha nge'S. he C.1n aC I again.
4TH LEVEL
Desert Hresnake : Srrl ke-c-S tream of fire rw ists arou nd
corners.
SC'aring Blad e: BOOH-Alucks dea l ..ld6 fire
darnage » l/ inil ialOr I... ~I
Searing Charge:Slri kl'-f1) while charging,deal
+Sdb fire damage.
Deve J)i"ine Surge: S lri~- Dea l ..sds damage.
Emangling Blad e: S rrik~ Dl'a l "2d6 da mage.
ta rge t has - 2(). jl. pc'nalcy 10 speed.
Diam Hound ing ASS3UIt: Sirik e-Doubl e move and
att ack.
Mlnd Strike: Srnke-c-An ack deals td4 Wisd om
damage.
Rub y Sightmare Blad t': Srnke-c-An ack deals
double damage with succe ssful Ccncemranon
check.
Iron Lightni ng Recon- r y: Counrcr-c-Rerol l an arrack
t h at misses wit h +2 bonus.
M itbral Tornado: Smkc-c-Make attacks agains t
adJac... m fee. +2on each attack .
Set Comet Throw: Srrtke-c-Grab foe,throw him using
leverage, SI reng th .
st etk c of Ih e Broken Sh ield : Srrike-c-Auack
deals +4d,; damage , makes targe t Ilar.foored.
s hadow H and of Death : Sirfke-c-Touch re nde rs foe
paralyzed ior td3 rounds.
Obs curing Shadow Veil: Strike-c-Deal +Sd6
damage and foe h.ls Sll'X. miss cha nce on anacks
for 1 round .
Stone Bonespjirrj n g Strik e: Strike-s-Att ack deals 2
Cons rirurion damage
Boulder Roll: Roosi- Cain +.04 bonu'S on o"'er-
run alte mpts
Ch'en,'helm in g Mountain Strike: Slrike-De3l
..ld6 dJmag.... urget lose'S mo\'C' action.
TIger DC'ath From AbLwe: Strike-Leap into Ihe air,
auKk fDC' from aM-e. deal-4d6 damage.
rounlainofRlood: Boost-Defeat foe. cause f~ar
Ihcnemies
 \'( hue (. owri ngSt rlkc-: Iloo<;I-Evt't)' oppo nen t you
stri ke cannot make s nacks of oppo r m n u y for
3 rounds,
\'('hi tt' Raven Strike: Strike-- Dt'31+ ~d6 damage,
target becomes [lor-footed.
5TH LEVEL
Desert Dragon's Flame: Srrik e-c-Cone deals eds Ere
dam age.
t.eaptng Flame: Counter- Teleport JJ jacC'nt to
fee who sn acks you.
linge r in g Inferno: St rike-Deal +zd6 fire
damage.andtarget rakes Zd6 fire damsge per round
for 3 rounJs
Dl"\"O Dau nt in g Strike ' Srrike-Targe l of anack
beco mes shaken.
Doom Cha rge:Sm kc-c-Charge arrack deals extra
da mage agains t good.joe gain DR 10/ - .
La w Bea rer- Strike- [ka! ..-4d6 damage, -t8 attack
agJin~t cheonc enemy, gain -5 on saves and AC.
R:adi.an t Chngt": Strike-Deal +6d6 Jam:age
against evil foes. g:ain DR 10/- .
Tide of c haos:Sirike- Charge sn ack deals extra
damage against law,grants )"Ou concealment.
Diam Dinupt in g gl ow : Srrtke-c-Successfu l attack
C.lIUSt'S foe to lit- unable to act for I round.
Il earing theAir: SlJnce- Gain blindsense so n,
..5 bon us on Listen checks.
Rap id Cou nter: Co unn-r-c-Srrfke opponent who
provokes arrack from you .
Iron Dancing Bla de Fo rm : Sunce- +S·fl. reach
Juring your turn.
Dazing Strike: Srrikt"- Melee snac k d azes
opponent.
Iron Hea rt FUl'us: Cu ulltt'r- RerolJ S3\1l',
St'l M i r r o r ed Purs uit : Cou nter-Yo u mat ch
opponent's movement .
Sh ifting Defense: Stmce-c-c-fr. slep with each
rntssed snack agai ns t you.
Soaring Throw: Srrtke-c-Crab foe, throw him
using leverage, st rength.
Su lking Sh adow: Ccunter-c- Move int o foe's
space as he t ries to move away fro m you.
Shadow Bloodlerr m g Stri ke: Boos t-Strike dea ls ..
Consu tunon damage.
shadow Stride: Teleport SO fl. th rough shadows
as move act ion.
St ep o f the Dancing ~t oth : Sunce- Igno re
terrai n, walkover liqUid.
Slone Eld er Mountain Hammer: Srrtke-c-Deal s-eds
da mage.overcome DR and ha rdness .
Gia nt's St ance: Srance-c- Deal damage as if you
are one size ca tegory larger.
Mountain Aval ancht: Strike-Gain ahil ity to
trampl.. foes,
TIger Dan cin g :Mon goose: ~t-Ma~o~atr.l;nuu
wah each w~apon (max of rwo extra attacks ),
Pounnn g ella rge: SfrI kc
m ake muluple attacks
While Flan k ing M an eu ver- Strike - Hit flanked !algl't
allit's gJ In free attack .
Press the Advantage: Stance-Move +5 (1.'( '( wnh
5-fl, step, move tnro difficult terrain.
6TH LEVEL
Desert Desert Temptst : Strikt- Attack fees as)'OU mot.
by them.
Fiery Assau lr: Stance-Melee an acks dea l ... IJt>
fire damage.
RingofFirc-: Smke-c-Surround foes ....rirh burn ing
flame.
Devo Aura ofChaos:Stance-Rerollandadd maximum
dam age dice.
Aura o f Perfect Order- Stance-Tren dzo result
as I t.
Aura o £Tr iu mph: Sfance-You and allies he.l14
points wuh each snack against evil
Au ra ofTyranny: Stance- Drain bll pOl nu from
allies.
Ra llying Strike: St rike- Succe ssful at tack
allo ws you to heal3d6 . I/ in iti.:nor 11"\'1"1 In 10
ft . bur st .
Durn Gr('arer Insightful Strike: Sirike-Use double
Conce ntration chec k ro dererrmne damage.
Moment ofAlacrity: Boon -e-Cain - ze bon uvc o
in ilial tve during beule.
Iron Iron He arl Endura nce: IlOO5I-Heal hit pomr
equal to tWOtimes your level.
Mant icore P:arry. Counrer-c-Deflecr attack and
redirect if against oppone nt.
&r Ba lll!';u Throw: Strik e-Th row foe In se-Fr. Hne.
deal ed o d~magl' lo all 10 area.
Scorpio n Pa rry: Counter- Parry attack in to
second opponent.
Shallow GhoSI Bl a d e : St r ike-Ta rg e t becomes
flar-foored.
Shadow Noose : Smke -e-Ranged [ou ch s nack
deals ads damage and mig ht st un flar-foon-d
target .
Sealker in the Sight: St rike-s-Move and anack
whde remaining hidden.
Sto rie Cr ush i ng Vise : Srrtke-c- Deal -.-4d6 damage
attack Immobili zes creatu re.
Iron nones: Slrike-Gain DR 10/adamant iOt'_
Irresistiblt' xtouneatn Srrtke : Strike- Deal
+4d6 damage, target loses standard action.
Tiger Rabid Bear Strike: Strike-Gain +--4 o n attack
deal +loJ6 damage. ---4 AC wirh m ack.
Wolf C li m bs the Mcunra tn: Srrtke-c-Enter
larger foe's space, deal +5d6 damage. gain cover
from foe.
U'h ilt' Order For ged from Chaos: Alhes ITKJ\'t" up 10
their speed du ring your turn.
War l e ader's Charge: Strike-.·o macks of
opponunuy wh ile charg ing, deal -35 damage
7TH LEVEL
Desert Inferno Blad e: Boosr-c-Melee attacks deal .-3d6
f ire damage + 1 miuator 1... \('1.
Salamander Cha rge Str ike-Charge and create
rrailoffire.
Devc Ca st iga ting Str ike : Slrikt'- De31·ad6 da mage
:and trigger 3fC'3 blast
Sh ield Counte r: Couruer-c-Shield bash cancels
fee's ansck.
Diam Avalanche of Blades : Smke-Wllh each attack
thai h ilS. make" ano ther 31!3Ck wi th Increasi ng
pen3 hy
Quick'iikcr M e rte n : ~1-UseSWlfl :KUOO to
complete move acucn.
Iron Fioh,h ing Move: Srrtke-c-Carn extra damage
again~1 weakened foe.
Scych i ng Blade: Boost-Strike- one foe, Iree
attack again~l.molht'ron('
Hyd ra Slaying St r ik e.": Strike-s-Fee IS unable to
UW' full snack action,
Shadow DC'3t h in rhe Dark: Strlkt'-Deal·lSd6 damage-
10 surprised urgel.
Sh adow Blin k : Teleport SO Ir. thrcugb sha dow-
as sw if action.
Sroe e Anctene Mou nlain H ammer: Srrtke-c-Deal
· 12d6 damage.overcome ORand hardn~s.
Co lossus StrikC': Slrikr-Slrike de.1ls .6d6
da mage. knocks opponent backward.
Tiger H am sl ri ng Attack: Srrike-c-A rrack deals Ids
Dexterity da mage. foe's speed has -10 penalty.
Preyon rh e Weak: Srance-c-Ar tack of opponuniry
wuh each Ice th at drops.
Swooping Dragon Strike: Srrike-c-jump over
foe. deal - tode damage, stun.
While Cla rion Ca ll : Roost-If '''011 d rop a fee. all ies
wit hin (,0 fr. ca n make free attack or lake move
acnon.
Swarming Assault: Strike-Allies make fret"
s n acks againsl:l foe you strike.
8TH LEVEL
Desert Risi ng Pho enlx: Srance-c-Hover on colum n of
soper-heated air.
Wyrm's H arn e: Smke-c-Cone offire deals lod6
fire damage.
DC'\'O Gre ater Divi ne Surge: Smke-c-Deal -eds damage,
also gatn +1 on macks and dea l +1d8 damage per
poi nt of Con damage you voluntarijv 13kC'.
Im mortal Forritude: StancC'-You canner die
due 10 hll point damage.
Dtam Dia mond Defense: Counter-Gain save bonus
equal rolevel.
Diam o nd ~ ig h t mare Blade: Srrike-c-Anack
dea ls quadruple damage wnh succ ...ssful Con-
Cenlfa lWn chn:k.
Seance of Alacrh y: $Iance-G:lln extra counter
each rou nd
Iron Ad amantin e IlurriC3n e: Sltl ke- Two an acks
3g:l.InSI each adJaceni foe. +4 bonus on eac h
attack.
Light n ing Throw: Strike--Use melee attack as
a line s nack
Supre m e 8lad.o Parry: Suoce-G.1Iin DR 5 -
~I Fool's St ri ke: Counrer-c-Reflecr foe's attac k.
Ghost ly Defense: Sta nce-c-Enermes hlI target 01
your choice while ~'OU have concealment.
Shadow Bala nce o n the- Sky: Sunce-\'('.3lk on air.
En ervattng Shado w Srrfke: Strike-s-Target of
trtke gatns IJ. neg.1lllvt' levels.
O ne Wi th Sh.ad ow : Coumer-c-Become incor-
pcreal for 1 round
Stone Ada ma n ti ne Bones: Slrikt-G.3in DR
20/.3da.manline.
Ear t h Sir ike Quake: Strih--Local quakeknocks
enemies prone .
St rengt h of Slone: Siance--G.aln rmmumrv to
cnlical hns .
Tiger Giu ll o n Wi nd mill Flesh Rip : Boost-Ga in
ability to rend wuh successful attacks.
Rag ing Mo ngoO!;e: Bocst-c-Make two extra.
attacks wuh each weapon carried (max four
ex tra .3II:1Ck~l.
' ' -'o lf Pack Tac rlcs : Srance-c-Free 5-ft. step with
each successful an ack.
While Swarm Tact ics:SIa.nce-Alliesgain +5 on anacks
agains t enemy aJpcenl to you.
""h ite Rave n H amme r: St rike-DC'3 1 ... 6db
damage, stun opponent.
9TH LEVEL
DeS~'r1Inferno BiaSI: Smke-c-Burst of fire deals 100
of damagl'
poin ts
Devc Strike of Righteous Vitality: Srrfke-c-Successful
snack grmlS ht',,1 spell.
Diam Tim e Stands Sti ll: Srrike-c-Take full attack action
l WO lime s.
Iron Stri ke of Perfect Cla ri ty: Stri ke-s-Deal ·--100
damage on slng lt' .IIII.3Ck.
_ t Tornado Throw: Smke-c-Mcve and [brow foes
repeated ly
Shadow Five -Shadow Cree p ing Ice En ervation Strike;
Strike--Channel shadow in rc Iarget, causi ng hp
damage, abillllY damage, other effec rs.
Stone :o-.to untain Tom bsto ne Strike: Strike-s-Arrack
deals !dfo Consnumcn damage.
Tiger Feral Death Blow: Srrike-c-Leap upon foe. sby
him w irh a vingle strike,
Whilt' ' Var ;o..las ltr's Ch a rge: Str ike-You and a lli e~
ch.arge. no at ucks of oppo nunlllY, deal e X!r.1
Ja.m.3ge, stu n.
 Desert \l:'mJ maneuvers foctl\ on quick
moveme nt and swirling, fbm ing stri kes
The.> sci mn ar, lighl m ace. lighl pick ,
"pear. and falch ion are rhe preferred
"~apons of the Desert \'<'inddiscipline .
The com ple x vpin nmg and dash tng of
rhe curved bla de reccrpcrned in to
m an v Dese rt Wi nd maneuvers an'
10 facI careful lv honed ges tu re~ Ih al
evok e the po wer of fire, if pe rformed
cc rrectlv and with the proper focus.
Tum ble is the- key skill for Desert Wind.
provld mg lhe ml tialorwilhag lht~ and
maneu\"C'rabiIIlY. Desert Wind maeeu-
vers are u~able only by a swcrdsage,
unless you rake the ~tanial Stud y fl"3 f
"ff page It)
BLlSTERll'iC Fl.Ol'R1SH
Desert \'<'md (Strike
Level: Swordsage I
Initiation Action: I standa rd action
Range 30 ft.
Area: 30·fl.-ra d lus burst ce ntered
on vcu
Durar tcn: I minute
Sa ving Throw: For tttud.. nega tes
YourIW<lfX'II ~11 l'l l.lll1to jl.l1nn<ls ~'(IU III'IIi
1X'l lh .l pounsh. )'(lU'<1U"-
II OI'fff\Jllr 111'11.'.
Iht lirt to(\r1oJe \l'lll, a blmJmg p.uh.
U' hen yo u u se this stri ke. you ge n -
e rate a burst of br illiant ligh t. Any
crea tu re other rhan )'O U caugh t in thi s
maneuve r's area must make a Foru rude
sa\'t·( OC II .. your Wis modifier) or be
dazzled for I minute.
Thi s ma neu ver is a supern atu ral
abilir y,
BUR"'' lI'C BLADE
Desert Wind (Boos t) [Fire]
Level; Swordsage I
Initiation Action: I swif action
Range: Per sona l
Target: You
Duration : End of turn
Yo ur blolJt hunri mIl' f1.Jmt IlS II lU'«Pl
11IlI'drJ "'llIT flJt III all dig>!"1 iJre.
A subrle YC t prt'C i ~e Iwisling o f your
blade unlocks Ihe power of Oame.
When you IOltia le rh is ma neuve r fire
lralls i ro m \·our mew "~apon . l-or rh..
I 01 your rurn, your melee anacks
BURl'i II'C BRAI'D
Dese rt \'(Iind (Boosr) [Fire )
Level: Swordsage 2
Initiation Act ion: I swif acncn
Range: Perso nal
Target : You
Du ration: End of tum
\"OllrllY'<1I\.,n hunsforms III/Oil r'OIlrmggoul
ofJJilmt. I\S )'OIl SWill/: Wllr "Ilf/l lllg Malit, Size Spre~d R:IIdius
JI slrrl,lJri Ollt lvYCIIIJ YOl,r ",'rlll..1rt<lcli Sm~1I O[ mailer _";;; feet
Med ium 10 feet
t.:l iCoreh fOllr flJtl
uCle 20 eet
Huge 30 fee t
When you iruuare rh is maneuver, your .c~,&ar'\tu n "0 feet
""C'apon tu rns mID a burning brand Colossal 50 feet
for the resr of your tur n. The bra nd
in creases you r reach by 5 feel, an d your DESERT TEMPEST
melee macks madewith the brand deal Dese rt W ind (Stri ke)
fire damage equal ro ycer normal melee Level: Swcrdsage 6
dama ge. You still gain all th ... normal Pr erequis it e : Two Desert "X'ind
benefi ts from a high Srreog rb score, maneuvers
fears. and orhe r effec ts lh at in crease Initiarion Action: I full-round acuon
you r melee damage. For exa mple, an Ran ge: Personal
arrack wirh a longsword lh at normally Target: You
deals IclS+-4 po ints of slashing damage
would inqead clu l lds+4 poi ms of fire YfIll mt>1't In a bhlY, lellvmg{o,--oreh marks ''I
dam age. You otherwise auac k with yOllr II'<1/:" as )'lJU Ill'lrlart'lI nd tilt b.!ttlt·
your weapon as normal. fit/Ii. jlulIIg 1II1t> )'l"ur fi't's IlS you mOl'C.
Th is m an euver is a su per na t ural
abililY· As parr of this maneuver, rou move
lip 10 your speed. Each ti m e you ex u
DEATH MARK a ~quare adjacent 10 an enemy, you
Desert Wind (Strike) [Fire] can first make a single melee anack
level: Swo rds age 3 against rh ar foe. You can not att ack ~
lntt tar ton Actton : I standa nl action single enemy more rhan onc e wnh rlus
Range: Melee arrack maneuver. Your movement provokes
Targe t : One crea ture macks ofopportunity. as no rmal.
Ar ea: Varia ble spread: see text
Duration: In stantaneous DISTRACTING EMBER
Saving Throw: Reflex hal f: see tex t Desert Wind (Boo st]
Level: Swc rdsagc I
A~ your Il'I'a l"' n SfTlkrs yoUT fot, IIll bod)' Iniriari onAcrion : t swift acticn
,onl'Ursts,U It'iu'I'1ofJLmlr n ln 11t>1I71 your R :IIn ~e: 30 ft .
bldJ.. mto hn OOJr. nil' lift rallW's 'urn 1(/ Effect: Oee summoned fire elemenral
bn eflr glow wilh iJ l>nlll<lnl IlIlernal fiu Duration: End of ru m
b.·fort tlu palfus (fllrlfro", IllS OOJy III <I
ti fTI "'C txplOSIO Ii. A n'ln't of Iital Ul'cef'l Ol'tT tlli artl1.foTms
a small dUll fu ,mtl. ,md 19fIlUs In fo tI<1 1f1
When you use tce ~Irike, you ch.3 nn~1 "txl to your /cot.
o\'etwhdmi ng f.er)' enl'tgy int o th e
bod,- of you r foe. In add Ilion 10 deal · 11u s boost allows you lo conjufC" a ~ mall
ing normal m..lee damage wi rh V OUt li re ..lemental (.\ 1.\1 99 to t b rt'al e n
 your l'nt'my, providi ng you or an ally
with rhe ben efu ofalla nki ng pos itio n.
You ca n USl' this 3bilil Y 10 place th e
elern eru al in an y space w ithin ra ng!.'.
The ele me nta l remains until the end
of your current tur n. It t h rea tens all
c reatures wi t h in us re ach. II ta kes
no actions or at tacks o f oppcr ru nir y
J uring yourrurn.
Th iS maneuver is a superna l ural
ability.
DRAGON'S FLAME
DeSC'n Wind (Slrike) [Fire]
level: swcrdsage S
P rerequisite: Two Desert Wind
maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standa rd action
Range: 30 fr
Area: Cone
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
\1:'1111 aJ..p.ml rNr, you SIIItI1lWII )Ourki,mJ
UIII,"am II, IgnIting 111\'1111 a combllldtJ,m
)"lllir rtIiJ,ld/wt f()(u s,u hl Siilhmgfury.
M a master of [he Desert Wind advances
in his st udies, he learns to stoke raging
fires wnh his ki. This maneuver allows
you to ge ner.lte a goul of fire similar to
a dragon's bu rn ing brea th. Wi th rh is
maneuver, you blast forth a cone of fire
that de als 6<16 points of fire damage to
everything in the area. Creatures in the
area can an empl Reflex saves (DC 15 +
vour w ts modifi er) for halfdam age.
T h is m an euv er is a su pernatu ra l
ahility.
FAN THE FLAMES
Dese rt Wi nd (Stri ke) [Fire]
11'\'1'1: Swcrdsagc 3
I'rerequt stte : One Desert Wind
maneuver
Init iat ion Action: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft.
Target : One-creature
Fli' ktTltlg f1am c dall'N ac ross )"OlI r bla,k
IIl(1I sprlllgi 101l"lfd )"OUT 11ITgt'l as rOI'
swap YOlir m'OnllJIJ'Oligh thi <llf.
A skilled Desert \'('ind adept can garber
flame within his weapon and hurl it
through rhe air. When you initiate th is
mane uver. \IOU launch .:I fist-sized ball
of whue-hot fire al a Sing le opponenf.
If you make-a successful ranged touch 'ron ,Iril't YOI" wt"apon mtc lIu gltlllll,I,
attack, your target takes 6d6 points of Co1111Il1g .t ~JlI t of/iTt 10JL'1 Into III<" aIr. 11"
lire damage. {IttftOIl'i Nck 10 Iht W'\JIIIIJanJ CTt't'J'S aJUl1J
T h is m aneuver is 1 s uper na tural Il k t ,I k"rJVtll, lIty t P lll g Ot'« '(Il IIT Cll t tl'tl"S
abiltry, 111,J rodslmg thrm where tilt}' s1alld.
FIERY ASSAULT when you initiate th is m aneuver, you
Oeser! \'('lI'Id (Stann') [Fire] cause a li ne of fire 10 twis t across an
Level: Swordsage 6 area to bu m you r enemies. This line is
Prerequ is i t e: Two Des en Wind 60 fN- t long. Unlike a sta nda rd line. a
maneuvers fire-make can bend and twis t to bi t your
Init iatio n Act io n : I swift action foes. A fires nake sta rts in an adjac ent
Ran ge; Personal squue. II can move up to 60 fee l each
Ta rget: You round. II can move out of your line
Durarton: Stance of sigh l or line of effect, but you gain
no spec ial knowledge of the areas u
fire dances along )tlur lITml allJ aiFOSS YOUT moves into.
Il'tapon,lindl/lg ltumlllg tncrgy 10 n orry Ifa firesnake moves into a creature's
iIltilck )'O u makt. space, th;at creature rakes 6<16 points of
fire damage, wub a Reflex S3.\,(, (DC H
While you are in rhis sta nce , ever)' ... you r Wis modifier) for halfdamage.
melee arrack you make deals an extra A creature ca n only lake damage from
Id6 points of fire damage. the fire-snake once in a single round.
This stance is a supernatural ability. II ma kes the saving th row and takes
"f damage the first ti me that rbe firesnake
FIRE RIPOSTE touches it. After rhat,a hresnake bas no
Desert Wind (Counter) [Fire] effec t on tha t crea ture.
11'\'1'1: Swordsege 2 A [i resnake mus t move along rbe
Prer e q u is it e: O ne Desert \l' ind grou nd . It canner fl y, and it pays rhe
maneuver standard movement penalties for df f-
Initiat ion Action: 1 immedia te action ficu lt terrain and orhe r effecrs.
Ra n ge: Person al Th is ma neuve r is a supe rna tu ra l
Target: You abi lity.
D uration: Instan taneous
FLAME'S BLESSING
YOll focus lIu pain jrom a wound YOll Desert W ind (Stance) [Fire]
JlfH't jUl l SlI/f at',1 inlo II {an)' U1l11ti!( stfl- l ev el : Swc rdsagc I
1r 0 1l of Trt'eng r. Initiatio n Acnon: I swifr acti on
aangc: Perso na l
W hen a crea ture successfu lly stri kes Target: You
you with a melee or natura l weapon ,you Durat ion : Stance
can use th is maneuver 10 give you rself
th e ability to make an Im mediate melee FlfC lS nol yOIlT ("( Illy, i111t1 it JO(S nol
touch arrack. If your it tack bus. your "ann you.
target takes -kl6 pciruscf fire da mage.
This ma neuver is a supernatural You gai n some resis tance to fire as long
ability. as you remai n in this stance. The amount
of resistan ce is de-te-rm ined by your
FIRES NAKE ran ks in Tumble. Ifyou have reor more
Desert Wind (Slri ke) [Fire] ran ks in Tumble. you gain immunity to
11" '1'1: Swcrdsege 4 fire wh ile you are in this stance.
Prerequisit e: Two Desen \\;'i n d This stance is a supernatural ability.
maneuvers
Initiation Acr ion: I sta ndard action Tumble Ranks Fire Res istance
Range: 60 fl. '·8 5
9 -13 10
Area : Special 14-18 20
Du rati on: Instantan eou s 19. Immun ity
Saving Throw: Reflex half
FLASHIN G SUN
Desert Wind (Slr ike)
Level: Swordsage 2
Pr erequ isit e: One Desert Wind
maneuver
InitiationAetion : I full-rou nd action
Range: Personal
Target : You
A/II1Mf,I "rIlTO!Mul.'r,llton , YOllr shmlng
""Ill.: jlaslll'l uS r(l U allMk II'rlh 1fI111(lS-
sibl.' spud.
Flashing sun allows you to make an
additional melee arrack during Ibi s
round. As pan of Ibis maneuver, you
take- a full arrackaction and make your
normal melee macks, However, youcan
make one addi rional anack this round
II your highest anack bonus . All the
at tacks you make Ih is round. including
rhe exrra aII,Kk granted by ,his maneu- HO LOCAUST CLOAK
ver.ure made with a -2 penally. Desert Wind (Su nce) (Fire]
HATCHLIN G'S FLAME
Desert Wind (St rike [Fire]
Le vel : Swordsage 2
Prere q u ts tr e : One Desert Wind
m an euve r
Initiation Action: t standard action
Ra nge: 30 £1. fin Inuls from )'Our blllJt os )'Ou spm it
Area: Com' llJ,oul, t1tlal:lI1g you III ~llmts thai/tap oul
Duration: Insrmraneous 10"urn Ihos..' 11'110 'Itfack )'011.
Savi ng Th row : Rejlcx h~lf
The flame from your weapon ba ngs
You f,l(us 11 "nrnmg mini of l'urrl:r.lI lIu in midair, providing you with a ficrv
.'Jhl of)'L'llr M'llk II f(lnlls 11 S!.'l'I lll llg SJ'lh'l't defense against your anackers. An
tl1<1l, o!flrr 11 IIIM,u'nl, hunts mto 11 torrr nt adjacent oppone nt that hits you wuh a
of 1'11I'1])'. meleesnack while you are in this stance
rakes 5 points of fire damage. Your hole-
The Desert Wind disciplinl' teach es caust cloak does not harm a crea ture
its sruden rs how to unleash their Id using a reach weapon [0 attack you.
as burn ing energy. Th is maneuver This stance is a supemarural ebtlnv.
allows you to create a wave offire that
sweeps over vour enernl ..s. \'<-' hen you INFERNO BLADE
initiate this maneuver, you blast forth Desert Wind (Boost} [Fire]
a cone of flame that deals 2&6 points Level : Swcrdsage 7
of fire damage. In itiati o n Actio n; 1 swift action
This maneuver is a supernatural Range: Personal
ability. Target : You
Durat ion: End of turn
.... bllllJmg lightJlashl5 {rom YOUTlt'tllpon.
Level: Swordsage 3 IIIIJ fOT II split suollll, it tTolllsfonm 1IIl<'
Prerequis ite : One Desert Wind ollTnmgIIIJgma.
maneuver
Init iation Action: I swift action You convert your b inro fiery energy.
Range: Personal allowing it 10 flow down your arms
Target: You and across vourweapon. Until the end
Durat ion: Stance of your turn. your melee attacks deal
 an ex tra 3d6 poi nts of fire dam age + t
point p~r initiato r 1 ~\,t.J.
T h is maneuve r is a superna tu ral
ability.
INFERNO BLAST
Desert Wind (Strike) [Find
Level : Swcrdsage 9
Pr erequ i s it e : Five Desert Wi nd
maneuvers
In itiat io n Acnon: I full-round action
Ra n ge: 60 ft.
Area : eo-fr-rad tus bu rs t centered
on you
Du r at io n : In stant aneous
Saving Th row: Reflex half
HOI wmds SWirl " AlUI )'Oil . " nJ II Jaml
aroma of brmulollt m"tps olltr llrt artll.
A jIltkrnllg "rllo'" allra surrounJs )"'11
anJ grows III mltludy. shtdJmg tmnen-
,fOil S ht<ll ,m J "ghl. Crc<ltum aroun,I)'Ou
shlfnhlt p.ukfrorn 'lit htat. \n th a hOIl~lllg
rour, )'011 unltll,1t II Iltlllllr ~1,1S 1 offirr 11r.:r1
lilt/is stul <Irhl wllrps d Ollt .
Only true masters of the Desert Wi nd
school are capable of un leasht ng an
inferno bla st. You focus your internal
'-I int o a blinding hot burst of fire
thaI deals 100 poi nt s of fi re dam age to
all cre atures in tilt' area. You are not
h armed by your own inferno blast.
Th is maneuve r is a su pernalu ral
abilit y.
I.EAPIN G FLAME
Desert Wind (Counter) [Teleport]
Level : Swcrdsage 5
Prerequ i sit e : Two Oeser! W ind
maneuvers
Lnirt at ion Action : 1 immedia te action
Range: Perso nal
Target : You
Dur at ion : Instant aneous
A.I rour Jot atl<l( ks )'01', )tlU Jisar rt,tr ili a
hlm t of fl<1 mt <1IlJ slFl"kt. ollly to rt"ppc.:rr
liS If oul oJthlll air IIt l l lo h m l.
You instantly appc-ar in a square adja-
ce m to a creatu re [hat attacks you with
a melee or ra nged aneck. after resolv-
ing the enemy's arrack . You ca n no t
move into a spac C' th ai is occupi ed by
a creature or object. You ca n move
up to 100 feet in th is ma n ner. If you
cannot move adjacent [0 the target. this
ma neuver fails to function but is sul l
consi dere-d used .
T h is maneuve r is a supernalural
ability.
LINGERING INFERNO
Oeser! Wi nd (Stri ke) [Fire]
Level: Swc rdsage 5
Pr e r e q u is ite : Two Oeser! Wind
maneuvers
Init iatio n Action: 1 snndard action
Range: Melee atta ck
Target: O ne creatu re
D urati on: 3 rounds; see text
A blut. J dntil'g flamt appran 0'1 your
wt<1~ n. As you s1Tlkt J0 to r flV. tlus jlll"lt
slides "ff )'OlIr
Iw,,~ n lind (olltn )'Ollr
t lltmy in rilgingjiTt,
You make a single melee attac k th at
deals an extra 2d6 pcimscffi re damage,
In add itio n, if you r sm k... hit s, th e
flames upon you r wea pon bind 10 the
target. whi ch take s an extra 2d f. poi n ts
of fire damage each round at rhe starr
of irs turn for 3 rounds.
This maneuver is a super n atural
abililY·
RING O F FIRE
Oeser! Wind (Srrt ke) (Fire]
Level : Swcrds cge 6
P r ereq uis i te: Two Dese rt W ind
maneuvers
Init iat ion Action: 1 full-rou nd action
Range: Specia l; see t ext
Ar ea: Spec ial; see tex t
Savi n g Th row: Reflex half
You mOI'( ilia /lIlIr. your Irrl lt'rra Uh'd m
jJallllllg t nt rgy. :\.1 )'Ou run. ytrll lel1vt 11
tra il of firt behi"J you. YII II t llClrd r a JIV,
and lilt ri ng of jiTt )'O III(l1I't btlu lld bunts
mtc l1Ft mJirllO tll,1I t llgulJs YOllr rll tm y
,md rwryt hillg rlse in lht arr' l.
As pan ofth is m aneuver, you can mO\'C'
up to two times you r speed along the
grou nd . All of your movement must
be along cont inuous , solid ground.
Youleave a trail offlames in your wake.
Th ese flames have nceffect unless th~
fonn a dosed area. In rbiscase.a raging
inferno erupts within thn area. All crea-
tures within rbe area eke 12d6 poi ntsof
fire damage, wuh a Ikflex save (DC 16 ~
your Wis modifie r for half damage .
The inferno erupts th e first time you
form a clo sed area. You cannot create
multiple areas in one move,
This maneuver is a supernatu ra l
ability.
RISING PHOENIX
Desert Wind 8 (Stance) [Fire]
Level : Swcrdsage 8
Prerequi si te: Three Desert W in d
m aneuvers
In it iat io n Action: I swift actio n
Ra n ge: Person al
Targee: You
Duration: Stance
Hot wm d suoll'il ahour ,ourffit, Ilftmg )'Ou
J:" "llrd liS flamn btgt n 10 fluktr loclow.
A colu mn of superheated air lift s you
tr ue the ai r. While you are in this
stance. you can h over up to 10 feet
above any sol id or liquid surface. You
gain a fl y speed equal to you r land
speed. wilh perfect maneuverabiliry,
but you mu st remain within 10 feet of
the grou nd when you fly.
If you hover in place and make a
full attack. the colum n of air beco mes
superhe ated. dealtng 3d6 poi nts of
fire damage 10 creatures adjacent to or
with in the column. including creatu res
adjacent to your square . You are not
harmed by th is effect.
You can move across shallow pits or
other-such variations in terra in withou t
losing altitude, so long as your move-
men t wouldn't take you more th an to
feet above a solid or liquid surface. If
you are ever more than 10 feet above the
ground (such as if the floor drops out
from under you or you move over rhe
edge of a taUclif{), the rising phoenix
stan ce immed iately ends and )'ou fall
to the ground.
Th is stance is a supernatural ability.
SALAMANDER GHARGE
Desert Wind (Stri ke) [fire]
l eve l: Swords age 7
Pr erequ is it e: Three De sert Wind
maneuvers
I n it iat io n Aetion: I full-roundacrion
Range : Special
Ar e a : One 5-ft square per 5 ft . of
movement
Durat ion: Insta ntaneous; 5 rou nds;
see text 0 )

A balftiNI, S1I1t>rJ'''l,t UIt1 ,bt
ul"",,,,,Jtr ch,,"l' NI""tU~rr I. zil,Z<f1,
poul au ",rt bM)l."<lrJ
lumblt aboul Illi ball/i-
}'Oll Spill allJ
fltld, a wall of rllglllg fl,ltIlt lIl11rb"g
your su ps.
You initiate this maneuver as pan of
a charge attack. As wilb a charge, you
Can move up 10 double your speed and
make a single snack. gaining a ...2 b0-
nus on rbe anack rolland a -2 penalty
to your Armor Class wbilt." you move
an d until vour aext rurn. ljnhke a nor-
malcharge however, vou r salamander
ch arge dol' S not nee d 10 be Inn ~l r:light
li ne ami is nOI Ilnpe dl·\1 by d tfficuh
ter rain, or eve n o t her c rea t ures. You
can change direcnon as much as you
want du ring your rnoveuien r. and you
can also use your lumhlesk ill toavoid
anacks of opportunity or fa move
through opponents' sqU3rt's Juring
the charge .
whC'n you iruriare a salaman-
der charge. a wall of shtmmertng.
spectral fire appears in each of rbe
squ3I'es 3100g rhe path you rake. A
creature standing in rbe wall rakes
6.16 points of fire damage at the be-
ginning of lhal creature's rum. A
creature occupying a square adja-
cent 10 the '\'.111 takes 3.16 points of
fire damage al rhe sian of its rum.
Creatures lhal move Into or through
the wall also fake 6d6 points of fire
damage. The wall lasrs up to S
rounds. You can auromalically
d ispel the wall wnh a wave of
your hand (a swtfr action), and
the wallts automatica lly dispelled
if you tnuure another salamander
charge. The wall does not block line
of sighi or lim' of effect.
This maneuver is a supernatural
ability.
SEARING BLADE
Desert Wind lOoosl) [Fire]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequ isite: Two Desert Wind
maneuvers
I n it iat io n Action: I stand ard
actio n
Range: Personal
Target : You
Duration End of turn
YOllr II't.lpon Ir'll11forllll info II raglllg
fortelll of flilltt, tliIlSII1& flllllt MounJ
yOll 10 raDII d.ghtly {rom III( Irrmeu-
JOllS ht.ll.
You convert your 1.:1 1010 fiery energy,
allowing ir 10 now down your arms
and across your weapon. Until the end
of your turn, your melee attacks deal
an extra 2d6 points cffire damage + 1
point per tnnuror level.
This maneuver is a supemarural
ability.
SEAR ING CHARGE
Dcsen WmJ (Smke) [Fire]
Level: Swcrdsage 4
Pr cre quj s it e: One Deser t W in d
maneuver
Iruttart on Act ion: 1 full round
Ra n ge: Personal
Target : You
Duration : Instantaneous
You nul. Iltrollgll Jilt alT tOIl'LlrJ your tOl'
firr s1rr,HtlIng in \'OIIT Il'olkt.
As pan of Ihis maneuver, you muc r
c h arge an oppo nC'nt. You gain rbe
ability [0 fl y at your base land speed
with perfect maneuverability while
charging. Resolve }'OUr charge enack
normally. On a successful hit , )'OU deal
an extra 5d6 points of fire damage 10
the largr r of your charge.
This maneuver is a supernatural
.1bilily.
WIND STRIDE
Desert Wind (BOOSl'
Level: Swordsage I
Initiar ion Action : 1 S\·v ift action
Ra n ge : Personal
Target: You
Duration : End of rum
A \\,,'011 bru:t swirls about \"011 .u you
1II01't lllt'(llllr IIII'd)'.
The desert wind envelops you and car-
ries you across the bmlcfield. g iv ing
you a bum ofspeed to move around and
through your enemies. Unn l rhe endof
your turn, you gain a +Io-foot enhance-
menr bonus fa your land speed.
WYRM 'S FLAME
Desert Wind (Stri ke) [Fire]
Le vel: Swcrdsage 8
Pre r equt s tre: Three Desert Wi nd
maneuvers
Initiation Aerion : 1 standard action
Ra n ge: so fl.
A rea : Cone
Du ra tion: Insranranecus
Sav ing Throw: Reflex half
YOIl spm )'OUt Mil,lt lit lilt hirlmgJrr. \X"'lllt
fath ttro/utWII, sttllllllg,lamN bllllJ upclrt
its Imgth. \tTltll ,1 fiouri.sJl. you bnng VOUT
bll1lfllo 11 1t.III.l1Oml It 111 j-our fat, dnd
unlil1s11 d rOllnng lIall of Jlame.
 \I a-q ('r.;ot th.- Desert Will.:! an tw irl and
spin rhelt blade wuh such pOoNer that
rhc'Y can ('YOke- 3 grearburstolfire, 'X'hen
~cx«Ul c t hls n13 I\t'~r, )'DUbbst forth
aconectfire thai deals lod(. potmsoffire
d3m3gl' I0 311ln its a1'!'3.Cre31U1'!'Sin the
area ca n att empt a Reflex ~ave (DC 18 .
you r W is rnoJif;er) for halfdamage.
Thi s maneuver is ill s upe m aru ral
ability.
- - - - - - -- - -- - - _QEVOIE.Q....S£lRI
Devoted 5ptril maneuvers focus on AURA OF PERFECT ORDER
ro ug hness. endurance. ripos tes, and
abiluies designed 10 d... fe:ll a specific
ahgnmem . Those who follow the
Devored Spinl discirlihr 5«k to support
a aiUSC' bo,' Jeti-nJing u. nurturing it, and
deslroym g lIS enemies. The falch ion,
grearclub.Icngsword. and maul are the
DeVO[N Spltlt diSCipline's preferred
"~pon '" though nunywho follow th is
school ofb.mlt" embrace wea pons ned
10 the causes th ey follow. lnumidale- is
the key skill for Decored Spirit.
AURA OF CHAOS
Devo ted Spun (Su nce) [Chaos]
Level: Crusader 6
Prercqut stee: Two Devo ted Spi ri l
maneuvers
In it iat io n Act ion: 1 swift acti on
Rang",; Personal
Taeger : You
Du ral io n : Stance
A (MlIstlllmg dum of purp/I' t nerg y sur- AURA OF TRIUMPH
rl1llllds )VIlIII dlrf llS Hlll i rl1ltlJ"11l1 III Ill( Devoted Spirir (Su nce) [Good ]
1Ir(1l IIl1tf1(,III1It1y llrolmJ YO U,
Wh ile you are in th is stance, youl
atta ck s have the porennaltc be utt erly
deva stanng. Wh en rolling dam age for
3 melee arrack. you gain a speci:ll ben-
c:fil from :m y dam age die Ibat ro lls lIS
maximum amoun l (such as illl'suh of
6 on a d6). \'C'hen one or moll' of ~"Our
d.anuge dice show a m2ximum possiblr-
re ull , reroll e3ch such die and 3dd li S
rt'sulr to the original damage IOU!. You
can continue 10 leroll :lStong 35 3 d ie
hO\\'~ il\ m:lximum poss ible- rrsult ,
aJdmgeach new numbel rOlhe damage
(()\21until eac h die h3Sshov..n tess Ihiln
.3 Maumum Il'suh-
ZEPHYR DANCE
Desert WI nd Counter
Le vel: Swo rdsa ge 3
Pee r e q u ts tt e: One Desert \X'md
maneuver
I ntuarion Acti on : t immediate acno n
Range: Pe- rsonal
Target : You
Du ration : Instan taneous; sC'C' text
Devcred Spirit {Stanc t' [Law1
Level : Crusader e
Pre req u i site: Two Devote d SpUII
maneuvers
In it13t io n Actio n : 1 swift act ion
Ra n ge: Personal
Target : You
Du rat ion: Stance
A prrf«t. hll:::ysquarraJgoLkn (r1( 1gy sur-
rtlllllds)'OlI a~ }'Oil min' dm stallCt t"lrJtr
TrlglU SUp""I", dnl mg away Ih( 1l'Iunil
of dlaos.
"Ibis stance a110ws )OU bJ treata pcrenual
d .roh.'sult as an 11. You musrdedde rouse
Ihis ability immediately before rolling
rbe dzu You can use Ihi.s :.bilitvnnce p<'r
rou nd. Usin g thi s abili tv does no t take
an act ion. You simply decide 10 Invoke
it before rolling a d2Q for 3ny reason, CAST IG .~TING STRIKE
suc h as for an atta ck . YW, or check.
l evel : C rus ader 6
l'rc rcqui stte : Two Devoted tipltlt
man euvers
I n itiat io n Actio n : 1 iwift ac tion
Ran ge: Personal
T3Tge15: You and one ally within 10 II.
n cran cn: Sunce
rOll ' ''I1" " rl lll( J'l'U'tTof~ IIlrtlll/:" l'Pllr
""'I•.,m J SImi, mfllsmg t1'"l1n'a artlllllJ }'Oll
II'llh.J sofl, ~trl radt.ln:t. \'nl h Nch l>ioll'
\'l'U slnk"l1~lIl,1 tl'lI, \VII f....l lflVI).'Pru l...l Sll IIt"1 thrtlugh Ih05t who sll1 nd l1g.lInll
arid Jnl'l:'n Olllt'Md"
While you are in Ihis sunCE", you an d
3ny ally wilhin 10 fl."t't ofyou bOlh h,':.1
4 poinlSo( damage with C':Ich succes~·
(ul me-let" attack t'llba 01 \'OU makC'..
ag;na~t a n e\"11 ta TgeI.
\ "lllprngrnu.hIIlylIllal'{romll 'sallolck
lI.Jm"hni: Ilkt IlltdNtI1 :rphrrfllCini: IltJ'On
Ihr i<IIl JI" YOlir tnrmy's bJaJt oorrlyIOlldlN
you r clook III rL'llllTml,ly JoJgt I1lllk
Yo u gain :. + ~ dodge bonus to AC
ag:ain st a stng le enack. YOU C2n choose
to usc Ih is maneuver after an opponent
resolves his :'IUCK bu t before he deter
mines damage.
AURA OF T'iRANl'Y
Devoted Spim jSI2nce (Evil]
l e ve l: Crusader 6
P re r equfsf re: Two Dev oted Spiri t
maneuvers
lnitiat io n Action : 1 swtf actio n
Range : Personal
Target: You
Durati on: Stance
A !leidy gray I'l1JUlrlU SIIITOllltJS "'11, wp-
f'lng II... SIR"Ilgt h of10IIr alJln andfu .l.lnlllg
II to YlI U.
~ 'h ilc you are in rb ts stance. you drain
hit points from your allies. At the end of
yourturn, you C:In choose to dC'3.12 poi nrs
of damage to each wi lling ally wit hin 10
feer. Fcreachallvwho lakes this damage,
you heal I poinr ofdamage.
Devoted Sp iri t (Slri ke)
Le ve l: Crusader 7
Pre r eq uisite: Two Devoted Spi r it
m aneuvers
Lnitf ar io n Action: I standard action
l\:I n ~c : Melee aneck
Target: One creature
Area: 3D-ft.-radius burst; see te xt
D u ra t to n : 1 minute
SOlvi n g T h ro w: Foranude pania\;
see lex I
w illi ,1 h.' Il'i mg f..:r ll lt cry, )Vllr II'r llf'On
(fl1eklts u'll" ""erg)'. As )'011 slnkr rOllr
f~ 111111 trltrgy dtt,m altl III l1' burs I Ihal
l 'llut ,aUK.
When roo use th is strike, nuke a single
mel« :.IIack. If you hil 'YOUr opponc nl
~nd his alignment ba~ af lea$l on.:
compontnl dilTerenl from \'DlI~, J bla.\t
01 dt\'t1lC' energy orig im re5 from you r
 aU.:al k, roml Of ,mp;lCI, InC' l.:arg!.'fof this
rrtke rakevan l'xlra&J6potnlsofd.:anugl.'
and muct succeed un .:I Form ude save
{DC 17.. yourC ha modlfll'r)o rla ke e-z
pt'nah y on an ack rolls for I m inute.
A ll o f your upponents wu hr n a 30-
foot-radius burst of rbe target creature
mu st also succ eed on a Fortitude save.
Those who fail lake ~d6 points of
dam age and rake a -2 penalty on auack
rolls for I mmure A successful save
results In halfdamage and negates the
attack pt'nahy,
CR GSADER 'S S TRIKE
Devoted SPllU (Sm kl.'
Le ve l: Crusader 1
I n iriation Acnon I ~randanl action
Range: ~ll" lC"C" euack
Targer : Onto (((".:IIUn:'
[)wm( cntrgl. i111TOUJ1Js lwr It,."I'"''' as"'II
llrlkt. r1m J'llU'tr ll'tllh.-s Ol'tr YOII .a YiJur
ItN f"'n ~nJs ,Is "~ I,*, mrnJlIlg ~Vllrtl'Oll7lJI
.:Iml g'll'mg }\lll IIlr Ilmlgll, fofiglll on,
As pan of inuuung IhlS smke. you
must make 3 successful melee attack
aga i n ~ t an en l'my whose Jlignment hJS
atleasr one co mponl'nf dufcrcm from
yours. This lee must pose 01 threat 10you
or your alltes in some drrecr.immediate
way. If your attack hns. you or an ally
w ithin 10 feer of )'OU heals 10(. poin te
of dam age of I point pt'r in itiator level
(max imu m +st
DAUNTING STRIKE
Devoled Spiril (Strik...)
level: Crusade r S
Prerequl !iite: One Devo led Spirit
mant'U\'er
Initiat ion Actio n : t standard acti on
Range : ~l el fi" mack
Targer : One crt'3lure
Sa\'ingThrow: \lC'i11negal~s
Durat ion : 1 minult'
You ",tMk lIT f{lt wIlII.m ot'tT1I'hdmmg
sl nkt,llJlIllllrr lllg Ihrt'I'gh 11I1111ItlJ ,md
lI ml or 10c!tlll't 11110Ius~tj.h . TIllj.,fllrl.lyof
rllw ptlll'trtaIH.. j 111m 10 slumh/r b.u lm1oJnl.
fror III IllS errs.
A.s part of thi s mantu\'l"r, you make
a mel~ allack against an opponent
\"Ou Ih rrall"n If Ihis aruck h m. \'Our
1,,- m usl make a Wi ll save w ilh a DC
equal 10 ,hi' dermge you deal or become
sha ke n for I mmute.
DEFENSIV E REBUKE
Devot ed Spirit (Boos t)
l evel : Crusade r 3
Pr erequi s it e: One Devoted Spi rit
maneuver
l ninarion Acrio n : I swif'aetion
Range: Personal
Target : You
Du ration: t round
You m'«J' )'OlIr lI'taJ"'" III a It'I,lt, Jtddh·
err, \'(1.....1 your blow'S sinkt ',,'m r, \'011 W'IlJ
\l'urf\lt tlllll"'mgboJd: olll ht Jrftnlll'l'. llt
musl dtal wllh )'(1U ~rs l, or lraw IllIIU'oJ(
opm 10 \'\JurJrd,Ur coultft r.
Defensive rebuke allows you 10 excel
ar controlling the banlefield around
vou, Your enemies must pay heed ro
the threat you pose.If Ihl"y ignore you
in favor ofarracking orher target s, you
rake advan tage of rheir lapses with a
punishing counrerarrack.
Each enemy you strike after you
Ininaee this maneuver becomes vulner-
able to your fu rther attacks. If such an
nppo neru auacks anyon ... other th an
you in ffit' lt:"t" for the duraucn of the
maneuver, th at at tack provokes an
anack of opponuntry from you (each
sepa rale J I rack alargel makes provokes
an 3IIacKof opporrunitv, making this
boost especially leth al if yo u haw
Co mba t Reflexes). Ent'm il"s you strikt-
become aware of Ihe consequences of
the maneuwr.
DIVIN E SU RGE
De\'Oled Spirit {Strike}
l evel : Crusader-l
Prereq uis ir e: One De\'ol~d Spiri l
maneuver
In it iat io n Acrio n : 1 srandard action
Range: ).lelee JIIack
Target: One CrealUR'
Yourl>o.Iy l ll~k~s mJ if'llml as ullftlltrtJ
JlVani iIItrgy CtlllrstS "lrouglJ II. f Ilii
p"lI'ir sf'lrks off J'llur1l'l'''J''''' ~n,1 COllfS('1
11110 your fllt, dtllllll,lllI1g )'!lllr (nOlIY but EI'o.'TANG U " G Bl.i\DE
1.-al'lIlg )VII Jmi",,·J.
As pan of this ma neuv~r. you maKe a
single ml'l~ 3flack tha i deals an el(lra
&is poi nts of damage.
DI INF Sl RGE . GREATER
Devoted Spirn (Stri kt·)
Level: Crusade r 8
Prcr cqu isit e : Two Devoted Sp ir it
maneuvers
I nit lar ion Action: 1 full-rou nd acnon
Range: Melee auack
Target: One crea ture
Durati o n: I round; se~ tex t
A lorrrnl of JlI'lIlr rnrrgf COllrst1lhrough
\'Oil , w'llh SlIpumt forr.- of 11'111, l'llU chan-
IItl lIlt t ll( rg\" nllo a Jrl\ulalml! alla.k
M'tll al II w~ rollr morlal form_
As pUt of Ihls maneuver, }'OU make :I
slh~le melee attack rb at deals an ex tra
nds pomts of damage, In addtucn
before making this melee anack, you
can also de cide 10 rake :II number of
perms of Constituncn damage equal
to your inuiarcr level or lower. For
e:IICh pomr of Constitu tion da mag e
you lake , you gain a +1 bo nus on you r
anack roll and deal an ex tra 2ds polm"
ofdamage. Afteru'ting th rs ma n euver.
you are considered Ilar-foored unu l the
beginmng of your nex t turn.
DOOM CHARGE
Devoted Spiri t (Slrike) {Evil)
Class: Crusader 5
Prerequ isfte: One Devoted Spirit
maneuver, ev il alignment
Intr tarton Acnon: t full-rou nd action
Range: Melee at tack
Tar,l:.el : One Cle:lIUre
Uur:ll ion: I ro und
r Oil dOll~ youfj.t'lf III a MoJtk. ffrnMr allTil
of(o nl,'lI1 r ' ,anJ ll,rlt .
You musl make a chuge allack as p3rt
ofIhis manl'U\W. Ifyour targt"t is good-
aligned, ~"Ouratfack deals an ex tra 6<16
points of damage_In addi tion. if your
charge anacK hits and the target IS
good-aligned , you become \\·fC'.:Ilhed
in unholy energy. You gai n da m.:lge
reduCllon loj -unlil the begmningof
your n... xt IUm.
De\'Oled Spirit {Strike)
I t\,t'I: Crusader -I
Prerequ is it e: O ne Devote d Spiril
maneu''I'r
In it iat ion Action: I standard acrion
Range: Melee arrack Initiatio n Action: I swifr acncn lon g as you remain In rlns sl:1.nCC'
Target : One crea ture Range: Personal you can not be killed or incapacitated
Du ration: Sec- text Ta rget: You by effec rs or arracks Ih~t red uct' you to
Durat ion: Stance o or fewer hit points. If you take suc h
y(lll h.ukmf(l )Uurfix'sltgS.farrmg lus m Ol.' t- damage, you can make a Fortitude savt
IIltllllo Sllll\' llllJ hl! rtsO!Ullllll lll {,IfIn with a DC equal to your negauve h it
point tot al, If you fail this save, you the-
As p an of thi s maneuver. you or fallunccnsct ous (as appropriat e,. If
ma ke a melee attack agamst an this save is successful. you are snll
op ponent . Your anack dea ls an alive and conscious, with I hu
ext ra 2d 6 POints of da mage. pci nr remai ni ng,
In add mon. if your arrack This stance provides no
hits, you r urgel\ speed 1S pro tec t rcn against effecr,
reduced by 10 feel until rhar sl:ay yo u without deal-
rhe end of ItS ne xt turn, ing h il point damage. or
whi ch mi ghr pH'VC'nt it o rher effects that pe l rify,
from movi ng e nnrelv, par alyze, and so forth. You
This pe n3lty applies 10 can still be slain by a coup
311 m ovement moot's. de grace if a spe ll or effe ct
A flyin g creature wi th a renders you helpless.
fly speed of0 feer falls 10 Aftl"fYOU anemprthree
the ground (and takes saving rhrcws to aVOId
falling dam age appropri- deab or u nco nsciousness.
alely) ifit is subject to Ib is rhts stance' auto m alically
effect wh ile in the air, ends. You ca n acnvate
Ir ag ain on you r turn as
FOEHAM MER normal. Even the roughest
De"OII"JSpirit (Strtke] crusader ca n endure on ly so
l evel; Crusader 2 much pu ni shment.
Initiat ion Action:
sranda rd actio n IRON GUARD 'S
Range: ~tel«, anack GLARE
Target : O ne crea ture Devoted Spiril (Stance)
Level. Crusader t
VOlir Ihr ol\' fOundf btll ltlJ Ln irtar ion Au ion: I swift
lVllr attack, ImJIlIg jeur blow action
111(11 grrlll lI' t,~1J1 an J foret Range: Personal
lila I )'l'u lt<lw IIIJI4rtt SIhall' L't'tl Tnrg er: You
nlllgwd J,-fro st s catUlol Flun,1. Durat ion; Stance

Your devot ion ro vou r cause gives t'.Ulll /M f~o..~ .uWU;;". \t'dh a qUl!Rmarland aglaIl IJwf would
you boundless ...nergy t h ~t allows ,. tr·.s.>J" of .\/"","". n " t PfUI s1"pll Chargi ng NrNIlan In 'Ul hucks. ~u
,. r~'1 . .r.rJ Jtf~SCI
you to s mas h through supernal ural Sp"'ll oIn oppont1'lfs alfo1dc. Ro1tht r tho1 11
def... nse s. W h ...n you b nd an arrack. slnlrt lus ttrl/l:lI1allolrp'f, )"l'ur tnrmy turns
l)(srJl t: 1ht !I(1m,IU n a.llds rou suJ(.,..I'1l
you b it w it h such forc ... tha t damage hiS at ltnhon f"u'l1rJ }'OIl-
p,uh of J(anll/l: lpdls. .lIld lilt cr,1I1! o{ 01
reducuon offe rs li tt le res is tance
{(I(', rrllgh fy aUMb. ,'flU sIJ II,1 rt"lolult on
against you. Whik }tJLI aft' in thisscree, anyopponcnt
Ih,· fitlJ. So loug "lilu rolt nllll!{" rl 'ld ory
When you use rhi s maneuver, you rhat you threaten ukes :1-4 p..-nalty on
L'l td s, \'011 fig"! en ,
make a melee arrack against asingle foe. anack rollsagainst your allies.This pt.-n-
This attack auromanca llv overcomes alrydoes not apply 10 anscks madeagaimt
neath has lill ie memi ng 10 you in
rhe opponent's damage red uction and you. Enemies you threaten become awal'['
light of rh ... cause you figh t fo r. So
deals an extra 2d6 points of damage. of the coJlSt'quences of the stance.
foeg as the m ission srands be fore you
uncom plete d, or a ba t t]... remains i n
IMMORTAL FORTITUDE LAW BEARER
doubt, yo u fighl on. Stories abou nd
Devoted Spirit (Suinc e) Devoted Spirit Strike [law]
of crusad ers wh o while in rh ... gnps
level: Crusader 8 class: Crusader 5
of this stance, fought for days on end
Prerequis it e: Three De vot ed Spi rit Prerequistre: On... Devoted Spirtl
10 hold a mountain pass agai nst orcs,
mane uvers maneuver, lawfu l alignment
n olls and oth er fil nJs.
 r n ntanon Act ion: 1 full-round acnon
Ran jtt': Mcll'r aluck
Iurger : One creature
Du rat ion: I round
Tlu au 'HOllll,1 rou hums II'Jlh ,ounl(
i ntrgr .U Ill( II(IWtr of pllre /all' swrgts
' " roll':" vou. I(lr ,I tn ',"tnl. \'Ill' 'ak,.(On
lilt .Hptrl 01 " l'aft"C' Ivllll'l ,II "{lil tha'll"
f.Jn''lJrd 10 smllt your!
You must make a charge attack as pan
of rhrs maneuver, It rhe largt'l Is cba-
one-aligned. you g,lln a +8 bonus on
your auack III addincn to IhC' charge
bonus and vour eueck deals an extra
. d 6 perms of J3magC' In addmcn. If
ur cbarge attack bus and rhe t:llgt"[ IS
chaonc-ahgned. rou become wrtJlht'J
III axicmaric I"nrrgy 'Iou g:un a ..5
bonus on S.t\TS and 10 I\C unnl rhe
be ginni ng of your next turn.
MARTIAL SPIRIT
Devoted Spirit rStance
Level : Crusader 1
Init iat ion Act io n : 1 SWI(t action
Range: Personal
Target: You
ljuranon : Sn nce
A I )'011d(,w!' IIlf<lugll rollrfMl, "oUII frro-
(Ious MIliCI.: toll tlllIk( ltllJs 1lJt:'or 1I11,~
s1 rm~ l h to YOIl an,/ ttlllr "III N.
\,<'hile yo u art" in Ihis sta nce, you or
:tn ally wit hi n 30 fet"t heal... 2 points
of d:tm agt' {'3 d l li me yo u make a
suc cessfu l ml·lr l' 31uck, T hiS heal-
In g re pr('se fl(~ th e vigor, drive, and
lOug h nl." ~5 you inspir(' in olh~' rs. Your
co nnC'Cllon to Ihe dlVlO~ caU~t'S such
in sp Iration 10 have 3 re:tl, ungible
('1(rcI on your allies' heahh.
Eac h l ime you hi! 3n opponem
In m ~ le c , you can choo~c- a J ifferenl
recipient wilh in ra.ng~ 10 recriv~ Ihis
h~3 ling .
RADI.~"'T CHARGE
DevOIc-d SPltl t tSmkC' [Good]
class: Crusad..r 5
Prr-tequisite: Onr- De\'OIeJ Spiru
m3neU\'C'r good alignmC'nl
I n iriat ion Action: t fulhound KtlOn
Ran ge: ~t elu atl;lck
TargC't : One crealu rC'
J)uralion: t round
You 1:'IIIIJrr Ill, pcltl r of II' 'llIIJ ,m,1
,11~'r1lt1r, 'Ilrrr Jm,fJ '1~ )'Our If III ,111 ,Iurd
tlfl'lll1,hu.'! glmy
You must make 3 cha rge arrack as pari
of Ih is maneuver. If rhe largl' l is evi]-
aligned, your mack deal ..an extra N:l6
pomfS of daeuge. In adduton. if your
charge auack hilS and the rarger I S
C'vil-alignN, vou become wrratheJ m
holy energ)', You gai n dam;tge redoc-
non 10/- uru l rhe ~ginningof your
next turn.
RALLYING STRIKE
Devoted Spinl (Sm ke)
Level: Crusader f>
Preeequsstte: Two Devoted Spirit
maneuvers
lntrtarton Action I standard ecucn
Range: ~tele .. mack
Target: One creature
Yllllr l \\'~f"J 11 bla;o Will, dll'l llt' ,'Iltrgr
IH YOII smil( ytl!Jr (PI(III,.. Til.. mag" JIl-
dlarg.:s III a gr,'l1l plllst, 'll'((PIIl~ ot't'r YOllt
allus all.! mrtlLlmg lla,',r n'<'lIll,k
As pa n of m illaling Ih is strtke, you
must make a successful melee attack
against an enemy "hose ahgnmeru has
ct Ieasr one co mpo nen t di lf('(l'nt from
yours, ThiS foe rnusr PO-;I':t thrcar tc you
or your allies in some din.-CI, imml,Ji·
ale way. If yom ~ llac k hil ~, you anJ ;Ill
allies within jl} feet of yuu hea l jJ6
points of damagr + I JXl!nl per inil latllr
le\'el lmaximum +15).
REVITALIZING STRIKE
Devol t'd Sp irit (Slrike)
le\'el : Crusadl."r j
Prerequisite: On(' Devo ll'd Sp lri l
m3nC'U\-'t'r
Initiarion .-\ct ion I standard aelion
Range: 1h·I('l' JlUck
Targec: One creature
As lllU r<'o.lr rlUk 10 slrlkt "our jOt, ,111
aUn3 of Jit'IIU (IIlrgr ~Urn:llHlJ\ }'Oil. As
)"l'IU "",kk IJ"'/li hO/ll(, 11m ,turu .Iu-
siralfs III ,I nash, kmlhng \'(Illr It'OUII,h
ilS II dlS(har!l(l.
As pan ofintuati r.gIhlSSlnkt', you mUH
ma~ a succe-ssful melt"t" attack 3g.un~1
an enc.'my~tull'whOSl.' align~nt ha..~
at leilSl one comroncn! diffl'rl'lll from
curs Thl~ (01.' must plX(' a rhrear 10 \'OU
or \'OUr allies i n somedirect, im media l!'
wa)', If vour att ack hns. vou o r an allv
wi thin 10 fee r of VOU beals 3d6 pouus
of darnege-. 1 point per iruuar or level
(maximum +10).
SHIELD BLOCK
Devoted Spi ru (Counl C'r)
Level . Crusader 2
Initiation Action: t immediare action
R:angr-: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Ins rantanecus
\\ lIlt o.f Ittrou "Ilrst of <'lfort, ~11 tllru fl
l'llUt duflJ bthl'(tll )'Owr Jdtnsnt1\ ~ lI r
lI11d ) 't'Urtllffl1.r,
As an immedrate act ion, you ca n
grant an AC bonus (0 an adjacent allv
equal to your shield's AC bonus + 4
\ '00 aprl\' this bonus 10 respon~t' 10
a ~lIlglC' melee or ranged arrack Ih at
targets vou r ally, You can in iriare Ihis
maneuver after an cppcnenr mak('~ hIS
arrack roll , bUI you must do so before
vou know whether rhe anack was a
success or a failure,
SHIELD COUNTER
Devoted Spirir (Counter)
level: Crusader 7
Prerequisi te : Two DeVOlI'd Spir it
man("t1v,'rs
Initialion Action: t immedia[eacrion
Range: Md("e allac k
Target : One crea lure
As 1'0111" 0PI'0nrlll prCp"r(l 10 "l<lll( 11U
fl,ul.:, )'Pli boll" IIIIIl with \lJur sllld,' 'lIld
<1
alUllpllllSdllflllpl .
As an ImmediillC' aCllon, you can
allempi a shield bash agamst an oppo--
nl'OI you threaten. This :mack is m3dt"
wlIh a-2 penahy. lf )'our§hield :H1 JCk
hi lS,)'ou r targel 's nex t atl:lck 3UlOma[j·
cally mislot's.
You c.an use Ihis rn.a neuver tm m.....
JialC'ly aftC'r3n opponenl Jcclu es an
alt3ck. bUI \'00 musl do so before' Ihe
allack § tl."§uh has been d~ l e rm i n l.J.
STRIKE OF RIGHTEOUS
VITAUn·
Dr-voted Spiri l (Stri ke
le\'C'!: Crusader 9
 Pre re qui s it e : Th ree Devoted Spiril
maneuvers
tn u tario n Act ion : I standard act ion
Ra nge: Melee attack
Ta rget: On e creature
,0\\ )1.lllr(II<'my ruJ sJmlll \'O llr llllglll), rIoII'.
.111 ,rlh' rlt'arby IS 'Imlll f<J llr(lu~y Il(altJ
.:m,l cJrallstd oJ lIs ....'ullll, h Iht J'l'wt"r
ollt'tur {IIi/h.
W hen you m ake rhts strike, you 01
one allr within 10 fl'et ofyou gains the
benefit of a h(,d spell cast as a cleric oi
vour cha ract er level To gain the ben-
efit I this m aneuver. rou must srnkc
an enemy cre ature whose alignrnent
has at least one component drfferem
(rom vours. Th is £01" must POS\" a th reat
to you or you r allies in some direct.
Immediate " '2 )'.
THICKET OF BLADES
n~ red Spiril (Sunce
Level: Crusader 3
Pre r equ is ite: O ne Devoted Spi rit
m an euver
In it iat ion Act io n : 1 swi rl act ion
Ra n ge: Personal
Target; You
Durar ion: stance
rOil mullllam a (llrrlul gu.ml u' )tIll starrh
for .::n)'guf'S III vouronunml'i ult'art'rl('Ss.
[viIIllu s1lgllkll mOll( prot\llw.:l sllllglnj.!
(ounlir from you.
\X'h ile you art' m this sta nce. any
0rponenl vou threaten Ihar ra kes any
son of movemem. including a s·foo[
~tep, PfO\'OKeS an alue.k ofoppon ur utv
fro m you, 'lour foes provoke Ih lS ansck
be-fore leavi ng the area you th reaten.
Your opponents also canne r me rhe
wirhdraw acno n PH H 3 10 treat I~
squa re Ih t'V stan In as no lenger threar-
erred bv vee.
TIDE OF CHAOS
Devoted Spirit Strike) [Chaos]
Class: Crusader 5
P rerequts tte: O m' Devoted Spirit
maneuver, chaonc align ment
InitiationAcrion: I full-round action
Ra ngl'; Melee m ack
Targl·t: One creature
Duranon : t round
Tllt I~,u'(rof( ham: SWIrlS kll\llmJ \"11, ltnd·
II1g slYt'llgtll llJ ycrur ull.ulu as l"l1 c.:Isl YOlir
(aIr ' " III( wIllms '-'fl uck.
You m u st m ake a c harge arrack :IS
pari of Ihlli maneuver. If tilt- target 1~
lawful-ahgned. you gun a"' S bon us o n
you r arI¥k (in add ilion to rbe charge
bo nus amI vour anack deals an extra
.wt. perms of damage. In addition If
r charge anack hns and the target
~ bwfuhligncd )"OU become wreathed
m anarchic energy \ou gain rota
nu..a lmenr gamS! all snacks th
 rar!!l I von until the begtnrnng of "our
nex r rum
\Al'G UARD STRIKE
Devot ed Spiril (Sm ke)
level : Crusader 1
Init i:n io n Acrion I -uedard action
Diamond M ind maneuvers allow ;1
warrior to use her cunning, intellect,
and (~I for the battlefield again ~1 her
enemies Time seems 10 flow slower 10
a Diamond Mind inmate . The ba stard
sword (or kauna), rapier, shor rspear.
and Iridt'nr art' this di scipline's favored
Wt'3 pom. Concen tration is II1C' Diamond
~tind dtsctpltne's ktoy sk ill
ACTION BEFORE THO UGHT
Diamond Mind (Counter
Level. swcrdsage 2, warblade 2
Iniri .ation Action: I tmmediare actiCIn
Range: Perso na l
Targ... t : You
Your suprm u Sinuo of lIlt battlt fulJ,
ImmiJldtr,l rrlartliJllrammg. and slmplr,
mhllh t't Imsr of da"!:fT allolt' YOIl f('l <HI
fiJslrr '''iJll Ilu sp~rJ of Ihoughl. wll rll II
s1'.-I1o r ol h ~r aJ/ad1 sfn kn yO ll, }'ou movt'
iJ Srl lfl((O f"l btfor( )"U 1ITt' rw n ,ltl'iJr( of
IIII' 'hrrllf.
You r mind is a keenly honed weapon.
O ther warriors rei)' on their ph ysica l
talents. You know that a mix of me nta l
acu iry and ma rt ial training, along with a
strong swo rd arm, is an unbeatablecom-
bin:nion.Th is maneuve repiromizesyour
approach. Your mtnd, rather th ;lh )'OUr
raw reflexes, dictates your defen ses.
You can use this maneuver-any time
you would be required to make a Reflex
53\l.'. RollaConcentrationcheck insTead
of Ihe ReO",:.: §,ave and use the resuh of
(hat check fO de rennint" the save's sue-
c~s. You mu-~I u~ th is maflt"t1wrbrfOll'
rou rolllh.. Reflex save. A result of;]
na lura)I on yourConct"ntt:lfion ch ec k
is noc: an aUlomafic {adure.
AVALAl'CHE OF BLADES
Diamond ,'-lind (Stri kt')
l e \·r!: Sworosage 7. warbbde 7
Prerequ i..it e: Three Diamond Mind
ma ruou\'~' n
l n u iat io n Act ion : I full-round aetion
Rang(': Mt'1et' :lll:ll k
Target: One creature
YOll b.!Uir .lIlde )'our (r.·1 J~fwws wrf ll iJ
l'I(I OU'i, o l'tT w h rlllllfl j:" ,IIfoJI'k, 1(11 VIII!:" 111m
1'1I1ninlbl t to your..U,~s' M(lII'S.
Range: Melee snack
Ta rget : O ne creature
In a jlaJ'lIlg blilr of 11«1, t'll u ImJiil~l, a
of
Jrn:fl JiJllIIg wilt)' Ji'l.lly lIJflUiu al:oI'll sl
)1lllr t,,,'my, \ lri~ lIl!i! II ,lgLlm 1II1d i1gtl lfl.
You lash at an opponenr.H vcur anack
hit s, you rt'pea t the same anack again
and again at ne;rly superhuman speed,
allowing you to score multiple hu s in a
blur of acnvi tv, Unforl un:u rly, as soon
as an attack mi sses, you r tem po breaks,
and this delic ate maneuver cru mbles
t nro a flurry of wasted mot ion .
As pari of thi s maneuver, you make a
single meleeartack agatns t an oppo nenl.
If rhar arrack hts. resolve "our d am age
as norma l. You can then m ake ancrhor
attack against that fOt' wirh a - 4 penalty
on you r att ack roll, If Ihal atta ck h its,
you can make anofher an ack agains r rhal
opponenl w ith a - 8 JX'nalr y. Vou ron-
tin ue to make additi on al at tacks, each
one wuhan additional -4 pe nalt y, um i]
you mi ssor youroppon... nt is reduced 10
- I hit polmsorfewer. You must direct
all these atta ck s at a si ng le foe.
BO UNDING ASSAULT
Diam ond Mind (Slrike)
Level : Sword sage 4, warbladc 4
Prerequisite: Two Diam ond Mind
m aneuvers
lnitialion Action: I full-round 3Clion
Range: Me1t't' alU ck
Target: O ne crealure
Y(lil ~P rJ ug Ll(ft)SI lilt r.il "( fi rM , It
[« IlS afl" iJbllrly todel ql/l(l:!y 10 mako'all
alt dt-k wlult flI 0l"flg.
You co mbi ne sj:t-N and po wrr Into a
deadlycombinalion. wilh rhis m aneu·
ver. you move across th e balliefieid in
a blur, pau sing only 10 deli vt.'f a f...ro-
cious att ack.
As part oi this m an ('uv er , make I
double mow . After you move , you can
As parr of ,hIS maneuver, you mak J
melee arrack agai nst an opponenr you
threaten If this allack hi ls all your
alllC'S gain a -+4 bonus on ranged and
melec auacks against Iha l targcr u nnl
rbe Slat! of your next rurn.
DIAMOND DEFEl'SE
Dia mond Min d {Counter
Level: Swordsage 8, warblade 8
Init ial ion Action: 1 immediate xnOll
Range: Personal
Tu gt't : \ '00
Y(lU sl(r! ' llll rSilf agal1lsJ all 0P~lI fl1 t s
sptll, drall'lIIg all )'Pu r focus alld trall1m~
/0 Ol't'((o m( lis rffrel.
You can in itiate this m2tli"UWrany time
you would be required 10 make 3 savmg
rhrow, You ga in a bonus on that save
equal 10 your initiator level. You must
use this maneuver be fore you roll she
savi ng rbrow.
DIAMOND NIGHTMAR E
BLADE
Diam ond Min d (Stri ke)
Leve l: Swc rds agc 8, warblade 8
Prerequ is it e: Three Diamond Min d
man eu vers
I n it iat io n Action: 1 sta nd ard action
Range: Mdre attac k
Target : O ne crea ru re
YOII lpa' II slIlglt f'llal jllI lI' 1ft your 0l'po-
fli l1r S Jt{insts. \l',tl, a u ngl.. att,uk, )'\lit
FuJII" fill (om of ytlur suprr fllc fertlS m!
tl slngl(, mpplillg bioII'.
Illig your
You must tn3ke a Conce-omn ia n check
as pan oflhis m:l.llC'uver. Th t' De oflhl'
chec k is the urget creature's AC. You
lhen make a singk melee attJck against
)'OUr rargel,also as pan of lhe nuneu\'t'r
Ifyour Co ncentt2lion check SUCCt-N,
lhisaluck lkJls fourtiJDe$ }-'OUr normal
melet'damage. If yourcheekfails. \'OUr
madc IS madt' wi lh a - 2 penalry and
doesn'r dea l any additwnal damage.
 If your strike i ~;I cnncalhu, YOUSlack EMERALD RAZOR
the muluphers as normal (PH 304 .
DISRUPTING BLOW
Diamond !o.hnJ (Slrikt' )
LC'\'C'I; Swordsage s, warblade 5
Pre r eq u is it e: Two Diamond .M ind
maneuvers
I rruiar io n Action: 1 standard action
Ra n ge: \t..lee attack
Ta rget : One creature
Savt ng Throw: \X'ill negates
Duration: 1 round
Wllh 0 (omhm.Jflan of trrult forrt, 1.:((11
IImmg. oJIIJ nOtllllg a r"" )'till ret )'lIlIf
oppontrll ml" <I,' .m-kll\lrJ f'OSI""n 'hoi
Tluns 1m ntxt athorl.
As pan of Ihis maneuver. you make a
melee anack. If I h lS anack hits, your
u rge[ rakes normal melee damage and
m USl make a Wi ll save (DC IS • your
Str modifier) or be unable TO rake any
acnons for l round. The target does nor
su((t"ranv other dr.Jwback~or penah ic.'Iii.
He can still make attacks of opportu-
rut v bu t is unable 10 lake irnmedrate
acno ns u ntil his nex t tur n.
Diamond Mind Sinh
L('\'C'I: SW(lrd~ag(':!, ....-arblade 2
Prerequi si te : OnC' Diamond M in d
maneuve r
I n it ia t io n Act io n : t standard action
Range: !l.1..lee attack
Target: One creature
YOll SlllT' al )'C1UrtnOnt, sluJrml: 1m tlTry
maw. You mmtully proNo hu ,ftfouts III
starrh of a Wt"ul.:lIl'1l_ A IMstr W<lrTlllf (auld
s~1I1 long 17Illlldtl El(mdtTlng IhLS proNt"m.
bur you 1« Oil Of't'llirtg olr.J stJU U~II It III
au mrtdllt
Your understanding of combat. your
keenly honed mind, and ~'Our cap3bil·
ity to read your opporents make yo u
a deadly ccmbaram. When you iocus
your mind, even tbe mosI elusive o~
nenr becomes an easy target.
As pUt of [his maneuver, make .1
single melee mack against an oppo-
nent. This is atouch arrack rather than
a standard melee arrack. Ifyou hu. U
deal normal melee damage.
HEARlKG THE AIR
Diamond M ind (St.a nce)
Level: Swerdsage 5. warblade 5
Pre requis ite: Two Diamond !o.hnd
maneuvers
In it iatio n Action: I swift act ion
Range : Personal
Target : You
Duration: Stance
rOllr rartrllon (tUOlllfi Ul fillc th a i VIlli
'411 IUla 'he "mtsf jluUtr of IIlr mO t' lIIg
f"llf vou. Im'lJiI}tlt lotS lind olh'T 'uJd'lI
thlTdll b«o"'t I1f plam .u J.Jy In lht drrl1
of )'OU T l1tl~httn"d St'nSN.
Draw ing on your comb:u trai ni ng.
sharpered senses , and ca~biliry 10 pre-
diet yourrnemys mm.~, youbecome a
12ultkss sennrel on ~ bartldlt'ld. £wn
the Smallll"Sl deuil or Me.lhhlffi enemv
cannot hope [ 0 evade your ncrice.
Wh ile you are tn rhis stance. yo u
gain hlindsense ou t 10 10 feel and a.S
inslghl bonus on Listen checks.
INSIGHTFUL STRIKE
Diamond xtmd (S[ri kl')
Le vel : Swcrdsage 1. wa rb lade 1
 lnniation Anion: t standard arnon
Range: " I~l ee aua ck
Target : One creaurre
You ~ l u,Jr yo ur {lI'PDIl,.,t/ ,11111 ~P(l l >!lI't'llt
pornl In Ilrf ,lrmor. \\"'Il h 1I qllld,:, JUUIl't'
drl'u . )tJll f,l~r oI,/t 'Ll nIOlgt of,Jus ll'''<Z ~ " ''SS
Il llh 01 Jt't"lIlllllnjol LlII,u~_
Your m ind rather than your phvstcal
power allows you to deal grievous
tnJUf\t'5 to '{CUT fees. Wh~n you attack,
your Inimng and mental focus allow
u [0 score a (elh ng blo w.
As pm of [his mantU\'ff, nu~a rneft
Ittxlc.. lf thlsallack bus. you do nol deal
nor m al damage. Instead . you make a
Coocentraucn check and dea l damage
t'quallO lht'check~lt. You r Strenglh
madilln-, )'UUrweaporisl1'Ug.cal proprr·
ues tif .lny , andanYOlMre~ lra damage
vou nor m ally deal do nOI mod ify rhis
check !including eXITI damage Irom
class a.hili tit's, ft'm, or S}'\"I1s).
It\SIGHTFUL STRIKE.
GREATER
DIam ond ~hn d (Stri ke)
Level: Swcrdsagc 6, warblade (,
l'reuqui l;ih' : Tw o Diamond Mind
m aneuver s
Init iation ACli on: I standard action
Range. Melee m ack
Ta rg et: One creature
YOIIY kUll q'r ,',rln oul lllt'~I ig h lfll ,,"/'rr-
(a lloll III Yllur ol'pDnrrlr, ,Jt'folSrs. Your
IW,lpon 1"" (o lPl r~ ,1 1001 of YOIH mma.
This m3Ot' UWr functions Iikt· insighl ful
!ilri ke, e~c", p l l hal you J eal damage equa l
10 2" yourCollcl'nrr.uion Chl'Ck result _
MIt\D OVER BODY
Diamond ~ lind (Co u nler)
Level; Swordsagl." 3, w'ublade 3
InitialionArt ion: t immt'1 li,llt' xtion
Ra nge: Perso na l
T.argt'l : You
YOlir bal/lll1jol 1I1la mmwllollg'ltlns ;IUOW
you to Uk' Yt'llr flXll1 10 Ot'!Il'O"It' rhYSlC<z1
t"rrllll. By flX l/lUlg ~tJur mlllJ,)'01l 'gllorr
Jlu t'ffut of lI,f.'llJly polSOIi Dr ./(f'llItlll-
lIIg ud:ntlS
\ our dill~nllr.unmg a.nJ inrcnse menial
u mbme lOalkM you 10O"ito rcol1lt'
phy ~i('allhl"t"al :; '0"\1 h Ih raw pow..r ,~ I
your m md
You can usc th is maneuver any lime'
you would be requi red to make a Fort i-
tude.' S.lW, Make a Conce nrrano n ch...ck
instead of rhe Fortnud.. saveami US(' the
result of rhar chec k to determine the
S:I\~'s success. Y"" mU'it use this tnaneu-
wrlx-fo~ l'OU allempt the FonuUtk save .
A rt'Sultofa natura] ! on ytlIlrConcenln·
no n check IS nol an nnornan c failul"('.
MIND STRIKE
Dia.mond Mind (Sl rike)
Leve]: Swordsage -4 , warblad~-4
Prerequ tstte : Two Diamond. lind
maneuvers
In it ial ion Act io n : I siandard action
Range: ~t('lee a [t ac k
Target : One creature
Saving Th row: \'I:'i11 n('gates
YOII sln~t )tJIHOf'J"'lItr11 i 'If'IJ, r'lillm/-! Ill'
WII>ts lUlll (a using 111111 !(ll(lw !cJ(lIL
As a warrior who fight with your mind
as well as '{Cur brawn. you know thai
aneckt ng a 10t" ~ St'n'es is JUSI as valu-
able as sapping hi s strength. w ilh rhts
attack, you leavean (lppo nrnt befuddll'd
and vulnerable.
As par t of this maneuver, make a
melee anack. If thh attack b us . )'our
targ et m usl m ake a Will save (DC 14 ...
your SIr llllx lifier) or rake Ill4 poin t ~ 01
Wisdo m da mage.Th"l arget ignores Ihe
Wisdom damage on a ,uc("('55flll SJ\'t'hUl
sti!llJkt's weJpon dam3gl' norma lly,
MOMENT OF ALACRITY
Diam ond Mi nd (RooSI)
C la s ~ : Swurdsage 6, warhlaJ(' n In it iation Ac tion: I swifl aCTIOn
Pre req u isit e: Two Diamond M ind
maneU\'ers
Inir iat ion Action : 1 swi ll action
Range: Person al
Ta rget: You
Duration: Inslantant'" ous
YOli Sltr IlIJo a spdU bth........ n IIt'arlOt-lIls
lJnJ lJ(1 lIgllitl wlllit )tJIU (1Io""1It1 >!n' !flU
rraclmg 10 )tJlU last slnkt,
You on impt'O\'t' your initiative counl
for Ihe nexi round and all subsequenl
rounds of the current ('llCounter. When
YOU irntute th isnuneuver, your lninal~
cou m impTO\'t'S by 20, and your plxe In
the 10011Jt1W or derchanges cccc rd tngl
ThiS modifier applies al the e nd 01 the
round Your place in the inutanveorder
cha nges 10 reflect moment of ala cruv s
l'ffl'ct su rttng wn h the nex t rou nd
MOMENT OF PERFECT MIt\D
Diamond ~ lind (Co un ter;
Level: Swcrdsage I. warblade t
[niriar icn Acti on: 1immediate actIOn
Range: Personal
Tar get: You
\·our mtnl >!'lot us lJIIJ m .:a rh al duJ,· ha
rr IlJ(n'lf your It'I II Int;1 OIn wlftn'akllftlt
lro ll Il'<lll. \rho""somtont 100rgt'"b ltJu II llh
a Ird l llhll sub ' ;1 tro.ft your wIlIpolwr
)tJUllttl yoUNt I! .:agll itld lht Lllla(l.: .
Between you r devoted studv, iron Will
and supreme focus, you have learned
10 resist attempts to subvert you r \\, U·
f"O\\'t" r. \'('hen you 1("("1 such an elfte l l TV
10 cloud your mind. \"OU can d raw o n
unt apped reserves oftnergy to counter
the anemp r.
You can use t his maneuver any lim e
you would be required to ma ke a Wtll
save. M ake a Ccncenrra non c heck
inslead ofrhe Will S3\~ and use the re-sult
of thatcheck ro de rermme thC' SJ\'I'·Ssue
cess. You must use Ih is maneuver before
you attemptthe Will 5a\'C. A re-sulrof a
nn ura l r on your Co ncentratio n check
IS nOI an auro m aric failu re.
PEARL OF BLACK DO UBT
Diamond M ind (Sl3 nce)
Level : SworuSJgC' 3, watblade 3
Pn' requisite: One Dia mon d ~llnJ
ma neu ver
Ra nge: Perso nal
Ta rge t : You
nuration: Siance
\t'ldl n'")' 11lIss, )'tlurOl'l"'ttrlls MOltl<' " k'n
Illumllm.lllt'1, ,umh, growlJIg I,k! 1I11 ImL11-
1I1J: I~rllll Ilk" flI'lldh ofOIlulplns oysltr
\"ou prey on your opponents' ft'ar and
I..1ck of co nfidence. Each failfii Jrtack
agains t you reminds Ihem Ih31 thrlr
ski ll ca n not hopt' 10 matc h veUTS,
"X'ht'n you emer thts stance, \o U
M(lmt moR' difficult 10 h it w ith eac h
succt'ssi\~ aluc k lhat mlSX-S ~ou. Each
ume lin oppo nent mlS,;es yo u \\ lIh
 nll'iff JItJCk, )'OU gam a..2dodge bonus
10 AC 1111S bo nus la51 5 un nl rhc start
of your nl' xr turn and IS cumulative for
tb e round. Th e bonus applies ro any
au aeks made by 3.11 opponl'n rs unt il
IhC' beginning of you r nex t ru m .
QUICKSILVER MOTION
Dumond ~hnd ( BOO5fl
LC',,·d : Swcrdsage 7, warblade 7
Pre re q u isit e : Th~C' Di.amond !l.lind
maneuvers
I n it iat ion Action: t swi fl action
Range: Personal
Ta rget: You
In !hi blInk oflin tyr, you ,"IIRt WNr mm,1'.
Your IJYtd. ~ a nJ tw nJ1Nl amfiJtnU
(llmblni 10 allow you 10 mdkt II filII, b<tfJ
mmlt IlI a! ellleM your /M
offgUllrJ .
Wll h 3. bu rst of C'nl!'rgy, you move for-
ward 10 press an attack, draw an item
from vour backpack er rake scm eotber
move action, Your training. me nta l
acuuv, and d rive allow yo u 10 move
wit h grc-aler speed and confideoce than
orhcr warrtors .
Thi s maneuver requires a swift acnon
tc uunne. Youcan take afrt:C' 11lO\,. acnon
aftl'r you inmate rhts maneuver. You
can uSC' any of the op tions available for a
mo\'!." acno n .Youcan then ust' the rest of
your acucns as normal. Fer example .you
could UM'lhis man euver 10move neXI IO
a foe.then take a full snack urric n. You
\·uu ld mow .l hcn make a ch'lrgeallack,
and so fort h.T he move aelio n you gai n
110m th is maneuver provokes aflacks of
opporl u nil Yas normal.
RAPID CO UNTER
UI.amond Mi nd (Counler)
Lt'wl : Swordsage S, warblade S
In it iation Acrion: 1 immediate'aCl ion
Ra n ge: Personal
Ta rget : You
r..u i.:I~h oul, )'O ur It Yllpo " d "'ur, JrllltlllltT-
'"!: ,II lilt sl l~ ldNI gap Ihlll arrtlln III )'Our
j,l( ~ Jr/tllM'S.
rhls m.ant.'UH'r allO\\·s you 10 mak e .lI
fr~ .aluck :against a rt'Ckless ene'my.
\'(rh en :a foe p ro \'Okes an atl.llck o f
oppoTlUnllVfrom you.}'OlJ can iniliare
lhl' m.:lneuv('r. As part of Ihl~ m:aneu-
H"r ou make- an immedlale mdet.'
s nack 1~a1hsl th\' foe Ih:1l pro voked
the ana ck of c pport ururv This .:ttuck
dot' s no t replace the normal anack of
opportunity you receive. You can 31~
use t hi ~ m an euver before making you r
normal attack ofopportunity when an
oppont.'nt provokes or vice versa ).
The' mackgramed bythe tlUnl'U\1'1' IS
not an extra arrack ofcpportueuy. You
colin in mate th i~ mahC"tner before. afltr.
in addition to. or insreed of making an
arrack ofcppcrtumtv against In oppo-
nen t (thu s possibly saving your al ri ck
of opportunity to use agamst another
en emv b irr m the' round .
RUBY /l;IGHTMARE BLADE
Di.amond ~ I ind (Strike
Lev el: Swcrdsage .., weblade ..
Pre req u is ite : Two Diamon d ~h nd
mane uvers
Init iatio n Action: 1 standard action
Ra n ge: Melee attack
Target : O ne creature
w'll h II momt "fs Ih..ugl:I, )'Ou 1lUIIIIIII,
ptrc(lI't tht JtaJlust pll1:t I.' slnillt rOllr
~I1 (1nl' 11')'Ou slu ,ly 1tt'T ,14tnl<'s, " (lIt ,i:l1 pi
itl h.-rilrmor,all ,l ril1J subtlt'bul llIlp<trlilllf
,!Ius 1II h(lll' \ll ~ ClI rr IN IltJ'SllfOr mdltlf,lIIl\
I1fr figllhng Itol ll«',
The' ruby nigh tmare blade is:a favored
finishing move of warners who studv
the DiamonJ Mi nd disci pline. By
in lenrly .m alyzing your tOe's sla nce :and
mo\'es, yOll find Ih r pr~cis~" Spol Ihal
you mu st strikt" to end Ihe fight w il h a
deci sh'e blow.
You :llfe'm pt a Conctnrntton check
as p;lrt of Ihis m3.lleuver, using Iht'
target Cl1'3IUrr's AC 3S Ihe DC of Ihe'
chec k You Ihen make 1 single mell"l"
,m ack ag.lli nsl your targel. Thi s altack
is .;I lso m ade as part of th is ma n~"m'er.
If )'Our Co nct'n rr3lioncheck succeeJ~ ,
this ml'lC'e alUcL: dt'2ls double normal
melee d:a m:age.lf)'OUr cbeck fail s. you r
.;Itlack is mJQe with a -2 peruhy .;I nd
de als only norm.al mel~ da ma ge.
If \'OUt ~I rike isa a iticll hit. you stxk
Ihe multipl ier s as normal {PH 30·n,
SAPPHIRE !':IGHTMARE
BLADE
Diamond MinJ Sirike
level: SworosagC' 1 " "3rbbde I
Initi alion Acr ion : t ~undud acnon
Ra nge: Melee arrack
Targe t: One crenure
rourllwlY)'OlH rtlt my ford brief mOlllt lll,
1I',lfdlltlE: 1m ,irfrlull'r ntl1ntut'trl .In,1
tlhlkltlg a Ilr lkr IlmtJ 10 lillu aJvilfllilgr'of
a lull III hll l',gll a nu ,
The sapphire mgh l ma ~ blade is one-of
the most basi c, bul importan t, maneu
vers dU I a Di.;lmond M ind adept studies.
II illu5ltal("'S Ih.llt I keen m md ca n pierce
even the roughest defenses.
Youattempt a Co rcer uraucn chec k :lS
pan of Ihis maneuver, using the t:atg('1
CTntu re's ACas lhe OCofthe- che-ck. You
thm make a single melee att ack against
yoor target . The3.1t3.Ck is :Wo pan of this
ltWleU\w. l f yourCoocC"ntration check
succeeds. the rargetis Ilar-foored against
you r au eck. and )'DU deal an extra tds
poi nts of da mage . If your check faals,
your aneck is ma de wnh a -2 penaltv
and deals normal damage.
STANCE OF ALACRITY
Diamond ~hnd (Stance)
Leve l: Swcrdsage 8, warblade 8
Pre ee q u tst re: ThrC'C' Diamond Mi n d
maneuvers
I n i t iat io n Act ion: I swtf action
Range: Personal
Targe t : You
Du rat io n : Sta nce
Your mmJ jlllJ ll()jlr md .l. grllntll1g rOll
,111 r./g( ItI((lmbili. r Oll mOI't sllglllJyfilllrr
Ih,ln normlll dll(lo a {(llflb,llilholl ofCOli-
Ji,lwu, lnutllug, III1J c1~lrIly of IIImJ. TIIII
lhl<:hlillgt 1I ,I.l~ lip wllh tach actIon.
Your m ental s wi ft ness transla le s to
ph ysic31aClion on the banldiC"ld. You
are co nsu n rly on t·Jge, allowing you
IOre3ct 10mu h iple anacksand threns,
~I ~t w:amors c.;ln only manage.ll single
counter mow each ro und.
Whi le yo u .lIIe in Ihis stance, yo u
can U!oC onC" counler pC"r round without
taking an ImmediatC" aclion. You anllOl
u~ thC" S3me maneuver 1\\"0 times In a
round. In essence, one counrer you use
during IhC" round does nOf requi re 3n
immediale' action. If you have :already
u Ju.n .llnim mC"di;lre action within the
past ro und. suc h 3Sc.;Isling a filllhtr fllll
spd l. you ca n sull usC' this st an ce to
Im l1:lIe a coun ler
Sl ~NCF O F CI.ARlTY \'('hlle you are 10 Ihl~ ranee, VOU II'lt/1 ,I CPlllp/t,\' 11t1 llm (,1"" l t a oul In
nu mc e d ~tin J (Slanu) mu st cboosc asmgle opponem a~ your lillY /rM llI.m of tht hlllt norml1l1y Il t t.! J
Level : S.....ordsage I, warbladc I target .II rhe Sian of you r ru m . You III CPlllpltft If.
lnici alio n Ac ri cn: I swirr ac ncn gam a ->-2 insigh l bonus 10 Ae 3g:lInsl
Range: Personal that foe unn l vou change t he targe r o f In an unmerched bu rst of spe ed. agll
Target: You this sta nce . You rake a -2 pt·n alty toAe ily, and decisive action. you move more
Our::uion : Stance :lgainst 311 otheropponems while using qu ickly rhan rhe eye C3 n follow You
stance ofclarity. can lash OUI with you r blade. 'itn k lO
~Oll foe lll Wllr (fforrlon lJ llllg/ropronrni. your oppone nt so rapidly th aI observe rs
~tuJ ymJ{ hIS mlli'tl an,1 prtraTl"1! 1m TIME STANDS STII.L can't keep track of your move s.
altalk. YOllrorlln'(Ippmrnb p dt froll1 nPr ' Diamo nd Mi r.d (5Iri kt') As pa rt of th is maneu ver, yo u ca n
al your nlln,/rOlle, 01110 '''''II' la rJ:(f . l evel : Swcrdsage OJ. warbled... 9 USt a fu ll anack action two urnes In
Prerequi sirer Four Diamond :\lind succession, Take your firs t full attac k as
This stance allows 'IOU 10 focus on Jl maneuvers normal . Once you h~T resolved these
Single- opponen t to rhe exclusion of Iruetanon Action: I full-round action attacks, you can t hen rake ano the r full
all o thers . You read your foe's fighling Range: Personal an ack acncn. Yo u must resolve Ihest'
stance. his favored sn acks. and the Target : Yo u actions sepu;Hely. Youcannot co mbine
method s he used to train . By combin- th e al1Kks provided bv both actio n s a~
Ing these factors lnloa slnglt'lNlysis T11t roJlIlJrops I!l(msthvs 11.1IlJ 11111111 you vou wishInstead .you mus t take rhern
of h rs abthues. you see how 10 foil oUt ill Iht spuJ of lh(lu~"I. " 01./ IIIOW 111:( separa tely and in order as normal fora
h is :tltack II "'u r, cdlcJllll~ ",ur (1I(lIIltl by surpnlot full arrack .

Th e Iron Heart d iscipline focuses on

pu~ weapon skill. Its students learn
10 complete " ghung maneuvers th.u
border on the supernatura l. The Iron
'5
Heart preferred\\'t'Jponsare bastard ,nl' ADAMANTINE HURRICAN E
SWON, dW21Vl'n waraxe. longsword and Th~· absolu te stee l stance allows you Iron Hem (51rikt')
rwo-blsded swo rd. lis kq'skill is Balance. 10 enhance your mobililY and speed . level: w arblad e 8
because body ccarrol.gcodfconng.and You move qu ickly. keep a sharp eyt' on Prerequi si te : Three Iro n H earl
tm peccableuming are enporr am rocom- vou reoermes.a nd arc ready 10 i nsta nd~' ma ne uvers
plenng Iron Ht'arr maneuvers. sidestep any inco mi ng .1 1lacks. l n ittarion Ac tjon: I sta ndard ac no n
While you are in Ih is stance. you Ra nge: Melee attac k
ABSOLUTE STEEl. ga in a +IO-foot e n hanc emen t bonus 10 Targets : One or more adjacen t crca-
Iro n Hea rt (Sra nce) your speed. If you move al l1'3S1 10 r{' ~' 1 tures you rh rearen
level: w arb laJ e 3
Prere qutst te : O ne Iron He 3r1
maneuver
In it iat io n Acnon: I swi ft art ion
Ran ge: Per son al
Ta rget: You
Duration : Stance

.A W'.,; /.J( J~ik(l ill r}w 1,[;.1:

t/ ... r]'t .,i...: ti,..( IS••lIls Jlill
 '" ;l Mllr (lJ mall on, YOU /Il a~ .. d dlorl .
'll'ull njO:! fear In Ill( 'Ilr, AI .'011 IInll .
.'lIllr 1I't<1J1('" jl'Ull(1 Ihn.'llgh 'lit tn ~ ," J tl
'U'lllmJ \'f'll Ilk, a bla:l1lg COlllt/. As rOll
,lror Nul: ID' ht groun d III r(lIlr ~gl l l lllg
, I,mer, )'(Iur tlltrn ltSCnUllprr 10 Ill<' groUIIJ
;lrounJ you.
You ~Wtt'p your weapon in a circle
arou nd you , .., rik ing out .11 n ear by
enemi es. You srnke with the speed
I nd feroc uy of a lighlning bolt. forcing
you r enemies 10 rely on Iheir reflexes
for prcrec ucn rarher than their armor
and sh ields.
You make IWOmelee macks .lIgainsl
each ;adJacenl opponenl )"OU threaten
when you inmate tbis maneuver, You
rer ewe a . 4 bo nus on eac h of these
arccks. which are otherwise made with
your highesl anack bonus,
DANCING BLADE FORM
Iro n Heart {Stance}
Level : W"arbbde 5
Peeeequ t s tt e : Two Iro n H e ar t
maneuvers
Init iat ion Acnon: I swifl act ion
Range: Person al
Target: You
Durauon: Sta nce
'tou sink..fom'llrJ IlEt a d llll<' rm g mLlkt .
t\ltnJHlg )'truntlf I1lmolt bryolld )'0111
'lblhh' 10 m amlillfl your lottlanu. YOllr fO(
51ulllbl(1Mrk'll'a rd,surpnSl'J IIh1l )'(lu coulJ
r~ll(1 1 h,m from luch a gn" 11II,sllll,ri .
By carefully dimi bul ing you r wC'ighl
md e stabli sh in g a s'IC'ady, ru gged
postun", ~'Ou can rt'ach OUI and ..Irikt'
opponents with your melC't' allac ks al
agrt'alt'r than no rmal disu nct'. A war·
liar wilh It'ss Iraining .lnd e-xpC'rtise
would f;lll fbi on h is fact' arremp ti ng
thiS m.ll ne u ~"C' r. You, on the olht'r hmd ,
have Ihe gr.lCt, focu s, and skill necd td
[0 com plt'lt' Ihis complt'x mo\"e.
\l;'hale you art' in this Sla nc(", you
gain :II bonus to your rt':IIch du ri ng
~our lurn . \'C'hen )' OU ma kt a me lt'e
;I:llack , you r rtac h in ClC'aSt"s by 5 (t'el.
¥our rt'ach is not im prOl,'ed when il is
nOI vour lu m , suc h as wht'n you make
.lin ;ltlxk of oppo rt u n ity, You ca n nOl
Impro\'t' your reach by more than 5 fte t
b~ u~lng th iS ability In conJunctio n
\I.'lI b ocher maneu\'ers,
DAZING STRIKE
Iro n Heart (Slrikt'
Le\"('I: WarblaJt'" 5
Prerequ is ite : Two Iron H Ull
m ane uve rs
Initiation Act ion: t sta nda rd action
Range: Melee att ack
Target: One creature
Duranon: I round
Sa vi n g Throw: FonilJdt' parti.11
TllrD ugh frKIAl, Mil'?,wrr, L1nd (:tJVrl arm,
YOIl malet a mIght)" Llllack agL1l1ul )'(lur Jilt,
ItLlvmg II I'" 1.' nTporiln ly /rnod l(J w"~lrss
by yowr aUda,
The proper .lIpphcauon of force to Just
the righl p.1n of a foe's lIUtomy allows
you to d isrupt hiS actions. Whik ht'
stumbles back, senseles s, you press
the adva ntage.
You make a single melee arrack as
put of this strike. If th is artack hus.
the target rakes IIl<!JH dun.tge nortn.1Illy
and mu st m ake a Fornrude save (DC
15 .... your Str mod tfierr or be dazed for
I round.
FINISHING MOVE
DISARMING STRIKE
Iron He-art (Srrike)
Level: warblade 2
Initiatio n Action: I sta nda rd acnon
Range: Melee attack
Ta rget: O ne creatu re
You chop ill your fo( 's hand, CIlIl SIllj:: a
grim :llls lPlJlIry JII1J fom ng 11111I 10 drop
his WC,lpoU.
Th is ma ntuver allows )'O U 10 co m·
bine a di sa rm attempI wilh a normal
anack. You ma ke a sing lt' mC'1ee
alt:lck 3S pa rr of this Stri ke. If thi~
attack h ilSan d dt'alsdam age, you cOI n
also allempl lOdis arm youropponl'n l
(PH 155), Th is disarm atlt'mp l dot's
not provoke al13.cks of op po rt u n ilY,
nar is t hert' an y ri sk rha[ your for can
d i..ar m you,
EXORCISM OF STEEL
Iron Ht'art lSlrikC')
Le,,·el: Warblade 3
Pr-er equ i sit e : One Iron Ht'.1Ir1
nunru\"C'r
Iniriation Action: sund.lIrd acti on
Range": ~ tC'lu allack
Targt't: Onecrealure
Durarl on: I minute
Saving Th row: Will half
't'ou alla"[ , ltrlklng not rour f~, lou' 1m
lI'i a potl , Sindlllg<I dl(lckll'<Il,t lip 'I/( ,1m,
Ihl11 1t,lvtS 111m unaMt ID strlk( 11"tlt
{ull {oru,
Your mastery of the iro n Heart style
has 1.1ught you muc h about the power
within a blade . and you ca n use Ihh
knowledge [0 not only en hance your
0\.\"11 abllil YbUI also 10 dep rive others
oftha i pCl\\"C'r.
Wht'n you mutate tbis m aneuver,
you aluck yo ur oppcnen r's wea po n
(PH 15S).. This mack does not provoke
;I[ucks ofoppertu nitv. Ifyou su cceed.
your for takes a - of penalty on melee
damage rolls for I minute. Th(" wielder
of rhe weapon ca n artempr a Wi ll save
(DC 13 ... your 5tr modifier) to ha lve
th is pC'nahy,
Youcan use lhis rtW'll."U\~ronly against
manufactured weapons. Youcmnor me
ir against natural weapons.
Iron Heart (Srrikt')
Level : \l;'arblade- 7
Prerequ isit e: T h ree Iro n H eart
maneuvers
IrunanonAct ion: 1 standard action
Range : Meier anack
Target: O m' creature
r Oil ,Id ill(r ,I , I ~w da fi llg striJu ag'liPld .t
ll'(Iund.,d{(It, L1imlllg to filllsJt him offolla
and fo rall,
Iro n Heart te.1cht s that it is bes t 10
fi n ish off.ll foe w ith as little effo rt
as possiblt', Ihe be tte-r to saVt' you r
slrt'ng th for your rema in ing enemits.
\Vh t'n you ust' thi S m aneuver, you
Ih row youlSt"lf on IhC' offensive wilh
lin k thoughllOyour defenses. If this
attac k stri kes hornt', It might il!:nd a fighl
~ra l crucial seconds carll"
As part of th is mantuver, you m.llkC'
a mC'lt't' al tac k against a crea lUrt'. Thi s
allack deals :m t xtra "d6 poi n ls of
damage. If Ih e larget 's cu rrC'Dl h it
poinrs are less Ih an its full normal
hit points, rhe all;3ck in stead deals
an eXIra 6d6 pomlSof damagC'. If its
hll poinl s arC' rqual 10 or less lhan
one-ha lf l IS fu ll no rmal hit pomts
 rbe au ack Jn~ ll'aJ deals a n l'XI ra I..J(,
r Olnl vi d ama ge .
IRO N HEART ENDURANCE
Iro n I tean (BOO~I)
Level : Warbbde 6
Prerequt st tc : Two Iron Hea rt
maneuvers
Iniriation Action : t swift acncn
Range: Persona l
Target: Vou
YCIU ruJl <1I1Jt lI,t rum of )'Pur IIIJU-
rltt 10 fight on "'HI morfdl 'Itrub.
If you have half or fewer of
your full normal bu poems
remaining, ~"OU can Initiate
IhlSmaneuver ro ht'.1hll POintS
t-qU31 to 2 ;1t your k\C'I .
IRON HEART FOCUS
Jron Heart (C Ou n lC'r)
Level: \X'arbladl" 5
Prerequt sttecTwc Iron Heart
maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immedi-
all" action
Range: Perso nal
Target: Vou
\~'I" l II IdtHrw"J ~u nl Clf
ipaJ, )'011 sumlllon r (ltrw s of
IIIilllal lHld r11ysl(lfl Will lfIlll
Ihrow off Iht if/all of YOllt CII -
rm y's 'l/lack.
You r t rai ning i n rbe I ron
Hea rt dtsctpltnc gram s you
excellen t reflexes, menu !
toug hness. and stamina. You
can draw upon you r lraining
and focus ro overcome a
var tery of deadly effeclS.
As an immediate ac tio n ,
vou can rerol l a saving t h row
you haw JUS t made, You must
accept t he result or lhlS second rol l.
l'\ 'en if the new result is lower than your
Init ial roll.
IRON HEART SURGE
Iro n Heart
Level : ''<'arbbde 3
Pr e requi sil t' : One Iron Hearl
maneuver
I nutanon Acno n : I slandarJ action
Ra n gc-: ~rson al
r:lr~e l : Vou
Duration. See t~)il
By JtlIWlll~ /H, yClllr "'t'IlI." llrtll!:lll
dlld pl'l'sle.t1 fClrlllu.lr, YClIl prt'<1k fur of
II J rblll/IIIlIIg J/lflf tlllll tlU,Ilhl tJllurll'ut
JtfioJl )'CII.
.A b.Jlf _ t U'.rMS4t i.iti"'t s. fil/ishi"" "l tr.r
...I rids sht _ 1.1 ~ • ~.Jjlh IN
Your nghl ing sp iru, ded icat ton . and
tra ining allowvou ro ove rco me almost
anything 10deCeal your e nem ies. When
you usc this maneu ver, !>t'll'Cf o ne spell,
effect . or o rber cond itio n cu rrent ly
affecting vou m d wuh a durauon of I
or more rounds.That effect e nds imme-
diately. You also surge wuh co n fidence
and vengeance .:Ig3irnt \'our enemies..
gal nl nJ: /I 2 morale nus on en
rolls unul rhe end of your ne xt rum
LIGHTNING RECOVERY
I ron Heart (Co unt er)
Lev el : Warblade 4
P r ere q u tstre: Two I ro n He a r t
maneuve rs
Initiati o n AClio n: t imrnedine act
Range: Persona l
Ta rge t: You
Yourf(lt lWlsh outofIht n\1y of rour /11I1141
IItfddll:. hid your wtoJl"" ....(Ot/IN II blur
liS you rtl'tT'it J II'trIIOI'l12 I'1 J Sln kt III hlP'l
OIg411'1 With llghtmng ~J. In lh.. bfl"k
0/11" nT.)W armplttt )Uur l1ttlUk IInJ
rrlumt)'llUr Jtfmsn'C porturt
This maneuver embodies the
elhl,)~ of speed and energy rh ar
rhe Iron Heart rraduion leac h -
es. If o ne of your melee anack
mis ses. you can miriate this ma-
neuver 10 reroll rhn attack roll
with a +2 bonus.
LIGHTNING THROW
Iron Hearl (Srri ke)
Lev e l: Warblade 8
Pre re q utst recTwo Iron Hea rt
man euvers
Iniriaric n Ac rion: I sta nda rd
act io n
Range: 30 fl.
Area: 3D-ft. line
Duratfoa: I nst an ta neo us
Savi ng Throw: Rd lel\ half
You fI' TI'II' ytrur weelr'''l l h m1t~''
II". tU f , li tldi"!: II n)' ln g (",I
OI'ir (lid 10 sInh" Wllh U/\{<1I1·
r1 y II(nlrlll)' elrld ttrriblt font II
1"'11,,"1 ltl its Wllkt II frell' of ~oJ l­
li re,1 (f1 tlllh'l.
Th ro I ro n Heart rradinon's mo re
esot err c tea chmgs allowa s rude m 10
Innsform any melee weapon into a
thrown proje cule. Bv focusing your
concemranon andanuning yourSt'1lSeS
10 yo ur weapon's balance. \'OU ca n
throw almost anything.
When you use t his strike, you ma ke
a Single melee attack even rhouj!.h
you are throwing your weapon) Yo u
deal damage to eOllcb crea ture IIl lhr
ma neuvers area equal 10 vour normal

melee Jam3ge (including ~bmag<: I~ml
your ~uength moJltler, tears. magtca
3bililiM: on voer weapon, ano_so Ionh ,
plus an extra 1106 poi nts ~t o:llmage_
Each crea lur!" In the- mack's area can
m:llk.. a Reflex save with a DC ('l.jual to
Ihe result of your attack ron. A success -
ful "ave halves the damage dealt.
Your weapo n 3utom.:uinUv retu rns
10 vcur hand at th e end of the rou nd .
MANTICORE PARRY
Iron H eart (Counler
Le ve- l . 'X'arbb de (,
P re req u is it e: Two Iron He-arl
maneuve rs
In itiat ion Act ion: I immediate action
Ra n ge: Personal
Targel : You
~ ou bllllk ,In w(P","s oJtlMII: 1t'IlII II hghl-
runl1-<JlIl(k i"!rT)., Ihtll ,{,'f lid II I(lWllrJ II
JI{{m -n1 L:lrg.-l. Your/« (<1" Nrd)' (onUM
III m o," o lllm i ll j Ih ,11111 (~ 11011' dullu
mto ,m ~1I)'.
Wh~n you irunare Ih is maneu ver, you
can atfempf III bloc k an enemy's melee
attack that ta rge ts you and redirect il to
another target adjacen t 10 you . ~ b kf;"
a melee aua ck ro ll. If your result is
grea ter than your foe's m ack roll , you
bar aside the str ike an d dl recr it against
a largeol of your cho ice th at stands adja-
ccm 10 vcu . You mUSI dec ide whe th er
to i nuiare lh is maneuver after the
e nemy attacks, but before you kn ow
whet he r or nOI the at tack yOll an'
auern pn ng 10 defleet actu311y hus. If
Ihe attack misses . you can snll anempt
to defll'Cl it.
If )'Oll succt'..J in d..fln: ting Ihe
311JCk. use the resu lt of you rorponen "~
altack roll 10 dl"lt'rmint' if il strikes the
new targel.
Thl ~ man('U\'t'f funcli onsonly again~l
armeJ mek·e atlx ks. You can nol USC' il
againsl un arm eJ al f3cks, natural we-ap-
ons, or lou ch spells.
MITHRAL TORNADO
Iron He.JrI (Striu)
Le,·e! : Watbl adr ..
Pr ert' q u i s it e : Two Iron He<lrl
maneUVI·rs
In it joat io n Act ion: I sundoaro aClio n
Rangt': ~ t dee all acK
' ·ugeT All aJ; ..nt oppo nenls
\'Chen vou ininate !his rrike. you make
a tnt'le~ attack agam51everv opponenl
adJacenl to , 'OU . Res,:,lve each snack
~n[ely. You gam a...1 bon us on each
of these attacks. wh ich an: Olherwisc
made al your h ighesI 1Tt;lCk bonus.
PUNISHING STAI\:CE
Iron Hea rt rs u nce
level: Wubladr I
tntnartcn Anion: I ffi'"ifl acti on
Range-: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Sta nce
You ,hor JClII<f1 V1WnJIr WIth )'ll urU'l">1pt!II,
!(JtdmE: exIr.. fOTu tv your M oU'~ nusr
J tl>1, b ,,,mt 111 IIem f, liS)t!uT t'IIimIN sl.Hh
oJ! )'OIIT IlrlJ4mJcJ ll']ZJ ,uld f1llllb _
'Iou bold your weapon CJ\"CrheaJ allow-
ing you to chop dcwn with superior
force . However, this fighting stance
leaves vou vulnerable to an cppcne nrs
attacks. Only an tnutne of th e Iron
He-an t radinon can manage t he pe ril-
ous balance betwe en Ifading anac k
power for defense. A lesser warrior
would leave himselfn..atly helpless 10
resis t an oppo nent's ana ck s.
While you art' in rhis stance, rou deal
an extr a IJ 6 points of damage wirh all
meleeanac.ks.'1ou aOO 13Ke a-2 penaltyto
AC, because th is flghllng stance empha-
stzes power over a defensive potilure
SCYTHII\:G BLADE
Iron Hean ( Boost
l ev el : w arb lade 7
Prerequ isi le : Three Iron H earl
maneuvt'1"S
In it iatio n Action : I swifl action
Ra nge: Person.al
Target: You
,"PO ~lrj l:t al Dnt ~ wlln" I.mg. hl~h v,ul.:-
ItomJ 011. fhm maho a 'fUld lurn wron fm lll
lht ~troklllj)llnsl,nlIthcT nimh- me"!)'
YQU swm g ~ \\-e3pOf1 in a w'ide de2dlv
arc. With yourrupremeskillanJ marnal
tr3.imng.) u.m!l\i urallack tha lh
\IOU strike one.' oppone nt, you set )'OUN:\f
up perft'Clly to m ake a second alt3ck
ag3msl a diffe rent foe. As your weapon
strikes one oppo nen t, it curs into him
then ricoch ets to your second targe t.
If the first melee attack you m:lh
du ri ng vour ru m bus. ,'OU can irnme
oi ately make a free attack ar y~ur
hi ghe st snack bonus against a Jitter
ent enemy tha i vou th reaten. 'lou can
only gain one fr ee arrack each time
YOU inmate rhi s m aneuver, regardles
of how many succes sfu l anacks vou
make in this rou nd.
STEEL wnco
Iron Heart (StnKe
Level: warbbJ... 1
Init iatio n Act tc n : 1 sta ndard acuon
Ra nge Melee arock
Ta rge t: Two creatures
rOil sWlIIg your ll'i' oJ po n UI 11 bro.ud.
J.·,IJI.' an", sln b nll: Iwo Jon With a single.
"uglily bloll'.
Th rough 1Icombmaucn ofsbcerpccer
and unmatched talent, you ma ke an
anack Ih al inju res muhiple opponems .
A s )'00 ini tiate Ih is strike, you make-
tw o mel ee an acks, each against a dif·
feren r foe thar you threaten. Resole-e
each attack separately,
STEELY STRIKE
Iron Hem (Slri ke)
Level : warblade 1
Init iati o n Acti on: 1 standard acnon
Ra nge: Melee anack
Target : One creature
Du ral io n : I rou nd; see teXI
YOll fOW l yourstl{ for II slnglt, Iluurllft
II l fl1(~, shruggmgoff )tIu roppol\(llr~ Hows
IUl,f 1~llori lll: III<' 'Iud {Clr Jt{mW' as you
rtlllk( your IIswull.
Th e Iron Hean d iscipline (~hes fcxus,
all OWing yo u ( 0 e ng.1ge :lind de fe.1t
onr op po ne n l .lit a lime. Your o [ h~ r
en('mies mean not hing to you as you
pr.....s your al u ck.
You make a s i ng l~ md~e allack as
p.1rt of Ih is sirike_Yougain a +-4 bonus
on thr .1tl3ck roll . All opponenls other
Ihan lhe one you att.1cked g3in a ....
bonus on ,lllJck rolls against yo u fo r
I rou nd
 sr R1KE OF PERFECr CI.ARm
'ron HeJrl (Slrikt')
Level: Warblade 9
Preuqui sit e: Four Iron Hear r
man euvers
Ini t iation Acucn. I standard ecnon
Rang e: .\ Ielee arrack
Ta rget. One creature
\'(lur IUrrtmt ! ,V UI oJ lt J ['trill! flghtlnf!
form iJflolt' you III ma~( a slng/t. In'lHloJl~
mg atloid::. YPII (,au/( II jloJ1I1tn dnlu
Jrur JUur !"lll'lih a Jlngo!t alllUk.
Th e ulrirmre Iron Hearl maneuve r
reach es rbe prectse. pe rfect em neces-
sary to d.y almost anv creature. Only
the rmghnesr EDt's can Withstand ,his
anac k. A~plsof rhe Iron Heart t raJ i-
non seek to use rhrs aueck tocnd fight s
as quickly a-s pombk. You rnlghloprn:ll
fight wuh a qui ck flunvof snacks. but
once a foe is injured. you seek mend the
battle wub this dl"Cisw," smke.
You make asingle meleeanack aspGIn
of th is strike. If your arrack hits, It deals
an extra tOO perms of J :mugr (in addi-
rion 10 your no rma l melee damage),
SUPREME BLADE PARRY
Iro n Heart (Su nce)
Th e Se m ng Sun d isci pli ne reaches
its initiates 10 t urn thei r opponen ts'
streng th aga ins t rhern. With 3 qu ick
sh ifr in sta nce and a care full y aimed
attack, a Sel li ng Sun warrior sends a
charg ing enemy tu mbli ng in a new
direction. Sett ing Sun's preferred weap-
ons are the quarterstaff sho r t sword,
nuncbak u. and unarmed strike. The
disci pline's key skill is Sense Motive .
BAFFLI N G DEFENSE
Setti ng Sun tCou nler)
Level: Swordsage 2
Prr r e q u i s it e : One S('t1ing Sun
maneuver
Inir iarionAct ion: t immedi..ne2Clion
Range; ~rson31
Target : You
YCIU crouch Nll1nuJ 011 ont fOOl , "l1nJ~
* "w·
lu lJ lugh o1'tr YOllr htl1J. Your fot
hlr i S, IInnl/'i oj "011' 10 <11111.. l'OU In Ih H
nhkcJy I Lln u
Lc\'(·I: W'arbJ.tJ t' S
Pre req ui si te: Thre e Iro n f-1 t'i1Il
maneu\'en
In it iation Act ion: 1 sw fft aClion
Ra n ge: Personal
Targe t: You
Duration : Stance
}'oudrop mlo II rrla:m f pctst', d/l Olt' mg ro llr
Jtfrnsts to}1QII' lhT'lind1r II1/J t'Ully. Your
MIlJi IIlSlli~ out toabsorf. or Jif1tct tllt'l
10 aUlll!: YO tl /out', bllmtll'R JIlt forrt of YOllr
mtmlN' bI"ll'S.
As a studen t of Ihe Iron He.1t1 di sci-
pltee, vou learn rhal a simple flick of
the wrist or rum ofthe blade can rrans-
form a deadl y m ike InIO;( wild miss,
In bat tle, )'VU e nt er .II sready rhy th m
thai makes YOU frus tranngly difficuh
10 fight , You disrupt each snack wuh
a perfectlv limed counter, leaving your
foes' strikes weak and ineffectual.
While you art' in rlus sta nce , you
gain damage reduction 5/- Jgai nsl
any oppone nr thaI JOt's not carch you
Flar-fccred. To gain Ihls benefu. you
must be proficient wi rh the weapo n
you carry. You gain rh is b...nefir whi le
unarmed only ifyou have she Improved
Unarmed Strtke feat.
BALLISTA THROW
Selling Sun tStrike')
Le\·d: Swordsage 6
Pr t'req uisi tco: Two St' lling Sun
m3neU\'ers
In it iat ion Act io n: I srandard aelion
Ra.nge: Touch and 6Ofl ~ see lext
Targe t: Creature IOucht'd
Are a: 6o-ft.!ine
WAll. OF BLADES
I run J It'u r (eoumer
l c\'(+ Warb/aJe.2
Initiation Action: 1 i..mrnediateacrion
Ran ge: Persona l
Targe't : You
r "ur lI't'ap" " sways lr,J{k .mJ /"rlll In
)'Ifllr Itll"d. rt'll'/Y,,, block lruommg PlOII."
u'lll, Iht sptt J ofa thlm JrTbolt. you d.alm
you r f«'s bfllJt 011 lit
l'OIIl ll'tol f'O" a1Zllm s!
IIl/tmph to ,,/J.ult.
You r weapo n mastery transforms
you r blade tn ro an exreeston of you r
arm. allowmg you 10 wield it with the
spe ed and riming needed to make J
preci se block.
Whe'n an en emy makes a melee o r
ranged attack against you , you ca n
mu tate th is co u nter to oppose t h ai
at tack by m3k ing an arrack roll wuh
3ny melee weapon you are holding.
Use lhe h igher of you r AC o r you r
attack roll as yourefft"C ti~ AC agaln,,[
t he incomi ng attack. You can't us e
Ihis maneuver if you are denied you r
Dexteruy bo nus to AC agai ns l you r
attacke r. You can decide 10 use t hi s
;ibility after you learn the' res ult o f
your opponen t's at rack.
Th is maneuver fu nctions like mig ht v
rhrow (page 73), excep t as no ted here ,
As part of t his maneuve r, you mu vt
succeed en a melee touch anac k against
your foe, You can then make a tnp
allt'mpl against your enemy, You gain
;i ...4 bonus on th e ;ibilily check.
If you succeed in tripping your for
you th row him in a 60-fOO{ line, Th e
targe t and 311 creatures in [his a~a
take 6d6 poin ls ofdam;ige_The thrown
cre;ilUre lanJs prone' al th(' end of th IS
line. You mus r place Ihe targel in an
em ply space, If the space al the' enJ
of Ihe line is occupied, ~'Ouropponent
falls prone in Iht' open space'c1osesl to
the' Iint"s endpoint .
CLEVER POSITIONING
Semng Sun (Strike'
Lc\'rl: SwoNsag !
 In it iat ion AClion : I standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One-crea ture
Sav in g Throw: Retlex ~rlial
U:'llh &lIW.J. nliHY of menan. you Irnod:
YOll Jot off balanu . slip .n'o hl~ Sf'Ju. lluJ
10l'(t lutl, mlo Ill" spa' .'Ou full « curlt,1.
You make a melee snack. and whi le
your o pponent is slig htlv off balan ce
from you r blow, you finJ rhe leverage
needed 10 pu ll h im into your space'
while movi ng Int o his space .
As pari of this maneuver; you make
a single' melee attack against a targe r. If
\'OUr anack has.the targe'l takesdamage
normally and mus t make a Rella save
DC 11 + your Dex modi~r).lflhi.ss.a\'t'
fall!'> rou swa p posincns wuh [he u rgel.
If the rarget is large or large r, you can
occupy an y of Iht." squal'C's th at make
up its space. The target mus l in tum
occupyrhe square, oroneof thesquares.
you previccsly occupied. You cannot
use rhi s m aneuver if vou or the target
would end up sharing the same SJUCt" as
another creatu re or an im passable- rer-
rain feauce. sucb as a wall If your targe[
occupies a larger space rhan you do. he
chooses hi s final posiucn accordi ng 10
rhe guidelines given above.
COMET THRO W
Selling Sun (Strike)
level: Swordscgc ~
Pre requ is ite : One
Se lling Sun
maneuver
Int etat tonAct to n : 1
standard action
Ra nge: Touch
Ta rget : Creature lOucht.-d;
see text
Sowing Throw: Reflex
partial: Set' text
rilll lilt· yOIH lot's mo·
mtnlum ag," nsl 111m.
'hrow.ng hm. th rough
th.. a.r 10 crllsll mlo a ~(­
"IIJ .'ntmy.
This m aneuver Iunc-
no ns likemigh ryt hrow
page 73).exrepl as nol·
ed here
A ~ p.3rt of rhl s maneuver. you mll!'>1
succeed on a melee touch m ack again st
your foe. You can [hen make a trip
atlempl again st vour enemy. You gain
a ... ~ bonus on rhe ebtlnvcbeck.
If 'lo u succeed in t ripping your foe.
you throw him up to 10 feer aw;a'l fro m
you in a drrecucn of your choice. You
selectyour ene my'sdesnnaticn squarr.
The I1tgt'1 falls pronein I h~1 space anJ
rakes ads poim s cf danuge . For everv S
perms by whi ch you wi n th e opposed
check, you gain an aJdinonal S feet of
tb rcw range, Foreumpk. if you win~'
to. \"OU can placeyour Ice in any space
wu h in 20 fh'l of you. You ca n Ih row
your~n l inro a speeececuped by:ll
second foe. In this case. the opponent In
rbe IJrget ..quare alsotakes+db pol nt s of
damage and is knocked prone. A Rtflex
sa~ {DC I ~ + your Str modifier) halves
rh IS d.tmageand .l!Joy,'S the second latgr'l
10 remain sI.lJlding. The thrown creal ure
th en f:llls prone in 2 clear space ofyour
choice adjacent 10th e second target.
CO Ur-,ER CHARG E
St'lling Su n (Coun rer)
l e vel : Swo rdsage 1
Irririarion Action: t immediate scucn
Range: Melee att ack
Ta rget: O ne creatu re
\"'.111 a quid;: siJ ..I' I'f.)'I'1I W'nJ a charging
0l'J.'OIUIlI spr.tll'lillg.
\'('ilh Ih lScounter, you can aue mpr ro
redtrecr a creatu re th at intends 10 mak e
a cha rg e an ac k again st you. Imme-
diaIC~l y before the creat ure make" liS
charge attack. make your choi ce of an
opposed Slfe ng lh or Oextt'r1ry check
again sl it . The target makes its check
u \m g rh e same ability you chose for
your check.
If you art' of a large r size catcgorv
th an rhe J.IIacking creature, you use
your superior bulk 10 red irect your for
anJ gai n a . ~ bonus on you r Strength
check fif)'ou opt for a Srren grh check
If you are of asmaller-sizecaegorv, vou
use leverage. misdirection, and tric kery
to gai n a .~ bonus on )'OUr Dexte rity
check (If '!'"'OU use t hat option).
If you succeed on the Strength or
pesternvcheck. tbe creature does nOI
get to anack you. You ca n the n move it
up 10 1 squares m a di rec tion of your
choice lWay from VOlL
If you Iail rh e Strength or Dexterity
check. the crea tu re gains a ·2 bonus
on 115 charge attack. in ad d ilion to
the normal +1 bonus from raking the
charge attack ecnon.
DEVASTATING THROW
Selli ng Su n (Stri ke]
LC'\'eI: Swordsage 3
Pre r eq u is ite : One Setting Sun
maneu ver
I n it ia t ion Act ion : I standard
 Runge : To uch
Tar~(,I : Creatu re touch ed
Srl~JIlg jnur fot toy thr 13rm. you Spill III oJ
q Ul(k hlllf-mdr ,lit.! hurl 111m luaJlong
,1l1'oJY from \'{III.
This maneuver Iuncuons like mighlY
throw {page 73). ...xcept .:IS nored here.
To set up a devasnung th row, vou
must move 311e3s1 15 fl."l:l.
A~ part of Ihls maneuver. you must
succeed on 3 melee touch attack .:Igamsf
your fee. You can then make- 3 trip
mempt agJlnM }'our enemy, Yougilln
• +-4 bonus on IhC' abililY check.
If ~'OU SUCCt'C'll in lripping your fee,
vou Ihrow him up to 10iel"1 aWa}' from
YOU , ThC' Urgrl fllb prone In the JI."S-
unanon sp3ce and rakes 2d6 points of
damage . Yoo ch~whtort" hI." lands, For
c\'ery 5 points by whkh \'00 win rbe
opposedcheck, you pin an addinonal
5 f~1 oi throw Jisl3nce. For example,
liyou win b\·10. you ran place your foe
In anv Sp;lCl' within 20 fl.'t'l of you. Y(lU
must place rhe urgel In an l'mpty spece.
If you lack the distance 10 throw you r
target Into 3 clear space. he falls prone
in his currentspace.
FEIGNED OPENING
Setting Sun (Counter)
l evel : Swordsage 3
Pr c r e qu i s i t l.": On(' St'lri ng Sun
mJneuver
Initiarion Ac tio n : 1 swift aclion
Rn np:e: Persona l
Ta rgt"t: You
YI'II sholl' )'(llir apr ont nl ,1 st.. mmgly foJ I,d
lIIuloJh' 111 your d,·f,·nsts. bUI tMlly ,IVOld
tht rnsumg Mtack 02n,l mnldllHh'olHly
drllll' )l'llr for IIlla (II'rrt\lflIJlng. Ai s1u
flghls 10 rtgallt lur "ala net, yOIl IItoJl:t 13
m'l!1 WIlIl/frlll""k.
You can use this mancu\cr whC'n an
opponenl allempl~ an JI13ck oi oppor-
lu nit}' ag3inST YOU, As you provoke Ihc
allacl.: ot" opporlUnHy, }'ou pOSllion
you~lf in such 3 W;it\ as 10force ~'OUr
opf'OflC'n1 to Ibmw helWlfoffb.ala.nce10
strike vou. E\'C'n if she succ~ in sirik-
mg-you, ~"OlIr foe mighl ft'gret ht'r:ltlack
.as your allics IC'Jp in 10fimsh her.
W ht' n your cnemy mal.:l'S an all3ck
" I llpportun Uy again." YOU bUI bt-fofE"
YOU know rhe resuh I tlu- Jllack
you can irunne Ihl s maneuver. If her
attack misses, she provo kes an .uuck
ofopportunity from you. lfber arrack
of opporrunny hus vou. she provokes
an attack of oppcrtunirv (rom any of
your allies who threaten her,
FOOl:S STRIKE
Setting Sun {Cou nler)
Level : SwonJsagt· l'l
Prereq ui s rt e: T hree SC't1ing Sun
maneuve rs
Initi:lt ion Action: 1 immC'diJre action
Range: Melt'e auack
Target : One creature
A rnll'uT( dnl.:!f. "Id rou 'unl lilt NOlt'
dnughl "'Iell: 111 I.
Wlw=n en C'nem'1 anscks you on us tu rn,
you can alIemp to block rhe blow and
sendn back at rhn CIl'JIUfe. You SleplnlO
rhe .lIt:lCk sed redirect II . 1'lu.s maneuver
pits your skill against that (If your foe.
Ii an opporere macks you. you can ini-
riare rhis maneuver 10 make an opposed
attack roll JS an immediate action, If
your foe'sresult is higher; h... attacks you
as normal, Ifyour resuh is higher, your
fOt' rolls damage as normal for the anack
and fakes rha r much damage.
GHOSTLY DEFENSE
Selling Sun (tilance)
l evel: Swordsage 8
Pn·n·qu isitl.' : Thn,'l' St'll ing Sun
maneuvers
In it iatio n Anion : I swi(laclion
Range: Prrsonal
Targer : You
Durarion: Suncl"
YOII lurk 1t'IIIIIll (M U Ul l lll g ItIlll,
your 0 1'1'(1111111 mto "UlJckmgfl'Ill, only to
Jo.lJ:toul of tilt ImY'lI1l1 Jlml )'CIllrtlumy',
blowa/llli unl\'l lhllg ally,
You 3rt' a ghosl in Ihe misl , capablt' of
turning a fot' 3gairq hrr allies. Bygaug-
ing your opponent's flgh ring sl3nce.
riming your dodgt' correctly, and plac-
mg yoursel( m tht flghl po~irion. }'OU
C3n lead her inlo uucking onC' of her
allies ratht'r Ihan you. When your fOf'
strtkes,~"OU duck out of the W3Y, As she
folkw.-s Ihrough WITh ht'r atuck. she
in2dwflently allxks an ally.
\011 &21n lhlli srance s benefit wh n
an opponent's snack against you h s
a miss chance, such as irom conceal-
men lo \'C'hene\"er an cpponcrus melce or
ranged ansck misses you because of t hl ~
mM ch3nce, you can choose 10cha nge
the 13rg('( of the anack (rom you t
aoo tht'f C'llgible urgel (ot her rban your
atta cker). For 3 melee attack. ihe ne
13rgC'1 muct be within youroppont'nt
reach and adjacenllO you . For a ranged
3Ilxk.lhC' new tugel must be adjacent
10 \'OU, and your opponent must have
line of effecr ro h im. Use the result oj
lht' original an ack todererrnine lfir hns
ThC' new UrgC'I, Your foe-does nor check
again for a miss d13nCC'. 2S\UU gwde rhe
ansck directly fa th e new target. This
ability applies only once per 2IUck 11
you use ghostly defense to redirect an
meek against a foe using this stance,
he dOC'S not have rbeopncn to redirect
Thearrack again,
You must be aware ofan oppom'nts
attack to gain the bt"nefit ofthis sta nce.
You cannot U~ it against arracks thai
catch you Ilar-foored.
GIANT KILLING STYLE
Selling Sun (Sla nce)
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequt ste e : One Se ll ing Su n
maneuver
l nu iatton Acrton . t swifr action
Range: Pt'",onal
Target : You
Duration: Sta nce
You Jl1r1 (.(hl'tl'/l d gll1tll'lltgl, Iddtillg lit
hIs rllIlI'r ,mH.·s,I,r./ ollarr 1!1I1u.·rd"lr <11t"11
wlllit stl1)1rli! Imhl.. Ilis rtlJCh whtre lit
carmo/ llopt 10 J'dIT)' your <lUMIa.
lurtug The Selling Sun schoo l le."3ches 3 figh l-
ing slyle Ihal e mp haSize s using an
opponenr's sire ngih and momentum
Jgainsl him. the gianl killing strike
epilomizes this appro.:lch. By siZing
up a l3fgl"ropponent and slUdying hiS
fighling !'l3ncC' and lendC'ncies.\"OU 31m
your slrikes at vulnenbll" points on
his lower body Ihal he." cannot defend
dToclh'l'ly. Youslice al rC'ndons on your
foe's fttl , smash his knees, and cur inTo
his hamstflngs.
\'t'hen \'OlI are 10this !'lance, }'OU gam
a.,.~ bonus on attack roll~ and a +4 bonus
on damage rolls agamst opponents f
 a l;arg~r SIU' cacgorv tha n vours. This
bonus appht'~ 10 311 artarks you make
for rh... I't'SI ofyour turn.
HYDRA SLAY ING STRIKE
SC'lI ing Sun (Slrikt')
Le v...l: Swordsage 7
Pr erequt s u e: Three S... t1in g Sun
maneuv....rs
I n it tar ion Action: I standard 2C1l0n MIRRORED PURSUIT
Range: Melee mack
Ta l'}trl: O nC' creature
You wkt slocfr: 0(an orro nrn fs pt...Jllmg llrlt
an.l FrllIkt .. sm~I... t.Ht(llllr iJmltJ all",dr.
Iholl Ital'ts Ilu {rt,dun' Ullolblt 1.:1 molkt all
i1( III llttdth
'00 uke careful aim al an enemy crea-
rure . stnkin g uwit h the precise amounl
offorce needed 10 push it otTguard and
lC'3\C' II unable 10 bring all ofils ansc ks
TO bear. YOUt opponent m U )1 spend
cnucal seconds adJlming its guard and
reevaluanng us surroundings.
As pUI of this ma neuv er, make a
single melee atta ck . If this attack h its.
vour f.1rg~1 rakes normal da mage anJ
cannot mak e a full attack on its nex t
turn Otherwise, it ca n aCI normally,
MIGHTY THROW
Sel ung Sun (Strike)
Level: Swcrdsagc I
Initiation Act ion: I standard acti on
Range: Touch
Target : Creature touched
VOl/ IN Slllli'not It'w r.1):., atl d j'cur Sdli"~ Pre requ fstte: Two Se ll ing Sun
Sllnlramlllg 10 l!'lhl.1II (Ir l'OIW11 llllllb/lI1g
lo lh.. gl'Olllld ,
As parI of this m aneuver, you mu st
S<lCCC'l.J on a mdl'e louch anack againsl
\'ou r foe , Resolve tht' Ih row as a tri p
1I11l'mpl (PH 158). but you do nOl pro-
voke lInacks of opportunity. and your
oppont"nt ca n nol lry 10 rri p you if you
lo ~ Ih~ o pposed check. You can use
your Dexl eril y Dr Sltength modifier.
whIChe\'t'r IS hi ght'r, You gain 1I ++
bonu~ on t h~ abil ity cht"Ck.
If you succt't'd in trippi ng your foe,
you Ih ro w ir up 10 10 feet away from
u Th~ urgel falls pron~ in the des-
tm atlon spac t'. You choose wht'tt' it
IanJ You mU~1 placC' the targ~t in an
mpt ~pace Ii you lack [ht' JistllncC'
10 threw you r targer mrc a clear space
II 11I1Is pront' In us current space.
A n enemy you throw wuh this
maneuver does not prcccke auack s
of o ppor rum tv tor passtng throu gh
enemies' rhrea rened areas as pan of the SHIFTING DEFENS E
throw, and you ca n th row an enem..·
through occupied sqw~ ,
Serring Sun (Cou n ter
LC'\'C'!: Swordsage ;
Peee equtstr e : Two Se t ring Sun
ma ne uvers
In tn arton Action: I unmed lalt' iKltOn
RlIn ge: Personal
Target : You
Y"ur IIIM'rrlltlll1 ptr(ttlh rn<lUh )'llur(ot'\., iJtron lilt NllltlitU.
l1/1owmg lOU I" mow iJS !ht oWn. Tryas mt
"lI~hl I" t S€art. )'lJU "main al hft Sidt.
Your :tbilit'{ to srudv a fee and match
he r mo tions al lows ~'OU to re mam
wuhi n arm's reach at all rim es, Your
opponenl ca n not hope W escape \ '00
\\:'hen an oppone nt 2dpcent to ~1X1
moves. you can initiate this maneuver
to Immediately move 1011ny sqU3t~ aJp-
ce n t 10 her as soon as she STOpSmoving.
as lo ng :IS [he di st anc e you cover is
Jess than or equal TO YOUt sp eed. this
movement doe s not provoke auack s
of o pport u n ity.
SCORPION PARRY
Scru ng Sun (Cou nt er',
Level . Swcrdsege 6
maneuvers
In itiation Action: I immediate acrion
R:lnge: Pe rsonal
Target: You
You kn{1{k )'(Ilir orronlrtfs atl Mk lindt,
J,:u rJmg flU u~'ar<'n il1l(lDrtt of 'U l alll"l. Wllh.1 grml dlOUl, l1l1l ltl1J yourarro llnl l
You r kt't"n eye and amlirv to di sCl"ma
f~ 's moti\'es and in tentions allo\\' \'oo
[ 0 deflect an inco ming a[t:lck into a
J ifft'renl larget .
If an opponem .1trads~, you can Inl-
IlatC' thi s mane~ [ 0 make an oppo!oI"d
:ltuck roll3San imIDt'lii.a.feaclion. If)'OlIr
f~'s result IS higher, he- Jnacks YOU as
normal If)'Ourtt!SU1t IS higher, \'OU can
chClClSt' a creature: adjacC'n1 ( 0 you and
wuhI[} \'OUt0PJ"t.\flIt'm) rhrr:ah:'net.l.u .l-
The chosen creature is rbe new targe t
of you r Ice s arrack. Use your enemy s
o riginal auack roll result 10 de rerm me
If he strrkes rhe new target.
Senmg Sun (Sta nce)
U \'e1: Swcrdsage 5
Pre rcqu tstre : Two Sernng Su n
maneuvers
Initiati on Act io n : I swi ft acnon
Range: Personal
Ta rg!.'l: You
Duration: SIaDCC'
Y"u dllek anJ mOI't as you Jodgt VOllr
0PP(1lUIII'Sdttatkl. S/tlldr bUI surrly, t/JeI,
iJUlUk gu'ts )"Il u Iht orporttllllly I" mOl'l
Your abilitv 10 read you r opponents
InOVC'S and use their stre ngth againsl
th em allows you to shift you r position
duri ng a battle. Each failed :lIIKk grves
you the spin-second you need to move
without drawmg snacks.
Whilt' you are in th is sta nce , you can
make an immediate ;-foot step each
time an oppont' nl attacks you. Movi ng
in rhts manner consumes on e of your
att acks of opport u nity in the currre m
round, You canner mow in rhis rnanner
If you han ! no sn acks of opportunity
re main ing. This movem ent does nOI
provoke attacks of opponunnv,
SOARI"'G THROW
Sen ing Sun (Strike)
Level: Swordsege 5
Prereq u t str e: Two Setting Su n
maneuvers
Initiat ion Act ion : 1 standard aCTion
Range : Touch
Target: Crealutt' touched
SD.lrlllg Ihroug" Iht air III a high arc. Ht
diJrns ";Jt k I" Iht gro und It" ' " iJ loortt-
CTlU h lllg tllli J,
As J»t1 of Ih is maneu\·er, you must
succeed on a melt'(' louch attack :l.gainsr
your foe. Resoh.... tht' throw lIS :I lrip
allt'mp t PH 15S). bur )'OU do nOI pro-
veoke :macks ofopportunity. :lnd your
opponent cannot try 10 trip you If )-ou
lose th e opposed cht"Ck. You ca n u
\ ur D~ -trtll v or Stren gth molhfi r
 whlchevrrl ~ h.·IIN You gain a ; 4 bonus
on rhe abllit)· check
If l OU succeed In tripping vour
toe, you throw him up to 20 fecI ;away
from you. The target falls prone in
tht' desnnauon space and IJk l.'S s dli
poi nt s of dam age. You choose where
he lands. For everv 5 points by which
vou wm the opposed check, you gain
an addmonal ; feer of throw di~unCC'.
f or example, if you Win by 10, you can
place your foe 10 any space within 30
il"'t'l of you. You must placethe urget in
an empry space. If you lack tbedmaace
to th row you r rarget uno a d ear spece.
he falls pr one in his current sreee-
An enem y yo u throw with thi s
maneuver does not provoke auacks
of opportunity for passing throu gh
enermesrhrearened I te3S as part ofrhe
throw, and vou can th row an enemv
th rou gh occupied squares.
STALKING SHADOW
Semng Sun (CtJU nrer)
Leve l. S....-crdsage 5
Prerequisite: T...., o
Setting Sun
maneuvers
Init iat ion
Acr io ru I
immedi-
ae acnon
Ra nge: Personal
Target : You
\t rllr n lhi tTt>llurt rou ,Irr Nlfhllg Inti 10
bil,k >l1I'>ly. )'011 i lrr nnf'o II UI l Ilt' rlmkoJ
alltrr,/llrtlllgII ta Ilarld .111.1 fi~lll or II/ffa
tilt comtqllcncts pI WII ItJril ll ~tl.
Using your watchful rye 3nd your abtl-
u y to judge an opponent's actions, you
move at precisely rhc same lim e your
enemy begins to mow .
Ifan opponem in a squue adjacen t [ 0
\IOU mD\'I"S, you can inmate th is maneu-
ver mmake a 5·(oot ~ te r mro rhe spilce
ror oneof the squares) it occupied. Th is
movement does no t pr ovo ke attack s
of opportunit y,
STEP OF THE WIND
Sett ing Sun (Sunce)
LC'\·d: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: I SWift acti on
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
YOllu\dk MtoSl ru~~lt IIllJOtlltrbro-
ktll l<'rr,1111 11'1/11 ,I<'(tplw i
Mi(, til/owIng rOil to SHIELD
I,d.:t Ill/I\lII tllgtof)"ur
0rro"(/lll iI~ IIlry
IITllgglt 10 m Ot'f
,II full Spit.1.
'1'00 are soclosclv an c aed to vourt"nvi
ronment th at you eastlv pick out SII' Jdy
SpolS In rough terrain. While others
struggle to move over broken grou nd
you slip across il wuh ease. W hl'n you
fight on rou gh ground, you t urn the
uneven footing into an advantage. By
gsugtng how an oppo ne nt d ist ribute
hi Sweight . )'OU stri ke at Just the" ngh r
momem an d in the precise spot needed
to send hi m IUmbling to the ground
Whilt' you are in th is stanc e, you
ignore pe nalnes to speed. movemem.
or skill checks associated with move-
tnent (such asTumblt', Jump. and Climh
checks) inc urred by moving through
difficult terra in , Ifyou attack an oppo-
nent standing e n d ifficult terrain w hile
you are in Ihis stance. and if tha I foe
takes a move ment pe nalty for moving
th rough di fficu lt terrain, you ga m a .2
bon us on attac k ro lls and a . .. bonu
on Strength or Dexremv checks made
.1S paT( of a bull rush or trip atte mp t
against that enemy, Yougain th is bonus
on checks made roenher scccmplish or
restst a bull rush or trip.
STRIKE OF TH E BROKEN
Sell ing Sun (Stri ke)
Level : Sword sage 4
I'rerequisit e : Two COiling Su n
maneuvers
 I nit iarion Anion : I -randard acno n
Range: Melee auack
Ta rget : O ne cr eature
Sav in g Th ro w: Reflex p3rual
YOIl slllih l'Ollr "l'rontnl allJ drlll't'r lUI
al!M/r rruud" ,utllrJ 10 rutn hl5 Jr.ftn~s
lUld ftmr hmt to l(rMnhlr Ill' his bJl,,"u.
w1uk Itrstruggki wrmJ.v lumsrU.11i mOlllrs
InoJu 1'U'nrrablr 10 )tIur alia/h.
A ~ pan ofIh is maneuver, nuke a si ngle
~1eC" snack. This attack deals an extra
4d6 pcims ofdamage. In addition, rbe
target must make a Reflcx save ( DC
H ... your Str mod ificr) or become Ral-
footed unul rb... start of his next rum.
The targe t takes damage fncrmal melee
damage plus the e tr.J lhmagel even If
hts save succeeds. If the larget cannot
be caught Ilar.foored (he has uncanny
dodge, (or example, he still takes rhe
extra damage from rhe «rtke but orh-
erw ise suffers no ill effecr.
TORNADO THROW
Setting Sun lStrike)
Level: Swcrdsage 9
lo r Shadow Hand discipline teach es
rbe ar rs of stealth, decep tion, and
ambush . Its m aneuvers allow a war-
n or 10 lak e on a shadowy aspec t or 10
channel dark energy to sap an enemy's
strengt h. This discipline's preferre d
weapon s are the dagger,sai.short sword,
spiked chain, stcnghern. and unarmed
smke. li s key skill is Hide.
ASSASSIN'S STANCE
Shadow Han d (Srm ct')
Level : Swcrdsagc l
Prerequ isite: One Shadow Hand
m aneuver
Iniriat ion Action: I swif action
Range: Personal
Ta rgee: You
Duration : Stance
As )'Durlot strugglN to rtgd ln lUi dtfrnm't'
~hlJT, Wlllnl( up 0:1" n:il(lr llg stn~ Ilwflnu
II'llh fUprnor awmur w"d dradly .foTCr.
.\ sh aJow caSt by a gap bt'lween IWO
i1 rrnorN pUI or a 0't'2'ir In a O't'2lure's
Ihn hidecalls to )'OW'Y.T:l pon. alkJwmg
I're r t' q u is it c : Five Se u tng Su n
maneuv..rs
Init iation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Melee attack
Targ et: One or more creatures
Llb~ a wh,rlWind. )'OU IlImf and SPI"
"eM f Ih.· NHlrfirlJ,lossll'lg lilts '''''1:1)' ftfl
"lId n ghl.
As put ofinmanng this maneuver, you
move' up 10 your opponent. throw her
aside. and move again . You must move
at least 10 feel before making your
throw. This movement and your move-
ment afrervour IhtoY., pt'OYOkt' attacks
of oppcrr u ni rv as nonnal. You can
move up to double your speed as part of
thi s maneuver. Ifyou fail In your th row
attempt. ~"OU can sull moo."t' afterward.
After every to fttl you move. you can
attempt another Ibrowagainst the-s.arnt
opponenr or OJ drfferenr foe.
To make your throw attempt, you
must succeed on a melee rouch attack .
Resolve the throw as a mp attempt ( PH
15S). but you do not provoke attacks of
opportunity,and l/OUr opponenrcanner
try to rrip you i()"OU lose'the opposed
BLOOD LEm N C STRIKE
BALANCE ON THE SKY
Shadow Hand (Sta nce)
Level: Swcrdsage 8
Prerequ isite : Three Shadow Hand
maneuvers
Jn tr tanon Action: 1S\\"ift action
Range: Personal
Targer: You
Du r at ion: Sunce
You gain rhe abilny to uS!: ,lIr wlJlk PH
1% on vou ~l f only \ au musl kttp.il
I...ast on.. hand empty whllt' u ~ l ng Ih
check. You Ca n usc you r Dt'xrt'tIl )
or Stre ngth modifier on rhis chec k
whichever is better. You gain a +2 bonus
on this check for every 5 feet thai you
have moved duri ng your tu rn
If you succeed in tripping you r
Ice, you th row him up to 10 fet' l away
(rom vcv Tht' target falls pro ne In
rb e de sumrton space and rak es ld6
points of damage. You choose where
he lands. For eYCry 5 points by whICh
you w in rhe opposed check, vou gam
an addinonal5 fttt of rbrcw dis tance
anJ the largrl rakes an addiuoru l tde
points of damage. For example, if you
wtn by 10 , you can place your foe in
any space wnhm 20 feer ofyou , and he
takes a total of 4<16 points of damage.
You mU~1 place the urget in an empty
spac~. If)"OU lack rhe distance ro rh row
your target in rc a clear space , he falls
prone in hIScurrent space,
An enemy you th row with th is
maneuver dot's not provoke at tacks
of opporrunilf for passing through
enemies'rhrearened areas as p3rt of the
th row, and you on throw an enemy
through occupied squares.
Shadow H and (Strike)
Le vel: Swordsag.. 5
Pee ecq uts tte. Two Shadow H and
maneuvers
In itiation Acr ion: t standard action
Range: Melee attack
Ta rg et: One creature
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
Sl'mmng)tllU bLUr III tl ftultrrfirJike f"JI-
tern, you aJnmUSltr II Jo::rn prmsr cuts
lit 1111 rytl.lInk. Blood jlOIl'S from your fot'i
oJ't"rd l't''"~
As pan of this maneuver, you m Jk..
a Single m",It'C" .iu ack. If Ih lS Jluck
h us ¥l.lur op nent u kes 4 poinl
 I ( an tuunon damagt' In addiuo n 10 Tu gec: One crea tu re pc-Il Nt 2"" , Yo u rema in ms Inbl
'('IUT attack ~ normal damage. A su e- Savi ngI hrow: Fortitude pall iaI urntl rhe end of vour currem tu rn.
o-ssful Forur ud e save (DC 15 ~ you r 1 hrs maneuver is a superna tural
Wi~ modlfi,'r) reduces [his Const irunon YOllr ll','apan Imth J"mH IIllo ItlllJ Jark abi l uy-
damage102 poims.ahbcogh tbe fOC' sn ll Jlt H . \'1711(11 rlllnkil h M}lt. II dll"'lar~t1
l a ke ~ lu ll normal mt'I~~ damage. III a s",l fl lll~ ilr ~ of 111,1,10 11' Illlll l"gulfl DANCE OF THE SPIDER
\'OlIr f(lf's1ft's.. Shadow Hand {Sta nce'
CHILD OF SH ADOW uno): Swordsage 3
shadow Hand (Su nce) As p3rl of thi s maneu ver. you make a In it iation Acrion: I swtf acuon
Level : Swordsag... 1 single melee snack. Ifit bus. you deal Ran~e: Personal
tnutan on Acti on: I sWift action anexrra Id6po:ntsofdamage,.1nd your Tuget : You
RlIn gt": Personal opponent mu st make a success fu l For- Du ra ti o n : Stance
Targt"t: You titude 5aw (DC 11 • your ""i~ modifi t>rl
Durar ton: Sta nce or suffera 20'\ miss chance on .111 melee Black. IJlaJ,, ",y t ll lTg}' (Ol-'(TS )'tJUr 1l,mJi
and ra nged amcks for I rounJ . A sue- ,m J {ttl, 1I110ll'rtIg }tlll 10 ~Ultll 11("10>\ /h
A. YOll mOIit', SIt"J(lI<'i lIu/ftr "nJ m'o1nu c.....sful save negate s the mus chance , lI'alls anJ wIllig I,let a IIIri:mg spdtr.
arolmJ )011. [W " IInJtr Iht bng hl J (k'rl bUI nOI the extra damage.
11111 , WII lin' ,1Iffi(1l1r 10 This maneuver IS :I supernatu ra] Wh ile you are in this stance, you gain a
,pol LIS 10llg III rou .1bthl)·. be nefit Similar to the' spWt r ch mb spe ll
n'rth11n m monon. (PI I 283). You gain acltmb speed of 20
ftort You do nOI need to make a Clim b
As an rrunat e o f check [ 0 traverse .1 vertical o r hon
rhe Sh adow Hand zcnral surface. even if you auempt 10
school,you learn mcce across a ceiling. You retain your
to channel and Dexterirv bonus 10 AC wh ik cl imbing.
control dark, and you mu st have OIl 1t'3St one hand
shadowy ener- free 10 support yourself whil.. you
glt"S.l1m t'nt' l'ID' climb, You do not rak e any penal
flews aro u nd li t' S, nor do your cpponen rs gain
you like a con- anv bonu s when attack ing
ceal mg robe, you , while you climb
hiding yo u You cannot take a run
fr om your acti on while climb-
opponents as ing in this m anner
tht'}'JI{CmpIIO
srrike you. DEATH IN
I f yo u move OI l THE DARK
least 10 f"t,t during your Sha d o w H an d
[urn , you gain co ncealment (Strike)
against all melee and ra nge d Level: Swcrds age 7
attacks unrilrhe start of yo ur n ext IniriationAction: I ~ Ian-
t ur n. You al so ga in rh e sta nd ard ben- ,ArrtnJls mi lS a h.ljli,,!. nn, JJa!.t dard action
efirs of concealmen t, bUI you cannot . si,,!. fix chiJJ of sh.JJI1'»'S ssa"u Range: Melee anack
use rhr s sta nce 10 h ide in pla in sigh t; Target : One creatu re
you mu st snll use some e ther te rrai n CLOAK OF DECEPTION Saving Throw- Fort itud e partial
feature that no rmally allows you to us<' Shadow Han d ( Boo~ l)
the Hide ski ll. The Iluuerm g shadows Level: Swc rdsage 2 YOII tallh )tlllf ioe 1IIIIII\'IIn', ,d l"wlIlg )'111.1
make ir difficult to spectficallv targel In itiation Acr ion : I sw ifl acuo n /0 Jilil .1 sltlglt , Jtll,lIr dnkf filII ' ,lilt'S
vou , bUI you r e nemies are aware of Range: Persona: Jlt r 1I1llllnllr,
your pcstuon. Target : You
This maneuver IS a superna tu ral Dura tion: End of rurn Th is maneu ver funct ions on ly ag31nst
abiltry, a Ilar-foored opponent. As part of I h i ~
TIll IholJOIl'S art'lIInJ )'Oillum l(llU~ f(lr- ma neuve r, make a single melee att ack
CLINGING SHADOW STRIKE ward ,mJ mgll lfy.llI. fora ~ruf momi nl . If Ih is attack hits. you deal normal
"h.ldow Hand Stnu lilt)" n'ndtr )'011 rm'lSlbit . d am .1gl" .1 nJ Ih e target must m ake .1
Lnel : Swordsage I forlirude sao.-e (OC 17 + \'OUr \'('IS modi-
Inic i.1r io n ,\ cfio n: I sl.1nJ ard a.::tion \\':'hl'n you m ili a!e th is man t"uver, you fier ). If Ihl' tugtot falls this <;a\'t" she
OI ng(.': Md e atuck tum inviSible, as The gTtaltr 11Il'lI ,bllll) t;ake's .1nrXIf3 lsd6 pOInts of damage
 If h cr ~a,'t" succeeds. she rake-, an extra
5d6 pOlnlS oj damage Th is maneuver
fua cnons on ly ag3ln" opponents who
are vulnerable 10 cnncal hil s.
DRAIN VITALITY
Shadow Hand (SlrikC')
Level: Swcrdsage 2
Prereq uisit e; One Sh adow H and
maneuv r
I nitiat ion Act ion: 1 standard action
Range : . Ielee auack
Targ et : One creature
Saving Th row: Fonuude negates
:\ fallll IllPIlblU of udd y gri1y dll1JoIl' sur-
roull,lsYOllr ll'I'IIp"n. \'('hm YOlllltf.u k, tillS
dlaJoll'YIIura jl oU's mlo tlu It",,UIIJ you
.nflli t. sarrll1 g your 0rp"ntl lt's slrtllgth ,
VIIIIllIr, and tn t rgy.
As pm of this maneuver, make a single
melee aueck If Ihi ~ ansck bus, \'0\1 deal
normal melee damage and rbe target
must make a successful Foru rcde S.1\.t'
(DC 12 • your \X/is modifier) o r u kt'
2 pomr s of Ccnst uunon damage . A
su cce ssful save n('ga ll,- ' Ih C' Cons ri-
tu rto n damage but not th e normal
melee dam age.
ENERVATING SHADOW
STRIKE
Shadow Hand (tilr ike)
Level: swordsage fl
Prcrcqc tstte: Three Shadow Ha nd
maneuvers
l ntttarton Action : I standard aClion
nangc.': ~ ll'll' e att ack
Targel: ('Inl" CCl'alure
SlwingThrow: Fort it ude negates
YOUT lwapm MO lllrs (/o.,krd 111 illl lIlkr,
hIli, II "",,11,11. AI I\J U sfn kr l'Ollr oprol1tltl,
lltlll tltt rgl' /loll'Sinto flit u'Olm,1 anJ li'llLon
111 m J'<llt. Wtdl: . <JI"I sJI.lkmg.
As pan of Ih lS maneuvC'r, you makl!' a
smglt m d C'I.' alla ck. If th is allack hu s,
lh e largC'1 mu sl m3.kC' a successful For-
f1ludl" ~a\'(' { DC Ifl-t yourWis modifier)
or gam Id4 nega li\"!' levels. You ga in 5
l('mpo rlln-' h ll po int s for each neg arh'C'
Ie\"t'l your enemy gai ns. Ttmporllry hit
polnt"gameJ in lh is man ner last un ti l
Ihe end o f Ihe C'ncounler. The effe-cls
of "ny neg am"!' tt'vt'ls M IOWN by Ihl s
IrIkt' dlupf't'u in 24 hou rs.
If the n .rge l has ar 1('.:151 as m3ny
neganve Il'\e1~ a~ Hu Dice , II di es
Each negnfvelevel grves a creatu re a- I
penall y on attack roll s. saving th rows .
skill checks. abilit y checks. and ('ff~
nve Ieve! for determ ining the power,
durauon. DC, and orherdeui ls of spells
or spt'C1.:11 abilnies). Addition ally, :a
spelleasrer loses one spell or spell 5101
from her highesr available level. N~;..
live levels suck.
In add ino n [0 rh e neg:allve levels
vour attac k d eals normal damage.
even if rbe target succeeds on Ihe
saving throw.
This maneuver is a su~rnat uf21
ability.
FIVE·SHADOW CREEPIN G
ICE EI'ERV....nON STRIKE
Shadow Hand (Sm ke
Leve l: Swordsage 9
Prerequtstte : Five Shadow Hand
maneuvers
In ir iat io n ACt ion : I standard acuon
Range: Melee 3lUCk
Targe-t ; O ne creature
Duranon: I min ute
Sa vi ng Th row : Fortit ud e par rtal:
5('" te xt
\l' ,tl, II Illlg1~ IUllgi, yo u riiTU )'(lilT tIli"l)'
lolht (OTt. 1\ du"low of llitll1Mfa' told f,dll
OVtT hli I",,~r t ,urJ ""'gllu IJ l4'Orm t1,roUgll
IiISvrllls 1"lIlt' fiw J"'lIIh ofII I' ""\.-I\',
As part of rhl s maneuver, you m ake a
single melee at tack. If you hit , )'Ou dellI
norm ll l me ]ee damage plus an eXira
ISdfo points of d3m.1ge, and a ~ h adow
spreads out irom your enemy's hl'ar t.
fn'e zing the blooJ in his wins, RollI!
d20 and refer 10Ihe informatio n below
to dl.'terminl."[OW3rd which point orh is
bodyth e freezi ng sludow 5J're-3ds. This
C'ffC'C1func tions even if \-our opponent
is nOI humanoi d; onclC' \ 'OU ha\"t' slruck
your foe's hean, the s}udow product's
Ihe saml" I'ffects e\'C'n in .1 cn-alure wllh
a d ifferent ,m atomy.
Rt's u lr of 1 - 7 : Sph'OIds OUI 10 lrog
Abilily dllmage: l d6 Dex. Special effecr:
Speed is red uced to 0 fttt.
Re su lt of 8-1 4: Spreads 00110 arms _
Abi lll Yda mage: 2dl. Str. Special efle<t
-6 penaltv on artack rol.~ ;andumct'n-
Iratton chC'Cks
Result of 15-20: Struck in the hea rt
Ablllly d amage: 2d6 Dex, 2J6 St r
SrC'cia l effecl : 2d6 point s of Cons t!
un tcn damage.
A fO<' struck by thi s atlack must make
a successful Forntude save (DC 1'J •
your Wis modifier) lOresist its effec l
On asuccessful save. the target ignores
any special effC'C t fro m the attack and
takes half IhC' indicated abilirv dama
(but sti ll rakes nonn.al ~1C'e damage
as we ll as rhe t'XIr.I I Sd 6 po m t of
damage. Each o f (he speci al effee u,
lam for l d6 rou nds.
This maneuver is a su pernatu ra l
abill lY·
GHOST BLADE
Shadow Hand (Slrike)
Le\'~ I : Swcrdsage 6
PrC'rt'qui~i te: Th ree Shad ow Hand
maneuvers
I n it iation Actton: I standard action
Range: xteleeanack
Target : One creature
A smllt bnghtins your Joc's tyrs; h.' hilS
,lllJgt,1 ),our Moll'. Bi d dlill It'IIs IIIt'Tt ly
lIlt ghost M.,Jt. TIlt n'll! rl "dr IS "''''''g
m'lft ly from 'lII.ltTlltalll, .1I"f yet II., sllU
m illis ...
As part of this maneuver. you make
a melee arrack . As you str ike at you r
oppon en t. you CCC'3 l~ an illusory double
of you r weJpon. This double slashes a t
your opponent, tri cking h im into mis-
tak ing il for your 3113Ck. In truth, Ihe
illUSIOn cloaks your re31 atl3ck. Your
opponl'n! is caught l1al-foo fed a gain~ t
,his 5t rike, 3S IhC' hid den ;1II3ck from a
m'w direClion ru in s his deftnses.
This m aneuver is a supern alu ra l
abil ity.
HAI'D OF DEATH
Shadow Hand (Stri ke)
L('\'el : Swordsa ge.+
In it ial ion Act ion: I slandard llClion
Range: Touch
Targel : Cre aru re touch t>d
Duration: Id3 rounds
Sa\'ing Throw: Fonitude negale"
You r<"illh 0111 lind 'lip yDllrfae U'lIh oJ Slll.i:/t
~" r. 1-1" '(0(11;: "f pu.::1tmntlluTm 10!ta r
oJ~ bldll: ino'!!)' iPridJI acrou hiT bO'lh'
ri ' In ,"g Itti'Iltlplns
 Yllli draw urnn the pcn\'l' 1" of sh adow 10
rendr-r J ~ i ngl " rot' hdpb~. By rocchmg
J specific nerve re nter and ch anneling
your 1:1, you leave your enemy's muscles
cold, locked. and u'elcss.
T h is maneuver fu nc t io ns only
agam,r Ilar.footedopponen ts. As pan
of Ih is maneuver. you make a melee
touch attack again st youroppo ne nl. If
rhis att ack hus. vour opponen r mu st
make a successfu l Fortitude save (IX:
14.. your 'X'is modifier )or be!' par.alyzcd
for tds rou nds.
ISLAND OF BLADES
Sh.1dow Hand (Stance
Level: Swcrdsage I
Inir iation Act ion: t Swift action
Range: Persona l
Target : You
Duration: Stance
You dOdk )"(turstlf 11111 ~"'lrlUlg mmbusof
IholJOll' (11tflO'_rllt st' Ina,l(lll'S 'p HI dnJ
floll' IIr(lutlJ yoll, p,tI t n lltlg illlycrtaluft
nMr YOII from r tlllg IIrlt 10 ,tnlrn r dlt
VOUfliIIMIl'l.
Your rurn yo u r enemies' stre ng ths
against them , improving you r co mbat
abilil Yas well as Ih31of an all y. W hen
you and a comrade move 10 arrack an
opponent . you n rne you r attacks an d
position you rsel f 10 fru strate you r
opponent's defen ses
If borh you and an I lly are adjacent 10
Ih... same creature . rhe rwo of you gain
rhe benefit fcrflankmg Ihal op pont'h1.
You can gain thi s bendil again st mu l-
tip le opponehls al tht' samt' lim t', as can
your allies. If bolh you and an ally a",
adJact'nr 10 Ih,' same IWOcrea turt'S, Ihe
IWO of you gai n rhe bcnefll of flan king
againsr balh crN turt's.
OBSCURING SHADOW VEIL
Shadow H and (Slr ikt')
Level: SworJsag,· of
Prerequ isile: Two Shado w H and
m aneu",~n;
I nil ialion AClion: t ~ u nda rd action
Range: ~ te!e(' aruck
Tillfgel: One cr":ltuU'
Duration: 1 round
Sa\'ing Throw: FortuuJe partul
\I. llrllrt rOil' epf'O!I(Ill.)'I'lI ' u mmon
I m"rg-rcIO'lilt 'ih.IlI,,1l' Iland l(h~
10 rob rOllr (,It of h,'r II~II I lid." bl.uk
,'llrfl!T llllrrotl'llrrio luI' n,'I , ",",1"1'11I': II, I'
blll1,j for n ftll' (rrlmJl rtlolllmh.
As a standard action . you ca n make
a single mele e at tack. If it h its , your
oppo nent takes normal melee damage
plus an extra 5<16points of d amage. s he
mu st also make a success ful Fortitude
save (DC 14 " you r \'('i s modifier) or
suffer a 50% miss chance on all me l...e
and ranged al:.acks for 1 round. A sue-
cessful save negates rhe m iss chance,
bu r no l rhe extra damage.
11J.is maneuver is a supernaru ra]
abilllY·
ONE WITH SHADOW
Shadow Hand (Cou nt er)
l evel : Swcrdsage 8
Pre re qu ts tt« Thr ee Shadow H and
maneuver s
InirilltionAet ion: I immedme acucn
Range: Personal
Target; You
Duration : See text
Yilll f,Jl11' 11110 lIlt ',11I' tll,' flU of "1Il,1.,ll',
hmliflg 1rl1IlIp.lrtnf,llltll lrlsubll,lI1fhll .
As an Im mcdrare actio n, you become
in corporea l. You gain all the benefits
of the incorporeal subtype, along wit h
ihe drawbacks.asourlincd in the tncor-
pcreal Subrype sideba r, All of your
gear becomes in corporeal, although
you can no t g rant thi s state 10 a living
creature rhar you touch or car ry. You
re ma i n in corporea l un lil lh,' begin-
nin g ojyou r next turn.
SHADOW BLADE
TECHNIQUE
Shadow Hand (Srr ikt')
le\·e1: S word~ge 1
lnil iation Anion: 1 sundanJ aClion
Range: Mdet' attac k
Target: O ne crealUr...
r Oll YOlJr Wtllpon In lin r1..Eoo'll lt
WfOllll('
ertllllng d'i IIIu lOry ,lilut.lt Ihal
P.l!fl'rll,
gloll'1' wllh whilt (JIt rgy. A~ )'0 11 1II111u
)'Pur IIUaek, ~Ih your lru t II'tapo" IInJ
I!lt illusioll sllldl lll yourf(l(.
This maneuvt'r .1l1ow'5 you 10 Crl'a lt'" a
mystical dou :,le of you r wl'apon. As
~'OU at lack. fOlir fOt" mu sl d«iJe which
weapon to defend 3gains t In musl
cases. rhe Illusor v weapon di "lr:lCl~
vourfoe and allows your true anack 10
hit. In some cases , borh anacks srrt ke
horne. In this case. Ihr shadow blade
discharges irs magic and imb ues your
attack wuh cold ('nerg y.
As part of rhts maneuver, you make
a sing le melee sn ack against an oppo-
nent. Unlike on a normal anack. )'ou
roll 2d20 and select which of (he
two die resuhs to uSC'. If you use rhe
higher d ie resul t, resol ve you r attack
.as normal. (You r mystic double muse
bul your rrue arrack m ight h ir.) If ~'OU
use the lower die result. or ifborh die
resu lts 3U' th e same. )'our attack deals
an extra ld6 points of co ld d 3mage as
both th e revsne double's mack and
your true weapon smke home.
Th iS maneuve r is a supern atu ra l
Jbility.
SHADOW BLll'''
Shadow Hand [Teleportauon]
Level: Swc rdscge 7
Initiarion Acti on: t swifr action
Range: 50 ft.
Target : You
III lh.. b1mk of lUI tyr, you .liwpptIJr and
t l11l'rgt frem a 111(1't Ofdllldoll't1II'Jl,'YMttIi\
lilt 1"llllrfitlJ.
Th is maneuver Icncucns as the shado w
Jaunt ma neuver, excep l th ai ir ca n be
m iliated lis a sw ifl acti on .
SHADOW GARROTE
Shadow H and (Strike)
Level : Swordsage 3
I nil iation Act ion: t sla ndard aCli"n
Ra nge: 60 fI.
T:uget : O ne livin g crt'.1tu re
Durat ion: See text
Sa ving Throw: Fortitude partial
Wllh II g (, l llrr,)'Oli (IlrVt a ll.u of
IU btlt
~lld,JOll' from lIlt IIl f llrou" J lUll 11,..1 ea I
II IOIl'.. rJ YOllr fot. II Wf dPS .. nm lld JIlt
Ol'I1hlri, llni: ,1IId sqUtr..n 1M Jlft fmm It
Ai part of thiS maneu\""r, you creale a
strand of shadow Ihal you burl at an
opponen!. The sirand wnps aroun d
Ihe targefs throat and chokes it_ Aspan
of Ihi s m:meun'r, you make a r.mgeJ
louch mack against a crealur",.....lIhm
 range If vour attack IS successful, }'our
cppcaem ukes sd(, POints of dam age.
In addtucn, It must make a success-
fu l Fort itude saw (DC 13 + your Wis
modifie r) or bec o me Iln-foored unnl
Ihe Man of us next turn.This strike has
no effeci agai nst no nliving Cn=.1IUn=S.
such 35 co ns tructs an d unde ad.
1 his maneuve r IS .1 superna tural
abil ity
SHADOW J.-\U l>:T
shadow H and [Telepcrtaricn]
Level : Swordsage 2
Ini t iar io n Ac rion: t sta ndard action Target: One flarfcce ed living creature
Ra n ge: 50 ft.
Tar get: You
Ad.JIIJ of J hlJOIt' t lli'rp'tngulfs rou.Spilli
IIIWoJ fmy mOlt. l1rlJ JuOppMn..A momfflf
laIn, tim iJlaJ"wytwud apptoJrt arrou lIu
MtlltptlJ an d t,J't's l'OU from IL
As panof,hls maneuver you d isarrrar
1n 2 cloud of darkness and teleport up to
so ft't"1away. You mu sl tu\ 'I: lin e ofsighl
and line of e(fecl 10 your desuna non.
If you alT r mpl 10 use this man e uve r
10 mo ve InIO an occupied spa ce , you
do nOI move, and Ihe maneuver IS
e xpe nded bUI ha s no effecr.
SHADOW l>:OOSE
Shadow H an d {Strt ke
Level. Swordsage 6
Iru rtarion Actio n: 1 standard acncn
Range: 60 ft.
Du rat io n : I round
Savmg Th row- Fortitude part ial
As you Jot stnlgg/ts to n'o:I Jy 1m J(frn~s,
you mlllu a mbll( gtstll.rt In liu o:Ilr. A rwow'
fomuJ 0{ mlJJow Jrops f"rom af,o\'t' him.
"'rurs aro tmJ 'iii Ihmlf. ",nJ hOllls him
ll/afl. I h\ hmM ~tll1 tli lu dT1l.~~ lts to {rft'
hmutlf from tlt( I trtln~I 1tlR: nOOSt'.
As pa t! of rhi s maneuve r, you form a
noo se oi shadow thai w ra ps around
yo u r urgel and st ra ngles him. rhl\
maneuver wo rks o n ly aga tns t .1 £la'
footed target . As pan of rhis maneuver,
)'00 makearanged louch attack ag3ios t
a flar-fccred creature wirhi n n nge If
II hirs , your c ppcnem ra kes Sd6 perms
of damage, I n addilion. he mLU t make
a succes sful Fo rt itud e save (DC It> ..
you r \'(Tis modifier! or be stu nned for
I rou nd . A successful save negates
the stun. bUI not the ex tra damage .
ThIS strtk e has no effect against n on-
Hvsng c reatures. suc h as t On SIl UCI S
a nd undead.
This maneuver is a supernatural
ability.

-
- -.-./"'-.
INCORPOREAL SUBTYPE
The Inco rporeal s ubtype was upd ated in Monster Monuo llll for
dant y. Refe rence t~H S ~e rslon of the subtypC' when you use the
one with sh adow ma neuve r.
Inco rpo re-al Sub type: Some creatures are inco rpo rea l by
nature, whde e th ers (such as t he se that become ghosts) can
acquire the Incorpo real su btype . An incorpo real crea ture has
no phys ical body, II un be harmed only by other inco rpo real
creature-s o magIc weapo ns or creatures that strike as magic
weapons . a nd sp ells. spell-like ab ilities, or su pe rnatu rala bllibes.
It IS Immune to all nc nm agical attack forms. Eve n whe n hit by
spells, Includ ing touc h spells, o r ma gic wea pon s, II has a 50%
chance to Ignore a ny damage from a co rpore al source (exce pt
for POSitIVe- e ne rgy, negetrve ene rgy. force effect s such as magi,"
mISSIle, or attacks made wuh ghost to uch weapons). Nonda mag-
Ing sprU effec ts affect inco rpo real c reat ures normally unless
th ey re-qUire co rpo real ta rget s 10 function (such as implosion)
o r they cre ate a corporeal effec t tha t inco rporeal creatures
would normally be unaffected by (such as a web or wall of sto ne
spell). Altho ugh it is nota magical att ack. ho ly waler ca n affect
Incorporeal undead, but a hit With holy water has a 50% chance
of not affectlf\g 41n incorporeal creature.
An Incorporeal creature's attacks pass thr ough (.gno re)
natural a rmo r. armor. a nd s hields . 4Ilthough deflec ncn bon uses
and force- effects (such as mogt armor) work nOl mally agaIns t
it. Non maglCal allacks made by an Ince rpe rea l crea t ure wit h
.11 melt"e weapo" ha~e no effe ct 0" co rpo reill ta rgets, a"d
.ny melee ilttack a" .ncorpo real creature m akes w,th a magic
weapon against a corporeill tuget hilS a S096 m iss cha"ce.
except for ~ttacks it mak es with a ghost touch wcapon. which
are made normOilly (no miss chance).
Any eq uipme nt worn o r ca rried by an inco rpore4l1 creature is
also Incorporeal .1S long as it rema ins in the creature-'s po sse s·
Slon. An ob lect that t he crea lure relinqu ishes loses Its ,nco rpo -
real qU.l1 t y (and the creature loses the ~bdlty 10 m~ n lpu l~te the
obje<:t). If ~n Incorporeal c:re~ lure uses iI Inrown wcaporl or a
f nged we~pon the proje<:1de ~c o m C'S COIporeaJ as soon as
It IS f,red a nd un affect a corporeal t4lrge t nor m ally (no m iss
cha"ce) . Magic ite ms poss e-ssed by a n i nco r pore~ l creatu re
work no rmallywuh resp ect to the ir effects o n the crea ture o r on
ano the r target. Similarly, spells caSI by a" incorporea l creature
~ffect co rpo real creeto res normally.
An incc rpc real c rea ture has no natu ral armor bon us bu t has
a deflec tio n bo nus equal to Its Charisma bonus (always at lea s t
...1, eve-n If the- ceeatc re's Charismil score doe-s not no rma lly
pfOVIde a bo nu s).
An incorporeal creature can e nter or pass throug h so lid ob -
jects . bUI mu s t remam adjace " l to the object's exterio r, and so
cannot pass e-ntlrely throu gh an object whose s pace is la rge- r than
ils own. It can sense t he prese-nce of creatures o r o bjects withih
a squa re adjacen l to Its curre nt locat ion. but ene mies have total
concealme nt (5006 mis s ch ance) from an inco rpo real creature
tha t is mstde an o bject. In order 10 see farther from the o bjec t it
is in and attack normally, the incorpo real creature mu st emerge.
An incorporeal cre ature ins ide an o bject bastotal cover, but when
It attacks 41 creature oUls ide the object it o nlyhas co ver, so a crea-
ture outside Wi th a readied action could st rike at it as it atta c ks.
An ncorporeal creature cannot pOIss through a force effect.
Inccrpcreal c reatu res pass th rough a nd operate Ir'l wat er
as enily as they do In air. Inco rpor eal creatu res cannot fall o r
take falling dilmage. Incorporeal creat ures can not make- trip o r
grapple attacks. nor can they be tripped o r grap pled . In fact,
the'! c.annol ulee any phYSlu l act ion that would move or rna-
nlpulolte iln opponenl Of 'IS eq Ul pme nt. nor ilre they subject to
such aCllons . Incorpoleal cre at ures have "0 weight and do not
set off trilps that a re Irigge red by weight.
An incorpo real creat ure mo~es sile ntly ~nd ca nnot be he4lrd
wilh liS len checks If II doe sn 't wish 10 be . II has no Stle,,&th
score, so its Dexterity mod ifier applies to both its melee at·
t.ad s and Its ra nged iltta cks. No,,~ isual senses , such ilS scent
dnd bli"dsight . are ellher IOeffeclive or only P.1rtly ef(ec ti ~e With
regilrd to lncorpo,eoll creollures . Incorpoleill creatures hil~e an
",none sense of d leCllon and Coln move al full speed C"Ven w+ten
InC"<> unn.ot see
 l-iADOW STRIDE
h.1JOYo Hand [Teleporrano n]
l.eve! Swcnjsag... ~
Inirialion Act ion : t mov e 3('1100
Range: 50 fl,
Target: You
You J ml J"llt Ill!" a puff of blark ,nadoll'.
.... ", Multl la ln ,l ht shl1Jow coalliUS anJ
1/ llJ'J'l'ilr fiily ftc' iJlI\lY
Thl~ maneuver func nons as rhe ,-~.
jaunt maneuver. cxcepl rh.u il an be
inmated 2'- a move action.
STALKER IN THE N IGHT
shadow H and (Strike)
u \·C'I : Swc rdsage 6
In irial ion Aet io n: I full-round ecuon
Ra nge: ~ t l."l r t" arrack
Targe !: One creature
\ 011 s1.J( through lhc Jack IiIU.1 blrJ of
rrq . cm(fJ:Jngonlr 10 rtnl:t dolt'll .'i.lllr!
lv forr ~'IJutg b,llk ento lh.wow's Il'tlmm-
1IIj.l ( m h aft ,
As pari of th is m aneuver, you move-
u p 10 your speed and make a single-
melee snack . u;Iny poi nr dur ing your
move ment . If you were hidden be-fore
iruna nng rhis maneuver. you can
keep rhe n·su h,- of your prevl-
ous H ide .;a nd Mow Silt'ntly
checks even
AJrrw
th ough vou moveand atta k l\ [mg a
you end your rum in a S-p ll l th.ll a l lll\~
you to hide, you r foes must make ~POl
and Listen checks as norma l rod rscern
yourprt·scnce. Your mc wment and lhis
maneuver's attack have no t>llt'CI on
you r Hide and Move Silently rceuh s.
STE P O F TH E DANCIN G
MOTH
Shadow Hand (Srance)
Level: Swordsage5
Prerequisite: Two Shadow Hand
maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You focu. your rnTltf f(uon't ofki tlltrgr to
gtlltr"'t nOll'lII~ maJoll'1 I/lllillfl )\'II' off
tnt groUIIJ . YOIl milk arroS! lEu roughNI
grounJ, (lI(n W,Iltr, wrln ' 'W'.
W hIle you art' in th is stance. you can
walk up to 5 feet above the ground .
Your speed becomes zu ret't while you
are in th is sraoce.a nd you ca n not run ,
You Ignore any te rrain fearure
tha t lads 1(\ prefect more th an Ii fe
above th e ground. suc h as dr fficul r leI'
ra in , burning 1.1\,:1, water, and so fcn h
In addt rton . you Ignore the stan da rd
penalnes on H ide and x tove Slll'nrl}
chec ks for mov ing qu ickly.
STRENGTH DRAINING
STRIKE
Shadow Hand (Stri ke
Level : Swerdsage 3
Pre rrq u isite: One Shade w H and
maneuver
Init iat ion Act ion: 1 standard acnon
Range: Melee attack
Ta rge t: One crearure
Saving Throw: Fortitude half
liquid, "la{l:: tntrg)' {O\ltn yowr u'tapon
AI )1)U slnke youf"pponrnl, "m malenal
l1(1wJ lJlto lilt wownJ, Jpr,aJI alollg 1111
\'(IfIS, and Itat'N hIm lI'tGkrntd.
As pan of th is maneuver, you make a
single me lee attack agai n'>! an oppo'
nenr. In edd irion ro dea ling n ormal
melee da mage w ith the at rack, you deal
of points of Srrength damage, A ~UCC l'~ '
fu l Fort itude save (DC t3 + you r \'('\ ,
modifi er) halves rh is Streng th damage,
bur has no effect on rhe no nnal melee
damage you deal with th e sm ke.
Th is maneuver is a vupe rnaru-
ral ability,
 The Stone Dragon dtsctpltne focuses
an sireng th, power. and tough ness.
lis It-achmg!> gra nt a martia l adept the
Jbllny 10 splinter steel wu h a single,
focused blow. Stone Dugan's defen-
SIVe' abrhues focus on 1.1Ipping Into
the enduring powt-r of stone 10 turn
'lSIde snacks. This discipline's l~vorN
WC'3POns a;rr rhe grensword. gt"C'~lne.
heavy mace, and unarmed strtke. 115
key skill IS Balance.
Unhke W 11 h 0 1her discipli nes,adepts
of this schoolrdy on an externalfaret'-
the pO'"t-r of rhe t-anh and stone-s-to
help power rheir maneuvers. As 3
result. Slone Dragon maneuvers an
be- mniared onlv if you J.t"C' In contact
\\ nh the ground.
ADAMA"TINE BONES
Sto ne Dragon (Slrikt-)
Le ve l: Crusader S, swcrdsage s. war-
blade S
Peerequtstte: Three Stone Dragon
maneuvers
In it iat io n Action; 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Ta rget : You
Du rat io n : I rou nd
YOIl art,m ""f'I'11dm!olt fown'o) d..jiauet 011
fIll: Nlll.·~(I.I. Atlilckingyall n III jnul!tSIas
\ln kltlf: a mOlmllml wilh iI lI\lIkmi'lslick.
Th e supre me focus, mental toughness.
and phySical dur:lbililY laught by the
Stont' Dragon di scipl ine culminate
In Ih is powerful ccmbar maneuver.
\X'hen you make a successful anack,
your mmd focuses your body mro the
eq i nvalem of a living shard of rock.
Eve n rhe most ferocious attacks bounce
of( yo u without harm,
Asran o( this maneuver, you make a
sIn gle melee at tack. If this 3113Ck hilS.
you gam danugc rt'duction 20/3dam.:m·
II Ilt" fo r I round.
ANCIE"T MO UNTAIN
H.~MMER
SlOne Dragon (Slri ke)
Ll'vd : Crusadt-r 7, swordsage 7. war-
bladc '"
PrC'tequisite: Thret' Slone Dragon
m",neu\"t'rs
I n il iacio n Acrion: I sund:ard acnon
Rangl" eau ack
Target : One crea ture or unattended
object
Yo u pUI lIlt wt lglll of iI grr.:tl Itlowllalll
brhlllJ your alliICk. I"ll<'ldll1~ JI!tough
Iltmor and 1'011(.
As parr of rh is maneuver, von make a
single meleeansck, Thl! allXk dealsan
extra I:?J6 points of damage and auto-
m2uc.ally overcomes danuge reducuon
an d hardness.
BO"ESPLlTTI"C STRIKE
Stone Dragon (Stri ke
Level : Crusader -4, swcrdsage of , war-
blade -4
Pr erequ f si te: Two Stone Dragon
maneuvers
In it iat io n Act ion: t stanJard acnon
Ra n ge: ~ Ielee arrack
Target : One ct"C'31UTe
YDUr .:tlt.u:k slaml hornt ~'1fh "f(h)(h'1LU
mull: of sh.:lllmJ be:onff "".I
f'1l1pt"d Pnh.
Your farg.:! rt'eh Ntlm\lrJ. ill" alll't bId
stl'trcly mpl,lt,l.
A Slone Dragon :ldepi is an Implacable
foe. Yourauacks srrush through armor
and curn bone into dun. By focusing
your srrengrh into 3 single, JevaSl31mg
att ack. you smash an opponent to rhe
core. H is very heal th and endurance are
left wrecked by your at tack.
As pan of thts rnaneuver,you make a
single melee anack.Hyour attack hits,
the target takes normal damage as well
as 2 points of Ccnsutunon damage
BONECRUSHER
Slone Dragon (Stri ke)
Level : Crusader 3, swordsage 3, war-
blade 3
In id at io n Acr io n : I sllnd3rd aelion
Ra n ge: ~te1t'e attack
Target: One crearure
Durali on : See lext
Sa"-c ; Fortilude partial; ~ leXI
You dtlll'tT wur ill/ace, and )'Our n1tm\'s
eYN 1m i\"IJr opt"ll m J"'lllt ,I.> hn d.:dtlOrl
~glllS 10fnu fllTt III hunJrrJs of rr"m
As part of Ih t.'i mant'Uw r \-au mah a
melee attx k..l f your aux L:hus ndr a!..
an exlr: -4db poml I Jarno • 1
BO ULDER ROLL
Slone Drago n (BoosI )
Le vel : Crusad...r -4, swonIsage of_ war-
blade ..
Inttt anon Action: I full-roundaction
Range: Personal
Target : You
Dorauon: Insuol.lneous
lJlu a oolllJerhl,"~lltlgdolt'" a moulltllln-
side, Wll sI,lm throuf:lt yll ur nltmlts.
You are an implacable foe once you gain
enough momenrum. As you move across
thebanlefield, your foes must mod aSIJe
or be crushed beneath your feet.
If you make an overrun m ack (PH
157~ you can iruuare this boost. Yougain
a +-4 bonus 0 11yuur Stre ngth check l1la,lt'
10 overrun, and if you fail )'Our check.
your target can't knock you prone. You
simply stop mm'lng in the las t legal
space you cccupred. You do 001 provoke
necks ofoppoetumry forrht' rnooement
or rhe overrun attempts.
C HARGING MINOTAUR
Slone Dragon (Slrike)
Le"-el: Crusader I, swordsagt- I, war·
blade t
Initiation ..\ ction: I full-roundaclion
Range: ~telC'C" allack
T:uget: Ont- ct"C'ature
You tI"lr~ .. ill )'Our fot. NasJmghim It'llh
uult f'O"'tr lhall!t lfum!>lti foatk.
A< you roar acfO<'~ the b31defield your
pos illon \ oursd f t il deU\'er a .k\-aSUI
In ... hu I:' ttack '"('hen you slam
 into li n o ppone' nl. YOU c rush him
wuh concussive force and send bim
st umbling backward
As pari of Ihi s man euver, you make
:10 hull ru sh auack (PH 154) :IS parr of
3 ch arge . Neuber rbe movement no r
rhe bull ru sh anack provo kes macks
of opportumry. Resolve rhe bull rus h
311e m pI normal ly. If your Streagr h
check exceeds rhe oppcnem's resu lt,
yo u deal blu dgeo ning damage equal
10 2d6 .. you r Str mod ifier in addi non
10 pushing rhe targer back 3S normal
Assuming your Streng th chec k is high
enough , you can r ush your largel back
more than 5 feel (n normal for a bull
rush , bUI wu hou r having to follow)
COLOSSUS STRIKE
tone Dragon (Strike
Level : Crusader 7, swo rdsage 7, war-
b13de 7
Prerequ tsue: Two Slo ne' Dugan
maneuve rs
Init iarion Actf cn: 1 sta nd ard action
R2nge: Mele e aluck
Targ et: O ne crea t u re
Sa\'i ng Throw: Porur ude part ial
rowllng your IIr....glll 1\'1111 <1 Jar, nun·
Mmg sJIOU/' )'(Ill .-xm ll t ana llact Ihat SCII J S
your (lI'J'O nt nl Prill,!: Ihrol.gh Ill, au:
As polrl of Ih is man euver, you make
:Imelee arrack again st your foe. Th is
anack dea ls an ex tra 6J6 poi nt s of
dam age, and lilt' crea tu re struck must
succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 17
t your Sir mod ifier) or be hurled td4
~ua ~s away from you, falli ng pron e in
that square. Acreaureof a smal ler size
ca lt'gory tha n yours gNS a - 2 penallY
o n Ihi s savC'; a crt'a lU~ of a larger size
c:u cgory Ihan yours g~ ls a ... 2 bonus
on rht' S3\'e. TIlt' ene my's movemenl
d~sn't provokt' all:lcksofoppo rtu nity .
If ;an obstacle blocks th t' cre atu re's
movem en t, il insle:llf srops in the fit'S t
un oc cupit'd squue.
CRUSHING VISE
SlonC' Dngon lStrike)
Lc\'d: C rus ~ dl' r 6, sW'ONsagt" 6, w;n-
blade 6
Initiat ion Act io n : 1 S13nJ;aN aClion
Range: ~1t'1("(' allack
T:lrgC'l : One CR'alU~
Ou nl1 io n : 1 round
111l'Ol<n1t~ltlmlllll JXI I1\ r h llllt.l )"llr ,Illal'k
f.oavn Wl . ror~"ml Wlllt~t t,l nl(lll' 111tI'wl'
uh mgsink, jtJras Illow,hlt ,1 (<'It' mO"'fIIt~
llrruggmg of.! Iht (ffU h of YOllr .IIIMk.
By making a powerful , focu sed blow,
you kave your oppone nt unable 10 1T1O\'t'.
The crush ing weigh t of your at tack
forces il ia waste a precious momem
regaining its boring.
A5 pan of rhis maneuver, you make a
melee attack. Th is arrack deals an extra
..d6 points of damage. If the crea tu re
you hu is sl:lnding on rhe gro und, your
attack also drops rhe larger's speed 10 0
fl.el \(or alllT1O\'rmc:" n1 I}~)(or t rou nd.
II can XI nomully in all other ways.
This maneuver fu nct ions onlyagainst
opponents sti1:1ding o n Ihe ground. A
flying creat u re or a levn anog largC'1is
im mu ne 10 Ih.. speed reduc mg effl'CI,
bu r n0110 the exira da mage.
CRUSHING WEIGHT
OF TH E MOUNTAI N
Slone Dragon (Stance)
Level : Crusader 3, swo rdsage 3, war-
blad e'l
Prceequtstte. One Slo ne Dragon
mane uver
Lnhiario n Act ion: 1 swift action
Ra nge: Per son al
Target: You
Durarion: Stance
YCl Il crush )'olllr or rOtl(ll 1 1'(ll t ,111I yO Il ,
k/ut".'t mg IIItlifr IJld ,If hlllll lS)'OU 1't11 hUll
to lit,' ground.
Engagin g in dose cornbn against you is,
01 1 bes t, a
fooli sh pros pecl . Drawin g on
yourundersur: di ngofth l' SlOnt' Dr.lgon
discip line, you sque-ez.e a foe w ilh in rour
grasp and force th e lift" from h im.
While you are in Ih is Slanct', you gain
Ihe abi lil Ylo con slricl for 2d6 point s of
da mage + I-I !::! times your Sn bo nu s (if
any). Vou can conslrin :In oppone' n1
Ihal you grapple by maJdng 3 succC'Ssful
grapple check..
EARTHSTRIKE QUAK E
Slant' Dragon (Slri kC')
Level: Crusader 8 , swo ros.age 8, war-
blade B
PrC'rC'quis ite: Two Stone Du gan
maneuve rs
Init iation Anion: I standa rd ac lion
Range : 2(1 fl.
ArC'3: zo -fr-radrus burs I, centered
on you
Duration: In stantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex nega tes
VCllIllI'ltlg )'Our 1l'(,lpon in II wIlJ <1,., ..1,101
mm~ II m lo lnt ground III rour (ttl. l"tI'lO'
mrgt s 0 111 from you, CduSlIIg lilt ,l::nJunJ I
uludJ,., WIlli 01 s11l1rp fTtmor.
You chan nel ki into rhe eart h wuh
you r mighl)' str ike, causi ng the grou nd
10 rumble and sha ke briefly. An yone
su nd ing on the ground in th is maneu-
ver's 3R'J must make 01 successful Rdln
save (DC IS • your SU modlfien or be-
knocked prone. Any creature sta nd ing
on the ground in rhts UC'o1 th.lll is cur-
ren tly cas rlng a spell must succ eed on
a Concen tration check mc 20 • spe ll
le\'C'11or IDSIe' the spell
Vou are im mune to th e e(fec t of rbe
ean hs rrt ke qua ke maneuver. Your
allies mus t still S2\'t'.lIS no rnul agai ns t
us effect.
\'('311s an d similar b ar riers don I
b lock rbe line of effec t o f an earth-
st r-ik e qu ake .
ELDER MOUNTAIN
H AMMER
Sto ne Dragon (Srn ke)
Level: Crusader ; , swo rdsa ge 5, war-
blade S
Pecrcqut stte: Two Slone Dragon
maneuvers
I n it lal io n Action: I stand ard acnon
Range: Melee arrack
Targe t: One creature or unattended
obJecl
YOII J rlll" llrtllglll from Ih.' t d rlll btll t(lln
your fUI lUl.l tTiJ .uftr II 11I 10 r lWIO Ul
polI't'r. YOllr " ( .'(1 II IIIl,1: dropl 'Ikt' III!
IIvdJ.ulclu upon yourfM, hllllllfl t rlllg hml
mlo mhmlUlOII.
lhC' sruJems of the Stone nr.gon JISCl-
phne leun 10 l.llp into lilt' poy.'t'r of the
C'anh,cha nnd ils endk-ss st~ ngt h, .lI M
use il 10 gt'Ult their a.lUCks r~mC'ndous
force. A m ikt' deli\wtd bya Sront imgon
adept di n shan er a warrior's sh ield. lum
a wooden door into splinlC't'S, or sl2)' an
ogre with a single blow.
\'(' hen you u~ !his maneu\'C'r you
makC' a smgle mC'lee atl.K"lt.Thai :II lack
 deals an ex tra 6116 points of damage
and autcmancallv overcomes damage
reducnon and hardness
G IANT'S STANGE
Stone Dugan (Stance)
Level: Crusader S. swordsage 5.
warblade 5
Prerequisi te rTwo Stc ee Dragon
man euvers
In iti .alio n ,\ cl io n: 1 swtit action
Range: Personal
Targel : You
[)uration: Sta nce
You ,Will!: )'C'llr wt llpo n III II
II'ldt . ,lrllJly lire Ihal JlImf mlo
your fot wil li 1I1HtJIWt fOrTt,
Onl)"\'OlIr mllslnyof tilt $I"'lt
Dmgon Itch,thIIUf llllOU' )'[I1l
10 tnllli:t nu h m idNI NOll",
Wllh ollilon ng Ytllir foollllg.
Tapping into rhe power
of (he SlOnC' Dragon, you
srrtkewnh resolute.irre-
slsuble force. Vou [eam
10 set rhe full weighr
of your body Int o
each ofyo ur snacks.
A warrior with less
s kill would IOSl' h ts
balance-and fall lat he
gro und when using
rhis fighuag style.
While rou are in
th is stance , you deal
da m age as if you were
one Sill' larger than
normal, lo a maximum
of Large. Thi s bcnefu im -
proves your weOlpon a nd
u narme d strtkc damage. It
does not confer an y of rbe other
benefits or drawbacks ofa cha nge in
size, such as a moJ ihl'f toa bilil}' SCOK'S
Of AC. Of an im proved reac h.
This stance rmrn ediatelv ends if you
move more than 5 feer for mv reason,
such 3." from a bull rusb s nack, a Itl t-
It:lnNIS spell. and so forth .
IRO N BOll:ES
Stone Dragon (Stfikl')
Level : Crusader 6. swc rdsage 6, war-
blade s
Ptefeq u lsit lt': Two St one Dragon
ma neuvers
This maneuver is an evolution of In C'
rechnlques and abilities covered by Ihe
stone bones maneuver. Your medi-
rauve focus . b . 3.nJ rraining allcw
you r mind to overcome matter.
Weapons bounce from you skin
and barely injure }'ou,
When you use this maneuver.
you make a single mew an ack. lf thls
anack hi ts. you gain damage reduc-
tion 10000000mantine for 1 round
IRRESISTIBLE
MOlJl\'TAIll: STRIKE
Slone Dragon (Stri ke)
LC"'e1: Crusader 6. swcrdsage 6,
warblade6
InitiationAClion: t standard
ecnc n
Range: Melee attack
Target: O ne creature
D uration: 1 rou nd
Saving Th row- Fortitude
partial
You d a m \'our wtap"' l mill
YOllt fot wit h ,rrt5ll f, blr
foret. lit ( .In ~l1 rtly m OI'l'
.11 h,-sfm~'rs lo nt,mla,,!
IllSJc{enses .18,11I111 you ,
Your mighl Y anack
caUSeS)~fopponen t
to stagger aimlessly
for a few key mo-
mems. leaving him
unable ro acr fu llyon
his next tu m .
As put of th is
maneuver,you make
a single melee attack.
This attack deals an extra
..de points of damage. A
creatu re hi l by rhts smke
must also make a succe ssful
A ".""'-"/ttls r~ r~jjlt .,it.hr Fort itude sa\"e(OC 16 ...your Str modi-
0/ r~ tId" Moalf14i" 0.......... her or be unable to take a standard
actio n for t round. II can otherw ise aCI
In it ia t io n Acr io n: 1 standa rd acncn
as normal. A creature Ihat successfu lly
Range: Perso nal
Sa\TS strll takes the extra dam age.
Target : You
This maneuver function s o n ly
Durat io n : I round
againsl opponents standing o n the
As )'(Ill nt.lk.- a mcuu(ul . t1l1cli:. you (I1lt r
ground. A flying creature or a levnar-
ing tafgt't need not S3.\-e agains t rhe
II m,Jlflllll't d lll.- flla lltIJl'ti ro u " lm(lS 1
acnon loss effect, bur still rakes the
Ifw u ln tTll bl.- 10 "linn. N t II f.- I\' ~rltf
eXIr3 damage.
ntom t"h IItrOWI rolm ct oft)'t'Ut s1tlll,lInJ
sword blows bGll"ly d1l1w lin," bl.:ooJ.
M OL 1\1' IN AVAL-\KC HE
rom Drago n (Smke
I...-vcl : Crusader 5, swcrdsage S. war-
hlad\' S
Prereq ui s ft c: Two Stone Dragon
m 3nt'U\,COTS
I nit iation Action : t full-roundxlion
RanJ:, t": Personal
Targel: You
Saving Th row: Reflex half; see
rau II ,d,- '''roll!:'' \'Our m("rmN
llorl'- groJnl r<l'"f"lglllg Ihmug'! oJ
,,'n Yell (rumllum unJtrfOOlllllJ dm,,'
lht m lottorr )'OIl,lt'WlII!! 11 tToul of tilt Jilld
III your 11'",,(.
As pur of rhts maneuver. you can
m ove' up 10 double you r speed and
rrample your opponer us, You can C'nI!."!
t he' SP3Ct" of .:I ny creature of your Silt' OVERWH ELM IKe
category or smaller. If you enter and MOUt\" ArN STRIKE
occupy all of the space occupied bv
such a creatu re, it rakes dam age eq ual
102d6 l ·t / 2 um es your Sir bonus
Ifanv
You can dea l rtarnpling dam age to
a ('feJI UTt' o n Iv o nce' pe r round. no
man er how many limes you rnOVC' into
or th roug h it ~ space. You must mow
Into eve ry sq ua re a crea ture occupies
10 trampl e it . If you move over c nlv
part of the sp3ce 3 creatu re occupies
ifor exa mple. you art' a Large creature
mov in g over half th e space of 3 Large
opponent ], ir (a n eith er 3tl em pr an
auack of cppon unuv agaillSl you or
it can attem pt :I Reflex saw (DC 1S ...
your Sir modi lil'r) 10 avoid halfof your
trampling lb mag....
MOUNTAIN HAMMER
Stone Dragon (Slrike)
Lt'\,el; Crus ad...r 2, swords:lge 2, war·
hbd t 2
Initiation Act ion : 1 sl,mda rd action
Rangr: :-'lelee attack
Targcl: One crc'lllure or una rlrnJrd
obJC'C1
1Ilrt II (.Jllrug,mda.ltcht.)'(Ill Ilnk.·lI'lth Iht
wt'l ;:h! .HlJ f llr)" of Ihr rn(lunlalll.
As pan of Ihi s mane uver, you m ake a
)Ingl(' me lee atl ack. This allac k dea ls
n extr.l 2d6 poimsof damage and aul()o
mallc.1llv OVC'rcomcs da.mage rM UCIIOn
r:d tu.rdnes~
MOUNTAIN TOMBS1UNf
STRIKE
Sto ne Dragon (Strike
Level: Cr usader 9. swords agc 9, war-
blad... 9
Irritiarion Action : 1 standard action
Range": Melee anac k
Target: One creat ure
It'lil Y£lll warn mlo )'Cur .(O(. 11Inllllg OOIlN 11I1/'1
dud a"J musclr mlo b100Jv r111p. Your fClt's
hlr( 11 body IS Itft acnrrltJ. limit'll moe-Iury.
mM. of
Your allack ca~ dam3g('10 rhe srruc-
rure of your foe's body. As p3 rt of Ih is
maneu ver . you ma ke a single m ele e
anack. If rhis mack bus. you dt' al 1d6
poi nts of Co nstitu tio n d amage in ;tl,Mi·
tion 10 you r normal damage.
Ston e Dragon (Strike-)
Level: Crusader of, swordsage of, war-
blad.. ..
Irutt anon Action: 1 standard action
R;a nge; Melee arrack
Target : One creature
Duranon: 1 round
Sa vi ng Throw : Fortitude parti al
Yo ur "u glily sin!.:" ft'IIlJ'llmnly ,lt\tlfl<'llh
)'t1urorJ'llu( lll,coslmg111m r U tl/'lU, stfOlhl\
al lu Jl ll ~(S off Ilu ,,1I,uk.
You sl.a.m your foe with a mighl Ystr ike,
almos t kn ocking him from hi s feet and
forcing him to find hi s fcoung and
steady himself before he can react.
As part of th is maneuwr, yo u mak!.'a
mdt'e allack . 1 his at lack deal s an eXI ra
2d6 poi nrs of Jamag.... If lilt" ere ,Hurt"
you hi l issrandingon Ihe ground. your
allack also causes lh e I3t gt'l 10 lose
ils ahi lit)' to take a mow aClion for I
round. II can OI htn\' i~ aC I norm31ly. A
successful Fon itu de savt' (DC H .. you r
Sir modifit'r) by Ih t" c rutu re Slruck
negatts th e loss of its movl." .aCtion, bUI
nOllhto extra dam age.
Thi..~ maneu\f1' functions only againsl
oppo nents sianding on Ihe gro und. A
llyi ng (rl."aru ~ .lr a levit ati ng urgt't l1l'1.. J
nol saw againsl the aclion loss efft'Ct, but
slill takes the tx lra dam3ge.
ROOT S OF THE M OUNTAIN
Stone Dragon (Slance!
Levr]: CruS3J~' r 3. ew nJsa~e 'I war
blade 3
Ini tiat ion Action: I SWlfl action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duranon: Stance
rOll rtlIluh ,)lIJ stl )'Our ftt l flill 0 11 III(
Im'wld. rool1l1g1'tlundf Ii) Iht IfOl ww: klnJ
:-';C1fhl1lg CI1" mOI'r )'till {rtm! flm pWU
Like a ltving mounuin, you choos e'
yourposinonon the b.mldidd.and s"tnk
),our roots Into the earth. Wi rh vour
spot cbosen on The field,vou canno t be
shifted from your posmon.
While you are in this stanc e, you
g.ain" ..tobonus on checksro resm hull
rush , overrun. ,,00 trip attacks, a ~ ,....toll
IS on gra pple checks made 10 ~1~1 an
orPOhf' ht 's grapple al1~mpl. A ny cree-
rure that attempts romoce Ihrough your
thrt" l ~ned am or the space )'ouoccur'
takes 3 - 10 pe na ltr o n .any Tumble!
checks It makes. Thi s stance also gnnl
you damage redu ction 2/ -
Th is stanc e im med lal ely ends If you
mow more than 5 feer for :m y reason
suc h as from a hull rush atta ck va tr/t·
kWtlU spell, and so forth.
STONE BONES
Stone Dragon (Slri k('J
Lev el : Crusader I, swcrdsege I, war
blade t
Init iation Ac non : t stand ard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Du ra tio n : 1 rou nd
r ou foc us \'ClUr Oltrg)' 10 m illlilft YOllr
.ltll' lI5tr"Jra ll'mg 011 tlu II(lWtr of \'Ollr
lI'tllpo rl'S " " pa d w ld l a fOt 10 loughtl!
!1111r1rlf agalPlst a cOlmltrl1lll1lk.
lbe Sto ne Dragon Irad itlOn lcoaches 1I~
disciples [0 shnlg off :utKks through .iii
romblnation of menial focus. putt IOUgh-
ness, and resilience. When you make a
successful mt'lee altxk.. you attune your
m ind and bod)' TO suc h .an InCfl"dlble'
extenl Ihal only Ihe sha rpesl weapons
(an mJure you. l.es......r;arm amcnl s Q U O)("
mel'(' bruises and mi norculs
\\:'ht"n you use Ihis miln t'uV('r, you
m ake a si nglt melff all ac k. If IhlS
attack hIlS, vou gain tkmagt' reduction
~ adamanttnt' for 1 round.
STONE DRAGON'S FURY
Sto ne Dragon (Stn kC'
l e vel : CrU~JJl'r .1. swordssge 3. Wolf-
blade 3
Pre r e q u is it e: Om' SIOOt' Dragon
maneuver
lntt tanon Act io n: 1 standard acuon
Range': xtelee atuc k
Target: Creature or objec t struc k
\t Ilh II mI g Ht y 1\',1 1 cry. YOII IIl1 m )'(O ur
wtdpon m lo al diglll tTl",: OT ,,'htT {llull '"
lln . 1. TlttMo](C' ~huJJtn jL>r II mom(JI!
!otfort II,oIll1f'\i"i itllo broken J1.mk
Your artunemer u to Slone Dragon's
("2rth rulure 2l1ow~ vou 10 spot flaws
In objects wuh uncanny prectstcn.
You use t h iS knowledge 10 vo u r
JdV3ntagC'. alJowl ng you rc make dev
a~13llng 3uadr." :lg;unsl Oh)KIS .mo
consrrucrs.
As pan of Ih is maneuver. you make
J single melee at tack. Ii vou r at tack
hits a co ns rruc r or an objec t. you deal
an ('XIU "d6 points o f dam age . You
can use th is strfke i n conjunc tio n
whh rh e su ndc spec ial 3!I3Ck (I'H
158) and 3ltempr to dam age held o r
carried objects. Aga in sl ot her 13tgt'IS,
you gain no special benefu from Ih is
maneuver.
STONE VISE
SIOnt' Dragon (Strike)
Le...'el: Cru sader 2, swordsage 2, war'
blade 2
I nit IoUio n Action: I sta ndard action
Range: Melee arrack
Target: Creat ur e struc k
Durati on: I ro und
Sa\'ing Th row: r crmude part ial
Y(lU m'lkt II cr ushlllg "'Oil' lIhll Illl~'n
wllroplX'll tn J. ltll v lIl g Il lmllblt I" mOlY.
B\' making a po werful, focused blow.
you leave yo ur opponen t unable to
move. Tht" crulOhing weigh 1 of your
blow force s it ro waste a pr eci o us
moment regai nin g irs footing.
As pan of thi s maneuver, you make a
smgle mele sn ack. Th is :mack de31san
extra Id6 pcims of da mage. H rhe crea-
tu re hit IS ~Ianding on th e ground. your
anack also drops the target's speed to 0
leel fer all movement c.ap.abdil ies) for
I rou nd lt can c therwise act normal]v
A success fu l Forumde save (DC 12 STRENGTH OF STONE
+ yo ur Sir modifier by rhe creature Stone Dragon t ~ u nc r)
struck nega rl'Sthe irnmcbilizauon.but Le vel : Cru ader ~, swordsagc 8, war-
not the extra damage. bl:rdl'toC
This maneuver fun ctions on ly Pre re qu tsue : Threl' Stone Dragon
3g3mS ! opponents standtng on th e maneuvers
g round . .'\ [lyi ng c reatu re ora levit at- Initiati on Act ion : 1 swif action
ing targe t need nor save ag3imt th e Range: Persona l
speed reduction effect, but still rake s Targe t : You
the extra damage. Durati on: S13f1Ce
STOl\" tFOOT STANCE You (Illtr ,m IItlptne lrdbltJejmmot i t.lnet
Slone Dragon (Sta nce malu ng II wlrnMllrnJ'llinNt fM an llu.uk
Level: Crusader I, swcedsege 1, wa r- 10 "nkc)'Ou m II 1"lllntNMtllR'o1.
blade I
I n it iatio n Actio n:: I SWIft action While}'OU are in thi s stance. \"OU focus
Ra n ge: Personal rou r effort s on r~""e'nung am' dC'\"3S'
Taege eYcu u llng m acks from peeerrau ng your
Du rat ion: Srmce defe nses You are Im mune to cr incal
hits whl ll' you an' in this stance.
You (rouch and stt yuur frtl flal Oil Ihe This stanc e ImmeJi,uely ends if.. .oo
ground. draWing tht r'l"Sllltntt.,.rthe earth InO\~ more than 5 fret (or any n-ason.
mID )'Our OOJr. such as fro m a bull rush arrack, a t(/t-
klllCOIS spell,and so fonb.
The stud ents of the Stene Dragon di s-
cipli ne model their defen ses afte r th e
earth ilse1f.The wind might batter th e
mountain, Ihe r-i....er might cut th rough
rhe plains. but in the end the srone and
roc k shrug off such assaul ts.
\'('hile you are m this stance, you
gain a.;.,2 bonus on Srreegrh checks
and 3 +2bonus loAC agunst crea-
tures of a size category large r
th an yours.
This stance im me-
dutelyends ifyou
mcse more rhan
5 fee l (or any
rea son, such
3S from a bull
rush att ack, a
l(/ r b nt'l1S spe ll,
and so forth.
.A J'w ff rrauJ"
puq th ifu-
,.i.l rk
 1 he Tiger Claw di scipline embraces a
feral rage (luI lurks wubtn rhc h...art of
irsimriares. In hanle.such warriors growl
like wild animals, auack wuh :I fury
similar 10 lhatofabarbarian.and rely on
overwhelming, viCIOUSa~SJuh s to d C"fl-'::ll
their eoermes. Tbc'Ilger Cuw Ji.;ciphne's
f3VOmJ. weapons are th e kukn. kam a.
handaxe. claw, !.t1't"JU Xt', :mJ una rmed
strrke. Irs key skill is Jump.
BLOOD II\' TH E WATER
Tiger Claw (Stance
It'\~I : Swcrdsage I . warblade 1
Prerequ t s tr e: One Ttgcr Claw
rn.1n t'u \'l"r
Initiat ion Action: 1 sWift act ion
Range: Personal
Targe t : Yo u
Duranon : Stance
111.' smtll ofblMI Jm S \'tI1I mID il
fury .•o\s you slMNmtc )'tl U f 1M,
(<Ill, frNh lI'OIWJ you mpltl lpun
you """'llrd.
\X'hile you arc In this stance,
)~ whip yoursd fin lo aterrible
rage. Wb,'n you score II cnnca l
hit aga ins t a n opponrnt, yo u
enter a near fn-nzit.Jstate from
the sigh l and smell ofblooJ.
You gain a +1 honus o n au ack
rolls and damage rolls. Because
Ihis is an un typed bonus, it
-tack s with each success fu l
cmical hil you score.
If you go more rhan I
min ute without achie\'ing a
crit ical hu. you no longer gain
rhe benefit of the stance.
CLAW AT THE MOON
Tiger c taw (Slri ke)
Le ve l: Sw ord vage 2, war-
blade 2
In ir iat io n Ac t to n: 1 sta n-
dud acnon
Ra n ge: Melee an ack
Target : O ne creature
'1011 '(wr mID 111( ,1Ir,(alchmg
your lot off glllln l .:IS you d,u
J"u n 11I10 III"'.
You learn to leap mro IhC' air Jn d
.w:t" ~.11 foe s vulnerable poin ts. Like J
DAr-;CING MONGOOSE
TIgt"T Claw ( Boost)
A ...·.rbl.J~ ,"WI. J~.tb fn1l'l .Hf~
.rr.u c . t,.ius. Jisp'I6I;cr k .JI
'((lU ~wltlg your wt'wlll1rH a!>ou l yoU In w
Nur of ~rwf. mwlnngwSCTJt'S of In'l151w l m ~
wflw(~' In Ilu ~J"'2uolII nng't brlw.Ii.
You make.ll flurry of de.lld ly sn ac ks
After inili.lliing rhis boost. )"OU can
rMke ontO addition.ll! arrack with each
W~Jpon you wield (to .lI max imum of
two exrra Jttacks if you wield tWO or
more weapons ),ThC'S(' extra anxks are
made at your highest attack bonus lOr
each of veer rrspt'Cuv~We.llpom.. All
of these att acks mus t be directed
againsl the same oppcnem.
DEATH FROM ABOVE
Tiger C law (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 4, warblade ..
Prercqu Istre: O ne Tiger claw
maneu ver
Init iari on Act ion: I standard
actio n
Range: Melee sn ack
Target : One crea tu re
\'(',111il W<1rO)\)'Ou It.lr mIDIht au
illh-{ hfl \'Dllr Il'(apo" high owr-
hi.l.!. 1\ S1'1111arc JO II'IIII'd r ,-{, YOllr
lI'ilE!hta",1m0f710 ltllln lm J lIon(-
cruslrmgloJu 10 vnur all.u k.
Like a th underbolt , you slam
into your foe fro m above. You
leap upon your en emy an d
drive him into the ground. The
impact of veer-arrack grves\'OU
exrra force, allowing you to
score a deadly hit.
To use Ih is maneuve r, yuu
must be adjacen t to a foe. As
pari of this maneuver, you
.al ll."m p t a DC zojump check.
If this check succeeds, you
can make a single melee mack
against an opponent thai you
were adjacent 10 when you
began rhis maneuver.This ansck
occurs in lilt'air as)'OU scar ~ryow
oppollfilt also as pan of the maneuver
 You r auack deals an extra 4dc. points of
d:rnu!.'l.'. and 'lou r opponent isconsidered
flar-foored again~ t Ih is mack. You then
land in any square ad,xenl rorhe Iargl"lof
th is :rn :rck. lh o\lgh no mere than 20 ft'{"1
aW:lYfrom your starting position .
Ifyour Jump che ck fails , you remain
in the last squ are you occ upied before
the Jump chec k and ca n make a single
attack normally, The maneuver is still
considered expended.
FERAL D EATH BLOW
Tlger C La w (Stri ke)
Level: Sw o rdsagc 9, warblade 9
Pr e r C' q u i s i l C': Fou r Tt ger C la w
man euvers
Initiat io n Act ion; I full·rou nd :K1ion
Ra n ge-: Melt't"att ack
Ta rg et: One- crea ture
Sav in g Th row: Porm ude partia l
With II rnmoJ1 'lOl\4, you lellp IIIta I he~ "
<1nJ 1<1"J on yOllr Orf"'lIffll, hll,irmg ~nJ
d"wlng lit IllS "cd:.
You leap upon your op ponenl. rendi ng
and rearing with your weapon s in an
arrernpr to kill him wuh a bruta lly over-
whelmi ng assauh. You grab onto your
foe as you slash and hack .11 his neck .
face. and other vulnerable areas.
To use rhis maneuver. yuu mus r be
:rJjaceni 10 you r Intended targe t. As
pan of rhts ma neuver, make a Jump
check wi th a DC equal eo your oppo-
nen t's AC. If rhe chec k succe eds, you
ca n [hen make J single melee attack
again st your foe. also as part of rht s
m aneuver. The rarger is conside red
flarfooted again sr thi s m ack. If your
snack deals dama ge, you r target must
at[emp t a Fortitude save (DC 19 + you r
Sir modifier). If Ihis savC' f.:tils, your
target is ins tant ly slain (h is hil poin fs
dro p 10 - 10). If Ihe s.:t\"t" is SlIccessful,
you dt'al .:tn C'xtra 2od6poinlsofdamage
to Ihe Utgl.'1 in addi tion 10)'our norm..1
\\'t'apon damage. Crea lures immune to
cmical htt s are immunt' 10 Ihe dC'alh
effNI of this mikC'.
If your Jumpcheck fails.you can make
:t singlt' al l.:tck norm.:tlly.1bC'nu nem't'r
is still considC'red e-xpe nded.
FLESH RIPPER
Tiger Cl,aw(StrikC')
Lrvd : Sword u ge ] , wubl.1 de]
Pee r e q u t str e: Two T ig er C law
ma neuvers
I rru iarion Act ion : 1 standa rd acnon
Ra n ge: MC'IC't' attack
Tc rgen One creature
D u rat ion : 1 round or more ; SC'e te x t
Saving Throw: Fcrthude negsres
IX'II" oJ ml1lure of 'llreful prennOll IInJ
ammlll Wl'a~tTY, you fta r 11110 oJ fM 10
product Jo:agge,l lI'(lunJj lho:al (ll~ T1dltl m
h"n lI'lth p.1ill .
As pan of Ibi s maneuver, you m2k a
melee attaCk against a singk c ppc oem.
If [h iSsnack hns. d~ target mU~1 male
a successful Pcrnrud e save (DC 13 •
you r Srr modifier) or uke.l - <4 pt'n2hy
on anacks and 10 AC for 1 round. If
your attack is .. cri tic.a1 hit, these penal-
lit'S last for a number of rounds equ..1
10 your weapens critic..1 mu lti plier .
You r targe t takes normal damage from
you r attack regard less of the result of
th e save.
Thi s maneuver fun cnons o n ly
again st creatures that are vulnerable
10 critica l hi ts.
FOUNTAIN OF BLOOD
'lIgC'r c law (Boost)
Level : Swordsage 4, warblade 4
Pr e r e q u t s tr e : Two Tiger Cl aw
m..neuvers
In iriat io n Action : 1 swifr acrio n
Ra n ge: 30 ft.
Ar e a : 30-ft.-radius burst centered
on you
D u r at tc n : 1 minute
Savi n g Th row: will partial; set' text
As)'O lnftv,litso ra your ~laJt',you tWIl! oJnd
rum yt'UT ll'i"f'On 10 s..'nJ blooJ sJ'TllYln g
,l{flISS lilt' N lllefidJ. r (lUT en(nllel ,lul ek
III ft~ r ~I fh{lr ,d iy's gnslr Ji mlSi.
If you red uce a living op ponent to -l
or fewer hi t poi nts during you r turn,
you can in ilia te this maneu ver. Your
weapon rips into you r foe as sht' drops,
de-aling an extra Id 6 poinls of damage
and forcing all yo u r t'Ilt>.mies within a
3o-foot radius 10 m.ake ruccC'ssful will
saves (DC H + your Strmodifier) or be
shaken for 1 minute. The foe you drop
m usl be withi n your thre.:ttened area
wbe n you initUh> Ih lS ma ne u\~ r. For
t'ac h t~ you drop du ri ng ) our turn
pn or to iniuaring Ih is maneuver. the
save DC increases by I.
GIRALLON WINDMILL
FLESH RIP
Tiger Claw (Boost)
Leve l: SwordS<lge S, warblade S
Pre-r e q uis ite: Three Tiger C law
ma neuve rs
t ntetartoo Actio n : 1 swift aerion
Range: .\Ielt"C' m ack
Ta rJtet : One or more creatu res
Duration: End of tu rn
U" ,nJrlllUang yt'IIT oImll In oJ fUnollS f>fur,
)'Ou stn lu rf!llr J'CrplnrJ (nnrty fro m tue
JlmtlO rl! oil 0"", rrnJlIIg hu Jlnh It'tlh
tllrh sfn ki.
Exh of your:macks is precisel y limed
10 ma xtmtze the car nage il inflicts.
You mu st be wielding two o r more
we-apons to inmate this ma neuve r, As
you hack Into )"Our opponent, you use
your weapons rcge rher [ 0 murderous
effecr. u'ilh a crud rwtsr of your- blade,
you wide n the wounds ) 'OU cau se with
t ach successi ve strike.
You mu st Irunate this maneuver
before m aking any at tack s in rhe cur-
rent rou nd . If you strike an opponent
multiple times durin g your rum , you
also deal rend damage. This damage is
based on the num berof times you strike
you r opponent duri ng you r [urn (see
the nble below). Determine rhe re-nd
J am agl' du ll Im m ed i.:t lely after you
make your IaSI attack for you r rurn.
If you attack rnuhlple oppo ne nr s
duri ng you r tum. you gain this ex ira
dam age against each of them. A crea-
ture lakes rend damage based on Ihe
number o f atl 2c.ks that hil it, nOI Ih e
numhc.-r ofsucce5sful 2ltacks you m..ke.
Forexample ,ifyou hi ta fire gianl th ree
times and an t'\'il cleric twi ce during
your tu m , the fire gianl takes rend
dam;lge- for thl"C'f' anacks and [he cleric
takes rt"nd damage for tWO atucks.
Succ essful Rend
Allacks Damage
1 8d6
J lOd6
•
5
12d6
lo1d6
6 16d6
7 lSd6
8- IOd6
H MSTRING ATTACK
Ilger C b w ( S l ri k~)
Level : Swordsage 7.warblade 7
Pre r e qu isite: Three Tiger C la w
m aneuvers
Init i at io n Ac tion: I standard ac tio n
Range: xtelee attack
Target: On e creature
Saving Throw: Fortu ude half
Duration: I minute
You Jju miD rOUTorponent's Irgs. 'taving
111m I".hrltJ ll llJ s1umrlmg !lboll!.
As put of this maneuver, YOU make a
sin gle melee anack. If this eueck h its,
Ir deals damage as normal. In addition.
th e lu get takes Ids points ofDexrenty
damage and a - tc-fccr pe nalty to speed
for 1 min ut e. A successful Fomr ude
save ( DC 17 + yourS rrmooi fier) halves
both the Dexterity damage and the
speed penahy.
HUNT ER'S SENS E
Tiger Cl aw (Sta nce)
Level: Sword-age t , warblade 1
Pre r eq uj si te : One Tiger Claw
maneuver
I n it i a t io n Action: I swifl ac tion
Ra n ge: Perso na l
Target : You
Duration: Srance
YOII IIllff Ilf l/u (lir Ir~( a/ulIIfUli: lUUlIlld.
Afll'r YOIl fMlIl your 11111111, (Ill lIrMy of
« w ll lllld IIor mnllvdll, lt'S your Im'(l1(UCll
fw o,"( clear til you.
Your m astery of th e Tiger Claw d isci-
pline allows you 10 beco me attuned 10
th e fer31side- ofyour pe rsonal ity. On a
fund ament al level. you be-gin 10 rhin k
more ltke a wild bt'asl an d less like a
civilized creature. Your ene mies are
prev rc be hu nted down and slai n. Your
allies are packmatcs. This sh ift in vtew
,>prt'.:Ids 10 your physical senses.
As lon g .;Js you are in Ihis stanC(', you
g:ain the scen l special abililY{}.f},13H~
LEAPING DRAGO N STANCE
Tiger Cl.;Jw (Slance)
Level: SWONsage 3, warblade 3
Prerequisit e : One Tiger Claw
m.:lneuver
In it iati o n Act ion : I swifl action
Range : P('rsonal
Target : You
Durati on : Sianct'
tt't'IIIt'Ilt'1l you art' trdl'l1(,l ltI11!!'lf '1IllIr l<'n
ll flJ k·t"m mgly 11II1Iblt' 10 1111'11'(, ,I It'(lI' t"(lu
smd y011fiym!! gmufllily through lilt illr.
The- Tiger Claw discipline teaches you
10 assume a stance thn allows you TOsail
rhrou gh rhe:rirwhe·njumping. Youspring
from the ground with an unmatched
bursr of speed and srrengrh.
Whi lt' you rre in this stance. you
gain a - tufootenhmcemem bonus on
Jum p checks. In addtnon. any Jumps
>"ou make while in th is stance are con-
sidered runningjumps.
PO UNC ING CHARG E
Tiger Claw (Smke)
Level: Swordsege S, warblade s
Pre requt s tr e. Two Tiger Claw
maneuvers
I ntttaetcn Action: I fu ll-round action
Range: Person al
Target: You
W'ith 'ht roM of ,I wIlJ b((ld, YOIl ",row
Y!)[Indf lilt" ,ht" fmy. Your I\'t<'po.u (lrt
It'tk more ,h'llld b/url1s )'I1 l1 llll{~ ,I' your
fOt" Wltll fadl sJlitd.
W ith a feroc ious howl, you throw your-
self in to combat. You move with such
spee d and ferocity that when you reach
your enemy, you unleash a bliste rin g
flurry of slashes, CllIS, and hac ks.
As par r of initia ling thi s maneuv er,
you make a charge m ack . In stead
of ma king a single attack al the end
of your charge, you can m ake a fu ll
attack. Th e bonus on your attack roll
for making a charge attack applies 10
all your m ack ro lls.
PREY ON THE W EAK
Tiger c law tStance)
Level : SWONS3gt' 7, war blade 7
Prerequ i site: Two Ti ge r chw
man euv('rs
In iti .;Jtion Action: I sw ifl action
Ra nge: Person :ll
Target : You
Duratio n : Slance
II't"~tr fats hlu d
You Sly",t Ihrou!::1t
mlgh'y I'uddlor 'urntd loost amollg 01
llt r,l of prt'Y.
\'('lfh each foe rOU srrtke, your blood
IUSI and baltic fury n ses ever hight'r
Afler a bri ef rnomem of exp losive rage
rh e foes around you are left bloodied
rom, and moani ng.
W h e-never an opponen l within 10
feel of you drops rc - f or fewer h u
points, whet her from your arrack
an ally's strike, or some ot he r cause
you can immedialel.,- make an sn ack
of opportunity against any oppont'nl
wi thin your th reatened aR'3.
RABID BE....R STRIKE
TIger Claw (Stri ke)
Leve l: Swordsage 6, warblade 6
Prereq u tst re . Two Tige r C law
maneuvers
Initi at io n Actio n : t standard actio n
Ra nge: ~ I e lee attack
Target: One creature
w'" h d feroclOllI J'O<1r, )'Ullitap llro'l W llr
tlltmy /,kt' a wild /Ir,nt. s1at1lflllllg your
It't'af'l" mft' 'u r Wltlt 01 madman's fury.
Youfocus your pri mal fu ry inr c a single
anack. favtng an opponent low wi rh a
mighty blow Ibal splinters bones and
shatters stee l. As parr of rh is man euver,
you ma ke a single melee at tac k. You
gain a +... bo nus o n this attac k foil anJ
deal an exira rode poi nts of damage
Afte r co mpleting th is m ane uver, you
rake a - ... penal ty ro AC until the sian
of your next turn.
RABID WOLF STRIKE
Tiger Claw (Strike)
Level: Swordsege 2, wa rblade 2
In it iat ion Action: t sta ndard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
You .fOolm III"It rflt'uth allJ Slrtam 1II raw
as rou lI1akr a J'O u'O'ful alta( ~ agalllst jour
t"tIllY. You sclllslJr all lhollgldsof. ltfmst
a! YOlllungt .forward.
Fora split-second, you unleash the barely
controlled, primal rage W I sufEt'S wilhin
you.As. part of this InaJleU\'er, you make a
sing le melee artack. You p in a .... bonus
on th is anack roll and deal an el\:tra 2d6
poinls of dama ge. You rake a -4 penaltv
to AC until lh... stan of your next rum
as Ihis \\; ld stri ke sends you offbat:lOce
and hinders \"OUrdefenses.
RAGING MONGOOSE
Tiger Claw (Boo st)
Level: Swc rdsagc S, warblade S
I' r c r c q u i sir e : Three Tiger C la w
man euvers
I n it i ar io n Action: 1 swi f t action
Range: Perso n al
Target : You
Durauoo: End of rum
You .mllas.1I II {ao(l(lus l'Ol/ry of alf,1(ks.
,,'11111/0': auar 1111 thoughts of (dutlOIl 'IIIJ
wlf,colltrol.
Yo u make a OUtty of deadly 3t13Cks.
Afl er initiating Ihis booer, )'OU can
make two additional attacks wrrh each
\\"e'3po n you wield (lO;ll maximu m of
fOUl eXIr2 attacks if you wield rwcor
more weapons). These cX ln attacks
art' made- at your hight"s i arrack
bonus for each of your respective
\\t".lIpon s. You can spread rbese
attacks OUI amo ng as many foes
as you wish.
SOARING RAPTOR
STRIKE
Tiger cia w (Strt ke)
L('\'e1: Swordsage 3, war-
blade j
Prerequtstre O ne Tiger Claw
maneuver
In it iat ion Act ion: I standard
action
Range: Melee mack
Targer : One creature
YI1I1 r('llp mto ,IlT ,Iir, cald lllig ,1 IM!!"r
"I>p01h'ltI bYSIOl'risr a S)ICIlI JllmllOl.'rr
ill ,J...fnllTs 10 pili ng" yOllr 11'0'(11'011
mla lilt' croW Il ofill hrad.
\\!ilh 3 carefully rimed It"ap, you jump
over the urger's defenses and eneck
It irom an u nexpected angle. Youcan
use rh is maneuver only against a foe
of a larger size category than yours.
As part of this maneuver, you make
a Jump check with a DC equal to
your fee's AC. If rh ts check succeeds,
you also make a melee attack as pan
of this m aneuver. If the check fails .
you cannot make this attack and the
maneuver is still considered expended.
You gam a + ~ bonus on rhe arrack roll
and deal an extra 6d6 points ofda mage
if your anack h its.
SUDDE N LEAP
Ti ger c law (BooSl
Leve l: Swcrdsage 1, warblade 1
Pr erequisi t e: One Tiger Claw
m aneuver
In it iat ion Act ion : I swift acricn
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: In stan taneous
You Irap toa Jlell'posillon'" j',( bllllkofall
crt'. 1"'1I',"g rOUTopporl{Plh NfJlrlf.
A f.irbJ'"nlti """rb!4dr iJlfjuru,..,
" ",OIfJrnns spidrr virb t~ """";"1.
Jr"l.t" striff 1n4"~-'YT
You can make a Jump check as a
swtf acnon and move the distance
dererrruned by your check result. You
provoke attacks of opporturutv w ith
rhls move ment. and you must move in
a straight line. As with 1ny move ment.
),OU ca n attem pt a Tumble c hec k 10
avoid any attacks vou provoke wuh thts
sudden leap. Yl'U can ( move rhrough
enemies, unless you succeed on [he
appropriate Tum ble chec k.
SWOOPING DRAGON STRIKE
TIger Claw (Strike)
Leve l: Swordsage 7, warblade 7
Pree equ t s tte: T h ree T iger C law
maneuvers
In it iat io n Action: t standa rd action
Range: Melee' arrack
Target: O DC' creature
Savi ng Throw: Fort it ude part ial
lJkt'li JNgotl, \'OUIWOOpJt'II"n u/X'" )1lll r Jot
llJlJIr, l~ 1\'1tl1 .tdt'Wltahllg .:IfloUt. You
It''lp owr IIrr 1I11J. llS)'Oil soar'!trough
Iht' lIU; Imlclish II dTl'oUlllting w!Ie)'
oJ idt.ub..
You leap ever an opponent and
chop down at her. ruining her
defe nses and striking with J
critical blow.
As pJrt of rhls maneuver,
)'Ou atte mpt 3 Ju mp check 10
lC'apOl.oerYOllr largt't.1hc result
of th is Jump check mu st be
suffidenr rc allcwycc IO rnoee
thro ugh an op po nent's spac e
anJ over her. If you fail the Jump
check needed 10 jump over your
foe,you provoke anacksofoppor-
tunn y for Ihe d istance you jump,
if applicable. If your jurnp was roo
short to clear your oppo nent bur
far en ough rhar you would land in
a spact' she occupies. you land edja-
cent to your opponent in the square
clo sest 10 your star ri ng square.
Ifyour ( heck is ins ufficient 10
j ump over your target , you ca n also
make a single mack against vc nr foe
wuh no special benefits or pe nalt ies,
as long 35 you r target is wit hi n reac h.
If the chec k succeeds,you do not pro-
voke attacks of opport uni ty for leaving
threatened squares duri ng your jump.
Your foe loses her Dexterity bo nus to
AC against your mew arrack, Thtsarrack
deals an extra IN n pointsofdama ge.and
rhe largel must succeed on a Fomrude
save (IX: equal 10 }'OUr Jump check result)
or be stun ned for 1 round.
WOLF CLIMBS THE
MO UNTAIN
Tiger Claw Strike
Le vel : Swcrdsage 6, war blade 6
 Prere qui si t e : Two Tiger Cf aw
maneuvers
In it i:n ion Action: I fu ll-rou nd action
Range : Meleo attack
Target: O ne creature
YOLI dlpbt'lww l II larger fOt·'~ l..g~ lluJ Jlnke
If. "xposd side. YOII t'ltl1 find COVt'r ill t'lt
Slh,dow ofjour (.wny's bulk.
You can use th is maneuver only against
an opponent of a Sill' cat egory larger
th an yours. As pan of this maneuver,
YO Li enter your target's square without
provoking an attack ofopportunity. You
can then enac k your larger as part ofth is
maneuver. Your attack deals an extra sd6
points of damage. You rema in wi th in
your oppone nt's space:after you complete
this maneuver, Yougain cover againsrall
anacks as long as you remain in his space,
including [hose made by rhe targe t. If
the target moves, uleaves you behind
bUI provokes an arrack of opportunity
from you for leavin g your space.
WOLF FANC STRIKE
TIger claw (Srrtke)
Le vel: Swcrdsage 1, warblade 1
In it iat ion Action: I standard action
Ra nge: Melee attack
Target: One creature
YOll l'lsh outru II blur 0/ movrmenl WIth
1H'I1IVe'lpolls, hllCkillg into ycnrftlr wilh <l
combmaliOtl affrml ~trtl1g tiJ and spec,1.
You lap into the speed and srrengrb
embodied within your feral spiru. You
The Wh ite Raven discipline teaches
[hat the comb ined effcn ofseveral war-
riors working together far exceed s th e
efforts of those same warriors working
tnd tvidually.Adh erems cf rhis trad ition
serve as leaders and inspiring figu res on
th e battlefield. This discipline's favored
weapons art' th e longsword. barrleaxe ,
grcatswcrd, ha lberd, and warhammer.
Its key ski ll is Diplomacy,
BAITLE LEADER'S CHARCE
W h ilt' Raven (Srri ke)
Level: Crusader 1, warblade 2
Pr erequi site: One White Raven
maneuver
In it iation Action : 1 fu ll-round action
mus t fight with two weapo ns to use rhrs
maneuver, If you carryonlyonc wt'apon,
you can choose 10 m ake an un arm ed
strike with vcur oflbnnd (asan unarmed
mack) if you so wis h. As parr of rhis
maneuver, yon ma ke an attack w ith
bo rh weapons you wiel d against one
opponent. Borh attacks must target the
same creature, and you take a -2 penalty
on e-ach attack roll. If YOllr firs r :IIlack
drops your foe 10 - 1 lur points or fe-wer,
you cannot m ake a second snack.
WOLF PACK TACTICS
Tiger Claw (Su nce)
l evel : Swcrdsagc S, warblade S
Pr e r e q uisi re: Two Tige r C law
ma neuvers
Ini tiat ion Action; I SWift action
Range; Personal
Target: You
Dur atio n ; Stance
lX'ilf! eodl sllllging allMk lhlll rennecn
'lgilirul ,1fOt·, yo u s/rl" lrOll 'hlllu n.lISlIlg lh.'
,lidmc!1(I1l Ilr1Wlt!fd Ily ~'Il ll r 'It/Mb ro prr·
Wilt IUIIl frolll hU h /trl llg )'!IlIr lIIovrlllwl.
You prowl the ban lefield like a mig hry
hunter. You pick your spots ro attack,
striking foes when rhey are most vulnere-
hie before moving on to attack elsewhere.
Each atlack allows you to move forward
and press your advantage.
While- you are in th is sta nce. each
successful strike allows you 10 slow ly
wo rk your way around an oppone nt .
Each time you m ake a successfu l
melee attack , you can move 5 feel. This
¥olll"'l.l /romt/le/rollt, dltll'gmg ttJurenclI1ics
50 tl hJlyour allil~ WIl {olioII' in jour ll~l Jir,
The While Raven disci pline leaches
tha i he who seizes the ininarive also
seizes vic tory. You have learn ed to lead
an m ack wi th a m igh ty c harge, th e
better to disrupt th e enemy and in spire
your all ies in bail ie.
As part of this maneuver. you cha rge
an opponenl. Youdo not provoke anacks
ofopponu nit y for moving as part ofrbis
charge. Jfyour charge attack h its, [ t deals
an extra \0 points of damage.
movernenr does nOI provoke anccks
of oppo rtun ity fro m rhe crea tu re you
st ruc k. You cannot use rh ts sta nc e to
move more (h an your current spe ed
in a single round.
WOLVERINE STANCE
Tiger Claw (Stance)
Lev el: Swordsage 3, war bladc 3
Prereq u isite : OnC' Tige r C la w
maneuver
Initi at ion Actio n : I swift action
Ra nge: Personal
Target : You
Du ration : STance
u/:e II (orJIt'n'd ll'olverll1r, you fighl willt
unllldlduJ /rro(lly 11llJ Mgt' wlltn yo"r
OPJIOIII'111S /orct' yOll into do~t' Qlll1rtfts.
When an opponenl has you in h is
grasp . you transform into a sna rli ng,
Irc rht ng, rag ing beast. You hack with
you r weapon at your foe's arms or
ten tacles. your w ild fre nz)' allowing
you to fight even with a large, awkward
weapon. When you are in th e gras p of
a larger foe. your frenzy ignites Int o an
inferno as you desperately attem pl to
b reak free.
W hi le you are in this sta nce, you ca n
attack a fot' gra ppling }'OU with any one-
han ded weapon . Youdo nOI take Ih e ~4
penalty for fighting while grappled.
If your foe is of a larger size ca tego ry
rhan yours, your fera l rage ignites and
grants }'OU a +4 bonus o n damage roll s
against that creature while ir ccn nnues
to grapple you.
YOllr d.trrOlI I'oiu slrl'llgtlulls lhe will 11
)'O ur comm,ics. $(I fong ,15)'VII remem 0 11 lh..
field a/b.1Ull', }'Ollr ,,11,e, <lrt' dn'f1glli...uJ
ag'1itlsfal/acks Il ll,l l'/ft'Ch lhal SCI'/: 10 SIIl,-
l'trl their 1I'1Ilpou'£'r.
The d iscip line of th e White Raven
stresses th ai an army is elfecrive only
 wh..n us members ar.. monvatcd 10
fight. In rhefaceof a daunnng enemvcr
unexpected hardship, rhe most skilled
warrior is wort hless ifhr lacks strength
ofwill. When you 3dopt rhe bolstering
voice stance, you shout encouragement
10your 3IIil"S, disparage your foes, and
lend much-needed support to mse your
:lllies' spiriis. ByJrawingon the example
you set, your alltes harden Iheir will to
fighl and banle on despite your enemies'
an..mpt s 10 turn rhem ande.
whilr you are in th is srarce. all allies
within rangewbo can hr-.aryou pin a +2
morale bonus an will go.~ ora....morale
bonus on Will S3\'e'5 :apinst fC'.u dTros.
CLARION CALL
\1;"hillt' Raven ( ~t)
Leve l: crusader 7, warblade 7
Pr e r eq u tstt e: Th ree Whitr Raven
maneuver'S
Iruttaeton Action: I swffr action
Range: 60 fl.
Are a- 6o·ft.-r3dius b urs t ce ntered
on you
As you Jtftal .Ill opl"'ntlll, )'011 dltlld .I
baull' cry tllllt 1I1 lpirN Ml" o{ ytlllr ,dlIN 10
WI ew fil l tfforh,
You are an inspirin g figure on the banle-
field. Your personal victcnes are shared
by your allies, allow ing them to draw
courage and vigor from your anions.
If during your turn 3 mdel' atta ck
you nuke reduces an oppon ent 10 fl'wer
lhan 0 hiTpoin ls, you can iniliatC' this
ma neu ......r.Once it is in itiall'd ,all allies
wuhin range cOI n im m..di:u l."ly ei lher
make one melee 3lTack at Ihl' ir h igh-
est attack bonus or 13ke a single move
action. These allie s mus l be able 10 see
and hear you. The se ex tra alUcks arr
nOI alucks ofopportunilY.
COVERING STRIKE
White Raven [Boosl)
1.e\'el : Crus,ader~ , wubladt' <4
Prere q u is itC': One Whi lr Ra\'t'n
manruver
Initiation Acr io n : I swifl action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Durat ion: 3 rou nd~
l.'u motu" /nwtOIU vrltiof.1/1"00 III )'Our
1U"IIUt'''' /Omn!: tllflllon tht Jt/tf lllW .1IlJ
~lIYl!lg \ollnullulmlll,t1 'flondlllaJ rJ 10
slip p.1.1t Ilum IwllunntJ.
Bydrawing on voue cc mbar expe rience
and knowledge of how awarrior must
car ry her self in battle, you m ake an
at lack rhat disrupts vourcpponenrs 300
keep s them from raking adva ntage (If
your allieslapses.
Afler \'OU imnate th is bcost, you ca n
make vc ur attacks as normal. In addi-
lion to laking normal melet' damage
from vcu r blows, a foe you stri ke after
inir u lin g rh ls maneuver ca n ne r make
att acks of opportunity for 3 rou nds.
Th e luge[ snll rhrearen s ItS normal
3rra; 11 simply cannOI m.llke attac ks
of opportuniry.
A c reat ure an be :ltTC'Cted by on ly
one cove ri ng smke peT encounter.
DO USE THE FLAMES
Whire Raven (Sm ke
Level, Crusader I, warblade 1
Init iat ion Ac tion : 1 standard act ion
Range: }"Iel...t' attac k
Targer: O ne c reatu re
Du ra ti o n : t round
You Ilri lu )'Olir W"IIlY II'lth .I rt'iolllldmg
bioII', caplunrlg his1l1!<'llhon. As hf tunIS
to look, )'OU let loosewIth" strillg of oullts,
clhlllnlgn , all,f lau nts tll"l fo ree 111m to
{OCllS Ill S urtennou on yo..
LEADING THE ATTACK
As a \'('hile Raven adep l, yotl are as
much a tactician as you are a war lea.der,
YOti learn lO creale openings for your
allie s ro max im izl" lh r rC':l.mwork an d
espril de co r ps rb al you foste r. You
kn ow that fo r a group lO succeed, il
must work togelheT, andth3t ind ividual
glory mus r be set <tiide so lhar IhC' group
can ach ieve \'ictory.
As pan of This maneu'-er, you make
a mrlee attack against a singlr u rgel
you lhrea. te n . If you r a:nck hilS, you
d l.'al n ormal m elee damage, an d Ihe
lu gel creature cOln'r make allacks o f
opponunily for 1 round_Thl"opponenl
slill threatens its nonnal area: it si mpl\'
ca.nnot m ake attac ks ofopport u ni lY.
FLANKING MA"'EUVER
While Rav('n (Strikel
l evd : Crusader 5. wa.rb13de 5
Pre req u isi rl": Two While Ra\'en
InIneU\'ers
l n inarlo n Actfo n : I standard 0I(1l0n
Range : Mdl't"an ack
Target : O ne creature
Your kun Itadfrslup grllnll )'OllllI,J rour
,1lhtlll lUJJtll 'llh'o1tllllgt III (ottlN t. \1; 'h..,.
YOli nll l/ k lin llpl"'ntllt, )'Ou utfu<k lIllilCh
,I way ,HII)nlol YrlllI:t your ulliN'Dpt"lllllgl_
By Iht ldlnt tokl'", \'L1lir {ntnJs' ftnxloll5,
oluura ft allu,h gil'l' lU U multlplt oppor lu'
milts to PII'J'U your f"'t's Jtfoa stS.
W hen you fu nk an enemv wuh an ali)
wbocan <;cC' and hear you r di rec tions,
the rwoof ~'OU form a pote nt cc mbina-
non. You r macks complement each
other, leaving the Ilanked opponent 10
a tenuou s pcstnon.
Youca n uSC' this strike when YOU and
any nu mberof all lC"S flan k an cppcnenr
you deng nae. As p.u t of Ih is maneuver,
you make a mew m ack agains r the
flanked opponent. If your arrack hl rs,
3ny ally fbn king your foc can irnmedi-
31ely make a melee attack agai ns t tha I
creatu re. These exrra aTuc ks are nOI
3113(ks of op port un iry.
Your all ies mUSl be able to SC'C' you
10 gai n th is benefit. The coo rdi n ation
needed between you anJ you r com-
pani ons d..mand s tha t you watch each
other's attacks, though )'OU do nor need
to he ar each other.
While Raven (Stri ke)
l e\'d : Crusader I, warblade 1
I nitiatio n l\ ctio n: I slandard action
Ra nge : ~ ld ~'e 31tack
Tar~et : O ne cte"3lure
Du rat io n : I round
You boldly sirike .:l t YO IlY en..my. As yOIl
"" uck, rou shOll' .I war err 10 de mon-
shull' 111M \'lclo ry IS ut " wnd. 11mattack
In'plres m olrb)' .d llts 10 JOIII IIII'{rllY wldl
" ntwt,1 ~'1gor.
w' hC'n you make an atuck. you r allies
laklt' heart in you r r xam plr an d fighl
with renC'wrd purpose. By stoking the
fitit' ofbanlr in )'Our allies' he.rts, you
in spire them 10 grC'a.ter heroICS,
As part of this nuneuwr, you make
3 SlOglC' melee all:ICk. If ),our attack is
successful ~our alhes gain a +~ morale
bonusonlllxk rolls for I round againsT
fhl" Ctea lU~ vou h u.
LEADING THE CHA RGE
while" Raven (Slanct')
Level : Crusader t . wnbladc I
In iti at io n Ac ti on : 1 swift action
R a n gc~ 60 fl.
Area : 60-il .-radiusem:matlOn ce nte red
onvou
Du rat ion: Stance
YOII ~rt Ilu lOlI.fiJ ...II( ,mJ murh dl lFlrl 1
of t,r ,dll(~ gll'lI1g IIu/II Jilt rIle,!:,- ill1J
/lml Jl' lluJ.,J 10 "hlk-tll J<'1\hlllllllg (h <l rgt
,1i!dIlUI }'Our trl erm N.
The Whjl~ Raven Jiscipllllelt'3CM rhar
ccncs.lecderslnp, andpLnning em lM."T-
come an oppu",-'ms superior inw,,1Jual
abilities.Tlusstanceembodes rharteach-
mg. allowing you to spur your alhes on
10 greater feats 01 martial skill .
'X hilt' vouure In thts '> I.l OCt', all allies
who hear vou and nuke a charge arrack
uube areagainabonuson damagerolls
U rc your muuror level
LION'S ROAR
White Rave n I Boos r)
Lev e l: Crusader 3, werbladc ;\
Pr erequ isit e: One Whi le Raven
maneu ver
I n iti a tion Act ion: I swifl action
Range: 60 fl.
Targe ts : YOt:. and allied creature s
with in 60 ft.
Ouralion: t round
You u"ltaJh a 'UJJt"ll /J,11l1, I'O<Ir ,n 111l1r
.mglll y bloll'(dis your rll llllY. IIl~rlTt',1
1'O'Uf{\, lmpl" )'Ullralllts fij::lllll'llll rrll,'ll'tJ
t!l<"JI:Y allJ a.:ltnnlllalloJl .
When you defeat an enemy, you call
OUl 10 your allies 10 prrs~ rh... attack .
They respond b)' pumng tremendous
pressure Oil the enemy 35 their anacks
smke \\'U h gre'al..r force.
As a swift action , you initiate rhe
boost after yOJ hav... reduced an oppo-
nent 10 fewer than 0 hil POlnl~, You and
allil's within range gain a ...5 mora le
bonus on damage rolls for I round.
ORDER FORGED FROM
CHAOS
\X'hile Raven
Level: Cru sade r 6, warblade 6
P re req u isite: Two White Rave n
man eu vers
Init iar ion Actron: I move acucn
Ran~e: Personal
Ta rgets ; Allied creatures within 30 fl.
by
YOII ""'* a Sirlrs of Jlrm onltrs. J,rullflj.!
your (olJlr..Jc\ 10 shlfl form,dloll. Thr
~1I't"raf rom rrrsmu h nuh 111111 thrrobo'
w.llllIul (OIlKIOu slr IhlltklJlg lIN.ul ll.
You excel al uSIng your comma nding
pre~ence to direct your a llies o n the
benlefleld. Afler a few shari ba rk...d
orders from you, your allies switch
posincns and assume a raclic21lyadvan
tageous poslllon
 Wht'n you tnuiate this m aneuver.
all allies wnhm 30 fCt'1 of )'0 11 ca n
immediately takea "ln~lt' mo...e an ion
to move up 10 their speed. Thl ~ move-
ment pro...ekes attacks ofopportu ni tv,
and it does nor coum toward fulfilling SWARMING ASSAULT
the minimum movement requirements
of any pectal abililll"sor frat s, such as
a scour's ekirmis h abililY.
PRESS THE ADVANTAGE
Whilr Raven Stance
Leve l: Crusader 5, warblade ~
P r e r e q u ts tte : Two \'('hilr Raven
maneuvers
Inirial io n Action : I SWI(I scncn
Range Personal
Ta rget: You
Du ra t io n : Stance
r "u slnfl acrou Iht ""llltritlJ, !lmlng ll1ur
mOt>(mcn ll rrttudy 10 ,U'(IIJ ""y ,ma,h
from )'OUr [0.'1.
Your sense of the ballldi("ld and intui-
live unde rstanding ofIhe ebb and flo"'
of combat allow you to move wuhour
dropping you r defenses. Whill' orhers
musr slowly work I hrough a melee, you
seize gaps in a foe's J t'[rmt's an J move
wit h greal speed am! co nfide nce.
While you are in rhis stance. you can
lake a second 5-[001 step immediately
after ...ou lake one fOI rhe round. Th is
second movement JOC's nOI pro voke
attacks ofopportunir y. You ca n make a TACTICAL STRrKE
single c-foor step Into difficult terrai n,
but if you do, yO ll can not make lhl;'
second 5-foot slep.
SWARM TACTICS
while Raven (Stann')
level: Crusader 8, warbl.ade ti
P rerequi s il (,: Ont' Whitt' RH'en
manetl\'e r
Initi ari onAcr ion : 1 swift ac llOn
Range: 60 fl.
Area: 6O-ft.·radius t'm,mation crmert'd
on \ "011
nurat ion: Sunct'
Your qurA: J" rrh(ltlS tIIafoltclost /(olllll\"rk
bt-htWJ! )tluntlfollhf 'HIlilly. AI )'Illrllrglll~
)tlUT aUII'S >n: t tN lIulwtn.. and u'llJ'f: II I clost· intoa better position. Ifyoura ttJCk lands
coon!ltlillwn willi )'III 10 dtkolt ,,/I tt1rmy.
Whilt' \'OIl af!' in Ih is sunee, you U St'
rour Ixuc31 knowl...Jge ~ nd nuslery 10
improve vour alli~' teamwork If vc u
are aJJact'nl to on... or more opponent s,
your allies gain a ...5bonuscn mack rolls
mad e against .3ny of th ose opponen ts,
\'('hitt' Raven (Strike
Leve]: Crusader 7, wsrblsde 7
Prerequtstte : Three W h ite Raven
maneuvers
In it iat ion Acr ion: I standa rd action
Range: Melee arrack
Ta rge t : O ne creature
You atladt 1mopponcnllt1lh brulal fpru
rllllllllg JmthfmSN. Asl'OU 5tn~t, you call
out wrp co"tmllnJs lD " ' " llfl,n. IJ"lrnng
rhtm to .utwn ,md ,dlowmg rhtm /oldk..
"dl,ml"..::t of Ill( opt"lm~.
You Inspire vour allies wuh a rousing
speech. .a war cry. .a challenge 10 the
enemv, or some other ddianl geslU~.
Combimng th is shOUI wuh a canny
attack, you st rip awav a foe's defenses ,
allowing your allies ro nukc- pol t'm i:l.lly
devastating att ac ks.
As p;:t n ofrhis maneu ver, you m eke a
single melee arrack against anoppon ...m.
Hrhis attack hits,vccdea!normal melee
damage,and any ally who threatens your
larget can im mediately make an arrack
agai nst hi m. You choose rbe order In
which your allies' attacks resolve .
White Raven (St rike
Level : C rusa der 2, warblade 2
Pre r e quisite : One \\"7h it e Ravt'n
man eu\"er
Initiation Ac ti o n : t sundard :lCllon
Range: Melee alla.ck
Targe r: O ne crealUre
r"ur skrll lit "rnu ,md ot't"rll'h tlmlng
~It'tr toru ytlllropron(JIllofalttral a falal
",olllmt As lilt Jot alUmrls t..~ rt(OI vr from Jom .... nf. Yourrrcklm m(ll't' slarllnwurjO..'S
I'ourJtt'llst,,"ng slnk:t, WIll' allus ru~" Ul
lo.6ll1sh It'har)'('u haw Ilarltd.
You make a mighry mack tha f knocks
youropponent imoa defensebs postrion,
granting rour allies a mome nt fOmm-e
lrue. it b'eS your enem \' rnomemariJo.
shaken bv its lremendous Irnp;:tCl.
As ~rt of this maneu\ r, you rn;l:ke
a single melee attack. It your a[lack
Juts you deal an extra .:!d6 mrs of
damage. In add itio n, each allv adjacent
10 rbe !argt'l can rake an tmmedme S·
foot step t hat does not pro...oke auacks
of cppo rru nuv,
TACTICS OF THE WOLF
While Ra\ en (SI3nce)
Level: Crusader 3, warblede 3
Peerequtst te : One W hile Raven
ma neuver
In it iari o n AClion: I swif acuon
Range: Persona1
Target : You
Durarlon: ~unct'
You ~Jtoul oNtrs IJwI "llr (oonlmillt ytlur
allan tffc'n1.1Juyh.nasslhm-~s1u .iJ
Mil ItrrtrMt ult4chol,ufothnu'Ut man-
II11;t lht suppcrrl lhty low lD r.uh "tlitl':
ThIs stance I lJ O\\"S you and you r allies
to gain add morul be nt'hts agai nsl a
flanked opponent Under your direc-
tion, your alhescccedteare rheir actions
to a much grea ter degree than normal.
Your advice and shou ted orders make
th em .30 uns toppa ble learn. Like a
wo lf pack, your allies fighr rogerher 10
dt' \,;)sIJl ing effecr.
" .'h en you flank a foe, you and allies
who flank rhc enemy with you gain a
bonuson damage rolls JgaJI1S 1 thai oppo-
nent equ al 10 1/ 2 YOUI imnator level.
WAR LEADER'S CHARGE
Whitt' n avcn (St rike)
Le\'e1: crus...dt'r 6, warblade 6
I' r n equ is lte : Two W h il e Rave n
maneu...ers
In ir iation .\ cl ion: 1 full-round action
Ran ge: .\ Idt't' 3lt.ack
Target: On~ cre.a ture
Youm"lmon a grr.u fury wl/lirnWI.IT IlItlgJ.
rdltUrng II It11h a hwm{ lh01lI ol.)VU ch ,, ~
"nJ rull pt'ulrrJorrt btlullJ )'l.lllr allol(1:.
As a ~ t\Idt'n l of Iht' W h ile R2\'en, you
lea rn to focus Ihe energy wilh in yoU
inlOan 0\ r fVo·hrl m ing durge. In bartle ,
you mU"lleaJ from the fro nt.
As p;trl of Ihls maneuver, YOU charge
anorponmt YoudonOlprovoktallrl~
ofopponuhlly formoving.J5 pan of this
du:rgt' If vourchatgl' mack hl(~ IIdeal
an e Ira 3':; JlO1I11 darna~
W.~R MASTER 'S C HARGE
Whut" Raven (sink,,)
!-","('I: Cru sader 'J. warblade 9
i're r e qu ts tre: f ou r Wh irt' Raven
m aneuvers
I n it iat ion Act ion: I full-round scucn
Ran Re: Melee aluck; Set' text
Target: One creature: ~t't' I('X '
w' l lh II f:'r(ill hollllt rrr, fllU
leaJ )'!JUT.d!ltsrn.l J..L\lstlillng
cJlllrg'(' fnnl lor YOllT",mm,Ul,/'
Ing prtUI1U 111hl Jrftly ltd h)'
)tl\IT suprtmt gnllp '"lllcllo, )till
.Jill YtOur IIllln form lin UIIIIOp-
f"1h1IIl'tJgt'.
You are an Inspiring figure
on the baulefield. allowing
you 10 lead others on snacks
rhu would srrtke fur and
doubt into even ,he' Uoutt'Sl
wa r r-io r's heart . Under your
leadership, the groupbecomes
much mOR than the sum of
irs p:lrls.
As pa n of rh is mane-live r,
you cha rge I n opponent . In
addition, all allies within }O
ft' t' l of you Oi l th e beginning
of your [urn C3n also cha rge
rhts urger 3S 3 11 immediate
ac tto n. You and allied crea-
rure-s do nOI blockeach ethe r
wh en de renntntng if vou
ca n c harge. Your cha rge at-
lack deals an extra SO points
of damage, and th o se of your
all ies eac h dea l an exrra 25
poinrs of damage. For-each ally
who cha rges, counting yourself.
your charge mack and those of
your allies are made with a cumula-
uve ... 2 bonus (in addiuon 10 Ihl." normal
bo nus provide d by charging). An op-
ponent struck by you and at least one
other ally is stunned for I round.
You and you r allies do nOI provoke
au acks of opportumry for moving as
part of th is charge.
WHITE RAVEN HAM MER
W h ile Raven (S lri~)
Le,,·d: Crus.JIJ ..r 8, wubl.JIdt' 8
Prere (lu lslt e: Three Whilt' R.JI\·en
man euvers
In it iat io n :\ er io n: I ' ImJard Klion
Range: ~t e lel' .JItuck
Target : On.' creature
Durati on: t round
\'0 11 II,UII )'Our Orf"11Ull1 It"'" ,I 'tll~h l y
,ltllICk10 ,l,srurl hIS l.( 1I~1 ,11111It,ll'!' 11111I
llthJblt III dtftld 11Im~lf Il'll i lt YOllr "lIl t l
riMe tofimsJl hlln off.
A crrwzJn- if Hrrtor usrl 16 'W16t" "'tlsln-'s
rbtl"l!' 10 rrmijlltllr his ",illillllJ
As part of rhts maneuver, ~'ou make a
single, devas tanng strfke 3gainst an
opponenl. The raw force of Ih is blow
knocks him senseless. Yo ur anack
deals an extra 6d6 poi nts of damage and
stuns your opponent for 1 round.
WHITE RAVEN STRIKE
While Raven .Srri ke)
l e"'el : Crusac.l'r -4 , warbladc-4
P re re q u isi re: One Wh ile Raven
ma neuver
Initiation AUlon: t sundaro acrion
R all~l' : M<'l,'e au ack
Ta rget: One c reat ure
You r t yrfor IMllo lilloit's )"01110 Il o I IU Illl
(ntll1y'lll'tilk Jlj)lIlh and <l Uack JlU IIlIt ,Ill
II "lIg hlY"'Il ll'.
The While Raven disc ipline fO(u,·
es on ecncs. tea mwo rk . and t he
abili lY to make an auack rhar Irn-
Pn)\'C'S your allies ' abilities. This
strike ruins a foe's defenses.
As p.;trt of this maneuver,
you ma~asingle mew and
If It hus. ~'OU ~al an exrra -44 6
pOll\tsof damage, and the largel
is considered Ilar-focred unnl
the Start of his nex i t u rn.
WHITE RAVEN
TACTICS
while Raven ( Bcosr)
Level: Crusader 3, warbla de 3
Prereq u isite One White Raven
ma neuver
ln ili:uion Act ion: t swift
acnon
Range: 10 fl.
Ta rget : O ne ally
YOli Clltl ltlSrm' yOllr allirs 10
alf(lu thlmgftllhof 1I1l1rhai rrvll'(l l.
\t'llh" ftli' IlIon ordl'lS, )"011 calol.,
fllt111mto Sl'l:lIIgIhe lIIirlahw alld
dm ll1 g bMI.: the lllt ttly.
l
"ou r k nowledge of racncs ca n
aid your allies' attacks, an d
il also allows you 10 Spol, pit"-
d iet , and counter your ene m ies'
actions. In rhe chaos of ba n le. you
impose the order needed fcr nghr ,
effecnve group tacdcs.
When ),ou use thi s maneuver, se lect
an ally within range. H er initiati ve
count immediately equals your innia-
uve coum-a . She' then acts on her new
truuanve coum as norma l. If she ha ~
already acted in rhe current round, she
can aCI again. Ii rhts maneuver would
not change you r ally's initia t ive co u nt,
it has no effect. Ifshe has nor ver acted
during this round. her ini tiative count
cha nges, and she acts on th at cou nt as
nor mal. she does not aCI again on her
original inili3 Ii\'e COUn!.
 allyll'rt rile' '~III" 1I1111 mlllpnst III( Sub/intI'
\'Cay. A,rosllh.. widc la",llof tilt' !l'orlJ. Ilu
frawln '!lIghl finJ (fUUI,f .. romm Jtl'Olia
liJ any of" Jo:tn Jlffrrtlll gods. II\UlJmng
I lt 'Om5<1.!i{ s who tml'rl anJ liMn !.host who an'
ll'dlm!!dnJ rtdJ), illlJ f"t'U.l nurhLiJLS Err lho' Wrt III starrn of lh..tr
flnll "g '7Wmmlf ofj.Jmt. Ordm, brodllriwoJ;, wm1SI;JClffln, lriJd..n
ttmplrs. "'rgotlt'n mOllaitnlts, 11I111'1 dan~'1 P.I>SN on II. 01l"1
nmlsn,fDTms.fIOTl~'S.anJ tith""1ULS. I "nolt'of 11 (nt'Wch InMII,,1
tm dlfwn s.ilnJ J U'llllf't"ak ofIhnn nolt' Douf.lfm)W Inll JUCDtn"
milm flJ(lR' tn YOur own Ir<1VfIs. Illy sllldwfi
-s- Harran Tu riyeshor
l11e stud y of marnal lore nat u rally lends trself to the pu rsuit
0 1 vanou s e lite, obscure. OT hidden rraduions. Recl usive
sword sage masters invent never-before-seen maneuvers and
teach these secre ts on ly to a few chos en st udents: ... rusad cr
orders INch their novices austcr tuc s JnJ catechisms thai
are ss \wrful as divine spells; and [amcu warblade-, ~
renowned for rheir SI~na lU rt" IIllJ r ~
Almost an, word geerediticn or crusnd er crder cou ld
be cons idered " Presuge class. becaus e each o ne has irs own
particular philosophy, hmoTy. It"achtng~ . and special moves.
The chapte r presents eigh t prestige- cle-es.eecbrepresennng
a st>pante rraduion of the Sub limt" Wav,
Bloodclaw ~ I.aster. Th is fcol'lll warner is a mas rer of the
Tige r Claw dis cip line. He t:1kes on be stial cberacrertsucs
wben he fights.
Bleodstorm Bla de: • taster of rhrown weapons- a blood-
storm blade can execute devasranng ranged snacks with his
sword. axe , or hammer.
Deepsto nc Sen ti ne l: Imbued wu h Ilk> power of eJt.ml,'nlJl
earth thl~ Jw::art champion comma nd.. Ih,· v ry rock to do
h i~ bidding
Eternal Blade: A ch.1mpivn of tho: el f race an eternal
blade seeks 10 follow the parh appointed him by his blade
guldt' the p l rlI of .. migh ty elf here oi old
Jall e I'hoe n tx M age : killed In bot h arcan e magic and
man I man ) Jd~ ph IllX gr I.. rebo rn In Itft·
mram II nen I &~Ins{ II
 ~ I;bh'r o f Nlm' : Rares t and mos t renowned of martial
adepts, a rnasrer of run e wields the lor e and power of all n ine
m.mlal discipli nes.
Rub y Kn igh t Vindicator: t\ secrenveavenger.a vindicator
serves as Wee [as's final ans wer to rh rears against the Ianh
sh adow Su n Ni nja: Spy, warrior, and assassin, a Shadow
Sun ni nja uses the powersofbo rb light and darkness to defea
hiS Ices.
ADVANCING MARTIAL
Mos t of [he prestige classes presented In rhts chapter offl'r
some amount of continuing progression to a charac ter's
existing maneuvers known and maneuvers readied. Mutial
abilities acqui red through progression in a prestige cbs
simply add to th e character's exif,ung martial maneuvers.
If you haw marual m.a neuvers irom 3 fear. rather than
from a class, things work a link ditTerentiy. Th e prestige
eLlSS grants vou new maneuvers as normal. You simply 3Jd
them to rh.. ma n..uvers YOU k now because offears you have.
You also inuiare and recover these man..uvers in the same
ma nner as you initiate and recover other ones. Late ron. you
might take levelsin the crusader, swordsage,orwarblade class.
Maneuvers you had prior to entering one of those classes
conn nue to Iu ncnon as they did previously. Track their use
and recovery separately from those granted by the martial
adept class levels.
MARTIAL ADEPTS
If you have levels in a marual adepr standard class (crusader,
swcrdsege. or warblade), you renin th e same method for
readying and recovering maneuvers that you pr ev iously
used. If you have levels in tWOor more marna]adepr standard
cla sses (for example. you arc a mu It tclass swcrdsage/war-
blad e). you must dec ide to which of your existi ng martial
adep t classes the new m aneuve rs known or maneuvers
read ied apply.
Maneuvers Kn own: When you gain add itiona l mancu-
vers know n. rhese simply add 10 the maneuvers known of
on e mart ial adep t standard class you already possess. You
might b.. able to pick new maneuvers from only a hand ful
ofdisciplines.
M an euvers Read ied : when indicated. you gain the ability
10 ready one or more additional martial maneuvers. If you
h ave more than one martial maneuver progression, you m ust
choose whic h progression the additional readied maneuver
slot app lies to. If you choose to add the maneuver readied (0
a marn a] ma neuver progression derived from crusader class
levels, you also gain one additional man euver granted at the
beginning of the encounter for each addt rional maneuver
you can ready.
Stances Kn ow n : If a class grants new stances known, you
can select stances from the disciplines available based on the
prest ige class.
Recove ry : You retain the same recovery method or merh-
cds you already use. If you have levels rn more (ban one
martral ade pt class, you choose which recovery method you
ill use based on which adept class the new maneuver you
are Il',lrntng llrrhl's It > O I1Ct'lhlS choice IS made, It ca nno t
be ch anged.
NONMARTIAL ADEPTS
If vou do not have any lewis in a martia l adepr standard cuss
(crusader, swordssge, or warblade) before gaining levels In a
prestige class that improves your martial mane uver progres-
sion. some special rules apply.
Ma neuve rs Known: The number of maneuvers you kncs
is dell·rmim·J by the number of times you select the ~Iart l.al
Study feat. plus the number of new maneuvers known you
gain from your prestige class advancemens.
Man euvers Re adie-d: The number of maneuvers you
no ready is equal to the number of maneuvers you have
learned by means ofthe Mutial Study feat, plus the number
of new maneuvers readied you gain from your prestige class
advancement. Ifthe number ofmaneuvers you know exceeds
the number you are permuted to ready, you must choo..e
which maneuvers 10 ready and which to leave unreadied,
just like a standard manlal adept. You can change you r
selection of readied maneuvers with 5 minutes of ex e ret-e
and meduanon.
Sta nc es Know n: If a class grants new stances k nown, \'OU
can select stances from the disciplines available based on the
prestige class.
Recovery: You cannot recover expended ma neuvers inan
encounter if you do not have levels in a martial adept class, so
each ofyuu r readied maneuvers is usable once per encounter.
You ca n recover your expended maneuvers ou tside combat
wilh 5 minutes ofexercise and meditation.
If you gain access to a prestige class by laking th e Marml
Study feat, and that class has its own progression of man ..u-
vers known, those new maneuvers can be used only onc e per
encoun ter. You retai n the recovery method you previou sly
had . If you then took mar tial adept levels, you cou ld recove r
ma neuvers you gained as a resu lt ofth ose levels as a mem ber
of lha l class. but the maneuvers from your previous levels
wou ld still be usable only once per e ncounter.
· My /llltd(~ Ours! for /lIMe
-c-Rhaskana. Bloodelaw Secrerkeeper
A blooJclaw masrer ernbrac ....s the animal withi n loa degree
that it becomes exte rnal. partially transformi ng h im inro the
beas l from wh ich the discipline was inspired. He em ploys
sm311. light weapons almost like claws. He focuses on th e
Tiger Claw discipline, and his maneuvers speak to th e quick-
striki ng nature of his discipline's feline namesake.
BECOMINCA
BLOODCLAW MASTER
This class favors thost' who prefe r fighting wi th two light
weapons, and who are fond of the man euve rs of the Tiger
Claw discipline. Most bloodclaw masters are swcrdsages c r
warblades ofthe Tig..r claw discipline. Some barbarians also
choose to embrace their Inner beast. becoming a bloodclaw
master after either taking a few mart ial adep t cla ss levels
TABLE 5 -1 : THE BLOODClAW MASTER HIT DIE: D12
Base
Attilck Fort Ref will Maneu vers Man euvers
l evel Bonus Save Save Save Known Read ied Spe<:ial
lst +0 2 ...2 ...0 1 0 Shlfhng l/day. claws of the beast
2nd +1 3 +3 +0 0 0 Superior two-weapon fighting. liger daw synergy (stance)
3rd .2 j +l +1 1 1 Pouncing slrlke low-I ght VISion. shifting 2/day
4th +3 .. 4 .4 ... 1 0 0 Tiger claw synergy (strike)
Sth +3 .4 +4 ..1 1 0 Rendlngdaws.scent.shlftlng3/day _
Crass Skills (2 + Int modifier per level): Balance. Climb , Hand le Animal. Hide, Jump, Knowledge (natu re), Listen, Martial
Lore*. Move Silently. Spot. Survival.
* New skill de scribed on page 28.

or selec riag the M art ial Study fen enough tim es to me et
Ih E' emry req uirements. A few rog ues also consider th is
cl ass. becauce sneak attacks made with IWO weapons ar e
especially deadly.
EN TA Y REQ UIREM EN TS
Skills: Jump 9 ranks.
feat s: Multlatl ack or Two-Weapon Fighting.
Martial M;p;neuvers: MUsl know th ree Tiger Claw maneuvers.
CLASS FEATURES
As you advanc e as a bloodclaw master, you become more
ltke the tiger tha t inspired your chosen martia l discipline.
You gain masrery of more Tiger Claw maneuvers. whi le also
gaining the abilit)· to ~ h i fl in to a feral form.
Man eu vers: AI eac h odd-numbered level . yo u ga in a
new maneuver kn own fro m the Tiger Cla w d isci pline. You
must m eet a maneuv... r's prereq u isite to learn it. You add
your full blocdclaw master levels 10 your inma tor level to
de termine you r total i ni ti ator level an d yo ur h ighes t-level
maneuvers know n.
Ar 3rJ level. you gain an addiricna] mane uver re adied
per d3y .
Shifring (Su ): You can become more like a tiger by focus-
ing your feral nature. O nce per day, you C3n ent er a state l h31
is superficially similar to a barbarian's rage . \'(!hile you ar e
shifnng. yo ur app eara nee takes on tigerlike aspects; Your
fingern ails becom e more permed and clawltke. the iri ses of
vour eyes bec ome narrow, catl ike sltrs. you r ears grow more
poi n ted , and so on . While sbi fri ng, you gain 3 +2 bonus to
Streng th and you g row claws that can he used as na tu ra l
weapons. These claws dcal rda poi nts of damage w ith eac h
successful arrack. You ca n attack wuh one claw as a sta nda rd
action or w ith IWO claws as a full arrack action (as a primary
natural wea pon). You cannot arrack more than once per round
with a single cla w, even if your base attac k bonus is h igh
enough to give you multiple snacks. You can attack wtrh a
claw as ;I IIghl off-hand weapon while wield ing a weapon In
your primary h.and, but doing so incurs the norm3l penalties
for fighling wub IWO\\'r.apons.
Shifting is a fIff action .and lasts for a number of rounds
equa] to your Con modifier .. you r bloodclaw mas te r class
1~'r1. At 3td level and ;lgaln at 51h level, ...'OO gain an add itio na l
Jaily use of your shifting ability.
Claws of the Beast (E x ): When an.acking witb rwo dag-
gersor Ttger Clawwespcns (kuk ri, kama. handaxe, u narmed
strike, or claws ), )'01,.1 add your fu ll Stre ngth bonus 10damage
rolls made for ...vur off-hand ....~ pon.
Superior 'Iwc-wea pon Fight in g (Ex); Starti ng at 2nd
level, when you attack with two daggers or TIger c law weap-
ons. you do no t lake rbe -2 pe n.ah y on arrack ro lls for fighting
with two we:Jpo ns.
Tiger C law Synergy (Ex): Beginning at zod level, while
you are in 3Tiger c law stance. you can choos e to gain either
a ... 1 dodge bo nus 10 your Ar mor c lass or a -r o-foor bonus
to you r base speed. You make this choice wh en you enter
th e- sran c e.
AI -trh level. )'01,.1 become more accurate al dealing Tiger
Claw str ikes. You gain a ~ I bonus on an y attack rolls made
as part of;l ..trike from rhe Tiger Claw discipline.
Pou ndngS rrikc (Ex ): From 3rd level on , when w ieldi ng
twowcapcns.you can take a standard action 10make a singl c
melee arrack with each weapon. Each attack is made at your
highest atta ck bo nus. You can also mak e an attack with each
weapon agai nst an oppcnenr at the end of a charge.
\'('hen )'01,.1 use po uncing str ike, you lose the use of on e
Tiger claw strike you have readied for the current encoun-
te-r..lust as if you had in it iated the strike (e xce p t you do
not also gain Ihe smke's norm.al effecn Once you us e- this
ability, you ca n re co ver the m aneuver you expended and
use it normall y.
Lew-Li g h t Vision (E x): AI l td leve l, you r eyes funcrion
better in di m lig h t, as you edcpe rhe senses ofthe tiger. You
gam lew-lig ht vis ion.

SHIFTERS AND
THE BLOODCLAW M ASTER
A shIfter character, from the EII RRQN campaign se tting, g.ains
slightly different bene fits from taki ng levels in th iS class.
The class 's sh Ifting ability inst ead grants the sh ifter one ad
drt lc na l shift per day allst and 5th levels (bu t not lrd level)
~ .-.. to
and the duration cf the character's racial sh ifting ab ility IS
increased by 1 found fOf each level he takes in th is prestige
class The PC IS trea ted as having the raze-claw sh ifter tr illl
fo· the purpose of meeting prerequIsItes (such as for other
shIfte r feats)
~~ __________
 nendtng Claws (Ex): At srh level. while you art' sh lfring so. every proc laimed -rudenr of rlu- Tiger Clew \\'111 give
and attacking wit h tWOdaggers o r t\I.'O Tiger Claw \\'eapons the honor end respect de serving of your expertise .
and you successfull y hit an oppcneru with both weapons in
the same round, the second weapon that hits deals an ex tra COMBAT
2d6 poin ts ofdamage. This effect is considered a boost from Half of a banle occurs before the fight begins. You prefer to
the Tiger c13w discipline. choose your banleground, ro sralk your opponent into rerram
\'(Thcon you use rendi ng claws, you lose the use of one Tiger rhar best suits your abilities. Once battle is joined, you become
Claw boosr you ha ve readied for the current enccu nrer. jusr a fren1.yof mouon.stnktng qu tckl v and at th e mos t vu lnerable
as if you had initia ted rhe boos t (excep t you do no t also gain larget available, hindering vcurcpponenrs'abrlny 10 react. You
th e boost's no rmal effec t), O nce you USl' rhis abili ty, you can lead w uh a cha rge, shifti ng along th e W3Y, [0 ge l you rself In
recover th e ma neuver you expe nde d an d use it nor mally. posi tio n when' you r claws or your kukris can deal the most
Scent (Ex); Once you h3Ve reached 51h level,your heightened damage. Taking advantage ofyour leaping skills, you ju mp to
an imalisti c senses also give you the abililY to smell nearby any available high ground 10 gain an upper hand.
creatures, You gain the scent spt"CialabililY (M.\ I 31041
ADVANCEMENT
P LAYING A BLOODCLAW MASTER In your hands, small blades are like an extension of)'OUrown
Like the tiger, you are aloof and proud, but quick to act hands-like claws made of steel. The strikes and counters
when a snuario n demands it. Some mistake your demeanor of the Tiger Claw discipline are na tural extensions of you r
for arrogance. bu t you know your altitude is more ltke ~­ own combat ability. Follow ing the path ofbloodclaw mas te r
tienee. You see k 10 learn the det ails around a circumstance speaks to your fenl natu re, letting you become one wit h the
before offering your input. When you speak, you beast in your heart. Masters of the TIge r claw see
do so sagely,wi th con fidence, even ifyou this spark wi thin you, and through you r
aren't cer tai n rhar you are actually trai ni ng you h ave lea r ned of the
co rrect . It is more important pat h of t he be ast and what you
that othe rs believe you are mu st do to unloc k it,
right. that you aft' infa l- As a bloodclaw m aster .
lible. Your patience is net you have earned you r way
infinite, however, and in to an eli te subsecr of (h e
you are always eager to Tiger Claw school. Yo ur
spring into action. Norh- abilities are revered by
ing bothers you more many, especially those
than spending a long pe- relanvelv new to the disci-
riod of time in a small, pline. aider masters who
enclosed room wit h have nor emb raced th eir
nc rh tng to do and no own inner tigers might
one ( 0 kill. As you iden- view you with di sdain ,but
tify wit h you r int ern al even (hey mus t recognize
tiger, you adopt exter- the power you wield .
nal ways of dis playing Tofully uti lize some of
you r bond. per haps by the best TIger Claw maneu-
striping you r arms or vers, you will want to keep
face wab black soot or your Jumpskill maximized .
adorning yourself with If you haven't already, you
jewelry fashioned from should take the BWe ~!l-d t­
tooth and claw, ration fear. Tiger Blooded is
Bloodclawmasters art an ideal feat to take if you
he ld in h igh esteem by have a ba rbarian leve l, and
man y followers of the Irac- you ca n use ~f arl i a l Srudv
no us TIger Claw disci pline, to fu rt her ex pand you r Tiger
(hou gh some TigerClaw adep ts claw m aneu ver repe rtoire.
ha rbor jea lousy or even loathi ng for Rbaska'"" a hllKHidtl'U' HlaSIC" M any of your m aneuvers key off
th ose who follow th e blood claw master critica l hit s, so Improved Critical can
path. As a blocdclew master. you fighr with a ferccuy and run- increase th ose opportu ni ties.
n in g rbar surpasses all bur the most skilled master s ofTIger
C law. A few be lieve that you r ferocity di lutes the purity cf RESOURCES
TIger Claw, and that bloodclaw masters mark a regression in A fellow student or m aster of the Tiger claw is oblige d to
the advancement ofthe disc ipline. Others simply bide (heir pr ovide food. and lod ging for a short t ime, u n less yo u ate
lime, waiting lik e a tiger for you to drop your guard. EW:l enemies for some rea son. You , in tu rn, are expected 10
 pl'O\' ld ~ :I Jemo nSIr3110n of your abilities. show ing your host
th e true na ture of rhe uger. Since rh e blocdclaw masters are
not a recognized group or aUlhority, even WIth in rb e Tiger
Claw discipline , any additional support is un li kely. xt ore
often , a mas ter mighl provide a rask or ques t that serves his
own ends, bur you are nOI under any particu lar obligation
10 accept il.
BLOODCLAW MASTERS
IN THE WORLD
"\'('h.JI SWOfst th.1n a rllgmg Wtft !lgt r ? A ragmg "'tullgo" willi
oJ hugt lil t.
-c-Aubren Srarchaser, n.nge r of the nonh
Bloodclaw masters are feral figbrers lhal represem rbe purest
form of the Tiger Clew discipline•.11least in rbeir awn minds.
They are a specialized extension of lht' martial classes. an
u.1mplC' of how :t character mlghl embcd v the essenc e of a
particular martial scbccl. In thecase ofTiger C13Vo', rhe follcc.....
ers of the disci pline ilS~lf are fragmented and discrgamzed.
and a blocdclaw master co uld JUSIaseasih' be a valuable ally
or a memorable fee.
ORG:\NIZATION
ltis said Ih at a mountain can be home to on ly one tiger. In
.1ges pasr.tbe Tiger C law m arnal sc hool had m any monas-
renes and fight ing col leg es. bUI now rhe former o rd er is
fract u red and In sh ambles aft er m.any of rbe masters met
rbetr e nd follow ing the destr uct ion of the Te mple o f rhc
Nine Swords and rhe dealh of th e Tiger Lord. Now, masters
of the Trger C law are few and far between. Ah h oug h Ihey
show C'ach orher count' y, m an y work agai nst eac h o rher
for rh eir own peony end s. Bloodclaw masters are seen by rh e
di sciplin e's masters as paw ns they can use to gain personal
power. and even while rbev prov ide train ing, they secretly
1'101 10 use t h eir pu pi ls against their rivals .
NPC REACTIONS
The so metimes outlandish appe3fa nce an d marked stand-
offish ness of bl ood cla w maslers Ie-nds ro inlimida[C' mo sl
peor lt'.Thost' who ha"e sig n iflc.a nl kn owledge of Ihe martial
p:lIhs give du t' rt'spC'<tlo a blaoJclaw master. but the recep""
lion by olh..rs dt'pends on Ihe VC'n ue. People in loc ales thaI
advt'n1ucers frequent are maT(' likely 10 be indifferenl 10 a
blood claw masler, while ,hose in more upscale environs tt-nd
10 be u nfriendly.
BLOODCLAW "'lASTER LORE
ch.af3ctC'TS witb ran ks in :Mart ial Lorenn research blood claw
mastC'n 10 le.a m more abou l thC'm. \'(' h~n a charac ler makes a
sk ill ch«l, read orparapbrast' Ihe fallowi ng, in clud ing tbC'
Inform ation from lower DCs.
DC 10 ; Somt'how, the ~ peooplt'can turn in to tigen.
DC t 5; Blooddaw m aslers are fierce two·weapon wielders
m comba l.
DC 20; Th ev are masleTS of a martial discipline. known as
rhe Tlgeor C b w, Ihal allows them to chan nd .an rnnt'T bt' asl to
b net1\ tn m,fonn themsehes inlo a form not un like auge r
DC 30: Charac ters who achieve rhis 1e-VC'1of success can
learn importan t deta ils abou t a specific notable bloodclaw
maste r. the arras where he operates. and the kinds of actin-
lies he undertake s.
.'\ charac ter wi lh the-Cather Informarion sk ill can anemp r
.a DC 25 c hec k to loca le a b loodclaw mas ter , provided o ne
is In the regtcn. Altt'rn:u ely, he might atte mpt to lcca re a
master of rhe Tiger c law d iscipli ne. who could .11 leasr provide
in fornution:tnJ background on the blccdclaw masrer aod
rbe W3y of the beasr. Doing so requi res the master's atti tude
10 Dr helpful.
BLOODCLAW MASTERS
IN THE GAME
Bloodcl.aw masters epitomize rb e Ti ger C law d iscipline. A
ca mpa ign rhartnccrpcrares mulnple marna]schools can use
bloedclaw masters to repr esenr rhe more active members of
the Tlger claw school. Even a 5t'tt1ng Ih.at is nOI en u rely inte-
grated with IhC' mamal cb ssescccld incorporatea blccdclaw
master as a lone wa rrio r.
Th C' class ap pe als gready 10 plal'C'ts wh o wanr to focus a
mani.al adept c harac ter in the Tige r claw school. Players
fond of dual-weapon- w ield ing ch.aract rs wrll also be drawn
to thi s class. ThC'spC'<ialist, rat her rhan the generalist. will
find the bloodclaw master appealing.
ADAPTATION
In the E ll llll.o ~ sett ing, blocdclaw masters are typically
shifters who use the tea chings of Tiger Cl aw and th e way
of the bloodclaw master to bring themselves closer to th ei r
animaltsric hernage. Croups ofTiger Claw adepts and blood-
claw ma sters share rbetr martial knowledge in conclaves
rhrcegbcur the Eldeen Reaches.
SAMPLE ENCO UNTER
Bloodclaw masters tend to slay on rhe fringe of civtlizanon.
They are lone rs who rarely seck cur the company of orhers
un less they han ' a co mpell ing reaso n to do so.
11 9; Rhaskana rhe blocdchw master is a scowling, foul-
tempered warrior. He takes any m inor shghr. perceived or
otbC'rv..ise. as an excuse 10 duel one of tht' Pes.
R H ASKANA CR 9
Male human warblade 6/bloodcl:aw master 3
NG M~dlum humanoid (hu man)
Init +3; Sen ses low·ligh l vision ; USlfm ..0, Spol ...3
Languages Common. Elvt'n
AC 22, louch 1"', flat·footed 22; Dodge
(...3 Del. • 7 armo r, +1 deflection. -+1 natural)
hp 73 (9 HOI
Fort ...9 . Ref ...9, Will ·3
Speed 30 ft. (6 ~uares)
Melee ... 1 Je u/en . 12/-+7 melee (l d"'+SI18- 20) :a nd
+J JeUJefl +12/+7 m~'e~ (l d4+S/18-20) WIth Two·Weapon
r ighting or
Melee +J .lci/len .12/ +7 mel ee (ld4+-SJ1 8-20) or
MelH d aW1 ..10/ +10 (ld"' +2)
Base Alit .8; Crp .10
 Atk Option s Blood Medita tion (Tlget Claw), battle a rdo r ..1, ENTRY REQUIREMENT S
1 1l1'1 claw 'lO yne rgy (st.inc e) Skills: Bala nce 8 r,jnh
Sped . l Actions shtftlng 2/diY (-+-2 Strength, 4 ro unds) Feats: Poml Bl.lnk Shot
Co mbat Gear pollOtl ofenduranCt: Mart iill Milne uvers: MU$l know one Iron Heart strike and
one Iron Hea tt stance.
MOi ne uve rs and Stan ces Known (IL9th)'
Slan ces- bloo d In the w arer (lSi), punishing st ance (1~ t)
SltIkes-c1.w.t the moont (2nd), death from ilbovet TABLE 5 - 2 : THE BLOOO STO RM BL ADE H iT D I E: 012
(4th), pounCing ch,itget (5th) SOilring raptor strike Bue
(3rd), steel wind (lst), wolffang strlket (lsI) Attack Fort R.f Will
SooHs- sudde n leapt (lst)
Coun iers-wilil of blades (2nd)
,,,
Level
.,
Bonus Save SOlve S...
.2 ·0 •
Spedill
Return ng attacks,
DtKiplmes: Iron Heilrt, Tiger Claw Throw An~lh ng
tReadled milneuver ~apc! pnrude
2nd ..0 ·0 Mar tial throw,
Abilities Sit 14, Dex 17, Con 13, Inl12, WIS 10, Cha 8 thunderous throw
SQ Improved unCiinny dodge lrd .J 3 +1 B s tg ter 1'.11
Fear s Bl.de Medltiltion (Tiger CI.w)'-!. Dodge. MobilIty, 41h ." ... 4 .. 1 ...1 Lightncn ricochet
rwc-weapcn Fighting. Weapon Focus (iukn), Weilpon 51h 5 .4 1 ..1 B d ncechet
Speoal,zallon (kukn) 61h +6 ... 5 ... 2 .2 Bonus figh ler feat
-New feat described on page: 28 7th 7 .s .. 2 .2 E'yeo thl'slorm
Skills Balance -13, dlmb ...8, Concentration - 2, Intimidate 8th ..8 ...6 -+-2 ·2 Blood rain
..S, Jump ...20, Martlill Lore -13 , Spot -+-3. Tumble ..11 ~)h .. .6 3 ..3 0 '10 & ter Ieat
Possess io ns combat geilr plus ..2 breaslplou, two ...llcukns. 10th ..10 .. 7 ..3 ... 3 Blade'lOtorm
~mu/~1 of nolural armor ... " rmg ofprolt:Ction ... J, (/rigof Clus Skills (4 -+- Int modir~r per level): B,jlance.
Jumpmg Ccncentrauon, Craft , teumidare, lump, Martial Lo re*.
Spot, Tumble .
- New skIll described on page 28.

Mv ,mgtr /l1J bllll,lmg storm. 1X'luII It brt/.lks, my itIWUt'S' biL)(l,1

", ,/I ,lrm elt Ill<" rtlUIIJ 111:( rllllt.
- \'arandThunderhand, bloodsrorm blade
O ther martial adepts ngbrfullv look with wonder upon I ~
who learn t he bloodsrorm style. Once a secret art jt"3 10usly
guarded by it sword-cult ofgilhnnki warblades, bloodstorm
rec h mq ues now find USl' in the hands of martial adept, of
ma ny races-e-rne st noteblv , t he i nfor mal me rCt'nary o rga-
n ization k nown as rh o Bloodsrorm Guild. The style rakes
kn owledge from t he Iro n Heart dtsciplme and applies it
to attack s wuh t h row n weapons. A blocdsrorm blade who
ma ster s Ih('sl' me t hods often becomes mo re de:ld ly when a
wea pon leaves his hands t han when he holds onto iI,
BECOMING A
BLOODSTORM BLADE
Almost all blood-term hbJe~ begin th('ir ca ree rs as w:arbl:J;,ll:'s.
since that class offers she ea-aesrand most obvious path to 1':1.3"-
rC'ry of rhe bloods rorm style. A tew bloodsrorm blades find their
way 10 Ihl' class Ih rough olh,- r routes, usua lly by mt'ans of Ih,"
.\ larti3l srudy Iloat. Otht"r Ihan warbaJes, figh [t"'t'S mOSI oflen
ht-co mC' bloodsrorm blau,..;. but barbarians. rangen, rogul'S ,
a nti monks can :also be counll'd among their numbi.·r.
Al thoug h Ih l' bloodslOtm bl3de pr..-slige c13SS pnmarily
feJlures abili ries rhat augment I'2ngC"d attJcks, a high Dexler·
u y sco~ IS unnC'Cl'ssat')' bec3Us.e a character can make use
o f Ibe Ih undl"lOUS throw ability. Ahernatlvely, a charaCfC'r
\\ uh_3 hig h Dexu rity score and rel.3li\'C'ly low Strength score
ca n lorgo using thunderous Ihrow and inSlead optimiu b)
lalu ng Combat ~flexes and uSing cove of the storm. Eithe'r
I of charact..-r can uk<- fens that tncrease proWC'SS lnd
IIJ..k po\\l'r With a si ngle melee w...apon; th e bend;t, of
h, r rwch ,jpply to bolh ranged Jnd mde... :llIad.s
CLASS FEATURES
A(iI bloodstorm blade. you gain ex traordinary masterv cver
attacks wuh thrown weapons, and you learn to throw ~t'.lrly
any we:lpon at you r foes. These abilities lend th emselves ro a
' Itong focus on a slngle weapo n ofchoice tha t you ca n then
wie ld bosh in melee and ar I'2ngl' Some of the bloodstorm
blade da(\ features r...quire }"OU 10 expend a use of a n Iron
Hea rt st rike for an en counter, or s ubsume t he effects 01 an
Iron lI l'art stance.
Re t urning Anacks (Ex): You no hu rl your wl"apon al ;II
foe an d command ilia rtcccber back to you. A ny weapon \ 'OU
th row behaves 3Stho ug h it h,js the re t u rr ung special abtlnr
(j),\"G 225 ).
\X'hen yo u use returntng snacks. you lose th e use o f unc
Iron Heart srrtke you have readied for rhe currem e ncc u n
u-r. Jus t as if you had initia ted th e strike (e xce pt you do
nor also gain t he strike's normal effec t). Once you use I his
abi lity, you can recover the maneuver you expended and
use it normally.
Th row l\ nyt h i ng: As an inmate of the myste ries of Ih,'
bloodstorm lechniqul', you leun 10 Ihrow s\\'otds :IS eas lI\'
as oth,'rs hurl d.:lggers. You gain Throw AnVlhing (see the
sIJI'~r) as.:l bonus [",:It
W'C':apon Ap litllde (ExJ: Your Ir3ining wilh.a wi de' f:.mgl."
of weaponry and tactiCS ,jllows you t he'opportunity 10 g31 n
greal ~kil1 wilh pamcul.ar wC'Jrons. You c.an qualify lor
fe,jls reqUiring a mimmum number offightC'r le..- els(such as
\'('e.:tpon Speci.alizalion );1~ if }'OU ha d 3 figh lt"r lew l C'quallo
yourcombml'd warbl.ade 3nd bloodstorm bladt"' IC"o"els-2
furthermort", you M't" the fleXibility toad:]u~1 your weapon
Iraining. Each morning, you can spend 1 h our p raClIClIl
,jnd cha n)!". Ihe Wl';lpons selected for any feOi t yo u ha\e thai
applies o nh' to a singh· c bosen weapon_ f or cxampl... you
 amid change your Wtapon Focu s (g reetaxe) £.. ill so 115 be nefit snacks (adding IWO l j tnt" ~ the nu mber sub rracred fro m attack
3pp li ~ [0 longswords ins tead. rcllv as a bonus on damage rolls when th rowing a two-
You can adJusl :tny number of your ft'ah in Ihi s \\'3V, and you handed weapon).
don't have to adjus t th em all in tbe sernc way. You an'l change Bon us Figh tC't F C3t ; Bloodsrorm blades sludy all aspec ls
th e weapcn choces in such a w3y !lU I \00 no lcnger meet a fe ns of combat U rhev learn 10 rain blows down upon disranr foes
pre req uisite. Forinsrance, }UU must be proficient with a weapon and enemies close 011 hand. At srd.61h,an d 91h level, YOU g 3 1O
ch ose n for Weapon Focus;and if you have borh Weapon Focus :I bonus feal chosen from the Ii!'t of lighte r bonus feats, You
and Weapon Specialization with the lcngsword. you couldn't must meer rhe prerequisite of the [cal 10 take it.
change Weapon Focus wnhour also changing Weapon Special- ligh t ni ng R icochet (Ex): From 4th level on, you can
uauon 10 the qml' we-apon. You must also have that we3pon throw your weapon 31 a nearbv foe and command II 10
aV:l.ilablC' during practice; if )UU don't have a Iongsword handy, immediately bounce back 10 your grasp. Any time you make
vou can'l assign your l~;lts to alTect loegswords. a ranged arrack with a thrown weapon o n your rurn. th e
.Manial Th row (Ex): Starting .11 2nd level.you can initiate weapon tmmediarely returns 10 you , and you ca n catch 11 3 ..
3. strike from the Iron Heart a rrr:e action, This abilnv allow~ you 10 make a full ;1IIack
discipline wuh a thrown enllrely wnh thrown weapon anscks. or wnh a mix ofthrow n
weapon. ThC' smke mus t and melee artacks.
be one th;ll has a targer Blo od W i n d
of one creature . A Ricochet lE x); As
strike that targets a full-round ac-
m ulnple erearcres lion. ar 5th level
o r objects cannot and higher, you
be usedwuh mar- can hurl a weap-
ual rhrow on at a foe and
Thunderous compel it to ric-
Throw (Ex); och er to other
Be g i nni ng enemies before
at an d level. h u rtling b ac k
yo u build up to your wai t ing
in cred ible len - ha nd. The weapon
sio n as youre3dy you th row behaves as
yourself 10 th row though it has the returning
your weapo n, special abil ity (D.\l G 2.25), ex-
which becomes ccpr tha t you dete rmine the point
v isible aro u n d during your turn when the weapon
you lik e he al waves. returns to you .
W h en you relea se When us i ng th is ab ility, you
your weapon , th at Pew- r.r" nd Thnm!n"h.n d, make a fu ll at tack wit h 3 th rown
er rushes OUI wi th your weapon, J,/OtJdIlorm !JJ.dt' weapon, but eac h ranged attack must be resolved
As a sw ifl action, you can choose to trea t your against a scpa r31e target . You ca n choose th e
ran ged arrack ro lls with thrown weapons as melee attacks order in which you anack your foes. Range an d covet-pe n al-
fo r the res t of your turn. You use your melee attack bonus, ties are re solved for each attack after the first as though rhar
includ ing Strength bonus, feals, and so forth, ro determi ne m ack ortg tn ated from the space of the creature yo u last
your an ack bo nus for each attack 3S normal. but you apply the attacked. If a creatu re has total cover re lative to you, you
stand ard modifiers fer range penalties. Attacking into melee, cannot attack it.
th rough cover, and so fonh incurs rhe standard penalties. When you use blood w ind ricochet, you lose the u se
In add inon . you can app ly I-t/2 times you r Strength bonus of one Iro n 1IC',:m srrtke you have readied for the curren t
to dam age ifyou wield rhe thrown wea n with IWO hands, encounter, jusl as if you had initiated the strike [except yo u
and vou can use Power Anack wuh you r thrown weapon do DOl also gain the strike's nonnal effecn Once you use th is

- ~~'~~-E.........~_
THROW ANYTHING
O riginally presented in the Compl~te Warr;ar supplement, Benefit: You can th row a melee weapo n you are proficient
th,s fear makes iloy weapon a deadly ranged weapon in you r with as if II were a ra nged weapon. Th e range inc rement of
hands , weapons used in ccrqc ncnon WIth thIS feat is 10 feet.
Prerequisite: Ot"x 15. p ecflclency with weapon, base attack Normal; Vou can't th row a m elee wea pon without takmg a
bonus ..2 - 4 penalty un les s II ha s a range IOcr(" ment (s uch as a hand axC'
or dagger) .
sC' ... toe
 abihtv,you can recover the maneuver you expended and use
if normally.
Eye of the Storm (Ex): 1\1 7rh level. you learn to ccmer
bein g anJ aJopt a rnmd sct ofca lm readi ness despite the
YOliT
furor of banle raging abo ut you. While you are in an Iron
Heart stance, you can forgo its norm al bene fit as a swifr action
to ga in th e effect ofeye of the storm, This abili ty lasts as long
as you would maintain the Iron Heart stance.or as descri bed
below. You can also SlO p using e)'e of [h e sto rm and resu me
gaining th e normal bene fit of the stance as a swi ft action
When you use this ability, you gain a H dodge bon us to
Armor c lass again st ranged at tacks and a +2 competence
bonus on Reflex saves. tn addition, when a foe makes an attock
of opporru nt rv again st you wh en you m ake a ran ged an sck
wh ile th reatened, you can make a sing le melee at tack against
that foe as a swift action (assum ing you're not unarmed and
you th reaten the foe), Such an attac k dot's not cou nt as an
arrack of opportuni ty. To retain th is defe nstve posture, you
ca n move no more rhan 10 fel'l on your rum ,
Blo od Ra in (Ex): Begin ning at 8th level, you can enter a
state that ena bles you to lnfhc r a terrib le bleedi ng wound on
an y living cre ature yen damage with a th rown weapon or a
melee att ack. While yoll are in an Iron Heart sta nce, you can
forgo its normal benefit as a swift action to gain th e effe ct of
blood rain. This ability lasts as long 3S you would mai ntain
rhe Iron Hear t stance , or as described bel ow, You can also
stop using blood rain and resume gain ing the normal benefit
of th e stance as a swift action,
The cre arure you h it w it h you r arrac k takes 3 points of
dam age d ue ro blood loss at the beginning of your turn
each ro u nd. This effect ends ifyou stop using the stance.An
affected creature can end th e effect by bei ng the beneficiary
of any healing (such as a cure spe ll) or a DC 15 H eal check,
Th e bleed in g effect of blood rain does not stack with itself
or the blood rain ability of another bloodsrorm blade.
Blad e St orm (Ex): At 10th level, you can hurl your weapon
as a ful l-round act ion to make it seem as if you are ana cki ng a
dozen foes aronce. Youbecome the center of a storm of steel as
your thrown weapon [lies out to strike a foe, returns to ricochet
harmlessly off you, then flies out 10 attack an other foe.
You ca n make a ranged att ack w it h a t h row n weap on al
your highest att ack bonus again st as ma ny t3rgets as you
wish. You ca n att ack each rarge r JUSt once with rb ts atta ck,
calcu lating range and cover penalties fro m your position on
the battlefield.
_____ .=~r~,~
STOPPING A RETURNING WEA PON
It might seem logical to ready an action to grab a weap on that
flies abo ut th e battle field or somehow str ike it from the air, but
a thrown weapon is no more vulnerable to such ta ctics than an
arrow. Although a feat such as Deflect Arrows remains usef.rl
protection, a thrown weapon with the returning special ability
must be treated like <lny other thrown weapo n. On ce thrown, it is
In rap id constant motion and neve r hover s o r hangs in the air.
However, some of the tact ics that work against arrows ca n be
ifecnve against a bloodstorm blade 's thrown weapon attacks.
Whl'l1 )'011 me bl;,J" storm, you lose the USl.' of am' Iron
Hearl strike you have readied for the current encoumer, Just
:IS if you had tntnated the strike (except you do not also gain
the strike's normal effect).On ce you use this ability, you can
recover lhe maneuver you expended and use it n orm ally,
PLAYING A BLOODSTORM BLADE
Battlegivesyou a rh nllmg sense of hghmess and the [eeling I hal
you comm and the very air that your weapon pans as it flies toand
from your enem ies. In combat, you need on ly cock you r wrist
in th e right man ner, and your conscious ness seems 10 expand
to encompass rhc wh ole fight. In rhar instant, your mi nd 's
eye clearly sees the an gle and vector ofyour enemies' limbs,
it detects rhe m inu te de ratls and defect s of th eir nrmor, and it
knows wnb absolu te certainty the distances tha r lie belween .
Th e moment you release your weapon , th at quee r knowledge'
leaves you, but whe n th e sans fvtng hef ofyou r weapon slaps
back inro your waiting palm a momer ularer, yOll know thai
knowled ge will be yours again w ith you r next th row,
Your sk ill with th row n weap ons is u nmatc hed excep t
per haps by other bloodstorm blades , and know ing [ha t gives
you tremendous confide nce. You likely specialize in the USl'
of a sing le kind of weapon , and with it in you r po ssess ion ,
you feel unstoppable. Should you lose it, you still command
ama zing abilities, bur you tend 10 be moody and irritable
until you regain your weapon or anorh er of trs kind.
COMBAT
As a bloodsrorm blade, you can fight at range and in melee
with eq ual feroc iry, but foes more than a stone's throwaway
can prove to be troublesome, 50 it's always best to move close ,
O nce you stand among your enemies , it's lime to unleash :I
storm ofranged m acks. Ifsomeone is brave enough to engage
you in melee, you can battle him toe to toe, or step back and
con tinue to rain blows across the battlefield.
At low levels, you fight much as you did before becoming
a blood srorm blade, but you have th e added be nefit of being
able ( 0 attack a foe at range ustng your melee weapo n. Ofte n,
the best usc of thi s abilit y will be 10 th row you r weapon at a
foe as you close to melee ran ge. Be su re not to leave you rself
un arm ed , Wear in g spi ked gaun tlets presen rs a simple solu-
tion, bur other options, such as th e Quick Draw feat or sh ield
bash, might be more advant ageo us.
As you ga in more bloodsrorm blade abili ues, you r tact ics
become m ore varied, You can u se ltgbmrng ricochet [0
For example, a creature co uld ready an action to close a door
between itself and a bloodstorm blade when the blade th rows
a weapon . If the readied action was cont ingent on the weapon
being thrown, the clos ed door would provide total cover against
the attack. If the readied action was cont ingent on the weapon
passing through the open door, the weapon would attack the
bloodstorm blade's intended la rget, b UI would be prevented
from retu rning and fall to the floor after making its attack
(whether su ccessful or not) . since line of effect no longer exists
between the weapon and its wielder,
 an ack a foeas you moveand still readvvo ur weapon before the
enemy closes [ 0 melee range. You can also use Iighming rico-
che r after laking down a foe in melee, using a ranged arrack
to soflen up an enemy you have nor }"el engaged. Using blood
wind ricochet and eye of the storm. you become a dead ly
ranged anacker wirh ample defenses against your enem ies'
ranged am cks. The blood rain stan ce combines well with
blood wind ricochet, but it rruly co mes tnro its own when
combined with a blood storm mike. ,\ dopt rhe blood rain
stance and use blood storm as soon as most ofyour enemies
ace within range. Afler striki ng every en emy on the field of
battle, you ca n maintain th e blood rain stance to co nnnue
dealing damage 10 rbem while you focus your me-let' attacks
on a single target.
ADVANCEMENT
Many srudenrs of the bloodseormstyle learn their an covertly,
Since- the githyank i adepts who origina llycreated this ancient
t radit ion seek to kill anyo ne ou tside the-ir swo rd-cult wh o
passes on its secrets. However, one not able grou p practices
its style in the ope-n:the mercenary Bloodstorm Guild .These
skil led warriors train any suitable applican t who asks them ,
in exch ange for an N ih of loyahy and a promise to never
reveal the secrets of the recb mque ro any who have not sworn
feah y to the' guild .
Once you become a bloodstorm blade, you might or might
not Iry to keep that facr a St'CR't. If you belong to the- guild, the
gllhyanki are nor hkelyto si ngleyou our-the gilhyanki blade-
masters usually keep to an uneasy truce with lhe Bloodstorm
Gui ld. If you learn your abilities from some other pracruioner,
vou migh t find yourself dogged by githyanki blademasters
intent on expunging all knowledge of rhls hidd en tradi tion
outs ide thei r own race, beginni ng with yOll. Of course, in
combat you make full use of your abilities regardless of who
might be look ing on, but you rarely go out of your W3Y 10
adverti se your knowledge to [he general public. You never
know who migh t be watching.
Your bloodsrorm bladeabihrics lend the mselves [ 0 mastery
of a single melee weapon. Fears such as Weapon Focu s and
Weapon Specialization thus apply 10 both your melee and
thrown weapon enecks. Even so, when you have the oppor-
runiry 10 rake a feat, cons ider fears thaI improve your ranged
capabilities, such as Far Shot and Precise Shot.
RESO URCES
As a blocdstorm blade of th e g uild, your fellow members
kn ow you to be com pe tent and reasonably rrusrworr hy.
Mosl members of the Bloodstorm Guild are helpfu l [ 0 you
In whatever manner rhey can manage. However, more th an
3 few members of the guild pay liule hee d to their loyalt y
oaths, and do 3Sthe y please after th ey master rbe secrets of
the technique. You can't alw'ays cou nr on your fellows.
O ther bloodslor m bl:ades can ofTen rely on [h e help of
other iIIidl members of th e class (espec iall y those whom
they lu ine-d. o r lh ose who [rained Ihem) to hide from Ot
repe-l macks from Ihe githya nki. Even bloodslOrtn blades
wllh a long history of hatred for one 3nother b.and together
agllinst [he threal of Ihe githyanki blademasters.
BLOODSTORM BLADES
IN THE WORLD
"Likt s1orm ~ 'Iu r pml,j,l, 11 0 ll'i1mlllg. wl!(11 ~ll '1(I1T "ulr Ilmll-
,In-, Ilu Ilglllllmg IhU i11rtllJy sln lck:
- Thaku Aleull. hobgoblin war blade
Blcod storm blades and rheir gith yanki neme ses can fill any
of se..eral roles in your campaign. Bloodstorm blades might
fonn 3 loose association of heroic individua ls seeking to
share th eir knowledge despit e the murderous anacks of the
gtthyanki sword-cult. Alternativeh', the practitioners outside
the Blocd storm Guild mighl bewicked individuals who stole
[he special knowledge thai shou ld have remained in the oath-
bounded hands of the gu ild. ,"our campaign could instead
host a blendi ng of th ese Ideas with virtuous and villainous
blcodsrorm blades and git hyanki bladernasters on three sides
cia morally murky St'CR'[ war. If you would rather not use the
Bloodsrcrm Guild and tbe secrecy of the blood stcrm style.
youCan simply adopt the- blood storm blade prestige class as
a way to include a cool villain,
O RCANIZATION
NOl long ago. a secre t soci t'[y or swcrd -cuh of gilhyanki
\varblades had sole possession of the bloodsrorm techniques.
Devored 10 stu dy and maste ry of [he Iron Heart di scipline,
the githy.anki developed the signature abilities of th e style
over the course of gen eranons. Nalurally, the gubvanki saw
no reason to shut' th eir secret knowledge with anyone, and
those who pr ied too much about il found themselve s facing
irs lethal practitioners.
The n, about fcnv yean: ago, the secret gOi OUt. Some say a
member belrayed the sword-cult by teaching the blocds torm
style to an outsider. Others say a brave hu man warbladc stole
scripts detaili ng the maneuvers and learn ed me art from
rhem . Regardles s of how t he githyanki 105 1 it, knowledge of
the bloods rorm blade style spread like wildfire, and desp ite
effons by the swo rd-cub to quash knowledge and ell mlna re
[hose who practice its tec hniques , many who study rhe
Iron Heart discipli ne choos e to risk rhe githyan ki wrath by
becoming bloodsrorrn blades.
The on ly no ngtrh organization of mar tial adept s openly
practicing this style is the Bloodstorm Guild. Founded by a
renowned hum an warblade named Treyana di vrada shonly
afTer the secrets of rhe style got out, the Guild isa loose associa-
tion of mercen aries and sellswords bound together by some
simple, nonb inding vows. Blocd storm Guild members rarely
serve ernploversas a group, and instead tend to hire themselves
out as specialists. enforcers. and bodyguards. Guild members
in the same region often frequ ent rbe same tavern s, arm ing
gro und s, and tnining arenas. and they might pass news of
polential employmenr to one another. The guild has no true
hierarchy of leadership, ahhough more jun ior members
usu all y defer to proven blades (t hose wilh more levels in
thi s preslige class). Before a bloodstorm blade consents TO
insrruct a potential ~tudent in Ihe secrets of the techni que,
he u'iually confers with orher senior bladl."S in the uea.
characters who master this style withoul seeking OUI Ihe
BloodslOnn Guild usuallvdo so Ihrough studyofblack·markr t
 I~X IS describing Its use, or by study ing for anme w ith an other
bloodsrorm blade. These mastl'r-studt,nt relationships clou't
oflen 1:JSI long, bur usua lly result in lifelong friendship and
loyalty. Many teacherseventually build up .1 network offormer
sruden rs, and smdems of the ir students, who will answer a
call for support or assistance of any kind.
NPC REACTIONS
M an ial ade pts who have heard of the bloodsrorm tec hnique
regard all irs practitioners wi th a lillie awe, bUI th is mtnudc
doe sn't Infl ue nce their reaction upon mecnng blocdsrorm
blades. Bloodsrorm blades typically regard one another
wi th a friendly auuude. Githyanki warblades are hosrlle 10
all bloodsrorm blades who Jo not belong to the gu ild. but
art' merely u nfriendly to guild members. A years-long feud
be tween the gtrb sword-cult and Treyana dt vrada and her
followers lef many dead on both sides. and the gi thyanki
have grudgingly allowed a I ruce ofsons .,. mlcasr tllltilihey
have the strength to erndlcatc the nongith practitioners of
the an in one swtfr srrtk....
BLOODSTORM BLADE LORE
C haracters wi th ranks in Marual Lore can research bloo d-
storm blades to learn more about them. When a character
makes a skill check, read or paraphrase rhe followi ng, includ-
ing the information from lower DCs.
DC 10: Bloodsrorm blades have amazing powers with
thrown weapotl5, Many belong 10 the Blcodsto rrn Guild, a
mercenary fellowshlp of SOrts.
DC 15: Th(' techn iques used by bloodsrcrm blades wenr-
known exclusively 10 the gi thyanki up umil a few decades
ago. Now scripts describing the style are available only on
the black marker.
D C 20: The secre tive girhyanki bledemasrers are respo n-
sib le for the anacks on bloodstorm blades and those who
traffic wi th them. Thc githyanki created the style and now
seek to suppress knowledge of it.
A PC who wishes 10 learn about specific bloodsrorm blades
or the Bloodstorm Guild will have a duficulr time. He must
m ake quiet inquiries .11 mar tial adept training halls and places
frequented by those with connecrtons [0 the black market,
an d the n succeed on 3. DC 20 Gather Information check.
Publicly asking about bloodstorm blades likely remits in
the PC being rebu ffed. and such queries might attract the
attention ofa vigilant gi thyanki blademasrer.
BLOODSTORM BLADES
IN THE GAME
If one of you r players decides 10 playa bloodsrcrm blade.
rh e pres tige class should ht in as easily as any mart ial adep i
class. YOIl ca n make the Bloodslorm Guild or thl' gi thyanki
blad~masfers as large or sma ll a pan of your cam paig n as
you like.
If the gilhyanki sword·cult becomes a part of your cam-
paign. be sure th ai its in\'olwmem doesn't put tOO muc h of
a spotlight on the bloodstorm blade. Too many gi thyomki
3tl3Cks agai ns l the PCs will grow onerous, and the cu lt isn'l
largl' enough to rr pealt'dly ex pe nd the lives of its ml'mbers
trying 10 kill ,I Pc. lnstend of adventures ce nt ered on the-
gi thyank l. co ns ider having an NPC me mber of the Blood-
sto rm Gu ild occasionally help or advise the PCs as I!w y go
abo ut othe r adven tures.
If :l pl aye r decides to be a member of the Bloo ds rorm
Guild. you can use rumors of black marker text s describing
rhc bloo ds rorm techniques or githya nki assasst n ream s as
edvenrurc hooks.
ADAPTATION
Bloodstorm blades need not be attached to a fellowship ot
sellswords or a sec ret gifhyanki cult. The class'stechniques
might be a development of rhe Iron Heat! discipline thai
anyone cnn learn, or rhe fighting style might have bee n
discovered and used by another race.
For example, you could decide tha i rhe abtltnes of th is
prestige class are used only by a. group of halflings who an'
specialists with th e sling, Ca lling themselves sronesrorm
strikers. members of thi s prestige class gain Quick Dr3W
Instead ofTh row Anything and have the ability to load a sling
wi th one hand a. ~:11 free action ins tead of returning attacks.
The other abi lities of the class would work wuh sling 3113Cks
instead of th rown we3pons.
SAMPLE ENCOUNTER
The PCscan encounrera bloodworm blade asan allyorenemy in
any manneryou see fir. Bloodsrorm blades mighr 3C I as cohor ts
ofa foe , or one could be' rhe main villain in an adven tu re. Thl·
heroes rntghr dtscover a guhya nki text ofbloodstorm knovv I-
edge Ju ring the course of their advennrres.only 10 find that the
guhyankt blademasters will do anything 10 get the text back.
£L 15: VaranJ Thunderhand is 3 member ofme Bloodsrorm
Gui ld, but his actions hide a terrible secret: He ts a spy for the
githyanki bladernasters. He berravs ctherblocdsrcrm blades
to t he gi l hyankt. hop ing 10 use the fanatkal blademas ters 10
remove rivals from rhe gu ild and pave rhe way for his evem ua l
takeover. verand in tends to rule rbe guild with an iron fist.
com manding a sma ll army of loyal blades tha t he can use
however he sees fit.
If a PC is a member of the guild. varand approaches thl'
par ty hopin g to gain aid in exploring a forlomcnadel. in whose
vaults bloodsrorrntexts art' supposed ly hidden. If the PCs help
him, Varand sets them up by arranging for a team of githyankt
warbledes to ambush them. He intends to give the charac ters
and the texts (if they're even present) to rhe git hyanki, and
keep the res t of the booty garnered from the adven ture.
VARAN O THUNOERHAND CR 15
Dwarf fighter 2/warblade S/bloodstorm blade 8
CE Med ium humanoid
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60ft,; Listen -1, Spot +11
Lan gu ages Common. Dwarven, Giant. Gnome
AC 25, touch 13. na t·footed 25; +4 AC against giants,
unca nny dodge
(+2 Dex, +9 armo r, +3 shield, +1 deflection)
hp 160 (14 HD)
Resist st ability (+4 against bull rush and trip)
Fort +18 (+20 agains t poison). Ref +7, will +5; +2 on saves
aga inst spells and s pell.like effect s
 Speed 20 ft. (4 sq uares)
Melee ~2 dwarven waraxe .... 24l~19/ ....14 (ldlO.... 1l/x 3) Of
Melee spiked gauntlet ....20 (ld6....5)
Ranged ...2 dwofVur wora.lte . . 24/+19/ ...14 (ld10...11/xlJ with
thunderous throw and lightning ricochet
Base Atk ...15; Grp +20
Atk Options Blade Meditation (Iron Heart). Point Blank
Shot. Precise ShOI, Power Attack ....1 on attacks against
orcs and goblinoids, martial th row. returning attacks.
thunderous throw
Special Act ion s blood rain. blood rain, blood wind ricochet,
eye of the storm. lightning ncccbet
Combat Ge ar pOlian ofbarl:.slrtn ... 2. potion of cure light
wounds, potion ofheroism
MOIneuvers and Stances Known (Il 10th) :
Slonus-punishlOg stance (lst). stonefoot stance (1st)
Strikes-disarming striket (2nd). exorcism of steelt
(DC 20. lrd). mou nta in hammert (2nd). steel wind
(1st), sleely striket [Ist}, stone bones (lst)
Disciplines: Iron Heart, Stone Dragon
t Readied maneuver
A.bilities Str 20 , Dex 15, Con 18. Int 12. Wis 8. Cha 8
SQ stonKunning (PH 15). weapon aptitude
Feats Blade Meditation (Iron Heart)·, Far Shot. Greater
Weapon Focus (dwarven wara_e). Creater Weapon
Specialization (dwarven waraxe)l , Iron Will. Point Blank
Shcr" Power Attack' . Precise Shot . Quick Draw. Throw
Anything'. Weapon Focus (dwarven wara_e) l , Weapon
SpeCialization (dwarven waraxe) '
- New feat described on page 28
Skills Balance ....24. Climb +7, Concentration ....10. Intimidate
...9, Jump ... 8. Martial lore +6, Spot +11 , Tumble ....18
Possessions combat gear plus ... 4 buastplou.
heavy stul
shiefd. + J dworvtn WOfau, spiked gauntlets, btl t ofgiant
strength +4. ring of protection ... 1, doale ofresistance +I.
amulet olhea/ th ...2
", ,lll1Iosl {til lIlly {ilr UrrhTlltl's om IlSlIlt'\' ehllr,l!:(,f our dtfi'IlSil't'
!tUt . A/nlOil."
O rros the Blccdyhanded. sentinel of the Northern Reach
Th e Stone Dragon discipline tr aces its roots back to an
anci ent order ofdwarves that used rhe power ofthe earth to
enhance their combat srylc. A deepstone se ntinel immerses
hi m sel f in these ancient teachi ngs to link himself ro t he
power of stone. Most deepsrcne sentinels use this power
in rbe defense of their fellow dwarves, though some take
a mort" active approach balding the enemies oftheir people.
In combat. a deepstone sentinel is a living mountain. a stony
redoubt that provides shelter 10 his allies while crashing like
an avalanche upon his ene m ies. The ground shift s and churns
under his feel. One moment he stands atop a small. earthen
mou nd rhar blocks his eeemtes-c-rbe next he summons an
earthquake to knock his foes to rhe ground.
BECOMJNGA
DEEPSTONE SENTINEL
MO'it dwarves who follow the rradmon of the deepsrcne
sennnel begin as crusaders or warblades. Fighters, pala dins,
a.nd orher martial-orien ted charac ters mlg hl also find rh e
class 10 their liki ng; typica lly, such c ha racters rnul uc tass
(often as rogues or scouts) to mee t the skill requiremen t. On
rue occas ions, dwarf monks take up the mantle of deepsrcne
scnrtne],often moving on 10crusader,swordsage.cr warblade
uron completing progression in the class.
ENTRY REQUIRUIIENTS
Ra.ce: Dwarf.
Bue A.ttack Bonus: ...10.
Skills: Balance n ranks.
Ful.Ji: Power Attack or Stone Power· .
Martial ManellVers: Must know at least lWO Stone Dragon
mal'\t'uvers and one Slone Dragon stance.
· New feat descnbed on page 32.
CLASS FEATURES
The class allows vou to conunue to learn new maneuvers.
Iike~' from TheStone Dragon di scipline. It also grants special
com ba t prowess when unliztng Stone Dragon maneuvers.
M aneuvers: AI each odd-numbered level. you gain a ne w
maneuver known from the Slone Dragon discipline. You
mLlSI meet a man euver's prerequisite to learn it . You add
your full deepstone sentinel levels 10 your Iniriator level ro
dcrerrnme your t01a1 initiator level and your btgbesr-level
maneuvers known.
At led level. you gain an additional maneuver readied
per day,
M ouruatn f ortr es s Stance (Su): AS:I novice deeps rone
sentinel. you learn to make yourself as impenetrable as a
mountain fortress . This ability is a key component of this
+'
presnge class's ccrnbat abilities. \Vbile you are in a Stone
Dragon stance, you COIn forgo its normal be-nefit as a swift
anion to gain the effect of mountain fortress stance. This
ability lasts as long as you would rnaimain rhe Stone Dragon
srance.or as de-scribed below. You can also SlOpusing mo un-
rain fortress stance and resume gai ni ng the norma l b enefi r
of the stance as a sw ift action.
When you use th is ~bili ty, you can choose to create a for-
tress of eart h or roc k, provided you are standing on eart h.
stone. rock, or a worked surface such 35 a cobblestone stree t
or a flagsto ne floor (as long as na tural ea rth or rock is no
more th an I foot be low you). The square (or squares) tha t you
occupy forms a pillar of ear th or rock 5 feer rall, with you on
TOp. Each square adjacent to you is buckled and steeply sloped.
becoming difficult terrain. Any creature rhar attempts 10
enter or leave one ofthese squares must make a DC 10 Balance
check or fall prone in the lasl square of the area it occupied.
Cre-atures rhar ignore difficult terrain automatically succeed
on this check. and flying creatures are unaffected- Creatures
with four or more legs or the Slability racial trait gain a ... 4
bonus on this Balance check.
You retain lhe- bencfir of mountain fortress stance until
you end yo ur Srone Dragon stance or move more Than5 feel
in a round. You are unaffected by the difficult terrain you
CRaIe wnh Ih is ability. If you move only 5 feel in a round,
the pillarofearth you have cleated moves wi th vou, creating
new squares of difficult terrain in every square adjacen t to
veer new posmon. If creatu res occupy those newly adjacent
squa res, Ihey d no r need to Im me dia tel y ma ke Balance
TABLE 5 -3: THE DUPSTONE SENTINEl HIT DI E: 010
Bue
Altuk Fort Ref Will Maneuve rs Maneuvers
Level Bonus Save Save Save Known Readied
lsi +0 +2 +0 ...0 1 0
2nd +1 +3 +0 +0 0 0
Jrd .2 ...] ...1 1 1 1 Indomi table redoobr
4th +3 +4 +1 1 0 0 Stonecurse,drilgon'stooth
5th ..] +4 +1 +1 1 0
Class Skills (2 + In! mod ifier per level): Balance, Concentration, Craft, Inllmidale, Knowledge (dungeon~ring) , listen, Martl..1
Lore*, Spot.
· New skill described on page 28.
checks as descnbed above . Howe ver. if on their turn rhey
..n empr ro leave the ..rea ofdifficult terrai n, rhey an- affected
by mountain fortress stance as normal. and squares thai are
no longer adjacent to you return to their natural sta te . If )OU
move more than 5 feer in a round while using mountain
fortress sunce.tbe t'ffe<t ends, and th e ground immediately
returns to normal.
Pass wall (Sp); Youcan use J'lUsw~1l once per day per cbss
level as a spe ll-like abiluy. Your caster level is equal ro you r
deeps rone sentinel class level .
C ras hi ng Mountain Ju ggernau t (Su): Beginning ,!I 2nd
level, if you sran your tu rn with mountain forrress stance
active, as a full-round actio n you can end rhe Stone Dragon
stance you initiated to gain the benefit of this abiluv . When
you do so , the hill you created With mountain fortress stance
suddenly sinks, sendinga ny foes standing in squares adjacent
to you crashing to the ground. In addition, you tum ble down
the crumbling hill lik e a living avalanche.
When you use this abili lY, all crea rures w ithin the area of
difficuh terrain created by your mountain fortress stance must
make DC 15 Balance checks or fall prone.The bon us for stabil-
u v or havin g extra legs does no t apply.In addi tion, you can lise
a charge to attack an enemy as part ofthis abiluy's activation, If
your auac k is successful, it deals an exira 2d6 points ofdamage
ow ing 10 the momentum you gain as you h urtle dow n your
temporary hi ll and slam into youropponem.
You cannot acnva te mountai n fortress stance on ,he same
turn in which you me th is ability.
In d o mi ta ble Red o u bt (Ex): O nce you atta in j rd level.
wh ile you are in mou ntai n fort ress stance, you can also
inir late and gain the benefit of o ne additional Storie Dragon
stance. Th is can be the stance you entered to initially acrivare
m ou nta in for tress stance, or another Stone Dragon stance
you know. You must otherwise follow all the no rmal rules
for entering and maintaining a stance.
Stone Cu rse (Su): From 41h level on , you can strike an
opponenl and channel rhe leaden welghr ofthe earth in ro its
arms and legs. For a brief moment, it labors in vain, unable
to move under the crushing burden you impose.
As an immediate' act ion, you can force' an oppan..n t you
hi t with a melee mack to make a successful Will save (DC
10 + 1/2 your character level-s your Str modifier) or become
un able to move for I round. The crea ture's speed for all
movem ent modes excepl f1ighl drops to 0 feel. A creature's
I1r speed re mains uncha nged. You mus t choose 10 use this
,1hilu y after successfully attacking an opponenl bu r before
1 d..mage
Special
Mountain fortress stance, passwoll
Cras hmg mount ain Juggernaut
Awaken die stone dragon
Dragon's Tooth (Su): From 41h level on, as J. standa rd
actio n, you ca n cause a pillar ofstone to erupt from the earth
within 60 fee l ofyou. Th e pill ar oc cupies one square and is 5
or 10 fee t tall (you r choice). You ca n call forth a Slant' pillar
on ly from natural, unworked earth or stone. Acrearure srand-
ingin th e square must succeed a n a Reflex save (DC to ... t 2
vcur chsracrer l..-vel + your Sir mod in.er)or be knocked prone.
You can dismiss a pillar you created as a standard action, bur
orherwtse the pillar remains where you called it forth.
Aw aken the Sto ne Dragon (Su): At 5th level. you can
cause a localized earthquake to rumble through the groun d
aro und you. Through your study ofStone Drago n tec h niques
and your strong connection to elemental eart h, ~'ou ca n
awaken rhe slumbering wrath ofSlone to send your enem ies
tumbling to the ground. The earth chums, rocks explode in to
CUll ing shards, and the ground rebe ls against your foes.
Once pe r encounter as a swift action , you cause th e
ground arou nd you to shudder an d chum as ifrocked by an
ear thquake. All enemies wi thin a eo-fccr radius mus t make-
successfu l Reflex saves (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level ...
your Str modifier) or rake 12d6 points of da mage and fall
prone . A successful save allows an opponent to lake half
da mage and rem ain srandi ng. Im proved srability (suc h as
a dwarf's rac ial abili ry) does not he lp a creature avoid being
k nocked pro ne by thi s ability.
PLAYING A DEEPSTONE SENTINEL
A dcep srone sent inel embodies many classic dwarf traits. As a
sentine l, you are quiet. slow 10 ,:mger, taciturn, and blum. You
prefer to let your enemies come 10 you , rather th an charge
forward and expose your posi tion. A steady, reliable advance
works much better than a wi ld, risky gambit. Like the eart h
benea th your feel, you are reliable, steady, and en duri ng. O the r
warriors might rely on flashy gambits and fluid tact ics, but
you have little use for such stratagems. You are rhe roc k thai
endures, the im penet rable wall ofdefense t ha t wi ths tan ds rhe
enemy's assau lt. When it is lime to attack, you unleash you r
fury 10 an avalancheofsteel Until then, you lei your foes waste
rheir efforts against your sturdy armor and thick shield.
COMBAT
A deeps tone sentinel is, in essence, a mobile defensive posi-
tion. O nce you enter mountain fortress Stance, you form a
useful barrier against enemies wbo seek to ski rt aro u nd you
and attack your allies. Once' you gain the indcm uable redoub t
ability, you can combine mountain fortress stance with .lI
stance from the Stone Dn:gon discipline. such as roo ts 01
 flU' mountain, making you nearlv impos sible 10 circumvent RESO URCES
or overcome in bailie. You can ex pe ct a place 10 sleep and more than enough food
Cenerallv speaki ng, as a deepsrcne se nt ine l vou sh ou ld and drink from any dwarf dan berne.Th e sentinels m ain tain
focu s on Slaying in front of you r co mpa n ions. In mos t cases, ou tpos ts in most major dwarf cities an d citadels bu ih near
slower mons ters such as giant s, an d othe r melee ccmba rar us ore. gobli n , and gian t horde s. As an adventurer, your fellow
sh ould have to fighr through )'O U before rbey can attack you r senti nels 3I't" likely eager for news of rhe outside world and of
allies. Your abilil Yto sla p a fee de ad in hi s rrack s wirh stone rhe res rof' rheorde r when you vtsu th ese basrionsofdwarven
curse . particularly ii you wield a reach weapon. ma kes an y strength. If rhc dwarves face 3 Ihreal ofany sort, you wi ll be
altt'mpi to sl ip around you a risk y gam bit' at best. You excel expected to contri bute to a. solu tio n. Although this can be
at coni rolling IhC' bnrlefteld.Look to create cho kepo tms a. burden, your posntcn as a respec ted figu re 3150 makes it
that force an t'n emy 10 e nte r and re m ain in the area of easy for you to sway dwa rf leaders and org antze you r people
yo u r abtlutes . in the face ofa rh reat.H you advise the dwa.rfking 10 send a
raiding p3ny to sli p into an ore stro nghold and slay th e red
ADVANCEMENT dragon rharleads the mbes. vou a n expec t smi ths to forge
Joining the dee ps rone sennnels is a d iffic u lt rask, smce a sturdy armor and deadly weapons for Ihe raiding parrv, while
pro spect ive candidate must nOI only display great skrll ar clerics of Moradi n and dwa rf m ages craft scrolls and porions
arm s but also masrer difficuh mY5Uc secrets of theearth ilself. rhat the group mtg hl need.
The sent inels tend to resist traini ng adven t urers an d other
lone wolves. In bailie, the senti ne ls are expected 10 form a DEEPSTONE SENTINELS
mighry defensi ve bu lwark against more numerous enemies IN THE WORLD
of the dw arves, such as o rcs, gobl ins, and ogres. A senti ne l " W1Itn tIlt ,;ntlllld J CoI m ( dlI'l.'Ut!1t tilt (,1st g,ltt, ll't hll/ltd ouri/forb
intent on learning t he secre ts of th is order. then srrtking to mnfOITt tilt Ilorthtm Willis. Our fo rfltuahollS hllJ IIrnt't:'d.~
out on his own , is a poor inves tment in the order's eyes. -Genenll Rurik Axethrower, LX Rockhome Legion
An advent uring dwarf who becomes a se nrtnel must pro\'e
himself in batt le, usua lly Dee ps tcne sentinels lend
by rendering a great ser- to remain within the dwarf
vice to a dwarfdan home, holds rbey h ave swo rn 10
or by sho w ing that hi s defend,T)'Pically.only a great
udvenrures direct ly aid th e threat to rhe dwarf people. a
dwarf people. quest impo rtan t to rheir con-
Once you beco me 3 sen- tinuing prosperi ty. or a threat
tinel, you ca n expec t mO~ 1 from a dis tan t land ca n cause
dwarves to rrear you with one to become an adventurer,
resp ect and ad rnl ranon . .-\ PC dwarf m ight STrive
Yel, these accolades come 10 join the order to prove
with expectations that you hi mself to his people. or the
wi ll always fight hard and rig hteou s natu re of his quest
tr ue for rhe dwa rf people . m ight compel the sentinels
The sentinel s have never 10 offer h im training in their
brok e n and run from a mystic fighting style.
banle un ti] their all ies
have all safely withdrawn. ORGANIZATION
Legen d ha s it that th e The deepsrone se n tin els
firsl semine] to break thi s pracrice rbet r figh ti n g art
rr adin on will be str uck in vaults hidden far beneath
dead by x rorad tn h imsel f. dwarfstronghc lds. Beneath
Whi.'ther th is tale is true the deepest m ines, below
or not , th e implication is th e wind ing passages rhar
plain as d ay. A seminel lead 10 distant stron gho lds
would die before abandon- a nd sub te r ra nean caverns,
109 his alli es. me sentinels haw small, aus-
As you gain levels in Ihis tere academies where they
prestig.. class. look for fea rs train the next generation
and abilities th at increase of sentinels, pracrtce t heir
your reach , make it easier for you 10 handle crowds of oppo- fighti ng styles, and bury their dead . Tradition holds tha r many
nents, and boost your AC. You can expect you r ene m ies to of a citadel's most irnportant rreasures are stored here, both [0
fargel you fordt"slructi onquickly, sin ce 2S long as you remain keep them hidden from the ourside world and 10 pbce them
sta nding, you prevent rbem from harming your friends. under the t rustwort hy protec ncn of the se ntinels.
 A J~'rpslOn(' scnnnelisa member (II an elire fight ing nnlr .
onto that serves as both the first an d last li ne of d..fense for
th e dwarves. In battle, they ate the dauntless co re that the
d wa rves rally around. Wh t"n orc s and giants rhreaten a dwar f
stronghold. t he senunels must srand resolu te to prorecr kev
passages, tunnels, and other entran ce s. If th e se ntinels fall.
rhc stronghold is often lost .
NPC REACTION S
Dwarves haw ;I. natu ral in cltnancn 10 respe c t a nd ad mire
deepstcne sentinels, since [hey are seen as embodiments of
three J""'3I"\'('n virt u --<ou rnge. loy;Ihy. a nd wisdom in tnt"
lore ofeart h and stone. Nendwa rves len d 10 know lur le of rbe
senunel s.bec ause they rarely trumpet th eir ralems or show off
their abilnies oumde combat. O rcs and giants hare sentinels.
hUI rh ey a re forced to respect 01 sen ti nel's fighting ability.
DEEPSTONE SENTINEL LORE
Chara ct ers wuh ra nk s i n Know led ge t h islOry) ca n research
deepstone sentinels roleam more abo ut rhern . When 01 ch ar-
acrcr makes a skill chec k, read o r peraphrase rh e follo wing,
in cl uding the info rmation from locver Des.
He 10: Deepston e sentinels are dwarf warriors who are KARTHAIt: T H E INDOMITABLE
renowned for breaking en emy c harges and forming a daunt-
less line in bsule.
DC 15:Th e senrinels have [he ability ro corurol the earth...... 1 Init .4; Sen se s dar kvisio n 60 ft.: listen . 1, Spot +1
their command. rhev cause the ground to become broken and
sloped, making a charge against rhem almost im pos sible.
DC 20: Sennnels pracnce a stra nge form of martial magic
by upping int o the power of the ea rt h. Th ey cause th e grou nd
10 sh ak e an d d isru pt!ve te rrain 10 form. W hen you fight a
sentinel. you fight th e ea rt h itsel f.
Any PC who has friendly relations with a local dwa rfst rong-
ho ld can ltkelv gain an aud ience with a sentinel's commander.
Sentinels rend to avoid contac t with ou tsiders, for fear of
mingling wi th spie s an d crherswho seek ro learn their weak-
nesses or plot against the m.
DEEPSTONE SENTINELS
IN THE GAME
Deepstone se ntine ls are relatively easy to add into th e game
world , given tha t they are secrenve, few in number, and con-
fined todwarfstrongho lds. A dwarf PC might never have heard
of rhts o rde r simply bec aus e t he cit adel where he grrw up
lacked such an elit e fighting unit. The sentinels co uld also be
a refauvely newdeve lopmem in you r world. particularly if the
abilities outlined in th is book are a new form ofmartial alt.
Dwarfcharacters who rely on heavy armor are a good match
lor this class. The armor helps rum a dwarftnro a tremendous
obstacle for enemies wnhour pe-nalizi ng his speed .
ADAPTATION
The ke y concept of th e deepsto ne sennnel is manipulation
of rhe terrain on which the character 15 fighting. Th is clas s
provides the mechanics for an interesting opponent, since it
gives melee-oriented cha rac ters access to abilities tha t would
norm ally be- reserved for spe llcas rers. An order o f evil stone
rams or li re gian ts with access 10 these abilities would make-
J da ll n lln~ 0l'rom'n! vou could also cha nge thi s cl:ts~ tmo
a druidic warr ior or wild -lf forest sen tinel who creates an
Cllld llJ: lf effect when he enters the basic stance of the class
in an area ofnatura l vegeranc n. cnd redesign the remai ning
cla ss abilities in accordan ce with this new co nc e pt.
SAMPLE ENCO UNTER
Th e r c s are ltkelv rc meet deepsrcne sent in els as allies, par
ticularly if rhe y fighl aga inst grams and orcs. Should the Pes
uoo r rta ke a quest for th e dwarves. asentinel might accompany
t hem to aid them in their task. In any major ban le involving
d wa rves, a u nir of sentinels could be present.
EL 13: Karth3k the Indomitable is ,1 rare dee ps tcne sen-
tin el who wanders the land as an adve nturer. H is home was
de st royed by a rampagmg dragon that now lam wirhm the."
halls of his formrr home. A sentinel's train ing hall, located
far bencal h th e dwa rfcitadel , contains a number of powerful
magic items t hat t he d ragon seeks. Karthak needs ad\Tntu~
willing to help hi m venture int o Iht!' ruins to slay rhe dragon,
alo ng with irs demo nic a nd draco n ic allies, a nd recove r the
a rt ifac ts before rhe dragon gels its claws on t hem.
CR 13
Male dwarf fight er 10/d ~pstone sentinel 3
AllN Med ium huma no id
Langu ages Common, Dwar ven
AC 21, tou ch la, flat·footed 21;.,.4 AC aga inst giants
(.11 a rmo r)
hp 115 (13 HD)
Res ist stability (.4 aga inst bull rush and tr ip)
Fort +14 (.,.16 aga inst po ison ), Ref ...7, Will ...8; +2 on saves
aga inst spells a nd spelt-lfke effects
Speed 20 ft.
Melee +2 kurt gre%xe +21/+16/+11 (ld12+11 / )(3)
Ran ged mwk light crossbow.,.13 (l d8j1 9- 20)
Base Atk +12: Grp +17
Atk Op tion s Powe r Attac k, +1 o n attacks aga inst orcs an d
gcblteotds. indomitable redo ubt
Special Actio ns crashin g mou ntain juggernaut. mo untain
fortress s tance, posswol/1/day
Maneu ver s a nd Stances Known (IL 8th) :
Slonces-ston efool s ta nce (lsi)
Strikes-bone c rushe-r (3rd). charging m inotaur (lst) ,
mountai n hammer (2nd ), ove rwhelm ing mountain
strike (4Ih). stone bon es (2nd )
Disciplines: Stone Dragon
Each of Karthak 's maneuvers can be initiated once pe r
encounter, with no recovery possible.
Abilities SIr 20, ues 10, Co n 16, Jn18, Wis 13, Cha 8
SQ stonecunning (PH lS)
Feat s Greater weapon Focus (greata xe)', lm proved
Initiative , Iron Will. Lightning Reflexes. Martial Stance"
(srcnefcct sti nce), Martial Slud f (charging m inotaur),
Martial Stud y (mou ntain hammer)' , Martial Study
(sto ne bones), Power Attack . Weapon Focus (greataxt!')' .
Weap on Specialization (greataxe)'
Skills Balance .10
Posse ssions +3 full plale, +2 /run gualaxe. masterwork
light cro ss bow With 20 bolts, +1 claole of nsiuofICt'

- \OU ' <1«( lll ra nllll l'lltlhJ of ~j.l ll llllg Sli ll/, I'alhlp syou sh('u!d loJkr
.1 IIUl/IU.JI wIlli rrcolIslllrr \'llur ,ftctUMI.
-c-Aed ar Wi n JbbJ~ , ..ter n al blade of the Hidden Creve
An eremal blade is an elf wh o learns a variety of exoti c
6ghllng maneuvers wuh the :u d and advice of the spi rit of
a m ighty, ancie nt el f warrior. The t"ler na l blad once swore
10 defend th e elves agains t th e forc es ofevi l. bur i n ages pa st.
the bla des turned ag.tins l each other, causing I schism th at
« hot'S 10 rbe prrsenl day. Some eternal blades embrace the
responsibdmes llul come wllh this class's training. Others
see k to use their talents 10further rheir ow n ends.
The eternal blades were once champions of Ccrellcn Lar-
"f h ian, They served as guu d lans of the peo ple, defenders of
rhe faith, and wardens of rhe ancient elf fo rests. The blade
guides. rhe splriu of an cit"nl eternal blades who serve as
advisors and teachers to the current generaricn of warners.
kepI the blades on the path ofrighteousness. peeservedrbetr
teacbing~ across each generanon, an d helped guide rhem in
prorecnng elfkind. For thous.ands of y~ars, the eternal blades
brat back goblin invasi ons, wo uld-be conquerors, and other
th reats Fro m the loneblade who slew an ogre rhar rhrea rened
3 village. rc rhe migh ty ge n('ral who commanded hundreds
01 these- warrro rs i n bmle. the eternal blades fough t evrl
wherever anJ whenever II I h reall'nl.J their kin,
Alas, all good thin gs must co me fO an e-nd . In time. the
eternal blades g rew arroga nt and aloof. ,\ fll'r all. Ihey had
prov ided safety an d security 10 rhe elf rea lms on count less
oc casion s. If Ihey kept fhl' elves sa fe, did II not follow that
their bret h ren owed them somerhi ng in return? A grow ing
facnon w ith in th e blades believed that rh e eterna l b lades
were the only on es furo rule theelves.E ven wo rse, a number
of rhe blade guidl.'s lurned 10 e-vi l and aba ndoned the order.
In lim e, Ihc ele-rn al bIJdes fell lh iodi sfavor. More and more
dve~ refused fhc blade gu iJes·call.looav, th" orderis a mere
~hadow of irs for mer glory, altho ugh lege-nds tell ofa heroic
wJfflor who will one dar le:lo Ihl'orde r bac k 10 prom inence.
'1he rema ining blades hopt· fhal th istriumph lies in their
fut u re, bUI many d\'l'~ bclil've Ihe- story to be nOlh ing bUI
wl shful l hi n king.
BECOMING AN ETERNAL BLADE
rhe- dv~ s hold thai onl" dOC's nOl choo~ 10 bc-come- an e-It'r-
nal bladt" R.1lher,.a bbde guide-.lhe spirilual companion 10
an elernal bbde-, chooslt'S a young e-Ifto w31k this path and
man ifem lh ~ young e-Ifs dte-ams long brfore Ihe- child is
read y 10 train as a warrior, Sometimes. the..e manifeslalions
are me rel y fligh ts of fancy . Olhe-r l imt"s. th.')· 3rr he-raids of
lhin gs lo come_~ 1 0!0 1 el\'C"S who be.'Com.. erl'rnal bl.Jdes begin
thei r cU t'Crs as warbI1dl's. Rang"n>, figh ll'rs, p;lbdlhs, and
ba rba rians who Ir ar n rnam'U\TfS from Ihe Diamond M ind
or Devoled Spi ril diSCiplines ;llso com mo nly ente r Ihis
prest igl"cbss_
In a few cas..s, a blade- guide apf't"ars 10 an e!flale in life.
Thl~ occurre nce IS rne, ;lnd it us ually 'ign3ls an elf \\'3rrior
who 15 J e-sl ined for great th in g '. L('gends 11'111h-ar on ly £1\'e
cl hil\ lx-en sdCCIN 1M th l§ man lk"l £.k:h ot tlkm became
a great her o who led th e bla des 10 a g rea t victo ry agam sl
seemi ngly im po ssih le odds.
ENTR Y REQU IR EMENTS
Race: Elf.
Base Attack Bonu s: +10.
Feats: We-apon Focus (any).
M1rti.lll M il neuv~rs : Any two Devot ed Spirit or D'i1mond
Mmd m aneuvers.
CLASS FEATURES
As <I n eternal blade, you fight and trai n wi th rhe assurance
of a blade- guide, Ihe- incorporeal spr ru of an anci enr membe r
of th is order The- guide- is Sim ilar 10 .a fam ill.1r in Ihal il
confers benefits 10 )"OU whe n vou are In close- proxi mu v to
ir. A bla de g uide- also Increases your Ilexibilirv, since it ca n
(e2ch \'OlI new maneuvers and lend you the- wisdom a t us
combat experience
~bn eu\'t: rs: Ar e-ach odd-numbered level.you gain a new
maneuver known from the Devoted Spt ru. Diamond Mind
Iron He-art , or '\rhil~ Raven dtsc tph ne. You must mee t a
maneuver's prerequisue to learn It. You 2Jd your full ete rnal
blade IC',vels to vour Inmator level ro dererrrune you r 101.011
Irana tor level and your hlgh"sl·levc! maneu vers know n.
A1 3ni level. 61h I~\TI. and 9th leve l.jcu gain an addmo nal
maneu ver re..died pe r dJ.y.
Stances Known: /\ 1 5t h level, you lea rn 1 n e-w mam..l
stanc e from rhe Devoted Sp irit , Diamond M ind . Iron Heart,
or '-"'h ite Raven disc ipli nes, You m ust mee t a stance's prereq -
uisite- 10 learn II.
Bla de Guide- (Su): You gain a blade gu ide, the spi rit ofan
anc ient member- of tbe erem nl blades, lhal provi d es you with
advice, rac ucal assistance, and mi ni ng. rhe blade guide is
inccrpc real. h as hi l point s equal to YOU t own, and is size Pine .
Its AC is 18, and il can fly Wilh pt.· rfee l maneuverability and
a spe ed of 30 feel .
If your blaJ e gu ide is desl royed. or il somehow moves OUI
of your line l,f effe ci . il rea p pl' ar~ in you r sp.Jce in td6 rou nds.
lhe guiJ ... is the physica l rna n ife-stalion ofa spirit fhal rt'sidc s
on Ih e Ouler Planes, Desl royi ng a bla de gu ide's form ml'rely
st'\1:'rsil.!o lin k to Ihe- .' late-rial Pum' fora sho n li me.
.0\ bla de gUide appears as a mo re of whi te- energ\'. It uses
your senses to ~ec Ind hen. an d communica tes with yo u by
relepa fhy, ThUs. il cilnnol int" raet wuh objecls and Ct"e.JlUres
lhat you cannot 5('('. Your blade gu ide is me ant lo aid you i n
combat, no t se-n't" as a SCOUI.
SomNime-s,your gUide- apPt"ars as 1 ghCKlly image of how
il looke-d in bfe, This ma n ifeq;t tion req uirt'S rremend ou s
~£fott, and your guide- choose s 10 aUempl it only whe-n it mus l
cornmunic ale- wllh others unJeldin: circums tances. ""hen a
blade guide- mani fC'S ts. lI ca n sPt"ak wu h ot hers as normal. A
bladt" gUIJ e c:ln apJX'ar Ih Ih is m anne-r for up 10 10 minull's
per day, While- II m3nife-sts , vou lost" acce-ss to )'ou r blade
guide- and an y clas s abilllles lhat rc-quir~ 1110 fu ncllon.
If a hla dl' gUide m u ~t m3ke- a ~\"i ng th row, il uSC's yo u r
S3\1:' moo i hrr II lac.k s ski ll ran ks, feats, 1-111 Dict', and abilllY
score m(xl! he f"S
Ece-rn:ll Training (Ex); Your bl!de-guiJc. alTers YOU inlet1St'
nurnallf3lmn baseJ nil r of combat cxpetk'nce In
TABLE 5-4: THE ETERN AL BLADE H IT DI E: 010
Due
Alu ck Fort Ref Will Maneu vers Maneuvers Stan ces
Level Bonu s Save SOlve Save Known Readied Known Special
lst ~, ...2 .. 0 ~O TOO Bl.ade gurde, eternal Ir.,nmg l/ da'l
2nd ..2 ..J ..0 ~O 0 0 0 Guided strike
Jrd ...J ~J ..1 ..1 1 1 0 Armored uncann'ldodge, ete rnal traini ng 2/d.y
4th ..4 ..4 +1 +1 0 0 0 Eternal knowledge
5th ·5 .4 ~1 ~1 1 0 1 Eternal tr.ainmg J/day
6t h .6 ... 5 ... 2 +2 0 1 0 DefenSive msight
71h -t .5 ~2 ~2 1 0 0 Eternal tralnmg 4/d.ay
81h -s +6 ~2 +2 0 0 0 Tact ical,nsight
91h .9 ..6 ..l ...3 I Elernal UillfMg 5/dily
10lh ..10 ..7 ..J ..J 0 0 0 Isl,llnd In time
Class Skills (2 .. Inl mod ifier per bel): Climb, Conceniralion , Diplom.acy, Hal'ldle Animal, 1",lmidate, Jump, Marlial tcree,
RIde, Sense M ot l ~ , Tumble
*New skill descobed on page 28.

morral life. Each night w hen you enter trance, your blade
gu ide enters your mind. In your dreams.the two ofyou SpU
and prac tice across a hundred different banlefields. Youfight
ogres.trolls, and other mons ters thaI }'o ur guide creates from
the ether of d reams You pracuce maneuvers beyond yO'Jr
norma l caparuv wlIh each nighr that passes. you become
more and more killed In the fighting ms.
Once per day, YOU can draw upon thss nig htl y training to
" Id you in a single banle, You can choose one oftwo benefit s.
Each o f these benefits lasts for one encounter,
You gain an inslg hl bonus equal ro yeur Imelll gence bonus
(If any) o n arrack rolls and d amage rolls agai nsr cre atures of
a single type . I f you selec t humanoid or outs ider as the type.
you must also choose a sub rvpe.
Altetnanvely, you can gain rhe use ofone maneuver from
th e Diamond Mind or Devoted Spiri l discipline. You must
meet rhe prerequisite for rhts maneuver as norm al. A cru-
sader/t'lt'rnal guard ian who selects this option is Immediately
granted th i ~ maneu ver. A maneuver gained wh h eternal
rraining can he recovered with your normal recovery meth od
(if you have one) during rhecncou mer, bu t knowledge of the
maneuver fades imm eJ iah,ly afrer rhe encounter ends.
You gain an aJ d ilioMI use pcr day of this abililYat rrd.srh,
nh. an d 'Jth level, Even if }'Oli have rnuln ple uses of thi s abil-
II }' per day, you can use thi s ahilll )' o nly once per e ncounter.
You can use rhts ahillt y on I)' while you have access to your
blade guide.
Cu ided St rtke (Ex): Yo ur blade guide assesses you
enemies, seeking out weak points in their armor and offer-
Ing you advice on where and how to strike. Drawing on :IS
expe rience and kC"C'n C')'t' fvr stratt>gy and taClk s, your guide
g ran ts \'Ou adVice thai can render e\'en Ih e mos l daunling
foe impo lt'n l
Beg inni ng ar 2nd level, as a sWlfl aelion , you e:m con fer
wilh your g u ide concerning a single foe rha t you {ace. for
th e R'SI of your lurn, ~'ou aUlomalically O\'t'rcome your foe's
J:lmagl'" redul" lion, if any. Youcan use Ihis abili ty onl y .....hlle
}'OU h2\'e access to )'Ourblade guide.
Armored Unca nny Dodge (Ex); So lon g as your blade
guide is acri\'C', you gain the benefit ofunanny dodge starting
I lrd lC'\'d St'e Ihl' rogue d:l~s feal ure (PH sol-I f you alreaJ\'
h VI' un c3nny Jodge you i n ~ lt·ad p in imp roved uncan ny
dodge . If you lese access 10 your blade guide, you I~ rlns
abilit y unn l your gUide returns. Youcan use uncanny dodge
or imp rm't'd uncanny dodge even if)'OU wear med ium or
heav y armor.
Eterna ] Knowledge (Ex): Your blade guide is an expert
in a variet y of areas. In addition ro the tactical and st n lt'gic
guidance il offers . it also grants you access to grea t SIOft'S of
lore, From his tory 10 planar phenomena, your guide has see n
almost everv rhtng.
w he n you attai n 4th level. your blade gu ide can make
Knowledge checks wit h a bon us equal ro your eremal blade
level + )'om Int mod ifier. When you firs t gai n rh rs 3biliry,
'1011 can selec t rwo areas of knowledge. For each addt no na l
IWO levels you gain in rbc eternal blade prest ige cla ss (al erb.
s th, and 10th level), you r gu ide gains access 10 anoth er area
of knowledge.
Defen sive In s ight (Ex): You r blade guide's advice and
insigh ts g ram you an intellec tual edge in cc mb n. bur th ere
is 3 [ine li ne between k nowi ng how 10 do some thi ng and
exccuung u In combar.Hyou IJke a momen t to focu syourse lf,
you can 3pply you r k nowledg e to the situatio n at hand .
Beg in n ing ar 6th level, as a swift acnon, you ca n size up an
opponent and use your iacuc al kno wledge agai nst him, You
gain a dodge bonus roAC eqcalro ycur Int ell igence bonus If
any) agains t a singll' fee o( your choice unrll rhe beginningof
your nex t tu rn . You can use this ahili lyonly wh ile you have
access 10 your blade guide.
Tact ical Insight (Ex): Althoug h you migh r be you ng bv
the elves' reckoning, your blade guide lends you th e C'.li:pt"-
rtence and wisdo m of one who has fought banles 3CroSS
counlit'"Ss fields. In almo~ 1 any silua lion you face. you have
the ell':pt'rieocr, laClicallore," nd kno wledge needed 10 defeat
your l' nem y.
From 8th lew l on, as a SWift actio n, you can assess" Iacn·
cal situa tion and makl'" In mack that impfO\'es Ih e altacks
of )'Our a lli~. For rhe rest of you r IUrn, any opponent you
hit wll h a mt"lee allack takes a pc.-nah y to AC equal to your
Inl elJigt'n ce bonus (if any) for I rou nd . Thi s penahy applies
only to attacks made by}'our alllt's, l f you lose acces s toyou r
blade gu ide, you losl.' t his abililY un lil il retu rns.
Is land in Time (Ex): At IOrh level,you can th ('O'ol' voursdf
in lO:I fight und er )'Our hlade guide's carr fu l d irection You
 meld with II, allowing It to comrol you r actions whlle vou
d raw upon lIS \ ':aSI combat expenence .
Once per en counter. yo u ca n 131<t' you r turn as an
immediate acnon. Usmg Ihi s abiliry does not change you r
trunative COUnl, Jnd you can uSC' all your actions a~ normal.
For example. if you r irunarive co unt is t S, you cou ld ac t
normally, use rhrs <lbility 10 3el again on tnnianve
count H . the-n <lei no rma lly on th e followi ng ro und
on Inmanve cou nt 15. If you lose access 10 your blade
guide. you lOS(' this 3bility unlil it returns.
PLAYING AN
ETERNAL BLADE
A blade guide, in large part. shapes and
molds rbepersona of an eremalbbdI.'.1be
gusde acts as n did In life. Some are
gruff demand ing perfecncnjsis.
Ot hers are quiet and withdrawn
masters whoprefer10 ler rherr
ccmbar expernse spt'.tk for
them. ~b ny eternal blades
g('t along [ine with Ih(' i.r
guides. bUI so me bicker
and ;ifgUt'. In parucular. 3
blade guide's cent uries of experience
sometimes clash wuh ayou ngC't' eternal
blade's thi rst for act ion. W ht' n you are
plsvtng an eternal blade, you r D ~ l should
lake on rhe role of your blade gui de and help
you form :I relati on ship with it. when the p:lny
SlOpS 10 di scu ss its pla ns, your gu ide li ke ly ma kes
us opinions k now n .
As a m em ber of a dy ing order. you might want to
smve 10 help pull the ererral blades back fro m
rhe brink of oblivion. Remember, every action
you uke reflect s on your or der as a whole.
COMBAT
In combat, ~'OU art' a war leader, a ce nt ral foc us o f the group's
me lee reso urces, Yo u must wad e into cc rnbar to p re ve nt
th reaten ing mon ster s from gemng 10 YOU I group's vu lner-
ahle spclkasrers. Tht' key 10 you r class abilit ies lies in your
talen t 10 focu s yoursel f for one encou nter. A standa rd fighl er
might have more fe31S, an d thus do more d Jm 3ge .....il h h is
lyr lc21swing, bUI your abili ties allow you 10 push yourself
ahelld of lhecurve. With judicio us ust'of)"Ourt'lt' mal u ain-
ing, d",fensi\'t' insight, and u Clical abi li ties, you can dt'lIl
I m prt'S S I\~ amounts ofdamage. abso rb al ucks. or St'l up an
aUn deJd h' 2ttl1cks.
.~ DVA I\C E M E NT
A~ no tf'd aoo..'C', you mighl
not hZ\'t' St'lectt"'d th is p'llh so much
as II chost' you Becoming 3n t'te rnal blade' dOC's nOI involve'
m applicati on proct'~s, an int('rview, or a rest. In sle:l.d. the
blade guidt'SSt'lecl t'lf warriors based on a nt'bulous ctilt'rion,
Somelimes, Ih ey set' a sp.trk for ht'rois m md self-$3cri fice,
and Wish 10cu hlVJt(' il. In ot ht'r C.1St'S, 3. blade gUide ClInnOI
£1I show il cam e 10 bf' linked to a specific ~non All.t
guide kn ows I~ Ih3t Ih ch 3rge W<lS chosen robecorne an
eternal blad e. It<; pl3C1" LS no t to ask wh y, but to gmJr
rhe you ng aspi ran t un failingly,
One e you becom... an erernal blade. you
rmghr seek c ut rb e nearest redoubt of this or,
der (if one 51111 st3nds) and co n fer wit h u s
elders. Some eterna l blad es never make
contact with rhe ord er, seeing II 3S a
failure. Rathe r, Ibt' y seek to strtk
OUI on th eir own. Perhap s a mtgbrv
warr ior will somedav pull these
wanderers rogerber Into an effl"c
nve fighting force.
Wht'n seleenng fem ;..rw 'ik ill i.
look 10 abiluies Ih al functto n rn
a wide range of ctreumsra nce-.
Some o f you r class feat u res have a
limned number of uses. or funct ion
only when you use 3 swif acn c n.
This putS rhem in ccmpenncn with
any boosts you mighl lea rn Ih rough
mamal maneuvers. Don't increase
Ih lS ecmpeu n cn by acquiring m3 ny
more abilit ies llul require actions.
Ins read.Iook for fears thai provide .1
cenaisrent, ccnsranr be ne fit, 'OUch as
Weapon Specializanon,
RESO URCES
O nce , the eternal blades had a Ire,
m endous range of resources 10
draw upon. S:l.dly. th ose g lory
d ays are go ne. You can expt'ct
ltn le help fr om other eter-
nal blades in the form of food,
shelter, weapons, and armor. 1 10st will glad-
Iy stand bestde you in banle. bur th e order is si m ply too
weak 10 m ar sh al an exte nsive store of ma teri al resources .
You ate welc ome in rbe few remai ning blade,held castl es,
bUI even these offer lill ie comfort . with t heir c ru mblin g
walls and fadt'd g lory,
ETERNAL BLAD ES IN THE WORLD
"it
~ \t"t n"lrtlllrd ,"(Ttl., IOlu u rtlJlIl tn tmy's dmlglh . T1INt ul'd lJrl
tit," WIll tv dtft.lltJ tTt tIlt 1111I rut'Sag.lln, I nw ar by ml' Itlt:
- Tt'rgin Bloodoa th, N ul(' ht'rald of HeXior (dl.'Ct'3st'd )
1'ht' C'ternal bllld('s compriSt' a sma ll. dying group 111.21rarely
\"~ntur('s far beyond elf lands . Tbe diffi culty of inl roduci n g
a m('mbt'rof Ih is pf('!;t ig~c bss inlO a campaign deprnds on
whC'n a player dffides 10 f.tke up Ihe cbss. A charaaer bu ilt
from 1st levd 10 em l"r IhlS class mighl TKeiv(' visio ns and
dr('ams from hl~ blade guidt' Ih roughoul his a recr. Th e guide
might sh('pheN Ihe ch araet lC" r along Ihe eternal blade pa lh,
It'ading him wh ere he is nt't'dt"'d most, giving dues Iha lle2J
to losl trea~urt' anClenl ('nemit'S. 2nd so forth. For II higher-
Ie\'t!ldunCler, Ihe blade gUIde might simply In3n1ff'j,( :u 3
b t a . '0\ \ ryblaJt' u~eappt'2f5lOant'l finchildh I
 ml uch a mamfcctanon nUJ.:hl herald an epi c d~sllny for
rhe charac tcr so chose n.
OR CANI:lATIO N
TIll.' good ahgned l' t l'ma l l-01J dl'~ garber in sm all groups called
cad res. b ch cadre 15 ccnwred on a grove dee p within the
elven (llrl'sls,Thl" l' lccanon s have I13rnl'Ssuch as Blade Deep
Grove. Ten Trees Stan d. and rhe Eternal Redoubt. M any of
rhl' j;(' places were once mJ.jr<;tlCcastles rhar housed hundreds
of1'1IIe warriors. TOlby,l hev are mostly empty, dusty remind-
ers of P3.S1 glo ry. A number of t he m are IOC"atC'd far from elf
territ ories. In rbe long cemunes since the grovl'S were built,
the forests around rbem might have been burned, a diverted
rive r mlghl have floode d th em , and so forth. Orcs. goblins,
or even .1 hu man kmg mig ht OC(U~' what was once an elf
fortres s In e ther areas. IhC' blades redoubrs have become
mcnsrer-infest ed dungeons.
The- eternal budes dwindle Ul numbers each year, and
as rbet r number grows sma lief, tht")' kame tncreasinglv
un able 10 offer pro tectio n 10 rbeir people. .\lany elf 10\~ ns
and cnies haven't seen a \'Isi ung eremal blade in centuries
In some lands, these wa rne rs are regarded as no more than
mvrh from .1 bygone bener nme
" co u nci l 01 n ine ofhcC'rs leads each grm'l', though in
recent umes many can t muster such numbers. Typica lly as
fl~W :h three or fou r ruor elves coordina te the eremal blades
of each grove, These warners are usually roo old ro co mtn ue
que sting across rheland . Instead . they seek 10 rec ruunew
en-mal blade s and provide what training they can offer.
Althou gh a cou nci l mighl work ha rd, a deep sense ofdoom.
m iscry•.:and pl.'sslm i,m rests oVl.'r mos l groves. The ('Iders can
remembtor wlll'n llu nd n' J s ofclerna l blades woul d galher 10
defeal a dragon or Ih row back an invasion. Today, the e ld~rs
walch in so rrow as I("\vl'r and fewef blades n'l urn fro m IhC'
qll(" ~ ts Ihcy r mhuk upon .
In so me cases, a gro\'l." and t he casde assoc iared wi th il
113\'C' falll' n 10 inva ~ lOn o r bl'rn aba ndoned 10 Ih e elem l·hls.
The C'IN na l bladros haw 1m! rhC' localion of many of Ihese
(OTlrt"S'l'S, anll lhcy are ker n 10 reclaim Ihem. Legend holds
Ih at a mighl Yart ifact, Ihe Hl,j,lr of EndJI, lies hidden in (,ne
suc h g ro\"l.". Only when it is ft"CO\'C'red can Ihe etemal blades
once ag2in fl" lUrn to POWrof.
N PC REACTIONS
.\l osl folk kn ow Iin leof IhC' ell'rnal blades. hen deep wi thin
anCient el f for esls, tht' blades are known only 2S a small band
of once'rrnownt'J kmg hls. ~ t.:a ny dves see lhem as wdl-
m('am ng bUI m isguldt"d. TheSf' ('I\'t's "'Onder why rhe bladC's
mu st cling 10 th e.' shadows ofa once-great pasl. As befItS lheir
chaotic na lure, most elvros see life and hislory as a serie~ of
changes. Whal worked in agl'S pasl m ighl nOI be a good h i
for lod ay. In a typical elfCllmmunlly, an elC'rna l blade is seen
as an anach roil ism-a hgufe who has sleppt'd OUI ofhisto ry,
yet refused 10 adap t 10 th t" modem worl d.
Eh't"S who l'nJOY the proll"Clion and aid ofIhe elC'rnal hla.Jl'S
ha\'l" a m uch d ifft'renl view. Th ese el\·('5 set" the bbdes as
helr!u! guardian In Iht n'gions around Iheir fOftres~ es , :he
1< r I bLaJt"s can exptct Jllt'asl a friend ly welcome, food,
Jml loJRlng trom an\ l'llle Unlonunall'l)' (or th.. blades
dark chapter In their history prl'\l'nts them from becomteg
truly welrorned mtn till' ccmmunnv, In ages past a facucn
o f eternal blades attempted 10 seize co ntrol of rhe elf realms
Elws who fall under ihe hladl'S' prul..etten toda y aprreClillc
ami welcome their assistance, but the y take ca rt' 10 mamram
Ih l'i r Independen ce fro m Ihest· warriors.
Fewncnelveshave any koowledgeof the eternal blades. The
fl."w who remember regard the blades as stalwart defenders of
the realm, Dwarves and gnomes in particular tre at them wirh
respect. because on several cccaeons rhe eternal blades Iuw
worked 10 form alliance-s between the elves and orhe r folk.
ETERNAL BLADE LORE
chafXll'n wnh ranks in Knowledge fhisrorv can research
eternal bl.de, 10 learn more :aboul them, When a characte r
makes a skill check.reador paraphrase the following, includ-
ing the informancn from lower DCs_
DC 10: The erema! blades art"an order cfelfkrughrs wh o
fl'll into disfavor long age lor mempnng ro setae politica l
co nrrcl of several elf lands
DC I S: The eternal blades use-a strange fighting swle rhar
IS almoe magical in nature
nc 20: An e ternal blade communes wtrh th e spmr of
an anc ient warrior. This splril21ds the warrior In hal lit" bv
providi ng advice, menacing hi~ enemies. and lending him
strength an d suppo rt.
FinJ i n ~ all ere rual blade i ~ no I'asy task , since [he few
rem aining me mbe rs of th is order dwe ll far fro m rhe realms
of hu manily. The btost way 10 find an t [emotl blade grov(O i_
fOconsu lt WIth df sagl'S or hlslorims 10 find Ihl' sup posed
local ion of :l grow, tra\'t'll here, and hope tha t the place has
nOI yet fall (On illiO nl'g ll'el and ru in ,
ETERNAL BLADES IN THE GAME
Elt'rna l hlad t'Sare relaliwly l'asy to add 10 your ga me. since
fh.,y ar(O f(Ow in numbe r and hard 10find. The chu:lclers mlghl
nOI enco unler any bladC'sunlil wt'll inl o lhe ca mp aign, when
you han' decl Jrd Iha l il is dr:amatica lly apptopr iate- for Ihem
ro ap pear. Thl' }' m ighl h... forgo llel1 defenders of an ann en l
lll'm Ihat lhe parly scth, or an ('If warbladt' in Ih e pari),
mighf bt'l hl"onr prophesied 10 lead Ihl' efernal blades back
10 glory, Thi S lallt'r pial Idea can lx' ("n'n more in terrsll ng
if Ihe t,lf PC is 2 rrluclJnI hero, ont' who would nthl'r see-I.
glory on his own Ihan deal wilh INding an entire ord er ot
\ \'.t rrtOf'5 int o battle.
Playt rs w il h an ml C'rt'st in weaving epic plors an d dt'tJlled
b.:Ickgrou nds around Iheir characlers mighl find Ihe elern..1
blade an in lefl"siing cuss. As wOllen.l hl' class cnt'S our for:l
PC 10 !:IkC' Iht' role of Ihl." chlhCn \\'3rrior who leads th (' b13Jes
back 10 glory. I'e rhaps 2 great thrral grow'S across Ih t land,a nd
on ly Ihl"elernal blades hav(" Iht" man ial ptr\-\"C'f nee dl'd to bank-
il. Unri la skilll·d leader. such as a PC, emergf'S, Ihe blades are
[ 00 scalle rrJ and few in number 10 balllt' Ih e Ihrral.
ADAPTATION
The ett rn:al blade s' backgrou nd ca~ h Ihem liS nre, Isolated
and mosrl \' forgolh'n to make rhC'm easy 10 inlegt"3t~ mlo a
 campaign. Aimosl ;tny -emng wu h elfktngdoms of any son
un pl3Y host 10 these talented warners.
If you need a villain, o r wish to add a sinister layer 10 the
blades, perhaps the '!oC h i ~ m wuhi n rhe blades ranks persists
10 Ihl~ dar. Thl' origmal elves who led the auempr to seize
conrrol of thl' forc sls are now blade guides wh o corru pt the
order Some of rhem have rhc ears of lhe blades' leaders, and
thev use Ihis access 10 render rhe blades Ineffectual or self
de-uucuve . A voung warnor who teeters between good amI
evil rnighs have an evi l bladeguide. or even a ~rof opposed
guides, fighu ag for his soul.
SAMPLE ENCO U""ER
Aedar Windbladt' is an eternal blade who has taken Ir upon
himself 10 seek QUIand she pherd young blades. He- hopes Ih:lI .
by o ffenng advrce and help. he can guide- young elf warriors
10the- orde r and help u regain us former glory. In particular,
he IS conv inced th ai a me-ssianic figure- IS desuned ro restore
the blad es and lead them to a glorious vie IOf)'. Perhaps th e
prophec ies and signs he has bea rd pomr ro a PC elf as rhe
mcsrhkelv cand ld n e for th is boner.
EL 13: Aedar can be found w andering rhe land wnh his
"'2mofYO, Sk~'(ha~r. He IS a gregarious. f~mlly person w nh
a ~lu f'2 ll ende ncy to help orbers. He migh t come across the
PC... as they fighl a mons ter in the wi lds. or the Pes m ight
find him ane mpnng to defend a helples s fami ly agai ns t a
gangof mon st ers . If the PCs show th ei r meule. an d if an elf
warner i..in rhe gro up, Aeda r stri kes up a fr ienJ~h i p and tries
to derermme if the elf PC is a good cand id ate for hi s ord er.
Even if thl' group lacks an elf. he might ane mpr rc cenv tnc e
the PC~ ro help the blades complete an Impo rtant qUl.'St or
d nvc oft a hummoul invasion.
AEDAA WINDBlADE CR 13
Male elff'ighller lO/elernal blade 3
Al l G Medium hurnanc.d
Init -+- 4, Se nse s lcw-hgtn vision; Listen +1. Spol +1
l angu ages Common, Dracon ic. Elven
AC 24, touch 10, nat ·footed 24; uncanny dodge
(-+-11 armor, +3 sh ield)
hp 102 (13 HD)
Im mune sleep
Fort .12. Ref -+- 4. Will -+-7 (+9 against ench an tm lents)
Speed 20 fl. in full pialI.': base s peed 30 ft.
Melee +3longsword +22/ -+-17/ ...12 (ld S...9/19 - 20)
Ranged longbow -+-13 (1dS/x 3)
Base Atlt .13; Grp +17
Atk Options ( om bollt E . ~ rt ise . Im proved Disarm , eternal
tramlng 2/dollY. guided st rike
Combat Gear potion of shIeld offoith . ... potion of cure
modtfote wounds
M;IIneuvers and St.ances Known <Il 8th):
SIDnu:s -~arl of black doubl (3rd)
Sl"kes-emerald razor (2nd ). inSightful str ike (3rd),
ruby nlghtm ollre blade (4th)
Counters - action befo re thoug ht (2nd). moment of
perfect mind (lst)
Dls&tplmtJ.: Desert Wind, Diollmond Mmd, Stonco Dragon.
Tiger ( I.w
Each of At'"dar's maneuvers can be mitlated once per
encounter. With no r(,,(overy pcssible.
Abilities Str lS . De. 10, Con 14, Int 13. Wis 12, Cnoll 10
SQ able to noti ce secret o r concealed doo rs. blade guide
Feats Combat hpertise ' , Greater Weapon Focus
(Io ngs word)', Improved Disarm', Improved hutianve
Iron Will, Martial Sta nce (pearl of black doubt). Martial
Stud y (action before Ihought) , Mart ial Stud y (emerald
razor). Mar tIal Stud y (moment of perfect m ind).
Wea pon Focu s (longsword )' , Weapon Special,zatIon
(longsword)'
Skills Ccncentrancn . 18. Diplomilcy .16, Inti mid ate ... 16
Possessions com bat ge oll r plus 'OJ fu ll plote orm or. • 1 heal/')'
sreelsJtield. ... 3 longsword, longbow with 20 arrows .
gallnl lt'ls of"ire po wer
"1,/ I should f,JlI, J WIll I1l1ly iJmt o1l!o1m III a ntlt' Pody. TIl( f/.1I1U
llwt II my iOul r"mto J bt- qU(ll{htJ."
- Kuthar of Ironhame . ~tage of the Jade Phoenix
Long ago, a feBowshlp of swordseges kn own as rbe ~IaStl.'~
o( th e [ade Phoenix took up she stud... of arcane magic In
search of;ll new ma rual discipli ne Th ey d tscove red tha i the
men ial aus reruv an d econo my ofacti on each swcrdsa ge had
cul nva red in bl~ m arual stud ies opened rhe door to a 1'0\'.
erfu ! and un ique form of arca ne masterv Properly appl ied .
the stances and maneuvers of a martial discipline p rovided
the mage with excep tiona l power and cc m rol in h is arc ane
spellcssu ng-c-a nd by cha n neli ng the arca ne en erg y of his
spells into hi s mani:tl maneuve rs. he achieved su pe rna tural
perfection in hi s c hos en di sciplines.
For years. this sec ret soc tctv defended the land 3gainst
evil , perfecting Ihl s ne w path tha t wove together martial
dtsctpltnes and arcane power. Then a rerrible abo m in ation ,
kn own o n lvas the Scu ld ra ke, descended on the world.
wreaking uerhmk able dc strucricn across the land . The
u alm dt'fendl.'d by Ih t' m3SIt"rs of Ihe Jade Phoenix W3S
swepl into rutn. bill Ihl' arcane swordsages galbe-n'i.! togelhl'r
and con fronfe d thb (('arsornl.' enemy. !<-l3 n)' m ;tsters die d,
but 3t the rnd of thl' struggle. the 3wful Sould rake wa~
bound and imp risoned in :l hidden vauh. To ('nsurr Ih 31
their fot' would nl'\'l'r bre:tk free . the thirtee n surviving
members of thl.' J3de rho!:'nix fellowship swort' :I mighlY
o31h 10 walk tht' world fo r all elt'mily. maintaining lhl.'
Sould n ke's pri so n wit b Ihei r ow n un ceasing vig il ance.
Such Wit S th e powe-roflhe lr 03lh thallhese spi ms have bcoen
reborn :again ilnd aga in In the world, ke-C'ping the SouldTilke
immured in u s secret prison.
Today, thirtee n Jade- rhOt'ni x mages walk the ea rt h- no
DlOT"C'. no less. The mstilnt one dies. a new on l.' is born so me--
where in tht> ....,orld. As he grow'S and learns, he is ineviubly
dr awn [0 bolh the- Sublimt" Way and Ihe mag ical :ms- for
he' W ;l S il master S\\VNsagl.' and:a mighty wizard in pr~ious
!in· .. he" has now forgol len. In li mC', anothf'r Jade PhOt"nix
ItUSte-rdl~u\er!i Ihe nt'W mcamalionofbisold companion
In an a~ld Ole rhe eXl,ung master ;l ......3 kens hi, ne.....foun d
comrade 10 a\\iarenes) 01 h iS f4~llh·es. renew~ thl.' oaths 01
V1 Ilance th ,U bmd I he' uldra ke in ils prison ilnd m ;II
 10 him the anciem secret: of the order Both Jade Phoe nix CLA S FEAll RES
bror lu rs then go rhelrown W3Y, Ih elr ancient dUly discharged lhe jJ dt' Phoe ni x class features locus on Improving your
urml once again a jade Phoenix m age dies and is reborn. arcane spellcasnng abIlit y, but Ih ey JI ~o vast ly Improve your
capabiluies in mt'lt'l' combat by focusing your arcane energies
BECOMING A into in cre ased melee damage and th ro ugh the acquisuionof
JADE PHOENIX MAGE new maneuvers.
~I OSf Jade Phoenix magt'S bt'gin rheir careers as sorcerers . 5 pcl lcasling; At each level escepr 1st and 61h, you gain
warmages. or wtzards. Fro m rht s beginning, two parh s lead new spe lls pt.'r day and an increase i n cas ter level (anJ spells
to membe rship In rhe fellowshtp of the Jade Phoenix- known, if applicahle) as if you had also gained 3 level In an
mulnclasstng in a mar tial adept arcane spelkasung class to .....hich you belonged before adding
class (crusader, swcrdsage. or rhe presuge cla ss 11"\'11'1. You do net . however, gain any other
warb lade), cr chocsmg ~1ar1ial benefit a characrer ofthaI cla ..s would have gained. Ifyou had
Srudv md !l.la rual Stance feats more than o ne arcan.. spe llcasting class before becoming a
to mas ter rhe Tf'CIUlrN number JadE' Ph~ni); ma gt' , you mu st decide 10 which class 10
ofmamal manecvers Thelaner add each level for rhe purpose of dererrmning spells
path IS costly, smce the number pe r day, ca~tC' r k \"C'1.and spells known.
offears you mu~t spend 10 punue ~taneu\'ers: At
IhlS p.nh IS high, bUllhal opnon eachodd-numbered
is advamageous in that vou do not lecel,you pin a nt'\\.
n..ed rou.k.t' .lI1..vd m adass Ihat maneuver k nown
will nOI Improvt' you r [rom t he Deser t
arcane spel fcasnng \t'ind o r Devoted
ab tl il } Spiril d isciplines
As wit h 3n} You must meet a mao
spell caoer, you r neuve r's pre requisite 10
primary spefl- learn it . You add your full
casting ability rcmaim jade Phoenix mage levels to
vou r most importan t your Iniuator level rodetermlne
abtluv score, After your 10131 inuiaro r 1t'Vt'1 and your
th at, you wi ll find good high est-level maneuvers known
Strength , Dex rer uv , an d Al jrdlevel. erh Ic\'C'I , and sth
Cons n runon see n's h ighly level. you ga in an addi tion al maneu-
usefu l. since you will risk melee ver readied pe r dav,
comba t muc h more freq~ll'n rly th an mos t S,anecs Kn ow n : Al 5th level
arc ane spellcas rers. o f the se. Dex - yo u learn a new martial s rance
terit y and Consnruno n an' most from the Desert Wind or De-
i mportant-your class ahil ilil's and vote d Sptru discipli ne!>. You
marnal n13nl'U\"C'fS provide )'ou wnh must meet a stances prel't'q-
ways to co mpensate for a me diocre uisi re 10 learn it.
Strength score. Arca ne \X'rat h(Su): You
If you choose 10 take a level m rh ts can spontaneously chan nel
prest ige class, )'OU can safely assume tha t stored spell energy t prepared
you ate rhe reincernanon of one of rbe spells or spell slots) into you r melee
rhl rt e.. n ancient guardians wh ose lives macks. As a swift action . you can 10$t' an)
keep rhe Souldrake bound in in prison. Your Dungeon M aster prepared arca ne spell or spell slo t 10 ga in a +4 bo nus on a
might require you roseekout an existing member of theorder single attack or ma rtial smke, as we ll as an ex tra rd 10 points
[Q de te rmine jf this is IfU e. Ah em au velv, if you have' earned ofdam age per spelllevel expended. Bot h bonuses can be ap-
fam e and re nown (or your d t' l·d ~ , t he Jade Phoenix masters plied on ly on an attack made before the begr n r ung of vour
ml ghl comt' look ing for you . rn-xllurn. Fort'x.:rmplC', if you lOW' 3 3rd-le...el spe ll slot or pre-
pared spe ll, you gam a ~ -4 bo nus on an attack roll you make
ENTRY REQU IREMEN TS befo rt' you r nrXl m rn , and you dr al3n C'l(tl"lll 3d l0 pom t~ of
Alignmen t.: Any non('Y11. dam age i[ yo ur :mack is sucee~sfu l.
Skills: Con centration 9 ta nks, Knowledge (arcana) 2 ranks !lilc o f Waki nit (Ex): \'(.'hen you become a JadE' phoeniX
Knowledge (history) 2 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 2 r<l nks. mage, you pa rrici p;1tC' in the Riteof Wak ing wi l h thco masler
Martial Maneuvers: Must know at least IWO marti.al
m.aneuvt'r s, includi nl one st rike. who aect' p h·d you mto Ih C' soc iety. This t ile lake."s 10 mm-
Mart ial StJl nces: Must know Jllieast one martial s tance. u tes, bu t req uirM no thi ng other th an Ihe prest"nCe of a JJde
Spells: Ab,l,ty to us t 2nd·lev el arcane s pells. Ph~ n i x m3SIer and a su itable ca ndidale. On complellon 01
lh e rite , you gain awareness of you r p rn ious !i\'e s. You no
TABLE 5-5: THE 'ADE PHOEN IX t..b .(;E HIT DIE: D6
Bue
Alt.acll Fort .,F Will M.an. M.an. St.ances
,,, ., .,
l evel Bonus save S.ave S.ave Known Read ied Known Special
.0 .0 0 0 Arcane wrath.
Spellcast ing

'"d ., .] .0 .0 0 0 0
nte of wakmg
Myst ic ph oenix +'
level arcane spellc.asting d .ass

Jrd .] .l
.,., .,., , 1 , 0
stance
..'It'... ~1 .arc.ane speJ.lcastmgd.ass
4In .< .< .1 0 0 0 Empowt'ring s tnk~ ., Inel arcane spellcas tmg d au
51n
6th
.5
.6
.< .1
·5 ., ., 0
0
, 0
1
F,rfbltd ste oce. Jade-
Phoemx m.astfr
• \ level arcane spellc.astlnB d.ass

7th ..7 .5 ·2 ..2 1 0 0 .\ Ie-~I arcane spe;lIcastlng dass

8th .& .6 .2 ·2 0 0 0 Qu'Ckerung stroke
9th .9 ·6 .) -) 1 1 0 .1 eve arc.anes~lcastmic.ss
10t h .10 .7 .).3 0 0 0 f mt m ld !mmokl'llo n .11~1 .arc.ane-spe-llc.stingdass
Class Skills (2 • lnt modifier per level): Climb. Concen t~lion , DIplomacy. Hand le Anim. l. In\lmidate , Jump, Mart lal l ore-*.
Ride, Sense MotIVe. Tumble.
"'New skill desc ribed on page 28.
remember placesyouvisited, peopleyou kne w. and things you
did In hfenmes long pm. You g.ain a . 2 bonus on Kncwledge
chec ks , and you can artempt a Knowledge check even if)'OU
are un trained in the appropriate Knowledge skill. You also
g.am a .2 bonus on saving th rows against dcaeh effects and
fe.areffec ts.
:-'tysl ic Phoenix Stance [Su]: At rnd level. you learn
h ow to channel rhe energ}' from one of your stances in a
new way, Wh ile you are In a stance from any discipline you
know, you ca n forgo us normal benefit as a swift act ion to
gain the effec t of myst ic ph oe n ix sta nce , Th is ability last s
as long as you wo uld mainta in the sta nce, or as desc ribe d
below. You ca n also sto p usi ng m ysr ic phoenix stanc e
and resume gam ing the n ormal beoefu of the sta nce as
a s w ift action.
While you usc th rs abililY, your caster level when you cas t
arcane spell s increases by I, and you gain a +2 dodge bonus
ro AC. In addmon. when you fi~1 act ivate thi s abili ty, you
caachoose ro expcnd an arcane spell slot. If you do, you also
gain damage redu cti on against all but evil-aligned attac ks as
long as vou main rain rhc stance. Th e value of you r da mage
red ucnon is equ al to 2 " rhe level of th e spell you expen d
(maximum d amag(' redu ction ro/evtl for expending a 5th·
Il'vt'l spell).
Empowering Strike ISu ): Begin ning al 41h level, when
you successfull y snack an enemy with a mJrt ial strike, an
arcane spe ll that you cast before the end ofyour next turn is
empowered ts s by the Empower Spell metamagic feat).Cast-
109a spe ll that Jus been empowered through rh is abilirv does
not Increase tbe effective level ofa spell \'OU cast . Youdo not
need ro knowrhc Empower Spell feat to use this ability. You
can use rhrs abili ty once per encoumer.
Fireb ird Sta nce (Su): AI 6th le\'rl, ~'ou learn another
apphcallOn for a stance you know. While ~'Ou are 10 a sunce
from an y di sci plinr you know, you can fo rgo its no rma l
benefit as a swi ft actio n to gain the effec t o f fireb ird st anc e,
Th iSabilit y bsts as long JS you would maintain the su nce,
or as descnbed be.-Iow. You can also sropusing firebird slanct"
and re\ume gam ing Ihe normal benefit o f the stan ct" as a
SWltl action.
.1 level arcane- spe:llcastlng d.ass
whilt" this abili t)' is acnve, you gain resistance 10 fire 10.
and your caster level when you cas t any fire spell increases
b) 3.ln addition, you can choose rc expend an arcane spe ll
slot when you ecnvate the abilily. lfyou do.you gain an aura
that deals Id6 poinls of damage per spell level rc anvcreatu re
w:lbin 10 feet Refl('x half, DC H -+ key spe llcasring Jbi h t\'
modifier Half the damage dealt by the au ra is fire, and the
ether half is raw arcane energy (u nryped dam age). The Ju ra
deals damage each rou nd al the beginning of}'OUt tum. O nce
youactivate this abili ly, rhe fiery aura lasrs for t minute, after
wh ich time th e effec t en ds and the normal dIrc t of your
stance resumes,
Jad e Ph oeru x ,\ Ills ter (Su): Wh ('n you att ain eeh level ,
you ea rn th e righ t 10 ca ll yourself a j ade Phoe nix ma ster.
You ca n now perfo rm th e Rirl"ofWaking for someo ne else,
pl'O\/lded he or she ISa suita ble cand idate and embodies the
remcarnated spiri t of one of the ancient masters , (The D~ I
decides if thi s tS tr ue for any given Nrc.) You gain rhe abli-
ity to SCI\St" the dtr ecucn and d istance to the nearest Jade
phoenix mage, ma ster, or candi date simply b y meditating
for I minute with out int errupt ion.
Q u ic k e n ing St r ike (Su): Start ing al srh level, wh en you
successfully atta ck an enemy with a marti al strike, an arcane
spell ofSlh lcve] or 100wr tha r you cast before th e end ofyour
next turn is qui ckened (as by th e Q uic ken Spell met amagj c
feat}. Casti ng a spc ll that has bee n qu ickened by this ability
docs not Increase th l." effective level ofthe spe ll you cast. You
do no r need to know the Quicken Spell feat to use lh is abilit }'.
'leu can use th is abili lYonce Pt"r encounter.
Emerald Im m olat io n (Sp): AI 10th le've l, once pet week
you can perform the awesome wltrillJ Immol.:ah ctn. You
explode in a seanng blast ofgreen fire that deals zode po ints
ofdamage In a 20-fool radius (geflex half. DC 19 . key spe ll-
Ciming abiluy moJif1t.'r}. Ii alf Ihe d.amage the blast deals is
fire.and the Olher halfis m varc ant' energy (u nty ped da mage
Enr.aplanar cre.atu rl"S that fail their ~vt'S must immed iately
suC"ct"t"d on a \l'111 5a\t" i DC 19 "" kr... spellcasting abililY modi-
fier or be dlsmls~l.'d to their n.:ui\'t'pIJIlt'S. This blast Ulterlv
d~fTOYs you. hul Id6 round~ later. )'OU re-form In tht' exac t
SJ'Of wh ..re ...oo Wl'll" when you ..mrlo}-ed this abili ty You
 are J31I·.llor I round ~flt'r you tt"Jr~ar. bu r YOU are healed
01 :IIIJ Jmagl' /inelud lng ablllty drainer damage), blinJnl'S5.
Jt'Jfnt's ~ , disease. pat3lysis, or po ison. Any equipment you
wer e wearmg or obJl"C1S you were hold ing or carrying when
von u st'd Ihi s .lhllll Yre-form wnh you, exactly 3S they were.
Th " abilil Y is IhC' equivalent of a s rh-level spel l.
PLAYING AJADE PHOENIX MAGE
You have lrved through II dozen lifenmes. You have roamed
th e world fro m ant" end to th e other. you have learned and
forgott en countless pieces of m forman on and names, you
have built empires, and you have fallen in abJecl, ignomini- ADVANCEMEf\'T
ous defea l. While orher heroes struggle 10 find thei r place in
the world or wrestle wnb rhe conse-quenclC'i oftheir acuons .
you V1~ all lhlngs wuh f"<juammlty. Whatt· ve t the danger.
wh at ever rhe InJuSIICe. whatever [he 1"\'11 that rises up to
rhren en the world-It 100 shall pass
Groenthe long. weaT) IOgJourney ~sing through 1i1~lime
afrer ltfenme. some Jade Phoenix mages beccmedtspas..ion-
ate and detanr. WhY lorm anachrnerus to people, places.or
C3U C'S. when sooner or bier all will be lost again and a new
hfl" begun somewhere d~d Other members of the fellow-
sh ip grow arrogan r nd insufferable, coming to rh in k of
orher mortals as lesse r bemgs because they are limited 10
th l" experience ~nd WIsdom of a single life n me. Bur most
Jade Phoe nix mast"s learn compassion, hu m ility, and 3 \ \ ry
sense of hum or over their longjoume...s Who else can bene r
under- rand the m3gnificl'n r jt'si ofexistence than someone
w ho has lived and died do zens of limes?
Regard less of whether your long ex istence h as left you
wise or weary, you are a clever and pal lent enemy ofevil You
despis e Iyra llny and cruelty in any for m, for the se t h irgs
blight rhe world-and you f('ar Ih al a wor ld whose spi ril is
poison l'J by 100 milch wrong will bt'defe nse less ag::ri nSl the
SouIJr.t ke , In hl' rdark, \lrC'a mi ng prison sht" grows Slro ng
on Ihe tC'Tror and mtse ryof lhC' inn ocenl, and lhe day might
come wh en sl\l," awah ns and breaks free, To prevent her
relOrn . }'OU fighl oppressio n. injustice, and SJ"agery wherever
you find lhC'm ,
COM BAT
You r combinalion of mUlial mant"u\'ers and spelkasti ng
gIVes you th l" ability to figh l wdl in melee as well as al
t3 nge. In faci. m.anyof your defining abil ities require you
10 prep are'an arca ne Jttack by execuring ma rtial maneu.....rs
o r u se you r un u ppt'd s~ 11 energ}' 10 add power to yeur
marllal slri hs, A baull" in which you mix you r ma rt i31
strikt's wu h your uca.ne sJ>l'lIs allows you 10 get rhe most
out o f your SU Ht" of abililit-'s. Rt'me mber, you are not a
front-Ime t1ghl t-'f; you mus l telvon magic an d guile ro an )id
you r I"nem il"s' allacks whell you clcxe 10 mdt.'e 10 use your
m Ullal m3nl"UWrs.
You can eJ .. ily ad.apr ro ur taCllCS 10the fOC's you face. If you wi nd !'lr ide. Ranks in Conn' nlra llon or Tu mbl.... mlghl also
find youn,elf confronung enemlC'S who are hig h ly resisunt
to magiC, USI' you r arC3nl' srell energy to add power 10your
martLJI slri kcs and defl"llt lhe m \\;Ih the Sub lime Way. If you RESO URCES
I c ('nC'mlt's wh o are iormldable In dosl" combat, use your
hurna l sfnk." ro set up dl"vJstattng mJglal3ttacks .
Although mml (If vc ur co mba t prowe ss res ides III VOIlt
rnantal mauruver and spellcasnng Jbility. don't overlook
rom high Iy IIs....ful stance-related abihnes. The mysuc phce-
n ix sta nce helps you survive e1OSI" ban II's , and the firebnd
stance can make vou 3 d angerous target for enemre who
rely on m....let' att acks. J Icwe ver. be careful wub your arca ne
sJk·11 SIO IS, 1 f you expend slots rout inely on arca ne wrath or
to add power 10 your stance abilu ies whi le shngtng spells
every round. you will find tha I j-ou bum Ih rou gh you r spell
slots faster than you might like.
You alreadv possessed some skill with magic and so me
mastery of the Sublime 'X'a\' before \'OU came 10 the att en
lion of the orher Jade Phoenix mages. When voa are readv
to acce'pl the mnh of who and .....hal vou Rally ate. a Jade
Phoenix ma~l c r s~'l"k~ }'OU OUI. even if doing so takes vea rs.
Once you are found. the master Iypically observes you lor
a time 10 de termine If you are in faci one o f his anctem
comrade'S. ~tJny masters feel rhar the be5t \\"'y 10 be su re of
your reaJinl'ss IS to challenge YOU to a con test ofrn.arti.aland
magical skill. bUI nOI all masters hold 10 this V I<,W. As long as
you acquH yourself rl":aw n:ably wellin such a dud, \'OU \\111
be fold th e truth about who you are; you do no t need to Win
If vou fighl wu h couragl' but Imll' skill. you will be left 10
go your ow n way for a li me in the hope rhar in ;I year o r ",,"'0
you might prO','e mo re ready, 1f vou de monsrra re coward ice
or treacherv, the resnng maste r might C'1C'C t 10 kill \ 'OU - ; (
Slain o f evi l woul d weaken the Sou ld rake's prison, and after
all, you r spiril will be' rebo rn. YOII might be a bener pt:'r on
in you r next incarnanon .
o nce you art' awakened 10 you r prev ious hves and your
sacred Iru si . you an, lt'fl ro n's um (' your own alTair s. You3ft'
expec red to aid anotht'r Jade Phoeni x mage o n Ihe r.tre occa
sions you ml'er wilh on l', and shou ld you disc over lhal one
of your old co mradl's has lx-l'n rebo rn 3nJ awails Ihe RHcof
W/aki ng, yOIl are t'xpeClcII 10 bring h im 10a masle r or brmg
3 mas ter [0 h im . Wh en you n'ac h thc [itl e o f mas u· r. you
no rmal ly add n'ss Ihe matler youTSl,lf wilhoul see k in g Ih e
3dvice o r consenf of }'Our pel'rs-you know th e fellowships
rt"s po ns ibi liri.,s bCC3USl' you ha\'c discharged th em for 3
dOll' n Iift"t imes.
As you con Ii nul' 10 gain levels, you m ight ", !IN n ate'
belween you r area n!' spellcasung clJss. your ma rt ial adcpl
e1ass (if :my~ and }'OUC Jade PhOl'nixIt.'\"els. ~f 05t pr.tctitionen
of Ih is rradilion follow the Jadf' Ph~nix p4rh excluSl\e1y
for ti mc - ;llll':lsl unl il they aU310 Ihe level ofmast er\, thev
h~d in Ihl'lf prev Ious hft'. Feals, spc'lIs. and mancu\ ers thar
makl' il casy (or you 10 swi rch belwe-en melee altacks and
arcane spe llcasllIlg are extremelv useful. Consider learn Ing
feals suc h as Com bar Cas ling or 5pn ng All ack; spt' lls such
;IS ~ri or mJnial m ~ ne U\"l'rs such as salamander charge or
prove help iul.
Jade Phoenix mage!> 2rt" fcw and far between. ~t o.sl \\...nJer
thl:" world t"ngagl'd In their ow n pt'l"'iOnal qU<!Sts and sirugg
 tmeracnng wuh (heir pe'("rs only rhrougb chance and h ap-
penst ao cc. Even mort al pe ril IS nOI always sufficient 10 gain
(h e aid or sympa thy of a fell ow Jade Phoeni x mage, si nce
your dea th is . afte r all . nothing more than a momentary
inco nven ien ce in IhC' e'yes of IhC' other masters. Sooner or
late r, }'OU will mee t again.
t rc r ucall v, om' of you r more in teres ring and usefu l
resources is }'ou rself-speClfically, yourself in a pas t Itfe.
Some [ade Phoenix magC's make a pc iru of secre u ng
useful things such as treasure, magic hems, or Simple
Informancn in h idden cac hes all over rhe world, no t
knowing when or if t hey might ever need them agam.
Tht' loc at ion and value of these old cac hes are up to your
D~t. bUI magic it em s to tal m g l,OOO gp or leu in value
th at you "rem em be r" no more than onc e per Jade Phoenix
mage level wou ld be reaso nab le. Of COUTSe, you r caches
might not be located any where nearby when you decid e
you n eed o ne', and you migh l have' lefr rraps or g uard ia ns
10 protect th em.
lADE PHOENIX MAGES
lNTHEWORLD
~'ou l((m 10 'UWt mt III II J UIIJv11111a gr , Iluma n. You StIr lhal
Wi h,"'l" mil, Vld I a m 'tTfllUl Ihll t I Ihlt't IUwr IIIIJ ilTS on ,.vII
lit/on taJa y'-
-c-Arexakartu s. red dragon
The' Jade' Phoenix m age serve's as a myn ic wanderer, free-
roaming rrc ubleshoorer; champion. and reacher who travels
the world whh fl'w lies ro anv place. perso n. or cause. M ost
ar e willing 10 share t heir ar cane kn owledge or martial
enl ightenment with any 3pt srudc m Ihey encoun ter; whether
or nor tha r person harbors rbe spirit ofan ancient co mrade.
A Iade Phoeni x mage might therefore appear as an ally or
mentor to plaYl>r characters who stu dy magic or follow the
Sublime Way.
Since a Jade Phoenix mage is cxcepnonally well rraveled
and fam ili ar wu h the peo ple and event s of tim es long gone
by, be can also SN\'e as a living wi tness to h isrortc eve- nts.
Advent urer s in search of hard-to-find in formation ab ou r
events thar happe ned long ago m ight lin d thaI alade Phoenix
magr recalls the event s in question mu ch more acc ura tely
th an any scribe has ever set them dcwn.Ajade Phoenix mage
can th erefore serve as a sage of sorts, aiding the player char-
acters by passing along information rhev m ight otherwise
have no way 10 di scover.
DAILY LIFE (AND DEATH)
:\ Jade Phoenix mage is fre e to pu rsu e h is own interests and
dolwhatever he wishes wi th his lift'. so long as he hono rs the
haste ten et s of the fellcwsbtp Aid h is fellows wh en asked ,
sla nd against corru pti on an d tyra n ny, .:md ke ep t he sacred
\\'alch a!i\'e by wak ing ne wly rei ncarna led fellow s to rheir
anc ient oa rhs and lrue ide nt ities when necessary_ In practice,
most Jade Phoenix mages become wanderers. Some choose
to IivC' and teach for a rim e at a monastery or temple o f like-
m inded studenls of the Sublime \'('ay, becoming renO\\-'ned
ma"lt"rs in the process.
Becau se the sp irit of a Jad e Phoeni x m age is bou nd to
th e world and fate d 10 be reborn. dea th is a differen t sor t
of expertence for him. Th" spirit of a Jade Ph oen ix mage
does no r voyage on to the afrerhfe in t he planes , nor does
It in slantly reincarnate at rhe moment of death. The sp iru
simply slumbers for a time. remaining discorpora re for a few
hours or days before it is drawn back 10 Ihe world and rebo rn.
Ounng th is rime, TalstJ r.la and mumch(ln spells ces r on rhe
deceased character funct ion normally. If a dead Jade Phoe nix
mage is no t brought back to life within this period of slum-
bet, the splnr reincarnates and is born again as a new pe rso n
somewhere else. After this time, no resurrection magic ca n
bong him back 10 h is previous extstence. In e ther wo rds. if
II player intend s for his ch arac rer 10 be raised, hit' bas ti m e
10 be brought back; if a player cheeses for h is character 10
remain dead. his sp ir it qui ck ly remcemares and begins life
again else whe re.
ORGANIZATION
AllJade Phcemx m ages f31l Ieto oneoftbreecaregcnes cand i-
dates. in itiallt'S . and masters.Candidates art' those indi\'idual~
who harbor one of the thi rteen ancie nt spirits. bur simply
don r kn ow il yet. \'{'hile they grow ro aduh hcod and take up
rhe study ofmagi c and martial prowess.ether members ofthe
group might keep-ane}'t" on their progress, but the candidates
are nor told of their true calling or ancient duty until such a
tim e as rhey are read y ro accepr these rrur hs. Most candidates
might come 10 realiz e th at a mvsren ou s sorcerer or wizard is
interested in their progress, and a few migh t even be rurored
d.rec tly by a Jade Phoenix mage who deems it necessary to
return h is old com rade to full wakeful ness in a hurry.
lnutares are fully awakened Jad e Phoe n ix mages-
characters who have take n arleast a nt" level in rhls presti ge
class and un dergon e the Rile of Waking. All inmates sig-
nify their allegiance ro their ancient orde r by tanccieg the
emblem o f a green phoe ni x pro minen rlv on their bodies-
usually th" chest or th e back of the hand, but sometimes the
face or hea d.
Masters are Jade Phoe nix mages who have reached a leve l
of sign ificant magi cal an d manial power in their cu rre nt
inca rn ation. Th lt' titl e is on e that has lill ie weight. The group
does not recognize any lasting precedencecfrank or positio n,
since each spiru must begi n anew with each rebirth. At any
given tim e, one Jade Phoe nix mage m ight be a I S-year-old
candidate srrugghng 10 mas ter her ft!'!it spel ls while anothe r
isa so-year-old srch mage w ith command ofepic spellcasnng.
but both spirits are the same age and share the same ancient
duty. For a shcn lim e, th e spirit in the vcunger body owes
some de fere nc e to rhe spirit who has experienced more and
accomplished greater th ings in irs current incarnation. bu t
in a few short years the candidate wil] be the arcbmage, and
th e arch mage will srruggle to rec311 his old skill al magic.
NPG REACTIONS
Jade PhOt'nix mages are so rare thai wry few ~PCs haw 3n y
preconceivt"C! no rio ns about the fello\\''ih ip. ~1 05t of th e time,
th lt'Yare (reated JS :.!ny sk illed warrior·mage mIght expect
10 be tre,ued . Howi:'vcr Itinerant Jade Phoenill: mastt'rs haw
 o PPO~t'J tyrants, monsters, and villains allover the world,
so any particular master con tends wi th rhc possibili ty th at
one or anorhcr of hl s twelve fellow mages might have made
a na me for dll' socte ry in some land or another, More th an
one Jade Phoen ix mage has wandered in to a new land only
10 di scover that ge nera tio ns ago one o f h is old co mpa n ions
benl ed som e mighty evil th ere, and is rem embered by the
people he foug ht for-or against .
JADE PHOENIX MAGE LORE
Characters with the Knowledge (h lsrorv) sk ill ca n research
the fellowsbtp cfrhe Jade Phoen ix to lea rn more abour rhern.
W hen a character make s a skill check , read or paraphrase the
foll ow ing, includi ng the information fr om lower De s.
DC 10: I've heard old tales of strange sorcerers wh o mark
th em selves with rbe image of an emera ld phoen ix. No one
k nows who they are, where th ey come from , or where th ey
go when rhey leave.
DC 15: Th est" individuals are kn own as th e order of the
Jade Phoenix. They're an elite socie ry ofwarrior-mages who
know powerful secrets ofborh m artial and arcane lor e.
DC 20; The group has only thirteen members a t any
one li me . W hen one dies, they find another mage 10 joi n
th eir order, They oppose the workings of evil wherever th ey
find it.
DC 25: The reason the gro up has on ly th irt een mem bers
is because eac h Jade Phoenix mage is reborn when he dies.
The se are the same thirteen masters who have made up rhe
society for h undreds of years. Long ago th ey swore an oath
10 protec t the world agains t some terrible demlcrge known
as the Sould rake, who is im pris oned in a hidden m agical
vault. As long as the y art" faith ful to their oaths, the Souldrake
cannot escare.
DC 30: C haracters who achi eve thi s level of success can
learn important derails about a specific Jade Phoe ni x mage
in your cam paign, includi ng the areas where he ope rates, the
k inds of activities he un de rtakes, and at leas t one identit y
of his previous incarnation, as well as some of his greeter
accomplish menr s in tha t li fe.
The fellowship ofth e Jade Phoenix doe s no t mai n tai n any
sort oftemple, sanc tuary, or stronghold. However, arany given
time it's not u nusua l for one or two m aste rs rc senle down in
a monaslery or arcane gu tld house. and teach studen ts who
seek to learn both the Sub lime Way and the arcane arts. A
cha racter mus t succeed on a DC 25 Cather Information check
10 locale aJade Phoenixmaster who has chosen to settle down
for a rime.
JADE PHOENIX MAGES
lNTHE GAME
Jade Phoenix mages are more often allies th an en emie s. Even
if no character in the pa rty is part icu larly likely ro join th e
presnge class, a Jade Phoenix mage can serve as an Interest-
ing mentor who appears from time to rime, offering cryptic
adv ice and guidance to heroes in need.
As a player character, a jade Phoen ix mage appeals to players
who like the challenge of creating innova tive tactics com btn-
mg spells end melee auac ks.O ther players m ight he anracred
to fhe possibilities at describing the adventures, friends, and
enemies ollifctimcs now long past: if any cha racte r can say.
"I've see n something like rhar before" in almost any situation,
it's th e Jade Phoenix mage.
ADAPTATIO N
The mos t interesti ng way rc adapr t he Jade Phoe n ix mage ~
to you r own ca m paign is to defin e a specific evil p ower
t hey keep imprisoned . In the FORGOnEN R EAl"h se tt ing.
rhe jade Phoenix mages mi g ht playa role in keepin g
Dendar, the Nigh t Serpe nt , asleep in her vas t prison
ben earh rbe Peak s of Flam e. In the world of th e ER ERR(l:"J
cam paig n, the Jad e Phoe nix fellowsh ip might k eep so me
mon st rous o ffsp ring o f Khybe r iru m ob rle and Inse nsa te.
As long as th ey sn llltve, the dern onspawn remains trapped
in th e u nde rwo rld .
For a real tWiSI, consid er mak ing the Jade Phoe ni x
fellows h ip int o rbe Ebe n Phoe nix. The thi r teen anci en!
swords age-w izard s were not servants ofgood, bu t instead the
chosen champions of some evil god-k ing. As long as they snll
su rv ive, the ev il overlord cannot be wholly expunged fro m
the world, and so rhese ter r ible ancien I sptrtrs kee p alive
the ho pe of retu rning thei r dark mas te r 10 po wer someda y.
Destroying all thi rteen Eben Phoe ni x mages wou ld require
an epic ques t to find and ultimately impri son or destroy each
sp irit before it ca n reincarnate.
SAMPLE ENCO UNTER
A Jade Phoe n ix m age is appropria te in any encoun te r where
you migh t want 10 introduce a nonevil sorcerer or w izard as
an advi sor, riva l. or foil 10 the her oe s.
EL 10: When the PCs decide to explore an an cient romb,
Kuthar of lronhame intervenes. rell ing the h eroes th at
Ihe y mu st nOI open the cryp t. He knows thai a po we rfu l
dem on is tra pped wuhm the tomb, because long ago Kuthar
trapp ed him there. H e dar es nOI take any chance of allowing
rh e demon 10 escape. Th is encounter works bes t if rhe PCs
in te nd to ex plore th e lom b no mailer what Kutha r says-for
example, if Ihe cha racters need to retrieve an ancie nt book or
key from within rhc tomb to solveanalhe r pressin g cha llenge,
th eir mission wi ll put the m squarely ar odds with the Jade
Phoenix mage.
Rat her th an ftghr to th e d eath against [he whole party,
Kurhar offers to duel the party's best to resolve the question
of wh ether or nOI rhe rom b wi ll be opened. It m ight also he
possible for th e PCs 10 pe rsuade Kurhar to allow the to m b to
be opened ifthey offer 10 he lp him des troy the demon sho u ld
rh ev encounter the crea ture.
KUTHAR OF I RO N H A M E CR 10
Male huma n warblade lfwiza rd 5/Jade Phoen ix m age 4
NG Med ium huma noid
Init +2; Sen ses Listen +2, Spot +2
langua ges (om ma n, Dracon ic, Elf, Giant
AC 15. tou ch 12, flat-foo ted 13; Dodge, Mo bility
(+2 Dex, +3 ar mo r)
hp S8 (10 HD)
Fort +9, Ref +5. Will ..,.s
Speed 30 ft.
 Melee +1 grealsword +11/+6 (2d6+4), or
Ranged sho rtbow +W+4 (l d6)
Base Atk +7; Grp +9
Atk Options Spring Anack. arcane wrath, empowering
strike
Special Actions myshc phoen ix stance
Combat Geiu 2 porions of CI<lre moderate wol<lnds
Maneu vers and Stances Known (IL 8th):
Stoncn- stance of clarity (lst)
Strikes-burning charge t (4th), charging minctau r (lst).
ran the f1 amesj (l rd), stone bonest (lst)
Boosts-s udden leapt (lst)
Disciplines: Deser t Wind, Diam ond Mind , Stone Dragon ,
Tiger Claw
t Readied maneuver
Waard Spells Prepared (Cl 8th):
4th-Elo'a rd's black tentacles (grilpple +16). greater
inl'isibi/itr
lrd-dispel magic. ji,eball (D C 16), haue, pralectio"
f romenergr
2nd-blur. false life. mirrar image, scorching fOr (rang ed
tou ch +9)
lst-e"large person, magic missile (l) , shield
O-acid splash (ranged touch +9). ghost sound, rar of
frost (ranged to uch +9), touch offatigue (touch +9)
Abilities Str 14, De. 14. Con 14 , Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 8
SQ Rite o r Waking, weap on apt itude
Feats Dodge. Mobility, Spring Anack. Vital Recovery,
Weapon Focus (great sword)
Skills Balance +13, Concentration +1 5, Decipher Script +7,
Jump +13, Knowledge (arcana ) +8. Knowledge (history)
+5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Listen +2. Mart ial Lore +11,
Sense Motive +4, Spelleraft +11, Spot +2, Swim .,.4.
Tumble +8.
Possessions combat gear plus. 1 greatslllord. shortbow
with 20 arrows, gaunllelS of ogre power, bracers of
armor . ]
Spe llbook spells prepared plus O- all: 1st-color spror:
4th- dimension door. ice storm
"Tig<>r Cl.nv. Sllado1V HaIlJ. w lllit RIl I'I:Il. Alloflllt5tart liP! ~ 1I1S
HI Olll! of thttnsth'l's. Thl')" err limr!)'slerJ along the TnI<' Pllth, lht
Path of whith I a m mad l'f."
- Ninefold Sage of Cri mso n
Some savants of [he Nine Disciplines believe that non e of
th e paths are complete, true disciplin es in and ofthem selves.
Th ey beli eve that th e n ine disciplines are perhaps more
appropriately term ed the Nine Steps , each a single portion
of a tru e , whole W:lIy. These few masters st rive to lea rn t he
secrets of each path , and in so do ing beco me the masters of
rune, using a martial style that combines all of the techniques
of the Temple ofNine Swords. Such martial sages are fluid and
u npred ictable ma rtial art ists. capable of sw itching betwee n
srvles and techniques to su it each situation .
BECOMING A MASTER OF NII'.'E
A master of nine typi cally begtns his caree r as a wa rblade
or swcrdsage, as th ose parhs prov ide the broadest access TO
ma nial disciplines. Occasionallv, a crusade r might become
a mas ter of nine after sel ecuag t he !\.la rti:lll Study feat
multiple times.
ENTity REQU IItEMEN TS
Skills: 10 ranks in four key discipline skills.
Feats : AdaptIve Style*, Dodge , Blind.Fight. Improved
Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike.
M,;utial Maneuvers: Must know al lent one maneuver fro m
sill: different disciplines.
" New feat describ ed on p.1ge 28.
CLASS FEATURES
The mJ.stt"rof nine expands h is k nowledge of martial mane-u-
vers to inc lude al l nine ma rt ial disciplines. As h e advances,
he learr rs w;lys of comb ining m a neu vers fr om difft'rent
disciplines 10 g rell effect. Fin all y, h is ma stery of all nine
discip li.nes grants him a greater unde rstanding of th e path
of the manial adept.
M a n e u ver s : AI eac h odd-n umbe red level. you gain two
new maneuve rs known from an y of th e ni ne d isciplines.
At each even-nu mbered level. you gain o ne new maneuver
known from any o f the n ine dis ci plines. You must meet a
maneuver's pre requi site 10 learn it. You add you r full maste r
of nine levels to your in iti ator level 10 determine yo u r roral
imnaror level an d YOUt highes t-leve l maneuvers k nown .
At eac h level. you gam an add u tona l maneuver readied
pt"T day.
Sta nces Kn own: At 2nd level and again at -nh level. you
learn a nc...... mafl i.:ll5lance fr om an y dis cipline. You must
meet a sta nce's prerequ isite to learn it .
Dual Stance (E x): Starri ng at 2nd level. you can choo se
to notlose your curren t stance wh en you enter a d tfferen t
stance from anorher dtsctpltne. The amount oftime you can
spend in two stances is ltmired. You can use this abi lity 10
gain rhe be nefit s of two stances for a max imum of2 rou nds
per class level each day, split up as you desire among mulnplc
uses and multiple stance pairs .
Perfect Form (Ex): Begin ning ar jrd level, you ini t iate
your mane uvers with greate r Iluidiry and grace, The save DC
(if any) of any maneuver rou initiate increases by t.
Cou n ter Sta n ce (Ex): From 4th level on, whenever you
initiate a counte-r maneuver, you can change your stance as
parr of the count er's acti on , even if it is not your turn.
!\.Iastery of Ni n e (Ex): At sr h level, you have arram ed
mast ery of a ll nine disciplines. You gain a +2 bonus on
arrack roll s made when ini tiaTing any stri ke maneuver, and
your strikes deal extra damage equal to the number ofd isci-
plines you readi ed man euvers from at she beginning of th e
day. For example. if you R ady maneuvers from six different
discipline'S, you gain a +6 bonus on dam age rolls wh en you
initiate you r stri kes.
PLAYING A MASTER OF NINE
To you. each o f the' individual styles is inc omplete. Each
disciplint' is like a single petal ofa flcwer-c-beaunful . elega nt
:and finely formed, perhaps, bu r each grants on ly a pa rtial
undersundtng of the whole . Masters of ni ne often spea k of
the Xine-Petal Blossom, the symbolic represem aucn of this
concept. You are d riven UUCnI on lear ning the secre ts of rhe
T AB LE 5 -6: THE M ASTER O F N I N E HIT D I E: 08
aase
Attack Fort Ref Will M an eu v~rs Maneuvers Stances
l evel Bonus Save Save Save Known Readied Known Special
'l sr ..0 .0 ..0 +2 2 1 0
2nd ..1 +0 +0 +1 1 1 1 Dual sta nce
lrd +2 +1 ~l +3 2 1 0 Perffit form
4th +] .1 +1 +-4 1 1 1 Counter stance
5th +3 +1 .1.-4 2 1 0 Ma.steryornlne
Class Skills (6 ... Int modifier per level): Balance. Climb. Concentralion . Crart. Diplomacy. Hide. Irmmid ate, Jump . Knowled ge
(history), Knowledge (local), Martial Lcrev, Sense Motive. SWim, Tumble.
New skill desc ribed on page 28.

Ninefold Way, You tend 10 show some small amoun t of pity
for the se who don't sre the whole picture and focus only on
rhetr cne sty le, but you are n't arrogant: you once srood m
thei r- place. Yousimply can't wa ir for rheir vis ion to broade n.
Perh aps you can help the m.
AS;lgroup, masters of nine have no ooerarcbtng objecuves
or plans. They are simply a group of martial adepts who have
come to understand thar as powerful as a single d isciplin e IS,
when unified. they beco me some thing full of powe r, grace ,
and beau ty. Yoursra.ndang among other masrers is determined
by rwo rh togs: your own progress in rnasrenng the Nine-fold
Way, and how nuny others you have Ia srructed in the ways of
rh.. Nine -Pet al Blossom, leaching rhem us secre ts and serring
them on the pat h. Those who nOIonly have th e wisd om :0
see th e Blossom but also to show il ro orhers are well regarded
among rhe master s,
COMBAT
In bail ie, you are unpredictable and graceful. You prefer to
single our rhose among your foes who obviously haw some
kn owledge of the tech niques ofIhe sublime Way, so th at you
ca n best them , You want ro dazzle you r foe wuh a disp lay
of mart ial mast..ry, for who kn ows? Perhaps the enemy you
beulerodavshallcome to you forthe wisdom cf the Ninefold
Way rom orrow, You also prefer the pure and personal nature
ofhand-ro-hand comba t.
ADVANCEMENT
Your visio n was always wide as a martial ade pt, Perha ps yOIl
saw connect ions bet ween mart ial styles th at seeme d to share
ltnle in com mon wir h one ano ther. You m ight have even had
multiple maste rs. rrvi ng d...spcrarely ( 0 learn wha t each of
them had to teach withou t neglect ing you r advance ment with
any one of them (you might have even succeeded, d rawin g
the atr enrton of a master of ni ne ). Regardless of th e precise
dcrafls of the past. the masters saw you as someone with rhe
potent ial 10 behold the Nine-Petal Blossom, and one ofrhem
rock you under hiS wing.
Now, you are one of them. The insights thai ca me w ith
vcur t raining w... re unlike any you had experie nce d before,
th ough you suspec red all along thar some thi ng like rhis path
m ust exis t so mewhere in the wo rld, ~O\\" you are respon-
sibl e for only two rh tngs: vourown advanci ng m.1stery of
the Ninefold Way, and hel ping lO open Ibe eyes of othl'fs
to li S po t...nt ial.
Fro m thiS pOlnl , you must ma inuin your ed ge. Keep
V.1RCmg In Iho' ke)' ~kl1ls of th e mne disciplines as much
as po ss ible , Your feat choices shou ld reflect you r ama aing
ma srery of t he Nine W.lIys. Many o f (h e feats in Ih is book
mig hl help you. and ft'ars such as ~ l.1rt i.1 1 5 [udy a llow you to
fur ther expand you r m aneuver selecnon,
RESO URCES
Though the mas ters of the nine sc rnerimes gather 10 rram
toge ther and share th eir msigbt s. they value self-suffiCIency
As such, il is rut' t ha t rhey help o ne a no ther in any t h ing
bur rhe most dire of ctrc u mstances. As puissant adep ts o f
ma rttal di sc ipl ine beyond th e ski ll of m o st folk . rh ey are
bap py to atd those who do n't share th eir level of enlighten'
me rn ho weve r Ih ey C.1n, but mast er s of ru ne believe rhar
rheir peers should be capable of hand lin g mos t struartons
wi thout aid , Only a th reat to th e master s as a wh ol e , such
as so m e one sys temalically h u nting dow n o r othe rwis e
persecuti ng rhe mas ters of ni ne. is likely 10 cause them to
band toget her ,
MASTERS OF NINE IN THE WORLD
"1110' k d llli'lliN ofIht ullultn of mne art dcg'JIlI allJ pol1\T{ul-anrl
g rt,llIy to bo' ffllrt,'. Btll',lrl' t1Ulr II'r(l!h, ICff YOIl fin,' )'otln df
'''1 111 1l1 ~ your 0 11'11 Slrl'llg llIS.M
-c-Masrer Kosukan. arch ivist-m on k
of the Thousand-Petal Orchid Temple
Maste rs of n ine are , in m an y ways, arche typal m ania I an
tsrs. Th ey really see k on ly one goal: rhe perfection o f rheir
sty le, Thr be st means of doing this is th rough adventu ring.
Masters of n ine are fond of dueling ot her ma rtial art ists and
demon srranng I heir supericruy (or, in some cases. discover-
ing where- rhetr own abllines are lacking].
ORCANIZATION
Th e m ast... rs of n i ne.j houg h a ne two rk m ade up ofmasters
and fer mer ap prentices, are .1 loo se sccterv of peers. Non..
of them rnamra tn a nv kind of au rho rt rv over the or her-s,
exce pt the in forma l sur horuv given to th ose who h ave
walked th e Ninefold Path for some time and discovered many
ofus secre ts. •Masrers ofn ine do not train one ano rher-c-o nce
a masrer succ eeds at sem ng the feet of 3: mart ial adept
onto rh e parh , rh e stu den t mu st walk it fo r h ims elf, Each
mas le r u nde rstands the Nin efold Pat h 3:linle differenrly
and prac lices it in h is own war, Ma.srers enj oy Ihe oppor-
l unit ~· 10 spa r wi th o ne :lno ther. Such ban les are quilt' J
si~h t to behold , full ofbreathuking feins ofmanial mastery
and Jrhll,ticism ,
NPC REACTIONS MASTERS OF NINE IN THE GAME
Most people who encou nter a mast er of nine don't rea lly 1\ master ofnine is often the proverbial Old Man ofthe Moun-
k now enough about suc h fol k to treat them any difft" rently tain.un ascetic who seek s 10 test his body and technique to
th an rhev wo uld any orher ded lcared martial adept. O ther master both . If you r selling includes manial adep ts already,
mar na ] adepts. however. and those who are knowledge - u is simple enough ro extrapolate the exis tence of masters
able in the- lore of their kind , be lieve th ai th e mas ters of of n ine. If your selling does not, however. a visiting master
nine are simply drle rtanres without the d iscipli n e 10 Iru ly of nine is an excellent way of introducing Ih{" class into the
mas ter a single st vle. Others feel th ai the masters art' sages campaign without dramancallv altering rhe selling assum p-
wh o have unlocked a mys tery of th e ma rtial d iscipli nes. lion s, Masters are not limited to kindly sages, howeve r, and
All adepts understand rhar any master of n ine Ih ey en- ca n easily fill the role of edversary.displaymgsuch skill
counter is powerful and skilled , 10 defeating rbe parly rhar the PCs realize that rhcy,
and cert ainly not to be u-ifled [ 00, mu st discover and follo..... th e Ni nefold Palh to
wi th. Generally speak ing, mar- d efeat this new foe.
ual adepts g ive masters a fri endl y Player s focused on and Interested
re-cepti on . unless Ihey are stau nc h in the martial adept classes and abfl t-
»ngle-srvle enr husiases. in which lies will find e njoymen t in this class,
case the reaction mig ht be a bir which makes generalizattcn a spe-
more ccnfr onra uonal. cl:ihy . The master of n ine is likely
10 have the greatest acce ss 10 a vari-
MASTER OF ety of fighueg styles. allo win g a
NINE LORE broad exploration of rhe various
Characters with ran ks in Mar- dis cipline techniques.
nal Lore can researc h masters
of nine to le arn m ore about ADAPTATION
rh ern. when;;r, ch arac te r ma kes a A ma st er o f nine can fill the role
~k ill check. read or paraphrase the of the ulnmare weapon master in
follow ing, including the mforma- rour cam paig n. An order ofelite knrgh rs. a
lion from lower Des. secretive cabalofmysl ic warriors. or a group of
DC 10: Some powerful mamal h idd en masters sequestered in a dis tan t mon-
adept s study all nine known d isci- 351t'ry fil this class. Youcould also make the
plines. They are somenmes kn own masters of nine into an elite group ot impe-
as masters of ni ne, masters of the rial servants. tasked wi th hunting down
Nine-Petal Blossom, or other such rhc e nemies of th e realm-c-wherher
fancifu l names, good or evi l.
DC I S: Tht· master of nine can
qu ick ly adapt h is style to exp loit any SAMPLE ENCOUNTER
wea kness a foe possess es. He k nows A rnasrerof n ine is like ly 10 wa lk
more maneuvers than aavother mar- rhe world in search ofnew fighling
rul ade pt. sty les, faeries, and methods 10 incorpo rate
DC 20:A maslcr of nine is a worthy into h is studies. If the PCs art" famous,
oppone nt. or a value d ally. Few pos- particu larl y if th ey are known for any
~l'SS rhe brcadrh of abili[il's available di stinctive tactics or fig hling talents, a
to a master of nine. and few have th e master is likely 10 seek rh em our si mply
panence or abil i t~· to walk rht' Nine- for the purpose of trying his streng t h
fold Path . against the mos t skillful warrior or ade pt
DC 30 : C ha racte rs wh o ach ieve th is V.,...rtJ fIN "'..fUr, in the party,
level of success ca n le arn important .. .... Sf " t{ ttitlt EL 10: Vaunred th e Walker has lo ng
det ails about a speci fic not able mast er of ni ne. soug ht to push h is mantal talents beyond thei r
th e areas where he operates . and th e kinds of ac ttvtnes limits. He looks 10 apprentice himselfto a barbarian. ranger,
he underta kes. or paladin 10 study his new master's techniques and abilities.
Selling up a mE'C'ling w uh a mas ter of ni ne ca n be He makes an excellent cohort or ally.
di ff icu lt , since the mas ters maintain no chapterhous es
or co lleges . Ins lead , the easiest way [ 0 fi nd on e invo lves VA UNRED THE WA LKER CR 10
go m g to an~' pla ce wit h a strong foc u s on the martial Male human swcrdsage 7/master of nine 3
disciplines. for rbe maste rs often seek out new pupils NG Medium humanoid
in such places. At th e \'e ry lea st. an experienced marne! Il'lit ....9; senses Spot -3, lIsten - 3
adept is likely 10 have some idea where a mas ter of nine la nguages Commo n
can bt.. fo un d . AC 22, to uch 16. flat·footed 19
t... 3 Dell, ...3 WIS +S a rm o r -1 deflect io n)
hp 58 (10 HO)
Fort +4. Ref +9. Wilt -l> l1
Speed l Oft. (6 squares)
Melee ..2 greQlsword +12/+7 melee (2d6-1>5fl9-20) Of
Melee Im proved unarmed strike +9/+4 melee (ld6-1>2)
Base Atk -1>7; Grp +9
Atk Op lions insighlful mike (+l on damage rolls wilh
Stone Dragon strikl!s)
Special Actions dual stance (6 rounds)
Combat Gear potion of cure modUQIt: woul1ds. pOl ion of
invisibility. potion ofham
Maneuvers and Stances Known (Il 10th):
Stances-child of shadow (l st), giilnt killing style (lrd).
stance of clarily (lst)
SUikts-bonecrusnerf (DC 17) (lrd). charging
minctaur (ht). dancing mongooset (5th). death
from abovet (4th), fire snaket (DC 18) (4th).
mountain hammer (2nd) . sapphire nightmare blade
(lUl , stone bones (lst). strength draining striket
(DC 17) (J,d)
Boosts-burning blade (lSi), sudden leap (1st), wind
stridet (1st)
Counttrs-counler charge (lst). fire ripostet (2nd) ,
leaping nilmet (5th), wall of blades (2nd)
Othtr-shadow str/det (5Ih)
Disciplines: Desert Wmd , Diamond Mind, Iron Heart,
Setting Sun, Shadow Hand. Slone Dragon , Tiger
Claw
t Readied m aneuver
Abilities Sir 14, Dex 16, Con 12.lnt 10. Wis 16. Cha 8
SQ sense magic
Feat s Adaptive Style, Dodge. Blind·Fight . Improved
Initiative. Improved Unarmed Strike. Weapon Focus
(Slone Dragon weapons)!
Skills Balance +14. Concentration +11. Diplom acy +1, Hea l
+8, Hid e +15. lnlimidilte +12, Jump +15, l iste n +8,
Mar tial Lore +5. Sense Motive +16, Tumble +14
Possession s combat gear plus +1 chain shirt. +2 greatsword,
glol'es ofDexrerity +2, +1 ring of protectioa
~Yo u'Vt IlJrtl1l.·t1 rl l our }'tollle for lh, IIlSI tune, mr:
-c-Ereth Nazbek. a Ruby Knigh t of W!;:'e Jas
The Ruby Knights are a crusader- order in the service ofWt'e
j as. god dess of dea th and magic, Inscrutable and mys teri-
ous, these secretive warrtors serve as rbe mi li ta n t arm of
the Iastre fairh. They protect the temples of Wee las , guard
importa ntleaders of the church, aid powerful sorcerers and
necromancers sworn to rhe Wirch Goddess, and help to train
novice clergy. When called upon, they also serve as spit's
and a~sassins. Within IhC' Ruby Knight order, thC' knights-
vindicator ace responsible for undertaking duties of the last
variety, Most of the nme, a knight-vindicator is free to do as
he pleases. but every soofren leaders ofthe knightly order in
h igh priests of rhe faith come to him with a special assign-
ment rhar requires sreahb. intimidation, or assassination. A
Ruby Knight vindicator relies on his spiritual strength and
sk ill in marual disciplines rarely mastered by crusaders to
capture or dispatch marked enemies ofrhe faith. He strikes
th u nJli nchm g detC'r m ination an d rightC'Ous \fenge:mce,
an d h is benefacto rs w ith in th e c hurch sleep com fo rt ,lhl\
k nowing th e Ruby Kn tgh rs always sra nd rea dy to d o IhC'
ch urc h's biddi ng.
BECOMING A
RUBY KNIGHT VINDICATOR
Due 10 the t'ntry requirements, mos t Ruby Knight vm dica-
tors 3rC' muhiclass cruseder/clertcs or paladins who have
ent ered this class after learmng a Devoted Spirit maneuver
either by selecung the appropriate feats or by taking a level
in IhC' crusader class .
E N T RY REQ UIREMEN TS
Skills: Hide 4 ranks , InlimidatC' 4 tanks , KnowledgC'
(religion) 8 ranks .
Martial Maneuvers: MUSI kt10W al least one Devoted SPirit
maneuver.
Martial Stancess: Must know at lC'ast one Devoted Spiflt
stance,
Deity: Wee las ,
Specia l: Ability to turn or rebuke undead.
CLASS FEATURES
A Ruby Knight vindicator learns new martial maneuvers.
includ ing ma neuvers of the Shadow Hand disci p line, wh ile
con tinuing 10 advance his divine spellcasnng ab ili tr More-
over, he gains class features specifically designed to chan ne l
his divine power into his mart ial maneuvers.
Spel lcllsting: Al each level exce pt tst and 6th, you gain
new spells per day and an inc rease in caster level (and spells
known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a leve l in 3
divine spellcasung class ro which you belo nged before addi ng
rhe prest ige classlevel. Youdo no t, however, gain anycrher
benent a cha racter of tha t class would have gained. If you had
more tha n one dtvme spe llcasting class before becoming a
devo ted enfo rcer, you mus t decide ro which class to add each
level for IhC' purpose of det erm in in g spells per d ay, cas ter
level, an d spe lls k nown,
Ma n eu vers: Ar each even- numbered level, you gain one
ne w maneuver k now n from the Devoted Spirit. Sh ad ow
Han d, Slone Dragon . or White Raven disciplines. You must
me et a maneuve r's prerequisite to learn it. YOLI add you r
full Ruby Kn igh t vtndrcaror levels to your init iato r level 10
dete rmine you r total tniuaror leve l and your highest-level
maneuvers known.
At 5t h leveland 9th level. you gain an additional maneuver
readied per day.
Stances Kn own: Al tSt level and again at 6th level, you
learn a new martia l stance from the Devoted Spirit, Sha dow
Hand. Stone Dragon , or While Raven discipline. You m ust
mee r a stance's prerequisite to learn it.
Div ine Recove ry (5u): Beginning at 2nd level, you can
cha nnel divi ne power to recharge your martial ma neuvers.
Youcan expend a turn or rebuke undead atlC'mp t as a sw ift
action 10 recover one expended maneuver. If you are a cru-
sader, the maneuver you recover is immediately available to
you as a granted maneuver.
Ar m ored St ea lt h (Ex): Kn ight s-vin d ica tor are taught
unusual tech niques for stayi ng ou t of sight. Starri ng al ~Ih
TABLE 5 -7: TH[ RuBY KNICHT VINDICATOR HIT 01[: 08
Bu e
AtI ~c1c ( 0" A.r will Man. M.m . Stan ces

,,,
Level Ban us

., .,
.1 .0 ., ,
save seve Save
·0
Knaw n
0
Readied Known SpK ial
0 1
Spe llu sting

',d .0 .J .0 0 0 Divine recover . 1 level diYJne speUusting class

••., ., ., •• ,
Ird .J .1 .J 0 0 0 . 1 level dIVIne spellc;astlng (Ian
4th .1
,
0 0
,
...1 level d IVIne s pel1casting dan
"h
6Ih •• ., .,.1 •• ,
.,
-, .,., .s
0
0
0 Armored Sluhh ..I level diYlne spellCastlng c ass

7th
8t h
-7
.,
.8 ., .J
••.,
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
D,v,ne Impelus

Divine fury
·11~ d,yme spellustlng class
...l leve d,vine Spellusling class
..1 level drv ne speUuslmg class
"h -J 0
lOin .10 .J .J .7 1 0 0 ..1 level dIvIne spelkasllng class
Ctass Skills (4 ... Int mod ifier per level): Balance , Concentration. Cr~h . Diplomacy , Heal, H,de, InllmrdOlle, Jump , Kno~ ge
(hiSlory). Knowledg e (loca l), Knowledge (religIo n). Martial Lore*. ProfesSIon. Ride, Sense Motive, Spellcrafl.
*New s kIll descnbed on page 23.

le...el, you no longer take an armo r chec k penalty a n Hide
checks. Your ar mor check penalt y snll applie s to any other
~kills affected by armor chec k penalties.
Dtvtne Impetus (Su): At 7th level. )'Ou learn how to use
the divine power of the Stern udy roqutcken vcur reactions
and act wuhour hesuanon, You can expend 1I tum or rebuke
undead anempr to pin one addinonal swift acnon this round.
For example, you could use th is .1bility to both change your
sta nce and inmate a boost maneuve r in the same tum, or if
you Initi.ued a counter before your tu rn. you can activate th is
ability and then trunare a boost on your rum.
Di vi ne Fury (Su): From 91h level on , you can directly
ch an nel Wee las's divine energy into your martial strikes. As
:r free action . you can spend a ru m or rebuke undead attempt
10 add a +4 sacred (or profane, if you are evil) bonus on your
anack roll with on... martta] snike Ihis rum. In addi tion
10 its normal effec ts, the strike deals an extra rdrc poi nts
of damage.
Multicl:rs"l NOll'; A pah dm who becomes a Ruby Knigh t
vindicaror can conti nue advancing as a palad in,
PLAYING A
RUBY KNIGHT VINDICATOR
You are a dark k night who swoops in to help his church in
its lime of need. You have served within the hie rarchy of
Wee l as's fJil h. and you ha ve won the right and privilege
of det er mining for younelfhow best 10 advan ce the Ruby
Sorceress's cause. You are. for the most part , an adventu rer
who is periodically asked 10 complete a spec ific mission that
requires your brand ofruthlessness and sreah h. You are the
living symbol of the Rub)' Sorceress's wrath, and this role
within the church gives yOU a somewhat sin ister mystiqu e.
You have enough clout and prestige to decline a mission [or
anv reason, bur your zealous de...o ncn almost always compels
you 10 comple te a rask In whare...·er manner you deem most
effecnve. You are a weapon of the-church. to be wielded only
In dire circumstances. Yourconviction enables you to do the
terrible deeds Ihat oth er mt'mbersofthe church abhor or lack
the skills 10 accomplish.
On ce Ihe chu rch delermines th u il needs your help , a
high-ranking cleric tars a WIIJII1ji: spc'1l o r simlb r dence 10
;c!ueth, con tact you lind invll e you to the 1C~ m p le or some
secret location for a "su uat ic n br ieflng _" The mission in
quesncn usu ally requires a combination ofsubterfuge and
marti-II pr cwe ss e- t wo areu In whi ch you excel. Sample
missions indudecapturing a thief who has stolen relics [rom
the church. spying on rhe acuvmes of a troublesome cub.or
assasstna ung a hard-eo-reach adversary who has persisremlv
anragomzed rhe church or us members. If you haVl" friends
or associates with skills that migh t heJp you comple te you r
quest, you ca n use the m as rhe situat ion warra nrs-c-Ieade rs
oi the l.n ite faith tr ust you 10 use vour besr discrenon regard-
ing me thods an d tactics. O nce you complereyour mission,
you are frel." to rerum to your regu lar Iife un ril you're called
upon again.
Whe n you ccmmn to a mission, no thi ng stands be tween
you and its comple tion . You ar... highly focused and d tsct-
plined. and no distraction except an assault on your church
will deter you.
Churc h officials some times d tsavcw e kn ight-vindicator
captured in the lineof dury, since to ad mit comp licity could
cast a dim shadcwover rhe churc h or an racr und ue anenno n
10 us acnvntes. Dearh is encrher man er en rtrely, Unless you
have proven vourself'tnepr b)' failing mission after mission,
church officia ls wi ll smve to resurrec t you, th eir sworn
knight, in rhe belief th ai you will cc nnn ue to serve th em
faithfu lly. More than a few Ruby Knights are brought back
to continue rherr service in undea rh as well.
COMBAT
Unlike an assassin, a Rub)' Knighl doesn 't go OUI ofhis way
to hide [rom his enemies un less the mission ar hand requires
steal th or sub terfuge. In general, you want your enemies
to su you coming, You want them 10tremble wuh [ear as
you dose in for the kill. Thai said. you don't want to plunge
headlong tmc ccmbn without fim observing your fees and
analvztng she racu cal situ at ion . Wise k nights-vindicator
strike wh en doing ",0 is most adva ntageous to them, no r
when their f'nemlesde.1fly have a tact ical edge. Your sword is
mightier tblln lIny pen. an J you aren't brought in to negOl iate
with your quar ry.
You rely on your Shadow Hand SllInces and maneuvers (0
approach vourfOC's unSl."en , launch d~ S fa t,ngattad: s from
hiding. anJconfu~ and befu ddle those who stand between
 you and your target. As a srudenr of th e Devoted Spiril and
Slone Dragon disciplines, you favor melee com bar over ranged
com bat. You r(,ly on vour mastery of various maneuvers 10
bear you r haled foes Into sub missio n or into an early grave.
A stan ce rhat will serve you well agai nst enemies ofThe faith
Inclu des mamal spiru (10 keep you alive ). Ar higher levels,
co nside r the daunring strike maneuve r or the aura ofperfec t
order sta nce .
ADVANCEMENT
PrO\~ your loyalty 10 rhe church, master the dis-
cipline of the Devoted Spirit, and demonstrate a
prcd ilecncn for violence. and you can become a Ruby
Knight vindicator. Even lawful good clerics ofWee Jas
can benefit from the services of
11 Ruby Knigl'll vindicator, so
the profession imposes no
alignment restrictions. If
the church to which you be-
long recognizes your skills
as a vindicator, you are con-
sidered pan of rhe order.
A large chapter oiRuby
Kn ight s usua lly has irs
ow n hierarc hy, and as
a member of rhe order.
you mighr receive mis-
sions from a superior
member of th e order
instead of a cleri c oi
th e church proper. Store
li ke ly, rhe o rde r to whic h
you belong exe rcises no authorttv over
knight s-vindic ator, allowi ng these elite ser-
vanrs of rhe wilCh Goddess ro execure miss ions
where and when Ihey see til. You m ighl be re- Ert/b Naz"~It,
spected in rhe order for you r accomplish ment s. RIl~)' "'·"it.b1IJi",li€A1Q'·
bur you have no superiors or subordinates. xtosr
kmghr s-vtndicator a ren'rconcerned about advance ment w i th-
in rh e order or th e churc h; they are content sim ply to act m
the church's best interests when called upo n 10 do so. The
Ruby Knlghr order has no membership fees.
Th e gre-alesr benefit of an order of Ruby Knigh rs is the
opportunity to train and confer with others who have mas-
rered the Devored Spiri r disci pline and who share a similar
fanatical devono» ro rhe cause.
RESO URCES
Ruby Kmg bt vi ndicators are loners for the mos r part . AS;l
member ofthe' class, vou are expected to provide' for you rself NPC REACTIONS
and purchase yOUl'" own gear. M.a.ny krughts-vindtcatcr rake
jobscurside the church and use these as 'cover"while keeping
a low profile. Some Ruby Knighr vindicators fed compel led
ro dona te a port ion oftheir amassed wealth to the church, but
the church never requires you to do sa. Your faithful service
h reward enough.
Ii you r church (t'els Ihal you need OJ specific uem to
om plete a rms sson , the uc m will be provided 10 you at
no ("S I U nless rht' u e m Is dis posable. su ch as.:r. pOIron
Ihe church will expec t you 10 return ir once the miSSIOn
is co mple ted.
RUBY KNIGHT VINDICATORS
IN THE WORLD
~ S h a lf o ll' anJ ~I(('! Cross till' church, IJrld you·lJ h.w t to .It .II
II'JIII fh(ln!~
-c-jvesskah , a yuan- r! crimelord in Sasserin e
Good-aligned Jasite shrines use Ruby Knights to deal
wuh evildoers, and evil-aligned temples use
rbem to spread iear and eliminate' anyone
who challenges rheir dominance. Con'
sequenrly, it's a simple matter to drop
Ruby Knights tnr c ycur extsrtng
campaign. Jusr because t bev
haven't shown up before
doesn't mean they do n r
exts t. \'t'"ben not execur-
ing missions fonne w ilch
Goddess, Ruby Kmght vrn-
dicators Tend to keep low pro files.
Moreover, PCs who 0PPOSI" evil necroman-
cers and sorce rers m ighr find the mselves
sial ked by one or more fanancal Ruby
Knights hu ngry for vengeance.
ORGANIZATION
A temple of Wee jas us ually has a
small nu mber oi Ruby Kn igh ts to
serve as soldiers. guards. an d enfo rcers.
Kmghrs-vindicaror are mo re scarce, anJ
they ofren pro recrrbe interes ts oiseveral
small temples scattered over a wide area. A
modes t temple in a small a ty ca n get by with
one k nig hr-vindlcatcr, wh ile a large temple in a
large cit y or metropolis might suppon a sm all
chapter of kmghr s-vln dicaror. A Iypical chapter has 2dh-l
m embe rs, all of w hom have ar least one level in th e Ruby
Knight vindicator prestige class. Some chapters have a hier-
archy (With rhe more experienced rnernbers overseeing the
less experienced ones), bur most are loose gatherings ofltke-
minded fana l tcs who occasionally train togeth er.
Some chapters ot'kmgbrs-vindicnor have special hallmarks,
bur most ord ers allow members ro exercise their individual
disc re tion. sa ir's more likely fer certain mem bers ofan orde r
to have unique "calltng cards:
A Ruby Kn ight vindicator strives to maintain a life sepa-
rate from the affairs of the church. Whether he pl u nde rs
dungeons or rrims rose bushes for a livi ng , he's moll' likely
10 garner reactions based on 51.1ch pursuits [han for bei ng a
zealous rhug who occasionally ha ndles importa n t jobs fo r
his ch urch .
With in his church. a vmdicaror is a silent shadow, Lew-
ranking memhersofrhe church might nor grasp the funcnon
 he serves or th e skills he.' provides. and fewer stil l can
trul y apprecia te th e terror he sows. H igh -ran k ing clerics
regard 3 Ruby Kn ight vindic ator as a ne cessary ev il, hut
lhey han ' good rea son to fear hi m for rh e havoc he wreaks
abroad . A vi nd icato r sees things with su bli me cla rity and
bel ieves in his ca use- so ferven tly t hat cle rgy me mbe rs
wh o do nOI sha re h is un sw er vin g co nvic tion are- lef to
wonder whe the r th e church needs and ca n co nt ro l suc h
terribit' weapons,
RUBY KNIGHT VINDICATOR LORE
Characters wlrh ranks in Knowled ge (religion) ca n research
th e Ruby Knigh ts 10 learn more about the m, When ill c ha r-
acter makes ill skill check. read or paraphrase rhe follow ing,
including rhe information from lower Des.
DC 10: The Ruby Knights are the kmghrs-remplar of
\'<'et' las's iillirh, They art' temple guards. advisers. and body-
guards 10 senior clertcs. as well as soldiers who serve the
wilCh cOOde-55.
D e 15: There are differem ranks and titles wi rhm the Ruby
Kni ght hierarchy, including kntghrs-vtndtcarcr, Tbev rake
on missions Ih:n the church d(l("s n'l want the community 10
kn ow about. Most vindicators are overzealous thugs. punish-
ing thos e who op~ their church or cause.
DC 20: Ruby Kn ighr vt ndtca tors primarily prscrtce the
mama ! d iscipli nes oi Devo ted Spirtr and Shadow Ha nd.
These di sciplin es hel p the knigh t harness his spir-i tual
streng th and zealous devotion. as well as give him the abili ry
to strike wit h srea hh and subtle ty,
DC 30: Ruby Kn ight vindicators generally wo rk 310ne,
alth ough rhe y cu ltivate a net work of associates ou tside th e
church. Once in a wh ile, a chaprer ofkn ighrs back ed by a
powerful or wealthy te mple rears irs ugly bead. an d woe be
rc an yone who incurs rh ar ternple's wra th.
RUBY KNIGHT VINDICATORS
IN THE GAME
Players who enjoy playin g crus aders or paladins wit h a dark
side or shady ben! sho uld find the Ruby Kn ighr vindica tor
borh exciting an d fulfill ing. Kntgb rs-vtndicarcr gain the
ahil itv to u se Shadow Hand maneuver s and st ance s, an d
the duties of the cl ass do not Inte rfere wi rh a cha rac ter's
more advemu rous pursuits. For the most pan. a "indicator
is iree ro do as he pleases, and whe n rhe faith beckons h im,
he hel ps out free ly.
ADAPTATION
Ahhough rh is prestige class is specific to a single crusader
order-c-rhe Ruby Kn igh ts of Wee las-you could easi ly
adapt it to crusaders devo ted 10 al most any other deity. For
example. rh e faiths of Hexror. vecna. or St. Cuthbert could
easHv su ppo rt st'Crel ' ·indicalororganiUltio ns. Ifyou replace
Ihe n-qu ire mC'nt for DeVOIC'd Spiri l slancC's and maneuvt'rs
with an ot ht'r ma rt ial discipline IIron H eart or TIger Claw.
for in sunce), il becomes much enier to qualifv for th e cl3SS
wllhoul being a crusadC'r-whkh means lha t you could create
holv or unholy) orders of warbt ade/clerics, fighter/clerics ,
or rogue clerics.
SAMPLE ENCO UNTER
Character s who un dertake a qUC'SI cftmpcn anc e to 'X'ee las's
faith or fin d rbem selves sh aring a common en emy with the
JaSltt' clerics might work alongside a Ruby Kni ghr vindicator
particularly iftheir objec tives mes h. For example. cha racters
infihnring the lair of an ev il cult migh t encounter 3 Ruby
Knig hr vindicator assign ed by h is church ro elimi nate rhe
cult's nefar ious leader.
Similarly. it's t'asy to imagine rhe Pes running afou l ofan
evil-alignedtemple ofw~ [as, and facing the wrath ofa Ruhy
Knight vindicator (or group of \'i ndicalors) who ap pears on
the scene tc dtsparcb rbem .
EL 8: Ereth Nazbek keeps "~rch ocer a necropolis boned
near a small town. Long ago, vampires killed his pa ren ts. and
rbe horro r of the ordeal tra nsformed him from a wide-eyed
farme r's son to a dour champion oflaw. For now he tends 10
a small fum and C'nJOYs the simple pleasures aflift'. bu t he
mainrains a vigilant watch over the hidden vaults and makes
sure that iII-intt'ntioned stt:lngt'rs don't unleash a plague of
undead over the area. Ererh has a wife, Izabek and 1\\'0 well-
behaved young sons, Kalven and Errol. Farm lift' keeps him
Ilt, bUI Ereth does not look or actl tke your typical rus tle
fanner. He stands well ever 6 feet rail. ius intimidatin g good
looks 3n J muscular development, anJ speaks w ith ca re fu l
precision. Only his wife knows of th e ~ ..rv ice he prov ides
rhe church.
Ctven ti me to pre pare for bailie, Ererh drin k s a pencu of
bt'l" tlh lllrlUlu and casts JudJ of/uilh on himselfbefore enter-
ing co mba t. Once he corners his qU3lry, he enters a martial
spirit sta nce and an acks his foe us ing whatever strikes are
granted to him ar rhe nmettavcnng b tgber-l evel maneuvers
first over lower-level ones). W h ile he is in rhe martial spirit
stance. he exp end s turn undead at tempts 10 usc hi s divine
recovery abili ties.
ER ETH N AZ BEK CR 8
Male huma n cru sader 4/c1eric l /Ruby Knight vindicator 3
IN Medium hu manoid
Init +]; Sen se s liste n +2, Spot +2
Aura lawful (faint)
languages Common, Orc
AC 16, tou ch 9, Ilat-footed 16
(-1 Dex, ...7 armor )
hp 39 (8 HD)
Fort ...7, Ref ...1, Will +10; zealo us surge
Speed 20 ft . (4 squares). base 30 ft.
Melee ... 1! althiofl ..-12/+7 (2d4+7/18-20)
Ranged mwk composite longbow +7/...2 (l d8+4/x3)
Base Atk +7; Cr p ...11
Alk Option s Blade Med itation (Devoted Spirit). Bhnd- Fight ,
divine recovery. furious cou nterst rike, slt'ely resolve 10
Speci.illl Action s protective word l/day (+1, las ts 1 ho ur), turn
undead S/da y (+4, 2d6 ...] HD, 1st)
Combat Cear 2 po tions ofbear's endUrQnu , 2 potions of cure
/ighl wor.mds
Maneuvers and SUnces Known III 7th):
Stances-bolstering voice (lst), martial spirit (1st).
thicket of blades (3rd)
Slflhs-<hargmg mmotaurt (lSI). crusader's striket
(1st). douse Ihe n.illmes (151), entangling blade!
 (4th) , foehammer j (2nd) . s tone bones (lst),
vangua rd str lket (l st)
Disciplines: Devoted Spirit, Stone Dragon . While Raver
t Readied maneuver
Cleric Spell s Prepared (Cl3,d):
2nd-align weapon. holdpen"" (Will DC 14), shield a/herD
ht-bone (Will DC 13). dilline fOliar. soncruoryo, shield
offoith
O-dtltt l magic. guidonct, light. read magic
D: Domain spell. Deity: SI. Cuthbert. Domains:
Dest ruction, Protection ,
Abilities Sir 18, Del 8, Con 10. Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 14
Feats Blade MedltitlOn (Devoted Spiril) , Blind-Fight ,
Devoted Bulwark. Improved jnniauve
Skills Concentration +11. Diplomacy +7. Heal +4 . Hide -2 .
Intimidate ... 15, Jump +3, Knowledge (religion) +9,
Martidl Lone +9, Ride .. 4, Sense MoINe +4
Poss essions ccrnbar gear plus ... I bonded moil, ... J falchi"",
gauntlets of ogre power. masterwork ccmpcsue longbow
(+4 Str), quiver with 20 arrows . two platinum rings 150
gp eacb: foci (or shield other spell), pouch containing
24 gp
~El't'" lIlt bnghltsl
lIght nJlllt casl a Sllo1JOW;
-Doomv-etl. ini tiate of the Shadow Sun clan
A Shadow Sun ninja is a martial artis t who studies rhe balance
between good and evil, light and dark. Founded by a reformed
half-fiend. this figh ting school reaches its studen ts to find
power in balance. A Shadow Sun ninja uses dark energies to
drain his foe's life,but then turns and uses [he power cfltghr
[ 0 lend th at stolen strength ro an ally. A Sha dow Su n ninja is
3 study in comrasrs. She knows rhar evil lurk s in the hear ts
of al1livi ng creatures. Even th e puresr of th e pure suffer
remp rano n. By explor ing her i nner demo ns, bringi ng them
into rhe lig ht. and acce pti ng rh em as part of her soul, she
achieves a dee per unders ta ndi ng ofherself and rhe strength
withi n her. A Shadow Su n nin ja would arg ue tha t denying,
rath er tha n accepting, one's base impulses would be the same
3S refusing ro use one's left arm.
BECOMING A SHADOW SUN NINJA
Most Shadow Sun ninjas are monks or ninjas tsec Compltlt
l~&IIl't"lllrtr) who have studied the Setting Sun and Shadow
H and martial disciplines. In some cases, a swordsage
enters thi s class. A rogue or fighter who studied those IWO
d iscipli nes is 3150eligible for th is class. but such charac-
ters usually lack the una rmed fighting abiliries th at this
class demands.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Alignment: Any good .
BaSI!Attack Bonus: ..3.
Skills: Hide 8 ranks .
Fea ts : Improved Unarmed St rike.
Mart ial Maneuvers: Must know one 2nd-IC'vel Setting Sun
or Shadow Hand maneuver, one Setting Sun mane uver of
any level. an d ant" Shadow Hand rnaneuve r cf any level.
A Shadow Sun mnj3 is a stealthy, unarmed w'artie r who d raws
on th e power of light and dark. Many of he r abtltrtes come
in two forms. She M US. usc the firs t for m of a power befo re
she C3n use th e second. A Shadow Sun ninja cloaks herself
in darkness to hide from her enemies, then leaps from the
shadows wuh a burst oflight to blind her foes.
M aneuve rs : Al 1st, 3N. erh. and srh IC'...~J , you gai n O OL'
new maneuver known from the Serring Sun o r Shadow
Hand dtscipltnes. You must meet a maneuver's prerequisite
to leam it. Youadd your full Shadow Sun ninja levels to you r
initiator level 10 determine you r tOl31 initiaror lC'vC'1 and you r
highl"st-Ievd maneuvers known.
AI51h lewl and 10th k\'t'I.yougain an additional maneuver
readied pl'r day.
Sta nces Kno wn : AI srh level. yo u learn a new marti31
stance from rhe S~lting Sun or Shadow Hand disciplines.
You must meet a sta nce's prerequisite 10 learn it.
Monk Abi lit i~s: Your add your class IC'...·C'I to your monk
level 10 determine your class-based AC bonus, unarmed
doll mage, unarmored speed bonus, penalty on your attacks
when using you r flurry of blows ability. and rhe number of
daily 3[[empts of your Stunning Fist feat.
If you have no monk levels . you gain the AC bonus of 3
monk whose level equals your Shadow Sun ni nja level. In
addi tio n, you gain additional uses of rhe Stunning Fist fcalis
a monk. (Your non-monk, non-Shadow Sun ninja class levels
provide one use pC'r four levels and your monk, and Shadow
Sun ninja class levels provide one use per level.)
You do not COUn! your class levels for the purpose ofdet er-
mining when you gain any other monk class features, such
as bonus feats, evasion, or other special abilities.
Touc h o f the shadow Sun (Su): A Shadow Sun ni nja
strikes a careful balance between light and dark, good and
evi l. Although your heart is dedtca red to good , you know tha t
the shadow ofevi ] will always be a p3n ofyou. This realiza-
tion , along whh care fu l corurol ofyour I:i energy, 3110ws yo u
to wie ld the energy of bo th rhe dark and light aspec ts ofyo ur
being. Th is underst and ing and mastery 3110WS you to dea l
damage w u h on e arrack , then turn and heal an ally w ith th e
reve rse of tha t ha rmful energy.
''<'ilh a melee touc h attack made as a standard action, you
can deal negative enl.'rgy damage equal TO your base unar me d
damage ... yourWis modifier. Note rhar undead are healed by
[h is attac k, since it uses negative energy.
In the round afte r you use this ability. you can to uch a
crea ture as a standa rd action and heal an amoun t ofda mage
equal to the d am age you dealt with your nega tive energy
touch on the previous round. If the target of this healing
touch makes no effcn to prevent you from touching h im ,
you ca n touc h the crearure 35a swift action,
You cannot use both aspects of Ib is ability on the same
round, nor can you use rhe neganve ene rgy touch 3g31O in a
round after you have already successfully used it. After you
channel negative energy Into a creature, you convert that
energy into a positive energy charge that prev'ems you from
using the negative en~rgy aspec t of th is ab ili ty un ti l the
posi tive energy has bern disch arged.
TAILE 5 -8: THE S HADOW SUN NINJA HIT D I E: D8
Base
Attack Fort Ref Will Maneuvers Maneuvers snnce s
Level Bonus Save Save Save Known Readi ed Known Special
1st +0 .2 +2 ...2 1 0 0 Monk .blhtle\ touch of the Shadow Sun
2nd +1 +] +3 -s 0 0 0 Flame or the Shado w Sun
3rd ..2 ..l +3 +l 1 0 0
4th ...] ..4 +4 ...4 0 0 0 Ught WIthin dilrkness
5th .3 .4 .4·4 0 1 \ Dar ness wuhm lIght
6th +4 ..5 +5 +5 1 0 0
7th.j .. +5 0 0 0 VOid of the Shadow Sun
8th .6 ..6 +6 .6 0 0 0 Child or shadow and light
9th ·6 ..0- ..6 ..6 1 0 0
10th +7 ...7 · 7 .7 0 1 0 B a l ~ nce ofl lght ~ndda rk
Class Skills 14 + Int modifier per level): Billilnce. Climb. Concentruion. Craft . D,plomacy. Escape Artist. Hide. Jump.
Knowled ge (arcana). Knowledge (the planes ). Knowledge (religion). Listen. Mart ial Lore- . Move Silenlly. Perform. Prcfessicn,
Sense Mot IVe. Spot. SWIm. and Tumble.
" New skill described on page 28.

Plame of t h e shadow Su n (Su): Begjrming ar znd level.
you ca n create a protect ive cloak of eeganve energy by
usmg you r In. This cloak abs orbs cold d am age. You C3.n
the n gal h er Ihi s ener gv.rransfcrm u . and u nleash il as a
sear mg attack .
As an immediate action. you can shroud yoursdfin sh im-
mering. dark energv th aI pl'O\'ides resistance to co ld 10 until
the start of you r next rum. If Ibis resis tance reduces the
damage your ake fro m an y alla ck or efft'Cl. you ca n take a
swi ft action on you r nex t tu rn to hurl a bolt offi..ry en..rgy
wit h a range' of 60 feel. Th is bolt requi res a ranged rc uch
atta ck 10 h it and deals 2d6 points offire damage.
Lig ht within Darknes s (Su): From 41h level on. th.. dark-
ne ss cannot muf fle your inner light. Rather , the shadows
cause it to see tht' and roil as the light w ithin rou struggles
to break free .
If you rnake a mele.. arrack against an opponent on rh..
ro u nd afre r you make 3 successful H ide c hec k. you bu rst
mr o a sea ring co rona of ligh t. All opponents within 60
fee t ofyou t hat failed 10 detect you while yo u w ere hidi ng
mu st make Forti tude saves (DC to + 1/2 your cha racter
le vel • your Wis modifier) o r be bli nde d for I rou nd.
Creat ur es who are aware of th e ninja , suc h as those who
made successfu l Spot checks 10 no tic e:' her. ar e una ffec te d
bv th is mack .
Darkness wi t h in Light (Su): You kn ow Ih:1f while light
ca n not exis t w u hour darkness, the opposite is also true. By
focusing your b and closi ng your eyes.you view th e world in
:a vague , sh.:rdowy form .Th ose also trapped wu hrn darkness
appear clear 2nd di siinci before you.
Sl3rt ing: at Sih level. you can close your eyes and Will fully
ign ore any othe r sen ses Ih2t confe r the abili lY to pinpoint
the loc at ion o f a cr eature (such as blindsen se. blinds ight,
and scent). You become t"fft'Cth'ely blin ded. but you gain a
special benefit on attacks made agains t target s t hat :.lre also
blinded or efft'Cli\'~· ly blinded. Again st such foes. you ignoCt"
the dn wb3.cks for fighting wh ile hlinded. lnslead. you gain
a +.. bonus on mele e a!lac k rolls and a ... .. bonus on melee
dam ag!' rolls ag3iost such enemit"S. In addilion. if you ha\'("
th .. Srunning Fist feal blinded oppon..nts ukt" 3-1 pena h \'
on rhelr s;r\t"i to resist you rsru nni ng211X"h .
You su ITer th e penaln..s for bring blinded and deafened
un nl th e star t of you r ne I rum . The blindness ca n not be
negated th rou gh 2ny means. nugical or mundane. until th.lI
time. You gain the benefit of rhts abilirv if youwillingly rurn
off your se nse of Sight o r if some etTKI . such as a blmJ lu n
spell robs you of your Sigh t.
Void of rh e shadO\\o' Sun tSur. You eventually learn to
draw upon the power of light to shield you from attacks
Even if an opponent m2n2ges to breech rhi s shield. it is nOI
destroyed. R..th ..r t han fade a....'3y. rbe shi eld shifts into an
aura ofic)' cold , black energy that can harm your enem ies.
Starting at 71h level, as a swift action you can wreath your-
selfina haloofbngh t. flJ.ming Iighr. You gain a ..zdeflccncn
bonus to AC. This ab ility lasts until th e starr of your next
turn. If an opponen t succ essfu lly hits you despite your
Improved AC, you lose Ihe deflection bonus to AC an d }"OU
cannot use th is abili ty again on your next tu rn. However. you
can project a pulse ("lffrigiJ. black energy in 2 so-focr-radlus
burst around you as a standard action in the round afte r your
shield is p ierced . Enemies in Ih is- area take Sd6 points of cold
damage. with a Fort itude saw lDC 10 . 1{2 your character
l..vel + your Wi s mOllifit'r) for halfdamage.
c h il d of Sh adow and Light (Su): As you learn to harness
th e power o f you r ki. you become capa ble of sp illi ng fort h
light anJ dar k energy, Llt'gi nn ing 3.1gth level. you ca n focu s
you r power. engulfi ng rhe area around you in alternanng
patterns ofllght .:rnd dark.
While you art" in a tting Sun or Shadow H and sta nce.
you ca n forgo us normal benefit as a swift acti on to gain the
etTt'Ct of ch ild of shadew and light. This abiliry lasts as lo ng
as you would rnainrain the Setting Sun or Shadow H and
sunce. or as described below. You can also SlOp using child
of shadow and lighr and resume gaining the normal benefil
of th e stance as a swifl acnon.
If)'DU use this ahilhy to exert hght ene rgy, rhe area around
you fills with blinding bghl. All enemies w ith in 2 60-foo l-
radius bu rst becomt' d JZzled (OMe 300) for 1 rou nd. This is
a 9lh- level srell for purf'O~t"S ofdt"tet m ining how it imeracis
....1th magical dukn es~.
If you ..xerr d ark en ergy. the U ..3. around ''DU IS ca~ t mlo
lotal duknes for 1 round in a 6o·foot·r3dIUS burst Th.-
 Jhdllv Is rorrsldered a 'Jl h· k'\t'! pt'll for rhe purp ose of l hampton l,l I \ II aml an N1'( You retal n acre.... 10 all
dcu-rrmmng how um terac rs with magtcalhghr. abiltne-, in Ih l ~ pres tige clas, an d lack a normal "ampul.' ~
As lon g as you mamtam rhis stance, }"OUalternate between vulnerabtluv 10 sunlight . vour vemptrtc body form- in she
pr cjecnng lig hr and darkness. I( Ihls abilit y is acnvc at the 51'01where your mortal form penshed.
begtnmng of your turn, us l'ffecrs reverse. If il project s lignl , Lt'gcnd holdsrhat rhe souls of'Shad ow Sun ninja.. who are
II now pr0Jl'n~ d arkness, and vice vers a. COTTUpll"J in rbrs manner are tmpnscned wuhm Iht' Ir on
You cannot acuvare rhls abililYIn the same round in wh ich Ci ry of Dis, Dlspa rds capnal wuhm Ihe depths of Hdl
vou end iii dTre! succes sfu l queet to Free rbe soul from LIS prison cell desrroy
Balance o f Lighl and Dark (Su): As a Shadow Sun ninja , Ihe vamptre aod restores the Shadow Sun ninja to lite. legend
you srnve rocomrol rour dark ode.even L~ }"OU usc ir ro pcwe r holds Ihal several mlg hl}' Shadow Sun heroes lang uish wirhln
vour martial arts. Scmenmes. particu brly when you fact a Dispa ter's pr ison , wailing 10 be freed.
truly daunnng for. you can allow vour inner shadow 10 run
umra nl . In ..uch can'~, vou undergo a terrible transforma- PLAYING A SHADOW SUN NINJA
tion Wht'n vou adop l lhl" wrarhful banle aspect. your fees As.:l Shadow Sun ninja, you walk the line be lween good
art' doomed '1'1.'1 , t'ac h 11 m.' you use th iSabilny, you teeter and evtl. You have srt'n the- darknen Ih.:lt lurks within your
cl rio dammuon own heart. AS:ll heroi c soul , vou know Ihat ifda rkness IrSIS
AI 10th level. once per day ~ a SWlfl action, you can In you , It mus l dwdl in every mortals heart You arr
transform mto acreature oi pu ~ d.arknos for t min- mlu u lh· susptcious ofOl~rs~prone
ure Your bod y and all u..m.. you carry when you 10 seek OUI hidden rhrear s Even
transform become a deep, Inky black. You gai n while sitting in the m ids t of your
immunity ro cnucal hil S mind.afft'Cring comp.anlOns in the warmest and
abihnes, J~lh .aIIX ls.. energy drain, welcoming of e nvirc nmem s
and poison. You also pin a +R bonus you feel the d arkness clawing at
on Hrde checks.. 'e g.aIJ\'t' ene rgy your so u l, and }"OU see the lurk-
meeks. su ch as Inf",t spells, heal ing ev il that waits In the' hearts
rather rhan harm 1.'00 . You gainl1 .~ of all creatu res.
bonus on allJcks Jg:tinsl crea- You pursue good for us own
rures in areas ofdarkness or sak e. If you arrive in a lawn bto-
shade w y illumination, set by evil and drive OUT or s1:I')'
In addition 10 Ihr sl' ben - the villa ins. yo u are li ke ly to
efirs, wuh each successfu l 11.'3"1' without sayin g a word
unarmed anack you make. or m aking any effcnrc ga rher
you can cheese to bestow acclaim or befriend those you
one negative 1t'Vl'1 on your SOlved. A few monrhs later, you
opponent . You lll'al S points might re tu rn a nd ensure Ih al
of damage (or each negariw level your good deeds have endured.
you bestow,The-e neganve lev- You kn ow Ih 31 when evi l f311s,
els disappear in 1 hour. peo ple who were good an d wel-
If rh.. subjecr has ar least as com ing when vou lef m ighl
many nl'gallvc levels as l-I D, ir h ave t urned to Iyu n ny In
dies . Each nrga ri\'e lewl gives "our absence,
a crrature a - I pcn:rhy o n .11- Once you have complel·
tack roll s, s.:lving throws, sk ill ed you r n aining and left the
checks. ability checks. and ef· Sh.1dow Sun enc1:lve when'
(ective le~·el (for Jtlermining you learned the order's se-
rhe poWN. dur:tllon . DC , and (Tels, yo u (:In expeCl lutle-
other details of 5f'C"lIs or special co nuC I wilh oth e r ninjas. The
:abilities). Addil ionally, a spC"ll· p rocl' S S of joini ng the Sh adow Sun~
caster lo~1.'S Ont' sf'C"ll or spell sia l forces you to look ;\1 [be worst paTls 01
irom her hlghesl avai 1.able level. your soul wilhout flin ching. Although
Segauvl,!t'W'ls ~uck . Ih.. ninJ3s of Ihisordcrarr strongenough
Allht' end o f you r lransformal ion. yo u lake I point of 10 e ndu re s uc h trials. il'w of Ihem wish 10 be reminded
Con~t1 rulion d.1magt pe r nrgal i\'e le\·C'1 yo u be slowed .lf o f Ih em. Sh ad ow Sun dOJos arr usually :IIus[ere, isob led
th iS damage drops you r Con slltulion 10 0 or lower, you r places wilh Ih r ambience of a gravl"prd or 3: ro mb . Only
bOl.h dlssipalt's inlO an inky cloud . Unless you are resl ored Ih e s h.adowspt"ake r, the dOJo s ht'.:Id rr.alnt'r .and m3ster,
10 hfe by Inlt rt'lllm'tll on, you n5e in td~ day s as a vampire. dwells there on a permanent basis. A Shadow ~un n inJ.:I
'lour alignment become5 e\'il , Ihough )"Our :rlignml'nI on lhe s..ek s.1 Sh3dowspt'aker's 3dvlce on h· under Ihe mosl press
w ch ao aX is rem:rm s Ihl' s.:Ime You are now a dedic.:ned ing cireumsran(es.
COMBAT
In banle. you ahemare between srealrh and a vinous. fromal
awaulr Your rrai mng focu ses on the dualuv of your soul ,
and rh ts comes thro ugh in vour tacti cs. xtany of your abili-
ue shift between light and dark effects. Thu s, you mighl
lurk In she shadows 10 take advan tage of darkness abilities,
then leap Inrc rhe fny 10 barhe your opponerus in 3\"("Og-
tng 1Ighl . As the 5Iu dO\\, return' . you slip awav 10 Slut the
proc ess agam ,
The Spring Attack (('.:11 is an excellent choice for \'OU ,.lIS is
Blind-Fight , Darkness shrouds you. but you have nc speci..1
abllilY10 see th rough II. A magic uem that grants darkvinon
provides you with an irnportanl edge. Th e ongirul Shadow
Sun m n J.:lS Wt'U' half-orcs and half-demons. when rheydcvel-
oped this fighung style. ,hey gave lillie though t to creat u res
wh o wert' blind in the dark.
ADVANCEMEI\'T
The se who seek rhe shadow Sun parh are usually tormented
by som e deep divide within th eir perscnal ines. If you joi n
Ihis p resage class, YOU.llft' like-Iy no differeru. Half-orcs who
slrugglt' 10 walk J. rig hteous pJ.lh despite racially mcnvated
hatred an d tau r us find rh e Shadow Sun path ap peali ng ,
part icu lu ly II" tho se same ind ivid u als a lrea dv follow rhe
monk s path and make an efforr to con trol th e darkness tholt
hI'S wuhrn them.
Once you joi n rbe Sh ad ow Sun order and mas ter Irs
bas ic tea chmgs (in ga mt" terms, 13k/' lSI leve l in Ihi s class).
you are on you r ow n . Th e path of Ih e Sh adow Sun is one
mean t for th e In dividual. O thers ca n no t help ~'ou find rhe
ba lance between you r good and ev il n atures. Only you
can achieve rhis. Some Shadow Sun ninjas n ever again
cross paths wuh a member of th is order once they leave
t ht"i r JOJo.
~\~ mcnuoned aoon'. Sprmg Anack and Blind·Fight :Ire
excellent feolt chok es for mt'mbt'rs of Ihi s prestige c1Jss. You
~ho uld Jt~o considt'r gain ing ranks in Hide, M OVt, Sile nt ly,
Tumble, and Balance , Thl'Sl'skills allow you ro move abo ut
Iht' llJll lefield mor e easily,
RESO URCES
Shadow Sun ninja s rt'ly on ly upon th ~m s e l \'t's . Som e of
th t'm long for Ihe compani on sh ip ofgood, rel iable friends ,
Th us, t hey fre qu ently joi n wilh her oic adve nluri ng ba nd s
10 fighl injustice. Howt'vr r, sholdow Sun n injas rarely de velop
dt't'p fri /'nd sh ips.
~ h n y Shadow Sun ninj.u adopi new names to reflect
lht' r.ath t ht' ~· WJ lk. A ninja ust"s th is name wht'n dt'al ing
w ith olhers bUI someri mt"s, when she fonns a pnticul.arly
c1o~t' bond with an ally. she m igh l shue her birth n:a m/' .
Th IS act sho ws df'ep trust and failh. To a sb.adow Sun
ninj.a . he r old name r~prt'st'n l s t ht' tu nnoilthat raged
wn h lD her Nfore she learn/'d 10 cont rol h er dnk SIdc.'. In
t'ssence, a ninj a is g ivin g her com pan ion lhe nam e of Ihe
dull. Iwin thai resid es wi lhin ht"r soul. Wht'n a Shad ow
Sun nlnJol O\'e rexl ~ nd s h~r pOl\'t'("S and fall s into d.arkness.
rh e" vamplrt' thai arise~ In ht'f place Iypicall) u~es h/'r
bmh name.
SHADOW SUN NINJAS
IN THE WORLD
Thi f't'.It sl,d htl i mrly Pt(l1lU( shc tI(I'cr lord us hir lIu1\'lf.liar
would slrt lIt 1(1 I1lfow lIS 10 cur lllft· lltr form HI . 10llf, EWII If slu
A ~(srl'lIl'.u1l 10 bt rtnltltlPtrt d, Wi wIll sm g of hfr duds. If 11111
tUrrVt,lr Ihlll lll ,( rtl ll'IYS u drd E:i'II .~
- Aroas Run emom,Th ane of the Eight Peak Sr il"l'
Shado w Su n n inJ2s ra re ly gather in large numbers, wal k
th e land In anony mi ty. an d tram in remere. Inbcspuable
OUt~ tS_ Thus. addi ng tbem to your campaign is relatrvelv
eiSY. They co uld be acn ve in a reg ion for years, but liult' IOIT
about rhem exISts aside fro m laks of WIDell'sSstrangers w ho
appt"Jr, defen e\'11. an d fade back into the night.
A ch n acterwho might ru rs u~ lh is path is mos t likely 10
discO\~r the Shadow Sun ninjas by accide m. For exa m ple. a
shadow Sun nl nJ.1 m ight . if she St"t"S.1 prespecuve member
secretly place a map 10 rhe nea rest dcjo wir hm the possible
nmJa's poS\t'sslons. Jf rbe penuoner c.an reach th e dojo .and
survive rhe tranung. she b«0IDt'5 a mnJa. .Many Shadow Su n
warriors don r even know the idennnes of rbe ninjas who set
them along Ihi s path .
O RGANIZATION
The Shadow Sun ni njas lack a formal, co mplex organizatio n,
They art' wa ndere rs an d loners. AI limn , a Sb edcwspeaker
might send word 10 all the Sha dow Sun ninjas he trained.
Thi s event co mes to pas s on ly wh en the Shad owspeaker
resrs on deaths door, in whi ch case the n inj.as choose a new
Shado wspea kerfrom among rheir rank s.orifa great evil has
arise n. Such garhenngs to defeat an evil bei ng, called shado w
hunts, happen perbsps onc e each ce ntu ry, If an evil power is
tmght y enough 10 demand such ane nnon , few of the Shadow
Sun ninjas aI\" likely co surv ive Ihe bail ie .ag3inst it.
The Shadow Su n ninJJ.s lack any rt'<orded hislo ry, astJt'
from a few rar e scrolls tha r co mpile information on tht'
enemies Iht" y (o1 c ~. J n the a(cerma lh of a shadow hu nt, Ih e
survivors bu ild an elaborate lomb for the ir fallen comrades ,
r«onl the eVt'nlSo f Iht'irdt':I1hs, and stort' scrolls describing
tht' evil lh ey faced for the benefit or fUlure generations, To
J\"oidg ra\'(' robbt'r~ and other des poilers. tht" Shad ow Sun
ninps USUollly build th ese tombs f.arfto m civili zatio n. If lhe
need is grt'al E'M ugh, the ninjas shar/' th(' locat ion of th~
lombs with th ose who would btonefu from Ihe informacion
hidden in th em _
NPC REACTIONS
SIudow Su n ninja s ru ely pro\·oke .an u t r('me ft"act ion ,
sinc~ few know of th(' ir lrue nat ure, their powen , 3nd Ihelt
g02ls. ~l em bto r ~ of Ihl S o rder.al"l' h3pr it'M wht'n they can
rctform their dm s with few compl ic.alions :and linIe or no
olltt" nt ion . ~t OSI com mo n folk rt'gard Ih e n injas as slighlly
inlimidating, Thelrquiel. rrsel"Vt'd manner, combined wilh
their gI\".a1 figh ling I3len l, m:J.k~s tht"m vaguely menacing.
Some towns and rilles dm'e ofTshJdo\\' Sun ninjas for fe;ar
that the ... conson with evIl po"·/'t"S. The ntnJ.1!i f)'PicaUv :I\"Otd
such locatwns bu t ~ hould t'VlI anse In one of t ~ . I h~
tnlght sImply \\ rk ID secrt' t.
SHADOW SUN LORE
Characte rs wi th ranks in Knowledge (arca na) can research
Sh adow Sun ni njas ro learn more about them. When a cha r-
acter makes a skill c heck. read o r paraphrase the following,
Includ ing the information from lower DCs.
DC 10: Shadow Sun nin jas art' loners who figh t e vt l on
their own te rms.
DC 15:Supposedlv.rhese ninjas Use rbe powe-rsof darkness
against rhelr en erm es .
DC 20: Shadow Sun ninjas harne ss both dark <lind light in
b3llJe. This represents rbe competition in their own souls
betwe-en rheir good and evtl aSpKls. They are hemic. blll lhry
draw rhetr pcwer by skirting close to rhe powers of evil.
On e does n OI find a Shadow Sun ninja. Rather. a ninja
find s you. Sc me u mes, ga ngs of rou gh s post" as membe rs of
Ihis presti ge c bss 10 strike terror in co m moners and o rher
weak folk.Such ant ics e nd qUickly if .:I re.:ll Shadow Sun nin):I
hea rs of th em.
SHADOW SUN NINJAS
IN THE GAME
:\ Sh adow Su n n in ja wo rk s well as a mys te rious, pe rh aps
untrustworthy NPC who all ies wit h rhe ch arac ters against
.1 powerful, supernatural th rea t. A wandering ninja migh t
know somerhing abour a de mon's weaknes ses. and rhe Pe s
must work with him ro ove rco me rh e mon ster. H oweve r. the
ninja's tendency reward suspicio n makes her relancnshrp
with the part y icy at bes r.Th e charac ters musr decide whether
10 trust th e ni nja or st rike OUi on t heir ow n. A villain might
pose :IS a Shadow Sun n i nja , usi ng rhe o rde r's mysreriou s
nature tocloak hi s true nature.
This pr esugc class is a good cho ice for a player who likes a
character wirh a tragic back srory. ~lany Shadow Sun mnjr s
seek to escape a tragedy o r mis take in rh eir pasr. A PC labor-
ing under a dr eadful cur se, or one who is secre rly a reform..d
villain, is a good march for t hi s clas s.
ADAPTATION
Th e word "ninj a" str ikes ma ny OM s JS an a nac h ro n ism,
or at least a misplaced cu ltural element, in t he 0&0 game
world . T h is pr esti ge class cou ld also represent an o rd e r of
monster hunters, a band ofgood-aligned assassins that smkes
down evildoe rs, or a maniaI art taugh t by a speci fic, isolated
mo naster y,The key Irail in rht s presti ge class is rbe struggle
be tween light and dark t hat lies at its cen ter. The rest of the
dcscripnc n is me rel y me ant to i ns pi re, If the descrtpnons
donr work for you , rh ink of any races. religio us orders, and
o ther aspec ts of your campaign where the st ruggle between
light and dark woul d be a good fil.
SAMPLE ENCOUNTER
The PCsa re likely 10 encounter a Shadow Sun ninja at any lim e
the y fight again st an evi l force rhar threaten s rbe land.
EL 8: Doomveil is a half-ore Sh adow Su n ninja who seek s
to nghr IhC' wrongs she co m m ined in th e pa st . O nce, she'
\VII S a
member 01 an ('\'11 mona snr orde r ded icated 10 1ll'xlOT
Horn a nd raised In th e monaste ry, she never knew anything
beyo nd comba t training.devoti onal prayt'lS 10 Hextor, and rh...
occasional raid to quash a pea sant uprising in the conquered
land around mona stery, During o ne suc h raid, s he me t a
clerlc of Pelor who, recognizing t he fundamental spark 0 1
good wuhin her soul, co nvi nc ed her ro rum aside her 1."\'1I
ways , Since th e n . Doomvell h as t rai ned as a Sh adow Sun
n inja. If th e characters fighl3gains l Hextor and his minions
Ihey m igh t find her lurkin g at t he edge oftheir st ruggle. she
prov ides assis ta nce by pass ing alo ng imelhgence sh e gathers.
scouti ng He xro r's temples in disguise, and so fon h . If rhe
characters 3fC' close 10 \'iCtOIY. she offers her direc t assistanc e
10 aid them.
D O O MYEIL CR 8
Fe male half-ore monk 6/Shadow Sun ninji 2
Al LG Medium hu m anoid (Otc)
Init +2; Sen ses da rievis ion 60 ft.. listen +3. Spot .,.]
Langu ages Com mon, Ore
AC 19. tou ch 16, flat-foo ted 17;
(+2 Dex, +] Wis. +1 cla ss. +2 armor...1 nalu ral)
hp 55 (8 HD)
Immune no rmal diseas e
Resist evas ion , cold 10 (flame of the shadow sun)
Fort 1'11, Ref +11. Will 1'12 (...14 aga inst enc hantments)
Speed 50 ft. (10 s q uares)
Melee unarmed s t rike +7 (l dl O+2) o r
Melee unarmed s t rike +6/ +6 (ldlO+2) with flurry of blows
a'
Melee mwk kam a +8 (ld6 +2) o r
Melee lauch +7 (l d l0.,.3 negative energy) with touch of the
shado w sun
Ranged to uc h +7 (2d6 fire) with name of the shadow sun or
Ranged mwk light cro ssbo w +8 (ld8/19-20)
Base Atk +5: Crp +7
Alk Op lio ns Stun ning Fist (DC 17, 6/day) , flame of the
shadow s un, ki s trike (ma gic), tou ch of the shadow s un
Co mb at Gear pOlionof cure modtratt: wounds
Man eu ver s Know n (IL 5th) :
Strikes-mighty throw t (l st). shadow blade technique
(l st)
Counters- baffling derenset (2nd )
Orher-shado w jauntt (2nd)
Disciplinu: Selling Sun . Shadow Hind
t Readied maneuver
Abilities Str 14, Dex 14, Can l<4 .lnt 8. Wis 16. Cha 8
SQ slo w fall 30 ft.
Feats Deflect Arrows ' , Improved Disarm!, Im proved
Unarmed Strike' , Mar tial Slud y (might y throw), Mar lial
Stud y (shado w blade techn ique). Martia l Study (shadow
ja unt), Stunning Fist'
Skills Hide +13. Mo ve Silen tly +13, Sense Mot ive +14
Possessions combat gear plus masterwork kama ,
ma ste rwo rk light crossbow with 20 bo lts. bracers of
armor +2, amulet of natural armor.,.1, brooch of §hie/ding,
doak of fesislan c~ +J
 he nin e swords-weapons spec ifically
crafted to embody each of the mart ial
disciplines-c-are more than simple leg-
ends. They are relics tha t remain hidden
somewhere in the world . Ma nymarrial adepts
-spend a great deal oftime seeking out these weapons because
each grams its wielder tremendous power and artistry in his
chosen co mbat sty le.
A weapon of legacv has the capacity to grow in power as its
wield..r advances in 11.'\1'1.'1. Ideally, acharacter would carry lind
en sh the same weapon throughou r his ..m in- career.
l ni liall y, III weapon oflegacy might seem like nothing
mere rh an a sta ndard magic u em. On ly wh en the wielder
leern .. so me thi ng of its p ast does he begin to understand
1bu hu weapon hol ds un tapped pcreena l Un LIDe
weapon', h tsrorv prov ides him With the ke ' r p
" •
The in form alion on legacy we-a pon s pro vided here is brief,
bur it shou ld be sufficient for you to use rhew eapons featured
in th is book. For more det ails on tn ccrporanng legacy weap-
ons mro your campaign, consult Weapo"s (If Ltgary.
Na me a nd Desc ript io n : Each legacy weapon description
begins with the- phys ical featu res ofthe item..Assuming the
characrer doesnr already k ncw rhe weapo n's name, itcan be
determined with a DC IS Knowledge (history) check.
No n legacy Carne Sta t is tics: Every legacy weapon bas
certam magical p ropert ies that are accessible to any charac-
ter. Inform ation on th ose powers can be glean ed th ro ug b
t he nor mal method, ofidentif\'ing magic hems. The COSt
gwen here is tor a normal m agic item of the legacy weapon's
kmd.essu og thaI its true status is still unknown. In fact .
welpona art' pnceless.
cyJtem has en omen, a m m or power th ai
}jIbl • solM.hmg specel,
1510 which
.i1charac tcr CIn learn wha t spec ific rues. prccedore-, or r er
emomes are ncce ~ary to bond with a wt.'apon and unlock
If powC'rs.
Lear ning .1 piece of a wea pon S PiiSI requi res a Knowl-
edge hl ~tor y) check. with inc re- :l. ~i ngly difftculr DC s for
more escrertc or perttnenr fact s. If an yone succee ds cn
such a chec k and co m m u nicates rhe re levant informa-
tion to the wielder. he ca n uncover rhe r itual associated
..n ih rhat pUI of the weap on's Iegacv. The skill check DC
and Ih C' rnual gleaned from :I. successful check appear
paremheucallv al rhe end of each rele vant paragraph in
a weapo n's h lslory
Leg acy R it u al s: Every leg:lcy .....eapon in tbls book has
three rituals associa ted wuh it; .IIC':1.st,:I. ~SC'r. and a grC'.1ttr
ritual. In addlllOn to any lasks required. C'Vf!ry legacy nnnl
has a gold plC~n' COSTfor mate rials expended during Irs perfor-
m ance. Per form ing these muals granlS acces s ro a weapor's
least. lesser . and grea ter abtlines, respecuvelv,
A wielder ..... ho meets a weapon s requirements (<;j.' e below)
and completes rhe least legacv rnua] can use Ih3t legacy
we apo n's 1C'3sl abtl lll es. \'("uh each additional rilUal co m-
pleted. a new nngC' cflegacv abihnes becomes a"Jihble.
Each It'g3cy .1bi lll l also has a mini mu m character level
associatedwuh it . Acharacrer bclo..... lh is 1eYt'1ca n complete a
ritual, bu t he ca n't use rhe correspond ing legacy abi lity u ntil
he reaches th e req uired level.
W ielder Req ur remer us. In mucb the same way as meet-
Ing the requirement s for C'ntry In IO II prest ige cl ass, eac h
prospect ive wielder oi a legacy weapon mu st m ee t cer tai n
requ ireme nt s 10perform 3ny legacy ritual associ:lft'd wi lh
it, or to USt' an y of It S legacy abilines. These req uiremems
need nOI bt' m.' t for t he ch:l.tacTC'r to use Ih C' ile m's no n·
legacy abi lir it-s.
Personal COSTS: In addi tio n 10 perfonning a ril ual and
paying ils gp cos t, Iht.'wieldl'r m ust willi ngly pay th e in.!l-
c:lled pe rsonal COSts-such JS hit poi nl loss or pt'n altil.'S on
saving Ihrows-Io u se a legacy we-apon's abil ilies . The~e
pe rsonal cos tSare permanr nt and represe nl the weapon t:l.P--
pin g int o ils wir ldl·rs vilJl em'rgy 10 unlock its fu ll polent ial.
Each weapo n has different pt'rsonal COSIS.
The- w ir ld...r mllSI pay Ihl' pC'rsonal cost immt'Jia t...ly
upon reac hing th e chaT3c ler le\'e l ar w h ic h it is asse ssed .
.1ftt'T d l o lher levC'l·rebled adjuslments. If he is unable
10 pay the COSI, he does nOl gain 3ny Ie-gacy abilities asso'
ci3ted wi th Ih ar level unti l he can pay . The COStS apply
whC'ther or nOI Ih e chanC Ier is aClh'e!y wit'lding the
leg ac y we3pon .
Unleu ot he rwisC' nOlC'd, m ulr ipl e va lues In th e S3mt'
colum n3 te no t cumula riW'. ln e.3ch ca~, Ihey re presenl tl:e
t0131pcon;lhv appl~d.
AIt.u k Pt""l1y:-lhis value rr pn"SC'nl Sa pennan enl pe nahy
on all The wiC'l ller s attack rolls .
S<Jw P....<llJr ; lhls valuC' rcpTesenls a permanent pt'na lty
on Ih e wie ldrr's saving th rows. Unless Ihe column's headcr
notes 3 spn"ThC ~a\' , the pe na lly applies t0311 sa\'es.
Hit f'ollll l.t'Sl: lhe \\;eIJer pelID.1neru!y lOSe'S thC' mdic3ttd
n u ~ r ol hI! POint S lhrlC' \'alue~.ne cumuL:UI\"e
l . t' ~ l1 q' \~h' apon ·,b ll uil':lo : Un l l's~ noted ot herwi e
charac ter must be beldin g the weapon ro acnvare an ablltl
and Kli\latmg a legacv abilil YISa M:l.nJud action rhar doe
nor provoke attacks ofopporrunnv, Co nnn uoesly active abtll
til'Sarc in t'ffcet as long 351hl' character carries the Wl'apon
on his person .
The save DC foranv legacy ability is eq ual to 10· IhC' leve ]
of the s~1I or effect • IhC' m inimum ablluy score needed t
(351 Ih3t level of spell, jus l as normal for nugic items. fbI'
wlC'IJds Charisma modifier can be substituted for I h~ abll-
ill' mod ifier normal ly used by the item, ifrbe save DC result
wou ld be higher.
DESERTWlND
L>';wor l \~'l"J is a slC'nJl'r and graceful seteuur crafted oi dun
109 necl. Iun rous IVOf)', and polished gold . Its hi h is set with
brilliant blue sapphires and hery TC'd rabies.
No te: The ongmal descnpncn of rhis weapon appeared
m rhe \'('tl1f'O"S of ltg.zCl' supplement. H ere, it h as been
moolfu·J s1ighlly 10 make it conform ro rbe c ha racrens
ucs of rhe other e-ight discipline-fo u nding swords Even
if Yl'U have Wraf'O llI of lrglHy, the versio n descnbed below
is recommended if you are using any of th e 0 1her rules
from Ihl S book.
Son legacy Carne Statis tics: ..I snmllar, COSI ! .315 gp
Weigh l "lb. On a successful :II14Ck. Cksn1 WinJ dea ls 1 POlOt
offire damage in addmon [ 0 its no rmal dam age.
O m-u: A soft. warm breeze briefly su rrounds th e wie lder
wht'n he gras ps Clt'strJ WII1J 'S hi h. The blaJ~ grows ~'(' ry hOI
when w ielded in bail ie, glowing red ore\'C'n ,,,h ite.
HISTORY
Th(' gt'neul de sig n oi [kitrl Wi,hl sugg('SIS Ih at its crealOr
h ailt ,J from ol1e of thC' g reat , se m im yt h ica l cities of Ih e
soulhe rn dest'rt s. 1n Iht'se met rop olises, all citizens k now
po w...rful magic. and ge nie s walk th e stret'ts alo ngsid e
mo rtals. The co m munitit's are presideJ o\'e r by po.....erful
caliphs an d em in, who ru le wi lh iron fis ls hidde-n wi thin
sil kl'n gloves of cou nly int rigu e and du plicity. Dt 5<:rl Wln,l
was s u rdy de signt'd for suc h a wea h hy noble, be cause no
mer ... soldie r cou ld afford the finery of a blad e such as thIS
one. Tht· fact Ihal lhl' sc im ita r is func lional3n d bea ut ifu l
shows Ih .11 ils ownC'r was a discerning warrior, not one who
carriel13 sword o nly for show. The dU31 lheme s o f fire and
ai r, reflectl' d in Ihe J(,weled inlays and Ih e go ld emboSSing
on the hlad e, hinl al a possible supe rna tural origin for the
swor d, pe rhaps tied to Ihe stories of thl' genies Ihat dwell Tn
the dese rt citil.'S. (DC t s)
Lltwotl U:'lI1J was commis~ioned by th C' emir Rash id ~n
Daoud, a wealthy and po'ol"erfulrnercha nllord of the sou lhC'm
wasl('s. Rash id bui lt his empire not on suc h paltry, mund3n~
goods as go ld and 5ilvC'r or exo Tic silks 3nd spice~, bUl an
ru e an d p rec ious ~pC'!1 components and magic :lflifaClS
from across t he planes. Rash id compe ns:l tC'd e:urapl:l.n.ar
advC' nlurels amply for The rC'lrieval of body parts from
l'XOIlC oUlsidr t . m31C'f1al fro m di sunl planar lonb. and
orher rue sund ries ior whi ch wizards we re wrl hng 10 pJY
a hlEth pnu' bUI unwilling 10 risk their ow n ne ck... GIH'n
rhe nature o f his bu siness, il is unsurprising Ihal Rashid
m ade several powerful enemies wh o would have d elighted
in the e mi r's death by d ow torture. So Rashid hired rhe
[inesr bod ygua rds that money cou ld bu y a nd fil led h is
home with enoug h magical wards and traps 10 protect an
enure 10'01 ci ty. O n lap o f these prec autions. in case 311 h is
de fenses failed and h is person \\'35 d ire-ctly rhrearened.
R3sh id commissioned t he for ging of Oc,,' rf \t'lnJ by an
efreeu we apce smnb called Haqt rn. \'t'il h 51e('1 maned irom
the Elemental Plane of Earth and .a forge Flame born on
the Elemental Plane of fi re , Haqirn crea ted a mag nific en t
sctmua r. (or which R3shid pa id heedsc mely. (DC 18; Rife
of rhe fb mt')
Rashid received hi s sword. marveling OI l It S razor sharp-
ne ss, perfec t ba lan ce , and nea r weigbrless ness, but sti ll he
fea red the corning of h is enemies. He then look rhe scim i-
tar to a J jinni of h is ar quainrance, a sorcerer n amed ~ 1J.bq.
10 wh om Rashid had sold many rue anJ valuable artifacts.
RJ shlJ Jsked !l.l .tlaq 10 lay spells of pro tec u on and su re-
ne ~ in banle mro the blade. H e asked IhJl rhe weepon
defend h im from .1 11 JSSJult . lh JI it ward Ofgam sllh.. pre-s-
en ce of these from beyond rb is world. and thai II be able
10 st rtke down his enemies . sliCIng th rough rhern as a bird
CUiS the air wuh us Wings . Mal aq look Iht' swordand
examined it, and though he saw from li Sconst rue-
lion rhar it was
rhe workof rhc
haled efreet .
he agreed to the
emir's request. \'(' it h
a coin made fro m 3 Slo ne. a
song stolen from dtn. and a knife fro m u nder the
hills. !l. lala\l wow hi s mOSI powerful spells int o the swo rd,
The steel practically th rum med with power. scarcely able 10
con tain Ihlo sorccnes placed u po n if. W hell allasllhe cast-
Ing WJS done. .\l 3laq swore lhat he had nevt'r p erformed
s uch migh ty mag ic and Ihal Ras hi d W;lS surely;ls safe as
any In.a n cou ld ~w , w il h hi s prote ct ive." wards. h is c apab le the creatures orlhe air. eml : t 2,700 gp. Feat Granfe-d : l('sser
bodyg uards, and h is sword cufted i1nd e ns orc elled by ge -
ni (' ~ Rash id look lhe swo rd and (eh Ihe awesome power
singing \\'ithlO il. He paid generously for il. (DC 25: Rite
of the C louds)
Though Rashid now possessed the finesl sword Jmong
aU Iht' lord s of Iht' Jt'sen, Ihis fantaslic wt'a pen v,'ilS.1150 hi s frivolous ly. 't'ou musl lhl'n IU\'elto tht' beggu's quarter of
grealest folly. So much of hi s fortune h3d RJshid spe nl upon
lJtSlrl \t" nJ tha t ht' had no mor t' mon ey w it h wh ich 10p ay
hiS ad\'enlu re" for Iht'irdiscO\·erit's. 'o':'ilh no remu ner.u ion
fonhcolTllng. RJsh id's supplien turned d St'wht'fr to sell lhc.oir WIELDER REQ IREMENTS
gooJ~ \'('ilh no ru e and PD'\·t'rful spell com po ne nts 10tu de,
Rashid had no money 10 pay hi s guards 3mJ set\'lllnis. They all
left him. Wilh no servants 10maintain them , R.Jsh id·smagIcal
wn d s falter ed and t'xpired 3nd his tnps ru slt'd and roned,
becomlOg useless. Soon. naught stood be lwt'en IUshld and
h iSenemiC's
'\li?uh norhmg 10 hold them 31 bay, the outsiders from
whom R.1shld had prorued began 10 close in on him . [>tm f
\i'lnd , once meant 10 be Rashid 's 101'01 line of defense. was
now his o n ly prorecuon. !l.ti ghl Ythough the sc im itar was,
and skilled OfS Rashid was with a blade. he co u ld nor sta nd
alone :rgains l h is ad ver sa r tes . H e ra n. The life of a pauper
did nOI ag ree w u h Rash id . however. and he fou nd he was
i ncapable of earni ng co in 10 pav for hi s keep. At long 1.1'01 .
he WJS cornered by agerns of the devil prmce Clcrnc rh Ih..
~lJJeflCc nl a nd dragged shrit'kl ng imo rhe Nine Hells. Pop-
ula r tal es recount
h is fale- to be
daily rom apatl
by de\'11s harvest-
ing h is flesb.onlv 10
be rejuve nated eac h morn-
ing to suffer the sa me f:r te
again. O f DesaI \t'IIIJ'S fil le, no
fab le speaks. IDC 31: Ri fC
o f rh e Pau p er)
LEGACY RITUALS
Th ree r itua ls are required 10 unlock
all the abili ties of D<strt \'f' lnJ.
Rilt' o f the fl;1m t': Siner I.ltvrt WIltJ was
forgcoJ in tbe fires of the efreen Haqtm's home
plane. you mU~1 th rust the blade into a source of
bli slt'ring heal, lelling rbe mC'fal grow white -hal be-
fore rem o\"lng n. You must rhen allow rhe blad e to coo !'
putting u back into tb c I la me when the blade di m s 10 its
normal co lor. Thi s cycle mu st be repeated wfrh our intcrrup-
lion for 2.. hours, Blazes crlgtea ung on th e Elemental
1'1 ':lOe of Ftre are su ffiC ient for this rask, but on the
~taleri ill Plan e, only molten lava is hOI eno ugh 10
SC'tVt'. T1w scimi tar isn ·' harm ed bythis treatment. Cos t: 2,000
gpoFear Cramed : l eJSllegacy (Lkstr f WmJ).
Riteof th e Clo u d s: You are requi red ro chmb 10 the pea k
of a IiIII mounlilin (.1 11(,:1517,000 feel ) with (he sword. Allhe
peak, yo u mu sllighl a greal fire and burn incense pleas ing 10
Legacy (l.k u rJ \X'I/hl).
Ri te o f t he 1'3 Upt'r: You musl cor rKtthe mistak ts Rashid
be n Daoud m ade in Ihe cr eation of the swo rd_This requires
you 10 sel asid(' one -q ua nt'r of all monies and \;aluables you
collec l for o ne m onlh , \'ow ing ne ver to sp end thJI su m
any largc cit)'. CO!it: 40,500 gpoFeat Gnmted: Grea ler Leg.aC\'
(Dtst'r l \t'",J
Any ma rtially Inc lin ed chanC Ier wh o pr('fers a ligh t, qu ick
Wl":rpon benefil s from ~r l '\\md, bu t .1 swords.age or olhet
initute o f .he Dt-serl lX'md di SCipline finds Ih JI the blad...·s
abilitit"S murar his ow n.
DUEll WIND W I ELD fR REQUIREME NTS
Attack bonus ...]
Wt'i1pon Focus (sclml l ar)
1. GAGY WEAPO N ABILITIES I an the Hames (Su): Btogtn nlng ar 151h level , yo u ran
All th e- following art' legacy abilities of lHstr l W·md. use the fan rh e fla mes maneuve r (see page 53) 31 will, a ~ II
De sert c hild (Su ): AI 51h level, you take 10 rh e heal of }"OU kn ewir. H you alr eady know fan the flames, you ins tead
th e desert days and the bn ter chill of t he desert ni ght s 3S deal an extra 1 po im of fire damage per die on you r dam age
though born 10 thai environ mem . Beginning at 51h level. rolls wi th rhal maneuver. Caster Ievel terb.
you consuntly benefit from the effKt of an trlJurt tltmtnfs Flames o f rhe Desert (Su): At 19th level and hig he r, you
spell Casler level stb. can use the wyrms flame m.n~U\~r (se(' pag~ 56) three ume
Fiery Slash (Sp): At 6th level and higher. you can cause pe r day, as ifyou knew it. Ifyou already know burs rofflame.
D,'strt W'ind [Q Spr1Y a fan of flame' <like thoU produced by you instead deal an extra I point of fire damage per d ie on
rhe f,llrni ng hflnds spell ) by slashing the blade in a broad arc. yo ur damage rolls wnh Ihal maneuver.
Th is 3bili lY is usable th ree lim es per Jay. The save DC is
u .cr 11 -vcur Cha FAITHFUL AVENGER
mod ifier, which-
ever is higher. Casler
fa Ithful Avtllger is a cold iron falchion wi th a dull steel blade.
level srb.
Irs hilt is inlaid with ivory an d on yx.
Da n ce of Flame a nd
No nlegacy Ga me St atisti cs : +J (oM iron /,lIdIlOIl; Cos .
Wi n d (5 u): AI 71h leve l,
4,330 gp; Weighl "lb.
you gai n a +2 enhance-
Omen: Whenever Fallhful Avtngtr scores a critica l hil
men t bonus 10 Dexreruy,
while wie lded by a good-alig ned creature, ir flashes wi th a
This bonus increases 10
yellow-white light . If the bearer is evtl.rhe flash ts a slc ke a-
.43 1 Ht h level and 10 1"6
ing green color,
at 17rh leve l.
De s ert Draw (Exl: Starting 011
Blh level. yo u are trea ted as if )'OU
HISTORY
The falchion known as fiJililfu! Al'rllgrr
possessed rhe Quick Draw f~at when
is a mighty w~3pon th ar C3n become
unsbearhmg Dtvrt WinJ,
an extension of irs wielder's wi ll.
Fiery BIade (Su ): At 12th level and higher,
hspurpose has more ro downh
you can imria re the burning blade maneuver
fulfilling a caus~-a n)
(see page 52) up ro t h ree rimes per da y. If you 011-
cause-e-than w ith
ready know burning blade. you Instead gain rhe
represennng any
ability to init iate it as an immediate acncn once per
specific endeavor
encounter, even on another creature's turn.
FillthfulAJitllgtr has bee n
used as oflen 10 enslave tho u-
sands as to free nat ion s bou nd in slavery, because it
Tuu 6 - 1; DESERT WIND
- - -Personal ( 0 515- - - is the devo tion of its wielder that feeds rhe swo rd.
Wielde r Attack Fort Save Hit Point legacy (DC 15)
Failllflll Av.' l1ger follows the heart en d m in d ofi ls wie lder.
~~"~~~~~5~~~
Abilities
Sth
l evel Pena lty Pen alty eserl C I CI Previous wie lders have included jumk, a noble paladin who
6th Fie 51as 3 a used Ir to de fend a ham let from a marauding black dragon,
7th -1 2 Dance 0 name and Lcrissra, a virtuous champion who foughl agains t rhe

~ E~~~~;~§~~;~~~'"
7 d
~ w~n
~ d
tyran nical Black Eagle Baron. When lorissta fell , the sword
2 draw Desert
... J ammg+2
sdmilor was passed 10 one of the Black Eagle's lieutenants, who used
2 it viciously in a number of brutal raids on nearby villag es.
(DC 20; Awak~ning)
Those who bore FaIthful Avtngtr for long periods of lime
often found them selves on quests to prove their devotion to
2 Dance offlarne their chosen principles. Henrtkel the [us r annihila lC'd an
and wind ...<C
Fan di ~ am es evl! elemental node, and Karryn the Stout destroyed a lich s
2 +2f1am;ng bun' phylaClcry. Norbrand the Bold, on the e ther hand, defea ted a
uim;lar gold dragon rharrhrearened to expose his slave-dnven mining
0'
Dance name
and wmd 6
operations. (DC 25; Nurturing)
The deeds of faithflll Al'trlgtr's grea teSt wielders have been
+3 flaming burs t written into th e annals of hi st ory. Acererak was th rown
scimitar down, Orcus's wa nd was shattered, and na ricns w.. re lor n
Hames of the
asunder-all th rough the deeds and devotion o f f al,Ilfll1
desert l Jday
2 +4 flaming burst Avwgtr's beaters. (DC 31; Co m m an d in g)
scimitar
LEGACY RITUALS agamst oppo nen ts of J iamrr rically opposed alig n men IS.
Th e follow ing th ree ritua ls are required 10 unlock all rhe For exam ple. If you are a lawful good 6th-leve l warblade
abilities of f lll/hful AI'CII~'o·r. wiel din g f allhful At'(flgtr:agains t a chaotic evil ene my, you
Awakening: You mu st spend 24 hou rs in cc mem pla- gai n a +2 bo nu s on at tack roll s and dam age ro lls again sl
li on , wetghing th e good and evil deeds in which rhe sword [hat foe ,
has played a pari . AI the en d of [his day, you can un lock Your bonuses from th is abili[y are halved agai ns[ an
eit her ih good or us evtllegacy, Once thi s choice is made, enemy rhat has on ly one alignmen r componen t d iamerri-
Ir ca n ner be cha nged un n l rh e sword is passed to a new cally o pposed ro yours. rou nd in g dow n (mini m u m +1),
wi elder. COS I: 1,500 gpoFC',1f Crarue d: l e ast Legacy (Fllilh- In rbe above example, if you we re fig hting a neutral evi l
f ld AI'tn{:a). enemy, you would gai n a .. I bonus o n au ack rolls an d
Surturing: When ~'Ou have slain an opponent who has a damage rolls.
C hal lenge Rning equal ro your character level. whose alig n- Blessing of Fai th (Su): Your affiliation with the legacv
ment opposes your own , you can meditate again [ 0 unlock of rallhflll AI'tllgtT makes you hardier. At 9th level. you gain
fallh{lll A~'tngd5 1Hser legacy and determine what great for a +2 enha ncement bonus to your Consn tution sco re. This
you will evenruallv deCe:!. l. Cost: 13,000 gpo fear Oranred: bonus increases 10 +4 OIl tsr h level and to +6 at 19th level
Lesser ug3cy (f(l'lhful AI'trlgn -).. De tect E"'II (Sp): At to rh level and higher, you ca n u se
Co m ma n ding: To perform th e fina l nrual, you mUSI Jfl«1 tVII, as rhe s~II. at \\;11 (C L 10th).
find a sh rine that is sacred to an alignment Ih:H opposes Lesser Restoration (Sp): A[ 11th level, you can use !mtr
)'ou rs and lock yourself wi thin il for 24 ho urs. During th is rn t"rlltion. as the s~11. three trmes per day (CL 10t h).
ti me, you will he challenged . If you aft' good-aligned. you Boundless De terminat ion (Ex): When you atta in 16th
mu st face a horned devth if you are evil , you must defe:11 1~"l!'1. you gain rhe abililY to assu me the immortal forti tud e
a pla netar. Cost: )9,000 gpoFear Granted: Greater legacy stance. If you alnoaJy pDSSt"Ss th is class feature, your im mort al
(flll/ltfell Avtngrr). forti tude stance gra ms you tempora ry hit points each round
equal [ 0 your roral crusader level.
WIELDER REQUIREM ENTS Res toration (Sp): A[ 17th level, you can use mlc/TltllOIl on
A wielder of Fiu l/lflll At'l'"~"r must sta nd on one end or the yourself once per day as a swift acncn (C L 15th).
other of the good/evil alignment axis. Paladins and CTU- Resiliency (E x): A[ 20lh level, you gai n the ability to
saders are th e most li kely candida tes , since they can mee t igno re dam age from a single source once per day,
the req u irem ents eas ily by th e rime the first legacy rt tua ]
becomes available. TABU 6-2: FA[THFUl A VE-HGEI
- - -Perso nal Cost s - - -
FAITHFUL AVEN<:>ER WIELDER REQUIR£MENTS Wielder Attack Fort Save Hit Point legacy
Altack bonus +5 Level Penalty Penalty loss Abilities
Weapon Proficiency (falchion) 5th Faithful strike
Good or evil alignment 6th -1
7th -1 2 ..2 cold;ron!olchion
8th 2
LEGACY WEAPON ABILITIES 91n -2 Blessing offaith +2
All the follow ing are legacy abi lities of r ai/hflll At't'lIg,'r. 10th 2 Deteel el'i/ or
Dual Leg acy Propert ie s: Fllltllflll At'(llgt r car ries tw o dele el good
legaci es, o ne o f evil and one of good. Upon corn ple u ng 11th Lesser restorot;on
12th
the fir st legac y rit ual, you mus t choose w h ic h legacy 10
13th -2 +2 haIr or unno/r
u nl ock. If you choose the leg acy of good, the falchion coldiron falchion
will eventually gra nt you the ability to d.'ltd "l'd , and it 14th 2
will be com e a holy weapon . If you choose th e evil legacy, 15t -3 BI~ssing of <lIth +4
you can instead ddal goo,1, and the weapon eventua lly 16th 2 Boun dless
b ecom es u nholy. deterrrnnancn
lth Restoration
f aithful St ri k e (Ex): Unloc k ing the legacy of Fa ith-
18th +3 holro r "nholr
fill ,\ w ngt r gran ts you k nowledge of [he Devoted Spirit
cold iron akhion
di scipli n e. Al S[h level, you gain a bonus on arrack rolls 19t Blessing of fallti +6
and da m age roll s equal 10 ·1 per three character levels 20tn 2 Resiliency

SUPERNAL CLARITY
~ur"rn"l elM If )' i ~ J pcrfl'ctly bal an ced rapier m ade o f
glh lcning m irh rJI li s gr ip i ~ ti ghtly wr apped with d ark
bl ue leather.
Nonlegacy C3me St at is! ic s: ..r r.lrUr; COSI 2,820 gp;
Wt'ighr I lb.
(lmtl1: Each nme ~I.trcrtloll CI'IrlIYis drawn, rime seems 10
slow for a Sr 1il second This momemarv Irick of perception
doesn t provide .;Iny beneht OT hi ndra nce 10 the wielder.
HI STOR Y
Th l.' blade k no\\ n a SUf't'rIIl1l CI':lrlly was brought to the
Temple of the Nine Swords by Reshar, the firsr rrue master
of rhe Subhme Way.Though some mntial aJl.'p15CUrR ' :I t'
swords name, clnrmng rharlusr for rh is blade imnared l i t'
downb ll of the temple.all know U1 1~ir bean s dUI a \\I~Jpon
ISmCR'll' the t'x lC'n~ion of LIS wielJer and can never be blamed
for i[ ~ use-c-or irs rmsu (DC 15)
KU llf-Th el 's , hct"t of ~urtr"JI cl.mly proved to be the t-e--
g in ning of Ihe end of th e golden agt"for the Tem ple of t;"e
. IRe Swords. \'(' by , he n kshuJ. prrnce stole thar parti cu lar
sword WJS widely dlSCUSSeJ, bUI rbe truth WJS never really
know n beca use the Ihlefwas never brought to jus tice. ecrae
say Ih JI th e n k,h as.a·~ cr ime forever tainted the sword's pow-
er, bUI more ope n mind s
wonder if rhe we3pon was
mea nt [ 0 be
cla ime d
in suc h
;I m an ner.
Afterall.does SU~rlfd l a .ritx
acnonwuhour
he sit ati on nOI cap tu re the esse nce of this blaJe? (DC 18;
Act of Audacily)
No hu m an h and cra fteJ Su" t m lll CI.ml)'; il was cre ated
o n rh e ASlral Plane b}' a g ilhy:anki swordsml rh named
Veselka . us ing ;I d ragonft re-fu eled forge . Though she
had already cra fte d many fine magic b lades. Vese lka
rega rded rh ts one as her most elegant crea tio n . Des pi te us
simpli cil Yo f appearance. the swordsm ilh knew th :al thi s
blade-which bore no name at Ihe time - w3S dest int'd
for g rea tness.
Only by best ing ItS w it'lder. one of t he mos t fa mous
warblades e\,('r known 10 th t' gnhYJnki race, d id Res h3r
pr o'o't' hi s wo tt hmes5 to rake the blade fro m its ho me
plane . Veselk a ne \'er gave up hope Iha l she m ight see 1:1e
blade 3g3in, 3nd while she mourned its lo ss every day of
her life, she h ;ld Ji lwa.ys k nown t hat it could n ot rea ch
ItS fu ll pOlencial unless she ga\'e it up . (D C 25; Forge
o f D rag onfire)
~hn y lo ng years aile t Ihe bJtde Ihat sca tt ere d [he
Sine Sword s ;acr oss th e world. SlfJltrndl Clarilycame inlO
Ihe posse ssion of a hu mble swordsage nam ed R;ldigan.
Th ough Ih t' bbde " '015 al rea dy a weapon of gre at pow er, its
widders haJ alwa.n !>t'nsed Ihat it concl'all'd some h idd ~n
, Ir('ng lh\, 1 hronghom Ihe yea r ,hal he wal ked 1he land..
wi rh il. R;IJlgan sc.r rched long and hard for rhe secret thai
would unlock lhis las I reservoir of power, b u r he found
no sign , Th en , o n a whim , Rad igan made h is way 10 rhe
ASlral Plane , hoping thai so me de scendant of rhc b lade's
c re ato r might sti ll s u r vive. To h is g re al su rp r ise. Veselka
was sn l! wor k in g her eter na l forge , labo nng endlessly
to repeat her greatest ac hie vement. Aw ed to stand In rhe
presence of such a revered sword smi th, Radiga n unhesl
!ali ngly offered 10 re turn SIlpt'rnlll Clarlly to h er. " I have
proven myse lf incapable of learning us f'n31 sec re ts. he
said . "so mUSI I be unworthy 10 wield th is grea.1 bla d e
Veselka smiled at the naive adept's words. and rboug b II
lore a.t her heart to do so. she declmed the grea t gi ft thaI
Radigan offered. she kne w that her ttrne w ilh rbe blade
had ended a ltfenme ago,anJ rhar she had wasted everv dav
since in a fUlile pursuit . Instead. she asked 10 accompa.n\
~digan 10 the rums of the Temple of rhe : ine Swords
to pay homage 10 Reshar, the blade ' !; greatest wielder Th e
swordsage agreed, nOI realiZ ing th at he was acco mpanv-
ing Veselka on her final Journey.
W hen the gith~';Inki arrived at the tem ple and mel Reshar
her ltfe's purpose had been fulfilled. A mome n t leer. she
slu mped to rhe Floor and d ied quierly, Her li ft', which In
rrurh had ended wh en Resha r took rbe bla de away, wa
now ri ghtly over, an d he r spirit WJS free. (DC 31; An End
to Des ire)
LEGACY RITUALS
Three riluals an- reqc tred lounloc k allt he abililiesofS llra -
11<1/ Cldn ly.
ACI o f Auda ctr y: You mu sr steal SlIptrnol l Clllrl fy from
a wie lde r wh ose Chal le ng... Raling exceeds vou r c b arac ter
level. If you fin d the blade ung uarded, you mu sl firs t
ensure that Ir fi nd s worthy hands be fore you ca n unlock
its powe rs. COSI : 1. 50 0 gpo Fear Granted: l east Legacy
(Supa ll!!1Clolfll.-).
Fo rge o f Dragonfi re: You musl endure the fiery breath
weapo n of a hos tile dragon whose Challenge Ra.ti ng is aileasl
t"qu:tl to you rc h3raCler level.lThough most \\;elde rs choos e a:
red dragon, any true d ragon wilh a brea th weapon rhJit dt":tls
fire d.lm age satisfi....s th is prereqUlsi le.) Cost: 13,000 gp. Feu
Gran reJ: Lt'sS('r Legacy (Surl"rnlll Clolrlty).
•\n En d to Desire: You must lra\'el ro the ForgeofVe~ l ka
on Ihe Ast ral Plane. There you must spend 2~ houn; In prayer
:and medilalion , whl'lh~'r or not Ihe forge is sti ll occ upied (or
operating) is up 10 Ihe OM Cos t· )9,000 gpoFeal Gn nted
Grea ter Lt'gacy (Sllpc'rndl C'!!n ly).
WIELD ER REQUIREMENTS
Clllrlly is best sui led for :tswordsa ge or 3 \\'ubLrde
SUf'l'rthi l
thoug h any chanclt'r ca n meet Ihe requ irements by Sih or
bl h level.
T A BLE 6-1: S UPER NA L C LARIT Y would norm.1l1y allow you ro do so. Set' rhc barbartan class
---Personal Cosl"'~-­ feuure J'Il 26
Wielder Attack Fort save Hit Point legacy Freedom o f Move merrt (Sp): Losing comrol of h IS

.,.
Level Penally Penally loss Abilities
, th Inllm,datlng strike own bod y ISeve ry warrior's worst n ightmare, bUI SWf'tTJMI

, Clwflly gran lS you respit e fr om th ai fear. Su rt ing at 161h

".".
".
10t h
-1
-I

-2
2

2
Diamond strike
Psychic petse

.] rQP'U
level . you can cas l freed om o f movement on you rself once
per d:ly 3S an immediate action. Th is abili ty func t ions
as the spell, t'"cepr that the du ranon is I minute. Cas ter
level torh
11th Haste Ti me St op (Sp); \'C' hen you unlock the final Iegacv powt't
12th -zkeen roplU oiSUJ'l"rnlll Clllflll':l t 20lh level. you gam rhe abtli ty 10 mO' C'
Hlh -2 UncaMy dodge
lAth 2 so quickly Ih 31 lime seems 10 ha h m place. O nce pe r d;;ry
151h -3 ·3 kun ropIer on command. you ca n use time SlOp as rhe spell. Caster
16th 2 fru dom of level znrh.
movemeni
17lh z s k en rop~r
181h
IUmwlris a bastard sword o f sim ple. but no r crude. construe-
19th ...5 kun rap ,
20th 2 Time SlOp tion. 115 brh and pommel are unadorned with decor-man
or filigtff of any son, and neither rune nor image mars its
SUPERNAL CLARITY WI£LOER REQUIREMEN TS perfecrlv smooch, razor-sharp blade.
Base ..tuck bonus .l S o nleg aq ' C:a me Statist ics : t l f\Hlllrd m\1n:f;Cost 2.33S
Weilpon ProfICiency (upler) gp; ~'e igh t bib.
Cc ncentratic n <4 ranks ('lrnlll : Each lim e t he wielde r d ra ws Kllrnlllt , he hens
a fain t voice Iha t sounds like a go bli n chan ti ng the
LEGACY WEAPON ABILITIES swo rd's name fcururees.eacb timesltghlly louder than
All rh e following are It'gacy ..bfluies of Surtrnlll the prt'v lous.
ClilTlll',
Int imidat ing Strike (Ex ): When you firs t HISTORY
unl ock the legacy ofSllpt'TlllllClllnly, you gai n Hobgoblins claim that KIJ IlllIt( (wh ich mea ns ~ 1I
a (f3gment of knowledge from the Diamond IS deat h- in Gobli n), was rhe firs! sword ever
M m d J lscipline. AI 51hI..vel, you can use rbe cr ea te d , forg ed before euher the elves or rbe
sapphire n ightmare blade maneuver (see pagr dwa rves had learn ed rhe secre ts o f weapon·
nO; fi ve rim es I'f'r d a ~', 3~ if ~'OU k new it. If you crafting. Elf and dwarf swordsmirhs scoff al such
21reoldy know sapph ire:" ni ghtma re smke, you gain 3 claims, but rbe weapon's grea t age IS readil y apparent 10
t2 bonu s o n your Ccncemra ucn check mad e'wh ile any v it wer. 1DC 15)
uvmg rhe maneuver. Untold cen tu ries 3g0. when hum an oid s sti ll lived
llinmonll Strike (Su): Begtnmng .11 7lh level. a primi ti ve exi stence in the wi ld . a small hohgob li n
you gain a small [ra cri cn of rhe i nstght shared by t rib e so ug h t she ller fro m a grea r t hundersto rm, Th ~l
~ II SUI,rrtllll Clilrify's previo us w ielders . You ga in ni ght. a powerful bah of light ning su ndere d 3 mighlY
a. 1 insighl bonus o n any arrack roll m ade as pU I oak tree st and ing ourstde the cavern in which Iht'y
of a Diamond xttnd srnke delivered with Sllpcrnlil sle pt. Not on ly d id this eve nt des rroy the tree , but it
CIlJtll1' also rnelr....d rhe very sto nes eoci rcb ng n.The bcbgcb-
PS)'ch tc Pot se (Su) : Suprrn.JI CllJrlly ho nes your lin chiefta in, whose name has been losr fr om memory.
menta l clarity to suc h an ex tent that il can actually reasoned t hat if fire from the sky could re shape
gutdc your physical movements. At 8th Ievel, you can Slo ne, the n u coul d als o shape metal-s-a concept n ot
choose 10 make a Concentration check in place of a yet k no w n 10 h is pe ople, Thus , rhe des truc tio n of rbe
Balance check three rimes J'C'r day. You must make tree g3ve birth (or so th e legend S3yS) 10 primitive
Ih lSch oice before anempting the check. meral lu rgv. Upon see ing the [ir sr blade so c rafte d,
Hasl co(Su ): Begmrung at r nb It'vel. you can up tht' chief wonde rt'd alo ud wh al he h ad created. Tht'
mto the anht'renl Sl'f'ed ht'ld wuhin Suprrrllli Cl.m ll'. Iribt"s adept :a n~ we red si mply. · 11 is de at h : Since that
You can use hwdr (st'lf on ly) for 1 round as a swifl dlY. thar flrs r blade. Kam .JIt , h as ~t' n passt'd d own
action . Th is ability is usable up 10 five limes ~r d3y. Ih ro ug h lht' gem-fiI tio ns o f h obgoblins. DC 18 ; The
Caslt"t 1l"\·eIIOth. Fi r s t Forge)
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): As a wielder of Supcrn wl One o f the e3tHesl wielders of Kamalt. 3 hobgoblin
Cl,mfy. you It'un 10 be rt'3dy for battle at all limes. :13 med KU Ylbt·t once tled irom a horde of angry dwuf
Bt'gmnmg at 1 l th It'vel. you can nOI be ca ugh l (lal ' warno~ bent on h IS destruClion Pursued d2yand mghr
fOOled. and YOU reac t ( 0 dan ger befort' ~ our senses ur steep chtf!> Jnd w m d m g mountaIn palhw.a\'s the
 ham led hcbgcbh n eve m ua llv fc u nd himself pe rched LEG CRilL LS
o n Ihe hlgh e-sl peak of the land Wuh n o escape ro ute I hH' C' rhual.. are required (0 un lock all the abrlluc o t
available. "'u 'l ibel bravelv tu rn ed TO face hi s doom BUI I.:amllf(
n th at very insta nr, a blue-while crack ofhghrmng splil the Th e Fir st Forge: You must spend the night outdoors In iI
clou dle ss sky , opening a great crevass e at the fl'el o f hi s rhu nde rstcrm. with no protection other than norma l clorh
pursuers. Down rhey hurtle d into the dark depths , leav- ing. CO"I : 2,500 gpo Fear Oramed: Least Legacy (1.:.I" llI lt ).
Ing the hobgoblin :alonl" anti unscathed. (DC 25; Hold ing It ol dmg the Sk y: You mU'1scale a mountain peak arleas r
t he Sky) 10.000£el"1 tal] without resuegfcr more dun ... hours m an v
rhough the hobgoblins au loath 10 ad mi t it, I.: om ldlt N -hour pencd . O nce at rhe top. you musl meduare tor 24
has not always remained In their hands. Tale s of wi n ning hours wuhour food or drink. COSt; 13.000 gpoFeat Grant
rhe sword back through force of arms or even tr each er y Lesse r Legacy (f\ " mMt).
are well received by gcbltnotds. but the mo sr important Sta n d in g Read y ro Oie: You musr single-handed I." defeat
ule regarding reclamation of the blade is kn own on ly 10 al leasl ten en em ies In one banle. Each enemy's Challenge
tr ue devotees o f the Iron Heart di scipline. Whl'n Rcsha r, Ranng can he no mort' Ihan .. poi nts below you r own. Cos t:
who would one da~' be- kn own as the fir st M3Sler of Nine, 41.000 gp, Feat Granli'd : Greater Legacy (N:im" 'tj.
came to the hobg obl in rnonasterv of Ur-Thaldaar, none of
the swcrdmasters believed he would survive, mu ch less WIELDER REQUIREME I'HS
m aste-r the Iro n Hean di scipline. BUI Resh ar co mple ted \l'u blaJ es most c[ren wield I.:"m"'t, rbocgh fighlers, pala-
everv resr and mastered e-verychallenge , eve-ntually learn- di ns, and ot her marr tal-orienred chara cters can qu aM v· 10
mg the- secrets of Ihe fiercest and m ost dtfficulr school of do so wi t hou t too mu ch d ifficulty,
bladework in rhe world , ~ la n y yens later, he returned 10
Ur-Thaldaar 10 take on an apprentice . A you ng hobgob- KAMATE W I ELD IER RlQUlREMlN TS
lin named Mag'la Ghar foll owed Reshar 10 the Sunsp.re Base ~lI~ck bonus . -4
bol lC Weapon Proflc,C'nq ( b a sl~ rd sword )
Mcu ruams and t'\?t'lfually became one ofthe :-.line Masters.
Bal~nce -4 r~nks
'X'hen Reshar returned after a cen luf)' ofabsence. he came
bcarmg nine wt':apons Am ong them was f\l1molt, which
Reshar had liberated from a dragon's hoard fu away. This LEGACY WEAPON ABILITIES
display of respect for }Ohgya Ch or 's people-created a bond Allthe following are Il'gacy abilities of Kam at(.
of honor be tween the Temple of the Nine Swords and all Sleel Wi n d (Ex): AI51h level, you can use rhe steel Wind
rb e hobgobli n t ribes in rhc area . So strong was lhis bond maneuver (see page 69) five limes per day, as if you knew II .
Iha t when rhe ..xiled maslen returned with their army TO If you alread y know stee l wind. you gain a ... 1 bonus on any
de stroy rhe tem ple . mort." than a thousand hobgoblin war- attack roll you make when you Inmate rhe ma neuver
riors marched 10 us defense. Almost as rragtc as the fallof Sh ockingGnlSp (Su r. Beginningal6th level. you can use
th e temple ilSt'1( was the f:aCllhal when rhese hobgobl ins f\dllialt 10 de liver a shoc king gra sp effeci with a normal or
d ted . so (00 did :lny chance of lasung pt'ace between the touch mack on ce per day, If you miss, the ",e:apon remains
goblinoids and the crher race s of the land . (D C 31; St a nd - charged (as normal for touch spells). Acrivanng rhis power
ing Readyto Die ) iS ;I swrf aC lion, CaSler Il'vel Slh.
Accurate Sl ri k e (Su): At 9 1h level. you can cause I.:,Wll!lt
T ABLE 6 - 4 : KAMATE III strikt· true agai nsl a fOt" Ihrel" limes per day, Once yOll
- - -Personal Cost s- - - ac rivall' Ih is power (a swift ael ion), rhe\\'l"apon's nexl :allack
Wielder Au ack Save Hit Point l egacy aUlOm alically ignores any co nc ealme nt the lugel might
level Penalty Penalty loss Abilities h:ave. Iflht' urgel is invisiblt.", you must still attack ils space
StnLwl
'"
6th
7th
.; Shockins sr as
If Ihe largel is in corporeal. you ign ore ils 5()';':.chance 10 uke
no dam:age from you r hil . Furrhl'rmoft", if you r :all:lck roll
8th -1 +2 bastard sward Ih re:alen s a critiC:lI hit. you g:ain a +4 bonus o n th... allack roll
9th -1 Accurale stri~e 10 conn rm .
10th Stance asility +2 Sta nce Agility (Su): Beginning al 10th level. you gain
11th .3 bastard SlIIOrd a . 1 inslghl bonus on Reflex sal'es :as long as you are In an
12th 2
Iron He:lrl SURee. When vou all ain 151h level , Ihls bonus
Blh -2 lIgbtmng bolt
l "th .4 bastard sword improves 10 . 4.
15th 2 Stance aglhty .4 Lighrning Bolt (Spl:At 13th level. you gain theabilil)' to
16rh -3 +4 shoding burst use lighrning bolt as the spell thret' time;>per da~" on com-
bostard sword m:and.Tht." s:a\'C' DC is 14, or 13 + }"OUr eha modifier, whlc ht'Vt'f
17th
18th

191h
-. 2

2
Cham I'ghlning
+5 shocking burst
bastard sword
is higher. Caster level 10th .
Chain Lightning tSp): Beginning at lith level. you can
cause I.:alll;;lt 10 emit a bbst of lightning that arcs to olher
20t h 2 PeTfeel strike Iargels,as ifpnxluceJ ~·thechaln lighrningspell To produce
 rhi s effect. vcu must speak the command word and ges ture
wnh K.rllhllt . The save DC is 16, or 1-' + yourCha modifier,
whichever is higher.This abilit y is usableonce per day Casler
leveli srh .
Perfe ct Strike (5u): A l 20th level, while vou are hold-
ing Kllnllllt , you ca n gain a +20 com petence bo nu s on a
single aluck roll , You must c hoose 10 acuva re th is abilif y
(a n immediate action) before you make the arrack roll it is
to modify. This ahililY is usable once per day.
EVENTIDE'S EDGE
Th e mith ral blade kn ow n as Ellttlll.-lt', Edgt is faceted and
hig hl y reflec twec-sc much so t hat it sends shard s of
lig ht sca nertng about the room when it swings t hrou gh
[he air .
Ncnleg scy Ga me Srat isrics: +1 mrtJml1 shorl m'Cnl; Cost
2,51 0 gp; Weight t lb.
0111(,, : Whenev~r EwnllJt's EJgt is unsheathed. a bright
vellowlighr shines withi n the blade. This glow quickly fades
to ora nge. then to red. be fore il fm:alIy ex tinguishes. This
process rakes about I mi nute, Initially, the lrghr is about as
bright as a la rch. and a wielder who
has perform ed th e least legacy ritu-
al for th e blade can
~,::::.:::::::::::::~,;:
suppr~ss us glow
wub a th ought .
Unlike most orh-
er magic weapons ,
£t'rnlidt's £,Igt' shri nks to fit the hands of
a Small creature.
HISTORY
Legend holds th at a ship full cf Sem ng Sun novitiates once
set sail from the Isle of Dawn in search of the Temple of the
Nin e Swords. au t rhetr vessel strayed offcourse and en tered
the terrucry of a might y kraken. which tore the ship apart ,
plank by plank. All aboard were losr except one young boy,
who fleered for days on a hal f-empt y cask before waking
up on th e sandy beach of a mysterious . uncharted island
with a mnhral short sword clutched in his hands. That sword
became known as E!'tnhJe's Edge, (DC 15)
Throughout th at day, the boy ate fruit and small game
that he found near th e shore and e njoyed his new island
home , In rhe eo1 r1y evening, th e peace of hi s haven was shar-
rered when a hill giant ca me bursting t hrough the wood.
eager to co nsume this new two-legged snack. Just as rbe
giant bro ught down his club , the boy raised the mirhral
sword in a feeble defense. To both combata nts' surpri se, the
blade kn ocked rhe massive club aside , and the boy threw
th e giant off balance with only a quick sidestep. The giant
came cra shing dow n, and jus t before the boy stabbed the
sword int o hrs oppo nenr 's neck. rhe tll.}'S of the sening sun
glinted bri efly off the mit hral blad~. (DC 20; The Bigger
They Ar e)
In the next f~ w days, the boy fou nd a higher van rage,
atOp;ll cliff o\-'erl ooking the weslern sky. He IiI <l bonfire
there in hop es tha t a passing ship mig hl see ihe smoke
and tnvesugate. What rbe boy's signa l drew, howeve r,
W35 n OI a shi p. bu r anot he r g ia n t. Havin g found his kin
dead near the beac h, t his one was eve n more enraged,
and nOI likely to undere snmare th e small boy with the
dead ly sword. But the gia nl was tr uly baffled by the boy's
fight ing style . Every o ne of t he giant's blows that should
have st ruc k true seemed 10 slrike only ~ mp ly air. When
the gianl finally f~1I off the c1iff (tha nks 10 a well-placed
shove fro m the boy), he wonde red brie fly how he cou ld
have so many small CUIS. and be pushed off a cliff. when
rhat scrawny little man had nary a scratch. (DC 25; Th e
Harde r The}' hil l
For mont hs. the boy scratched ou t a spartan exis te nce
on the isla nd. Ev~ntually he realized that the only way he
could get off Ihe island was ro convtnce the giants 10 he lp
htm get past the krake n He knew they had an arrange-
menr of some ki nd with the monster bec ause he had see n
the hulking brutes rake th eir g reat fishi ng rafts into its
terr itory and place some sort of offt'ring in irs mighty
temacles. 50 rhe boy approached th e gia nt cbteftatn. who
had long since ordered his rribe 10 stay clear of th is sma ll
but dange rous crea ture. The cblefratn agreed to let rhe boy
ride wit h some giants pa st th e
kraken 's la ir. but
secr et ly he pla n n ed
10bet ray the pu ny
hu man and offer him
as a sacrtflce 10 the kraken lord.
As the giants' ref was neari ng the far edge of
rhe k ra ken's do main. th e boy saw a shi p 10 rbe wes t. just
below th e d roopi ng sun. When the kraken surfaced, th e
giants looked aroun d for rhe boy, but he had ju mped into
rhe water and set off for the distant ship. The y could n't
see him swim mi ng because the ligh t from th e selli ng sun
flashed in their eyes. The kraken rook (he giants as tr-ibute
instead, and rhe boy escaped back 10 civilizat ion wu h his
blade. (DC 31; Capt u re the Su nse t)
LEGACY RITUALS
Three ruuals are requ ired to un lock all the abili ries of
[ ['(IIh.lr', [ ,Igt .
Th e Rigger Th ey Are: Within 2+ hours of defeating an
opponenl of at least one size category larger th an yours. you
must spend an hour med irating in th e multicolore d light
of the su nse t. COSI : 1,500 g poFeat Gran ted: least Legacy
(f l't JltiJ t'S Edgr).
The H ard er They Fall : You must fig ht an opponent
of at least one size ca lego ry luger th an yours for + co n-
secutive rou nds wu hcur raking damage. The opponent
m:Jsl aluck you in melee ;II I least once per ro und . and you
must attack th at oppone nt at leasr once per round. .'I. short
per tod of rnednanon du ri ng the next sunse t co mpletes
the m ual. COSt: 13,000 g po Feat Granted: Lesser Legacy
( £ vtn lt at 's £d gr
Capm re Ih e Sunset : Starling t h ~ hour befor~ dusk. you
must close your eyes ;lind envision in your mind the setting
 lin while u sin g rh e blade 01 El'tuflJt \ LJC"t 10 reflec r rhe TABLf 6 -5: EVENTIDE 'S EDCE
unllghr onro yourf 'C'. CO"t. :J'J.OOOgp. Ft':lt Cr arned.Grearer - - Personal ( 01O U - - -
Legaev fEl'cnli.lr't [J~ Wielder AlI.1ck Fort Save Hit Point legacy
Level Penillty Penillty Loss Abilities
Sth CrUll of balance
WIELDER REQUIREMENTS 6lh -1
Any creatu re th at prefers light , pierc ing we:lpon s but expects 7,h -1 2 +J deftnding
10 face larger fot' ~ m ig ht he Imeresr ed tn unlocking rhe mitfJral ~ho" sword
legec v 01 f l't'llf1.lt I rJltt. Characters who follow the Selling ',h 2 Sting like a bee .ld6
Su n di scipl ine s ueh as a swordsage. or even a rogue or ninja "h -2
who took the !\tarnal crudv fean snnd to gam rhe most from
U~ powers.
10Ih
, 2 AC bonus
B. ng defense
12lh
13th -2 if endmg
EVl NTl Dl ' S EDC l WIUDER REQUIRlMENTS m,throl shorl ~1I>'o,d
Bu t' i ttad: bonus +3 I"rh 2 EvaSIVe defense
Knowledge of at least one maneuve r from Settmg Sun l,l,h -l
discipline 16th 2 .J deftnd,ng
Weapo n Proficiency (short sword) mlthro/lfJOrJ sword
Srrufl or Medium SIZe 17th S ke a bee .2d6
11th ...3 dej endmg
LEGACY WEAPON ABILITIES mlthrol ShOfl SlNord
All the following art' legacy abilities of Et'l'nftJls fllgc'. 191h -, e tn mg
mirhro/lfJort sword
Crux o f Ilnl anc e [Ex]: Wh e n you firsl unlock the lelsl
It'gacy abil mes of fw nlhl( 's fJgt at 5th level. you have an
20th -, 2 Dance into the s un

ea si er lime adjus ting you r posf rion and balance when

a fected by ano ther creature. You gain a H bonus on checks
made to t'xeCUIC' a bull rush. overrun. or rrip, and ro resist
th ose maneuve rs.
St ing Like a Bee (Ex): Begm n tng at 8th level , you J~JI
an extra tde po in ts ofda mage when you use [wltl"I..-, fJgt
to make a melee arrack against a foe ofa larger slzc category
th an yours. Whl'n j'cu at ta in 17th leve l, this ex tra d am age
Increases 10 2.16, p rovided you have performed [l'(llhJt',
r dj::('s greater lcgacv ritua l.
,\C n on u s lEx): IO; tu ting at 10th level . you add your
Wi sd om bonu s (if :lny) 10 your AC w he n you are unar-
mored. u ne ncu mbe red. and wie ld ing flJill flll"'j [,Igr. T his
bonus applies even agains t tou ch anec ks o r wh en yo u U I'
flat-footed . Youloscr hts bonus when you all' lmm obtllzed
o r helpless, or if you wea r an y armor o r carry a shield If
yo u already add your \'('i sdom bo nus to vou r AC (from IhC'
mon k AC bonus class Ieaure, for Insta nce), you instead gain
a .. 1 bonus to AC.
Ba ffltn g De fen se (Ex): AI t trh level, you can lise the
co me r th row m aneuver jsee page 71). as ifyou knew it. Ifyou
already kn ow corner th row, you gain a +2 bonus on melee
touch macks mad e wbtle mlna nng the ma neuver.
Evasi ve Defl'nse (Ex): AI 14th level. you ca n ao rcmancallv
succeed on vour Sense Motive check when using baffl ing
d efe n~ againsl .1n opponenl of a largC'r size calegory [han
yours 'fbISdblilly is usabll' I hr~ f1mt'S ~TJay.
Dance in to rh t' Su n (S u}: WhC'n you are in ju~ the right
positIOn . youc:l.n be1.:ome lost in Ihe glare of Ihe setting sm.
The fi nal leg;aq' ability o f EI'tnllJt's rJgt, w hich you gain
al 20th level , :lll ow ~ you lo d isappea rinto the glare ofyour
swo rd w il h a d U l li ng flash ofligh l. This ability functions
hkC'gna ftr l,n'Is,!>,lll) Jnd is usable two rimes pe r day. C.1."ler
C'1 10th
UMBRALAWN
UlIlhralAW'l is a simpk·lookingdJggerofthe SOrl [hJI a young
martia l adept rnigb t take to his firs t academy, But although
ir appc'ars relatively ordinary, closer observation reveal s that
il l\l'\"et seems 10 reflecr light of any sort-
Non lcgacy Game Statist ics: +1 dllggtr; COst 2,302 gpo
\'(Il' ight t lb.
Dmrn: Usi ng Umhral L\ lI' I I causes a shadow to fall across
the wielder's face.
HISTORY
UlII l'r,ll ALI'1t ex ists ;a~ an example 10 others who might
fr y 10 master the Sl'C ll' IS of the Sha dow H and dt sctph ne.
A lt houg h rhe dag ger can he a decdlv weapon in Itainl'd
hands, irs legacy has forged a t rail of death through us
wie lders. T hose who perished did so because thl'Y rrted
10 c trc u mvem the Irain ing of t he Shadow H and a l5l'-I -
pltne without understanding the t rue nature of 115 pmnr
Reshar presented l'lIIbrill Awn 10 the Shadow Master of
the Temple of the Nine Swords as a gift, but also :IS a
reminder ofwh ar happ ens to th ose who desi re u ndeserved
power. (DC IS )
Thl' first bearer of U",hral AlI'n was Yu srek , a ccn nde m.
arrogan t d iSCiple of IhC' Shadow H.1 n d. HC' beli.:' \·ed [h oll
his m.1S1t'l was debYlng hiS Ila lnl ng o R purpose, not tc'.1 1
izi ng Ih ;al il W.1S his own o\'ercon fidenct' Ih ;;at ke p i htm
from adv.1ncing. Frus tra ted wit h th e s[agnat io n In hn
progrl"SS, he Iho ughl long ;and h u d ;abou r thl" m eanmg
o f rh C' Sha dow H and . HI S un C'nlighrene-d mind sC' ll lt'd
on Ih" assu mption rh at since ItS powel was dnwn from
sh;adows, ,hC' beSI w:l.y 10 hunl"ss [h al power would bC' 10
channl'l Sh;aJow itsC'lf. ThiS lin.:' of [ho ughr It'd h im 10
Iht' incorrC'cl conclusio n rh ;ar by jo im n g wilh on e of Tht'
 u n dead crearurcs called <hadows. he wo uld gun lim n-
ICH power. l a sre ad , ht s encounter wtih the ..hadow wem
as ml~hl he expected , with rhe c rea tu re draining away
h is streng th lind lift'. vusrek did become o ne with rhe
shad ow-e-m [acr, he became a shadow himself-c-but hI:'
never achieved the power lh:u lit' had expected . (D C 20;
Touch of Shadow)
The d agger was passed alon g 10 ~hrislev, an -
orher slude Ol of rhe Shado w Hand. The tale of
Yusrek's dem ise served as 1I warning to him and
other s wh o m ight Thin k rhey cc uld gain masterv of
Ihl~ most dange rous ofdisci plim'§ wi tho ut propt'r
traini ng. BUI Mari st ev h ad hiS ow n m udd led in -
~ighl 'i into the source o f the d l,cipline's power.
He had nouced t hai IhC' shadow Hand school
dr ew upon negative energy for many
o f liS most challenging m aneuvers,
and he ranonahzed Ih ,u If he could
JUst gain some firsthand knowledge
01 how negative energv worke-d, he
could ana lyze it ro ac hieve his own masrer v of
t he disci pli n e. Since pla nar travel was we ll be -
yond h is means, he se lf led for wh at he feh 10
be rhc next bes t cpncn-c-becc mmg a vampire
\'('lIh th ar goal in mind . ~ta r me v sel off on an
expediucn 10 su bjec t hl msl"lf 10:1 vampire lord .
Whrn he found the vam pire and his minions,
hI" proclaimed hi s desire 10 fecl rhe pOWl"r of
neg::HIve ene-rgy. Pleased 10 oblige, the vam pire
lord ordered hi s sp.aw n 10 m ack. Mar iSIt'v was
soon drained dr y by the vamp ire's mi nions, but
SInCl' no nut' vampire- had p layed a pa n in hi s
death . he did not rtse as a vampire-s-he sim ply
!>IJvt'd dead . The vampire lo rd SI'n1 xtarts rev's
remains back 10 rhe Shadow Han d monastery
10 ... ervc a!> a warning 10 e the rs wh o migh t t ry
10 rephcmc hi s poo r dcctston. (D C 25 : Tou ch
of Dl' ath)
\'('uh !'.IJri slC'V 'S dealh, Ih.. d:lgger passed to ano lher
sltldem named Kunwar. Thi s nov ilia le was ce r-
lain lhal ht' knew Ihe p.alh 10 mastery, an d Ihal
ir ~Imph' requ irC'd .a bit of rnediulion wilhin Ihe
!'la ne oiShatJow ilself. Occasio nally, when lo ng journC'ys
I,'eft' H'qUIfC'd , Iht' Shadow l h nd mas lers .asked allied wi z-
ards 10 u:ke Ihem magicall y lh roug h Ihe Plane of Shadow.
So Kun war cajol..d onl.' of rhl:' maslt'ts in ro allowing him
to go along o n such an exc ur sion . Onct' wi lhin the Plane
of 'hadow, Ku nwllt sne.1 ked aw.1Y fr om the ma ster and
lh t'" wi z.ud, hoping to fi nd a qUit'1 Spal to med ilale. But
when hI." slt'ppcd off IhC' palh . hC' qu ick h' becamC'lost . ThC'
pillne- of s h.aJow isn 'lthC' ~afe sl of plact'S, .1nd even luall y
Ku n war was lrap ped and killl'd by .1 nightshade. (DC 31;
Path of Shadow)
LECACY RITUALS
Th ree rnu.1ls UC' required to un lock all Ih e .1bililies of
UmftroJl ,\lI""
Touch of Shadow: You must sufferthe touch ofa sha dow,
IN:n perform the mual before the St~ng lh damage is healed
Cost: 1.500 gp. Feat Cramed: It'asr It'gac}' (U,nbrill AWII).
To uc h of Dea t h : You mu st fee l ne ganve energy cours
ing through \'OU by gaini ng a neganve IrvC'1. You mus t then
perform the nr ual before the negarwelevel is removed. Only
ueganve It'vt'ls Ihal have a chance of causing pe rmanent
leve l d rain ca n be used fOJ" thi s mUJ!- l tU'Tl'l1I.D" and
simi lar spells do not work. COSt: t 3,000 gp. Feat Cra nt-
cod: Le se r It'pcy (Umb"d A W n)
r 31h of Shadow : r hC' !.aSI ritual can be ccmple r
ed only on Ihe P!3ne of Shadow. You must overcome
three encounters (drawn fro m rbe Random Encou n-
rers hs t on page 152 o f IhC' DIl " gfi)'t .l"I.u lds Glll tlt o r
p.a~ M f .\ fil"u..l oftltl ManN) within a ...-hou r pe riod.
Ihen focus the energll"S ofthe plane in to rhe
blade usi ng 3 ritual that rakes 1 hour_Cost:
39,000 gpo F(';II Cra med: Greater Legacy
(UlIlh iit .... 1'""
WIELDER REQUIREMENTS
Wit'lde rs of U",broJI Aw" set' power h id ing in rhe
shadow . ~t~ 1 seekers ofthis Sh3dow blade are rogues.
.lssassin...., or swcrdsages, bUI ne..uly all have rhe same
g03I-w kill wuhour being see n
U M UAL A..... N Wi ElDER REQ UIIEMENTS
Base i111 ~ck bo n us ...)
Weapon Proficit'ncy (dagger)
Hide 4 r3nki
LECACY WEAPON ABILITIES
All the following lire legacy :lbilllil"S of UmbraJAwn.
Sh adowcloak (Ex): When you first unlock rb e
lea... t legacy of Urnbml AWIl at Sih level. the weapon
improve s ro u r stealt h. In the ftrsr round of an
enc ounter. you loan USI:' the H il iI' skil l 10 hide from ~ ny
Flar-foorcd creatures as an immediate action. provided you
haw cover or cc nceal mcn r availabll' .....ithin 10 feel ofyou.
You ca n not U~t' Ihi s abili lY 10 bldt' from CTealllre..
rhal are nOI flal-fooled u n less you have some abililY
rhal .1 l1o\lls you 10 h ide in pl.ain ~igh t.
Sneak Au ack (Ex): AI 81h ll."wI, )'OU de.a1 .an eXira ld6
points of damagl' wilb Umbrlll AlI'tI wben you are 11llnking
an opponent or at any limC' wh en Ihe largel would be denied
ils DexlerilYbonus. Sl:'e Ihe rogu e c!.ass fC'.1lure (PH 50), The
t'XlflI dam age from Ih is 3bil il\' ~ l3cks with thar of sneak
.allil:ck from o lht'r so u rces. When you 3113in 11th 1C'\"t'I .the
sn~k 3tuc k dllmage granted by Umbrill.-\II'II incrt' 3ses 10
~ 2d 6 , and wh en you a"21n 17t h lC'\·C'1, II in crt'25es ag.1l n
to ..3d6.
Sh ad owh.and (Ex): AI 10th I~'el, you are a deadly foe t'\'"t'n
when UmbmlAIl'I! IS nOI in your h.1nJ, If you .areunarmeJ
an j an opponen l provokt'5 an all:lck o f opporrunity, you
n o dnw UPIlflfl11 AI' '1 as an immeJulE' action and I3ke lnal
mxk. rhl" opronenl lhat pfO\vkcod tht' amck 15 considered
llar.footed agaul5t II.
 sh.d owsl ri k e l Ex ): When vo u atra rn i uh level, your HIS10RY
onnecuon 10 UlIlbml All'" and you r m aster y of rh e Aflt'r epe nd ing H'a~ In slnTrr 10 :1 band of fro sl glam~ , an
shadow H and dlsClpltnt' let you rake grt-a ler advan tage elderly dwarf weaponsmuh named Th ungri m was gwen a
of fl ank ing pOSlllOns . If yo u are mairuai ning a Sh ad ow servant 10 do the heavy lifting around his forge'.This servar u
H and sta nce when you fla nk a target wnh an ally. you ::a goli::ath named Kanu hiak Amcncgarhua, too k qu ickly 10 IhC'
gain a +4 bon us on your attack rolls against th::11 target. u t ofswordcrafneg. 'Iogerber, mas ter and serva nt wo rked In
ins read of rhe usual ·2 . secret for many month IOCrC'::llC' a special blade', which the y
Invisibil it y (Sp):: Whe n you at tain 16th level, Umbrwl Alo'rl named UllfillmJ me IS)
Iers you meld in to your own sh::adovv You can use nll 'lSlb.I,ly The acl of creating Unf.·'ltrtd gave Thungrim a measure 0 1
at will . as the spell. Caster Level: 10th. hope rharhe hadru known in many }"t'::af'S. No slavemaster bad
Shad ows te p (Su ):: AtlUth level, you unlock the hnallcgacy commanded him rocraf the weapon; indeed. ifits existence
power of Umbr.1l AII'll, whic h grants you IhC' ability ro moee had become known. gnVt" pumshmcm would certainly h 3w
aS:I shadow. Th ree tunes pt'r day, as a swift acti on, you can been forthcoming. This qU11' 1 aCI of dtscbedtence-c-along
be come inccrpcrcal urn iI the begtnmag of your next tu rn wnb rhe youthful exuberance of lhl' gollarh Kanuhiak-c-gave
see rhe Incor po real Subtype sidebar on page 79 for de lails). Thungrim th e will 10 survive J ..spite backbreaking labor
Because Umltrlll AII'll IS a ghosl touch weapon. }"OU can sull and mis rrea rment ;\1 the hands of his gtam captors. [DC 18;
m ack corporeal foes. Unc h ai n t he Mind l
As U'lfdltf"i neared completion, the frost gi::lms began eo
TAB U 6-6: UM8RAl AWN suspect tha t some thing w::rs ami ss.The overseer had expected
- - -Person al C05t5- - - Thungrim to grow 100 ....eak IOO~r~11" his forge, bu t the d w arf
Wield er Attack Fort save Hit Point l egacy seemed more vigorous C'::aeh day. A close mvesuganon ofthe
Level Pen ::llly Pen::llly t ess Abilities forge revealed rb e nearly 6nlsht"d bl::ad e concealed unde r a
51h Shadowcloak
.,h -1
pile of scnp metal. Both Thungnm and Kani lhiaLr. rood
lIh -1 2 .1 ghost touch nearby. lOO exhausted 10 stop the giant from finding th e'lf
dogger treasure. But Just as the crud overseer swung th e w('apo n .11
g,h 2 Sneak attack .ld6 the goliarh. Thungrim stepped into rhe sword's arc, sav i ng
"h -2 his Irlend from cer tain death. The dwarf fell at Kanuhiak'
10th 2 Shadcwhand feet. the bbde still pI.1n1C'd in his dying body. In a rage.the
l1\h Sh dowSltlkC'
goliath drew the \\"t'::Ipon and anacked the overseer. l ncred -
121h Sneak atl.1ck +2dE
III -2 ibly, he managed 1051.1'1 IhC' gianl. lht'n fire' the enca mpment
l.th 2 +2 ghOSI IOIl'" wi th the bloody blade still clu tched in his hands. me 25;
dagger Un b i n d the Il a n d !
15th -J In later years. K::anilhi::aLr. became a mighlY c hiefta in of
161h 2 Invisibilily .1 go lta rh mbe, but still he pondered wh::al to do wi t h the
171 h Sneak attack +-3d6 wt'Jpon he held. lie co nsidl"red awanling il 10 ont' o f hIS
18th
191h +-2 spud ghosl c::aptains. bUI he ft'art' d Iha r jealous)' oVe'r ils ownersh ip
Iou, dagger m ighl caust- sl rife wll IJ inlhl' Iribe. But ht' kncw , h al h is
20th -, 2 Shadowstep days of lead ing th(' lribl' wt'rl' nu mbe red , so he dt'cide d
tha I hI." would prefC'r to It'::a\·e on his own tC'rms f3ther th an
UN FETTERED be defealed by a youngstC'r or (worse yet) sent awav by ::a
lamenler , So Kanithiak informeJ his peoplt- Ihu he' would
underl::akC' onr IaSIj ourne~'-he' would spe nd thffe dlYs an
Ahhough deuly fun clion::al. this gre'alSw ord appe'Hs
tht- wilJl."mess communing ""'ilh Ka\'2ki Ihe' Ram-Lenl and
stnngt-Iy unfinish ed . 115 bl::ade', though sh arp. I::acks any
Ihe olher golialh gods.
sheC'nor polish. and the !ealhcr-wrappeod pommd and hand·
So thC'gre::al chiefuin ~t out upon his sohlarypa.lh. But
guud apJ'e''u crude ::and blocky. No gt'm or ornamenution
to his surprisc. thc insplf::llion h(' soughl camt' nOI fro m
ofany kind ::Idorns Ihls wt'apon.
the gods. bUI from :I mortal -a human warrior n.;a meJ
N'o nl e g ac y Ca mt' SI ::ui st ic s : · 1 g rt <J ISll'(lfd; COSI
Rt'shar, who was himsrlfon::a spiruu::aljourne'~' of e'nligh l'
2,]50 gpo
enmem. The T\\"O to ld each olher Ihrir Tl."spKti..,C' 1::aIC's. ::Ind
Omin ' Un til bm!t" be'gins. Unfil!trid fe't"ls unusually
Kan it hi ak knew i nsuntly that hC' h::ad found th t- rig h tfu l
heavy 10 ::Inyone' holding it. OncC'.3 IhreaTpresems ilStif.
inht'rilor of U'lfilltrrd . In a Jrsob lt- mounu in cav e. th l"
however. the bl.1Jr frels::as if II we're' an ex tension of th e
go lia th presente'd Re'sh::rr w ilh rh e' we::lpon , en tr us t ing
w it'lde'r's ar ms .
him w il h il5 fUlure . wilh his 1.151 [ask in li ft' com p lC'l t"d,
In the hands of::a golia lh or other Mediu m character
Kan it h i:J.k lay dow n upon th e cold s tone. Now h e would
wit h a powt'rfu l bUild, Unfdrl'red t'xpa nds in size, becom -
sre h is fr iend T hungrim ::ag::a in . Now h is so u l. irrevocably
In g a Large grea lsword. (Go li::lt hs a re uesc ribl'd in Rllus
scarred by hi s ea rly caplivity. wou ld Iw ly be free. (DC 31;
o>f Slo>lI',)
Unshac k le thc Sou l)
LEGACY RITUALS TABLE 6 -7: UNFET TERED
Th ree rituals are required 10 unlock all rh e abi hnes of - - - Personal Costs- - -
Utlf(flrrrA Wielder Atb clt RefSJ.Y~ Hit Point legaCJ
Un ch ain the Mind: You must smgle-hendedlv craft a Level Penalty Penally l oss Abilities
5th ChargIng mmetaur
weapon worth al l~'a sl 10 gp without paust ng for sleep or 6th -1
meals. thou~h dri nking warer is allowed.Cost: 2.500 gpoFt'31 7th -1 2
Cramed: L("3 ~1 Legacy (Unf,'flm·,I). 8th 2
Unbind t he It and :You mU~1 shY::l gt3nl whose Challenge 9th 2 Strength
RJI,ng equ als or exceed s your character level. Cost: 12.500 ~nhancement ..2
gporeal Cr anred : Lesser l egacy (UnfrltmJ). 10th 1 Enlorgt
11th ..3 gruHlword
Unshackle the Soul: You must visuthe final mung place
12th Meld ;n:o Slont
oi IUnllhlak rbe golceb. a cave rharhes high on a d lSunl and 13th -1 Strength
treacherous mou nlillln peak. Once rbere. vou must meditate enhilncement ..4
ummerru pted for 24 hours. Ccsc -4 5,000 gpoFeat Cramed: 14th 1
Grt' JIl"T Legac y (U'l(rtltrtd). lSth l 4gr"f~rd
16th 1 l ight fortificallon
17th Strengdi
WIELDER REQUIREMEN TS
enhance en 6
~l .ll n i.ll l ad e p ts o f .111 kinds ca n learn 10 wield Unle t-
...58rtotsword
tm.l wuh linle ('ffort . Barbarians and figbr ers also 510n in
find rhe WN pon 10 their liking, rhough c ross-class -. 1 Disembod ied blade
skill pu rch asing is required.
srep OUI of the sto ne. JIUU gain a +2 bonus on an ack
U NFETTERED W I ELDER REQU IREMEN TS rolls made as p:m a t any Stone Dragon strike
Ba5~ au ad : bonus ..] Thh, abili ty is usable o nce pcor day. Caster
Weapon Proficiency (grealsword) level 10t h .
B.lance " ranks IJ g h t Fortification (5u): \l:'h en you attain
16th level any cnncal hit or sneak attack scored on you
LEGACY WEAPON ABILITIES while you hold UlI!t!lmJ ius a 25"o ch.1nce to be negated .
A ll th e following are legacy abilities of U,.ftl tm·J. The damage is in stead rolled normally in this case.
Ch a rging M in otaur fEx): At 5th level. you can Sro n e ski n (Sp): At 19th level, you gain th e ;ability
usc rhe charging minoraur maneuver (see pag~ 81) 10 use d o,.tsk,ll o n yours elf once per day while you are in
five times per day, 3 S if you knew it. If you already a Stone Dragon stance. T he damage red uction g ran ted
k now chargmg min ot... ur, you gain a +2 bonus on by rbts effect rep laces any damage reduction norma lly
the Strength check made to bu ll rush your opponent granted by the s tance. The effect ends 3.S soon as you
when usmg that maneuver. are no longer In a Ston e Dragon stance, or whenever us
Strength En hancemen t (Su): Begtn ntng at duration would normally expire, whichevercomes fi rss.
9 th level. you gai n a +2 en hanc eme nt bonus to Caster level tnh.
your Streng th sco re as long as you hold UIIJrll(rtJ. Di sembod ied Blad e (Su) : At 20th level , you can
Thi s bonus improves to t 4 at 13th level, and to +6 transform U,./t1k rtlf into a shimmeri ng blade of pure
ar 17th level. force thaI hovers in the air. This rffect is the equivalent
En large (Sp): When you attain to rh level. you can of Mllra tr ,b' lllt /l'S llI'ord, except that rhe blade uses your
Increase your size as if you had cast ml<lr1!''',lfrsoll on base :ltl ack bonus ... your Strength bonus .. its own en-
yourself.Thi s ~fft"C1 works regardless of you rcrealUre hancement bonus on attack rolls. It deals 4d6 +5 poi nts
type and IS usable once per day on comma nd. C1SIer of dam age plus 1-1 /2 times your Stre ng th bonus. Un/tt -
level 5th. !ntJ remains in this form for up to 17 rounds. though
Mel d into Stone (Sp): Begin ni ng at 11th lent you can di smiss the effect earlier as a swift action. there-
vou can meld your body and possessions into a single by returni ng rb e blade to you r hands. or to your feet if
block of stone. as if you bad cast the mela 1I1111 slO"t vour hands art" full. Th is abilit y is usable onc e per d;a}'.
s-pell on YOurself. During the first round afrer you Casrerlevel i zrh.

TIGER FANG
_-----,-----,,..,...,..----,-OJ.GER..cLAwl
Ilg:.·, 1 'lI1 ~'s stee l blade IS etc hed wi th a sty lized tiger wh ose
claws and Iangs mark Its keen edge. The hilt of rhls razor-
sharp kukri is wr apped in alw manag colc rs of'leathe r-c-blsck
and brow n - to emu late' a tiger's stripes.
Non legacy Game Su rl st ics : . , killm : Cost 2.308 6P;
Weighl 2 1b.
OIM,":\'C'ht'n Tlgt"r's Fang is swung through rhe air. a fain r
roar 3ccompanws us P;USIn& mstead nf the us ual whistling
sound a we..pen makes
HISTORY
On hrs deathbed an agmg warri or p.1S~ flg.', f d llg along 10
h is o n ly son. Khasparat, wh o vowed to US(" moprcve h,mstlf
a might y warrior In honor of hi S faber, 8U1 th e n}.lIh W:IO
ruled rhe vd b ge could n OI bear co StOnd a widow'sonly son
mro bZII!e, so he refused 10 ;lila.: Kh.asp.u:u lnrc rhe nJ1lY.
xeven be!..ss, Khasparar knew t n ll someday he would find
.1 wlIy 10 proo.'e him ~l f DC IS )
Kh aspa n l's fi nol c h a nce 10 di~ pla~' his prowe ss carne
when a t ribe ofl iurJfolL: raided hi s vi llage. While the arm y
engaged the brunI (If rhe Iiz:lrdfolk srrike force, Khasparat
not ed another squad of t he sca ly human o ids moving toward
a n undefe nded pan ofthe town. Hee d less of hi s own safrty,
he rushed iruo t he bean of the rep tile band, slas hing about
with his fath e r\ kukn unt il t he enu re squad had re tr eated .
Bur instead (If rhe gratuudc and respec t he had expected
for hi s selfless deed. Khaspara t recerved a n ad mo nish ment
from t he rajah for endangering lumselfm th e figh t. (DC 20;
Grea te r Numbe rs)
Kha sparal sl ill could nOI honor hi s fathe r wi th h is bat tle
pr owess beca use he was s till nOI allowed 10 joi n the a rmy.
Th e n o ne day, 3. g reat tiger atta cked the village while the
army was away. \'(' ilh TI~rr Fang in h is hand and his fathe rin
hi s h.e.art , Khasparal c hargt'tl fo rwa rd, hack ing al t hl." great
beas t unlil tI fin ally fd t dt'a d. The rajah was impressed, but
s ti ll disappoin ted t hai Kha sparat would risk h is own life.' in
Ihis way. ( DC 25; O m ' o n O ne)
Khasparat had nt"arlr giw n up o n pt'O\' ing himselfbecauSi'
he could S~ no "'2" 10 honor hi s iat ht'r wi th \'1Ilorous dt'eJ s.
So he Wt'n1 on e l3 ~t lim e to rt'qut"S1permission fro m t he raph
10 join the army. JU!'t as ht' po st'd h is q uestion. a n old sorcer·
ous e-nemyof rhe.' rajo1h wh o had enle rt'd Ihe village by slealth
appeo1red b).' Ihe.' leadds Side. Th t." u jab's guards werr put to
slee p in 3n InS13nt. ,inti th e sorce rer sum mo ned four demens
10 finish off t h.· rajah an d
;::~~~~~~~~
u n luc k y ~~~;;;;;;:-...........
,enough
n,' nth",
10 ....... III
bene3rby.
Bun he m...
l icio u s wit' ltler
ofmo1gic h3d nOI rt"Ckoned wi lh the fire t h ~ t burne-d
itlSlde Kho1sp.aral. nor wilh his desire to prove bimsel£ Seiz-
Ing t ho:- ch3nct" 10 ~h ow Ih.· raj ~h . personally, how etTect.\T
h{"llJuld Iw Kh:t~JrJtlumpt .J uno th .· mids t of th e de mon
slicing brut ally wnh h is father's kukn until all four werede
srro vcd Unfo rtunatdy, bt'[o rl." rlw sorc e rer was overrorne by
the raJah's reinforccmem s, he ma naged rc deliver a mortal
blow 10 Khavparat...\ s the voung ma n lay d ying, rhe rajah as
sured h im rhar he could no t have don e h is farbe r any greate r
honor . (DC ] 1: Baule Fr...n 7.y)
LEGACY RITUALS
Th ree ru uals are re qu ired 10 unlock all the abilities o f
Tiger Fling.
C rea re r Number s: vcu musl aCI f irsr in acombar agam sl
greater numbers and immt"dia lf'ly charge the st ro nges t oppo-
neru. You must accept no heah ng d uring t he fighl , rbougb
you r allies can assisl you. After th e banle . you mUSI focus
and med itate for I hour. Cosr: 1,500 gp. Feat C ramed. l.n~1
l ego1cy enger r,mg ).
O ne o n One 'Iou must dtoft'2t an opponem \..rn h a Challenge'
R~ling equal ro o r grra te r Ihiln your cha rac te r level c- t m
sing le combar. uSing only the-3bilu it.'SofTIg<T FlI" g.TigerCuw
maneuve rs. or mew en acks 'Iou C3n U~;IO olT-ha nd weapon
so long as Tlt:t'Jf,m~ remams your primary wea po n. Afier rhe
bailie you mu st spend one nighl in medi tat ion, Cost: 13,000
gpo Fear Granled: Lesser Legacy ( f lgt'r fiJIIg).
Bartle Frenz y: In a si ng le encc c mer, you must success-
fully land 3 cnncal hit on four diffeI't'nt o ppone nl". eac h of
which must have a Challen ge Ranng equa l ro or grea ter IM n
your character level - ]. Afrcr t he batt le, you must spend a d.ay
i n me d itatio n wnh TIgt'J F'llIg. COSI: l':J,ooogp. Feat Cra m ed:
Grea ter Legacy ( rl~ J 1"1IIg).
WIELDER REQUIREMENTS
Wi elders ofTI}.,(J flUll:gen"fally prefer melee co mbat. and t he
weapo n ha s an affinity for barbarians a nd sh ifre rs.A marna!
adep t foc used on tht' Tiger Claw school would do well lo US t'
Tigi r fan g as o ne of hi s IWOweapons.
T I GER FAN e W IEL DE R R EQUIR EM EN T S
B~ se alt ack bo nus +]
W~o1pon Proficl~n cy (kukli)
lump 5 ranks
LEGACY WEAPON ABILITIES
Alllhe follo wing i1re It'gacy abilities of Tr!!t" r,Ulg
Frf' nzie d Cha rge (Ex): Sirike fasl, strike hard, and [I;"~r
your ent."mies to piece s. The first legacy abi li lYof T.grr f llll g,
which you ga in :n 5rh Ie-vel. gra nts you l he powe-r to uk..
o ne addl lion al o1l t:1c k wirh TI~(J fling al lh .. e nd of a charge
This eXIra ,m ack is madt." at your h igh.
t"sr all acL: bonu s and mus t be
made againsl the urger of
your charge_Fre nzit'd
chuge is usable
once per day
C la w of
t h e Ti ger
(S u ):When
 YOU cnarn 61h l....vel, Tlj::rt r'lIl.~ becomes an extension ofyour
own h:mJ wh en you wield il. So long as vou are conscious .
you canno t be disar med ofTIj;:tr Fang u n less yo u will it
You aUlO m,:nic.1l1y succeed on checks made ro resis t d isarm
au empt s, an d you do nOI drop TI,l:t'r f llll l: if you become
panicked or stu n ned.
Tige r tra p (Ex): At 71h level. you find more spring in yo ur
step. gaming a ·5 bonus on [ump chec ks whe never you wi eld
TIJ.: F,lng.
garrle Ft'\-er (Su ): At 10th level. you are invigorated when-
eve r you usc TIgtr Fallg in melee. Th T"t'C' limes pe r day. you can
use ;lswifl action 10 heal veurselfof Ids poi nts of darnage. sc
IoIl8 as you have used TIgerfa1tg to make an attack ag;1iOSI a
1l\, ng foe dunng ttul UITW' round. Using this .1bility does no t
pron:J!uo attx:ksofopponumry.Atl6th irI."C'L you can use bin It'
teve r five times ~rday.and it heals 2ds damage ~ nme.
Sharp C law (Ex): Once you have performed rh e lesser
legacy ruual .11 r u h IM'e!, you find t hai Tlgorr rallg is perfecrly
bal an ced for use wirh Tiger Claw maneuvers. As long 35 you
h ave a Tiger Claw stance acnve, you deal an extra I point of
darnage wu h all your melee macks. includingsniks. made
WIth TlgtTfiJng.
H ast e \Sp): W ht'n you attain 121 h level. Tiger fangspeeJs
up your perception of lime, gnnting you 3 flurry of monon.
W"h de you are hcldmg. wearing. or wi ..Wing rhe blade. you
ca n use hwllt for 1 round as a ~wift action. as though you were
wearing boots of spuJ This abilily is usable up lO five limes
per d ay
Vic io u s Attack (Ex ): The ku kn's keen edge finds rhe soft-
e~1 places 10 CUI, and Tlgrr f mlg ca n cut eve n deeper. When
you attain 14th level . the cri tica l multiplier of Tlgtr f,UI!:
increases 10 ,,3.
Po we r Critical (Ex): Wh..n you unlock rig,-r fang's greater
legacy 1I11 71h level. you gain a ..4 bonus o n attack rolls made
10 con firm critical hus wi th Trger FlHl/o1.
Devas tating Arrack (Ex):T,gtr Fang ulnmarely becomes a
~l ..vast aung weapo n. capable of droppin g a foe wi rh a single,
well-placed slice. \"(Ihen you am in 20lh level. tbe crilical
muillpht'r ofTI,l.:w limg incre.1ses 10 x4
TABU 6-8: TI C ER FANC
- - - Personal (osls- - -
Wielder Attack Fort Save Hit Point l eg acy
l evel Pen alty Penalty loss Abilities
'Ih FrenZle Char e
6th -1 Claw of the ti er
71h -1 2 Igef ~
BLADE OF THE LAST
The a/w,lt (If Ih, Ulil cdwJd (somet imes called simply Cna d.. l,
BI2Je)is an adaman nne longswcrd. The pommel is bound in
white leather. and thecrovsg uard resembles 3 crenellated wall,
with rhe white enameled crenellations faci ng tht" blaJe.
Sonlegacy Game Statistics: Adaman tin e longswo rd:
Cost 3.315 gpo
Omen: Ifused to injure an In rccem sentient bring. Citadels
Blade weeps blood until the Wielder receives an ato ne me nt
or gives up the blade to anot her
HISTORY
So legend relates rhe ereancn of the BluJ.. of Ihc Lut Clt,ldtl.
The #1l"\l ~lOry ofthe weapon describes how the great k nig ht
lulian wielded II against a small army of giants anack ing
:I desclare mounuin OUlpost. Knowmg rhat their humble
rower W2~ the last line ofdefense- be tween the- giants and the
populated valley below, rhe protectors ofthe outpost foug ht
m the last man. E\"t'nrually, however; the stronghold fell ro
the marauders. DC 1S)
Afl ..r lu lian fell leading a charge agains t rhe giants, hI S
squire Terras took up the alaJ.. 0/ lIlt LIsl CII<1Jd to defend
his fallen lord. Defeated. sorely wounded. and It'ft for dea d,
the squirt" awake ned long after the battle and raced down
rbe mour uatnstde in p urs u it of the giants, But he was 100
late to uvr rhe defe nseless tow nsfolk below. Devastated by
his fa ilure. rh r squire rod e for days until he fou nd a vi llage
that hadn'l been sac ked. There he eue m pred to drow n h is
sorrow in ale. but tragedy snll follo wed hi m. Wht'n a local
rou gh attempted 10 bully the squire into gi ving up his fine
blade. 'terras drew th e sword and, in a drunken rage, slew his
rc rmeru o r. Ho rr ified . Terras fled th e mn, but he cou ld never
l.'scape h is gut h. (DC 18; Ri le of Repent ance)
Years bl.. . r,a lone paladin rode OUI ofth e (ro mie r. his mount
ragged and gasping. W hen be reache d th e entrance ofa sma ll.
walled village. ht" pou nded o n the gJle wi rh th e pommel of
his bloody blade . Upon ga in ing enmnce. he wa rned all who
wou ld lis len abou r a hord t" ofbl oodthi rsry orcs approaching
from Ihe di stant hills.desl royin g alJ ini rspa lh. The IOwns folk
scofft'd at Ih is ne ws-no orcs had b«n spolrl·d in Ihi s terri-
rory m years-a nd \wnr back olIbout lht'ir bus iness. H ang in g
hi§ head. Ihe paladin ashd only for a frt"Sh hOTSe. rht"n left
th!' way hl- had come. The next morni ng, hISbody was found
a fl:'w miles away, surrounJed br dozens ofore corpses. H is

.,
J~~~12~~I~~~~
shield h3J been sundered and his annor re nl. but his ha nds
91h 2 " still c1ulc hr-d Ciudt'l's Blad!.'. 1':0ont" t"\"er learned his name,
10th 2 Baule ever ld8 (DC 25i Ritt' ofsel ne'i'i Dt'Censt')
11th ar~ w The namdes~ paladin rt"CeiV\"d a heros funeflili. and Ihe
121h
8th Hos Ie
to'\'Tl~folk placed the Bladt of tht Ul,1 CltaJrl upon his gflll'o"t'.
13lh -2
l"'lh 2 Vicious aUack .so one dan-d touch th e 5....'001for feu that some stnnge CU~
15th -3 might be fall rh t'm fo r deseculi ng Ihe pa ladin's grave~i le.
16th 2 Bailie (ever 2d8 But o ne ('\'e n lng j us l as the full m oo n was rising above
17th Power cntlcal the horizon an enlgma llc whue-halted wu rior vis ited Ihe
13th to'\'Il In S<'arch of th e \\"t'a pon The man explained that the.'
19:h
20th -'" 2 Devastating atlack
"upons deslln\' was 10 sund In defenS<' of lho".... .... w. ~
 the \ tllagers, could nOI prot~C I themselves S'1II:h calm ness mack vou gain 'iI t bonus on th", fir~[ arrack roll you mak
and d anl,!" Jid rhe man Ji~rlil r thar rhe townsfolk co uld n't during lilt' roun d In" h lt·h you tnirtarc the maneuver Ceeer
help bur lead him 10 rheir he ro's last resti ng place. There, rhe It'wl ~ t h.
war ri or bowed his head in qu iet med uancn and re ma in ed I'u)'er (S p): Beginnin g at trub lew !' you can use p r.l\,C'T
m otion less for th ree fu ll nig hts. \'('ht'n dawn broke on th e OIlC", pvr day. Cas ler level zrh.
fourt h day, bc rh he and the blade! were gone!, (DC 31: Rit e Remove Fear (Sp): AI rnh level. you gai n th e ahil iry 10
of Respect ) lIS'" rttnol't (tur as an immediate action, though it afft'Cls on!)
a singl", crea ture up 10 50 fet'l awa)', and you can'r use It o n
LEGACY RITUALS yourself, This ability is usable three rimes per day. C as ler
'th ree rituals are required 10 u nlock all the abilities of Sladl Ie\TIIOth .
oj lIlt Lid ClI'hld. Cu re C r it ic a l Wounds (Sp); AI 16th level, you ca n use
R it e of Repent an ce: You must seek forgiveness from fUrt mllcal 1I'OllIIds on yourself once per day as a swt f acnon
someone you have wronged. The details of the suuanon are Caster level r tr h.
bel ween the player and the OM, bUI amining (org iven",u n lad (' n arri('r (Sp): Bt-ginningat Ifllb level. you can trans-
m ight requi re sam", Walk on your pan. COSt: 2,SOOgp. FUI form HllI,lt "j Ihl Lu' Ciladd into a ring-shaped bl"Jt NTTl"
Oramed: lC'asllegacy (Bll1Jroj Iht Lut ClraJt!~ centered on you. \X'hilt' the sword is in bLdl NrTI" form, vou
Rit e ofSelness Defen§(': You must perform rome service can add irs enhancement bonus 10 ~"OUr AC as if using rhe
In defense of a community and accept no reward for your defending property of the ""('apon. At any nme dunng th e
actions.Examples include defeartng a Iocallhre,u {El,equal10 duration , you can dismiss the effect as a swift action, which
or exceeding your character 1('\"('1"'1). recoveri ng a treasured re turns H!DJt of fht LuI (It.dtl to YOUT hand (or to II Spol OIl
heirloom, or averting II igni ficanl crisis . Cost: 12,500 gp. Fear your ft't' f if your hands art' fu ll). This ability is usable three
Grant~: I t'SSe!T Legacv (Hlilelt of lIlt LuI ClfllJd). limes per J:l.y. Caster level r Slh .
Rite o f Respect : Yoo must meditate fOT 8 hours per nighr Il eal (Sp); AI 20lh 1t'V"'1, you can U~ hi"l on yourself once
o n rhe t h re e nlghfs of a full moon. Cost: -H,OOO gpo FU I pt'r day as a swift acncn. Caste r level tzrh.
Gran ted: Crearer lC'g:K)' {BfaJtoj lilt Lu' ClfllJtl
TAiLE 6 -9: B L AD E Of THE LAST CITADEL
WIELDER REQUIREMENTS - -Person..1Costs- -
Crusaders. palad ins, and k nights (set' Pll1ytr'J ' Iallilbook rf) Wielder Attack S..ve Hit Point
are rhe mos t lik",ly wielders ofCitadt'I's Blade , Clerics end l evel Penalty Pen alty Loss
5th
favored sou ls (C"mrltft Drl'lfId of Heironecus (or similar
Jt'ilies) might also find the blade 10 th eir liking, It has also
61h
7,h •
been wielded by bard s, fighters, marshals (see .' lImalurtl 8" +2 o"gJword
HelllJ book). and man)' ethers who pur the defense of others ~
- I -,;;:.
abo ve rheir own lives. 10th
11th
BLADE Of TH E L A ST C I TAD EL W I ELD ER REQU I REME NTS
12th 2
13th
Any nonevd alignm"'nt
14th
Bast' atta ck bonu s +]
15th
wea pon Prof icit'n cy (Iongsword)
Diptoma cy 4 ranks
16th -7
17th

LEGACY WEAPON ABILITIES 181 -3

All of the following ate legacy abtltues of Bla,I.· of tht Lllf
C"aJtl.
",
20th 2 Heat
Leading the .\ t ta ck (Ex): Wht'n you firs t u nlock the

use rhe leadin g the snack ma neuver (see page 91) five limes
per day, as if you knew It , If you already know leading rhe

BI.J,¢
lIN Usl C;,.Jd
 he use of the Nine Swords disciplines
h3S led to the crea tion of ma ny d iffer-
enr magic ite ms, from rnnrrial scripts to
wondrous ite ms, This chapter describes
JUSt a few ofthese nems.
A marnal scnpris a small st rip ofpaper or clorh marked wnb
debcarelenenng thar holds rhe secret ofa martial maneuver.
Any given !>Ctlpt grants the use of rhe maneuver recorded on
If for one encounte r. Once it is ecuvared. a SCript vanishes in
a puff of whue smoke.
Physical Description: A rvpical scnpr rs a lcng, th m slip
(paper or doth about 6 to 12 inches long and 1 to 2 inches
wtJ e. t yplC. UVwound around a sltUlI wooden spindle or roo.
Small prectse lette ring covers most of one su rface .4,. scn pl
A< It l h ll po i nl , a nJ 3 ~ k DCo 18
Idenrjfying Scripts: _M ut ialscn pt
~~~:;dlJh: magrcof l~ Dtvinau n ':I",,~ II..."ii>
Q rh r It" raoder..te to
strong for In fuator Il'\,(O!I "lh to zur h. and overpoweri ng for
initiator levt'121!>t or hlght'r).
An yone who can read th e language of th e sc ri p r can
determ ine whar u do..s. and it ca n also be ldenufied by any
of the sta nda rd me thods of magic item idenn ficanon. fur-
th ..rmcre, characters wllh ranks in Martia l Lore can ide nlify
the func tio n of a M"ripe without knowing the la nguage in
which II h wrur ..n !\tafllallore DC 15 + the mart ial adept
level assoc iated wi th rb e scrtpu !l.l ak ing thi s checl.. d oes
not grant rhar ch.rach·r Ih... ability to US(O the KTip l-only
III idenr ih' II
Acri\'alion: I; rnva re a sc rrpt, you mu sr read u s word
aloud. TYPIL<l I!\ th iSn-q urrem enr means vou muse be able to
read rbe alph.lbrc u~ (or tnt' scerpr.bu ryou J ont necessarily
have tc IlnJenupJ rh.. u ng uage Fer example. if)'O\I know
Dwarven you sn tL\t' a script written in Giant because that
bnglUJJle Iht' Dwarv n alp~t An tllnem... charact r
""...."'t lpl
 vou rnll ~r succeed a ll a ~IJrl1al Lor chec k DC 20 rhe I'n'r("(llll ~"t' vovone can wu-ld an aprnudr weapon h
m:lrllal adt"pi leve l associated w it h the script). Success 10 gain any hl'nt'flli rom u.a wielder rnusr have feals rhat are
gl\ r:~ yo u rhe opncn of usi ng rhe script Immedia tely or ued 10 lh(' U e of.3 pemcular weapon type.
read vtng fo r later use, Activation : An aptitude weapon's m:lgic is won hless in th l ,
Rt'adi ng a scrtpr is a standard action rhat provokes an hands of someone who lacks rhe approp riate feats, bur
Jtl1 ck of opportunuy. anyone with the rigju feats gam!>' rh e weapons
U,,("; \'('he n you read a script. you gain the benefils just by wielding it.
ab iht v 10 u se the slllg il" mart ill maneuver Effect ; A wielder who has rears Ihal
reco rded on II fcr cne encounter. If the affecr the use of a particular I ype 01
maneuver can be used only once per weapon, such as ~'eapon Foeu
encounter or has other use restric- Greatt'rWeapon Focus, \X.'ear-
lio ns, all those [imitations apply 10 on Spectahaaucn, or Ihe like-
)'Ou r use of It. Using a ~cnpl JOt'S can apply the benefits of 1h4:N'
nOI allow you 10 break. rhe nor- feals toany W't'apon rhar has I~
rnal uS:lge rules for maneuvers. aptitude qualicv. In addmon
For- e xample, if you would nor- if an)' of rhe wielders weapon
mally be limited 10 using one use [ears are spectficallv keved
stance at a time, th at resmc- 10 the aptitude weapon's tvpe,
tion sull applies. he gains a e t bonus on attack
You need nOI use the and damage rolls.
m an euver rtght awar, )'OU Aura/ Caster Level: Femr
can hold II readv for use for evocanon.
up 10 t hour, Ar any point ~ Cnfi' Ug;<
d u n n g Ihal hour, you can Arms md Armor, WeaponFocus
uve rhe maneuver simply (weapo n being enchanted
bv Inlll.1tlllg ir. If voc've Weighl; As normal for the
read several scripts and weapo n.
IIllliared t hei r use , you Pr ice: +1 bonus,
have access ro all rhe rna-
neuvers they grant for their MARTIAL
duranons. bur you can hold DISCIPLINE
o nly one scrtpt-granred ma neu- WEAPO N
ver tt"adY:lt a li me. If you read a second A ma rtial discipline en hanceme nt
scrtpr before using the maneuver granted seems worthless in the hands of a
by t he first, you lose the firsl maneuver ScriplS fa" I,.it "''''') Inml./r~NI wielder no r tnmared In th e use of the
and now have the second scnpr's maneu- bnm/JIt 10 oltntMtiQUI, Jill ••11 ",rr di scipline's maneuvers, and eve n to so meone
IlIlallllr~1 if Itroll v d olb
ver rea died . wi th appropriate- train ing, ir m igh t appear
C rea ring M ar tial Sc ri p rs : To create a 10 be a weak substuute for more rrad u lonal
ma rt ial scn pr. you must k now rhe Scribe Ma nial Scrtpr enhancements. YN when used in conjunction wn h a ma-
feat and the maneuve r you are recording,The marker price neuver from rh... righ t discipline, the weapon seems ro ce me
of a mar lial script is equa l to rhe initiator level x maneuver alivt· in Iht' wielder's hands, seeki ng irs target's blood like
[e ve ] x 50 gpo You mus t spend 1/2 5 of rhis marke t price in a Iivi ng predator.
XP and use materials cos ttng 1/2 rhc market pr ice. Scrib- Desceipuon: ~ laTlial discipline weapons need no t po s-
ing a ma rl ial script rakes one day for ea ch 1,000 gp of Irs ses s any sJ"t'cial appe;lrance, bUI mosr magic item cre frers
market price. decorate them wirh emblems and add special effecrs rela ting
to rheir asvociared disciplines, For example, a ~ I sh.:rJ"w
NEW WEAPON H.I1lJ Shlugllllni might haw black hand emblems Ih..at appear
on rhe blade when us Widder swings it , Or a .2 lroll Il r.Jrl
shllClrmg Nsl,lrJ SlI'ord might crackle with electrrcuy wuh
A weapon wi th a special abililY must have Jt It'Js( a +t
('wn Ihl:'smallest shlfl in posirion and spit a trail of s p.ark~
t'nh;lnct'ment bonus.
wllh C'\'ery swing.
Prerequisit e : Anyone can wield a mania I Jisciplme
APTITUDE WEAPON weapon , bill its greall"st bt-nefirs JTr resen't'd for a w lt'ldt' r
Th t' aptitude properry leIs a wie!dt'f apply his expt't1ise wilh
who know!' and ust'S m.aneu\'~·r> from th e discipline 10 wh iCh
:a nalher Iype of weapon 10 Ihe aptilude w('apen. Thus, lhe
lht' \\'l'apon IS kt')'l.·J.
maslt'r of a grt'~lSword is tht' also Ihe- mastero(any aplitudt'
Activation; A wieldl"r wbo knows a m3 ne-u\,er lrom tbe
wt>apon
appwpnah' diSCipline g~ins a small bonus on ,1t I~k rolls
n l' c rip tion ; .\plitude wt'apon~ halt' no special
bUI to gain Ihe lrue benefits [If a m;ln121dl5ClpllDr' weapon
 the wielder must me a mancnwr from rbe ccrrecr d tsctphne
while attackin g,
Effe ct: Each martial discipl ine we3pon is keyed 10 a par,
ncular martial disci pline, For so meone w ho doesn't k now
am' maneuv ers from (hOI I J isCiplin l', thi s p roperly provides
n o ben efn . But wh en rh c weapon is wielded by a ma rtial
,dept who knows 31 lea~t on e maneuver from rhc assocurcd
discipli ne, t he prope rt), provides a +1 bonus on at tack rolls.
And whe n the wll·IJerlsaclu011 lr usmg a ma neuver (ro m the
appropriate discipline, rhc bonus on anack rolls Increases
10 +3 .
A martial dt sctphae weapon cOI n bea r mulnple rnamal
disciphne spec ul abdtnes. as long as each IS keved [03 dsf-
[erem disc ipline. Th us, a ma rnal adt' pf coul d h ave.1 .,.1 Slon{
Dnlglm shaJaw HoInJ grrlZhll'Onl l n IhC' ha nds of someone
who knO'>''Smaneuve rs from bceb diSClpllnf's, such a weapon
would provide .1 ..3 bonus on snack rolls. tfrhe wielder were
acrua llv using manC'U\'l:'n from bot h school..-c-for exa m ple,
.1 Stone Drago n sta nce with a Sha dow Han d srrike-c-u
wou ld provide a ..7 bonu s o n snack foil s. !\t oSI ma nia)
;IdC'p ls use Ihl S n lu bonus in conjunction wit h fears suc h
as Combat Expe rnse .1nJ POWC'f Anx k, or wit h maneuvers
th at decre ase rbetr cha nces of hit lI ng 3 foe In excha nge for
some other benefit.
Aura/Caster Len'): Farm evoca uo n,
Construction : Cra fl Mag iC Arms and Ar mor, knowl-
edg e ofa maneuver from tht' tll'iCiplin\'10 which rhe weapon
is keyed .
\Vei g h1: A.. norma l for the Wt';lpon.
Pr ice : ..I bon us.
rhl' won d rous items prese nted here can be used bo rh by
martial adcpl ~ and by Ihos e who have no kn owl\.'dge of (he
mafli31 J iscipli m's,
CROWN OF WHITE RAVEN S
A crowII of lX'IIII.' RlZvt'" ~ is one of sever al items (hat grants
irs WC'3rer Ihe USt' of a man\.'uvC'r. rhe c row n's wear er ne..d
not be a man u ! adepl. bUI knowledge o f other maneu-
wrs and nnks in Ihe di sciplin e's kcr ski ll
gl\'t' Ih e weJrer ac c e ~ s 10 more powe rfu l
maneu\'ers.
Ll>fc : Elf sc holn s tn SI ~ 1 Ih al mem-
hers of Iheir race wer e Ihe flTS I 10
cre .ue erPll'ni of lX'llllt RIZI'( Il~ . .1ndall
other SImilar ilems. suc h as Dtsn l
\'('IFIJ dOoJlu o1nd lhl'ptfl ofIll( ~ fllIl~
SUI1 , are COriM of , he co ncept
cr eat ed by marlial ,;tdep ls
of o lher races. Th is as-
st.'ssme nl s.ct"ms plausible
nt'l only b..'Caus.e all ' roll" ' l
of lX'l lIle RIZI't'IIS seem fO
he f.1shloned in Ihe el\'en
s(~'le . b UI also be c.1u se th e
crowns have the lon gest record-
eJ history
Desertptton: Three tvpes ot cn'lI'Ih of lX'lu le R.l l'tns ,'lIS!:
nov lee. scholar .end master. Elich looks like a crown of while
.a labaster, carved with deltcne Outing and spindles that rtse
from nh ke castle towers. ~1lL'1C( H"Oll"H (If w llllt RIZI...· ' 1S have
the simplest appeara nce and (he f{'wes l spi res, while a IIIluler
rrown of lX'lnl t RIZ~'t'u bears mere than .1 dozen rowers and
some highly ornate C3rvtngS.
Pre r eq u i..ite: An yone can wear a (row.. of WillIe Rl.1 l't"lU,
hUIIOgam any benelit from 11, .1 wearer must meet the pre ,
requisite ofth e desired maneuver,
Acttvanon: Aerou'/\ of \liult &J1'tnl requires a day toaltunt'
tous wearer once II is donned . Afrer wearing It continuallv
for N hou rs, Ihewe.1rermus( choos.eone oflhe White Raven
maneuve rs lhal the trem C.1 n gra nt for which he meets the
prerequisite. He then g31ns knowlt'd ge ofthat ma neuve r and
can use \I as long as the crown IS wor n . Should th e crow n
be rem oved and rhen replaced. il requi res another dav 10
arrun e u sc-If II> rhe wearer before II can gr.m l know ledge of
.1nl' maneuvers.
Effect : A penon who has worn a croW" af U"1uu &J t'ftll fe r
2-.hoo f'S gai ns the use of .1 single Whitt' Raven maneuver for
wb.ich he meers (he prerequisite. The:- maneuver can be of a
manral.1dept level u p ( 0 the hlghe~( level rhe Ilotl grams, A
rlt'vUt cr01l'1I of U"II!" RaW/ISgra nls a maneuver of up to 3rd
level . .1 scllolar (roll'n of \'{'IlIlt Ral'tI!S grants a maneuver of
up 10 61h level . and a lIlol lI,'rrroll'lI ofU'hrlr Ral'tnJ grams a
man euver-of up 1091h level.
Aura/Caseer Leve l: Faint divtnauon (novice), mode rate
divination (scholar), or sirong divination (masler). C L 5th
(novice), 10th Ischcl m, or 15th (master),
Construc rton (Novice):Craft Wondrous Item. know ledge
of .1 maneuver from Ihl' While Raven d iscipline; 1,500 gp,
120XP,3uay!'.
Co nst f uction (Sch o la r); C rafl Wondrous h em . knowl-
edge o f .1 maneuver from the \'(' h lll' R;1\'C'n disc ipli ne; 7,500
gr. 600 XP, 15 Ja ys.
Construction (!\Ialitt'r):Craft Wondrous Ilem. know ledge
of :l m3neU\'t'f
 trom the While R3Hn d. sct phne : 22.500 gpo \ ,800 XP, band set wuh a diamond. bur anyon e Pl'('nng closely m ro thr
is (lays. sto ne call St'l' the visage ofthe wearer, or o f the la~t person
Varia rus: Blghr variants ofth e (rown of Wi,lIt Raw tls (~ld, 10 wear the ring if no one curremlv wears it.
one for each of the ether mar ttal disciplin es. Like the (l'(I1\'n Shll,lull' II,m,k Shado w Hands look like hand s carved of jC'1
(I( \~'11I 1 ,' R,ll'C/ll, each ha~ a novice, scholar, and master ver- The carv ings are tncredtblv detailed. depict ing every mark of
sion. In all rcspecrs. rhey Funcnon in the same manner-as .a hu manoid h and. dow n 10 fingerprints and every crack an
the crull'flof \~'llIlt R"I't"nl does , exce pt tha t each grams the palm and knuckle. When someone rbn
acce ss 10 a mane uve r from a different disci- borh hands over rhe shll,loU' Hs u.ls so
pltne and occupies a diffrrenl place o n th ai his shaJowf.lllsover rbem. rhe
th e wearer's body. carved hands vanish, and a patr
Dntrl u'lIlll cltlo:lC: Drw'l Wmd of black sil k g loves ar pears on
do ..b are the color of wind - the person s hand s. The e
blow n sand, and Ihe)' alwa ys gloves can be remcced nor-
~hlft and Iluuer as tf dis - mally, w h ereupo n Ihey
nr rbed by a breeze, even become hands carved of
mdoor s and on calm J.ays je t Ihat look enctly li ke
_\ 10 51 bear dec oranve the wearer's hands,
stll chlng around the edg- S h r pt N of lilt ~lIl11g
esan gold and red rbreed 511n: Each of th ese beau-
depicnng fl.aming scrm - t ifu ll y crafted red silk
mrs. picks Ih ,u tra i] slippers bears an emblem
smoke, and maces IhJI of the setting sun upon the
sh ine like the sun. foe. The su n IS surched In
Dtl'oltJ S!'lrJl A'" u- gold t h read , a nd its f3YS a ll"
lei. The ap pearance of bronze and coppe r,
th ese amule ts vanes con- 510"" UtaI'''' Rtll· A Slon..
slde ra blv, since each is Dro~ 1I lvlt looks like :II wide
co nstructed 10 S(,I\'C a par- belr made from expertly bro-
uc ular axrs of align men I : ken slabs of slare. Su rp ris ingly,
chaos, evil , good, or law. Some II weighs almost norhing and
eve n double as holy sy mbo ls. doe sn't mhibir move me n t al all,
A Dtl-'Olt'J Sl,mt ,mlll/il doe s nOI Tiger CJ'lll' Nr,IU TS: These bracer s
fun ct ion for so meo ne who doesn't bear a tiger's smpes. bUI all in me tal .
sha re Its alig nment. with co pper fo r o ra nge , iron for bl ack ,
Iron lI i M t Vi lt : These bcavy.fea rher and silver for wh ite. Upon d onning th e br ae-
WSIS are ru n th rough wuh liny slivers o f 'Dt!'Ii~ftd Spirit ."I1I/~1$ ers. the wearer hears a uger's roa r and fe('ls
Iliff m""J f~""11
iron, which give th em a dull sparkle, Th e iron the pain of shar r cl:IWS in hi s back for fll·t'r-
resists rust, hUl Iron UtlHll'(lh Ca n eventually ing mo m ent .
rake on an orange hue beca use the iron slivers deg rade and Weig hl: t Ib (O(lt rl Wu"l c1O<lk.cfOwrI of Wlulr &111(""1, Irou
Slain rhe vest's materia]. Utl1rl l'tl t, SlOth' Omgo'l "',II, Tiger CI,m' brau n ); t / 2lb. (dlr -
Rmgof Ilu DrlJlIIlInJ MIIlJ: Unlike Similar items devoted to f't'n of Ihe St tl ll1g Slm), or - (Dt-w lt,l SplrI l ""llllel. r ing of Ilu
J ifft'R'nI disciplines, a TlII ~ IIf til( OI""lOtlJ M ill J requires its OllJltlClllJ '\hll,f, sh,IlI..", I I,mJI).
CR':IlOr10 have Ih.. Forge Ring ft·.alim lead o f C ra fl Wondrous Price: ] ,0 0 0 g p (nov ice), t 5,0 0 0 g p (sch ola r), or 45,000
(l('m. A ring of tht' DI.amonJ Mind look s li ke a simple gold gp (m.tslt-rJ.

-_-../"- " " . ~ ----.._-

MAGIC ITEMS AND INTRODUCING
MARTIAL MANEUVERS
Tne crOllln ofWhilt RQW'nl and It s varian ts offer great ways :0
rntroduce the Nine Sword disciplines and thc.r mechanics:o
your players. By pUlling such an itt'm into a hoard oflrt'.uure
t he pury happens upon, you give the pla yers tangible access
to the Nine Swords systt'm Without requ iring an yone to s~"d
a (e ill slot or tillte a level In one of the new classes described
In th IS book
GIVe n Int' Wide ra nge of skills Ihat Ihe disciplines rely on, you
Iii' or an ,Itom (or a p.1IfhCul;u p'lrly member quite easJly. For
t'.ample, .flhe pUly's wizard IS the only one With ranks lD Con -
(.pnuat ion , iI'S likely Ihal she W ill we.., the ring cfthe Diam ond
Mind Ih al t he party finds .
If you ,e.ally wanl 10 pr ime Ihe players' interesl In marl i..1
m.aneuver'.i , put one oflht'se IIt'ms ,n Ihl!' hands of.a vlll.amous
NPC. When Ihe char.aclers .are f'fSI confronled wilh Ihe ,r foe' s
5ltollnge tac lics and <lb,l,tles, the plil yers .art' likely to gt'l cunous
as to how ht' .atlalnt"d them. Then when Ihey find the Ilem, t hey
will have.an answer Ihat ~gs more questIOnS.
 he influence of the Nine Swords extends punishment byan~ t}' Ik· ll l{' ~ . Un like other rakshasas, nai ryan
farbevond rhe Material Plane. and en -a- raksha sas lac k in na te spellcasn ng abi lit y and in stead possess
rures all over the rnulnverse employ t he rhe power 10 tak e s pI'dflC mon strous forms rha t grant th em
techniques the swords symbolize. Most rnama l maneuvers and ot he r abtlt nes.
notably, the g u hzera t an d grt hyanki learn
maneuvers of the nine di sciplines , an d m3. ny of the-m become NAITYAN RAKSHASA CR 7
maste rs . Th is ch aprer descr ibes some- of t he other creatures Always Nt Med ium outs-der (nativ e)
associa ted with rhe Jlsciplint'S_ Some. like rhe n:llityan rak- Init +5; Senses d :"lo:vlslon 60 ft.: listen ..6, Spot +6
sh asa. are born martial adepls,just as some creatures enter Al.Ir.l detect thougtus (DC 18)
lifo!' wuh sorcerous powers. Languages Common, tnfernal , Under(o mmon
AC 20, touch 11 , nil·footed 19
t· 1 Del[, +9 nllt ural)
J\TlOfll't/lm'}'ll1I 11IlI,lrnlv sJ,tftS, ill "'III groWIll~ furlJnJ III hlJnJI hp 61 (9 HO), OR l S{good and piercing
SR 17
ng a l fI(In.-s fll'ul.mJ "101.'1.' 'lou grt tht lon4 IlIIpmlIO" of <I .lam-
Fort +9 Ref ..9 Will +9
wnJ h~lkt f-om};, hlf IIw PUUIt'S and u rrrllU"Llf byIht ~itiI: (.W1:,xl"
11I'oi Ilrn/'l111~ Vl:SlI!yof somnhlllg ll~ <I ~.ml M III hWnolno..1»nIl Speed 40 ft {a squOites)
Molff mwl( word .13/+8 (2d6..-4j and
a ll) an flI\t§h.a sas exi st as evil incarnate I n£"xtocably 1h!J H'IId I) ..
no J some "a" thry IrCO ern bcdi r
hIlU ~ and -re I
Special Actions change shape, style shap es
Abilities Su 16, Dex 13, Con 17, Inll0, Wis 16, Cha 18
Feats Improved tnmauve. lightning Reflexes. Multiattack
Weapo n Focus (bile)
Skills Balance +10, Bluff +13. ccncentraucn +8, Diplomacy+8.
Disguise +13 (+15 acting), Galher lnformalion +6, Hide
+11, Intimida te +14. Jump +21. listen +6, Martial lore +5,
Move Silently+11, sense Motive+12. Spot +6, Tumble +15
Advancement by character class: Fa vo~ Class swcrdsage
Possessions maSle rwork greatsword
Detect Thoughts (Su) A nailyan raksh,ua can continuousl,.
use deltCl lhoughts as the spell (casler level 18th; Will
DC 18 negales). It can suppress or resume the ability as
a free actio n. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Change Shape (Su) A naltyan r;lhh;lS;l can assume the
form of any Medium humanoid.
Style Sh;lpes (Su) A nailyan rakshua gains the maneuvers
of particula r martial disciplines and other abilities by
adopting specific shapes usmg Its change shape ability.
When changing into one of these shapes, the rakshas;l
retains its claw and bile snacks and automatically
adopts the stance listed for the shape. Hthe rakshasa
cannot maintain the stance for some reason, it reverts
to its natural form and loses access to the martial
maneuvers the styfe shape grants. A nauyan rakshasa
can use only one maneuver per turn. Thus. if it uses a
strike man euver on Its turn, it cannot then use a coun ter
against an opponent while waiting for its turn to come
up again. In any of these shapes. a nailyan raksha sa has
the backward hands typical of the rakshasa race.
Eorth Serpt nl: In this shape. a nartyan rakshasa has a
snakelike head. a snake 's tail instead of legs, and gray
stony scales. While it is in earth serpent shape, It gains
NAITYAN RAKSHASA LORE
Characte rs with ranks in Knowledge (the planes] can learn
more about naityan rakshasas. When iI charac ter makes a sue-
cessful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including tbe
information from lower De s .
Knowledge (Ihe planes)
DC Result
17 Thls creature IS a rakshasa, an embodiment of
evil that plagues the peaceful races of the world
by secretly liVing in their midsl. This result reveals
all oUlslder traits,
22 This creature is a naityan rakshasa , a member of
the rakshasa race with the ;lbllity to take specific
forms thai grant u access to martial maneuvers. The
backwards hands thaI you can sec in a rakshasa's
true form arc apparen t in their alternate forms.
27 Nallyan rakshasas have four style forms : a hell-
houndlike humanoid wilh scent and fire-based
abilities, a stony snakelike form that has tough
natural armor. a leech form that allows them to
SWim <lind make devastaung sneak attacks, and a
form somewhat like a humanoid drsplacer beast
that they can take for defense
32 Naityan rakshasas love the taste of humanoid
blood. and some become so obsessed with it that
they galher collections of humanoids or simply
collect the ir blood.
a +2 bonus to natural armor and can use the strength of
stone stance and the moun tain hammer (strike) and
cha rging minotaur (strike) man euvers .
Hellfire Hunltr: In thiS shape, a nailyan raks hasa
looks Uke a hell hou nd in human oid form . While it IS In
helffire hunte r shape, it gains scent and can use the
flame's blessing sta nce and the fire riposte (counte r)
and flashing sun (strike) maneuvers.
Night Creeper. In this shape, the naityan rakshasa looks
like a slick eel-like humanoid. While it is in night creeper
shape, it gains a swim speed 000 feet. sneak attack +ld6
and can use the island of blades stance and the ghos t
blade (strike) and shadow garrote (strike) maneuvers.
Elusive Advt rsory: In this shape, the naityan raksha5a
has a head and fur like a displacer beast, and its arms
take the form of displ;lcer beast tentacles With hands
coated in hocks. While it is in elusive adversary sha pe, it
g;lins a speed of 60 feet and can use the shifting
defense stance and the baffling defense (counter) an d
feigned opening (counter) maneuvers.
Skills A rakshasa has a +4 racial bonus on Bluffand Disguise
checks. When using change sha pe, a rakshasa gains an
addition;ll +10circumstance bonus on Disguise checks. If
re<llding an opponent's mind. its circumstance bonus on
Bluffand Disguise checks toe-eases by oil further ... 4.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
A nauya n rakshasa matmatns its disguise as long as possible
bUI when push comes 10 shove, it ade pts a style shape 10 banle
foes. A nairyan raksbasa adepts the style shape most useful
10 it ar rhe moment. In pursuit of enemies or confront ing
inv isible or firc-ustng foes, tr usu.3 lly lakes the shape of th e
he llfire hu nter. when working wi th allies 10 flank foes o r
using a waterway 10 access a foe'sencampment, a n aityan rak-
shas31ypically adop ts the night creepe r shape. Ifccnfronrmg
foes alone, rhc earth serpent shape often proves most useful
Finally, the elu sive adversary form comes inro play when a
naityan rakshasa needs 10 de flect enemy attacks or whe n it
desires escape from the bait le.
SAMPLE ENCOUNTER
Naltyan rakshasas rarely gather in large n umbe rs. Like ot her
k inds of rakshasa. each endeavors ro garher in fluence and
powe r for itst,lf. Even so, nairyan raks hasas never work alon e.
Ins tead Ihcy use detect thoughts. change sha pe , an d their
silver long III'S ro Irick others into serving t hem or u nwu-
tingly doing their wil]. Nairvan raks hasas also work in small
reams, typically serving a more powerful nai ryan raks hasa
bUI sometimes a raks basa of another type.
H ght C lu b (E L I I):Three nairyan rakshasas lead a group
ofhobgoblin warriors with 51.1\'1,'5 in lOW, each rakshasa laking
the form of a d ifferent hobgoblin. The rakshasas th reaten 10
kill rheir caprive slavesif accosted.They keep up rheir cha rade
ofbeing hobgoblins as long as possible, bUI when it become!'
apparent thai the hobgoblins aren't a match for the Pes, IWO
adopt night creeper form to sneak anackfoes.and the remain-
ingone lakes earth setpt'1lI form to help maneuver enemies
in to vulnerable positions. \t'hen rbe nauvan rak shasas cha nge
shape. rhe hobgoblms flee,
ECOLOGY in their natural for ms on ly In youth , upon death , or w ith
N.ulyan rakshas<l\ need nOI ear. bur rhev find th e ta ste of In.. 1{( H1~.
humanoid blood . in all us vane ues.exq utstte. Thi s vice can Al tgnmcnt: Nairvan rakshasas are always neutral evil
become an ObSl'SS !O n for rakshasa.. who In -
dulge th eir bloodlusttoo often . Some SOCIETY
naltyan rakshasas fi nd t hemselv es Ahhough [heir
driven 10 co llec t huma noids cba nge ..hape
slave s o f various races o r even ab ilil Y makes
tu bo u le and 510re blood [ike it Imposs lblt" 10
vi nmersc--a cri lic31 flaw know their enel
that 0[1('0 leads [ 0 their numbers . sages
u ndoing . specul ate Ih at
Nairvan rakshasas few raksb asas ex-
can malt' wub hu- iSI com p ared 10
ma noid.. when in t h e num be r of
::II shape co m- hcrnaraoeeven
pau ble wuh dwarves. Nairv-
tbe race of :1.1'1 n~has2S
th e human- represe n t a
or d piltlnt'f. ponionofl hal
Th e se.' unions small pc pula-
r.1Tt' 1 ~' re sult rion. Thisnukes
In survtv- Iivmg .1mo nghu-
ing chrldren. nu noids a recesstrv
.\t O~1 an' abnor- for procreauon and ccn nn ul ng
mal and sti llborn or ,,,i.,,
.v.iry._ rdsJuuI t heir race. Meenngs be twee n
so deformed lh :u lJxir ".tllt./ I ,""'I ,,, J(.,h naitvan raksbasas can be so rare th at an
thl'''' don'tlive long. indiv idual mighr conside r Itself Ihe only one of its ki nd ,
Yet a few beaut iful ch fld rcn resuh. therr only defor mu y but me need for supporung one anothe r can draw rhose tha t
being backward s h and s. Naitvan raksh asas nt'e wi th Ih l' St· tTlt't'l 10 slay toge the r or al Il'asl rema in in con tact. Groups
cbtldren . k nowing tha t Ih l' humanoids around them will of nai tyan raksbasas oflen form due 10 a fami lial li nk. and
Inevuablv d iscover thclr In n3tel y evil souls, These Im - these sibli ngs mlgh l work in conce rt fat vears un ril discov-
mature nau yan r:t kshasas cannot change shape bUI learn ery or rivalry scatters th em.
from a falhl'r or mother rhar rbeir ha nds are signs of the ir A na uya n raks hasa works ro evrabltsh a base of po'o"er and
tr ue natures followers. If mig ht do rhlsthroug h killtng and irnpe rscnari ng
Envi ro n ment : Nearly all nai rvan rakshasas are born and an importan t figure.or u might build a sup port orga ni zation
11\ t" on th l' l\lJr eri al Plane , making them native ourstders. from the ground up. NailY.1 11 rak sha sas do 1'101 possess rhe
T hey live in 3ny erwiron menr where humanoids can be spellcasring poWt'rs o f c rher types o f rak sh asas and so rely
found livin g. upon decepucn and th eir fIghnng sk ill 10 achieve their
Ty pi ca l Physica l Charact eris tics: A nair van raksbasa aim s. .!\hny of these crea tu res lead thie ves gu ilds , ass as- an
stands roughl y 3 S tall as 31'1 ave rage h uman and w etghs clans, or ma rtial orders , or holJ high pos itio ns in mtluarv
511ghlly more due 1O:t srron ger-rhan-average build .ln their o r po lice force s
rarely see n natural forms, th ey appear to be tiger-headed
humano id s w nh backwards hand~ Unlike a no rma l rak- TYPICAL TREASURE
stu5a or tiger, a naitvan rak shasa's fur is blac k an d bears ~ail Y3n rakshasas have rre asu re typi cal for a crea t u re o f
hflghl red st rtpcs. Wh C'n you ng, a nalty:m firsl lea rns 10 lhel( C R. Jf po SIble, nauvan r:rkshaS3s prefer 10 Wield magic
rake th is rrue form , becoming able ro ado pt other ap pear- weapons and bear Items dUI improve their comba t abil mes.
ances and style sh apes as It lea rns be t ter control of irs Few naity:tn rakshas.as wear armor u nless il is Iighl e nough
change shape ebi lil y. Mosr nail yan rakshasas ca n be seen 1'101 [ 0 inlerfere wilh Iheir skills .

,=~~z~
ANOTHER RAKSHASA? change shape ab.l,ty. (l os,ngchan ge sh aprdoesn'l SIgnificantly
Is the ong lnal raltshasa r nou gh for your game~ If you're familiar affect thr nallyan raltsl1au 's CR I In thts way you un use the
with the rilltsh. s.a presented in the Monsltr Monuol //I supple- hellfire hunter, e.rlh serpent, nlghl creeper. 3nd elUSIVe adyer·
ment do you draw Ihr Ime .t h.Ying three? In eilher case, sa rye. ch as a new mon ster Ifyou doso, you should ch.nge Ihr
conSider uSIng the o••ty.n r.ltsh.sa by Iteepsng 11 co ns u ntly In creatunfs damage redUCllon to 5Oml!thsng Ihat doesn't rrmsn d
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 AITYAN RAKSHASA S
WITH CLASS LEVELS
Nairyan rakshasas advance by class, and their favored classis
swordsage. Nairyan rakshasasadvanceas swcrdsagesnormally,
bur rbev haw the added benefitof being able 10 simultane-
ous ly mainta in a sryle shape stance and a stance granted by
th e swordogc class.
Level Adj u stme n t ; +6.
A ItfTIbl,arnwrrJ Pl:urt lonfrotllj "m. Much ofIts (.oJy is compoliJ
ofWITtrousgritll fif(, It,wmg onlytlltmts/.anns,.lnJ hdmtJ h',IJ
jloafmg In mllj,nr. If 1I~.lnan Orl hl lr b",utpl.Ift a IlJ tarn:ts !1 ",.,ktd
11<11baJ III Iii t"lon,J h.:II1JI.
Long ago, a race of mortal warriors known as (he reth Jeklla
sold their souls to an infenul powermexchange for the power
to des troy all who oppose d them, For a lime, [hey were the
scourgeoftheir world.undisputed masters oeer the wide lard s
theyhad ccnquered-c-and when rbevdiedtbetrdebr C3 I1X' We
and Ihey wert enslavedby the archdevtl who had aided them.
The rerh dekab served their master as fierce warriors, fighling
In the endless warsofrhe lower planes, burwhen the arcbdevtl
turned them againsr their-own mortal descendants, rhe reth
dekalarebelled agamse rherrfnfemallord. The archdcvil cursed
his faith less warriors. setting in their very flesh the perperual
torment ofhis corrupt flames -but the reth dekala destroyed
their former master and loo k his cri m son citadel on rhe iron
plains ofAcheron for their own.
The re th de kala now exist as curs ed infernal warriors.
cremally tormented by rh e sorcC'TOUS flames that consume
bUI do nor kill rhcm. To end their rorment rhev must fulfill
th e oath thty broke long ago, and de stroy every one of their
ow n living descen dant s. But th eir mortal lives were long ago,
and ma ny generations have passed , so hundreds cft ndtvtdurls
sc attered aro und the world now carry traces of rcth dckala
blood . The cursed warriors seek OUf these living scio ns of
rheir own race, and slay th em wh erever they are fou nd. Whi le
rhey sea rc h, dll'y serve as capab le mer cenaries, gu ardians,
and overseers for those who appreciate strength and hone r
unt empered by mercy.
RETH DEKALA
Usually lE Medium outsider (evil, extra plan ar, lawrul)
Init +2; Sen ses darkv ision 60 ft.; tlsren +6, Spot +6
l anguages Common, tefema!
Aura vilefire (1d6, sickened, DC 15)
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17
(..2 Dex, ..5 armor, 1"2 nalural)
hp 37 (5 HD)
Resist acid 15, fire 15, rort ification 50%
Fort .. 7, Ref +6, Will +6
Speed 30 ft. (6 squar~s) ; air walk
MelH mwk halberd ...11 (ld101"6Jx3) or
M~IH claw bracer +9 melee (1d6+4J
Ranged vilefir~ blast +7 range d touch (1d8 addJftr~ plus
sicken)
Base Atk ..5; Crp +9
At~ Options Com bal R~nex~s. alIgned sltike (~vil, lawful)
Man eu vers and Stanc es Known elL 5th):
5Io"cts -martI31s pirit (151) , thicket of blades (3rd)
StrIkes-daunting strike (5th), death from above (4Ih),
disar ming smke (2nd), entangling blade (4th)
Counlm-wall of blades (2nd)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 15, Con 16, In! 11 , Wis 14, Cha 15
Feat s Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (halberd)
Skills Balance +11 , Concenlration +11 , Diplomacy +4.
buimidate +10. Jump 1"13, listen 1"6, Martial LOTI!' +8,
Sense MotiVf! ..10. Spellcraft 1" 8, Spot 1"6
Advancf! me nt by character class; Favored Class sorcerer
Posse ssions masterwork breastplale. masterwork halberd
Air Walk (El l A reth dekala cannoltruly fly, but It naturally
remains aloft . It moves as ir constantly under the effects
of an air walk spell.
Aligned Strike (Su) A rerh dekala's natural weapons, as well
as any weapons It wields, are treated as lawful-aligned
and evil-aligned ror the purposes of overcoming damage
redu ction .
FortifICation (Ex) Due to its unus ua l bod y composition, a
reth de kala has a 50% chance to ignore the extra
damage dea lt by a critical hit or sneak attack.
Mart ial Man eu vers A reth dekala knows several marual
maneuvers and stances (initiator level 5th) . II recovers
expended maneuvers by res ting and meditating ror 5
minutes . II can use each maneuver once per encounter
Vilefire Aura (Su) The corrupt fire that comprises a reth
dekala 's body burns and sickens those who close With It.
Each round at the beginning of the reth dekala's tu rn,
creatures adjacent to the reth dekala take 1d6 points of
damage; living creatures also become sickened for 1
ro und. A DC 15 Fort save negates both effects . Half the
damage dealt is acid damage and hair is fire damage.
The save DC ;s Constitution -based.
Vilefire Blast (Su) A reth dekala can attack roes at range by
lashing ou t with bolts of the co rrupt flames that
compose its body. This is a ranged touch attack with a
range of 60 reel tha i deals 1d8 points of damage. Half
the damage deal t is acid damage and half is fire dam age.
li ving creatures struck by a vneflre blast must succeed
on a Fortitude save (DC 15) or become sickened for 1
round. The save DC is Constitution -based .
Skills A reth de kala has a +4 racial bonus on Balance and
Jum p checks.
CR 4 STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
Asingle rerh dekala is a good compa nion or guard for an ev il
spellcastcr or mastermind . II is ex tremely loyal and would
soo ner die rhan dishonor nselfby failing to uphold its word
Groups of reth dekala mighl seek out a surviving scion of
rh..ir race -possibly a PC who doesn't even know tba t h ..
numbers a reth among his ancestors. or more likely.an NPC
whom the PCs must protect.
Regardless ofits roll.",a rerh dekala excels in melee combat,
and works best ifpaired with a companion creature that re lies
o n magic or ranged snacks. Two or three rerh dekala wo rk-
ing together can be quite formidable, since they are highly
disciplined and cooperate well. mixing ranged and melee
attacks 10 defeat Iheir foes.
In bailIe, a reth dekala often uses ilS air walll. ability or lIS
death from 21x:Nl! l1Unt'Uvert03mw hauteswith -dishonorable
foe s (rogu es, sk trrmshers . or minion s) and seck OUI. suit able
capum. champion. or com mander ro d uel In m...lee, It us ual lv
hove rs about 5 fcer abov e the g round.gwi ng ir rhe +1 hi gh er
ground attack bonus. 1'h... c reature USt'S its vtlefire blas t o n ly
when confronting e ne my spellcauers or a rchers who avo id
clos e co mbat. Th(· creatu re usually begi ns :I ban le wi th its
t hic ke r of blades stance acuve. a nd switches to ma rt ial
..pi rn once it (o r its allies) have been wounded
Re rh dekala often have crusader, swordsege. or
wa rb lade levels, and many all' also skilled sorcerers
These advanced foes ca n se rve as masterminds.
tyra nt s, or oppressors. marshalhng rhe fo rces
of evil 10 subjugate rhe weak.
SAMPLE ENCO NTER
Rt-Ih dekala are high ly discipli ned and
hierarchical. ThC'y do 1i1l1C' for indio
vidual gain. 3nd t he r follow the
orders of their supe riors wit h
u nswe rvmg failhfulnC' u . Al-
t ho ug h Ihey mIght choose to
serve others as me rc e nary
champions. th~ do nOI do so
w it ho ut lengthy and C'xplicil
oaths that clearly spell OUI C'X'
acrlv what the rerh dekala will
do for t herr employer- ami what
t heir employer m ust do in t u rn .
A re rh dekala mercenary conn n-
gent m ight be a si ng le rel it dekala
bodyg uar d, or a com pany of eluc
baule -champtcns numbenng in
rhe d ozens. They usually ta ke
service m groups of two 10 live
lndlvul uals called fis ts.
In addit io n to t hr ir merce-
nary work. reth J r kala are often engaged T lw rtlb Jtft4/A 4rt Ibt r",.~J rt",,,,,,,U
in va rio us m issio ns, raids, or qU...SIS die- if" onff-", ir.b~ r4rt
rated by t he leader-s of rhe lr race i n t he
Crim son Citadel. A fist of re rh dekala migh t be tasked wi th
recoveri ng some lIe m ofV:I! uC', ~king oul new C'mployers,or
hunt ing dow n and extC'rmi nat inganr ofth ose living mona!s
who carry IhC' tl"l h bloodlinC' .
Muked S ame (EL 7): Thn'e rC'th dC'kaia visi l a sma ll
low n tn SC'arch of.1 hidd rn ~Ih d~C'nJanl, They 5eC'k o ut
and kill a local hero n3mcod Hel't"lh Sannaford , only to find
l ha t Herelh had a youngC'r brother. AstheRlh d.-kala mo um
a relen tles s a nd brutal sea rch for thC' surviving Sanna ford,
t he low n elders 5t'nd for thl.' PCs a nd beg th e m 10 s lOp the
merci ll"Ss rampagC'.The he rOC's arrive jus l in time to imen"C'ne
lx·for e Ih e rt'lh dl.'ka la slay Ter C'n S:lnnafo rd too .
SOCIETY
ECOLOGY
Re t h d.ekala wC' re o nc C' mOrl al humanoids, bUI their lo ng
bondage in thC'infC'rnal plant'S.1nu Ihe c urse ofthe :archdevil
t h~ rebelled againsl havC' IransformC'd t hc-m inlOtru... oUIsid·
e~. 11l.-y (.eq ulre no sust...n;lrl(t' or ~t, and Ihey do nOl die
un le<>s s lai n o n Ach eron.
The most unusual feature of IhC' rerh dekala IS the fou l magi '
cal flame that pC'rpt"tu311.,.co nsumes their bodes-ctbe c urse
bestowed on their race bylhei r former master.Their low't'rtorsos
simply trail offInto 3 sickening Incandescent vapor. Creem sh-
yellow flamessmolder here a nd the-re 311 over Ihcir bodes, as Ii
the flesh uself 1.-'1 frozen in the midst of SORlC' awful disin regra-
non. but rhe 83mt'S Ihl'mMOlvMo 3ft' part of the wamors' bodles
and loosel y co nform to Ihl' share of the missing trun k a nd
~s. This "vtlefire" co mbines some of lhe-properties ofborh
add and fire, sickening living mortalsWOOC OTn('
In com act wuh u .
Envi ro n m e n t: The reth dekala a re
runves ofTh u lda n in, second layer of
lhe Inft"tNIl Ruddidd of Acheron. A
few roam rbe broken ~lds of
t he Urn,or sund Iondy \igils In ISO-
b red wratchrcwers scarrered across
IhC' plane, but mos t fl'lh dekala
remain inor nearthe\'2st fcnres....
ITtON!;tC'ry known :IS lhe Crimson
Clt3IkL Once the SC'3tof the ruroe-
less archdevil who originally
corrupted the rerh,rhe Ciradel is
now the home for this cursed race.
O n the MuC'ri31 Plane, the rerb
dC'kala can be' found in almost 3ny
rerrain cr chmne, They are mos t com-
for l:lble in warm e nvtro ns, bUI Ihey
pursue their mi ssions and q uests
wherever I hey mig hr lead .
Typical Physical Cha rac te r-
is tlcs: If Iheir !0\\'l'I' bodies were
huma noid i n form an d did n't va nis h
imo sorcerous green fla me. rerh dekala
wou ld be 10111. i mposi ng warriors close 10
7 feel tall. As th e y ~ pp ear now, the y are
about" 10 S fl'ct tall . Rerhdekala nor ma lly
hove r about S fee t above t he ground. a nd
therefo re "stand"close 10 10 feet rall.Their
rcrsos and armor togethe r weigh about t 20 pounds. Ditfere nt
individuals might have wildly differt"nt decorauons. designs,
:lDdde\'ices on thelt 3rms and armor, bUI all fa\'Or full helms
that conceal their faces, Benealh Ih... helms. t he R lh deb la
h.1\'C' oddly l1.1t , seamt·d. lC'athC'ry featuI'C's and wide mouths
stud de d wilh numC'rous sm ~ ll, po in tC'd lC'el h.
Rt-t h dl"kala all' without g~·ndC'r :m d :arC' effecuvdy agC'less .
To ma ke mOR of their kind. [he y pt'rform a spcrial ri le lhat
infu ses the body of a C3ptivC' humanoid w ith the corrupt
\'ile fire-a n agoniZing process that t he reth dek31a\,iew:ls
a gll'3l honor to bC'stow upo n .1 worthy foe,
ThC' Rth dekala Ih in k of t hl'm selvt'S as a 51rictly gO\'l'rnC'd
ortiC'rof w3rriors. lnl'y do nOI SC'C' IhemSt'I\"C'5asanarmy; Ih.-y
a~ a brot herhooJ c'- knighls, and e\'C'n acommon reth Jek:d.a
e).l-'l"Cls 10 be' treated as an ove rlord an d co nqueror by .any
lesser bemg.lhc R Ih debl.a a ~ bound 10 follow Ihe onlersol
lheir supe nors :md thl'Yundenake fl'w mis~i om or t:lSks on
rhe M arN !al Plane un less or dered. For example.a rerh dckala
might b -ordered 10 garnerwealthand prestige for rhc Crimson
Citade l by fulfi lhng a suitable rnerccnarv com racr. to scour the
co umrysidc of a Materi al Plane kingdom in sea rch of h iJ den
ruth descendants, or to seek OUi and des troy the members of
a knightly order opposed ro reth dckala acrivit y,
M OSI reth dckala an' kn ow n as dekarcbs. above these are
th e ur-deka rchs, the tha umaka rch s. and rh e h igh rha uma-
karchs. To earn rhe tule of thaumakarch, a n-rh dekala must
learn to co mplement its manial abilities with sorcerer spell-
cas ting, so tbc hi gh est-ranking rerh dckala are d anger ous
sorce re rs as well as mania I foe s. Exact in g oaths of feall Yand
be havior di ctate their behavior towa rd one a not her, c rcat ing a
complex hterurcbvoffealrv and obhgcrion fro m the common
dekarchall the way lip lathe Hi gh Lord'I'haumakarch of the
Crimson Ci tade l.
Above all, the rerhdekala seek ro be freeof rhe hor rible curse
laid upo n th em by th e erchdcvilrhey r..belled agains t. 'To break
the vilefi re curse. Ihey must fulfill the oath of obedi ence tht-y
broke-a-each survivin g monel rerh must die, as the overlord of
rhe Cri mso n Ctradel orderedlong ago.Th e realm of the reth no
longer exists, bur acrossthe world hu ndreds, perhaps thousands,
of people (mostly hurnanisnll carry tracesof rhe rcrhblood lin".
The rer h were a hero ic race in their day, and mort' than a few
of these surviving scions arc heroes in thei r own rtght. Some
know of their an cient he ruage and the dange r posed by the
reth dekala. btl! most are ignorant of the ir per il.
Alignmen t : Rerh dckale are rig id and in fle xible. The y
care little for th e troubles of other crea tures, and in fact view
rhcrnselves as an elue race of martial overlords to wh om [esser
beings owe tribute. So me rerh dekala lack rhe cruelty and
co nque ring drive of th eir fellows, an d use the ir strict honor
code as th e sa le guide to their ex isten ce; th ese lean toward a
RETH DEKALA LORE
Character s with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) or Martial l ore
can learn mo re about re th dekala . When a character makes a
successful skill check. the following lore is revealed. including
the information from lower DCs.
Knowledge (the Planes) or Mart ial l ore
DC Resu lt
14 TnI' retn ~ ~ a a are a race of myster ious warriors
rrom some infernal plane . They are cruel and
merciless mercenaries whose bodies are partially
com posed of eerie greeMlsh vapor.
19 Reth dekala are ou tsiders native to Ihe Infernal
Battlefield or Acheron. They are skilledmarl ial adepls
and have innate abilities resembl ing those found
in the Devoted Spirit. Iron Hearl , and Tiger Claw
disciplines. The yellow-green m ist thai forms their
lower bod ies is a sickening miltture of fire and add.
24 Relh dekala are resis tant [ 0 acid, rlre, critical hits,
and sneak attacks. They are cruel and pitiless .
but they abide by a strict code of honor and nevel
deviate from it. They seek out and kill mortals
belonging 10 a mysterious anCient bloodline,
apparently believingthai some curse or torment will
be lifted from Ihem if they succeed In exterminating
every Iilst person who shares this old bloodline .
lawful neutra l alignment. A few rare ind ivid uals ab and on or
pervert their oath s anu be come not h ing more rha n ma licious-
reavers of ne utral evil or chaouc evil alignmem.
TYPICAL TREASURE
111C reth dekala have little lise for wealth other than as a status
symbol. J n their convo luted codes (If honor an d obed ience ,
the righ r 10 levy tribute on one's inferior s is a key du ty an d
pr ivilege o f th ose wh o hold power. Rerh de kala ab ide b}
mbure arrangements scru pulously, and th e cursed warrio rs
do not har m those wh o me et t hei r dem and s, altho ug h these
m igh r be ruinously heavy at ti mes.
In addi tion 10 gems, ar t objec rs. and co inage, reth dekala
hi ghly value magic items- especia lly arm or and weapons.
Most rerh dekala wield the besr magic weapons rheycan find .
Reth dckala w ith levels of sorcerer also make use of sc rolls
and wand s.
RETH DEKALA WITH CLASS LEVELS
111e ancien! rerhwe re form idable warrior-sorcerers.and the rcrh
dekala still possess an inna te talent for sorcery. Sorcerer is the
favored classof the race. Rerh dekala who lake levels in a martial
adl'pl class ca n add rheir rerh dekala Hit Dice 10 their marnal
adept class level 10 determine rheir iniriar or level and hig hest-
level maneuvers known. Thei r innate martia ! maneuvers remain
in a separcre pool from any new ones rheygatn from class leve ls.
although rhev dc ccc nr for the purpose of meeting prerequisites
for martial maneuvers gained through class level. They ca nnot
recover expended mane uvers from th eir reth dekala martial
abililY liming an encour nertbu t they can recover m an euvers
acquired from a ma rtial adep t class norm ally).
The reth dekala destroyed rheonlv be ing whom the y mighr
have co nsidered a patron deiry. and therefo re do not worship
any god s. During th eir uprising agains f the ir overl ord, fhey
sle w tho se few of their fellows who we re cle rics of th eir
in ferna l ma ster . Reth dekala cler ics are still qui re rare, and
are most likely 10 venerate Hextor or the principles of law,
tvrar mv. and war.
Relh dekala have a racia l +.J bon us on Balance and Jump
checks. Martial adept classes and fighter-likeclasses (any class
with fu ll arrack progression)are cons ide red assoc tared classes
for pu rpOSI'Sof dete rmining an advanced re rb de ka la's CR.
Level Adjustment: +5, Rerh dek ala ca n move th rou gh m e
air wilh t'ase and have a num bl'r of special res ista nces and
defen ses.
_,.---:-:-:---,---_-;-;---1
V~A LKYRIE
IX/jll!.. 1'['ld of 1I1lwd.-r, ,1 Vilio ll tlfftl r)' apJlflrn ","'foro: rllll. Wltll
lI'iJl~S like slor m e1m"ls lina f)'tS Ihlil Spit lightn ing, this f itTU
lI't"1mllnl iko: cmthm' SIOllll's a hoof" afOO l ,lllllWIlI't S 111'0 slI'orlll 111
)'l'llr JimliOll, tar h rmdd ing with ..Jet/ricily,
.a
Valkyri r s, ofrf'n ca ll• slorm ange ls by the ignorant , soar
th rough lh e ski es ofYsgaro seek ing ba ttle with Ihr plane's
mosr valiant warriors. Fearl ess paragon s of manial prowess,
valky ries th rill :u combat and fight wonhy foes :II every
oppo rt uniry.Although pron to to disobedienct', valkyrie'Soften
serve de ilies of war as messengers and t'n force rs.
VALKYRI E CR 9
AlwilYs CN urge outsider [rhacnc, eltrilplanar)
Init .. 8; senses dar!lvISlon 60 ft., Listen +10, Spot ..10
Langua ges Ab)ossal, CelestIal, Common
AC 25, touch 17, flat-footed 25; unCilnny dodge
(-1 sue. ...8 Dell, +1 armo r. +7 nilturill)
hp 115 (ll HD); DR lOlcold iron
Immune cold , electricity, fear, sonic:
SR 17
Fort ..13. Ref +15, WiIl ..8
Spud 40 ft. (8 squilres); fly 60 f1. (~rfecl)
Melee .. 1 short sword +171+12/+7 (ld8 ..7/19-20 plus 1d6
electrlclly) an d
+1 short sword +17/+12 (ld8+3f19 -20 plus 1d6
electncity) or
Melee 2 slams +16 each (l d6+7 plus 1d6 electricity)
Space 10 fl.; Rea ch 10 ft.
Base Alk +11 ; Grp +22
Atk Options Combat Experlise, Improved Disarm, POW!!r
Attack , aligned st rike (chaotic), eleclricity attacks,
maneuvers
Sp«ial Actions lighting gne (DC 18) ,sonic burst (DC 18)
Malneu vers and Stan ces Known (IL 10th):
Sionces-prey on the wealk (7th)
5ffl.kn-<harging minotaur (lst), clever positJOning (DC 20)
(2nd), devillSliltlng throw (Jrd), mou ntilin iI~lanche (DC
22) (5th), poul\Clng charge (5th), wolffang strike (lst)
Boosls-boulder roll (4th)
COlolnrt'fS-balfnln8 defense (2nd), cccnter ch arge (lst)
Dlseip''"t's: Setting Sun , Stone Drilgon, Tiger Clilw
Each of a villkyrie's maneuvers can be initiate d once per
encounter, with no recharge.
Abilities Str 25, Dell 27, Con 22, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 16
Feats Combat Expertise, Improved DiSilrm, Power Attack ,
Improved rwc-weapcn Figtu ingl , two-weapon
Flgn hn gl , Weapon Finess e
Skill, Balance +23, Concentration +19, Diplomacy +18, Hide
+17, Intimidate +16, Jump +26, Knowledge (the planes)
..10, listen +1 0, Martial lore +12, Sense Mcuve ..14,
Spo t ..10, Survival +1 (+3 on other planes) , Tumble +23
Advalncement by character class: Favored Class swordsage
Possession s padded armor, 2 +1 shorl swords
Aligned Stri ke (Sui A valkyrie's natural weapons, as well as
ilny weapons she Wields, are treated as chaotic-aligned
for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction,
Electricit y Atta cks (Su) A valkYrie dea ls 1d6 points of
e1fi t' lclty damage WIth her nillural altacks an d ilrty
weapons she wields.
lighting Ga.ze (Sui A valkyrie' s ca n se nd o ut s tro kes of
lightning at those who meet her ga ze. 4d6 electricity,
rilnge 30 feet, Rene.. DC 18 neg ates . The save DC is
Chilnsmil-based.
~brtj ill Mane uvers A valkyrie knows several ma rt;ill
milneuvers and sta nce'S (initiator level 10th). She rec:ow-r$
e..pended maneuvers by resting and meditaltlng fo' 5
minutes. She can use eilch milneu ver once per encounter.
Sonic Burst (Sui As aI swift act ion, iI villky" e can clap her
wings togelher to creilte a thu nderclap. Creatures within
30 feet of the valkyrie take 4d6 points of sonic damage.
A successful DC 18 Rene.. save results 1M half damage
Villkyr.es must wait 1d4 rounds between use s of this
abllity_The save DC IS Charisma-based.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
A alkYflro typtC2l1y begln~ combat from rhe au. wing the
pounctng charge maneuver to make a fuU snack 211he end of
;acharge. When fltght ism pracllc:l.l,:lI valkyrie uses the wolf
f:mg mike againsl fees. In enbcrcase. a valkyrie oflen 10110\\'<;
up the charge wuh a thunderclap 3Sa SWlfl acnon.
In melee, 3 valkvne prefers to nght one on one. Thuc; 3
valkvne mlghl use cbargmg mmctaur and clever posinonin g
10move do 10 her chosen foe, and devastanog throw and
boulder roll 10 deal with others. For defense, the valkvn e
relies on counter charge and bafflingJefeme.
A valkyrie almost never acuvelv gazes al a foe. preferring
ro use her melee attacks. ofcourse, the passive attack ofher
lighlning gaze can put fees at a stgnincanl dtsadvamage.
If a valkyrie finds herself ourrnarched. she might flee ,
surrender, or figh t on until death. dependi ng on the nature
cftbcsc shro fights. A valkj-rtc figh ting an encrnyofsu perior
marna! sk ill ofte n surrenders and offers service and ho mage
in exchange for her life and lea rning something of th e
tighter's sk il l. Ralrely, a valkyrie ba nles on unnl she takes
her Lisr bre ath-c-jusr 10 experience the honor of figh ting
such a formidable enemy, All rbe while, a valkyrie praises
her opponent's skill, ne ver accepu ng surrender or truce. A
valkyrie who nears defeat again~t a foe pnmarily using spells
oroeher nonmartial aftaICks usu ally flees, somenmes return-
tngwilh ~inforcememsand oeber times Le';l\'ang to seek banle
ag:alrnl a mere worthy marnal-onemed opponem.
SAMPLE ENCOUNTER
Valkyril'S rrsvel alcne or in sm all groups. Soaring through
rbe clouds, valkvrteschallenge any in telligent creature bear-
ang the armament of a warrior who seems wcrthv, Often,
valkynes happen upon a baule and OWl ' the combatants
from rhe au or from hiding. The valkv rics then swoop dow n
ro trescue" skilled figh ters from rbe mele e, laking them 10 a
safe place where they can recu pera te an d ready rhernselves
rode banle with rheir savio rs.
Fig h t C lu b (EL 14):Two valkyries rook a wounded paladi n
from a banlc in which he smgle-handedlv foughr a group of
marauding trolls. Now one valkyrie guards th e paladin as he
rest 10 a ncarbycavern while rbe orher valkyrie seeks ano ther
0rronrnt 10 fight.The guardi ng valkyrie refuses togfve up the
pabdm unle....:l. PC is willing roemer inrosingkcombal With
her.The rt'turnmg,,,,nr.yne-lmmeJiJlroly snacks when she sees
a bailie, drcpping hercarch-c-rhe leaderofthe trollS-lONnie
a PC. nil' \-alkn"ie5 allack the- PCs using the tactICS described
.a}x,..~, while the troll leaJa-rtakes Iheopportunity 10finish off
lhe paladin before turmng on the Pes. USC' fhe SUlistics for
l(u. troll hunler .\1.\1247 for the lrollieader. For the palaldin,
uSC' dlt' statisllCSfOl"the half-ct'lestuI9tb-kwl human paladin
( \IM HI;J.The' paladin is OUt of "JX'lIs and has ~ hiS lay on
hands ability for the day, leaving him with 70 hi t points.
ECOLOGY
ASOUfSlder.., valkyries nrot'O nOI eat o r sll'ep, O1nJ. lhus do nOI
norma llv 3 f~ t the ecolog)' oCan u roJ. Yel t hey rirt'lessh'
wing Ih rou gh fh e cloud" In ' l'uch of ban Ie , below, and
by ch ol llt' ngtng an d killing ;) OC ll'ty'S bt's l warriors, the)
mlghl also lake Ih~1 society's h" ~1 hunters.
rhts rar('h h3S a direct effecI on local
ecology. burtn harsh lands it ca n have
Igmficanl d fccrs on the com muntues
lefrwnhourrhetr best foodgatherers.
Th e dtssol unon of th ese communi·
lie s can then wr...ak havoc on the
surrounding regrca
Environmenl: \·alkyri... s
live on all rhe layers of the
HerOIC Domams of Ys-
gard , :a nd thi s plane of
constant ban le. death.
and resurrecnon IS Ihelr
favored home. On Ysgard. valkvnes
re51 rht'lf fighl1ng skills againsl an)'
c reature, regardless of its power.
and Ihey are even willing
10 nghl It'SS wort hy foes,
secure in rhe knowledge
rhar beth tht'y and their op-
ponerus will arise fro m death to
fighr again.
Valkvr ies prefer 10 remain in flight
high abovethe ground in :any environ-
ment Immune ro cold. eleclnci ly.:and
so mc effec rs. valkvnes wing their
W3YS th rough th e wors t storms, V./l;Ti.-' Ji,hf .,,)....l" Ysganfs u)'C'rs. lflhedt'iry lived Ihrough rhe comber
gleefully riding thei r winds 10 the
next ban leground.
Typical Physical Ch ara Cleris-
ncs: Valkyrt,'S stand abour 10fC'C'1
I3Il :anJ wetg h .\50 pounds. Although gendered. valkynes
do nOI give hm h 10 rh..irown kind. Instead. valkyr ie" anse
from rhc blood of deities th at has been spilled in comharand
dro pped upon rhc soil of Ysga rd. Valkyries rare ly have room
in rheir hearts for emenens other than bailie fury. bUI when
Ihey do, a un ion results in celestial or half-celestial children.
As beings born of the blood of gods, valkyrtes do net age.
1\ Iign me nr : Valk V fl(~ S are alwllVs chaoric neutral, Although
Ihl'V \'C no rea..on 10 be cruel. neil her do Ihey see C;lU.... IO
be merci ful Te sri ng th eir marua l
sk ills in bat tle agains t anyone
worthy form s rbe basts 01 Ih{'lr
unders tandi ng of vir tua l
Iy evervrhmg, an oullook
thaI doesn't .1.110"0\· for 13\\-
ful ideals such as respect for
authority or rhe rule of lzw
SOCIETY
ValkyriC'S insrinctM ly tC'Cog
nize each orher as siblings of:a
son. and Ihis sisterhood caus es
them to f('C'1 a son of carm nJcnt'
wuh one another. O n their horne
plane of Ysgard. rhis camarad c n e
becomes blurred as me valkvnes
fight one another regularly and often
participate in rhe celebrations in rhe
Hall of rhe V:aIiJ.nl. Yel on ot her planes
valkvries rarely fighl one anot her, prefernng
10 work rogerher rc find brave cppcnemscr to
serve a great !ighler.
Valkyrie's come imo being when a deily's barrie-
she'dblood falls on the hallowed grounds ofo ne oi
for ...] rr._ t he blood il 105 1 to the earth sprouts glory flowers
on the following dawn. cerpeu ng the landscape in
glcwmg blood-red blossoms. The shon-lived glcryfla.o.'t"r's bios-
somsare prized compoeems in magicitems,and when prcperlv
brewed can be used 10make ~(l luof hmllSlII. Should the glorY
blossoms be lef u ndis turbe d u nril the following dawn . the
glow tht'y emit build" 10 an almost blindi ng crimson light ;a~
theydie,and a valkyrie appears when rhe Iighr is most Intense.
Thl' newly born valkyrie 5t't"ks OUI its parent deil y 10 ~I'I\'e
it. Most valkyries in service 10 a deily serve a god or goddess
rharlues on rhe plane. such as Kordor Oltdammara. bur such
ser vice rarely lasts more th an a hu nd red years of a valkyrie's
immorla[ life due to Ihdr indcpenJeni nalures.

VALKYRIE LORE TYPICAL TREASURE

CharaClt rs With ranks InKnowlt'dgt' (Ihepl:anes) can leilrn more
abou t valkyties. When a character makes a successful skill
cheCk. the following loreIS revealed. Includingthe Information
from lower DCs.
Knowledge (the planes)
DC Result
19 ThiS crealure IS a valkyr e an outsider from the
planeo of Ysgilrd known fot ulr:U1g Ihe vahnl from
~lItefit'lds. Th,s result r~ats all outSIder tra'ls.
24 Valkyr,es ane Immune to cold, electrICIty. and sonic
eoffeclS. Theyhave amaZing martial abililies, and
their g:au is up:ableo of elKtrocuting their foes.
29 Born of(he blOod or deo I es spilT In hattre, v.il~ynes
often servegods ofb;lu}e.lind war Most sefV(' Kord.
34 Vallr:yrleos often offer to serve somt'One who nn
defeat lhem '" smgle combat using mart.al skills
Valkyries rypically havr nocoim or goods :andc:arTY thl' full
\'3lucoftheir Ireasure in ilems.They Im't"llighr and ha\'t" Intle
mt' for golu orolh.-r valuables. Most carry magic Wl"apons oi
som~ sort and in~1 whJ.reverspoils Iheygain inlo improving
tht'ir loolsofban lc. Theon ly1rt"3Sure the \'3lkyrie aoo..,.cames
is ht·r .. I shorllworalanJ padtkd annor. lf:a\'lI1kyrie ch~ 10
\\'t"Jr Unlor. iI's rJ.rrl)· ht-avier dun p3udedarmor beca~ ocher
:armor Iypes would reduc(' her Dexlerity bonus to AC
VALKYRIES WITH CLASS LEVELS
Valk)'ries 3d\'3nceby cl3ss. and Ihri r f3vorOO class is S\\'Ordsag
Valkyries who take s\\'Drosage kl.'t"ls can aJd their S\\'Ord5.}~
Hit Dice10theirefft'("ti\'t" swotdsage Ievel(lOth)[odel..rml~
[heir mill2tor 1t'Vl'I;and highe$f·It'V'e1 ItUneU\-ers kl\CN>'n
Leveol l\ dju'it m e nl: .5.