« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2009, 12:16:29 AM » |
[/size]Martial Schools
note, no colours here, since most of this is derived from my own play experience, which is only one kind of DND.
Warblades get access to 5 martial schools, Diamond Mind, Iron Heart, Stone Dragon, Tiger Claw and White Raven. I, generally, find Diamond Mind and Iron Heart the best, while i use White Raven the least. This section will probably present that huge bias. [From now on, the schools will be referred to in short form, using only the first letter of each word. DM, IH, SD, TC, WR.] If you're set on Warblading, have some foresight and look at maneuvers you want to get. The pre-reqs can get punishing for level 9 stances. (accepting the SD capstone, which is ridiculous with a requirement of 0 SD maneuvers.)
1st level:
[/size] Stances you have access to are...
Stance of Clarity (DM) Punishing Stance (IH) Stonefoot Stance (SD) Blood in the Water, Hunter's Sense (TC) Bolstering Voice, Leading the Charge (WR)
Of these, i like Hunter's Sense the best. Scent is a good ability. Blood in the Water is good, and can get absolutely sick with a build that focuses on it (Dual-wielding +1 Keen Kukri). Punishing Stance is nice if you prefer to deal damage, but isn't gamebreaking or anything. Bolstering Voice can be good at early levels, but the fear bonus just isn't helpful until higher levels, where you will have better stances. Stance of Clarity is good if your DM prefers single combats, or combats where the BBEG has a bunch of mooks with no chance of hitting you other than on critical hits. Leading the Charge can be useful in a larger group, with more than 1 main meleer. Stonefoot Stance is horrible. It is like being a Dwarven Defender, but WORSE. Don't do it. Its an Admiral Ackbar sized trap. I don't care what you want it for, it sucks.
Maneuvers you get are...
Moment of Perfect Mind, Sapphire Nightmare Blade (DM) Steel Wind, Steely Strike (IH) Charging Minotaur, Stone Bones (SD) Sudden Leap, Wolf Fang Strike (TC) Douse the Flames, Leading the Attack (WR)
Level 1 is a pretty boring level for maneuvers. They aren't exactly staggering. Special mention goes to Moment of Perfect Mind, which gives you a huge bonus to your will save. It is made for those joyous will saves you succeed to avoid becoming, say... the BBEGs minion for 5 turns. Sapphire Nightmare Blade isn't bad, but it isn't staggering. +1d6 and you get a bonus to hit if you succeed on a concentration check. (at level 1, this is actually really nice, but level 1 isn't that long...) Steel Wind is pretty good, as extra attacks normally are. Especially at this level, where you might be fighting things that only have a couple hit points. Steely Strike isn't as good though. At any level, monsters will out number players. You have better things to ready than this. Charging Minotaur is good, especially if you have a good str mod. Stone Bones is nice at this level, since it essentially makes you immune to damage for one round at the low levels. It levels poorly, unfortunately. Sudden Leap is always good, as it lets you take a full attack action after you move. This is better for TWFers or high BAB characters, and thus isn't very useful yet, unfortunately. Wolf Fang Strike is ok, but not great. It basically gives you TWF for a single attack, but with any two weapons you can hold in only one hand. It requires special mention however, as it is the only first level tiger claw strike without a maneuver pre-req.Leading the Attack isn't spectacularly bad, especially if your DM prefers single enemies in combat, like with Stance of Clarity. Douse the Flames is ok, especially for disabling that crazy spiked chain tripper at first level. Oh wait...
To sum up: A lot of mediocrity. Nothing too gamebreaking for level 1. Moment of Perfect Mind is worth keeping till 20, because Concentration ranks + Con should always be higher than your will save. Sudden Leap is nice if you're building a TWF character, so you get all your attacks every round. 2nd level:
No stances at level 2, only maneuvers...
Action Before Thought, Emerald Razor (DM) Disarming Strike, Wall of Blades (IH) Mountain Hammer, Stone Vise (SD) Claw at the Moon, Rabid Wolf Strike (TC) Battle Leaders Charge, Tactical Strike (WR)
Level 2 maneuvers aren't bad. Action Before Thought functions identically to Moment of Perfect Mind, but replaces your other bad save, Reflex. This makes it good. Emerald Razor lets you ignore a large chunk of AC, and is good against city guards, dwarves in platemail and party members, all of whom will probably have armour and shield bonuses. (This scales well, as was pointed out. Touch Attacks are wonderful.) Disarming Strike does pretty much like it says. It is good if you're wanting that bad guys sword out of his hands because there is no chance of losing your own weapon, your most important tool, and the AoOs normally associated with disarming (Who has Imp. Disarm as a feat?) do not apply. Wall of Blades is wonderful, especially since you are focusing more on your attack roll than armour. Mountain Hammer is nice for bashing through walls, doors and adamantine things, apart from the obvious use of destroying things with DR. Stone Vise is ok, but not as good as it might seem at first glance. The second level of tiger claw is interesting in that neither maneuver requires anything. Claw at the Moon is nice if you can make the jump checks, Rabid Wolf Strike isn't bad, but i don't like taking huge penalties like that, especially when Claw at the Moon gives the same bonuses. Battle Leaders Charge isn't great. I suppose that avoiding AoOs while you charge is nice, but 10 points of damage isn't anything to write home about. (A good point that I failed to notice is that at level 3, 10 damage is significant, and if you're into pouncing, it fulfills that very well.) Tactical Strike is very nice, as controlling the battlefield usually is. It is somewhat limited, however. 3rd level:
More stances!
Pearl of Black Doubt (DM) Absolute Steel Stance (IH) Crushing Weight of the Mountain, Roots of the Mountain (SD) Leaping Dragon Stance, Wolverine Stance (TC) Tactics of the Wolf (WR)
Lets start by saying that Leaping Dragon Stance is broken. Its probably a misprint, but as written, it gives a +10 foot enhancement to any jump checks you make. Not a +10 bonus. +10 feet. This makes it incredibly powerful. (You're also always running for jumps, which is another nice thing.) Check it with your DM.Wolverine Stance is nice if you have a DM that tends to like grappling monsters, and if you're focused on grappling for some weird reason, Crushing Weight of the Mountain is too. Roots of the Mountain is like making yourself a mini Dwarven Defender, but if your DM likes those alternative combat options, it might not be bad. (Its awesome for Lock Down Knight/Crusaders...) Pearl of Black Doubt is great against piles of little guys, as you slowly become unhittable over a round. Absolute Steel Stance is... bad. You're making full attacks. I can see the appeal for say, a Skirmisher, but Warblades don't get Skirmish. Its becoming commonplace for White Raven now, but Tactics of the Wolf is best with multiple melee characters. A bonus to damage equal to your Initiator level is great, but only if people are flanking. Nice for a party of rogues too.
Maneuvers:
Insightful Strike, Mind over Body (DM) Exorcism of Steel, Iron Heart Surge (IH) Bonecrusher, Stone Dragon's Fury (SD) Flesh Ripper, Soaring Raptor Strike (TC) Lion's Roar, White Raven Tactics (WR)
Quote from: Solo on June 10, 2010, 09:49:11 PM All you need to know about third level Warblade maneuvers is Iron! Heart! Surge!
Thanks Solo. Anyway, Iron Heart Surge is the best maneuver ever. Enervated? Iron Heart Surge. Stuck in a web? Iron Heart Surge. Ray of Exhaustion got you down? Iron Heart Surge. The other special mention in this level is White Raven Tactics, which breaks the action economy. Did your wizard cast a spell already? Well, now she can go after me. Technically, you can delay until after their turn and then do it again, but that is likely to get your DM very angry.Lion's Roar is lackluster and depends on dropping an opponent, so skip it. Soaring Raptor Strike isn't bad, but its only usable against opponents larger than you, which means it won't work in all cases. Most of the monsters you fight as you get into higher levels are larger than you, but for some DMs, you won't fight any larger opponents through the entire campaign. YMMV. Flesh Ripper is too short to be a good debuff. (1 round? -4 to Attack and AC. Ew.) Stone Dragon's Fury, similar to SRS, is limited, but even more so, only being useful against constructs and objects. Stick to Mountain Hammer if you're having trouble with walls. Bonecrusher isn't as bad as SDF, but the secondary effect is essentially useless unless you have some kind of critical optimization character in your party. Exorcism of Steel is horrid, to make up for the "I win" that is Iron Heart Surge. Mind over Body replaces your good save, so it isn't quite as good as the other two of the series. (However, still nice as you don't automatically fail skill checks on a 1.) Insightful Strike isn't bad, as its easy to get your Concentration check through the roof, (its like replacing your damage for d20+Concentration. Do you normally roll d20s on your damage? Is your concentration+Con better than 1.5*Str?) but its really lackluster when compared to Iron Heart Surge and White Raven Tactics.
[/size]4th level:
On the way!5th level:
On the way!6th level:
On the way!7th level:
There is a single stance at Level 7, Prey on the Weak (TC). TC doesn't get a stance at level 5, so apparently it fits here. It isn't bad, but I don't think its game-breaking. Extra attacks are nice.
Maneuvers:
Avalanche of Blades, Quicksilver Motion (DM) Finishing Move, Scything Blade (IH) Ancient Mountain Hammer, Colossus Strike (SD) Hamstring Attack, Swooping Dragon Strike (TC) Clarion Call, Swarming Assault (WR)
This is a really good level for DM, IH and WR. Quicksilver Motion is like having pounce 1/encounter, and easier than Sudden Leap to use. (Admittedly,Sudden Leap is level 1, and with Leaping Dragon Stance...) Perfect for the first round, when you're getting into the fray. And the level after you get 7th level maneuvers, you'll also be getting your 4th BAB attack. (+16/+11/+6/+1) You want extra attcks, go with Avalanche of Blades. Your BAB gives you bonus attacks at a -5 penalty. Avalanche of Blades gives you bonus attacks at -4. If you're pumping to hit, or your opponent has really low AC, this is pretty awesome. Bonus attacks always are. Finishing Move is nice for really big, single opponents, but when you're dealing with multiple smaller enemies, 14d6 is a lot of overkill. Scything Blade is nice, like a cleave without requirements, but overshadowed by Avalanche of Blades, which usually will give you more than 1 attack. Ancient Mountain Hammer is the latest in the Mountain Hammer series, and the same advantages and disadvantages apply. Colossus Strike is interesting, and useful on occasion, but Fortitude is the worst save to target for monsters, generally. Hamstring Strike is wonderful. Even if they make their save, they take dex damage and a speed penalty? Nice. As with most of the TC maneuvers, if you can make the jump check, Swooping Dragon Strike is great. Stun+10d6 damage is never amiss in a fight. Clarion Call is awesome. You can initiate it basically whenever, and grant allies extra move actions/attacks? Once again, White Raven breaks the action economy. Swarming Assault, by comparison, is pretty lame, but if you're fighting 1 BBEG vs party, it is pretty good. 8th level:
On the way!9th level:
Again, this level is only maneuvers. Ridiculous Maneuvers.
Time Stands Still (DM) Strike of Perfect Clarity (IH) Mountain Tombstone Strike (SD) Feral Death Blow (TC) War Master's Charge (WR)
Ah, level 9. I love this level. We'll start with Time Stands Still. Two full attack actions. Its good. It is probably the best 9th level maneuver here. Its also my favourite, no questions asked. When you're a level 17 Warblade, you'll be doing 4 attacks a turn with huge damage, hopefully. This doubles that. Great. Strike of Perfect Clarity, by comparison, is rather underwhelming. Massive damage is all well and good, but really, +100 damage, at 17th level, isn't exactly game-breaking. Admittedly, few level 17 monsters can just ignore 100 damage... Mountain Tombstone Strike is good. Pick it up. 2d6 of Con, like +100 damage, isn't game shattering at 17th level, but it's never something to just ignore, and it doesn't even HAVE pre-reqs. (Also, if the BBEG is a normal human, maybe some kind of evil wizard, it could be incapacitating.) Feral Death Blow is an interesting maneuver. Make a jump check with DC =to AC. Then, make an attack on flat-footed armour. If it succeeds, the opponent makes a fortitude save (DC19+Str) or DIES. If they pass, or if they're immune to critical hits, the strike only deals an additional 20d6 damage. Only. Fort is the highest save for monsters at high levels, unfortunately, so depending on the campaign, instant kills could be rare. War Master's Charge, like usual for WR, is great with multiple melee characters. You initiate the maneuver and anyone within 30' of you can charge a target. You get piles of bonus damage and a couple bonuses to hit also. An opponent who gets hit more than once is stunned for a round. Oh, and no AoO for charging. Basically, a pile of bonuses stacked onto a team charge, all in your turn.
Summing up 9th level: These are all awesome, but they all (Accepting SD) have hefty pre-reqs. You've only got a certain number of maneuvers. Choose wisely. Plan for the maneuvers you want at level 17, so you don't find yourself with only 3 DM maneuvers at 16, hoping you can get Time Stands Still next level. If you have a large party, get WMC for certain.
As a running count, I have to do 4, 5, 6 and 8.[/color] |
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