Author Topic: Tome of Battle's Maneuver System comes to old-school D&D  (Read 2177 times)

Offline Libertad

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3618
    • View Profile
    • My Fantasy and Gaming Blog
Tome of Battle's Maneuver System comes to old-school D&D
« on: August 16, 2015, 03:10:30 PM »
The Sandbox is a free magazine by Sine Nomine Publishing, who is very well-known in the OSR (Old School Renaissance/Revolution/Revival) community for stellar products such as Spears of the Dawn, Scarlet Heroes and Stars Without Number.

Issue 2 contains a Blademaster class.  It was designed as a warrior class who trains and studies various techniques and martial schools to gain an edge in combat.  There are many parallels: arts are maneuvers, and some are constant, can be used once per encounter, or once per day.  There's a 15 minute meditation recharge rate for out-of-combat uses.  They prepare arts much like a spellcaster prepares spells, with slots to fill and all.  Additional, there are two sample schools (or styles in Tome of Battle): Maker's Edge, which is all about heavy weapons and armor overpowering foes in a tide of iron, and the Crimson Devil, which is mixed with unholy knowledge of lower planes fiends.

In comparison to old-school Fighter class, Blademasters have the attack, save, and hit dice of a cleric, and they can't use shields or armor better than chainmail.  The versatility of the Arts and Schools are an intended balancing factor: the traditional Fighter will have better overall values, but the Blademaster can do more stuff albeit with a more limited resource.

I've played my fair share of Labyrinth Lord (Basic D&D retroclone), and in comparison to 3.X inter-class disparity is not as wide but still there.  Fighters have the best saving throws in the game and the only class who can activate a magic sword's powers (most magic weapons were swords), magic-users have to find scrolls in treasure to add to their spellbook instead of via level-ups, and things like magic item creation, monster summoning, etc aren't always present in all retroclones.  However, there are still disparities, such as monsters outright immune to non-magic weapons.

Still, from what I've seen of the Blademaster it's got a lot of sweet abilities, such as interposing yourself between an enemy's attack and an ally within 60 feet, forcing a foe to reroll an attack if the result would kill/knock you out, rallying cries which can restore hit points and negate fear/morale effects, and an area-of-effect charge-based attack.

As it's free, I may post the whole thing up if there's sufficient interest.
« Last Edit: August 16, 2015, 03:13:32 PM by Libertad »

Offline Libertad

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3618
    • View Profile
    • My Fantasy and Gaming Blog
Re: Tome of Battle's Maneuver System comes to old-school D&D
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2015, 10:14:43 PM »
I did a write-up over on the Tome of Battle/Path of War Roll20 club, so I figured it would be nice to transfer the stuff over here as well.

The Blademaster
A Character Class for Scarlet Heroes and other OSR Games


Most warriors know little of the subtler energies of the world. Strength, suffering, swiftness and steel are familiar enough to them, but the deep pulse of the unseen world is of no use to such fighters in their battles. Blademasters are different. These students of the martial subtleties put aside the more conventional traditions of war in order the plumb the deep secrets passed down from their ancient exemplars. These schools offer different secrets to their acolytes, arts that range from secret strikes to raw marvels of supernatural force.

Despite their common name, blademasters have been known to use a wide variety of weapons, from conventional swords to massive mauls to longbows. Their focus on offensive techniques leaves most schools unable to make effective use of a shield, so two-handed weapons are usually preferred by their adepts.

Blademasters tend to wander after their apprenticeships in order to prove their capabilities, find worthy foes, and discover deserving mentors. Others have higher aims for their swords, while some just want to earn the wealth they deserve. The class provided here is intended for use with both Scarlet Heroes and most other traditional old-school games. The experience table presumes a conventional game; blademasters in a Scarlet Heroes game should use the universal XP table that all heroes use, along with usual heroic saving throws. When developing new arts, you can replace the explicit gold piece cost with 3 Wealth points for developing a first level art, 6 for a second level one, 9 for a third level one, and 12 for a fourth level art.

The Blademaster
Attack Bonus: As a Cleric
Saving Throws: As a Cleric
Hit Dice: As a Cleric
Weapons: Any
Armor: Nothing with a base AC better than 5, or better than chain in other systems, and no shields allowed.
Fray Die: 1d8, if using Scarlet Heroes
Magic Items: Can use items allowed to Fighters




Class Abilities

The deep secrets of the blademaster are slowly unfolded through toil and battle. No mentor is needed to learn these skills, as the seeds of them are imparted to every student of the school as part of their basic training.

Mysteries: The blademaster gradually masters the innate mysteries of their art. Each school teaches three such secrets, the student’s mystery imparted at 1st level, the adept’s mystery at 5th level, and the master’s mystery at 9th level.

Studied Art: The blademaster’s disciplined practice allows them to learn one more art from their school’s list of a level they are able to prepare. No teacher is necessary for this self-enlightenment.

Unified Art: The master chooses one art known to them that isn’t a part of their school’s tradition. They may treat that art as part of their art list; preparing it does not apply the normal penalties. They may do so with one art at 5th level, 10th level, and one for every even level after 10th. If no desired art is known when this ability is gained, the blademaster may wait to use it until a suitable art is learned.

Innovator: The blademaster may now develop new arts with GM approval. NPCs use years of study to develop an art; hastier PCs can instead spend gold on research materials and training consultation. Level 1 arts cost 5,000 gp to develop, with the price doubling with each further level. Particularly esoteric arts may require adventures to find suitably wise fellow blademasters for tutelage. These arts are considered out-of-school to everyone except the blademaster and any pupils who study daily with them over the course of gaining an entire experience level.

Founder: The blademaster may develop a new school by synthesizing their own creations and learning. The school art list for this new school must consist of four arts for levels 1-3 and three arts for level 4. The founder can fill these slots with any arts known to them, whether or not they’re part of their original school’s list. For the art’s secrets, they can either use the mysteries from their existing school or replace one or more with new mysteries worked out together with the GM. The founder gains 2d6 new students who rapidly become level 1 blademasters in the new school, plus one prize pupil or converted former member of a different school with a level equal to the founder’s Charisma score divided by three, rounded down. These pupils are fiercely loyal so long as they receive regular instruction. Pupils who leave or perish in the line of duty will be replaced at a rate of one month per level of the departed pupil.

Offline Libertad

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3618
    • View Profile
    • My Fantasy and Gaming Blog
Re: Tome of Battle's Maneuver System comes to old-school D&D
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2015, 10:17:13 PM »
Blademaster Arts

The arts of a blademaster are similar to the spells of a magic-user or cleric, but draw on the wielder’s inner strength and training rather than arcane or celestial powers. They cannot normally be Dispelled or otherwise suppressed, and require no gesticulations or special incantations to trigger.

Invoking a prepared art takes more or less time, depending on the art. Instant arts may be invoked at any time, even when it’s not the blademaster’s turn, and do not consume the user’s action. Action arts take up the PC’s action for the round, though they can still move normally.

Constant arts are always available to the blademaster as long as they’ve been prepared. Once per Day arts can be used only once each day. Once per Fight arts can be used once in any given fight. If used outside combat, it takes about fifteen minutes of calm before the blademaster can use it again.

The blademaster can fill their allowed preparation slots with any arts of the appropriate level. The same art cannot be prepared twice. Preparation requires no more than a few minutes of meditation, but can be done only once per day, usually after the blademaster wakes.

Arts are learned from other blademasters or special tomes of instruction, requiring a week’s teaching per level of the art. A blademaster can learn any art they are capable of preparing, whether or not it is part of their school’s traditional list. Foreign techniques mesh poorly with the blademaster’s martial training, however, and each art prepared by the blademaster that is not on their school’s list inflicts a cumulative -1 hit penalty for the rest of the day.

Blademasters begin play knowing two 1st level arts from their school’s list. They may learn more with the Studied Art class ability or by seeking out tutors and teaching scrolls.

Creating New Arts and Schools

Two schools are provided here as examples for the GM and players. PCs might be from these schools, or work with the GM to create new ones. As a rule of thumb, a school’s student mystery should be modest but widely-useful, their adept mystery should be very useful in a narrow case, and their master’s mystery should be a Once per Day effect roughly as powerful as a 5th level spell.

In the same vein, arts that mimic existing spells should either be Once per Fight for weak or situational spells, and Once per Day for widely-useful effects. Constant effects should provide either weak general perks or large, narrow benefits.

Blademasters and Fighters

A blademaster who dedicates all their arts and class abilities towards mimicking a fighter should still be slightly inferior to the genuine article in normal combat conditions. Instead, the blademaster is intended to trade some of the fighter’s raw martial prowess for a bigger bag of situationally-superior tricks. Much like the magic-user, the blademaster is able to adjust their choice of abilities to suit expected situations, and can pull off tricks that would be completely impossible without some touch of magic to their martial discipline. Keep this in mind when designing new arts and schools.

The School of the Maker’s Edge

The grim mercenaries of Eirengard have cultivated many martial arts, not least of them the school of the Maker’s Edge. These red-handed warriors prefer large, two-handed weapons, with the greatsword a particular favorite. Traditionally, these blademasters were valued members of the Eirengard pike formations and used their special abilities to break open enemy lines and smash the defenses of the foe’s champions.

These days, the constant bloodletting in the western lands have cost many masters their lives. It becomes harder to find a true teacher of the Maker’s Edge, and the old traditions of stern Makerite piety are beginning to go by the wayside as the remaining instructors are willing to take less pious pupils, if only to keep the tradition alive. Not all agree with this laxity, however, and some students seek to purge their beloved art of its “blasphemous” practitioners.

Mysteries of the Maker’s Edge

Students of the school are trained in wearing the same heavy armor that the pike squares favor. These blademasters can wear even the heaviest armor without hindering their arts, though they still may not use shields.

Adepts of the school are expert at turning uniform weaponry into a disadvantage. Once per fight, they can negate a successful hit on them by a foe using the same type of weapon the blademaster uses. The similarity must be close, but need not be perfect; any sword will block any other sword, and any spear will block any other spear.

Masters of the school are veterans of a hundred bloody battles, and have learned to tap their inner resolve. As an instant action, they may heal up to 4d8 damage on themselves once per day or automatically succeed at a failed saving throw.



Break the Line Level 4
Action Once per Day
With a tremendous shout, the blademaster blasts open the enemy line of battle. The shout affects an area 40 feet wide and is 10 feet long per level. It does 1d6 damage for every two full levels of the blademaster and shoves every ogre-sized or smaller object or combatant out of the area of effect. Victims may make a saving throw to take half damage and keep their position.

Cleaving the Iron Level 2
Action Once per Fight
The blademaster focuses their will into a single inexorable strike. The attack does no extra damage but treats the target as unarmored and AC 9. The blow can cut or strike through any non-magical object no larger than a door.

Guardian Arm Level 3
Instant Once per Fight
The blademaster leaps to instantly interpose between an ally and an impending blow. As an instant action, the PC can move to defend any ally within 60 feet, receiving the damage that they would otherwise suffer from an attack. This defense may be undertaken after the damage is rolled.

Helmbreaker Level 4
Instant Once per Day
When the blademaster strikes a foe, they may trigger this art as an instant action, tearing open gaps in their armor and hindering their evasion. For the remainder of the fight, the victim is treated as unarmored to all assailants, with AC 9. This blow inflicts no damage on the target.

Know the Banner Level 2
Instant Constant
With a glance, the blademaster can pick out the leader of an organized group or warband. They can also use this art to instantly determine the Morale score of a person or group.

Last Stand Level 1
Instant Once per Fight
The blademaster buys himself a second chance at life with a desperate parry. After receiving a physical blow that would reduce them to zero hit points, the blademaster can trigger this power to force the attack’s hit and damage roll to be rolled again. The results of the second roll stand.

On Your Feet Level 4
Instant Constant
The blademaster fortifies their determination with the ancient prayers of their ancestors. Their maximum hit points increase by +1 per level. They can continue to act normally for one round after being reduced to zero hit points.

Rallying Shout Level 3
Instant Once per Day
The blademaster infuses his rallying cry with the supernatural vigor of his arts. All allies within earshot regain 2d6 lost hit points, and if a Morale check has been failed in the last round it is treated as successful instead.

Shatterpike Level 1
Instant Once per Day
The blademaster may trigger this art on a successful hit. In addition to inflicting normal damage, any non-magical weapon being used by the target is smashed to pieces.

Spear Ward Level 1
Instant Constant
The Maker’s Edge have fought pike formations for centuries, and know all the subtle ways of foiling a spearman. While this art is prepared, no attack from a spear, pike, or javelin can do more than 1 point of damage to the blademaster.

Sudden Deflection Level 2
Instant Once per Fight
The blademaster swiftly flicks an arrow from the air or a sword from their throat. One weapon attack is automatically foiled, but this art must be used before the attack is rolled.

Thundering Charge Level 2
Action Once per Day
The blademaster lunges across the field in a flurry of blows. They may move up to 60 feet in a straight line, striking all foes within 5 feet of either side of them for 2d6 damage. This charge is powerful enough to smash through anything less sturdy than a stone wall.

Tireless March Level 3
Instant Constant
The blademaster knows the secrets of long marching. While this art is in mind, the blademaster and up to twelve of their companions and their mounts may count travel as restful as good sleep. If they travel at least ten miles away from their starting point each day, they need not eat or drink, either.

Typhoon of Iron Level 3
Action Once per Day
The blademaster releases an explosive frenzy of martial force, hacking and slashing at every foe around them. All enemies within 30 feet of the blademaster suffer 1d6 damage per level, with a saving throw for half. The blademaster can end their fury in any position within 30 feet.

Unstoppable Advance Level 1
Instant Constant
The blademaster defies all attempts to restrain them on the battlefield. They never draw free attacks from foes they move by in combat, and need not make a fighting withdrawal from a melee foe. They cannot be blocked or hindered on a battlefield so long as there is enough physical room for them to pass by.

Offline Libertad

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3618
    • View Profile
    • My Fantasy and Gaming Blog
Re: Tome of Battle's Maneuver System comes to old-school D&D
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2015, 10:19:15 PM »
The School of the Crimson Devil

This venerable school is favored by the Red Jade Templars of the dread Shogun Rai. Both inquisitors and enforcers in that Hell-raddled ruler’s domain, the templars despise all the celestial gods and their servants and permit only worship of the Hell Kings. They hunt out secret priests of the kindlier gods who dare to operate in their lands, making examples of them and their fellow believers.

In truth, the school actually dates back to the early Kueh civilization and its nature-revering creed. In constant struggle with their Ninefold Celestial Empire neighbors, the Kueh blademasters focused on elemental arts to combat the priestly miracles of their ancestral foes. When the Kueh people were eventually assimilated into the empire, this school dwindled into a handful of stubborn practitioners.

Shogun Rai revived the school and twisted it for his own purposes, but practitioners of the original way remain. Disciples of this path are among the Red Jade Templars’ most determined enemies, hating them both for their depraved ways and for their betrayal of the art.

Mysteries of the Crimson Devil

Students of the school radiate a subtle aura of dread, even among those who know nothing of the Red Jade Templars. When unfurled in wrath the blademaster’s fury inflicts a -1 Morale penalty on all enemies with Morale less than 12.

Adepts of the school are cast into a pit of burning bones. If they’ve sufficiently mastered the secrets of the school, they’ll live to climb out, permanently immune to harm from fire or smoke. Less diligent students add to the pyre.

Masters of the school can call up infernal flames once per day, carpeting a 50 x 50 x 10 foot square area within sight for 1d6 damage per level, up to a maximum of 10d6. While the area affected can be lessened, the master cannot be selective about targets within the area of effect.



Avenging Stroke Level 2
Instant Once per Fight
None dare strike at the blademaster with impunity. They may trigger this art when striking someone who attacked the blademaster within the last round. Their blow automatically hits for double damage.

Blasphemous Word Level 4
Action Once per Day
The dread reverberations of the blademaster’s mantras scourge away unwanted sorcery. This art acts as a Dispel Magic spell. It may be used to automatically dispel clerical magic even if the blademaster is paralyzed, charmed, or otherwise unable to act freely.

Blood Frenzy Level 4
Instant Once per Day
The blademaster surrenders to a crazed passion for blood. For the remainder of the fight, the blademaster gains +3 to hit on all attack rolls. Each time they strike an intelligent foe with an intent to kill them, they heal 1d6 lost hit points.

Burning Brand Level 3
Instant Constant
The blademaster’s weapons or unarmed attacks are limned with fire whenever they will it to be. This adds +3 to all damage rolls, and hits are treated as either physical damage or fire damage, depending on which is most harmful to the foe.

Deceiver’s Tongue Level 2
Instant Constant
Originally intended to help Kueh infiltrators slip past Imperial mind-readers, this art is now used for other ends. While it is prepared, the blademaster’s lies cannot be detected by magic. If using a game system that has alignment, they may perfectly fake any desired alignment to magical inspection.

Exemplary Sacrifice Level 1
Instant Once per Day
The ferocious violence of the blademaster makes a gory ruin of some luckless foe. When they kill an enemy, they may use this art to instantly force a Morale check by their foe’s companions. If the killing itself would force a Morale check even without the art’s use, the victims must roll twice and take the worse result.

Flies of the Hell Kings Level 2
Action Once per Day
The blademaster hurls a handful of metal shards, or even sharp pebbles or ceramic shards. The shrapnel flies to a point within 60 feet before bursting in a gout of sulfurous flame, scouring and cutting everything within 10 feet for 2d6 damage.

Heretic’s Bane Level 1
Instant Constant
Once this art was used to ferret out Imperial infiltrators. In these less kindly times, the Red Jade Templars use it to seek out priests who dare to challenge the Hell Kings in their own realm. While it is prepared, the blademaster receives a +3 bonus to hit against any creature capable of casting clerical spells, and can detect whether or not a person is a cleric with one round of observation.

Red Koan Level 3
Action Once per Day
The blademaster knows the secret words of flame, whispering them while focusing on a target point within 360 feet. The words echo monstrously within the heads of all living creatures within 30 feet of the target point, escaping their skills in tongues of searing flame. All creatures in the area of effect suffer 1d6 fire damage per level, with a saving throw for half. The koan’s damage cannot exceed 10d6.

Scent of Jade Level 3
Action Constant
The ancient Kueh sensed the treasures of the earth. The Red Jade Templars heed the demons of greed. With a round’s concentration, the blademaster can scent the presence of gold, silver, gems, or other precious substances within 30 feet. The exact location is not provided, but this sense can penetrate even walls and earth.

Siphoning Stroke Level 1
Instant Once per Day
The foe’s strength feeds the blademaster. This art may be triggered on a hit to grant the blademaster twice as many temporary hit points as the damage rolled. Damage is subtracted from these hit points first, and any points in excess of their maximum hit points vanish after the fight is over.

Smoking Step Level 2
Action Once per Day
The blademaster shakes off any mundane bonds or paralyzing magical effects and teleports up to 60 feet away.

Soul-Searing Gaze Level 1
Instant Once per Day
Triggered after a successful hit by the blademaster, the terrible glare of the warrior inflicts an additional 1d10 damage on the hapless target.

Tread the Weak Level 4
Action Constant
The blademaster mows down lesser foes with contemptuous ease. Triggering this art allows them to instantly slaughter up to six 1 HD foes within reach of their weapons. This savage technique is no use against more capable enemies.

Wings of Bright Flame Level 3
Action Once per Day
Pinions of incandescent fire sprout from the blademaster. They may fly at a rate of 120 feet per round, fighting as easily aloft as they do on the ground. The wings last for ten minutes per character level.