1st Level Maneuvers
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Binding Constrictor
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature; see text
Channeling the great constrictor snakes of the jungle, you whip your weapon around your enemy such that it binds him, and you begin to crush him in the tightening vice of chain.
As part of this maneuver, you make a single melee attack against an opponent with one of the discipline's associated weapons. If this attack hits, you may immediately make a free Grapple check against him, and if you use Weapon Finesse with this attack, you may substitute your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on this and all Grapple checks until the grapple is broken. You also gain a bonus on this check equal to half of your Initiator Level.
When a grapple is begun in this way, the weapon used for it may be used to attack your opponent without penalty even if it is not a light weapon for you. You may also make attacks with a weapon in another hand, and if so armed you may threaten squares around you and take attacks of opportunity, though you take a -4 penalty on all attacks against any opponent beside the one you have bound. Alternatively, if the weapon in your other hand is also one of the discipline's associated weapons and can reach your foe, you may wrap both around him, which adds +4 to your Grapple check.
You may also maintain the grapple without moving into your opponent's space. Doing so prevents your opponent from damaging you by grappling or from pinning you. However, it also allows him to use non-light weapons to attack you, though he still takes the -4 penalty and may not use more than one. You cannot pin him without entering his space as normal, nor can you take items from him or prevent him from speaking. You are not treated as grappled for the sake of casting spells or other actions that require concentration, though at least one hand is occupied with the task.
Crack of the Whip
Chthonic Serpent (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You know the true way of the whip: where lashes can leave lasting damage, how to handle armored opponents, how to move a whip quickly and strike suddenly, and most of all how to use a whip in every situation.
While in this stance, any Whip that you use may be used for attacks of opportunity and does not provoke attacks of opportunity itself. You may choose to deal either lethal or non-lethal damage with a whip, at no penalty. Finally, enemies are immune to your whip attacks only if the sum of their Armor and Natural Armor bonuses are greater than your Initiator Level.
Coils of Rapture
Chthonic Serpent (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Your fighting style takes after monstrous serpents, and your weapon is like an extension of yourself - wrapping, constricting, and crushing your foes.
While in this stance, you may grapple targets up to four size categories larger than yourself. Further, if your target is larger than you, all size bonuses and penalties to grapple checks are halved.
Flexible Strike
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature
Your weapons of choice bend and curve, easily allowing you to wrap attacks around shields, ignoring them completely.
As a part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. This attack ignores your opponent's Shield bonus to AC.
2nd Level Maneuvers
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Dance of Chains
Chthonic Serpent (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 2, Warblade 2
Initiation Action: 1 Immediate Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature entering an adjacent square
Your twirling, whirling weaponry is always ready to ensnare an opponent.
At any point in which an opponent is about to attack you in melee, you may initiate this maneuver to gain a free grapple attempt that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. If successful, that attack takes a -4 penalty and from then on normal grapple rules apply.
Viper Lash
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 2, Warblade 2
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature
Like a rattlesnake glaring down its prey, you coil up, readying yourself - until you suddenly lash out and strike your foe.
As a part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. You may attack a target up to 5 feet beyond your weapon's usual reach. Your target is denied his Dexterity bonus to AC for this attack.
3rd Level Maneuvers
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Boa Strike
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Chthonic Serpent maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature
As Binding Constrictor, but deal constriction damage equal to your weapon's damage (or the sum of both if using two weapons to grapple) + 2d6.
Careful Chains
Chthonic Serpent (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Chthonic Serpent maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You know how best to use your weapons for binding, and know the forms and the moves to pull off elegant, effective binds.
While in this stance, you gain a bonus to Grapple checks based on ranks in Use Rope.
{table=head]Use Rope Ranks | Grapple Bonus
4-8 | +3
9-13 | +5
14-18 | +7
19+ | +10[/table]
Whirling Scythe
Chthonic Serpent (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Chthonic Serpent maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of Turn
Your weapons are always in motion, always ready to strike a foe who presents a weakness.
Until the end of the turn, on any successful Trip attempt you gain a free attack, which deals an extra 4d6 damage.
Wrap-Around Attack
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Chthonic Serpent maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature
Your attacks are so flexible that they can not only avoid an opponents shield - your opponents attempts to use their shield actually hinder their ability to avoid your blows.
As a part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. For this attack, your target's Shield bonus to AC becomes a Shield penalty to AC, reducing it by the same value it normally adds.
4th Level Maneuvers
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Blurred Bonds
Chthonic Serpent (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 4, Warblade 4
Prerequisite: One Chthonic Serpent maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of Turn
Spinning weapons become hard to see, hard to predict. You know just how to use this to your advantage.
When you initiate this maneuver, all opponents you threaten are denied their Dexterity bonus to AC, and take a -4 penalty on Disarm and Trip checks, against your first attack against them this turn.
Death Adder Lash
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 4, Warblade 4
Prerequisite: One Chthonic Serpent maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature
A sudden blur, a twinge of pain - and the snakebite kills.
As Viper Lash, but also deals 1 Constitution damage.
Rapture Rose
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 4, Warblade 4
Prerequisite: One Chthonic Serpent maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: One melee attack plus one ranged attack
Target: Two creatures
Death stalks all, and takes from us everything we have.
When initiating this strike, you attempt to disarm an opponent; this does not provoke attacks of opportunity. If successful, you may fling your opponents weapon at another foe. This attack is treated as a ranged attack that deals the weapon's damage. The weapon's range increment is 10 ft., and you may further only target units within a cone beginning at the original owner of the weapon and pointed at you.
Reap What Has Been Sown
Chthonic Serpent (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 4, Warblade 4
Prerequisite: One Chthonic Serpent maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 Immediate Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One attacking creature
Your weapons whip and twirl about you, providing an effective shield against attacks.
At any point in which a foe is entering a square adjacent to you, you may initiate this maneuver to begin a grapple against them.
5th Level Maneuvers
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Choking Python
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 5, Warblade 5
Prerequisite: Two Chthonic Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature
The python's massive strength is a source of inspiration - and terror.
As Binding Constrictor, but deal constriction damage equal to your weapon's damage (or the sum of both if using two weapons to grapple) +4d6.
Way of Ourobouros
Chthonic Serpent (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 5, Warblade 5
Prerequisite: Two Chthonic Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
The snake eating its own tail, a sign of infinity, or life and death, or the inherent duality in all things - you have learned to give and take in equal measure, and know how to handle multiple opponents.
While in this stance, you may grapple an opponent with any of the discipline's associated weapons without entering their space, as with Binding Constrictor. Further, if you use two such weapons, you may bind two opponents in this fashion at once, as long as both are within your reach. Finally, when using Binding Constrictor, Boa Strike, Choking Python, or Anaconda Crush, you may choose to instead initiate the maneuver as a full-round action, in which case it may be used simultaneously with each hand against two different opponents.
Whirlwind Lash
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 5, Warblade 5
Prerequisite: Two Chthonic Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Full-Round Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature
You yourself have become as a maelstrom, pulling all with your whirling weapons.
When you initiate this maneuver, you may make a single Disarm or Trip attempt that does not provoke attacks of opportunity against each opponent you threaten.
6th Level Maneuvers
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Cobra Lash
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 6, Warblade 6
Prerequisite: Two Chthonic Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature
The king of snakes stands tall, strikes long. And none caught in its mesmerizing gaze see it coming.
As Viper Lash, but may attack up to 10 ft. further than normal with the attack, and deals +1d4 Constitution damage.
Death's Embrace
Chthonic Serpent (Viist)
Level: Swordsage 6, Warblade 6
Prerequisite: Two Chthonic Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of Turn
Cold steel, wrapped around foes, showing them the way to the dark of the grave.
When you initiate this maneuver, each foe you successfully damage with a melee attack this turn must make a Reflex save against DC 16 + your Dexterity modifier, or have their eyes plucked out, blinding them.
7th Level Maneuvers
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Anaconda Crush
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 7, Warblade 7
Prerequisite: Two Chthonic Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature
The largest, heaviest snake there is, could squeeze a man's life from his lungs with scarcely an effort.
As Binding Constrictor, but deal constriction damage equal to your weapon's damage (or the sum of both if using two weapons to grapple) +6d6.
Reap the Whirlwind
Chthonic Serpent (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 7, Warblade 7
Prerequisite: Two Chthonic Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of Turn
Striking high and low, your relentless blows provide a tempest of death for your foes.
After initiating this maneuver, you gain a free full-attack against the next foe you successfully Trip this turn.
8th Level Maneuvers
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Calamity Symphony
Chthonic Serpent (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 8, Warblade 8
Prerequisite: Three Chthonic Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Great, whirling coils of death surround you wherever you go, the sweet sound of their slicing the air providing a serenade of destruction.
While in this stance, your weapon adds 5 ft. to its reach, while maintaining the ability to strike adjacent squares. Further, any foe completely surrounded by squares you threaten (or with squares you threaten on three sides and you yourself on the fourth) is considered flanked for all attacks.
This ability does not function if they have a wall or similar on one or more sides, even if you would threaten those squares.
Wrath of Quetzalcoatl
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 8, Warblade 8
Prerequisite: Three Chthonic Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature
Quetzalcoatl, great feathered serpent god, is great and benevolent. This does not prevent his wrath from being terrible indeed...
As Viper Lash, but may attack up to 15 ft. further than normal with the attack, and deals +1d8 Constitution damage.
9th Level Maneuvers
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Bonds of Jörmungandr
Chthonic Serpent (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 9, Warblade 9
Prerequisite: Four Chthonic Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Full-Round Action (see text)
Range: One melee attack
Target: One creature
The Midgard Serpent, the very bones of the world itself, is the source of your strength. Who can help but be crushed under the very weight of the world?
When initiating this maneuver, make a melee touch attack to initiate a Grapple. If you succeed on the Grapple check, your opponent takes 4 Strength damage and 4 Constitution damage. You then may make another Grapple check. If you succeed again, your opponent takes another 4 Strength damage and another 4 Constitution damage. You may then make a third Grapple check. If your foe fails this check, your foe is crushed to death, dropping immediately to -10 HP (or lower, if necessary for death).
If your opponent succeeds on any Grapple check, your Grapple is broken and the maneuver is over. However, if they succeed on the first check, you will have used only a Standard Action, and may take your Move Action for the round. If they succeed on the second check, you may trade a Swift Action if you have one remaining for a Move Action if you like. If they succeed on the third check, then you have used a Full-Round Action as normal.