Crane Spreads It’s Wings
Sky Serpent (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: 3 Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
You lash out at 2 opponents with seemingly impossible speed, attacking in two different directions at once.
If the 1st melee attack you make during your turn hits, you can immediately make a free attack at your highest attack bonus against a different enemy that you threaten. You can only gain one free attack each time you initiate this maneuver, regardless of how many successful attacks you make this round.
Coatl Exhales
Sky Serpent (Strike) [lightning]
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: 2 Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 60 ft.
Area: Line
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half, Fortitude Negates (see below)
With a great Kiai, you channel your ki to your mouth and unleash it in the form of lightning.
As a master of Sky Serpent advances, he learns to strike as the storm does, even through his ki. This maneuver allows you to generate a blinding flash of lightning, similar to a blue dragon. With this maneuver, you blast forth a line of lightning that deals 6d6 lightning damage to everything in a 60 ft. line. Creatures in the area can attempt a reflex save (DC 15+your wis modifier) for half damage.
This is a supernatural ability.
Coatl Yawns
Sky Serpent (Strike) [lightning]
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: 1 Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 60 ft.
Area: Line
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half, Fortitude Negates (see below)
With a great Kiai, you channel your ki to your mouth and unleash it in the form of lightning.
The Sky Serpent discipline teaches students how to manipulate the element of their ki, teaching how to channel lightning and thunder. This maneuver allows you to generate a flash of lightning, similar to a blue dragon. With this maneuver, you blast forth a line of lightning that deals 4d6 lightning damage to everything in a 60 ft. line. Creatures in the area can attempt a reflex save (DC 15+your wis modifier) for half damage.
This is a supernatural ability.
Double Jump
Sky Serpent (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: 50 ft.
Area: Special
Duration: Till end of turn
As you move through the air you collect cloud-stuff under you feet, just sturdy enough to act as a platform from which you can leap again.
Sky Serpent disciples seek to emulate the sky serpent, and in doing so learn to not fear the sky. Using ones ki, the student is able to create a short lived platform made of cloud-stuff that only he can stand on. Make a balance check DC 15, adding your Initiator level to the result. If you succeed, you can stand on it. If you fail, you fall right through. The size and number of platforms increase as you Initiator level increases. It is possible to scale great heights at later initiator levels.
{table=head]
I.L.
|
Platform Size
1-5
|
One 5 ft. square
6-10
|
Two 5 ft. squares
11-15
|
Three 5 ft squares
16+
|
Four 5 ft. squares
[/table]
This is a supernatural ability.
Fangs Dig Ever Deeper
Sky Serpent (Boost) [lightning]
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: 3 Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: till end of turn
Channeling ki, each successive strike against an opponent unleashes more and more of your ki. Picturing the relentless assault of a storm, your ki becomes as lightning to destroy your opponents.
Each of your strikes releases a larger amount of ki than the last. Each strikes churns your ki faster, which is then channeled into and through your attacks.
You must initiate this maneuver before you make any attacks this round. If one of your attacks misses, this effect ends. Your attacks don’t have to be against the same opponent each time. All additional attacks after the 5th continue to deal +6d6+6 lightning damage.
{table=head]
Attack
|
Lightning Damage
1
|
+2d6+2
2
|
+3d6+3
3
|
+4d6+4
4
|
+5d6+5
5+
|
+6d6+6
[/table]
This is a supernatural ability.
Great Serpent Crushes
Sky Serpent (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: 4 Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute
Lightning and storm cloud emanate from your body and coalesce into two Huge serpents that attach themselves to you, becoming extra limbs to strangle your foes.
Great skill is required to be able to control your ki in such a way. By summoning and compacting storm cloud and lightning into two living extensions of yourself, you become a fearsome opponent on the battlefield.
You gain 2 additional bite attacks, whose reach is 10 ft. greater than your normal reach. These bite attacks attack at your highest attack bonus and have a base damage equal to your unarmed strike damage, but deal lightning damage instead of physical damage. You also gain Improved Grab with these bite attacks. When you hit with either of these bite attacks, you may start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. While grappling with these extensions, you can also constrict on a successful grapple check. Your constrict base damage dice is equal to your unarmed strike damage dice. Also, on a successful opposed grapple check you can act normally while one or both of your extensions is grappling. This check is made at no penalty. The extensions have an effective strength score equal to 18 + your initiator level. Also, your extensions grapple as Huge creatures, and use your rank in Balance in place of your base attack bonus when making grapple checks. This ability overlaps any other ability that increases how many limbs you have.
This is a supernatural ability.
Great Serpent Squeezes
Sky Serpent (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: 2 Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute
Lightning and storm cloud emanate from your body and coalesce into a Large serpent that replaces one of your arms.
By Channeling your Ki and manipulating the very air around you, you are able to create condense cloud over one of your arms, turning it into an even more dangerous weapon than it was before. While you are still able to wield two-handed-weapons, your new limb gains a number of benefits. Instead of an unarmed strike, that arm now performs a bite attack that deals an equal amount of lightning damage instead. Also, if you hit with this bite attack, you may start a grapple as a free action without provoking at attack of opportunity. If you win the grapple check you establish a hold and can constrict, dealing unarmed strike damage. You can maintain a hold of the opponent with this arm and act independently on a successful grapple check, made at no penalty. On grapple checks made with the arm, your arm grapples as a Large creature and you may and use your rank in Balance in place of your base attack bonus when making grapple checks.
This is a Supernatural ability.
Great Serpent Yields
Sky Serpent (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: 3 Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
You yield an opponents attack, redirecting it with your body just as it makes contact. But, as one side of the body is redirecting, the other side is striking at a defenseless opening.
When you initiate this maneuver, you allow your opponent to think that you will be hit just long enough to cause them to over reach and give you an opening. Make a Balance check as a part of initiating this maneuver. If it is higher than the opponents attack roll, then you succeed in yielding your opponents attack and take no damage. You may make an immediate attack of opportunity that your opponent is considered flat-footed for. If your opponent fails an opposed balance check, your opponent moves back, landing prone 5 ft. away for every 5 pts of damage you dealt. If there is something in the way, your opponent stops early and takes 1d6 damage, dealing the same amount of damage to the creature if a creature is what stopped it.
Hurricane’s Secret
Sky Serpent (strike)
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: three Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: One Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
By channeling the howling force of the hurricane, you circle your weapon and with it your Ki. You then unleash it in a single, swift, devastating strike that sends your opponent flying.
By slowly circling your weapon while build your ki you are able to build hurricane like momentum for a single attack. To keep this movement in check, you must make a balance check, DC equal to your strength score +5. If you succeed on the Balance check, your attack is primed, and if it hits deals three times your normal melee damage. If your opponent fails a balance check DC 5+ your strength score, your opponent moves back, landing prone 5 ft. away for every 5 pts of damage you dealt. If there is something in the way, your opponent stops early and takes 1d6 damage, dealing the same amount of damage to the creature if a creature is what stopped it. If you fail your balance check, you make your attack roll at a -2 penalty and deal normal damage
Hurricane Turns the Body
Sky Serpent (counter)
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisite: One Sky Serpent Maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
You are surrounded, and the moment you are struck you lash out with snake-like reflexes in an attempt to neutralize an opponent.
Whenever you are attacked by an opponent that is flanking you, you may activate this maneuver to turn on them and attack while they are attempting to withdraw their weapon to make another strike. If this attack hits, you may make an opposed Balance check, with any bonuses to Trip based on size or stability. If you win, they land prone in any square that you threaten. If you lose, nothing happens.
Illusory Coils
Sky Serpent (strike) [Illusion]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: two Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
Save: Will Negates
Duration: 1 round per 2 initiator levels
You surround your weapon with a serpent made of smoke that coils around your opponent when you make contact with your weapon, making your opponent believe that it is bound tight and pinned by a serpent.
You surround your weapon in a powerful illusion. If your attack hits, your opponent must make a will save (DC 14+ your wisdom Modifier). If it fails, then your opponent believes that a monstrous snake is strangling it, and has pinned it to the ground.
Ride the Lightning
Sky Serpent (stance)
Level: Swordsage 8
Initiation Acton: 1swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Through your Ki you create a cushion of lightning stable enough to support your weight. You immediately rocket through the sky, standing on a serpent like lightning bolt.
You gain a temporary 90 ft. fly speed with perfect maneuverability, depending on how well you can balance on a lightning bolt. When in this stance you may attempt to use the ability of this stance by making a balance check. You can only attempt to use the stance once per turn. The result of your balance check determines how long the effects of this stance last. If you are still in the air when the effects of this stance end, you immediately fall to the ground.
{table=head]
Balance Check
|
Flight Duration
DC 25
|
One move action
DC 30
|
One full round action
DC 35
|
One full round
DC 40
|
Untill the end of your next turn
[/table]
This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Shocking Fang
Sky Serpent (boost)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: end of turn
Your weapon crackles with lightning as it lunges to your opponent.
By channeling your ki into your weapon as you transform it into lightning, you learn one of the basic principles of the Sky Serpent Discipline. Till the end of your turn, you weapon deals an additional 1d6 lightning damage +1 per Initiator level you have.
This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Serpents Undulation
Sky Serpent (counter)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation action: 1 immediate action
Range: melee attack
Target: one creature
Your body yields as your opponent attempts to get a hold of you. However, you lure it into a trap allowing you to counter and leave your foe sprawled on the ground.
Whenever an opponent attempts to initiate a grapple, you may expend this maneuver. Make a Balance check opposed by your opponents grapple check. If you succeed, instead of your opponent getting a hold, you throw him. He lands prone in any square you threaten.
Serpent’s Gift
Sky Serpent (boost)
Level: Swordsage
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: one move action
Your opponent trips you, but you land on a ki generated cushion of air that allows you to move out of harms way.
You can expend this maneuver if you are prone on the ground. If so, you may then move up to your move speed floating along the ground supported by a ki generated cushion of air. You ignore all attacks of opportunity this movement incurs. This movement does not make you stand. Standing after this movement incurs attacks of opportunity as normal.
Sky Serpent Flaps It’s Wings
Sky Serpent (strike)
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisite: one Sky Serpent Maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: melee attack; 60 ft. line (see text)
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates
By channeling your ki into a single strike, you are able to generate a powerful gust of wind that blows away all but the strongest of your opponents.
If your attack hits, you also generate a spell effect similar to Gust of Wind. However, as your initiator level increases, so does the power of this gust. Refer to the DMG pg 95 for more information about the effects of wind this strong.
{table=head]
I.L.
|
Wind Speed
1-6
|
50 mph (severe)
7-12
|
74 mph (windstorm)
13-18
|
150 mph (hurricane)
19+
|
200 mph (tornado)
[/table]
Sky Serpent’s Venom
Sky Serpent (stance)
Level: Swordsage 3
Initiation Action: 1swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You are taught to take advantage of your opponents openings, and this stance epitomizes that philosophy, allowing you to shoot destructive ki straight into your opponent’s body.
While you are in this stance, you deal additional damage to opponents that leave openings for you to take advantage of. Similar to the Rogue Sneak Attack ability in application, you deal additional sonic damage whenever you attack a flanked or defenseless opponent. In place of sneak attack damage, however, you deal +2 points of sonic damage per Sky Serpent Maneuver that you know. This sonic damage ignores object hardness.
Serpent Evades Tiger
Sky Serpent (counter)
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: 2 Sky Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
With a yielding side step, you send a charging opponent sprawling.
With this counter, you can attempt to redirect a creature that intends to make a charge attack against you. Immediately before the creature makes it’s attack, make an opposed Balance check against it. If you succeed on the check, the creature does not get to attack you, and you can then move it up to 2 squares in a direction away from you. You may make an attack of opportunity that deals +4d6 sonic damage to it if it is within reach.
Storm’s Fang
Sky Serpent (boost)
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: 2 Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: you
Duration: end of turn
Through your Ki, you channel the rattling, humming power of thunder into your weapon.
Through continued training, you expand your storm manipulation to thunder, enabling you to channel it through you weapon for a short time. For the rest of your turn, your melee attacks deal an extra 2d6 sonic damage +1 per initiator level.
Serpent’s Swiftness
Sky Serpent (Stance)
Level: Swordsave 4
Prerequisite: 2 Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
By imitating the coiling, yielding movements of the snake, you improve your reaction time in combat.
You learn from your foes attacks, learning how best to yield or deflect his style. While you are in this stance, You gain a temporary +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves each time your opponent misses you. This bonus is cumulative for the round and applies against all opponents attacking you. It lasts until the start of your next turn.
Sky Serpent’s Secret
Sky Serpent (stance)
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: 3 Sky Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
While in this stance you generate an aura of menace that leads all opponents to believe that all your weapons are equally deadly.
The Sky Serpent Discipline teaches that all weapons are viable, and that all students must be equally proficient with both their weapons and their empty hand strikes. This stance exemplifies that. While this stance is adopted, the base damage of any weapon you wield is equal to the base damage of your unarmed strike.
Snake’s Venom Runs Deep
Sky Serpent (strike)
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: 3 Sky Serpent maneuvers
Initiation Action: one standard action
Range: melee attack
Target: one creature
An opening at a vital pressure point presents itself. You take advantage of it, hampering your foe’s physical prowess.
Striking at a vital pressure point you hamper your opponents control over his physical strength and his coordination. You deal 4 strength damage and 4 dexterity damage. These effects go away if he receives any sort of magical healing.
Sky Serpents Fang Pierces The Stone Dragon
Sky Serpent (strike)
Level: Swordsage 9
Prerequisite: 5 Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full round action
Range: 60 ft
Area: 60 ft. area Burst centered on You
Duration: instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
Summoning your ki, you summon a great storm cloud over head. Floating into the air, you catch a lightning bolt just as it’s about to strike you. Collecting it in your hands into a large ball, you shoot towards that ground at great speed. Upon contact with the ground, lightning shoots in all directions, blinding all that look upon you, sundering the ground beneath you and smiting all around you.
Only true masters of the Sky serpent discipline can master this technique. The lightning caught is the representation of the culmination of Ki built up over the course of your training. When it touches the ground, it explodes outward, dealing 100 lightning damage to all opponents in the area. You take no damage when you use this maneuver. Reflex DC 19 + your wisdom modifier.
This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Tornado’s Embrace
Sky Serpent (boost)
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: One Sky Serpent maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: you
Duration: 1 full round
You use you Ki to summon a whirlwind around you strong enough to blow away common projectiles.
You use your Ki to summon a whirlwind around you that kicks up dirt and makes it difficult to hit you with ranged attacks. For the round after you use this maneuver, ranged attacks and ranged touch attacks have a 50% chance to miss you.
Thunder Smites the Aggressor
Sky Serpent (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: 2 Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
In reaction to an opponent striking you, you react with the speed of lightning and strike with an accompanied roar of thunder.
Whenever you are struck in combat, you can expend this maneuver to gain an immediate attack of opportunity against the creature. This attack deals +6d6 sonic damage.
Thunder Clap
Sky Serpent (strike)
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: 3 Sky Serpent Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 20 ft
Area: 20 ft. area Burst centered on you
Duration: instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex Half; fortitude negates (see text)
You raise your hands and in an explosive demonstration of ki generation and control create a thunderclap that deafens those around you and shatters their weapons.
You clap your hands together, creating a thunder clap that deals 6d6 sonic Damage to those around you. Those that fail their reflex save need to make a fortitude save. If failed, their equipment takes an equal amount of sonic damage. This sonic damage ignores hardness. Both saves are DC 16+ your wisdom modifier.
Tornado’s Touch
Sky Serpent (boost)
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: One Sky Serpent maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: you
Duration: till end of turn
Save: Reflex partial (see text)
You surround your weapon in a volatile whirlwind that causes opponents strike to be sent flying.
Your melee attacks deal +2d6 bludgeoning damage +1 per initiator level. Opponents struck while this maneuver is active move back 5 ft per 5 pts of extra damage this boost deals, away from the character, on a failed reflex save DC equal to the full damage of the attack.
Winged Serpents Grace
Sky Serpent (stance)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Through direct application of your light body training, you are able to avoid harm from falling great distances.
While in this stance, you are under the effects of Feather Fall as per the spell.
