Tome of Tactics: A sequel to ToB [PEACH]

[playswithfire]

jguy Rereading it with a refreshed mind this morning, you're absolutely correct sorry. Yeah it does need some kind of attack boost at an early level when you put it like that.

EDIT2: Alright. For your 'reverse power attack' feat, I think it's a good idea, the demented one has a feat like that for his oncoming storm discipline. It'd be ok to give it at level 2 I think. You could also make it an upgrade of informed aim rather than a free feat.
As for informed aim adding rather than replacing, you could also allow it to apply to ranged weapons that don't add strength. That way melee, thrown, and ranged are all useful.

Mercenary has been updated (both the description paragraph and several class features). Most noticeably, it now gets two feats, including Weapon Savvy, the "reverse power attack" and some of the Tactics abilities now also key off of Intelligence. Abilities section has been rewritten, though, to point out that Dex still trumps Int.

Mayhem and jguy, thoughts on the rewrite?

Weapon Savvy included here for reference as well as a Crusader/Samurai multiclass feat (sort of going through the Completes looking for warrior-type classes that need a boost).

WEAPON SAVVY

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Where others swing wildly and trust to their strength to bring victory, should the blow actually land, you have learned to focus on precision.
Prerequisites: Dex 15, Weapon Finesse, Informed Aim or Insightful Strike class feature
Benefit: On your action, before making attack rolls for the round, you may choose to subtract a number from the bonus damage granted by your Informed Aim or Insightful strike to a minimum of 0 and add half that number (rounded down) to attack rolls made with the weapons that qualify for the damage. If you have both class features, you may not use this feat with both features in the same round. The penalty on damage and bonus on attacks apply until your next turn.

BUSHI SPIRIT

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Your zealous devotion to the code of Bushido makes you a fearsome opponent whom few can stand before unafraid.
Prerequisites: Daisho Proficiency, Steely Resolve, one Devoted Spirit maneuver
Benefit: When you demoralize an opponent while in a Devoted Spirit stance, that enemy remains shaken for two rounds instead of one.
If you have levels in crusader and samurai, those levels stack for the purpose of determining the size of your steely resolve delayed damage pool.
Your crusader and samurai levels also stack for determining your ability to use Staredown, Mass Staredown and Improved Staredown.
Additonally, you may multiclass freely between the crusader and samurai classes, though you must remain lawful in order to maintain your samurai abilities as normal.

Playswithfire, the firebrand doesn't have anything 'iconic' at first level in my opinion. It has cautious stance which is nice, but it just came out of left field and doesn't seem to have anything to do with the class. Maybe put it at level 2 and drop follow my lead to level 1? You could move it's level 8 upgrade then to level 7 since at level 8 you gain a 3rd level stance, a second attack, +1 to fort and will and a new 4th level manuever, and 9th will have a bonus feat and a 5th level manuever. Maybe I'm just being nitpicky.

Follow my lead used to come at first level, i think, and got shuffled when I added rousing speech. Or maybe it was just because I didn't want to copy the bard's inspire courage progression exactly, but moving 8th to 7th also accomplishes that. Let me think about it, but I'll most likely make the change you suggested. On cautious stance, I think it may need re-fluffing (same crunch); I think I was going for a force of personality/ unapproachable/ untouchable thing and it got lost in translation

The Lifes Blood healing maneuvers were honestly the main reason I started playing Mercenary in the first place. Immediate action self healing, move action ally healing, and the ability to heal up out of combat infinitely. I became the party healer with a single maneuver and the others love it. No need for Wands of Vigor or Cure Light Wounds. We all have Healing Belts for when someone takes a big hit in combat and I can't get to them. Also, the innuendos are endless. "Let me put my hands on you and you will feel all better...." "You're hurt? Let me touch you and make you feel good..." It goes on endlessly.

To be honest, I was thinking of it as an acupuncture/acupressure type thing, so the humor hadn't occurred to me, but I'm glad you're having fun with it. Still waiting to see how effective a Devoted Spirit/Life's Blood Huntsman is as a sort of warrior/shaman. I was a little concerned about the out of combat healing, but since there are a lot of ways to get that, I decided it wasn't unbalancing.

As a side note, Weapon Lock for Circling Vulture is a serious MVP. Most fights begin with me going Total Defensive and tanking up front, then stealing the enemies weapon when they miss me. My DM hates it so much but everyone else loves it.

Hmm; re-reading it, I may have to nerf Weapon Lock a bit since skill checks are so much easier to boost than attack bonuses. Probably nothing too severe if your DM hasn't ruled it ridiculous, but maybe something to take weapon size / the fact that you're disarming one handed into account.

Thanks for all the feedback.

Wow. This is quite impressive.

Thanks.