[3.5, ToB] Do the Impossible (PEACH)

[Dumbledore lives]

Impassable Passions



Nothing about this discipline is reasonable, which is one of the reasons it was not taught at the temple of nine swords. Another reason is that it requires a certain degree of disorder, and those ingrained in the law can't quite comprehend the discipline, because it breaks most known laws of both physics and reality, but that's all part of the point. The normality of most martial maneuvers is based on these artificial constraints, and this discipline seeks to break those, to do the impossible as it where. The original master of the discipline was a great warrior whose name has been lost to time, but he lives on forever in the hearts and minds of the practitioners of it, and his teachings make him more than a man. The skill for Impassable Passions is Intimidate and the associated weapons are unarmed strikes, bastard swords, drills, greatswords and mauls.

Practitioners of this discipline can not be lawful, but otherwise come from all walks of life. A certain determination and passion is needed to use this discipline to the fullest, and a drive to live life to the fullest also helps. The discipline has many defensive maneuvers, which allow an initiator to break out of normal bonds, and to kick reason to the curb. Any initiator class may learn from the discipline, so long as they have the determination and are not lawful. If you choose to learn it from character creation, give up one previously known school and replace it with this.

The other way is to seek out a special place full of burning passion where you can mediate and discover it in yourself. This could be just about anywhere, but is intensely personal and should be of great significance to the character. After one week of contemplation you discover your burning passion, and lose 1000 xp points. You may then learn maneuvers from the discipline and may exchange one maneuver per level for any maneuver of equal to that lost, unlike normal replacing of maneuvers.

[Dumbledore lives]

1st Level
Ludicrous Length: Boost - Adds 5 ft to reach until beginning of next turn.
Break Bonds: Stance - +8 to strength checks to break objects, and +4 to sunder attempts.
Impossible Girth: Strike – For one attack your weapon goes up by one size category and you deal 2x your strength damage.
Skywalker: Boost - You may ignore difficult terrain for three rounds.

2nd Level
Probability Punch: Strike - Ignore some miss chance and receive +2 to hit.
Unreasonable Kick: Strike – Ignore all ongoing effects on you, both positive and negative for one attack.
Impairments are Meaningless: Boost – You gain Freedom of Movement for one round.
Threshold of willpower: Counter – You may delay a number of damage equal to 5 x IL until the end of your next turn.

3rd Level
Believe in Yourself: Counter – Dispels any charm, dominate, or similar mind control effect.
Grit those teeth: Strike – Strike an ally with a weapon and you deal normal damage, though it is non-lethal, and some negative effects are dispelled.
Thrusting Strike: Strike – Charge twice your movement speed in any direction and then make an attack.
Those Can’t Break me: Stance - Whenever you are under a negative effect you gain +1 to attack and damage up to your IL.

4th Level
Never Fall Down: Counter – When knocked into unconsciousness you immediately gain 1d4xIL health.
Spirit Breaker: Strike - Make a dispel check against walls, if successful caster feels magical backlash, takes spell level d6 damage.
Infallible Resolve: Boost - Until the end of your next turn you gain a +4 bonus to all saves and AC.

5th Level
Impossible Arm: Strike – Weapon grows to gargantuan size and strength mod applies 3 times for one attack.
Pierce The Heavens: Stance - You gain a fly speed equal to half your base land speed.
Surge of Energy: Counter - You may get rid of a negative condition.

6th Level
Furious Strike: Strike - Teleport as greater teleport to an enemy within 100 ft, strike dealing +5d6 damage.
Crushing Rift: Strike - Opens a hole in the space time continuum dealing future damage using two of your maneuvers at once.
Unbreakable Will: Counter– You refused to accept damage right now, you may delay 10 x Il damage until the end of your next turn.

7th Level
Dimensional Rift: Strike - functions as a dismissal but it can affect non-extraplanar creatures.
Light Life: Counter - When you are subjected to enough damage that you would otherwise be dead or unconscious you ignore that damage and heal 1d6xIL health.

8th Level
Invincible Barrier: Boost – You become unable to die for 3 +cha rounds, this can only be used once per encounter.
Burning Passion: Stance - All 1s are counted as 20s and even when a natural 20 is not normally an automatic success it now is.

9th Level
Unthinkable Assault: Strike –You deal enormous damage with an enormous weapon.

[Dumbledore lives]

1^st Level

Spoiler

Show

Break Bonds
Impassable Passions (Stance)
Level: Crusader 1, Swordsage 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

The man of indomitable spirit does no flee, or submit to the chains of lesser men, he breaks his way out of any situation.

Your muscles seem to almost burst when you attempt to break things, and with one last push it all crumbles. When in this stance you gain +8 on strength checks to break objects, such as bursting rope or chain or kicking down doors or walls. You also gain a +4 bonus to sunder attempts.

Impossible Girth
Impassable Passions (Strike)
Level: Crusader 1, Swordsage 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature

Kick logic out and do the impossible, there is no reasonable limit to the size of a man’s weapon, let it enlarge and strengthen to crush any opposition.

Your weapon grows in size and shape, and seems especially deadly in your hands. When initiating this strike your weapon grows one size category larger in terms of damage, though this does not increase its reach and you can still use it with no penalties. In addition if it is a two handed weapon you now deal twice strength damage instead of 1 ½, and if it is 1 handed it deals 1 ½ strength damage.

Ludicrous Length
Impassable Passions (Boost)
Level: Crusader 1, Swordsage 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Until beginning of next turn

You think I’m going to run? Who do you take me for, I’ll fight you wherever you are.

Your weapon extends to seemingly impossible lengths, stretching to oblivion and beyond. When initiating this boost your natural reach increases by 5 feet until the end of your next turn, this affects attacks of opportunity in addition to any attacks or maneuvers you make this turn.

Skywalker
Impassable Passions (Boost)
Level: Crusader 1, Swordsage 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 3 rounds

No matter what’s in my way I won’t stop, I’ll charge through plants and rocks all the same.

You brush through trees and bushes like they are not there, charging to meet your enemy as quick as possible. When initiating this boost you may ignore difficult terrain for the duration, including gaining the ability to charge over it.

2^nd Level

Spoiler

Show

Impairments Are Meaningless
Impassable Passions (Boost)
Level: Crusader 2, Swordsage 2, Warblade 2
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: One Round

If there isn’t a path I’ll carve one myself, no obstacle will stand in the way, and if there is one I’ll break it down.

You initiate this maneuver by crying out at whatever may be in your way, and daring them to defy you. For one round you gain the benefits of a freedom of movement spell.

Probability Punch
Impassable Passions (Strike)
Level: Crusader 2, Swordsage 2, Warblade 2
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature

It seems Theoretical calculations are meaningless when dealing with someone like me, I defy convention and odds all the same.

With this maneuver you ignore typical restraints on the likelihood of hitting, defying the laws of reality itself. When you initiate this strike you may ignore 20% miss chance, and make 50% into only 20%, as well as gain +2 to hit.

Threshold of Willpower
Impassable Passions (Counter)
Level: Crusader 2, Swordsage 2, Warblade 2
Initiation Action: Immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Until the end of your next turn

A man’s man sustained by strength of will, that’s who I am, unnerved by seemingly horrendous injuries, denying them until the time is right.

When you are damaged by any source you may put off that damage, equal to a number 5 x Il (Maximum 50) until the end of your next turn, this is effectively refusing to acknowledge anything has happened until you are ready for it. This stacks with a Crusader’s damage pool.

Unreasonable Kick
Impassable Passions (Strike)
Level: Crusader 2, Swordsage 2, Warblade 2
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature

Kick reason to the curb and make the impossible possible, nothing will stop you now.

With this maneuver you realize that you are only yourself, that nothing else can change you. When you initiate this maneuver you make a melee attack, ignoring all positive and negative effects not originating from you, that affect you.

3^rd Level

Spoiler

Show

Believe in Yourself
Impassable Passions (Counter)
Level: Crusader 3, Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Impassible Passions maneuver
Initiation Action: Immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous

I am myself, I am no one else and will have no one else control me, nor allow anyone to influence me.

With this maneuver you shrug off the effects of any mind-affecting compulsion or charm on you, effectively dispelling it.

Grit Those Teeth
Impassable Passions (Strike)
Level: Crusader 3, Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Impassible Passions maneuver
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Ally

Come here, we’ve already won, just realize that and ignore whatever foul affect is befouling you.

When initiating this maneuver you make a melee attack against an ally, this deals non-lethal damage and allows you to dispel any single mind-affecting spell on them, any single negative condition such as fatigued, or any ability score damage to one score.

Those Can’t Break Me
Impassable Passions (Stance)
Level: Crusader 3, Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Impassible Passions maneuver
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

I never yield, never retreat, and never regret, I am only empowered by the things that weaken others, continuing on no matter what.

While in this stance you take conditions on as boons not drawbacks. Any negative condition, ie fatigued, that is affecting you gives you a +1 to hit and damage, up to a maximum of your initiator level. Each negative level you have counts as 1 for this purpose.

Thrusting Strike
Impassable Passions (Strike)
Level: Crusader 3, Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Impassible Passions maneuver
Initiation Action: Full Round Action
Range: Twice your movement speed
Target: One creature

Don’t give up, go and hit that target no matter where he is, fly if you have to.

When you initiate this maneuver you become so determined that you immediately charge towards an opponent. As part of this maneuver move twice your speed towards the target, no matter what direction they are in, this includes vertical movement, if you can reach them with this you can make a standard charge attack, including the +2 bonus.

4^th Level

Spoiler

Show

Infallible Resolve
Impassable Passions (Boost)
Level: Crusader 4, Swordsage 4, Warblade 4
Prerequisite: One Impassible Passions maneuver
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: One Round

We kick and scream and fight like hell and in the end we’re always standing, or at least I am.

When you initiate this maneuver you simply refuse to be hit, refuse to lose to any of those losers. You gain +4 to all saves, and +4 to AC until the beginning of your next turn.

Never Fall Down
Impassable Passions (Counter)
Level: Crusader 4, Swordsage 4, Warblade 4
Prerequisite: One Impassible Passions maneuver
Initiation Action: Immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You

Can’t a guy get a little bit of sleep around here, even when I’m dead they’ll still want me, may as well get back up.

Immediately after falling unconscious for damage you may initiate this maneuver to gain 1d4xIL health, and get back up as a free action with no attacks of opportunity.


Spirit Breaker
Impassable Passions (Strike)
Level: Crusader 4, Swordsage 4, Warblade 4
Prerequisite: One Impassible Passions maneuver
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One wall

If there’s a wall I’ll break it down, nothing in the world can stop me when I need to go somewhere.

Sometimes you simply need to get rid of a wall and hammering away at it all day just takes too long. With this maneuver you make a dispel check against any wall spell with a duration measured in rounds with a CL equal to your IL (though with no limit of 10), and if you’re successful the wall falls and the caster takes spell level d6 damage.

5^th Level

Spoiler

Show

Impossible Arm
Impassable Passions (Strike)
Level: Crusader 5, Swordsage 5, Warblade 5
Prerequisite: Two Impassible Passions maneuvers
Initiation Action: Full Round Action
Range: Melee range + 10 feet
Target: One creature

Certain kill, with this you have no chance of survival, may as well give up now.

With a burst of passion you pin an enemy creature and prepare to deliver a fatal blow to them. They may make a strength check with DC equal to 15 + your Cha modifier, and if they’re successful they merely take normal damage, if they fail it is a critical hit. With this attack your weapon grows three sizes with damage increases, though no increase in range and you can wield it with no penalty, in addition if the weapon is two handed you deal x3 strength damage with it, and x2 if it is one handed.

Pierce the Heavens
Impassable Passions (Stance)
Level: Crusader 5, Swordsage 5, Warblade 5
Prerequisite: Two Impassible Passions maneuvers
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You

My drill is the drill that will echo through the heavens, with seemingly endless possibilities.

While in this stance you feel that there are no true constraints, you can go anywhere you wish. You gain a fly speed of half your base land speed with perfect maneuverability. When you move at least 30 feet with this stance you also gain freedom of movement until the beginning of your next turn.

Surge of Energy
Impassable Passions (Counter)
Level: Crusader 5, Swordsage 5, Warblade 5
Prerequisite: Two Impassible Passions maneuvers
Initiation Action: Immediate Action
Range: Personal
Target: You

Don’t underestimate me, I can defy anything you throw at me, laugh at effects that would stop any lesser man, and break through to heaven.

You may ignore one of the following conditions for the duration of the encounter even if you would not otherwise be able to act: Paralyzed, Stunned, Cowering, Dazed, Exhausted, Petrified, or Blinded. Becoming immune an effect also makes you immune to any lesser affects along the chain, such that immunity to cowering makes you immune to being frightened.

6^th Level

Spoiler

Show

Crushing Rift
Impassable Passions (Strike)
Level: Crusader 6, Swordsage 6, Warblade 6
Prerequisite: Two Impassible Passions maneuvers
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee range
Target: One creature

I will open a hole in the universe and through it you will see your past and present attack you and destroy your present self.

When initiating this maneuver you rip a hole through time. You choose two strikes you have known, but not necessarily readied, and initiate both of them, one must be 2nd level or lower, and the other must be 4th level or lower.

Furious Strike
Impassable Passions (Strike)
Level: Crusader 6, Swordsage 6, Warblade 6
Prerequisite: Two Impassible Passions maneuvers
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: 100 ft
Target: One creature

Let’s go, anywhere you are I will be too.

When initiating this maneuver you rip a hole through space appearing next to a targeted opponent, as with a greater teleport spell. Once there you may make a single melee attack which if it hits deals 5d6 additional damage.

Unbreakable Will
Impassable Passions (Counter)
Level: Crusader 6, Swordsage 6, Warblade 6
Prerequisite: Two Impassible Passions maneuvers
Initiation Action: Immediate
Range: Personal
Target: You

He takes the blazing sun in his bare hands and endures the searing heat, denying all accusations of pain.

When initiating this maneuver you realize you need a bit more time, and that you can’t falter now. You may delay up to 10 x IL (Max 200) damage from a single attack until the end of your next turn. This stacks with a crusader’s delayed damage pool.

7^th Level

Spoiler

Show

Dimensional Tear
Impassable Passions (Strike)
Level: Crusader 7, Swordsage 7, Warblade 7
Prerequisite: Three Impassible Passions maneuvers
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee range
Target: One creature
Save: Will Negates

I don’t care about time or space, they’re simply rules that try to stop the impossible from happening, go to somewhere else.

When initiating this maneuver you rip a hole through time and space. You smash an opponent and affect him as though he was hit by a banishment spell, even if he was on his native plane. If he is not extraplanar randomly determine where he goes.

Light Life
Impassable Passions (Counter)
Level: Crusader 7, Swordsage 7, Warblade 7
Prerequisite: Three Impassible Passions maneuvers
Initiation Action: Immediate Action
Range: Personal
Target: You

Transforming the infinite darkness into light I transcend the traditional mortality to arrive at something much greater.

When initiating this maneuver you ignore your body’s restrictions and choose to keep on fighting. When you are subjected to enough damage that you would otherwise be dead or unconscious you instead heal 1d6xIL points of damage before the damage, subtracting it from the damage done and gaining any excess in health.

8^th Level

Spoiler

Show

Burning Energy
Impassable Passions (Strike)
Level: Crusader 8, Swordsage 8, Warblade 8
Prerequisite: Four Impassible Passions maneuvers
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Smashing through both karma and fate I dare others to sustain what I have, to keep going after all that happens.

You don’t need luck, you don’t need to know the odds, you simply beat the odds, every time. When in this stance treat a natural 1 as a natural 20, and even on checks where a natural 20 is not normally an automatic success, it now is.

Invincible Barrier
Impassable Passions (Boost)
Level: Crusader 8, Swordsage 8, Warblade 8
Prerequisite: Four Impassible Passions maneuvers
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Cha rounds

A true man never dies even if he’s killed. Who the hell do you think I am?

You simply won’t accept death, no matter the cost later as of right now you won’t die. When you initiate this maneuver you become unable to die for Cha rounds, whether by spells, hit point damage, or other factors you keep fighting. This may only be used once per encounter.

9^th Level

Spoiler

Show

Unthinkable Assault
Impassable Passions (Strike)
Level: Crusader 9, Swordsage 9, Warblade 9
Prerequisite: Five Impassible Passions maneuvers
Initiation Action: Full Round Action
Range: Melee range + 20 ft.
Target: One creature

This is Humanity's soul... and actually, it's MY SOUL! Do you seriously think it's going be wiped out by the likes of you?! Giga… Drill… BREAKER!

There is nothing but passion in this ultimate demonstration of the power of life. Your opponent makes a strength check against DC 19 + Cha and if he fails you deal critical hit damage with the multiplier increased by 1. Either way your weapon increases by five size categories in terms of damage, and you deal 4 times your strength modifier, or 3 times if you’re using a one handed weapon.

[Ashtagon]

Impossible Girth...

Ludicrous Length...

Might want to rename those?

[Dumbledore lives]

Might want to rename those?

It's kind of intentional.

So I guess what I'm looking for is opinions on its relative power, because I was emulating iron heart surge with some of these, though more limited, so am kind of worried about being too powerful.

[Dumbledore lives]

Bump for great justice.

[Lappy9001]

I'm going learn how to use Tomb of Battle now.

This absolutely catches the nature and feeling of the show, which is awesome. While I know little about maneuvers, they seem to keep to a series of central themes, which is nice and provides direction. I approve!

Pierce Celestia with your drill

[Elfstone]

First glance? Awesome. And Burning Energy is denoted as a strike. Which it is not. I'd check the rest to see if they have similar errors.

[Wyntonian]

Remember that one scene in the first Matrix where Morpheus breaks out of the handcuffs after being interrogated?

Break Bonds: Stance - +8 to strength checks to break objects.

He's a warblade.

Also, good work. I like it.

[absolmorph]

It's kind of intentional.

So I guess what I'm looking for is opinions on its relative power, because I was emulating iron heart surge with some of these, though more limited, so am kind of worried about being too powerful.

I was actually going to mention that you have a weaker version of IHS at the same level.
Not just weaker from being less open-ended, but also weaker because it can only shake off mind-affecting and compulsion effects.

[Dumbledore lives]

I was actually going to mention that you have a weaker version of IHS at the same level.
Not just weaker from being less open-ended, but also weaker because it can only shake off mind-affecting and compulsion effects.

Well 2 of the bad things about IHS are the standard action it takes to active, and thus can't be done when you'd want to do it, and the open endedness of it which allows you to end things which you shouldn't be able to, I aimed to fix it with the couple more limited but still useful maneuvers, as counters they are quite useful, especially in getting rid of dominations, which I know has been an everpresent issues in my games.

[Hunter Noventa]

The first stance seems a bit weak, but breaking bonds and such very rarely comes up in the campaigns I play in. it could really use some kind of combat-related bonus too, I just can't think of what exactly.

But otherwise, very awesome.

[Eldan]

Agreed on break bonds: it's probably too situational to be worth spending one of your few stances on.

A bonus on sundering? On saves and checks vs. entanglement and paralyzation? Something like that.

[Dumbledore lives]

So I added a bonus to sundering to break bonds, and am wondering whether ignoring half of hardness on objects would be too much.