Dread Crown, for Fiendish Martial Adepts [Discipline]

[The Demented One]

Dread Crown Discipline



The Dread Crown maneuver is based on the fighting styles of the two greatest warriors of all fiendkind, the swordsman and arch-devil Levistus, and the Dark Prince of the Abyss, Graz’zt. The style arose from a duel between the two, in the ancient past of the Blood War. The battle between them went on for ages, and by the end, each one had mastered almost every technique from the other’s fighting style. Their duel was finally ended when they were attacked by a vanguard of planetars and solars, seeking to take advantage of their duel to kill an arch-devil and a demon prince. As they noticed the celestials, Levistus and Graz’zt looked each other in the eye, and shared a grin. They then effortlessly dispatched the angels, using the new techniques they had learned from each other. Though devils and demons are always loathe to cooperate wit each other, Levistus and Graz’zt decided to temporarily suspend that and teach a handful of select mortals this fighting style, which they deemed the Dread Crown, so that it might further the goals of all evil. The Coin’s Edge discipline’s associated skill is Intimidate. The associated weapons of the Dread Crown discipline are the bastard sword, battleaxe, claw, falchion, greatsword, and scythe.

Because the Dread Crown discipline was taught only to a select few champions of evil, most martial adepts do not know any maneuvers from it, or even know it exists. Only Crusaders and Warblades of evil alignment can learn maneuvers from the Dread Crown discipline. There are two ways to master the discipline. The first is to have been trained in it. If you choose to make a martial adept that has already been trained in the Dread Crown discipline at character creation, you simply replace one discipline that adept could normally learn maneuvers from with the Dread Crown discipline.

The other way is to seek out a master of the Dread Crown discipline–a martial adept capable of using at least 5th-level maneuvers from the discipline. You must train for a month under the master and spend 1,000 xp at the end of your training. You gain the ability to learn maneuvers from the Dread Crown discipline. In addition, you may exchange your maneuvers known for maneuvers of the Dread Crown discipline. You may exchange one maneuver of each level, and the new maneuvers you learn must be of the same level as the exchanged maneuvers, unlike normal. The difficulty of finding an appropriate mentor is left to the DM to choose.

[The Demented One]

Dread Crown Maneuver List

1st level
Cheap Shot: Strike–Increase critical threat range and increase damage on critical hit against flatfooted opponent.
Jaw of the Serpent: Boost–Increase DC of poison applied to weapons.
Savage Slash: Strike–Attack leaves wound that continues to bleed.
Stance of Undying Hatred: Stance–Fight without penalty while disabled or dying.

2nd level
Agonizing Blow: Strike–Attack deals + 2d6 damage and causes crippling pain.
Grasp of the Damned: Boost–Hand detaches, allowing you to make a melee attack at range.
Slip into Shadows: Strike–Feint and attack, gain concealment if successful.

3rd level
Masochist’s Stance: Stance–Gain profane bonus on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks whenever you take damage.
Profane Siphoning: Strike–Attack deals 2 points of ability damage, you gain +2 profane bonus.
Sadistic Blow: Strike–Attack deals +4d6 damage, increased critical multiplier.

4th level
Blade of Wrath: Boost–Attacks deal +1d6 vile damage, plus another 1d6 for each five.
Maleficient Hammer: Strike–Attack deals +5d6 damage, additional effects based on creature’s alignment.
Vitriolic Blood: Counter–Spray creatures that damage you with acidic blood.

5th level
Blackguard’s Charge: Strike–Charge, deal +6d4 vile damage.
Brutal Onslaught: Boost–Attacks deal half damage in following round.
Hellish Venom: Boost–Coat your weapon in fiendish poison.

6th level
Befouling Razor: Strike–Make attacks against adjacent foes, deal 4 Constitution damage to each.
Charnel Strike: Strike–Melee attack deals +5d6 fire damage and +5d4 vile damage.
Presence of the Archfiend: Stance–Gain frightful presence.

7th level
Apocalyptic Charge: Strike–Charge and leave a trail of profane darkness behind you.
Blade of Malice: Boost–Attacks deal +1d3 vile damage/level.

8th level
Dread Form of the Archfiend: Stance–Take on a fiendish form.
Profane Consumption: Strike–Attack causes exhaustion, you gain +6 profane bonus to Strength and Dexterity, +10 ft. profane bonus to speed.

9th level
Feed the Maw of Hell: Strike–Attack deals +20d6 vile damage, reanimates creature as an undead under your control.

[The Demented One]

Dread Crown Maneuvers

1st level

Spoiler

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Cheap Shot
Dread Crown (Strike)
Level: Crusader 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature

Dread Crown adepts have no scruples about taking advantage of their opponents and dealing out low blows, using every opportunity to deliver the most devastating blows. As part of this maneuver, you make a single melee attack against an opponent. If that opponent is flatfooted, then the critical threat range of the attack is increased by one. If the attack is a critical hit, then you gain a bonus on the damage roll equal to your initiator level. Cheap shot does not stack with other effects that increase the critical threat range of your weapon.

Jaw of the Serpent
Dread Crown (Boost) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You

Poison is one of the many tools Dread Crown adepts feel no shame in employing, and they have developed maneuvers such as jaw of the serpent to make it even more effective. You may initiate this maneuver whenever you make an attack with a poisoned weapon, before you make the attack roll. If the attack is successful, the DC of the poison applied to your weapon is increased by 2. Jaw of the serpent is a supernatural ability.

Savage Slash
Dread Crown (Strike)
Level: Crusader 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 10 rounds

A cruel maneuver favored by Dread Crown adepts, the savage slash leaves behind a wound that bleeds fiercely. As part of this maneuver, you make a single melee attack against an opponent. If the attack is successful, then the wound it leaves continues to bleed, dealing 1 damage to the creature hit each round for 10 rounds. The wound can be staunched by making a DC 10 Heal check as a standard action, or if the creature hit receives at least 1 point of magical healing.

Stance of Undying Hatred
Dread Crown (Stance)
Level: Crusader 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

A Dread Crown adept would never let something as petty as his own mortality stop his bloodlust. While you are in the stance of undying penalty, you may fight without penalty while disabled or dying. You are not disabled when reduced to 0 hp, and do not take damage for performing standard or otherwise strenuous actions. You automatically stabilize on falling to -1 hp or less, and do not fall unconscious. You still die at -10 hp.

2nd level

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Agonizing Blow
Dread Crown (Strike)
Level: Crusader 2, Warblade 2
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

Dread Crown adepts are skilled at leaving wounds that cause agonizing pain. As part of this maneuver, you make a single melee attack against an opponent. If the attack is successful, it deals +2d6 damage and the creature hit must make a Fortitude save, DC 12 + your Intelligence modifier or your Charisma modifier (whichever is higher), or be left in crippling pain for 5 rounds, taking a -1 penalty on all attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks.

Grasp of the Damned
Dread Crown (Boost) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 2, Warblade 2
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of round

One of the more sorcerous powers employed by Dread Crown adepts, the grasp of the damned maneuver allows you to detach your hand from your body. It flies up to 20 ft. away from you, and you can use it to make melee attacks at range or any other action you could perform with one hand or any items held in it. Your weapon is treated as being evil-aligned for overcoming damage reduction. The lone hand can only hold light or one-handed weapons. At the end of the turn, your hand returns to you, fusing back onto your arm. Grasp of the damned is a supernatural ability.

Slip into Shadows
Dread Crown (Strike)
Level: Crusader 2, Warblade 2
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round

Adepts who favor misdirection make use of the slip into shadows technique, allowing them to feint past their opponent’s defenses and then hide from a counterattack. As part of this maneuver, you make a feint against one opponent, and then make a single melee attack against it. If both the feint and attack were successful, you gain concealment against that opponent until the beginning of your next round.

3rd level

Spoiler

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Masochist’s Stance
Dread Crown (Stance) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisites: One Dread Crown maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

By taking on the masochist’s stance, a Dread Crown adept can turn the pain he feels into power, drawing on it to bolster his strength with a sick glee. For every 10 damage you take in a round while you are in this stance, you gain a +1 profane bonus on all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks you make until the end of your next turn as long as you remain inthe masochist’s stance. The masochist’s stance is a supernatural ability.

Profane Siphoning
Dread Crown (Strike) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Dread Crown maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 10 rounds
Saving Throw: Fortitude or Will negates (see text)

The profane siphonig uses blasphemous magics to allow a Dread Crown adept to drain his foe’s strength, vitality, or mind, and bolster his own. As part of this maneuver, you make a single melee attack against an opponent. Your weapon is treated as being evil-aligned for overcoming damage reduction. If the attack is successful, the creature hit must make a saving throw, DC 13 + your Intelligence modifier or your Charisma modifier (whichever is higher), or take 2 points of ability damage to a score of your choice. The save is a Fortitude save if you choose Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution; and a Will save if you choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. If the opponent does take the ability damage, then you gain a +2 profane bonus to the ability score you chose for 10 rounds. Profane siphoning is a supernatural ability.

Sadistic Blow
Dread Crown (Strike)
Level: Crusader 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Dread Crown maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature

A cruel maneuver, the sadistic blow is intended to rip and tear the flesh from one’s foe as painfully as possible. As part of this maneuver, you make a single melee attack against an opponent. If the attack threatens a critical hit, then you gain a +5 bonus on the roll to confirm it, and the critical hit modifier of the attack is increased by one.

4th level

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Blade of Wrath
Dread Crown (Boost) [Evil]
Prerequisites: One Dread Crown maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn

By focusing his hatred and bloodlust in his blade, a Dread Crown adept can invoke the mighty blade of wrath. Each melee attack you make until the end of your turn deals an additional 1d6 vile damage, plus another 1d6 vile damage for every five initiator levels you have, and your weapon is treated as being evil-aligned for overcoming damage reduction (For more on vile damage, see the Book of Vile Darkness). Blade of wrath is a supernatural ability.

Maleficient Hammer
Dread Crown (Strike) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 4, Warblade 4
Prerequisite: One Dread Crown maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round or 5 rounds (see text)
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

By channeling unholy power through his weapon, a Dread Crown adept can unleash the maleficient hammer. If the attack is successful, it deals +5d6 damage, and your weapon is treated as being evil-aligned for overcoming damage reduction. In addition, if the creature hit was of good alignment, it must make a Fortitude save, DC 14 + your Intelligence or Charisma modifier (whichever is higher), or be nauseated for 1 round. If it is neutral, it must save or be sickened for 5 rounds. Maleficient hammer is a supernatural ability.

Vitriolic Blood
Dread Crown (Counter) [Evil]
Prerequisite: One Dread Crown maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn

Dread Crown adepts are always more than willing to spite their foes, making the vitriolic blood maneuver a natural defense for them. Whenever a creature deals slashing or piercing damage to you, you may initiate this maneuver in response. Your blood turns to acid and sprays over them, dealing 3d6 acid damage. In addition, any creatures that deal slashing or piercing damage to you again before the end of your next turn also are sprayed with acid. You are immune to the acid created by this maneuver. Vitriolic blood is a supernatural ability.

5th level

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Blackguard’s Charge
Dread Crown (Strike) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 5, Warblade 5
Prerequisites: Two Dread Crown maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature

A powerful weapon against good, the blackguard’s charge channels vile power to deal an awesome blow. As part of this maneuver, you make a charge, making a melee attack against a single creature at the end of it. The attack deals an additional +6d4 vile damage, and your weapon is treated as being evil-aligned for overcoming damage reduction (For more information on vile damage, see the Book of Vile Darkness). In addition, if the creature is good-aligned, you gain a profane bonus on the attack roll equal to your Intelligence or Charisma modifier, whichever is higher. Blackguard’s charge is a supernatural ability.

Brutal Onslaught
Dread Crown (Boost)
Level: Crusader 5, Warblade 5
Prerequisites: Two Dread Crown maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of round

Dread Crown adepts who indulge in violence favor the brutal onslaught technique, which uses rapid attacks and specially designed blade forms to leave wounds that continue to bleed. Every creature damaged by a melee attack you make this round takes half as much damage again in the next round unless it makes a Fortitude save, DC 15 + your Intelligence modifier or your Charisma modifier (whichever is higher). Each attack requires a separate save to avoid the damage from it.

Hellish Venom
Dread Crown (Boost) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 5, Warblade 5
Prerequisites: Two Dread Crown maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Touch
Target: Weapon touched
Duration: End of round

Dread Crown adepts can call up hellish venom to poison their weapons, always an effective tool against their foes. When you initiate this boost, the weapon you touch is coated in hellish poison. The poison has a DC of 15 + your Intelligence or Charisma modifier (whichever is higher), and has primary and secondary damage of 1d6 Constitution damage. The poison is delivered on the first successful attack you make with the weapon before the end of your turn. Hellish venom is a supernatural ability.

6th level

Spoiler

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Befouling Razor
Dread Crown (Strike)
Level: Crusader 6, Warblade 6
Prerequisites: Two Dread Crown maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: All adjacent opponents
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

This powerful maneuver allows you to easily dispatch many foes. As part of this maneuver, make a melee attack at your highest base attack bonus against each adjacent enemy. Each enemy hit must make a Fortitude save, DC 16 + your Intelligence or Charisma modifier (whichever is higher), or take 4 Constitution damage.

Charnel Strike
Dread Crown (Strike) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 6, Warblade 6
Prerequisites: Two Dread Crown maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One opponent

By invoking malevolent energies from the Lower Planes, a Dread Crown adept can surround his blade in an aura of unholy fire, unleashing the charnel strike. As part of this maneuver, you make a single melee attack against an opponent. If the attack is successful, it deals an additional 5d6 fire damage, and an additional 5d4 vile damage, and your weapon is treated as being evil-aligned for overcoming damage reduction (For more information on vile damage, see the Book of Vile Darkness). A creature reduced to 0 hp or less by the charnel strike is burned to ashes, dying, and its body is totally destroyed. Charnel strike is a supernatural ability.

Presence of the Archfiend
Dread Crown (Stance) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 6, Warblade 6
Prerequisites: Two Dread Crown maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

You take on a menacing stance, making your every strike a thing to be feared. Whenever you attack or charge, you invoke fear in the hearts of all enemies within 30 ft. of you with an amount of HD less than or equal to your initiator level. All such creatures must make a Will save, DC 17 + your Charisma or Intelligence modifier (whichever is higher), or become shaken until they move further than 30 ft. from you. Once a creature has successfully saved against this stance, it is does not have to save against it again for 24 hours. Presence of the Archfiend is a supernatural ability.

7th level

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Apocalyptic Charge
Dread Crown (Strike) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 7, Warblade 7
Prerequisites: Two Dread Crown maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Special
Area: One 5-ft. square per 5 ft. of movement
Duration: Instantaneous, then 5 rounds (D)

A signature move of many of the most powerful Dread Crown adepts, the apocalyptic charge maneuver allows you to charge forward towards your enemies, leaving a trail of profane darkness in your wake. As part of this maneuver, you make a charge. This charge does not need to be made in a straight line, and is not impeded by difficult terrain or other creatures. In addition, as you charge, each square you move through is filled with a profane darkness, an area of shadowy illumination as the darkness spell that lasts 5 rounds. In addition, the darkness is charged with malevolent energy. Any good-aligned creature that begins its turn in the darkness or moves into the darkness takes 5d8 vile damage, or 5d4 vile damage if its begins its turn in a square adjacent to the darkness. A neutral-aligned creature that begins its turn in the darkness or moves into the darkness takes 3d8 vile damage, or 3d4 vile damage if it begins its turn adjacent to the darkness (For more on vile damage, see the Book of Vile Darkness). Evil creatures take no damage from the darkness. The darkness of an apocalyptic charge dispels any light spell of 7th level or lower within its area, but can be dispelled by a light spell of 8th level or higher. Apocalyptic charge is a supernatural ability.

Blade of Malice
Dread Crown (Boost) [Evil]
Prerequisites: Two Dread Crown maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn

By channeling malevolent energies through his blade, a Dread Crown adept can invoke the mighty blade of malice. Each melee attack you make until the end of your turn deals an additional 1d3 vile damage/initiator level, and your weapon is treated as being evil-aligned for overcoming damage reduction (For more on vile damage, see the Book of Vile Darkness). Blade of malice is a supernatural ability.

8th level

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Dread Form of the Archfiend
Dread Crown (Stance) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 8, Warblade 8
Prerequisites: Three Dread Crown maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

One of the most powerful arts of the Dread Crown discipline, dread form of the Archfiend allows its user to channel pure evil from the Lower Planes to take on a demonic or devilish form. When you initiate this boost, you gain two claws as primary weapons that deal 1d8 damage (for medium creatures). Your claws are treated as magic weapons and evil-aligned for overcoming damage reduction. If you hit an opponent with both claws in one round, you can rend, dealing 2d8 damage plus twice your Strength modifier. In addition, you gain a +3 profane bonus to your natural armor and a +4 profane bonus to Strength and Constitution. You gain darkvision out to 60 ft. However, you take a -2 penalty to Dexterity, and cannot communicate, cast spells or similar abilities, or wield weapons other than your claws while you are in this stance. Dread Form of the Archfiend is a supernatural ability.

Profane Consumption
Dread Crown (Strike) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 8, Warblade 8
Prerequisites: Three Dread Crown maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One opponent
Duration: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

A powerful move that uses vampiric sorcery to drain a foe’s strength, profane consumption is a potent technique for turning the tables in battle. As part of this maneuver, you make a single melee attack against an opponent. Your weapon is treated as being evil-aligned for overcoming damage reduction. If the attack is successful, then the creature hit must make a Fortitude save, DC 18 + your Charisma or Intelligence modifier (whichever is higher), or be exhausted for 5 rounds. If they are exhausted, then you gain a +6 profane bonus to Strength and Dexterity and a +10 ft. profane bonus to your base land speed for 5 rounds. Profane consumption is a supernatural ability.

9th level

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Feed the Maw of Hell
Dread Crown (Strike) [Evil]
Level: Crusader 9, Warblade 9
Prerequisites: Four Dread Crown maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One opponent

The ultimate art of the Dread Crown discipline, feed the maw of hell is feared by all who know of it for its power to both invoke unthinkable forces of evil, and to cast the soul of those it slays down to the Lower Planes. As part of this maneuver, you make a single melee attack against an opponent. If the attack is successful, it deals an additional +20d6 vile damage, and your weapon is treated as being evil-aligned for overcoming damage reduction (For more on vile damage, see the Book of Vile Darkness). In addition, the soul of any creature slain by feed the maw of hell is cast down to the Lower Planes, and its body is reanimated as a skeleton or zombie under your control. The total HD of undead you can control with the feed the maw of hell maneuver is equal to twice your initiator level.

[Kellus]

Very cool. Two nitpicks, two opinions, and a praise:

The Coin’s Edge discipline’s associated skill is Intimidate.

Copy error in the introduction.

Masochist's Stance doesn't really seem like a supernatural ability. More of just... a morale boost from pain?

Sadistic Blow seems too weak as it is. It would probably work better as a Boost than a Strike, I think.

Presence of the Archfiend's save DC is off. I assume it should be 16 + Cha or Int instead of 17?

Grasp of the Damned is just a really awesome idea and definitely one of my favourite maneuvers here.

[Bitzeralisis]

A Battle Discipline that lets you make undead? Awesome.

[Xefas]

The associated weapons of the Dread Crown discipline are the bastard sword, battleaxe, claw, falchion, greatsword, and scythe.

If one of the creators of this discipline was Levistus, and his favored weapon is the rapier, then shouldn't it be one of the associated weapons?

Other than a few fluff nitpicks, I like it a lot.

[Arbitrarity]

I'm again here to nitpick proofread.

Yeah.

Dread form of the Archfiend is described as a Boost, despite having the [stance] descriptor. Which is it?

Blade of Malice feels overpowered to me, if only because it's better than Inferno Blade by a longshot. The damage is less likely to be resisted, and there's more of it. At the level you get it, Blade of Malice adds 26 average damage, compared to the 23.5 of Inferno Blade. And it's vile, not fire. Ouch. Comparatively, Apocalyptic Charge is weaker in damage than its brother, Salamander Charge.

The "dying" description in Charnel Strike seems redundant, considering the body it totally destroyed. Prehaps mention that this prevents raise dead?

While this isn't an error, Presence of the Archfiend is 1 higher DC than normal for that level. Also, Befouling razor, being like Bloodletting Strike on all adjacent targets (though fort negates, not 1/2) seems almost too powerful, but the fort negates probably is enough to balance it.

Masochist's stance has a typo, on the last line. inthe.

Profane Siphoning's first line is misspelt, missing the second N.

Sadistic Blow seems weak, as it only really has any effect on a critical. Prehaps make it a boost that can be initiated after threatening a critical, or similar?

How much concealment does Slip into Shadows provide? Standard, I assume, but most effects provide me with a nice specific miss chance, and I don't like not having it, and thereby assuming 20%.

Feed the Maw of Hell feels almost underpowered. I'm not sure quite why. Prehaps because of how little effect skeletons and zombies have.

That's about it. Once again, I probably missed/misread a lot, but I hope this helps somewhat.

[jagadaishio]

Unless I'm mistaken, there is at least one new stance on every odd level of the normal disciplines. You have some on even levels, and not quite enough total stances.

[Arbitrarity]

No, he has stances at every level that Desert Wind does. (1'st, 3'rd, 6'th, 8'th). That's definitely enough total stances.