Twin Spirit Discipline

[The Demented One]

Twin Spirit Discipline



The Twin Spirit discipline is a newly emerged martial discipline, emphasizing mounted combat and tactics. It was created years after the fall of the Temple of Nine Swords by a paladin trained at the hands of Reshar himself, the legendary warrior who had united the original nine martial disciplines. After the death of Reshar and the collapse of the Temple, the paladin retreated into seclusion, where he trained both himself and his beloved mount in the ways of the martial adept. Eventually, he and his mount came to fight together perfectly as one, in what he would come to call the Twin Spirit discipline.

Though its master since died, the Twin Spirit discipline lives on. Only a handful of martial adepts have been trained in it, but it has been slowly but surely spreading. Those who have mastered the style will eagerly teach its secrets to any who seek such knowledge, should they prove themselves worthy.

The Twin Spirit discipline focuses on mounted combat, the bond of cooperation between rider and steed. Twin Spirit maneuvers enhance attacks made while mounted and improve the defense of both rider and mount. Both Crusaders and Swordsages can learn maneuvers of the Twin Spirit discipline. The key skill of the Twin Spirit discipline is Ride. The associated weapons of the discipline are the lance, longsword, and scimitar.

[The Demented One]

1st level
Forceful Charge: Strike–Deal an extra 1d6 damage on a charge.
Ride the Wind: Stance–Increase your steed’s land speed based on your ranks in the Ride skill.
Tactical Charge: Boost–Turn during a charge.
Trampling Strike: Strike–Both you and your mount attack a foe.

2nd level
Grounding Blow: Strike–Knock a foe prone.
Leap From the Saddle: Strike–Jump off your mount and attack.
Ride Unhindered: Stance–Charge and run over difficult terrain.

3rd level
Measured Strike: Strike–Deal double damage.
Penetrating Charge: Strike–Deal an extra 4d6 damage on a charge and increase your weapon’s critical modifier.
Stand Together: Counter–Resist damage with a Ride check.

4th level
Burst of Speed: Boost–Double your mount’s speed while charging.
Crushing Stampede: Stance–Ignore foe’s damage reduction while mounted.
Staggering Blow: Strike–Deal an extra 2d6 damage, limit opponent to single actions

5th level
Hurl Weapon: Strike–Throw a weapon, deal an extra 4d6 damage.
Mounted Assault: Stance–Gain Ride-By Attack as a bonus feat, make extra attacks.
Overwhelming Charge: Strike–Deal an extra 6d6 damage on a charge and knock out your opponent.

6th level
Fight as One: Strike–Both you and mount may make a full attack at end of a charge.
Trampling Charge: Strike–Deal an extra 6d6 damage on a charge, mount may attack additional foes.

7th level
Battering Charge: Strike–Deal an extra 10d6 damage on a charge and push back your foe.
Maimimg Blow: Strike–Deal an extra 8d6 damage, 1d4 Str and Con damage.

8th level
Flawless Horsemanship: Counter–Add ranks in Ride to saves as a competence bonus.
Shatter the Unbreakable: Strike–Deal extra damage based on enemy’s damage reduction.

9th level
Ride of the War God: Strike–Deal an extra 20d6 damage on a charge, charge again if you drop a foe.

[The Demented One]

Battering Charge
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 7, Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: Three Twin Spirit maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Charge
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial

You charge a foe, and drive him back with your mount’s strong legs. You must be mounted to use this strike. As part of this maneuver, you make a charge against your target. If the attack successfully damages your target, it deals an additional 10d6 points of damage. Then, you may make a special bull rush check, substituting the damage bonus on the attack roll, except the damage added by this strike, for your Strength modifier. If your check is successful, the struck foe is driven back as normal, though you remain as you are. Once the foe has finished moving, he must make a Fortitude save, DC 17 plus your Strength modifier, or fall prone.

Burst of Speed
Twin Spirit (Boost)
Level: Crusader 4, Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: One Twin Spirit maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your mount
Duration: End of turn

Your urge your mount on, driving it to its limits. The distance your mount can travel when making a charge is doubled until the end of turn. This stacks with the normal doubling of your speed due to charging, so that you may travel up to four times your base land speed. This is an exception to the rule that two doubling is equivalent to a tripling. However, for every 10 ft. beyond the normal limit you charge, your mount must make a DC 20 Fortitude save or take 1d6 damage.

Crushing Stampede
Twin Spirit (Stance)
Level: Crusader 4, Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: One Twin Spirit maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

You and your mount unite in a powerful stance that grants you superior leverage with your attacks, letting you pierce the damage resistance of your foes. While in this stance and mounted, all melee attacks you make ignore up to 5 points of damage reduction.

Fight as One
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 6, Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: Two Twin Spirit maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Charge
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

You and your mount charge together, attacking as one. You must be mounted to use this strike. As part of this maneuver, you make a charge against your target. At the end of the charge, both you and your mount may make a full attack against the target. The bonuses from charging apply to all attacks made by both of you, and the penalty to AC from charging applies to your mount as well as yourself.

Flawless Horsemanship
Twin Spirit (Counter)
Level: Crusader 8, Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: Three Twin Spirit maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn

You and your steed enter a state of unison, allowing you to throw off any attack with your combined effort. You gain a competence bonus on all saving throws equal to half the number of ranks you have in the Ride skill until end of turn.

Forceful Charge
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 1, Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Charge
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

You must be mounted to use this strike. As part of this maneuver, you make a charge against your target. If the attack is successful, it deals an additional 1d6 points of damage.

Grounding Blow
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 2, Swordsage 2
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial

You use the leverage you gain from your mount to knock a foe to his feet. You must be mounted to use this strike. As you initiate this strike, you may make a melee attack against your target. If the attack is successful, that opponent must then make a Fortitude save, DC 12 plus your Strength modifier, or be knocked prone.

Hurl Weapon
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 5, Swordsage 5
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: See text
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

This maneuver lets you throw a weapon at your foes, combining your strength and your mount’s momentum to deadly effect. You must be mounted to use this strike. As part of this maneuver, your steed may move up to its base land speed in a straight line. It must move at least 10 ft. in order for you to use this strike. After your mount has moved, you may then throw and attack with a light or one-handed melee weapon as if it were a throwing weapon, with a range increment equal to half the distance your mount moved, rounded up. If the thrown weapon successfully hits its target, it deals an additional 4d6 damage.

Leap From the Saddle
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 2, Swordsage 2
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

With this strike, you leap from your mount and attack your foe. You must be mounted to use this strike. As part of this maneuver, your steed may move up to its base land speed in a straight line. It must move at least 10 ft. in order for you to use this strike. After your mount has moved, you leap from the saddle, substituting a Ride check for a Jump check to determine how far you travel (you are treated as having a running start, even if your mount did not move a full 20 ft). If, after you have jumped, there is an enemy within your melee reach, you may make a single attack against it. You take a -2 penalty to your AC until the beginning of your next turn.

Maiming Blow
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 7, Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: 2 Twin Spirit maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: One round
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial

With this maneuver, you destroy your foe, leaving him crippled. You must be mounted to use this strike. As you initiate this strike, you may make a melee attack against your target. If the attack is successful, it deals an additional 8d6 points of damage, and deals 1d4 points of Strength and Constitution damage to the target. A successful Fortitude save, DC 17 plus your Strength modifier, halves the ability damage.

Measured Strike
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 3, Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: One Twin Spirit maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

With this maneuver, you focus both your own strength and that of your mount into a single, crushing blow. You must be mounted to use this strike. As you initiate this strike, you may make a melee attack against your target. If the attack is successful, then the damage it deals is doubled.

Mounted Assault
Twin Spirit (Stance)
Level: Crusader 5, Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: Two Twin Spirit maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

This stance allows you to swiftly strike your foes and then retreat unharmed. While in this stance, you gain Ride-By Attack as a bonus feat (you do not need to meet is prerequisites). When you use the Ride-By Attack feat, you may make two attacks during the course of your movement. You may either attack one creature twice, or attack two different creatures once each. In addition, when you use the Ride-By Attack feat, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity by exiting squares threatened by creatures you attacked that rounded, whether successfully or not.

Overwhelming Charge
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 5, Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: Two Twin Spirit maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Charge
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial

You charge a foe, knocking him unconscious with a single blow. You must be mounted to use this strike. As part of this maneuver, you make a charge against your target. If the attack successfully damages your target, it deals an additional 6d6 points of damage. In addition, the target must then make a Fort save, DC 15 plus your Str modifier, or take nonlethal damage equal to its current hp total.

Penetrating Charge
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 3, Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: One Twin Spirit maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Charge
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

You charge at your foe, driving your weapon through him with the strength of two. You must be mounted to use this strike. As part of this maneuver, you make a charge against your target. If the attack is successful, it deals an additional 4d6 points of damage. In addition, the critical multiplier of your weapon is increased by one if the attack is a critical hit.

Ride of the War God
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 9, Swordsage 9
Prerequisites: 5 Twin Spirit maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Charge, see text
Target: One to three creatures
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

You and your steed become a single being, slaying all that stands before you. You must be mounted to use this strike. As part of this maneuver, you make a charge against your target. If the attack is successful, it deals an additional 20d6 points of damage. If that is enough to drop your foe, then you may, as a free action, charge against another foe. However, you can move only half as far as you could on the first charge, and your attack deals only an additional 10d6 points of damage. If that is enough to drop the second foe, you may charge a third and final time. You may move only one quarter as far as you could on the first charge, and the attack deals only an additional 5d6 points. Even if that is enough to drop the third foe, you may not charge again. Once you have completed this, your mount is exhausted. You cannot use this strike if your mount is already exhausted.

Ride the Wind
Twin Spirit (Stance)
Level: Crusader 1, Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your mount
Duration: Stance

While in this stance, you drive your steed forward as fast as you can. Your steed’s base land speed increases by 5 ft., plus an additional 5 ft. for every 10 ranks you have in the Ride skill.

Ride Unhindered
Twin Spirit (Stance)
Level: Crusader 2, Swordsage 2
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your mount
Duration: Stance

While in this stance, you deftly maneuver your steed over even the trickiest of terrain. While mounted, you may run or charge through terrain that hampers your movement, although your speed is still reduced normally. In addition, your mount does not need to make Balance checks when charging or running over difficult terrain, such as over rough floors.

Shatter the Unbreakable
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 8, Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: 2 Twin Spirit maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: One round
Saving Throw: None

With this maneuver, you penetrate all your foe’s defenses, striking as one with your steed. You must be mounted to use this strike. As you initiate this strike, you may make a melee attack against your target. If the attack is successful, it ignores all of the target’s damage reduction, with the exception of epic damage reduction, and also deals an additional 1d6 points of damage for every point of damage reduction the target has, to a maximum of 15d6.

Staggering Blow
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 4, Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: 1 Twin Spirit maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: One round
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial

With this maneuver, you can strike your foe so hard he can barely do anything afterwards. You must be mounted to use this strike. As you initiate this strike, you may make a melee attack against your target. If the attack is successful, it deals an additional 2d6 points of damage. In addition, that opponent must then make a Fortitude save, DC 14 plus your Strength modifier, or be capable of taking only single actions for the next round.

Stand Together
Twin Spirit (Counter)
Level: Crusader 3, Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: One Twin Spirit maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous

You draw support from your mount, enduring harsh blows with its aid. Whenever you are dealt damage by a weapon, you may use this maneuver. As part of this maneuver, make a Ride check, with a DC equal to the amount of damage dealt to you. If you succeed, then the damage dealt is nonlethal, and is split evenly between you and your mount.

Tactical Charge
Twin Spirit (Boost)
Level: Crusader 1, Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your mount
Duration: End of turn

This maneuver allows you to twist and wind your course as you charge. You must be mounted to use this boost. When you charge, you may make a single 90 degree turn during the course of the charge. All other normal restrictions on charging still apply, and you must have line of sight to your target at the beginning of your charge.

Trampling Charge
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 6, Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: Two Twin Spirit maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Charge
Target: One or more creatures
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial

You charge a foe, trampling any opponent that comes between you and him. You must be mounted to use this strike. As part of this maneuver, you make a charge against your target. Each time you exit a square adjacent to an enemy while charging, your mount may make a single hoof attack against that enemy at its highest base attack bonus. These attacks do not include bonuses from charging. If the charge attack successfully damages your target, it deals an additional 6d6 points of damage.

Trampling Strike
Twin Spirit (Strike)
Level: Crusader 1, Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

You must be mounted to use this strike. As you initiate this strike, you may make a melee attack against your target, and your steed may make a hoof attack against the same opponent as well. However, you both take a -2 penalty on your attack roll.

[The Demented One]

Awaken Mount
Your mount has become more than a dumb beast, awakened to sentience by its bond with you.
Requirements: Favored Mount or Special Mount class feature, 3 Twin Spirit maneuvers, base attack bonus +8
Benefit: Your mount's Intelligence score increases by an amount equal to half your initiator level. The mount's type remains animal,and it does not gain the ability to speak, but it can communicate empathically with you because of your close bond. You and your mount must be able to see each other to communicate empathically.

Favored Mount
You have formed a bond with a specific mount.
Requirements: Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, one Twin Spirit maneuver
Benefit: Choose a specific creature to be your favored mount. That creature gains certain benefits based on your initiator level, as shown below:

{table=head]Initiator Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor[br]Bonus|Str Bonus
1st-4th|+0|+2|+0
5th-8th|+2|+4|+1
9th-12th|+4|+6|+2
13th-15th|+6|+8|+3
16th-20th|+8|+10|+4[/table]

If you already have a class feature that grants you a special mount, you instead treat your class level as being four higher for determining the abilities that mount gains.

Martial Mount
Your bond with your mount strengthens it, making it better prepared for combat.
Requirements: Favored Mount or Special Mount class feature, 3 Twin Spirit maneuvers, base attack bonus +8
Benefit: Your mount gains the maximum amount of hp from every HD it gains, including those it already has. The damage dice of all your mount's natural weapons increase by one step while you are mounted on it. In addition, while you are mounted, your mount uses either its own base save bonus or yours, whichever is higher, when making saving throws.

[The Demented One]

Reserved for items.

[Khoran]

Sounds like a fun Discipline, though I think it would need some play testing before I'd call it complete. It looks mostly fair upon first glance, though I think in some places that could use a little revision. Example: I think Shatter the Unbreakable should possibly no bypass something like DR x/Epic, though that's just personal opinion.

Favored Mount
You have formed a bond with a specific mount.
Requirements: Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, one Twin Spirit maneuver
Benefit: Choose a specific creature to be your favored mount. That creature gains certain benefits based on your initiator level, as shown below:

{table=head]Initiator Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor<br>Bonus|Str Bonus
1st-4th|+0|+2|+0
5th-8th|+2|+4|+1
9th-12th|+4|+6|+2
13th-15th|+6|+8|+3
16th-20th|+8|+10|+4[/table]

I assume this is feat, correct? If so, perhaps it should act like Superior Unarmed Strike does if a class already has a mount via class abilities (Such as Paladin.), perhaps infact have it be identical, if you have a special mount from a class ability such as the paladin one, you are treated as being 4 levels higher for your mount.

[Closet_Skeleton]

For Burst of Speed you should say how it interacts with the normal speed multiplication for charging.

As it's written it doubles your mount's base speed but only if you charge. Do you intend for it to let you make a charge action to move three times your move or four times your move.

Also remember to only give stances at levels when the classes involved would get a new stance.

[Vaynor]

Ok, this is pretty awesome. But I'm kind of confused on what the initiator level is. Is that a class I'm not aware of? Same with Crusader and Swordsage.

Nevermind.

[Fax Celestis]

Associated Weapon: Horseman's Flail (Light Flail) would be a good option.

Trampling Charge: what if my mount doesn't have hooves, like a griffin?

Favored Mount: What happens if the mount dies? Can you alter the creature favored later?

Also remember to only give stances at levels when the classes involved would get a new stance.

C_S, the disciplines in the book don't follow that rule themselves.

[ExHunterEmerald]

Oh, this is made of win.
I gotta try this now.

[Fax Celestis]

PS: You've inspired me to make another Discipline: The Ocean Soul Discipline. Woo!

[ExHunterEmerald]

PS: You've inspired me to make another Discipline: The Ocean Soul Discipline. Woo!

Will I get to ride a dolphin?! :D

[Fax Celestis]

Will I get to right a dolphin?! :D

No, you'll get to charge and leave a wake.

[Indon]

Better than leaving asleep. *ba-dum-bum!*

I like this discipline, though. Mounts need more love. Size is an interesting issue, though. How precisely does a halfling on a war dog trample, say, an Orc? Or for a more extreme example, a Dragon?

[The Demented One]

PS: You've inspired me to make another Discipline: The Ocean Soul Discipline. Woo!

Funny, I was thinking about some sorta aquatic style. Wanna collaborate?

[knightsaline]

Any chance of a Twin Spirit legacy weapon, like the other disciplines?

[Eomir]

Twin Spirit Legacy Weapon!!!? My guess is that it would be a lance of somekind.

[The Demented One]

Any chance of a Twin Spirit legacy weapon, like the other disciplines?

Working on it, need to get back my copy of Weapons of Legacy.

[Annarrkkii]

Mounted Combat was one dimension (perhaps... Demention?) of melee combat that was reasonably solid. 40+ damage at 3rd level on a single attack, with the added ability of attacking from a height, having a mount who you can protect with Ride checks... I would have thought it fair already.

However, you did a good job of going through and improving it without putting in anything that looks like it would be too easily exploitable. Good work.

[Catch]

I can see how this discipline would be available for Crusaders, but this feels more like a Warblade style of combat than a Swordsage's.

It lacks the mysticism and magickery to fit the Swordsage, I think.

Your call, but I'm interested to see your line of thinking on the subject.

[Elfin]

Wow. Nice, like it a lot.
Only thing I might suggest changing is the name, since it's quite close to Devoted Spirit.

[Thrawn183]

I can see how this discipline would be available for Crusaders, but this feels more like a Warblade style of combat than a Swordsage's.

It lacks the mysticism and magickery to fit the Swordsage, I think.

Your call, but I'm interested to see your line of thinking on the subject.

I definitely agree that this should be crusader and warblade. Just doesn't fit the swordsage flavor at all.

[Elfin]

I agree as well. This is nothing like the swordsage.

[Rising Phoenix]

I agree as well. This is nothing like the swordsage.

+3 and I am using this...Thanks a lot!

R.P.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

Some seriously epic thread necromancy going on here.