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    Titan in the Playground
     
    PairO'Dice Lost's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Malsheem, Nessus
    Gender
    Male

    Default ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    For my first homebrew contribution to the GitP boards, I believe a rather diabolical discipline is appropriate. Thus, I present the Ninefold Damnation, signature discipline for crusaders of the Nine Hells of Baator.

    A few notes:

    First, one of the higher-level stances makes use of the half-axiom template. No, you didn't miss it in one of the books; I was upset that there were half-celestials and half-fiends but no lawful or chaotic versions, so I made my own "half-axiom" and "half-anarch". Critique as you will; the template appears after the maneuvers list.

    Second, instead of regular descriptive text, the flavor for the maneuvers are paraphrased quotations from Manual of the Planes and Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. No particular reason; I just felt that it would be "cool" and that it could describe some things better than I could. If anything looks weird, or their are names you haven't seen before, chances are good that it's from FC2.

    All feedback is appreciated. Without further ado....

    Ninefold Damnation


    The Nine Hells of Baator—five words that strike fear into the heart of every champion of morality and freedom. The discipline of Ninefold Damnation is the path of the Sublime Way invented by infernal martial adepts, drawing on the power of the Nine Hells of Baator and their inhabitants. Many of its maneuvers emphasize the similarity of its practitioners to devils—granting signature devil abilities or abilities of law and evil—while others emphasize the different layers of Baator and their archdukes.

    The weapons associated with the Ninefold Damnation discipline are the glaive, whip, spiked chain, and claw, signature weapons of the barbazu, erinyes, kyton, and pit fiend, respectively. The key skill for Ninefold Damnation is Intimidate.

    Ninefold Damnation Maneuver List
    1st Level
    • Strike Strike of Avernus Deal extra piercing damage, and fire damage in an area.
    • Boost Bel’s Fury Gain bonuses versus good and chaotic creatures.
    • Counter Call of the Damned Inflict fear on opponents.
    • Stance Favor of the Dark Eight Gain one of eight possible benefits, determined each round.

    2nd Level
    • Strike Tower of Dis Gain defense bonuses while you attack.
    • Counter Dispater’s Contingencies Reroll a save or opponent’s attack roll, or gain a readied action.
    • Boost Faustian Bargain Gain combat benefits immediately in exchange for greater penalties later.

    3rd Level
    • Strike Corrosion of Minauros Deal extra acid and cold damage and knock back enemies.
    • Counter Mammon’s Curse Make your attacker temporarily turn on their allies.
    • Boost Festering Corruption Your attacks deal lingering damage and possibly disease.

    4th Level
    • Strike Magma of Phlegethos Launch an orb of magma at an enemy.
    • Boost Belial’s Sadism Gain progressive bonuses when attacking and inflict pain with your strikes.
    • Stance Channel the Baatezu Take on petitioner traits.

    5th Level
    • Strike Mindhammer of Stygia Inflict feeblemindedness and cause your target to lose some of its memories.
    • Misc. Legions of Hell Summon a baatezu to aid you.
    • Boost Levistus’s Prison Gain formidable protection in exchange for movement.

    6th Level
    • Strike Avalanche of Malbolge Crush and knock prone several opponents, leaving difficult terrain.
    • Counter Glasya’s Vengeance Mutilate and transform an opponent.
    • Misc. Traitor’s Reward Turn nearby ground into the remains of the Hag Countess.

    7th Level
    • Strike Decay of Maladomini Inflict despair and sloth on opponents.
    • Boost Aura of Baalzebul Surround yourself with a cloud of insects.
    • Stance Infernal Form Gain fiendish or axiomatic traits.

    8th Level
    • Strike Frostburn of Cania Deal extra cold damage and freeze your opponents.
    • Boost Mephistopheles’s Hellfire Add damage to attacks in exchange for Constitution damage
    • Stance Infernal Exemplar Gain half-fiend or half-axiom traits, plus vulnerability to good spells and items.

    9th Level
    • Strike Endless Depths of Nessus Deal vile damage to an enemy and send them to Hell.


    1st Level
    Spoiler
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    Bel’s Fury
    Ninefold Damnation (Boost) [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 1
    Prerequisite: Lawful alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 standard action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Duration: 1 round
    Saving Throw: Fortitude partial or None; see text
    “A realist at heart, Bel knows that demonkind is infinite, and at best he can hope to do no more than contain the tanar’ri. Despite his calm demeanor, however, he can display flashes of volcanic rage when he’s thwarted.”
    Your melee attacks become particularly effective against chaotic and good creatures as Bel’s particular hatred of the tanar’ri and general hatred of celestials courses through you. If the target of your next melee attack is good, he takes an extra 1d6 damage and must make a Fortitude save (DC 11 + your Cha modifier) or be entangled for one round. If the target of your next melee attack is chaotic, he takes an extra 2d6 damage and must make a Fortitude save (DC 11 + your Cha modifier) or be immobilized for one round. If the target of your next melee attack is both chaotic and good, he takes an extra 3d6 damage and must make a Fortitude save (DC 11 + your Cha modifier) or be stunned for one round.

    Call of the Damned
    Ninefold Damnation (Counter) [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 1
    Prerequisites: Evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 swift action
    Range: Personal
    Target: One creature
    Duration: 1 round
    Saving Throw: Will partial
    “The Maggot Pit is the most famous of Baator’s many facilities for converting the souls of the damned into wretched lemures. This mammoth crater radiates an almost palpable sense of evil and destruction.”
    You force your attacker to feel the terror and despair of damned souls; as he strikes, he senses the darkness within you. If an opponent successfully strikes you, you may initiate this maneuver to fill him with fear. He must make a Will save (DC 11 + your Cha modifier) or become frightened for one round; if he successfully saves against this maneuver, he is instead only shaken for one round.

    Favor of the Dark Eight
    Ninefold Damnation (Stance) [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 1
    Prerequisites: Lawful alignment or evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 swift action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Duration: Stance
    “The cruelly magnificent pit fiends known as the Dark Eight are the main infernal generals in the Blood War. Each of these generals commands the forces contributed by one layer of the Nine Hells….The Dark Eight conceal the fact that members of the Eight die quite regularly as a result of internecine struggle.”
    While in this stance, you enjoy the favor of one of the Dark Eight, as they lend combat prowess to a prospective ally in the Blood War; however, as they are competitive rivals rather than brothers-in-arms, the particular member of the Dark Eight alive at any given time to show you favor will vary. Each time you enter this stance, roll 1d8 to determine the benefits you gain:
    1. Furcas grants you a +1 profane bonus on attack rolls.
    2. Zaebos grants you a +1 profane bonus to AC.
    3. Zimimar grants you a +1 profane bonus on initiative rolls.
    4. Dagos grants you a +1 profane bonus on damage rolls
    5. Corzin grants you a +1 profane bonus on Reflex saves
    6. Zapan grants you 3 temporary hit points.
    7. Pearza grants you SR 9.
    8. Baalzephon grants you DR 2/good.


    Strike of Avernus
    Ninefold Damnation (Strike) [Law] [Evil] [Fire]
    Level: Crusader 1
    Prerequisite: Lawful alignment or evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 standard action
    Range: Melee attack
    Target: Creature attacked
    “Fireballs careen through the atmosphere of Avernus, randomly incinerating those who are not immune to their effects. Toothy mountains loom on every side, offering fatal obstacles to those unwise enough to scale them, and sharp edges of crystalline rock tear at flesh and clothing.”
    Channeling the power of Avernus, your melee attack deals an extra 1d4 piercing damage. In addition, any enemies adjacent to the target take 1d6 fire damage.


    2nd Level
    Spoiler
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    Dispater’s Contingencies
    Ninefold Damnation (Counter) [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 2
    Prerequisites: 1 Ninefold Damnation maneuver, lawful alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Duration: Instantaneous or 2 rounds; see text
    “Dispater, the ruler of both the city and layer of Dis, is famous as the most cautious and calculating of the archdukes. The ease with which Glasya eliminated the ruler of another layer has the already cautious Dispater double-checking his escape routes and quadrupling his guard.”
    You’ve learned from the master of backup plans that having nine contingencies for every situation is simply good tactics. You may initiate this maneuver for one of two benefits. Your first option it to initiate this maneuver to reroll a failed saving throw, skill check, or attack roll, taking the better of the two, or force an opponent to reroll a successful saving throw, skill check, or attack roll, taking the worse of the two. Alternately, you may initiate this maneuver to ready an action; this works like readying an action as normal, except that it does not consume a standard action to ready the action, and you do not need to specify the action you will take, only the condition(s) under which you will take the readied action. The readied action must be taken within two rounds or it is wasted.

    Faustian Bargain
    Ninefold Damnation (Boost) [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 2
    Prerequisites: 1 Ninefold Damnation maneuver, lawful alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Duration: End of encounter; see text
    “In a Pact Insidious, a devil promises to provide certain benefits for a mortal signatory in exchange for specified reciprocal favors. A Pact Insidious allows a gullible mortal to believe he can gain the benefits of a flirtation with evil without suffering its consequences.”
    You call out to infernal agents, promising them a portion or share of your soul in return for immediate aid. You may add a +9 profane bonus to any saving throw, skill check, initiative roll, or your AC for one round; however, each time you add the bonus, you gain one negative level immediately after the end of the encounter which persists for 8 hours, at which time you may make a DC 16 Fortitude save to remove it (it may not be magically removed before this time). If you accumulate negative levels sufficient to kill you, your soul goes to the Nine Hells and you may not be raised or resurrected unless you can persuade the devils to release you (see Fiendish Codex II, page 25).

    Tower of Dis
    Ninefold Damnation (Strike) [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 2
    Prerequisites: 1 Ninefold Damnation maneuver, lawful alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
    Range: Melee attack
    Target: One creature
    Duration: 2 rounds
    “The Archduke Dispater rules Dis from the Iron Tower, an impregnable fortress that reaches far into the sky and can be seen everywhere on this layer. Notorious for never venturing out of his fortress, Dispater sees only his most trusted advisors and issues commands through layers of intermediaries.”
    Drawing confidence from your protector, you channel the strength and invulnerability of the Iron Tower to wade into combat without worrying about your opponents’ blows. When you initiate this maneuver, make a full attack; you gain a cumulative +1 profane bonus on attack and damage rolls for each previous melee attack you make during the duration of this maneuver. For each successful attack you make, including those made as part of the full attack, you gain a +3 profane bonus to AC and saves until the beginning of your second turn.


    3rd Level
    Spoiler
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    Corrosion of Minauros
    Ninefold Damnation (Strike) [Law] [Evil] [Acid] [Cold] [Air]
    Level: Crusader 3
    Prerequisites: 1 Ninefold Damnation maneuver, evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 standard action
    Range: 15 feet
    Target: One creature
    Duration: Instantaneous
    Saving Throw: Reflex half and Fortitude partial
    “A constant oily, caustic rain pelts down on Minauros, pounding its black soil into a series of swamps, mires, and cesspools. The incessant rains are frequently augmented by skin-flaying hail, balls of polluted ice sometimes containing the still-sharp teeth of long departed devils, flung by perilous winds.”
    You call down the foul rains and furious winds of Minauros on an enemy’s head, dealing 3d6 damage to one enemy within 15 feet. Half of the damage is acid damage and half is cold damage; your target may attempt a Reflex save (DC 13 + your Cha modifier) for half damage. In addition to the damage, your target must make a Fortitude save (DC 11 + your Cha modifier) or be flung 15 feet directly away from you. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

    Festering Corruption
    Ninefold Damnation (Boost) [Law] [Evil] [Acid]
    Level: Crusader 3
    Prerequisites: 1 Ninefold Damnation maneuver, evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 swift action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Duration: 3 rounds
    Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
    “From the bubbling, unclean waters of Minauros issue stomach-turning stenches, each more foul than the last. The weapons of devils native to Minauros, forged in these poisonous fumes, deal festering wounds.”
    You channel the putrid slime pools and disease-ridden filth of Minauros through your weapon. The targets of any melee attacks you make for three rounds are affected as if by the Infernal Wound ability of barbazu and cornugons: They lose 2 hit points per round, which resist being healed; the targets must be treated with a DC 16 Heal check, or must have a healing spell cast on them accompanied by a DC 16 caster level check, to stop the hemorrhaging. In addition, the target(s) must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 13 + your Cha modifier) or contract devil chills immediately (DC 14, damage 1d4 Str; they must succeed on 3 consecutive saves to recover).

    Mammon’s Curse
    Ninefold Damnation (Counter) [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 3
    Prerequisites: 1 Ninefold Damnation maneuver, evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
    Range: Melee attack
    Target: One creature
    Duration: 3 rounds
    Saving Throw: Will negates
    “Mammon is a two-faced, insecure, vindictive being, a turncoat’s turncoat. His gnawing need for absolute loyalty prompts him to surround himself with underlings.”
    You gain some of Mammon’s persuasive nature, allowing you to coerce others to your point of view. If you are attacked in melee, you may initiate this maneuver to convince your attacker that he is wrong to attack you, and the two of you are actually the staunchest of allies. Unless he succeeds on a Will save (DC 13 + your Cha modifier), he does not follow through on his attack against you, regards you and your allies as his friends (as if charmed), and obeys your orders to the letter as if dominated, even attacking former allies. He obeys you for three rounds; after the end of his third turn, however, he realizes what he has done and, like Mammon, commits a second betrayal. He is freed from your influence and gains a +4 morale bonus on attack rolls against you for the duration of the encounter. Even if your attacker succeeds on his save, he must reroll his attack against you with a -2 penalty as he has momentary second thoughts about attacking someone as close to him as you are. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.


    4th Level
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    Belial’s Sadism
    Ninefold Damnation (Boost) [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 4
    Prerequisites: 2 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 swift action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Duration: 4 rounds
    Saving Throw: Will partial
    “Am ambitious schemer, Belial was demoted to unofficial ruler of Phlegethos after the Reckoning of Hell, though he remains the lord of pain and suffering.”
    You learn from Belial the ways to inflict the most excruciating pain, and you find you enjoy doing so. Every time you make a successful melee attack, you gain a cumulative +1 bonus to attack or damage rolls (your choice with each attack) for the duration of this boost. In addition, unless they succeed on a Will save (DC 14 + your Cha modifier), the targets of your strikes are transfixed with pain and may only take a single move or standard action on their next turn. If they succeed, they are still racked with less intense pain, and must make a Concentration check (DC 14 + your Cha modifier) to cast spells or use spell-like abilities for the duration of this maneuver.

    Channel the Baatezu
    Ninefold Damnation (Stance) [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 4
    Prerequisites: 3 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful alignment or evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 swift action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Duration: Stance
    “Evil, proud, ambitious souls, unconcerned with others and bereft of empathy, find their way to the Nine Hells. Most fiends inhabiting Baator are baatezu; because they come from such a regimented plane, all baatezu have a number of traits in common.”
    Forging a connection between yourself and an infernal patron, you take on some of the traits common to all baatezu. You gain immunity to fire and poison, as well as resistance 20 to acid and cold damage. You also gain the ability to see perfectly in normal or magical darkness and the immunity to mind-affecting effects possessed by infernal petitioners. The vision in magical darkness granted by this stance is a supernatural ability.

    Magma of Phlegethos
    Ninefold Damnation (Strike) [Law] [Evil] [Fire]
    Level: Crusader 4
    Prerequisites: 2 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful alignment or evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 standard action
    Range: 30 feet
    Area: Line
    Duration: 4 rounds
    Saving Throw: Reflex partial; see text
    “In the layer of Phlegethos, the lakes and streams run with bubbling molten lava and jets of flame spout from a million fissures in the red-hot, crystalline earth; the streets of the cities of this layer are constructed inside active volcanoes.”
    Drawing upon the volcanic wrath of Phlegethos, you launch a glob of magma in a 30-foot line against your enemies. The magma deals 4d6 fire damage to creatures in the line and 2d6 fire damage to creatures in spaces adjacent to the line (no save). The stream of magma is not the most dangerous part, however—at the end of the line, the magma pools into the last square in range, and any creatures passing through the square must make a Reflex save (DC 14 + your Cha modifier) or fall into the lava and be submerged in it for one round. The lava remains for four rounds before dissipating. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.


    5th Level
    Spoiler
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    Legions of Hell
    Ninefold Damnation [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 5
    Prerequisites: 3 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 full-round action or 5 minutes
    Range: 10 feet
    Effect: 1 devil
    Duration: End of encounter or 45 minutes; see text
    “More informed mortals sometimes actively seek to enslave devils and use them as tools to serve their own ends. Perhaps initial attempts go well enough, emboldening the seeker to continue. But the deeper such an amateur goes, the greater the risk of attracting infernal attention, and the hubris of the act has a way of catching up with such mortals.”
    Your dedication to the forces of order and corruption has gained you the assistance of the baatezu. You may initiate this maneuver in two ways. If you wish to initiate this in the midst of combat, you may simply cry out a supplication to the Lords of the Nine asking them to send you a servant and offering a part of your soul. This method takes a full-round action and calls a devil to serve you for the duration of the battle. The devil collects on your offer, dealing you two negative levels at the end of the encounter as it claims part of your soul; they persist for 8 hours, at which time you may make a DC 16 Fortitude save to remove them (they may not be magically removed before this time). You can drive a harder bargain given more time; if you spend five minutes bartering with a devil instead of a full-round action, the devil serves for 45 minutes but deals you three negative levels at the close of the contract, which may be removed as described above.
    The summoned devil will obey general commands (such as “attack my enemies” or “fetch the treasure chest”) and will not attack you or anyone you designate as an ally, but otherwise it is free to act as it wishes. You may summon any devil in the following list, which appears in a square within 10 feet of you:
    Code:
    CR 1—Lemure
    CR 2—Imp
    CR 3—Nupperibo*
    CR 4—Spinagon*
    CR 5—Barbazu
    CR 6—Kyton
    CR 7—Excruciarch*
    CR 8—Legion Devils (4)*
    CR 9—Orthon*
    * Fiendish Codex II
    This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

    Levistus’s Prison
    Ninefold Damnation (Boost) [Law] [Evil] [Cold]
    Level: Crusader 5
    Prerequisites: 3 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful neutral/lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 swift action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Area: 5 foot radius emanation, centered on you
    Duration: 5 rounds
    “Reviled and mocked by his fellow archdukes, Levistus rules his layer from a condition of humiliating imprisonment. Millennia ago, Asmodeus encased him inside the layer’s biggest glacier. Conscious but unable to act, Levistus wasted away for eons, until Asmodeus displaced Geryon, the formerly loyal ruler of Stygia, and handed the reins of power to Levistus.”
    A tangible glacial chill surrounds and protects you as Levistus lends you the essence of his frosty prison. Initiating this boost grants several benefits. First, you gain a +5 deflection bonus to AC, DR 5/—, and an immunity to sneak attacks and critical hits. Secondly, your square and squares adjacent to you are covered in a silence effect, while you gain the ability to communicate telepathically to any creature within 25 feet with which you share a language. Finally, your attacks deal an extra 5 cold damage. However, your cold aura is as restrictive as it is empowering, just like the freezing prison of Levistus: While this boost is in effect, you may not move from your current square and automatically fail Reflex saves. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

    Mindhammer of Stygia
    Ninefold Damnation (Strike) [Law] [Evil] [Mind-affecting]
    Level: Crusader 5
    Prerequisites: 3 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful neutral/lawful evil/neutral evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 swift action
    Range: Melee touch attack
    Target: Creature touched
    Duration: Until cured; see text
    Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
    “The River Styx bubbles with grease, foul flotsam, and the putrid remains of battles fought along its banks. Those who taste or touch its water suffer total forgetfulness.”
    You draw power from the River Styx to rob your target of his memories. When you initiate this strike, make a melee touch attack against an adjacent creature. The creature must make a DC 17 Fortitude save or suffer the effects of a feeblemind spell, which lasts until cured. If your target succeeds on its save, it still suffers partial amnesia, losing its memories of the previous 8 hours. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.


    6th Level
    Spoiler
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    Avalanche of Malbolge
    Ninefold Damnation (Strike) [Law] [Evil] [Earth]
    Level: Crusader 6
    Prerequisites: 4 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful neutral/lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
    Range: Melee attacks
    Target: One or more creatures
    Saving Throw: Reflex partial
    “Until recently, Malbolge was the hardest layer of Baator to traverse—a never-ending slope bouncing with eternally rolling boulders. One morning, the Hag Countess had just dodged an oncoming boulder when she collapsed to the eternal slope, shrieking in agony. Then the land, too, began to convulse with earthquakes, and the Hag Countess’s most loyal lieutenants were crushed by falling rocks.”
    The essence of the last of Malbolge’s boulders is infused into your weapon, allowing you to make deadly, crushing strikes. As a full-round action, you make one melee attack at your highest base attack bonus against each opponent you threaten and end with a single powerful blow to the ground at your feet. Each creature you successfully strike takes an additional 6d6 bludgeoning damage, and must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 16 + your Cha modifier) or fall prone. Additionally, your square and all squares adjacent to it become difficult terrain.

    Glasya’s Vengeance
    Ninefold Damnation (Counter) [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 6
    Prerequisites: 4 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, neutral evil/lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
    Range: Melee touch attack
    Target: Creature touched
    Duration: 6 rounds
    Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
    “Through her transformation, the Hag Countess screamed and screamed, even after her death should have been a certainty. Then a golden litter floated up from the layers below; lounging on silken pillows was Glasya, the new ruler of Malbolge. When the Hag Countess’s chancellor, Axacrusis, dared to challenge the newcomer’s presence, Glasya demanded that it eviscerate itself.”
    You mutilate any who would dare attack you, mimicking the torment Glasya inflicted upon the Hag Countess and Axacrusis. If you are struck in melee, you may initiate this maneuver and make a melee touch attack against your opponent. If you are successful, your opponent takes a cumulative -1 penalty each to Constitution and Charisma every round for six rounds as its flesh warps and its skeleton deforms. Your opponent may make a Fortitude save (DC 16 + your Cha modifier) each round to negate the Constitution damage that round, but it always takes the Charisma damage. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

    Traitor’s Reward
    Ninefold Damnation [Law] [Evil] [Acid] [Death]
    Level: Crusader 6
    Prerequisites: 4 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Area: 60-foot-radius emanation, centered on you
    Duration: 6 rounds
    Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
    “The Hag Countess grew as large as a giant, then as big as a titan. Her ribs became a weird, arching pair of mountain ranges that encircled Malbolge, while her innards were buried beneath, forming a twisting maze of subterranean passageways.”
    For a short time, you turn the surrounding earth into a patch of the Hag Countess’s remains. The area of ground within 60 feet of you begins to roil, dealing 1d6+4 acid damage to any creatures in the area at the beginning of your turn (no save). Also, each round, any creature in the area with a negative hit point total must make a DC 25 Fortitude save or die without possibility of raising or resurrection. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.


    7th Level
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    Aura of Baalzebul
    Ninefold Damnation (Boost) [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 7
    Prerequisites: 4 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful neutral/lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Area: 10-foot-radius emanation, centered on you
    Duration: 7 rounds
    Saving Throw: Reflex half
    “Next to Asmodeus, the most famous archduke is Baalzebul, widely reviled and celebrated as Lord of the Flies.”
    You can surround yourself with a cloud of Baalzebul’s “subjects”: irritating, biting flies; the cloud extends out to a 10-foot radius around you and follows you as you move. You gain several benefits from this cloud. First, you gain concealment against melee attacks made by creatures within the cloud and a +7 deflection bonus to AC against ranged attacks. Secondly, any creature within the cloud must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 17 + your Cha modifier) to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability. Finally, any creatures within the swarm at the beginning of your turn take 1d6 piercing damage; the flies overcome damage reduction as if they were lawful- and evil-aligned. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

    Decay of Maladomini
    Ninefold Damnation (Strike) [Law] [Evil] [Mind-affecting]
    Level: Crusader 7
    Prerequisites: 4 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, neutral evil/lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 standard action
    Range: Melee attack
    Target: One creature
    Duration: 7 rounds
    Saving Throw: Will partial and Fortitude partial; see text
    “Crumbling cities dot the pitted expanses of Maladomini. Sludge-choked rivers wend their way past endless strip mines, and sentient chunks of polluted matter crawl up onto the riverbanks only to gasp and die upon inhaling the toxic air. Like a wounded beast clinging hopelessly to life, the layer constantly shudders, moans, and weeps a foul, black ichor.”
    Like the inhabitants of the seventh layer, the target of your attack is struck by absolute despair at the hopelessness of life and is afflicted by the wretched decay of Maladomini. The target of your strike must succeed on a Will save (DC 17 + your Cha modifier) or take 7 points of Wis damage as their will to live seeps out of them, and must make a Fortitude save (DC 17 + your Cha modifier) or become nauseated.

    Infernal Form
    Ninefold Damnation (Stance) [Law] or [Evil] (see text)
    Level: Crusader 7
    Prerequisites: 4 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 swift action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Duration: Stance
    “Fiendish creatures dwell on the lower planes, the realms of evil; they are more fearsome in appearance than their material counterparts. Axiomatic creatures dwell on planes of order, the realms of law; they are more perfectly formed than their material counterparts.”
    You meditate on the ideals of Law and Evil, internalizing their principles; in a few moments, your features seem to be more refined and precise, or more frightening and terrible. While you are in this stance, you take on either the fiendish or the axiomatic template (your choice).


    8th Level
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    Frostburn of Cania
    Ninefold Damnation (Strike) [Law] [Evil] [Cold]
    Level: Crusader 8
    Prerequisites: 5 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful neutral/lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 standard action
    Range: Melee attack
    Target: One creature
    Duration: 8 rounds
    Saving Throw: Reflex partial
    “Mile-thick glaciers grind across the forbidding landscape of Cania, and screaming snowstorms pelt the white expanse of wilderness. Dotted across the land like so many signposts are the half-buried, icy corpses of foolish intruders who thought they could survive Cania’s arctic rigors.”
    You channel the essence of absolute cold into your weapon. When you initiate this maneuver, make a single melee attack, which deals an extra 8d6 cold damage. The target of your strike must then make a Reflex save (DC 18 + your Cha modifier) or take a -8 penalty to Dexterity for the duration of this maneuver as its skin becomes frostbitten and frozen. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

    Infernal Exemplar
    Ninefold Damnation (Stance) [Law] or [Evil] (see text)
    Level: Crusader 8
    Prerequisites: 5 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 swift action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Duration: Stance
    “No matter its form, a half-fiend is always hideous to behold, having dark scales, horns, glowing red eyes, bat wings, a fetid odor, or some other obvious sign that it is tainted with evil, and a half-axiom is always glorious to behold, having a metallic sheen, smooth lines, solid violet eyes, sail-like wings, an aura of calm, or some other obvious sign that it is infused with order.”
    You meditate on the ideals of Law and Evil, internalizing their principles; in a few moments, you undergo a dramatic transformation, growing wings as your skin breaks out in either dark or silver scales and your eyes change color. While you are in this stance, you take on the half-fiend or half-axiom template (your choice; the half-axiom template can be found below the maneuver descriptions). However, your connection to Baator is tenuous, and if you take damage from a weapon that is chaos-aligned (if you have the half-axiom template) or good-aligned (if you have the half-fiend template), this stance ends immediately. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

    Mephistopheles’s Hellfire
    Ninefold Damnation (Boost) [Law] [Evil]
    Level: Crusader 8
    Prerequisites: 5 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, neutral evil/lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 swift action
    Range: Personal
    Target: You
    Duration: 8 rounds
    “Hellfire is the creation of the archduke of Cania. Hotter than the hottest flames of any world, hellfire burns with a white-hot glow and is capable of burning through even the hardest of substances.”
    Your devotion to Mephistopheles persuades him to let you in on his secret hellfire project. At any time during the duration of this boost, you may choose to have an attack deal an extra 8d6 hellfire damage; however, each time you add hellfire to an attack, you take 1 point of Constitution damage that may not be healed until the duration of this maneuver expires. The hellfire damage ignores the hardness of any objects struck, even if the rest of the damage from the attack does not. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.


    9th Level
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    Endless Depths of Nessus
    Ninefold Damnation (Strike) [Law] [Evil] [Mind-Affecting]
    Level: Crusader 9
    Prerequisites: 5 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 standard action
    Range: Melee attack
    Target: One creature
    Duration: Instantaneous
    Saving Throw: Will negates or None (see text)
    “Upon reaching the plain of Baator, Asmodeus plunged through the nascent layers of the Nine Hells. At last he hit solid ground but continued to fall, spiraling through rock and soil. Still he fell, until he could fall no further. The point where he finally stopped was the deepest part of Baator—the Pit.”
    You channel Asmodeus’s rage at his fall, meting out the same punishment on your opponent. When you initiate this maneuver, make a single melee attack. The target of your strike must make a Will save (DC 21 + your Cha modifier) or die of fright, believing it has been sent to Nessus. If it succeeds on its save, it takes regular melee damage plus an extra 9d6 damage; all of the damage, extra and weapon, is all vile damage. A creature immune to mind-affecting effects is affected as if it succeeded on its Will save, with no save allowed to negate the vile damage. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.


    ----------------------------------

    Half-Axiom Template

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    Creating a Half-Axiom
    "Half-axiom" is an inherited template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or higher and nonchaotic alignment (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A half-axiom uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

    Size and Type
    The creature’s type changes to outsider. Do not recalculate Hit Dice, base attack bonus, or saves. Size is unchanged. Half-axioms are normally native outsiders.

    Speed
    A half-axiom has draconic wings. Unless the base creature has a better fly speed, the creature can fly at the base creature’s base land speed (good maneuverability).

    Armor Class
    A half-axiom gains a +3 deflection bonus to armor class (this stacks with any deflection bonuses the base creature has).

    Special Attacks
    A half-axiom retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains the following special attack.

    Smite Chaos (Su)
    Once per day the creature can make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to its HD (maximum of +20) against a chaotic foe.

    Spell-Like Abilities
    A half-axiom with an Intelligence or Wisdom score of 8 or higher has spell-like abilities depending on its Hit Dice, as indicated on the table below. The abilities are cumulative. Unless otherwise noted, an ability is usable once per day. Caster level equals the creature’s HD, and the save DC is Charisma-based.

    Special Qualities
    A half-axiom has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus the following special qualities:
    • Darkvision out to 60 feet.
    • Immunity to poison, disease, polymorph, and petrification.
    • Resistance to cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10, and sonic 10.
    • Damage reduction 10/magic.
    • Natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
    • Spell resistance equal to double creature’s HD (maximum 35).


    Abilities
    Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +2, Dex +4, Con +4, Int +4, Wis +2, Cha +4.

    Skills
    A half-axiom gains skill points as an outsider and has outsider skill points equal to (8 + Int modifier) × (HD + 3). The half-axiom gains outsider skill points only for its racial Hit Dice. Treat skills from the base creature’s list as class skills, and other skills as cross-class.

    Challenge Rating
    HD 4 or less, as base creature +1; HD 5 to 10, as base creature +2; HD 11 or more, as base creature +3.

    Alignment
    Always lawful (any)

    Level Adjustment
    +4.

    Half-Axiom Spell-Like Abilities
    {table]HD|Abilities
    1-2|Protection from Chaos 3/day, detect chaos
    3-4|Calm emotions
    5-6|Order’s wrath
    7-8|Freedom of Movement 3/day
    9-10|Programmed Image
    11-12|Charm Monster
    13-14|Shield of Law 3/day, Dictum
    15-16|Mass Hold Monster
    17-18|Summon monster IX (lawful creatures only)
    19-20|Imprisonment[/table]
    Last edited by PairO'Dice Lost; 2010-06-20 at 12:51 PM.
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    VERY nicely done. Well thought out with amazing flavor. This makes me want to play a crusader. I have no further comments.
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    Chivalry (n): A willingness to find excuses to beat people up.

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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Interesitng indeed. Although the "Miscelaneous" maneuvers, could easily be renamed as boosts.

    Also: On Legions of Hell. Although it is pretty obvious that the 5 minute 'cast time' is for the 45 minute duration version of the ability. The text of the maneuver fails to state this.
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    Homebrewing

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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    I've class before long and I need to be working on finals preparation instead of reading this, so my comments won't be as thorough as I'd like.

    Overall, the flavor and execution is excellent. The maneuvers that give immediate benefits in exchange for long-term penalties are particularly well done.

    However, there are a few problems with balance, especially with several of the maneuvers that include saves. The effects upon failing a save are usually not as big of a deal for the most part, but there are a lot of them that seem too strong if they make the save. "Make this save or suck" is one thing, "suck even if you make the save" is something completely different. If I find some time this weekend (with finals, this is unlikely) I'll point a few out specifically.

    One specific thing I want to point out.

    Endless Depths of Nessus
    Ninefold Damnation (Strike) [Law] [Evil] [Mind-Affecting]
    Level: Crusader 9
    Prerequisites: 5 Ninefold Damnation maneuvers, lawful evil alignment
    Initiation Action: 1 standard action
    Range: Melee attack
    Target: One creature
    Duration: Instantaneous
    Saving Throw: Will partial and Fortitude partial
    “Upon reaching the plain of Baator, Asmodeus plunged through the nascent layers of the Nine Hells. At last he hit solid ground but continued to fall, spiraling through rock and soil. Still he fell, until he could fall no further. The point where he finally stopped was the deepest part of Baator—the Pit.”
    You channel Asmodeus’s rage at his fall, meting out the same punishment on your opponent. When you initiate this maneuver, make a single melee attack. Your attack deals an extra 9d6 damage; the extra damage as well as the weapon damage is all vile damage. In addition, the target of your strike must make a Will save (DC 19 + your Cha modifier) or die of firght, believeing it has been sent to Nessus; a creature killed by this maneuver may not be raised or resurrected. If it succeeds on its save, the creature is stunned for 1 round as its mind is still in shock. Immunity to fear does not protect a target from this maneuver; the fear of an eternity of ceaseless torment and the absolute destruction of your soul is more frightening than average fear and can affect even the most stalwart champion. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
    Compare this maneuver to the other ninth level maneuvers. 100 fire damage, a heal spell, two full attacks, 100 extra damage, throw everything, shout out an absurd attack name2d6 random ability damage, 2d6 con damage, and hella charge damage. Feral Death Blow is almost compariable, but doesn't work against creatures immune to crits--this isn't a hard thing to accomplish at that level. Meanwhile, you've got a save vs. eternal damnation that stun on a successful save. Way too strong if you ask me. I would remove the "cannot be resurrected" bit for starters. Also, instead of stunning on a successful save, I'd say it should just do more damage. I would also say that immunity to fear counts for something--maybe it doesn't negate the maneuver completely, but instead makes the maneuver has some lesser effect--stunning is okay here.

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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Impressive. I haven't looked over everything, but one thing did catch my eye. You might want to tone down the Half-axiom template a bit. Right now it's giving more immunities, stat boosts, Spell Resistance, and a larger (and better) AC boost than the half-fiend template.

    I'd suggest changing the SR to 10 + HD, lose the Int and Str bonuses, reduce the AC bonus to +1, and probably drop an immunity.

    Otherwise, amazing work!

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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    I only looked at one maneuver so far, and people's comments. That being said, I agree that "this maneuver causes fear which is scarier than regular fear" is a little silly. If you want to make the 9th level one bypass fear, why not actually send them to Nessus? Or temporarily bring a part of Nessus to the area around the creature? Maybe dealing vile Wisdom damage instead of death. I disagree that stunning on a successful save is too powerful for a 9th level maneuver, because you still have to make the attack roll. Combined with instant death on a failed save, however, it is too powerful. Imagine if you just made a maneuver which was "die on a failed save, stunned on a successful save". The most powerful maneuver possible, right?

    I will look at the others later, I do enjoy devils.

    Edit: Took a look at Favor of the Dark Eight - Couldn't you just keep entering the stance until you got the result you wanted? Maybe you should just let them choose.

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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Still a very impressive first homebrew.
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Thanks for all the positive feedback, everyone! Addressing specific comments:

    Quote Originally Posted by Draken View Post
    Interesitng indeed. Although the "Miscelaneous" maneuvers, could easily be renamed as boosts.
    The teleporting Shadow _______ maneuvers from Shadow Hand aren't classified as boosts, so I figured a maneuver that didn't give a direct boost should follow precedence.

    Also: On Legions of Hell. Although it is pretty obvious that the 5 minute 'cast time' is for the 45 minute duration version of the ability. The text of the maneuver fails to state this.
    Oops; I'll add that. Thanks.

    Quote Originally Posted by Proven_Paradox
    However, there are a few problems with balance, especially with several of the maneuvers that include saves. The effects upon failing a save are usually not as big of a deal for the most part, but there are a lot of them that seem too strong if they make the save. "Make this save or suck" is one thing, "suck even if you make the save" is something completely different. If I find some time this weekend (with finals, this is unlikely) I'll point a few out specifically.
    Yeah, I think I got a bit...overzealous on this one. As you might have guessed, I really like devils. Let me know what problems you see and I'll make some adjustments.

    Compare this maneuver to the other ninth level maneuvers. 100 fire damage, a heal spell, two full attacks, 100 extra damage, throw everything, 2d6 random ability damage, 2d6 con damage, and hella charge damage. Feral Death Blow is almost compariable, but doesn't work against creatures immune to crits--this isn't a hard thing to accomplish at that level. Meanwhile, you've got a save vs. eternal damnation that stun on a successful save. Way too strong if you ask me. I would remove the "cannot be resurrected" bit for starters. Also, instead of stunning on a successful save, I'd say it should just do more damage. I would also say that immunity to fear counts for something--maybe it doesn't negate the maneuver completely, but instead makes the maneuver has some lesser effect--stunning is okay here.
    I was going for a combination of Feral Death Blow and Five-Shadow Creeping Whatever here--the first one is a save or die with an extra 20d6 if you make the save, the second is a possible 2d6 Str damage, 2d6 Dex damage, and 2d6 Con damage and 15d6 damage, with 1d6 Str damage, 1d6 Dex damage, and 15d6 damage on a save. In comparison, I thought a save or die with 9d6 damage and stun on a save wouldn't be all that bad.

    The "cannot be resurrected" is still in there from an old draft where it literally sent you to Hell for a few rounds and made you fight devils, like epic spell Damnation (but much less so); that can go. The "immunity to fear doesn't protect you" thing was in there because by the time you get 9th level maneuvers, everyone and their brother is immune to fear (like paladins, practically the antithesis of Ninefold Damnation crusaders). However, I thought that Feral Death Blow ignored immunity to crits, so I threw in something comparable here; after double-checking that I think it's safe to remove that as well.

    Quote Originally Posted by MammonAzrael
    Impressive. I haven't looked over everything, but one thing did catch my eye. You might want to tone down the Half-axiom template a bit. Right now it's giving more immunities, stat boosts, Spell Resistance, and a larger (and better) AC boost than the half-fiend template.

    I'd suggest changing the SR to 10 + HD, lose the Int and Str bonuses, reduce the AC bonus to +1, and probably drop an immunity.
    I basically copy-pasted the Half-Fiend and tried to make it look like a boosted Axiomatic creature, like the Half-Fiend is a boosted Fiendish creature. Compared to the half-fiend, the half-axiom loses two claws and a bite, +1 natural armor, resist acid 10, Str +2; it gains +3 deflection to AC, sonic resistance 10, immunity to disease, polymorph, and petrification, up to +10 SR, +2 Con, +2 Wis, +2 Cha. Also, where the half-fiend's (Sp) abilities are more lethal (poison, contagion, horrid wilting), the half-axiom's are more crowd-controlling (programmed image, charm monster, mass hold monster).

    In contrast, compared to a fiendish creature an axiomatic creature loses DR 10/magic and gains resist fire and cold 10, resist electricity and sonic 20, and linked minds. The pattern of fiendish SR (HD+10) vs. axiomatic SR (HD x2) holds the same, and the axiomatic creature has more resistances to begin with. The axiomatic template is stronger than the fiendish template, so I thought the half-axiom should be stronger than the half-fiend. If after seeing the rationale you still think the disparity is too big, I could drop the ability modifiers and possibly immunity to petrification.

    Quote Originally Posted by flyingpoo2
    I only looked at one maneuver so far, and people's comments. That being said, I agree that "this maneuver causes fear which is scarier than regular fear" is a little silly. If you want to make the 9th level one bypass fear, why not actually send them to Nessus? Or temporarily bring a part of Nessus to the area around the creature? Maybe dealing vile Wisdom damage instead of death. I disagree that stunning on a successful save is too powerful for a 9th level maneuver, because you still have to make the attack roll. Combined with instant death on a failed save, however, it is too powerful. Imagine if you just made a maneuver which was "die on a failed save, stunned on a successful save". The most powerful maneuver possible, right?
    Well, I was originally trying to have it send you to Nessus or bring Nessus to you (as mentioned above), but either it turned out to be far too powerful (stick someone in Nessus and have pit fiends attack?) or not all that flavorful. Also as mentioned above, compared to Feral Death Blow and Five-Shadow Whatever it's not really all that bad.

    I will look at the others later, I do enjoy devils.
    You and me both.

    Edit: Took a look at Favor of the Dark Eight - Couldn't you just keep entering the stance until you got the result you wanted? Maybe you should just let them choose.
    You could keep re-entering it, but I didn't want to give such versatility without a drawback (spending a few swift actions). Otherwise, it's basically a carte blanche "Here, add a bonus to whatever you want!" I wanted to give some versatility without making it overpowering, so if you have another idea for a limitation I'd be glad to hear it.

    Quote Originally Posted by afroakuma
    Still a very impressive first homebrew.
    Not my first homebrew, just my first contribution here. I've been DMing and homebrewing for a while, and ToB is one of my favorite books, so you'll probably see a few more disciplines showing up at some point.

    Thanks again for the responses. Keep 'em coming!
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    Quote Originally Posted by abadguy View Post
    Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
    Quote Originally Posted by Chambers View Post
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Awesome flavor here. The feel is great.

    Unfortunately, I know next to nothing about ToB, so I can't really comment on mechanics.

    Look at other's comments about the balance of the last maneuver, but I will say that it feels somewhat lacking. Most (but not all) of the other 9th level maneuvers do something flashy - big explosion, +100 damage, instant death, mass charge w/ extra damage...They're something really special, both in effect and in feel. While the extra damage is really nice, it doesn't really have the "whoa, that's cool" feel of a 9th level maneuver.

    I don't really have an alternative suggestion, and it doesn't necessarily need to be changed. Just a thought. Not all 9th levels are spiffy, either - Stone Dragon's is...well, really quite boring. And it's not like you have a dearth of interesting effects among the rest of the discipline - quite the opposite.

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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Quote Originally Posted by Magnor Criol View Post
    Look at other's comments about the balance of the last maneuver, but I will say that it feels somewhat lacking. Most (but not all) of the other 9th level maneuvers do something flashy - big explosion, +100 damage, instant death, mass charge w/ extra damage...They're something really special, both in effect and in feel. While the extra damage is really nice, it doesn't really have the "whoa, that's cool" feel of a 9th level maneuver.

    I don't really have an alternative suggestion, and it doesn't necessarily need to be changed. Just a thought. Not all 9th levels are spiffy, either - Stone Dragon's is...well, really quite boring. And it's not like you have a dearth of interesting effects among the rest of the discipline - quite the opposite.
    I think you overlooked something in the description and the discussion--it's a save or die, so that's flashy, and if you make your save you're still scared half to death (i.e., stunned). The extra damage is just icing on the cake--and it's vile damage, which means it can't be healed without a magic circle against evil, which means Devoted Spirit and in-battle healing isn't going to cut it. And if you don't consider "I use Strike of Righteous Vitality to heal 100 HP." "Actually, you feel diabolical energy coursing through you, no you don't! You are powerless against me! Mwahahahaha!" cool, I don't know what is.
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    Quote Originally Posted by abadguy View Post
    Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
    Quote Originally Posted by Chambers View Post
    I'm pretty sure turning Waterdeep into a sheet of glass wasn't the best win condition for that fight. We lived though!
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Quote Originally Posted by PairO'Dice Lost View Post
    I think you overlooked something in the description and the discussion--it's a save or die, so that's flashy, and if you make your save you're still scared half to death (i.e., stunned). The extra damage is just icing on the cake--and it's vile damage, which means it can't be healed without a magic circle against evil, which means Devoted Spirit and in-battle healing isn't going to cut it. And if you don't consider "I use Strike of Righteous Vitality to heal 100 HP." "Actually, you feel diabolical energy coursing through you, no you don't! You are powerless against me! Mwahahahaha!" cool, I don't know what is.
    Good point. It's all in how you frame it, I guess.

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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Quote Originally Posted by flyingpoo22 View Post
    Combined with instant death on a failed save, however, it is too powerful. Imagine if you just made a maneuver which was "die on a failed save, stunned on a successful save". The most powerful maneuver possible, right?
    swooping dragon strike lets your victim save against your jump check to avoid stunning, thus the stun, if your initial jump check was successful, is usually a lock. feral death blow kills on a fort save (death effect) otherwise deals +20d6 weapon damage to ANYTHING. since constructs and undead and a lot of other creatures are immune to stunning and death effects, this alone wouldn't be overpowered. the extra VILE damage makes it overpowered. i'd remove the extra damage and combine the maneuver with an intimidate check; intimidate vs. ac or something.
    Last edited by zugschef; 2008-12-05 at 07:08 AM.

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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    This entire discipline makes me giggle in glee.

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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Quote Originally Posted by zugschef
    swooping dragon strike lets your victim save against your jump check to avoid stunning, thus the stun, if your initial jump check was successful, is usually a lock. feral death blow kills on a fort save (death effect) otherwise deals +20d6 weapon damage to ANYTHING. since constructs and undead and a lot of other creatures are immune to stunning and death effects, this alone wouldn't be overpowered. the extra VILE damage makes it overpowered. i'd remove the extra damage and combine the maneuver with an intimidate check; intimidate vs. ac or something.
    I don't think an Intimidate check really fits with the flavor; how intimidating can you be compared with the Nine Hells themselves? I think if stunning is the dealbreaker I'll just drop that and leave the rest as-is.

    Quote Originally Posted by KKL
    This entire discipline makes me giggle in glee.
    I try.
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    Quote Originally Posted by abadguy View Post
    Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
    Quote Originally Posted by Chambers View Post
    I'm pretty sure turning Waterdeep into a sheet of glass wasn't the best win condition for that fight. We lived though!
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    While I realize finals can be a pain (I have mine next week as well), I just wanted to remind Proven_Paradox that he said he'd do a once-over of all the maneuvers and let me know of any balance problems. Everyone else is free to throw in any feedback they still may have, of course.
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    Quote Originally Posted by abadguy View Post
    Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    The Faustian Bargain boost. Did you mean to put Swordsage instead of Crusader there? It seems like a typo.

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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Quote Originally Posted by Grytorm View Post
    The Faustian Bargain boost. Did you mean to put Swordsage instead of Crusader there? It seems like a typo.
    It was indeed. Fixed.
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    Quote Originally Posted by abadguy View Post
    Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
    Quote Originally Posted by Chambers View Post
    I'm pretty sure turning Waterdeep into a sheet of glass wasn't the best win condition for that fight. We lived though!
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Well I like it a lot.. I love dnd devil related stuff.. and I love ToB so.. this is perfect.. but I could of sworn I had seen this exact thing elsewhere.. just a different name.. same names of the manuvers though..
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Quote Originally Posted by mrcarter11 View Post
    Well I like it a lot.. I love dnd devil related stuff.. and I love ToB so.. this is perfect.. but I could of sworn I had seen this exact thing elsewhere.. just a different name.. same names of the manuvers though..
    I made a demon-themed one, and I posted this on the WotC forums (exactly the same thing, names and everything); I don't know where else you'd have seen it.
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    Quote Originally Posted by abadguy View Post
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chambers View Post
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    I might of seen it there.. wondering.. did you post it to the age or warriors?
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Quote Originally Posted by mrcarter11 View Post
    I might of seen it there.. wondering.. did you post it to the age or warriors?
    Linked this thread there, yes.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chambers View Post
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Ic.. well I'm trying to remember if it was from age of warriors that I saw it... or somewhere else... I think it would had to been somewhere else.. cause I would of posted to it.. and I remember saying that I loved the idea... and I used it for a game once... it was called like devil's power... and there was a demon one as well.. but I never used it...
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Quote Originally Posted by PairO'Dice Lost View Post
    First, one of the higher-level stances makes use of the half-axiom template. No, you didn't miss it in one of the books; I was upset that there were half-celestials and half-fiends but no lawful or chaotic versions, so I made my own "half-axiom" and "half-anarch". Critique as you will; the template appears after the maneuvers list.
    Nitpick, but there's a very good reason why there aren't half-axiom or half-anarch creatures in D&D.

    Evil has devils and demons that can sleep and breed with mortals.

    Good has angels and other flesh creatures that can sleep and breed with mortals.

    Law has factories producing cold metal robots that definetely can't sleep and breed with mortals.

    Chaos has antropomorphic frogs who inject you with parasites wich fully turn you into one of them, and can't breed by the regular ways (we see them completely naked, they're clearly missing "pieces").

    So, really, while half-celestials and half-fiends can happen because an celestial/fiend got cozy with an human, an inevitable/slaad just can't do it. The only explanation would be a very bored wizard did it for the lulz.

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    Quote Originally Posted by mrcarter11 View Post
    Ic.. well I'm trying to remember if it was from age of warriors that I saw it... or somewhere else... I think it would had to been somewhere else.. cause I would of posted to it.. and I remember saying that I loved the idea... and I used it for a game once... it was called like devil's power... and there was a demon one as well.. but I never used it...
    That might be Dread Crown made by The_Demented_One, which was created by Levistus and Grazzt. Sorta similar backstory idea to this one and PairO'Dice Lost's other, Abyssal-focused one (I have it saved somewhere, as with tons of other homebrewed disciplines, which is what makes recalling a single name so difficult).

    Quote Originally Posted by Oslecamo View Post
    So, really, while half-celestials and half-fiends can happen because an celestial/fiend got cozy with an human, an inevitable/slaad just can't do it. The only explanation would be a very bored wizard did it for the lulz.
    Nitpick, but inevitables and slaadi aren't the only Lawful and Chaotic outsiders. Some could indeed breed with mortals.
    Last edited by Morph Bark; 2010-06-20 at 04:21 AM.
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Quote Originally Posted by M-Bark View Post
    Nitpick, but inevitables and slaadi aren't the only Lawful and Chaotic outsiders. Some could indeed breed with mortals.
    By all means, provide some examples of iconic law/chaos outsiders. Fiends/celestials don't count because we already have the half-fiend/celestial templates to represent those.

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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Quote Originally Posted by Oslecamo View Post
    By all means, provide some examples of iconic law/chaos outsiders. Fiends/celestials don't count because we already have the half-fiend/celestial templates to represent those.
    Chaos: Limbo Stalker (Planar Handbook 124), Valkyrie (ToB 156).

    Law: Achaierai (MM 9), Hell Hound (MM 151), Xill (MM 259), Marrash (MMII 145), Justicator (MMIII 85), Visilight (MMIII 186), Reth Dekala (ToB 154).

    All of these don't explicitly state they are or might be fiends or celestials. None of them have Baatezu/Tenari/Yugoloth/Slaad/Archon/Eladrin/etc subtypes. In fact, the Limbo Stalker eats Slaad. Curiously, Hell Hounds normally don't come from Hell, but the slightly more Law-focused plane of Acheron.

    Formians weren't included for Law since they likely can't breed normally and their queens stay in Mechanus. A case could be made for rejkar (MMIII 140) since they are Outsiders that live in Baator, but it is explicitly stated that they aren't devils. Trillochs (MMIII 176) are Chaotic Outisers, but their form is far weirder than those of Slaadi and they are naturally invisible, so its highly doubted they could breed with other creatures.
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Quote Originally Posted by mrcarter11 View Post
    <Snip>I remember saying that I loved the idea... and I used it for a game once... it was called like devil's power...
    Can you pretty please with sugar on top tell post everything you can possibly remember about how that discipline worked out in that game? Was it high-powered compared to the rest of the disciplines? Low-powered? Highly Niche vs Broadly Useful?

    We are REALLY starved for play-test data of any kind around here...
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Alright. I hate to say this, but I'm like 99% sure someone jacked your discipline for another site.. I only say that because I remember a lot of the manuvers names. I played with the discipline. It had a few tweaks due to that fourm going and offering suggestions... but most was the same.. as for draco on play data.. I used at as a swordsage.. which while not the intent of the orginal design, worked pretty well... the game only got to around sevenh level.. so I only got to use a few abilites.. but they were my prefered abilities.. strike and bel's fury were useful for me at low levels.. strike was what I normaly started combat with at level one and two.. and then I used shadow hand. I also prefered to use favor of the dark 8 as my stance for most of the game. I found it to be more useful then child of shadows...
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Quote Originally Posted by Oslecamo View Post
    Law has factories producing cold metal robots that definetely can't sleep and breed with mortals.

    Chaos has antropomorphic frogs who inject you with parasites wich fully turn you into one of them, and can't breed by the regular ways (we see them completely naked, they're clearly missing "pieces").

    So, really, while half-celestials and half-fiends can happen because an celestial/fiend got cozy with an human, an inevitable/slaad just can't do it. The only explanation would be a very bored wizard did it for the lulz.
    1) A Fetch is a creature born when a ghost and a corporeal creature had kids, and Gheden is the same thing with a mindless undead as a parent. Half-golems are created when a caster decides to forgo nice, safe regeneration magic and attach a metal/clay/etc. monstrosity to someone's limb instead. If a ghost can get it on with someone, I don't see modrons having any difficulty, and if a caster can go to the trouble of making a Frankenstein's Monster arm, he can make a part-inevitable.

    2) There's no reason the moral axis should be the "dominant gene" in planar interbreeding, so a succubus mating with a mortal might produce a half-anarch just as much as it might produce a half-fiend and the same for erinyes and half-axioms--particularly if the succubus lives on Pandemonium and the erinyes on Acheron instead of the Abyss or Baator.

    3) From a purely mechanical standpoint, half-fiend and half-celestial are often used simply as more powerful versions of celestial and fiendish for planar natives, so a lion from Celestia might be a half-celestial instead of a celestial creature even if it isn't descended from an archon. Half-axiom and half-anarch serve as axiomatic++ and anarchic++ in the same way.

    Quote Originally Posted by mrcarter11
    Alright. I hate to say this, but I'm like 99% sure someone jacked your discipline for another site.. I only say that because I remember a lot of the manuvers names. I played with the discipline. It had a few tweaks due to that fourm going and offering suggestions... but most was the same..
    That's...not good. Could you try to find a link to it?
    Last edited by PairO'Dice Lost; 2010-06-20 at 12:28 PM.
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    Default Re: ToB Discipline--Ninefold Damnation

    Having the 9th level maneuver be [Mind-Affecting] seems like a bad plan - so many things, especially at that level, are immune to Mind-Affecting effects, that it will be very difficult to use.

    Also, could I recommend sorting the maneuvers by level instead of alphabetically? Alphabetically really just... doesn't work out as nicely.

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