Maneuvers In Bleach D20

A mechanic originating in "Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords", Maneuvers are a way to make combat more interesting and varied. This variant is to seamlessly mesh the disciplines in Tome of Battle with the Bleach D20 ruleset, providing more entertaining combat, and more faithfully replicate the Bleach feel. It is HIGHLY recommended that you own Tome of Battle if you wish to use this variant.

Learning Maneuvers

In order to learn a maneuver, a character's level must be at least (Maneuver level*2 -1), and he must meet all other prerequisites for the maneuver. Then he must spend one week in training, practicing the technique. During this time, he must not engage in actual combat, but merely practice his forms and techniques in an appropriate environment. At the end of the week, he must succeed on a learn check with a DC of 15+ the maneuver's level. If the character fails this check, they may not try to learn the same maneuver again for a month.

A learn check is a d20 roll with a bonus of one half of a character's Initiator level, as well as other factors. If a character has 5 or more ranks in Martial Lore, he gains a +2 bonus to learn checks. If he is being taught, he may add half of his teacher's Initiator Level to the learn check. He may also add his Intelligence modifier to learn checks.

There is no maximum limit on maneuvers known, but a character may only have a certain number of maneuvers readied at one time.

A character may also attempt to learn a maneuver from a martial script. If he does so, he gains a +2 bonus to his learn check, which cannot stack with the bonus from being taught. Regardless of success or failure, the magic allowing the script to be used by anyone is depleted, leaving only the instructions for the technique and making it unusable.

Using Maneuvers

In order to use a maneuver, a character must first ready it.

Readying maneuvers requires five minutes of meditation, after which you select maneuvers for the day. You do not need to rest to be able to ready maneuvers, and can change them at any time when you could ready them.

Once a maneuver is expended, it cannot used again in the encounter until it is refreshed. All characters may take a Full-Round action that does not provoke Attacks of Opportunity to refresh all of their readied maneuvers, though some Prestige Classes or Feats may change this.

As an additional use of SEP, a character may activate a maneuver he does not have readied. This costs an amount of SEP equal to the maneuver's level. Regardless of how a maneuver is initiated, it may not be used more than once a round.

Each class has one of three progressions of maneuvers readied, shown on the table Readied Maneuvers.

Furthermore, each class has between 3 and 6 disciplines available to them to learn maneuvers from. If a discipline is not considered a class discipline for a character, the check to learn a maneuver from that discipline is increased by 5.

The classes, their progressions, and their discipline lists are as follows:

  • Warrior Shinigami: Average: Diamond Mind, Iron Heart, Stone Dragon, Devoted Spirit, and any two others.
  • Expert Shinigami: Average: Diamond Mind, Shadow Hand, Setting Sun, and any one other.
  • Kido Shinigami: Poor: Diamond Mind, Setting Sun, any one other.
  • Quincy: Good: Iron Heart, Devoted Spirit, Falling Star*, and any two others
  • Fullbringer: Average: Iron Heart, Diamond Mind, Stone Dragon, Setting Sun, any one other
  • Modsoul: Average: Any four
  • Bount: Poor: Doll Judgment*, Setting Sun, Dancing Leaf*, any one other.
  • Hollow NegaciĆ³nist: Poor: Tiger Claw, Stone Dragon, any one other
  • Hollow Stalker: Average: Tiger Claw, Stone Dragon, Shadow Hand, any one other
  • Hollow Powerhouse: Average: Tiger Claw, Stone Dragon, Devoted Spirit, Iron Heart, any two others.

An * indicates an additional Discipline not in Tome of Battle, see links

Table: Readied Maneuvers

Level Poor Average Good
1 0 0 0
2 0 1 1
3 0 1 2
4 1 2 3
5 1 2 3
6 1 3 4
7 1 3 5
8 2 4 6
9 2 4 6
10 2 5 7
11 2 5 8
12 3 6 9
13 3 6 9
14 3 7 10
15 3 7 11
16 4 8 12
17 4 8 12
18 4 9 13
19 4 9 14
20 5 10 15

Special Rules for Disciplines

Stone Dragon- Stone Dragon maneuvers may be used in any situation in which a character is standing. This is not limited to standing on the ground, and includes standing on air, though not flying.

Desert Wind- Shinigami who's Shikai is Fire Type, Hollows who have the Breath Weapon [Fire] ability, Quincies with the Flaming bow attribute, Bount with Fire dolls, and Fullbringers with the Energy Attack [Fire] or Energy Blade [Fire] Fullbring abilities gain Desert Wind as a bonus discipline.

Maneuvers at Character Creation
If starting a new game, and allowing use of maneuvers, it is suggested to allow each character to start with a small handful of maneuvers known, based on their class, as well as one Stance.

Classes with a "Poor" progression start with 2 maneuvers known. Classes with an "Average" progression start with 3 maneuvers known. Classes with a "Good" progression start with 4 maneuvers known.

As characters progress, they gain a limited number of free manevuers that do not require checks to learn. Character's with a "Poor" progression gain an additional maneuver at 4th level, and every three levels thereafter. Characters with an "Average" progression gain an additional maneuver at 3rd level, and every two levels thereafter. Characters with a "Good" progression gain an additional maneuver at 2nd level, and every level thereafter.
Characters starting at higher levels should be allowed more maneuvers, at a rate of one for every two levels above 1st, as well as a Stance every 5 levels, in addition to the amount granted for their level and class. Naturally, they may trade normal maneuvers for additional stances.


Feats

Extra Discipline
Benefit: You add an additional discipline on your Class discipline list.
Special: This feat may be taken up to three times. Each time, a different discipline must be selected.

Glorious Slaughter
Prerequisite: Base Attack Bonus +9, Martial Lore 12 Ranks
Benefit: When you reduce an opponent to 0 or fewer hit points, you may, as a Swift Action, refresh all of your expended maneuvers.
Normal: You may only refresh maneuvers as a Full-Round action.

Blademaster
Prerequisite: Base Attack Bonus +15, Martial Lore 18 ranks, ability to ready at least 8 maneuvers
Benefit: You may refresh maneuvers as a Standard Action.
Normal: You may only refresh maneuvers as a Full-Round action

Extra Readied Maneuver
Prerequisites: Ability to ready at least one maneuver, Martial Lore 6 ranks
Benefit: You may ready one maneuver more than normal.
**Special: **This feat may be taken up to three times. It's effects stack.


Alternate Class Features

Master Swordsman
Classes: Warrior Shinigami or Expert Shinigami
Replaces: Kido progression
Benefit: Your Maneuvers Readied progression increases to Good.

Brutal Beast
Classes: Powerhouse Hollow or Stalker Hollow
Replaces: Negacion progression
Benefit: Your Maneuvers Readied progression increases to Good.

Soulblade
Class: Fullbringer
Replaces: Fullbringing progression
Benefit: Your Maneuvers Readied progression increases to Good. You gain the Warrior's Soul discipline* as an additional class discipline.

An * indicates an additional Discipline not in Tome of Battle, see links


Links

Additional Disciplines not in Tome of Battle
Dancing Leaf
Doll Judgment
Falling Star
Warrior's Soul

Helpful Resources
Maneuver Cards

Recommended Additional Disciplines
(None, for now)

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