Originally posted by blood_of_the_ancient:
Marshal
Modified from the original by Tempest Stormwind.
Inspired by RadicalTaoist's Sublime Way Ranger and discussion here.
Some elements borrowed from Mystyc's retooled marshal.
This is a repost, I have changed absolutely nothing. I simply think this is a wonderful class, and it should not be forgotten in the archives.
It is the intent of this variant to simultaneously give the marshal a boost up to the same approximate power level as other PC classes and make it more compelling as a PC class choice. It is intended to replace the existing marshal, widely held to be weak, uninteresting or only useful as a dip.
Significant changes to abilities from the original class are italicized.
Removed abilities are struck through.
Completely new abilities are not specially formatted.
We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty!
~Sir Alerias, Warmaster of the White Raven, to his victorious troops
http://wizards.com/dnd/images/ph2_gallery/97112.jpg(x)
Sometimes it is not enough to be a conquering warrior, a champion of all that's right, an experienced sellsword, or an elite foot soldier. Sometimes the circumstances require a solid commander of soldiers and situations. Sometimes the circumstances demand a marshal.
Marshals inspire trust in those they lead. They earn that trust by slogging through harsh landscapes, dangerous battlefields, and haunted catacombs along with those under their command. With a look, they can see where to best deploy their resources or come up with a sneaky ruse to fool their enemies. A marshal has a tactician's mind, a cartographer's overview of the disputed landscape (or dungeon warren), and a way with words that can inspire battle-hardened fighters to give it their all when melee breaks out.
A marshal is not necessarily the greatest martial combatant, but that doesn't mean his opponents should count him out in personal combat. Several marshals act as champions for their units, inspiring their companions by deed, meeting mighty enemy warriors head-on and challenging opposing generals on the field of battle with their loyal regiments alongside them, pressing the advantage. That said, a marshal does not belong questing for personal glory. His place is with his men, training them, drilling them, and ultimately leading them ever onward towards victory.
About the Marshal
Weapon and armor proficiency: Simple and martial weapons; light, medium, and heavy armor; shields (but not tower shields).
Hit Die: d8
Class skills: Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (architecture and engineering, geography, history, local, nobility and royalty, religion) (Int), Martial Lore (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (n/a), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier (x4 as a first-level character).
Base Fort Ref Will Auras Maneuvers Stances Max<br />Lv Atk save save save Special Minor Major Known Ready Known Level<br />01 +0 +2 +0 +2 Command style 1 0 2 2 1 1st<br />02 +1 +3 +0 +3 Command presence +1 1 1 3 2 1 1st<br />03 +2 +3 +1 +3 2 1 3 2 1 1st<br />04 +3 +4 +1 +4 Bonus feat 2 1 4 3 1 2nd<br />05 +3 +4 +1 +4 3 2 4 3 1 2nd<br />06 +4 +5 +2 +5 Command presence +2 3 2 5 3 2 3rd<br />07 +5 +5 +2 +5 4 2 5 3 2 3rd<br />08 +6 +6 +2 +6 Bonus feat 4 2 6 3 2 4th<br />09 +6 +6 +3 +6 5 3 6 3 2 4th<br />10 +7 +7 +3 +7 Command presence +3, 5 3 7 4 2 5th<br /> battlefield adaptation<br />11 +8 +7 +3 +7 6 3 7 4 3 5th<br />12 +9 +8 +4 +8 Bonus feat 6 3 8 4 3 6th<br />13 +9 +8 +4 +8 7 3 8 4 3 6th<br />14 +10 +9 +4 +9 Command presence +4 7 4 9 4 3 7th<br />15 +11 +9 +5 +9 8 4 9 5 3 7th<br />16 +12 +10 +5 +10 Bonus feat 8 4 10 5 4 8th<br />17 +12 +10 +5 +10 9 4 10 5 4 8th<br />18 +13 +11 +6 +11 Command presence +5 9 4 11 5 4 9th<br />19 +14 +11 +6 +11 10 4 11 5 4 9th<br />20 +15 +12 +6 +12 Bonus feat, shining 10 5 12 6 4 9th<br /> beacon of authority
Class Features
Skill Focus: At first level, a marshal gains Skill Focus (Diplomacy) as a bonus feat.
Auras (Ex): The marshal exerts an effect on allies in his vicinity. He can learn to produce different effects, or auras, over the course of his career. The marshal may project one minor aura and (starting at 2nd level) one major aura at a time.
Projecting an aura is a swift action. The aura remains in effect until the marshal uses a free action to dismiss it or activates another aura of the same kind (major or minor). A marshal can have an aura active continually; thus, an aura can be in effect at the start of a combat encounter even before the marshal takes his first turn (but see below on major auras).
Activating an aura involves haranguing, ordering, directing, encouraging, cajoling, or calming allies. A marshal sizes up the enemy, allies, and the terrain, then gives allies the direction that they can use to do their best.
Unless otherwise noted, a marshal's aura affects all allies within 60 feet (including himself). An ally must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher and be able to understand the marshal's language to gain the bonus. A marshal's aura is dismissed if he is dazed, unconscious, stunned, paralyzed, or otherwise unable to be heard or understood by his allies.
A marshal begins play knowing one minor aura of his choice. At each level indicated in Table: The Marshal, he learns either a minor or a major aura, as appropriate. A marshal's minor auras are fixed, but he may exchange one major aura he knows for another major aura at level 6 and every 4 levels after that (10th, 14th, and so on).
All bonuses granted by a marshal's auras are morale bonuses that do not stack with each other. Unlike most effects, a marshal aura stacks with the marshal's commander aura if applicable. They do not stack with the commander auras of others.
Commander auras are introduced in Heroes of Battle and are adaptations of D&D Miniatures command effects.
Minor Aura: A minor aura lets allies add the marshal's Charisma bonus (if any) to certain rolls. However, a minor aura is limited by experience -- a marshal cannot grant a bonus higher than his marshal initiator level +1, even if his Charisma bonus is greater than this.
Accurate Strike: Bonus on rolls made to confirm critical hits. Additionally, if an ally's attack would be subject to a miss chance (except an incorporeal miss chance), reduce that miss chance by 5% per point of bonus. (If the ally is attacking an invisible target, he still must target the correct square.)
Art of War: Bonus on disarm, trip, bull rush, and sunder attempts, including attempts to resist these techniques.
Defensive Awareness: Bonus on flat-footed and touch Armor Class (to a maximum of that ally's normal Armor Class).
Demand Fortitude: Bonus on Fortitude saves.
Determined Mind: Bonus on Concentration checks and rolls to overcome spell resistance.
Force of Will: Bonus on Will saves. This stacks with the Bolstering Voice stance. This is an exception to normal stacking rules.
Master of Opportunity: Bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity.
Master of Tactics: Bonus on damage rolls when flanking.
Motivate Agility: Bonus on Dexterity checks, Dexterity-based skill checks, and initiative checks.
Motivate Charisma: Bonus on Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks.
Motivate Endurance: Bonus on Constitution checks and Constitution-based skill checks. Additionally, creatures gain a number of hit points equal to the marshal's Charisma bonus times his command presence (if any) +1. For example, a first level marshal (with no command presence) would grant those under the aura a number of hit points equal to his Charisma bonus. These are not temporary hit points, nor are they bonus hit points per hit die. These hit points go away if Motivate Endurance ends for any reason, which may prove hazardous or even fatal in some situations.
Motivate Intelligence: Bonus on Intelligence checks and Intelligence-based skill checks.
Motivate Power: Bonus on Strength checks, Strength-based skill checks, and Grapple checks. Those under the effect of Motivate Power treat their Strength score as 1 higher per point of bonus for purposes relating to carrying capacity, including lifting and pushing/dragging objects.
Motivate Wisdom: Bonus on Wisdom checks and Wisdom-based skill checks.
Over the Top: Bonus on damage rolls when charging. This only applies to the first attack made after a charge if the ally is capable of making more than one such attack.
Watchful Eye: Bonus on Reflex saves.
Major Aura: Beginning at 2nd level, a marshal can project a major aura in addition to his minor aura. A major aura lets allies add +1 to certain rolls. This bonus improves by +1 at 7th, 14th, and 20th level. A major aura lets allies add the marshal's command presence (see below) to certain rolls. The bonus from a major aura only applies during an encounter; although it may be active before the encounter begins, your team is not in the proper state of mind to benefit from it until the encounter starts. Benefits from an active major aura apply to each individual on their first turn with no particular action on the part of the marshal.
Hardy Soldiers: The marshal's allies gain damage reduction equal to the marshal's command presence. For example, if the marshal is 10th level, everyone affected gains DR 3/-.
Motivate Ardor: Bonus on weapon damage rolls.
Motivate Attack: Bonus on melee attack rolls.
Motivate Care: Bonus to Armor Class.
Motivate Urgency: Allies' base land speed is increased by a number of feet equal to 5 x the marshal's command presence. For example, the allies of a 10th-level marshal (+3 command presence) add 15 feet to their base land speed.
Precision Teamwork: When an ally uses the Aid Another action successfully, the recipient of that action gains an additional bonus on that roll equal to the marshal's command presence. For instance, if an ally of a 10th level marshal (+3 command presence) successfully aids another ally's attack roll, that other ally gains a +5 bonus instead of a +2. Multiple Aid Another attempts stack this way as normal for Aid Another (this is an exception to normal stacking rules).
Resilient Troops: Bonus on all saves.
Steady Hand: Bonus on ranged attack rolls.
Additionally, an ally under a marshal's major aura adds the marshal's command presence to all morale checks. If the marshal's aura(s) would otherwise boost these allies' Will saves for that morale check, all pertinent effects stack (an exception to standard stacking rules).
Introduced in Heroes of Battle, a morale check is a type of DC 20 Will save against fear. A unit's morale is critical to its success on the battlefield.Command Style: Not all marshals are created equal. Marshals gain access to martial maneuvers, but exactly how they execute them depends on their style of command. At 1st level, marshals choose one of the following. Once chosen, it cannot be changed.
Warrior-Chief: This style is focused on leading by example, fighting right alongside one's troops as a significant threat on the battlefield. The marshal gains access to the Iron Heart school, adds Balance to his list of class skills, and may take Skill Focus (Balance) or Ironheart Aura as bonus feats (see Bonus Feats, below).
Siegemaster: This style reflects defense and sheer brute force. A siegemaster marshal is always keenly aware of defenses, either holding or breaching them. The marshal gains access to the Stone Dragon discipline, adds Balance to his list of class skills, and may take Skill Focus (Balance) or Stone Power as bonus feats (see Bonus Feats, below).
Crusade Commander: A crusade commander is fiercely dedicated both to a cause and to his men, although how he views his troops depends on that cause. Crusade commanders draw upon their zeal to inspire themselves and their troops to supernatural levels. The marshal gains access to the Devoted Sprit school, and may take Devoted Bulwark as a bonus feat (see Bonus Feats, below).
Although this may grant the least, note that only crusaders had access to Devoted Spirit, and much of it affects your allies.
Strategic Champion: A strategic champion focuses on tactics on many more levels than a typical marshal, often keeping open games of chess, shogi, go, or similar running while planning troop movements. When he rides to battle, he does so to challenge enemy champions one-on-one, while his well-trained men deal with the details of the engagement. The marshal gains access to the Diamond Mind discipline, adds Concentration to his list of class skills, and may take Skill Focus (Concentration) or Unnerving Calm as bonus feats (see Bonus Feats, below).
Additional command styles may be developed by the DM if the character design calls for it. For instance, a Guerilla Tactician style that grants access to Shadow Hand, adds Hide as a class skill, and adds Shadow Blade and Skill Focus (Hide) could be used for the leader of a commando squad if the DM considers it worthwhile.
Maneuvers: A marshal begins his career with knowledge of two martial maneuvers, drawn from the White Raven discipline and the discipline he gains from his command style.
Once he knows a maneuver, he must ready it before he can use it (see Maneuvers Readied, below). A maneuver usable by marshals is considered an extraordinary ability unless otherwise noted in its description. Maneuvers are not affected by spell resistance, and do not provoke attacks of opportunity when initiated.
Marshals learn additional maneuvers at higher levels, as shown on Table: The Marshal. A marshal must meet a maneuver's prerequisite to learn it.
A marshal counts his full class level towards his initiator level (rather than half, as normal). Marshals qualify for feats and prestige classes as if they were warblades (for instance, if a feat requires "warblade level 1st", a first-level marshal meets that requirement).
Unlike other martial adepts, a marshal focuses his study on coordinating his allies rather than furthering his own personal might. Thus, he does not use Table 3-1 in the Tome of Battle (which progresses at the same rate a wizard gains access to new spell levels) to determine the highest level maneuver he may learn. Instead, he uses the maximum level indicated on Table: The Marshal (which advances at the same rate a sorcerer gains access to new spell levels).
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every two marshal levels after that (7th, 9th, 11th, and so on), a marshal can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one he already knows. In effect, he loses the old maneuver in exchange for the new one. He can choose a new maneuver of any level he wishes, as long as it is not greater than his highest maneuver level known. For example, upon reaching 11th level, a marshal could trade in a single 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd- or 4th-level maneuver for a maneuver of 5th level or lower, as long as he meets the prerequisite of the new maneuver. Only a single maneuver can be swapped at any given level.
Maneuvers Readied: A marshal can ready both of the maneuvers he knows at 1st level, but as he advances in level and learns more maneuvers, he must choose which maneuvers to ready. A marshal readies maneuvers by discussing tactics with at least one of his allies for 5 minutes (an "ally" for purposes related to readying and recovering maneuvers is an intelligent creature who would fight alongside the marshal in combat, and the ally must have a means of communication with the marshal). Maneuvers chosen to be readied remain readied until the marshal decides to discuss a change in plans with his allies again. Rest is not required to ready maneuvers; any time a marshal could plan new battle tactics, he could change his readied maneuvers.
A marshal begins an encounter with all his readied maneuvers unexpended, regardless of how many times he might have already used them since he chose them. When he initiates a maneuver, he expends it for the current encounter, so each of his readied maneuvers can be used once per encounter (unless he recovers them, as described below).
A marshal recovers maneuvers by directing his allies, getting them back into position and signalling that they're ready to work alongside him again. He must make a successful Diplomacy or Intimdiate check (DC 20) to do so. This check takes a full-round action. Alternatively, a marshal may elect to speed up this process, taking only a standard action to do so, although the DC increases to 30. If this check is successful, all of his expended maneuvers become readied; if it fails, no maneuvers are recovered, but he may try again the following round.
At least one ally must be able to hear the marshal and signal in response for him to recover his expended maneuvers. These Diplomacy or Intimidate checks do not have any other effect on your allies (such as heartening them or pressing them to work harder); their only effect when used this way is to attempt to recover your maneuvers.
A marshal may change his stance or his auras while recovering maneuvers if he would otherwise be able to do so.
Stances Known: A marshal begins play with knowledge of one 1st-level stance from any discipline open to him. At 6th, 11th, and 16th level, he can choose additional stances. Unlike maneuvers, stances are not expended, and the marshal does not have to ready them. All the stances he knows are available to him at all times, and he can change the stance he is currently using as a swift action. A stance is an extraordinary ability unless otherwise stated in the stance description.
Unlike with maneuvers, a marshal cannot learn a new stance at higher levels in place of one he already knows.
Command Presence: A marshal literally personifies leadership, and exudes an air of confidence that others find heartening. From 2nd level on, a marshal projects this presence most commonly through a major aura, although he also gains a bonus based on his command presence rating to other command-related mechanics. A marshal gains a bonus equal to twice his command presence on Diplomacy checks, opposed Charisma checks (typically to assert authority), saving throws against fear, rally checks and skill checks made as part of a duel of wills. Furthermore, he adds his command presence to his Leadership score, and one-half his command presence to his commander rating (to a maximum effective commander rating of 7).
Introduced in Heroes of Battle, commander ratings range from 0 to 7 and are representative, roughly, of rank (they correspond to Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, and General, respectively). Commander rating factors in to numerous battle commands and can grant a commander aura.
Also from Heroes of Battle, rally checks allow you to motivate troops, granting them a bonus on saves against fear. It's functionally similar to changing an NPC attitude, but a bit more involved.
A duel of wills is a type of Intimidate check introduced in the Tome of Battle that attempts to dishearten a single significant foe at the start of combat. It's a signature of the Devoted Spirit and Diamond Mind schools.
Grant Move Action (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a marshal can direct and motivate his allies to act immediately.... and so on and so forth.
Bonus feat: At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, a marshal gains a bonus feat. He must meet all the prerequisites for this feat (but see below), which must be one drawn from the following list or the feats mentioned in his command style:
Adaptive Style†, Alertness, Battlefield Inspiration‡, Clarion Commander†, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Danger Sense‡, Daunting Presence‡, Diehard, Endurance, Far Shot, Great Fortitude, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Leadership, Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery, Negotiator, Persuasive, Point Blank Shot, Scribe Martial Script†, Skill Focus (Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive), Quick Draw, Ride-By Attack, Tactician*, Tower Shield Proficiency, Warlord*, White Raven Defense†, White Raven General*.
†Introduced in the Tome of Battle. As noted above, marshals count as warblades for the purposes of feat prerequisites.
‡ Introduced in the Miniatures Handbook. Some may also appear in other sources (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/lists/feats).(x)
*Described below.
A marshal with a Leadership score (character level + Charisma modifier + command presence + other modifiers based on reputation) of at least 8 can take Leadership as one of these bonus feats, even if he is not yet 6th level. However, if his Leadership score drops below 8 before he attains 6th level, he loses the feat (his soldiers grow disheartened and desert) until he meets either prerequisite again.
It's extremely rare, but in fringe cases, a houserule limiting followers to one level below the leader might be handy.
DMs using Heroes of Battle may also allow marshals to take Leader feats that they qualify for as bonus feats.
Battlefield Adaptation (Ex): At 10th level, a marshal has seen enough battles to be able to simultaneously see how to adjust his personal combat style and direct his troops simultaneously as the tide of battle shifts. As a swift action, he may activate or change any combination of his stance, his minor aura, and his major aura as he sees fit.
For instance, Sir Alerias, a 10th level marshal, is directing his troops aggressively, using the Over the Top minor aura, the Motivate Attack major aura, and the Leading the Charge stance. After leading a successful charge, he adjusts his tactics and the orders he gives his team, spending a swift action to change his minor aura to Master of Tactics and his stance to Tactics of the Wolf (while he could change his major aura as part of this action, he elects to keep using Motivate Attack).
Shining Beacon of Authority (Ex): A 20th level marshal is a thing of beauty and terror on the battlefield. His merest presence is enough to turn the tides of nearly any war as his troops are inspired to superhuman levels, and enemy forces cower in terror, fearfully whispering his name amongst themselves.
Shining Beacon of Authority is treated as a special martial stance, and follows all the rules relating to stances, except that it can only be entered while in an encounter. Exactly how it behaves depends on how it is entered:
If the marshal enters Shining Beacon of Authority from a stanceless state, he instantly projects another minor aura and another major aura that he knows. These auras cannot be changed once projected, and last until Shining Beacon of Authority ends. This effect counts as being in a stance from both the White Raven discipline and the marshal's command style discipline (for instance, a warrior-chief coud benefit from both the Ironheart Aura and the White Raven Defense feats while in this form of Shining Beacon).
If the marshal shifts from a White Raven stance into Shining Beacon of Authority, he focuses on his allies, instilling them with his own supreme sense of confidence. All allies under the effect of his auras have any morale bonuses affecting them doubled, regardless of their initial source. This effect counts as being in a White Raven stance.
If the marshal shifts from a stance from his command style discipline into Shining Beacon of Authority, he becomes a serious threat to his foes. Warrior-chiefs exhude raw danger with their combat prowess, siegemasters let the earth tremble in their presence, crusade commanders become terrifying zealots of their cause, and strategic champions project their own presence to their enemies, exemplifying the single-minded threat of a dedicated foe.
Regardless of how his command style describes this ability, the effect is the same: He chooses one or more currently active auras to invert when entering this stance. Allies cease gaining the benefit of inverted auras, but enemies feel the effects: an inverted aura imposes a morale penalty to all enemies in range on whatever it would normally affect (for instance, inverting Motivate Attack would impose a penalty equal to the marshal's command presence on all enemy attack rolls in the range of his aura). Each affected enemy is entitled to a Will saving throw (DC 10 + half the marshal's class level + the marshal's Charisma modifier) to negate this effect each time you engage it. This otherwise follows all rules relating to auras (for instance, an enemy must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher and be able to hear the marshal to be affected). Inverted auras remain that way until Shining Beacon of Authority ends and cannot be changed while this effect lasts. This effect counts as being in a stance from the marshal's command style discipline.
Shining Beacon of Authority ends whenever the marshal shifts to another stance as normal, but it also ends when the encounter does. It is impossible to motivate or demotivate troops to this degree outside of the pressures of combat.
It is important to note that stances switch from "active" to "inactive" -- you cannot enter a given stance from the same stance. In order to change Shining Beacon of Authority from one form to the other, I'd need to end Shining Beacon and either assume a stanceless state or enter another stance first, and then re-enter Shining Beacon from that other state (which requires another swift action and typically must be done on the following turn).
New Character Options
Devoted Commander [General]
Your devotion to your deity is an inspiration to those around you. You lead with the same strength you put behind your faith.
Prerequisites: Command Presence +1, Smite Evil.
Benefit: If you have levels in paladin and marshal, you add your full paladin level to your marshal initiator level (they still count half toward any other initiator levels you may have). Your paladin and marshal levels stack when determining your command presence and the damage from your smite evil ability.
You may freely multiclass between paladin and marshal. You still must remain Lawful Good and abide by the paladin code of conduct in order to retain your paladin abilities and take paladin levels. You still face the normal XP penalties for having multiple classes more than one level apart.
Normal: Levels in other classes count as half-levels toward any initiator level. Paladins have intense multiclassing restrictions and cannot gain their special mount before level 5 (see below).
Special: If you have selected the Crusade Commander command style, you gain the special mount feature as a paladin of your marshal level + your paladin level. This can grant you the special mount feature if you didn't already have it, provided the sum of your marshal and paladin levels is 5 or greater.
Tactician [General]
Your command style is more cerebral than most, focusing on intelligent tactics and competent maneuvering rather than raw emotion. You instruct your troops in detailed maneuver execution during training, which they recall with crystal clarity when you issue orders.
Prerequisite: Command presence +1.
Benefit: Allies under the influence of at least one of your marshal auras may treat the benefits they recieve from each of them as competence bonuses or insight bonuses instead of morale bonuses as they choose, at no special action to you. Allies individually choose which type of bonus they recieve from each currently active aura as a free action at the start of each of their turns; this does not require any special effort on your part.
Normal: Aura bonuses are entirely morale bonuses, and thus never stack with other morale bonuses (such as Inspire Courage or other marshal auras). Marshal auras stack with the marshal's commander auras.
Warlord [General]
You are a mighty force of inspiration on the battlefield, and directly command more troops than other marshals.
Prerequisite: Charisma 15+, Command Presence +2.
Benefit: The radius of your marshal auras doubles, becoming 120 ft. If you have a commander aura (described in Heroes of Battle), its range increases to 60 ft.
Additionally, troops within 60 ft. no longer need to hear you to benefit from your marshal auras. They must be otherwise able to percieve you, however -- seeing you gesture, sensing your voice in their heads, and so forth. Soldiers further away than this are treated normally.
Normal: Marshal auras extend 60 ft, and only affect troops who can hear the marshal. Commander auras extend 30 ft.
White Raven General [General]
As an experienced White Raven adept, you understand that a general is only as good as the troops he leads, and as such you have learned to adapt your commands to fit the situation, inspiring your troops to execute somewhat more complicated tactics than normal.
Prerequisite: Three minor auras, Command Presence +2, White Raven Defense, two White Raven maneuvers, one White Raven stance.
Benefit: While in a White Raven stance, you may project a second minor aura. Doing so takes a separate swift action from projecting your other auras or assuming the stance, and can be done any number of times while in the stance. If you enter a stanceless state or any stance from a school other than White Raven, this second aura fades.
Normal: You may only have one minor aura and one major aura active at the same time.
Special: If you possess the Battlefield Adaptation ability, you may adjust this additional aura at the same time you change your other auras or your stance.
Army of One [General]
Left alone, a leader can quickly wane without his allies. Carrying the spirit of your men within your heart, their strength reinforces your resolve in battle.
Prerequisite: Marshal level 1st, Intimidate 4 ranks, Martial Lore 4 ranks, must know at least two White Raven maneuvers.
Marshals normally count as warblades for feat prerequisites; this is unique.
Benefit: Immediately after you successfully demoralize an opponent with the Intimidate skill, you can recover your expended marshal maneuvers as a swift action.
Additionally, you can ready your marshal maneuvers without discussing tactics with your allies, but without their input and feedback, the process takes longer -- it takes twenty minutes to change your readied maneuvers this way, as you analyze possible troop movements and devise new battle cues on your own.
Normal: A marshal can only recover maneuvers by spending a full-round action to make a Diplomacy or Intimidate check (or a standard action at a higher DC), and must have at least one ally nearby to to so. He can only ready maneuvers by discussing tactics with at least one ally for five minutes.
Adrenaline Surge
White Raven [Language-dependent]
Level: Crusader 6, marshal 6, warblade 6
Prerequisites: Two White Raven maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: 30 ft.
Targets: Any or all willing allies within 30 ft.
Duration: 1 minute
Delivering a heroic and inspirational speech, you exhort your allies to discover a resovoir of energy they didn't think they had. Even the most gravely wounded allies grow stronger and more determined to rejoin the fight.
You grant temporary hit points equal to your initiator level to any or all willing allies within range (but not to yourself). If the ally's current hit point total is no more than half his full normal hit points, the number of temporary hit points granted to that character is doubled (to twice your initiator level). As always, temporary hit points overlap (do not stack with) other temporary hit points.
Additionally, the surge of adrenaline you inspire effectively counters the effects of fatigue. Any fatigued ally who is affected by this maneuver is no longer fatigued. This has no special effect on allies who are exhausted. When this maneuver ends, all affected allies become fatigued if they were not fatigued when the maneuver was initiated, or exhausted if they were initially fatigued. This fatigue (or exhaustion) lasts until the end of the encounter, after which they return to their initial condition of fatigue.
This is an adaptation of the alternate class feature presented in the Player's Handbook 2.
Rally the Legion
White Raven [Language-dependent]
Level: Crusader 2, marshal 2, warblade 2
Prerequisites: One White Raven maneuver, aura (see text)
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Special; see text
Area: Special; see text
Duration: Special; see text
Raising your weapon and racing across the battlefield, you deliver a powerful motivational speech to your troops. All who hear you are heartened, and feel the urge to echo your cry as you ride past.
As part of this maneuver, you can move up to two times your land speed (on foot or on a mount). All allies that are within the reach of one of your auras during any part of your movement, including when you start and stop, gain the benefit of that aura as if you were right beside them, even if you were only within range for a moment. Note that you cannot change your marshal aura (a swift action) in the middle of this maneuver (a full-round action), although you may change it just before initiating Rally the Legion or after it is finished.
This effect lingers for a number of rounds equal to half your Charisma bonus plus your command presence rating, if any. If you become incapable of projecting an aura while this maneuver is lingering, its effects immediately end. If you change your auras while Rally the Legion is lingering, the change only affects those troops currently within range of your aura, not those under the lingering effects from the maneuver.
Valid auras for Rally the Legion include any major or minor auras, paladin auras such as Aura of Courage, and similar effects (such as command auras or an angel's (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/angel.htm)(x) protective aura racial ability), but not temporary effects from spells or powers. Track the effect of each aura separately (for instance, if a marshal/paladin only moves within 60' of a particular ally during this maneuver, the paladin's 10-foot-radius Aura of Courage doesn't affect the ally while his marshal auras will, and if a marshal is silenced, his marshal auras end for those Rally the Legion is lingering for but other auras not dependent on his voice (if any) are unaffected).
Command auras are an effect from a high Commander Rating in Heroes of Battle, and can be likened to an old Major Aura (without this variant). Any class can gain one.
Call to Glory
White Raven [Language-dependent]
Level: Crusader 8, marshal 8, warblade 8
Prerequisites: Three White Raven maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 round
Range: Special; see text
Area: Special; see text
Duration: Special; see text
You call out a quick yet complicated sequence of words, numbers, and acronyms that would seem like gibberish to anyone but those who fight alongside you, who recognize them as posture and attack summaries similar to those found on martial scripts. Charged with power, your voice delivers to them a sudden flash of insight, and they shift their fighting technique as a result.
Call to Glory allows you to command your allies in the execution of a single martial maneuver -- essentially, it is the verbal equivalent of a martial script. When you initiate this maneuver, you also expend one other readied maneuver of 3rd level or lower from a school other than White Raven. If you are a crusader, this maneuver must also be a granted maneuver.
Initiating this maneuver is like casting a one-round spell like summon monster; it continues past the end of your turn and is completed at the start of your next. If you are damaged during this time, you must make a Concentration check (DC 18+damage dealt) or have your intricate speech disrupted.
Once successfully initiated, all allies within 30 feet of you who can hear you speak suddenly gain a flash of insight -- the maneuver you expended at the start of initiation appears in their minds, exactly as if they'd read it on a martial script. As long as you continue to verbally direct them (a standard action on your part similar to concentrating on a spell), they can initiate this maneuver once, at an initiator level of one-half their character level or their own initiator level, whichever is higher. This maneuver is subject to Table 3-1 in the Tome of Battle; 1st-level conscripts cannot hope to initiate a 3rd-level maneuver, although higher-level allies could. They cannot recover this maneuver; it is a one-time effect. If you stop reciting your commands or an ally can no longer hear you recite, the maneuver instantly fades from their minds. Most allies of White Raven adepts learn to recognize when a Call to Glory is being initiated, and move into a position to make optimal use of what they are being told during the round he issues commands.
Unlike other martial maneuvers, Call to Glory is impossible to re-orchestrate in the heat of battle. After initiating Call to Glory, it is removed from your list of readied maneuvers as if you didn't ready it earlier, which makes it impossible to recover through normal recovery methods. You cannot ready another maneuver to take its place (or re-ready Call to Glory) until you would normally be able to ready maneuvers (which requires 5 minutes of calm). The Adaptive Style feat can ready Call to Glory, but only if it is the only maneuver readied by using that feat.
SPECIAL: Using this maneuver is draining, and costs you 25 XP per level of the maneuver you granted. Furthermore, marshals with the Warlord feat can initiate this maneuver even if their allies cannot hear them, provided that they are capable of otherwise percieving the marshal.
Originally posted by ansob:
This is going to seem like a completely out-of-the-blue necro, but... does anyone have a link to this posted on a phpBB board? The new community formatting completely breaks this because without the strike tags, the class is illegible, since Stormwind included the default class' text in this alongside the new stuff. I used to have a .pdf version but I lost that a while back, and I'm planning on starting a 3.5 ToB campaign so I'd like to have a fourth martial class.
Reconstructing what was struck through using the actual WotC class won't work, because part of the default class text was kept and I don't think I can tell what was and wasn't kept apart, so I'm really hoping this was saved somewhere before the new forum software ruined it. It was definitely one of the best-thought-out homebrew classes I ever saw, and it'd be a shame if this just died.
Originally posted by Janos_Antero:
[ATT align]Marshal
Modified from the original by Tempest Stormwind.
Inspired by RadicalTaoist's Sublime Way Ranger and discussion here.
Some elements borrowed from Mystyc's retooled marshal.
It is the intent of this variant to simultaneously give the marshal a boost up to the same approximate power level as other PC classes and make it more compelling as a PC class choice. It is intended to replace the existing marshal, widely held to be weak, uninteresting or only useful as a dip.
Significant changes to abilities from the original class are italicized.
Removed abilities are struck through.
Completely new abilities are not specially formatted.
[//ATT]
[ATT align]We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty!
~Sir Alerias, Warmaster of the White Raven, to his victorious troops
[//ATT]
[ATT align]
Sometimes it is not enough to be a conquering warrior, a champion of all that's right, an experienced sellsword, or an elite foot soldier. Sometimes the circumstances require a solid commander of soldiers and situations. Sometimes the circumstances demand a marshal.
Marshals inspire trust in those they lead. They earn that trust by slogging through harsh landscapes, dangerous battlefields, and haunted catacombs along with those under their command. With a look, they can see where to best deploy their resources or come up with a sneaky ruse to fool their enemies. A marshal has a tactician's mind, a cartographer's overview of the disputed landscape (or dungeon warren), and a way with words that can inspire battle-hardened fighters to give it their all when melee breaks out.
A marshal is not necessarily the greatest martial combatant, but that doesn't mean his opponents should count him out in personal combat. Several marshals act as champions for their units, inspiring their companions by deed, meeting mighty enemy warriors head-on and challenging opposing generals on the field of battle with their loyal regiments alongside them, pressing the advantage. That said, a marshal does not belong questing for personal glory. His place is with his men, training them, drilling them, and ultimately leading them ever onward towards victory.[//ATT]
About the Marshal
Weapon and armor proficiency: Simple and martial weapons; light, medium, and heavy armor; shields (but not tower shields).
Hit Die: d8
Class skills: Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (architecture and engineering, geography, history, local, nobility and royalty, religion) (Int), Martial Lore (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (n/a), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier (x4 as a first-level character).
Code:
[UNKNOWN=code]: Base Fort Ref Will Auras Maneuvers Stances Max
[UNKNOWN=code]: Lv Atk save save save Special Minor Major Known Ready Known Level
[UNKNOWN=code]: 1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Command style 1 0 2 2 1 1st
[UNKNOWN=code]: 2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Command presence +1 1 1 3 2 1 1st
[UNKNOWN=code]: 3 +2 +3 +1 +3 2 1 3 2 1 1st
[UNKNOWN=code]: 4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Bonus feat 2 1 4 3 1 2nd
[UNKNOWN=code]: 5 +3 +4 +1 +4 3 2 4 3 1 2nd
[UNKNOWN=code]: 6 +4 +5 +2 +5 Command presence +2 3 2 5 3 2 3rd
[UNKNOWN=code]: 7 +5 +5 +2 +5 4 2 5 3 2 3rd
[UNKNOWN=code]: 8 +6 +6 +2 +6 Bonus feat 4 2 6 3 2 4th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 9 +6 +6 +3 +6 5 3 6 3 2 4th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 10 +7 +7 +3 +7 Command presence +3, 5 3 7 4 2 5th
[UNKNOWN=code]: battlefield adaptation
[UNKNOWN=code]: 11 +8 +7 +3 +7 6 3 7 4 3 5th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 12 +9 +8 +4 +8 Bonus feat 6 3 8 4 3 6th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 13 +9 +8 +4 +8 7 3 8 4 3 6th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 14 +10 +9 +4 +9 Command presence +4 7 4 9 4 3 7th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 15 +11 +9 +5 +9 8 4 9 5 3 7th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 16 +12 +10 +5 +10 Bonus feat 8 4 10 5 4 8th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 17 +12 +10 +5 +10 9 4 10 5 4 8th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 18 +13 +11 +6 +11 Command presence +5 9 4 11 5 4 9th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 19 +14 +11 +6 +11 10 4 11 5 4 9th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 20 +15 +12 +6 +12 Bonus feat, shining 10 5 12 6 4 9th
[UNKNOWN=code]: beacon of authority
Class Features
Skill Focus: At first level, a marshal gains Skill Focus (Diplomacy) as a bonus feat.
Auras (Ex): The marshal exerts an effect on allies in his vicinity. He can learn to produce different effects, or auras, over the course of his career. The marshal may project one minor aura and (starting at 2nd level) one major aura at a time.
Projecting an aura is a swift action. The aura remains in effect until the marshal uses a free action to dismiss it or activates another aura of the same kind (major or minor). A marshal can have an aura active continually; thus, an aura can be in effect at the start of a combat encounter even before the marshal takes his first turn (but see below on major auras).
Activating an aura involves haranguing, ordering, directing, encouraging, cajoling, or calming allies. A marshal sizes up the enemy, allies, and the terrain, then gives allies the direction that they can use to do their best.
Unless otherwise noted, a marshal's aura affects all allies within 60 feet (including himself). An ally must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher and be able to understand the marshal's language to gain the bonus. A marshal's aura is dismissed if he is dazed, unconscious, stunned, paralyzed, or otherwise unable to be heard or understood by his allies.
A marshal begins play knowing one minor aura of his choice. At each level indicated in Table: The Marshal, he learns either a minor or a major aura, as appropriate. A marshal's minor auras are fixed, but he may exchange one major aura he knows for another major aura at level 6 and every 4 levels after that (10th, 14th, and so on).
All bonuses granted by a marshal's auras are morale bonuses that do not stack with each other. Unlike most effects, a marshal aura stacks with the marshal's commander aura if applicable. They do not stack with the commander auras of others.
Commander auras are introduced in Heroes of Battle and are adaptations of D&D Miniatures command effects.
Auras
Minor Aura: A minor aura lets allies add the marshal's Charisma bonus (if any) to certain rolls. However, a minor aura is limited by experience -- a marshal cannot grant a bonus higher than his marshal initiator level +1, even if his Charisma bonus is greater than this.
Major Aura: Beginning at 2nd level, a marshal can project a major aura in addition to his minor aura. A major aura lets allies add +1 to certain rolls. This bonus improves by +1 at 7th, 14th, and 20th level.
A major aura lets allies add the marshal's command presence (see below) to certain rolls. The bonus from a major aura only applies during an encounter; although it may be active before the encounter begins, your team is not in the proper state of mind to benefit from it until the encounter starts. Benefits from an active major aura apply to each individual on their first turn with no particular action on the part of the marshal.
Additionally, an ally under a marshal's major aura adds the marshal's command presence to all morale checks. If the marshal's aura(s) would otherwise boost these allies' Will saves for that morale check, all pertinent effects stack (an exception to standard stacking rules).
Introduced in Heroes of Battle, a morale check is a type of DC 20 Will save against fear. A unit's morale is critical to its success on the battlefield.
Command Style: Not all marshals are created equal. Marshals gain access to martial maneuvers, but exactly how they execute them depends on their style of command. At 1st level, marshals choose one of the following. Once chosen, it cannot be changed.
Additional command styles may be developed by the DM if the character design calls for it. For instance, a Guerilla Tactician style that grants access to Shadow Hand, adds Hide as a class skill, and adds Shadow Blade and Skill Focus (Hide) could be used for the leader of a commando squad if the DM considers it worthwhile.
Maneuvers: A marshal begins his career with knowledge of two martial maneuvers, drawn from the White Raven discipline and the discipline he gains from his command style.
Once he knows a maneuver, he must ready it before he can use it (see Maneuvers Readied, below). A maneuver usable by marshals is considered an extraordinary ability unless otherwise noted in its description. Maneuvers are not affected by spell resistance, and do not provoke attacks of opportunity when initiated.
Marshals learn additional maneuvers at higher levels, as shown on Table: The Marshal. A marshal must meet a maneuver's prerequisite to learn it.
A marshal counts his full class level towards his initiator level (rather than half, as normal). Marshals qualify for feats and prestige classes as if they were warblades (for instance, if a feat requires "warblade level 1st", a first-level marshal meets that requirement).
Unlike other martial adepts, a marshal focuses his study on coordinating his allies rather than furthering his own personal might. Thus, he does not use Table 3-1 in the Tome of Battle (which progresses at the same rate a wizard gains access to new spell levels) to determine the highest level maneuver he may learn. Instead, he uses the maximum level indicated on Table: The Marshal (which advances at the same rate a sorcerer gains access to new spell levels).
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every two marshal levels after that (7th, 9th, 11th, and so on), a marshal can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one he already knows. In effect, he loses the old maneuver in exchange for the new one. He can choose a new maneuver of any level he wishes, as long as it is not greater than his highest maneuver level known. For example, upon reaching 11th level, a marshal could trade in a single 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd- or 4th-level maneuver for a maneuver of 5th level or lower, as long as he meets the prerequisite of the new maneuver. Only a single maneuver can be swapped at any given level.
Maneuvers Readied: A marshal can ready both of the maneuvers he knows at 1st level, but as he advances in level and learns more maneuvers, he must choose which maneuvers to ready. A marshal readies maneuvers by discussing tactics with at least one of his allies for 5 minutes (an "ally" for purposes related to readying and recovering maneuvers is an intelligent creature who would fight alongside the marshal in combat, and the ally must have a means of communication with the marshal). Maneuvers chosen to be readied remain readied until the marshal decides to discuss a change in plans with his allies again. Rest is not required to ready maneuvers; any time a marshal could plan new battle tactics, he could change his readied maneuvers.
A marshal begins an encounter with all his readied maneuvers unexpended, regardless of how many times he might have already used them since he chose them. When he initiates a maneuver, he expends it for the current encounter, so each of his readied maneuvers can be used once per encounter (unless he recovers them, as described below).
A marshal recovers maneuvers by directing his allies, getting them back into position and signalling that they're ready to work alongside him again. He must make a successful Diplomacy or Intimdiate check (DC 20) to do so. This check takes a full-round action. Alternatively, a marshal may elect to speed up this process, taking only a standard action to do so, although the DC increases to 30. If this check is successful, all of his expended maneuvers become readied; if it fails, no maneuvers are recovered, but he may try again the following round.
At least one ally must be able to hear the marshal and signal in response for him to recover his expended maneuvers. These Diplomacy or Intimidate checks do not have any other effect on your allies (such as heartening them or pressing them to work harder); their only effect when used this way is to attempt to recover your maneuvers.
A marshal may change his stance or his auras while recovering maneuvers if he would otherwise be able to do so.
Stances Known: A marshal begins play with knowledge of one 1st-level stance from any discipline open to him. At 6th, 11th, and 16th level, he can choose additional stances. Unlike maneuvers, stances are not expended, and the marshal does not have to ready them. All the stances he knows are available to him at all times, and he can change the stance he is currently using as a swift action. A stance is an extraordinary ability unless otherwise stated in the stance description.
Unlike with maneuvers, a marshal cannot learn a new stance at higher levels in place of one he already knows.
Command Presence: A marshal literally personifies leadership, and exudes an air of confidence that others find heartening. From 2nd level on, a marshal projects this presence most commonly through a major aura, although he also gains a bonus based on his command presence rating to other command-related mechanics. A marshal gains a bonus equal to twice his command presence on Diplomacy checks, opposed Charisma checks (typically to assert authority), saving throws against fear, rally checks and skill checks made as part of a duel of wills. Furthermore, he adds his command presence to his Leadership score, and one-half his command presence to his commander rating (to a maximum effective commander rating of 7).
Introduced in Heroes of Battle, commander ratings range from 0 to 7 and are representative, roughly, of rank (they correspond to Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, and General, respectively). Commander rating factors in to numerous battle commands and can grant a commander aura.
Also from Heroes of Battle, rally checks allow you to motivate troops, granting them a bonus on saves against fear. It's functionally similar to changing an NPC attitude, but a bit more involved.
A duel of wills is a type of Intimidate check introduced in the Tome of Battle that attempts to dishearten a single significant foe at the start of combat. It's a signature of the Devoted Spirit and Diamond Mind schools.
Grant Move Action (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a marshal can direct and motivate his allies to act immediately.... and so on and so forth.
Bonus feat: At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, a marshal gains a bonus feat. He must meet all the prerequisites for this feat (but see below), which must be one drawn from the following list or the feats mentioned in his command style:
Adaptive Style†, Alertness, Battlefield Inspiration‡, Clarion Commander†, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Danger Sense‡, Daunting Presence‡, Diehard, Endurance, Far Shot, Great Fortitude, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Leadership, Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery, Negotiator, Persuasive, Point Blank Shot, Scribe Martial Script†, Skill Focus (Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive), Quick Draw, Ride-By Attack, Tactician*, Tower Shield Proficiency, Warlord*, White Raven Defense†, White Raven General*.
†Introduced in the Tome of Battle. As noted above, marshals count as warblades for the purposes of feat prerequisites.
‡ Introduced in the Miniatures Handbook. Some may also appear in other sources.
*Described below.
A marshal with a Leadership score (character level + Charisma modifier + command presence + other modifiers based on reputation) of at least 8 can take Leadership as one of these bonus feats, even if he is not yet 6th level. However, if his Leadership score drops below 8 before he attains 6th level, he loses the feat (his soldiers grow disheartened and desert) until he meets either prerequisite again.
It's extremely rare, but in fringe cases, a houserule limiting followers to one level below the leader might be handy.
DMs using Heroes of Battle may also allow marshals to take Leader feats that they qualify for as bonus feats.
Battlefield Adaptation (Ex): At 10th level, a marshal has seen enough battles to be able to simultaneously see how to adjust his personal combat style and direct his troops simultaneously as the tide of battle shifts. As a swift action, he may activate or change any combination of his stance, his minor aura, and his major aura as he sees fit.
For instance, Sir Alerias, a 10th level marshal, is directing his troops aggressively, using the Over the Top minor aura, the Motivate Attack major aura, and the Leading the Charge stance. After leading a successful charge, he adjusts his tactics and the orders he gives his team, spending a swift action to change his minor aura to Master of Tactics and his stance to Tactics of the Wolf (while he could change his major aura as part of this action, he elects to keep using Motivate Attack).
Shining Beacon of Authority (Ex): A 20th level marshal is a thing of beauty and terror on the battlefield. His merest presence is enough to turn the tides of nearly any war as his troops are inspired to superhuman levels, and enemy forces cower in terror, fearfully whispering his name amongst themselves.
Shining Beacon of Authority is treated as a special martial stance, and follows all the rules relating to stances, except that it can only be entered while in an encounter. Exactly how it behaves depends on how it is entered:
Shining Beacon of Authority ends whenever the marshal shifts to another stance as normal, but it also ends when the encounter does. It is impossible to motivate or demotivate troops to this degree outside of the pressures of combat.
It is important to note that stances switch from "active" to "inactive" -- you cannot enter a given stance from the same stance. In order to change Shining Beacon of Authority from one form to the other, I'd need to end Shining Beacon and either assume a stanceless state or enter another stance first, and then re-enter Shining Beacon from that other state (which requires another swift action and typically must be done on the following turn).
New Character Options
Devoted Commander [General]
Your devotion to your deity is an inspiration to those around you. You lead with the same strength you put behind your faith.
Prerequisites: Command Presence +1, Smite Evil.
Benefit: If you have levels in paladin and marshal, you add your full paladin level to your marshal initiator level (they still count half toward any other initiator levels you may have). Your paladin and marshal levels stack when determining your command presence and the damage from your smite evil ability.
You may freely multiclass between paladin and marshal. You still must remain Lawful Good and abide by the paladin code of conduct in order to retain your paladin abilities and take paladin levels. You still face the normal XP penalties for having multiple classes more than one level apart.
Normal: Levels in other classes count as half-levels toward any initiator level. Paladins have intense multiclassing restrictions and cannot gain their special mount before level 5 (see below).
Special: If you have selected the Crusade Commander command style, you gain the special mount feature as a paladin of your marshal level + your paladin level. This can grant you the special mount feature if you didn't already have it, provided the sum of your marshal and paladin levels is 5 or greater.
Tactician [General]
Your command style is more cerebral than most, focusing on intelligent tactics and competent maneuvering rather than raw emotion. You instruct your troops in detailed maneuver execution during training, which they recall with crystal clarity when you issue orders.
Prerequisite: Command presence +1.
Benefit: Allies under the influence of at least one of your marshal auras may treat the benefits they recieve from each of them as competence bonuses or insight bonuses instead of morale bonuses as they choose, at no special action to you. Allies individually choose which type of bonus they recieve from each currently active aura as a free action at the start of each of their turns; this does not require any special effort on your part.
Normal: Aura bonuses are entirely morale bonuses, and thus never stack with other morale bonuses (such as Inspire Courage or other marshal auras). Marshal auras stack with the marshal's commander auras.
Warlord [General]
You are a mighty force of inspiration on the battlefield, and directly command more troops than other marshals.
Prerequisite: Charisma 15+, Command Presence +2.
Benefit: The radius of your marshal auras doubles, becoming 120 ft. If you have a commander aura (described in Heroes of Battle), its range increases to 60 ft.
Additionally, troops within 60 ft. no longer need to hear you to benefit from your marshal auras. They must be otherwise able to percieve you, however -- seeing you gesture, sensing your voice in their heads, and so forth. Soldiers further away than this are treated normally.
Normal: Marshal auras extend 60 ft, and only affect troops who can hear the marshal. Commander auras extend 30 ft.
White Raven General [General]
As an experienced White Raven adept, you understand that a general is only as good as the troops he leads, and as such you have learned to adapt your commands to fit the situation, inspiring your troops to execute somewhat more complicated tactics than normal.
Prerequisite: Three minor auras, Command Presence +2, White Raven Defense, two White Raven maneuvers, one White Raven stance.
Benefit: While in a White Raven stance, you may project a second minor aura. Doing so takes a separate swift action from projecting your other auras or assuming the stance, and can be done any number of times while in the stance. If you enter a stanceless state or any stance from a school other than White Raven, this second aura fades.
Normal: You may only have one minor aura and one major aura active at the same time.
Special: If you possess the Battlefield Adaptation ability, you may adjust this additional aura at the same time you change your other auras or your stance.
Army of One [General]
Left alone, a leader can quickly wane without his allies. Carrying the spirit of your men within your heart, their strength reinforces your resolve in battle.
Prerequisite: Marshal level 1st, Intimidate 4 ranks, Martial Lore 4 ranks, must know at least two White Raven maneuvers.
Marshals normally count as warblades for feat prerequisites; this is unique.
Benefit: Immediately after you successfully demoralize an opponent with the Intimidate skill, you can recover your expended marshal maneuvers as a swift action.
Additionally, you can ready your marshal maneuvers without discussing tactics with your allies, but without their input and feedback, the process takes longer -- it takes twenty minutes to change your readied maneuvers this way, as you analyze possible troop movements and devise new battle cues on your own.
Normal: A marshal can only recover maneuvers by spending a full-round action to make a Diplomacy or Intimidate check (or a standard action at a higher DC), and must have at least one ally nearby to to so. He can only ready maneuvers by discussing tactics with at least one ally for five minutes.
Adrenaline Surge
White Raven [Language-dependent]
Level: Crusader 6, marshal 6, warblade 6
Prerequisites: Two White Raven maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: 30 ft.
Targets: Any or all willing allies within 30 ft.
Duration: 1 minute
Delivering a heroic and inspirational speech, you exhort your allies to discover a resovoir of energy they didn't think they had. Even the most gravely wounded allies grow stronger and more determined to rejoin the fight.
You grant temporary hit points equal to your initiator level to any or all willing allies within range (but not to yourself). If the ally's current hit point total is no more than half his full normal hit points, the number of temporary hit points granted to that character is doubled (to twice your initiator level). As always, temporary hit points overlap (do not stack with) other temporary hit points.
Additionally, the surge of adrenaline you inspire effectively counters the effects of fatigue. Any fatigued ally who is affected by this maneuver is no longer fatigued. This has no special effect on allies who are exhausted. When this maneuver ends, all affected allies become fatigued if they were not fatigued when the maneuver was initiated, or exhausted if they were initially fatigued. This fatigue (or exhaustion) lasts until the end of the encounter, after which they return to their initial condition of fatigue.
This is an adaptation of the alternate class feature presented in the Player's Handbook 2.
Rally the Legion
White Raven [Language-dependent]
Level: Crusader 2, marshal 2, warblade 2
Prerequisites: One White Raven maneuver, aura (see text)
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Special; see text
Area: Special; see text
Duration: Special; see text
Raising your weapon and racing across the battlefield, you deliver a powerful motivational speech to your troops. All who hear you are heartened, and feel the urge to echo your cry as you ride past.
As part of this maneuver, you can move up to two times your land speed (on foot or on a mount). All allies that are within the reach of one of your auras during any part of your movement, including when you start and stop, gain the benefit of that aura as if you were right beside them, even if you were only within range for a moment. Note that you cannot change your marshal aura (a swift action) in the middle of this maneuver (a full-round action), although you may change it just before initiating Rally the Legion or after it is finished.
This effect lingers for a number of rounds equal to half your Charisma bonus plus your command presence rating, if any. If you become incapable of projecting an aura while this maneuver is lingering, its effects immediately end. If you change your auras while Rally the Legion is lingering, the change only affects those troops currently within range of your aura, not those under the lingering effects from the maneuver.
Valid auras for Rally the Legion include any major or minor auras, paladin auras such as Aura of Courage, and similar effects (such as command auras or an angel's protective aura racial ability), but not temporary effects from spells or powers. Track the effect of each aura separately (for instance, if a marshal/paladin only moves within 60' of a particular ally during this maneuver, the paladin's 10-foot-radius Aura of Courage doesn't affect the ally while his marshal auras will, and if a marshal is silenced, his marshal auras end for those Rally the Legion is lingering for but other auras not dependent on his voice (if any) are unaffected).
Command auras are an effect from a high Commander Rating in Heroes of Battle, and can be likened to an old Major Aura (without this variant). Any class can gain one.
Call to Glory
White Raven [Language-dependent]
Level: Crusader 8, marshal 8, warblade 8
Prerequisites: Three White Raven maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 round
Range: Special; see text
Area: Special; see text
Duration: Special; see text
You call out a quick yet complicated sequence of words, numbers, and acronyms that would seem like gibberish to anyone but those who fight alongside you, who recognize them as posture and attack summaries similar to those found on martial scripts. Charged with power, your voice delivers to them a sudden flash of insight, and they shift their fighting technique as a result.
Call to Glory allows you to command your allies in the execution of a single martial maneuver -- essentially, it is the verbal equivalent of a martial script. When you initiate this maneuver, you also expend one other readied maneuver of 3rd level or lower from a school other than White Raven. If you are a crusader, this maneuver must also be a granted maneuver.
Initiating this maneuver is like casting a one-round spell like summon monster; it continues past the end of your turn and is completed at the start of your next. If you are damaged during this time, you must make a Concentration check (DC 18+damage dealt) or have your intricate speech disrupted.
Once successfully initiated, all allies within 30 feet of you who can hear you speak suddenly gain a flash of insight -- the maneuver you expended at the start of initiation appears in their minds, exactly as if they'd read it on a martial script. As long as you continue to verbally direct them (a standard action on your part similar to concentrating on a spell), they can initiate this maneuver once, at an initiator level of one-half their character level or their own initiator level, whichever is higher. This maneuver is subject to Table 3-1 in the Tome of Battle; 1st-level conscripts cannot hope to initiate a 3rd-level maneuver, although higher-level allies could. They cannot recover this maneuver; it is a one-time effect. If you stop reciting your commands or an ally can no longer hear you recite, the maneuver instantly fades from their minds. Most allies of White Raven adepts learn to recognize when a Call to Glory is being initiated, and move into a position to make optimal use of what they are being told during the round he issues commands.
Unlike other martial maneuvers, Call to Glory is impossible to re-orchestrate in the heat of battle. After initiating Call to Glory, it is removed from your list of readied maneuvers as if you didn't ready it earlier, which makes it impossible to recover through normal recovery methods. You cannot ready another maneuver to take its place (or re-ready Call to Glory) until you would normally be able to ready maneuvers (which requires 5 minutes of calm). The Adaptive Style feat can ready Call to Glory, but only if it is the only maneuver readied by using that feat.
SPECIAL: Using this maneuver is draining, and costs you 25 XP per level of the maneuver you granted. Furthermore, marshals with the Warlord feat can initiate this maneuver even if their allies cannot hear them, provided that they are capable of otherwise percieving the marshal.
Originally posted by ansob:
That seems to have picked out all the struck-out bits - I thought there was a lot more of them, but the whole package is apparently intact.
Out of curiosity, did you piece it together yourself or did you have an older version saved somewhere?
In any case, thanks a lot! I just need the Falling Star school and I'll be able to run that campaign.
Originally posted by Janos_Antero:
I saved both the Martial Marshal and the Martial Ranger as Word docs two years ago or so. The formatting from word stays mostly intact.
If you wanted them that way, I can email both if you want to PM me an email.
As far as falling star, I saved the link, but don't have that one as a word doc. It's here: (x)community.wizards.com//go/thread/view/75...(x)
Originally posted by ansob:
Yeah, I posted in there - sadly, the formatting was completely destroyed in the forum update, same as this, and all the download links are dead.
I'll PM you my email so I have a more permanent copy, but thanks again for doing the repost - at least this way this might be seen by more people.
Originally posted by navar100:
Re Call To Glory
I'm of the opinion that whenever someone creates some new effect - spell, feat, martial maneuever, etc., if you need to place harsh restrictions on its use, either you're overcompensating for something that doesn't need to be or you made it too powerful. In either case, you're better off not bothering with it.
If you really like Call To Glory but must, must, must make it a pain in the ass to use and not use again, instead of having it be a maneuver make it a high level class ability usable once per day, no XP cost, or perhaps a Feat that requires a high initiator level, Craft Martial Script, and Clarion Commander as prerequisites to enable you to use it once per encounter.
Originally posted by Endarire:
As a level 8 maneuver, the XP cost is too much. Call to Glory is handy, but not worth the XP cost.
Originally posted by Endarire:
Saved by the love of Jesus!
Originally posted by Tempest_Stormwind:
Saved by your effort, Endarire; don't sell yourself short. I appreciate the diving you do to make sure what we did remains available. (I just felt compelled to post on this particular venture for reasons which should be obvious.)
On this topic, I'd like to note that I've tweaked the marshal quite a bit since this was posted. Apropos of the last comments pre-rescue, several of the tweaks were to the maneuvers. (I did remove the cost to Call to Glory, for instance, and switched Rally the Legion to use boost mechanics instead). other tweaks include spreading out battlefield adaptation to scale a bit better, a bit of Intelligence synergy, adjusting how commander ratings interact with auras, and a few new aura choices. There's also a couple extra feats over the ones presented here, including two other multiclass feats (similar to Devoted Commander), all of which are still being tested. If you're curious, the new minor auras are Open Fire and Fire At Will, and the new majors are Take Cover, In Control, and Precision Teamwork; I'll leave it to you to guess which other two classes we're trying for multiclass options (hint: one is much more obvious than the other). There's also at least one prestige class intended for marshals drawn up and finished (it was here at one point until the servers ate it, but we rebuilt it from scratch), and I still have my notes for another unfinished one (mostly draft mechanics; it was based around organizing allies into formations at both the PC level and the follower level). Basically, I got a lot of good feedback from people playing marshals, and plugged away at streamlining it over the years.
In fact, if it weren't for one of the more serious tweaks from the original revision (changing the aura bonus type from Competence to Morale), I would probably be playing a marshal myself in Dead for Nothing(x). (Andarious is playing an Inspire Courage / White Raven martial adept and there'd be quite a bit of mechanical and thematic overlap; as a result I switched to the other end of the numeric-bonuses spectrum and now a hexblade.)
Marshal
Modified from the original by Tempest Stormwind.
Inspired by RadicalTaoist's Sublime Way Ranger and discussion here.
Some elements borrowed from Mystyc's retooled marshal.
This is a repost, I have changed absolutely nothing. I simply think this is a wonderful class, and it should not be forgotten in the archives.
It is the intent of this variant to simultaneously give the marshal a boost up to the same approximate power level as other PC classes and make it more compelling as a PC class choice. It is intended to replace the existing marshal, widely held to be weak, uninteresting or only useful as a dip.
Significant changes to abilities from the original class are italicized.
Removed abilities are struck through.
Completely new abilities are not specially formatted.
We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty!
~Sir Alerias, Warmaster of the White Raven, to his victorious troops
http://wizards.com/dnd/images/ph2_gallery/97112.jpg(x)
Sometimes it is not enough to be a conquering warrior, a champion of all that's right, an experienced sellsword, or an elite foot soldier. Sometimes the circumstances require a solid commander of soldiers and situations. Sometimes the circumstances demand a marshal.
Marshals inspire trust in those they lead. They earn that trust by slogging through harsh landscapes, dangerous battlefields, and haunted catacombs along with those under their command. With a look, they can see where to best deploy their resources or come up with a sneaky ruse to fool their enemies. A marshal has a tactician's mind, a cartographer's overview of the disputed landscape (or dungeon warren), and a way with words that can inspire battle-hardened fighters to give it their all when melee breaks out.
A marshal is not necessarily the greatest martial combatant, but that doesn't mean his opponents should count him out in personal combat. Several marshals act as champions for their units, inspiring their companions by deed, meeting mighty enemy warriors head-on and challenging opposing generals on the field of battle with their loyal regiments alongside them, pressing the advantage. That said, a marshal does not belong questing for personal glory. His place is with his men, training them, drilling them, and ultimately leading them ever onward towards victory.
About the Marshal
Weapon and armor proficiency: Simple and martial weapons; light, medium, and heavy armor; shields (but not tower shields).
Hit Die: d8
Class skills: Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (architecture and engineering, geography, history, local, nobility and royalty, religion) (Int), Martial Lore (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (n/a), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier (x4 as a first-level character).
Base Fort Ref Will Auras Maneuvers Stances Max<br />Lv Atk save save save Special Minor Major Known Ready Known Level<br />01 +0 +2 +0 +2 Command style 1 0 2 2 1 1st<br />02 +1 +3 +0 +3 Command presence +1 1 1 3 2 1 1st<br />03 +2 +3 +1 +3 2 1 3 2 1 1st<br />04 +3 +4 +1 +4 Bonus feat 2 1 4 3 1 2nd<br />05 +3 +4 +1 +4 3 2 4 3 1 2nd<br />06 +4 +5 +2 +5 Command presence +2 3 2 5 3 2 3rd<br />07 +5 +5 +2 +5 4 2 5 3 2 3rd<br />08 +6 +6 +2 +6 Bonus feat 4 2 6 3 2 4th<br />09 +6 +6 +3 +6 5 3 6 3 2 4th<br />10 +7 +7 +3 +7 Command presence +3, 5 3 7 4 2 5th<br /> battlefield adaptation<br />11 +8 +7 +3 +7 6 3 7 4 3 5th<br />12 +9 +8 +4 +8 Bonus feat 6 3 8 4 3 6th<br />13 +9 +8 +4 +8 7 3 8 4 3 6th<br />14 +10 +9 +4 +9 Command presence +4 7 4 9 4 3 7th<br />15 +11 +9 +5 +9 8 4 9 5 3 7th<br />16 +12 +10 +5 +10 Bonus feat 8 4 10 5 4 8th<br />17 +12 +10 +5 +10 9 4 10 5 4 8th<br />18 +13 +11 +6 +11 Command presence +5 9 4 11 5 4 9th<br />19 +14 +11 +6 +11 10 4 11 5 4 9th<br />20 +15 +12 +6 +12 Bonus feat, shining 10 5 12 6 4 9th<br /> beacon of authority
Class Features
Skill Focus: At first level, a marshal gains Skill Focus (Diplomacy) as a bonus feat.
Auras (Ex): The marshal exerts an effect on allies in his vicinity. He can learn to produce different effects, or auras, over the course of his career. The marshal may project one minor aura and (starting at 2nd level) one major aura at a time.
Projecting an aura is a swift action. The aura remains in effect until the marshal uses a free action to dismiss it or activates another aura of the same kind (major or minor). A marshal can have an aura active continually; thus, an aura can be in effect at the start of a combat encounter even before the marshal takes his first turn (but see below on major auras).
Activating an aura involves haranguing, ordering, directing, encouraging, cajoling, or calming allies. A marshal sizes up the enemy, allies, and the terrain, then gives allies the direction that they can use to do their best.
Unless otherwise noted, a marshal's aura affects all allies within 60 feet (including himself). An ally must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher and be able to understand the marshal's language to gain the bonus. A marshal's aura is dismissed if he is dazed, unconscious, stunned, paralyzed, or otherwise unable to be heard or understood by his allies.
A marshal begins play knowing one minor aura of his choice. At each level indicated in Table: The Marshal, he learns either a minor or a major aura, as appropriate. A marshal's minor auras are fixed, but he may exchange one major aura he knows for another major aura at level 6 and every 4 levels after that (10th, 14th, and so on).
All bonuses granted by a marshal's auras are morale bonuses that do not stack with each other. Unlike most effects, a marshal aura stacks with the marshal's commander aura if applicable. They do not stack with the commander auras of others.
Commander auras are introduced in Heroes of Battle and are adaptations of D&D Miniatures command effects.
Minor Aura: A minor aura lets allies add the marshal's Charisma bonus (if any) to certain rolls. However, a minor aura is limited by experience -- a marshal cannot grant a bonus higher than his marshal initiator level +1, even if his Charisma bonus is greater than this.
Accurate Strike: Bonus on rolls made to confirm critical hits. Additionally, if an ally's attack would be subject to a miss chance (except an incorporeal miss chance), reduce that miss chance by 5% per point of bonus. (If the ally is attacking an invisible target, he still must target the correct square.)
Art of War: Bonus on disarm, trip, bull rush, and sunder attempts, including attempts to resist these techniques.
Defensive Awareness: Bonus on flat-footed and touch Armor Class (to a maximum of that ally's normal Armor Class).
Demand Fortitude: Bonus on Fortitude saves.
Determined Mind: Bonus on Concentration checks and rolls to overcome spell resistance.
Force of Will: Bonus on Will saves. This stacks with the Bolstering Voice stance. This is an exception to normal stacking rules.
Master of Opportunity: Bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity.
Master of Tactics: Bonus on damage rolls when flanking.
Motivate Agility: Bonus on Dexterity checks, Dexterity-based skill checks, and initiative checks.
Motivate Charisma: Bonus on Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks.
Motivate Endurance: Bonus on Constitution checks and Constitution-based skill checks. Additionally, creatures gain a number of hit points equal to the marshal's Charisma bonus times his command presence (if any) +1. For example, a first level marshal (with no command presence) would grant those under the aura a number of hit points equal to his Charisma bonus. These are not temporary hit points, nor are they bonus hit points per hit die. These hit points go away if Motivate Endurance ends for any reason, which may prove hazardous or even fatal in some situations.
Motivate Intelligence: Bonus on Intelligence checks and Intelligence-based skill checks.
Motivate Power: Bonus on Strength checks, Strength-based skill checks, and Grapple checks. Those under the effect of Motivate Power treat their Strength score as 1 higher per point of bonus for purposes relating to carrying capacity, including lifting and pushing/dragging objects.
Motivate Wisdom: Bonus on Wisdom checks and Wisdom-based skill checks.
Over the Top: Bonus on damage rolls when charging. This only applies to the first attack made after a charge if the ally is capable of making more than one such attack.
Watchful Eye: Bonus on Reflex saves.
Major Aura: Beginning at 2nd level, a marshal can project a major aura in addition to his minor aura. A major aura lets allies add +1 to certain rolls. This bonus improves by +1 at 7th, 14th, and 20th level. A major aura lets allies add the marshal's command presence (see below) to certain rolls. The bonus from a major aura only applies during an encounter; although it may be active before the encounter begins, your team is not in the proper state of mind to benefit from it until the encounter starts. Benefits from an active major aura apply to each individual on their first turn with no particular action on the part of the marshal.
Hardy Soldiers: The marshal's allies gain damage reduction equal to the marshal's command presence. For example, if the marshal is 10th level, everyone affected gains DR 3/-.
Motivate Ardor: Bonus on weapon damage rolls.
Motivate Attack: Bonus on melee attack rolls.
Motivate Care: Bonus to Armor Class.
Motivate Urgency: Allies' base land speed is increased by a number of feet equal to 5 x the marshal's command presence. For example, the allies of a 10th-level marshal (+3 command presence) add 15 feet to their base land speed.
Precision Teamwork: When an ally uses the Aid Another action successfully, the recipient of that action gains an additional bonus on that roll equal to the marshal's command presence. For instance, if an ally of a 10th level marshal (+3 command presence) successfully aids another ally's attack roll, that other ally gains a +5 bonus instead of a +2. Multiple Aid Another attempts stack this way as normal for Aid Another (this is an exception to normal stacking rules).
Resilient Troops: Bonus on all saves.
Steady Hand: Bonus on ranged attack rolls.
Additionally, an ally under a marshal's major aura adds the marshal's command presence to all morale checks. If the marshal's aura(s) would otherwise boost these allies' Will saves for that morale check, all pertinent effects stack (an exception to standard stacking rules).
Introduced in Heroes of Battle, a morale check is a type of DC 20 Will save against fear. A unit's morale is critical to its success on the battlefield.Command Style: Not all marshals are created equal. Marshals gain access to martial maneuvers, but exactly how they execute them depends on their style of command. At 1st level, marshals choose one of the following. Once chosen, it cannot be changed.
Warrior-Chief: This style is focused on leading by example, fighting right alongside one's troops as a significant threat on the battlefield. The marshal gains access to the Iron Heart school, adds Balance to his list of class skills, and may take Skill Focus (Balance) or Ironheart Aura as bonus feats (see Bonus Feats, below).
Siegemaster: This style reflects defense and sheer brute force. A siegemaster marshal is always keenly aware of defenses, either holding or breaching them. The marshal gains access to the Stone Dragon discipline, adds Balance to his list of class skills, and may take Skill Focus (Balance) or Stone Power as bonus feats (see Bonus Feats, below).
Crusade Commander: A crusade commander is fiercely dedicated both to a cause and to his men, although how he views his troops depends on that cause. Crusade commanders draw upon their zeal to inspire themselves and their troops to supernatural levels. The marshal gains access to the Devoted Sprit school, and may take Devoted Bulwark as a bonus feat (see Bonus Feats, below).
Although this may grant the least, note that only crusaders had access to Devoted Spirit, and much of it affects your allies.
Strategic Champion: A strategic champion focuses on tactics on many more levels than a typical marshal, often keeping open games of chess, shogi, go, or similar running while planning troop movements. When he rides to battle, he does so to challenge enemy champions one-on-one, while his well-trained men deal with the details of the engagement. The marshal gains access to the Diamond Mind discipline, adds Concentration to his list of class skills, and may take Skill Focus (Concentration) or Unnerving Calm as bonus feats (see Bonus Feats, below).
Additional command styles may be developed by the DM if the character design calls for it. For instance, a Guerilla Tactician style that grants access to Shadow Hand, adds Hide as a class skill, and adds Shadow Blade and Skill Focus (Hide) could be used for the leader of a commando squad if the DM considers it worthwhile.
Maneuvers: A marshal begins his career with knowledge of two martial maneuvers, drawn from the White Raven discipline and the discipline he gains from his command style.
Once he knows a maneuver, he must ready it before he can use it (see Maneuvers Readied, below). A maneuver usable by marshals is considered an extraordinary ability unless otherwise noted in its description. Maneuvers are not affected by spell resistance, and do not provoke attacks of opportunity when initiated.
Marshals learn additional maneuvers at higher levels, as shown on Table: The Marshal. A marshal must meet a maneuver's prerequisite to learn it.
A marshal counts his full class level towards his initiator level (rather than half, as normal). Marshals qualify for feats and prestige classes as if they were warblades (for instance, if a feat requires "warblade level 1st", a first-level marshal meets that requirement).
Unlike other martial adepts, a marshal focuses his study on coordinating his allies rather than furthering his own personal might. Thus, he does not use Table 3-1 in the Tome of Battle (which progresses at the same rate a wizard gains access to new spell levels) to determine the highest level maneuver he may learn. Instead, he uses the maximum level indicated on Table: The Marshal (which advances at the same rate a sorcerer gains access to new spell levels).
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every two marshal levels after that (7th, 9th, 11th, and so on), a marshal can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one he already knows. In effect, he loses the old maneuver in exchange for the new one. He can choose a new maneuver of any level he wishes, as long as it is not greater than his highest maneuver level known. For example, upon reaching 11th level, a marshal could trade in a single 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd- or 4th-level maneuver for a maneuver of 5th level or lower, as long as he meets the prerequisite of the new maneuver. Only a single maneuver can be swapped at any given level.
Maneuvers Readied: A marshal can ready both of the maneuvers he knows at 1st level, but as he advances in level and learns more maneuvers, he must choose which maneuvers to ready. A marshal readies maneuvers by discussing tactics with at least one of his allies for 5 minutes (an "ally" for purposes related to readying and recovering maneuvers is an intelligent creature who would fight alongside the marshal in combat, and the ally must have a means of communication with the marshal). Maneuvers chosen to be readied remain readied until the marshal decides to discuss a change in plans with his allies again. Rest is not required to ready maneuvers; any time a marshal could plan new battle tactics, he could change his readied maneuvers.
A marshal begins an encounter with all his readied maneuvers unexpended, regardless of how many times he might have already used them since he chose them. When he initiates a maneuver, he expends it for the current encounter, so each of his readied maneuvers can be used once per encounter (unless he recovers them, as described below).
A marshal recovers maneuvers by directing his allies, getting them back into position and signalling that they're ready to work alongside him again. He must make a successful Diplomacy or Intimdiate check (DC 20) to do so. This check takes a full-round action. Alternatively, a marshal may elect to speed up this process, taking only a standard action to do so, although the DC increases to 30. If this check is successful, all of his expended maneuvers become readied; if it fails, no maneuvers are recovered, but he may try again the following round.
At least one ally must be able to hear the marshal and signal in response for him to recover his expended maneuvers. These Diplomacy or Intimidate checks do not have any other effect on your allies (such as heartening them or pressing them to work harder); their only effect when used this way is to attempt to recover your maneuvers.
A marshal may change his stance or his auras while recovering maneuvers if he would otherwise be able to do so.
Stances Known: A marshal begins play with knowledge of one 1st-level stance from any discipline open to him. At 6th, 11th, and 16th level, he can choose additional stances. Unlike maneuvers, stances are not expended, and the marshal does not have to ready them. All the stances he knows are available to him at all times, and he can change the stance he is currently using as a swift action. A stance is an extraordinary ability unless otherwise stated in the stance description.
Unlike with maneuvers, a marshal cannot learn a new stance at higher levels in place of one he already knows.
Command Presence: A marshal literally personifies leadership, and exudes an air of confidence that others find heartening. From 2nd level on, a marshal projects this presence most commonly through a major aura, although he also gains a bonus based on his command presence rating to other command-related mechanics. A marshal gains a bonus equal to twice his command presence on Diplomacy checks, opposed Charisma checks (typically to assert authority), saving throws against fear, rally checks and skill checks made as part of a duel of wills. Furthermore, he adds his command presence to his Leadership score, and one-half his command presence to his commander rating (to a maximum effective commander rating of 7).
Introduced in Heroes of Battle, commander ratings range from 0 to 7 and are representative, roughly, of rank (they correspond to Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, and General, respectively). Commander rating factors in to numerous battle commands and can grant a commander aura.
Also from Heroes of Battle, rally checks allow you to motivate troops, granting them a bonus on saves against fear. It's functionally similar to changing an NPC attitude, but a bit more involved.
A duel of wills is a type of Intimidate check introduced in the Tome of Battle that attempts to dishearten a single significant foe at the start of combat. It's a signature of the Devoted Spirit and Diamond Mind schools.
Grant Move Action (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a marshal can direct and motivate his allies to act immediately.... and so on and so forth.
Bonus feat: At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, a marshal gains a bonus feat. He must meet all the prerequisites for this feat (but see below), which must be one drawn from the following list or the feats mentioned in his command style:
Adaptive Style†, Alertness, Battlefield Inspiration‡, Clarion Commander†, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Danger Sense‡, Daunting Presence‡, Diehard, Endurance, Far Shot, Great Fortitude, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Leadership, Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery, Negotiator, Persuasive, Point Blank Shot, Scribe Martial Script†, Skill Focus (Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive), Quick Draw, Ride-By Attack, Tactician*, Tower Shield Proficiency, Warlord*, White Raven Defense†, White Raven General*.
†Introduced in the Tome of Battle. As noted above, marshals count as warblades for the purposes of feat prerequisites.
‡ Introduced in the Miniatures Handbook. Some may also appear in other sources (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/lists/feats).(x)
*Described below.
A marshal with a Leadership score (character level + Charisma modifier + command presence + other modifiers based on reputation) of at least 8 can take Leadership as one of these bonus feats, even if he is not yet 6th level. However, if his Leadership score drops below 8 before he attains 6th level, he loses the feat (his soldiers grow disheartened and desert) until he meets either prerequisite again.
It's extremely rare, but in fringe cases, a houserule limiting followers to one level below the leader might be handy.
DMs using Heroes of Battle may also allow marshals to take Leader feats that they qualify for as bonus feats.
Battlefield Adaptation (Ex): At 10th level, a marshal has seen enough battles to be able to simultaneously see how to adjust his personal combat style and direct his troops simultaneously as the tide of battle shifts. As a swift action, he may activate or change any combination of his stance, his minor aura, and his major aura as he sees fit.
For instance, Sir Alerias, a 10th level marshal, is directing his troops aggressively, using the Over the Top minor aura, the Motivate Attack major aura, and the Leading the Charge stance. After leading a successful charge, he adjusts his tactics and the orders he gives his team, spending a swift action to change his minor aura to Master of Tactics and his stance to Tactics of the Wolf (while he could change his major aura as part of this action, he elects to keep using Motivate Attack).
Shining Beacon of Authority (Ex): A 20th level marshal is a thing of beauty and terror on the battlefield. His merest presence is enough to turn the tides of nearly any war as his troops are inspired to superhuman levels, and enemy forces cower in terror, fearfully whispering his name amongst themselves.
Shining Beacon of Authority is treated as a special martial stance, and follows all the rules relating to stances, except that it can only be entered while in an encounter. Exactly how it behaves depends on how it is entered:
If the marshal enters Shining Beacon of Authority from a stanceless state, he instantly projects another minor aura and another major aura that he knows. These auras cannot be changed once projected, and last until Shining Beacon of Authority ends. This effect counts as being in a stance from both the White Raven discipline and the marshal's command style discipline (for instance, a warrior-chief coud benefit from both the Ironheart Aura and the White Raven Defense feats while in this form of Shining Beacon).
If the marshal shifts from a White Raven stance into Shining Beacon of Authority, he focuses on his allies, instilling them with his own supreme sense of confidence. All allies under the effect of his auras have any morale bonuses affecting them doubled, regardless of their initial source. This effect counts as being in a White Raven stance.
If the marshal shifts from a stance from his command style discipline into Shining Beacon of Authority, he becomes a serious threat to his foes. Warrior-chiefs exhude raw danger with their combat prowess, siegemasters let the earth tremble in their presence, crusade commanders become terrifying zealots of their cause, and strategic champions project their own presence to their enemies, exemplifying the single-minded threat of a dedicated foe.
Regardless of how his command style describes this ability, the effect is the same: He chooses one or more currently active auras to invert when entering this stance. Allies cease gaining the benefit of inverted auras, but enemies feel the effects: an inverted aura imposes a morale penalty to all enemies in range on whatever it would normally affect (for instance, inverting Motivate Attack would impose a penalty equal to the marshal's command presence on all enemy attack rolls in the range of his aura). Each affected enemy is entitled to a Will saving throw (DC 10 + half the marshal's class level + the marshal's Charisma modifier) to negate this effect each time you engage it. This otherwise follows all rules relating to auras (for instance, an enemy must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher and be able to hear the marshal to be affected). Inverted auras remain that way until Shining Beacon of Authority ends and cannot be changed while this effect lasts. This effect counts as being in a stance from the marshal's command style discipline.
Shining Beacon of Authority ends whenever the marshal shifts to another stance as normal, but it also ends when the encounter does. It is impossible to motivate or demotivate troops to this degree outside of the pressures of combat.
It is important to note that stances switch from "active" to "inactive" -- you cannot enter a given stance from the same stance. In order to change Shining Beacon of Authority from one form to the other, I'd need to end Shining Beacon and either assume a stanceless state or enter another stance first, and then re-enter Shining Beacon from that other state (which requires another swift action and typically must be done on the following turn).
New Character Options
Devoted Commander [General]
Your devotion to your deity is an inspiration to those around you. You lead with the same strength you put behind your faith.
Prerequisites: Command Presence +1, Smite Evil.
Benefit: If you have levels in paladin and marshal, you add your full paladin level to your marshal initiator level (they still count half toward any other initiator levels you may have). Your paladin and marshal levels stack when determining your command presence and the damage from your smite evil ability.
You may freely multiclass between paladin and marshal. You still must remain Lawful Good and abide by the paladin code of conduct in order to retain your paladin abilities and take paladin levels. You still face the normal XP penalties for having multiple classes more than one level apart.
Normal: Levels in other classes count as half-levels toward any initiator level. Paladins have intense multiclassing restrictions and cannot gain their special mount before level 5 (see below).
Special: If you have selected the Crusade Commander command style, you gain the special mount feature as a paladin of your marshal level + your paladin level. This can grant you the special mount feature if you didn't already have it, provided the sum of your marshal and paladin levels is 5 or greater.
Tactician [General]
Your command style is more cerebral than most, focusing on intelligent tactics and competent maneuvering rather than raw emotion. You instruct your troops in detailed maneuver execution during training, which they recall with crystal clarity when you issue orders.
Prerequisite: Command presence +1.
Benefit: Allies under the influence of at least one of your marshal auras may treat the benefits they recieve from each of them as competence bonuses or insight bonuses instead of morale bonuses as they choose, at no special action to you. Allies individually choose which type of bonus they recieve from each currently active aura as a free action at the start of each of their turns; this does not require any special effort on your part.
Normal: Aura bonuses are entirely morale bonuses, and thus never stack with other morale bonuses (such as Inspire Courage or other marshal auras). Marshal auras stack with the marshal's commander auras.
Warlord [General]
You are a mighty force of inspiration on the battlefield, and directly command more troops than other marshals.
Prerequisite: Charisma 15+, Command Presence +2.
Benefit: The radius of your marshal auras doubles, becoming 120 ft. If you have a commander aura (described in Heroes of Battle), its range increases to 60 ft.
Additionally, troops within 60 ft. no longer need to hear you to benefit from your marshal auras. They must be otherwise able to percieve you, however -- seeing you gesture, sensing your voice in their heads, and so forth. Soldiers further away than this are treated normally.
Normal: Marshal auras extend 60 ft, and only affect troops who can hear the marshal. Commander auras extend 30 ft.
White Raven General [General]
As an experienced White Raven adept, you understand that a general is only as good as the troops he leads, and as such you have learned to adapt your commands to fit the situation, inspiring your troops to execute somewhat more complicated tactics than normal.
Prerequisite: Three minor auras, Command Presence +2, White Raven Defense, two White Raven maneuvers, one White Raven stance.
Benefit: While in a White Raven stance, you may project a second minor aura. Doing so takes a separate swift action from projecting your other auras or assuming the stance, and can be done any number of times while in the stance. If you enter a stanceless state or any stance from a school other than White Raven, this second aura fades.
Normal: You may only have one minor aura and one major aura active at the same time.
Special: If you possess the Battlefield Adaptation ability, you may adjust this additional aura at the same time you change your other auras or your stance.
Army of One [General]
Left alone, a leader can quickly wane without his allies. Carrying the spirit of your men within your heart, their strength reinforces your resolve in battle.
Prerequisite: Marshal level 1st, Intimidate 4 ranks, Martial Lore 4 ranks, must know at least two White Raven maneuvers.
Marshals normally count as warblades for feat prerequisites; this is unique.
Benefit: Immediately after you successfully demoralize an opponent with the Intimidate skill, you can recover your expended marshal maneuvers as a swift action.
Additionally, you can ready your marshal maneuvers without discussing tactics with your allies, but without their input and feedback, the process takes longer -- it takes twenty minutes to change your readied maneuvers this way, as you analyze possible troop movements and devise new battle cues on your own.
Normal: A marshal can only recover maneuvers by spending a full-round action to make a Diplomacy or Intimidate check (or a standard action at a higher DC), and must have at least one ally nearby to to so. He can only ready maneuvers by discussing tactics with at least one ally for five minutes.
Adrenaline Surge
White Raven [Language-dependent]
Level: Crusader 6, marshal 6, warblade 6
Prerequisites: Two White Raven maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: 30 ft.
Targets: Any or all willing allies within 30 ft.
Duration: 1 minute
Delivering a heroic and inspirational speech, you exhort your allies to discover a resovoir of energy they didn't think they had. Even the most gravely wounded allies grow stronger and more determined to rejoin the fight.
You grant temporary hit points equal to your initiator level to any or all willing allies within range (but not to yourself). If the ally's current hit point total is no more than half his full normal hit points, the number of temporary hit points granted to that character is doubled (to twice your initiator level). As always, temporary hit points overlap (do not stack with) other temporary hit points.
Additionally, the surge of adrenaline you inspire effectively counters the effects of fatigue. Any fatigued ally who is affected by this maneuver is no longer fatigued. This has no special effect on allies who are exhausted. When this maneuver ends, all affected allies become fatigued if they were not fatigued when the maneuver was initiated, or exhausted if they were initially fatigued. This fatigue (or exhaustion) lasts until the end of the encounter, after which they return to their initial condition of fatigue.
This is an adaptation of the alternate class feature presented in the Player's Handbook 2.
Rally the Legion
White Raven [Language-dependent]
Level: Crusader 2, marshal 2, warblade 2
Prerequisites: One White Raven maneuver, aura (see text)
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Special; see text
Area: Special; see text
Duration: Special; see text
Raising your weapon and racing across the battlefield, you deliver a powerful motivational speech to your troops. All who hear you are heartened, and feel the urge to echo your cry as you ride past.
As part of this maneuver, you can move up to two times your land speed (on foot or on a mount). All allies that are within the reach of one of your auras during any part of your movement, including when you start and stop, gain the benefit of that aura as if you were right beside them, even if you were only within range for a moment. Note that you cannot change your marshal aura (a swift action) in the middle of this maneuver (a full-round action), although you may change it just before initiating Rally the Legion or after it is finished.
This effect lingers for a number of rounds equal to half your Charisma bonus plus your command presence rating, if any. If you become incapable of projecting an aura while this maneuver is lingering, its effects immediately end. If you change your auras while Rally the Legion is lingering, the change only affects those troops currently within range of your aura, not those under the lingering effects from the maneuver.
Valid auras for Rally the Legion include any major or minor auras, paladin auras such as Aura of Courage, and similar effects (such as command auras or an angel's (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/angel.htm)(x) protective aura racial ability), but not temporary effects from spells or powers. Track the effect of each aura separately (for instance, if a marshal/paladin only moves within 60' of a particular ally during this maneuver, the paladin's 10-foot-radius Aura of Courage doesn't affect the ally while his marshal auras will, and if a marshal is silenced, his marshal auras end for those Rally the Legion is lingering for but other auras not dependent on his voice (if any) are unaffected).
Command auras are an effect from a high Commander Rating in Heroes of Battle, and can be likened to an old Major Aura (without this variant). Any class can gain one.
Call to Glory
White Raven [Language-dependent]
Level: Crusader 8, marshal 8, warblade 8
Prerequisites: Three White Raven maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 round
Range: Special; see text
Area: Special; see text
Duration: Special; see text
You call out a quick yet complicated sequence of words, numbers, and acronyms that would seem like gibberish to anyone but those who fight alongside you, who recognize them as posture and attack summaries similar to those found on martial scripts. Charged with power, your voice delivers to them a sudden flash of insight, and they shift their fighting technique as a result.
Call to Glory allows you to command your allies in the execution of a single martial maneuver -- essentially, it is the verbal equivalent of a martial script. When you initiate this maneuver, you also expend one other readied maneuver of 3rd level or lower from a school other than White Raven. If you are a crusader, this maneuver must also be a granted maneuver.
Initiating this maneuver is like casting a one-round spell like summon monster; it continues past the end of your turn and is completed at the start of your next. If you are damaged during this time, you must make a Concentration check (DC 18+damage dealt) or have your intricate speech disrupted.
Once successfully initiated, all allies within 30 feet of you who can hear you speak suddenly gain a flash of insight -- the maneuver you expended at the start of initiation appears in their minds, exactly as if they'd read it on a martial script. As long as you continue to verbally direct them (a standard action on your part similar to concentrating on a spell), they can initiate this maneuver once, at an initiator level of one-half their character level or their own initiator level, whichever is higher. This maneuver is subject to Table 3-1 in the Tome of Battle; 1st-level conscripts cannot hope to initiate a 3rd-level maneuver, although higher-level allies could. They cannot recover this maneuver; it is a one-time effect. If you stop reciting your commands or an ally can no longer hear you recite, the maneuver instantly fades from their minds. Most allies of White Raven adepts learn to recognize when a Call to Glory is being initiated, and move into a position to make optimal use of what they are being told during the round he issues commands.
Unlike other martial maneuvers, Call to Glory is impossible to re-orchestrate in the heat of battle. After initiating Call to Glory, it is removed from your list of readied maneuvers as if you didn't ready it earlier, which makes it impossible to recover through normal recovery methods. You cannot ready another maneuver to take its place (or re-ready Call to Glory) until you would normally be able to ready maneuvers (which requires 5 minutes of calm). The Adaptive Style feat can ready Call to Glory, but only if it is the only maneuver readied by using that feat.
SPECIAL: Using this maneuver is draining, and costs you 25 XP per level of the maneuver you granted. Furthermore, marshals with the Warlord feat can initiate this maneuver even if their allies cannot hear them, provided that they are capable of otherwise percieving the marshal.
Originally posted by ansob:
This is going to seem like a completely out-of-the-blue necro, but... does anyone have a link to this posted on a phpBB board? The new community formatting completely breaks this because without the strike tags, the class is illegible, since Stormwind included the default class' text in this alongside the new stuff. I used to have a .pdf version but I lost that a while back, and I'm planning on starting a 3.5 ToB campaign so I'd like to have a fourth martial class.
Reconstructing what was struck through using the actual WotC class won't work, because part of the default class text was kept and I don't think I can tell what was and wasn't kept apart, so I'm really hoping this was saved somewhere before the new forum software ruined it. It was definitely one of the best-thought-out homebrew classes I ever saw, and it'd be a shame if this just died.
Originally posted by Janos_Antero:
[ATT align]Marshal
Modified from the original by Tempest Stormwind.
Inspired by RadicalTaoist's Sublime Way Ranger and discussion here.
Some elements borrowed from Mystyc's retooled marshal.
It is the intent of this variant to simultaneously give the marshal a boost up to the same approximate power level as other PC classes and make it more compelling as a PC class choice. It is intended to replace the existing marshal, widely held to be weak, uninteresting or only useful as a dip.
Significant changes to abilities from the original class are italicized.
Removed abilities are struck through.
Completely new abilities are not specially formatted.
[//ATT]
[ATT align]We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty!
~Sir Alerias, Warmaster of the White Raven, to his victorious troops
[//ATT]
[ATT align]
Sometimes it is not enough to be a conquering warrior, a champion of all that's right, an experienced sellsword, or an elite foot soldier. Sometimes the circumstances require a solid commander of soldiers and situations. Sometimes the circumstances demand a marshal.
Marshals inspire trust in those they lead. They earn that trust by slogging through harsh landscapes, dangerous battlefields, and haunted catacombs along with those under their command. With a look, they can see where to best deploy their resources or come up with a sneaky ruse to fool their enemies. A marshal has a tactician's mind, a cartographer's overview of the disputed landscape (or dungeon warren), and a way with words that can inspire battle-hardened fighters to give it their all when melee breaks out.
A marshal is not necessarily the greatest martial combatant, but that doesn't mean his opponents should count him out in personal combat. Several marshals act as champions for their units, inspiring their companions by deed, meeting mighty enemy warriors head-on and challenging opposing generals on the field of battle with their loyal regiments alongside them, pressing the advantage. That said, a marshal does not belong questing for personal glory. His place is with his men, training them, drilling them, and ultimately leading them ever onward towards victory.[//ATT]
About the Marshal
Weapon and armor proficiency: Simple and martial weapons; light, medium, and heavy armor; shields (but not tower shields).
Hit Die: d8
Class skills: Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (architecture and engineering, geography, history, local, nobility and royalty, religion) (Int), Martial Lore (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (n/a), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier (x4 as a first-level character).
Code:
[UNKNOWN=code]: Base Fort Ref Will Auras Maneuvers Stances Max
[UNKNOWN=code]: Lv Atk save save save Special Minor Major Known Ready Known Level
[UNKNOWN=code]: 1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Command style 1 0 2 2 1 1st
[UNKNOWN=code]: 2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Command presence +1 1 1 3 2 1 1st
[UNKNOWN=code]: 3 +2 +3 +1 +3 2 1 3 2 1 1st
[UNKNOWN=code]: 4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Bonus feat 2 1 4 3 1 2nd
[UNKNOWN=code]: 5 +3 +4 +1 +4 3 2 4 3 1 2nd
[UNKNOWN=code]: 6 +4 +5 +2 +5 Command presence +2 3 2 5 3 2 3rd
[UNKNOWN=code]: 7 +5 +5 +2 +5 4 2 5 3 2 3rd
[UNKNOWN=code]: 8 +6 +6 +2 +6 Bonus feat 4 2 6 3 2 4th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 9 +6 +6 +3 +6 5 3 6 3 2 4th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 10 +7 +7 +3 +7 Command presence +3, 5 3 7 4 2 5th
[UNKNOWN=code]: battlefield adaptation
[UNKNOWN=code]: 11 +8 +7 +3 +7 6 3 7 4 3 5th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 12 +9 +8 +4 +8 Bonus feat 6 3 8 4 3 6th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 13 +9 +8 +4 +8 7 3 8 4 3 6th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 14 +10 +9 +4 +9 Command presence +4 7 4 9 4 3 7th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 15 +11 +9 +5 +9 8 4 9 5 3 7th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 16 +12 +10 +5 +10 Bonus feat 8 4 10 5 4 8th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 17 +12 +10 +5 +10 9 4 10 5 4 8th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 18 +13 +11 +6 +11 Command presence +5 9 4 11 5 4 9th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 19 +14 +11 +6 +11 10 4 11 5 4 9th
[UNKNOWN=code]: 20 +15 +12 +6 +12 Bonus feat, shining 10 5 12 6 4 9th
[UNKNOWN=code]: beacon of authority
Class Features
Skill Focus: At first level, a marshal gains Skill Focus (Diplomacy) as a bonus feat.
Auras (Ex): The marshal exerts an effect on allies in his vicinity. He can learn to produce different effects, or auras, over the course of his career. The marshal may project one minor aura and (starting at 2nd level) one major aura at a time.
Projecting an aura is a swift action. The aura remains in effect until the marshal uses a free action to dismiss it or activates another aura of the same kind (major or minor). A marshal can have an aura active continually; thus, an aura can be in effect at the start of a combat encounter even before the marshal takes his first turn (but see below on major auras).
Activating an aura involves haranguing, ordering, directing, encouraging, cajoling, or calming allies. A marshal sizes up the enemy, allies, and the terrain, then gives allies the direction that they can use to do their best.
Unless otherwise noted, a marshal's aura affects all allies within 60 feet (including himself). An ally must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher and be able to understand the marshal's language to gain the bonus. A marshal's aura is dismissed if he is dazed, unconscious, stunned, paralyzed, or otherwise unable to be heard or understood by his allies.
A marshal begins play knowing one minor aura of his choice. At each level indicated in Table: The Marshal, he learns either a minor or a major aura, as appropriate. A marshal's minor auras are fixed, but he may exchange one major aura he knows for another major aura at level 6 and every 4 levels after that (10th, 14th, and so on).
All bonuses granted by a marshal's auras are morale bonuses that do not stack with each other. Unlike most effects, a marshal aura stacks with the marshal's commander aura if applicable. They do not stack with the commander auras of others.
Commander auras are introduced in Heroes of Battle and are adaptations of D&D Miniatures command effects.
Auras
Minor Aura: A minor aura lets allies add the marshal's Charisma bonus (if any) to certain rolls. However, a minor aura is limited by experience -- a marshal cannot grant a bonus higher than his marshal initiator level +1, even if his Charisma bonus is greater than this.
- Accurate Strike: Bonus on rolls made to confirm critical hits. Additionally, if an ally's attack would be subject to a miss chance (except an incorporeal miss chance), reduce that miss chance by 5% per point of bonus. (If the ally is attacking an invisible target, he still must target the correct square.)
- Art of War: Bonus on disarm, trip, bull rush, and sunder attempts, including attempts to resist these techniques.
- Defensive Awareness: Bonus on flat-footed and touch Armor Class (to a maximum of that ally's normal Armor Class).
- Demand Fortitude: Bonus on Fortitude saves.
- Determined Mind: Bonus on Concentration checks and rolls to overcome spell resistance.
- Force of Will: Bonus on Will saves. This stacks with the Bolstering Voice stance. This is an exception to normal stacking rules.
- Master of Opportunity: Bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity.
- Master of Tactics: Bonus on damage rolls when flanking.
- Motivate Agility: Bonus on Dexterity checks, Dexterity-based skill checks, and initiative checks.
- Motivate Charisma: Bonus on Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks.
- Motivate Endurance: Bonus on Constitution checks and Constitution-based skill checks. Additionally, creatures gain a number of hit points equal to the marshal's Charisma bonus times his command presence (if any) +1. For example, a first level marshal (with no command presence) would grant those under the aura a number of hit points equal to his Charisma bonus. These are not temporary hit points, nor are they bonus hit points per hit die. These hit points go away if Motivate Endurance ends for any reason, which may prove hazardous or even fatal in some situations.
- Motivate Intelligence: Bonus on Intelligence checks and Intelligence-based skill checks.
- Motivate Power: Bonus on Strength checks, Strength-based skill checks, and Grapple checks. Those under the effect of Motivate Power treat their Strength score as 1 higher per point of bonus for purposes relating to carrying capacity, including lifting and pushing/dragging objects.
- Motivate Wisdom: Bonus on Wisdom checks and Wisdom-based skill checks.
- Over the Top: Bonus on damage rolls when charging. This only applies to the first attack made after a charge if the ally is capable of making more than one such attack.
- Watchful Eye: Bonus on Reflex saves.
Major Aura: Beginning at 2nd level, a marshal can project a major aura in addition to his minor aura. A major aura lets allies add +1 to certain rolls. This bonus improves by +1 at 7th, 14th, and 20th level.
A major aura lets allies add the marshal's command presence (see below) to certain rolls. The bonus from a major aura only applies during an encounter; although it may be active before the encounter begins, your team is not in the proper state of mind to benefit from it until the encounter starts. Benefits from an active major aura apply to each individual on their first turn with no particular action on the part of the marshal.
- Hardy Soldiers: The marshal's allies gain damage reduction equal to the marshal's command presence. For example, if the marshal is 10th level, everyone affected gains DR 3/-.
- Motivate Ardor: Bonus on weapon damage rolls.
- Motivate Attack: Bonus on melee attack rolls.
- Motivate Care: Bonus to Armor Class.
- Motivate Urgency: Allies' base land speed is increased by a number of feet equal to 5 x the marshal's command presence. For example, the allies of a 10th-level marshal (+3 command presence) add 15 feet to their base land speed.
- Precision Teamwork: When an ally uses the Aid Another action successfully, the recipient of that action gains an additional bonus on that roll equal to the marshal's command presence. For instance, if an ally of a 10th level marshal (+3 command presence) successfully aids another ally's attack roll, that other ally gains a +5 bonus instead of a +2. Multiple Aid Another attempts stack this way as normal for Aid Another (this is an exception to normal stacking rules).
- Resilient Troops: Bonus on all saves.
- Steady Hand: Bonus on ranged attack rolls.
Additionally, an ally under a marshal's major aura adds the marshal's command presence to all morale checks. If the marshal's aura(s) would otherwise boost these allies' Will saves for that morale check, all pertinent effects stack (an exception to standard stacking rules).
Introduced in Heroes of Battle, a morale check is a type of DC 20 Will save against fear. A unit's morale is critical to its success on the battlefield.
Command Style: Not all marshals are created equal. Marshals gain access to martial maneuvers, but exactly how they execute them depends on their style of command. At 1st level, marshals choose one of the following. Once chosen, it cannot be changed.
- Warrior-Chief: This style is focused on leading by example, fighting right alongside one's troops as a significant threat on the battlefield. The marshal gains access to the Iron Heart school, adds Balance to his list of class skills, and may take Skill Focus (Balance) or Ironheart Aura as bonus feats (see Bonus Feats, below).
- Siegemaster: This style reflects defense and sheer brute force. A siegemaster marshal is always keenly aware of defenses, either holding or breaching them. The marshal gains access to the Stone Dragon discipline, adds Balance to his list of class skills, and may take Skill Focus (Balance) or Stone Power as bonus feats (see Bonus Feats, below).
- Crusade Commander: A crusade commander is fiercely dedicated both to a cause and to his men, although how he views his troops depends on that cause. Crusade commanders draw upon their zeal to inspire themselves and their troops to supernatural levels. The marshal gains access to the Devoted Sprit school, and may take Devoted Bulwark as a bonus feat (see Bonus Feats, below).
Although this may grant the least, note that only crusaders had access to Devoted Spirit, and much of it affects your allies.
- Strategic Champion: A strategic champion focuses on tactics on many more levels than a typical marshal, often keeping open games of chess, shogi, go, or similar running while planning troop movements. When he rides to battle, he does so to challenge enemy champions one-on-one, while his well-trained men deal with the details of the engagement. The marshal gains access to the Diamond Mind discipline, adds Concentration to his list of class skills, and may take Skill Focus (Concentration) or Unnerving Calm as bonus feats (see Bonus Feats, below).
Additional command styles may be developed by the DM if the character design calls for it. For instance, a Guerilla Tactician style that grants access to Shadow Hand, adds Hide as a class skill, and adds Shadow Blade and Skill Focus (Hide) could be used for the leader of a commando squad if the DM considers it worthwhile.
Maneuvers: A marshal begins his career with knowledge of two martial maneuvers, drawn from the White Raven discipline and the discipline he gains from his command style.
Once he knows a maneuver, he must ready it before he can use it (see Maneuvers Readied, below). A maneuver usable by marshals is considered an extraordinary ability unless otherwise noted in its description. Maneuvers are not affected by spell resistance, and do not provoke attacks of opportunity when initiated.
Marshals learn additional maneuvers at higher levels, as shown on Table: The Marshal. A marshal must meet a maneuver's prerequisite to learn it.
A marshal counts his full class level towards his initiator level (rather than half, as normal). Marshals qualify for feats and prestige classes as if they were warblades (for instance, if a feat requires "warblade level 1st", a first-level marshal meets that requirement).
Unlike other martial adepts, a marshal focuses his study on coordinating his allies rather than furthering his own personal might. Thus, he does not use Table 3-1 in the Tome of Battle (which progresses at the same rate a wizard gains access to new spell levels) to determine the highest level maneuver he may learn. Instead, he uses the maximum level indicated on Table: The Marshal (which advances at the same rate a sorcerer gains access to new spell levels).
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every two marshal levels after that (7th, 9th, 11th, and so on), a marshal can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one he already knows. In effect, he loses the old maneuver in exchange for the new one. He can choose a new maneuver of any level he wishes, as long as it is not greater than his highest maneuver level known. For example, upon reaching 11th level, a marshal could trade in a single 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd- or 4th-level maneuver for a maneuver of 5th level or lower, as long as he meets the prerequisite of the new maneuver. Only a single maneuver can be swapped at any given level.
Maneuvers Readied: A marshal can ready both of the maneuvers he knows at 1st level, but as he advances in level and learns more maneuvers, he must choose which maneuvers to ready. A marshal readies maneuvers by discussing tactics with at least one of his allies for 5 minutes (an "ally" for purposes related to readying and recovering maneuvers is an intelligent creature who would fight alongside the marshal in combat, and the ally must have a means of communication with the marshal). Maneuvers chosen to be readied remain readied until the marshal decides to discuss a change in plans with his allies again. Rest is not required to ready maneuvers; any time a marshal could plan new battle tactics, he could change his readied maneuvers.
A marshal begins an encounter with all his readied maneuvers unexpended, regardless of how many times he might have already used them since he chose them. When he initiates a maneuver, he expends it for the current encounter, so each of his readied maneuvers can be used once per encounter (unless he recovers them, as described below).
A marshal recovers maneuvers by directing his allies, getting them back into position and signalling that they're ready to work alongside him again. He must make a successful Diplomacy or Intimdiate check (DC 20) to do so. This check takes a full-round action. Alternatively, a marshal may elect to speed up this process, taking only a standard action to do so, although the DC increases to 30. If this check is successful, all of his expended maneuvers become readied; if it fails, no maneuvers are recovered, but he may try again the following round.
At least one ally must be able to hear the marshal and signal in response for him to recover his expended maneuvers. These Diplomacy or Intimidate checks do not have any other effect on your allies (such as heartening them or pressing them to work harder); their only effect when used this way is to attempt to recover your maneuvers.
A marshal may change his stance or his auras while recovering maneuvers if he would otherwise be able to do so.
Stances Known: A marshal begins play with knowledge of one 1st-level stance from any discipline open to him. At 6th, 11th, and 16th level, he can choose additional stances. Unlike maneuvers, stances are not expended, and the marshal does not have to ready them. All the stances he knows are available to him at all times, and he can change the stance he is currently using as a swift action. A stance is an extraordinary ability unless otherwise stated in the stance description.
Unlike with maneuvers, a marshal cannot learn a new stance at higher levels in place of one he already knows.
Command Presence: A marshal literally personifies leadership, and exudes an air of confidence that others find heartening. From 2nd level on, a marshal projects this presence most commonly through a major aura, although he also gains a bonus based on his command presence rating to other command-related mechanics. A marshal gains a bonus equal to twice his command presence on Diplomacy checks, opposed Charisma checks (typically to assert authority), saving throws against fear, rally checks and skill checks made as part of a duel of wills. Furthermore, he adds his command presence to his Leadership score, and one-half his command presence to his commander rating (to a maximum effective commander rating of 7).
Introduced in Heroes of Battle, commander ratings range from 0 to 7 and are representative, roughly, of rank (they correspond to Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, and General, respectively). Commander rating factors in to numerous battle commands and can grant a commander aura.
Also from Heroes of Battle, rally checks allow you to motivate troops, granting them a bonus on saves against fear. It's functionally similar to changing an NPC attitude, but a bit more involved.
A duel of wills is a type of Intimidate check introduced in the Tome of Battle that attempts to dishearten a single significant foe at the start of combat. It's a signature of the Devoted Spirit and Diamond Mind schools.
Grant Move Action (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a marshal can direct and motivate his allies to act immediately.... and so on and so forth.
Bonus feat: At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, a marshal gains a bonus feat. He must meet all the prerequisites for this feat (but see below), which must be one drawn from the following list or the feats mentioned in his command style:
Adaptive Style†, Alertness, Battlefield Inspiration‡, Clarion Commander†, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Danger Sense‡, Daunting Presence‡, Diehard, Endurance, Far Shot, Great Fortitude, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Leadership, Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery, Negotiator, Persuasive, Point Blank Shot, Scribe Martial Script†, Skill Focus (Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive), Quick Draw, Ride-By Attack, Tactician*, Tower Shield Proficiency, Warlord*, White Raven Defense†, White Raven General*.
†Introduced in the Tome of Battle. As noted above, marshals count as warblades for the purposes of feat prerequisites.
‡ Introduced in the Miniatures Handbook. Some may also appear in other sources.
*Described below.
A marshal with a Leadership score (character level + Charisma modifier + command presence + other modifiers based on reputation) of at least 8 can take Leadership as one of these bonus feats, even if he is not yet 6th level. However, if his Leadership score drops below 8 before he attains 6th level, he loses the feat (his soldiers grow disheartened and desert) until he meets either prerequisite again.
It's extremely rare, but in fringe cases, a houserule limiting followers to one level below the leader might be handy.
DMs using Heroes of Battle may also allow marshals to take Leader feats that they qualify for as bonus feats.
Battlefield Adaptation (Ex): At 10th level, a marshal has seen enough battles to be able to simultaneously see how to adjust his personal combat style and direct his troops simultaneously as the tide of battle shifts. As a swift action, he may activate or change any combination of his stance, his minor aura, and his major aura as he sees fit.
For instance, Sir Alerias, a 10th level marshal, is directing his troops aggressively, using the Over the Top minor aura, the Motivate Attack major aura, and the Leading the Charge stance. After leading a successful charge, he adjusts his tactics and the orders he gives his team, spending a swift action to change his minor aura to Master of Tactics and his stance to Tactics of the Wolf (while he could change his major aura as part of this action, he elects to keep using Motivate Attack).
Shining Beacon of Authority (Ex): A 20th level marshal is a thing of beauty and terror on the battlefield. His merest presence is enough to turn the tides of nearly any war as his troops are inspired to superhuman levels, and enemy forces cower in terror, fearfully whispering his name amongst themselves.
Shining Beacon of Authority is treated as a special martial stance, and follows all the rules relating to stances, except that it can only be entered while in an encounter. Exactly how it behaves depends on how it is entered:
- If the marshal enters Shining Beacon of Authority from a stanceless state, he instantly projects another minor aura and another major aura that he knows. These auras cannot be changed once projected, and last until Shining Beacon of Authority ends. This effect counts as being in a stance from both the White Raven discipline and the marshal's command style discipline (for instance, a warrior-chief coud benefit from both the Ironheart Aura and the White Raven Defense feats while in this form of Shining Beacon).
- If the marshal shifts from a White Raven stance into Shining Beacon of Authority, he focuses on his allies, instilling them with his own supreme sense of confidence. All allies under the effect of his auras have any morale bonuses affecting them doubled, regardless of their initial source. This effect counts as being in a White Raven stance.
- If the marshal shifts from a stance from his command style discipline into Shining Beacon of Authority, he becomes a serious threat to his foes. Warrior-chiefs exhude raw danger with their combat prowess, siegemasters let the earth tremble in their presence, crusade commanders become terrifying zealots of their cause, and strategic champions project their own presence to their enemies, exemplifying the single-minded threat of a dedicated foe.
Regardless of how his command style describes this ability, the effect is the same: He chooses one or more currently active auras to invert when entering this stance. Allies cease gaining the benefit of inverted auras, but enemies feel the effects: an inverted aura imposes a morale penalty to all enemies in range on whatever it would normally affect (for instance, inverting Motivate Attack would impose a penalty equal to the marshal's command presence on all enemy attack rolls in the range of his aura). Each affected enemy is entitled to a Will saving throw (DC 10 + half the marshal's class level + the marshal's Charisma modifier) to negate this effect each time you engage it. This otherwise follows all rules relating to auras (for instance, an enemy must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher and be able to hear the marshal to be affected). Inverted auras remain that way until Shining Beacon of Authority ends and cannot be changed while this effect lasts. This effect counts as being in a stance from the marshal's command style discipline.
Shining Beacon of Authority ends whenever the marshal shifts to another stance as normal, but it also ends when the encounter does. It is impossible to motivate or demotivate troops to this degree outside of the pressures of combat.
It is important to note that stances switch from "active" to "inactive" -- you cannot enter a given stance from the same stance. In order to change Shining Beacon of Authority from one form to the other, I'd need to end Shining Beacon and either assume a stanceless state or enter another stance first, and then re-enter Shining Beacon from that other state (which requires another swift action and typically must be done on the following turn).
New Character Options
Devoted Commander [General]
Your devotion to your deity is an inspiration to those around you. You lead with the same strength you put behind your faith.
Prerequisites: Command Presence +1, Smite Evil.
Benefit: If you have levels in paladin and marshal, you add your full paladin level to your marshal initiator level (they still count half toward any other initiator levels you may have). Your paladin and marshal levels stack when determining your command presence and the damage from your smite evil ability.
You may freely multiclass between paladin and marshal. You still must remain Lawful Good and abide by the paladin code of conduct in order to retain your paladin abilities and take paladin levels. You still face the normal XP penalties for having multiple classes more than one level apart.
Normal: Levels in other classes count as half-levels toward any initiator level. Paladins have intense multiclassing restrictions and cannot gain their special mount before level 5 (see below).
Special: If you have selected the Crusade Commander command style, you gain the special mount feature as a paladin of your marshal level + your paladin level. This can grant you the special mount feature if you didn't already have it, provided the sum of your marshal and paladin levels is 5 or greater.
Tactician [General]
Your command style is more cerebral than most, focusing on intelligent tactics and competent maneuvering rather than raw emotion. You instruct your troops in detailed maneuver execution during training, which they recall with crystal clarity when you issue orders.
Prerequisite: Command presence +1.
Benefit: Allies under the influence of at least one of your marshal auras may treat the benefits they recieve from each of them as competence bonuses or insight bonuses instead of morale bonuses as they choose, at no special action to you. Allies individually choose which type of bonus they recieve from each currently active aura as a free action at the start of each of their turns; this does not require any special effort on your part.
Normal: Aura bonuses are entirely morale bonuses, and thus never stack with other morale bonuses (such as Inspire Courage or other marshal auras). Marshal auras stack with the marshal's commander auras.
Warlord [General]
You are a mighty force of inspiration on the battlefield, and directly command more troops than other marshals.
Prerequisite: Charisma 15+, Command Presence +2.
Benefit: The radius of your marshal auras doubles, becoming 120 ft. If you have a commander aura (described in Heroes of Battle), its range increases to 60 ft.
Additionally, troops within 60 ft. no longer need to hear you to benefit from your marshal auras. They must be otherwise able to percieve you, however -- seeing you gesture, sensing your voice in their heads, and so forth. Soldiers further away than this are treated normally.
Normal: Marshal auras extend 60 ft, and only affect troops who can hear the marshal. Commander auras extend 30 ft.
White Raven General [General]
As an experienced White Raven adept, you understand that a general is only as good as the troops he leads, and as such you have learned to adapt your commands to fit the situation, inspiring your troops to execute somewhat more complicated tactics than normal.
Prerequisite: Three minor auras, Command Presence +2, White Raven Defense, two White Raven maneuvers, one White Raven stance.
Benefit: While in a White Raven stance, you may project a second minor aura. Doing so takes a separate swift action from projecting your other auras or assuming the stance, and can be done any number of times while in the stance. If you enter a stanceless state or any stance from a school other than White Raven, this second aura fades.
Normal: You may only have one minor aura and one major aura active at the same time.
Special: If you possess the Battlefield Adaptation ability, you may adjust this additional aura at the same time you change your other auras or your stance.
Army of One [General]
Left alone, a leader can quickly wane without his allies. Carrying the spirit of your men within your heart, their strength reinforces your resolve in battle.
Prerequisite: Marshal level 1st, Intimidate 4 ranks, Martial Lore 4 ranks, must know at least two White Raven maneuvers.
Marshals normally count as warblades for feat prerequisites; this is unique.
Benefit: Immediately after you successfully demoralize an opponent with the Intimidate skill, you can recover your expended marshal maneuvers as a swift action.
Additionally, you can ready your marshal maneuvers without discussing tactics with your allies, but without their input and feedback, the process takes longer -- it takes twenty minutes to change your readied maneuvers this way, as you analyze possible troop movements and devise new battle cues on your own.
Normal: A marshal can only recover maneuvers by spending a full-round action to make a Diplomacy or Intimidate check (or a standard action at a higher DC), and must have at least one ally nearby to to so. He can only ready maneuvers by discussing tactics with at least one ally for five minutes.
Adrenaline Surge
White Raven [Language-dependent]
Level: Crusader 6, marshal 6, warblade 6
Prerequisites: Two White Raven maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: 30 ft.
Targets: Any or all willing allies within 30 ft.
Duration: 1 minute
Delivering a heroic and inspirational speech, you exhort your allies to discover a resovoir of energy they didn't think they had. Even the most gravely wounded allies grow stronger and more determined to rejoin the fight.
You grant temporary hit points equal to your initiator level to any or all willing allies within range (but not to yourself). If the ally's current hit point total is no more than half his full normal hit points, the number of temporary hit points granted to that character is doubled (to twice your initiator level). As always, temporary hit points overlap (do not stack with) other temporary hit points.
Additionally, the surge of adrenaline you inspire effectively counters the effects of fatigue. Any fatigued ally who is affected by this maneuver is no longer fatigued. This has no special effect on allies who are exhausted. When this maneuver ends, all affected allies become fatigued if they were not fatigued when the maneuver was initiated, or exhausted if they were initially fatigued. This fatigue (or exhaustion) lasts until the end of the encounter, after which they return to their initial condition of fatigue.
This is an adaptation of the alternate class feature presented in the Player's Handbook 2.
Rally the Legion
White Raven [Language-dependent]
Level: Crusader 2, marshal 2, warblade 2
Prerequisites: One White Raven maneuver, aura (see text)
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Special; see text
Area: Special; see text
Duration: Special; see text
Raising your weapon and racing across the battlefield, you deliver a powerful motivational speech to your troops. All who hear you are heartened, and feel the urge to echo your cry as you ride past.
As part of this maneuver, you can move up to two times your land speed (on foot or on a mount). All allies that are within the reach of one of your auras during any part of your movement, including when you start and stop, gain the benefit of that aura as if you were right beside them, even if you were only within range for a moment. Note that you cannot change your marshal aura (a swift action) in the middle of this maneuver (a full-round action), although you may change it just before initiating Rally the Legion or after it is finished.
This effect lingers for a number of rounds equal to half your Charisma bonus plus your command presence rating, if any. If you become incapable of projecting an aura while this maneuver is lingering, its effects immediately end. If you change your auras while Rally the Legion is lingering, the change only affects those troops currently within range of your aura, not those under the lingering effects from the maneuver.
Valid auras for Rally the Legion include any major or minor auras, paladin auras such as Aura of Courage, and similar effects (such as command auras or an angel's protective aura racial ability), but not temporary effects from spells or powers. Track the effect of each aura separately (for instance, if a marshal/paladin only moves within 60' of a particular ally during this maneuver, the paladin's 10-foot-radius Aura of Courage doesn't affect the ally while his marshal auras will, and if a marshal is silenced, his marshal auras end for those Rally the Legion is lingering for but other auras not dependent on his voice (if any) are unaffected).
Command auras are an effect from a high Commander Rating in Heroes of Battle, and can be likened to an old Major Aura (without this variant). Any class can gain one.
Call to Glory
White Raven [Language-dependent]
Level: Crusader 8, marshal 8, warblade 8
Prerequisites: Three White Raven maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 round
Range: Special; see text
Area: Special; see text
Duration: Special; see text
You call out a quick yet complicated sequence of words, numbers, and acronyms that would seem like gibberish to anyone but those who fight alongside you, who recognize them as posture and attack summaries similar to those found on martial scripts. Charged with power, your voice delivers to them a sudden flash of insight, and they shift their fighting technique as a result.
Call to Glory allows you to command your allies in the execution of a single martial maneuver -- essentially, it is the verbal equivalent of a martial script. When you initiate this maneuver, you also expend one other readied maneuver of 3rd level or lower from a school other than White Raven. If you are a crusader, this maneuver must also be a granted maneuver.
Initiating this maneuver is like casting a one-round spell like summon monster; it continues past the end of your turn and is completed at the start of your next. If you are damaged during this time, you must make a Concentration check (DC 18+damage dealt) or have your intricate speech disrupted.
Once successfully initiated, all allies within 30 feet of you who can hear you speak suddenly gain a flash of insight -- the maneuver you expended at the start of initiation appears in their minds, exactly as if they'd read it on a martial script. As long as you continue to verbally direct them (a standard action on your part similar to concentrating on a spell), they can initiate this maneuver once, at an initiator level of one-half their character level or their own initiator level, whichever is higher. This maneuver is subject to Table 3-1 in the Tome of Battle; 1st-level conscripts cannot hope to initiate a 3rd-level maneuver, although higher-level allies could. They cannot recover this maneuver; it is a one-time effect. If you stop reciting your commands or an ally can no longer hear you recite, the maneuver instantly fades from their minds. Most allies of White Raven adepts learn to recognize when a Call to Glory is being initiated, and move into a position to make optimal use of what they are being told during the round he issues commands.
Unlike other martial maneuvers, Call to Glory is impossible to re-orchestrate in the heat of battle. After initiating Call to Glory, it is removed from your list of readied maneuvers as if you didn't ready it earlier, which makes it impossible to recover through normal recovery methods. You cannot ready another maneuver to take its place (or re-ready Call to Glory) until you would normally be able to ready maneuvers (which requires 5 minutes of calm). The Adaptive Style feat can ready Call to Glory, but only if it is the only maneuver readied by using that feat.
SPECIAL: Using this maneuver is draining, and costs you 25 XP per level of the maneuver you granted. Furthermore, marshals with the Warlord feat can initiate this maneuver even if their allies cannot hear them, provided that they are capable of otherwise percieving the marshal.
Originally posted by ansob:
That seems to have picked out all the struck-out bits - I thought there was a lot more of them, but the whole package is apparently intact.
Out of curiosity, did you piece it together yourself or did you have an older version saved somewhere?
In any case, thanks a lot! I just need the Falling Star school and I'll be able to run that campaign.
Originally posted by Janos_Antero:
I saved both the Martial Marshal and the Martial Ranger as Word docs two years ago or so. The formatting from word stays mostly intact.
If you wanted them that way, I can email both if you want to PM me an email.
As far as falling star, I saved the link, but don't have that one as a word doc. It's here: (x)community.wizards.com//go/thread/view/75...(x)
Originally posted by ansob:
Yeah, I posted in there - sadly, the formatting was completely destroyed in the forum update, same as this, and all the download links are dead.
I'll PM you my email so I have a more permanent copy, but thanks again for doing the repost - at least this way this might be seen by more people.
Originally posted by navar100:
Re Call To Glory
I'm of the opinion that whenever someone creates some new effect - spell, feat, martial maneuever, etc., if you need to place harsh restrictions on its use, either you're overcompensating for something that doesn't need to be or you made it too powerful. In either case, you're better off not bothering with it.
If you really like Call To Glory but must, must, must make it a pain in the ass to use and not use again, instead of having it be a maneuver make it a high level class ability usable once per day, no XP cost, or perhaps a Feat that requires a high initiator level, Craft Martial Script, and Clarion Commander as prerequisites to enable you to use it once per encounter.
Originally posted by Endarire:
As a level 8 maneuver, the XP cost is too much. Call to Glory is handy, but not worth the XP cost.
Originally posted by Endarire:
Saved by the love of Jesus!
Originally posted by Tempest_Stormwind:
Saved by your effort, Endarire; don't sell yourself short. I appreciate the diving you do to make sure what we did remains available. (I just felt compelled to post on this particular venture for reasons which should be obvious.)
On this topic, I'd like to note that I've tweaked the marshal quite a bit since this was posted. Apropos of the last comments pre-rescue, several of the tweaks were to the maneuvers. (I did remove the cost to Call to Glory, for instance, and switched Rally the Legion to use boost mechanics instead). other tweaks include spreading out battlefield adaptation to scale a bit better, a bit of Intelligence synergy, adjusting how commander ratings interact with auras, and a few new aura choices. There's also a couple extra feats over the ones presented here, including two other multiclass feats (similar to Devoted Commander), all of which are still being tested. If you're curious, the new minor auras are Open Fire and Fire At Will, and the new majors are Take Cover, In Control, and Precision Teamwork; I'll leave it to you to guess which other two classes we're trying for multiclass options (hint: one is much more obvious than the other). There's also at least one prestige class intended for marshals drawn up and finished (it was here at one point until the servers ate it, but we rebuilt it from scratch), and I still have my notes for another unfinished one (mostly draft mechanics; it was based around organizing allies into formations at both the PC level and the follower level). Basically, I got a lot of good feedback from people playing marshals, and plugged away at streamlining it over the years.
In fact, if it weren't for one of the more serious tweaks from the original revision (changing the aura bonus type from Competence to Morale), I would probably be playing a marshal myself in Dead for Nothing(x). (Andarious is playing an Inspire Courage / White Raven martial adept and there'd be quite a bit of mechanical and thematic overlap; as a result I switched to the other end of the numeric-bonuses spectrum and now a hexblade.)
