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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Baron Opal II" data-source="post: 8743823" data-attributes="member: 6794067">I think this is a good idea, but also agree that feats don't give the "voltage" at higher levels that would be needed.I created some fighting orders that tie in with a theme. At higher levels they are explicitly drawing on some otherworldly ability, but it's usually framed as something that they can draw on more often than once per day. Everyone has the Battlemaster maneuvers. The general scheme runs as:Order of the [Icon / Theme]Geas: Something relatively minor but symbolic that can become a plot point at some point in time (e.g. must be barefoot, cannot eat the flesh of birds, &c.).1st: Minor mundane ability (+2 AC in hvy armor, +5 ft. move)3rd: Minor mundane or uncanny ability (+1 hp/level, cause fear in opponent 1/enc)6th: Major mundane or moderate uncanny ability (Throw several knives in a cone causing saves to take half damage [Manticore's Tail Throw], 1/enc, One size category larger for forced movement)6th: Partial immunity (1/2 damage from arrows, paralyze becomes slow)9th: Preternatural or major uncanny ability (tremorsense "I feel your air", cannot be surprised, &c.)12th: Preternatural ability (This is where Capt. America or Black Panther tops out as examples for me).15th: Full immunity (Aragorn tops out for me here- "I am the True King and this palantir is mine, Sauron!")18th: Thematic attack (Usually the only 1/day ability. Will hold the bridge past death unto dismemberment, hurl a spear to LOS, dismember a supernatural foe. This is Herakles, Beowulf, &c.)Most abilities are at will or once per encounter / hour. I try to style them so that there is some diagetic sense that they can't just be spammed over and over. For example, the Order of the Manticore teaches the Manticore Tail's attack where the member can throw three knives at one target. The target will take damage, as long as they can be hurt by normal weapons, but they get a save for half. There's only so many knives you can carry at once. When I think of spell-like abilities that I might base maneuvers off of, I think 1/2 spell level or so since the character is going to be doing this, potentially, several times per day compared to the wizard or cleric's single use. So when the wizard is going to toss one fireball per day, I can have the fighter magic missile a target once per fight (Manticore's Tail).I've adopted qi as the "Martial power source", although I call it vril instead. For the most part, it doesn't really come into thematic play until level 6 with the partial immunity. At lower levels, the orders are mostly a club with some semi-like minded people who know some fancy tricks.</blockquote>

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