Questions about "Aura of Chaos"

[Sparta2388]

I've got two questions that are in dire need of answers, if anyone can help. Both of these questions involve the Aura of Chaos stance from the Tome of Battle.

1.) Do the alignment descriptors prevent characters from learning Devoted Spirit maneuvers/stances? If so, do you have to be the same alignment, or can it be within one step? If so, where is this stated? Do these same rules apply to the Master of Nine prestige class, since they can use maneuvers/stances from any discipline (Crusader cannot be neutral, and there are no neutral descriptors)?

2.) Does Aura of Chaos work for the CON damage dealt by Mountain Tombstone Strike?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. These questions have been plaguing us, and everyone has different opinions on the matter.

 

[emoplato]

1. Even though it doesn't say it in RAW such as the description of both the Devoted Spirit and Crusader manuevers do not have an alignment descriptor but by RAI it should as Crusaders are suppose to be the embodied advocates of x alignments in the Tome of Battle. Clerics are allowed to do so I don't see why a chaotic neutral crusader couldn't use both good and evil maneuvers.
2. No, constitution damage is typed under ability damage the stance clearly labels melee damage.
I should mention there is a very simple and broken trick that can be used with this stance. It involves doing the opposite of melee combat normally asks you to do. Lets say you have a halfling with a dagger it deals 1d3 damage this player for a few hundred gold could make it feycraft allowing dexterity to be used for attacking at the "price" of reducing the damage to 1d2. Now, you knowing what it does maybe thinking well it only gets to reroll a single small die 50% of the time, however I am getting to it. The Complete has the wonderful compilation of devotion feats allowing the use of many handy boosts without magic. One of these is called luck devotion, this for 1 minute allows all damage rolls to be considered 1/2 higher if below average damage. So the halfling hits rolls a 1 luck devotion makes it 1.5 and rounding rules makes it 2 and infinite 2's until dead of course.

 

[Wyvernhand]

Damage always rounds down, even halves.

The trick works, but the feat you are looking for is Imbued Healing from Complete Champ.

Edit, that said, actually using that trick in a game will make rocks fall on your character, and maybe books fly at you're head.