Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords: Proto-Review

[SteveC]

Using maneuvers outside of combat?

A quick question: a lot of these abilities (especially the ones that heal) would seem to be extremely useful outside of combat. Is there any mention of how that would work?

--Steve

 

[chaotix42]

Interesting stuff guys. Readied maneuvers may not actually be "slots" as some have said, but rather maneuvers can be in a state of "readied" or "unreadied," without an ability to ready a maneuver multiple times.

Sounds like it could be a bit more balanced that way. The warblade would still be very powerful, but he could only pull off his nastiest attack routine every other round.

 

[Zaukrie]

How complicated are the systems presented? I am currently teaching some kids to play, and one of them seems to want a character that has manuevers like this.

 

[JoeGKushner]

How complicated are the systems presented? I am currently teaching some kids to play, and one of them seems to want a character that has manuevers like this.

I find them more time consuming than complicated.

The organization works against you.

The initial breakdown itsn't too bad, it's in the specifics.

What is he specifically trying to do?

There are feats that can be taken to gain access to maneuvers and stances. He might for exmaple, be better off starting with those.

 

[Kurotowa]

Which indicates to me, and I could be reading this wrong, that you can only use each readied maneuver once an encounter no?

Quite a bit different than a spellcaster who chooses to 'double' up to to speak.

Not really, only the Swordsage has to worry about that. A Crusader gets a random selection that automatically refreshes when they're all gone, so they'll try to run through their maneuvers as quickly as possible. Using more means getting more back, they never have to worry about being out. Only about being stuck with one maneuver left they can't use. A Warblade gets a small selection but only needs one round to get them all back, so they'll also be free with using maneuvers. Possibly trying to have a combo or two of multiple maneuvers that combine to good effect, setting up a combo-combo-recover rythem. I don't know enough about the maneuvers to know if that would work or if they're mostly setup to only allow one per attack.

It's the Swordsage that has to be careful about wasting maneuvers, since what they start with will have to last them through the encounter. Instead they're all about versatility, pulling out a different trick every round from their deep list of readied maneuvers, constantly shifting tactics and layering nasty conditions on their foe.

So, not too different from casters. The Warblade is the Sorcerer, able to keep repeating the same attack, just needing a round to recharge. The Swordsage is the Wizard, with a wide but shallow list of tricks who tries to do just the right at the right time. The Crusader, well, random selection is just wacky.

 

[Tzarevitch]

A quick question: a lot of these abilities (especially the ones that heal) would seem to be extremely useful outside of combat. Is there any mention of how that would work?

--Steve

I don't think you can use them out of combat. Most involve you making an attack. I don't have my book in front of me here so I can't be sure though.

Tzarevitch

 

[JoeGKushner]

I don't think you can use them out of combat. Most involve you making an attack. I don't have my book in front of me here so I can't be sure though.

Tzarevitch

I'm pretty sure you've hit it on the head.

Counters, boosters, and strikes.

Stances are seperate (but we'll list them together...)

 

[R_kajdi]

Just got the Book of Nine Sowrds last night for the hobby shop. While I haven't been able to look it over completely, I have given it a good skim, and found some stuff that was a bit odd:

* Adaptive Style feat - It doesn't list if the abilities you choose with it start out usbale/active or not. If the can be used immediately, the feat is awesome for swordsages. A full round to recover a bunch of abilities instead of just one, and a mid-battle rebuild of them also.

* Master of the Nine Forms PrC - Something's up with this guy. While the skill ranks and the sample character suggest that you can qualify for the class as a Swordsage 7, I can't get how the feats works out for that. The sample character even has too many feat for his level. Am I missing something?

Overall, I think the book's pretty good. It gives a "mystical school" feel to a standard martial character, and the classes seem to range the gamut from the more eastern influenced weapon master (Swordsage) to a warrior who simply has some magic abilities (Warblade) While I see a backlash against yet another magically oriented class, I think these new ones are done pretty well, and cover new ground. The problem with doing up a new non-magical fighting class is that the fighter has the territory covered pretty well. It's very flexible, and only gets more so with every fighter feat added to the system. These new classes go out into new areas of expertise, and I am very happy with what I've seen so far. Nothing is as bizarre and underpowered as Truenaming or Shadowcasting from Tome of Magic, but I've only looked at the swordsage carefully (I may be playing one in the near future) so I may change my mind after I look over the book again tonight.

Raymond

 

[SteveC]

I don't think you can use them out of combat. Most involve you making an attack. I don't have my book in front of me here so I can't be sure though.

Tzarevitch

Hmmn, that sounds kind of silly, and will likely lead to Dude! Let me hit you with my battle axe, It'll heal me 100HP!

This book sounds interesting nonetheless.

--Steve

 

[Tzarevitch]

Hmmn, that sounds kind of silly, and will likely lead to Dude! Let me hit you with my battle axe, It'll heal me 100HP!

This book sounds interesting nonetheless.

--Steve

It does sound strange, but as I recall that is how most of that group of them work.

Tzarevitch