The Chosen of the Unification

Manoeuvre Descriptions

Posted by EarthDragon on 23rd December 2016.

This page provides more detailed descriptions of the manoeuvres, all of which are drawn from the D&D 3.5 Book of Nine Swords/Tome of Battle supplement.

Desert Wind Manoeuvres

Below are detailed descriptions of each of the Desert Wind Manoeuvres.

Desert Wind manoeuvres focus on quick movement and swirling, flaming strikes. The scimitar, light mace, light pick, spear, and falchion are the preferred weapons of the Desert Wind discipline. The complex spinning and slashing of the curved blade incorporated into many Desert Wind manoeuvres are in fact carefully honed gestures that evoke the power of fi re, if performed correctly and with the proper focus. Tumble is the key skill for Desert Wind, providing the initiator with agility and manoeuvrability.

Blistering Flourish

Desert Wind (Strike)

Level: 1
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft.
Area: 30 ft-radius centred on you.
Duration: 1 minute.
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates.

Your weapon bursts into flames as you twirl it over your head. With a flourish, you cause the fire to explode with a blinding flash.

When you use this strike, you generate a burst of brilliant light. Any creature other than you caught in this maneuver’s area must make a Fortitude save (DC 11 + your Wis modifier) or be dazzled for 1 minute. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Burning Blade

Desert Wind (Boost) [Fire]

Level: 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: End of turn.

Your blade bursts into flame as it sweeps toward your foe in an elegant arc.

A subtle yet precise twisting of your blade unlocks the power of flame. When you initiate this maneuver, fire trails from your melee weapon. For the rest of your turn, your melee attacks deal an extra 1d6 points of fire damage + 1 point per initiator level. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Burning Brand

Desert Wind (Boost) [Fire]

Level: 2
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: End of turn.

Your weapon transforms into a roaring gout of flame. As you swing your burning blade, it stretches out beyond your normal reach to scorch your foes.

When you initiate this manoeuvre, your weapon turns into a burning brand for the rest of your turn. The brand increases your reach by 5 feet, and your melee attacks made with the brand deal fire damage equal to your normal melee damage. You still gain all the normal benefits from a high Strength score, feats, and other effects that increase your melee damage. For example, an attack with a longsword that normally deals 1d8+4 points of slashing damage would instead deal 1d8+4 points of fire damage. You otherwise attack with your weapon as normal. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Death Mark

Desert Wind (Strike) [Fire]

Level: 3
Initiation Action: 1 standard action.
Range: Melee attack.
Target: One creature.
Area: Variable spread; see text.
Duration: Instantaneous.
Saving Throw: Reflex half; see text.

As your weapon strikes your foe, his body convulses as waves of flame run down your blade into his body. The fire causes him to briefly glow with a brilliant internal fire before the flames erupt from his body in a terrible explosion.

When you use the strike, you channel overwhelming fiery energy into the body of your foe. In addition to dealing normal melee damage with your attack, you cause fire to erupt from your enemy’s body in a spread. The radius of the spread is determined by the size of the target creature, as indicated on the table below. All creatures in the area, including your enemy, take 6d6 points of fire damage, with a Reflex save (DC 13 + your Wis modifier) for half. This radius is centered on the creature’s position. You have immunity to the fire damage from your own death mark. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Size	Spread Radius
Small or smaller	5 feet
Medium	10 feet
Large	20 feet
Huge	30 feet
Gargantuan	40 feet
Colossal	50 feet

Desert Tempest

Desert Wind (Strike)

Level: 6
Prerequisite: Two Desert Wind manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.

You move in a blur, leaving scorch marks in your wake as you twirl around the battlefield, slicing into your foes as you move.

As part of this manoeuvre, you move up to your speed. Each time you exit a square adjacent to an enemy, you can first make a single melee attack against that foe. You cannot attack a single enemy more than once with this manoeuvre. Your movement provokes attacks of opportunity, as normal.

Distracting Ember

Desert Wind (Boost)

Level: 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: 30 ft.
Effect: One summoned fire elemental.
Duration: End of turn.

A wave of heat sweeps over the area, forms a small dust funnel, and ignites into flame next to your foe.

This boost allows you to conjure a Small fire elemental to threaten your enemy, providing you or an ally with the benefit of a flanking position. You can use this ability to place the elemental in any space within range. The elemental remains until the end of your current turn. It threatens all creatures within its reach. It takes no actions or attacks of opportunity during your turn. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Dragon's Flame

Desert Wind (Strike) [Fire]

Level: 5
Prerequisite: Two Desert Wind manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 standard action.
Range: 30 ft.
Area: Cone.
Duration: Instantaneous.
Saving Throw: Reflex half.

With a defiant roar, you summon your ki and unleash it, igniting it with a combination of your meditative focus and seething fury.

As a master of the Desert Wind advances in his studies, he learns to stoke raging fires with his ki. This maneuver allows you to generate a gout of fire similar to a dragon’s burning breath. With this manoeuvre, you blast forth a cone of fire that deals 6d6 points of fire damage to everything in the area. Creatures in the area can attempt Reflex saves (DC 15 + your Wis modifier) for half damage. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Fan the Flames

Desert Wind (Strike) [Fire]

Level: 3
Prerequisite: One Desert Wind manoeuvre.
Initiation Action: 1 standard action.
Range: 30 ft.
Target: One creature.

Flickering flame dances across your blade, then springs toward your target as you sweep your sword through the air.

A skilled Desert Wind adept can gather flame within his weapon and hurl it through the air. When you initiate this maneuver, you launch a fist-sized ball of white-hot fire at a single opponent. If you make a successful ranged touch attack, your target takes 6d6 points of fire damage. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Fiery Assault

Desert Wind (Stance) [Fire]

Level: 6
Prerequisite: Two Desert Wind manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.

Fire dances along your arms and across your weapon, lending burning energy to every attack you make.

While you are in this stance, every melee attack you make deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage. This stance is a supernatural ability.

Fire Riposte

Desert Wind (Counter) [Fire]

Level: 2
Prerequisite: One Desert Wind manoeuvre.
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Instantaneous.

You focus the pain from a wound you have just suffered into a fiery manifestation of revenge.

When a creature successfully strikes you with a melee or natural weapon, you can use this maneuver to give yourself the ability to make an immediate melee touch attack. If your attack hits, your target takes 4d6 points of fire damage. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Firesnake

Desert Wind (Strike) [Fire]

Level: 4
Prerequisite: Two Desert Wind manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 standard action.
Range: 60 ft.
Area: Special.
Duration: Instantaneous.
Saving Throw: Reflex half.

You drive your weapon into the ground, causing a gout of fire to jet into the air. The fire flows back to the ground and creeps ahead like a serpent, sweeping over your enemies and roasting them where they stand.

When you initiate this manoeuvre, you cause a line of fire to twist across an area to burn your enemies. This line is 60 feet long. Unlike a standard line, a firesnake can bend and twist to hit your foes. A firesnake starts in an adjacent square. It can move up to 60 feet each round. It can move out of your line of sight or line of effect, but you gain no special knowledge of the areas it moves into. If a firesnake moves into a creature’s space, that creature takes 6d6 points of fire damage, with a Reflex save (DC 14 + your Wis modifier) for half damage. A creature can only take damage from the firesnake once in a single round. It makes the saving throw and takes damage the first time that the firesnake touches it. After that, a firesnake has no effect on that creature. A firesnake must move along the ground. It cannot fly, and it pays the standard movement penalties for difficult terrain and other effects. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Flame's Blessing

Desert Wind {Stance) [Fire]

Level: 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.

Fire is not your enemy, and it does not harm you.

You gain some resistance to fire as long as you remain in this stance. The amount of resistance is determined by your ranks in Tumble. If you have 19 or more ranks in Tumble, you gain immunity to fire while you are in this stance. This stance is a supernatural ability.

Tumble Ranks	Fire Resistance
4-8	5
9-13	10
14-18	20
19+	Immunity

Flashing Sun

Desert Wind (Strike)

Level: 2
Prerequisite: One Desert Wind manoeuvre.
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.

Almost a blur of acceleration, your shining blade flashes as you attack with impossible speed.

Flashing sun allows you to make an additional melee attack during this round. As part of this maneuver, you take a full attack action and make your normal melee attacks. However, you can make one additional attack this round at your highest attack bonus. All the attacks you make this round, including the extra attack granted by this manoeuvre, are made with a –2 penalty.

Hatchling's Flame

Desert Wind (Strike) [Fire]

Level: 2
Prerequisite: One Desert Wind manoeuvre.
Initiation Action: 1 standard action.
Range: 30 ft.
Area: Cone.
Duration: Instantaneous.
Saving Throw: Reflex half.

You focus a burning aura of energy at the end of your blade. It forms a seething sphere that, after a moment, bursts into a torrent of energy.

The Desert Wind discipline teaches its students how to unleash their ki as burning energy. This manoeuvre allows you to create a wave of fire that sweeps over your enemies. When you initiate this manoeuvre, you blast forth a cone of flame that deals 2d6 points of fire damage. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Holocaust Cloak

Desert Wind (Stance) [Fire]

Level: 3
Prerequisite: One Desert Wind manoeuvre.
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.

Fire trails from your blade as you spin it about, cloaking you in flames that leap out to burn those who attack you.

The flame from your weapon hangs in midair, providing you with a fiery defense against your attackers. An adjacent opponent that hits you with a melee attack while you are in this stance takes 5 points of fire damage. Your holocaust cloak does not harm a creature using a reach weapon to attack you. This stance is a supernatural ability.

Inferno Blade

Desert Wind (Boost) [Fire]

Level: 7
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: End of turn.

A blinding light flashes from your weapon, and for a split second, it transforms into burning magma.

You convert your ki into fiery energy, allowing it to flow down your arms and across your weapon. Until the end of your turn, your melee attacks deal an extra 3d6 points of fire damage + 1 point per initiator level. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Inferno Blast

Desert Wind (Strike) [Fire]

Level: 9
Prerequisite: Five Desert Wind manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action.
Range: 60 ft.
Area: 60 ft.-radius burst centred on you.
Duration: Instantaenous.
Saving Throw: Reflex half.

Hot winds swirl about you, and a faint aroma of brimstone sweeps over the area. A flickering yellow aura surrounds you and grows in intensity, shedding tremendous heat and light. Creatures around you stumble back from the heat. With a howling roar, you unleash a hellish blast of fire that melts steel and warps stone.

Only true masters of the Desert Wind school are capable of unleashing an inferno blast. You focus your internal ki into a blinding hot burst of fire that deals 100 points of fire damage to all creatures in the area. You are not harmed by your own inferno blast. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Leaping Flame

Desert Wind (Counter) [Teleport]

Level: 5
Prerequisite: Two Deser Wind manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action.
Range: Personal.
Area: You.
Duration: Instantaneous.

As your foe attacks you, you disappear in a burst of flame and smoke, only to reappear as if out of thin air next to him.

You instantly appear in a square adjacent to a creature that attacks you with a melee or ranged attack, after resolving the enemy’s attack. You cannot move into a space that is occupied by a creature or object. You can move up to 100 feet in this manner. If you cannot move adjacent to the target, this manoeuvre fails to function but is still considered used. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Lingering Inferno

Desert Wind (Strike) [Fire]

Level: 5
Prerequisite: Two Desert Wind manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 standard action.
Range: Melee attack.
Target: One creature.
Duration: 3 rounds; see text.

A blue, dancing flame appears on your weapon. As you strike your foe, this flame slides off your weapon and covers your enemy in raging fire.

You make a single melee attack that deals an extra 2d6 points of fire damage. In addition, if your strike hits, the flames upon your weapon bind to the target, which takes an extra 2d6 points of fire damage each round at the start of its turn for 3 rounds. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Ring of Fire

Desert Wind (Strike) [Fire]

Level: 6
Prerequisite: Two Desert Wind manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action.
Range: Special; see text.
Area: Special; see text.
Saving Throw: Reflex half.

You move in a blur, your feet wreathed in flaming energy. As you run, you leave a trail of fire behind you. You encircle a foe, and the ring of fire you leave behind bursts into an inferno that engulfs your enemy and everything else in the area.

As part of this manoeuvre, you can move up to two times your speed along the ground. All of your movement must be along continuous, solid ground. You leave a trail of flames in your wake. These flames have no effect unless they form a closed area. In this case, a raging inferno erupts within that area. All creatures within the area take 12d6 points of fire damage, with a Reflex save (DC 16 + your Wis modifier) for half damage. The inferno erupts the first time you form a closed area. You cannot create multiple areas in one move. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Rising Phoenix

Desert Wind (Stance) [Fire]

Level: 8
Prerequisite: Three Desert Wind manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target.: You.
Duration: Stance.

Hot wind swirls about your feet, lifting you skyward as flames begin to flicker below.

A column of superheated air lifts you into the air. While you are in this stance, you can hover up to 10 feet above any solid or liquid surface. You gain a fly speed equal to your land speed, with perfect manoeuvrability, but you must remain within 10 feet of the ground when you fly. If you hover in place and make a full attack, the column of air becomes superheated, dealing 3d6 points of fire damage to creatures adjacent to or within the column, including creatures adjacent to your square. You are not harmed by this effect. You can move across shallow pits or other such variations in terrain without losing altitude, so long as your movement wouldn’t take you more than 10 feet above a solid or liquid surface. If you are ever more than 10 feet above the ground (such as if the floor drops out from under you or you move over the edge of a tall cliff), the rising phoenix stance immediately ends and you fall to the ground. This stance is a supernatural ability.

Salamander Charge

Desert Wind (Strike) [Fire]

Level: 7
Prerequisite: Three Desert Wind manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action.
Range: Special.
Area: One 5 ft square per 5 ft. of movement
Duration: Instantaneous; 5 rounds; see text (D)

You spin and tumble about the battlefield, a wall of raging flame marking your steps.

You initiate this manpeuvre as part of a charge attack. As with a charge, you can move up to double your speed and make a single attack, gaining a +2 bonus on the attack roll and a –2 penalty to your Armor Class while you move and until your next turn. Unlike a normal charge, however, your salamander charge does not need to be in a straight line and is not impeded by difficult terrain, or even other creatures. You can change direction as much as you want during your movement, and you can also use your Tumble skill to avoid attacks of opportunity or to move through opponents’ squares during the charge. When you initiate a salamander charge, a wall of shimmering, spectral fire appears in each of the squares along the path you take. A creature standing in the wall takes 6d6 points of fire damage at the beginning of that creature’s turn. A creature occupying a square adjacent to the wall takes 3d6 points of fire damage at the start of its turn. Creatures that move into or through the wall also take 6d6 points of fire damage. The wall lasts up to 5 rounds. You can automatically dispel the wall with a wave of your hand (a swift action), and the wall is automatically dispelled if you initiate another salamander charge. The wall does not block line of sight or line of effect. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Searing Blade

Desert Wind (Boost) [Fire]

Level: 4
Prerequisite: Two Desert Wind manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 standard action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: End of turn.

Your weapon transforms into a raging torrent of flame, causing those around you to recoil slightly from the tremendous heat.

You convert your ki into fiery energy, allowing it to flow down your arms and across your weapon. Until the end of your turn, your melee attacks deal an extra 2d6 points of fire damage + 1 point per initiator level. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

Searing Charge

Desert Wind (Strike) [Fire]

Level: 4
Prerequisite: One Desert Wind manoeuvre.
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Instantaneous.

You rush through the air toward your foe, fire streaming in your wake.

As part of this manoeuvre, you must charge an opponent. You gain the ability to fly at your base land speed with perfect manoeuvrability while charging. Resolve your charge attack normally. On a successful hit, you deal an extra 5d6 points of fire damage to the target of your charge. This manoeuvre is a supernatural ability.

Wind Stride

Desert Wind (Boost)

Level: 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: End of turn.

A warm breeze swirls about you as you move speedily away.

The desert wind envelops you and carries you across the battlefield, giving you a burst of speed to move around and through your enemies. Until the end of your turn, you gain a +10-foot enhancement bonus to your land speed.

Wyrm's Flame

Desert Wind (Strike) [Fire]

Level: 8
Prerequisite: Three Desert Wind manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 standard action.
Range: 30 ft.
Area: Cone.
Duration: Instantaneous.
Saving Throw: Reflex half.

You spin your blade in a whirling arc. With each revolution, seething flames build upon its length. With a flourish, you bring your blade to a halt, point it at your foe, and unleash a roaring wall of flame.

Masters of the Desert Wind can twirl and spin their blades with such power that they can evoke a great burst of fire. When you execute this maneuver, you blast forth a cone of fire that deals 10d6 points of fire damage to all in its area. Creatures in the area can attempt a Reflex save (DC 18 + your Wis modifier) for half damage. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

Zephyr Dance

Desert Wind (counter)

Level: 3
Prerequisite: One Desert Wind manoeuvre.
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action.
Range: Personal.
Area: You.
Duration: Instantaneous; see text.

You spin gracefully away from a foe’s attack, whirling like the desert zephyr racing across the sands. Your enemy’s blade barely touches your cloak as you nimbly dodge aside.

You gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC against a single attack. You can choose to use this maneuver after an opponent resolves his attack but before he determines damage.

Devoted Spirit Manoeuvres

Below are detailed descriptions of each of the Devoted Spirit Manoeuvres.

Devoted Spirit maneuvers focus on toughness, endurance, ripostes, and abilities designed to defeat a specific alignment. Those who follow the Devoted Spirit discipline seek to support a cause by defending it, nurturing it, and destroying its enemies. The falchion, greatclub, longsword, and maul are the Devoted Spirit discipline’s preferred weapons, though many who follow this school of battle embrace weapons tied to the causes they follow. Intimidate is the key skill for Devoted Spirit.

Aura of Chaos

Devoted Spirit (Stance) [Chaos]

Level: 6
Prerequisite: Two Devoted Spirit manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.

A coruscating aura of purple energy surrounds you as chaos runs rampant in the area immediately around you.

While you are in this stance, your attacks have the potential to be utterly devastating. When rolling damage for a melee attack, you gain a special benefit from any damage die that rolls its maximum amount (such as a result of 6 on a d6). When one or more of your damage dice show a maximum possible result, reroll each such die and add its result to the original damage total. You can continue to reroll as long as a die shows its maximum possible result, adding each new number to the damage total until each die has shown less than a maximum result.

Aura of Perfect Order

Devoted Spirit (Stance) [Law]

Level: 6
Prerequisite: Two Devoted Spirit manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.

A perfect, hazy square of golden energy surrounds you as you enter this stance. Order reigns supreme, driving away the whims of chaos.

This stance allows you to treat a potential d20 result as an 11. You must decide to use this ability immediately before rolling the d20. You can use this ability once per round. Using this ability does not take an action. You simply decide to invoke it before rolling a d20 for any reason, such as for an attack, save, or check.

Aura of Triumph

Devoted Spirit (Stance) [Good]

Level: 6
Prerequisite: Two Devoted Spirit manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You and one ally within 10 ft.
Duration: Stance.

You channel the power of good through your body and soul, infusing the area around you with a soft, golden radiance. With each blow you strike against evil, you feel invigorated and driven onward.

While you are in this stance, you and any ally one within 10 feet of you both heal 4 vitality points with each successful melee attack either of you makes against an evil target.

Aura of Tyrrany

Devoted Spirit (Stance) [Evil]

Level: 6
Prerequisite: Two Devoted Spirit manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.

A sickly gray radiance surrounds you, sapping the strength of your allies and funneling it to you.

While you are in this stance, you drain vitality points from your allies. At the end of your turn, you can choose to deal 2 points of damage to each willing ally within 10 feet. For each ally who takes this damage, you heal 1 point of damage.

Castigating Strike

Devoted Spirit (Strike)

Level: 7
Prerequisite: Devoted Spirit manoeuvres.
Initiation Action: 1 standard action.
Range: Melee attack.
Target: One creature.
Duration: 1 minute.
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; see text.

With a howling battle cry, your weapon crackles with energy. As you strike your foe, that energy detonates in a burst that scythes through those who stand against your cause.

When you use this strike, make a single melee attack. If you hit your opponent and his alignment has at least one component different from yours, a blast of divine energy originates from your attack’s point of impact. The target of this strike takes an extra 8d6 points of damage and must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 17 + your Cha modifier) or take a –2 penalty on attack rolls for 1 minute. All of your opponents within a 30-foot-radius burst of the target creature must also succeed on a Fortitude save. Those who fail take 5d6 points of damage and take a –2 penalty on attack rolls for 1 minute. A successful save results in half damage and negates the attack penalty.