An orc martial adept was renowned for his terrible strength and even more for his repulsive visage. On a pilgrimage from his tribe, he thought of putting the two together. Combined with the endurance bequeathed upon him by his orc heritage, the nameless master was able to completely disregard defense in any battle, his opponent’s attacks broken from sheer terror. The end result, born through years of trial and error, was the Amaranth Eclipse discipline. Many who fought against this wandering harbinger of bloodshed were impressed by his ability to cow their forces into submission, and thus began to copy his techniques. It would be giving its creator too much credit to say that the use of the Amaranth Eclipse discipline requires any measure of skill. While it is true that most of its users have finely honed their bodies to extraordinary strength and fortitude, this is more out of necessity in order to ensure the survival of the user and close the gap created by their near-complete disregard of defensive ideology. Not surprisingly given the heritage of its progenitor, the maneuvers of the Amaranth Eclipse discipline strongly resemble the combat style of a barbarian, using unadulterated rage and savagery to create the most fearsome image possible. The users of the Amaranth Eclipse are usually brutes who give little thought to strategy or defense, absorbing and dealing damage with incredible strength and endurance. Their fierce countenance strikes terror into the hearts of their opponents, and even allows them to hypnotize themselves into a state of bloodthirsty mania. The Amaranth Eclipse is used for up close and brutal melee combat and is fit for little else. As such most of its weapons are those used for cleaving foes in twain. The greatsword, fullblade, greataxe, scythe, and halberd are all associated with the Amaranth Eclipse. The discipline's key skill is Intimidate. Learning Maneuvers from the DisciplineThe original creator of the Amaranth Eclipse wasn't one to give lessons; many who learned his techniques did so through painful experience. Some were crazed enough to intentionally seek him out, coaxing one maneuver from him at a time. As a result, every maneuver from the current Amaranth Eclipse is purely imitational, taught by the survivors of those encounters. Even the discipline's very name originated from a copycat, who described his assault as "a red storm that blocked out the sun". The name stuck, despite the disagreements of some practitioners. Because of the scarcity of maneuvers and the questionable intelligence of those who would teach it, the Amaranth Eclipse requires more dedication to master than most, since quality training is hard to come by. The techniques were dismissed by the Temple of the Nine Swords, who were unwilling to accept the ravings of a few suicidal lunatics as a discipline. Even so, those who endeavor to learn the secrets of the Amaranth Eclipse may still do so, replacing one of their normal disciplines (usually Devoted Spirit) with the Amaranth Eclipse. Game Mechanics of the Amaranth EclipseAvailable To: Any Discipline Skill: Intimidate (Cha) Discipline Weapons: greatsword, fullblade, greataxe, scythe, and halberd Discipline Feat: Nightmare Fuel [edit]Maneuvers of the Amaranth Eclipse Discipline
1st-Level Maneuvers
2nd-Level Maneuvers
3rd-Level Maneuvers
4th-Level Maneuvers
5th-Level Maneuvers
6th-Level Maneuvers
7th-Level Maneuvers
8th-Level Maneuvers
9th-Level Maneuvers
[edit]FeatsNightmare Fuel [General]Prerequisites: Intimidate 4 ranksBenefit: Creatures who are immune to fear effects are no longer immune to your Intimidate checks. Instead, they gain a +4 bonus to their opposed rolls against your Intimidate check. This even affects creatures that are mindless, but they gain a +8 bonus to their roll instead of the normal +4.Normal: Creatures who are immune to fear effects cannot be affected by the Intimidate skill. [edit]MiscellaneousPractitioners of the Amaranth Eclipse discipline are highly advised to take the Hulking Brute trait or any other ability that allows the use of the adept's Strength modifier for Intimidate checks.
When your opponent's weapon penetrates, you adjust your position to trap it inside your hold and leave them exposed for a counterattack. When an opponent successfully hits you with a melee attack, you may make an melee attack against that foe. The target of your attack is denied their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class.
Your horrifying features give your opponent pause, and he lowers his guard just enough for you to strike with tremendous speed. You may make a single melee attack and an Intimidate check as parts of the same immediate action. If the attack hits, add the result of your Intimidate check to the damage dealt.
Recognizing the slightest hesitation in your target, you press on mercilessly and deliver an additional attack. You may make two melee attacks as a standard action, both at your highest base attack bonus. Both of these attack rolls suffer a -2 penalty.
Reveling in your opponent's agony, you feel a rush on renewed vigor. You've never felt more alive! With this strike, you make a single melee attack. If the attack roll is successful, you are healed a number of hit points equal to one half the damage dealt.
One of your enemies falls, and your power is so great that he fails to even halt your momentum. Your blade lashes out to attack a second foe, not satisified with one kill. You can only activate this maneuver immediately after you have reduced an opponent to 0 or fewer hit points with a melee attack. Upon its activation, you may launch a full attack on another opponent that you threaten in melee.
You are the center of attention, your terrifying visage causing all those around you to cry out in terror. This ability has the same effect as devilish catharsis, with several exceptions. Any creature that you can threaten in melee is now affected, even if they cannot see you. In addition, a creature that would normally be panicked by this ability are instead totally overwhelmed by fear, coweringand unable to act at all. You may affect up to one creature per two initator levels with this ability.
With awe-inspiring Strength, you unleash a vicious slash on your opponent that strikes with the force of a falling meteor. For every one point of damage you would normally deal from your Strength modifier, you deal 1d6 points of damage. This replaces your usual Strength-based damage.
You are so accustomed to swinging large weapons that you can now strike opponents from further away, maintaining maximum combat efficiency while increasing your sustainability. In this stance, you may wield weapons two size categories larger than normal, and you also gain 5 extra feet of reach when using a weapon at least one size category larger than yourself. Unlike ire of the rising sun, this stance stacks with any other abilities that grant larger weapon usage.
Seething with feral viciousness, you attack your foe head on with no thought to defending yourself. You throw yourself at your foe, as if daring them to attack before falling to your blade. You disregard defense almost entirely, concentrating all your efforts into reducing enemies to mincemeat. You may incur a penalty to your Armor Class and gain an equivalent bonus to attack and damage rolls until the beginning of your next turn, but you can only take a maximum penalty of up to 1 point of Armor Class per two initiator levels. You cannot reduce your Armor Class below 0 with this maneuver.
You look into the steel of your blade, using your own powers of intimidation to hypnotize yourself. This altered state of consciousness grants you sweet reprieve from the pain of your injuries. When you use this maneuver, you make an Intimidate check. You immediately gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the result of your Intimidate check. These temporary hit points last for the duration of the current encounter.
Your power positively oozes from you as you stare down your opponent, striking fear into his heart. You may make an Intimidate check against a DC equal to 10 + the target's Challenge Rating + their Wisdom modifier + any bonuses they have against fear effects). If you succeed, the designated opponent (who must be able to see you and be threatened by you in melee) is considered shaken until the end of their next turn. If you win by 5 or more, the opponent is frightened for the same duration, and if you win by 10 or more they are treated as panicked.
In order to maximize your enjoyment of the battle, you have held yourself back against these pitiful little worms. Not anymore. Now the gloves come off, and you kick some ass. When you use this maneuver, you make three attacks as a standard action. All of these attacks use your highest base attack bonus and do not suffer any abnormal penalties.
The massive brute bearing down on you tries to use its massive bulk to overwhelm you, but when he looks into your rage-filled eyes all the strength is drained from his body and you overwhelm him easily. When you are targeted with a special attack in which the opponent receives a special size modifier, you may make an Intimidate check. If you beat their opposed roll, all size bonuses conferred upon the opposing creature are negated. Bonuses from a high Strength score still apply normally.
Your muscles bulge with power, and you feel as if a great weight has been lifted off your shoulders. With steady footwork, you heft a huge weapon that would normally be beyond your power to hold. You may wield weapons one size larger than normal without penalty. This stacks with any other ability that allows you to wield weapons one size category larger than normal, but does not stack with Monkey Grip or any other feat that increases permissible weapon size. In addition, all discipline weapons now have the option of dealing bludgeoning damage without a penalty to attack rolls.
As his weapon is pinned to you, your opponent braces himself for your inevitable counter. It doesn't help much. When you are struck with a melee attack, you may hold your opponent down by pinning their weapon to your flesh. You may make two attacks against the opponent who struck you, both at your highest base attack bonus.
You embrace a primal fury borne of years of battle, allowing you to channel your frightening rage into a vicious attack. Your next attack is imbued with extra force, and adds twice your Strength modifier in damage instead of the normal 1.5 times.If you make a full attack action, this only applies to the first attack of that sequence.
Fueled by your rage, your sword arm slashes harder than you ever thought possible, cutting through flesh and bone like a hot knife through butter. Make an Intimidate check. Add the result of this check to the damage of your next successful melee attack.
You hit your enemy so hard they feel it down to their bones, reverberating through them and rendering them immobile. On a successful attack, you deal double damage and force your target to make a Fortitude save (DC 15 + your Strength modifier) or be stunneduntil the end of their next turn.
Your terrifying visage breaks your opponent's will just as your blade pierces their defenses. Your intimidation abilities have the ability to strike opponents dumb. On a successful attack, make an Intimidate check. If you succeed, your opponent incurs a 1d6 penalty to their Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma damage for 1 round per two initiator levels. This maneuver cannot reduce any ability scores below 1.
The very sight of you weakens your opponent's resolve, causing their attacks to falter. When someone successfully strikes you with any attack or effect that deals damage, you make an Intimidate check. If your Intimidate check beats their opposed check, the amount of damage dealt to you is halved. If your opponent makes multiple attacks on you, the damage from all attacks is halved for the rest of their current turn.
With a terrible roar, you unleash a vicious slash with your blade. Your opponent, pale as a sheet, stiffens in the throes of rigor mortis and is rent asunder by the force of your attack, already dead before you even touched him. When you use this strike, you make an Intimidate check against your opponent's opposing roll. If you win and your attack hits, your opponent must make a Fortitude save (19 + your Strength modifier) against one of the effects below based on the result of the check:
When the going gets rough, you laugh it off, each injury sharpening your focus and whetting your blade. Astounded by your lack of attention to your grievous wounds, your opponents leave themselves wide open to attack. For every 10 points of damage you take or deal each round, you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with melee weapons on your next turn, up to a maximum bonus equal to your initiator level.
Coated in the blood of your enemies, you tear your foes to shreds with absolutely no care in the world for your personal well-being. Each attack hurts more than before, but this is little consolation to your eviscerated opponents. So long as you maintain this stance, all damage you take is doubled. In return, all melee damage you deal is also doubled. If your damage is already being multiplied by another source, increase the previous multiplier by one instead of doubling. Any precision-based damage (such as sneak attack or skirmish) that you deal is not multiplied by this stance.
As your foe tries to flee, the sight of you stops him dead in his tracks, his legs buckling with fright. When you would normally be able to make an attack of opportunity, you may instead make an Intimidate check. If your check beats your opponent's roll, they must immediately halt and cannot move until the beginning of your next turn.
Your blade hacks through your opponents who, quaking in their boots at your approach, can do even less to stop your onslaught. This maneuver functions just like lesser terror tactics, except your weapon deals an extra 3d8 points of damage per level of fright instilled in the target. Therefore, you can deal a maximum of 9d8 damage to the target with this maneuver.
Your blade hacks through your opponents who, quaking in their boots at your approach, can do nothing to stop your onslaught. This maneuver functions just like lesser terror tactics, except your weapon deals an extra 6d8 points of damage per level of fright instilled in the target. Therefore, you can deal a maximum of 18d8 damage to the target with this maneuver.
Your blade hacks through your opponents who, quaking in their boots at your approach, can do little to stop your onslaught. You make a single melee attack as a standard action that deals additional damage to a terrified foe. If your opponent is shaken, they take 1d8 additional points of damage from your attack. If they are frightened, they take 1d8 more damage on top of the damage for being shaken. If they are panicked, they take yet another 1d8 points of damage (for a maximum of 3d8 extra damage possible). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||