I edited in a review of
Fox's Instinct to my previous post.
I still say FoxFire is more like Fairie Fire... but whichever you choose.
Golden-Esque wrote:Horror of the Phantasmagorical Kitsune
Braggart Fox (Strike) [Illusion]
Level: Adept 9
Prerequisites: Four Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 60 feet
Area: See text
Saving Throw: See text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
By evoking the mysticism of the half-animal half-demon creature, the kitsune, the Braggart Fox adept can slaughter the ego of their foes, slaying them in reality as well.
As part of this maneuver, you unleash a horrid illusion upon your foes. This is treated as a gaze attack that targets all creatures that can draw line of sight to you within the maneuver’s range. If successful, you deal your normal weapon damage plus an additional 8d6 points of damage to the creature. In addition, if an affected creature has been feinted by you, it must make a Will save (DC 19 + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the creature immediately dies. A successful save negates this death effect but not the damage. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Should this have [Death] in addition to [Illusion]?
Also, a 60 burst of weapon damage (does this include strength and flaming and power-attack?), +8d6 is... oh, wait this is the 9th level maneuver. Carry on. Jolly good show. (but you still need to clarify what damage you can count as "weapon damage"). Err... is there any defense other than not having LOS to you that works against the basic damage?
Golden-Esque wrote:Illusory Entourage
Braggart Fox (Boost) [Illusion]
Level: Adept 6
Prerequisites: Two Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
It’s always good to have someone watching your back. Even if they’re not real.
After you initiation this maneuver, you surround yourself with an entourage of four illusory doubles. These illusory doubles follow all of the normal rules associated with illusory doubles. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Should be "after you intitiate".
Golden-Esque wrote:Illusory Misdirection
Braggart Fox
Level: Adept 6 (Boost) [Illusion]
Prerequisites: Two Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: See text
When fighting a Braggart Fox adept, one can never trust their senses. Or their instincts. You’re pretty much guaranteed to be screwed with.
After initiating this maneuver, you immediately turn invisible, as the Invisibility spell, and move into any square adjacent to your own. Then, you create an illusory double in your previous square. A creature must make a Will save (DC 16 + your Charisma modifier) to realize that the double is not you. Your Invisibility lasts until the end of your next round. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Looks fine to me, but I am not in the mood to see how it stacks up to other maneuvers. Given the 1 round duration, you MIGHT call it the same as "Mislead", but then again it IS an encounter power rather than a daily (to use 4E terminology) and the double sticks around until the end of combat (right?) so a level higher might make sense.
Golden-Esque wrote:Illusory Strike
Braggart Fox (Strike) [Illusion]
Level: Adept 5
Prerequisites: Two Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
A little bit of flowing blood makes all the difference when proving your point.
As part of this maneuver, make a feint maneuver against the target creature. If you succeed, you create an illusory double that deals your normal weapon damage to the creature. Following this maneuver, the illusory double cannot attack and follows all of the normal rules associated with illusory doubles (see above). In addition, the creature becomes feinted against your next attack. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
As written that "next" attack could be years later. I guess it would take a REALLY bad reading to imply that it is your next attack on THEM, so if you attack anything else you waste it, but some more clarity couldn't hurt I don't think. And actually, being able to attack another opponent next round with your first attack, then direct your second at them (since they are feinted, and thus easier to hit so the -5 for the itterative doesn't hurt as much.) might make some sense.
Golden-Esque wrote:Kitsune’s Grudge
Braggart Fox
Level: Adept 8 (Counter) [Illusion]
Prerequisites: Three Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Melee attack
Target: Attacking creature
Duration: Instantaneous
The grudge of a Kitsune holds countless lifetimes.
You can only initiation this maneuver when you are targeted by an attack or ability by a creature you are adjacent to. You can make an attack of opportunity against the creature, even if its action would not normally provoke attacks of opportunity. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage plus an additional 6d6 points of damage. In addition, make a feint maneuver. If you succeed, the creature is affected by the Phantasmal Killer spell with a caster level equal to your initiator level. The creature takes a -3 penalty to its saving throw against the Phantasmal Killer effect, and it cannot disbelieve it. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Again, should be "initiate" that is a lot of dice-rolls, and you don't give the effect enough fluff to say how it works (there might be such fluff on a lower/higher level version of this that I seem to remember, but I can't remember what exactly that fluff was).
Golden-Esque wrote:Lasting Ruse
Braggart Fox (Boost)
Level: Adept 5
Prerequisites: Two Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: See text
A good ploy fools twice.
After initiating this maneuver, creatures you have feinted are treated as being feinted for the remainder of this round and during your next round; even if you attacked them during this time. This maneuver affects all creatures you have feinted, so long as they can see you and hear you.
Nice. No idea about the level, but it sounds good. Expect this maneuver to never be swapped out (assuming you keep "4th and every even numbered level after that" swap mechanics from ToB), there is just simply too much synergy with other maneuvers.
Golden-Esque wrote:Mirage Defense
Braggart Fox (Counter) [Illusion]
Level: Adept 7
Prerequisites: Three Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: 1 illusory double
Duration: Instantaneous
“Keep’em on their toes. Once they question their own reality, they’ve lost.”
You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by an attack or ability and you have at least 1 illusory double activated. That attack or ability automatically hits the illusory double instead, as long as it is a legal target. For example, an illusory double must be adjacent to an attacking creature to be struck by a melee attack or within range of a spell to have it cast upon them. After using this maneuver, you immediately move into the illusory double’s former space. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
I would give this the [Teleportation] tag, other than that, I like it. Very powerful, but requires you to have a double (so you almost certainly can't use it the first round) and it IS 7th level.
Golden-Esque wrote:Never-Ending Illusions
Braggart Fox (Counter) [Illusion]
Level: Adept 8
Prerequisites: Three Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: See text
Duration: Instantaneous
“Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, and ideas are bulletproof.”
You can only initiate this maneuver when one or more of your illusory doubles are reduced to 0 hit points and vanish. You immediately create 1d4 illusory doubles. Place these doubles in any square within 30 feet of either you or the creature whose action allowed you to use this maneuver. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Hmmm... not sure on the utility of this, since it is pretty easy to guess that none of the ones that just appeared are real. I also note that this is the only one I have seen so far that creates a random number of doubles, but that is neither here nor there really. Also, given the changes I recommended you make, this actually has the doubles splitting off of the REAL YOU, and racing into those positions, revealing which one is the real you. It would be better if this one specifically had the new illusions splitting out of the old right before it actually vanishes. Also, most things that create an illusionary double on someone elses turn should MAYBE allow you to take a 5' step as long as you leave one double occupying the square you left (IE you step out of them, rather than them stepping out of you, so you can mix yourself up with them. Anything that happens on your own turn is easy enough to handle by saying that any movement you do during your own turn can be mixed up chronologically with the double's creation such that it isn't clear which way the doubles actually went or you at least shuffle around through them.
Golden-Esque wrote:Offsetting Step
Braggart Fox (Counter)
Level: Adept 1
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Melee attack
Target: Attacking creature
Duration: Instantaneous; see text
One falsehood in a temple of truths is enough to make the whole building crumble to the ground.
You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by any ability that makes an attack roll or combat maneuver check against you. Immediately make a feint maneuver against the attacker; if you succeed, in addition to becoming feinted the creature’s current attack automatically fails. If your feint fails, you are attacked normally.
Nice and simple. It works... although maybe having them be actually feinted is a bit much, since you not only have a counter, but a reduction of the action required to feint.
Golden-Esque wrote:Offsetting Parry
Braggart Fox (Counter)
Level: Adept 2
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Melee attack
Target: Attacking creature
Duration: Instantaneous
With perfect timing and finesse, the adept feints their enemy into tumbling past them, falling on their face.
You can only initiate this maneuver when you are the target of a melee attack. Make a feint combat maneuver. If your maneuver succeeds, the creature moves through your space, lands in the first empty space available, and falls prone.
Isn't his much nastier than the Setting Sun maneuver that lets you change places with an attacker (maybe only if they miss?)? And I THINK that one might be higher level, although I don't know. And it MIGHT be a stance, not sure. But maybe that is a really weak Setting Sun maneuver?
Golden-Esque wrote:One Step Ahead
Braggart Fox (Stance)
Level: Adept 5
Prerequisites: Two Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
“One jump ahead of the hoof beats one hop ahead of the hump, one trick ahead of disaster. They’re quick, but I’m much faster.”
While you are in this stance, creatures do not get to make Sense Motive checks to distinguish you from your illusory doubles. Whenever a creature makes an attack or uses a targeting ability against you, you can choose to redirect that attack or ability to one illusory double, so long as it is a legal target of the attack or ability.
Should probably be a comma between "beats" and "one hop". Also you are much less verbose than in the other place where you have redirection about what "legal target" means. In addition I would consider making this an 8th level stance, since it gives you up to 9 free hits against non-AoO, non-Cleaving enemies in combination with Nontuple Mirage.
Golden-Esque wrote:Nontuple Mirage
Braggart Fox (Boost) [Illusion]
Level: Adept 8
Prerequisites: Three Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
Are you seeing double?
After initiating this maneuver, you immediately create up to nine illusory doubles. These doubles are placed in the squares adjacent to yours; any double that has no square to appear in is lost. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
I think I already commented on this?
Golden-Esque wrote:Phantasmal Fear
Braggart Fox (Stance)
Level: Adept 8
Prerequisites: Three Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
We all are afraid of something, and a good illusionist tries to draw upon that fear, sharpening to cut deeper than any blade.
While you are in this stance, whenever you feint a creature, it remains feinted against you (and only you) for as long as you assume this stance. After ending this stance, all creatures you have feinted are no longer feinted by you.
"Assume" should be "maintain". Also, forget what I said about nobody trading away that 5th level boost. This is better, although, of course, it also takes up your stance.
Golden-Esque wrote:Playing Opossum
Braggart Fox (Counter)
Level: Adept 2
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Melee attack
Target: Attacking creature
Duration: See text
The adept emulates their own death, fooling all but the most practiced of surgeons.
You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by any action that designates you as a target. You take no damage and suffer no negative effects associated with the ability but you immediately fall to the ground, prone. Then, make a feint maneuver against all creatures that can observe you. If you succeed, that creature believes you are dead and will take no hostile actions against you. At any time while you are playing dead, you can spend an immediate action to end the effect and either stand up and move 5 feet or stand up and attack a creature adjacent to you. The target of your attack must have failed its save against this maneuver. You cannot make any other actions except this one while playing dead without ending the effect.
I know both spellings are good for the animal, but for this phrase isn't it usually rendered "Playing Possum"? I don't know that it would bother anyone else than me, and it is a very minor detail, but I thought I would mention it.
Actually, a Barghest (for instance) is fairly likely to take "hostile actions" against a foe it considers dead if it thinks it can spare the time in the middle of combat. Also, anyone who wants to make it harder to revivify you might try to ash/
Disintegrate a corpse, and, of course, if written CORRECTLY, this spell would be a really good way to trick a really serious foe into wasting a round on casting
Soul Bind. For bonus points, you could even have the caster of a
Soul Bind get false information leading them to believe that the spell had gone off perfectly unless they somehow checked either your "corpse" or the gem. Usually I think casters automatically know if a spell worked or not (so you can't fake getting Charmed for instance, although if you Slippery Mind out of a Charm you could fake at that point).
Golden-Esque wrote:Quicker Than the Eye
Braggart Fox (Counter)
Level: Adept 2
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
The best tricks are performed when the eye is too busy to watch the hand.
You can initiate this maneuver whenever a creature you can see takes a move action, standard action, or full round action. You can immediately make a move action. This move action can be to hide an object no larger than a dagger of your size category on your person, to move up to your land speed, or to draw or sheathe a weapon. This move action does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Eh, should this be an ENEMY? As it stands, this works on your allies actions. Even with the limits on the types of actions you can take, this might be stepping on Diamond Mind's
Quicksilver Motion's toes since it is an Immediate (and the timing is such that it might as well JUST be an immediate as long as it isn't your turn), and it avoids AoOs. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but I would think that they would be closer together than 5 whole maneuver levels.
Golden-Esque wrote:Reynard’s Boast
Braggart Fox (Stance)
Level: Adept 1
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
It takes no more skill to lie to beasts than it does to men; one must simply understand their culture.
While in this stance, you can feint against non-humanoid creatures and creatures with an Intelligence of 1 or 2 without the normal penalties. In addition, you can feint mindless creatures at a -8 penalty to your Bluff check.
Looks good, but why -8 rather than the more usual -10? I am all for non-standard if there is a half-way excuse, but I would like to hear your reasoning.
Golden-Esque wrote:Sudden Strike
Braggart Fox (Stance)
Level: Adept 5
Prerequisites: Two Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
A favored technique of the Braggart Fox adepts is to withhold their attacks until the perfect opening arising, allowing them to strike to great effect.
While you are in this stance, your attacks deal +2d6 points of sudden strike damage. Sudden strike damage is only dealt to a creature suffering from the effects of a combat maneuver.
Hmmmmm... might want to define "sudden strike" here, or at least refer to a page in some book... also, is it just me, or would this be very very useful against Falling Anvil users since a lot of their counters have a bit of a downside? Not that I expect you to write for compatability with everyone, and it isn't necessarily a BAD thing, but I thought I would point it out.
Golden-Esque wrote:Stupefying Feint
Braggart Fox (Strike)
Level: Adept 4
Prerequisites: One Braggart Fox maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
With a well-played bluff, the adept batters their adversary’s faith in their eyes right out of them.
As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage plus an additional +1 point of damage per initiator level you possess. In addition, the struck creature is considered feinted against your next attack. If it was already feinted when you used this maneuver, it is dazed for 1 round instead.
Auto-Feint on a hit? Pretty powerful.
Golden-Esque wrote:Trickster’s Misdirection
Braggart Fox (Boost) [Illusion]
Level: Adept 3
Prerequisites: One Braggart Fox maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn
The signature technique of a Braggart Fox adept is the ability to create illusory doppelgangers of themselves.
After activating this maneuver, you immediately create a number of illusory doubles (see Special Rules, above) equal to 1 illusory double per six ranks in Bluff you possess. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
So... this is useless until one class level after you can first get it? Seems to need a "(Minimum 1)" clause. Also, it seems to me that by the time you can get 2 doubles, you would probably have access to a maneuver that gives you 4 or something... then again, redundant back-ups are good, especially with no recovery methods availible in your setting.
Golden-Esque wrote:Trickster’s Strike
Braggart Fox (Strike)
Level: Adept 1
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round
‘Cheating’ is what the losers call ‘thinking outside of the box.’
As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage and immediately make a dirty tricks combat maneuver against the struck creature. It takes a penalty to its Combat Maneuver Defense against this maneuver equal to the damage it suffered from your attack.
Well, I don't know what "Dirty Tricks combat maneuver" is, since I am not familiar with pathfinder, but I will say that at higher levels this is going to turn into an automatic success on the Dirty Tricks if you hit in the first place. That might or might not be a bad thing for a level 1 maneuver.
Golden-Esque wrote:Wisp’s Grudge
Braggart Fox (Counter)
Level: Adept 6
Prerequisites: Two Braggart Fox maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Melee attack
Target: Attacking creature
Duration: Instantaneous
The grudge of a wisp holds countless centuries.
You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by an attack or ability by a creature you are adjacent to. You can make an attack of opportunity against the creature, even if its action would not normally provoke attacks of opportunity. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage plus an additional 4d6 points of damage. In addition, make a feint maneuver. If you succeed, the creature is stunned for 1 round in addition to being feinted against your next attack.
I am often of two minds about the "adjacent to" mechanic, since it doesn't take into account bigger creatures with longer reach nearly as well as I would like... then again, that may be intentional. I just seems like if you are anything other than medium or small a lot of ToB is going to be slightly "off"...
Golden-Esque wrote:Wisp’s Mirage
Braggart Fox (Stance) [Illusion]
Level: Adept 3
Prerequisites: One Braggart Fox maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
By channeling the powers of the sprits from beyond the veil, a Braggart Fox adept can create mirages and illusions.
While in this stance, you can cast the following spells as spell-like abilities: Ghost Sounds, Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, Invisibility, Produce Flame, and Silent Image. You can cast a number of spells per encounter equal to half your Charisma modifier; once these spells have been exhausted, the stance ends. When your initiator level reaches 10, you add the following spells to the list: Invisibility Sphere, Major Image, Mirror Image. When your initiator level reaches 15, you add the following spells to the list: Hallucinatory Terrain, Greater Invisibility. You use your initiator level as your caster level for these spells.
My opinion of this orobably depends entirely on how you handle maneuvers outside combat.