Description of Black Heron Maneuvers
Better off DeadBlack Heron (Strike) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Adept 5
Prerequisites: Two Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 minute
Saving Throw: Will partial
“The best part is when they lay down their blades and accept the fact that they’re worm food.” As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage. In addition, the creature must make a Will save (DC 15 + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the creature becomes shaken for 1 minute. In addition, for as long as the creature is shaken, it also takes a -2 penalty to its Armor Class. On a successful save, the duration of this effect is reduced to 1 round.
Black TalonBlack Heron (Strike)
Level: Adept 1
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
The quick slashes of the Black Heron adepts often belie their bulky, frightening frames. As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage. In addition, if you deal at least 1 point of damage to the creature, make an Intimidate check against the creature’s Sense Motive. If you succeed, you deal additional damage equal to the difference between your Intimidate check and your opponent’s Sense Motive check (max +8).
Black VendettaBlack Heron (Counter) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Adept 7
Prerequisites: Three Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
No one ever disrespects a Black Heron adept. You can only initiate this maneuver when a creature you threaten deals damage to you. Make a single attack against that creature. If it hits, you deal 8d6 points of damage. In addition, all creatures friendly to your target within 30 feet of it become demoralized for 1 minute. The struck creature is not demoralized by this maneuver.
BlackoutBlack Heron (Strike)
Level: Adept 4
Prerequisites: One Black Heron maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Taking advantage of their opponent’s distraction, the Black Heron adept delivers a telling blow that knocks their adversary out cold. As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage. In addition, if the struck creature has been the victim of a dirty trick or feint combat maneuver within the past 1 round, that creature must make a Fortitude save (DC 14 + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the creature falls unconscious for 3 rounds. This condition does not affect the creature’s hit points and they cannot be coup de graced unless their hit points are equal to 0 or lower. At the start of each of the creature’s rounds, it can attempt another Fortitude save to wake up.
Blade of HopelessnessBlack Heron (Strike) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Adept 8
Prerequisites: Three Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will partial
Hope is for the hopeless.As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage. In addition, the struck creature must make a Will save (DC 18 + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save the creature falls into a coma-like state of apathy. The creature cannot take standard actions or full round actions and all of its movement speeds are halved. It will not fight or attempt to defend itself, causing all attacks made against it to ignore the creature’s Dexterity bonus and shield bonus to Armor Class. At the start of their round, the creature gains a single Will save to end the effect as a swift action. On a successful save, the creature instead becomes shaken for 1 minute.
Blade of SorrowBlack Heron (Strike) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Adept 4
Prerequisites: One Black Heron maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will partial
“May these wounds inflict a sorrow that lasts until you meet your maker.”
As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, it deals normal weapon damage. In addition, the struck creature must make a Will save (DC 14 + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the creature becomes shaken for 1 minute. A successful save reduces the duration of the condition to 1 round.
Burning VengeanceBlack Heron (Stance)
Level: Adept 8
Prerequisites: Three Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
“Vengeance burns!”While you are in this stance, the first creature that deals any amount of damage to you becomes the target of your burning vengeance. All attacks you deal to the creature do an additional 12d6 points of damage. However, you target this creature relentless without care or concern for your own safety. All attacks made against you ignore your damage reduction (if any) and you you’re your Dexterity bonus and shield bonus to Armor Class against all targets except the target of your burning vengeance. You must take all due action to attack the creature, and you cannot take actions to prevent attacks of opportunity. In addition, you cannot make Intelligence-based, Wisdom-based, or Charisma-based skill checks with the exception of the Intimidate skill while you have a target. You also cannot perform any activity that requires concentration, with the exception of performing martial abilities. When the target dies, this stance’s effects end.
Contagion of FearBlack Heron (Boost) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Adept 5
Prerequisites: Two Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Targets: See text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will partial
“Fear spreads like a plague amongst even the bravest of hearts; nothing like a mob to foster fear.”You can only initiate this maneuver if one or more creatures that you can see are afflicted with the shaken, frightened, or panicked condition. Creatures affected by these conditions become the targets of this maneuver. All allied creatures within 10 feet of a creature targeted by this maneuver must make a Will save (DC 15 + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the creature becomes shaken for 1 minute. A successful save causes the creature to become shaken for 1 round instead.
Dash of the Black HeronBlack Heron (Boost)
Level: Adept 6
Prerequisites: Two Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
“They’re quick ones, alright.”After initiating this maneuver, you can immediately move up to your unmodified land speed. You cannot use this maneuver to burrow, climb, fly, or swim, even if you have the appropriate movement mode.
Decimate Courage Black Heron (Strike) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Adept 5
Prerequisites: Two Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
“You’d be surprised how little it takes to destroy the supposed iron will of your enemies.”As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, it deals normal weapon damage. In addition, if the creature was benefiting from any morale bonuses, it automatically loses those bonuses, regardless of how many rounds are left remaining on them. If the bonuses are permanent, then they are suppressed for the duration of the encounter instead.
Demon Skip-StrikeBlack Heron (Boost)
Level: Adept 3
Prerequisites: One Black Heron maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn
The bloodlust with which a Black Heron adept strikes is legendary.After you initiate this maneuver, you deal an additional 4d6 points of damage whenever you declare an attack as long as you have moved at least 10 feet during the turn the maneuver is initiated on. This damage is only dealt once; it does not apply per attack made.
DistractionBlack Heron (Counter)
Level: Adept 2
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Melee attack
Target: Attacking creature
Duration: Instantaneous
A well-timed distraction is all one needs to avoid harm.You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by a melee or ranged attack. Make a dirty tricks combat maneuver against the attacking creature’s Combat Maneuver Defense. If you succeed, the attack automatically misses. This maneuver must be used before the attack is rolled.
Endless Calamity Black Heron (Sublime Power) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Adept 6
Prerequisites: 2 Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: See text
Target: See text
Duration: 1d4 rounds
“Yes, flee my little puppets, flee. Flee in sheer terror! Let your fear turn to confusion, and your confusion turn to violence! Flee in the presence of a god!”You can only initiate this maneuver when one or more creature that is shaken, frightened, or panicked can see you. All creatures that are shaken, frightened, or panicked that can see you become confused for 1d4 rounds. Becoming confused does not remove the creature’s fear effect, but the fear effect’s duration decays normally while the creature is confused.
Errant ZealBlack Heron (Stance)
Level: Adept 8
Prerequisites: Three Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Slaughter comes naturally to the adepts of the Black Heron.While you are in this stance, each time you deal damage to a creature, you gain a stacking +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and Intimidate checks. This bonus cannot exceed half your initiator level. If you go for more than three rounds without dealing damage to a creature, the stack resets back to +0.
Fatal StrikeBlack Heron (Strike) [Death]
Level: Adept 8
Prerequisites: Three Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
“Look over there! Gotcha!”As part of this maneuver, make a dirty tricks combat maneuver. If you succeed, the creature must make a Fortitude save (DC 18 + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the creature immediately dies. On a successful save, the creature takes 5d6 points of damage.
Fear ItselfBlack Heron (Stance) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Adept 5
Prerequisites: Two Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
“You have nothing to fear but fear itself.”While you are in this stance, you become immune to fear effects. In addition, creatures you use fear effects against take a -1 penalty per three initiator levels you possess on their saving throw (if any) against the effect.
Feinting InsultBlack Heron (Stance) [Language-Dependant]
Level: Adept 1
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
It’s amazing how deep a simple verbal insult can dig beneath someone’s skin.While you are in this stance, as a standard action you can make an Intimidate check against the creature’s Sense Motive. If you succeed, the creature takes a -1 morale penalty per three initiator levels you possess to their Combat Maneuver Defense against the next combat maneuver you use against the creature. This penalty lasts until the end of your next turn and only applies to combat maneuvers you initiate against the demoralized creature.
Flight of the Black HeronBlack Heron (Stance)
Level: Adept 3
Prerequisites: One Black Heron maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
“It never ceases to amaze me how quickly those cowards can run if they need to.”While you are in this stance, you gain an enhancement bonus to your land speed based on your ranks in Intimidate, as shown on Table: Flight of the Black Heron Benefits.
Table: Flight of the Black Heron Benefits |
---|
Ranks in Intimidate | Benefit |
1-4 | +5ft enhancement |
5-9 | +10ft enhancement |
10-13 | +15ft enhancement |
14-18 | +20ft enhancement |
19+ | +25ft enhancement |
Frightening Swagger Black Heron (Stance) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Adept 1
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Black Heron adepts move with such swagger that their confidence alone inspires fear in their enemies. While you are in this stance, whenever you deal melee weapon damage to a creature, you can immediately attempt an Intimidate check against the struck creature’s Sense Motive. This is treated as a demoralize attempt.
Heron Skip-Strike Black Heron (Boost)
Level: Adept 1
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn
The Black Herons are infamous for their tricky footwork; even the largest of them are able to use their mass’s momentum to great effect.After you initiate this maneuver, you deal an additional 2d6 points of damage whenever you declare an attack as long as you have moved at least 10 feet during the turn the maneuver is initiated on. This damage is only dealt once; it does not apply per attack made.
Heron TacticsBlack Heron (Stance)
Level: Adept 3
Prerequisites: One Black Heron maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
“He poked me in the eyes, kicked me in the stomach, and then jabbed me in the groin before I knew that I was blinded!”While you are in this stance, you can make dirty tricks combat maneuvers as a move action instead of a standard action.
Infusion of AweBlack Heron (Boost)
Level: Adept 7
Prerequisites: Three Black Heron maneuvers
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn
“Drink deep in their fear.”After initiating this maneuver, you gain a +1 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls, skill checks, ability checks, saving throws, and Armor Class for every creature that you have line of effect to that is shaken, feared, or panicked.
Inspire FearBlack Heron (Strike) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Adept 4
Prerequisites: One Black Heron maneuver
Range: Melee attack
Area: 30 feet
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will partial
“Watch as I slaughter your friend. Watch, and know fear!”As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage. In addition, all creatures friendly to the struck creature within this maneuver’s range (including the struck creature) must make a Will save (DC 14 + your Strength modifier). On a failed save, the creature becomes demoralized for 1 minute. A successful save reduces this condition to 1 round. A creature must have line of sight and line of effect to you in order to be affected by this maneuver.
Intimidating Fake-OutBlack Heron (Strike)
Level: Adept 3
Prerequisites: One Black Heron maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
The proper mix of fear and self-preservation is enough to bend anyone to your will.As part of this maneuver, make an Intimidate check against the target’s Sense Motive check. If you succeed, the target becomes blinded, feinted against all enemies, and shaken until the end of your next turn.
LifetakerBlack Heron (Counter)
Level: Adept 4
Prerequisites: One Black Heron maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
“No, I don’t think you’ll be waking up.”You can only initiate this maneuver when a creature within this maneuver’s range fails a stabilization check. Make an attack roll against that creature; if you hit, that creature automatically dies, regardless of how many hit points it had remaining.
Low BlowBlack Heron (Strike)
Level: Adept 1
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
Black Heron adepts aren’t above common malpractice when it comes to combat.
As part of this maneuver, make a dirty checks combat maneuver. If it succeeds, the target takes damage equal to your normal weapon damage plus an additional 1d6 points of damage. In addition, the struck creature must make a Fortitude save (DC 11 + your Strength modifier). On a failed save, the creature becomes dazed for 1 round. A successful save fatigues the creature for 1 round instead.
OverpowerBlack Heron (Counter) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Adept 2
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: Attacking creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Through force of arms and mouth, anything is possible. You can initiate this maneuver whenever a creature attacks you with a melee attack. Make an Intimidate check against the creature’s Sense Motive. If you succeed, the creature takes a penalty to their Strength modifier equal to -1 plus an additional -1 per five initiator levels you possess until the end of your next turn. This maneuver can be used after an attack roll is rolled, modifying the result based on the Strength penalty but it must be used before damage is rolled.
Power CrazeBlack Heron (Boost)
Level: Adept 2
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
“The feeling you get when an insect of a man trembles beneath your might? I live for that feeling.”You can only initiate this maneuver when you successfully demoralize a creature with an Intimidate check. You gain 2d6 temporary hit points plus 1 additional hit point per initiator level you possess.
Rage of PainBlack Heron (Counter)
Level: Adept 6
Prerequisites: Two Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
“I refuse to die!”You can only initiate this maneuver when your hit point total is reduced to 0 or fewer. Make an Intimidate check with a DC equal to your hit dice. If you succeed, you do not become unconscious, but you also do not stabilize. You remain able to fight unimpaired; you can even take full round actions in a turn. However, at the start of your turn you must roll to stabilize normally. If you fail, you fall unconscious normally and continue dying. This maneuver’s effect lasts until you fall unconscious, die, or are healed above 0 hit points.
Skittering LeapBlack Heron (Boost)
Level: Adept 1
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
“That big blob of a man hurled himself at me! I never knew a fat man to move so quickly!”After you initiate this maneuver, you can immediately move up to your land speed. This movement counts against the total distance you can move during a turn, effectively allowing you to take a full move action and a standard action in a single turn. However, you cannot use this maneuver to move more than twice your land speed during a single turn.
Smash DownBlack Heron (Strike)
Level: Adept 2
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Black Heron adepts enjoy taking advantage of their foes’ lapses in courage.As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage. In addition, if the struck creature is affected by any of the following conditions, you deal +4d6 additional points of damage: dirty tricks, feinted, helpless, frightened, panicked, or shaken.
Soulless Skip-StrikeBlack Heron (Boost)
Level: Adept 7
Prerequisites: Three Black Heron maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn
Black Heron adepts slowly lose their souls; not by choice or by theft, but simply to fear.After you initiate this maneuver, you deal an additional 8d6 points of damage whenever you declare an attack as long as you have moved at least 10 feet during the turn the maneuver is initiated on. This damage is only dealt once; it does not apply per attack made.
Stride of the Dark LordBlack Heron (Strike)
Level: Adept 9
Prerequisites: Four Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full round action
Range: 30ft; see text
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
“Power. There is only power.”As part of this maneuver, you can immediately move up to 30 feet and attack a threatened creature. You can immediately attack that creature with three attacks using your primary weapon at your highest bonus, plus your choice of either a feint combat maneuver, a dirty tricks combat maneuver, or a demoralize attempt.
If your combat maneuver or demoralize attempt succeeds, you can immediately move an additional 30 feet and repeat this process. This can be done as many times as you have targets to attack, but a single creature can only be targeted once by this maneuver.
Swoop of the HeronBlack Heron (Strike)
Level: Adept 3
Prerequisites: One Black Heron maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 full round action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
With deadly efficiency, a Black Heron adept can swoop down, rain death on their foes, and leave silently. As part of this maneuver, you can move up to 10 feet and make two attacks at your highest attack bonus. These attacks take a -2 penalty to their attack roll, and you can make the 10 foot move before attacking or after attacking, your choice. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity normally.
The Heron’s ClawBlack Heron (Stance) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Adept 5
Prerequisites: Two Black Heron maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Saving Throw: Will partial
The cruelty that the Black Heron adepts can sink to is awe-inspiring. While in this stance, whenever the Black Heron adept kills a creature by reducing its hit points to the appropriate negative total, all other creatures within 30 feet of the slain creature that were allied with it must make a Will save (DC 15 + your Strength modifier). On a failed save, the creature becomes panicked for 1d4 rounds and shaken for 1 minute afterwards. On a successful save, the creature is shaken for 1 minute instead. If the Black Heron slew the creature with a coup de grace action, then no saving throw is allowed against this effect.
Trick Slash Black Heron (Strike)
Level: Adept 1
Prerequisites: None
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
“Why would we play clean when playing dirty is way more effective and a hell of a lot more fun?!”As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage. In addition, you can immediately make a dirty tricks combat maneuver check against the struck creature.
Unfettered ProgressionBlack Heron (Strike)
Level: Adept 3
Prerequisites: One Black Heron maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Black Heron adepts prefer to always keep moving, looking for the perfect advantage point to exploit on their foes. As part of this maneuver, make a single attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage. Immediately following the attack, you may move up to 10 feet. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.