Bout to fight Raphael
Finally stole the hammer
Finally stole the hammer
Dungeons & Dragons Feats and Lore General
- Thread starter Flowering Knight
- Start date
RAPHAEL IS DEAD 
GORTASH - DEAD
KETHERIC - DEAD AGAIN
ORIN - DEAD
KETHERIC - DEAD AGAIN
ORIN - DEAD
Fuck it we're talking about the book that made fighters great again, the Book of Weeaboo Fightan Magic.
The Sublime Way isweeaboo martial arts a fighting system that allows its practitioners (known as Martial Adepts) to perform nearly superhuman (and even some supernatural) feats. Though it is not magical in nature, some theorize its maneuvers are performed by harnessing ki.
A human named Reshar was able to learn and master all nine disciplines in the Sublime Way. In the process, he manage to live over a century, with "age never touching him."
The three martial adept classes introduced are the crusader, swordsage, and warblade (the best one imo).
Crusaders are explicitly described as being capable of shattering boulders.
Warblades can instantly become an expert or even a master at a specific type of weapon just by practicing with it for an hour.
A brief look at the disciplines themselves. Desert Wind revolves around speed and mobility and allows its users to manipulate fire. Devoted Spirit is specialized against creatures opposed to the martial adept's cause and keeping them alive when others would fall (more on that later). Diamond Mind explicitly says adepts that practice it "can act in slivers of time so narrow that others cannot even perceive them." Iron Heart is centered around its users achieving superhuman skill with weapons. Same setting with Fighters and this is what's considered superhuman, let that sink in.
Setting Sun is focused on using an opponent's strength and speed against them (in the martial arts 'throw them around' type of way... but really good). Shadow Hand grants a user limited ice and shadow manipulation (and other stuff). Stone Dragon is stronk. Tiger Claw allows martial adepts to take on animal characteristics, and White Raven literally uses shouts and battlecries infused with ki to "give two warriors the strength of five, and five warriors the strength of twenty."
Devoted Spirit Crusaders who are in the Immortal Fortitude can literally become tough enough to not die from wounds (they can still be haxed to death though).
Devoted Spirit Crusaders can use the Foehammer maneuver to ignore natural defenses and damage reduction.
Shadow Hand Swordsages can mimic air walking with Balance On The Sky.
Shadow Hand Swordsages can straight up teleport.
Shadow Hand Swordsages can become intangible.
Shadow Hand Swordsages can paralyze others with a touch.
Stone Dragon maneuvers and stances can only be initiated while in contact with the ground.
Diamond Mind Warblades and Swordsages can use Time Stands Still to "move at the speed of thought", while also stating that raindrops are at a standstill in comparison. The description then mentions rapidly attacking faster than the eye can follow, doubling down on the "this shit is superhuman" angle. If you can't tell why this shit is impressive, go back to what I said about "this is the same setting with Fighters, and this is considered superhuman."
There's also the Nine Swords themselves which are mentioned in the book but I don't feel like talking about that now because I forgot there was shit I had to do today so I need to go do that first
The Sublime Way is
A human named Reshar was able to learn and master all nine disciplines in the Sublime Way. In the process, he manage to live over a century, with "age never touching him."
The three martial adept classes introduced are the crusader, swordsage, and warblade (the best one imo).
Crusaders are explicitly described as being capable of shattering boulders.
Warblades can instantly become an expert or even a master at a specific type of weapon just by practicing with it for an hour.
A brief look at the disciplines themselves. Desert Wind revolves around speed and mobility and allows its users to manipulate fire. Devoted Spirit is specialized against creatures opposed to the martial adept's cause and keeping them alive when others would fall (more on that later). Diamond Mind explicitly says adepts that practice it "can act in slivers of time so narrow that others cannot even perceive them." Iron Heart is centered around its users achieving superhuman skill with weapons. Same setting with Fighters and this is what's considered superhuman, let that sink in.
Setting Sun is focused on using an opponent's strength and speed against them (in the martial arts 'throw them around' type of way... but really good). Shadow Hand grants a user limited ice and shadow manipulation (and other stuff). Stone Dragon is stronk. Tiger Claw allows martial adepts to take on animal characteristics, and White Raven literally uses shouts and battlecries infused with ki to "give two warriors the strength of five, and five warriors the strength of twenty."
Devoted Spirit Crusaders who are in the Immortal Fortitude can literally become tough enough to not die from wounds (they can still be haxed to death though).
Devoted Spirit Crusaders can use the Foehammer maneuver to ignore natural defenses and damage reduction.
Shadow Hand Swordsages can mimic air walking with Balance On The Sky.
Shadow Hand Swordsages can straight up teleport.
Shadow Hand Swordsages can become intangible.
Shadow Hand Swordsages can paralyze others with a touch.
Stone Dragon maneuvers and stances can only be initiated while in contact with the ground.
Diamond Mind Warblades and Swordsages can use Time Stands Still to "move at the speed of thought", while also stating that raindrops are at a standstill in comparison. The description then mentions rapidly attacking faster than the eye can follow, doubling down on the "this shit is superhuman" angle. If you can't tell why this shit is impressive, go back to what I said about "this is the same setting with Fighters, and this is considered superhuman."
There's also the Nine Swords themselves which are mentioned in the book but I don't feel like talking about that now because I forgot there was shit I had to do today so I need to go do that first
So I started playing Neverwinter (and by that I mean a couple hours lol) 
Main thing to note about it was that it was made during 4E's existence, aka the era where it was made extremely obvious that everyone was superhuman + the era where the verse got ridiculous buffs. It's pretty obvious if gameplay is anything to go by.
Though there was something interesting I found in one of the in-game books.
The Spellplague has ended by this point. Why is this significant? Because the Spellplague was the Forgotten Realms explanation for how the standard Vancian magic system was temporarily replaced by the powers and rituals system in 4th Edition. This just shows that adventurers are still ridiculously powerful.
Which is hilarious, because now it started including stuff based on 5E adventures and monsters. There's probably some shit in here that might have some upgrades, but given my overall lack of interest in MMOs, it'll depend on whether I really like the game itself or not. But it at least shows us a more accurate depiction of power levels in D&D so far.
Main thing to note about it was that it was made during 4E's existence, aka the era where it was made extremely obvious that everyone was superhuman + the era where the verse got ridiculous buffs. It's pretty obvious if gameplay is anything to go by.
Though there was something interesting I found in one of the in-game books.
The Spellplague has ended by this point. Why is this significant? Because the Spellplague was the Forgotten Realms explanation for how the standard Vancian magic system was temporarily replaced by the powers and rituals system in 4th Edition. This just shows that adventurers are still ridiculously powerful.
Which is hilarious, because now it started including stuff based on 5E adventures and monsters. There's probably some shit in here that might have some upgrades, but given my overall lack of interest in MMOs, it'll depend on whether I really like the game itself or not. But it at least shows us a more accurate depiction of power levels in D&D so far.
More stuff from the Tome of Battle.
Swordsages can, with their attacks, cause shadows to form from their opponent's heart and spread to the rest of the body, affecting their legs, arms, or heart.
Stone Dragon martial adepts can knock foes back up to 20 feet away with a single blow. This includes foes far larger than themselves.
Setting Sun Swordsages can throw an enemy up to 60 feet away. This also includes foes much larger than themselves.
Iron Heart Warblades can use Wall of Blades to block an attack with their weapon, doing so with the speed of a thunderbolt according to the description. The description also mentions the warblade's mastery with weapons (by this point the warblade is at minimum level 3), and mechanically it allows a warblade to easily defend against attacks that others cannot, which only gives credence that warblades are > fighters and barbarians both physically and skill-wise.
Diamond Mind swordsages and warblades can "see" invisible and sneaking foes using their hearing, with Hearing the Air stance.
An illustration also shows that the above claim isn't an exaggeration.
Martial Adepts with Shards of Granite can break through the hardness of objects, partnered by an illustration of a swordsage easily destroying an iron golem's leg.
Swordsages can, with their attacks, cause shadows to form from their opponent's heart and spread to the rest of the body, affecting their legs, arms, or heart.
Stone Dragon martial adepts can knock foes back up to 20 feet away with a single blow. This includes foes far larger than themselves.
Setting Sun Swordsages can throw an enemy up to 60 feet away. This also includes foes much larger than themselves.
Iron Heart Warblades can use Wall of Blades to block an attack with their weapon, doing so with the speed of a thunderbolt according to the description. The description also mentions the warblade's mastery with weapons (by this point the warblade is at minimum level 3), and mechanically it allows a warblade to easily defend against attacks that others cannot, which only gives credence that warblades are > fighters and barbarians both physically and skill-wise.
Diamond Mind swordsages and warblades can "see" invisible and sneaking foes using their hearing, with Hearing the Air stance.
An illustration also shows that the above claim isn't an exaggeration.
Martial Adepts with Shards of Granite can break through the hardness of objects, partnered by an illustration of a swordsage easily destroying an iron golem's leg.
All Deities & Demigods splatbooks include statblocks for all of the main deities (specifically Greyhawk ones), as well as including stats for deities from other, historical pantheons. I'll be taking a look at the 3rd Edition version of the book and showing some examples (we'd be here all day if I went over everyone).
Everyone from the D&D (Greyhawk) Pantheon is represented, using stats for Bahamut as an example.
The Olympian/Greek Pantheon is also represented. I will be using Zeus as an example.
The Pharaohnic/Egyptian Pantheon is also represented, using Osiris as an example.
Finally we have the Asgardian/Nordic Pantheon, using Odin as an example.
Remember that these sorts of books were a thing since 1st Edition, since player characters eventually got so strong that only gods could challenge them properly. The whole deal of "plucky adventurers running the fade with god at the end" was a thing from the beginning.
Everyone from the D&D (Greyhawk) Pantheon is represented, using stats for Bahamut as an example.
The Olympian/Greek Pantheon is also represented. I will be using Zeus as an example.
The Pharaohnic/Egyptian Pantheon is also represented, using Osiris as an example.
Finally we have the Asgardian/Nordic Pantheon, using Odin as an example.
Remember that these sorts of books were a thing since 1st Edition, since player characters eventually got so strong that only gods could challenge them properly. The whole deal of "plucky adventurers running the fade with god at the end" was a thing from the beginning.