Bladesinger Styles

[aalnyar]

I never asked this in forums so I thought I would give it a shot.

back in 2005 I played bladesingers and they used different styles, Styles what the heck are those you ask? they are simply RP related with no scripting involved for the staff or the server in general. I was going to place a list here that I had come across and wrote down long ago. Most styles came from AD&D 2.0 to 3.0 with 3.0 actually having some skills created for them. To be clear I am not asking for server change but can we use styles in our back ground and rping?

Bladesong Fighting Styles

Ahmaquissar Bladesong:

This bladesong style uses very fast strikes that come in from the oddest conceivable angles manageable by the lanky practitioners of this style. The wielder must be a Bladesinger or have the Bladesong proficiency. This fighting style comes from the idea that the user can kill off his enemies before they have a chance to mount a battle strategy. And while his enemy's try to follow his rhythms, he is speeding them on to their own demise at his hands. It is almost forgotten today, even amongst high level and ancient Bladesingers.

Gyrlaszthraen - Swift Strike Hunting Bird.

An elven fighting style that focuses on agility and swift strikes to cripple the enemy An elven fighting style that focuses on agility and swift strikes to cripple the enemy This style is comprised of very fast strikes. This style grants the Bladesinger a bonus to his initiative with his or her chosen weapon. Like the Bladesong style, this style may be purchased twice to gain a to initiative bonus. This proficiency is cumulative with single weapon style.


Ileleste - Falling Rain

An elven fighting style that focuses on covering a wide area and protecting those in it with gentle defensive strikes to cover a friends/comrades defensive openings. The style is deceptive in that those that see it are misled into allowing their own defenses to be breached by the tempo of the style. Has been called one of the stronger group defensive styles.
 

Evanero Bladesong:

This bladesong style uses the powerful and beautiful strikes seen in the elven Blade Dance to cause vicious wounds. The wielder must be a Bladesinger or have the Bladesinging proficiency. This fighting style comes from a nearly extinct elven family that once patrolled the outskirts of Cormanthyy, before the Standing Stone was erected. It is infrequently seen today, even amongst Bladesingers. (One Baelnorn Bladesinger in Myth Drannor, one Stadius Evanero, is known to possess it; as well as his closest relative Wiquaestreal Evanero, his student and nephew. Masol picked it up from Wiquaestreal recently.)

This style is comprised of gentle, but swift and decisive strikes to the vulnerable areas of the elf's enemies. This style grants the Bladesinger more damage with his or her chosen weapon. Like the Bladesong style.


Lecvero'estrii Bladesong:

This bladesong style uses very slow and rhythm-laden strikes, like the elven Blade Dance in slow motion. The wielder must be a Bladesinger or have the Bladesong proficiency. This fighting style comes from the ideas that the user can slow down the tempo of the battle and make his enemy's follow his rhythms, during which he is now thinking three or more steps ahead of them (in this respect it is like a physical game of chess). It is almost forgotten today, even amongst high level and ancient Bladesingers. This style is comprised of slow and deceptive strikes that also serve to cover his person in a protective sphere of blades.


Staryn's Bladesong:

Started by Jediah Starym, this bladesong style was simple in one thing and served one purpose only, it was also only able to be used with one weapon. The Moonblade. Though the moonblade would only draw blood it deemed worthy, once unsheathed it would permeate the battlefield in what was called in the common tongue, Mortal Maker. It rid the area of metaphysical abilities, including the wielders, making the unnatural, natural, and mortal, making what might be a supernatural fight, completely natural, leaving the combatants with only their wits and prowess with their weapons to fight.

[Plot Lost]

As said on the other thread, no idea. But, there are combat animations that you can just toggle on, and your character will fight differently... Some of the animations fit some of the things you have listed better than the rest.

[aalnyar]

As said on the other thread, no idea. But, there are combat animations that you can just toggle on, and your character will fight differently... Some of the animations fit some of the things you have listed better than the rest.

Actually, what I speak of is not mechanical/scripted in nature if that makes sense tis basically flavor stuff to allow people to say they were taught this or that and how they move in a rp fashion than a mechanical fashion by choosing the different fighting styles. Like rp wise a person went to the vale of lost voices and was shown a style of bladesong by a Baelnorn who wanted to pass on this knowledge

[Plot Lost]

Actually, what I speak of is not mechanical/scripted in nature if that makes sense tis basically flavor stuff to allow people to say they were taught this or that and how they move in a rp fashion than a mechanical fashion by choosing the different fighting styles. Like rp wise a person went to the vale of lost voices and was shown a style of bladesong by a Baelnorn who wanted to pass on this knowledge

Well, in DnD, people can describe the effects of their own spell, but with the limitation that they do not make the spell sound more powerful than what it actually is... For example a Fireball in the form of a Dragon's Head that flies and swirls through the air in order to exhale the explosion, probably is not okay, but if you want the Fireball itself be like a spherical nestling of tiny dragons made of fire that explodes upon impact... It is more sensible.

Therefore, as long as the style itself would not imply something beyond the actual in game-mechanics, I think it is fine to role-play that, and choose the appropriate set of combat animations to go with it. (And convince all other users of the same style to use the same animation as well.)

Thus, some of the descriptions are just fine... But others would require additional mechanical things to them... For example with Evanero Bladesong, you probably would want to have bleeding property on your weapon. (RP training in it until you recieve a potential DM item reward for it to be able to do it...)

And if you look at Staryn's Bladesong, or Starum's Bladesong, I think that is out of the question.

Gyrlaszthraen - Swift Strike Hunting Bird, on the other hand would require Crippling Strike feat, and the feat: Improved Initiative.

Ileleste - Falling Rain, could be achieved with the Feint feat that exists in NWN2... The closest you can get to it on this server is Feint Mastery from Invisible Blade Prc...

Lecvero'estrii Bladesong, you would need a weapon that casts slow on hit.

Ahmaquissar Bladesong, doesn't really do anything... So I guess that would be easiest of the lot to just claim and role-play as fighting in that style.

[Plot Lost]

But giving it all a different thought... Since you are playing an elf, I presume, your character is most literally going to outlive yourself. Therefore, you can approach it all from the point of view that your character is going to take a hundred years to try and master something. And if you start now, the date of mastery would be somewhere around 2124. Therefore, since you are not receiving any mechanical advantages before that date, you can just use it as an eternal excuse to be going around adventuring. Perhaps you can discover some elven ruins, or ancient elven tomes of knowledge, along with instruction manuals. Instead of just sitting in the Arabel park while doing absolutely nothing, you could emote how your character is in essence "shadow boxing" -- without drawing your weapon out of course -- which could provide others something else to discuss. In such a case, it doesn't really matter what ancient form of Bladesong your character is pursuing.


But if you want your character's in game mechanics to actually reflect on the Bladesong style... 

Ahmaquissar Bladesong:

This bladesong style uses very fast strikes that come in from the oddest conceivable angles manageable by the lanky practitioners of this style. The wielder must be a Bladesinger or have the Bladesong proficiency. This fighting style comes from the idea that the user can kill off his enemies before they have a chance to mount a battle strategy. And while his enemy's try to follow his rhythms, he is speeding them on to their own demise at his hands. It is almost forgotten today, even amongst high level and ancient Bladesingers.

Your character needs to be hasted, and probably has to be able to pop out of stealth. So, perhaps a Bard/Bladesinger/Shadowdancer is the build to go for.

Gyrlaszthraen - Swift Strike Hunting Bird.

An elven fighting style that focuses on agility and swift strikes to cripple the enemy An elven fighting style that focuses on agility and swift strikes to cripple the enemy This style is comprised of very fast strikes. This style grants the Bladesinger a bonus to his initiative with his or her chosen weapon. Like the Bladesong style, this style may be purchased twice to gain a to initiative bonus. This proficiency is cumulative with single weapon style.

You ought to spend a feat on Improved Initiative, keep yourself hasted, but when it comes to your offensive spells, either Bard or Wizard, you ought to be casting things like Dirge or Crippling.

Ileleste - Falling Rain

An elven fighting style that focuses on covering a wide area and protecting those in it with gentle defensive strikes to cover a friends/comrades defensive openings. The style is deceptive in that those that see it are misled into allowing their own defenses to be breached by the tempo of the style. Has been called one of the stronger group defensive styles.

I think you should get the "Mastery of Shaping, or Shape Mastery" feat, as that allows you to cast AoE spells without worrying about your teammates. Hence, luring enemies to their doom by mistaking a cloud of Acid Fog as something harmless.

Evanero Bladesong:

This bladesong style uses the powerful and beautiful strikes seen in the elven Blade Dance to cause vicious wounds. The wielder must be a Bladesinger or have the Bladesinging proficiency. This fighting style comes from a nearly extinct elven family that once patrolled the outskirts of Cormanthyy, before the Standing Stone was erected. It is infrequently seen today, even amongst Bladesingers. (One Baelnorn Bladesinger in Myth Drannor, one Stadius Evanero, is known to possess it; as well as his closest relative Wiquaestreal Evanero, his student and nephew. Masol picked it up from Wiquaestreal recently.)

This style is comprised of gentle, but swift and decisive strikes to the vulnerable areas of the elf's enemies. This style grants the Bladesinger more damage with his or her chosen weapon. Like the Bladesong style.

I think there is no other choice but to go for a Fighter 4/Wizard 6/Bladesinger 20 with this particular style, as the bonus fighter feats allow you to grab things like Weapon Specialization, Power Attack, and perhaps Improved Power Attack. Longsword only.

Lecvero'estrii Bladesong:

This bladesong style uses very slow and rhythm-laden strikes, like the elven Blade Dance in slow motion. The wielder must be a Bladesinger or have the Bladesong proficiency. This fighting style comes from the ideas that the user can slow down the tempo of the battle and make his enemy's follow his rhythms, during which he is now thinking three or more steps ahead of them (in this respect it is like a physical game of chess). It is almost forgotten today, even amongst high level and ancient Bladesingers. This style is comprised of slow and deceptive strikes that also serve to cover his person in a protective sphere of blades.

I imagine you would have to be casting "Slow" quite often, so you really should have that spell Extended and Quickened to increase the number of casts you have of it per day. You might also consider a one point investment in UMD skill to be able to use those scrolls of Blade Barriers at will. People tend to sell them into the Pawnshops, so those should be easy enough to stock up on, even if no actual NPC merchant sells them. Oh yeah, and do not forget about the Parry skill, max it out.

Staryn's Bladesong:

Started by Jediah Starym, this bladesong style was simple in one thing and served one purpose only, it was also only able to be used with one weapon. The Moonblade. Though the moonblade would only draw blood it deemed worthy, once unsheathed it would permeate the battlefield in what was called in the common tongue, Mortal Maker. It rid the area of metaphysical abilities, including the wielders, making the unnatural, natural, and mortal, making what might be a supernatural fight, completely natural, leaving the combatants with only their wits and prowess with their weapons to fight.

You need a Moonblade for this one, and you need to be casting a lot of Dispels, Lesser/Greater Spell Breaches, and Mordenkainen's Disjunctions. I would get Craft Wand feat for wands of Lesser Spell Breach... but not sure if that would bork-out Bladesinger abilities or not.