Black Rain (3.5e Martial Discipline)
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Low - Moderate - The first mortal battles were those of nature, red in tooth and claw–beasts struggling among each other, fighting with sharp claws, piercing teeth, or lashing tails. But then came man and his fellow races, primitive at first, using simple clubs and spears, conquering the beasts of the wild. Soon the mortal races abandoned their simple stone bludgeons for blades, taking up cold iron and haughty steel to war. And soon–or perhaps even already–the mortal races, ever inventing new tools and weapons, will discover a force much greater than any club or sword: the gun. The firearm, sleek, compact, and ruthlessly powerful. A knight, armored in full plate and trained for years in the noble art of the greatsword, could be downed from a hundred feet by a peasant with a musket, and a master duelist could be shot down before he had a chance to draw his sword by a pistol-wielding gunslinger. And just as the sword had its true masters, the martial adepts of the Sublime Way, so too might the gun find its exalted wielders, martial adepts of the tenth path, the discipline of Black Rain. An art of finesse and ruthless power, the Black Rain discipline promises its wielders the true power of the gun. The Black Rain discipline’s associated skill is Spot, as a sharp and unwavering aim is essential to sublime gunslinging. All firearms, as well as the concussion blaster, death ray, firewand, and wandgun, are associated weapons of the Black Rain discipline.
Because the Black Rain discipline was never taught at the Temple of the Nine Swords or any similar center of training, most martial adepts do not know any maneuvers from it, or even know it exists. Any martial adept can learn maneuvers from the Black Rain discipline, but they must either have the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Firearms) feat or otherwise be proficient with firearms to do so. There are two ways to master the discipline. The first is to have been trained in it. If you choose to make a martial adept that has already been trained in the Black Rain discipline, you simply replace one discipline that adept could normally learn with maneuvers from with the Black Rain discipline. He loses the associated skill of the replaced discipline as a class skill, but gains Spot as a class skill. You must take Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Firearms) at 1st level in order to begin with knowledge of the Black Rain discipline.
The other way is to seek out a master of the Black Rain discipline — a martial adept capable of using at least 5th-level maneuvers from the discipline — and training under him. You must train for a month under the master, and spend 1,000 xp at the end of your training. You gain the ability to learn maneuvers from the Black Rain discipline, and add Spot to your martial adept class’s list of class skills. In addition, you may exchange your maneuvers known for maneuvers of the Black Rain discipline. You may exchange one maneuver of each level, and the new maneuvers you learn must be of the same level as the exchanged maneuvers, unlike normal. You must still be proficient in firearms to receive training in Black Rain.
- Black Rain, Firearms, and the Campaign
Guns don’t belong in every campaign. Many campaign settings either do not have guns as a feature, or specifically do not include guns. In such a case, the Black Rain discipline simply does not have a place in such campaigns. A DM might be willing to allow a player to use firearms and Black Rain, particularly if the character's background provides a compelling justification for it – they are a gnomish tinkerer who invented firearms as a new weapon, or they are an adventuring archaeologist who unearthed a cache of ancient weapons – but this should be considered an exception, rather than a rule. In campaigns where firearms are more common, then the discipline should likewise be more widespread, perhaps even made a major feature of the setting.
Game Mechanics of the Black Rain
Available To: Any
Discipline Weapons: All firearms, concussion blaster, death ray, firewand, wandgun
Maneuvers of the Black Rain DisciplineEdit
- To see the full, expanded description of every maneuver, click here.
1st-Level Maneuvers
- Curve the Bullet: Boost — You have a bullet move like a creature rather than a projectile.
- Deadland Walker's Shade: Stance — You gain protection from heat and alignment-based effects.
- Dust Devil Shot: Strike — Attack rebounds to strike two foes.
- Gather the Storm: Boost — Reload a firearm as a swift action.
- Hot-Blooded Gunman Bravado: Stance — Take penalty on firearm attack rolls to deal extra damage.
- Iron Caress: Strike — Make a called shot with a firearm attack that deals +1d6 damage and a secondary effect.
- Shoot the Strap: Counter — Shoot the armor off an opponent and may cause a scene.
- Stance of the Coyote: Stance — This stance allow the user to move right after striking and distinguish the smell of black powder from the air.
2nd-Level Maneuvers
- Blossom of Iron Petals: Strike — Make a firearm attack in a line.
- Dive for Cover: Rush — Make a move action, drawing or reloading your firearm and gain a bonus if you end in cover.
- Elegant Execution: Boost — Deal bonus damage at point blank range, or make a coup de grace against a downed enemy.
- Smoking Steel Parry: Counter — Parry a ranged attack with a firearm.
- Stare Down Death: Boost — Stabilize and heal.
3rd-Level Maneuvers
- Azure Battle Mandala: Strike — Make a firearm attack with a +20 bonus on the attack roll and deal +2d6 damage.
- Black Powder Flashbang: Strike — You throw an improvised flashbang, dazing and blinding opponents.
- Black Tempest: Stance — Reload a firearm as a swift action for the duration of the encounter.
- Handloaded Special: Stance — You can load special ammunition into your firearm.
- Sublime Marksmanship: Boost — Disarm or sunder with a ranged attack.
4th-Level Maneuvers
- Boomjump: Rush — You make a high jump check by using your firearm as propulsion.
- Deadeye Shot: Strike — You fire at every opponent within 60 ft once, with the benefits of true strike.
- Inglorious Maiming Shot: Strike — Firearm attack deals 2 Constitution damage, leaves bleeding wound.
- Trance of Unhesitating Speed: Counter — Draw and attack with a firearm at the beginning of combat.
5th-Level Maneuvers
- Blossom of Righteous Fire: Strike — Make a firearm attack in a line, deals +6d6 damage.
- Danger Zone: Stance — You gain Combat Reflexes and the ability to take ranged attacks of opportunity.
- Righteous Devil Gunslinger: Stance — Fire bullets of ki that can be mentally guided.
- Smoking Aim Mantra: Boost — Make a concentration check to effectively gain the effect of true strike on your next ranged firearm attack.
6th-Level Maneuvers
- Cruel Shrapnel Cascade: Strike — Attack maims foe, deals ability damage.
- Deadeye Sniper Gaze: Stance — Ignore range and concealment penalties.
7th-Level Maneuvers
- Blossom of Inevitable Demise: Strike — Make a firearm attack in a line, deal +10d6 damage.
- Scarlet Battle Mandala: Strike — Firearm attack automatically threatens a critical hit, deals +10d6 damage.
8th-Level Maneuvers
- Heaven-Shattering Volley: Boost — Firearm attacks ignore damage reduction, leave bleeding wounds.
- Lord of Arms: Stance — Gain special bonuses while wielding firearms.
9th-Level Maneuvers
- Ebon Lotus Blossom Mandala: Strike — Make a firearm attack in a line that automatically threatens a critical hit, deals +15d6 or more damage.
- Searing Brass: Boost [X-Discipline] — Gain the benefits of the Combat Reflexes, Improved Combat Reflexes, Punishment Combat Reflexes, and Super Snipe feats for 1 round.
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