Escalating Chain

Escalating Chain
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Imagine a world, where arcane power is almost limitless. Imagine a world, in which arcane
power is nigh uncontrollable. In such a world, people would have to use tricks and clever
manipulation to use arcane energy. But why should only spellcasters have recieved training in
the arcane arts. Why can't the arcane art be intermingled with martial prowess? Enter Escatating
Chain, a supernatural martial discipline which harnesses the powers of fire, cold, thunder and
raw arcane energy. But in a world where magic is hard to control, you'll need a trick to let it do
what you want, instead of just blowing yourself up. The trick with Escalating Chain is the fact
that you slowly increase the magic in your blows, making it more easy to keep under control.
First of all, you have the normal strikes, which function just like other strikes. Second, you have
the Followup strikes, for which you need the momentum granted by the normal strikes. Note that
even strikes from other disciplines can fill this requirement, as long as they are supernatural.
Lastly, you have the devestating Finishing strikes, which all have devastating effects, but for
which you must have inititiated a Followup strike prior to initiating the Finishing strike.
Initiating a Finishing strike resets your combo and you have to start from normal strikes again.
The keyskill of the Escalating Chain is Knowledge (The Planes), due to the discipline's
connection to the elemental forces. Also, because of its elemental affinity, the associated
weapons for the Escalating Chain are all weapons capable of dealing energy damage, such as a
dragonbone weapon or weapon with a enhancement that deals energy damage.
Note: Followup Strikes are marked with a (II) in this list. Finishing Strikes with a (III). Also,
only 1 Followup Strike per round can count towards fuelling a Finishing Strike (So Belt of Battle
tricks and so on do not work).
Level 1
Overstatic Strike (Strike): Strike that deals extra lightning damage based on the distance moved
that turn.
Escalation Form (Stance): Your strikes deal more damage with each combo you are able to deal.
Shockburst Grasp (Strike) (II): Follow up strike that ignore armor and shield bonus to AC
Tinder of Escalation (Boost): Boost that gives your next attack extra fire damage that ticks
against the next round.
Numbing Slash (Strike): Strike that deals a little bit extra cold damage and imposed a Dex
penalty to your opponent.
Level 2
Lifeheat Leach (Strike) (III): Finishing Strike that ignores hardness and damage reduction and
heals you for the damage dealt.
Windsoar (Movement): A Mobility Manoeuvre that lets you fly a short distance for 1 round.
Frozen in Place (Strike) (II): Followup strike that freezes an opponents legs to prevent his
escape.
Level 3
Heatseeker (Strike): Strike that has a high chance on hitting and deals extra fire damage.
Cold from Below (Strike) (III): Finishing strike that flings the enemy up high with an ice spike
coming from below.
Magesight Stance (Stance): You can perceive certain creatures within 10 ft./initiator level by
magical energy.
Arcane Parry (Counter): You parry targeted spells for you and adjacent allies, with an opposed
Initiator-Caster level roll.
Spellwarding Form (Stance): While in this stance, you gain spellresistance.
Level 4
Ball Lighting Shot (Strike): You shoot a big ball of electricity, damaging and stunning your
opponent.
Infernal Ring (Strike) (II): By releasing a big ring of flame, you damage foes and set them
aflame.
Fast as Lightning (Movement): You teleport a short distance, causing electicity damage to every
creature in your path.
Level 5
Static Overload (Stance): Gain extra electricity damage based on how much you have moved in
previous rounds.
Infernal Fang (Strike) (III): You fire a 60 ft. line of fire, damaging and knocking down everyone
in its path.
Ice Barrage (Strike) (II): An opponent you strike is showered with ice pellets, damaging him and
reducing his saves and AC in the process.
Windsurf (Movement): You can fly for a few rounds.
Level 6
Overheat Illusion (Boost): You create duplicates made of heat that explode into the enemies face
when destroyed.
Freezing Wave (Strike) (II): You create a cone of ice, stunning multiple opponents.
Curative Elements (Counter): As an immediate action, you negate 1 source of energy damage.
Instead, you are healed by it.
Level 7
Third Wave (Stance): While in this Stance, you can fire off bolt of energy to fell faraway
opponents.
Cloud Gate (Strike) (III): You teleport an enemy up high, then summon lightning to drive him
into the ground with lightning speed.
Level 8
Slice Wave (Strike) (II): Using magnetic forces, you draw foes in, then cut them with a lightning
imbued weapon.
Arcane Pillar (Strike) (III): You blast the enemy with a pillar made of pure, raw arcane energy.
Level 9
Tri-Element Devastator (Strike) (III): A devastating strike that deals 3 types of energy damage
and stuns, immobilizes and sets the enemy aflame....if it not kills it outright. Level 1
Spoiler
Hide
Overstatic Strike
Escalating Chain (Strike)
Action: Standard
Range: Melee
Target: 1 Creature
You rush in to strike your enemy. Through a combination of you affinity with the elements and
the sheer force of your movement you generate enough static energy to deliver a blow
empowered by lightning, opening opportunities for you to launch even powerfull strikes at him.
To use this manoeuvre, you must have moved at least 10 feet in your current turn. You make a
normal attack at an enemy. This attack deals normal damage plus 1d4 electricity damage per 10
feet moved in your current turn before you initiated this strike. For this purpose, teleports does
not count as movement.
Escalation Form
Escalating Chain (Stance)
Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Through your studies of the art of magical martial combat, your strikes deal more damage with
each combo you are able to deal.
While in this stance, your opening strikes deal extra damage equal to half your initiator level
(Min +1, Max +3), your followup strikes deal extra damage equal to your initiator level (Min +1,
Max +6) and your finishing strikes deal extra damage equal to one and a half times your initiator
level (Min +2, Max +9)
Shockburst Grasp
Action: Standard
Range: Melee
Target: 1 Creature
Type: Followup Strike (II)
Prerequisite: 1 Escalating Chain Strike
Following your momentum from an earlier strike, you touch your opponent and stab an electric
replica of the weapon you are wielding in your enemy.
You attack one enemy. To use this manoeuvre you must have used another Strike in the past 3
rounds. This strike deals normal weapon damage but ignores any Armor, Natural Armor and
Shield bonuses to AC.
Tinder of Escalation
Escalating Chain (Boost)
Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Next Attack
Invoking the energy of Plane of Fire, you set your opponent on fire, blurring his vision in the
process.
After concentrating for a moment, your next melee attack deals extra fire damage equal to
1d6+half your initiator level (Min 1). He must then make a Fort save or have a 50% miss chance
on his next attack made in the next 3 rounds.
Numbing Slash
Action: Standard
Range: Melee
Target: 1 Creature
Save: Fort Negates
With your control of temperature, youre able to slow your enemy for a short time.
You attack 1 creature within reach. This strike deal normal melee damage +1d4 cold damage.
The target is also entangled for 1 round (Fort Negates).
Level 2
Spoiler
Hide
Lifeheat Leach
Action: Standard
Range: Melee
Target: 1 Creature
Type: Finishing Strike (III)
Prerequisite: 2 Escalating Chain Strikes
Using all you gathered power, you made a direct attack at the enemies lifeforce, dealing great
damage and taking some of it for you own benefit.
You attack 1 creature within reach. To use this strike, you must have initiated a Followup Strike
within 3 rounds previous. This strike deals normal melee damage +1d6 per strike initiated before
it (Max 5d6) and ignores hardness and damage reduction. In addition, you gain the damage dealt
as healing. Using this strike ends your current combo (Amount of strikes initiated for the purpose
of effects for this discipline resets to zero).
Windsoar
Escalating Chain (Movement)
Action: Move
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Spinning with your weapon, you launch yourself high into the sky, making a jump so massive that
you appear to fly.
As a move action, you can fly 80 ft. with clumsy manoeuvrability. You must begin and end on a
solid surface.
Frozen in Place
Action: Standard
Range: Melee
Target: 1 Creature
Save: Ref Partial
By lowering the temperature of the surface beneath your enemy, stopping him in its tracks.
You target one creature within reach. To use this strike, you must have initiated a strike in the
past 3 rounds. The enemy you hit has all his movement speeds reduced by 10 feet per 2 initiator
levels (Max -80 ft.) for 2 rounds (Ref Negates) and takes normal weapon damage +1d6/3
initiator levels (Max 3d6) piercing damage from the thorns and lashes. If the target makes it save,
it still gets the extra damage.
Level 3
Spoiler
Hide
Lifeseeker
Action: Standard
Range: Melee
Target: 1 Creature
Honing your senses to the lifeforce (Or total lack thereof) of your enemy, you deliver a strike that
hits hard and is nearly unavoidable.
You attack 1 enemy within reach. You ignore any cover and concealment (Exept total cover and
concealment) and gain a +10 bonus on the attack roll. If the attack hits, you deal an extra 2d6
points of damage.
Cold from Below

Action: Standard
Range: Melee
Target: 1 Creature
By collecting all the water particles beneath an opponent and freezing it rapidly into a
stalagmite, you cause your enemy to fly up high, taking grave damage and knocking him down in
the process.
You attack 1 enemy in reach. To use this strike, you must have initiated a Followup Strike within
3 rounds previous. The enemy takes normal damage from this attack. The same enemy must then
succeed on a Reflex save or be thrown 20 ft. per strike initiated before this one (Max 80 ft.). The
enemy then falls down, taking appropriate falling damage. The enemy is then knocked prone and
is staggered for 1 round. Using this strike ends your current combo (Amount of strikes initiated
for the purpose of effects for this discipline resets to zero).
Magesight Stance
Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
By concentrating on the latent magical energy residing in you, you can perceive the same thing
in your friends, foes and even magical items.
While in this stance, you can sense everything within 10 ft. per initiator level that has magical
properties or magical abilities. Everything from magical items to creature with spellcasting or
spelllike abilities you can sense and pinpoint their position, even when solid obstacles are
blocking line of sight. In addition, you can roughly sense the casterlevel of those creatures and
items according to the table below, however you cannot determine the exact abilities or
properties such as type of casting or special qualities of an item. The Darkstalker feat does not
help against this stance and a Hide check doesnt help being discovered.
{table=head]Level|Caster level discovered|

5-10|
Between -5 and +5 of the actual CL
|
11-15|
|
16-20|
|
20+|
Precise CL
|[/table]
Arcane Parry
Escalating Chain (Counter)
Action: Immediate
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantanious
Using a mix of sublime martial prowess and magic, you can parry a spell aimed at you or your
allies.
As an immediate action, you can defect a targeted spell aimed at you, including spell touch
attacks. You roll a Initiator level + 2 check versus the enemies casterlevel. If yours is higher, you
deflect the spell and it has no effect. Alternatively, you can try to deflect a spell aimed at an ally
that is adjacent to you using the same rules. If you are targeted by a multitarget spell, you can
only provide protection for one target.
Level 4
Spoiler
Hide
Ball Lighting Shot

Action: Standard
Range: 100 feet.
Target: 1 Creature
You aim carefully at your enemy, then bombard him with a stunning amount of electricity ruining
his thought process.
You make a ranged touch attack verses one creature within range. If it hits, the target is dealt 1d6
per initiator level electricity damage (Max 15d6). The target must then succeed on a Fort Save or
be staggered for 1 round.
Infernal Ring
Action: Standard
Range: Melee
Target: 10 ft. Burst, centered around you
You hit the ground with your weapon with such amazing speed and force, that a wave of heat
speads out from you, burning and igniting everything it hits.
To use this strike, you must have initiated a strike in the past 3 rounds. You create a burst of
raging flame. Everything within 10 feet of you takes 5d6 fire damage and is set aflame, dealing
another 2d6 fire damage in the next round.
Fast as Lightning
Escalating Chain (Movement)
Action: Move
Range: 50 ft. teleport
Target: You
Infusing yourself with lightning, you sprint towards your destination, to the shock of some
enemies along the wayliterally
You teleport up to 50 feet away as through the dimension door spell. Every enemy in your path
takes 2d6 electricity damage. You cant take other creatures along or teleport more than your
maximum load.
Level 5
Spoiler
Hide
Static Overload
Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Taking this stance, you maximize static electricity regeneration within yourself, dealing
thundering blows whenever you move a lot.
While in this stance, your attacks deal extra electricity damage equal to 1d4 per 20 feet of
movement (Maximum 7d4). This damage carries over to your next turn and is applied to your
attacks of opportunity. The bonus is reset when you stop moving for 1 round.
Infernal Fang
Action: Standard
Range: Melee
Target: 60 feet line
Infusing your weapon with fiery energy, you put the tip of your weapon on the ground and strike
it upward, causing a searing wave shaped like fangs to shoot along the ground.
To use this strike, you must have initiated a Followup Strike within 3 rounds previous. You fire a
line of fire reaching 60 feet way. Every creature caught in it takes 2d6 fire damage per strike
initiated before this one (Max 10d6, no save). Also, all creatures damaged by this attack are also
knocked aside 5 ft. to a random side of the line (Roll 1d2, 1 is left, 2 is right). If the spot is
occupied or blocked, they take are staggered for 3 rounds instead. Using this strike ends your
current combo (Amount of strikes initiated for the purpose of effects for this discipline resets to
zero).
Ice Barrage
Action: Standard
Range: Melee
Target: 1 creature
You strike a target, infusing him with a beacon with then attracts tiny missiles made of ice,
causing major pain and damaging his armor en physical defences.
You target one creature within reach. To use this strike, you must have initiated a strike in the
past 3 rounds. This strike deal normal melee damage plus 4d6 cold damage. In addition, the
targets AC is reduced by half you initiator level (max -10) and his saves by a quarter of your
initiator level (max -5).
Windsurf
Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 5 rounds
By your increased prowess of heat and cold, you can now create enough wind for you to fly for a
short duration of time and quite fast and accurate at that.
By using this boost, you gain a fly speed of 100 ft. with good manoeuvrability for 5 rounds. You
do not need to land each round.
Level 6
Spoiler
Hide
Overheat Illusion
Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 5 rounds
Using heat, you create several duplicates of yourself that explodes in the enemies face if he
makes the mistake of destroying one.
This boost works like the spell mirror image except as noted here. Only 3 duplicates are created
at all times. These duplicates have a AC of 12+Dex score and have a quarter of your hitpoints. If
one is destroyed, the attacker is dealt 5d6 of fire damage. Only 1 instance of this boost may be in
effect at once and it can only be refreshed if all duplicates are destroyed or the boost ends.
Freezing Wave
Action: Standard
Range: 20 ft. cone
You unleash a blizzard of ice, damaging and stunning all creatures caught inside.
To use this strike, you must have initiated a strike in the past 3 rounds. You unleash a 20 foot
cone of freezing energy. All creatures caught inside take 10d6 cold damage and are stunned for 1
round (Reflex save negates the stun, but does not reduce the damage).
Curative Elements
Escalating Chain (Counter)
Action: Immediate
Range: Personal
Target: You
By drawing on your bond with the elements, you can absorb an incoming attack and draw
strength out of it.
If your hit by an attack that deals energy damage (of any kind, except force), you may spend an
immediate action to negate the damage. Instead you are healed by 1.5 times the amount the
attack would have dealt. In addition, you weapon attacks deal an extra 2d6 damage of the energy
type you have absorbed for 1 round.
Level 7
Spoiler
Hide
Third Wave
Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You concentrate large amounts of energy in your weapon, firing them off with a swing time and
time again to harass enemies from afar.
While in this Stance, you can fire off bolts of energy at will with a range of 20 ft. per initiator
level (Max 400 ft.). These bolts deal fire, cold or electricity damage, chosen when you go into
the stance. The bolts require a ranged touch attack and deal weapon damage including strength
plus an additional 1d6 damage, but excluding all other bonuses such as sneak attack or skirmish.
If you have the Base attack bonus to make iteratives, you can make those attack with the bolts as
well.
Cloud Gate
Escalating Chain(Strike)
Action: Standard
Range: Melee
Target: 1 creature
You grab an enemy, teleporting high into the sky and then proceed with imprisoning him,
rendering him helpless against the fall that follows.
To use this strike, you must have initiated a Followup Strike within 3 rounds previous. You make
a touch attack against 1 enemy within reach. This touch attack does not provoke an attack of
opportunity. The foe then makes a Will save and a Reflex save. If it fails either one save, you
teleport the enemy 30 ft. per strike initiated before this one (Max 150 ft.) into the sky (You do
not teleport with him). The foe is then imprisoned, putting him out of combat for 1 round. After
this round, he falls to the ground, taking 1d10 bludgeoning damage per 10 ft. of height you
dropped the enemy (Max 15d10). Because of the magical energies binding him, any form of
flight is negated, even extraordinary. The enemy is nausiated for a number of rounds equal to
half the amount of Follow-up strikes initiated before this manouevre (Max 2). Using this strike
ends your current combo (Amount of strikes initiated for the purpose of effects for this discipline
resets to zero). If the grapple check fails, the manoeuvre fails but is still expended and your
combo resets.
Level 8
Spoiler
Hide
Slice Wave
Action: Standard
Range: 20 ft. Burst, centered around you
You draw foes in using magnetic forces, after which you cut them to ribbons with a lightning
imbued weapon.
To use this manoeuvre you must have used another Strike in the past 3 rounds. Every enemy in
the area must make a Reflex save or be sucked in to a square adjacent to you. If there are more
enemies then you have adjacent squares, they get sucked in as close to you as possible. After
that, you cut any foes that are adjacent to you (also ones that were already adjacent to you before
this strike) with an elemental enhanced weapon, dealing normal weapon damage +15d6 fire,
electricity or cold damage (your choice).
Arcane Pillar
Action: Standard
Range: 100 ft.
Target: 20 ft. radius, 300 ft. high pillar
Calling on your arcane training and heritage, you summon a mighty blast of raw, pure arcane
energy from the skies.
To use this strike, you must have initiated a Followup Strike within 3 rounds previous. You
designate a 20 ft. radius area within range. Every creature caught inside takes 3d6 point of
untyped magic damage per strike initiated before this one (Max 15d6). A Reflex save halves this
damage. In addition, everyone damaged by this blast has his/her magic supressed for a number of
rounds equal to half the amount of Follow-up strikes initiated before this manouevre (Max 2).
This includes magic items, spell-like abilities and all forms of spellcasting. This has no effect on
supernatural abilities or artefact items. Using this strike ends your current combo (Amount of
strikes initiated for the purpose of effects for this discipline resets to zero).
Level 9
Spoiler
Hide
Tri-Element Devastator
Action: Standard
Range: Melee
Target: 1 Creature
You concentrate for a second, putting power from all your power reserves to deliver a blow as
devastating as all the elements combined, inflicting lethal injuries on your opponent.
You target one creature within reach. To use this strike, you must have initiated a Followup
Strike within 3 rounds previous. This strike deals an extra +2d6 electicity, fire and cold damage
per strike initiated before it (Max +10d6 of each energy type). The target then must make a Will,
Fortitude and Reflex Save. If he fails the Will Save, he is stunned for 2 rounds, if he fails the
Fortitude Save, he is immobilized for 4 rounds and if he fails the Reflex save, he is set aflame for
2 rounds, dealing 1d6 fire damage per strike initiated before this one per round (Max 5d6). If the
enemy fails 2 or all saves, it dies, reducing him and his soul to ashes. Only a Miracle or Wish can
return someone to life if slain by this manoeuvre. Using this strike ends your current combo
(Amount of strikes initiated for the purpose of effects for this discipline resets to zero).

Escalating Chain

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Escalating Chain

Cold from Below

{table=head]Level|Caster level discovered|

Ball Lighting Shot

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