 Ironbound Sword
Source Blood of the Ancients pg. 18
The ironbound sword’s fighting style, focused on incapacitating opponents rather than killing them, is founded on a philosophy that cares both for the samurai and for her attacker. This style became prevalent during the peaceful and stable periods of Lung Wa, and reflected those values. Using these techniques, an ironbound sword can subdue a foe without causing permanent harm, leaving the soul of the samurai unstained by deaths of her enemies.
Merciful Combatant (Ex): At 3rd level, an ironbound sword becomes an expert at defeating foes without killing them. An ironbound sword can use any weapon to deal nonlethal damage without taking the normal –4 penalty on attack rolls. Additionally, the ironbound sword gains a +2 bonus on combat maneuvers against a target so long as the last successful attack she made against that target dealt nonlethal damage. Her samurai levels count as fighter levels and stack with fighter levels for the purposes of fighter and samurai prerequisites and class features.
This replaces weapon expertise.
Subduing Knockout (Ex): At 5th level, once per day, an ironbound sword can unleash a devastating attack that can instantly knock a target unconscious. She must announce this intent before making her attack roll. If the ironbound sword’s attack hits and the target takes damage from the blow, the target must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC = 10 + half the ironbound sword’s level + the higher of the ironbound sword’s Strength or Dexterity modifier) or fall unconscious for 1d6 rounds. Each round on its turn, the unconscious target can attempt a new saving throw to end the effect as a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Creatures immune to critical hits or nonlethal damage are immune to this ability. At 10th level, the ironbound sword can use this ability twice per day; at 15th level, she can use it three times per day.
This replaces banner.
Blade Reversal (Ex): At 14th level, an ironbound sword can turn the force of an opponent’s attacks back against them. Whenever the ironbound sword takes a full defense action, she can expend an attack of opportunity to attempt to counter melee attacks made against her. This counter is a single attack roll at the ironbound blade’s full base attack bonus that resolves before the enemy’s attack. If the counter successfully hits the attacking enemy’s AC and if the ironbound sword’s attack roll is higher than the attacking creature’s attack roll, the ironbound sword takes no damage from the enemy’s attack and can initiate a disarm combat maneuver against the attacking enemy as a free action. If the triggering attack was made with a natural attack or unarmed strike, a successful disarm combat maneuver renders that natural attack or unarmed strike unusable until the victim spends a standard action to reset dislocated joints. In addition, the ironbound sword can spend one use of her resolve when she hits with a nonlethal attack to initiate a disarm combat maneuver against her target as a free action.
This replaces greater banner.
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