Steel Serpent

Practice of the Steel Serpent discipline dates back to ancient times, hailing from those whose work was only practiced in the dark of night, in hidden cabals dedicated to the art of killing. Steel Serpent disciples practice the art of the silent kill, using stealth, trickery, and poison in addition to martial combat skill and knowledge of anatomy. Masters of this discipline are marvels of deadly precision, their very touch capable of killing the strongest of men through the manipulation of their ki used as a deadly weapon. This ki manipulation causes the disciple’s very energies to become a supernatural poison in and off itself. Swiftness and deadly precision are hallmarks of this discipline, and those that use it are known for making use of more exotic weapons. Knowledge of anatomy (of both targets and the self) is also incredibly important, as well as the knowledge of ki manipulation and how to effect the energies of the body. The associated skill for this discipline is Heal, and its associated weapon groups are light blades, close weapons, and monk weapons.

Associated Skills: Heal 

Associated Weapon Groups: Light blades, close weapons, and monk weapons 

Martial Tradition: Ordre des Repas Exotiques 

Title Veil: The Venomous

Style Feats:

• Steel Serpent Style
  • Steel Serpent Fangs
    • Steel Serpent Venom

Combo Feats:

• Lethal Reptile's Maw (Brutal Crocodile)
• Machine Surgeon (Mangled Gear)
• Silver Fang Initiate (Mithral Current)

The discipline of Steel Serpent has many maneuvers that would be considered supernatural abilities, and are marked as such. These abilities follow the same rules as supernatural abilities.

1st Level Steel Serpent Maneuvers

Maneuver	Type	Description
Body of the Night	Stance	Add your ranks in Heal to your Stealth, bonus to attack against flat-footed foes.
Dizzying Venom Prana	Boost	Next attack inflicts 2 points of Wisdom damage and staggers foe.
Hunting Serpent Blow	Strike	Disciple makes a Heal check, chance to make target flat-footed and inflict an additional 1d6 points of damage.
Poisoner’s Stance	Stance	Gain poison use, increased DC on poisons.
Sting of the Rattler	Strike	Attack that inflicts an additional 1d4 points of damage plus 1d4 damage the following round.

2nd Level Steel Serpent Maneuvers

Maneuver	Type	Description
Fading Dodge	Counter	As an immediate action, make a Heal check against your foe’s attack roll; if successful, you evade the attack and may make a free dirty trick attempt.
Iron Fang	Strike	Attack which ignores DR and inflicts an additional 2d6 points of damage and increases poison virulence.
Sting of the Asp	Strike	Attack that inflicts an additional 1d6 points of damage and 2 points of Strength damage, with an additional 2 points of Strength damage the following round.
Weakening Venom Prana	Boost	Next attack inflicts an additional 1d4 Strength damage.

3rd Level Steel Serpent Maneuvers

Maneuver	Type	Description
Night’s Knife	Boost	Grants a damage bonus equal to the number of ranks in Heal possessed.
Sickening Venom Strike	Strike	Attack which inflicts 2 points of Constitution damage and chance to sicken opponent.
Sight Piercing Fang	Strike	Attack which inflicts an additional 2d6 points of damage, blinds opponent.
Steel Coils	Stance	Constrict for 4d6 + Dexterity modifier damage while grappling and +4 to natural armor.

4th Level Steel Serpent Maneuvers

Maneuver	Type	Description
Poison Blood	Counter	When struck in combat, disciple’s blood becomes venomous to the attacker.
Rattler’s Feint	Boost	Feint attempt to catch opponent flat-footed, +2 bonus to confirm critical hits.
Sting of the Adder	Strike	Attack that inflicts an additional 5d6 points of damage and 1d4 points of Wisdom damage, with an additional 2 points of Wisdom damage the following round.
Tearing Fang	Boost	Attacks add +2d6 damage and causes 2 points of bleed damage for 1d4 rounds.

5th Level Steel Serpent Maneuvers

Maneuver	Type	Description
Burning Venom Prana	Boost	Next attack inflicts an additional 1d4 Wisdom damage.
Hooded Killer’s Stance	Stance	Disciple gains +3d6 sneak attack dice and half the character’s initiator level to Intimidate and Stealth checks.
Pressure Point Break	Boost	While grappling an opponent and inflicting damage, the character may add any sneak attack or deadly strike damage possessed plus an additional +2d6 damage.
Steel Fang	Strike	Attack which ignores DR and inflicts an additional 8d6 points of damage, potential to daze an opponent, and increases poison virulence.

6th Level Steel Serpent Maneuvers

Maneuver	Type	Description
Blend With The Night	Boost	Causes the disciple to disappear into the shadows make him act under greater invisibility for one round, grants +2d6 points of sneak attack damage.
Spitting Cobra Stance	Stance	Increases damage done by thrown weapons and poison duration.
Sting of the Viper	Strike	Attack that inflicts an additional 8d6 points of damage and 1d6 points of Charisma damage, with an additional 2 points of Charisma damage the following two rounds.
Virulence	Boost	Increase the DC on a single poison by +5.

7th Level Steel Serpent Maneuvers

Maneuver	Type	Description
Bite The Mongoose	Counter	Make a counter attack which inflicts 6d6 points of damage and 1d6 Constitution damage when struck in combat.
Desert Serpent Mirage	Counter	Make an opposed attack roll against an opponent’s attack; if successful the foe losses sight of the disciple for one round.
Numbing Venom Prana	Boost	Next attack inflicts an additional 2d4 Dexterity damage.
Silencing Strike	Strike	Swift throat punch that can silence opponent, deals an additional 8d6 points of damage.

8th Level Steel Serpent Maneuvers

Maneuver	Type	Description
Adamantine Fang	Strike	Powerful attack which ignores DR and deals an additional 12d6 damage, potential to paralyze an opponent. and increases poison virulence.
Hooded Cobra Attitude	Stance	Gain gaze ability to temporarily paralyze a foe while focusing on them.
Sting of the Cobra	Strike	Attack that inflicts an additional 12d6 points of damage and 2d4 points of Constitution damage, with an additional 2 points of Constitution damage the following two rounds.

9th Level Steel Serpent Maneuvers

Maneuver	Type	Description
Five-Fold Hydra Sting	Strike	Chance to instantly slay target and destroy them entirely.