Iron Heart Surge interpretation

[kasmodian]

Hi guys, I could use some help in interpreting the Iron Heart Surge maneuver from the Iron Heart discipline in the Book of 9 Swords.

As near as I can tell I could be all but dead and use this maneuver, though it does state in the text:

"Your fighting spirit, dedication, and training allow you to overcome almost anything to defeat your enemies."

It doesn't really state what type of ability this is, how much of my mental or physical faculties I need to pull it off. The intro description says I draw on my mental strength and physical fortitude to break free. However, it's used to break free of a "debilitating state", therefore I don't necessarily need to be able to move or have full control of my mental abilities to use it...?

It feels as though as long as I'm not unconscious or dead I can use it..?

Do most of you house rule this ability or is it really as big of a get out of jail free card as it looks?

 

[HoboGod]

Well, the limitation is that it has to have a duration of 1 or more rounds, which I'd assume means that it has to have a duration. Something like poison or disease might not apply to this when it's something where you just save or keep being sick. But other than that, yeah, this frees you of anything where the way to always get better is to wait. But I can imagine different interpretations can be taken of this.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

It's really a get out of jail free card.

However, by the rules as written as a maneuver, you need to be able to move ot use it, so you couldn't break out of a paralysis. It also requires you to take a standard action to use. If you're stunned or dazed, for example, you can't act at all. If you're frightened or panicked, all you can do is run away or cower. If you're mentally dominated, you lack the free will to try and break the effect if your new master is telling you to do something else. Ditto if you're a frenzied berserker and have no choice but to attack anything near you. You can't just call for a tea break and initiate IH Surge as you sip some camomile that round.

Just some examples of times IH Surge won't help.

It does however, completely end whatever's affecting you, so it's great for annihilating an entire area effect for the party. Like an Entangle spell. Or an Antimagic Field.

It is rather amusing comparing some of the things it does negate versus some of the things it does not.
Just some examples.

 

[kasmodian]

Where does it require you to be able to move? I don't read that anywhere. It does state it's a standard action, but that means I can't use it then attack, though I could use it then move (as opposed to if it was a swift action so that I could then take full round action). It doesn't otherwise say I'm prevented from using it if I can't move...? The fact it states it is used to break free from a debilitating state seems to indicate it could remove effects that... well... debilitate me? Hrmm

 

[Michael Silverbane]

Yeah, as I understand the maneuver, so long as you can take the requisite action, you can use it to remove nearly any condition, spell, or effect. Confused, Dazed, Dead, Petrified, Stunned, Unconscious... There may be more, but those are the ones that I think would prevent you using the ability off the top pf my head.

 

[Eldritch_Lord]

Where does it require you to be able to move? I don't read that anywhere.

The basic maneuver rules state that you must be able to move freely to initiate a maneuver, and IHS doesn't override that.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

The basic maneuver rules state that you must be able to move freely to initiate a maneuver, and IHS doesn't override that.

Exactly, thanks. Page reference: p. 38, under "Initiating Maneuvers and Stances," the first few sentences spell everything out that you asked about, basically. In other words, you need to move, and need to be able to take a standard action (the initiation action for IH Surge).

 

[Particle_Man]

I suppose it might be more useful if someone had a separate effect that gave them, for example, one round of suppressing of whatever was stunning them, or one round of freedom of movement, etc. (suppressing but not ending the bad effect) and if during that round the warblade used Iron Heart Surge to end the effect.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I suppose it might be more useful if someone had a separate effect that gave them, for example, one round of suppressing of whatever was stunning them, or one round of freedom of movement, etc. (suppressing but not ending the bad effect) and if during that round the warblade used Iron Heart Surge to end the effect.

Mad Foam Rager?

Granted, you'd also probably need the feat to enter rage out of turn as an immediate action at that point, so this is getting pretty feat heavy. But, it's an option...

 

[kasmodian]

thanks for the clarification guys!