Very interesting mechanics. This is quite promising.
Thanks, bkdubs123! It's a bit of a mish-mash from a number of sources, but I think it works pretty well. The only problem is that I don't have anyone in my current group who's playing a fighter, so I haven't been able to playtest it the way I'd like to. Here's what I've written up in my homebrew campaign document, modified from ToB maneuvers and SW Saga Force powers.
[spoiler]
Sword FormsMartial maneuvers, often called sword forms, are special abilities available to anyone who takes the Combat Training feat. A character who takes the Combat Training feat automatically learns a number of martial maneuvers of his choice equal to 1 + his Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). A character can learn additional martial maneuvers by taking the Combat Training feat again or by increasing his Wisdom modifier.
When your character uses a martial maneuver, make a Concentration check. The check determines the maneuver's effect.
Some maneuvers have all-or-nothing effects. Other maneuvers have multi-tiered effects, and your Concentration check result determines the maximum effect you can achieve, although you can always choose a lesser effect. If your Concentration check is too low to activate the maneuver's baseline effect, nothing happens and the action is wasted.
Using a maneuver removes it from your character's active "suite" of maneuvers, regardless of whether the Concentration skill check succeeds or fails.
Your Martial Maneuver Suite: Your character's martial maneuvers collectively form a suite. When your character uses a maneuver, it's like playing a card and putting it in a discard pile. The maneuver takes effect, and it's no longer available to the character...at least for a while.
Regaining Martial Maneuvers:CONCENTRATIONRESOLVING A MANEUVER OR STANCERECOVERING EXPENDED MANEUVERSNatural 20: Any time you roll a natural 20 on your Concentration check to initiate a maneuver, the maneuver is not expended as usual but remains in your suite.
Special Action: A fighter can recover one of his expended maneuvers by spending an action point as a reaction. That maneuver is immediately added back to the fighter's maneuver suite.
End of the Encounter:INITIATING MANEUVERSTo initiate a maneuver, you must be able to move. You do not need to be able to speak. You initiate a maneuver by taking the specified initiation action. A maneuver might require an immediate, swift, move, standard, or full-round action to initiate. The process of initiating a maneuver is similar to that of casting a spell or manifesting a psionic power, although there are some key differences (see below). You can only choose to initiate a maneuver that is currently unexpended.
Some maneuvers have the (Stance) descriptor. When you initiate a stance, you gain its benefit the remainder of the encounter or until you change to another stance you know. You can remain in some stances outside of combat situations for one minute per fighter level, after which time you regain that stance as normal (by resting for 1 minute, spending an action point, or regaining it in some other prescribed manner).
Maneuver Name (Descriptor)If a maneuver has a descriptor, it appears in square brackets after the maneuver's name. The name of the maneuver is followed by a brief description of the maneuver's effect. Time: The type of action needed to use or activate the maneuver. Target: The targets affected by the maneuver.
Make a Concentration check. The results of the Concentration check are described here.
Special: Some maneuvers have special rules, which are covered here.
[/spoiler]