The Secrets of Martial Mastery by Rite Publishing.

This product is 18 pages long. Cover, credits. (2 pages)

Chapter 1: Combat Maneuvers (7 pages) There is 29 new combat maneuvers in this section. They work just like the current ones in the Pathfinder RPG.

Arm lock – does unarmed dmg and causes sickened effect. Alternate grapple attack. Blind Opponent – you attempt to blind your opponent for 1 or more rounds. (throwing sand in their face as a example) Bypass Armor – you look for a weak spot in their armor, if you succeed they lose their armor vs your next attack. Confuse Opponent – you attempt to hit them in a way that is dazes/confuses them. Half dmg and causes confuses briefly. Corps a Corps – you lock weapons with them. Gain a bonus on next attack. Create Opening – lowers their AC vs your next attack. Cut Clothing – seen zorro? Same thing, cut clothing off you opponent or care your name etc. Disorient Opponent – if it works the enemy takes a -2 to attack rolls, int and several skill checks for a short bit. Entangle Opponent – you use a object to entangle your opponent, toss a chair in their way etc. Enemy Cover – you move into their blind spot and moving with them. Using them as cover against themselves and their allies. (best way to describe it briefly) Force Movement – force a opponent to move 5-10ft in the direction you choose. Garrote Opponent – you strangle them from behind. Cause dmg and has save or fall unconscious and eventually die. Hinder Natural Attack – you strike at a creatures natural weapon, making them unable to use that attack for 1 or more rounds. Hinder Special Ability – works like natural attack but only works when there is a obvious attack, breath weapon, eye beams etc. Things with no obvious source of attack are immune. Impede Movement – you attack lowering their movement by 5ft on success. Joint Strike – does 1 point of ability damage to str or dex. Low Blow – you strike their... if successful target is dazed for 1 or more rounds. Nauseate Opponent – a attack that causes nauseate effect for 1 or more rounds. Paralyze Opponent – if successful can paralyze opponent briefly. Parry Attack – This blocks the next melee attack, it also uses up one of your AoO's as well. Rope-a-Dope – you attempt to tire you opponent out, causing a exhausted effect briefly. Sacrificial Critical – you allow foe to automatic hit, threatens and confirms a crit if they choose, if they do you automatic hit and threatens crit back. You must still confirm crit. Sap – hit causes save or be knocked unconscious briefly. Scar Opponent – cause 1 point of damage and a scar that can only be healed by magic. Seize Massive Attack – you attempt to latch onto a large or larger creatures attack. Such as leap onto the side of a rhino as it tries to gore you. Taunt Opponent – can cause target to attack you for one or more rounds in a fit of anger. Throw Opponent – throw a opponent 5ft or more, doing 1d6+str in dmg. Torment Opponent – attack them in a vital and cause massive pain leaving them with -4 to attack roll and some skill checks. Unbalance Opponent – you attempt to knock them off balance leaving them with out dex mod for 1 or more rounds.

Virtually all the maneuvers deal half damage, only last 1 round unless you succeed by a wide margin and most leave you open to major counter attack with out feats.

Chapter 2: Feats (3 1/2 pages) There is 27 new feats in this section. One of which has a version for each maneuver(see below) so really

Improve (blank) – A catch all feat for any of the previous maneuvers. The effect is the same for all of them, so Rite Publishing decided to save space and only put in one feat description with a note about you need the feat for each maneuver.

There is a Greater feat for each of the maneuvers except. Taunt Opponent, Hinder Special Ability, Corps a Corps and Arm Lock.

Chapter 3: Master of the Arts (2 ½ pages) A new prestige class. D10, 4 skills, all weapons, all armor and shields except tower, full BaB. This is a 10 level PrC, that gets a bonus feat at 2nd and every other level. The bonus feat must be filled with feats for combat maneuvers. Other class abilities. Training Expertise – able to do full non-lethal dmg with weapons. Asses Battle – Adds Int mod to initiative. Combat Virtuoso - +2 to CMB and CMD Trained Reactions – Get the deflect arrow feat while armed or unarmed. Secrets of the Art – Never provokes a AoO while preforming maneuvers.

It finishes with OGL and 2 pages of ads of upcoming products. (3 pages)

Closing Thoughts, I really liked this book. The art work was fair, the production values was top notch as we have come to expect from Rite Publishing. I think this is something Melee characters have been needing for awhile. It gives them a lot more options in combat and adds in more tactics. Conan by Mongoose had things like this in concept and I always used many of them in D20 games. I do hope Rite Publishing makes a follow up book to this adding more. I really couldn't find any faults in this product. I didn't notice any errors. I have not play tested these but they look fairly balanced on just reading them. So with that I am giving it a 5 star review. If you are looking for more options for melee characters I recommend this.