Introduction
This book is rich in fluff as a lot of people would call it. There is a lot of flavor text in this section. This also contains a quick primer for all of the basic terms that will give you an understanding of what is to come.
The first sidebar at the end of the introduction gives you an excellent glimpse into what the writers were aiming for. This book is meant to push the bounds of what is considered the fantasy genre by including modern influences from things like Japanese Anime, Hong Kong action movies, and even video games.
Chapter 1: Disciples of the Sword
This chapter covers the three new base classes introduced in the book. Each class (coined Martial Adept) presents a different angle on how to use the new spell like system called maneuvers.
The three classes are:
Crusader: A devote martial adept who uses there fervor and piety to perform maneuvers. They are more akin to paladins in the core rules. The have access to three of the nine disciplines in which to select maneuvers from.
Swordsage: This class is very good attempt at combining sword and magic into a character class. This class offers a lot of potential and has access to 6 of the nine disciplines in which to select maneuvers from.
Warblade:
This class is a fighter type martial adept. Instead of relying on feats to perform in combat they use maneuvers. They have access 5 of the 9 disciplines.
Each class has a list of maneuvers known, Maneuvers Readied, and Stances known.
Maneuvers known are pretty much like spells known.
Maneuvers readied is the number of maneuvers you can use. This is not per day. A martial adept can regain his max number of maneuvers by spending five minutes praying for instance. This is very powerful in my opinion. I would love to see how it works on the game table.
A stance is a constantly active maneuver. They can provide bonus to defense, offense or certain criteria based abilities. Normally only one stance is active at a time.
Also each class features an in depth section on each class. Anyone familiar with any of the other supplements has a good idea what this section offers.
Chapter 2: Skills and Feats
This chapter includes few new uses for some old skills like intimidate, and knowledge (local). A new skill called martial lore is introduced. Think of it like spell craft.
This chapter includes a full page of new feats for flushing out your martial adept as well as several feats that would apply to standard D&D as well.
Chapter 3: Blade magic
This chapter goes more in depth into using the new magic system.
A maneuver is a temporarily expendable resource like a spell which falls in to three categories of boosts, counters, and strikes.A strike allows you a special attack. A counter is a fast, normally defensive ability that you use to foil your enemies actions. A boost is a maneuver that grants you a bonus.
A stance is never expended and is always yours to use.
Each stance or maneuver must be initiated. This is just like casting a spell or manifesting a psionic power.
Each maneuver or stance is divided into one of 9 schools like magic spells. Each school has a skilled tied to it. Also each school has weapons that go with it. I really like this concept.
Here are the school names: Desert Wind, Devoted Spirit, Diamond mind, Iron Heart, Setting Sun, Shadow Hand, Stone Dragon, Tiger Claw, and White Raven. Each of the schools is unique to the other.
So a student of the White raven paths gains abilities to aid his allies in battle. He focuses on Diplomacy and uses weapons like the longsword , battleaxe and war hammer.