20 years ago, The Book of Nine Swords revolutionized D&D combat

Wizards of the Coast’s Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords changed D&D 3.5 combat with martial maneuvers, stances, and new sword-based classes.

Inspired by anime and martial arts media, it added Crusader, Warblade, and Swordsage to make melee play more dynamic.

The book’s lore has faded over time, but its combat design left a lasting mark on D&D.

It remains a notable effort to close the gap between martial and spellcasting characters with more tactical, flexible, and dramatic melee options.