Weapon Style Feats

Weapon style feats reflect an extremely focused approach to combat and emphasize the mastery of individual weapons. Just as individuals master unique styles, races approach combat in many different ways. This diversity is best expressed through distinctive racial fighting styles-combinations of favored weapons and exotic maneuvers as unique as a race’s outlook and culture. Although none of the weapon style feats presented here are restricted by race.

A weapon style feat is one that provides a benefit that draws upon a number of specific feats and often requires the use of specific weapons.

ALEVAL SCHOOL [STYLE]

You have learned House Aleval's fighting techniques, allowing you to deal damage that weakens your enemy's physical or mental state.

Prerequisite: Weapon Finesse, Spellcraft 2 ranks, Base attack bonus +4, Sneak attack +2d6, Weapon Focus ( xxxx )

Benefit: When you deal sneak attack or sudden strike damage, you can sacrifice 1d6 points of this extra damage to bestow a -2 penalty on one of the target's three saving throws (your choice) for 1 round. You can use this feat once per round.

ANVIL OF THUNDER [STYLE]

You have mastered the style of fighting with hammer and axe at the same time, and have learned to deal thunderous blows with this unique pairing of weapons.

Prerequisites: Str 13, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (warhammer or light hammer), Weapon Focus (battleaxe, handaxe, or dwarven waraxe)

Benefit: If you hit the same creature with both your axe and your hammer in the same round, it must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Str modifier) or be dazed for 1 round.

AXESHIELD [STYLE]

You know how to defend yourself with a battleaxe, handaxe, or dwarven waraxe.

Prerequisite: Proficiency with battleaxe, handaxe, or dwarven waraxe, Weapon Focus (battleaxe, handaxe, or dwarven waraxe)

Benefit: When you wield a battleaxe, handaxe, or dwarven waraxe, you can deflect some blows that would otherwise strike you. In any combat round during which you make a full attack while wielding a battleaxe, handaxe, or dwarven waraxe, you gain a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class that lasts until your next action.

Special: A fighter may select Axeshield as one of his fighter bonus feats.

AXESPIKE [STYLE]

You have mastered the art of fighting in spiked armor while wielding a greataxe. You blend greataxe blows and armor spike attacks into one constant, deadly attack form.

Prerequisites: Proficiency with armor spikes, proficiency with greataxe, Armor Proficiency (heavy), Weapon Focus (armor spikes)

Benefit: When you make a full attack with your greataxe, you can make an additional attack with your armor spikes at a –5 penalty. You can only add 1/2 your Strength modifier to the damage from this extra attack, as if it were an attack with an off-hand weapon.

BEAR FANG [STYLE]

You have mastered the fierce style of fighting with axe and dagger at the same time. You can bring the fight to close quarters in the blink of an eye.

Prerequisites: Str 15, Power Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (dagger), Weapon Focus (battleaxe, handaxe, or dwarven waraxe)

Benefit: If you hit a creature with both your axe and your dagger in the same round, you deal normal damage with both weapons, and you can choose to immediately attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity, as if you had the improved grab ability. No initial touch attack is required. If you succeed on your grapple attempt, you drop your axe, but you immediately gain an additional attack against your grappled foe with your dagger at your highest base attack bonus (with the normal –4 penalty for attacking in a grapple). In subsequent rounds, you can use the dagger to attack while grappling at the normal penalty.

CRESCENT MOON [STYLE]

You have mastered the style of fighting with sword and dagger. You know how to twist an opponent’s weapons from its grasp with a single graceful motion while using your two weapons together.

Prerequisites: Improved Disarm, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (dagger), Weapon Focus (bastard sword, longsword, scimitar, or short sword)

Benefit: If you hit the same creature with both your sword and your dagger in the same round, you may make an immediate disarm attempt as a free action.

DESPANA SCHOOL [STYLE]

You have learned House Despana's fighting techniques, which involve teaming up against an enemy with summoned creatures.

Prerequisite: Power Attack, Weapon Focus (light mace, heavy mace, or warmace), Base attack bonus +5, ability to cast any summon monster spell

Benefit: As long as you and a monster you summoned threaten the same foe, you are considered to be flanking that foe even if you don't have an ally on the foe's opposite side.

In addition, once per round you can declare that a melee attack you make with a mace, heavy mace, or warmace against a flanked enemy is intended to open the enemy's defenses. You must declare this attempt before you roll your attack, and the attempt is wasted for the round if the attack misses. If the attack hits, your summoned creatures gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls against that enemy until the start of your next turn.

HAMMER AND PITON [STYLE]

You can drive pitons into your foes, giving you a useful perch from which to strike.

Prerequisites: Str 15, Climb 3 ranks

Benefit: While wielding a one-handed bludgeoning melee weapon in your primary hand and a climbing piton or spike in the other, you can make a touch attack with the piton as a standard action. This attack deals 1d4 points of damage + your Strength modifier. The target must be size Large or bigger.

If the target is at least one size category larger than you, you can make a special Climb check (DC equal to the target’s Armor Class) to enter his space as a move action. You must make the check on the same turn in which you struck your foe with the piton. If the check succeeds, you enter and remain in the target’s space without provoking an attack of opportunity from the target. You lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, but if your foe moves, you remain in his space as he moves. If any attack against you deals 10 or more points of damage, you must make a Climb check (DC equal to the number of points of damage) to remain in place. If the check fails, you must leave your foe’s space and enter the nearest clear space.

Special: A fighter can select Hammer and Piton as one of his fighter bonus feats.

DOUBLE STEEL STRIKE [STYLE]

Through monastic weapon training, you have mastered a fighting style that makes use of an unusual monk weapon: the two-bladed sword.

Prerequisite: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Two-Bladed Sword), Weapon Focus (Two-Bladed Sword), Flurry of blows class feature

Benefit: You can treat a two-bladed sword as a special monk weapon, allowing you to perform a flurry of blows with it.

EILSERVS SCHOOL [STYLE]

You have learned the fighting techniques of House Eilservs, which utilize magic staffs in combat.

Prerequisite: Weapon Focus ( (quarterstaff)), Two-Weapon Fighting, Spellcraft 2 ranks, Base attack bonus +6

Benefit: When you strike a creature with a magic staff, you gain a bonus on damage rolls equal to +1 per 10 charges remaining in the staff (rounded up).

If you strike a foe with both ends of a magic staff in the same round, you can immediately activate one of the spells from the staff as a swift action. The spell must target or be centered either on you or the target struck (or on any corner of your or your target's space, in the case of an area spell). This feat doesn't let you activate a magic staff that you wouldn't otherwise be able to activate. Staffs without charges (such as a simple +1 quarterstaff) gain no benefit from this feat.

Normal: Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action.

HAMMER’S EDGE [STYLE]

You are a master of the style of fighting with a hammer and sword at the same time, and have learned to hammer your foes into the ground with your tremendous blows.

Prerequisites: Str 15, Improved Bull Rush, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (bastard sword, longsword, or scimitar), Weapon Focus (warhammer or light hammer)

Benefit: If you hit the same creature with both your sword and your hammer in the same round, it must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Str modifier) or fall prone.

HIGH SWORD LOW AXE [STYLE]

You have mastered the style of fighting with sword and axe at the same time, and have learned to use this unusual pairing of weapons to pull your opponents off their feet.

Prerequisites: Improved Trip, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (bastard sword, longsword, scimitar or shortsword), Weapon Focus (battleaxe, handaxe, or dwarven waraxe)

Benefit: If you hit the same creature with both your sword and your axe in the same round, you may make a free trip attempt against that foe. (If you succeed, you may immediately use your Improved Trip feat to gain an additional attack against your foe.)

LIGHTNING MACE [STYLE]

You are a master of fighting with two maces at the same time, and have learned to strike your foes with lightning speed.

Prerequisites: Combat Reflexes, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (light mace)

Benefit: Whenever you roll a threat on an attack roll while using a light mace in each hand, you gain an additional attack at that same attack bonus.

NET AND TRIDENT [STYLE]

You are a master of fighting with the net and the trident, and have learned to quickly follow up a successful net throw with a deadly jab of the trident.

Prerequisites: Dex 15, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (net), Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (trident)

Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a combined attack with your net and trident. First, you throw your net; if you hit and successfully control your foe by winning the opposed Strength check, you may immediately take a 5-foot step toward your opponent and make a full attack with your trident.

QUICK STAFF [STYLE]

You have mastered the style of fighting with a quarterstaff, and have learned special maneuvers that complement this unique weapon.

Prerequisites: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (quarterstaff)

Benefit: When you use Combat Expertise to gain a dodge bonus while wielding a quarterstaff, you gain a dodge bonus 2 points higher than the penalty you take on your attack rolls.

SHIELDED AXE [STYLE]

You have mastered the style of fighting with a dwarven waraxe and a handaxe while keeping a buckler strapped to your off hand, and you have learned to use this unusual combination of weapons and buckler to protect yourself while wielding both axes effectively.

Prerequisites: Proficiency with dwarven waraxe, proficiency with handaxe, Shield Proficiency, Two-Weapon Fighting

Benefit: When you make a full attack with your dwarven waraxe in your main hand and your handaxe in your off hand, you can still gain the shield bonus for a buckler strapped to your off hand. In addition you do not take the usual –1 penalty to attack rolls when using a buckler.

SINGLE BLADE [STYLE]

You wield a single weapon well.

Prerequisites: Int 13, Combat Expertise, Weapon Finesse, base attack bonus +10

Benefit: When fighting with a weapon you have chosen for the Weapon Focus feat, wearing light armor or no armor, and with nothing in your off-hand, you gain a +2 dodge bonus to your Armor Class.

Special: A fighter may select Single Blade Style as one of his fighter bonus feats.

SPELLRAZOR [STYLE]

You have mastered the style of combining a gnome quickrazor with spellcasting.

Prerequisites: Concentration 5 ranks, Combat Casting, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (gnome quickrazor), Two-Weapon Fighting

Benefit: As a full-round action, you can cast a melee touch attack spell, attack with the spell, and make an offhand attack with your gnome quickrazor.

SPINNING HALBERD [STYLE]

You have mastered the style of fighting with a halberd, and can use all parts of the weapon—blade, spike, hook, or butt—to strike devastating blows.

Prerequisites: Combat Reflexes, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (halberd)

Benefit: When you make a full attack with your halberd, you gain a +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class as well as an additional attack with the weapon at a –5 penalty. This attack deals points of bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + 1/2 your Strength modifier.

THREE MOUNTAINS [STYLE]

You are a master of fighting with powerful bludgeoning weapons.

Prerequisites: Str 13, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (heavy mace, morningstar, or greatclub)

Benefit: If you strike the same creature twice in the same round with your heavy mace, morningstar, or greatclub, it must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Str modifier) or be nauseated by the pain for 1 round.

TURTLE DART [STYLE]

You have mastered the style of fighting with a short sword while wearing extremely heavy armor and carrying a large shield.

Prerequisites: Exotic Armor Proficiency (battle plate or mountain plate), Exotic Shield Proficiency (extreme shield) or Tower Shield Proficiency, Weapon Focus (short sword)

Benefit: To gain the benefit of this feat, you must be wearing exotic heavy armor and carrying an extreme shield or tower shield. When using this style, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity for moving away from any creature that you attack with your short sword in the same round.

WEAPON AND TORCH [STYLE]

You have mastered a style of fighting that uses a melee weapon and a torch to devastating effect. You can dazzle and burn your opponent with the open flame.

Prerequisites: None

Benefit: While fighting with a one-handed melee weapon and holding a lit torch in the other hand, you can make a special attack as a full-round action. Attack once with your melee weapon. If the attack hits, you also sweep your torch across your foe’s eyes, dealing 1d6 points of fire damage and dazzling him for 1d4 rounds. You can also use this feat while wielding a lit lantern, a sunrod, or an everburning torch in your off hand, although items that do not give off heat do not deal fire damage.