Weapon Mastery

Weapon mastery designates those characters who strive toward the ultimate level of skill with their weapon of specialization. Weapon masters are generally individuals of considerable reputation and note in their campaign worlds, often sought by younger characters for their knowledge. Many of these masters take apprentices, acting as mentors for the training and development of aspiring masters. Other weapon masters live solitary, even hermit-like lives, obsessing on some important task that will allow no interference from the rest of the world.

The most common weapons employed by masters are swords, though bows, axes, and spears are also allowed. If a player wishes his character to master in a different weapon, he must create (with DM input) a rationale for a strong cultural or campaign historical background. An archetype such as William Tell, for example, can be used to justify a mastery in the crossbow in a medieval-type campaign. If the DM will not allow a weapon to be mastered, the player should be informed before the character specializes in that weapon.

A fighter character must have reached a minimum of 5th level before he can become a weapon master; other characters must progress even farther. The minimum level for weapon mastery in every character class is 4 higher than the minimum for specialization, shown on Table 54. A character must possess weapon specialization in the weapon he will attempt to master. When these criteria are met, character points must be spent based on the character’s class (see Table 54 below) to gain a mastery.

In addition, the character must find an existing master and be trained in weapon mastery. The master will often demand a significant payment for this training, or else require that the apprentice perform a quest or some other task before he will be accepted as a student. Training for weapon mastery requires twice as many months as training for weapon specialization (i.e. twice the character point costs to gain the mastery, shown on Table 54).

Effects of Mastery: A master’s attack and damage bonuses with a melee weapon are both +3. With a missile weapon, the attack bonus becomes a +2 at all ranges beyond point blank. At point blank range the attack and damage bonuses are each +3.