Weapon mastery is a character's ability to use weapons with greater skill than the game normally allows. All characters, not just single-classed fighters, can learn to use weapon mastery.
Weapon Choices
When a new character is created, that character receives a number of weapon proficiency slots as shown in the table below.
| Group | Initial | Levels per Additional Slot | Non-Proficiency Penalty |
|---|
| Warrior |
4 |
3 |
-2 |
| Wizard |
1 |
6 |
-5 |
| Priest |
2 |
4 |
-3 |
| Rogue |
2 |
4 |
-3 |
All characters must spend a slot (or more for higher levels of proficiency) for each weapon they wish to become familiar with. If that character uses a weapon that he or she is not proficient with, then the penalty listed above is tacked on to the attack roll. Spending the sots required on a weapon choice gives the character a Basic understanding of how to use that weapon. There are six levels of mastery.
| Number of Weapon Slots Spent | Level of Mastery |
|---|
| 0 |
Unskilled |
| 1 |
Basic |
| 2 |
Skilled |
| 3 |
Expert |
| 5 |
Master |
| 8 |
Grandmaster |
At beginning levels, only single-classed fighters may choose to upgrade their level of mastery to skilled. Rogues, priests, wizards, and other warriors must spend their weapon slots on separate weapons and must wait until gaining new weapon slots in order to become more skilled in a weapon. At first level, characters must use up all their proficiency slots. At higher levels, characters can save slots for a later use. Also, warriors may become more skilled in more than one weapon, while other character classes may gain a greater level of mastery in only one weapon. In general, the higher a character's level of amstery with a weapon, the more damage he or she does with the weapon and the greater number of special results he or she can achieve with the weapon. At higher levels, it takes an additional slot (two total) to attain Master ranking in a weapon, and two additional slots (three total) to attain the ranking of Grandmaster.
Training
To gain a higher level of mastery in a weapo, not only must the character spend the required weapon slot but he must be trained by someone who has equal or greater knowledge of that specific weapon. That someone could be another PC but is usually an NPC teacher.
After finding a trainer who will provide the necessary instruction, the student must pay all of the required costs before training can begin. The costs and time required for weapon training vary by the level f amstery sought (and by the teacher), and they are listed below.
| Level of Mastery Sought | Time Required | Cost Per Week |
|---|
| Basic (new weapon) |
1 week |
100 gp |
| Skilled |
2 weeks |
250 gp |
| Expert |
4 weeks |
500 gp |
| Master |
8 weeks |
750 gp |
| Grandmaster |
12 weeks |
1,000 gp |
A student can train only to the next rank of ability above his own. During each training period, there is a chance of failing to achieve the next rank. His chances of success and failure vary by the mastery levels of himself and his trainer, as given in the chart below. From the character's perspective, failure may occur because the trainer has insufficient knowledge or lacks the ability to train others or because the student cannot fully absorb the new information. Failure does not mean that the character has lost his weapon slot for that experience level. The slot is still there and it's still dedicated to the weapon and level of mastery he has chosen for it. The student has lost the time and money he has spent, but he may spend more time and money until he succeeds.
The chance of success is checked halfway through the training period, and the student is immediately informed of the results. (In the role-playing situation, usually this consists of the teacher taking the student aside and telling him that he is not ready yet and that it is useless to continue.) The student may then either continue his training (despite the teacher's recommendations) or stop his training. If the student continues to train, he may attempt to train with another teacher with a 10% bonus added to the success roll. If the student stops training, he will not lose the time involved and usually the teacher will refund half of the student's payment. However, the student does not receive the 10% bonus for the next time he attempts to attain the next level of mastery.
| Student's Knowledge | Trainer's Knowledge | | | | |
|---|
|
Basic |
Skilled |
Expert |
Master |
Grandmaster |
| None |
60% |
80% |
95% |
99% |
99% |
| Basic |
1% |
50% |
70% |
90% |
95% |
| Skilled |
— |
1% |
40% |
60% |
80% |
| Expert |
— |
— |
1% |
30% |
50% |
| Master |
— |
— |
— |
1% |
20% |
As noted in the table above, there is a small chance that a character may better himself by training with someone of equal ability. Grandmasters are difficult to find and very expensive to train with, so at higher levels, most characters tend to study multiple times with their peers in order to gain the 10% bonus (which is cumulative!).
Skilled Weapon Use
When using the weapon mastery rules, all weapons acquire new abilities and damage ranges. Those benefits include extra damage, attack roll bonuses (for single-classed fighters only), improved range with missiles and thrown weapons, ability to throw some hand-held weapons, bonuses to armour class and other special results (stunning, paralysis, entanglement, etc.)
Another benefit for single-classed fighters only is one of multiple attacks. During a combat round, the fighter may choose to take multiple attacks if he is eligible. See the chart below. If the character chooses to use multiple attacks during the round, the damage is equal to the next lowest level of mastery. (Expert becomes Skilled, Skilled becomes Basic).
| Fighter Level | Melee Weapon | Light Crossbow | Heavy Crossbow | Thrown Dagger | Thrown Dart | Other Non-Bow Missiles |
|---|
| 1-6 |
3/2 |
1/1 |
1/2 |
3/1 |
4/1 |
3/2 |
| 7-12 |
2/1 |
3/2 |
1/1 |
4/1 |
5/1 |
2/1 |
| 13+ |
5/2 |
2/1 |
3/2 |
5/1 |
6/1 |
5/2 |
Single-classed fighters who specialise in bow gain an additional range category instead of extra attacks: point blank range. Point blank range for bows is from 6 to 30 feet. At point blank range, the character gains a +2 modifier on attack rolls. No additional damage is caused but Strength and magical damages apply. Furthermore, if the character has an arrow nocked and drawn, and has his target in sight, he or she can fire at the beginning of the round before any initiative rolls are made.
Some benefits can occur only if the player announces that his character is deliberately using them (such as deflecting, disarming, etc.) The player must mention this before he rolls to hit. It is too late to mention it after the die has been cast.
Attack Roll Bonuses
Characters that have achieved higher levels of skill are able to strike true more often than those who are only moderately trained. Warriors (Not only single-classed fighters) are naturally more adept at combat and thus gain a higher bonus.
| Mastery | Warrior Bonus | All Others |
|---|
| Unskilled |
no bonus |
no bonus |
| Basic |
no bonus |
no bonus |
| Skilled |
+1 |
no bonus |
| Expert |
+2 |
+1 |
| Master |
+3 |
+2 |
| Grandmaster |
+4 |
+3 |
Improved Range
A character at skilled or better mastery with a ranged weapon can often fire or hurl it much farther than someone less accomplished. All notes on improved weapon ranges are listed with the individual weapon.
Weapon Mastery Chart
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