RMS Oceanic
2008-11-07, 10:51 AM
The main criticism with the weapon focus tree is that the small arbitrary bonuses aren't very effective against the AC/hp/DR of high-level threats, as well as soak up a lot of feats for the privelege. So I thought: how about a class that rewards specializing in them?
Prerequisites:
Base Attack Bonus: +7
Skills: Craft(Weaponsmithing) 10 Ranks
Feats: Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Weapon Focus(Any Melee Weapon), Weapon Specialization(Any Melee Weapon)
Hit Dice: d10
Skill Points: 2+Int Modifier
Class Skills: As fighter
Weapon Specialist
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Chosen Weapon, Improved Critical, Enhanced Specialization, Craft Bonus
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Enhanced Focus
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Extra Attack, Special Ability
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Bonus Feat
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Critical Multiplier +1
6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+2|Special Ability
7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+2|Improved Threat
8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+2|Bonus Feat
9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+3|Special Ability
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+3|Critical Multiplier +1, Weapon Supremacy[/table]
Chosen Weapon: Choose a weapon type (short sword, longsword etc) you have weapon focus and specialization in. This is considered your chosen weapon for all class features, and cannot be changed.
Improved Critical: At 1st level you gain this as a bonus feat. If you already have it, you can instead choose another feat which you qualify for.
Enhanced Specialization: Add your class level to damage rolls made with the weapon you've specialized in. This stacks with Weapon Specialization, but not Greater Weapon Specialization. This is considered as Greater Weapon Speciailization for the purpose of qualifying for feats.
Craft Bonus: Gain a competence bonus equal to your class level on Craft (Weaponsmith) checks made to create weapons of your chosen type.
Enhanced Focus: Starting at 2nd level, add one half your class level to attack rolls made with the weapon you've specialized in. This stacks with Weapon Focus, but not Greater Weapon Focus. This is considered as Greater Weapon Focus for the purpose of qualifying for feats.
Extra Attack: Starting at 3rd Level, when making a full attack action with your chosen weapon, you may make one additional attack at your highest base attack bonus. You can do this a number of times per day equal to your class level, and it stacks with effects like haste or speed.
Bonus Feat: At 4th and 8th level, you gain a Fighter Bonus feat.
Critical Multiplier: At 5th level and again at 10th level, improve the critical multiplier of your weapon by 1 (x2 becomes x3, then x4. x3 becomes x4, then x5 and so on)
Improved Threat: Increase the critical threat of your chosen weapon by 1. This applies after Improved Critical (A weapon with a range of 20 becomes 18-20, 19-20 becomes 16-20 and 18-20 becomes 14-20)
Special Ability: At third level, and again every three levels after that, pick a special ability:
Enhanced Tactics[i]: Gain a +4 bonus to trip attacks, disarm attempts and bull rush attempts made with your chosen weapon. This stacks with improved disarm, improved trip and improved bull rush.
[i]Maximize Damage: By taking a -4 penalty on all attack rolls in a round, the normal damage die of your weapon is considered to have rolled maximum damage (a longsword deals 8 damage, a bastard sword 10, a greatsword 12 etc.) Extra damage (sneak attack, magical enhancements) are not multiplied. You can use this in conjunction with power attack.
Two-Weapon Fighting: You must have the two-weapon Fighting Feat for this. Penalties for fighting with two identical light weapons are eliminated, while penalties for identical one-handed weapons are reduced to -2. You deal full strength damage with your offhand attacks.
Parry: When wielding a weapon you have specialized in, you gain a +2 deflection bonus to AC. This stacks with other deflection bonuses, though it does not stack if you are wielding two of the same chosen weapon, and you must not be denied your dexterity bonus to gain use of it.
Improved Power Attack: You must have Power Attack and the Maximize Damage ability. When attacking with a weapon in one hand, your power attack damage is multiplied as though you were wielding it two-handed. If wielding it two handed, the damage is doubled again (i.e. tripled)
Ignore Damage Reduction: Ignore the first five points of damage reduction (except x/Epic) an opponent has when fighting with your chosen weapon.
Weapon Supremacy: Gain this as a bonus feat, even if you don't meet the requirements.
I suspect I've created something that fighters will almost automatically multiclass into, but I dare say some would declare they need this. Anyone got any suggestions?
Prerequisites:
Base Attack Bonus: +7
Skills: Craft(Weaponsmithing) 10 Ranks
Feats: Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Weapon Focus(Any Melee Weapon), Weapon Specialization(Any Melee Weapon)
Hit Dice: d10
Skill Points: 2+Int Modifier
Class Skills: As fighter
Weapon Specialist
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Chosen Weapon, Improved Critical, Enhanced Specialization, Craft Bonus
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Enhanced Focus
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Extra Attack, Special Ability
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Bonus Feat
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Critical Multiplier +1
6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+2|Special Ability
7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+2|Improved Threat
8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+2|Bonus Feat
9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+3|Special Ability
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+3|Critical Multiplier +1, Weapon Supremacy[/table]
Chosen Weapon: Choose a weapon type (short sword, longsword etc) you have weapon focus and specialization in. This is considered your chosen weapon for all class features, and cannot be changed.
Improved Critical: At 1st level you gain this as a bonus feat. If you already have it, you can instead choose another feat which you qualify for.
Enhanced Specialization: Add your class level to damage rolls made with the weapon you've specialized in. This stacks with Weapon Specialization, but not Greater Weapon Specialization. This is considered as Greater Weapon Speciailization for the purpose of qualifying for feats.
Craft Bonus: Gain a competence bonus equal to your class level on Craft (Weaponsmith) checks made to create weapons of your chosen type.
Enhanced Focus: Starting at 2nd level, add one half your class level to attack rolls made with the weapon you've specialized in. This stacks with Weapon Focus, but not Greater Weapon Focus. This is considered as Greater Weapon Focus for the purpose of qualifying for feats.
Extra Attack: Starting at 3rd Level, when making a full attack action with your chosen weapon, you may make one additional attack at your highest base attack bonus. You can do this a number of times per day equal to your class level, and it stacks with effects like haste or speed.
Bonus Feat: At 4th and 8th level, you gain a Fighter Bonus feat.
Critical Multiplier: At 5th level and again at 10th level, improve the critical multiplier of your weapon by 1 (x2 becomes x3, then x4. x3 becomes x4, then x5 and so on)
Improved Threat: Increase the critical threat of your chosen weapon by 1. This applies after Improved Critical (A weapon with a range of 20 becomes 18-20, 19-20 becomes 16-20 and 18-20 becomes 14-20)
Special Ability: At third level, and again every three levels after that, pick a special ability:
Enhanced Tactics[i]: Gain a +4 bonus to trip attacks, disarm attempts and bull rush attempts made with your chosen weapon. This stacks with improved disarm, improved trip and improved bull rush.
[i]Maximize Damage: By taking a -4 penalty on all attack rolls in a round, the normal damage die of your weapon is considered to have rolled maximum damage (a longsword deals 8 damage, a bastard sword 10, a greatsword 12 etc.) Extra damage (sneak attack, magical enhancements) are not multiplied. You can use this in conjunction with power attack.
Two-Weapon Fighting: You must have the two-weapon Fighting Feat for this. Penalties for fighting with two identical light weapons are eliminated, while penalties for identical one-handed weapons are reduced to -2. You deal full strength damage with your offhand attacks.
Parry: When wielding a weapon you have specialized in, you gain a +2 deflection bonus to AC. This stacks with other deflection bonuses, though it does not stack if you are wielding two of the same chosen weapon, and you must not be denied your dexterity bonus to gain use of it.
Improved Power Attack: You must have Power Attack and the Maximize Damage ability. When attacking with a weapon in one hand, your power attack damage is multiplied as though you were wielding it two-handed. If wielding it two handed, the damage is doubled again (i.e. tripled)
Ignore Damage Reduction: Ignore the first five points of damage reduction (except x/Epic) an opponent has when fighting with your chosen weapon.
Weapon Supremacy: Gain this as a bonus feat, even if you don't meet the requirements.
I suspect I've created something that fighters will almost automatically multiclass into, but I dare say some would declare they need this. Anyone got any suggestions?