Quote Originally Posted by Endarire View Post
Remember, taking Discipline Focus (Shadow Hand) as your Swordsage1 ability should get you weapon proficiency and Weapon Focus in Spiked Chain which is finessible. (Focus requires proficiency. That's how our game ruled it.)
Focus requiring proficiency and focus granting proficiency are two very different things. There's a number of ways to get feats you don't qualify for, and there's nothing weird about a feature saying 'if you get spiked chain proficiency you get better at using it, until then no dice'.

If a 10 dex ranger gets Two-Weapon Fighting for free while wearing light armor, that doesn't miraculously make his dexterity rocket up to 15, now does it?