Template highlight: Weapon Master

The Weapon Master Template

Weapon Masters are people who have taken up a very specialized study of a single weapon. They devote all their energies to the perfection of their skill with their weapon of choice, until it becomes essentially an extension of their bodies. Besides simply learning to strike with their weapon, the Weapon Master learns a variety of special flips and rolls. This increases the Weapon Master’s control of combat by allowing them to choose the ground from which they wish to fight, or allowing them to be out of the range of an enemy’s strike. The Weapon Master uses these quick movements to confuse their opponents, and they may still strike their targets through the execution of these moves.

The origins of Weapon Masters are somewhat unclear. Several references exist to their sort throughout even the oldest of histories. There are, however, two popular tales to from whence Weapon Masters emerge. The first belief is that rebel Kaythelian Knights, who are known for their acrobatics in combat, as well as their tendency to focus their energies on a single weapon, trained humans and Kafke in their ways thousands of years ago, and that these teachings have been passed down from master to pupil until the present day. The other belief is that long ago, an order of Kenessho splintered away from the normal strictness and order of Kenessho society. These Kenessho focused on movement, awareness, and skill at arms, rather than on the whole range of skills studied by most of their order. Gradually, this school broke up, but its teachings have been passed on by the few who are loyal to them. Both of these beliefs have their own merits, but no one alive knows for certain which is closer to the truth.

Like Kenessho, Weapon Masters gain a keen sense of themselves. Through this self awareness, Weapon Masters sometimes gain powers that seem almost magical. These powers are not magic, however, but rather they are reflective of the keen tuning that the Weapon Master’s body and mind have obtained. Additionally, Weapon Masters often take on quests in a fashion similar to Kenessho, to test their skill, and hone it to perfection. Unlike Kenessho, however, Weapon Masters usually have nothing to prove to anybody. They perform these quests to get a challenging workout, not to demonstrate what their training and skill has brought them.

Weapon Masters take great pride in their weapon of choice. They will always keep it in the best of condition whenever possible. Often times, they will have their weapon specially engraved and adorned so as to increase not only its value, but also its beauty. When a weapon becomes too old and worn to be useful any longer, the Weapon Master will try to find a place of honor to display the weapon. Weapon Masters usually name their weapons.

Weapon Masters are almost always trained by a single master. This master, obviously, is a master of the weapon that their disciple is attempting to perfect. On rare occasions, a master will have more than one pupil at a time, but such situations are extremely rare, and only the greatest of masters would attempt such a feat. The study and focus that the training of a Weapon Master takes is too great to pass on well to more than one at a time.

RESTRICTIONS
– Cannot possess any Classical or Non-Classical spells
– Weapon Masters can use only focus on one weapon. It must be a non-missile, melee weapon, not weapon category.
– Weapon Masters may only use soft armor. Shields are never used.

BENEFITS
Skill purchasing
The following skills are Special Template Skills
– Combat Skills (info about Combat)
– Melee Weapon Skills that relate to the weapon of choice
– Any general skills with Nimbleness or Swiftness as a base
– Parry
– Any Weapon Master Skills
The following skills are Template Skills
– All other Avoid Skills except Parry

Autobases
The following skills are Autobase Template Skills
– Tumbling
– Rolling Attack
– Regional Warrior Community Contacts
– Regional Current Warrior History

Special
Weapon Masters have a Reaction Modifier bonus of +2 when using their weapon during an action scene.