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- Two-handed Weapon Style (Physical 50) — The largest and most damaging weapons available
to PCs are usually two-handed weapons. Obviously, a character
with a two-handed weapon is not going to be able to use a shield
or secondary weapon, but he does have a lot of offensive capability.
- Many two-handed weapons are polearms and extended-range weapons
that provide the wielder with special tactical benefits in addition
to their raw damage potential. Note, a character doesn’t have
to use both hands just to hold a two-handed weapon; he can hang
on to it with one hand to free up the other for another activity.
However, he can’t attack until he gets both hands on the weapon
again.
- Size and Two-handed Weapons: Generally, a character can use a weapon equal to his own size
in one hand, and a weapon one size larger in two hands. For example,
a halfling (size S) can use a short sword or hand axe in one hand,
since they’re size S weapons, but if he used a broadsword (size
M) he’d have to use it two-handed, and there’s no way he could
use a long bow or halberd.
- One- or Two-handed Weapons: Several weapons can be used as one-handed or two-handed weapons.
These include the bastard sword, harpoon, javelin, spear, long
spear and trident. These weapons’ characteristics change when
used two-handed (refer to Chapter Seven of Player's Option: Combat and Tactics).
- One-handed Weapons used Two-handed: Several other weapons are normally one-handed weapons but can
be used two-handed if the wielder so desires. There’s no particular
reason to do this, unless the character is too small to wield
the weapon any other way. These weapons include the battle axe,
club, footman’s flail, horseman’s flail, long sword, footman’s
mace, horseman’s mace, morning star, footman’s pick, horseman’s
pick, and war hammer.
- Warriors, priests, and mages normally know the Two-handed Weapon
Style.
- Specialization: If a character spends 50 physical skill points to specialize
in Two-handed Weapon Style, he increases the speed of his weapon
by one category (slow to average, average to fast) when he fights
using a two-handed weapon.
- The specialist also gains the speed benefit when using weapons
that can normally be employed one-handed or two-handed and with
weapons that are normally used one-handed but can be used two-handed
(see above). In addition, the Two-handed Weapon Style specialist
gains a +1 bonus to damage rolls when using a one-handed weapon
in two hands.
- Two-weapon Style (Physical 50) — Not to be confused with the Two-handed Weapon
Style, Two-weapon Style allows a character to use a weapon in
each hand. The advantage of this is clear: the character either
has more attack power or can use the secondary weapon defensively
to block incoming blows. Another benefit lies in the fact that
even if the character loses a weapon, he’s still armed. Warriors
and rogues know the Two-weapon Style at first-level.
- This is a difficult style to master, since it requires exceptional
coordination and skill. Normally, characters who fight with a
weapon in each hand suffer a -2 penalty to attacks with their
primary hand and a -4 penalty to attacks with their off-hand weapon.
This can be partially or completely negated by the character’s
reaction adjustment for Dexterity/Balance and through the acquisition
of the Ambidexterity skill.
- The character’s secondary weapon must be one size smaller than
his primary weapon — but knives and daggers can always be used
as secondary weapons, regardless of the size of the primary weapon.
Note, this means that for man-size characters, the secondary weapon
has to be size S.
- Important Note: While a character receives his normal number of attacks for class,
level and specialization with his primary weapon, he only receives
only one additional attack with his secondary weapon.
- Specialization: A character who spends 50 physical skill points to specialize
in this style negates the attack penalty applied to the primary
weapon when fighting with two weapons and reduces the penalty
to -2 with his off-hand weapon. Ambidextrous characters who specialize
in this style suffer no penalty to either attack.
- A specialized character also gains the ability to use two weapons
of equal size, as long as he can use each one as a one-handed
weapon.
- When fighting with Two-weapon Style, a character can choose to
use both weapons for the same maneuver (for example, two strikes
or two disarms) or can attempt to complete a different maneuver
with each weapon (one strike and one disarm). If the two maneuvers
are different both are penalized by -1 to hit. This penalty can
be offset by high Dexterity (reaction adjustment) or the Ambidexterity skill.
Rangers and other characters who because of a high Dexterity/Aim
ability score, Ambidexterity or a combination of factors have
no penalty to hit when fighting with a weapon in their off-hand
are considered to be specialized at no additional skill point
cost.
- Underwater Combat Fighting Style (Physical 100) — An adventurer traveling through a strange undersea
environment need not go without defense. A character can become
proficient in underwater combat and master practical fighting
styles that prove effective in a marine environment. Through extensive
training, a proficient character learns to compensate for the
inexorable pull of underwater currents and the resistance of water
to the motion of weapons.
- A character who learns the Underwater Combat Fighting Style only
adds two to his initiative rolls and only suffers a -2 penalty
to his attack rolls when fighting underwater.
- Specialization: A character can specialize in the Underwater Combat Fighting
Style by expending an additional 100 physical skill points. A
character who does so may add his combat bonuses (attack, damage
and extra attacks) for a single weapon of specialization or expertise
(assuming the character is already specialized or expert). However,
under no circumstances can characters add the effects of weapon
mastery or any higher degree of specialization to his attack and
damage rolls.
- Urban Fighting Style (Physical 50) — This style relies on speed and deceit and is
interlaced with feints and special parries, with the idea of delaying
the enemy while the character tries to escape.
- To acquire this combat style, a character must fulfill two prerequisites.
First, he must have skill in the Two-weapon Fighting Style. Second, the character must be proficient with both the rapier
(or a similar light fencing weapon) and main gauche (or similar
parrying weapon). If both of these requirements have been met,
then the character can acquire this style by spending 50 skill
points.
- The style provides several benefits. The character gains a +1
bonus to his AC from one frontal melee attack per round. The character
also gains a +2 bonus to all blocking attempts. If the character
chooses to parry instead of attacking, he receives an AC bonus
equal to half his level (rounded up). Finally, the character may
attempt to use this fighting style in conjunction with the Feint skill to create an attack of opportunity against an opponent.
If the Feint attack succeeds, the character has tricked the enemy
and receives an attack of opportunity with a +2 bonus to hit,
in addition to his normal action for the round.
- The benefits of this fighting style may be applied only if the
character is fighting living opponents of at least animal intelligence
or better. The bonuses depend on the character being able to read
the body and eye movements of the foe. Undead and animated creatures
do not give off such subtle clues and mindless creatures are too
stupid to fall for tricks. If the character is disarmed in a fight,
he cannot use the benefits of this style until the weapon is recovered.
- Specialization: A character who specializes in the Urban Fighting Style by spending
an additional 50 skill physical points gains an additional +2
bonus on all disarming attempts.
 
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