Weapon Specialization
This is ONLY available to straight Fighters (Rangers have enough class benefits!)
Applies to ONLY one weapon, not a general weapon type. The fighter CANNOT be a specialist in ‘swords.’ A fighter can specialize in only one weapon and that weapon is specific. For example, the fighter may specialize in Broadsword but that expertise does not extend to other sword types. Long bow is not a short bow. A footman’s mace is not the same as a horseman’s mace. A battle axe is not a hand axe and so on.
A fighter MAY NOT start at 1st level with a specialization, but may elect to specialize starting at 4th level when the fighter gains a new Weapon Proficiency. That proficiency is a ‘doubling’ of an existing proficiency. The fighter MUST specialize in one of the weapon proficienc’s he/she started with at first level.
A fighter may specialize with a weapon ONLY ONCE, multiple specializations of the same weapon or other weapons, is not allowed.
BENEFIT: A Specialist gains +1 to Hit and +1 Damage with the specialized weapon type AND, when using the specialized weapon (only) attacks as one level HIGHER then the character’s actual level. This will allow for multiple attacks with the specialized weapon earlier then otherwise would be allowed.
Parrying Specialization
While the All Out Defense option is avaialble to all characters and classes, a Fighter can, with proper training, opt to ‘Parry’ with weapoin and shield.
Parrying requires the dedication of a Weapon Proficiency slot. Learning it AFTER character creation will require training by a fighter of greater level then the trainee. Double specialization IS NOT POSSIBLE.
Should a Specialized fighter choose to parry with his melee weapon, rather than attack, all of the fighter’s “to hit” bonuses (including those due to strength, magic, and weapon proficiency) can be subtracted from one attacker’s die rolls.
A parrying fighter may use his or her shield to parry a second opponent’s attack; a shield parry reduces the attacker’s roll by 1, and by a further 1 for every “plus” of the shield, if it is magical.
If the fighter is using a shield parry as well as a weapon parry, any further attackers beyond the second may ignore the fighter’s shield bonus in determining their chances “to hit.”
If a fighter performs ANY parries, the fighter cannot attack in that round, even if he or she is capable of making multiple attacks in a single round. NOTE: A Fighter that opts to use Parry, in either shield or weapon MAY NOT resort to All Out Defense in the same round. Use one or the other!
Mounted Combat and Specialization
As noted in the House Rules, learning to fight from horse back requires training and dedicating a weapon proficiency slot to that training. (Note: It is assumed that a character knows how to ride well enough for simple travel, it is an agrarian society. Actual combat is another matter.)
A character, Fighters ONLY, who wishes to be able to conduct a fight from horse back MUST take ‘Mounted Combat’ as a Weapon Proficiency. The proficiency MAY be taken at character creation by a fighter.
It also requires a horse or mount that is trained for combat. The confusion, sounds and smells of a battle will spook or panic untrained mounts so they must be conditioned to this environment to remain under control of the rider. ONLY Heavy and Medium Warhorses can be trained to actually fight in a combat situation. Light Warhorses will remain steady and calm while the rider fights, but will not bite, kick or rear to attack someone or something.
Note: No matter how well trained and experienced the war mount is, some things may still spook them! Notable examples include Undead and Giants.
Horsemanship Specialization
Applying a second weapon proficiency slot to mounted Combat allows the fighter to Specialize in Horsemanship and mounted combat. A Fighter may have a Weapon Specialization (see above) AND still specialize in Horsemanship.
A fighter who has specialized in mounted combat is 85% unlikely to be thrown from the saddle, and 85% unlikely to be injured if his or her mount falls. This chance is increased by 1% for each level
above the first to a maximum of 99%.
As a fighter increases in level, he or she improves still further in horsemanship.
Horsemanship abilities increase as follows:
-At 2nd level a fighter can perform First Aid on an injured horse, stopping blood loss and restoring 2hp of damage immediately. The horse will heal normally at 1hp per day thereafter.
-At 3rd level the fighter can vault into the saddle with bulky armor and
have the steed underway in a single segment.
-At 4th level the fighter may perform more advanced First Aid, restoring 1d4+1 damage and increasing natural healing to 3hp per day as long as the fighter is present to attend the horse at least twice a day.
– At 5th level the fighter can urge his or her mount to greater
speed than normal. The additional speed possible equals a 2 ” bonus
to movement rate, and can be sustained for up to 6 turns. The
additional speed thus gained has no ill effects upon the mount, although
normal rest and feeding are always necessary.
The specialized fighter’s mount will be friendly to and will accept the fighter as
long as it is properly treated.
A fighter’s knowledge of horses (and, at higher levels, other mounts)
allows the fighter to estimate the relativeworth of a steed. A fighter
can examine any mount and determine if it has low worth (one-thirdor
fewer of the maximum possible hit points for the creature), average
worth, or high worth (two-thirds or better of the maximum possible hit
points). Any steed selected by a fighter will have + 2 hit points per hit
die (up to the maximum hit points available.)