Weapon master

Description: (PRESTIGE CLASS) For the weapon master, perfection is found in the mastery of a single melee weapon. A weapon master seeks to unite this weapon of choice with his body, to make them one, and to use the weapon as naturally and without thought as any other limb.

Hit die: d10

Proficiencies: No additional proficiencies are granted.

Skill points: 2 + int modifier

Skills: discipline, heal, intimidate, listen, lore, Spot

Unavailable feats: brew potion, craft wand, curse song, divine might, divine shield, extra music, extra turning, lingering song, quicken spell, scribe scroll, spell focus, weapon specialization
These general feats cannot be selected when taking a level of weapon master.

Primary saving throw(s): reflex

Base attack bonus: +1/level

Requirements

To qualify as a weapon master, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:

Base attack bonus: +5

Feats: dodge, mobility, expertise, spring attack, weapon focus in a melee weapon, and whirlwind attack

Skills: intimidate 4 ranks

Note: Getting these feats requires dexterity and intelligence scores of at least 13.

Level progression

Lvl	BAB	Saves			Feats	HP range		AB bonus	Ki damage uses per day
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+0	+2	+0	ki damage, weapon of choice	5-10		-	1
2nd	+2	+0	+3	+0		10-20		-	2
3rd	+3	+1	+3	+1		15-30		-	3
4th	+4	+1	+4	+1		20-40		-	4
5th	+5	+1	+4	+1	increased multiplier, superior weapon focus (+1 AB)	25-50		+1	5
6th	+6	+2	+5	+2		30-60		+1	6
7th	+7	+2	+5	+2	ki critical	35-70		+1	7
8th	+8	+2	+6	+2		40-80		+1	8
9th	+9	+3	+6	+3		45-90		+1	9
10th	+10	+3	+7	+3		50-100		+1	10

Tip: Becoming a weapon master

• Without bonus feats to help meet this class' prerequisites, the earliest a character could become a weapon master is character level 16. Humans can become weapon masters at 13 thanks to their bonus.
• Bonus feats from fighter and champion of Torm can be used to meet the prerequisites earlier. The earliest a character can become a weapon master is at character level 7, and this requires four fighter levels.

Epic weapon master

The weapon master's bond with his weapon of choice becomes stronger and devastatingly effective as he becomes the epic weapon master.

Hit die: d10

Skill points: 2 + int modifier

Bonus feats: The epic weapon master gains a bonus feat every three levels. In other words, at levels 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, and 28.

Epic bonus feats: armor skin, blinding speed, devastating critical, epic damage reduction, epic toughness, epic prowess, epic weapon focus, improved whirlwind attack, overwhelming critical, planar turning, superior initiative, weapon of choice
The inclusion of planar turning in the bonus feat list is probably a bug.

Unavailable epic feats: automatic quicken spell, automatic silent spell, automatic still spell, bane of enemies, construct shape, dragon shape, epic spell penetration, epic spell: dragon knight, epic spell: epic mage armor, epic spell: epic warding, epic spell: greater ruin, epic spell: hellball, epic spell: mummy dust, epic weapon specialization, great smiting, improved ki strike 4, improved ki strike 5, improved sneak attack, improved spell resistance, improved stunning fist, lasting inspiration, mighty rage, outsider shape, terrifying rage, thundering rage, undead shape
These general epic feats cannot be selected when taking a level of weapon master.

Epic weapon master level progression

Lvl	Feats	HP range		AB bonus	Ki damage uses per day
11th		55-110		+1	11
12th		60-120		+1	12
13th	bonus feat, epic superior weapon focus (+1 AB)	65-130		+2	13
14th		70-140		+2	14
15th		75-150		+2	15
16th	bonus feat, epic superior weapon focus (+1 AB)	80-160		+3	16
17th		85-170		+3	17
18th		90-180		+3	18
19th	bonus feat, epic superior weapon focus (+1 AB)	95-190		+4	19
20th		100-200		+4	20
21st		105-210		+4	21
22nd	bonus feat, epic superior weapon focus (+1 AB)	110-220		+5	22
23rd		115-230		+5	23
24th		120-240		+5	24
25th	bonus feat, epic superior weapon focus (+1 AB)	125-250		+6	25
26th		130-260		+6	26
27th		135-270		+6	27
28th	bonus feat, epic superior weapon focus (+1 AB)	140-280		+7	28
29th		145-290		+7	29
30th		150-300		+7	30

Special

Epic superior weapon focus: For every 3 epic levels gained, an additional +1 to attack is granted to the weapon of choice.

Notes

• Requires Hordes of the Underdark.
• This class was designed as a master of a melee weapon. Thus, ranged weapons and unarmed strike are excluded from the prerequisites (and from weapons of choice).
• Due to the lack of weapon focus feats (and of weapon of choice feats), it is not possible to be a master of the lance or magic staff or any custom content weapons.
• As the weapon of choice is chosen from a list, it is technically a bonus feat selected from a list. As such, it is available for selection (again) as a bonus feat at epic levels if the weapon focus prerequisite is met. Furthermore, a different bonus feat can be substituted for weapon of choice at weapon master level 1, if the prerequisites for that feat are met (which, among other things, implies being an epic character).
• Weapon master and shadowdancer are the only classes lacking the generic class skills craft weapon, craft trap, craft armor as well as concentration and parry (all are cross-class skills).
• Although the ultimate specialist in a single weapon, weapon masters cannot take weapon specialization and epic weapon specialization without taking at least 4 fighter levels. One fighter or champion of Torm epic level must be taken for epic weapon specialization, leaving room for 29 weapon master levels. The last weapon master bonus feat and attack bonus increase is at level 28, so not much is lost by going that route.
• The increased multiplier and ki critical feats make a deadly combination with overwhelming critical and devastating critical (against creatures not immune to critical hits).