Fighter Using Deity's Favored Weapon


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


I've been scouring these forums/message boards to no avail. I hope that I've merely missed my solution, rather than it not being so. I have a specific character in mind to play and it's not working. A faithful fighter. None of the archetypes I've found fit. Main aspect is fighter class who can use his favored deity's weapon without taking a feat for it. Deity is Ragathiel and favored weapon is a bastard sword. Are there any character traits allowing the use of your deity's favored weapon? That'd be the easiest way. Didn't know where to post this and thought here was a safe bet. Thanks.

Liberty's Edge

Best bet is to play Half-Elf, grab the Ancestral Arms alternate racial trait for Bastard Sword proficiency (in place of Skill Focus), then take the Weapon Master archetype. There's also the Heirloom Weapon trait for gaining proficiency, but that only works for *that specific Bastard Sword*, so if it's ever broken you're SoL, and you need Masterwork Transformation to get a chance at making it magical.

As a side note: Fighters are "proficient" in bastard sword in a sense. They have proficiency in all martial weapons and bastard sword can be used as a two-handed weapon with martial proficiency. If you intend on using it two-handed anyway you can skip the half-elf bit and just go for it.

Another possibility is convincing your DM that a weapon master should get weapon proficiency in their weapon for free.

(Two-Handed Fighter is also a good archetype for bastard sword if you want to go the two-handed route. It hits like a truck.)

Scarab Sages

I'd just take a one level dip in warpriest. You'll gain proficiency in Bastard Sword and heavy armor, free weapon focus, minor spellcasting, and blessings in exchange for 1 BAB.


Project Mayhem wrote:
A faithful fighter. None of the archetypes I've found fit. Main aspect is fighter class who can use his favored deity's weapon without taking a feat for it.

Is there a specific reason you need the weapon feat for free? As a fighter you could easily afford to actually take the feat.


If you have at least 12 wisdom, a dip in Cleric, Inquisitor, or warpriest would probably be well worth it.


A cracked opalescent white pyramid ioun stone would give you proficiency for 1500 gold. Not the best option if you're starting on level 1 though.


If you don't want to lose BAB, take a one level dip in Divine Tracker Ranger.


Imbicatus wrote:

I'd just take a one level dip in warpriest. You'll gain proficiency in Bastard Sword and heavy armor, free weapon focus, minor spellcasting, and blessings in exchange for 1 BAB.

One level of Warpriest with the Fate's Favored trait is really good. Besides free focus and weapon proficiency, you can cast a +2 attack and damage Divine Favor on yourself a couple of times a day (or more with some basic pearls of power), you get a major boost to Will saves, and you get blessings that can make your weapon Holy or Lawful. If you go two levels, casting Divine Favor on yourself can be done with a swift action.


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So pretty much a Deliverer Slayer.


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You're playing the class that exists for nothing except having a bunch of feats. I think you'll be fine.

Liberty's Edge

Scavion wrote:
So pretty much a Deliverer Slayer.

Totally mundane, but still divinely themed. Worships a deity and has a code. Gets proficiency. Doesn't lose anything important.

Good call.


Arachnofiend wrote:
You're playing the class that exists for nothing except having a bunch of feats. I think you'll be fine.

I think they are at least a bit better than that now that they have all sorts of options available... but yah, that is your primary class feature.


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The Deliverer Slayer looks like a perfect dip -- or even a total replacement. It suits the OP's intention: a faithful martial character who fights the enemies of her faith, without specific divine abilities.

Liberty's Edge

If this is a home game, ask your GM if you can use a trait for it.


Thanks for all the input! The Deliverer, Divine Tracker, and Warpriest are an interesting idea with some nice class ability benefits.

StabbittyDoom, I already have a specific race in mind so the Half-Elf Ancestral Arms trait wouldn't work. Weapon Master would be nice, especially with the early onset of weapon training (although specific).

True, Gilfalas, fighter's receive an abundance of feats. I'm set on playing a two-weapon fighter and I know it will demand a lot of those feats. That's my reason for trying to free one up. I'd do the Two-Weapon Warrior archetype but the only class abilities I like start at 9th level. If the Improved/Perfected Balance abilities started a lot earlier I'd go for it.

Thanks for mentioning the Fate's Favor trait, BadBird. I looked at Chosen One in the list of faith traits there and had an idea about homebrewing a change to it. It's listed source is Champions of Purity and it's actually called Chosen of Iomedae (why I overlooked it). Makes sense now it's about a longsword and all. Maybe the generic version, Chosen One, should swap out the longsword with your deity's favored weapon. Granted, nowhere in it's description indicates you gain proficiency with said longsword, but would that just be implied or selective, like with the Heirloom Weapon trait?


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Two weapon fighting will be preferable on the slayer anyways since they can go strength based.


Project Mayhem wrote:
Thanks for mentioning the Fate's Favor trait, BadBird...

Fate's Favored is actually a faith trait in Ultimate Campaign.

christos gurd wrote:
Two weapon fighting will be preferable on the slayer anyways since they can go strength based.

It's easier, though a strength based Fighter with a cap of 17 dex isn't terribly hard to do. It has some potential advantages with things like the Two Weapon Warrior Archetype, or even just being able to toss on Full Plate with +3 dex AC and no movement penalty. Or for that matter, a zealous Ragathiel worshipping Mutation Warrior who sees his mutagens as a holy gift to help smite anyone dumb enough to face a combination of weapon training and mutated strength... how perfect is gaining wings?


If you're going for a two weapon fighter, I highly recommend sawtooth sabres instead of the bastard sword. You can use a sawtooth sabre in your off hand without additional penalty, so your weapon-specific feats (weapon focus, weapon specialization, improved crit, etc.) apply to both attacks.

If you're not going with a fighter, it doesn't matter as much, but you'll want to use a light weapon in your off hand.


BadBird wrote:
christos gurd wrote:
Two weapon fighting will be preferable on the slayer anyways since they can go strength based.
It's easier, though a strength based Fighter with a cap of 17 dex isn't terribly hard to do. It has some potential advantages with things like the Two Weapon Warrior Archetype, or even just being able to toss on Full Plate with +3 dex AC and no movement penalty. Or for that matter, a zealous Ragathiel worshipping Mutation Warrior who sees his mutagens as a holy gift to help smite anyone dumb enough to face a combination of weapon training and mutated strength... how perfect is gaining wings?

Certainly. It just needs a starting dex of 16, and for you to put your 4th level ability score adjustment into dex. On a 20 pt buy, you can more than manage that.

Hell, I can manage that on a bard and still get str based (admittedly, there is a rather painful dump in at least one mental score- still, I managed to get a decent CHA)


A Deliverer of Achaekek.

Gets Exotic Proficiency for free and Prerequisite bypassing feats.


Gwen Smith wrote:

If you're going for a two weapon fighter, I highly recommend sawtooth sabres instead of the bastard sword. You can use a sawtooth sabre in your off hand without additional penalty, so your weapon-specific feats (weapon focus, weapon specialization, improved crit, etc.) apply to both attacks.

If you're not going with a fighter, it doesn't matter as much, but you'll want to use a light weapon in your off hand.

If you're wanting to go bastard sword you could combine it with things like cestus or gauntlet or quickdraw shield, so that you can seamlessly switch between two-handing and two-weapon fighting. Losing little things like specialization and focus on your offhand isn't a bad trade-off for having a 1d10 weapon that can shift into two-handed beat-down mode at will. Using something like a gauntlet also means you could potentially work in things like Dragon Style or Boar Style to increase offhand impact in other ways, since you've got a pile of feats.


BadBird wrote:
Gwen Smith wrote:

If you're going for a two weapon fighter, I highly recommend sawtooth sabres instead of the bastard sword. You can use a sawtooth sabre in your off hand without additional penalty, so your weapon-specific feats (weapon focus, weapon specialization, improved crit, etc.) apply to both attacks.

If you're not going with a fighter, it doesn't matter as much, but you'll want to use a light weapon in your off hand.

If you're wanting to go bastard sword you could combine it with things like cestus or gauntlet or quickdraw shield, so that you can seamlessly switch between two-handing and two-weapon fighting. Losing little things like specialization and focus on your offhand isn't a bad trade-off for having a 1d10 weapon that can shift into two-handed beat-down mode at will. Using something like a gauntlet also means you could potentially work in things like Dragon Style or Boar Style to increase offhand impact in other ways, since you've got a pile of feats.

That's actually a great idea. And the 1d10 enlarges to 2d8, which is kind of fun.

Question: Do Dragon Style and Boar Style work with a gauntlet? I thought they only worked with unarmed strike


BadBird wrote:
Or for that matter, a zealous Ragathiel worshipping Mutation Warrior who sees his mutagens as a holy gift to help smite anyone dumb enough to face a combination of weapon training and mutated strength... how perfect is gaining wings?

Heh. Never even considered a Mutation Warrior. After looking it over... yes! That's awesome! Believing that the discovery of his mutagen is divine inspiration from Ragathiel, blessing him with increased combat prowess to bring wrathful vengeance down upon the evils he encounters. A high Dex would help offset the loss of Armor Training. Also, the race I'm dead set on using (DM approved) has a +2 racial Dodge AC bonus.

I may have been misleading when I said "two-weapon fighter". I'm playing a Kasatha, so he's a multi-weapon fighter. Worked it out with the DM and we're going to swap out "two-weapon" for "multi-weapon" in all feats and aspects just to simplify everything. A 4-armed Mutation Warrior wielding a bastard sword and 3 other swords flying down at you with his angelic (bird) wings. This is gonna be fun!


Gwen Smith wrote:
Question: Do Dragon Style and Boar Style work with a gauntlet? I thought they only worked with unarmed strike

I think a gauntlet (or Cestus) works with those styles. Mainly because in their weapon descriptions it refers to them as unarmed strikes.


Project Mayhem wrote:
I think a gauntlet (or Cestus) works with those styles. Mainly because in their weapon descriptions it refers to them as unarmed strikes.

Gauntlet specifically says it's an unarmed strike, but cestus... well the entire 'benefits' section makes no sense at all if it's not an unarmed strike, but it doesn't specifically say it is like it does with a gauntlet. Oh well.


In all honesty, I'd snatch up some iron claws (tekko-kagi) as my off-hand weapons in a heartbeat if the damage on them wasn't so ridiculously small. Disarm without AoA, blocking, and a weapon? Yes please. d3 and exotic? No thank you.


BadBird wrote:
Project Mayhem wrote:
I think a gauntlet (or Cestus) works with those styles. Mainly because in their weapon descriptions it refers to them as unarmed strikes.
Gauntlet specifically says it's an unarmed strike, but cestus... well the entire 'benefits' section makes no sense at all if it's not an unarmed strike, but it doesn't specifically say it is like it does with a gauntlet. Oh well.

Despite saying so, neither of these things are unarmed strikes. Yes, it is very strange and confusing.


Hm. I think that might make an interesting archetype.

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