Axemaster

Urferberf's Academy of Axemanship, the most well-respected of Dungeonpalooza's fighter colleges, trains Fighters in a variety of styles and weapons. While their style is somewhat recognizable, most students are not unlike other fighters in their choice of weaponry and tactics. Axemasters are those students who choose to adopt Urferberf's distinctive combat style. Though they have a reputation as specialists, the truth is rather the opposite; like Urferberf, they specialize in axes, but strive to always use the right axe for each job. Their style emphasizes broad specialization with various axes and a practiced familiarity with their chosen weapons that allows them to shift readily between defense, power and precision.

Urferberf has too much business savvy and professionalism to claim that axemasters are strictly superior to his other students, who cling less closely to Urferberf's personal style. However, Urferberf does personally certify axemasters, offering refunds to those who hire axemasters that don't get the job done. This is a mixed blessing for axemaster soldiers, assassins and mercenaries. On the one hand, it puts them in high demand and sells them to wealthy employers who can afford to hire the best. On the other hand, it also makes them popular among employers who don't really expect their plans to work, and are looking to recoup some expenses in the likely case that their hired champion gets slaughtered.

To become an axemaster, a character must receive Urferberf's personal recommendation. This is mostly a matter of demonstrating a broad mastery of combat without any glaring weaknesses; Urferberf is known to test would-be axemasters in on-on-one duels before approving them, to ensure that there isn't some simple trick that causes their combat techniques to crumble. Urferberf has his biases, as well. He is known to favor dwarves to a small degree, to prefer axe-and-shield fighters to those who use two-handed axes or dual-wield, and to make women jump through unnecessary hoops (sometimes literally). As a result, axemasters are disproportionately dwarven and almost all male.

Hit Die: d10

Requirements

To qualify to become an Axemaster, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Base Attack Bonus

+4

Skills

Must be able to speak Dwarven, and must be literate

Feats

Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Weapon Focus with two types of axe, Weapon Specialization with one.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Must be proficient with all simple and martial axes and with the Dwarven Waraxe. Must be proficient with shields.

Special

Must receive a personal recommendation from Urferberf.

Class Skills

The Axemaster's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Intimidate (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level

2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Class Level	BAB	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1	+1	+2	+0	+0	Versatile Axemanship (+1)
2	+2	+3	+0	+0	Axemaster Feat
3	+3	+3	+1	+1	Bonus Feat
4	+4	+4	+1	+1	Versatile Axemanship (+2)
5	+5	+4	+1	+1	Axemaster Feat
6	+6	+5	+2	+2	Bonus Feat
7	+7	+5	+2	+2	Versatile Axemanship (+3)
8	+8	+6	+2	+2	Axemaster Feat
9	+9	+6	+3	+3	Bonus Feat
10	+10	+7	+3	+3	Versatile Axemanship (+4)

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Axemasters are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields.

Bonus Feats

At 3rd, 6th and 9th level, an axemaster may choose a bonus feat from the list of feats available to fighters. This is in addition to the feats that a character of any class normally gets from advancing levels.

Axemaster Feats

At 2nd, 5th and 8th level, an axemaster may choose a bonus feat from the following list, but must apply each one to an axe of some kind: Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Greater Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Specialization, Improved Critical, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus, and Weapon Specialization. For purposes of these feat selections only, an axemaster's Axemaster levels count as Fighter levels toward meeting feat prerequisites. An axemaster may not apply these levels as fighter levels when selecting Bonus Feats nor the usual feats that all characters get from advancing levels, but only to the Axemaster Feats gained at 2nd, 5th and 8th level.

Versatile Axemanship (Ex)

Starting at 1st level, an axemaster has a small bonus that he may apply in various ways during combat. The bonus applies as a damage bonus to all Power Attacks made with an axe, as an Armor Class bonus when using Combat Expertise while wielding an axe, or as a bonus to any axe attack roll that also benefits from the Weapon Focus feat. The character may use his bonus in only one of these ways each round. An axeman who loses use of Combat Expertise or Power Attack (such as through Ability Damage) cannot use his Versatile Axemanship bonus in any way.

The Versatile Axemanship is +1 at 1st level, +2 at 4th level, +3 at 7th level and +4 at 10th level.