Puissance (sage study)

Puissance is a sage study in the field of Mastery at Arms. Bearing its name from the enchanted artifact, the Manual of Puissant Skill at Arms, this field of study encompasses an array of refined weapon skills and combat proficiencies. These enhancements empower individuals to excel as more formidable solitary combatants. While some of these refinements are nuanced and applicable only to particular weapons and situations, the comprehensive training provided by this study significantly bolsters a combatant's overall martial prowess.

Benefits provided to characters include enhanced weapon skills, increased combat defense and accuracy, and greater versatility regarding weapons and attacks; each leave customisation of the character's fighting style, without providing a pre-generated moniker for same.

Sage Abilities

The sage abilities below are those acquired by a character through the study, according to status.

Amateur Status

• Close Drop: reduces the likelihood that combatants will drop a weapon outside of the hex in which they are fighting.

• Gain Proficiency: character begins with one more proficiency than is otherwise normal.

• Hereditary Weapon I: character receives a +1 bonus to-hit when using the most familiar weapon of their place of birth.

• Shield as a Weapon: enables the character to use the shield as a weapon, causing 1d4 damage per hit.

• Strengthened Arm: the character is able to hurl weapons a greater distance than normal.

Authority Status

• Draw Speed: decreases the penalty incurred by firing a bow more quickly, while improving the time in which a crossbow can be loaded. Also decreases the time to draw a weapon from a combatant's belt by 1 action point.

• Feint: the art of causing an enemy to move towards a hex where the combatant does not wish to be.

• Hereditary Weapon II: character receives a +1 bonus to-hit and a +1 bonus to damage when using the most familiar weapon of their place of birth.

• Main-gauche: the use of a dagger, rather than a shield, in parrying attacks.

• Precise Hit: enables the character to break an enemy's weapon or shield as desired.

• Reduced Proficiency Penalty: the combatant's proficiency penalty is lessened by 1 point.

Expert Status

• Berserking: enables the combatant to berserk if reduced to 1 hit point or less.

• Improved Dual-wielding: reduces the penalties in fighting with two weapons of various types.

• Off-handed Cast: enables the combatant to throw a hurled weapon equally well with either hand.

Sage Status

• Full Berserk: the character is able to berserk at will for a brief period.

See also,
Assassin Sage Abilities
Fighter Sage Abilities
Paladin Sage Abilities
Ranger Sage Abilities