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Realms Fighting Styles (3rd Edition)

By John Lowell Goshorn

The following list describes forty-one Realms-specific fighting styles. It has been created using the rules for feats in Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons®. The feats are listed alphabetically. Footnotes describe what region or group a character must come from in order to learn these feats. These fighting styles are usually not taught to outsiders, particularly the feats Bladesinging, Drow Academy Style, Improved Bladesinging, Ironstar Clan Style, and the Whispering Jambiya. All of these feats are considered fighter feats; fighters may choose these feats (as well as the list in the Player's Handbook) as bonus feats. These feats also make use of the optional rule: the parry, which is presented below.

 

The Parry

Occasionally, defending one's self becomes more important then striking an enemy. While dodging attacks is useful, it is often easier to simply block the incoming weapon, preventing it from hitting. A character may use a parry maneuver in lieu of one of his attacks to block an incoming strike from an enemy. If the character has multiple attacks, the player may choose which attack bonus to use for the parry or may even choose to make multiple parries with multiple attack bonuses. Treat the parry as an opposed attack roll. Roll a normal attack roll with all benefits and compare the result with your opponent's attack roll. If the parry is equal to or higher than the opponent's attack roll, the parry successfully blocks the attack. If the attack roll is higher than the parry roll, the attack functions normally, hitting or missing depending upon armor class. A roll of a natural 20 always parries an attack, even an attack that rolls a natural 20. Furthermore, a roll of a natural 20 is considered a critical parry and affords an immediate riposte. This riposte acts in all ways as an attack of opportunity.

Shields may be used to parry. The penalties for using two weapons apply, but the shield grants a +2 to parry rolls. Once the shield has been used to parry, it no longer grants its bonus to Armor Class for the rest of the round.

 

Feat Prerequisite Effect
Alemantos' Style — This style affords a +2 bonus to AC and Dexterity checks when fighting in rocky or mountainous terrain.
Baldur's Gate/ Flaming Fist Style 1 Shield Proficiency This feat grants the user one additional parry every round with the shield. This parry gains the usual +2 bonus to attack rolls for use of a shield.
Berduskan Fencing Style 2 Proficient with rapier or sabre Fencers using this feat gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC and a +1 bonus to any Dexterity check they need to make while fencing.
The Blades of Huzuz 3 BA+4, Proficient with falchion, scimitar, or great scimitar This feat grants a +1 bonus to attack rolls with the falchion, scimitar, or great scimitar. Can make a display of swordplay, which requires a full-round action, that grants a +4 bonus to intimidate checks.
Bladesinging 4 BA+4, Dodge, Perform: Dance, Dexterity 15+ Each round of combat, choose one benefit: a) +1 dodge bonus to AC; b) +1 to attack rolls; or c) one extra parry with your primary weapon
Chondath Style 5 Expertise, Intelligence 13+ You receive one extra parry each round with your primary weapon at your highest base attack bonus.
Cormanthor Swordsmanship 6 Proficient with any type of sword When using a sword as a weapon, this feat grants a +1 dodge bonus to AC. It also grants a +1 bonus to Dexterity checks when fighting within a forest.
Cormyrian Fencing Style 7 BA+8, Proficient with rapier or sabre, Either Berduskan Fencing or Tantras Defense When fighting a single opponent who is using a medium-sized weapon or smaller, the fencer automatically parries any attack during a round in which they win initiative. Only a critical hit actually hits the fencer (and then does only normal damage). The fencer must have something in the off-hand to parry with, be it a dagger, a hat, or even a cloak. Opponents may need to refocus to gain intiative and attack the fencer. This style is useless against any opponent who also has Cormyrian Fencing.
Dalelands Style 8 — Every melee attack you suffer from does the first point of damage as subdual damage.
Darian's Style 9 — This feat grants the user a +1 Dodge bonus to AC against any one opponent. This stacks with the Dodge feat and can be used against a separate opponent.
Drow Academy Style 10 — All attacks with slashing or piercing weapons deal +1 point of damage.
Evanero Bladesinging 11 BA+4, Bladesinging, Dodge, Perform: Dance Elves with this feat gain a +1 to damage rolls when fighting.
Grand Mastery Improved Critical, Mastery, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Fighter level 10th+ You deal more damage with your weapon of choice. Damage is increased to the next largest die; i.e., 1d8 becomes 1d10; 1d12 becomes 1d20; 1d20 becomes 1d20 + 1d8.
Great Rift Axe Style 12 Profiecient with battleaxe or dwarven waraxe This feat grants the wielder of a battleaxe or a dwarven waraxe an additional +1 to attack rolls and a +1 to damage rolls.
Hammer of Tyr 13 — You gain a +1 competence bonus to attack rolls when using a light hammer or a warhammer.
Ilistine Spear Charge 14 Weapon Focus: any Spear You gain a +1 bonus to damage with a specific type of spear.
Ilmater's Blessing 15 Expertise, Intelligence 13+ When in combat and not flat-footed, the first point of damage you take from melee or ranged weapons is subdual damage.
Improved Bladesinging 16 BA+6, Bladesinging, Dodge, Perform: Dance, Dexterity 15+ This feat supercedes the Bladesinging feat. Each round of combat, choose one benefit: a) +2 dodge bonus to AC; b) +2 to attack rolls; or c) one extra parry with your primary weapon
Iriaeboran Fencing 17 BA+3, Sabre proficiency Iriaeboran fencers gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls when using a sabre.
Ironstar Clan Style 18 Proficiency: Battleaxe, Dwarven Waraxe, or Greataxe Ironstar Clan dwarves gain one extra attack every round with the spear end of an axe (assuming the axe they are using has one). The attack uses the highest base attack bonus and should be treated as a dagger as far as size and damage are concerned.
Jaligard's Style Mastery, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Fighter Level 6th+ Masters of Jaligard's style gain a +1 to damage rolls and a +1 bonus to initiative when fighting with a longsword. This bonus is cumulative with the bonus from Improved Initiative.
Jarko of Unther Style 19 — You gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC against all attacks made after your initiative. A refocus action may be used to gain initiative.
Lathander's Holy Strike 20 Proficiency with light or heavy mace This feat grants the wielder a +1 to all damage rolls when using a mace.
Lutton's Style BA+6, Proficient with rapier or sabre The Lutton style of fighting affords the fencer a deadly precision with a blade, in effect giving them a +1 to all attack rolls with the rapier or sabre.
The Mantra of Tyr 21 BA+4 Users of this feat gain a +1 bonus to initiative as well as a +2 bonus to any parry maneuver they attempt when fighting with any type of sword. This feat is useless against any swordsman who also knows the Mantra.
Mastery Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Fighter level 6th+ This level of expertise in a weapon supercedes both Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization. You now have a +2 to attack rolls and +3 to damage rolls. Missile weapons only get the bonus to damage when the target is within 30 feet.
Myth Drannor Style 22 — Warriors trained in this style are adept at fighting orcs and goblinoids. They gain a +1 to attack rolls and a +1 to all damage rolls when fighting orcs or goblinoids.
Northmen Shield Style 23 Shield proficiency Users of this feat can use a specially prepared shield in battle. They gain an extra attack each round with the sharpened rim of the shield (treat as a knife). That's one extra attack per round. If they make the two allowed attacks, they lose the benefit of the shield thereafter. If they only use one attack, they retain the shield bonus to AC. The usual penalties for fighting with two weapons apply.
Odom's Style BA+3, Left-handedness or Ambidexterity Whenever a student of Odom's style makes a successful parry with any sword, he is granted an immediate riposte. The riposte is made at the same attack bonus as the parry and counts against the limit of attacks of opportunity. The sword must be wielded in the left hand.
Pirate Isles Style 24 — Choose any slashing weapon. You now do +1 damage with that weapon. This feat can be taken more than once; each time, choose a new weapon.
Sespech Style 25 Ride skill 4+ ranks This feat may only be used with a specially trained war horse that has bonded with its rider. When on horseback, the user of this feat is granted a +1 to attack rolls (in addition to the +1 for being on higher ground). Bonding with a war horse requires a full tenday of riding.
Tantras Defense 26 BA+4, Proficient with the rapier or sabre Wielders of this feat gain an extra parry every round. This parry uses the highest attack bonus and grants, if successful, an immediate riposte (which counts as an attack of opportunity).
Tempuran Fist Style 27 — You may take one unarmed strike attack with your off-hand when fighting in melee (with one weapon and one hand free). This attack occurs at your highest bonus and incurs a -2 penalty on all attacks for that round (as if you had Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting).
Tempus' Blessing 28 BA+3 You gain a +1 to damage if using a one-handed weapon or a +2 to damage if wielding a two-handed weapon.
Tempus' Fury 29 BA+6, Power Attack This furious attack causes the user to take 10 points of subdual damage immediately. He is then granted double attacks for one round. He attacks twice at each attack bonus. This feat is taxing, and can only be used twice each day.
Tempus' Grace 30 BA+6 Warriors trained in this feat can make one extra parry per round with each weapon they wield in combat. This parry is made at the highest attack bonus and can be directed against any attack. Double weapons grant two additional parries per round.
Uthgardt Axemanship 31 BA+4, Proficient with battleaxe or greataxe This feat grants a +1 bonus to attack rolls when using a battleaxe or greataxe.
Waterdeep Fencing 32 BA+3, Proficient with rapier Waterdhaiven fencers gain a +1 to attack rolls with the rapier.
West Gate Fencing BA+4, Proficient with rapier or sabre These fencers gain a +2 bonus to initiative. This stacks with Improved Initiative.
The Whispering Jambiya 33 BA+3, Proficient with the jambiya When using this feat against a humanoid opponent, a Holy Slayer may attempt a called shot once per melee to hit a vulnerable portion of their opponent's anatomy. This called shot harbors the usual penalties: -4 to attack rolls. If the called shot hits, the weapon's base damage is doubled.
Zaknefein's Defense 34 BA+6, Two-weapon Fighting This feat grants the wielder one additional parry each round with each weapon wielded. These parries use the character's highest attack bonus.

Footnotes:

  1. Western Heartlands
  2. Western Heartlands
  3. Al-Qadim
  4. Elves only
  5. Vilhon Reach
  6. Cormanthor, the Dalelands, Evermeet, Moon Elf, Sun Elf, Wood Elf
  7. Cormyr
  8. Cormanthor, Cormyr, Dalelands, Sembia
  9. Worshippers of Ilmater, Torm, and Tyr
  10. Drow Elf
  11. Cormanthor, Evermeet, Evereska
  12. Gold Dwarf
  13. Worshippers of Tyr
  14. Vilhon Reach
  15. Worshippers of Ilmater
  16. Elves only
  17. Western Heartlands
  18. Ironstar clan
  19. Unther, Chessenta
  20. Worshipper of Lathander
  21. Worshippers of Ilmater, Torm, and Tyr
  22. Cormanthor, Cormyr, Dalelands, Elves
  23. Northmen from the Moonshaes
  24. Sea of Fallen Stars
  25. Vilhon Reach
  26. The Vast
  27. Worshipper of Tempus, Zhentarim
  28. Worshipper of Tempus
  29. Worshipper of Tempus
  30. Worshipper of Tempus
  31. Uthgardt (the North)
  32. Waterdeep
  33. Holy Slayers of the Soft Whisper (Al-Qadim)
  34. Drow Elf

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