Divine Fighting Technique (Combat)

Divine fighting techniques emulate the martial supremacy and approach to combat of certain gods, but do not generally require users’ interests and goals to be aligned with the techniques’ associated deities.

Although each deity’s divine fighting technique is primarily preserved and passed on by her faithful, worship is not required to learn one. Instead, these fighting styles simply require a certain manner of looking at the world and specific combat training. A god’s divine fighting technique has an initial benefit as well as an advanced benefit available only if you meet certain prerequisites.

Any adventurer can learn a divine fighting technique by taking the Divine Fighting Technique feat. A cleric, inquisitor, or warpriest who worships a deity can always choose to give up either the first power of one of her domains or a minor blessing benefit to gain access to that god’s divine fighting technique without having to meet the Divine Fighting Techniques technique’s prerequisites (including the Divine Fighting Technique feat). In addition, a warpriest can always give up a major blessing to gain the advanced benefit without meeting its prerequisite. In a few cases, other classes can gain the benefits by sacrificing class features, as noted in the appropriate divine fighting techniques.

Divine Fighting Techniques (PZO9463)

The following divine fighting techniques are available to all characters who take the Divine Fighting Technique feat or who worship the appropriate deity and give up the indicated class ability.

Prerequisite: Same alignment as chosen deity.

Benefit: Select a deity. You can use that deity’s fighting technique and receive any benefit for which you qualify, as described in the Divine Fighting Techniques section below.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time you take this feat, it applies to a new deity’s divine fighting technique.

Divine Crossbow

Your god teaches complex crossbow techniques.

Initial Benefit(s): You can attempt a ranged steal combat maneuver check with a crossbow, using your Dexterity modifier in place of your Strength modifier to calculate your Combat Maneuver Bonus. If you succeed, the stolen item is knocked away by the bolt; if the bolt can pierce any part of the item and the item weighs 2 pounds or less, the bolt continues past the creature and carries the item up to one range increment away, pinning it to whatever surface it lands on.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Rapid Reload, base attack bonus +10.

Advanced Benefit(s): When fighting a foe adjacent to a firm surface, you can attempt a ranged dirty trickcombat maneuver check with a crossbow, using your Dexterity modifier in place of your Strength modifier to calculate your Combat Maneuver Bonus. If you succeed, your bolt pins the target’s clothing (or feathers, hide, or the like) to the surface, preventing the target from leaving that space until it breaks free by destroying the bolt or removing it with a successful Strength check (DC = the result of your combat maneuver check to pin it).

Poisoned Lash

Your god inspires creative ways to poison foes.

Optional Replacement: A chaotic neutral rogue or slayer who worships such a god can replace one talent with the following initial benefit.

Initial Benefit(s): You can apply poison (your choice) to a whip as a move action. You do not risk poisoning yourself when applying poison to a whip. A whip you wield can deliver contact poison upon a successful combat maneuver check as well as upon a successful attack roll, regardless of whether you deal damage.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Whip Mastery, base attack bonus +10.

Optional Replacement: A chaotic neutral rogue or slayer who worships such a god can replace one advanced talent with the following advanced benefit even if she doesn’t meet the prerequisites.

Advanced Benefit(s): You can apply poison to a whip as a swift action.

You can apply up to 3 doses of the same poison to a whip at a time. Foes are exposed to only 1 dose of poison from any one attack.

Blade and Tankard Style

Your god is famous for wading into battle with a tankard in his off-hand.

Optional Replacement: A chaotic good fighter or swashbuckler who worships such a god can replace proficiency with shields or bucklers with the following initial benefit.

Initial Benefit(s): You can wield a tankard (or mug) as a weapon, treating it in all ways as a light mace appropriate for your size. If you engage in two-weapon fighting with a rapier or light weapon in one hand and a tankard in the other, you can drink a potion or other liquid from the tankard or attempt to toss liquid from the tankard as a dirty trickcombat maneuver (such as to blind a foe) in place of attacking with it. You do not provoke attacks of opportunity for attempting a dirty trick maneuver with a tankard.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +10.

Optional Replacement: A chaotic good fighter or swashbuckler of at least 10th level who worships such a god can replace a bonus feat or deed with the following advanced benefit, even if he doesn’t meet the prerequisites.

Advanced Benefit(s): You can refill your tankard with a beverage, potion, or other liquid from a bottle or vial as a swift action. You gain a +2 bonus on combat maneuver checks to perform dirty tricks with tankards. The effects of such a dirty trick lasts for 1d4 rounds + 1 round for every 5 points by which the result of your combat maneuver check exceeds the target’s CMD; a standard action is required for the target to remove this penalty.

Greatsword Battler

Your god teaches devastating greatsword techniques.

Optional Replacement: A chaotic neutral barbarian or fighter who worships such a god can replace a bonus feat or rage power with the following initial benefit.

Initial Benefit(s): If you have the Vital Strike feat, you can apply its effect to an attack you make with a greatsword at the end of a charge. If you don’t have the Vital Strike feat, that attack deals 1 additional point of damage instead. The first time you make an attack of opportunity with a greatsword after using Vital Strike with a greatsword on your turn, you can apply Vital Strike to that attack of opportunity.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Str 13, Cleave, Power Attack, Vital Strike, base attack bonus +10.

Optional Replacement: A chaotic neutral barbarian or fighter of at least 10th level who worships such a god can replace a bonus feat or rage power with the following advanced benefit, even if she doesn’t meet the prerequisites.

Advanced Benefit(s): When you use Vital Strike, Improved Vital Strike, or Greater Vital Strike with a greatsword, the damage counts as continuous damage from an injury for the purpose of determining whether a target must attempt a concentration check to cast spells.

Inspiring Sword

Your god demonstrates how to turn a longsword into a shining beacon of hope.

Optional Replacement: A paladin who worships such a god can replace a mercy with this initial benefit, even if she doesn’t meets its prerequisites.

Initial Benefit(s): While wielding a longsword, you can perform an impressive display of prowess as a full-round action. All allies within 30 feet who can see your display gain a +2 sacred bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks for 1 round + 1 round per 5 points of base attack bonus you have.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Dazzling Display, Weapon Focus (longsword), base attack bonus +10.

Optional Replacement: A paladin of at least 9th level who worships such a god can replace a mercy with the following advanced benefit, even if she doesn’t meet the benefit’s prerequisites.

Advanced Benefit(s): As a standard action or at the end of a charge, you can make an attack against a foe with a longsword. If you succeed, you grant all allies who can see your attack a +2 sacred bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks for 1 minute.

Flensing Chain

Your god invites all mortals to join in inflicting and suffering pain.

Initial Benefit(s): Once per round, when you hit a foe with a spiked chain, you can twist the chain so it painfully flenses both of you. You and your target are both sickened for 1 round, and the target must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Wisdom bonus) or be sickened for an additional 1d4+1 rounds.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Base attack bonus +10.

Advanced Benefit(s): Whenever you sicken a foe with pain using a spiked chain (whether by flensing, as a dirty trick combat maneuver, or otherwise), the victim must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Wisdom bonus) or be nauseated for the first round of the duration.

Divine Fighting Techniques (PZO9472)

The following divine fighting techniques (in addition to those described on page 10 of Pathfinder Player Companion: Weapon Master’s Handbook) are available to all characters with the Divine Fighting Technique feat or who meet the optional prerequisites.

Prerequisite: Must worship a single patron deity that has an established divine fighting technique.

Benefit: You can use your patron deity’s fighting technique and receive any benefit associated with that technique for which you qualify, as described in the Divine Fighting Techniques section below.

Way of the Carving Blade

Initial Benefit(s): As a standard action, you can make a single attack with a falchion or a kukri in order to deal bleed damage to the target. When you make this attack, you do not apply your ability modifier (normally Strength, but potentially other modifiers) to the hit point damage dealt by your attack—instead, add an amount of bleed damage equal to this modifier. The bleeding can be stopped by a successful DC 15 Heal check or any amount of magical healing. Bleed damage from this benefit doesn’t stack with itself.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Str 13, Dazing Assault, Divine Fighting Technique, Power Attack.

Advanced Benefit(s): Whenever you hit a bleeding creature with a melee attack using a falchion or a kukri, that creature must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + your base attack bonus) or become staggered for 1 round.

Multiple attacks do not cause this condition to stack, and a creature that successfully saves against this staggering effect is immune to this effect for 1 round.

Way of the Distracting Shot

Optional Prerequisite: A lawful good ranger can choose Divine Fighting Technique as the bonus feat granted by his combat style if he chooses archery as his combat style.

Initial Benefit(s): As a standard action, you can fire a distracting shot from your longbow or shortbow; when you do, select one ally who is adjacent to the creature you are targeting with the distracting shot. If you hit the creature, the chosen ally gains a +2 bonus to her Armor Class against that creature. This bonus to her Armor Class lasts until the start of your next turn.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Dex 17, Divine Fighting Technique, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, base attack bonus +10.

Optional Advanced Prerequisite: A lawful good ranger has the Divine Fighting Technique feat can replace the bonus feat granted by his combat style at 10th level with the following advanced benefit without meeting its prerequisites.

Advanced Benefit(s): When you fire a distracting shot at a creature and hit the creature, you grant a +4 Armor Class bonus to the selected adjacent ally and a +2 Armor Class bonus to all other allies within 30 feet of the selected adjacent ally against attacks by the targeted creature.

Way of Hunger

Initial Benefit(s): A number of times per day equal to your Wisdom bonus, you can feast upon the life essence of a creature that you hit with a scythe. Activating this ability is a swift action. When you do so, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the damage you dealt with the scythe attack. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute and don’t stack.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Divine Fighting Technique, Heal 10 ranks, base attack bonus +7.

Advanced Benefit(s): A number of times per day equal to your Wisdom bonus, you can exacerbate any lingering contagions within a target’s body upon making a successful melee attack with a scythe. Activating this ability is a swift action, and causes the target to immediately attempt additional saving throws against all diseases with which it is currently afflicted. Any failed saves cause the target to immediately take the effects of that disease, while a successful save does not count toward the number of consecutive saves that the target must succeed at in order to cure the disease.

Way of the Mace

Initial Benefit(s): Whenever you threaten a critical hit with a light mace or heavy mace on a foe, that foe becomes sickened for 1 round. If you confirm the critical hit, the sickened effect lasts for 2 rounds. The duration of the sickened effect doesn’t stack with multiple critical threats.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Int 13; Combat Expertise; Divine Fighting Technique; Improved Feint; base attack bonus +10 or Bluff 10 ranks.

Advanced Benefit(s): An opponent that you hit with a light mace or heavy mace who is denied his Dexterity bonus to AC is also hindered by the attack. You can attempt a dirty trickcombat maneuver check as a swift action that doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity immediately after damage from the attack is resolved.

Way of the Merciful

Initial Benefit(s): You take no penalty on attack rolls for using a scimitar to deal nonlethal damage. If your attack with the scimitar would normally deal additional damage (such as via sneak attack, the f laming weapon special ability, or the like), this additional damage can be nonlethal damage. You can also alter spells with the fire, good, or light descriptor and inflict spells so that the damage they deal is nonlethal damage instead. You can choose to apply this effect as the spell is cast.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Great Fortitude, Weapon Focus (scimitar), Heal 10 ranks.

Advanced Benefit(s): Once per round as you strike a foe with a weapon and deal nonlethal damage with that attack, you regain 1d6 hit points.

If the attack that dealt nonlethal damage was from a scimitar, you instead regain 2d6 hit points. You can gain the benefit of this healing only once per round, regardless of how many successful attacks you make with the weapon.

Way of Patient Strikes

Initial Benefit(s): Whenever you wield a warhammer, add your Wisdom bonus to the total number of attacks of opportunity that you can make per round. These additional attacks of opportunity don’t stack with those granted by Combat Reflexes, but this benefit counts as Combat Reflexes for the purpose of satisfying feat prerequisites and prestige class requirements. In addition, you can make attacks of opportunity while you’re flat-footed.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Divine Fighting Technique, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (warhammer), base attack bonus +10.

Advanced Benefit(s): Once per round, before you make an attack of opportunity with a warhammer, you can declare an opportunistic strike. If the attack hits, you can apply the effects of your Vital Strike feat. You can apply the Improved Vital Strike or Greater Vital Strike feat instead if you have either of those feats. If you confirm a critical hit with an opportunistic strike, you can attempt a disarm or tripcombat maneuver check against the target as a free action—this combat maneuver does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Way of the Perfected Fist

Optional Prerequisite: A lawful neutral brawler or monk can replace a bonus feat with the following initial benefit.

Initial Benefit(s): You can take a –2 penalty on all attack rolls made with your unarmed strikes in order to deal the average amount of damage with each successful attack instead of rolling your weapon damage. For instance, if your unarmed strike would normally deal 1d4 points of weapon damage, you instead deal 2 points of weapon damage. Apply bonuses and modifiers to this result as if you had rolled your damage normally. You must choose to use this benefit before making an attack roll, and its effects last until your next turn. You do not average additional damage dice (such as those granted by a sneak attack) when using this ability.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Critical Focus; Divine Fighting Technique; Weapon Focus (unarmed strike); base attack bonus +10 or monk level 10th.

Advanced Optional Prerequisite: A lawful neutral brawler or monk of at least 10th level and has the Divine Fighting Technique feat can replace a bonus feat with the following advanced benefit without meeting its prerequisites.

Advanced Benefit(s): You no longer take a –2 penalty on attack rolls with your unarmed strikes when you choose to deal the average amount of damage. If you critically hit a creature when using this ability, you automatically inflict maximum weapon damage for that critical hit (although you must still roll sneak attackdice or any other dice-based additional damage).

Way of the Shooting Star

Optional Prerequisite: A chaotic good bard of at least 2nd level can replace a versatile performance with the following initial benefit.

Initial Benefit(s): You can add your Charisma bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls when wielding a starknife. If you do so, you don’t modify attack rolls and damage rolls with your starknife with your Strength modifier, your Dexterity modifier (if you have Weapon Finesse), or any other ability score (if you have an ability that allows you to modify attack rolls and damage rolls with that ability score).

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Dex 17; Divine Fighting Technique; Point-Blank Shot; Rapid Shot; base attack bonus +11 or Sleight of Hand 11 ranks.

Optional Advanced Prerequisite: A chaotic good bard of at least 10th level can replace a versatile performance with the following advanced benefit without meeting its prerequisites.

Advanced Benefit(s): You can impart a powerful spin to a thrown starknife so that multiple blades strike the target rather than just a single blade of the four, dealing extra damage with the other blades. As a full-round action, you can make a single attack with a thrown starknife, rolling 1d4 to determine how many effective strikes you gain with the attack (if you roll a 1, then only one blade strikes). If the attack hits, all of the effective strikes damage the target. Apply precision-based damage (such as sneak attack damage) and critical hit damage only once for this attack. The damage bonus from your appropriate ability score modifier applies to each strike, as do other damage bonuses, such as a bard’sinspire competence bonus. Damage Reduction and resistances apply separately to each strike.

Way of the Silent Shiv

Optional Prerequisite: A neutral evil rogue of at least 2nd level can replace a rogue talent with the following initial benefit.

Initial Benefit(s): Whenever you attack an opponent that is completely unaware of your presence (such as when you are using the Stealth skill or invisible), your attack deals damage as if you were one size category larger. This benefit applies only to the first attack that you make against the target, and only with attacks made with light or one-handed weapons intended for creatures of your size (including thrown attacks).

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Divine Fighting Technique, Stealth 10 ranks.

Optional Advanced Prerequisite: A neutral evil rogue of at least 10th level can replace an advanced rogue talent with the following advanced benefit without meeting its prerequisites.

Advanced Benefit(s): At the start of each round, choose one opponent that you can see and attempt a Stealth check as a swift action. If the result of your check exceeds the target’s CMD, treat the target as if it were completely unaware of your presence for the purpose of the initial benefit of this divine fighting technique. If you beat the target’s CMD by 5 or more, you also treat it as being completely unaware of your presence for the purposes of all class features and feats you have.

Way of Thunder

Initial Benefit(s): Whenever you succeed at a dirty trickcombat maneuver check against an opponent, you deal an amount of nonlethal damage equal to 1d6 + your Charisma modifier. In addition, whenever your dirty trickcombat maneuver check beats an opponent’s CMD by 5 or more, you can forgo increasing the duration of your condition by 1 or more rounds to instead impose a –2 penalty on all of that opponent’s Charisma-based checks. This penalty doesn’t stack with itself, and it lasts for a number of minutes equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1 minute) or until the target receives any form of magical healing.

Advanced Prerequisite(s): Power Attack, Divine Fighting Technique, base attack bonus +10.

Optional Advanced Prerequisite(s): A chaotic evil barbarian of at least 10th level can replace a rage power with the following advanced benefit without meeting its prerequisites.

Advanced Benefit(s): Anytime you use Power Attack with a great axe or a natural attack, you ignore an amount of the target’s hardness or damage reduction equal to the penalty Power Attack imparts to your attack roll.

This benefit stacks with Penetrating Strike and Greater Penetrating Strike.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Player Companion: Weapon Master’s Handbook © 2015, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Alexander Augunas and David N. Ross.

Pathfinder Player Companion: Divine Anthology © 2016, Paizo Inc.; Alexander Augunas, Russ Brown, John Compton, Alex Riggs, David Ross

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