Fantasy AGE - Weapons Overview

Navigating weapons in Fantasy AGE can be a bit tricky. Here are a few lists to help out.

Weapon Groups and Ancestry

  • Dwarf - Axes
  • Elf - Bows
  • Goblin - Light Blades
  • Orc - Bludgeons
  • Wildfolk - Brawling

As noted in Goblin Light Blades Experiment picking an ancestry benefit that matches with a class starting weapon group choice is quite good as the double weapon group instead is a focus for that weapon group. Gets you ahead in useful advancements.

Weapon Groups and Classes

  • Envoy
    • Black Powder
    • Bludgeons
    • Bows
    • Brawling
    • Heavy Blades
    • Light Blades
    • Slings
    • Spears
  • Mage
    • Brawling
    • Staves
  • Rogue
    • Light Blades
    • Staves
    • Black Powder
    • Brawling
    • Dueling
  • Warrior
    • Brawling
    • Axes
    • Black Powder
    • Bludgeons
    • Bows
    • Dueling
    • Heavy Blades
    • Lances
    • Light Blades
    • Polearms
    • Slings
    • Spears
    • Staves

Weapon Talents - All Classes

  • Unarmed Style
    • Reqs - None
    • Novice - removal of unarmed damage penalty 1d3 to 1d6, or bonus if you had 1d6 already (ie natural weapons from wildfolk). Also may add Strength instead of perception as damage.
    • Expert - 1SP cost reduction for Knock Prone
    • Master - Bonus Stunt Die improvement
  • Weapon Training
    • Reqs - None
    • All talent tiers are the same and grant access to one weapon in a weapon group.
    • Access to a weapon really means removing of a penalty.
    • Unknown if classes are meant to pick from weapons groups listed in character creation. That would be straight forward to house rule. Only the Sword Mage specialization has explicitly granted a weapon outside of starting list in the rule book.

Rogue or Warrior Weapon Talents

  • Archery Style
    • Reqs - Rogue or Warrior, Bows
    • Novice - +2dmg at close range
    • Expert - reload cost reduction
    • Master - 1sp cost reduction with lightning attack
  • Dual Weapon Style
    • Reqs - Rogue or Warrior, Dex 2
    • Novice - Activate for defense or damage bonus, reduced Min str requirement for offhand
    • Expert - 1sp reduction for Lightning Attack
    • Master - minor action offhand attack
  • Firearms Style
    • Reqs - Rogue or Warrior, Black Powder Weapons group
    • Novice - +1 bonus to aim minor action
    • Expert - reload costs less (major > minor, minor > free)
    • Master - double range or +2 damage bonus
  • Mixed Weapon Style (weapon with ranged offhand)
    • Reqs - Rogue or Warrior, Dex 1
    • Novice - minor action offhand attack roll substitute for defense if better
    • Expert - upgrade novice, may do half weapon damage
    • Master - may attack with either main or offhand as major and/or minor attack. minor attack almost gets full damage
  • Single Weapon Style
    • Reqs - Rogue or Warrior
    • Novice - Activate Passive bonus to defense
    • Expert - previous bonus improves from 1 to 2
    • Master - stunt die bonus
  • Thrown Weapon Style
    • Reqs - Rogue or Warrior, Light Blades or Spears weapons group
    • Novice - +1 to hit bonus
    • Expert - action reduction from minor to free reloading
    • Master - 1SP cost reduction 

Warrior Weapon Talents

  • Pole Weapon Style
    • Reqs - Warrior, Polearms or Spears
    • Novice - additional range for attack
    • Expert - minor action benefit or +2 to stand fast
    • Master - +2 initiative, 1sp stunt reduction
  • Two Handed Style
    • Reqs - Warrior, Axes or Bludgeons or Polearms or Spears weapon group
    • Novice - skirmish like bonus
    • Expert - damage bonus for mighty blow
    • Master - Reroll damage

Mage Weapon Talents

  • None

Envoy Weapon Talents

  • None

Class Comments

  • Envoy
    • Has a decent weapon group selection, but cannot select any weapon talents except Unarmed style.
  • Rogue
    • Will have to dive into specializations to see if there are any issues, otherwise looks good
  • Warrior
    • Lances are the only weapon group not available at level one. Can get later.
  • Mage
    • Only Sword Mage spec gets you something interesting for weapons

Weapon Group Styles

Here is a list combining what weapon groups have access to what weapon talents.

  • Axes
    • Dual Weapon Style
    • Mixed Weapon Style
    • Single Weapon Style
    • Thrown Weapon Style
    • Two Hander Style
    • Weapon and Shield Style
  • Black Powder
    • Firearms Style
    • Mixed Weapon Style
  • Bludgeons
    • Dual Weapon Style
    • Mixed Weapon Style
    • Single Weapon Style
    • Two Hander Style
    • Weapon and Shield Style
  • Bows
    • Archery Style
    • Mixed Weapon Style
  • Brawling
    • Unarmed Style
  • Dueling
    • Dual Weapon Style
    • Mixed Weapon Style
    • Single Weapon Style
    • Weapon and Shield Style
  • Heavy Blades
    • Dual Weapon Style
    • Mixed Weapon Style
    • Single Weapon Style
    • Two Hander Style
    • Weapon and Shield Style
  • Lances
    • None?
  • Polearms
    • Polearm Style
    • Two Hander Style
  • Slings
    • None?
  • Spears
    • Dual Weapon Style
    • Mixed Weapon Style
    • Single Weapon Style
    • Thrown Weapon Style
    • Polearm Style
    • Two Hander Style
    • Weapon and Shield Style
  • Staves
    • Dual Weapon Style
    • Mixed Weapon Style
    • Single Weapon Style
    • Weapon and Shield Style

Specializations with Weapon references

  • Duelist
    • requires Dueling weapon group and Accuracy based weapon
  • Guardian
    • requires novice in Two Hander Style or Pole Weapon Style or Weapon and Shield Style
    • Notes - Reading this specialization, it should not require any weapon group
  •  Hunter
    • bows, spears, or sling bonus at novice
  • Knight
    • requires lances and mounted combat style
  • Mage Hunter
    • requires black powder
    • Notes - should also not require a weapon group. A certain fantasy may be guns, but hand cross bow is very van helsing not to mention any melee weapon (pitchforks?)
  • Marked
    • Mark of War lets you have a magic weapon pocket dimension
  • Razor
    • requires Light Blades focus
  • Sharp Shooter
    • requires Black Powder Style, Archery Style, Thrown Weapon Style
    • requires house rule to change that to a ranged weapon group in order to allow the new sling
  • Sword Mage
    • granted a 1h weapon as arcane device

Conclusion

Weapon Groups and Styles content is spread across a lot of pages. I needed to create five lists to cover all the aspects:

  • ancestry and weapon groups
  • classes and weapon groups
  • classes and weapon styles
  • weapon styles and weapon groups
  • weapons and specializations

Coverage of weapon styles is very uneven with a lot of options for one handed styles and none for a few. Weapon groups are also unevenly given to classes, especially the envoy which technically isn't allowed any weapon styles despite given more groups than a rogue.

Overall weapons are a bit harder to navigate and I found building these four lists helpful in that task. I hope this helps you navigate your own characters weapon choices.

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