Axes

Axes is a Common Martial skill. It is not modified by an attribute.

The Axes skill represents your ability to wield axes, emphasizing raw power, brutal efficiency, and relentless aggression. An axe is not just a weapon; it is a tool of war, capable of cleaving through armor, bone, and shield with savage force. However, the might of an axe lies in the hands of its wielder, requiring precision and timing to harness its devastating potential. A master of Axes can turn even the crudest hatchet into an engine of destruction. Each rank in the Axes skill increases your Accuracy bonus with axe weapons by 1, boosts your damage with axe weapons by 1/4th, and enhances your chance to inflict Wounding or Critical Effects with an axe by 1/8th. For a complete list of axe weapons, see the Weapons by Type page.

As your skill in Axes grows, you will gain additional benefits from it.

Improved Affinity (All Ranks)
Your growing expertise with an axe allows you to develop a deeper connection to its use. Upon attaining a new rank title (Initiate, Apprentice, Journeyman, Adept, Master, Grandmaster), you gain a 25% affinity bonus in one of the following skills: Axes, Cleaving Slice, Dual Wielding, Head Chop, Jagged Slice, or Two-Handed Wielding. While affinity in any skill cannot exceed 100%, you may select a skill even if you have no prior experience with it.

Initiate (Ranks 10–19)
As an Initiate, you begin to understand the brutal nature of an Axe. You gain a bonus equal to your ranks in this skill when using a different skill in an attempt to break an object, such as a door, or preforming a chopping task, such as gathering lumber.  You also gain a bonus to Instill Fear checks if you are threatening physical violence with your axe. If you are attempting to damage an immobile object, you automatically score a Critical Hit on it, assuming you hit.

Apprentice (Ranks 20–34)
As an Apprentice, you have learned to use your axe as more than a slashing weapon. When you attempt to Trip or Disarm an opponent, you gain a bonus to the check equal to your ranks in this skill. Furthermore, when enchanting a axe, you may apply one additional enchantment beyond the standard Enchantment Limit (see Crafting Process for details).

Journeyman (Ranks 35–59)
As a Journeyman, your reflexes and defensive capabilities with a staff reach new heights. You gain access to the “Swift Follow-up” ability:

Swift Follow-up: As a reaction, when you score a critical hit with an Axe, you can use your reaction to make an attack with the same weapon against a target adjacent to you. This attack cannot score a critical hit.

Adept (Ranks 60–79)
At the Adept level, your axe becomes a breaker of objects. When you score a Critical Hit, your target suffers a 1d4 penalty to its Armor Value. This penalty persists until the end of the combat.

Master (Ranks 80–99)
As a Master of the axe, your swings are nearly unstoppable, and their devastation is legendary. The “Swift Follow-up” ability can be used against one additional target, for a total of two after a critical hit. Additionally, you cannot be disarmed of an Axe you are holding, and any creature that grapples you while you are capable of taking actions takes damage as if you had hit them. Finally, any axe you modify can hold one additional enchantment above its enhanced limit, allowing for a total of two extra enchantments.

All of these bonuses are cumulative.

Add your Axes Special Abilities to your Roll20 Character sheet. Insert your ranks in this skill and click Create Special Abilities Text:

*Grand Masters (Rank 100+) gain unique advantages. Crafting and Affinity bonus are not included in the Special Abilities generation.

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