Weapon Bonding

General proficiency — see Proficiencies for the rules and the Proficiency Index for the full list.

Characters with the Adventuring proficiency can take the Weapon Bonding proficiency as a general proficiency. Characters without the Adventuring proficiency can take Weapon Bonding as a class proficiency provided they can cleave as fighters.

A character with this proficiency can bond with a weapon and exert his will upon it. When this proficiency is selected, the character immediately gains combat proficiency with a single type of weapon in addition to those permitted by his class; however, this proficiency only applies if the weapon is his bonded weapon.

If the character is not currently bonded to a weapon, he can use the proficiency to attempt to bond with a weapon by touching the weapon and concentrating on it for one turn. He must have combat proficiency with that type of weapon in order to bond with it.

• If the target weapon is already a bonded weapon, the attempt automatically fails. The weapon’s current master must first relinquish the bond (voluntarily or otherwise…) before another character can bond with it (see p. 327).

• If the target weapon is a non-magical weapon, the character automatically succeeds. The weapon becomes a bonded developmental weapon without bonuses or powers

• If the target weapon is a magical but non-developmental weapon, the character must make a bonding throw of 1+. The target value is increased by four times the weapon’s base bonus. If the throw succeeds, the weapon becomes a bonded weapon. If the throw fails, the weapon is unaffected. The character can attempt to bond with that weapon again each time he advances to a higher experience level, gaining a +1 cumulative bonus to the throw with each attempt until he succeeds.

• If the target weapon is a magical natural developmental weapon, the character must make a bonding throw of 1+, increased by two times the weapon’s base bonus. If the throw succeeds, the weapon becomes a bonded weapon. If the throw fails, the weapon is unaffected. The character can attempt to bond with that weapon again each time he advances to a higher experience level, gaining a +1 cumulative bonus to the throw with each attempt until he succeeds.

When a character with Weapon Bonding bonds with a non-magical weapon, he creates a bonded weapon that has no bonus and no powers at all. A bonded weapon without any bonuses or powers counts as a magical weapon and deals extraordinary damage, but only when wielded by its master. When wielded by others, it counts as non-magical and deals mundane damage.

When the bonded weapon is fed by its master, the XP it accumulates is applied towards gaining a base bonus of +1. Once it has gained a base bonus of +1 by accumulating 10,000 XP, all subsequent bonuses and powers are determined randomly by the Judge.