Weapon Craft
Knifecraft
Force fortune's hand at blade's length — alley pieces, spare knives, and Attacks of Opportunity.
Knifecraft is the fighting style of those comfortable with knives — from the merchant who must answer a cutpurse with an alley piece, to the career soldier beset on all sides. Fortunes can change quickly at blade's length. Those who survive have learned to force fortune's hand.
Some abilities require more than one knife. Work with DM approval on how many blades you can carry at any point, and how many you can retrieve after each battle. Basic Knifecraft has situational abilities that reward increased Knife in the Dark stacks. Intermediate provides several ways to use multiple Attacks of Opportunity in a single turn. Advanced turns unused AoO into truly devastating attacks.
Ranged Combat Reminders
Knives are melee by default — only specific abilities treat an attack as ranged.
- Knives are not considered ranged weapons unless an ability says so for that attack.
- Add DEX modifier to Attack Roll.
- If using a ranged weapon at a target within 15 feet of you (your unmodified AoI), add +1 Disadvantage.
- If attacking an enemy that has an ally within 5 feet, add +1 Disadvantage.
- You must have a clear LOS to the target. Allies within 5 feet of you do not block LOS.
Stacking Ability
Many abilities grant extra AoO — each attempt feeds Knife in the Dark.
Knife in the Dark
Any time you attempt an Attack of Opportunity, you gain a counter. Many abilities provide an additional AoO. Some require dual-wielding (or forbid it), or have other situational requirements.
Stack Burn
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1 Stack
Increase crit threat range by 1.
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2 Stacks
Increase crit threat range and crit multiplier by 1.
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3 Stacks
Take an additional Attack of Opportunity immediately (essentially a “double strike”).
At Maximum Stacks
If you are currently at your maximum stacks, you gain the following passive ability. As soon as you spend any stacks, you immediately lose the passive ability.
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Passive
Palmed Dagger [0 PHYS] — When you have maximum stacks, you gain an additional AoO (can be fed into Preserved Initiative), or you may absorb 2× [Talent Points spent in Knifecraft] damage until your next turn. Choose one option per round.
Abilities
Search every tier at once — useful mid-turn.
Basic Abilities
May be purchased using talent points in any order.
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Circle of Blood
You are more aware of your area of influence, making you less vulnerable to attack. Add +X [Max Phys] to your Defense until your next turn.
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Street Reflexes
After being attacked by an enemy action, you may immediately make an attack at your HAB in response. You must have an available unused AoO action, and spend 2 stacks. This attack counts as an AoO.
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Forced Initiative
Make a Standard Attack against an enemy in your AoI who is after you in the initiative order, during their turn. You may add your crit multiplier to your attack roll. This counts as 2 AoO.
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Flash of Steel
You cannot be dual-wielding, must have an extra knife available, and must have just made a successful AoO. You produce a blade hidden on your person and make another Standard Attack. This counts as 2 AoO.
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Blur of Crimson
Make a Standard Attack. If successful, you may make a ranged Standard Attack with that weapon at an enemy within 30 feet. This counts as 2 AoO.
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Underhanded Toss
Must be dual wielding. Make a Standard Attack, then use your offhand weapon and make a ranged Standard Attack at any foe you have not yet attacked, or been attacked by. You must be between 10 and 30 feet away from the target. This counts as 2 AoO.
Intermediate Abilities
You must have spent at least 2 points in the weaponcraft tree.
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Preserved Initiative
If you still have an unused Attack of Opportunity at the beginning of your turn, you can save it for a future turn. You may save at most [Max Phys] AoO this way.
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Thirsty Steel
You balance the disadvantages of a smaller blade with the precision born of needing every strike to count. Until your next turn, every attack you make is at your HAB, and at +1 Advantage.
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Deflecting Steel
Until your next turn: after successfully defending against an attack, make a return Standard Attack. If successful, the enemy is +1 Disadvantage for the rest of their turn. Each counts as 1 AoO.
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Defensive Crouch
Until your next turn, you can perform 1 + APM Attacks of Opportunity, each at +1 Advantage. These can be used as AoO actions, and more than 1 can be used at the same enemy when that enemy invokes an AoO.
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Back Alley Shiv
You must be flanking a target to use this attack, and holding only one weapon. Make a Full Attack Action, plus 2 additional attacks at your lowest attack bonus. You cannot crit. Each attack counts as an AoO.
Advanced Abilities
You must have spent at least 4 points in the weaponcraft tree.
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Assassinate
Turning the blade sideways, you attempt to slide the blade past the ribs and rupture the lungs. You must be attacking from the rear (+X Advantage, +X to Crit Multiplier). Automatically crits if you succeed, full dice damage. This counts as 2 AoO.
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Fan of Blades
You produce a handful of knives equal to 1 + APM. You make a ranged Standard Attack, throwing all blades at once at a target within 20 feet. You get +1 Advantage for each knife. If the attack is successful, roll damage as though all blades struck the target (all hit or none do). This counts as [1 + APM] AoO.
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Sheath of Flesh
You must be dual wielding, and already attacking at an advantage. Make a Standard Attack action with +X Advantages. If successful you let go of your blades, leaving them buried in the enemy. Roll damage for both knives, crit possible. At the start of your next turn, re-roll damage again. A crit will carry over to this new roll. This counts as 1 AoO.
Wheel of Time RPG · Knifecraft weapon craft Rules manual