Axe Fighter

When combat calls, your chosen weapon is a sturdy axe—maybe a handaxe, a battleaxe, or even a greataxe. Thus, they name you Deathhew, Axe Reaver, or maybe just what you are:an Axe Fighter. You’ve split many skulls with your axe, and if the gods continue to watchover you, many more will fall before you in the years ahead. Like others in your band, you’re ready for combat. You don’t mind if an ally gets in the first blow against cursed creatures you often face, because you knowyou’re more than capable of finishing the job withafinal,sunderingswingofyourblade.

Background Options

• Raised in a forest-boundvillage, you took up your axe to fight encroaching dire wolves.

• Six monthsago in a miasmatic jungle, you acquired a jade pommel for your axe.

• Last week you returned to a merchant’s home for payment but found them dead.

• Aclanwarrior,youwereexiledfromyourmountainoushomelandatage16forkilling(orat least being accused of killing) your best friend.

• A shrine to ancient, prehuman evils was discovered under your village a month ago.

• Your axe is scratched from countlessskirmishes during your years as a mercenary, but now you wish to pursue a new goal. You’re just not quite sure what.

• The monstrous troll head you mounted as a trophy disappeared last week.

• Your mother, who taught you the ways of the axe, went blind mysteriously a year ago.

Axe Fighter Abilities

You gain all of the following benefits: Able to takethree more minor wounds and one more moderate wound Add+4 to Might Pool Add+1 Edge in Pool of your choice Freely use all axes Freely use all armor Gain one weapon of your choice At tier 3and tier 6, choose anability fromthe Fantasy Genre Abilities list

Axe Hook (1 Might): This is an axe attack that relies on your axe’s “beard” (the portion of the blade directly below the axe’s cutting edge) to hook a target’s weapon or shield. A successful attack deals 2 less damage than normal but causes them to drop one or the other. To retrieve their weapon or shield, thetargetmustuseanaction. Alternatively, you can hook a limb to pull your target off balance. This attack deals 1 less damage

than normal but hinders your target’s tasks untilyour next turn. Action. Expert Combatant: You are trained in a specific weapon attack of your choice, such asswords, axes, or bows; or in a broader category of attacks such as light bashing weapons, light bladed weapons, light ranged weapons, medium bashing weapons, medium bladed weapons, medium ranged weapons, and so on. At tier 2, you can choose to become specialized in the same attack method you chose at tier 1, but you must gain the skill normally. At tier 6, you can become an expert in a specific attack method (either the one you chose at tier 1 or another weapon skill you're already specialized in),but you must gain the skill normally. Enabler.

Split Skull (1 Might): You attack with an axe in a way that has a greater risk of making an errorbut gains an additionalbenefit. Your GM intrusion rangefor this attack increases by 2 (from 1 on a d20 to 1– 3 on a d20), but if you hit you can choose one of the following additionaleffects: Brute Force:The foe takes +2 damage. Head Trauma: The attack inflicts 1 less damage, but the foe’s actions are hindered until they use an action to recover. Action.

[!example]

Axe Fighter Equipment Bundle

Choose the following equipment bundle to quickly outfit your character, or assemble your own starting equipment. A greataxe and a handaxe, appropriate clothing, chainmail armor, a backpack, a bedroll, 50 feet (16 m) of rope, a signal horn, three torches, rations and water for three days, a tinderbox, and enough extra currency to buy a moderately priced item.

Part of Swords & Sorcery