A gloomblade can create a shadowy weapon in a free hand as a move action. This can take the form of any melee weapon with which he is proficient. A gloomblade can have only one shadow weapon in existence at a time; creating a new shadow weapon causes an existing shadow weapon to vanish.
At 3rd level, the shadow weapon acts as a magic weapon with a +1 enhancement bonus; this bonus increases by 1 for every 4 levels a gloomblade has beyond 2nd, to a maximum enhancement bonus of +5 at 18th level.
At 7th level, a gloomblade can create (and maintain) two shadow weapons at a time as a move action; if he does, each weapon has an enhancement bonus 1 lower than normal. If a gloomblade creates only one weapon, it gains a weapon special ability of his choice (chosen upon creation); the ability must be valid for the shadow weapon’s weapon type and must be chosen from defending, flaming, frost, keen, ghost touch, merciful, shock, thundering, or vicious. (Additional special abilities might qualify, at the GM’s discretion.)
At 11th level, a gloomblade’s shadow weapons each gain their full enhancement bonus if he creates two weapons. If a gloomblade creates only one shadow weapon, it gains additional weapon special abilities; the total effective bonus of these abilities cannot exceed +3. The gloomblade can now choose from the of anarchic, axiomatic, flaming burst, icy burst, holy, shocking burst, unholy, and wounding weapon special abilities as well as those from the list above.
At 15th level, a gloomblade’s shadow weapons each gain magic weapon special abilities with a total effective bonus of +2 per weapon. If a gloomblade creates only one shadow weapon, its magic weapon special abilities cannot exceed a total effective bonus of +5. The gloomblade adds brilliant energy, dancing, and speed to the options he can choose as weapon special abilities for his shadow weapon.
This replaces the fighter’s armor training and proficiency with heavy armor and shields (he retains proficiency in light and medium armor).
At 5th level, a gloomblade gains weapon training, except that he does not select a weapon group; instead, the bonus applies to the shadow weapons he creates. A gloomblade does not select additional weapon groups as he gains levels.
At 9th level, whenever a gloomblade creates one or more shadow weapons, he can apply any one of the following shadow effects (chosen upon creation) to one of them.
During the gloomblade’s turn, he can increase his reach with that weapon by 5 feet.
The gloomblade can increase a thrown shadow weapon’s range increment (if any) by 20 feet.
When he hits a foe with a melee attack with the weapon, he can use it to perform a reposition combat maneuver against the creature hit as a swift action. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Attacks made with the weapon ignore hardness equal to or less than the gloomblade’s fighter level.
For every 4 levels he has beyond 9th, a gloomblade can apply an additional effect to his shadow weapons, to a maximum of three effects at 17th level; these effects can be split between multiple shadow weapons as a gloomblade desires, but they don’t stack with themselves.
This alters weapon training.
You are specially trained to use your weapon skills in new ways.
Prerequisite(s): Fighter level 5th, weapon training class feature.
Benefit(s): Select one advanced weapon training option, applying it to one fighter weapon group you have already selected with the weapon training class feature.
Special: This feat can be taken more than once, but at most once per 5 fighter levels.
Special: Fighters that have the weapon master archetype can select this feat beginning at 4th level. The benefits of a weapon master’s advanced weapon training options apply only to his selected weapon rather than all weapons in the same fighter weapon group, and he can’t select the weapon specialist advanced weapon training option. A weapon master can select this feat as a bonus feat; if he does so, it doesn’t count for the purpose of the requirement that it can be taken at most once per 5 fighter levels.
If an archetype replaces a class ability with a more specific version of that ability (or one that works similarly to the replaced ability), does the archetype’s ability count as the original ability for the purpose of rules that improve the original ability?
It depends on how the archetype’s ability is worded. If the archetype ability says it works like the standard ability, it counts as that ability. If the archetype’s ability requires you to make a specific choice for the standard ability, it counts as that ability. Otherwise, the archetype ability doesn’t count as the standard ability. (It doesn’t matter if the archetype’s ability name is different than the standard class ability it is replacing; it is the description and game mechanics of the archetype ability that matter.)
Example: The dragoon (fighter) archetype (Ultimate Combat) has an ability called “spear training,” which requires the dragoon to select “spears” as his weapon training group, and refers to his weapon training bonus (even though this bonus follows a slightly different progression than standard weapon training). Therefore, this ability counts as weapon training for abilities that improve weapon training, such as gloves of dueling (Advanced Player’s Guide), which increase the wearer’s weapon training bonus.
Example: The archer (fighter) archetype gets several abilities (such as “expert archer”) which replace weapon training and do not otherwise refer to the weapon training ability. Therefore, this ability does not count as weapon training for abilities that improve weapon training (such as gloves of dueling). This is the case even for the “expert archer,” ability which has a bonus that improves every 4 fighter levels, exactly like weapon training.
I'm thinking of making a Gloomblade/Shadowdancer for Pathfinder Society, and was thinking of grabbing Fighter's Finesse so as to keep my DEX high and spread what would have gone to STR to other abilities.
The idea is that they dance about the battlefield with elegant movements, drifting in and out of sight, often with a different weapon in hand. At low levels, they'd create things like rapiers/daggers/light hammers, while at higher levels they'd create things like Earthbreakers, Battleaxes, and Spears.
From what I've been able to research, it seems it should work, but the topics tend to be about Advanced Weapon Training in general and folks are divided, so I figured I'd just ask about the only one I actually care about. (Okay, not true, I'd love to toss Effortless Dual-wielding on as well, but the character likely won't reach high enough Fighter levels to get a second AWT.)
Fighter's Finesse requires a weapon group.
Gloomblade does not get weapon groups.
The combination does not work.
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For "How advanced weapon training works with a character eligible to take the feat with that name, but does not have training in any weapon group" see the Molthune Arsenal Chaplain (or however your table has ruled this works) which has had the same issue without official clarification since advanced weapon training was a thing.
If I remember correctly from the old thread on the Gloomblade, Advance Weapon Training (AWT) feat does not function for any AWT that uses a specific weapon group.
You can definetly get things like Abundant Tactics, Trained Grace, Armed Bravery, etc.
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The problem is that Shadow Weapon Training does not create a Shadow Weapon group. So all the weapons keep their regular group.
Okay. That's too bad, it would have been nice, but luckily for once it's not a deal breaker for me. I was already looking at a stat spread of 14/16/14/14/6/14 after racials, and would have liked to reallocate some STR to DEX/WIS, but this'll be fine.