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Weapon Training (Ex): At 5th level, a Molthuni arsenal chaplain gains weapon training as per the fighter class feature, but the benefits of this weapon training apply only to the his sacred weapons (weapons with which the warpriest has taken Weapon Focus). This ability replaces channel energy.
Most people interpret this as giving the player a bonus that starts at +1 and increases at the same rate as the fighter's. This is certainly how I think the ability ought to work. But it's not clear to me why, by RAW, that's how it does work.
Since the ability doesn't say that the arsenal chaplain gains weapon training "as a fighter whose level equals his warpriest level," or that his bonus increases by +1 at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels, why think it improve at all? Why doesn't the arsenal chaplain's weapon training bonus just stick at a 5th level equivalent?
And while I'm at it, three other questions:
1. If we do interpret the arsenal chaplain's weapon training to improve as the fighter's class ability does, this should presumably allow the arsenal chaplain to choose additional groups unless an explicit exception is made. And an explicit exception isn't made: the exception is only that the arsenal chaplain's weapon training applies to weapons with which he has taken Weapon Focus. On a strict reading, this would mean that (a) the arsenal chaplain may choose a second, third, and fourth group at 9th, 13th, and 17th levels, but (b) the arsenal chaplain may only apply his weapon training benefits to weapons in these other groups with which he has Weapon Focus. (If, as seems likely, he hasn't taken Weapon Focus with weapons in any of these groups, he would have the benefits in principle but be unable to apply them at all. While I find this reading perverse, I really don't see a firm textual basis for an alternative (at least one that's consistent with the arsenal chaplain's weapon training continuing to improve in the first place).
2.I know the arsenal chaplain doesn't qualify for advanced weapon training options. But can he take the Advanced Weapon Training feat? On a strict reading, the warpriest certainly can meet the formal "fighter level 5th" prerequisite, thanks to his bonus feature. But since he doesn't strictly speaking have 5 fighter levels, it's not clear he can meant the special "once per 5 fighter levels" rider, since technically that's not listed as a prerequisite.
3. If the arsenal chaplain does qualify for the Advanced Weapon Training feat, can he take focused weapon to buy back his increased sacred weapon damage? (I'd be inclined to say no, because (a) it's cheesy, and (b) the arsenal chaplain technically doesn't have any fighter levels, so the ability would have no effect.
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"Since the ability doesn't say that the arsenal chaplain gains weapon training "as a fighter whose level equals his warpriest level," or that his bonus increases by +1 at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels, why think it improve at all? Why doesn't the arsenal chaplain's weapon training bonus just stick at a 5th level equivalent?"
It doesn't have to state any of that. Since it explicitly says "a Molthuni arsenal chaplain gains weapon training as per the fighter class feature" you get the whole thing, the bonuses and the progression, unless stated otherwise.
Yeah, "as per the fighter" is all you really need. It even creates the odd situation where you'll eventually have more weapon groups than you have sacred weapons.
This works very similar to the THW fighter.
"Weapon Training (Ex)
As the fighter class feature, but the bonuses only apply when wielding two-handed melee weapons. "
Same here
"Weapon Training (Ex)
As the fighter class feature, but the bonuses only apply when wielding two-handed melee(sacred bonded) weapons. "
So both of them get new groups at lv 5, 9, 13, and 17 like normal. Just they only use a subset of those groups.
So officially the WP can swap out new groups for AWT and can qualify for the feat using it's fighter feats.
PFS altered the rule for them so that WP can't swap out new groups nor can it use the feat. There was a petition to allow the feat to be legal, we had word from John that it was a good proposition, but no word yet if they've talked about it at all yet.