Combat skills

Combat skills are a group of skills that govern the character's ability to deal physical damage, either unarmed or using a weapon. These include Unarmed Combat, Bludgeoning Weapons, Bows, Cleaving Weapons, Piercing Weapons (Short-Bladed Weapons in Book I), Swords and Thrown Weapons.

Mechanic
Striking unarmed or with a weapon without having learned the corresponding skill incurs a penalty to ToHit, whereas learning and leveling up in a skill provides bonuses to ToHit and Damage while using the associated weapon. ToHit increases at every even skill level in Book I and at every odd skill level in Book II, and damage increases at every odd skill level in Book I and at every even skill level in Book II. Book III has a more complicated progression system where higher skill levels provide less frequent bonuses.

During Character Creation, many characters are automatically given one of the combat skills (except Thrown Weapons and Unarmed Combat) without having to spend any skill points based on their axiom and class.

Feats
In Book II and Book III, feats are special abilities that are unlocked by reaching level 10 of a combat skill and can be used in place of a normal attack. Initially, after being used feats only become available again after 90 turns. With each additional level of the skill, this cool down period decreases by 3 turns to a minimum of 5 turns at skill level 32.

Skill books

 * Book I
 * Bones to Splinters (Bludgeoning Weapons)
 * The Greatest Ranger (Bows)
 * The Lumberjack (Cleaving Weapons)
 * The Legendary Swordsman (Swords)


 * Book II and Book III
 * A Bar Brawler's Guide (Unarmed Combat)
 * Crush - Smash - Destroy (Bludgeoning Weapons)
 * A Master's Guide to the Bow (Bows)
 * An Axe to Grind (Cleaving Weapons)
 * A Wraith in the Night (Piercing Weapons)
 * The Legendary Swordsman (Swords)

Trainers

 * Book I
 * Aaron (Bows, Thrown Weapons)
 * Sonya (Bludgeoning Weapons, Cleaving Weapons, Swords)


 * Book II
 * Hunter (Bows, Thrown Weapons)
 * Sonya (Bludgeoning Weapons, Cleaving Weapons, Swords)


 * Book III
 * Alywin (Bows)
 * Shrok (Bludgeoning Weapons, Cleaving Weapons, Swords)