Goodman Games

Quoting the steam weapon adept's Steam Weapon Mastery: "Other steam weapons: Steam weapon adepts can gain mastery in other steam weapons not on this list. The player and the GM can work together to come up with an appropriate ability, or the character can simply get both the Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization feats for the weapon." Has anyone made use of this possibility? If so, what special abilities have you come up with? Let's get a little list going. I'll start.

Steamhammer: A master of the steamhammer understands how the weapon will usually rocket around when the steam jet is activated, and only takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls when using the steam jet, rather than -4.

-or-

Alternatively, a master of the steamhammer has learned how to angle his strikes to catch his foes in the steam jet following the swing through. In any round that he uses the steam jet to get a bonus to damage rolls, he can apply his first melee attack roll to two attacks. The first attack corresponds to the steam hammer attack, as normal. The second attack corresponds to the steam jet trailing the hammer. It uses the same attack roll, but at a -2 penalty, and it must target either the same foe or a square adjacent to the foe and also within reach. The steam jet deals damage as described in Steam Warriors.

Design Notes: The first option is the simplest design. The steamhammer just has a built-in form of power attack, but it's weaker than a regular power attack with a two-handed weapon like a steamhammer. Taking this option makes you actually do better with the hammer than a fighter with power attack rather than worse. The second option feels a little clunky, but it's inspired by the warmind's Sweeping Strike. Any preferences on which one to give? Or would it be fine for a steam weapon adept to take Steam Weapon Mastery (steamhammer) twice in order to get both abilities?

I think #1 would be my preference, although if you do go with #2, I would make the steam jet attack a touch attack.

Right. I was kind of assuming that the steam jet would be a touch attack. The weapon description does specify that it works just like a steambreather, so I was thinking of keeping with that. Until I double-checked DMech and realized a traditional steambreather produces a cone. Um, yeah. I think I'll keep with the idea that the steam jet is weaker than a steambreather, since it wasn't meant to be used that way, and say it always attacks as a ray. I'll definitely admit that #1 is a much nicer ability. But #2 really calls to me for its flare.