Martial Power 2: A guide to Combat Styles

Martial Power 2 is out! Though I'd like to talk about the book in depth one of these days (short story: I like it, but I'm having a hard time using the new material on my current martial PCs), today I want to talk about the new system of Combat Styles. This consists on a series of feats that modify at-will powers, much like Divine Power's domain feat system. And, like that one, it's an awesome concept but it makes character building considerably more complicated: each feat is tied to a specific set of weapons and at-will powers, and grants a different special effect.

I've compiled two lists to complement the summary tables in Martial Power 2: one with the styles classified by at-will powers, and the other by weapon groups. This will not be entirely accurate, as the Heavy Blade category can include feats that work with versatile heavy blades, with longswords, or just with blades with the high crit property... Nevertheless, it's the most reasonable pattern I could come up with, and I've been comfortable using it so far. Keep in mind that, unlike domain feats, each Combat Style is limited to different martial classes, which I mention in the second list. Finally, there is a second tier of Combat Style feats, which only require having the corresponding at-will modifying one, and provide a general bonus as well as enhancing certain encounter powers. For sanity's sake, I'll refraing from showing a table for that.

*Update 1: Since the Styles only affect powers printed in rule books (PHB, MP, MP2), I've left out those from other sources - the list was already quite long.

*Update 2: Added Compendium links

1. List of Combat Styles by At-Will

1.1 Fighter

-Brash Strike
Styles: Ogremight(hammer, mace)

-Cleave
Styles: Longhand(polearm,spear), Steel Vanguard (h.blade)

-Crushing Surge
Styles: Moradin's Forge (axe, hammer, pick), Ninth Legion (pick, spear)

-Dual Strike
Styles: Midnight Blade (l.blade)

-Footwork Lure
Styles: Arkhosian Fang (h.blade), Red Cloak (h.blade, l.blade)

-Grappling Strike
Styles: (none)

-Reaping Strike
Styles: Ironstar (flail, mace), Reaving Axe (axe), Rending Chains (flail)

-Slash and Pummel
Styles: Elsir Hammer (hammer, pick)

-Sure Strike
Styles: Black Hood (axe), Desert Moon (h.blade), Hunting Spear (spear), Partisan Polearm (polearm)

-Threatening Rush
Styles: Mountain Thunder (hammer, flail, mace), Nerathan High Blade (h.blade)

-Tide of Iron
Styles: Kulkor Battlearm (axe, hammer, mace)

1.2 Ranger

-Careful Attack
Styles: Desert Moon (h.blade), Silent Shot (bow, c.bow)

-Circling Strike
Styles: (none)

-Fading Strike
Styles: Hunting Spear (spear)

-Hit and Run
Styles: Kulkor Battlearm (axe, hammer, mace) ,Nerathan High Blade (h.blade), Rending Chains (flail)

-Marauder's Rush
Styles: Arkhosian Fang (h.blade), Black Hood (axe), Ironstar (flail, mace), Mountain Thunder (hammer, flail, mace), Reaving Axe (axe)

-Nimble Strike
Styles: Adamant Arrow (bow), Harrowing Swarm (bow, c.bow), Leaf Runner (shuriken, crossbow, sling)

-Predator Strike
Styles: (none)

-Throw and Stab
Styles: Elsir Hammer (hammer, pick), Midnight Blade (l.blade)

-Twin Strike
Styles: (none)

1.3 Rogue

-Acrobatic Strike
Styles: (none)

-Deft Strike
Styles: Leaf Runner (shuriken, crossbow, sling)

-Disheartening Strike
Styles: Kulkor Battlearm (axe, hammer, mace), Mountain Thunder (hammer, flail, mace)

-Gloaming Cut
Styles: Midnight Blade (l.blade), Silent Shot (bow, c.bow)

-Piercing Strike
Styles: (none)

-Preparatory Shot
Styles: (none)

-Riposte Strike
Styles: Red Cloak (h.blade, l.blade)

-Sly Flourish
Styles: Harrowing Swarm (bow, c.bow)

1.4 Warlord

-Brash Assault
Styles: Elsir Hammer (hammer, pick), Ironstar (flail, mace), Mountain Thunder (hammer, flail, mace), Ogremight (hammer, mace), Reaving Axe (axe)

-Commander's Strike
Styles: (none)

-Direct the Strike
Styles: Ninth Legion (pick, spear)

-Furious Smash
Styles: Black Hood (axe), Moradin's Forge (axe, hammer, pick)

-Intuitive Strike
Styles: (none)

-Opening Shove
Styles: Hunting Spear (spear)

-Paint the Bull's Eye
Styles: Adamant Arrow (bow), Harrowing Swarm (bow, c.bow), Leaf Runner (shuriken, crossbow, sling)

-Risky Shot
Styles: (none)

-Viper's Strike
Styles: Desert Moon (h.blade), Longhand (polearm, spear), Nerathan High Blade (h.blade), Partisan Polearm (polearm), Rending Chains (flail), Steel Vanguard (h.blade)

-Wolf Pack Tactics
Styles: Arkhosian Fang (h.blade), Kulkor Battlearm (axe, hammer, mace)

2. List of Combat Styles by Weapon

Axe
Black Hood (fighter, ranger, warlord)
Kulkor Battlearm (any)
Moradin's Forge (fighter, warlord)
Reaving axe (fighter, ranger, warlord)

Bow
Adamant Arrow (ranger, warlord)
Harrowing Swarm (ranger, rogue, warlord)
Silent Shot (ranger, rogue)

Crossbow
Harrowing Swarm (ranger, rogue, warlord)
Leaf runner (ranger, rogue, warlord)
Silent Shot (ranger, rogue)

Flail
Ironstar (fighter, ranger, warlord)
Mountain Thunder (any)
Rending Chains (fighter, ranger, warlord)

Hammer
Elsir Hammer (fighter, ranger, warlord)
Kulkor Battlearm (any)
Moradin's Forge (fighter, warlord)
Mountain Thunder (any)
Ogremight (fighter, warlord)


Heavy Blade
Arkhosian Fang (fighter, ranger, warlord)
Desert Moon (fighter, ranger, warlord)
Nerathan High Blade (fighter, ranger, warlord)
Red Cloak (fighter, rogue)
Steel Vanguard (fighter, warlord)

Light Blade
Leaf Runner (Shuriken only, ranger, rogue, warlord)
Midnight Blade (fighter, ranger, rogue)
Red Cloak (fighter, rogue)

Mace
Ironstar (fighter, ranger, warlord)
Kulkor Battlearm (any)
Mountain Thunder (any)
Ogremight (fighter, warlord)

Pick
Elsir Hammer (fighter, ranger, warlord)
Moradin's Forge (fighter, warlord)
Ninth Legion (fighter, warlord)

Polearm
Longhand (fighter, warlord)
Partisan Polearm (fighter, warlord)

Sling
Leaf runner (ranger, rogue, warlord)

Spear
Hunting Spear (fighter, ranger, warlord)
Longhand (fighter, warlord)
Ninth Legion (fighter, warlord)