In today's Martial Power 2 preview, we look at combat styles; whereby, no two warriors are exactly alike. Schools of swordplay, tactical systems, martial philosophies, and local traditions influence a warrior’s basic strikes and parries. Over time, collections of moves and attacks become recognized as distinct combat styles.

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Using Combat Styles

Each combat style consists of two types of feats, lesser style feats and greater style feats. Both kinds of style feats provide benefits when you wield specific weapons or use specific weapons to make attacks.

A lesser style feat modifies at-will attack powers and provides a bonus to a particular skill check. The at-will powers that a lesser style feat modifies are given at the end of the feat description.

A greater style feat requires you to have a lesser style feat. Greater style feats modify encounter powers and provide various other benefits.

Each power associated with a combat style feat is accompanied by an abbreviation to indicate which book the power appears in: Player’s Handbook (PH), Martial Power (MP), or Martial Power 2 (MP2).

You can learn any number of lesser and greater style feats. However, any single attack can benefit from only one lesser style feat and one greater style feat, and those feats must be associated with the same combat style. If multiple lesser style feats or greater style feats can affect an attack, you must declare which of each type of feat you are using before making the attack.

Name	Associated Weapons	Associated Classes
Adamant Arrow	Greatbow or longbow	Ranger, warlord
Arkhosian Fang	Bastard sword, broadsword, or greatsword	Fighter, ranger, warlord
Black Hood	Any two-handed axe	Fighter, ranger, warlord
Desert Moon	Any heavy blade that has the high crit property	Fighter, ranger, warlord
Elsir Hammer	Any one-handed hammer or one-handed pick	Fighter, ranger, warlord
Harrowing Swarm	Any bow or crossbow	Ranger, rogue, warlord
Hunting Spear	Any spear	Fighter, ranger, warlord
Ironstar	Any flail or mace	Fighter, ranger, warlord
Kulkor Battlearm	Any axe, hammer, or mace that has the versatile property	Fighter, ranger, rogue, warlord
Leaf Runner	Hand crossbow, repeating crossbow, shortbow, shuriken, or sling	Ranger, rogue, warlord
Longhand	Any two-handed polearm or two-handed spear	Fighter, warlord
Midnight Blade	Any melee light blade	Fighter, ranger, rogue
Moradin’s Forge	Any two-handed axe, two-handed hammer, or two-handed pick	Fighter, warlord
Mountain Thunder	Any one-handed hammer, one-handed flail, or one-handed mace	Fighter, ranger, rogue, warlord
Nerathan High Blade	Any heavy blade that has the versatile property	Fighter, ranger, warlord
Ninth Legion	Any one-handed pick or one-handed spear	Fighter, warlord
Ogremight	Any two-handed hammer or two-handed mace	Fighter, warlord
Partisan Polearm	Any nonspear polearm	Fighter, warlord
Reaving Axe	Any one-handed axe	Fighter, ranger, warlord
Red Cloak	Longsword, rapier, or short sword	Fighter, rogue
Rending Chains	Any flail	Fighter, ranger, warlord
Silent Shot	Shortbow or any crossbow	Ranger, rogue
Steel Vanguard	Any two-handed heavy blade	Fighter, warlord

Arkhosian Fang Style

Bastard sword, broadsword, or greatsword
The Arkhosian Fang was an ancient order of dragonborn warriors who developed a style of combat suited for the exhausting battles against Bael Turath. Proponents of this style slowly wear down opponents through patience and perseverance. Once a foe falters, an Arkhosian Fang master strikes quickly, bringing about a sudden conclusion. The order has disappeared, but lone masters and small groups of adherents remain, passing along knowledge of this style to anyone who is ready to learn.

Arkhosian Fang Student [Lesser Style]

Prerequisite: Fighter, ranger, or warlord; proficiency with the bastard sword, the broadsword, or the greatsword

Benefit: You gain a +2 feat bonus to Endurance checks.

When you are attacking with a bastard sword, a broadsword, or a greatsword and you target a bloodied enemy with a power associated with this feat, you gain a +2 bonus to the attack roll.

Associated At-Will Powers: footwork lure (fighter MP), marauder’s rush (ranger MP2), wolf pack tactics (warlord PH)

Arkhosian Fang Commander [Greater Style]

Prerequisite: Warlord, Arkhosian Fang Student feat

Benefit: When you are attacking with a bastard sword, a broadsword, or a greatsword and you have proficiency with that weapon, you gain the following two benefits.

When you miss an enemy with a martial encounter power, you gain a +2 bonus to your next attack roll against that enemy before the end of your next turn.

You can use a power associated with this feat in place of a melee basic attack when making an opportunity attack.

Level	Associated Encounter	Power Source
3rd	Hold the line	PH 146
7th	Surround foe	PH 148
13th	Death from two sides	MP2 90
17th	Warlord’s rush	PH 150
23rd	Rabbits and wolves	PH 151

Arkhosian Fang Duelist [Greater Style]

Prerequisite: Ranger, Arkhosian Fang Student feat

Benefit: When you are attacking with a bastard sword, a broadsword, or a greatsword and you have proficiency with that weapon, you gain the following two benefits.

When you miss an enemy with a martial encounter power, you gain a +2 bonus to your next attack roll against that enemy before the end of your next turn.

You can use a power associated with this feat in place of a melee basic attack when charging.

Level	Associated Encounter	Power Source
3rd	Shadow wasp strike*	PH 107
7th	Hawk’s talon*	PH 108
13th	Bloodlust strike*	MP 50
17th	Blow-through assault*	MP 53
23rd	Avalanche of fury	MP2 43
27th	Death rend	PH 112

*Only when used as a melee attack

Arkhosian Fang Mauler [Greater Style]

Prerequisite: Fighter, Arkhosian Fang Student feat

Benefit: When you are attacking with a bastard sword, a broadsword, or a greatsword and you have proficiency with that weapon, you gain the following two benefits.

When you miss an enemy with a martial encounter power, you gain a +2 bonus to your next attack roll against that enemy before the end of your next turn.

You can use a power associated with this feat in place of a melee basic attack when making an attack as a result of your Combat Challenge class feature.

Excerpt Schedule

Monday	Friday
January 18 Fighters	January 22 Rangers
January 25 Rogues	January 4 Warlords
February 2 Feats	February 5 Epic Destinies
February 8 Combat Styles	February 12 Martial Practices