Display Weapon Prowess
Characters who have this proficiency can put on an impressive display of weapon prowess without fighting at all - swords whooshing in a blur, daggers flashing, arrows splitting melons in two. An individual must use a weapon with which he or she is already proficient, but weapon specialization has no further effect.
The “show” takes at least a round. Those who are impressed are forced to make a morale check. (Results are outlined below.) Not everyone is swayed by weapon prowess. Characters must pay attention before this proficiency has an impact. For example, this skill might be useful in staring down a guard at the city gate, but would do nothing against a screaming mob or a charging band of desert raiders. Further, characters who have this proficiency must be of equal or higher level (or Hit Dice) than their audience to impress them. For instance, low-level warriors with flashing blades might awe the equally low-level city guards. But bullying their way through the sultan’s elite vanguard would be another matter entirely. Creatures of higher level or Hit Dice than an individual using display weapon prowess are not impressed; they do not make morale checks.
Morale Check Results: Characters who make successful morale checks can see that an individual with this proficiency handles a weapon well; otherwise they’re unaffected. Characters who fail their morale checks react in a manner suited to the circumstances at hand. If the situation isn’t desperate, and violence isn’t inevitable, characters who fail their checks are likely to try talking to the individual with weapon prowess; else they’ll simply back away. They won’t surrender outright, but they’ll realize that the individual is not the sort to trifle with. In some instances, walking away and talking things over are not viable options. For example, if guards at the sultan’s treasury fail their checks, they’ll stay at their posts and remain willing to fight. If forced into combat, however, they’ll suffer a -1 attack penalty. Player characters are not affected by morale checks. If an individual with this proficiency attempts to awe a PC, the DM should provide a frank evaluation of the display, based on level and success. For example, the DM might say, “She looks darned good with that sword. Your PC might be able to beat her in a fair fight,” or “This son of a dark camel looks like he picked up his swordsmanship watching jesters in the marketplace.” Then it’s up to the player to decide how the PC reacts.
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