# Tales of the Valiant Fighter Guide: Best Stunts Ranked (Weapon Master)
> Complete ranked guide to every Weapon Master Stunt in Tales of the Valiant - action economy math, Book of Blades talent synergies, Labyrinth Worldbook Trooper comparison, Player's Guide 2 Stunt Archer notes, ratings, and hot takes on which stunts are overrated and which ones most guides overlook.
Source: https://theroleplayersguild.com/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/class-guides/tov-fighter-guide/tov-fighter-stunts-guide
Published: 2026-06-15
Updated: 2026-06-27
Author: Andrew Blase
Site: The Role Players Guild
---
## Introduction
The Weapon Master is the Fighter subclass for players who want to earn their damage. Where the Spell Blade leans on Arcane spell slots to multiply output, the Weapon Master multiplies _actions_ — turn by turn, attack by attack, through a resource called Stunts that rewards smart budgeting over brute repetition.
Stunts are not a damage boost. They are an action economy engine. Parry soaks incoming hits. Redirect turns a miss into a different attack. Wrestler's Clutch turns one attack into a sustained grapple that warps the whole fight. Tactical Retreat repositions you without triggering opportunity attacks. The best Weapon Masters are the players who understand that a stunt spent to avoid 15 damage or reposition 20 feet ahead of initiative might be worth more than a stunt spent dealing an extra 8 damage.
This guide is specifically about **the math**. Which stunts return more than they cost? Which ones look impressive but burn uses faster than they replenish? Where does your action economy actually compound — and where does it leak?
The Weapon Master is one of the most mechanically rewarding subclasses in Tales of the Valiant. It rewards planning over reflexes, positioning over raw power, and knowing _when not to use a stunt_ as much as knowing which one to use.
**Book of Blades** does not add new Weapon Master stunts in the local material reviewed for this guide. It still matters because it gives the Weapon Master better shells around the stunt engine: [Battle Tactician](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#battle-tactician-book-of-blades) for commanders, [Tactical Planning](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#tactical-planning-book-of-blades) for ambush openings, [Weapon Option Specialist](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#weapon-option-specialist-book-of-blades) for weapon-option play, [Unarmed Maneuvers](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#unarmed-maneuvers-book-of-blades) for grapplers, and [War Dancer](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#war-dancer-book-of-blades) for mobile melee.
**Labyrinth Worldbook** does not add new Weapon Master stunts in the local material reviewed for this guide. It adds **Trooper (Labyrinth Worldbook)** instead, which matters because Trooper is the low-management alternative to the stunt engine: movement-triggered damage, climb or swim access, exhaustion resilience, primary target pressure, Backup Plan, and Never Say Die.
**Player's Guide 2** also does not add new Weapon Master stunts in the local material reviewed for
this guide. It matters anyway because it adds expanded Martial Actions, Scrapper, Stunt Archer, and
Twinblade. Stunt Archer's Stunt Shots are not Weapon Master stunts, but they are close enough in
table feel that players will compare them. Scrapper challenges Wrestler's Clutch as the "real"
grappler path, and Twinblade makes Quick Strike-style dual-wielding more credible than the base
subclass math suggests.
**Verdict:** A high-skill-ceiling martial subclass with a resource system that rewards deliberate play. Not the highest damage output at any given level, but among the best action-economy-per-round when played correctly. Mastery weapon selection, stunt sequencing, and Wrestler's Clutch are the three variables that separate good Weapon Masters from great ones.
---
## Disclaimer
Ratings use colored dots to indicate how strong a stunt is _for the Weapon Master specifically_ — relative to the cost of a stunt use, not in absolute terms. A stunt rated poorly here is not necessarily useless; it means other options deliver better value per stunt use at most tables.
| Rating | Meaning |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| ● | Exceptional — always worth a use |
| ● | Strong — usually the right call |
| ● | Situational — good in the right fight |
| ● | Weak — most sessions skip this |
| ● | Trap — costs a use, returns almost nothing |
---
## The Action Economy Framework
Before rating a single stunt, understand what you are actually spending. A stunt use is a _finite, renewable resource that does not regenerate in the middle of a fight_. The math that matters is:
**Uses per adventuring day** = (PB + 1) × number of short rests taken + 1 long rest refill.
In a standard 2-short-rest adventuring day:
- At **3rd level** (PB +2): 3 uses per rest × 3 = **9 uses** per day
- At **7th level** (PB +3): 4 uses per rest × 3 = **12 uses** per day
- At **11th level** (PB +4): 5 uses per rest × 3 = **15 uses** per day
- At **17th level** (PB +6): 7 uses per rest × 3 = **21 uses** per day
That feels like a lot until you recognize that a typical combat in ToV runs 4–6 rounds, and if you use one stunt per round you will exhaust your per-rest budget in a single fight. That is **not** the right play pattern.
### What a Stunt Use Actually Costs
The opportunity cost of a stunt is not just "one fewer stunt this fight." It is one fewer stunt in the _next_ fight, potentially during the climax encounter of the session. Every stunt use is a bet that _right now_ is worth more than _later_.
| Stunt Cost | Break-even Return |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1 stunt use | Must return ≥ the value of the best available alternative action this turn |
| 1 reaction | Must be better than an opportunity attack or other reaction option |
| Requires specific weapon | Opportunity cost of that weapon slot in your Mastery list |
### The Two Categories of Stunt Value
**Damage amplification stunts** (Arcing Strike, Straight Through, Make It Count, Quick Strike) add damage to an existing attack. Their value is additive — they turn a good attack into a better one.
**Control and positioning stunts** (Parry, Redirect, Riposte, Tactical Retreat, Wrestler's Clutch) change the _state_ of the combat — what enemies can do, where you are, whether an attack lands at all. Their value is multiplicative — they affect not just this action but the next several.
The highest-value stunts are almost always in the control/positioning category. Preventing 15 damage is worth more than dealing an extra 8, especially on a d10 hit-die Fighter with front-rank responsibilities.
---
## Mastery
_3rd-Level Weapon Master Feature_
●
Choose three types of simple or martial weapons you have proficiency with. The Mastery reroll — reroll weapon damage dice once per turn and take either result — is straightforward to evaluate: it converts your worst damage results into something acceptable. On a d12 greatsword averaging 7, the reroll adds roughly 1.5–2 expected damage per relevant roll at the cost of nothing. Free damage is good.
The second half of Mastery — rolling damage on weapon _options_ that don't normally roll damage — is underappreciated and largely situational. Weapon options in Chapter 5 include things like disarm, shove, and trip attempts. Mastery lets you roll weapon damage on a successful option use. This matters most for builds that prioritize weapon options as a combat strategy. Most Weapon Masters skip this half because stunts already offer superior control options.
### The Real Work: Weapon Selection
Mastery weapon selection is the most consequential decision you make at 3rd level. Your weapon list determines which stunts are fully functional and which require workarounds. Here's the breakdown by weapon category:
#### Heavy Melee Weapons (Greatsword, Greataxe, Maul)
**Stunts unlocked:** Arcing Strike, Felling Sweep
Heavy melee weapons are the highest single-strike damage platform in the game. On a Fighter with Multiattack (5th level), you are rolling 2d6+STR (greatsword) or 1d12+STR (greataxe) twice per round before stunts. Mastery rerolls compound well here because a bad damage roll on a d12 hurts more than a bad roll on a d8.
**Recommended heavy melee pick:** Greatsword (2d6 has better average and variance smoothing than 1d12). Maul ties the greatsword statistically but deals bludgeoning — relevant for constructs and undead, which are common resistors of slashing.
#### Versatile/One-Hand Melee Weapons (Longsword, Warhammer, Battleaxe)
**Stunts unlocked:** Parry, Riposte, Cheap Shot, Tactical Retreat
Versatile weapons are shield-compatible in one-hand mode and hit nearly as hard as heavy weapons in two-hand mode (d10). The longsword is the premier pick because it is the only weapon with Finesse adjacent versatility — STR or DEX attacks, two-hand for d10, and one-hand for shield. If you want to run Parry and Riposte with your defensive setups, versatile weapons keep your options open.
**Recommended versatile pick:** Longsword. The most flexible melee weapon in the game.
#### Light Melee Weapons (Shortsword, Dagger, Scimitar)
**Stunts unlocked:** Quick Strike
Light weapons enable Quick Strike — the only stunt that effectively lets you attack three times in a round rather than two (at 5th level). The damage ceiling is lower (d6), but the action economy multiplier is significant and discussed in detail in the stunt ratings.
**Note:** You need _two_ light weapons equipped to use Quick Strike. This means both hands occupied, no shield possible during Quick Strike turns.
#### Ranged Weapons (Longbow, Shortbow, Crossbow)
**Stunts unlocked:** Straight Through, Rapid Release
Ranged Mastery weapons are essential if your build includes any archery component. Hand crossbow is the premier pick for Rapid Release specifically, because the Loading property (which prevents rapid fire normally) is bypassed by the Augment: Loading trick from the Mechanist class (if multiclassing) or simply by the fact that Rapid Release is an explicit class feature that grants a bonus action attack without the Loading restriction applying.
**Recommended ranged pick:** Hand crossbow (Rapid Release and Straight Through both apply) or longbow (maximum range for Straight Through's secondary damage).
#### Thrown Weapons (Handaxe, Dagger, Javelin)
**Stunts unlocked:** Rapid Release
Thrown weapons qualify as ranged weapons for Rapid Release. Dagger is the most efficient thrown weapon because it is both Light (Quick Strike) and Thrown (Rapid Release), covering two stunt types with one Mastery slot. If you are picking three melee weapons and want ranged coverage, Dagger is your bridge.
### Mastery Selection Guide: The Top Picks
| Playstyle | Pick 1 | Pick 2 | Pick 3 | Unlocks |
| -------------- | ------------- | ----------------------- | ------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| **Aggressor** | Greatsword | Longsword | Handaxe | Arcing Strike, Felling Sweep, Parry, Rapid Release |
| **Controller** | Longsword | Shortsword | Whip | Parry, Riposte, Quick Strike, reach grappling |
| **Defender** | Longsword | Shield-compatible heavy | Handaxe | Parry, Guard, melee + thrown |
| **Skirmisher** | Hand Crossbow | Shortsword | Dagger | Rapid Release, Straight Through, Quick Strike |
The **Whip** deserves a special call-out for controller builds: 10-foot reach on a Mastery weapon enables grappling enemies at range, combined with Wrestler's Clutch — you hit with the whip, they fail the STR save, they're grappled at 10 feet. Nobody expects the rope to pin them to the floor.
### Book of Blades Pressure on Mastery Picks
Book of Blades does not change the Mastery feature, but it makes some Mastery packages easier to justify:
| Book of Blades Add-On | Best Mastery Pairing | Why It Matters |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Tactical Planning](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#tactical-planning-book-of-blades) | Greatsword, longbow, hand crossbow | Ambush turns reward your highest-damage first hit and pair cleanly with Assassin's Ambush at 11th. |
| [Weapon Option Specialist](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#weapon-option-specialist-book-of-blades) | Longsword, warhammer, whip | Best on weapons you use for trip, disarm, shove, or other weapon options every fight. |
| [Unarmed Maneuvers](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#unarmed-maneuvers-book-of-blades) | Whip, longsword, shortsword | Supports the Wrestler's Clutch plan by adding blind, prone, push, or verbal shutdown after contact. |
| [War Dancer](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#war-dancer-book-of-blades) | Shortsword, dagger, rapier | Overlaps with Tactical Retreat for DEX melee builds that hit, move, and deny opportunity attacks. |
| [Horse Lord](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/heritage-guide#horse-lord-book-of-blades) + [Fell Rider](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/monster-vault-animal-allies-and-summons-guide#fell-rider) | Lance, longsword, longbow | Mounted Weapon Masters want reach, a shield-compatible melee option, and a ranged backup. |
**Hot take:** Book of Blades makes the whip a better Weapon Master pick than it looks. It already enables reach grappling with Wrestler's Clutch; once you add Unarmed Maneuvers, Weapon Option Specialist, and mounted-positioning support, it becomes a tactical control weapon instead of a meme pick.
---
## Stunts — Overview and Budget
_3rd-Level Weapon Master Feature_
You gain access to all nine base stunts at 3rd level. You do not choose — you get all nine. The choice is purely **which ones to use when**, which makes this a resource optimization problem rather than a build selection problem.
You can only use **one stunt per turn**. Stunt uses = PB + 1 per rest. No stunt use carries over between rests.
### Stunt Economy Rules of Thumb
1. **Never use a stunt on a turn when you miss your first attack** (unless the stunt happens on a miss, like Redirect). A stunt keyed to a hit is wasted if the attack doesn't land.
2. **Save Make It Count for single-action turns.** Its restriction (no additional attacks) means it only makes sense when you cannot benefit from Multiattack — usually because you're making an Action Surge turn or fighting a single extremely high-AC target.
3. **Wrestler's Clutch changes the economy entirely** once the grapple is active. Once a target is pinned, stunts against that target don't cost uses. Budget at least one use to establish the grapple, then spend nothing for the rest of the fight against that target.
4. **Parry and Riposte are reaction stunts.** They do not spend your action. A reaction stunt is categorically more efficient than an action stunt because it does not compete with your action economy — it adds to it.
---
## Base Stunts — Full Rankings
### Parry ●
**Requires:** A melee weapon\
**Trigger:** A creature you can see hits you with a weapon attack\
**Cost:** Reaction + 1 stunt use\
**Effect:** Reduce damage by 1d10 + PB (minimum 0)
**The math:** At 3rd level, Parry reduces an average of 1d10 + 2 = 7.5 damage per use. At 11th level, that's 1d10 + 4 = 9.5 damage. Against a typical martial attack dealing 8–15 damage at low-to-mid levels, Parry eats one-third to half the hit — without costing your action.
Parry is the best stunt in the game because it is a **reaction** — it operates on a completely different action track from everything else you do. You are not trading your attack for damage mitigation. You are adding mitigation on top of your full action sequence. The expected damage reduction per stunt use is higher than the expected _extra damage_ from any offensive stunt at most levels, and it protects your Fighter's most important asset: staying upright.
**Playstyle note:** Parry scales into the late game better than any other base stunt. At 15th level when enemies are hitting for 20–30 damage per strike, reducing by 1d10+6 (average 11.5) still represents meaningful mitigation. On a Defender build with heavy armor and Parry in reserve, you become the most durable frontline presence at any table.
**HOT TAKE:** Parry is the most underrated stunt in optimization conversations because damage prevention doesn't generate exciting stories. Everyone remembers the turn they critted for 40 damage using Make It Count. Nobody tweets about Parrying 11 points that kept them from going down — but that Parry probably won the fight.
---
### Riposte ●
**Requires:** A melee weapon\
**Trigger:** A creature you can see within range misses you with a weapon attack\
**Cost:** Reaction + 1 stunt use\
**Effect:** Immediately make a melee weapon attack against that creature
**The math:** A free attack on your reaction — no action cost, no movement cost. This is pure action economy creation. At 5th level, your melee attack deals 1d10 + STR modifier (longsword) with Mastery reroll potential. Average damage on a hit with +5 STR and a d10: ~10.5 damage. Your hit chance against a typical CR-equivalent enemy is roughly 60–70% (your +7 attack vs. AC 16). Expected damage per use of Riposte: 10.5 × 0.65 ≈ **6.8 damage**.
Compare that to Arcing Strike's expected value: you deal half extra damage to a second target. On a hit dealing 10 damage, Arcing Strike does 5 to a second target. 5 damage per use versus 6.8 — Riposte wins, and Riposte also only triggers on a miss. On turns where the enemy lands every hit, Riposte does nothing. But on turns where an enemy misses (which happens — enemies have only ~55% hit chance against AC 18), Riposte converts that miss into free damage.
**Synergy with Deadly Flourish:** At 7th level, your Riposte attack can itself crit on a 19–20, triggering the Deadly Flourish reaction for additional attacks. A Riposte that crits on a 19–20 has approximately a 36% chance of triggering Deadly Flourish — meaning one enemy miss can cascade into three attacks in a single round (your action attacks + Riposte + Deadly Flourish reaction attack).
**HOT TAKE:** Riposte is the single best reason to run a longsword over a greatsword on a Defender build. Yes, greatsword does more damage per attack. But a longsword build with a shield has higher AC (and therefore higher Riposte trigger rate) AND Parry capability. The math favors the defensive package in nearly every long fight.
---
### Tactical Retreat ●
**Requires:** A melee weapon\
**Trigger:** You hit a creature with a weapon as part of the Attack action\
**Cost:** 1 stunt use\
**Effect:** Move up to half your speed as part of the same action, without provoking opportunity attacks
**The math:** This stunt does not add damage. What it adds is **free movement immune to opportunity attacks**, which is one of the most mechanically valuable benefits in the game. A Fighter with 30 feet of speed gets 15 feet of free OA-immune movement, without spending a bonus action (Disengage). This is relevant in almost every fight.
The scenarios where Tactical Retreat is exceptional:
- **Kiting a melee enemy** after establishing a hit — move away, they spend their movement catching up, your allies attack the newly repositioned enemy.
- **Avoiding encirclement** — if two or more enemies are in melee with you, Tactical Retreat after hitting one lets you reposition without triggering OAs from the second.
- **Accessing ranged allies or hazards** — after hitting, you can slip through a gap to an ally's position or behind difficult terrain without paying with your action.
The action economy premium here is that Disengage (a normally action-costing option) is provided _for free, built into an attack that was already happening_. You hit and you move. No additional resources consumed beyond the stunt use.
**Versatility note:** Tactical Retreat works on any melee weapon. No heavy weapon requirement, no light weapon requirement. This means it's accessible regardless of your weapon choice — it's the stunt you can always reach for when you need to reposition.
---
### Redirect ●
**Trigger:** You miss a target with a weapon attack\
**Cost:** Reaction + 1 stunt use\
**Effect:** Immediately reroll the attack against a different target within 5 feet of the original
**The math:** Miss chance at 5th level against a typical CR-appropriate enemy is roughly 35–40%. Redirect converts a miss into a second attack against an adjacent target. The second target might have lower or higher AC — you do not choose your roll, you choose the target.
Expected value on a missed attack: 0 damage. Expected value of a Redirect reroll (assuming 60% hit chance on new target): 10.5 × 0.60 ≈ 6.3 expected damage. Redirect converts a 0-damage event into an expected 6.3 damage, consuming a reaction and a stunt use.
Compare to Riposte: Riposte gives an expected 6.8 damage on an enemy miss (triggering on their turn). Redirect gives 6.3 on your miss (triggering on your turn). Both cost a reaction and a stunt use. Riposte is technically better expected value and doesn't consume your reaction on your own turn. However, Redirect has the edge in scenarios with high-AC targets — if you are up against an enemy with AC 22+ and you're struggling to land attacks, Redirect lets you redirect those whiffs into adjacent soft targets (minions, summoned creatures, clustered enemies).
**The catch:** Redirect requires a target within 5 feet of the original. This means it is useless in single-target fights and in fights where enemies are spread out. In a clustered encounter — a boss with bodyguards, a room full of minions — it's excellent.
---
### Wrestler's Clutch ●
_Advanced Stunt — available at 11th level_\
**Requires:** A melee weapon\
**Trigger:** You hit a creature with a melee attack\
**Cost:** 1 stunt use to initiate\
**Effect:** Creature must succeed on a STR save (DC = 8 + PB + STR or DEX modifier) or become grappled. While the grapple persists, stunts against the grappled creature don't expend uses.
**The math:** This is the most important stunt in the game and it is not close. Wrestler's Clutch costs one stunt use to initiate. Every stunt you use against the grappled target after that costs _zero additional uses_. In a fight with 6 rounds, you spend 1 use on Clutch and get 5 rounds of free stunts against that target.
On rounds 2–6: Parry triggers for free (reaction, still costs a reaction, but no stunt use). Riposte triggers for free. Cheap Shot grants a free unarmed strike after every melee hit. Arcing Strike deals free secondary damage. **All of this costs nothing after the initial Clutch.**
The grapple condition also:
- Reduces the target's movement speed to 0 (can't flee, can't close ground, can't reposition)
- Gives allies advantage on attacks against the grappled target if your Fighter is Large or adjacent (via flanking in some game variants)
- Prevents the target from taking the Disengage action effectively (they can still try to break the grapple with their action)
**The STR save:** Stunt save DC = 8 + PB + STR (or DEX). At 11th level with STR 20: DC = 8 + 4 + 5 = **DC 17**. The average CR-11 enemy has STR save of around +4 to +6. A +5 creature needs to roll a 12 on the d20 to succeed — roughly a 45% success rate. They succeed roughly half the time on any given save. But here's the key: they need to use their **action** to attempt escape. Each round they spend trying to break the grapple is a round they do not attack or use an ability.
**The action economy multiplier:** Round 1: you spend 1 use, they potentially fail a save, they spend their action trying to escape next round. Round 2: they use their action on the grapple escape attempt (and probably fail), you use Parry for free, you attack twice, you use Cheap Shot for free. You have effectively given yourself a "free turn" of action while they waste actions. This is as close as martial classes get to casting _hold person_.
---
### Quick Strike ●
**Requires:** Two light weapons (wielded, one in each hand)\
**Trigger:** You take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon in one hand\
**Cost:** Bonus action + 1 stunt use\
**Effect:** Make _two_ attacks (instead of the usual one) with the other light weapon. No ability modifier to damage unless negative.
**The math at 5th level (Multiattack):** Standard two-weapon fighting gives you 2 main-hand attacks (Action) + 1 off-hand attack (Bonus Action) = 3 total attacks. With Quick Strike, you instead get 2 main-hand attacks (Action) + 2 off-hand attacks (Bonus Action) = **4 total attacks**. The damage output:
Without Quick Strike (light weapons, d6, STR +3): 2 × (d6+3) + 1 × (d6) = 2 × 6.5 + 3.5 = **16.5 average damage**
With Quick Strike (light weapons, d6, STR +3): 2 × (d6+3) + 2 × (d6) = 2 × 6.5 + 2 × 3.5 = **20 average damage**
That's a **+3.5 expected damage** per stunt use. At lower levels, this is worth it. By 9th level when you have three attacks from Multiattack, the calculation shifts:
Without Quick Strike (9th level, 3 attacks): 3 × (d6+4) + 1 × (d6) = 3 × 7.5 + 3.5 = **26 average damage**
With Quick Strike (9th level, 3 attacks): 3 × (d6+4) + 2 × (d6) = 3 × 7.5 + 2 × 3.5 = **29.5 average damage**
**+3.5 expected damage per stunt use at 9th level.** The raw damage return stays constant even as your attack count grows, but becomes a smaller _percentage_ of your total output. By 17th level with 4 attacks, Quick Strike adds less than 10% to your output for a full stunt cost.
**The honest assessment:** Quick Strike is the best pure-damage stunt in a two-weapon build but requires a specific loadout (two light weapons, no shield) and costs a bonus action. If you are running a Defender build or a shield build, this stunt is inaccessible. If you are a two-weapon skirmisher, this is essential.
---
### Make It Count ●
**Requires:** None\
**Trigger:** You take the Attack action\
**Cost:** 1 stunt use + you cannot make additional attacks this turn (no Multiattack)\
**Effect:** Make a single weapon attack with +10 to the attack roll. On a hit, deal additional damage equal to your fighter level.
**The math at 5th level:** Standard 5th-level turn: 2 attacks at +7, average damage (longsword) = 2 × (d10 + 4) × 0.65 hit chance = 2 × 9.5 × 0.65 ≈ **12.4 average damage**
Make It Count turn: 1 attack at +17 (near-certain hit vs. AC 20 or less), longsword damage + 5 (fighter level) = (d10 + 4 + 5) × 0.975 = 14 × 0.975 ≈ **13.6 average damage**
**Make It Count barely outperforms two standard attacks at 5th level only when facing AC 20+.** Against AC 16 (the average CR 5 enemy), two standard attacks at +7 have a higher expected output than Make It Count. Against AC 22, Make It Count pulls ahead.
At 9th level, the comparison becomes harsher:
Standard 3-attack turn: 3 × 9.5 × 0.65 ≈ **18.5 average damage**
Make It Count: (d10 + 4 + 9) × 0.975 = 18 × 0.975 ≈ **17.6 average damage**
Make It Count is **worse than three regular attacks at 9th level against all realistic ACs.** It gets worse from here. By 17th level (4 attacks), Make It Count is badly underperforming.
**When it is actually good:** Make It Count is strong in two specific scenarios:
1. **The enemy has 1 HP and you want guaranteed damage** — the +10 to hit ensures you land.
2. **A critical strike opportunity exists** — with Deadly Flourish (19–20 crit range) and the near-certain hit of Make It Count, you have a ~35% chance to crit. A crit with Make It Count at 9th level (extra 1d10 + 2d10 + 9 fighter level) can delete a target in a single action.
Outside these scenarios, Make It Count underperforms significantly and burns a stunt use doing it. Most Weapon Masters should save stunt uses for Parry or Wrestler's Clutch rather than Make It Count.
---
### Arcing Strike ●
**Requires:** A heavy melee weapon\
**Trigger:** You deal damage with a heavy weapon wielded in both hands\
**Cost:** 1 stunt use\
**Effect:** Also deal **half the damage you dealt** to a different target within reach. If the second target is an object, it deals full damage instead. You can decide after knowing the damage roll.
**The math:** Against two targets, Arcing Strike deals 1.5× the damage of your attack spread across two targets. On a greatsword hit dealing 13 damage (average at 5th level with STR 20): the primary target takes 13, the secondary target takes 6. Total damage: 19 from one attack roll.
Arcing Strike is uniquely powerful because **you decide after seeing the damage roll**. High roll? Definitely use it — 15 damage primary, 7 secondary = 22 total. Low roll? Skip it, save the stunt use for something better later.
**The key condition:** The secondary target must be within reach. At standard reach (5 feet), this means two enemies must both be adjacent to you. Arcing Strike dramatically rewards frontline positioning against clustered enemies and is nearly useless in single-target fights or spread-out encounters.
**Against objects:** Arcing Strike deals full damage to objects — not half. This is a specific scenario (dungeon doors, barricades, siege weapons, environmental targets). A 13-damage attack + 13 to the portcullis in the same action is legitimate utility.
**The issue:** Arcing Strike requires a heavy weapon and two targets within reach. This is a more restrictive setup requirement than Parry (just a melee weapon, reaction trigger) or Riposte (just a melee weapon, reaction trigger). You pay a full stunt use for conditional effect, while Parry and Riposte both cost a reaction and a stunt use but provide reliable value on any given round.
---
### Cheap Shot ●
**Requires:** A melee weapon\
**Trigger:** You successfully hit a target with a melee weapon as part of the Attack action\
**Cost:** 1 stunt use\
**Effect:** Immediately make an unarmed strike against that target as part of the same Attack action.
**The math:** An unarmed strike deals 1 + STR modifier damage. At STR 20: 1 + 5 = **6 damage** guaranteed (no attack roll needed — the unarmed strike automatically follows the weapon hit). Wait — this is important. The rules do not say the unarmed strike automatically hits. It is a separate attack with its own attack roll.
Assuming a 65% hit rate and STR 20: expected damage per Cheap Shot = 6 × 0.65 ≈ **3.9 damage**. That is the weakest expected damage return of any damage-adding stunt. Why is it still rated blue?
Because Cheap Shot is a **bonus attack that does not cost a bonus action**. Your bonus action remains free for Quick Strike, Whirlwind (if available), or anything else. Cheap Shot is simply an extra attack roll appended to your Attack action at the cost of a stunt use. In builds where the bonus action is already spoken for (two-weapon fighting generates one bonus attack via Quick Strike), Cheap Shot adds damage without competing with that economy.
**The Wrestler's Clutch combo:** Once Wrestler's Clutch is established and the grapple is active, Cheap Shot against the grappled target costs no stunt uses. This means every Attack action against a grappled target produces a free unarmed strike. Over 5 rounds of grapple, that's 5 free attacks (with no use cost beyond the initial Clutch). Expected damage over 5 rounds from free Cheap Shot: 5 × 3.9 ≈ **19.5 bonus damage** for zero ongoing use cost.
---
### Straight Through ●
**Requires:** A ranged weapon\
**Trigger:** You deal damage with a ranged weapon attack\
**Cost:** 1 stunt use\
**Effect:** Also deal half the damage to a different target within 5 feet of the original. Decide after seeing the damage roll.
**The math:** Essentially the ranged version of Arcing Strike. The key difference is that the secondary target must be within 5 feet of the primary target, not within your reach. This is the tighter restriction — at range, enemy clustering within 5 feet is common for minion formations but rare for boss encounters.
On a longbow hit dealing 10 damage (average at 5th level with DEX 18): secondary target takes 5. Total damage: 15. The "decide after rolling" feature applies here too, making it low-risk.
**The restriction that matters:** Ranged fighters tend to position themselves away from melee, which means they can engage clustered enemies at range but have more line-of-sight flexibility. Straight Through is excellent in the 1st–3rd round of encounters when enemies are still clustered. Once melee begins and enemies spread out or engage your frontliners, it becomes unreliable.
**Compared to Arcing Strike:** Same expected value profile, tighter positioning requirement (5 feet vs. within reach), but works at range. For a pure archer Weapon Master, Straight Through is the right pick when enemies are clustered. Against single targets it is wasted.
---
### Felling Sweep ●
**Requires:** A heavy melee weapon\
**Trigger:** Your action\
**Cost:** Action + 1 stunt use (replaces normal Attack action)\
**Effect:** Make a single melee attack that targets **each creature within reach**, using a single attack and damage roll.
**The math — this is the most misunderstood stunt:** Felling Sweep replaces your entire Attack action, including Multiattack. At 5th level, instead of making 2 attacks against 1 target, you make 1 attack against every adjacent target. One attack roll, one damage roll, all targets in reach.
**Break-even calculation:** Felling Sweep hits all targets within reach with one roll. Against 2 targets: effectively the same as 1 attack (less useful than 2). Against 3 targets: worth considering. Against 4+ targets: significant area damage. Against a mob of 6 goblins: you deal greatsword damage (potentially 2d6+5 = ~12 average) to all 6 with one roll = 72 theoretical damage for one attack and one stunt use.
**The critical problem:** Felling Sweep replaces Multiattack entirely. At 9th level, that means you are giving up 3 attacks to swing once at a crowd. Against 4 equally-challenging enemies, this might be worth it. Against 2 or fewer, you are losing significant expected value. Against 1 target, you have just wasted your action and a stunt use.
Additionally, Felling Sweep is a **single attack roll** against all targets — a miss means you miss every target, not just one. A bad roll wipes out your entire action economy.
**When it shines:** Felling Sweep is excellent against low-HP minions — situations where any hit will kill or seriously wound the target. If 6 enemies at 8 HP each can be reliably killed with the expected 12 damage of a greatsword hit, Felling Sweep clears the encounter in one action. In high-volume-of-weak-enemies encounters, it's exceptional. In most combat scenarios it's a trap.
---
## Deadly Flourish
_7th-Level Weapon Master Feature_
●
**Effect:** Attacks with Mastery weapons score critical hits on rolls of 19 or 20. When you score a critical hit, you can use your reaction to either:
- Make a ranged weapon attack against a number of creatures equal to your PB within 15 feet of the target, or
- Make a separate melee attack against each creature within 5 feet of you.
This feature requires no stunt uses. It is a passive that amplifies your critical hit reward and provides a free reaction attack burst on any 19–20 roll.
**The math:** An expanded crit range of 19–20 means you crit on 10% of d20 rolls instead of 5% — double the frequency. On average in a typical 4-attack round (9th level), you will crit roughly once every 2.5 rounds (40% chance per round of at least one crit). A crit on a greatsword: 4d6 + STR modifier (average 18 at STR 20) = 23 average damage. The Deadly Flourish reaction attack (melee: all creatures within 5 feet) potentially adds another full attack against every adjacent enemy.
The crit reaction attack uses your reaction — the same slot that Parry and Riposte compete for. This creates a real decision: if you have Parry available and take a crit but need your reaction for Parry on the enemy's next attack, you cannot also use Deadly Flourish. The resource competition between Deadly Flourish and defensive reaction stunts is the primary tension of the 7th–11th level Weapon Master.
**Mastery synergy:** Mastery weapons have the 19–20 range. Non-Mastery weapons do not. This is the primary reason to concentrate your three Mastery picks on your most frequently used weapons — you want to be rolling crits on your main weapon as often as possible.
**Hot take rating:** Deadly Flourish is rated as highly as it is because it costs nothing at the point of generation — no stunt use, no action investment — and the melee reaction (all creatures within 5 feet) is potentially devastating when you're surrounded. Three enemies within 5 feet, you crit, and Deadly Flourish hits all three. That's free bonus damage on a round you were already going to win.
---
## Advanced Stunts — Full Rankings
_11th-Level Weapon Master Feature_
Advanced Stunts are available whenever you could use a stunt. They follow the same "one stunt per turn" rule and cost the same stunt uses as base stunts — they are simply more powerful options added to your pool.
---
### Wrestler's Clutch _(Advanced)_ ●
_(See base stunts section for full analysis — it was included there given its outsized impact on the economy analysis. This is the #1 Advanced Stunt.)_
**Summary:** The best stunt in the game at 11th level. Establishes a grapple that makes subsequent stunts free. All ratings for grapple-adjacent builds increase by one step at 11th level when Clutch comes online.
---
### Assassin's Ambush _(Advanced)_ ●
**Requires:** You must be hidden from the target\
**Trigger:** You hit a creature from which you are hidden with a weapon attack\
**Cost:** 1 stunt use (implicitly — it's a stunt used in your surprise strike)\
**Effect:** Roll your weapon damage dice twice instead of once. On a critical hit, roll the weapon's damage dice three times instead of twice.
**The math:** Assassin's Ambush doubles weapon damage dice on a hidden attack. On a greatsword (2d6 + STR): normally 2d6 + 5. With Ambush: 4d6 + 5. Average: 18 + 5 = **23 damage** versus the normal 12. That's **+11 damage** on one attack from a stunt use.
On a crit: 6d6 + 5. Average: 26 + 5 = **31 damage**. With a crit from hidden (advantage on surprise attacks means higher crit rate), a 19–20 via Deadly Flourish, and triple dice: 6d6 + 5 = 31 average. This is the highest single-attack damage output in the base Weapon Master kit.
**The condition:** You must be _hidden_ from the target. This is typically achievable in the first round of combat (when the party has advantage on initiative and enemies haven't identified targets), in ambush scenarios, or in combat if you have Stealth proficiency and a way to break line of sight mid-fight (Tactical Retreat to cover, bonus action Hide, Stealth-granting items).
**Fighter considerations:** Fighters generally do not have Stealth as a class skill. Assassin's Ambush is therefore most accessible via:
1. **Surprise round** — ambushing enemies before initiative requires a successful group Stealth approach
2. **Teammate assistance** — a Rogue or Bard creates a distraction (Help action, spell concealment)
3. **Darkness/concealment** — Fog Cloud, magical darkness, or terrain features that allow Hiding as a bonus action
In any fight that begins with a surprise round or stealth approach, Assassin's Ambush is the correct stunt to use on your first attack. The +11 expected damage (effectively a free extra attack) for one stunt use is the best damage-per-use in the game.
**The critical crit moment:** A Fighter with Deadly Flourish (19–20 crit range), advantage on the attack (from hidden/surprise), and Assassin's Ambush active has approximately a **36% chance to crit** on that attack. A crit with Ambush deals 6d6+5 average = 31 damage. Add Deadly Flourish's reaction attack (all enemies within 5 feet) and an action-surge follow-up, and your first round of a surprise fight can delete a significant threat.
---
### Bulwark _(Advanced)_ ●
**Requires:** A shield\
**Trigger:** You take damage from a spell or ability that requires a save (e.g., fireball)\
**Cost:** Reaction + 1 stunt use\
**Effect:** Reduce the damage dealt by an amount equal to your AC. Psychic damage cannot be reduced by this stunt.
**The math at 11th level:** A Fighter in half-plate + shield has AC 18–19. Bulwark reduces incoming spell damage by 18–19. Against a fireball dealing 8d6 average = 28 damage, Bulwark reduces that to 28 − 19 = **9 damage** (assuming a failed save). On a passed save (half damage = 14), Bulwark reduces it to 14 − 19 = **0** (minimum of 0).
Bulwark is one of the strongest damage mitigation tools in the game against AoE magic. It doesn't scale with spell circle — a 9th-circle spell triggering Bulwark reduces damage by the same 18–19 as a 3rd-circle spell. But it works against anything that requires a save: fireball, cone of cold, breath weapons, divine smites, and countless monster abilities.
**Compared to Parry:** Parry reduces weapon damage by 1d10+PB (average ~9–11). Bulwark reduces spell/ability damage by your AC (typically 17–20 at high levels). Against physical attacks, Parry is better. Against spells and save-based abilities, Bulwark is significantly better — roughly double the reduction. Know when to hold which reaction.
**The restriction:** Requires a shield. Shield users are typically Defender builds who already have the highest AC — making Bulwark's reduction more powerful (higher AC = more reduction). Bulwark rewards the Fighter who builds specifically for shield + armor because both improve AC and therefore Bulwark mitigation.
**Against boss enemies with save-based attacks:** Bulwark is exceptional. A dragon's breath weapon, a caster boss's 6th-circle spell, a lich's ability that requires saves — these are the moments Bulwark earns its stunt cost. In a fight with a spellcasting boss, budget one stunt use for Bulwark against the first big AoE. The mitigation often saves more effective HP than the best offensive use of that stunt.
---
### Rapid Release _(Advanced)_ ●
**Requires:** A ranged or thrown weapon\
**Trigger:** After you take the Attack action\
**Cost:** Bonus action + 1 stunt use\
**Effect:** Make an additional attack with a ranged or thrown weapon. You can draw a thrown weapon as part of the attack.
**The math:** At 11th level with a longbow (STR or DEX +4, PB +4): one bonus attack hitting at 65% for an average of 8.5 damage. Expected value per use: 8.5 × 0.65 ≈ **5.5 damage**.
For comparison:
- Quick Strike adds ~3.5 damage per use (two-weapon build) at the cost of a bonus action
- Arcing Strike adds ~6–7 expected damage when two enemies are in reach (no bonus action cost)
- Cheap Shot adds ~3.9 expected damage when grappling target (post-Clutch, no cost)
Rapid Release is a pure damage add for ranged builds — approximately 5.5 expected damage for a stunt use and a bonus action. This is decent but not exceptional. The bonus action cost is the limiting factor: if you have another use for your bonus action (Hunter's Mark, Quick Strike, bonus action from another feature), Rapid Release competes.
**Where it shines:** Pure ranged Weapon Master builds that have nothing better to do with their bonus action and are consistently fighting single targets that they cannot reach with Arcing Strike or Straight Through. In a campaign with lots of open terrain, sniping ranged enemies, or flying opponents, Rapid Release is the closest a pure Fighter gets to an archery combo.
**The comparison problem:** At 11th level, you have three attacks per turn from Multiattack (9th level) already. Adding one more attack via Rapid Release is less marginal-value than it sounds — it is 25% more attacks for a stunt use and bonus action. Against the grapple-centered economy of Wrestler's Clutch + Cheap Shot, Rapid Release can't compete in action-economy terms for melee builds.
---
## Grand Finale
_15th-Level Weapon Master Feature_
●
**Effect:** When you roll initiative and have no uses of your Stunts feature remaining, you can regain 3 uses. Once per long rest.
The action economy implication: Grand Finale is an emergency refuel, not a rotation element. In a perfect world, you never trigger it — you budget your stunt uses well enough to have 1–2 remaining when the boss fight begins. In practice, you will occasionally push hard in encounter 2 of 3, exhaust your uses, and need Grand Finale to stay relevant in the finale.
**What 3 uses at 15th level means:** At 15th level, you have PB + 1 = 7 uses per rest. Grand Finale gives back 3 uses = 43% of a full rest's budget. In the climax fight of the day, that's enough for Wrestler's Clutch (1 use) + 2 Parry/Bulwark reactions. Meaningfully strong.
**The "roll initiative" requirement:** Grand Finale can only activate when you have _zero_ uses remaining at the start of a new encounter. You cannot pre-exhaust uses intentionally and then Grand Finale — it must be that the session's accumulation of combat naturally drained your reserves. This prevents gaming it as a rotation.
**The honest rating:** Grand Finale is an insurance policy that becomes increasingly valuable in sessions with more than 3 encounters. In a dungeon-crawl-heavy campaign with 5–6 fights per day, Grand Finale fires more often and more importantly. In a campaign with 1–2 fights per session, it rarely matters.
---
## Stunt Selection by Playstyle
Not all Weapon Masters play the same game. Here is the priority guide for which stunts to lean into first, based on your chosen playstyle. Remember: you get all 9 base stunts at 3rd level — this is about which ones to _use_ in your typical turn rotation, not which ones to skip.
### The Aggressor
**Goal:** Maximum damage output. Hit hard, hit often, push through enemy defenses.
**Priority stunt uses:**
1. **Make It Count** — against high-AC single targets when you need to ensure a hit
2. **Arcing Strike** — against clustered enemies; free secondary damage from your best attack
3. **Quick Strike** (if two-weapon) — four attacks per round is the aggressor's dream
4. **Assassin's Ambush** (11th+) — always use on the first attack from hidden
**Mastery picks:** Greatsword + Handaxe + Shortsword (or dual light weapons)
**Skip or deprioritize:** Parry (defensive use conflicts with aggressor turn timing), Tactical Retreat (you want to stay in their face)
**Key insight:** Aggressors often over-invest in Make It Count at low levels because the +10 attack feels good. Resist this. At 5th level, two attacks at +7 outperform Make It Count except against AC 22+. Save Make It Count for the fortress guardian with AC 23, not the bandit captain with AC 16.
---
### The Controller
**Goal:** Control enemy positioning, limit enemy actions, protect allies.
**Priority stunt uses:**
1. **Wrestler's Clutch** (11th+) — establish grapple ASAP, then all other stunts become free
2. **Tactical Retreat** — reposition after every hit, keep the fight where you want it
3. **Redirect** — in multi-target fights, never let a miss go to waste
4. **Cheap Shot** — free extra attack once grapple is active
**Mastery picks:** Longsword + Whip + Shortsword (Whip for reach grapples via Clutch)
**Skip or deprioritize:** Make It Count (you're not trying to maximize single-round output), Felling Sweep (costly and unreliable)
**Key insight:** The Controller's rotation after 11th level is simple: Turn 1, use Wrestler's Clutch (1 use). Turns 2–6, use unlimited Cheap Shot + free Parry reactions against the pinned target. Total cost for 6 rounds: 1 stunt use. Total cost if using a different damage stunt every round: 6 stunt uses. The math favors Clutch overwhelmingly.
---
### The Defender
**Goal:** Protect allies, minimize incoming damage, outlast the enemy.
**Priority stunt uses:**
1. **Parry** — use as often as your reaction allows; this is your primary resource sink
2. **Riposte** — every enemy miss is an opportunity; pair with Parry rotation
3. **Bulwark** (11th+, shield required) — against spell-heavy enemies; replaces Parry when the source is magical
4. **Guard** (Martial Action from base Fighter kit) — bonus action to protect allies; note this is not a stunt, it's a base Fighter feature
**Mastery picks:** Longsword + heavy weapon (backup) + handaxe (thrown backup)
**Skip or deprioritize:** Quick Strike (bonus action conflicts with Guard), Make It Count (forfeits attacks = less Riposte opportunity), Felling Sweep (your job is protection, not AoE)
**Key insight:** The Defender's rotation is reaction-first. Your stunt budget is consumed almost entirely by Parry and Riposte — both reactions that cost uses but don't compete with your action. This means your action sequence (Attack, Multiattack) runs at full capacity, and your reaction is your stunt economy. At 11th level, budget at least 2 stunt uses for Bulwark in boss fights with casters.
---
### The Skirmisher
**Goal:** Maximum mobility, engage multiple targets, avoid being pinned.
**Priority stunt uses:**
1. **Tactical Retreat** — the centerpiece; hit and reposition every turn
2. **Redirect** — on your mobile turns, misses against one target redirect to adjacent enemies as you pass
3. **Rapid Release** (11th+, ranged) — bonus action ranged attack during turns you Tactical Retreat out of melee range
4. **Straight Through** — catch clusters before you move away
**Mastery picks:** Shortsword + Hand Crossbow + Dagger (versatile melee/ranged skirmish kit)
**Skip or deprioritize:** Wrestler's Clutch (grappling locks you in place — contradicts skirmisher mobility), Bulwark (skirmishers typically avoid being in AoE range)
**Key insight:** Skirmishers want Tactical Retreat on nearly every turn. Your game plan is to hit, move, hit from a different angle next turn, never give an enemy a clean follow-up attack. This burns stunt uses quickly — manage your budget carefully, and don't waste uses on damage stunts when Tactical Retreat is doing more work per use.
---
## Book of Blades Stunt Synergies
Book of Blades is not a stunt expansion. It is a build-context expansion for Weapon Masters. The strongest use is to pick the Book of Blades option that reinforces your main stunt loop instead of chasing every new martial toy.
| Weapon Master Loop | Book of Blades Picks | Stunt Impact |
| --------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Commander Defender | [Battle Tactician](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#battle-tactician-book-of-blades), [Martial Law](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/heritage-guide#martial-law-book-of-blades), Vanguard | Parry, Riposte, and Bulwark keep you standing while tactics turn ally reactions into real party action economy. |
| Ambush Aggressor | [Tactical Planning](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#tactical-planning-book-of-blades), [Privileged](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/heritage-guide#privileged-book-of-blades), Stealth support | Ambush makes Assassin's Ambush much more reliable when the party can plan the fight before initiative. |
| Weapon-Option Duelist | [Weapon Option Specialist](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#weapon-option-specialist-book-of-blades), Weapon Discipline, long-term weapon-option usage | Mastery already improves weapon options; this makes the weapon-option half of the subclass worth building around. |
| Wrestler's Clutch Grappler | [Unarmed Maneuvers](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#unarmed-maneuvers-book-of-blades), Hand to Hand, Wrestling Mastery | Clutch pins the target; Unarmed Maneuvers decides whether that target is blind, prone, pushed, or verbally blocked. |
| Tactical Retreat Skirmisher | [War Dancer](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#war-dancer-book-of-blades), Two Weapon Mastery, Ranged Weapon Mastery | War Dancer stacks with the core hit-and-move plan and reduces the number of stunt uses spent purely to escape. |
| Mounted Controller | [Horse Lord](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/heritage-guide#horse-lord-book-of-blades), [Fell Rider](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/monster-vault-animal-allies-and-summons-guide#fell-rider), [Book of Blades mount items](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/monster-vault-animal-allies-and-summons-guide#best-book-of-blades-mount-magic-items) | Mounted reach and speed make Tactical Retreat, Arcing Strike positioning, and battlefield control easier to set up. |
| Poison Duelist | [Poisoner](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#poisoner-book-of-blades), [Noxious Apothecary](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-technical-talents-guide#noxious-apothecary), Covert | Poison adds a consumable damage/control layer, but it does not fix weak stunt choices by itself. |
### Best Book of Blades Talent Links for Weapon Masters
- [Battle Tactician (Book of Blades)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#battle-tactician-book-of-blades) - Best for commander Fighters who want party-scale buttons.
- [Tactical Planning (Book of Blades)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#tactical-planning-book-of-blades) - Best for Assassin's Ambush openers and planned set-piece fights.
- [Weapon Option Specialist (Book of Blades)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#weapon-option-specialist-book-of-blades) - Best if your table actually uses weapon options every fight.
- [Unarmed Maneuvers (Book of Blades)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#unarmed-maneuvers-book-of-blades) - Best support pick for Wrestler's Clutch grapplers.
- [War Dancer (Book of Blades)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#war-dancer-book-of-blades) - Best for DEX skirmishers who were already using Tactical Retreat often.
- [Poisoner (Book of Blades)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#poisoner-book-of-blades) - Campaign-dependent; strong only when poison access is real.
### Book of Blades Background and Heritage Notes
[Martial Law](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/heritage-guide#martial-law-book-of-blades) is the cleanest Book of Blades heritage for a disciplined Weapon Master because Athletics, Intimidation, light armor, and weapon proficiencies all match the martial-control fantasy. [Horse Lord](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/heritage-guide#horse-lord-book-of-blades) is better only when mounted combat is a recurring campaign premise. [Privileged](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/heritage-guide#privileged-book-of-blades) is the flexible court-facing option for a commander, duelist, or tactician who needs a missing skill.
The Book of Blades backgrounds matter mostly as access points. Battle Academician and Conscript fit commander or soldier Weapon Masters. Judicial Champion is the standout for tactical duelists because it can point you toward Scrutinous, Combat Casting, or [Weapon Option Specialist](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#weapon-option-specialist-book-of-blades). Prodigal can support DEX or social Fighters through Covert-style play.
**Hot take:** The best Book of Blades Weapon Master is not "the Fighter with every new martial talent." It is the Fighter with one clear stunt loop and one Book of Blades package that feeds that loop. Battle Tactician for commander play, Tactical Planning for ambush play, Unarmed Maneuvers for grappling, War Dancer for skirmishing, or Horse Lord for a mounted campaign. Pick one lane.
---
## Labyrinth Worldbook Trooper Comparison
Labyrinth Worldbook adds **Trooper (Labyrinth Worldbook)**, not new Weapon Master stunts. That means it does not change the stunt rankings directly. It changes the subclass decision: do you want the high-ceiling resource game of Weapon Master, or the rugged expedition kit of Trooper?
### Trooper vs. Weapon Master
| Question | Weapon Master | Trooper (Labyrinth Worldbook) |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Do you want active buttons? | Yes. Stunts are the whole subclass. | Fewer buttons; more passive endurance and targeted pressure. |
| Do you want terrain support? | Only through gear, talents, or GM rulings. | Conditioning gives climb or swim support and better exhaustion tolerance. |
| Do you want burst control? | Yes. Parry, Riposte, Bulwark, Clutch, etc. | Moderate. Threat Assessment marks one priority target and improves pursuit. |
| Do you want damage scaling? | Stunts plus Multiattack sequencing. | Guerilla Tactics adds movement-gated weapon damage once per turn. |
| Do you want 0-HP staying power? | Last Stand only, unless other build pieces help. | Never Say Die lets you keep fighting for 1 minute under strict conditions. |
| Best campaign shape | Tactical combat, short rests, varied maps. | Exploration, hostile terrain, chases, attrition, and survival-forward combat. |
### When Weapon Master Still Wins
Weapon Master is still the better pick if you want to make tactical decisions every round. Parry, Riposte, Tactical Retreat, Wrestler's Clutch, Bulwark, and Assassin's Ambush give you more ways to convert a stunt use into action economy. At tables with reliable short rests and players who enjoy resource timing, Weapon Master has the higher ceiling.
### When Trooper Wins
Trooper (Labyrinth Worldbook) wins when the environment is part of the enemy. Climb or swim movement, exhaustion cushioning, increased carrying capacity, movement-triggered damage, target pursuit, and Never Say Die all matter more when the campaign taxes the party before initiative is rolled. If the adventure is about surviving the route as much as winning the fight, Trooper is the cleaner choice.
### Stunt Guide Relevance for Trooper Players
Trooper players do not use Weapon Master stunts, but this guide still helps frame what they are giving up. You are trading Parry, Riposte, Wrestler's Clutch, and Bulwark for Conditioning, Guerilla Tactics, Threat Assessment, Backup Plan, and Never Say Die. That trade is good only if the campaign gives those Trooper tools room to matter.
---
## Player's Guide 2 Stunt-Shot and Subclass Comparison
Player's Guide 2 does not change the Weapon Master stunt list directly. It changes the Fighter menu
around the stunt list. The big PG2 question is no longer "which stunt is best?" It is "do I still
want Weapon Master, or does my concept belong in Scrapper, Stunt Archer, or Twinblade?"
### Stunt Archer vs. Weapon Master
| Question | Weapon Master | Stunt Archer (Player's Guide 2) |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Core resource | Stunts, PB + 1 per short or long rest | Stunt Shots, PB + 1 per short or long rest |
| Weapon identity | Any mastered weapon package | Bows and crossbows |
| Best range | Melee, hybrid, or ranged depending on Mastery picks | Dedicated ranged |
| Close-range problem solving | Parry, Riposte, Tactical Retreat, Wrestler's Clutch, weapon options | No close-range disadvantage with bows/crossbows, mobility shots |
| Late-game ceiling | Deadly Flourish, Advanced Stunts, Grand Finale | Keen Eye, Advanced Stunt Shots, Absolute Mastery |
| Best player fit | Tactical generalist who likes picking the right stunt per turn | Ranged specialist who wants trick shots without pretending to melee |
Stunt Archer is cleaner if you know you want bows or crossbows all campaign. Weapon Master is better
if you want weapon flexibility, melee reactions, grapple/control play, or the ability to change
roles between fights.
### Scrapper vs. Wrestler's Clutch
[Wrestler's Clutch](#wrestlers-clutch) is still the Weapon Master's best grappling stunt, but
Scrapper (Player's Guide 2) is the dedicated grappler subclass. The distinction matters:
| Grapple Goal | Better Choice | Why |
| ------------------------------------ | ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Add grappling to a weapon build | Weapon Master | Clutch gives a tactical side plan without replacing weapons. |
| Build the whole character around it | Scrapper (Player's Guide 2) | The subclass scales unarmed damage, maneuvers, and grapple size. |
| Shut down casters with body control | Scrapper (Player's Guide 2) | Chokehold-style play is built into the subclass. |
| Use stunts after one grapple setup | Weapon Master | Clutch can make later stunts cheaper against that target. |
Hot take in miniature: if your Fighter says "I sometimes grapple," stay Weapon Master. If your
Fighter says "the enemy is now furniture," play Scrapper.
### Twinblade vs. Quick Strike
Quick Strike is merely situational for a generic Weapon Master because two light attacks compete
with heavier weapon damage and other bonus actions. Twinblade changes the context. It gives
dual-wielding a subclass chassis, adds DEX modifier support to bonus-action attacks, improves
mobility, and rewards staying light.
That does **not** make Quick Strike secretly blue for every Weapon Master. It means Quick Strike is a
build-dependent tool whose best home may be Twinblade rather than Weapon Master.
### Expanded Martial Actions and Bonus Action Pressure
Player's Guide 2 adds **Destabilizing Blow**, **Focus**, **Lunge**, **Reposition**, **Riposte**,
**Steady**, and **Unmoving Shield**. These are not stunts, but they compete for the same practical
space: what are you doing with your bonus action and your weapon choices?
For Weapon Masters, the biggest PG2 Martial Action takeaways are:
- **Focus (Player's Guide 2)** competes with Wind Up and stunt setup on melee turns where accuracy
matters more than damage.
- **Steady (Player's Guide 2)** gives archers a damage option when Aim's accuracy is overkill.
- **Reposition (Player's Guide 2)** overlaps with Tactical Retreat's movement niche, but costs a
bonus action instead of a stunt use.
- **Lunge (Player's Guide 2)** helps melee Weapon Masters threaten awkward spaces without fully
changing weapons.
- **Unmoving Shield (Player's Guide 2)** is excellent defensive tech for shield builds that would
rather not be shoved, dragged, grappled, or publicly rearranged.
The lesson is simple: PG2 gives Fighters more buttons, but the turn still has one bonus action. More
buttons are great until they all try to sit in the same chair.
---
## Comparison Table
| Stunt | Type | Cost | Avg. Value | Best In | Worst In |
| ----------------- | ---------------- | --------------- | -------------------- | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------- |
| Parry | Reaction | 1 use | 7–10 dmg prevented | All builds | Never |
| Riposte | Reaction | 1 use | ~6–9 expected dmg | Defender, longsword builds | Wide-open fights |
| Tactical Retreat | Action-rider | 1 use | 15 ft OA-immune move | Skirmisher, Controller | If no need to move |
| Wrestler's Clutch | Action-rider | 1 use (initial) | Infinite subsequent | Controller builds (11th+) | Ranged-only builds |
| Arcing Strike | Action-rider | 1 use | 5–8 secondary dmg | Heavy weapon, clustered fights | Single-target boss fights |
| Cheap Shot | Action-rider | 1 use | ~3–4 expected dmg | Grapple builds (free after Clutch) | Low STR builds |
| Quick Strike | Bonus action | 1 use + BA | ~3–4 bonus dmg | Two-weapon skirmisher | Shield users |
| Assassin's Ambush | Action-rider | 1 use | +11 expected dmg | Any first round from hidden | When not hidden (useless) |
| Redirect | Reaction | 1 use | ~5–7 expected dmg | Multi-target fights | Single target fights |
| Make It Count | Action-replacing | 1 use | ~2 expected gain | AC 22+ targets | AC 15 or below |
| Straight Through | Action-rider | 1 use | ~4–6 secondary dmg | Ranged, clustered | Spread-out fights |
| Felling Sweep | Action-replacing | 1 use | Variable | 4+ weak enemies | 1–2 targets |
| Rapid Release | Bonus action | 1 use + BA | ~5 expected dmg | Pure ranged builds | Melee builds |
| Bulwark | Reaction | 1 use | 17–19 dmg prevented | Defender vs. spells | No-caster encounters |
---
## Hot Takes
### Hot Take #0: Player's Guide 2 did not buff Weapon Master directly, and that is fine
Player's Guide 2 gives Fighters more subclasses, more Martial Actions, more talents, and more gear.
It does not need to add five new Weapon Master stunts to matter. The class got new lanes: Scrapper
for grappling, Stunt Archer for ranged trick shots, Twinblade for dual-wield skirmishing, and
expanded Martial Actions for everyone.
Weapon Master still owns the broad tactical toolbox. PG2 just means it no longer has to carry every
martial fantasy on its back like an exhausted pack mule with a sword collection.
**The verdict:** If you want stunts, play Weapon Master. If you want bow/crossbow shots, play Stunt
Archer. If you want grappling as the whole meal, play Scrapper. If you want dual-wielding to stop
apologizing, play Twinblade.
---
### Hot Take #1: Make It Count is the most overrated stunt in the game
Every new Weapon Master player reads Make It Count and immediately thinks "free +10 to attack — this is broken." Then they use it on a CR 5 enemy with AC 16 at 5th level and realize they could have attacked twice for more expected output.
The "+10 to attack" is not valuable against enemies you already hit reliably. The additional damage equal to your fighter level is decent (9 at 9th level) but you are surrendering Multiattack to get it. At 9th level, the math on Make It Count is **worse than three regular attacks against every AC below 22**. Almost no enemy at 9th level has AC 22. You are spending a stunt use to do less damage.
Make It Count is a _finisher_ when a critical hit would end a boss fight. It is a _trap_ as a damage rotation option. The +10 attack bonus should be used to _guarantee a hit that you desperately need_ (to establish Wrestler's Clutch, to finish a fleeing enemy, to hit an invisible target) — not to deal extra damage in a standard round.
**The verdict:** Save Make It Count for desperate situations. It is not a rotation stunt.
---
### Hot Take #2: Tactical Retreat is the most overlooked stunt in the game
Optimization conversations obsess over damage stunts. Arcing Strike, Make It Count, Quick Strike, Assassin's Ambush — numbers are easy to compare and impressive to talk about. Tactical Retreat deals zero extra damage and therefore gets minimal discussion.
But free movement with OA immunity _after an attack_ is one of the most powerful positioning tools in the game. A 15-foot repositioning after every attack means you dictate the geometry of every fight. You engage on your terms, disengage on your terms, drag enemies out of position, pull them away from the party's squishier members, and rotate between targets without paying the Disengage action tax.
In a fight lasting 6 rounds, Tactical Retreat used twice (2 stunt uses) does more to determine the fight's outcome than Make It Count used twice. The damage from Make It Count is additive. The positioning from Tactical Retreat changes which attacks happen at all.
**The verdict:** Tactical Retreat should be in every Weapon Master's regular rotation, especially in fights where enemy positioning is threatening allies. It is the second-best stunt in the game that nobody respects.
---
### Hot Take #3: Felling Sweep is actually good — in the right encounter
Standard optimization advice says "never replace your Multiattack." But Felling Sweep against four or more weak enemies is not a bad trade at 3rd level, when you only have one attack anyway, or at any level when you are fighting disposable minions.
A 3rd-level Weapon Master fighting 5 bandits: Felling Sweep deals greatsword damage (average 12 with STR 18) to all five = **60 theoretical damage** from one action. The bandits have 11 HP each — every hit kills one. Five dead bandits in a single action.
The same Fighter at 9th level against five Cult Fanatics (HP 33 each): Felling Sweep deals 14 average damage to each = 70 total damage, but none die from the single hit. Three standard attacks at 14 average each with 65% hit rate = 3 × 9.1 = **27.3 expected damage** focused. Felling Sweep is better for the spread damage but worse for focused DPS.
Context-dependent is not the same as situational — Felling Sweep in the right fight is exceptional. The failure mode is using it in the wrong fight.
**The verdict:** Felling Sweep is legitimately good against 4+ weak enemies. It is a trap against 1–3 enemies or against high-HP targets.
---
### Hot Take #4: The Wrestler's Clutch break-even happens faster than you think
Most players see Wrestler's Clutch as an 11th-level "gimmick" that requires STR investment and a grapple-friendly build. The math says otherwise.
Cost to establish: 1 stunt use.
Free stunts per subsequent round: 1 per round (as many as applicable).
Break-even: 2 rounds of combat (round 1 spends 1 use on Clutch, round 2 gets 1 free stunt, net 0 uses spent).
From round 3 onward: **pure profit**.
In a 5-round fight, Wrestler's Clutch nets you:
- 4 free Cheap Shot attacks (post-Clutch rounds 2–5)
- 4 free Parry reactions (same)
- 1 initial use spent
- Net stunt uses spent: 1 instead of 4+ that those stunts would have cost individually
The math is unambiguous. Wrestler's Clutch is the most action-economy-efficient stunt in the game in any fight longer than 2 rounds. The only genuine counterargument is that some enemies are grapple-immune or succeed on STR saves consistently — but even then, the grapple attempt costs you nothing except the 1 stunt use and a failed STR check on their part tells you to switch tactics.
**The verdict:** Wrestler's Clutch fundamentally changes how you play Weapon Master at 11th level. Build toward it, plan around it, and treat every subsequent stunt as free.
---
### Hot Take #5: Tactical Planning is secretly an Assassin's Ambush talent
[Tactical Planning (Book of Blades)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#tactical-planning-book-of-blades) reads like a party logistics talent, but for Weapon Master it is really an opening-round talent. Ambush improves the exact conditions Assassin's Ambush wants: surprise, initiative control, hidden starts, and first-round damage before the enemy has acted.
That matters because Assassin's Ambush is one of the few stunts whose ceiling is decided before combat starts. If the party scouts, plans, and begins hidden, the Weapon Master can open with a high-damage Mastery weapon, advantage, expanded crit range, and doubled weapon dice. If the party kicks the door in every time, Assassin's Ambush often sits unused.
**The verdict:** Tactical Planning is green or blue depending on table behavior. At scout-and-strike tables, it is one of the best Book of Blades picks for a Weapon Master.
---
### Hot Take #6: War Dancer competes with Tactical Retreat more than it stacks with it
[War Dancer (Book of Blades)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#war-dancer-book-of-blades) is excellent, but it changes your stunt budget in a subtle way. If you hit a creature in melee, War Dancer can already prevent opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn. That means some turns where you would have spent Tactical Retreat can be handled by the talent instead.
That is not a problem. It is the point. A DEX skirmisher with War Dancer can save stunt uses for Redirect, Straight Through, Rapid Release, Parry, or emergency Tactical Retreat against enemies you did not hit. The talent does not make Tactical Retreat bad; it makes Tactical Retreat less mandatory every round.
**The verdict:** War Dancer is best when it reduces stunt spending. If you still spend Tactical Retreat every turn after taking War Dancer, you may be double-paying for the same mobility plan.
---
### Hot Take #7: Weapon Option Specialist is only good if Martial Action is already in your muscle memory
[Weapon Option Specialist (Book of Blades)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#weapon-option-specialist-book-of-blades) looks tailor-made for Weapon Master because Mastery already lets weapon options roll damage when they normally would not. The trap is table behavior. If your group forgets weapon options exist, this talent is a dead slot.
On the right table, it is real. A Weapon Master who regularly trips, disarms, shoves, or uses a signature weapon option gets a better DC or attack bonus and a PB damage rider. That turns a control attack from "I gave up damage for utility" into "I got utility and kept a damage floor."
**The verdict:** Weapon Option Specialist is not a universal Fighter pick. It is a green pick for a player who already uses weapon options without needing to be reminded.
---
### Hot Take #8: Trooper is the anti-stunt Fighter
Trooper (Labyrinth Worldbook) is what you pick when you do not want to count stunt uses. That sounds less optimized, but it is a real advantage for some tables. Guerilla Tactics asks only whether you moved 10 feet. Threat Assessment asks who hurt you or an ally. Conditioning works before combat even starts.
**The verdict:** If your table forgets limited-use martial buttons, Trooper may outperform Weapon Master simply because its game plan is harder to mismanage.
---
### Hot Take #9: Guerilla Tactics is not free Sneak Attack
Guerilla Tactics (Labyrinth Worldbook) looks like Fighter Sneak Attack at first glance, but the movement clause matters. You need to move at least 10 feet on the same turn before the extra damage turns on. That rewards mobile melee, thrown-weapon pivots, chase fights, and maps with actual space. It is much weaker in doorway traffic jams.
**The verdict:** Guerilla Tactics is strong when the map lets you move. If your Fighter stands still and trades attacks, you chose the wrong subclass.
---
### Hot Take #10: Never Say Die is a mission clock, not immortality
Never Say Die (Labyrinth Worldbook) lets a Trooper keep fighting after dropping to 0 HP, but it does not erase death saves, incoming damage pressure, or the need to solve the problem before the minute ends. It is a last-order feature: finish the target, hold the line, drag the ally out, or buy the party one more round.
**The verdict:** Never Say Die is strongest when the party treats it as a timed objective window. If nobody heals you and nothing changes, the bill still comes due.
---
## Example Build: The Lockdown Weapon Master
_A Controller/Defender Weapon Master optimized for maximum fight control, stunt economy, and team protection._
**Background:** Soldier | **Lineage:** [Human](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/lineage-guides/tov-human-lineage-guide)\
**Talent at 1st ([Human](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/lineage-guides/tov-human-lineage-guide) bonus):** [Combat Conditioning](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#combat-conditioning) (extra HP + athletic resilience)\
**Ability Scores:** STR 16, DEX 12, CON 16, INT 8, WIS 10, CHA 8
**Book of Blades variant:** Replace Soldier with a Book of Blades martial background if your GM allows it. Battle Academician fits the commander version, Conscript fits the disciplined frontline version, Judicial Champion supports a weapon-option duelist, and Prodigal supports a more mobile or social DEX Fighter. For heritage, [Martial Law (Book of Blades)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/heritage-guide#martial-law-book-of-blades) is the default martial pick, while [Horse Lord (Book of Blades)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/heritage-guide#horse-lord-book-of-blades) is only worth prioritizing in a mounted campaign.
| Level | Key Decision | Notes |
| ----- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | Last Stand, Martial Action (Guard, Aim, etc.) | Guard protects allies as bonus action — use it every turn you don't need BA elsewhere |
| 2 | Action Surge | One extra action per rest — in emergencies, Action Surge + Make It Count for guaranteed high damage |
| 3 | **Weapon Master:** Mastery (Longsword, Greatsword, Handaxe) + all 9 Stunts | Longsword for Parry/Riposte; Greatsword for Arcing Strike/Felling Sweep; Handaxe for Rapid Release/range |
| 4 | Improvement: STR 16 → 18 | Stunt save DC climbs; attack and damage bonuses improve |
| 5 | **Multiattack (2 attacks)** | Two attacks per round; Riposte creates third attack on enemy misses |
| 6 | Improvement: STR 18 → 20 | Stunt save DC = 8 + 3 + 5 = DC 16; Grapple STR checks at +8 |
| 7 | **Deadly Flourish** (19–20 crit range) | Now critting roughly once per 2.5 rounds; reaction attack burst unlocked |
| 8 | Improvement: CON 16 → 18 | Durability improvement; Concentration save (if multiclassing) is stronger |
| 9 | **Multiattack (3 attacks)** | Three attacks per round; each attack is another Riposte trigger potential |
| 10 | Heroic Boon: Unstoppable | End one incapacitation effect per turn PB times — immunizes against shut-down effects |
| 11 | **Advanced Stunts** — Wrestler's Clutch, Assassin's Ambush, Bulwark, Rapid Release | Wrestler's Clutch immediately becomes the centerpiece of every fight |
| 12 | Improvement: Talent — [Unarmed Maneuvers](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#unarmed-maneuvers-book-of-blades), [Battle Tactician](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#battle-tactician-book-of-blades), or [Weapon Option Specialist](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#weapon-option-specialist-book-of-blades) | Book of Blades branch point: grappler, commander, or weapon-option duelist |
| 13 | **Multiattack (3) + Action Surge (2/Rest)** | Dual Action Surge per rest enables 6-attack turns in emergency nova scenarios |
| 14 | Improvement: STR focused talent or CON | Stunt save DC keeps climbing |
| 15 | **Grand Finale** | Emergency 3-use refuel on initiative; never be stunt-starved in the climax fight |
### Tactics by Tier
**Levels 3–6:** Your primary toolkit is Parry + Riposte in reaction, Tactical Retreat for positioning, and Arcing Strike when two enemies are adjacent. Budget 2 stunt uses per encounter — one Parry for incoming damage mitigation, one Arcing Strike or Tactical Retreat for offense/positioning. Guard with your bonus action when not using Quick Strike.
At this level, the most common mistake is burning Make It Count hoping for big numbers. Don't. Two attacks at +7 (longsword) against AC 15 deal more expected damage than Make It Count. Save Make It Count for the rare AC 22+ enemy.
**Levels 7–10:** Deadly Flourish changes the economy. You are now critting frequently enough that your reaction is under pressure — Riposte (enemy miss → free attack) competes with Deadly Flourish (your crit → reaction burst). Prioritize Riposte over Deadly Flourish in most situations because Riposte generates action on the enemy's turn, preserving your own action sequence. Use Deadly Flourish when you are surrounded by multiple enemies and the multi-target reaction attack can hit several.
Continue using Parry on every significant incoming hit. At this level, enemies deal 12–20 damage per hit, and Parry absorbs 1d10+4 (average 9.5) — still meaningful mitigation.
**Levels 11–15:** Wrestler's Clutch is online. Turn 1 of every significant fight: establish the Clutch on the highest-priority target. Stunt save DC = 8 + 4 + 5 = DC 17. The average enemy STR save at CR 11–15 is approximately +4 to +6. They succeed roughly 30–45% of the time — but even if they succeed, they spent an action attempting the escape.
Once grappled, your rotation:
- Attack action: 3 attacks, one of which triggers Cheap Shot (free, no use cost)
- Reaction: Parry or Bulwark (free, no use cost) whenever hit
- Bonus action: Guard for ally protection
Total stunt uses spent after Turn 1: 0. Total stunts effectively used per round: 2–3 (Cheap Shot + Parry + potentially Riposte). This is the peak efficiency of the Weapon Master.
Use Assassin's Ambush in the surprise round before establishing Clutch — double weapon dice before the grapple sets up a devastating opening. Bulwark handles incoming AoE damage that bypasses the normal melee attack pattern.
**Level 15:** Grand Finale means you can deliberately burn your stunt reserves earlier in the session — burn 4 uses across encounters 1 and 2, enter the boss fight with 1 remaining, let Grand Finale refuel to 4 at initiative. Play aggressively knowing you have the emergency reserve.
### Stat Spread at 15th Level
| Stat | Score | Modifier |
| ---- | ----- | -------- |
| STR | 20 | +5 |
| DEX | 12 | +1 |
| CON | 18 | +4 |
| INT | 8 | -1 |
| WIS | 10 | +0 |
| CHA | 8 | -1 |
**Stunt save DC at 15th level:** 8 + 5 (PB) + 5 (STR) = **DC 18**\
**Stunt uses per rest:** 5 + 1 = **6 uses**\
**Stunt uses per day (2 short rests):** 18 uses\
**Effective uses with Wrestler's Clutch** (1 use → free stunts per grapple sustained): far more
---
## Final Notes
The Weapon Master is the Fighter subclass that rewards the most disciplined resource management in Tales of the Valiant. The players who play it best are not the ones who know which stunts have the highest numbers — they're the ones who know when to _not spend a use_ because the fight doesn't warrant it yet.
The core mistake new Weapon Masters make is treating stunt uses like hit points: a passive resource that gets spent and then you hit a rest button. The correct mental model is that stunt uses are _bonus actions_ — active decisions that should be made deliberately, with awareness of what you're trading and what's coming later in the day.
The three principles that separate good Weapon Masters from great ones:
**1. Reaction stunts (Parry, Riposte, Bulwark) are almost always worth using.** They don't compete with your action sequence. They add to it. If you have a stunt use and an incoming attack hits hard, Parry costs you nothing except the use. A stunt use saved to die with is worse than a stunt use that kept you on your feet.
**2. Wrestler's Clutch is worth building around from the moment it's available at 11th level.** The entire calculus of stunt budgeting changes when "1 use to grapple" becomes "free Cheap Shot and Parry for the next 4 rounds." Plan your Mastery picks with Clutch in mind — STR builds benefit most, and whip enables reach grappling.
**3. Know your encounter before choosing your stunt.** Arcing Strike in a single-target fight is a wasted use. Make It Count against AC 16 is negative expected value. Felling Sweep against a boss is a trap. Every stunt is context-dependent. The Weapon Master who reads the battlefield and picks the right stunt at the right time is the one who looks brilliant by the end of the session.
Book of Blades reinforces that same lesson. Its best Weapon Master options are not generic upgrades; they are context tools. Battle Tactician wants a party that uses reactions well. Tactical Planning wants scouting and set-piece fights. Weapon Option Specialist wants a table that remembers weapon options. Unarmed Maneuvers wants a grappler or fistfighter. War Dancer wants movement every turn. Horse Lord and Fell Rider want maps where mounts matter.
Labyrinth Worldbook does not change the stunt rankings, because the reviewed material adds Trooper rather than new Weapon Master stunts. It does change the Fighter comparison. If you want tactical resource play, stay Weapon Master. If you want a rugged expedition Fighter with fewer moving parts, better terrain tolerance, marked-target pressure, and a refusal-to-drop button, Trooper (Labyrinth Worldbook) is the cleaner pick.
Player's Guide 2 follows the same pattern: it changes the Fighter comparison more than the stunt
rankings. Scrapper is the dedicated grappler, Stunt Archer is the ranged trick-shot subclass, and
Twinblade is the dual-weapon skirmisher. None of those make Parry, Riposte, Tactical Retreat,
Wrestler's Clutch, or Bulwark worse. They just stop Weapon Master from being the only serious answer
to every martial concept. That is healthy design, even if it makes subclass choice a little less
obvious.
The Weapon Master is not the highest-damage Fighter subclass at any given level — the Spell Blade's Charged Strike or a high-crit-rate build might outdamage it in a controlled scenario. But in a real adventuring day with multiple fights, varied enemy configurations, and limited resources, the Weapon Master's action economy compounding through Wrestler's Clutch + Parry + Riposte + Deadly Flourish makes it the most _efficient_ Fighter subclass across a full session. Efficiency compounds. And in Tales of the Valiant, efficiency is how you win.
---
## Related Guides
- [Fighter Class Guide](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/class-guides/tov-fighter-guide)
- [Martial Talents Guide: Book of Blades Options](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#battle-tactician-book-of-blades)
- [Technical Talents Guide: Noxious Apothecary](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-technical-talents-guide#noxious-apothecary)
- [Heritage Guide: Book of Blades Heritages](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/heritage-guide#book-of-blades-heritages)
- [Animal Allies and Summons Guide: Book of Blades Mounted Support](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/monster-vault-animal-allies-and-summons-guide#book-of-blades-mounted-support)
- [Martial Talents Guide: Player's Guide 2 Options](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#players-guide-2-martial-talents)
---
_Tales of the Valiant is published by Kobold Press. This guide is fan-made and not affiliated with or endorsed by Kobold Press._