Transform your combat from mindless dice-rolling into cinematic narrative art with historically authentic weapons and fighting techniques.

Master the Art of Medieval Combat in 57 Pages

Steel & Scholarship isn't just another equipment supplement — it's a complete reimagining of how weapons work in your game. Based on extensive Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) research and archaeological evidence, this comprehensive guide brings the real weapons and fighting techniques of medieval and Renaissance Europe to your gaming table. Balanced for 5e, easy to adapt to any medieval system.

What's Inside:

20 Meticulously Researched Historical Weapons From the Viking Dane axe that held Stamford Bridge to the Renaissance rapier that revolutionized dueling, each weapon comes with:

• Authentic historical background and battlefield role
• Unique mechanical properties that make each weapon tactically distinct
• Special techniques and combat applications
• Cultural context and social implications

Revolutionary Combat Systems That Add Depth Without Complexity

• Weapon Durability System: Your blade can chip, bend, or catastrophically fail—maintenance matters as much as skill
• Tactical Dueling Mechanics: Transform one-on-one combat into tense exchanges of attack, guard, and void with meaningful choices each round
• Cultural Fighting Schools: Learn German longsword techniques, Italian rapier science, Spanish geometric combat, and English pragmatism
• 30+ New Weapon Properties: From armor-piercing estocs to momentum-building zweihänders

Complete Narrative Combat Guide

• Learn what real sword fighting actually looks like (hint: it's nothing like Hollywood)
• Master the art of combat description with specific vocabulary for each weapon type
• Avoid common clichés while keeping fantasy elements that players love
• DM's guide to creating memorable combat encounters that players will talk about for years

Living History Through Gaming Discover why Vikings favored axes over swords, how the kriegsmesser exploited legal loopholes, why the pollaxe ended the age of knights, and how the rapier democratized dueling. Every weapon tells a story of the culture that created it.

Perfect For:

• Players who want weapons that feel mechanically and narratively distinct
• DMs seeking to add historical depth without bogging down gameplay
• History Enthusiasts who want authentic medieval combat in their fantasy
• Anyone tired of every sword feeling exactly the same

Features at a Glance:

• 57 pages of full-color content with period artwork
• Compatible with 5th Edition and easily adapted to other d20 systems
• Balanced mechanics tested in actual play
• Historical accuracy without sacrificing fun
• Modular systems—use what fits your table

Why Steel & Scholarship?

This book respects both history and gameplay. Every weapon existed. Every technique was practiced. But everything has been carefully adapted to enhance your game rather than overwhelm it. Whether you're running gritty historical campaigns or high fantasy adventures, these tools will make your combat memorable.

Your players will stop saying "I attack" and start saying "I bind their blade and strike over their guard." They'll maintain their weapons between battles. They'll seek out specific weapons for specific foes. They'll remember that duel for years.

Give your combat the weight of history and the drama it deserves.

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Format: PDF (high-resolution and printable)
Pages: 57
Language: English