Some scholars study a set of weapons extensively, learning their use, history, and character. A scholar of arms learns how to use his studied weapons with great skill, how to judge other users of the same weapons, and how to bring out more from those weapons than others can.

Field Skill: Craft (weapons).

Field Studies: lead blades/gravity bow* (3rd), spiritual weapon** (6th), magic weapon (greater) (9th), dance of a hundred cuts/bow spirit* (12th), heroism (greater) (15th), transformation (18th).

*Select the spell suitable to your weapon group.
**This spell always summons a weapon from your weapon group.

Field Feats: Armor Proficiency (light), Armor Proficiency (medium), Dodge, Master Craftsman, Shield Proficiency, Skill Focus (Craft [weapons]), Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Vital Strike.

Field Abilities: The following are the granted abilities of the arms field.

Weapon Training (Ex): At 1st level, you select one weapon group (see the fighter's weapon training class feature). You gain proficiency with all simple weapons in that group. At 5th level, you gain proficiency with all martial weapons in that group. At 10th level, you gain proficiency with any exotic weapons in that group.

In addition, you receive a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls made with weapons from your chosen weapon group. You also add this bonus to combat maneuver checks made with weapons from this group. Finally, this bonus applies to your combat maneuver defense when defending against disarm and sunder attempts made against weapons from this group. The bonuses from this ability improve by +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter, to a maximum bonus of +5 at 17th level.

Wielder Understanding (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain a bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks made against creatures wielding or bearing weapons from your weapon training group equal to 1/2 your level. You also add this bonus to the DC of any Diplomacy or Intimidate skill check made against you by such creatures. You cannot be caught flat-footed by a creature brandishing a weapon from your weapon group.

Usage Understanding (Ex): You know how others fight with your studied weapons, and can use this knowledge to defend yourself against them and develop some martial tricks of your own. At 9th level, you add your weapon training bonus as a Dodge bonus to your AC against attacks made with weapons from your weapon group. In addition, your scholar levels stack with any fighter levels you possess for the purpose of meeting the level prerequisite for feats that specifically select a weapon from your weapon group.

Weapon Trick (Ex): At 15th level, select one weapon property from the following list: blocking, brace, deadly, disarm, distracting, grapple, monk, nonlethal, performance, trip. Whenever you wield a weapon from your weapon group, you treat it as though it had the selected property. At 17th and 19th levels, you select an additional property from this list.

Weapon Unity: At 20th level, you become one with your studied weapons. You cannot be disarmed when wielding a weapon from your weapon group, nor can it be stolen while you are wearing it. You receive your weapon training bonus as a bonus to any saving throw made against a spell targeting weapons from your weapon group. Your studied weapons, as extensions of your body, no longer fully occupy your hands—as long as you are holding a weapon from your weapon group, the hand holding it can still be used to manipulate objects, retrieve and store items, and so on. This does not allow you to wield multiple weapons in one hand.