Creating a "Weaponmaster"? [3.5e]

[DodgerH2O]

So I don't really know enough about Fighters to properly figure out how to accomplish what I want from a class mechanically, though I have the flavor down.

Some background: I'm working on a "Low Magic" homebrew and using the weapon group variant rule, I want to create a prestige class (preferably 5 levels or so) that would reward fighter-types for having proficiency in a majority of the weapon groups.

Ideally the flavor I'm going for would be someone who could be left tied up in a cell, and use anything he came across as well as someone who specialized only in that weapon. For example, he uses his bare hands and a distraction to incapacitate the guard, takes the club from the guard and fights off the others alerted, perhaps acquires a sword or polearm in the process, and uses all of these weapons to their "full" extent.

Essentially I want flexibility to be its strong suit, but without giving up damage. The primary feature would be something like Weapon Specialization bonuses applying to any proficient weapon, no switching, not even an action required. But I want it to be good at tripping when using tripping polearms, able to shoot into a crowd using a bow, and such things all at once. If I had to give a secondary function to it I'd want it to be non-arcane area control. Things like tripping, stunning, extra AoOs.

Does this sound like too much? Not enough? What, mechanically, could I use to model this?

[jiriku]

Challenging. If you just give a crapton of bonus feats, the fighter is actually better off specializing in one tactic than generalizing in many, but you wouldn't want him to do that for this purpose. If you give him "floating" feats, then switching is required. If you give him multiple simultaneous feat trees to progress through, then his options are restricted to only the feats you thought of including on the feat trees.

The tactic I use with my weapon master fighter is to grant, as fixed bonus feats, the core feats needed to be excellent with one style or tactic, then also to grant a floating pool of bonus feats that can be reselected from time to time. The fighter will usually commit his pool feats to specializing with his primary style, but if his primary style isn't useful, he can change up his pool feats to become competent (if not exceptional) at almost any combat style. It requires switching, though, and forces the player to have a thorough understanding of what feats are available and which feats are best for a given situation.