Can weapon aptitude change discipline focus weapons?

Question

The warblade's level 1 extraordinary ability weapon aptitude, in part, says

You also have the flexibility to adjust your weapon training. Each morning, you can spend 1 hour in weapon practice to change the designated weapon for any feat you have that applies only to a single weapon (such as Weapon Focus). You must have the newly designated weapon available during your practice session to make this change. For example, if you wish to change the designated weapon for your Weapon Focus feat from greatsword to longsword, you must have a longsword available to practice with during your practice session. (Tome of Battle 22)

The swordsage's level 1 extraordinary ability discipline focus (Weapon Focus), in part, says, "At 1st level, you gain the benefit of the Weapon Focus feat for weapons associated with the chosen discipline" (16).

Can a swordsage 1/warblade 1 take an hour (or maybe more) in the morning and, using the special ability weapon aptitude, trade the weapons that are granted the benefit of the feat Weapon Focus due to discipline focus so that totally different weapons receive the benefit of the feat Weapon Focus instead?

That is, can a swordsage 1/warblade 1, having picked the Tiger Claw discipline, take an hour (or maybe more) in the morning to trade his Weapon Focuses with the kukri, kama, claw, handaxe, greataxe, and unarmed strike for—assuming he could find the weapons—Weapon Focuses with the bolas, the fire bomb, the gun, the lightning lance, the thunderlash, and the triple dagger?

---

"What are you trying to pull?": I'm developing a character that can use the widest variety of exotic weapons to their fullest. Proficiency with all exotic weapons is available, so far as I can tell, at character level 6 at the earliest by taking level 1 of the Complete Scoundrel prestige class master of masks (52-6), opting for a gladiator mask. However, the Complete Warrior prestige class exotic weapon master (30-1) says that its class feature exotic weapon stunts applies only to weapons with which the creature has the feat Weapon Focus. The method the question supposes, if it works, seems like the best way to get the maximum number of Weapon Focus feats for the minimum investment. Alternatives to these decisions are welcome, but, please, first answer the question.

Answer 1

One could argue that swordsage doesn’t grant the Weapon Focus feats themselves, just their “benefit.” But that implies that they don’t count for any prerequisites, which is obnoxious (since they wouldn’t stack with Weapon Focus if you took it for a prerequisite) and doesn’t seem entirely in keeping with the premise of the ability (they could have easily just said that the swordsage gets a +1 bonus to attack rolls with the weapons).

Personally, the only time I’d even consider doing something like that is in the face of an attempt to pull the Dark Chaos Feat Shuffle on them. But then, I would just ban embrace the dark chaos and shun the dark chaos.

Barring that, I think that they are valid targets for Weapon Aptitude; if you get the feats, they can be modified by the class feature.

Answer 2

No.

By RAW, the Swordsage ability does not give the feat "Weapon Focus", only a benefit that is equivalent to it.

If the DM decides that it does give you a number of weapon focus feats, then you should discuss how that would play out with them. They may decide to restrict the retraining to weapons of other disciplines, or apply some other restrictions. This goes quickly into speculation about possible house-rules.

If this is allowed by your DM, it would still take an hour of practice with each weapon, to change each feat individually.

---

On a side note, without being allowed to retrain feats, there aren't very many exotic weapons included in the various disciplines. Bastard Sword/Katana for Diamond Mind, Dwarven Waraxe and Two Bladed Sword for Iron Heart, Nunchaku for Setting Sun, Kama and Claw¹ for Tiger Claw. Only Shadow Hand has 3 exotic weapons (Sai, Siangham, Spiked Chain) and many have none.

A more effective method to achieve your goal might be to just buy Weapon Focus a few times, and retrain them as needed. This gives you a reason to keep several exotic weapons around, and you can include in your backstory an expertise in all exotic weapons, and simply excuse it as such dedication with your current weapons that your skills with other weapons are quickly put to the back of your mind.

"Ah, the Two-Bladed Sword! It's been a while since I've used one of these. I'll need to refresh my skills with it before I take it into battle."

---

¹ I'm not sure if there is actually a "Claw" weapon in one of the books, or if this is referring to the Natural Attack.