This is my third homebrew, and it's probably my most ambitious yet. I'm trying to fix the fighter, and it's taken a while. Fixing the fighter is a notoriously hard task, he's got to be so many things to so many people. So in order to make this fix, I've borrowed from the work of a number of others.
BRC's Brawler,
Psionic Dog's Limb Loss Rules and
Realms of Chaos' Fighter Fix. In fact the BRC's Brawler and Psionic Dog's rules especially, I've copied some of BRC's work, and this homebrew runs on Psionic Dog's rules. So thank you.
This is probably my most ambitious fix yet, a whole thread has been devoted to wrestling with fixing the fighter,
The Fighter Manifesto from which I've tailor-made this fix for. I've aimed to address all the requests of this thread, but I doubt I'm successful in doing so.
Just a note: I'm aiming this to be tier three, that's inline with the Warblade, Crusader, Bard, Duskblade etc.
And without further ado, here it is, the big one:
The Fighter
"Is that all you've got Dragon? Well I've got more, eat this!"
The fighter is a guy who fights. He is the man who fronts up to battle and defeats his opposition in a number of ways, depending on his personal style. He could be gritty, flashy, dirty, honourable, whatever he chooses.
More often than not though, the fighter is the frontline combatant, who tries to get between the rest of his party and their enemies. He's probably also the weapons guy.
The Fighter
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Defensive Style, Favoured Weapon +1, Bonus Feat |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Fighter Ability, Fighter's Skills |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Bravery |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Fighter Ability, Bonus Feat |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Mettle, Favoured Weapon +2 |
| 6th | +6/+1 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Fighter Ability |
| 7th | +7/+2 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Bonus Feat |
| 8th | +8/+3 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Fighter Ability |
| 9th | +9/+4 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Ironback |
| 10th | +10/+5 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Improved Fighter Ability, Bonus Feat, Favoured Weapon +3 |
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Improved Mettle |
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Improved Fighter Ability |
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Bonus Feat |
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Improved Fighter Ability, |
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Fight On, Favoured Weapon +4 |
| 16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Master Fighter Ability, Bonus Feat |
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Through the Armour |
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Master Fighter Ability |
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | It was Inevitable, Bonus Feat |
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Perfect Fighter Ability, Bonus Feat, Favoured Weapon +5 |
Hit Dice: d10
Skills: 4+Int (x4 at 1st level).
Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (two skills of your choice, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Tumble (Dex).
Class Features:
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: Simple, Martial and One Exotic of your choice. Armour (see defensive styles)
Defensive Styles: At 1st, you may choose one of the defensive styles from the following:
Unarmoured:
Light:
Medium:
Heavy:
Favoured Weapon: At 1st level, Choose a favoured weapon type which you have proficiency with. When wielding this type of weapon you gain a +1 bonus to attack, damage, disarm, sunder and trip rolls. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level, +3 at 10th level, +4 at 15th level and +5 at 20th level. You may retrain this by spending an hour of uninterrupted training with this new type of weapon. You must have proficiency with this new weapon type.
Bonus Feat: At 1st and 4th levels, and every three levels afterwards, you may select a bonus feat from the Fighter Feat list.
Fighter's Mount: At 1st level, you may choose a mount, and spend one day with it of interrupted training. This yields a +1 bonus on ride and handle animal checks. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level, and a further +1 every 5 levels after that. This mount is the mount referred to in all other abilities.
Fighter Ability: At 2nd 4th, 6th and 8th levels, you may choose an ability from this set. Instead of picking an ability, you may take a Fighter Bonus Feat.
Spoiler
Stunning Strike: as per Stunning Fist except you can use a weapon. Furthermore the DC is based off Str or Dex whichever is higher.
Thundering Charge When you make a mounted charge, you may make a free intimidate check against anyone in your path. If you succeed, the intimidated enemy may not take attacks of opportunity against you, and if they have readied an action to attack you when you charge (or similar) they may not do so.
Dirty Fighting: As a standard action, or as part of a full attack, you may sacrifice a normal attack in exchange for a dirty fighting check. You make the attack and damage rolls as normal, but the attack deals no damage. Instead, the target must succeed on a fortitude save (DC 5+damage that would have been dealt) or be treated as flat footed for 1 round.
Uncanny Dodge: You gain the ability Uncanny Dodge, as per the Barbarian.
Goad:As a swift action, you may to goad all enemies within 100ft. All enemies of that can hear and see you must make a will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 Fighter Level +Charisma Modifier) or attack you by any means necessary. This effect last until the begining of your next turn. You may goad the enemies 1/2 Fighter level times per encounter.
Fire!:Gain Point Blank Shot and Rapid Shot even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
Mounted Manoeuvres: Gain Mounted Combat and Ride by attack, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
Shield Ally: As an immediate action you may opt to absorb half the damage given to an adjacent ally. He takes half damage, you take half damage. This lasts until your next turn, this may not be used to absorb damage from spell-like or supernatural abilities, unless they involve throwing physical objects at your ally.
Cumulative Momentum: For each missed attack in a full attack you may add a +4 on your next attack this round. This stacks. For example if you make 2 attacks and miss both of them, you will gain a +8 bonus on your third attack.
Mounted Tactics: You receive another +1 bonus for being higher up (total +2), and you may use the combat expertise and power attack feats (Including their penalties) with your mount. For example, the rider directs his mount to use power attack. The mount's base attack for this purpose is equal to your own.
It Builds Up: After each successful hit add 1d6 damage to the next hit. This stacks until the end of your turn, at which point it resets. For example if you make 2 successful attacks, the next gains a bonus 2d6 damage.
A Major Distraction: Enemies that take a hit from a fighter take a penalty to their AC equal to 1/2 your Fighter Level until your next turn, if they fail a reflex save (DC= 5+Damage Dealt).
Keep it coming: After a fighter lands a critical hit he gains Temporary HP equal to a quater of the damage dealt (maximum double your fighter level). This doesn't include DR or resistances of the opponent targeted, just the actual damage output. These temporary hit points last one minute.
Cunning Tactics: You gain Improved Trip and Improved Disarm as bonus feats, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
Brutish Tactics: You gain Improved Grapple and Improved Bull Rush as bonus feats, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
Sneak Attack: You gain +1d6 Sneak Attack. This ability may be taken multiple times, it's effects stack.
Mount and Rider Bond: Your mount receives the benefit of your mettle and bravery abilities. In addition, it may be pushed as if it was a druid's animal companion.
Mounted Defence: Your mount when you're riding it, gets a bonus to AC equal your favoured weapon bonus.
Mounted Aggression:Your mount when you're riding it, gets a bonus to attack and damage equal to your favoured weapon bonus.
Ain't Nothing Gonna Break My Stride: You gain a +4 bonus to armor class against any attacks of opportunity you provoke by charging or bull rushing. In addition, you may charge over uneven terrain.
Injury To Insult: Requires Cunning Tactics. Any time you successfully trip or disarm an opponent, you may make an attack against the opponent that was just disarmed or tripped at the same attack bonus as the trip attempt. This stacks with Improved Trip.
Vigilant Defender: If an opponent attempts to use the Tumble skill to move through your threatened area or your space without provoking attacks of opportunity, the Tumble check DC to avoid your attacks of opportunity increases by an amount equal to your class level.
Pounce: You gain the ability Pounce. If you charge a foe, you may make a full attack.
Float like a Butterfly: You gain Dodge and Mobility as Bonus Feats even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
Fighter's Skill: At 2nd level, choose a skill from the following: Balance, Bluff, Craft, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Swim and Tumble. Add 1/2 of your Fighter level (minimum 1) to skill checks of this type.
Bravery: At 3rd level, you gain a bonus to saves against harmful fear and morale effects equal to 1/2 your Fighter level.
Mettle: At 5th level, If you make a Will save or Fortitude save that has an effect on a successful save (such as the damage on a successful save vs. Disintegrate), you take no effect on a successful save (i.e., ‘Will half’ and ‘Fortitude partial’ become ‘Will none’ and ‘Fortitude’ none for you).
Ironback: At 9th level, you halve the penalties relating to heavy and medium encumbrance. This doesn't extend to armour though.
Improved Fighter Ability: At 10th, 12th, and 14th levels, you may select an ability from the following list. Instead of one of these abilities, you may select a Fighter Ability or a bonus feat, if you wish.
Spoiler
Mage Fighter: At You gain the feat Mage Slayer even if you don't meet the prequisites. Additionally, if caster attempts to cast a spell normally, when they provoke an Attack of Opportunity, their concentration check is raised by your Fighter level.
Packhorse: Your mount doubles it's carrying capacity.
Accelerate!: Your mount gets a bonus to its speed equal to your favoured weapon bonus times 5ft.
Lasting Wounds: On a successful critical, you deal 1d4 + 1/4 Fighter level Constitution damage. You may take a -4 penalty to your attack and attempt to deal this damage as a standard action.
Between the Ribs: When attacking flatfooted targets, you deal 1d6 extra damage per 4 fighter levels. Requires Dirty Fighting.
Critical Strike: As a standard action you may make an attack at your highest attack bonus. This attack, upon hitting does maxed critical damage. This stacks with lasting wounds, but does not stack with any other critical related abilities.
Between the scales: Ignore up to 1/2 your Fighter level in DR, when making an attack on an opponent.
Attack not the ally: When an enemy within reach attacks deals damage to an ally (not you), you may attack immediately attack the enemy, once per round at your highest attack bonus.
Improved Mage Fighter: (requires Mage Fighter) You gain the feats Pierce Magical Concealment and Pierce Magical Protection even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
Improved Mettle: As per Mettle, except upon a failed throw, you receive only the partial effect.
Fight On: At 15th level, you may ignore any single attack, spell or supernatural effect for a total number of rounds per day equal to 1/2 your Fighter level plus your Constitution Modifier, if the effect is not enough to kill you. The effect doesn't affect you in any way at all until you run out of rounds, or choose to let the effect affect you. You may make saves to overcome that effect during that time.
Master Fighter Abilities: At 16th and 18th levels, you may select an ability from this list. If you wish, instead, you may may select a fighter ability, an improved fighter ability or a bonus feat.
Through the Armour: Once per turn, instead of making a normal attack, you may make an attack that targets the target's touch AC.
It was Inevitable: Once per turn, on of your attacks is a automatic hit.
Perfect Fighter Abilities: At 20th level, you may select one of these abilities from the least. If you wish, you may select a Master Fighter Ability, Improved Fighter Ability, Fighter Ability or Bonus Feat
Spoiler
Killing Blow: As a standard action you may make an attack. This attack, if it hits, does normal damage, however, the enemy must make a Fortitude Save (DC 10 +1/2 Fighter Level + Strength Modifier) or die.
Head Shot: Once per turn, you may make an attack as a standard action or part of a full attack. If this attack hits, it deals normal damage. In addition, it will permanently destroy somebody's head, torso, or limbs if the enemy fails a (DC 10 +1/2 Fighter Level + Strength Modifier) Fortitude save. Creatures not vulnerable to critical hits are unaffected by this ability. Requires Limb Severing Blow.
A Good Fighter Never Falls: Once every 3 encounters, when reduced to below 0 hit points, you may make a Fighter level check (d20+fighter level). Divide the result by 5. You may keep fighting normally for this many rounds below 0hp, even if brought to -10hp. When this ability wears off, the current state of your hit points affects you again.
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If anyone would suggest some out of combat abilites, that would be appropriate, that would be brilliant.
In fact any suggestions would be great. Thanks guys.