DMing To Win: CLASSES: The Fighter

FIGHTER
HP: 1d10 (minimum 6) until level 12, +3 HP/level after 12
Attack Bonus: +1/level
Attack Rate:     Level 1        1/1 turn
                           Level 6        3/2 turns
                           Level 11    2/1 turn
                           Level 17    5/2 turns

Weapon Proficiencies:    4 at level 1 + 1 every 3 levels (4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19)
    Non-Proficient Weapon Penalty: -1

Weapon Proficiencies: Fighters may choose from any Weapons.

Armor: Fighters may wear any armor and use any shields

Talent Proficiencies:     3 at level 1 + 1 every 3.5 levels (5, 8, 12, 15, 19)
    Non-Proficient Talent Penalty: -4

Fortitude Save: +3 at level 1 + 1 every 2 levels (3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19)
Reflex Save: +1 at level 1 + 1 every 2.5 levels (4, 6, 9, 11, 14, 16, 19)
Will Save: +1 at level 1 + 1 every 2.5 levels (4, 6, 9, 11, 14, 16, 19)

1st Level: Exploit [Use: Additional Effect on Attack Rolls] - A Fighter makes the best of every attack. When a Fighter hits a target and the total for the Attack Roll exceeds the Armor Class of the target, any additional Attack Bonus is converted into additional damage. This extra damage cannot exceed half the fighter’s level, rounded up. For example, a level 1 Fighter that rolled a total of 18 on an attack roll to strike a target with AC 16 would do 1 additional damage to that target. A level 4 Fighter in the same situation would do an additional 2 damage to the target. A critical hit always deals the maximum possible additional damage from this ability.

2nd Level: Bull Rush/Take-down [Use: Additional Effect on Push Back/Trip] - At level 2, a Fighter never misses an opportunity to hurt a foe! When a fighter successfully performs a Push Back or Trip maneuver against a target, the fighter also deals damage to the target equal to half their normal damage. For example, if the fighter normally does 1d8+2 damage, they would roll damage normally and then halve it against any opponent they successfully Push Back or Trip.

3rd Level: Cut Down [Use: Standard] – At level 3, a Fighter learns to fear no challenge from lesser foes regardless of their numbers. When attacking foes who’s Combat Maneuver Bonus is half or less of the Fighter’s Combat Maneuver Bonus the Fighter may exploit their lack of skill by attacking a number of them equal to his level. These attacks must be melee attacks and are made at the fighters regular attack bonus and do standard damage. A foe cannot be targeted with a Cut Down attack more than a single time in a round. If a fighter gets multiple attacks in a round they may use the other attacks to Cut Down (the once per round limit on Cut Down applies to all uses of Cut Down in that round) different foes or to make additional standard attacks as normal. For example, a level 3 fighter (CMB 3) attacking kobolds (CMB 1) would be able to attack 3 different kobolds per Cut Down. A level 6 fighter attacking kobolds would be able to target 6 different kobolds per Cut Down and, because of the fighters additional attack on odd rounds, also be able to make a standard attack against any target they designated.

5th Level: Riddle of Steel [Use: Additional Effect on Damage Rolls] – At level 5, a Fighter knows that steel can be trusted to overcome the sturdy & supernatural. When making an attack a Fighter ignores stages of Damage Reduction equal to half their level, rounded up. For example, a gargoyle with Damage Reduction 5 would decrease a long-sword from a d8 five steps down to 1 damage (5 steps from d8->d6->d4->d3->d2->1). A level 5 Fighter would ignore 3 of those steps, reducing the die only to a d4 instead.

6th Level: Deft Maneuvers [Use: Attack Option] - At level 6, a Fighter can flawlessly weave maneuvers into their attack form. When a Fighter uses a Standard or Full-Round action to use a Combat Maneuver that targets an enemy they are still able to make any additional attacks that round as if the Combat Maneuver were a standard attack. For example, a 6th level fighter who receives an extra attack on every odd round would be able to use their first attack as a Trip maneuver and their second attack as a standard attack (or vice versa). This does not allow a Fighter to make multiple Combat Maneuver attempts in a round. Since this ability requires the Combat Maneuver to be one that targets enemies it cannot be combined with the Parry maneuver.

9th Level: Dispatch [Use: Additional Effect on Cut Down] – At level 9, a Fighter can remove lesser foes from his path with startling ease. When a Fighter uses Cut Down they may treat each attack as a Power Attack maneuver except the Fighter uses the higher of the two dice to determine his attack roll instead of the lower. When using Cut Down without Dispatch, the Fighter misses on a natural 1 but does not otherwise suffer any fumble result and the Fighter may divide his movement between attacks. For example, if in combat with 4 orcs, the Fighter could use Cut Down, hit the 4 orcs then move to another group of orcs within his movement range then continue using the remainder of his Cut Down attacks against them.

14th Level: Slaughter [Use: Additional Effect on Cut Down/Dispatch] – At level 14, a Fighter kills lesser foes almost effortlessly. When a Fighter uses Dispatch any hit target must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC = 10 + half the fighters level) or be reduced to -1 hit points. Additionally, while using Cut Down the Fighter treats his weapons as if they had the Vorpal quality.

18th Level: Raze [Use: Additional Effect on Power Attack] – At level 18, a Fighter can rain devastation down upon his foes. When a Fighter successfully hits using the Power Attack maneuver they increase the damage dice in addition to doubling them. For example, a Power Attack with a long-sword (d8) that would normally do 2d8 instead does 2d10 damage. Additionally, any extra damage from Exploit on this attack is capped at the Fighters level instead of half of their level.

20th Level: Master of Arms [Use: Additional Effect on Damage Rolls] – At level 20, a Fighter has an innate understanding of their weapons and can use them like no other. The Fighter steps up the damage die when using any weapon they are proficient with. This stacks with any other effects that increase the damage die. For example, a 20th Fighter with a long-sword would do 2d12 weapon damage with a long-sword when using Power Attack. The long-sword would move from 1d8->1d10(Master of Arms) then doubled with Power Attack to 2d10 and then raised to 2d12 with Raze.

Fighter Level

Ability

Attack Bonus

CMB

Base Armor Class

Fort

Ref

Will

WPs, TPs, Exploit

Bull Rush/Take-down

Cut-Down

TP, Riddle Of Steel

Deft Maneuvers

Dispatch

+10

+11

+12

+13

Slaughter

+14

+15

+10

+16

+10

+17

+11

Raze

+18

+11

WP, TP

+19

+12

Master of Arms

+20

+12

***

So here is the Fighter in all his glory. Or at least as he stands with my current understanding of the system. I am still giving thought to non-weapon proficiencies and potentially some kind of other mechanic but that will be developed (or dropped) as the revision continues.

First let's get the concept out of the way...

What is a Fighter at low level? Very easy to imagine. A capable but still green warrior. A swordsman that knows his craft but that has a long road ahead of him.

Hello low level fighter.

Link at the start of his journey is a perfect example of a low level fighter. Easy to understand.

What, however, is a mid-level fighter then? Well it would be easy to say it's Link later on...but that would be lame of me. So what's a mid-level fighter?

Oh hey! Sup, Gimli? This guy takes crap from no one and eliminates lesser foes with ease. Still he has to work at this and there are things well outside his weight class.

So...who's the high level fighter then? Who embodies that? This guy...

Yeah. Lu Bu of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The guy that was able to stalemate three of the finest fighters of his age. The single man that was worth an army. He is a murder machine on a whole 'nother level. Ye olde Chuck Norris. This guy is a thresher and enemies before him are just grain getting in his way.

Get it? Got it? Good.

Let's start at the top. Statistically the Fighter hasn't changed much. The d10 hit point is familiar and the steady +1 to hit progression is as expected. The Fighter also gains multiple attacks as they level up, not something every class can claim...and even those that can claim it do not necessarily do it as well as the Fighter.

The Fighter starts with the highest number of weapon proficiencies available (4) and gains them very quickly. Even when not proficient with a weapon, however, the fighter has only a -1 to their roll. This is THE BEST Non-Proficient Weapon Modifier in the game. Period. Full stop. NO ONE else gets that -1. It is sacrosanct and belongs entirely to the Fighter. End of sentence. And it is that way entirely by design. The Fighter is the Fighter...they deserve it.

The Fighter starts with an admirable number of Talent Proficiencies (3) and gains them at a fairly good pace, letting the Fighter pick up skills and such to supplement themselves. It has been a constant failure of the 3rd edition (and its derivatives) that Fighters have gotten shafted hard on Skills. It makes them far too one dimensional when usually Fighters are guys with varied and interesting Talents in fiction and history.

Saves are imported from 3.0 because of how clear and concise they are. Unlike 3.0 however I am not allowing for such a big disparity between what one is "good" at and what one is "bad" at when it comes to saves. Having weaknesses is fine...having kryptonite is lame.

Now onto the class features...

Exploit is the bread & butter of the Fighter. It makes EVERY attack interesting. It makes every attack potentially more than just "I roll to hit. I hit". It gives the fighter player something to do. It creates excitement for the roll almost every time. And it is thematically perfect...and it just gets better as the Fighter levels.

Bull Rush/Take-down I have already mentioned on this blog. This single ability, combined with Maneuvers remaining relevant throughout the various levels, gives Fighters interesting choices to make every round. And the vast majority of those choices DO NOT include "Do I do damage or not?". Instead, the Fighter has the ability to do damage almost every single round (or at least threaten to do so) in ways that other classes cannot.

Cut Down is a translation from an optional rule in previous editions. However, because I have linked it to CMB it can remain important and useful throughout the Fighters career. It also lets them tangibly experience growth as a character as they become able to Cut Down increasingly stronger foes. Wizards might be able to fire bomb an area, but Fighters can surgically cut people down...and they don't need to worry about collateral damage when they do it.

Riddle of Steel gives everyone a little insight into how I am looking to do Damage Reduction...which is a complete departure from all previous D&D design attempts (which I think have sucked). This power also lets the Fighter continue to do what he is best at...deal damage.

Deft Maneuvers kicks in for Fighters right when it becomes most pertinent for them. It makes the Fighter a strategic force on the battlefield and, when combined with Bull Rush/Take-down, can still keep the damage coming.

Dispatch is one of those things that Fighters have pretty much always been missing in D&D. Just slaughter the little wienies. Of course, 4th Ed tried to half-ass this (surprise!) with minions...but anyone could just wipe them out. You know when Gimli just butchers Orcs left & right? Yeah that's Dispatch at work. Make sure to read this power closely too as it also improves the regular Cut Down power to let the Fighter move & kill with greater authority. Movement and Dispatch can't be combined.

Slaughter. Oh yeah. I mentioned slaughtering people with Dispatch didn't I? Yeah well it doesn't compare to this power. This is what separates Gimli from Lu Bu. Gimli slays foes...Lu Bu butchers them. Remember that mention of a thresher? That is Slaughter at work. The intent of the power is clear...let the Fighter do what they do best and clear out weaker foes. Of course, since Cut Down has been scaling with the Fighter the entire time it means Slaughter is always potentially useful.

Raze is a late-level power boost for Fighters that lets them dish out big hurt to big HP enemies. It also calls all the way back to the 1st level Exploit power. A Fighters Raze represents those techniques that Fighters name or are known for. They are what the Japanese would refer to as "Sure Killing Techniques".

Master of Arms is the so-called "capstone" ability for the Fighter and is, basically, an all around boost to their effectiveness. It is simple, straight-forward and effective like the Fighter class itself.

I have tried to keep the Fighter as straight-forward as is reasonable while still making a fun, effective class. The irony with the 3.0/3.5/Pathfinder Fighter is that it is designed as the simplest class (a feat every other level) but is really one of the most difficult to navigate because it perfectly embodies the problems with too much crunch I described in my previous post on that topic. There are too many options for a player to choose from. There is too much garbage to sort through to find gold! If someone picks a class called "Fighter" they probably want a character that can fight well dammit! And that is what this class gives them instead of telling them to make one their damn selves.

As always, feedback is welcome. Also keep in mind that this is a first draft and may (almost certainly) go through revision especially as I continue developing my edition.

DMing To Win

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

CLASSES: The Fighter

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