how do you make a Fighter be not-boring?

[loki8481]

is there a way? it seems that while other classes have a constantly expanding bag of tricks, whether it's from new spell levels or new base class abilities or both, it seems like fighters have essentially the same gameplay style from level 1 through level 20, just with more hitpoints and without all the fun stuff that casters get.

is it as boring in actuality as it sounds to me on paper?

 

[Elethiomel]

You use the Warblade in the fighter's place, that's how you make it non-boring.

However, just because you're hitting things with a weapon, doesn't mean you can't change things up with tactical feats that grant new abilities, for instance. The fighter is the hardest class to get variety of play with. It's not impossible, but neither is it worth it, in my opinion. The Warblade is much less hassle to get variety out of out-of-the-box.

 

[Herzog]

I don't know about you, but every single build I've worked on sooner or later runs into a very simple problem: lack of feats.

This is the power of the fighter: where the wizard and cleric get their spells and the rogue gets his skills, the fighter gets feats.

While there are appearent 'no-brainers' like Power Attack and Cleave, the same two feats could have gone elsewhere.

Where a wizard might focus his spells into a specific school or element, the fighter can focus on mobile fighting (spring attack), protective fighting (improved disarm) and/or fighting large crowds (greater cleave)

True, without even looking I can predict the Warblade will probably be more interesting (without making an effort to search for those brilliant feat-combinations the fighter might have) and maybe even more powerfull (since WotC has made it a habit to increase the power of their classes/prc's/feats/spells with every new splatbook they publish)

That doesn't mean you can't make the fighter interesting. But, because it is such a versatile class, you have to look for that interesting combination of feats yourself. It's not hardcoded into the class. Just as wizards have to look for their favorite spells, and rogues have to determine where to focus their skillpoints....

 

[Theroc]

For variety, I'd say go the Combat Expertise 'chain' Improved Feint, Improved Disarm, Improved trip.

Then you have about 4 options right off the bat when you enter the fray with someone.

Granted, it takes several levels to get all those feats...

 

[loki8481]

has anyone tried any multi-class fighter builds that ended up being interesting?

 

[Theroc]

has anyone tried any multi-class fighter builds that ended up being interesting?

I would suggest you define 'interesting' as it's a very subjective term. Some may find it interesting to play a fighter who is amazed with the variety and crazy things his companion can do.

What is it that YOU find interesting, since it apparently is NOT a fighter... lol

 

[Sharkon]

You say fighter is boring. Here are some suggestions for builds :
1)multiclass with barbarian, take the feats extra rage and leap attack and calculate the damage that character does
2) Take improved trip with spiked chain as mentioned above or fight with 2 weapons and boots of speed (8 attacks at lvl 12)
3)Open the feats in complete sqoundrel and see which classes can be joined with that of the fighter's ( i once played a martial stalker, fighter-ninja, and was very efficient )

You can find other builds also great and as far as the rp is concerned it is up to you. In one of my campaigns as a figther i was the personal guard of a wizard in the party and made gold out of that
There are many things you can df course fighter is not as interesting as a spellcaster but he is no boring for sure

 

[Flatus Maximus]

has anyone tried any multi-class fighter builds that ended up being interesting?

In our last campaign, one of my players mixed levels of Bard and Fighter to get into the Dragon Disciple prestige class. When he told me that's what he wanted to do, I was skeptical; but it turned out to be a very effective combatant. The trick is to forget about spells with DC (so you can get by with a relatively low Cha), then pick from the low-level-but-useful Bard spells. Don't forget UMD, and inspire courage w/ inspirational boost (Spell Compendium) to make up for the loss of BAB due to Bard levels while also buffing your allies.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The key to making Fighters "non-boring" is to figure out why your guy or gal does what he does...and how. Give him a personality.

One of my most memorable PCs of all time was a 1ED Fighter named Bear. I made a deal with my DM- give me maxed out physical stats and all of his mental stats would be 6-7s. Bear was a gentle giant, he fought because he was trained to do so by those around him (what else was he going to do?). Despite his nature, though, he had hooked up with a manipulative thief who treated him well...in order to have the most loyal and dangerous bodyguard he could find. That thief was- to Bear- brother, father and God all rolled up into a diminutive package that was his only true friend.

The thief eventually took something he really shouldn't have, and the City Watch boiled out of their barracks like fire ants from a kicked-over mound. As the party fled, the thief told Bear to protect him...

As they crossed a river on a narrow bridge, Bear turned and faced the entire Watch himself, taking down one after another until he died. By then, the party was safely away.

Other fun fighters had unusual intellect or wisdom in the other direction, oddball weapons, quirks & taboos, etc. It wasn't necessarily about the fight.

has anyone tried any multi-class fighter builds that ended up being interesting?

Sure- dozens of times, in every edition!

Examples from 3.X:

1) Johnny Bones: a NE Ftr/Thief, done to conform to 1Ed type class stats. He was a bit of a street-thug who fell in with a good crowd. Didn't stop him from bullying the party mage, though. Points for style included TWF with Rapier & SS, and studded leather armor with skull-shaped studs.

2) Adragon Von Basten: a CG Ftr/Sorc. The son of a high-class courtesan and a Half-Dragon mercenary, he worked as a bouncer in the brothel until he was forced to leave because he killed an incognito noble who raped and killed the woman he loved (a seamstress who worked at the brothel). He wore Scale armor & shield, fought with a Maul. Most spells he knew had no somatic components. Cast almost no spells in combat- instead, channeling the spell energy for a lightning BW via the Draconic Breath feat (CompArc).

3) Sister Shrike: a LN Ftr/Monk/Kensai. Dex-based, used AoOs & FoB with a Greatspear (Pole Fighter feat lets it be used as a monk weapon), Monkey Grip, and potions of Enlarge to deal out some serious hurt to some dragons at a Dallas Gameday hosted by GenX Games. Battle was her prayer.

 

[rgard]

has anyone tried any multi-class fighter builds that ended up being interesting?

Fighter/Martial Rogue (UA variant) ends up with decent amount of feats. You lose SA, but gain the figher feat progression.

I've always preferred light, mobile fighters so this combo works for me.

Thanks
Rich