ForceUser
Explorer
I'm tired of arguing endlessly about which class, Fighter or Psychic Warrior, is "better." If you can make an argument either way, write one up and plunk it down. If you think another class altogether is a better combatant, let's see it. I'm going to make a few rules to ensure a level playing field for this smackdown, then I'm going to get cranking on a fighter. Anyone is welcome to join in with their favorite build, as long as you follow the criteria outlined below.
SMACKDOWN RULES
Naturally, the whole argument of which class is better hinges on the situations in which you place the characters. Rangers do better verses favored enemies, paladins do better verses evil outsiders and undead. Here, then, is my criteria for defining which melee class is "better":
Finally, assuming the above hypothetical combat scenario, let's observe how each candidate stacks up at different periods in a day of adventuring.
Once a reasonable amount of entries are tallied, I'll do a comparison chart to see how everyone stacks up. Have fun!
SMACKDOWN RULES
- You may only use content (feats, magic items, powers, spells) from the following sources to build your candidate: Player's Handbook, Book of Exalted Deeds, Complete Divine, Complete Warrior, Expanded Psionics Handbook.
- All characters will be built with 25 points, which is the standard point-buy as listed in the Dungeon Master's Guide.
- Your candidate will be 20th level, with 760,000 gp in magical or psionic gear.
- You will have average hit points. For d8 HD classes, average hit points is 94 plus extra hit points from your Constitution modifier, feats, and magic items. For d10 HD classes, average hit points at 20th level is 115. For d12 HD classes, the number is 136.
- No multiclassing or prestige classes allowed.
Naturally, the whole argument of which class is better hinges on the situations in which you place the characters. Rangers do better verses favored enemies, paladins do better verses evil outsiders and undead. Here, then, is my criteria for defining which melee class is "better":
- Adaptability: How capable is the candidate of overcoming adverse environmental conditions? What does he do when the enemy splits the battlefield with a wall spell? How does he fare when hit with a meteor swarm or a charm monster?
- Damage output: How much damage can the candidate reasonably expect to inflict on a full attack verses an AC 35 foe with 300 hit points? Assume an attack with a greater than 50% chance to hit does so, and an attack with a less than 50% chance to hit does not. How many rounds does it take you to kill this opponent?
- Damage absorption: How well does your candidate take a hit? How much punishment can he take before he drops? In the same scenario above in which he is making a full attack verses an adjacent foe, calculate the probability that his foe will land an attack on the candidate, assuming the foe's attacks are +35/+30/+25/+20. Consider a probability of better than 50% to be a hit, and a probability of less than 50% to be a miss. Assuming that, how many rounds does it take your candidate to die assuming the foe deals 3d6+20 damage per hit?
- Mobility: Mobility is often key to winning a fight. How easily does your candidate move around the battlefield?
Finally, assuming the above hypothetical combat scenario, let's observe how each candidate stacks up at different periods in a day of adventuring.
- First fight of the day: Assume the scenario above is the first fight of the day and all candidates are fresh. Round-by-round, how does he do? Yes, it's likely that any candidate will lose to the foe outlined above, one-on-one, but let's find out how many rounds your candidate will last.
- Mid-fight of the day: If you cast spells, use power points, or have abilities you can only use a certain number of times per day (such as barbarian rage), halve your available power for this fight (rounding down) and run your character through the blender again. See how he does.
- Last fight of the day: Repeat the same scenario as above, except now your candidate is operating on 20% of his daily allotment of rages, smites, power points, and spells. Additonally, all candidates are at 70% of their normal hit point totals.
- Surprised at night with no armor on: In this, a rat-bastard DM's favorite scenario, you have full power but no armor. You can only use any items you'd reasonably be wearing while sleeping. Of course, your weapon is close at hand. Go to.
Once a reasonable amount of entries are tallied, I'll do a comparison chart to see how everyone stacks up. Have fun!
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. That's what this thread is for. Put your numbers where your opinion is. 
