D&D 5E The Fighter: tweaking Indomitable to work in all the Pillars.

[Quartz]

One of the perennial issues with the Fighter is that it has no class features in the Social and Exploration pillars. There's a general thread about helping the Fighter elsewhere but I'd like to focus on one thing only. Earlier this morning my eyes lit upon the Indomitable class feature - re-rolling a saving throw. So how about tweaking Indomitable? Instead of restricting Indomitable only to saving throws, how about expanding it to function for ability checks and skill rolls? This would mean it could used in all three pillars. ("Let me have another look at that map.", "Forgive my cranio-rectal inversion, what I meant to say...", "Don't worry, I've got you.") To make the ability useful at common levels of play you'd have to bring the first usage forward to 3rd to 5th level which means that the 9th level entry changes to you getting it 2 / day but that's no big deal. I'd also change the ability to recharge on a Short Rest, but perhaps that's a step too far.

What do you think?

 

[Quartz]

Hmm.. I've just read [MENTION=2525]Mistwell[/MENTION] 's thread on Action Surge and I wonder if Action Surge and Indomitable could be folded together? That might make a Fighter dip too powerful if both abilities were allowed straight off.

 

[Blue]

One of the perennial issues with the Fighter is that it has no class features in the Social and Exploration pillars. There's a general thread about helping the Fighter elsewhere but I'd like to focus on one thing only. Earlier this morning my eyes lit upon the Indomitable class feature - re-rolling a saving throw. So how about tweaking Indomitable? Instead of restricting Indomitable only to saving throws, how about expanding it to function for ability checks and skill rolls? This would mean it could used in all three pillars. ("Let me have another look at that map.", "Forgive my cranio-rectal inversion, what I meant to say...", "Don't worry, I've got you.") To make the ability useful at common levels of play you'd have to bring the first usage forward to 3rd to 5th level which means that the 9th level entry changes to you getting it 2 / day but that's no big deal. I'd also change the ability to recharge on a Short Rest, but perhaps that's a step too far.

What do you think?

From a mechanical balance, I wouldn't mind allowing Indomitable to allow a reroll of an ability check (which includes skill checks). It's arguable a weaker use of a limited resource, though technically a increase in flexibility without any diminution of the existing is a power boost.

From a theme balance, I don't see how being Indomitable can help you, for instance, recall the third husband of an empress of an earlier age - an INT (History) check.

There's other features a fighter could have that's more on-theme that do help in other pillars of play.

You'd have to reskin this particular mechanic in a theme that makes sense for most fighters for the mechanics to make sense as a part of the base class.

 

[Quartz]

From a theme balance, I don't see how being Indomitable can help you, for instance, recall the third husband of an empress of an earlier age - an INT (History) check.

Suppose it's critical you recall? To continue your example, perhaps you're conversing with her ghost and want to avoid her attacking you.

 

[Blue]

Suppose it's critical you recall? To continue your example, perhaps you're conversing with her ghost and want to avoid her attacking you.

I didn't see anything about limiting the checks to being only critical. Nor would I know how to judge that mechanically. Is it critical you don't fail a climbing check and fall 40 feet at 6th level?

If you want to add something to a base class, it should really fit that class thematically since every memeber of that class which reaches that level will have it. If you have a strong connection, go for it. If not, pick a mechanic that's more shouts "Fighter!" to boost them.

 

[CleverNickName]

What about mixing subclasses?

Say we let the Fighter also use some of the Rogue's subclasses...you know, add Mastermind, Scout, and Inquisitive to the list of subclasses available to the Fighter.

• A Mastermind fighter would make for a very interesting and fun social character, sort of a pulp fiction "man of action."
• Most of the Scout's features and abilities would lend themselves well to a lightly-armored, skirmisher-type fighter also (but Sudden Strike will need to be adjusted because sneak attack.)
• An Inquisitive fighter would check all the boxes for Social and Exploration, too (but again, the 17th level ability would need to be adjusted because sneak attack.)

(shrug) Just throwing ideas at the wall, seeing if any stick.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

What about burning an Action Surge to reroll instead? And then at a later level, add an extra bennie, like the reroll has advantage, or something?

Works out the same, but doesn’t change the feature progression of the fighter at low levels.

 

[Eubani]

What about burning an Action Surge to reroll instead? And then at a later level, add an extra bennie, like the reroll has advantage, or something?

Works out the same, but doesn’t change the feature progression of the fighter at low levels.

Unfortunately Action Surge proves far too useful in combat to use it elsewhere, as a fighter you already are behind compared to other martials for most of the game without gimping yourself further.

 

[Krachek]

Is it just a new year resolution or skill monkey fighter are becoming a trend?

 

[The Crimson Binome]

I'm not a huge fan of combining combat resources with non-combat resources. I'd prefer if they just had an entirely distinct feature, which worked like Indomitable for skills, and had its own usage allowance.