D&D (2024) 4/26 Playtest: The Fighter

[Stalker0]

This thread is to discuss the new fighter.

So all in all, pretty solid. First, the bonus to indomitable is great! Its not quite auto-pass like I was hoping but it gets pretty close at high levels. Also the ability at higher levels to combine an indomitable and heal is very nice!

On the masteries, I think they will be nice editions, although I do think WOTC doesn't understand that more masteries really isn't a benefit. You get 3 at the start and you can swap them with a long rest....I mean what else do you need? That's 2 melee and a ranged weapon right there. Getting to 4th and 5th weapons for masteries, that seems like a complete ribbon at that point. Obviously using multiple masteries on the same weapon is cool.

And of course the greatest flavor victory, giving Persuasion to the fighter! While there have already been a number of ways to do this through backgrounds and the like, its nice that WOTC acknowledges the Fighter is often the leader of the group in flavor, and needs to have a bit of persuasive charisma to get the job done at times.

In terms of the Champion, the new powers are both simple and generally quite useful. Another skill....absolutely. More heroic inspiration, can always use more of that. I appreciated that they focused a bit more on the breadth here, giving the champion options that can be used in combat, or more out of combat stuff if they want to.


Will this fighter be equal power to a high level caster, eh probably not. Is it a step in the right direction and overall an improvement to the original concept? It is indeed.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I can't agree about indomitable. It's still only 1/day - and that at a time when the fighters are already falling off in power so strong abilities are needed.

The weapon masteries are a start. But I agree with you that more than one melee and one ranged weapon mastery you can swap with a long rest is a ribbon ability. Even the third is slightly redundant.

Honestly I'd rather (a) give all weapon masteries and (b) simply ditch fighting styles. Then for the fighter I'd rather give them the ability to add a mastery to their weapon and choose which to use as their first level thing. (I'd also buff the Versatile by a die size, and have Flex replace the old dueling style so it works out as effectively +2 damage).

And the new Champion actually does things! I think it's still weak - but it's not the absolute zero of the old version.

 

[Stalker0]

I can't agree about indomitable. It's still only 1/day - and that at a time when the fighters are already falling off in power so strong abilities are needed.

At 17th they can start using it with every second wind use, but that is 17th level, quite high, so I can understand the concern.

 

[TwoSix]

I'll be honest, after using Laserllama's alt-classes for the past year, it's near impossible to go back to a martial class that doesn't have maneuvers baked in. The playtest Fighter and Barbarian just seem so tofu-flavored in comparison.

 

[Neonchameleon]

At 17th they can start using it with every second wind use, but that is 17th level, quite high, so I can understand the concern.

I don't think that Advantage on all saving throws would be overrpowered for a fighter tbh. It would bring the fighter more into line with the Paladin (Cha to all saves) and Monk (Proficient in all saves, Chi point to reroll).

The other big thing I want is level 12 feats rather than having to pick a feat every time that wasn't good enough for you last time. (A "wrapper feat" of a level 4 feat plus a bonus to a different stat would help here).

 

[NaturalZero]

The move to make Second Wind per day isn't horrible but it's the exact same kind of design that I dislike in Rages per day. The thing is that high level characters don't necessarily have any more combats per day than low level characters, which leads to a clunky situation where you might have too few of a resource at low level and way too much at high level. It's unbalanced on both ends without a compelling benefit.

They really need to just make a lot of things per short rest or per encounter and shorten the short rest. It's more elegant and more balanced across all levels of play.

 

[Eubani]

Fighter now has less out of combat utility as you can only use Action Surge to Attack, Disengage, Dash or Dodge. It cannot be used for actions outside of those ie the things you would use it for out of combat. Majority of players used it for Attack but the option was there.

 

[HammerMan]

I thought indomitable use to go up to 3/day.

I like mastery as a start I just wish the mix and match part came sooner.

I also wish there was a scaling to it. I wish there were fighter only level 5+ masteries they could add to weapons that were upgraded version. Maybe even some with supernatural twists.

I still think the fighter needs more social abilities even if they are optional.

 

[HammerMan]

Over All as a new class this would be 4 out of 10 but the fighter as is was a 2 out of 10 so big improvement.

 

[WanderingMystic]

Over all I think it is a great move but that the ability to swap your weapon masteries comes far to late in the game.

Personally I would change it from a number of weapons that you have mastered to a number of masteries that you know. So at first level let's say you pick flex, sap, and slow. Then as you gain in levels you choose to learn graze. Doing it like this you then alow them to change out one when ever you level if you decide to change up your focus but it still gives you a nice selection.

Move the 5th level feat to 7th and then add the ability to add a second weapon mastery to your weapons and a third at 11th.

Finally at 13th level give your masteries a bit of a boost. So slow is doubled, flex is two die types, nick let's you make two attacks, vex and sao grant advantage/disadvantage on all attacks and so on. This way You will be actively changing up what mastery you choose to use between each attack.