D&D (2024) My Proposed Fix for the Fighter

ChameleonX

Explorer
The Fighter
Hit Points
Hit Points at 1st Level:
10 + CON score
Hit Points per Level: 1d10 (or 6) + CON mod
Hit Dice: 1d10 per level

Proficiencies
Armor:
Light, Medium, Heavy, Shields
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength and Constitution
Skills:
Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, Perception, Survival

LevelFeaturesHeroic EffortWeapon Mastery
1Fighting Style, Heroic Effort, Weapon Mastery23
2Action Surge, Superior Athlete23
3Fighter Subclass23
4Feat23
5Extra Attack34
6Feat, Weapon Expert34
7Archetype Feature34
8Feat34
9Indomitable44
10Archetype Feature45
11Vigilant Champion45
12Feat45
13Weapon Adept55
14Feat55
15Archetype Feature55
16Feat55
17Unconquerable65
18Archetype Feature65
19Feat65
20Ultimate Warrior65

Fighting Style
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. You gain one Fighting Style feat of your choice as a bonus feat. The following is added to your list of options:

Warrior's Challenge. When you attack a creature that you can see with a weapon or an Unarmed Strike, you can choose to mark that creature until the start of your next turn. A creature marked in this way has disadvantage on attack rolls against any creature other than you. If another creature marks the same target, that mark supersedes your own.

In addition, when a creature marked by you makes an attack against a creature other than you, it provokes an opportunity attack from you if it is within the reach you have with a melee weapon you're wielding.


Heroic Effort
You have learned how to go above and beyond by calling on your inner strength to pull through in difficult situations. You can this feature to produce one of the following effects:

Second Wind. As a bonus action, you psyche yourself up to refresh your morale. You regain a number of hit points equal to 5 + your Fighter level.

Adrenaline Rush. When you make an ability check using Strength, Constitution, or Dexterity, you can use your reaction to gain advantage on that check. In addition, your carrying capacity is doubled until the end of your next turn, as is the amount of weight you can lift, push, and drag.

You can use this feature twice. You regain one use each time you finish a short rest, and all uses when you finish a long rest. You gain additional uses as you gain levels in this class, as noted on the table.


Weapon Mastery
Unchanged from UA.

Action Surge
You can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment. On your turn, you can take one additional Action. This can be any action other than the Magic action.

You regain the ability to do this when you finish a short or long rest.


Superior Athlete
You are proficient in all ability checks using Constitution. In addition, whenever you make an ability check using Constitution, Strength, or Dexterity that already includes your proficiency bonus, you gain Expertise on the check.

Weapon Expert
You have honed your use of weapons to an art. You gain the following benefits:

Martial Knowledge. You can add your proficiency bonus to any Intelligence check you make to recall lore about weapons and armor, famous blacksmiths, fighting styles, famous warriors, forging techniques, and similar topics related to arms and equipment. If you are proficient in Smith's Tools, you can also add twice your proficiency bonus to ability checks to craft weapons and armor.

Mastery Swap. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can choose one of the kinds of Mastery weapons you're using and replace its Mastery property with another Mastery property from a different weapon you know. For example, if you have unlocked the Mastery properties of the Longsword and the Morningstar, you could replace the Longsword's Flex property with the Sap property. This property change only applies for you, not others, and the change ends when you finish your next long rest.

Quick Swap. When you use the Attack action on your turn, you can sheathe a weapon and draw a different weapon before you make each attack as part of that action. So, for example, you could draw and throw a handaxe for your first attack, then draw a shortsword and use it to make your second attack, then draw a scimitar and use its Nick Mastery to make a third attack, etc.


Indomitable
Your experiences on the battlefield and growing confidence in your own abilities push you beyond the limits of a normal mortal. When you fail a saving throw, you can use your reaction and expend a use of Heroic Effort to succeed on the save instead.

Vigilant Champion
Your experience in battle and in the field has improved your focus and your ability to seize on moments to strike. You gain the following benefits:

Two Extra Attacks. You can attack three times, instead of twice, when you use the Attack action on your turn.

Quick Reflexes. When you roll initiative, you can expend a use of your Heroic Effort to add your proficiency bonus to the roll and, if you were surprised, you are no longer surprised.

Vigilance. You gain proficiency in the Perception skill, if you weren't already. You also have Expertise in Wisdom (Perception) checks, and you remain alert to danger while traveling, even while engaged in another activity.


Weapon Adept
You have perfected your use of weapons, developing powerful techniques that unlock the true potential of your fighting style. You learn three Advanced Masteries of your choice, from the list below. To use an Advanced Mastery, you must meet its prerequisites.

Once you use an Advanced Mastery, you must finish a long rest before you can use the same one again, unless you expend a use of Action Surge to do so (this use of Action Surge doesn't grant you an extra action).

You gain another Advanced Mastery of your choice at 17th level. When you gain a level in this class, you can replace an Advanced Mastery you know with a different one.

If an Advanced Mastery calls for a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (whichever is higher).


Great Cleave
Prerequisite: You're wielding a weapon with the Cleave Mastery

As an action, you can make a single attack with a weapon against each creature you choose within your weapon's reach. Make a separate attack roll for each target. On a hit, you can roll your weapon's damage dice twice and add the results together. Each target you miss still takes damage equal to twice the ability modifier you used for the attack, which is of the same type as the weapon.


Invincible Bulwark
Prerequisite: You're wielding a weapon with the Flex Mastery

As an action, you make a single attack with your weapon against a creature you can see. On a hit, you roll the weapon's damage dice three times and add the results together. If your attack misses, the target instead takes damage equal to twice the ability modifier you used for the attack, which is of the same type as the weapon. In addition, for the next 1 minute, or until you gain the Incapacitated condition, you grant Cover to each of your allies that is within 5ft of you while you're wearing a shield. You gain this benefit whether you hit or miss. When a creature you can see makes an attack against a creature to whom you're granting cover in this way, you can make an opportunity attack against that creature.

Exploit the Opening
prerequisite: You're wielding a weapon with the Graze Mastery.

When you miss a creature with an attack, you can use this technique to choose an ally of yours that you can see within 60ft. If that ally can see or hear you, they can use their reaction to make a single attack against the target you missed. This attack is made with advantage, and can score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 (unless their crit chance was higher). If your ally's attack hits, you can then use your reaction to make another attack against the same target.

Storm of Blades
Prerequisite: You're wielding two melee weapons, at least one of which has the Nick Mastery

As an action, you can make up to five attacks; two with one of your weapons and three with the other. You can make these attacks against the same target, or different ones. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of these attacks. Each time you hit a target with one of these attacks, you can push that creature up to 5ft away from you, and then move up to 5ft toward it without provoking opportunity attacks.


Crushing Impact
Prerequisite: You're wielding a weapon with the Push Mastery.

As an action, you can make a single attack with a weapon. On a hit, you can roll the weapon's damage dice three times and add the results together. The target is then pushed up to 15ft away from you, and it suffers a -2 penalty to AC for the next minute. It can make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If you miss, you deal damage to the target equal to twice the ability modifier you used for the attack, which is of the same type as the weapon.

Ring the Bell
Prerequisite: You're wielding a weapon with the Sap Mastery

As an action, you can make a single attack with a weapon. On a hit, you can roll the weapon's damage dice three times and add the results together. In addition, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become Dazed for 1 minute. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If your attack misses, the target instead takes damage equal to twice the ability modifier you used for the attack, which is of the same type as the weapon.

Immobilizing Shot
Prerequisite: You're wielding a weapon with the Slow Mastery.

As an action, you can make a single attack with a weapon. On a hit, you can roll the weapon's damage dice three times and add the results together. In addition, the target's speed is reduced to 0 and it can't benefit from bonuses to its speed for the next minute. It can make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If your attack misses, the target instead takes damage equal to twice the ability modifier you used for the attack, which is of the same type as the weapon.

Knock 'em Down
Prerequisite: You're wielding a weapon with the Topple Mastery

As an action, you can make a single attack with a weapon. On a hit, you can roll the weapon's damage dice twice and add the results together. The target then must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If you miss, the target still takes damage equal to twice the ability modifier you used for the attack, which is of the same type as the weapon. In addition, whether you hit or miss, you set the target off-balance for up to 1 minute. Once per turn while off-balance, when the target takes damage from you or one of your allies, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or fall prone.

Rupturing Blow
Prerequisite: You're wielding a weapon with the Vex Mastery

As an action, you can make a single attack with a weapon. On a hit, the attack becomes a critical hit, and you can treat the damage roll as if each die showed the maximum result. In addition, the target gains vulnerability to all damage until the end of your next turn, and grants advantage to all attackers until then. If you miss, the target still takes damage equal to twice the ability modifier you used for the attack, which is of the same type as the weapon.

Unconquerable
You are almost impossible to defeat in the midst of combat. You gain the following benefits:

Iron Will. You are immune to the Charmed and Frightened condition, and you have proficiency with Wisdom saving throws. If you already are proficient with Wisdom saves, you can choose proficiency in Intelligence or Charisma saves instead.

Perfect Warrior. When you make an ability check using Strength, Constitution, or Dexterity, you can treat a result of 9 or lower as if it were a 10.


Ultimate Warrior
You have reached the pinnacle of martial mastery, gaining the following benefits:

Three Extra Attacks: You can now attack four times, instead of three, when you use the Attack action on your turn.

Invincible. When you take damage that would reduce you to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction and expend a use of Heroic Effort to drop to 1 hit point instead.

Maximum Effort. If you roll initiative and have no uses of Heroic Effort left, you regain one use.
 
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Clint_L

Hero
That's really, really OP. Fighters don't have any problem tanking or dealing damage, the base class just kind of lacks stuff to do that isn't tanking or dealing damage. So I like ideas like Martial Knowledge.

But at level 20 combining superheroic effort, unconquerable and second wind would mean that the fighter essentially regenerates 25 HP/round and resists all damage, forever, which...don't you think is a bit much for a bonus action/round?
 

Pauln6

Hero
I like most of it. I prefer to keep pushing creatures who are two sizes larger as a special feature of gauntlets of ogre power and girdles of giant strength (the magic items are busted if you just dish out uber strength so I do +2 and +4 more like in 3e).

Some of it needs some balancing. I do think that it's better to give fighters one choice out of several in the base class since it's important to keep the class choices quite simple for those who want a simple class. Can always have a feat that grants more options.
 

Clint_L

Hero
Doing some math, let's see how this fighter does against a Tarrasque at Level 20. We'll just go with a basic Champion, sword and board, and they'll choose to use the potent sap mastery. Being level 20, we'll assume this guys has some good gear: +3 longsword, AC 25...and that's it. They won't need any more. Assuming they've brought their strength and con to 20 and picked up, let's say, tough as a feat; easy enough with all their ASI slots. So they have 244 HP. Oh, and duelist.

One on one. Tarrasque is CR30, AC 25, 676 HP. Note that it won't use it's swallow ability, because it automatically loses to this fighter if it does (the fighter's combination of superheroic effort, unconquerable and second wind would reduce the acid damage to 3HP/round while the fighter would be attacking with impunity). The tarrasque will use its chomp legendary action each turn, and I'll even let it have its tail attack despite the fighter being in its face. Let's say the fighter goes first; their initiative will likely be higher than the tarrasque's +0. I'll round to the nearest whole numbers.

Round 1: Fighter attacks 8 times, using action surge, for (4.5+3+2+5)8=116.5=58*1.15=67. They use second wind just to get their damage resistance going. Tarrasque now has disadvantage on all attacks for the rest of the fight due to potent sap (assuming the fighter hits at least once/round, which they will).

Tarrasque attacks 6 times, including legendary action at the end of fighter's turn (which is ignored on round 1 because invincible), hitting for 36+28+28+32+24=148*.75*=111*.75=83*.5=42.

Tarrasque 609HP, fighter 202HP

Round 2: Fighter attacks 8 times, using action surge, for (4.5+3+2+5)8=116.5=58*1.15=67. They use second wind to heal 25 and keep damage resistance up.

Tarrasque attacks 6 times, including legendary action at the end of fighter's turn, hitting for 36+36+28+28+32+24=184*.75*=138*.75=104*.5=52.

Tarrasque 542, fighter 175

Round 3: Fighter attacks 4 times for (4.5+3+2+5)4=58.5=29*1.15=33. They heal 25.

Tarrasque attacks 6 times, including legendary action at the end of fighter's turn, hitting for 36+36+28+28+32+24=184*.75*=138*.75=104*.5=52.

Tarrasque 509, fighter 148

Round 4: T 476, F 131 - Fighter went below half health so heals an extra 10/turn.

Round 5: T 443, F 114

Round 6: T 410, F 97

Round 7: T 377, F 80

Round 8: T 344, F 63

Round 9: T 311, F 45

Round 10: T 278, F 28

Round 11: T 245, F 11

Round 12: T 212, F dead.

So giving the tarrasque every advantage and not really working to get a particularly great fighter build or load him up with magic, that fighter can solo tank a tarrasque for 12 rounds and get it to around 30% health. That's pretty strong! If we got the fighter's AC a bit higher, or got him advantage on the attacks, the fighter wins (if we get them to AC 27 they win; if we get them to AC 30 the fighter wins at full health). The easiest way to AC 27 is +3 plate, +3 shield and a ring of protection, which is not unusual for level 20, and then this version of fighter can solo tarrasques.
 
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Clint_L

Hero
And how would a 20th level Wizard do?
Against a Tarrasque? You tell me - it depends on what spells the wizard has prepared and a level 20 has a lot of options, but most of them would involve escaping in this scenario. If the Tarrasque gets to him the wizard likely dies in one round. Its base damage is 184, and the Wizard won't have much to reduce it - shield spell is not gonna help a whole lot. Their best bet is to wish to be someplace else.

The fighter doesn't need to prepare anything special for the encounter. But even if the wizard had access to every spell in the game and knew they would be fighting a tarrasque, this would be a very tough fight. Maybe true polymorph into a dragon, fly back and forth waiting for breath to recharge, and sloooowly wear it down? That would work until it found cover.

There are a lot of spells that could mess with it, but killing it before you run out of options and it kills you would be tough, given its various innate magic resistances and legendary resistances. Reverse Gravity would be fun; there's no save against the initial effect, but falling 50' would barely scratch the beast.

A level 20 wizard has a lot of strengths but soloing a tarrasque would be a very tall order.
 



ChameleonX

Explorer
Against a Tarrasque? You tell me - it depends on what spells the wizard has prepared and a level 20 has a lot of options, but most of them would involve escaping in this scenario. If the Tarrasque gets to him the wizard likely dies in one round. Its base damage is 184, and the Wizard won't have much to reduce it - shield spell is not gonna help a whole lot. Their best bet is to wish to be someplace else.

The fighter doesn't need to prepare anything special for the encounter. But even if the wizard had access to every spell in the game and knew they would be fighting a tarrasque, this would be a very tough fight. Maybe true polymorph into a dragon, fly back and forth waiting for breath to recharge, and sloooowly wear it down? That would work until it found cover.

There are a lot of spells that could mess with it, but killing it before you run out of options and it kills you would be tough, given its various innate magic resistances and legendary resistances. Reverse Gravity would be fun; there's no save against the initial effect, but falling 50' would barely scratch the beast.

A level 20 wizard has a lot of strengths but soloing a tarrasque would be a very tall order.
Or just cast Invulnerability once and Acid Slash him to death.
 

ChameleonX

Explorer
Update

- Advanced Mastery effects for Vex and Sap have been reworked for balance.

- Damage Resistance from Unconquerable changed to start of next turn instead of end.

- "Invincible" benefit from Ultimate Warrior now has Relentless effect instead of damage immunity.
 

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