Playing Like Celebrim - The Fighter

[Celebrim]

Have you looked at Pathfinder Fighter?

Fighter - Pathfinder_OGC

Yes I have and I'm not really a fan of the approach.

The real difficulty of the approach is evident when you look at the treatment of the Fighter in the Advanced Player's Guide. All of the sudden the elegant class is replaced by a hodgepodge of fixed progressions. This obviously raises the question which the Pathfinder fighter raised for me when I first looked at it: why must I be saddled with this fixed progression of powers? What if I want to be a fighter that doesn't wear armor, for example? And sure enough, that's exactly the problems that the Hodge Podge tries to address. But of course, it doesn't really fix the problem, because, for example, what if I wanted to be a 10th level crossbowmen and a 10th level basic fighter and select a bit from both ability chains? Because they are ability chains and not feats, I can't really do that but from a standpoint of reasonableness and balance there is no reason to restrict a player from that.

So, in short, I believe that the fighter I've described pretty much does everything the Pathfinder fighter does (and to the extent it doesn't, it could) and more but by avoiding being saddled with fixed class ability progressions it opens up a lot more flexibility for you to custom design what sort of fighter you want to be.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

One idea I've been kicking around for the last few days is a Fighter feat to deal with Force effects.

Something like:
Spell Battler
Requires: Greater Weapon Focus, Improved Sunder, Improved Critical
Benefits: As a move action you can create an opening in Force effects, large enough to move yourself through (these close after your turn). As a standard action you can sunder a Force effect, effectively destroying it.


Still very rough, and intended to give Fighters an option against a few of the "You lose" spells. Needs adjustment and playtesting, but I thought it might be a useful starting point for you.

For my own fantasy heartbreaker, I created the Irresistable Force feat...

Irresistible Force [Combat]
Prerequisite: Resolve 9+ ranks
Benefit: You may attempt to use the Smash action to smash a Force effect (such as a wall of force or a force cage). Make a Resolve check in place of the usual Athletics check versus a DC equal to 11 + the caster level of the creator of the effect. With success, you break through the effect, making a hole or clearing an area large enough for a creature of your Size to pass by.
Normal: Most force effects are immune to damage and cannot be smashed or destroyed by physical force.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

Another thing that I did to my own fantasy heartbreaker fighter was to give them a number of 'floating' feats. That is, feats that the fighter could change out on a day to day basis. That may also be something worth considering for the Celebrish fighter...

 

[nonsi256]

A question for Celebrim: how do you define the 'Leadership' and 'Tactics' skills ?
What are they good for other than prereqs for feats ?

 

[CuRoi]

Thanks!

*Stealing feat ideas....*

I like the look of what you have done...

*Stealing more feat ideas...*

I agree with several of the additions that help make a fighter be a useful battlefield resource. I am also implementing some similar feats for fighters in my game (like the lower armor penalties - its a given that fighters should be comfortable in armor IMO.)

I like the Riddle of Steel Feat - maybe roll some of the other DR bypassing materials into that feat or other feats? Alchemical Silver, Cold Iron, Adamantine, etc.

Counter-Moves seems a bit low pre-req to me for pretty much negating the benefits of a whole raft of other feats.

I agree with the concept of having versatility for a base class, but I'm not sure I think making sure there are feats/skills to utilize every attribute is necessary for versatility within a class. Charismatic fighters, strong fighters, smart fighters, dexy fighters, wise fighters, ummm healthy fighters? I can see it on a very overarching level - however do your base class spellcasters offer the same? Strong wizard, charismatic wizard, dexy wizard etc. I know spells are versatile enough to support any such concept to an extent, but spells and feats are different animals entirely. So is it sufficient for the Wizard to be able to cast "Bulls Strength", "Enlarge", etc and call himself a "strong Wizard" for x rounds per day? Or do you have the same built in flexibility for spellcasting classes?

Anyway, very interesting design work, I look forward to more installments!

 

[ExploderWizard]

Some of the feats are really nice.

For overall power/equality though, if group initiative, and adjustment to the magic item economy were made then casters wouldn't be as dominant in the first place.

 

[Aus_Snow]

There's some nice work here.

Will you be posting any/all of your other modified (or new) classes?

Likewise, details of such things as the Leadership skill, Horror saves, and so on?

 

[Celebrim]

There's some nice work here.

Will you be posting any/all of your other modified (or new) classes?

Likewise, details of such things as the Leadership skill, Horror saves, and so on?

Between family, work, and running a full blown campaign (currently in something of a sandbox mode), I haven't had a lot of time for posting. But, yes, I'd like to.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Between family, work, and running a full blown campaign (currently in something of a sandbox mode), I haven't had a lot of time for posting. But, yes, I'd like to.

Good to hear.

And yeah, I surely know what you mean. It's been a hectic time here too.

Well, looking forward to when you do, anyway.

 

[Fifth Element]

My own house rule for fighters was extremely simple: At first level, and every level after that at which they did not gain a bonus feat, they gain a cumulative +1 bonus to weapon damage rolls.