Playtest (A5E) Level Up Playtest Document #2: Fighter

Welcome to the second Level Up playtest document. This playtest contains a candidate for the first 10 levels of game’s fighter class, and our new combat maneuvers system.

This playtest document begins to address three issues which you said were important in the survey we posted last month:

• Meaningful character choices at each advancement level
• A fully fleshed out exploration pillar*
• A range of martial maneuvers to give non-spellcasters more options in combat

*Exploration knacks, as introduced in this playtest document, only form part of the exploration pillar.

Download the playtest document

What this is
This is a playtest document. We’d love you to try out the rules presented here, and then answer the follow-up survey in a few days.

What this is not
This is NOT the final game. It’s OK if you don’t like elements of these rules; that’s the purpose of a playtest document. Be sure to participate in the follow-up survey in a few days. All data, positive or negative is useful.

What we use this for
Your survey responses help form the direction of the game as it goes through the development process.

Don’t forget!
Sign up for the mailing list for notifications of playtests, surveys, and news, and to make sure you get notified on Kickstarter when the project launches in 2021.

Continue reading...

 

[Mike Myler]

Fairly technical question; I know techniques can be used as attack replacements during an Attack option, which makes sense. Do maneuvers that count as "Actions" also count as the Attack action for purposes of abilities that require an Attack option? (I'm thinking specifically of two weapon fighting, or feats like Shield Master.)

A designer commenting with the intent of a rule messes with the playtesting process so I am wont to do so.

Interpret what's there, comment about it (like above! ♥), and include it in your response to the survey.

I want to answer that though. >.<

 

[TwoSix]

A designer commenting with the intent of a rule messes with the playtesting process so I am wont to do so.

Interpret what's there, comment about it (like above! ♥), and include it in your response to the survey.

I want to answer that though. >.<

Will do.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

From a read through - I love it. All the abilities not directly combat related really help make a well rounded class, Weapon Lore really jumping out at me as something useful, out of combat, and very fitting to a fighter.

Back when Bo9S came out (and 4th edition) - I was one of those that had a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of daily or encounter fighter abilities - I play for immersion, and I tended to tie character choice and player choice. If there was a limited resource available to the character, I wanted it to be a character choice not a player choice, and I couldn't with that set up. My idea was to have someone with a stamina pool or something that you used, and when you ran out you were just too tired to use those. PF had a version of that. What you have here is exactly what I had figured for the solution. And unlike others I love the names and flavor of the school, styles and maneuvers. Stances were something I really loved.

The best thing I think I can say is that this class makes me want to play a "vanilla" fighter right now, and I haven't done that in over 20 years.

 

[Quartz]

That's an interesting read.

Well done for giving abilities at the dead levels.

I'd like to bring Indomitable to Tier 1 at 4th level. And rather than a re-roll, just make it an auto-pass, a la Legendary Resistance. KISS applies.

I really don't like the Archery Fighting Style. Make it "You do not suffer the -2 penalty for firing into melee."

No Action Surge? Fighters need this to maintain even a semblance of equity with the other fighting classes.

Steely Mien? Anyone wearing a full helm is going to claim this.

I'm sure I'll come up with more later.

 

[Faolyn]

Even in concept, I would expect a Fighter to be an excellent tool user: making or repairing their armor or sword, applying an herbalist kit, or even being good at making beer! (Actually, a practical skill to help boost the morale of comrades.)

There's no "weapon repair" toolkit. There's just smith's tools, which requires an entire forge. Herbalism, beermaking, etc., would come with your background or origin. In retrospect, the Villager human should have a tool proficiency.

(Speaking of tools, if they writers are listening, include a Fletcher's kit and maybe something like a tailor's kit--if I can make shoes with a cobbler's kit, I should be able to sew as well!)

 

[ZeshinX]

Reading through it...it's quality, top-notch stuff. Was hoping more for alternate choices to what exists in the PHB, not so much a full re-design, but this is still excellent.

I can say I despise the major/minor advantage mechanic. It's just unnecessary. Advantage and disadvantage work well as is. Adding a layer of minutae to it is just...well, as far as I see it, wildly unnecessary. If it was found needed to make the surrounding class features work (or work better), then it's the class features that need retooling, not the advantage/disadvantage mechanic.

Otherwise, this is very good stuff.

 

[TwoSix]

Just trying to pick some maneuvers for a level 10 fighter, noticed some issues here and there. I'm mostly evaluating these based on how much they grab me, in the sense that I really want to take them. Based on that, I'm starting at level 3 and working my way down, since 3rd level maneuvers should be the most exciting!

1) Immovable: I think I'd like it better as a reaction, but I can see why it isn't.

2) Paralyzing Blow - Awesome.

3) Punishing Heft - Feels a little low for level 3, I think 1d8 or 1d10 would be better.

4) Blindshot - Probably too limited for a situational ability. Should be all attacks in the next round, or cancel disadvantage entirely on one shot.

5) Ricochet - YES! That's an archer ability!

6) Volley - YES!

7) Mirror's Glint, all 3. Love all of them.

8) Deceptive Strike - Should be a technique. As an action, it's worse than making 2 attacks.

More later.

 

[Faolyn]

This confused me for a minute because you didn't include archetypes, so I kept wondering where they were and if those martial traditions were replacing archetypes!

I see fighters aren't getting their extra ASIs anymore, but the new abilities more than make up for that. No Second Wind or Action Surge?

 

[Faolyn]

I meant to include this in my last post and then got sidetracked.

I'm not fond of the new minor advantage mechanic. I think it'll be too easy to forget when you get it or when you need to roll it. I'm playing a fighter for the first time with Great Weapon Fighting and I often have to remind myself that I get to reroll 1s and 2s.

My suggestion: Minor Advantage/Disadvantage is a +2 bonus (or +5, whichever you prefer). You can only get one minor advantage or disadvantage at a time, and they cancel each other out, just like regular advantage/disadvantage, and it doesn't stack with itself. This would be the only type of standard bonus in the game, as opposed to 3e or PF or whatever, where there were moral/circumstance/racial/whatever bonuses. However, you could stack a minor and a regular advantage/disadvantage (or even have a minor ad and regular disad, and vice versa).

 

[Haldrik]

There's no "weapon repair" toolkit. There's just smith's tools, which requires an entire forge. Herbalism, beermaking, etc., would come with your background or origin. In retrospect, the Villager human should have a tool proficiency.

(Speaking of tools, if they writers are listening, include a Fletcher's kit and maybe something like a tailor's kit--if I can make shoes with a cobbler's kit, I should be able to sew as well!)

Smiths tools should come with knowledge to repair chainmail links, sharpen blades, hammer on a rock to reshape metal, and even improvise a makeshift furnace out of dirt on the ground (which is how it was often done anyway).

Meanwhile, the Fighter class can grant expertise with tools.