D&D General What does the mundane high level fighter look like? [+]

[Baron Opal II]

Is the point that mundane fighters should be able to get by without magic items? Or, that magic items are acceptable? Or, that items that give bonuses but aren't actually magical acceptable? Or, why is "acceptable" spelled with a second "a" when it should be with an "i"? Or, that fighters should be able to kill anything with a rock and sharpened stick?

 

[LordEntrails]

First time I saw this thread, so I will go back to the OP...

Mighty Blows/Keen: maybe this is covered in Martial Affinity, but the ability to killing blows. Maybe just an increased critical range. Maybe a coupe de grace if target has less than X HP. Maybe severing limbs and/or head.

Second Wind/Endurance: the ability through shear will of force to keep going. Whether through regaining hit points &/asor ignoring fatigue.

Foe Knowledge: perhaps like a ranger's favored enemy, but not so simple. Knowing resistances, vulnerabilities and immunities, but later on racial features (pack tactics, etc)

Intimidation: At some point the expertise just radiates from these folks and they are scary if they see you as a threat. Is this like a fear? Not sure, but come on, if Conan, Thor or Master Chief turned their attention on you, most folks are going to at least be nervous if not down right afraid.

 

[pemerton]

I’ll also note that the dragon slain was “25 alens” long- approximately 50 feet. While clearly a large and dangerous beast, that’s not as big as an adult D&D dragon.

The AD&D MM says that a Red Dragon is 48' long.

 

[Oofta]

Is the point that mundane fighters should be able to get by without magic items? Or, that magic items are acceptable? Or, that items that give bonuses but aren't actually magical acceptable? Or, why is "acceptable" spelled with a second "a" when it should be with an "i"? Or, that fighters should be able to kill anything with a rock and sharpened stick?

High level PCs can get away without magic items, but especially at higher level the games I've played pretty much assume at least some minimal magic. You don't need +5 vorpal swords of doom, but magic weapons and other toys are common. Some of the biggest obstacles for a fighter can be overcome with things like boots of flying which are listed as uncommon items.

I don't have a problem with high level fighters having magic. What would King Arthur be without Excalibur?

 

[Vaalingrade]

Is the point that mundane fighters should be able to get by without magic items? Or, that magic items are acceptable? Or, that items that give bonuses but aren't actually magical acceptable? Or, why is "acceptable" spelled with a second "a" when it should be with an "i"? Or, that fighters should be able to kill anything with a rock and sharpened stick?

Baby steps?

Let's start with letting people do cool and interesting things that aren't necessarily tracked to out non-fantasy world (or a wholly inaccurate vision of our fantasy world where Jack LaLane didn't exist) without discreet magic.

Like there's plenty of things that a character should be allowed to do in the game without it being magic. Some of them are even rendered into spells. A lot of them are Ranger spells.

Let the fighter intimidate people so hard they get frightened. Let them swing weapons bigger than any one else even the barbarian rocks. Let them perform effective combat maneuvers multiple times without an hour to recharge. Let them jump farther, climb faster, lift epic weights. Let them jump up on a big monster and attack them from astride their bulk. Let them hit foes so hard they go flying, and when they become locked in combat, let the shockwave of the impact knock people down.

Basically let them do things fantasy warriors do, not what like random medieval plebs could do in the limited imagination of 21st century people who are familiar with said medieval pleb from a cursory Google search that lands them on an inaccurate website.

If you don't need to replicate it without a stunt choreographer and some decent practical effects so the actor doesn't get injured trying, it's not even worth of fighter level 1.

 

[Alzrius]

I don't have a problem with high level fighters having magic. What would King Arthur be without Excalibur?

King Arthur is really the template for a fighter carrying around a Christmas tree's worth of magic items. Excalibur is magical, its sheath is magical, his spear is magical, his shield is magical, his dagger isn't magical, but in some stories he has one or two other swords that (possibly) are.

And yet he still got killed by a cat like some plain ol' 1st-level commoner.

 

[Tony Vargas]

One could assert that that sequence was the inspiration for D&D’s arrows of slaying

Early D&D was pretty into making magic items to do cool things that you don't necessarily need magic to do, conceptually, but which had been abstracted out of run of the mill combat by 1-min combat rounds, AC, & hp (and no critical hits, EGG didn't like 'em, apparently).
Like the one-shot kill of the Arrow of Slaying or Vorpal Sword or dismemberment courtesy of the Sword of Sharpness.

 

[Sacrosanct]

King Arthur is really the template for a fighter carrying around a Christmas tree's worth of magic items. Excalibur is magical, its sheath is magical, his spear is magical, his shield is magical, his dagger isn't magical, but in some stories he has one or two other swords that (possibly) are.

And yet he still got killed by a cat like some plain ol' 1st-level commoner.

Actually, his dagger is magical. Oddly enough, it helps him be extra stealthy, which is odd for a character like Arthur. But yeah, where most mythological heroes have one or maybe two magic items, Arthur has a lot. Normally a trait reserved for Norse gods lol.

 

[Minigiant]

If the fighter is supposed to wear a Christmas Tree and their strength is their ability to use their magic weapon more times....

..shouldn't the high level fighter be able to use their magic armor and magic shield more times than others.

+3 AC when taking the Dodge action
+10 speed when taking the Dash Action

 

[Scribe]

If the fighter is supposed to wear a Christmas Tree and their strength is their ability to use their magic weapon more times....

..shouldn't the high level fighter be able to use their magic armor and magic shield more times than others.

Yes. Its a failing of the edition that they limit magical items so much, and Fighters absolutely should get more of them, and be better at swinging them at critters and cutting off their heads.