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

[Gorck]

Huh... I feel like there should be some option, but most of the ones I'm thinking of encroach on the rogue concept.

Bonus action Dodge is too powerful. Spend an attack to disengage too rogue-like...

How about an ability that says something to the effect of "If you have made an attack this turn, attacks of opportunity have disadvantage against you". This is effectively a dodge against attacks of opportunity only, but it doesn't do anything for the fighter who is just running through the enemy. They have to have made an attack, then they get the bonus.

Thinking out loud again:

Overwhelm. Your relentless assault devestates your opponent's senses. When you make multiple attacks against a target on your turn, if you succesfully hit on each attack, you can Disengage as a Bonus action.

 

[Pauln6]

Huh... I feel like there should be some option, but most of the ones I'm thinking of encroach on the rogue concept.

Bonus action Dodge is too powerful. Spend an attack to disengage too rogue-like...

How about an ability that says something to the effect of "If you have made an attack this turn, attacks of opportunity have disadvantage against you". This is effectively a dodge against attacks of opportunity only, but it doesn't do anything for the fighter who is just running through the enemy. They have to have made an attack, then they get the bonus.

Thinking out loud again:

Overwhelm. Your relentless assault devestates your opponent's senses. When you make multiple attacks against a target on your turn, if you succesfully hit on each attack, you can Disengage as a Bonus action.

The problem we have in our playtest is that we are being overwhelmed. Escaping one opponent isn't so bad but it's escaping when you are close to being surrounded that is the issue. Sacrificing one attack to gain dodge against opportunity attacks feels like it still leaves some room for the various feats that let you disengage or the rogue ability (since they get only one attack themselves). I suppose that hitting could be a pre-requisite but if the concept is that you are parrying then hitting feels superfluous.

 

[Gorck]

The problem we have in our playtest is that we are being overwhelmed. Escaping one opponent isn't so bad but it's escaping when you are close to being surrounded that is the issue. Sacrificing one attack to gain dodge against opportunity attacks feels like it still leaves some room for the various feats that let you disengage or the rogue ability (since they get only one attack themselves). I suppose that hitting could be a pre-requisite but if the concept is that you are parrying then hitting feels superfluous.

In my made-up ability, I was thinking that multiple hits on a target would cause them to recoil and you could take advantage of their momentary lack of concentration to slip away without provoking an opportunity attack. Unfortunately, it doesn't take into account being nearly surrounded, since you might not be able to disengae away from all the targets around you (or, if you're completely surrounded, you won't be able to move anyway). So i guess it's back to the drawing board for me.

 

[Chaosmancer]

The problem we have in our playtest is that we are being overwhelmed. Escaping one opponent isn't so bad but it's escaping when you are close to being surrounded that is the issue. Sacrificing one attack to gain dodge against opportunity attacks feels like it still leaves some room for the various feats that let you disengage or the rogue ability (since they get only one attack themselves). I suppose that hitting could be a pre-requisite but if the concept is that you are parrying then hitting feels superfluous.

Yeah, part of what I was thinking about was leaving room for the feats, particularly mobile. Mobile allows a free disengage against anyone you attack, which is VERY good... but it doesn't do enough in scenarios where you are dealing with more opponents than you have attacks. Also, copying a feat is boring.

 

[Justice and Rule]

Thinking out loud again:

Overwhelm. Your relentless assault devestates your opponent's senses. When you make multiple attacks against a target on your turn, if you succesfully hit on each attack, you can Disengage as a Bonus action.

Do it as a technique and you have uses equal to your proficiency. Call it Fast Footwork. Not sure if it should recharge on a short or a long. You could make it a choice out of several techniques: for example, that would be your Dex-fighter one, while your Constitution-based one could maybe give temp-hitpoints for a round or resistance to a hit. You could do a Strength one where you reroll damage or something (That's lame, but I'm going off the top of my head). With multiple choices (and perhaps the ability to switch in and out), it makes it harder to be made useless with the selection of a feat or multiclassing.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Started a brief playtest yesterday and pleasantly surprised at how a mixed group of fighters is suddenly thinking tactics.

One shortcoming - does anyone else think fighters should get to dodge as a bonus action when leaving a threatened square as a sort of fighting withdrawal? Disengage really seems to punish the fighter concept.

Or maybe tweaked class feature at level 5 so you can spend one of your attacks to disengage.

Disengage as a bonus action would be a great shield based fighting style feature.

 

[Pauln6]

Disengage as a bonus action would be a great shield based fighting style feature.

Maybe all the fighting styles need a higher level power up based off fighter levels only?

 

[Pauln6]

Do it as a technique and you have uses equal to your proficiency. Call it Fast Footwork. Not sure if it should recharge on a short or a long. You could make it a choice out of several techniques: for example, that would be your Dex-fighter one, while your Constitution-based one could maybe give temp-hitpoints for a round or resistance to a hit. You could do a Strength one where you reroll damage or something (That's lame, but I'm going off the top of my head). With multiple choices (and perhaps the ability to switch in and out), it makes it harder to be made useless with the selection of a feat or multiclassing.

I still think I would call it Fighting Withdrawal since it depends on your fighting style whether you are fast or just soaking it up but Temporary hit points until the start of your next turn could be one possible method - perhaps keyed off your fighting style:

Fighter level + Dex for duelists, unarmed fighting, thrown weapons, and TWF
Fighter level + Strength for great weapon fighters, superior technique
Fighter level + Con for shield/armour, interception

Bit fiddly if you already had temp hp before you retreated though.

 

[Asisreo]

How does everyone feel about the "Blessing" system in the DMG as a fix for the balance as long as they are actually given to players at set intervals rather than DM permission.

We could even have it where martial/noncaster classes get a blessing every two level ups and casters don't get any naturally (maybe the cleric or paladin gets one or two).

How would that sound for everyone? (Just a reminder for those who haven't looked, Blessings give magic item effects to players that can't be removed, dispelled, and don't require attunement).

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

How does everyone feel about the "Blessing" system in the DMG as a fix for the balance as long as they are actually given to players at set intervals rather than DM permission.

We could even have it where martial/noncaster classes get a blessing every two level ups and casters don't get any naturally (maybe the cleric or paladin gets one or two).

How would that sound for everyone? (Just a reminder for those who haven't looked, Blessings give magic item effects to players that can't be removed, dispelled, and don't require attunement).

I'd maybe go with a progressive artifact item. Like, your weapon or armor start to become part of your legend and get infused by the magic of your fate.

Like at level 6 and 9 you add a Minor Effect from the artifact list. Then at higher level you get to add 1-2 Major Effects.

You could even add a little ribbon at 20th level that if you die, your chosen artifact item becomes a Sentient Magic Items with your traits.