Gez
First Post
The fighter is a good class, but a bland class. Part of 3.5's aim was to give more reasons to continue progressing in a given class, rather than using it as a front-loaded shortcut toward a prestige class. This can be seen for the paladin, the ranger or the bard (bardic music styles being keyed to level rather than simply to level, for example).
But not the fighter. Sure, the class is powerful enough already, but just, well, bland. There's nothing at high level that the fighter, and only the fighter, can get eventually. Sure, he'll have more feats than what one may get with most prestige classes, but feats are feats are feats. There's other way to get them.
So, as the fighter gets at level 4 the possibility to take a feat (nearly) only him can take; I had the idea of giving him more unique feats. And these feats, I ripped them from the stunts of the Exotic Weapon Master from the Complete Warrior, as overviewed here, and then added a few more.
I advise not to use this prestige class if adopting this variant fighter. Heck, I would advise not using it altogether. Conceptually, it don't make too much sense.
FIGHTER
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d10.
Class Skills
The fighter’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the fighter.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A fighter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields).
Bonus Feats (Ex): A fighter starts with a bonus combat-oriented feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and, if appropriate, the race-granted bonus feat.
The fighter gains an additional bonus feat at every even fighter level (2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as fighter bonus feats. A fighter must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.
These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. A fighter is not limited to the list of fighter bonus feats when choosing these feats.
Weapon Specialization (Ex): A fourth-level fighter may select Weapon Specialization as a regular feat or as a bonus fighter feat.
Special Stunt (Ex): At eighth level, and every four fighter levels thereafter, a figther may learn a special stunt instead of taking a bonus feat. Special stunts are maneuvers he may only perform with a weapon or weapons he is specialized (with Weapon Specialization) in.
Again, I stress that these stunts can only be performed with weapons the fighter is specialized in. This will limit the uses of them with usually one weapon, sometimes two or three. At max, a 20th-level human fighter could have 8 Weapon Focus, 8 Weapon Specialization, and 3 stunts; or 7 WF, 7 WS, 4 stunt and one regular feat.
But not the fighter. Sure, the class is powerful enough already, but just, well, bland. There's nothing at high level that the fighter, and only the fighter, can get eventually. Sure, he'll have more feats than what one may get with most prestige classes, but feats are feats are feats. There's other way to get them.
So, as the fighter gets at level 4 the possibility to take a feat (nearly) only him can take; I had the idea of giving him more unique feats. And these feats, I ripped them from the stunts of the Exotic Weapon Master from the Complete Warrior, as overviewed here, and then added a few more.
I advise not to use this prestige class if adopting this variant fighter. Heck, I would advise not using it altogether. Conceptually, it don't make too much sense.
FIGHTER
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d10.
Class Skills
The fighter’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Code:
Table: The Fighter
Base
Attack Fort Ref Will
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special
App +0 +2 +0 +0 Bonus feat
1st +1 +2 +0 +0
2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 Bonus feat
3rd +3 +3 +1 +1
4th +4 +4 +1 +1 Bonus feat, qualify for
weapon specialization
5th +5 +4 +1 +1
6th +6* +5 +2 +2 Bonus feat
7th +7 +5 +2 +2
8th +8 +6 +2 +2 Bonus feat OR special stunt
9th +9 +6 +3 +3
10th +10 +7 +3 +3 Bonus feat
11th +11* +7 +3 +3
12th +12 +8 +4 +4 Bonus feat OR special stunt
13th +13 +8 +4 +4
14th +14 +9 +4 +4 Bonus feat
15th +15 +9 +5 +5
16th +16* +10 +5 +5 Bonus feat OR special stunt
17th +17 +10 +5 +5
18th +18 +11 +6 +6 Bonus feat
19th +19 +11 +6 +6
20th +20 +12 +6 +6 Bonus feat OR special stunt
*: Gets a new iterative attack at this BAB value.Class Features
All of the following are class features of the fighter.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A fighter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields).
Bonus Feats (Ex): A fighter starts with a bonus combat-oriented feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and, if appropriate, the race-granted bonus feat.
The fighter gains an additional bonus feat at every even fighter level (2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as fighter bonus feats. A fighter must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.
These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. A fighter is not limited to the list of fighter bonus feats when choosing these feats.
Weapon Specialization (Ex): A fourth-level fighter may select Weapon Specialization as a regular feat or as a bonus fighter feat.
Special Stunt (Ex): At eighth level, and every four fighter levels thereafter, a figther may learn a special stunt instead of taking a bonus feat. Special stunts are maneuvers he may only perform with a weapon or weapons he is specialized (with Weapon Specialization) in.
- Close-Quarters Ranged Combat: The fighter doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity for attacking with a ranged weapon.
- Flurry of Strikes: The fighter can make an additional attack at his best attack bonus during a full attack with a melee weapon, at the cost of a -2 penalty on all attacks.
- Graceful Combat: If the fighter has Weapon Finesse, he can use it with one-handed weapons, as well as the usual (light weapons, rapier, whip, and spiked chain of appropriate size).
- Great Sunder: The fighter gains an extra +4 of damage on sunder attacks with a melee weapon.
- Ranged Disarm: The fighter may make a disarm attempt with a ranged weapon. The weapon is considered light for purpose of the opposed check.
- Show Off: As a move-equivalent action, the fighter can perform a display of martial mastery with a melee weapon. This count as a demoralize opponent Intimidate attempt against a foe within 30 feet. If the fighter wins the opposed check, the foe is shaken for 1 round per four fighter levels.
- Sneak Attack: The fighter gains +1d6 damage when making a sneak attack. A fighter can select this stunt several times, each time addition one additional sneak attack damage die.
- Stunning Blow: The fighter may make a stunning attack with a melee weapon once per day per four fighter levels. He must declare he is using this stunt before making the attack roll. If he hits, his target must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + half the fighter's HD + the fighter's Wisdom modifier) in addition to taking damage normally. If the target fails the save, it is stunned for 1 round.
A fighter may select this stunt more than once. The number of uses of stunning blow he may make stacks. - Surprising Strike: The fighter's capacity to make attacks of opportunity is not hampered by less-than-total cover.
- Throw Weapon: The fighter may throw a melee weapon without special penalty. The weapon is considered to have a range increment of 10 feet.
- Trip Attack: The fighter may make a trip attack with a melee weapon with a +2 bonus. As a free action, he can drop the weapon to avoid the counter-trip attempt. This stacks with Improved Trip.
- Twin Weapon: The fighter is considered to have Two-Weapon Fighting when using two identical melee weapons. If he already has Two-Weapon Fighting, the penalties are reduced by 2.
- Uncanny Blows: The fighter can pack more strength in a blow with a one-handed weapon, by wielding it two-handed. The Strength bonus to damage is doubled.
- Weapon Defense: The fighter gains a +1 shield bonus to his Armor Class when wielding a melee weapon. This don't stack with the use of a shield or with Two-Weapon Defense.
- Weapon Mastery: The fighter gains a +1 bonus to attack and a +1 bonus to damage with his specialized weapons. This stacks with the bonus from the feats from the Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization feat trees.
- Weapon Parry: The fighter may ready a special attack action with a melee weapon, to parry a melee attack from an opponent in a threatened square. If that opponent attacks him, the fighter makes an opposed attack roll; if the fighter wins, the opponent's attack miss. Readying an action is a standard action.
Again, I stress that these stunts can only be performed with weapons the fighter is specialized in. This will limit the uses of them with usually one weapon, sometimes two or three. At max, a 20th-level human fighter could have 8 Weapon Focus, 8 Weapon Specialization, and 3 stunts; or 7 WF, 7 WS, 4 stunt and one regular feat.
Recycle-bin:
- Heavy Weapon: The fighter can be considered one size category larger for purpose of wielding weapons.
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