Aristocrat as a PC class

[gpetruc]

I don't have access to most of the suggested material, anyway, but I will try to have a look at them if I can (here in Italy RPG material is less available than in the US; most shops have just the very basic books from Wizards and maybe Sword&Sorcery)

As Khaalis suggested, it would be nice to tweak the fighter class so that you can choose just how much skill you want ... even if it is not easy. Maybe this could be done by enlarging a bit the class skill list (skill points are low anyway, so it wouldn't unbalance the base class, as you still don't give them skills like Spot), creating feats appropriate to the idea and let them take those feats (and possibly Skill Focus or similar ones, even if only in their class skills) with their bonus feats. It would be nice to let them choose "d10, 2 skill points" or "d8, 4 skill points" every level, but it's a bit out of the standard D&D mechanics. The feat that grants skill points that I have seen quoted somewhere here (and might come from AU, which I have) is also an option.
I'll think about it, and try to post some draft here on the boards in the later days.

Elephant's idea of creating a Noble class (with less fighting prowess but more skills) and multiclassing between the two is also fine, and surely worth giving a try; the main problem I see is that the character's evolution through levels is of course less fluid than it would have been with a single class.
In that case one would go for d8, all weapons and armor (you are still trained to survive), 3/4 BAB, good will save (but probably no fortitude), 6 skill points, some variation of Bardic Knowledge, good bonuses to leadership score, but for followers only, (+1 @ lvl 6, 10, 14, 18, 20 ?) and the ability to take the feat multiple times to get more followers, maybe some sort of inspire ability. Of course one should take care in balancing the thing a bit, it will require some thinking.
We should also avoid going too much in the intrigue way because that is for some sort of rogue (8 skill points, d6).

I had cut out the Power Attack and TWF chan from the noble feat list to avoid stepping on the fighter's toes; the idea is that if they want them they can get them anyway either with normal feats or with some fighter multiclass. At least TWF should stay out, IMHO (it is not that common), but maybe some parts of Power Attack could find their way back in the list.

Thanks for the feedback

Giovanni

 

[Aust Diamondew]

I might bump HD up to a d10 either that and maybe allow them weapon specialization at level 8 or higher and greater weapon focus at level 16 or higher (samurai in Oriental adventures get 2 good saves, full BAB, d10 HD, 4 skills points per level, and a similar feat progression plus the ability to enchant their own weapons).

 

[Khaalis]

Personally, in our circle, we found that the Fighter is one of the most lacking classes of the core classes, and in effect you cannot create many of the archetypes for the fighter class without using PrC's. In fact we feel that the fighter was desgined with the thought of NEVER taking all 20 levels in the class, instead assuming that a fighter would multi-class and PrC out of fighter after only a max of 8 or so fighter levels.

What we have done is to change the Fighter's Skill list to:
Appraise (Review Contract*1, Weapons and Armor only), Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (local and warcraft), Listen, Profession, Ride, Sense Motive (Combat Prediction, Decipher Strategy only*2), Spot, and Swim.

* Sources:
1 = AEG's Mercenaries
2 = Sword & Fist

We also increased all classes by 2 skill points, so the Fighter gains 4+INT for skill points.

On another note, I personally dislike the idea of making a Fighter use Feats to gain access to other skills that Should already be a part of their reptoire. Making them spend class features on inherent flaws in the class desing is not a fix IMHO. As it is, there are far too many feats out there necessary to make a decent fighting style and too few feat slots as it is. Making a fighter waste more slots to be able to do 1st-aid in the field, how to guage battle maneuvers of the enemy and be able to assess a well made sword versus a peice of junk is just silly.

JMHO. YMMV.