D&D 5E Buffing the Champion Fighter

[Sylas Grayson]

I had an idea for "soft crits". They will grow as part of the Improved/Superior Critical feature.

At level 3, if your attack roll is at least 20 after modifiers, it is an automatic hit.

At level 15, if your attack roll is at least 19 after modifiers, it is an automatic hit.

 

[XamaX]

To make the Champion more appealing and the undisputed king of carnage still standing at the end of a big boss battle where he's bloody, hurting, and still looking to fight maybe make the following changes.
Lvl 3. Improved crit (19-20)
Lvl 7. Improved Remarkable Athlete
- same as written but also gives you
- +10' base movement
- Gain proficiency for dex saving throws
- move at normal speed while climbing,
swimming and over rough terrain.
Lvl 10. 2nd fighting style
- Greater Crit (18 - 20)
Lvl 15. Superior crit (17 - 20)
- gain additional use of second wind
Lvl 18. Survivor HP recovery is 5 + half your
fighter level rounded up.
- select 3rd fighting style
Lvl 20. 3rd action surge.
- Master Crit (16 - 20)
Optional at Lvl 20. May elect to forego 3rd action surge and limit crit range to Greater Crit (18 - 20) to select one of the following.
- +2 stat increase (can go above 20)
- +1/+1 for two stats (can go above 20)
- A feat of your choice
This makes the champion still a simple passive ability build, but makes him a lot tougher, a damage machine, and fun to play without making him to OP.

 

[5ekyu]

To make the Champion more appealing and the undisputed king of carnage still standing at the end of a big boss battle where he's bloody, hurting, and still looking to fight maybe make the following changes.
Lvl 3. Improved crit (19-20)
Lvl 7. Improved Remarkable Athlete
- same as written but also gives you
- +10' base movement
- Gain proficiency for dex saving throws
- move at normal speed while climbing,
swimming and over rough terrain.
Lvl 10. 2nd fighting style
- Greater Crit (18 - 20)
Lvl 15. Superior crit (17 - 20)
- gain additional use of second wind
Lvl 18. Survivor HP recovery is 5 + half your
fighter level rounded up.
- select 3rd fighting style
Lvl 20. 3rd action surge.
- Master Crit (16 - 20)
Optional at Lvl 20. May elect to forego 3rd action surge and limit crit range to Greater Crit (18 - 20) to select one of the following.
- +2 stat increase (can go above 20)
- +1/+1 for two stats (can go above 20)
- A feat of your choice
This makes the champion still a simple passive ability build, but makes him a lot tougher, a damage machine, and fun to play without making him to OP.

I would have gone the reverse, beefing up survivability with little extra damage. Its not imo a good idea to taje the option meant for simple and passive to get the damage output of classes built to require more good decisions etc.

On the other hand, it feels to me that higher survival fits right in with the class meant to be most accessible to rookies.

But thats just the direction i would take if champion needed uptick.

 

[XamaX]

it feels to me that higher survival fits right in with the class meant to be most accessible to rookies.

But thats just the direction i would take if champion needed uptick.

I like it. Could take out some of the crit increases I suggested and give additional uses of 2nd wind. I dunno. When I think Champion I think last man standing. He's tough, can take a beating and just when you think he's down for the count he catches his second wind again and explodes for a flurry of damage leaving his opponent reeling and wondering what just happened. It's like Rocky with a sword! Lol. Or make that an alternate build. For every 5 percent he is below half HP he gets a +1 to attack and Damage. So you're on your last leg, 5% HP left just throwing haymakers at +9/+9 in a desperate last burst of defiance. That'd be awesome!

 

[Ancalagon]

Just use the UA brute

 

[XamaX]

Just use the UA brute

The Brute is interesting. I like the extra damage. The death save bit on Brutish Durability is oddly worded to me. Not sure how to read that.

Also the Devestating Critical... is the extra damage the Brute bonus damage dice added to the end result, or just a flat plus to damage. Examples I'm a level 15 Brute using a 2d6 weapon and I have 20 strength I crit.

I roll
2D6×2 (weapon damage)+ 1d6x2 (brute bonus damage dice) +1d6 (bonus brute bonus damage dice) +5 (Str modifier)
Or
2D6×2 (weapon damage)+ 1d6x2 (brute bonus damage dice) +5 (Str Mod) + 15 (fighter level)

 

[TheCosmicKid]

Just use the UA brute

According to Mearls the brute got really negative feedback, which baffles me. I think it's a great solution to the problem of the champion, and I want to play one as soon as the right character concept comes around.

 

[Ancalagon]

According to Mearls the brute got really negative feedback, which baffles me. I think it's a great solution to the problem of the champion, and I want to play one as soon as the right character concept comes around.

The fluff was... not great, and there was lack of clarity how narrowly it could be used. Can you brute with a finesse weapon?

 

[XamaX]

According to Mearls the brute got really negative feedback, which baffles me.

I can somewhat understand why it would get negative feedback. You do get extra damage consistently, but the increased crit range is taken away. As I mentioned earlier Brutish Durability seems poorly written, and I am not sure how that death save works. You just get a 20? I do like the overall boost to all your saving throws it provides. Just seems like not enough. I have no problem with the champion fighter being a 1 dimensional character, but if that's what it's going to be then make it the baddest kid on the playground. Maybe throw in some feat like abilities for the champion early. Or fighting style boost making them beefier. Like a champion duelist gets +4 to damage and a champion with Defensive gets +1 AC and DPS resistance similar to Heavy Armor Master, or can add additional Dex to armor for dex builds (players call)
Valid options adding durability and flexibility to the archetype, while remaining true to its simplistic essence and style. It does what all fighters can do, just a little better.

The Brute made it different, not necessarily betterIMO. But it's a try. Some may like it, others may not. Just depends how you like to have fun and play the character.

 

[Leatherhead]

According to Mearls the brute got really negative feedback, which baffles me. I think it's a great solution to the problem of the champion, and I want to play one as soon as the right character concept comes around.

The fluff was... not great, and there was lack of clarity how narrowly it could be used. Can you brute with a finesse weapon?

Apparently people didn't like it because they saw it as a replacement for the Champion. Which is a real shame.
And being a brute with any weapon is totally fine imo. That way you keep it simple for the player, because they dont need to remember a special list of approved weapons. The main problem with the Brute (other than some concerns about the obviously inflated dpr), is that it lacks any kind of out of combat support. Something like advantage on (str) athletics checks or double carry capacity would go a long way on it.