D&D (2024) Fighter Class rewrite

[ECMO3]

you mean like what the cavalier has they have increased number of opportunity attacks and progressively more as they get higher levels.

The original post suggests being able to use a somewhat similar for the core fighter it is not radical as an option replacing action surge (which makes it worse than taking the Cavalier and completely inferior by endgame but allows one flexibility of still taking a subclass). Arguably the original post enables 3 different approaches without switching to a subclass. Spell casters get many many more choices of that ilk based on their spell selection.

I am not sure what you are referring to in terms of progressively more. The Cavalier does not get additional opportunity attacks until 18th level with Vigilant defender and there is no progressive number.

With Vigilant Defender they can theoretically make a number of reactions limited only by the number of creatures in combat, but they still have to be triggered and they still only get one attack per trigger event. It is also not any reaction, but an opportunity attack specifically, so things like the Sentinel or Mage Slayer that allows a reaction attack do not apply because that is not an "opportunity attack". Finally it is a single attack with each opportunity attack, not an attack action with extra attacks and it is limited to one reaction per turn.

The unwavering mark feature uses a bonus action to make the attack, not a reaction, and you have to give up on another bonus action to use it, so it is limited to 1 additional attack per turn and 5 total per day, so that is not a reaction and not an opportunity attack.

Extra opportunity attacks really only makes someone better able to "thou shall not pass" also remember enemies do not have to trigger them.

I am not sure what you mean. Any reaction needs to be triggered, some abilities give additional ways to trigger OAs, but they do still need to be triggered.

 

[Quickleaf]

I just went back and updated the formatting of my OP to be legible in Dark Mode, and updated the links. Apologies for the delay in making it more accessible – I wasn't expecting this thread to resurface and I had to remove all formatting in order to reformat it correctly. Hopefully that helps for discussion going forward.

EDIT: Also, since I'm painfully aware of how a class write-up can become bloated, I did a quick comparison of my word count (sans designs notes) to the core fighter (sans subclasses, but including alternate class features). My version is just over 3,500 words, while the D&D Beyond version is 2,000 words. By comparison, the D&D Beyond rogue is about 1,750, the cleric is about 2,500, and the warlock is about a whopping 5,500 words. So my Fighter re-write is definitely at the uppermost level of where I would want the word count (i.e. complexity) to be, and in the future I'll be looking for places to bring that down closer to the cleric.

 

[NotAYakk]

Reaction attacks are usually powerful in terms of damge per round, but poor in terms of damge per second of table time.

If you want to make fighters hard to ignore, what I might do is give them a bonus if they have an OA on their next turn against that foe.

That has anniying state, but doesn't ibterrupt gameplay as much.

Stealing from 4e, a fighter might have the ability to mark a foe when they could take an OA. Then on your turn, you deal (level/2) extra weapon dice on your first hit on them.

That is impactful, scales with fighter level, and is naturally limited in both targets and output per target.

There is also counterplay from the other side; avoid being in range of that retribution, or make it too costly.

The more attacks fighters get let them trigger this on more foes, or more reliably on one foe.

 

[Garthanos]

Finally it is a single attack with each opportunity attack, not an attack action with extra attacks and it is limited to one reaction per turn.

Here it is, that was not what I suggested.... I was suggesting that 1 attack per enemy up to a number of times a round equal to your extra attacks (each one must be triggered individually) ie not a burst of them like you were spending a full attack action.

My suggestion was identical to a limited version of the level 18 ability. if 2 people trigger an opportunity at level 5 with my idea you get 1 opportunity attack on one and can still spend your reaction to attack the other. But a third will race past without impairment. Once you can do 3 attacks it will be the third one you need to spend your reaction on

The unlimited number occuring at 18 is basically something that was in a UA feat and identical to something in 4e that in actual use any one could do without issue it just made racing past someone without caution not a good idea. It practice it does not result in a huge number of attacks.

You are right though I forgot how truly limited the Cavaliers Mark is.... it's terrible 5e's defenders are lame. An enemy could even be out of reach of you by the time you get around to punishing them. And you could be ignored a huge amount of the time with impunity in spite of the mark.

 

[Charrend]

@Quickleaf Greetings! I know this thread hasn’t been used in nearly a year, but my group and I really like this rework. I see that you mention subclasses for it, but I can’t seem to find them. Have you posted them somewhere else? Hope to hear from you soon!

 

[Quickleaf]

@Quickleaf Greetings! I know this thread hasn’t been used in nearly a year, but my group and I really like this rework. I see that you mention subclasses for it, but I can’t seem to find them. Have you posted them somewhere else? Hope to hear from you soon!

Hi there Charrend! Glad to hear my tinkering is of interest to your group. I haven't had time to delve into subclass design specific to the mechanics I'm proposing (I am in an intensive architecture program that eats up the free time I had before). However, in my original post I mention a previous fighter rewrite I did called "The Warrior" which does have several interesting subclasses you might use as inspiration for your own designs. Sorry I couldn't be of further help!

 

[Pauln6]

I enjoyed reading this too. I'm a bit concerned that attack the horde synergises a bit too well with multiclassing. I cannot begin to think how much damage a paladin could dish out with only a couple of fighter levels, so maybe attacks based on half your fighter level might be better?

A rules light version to just slot in a few extra abilities as alternate class features might be something I will consider.