StreamOfTheSky
Adventurer
Had these rules for several years now, though some changed with the advent of ToB. They've been playtested by several people now, and seem to be well balanced, though working on a basic premise: the Fighter is both weak and too limited in what roles he can fill, and needs a serious boost, without losing that generalist with specializing options, good at all kinds of fighting, adaptable feel. So, I don't know. It's been slow today, guess I may as well share. Let me know if you like it. My favorite's the Gladiator kit.
Fighter: Still the basic Fighter, with some cool new tricks, like maneuvers, easier feat qualification, and eventual ability to cut past DR. Also, more skills.
Gladiator: A Fighter/Rogue multiclass built into a single class, though not nearly as sucky as the UA variant ot simply trade feats for SA. Has its own built in flavor that can be built upon, while still being understated enough to ignore if you want.
Court Champion: I first made this before the Knight class existed, but I think they're still fairly different. Favors a mounted Fighter build, but can work just as strongly using the companion as a back up frontliner or scout.
Note: All Fighter variants retain the Fighter bonus feats, and have the same HD, saves, and proficiencies unless specifically stated otherwise.
Fighter
As in the PHB, except:
• Class Skills: Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (History) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Perform (Weapon Drill) (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str)
• Skill points = 4 + Int modifier
• Class Disciplines: DM, IH, SS, SD, TC, WR
• Fighter levels count as full initiator levels for determining what stances and maneuvers can be chosen by the character for the above disciplines. Also, Fighter bonus feats spent on Martial Study (as well as maneuvers learned with the Martial Study class feature) do not count against the standard limit of how many times the feat may be taken (3).
• Weapon Aptitude: Fighters can re-designate which weapons their weapons-related feats apply to each morning, see Warblade for more information.
• 5th level – Versatile Learning: Ability scores count as 4 points higher and base save bonuses count as 2 points higher when meeting the prerequisites of a feat on the Fighter bonus feat list. This applies even if not actually acquiring the feat with a bonus feat slot.
• 11th level – Shattering Strike: The Fighter may use a standard action to take a single attack at his highest attack bonus. This attack disregards 1 point of DR of the opponent per Fighter level. The effective DR does not go below zero.
• 17th level – Greater Shattering Strike: Any attack the Fighter makes treats the opponent’s DR as 1 point lower per two Fighter levels, not reducing effective DR below zero. The Fighter may still use a standard action to do a single attack at the higher DR reduction rate.
• Martial Study: At levels 3, 9, 15, and 19 a Fighter may learn one maneuver for which he meets the prerequisites (he may still take Martial Study as a Fighter bonus or regular feat). In addition, at each of these levels, the Fighter gains one maneuver readied. This allows the Fighter to ready maneuvers he has learned through Martial Study, so that he can recover them mid-battle as a swift action followed immediately by a melee attack or as a standard action, following all rules for recovering maneuvers (including the restriction of not using a maneuver that round). Note, for a Fighter with more maneuvers known than he can ready (and assuming no martial adept levels), any maneuvers not readied are available once per encounter, as normal. If the Fighter has actual martial adept levels, he instead adds to his total maneuvers readied, and may select a number of maneuvers to ready from his Martial Study feats equal to the bonus readied maneuvers this feature grants (i.e., 1 at Fighter 3, etc...). In this case, all the multiclassed Fighter’s maneuvers are recovered by whatever method the martial adept class follows. If the Fighter has more than one martial adept class, he must choose which one he will add the extra readied maneuver to each time he gains this feature.
• Advanced Training: At levels 7 and 13 the Fighter learns special tactics and skills. He may choose any one Tactical or Weapon Style feat for which he meets the pre-requisites.
Fighter variants:
“Gladiator” Variant
• d8 HD
• Remove Armor Proficiency: Medium and Heavy, and Tower Shield Proficiency. Gladiators are proficient with the net.
• Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (History) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Perform (all) (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Swim (Str).
• Skill points = 6 + Int modifier
• Class Disciplines: DW, IH, SS, SH, SD, TC, WR
• Change “good” save from Fortitude to Reflex
• Confident Defense: A gladiator can add his charisma modifier to AC as a dodge bonus while wearing light or no armor, to a maximum amount equal to his class levels. In order to gain this benefit, the gladiator must be fighting within 60 feet of three or more conscious allies whom he has line of effect to. He can also gain this benefit when fighting in front of a crowd or audience if the audience has a status of “Friendly” or better with him (see Diplomacy skill). Improving this status is a use of Perform (Weapon Drill) as normal, in addition to any other conditional effects the DM allows.
• Starting with 2nd level bonus feat, a gladiator may choose to gain +1d6 Sneak Attack instead of a bonus feat at each even level (need not always be sneak attack).
• 5th level – A gladiator gains Evasion, but only while wearing light or no armor. A helpless Gladiator loses the benefit of Evasion. This replaces the standard fighter’s 5th level ability.
• At 11th and 17th levels, a Special Ability is gained from the Rogue Special Ability list. Alternatively, Uncanny Dodge (or Improved Uncanny Dodge if you already have the former) may be chosen. This replaces the standard Fighter’s 11th and 17th level abilities.
“Court Champion” Variant
• Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (History) (Int), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis).
• Change “good” save from Fortitude to Will.
• Class Disciplines: DS, DM, IH, SS, SD, WR
• At 5th level, the Fighter gains an Animal Companion, as a Druid, but any animal he chooses must be suitable as a mount. At levels 11 and 17, the animal companion gains a bonus feat of any kind it can meet the requirements for. The Court Champion variant loses the level 5, 11, and 17 class features.
(Final note: This was balanced against the ToB classes more than the PHB noncasters, many of whom I also gave boosts, so please keep that in mind. Fighter did get the most boosts, though.)
Fighter: Still the basic Fighter, with some cool new tricks, like maneuvers, easier feat qualification, and eventual ability to cut past DR. Also, more skills.
Gladiator: A Fighter/Rogue multiclass built into a single class, though not nearly as sucky as the UA variant ot simply trade feats for SA. Has its own built in flavor that can be built upon, while still being understated enough to ignore if you want.
Court Champion: I first made this before the Knight class existed, but I think they're still fairly different. Favors a mounted Fighter build, but can work just as strongly using the companion as a back up frontliner or scout.
Note: All Fighter variants retain the Fighter bonus feats, and have the same HD, saves, and proficiencies unless specifically stated otherwise.
Fighter
As in the PHB, except:
• Class Skills: Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (History) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Perform (Weapon Drill) (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str)
• Skill points = 4 + Int modifier
• Class Disciplines: DM, IH, SS, SD, TC, WR
• Fighter levels count as full initiator levels for determining what stances and maneuvers can be chosen by the character for the above disciplines. Also, Fighter bonus feats spent on Martial Study (as well as maneuvers learned with the Martial Study class feature) do not count against the standard limit of how many times the feat may be taken (3).
• Weapon Aptitude: Fighters can re-designate which weapons their weapons-related feats apply to each morning, see Warblade for more information.
• 5th level – Versatile Learning: Ability scores count as 4 points higher and base save bonuses count as 2 points higher when meeting the prerequisites of a feat on the Fighter bonus feat list. This applies even if not actually acquiring the feat with a bonus feat slot.
• 11th level – Shattering Strike: The Fighter may use a standard action to take a single attack at his highest attack bonus. This attack disregards 1 point of DR of the opponent per Fighter level. The effective DR does not go below zero.
• 17th level – Greater Shattering Strike: Any attack the Fighter makes treats the opponent’s DR as 1 point lower per two Fighter levels, not reducing effective DR below zero. The Fighter may still use a standard action to do a single attack at the higher DR reduction rate.
• Martial Study: At levels 3, 9, 15, and 19 a Fighter may learn one maneuver for which he meets the prerequisites (he may still take Martial Study as a Fighter bonus or regular feat). In addition, at each of these levels, the Fighter gains one maneuver readied. This allows the Fighter to ready maneuvers he has learned through Martial Study, so that he can recover them mid-battle as a swift action followed immediately by a melee attack or as a standard action, following all rules for recovering maneuvers (including the restriction of not using a maneuver that round). Note, for a Fighter with more maneuvers known than he can ready (and assuming no martial adept levels), any maneuvers not readied are available once per encounter, as normal. If the Fighter has actual martial adept levels, he instead adds to his total maneuvers readied, and may select a number of maneuvers to ready from his Martial Study feats equal to the bonus readied maneuvers this feature grants (i.e., 1 at Fighter 3, etc...). In this case, all the multiclassed Fighter’s maneuvers are recovered by whatever method the martial adept class follows. If the Fighter has more than one martial adept class, he must choose which one he will add the extra readied maneuver to each time he gains this feature.
• Advanced Training: At levels 7 and 13 the Fighter learns special tactics and skills. He may choose any one Tactical or Weapon Style feat for which he meets the pre-requisites.
Fighter variants:
“Gladiator” Variant
• d8 HD
• Remove Armor Proficiency: Medium and Heavy, and Tower Shield Proficiency. Gladiators are proficient with the net.
• Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (History) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Perform (all) (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Swim (Str).
• Skill points = 6 + Int modifier
• Class Disciplines: DW, IH, SS, SH, SD, TC, WR
• Change “good” save from Fortitude to Reflex
• Confident Defense: A gladiator can add his charisma modifier to AC as a dodge bonus while wearing light or no armor, to a maximum amount equal to his class levels. In order to gain this benefit, the gladiator must be fighting within 60 feet of three or more conscious allies whom he has line of effect to. He can also gain this benefit when fighting in front of a crowd or audience if the audience has a status of “Friendly” or better with him (see Diplomacy skill). Improving this status is a use of Perform (Weapon Drill) as normal, in addition to any other conditional effects the DM allows.
• Starting with 2nd level bonus feat, a gladiator may choose to gain +1d6 Sneak Attack instead of a bonus feat at each even level (need not always be sneak attack).
• 5th level – A gladiator gains Evasion, but only while wearing light or no armor. A helpless Gladiator loses the benefit of Evasion. This replaces the standard fighter’s 5th level ability.
• At 11th and 17th levels, a Special Ability is gained from the Rogue Special Ability list. Alternatively, Uncanny Dodge (or Improved Uncanny Dodge if you already have the former) may be chosen. This replaces the standard Fighter’s 11th and 17th level abilities.
“Court Champion” Variant
• Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (History) (Int), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis).
• Change “good” save from Fortitude to Will.
• Class Disciplines: DS, DM, IH, SS, SD, WR
• At 5th level, the Fighter gains an Animal Companion, as a Druid, but any animal he chooses must be suitable as a mount. At levels 11 and 17, the animal companion gains a bonus feat of any kind it can meet the requirements for. The Court Champion variant loses the level 5, 11, and 17 class features.
(Final note: This was balanced against the ToB classes more than the PHB noncasters, many of whom I also gave boosts, so please keep that in mind. Fighter did get the most boosts, though.)
