D&D 5E Fixing the Fighter: The Zouave

[Sacrosanct]

I should also note that every single time satisfaction polls get posted, the fighter does pretty well. So anyone who says it’s broken and/or bad is simply expressing their personal opinion. Nothing more. There is no need for the designers to change anything. In fact, alienating a large part of your customer base to focus on one playstyle would be a horrible business decision. We’ve literally seen the difference in sales figures.

 

[Ancalagon]

I should also note that every single time satisfaction polls get posted, the fighter does pretty well. So anyone who says it’s broken and/or bad is simply expressing their personal opinion. Nothing more. There is no need for the designers to change anything. In fact, alienating a large part of your customer base to focus on one playstyle would be a horrible business decision. We’ve literally seen the difference in sales figures.

I'll post something that may be a bit... uncharitable to some fighter players (not all! some!). I think there are players who are there for combat. They are waiting for the next fight, the next bout of excitement. The part in between is bla bla bla they aren't really interested in - they might focus a bit for a few minutes of amusing roleplay or to kick in a door, but most of the time they are detached. For a player like this, a fighter is perfect (and for the players who don't want to wait for the combat, a barbarian?). Of course satisfaction in the class is good.

But what about the people who want to play a fighter AND engage in the non combat part? Now I'll fully admit, 5e really did help that with the backgrounds - they can be a very useful tool/lever to do this. But I think it should be a bit more.

The ranger has those tools, but they are very specific to a certain flavor.

 

[Undrave]

The Fighter has long suffered in the role of "Just a guy with the sword" thanks to any nice thing they could potentially had being confined into another class. It started with the Thief stealing skill use and it snowballed out of control from there.

Yeah, well, y'know, not anymore...

...not that 1e level titles meant anything.

There's this weird situation where the Wizard 'studied in a magic school for years' before level 1 but, somehow, the lv 1 Fighter is viewed as 'Farm hand picks up a sword'... If the Wizard studied for years to get to Level 1 then SO SHOULD THE FIGHTER!

 

[Tony Vargas]

I'll post something that may be a bit... uncharitable to some fighter players (not all! some!). I think there are players who are there for combat. They are waiting for the next fight, the next bout of excitement. The part in between is bla bla bla they aren't really interested in

That's a stereotype, alright "wake me when the fight starts"

But, like "nobody plays high-level" there's a chicken/egg thing going on. Do players who are attracted to archetypes represented by the fighter, like (according to the 2e PH) Perseus, Hiawatha, Beowulf, CuChulain, Sinbad, Charlemagne, and Spartacus, (and, though 2e didn't go into characters under copyright, basically most heroes in most high-fantay/S&S) thinking "I'd hate to have to participate in the whole session, and those guys sound like they'd only wake up for a fight," or having rolled up a fighter, do they quickly learn there's nothing much useful for them to do between fights?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

There is plenty for fighters to do between fights. The limitation is the imagination of the player, not skills and special abilities on the character sheet.

If the only thing that occurs out of combat is skill rolls then that is a problem with your game.

 

[Tony Vargas]

If the only thing that occurs out of combat is skill rolls then that is a problem with your game.

In 5e, at least, thanks to BA and backgrounds, if all that occurs out of combat is checks, the Fighter will have something to do. Even the Champion Fighter.
Once it starts being about spells and rituals and class abilities, though....

 

[Paul Farquhar]

In 5e, at least, thanks to BA and backgrounds, if all that occurs out of combat is checks, the Fighter will have something to do. Even the Champion Fighter.
Once it starts being about spells and rituals and class abilities, though....

If OOC is limited to any game mechanics, then your game is lacking.

I play a fighter, and I don't feel my character is lacking out of combat - in fact I do most of the talking to NPCs (mostly deliberately pissing them off) and strategic and tactical planning.

 

[Tony Vargas]

If OOC is limited to any game mechanics, then your game is lacking.

"There's your problem: you were playing the game! Sheesh, newb mistake - never play the game... "

 

[Eubani]

If only spell casters could roleplay better or use ability checks as well as their spells and special abilities...…….oh wait they can.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

"There's your problem: you were playing the game! Sheesh, newb mistake - never play the game... "

You don't have to be rolling dice to be playing the game.