giving the fighter some options - my house rule

[GlassJaw]

I've been putting together my own 3.75 ruleset for a Pathfinder campaign. One of my design goals has been to put emphasis back on core classes and multiclass options while reducing the usage of prestige classes.

Because of that, I wanted to give the fighter more options. Here's my idea:

Fighter
At levels 2, 6, 10, 14, and 18, a fighter may swap his bonus feat for an ability gained in another class.

Possible abilities that the fighter may choose (and required fighter level, if any) are damage reduction 1/- (6th), evasion (and improved, 10th), fast movement +10 ft., favored enemy, opportunist (10th), skirmish +1d6, +1 AC, sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge (and improved), or another comparable ability (subject to DM’s approval).

Abilities may be chosen more than once and stack, if applicable.

Thoughts?

 

[Sylrae]

if you want to simplify things, add the extra abilities, but use the generic classes variant in Unearthed Arcana. It only has 3 real classes then. But theyre still all good.

Spellcaster, Warrior, and Expert.

Then just give them the ability to take abilities from similar classes in normal 3.5. So the warrior is the barbarian, the fighter, and the swashbuckler, etc.

 

[GlassJaw]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the generic classes. I'll definitely borrow from that list. I don't want to go all generic classes though but I am concerned about stacking.

For example, you could take levels of fighter and barbarian and get fast movement from both. I don't have a problem with boosting the power of the fighter a bit though so might not be an issue.

 

[Sylrae]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the generic classes. I'll definitely borrow from that list. I don't want to go all generic classes though but I am concerned about stacking.

For example, you could take levels of fighter and barbarian and get fast movement from both. I don't have a problem with boosting the power of the fighter a bit though so might not be an issue.

I didnt mean all generic classes. I meant give the generic classes the ability to take all the feats and class abilities for all the classes they are like, and just have them choose. So you can get sneak attak, or the ninja sneek attacks or the scout abilities, or any combination of the three. and then fighter would have the ability to get all the barbarian abilities, all the fighter abilities, all the swashbuckler abilities, all the non caster ranger abilities, etc. Just make them choose as they gain levels. And if they multiclass they get to multiclass into expert or spellcaster. suddenly all the classes can be much more dynamic. At level one the fighter could decide if he wants to be dex based or str based, and if dex, give less armor proficiencies, but give swashbuckler abilities. Stuf like that.

I might try it myself, but not in the next campaign im starting as its too close to now that im startign it and I dont want to do the class design work on top of uni exams and the other D&D designing and campaign designing im doing. I'll probably start assembling some similar concept in january. but if you want to make the fighter have more options, you may as well give more options to everyone. Suddenly all the classes are ridiculously more dynamic and you only need to multiclass for prestige classes or to change to be with one of the other 3 archtypes.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

I've been putting together my own 3.75 ruleset for a Pathfinder campaign. One of my design goals has been to put emphasis back on core classes and multiclass options while reducing the usage of prestige classes.

Because of that, I wanted to give the fighter more options. Here's my idea:

Fighter
At levels 2, 6, 10, 14, and 18, a fighter may swap his bonus feat for an ability gained in another class.

Possible abilities that the fighter may choose (and required fighter level, if any) are damage reduction 1/- (6th), evasion (and improved, 10th), fast movement +10 ft., favored enemy, opportunist (10th), skirmish +1d6, +1 AC, sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge (and improved), or another comparable ability (subject to DM’s approval).

Abilities may be chosen more than once and stack, if applicable.

Thoughts?

When I DM I go so far as to make a lot of those abilities available as feats. I'm especially loose with class abilities that don't match the class they were assigned to, like Slippery Mind.

 

[Shazman]

You might be better off giving the fighter some abilities that are unique to the class. The PHB II alternate fighter abilities are a good start, especially if they are bonus abilities instad of abilities that replace a bonus feat.

 

[GlassJaw]

You might be better off giving the fighter some abilities that are unique to the class. The PHB II alternate fighter abilities are a good start, especially if they are bonus abilities instad of abilities that replace a bonus feat.

Ehh, I actually haven't liked a lot of the variant fighter abilities I've seen. I'd allow I suppose but I much prefer giving the fighter some already existing and proven abilities from other classes.

 

[sammy]

Nice idea

I actually like that idea of swapping feats for class abilities. Most class abilities can be a feat anyway, as I see it. As a DM, I am fairly loose anyway, cause I have a small group.

How about the Class Creation Engine for your players. I have a copy, but can't remember where I got it. I have made several classes with that, and they all seem balanced to me- yet again, I do run a small group, which may be a factor in your game.

Sammy

 

[Claudius Gaius]

Feat and Class Ability Breakdowns

We've been using a system that does that for quite awhile, as well as breaking down saves, BAB, and all the other mechanics to a pure point-buy system (although it is a full rulebook). All our copies are getting pretty dogeared, but electronic versions have been released as shareware recently; they're linked in my signature.

 

[Tagnik]

I killed the Frenzied Berzerker and gave its stuff to the Fighter and Barbarian.

Barbarian had the Frenzying and extra attacks.

Fighter had the improved power attacking damage.

Barbarians should swing more, Fighters should do more damage in one hit.

That's how I felt anyways