D&D 5E I made a Revised Fighter to fix the martial/caster gap - Feedback?

[DavyGreenwind]

Seeing all the talk about bringing Fighters up to snuff with casters got me thinkin'. So I whipped up a Revised Fighter, using mostly elements we already have from UA 7, and a few high-level abilities I invented. I haven't done the math, but I think it puts it up to snuff with casters. (Meaning it'll outshine other martials for now: I would redo Monk and Barb as well).

For the base class, I cannibalized and absorbed Champion critical hits, and Battle Master's maneuvers. I made Second Wind and Indomitable into maneuvers you get at level 2 (indomitable is not the same). At 17th and 20th level, I added two juicy abilities to try and make them more mythic, like Achilles or Hercules. The first ability allows you to keep attacking when you get a critical hit, possible chaining them together, and doing a ton of attacks in one turn. The second, finishing blow, gives you a chance to kill a monster with one blow when it has less than half its hit points remaining, or otherwise do a ton of damage.

I've got four subclasses: Brawler, Gladiator, Eldritch Knight, and Tactician. Gladiator takes a few Champion abilities, with some new CHA-based abilities. Tactician similar takes leftover Battle Master abilities, with some new INT stuff. Brawler is improved from the UA. Eldritch Knight is mostly the same, with a few things added here and there, and more flexibility.

I would appreciate feedback before I put it on the DMsGuild or something.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Clint_L]

Of all the things to buff on fighters, why number of attacks and DPR? They are already amazing at those. Wouldnt improving their utility make more sense, for the sake of balance?

Also, do we need every other thread to be about buffing fighters? Can’t these be combined?

 

[Simonb1]

Why a Retarius only for the gladiator?

 

[DavyGreenwind]

Why a Retarius only for the gladiator?

Classic Gladiator stuff?

 

[DavyGreenwind]

Of all the things to buff on fighters, why number of attacks and DPR? They are already amazing at those. Wouldnt improving their utility make more sense, for the sake of balance?

Also, do we need every other thread to be about buffing fighters? Can’t these be combined?

The primary complaint I see for martials and casters is the power disparity. "I hit four times" versus "I cast wish," that kind of thing. This Fighter can add battle dice to ability checks at level 2, an ability which applies out of combat as well. I suppose I could add more utility.

I made my own thread because I had a chunky pdf. But perhaps I should've hopped into another.

 

[DavyGreenwind]

Of all the things to buff on fighters, why number of attacks and DPR? They are already amazing at those. Wouldnt improving their utility make more sense, for the sake of balance?

Also, do we need every other thread to be about buffing fighters? Can’t these be combined?

The primary complaint I see for martials and casters is the power disparity. "I hit four times" versus "I cast wish," that kind of thing. This Fighter can add battle dice to ability checks at level 2, an ability which applies out of combat as well. I suppose I could add more utility.

I made my own thread because I had a chunky pdf. But perhaps I should've hopped into another.

 

[dave2008]

so you basically smooshed champion and battlemaster together I guess?

I do like having the battle dice (superiority dice) listed on the table and I like the idea of spending HD to replenish them.

 

[dave2008]

I am not a fan of the subclasses. I need just a plain fighter type subclass> I don't want to be a brawler, eldritch knight, gladiator, or tactician. I personally would need a replacement for the battlemaster or champion. Maybe just call it the "Warrior," IDK

 

[Clint_L]

The primary complaint I see for martials and casters is the power disparity. "I hit four times" versus "I cast wish," that kind of thing. This Fighter can add battle dice to ability checks at level 2, an ability which applies out of combat as well. I suppose I could add more utility.

I made my own thread because I had a chunky pdf. But perhaps I should've hopped into another.

Nobody is casting wish at level 2, and fighters scale better at DPR than any other class - they are the hardest hitting class in the game at level 20 (and pretty great at level 2, for that matter). Lack of damage dealing is not a fighter problem, and if you buff it, then what do you do with rogues, barbarians, monks, etc.? The general complaint about fighters is that they are great at taking and dealing damage but too one dimensional, especially in other aspects of play than combat.

When people talk about "power" and high level magic like wish, they aren't really talking about damage dealing, they are talking about the ability to alter the parameters of a situation. Increasing the fighter's DPR won't end those complaints, because it isn't the issue.

 

[dave2008]

Nobody is casting wish at level 2, and fighters scale better at DPR than any other class - they are the hardest hitting class in the game at level 20 (and pretty great at level 2, for that matter). Lack of damage dealing is not a fighter problem, and if you buff it, then what do you do with rogues, barbarians, monks, etc.? The general complaint about fighters is that they are great at taking and dealing damage but too one dimensional, especially in other aspects of play than combat.

When people talk about "power" and high level magic like wish, they aren't really talking about damage dealing, they are talking about the ability to alter the parameters of a situation. Increasing the fighter's DPR won't end those complaints, because it isn't the issue.

I agree with your comments, except I am also fine with fighters doing more damage. In fact, that is what the champion should be IMO, simple heavy (heavier than it is now) damage dealer. Battlemaster and others sacrifice some damage for more versatility as you note