Variant Fighter?

[Khaalis]

I am looking to see what people do for variant Fighters. I have found that the fighter is:
A) Very Bland
B) Underpowered compared to many of the other classes
C) has no staying power compared to the various PrCs available.

I have also found that with the addition of more and more feats (even just “Official” WotC feats) it is very hard to create the archetype of fighter you really want to create and be truly unique from other fighters until you are quite high in level.

Does anyone else see the Fighter as a bit weak compared to other classes? Does anyone else use tweaks to the class?

Currently I am looking at increasing the Fighter to a feat every level. I have for some time now, made it a feat every level from 10th on as a way to try and encourage staying in the class for more than 2-4 levels before hopping classes especially to a PrC that grants much better benefits. Does a feat a level seem too much, especially when compared to classes like the druid, cleric, monk, rogue, etc.?


In addition to the feats, I use the following defense bonuses.

Defense Bonuses (Ex): The Fighter is the unparalleled champion of melee defensive capability and they increase this ability as they grow in experience and expertise. There are two types of Defense Bonuses - Armored Defense and Tactical Defense. Each fighter gains these bonuses, though unarmored fighters gain nothing from the Armored Defense.

Armored Defense: Fighters that train in the use of armor gain an increased defense bonus from in depth combat knowledge and from learning to be comfortable in their armor, almost like the armor becomes a second skin to the Fighter. This allows a Fighter to improve their training in the use of their armor, but slower than through specializing with a feat or series of feats.

Level	Bonuses
1-2	No bonus gained
3-4	+1 Max. Dex. Rating on Armor, -1 Armor Check Penalty
5-10	+2 Max. Dex. Rating on Armor, -2 Armor Check Penalty
11-15	+3 Max. Dex. Rating on Armor, -3 Armor Check Penalty
16-20	+4 Max. Dex. Rating on Armor, -4 Armor Check Penalty

Tactical Defense: Fighters learn over time how to hone their defensive abilities and combat sense far better than any other class when in direct armed toe-to-toe melee. This tactical defensive ability is a combination of nimbleness, luck, reaction, skill, practice and most importantly experience. This is a competence bonus to AC that stacks with all other bonuses. The defense bonus is also effective against touch attacks or ranged touch attacks, but is lost any time the Fighter would be denied their Dexterity bonus such as when flat footed or when immobilized. The defense bonus is also penalized by the current Armor Check Penalty rating of the armor the Fighter is wearing.

Level	Bonuses
1-3	No bonus gained
4-6	+1 Competence bonus to AC
7-9	+3 Competence bonus to AC
10-12	+5 Competence bonus to AC
13-15	+7 Competence bonus to AC
16-18	+9 Competence bonus to AC
19-20	+11 Competence bonus to AC

[Example: An 8th level Fighter wearing Chainmail armor would have an AC bonus of +5 from the armor with a Maximum Dexterity bonus of +4, and an Armor Check Penalty of -3, as well as a Defense Bonus of +0 (+3 for level -3 for Armor Check). At 15th level this would change to a Maximum Dexterity Bonus of +5, an Armor Check Penalty of -2, and a Defense Bonus of +5 (+7 for level and -2 Armor Check).]


I have also made a few other abilities available to Fighters to be taken in place of feats such as Dirty Fighting (a reduced form of sneak attack damage) and many alternate fighter type abilities from Dragon Magazine such as Improved Aid Another, Jousting Charge, Rousing Speech etc.

Thoughts?

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I'd agree that from a mechanics point of view the fighter looks a little bland on paper... In practice I've found them to be extremely effective and versatile. Certainly not weak compared to other classes.

Personally, I find the ability to be good at a number of fighting styles more useful than the super 'one trick pony' that a lot of Prcs seem to offer?

I do think a feat per level after 10th would be too much... they'd far outstrip any other fighting class!


For more variety, I'd consider going along the lines of Arcana Uneartheds Warmain. As far as I can see, change every other feat into a special ability only available to fighters... kind of like an expansion on weapon specialisation. Start them at 4th to avoid blatant cherry picking by other classes. Put increasing fighter level requirements on them?

So it would look:

1 Feat
2 Feat
3
4 Special ability
5
6 Feat
7
8 Special ability
Etc

I'd definitely allow a feat to be selected instead of a special ability, to keep the versatility.

You've hit some good possibles with Armour specialisation and defense bonuses. Although I'd make the increases take multiple special abilites, rather than just being level linked. I think they'll rapidly get overpoweing otherwise:

For example: if combined with Mithral Full Plate. At 11th level you'd have a max dex of +6, no armour check penalty and an AC bonus of +13 before magic - this may be a touch on the strong side?

Some possibles: Increase HD size. Leadership or mass combat tricks for Warlord types - if you're using some sort of mass battle system. A powered up animal for mounted combat types. Possibly put fighter level requirements on the tactical feats from Complete Warrior?

 

[Li Shenron]

A long time ago I was thinking about these 2 features to be given at those levels when the Fighter didn't gain a feat.

1) Fighting style. At level 3, 7, 11, 15 and 19 the Fighter chooses one fighting style to improve with a +1 competence bonus to all attack rolls done when wielding weapons with that style. Possible styles are:
- single weapon fighting (a light, one-weapon or two-handed weapon and nothing else wielded)
- sword & board fighting (one weapon and a shield)
- two weapon fighting (wielding two weapons, not necessarily taking advantage of the extra attacks)
- double weapon fighting (idem)
- thrown weapons
- archery (or any projectile weapon)

At DM's option, the same style may be chosen more than once.

2) At level 5, 9, 13 and 17 the Fighter gains Exotic Weapon Prof in a single weapon of choice.

This second is effectively for flavor (being keen on using lots of weapon) rather than power, and to fill every single class level with something without boosting the class too much.

 

[Khaalis]

Just as a side note, to date I have yet to see a player stay with fighter for more than 6 levels and that was to get into a specific PrC. In most cases the Fighter has been nothing more than a dip class for 2 or 4 levels for BAB and Feats. I have also never seen a player not go PrC out of fighter. The PrCs grant too many benefits over a single class fighter. Its like the sorcerer, no one stays in the class when you can get +1 caster level PrC's that grant special abilities also.

Thus on a similar note, I have never had the defense bonuses tested other than a few arena matches (make 20th level characters and take on Tarrasques, Great Wyrms, etc just for a few hours of silliness). Even those, characters with an AC of around 38 really dont fend any better when things have +30 or more to hit. The standard fighter doesnt do very well at the high end of the game for AC when compared to the Attack Bonuses they face. It still ends up all total being about the same as at 1st level with mobs having roughly a 50-70% chance to hit you. Thus I dont think the bonuses are really unbalanced. They only help bring hits to a closer to 50% hit chance. At least form what I have seen.

 

[Gez]

Well, you already know mine.

 

[Beholder Bob]

Well, this is my version - though I should mention that changes I made in my game make combat more dangerous, weakening the fighter class. So, to compensate, the modifications below.

3rd Improved DEX Mod +1 AC
4th Blunt Blow 1/day
5th Melee Re-roll 1/day
7th Improved DEX Mod+2 AC
8th Blunt Blow 2/day
9th Melee Re-roll 2/day
11th Improved DEX Mod+3 AC
12th Blunt Blow 3/day
13th Melee Re-roll 3/day
15th Improved DEX Mod+4 AC
16th Blunt Blow 4/day
17th Melee Re-roll 4/day
19th Improved DEX Mod+5 AC
20th Blunt Blow 5/day

Improved DEX Mod +X (Ex): gain +X (DEX) to AC. If total DEX AC mod over amount allowed by armor, use excess as Damage Reduction (Stacks) – but with the armor taking that much damage every round so used.

Blunt Blow X/day (Ex): As a free action against a melee attack you perceive and receive your DEX mod AC against, roll to hit & subtract that total from the damage you take from a single melee attack.

Melee Re-roll 1/day (Ex): As a free action, re-roll either an attack roll or one of your weapon damage rolls. Only 1 re-roll allowed per attack.

BB