Weapon Training Feats for Groups

[Coledar]

I have been reading everyone's comments on the new fighter and have some ideas that I would like to add / modify from those previously mentioned.

Weapon Training - Some have noted that giving bonuses to hit and damage don't equate to the uber powers of Wizards and Clerics at higher levels. They are entirely right. I would suggest special abilities reserved entirely for Fighters based on their choice of Weapon Training group. These abilities would "stack" an additional or more powerful ability for each choice added for a particular group.

Example: A Fighter who chooses to specialize in the "Hammer" group could get the following abilities:

5th level: +1 attack / +1 damage Ability: Foot Smash: The Fighter smashes an opponent's foot / pseudopod / various means of locomotion causing it discomfort and pain (target reduced to 1/2 movement for 1d4 rounds) Limited to 1 use / round.

9th level: +1 attack / +1 damage Ability: Crushing Blow: The Fighter delivers a crushing blow to opponent's armor / shield arm / naturally armored hide causing a temporary reduction in AC (target denied AC bonus of either shield, armor, or natural armor for 1d4 rounds) Limited to 1 use / round. [In this case I would make the Fighter's Crushing Blow focus on the LEAST EFFECTIVE of the target's armor bonuses. Ex. Fighting an Orc in Leather Armor and wielding a shield, you would damage the shield first, then next round the armor.]

Note: this is meant to demonstrate a combination of possible results, the hammer strikes the shield with such force that the opponent's arm is deadened or the hammer strikes the armor with such force that the opponent has the breath (if it breathes) knocked out it.

13th level: +1 attack / +1 damage Ability: Counterattack: The Fighter is able to counterattack against any secondary or primary attack delivered against himself / herself in the encounter on their action. If the attack is successful, the secondary or primary attack is unusable for 1d4 rounds). Limited to 1 use / round.

Note: This is limited to natural attacks and attacks with weapons. This is not specifically Sundering when applied to weapons, but I guess it could be improved if Sundering is much more powerful. Difference is this doesn't apply to just weapons.

17th level: +1 to attack / +1 damage Ability: Improved Counterattack: As Counterattack above, but extended to Special Attacks and Abilities. Limited to 1 use / round. Any Special Attack or ability that is limited to a number of times per day or per encounter that is disrupted by this ability is not considered "spent" or wasted.

Example: The Fighter sees the dragon breath fire over the party and later sees it's neck swell as it prepares to do so again..."Not again!" the Fighter smacks the dragon in the mouth or throat disrupting it's action.

20th level: Weapon Mastery: Expand the critical chance as shown. Ability: Hammer Mastery: The Fighter is able to use any combination of their abilities gained through Weapon Training with the Hammer group for multiple attacks. Example: Fighter can use Improved Counterattack on a dragon's breath weapon, Counterattack on one of it's claw attacks, and Smash it's foot in the same round with multiple attacks.

Well that's my first attempt to come up with something. I tried to make everything seem natural to the type of weapon.

I know that the abilities mentioned will look strange to some of you and you will say "Ah, but how do I know what the dragon is going to do? Why should I attack his breath weapon and render it inert for 1 round if it's not going to use it that round anyway?" I counter with the following advice / justification: You don't, but you can make sure it's not going to in the next round by tagging it with Improved Counterattack."

There are limits to the system, one being that the Fighter has to endure the attack in the encounter before they can Counterattack or Improved Counterattack against it. Them's the breaks in my mind, you're a tank, you get hit in the head for a living. I also wanted to give a reason for monsters to pay attention to the tank. Sure the wizard can cook you with Fireballs, but that crazy guy in the front with a hammer can mash your toes and tail, break your teeth, and generally make life miserable while the wizard is cooking you. So it's kind of a toss-up who's going to get the focus of a monster's attention.

Let me know what you all think, I didn't want to spend time on any other groups if everyone thought this was crap.

Coledar

[JoelF847]

I like this idea a lot. The specifics of how many powers per weapon group is a balance issue, but the concept of giving different abilities to swords, axes, spears, etc has a lot of appeal, and will give weapons more variety than simply their crit range and multiplier when their base damage is the same.

[KaeYoss]

Too complicated.

Keep fighters easy.

There should be at least one class that doesn't drown the player in choices and spells and things to worry about. Take a weapon and apply it to the enemy?