I just posted a system which would allow fighter specialties, called "disciplines," which works sort of like the wizard school specialization. In this, I suggested a "warlord" (could easily be renamed "captain") kit which would give buffs to allies, for example.
I'm in favor of giving Leadership, Skill Focus (Oratory) and Skill Focus (Diplomacy) as free feats in the class descriptions. It's not like they're mechanically game-breaking, and they would certainly add flavor.
This is something I've suggested before, and I think would give the Fighter a lot more presence in the game.
What I had suggested in the past was to change the "bravery" bonus into a "rally" bonus (+1 to +5) that can be used to boost himself and his allies (any ally that sees or hears him).
This rally bonus is always up, but takes X amount of time to change what it applies to: will saves against fear, will saves against charm/domination, crit confirmation rolls, or a bonus to one skill (fighter skill only).
You could have feats that let you do things like add additional checks it can apply to (or expanding the ones that exist, like bonuses to all mind affecting effects, or allowing automatic confirmation of criticals, etc).
Other feats could expand how the fighter can change or apply the bonus, such as a "rally call" feat that allows changing it mid-combat (once per day or Cha mod, etc). Or a feat that allows making your rally without needing to say words (allies must see you), using hand gestures and such (think of the gestures military people use).
Since this can apply to skills as well, it allows the Fighter to have some "out-of-combat" affecting ability... such as helping the group to climb, or boosting intimidate in an interrogation situation.
.
For the tactical side of things, I think the best use I've seen is to allow an X/day usage where the Fighter gets to grant his allies a move or an attack action on his turn.
Granting people tactical feats that can change does involve a bit of bookkeeping for the other players, unfortunately. Extra things they have to remember.
You can still get the feel that he's discussing tactics with his allies, and that he's creating some teamwork effect during combat. The only bookkeeping necessary is the Fighter getting X uses per day of the ability (not hard to keep track of).
The other players don't need to keep track of anything.
How about a "Warcry" class feature, where a Warlord/Captain gives out a resounding shout which heartens his allies and discourages his enemies? I mean, it's extremely good for morale to see your captain charge into battle, smash a Big Ugly, and see it fall down.
I'm really a fan of tying class features to Con. I can imagine the strength of a Warcry depending on the Con bonus of the warlord.
Thoughts?
In Paths of Power from 4 Winds Fantasy Gaming, available here on Paizo, we have a "Captain" NPC class meant to be the leader of a Free Company or organized body of troops. It includes class abilities like "Opportunism" which give combat bonuses to groups they lead. While much of the class is geared towards being someone a party would interact with, it could be used like Expert or other NPC class to add abilities to a PC, or even run as a slightly low-powered PC class.
What about something as simple as trading out the bravery bonus for a bonus to one's leadership score...then the level that you get bravery you can get the Leadership feat (your score will be so low at that point to make it not a very overpowering trade I think).
I think the fighter you mean is called cavalier: Warrior, equestrian, inspiring leader of troops.
There's been some suggestions made that the fighter lacks a distinct social role that is reinforced by their class mechanicsThat is because "Fighters" simply fight. There is no "social role" nor should there be.
Short any super-Tactical (meaning "above-tactical" rather than "overpowering") level codified mechanics, the role of a "leader of men" is easily accomplished through multi-classing Fighter with Aristocrat, Expert or Bard.
The availability of the skills Perform (Oration), Diplomacy and Sense Motive as well as the option of Bardic Inspiration (replace singing and musical instruments with a good, rousing speech) all achieve the desired ends at a tactical level, IMHO.
Otherwise, you are looking at developing a discreet system of super-tactical mechanics that borders more on what you would find in Miniature Battle-sims rather than PC-based gaming. In this case, there is no reason it should be restricted to "Fighters" as opposed to Clerics or Rogues or even Wizards (tell me Gandalf can't give a rousing speech).
FWIW,
Rez
One comment I have: If you think that a fighter (or any class) should multi-class to get leader-like qualities, then you should not have to dip into an NPC class to do so... it should come from a PC class.
One comment I have: If you think that a fighter (or any class) should multi-class to get leader-like qualities, then you should not have to dip into an NPC class to do so... it should come from a PC class.
Well, there is the bard.
And the Cavalier might be able to pull this off, too, depending on how the different orders turn out.
I would like to see the marshal class updated (from miniatures handbook I think) with a full BAB and a few bonus feats / abilities to fill the class out properly. I never got around to doing it, but I felt it was an interesting multi-class option for a wide variety of characters.
The best way to do this is simply to make up a Fighter bonus feat tree, exactly three feats long.
Have the feats scale by level. I suggest by number of combat feats they have, either /2 or /3. This removes it from the role of class abilities based on BAB, fear bonus (paladin= immune to fear) or saves (which suck for the fighter).
The first feat should approximate the abilities of squad combat.
The second feat should approximate the abilities of company wide combat, potentially able to affect a wide radius.
The third feat should approximate the abilities of leadership of an army.
These feats should be available at low level (officers don't need to be high level), but the abilities should scale so that high level fighters have effective affects.
As an Example:
Leading the Fight (squad combat)(Fighter BOnus feat)
BAB +3, 3 Combat Feats
YOu may grant a single person (including yourself) the ability to make an Aid Another Action in combat as a swift action. This action takes place on your turn. This person must be either within your reach or in combat with a foe that you also are fighting.
For every 6 Combat feats you have, the bonus granted by the Aid Another increases by 1.
At BAB +10, you may grant the bonus to two individuals.
At BAB +20, you may grant the bonus to three individuals.
=====
A company wide feat should settle on ranks, lines and disciplines. I suggest a tactical feat allowing the Fighter to Aid Another everyone in his personal command simultaneously by means of his orders, with the bonus increasing by level. He could apply it to saves, to hit, damage, morale, movement, and it should probably have tactical applications against and for charging if he leads from the front.
=========
An Army Wide feat should reflect personal charisma, knowledge of how an army works, increased morale and the tactical skill that comes from lots of combat feats and BAB, and a focus on strategic ability. An army with a high level fighter in charge should have extraordinary morale. A blanket bonus based on Int, Cha, COmbat Feats and BAB could all be applied...the personal forces and army under the direct command of Thringold the Mighty, Legendary general of Haxan, should be a supremely dangerous threat on the battlefield.
===Aelryinth
<Insert canned negative response regarding muxing with the fighter and creating a class that gives "orders" here.>
I wouldn't, however, mind if the Cavalier had abilities on par with the Bard, yet with more of a martial bent than spellcasting.
<Insert canned negative response regarding muxing with the fighter and creating a class that gives "orders" here.>
I wouldn't, however, mind if the Cavalier had abilities on par with the Bard, yet with more of a martial bent than spellcasting.
might be interesting, stripping spellcasting from a bard and replacing it with a full BAB won't cut it I guess.. maybe a few combat bonus feats.. say every three levels, allowing medium armor and raising hp to 1d10, good fortitude and reflex saves instead of Will and Reflex.
a little tinkering and it might be a viable class option
The Captain NPC class in Paths of Power has the following class abilities:
Opportunism, Extortion, Recruiting, Campaigning, Resourcefulness, and Logistics.
Full BAB, d10 HD, 4+INT skill points, lots of class skills.
You all really ought to look at it. It seems to have a lot of what you're looking for.
A feat that grants another character the use of a feat you possess yourself for some rounds might be fun, assuming all the prerequistes are met, possibly for any kind of combat feat. nice idea.
The Captain NPC class sounds interesting, Paths of Power is any good ?
I actually think tactical feats make a good representation of a fighter/captain variant. Though I'd add a class feature (or fighter-only feat) along the lines of uh..
Battle Plan (Ex): A fighter may spend a move action to grant his allies tactical feats that he possesses for a number of rounds equal to half his fighter level(minimum one).
Something like that. And maybe another one that allows you to use a swift action instead. A less selfish version of Solo Tactics, if you may.
That, or something like it, is a very very good idea. Like, you can only have one Battle Plan at a time and must spend 1 full round action explaining it, but I wouldn't mind it lasting until the next day or until he changed it.
A feat that grants another character the use of a feat you possess yourself for some rounds might be fun, assuming all the prerequistes are met, possibly for any kind of combat feat. nice idea.
The Captain NPC class sounds interesting, Paths of Power is any good ?
I certainly like to think so, though admittedly I am biased. The reviews have largely been positive as well.
Cavalier FTW
The Captain NPC class sounds interesting, Paths of Power is any good ?
It has received predominately good reviews both here at Paizo and over at DriveThruRPG.
Robert Thomson
4 Winds Fantasy Gaming