Malignor's Mods - Fighters

[Malignor]

Just figured I'd share, and revel in the criticism.

Fighter

Skills:

Change to 4 Skill Ranks per level.
Add class skills of Acrobatics and Know History

Level 6: Seasoned Veteran (Ex):

The fighter at this point masters the basics in all forms of combat. Starting at level 6, and every level thereafter, select a bonus combat feat which has no other feat as a prerequisite. The fighter is treated as meeting whatever ability score is required when selecting these feats.
The Fighter also gains Skill Focus - Profession (Soldier) as a bonus feat.

Level 7: Supersoldier (Ex):

The fighter excels in his specialties of combat like no other. Starting at level 7, and every level thereafter, select a bonus combat feat which has one or more combat feats as a prerequisite. The fighter must qualify for these feats normally.
The fighter also adds 1/2 his fighter level to Knowledge checks for the following:

Determining the abilities and weaknesses of creatures

Ride checks to to protect his mount (as per the Mounted Combat feat, if the Fighter has it).

Acrobatics checks to move through threatened squares.
This does not override any limitations or prerequisites for skills or feats, such as using a skill untrained.

Level 11: Brilliant Strategist. (Ex):

The Fighter can add 1/2 his Fighter class level to the following:

Skill/Ability checks to use siege weapons.

Skill/ability checks for assessing terrain for ambushes (cover, concealment), combat bonuses/penalties such as higher ground, movement penalties, and similar strategic & tactical purposes.

Appraise checks on weapons, armor, or other functional military equipment such as military saddles.
This does not override any limitations or prerequisites for skills or feats, such as using a skill untrained.

Level 15: War Machine (Ex):

When fighting alongside comrades, the Fighter’s spirit spurs him into becoming an unstoppable machine. Once per hour, the fighter can steel his mind with a battle cry as a swift action. For each ally within 30’ of the fighter who joins in the cry at the time of the battle cry (a free action for them), the fighter gains a +1 morale bonus on saving throws and CMD, and 1 temporary hitpoint. These bonuses last for 1 round per fighter level.

Level 17: Legendary Warrior (Ex):

The fighter has achieved the pinnacle of martial ability, such that he stands as an equal among superhumans of legend. The fighter gains an +2 inherent bonus to all ability scores. Further, select one ability score, which gets +4 more (for a total of +6). In addition, the fighter gets an additional set of features, depending on the ability chosen for the +6.

STR: Treated as 1 size category larger for all CMB, CMD, strength-based checks and lifting & carrying. Gains a 1d6/1d6 slam attack (modify as appropriate for sizes other than medium). Also gains Awesome Blow as a bonus feat.

DEX: Add +20’ to movement (which adds +8 to some Acrobatics checks), Evasion, and a +4 dodge bonus to AC, CMD and Reflex saves. Can function as if Hasted for 1 round per hour.

CON: Gain damage reduction 2/-, energy resistance 5 (all) and a +4 natural armor bonus to AC. Also heals at double the normal rate. Add +1 bonus hitpoint per hitdie. Immune to disease, fatigue and exhaustion, and resistant to weather as if affected by Resist Elements.

INT: Get a +2 insight bonus to hit, CMB, CMD, initiative and AC. Brilliant strategist bonus goes from 1/2 fighter level to full fighter level. Skill ranks from the INT boost are retroactive, resulting in 48 additional skill ranks. All INT-based skills are now class skills.

WIS: Gets a +4 competence bonus on Will saves versus enchantments, and a +4 insight bonus to initiative and Perception checks. Also gains 10’ radius blindsense, and Uncanny Dodge.

CHA: Get the Leadership feat, or a +4 bonus to leadership score (if already has the feat). Also, his War Machine ability radius increases to 60’, and applies not only to himself, but to all the comrades who are within the 60’ and participate in the battle cry. Gets a +4 competence bonus to Intimidate and Diplomacy checks. He can also use Charm Monster once per hour, as an extraordinary ability, by making a DC 20 Charisma Check.

NOTE: Malignor's Mods are a series of proposed homebrews to enhance existing classes, races, spells, feats, etc. They are merely experimental, theoretical homebrews, meant to mitigate balance issues (likely creating more, but whatevs) and inject satisfaction in existing game mechanics.

[Malignor]

The lack or critique suggests something rather glaring.
Is it because

Simply OP, even when compared to an equal leveled Wizard or Alchemist?

Too complicated mechanics?

Pigeonholes the Fighter into a "soldier" role?

Something else?

[kyrt-ryder]

I wasn't around at the time you posted it Malignor, but I rather like it, in terms of flavor at least.

I'd need some time to mull it over before I could comment further.

[Abraham spalding]

To be clear how does this stack in with the current fighter class? Is this a complete replacement or is it an add on?

[kyrt-ryder]

Now that I've taken some more time to examine it, I really like this Malignor.

My one problem is that War Machine is entirely dependent on having your allies with you (and all clumped together waiting to be hit by an area debuff or SoL.) A flat +4 bonus would probably be a wiser decision. A soldier belongs on the battlefield yes, but sometimes a legendary soldier has to oppose an entire enemy unit alone. To deprive someone of a 15th level ability so circumstantially does not sit right with me.

I have no real comment on Legendary Warrior. At that point class balance is right out the window in PF, and its got some cool stuff in it.

[Malignor]

Abraham spalding wrote:

To be clear how does this stack in with the current fighter class? Is this a complete replacement or is it an add on?

Add on. One of the ideas is to saturate the Fighter with enough combat feats that there's no need to use character progression feats for combat abilities (instead using them for utility or downtime uses). The fluff behind it is to say that the Fighter is "advanced in all combat styles, master of a few".

kyrt-ryder wrote:

My one problem is that War Machine is entirely dependent on having your allies with you (and all clumped together waiting to be hit by an area debuff or SoL.) A flat +4 bonus would probably be a wiser decision. A soldier belongs on the battlefield yes, but sometimes a legendary soldier has to oppose an entire enemy unit alone. To deprive someone of a 15th level ability so circumstantially does not sit right with me.

I have no real comment on Legendary Warrior. At that point class balance is right out the window in PF, and its got some cool stuff in it.

War Machine is meant to only be effective in a real war, with groups fighting groups, and the Fighter as a member of a traditional combat unit. Alone, the fighter isn't a war machine, "merely" a super soldier and seasoned veteran.

I know Legendary Warrior, at first glance, would make 90% of readers have an "OMG OP" knee-jerk reaction. But this is the level that non-spontaneous casters get 9th level spells. I figure the sheer power of this isn't so crazy when compared to Shapechange, Wish or Timestop.

[kyrt-ryder]

I concur completely. It doesn't even touch that level of power, hence why I didn't make an issue of it. It's cool, it's fun, and I haven't been awake long enough to try to take it apart piece by piece xD

[spalding]

Okay then my thoughts:

I've been advocating for the fighter to be able to ignore a stat for the purposes of prerequisites since they started beta testing -- I'm still down with this, however I would allow it from level 1 and state that it only works with fighter bonus feats (gives good reason to stick with fighter), and only for one stat... I would call this 'practice makes perfect'.

As to the supersoldier... well I feel it's not quite there yet. It's so situational that... I'm just not feeling it. Brilliant strategist is in the same category.

Warmachine simply isn't there for me either. It's a 'what and why' kind of deal. Bonuses are too small, effect is too odd, and usefulness is just too limited.

I'm not against the idea of added bonuses with legendary warrior... I'm against stat bloat in this manner though.

[AdamMeyers]

I think the fighter isn't too underpowered normally, he just (unless you're taking a specific archetype) needs godly strength, constitution and especially dexterity to use his bonuses and armor mastery well, which normally means he has to have nothing on his mental stats.

That's why I love your 17th level advancement. You finally get a stat increase to make the fighter worthwhile, depending on how you're playing him. On a personal note, I'd just love to see a fighter changed so he can go toe to toe with a barbarian without needing 7 on his mental stats to do it.

[VM mercenario]

I think I failed a skill check, let me see if I understood:
At level six you can ignore the attribute prerequisite for a combat feat as long as that feat doesn't have other feats as prerequisite. Someone should check how many feats actually fit these criteria and how many have attribute prereqs but also have other feats as prereq too. Might work better as something like "At 6th level and every three levels you choose an attribute, the fighter is treated as meeting whatever score is required in that attribute when selecting feats."
At 7th level he adds 1/2 his level to some skill checks, I get that. He also gets... another combat feat per level? Am I reading this right?
At 11th he gats to add half his level to some skill checks... again. Wouldn't it be better to get all of those at one level?
The 17th level ability kinda looks like a capstone ability or at least a 19th level ability. It is certainly more powerful than armor mastery.

Here's an idea that I've been toying to modify the fighter: Substitute the Armor/Weapon Training for a system that would allow you to get special abilities related to your fighting style. That system would have to cannibalize many of the current fighter archetypes, but that is the exact idea. I dislike how many of the fighter archetypes boil down to "you're a master with this weapon/style", that should be the basic fighter and archetypes should expand a class.
I have a bare skeleton for this system if it sounds interesting.