So Ive seen various people claim that the fighter is fundamentally flawed but for the life of me i cannot see it. Unlike the rogue and monk whos flaws run deep into the way the class is set up, the Fighter seems to only have a few Statistical shortcomings.
It seems to me that giving the fighter 4+int Skills and a good will save fixes the vast majority of the issues the class has. Perhaps the class skill list needs some tinkering with as well but that too is an easy fix.
Am i missing something basic here? or is it really that simple?
It seems to me that the fighter is the whipping boy for the more fundamental problem of quadratically growing mages and linear martials.
Compared to only other martials a few simple improvements to increase their out of combat utility and give it more of a niche would bring it up to speed. Some dislike that feats are not a particularly interesting mechanic but I like feats and think that is fine.
I do more skills, unflinching (bravery as a bonus to all will saves), exotic weapon proficiency as a favored class option, and most fighter archetype abilities available as fighter only feats.
If you ask me, giving them 4+Int for skills should be enough. There is no logical reson why he should have high Will save. Fighters are gods of war and maneuver. Look at all those feats. Just look at them. To be on equal footing with wizards, one simply needs to micromanage feats and items. Optimize them correctly. Heck I can make a fighter that makes any fireball-loving wizard cry when he sees the damage output.
But I do have to agree, at levels 10+ the fighter becomes more and more of a wall for casters to hide behind, and he is damn good at this job. He still can do massive damage, consistently, each round though.
He needs that high will save so that, when he comes up against the Wizard that looks down on the guy who loves his fireballs, he can make his save against Dominate Person and not slaughter all of his friends.If you ask me, giving them 4+Int for skills should be enough. There is no logical reson why he should have high Will save. Fighters are gods of war and maneuver. Look at all those feats. Just look at them. To be on equal footing with wizards, one simply needs to micromanage feats and items. Optimize them correctly. Heck I can make a fighter that makes any fireball-loving wizard cry when he sees the damage output.
But I do have to agree, at levels 10+ the fighter becomes more and more of a wall for casters to hide behind, and he is damn good at this job. He still can do massive damage, consistently, each round though.
I imagine fighters as exemplars of martial training which requires dedication and fortitude. The ability to be brave as well as resist torture and enemy manipulation can logically be attributed to training. Especially in a world where wizards can dominate folks.
6)Replace Bravery with something useful or just apply it to all Will saves removing the need for 4
Maybe you mean something like
Play nice kids.
Battle resolve: (replace bravery) adds bonus to will saves. This still put them a hair behind an actual good will save but is still decent and doesn't let them get taken out with one will spell at least some of the time.
In one of the many threads on the subject, the quickest and dirtiest fix for Fighters (and Rogues) was simply to Gestalt them together into the Adventurer class.