Any way to increase effective fighter level

[Kyra Banior]

Hello, So I am playing a fighter in a Second Darkness Campaign, and I was just given the option to take the Lantern bearer prestige class. I would like to but there is a problem, I want to get greater weapon focus, so I can take Deadly stroke, but I don't want to wait until I have 8 levels of fighter to start taking levels of Lantern Bearer. Is there any feat or magic item that would let me treat other class levels as fighters levels for the purposes of taking Greater weapon focus? Even if it was just 1 level.

Thank you.

[chbgraphicarts]

Brawler always counts as a Fighter.

Warpriest counts as a Fighter of its level when selecting Bonus Combat Feats.

After 4th Level, Swashbucklers are considered Fighters of their level for Melee Combat Feats.

But, no, there is no way to count as more levels of Fighter than you have HD.

And I'm not aware of any class that lets you take GWF early (Ranger or Slayer would seem the most likely).

And, honestly, looking at Deadly Stroke, I ask myself "... why..."

It's just... a really, really super-awful-bad feat.

You're level 11, and you use a Standard Action to deal 2x damage and 1 Con against a Stunned or Flat-Footed foe...

I can't believe I'm saying this, but that's SO bad I question why, exactly, you're not using Improved Vital Strike and Devastating Swing - it's less Feat intensive and would be more effective than Deadly Finish, and you'd be able to ALWAYS do it, instead of situationally.

Being a worse feat than the Vital Strike line is not something to be proud of there.

You're trying to get access to a good Feat (GWF) in order to take a bad feat. Just don't worry about Deadly Stroke and go on with your non-GWF-ing life.

[Lady-J]

Sorry for the necro but I was wondering if there was any new resources released since this thread started that would allow a character to gain more effective fighter levels, weather it be boosting a partial scaling to full scaling or boosting past total hit die.

[Meirril]

Be a Ganzi with Weaponplay? Lots of individual classes stack with and count as being a fighter for feats, but if you are asking this question it doesn't sound like that is part of your plan.

And no, there is no way to have more effective levels than your character level/HD.

[ErichAD]

Sash of the War Champion if you need a boost to armor training or bravery. That's all I got.

[Azothath]

the best way to gain abilities as a Fighter is to adventure and gain experience points...