The Fighter Unchained


Homebrew and House Rules


This idea's been rattling around in my head for a while, so I thought I'd jot it down and post it up here to see what people thought.

The Fighter [Unchained]

There has been some buzz on the forums recently (although it's a very old discussion) about martials, nice things, etc. I'm not super-interested in having that discussion here, but this isn't all about that. This was about one of my main problems with the fighter compared to some of his friends, like the Barbarian, Slayer, and the Ranger:

He's just kind of boring. Class features and skills seem quite sparse on the poor guy, and with how feats work, they often seem insufficient to fill the gap, leaving a character that's mostly just static bonuses without much prospect of having something that really stands out in the crowd of badasses with swords at higher levels.

This isn't an attempt to bring balance to the game or reflect a broader paradigm shift for nonmagical characters. I'm just trying to make a fighter with a little more...pizzaz, if you will. Feats McHitting Things is still there if you spam the Additional Training Fighter Talent, but with a little more skill, Bravery reworked into a class feature that comes up more often and gives some out-of-combat options, and so on.

Ultimately, the goal isn't an unstoppable warrior, but I thought that this fighter takes some of the "build your own warrior" concepts the original was based on and expands it a little. Do you think of your fighter as an ordinary guy who just trains really hard? This fighter can be built for that. A tough but dashing leader of men? He can be built for that, too. A rough-edged scoundrel that sharpens his sword with his wits? He's in there. Badass juggernaut that can crash through a dungeon or plow through an unfriendly spell? This guy's no barbarian, but he's got some tricks of his own, particularly if you like combat maneuvers or build for anti-magic tactics. I tried to strike a balance between the fighter being nonmagical and this being a high-fantasy game he's supposed to keep up in.

Certain considerations should probably be taken into account: I designed this class with the thinking that it is not allowed to take existing fighter archetypes, and there would be no Extra Fighter Talent feat; unlike the Barbarian, who can trade feats for more abilities, the Unchained Fighter can instead trade abilities for more feats.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Any talents I worded or priced poorly?

Grand Lodge

I like a lot of what you have done. I hope you understand you did the heavy lifting, critiquing is easy. Here's my input.

You raised the Fighters skill points to 4 +int per level. I whole heartedly approve.

Guts and glory. Adding two skills of choice to class skills are good, but I don't think they should scale with level for free (especially given you already increased Fighters skill points overall; why are these add-on skills more important than the standard class skills central to all Fighters? If you think they need the skill point boost I'd put it in with the skill points at level formula.

For the second aspect of Guts and Glory I would consolidate the save groups into charm/dominate effects, emotion/figments, death effects, disease/poison, illusion/phantasm. The saves should work like Ranger Favored Enemy in the new additions aren't as strong as the original. The first group starts at +2; when adding groups the new group starts at +1 and previous groups gain this bonus as well.

Talents:
Power Through: I'd restrict to reflex or fort. (it just seems to easy to stack saves to the point a Paladin/Monk would be jealous) and Will saves on this ability doesn't make sense to me.

Fortified Armor seems too strong considering the cost. I like the flavor of it , so I think the activation should be considered an immediate action that cost the next turns move action. I'd allow the Fighter to activate this ability after the critical is confirmed, and after any magical fortification abilities on his armor fail. (Should have a level minimum 6? and med/heavy armor requirement)

Gifted Athlete (Ex): I wouldn't grant actual move speeds for swimming/climbing but add sufficient additions to those skill checks. (They should be good at climbing/swimming in armor, rather than essentially auto pass)

Mighty Leap (Ex): The fighter is always considered to have a running start on Acrobatics checks, and may use his strength modifier in place of his dexterity modifier on checks to jump. Additionally, at 5th level, and every four levels thereafter, a fighter with this talent may roll his acrobatics check an additional time and combine the results to determine the distance of a long or high jump. Add a scaling skill bonus instead, otherwise you will end up with ridiculous results.

Go Through Me (Ex): A fighter with this talent gains Intercept Charge as a bonus feat, and may treat his allies as though they also had the Intercept Charge feat. A fighter with this talent does not count movement made when intercepting a charge against his movement on his next turn. He is already getting the benefit of an improved teamwork feat, the movement cost should remain. Otherwise a fighter will bounce around the battlefield faster than a dimensional dervish (there is no prohibition to prevent multiple uses of this ability outside the Fighters turn.

Shatter Morale: Use panicked vice frightened. They shouldn't drop the weapon and run, just be really scared.

Meteor Strike: The wording that they take the Fighters damage seems wrong since his takes minimum damage (and it can be reduced by DR). I suggest they take typical 1/2 fall damage from his fall distance (but can save for to 1/2 this again).

Everythings a Weapon: I don't like it, his sword may not be magical but he can wield it blade side first and it becomes magical?...

Long Steps: It allows more full attack options, but should be clarified that it doesn't stack with Step Up, otherwise it would invalidate the rest of the feat line.

Natural Leader: Saves yes, skills no. The additional skills selected by the fighter are no more important than the typical fighter class skills. This ability doesn't work if the fighter is unconscious, dead, or held, or incapacitated.

Gut Feeling (Su): Typically, the Cleric communicates with his greater power. Since its SU, no components are required or divine belief required. I'd go a step further and say its an EX ability, swift action. (its an internal gut check)

Fearsome Reputation (Ex): I like it, especially for bad guys bossing their peons. I'd add in a level requirement though.

Dungeon Crasher (Ex): Specify non-magical traps; +5/10 on str checks is like adding 10/20 strength respectively. I think it needs toning down to 3/6. Perhaps adding Trap DR/5 (stackable with other types if appropriate) would be more appropriate than AC/Saves and give something thematically unique.

Devastating Momentum: Damage seems high, clarify follow on damage if the opponent strike another opponent (ect...) Add min level.

Collapsing Strike: consider adding daze effect for 1 round rather than entangle. If its a stone wall, it may not collapse but a rock/brick could dislodge having the same effect. Seems more thematic than entangle. Also, need to add the Save DC.

The Bigger They Are - The Tarrasque should never be considered Medium. Instead buff the Fighter one size level for the purposes of all CMB related feats/action. He may select this feat twice.

Veteran Spellbreaker: Add "dazed until the casters next turn" rather than staggered and "targets the Fighter only" to ruleout AoEs. Since the caster would be staggered during his own turn it adds table confusion as to whether he is affected this round or next round (if he already moved, or cast with a quickened spell) As written, this basically gives the Fighter spell resistance so should be limited somehow. As an alternative, consider the spell affects him normally, but gives feedback to the caster doing damage as an interrupt effect if the opposed Caster LVL + Casting Stat < the Fighters BAB + STR (like 1d3 untyped per level of the spell perhaps ruining the spell casting unless a concentration check is made vs the damage).

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