(3.5) Fighter ACFs?

[Orsen]

Hello everyone,
I'll be playing in a 3.5 campaign soon and I'm exploring the possibility of playing a fighter. It'll be low op most likely. Ability scores are yet unknown. I was looking at the fighter ACFs from Complete Champion and I'm not sure whether both are worth loosing a feat over (copy paste from CC in spoiler).

Armor of God
Your belief protects you from attacks. Level: 8th or any even-numbered higher level. Replaces: This benefit replaces one of your fighter bonus
feats. Benefit: As an immediate action, you can reduce your
base Will save to +0 and gain a bonus to your Armor Class
equal to the amount of the reduction. This effect lasts until the beginning of your next turn. Armor of god is a supernatural ability.

Resolute
Your faith bolsters your resolve, allowing you to stand firm against all foes.
Level: Any even-numbered level.
Replaces: This benefit replaces one of your fighter bonus feats.
Benefit: As an immediate action, you can reduce your base attack bonus by one-half and gain a bonus on your Will save equal to the amount of the reduction. This effect lasts until the end of your next action. This is a supernatural ability.
I know people really like Dungeon Crasher but allowed books may not include Dungeonscape. Any other ACFs worth taking?

[Eldariel]

Resolute is one of the better ways to shore up your awful Will-saves so it's not a bad idea, if you don't expect to need your Immediate/Swift Action otherwise. Overpowering Attack from PHBII is decent in an AOE build. Comes way late though but if you get that far in Fighter, might as well.

Zhentarim Fighter Substitution Levels [Champions of Valor Web Enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060327a)] are a no-brainer and can be combined with Imperious Command [Drow of the Underdark] to great effect but are, of course, useful even alone.

Also, Hit'n'Run Fighter [Drow of the Underdark] is very good if you're a dexterous type; lose heavier armor and shields for Initiative bonus and basically Dex as Sudden Strike Damage (not the exact terminology but it functions very similarly). Also, Thug (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#fighterVariantThug) is a very good variant for a high Dex type if you can afford it; skill points never go to waste and it allows e.g. fueling Knowledge Devotion [Complete Champion].

[Morph Bark]

Armor of God is really bad, lowering your weakest save that you actually need so badly while increasing AC, which becomes less useful at high levels if you don't invest tons in it.

Resolute is pretty good and you probably have a lot of feats already anyway.

Zhentarim Fighter and Drow Fighter basically add free stuff. Another awesome ACF is Dungeoncrasher from Dungeonscape.

[D@rK-SePHiRoTH-]

Thug will take away your first feat, but in exchange you get 4 skill points per level thereafter and a better list. It's definitely better if you want to be a pure fighter.

Hit&Run tactics (drow of the underdark) lets you add DEX as a competence bonus to damage against flat-footed foes

[Orsen]

Resolute is one of the better ways to shore up your awful Will-saves so it's not a bad idea, if you don't expect to need your Immediate/Swift Action otherwise. Overpowering Attack from PHBII is decent in an AOE build. Comes way late though but if you get that far in Fighter, might as well.

Zhentarim Fighter Substitution Levels [Champions of Valor Web Enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060327a)] are a no-brainer and can be combined with Imperious Command [Drow of the Underdark] to great effect but are, of course, useful even alone.

Also, Hit'n'Run Fighter [Drow of the Underdark] is very good if you're a dexterous type; lose heavier armor and shields for Initiative bonus and basically Dex as Sudden Strike Damage (not the exact terminology but it functions very similarly). Also, Thug (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#fighterVariantThug) is a very good variant for a high Dex type if you can afford it; skill points never go to waste and it allows e.g. fueling Knowledge Devotion [Complete Champion].
I liked the idea of Resolute as well. I'm still on the fence about Armor of God, it seems like an easy way to boost AC, but it's not a terribly high boost.
I had never seen Zhentarim levels before but you're right. They take nothing away and add a few nice effects. I'll be taking those should the DM be happy about it (although I kind of doubt it, he hasn't played for awhile so I'm worried he wants to keep things mostly core).
I like the thug variant but right now I'm looking for a little more traditional fighter. I'm thinking sword and board with agile shield fighter to make it more interesting.

[Orsen]

Armor of God is really bad, lowering your weakest save that you actually need so badly while increasing AC, which becomes less useful at high levels if you don't invest tons in it.

Thanks for the advice on that one. I think I'll be skipping it.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Free class features are free. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20061013a)

You can get Tumble instead of Ride as a class skill (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a), since it will often be more useful. Definitely do this if you're using Thug or playing a Dwarf, otherwise you can't tumble if your movement speed is slowed by medium or heavy armor.

[Elfinor]

Although, from your description, it's unlikely they'll be allowed, Dragon Magazine has a bunch of Fighter variants. Most of them are in DR 310 - they're mostly useful for grabbing a better Skill List for fighter dips. It depends a lot on build concept, of course, but particularly useful (i.e. for more than just the skill list) variants are Kensai, Exoticist and Targetteer.

[ericgrau]

Armor of God seems worth it because it's temporary. In fights where you might need a will save, don't use it. It's not rocket science peeps. In other fights against big bruisers, little else can hurt you so it actually seems OP. Or even in any fight you might pop it as an immediate to prevent a killing blow. Wait until level 12 because with even minor AC optimization a +4 can make you unhittable, whereas a +2 isn't as hot. In spite of bad rumors you spend the same % of your money on AC regardless of level to keep it good, and with a +4 at level 12 you will in fact be nigh-impossible to hit rather than ready to give up on AC.

Resolute is likewise good because it's temporary. This one will be used less often because hitting stuff is your main shtick, but it will be worth it. As soon as you fight a big scary thing and the DM says "make a will save", you pop it as an immediate and keep on fighting. I'd easily take this over iron will, where you wait forever to use it and when you finally do you get a lousy +2 and then get confused anyway. Likewise seems OP.

But if you play in a group that allows high optimization they're not any worse than a lot of other things.

[Gavinfoxx]

Zhentarim Soldier, Thug, Dungeon Crusher, Hit and Run, Physical Prowess, Skilled City Dweller (trade Ride for Tumble), Exoticist, Sneak Attack Fighter, etc. etc. are all good.

[hex0]

For Fighter ACFs, I like the Dragon Mag ones. Especially Kensai. Not sure which can be combined with others, but just putting that out there.