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Just to Browse
2014-09-09, 03:38 AM
Got bored because there are not requests I can answer on the Request a Homebrew thread. So I made some Fighter ACFs. These are designed with CharOp players in mind. These are mostly aimed at optimizers, but I'm no longer aiming just for theoretical optimization cuteness.

More to come! Post suggestions below.

New Fighter Feats

Tower Master
Prerequisites: Tower shield proficiency, improved shield bash
Benefit: You can make a shield bash while using a tower shield, which deals damage as a heavy shield one size larger. You may also take the shield specialization feat for tower shields, and you do not suffer a -2 penalty when making attacks while using a tower shield.

Unshakeable
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +3, base fortitude save +3
Benefit: You do not suffer penalties for being shaken or sickened.
Designer Note: This can be a big problem for combats tuned around enemies using shaken or sickened as part of their core combat patterns. Default D&D fights don't use sickened or shaken to much effect, but if you have a lot of fights that revolve around inflicting light status effects then you should carefully consider whether or not to allow this feat in your game.

Variant Fighters
Note: Variant fighters can be combined as long as they don't require you to lose the same class feature twice. The exception to this is that you may give up a normal feat for your level instead of a "level 1 bonus feat". For example, a level 1 Fighter could take Survivalist and Sentinel if she chose to forfeit her level 1 fighter bonus feat and her default level 1 feat.

The Seeker
Gain
You gain one of the following abilities (chosen upon taking your first level in Fighter):

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, you can use detect evil, as the spell.
Detect Good (Sp): At will, you can use detect good, as the spell.
Detect Law (Sp): At will, you can use detect law, as the spell.
Detect Chaos (Sp): At will, you can use detect chaos, as the spell.
You gain Blind Fight as a bonus feat.

Lose
Level 1 bonus feat

The Survivalist
Gain
You gain the following ability

Endure Elements (Ex): You suffer no harm from being in a hot or cold environment. You can exist comfortably in conditions between -50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit without having to make Fortitude saves. Your equipment is likewise protected.
Endure Elements doesn’t provide any protection from fire or cold damage, nor does it protect against other environmental hazards such as smoke, lack of air, and so forth.
You gain Endurance as a bonus feat.

Lose
Level 1 bonus feat.

The One-Trick Warrior
Gain
You gain proficiency with one martial or exotic weapon.
At level 1, you gain Weapon Focus as a bonus feat. The selected weapon for this feat must be the same one you gained proficiency in.
At level 4, you gain Weapon Specialization as a bonus feat. The selected weapon for this feat must be the same one you gained proficiency in.
At level 8, you gain Greater Weapon Focus as a bonus feat. The selected weapon for this feat must be the same one you gained proficiency in.
At level 12, you gain Greater Weapon Specialization as a bonus feat. The selected weapon for this feat must be the same one you gained proficiency in.

Lose
You lose martial weapon proficiency (except with the chosen weapon above). If you chose an exotic weapon, you lose heavy armor proficiency and shield proficiency.

The Wildcat
Gain
You gain 2 additional skill points per level (x4 at level 1). Add balance, disable device, escape artist, hide, move silently, sleight of hand, tumble, and use rope to your fighter skill list.
Your reflex save becomes good (increasing at the same rate as your Fortitude save)
At level 1, you gain the feats Dodge and Mobility as bonus feats, even if you do not meet the prerequisites.

Lose
Heavy armor proficiency, medium armor proficiency, shield proficiency, level 1 bonus feat.

The Adaptive Fighter
Gain
You can ignore attribute prerequisites for any feat that could be taken as a fighter bonus feat.

Lose
Level 1 bonus feat.

The Sentinel
Gain
Your hit die increases from d10 to d12.
Shields you wield provide a deflection bonus to AC.

Lose
Martial weapon proficiency, level 1 bonus feat.

The Marksman
Gain
You gain point blank shot and precise shot as bonus feats even if you do not meet the prerequisites.
Add your Dexterity modifier to damage you deal with ranged attacks, to a maximum of your base attack bonus.

Lose
Heavy armor proficiency, medium armor proficiency, level 1 bonus feat.
Your hit die is reduced from a d10 to a d8.

Fighter Substitution Levels

These follow the Zhentarim Fighter progression (3/5/9), just because there needs to be some competition in that area. I'm keeping the Forgotten Realms theme becaause it gives me something to work off of, but it's not necessary.

Warrior of the Tall Trees


Level
Special


3
Skill Focus (Handle Animal)


5
Wild Cohort


9
Quick Positioning



Skill Focus (Handle Animal): At level 3, the fighter gains the feat skill focus (handle animal).

Wild Cohort: At level 5, the fighter gains wild cohort as a bonus feat.

Quick Positioning (Ex): At level 9, while the fighter and his wild cohort are adjacent or sharing the same space, the fighter can choose to take damage that his wild cohort would have otherwise received and vice versa. This can only be used if the fighter and his wild cohort were not damaged by the same source (such as a fireball spell that hit the fighter and his cohort).

Thayan Assailant


Level
Special


3
Use Magic Device


5
Magical Enhancements


9
Greater Magical Enhancements



Use Magic Device: Use Magic Device becomes a class skill for the fighter and he gains 3 ranks in it.

Magical Enhancements (Sp): The fighter can select a single 1st-level spell off the sorcerer/wizard list with a listed duration greater than 1 round and a range of personal. He applies that spell's effect to him at all times, and may suppress or reactivate it with 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration. The save DC (if any) is based of the fighter's intelligence modifier plus half his fighter level. This is treated as a spell cast by a sorcerer of the fighter's level.

Instead of a 1st-level spell, the fighter can choose to benefit from two cantrips that follow the same restrictions.

Greater Magical Enhancements (Sp): This functions as per magical enhancements, but the fighter can choose a 2nd-level spell, two 1st-level spells, or four cantrips.

Servant of the Purple Staff


Level
Special
Tier 1 SLAs
Tier 2 SLAs
Tier 3 SLAs


3

3
-
-


5

5
3
-


9

8
5
3



Spell-like Abilities (Sp): The fighter can use spell-like abilities a certain number of times per day. Unlike normal spell-like abilities, these can change day to day. The fighter memorizes a number of spells from the cleric spell list equal to his fighter level + 2 with a 1 hour ritual in the morning, and may use his daily slots to spontaneously cast from the list of memorized spells. The save DC for these spell-like abilities is 10 + 1/2 fighter level + Charisma modifier.

The spells memorized at each tier for the servant of the purple staff is:

Tier 1: All 0th-level cleric spells.

Tier 2: All 1st-level and 2nd-level cleric spells.

Tier 3: All 3rd-level cleric spells.

If the fighter would take a later substitution level without taking the former (such as the 5th level of servant of the purple staff, but not the 3rd) he only gains the difference in uses per day instead of each use listed on the table. So taking only the 5th level grants 2/3/0 uses per day and taking only the 9th level grants 3/2/3 uses per day.

Xanathar Elite


Level
Special
Tier 1 SLAs
Tier 2 SLAs
Tier 3 SLAs


3

3
-
-


5

5
3
-


9

8
5
3



Spell-like Abilities (Sp): The fighter can use spell-like abilities a certain number of times per day. Unlike normal spell-like abilities, these can change day to day. The fighter memorizes a number of spells from the sorcerer/wizard spell list equal to his fighter level + 2 with a 1 hour ritual in the morning, and may use his daily slots to spontaneously cast from the list of memorized spells. The save DC for these spell-like abilities is 10 + 1/2 fighter level + Intelligence modifier.

The spells memorized for each tier of the xanathar elite is:

Tier 1: All 0th-level sorcerer/wizard spells.

Tier 2: All 1st-level and 2nd-level sorcerer/wizard spells.

Tier 3: All 3rd-level sorcerer/wizard spells.

If the fighter would take a later substitution level without taking the former (such as the 5th level of xanathar elite, but not the 3rd) he only gains the difference in uses per day instead of each use listed on the table. So taking only the 5th level grants 2/3/0 uses per day and taking only the 9th level grants 3/2/3 uses per day.

Hunter of the Shades



Level
Special


3
Skill Focus (Hide)


5
Shifting Shadows


9
Shadow of Death



Skill Focus (Hide): The fighter gains skill focus (hide) as a bonus feat.

Shifting Shadows (Su): The fighter can see in all darkness, even magical darkness. As a swift action, he can envelop a 5 ft. radius area centered on himself with darkness as per the darkness spell. This magical darkness lasts for 1 round.

Shadow of Death (Su): Once per day as an immediate action, the fighter can create a 30 ft. radius cloud of darkness as per the deeper darkness spell. Allies within the magical darkness can see despite it. This magical darkness lasts for 1 round. As a 1-round action, the fighter can focus to regain the daily usage of this ability.

Expert Tactician
Requested by spikeof2010



Level
Special


3
Tactical Aid


5
Tactical Insight


9
Tactical Mastery



Tactical Aid (Ex): You can use aid another in combat as a move action, and no longer have to be in melee combat to do so. Being able to hit the target with any weapon will suffice.

Tactical Insight (Ex): Your aid another attempts grant an addition +2 bonus. You can always make an aid another check for an ally using a skill, and may make all aid another skill checks even if you are untrained.

Tactical Mastery (Ex): You can use aid another in combat as a swift action. Even when you fail your aid another check, you can still grant a +2 bonus as if aiding another (this is not increased by Tactical Insight).

Fighter of Gond


Level
Special


3
Craftmaster


5
Knowledge of the Forge


9
Gond's Blessing



Craftmaster (Ex): The fighter gains a +3 bonus to every craft check he makes. This qualifies as the feat skill focus (craft (any)) for the purposes of prerequisites.

Knowledge of the Forge (Ex): The fighter gains a caster level equal to his highest ranks in a craft skill for the purposes of crafting magic items. This class feature does not grant him knowledge of any spells, so he must obtain those from another source (items that cast spells, friendly casters, multiclassing, etc). He may also use another willing creature's experience points when crafting in lieu of his own.

In addition, bonus fighter feats he gains can be spent on [Item Creation] feats.

Gond's Blessing (Ex): The fighter gains knowledge of one spell per fighter level, which may only be used for the purposes of creating magic items. Each fighter level afterwards, he learns a new spell.

nonsi
2014-09-09, 05:13 AM
Got bored because there are not requests I can answer on the Request a Homebrew thread.



You can always look inside my hombrew codex (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?352036) and see if you have some insights to share.

In the meantime, I'll be examining your Fighter ideas and see if I can use any of them.

illyahr
2014-09-09, 12:25 PM
I picked up the idea for Wildcard Feats from another d20 system. The idea is that every so often, say every 4th level, the fighter gets a wildcard feat instead of a regular bonus feat. These wildcard feats can be any fighter bonus feat that he qualifies for but can be swapped out for any other feat at the beginning of each day. Much like how a wizard or cleric prepares spells, a fighter would prepare wildcard feats. You can't use these feats as prerequisites for anything other than wildcard feats or if a magical item checks to see if you have a particular feat to use/craft it.

Just to Browse
2014-09-09, 03:55 PM
Wildcard feats sounds like a good idea. I'm considering ways to implement that thing without making it the optimal choice 100% of the time, though. Perhaps it would be a good thing to give all fighters for free at level 7...

spikeof2010
2014-09-10, 12:31 AM
Try making one off the concept "Right Hand Man"

Just to Browse
2014-09-10, 12:59 AM
I'm not quite sure what that means. Is that like a close assistant (like Kass was to Vecna) or someone that wields weapons in one hand (like Tryndamere from LoL)?

spikeof2010
2014-09-10, 02:57 PM
As in close friend, person to go to for advice, and such

CinuzIta
2014-09-11, 02:20 AM
I'd like to see a good phalanx fighter, think you can do it?

brian 333
2014-09-11, 03:14 AM
Questing Knight

Gains one of these three optional abilities upon taking this class:
Track Feat as Ranger and Wilderness Lore as a class skill
Detect Magic Spell 1/day and Spellcraft as a class skill
Detect Opposed Alignment 1/day and Knowledge (Religion) as a class skill
(Opposed Alignment must be opposite of the character's and chosen at the time this ability becomes available if there are multiple choices, such as Lawful or Good for a CE character.)

At level 3 gains the Endurance Feat, +1 Ref, +1 Wil
At level 6 replaces the Fighter Bonus Feat with Mounted Combat Feat, +1 Fort, +1 Ref, +1 Wil
At level 9 gains Leadership Feat, +1 Ref, +1 Wil

Each level of the class adds +1BAB and does not count as a caster level if the character is a spellcaster.

Requirements:
Must be a member of an aristocracy.
Cannot spend 3 consecutive days not in pursuit of his quest unless healing from injuries.
Cannot garner more wealth than he can carry, counting his war mount, riding mount, and pack animal.
Must grant quarter to any foe not directly related to his quest if asked.
Must have a specific quest given by a person the character accepts as an authority figure.

Penalties:
Each day beyond the second in which a character spends not actively seeking his quest he is penalized by temporary loss of level which will not be restored until he resumes his quest.
If the Questing Knight completes his quest he cannot earn exp until he is assigned a new quest or retires from questing.
If the Questing Knight abandons his quest he loses all Questing Knight benefits, including BAB and Save progression, but retains the 'empty' levels, effectively taking up to three levels without gaining anything for them whatsoever. At this time temporary level loss for not pursuing his quest is replaced by this penalty.

The Questing Knight substitution levels can be taken as an option only if involved in an epic quest, and can begin any time before the third level. After the character has taken his third level he no longer qualifies for this substitution level class. Any Character Class can take this substitution level class, but it is intended for fighters and fighter sub-classes.

So, this may seem like three wasted levels, you are thinking, right? Well, there is a benefit to this class too! Upon completion of the quest the Authority Figure which granted the quest will 'promote' the Questing Knight within his aristocracy! So a minor Gentleman could advance to Esquire from a single completed quest, or even advance further by completing multiple quests. The titles are bestowed immediately, but lands and properties attendant upon the new rank are not bestowed until the Questing Knight retires from his questing, at which time the Authority figure grants properties befitting the Knight's new status.

Bluydee
2014-09-11, 03:16 AM
I'd like to point out that Thayan Assailant, off the top of my head, gets permanent wraithstrike or alter self. I think you should put a clause for alter self, mostly.

Just to Browse
2014-09-11, 07:59 AM
Took a stab at the right-hand man concept. Couldn't quite visualize a fighter-y theme that had to do with being someone's close friend, so I picked the closest thing I can and went with a tactician helping his allies with aid another.

For the phalanx fighter, I'm not sure what to do. Phalanxes are many people following the same tactics, sticking together. In a game of D&D, your wizard will be in the back and your rogue will be running around behind the enemy and your paladin will be charging whatever he can see, so it's kind of tough to be a good phalanx. I'm considering, either a) making the ACF catered towards NPCs that show up in hordes, so they really can be a phalanx, or b) make a fighter designed around being defensive and providing his allies with bonuses if they're close. Which sounds better?

The Thayan Assailant abuse is noted. I'm going to let alter self sit around because I think 9 levels of fighter makes capitalization on high mental stats pretty difficult. I also think it leads to cool optimization (like aspect of the wolf + alter self for limited wildshape) and I don't want to discourage that. The wraithstrike abuse is noted, and I've updated the description to only allow spells with a duration longer than 1 round. Thanks for the heads up.

CinuzIta
2014-09-11, 08:14 AM
You're right about phalanxes, I should have had specify better what I was thinking. Basically I was thinking about a fighter wielding a tower shield and a spear, focused on shield turtling while poking the enemy with the spear with maybe some bull rush in it..so I wasn't thinking of a proper phalanx but of a way similar of how an hoplite would have fought

Hope this is celare e by any chance!:)

Just to Browse
2014-09-11, 03:51 PM
Got it. That's coming right up.

What is celare e?

CinuzIta
2014-09-11, 04:49 PM
Damned Iphone..I meant to write "clearer"!:)

Amnoriath
2014-09-11, 05:02 PM
In general I like this. It is simple yet you offer a wide of options that are still a bit unique. However I do have a couple of suggestions.
1. The wildcat should at least get a couple class skills because the fighter's skills are among the worst.
2. The spells on the casting types seems clunky to me and a bit too much for the level. How about having them cast 1 to 3 level spells as spell-like abilities at the respective levels?

Just to Browse
2014-09-11, 06:04 PM
The reason I made the spells scale 1/3/5 was to stop artificers from getting 4th-level sorc/cler spells as 3rd-level spells. But making the spells into SLAs would be a very elegant solution. I'll do that. The high number of spell slots is to compensate for not getting bonus spells per day, but if you think it's still too much I could be convinced otherwise.

Also, the wildcat skill list is updated. I forgot how atrocious fighter skills were.

Amnoriath
2014-09-12, 10:02 AM
The reason I made the spells scale 1/3/5 was to stop artificers from getting 4th-level sorc/cler spells as 3rd-level spells. But making the spells into SLAs would be a very elegant solution. I'll do that. The high number of spell slots is to compensate for not getting bonus spells per day, but if you think it's still too much I could be convinced otherwise.

Also, the wildcat skill list is updated. I forgot how atrocious fighter skills were.
Well I am not sure how this had anything to do with your fighter fixes when they used the sorcerer/wizard and cleric lists. That to me is the problem with Sanctum Spell and Artificer skill power. Though, I really do like what you did now.:smallsmile:

Just to Browse
2014-09-12, 01:21 PM
Well the old writing gave the caster-fighters a "Fighter Spell List", which was the clunky thing that was causing problems. Artificers aside, I still prefer your SLA approach because it's way more streamlined. Many thanks!

EDIT; tpyos

spikeof2010
2014-09-12, 04:08 PM
How about a brawler with a holy agenda? Not quite a paladin, but the guy that will smash your face if you diss Pelor.

Also a survivalist type of fighter. Survival is obviously a key skill.

Just to Browse
2014-09-13, 03:38 AM
Having done a little seeking, it seems like the best way to make the 'phalanx fighter' concept is probably through a build with a bit of homebrew. Two feats were necessary, one by Eiji-Kun and one I wrote above. My suggestions are:

I recommend human fighter 2 / anything 1, with the following feats...

H: Weapon Focus (Longspear)
1: Shield and Spear Style (http://dnd-wiki.org/wiki/Shield_and_Spear_Style_(3.5e_Feat)) (SSS)
F1: Sentinel ACF
F2: Improved Shield Bash
3: Tower Master

If your didn't take the Sentinel ACF, you could pick any martial polearm instead for Weapon Focus and you could finish this build stub by level 2. But then your shield wouldn't provide a deflection bonus to AC, and that deflection bonus is really nice in synergy with the 'Spiked Shell' option on SSS. Other branches further down the road...


Shield Specialization > Shield Bash > Shield Slam. Charge and stun fools. Great synergy with SSS.
Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting, or Agile Shield Fighter. These let you mix up shield bashes and polearm attacks a little more, since normally making a shield bash attack turns it into a weapon and forces you to take a -8 penalty (which sucks). TWF is the best, but has harsh prereqs. ASF works only on full attacks. Quick Draw requires pulling out polearms and throwing/dropping them.
Combat Reflexes + Stand Still. You've basically got inclusive reach between your shield and your polearm. Abuse it.


You could take basically any substitution level except Shades Fighter. I doubt a dude with a tower shield is going to be very good at hiding.

EDIT: Holy fighters outside of servants of the purple staff are probably best left as character flavor. A survivalist fighter is also probably better as a ranger.