AnimeTheCat
2016-07-25, 03:06 PM
Hey Playground, I had some ideas to try and make the 3.5 Fighter class relevant for more than 2 or 4 levels.
My first set of ideas was to replace the dead levels in the fighter class, so every odd level after first.
My second set of ideas was to make the class more SAD, focusing either on Con or Str, leaning heavily towards Con.
My third, and final, set of ideas was to give the fighter more skills and skill points to increase their out of combat capabilities.
The first set of ideas was fairly easy to come up with ideas for. You will want ways to boost your will and reflex saves since those are bad for you, and you'll want things that give you some out of combat utility. These class abilities are primarily focused on Con, with a few of them possibly working with strength as well or possibly only with strength. These ideas are as follows:
Skill Points: (4+int)x4 at first level, 4+int every level after first.
Class Skills: Add Hide, Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering), Knowledge (Dungeoneering), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty), Search, Sense Motive, Spot, and Use Rope to the Fighter's list of class skills.
Sturdy Footing (Ex): because of your intense training you have learned how to keep your footing where others may lose theirs. You may add your constitution bonus (If any) to your Balance skill and reflex saving throws to remain standing or avoid slipping, falling, being immobilized, or any other affect that effects movement and can be resisted with a reflex saving throw.
Bear the Brunt (Ex): Due to your intense fortitude, you may use your Fortitude saving throw in place of a Reflex saving throw to resist affects that cause damage to you and allow a Reflex saving throw for a reduced effect. An example of this is using your Fortitude saving throw in place of your Reflex saving throw to take only half damage from a Fireball spell. You may stack this with evasion if you have it from another class or magic item.
Matter over Mind (Ex): Through your training, you have managed to shut out influences from the situations you put yourself in. You may use your Fortitude saving throw in place of a Will saving throw against mind altering affects. An example of this is using a Fortitude saving throw in place of a Will saving throw to resist the effects of a Charm Person spell.
Unorthodox Methods (Ex): Due to the versatility of your training, you may make any skill check that has Dexterity as the governing attribute with either your Strength or Constitution modifier in place of your dexterity modifier. This ability stacks with the Sturdy Footing class ability, even if you choose to replace the dexterity modifier with your constitution modifier, meaning if you use this ability to replace your Dexterity modifier with your Constitution modifier on a balance check to remain standing or avoid a movement altering affect, you use your Constitution modifier x2 as your total modifier on that check.
Second Skin (Ex): You have spent so much time in your armor that it feels like a second skin to you. You may treat the Armor Check Penalty of any armor you wear as one point lower per point of Constitution modifier you have, up to your Fighter Class level, with the lowest an armor check penalty going to 0. For instance, if you were a 7th level fighter with a 20 constitution score, you could subtract 5 points from the armor check penalty of any armor you wear. This means you could wear up to Chainmail without an armor check penalty, a breastplate would have an armor check penalty of 0, and full plate would have an armor check penalty of -1.
Deflect (Ex): Due to the training you have with armor, you gain DR equal to the armor bonus provided by the armor you wear up to a maximum of one half your fighter class level (Maximum DR 10). The weakness for your DR is any magic weapon with an enhancement bonus equal to one quarter your fighter class level (Maximum Magic +5). This means that a level 20 fighter wearing +2 Full plate would have DR 10/Magic +5. An 8th level fighter wearing a breastplate would have DR 4/Magic +2.
Outsourced Training (Ex): You have outsourced some training for yourself granting you the ability to choose one skill and treat it as a class skill.
Loyal Beyond Death (Ex): You have trained hard and developed such a strong bond with your party that you can stand and keep fighting, even when the circumstances would normally drop someone of lower caliber. When you are reduced to between negative hit points you may continue fighting as normal for a number of rounds equal to your constitution modifier times 2. Additionally, you do not die when reduced to -10 hit points. You must be reduced to negative hit points equal to twice your constitution score. For instance, if a fighter has a constitution score of 20, they may keep fighting as normal for 10 rounds after entering negative hit points. Additionally, that fighter must be reduced to -40 hit points to be killed. Once the fighter has been fighting for a number of rounds equal to 2 times their constitution modifier they are unconscious, but immediately stabilized. If a fighter is brought back in to positive hit points and then later reduced to negative hit points during the same combat, the number of round they have to act restarts. (I feel like this should be either the level 15 or level 19 class ability as it is quite strong. Possibly 13, but none of the other abilities above seem like they would be beneficial to such a high level character.)
So, those are the abilities that I've thought of. What do you guys think? What would you add/change, correct, reword, etc. I'm open to ideas. This is all an idea as of now. Levels have yet to be assigned to the various abilities. I don't think these changes make the fighter too powerful in any way, because full casters that's why. Does it bring them up in tiers, heck yes, I don't see how it couldn't. It may even make Fighter desirable (especially if I decide that I want to make Outsourced Training a lower level class ability so you can qualify for a wider array of PrCs).
Well let me know what you think! I like them all, but I'm biased :smalltongue: I'm open for any and all input!
My first set of ideas was to replace the dead levels in the fighter class, so every odd level after first.
My second set of ideas was to make the class more SAD, focusing either on Con or Str, leaning heavily towards Con.
My third, and final, set of ideas was to give the fighter more skills and skill points to increase their out of combat capabilities.
The first set of ideas was fairly easy to come up with ideas for. You will want ways to boost your will and reflex saves since those are bad for you, and you'll want things that give you some out of combat utility. These class abilities are primarily focused on Con, with a few of them possibly working with strength as well or possibly only with strength. These ideas are as follows:
Skill Points: (4+int)x4 at first level, 4+int every level after first.
Class Skills: Add Hide, Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering), Knowledge (Dungeoneering), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty), Search, Sense Motive, Spot, and Use Rope to the Fighter's list of class skills.
Sturdy Footing (Ex): because of your intense training you have learned how to keep your footing where others may lose theirs. You may add your constitution bonus (If any) to your Balance skill and reflex saving throws to remain standing or avoid slipping, falling, being immobilized, or any other affect that effects movement and can be resisted with a reflex saving throw.
Bear the Brunt (Ex): Due to your intense fortitude, you may use your Fortitude saving throw in place of a Reflex saving throw to resist affects that cause damage to you and allow a Reflex saving throw for a reduced effect. An example of this is using your Fortitude saving throw in place of your Reflex saving throw to take only half damage from a Fireball spell. You may stack this with evasion if you have it from another class or magic item.
Matter over Mind (Ex): Through your training, you have managed to shut out influences from the situations you put yourself in. You may use your Fortitude saving throw in place of a Will saving throw against mind altering affects. An example of this is using a Fortitude saving throw in place of a Will saving throw to resist the effects of a Charm Person spell.
Unorthodox Methods (Ex): Due to the versatility of your training, you may make any skill check that has Dexterity as the governing attribute with either your Strength or Constitution modifier in place of your dexterity modifier. This ability stacks with the Sturdy Footing class ability, even if you choose to replace the dexterity modifier with your constitution modifier, meaning if you use this ability to replace your Dexterity modifier with your Constitution modifier on a balance check to remain standing or avoid a movement altering affect, you use your Constitution modifier x2 as your total modifier on that check.
Second Skin (Ex): You have spent so much time in your armor that it feels like a second skin to you. You may treat the Armor Check Penalty of any armor you wear as one point lower per point of Constitution modifier you have, up to your Fighter Class level, with the lowest an armor check penalty going to 0. For instance, if you were a 7th level fighter with a 20 constitution score, you could subtract 5 points from the armor check penalty of any armor you wear. This means you could wear up to Chainmail without an armor check penalty, a breastplate would have an armor check penalty of 0, and full plate would have an armor check penalty of -1.
Deflect (Ex): Due to the training you have with armor, you gain DR equal to the armor bonus provided by the armor you wear up to a maximum of one half your fighter class level (Maximum DR 10). The weakness for your DR is any magic weapon with an enhancement bonus equal to one quarter your fighter class level (Maximum Magic +5). This means that a level 20 fighter wearing +2 Full plate would have DR 10/Magic +5. An 8th level fighter wearing a breastplate would have DR 4/Magic +2.
Outsourced Training (Ex): You have outsourced some training for yourself granting you the ability to choose one skill and treat it as a class skill.
Loyal Beyond Death (Ex): You have trained hard and developed such a strong bond with your party that you can stand and keep fighting, even when the circumstances would normally drop someone of lower caliber. When you are reduced to between negative hit points you may continue fighting as normal for a number of rounds equal to your constitution modifier times 2. Additionally, you do not die when reduced to -10 hit points. You must be reduced to negative hit points equal to twice your constitution score. For instance, if a fighter has a constitution score of 20, they may keep fighting as normal for 10 rounds after entering negative hit points. Additionally, that fighter must be reduced to -40 hit points to be killed. Once the fighter has been fighting for a number of rounds equal to 2 times their constitution modifier they are unconscious, but immediately stabilized. If a fighter is brought back in to positive hit points and then later reduced to negative hit points during the same combat, the number of round they have to act restarts. (I feel like this should be either the level 15 or level 19 class ability as it is quite strong. Possibly 13, but none of the other abilities above seem like they would be beneficial to such a high level character.)
So, those are the abilities that I've thought of. What do you guys think? What would you add/change, correct, reword, etc. I'm open to ideas. This is all an idea as of now. Levels have yet to be assigned to the various abilities. I don't think these changes make the fighter too powerful in any way, because full casters that's why. Does it bring them up in tiers, heck yes, I don't see how it couldn't. It may even make Fighter desirable (especially if I decide that I want to make Outsourced Training a lower level class ability so you can qualify for a wider array of PrCs).
Well let me know what you think! I like them all, but I'm biased :smalltongue: I'm open for any and all input!