Innovative Fighter Fix (PEACH)

[Realms of Chaos]

”A good idea is something that does not solve just one single problem, but rather can solve multiple problems at once.”
-Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo

So, you clicked on yet another “fighter fix” thread. As folks here have made hundreds of these things, most of you have likely seen dozens. What makes this fix different from the rest?


In a word, this class is DENSE

Excusing a couple of pseudo-capstones, this class has four class features. This does not, however, mean that the class is simplistic in design. While it is friendly for new players, this class was designed to have a remarkably high skill ceiling. Every single class feature is pulling double duty, serving multiple functions and synergizing with the mechanics of each other class feature. Further, all of the traditional mechanics used in fighter fixes (auras, raw grit, super senses, feats, etc.) is being used in some sense and this fix draws upon several of my past attempts at fighter fixes.


Again, in four class features

While I could spend a long time talking about this class, I’d rather have you look over it first. I’ll post my personal explanation for the mechanics in the post below. To give you some idea of my general (and hopefully realistic) goals with this class, however:

Goals:
More player agency in combat.
Good for veterans and newcomers.
Strong synergy within mechanics.
Less reliance on magical combat gear.
Not Goals:
Tier 3 or under.
Defeat optimized spellcasters.
Give strong out of combat role.

[Realms of Chaos]

The Fighter


Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d10
Starting wealth: 4d6 x 10 gp (average 140 gp). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills:
The fighter’s class skills (and key ability score for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skills: 4 + Intelligence Modifier per level

LevelBABFortRefWillSpecial
1st+1+2+0+2Called Shots, Combat Superiority
2nd+2+3+0+3Battlefield Mastery +2
3rd+3+3+1+3Martial Surge
4th+4+4+1+4Combat Superiority
5th+5+4+1+4Called Shots
6th+6/+1+5+2+5Battlefield Mastery +3
7th+7/+2+5+2+5Martial Surge
8th+8/+3+6+2+6Combat Superiority
9th+9/+4+6+3+6Called Shots
10th+10/+5+7+3+7Battlefield Mastery +4
11th+11/+6/+1+7+3+7Martial Surge
12th+12/+7/+2+8+4+8Combat Superiority
13th+13/+8/+3+8+4+8Called Shots
14th+14/+9/+4+9+4+9Battlefield Mastery +5
15th+15/+10/+5+9+5+9Martial Surge
16th+16/+11/+6/+1+10+5+10Combat Superiority
17th+17/+12/+7/+2+10+5+10Complex Shots
18th+18/+13/+8/+3+11+6+11Battlefield Mastery +6
19th+19/+14/+9/+4+11+6+11Martial Surge
20th+20/+15/+10/+5+12+6+12Combat Perfection

Class Features

The following are the class features of the Fighter.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Harrowers are proficient with simple and martial weapons, as well as with all forms of armor and with shields (including tower shields).

Called Shots: While any warrior can swing a sword, fighters are gifted at making complex or difficult shots that can debilitate foes. Whenever you attack a creature, you may choose to add the effects of a called shot listed below. If its effects allow for a saving throw, the save DC is (10 + 1/2 your base attack bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier [your choice]). After making a called shot, you suffer a stacking -2 penalty to either your Armor Class or to future attack rolls (your choice). You may not use the same called shot again until your Combat Superiority class feature (see below) is activated, at which point you are freed from any penalties this feature imposed.

At 1st level, you may use the following called shots.

Precise Shot: You gain a +5 insight bonus to your attack roll and your attack ignores all cover and concealment (but not total cover or total concealment)

Cheap Shot: If you hit, the target is sickened (Fortitude save negates) and automatically fails on all concentration checks for 1 round.

Hindering Shot: If you hit, the target is fatigued (Fortitude save negates) and treats all squares as difficult terrain for 1 round

Harrowing Shot: If you hit, the target is shaken (Will save negates) and cannot make attacks of opportunity for 1 round.

Disabling Shot: If you hit, the target is knocked prone (Reflex save negates) and you may choose to deal nonlethal damage with the attack.
Starting at 5th level, you may use the following called shots.

Wraith Shot: Your attack either treats the target as flat-footed or is treated as a touch attack (your choice).

Head Shot: If you hit, the target is frightened for 1 round (Will save negates) and takes 1d4 points of ability score damage to a mental ability score (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma) of your choice.

Gut Shot: If you hit, the target is exhausted for 1 round (Fortitude save negates) and takes both 1d4 points of Strength damage and 1d4 points of Dexterity damage.

Vital Shot: If you hit, the target is nauseated for 1 round (Fortitude save negates) and takes 1d4 points of Constitution damage.

Reliable Shot: Your attack roll ignores all penalties from nonmagical sources other than feats or class features (such as penalties due to range, due to weather, or due to prone condition).
Starting at 9th level, you may use the following called shots.

Piercing Shot: Your attack ignores any miss chances from sources other than total concealment. If you hit, your attack ignores any damage reduction or hardness the opponent has.

Infallible Shot: Your attack deals extra damage equal to your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice). If you miss and have a line of effect with your target, they still take this damage.

Magebreaker Shot: Your attack ignores bonuses to AC from magical or supernatural sources and pierce through ongoing magical effects that would otherwise obstruct attacks (solid fog, wall of force, wind wall, wings of cover, etc).

Impossible Shot: If your target is within 100 feet, you deal maximum damage if you hit. If your target is further away but you have a line of effect with it, it is treated as being within your final range increment.

Agonizing Shot: If the attack hits, it automatically threatens a critical hit. If you confirm the critical hit, the target cannot cast, dismiss, or actively control spells or spell-like abilities for 1 round.
Starting at 13th level, you may use the following called shots.

Instant Shot: Your attack does not provoke attacks of opportunity, does not trigger readied actions or Contingency (or similar effects), and cannot be responded to with immediate actions.

Wounding Shot: If you hit, your attack ignores any regeneration that the target possesses and the target cannot heal hit points through any means for 1 round.

Halting Shot: If your attack hits, the target is dazed (Will save negates) and gains 1d4 negative levels.

Opening Shot: If you hit, you may either make another attack at the same base attack bonus against the same target right after this one or grant another ally who can see or hear you a move action that it must use immediately (your choice).

Finishing Shot: If you hit and the target is left with under 100 hit points, it instantly perishes. Creatures who are immune to critical hits are immune to this ability.

Combat Superiority (Ex): You possess a wealth of knowledge when it comes to battle. While it would be hard to use all of your talents in the space of a single battle, you can adapt to new situations as they arrive. With five minutes of exercise and training, you may choose a number of fighter bonus feats that you meet all prerequisites for up to half of your class level (minimum 1). You gain the benefits of those feats until you next train for new feats in this way. One feat gained in this way may be used as the prerequisite for other feats.

Further, each failure on the battlefield gives you a chance to reassess the battlefield. Whenever you miss with an attack or are dealt hit point damage, you may replace one feat chosen through this class feature with another. You may not replace a feat that is being used as the prerequisite for another feat. Further, you lose any penalties imposed by your Martial Prowess class feature and may re-use any previously expended called shots.

Starting at 4th level, you may use these moments of assessment to claim a brief tactical advantage or rush of adrenaline. Whenever you miss or are dealt damage, you may choose to use one of the defensive tactics listed below instead of replacing one feat with another. None of these abilities can be selected more than once per round

Unyielding Spirit: You gain temporary hit points equal to your class level for 1 round. While you have at least one of these hit points, you are immune to fear effects.

Great Bulwark: You gain Damage Reduction 1/- for 1 round, increasing by 1 per 4 class levels. During this time, creatures cannot use the tumble skill to pass through squares you threaten.

Determined Resilience: You gain spell resistance 12 + class level for 1 round. The next time you make a saving throw during this time, you may roll 2d20 and use the higher result.

Quick Sidestep: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to your AC, +1 per 4 class levels. Further, you may move 5 feet without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Battlefield Insights: You learn about a foe you are aware of as if you had made a knowledge check (your result = 10 + your base attack bonus). For one round, you automatically identify any racial spell-like abilities that it casts.
Starting at 8th level, you may choose the following defensive tactics.

Through the Pain: You ignore the sickened, fatigued, exhausted, nauseated, entangled, immobilized, and/or staggered conditions for 1 round. Halve all nonlethal damage that you would take during this time.

Heightened Awareness: You gain the benefits of uncanny dodge (as the barbarian class feature) for 1 round. Further, you pinpoint all invisible or unseen creatures that you possess a line of effect with.

Freed Movement: Your movement ignores difficult terrain for 1 round. When you choose this option, you may choose to free yourself from any grapple you are engaged in.

Careful Avoidance: You gain a 20% miss chance against all attacks for 1 round. This miss chance increases to 50% against attacks of opportunity.

Unbreakable Will: You may ignore compulsion effects for 1 round. During this time, all skill checks made to feint you or demoralize you automatically fail. You may choose this option even when afflicted by a compulsion.
Starting at 12th level, you may choose the following defensive tactics:

Safeguard Vitality: Halve all ability damage and ability drain that you would suffer within the next round. During that time, you ignore penalties from negative levels and are immune to death effects.

Uncanny Perception: You gain blindsight out to 30 feet for 1 round. During that time, you automatically notice and succeed on saving throws (when applicable) against illusion effects that enter the range of your blindsight.

Perfect Guard: For 1 round, you gain the benefits of improved uncanny dodge (as the barbarian class feature). During this time, you may apply your full armor class against touch attacks.

Resist Arcana: You gain evasion (as a rogue) or mettle (as a hexblade) (your choice) for 1 round. You may remove one ongoing magical effects from your person if its caster level does not exceed your base attack bonus + 5.

Roll with It: For 1 round, all hit point damage that you would suffer is converted into nonlethal damage. During that time, negate all extra damage that you would suffer from critical hits and sneak attacks.
Starting at 16th level, you may choose the following defensive tactics:

Battlemind: For 1 round, you automatically succeed on all saving throws against mind-affecting effects. During this time, you can ready an action as a swift action instead of a standard action.

Opportune Response: For 1 round, attacking you with a melee weapon provokes an attack of opportunity from you. You may make an additional two attacks of opportunity within the next round.

Undying: The next time your hit points would be reduced below -9 within the next round, they are instead reduced to -9 and you stabilize. You may choose this option in response to taking lethal damage.

Mystic Recognition: You learn all spell effects active on foes you possess a line of sight with. For the next round, you can identify shapeshifters (but not see their true form) as if using true seeing.

Reclaim Mobility: For 1 round, you may ignore the dazed, stunned, and paralyzed conditions. During this time, you gain immunity to petrification and polymorph effects. You may use this option while immobile or helpless.

Battlefield Mastery (Ex): At 2nd level, your mastery in martial matters grants a number of related benefits. First of all, all of your ability scores are treated as being 2 points higher for the purpose of meeting the prerequisites of feats. This bonus increases by +1 at 6th level and every 4 levels afterwards.

As a swift action, you may grant yourself an enhancement bonus of equal size to an ability score of your choice as you utilize some of your untapped talent. Whenever you do so, you heal an equal number of hit points as the heat of combat pushes you onwards. You cannot be healed above half of your maximum hit points in this way.

Finally, your expertise more than makes up for subpar equipment. You and/or your mount gain an enhancement bonus of equal size to attack and damage rolls and are always treated as wielding a magical weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. If you are wearing armor and/or your mount is wearing barding, it likewise receives this enhancement bonus. Finally, any shield you wield gains this enhancement bonus both as a defensive item and as a weapon (if applicable). These enhancement bonuses do not stack with those of magic items.

Martial Surge (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, you can draw upon your deepest reserves of strength to perform incredible deeds… at a cost. Each of these abilities deals the listed amount of damage to you, which is unaffected by damage reduction, regeneration, or similar effects that would reduce, negate, redirect, or convert this damage. This damage triggers your combat training class feature as normal.
Surging Dash: Starting at 3rd level, you may deal yourself 5 damage as a swift action to double your speed for all modes of movement for 1 round.
Surge of Authority: Starting at 3rd level, you may deal yourself 5 damage as a swift action to speak authoritatively. If you use the damage to replace one feat with another feat, all allies within 60 feet of you who can hear and understand you gain the benefit of that feat for 1 round if they meet its prerequisites. If you use the damage to gain an ability with your combat training class feature, allies gain that benefit instead.

Surging Initiative: Starting at 7th level, you may deal yourself 10 points of damage at the beginning of an encounter to treat your initiative roll as a natural 20. Further, you may act in any surprise round.

Surging Assault: Starting at 7th level, you may make a full attack as a standard action, though doing so deals 10 points of damage to yourself.

Immediate Surge: Starting at 11th level, you may deal yourself 15 points of damage as a swift action to gain an extra standard action that can only be used to attack or move action that can only be used to move this round.

Coordinated Surge: Starting at 11th, you may deal yourself 15 points of damage as a swift action to grant each ally within 60 feet who can hear and understand you the benefit of your martial prowess class feature for 1 round (but not the dual prowess feature, if you have it). You suffer any penalties that would be imposed by the class feature and no two allies may add the same ability to an attack.

Adaptive Surge: Starting at 15th level, you may deal yourself 20 points of damage as a swift action to exchange any number of feats gained through your combat training class feature with others. You may not select defenses instead of replacing feats, though the damage still triggers your class feature.

Surging Counter: Starting at 15th level, you may deal yourself 20 points of damage as an immediate action to gain a single defensive option from your combat training class feature (in addition to any options gained from the damage).

Legion’s Surge: Starting at 19th level, you may deal yourself 25 points of damage as a swift action to imitate the effects of both Coordinated Surge and Surge of Authority, save that these benefits are extended out to a range of 120 feet.

Ultimate Surge: Starting at 19th level, you may deal yourself 25 points of damage as a swift action to gain an additional two move actions and an additional two standard actions this turn. After using this ability, you lose the benefits of your martial surge class feature for 1 round.

Complex Shot: Starting at 17th level, you can combine two called shots into a single attack. When doing so, either of the called shots imposes a penalty to your attack rolls or armor class as normal. Further, you may not use either of those called shots again until your combat superiority class feature is activated.

Combat Perfection (Ex): Starting at 20th level, your mastery of combat keeps you prepared at all times. You may choose a single defensive tactic from your combat superiority class feature. You automatically gain its benefits at the start of each round. Whenever you activate a defensive tactic, you may choose to make it your new persistent tactic.

[Realms of Chaos]

Notes and Explanation
As mentioned above, this class was devised with the goal of every component serving multiple functions. As there are only four main class features, however, I might as well discuss them in order.

1. Called Shots serve a number of purposes within this class. First of all, they provide an array of choices when attacking. Further, almost every called shot has two effects. As a result, each of them is useful in a wider array of situations. Even though undead can’t be fatigued, for example, you may want to launch a hindering shot against a lich to keep it from taking a 5-foot step. Beyond having two effects, the shots cover a wide array of roles from Debuffing Foes (Head Shot, Body Shot, etc.) to overcoming magical obstacles (Instant Shot, Magebreaker Shot, etc.) to simply sinking in additional damage or hits (Precise Shot, Infallible Shot, etc.). Finally, the penalties from a called shot give a player some choice in deciding how Combat Superiority triggers.

As one final note on called shots, the original draft did not allow any saving throws. This was changed after realizing that an archer with the right feats could “kite” a melee brute indefinitely, keeping them nauseated/dazed/exhausted/panicked/prone so they will never catch up and attack.

2. Like Called Shots, Combat Superiority fills multiple roles. First of all, it replaces the static bonus feats of the PHB fighter with access to all fighter feats. While there are LOTS of fighter feats out there, the fact that players can escape “feat traps” makes this set-up better for newcomers. Likewise, the ability to switch feats in mid-battle allows new players to experiment and veteran players to optimally adapt. The fact that veteran players won’t be trapped as a shocktrooper ubercharger in a battle against flying foes also helps to address the “one-trick pony” nature of most fighter builds.

The most important part of this class feature, however, is the trigger for switching. Whenever you take damage or miss with an attack, a number of things happen. All penalties to attack rolls and/or AC from your called shots go away, all of your used called shots can be reused, and you can either switch a feat or (starting at 4th level) gain a defensive ability. To reiterate, these things happen when you miss with an attack or take damage. You know how your lowest iterative attacks tend to miss? Combat Superiority turns that into a FEATURE! Those penalties from power attack or combat expertise? Those help you recharge! The penalties from using called shot let you decide whether you want to recharge by taking some damage (AC penalty) or by wasting an attack (attack roll penalty).

To put it simply, this class rewards you for the normal “fail-states” of martial characters. If you miss with an attack or get hit, you get to make tactical choices instead of just ending your turn. Further, you can freely spam a single called shot until you finally hit instead of missing and waiting for some recharge mechanism.

Finally, those defensive strategies are worth mentioning. Like called shots, almost every defensive strategy has two different effects. Between 20 called shots and 20 defensive strategies, that is nearly 80 unique abilities that fighters have access to. Compared with the ~135 maneuvers that warblades gain access to, that isn’t half-bad.

3. While Battlefield mastery isn’t as closely linked to the other class features, it takes the concept of filling multiple purposes to the next level. The concept of increasing your ability scores for the purpose of feat prerequisites is nothing new.

The idea of using that ability to actually augment your ability scores, however, might be. While this creates the ugliness of odd-valued enhancement bonuses, it gives a nice use for swift actions and removes some of the need for Belts of Giant Strength and the like. The healing ability grants the class more longevity, essential for any class “fueled” by taking damage.

Finally, that single value is used as the enhancement bonus for all weapons, armors, and shields that you or your mount use. Like the ability score bonuses, this removes some of the economic pressures placed on martial characters. If you want to use two-weapon fighting, you don’t need to pay for two magic items. If you want a melee weapon, a reach weapon, and a ranged weapon, you don’t need to pay a bunch of money for each. Further, this ability allows relatively weak items (like a +1 frost longsword) or items with a low enhancement bonus (like a luckblade) to be used with level-appropriate enhancement bonuses. Plus, the idea of wielding a +6 speed brilliant energy longsword is pretty nice.

4. To round things off, martial surge creates some interesting dynamics, allowing you to act as a general or break the action economy at the cost of taking damage… which triggers Combat Superiority. The fact that most of these damaging abilities require swift or immediate actions, forcing you to choose between these self-destructive abilities and the healing powers of battlefield mastery, creates new dynamics that may be tricky to explore.

And yeah, there are other dynamics here that you are bound to find. Using the temporary hit points from unyielding spirit to pay for martial surge. Using infallible shot on attacks that you expect to fail. Using Opening shot on attacks of opportunity… Not mentioning what tricks you could access with Complex Shot or Combat Perfection. As mentioned in the OP, this class was designed to have a high skill ceiling for those willing to play with it.

[Ziegander]

I literally gasped when I saw a Realms of Chaos post.

This is cool as hell, Realms. Your classes always tend to be almost draconianly complicated, but this, while still having staggering depth, is restrained and newb friendly.

The most original and among the most well-thought out Fighter fixes I've ever seen, and I'd love to play one. Bravo.

[CinuzIta]

My god, this looks amazing! I hope to convince my DM to include this in the upcoming campaign! Very well done!

[Just to Browse]

This class has some pretty cool stuff. Not going to comment on detailed numbers, will probably shake out over a handful of games.

Likes:

A bonus when you miss attacks is pretty cool.
Called shot tradeoff is interesting.
Despite most options being self-contained, seems to support optimization well.
Permanent enhancement bonus to weapons is nice.


Dislikes:

Even an experienced player is going to run into option paralysis with this class. No way is this new player friendly, and it's likely to intimidate intermediate players. You compare this to maneuvers, but players get to choose a limited set of maneuvers before the fight. This is a lot less straightforward.
There is just a lot of stuff. Combat Superiority is a free feat, feat reassignment, and a list of abilities. Battlefield Mastery an enhancement bonus to attacks, an activated bonus to an ability (plus a heal, up to a cap), and a way to dodge prereqs all under one name. On top of what feels like 3 mini-subsystems, the class feels clogged.
Power distribution seems pretty heavy on the low levels. That 1-level dip is nuts, and starting at level 2 your weapons become magic for free, with a bonus above the curve until around level 15.
Combat Superiority encourages you to swing at your friends with your eyes closed when the combat music ends. Seems weird.


Also, "Martial Prowess" class feature is mentioned twice. I think that's supposed to be Called Shot.

[Salbazier]

Ah, a Realm of Chaos homebrew after so long. Nice, and itsn't too complex. I think the 'four class feature' is kind of more than just four though, given they contain more than one mechanic. I don't mean the option list. I mean, how Combat Superiority in first paragraph is a class feature that give mechanics, in second paragraph it is a trigger effect that modify the previous mechanic and one other mechanic, and the third it modify the previous mechanic again and give a list of options of abilities. Well, to be fair, maneuvers and spellcasting usually considered one class feature and they contain their own bunch of mini-mechanics.

By there's typo:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Harrowers are proficient with simple and martial weapons, as well as with all forms of armor and with shields (including tower shields).

[JKTrickster]

Wow talk about dense. Are you sure you met your goal about being friendly to veterans and newcomers alike? :smalltongue:

By the way, I found another typo:



Martial Surge (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, you can draw upon your deepest reserves of strength to perform incredible deeds… at a cost. Each of these abilities deals the listed amount of damage to you, which is unaffected by damage reduction, regeneration, or similar effects that would reduce, negate, redirect, or convert this damage. This damage triggers your combat training class feature as normal.

I believe that should be "Combat Superiority" right?

Also:


Combat Superiority (Ex): You possess a wealth of knowledge when it comes to battle. While it would be hard to use all of your talents in the space of a single battle, you can adapt to new situations as they arrive. With five minutes of exercise and training, you may choose a number of fighter bonus feats that you meet all prerequisites for up to half of your class level (minimum 1). You gain the benefits of those feats until you next train for new feats in this way. One feat gained in this way may be used as the prerequisite for other feats.

I'm kind of confused by the last sentence.

Let's say Fighter McFighter wants to pick up a bow and deal some damage from far away. He's level 8 and he took the Toughness feat multiple times (for the sake of this experiment).

When he activates this class feature, is he allowed to take Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, and Manyshot?

Both Precise Shot and Rapid Shot only require Point Blank Shot as a prerequisite. Therefore it should fall under the last sentence: "one" feat being used as a prerequisite for other feats.

But Manyshot requires BOTH Precise Shot and Point Blank Shot. That requires TWO feats, not just "one". Therefore, is Fighter McFighter not allowed to take it?

[nonsi]

.
Seems to me like a player would require remarkable intelectual skills to effectively use this class w/o significantly slowing down the game.

Also, making this class relevant out of combat by merit of skills alone would have absolutely no impact on making this class more difficult to handle, which makes your last not-goal puzzling.