Quote Originally Posted by Just to Browse View Post
The changing of feats is a great idea, but I think the other class features scale too slowly. Swordmain should be 2-4 levels earlier, and Mettle is way too late at 13th level, especially for a tank. I'd probably increase the speed at which these abilities are taken to 150-200% (so your 20th-level abilities are coming in somewhere between levels 10 and 15).

One of the ones that bothers me the most is the Slayer's Myrmidon ability--the slayer is really crappy against enemies and is encouraged to power attack and not crit because he'll probably dole out less damage than the rogue, but as soon as his fortification-ignoring passive comes online, he wants to stack crits like a madman. Like the warlock's ability to fool items, this changes what the fighter is all about with a single level halfway through his career, and I think that's something you should avoid in your design.

Another problem is the lack of out-of-combat abilities, but if that's not your thing then I won't moan about it.
Crusaders gain Mettle at 13th level, so that's my comparison point.

I don't understand your claim that they are "encouraged to power attack and not crit because he'll probably dole out less damage than the rogue". The Slayer's bonus damage is a flat bonus and thus multiplied on a critical hit. Furthermore, level 17 does not immediately change the play style; that's assuming that every creature you fight will have immunity to critical hits and critical hits were something to ignore before level 17 because they never happened.

Out of combat abilities? I did mention that this was using the 4e Fighter as a base, right?

Jokes aside, out of combat abilities can be added later if needed. The core of the Fighter class should be whether it is functions well in a fight.