Character Concepts you wished would work in D&D?

[Man_Over_Game]

I said a fighter, not a monk or rogue. I don't want to put down your houserules, but they do little to address the base issue.

I guess I mean that the next step seems to identify what an Intelligence-based Fighter that doesn't use magic would look like.

To me, that comes off as a Sherlock Holmes brawler, one that outsmarts you as he outmaneuvers you. An Inquisitive Rogue would fit the thematics nicely, especially once you turn it into a Thug. Or the Intelligence Monk, being wise over perceptive.

But you have something else in mind. It's not about a theme or a character concept, but a mechanic. It HAS to be Fighter, so it's the Fighter mechanics that matter.

My question is, how?