Defense, who needs it?

[Thoughtbot360]

Heh, I have seen it in 'builds', but never in an actual game, but I don't play a lot of High Level (11-20) D&D, so I am not the best person to ask. I quite agree that the way this is currently set up is silly, but, then, I rather think the whole Feat system has been something of a Dead End for D&D.

I figured as much after seeing as how everyone and everyone and their brother were claiming the Fighter (who's ONLY power is more and more feats) is considered the weakest class in the core books.

-Can I throw in a little quip here? Why does the Barbarian get more skill points than the fighter? I mean, conceptually, the Barbarian is supposed to be more of a "sluggo," in fact, Barbarians are either self-taught wildmen or warriors from a barbaric culture (apparently an illiterate one). Even though historians are finding more and more that the Western concept of a "Barbarian" was skewn by the Roman Empire (who damn well wrote the history books back in the day when they ruled the entire mediterrian) and in fact the word "Barbarian" basically translates "foreignor" and most "Barbarians" were smarter than we realized; the Barbarian class reminds me of a specialized type of Germanic/Viking warrior, called a Barzark (AKA Bear-Shirt or Berserker) that employed psychological warfare basically by announcing (via cutting himself) just how suicidal he is before charging fearlessly at a group of enemy soldiers with an axe.

A "Fighter" is supposed to be a lot more customizable, hence his many feats. But I percieve him to be a highly-trained professional. If there is any specialized warrior that kingdoms relied upon, they were fighters. Samurai? Fighters. Mounted Knights? Fighters. Urban Cohorts (Elite Infantrymen of the Roman Empire)? Fighters. Spartan Hoplites? Fighters (although 300 nearly makes them out to be Barbarians ). 10,000 (or was it just 1,000?) Immortals? Fighters. Parthian Horse Archers? Fighters (come on, what other class can afford Mounted Archery?) Swashbuckling Pirates? Fighters (possibly some levels of Rogue, but I like to think Fighters.) Given enough levels, a Fighter can be all of the above.

If a Barbarian is a noble savage who's fighting style relies on a combination of willpower, intidimation, and just pure rage, then a Fighter is someone who was proffesionally trained in a specific (or perhaps multiple) fighting styles. Basically: the prototypical Barbarian learned how to wrestle crocdiles and tear his way out of traps and legions of cannibalistic wild humanoids just to survive. The prototypical Fighter learned how to fight because thats his lot in society, and he had a proud, complex military tradition to draw from. Having a few skill points or sexy class skills to show for it would be nice.

: Clearly, you must be the leader of the team. Perhaps we could compare tactical notes.
thog like breaking stuff.


(This isn't to say Fighters are hopelessly gimped vs. Barbarians-at least not nearly as they are vs. Wizards- but why do Barbarians get 4 ranks per level while Fighters get 2?)