[Class] Warrior variant

[Gentlemaniac]

We all know them: The armored knight, the ruthless pit fighter, the grizzled elite soldier, the judicial champion, the master-trained swordsman. These are well-established archetypes, represented in D&D by the Fighter class(as well as various optional classes and prestige classes).

Then we have the two-bit thugs, the tavern bouncers, the local militia, the dime-a-dozen crossbow- and pikemen, the burly stablehands, the town watch, the simple woodsmen*, the pirates and the highwaymen. Many of these types are just as archtypical as the former, but they're more often found at the point of a PC's sword than at the hilt. They're NPCs, and they're usually represented by the Warrior class.

So far so good. What bugs me is that the Warrior class, unlike most of the other NPC classes offers nothing whatsoever when compared to the standard PC classes. Aristocrats have a nice selection of proficiencies and skills; they're not as powerful as any PC class, but they're flavorful and well-rounded. Experts have their excellent skills selection, and Adepts have their very special selection of spells, making them both flavor- and useful. Commoners are crap, but they're meant to be. That's what they're for. Warriors are just like fighters, only worse. That's not a niche, it's red-headed stepchildishness. Or something.

So what distinguishes a Warrior from a fighter? As a rule of thumb, fighters are full-time professionals, while warriors either have a part-time fighting job (e.g. peasants that serve as pikemen for their lord a couple of months every year) or a full-time job that involves occasional fighting, like that of a bouncer or a town guard. Fighters spend more time fighting, and when they're not fighting, they spend more time training, often with professional instruction. This is reflected in a Fighter's class features, especially in the number of feats he receives. However, Warriors spend lots of time doing stuff other than fighting; they tend farms, man ships, wander the wilderness, look after their neighbourhood or work in shops. After all, they need to make a living. This is not represented in the rules.

So how could this situation be remedied?

First of all, more skills. Fighters suffer in the skills department because their occupation demands (and allows) extensive combat training. This should come at a cost, but compared to a Warrior, it doesn't. At the moment, Warriors have just as many skill points as Fighters and even fewer class skills. Warriors should have enough skill access and points to pursue a trade on the side. Not as well as an expert, but better than a fighter.

Second, slightly worse combat ability. At the moment, only a single feat and 2 hp separates a 1st level fighter and a 1st level warrior. Warriors aren't trained in such a wide variety of weapons as fighters, and aren't issued as good equipment. Taking away some of their proficiencies will represent this, forcing Warriors to specialize a bit more.

This should give Warriors a role to play and a niche to fill, and hopefully make them more than cannon fodder for triggerhappy PC or bloodthirsty NPCs. Let me know what you think.

The Warrior

Hit Die

d8.

Class Skills

The warrior’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge: Local (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str) and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at 1st Level

(4 + Int modifier) × 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level

4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The following is a class feature of the warrior NPC class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The warrior is proficient in the use of all simple weapons and martial melee or martial ranged weapons, light and medium armor and shields (other than tower shields).

Learning by Doing

At 1st level, 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th and 20th), a warrior gets to add an additional, non-exclusive skill to his list of class skills.

*as opposed to complicated woodsmen, who tend to be rangers.

[Fax Celestis]

If you're going to make him a skill-fiend by nature, you're going to have to give him more than 4+int.

[Gentlemaniac]

The purpose is not to make him a skill fiend but tok make sure he can make a living on the side. 4+ int should be just right; he'll be able to keep up his soldiering-related skills (such as Ride and equipment maintenance crafts) as well as a profession-related skill or two. The extra class skills are mostly there for versatility and flavor; they're not meant to steal any glory from the Expert.

[Fax Celestis]

The purpose is not to make him a skill fiend but tok make sure he can make a living on the side. 4+ int should be just right; he'll be able to keep up his soldiering-related skills (such as Ride and equipment maintenance crafts) as well as a profession-related skill or two. The extra class skills are mostly there for versatility and flavor; they're not meant to steal any glory from the Expert.

Wait, is this for the UA variant core-three?

[Gyrfalcon]

So are all other features the same as the standard warrior? If not, you need to list their BAB progression and save progression.

[Gentlemaniac]

Wait, is this for the UA variant core-three?

This is a variant of the Warrior as presented in the 3.5 DMG, or here

So are all other features the same as the standard warrior? If not, you need to list their BAB progression and save progression.

Sorry about that oversight; he has the same BAB and save progression as the standard warrior.

[Fax Celestis]

So it's an NPC class. Okay. It's good, then.

[Iron_Mouse]

What about a (limited) access to fighter bonus feats? Maybe one could replace the extra class skill from Learning by Doing with one. For the case that someone recieves a little more training than regulary, but still isn't as focused as a real fighter.

[Gentlemaniac]

That's a good idea; Learning by Doing could allow him to choose a new class skill OR a fighter feat.