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Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Choose-Your-Own-Houserule Fighters

Balance is for playground equipment
Some of these rules are from other games, some are from other bloggers....I'd like to credit these but I don't usually keep track, frankly. Please tag yourself or the original author if I miss a citation. Fighters can use any armor, any weapons, and they usually have the highest HD in the game; I'd give them d8s. Additionally:

1) Fighters have 10% chance each level of attracting a Great Companion, a once-in-a-lifetime partner. There is a 25% chance this is a monstrous mount like an owlbear, 25% chance this is a normal mount of unusual intelligence skill and heartiness, 25% chance it's some sort of like-hearted fellow warrior, and 25% chance it's something buckwild like a monstrous warrior or the ghost of their ancestor or an intelligent sword. Once this Companion is destroyed you don't get another one so handle with care. (Encounter Critical/No Signal! clued me into this)

2) Fighters add their level +1 for to-hit rolls for attacks, grapples, etc. (This may be a lot of things but I namecheck LotFP)

3) They gain +1 Saves whenever they defeat a warrior with higher HD in single combat. It doesn't even have to be lethal combat, it can be an organized sporting match. (All me, and should be easier to manage and faster to boot opposed to just remembering to add +2 every three levels or so; easier to modify, too).

Finally, Fighters also get to choose three of the following at first level. Choose or be metal and roll. (An idea stolen from Telecanter)

  1. Veteran Edges- Every level they gain a Veteran Edge, which automatically improves five levels later. (Me)
  2. Swords AND Shields Shall Be Splintered- A Fighter can sacrifice their shield to avoid damage when hit, or can sacrifice their own weapon to inflict damage when they've missed. (Trollsmyth, modified)
  3. Changing Stances-  A Fighter can Press (+2 to hit/-4 AC) or Fight Defensively (+2 AC/-4 to hit) (modeled from LotFP)
  4. Three Strikes- A Fighter dropping to 0HP can save each round against death. 3 failed saves and they're down forever. Further or ongoing injury automatically counts as a strike. A Fighter can elect to keep fighting at 0HP but incurs an immediate strike. (5e style, modified)
  5. Fireballers- At level 5+ you roll 1d20 for any weapon's damage die. (I know who I first saw mention this but I associate this more as a common FLAILSNAILS hack)
  6. Deed Die- At level 1 it's a d4, and it increases every odd level until you're rolling a d20 at level 11; when you want to describe some daring combat maneuver or do something not-smitey in combat then you can roll that Deed Die and on a 4+ you're successful; for every multiple of 4 you succeed by you get an added situational bonus. (DCC, modified)
  7. Two Weapon Fighting- Make one attack roll with no offhand penalties. On a hit you roll each weapon's damage and the highest damage before applying bonuses takes effect, if both weapons do the same damage then both weapon's damage is applied. On a crit both weapons' damage is doubled. (Of Dice And Djinn)
  8. Title- You gain lands, a title, and a small castle immediately, conferred by some lord you currently serve or have aided, and can engage in domain-level activities. (I mean they can do all this anyway whenever they have the money, this just skips a step)
  9. Die With Your Boots On- A Fighter is never encumbered by nor do they suffer penalties to sneaking or rest for armor they wear or weapons they carry. (Me? I can't be the only guy for this one.)
  10. Field Commander- A Fighter can, once per fight, use their action to allow another character to make an additional action. They gain additional uses per-fight equal to their HD. (This was inspired by Warlord classes and builds)
  11. Critical Shift- For any roll a Fighter may declare they are shifting their critical range. They can alter their range for a critical hit up to their # of HD, but their range for critical miss increases by the same range. (Too many to name I think)
  12. Horde- At level 9 a Fighter attracts a horde of warriors to their side numbering 10,000. (I think the Barbarian from Unearthed Arcana could do this)