Revised Barbarian Class

Revised Fighter Class

Epic Advice Column

Epic Demographics

Epic Encounter Levels

Superhero Relativity

Absolutes: Part 4

Absolutes: Part 3

Absolutes: Part 2

Absolutes: Part 1

This is the first in what I hope to be a weekly series of articles. At the moment I am only going up to 40th-level, that may change in the future, but not before I have all the classes finished to 40th.

My reasons for revising the classes are threefold: firstly to help speed up character creation (by removing random feats); secondly to better balance the classes (primarily at epic levels) and lastly just to give those classes better flavour (again primarily at epic levels).

Without further ado, here is the first revised class...

Revised Fighter

Hit Dice: d12 hit points per level.

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Craft (one craft), Handle Animal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (one profession), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at 1st-level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency (Ex): A fighter is proficient in all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium and light) and shields (including tower shields).

Weapon Focus (Ex): At 1st-level and every 4 levels thereafter, the Fighter gains +1 to attack rolls with his weapon of choice. The Fighter does not need to choose the same weapon type each time they gain this bonus.

Weapon Specialization (Ex): Beginning at 2nd-level and every two levels thereafter, the Fighter gains +1 damage with a single weapon of their choice. The Fighter does not need to choose the same weapon type each time they gain this bonus.

e.g. At 8th-level the Fighter could choose to gain +2 damage with the longspear and +2 damage with the shortsword.

Weapon Deflect (Ex): At 3rd-level and every 4 levels thereafter, while holding a weapon, the Fighter gains +1 to armor class. The Fighter loses this bonus when caught flat-footed, but it does apply to ranged attacks (so long as the Fighter is not caught flat-footed by the ranged attack in question).

Bonus Feat: The Fighter gains a bonus feat at 4th-level and every 4 levels thereafter.

Improved Critical (Ex): At 5th-level the critical threat range of each weapon that benefits from the weapon focus ability is doubled.

Weapon Mastery (Ex): Your weapon of choice now encompasses all simple and martial weapons of the same category (bludgeoning, missile, piercing or slashing).

e.g. A character who (weapon) focused on the longsword at 1st-level, would now also gain the benefits of their weapon focus and weapon specialization bonuses as well as improved critical, to any (simple or martial) slashing weapon, such as a guisarme, scimtar or sickle (among others).

Improved Critical Multiplier (Ex): Your weapons critical multiplier is increased. If the multiplier was x2 it is now x3. If the multiplier was x3 it is now x5, if the multiplier was x4 it is now x7.

Exotic Weapon Mastery (Ex): Your weapon of choice now encompasses exotic weapons of the same category as well as simple and martial weapons.

Greater Critical (Ex): Your critical threat range is tripled.

e.g. A Longsword that normally threatens a critical on a range of 19-20 would now threaten on a range of 15-20.

Total Weapon Mastery (Ex): Your critical, critical multiplier, weapon focus and weapon specialization modifiers now apply to all weapons regardless of category.

Greater Critical Multiplier (Ex): Your critical multiplier is further increased. If initially x2 it is now x4. If the multiplier was x3 it is now x7. If the multiplier was x4 it is now x10.

Eclectic Weapon Mastery (Ex): Your critical, critical multiplier, weapon focus and weapon specialization modifiers now apply to even household objects or makeshift weapons such as teapots, chairs, doors, spoons, branches, animals, tables and so forth.

King Aldred (40th-level Fighter)

Male Human; CR 26; Medium-size humanoid; HD 40d12+400; hp 666; Init +8; Spd 30 ft.; AC 64 (+18 armor, +5 deflection, +8 Dex, +5 natural armor, +8 shield, +10 weapon deflect), flat-footed 38, touch 49; Atk: +61 melee 3d6+32/18-20/x7 (+1 Dread Greataxe - see Rod of Kingly Might); AL LE; SV Fort +48; Ref +46; Will +37; Str 32; Dex 27; Con 30; Int 23; Wis 23; Cha 23; Height 7 ft.

Skills (Total Skill Points 430): Bluff +36, Climb +31, Concentration +30, Diplomacy +36, Craft (Armorsmithing) +26, Handle Animal +26, Intimidate +36, Jump +31, Knowledge (local) +36, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +26, Listen +26, Profession (Siege Engineer) +20, Ride +38, Sense Motive +36, Spot +36, Swim +31 and Use Rope +28.

Feats (12): Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Leadership, Monkey Grip, Power Attack.

Epic Feats (12): Blinding Speed, Damage Reduction (x6), Dire Charge, Epic Leadership, Heavy Armor Mastery, Light Armor Mastery, Medium Armor Mastery

• Possessions (Artifacts/Epic Items):
• "Armor of Dread" (+10 adamantine full platemail of etherealness and negating. As a free action the armor can act like a symbol of weakness affecting those within 60 ft. This ability can be used 3/day).
• "Blood Cloak of Epic resistance" (+16 to saving throws; you are healed 1 hit point for every 2 points of damage you deal - this ability only works against creatures with blood in their veins. As such it will work against demons, vampires, ghouls and zombies, but not liches, skeletons or stone golems).
• "Crown of Perfection" (+8 to all ability scores).
• "Rod of Kingly Might" (combined Rod of Epic Rulership and Rod of Epic Might with the following changes: the rod; made with inlays of orichalcum, can transform into any weapon with a total enhancement + special ability market modifier of +8: a +8 composite longbow, a +1 dread greataxe, a +3 vorpal greatsword etc. It takes a swift action to change the weapon's properties in this manner. Typically Aldred has the rod take the form of a +1 dread weapon).

• Possessions (Non-epic Items)
• Amulet of Natural Armor +5
• Winged Boots of Speed and Teleportation
• Ring of Protection +5
• Ring of Spell turning
• "Shield of Surrender" (+5 adamantine tower shield of heavy fortification and undead controlling)
• Four Elixirs ("Any Potions")
• NB. Has also used every ability boosting tome.

Comments on the Revised Fighter Class

Base Attack Bonus (BAB): The first thing to note is that there are no 'in-built' iterative attacks. Instead, characters who wish to make multiple attacks take a -5 BAB penalty on all attacks for every additional attack they wish to make that round (as a full attack action).

e.g. A 22nd-level Fighter could either make one attack at +22 BAB, two attacks both at +17 BAB, three attacks at +12 BAB, four attacks at +7 BAB, or five attacks at +2 BAB.

NB. You cannot force yourself to have a negative Base Attack Bonus.

The second thing to note is that BAB continues after 20th-level. There is no Epic Attack Bonus.

Saving Throws: Note that the revised Fighter Class gains good Reflex saving throws.

Its slightly tougher than before for two reasons. The first is because the Fighter class is generally seen as weaker than many of the other classes (notably the spellcasters). The second reason is that with less choice over feats you need more 'bang for your buck'.

I didn't front load 1st-level with anything for two reasons as well. Firstly, I don't like tempting those people who multi-class single levels just to get certain bonuses, the second is to make the weapon specialization simple to determine (its half Fighter level).

If you have any other comments or questions about the Revised Fighter Class feel free to email me agooddesigner@hotmail.com or come to the forums.

Next week (fingers crossed)...the Revised Barbarian Class...what do you mean he can turn his skin to steel!? ;-)