Formation Tactics (replaces Combat Superiority)
When you flank an enemy, add your Wisdom modifier to your melee attacks. When you hit an enemy on an opportunity attack, any allies adjacent to you and the enemy also gain an opportunity attack.
Here the goal is to portray a frontline soldier who is good at fighting large creatures or many opponents at once, and creates openings for their allies, rather than a fighter who stops enemies in their tracks.
Guard's Challenge (replaces Combat Challenge)
At the start of an encounter choose a target (character or place) you are guarding. Enemies attempting to attack or enter the target are marked by you and you may make an immediate interrupt basic attack against them. If an enemy you have marked attempts to attack or enter the target, you may make an immediate interrupt basic attack against them. You can mark a number of enemies equal to your half your level.
Here the goal is to allow a lone fighter to threaten a large group attempting to get at something the fighter is protecting.
Warding Talent (replaces Fighter Weapon Talent)
When wielding a weapon, you bestow +1 AC on one adjacent ally of your choice. You may change who you are warding as a free action.
What do you think of these? Interesting and balanced?
Enemies attempting to... enter the target...
If an enemy you have marked attempts to... enter the target...
. . . WTF?
Get your mind out of the gutter and help him!!
Anyway... I like the idea, I can't say much for balance.
I seriously don't know what he meant by that, though.
Did he maybe mean "enter a space adjacent to the target"?
Because creatures with reach can attack without entering such a space...
So I suppose the meaning depends on whether you chose a place or a thing.
Formation Tactics (replaces Combat Superiority)
When you flank an enemy, add your Wisdom modifier to your melee attacks. When you hit an enemy on an opportunity attack, any allies adjacent to you and the enemy also gain an opportunity attack.
This is strictly better than standard Combat Superiority, CS triggers when you get an OA or an opponent shifts, Flanking is easy to setup.
Here the goal is to portray a frontline soldier who is good at fighting large creatures or many opponents at once, and creates openings for their allies, rather than a fighter who stops enemies in their tracks.
The fighter would be called a ranger and would be in the striker grouping not a defender.
Guard's Challenge (replaces Combat Challenge)
At the start of an encounter choose a target (character or place) you are guarding. Enemies attempting to attack or enter the target are marked by you and you may make an immediate interrupt basic attack against them. If an enemy you have marked attempts to attack or enter the target, you may make an immediate interrupt basic attack against them. You can mark a number of enemies equal to your half your level.
Alright here is the problem with this one: If you have A). Paladin and B). Guarding Fighter. The Paladin marks the BBEG, who then approaches the target (a place in this case) entering it, triggering the Fighter's mark, the paladin remarks, and immediately its triggered again. Also at 1st level you can mark 0 opponents, which is odd.
Here the goal is to allow a lone fighter to threaten a large group attempting to get at something the fighter is protecting.
That is a defener's role.
Warding Talent (replaces Fighter Weapon Talent)
When wielding a weapon, you bestow +1 AC on one adjacent ally of your choice. You may change who you are warding as a free action.
What do you think of these? Interesting and balanced?
Make it +2 AC, for Warding Talent (I generally hold +2 AC = +1 to hit). And that would be fine.