If there is a problem with the fighter in his current incarnation it is with his feats. Some would argue there are other factors, but when 19 are gained by 20th level it would be inappropriate to declare anything else the crux of the issue. We do not need to change the class itself. Changes may help with minor details but what really needs to be fixed is the selection of [fighter] feats. We need to make some cool new feats! Most importantly they need to differentiate and augment the fighter in relation to the other combat classes. Not merely provide a boost to all combat classes. My suggestions follow.
I know it is not part of the game's canon to make class levels prereqs for feats, but they do it for wep. focus and specialization. It could be done again, but rather than for very complex feats, it should be for some very basic ones, such as those listed above. It is not a question about the strength of the feat as much as a question of its utility and accessibility.
The reason for this is because "strong" feats should already have a lengthy list of prereqs. If a character is willing to go about compiling all of these prereqs. then let them take it. More simplistic feats are strong because of their versatility, not their complexity. Wep specialization is something any character could use. That is why making the Fighter class as a prereq is acceptable. Here is an example of a new one:
Greater Toughness [Fighter]
Prereq: Improved Toughness, Fighter level 6.
Body: The strain of battle has made you more than capable of withstanding even the most punishing blows. +1 hp per HD (stacks with Imp. Toughness); Massive damage threshold increases by an amount equal to you Con score (not modifier).
This feat is not tremendously overpowering, but it is quite strong. It is hard to justify a reason for other classes such as wizards and rangers not to take it because it is so basic and versatile. This is the reason it should have the level prereq. A common argument against would be, "Why can't barbarians, rangers, etc. get this feat, or wep. focus, etc? They are warriors too." The simple reason is: fighters need something exclusive.
A better answer is: Fighters get many feats, meaning that they can work toward so called "higher up the chain" feats. This, however, will not make these feats exclusive to their class. Any class willing to specialize enough with its feats could achieve any feat without class levels as a prereq.
This is not a problem for feats which have somewhat limited or specialized use i.e. whirlwind attack, multishot. It would, however, be an issue with the PHB examples, of greater wep. focus, spec, and my new one listed above. Feats of a more versatile nature need to be restricted in some way. Artificially designating large numbers of feats as prereqs, will not keep them away from determined members of any class. It will, instead, drain the Fighter's only resource, his large number of feats.
Therefore, more powerful feats and, correspondingly, more powerful Fighters, could be made if the class level prereq were used. The argument that, "A Fighter is only as strong as his feats." is correct. Making strong feats that have specialized uses and long lists of feats as prereqs will create the problem another poster mentioned, "The Fighter will complete one chain only to have to start over on another." I like the analogy made by a poster to a wizard whose spell progression would be: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 0, 1, 2, 3, 0, 1, 2. It is a good comparison.
Some would argue that: #1 class level prereqs are not in the spirit of the game, or #2 that they should be implemented for all classes, not just one. The first point I disagree with for the reasons I've already listed. The second, while logical at first inspection, breaks down when one compares the Fighter class, who receives nothing but feats, to all other classes, who receive feats and special abilities. Special abilities, one could argue, are little more than heavily regulated feats. This became even more apparent to me while tinkering with my Hexblade project, see my sig. So to argue against deregulation of feats is hypocritical.
Here is a proof:
If,
x = the "power" of a class. Power meaning the sum total of every class ability that they have except for feats.
and
y = all feats a class has access to.
Then,
fighter = x, all other classes = x
fighter's feats = y, all other classes feats = y
for fighter x = y
Therefore,
fighter = y, all other classes = x + y
I am the first to admit, this is not based on any real mathematics. This is purely meant to be a visual aid. Still, we can take this to mean that: The fighter as he stands is 100% OK, if his selection of feats is 100% OK. If feats are to be freely available to all classes, then the fighter will be 100% OK and every other class will be x + 100% OK.
With the class level prereq. implemented. x will no longer = y for the Fighter.
This means that the fighter can = x + y, Like every other class.
Now for another example feat:
Great Strength [Fighter]
Prereq: Str 15+, Fighter level 5
Body: The physical exertion of endless training and combat have granted you tremendous strength. The fighter gains +2 Str. This is an "un-typed" bonus; it freely stacks.
2 more feats could simply be: Great Dex, and Great Con.
Armor Optimization [Fighter]
Prereq: Fighter Level 8
Body: Your armor has practically become your second skin. Parrying, dodging, and deflecting attacks are now done on an almost instinctual level. You gain damage reduction 2/magic while wearing light armor, DR4/magic in medium, DR 6/magic in heavy. If your armor is magical you also gain DR1/- in light armor, DR2/- in medium, and DR3/- in heavy. These benefits overlap with each other, but stack with any DR provided by any other sources.
The above feats are all strong, but not stronger than equivalent class abilities. Plus, if they are taken, then you can't take a different feat with that same slot. Meaning if you want whirlwind attack, you're going to have to wait on these, or wait on whirlwind. If a particular player or DM wanted to, they could always waive the class level prereq for a good enough reason. Or they could make alternative prereqs for non-fighter classes.
Feedback wanted,
Bill
Another feature to make the fighter more viable is to give them 4 skill points as a base rather than two. Not overpowering, and a little more useful. Fighters of normal intelligence should be able to do more than climb and jump.
L8er
evilgenius
One thing I definitely noticed when trying to make custom classes is that a custom class made may be reasonable in relation to one class, but yet would always seem overpowered in relation to the Fighter. This is when it becomes most apparent that the Fighter is missing something, and that is unique abilities.
I believe however that your Feat Great Str/Dex/Con may be a little overpowered, perhaps a higher level req?
Those were my thoughts anyway ^_^ nice article!
As for the individual feats, I agree with you. Except, I had already modified them after I submitted this article. The ability feats all had their class level prerequisites changed to 9+. For all of you who still think that they are too good, even with this change, because of the existing [Epic] feats, you're not the only ones. I have posted a general response here. Also, The level prereq for armor optimization was changed to 12+, and Greater Toughness now only grants 2 x Con mod to your massive damage threshold.
Check out these updates along with more than 10 brand new others here! It is the same thread I mention in my sig. Included are some of my favorites such as Tower Shield Specialization, which removes the -2 to hit and ups the max Dex bonus to +4. There you will also find Improved Combat Reflexes, which allows you to make two AoOs, whenever you would normally be allowed only one.
Finally, don't forget to vote for my article. Even if you didn't like it! You should still rate it highly because whether you agree with me or not, I made a straightforward and reasonable argument. It should be read by people on both sides of the debate because it will help give them something concrete to discuss.
As always, feedback is appreciated, and play testing especially so.
Bill
I believe however that your Feat Great Str/Dex/Con may be a little overpowered, perhaps a higher level req?
Those were my thoughts anyway ^_^ nice article!
Agreed that a level requirement for the Great Str/Dex/Con feats would be an idea. Say first one at lvl 5, second at lvl 10, third at lvl 15?
However, the War Hulk PRC in the Miniatures handbook gives +2 to strength for EACH LEVEL. I don't see these feats as being overpowered at all in that light.
L8er
evilgenius
For starters the Wizard is free to take at 20th character level, a first level spell. More important is that when the Wizard takes a higher level spell, it often replaces a lesser spell as an effective cast. Whilst some spells you picked up in the past may still be valid or usable (especially with metamagic) they will often be surpassed in ability by later spells.
With Fighter feats this doesn't always happen. The ability to Sunder is just as powerful at 1st as it is at 20th, possibly more so as what is sundered can have a greater effect. Other feats open up to tactics more if magical items permit greater usage, etc.
Whilst your reasoning of using feats based on Fighter level is sound, you mustn’t forget that the more feats you add, automatically drains on the resources a Fighter has to pick them - the one thing you wanted to avoid by providing long feat chains. It may assist more single minded Fighters, but it doesn't aid the more generalized Fighters who then wants more feats to take these extra feats.
Also, if you have feats with low level requirements, then you don't encourage people to take Higher levels and then another class, you can actually give more reason to take levels in the class for all the feats they need and then jump out again.
Example: Combat reflexes and sunder
Synergy: Follow thru -- you may immediately take an attack of opportunity on an opponent that you have just sunder his weapon.
Power attack and improved trip
Fighter synergy: Momentum strike -- after a successful trip attack you may power attack, the penalty from this power attack does not effect any other attack this round.
I am sure a creative list could be made for all existing fighter feats that would make playing a fighter a lot more fun and more enjoyable at higher levels
Gruffmug
You have so many to check for and the introduction of new feats (like those in the Complete Warrior) adds more work as they have to have synergies attached and you have to keep tabs of which ones you get and which ones you don't. They also don't help fighters who don't take those feats or who never use the circumstances to their benefit. For some it would be akin to giving someone a different screwdriver when what they really need is a monkey wrench.
Tactical feats give better benefits, they facilitate combinations of maneuvers and are only taken by those who need them or can benefit from them. They also provide a number of tactical advantages to a situation or use of a special attack, rather than just one use from two feats in a situation. They can also be more controlled by level dependant variables. Synergy feats don't "aid" the Fighter at higher levels if another class can just dip into the class to get the few feats they need to get a synergy.
The other end is to give them bonuses with feats after certain levels. For instance, Iron Will might improve to +3 at 14th Fighter level and +4 at 18th. The initial potential problem with such things are epic levels, and if you ignore the purposely bad example (is it +5 at 22nd, +6 at 26th), its a limited problem or one that can be accounted for, but then you still have the issue of Fighters who don't take those feats - what do they get. Which would bring you back to adding on Fighter bonuses for every feat in existence or directing Fighters to certain choices.
The Fighter feat/Wizard spell progression analogy isn't entirely valid.
For starters the Wizard is free to take at 20th character level, a first level spell. More important is that when the Wizard takes a higher level spell, it often replaces a lesser spell as an effective cast. Whilst some spells you picked up in the past may still be valid or usable (especially with metamagic) they will often be surpassed in ability by later spells.
Well Zelphi, the analogy isn't specific spells but rather spell levels. If you look at the power of a feat you could equate it to a spell. Dodge may be as good as a 1st level spell, Whirlwind attack is as good as a 4th level spell. There are no feats as good as 5th level spells (save or die) and feats that are as good as a 4th level spell are at the end of a chain. As a fighter you could never continually pick feats as good as 4th level spells, eventually you have to pick a feat that’s about as good as a 1st level spell again.
Upon attaining 20th level a wizard can definitely learn any spell they choose to learn, but they also gain the ability to cast a 9th level spell an additional time for the day. Upon reaching 20th level a fighter cannot learn a feat that is comparable to say casting meteor swarm another time per day. They may be able to learn a feat that about as good as casting bull strength once a day though.
I hear a lot around here that the fighter starts to be surpassed greatly around levels 10 or 12. I quick and simple fix to this would be to give the fighter a bonus feat every level after 12 the make those odd levels something to look forward to. I'd never do this though, but I'm sure someone out there has.
You normally get +1 to a stat that "stacks" 1/four levels. A normal feat you get 1/3 levels. Clearly +1 Stats by itself is worth MORE than afeat. You are giving them +2. The math makes it obvious.
I do agree that more and better feats are needed, but the ones you are suggesting are not good feats. They are merely abuses.
Finally, how many times am I going to have to hear that same old argument about the +2 ability feats? That's a rhetorical question
, in case you didn't know. If you would like to read my official response go to the link above. I''ll reprint it here for everyone's convenience. It refers to the Updated versions of the feats."You definitely are not the first one to say that about those three ability score enhancement feats, but I still disagree with you. If they could be taken for any ability, by any class, and stack, then I can understand why they would be too strong. If the [Epic] ones do those things, then I agree, they should be [Epic]. These three feats do not. Additionally they have the following restrictions: they can only be taken once each; they can only by taken by a fighter (a relatively underpowered class, especially at higher levels), they can only be taken at level 9 and up, and only as bonus feats. When you consider these factors, along with the fact that a, "+1 to any ability after 20th level" feat is hardly earth shattering, their comparative power level seems much more reasonable.
Yes, these three are strong, but they are supposed to be. They are to help the fighter class at higher levels. And while I'm not trying to bring up that pointless and whiny debate about how powerful magic users are at high levels, these feats do not compare to practically any high level spells. +2 to one ability score once every two levels (at most) is not a big deal. Remember, these three can not be taken for every ability, by every class, or more than once each. Keep in mind, that if these feats are taken, then other, potentially more useful, feats cannot. When a fighter's entire strength is based entirely on his feats, +2 to one ability will not always be the best choice.
If you still disagree, I guess I can't convince you otherwise. In that case just toss those three. They were not exactly the ones that I spent the most time on anyway."
Whether you liked the +2 ability feats or not, you will certainly enjoy the twenty-seven other original feats at my link here.
Keep it coming,
Bill
Well Zelphi, the analogy isn't specific spells but rather spell levels. If you look at the power of a feat you could equate it to a spell. Dodge may be as good as a 1st level spell, Whirlwind attack is as good as a 4th level spell. There are no feats as good as 5th level spells (save or die) and feats that are as good as a 4th level spell are at the end of a chain. As a fighter you could never continually pick feats as good as 4th level spells, eventually you have to pick a feat that’s about as good as a 1st level spell again.
Upon attaining 20th level a wizard can definitely learn any spell they choose to learn, but they also gain the ability to cast a 9th level spell an additional time for the day. Upon reaching 20th level a fighter cannot learn a feat that is comparable to say casting meteor swarm another time per day. They may be able to learn a feat that about as good as casting bull strength once a day though.
Which is why I mentioned the older spells becoming less useful. The use of some spells at higher levels makes them redundant, but with the Fighter some of his feats (usually the ones at the end of chains) are still persistently useful.
When the Fighter picks a feat like Improved Sunder, it will serve him well all the way to up to 20th and beyond, whilst a spell you pick may become obsolete (like Summon Creature III or Sleep or other lesser variants). You do not loose those spells, they simply add to the tally of spells you've got.
Whilst there is sadly no real limit to the number of spells you can learn (thanks to Blessed Books), the casting limit still applies. It doesn't matter if you learned a 9th level spell if you never get to cast it, or you prepare it and you don't need it. Spells do not directly oppose feats in terms of power because they run on different factors.
Also, the validity of trying to get a feat that compares to getting 9th level spells is questionable. Because you've also got the rest of their level progression to go with it. A Wizard will get to pick a 9th level spell at 18th, and a Fighter will probably get to pick a feat he also met the requirements for 10+ levels ago.
This might be troublesome if the feat he picks is a low level one, but not only does it never have to be a low level feat (like weapon focus), but if you look at the sum of their powers they have effectively already gained the equivalent of "9th level feats" and are simply picking more of the same.
For instance, when you get GWS at 12th, along with GWF it near matches Mighty Rage at 20th. As things progress, I will complete the picture and grant myself more bonuses to what I do, when I pick up Improved Trip I will increase my bonuses on trips even more so (and I can do this more freely than the other classes). Effectively I gain my "9th level feat" much sooner than everyone else and my follow up feats just add more to my overall stature.
Finally, its still an invalid and questionable analysis, because you can still pick all your 1st level feats first, then move onto your 3rd and 5th levels, and finish with your 9th's at the end of your campaign. Or you can hurry on up to 9th and alliterate the rest of your progression with lower level feats.
So in conclusion.
1. Some feats (usually the ones at the end of a chain) scale automatically, in essence this is like the higher level spells which will be all you ever need from spells.
2. Whilst you can reach the end of a chain relatively quickly (effectively giving you more power early on). You can stagger it all as needed and build up an impressive portfolio of related abilities
3. An alternative, you can gain as much power to help out at the lower levels, then bulk up with useful stuff for later on in the campaign.
4. Feats do scale with ability, in that sense they are like some spells that will simply always be useful. Or spells that get more powerful with level. If you had access to Chain Lightning as a 1st level spell its power would go up as you gained level and its use would be persistent (ignore metamagic), similar to how some feats are persistently potent from the time you first pick them, to the point you stop getting feats.
Secondly, the DM should take some responsibility and make sure that the fighter character can still do some good at 20th level. Perhaps the enemy is in an anti-magic sphere, or a magic dead zone. Now that crafty wizard can only sit back and hop the fighter can flush it out. And don't give a wizard access to a spell you think will unbalance the characters. If you think meteor swarm is too powerful, Mister DM, don't give it to that wizard, lightning bolt and fireball are pretty powerful at 20th level anyway.
Lastly, I would point out that in the original high-level play of the game, as seen in Dungeon 112, Mordenkainen and Bigby managed to survive a lot more readily than Yrag the fighter, so it's an inherent lack of balance that needs to be realized and countered by the DM. And it can be done.
1) Routing.
Pro: You could create power feats at the end of super-long chains. The closest thing we have at the moment to that is the Archery feats, where, while the chain is short, the number of options is huge and stackable, making it useful for the Archer-Fighter to continue to take useful feats for several levels. You could continue to expand those chains, making Combat Shot, etc more useful. Thus, you could have a long chain of say, Sword and Shield feats, with maybe 12 feats, where the last few feats are powered equal to 7-9 level spells (balanced, of course, for the fact that most feats are permanent, rather than 1/day abilities).
Cons: Fighters are "trapped" in their feat chains, and you are in fact just creating different classes with special abilities (the Archer-Fighter, the 2-Wpn Fighter, etc).
2) More powerful feat options.
Pro: More powerful feat options allow the fighter to keep up better at higher levels.
Cons: They become "Must Haves" and Min/Maxing cherry picking targets.
3) Colorful feats like the tactical feats that are really just 3 or so feats rolled into one that are so situational that only a fighter would really want them.
Pro: Keep color rather than math, and don't encourage must-haves and min/max.
Con: Complicate what is supposed to be a simple "starter" type class, and often include a variety of options, none of which is powerful enough that people take them over Power Feats, like Improved Critical.
4) More Feats.
Pro: Pure in flavor balance.
Con: Fighters start to look vanilla as each one becomes a Spiked-Chain-Tripping-Super-Archer.
My Suggestion.
What I did as a fix, was, at every odd level (including 1st) the Fighter gets a Wpn Focus or Specialization Feat (including Greater and Improved versions). They still have to meet pre reqs. This means that all Fighters focus on at least two weapons, and most at least nod at a third (usually a ranged, melee, and close combat). This also frees up their other feats for chains.
What you get is Fighters with more foci. Making them a little more broad, and a little less specialist (read min/maxed).
This still does not fix the highest levels, but for the fighter, it is the Equipment that makes the man. Magic and Damage protection should be coming from items rather than feats and abilities (unless the fighter is focusing on defensive feats). The extra bonuses to Attack and Damage, along with things like Power Attack, allow the Fighter to either consistently hit more than the Barbarian or hit just as hard, with a higher AC to balance the lower HP.
-Feats don't cut it as a standalone ability. After all, rogues get lots of skills as a class ability, but they get other things as well. Also remember that other classes get bonus feats too.
-Fighters should get better class skills and 4/level.
-I have no problem with class levels as a prereq for feats, though I wouldn't go nuts with lots of fighter-only feats. The high-level rogue abilities (slippery mind, crippling strike, etc.) are much akin to feats and even allow a standard feat to replace them. I would look to 2e and its 5 levels of proficiency: proficiency, specialization, expertise (called something else I think), mastery, grandmastery. These could be feats, and fighters could take up to grandmastery. Barbs, rangers, pallys could take specialization. Weapon focus would be for other classes that cannot take specialization.
-Fighters should be able to get more out of feats. They should have a sort of "feat mastery." The bonuses of such would be based on fighter levels and would essentially boost feats. An example would be iron will granting an extra +1 for every n levels, or dodge granting extra AC. Some feats that don't give straight forward bonuses could be revised to include bonuses at certain fighter levels. Feat synergies would be nice, but it could quickly become overly complex. It would be easier to build in scaling bonuses than to build in synergies.
-In the same vein as the "great strength" feat that was suggested, I would consider allowing fighters to take epic feats at lower levels (perhaps 16). Another route to consider is bonus stat-increases, maybe every 5 levels. This would have to be balanced with other things that I have mentioned in this post, but it is a possible avenue of improving the fighter.
There are a number of specialized abilities in the Dragon magazine that are only open as Fighter Bonus feats. See Dragon #310. Now they were presented in a format of Specialized variants of the Fighter class. But why not make them open to all Fighters. You can still only use Fighter Bonus feats not general feats to select these abilities. This has the effect of restricting them to Fighters. And as an option for higher level fighters, make certain feats that let you really pump up your fighter. Like those two feats suggested earlier that can do things like increase the Critical Multiplier or Threat Range (past what is available to everyone). Perhaps a good way to do this would be to allow a fighter to take from a certain list of class abilities every four levels.
Secondly, NO class should have 2 skills per level. Bump all 2 skill points per level classes up to 4 per level. And bump all 4 per level classes up to 6 per level. This would give Fighters a much needed boost in skills. I seem to remember every class in 2nd Edition had a vast number of skills to draw from. There were full skill lists for each main class type (warrior, cleric, wizard, rogue) plus a general skill set everyone could select from. While I haven't tried to cross over all the skills yet, it seems as though there is room to improve the class skill list of the fighter.
I've been following these discussions for a while and have come to a slightly different solution than the ones I've seen posted. The problem as far as I see is feat scaling - feats become less valuable as the fighter ascends in levels. So the solution I'm playing with is to scale fighter feats.
An example is weapon specialisation currently gives +2 damage - I altered it so that it gives a bonus to damage equal to half of fighter level. So by level twenty, each weapon specialisation provides +10 to damage. Any feat selected as a bonus fighter feat scales in the same way: Toughness, Weapon Focus, Cleave, Power Attack, etc. I have not mapped out all the mechanics yet, but I'm developing it through play - I have two players with fighter characters currently (and many NPCs!) evaluating this change currently. I'd appreciate any comments people have on the basic idea...
Aus Autarch.
Some general observations:
-Feats don't cut it as a standalone ability. After all, rogues get lots of skills as a class ability, but they get other things as well. Also remember that other classes get bonus feats too.
-Fighters should get better class skills and 4/level.
-I have no problem with class levels as a prereq for feats, though I wouldn't go nuts with lots of fighter-only feats. The high-level rogue abilities (slippery mind, crippling strike, etc.) are much akin to feats and even allow a standard feat to replace them. I would look to 2e and its 5 levels of proficiency: proficiency, specialization, expertise (called something else I think), mastery, grandmastery. These could be feats, and fighters could take up to grandmastery. Barbs, rangers, pallys could take specialization. Weapon focus would be for other classes that cannot take specialization.
-Fighters should be able to get more out of feats. They should have a sort of "feat mastery." The bonuses of such would be based on fighter levels and would essentially boost feats. An example would be iron will granting an extra +1 for every n levels, or dodge granting extra AC. Some feats that don't give straight forward bonuses could be revised to include bonuses at certain fighter levels. Feat synergies would be nice, but it could quickly become overly complex. It would be easier to build in scaling bonuses than to build in synergies.
-In the same vein as the "great strength" feat that was suggested, I would consider allowing fighters to take epic feats at lower levels (perhaps 16). Another route to consider is bonus stat-increases, maybe every 5 levels. This would have to be balanced with other things that I have mentioned in this post, but it is a possible avenue of improving the fighter.
I feel there are some mistakes in this.
First off, feats do qualify as a class feature - the Fighter bonus feats are bonus feats. They get this vast array of customisation built into their class, its actually a very potent class feature, but it is completely quantified by the quality of the feats on offer. Other classes may get bonus feats, but none get as many as the Fighter and none are so free in their choice.
One suggestion I’ve seen, and one that makes more sense when combined with adding more feats to pick from - is to give more bonus feats to the Fighter so they can pick them. This is similar to a Sorcs problem when it comes to new material, they want to pick these new spells but cannot take them (until they're off sufficient level to swap out spells), whilst the Wizard simply writes them into their spell book. Seeing as many Higher level class abilities are more like bonus feats that have simply been chosen for a class, it makes sense that giving the Fighter better High Level abilities to pick from would help round them out as a person.
I won't comment on skills at the moment, I believe that's a completely separate issue that has been placed on the Fighter to deal with.
As for feat mastery, it has the same problem as feat synergy, you have to develop masteries for every feat a fighter could take. Its probably better than feat synergies (which have to be developed in combination with other feats) as a feat only increases its own ability. The two combined in a limited fashion might be useful, though... for example, if a 15th Fighter has Iron Will and Great Fortitude, then they'd gain the mettle ability, in addition at 13th their bonus to saves would've increased to +4.
As Oakkar points out, this can become an issue of must have feats. Not a great solution, but an interesting one.
This is what lead me to my conclusion, the imbalance of higher level casters to warriors is an issue. This suggests to me that all Warrior classes can benefit from boosts to the feats they can take at higher levels. For those classes are about as likely to take a combat related feat as the Fighter. If you now introduce a selection of Base Attack Bonus controlled feats, you give a number of options to all warriors to slightly increase their output, but if you get it right - you give the Fighter more options to take if they need to.
If you're like me, and have no problem with Fighters up to and beyond 20th, then this won't interfere with what you're already doing. However, it will open up options for Fighters who want them.
For example, given this feat:
Greater Combat Prowess [Fighter][General]
Req: Base Attack Bonus +15
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to all attacks, this bonus stacks with any other bonus you have to attacks, including those from any Weapon Focus feats you may have.
Special: Fighters can pick this as one of their bonus feats.
A Fighter could (if they wanted to) take it 5 times (15th, 16th, 2 at 18th and 20th). Whilst others could take it 2 times, or multiclass and lose class features and take more. Some other multiclasses might benefit from it as well, such as Clerics multiclassed with a class with full BAB progression.
Feats of general combat use can boost the abilities of all warriors, but also provide more focused benefits to Fighters who need them.
http://goodman-games.com/4310preview.php
Greater Toughness isn't bad, but should only be a Fighter 11 or so feat. Not fighter 6, as then (instead of F4) folks will take SIX levels of Fighter then drop the class. Make it F11, then there is a good reason to stay in the class for a decent period of time.