| Post/Author/DateTime | Post |
|---|---|
| #1dazzerApr 22, 2007 20:49:04 | Hello my fellow Gamers, I would like to take you aside for a moment, and try and defend, not the power of the fighter, but the reason for playing one, and defining why the fighter is actually a unique class of its own. I would like to note, that I personally, am not a fighter thrall. I have only player one fighter in any game so far, and yes, the cleric is better than him at most things. However, when it comes to tactical superiority on the battlefield, he was unmatched. Even the rogue could not keep up with my movement with his use of tumble. If I need to be somewhere, next round, I'm there, regardless of the amount of enemies, AoO's, anything, I simply got there, usually taking no hits, or minimal hits, and kept on fighting. My general class to play in a game, is either a Rogue, Wizard or Bard. To start with, I do not want posts in reply, telling me that wizards, clerics, druids, warblades, or whatever other class you may have in mind, are better, superior or infinitely more powerful. Please take those discussions to the many other "Fighter vs. Caster" threads. No, this is not an essay on why fighters are the best. In fact, it isn't going to talk about them in contrast to other classes. Instead, I'm going to detail the usage of feats, and why having these feats, make the fighter a unique, and powerful warrior. I'll start off with a quick guideline for creating a fighter. It's very simple, and new players should probably pay close attention to this particular section. Creating your Fighter To start with, statistics, the basic element that is your character. Most people will tell you, as a player, that when playing a fighter, Strength, Constitution, and then other statistics in whatever order, probably putting Dexterity, and Wisdom for will saves as 3rd and 4th. My answer, No. Don't do this, don't listen to these people. They do not know what they are talking about. A great fighter, is not a damage dealing, power attacking one trick pony. The fighter is a man of versatility, and this versatility comes from his feats. To build the perfect fighter, you must have 13 strength, dexterity, intelligence and wisdom, although wisdom is depending on what you want to do. Constitution is nice, but your hitpoints can be augmented by: 1.) Feats 2.) Items 3.) Not getting hit So why must a fighter have strength, dexterity and intelligence? Well, you get, for a non-human fighter, 18 feats by level 20. That's more than anyone else. These feats are great, and will make you capable of doing things you would never imagine possible. The fighters real strength, is in combining these feats in tandom, in a way no other character can do. First, some examples of feats, you thought didn't matter, but actually do matter and are more powerful than you initially believed. Mobility: +4 Armour Class against AoO's drawn for movement. This feat requires Dodge, and 13 Dex. It isn't wonderful is it? Unless it stops that 35 damage hit for getting into melee with your enemy who has reach. It also qualifies you for one of your best feats, Spring Attack. Spring Attack: This has to be, in the top 3 for best feats a fighter can possibly take. Need to get into a flanking position but don't have tumble? Well Spring Attack is the "fighters tumble". Move 5ft, attack the enemy, move 5ft. Think of those possibilities. The enemy doesn't get an AoO for this movement and hence you could help the rogue start off in a flanking position so that he can be your damage. You gave that rogue 2 more attacks, which is 10d6 damage each at higher levels when you consider that he didn't have to do the moving. A second use for spring attack, getting into melee with large or larger foes, or foes that have reach through other means. Spring attack them, move, hit them, move to the side 5ft. No AoO for entering their reach. Isn't that wonderful! Now, most experienced gamers new this, but the initiate may not have known this. This power is granted by 3/18 feats so far. Most characters, have only 7, so you are ahead of them already. Whirlwind Attack: This feat, is deadly, requiring many feats to qualifies and 13 int and 13 Dex. Most experienced gamers will tell you "Worthless feat, you get 4 attacks by level 20, 5 with haste, no point in having this feat". Well, I'm going to shoot their argument down. It is true, that in most situation, you will not be fighting 8 enemies, or 26 if you are flying and they are all flying around you, to maximize the use of this feat. I won't calculate this for spike chain users, please do it yourself! However, lets take a look at those "Four Attacks" that are the end all and know all of your universe. +20/+15/+10/+5 Something seems amiss...they get worse as you go through them. What if you are facing off three enemies and want to disarm them all, that could be hard considering it's an opposed attack roll. With a good enough whirlwind attack, you could substitute all those +20 attacks it gives you for trip attempts, trip everyone, and using your Improved Trip feat, take the free attack as a disarm attempt. Avid Flamer: "But Dazzer, whirlwind attack says you don't get free attacks like from haste and cleave!" You are correct, it doesn't. The attack granted by the improved trip feat however, is not a free attack.
|