Topic: LotFP House Rules - Fighter Class

I want to cut the playable classes down to Fighter & Specialist. However, while all specialists are different, all fighters are essentially the same. Here's a way to make fighters more variable. Let me know if you see any problems.

On gaining a level, a fighter will get 2 points to spend. They can be spent on the following:

(2) Improve Attack Bonus by 1
(2) Improve Initiative Bonus by 1 (the die + bonus is capped at 6)
(2) Improve Encumbrance slots by 1 (The upper end of unencumbered goes up by 1; all other levels go up by 1)
(2) Reduce chance of being surprised to 1 on d6 (instead of 1-2) (can't be reduced below this) (should this apply to only the fighter or the whole party?)
(2) Allow Aim + Attack in a single round if the fighter doesn't move or take other actions.
(1) Improve one saving throw by 1

(1) Buy off 1 AC penalty for an action that involves an AC penalty, to a max of half the base penalty (Press, Charge, etc...)
(1) Buy off 1 Attack Bonus penalty for an action that involves an AB penalty to a max of half the base penalty.

- note that both of the above are bought for a particular action each time. So 1 point could be used to reduce the AC penalty of Press by 1, and another point to reduce the AC penalty of Charging by 1.

(1) Improve firing into melee. Normally you target a random combatant, and aiming gets you +1 chance of targeting a particular combatant. For each point spent on this, the chance of targeting the desired combatant goes up by +1 without aiming and +2 with aiming. This does not affect your chance of hitting the target.
(1) Raise ability to Open Doors by 1, to a max of 6
(1) Buy 1 HP (can't buy above max possible from die rolls + con)
(1) Improve AC Bonus for cover by 1 (max +2; must have at least 25% cover)
(1) Give a +1 bonus to the morale roll of allies.
(1) Give a -1 penalty to the morale roll of foes.

Last edited by david.galvin (2016-01-02 21:09:31)

Re: LotFP House Rules - Fighter Class

Looks good. Some thoughts:

(2) Improve Attack Bonus by 1
     I assume that this is in lieu of the normal attack bonus progression...

(2) Improve Initiative Bonus by 1 (the die + bonus is capped at 6)
     Might want to cap this at a +1 or +2 bonus

(2) Improve Encumbrance slots by 1 (The upper end of unencumbered goes up by 1; all other levels go up by 1)
     Maybe simplify this (and make it more "fighter-ish") and say first purchase makes chain unencumbering, and second purchase makes plate unencumbering

(1) Improve one saving throw by 1
     This doesn't seem fighter-like to me. This could be something applicable to any class really.

(1) Buy off 1 AC penalty for an action that involves an AC penalty, to a max of half the base penalty (Press, Charge, etc...)
(1) Buy off 1 Attack Bonus penalty for an action that involves an AB penalty to a max of half the base penalty.
     I think the fact that fighters can do some of these things at all is a bonus. I'd drop these options.

(1) Buy 1 HP (can't buy above max possible from die rolls + con)
     Well, they already get the best hit points, so I'm not sure that this is necessary. Maybe allow highest roll of two dice for HP that level?

(1) Give a +1 bonus to the morale roll of allies.
(1) Give a -1 penalty to the morale roll of foes.
     Maybe combine these for the sake of simplicity. I suppose it depends on how "game-changing" morale checks are at your table

Some other ideas:
- Bonus to damage
- Unarmed combat bonuses
- Specializing in a particular weapon or in the use of a shield

-Fox

Re: LotFP House Rules - Fighter Class

As an aside, I've never really subscribed to the philosophy that "all fighters are same" (well, maybe once... a really long time ago). It seems to me that that can be said of any class. What makes magic-users, clerics, dwarves, and elves different from each other? Heck, I can argue that all specialists are the same. Sure, you can customize your "skills" to make Lenny different from Squiggy, but I think realistically in the end, they'll both end up about the same (good at sneaking, climbing, bypassing locks, etc.).

It's how they're played at the table that makes them different.

For example, two 2nd level fighters:

Fighter A: S-15, I-8, W-9, D-12, Co-11, Ch-12, HP=11
Fighter A: S-14, I-9, W-8, D-12, Co-11, Ch-14, HP=13

Pretty much the same, right? The difference is in the roleplay - how they are portayed by the player...

Fighter A: Balthazar the Loud is as large as his personality. His penchant for throwing rambunctious and bawdy feasts for his friends and followers after every expedition is infamous (perhaps even notorious if you ask the local townsfolk). Despite his hauberk-bursting paunch, incomprehensible roaring through his food-riddled beard, and his insistence on wielding a garishly engraved bardiche, he is a master tactician and always gains the element of surprise when facing his foes (just ask him!).

Fighter B: Few escape the charming grin and flashing steel of Demetrios DeVane. Envious courtiers and heart-broken ladies of the court are never far behind in the wake of his passing. Not one for settling too long in one place, this dashing swashbuckler is always on the lookout for the next prize, whether it be rumors of a treasure-filled mausoleum in the local fens, or the daughter of the local Burgomeister.

-Fox