Hmm... One thing I'm desperate to add is "Surprise lunge" to that revision.
Yeah, I like that ability too. I could see working it in.
Do you mind if I try to amalgamate the two?
If not do you think you could work surprise lunge into the above build.
Certainly. Go for it. I didn't think I got it 100% right this time, but I wanted to take it in the direction I thought it should go. This is a colaborative effort.
I think Foil should be 11th level, switching places with True Grit. It's a very powerful ability and therefore, I think an appropriate reward for taking over ½ your levels in Fighter. True Grit, on the other hand, should come early enough to shore up the saving throw issues Fighters are like to experience as Save or Xs get more common in the midrange combat. Also, I feel Fighter should get something awesome at 20. You could drop the bonus feat - nobody really cares at that point. Alternatively, you could give something in addition to the bonus feat.
I could see doing that. 9th level is high enough to keep True Grit out for dipping purposes anyway.
Either way, 20th level needs some awesome ability. For example, toss him a reach increment. I think he could get two reach increments, actually - reach is a very powerful thing and very "in flavour" for a Fighter. It makes sense that a more experienced Fighter can affect opponents further away by using weapons in a more optimal way. For example, 10 and 20 could get a 5' reach increment to the character's natural reach. This also sets a precedent for Epic Fighters to get a reach increment.
I agree with the idea of a good cap 100%. I almost put a disclaimer in my latest version asking for advice on this. I've yet to think of whaty they should get.
hake It Off seems just right for a Fighter - a great defensive boost that's not like to make Fighters broken, but does make them more durable in the face of magic. I'd personally make it a Standard Action - that allows spending a move the same turn to GTFO, since something like a Stun is like to put you in a very precarious position. Not to mention, jumping straight from a Full-Round to Move seems weird to say the least. Since the ability requires the Fighter to succeed a saving throw though, it seems just fine. Maybe give the Fighter increasing bonuses to the saving throw each time he tries to use the ability? Like +1 on the first, +2 on the second and so on? That would make it very possible for a Fighter to shake off spells cast by focused Wizards, but only given enough time.
I could drop it to a standard action. The original full-round action write-up was due to the fighter automatically dropping the effect. My first version didn't involve a save. And you're right that it's a more logical progression to drop to a move action that way with the Greater version.
I like the cumulative bonuses too. That way, the fighter can keep blowing action after action if he needs. If the fighter is completely stuck by the effect, this gives him a better chance of getting out. If he's only hindered, now he has to make the choice of whether or not to blow a standard action. I think this is pretty balanced!
I'm not sure giving Fighter an open feat on 1 is a good idea. Maybe make it a now worthwhile Weapon Focus? It's too easy to just dip two levels in Fighter and finish whatever feat progression you want as any non-Fighter class. Making the first feat e.g. Weapon Focus pretty much removes that issue - you still get very concrete benefits for Fighter-dips, but those benefits are Fighter-like. You'll have to go a bit deeper to actually finish feat progressions. Overall, I think it should be made difficult to dip for level 1 bonus feats outside very specific things. Multiclassing is all fine, but if X 2/Y 2/Z 2/Ä 2/Å 2/Ö 2 is an optimal progression, something is wrong. X 6/Y 6, X 9/Y 3, X 12, Y 12 and X 4/Y 4/Z 4 (pretty much just AD&D Multiclassed characters) should all kick the living out of the "dip everything".
Well, in a fighter fix I posted over a year ago, that's what I did. I handed out Weapon Aptitude at 1st level, and forced the first feat to be Weapon Focus. If the rest of the class is good enough, this might not be a bad move. Also, per the Skills & Feats thread, I'm wrapping the four focus and specialization feats into one anyway.
Also, I feel it would totally kick ass to include some kinds of Weapon / Armor Trainings in the progression, maybe as a secondary progression á la Monk's AC bonus or whatever - a Fighter should be the best at using such equipment, after all.
Do you have any ideas? I know that Squirlloid had some in his version. Also, perhaps expanding the fighter-feats could do this. I know Rich Burlew posted several armor focus and specialization feats on GiantITP.
