Some take up arms for glory, wealth, or revenge. Others do battle to prove themselves, to protect others, or because they know nothing else. Still others learn the ways of weaponcraft to hone their bodies in battle and prove their mettle in the forge of war.
Lords of the battlefield, fighters are a disparate lot, training with many weapons or just one, perfecting the uses of armor, learning the fighting techniques of exotic masters, and studying the art of combat, all to shape themselves into living weapons. These skilled warriors reveal the true deadliness of their weapons, turning hunks of metal into arms capable of taming kingdoms, slaughtering monsters, and rousing the hearts of armies. Soldiers, knights, hunters, and artists of war, fighters are unparalleled champions, and woe to those who dare stand against them.
Role
Fighters excel at combat—defeating their enemies, controlling the flow of battle, and surviving such sorties themselves. While their specific weapons and methods grant them a wide variety of tactics, few can match fighters for sheer battle prowess.
| Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Bonus Feat, adaptive fighting, weapon training |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Bonus Feat, feat expertise, situational awareness |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Armor mastery +1, combat focus I |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Bonus Feat |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Combat focus II |
| 6th | +6/+1 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Bonus Feat, weapon mastery +1 |
| 7th | +7/+2 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Armor mastery +2 |
| 8th | +8/+3 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Bonus Feat, situational awareness |
| 9th | +9/+4 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Combat focus III |
| 10th | +10/+5 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Bonus Feat |
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Armor mastery +3 (1/2 touch AC) |
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +4 | +4 | Bonus Feat, weapon mastery +2 |
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +4 | +4 | Combat focus IV |
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +4 | +4 | Bonus Feat, situational awareness |
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +5 | +5 | Armor mastery +4 |
| 16th | +16/+12/+6/+1 | +10 | +5 | +5 | Bonus Feat |
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +5 | Combat Focus V |
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Bonus Feat, weapon mastery +3 |
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Armor mastery +5 (full touch AC) |
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +6 | Bonus Feat, situational awareness |
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level): Arms Lore, Athletics, Deception, Handle Animal, Intimidate, and Profession.
Starting Wealth: Respectable (3d6 × 10 gp, Average 105 gp)
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Fighter is proficient with Basic weapons plus any five other weapon groups of your choice. They are proficient with light, medium, and heavy armor and with shields, including tower shields.
If not using weapon groups, a Fighter is proficient with simple and martial weapons.
Bonus Feats
At 1st level, you gain a bonus combat-oriented feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. You gain an additional bonus feat at 2nd level and every two fighter levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as Combat feats or Style feats. You must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.
These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. You are not limited to the list of combat-oriented feats when choosing these feats
Adaptive Fighting
A fighter’s unique and extensive training in various fighting styles grants unparalleled adaptability when it comes to applying his combat training to whatever tools he has at hand. You are able to change your feats’ selected weapon or weapon group with 1 hour of practice and meditation.
This ability only applies to feats that allow you to choose a specific weapon or weapon group (such as Weapon Focus), and the new chosen weapon or weapon group must be an option allowed by the feat.
You can change the weapon selection of any number of feats at the same time. You may select a different option for each feat; however, you must continue to meet the prerequisites for all other feats you possess. For example, you cannot change Weapon Specialization to affect a weapon without also having Weapon Focus for the appropriate weapon group.
Weapon Training
You are able to focus your training on more exotic combat styles. Each time you gain a level, you can spend skill points to gain proficiency with exotic weapons. Each skill point spent in this way grants proficiency with one exotic weapon. This ability applies any time you gain skill points, even skill points gained from feats or taking levels in another class.
Feat Expertise
At 2nd level, you treat your ability scores as being higher for the purpose of meeting the prerequisites of combat feats and style feats. You add half your fighter class level to each of your ability scores for this purpose.
Situational Awareness
At 2nd level and every 6 levels thereafter, you improve your ability to identify potential threats and react quickly to them. Each time you gain this ability, choose either Reflex saves or Will saves. You gain a +1 bonus on saves of that type. If you choose the same type of save more than once, this bonus stacks with itself.
Armor Mastery
Becoming increasingly comfortable in armor, you learn to wear your armor like a second skin at 3rd level. Any armor you wear has its maximum dexterity bonus increased by 1 and its armor check penalty reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0) for as long as you wear it. If the armor provides damage reduction, that damage reduction is also increased by 1 (to a maximum of double its starting value, minimum of 1). In addition, you add half this bonus (rounded down) to its armor bonus to AC.
You can sleep in armor without becoming fatigued.
Every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th), these bonuses increase by +1.
Additionally, when your armor master bonus reaches +3, you may also add half of your armor bonus (rounded down) to your touch AC. At a +5 bonus, you may instead add your full armor bonus to your touch AC.
Combat Focus
At 3rd level, you choose a specific focus for your training, allowing you to master maneuvers and techniques that make you a serious threat in battle. Your chosen combat focus determines the specific class features you gain as you continue to gain levels in fighter. Unless otherwise stated, all combat focus abilities are extraordinary abilities. You can choose any one combat focus from the following list:
Weapon Mastery
At 6th level, you begin to truly master your weapons. You gain a +1 bonus on attack and damage with any weapon your wield and are proficient with. You also gain a +1 bonus to your CMB with any maneuver that uses a weapon and CBD against any maneuver that targets your weapon. This bonus increases by +1 at 12th level and again at 18th level.
At 12th level, the critical threat range of any weapon you wield and are proficient with increases by 1. This is added after any effects that would double the range (such as Improved Critical).
At 18th level, the critical multiplier of any weapon you wield and are proficient with increases by 1.