There are more ways to fight a battle than there are types of weapons. While many fighters learn to fight in close concert with allies on a bloody field, others choose strange, esoteric, or totally backhanded and dishonorable modes of combat in order to win the day. The following are just a few strategies of the fray practiced by heroes and villains alike.
Fighter Archetypes
All fighters have two main tools of their trade—weapons and armor. While many fighters hone their weapon skills to a point of inescapable grace and lethality, there are those who live under the maxim that a good offense can be accomplished though an impenetrable defense. To these fighters, proper use of armor and shields ensures that they can fight another day, and that the frustration of enemies who can't seem to crack an armor master's superior defenses is just the first symptom of his foes' eventual defeat.
At 2nd level, an armor master specializes in using his shield to deflect attacks. He gains a +1 bonus to his touch AC, and this bonus increases for every four levels beyond 2nd (to a maximum of +6 at 20th level); however, this bonus cannot exceed the sum of the armor and enhancement bonus to AC provided by the shield that the armor master is currently carrying. This ability replaces bravery.
At 5th level, an armor master gains DR 1/— when wearing light armor, DR 2/— when wearing medium armor, and DR 3/— when wearing heavy armor. At 19th level, this damage reduction increases to DR 4/— when wearing light armor, DR 8/— when wearing medium armor, and DR 12/— when wearing heavy armor. This damage reduction stacks with that provided by adamantine armor, but not with other forms of damage reduction. This damage reduction does not apply if the armor master is stunned, unconscious, or helpless. This ability replaces weapon training 1 and 3, and armor mastery.
At 9th level, an armor master can use his armor to shield critical areas from injury. He treats any armor he wears as if it had the light fortification special ability. At 13th level, his armor gains the moderate fortification special ability. This fortification does not stack in any way with armor that has these special abilities. In these cases the armor master takes the better of the two fortifications. This ability replaces weapon training 2 and 4.
At 20th level, an armor master gains complete immunity to critical hits and sneak attacks while he is wearing armor. In addition, unless his armor has the fragile armor quality, it cannot be sundered while he is wearing it. This ability replaces weapon mastery.
All melee is up close and personal, but some warriors bring it as close as they can get. Brawlers can be found anywhere, among all races and societies. A brawler could be hired muscle in a tavern, a local crime syndicate enforcer, or a hotheaded recruit among the ranks of a baron's guard. Often brawlers' in-your-face attitudes are as powerful as their tactics.
At 2nd level, a brawler becomes skilled at forcefully moving his opponent around the battlefield. The brawler gains a +1 bonus on bull rush, drag, and reposition combat maneuver checks. The brawler also gains a +1 bonus to CMD when attacked with the bull rush, drag, and reposition maneuvers. These bonuses increase by +1 for every four levels after 2nd (to a maximum of +5 at 18th level). This ability replaces armor training 1.
At 3rd level, a brawler gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +3 bonus on damage rolls with weapons in the close weapon group. Both of these bonuses increase by +1 for every four levels beyond 3rd (to a maximum of +5 on attack rolls and +7 on damage rolls at 19th level). This ability replaces weapon training 1 and 2.
At 7th level, a brawler constantly harries and distracts his enemies. While adjacent to the brawler, enemies take a –1 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty on concentration checks. These penalties increase by 1 for every four levels after 7th level (to a maximum of –4 on attack rolls and –7 on concentration checks at 19th level). Creatures do not take these penalties if the brawler is dazed, helpless, staggered, stunned, or unconscious. This ability replaces armor training 2, 3, and 4 and armor mastery.
No Escape
At 9th level, taking a 5-foot step out of the area of a brawler's menacing stance or moving out of the area of a brawler's menacing stance with a withdraw action provokes an attack of opportunity from the brawler. This ability replaces weapon training 3 and 4.
At 13th level, a brawler gains Stand Still as a bonus feat, even if he does not have the Combat Reflexes feat. If the brawler already has the Stand Still feat, he can take any other combat feat instead. Furthermore, he gains a bonus equal to 1/2 his fighter level on combat maneuver checks when using the Stand Still feat.
A brawler must select a close weapon for this ability.
Cad
In combat, most fighters have some sort of code of honor. Some believe that one should not kick enemies when they are down, or should limit use of other such dirty tricks to the most dire of circumstances. The cad places no such limitations on himself. Battles are for winning, and anything that gives the cad the upper hand against his enemies is a legitimate tactic. No trick is too treacherous if it leads to victory.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A cad is not proficient with medium armor, heavy armor, or tower shields.
Skills
Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Sleight of Hand (Dex), and Stealth (Dex) are class skills for a cad.
At 2nd level, a cad becomes skilled at deceiving and discomfiting his opponents. The cad gains a +1 bonus on disarm, dirty trick, and steal combat maneuver checks. The cad also gains a +1 bonus to CMD when attacked with the disarm, dirty trick, and steal combat maneuvers. These bonuses increase by 1 for every four levels after 2nd (to a maximum of +5 at 18th level). This ability replaces bravery.
At 3rd level, the cad gains the Catch Off-Guard feat. This ability replaces armor training 1.
At 5th level, a cad gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls against any creature that has attacked the cad since the beginning of his last turn. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 5th (to a maximum of +4 at 17th level). This ability replaces weapon training 1, 3, and 4.
At 7th level, when a cad hits an opponent that is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC against him with a weapon or unarmed attack, he may attempt a dirty trick combat maneuver as an immediate action as part of the attack. This ability replaces armor training 2.
At 9th level, as a swift action, a cad may alter the type of damage dealt by an improvised weapon to bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. In addition, the cad has a critical threat range of 19–20/×2 with any improvised melee weapon. This ability replaces weapon training 2.
At 11th level, when fighting defensively or using Combat Expertise or total defense, a cad cannot be flanked except by a rogue or ninja whose level is four or more higher than the cad's fighter level. This ability replaces armor training 3.
At 13th level, as a standard action, a cad can use a dirty trick maneuver against any two adjacent opponents that he can reach, making a separate combat maneuver check against each opponent. He must use the same dirty trick maneuver against each opponent.
At 17th level, the cad can use this ability as a full-round action to attempt a dirty trick maneuver against a number of enemies equal to 2 + his Dexterity bonus (if any). This ability replaces weapon training 3 and 4.
At 15th level, when a cad confirms a critical hit, he can attempt a dirty trick combat maneuver as part of that attack as an immediate action. This ability replaces armor training 4.
At 20th level, any critical threats a cad makes against an opponent that has attacked him since the beginning of his last turn are automatically confirmed. This ability replaces weapon mastery.
These gallant lancers serve in the vanguard of many armies or as knights-errant. They are born leaders and masters of the mounted charge.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A dragoon is not proficient with tower shields.
At 1st level, a dragoon gains both the Mounted Combat and Skill Focus (Ride) feats as bonus feats. This ability replaces the 1st-level fighter bonus combat feat.
At 5th level, a dragoon must select weapon training with the spear group. The dragoon's weapon training bonus with spears improves by +1 on attack rolls and +2 on damage rolls for every four levels beyond 5th (to a maximum of +4 on attack rolls and +8 on damage rolls at 17th level). The dragoon does not gain weapon training in any other groups as he increases in level.
At 7th level, a dragoon may alternate attacks with the piercing head of his lance with reach, or with the butt end (treat as a club) against adjacent targets. Unlike a double weapon, the masterwork quality and magical special abilities apply to both ends of the lance, except for those weapon special abilities that apply only to edged weapons. This ability replaces armor training 2.
At 11th level, as a standard action or as part of a charge, a dragoon attacking a mounted opponent can make two attacks, one against the mount and the other against the rider, using his highest base attack bonus. Furthermore, if the mount is hit and its rider attempts to negate the hit with the Mounted Combat feat, the dragoon's attack roll is considered 4 higher when calculating the DC of the Ride check to negate the hit. This ability replaces armor training 3.
At 15th level, a dragoon and his mount suffer no armor check penalty on Acrobatics checks while mounted. When charging, a dragoon may jump from his mount toward his target. If he jumps 10 feet, his charge modifiers on attack rolls and to AC are doubled and he is still considered mounted for lance damage, mounted combat feats, and so on. This ability replaces armor training 4.
The dragoon must select the lance for this ability.
Most fighters battle out of necessity, with each battle a contest of life and death. Some, however, fight for glory and for the adulation of the crowd. The gladiator is both a cunning warrior and a consummate performer, knowing life and death are balanced not only on a sword's edge, but also on the cheers or jeers of the crowd.
Skills
A gladiator gains Perform (act, comedy, and dance) (Cha) as class skills.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A gladiator is not proficient with heavy armor or tower shields. Instead he gains the Performance Weapon Mastery feat at 1st level as a bonus feat. This bonus feat is in addition to the bonus feat a fighter gains at 1st level. Furthermore, a gladiator using piecemeal armor is considered to be wearing a suit of armor as long as he wearing two or three armor pieces, gaining the +1 to armor bonus but still taking the +5% chance of arcane spell failure if the pieces are mixed.
A gladiator may choose to take combat or performance feats as bonus feats.
Fame
At 2nd level, when a gladiator begins a performance combat, he always starts with at least 1 victory point. If he already has victory points, he gains 1 extra victory point. At 10th level, the gladiator starts out with at least 2 victory points. If he already has victory points, he gains 2 extra victory points. This ability replaces bravery.
While many fighters focus on the fundamentals of melee and ranged combat, there are those who are trained to view the bigger picture on the battlefield. These fighters use their training and tactical acumen to overcome challenges that would overwhelm mere brute strength and skill at arms.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A tactician is not proficient with heavy armor or tower shields.
A tactician gains 4 skill points + a number of skill points equal to his Intelligence modifier at each level, instead of the normal 2 skill points + Intelligence modifier at each level. Furthermore, Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Linguistics (Int), and Sense Motive (Wis) are all class skills for the tactician. This ability replaces the bonus fighter combat feat gained at 1st level.
A tactician may choose Skill Focus or any teamwork feat, in addition to combat feats, as bonus feats.
At 2nd level, a tactician gains a +1 bonus on initiative checks. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels after 2nd level (to a maximum of +5 at 18th level). This ability replaces bravery.
At 5th level, a tactician gains this ability as the cavalier class feature. He may use this ability once per day at 5th level, plus one additional time for every five levels after 5th (to a maximum of four times at 20th level). If the tactician also has cavalier levels, these levels stack for determining the number of uses per day, and he can take the better progression. This ability replaces weapon training 1.
At 11th level, when a tactician uses the aid another special attack, he may affect one additional ally per point of Intelligence bonus. For each ally that a tactician aids, he can pick whether to grant that ally the +2 bonus on its next attack against the opponent or the +2 bonus to AC against the opponent's next attack on that ally, and can grant different allies different bonuses. This ability replaces armor training 3.
At 15th level, as a swift action, a tactician can grant his Intelligence modifier as an insight bonus on the attack rolls made by a single ally within line of sight that can both see and hear the tactician. That ally gains the bonus until the end of the tactician's next turn. The tactician can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier. This ability replaces armor training 4.
The thunderstriker adopts an unusual fighting style, gripping a heavy weapon with both hands and switching to a defensive posture with weapon and buckler, lashing out with the shield with surprising speed and power.
At 3rd level, a thunderstriker takes no penalty on attack rolls when using a weapon in two hands while wearing a buckler. This ability replaces armor training 1.
At 7th level, a thunderstriker may make shield bash attacks with a buckler as if it were a light shield. This ability replaces armor training 2.
Many fighters believe the tower shield is a tool suitable only for troops on the battlefield, claiming it is too large and bulky to use in skirmishes or within dungeon corridors. Tower shield specialists defy those notions, using their massive shields with startling skill and incredible effect. They use these seemingly clumsy shields to perform deft maneuvers that confound their enemies.
Expanded Weapon Groups
Weapon groups are defined as follows (GMs may add other weapons to these groups, or add entirely new groups):