Warrior, Fighter (4e Class Variant)

Creating a Warrior

“

Warriors that focus on defeating their enemy in combat, training extensively to master the subtle art of war.

”

By Kev Walker [1]

Class Traits

Role: Striker. As a warrior, you distinguish yourself not only by martial skill and fighting ability, but also of your capability to control the battlefield.

Power Source: Martial. Your draw on your inner sense of will and valor, resorting to unconventional yet practical methods of fighting.

Key Abilities: Strength, Constitution, Dexterity

Armor Proficiencies: Leather, Hide, Chainmail, Scale, Light Shield, Heavy Shield

Weapon Proficiencies: Simple Melee, Military Melee, Simple Ranged, Military ranged, Shuriken

Implements: None

Bonus to Defense: +2 Fortitude

Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution score

Hit Points per Level Gained: 5

Healing Surges per Day: 9 + Constitution modifier

Trained Skills: Heal.  From the class skills list below, choose 4 more trained skills at 1st level. Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Endurance (Con), Heal (Wis), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha)

Build Options: Warrior

Class Features: Combat Challenge, Combat Focus, Fighter Weapon Talent, Warrior's Surge

Creating a Warrior

Warriors depend on their martial prowess in combat in order to deal damage to their targets. They rely heavily on their own natural abilities in combat and by strategic placement near their allies to defeat their enemies. Focused predominately on dealing damage instead of defending like normal fighters, warriors deal extra damage to their opponents with their attacks which boosts their damage level, putting it on par with other strikes like the rogue and ranger, at the expense of their health and to a limited extent defenses. While not specifically focused on charging, as a Strength primary character they are capable of making melee basic attacks, however they are unique from the Barbarian in this respect and in their use of heavy armor.

Ability Scores

Strength should be your primary ability. As almost all of your powers utilize strength for the attack and damage roll, strength is your most important ability. Your second most important ability is your constitution modifier, which boosts your special fighter abilities and your damage.

Feats

Warriors are as much about dealing damage as they are about surviving on the battlefield. While you have naturally high defenses, it's always a good idea to invest in improving your defenses, such as with the improved defenses or toughness feats. As all of your attacks are weapon based, it's recommended that you pick up weapon proficiency feats in superior weapons, as well as potentially damage boosting feats that relate to melee attacks. Feats which boost your opportunity attacks can be useful as you are granted special bonuses to opportunity attacks. Martial feats, such as martial styles, which increase your damage, or fighter specific feats can be useful for increasing damage or survivability. As your secondary ability is constitution, you will qualify for hammer or axe specific feats, such as hammer rhythm.

Equipment

As you are a heavy armor dependent class with secondary abilities that do not boost lightly armored defenses (such as dexterity or intelligence), you should start with the highest armor you can, or scale. Plate armor should be your next choice, which will require getting the "Plate armor training" feat in order to get. As your secondary ability is constitution, you will be able to pick up plate and feats which benefit plate, as well as receive bonuses to using axes, hammers, and maces. The biggest choice to make will be between two-handed weapons or using a shield, as you will deal slightly more damage to the target if you use a two-handed weapon but will receive a substantial bonus to defenses if you use a shield. Certain powers only work or work best with a two-handed weapon. Dual wielding is a possible feature for damage, but is less effective than other comparative dual-wielding classes without a bonus to off-hand weapons.

Class Features

Image by Daniel Zrom

You must choose the "Warrior" fighter path to gain all of the following features. You cannot simply choose some of the features as new additions to the fighter, but instead are given these powers by choosing the path. You use all of the same fighter encounter, utility and daily powers, but must use the described class features. You can choose at-will powers from the fighter class in addition to the newer at-wills presented. It's important to bear in mind that some fighter abilities allow you to mark or focus on defender oriented abilities; for encounter and daily purposes, you can mark, which gives you secondary defender abilities, much like how the paladin has secondary healing abilities. You are of course still predominately a striker.

Class Feature: Combat Challenge

Combat Challenge functions similarly to regular fighters, however the power no longer marks. Although for functions of feats, prerequisites, paragon paths and other abilities it functions as the same, instead the text reads only as "Whenever an enemy that is adjacent to you shifts or makes an attack that does not include you, you can make a melee basic attack against that enemy and you deal an extra d8 damage on the damage roll." In this way you still have access to fighter modifications and other abilities, but it does not allow for you to mark targets. For the purposes of considering a target effected by Combat Challenge, you only need to target it (but the target is still not marked). The damage increases to 2d8 at level 11, and 3d8 at level 21.

Class Feature: Combat Focus

Once per turn when you deal damage to a target, you can choose to add an additional D8 damage to the damage roll. This effect can apply on attacks granted by an action point, even if you have already used it that turn. The damage increases to 2d8 at level 11, and 3d8 at level 21.

Class Feature: Fighter Weapon Talent

You gain the fighter class feature "Fighter Weapon Talent". For the purpose of meeting prerequisites, the "Fighter Weapon Talent" functions as the same. However, the text and benefit is replaced with "When using weapons, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls."

Class Feature: Warrior's surge

You gain the "Warrior's Surge" fighter encounter power. You may use it three times per encounter.

Warrior's surge	Fighter Utility 1
You martial prowess grants you the ability to naturally enhance any attack you perform.
Encounter  Martial, Weapon
Free Action	Personal
Trigger: You hit with an attack
Target: Self
Effect: When you successfully hit with an attack, you can add an extra 1[W] to the damage roll. This increases to 2[W] at level 11 and 3[W] at level 21.
Special: You can use the ability 3 times per encounter, but only once per round.

Level 1: At-Will Powers

Benefit: You can choose to gain two of the following at-will powers, or select other fighter at-will powers. At level 21, the damage increases to double the damage die or 2[W]. You must have the Warrior fighter path in order to take these powers.

Warrior's Strike	Fighter Attack 1
You strike with tremendous force, recklessly throwing yourself headfirst in to battle.
At-Will  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature.
Attack: Strength Vs. AC + 2
Hit: 1[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage.
Special: You grant combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Rend	Fighter Attack 1
Your inherent skill as a warrior grants you greater flexibility in combat.
At-Will  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature.
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage.
Miss: Strength modifier damage
Special: You deal constitution modifier damage to one creature adjacent to you or the target.

Power Strike	Fighter Attack 1
Your entire attack is focused in to one, solid blow, putting the entire attack's emphasis on the weapon itself.
At-Will  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature.
Attack: Strength Vs. AC + 1
Hit: 2[W]

Invigorating Strike	Fighter Attack 1
Your attacks invigorate you, allowing you to last longer on the battlefield.
At-Will  Martial, Weapon, Invigorating
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature.
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage.
Special: As the weapon has the invigorating keyword, you gain temporary hitpoints equal to your constitution modifier when you successfully hit with the attack and are trained in endurance. Also the attack can be used as a melee basic attack.

Brash Strike	Fighter Attack 1
Your attack is designed to startle and offset the enemy, leaving them rattled from your strike.
At-Will  Martial, Weapon, Rattling, Fear
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature.
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target takes is slowed.
Special: As the weapon has the rattling keyword, it takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls if it is subject to fear effects and you are trained in intimidate.

Cautious Strike	Fighter Attack 1
Your strike with caution, using your impeccable aim to ensure you hit the target.
At-Will  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature.
Attack: Strength Vs. AC + 2
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage.

Shield Strike	Fighter Attack 1
You lash out with your shield, harming all of those around you.
At-Will  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Close Burst 1
Requirement: You must be wielding a shield.
Target: All enemies in burst
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] and the target is pushed 1 square.

Dual Strike	Fighter Attack 1
Your strike twice, once with each weapon, in order to amplify your damage.
At-Will  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Prerequisite: You must be wielding two melee weapons
Target: One or two creatures.
Attack: Strength Vs. AC, two attacks
Hit: 1[W]

Powers

You can choose the following powers instead of fighter powers at the appropriate levels.

Level 1

Reckless Strike	Fighter Attack 1
You strike the target with reckless abandon, rushing headfirst in to combat.
Encounter  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 3[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage.
Miss: Strength modifier damage
Special: You grant combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Fanatical Strike	Fighter Attack 1
You strike with relentless fanaticism, ignoring any harm to yourself.
Daily  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 4[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage.
Miss: Half Damage
Special: You grant combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Level 3: Encounter Power

Overpower	Fighter Attack 3
You overpower your enemy, knocking them off their feat with your attack.
Encounter  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 3[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage and the target is knocked prone.
Miss: Strength modifier damage

Level 5: Daily Power

Overwhelm	Fighter Attack 5
Your objective is to completely overwhelm your enemy, overpowering them with a single, tremendous attack.
Daily  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 4[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage and the target is stunned (save ends).
Miss: Half Damage

Level 7: Encounter Power

Dazing Strike	Fighter Attack 7
You strike the target with the intent to daze and disorient them, knocking them off balance.
Encounter  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 3[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Miss: Strength modifier damage

Retaliation	Fighter Attack 7
You strike back quickly, using your surprising speed to punish the enemy for their attack.
Encounter  Martial, Weapon, Fear, Rattling
Free Action	Melee
Trigger: You are hit with an attack
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 3[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage.
Miss: Strength modifier damage

Level 9: Daily Power

By pixai art [2]

Sunder	Fighter Attack 9
You sunder the opponent, making them vulnerable to attack.
Daily  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 5[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage and the target grants combat advantage (save ends).
Miss: Half Damage
Special: You grant combat advantage until the end of your next turn. In addition, you spend a healing surge, but regain no hitpoints.

Recuperating Strike	Fighter Attack 9
Sometimes it's better to merely recuperate from an attack, than it is to put all you have in to an attack.
Daily  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 4[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage.
Miss: Half Damage
Special: You can spend a healing surge.

Level 13: Encounter Power

Fanatical Charge	Fighter Attack 13
You rush in headfirst in to battle, ignoring all of your opponents in combat.
Encounter  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 4[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage.
Miss: Strength modifier damage
Special: You may use this attack in place of a melee basic attack. In addition, you grant combat advantage (save ends).

Level 15: Daily Power

Paralyzing Strike	Fighter Attack 15
You strike with enough force to stun and incapacitate your opponent.
Daily  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 5[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage and the target is immobilized.
Miss: Strength modifier damage
Special: You may use this attack in place of a melee basic attack. In addition, you grant combat advantage (save ends).

Level 17: Encounter Power

Crippling Strike	Fighter Attack 17
Sometimes the objective of an attack is to weaken or cripple your enemies, rather than merely inflict damage.
Encounter  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 4[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage and the target is weakened until the end of your next turn.
Miss: Strength modifier damage

Level 19: Daily Power

Legion wrath	Fighter Attack 15
You strike with enough force to stun and incapacitate your opponent.
Daily  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 5[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage and the target is knocked prone and immobilized (save ends).
Miss: Strength modifier damage
Special: You may use this attack in place of a melee basic attack. In addition, you grant combat advantage (save ends).

Level 23: Encounter Power

Hemorrhage	Fighter Attack 23
You strike with a blow designed to leave behind gaping wounds, severely injuring your opponent.
Encounter  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 5[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage and the target takes 5 ongoing damage and is slowed (save ends both).
Miss: Strength modifier damage
Special: You grant combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Level 25: Daily Power

Annihilation	Fighter Attack 15
Sometimes the objective is the complete annihilation of the enemy.
Daily  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 6[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage and the target is stunned (save ends).
Miss: Strength modifier damage
Special: You grant combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Level 26: Utility Power

Player's Handbook 2, Firstborn of Moradin

Level 27: Encounter Power

Combat Supremacy	Fighter Attack 27
Sometimes the objective of an attack is to inflict as much damage as possible.
Encounter  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 6[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage and the target is stunned (save ends).
Miss: Strength modifier damage
Special: You grant combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Level 29: Daily Power

Obliteration	Fighter Attack 15
Your objective is to obliterate the target, leaving nothing to chance.
Daily  Martial, Weapon
Standard Action	Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength Vs. AC
Hit: 7[W] + Strength and Constitution modifier damage and the target takes a -2 penalty to all defenses and is dazed (save ends both.)
Miss: Strength modifier damage
Special: You may use this attack in place of a melee basic attack. In addition, you grant combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

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