Areas of Focus:
Mastery: Defense
Supplemental: Crowd Control, Striking
Fighters are trained in the arts of martial defense. They are extraordinarily difficult to hit and extremely durable in combat, capable of holding off a towering ogre or a swarm of xaurips with equal aplomb. Fighters are also reliable in melee, gaining weapon specialization and other abilities that make them valuable centers of any front line.
Lore
Fighters form the front line of disciplined armies across the Eastern Reach. Though they are most commonly found in cultures with an organized martial structure, fighters can also be encountered as wandering mercenaries, bodyguards, and other types of sell-swords. The common element that unifies fighters is their heavy focus on endurance and melee defense.
Overview
Fighters are men and women trained to use a wide variety of traditional weapons in brutal combat. They are often put in—or put themselves in—harm’s way and are built to take an extraordinary amount of punishment. They are known for their discipline, skill, and durability. In the Eastern Reach, they are often employed as caravan guards, soldiers, and personal bodyguards. Accustomed as they are to long marches, strange places, and life on the road, all fighters gain a minor skill bonus to Athletics, Lore, and Survival.
In combat, fighters are steadfast and stalwart. Even novice fighters enjoy the highest base Deflection defense of any class and the ability to passively recover a small amount of Stamina every second. Though not traditionally as mobile as the monk nor as likely to dish out individually withering attacks as a rogue, fighters are dependable and flexible, able to shift between a variety of attack modes that alternate between high damage, maintaining a strong defense, weakening opponents, and dealing harsh retribution to those who attack his or her allies. Some fighters build up arsenals of feints, knockdowns, and special attacks rather than rely on the “slow and steady” approach.
Starting Stats
Endurance
42 + 14/level (High)
Health
5 x Endurance (High)
Accuracy
30 + 3/level (Very Low)
Deflection
25 (Very High)
Skill Bonus
Lore +1 Survival +1 Athletics +1
Starting Abilities
Constant Recovery – Continually regenerate Endurance at a modest rate during combat.
Fighter Companion
Edér
Race: Meadow Folk
Sex: Male
Class: Fighter
Culture/Faction: Dyrwoodan/Eothasian
Available: Gilded Vale
Age & Appearance: 32 years old, wiry, fair-skinned human with tousled short blond hair, brown eyes, and a light beard.
Description: Optimistic, introspective, troubled, encouraging, sharp, killer instinct.
Tactics
Heavy Tank Build
Advantages: Capable of Soaking Tons of Damage, Great Field Control, Self-Buffs, Low Micro
Disadvantages: Low Damage Output
Strategy
The Heavy Tank Fighter is a brick wall covered in metal that regenerates when you hit it. This character is meant to lead a charge and lock down four or more enemies with ease. Position this character so enemies must move past him to reach the back line and focus on using abilities like Knock Down and Vigorous Defense to control the tides of battle.
Equipment
Hatchets, Maces, and Flails are great weapons to start out with. Later on, use whatever is the best one-handed weapon you can find, with a preference for those already mentioned.
Wear the heaviest armor you can find.
Races
Mountain Dwarf
Fire, Nature, or Moon Godlike
- Wild Orlan or Human
Culture
- Aedyr or Ixamitl Plains
Attributes
Might 8
Constitution 18
Dexterity 6
Perception 18
Intellect 7
- Resolve 18
Abilities
Knock Down
Defender
Weapon Specialization (Any one-handed)
Vigorous Defense or Into the Fray
Confident Aim or Unbending
- Unbroken
Talents
Weapon and Shield Style
Wary Defender
Superior Deflection
Hold the Line
Bear’s Fortitude
- Body Control or Graceful Retreat
Alternate Build
Alternatively, you can build the fighter similarly to the Two-Handed or Dual-Wield Striker Barbarian and see a nice consistent damage output, while still remaining somewhat tanky. If using this build, focus on swapping out Shield-based choices that reduce offense like Weapon and Shield Style and Defender for key offensive options such as Armored Grace, Weapon Focus, and Vulnerable Attack.
Special Abilities
Weapon Specialization
Fighter Abilities emphasize strong defense and reliable offense. Most are melee-focused. Fighters pick a Weapon Specialization category at their 5th Level.
Confident Aim
Available at Level 3 (Passive)
Effects: Self: +20% of Grazes converted to Hits, x1.2 Minimum Damage
Steadies the fighter’s arm, causing a percentage of their Grazes to be converted to Hits and increasing the minimum damage for melee weapons.
Critical Defense
Available at Level 9 (Passive)
Effects: Self: +20% of incoming Crits converted to Hits
The fighter expends extra effort to repel the most savage blows, causing a percentage of all incoming Critical Hits to be converted to Hits.
Clear Out
Available at Level 9 (2 per rest)
Area of Effect: Length: 2.5m (base 2.5m) 135° Cone
Interrupt: 40 (Average)
Effects: Foe AoE: 1-6 Slash, 5.0m Push, Prone for 5 sec vs. Fortitude
Sweeps the fighter’s melee weapon in a large arc, knocking enemies Prone.
Constant Recovery
Available at Level 1 (Passive)
Effects: Self: +3 Endurance
Charged by the rush of battle, the fighter will continually regenerate Endurance at a modest rate.
Weapon Specialization: Ruffian
Available at Level 5 (Passive)
Effects: +15% Damage with Weapon Set
Weapon Specialization grants a damage bonus with all weapon types covered by the chosen specialization. Ruffian weapons include the Blunderbuss, Club, Pistol, Sabre, and Stiletto types.
Weapon Specialization: Peasant
Passive
Effects: +15% Damage with Weapon Set
Weapon Specialization grants a damage bonus with all weapon types covered by the chosen specialization. Peasant weapons include the Hatchet, Hunting Bow, Quarterstaff, Spear, and Unarmed types.
Weapon Specialization: Adventurer
Passive
Effects: +15% Damage with Weapon Set
Weapon Specialization grants a damage bonus with all weapon types covered by the chosen specialization. Adventurer weapons include the Estoc, Flail, Pollaxe, Wand, and War Bow types.
Weapon Specialization: Knight
Passive
Effects: +15% Damage with Weapon Set
Weapon Specialization grants a damage bonus with all weapon types covered by the chosen specialization. Knight weapons include the Battle Axe, Crossbow, Morning Star, and Sword types.
Weapon Specialization: Soldier
Passive
Effects: +15% Damage with Weapon Set
Weapon Specialization grants a damage bonus with all weapon types covered by the chosen specialization. Soldier weapons include the Arbalest, Arquebus, Great Sword, Pike, and War Hammer types.
Unbroken
Available at Level 11 (Passive, 1 per rest)
Requires Endurance below 1
Effects: Self: Revive with 100 Endurance, +5 Damage Reduction for 30 sec, +10 Deflection for 30 sec, +10 Fortitude for 30 sec, +10 Reflex for 30 sec, +10 Will for 30 sec
The fighter refuses to be vanquished. At 0 Endurance, the fighter stands back up and is infused with 50% of his or her maximum Endurance, as well as a temporary increase to Defenses and Damage Reduction.
Disciplined Barrage
Available at Level 3
3 per rest
Speed: Instant
Effects: User: +15 Accuracy for 12 sec
The fighter intensely focuses on his or her training, significantly raising Accuracy for a short amount of time.
Guardian Stance
Available at Level 3
Modal
Speed: Instant
Aura Range: 2m (base 2m)
Effects: Friendly Aura: +10 Deflection, -10 Accuracy
The fighter devotes all his or her energy to defending allies. Lowers Accuracy, but increases the Deflection of nearby allies.
Into The Fray
Available at Level 7 (2 per encounter)
Interrupt: 40 (Average)
Effects: Foe Target: 1-6 Crush, -2.0m Push vs. Reflex
The fighter lunges through the battle, pulling an enemy into immediate melee range.
Defender
Available at Level 3 (Modal)
Speed: Instant
Effects: User: x0.8 Attack Speed, +2 enemies Engaged, +5 Deflection
The fighter adopts a more conservative combat strategy, concentrating on defending incoming attacks. The fighter receives a bonus to Deflection and increases his or her number of Engagement targets to three, but at the expense of Attack Rate.
Knock Down
Available at Level 1 (2 per encounter, Melee Only)
Effects: Target: 0.1m Push, Prone for 5 sec vs. Fortitude
User: Primary Attack vs. Fortitude
Shoves an enemy with enormous force, knocking them Prone, but causing little damage.
Vigorous Defense
Available at Level 1 (1 per encounter)
Speed: Instant
Effects: User: +20 All Defenses for 15 sec
The fighter becomes fiercely determined to deflect all incoming blows, dramatically increasing all Defenses for a short time.
Unbending
Available at Level 7 (3 per rest)
Speed: Instant
Effects: User: 50% of Damage taken converted to Healing Over Time for 15 sec
The fighter draws strength from his or her own indomitable spirit, causing them to recover 50% of Endurance lost from an attack over five seconds.
Armored Grace
Available at Level 7 (Passive)
Effects: Self: -16% armor Speed penalty
The fighter is perfectly suited to wear even bulky and restrictive suits of armor, lowering their Recovery Penalty significantly.
Talents
Bonus Knock Down
Modifies Knock Down (Uses: +1)
Knock Down (2 per encounter, Melee Only)
Effects: Target: 0.1m Push, Prone for 5 sec vs. Fortitude
User: Primary Attack
Grants the fighter an additional use of Knock Down per encounter.
Rapid Recovery
Modifies Constant Recovery (+1 Endurance)
Constant Recovery (Passive)
Effects: Self: +3 Endurance
Boosts the fighter’s hardiness, increasing the rate of his or her Constant Recovery.
Wary Defender
Modifies Defender (+10 Deflection, +10 Fortitude, +10 Reflex, +10 Will)
Defender (Modal)
Speed: Instant
Effects: User: x0.8 Attack Speed, +2 enemies Engaged, +5 Deflection
Increases the fighter’s awareness while in Defender mode, granting a bonus to all Defenses.
Weapon Mastery
Weapon Mastery represents increased refinement and dedication to the techniques used with a fighter’s chosen weapons. Mastery grants an additional damage bonus on top of the standard bonuses provided by Weapon Specialization.
Weapon Mastery: Soldier
Grants Weapon Mastery: Soldier.
Passive
Effects: Additional + 10% Damage with Weapon Set
Weapon Mastery represents increased refinement and dedication to the techniques used with a fighter’s chosen weapons. Mastery grants an additional damage bonus on top of the standard bonuses provided by Weapon Specialization.
Weapon Mastery: Noble, adventurer, ruffian, knight, peasant
Grants Weapon Mastery: Noble, Adventurer, Ruffian, Knight, Peasant
Passive
Effects: Additional +10% Damage with Weapon Set