Valeros - Iconic Fighter

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. Far more than mere thugs, 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.

Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills

The Fighter's class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A fighter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, light, and medium) and shields (including tower shields).

Bonus Feats: At 1st level, and at every odd level thereafter, a fighter gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement (meaning that the fighter gains a feat at every level). These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat feats, sometimes also called “fighter bonus feats.”

Bravery (Ex)

Starting at 2nd level, a fighter gains a +1 bonus on Will saves against fear. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd.

Armor Training (Ex)

Starting at 3rd level, a fighter learns to be more maneuverable while wearing armor. Whenever he is wearing armor, he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (to a minimum of 0) and increases the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by his armor by 1. Every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, and 15th), these bonuses increase by +1 each time, to a maximum –4 reduction of the armor check penalty and a +4 increase of the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed.

Weapon Training (Ex)

Starting at 5th level, a fighter can select one group of weapons, as noted below. Whenever he attacks with a weapon from this group, he gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls. Weapon groups are chosen as fighter bonus feats. A fighter can choose multiple weapon trianing groups.

He gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls when using a weapon from this group. Every four levels thereafter (9th, 13th, and 17th), these bonuses increase by +1 each time, to a maximum of +4. Bonuses granted from overlapping groups do not stack.

A fighter also adds this bonus to any combat maneuver checks made with weapons from this group. This bonus also applies to the fighter's Combat Maneuver Defense when defending against disarm and sunder attempts made against weapons from this group.

Advanced Armor Training (Ex)

 Beginning at 7th level, advanced armor training feats become available as fighter bonus feats.

Highly skilled and tenacious fighters can gain advanced armor training, learning techniques and applications of the armor training class feature that give them special benefits in exchange for reducing their ability to mitigate their armor’s armor check penalty and improve its maximum Dexterity bonus. Advanced armor training options function only when the fighter is wearing appropriate armor or using a shield, unless otherwise noted.

Fighters can select as many Advanced Armor Training Feats as they want, but each one taken reduces the benefits of Armor Training by 1. 

• Armor Specialization (Ex): The fighter selects one specific type of armor with which he is proficient, such as chain shirts or scale mail. While wearing the selected type of armor, the fighter adds one-quarter of his fighter level to the armor’s armor bonus, up to a maximum bonus of +3 for light armor, +4 for medium armor, or +5 for heavy armor. This increase to the armor bonus doesn’t increase the benefit that the fighter gains from feats, class abilities, or other effects that are determined by his armor’s base armor bonus, including other advanced armor training options. A fighter can choose this option multiple times. Each time he chooses it, he applies its benefit to a different type of armor.
• Armored Confidence (Ex): While wearing armor, the fighter gains a bonus on Intimidate checks based upon the type of armor he is wearing: +1 for light armor, +2 for medium armor, or +3 for heavy armor. This bonus increases by 1 at 7th level and every 4 fighter levels thereafter, to a maximum of +4 at 19th level. In addition, the fighter adds half his armored confidence bonus to the DC of Intimidate checks to demoralize him.
• Armored Juggernaut (Ex): When wearing heavy armor, the fighter gains DR 1/—. At 7th level, the fighter gains DR 1/— when wearing medium armor, and DR 2/— when wearing heavy armor. At 11th level, the fighter gains DR 1/— when wearing light armor, DR 2/— when wearing medium armor, and DR 3/— when wearing heavy armor. If the fighter is 19th level and has the armor mastery class feature, these DR values increase by 5. The DR from this ability stacks with that provided by adamantine armor, but not with other forms of damage reduction. This damage reduction does not apply if the fighter is helpless, stunned, or unconscious.

Advanced Weapon Training (Ex)

 Beginning at 9th level, advanced weapon training feats become available as fighter bonus feats.

• Armed Bravery (Ex): The fighter applies his bonus from bravery to Will saving throws. In addition, the DC of Intimidate checks to demoralize him increases by an amount equal to twice his bonus from bravery. The fighter must have the bravery class feature in order to select this option.
• Combat Maneuver Defense (Ex): When the fighter is wielding weapons from the associated weapon group, his weapon training bonus applies to his CMD against all combat maneuvers attempted against him, instead of just against disarm and sunder combat maneuvers.
• Defensive Weapon Training (Ex): The fighter gains a +1 shield bonus to his Armor Class. The fighter adds half his weapon’s enhancement bonus (if any) to this shield bonus. When his weapon training bonus for weapons from the associated fighter weapon group reaches +4, this shield bonus increases to +2. This shield bonus is lost if the fighter is immobilized or helpless.
• Effortless Dual-Wielding (Ex): The fighter treats all one-handed weapons that belong to the associated weapon group as though they were light weapons when determining his penalties on attack rolls for fighting with two weapons.
• Fighter’s Reflexes (Ex): The fighter applies his weapon training bonus to Reflex saving throws. He loses this bonus when he is flat-footed or denied his Dexterity bonus to AC.
• Trained Grace (Ex): When the fighter uses Weapon Finesse to make a melee attack with a weapon, using his Dexterity modifier on attack rolls and his Strength modifier on damage rolls, he doubles his weapon training bonus on damage rolls. The fighter must have Weapon Finesse in order to choose this option.
• Trained Initiative (Ex): As long as he is wielding a weapon from the associated weapon group or is able to draw such a weapon (even if he is not currently wielding it), the fighter applies his weapon training bonus to initiative checks. In addition, if he has the Quick Draw feat and has a weapon from the appropriate weapon group that isn’t hidden, he can draw that weapon as a free action as part of making an initiative check.

Armor Mastery (Ex)

At 19th level, a fighter gains DR 5/— whenever he is wearing armor or using a shield.

Weapon Mastery (Ex)

At 20th level, a fighter chooses one weapon, such as the longsword, greataxe, or longbow. Any attacks made with that weapon automatically confirm all critical threats and have their damage multiplier increased by 1 (×2 becomes ×3, for example). In addition, he cannot be disarmed while wielding a weapon of this type.