r/dndmemes Druid Mar 20 '23

Fighter is my second favorite class ngl Generic Human Fighter™

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

25.8k Upvotes

3.2k

u/777Zenin777 Druid Mar 20 '23

This armored guy on video gives me a lot of Warden vibes.

1.1k

u/StigandrTheBoi Mar 20 '23

The start pose is very reminiscent of the warden from the og trailers who fights for the puddle

167

u/CheesePro69 Mar 20 '23

Such a simpler time: just three thirsty boys fighting over a puddle

58

u/SharkDad20 Mar 20 '23

“The reason they fight (puddle): lost to the ages…”

→ More replies

653

u/Jetanwm DM (Dungeon Memelord) Mar 20 '23

He's from Elder Scrolls Online, The Ascendant Lord for reference

256

u/777Zenin777 Druid Mar 20 '23 edited May 19 '23

Ye i know but just saying he gives me the similar vibes to warden form For Honor

141

u/Skud_NZ Mar 20 '23

Can I have one of your wives?

16

u/TheWorclown Mar 21 '23

“No, Homer. You’re thinking of a guy with two knives.

9

u/yingkaixing Mar 21 '23

I gotta say, this is pretty terrific.

→ More replies

19

u/ncopp Mar 20 '23

I've been playing a lot of Chivalry II and I was just thinking that a really skilled player could pretty much do a 3v1 in this exact fashion since a lot of the moves used here can be done in game.

→ More replies
→ More replies

15

u/ChairForceOne Murderhobo Mar 21 '23

The cinematics are so much more badass than the game. Did have a lot of fun with a group of friends for a while though. Being able to build a tank that heals themselves, reduces damage and does crowd control was neat.

→ More replies

240

u/OneSaltyStoat Mar 20 '23

Ah, a fellow aficionado of the funny samurai viking knight game!

70

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

Don’t forget the Chinese and Assorted ethnicities

53

u/Itram-12 Fighter Mar 20 '23

Assorted ethnicities lmao

7

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

Idk what else to call them

Other than Pirate who should have been a Wu-lin tbh they kinda are just random ethicity warriors

23

u/AlmostButNotQuiteTea Mar 20 '23

YOU ARE A RAIDER. LEGENDARY

→ More replies
→ More replies

69

u/MrRedorBlue Mar 20 '23

Not enough shoulder bashing

43

u/777Zenin777 Druid Mar 20 '23

That's why he lost.

→ More replies
→ More replies
→ More replies

1.0k

u/PetrusScissario Halfling of Destiny Mar 20 '23

I will always cherish the memory of when my fighter got disarmed and proceeded to action surge hockey punch the enemy into the ground.

710

u/akornzombie Mar 20 '23

Your opponent made the classic mistake: they assumed that because they were disarmed, that they were harmless.

If a fighter is still breathing, they're still a threat.

310

u/kalel_79 Mar 20 '23

Other classic blunders that opponent might have made could be getting involved in a land war in Asia or going against a Sicilian, when death is on the line

→ More replies

46

u/Headless_Mantid Mar 20 '23

"I'm a fighter, not a swordsman, bitch"

77

u/xero_peace Psion Mar 20 '23

Be a monk. You literally have to be disarmed to be disarmed.

97

u/mad_mister_march Mar 21 '23

Yeah, but then you have to play a monk, and that's it's own punishment.

→ More replies
→ More replies
→ More replies
→ More replies

556

u/Equivalent_Hat5627 Mar 20 '23

What is that video from

771

u/Reluctant-Paladin Druid Mar 20 '23

The elder scrolls online high isle trailer.

Music: Ich will instrumental.

196

u/hovdeisfunny Mar 20 '23

Music: Ich will instrumental.

Lol, "I want instrumental"

→ More replies

28

u/Cartmaaan-brah Mar 20 '23

I’ve never heard this song before in my life and immediately knew Rammstein made it lol

10

u/Dan_the_Marksman Mar 20 '23

I’ve never heard this song before

https://youtube.com/watch?v=QkBPoGCPE04&feature=shares&t=125 the chorus always gives me chills during the live performances

→ More replies

26

u/chrisrobweeks Mar 20 '23

These trailers made me so excited for ESO. It's too bad they didn't really live up.

11

u/HighlanderSteve Mar 20 '23

Animation teams on their way to make the most badass cinematic trailer of all time for the lamest MMOs:

→ More replies

29

u/Beefyhaze Mar 20 '23

Its one of the Elder Scrolls Online trailers.

→ More replies

10

u/KaEeben Mar 20 '23

The elder scrolls online high isle trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaI-EOVpDvo

→ More replies
→ More replies

2.1k

u/Vultz13 Mar 20 '23

As a mage main I got nothing but respect for the fighters I’ve played alongside. They get really creative in combat.

The fighters I’ve dmed for less so.

But it’s gotten to the point where I will add a little melee to my magic dnd:Hexblade pathfinder probably magus.

511

u/AdmirableSpirit4653 Mar 20 '23

What were they doing? How is it looks like to play creatively in combat for fighter?

741

u/Vultz13 Mar 20 '23

Typically “can I do something unconventional but badass like in an action movie?”

My response; “Make a (appropriate roll or check)”

Or they go full Goblin Slayer and just be REALLY pragmatic.

256

u/AdmirableSpirit4653 Mar 20 '23

Does that something "unconventional" gives them some advantage?

377

u/Vultz13 Mar 20 '23

Not necessarily I like to reward players who think outside the box both in and out of combat while they use what they have.

I once had a dwarf fighter ask if they could wallrun to get clear of a hallway of ghouls and engage them from the other side. He succeeded at all his rolls and the few ghouls capable of reaching him failed to land they’re opportunity attacks. He got extra xp after the fight.

This was an in person game I played years ago tho.

Now my current fighters are well. I purposely threw a mini boss at them while dropping hints then outright telling them to try be creative and they just kept trying to hit him. It was a slog.

207

u/scatterbrain-d Mar 20 '23

Now my current fighters are well. I purposely threw a mini boss at them while dropping hints then outright telling them to try be creative and they just kept trying to hit him. It was a slog.

This is what the rules tell them to do. Don't design an encounter around what you hope the players will do.

Also don't "drop hints." What might seen obvious to you might not to them. Just outright say, "If you try to do something unconventional like [at least two examples], I will call for appropriate checks and give you a bonus if you pass them." There's no need to be coy about it.

→ More replies

107

u/Level7Cannoneer Mar 20 '23 edited Mar 20 '23

Why do they have to do an appropriate check if you aren’t giving them an in-battle reward? There’s an added chance to failure if you try to do something unique and cool, or you could just roll in boring vanilla ways and skip the chance to fail.

You’re punishing creativity without realizing it, which would explain why everyone who you DM for refuse to be creative.

Your options are:

A. Just let them do cool stuff without rolling to see if it fails. It’s not gonna break the game if they just want to do a cool matrix dodge slash meanwhile the wizard can just yawn and take out an entire army with one spell.

B. Add reward to the risk. Let them do bonus damage, or reduce the enemy AC, or just gain advantage/inspiration if they pass the risky skill check.

87

u/sornorth Mar 20 '23

Don’t forget that some of these creative actions may not be RAW friendly either - like their example, wall running, is a monk thing not a fighter thing. That is something extra that would require a check to pull off, or be un-doable otherwise

→ More replies

59

u/CXDFlames Mar 20 '23

Any action with a consequence for failure requires a check. Thems the rules.

In above example, if he wants to reposition to the other side of a hallway past enemies, normally that's generally not possible unless you're strong enough to bull rush through opponents.

A dex check to parkour around a hallway over them to be able to flank, is an advantage in itself.

Failing the check means falling and being completely surrounded and probably prone. That's basically a dead pc.

→ More replies
→ More replies
→ More replies

27

u/rpg2Tface Mar 20 '23

By raw. No. And so many people say that you shouldnt be allowed to do anything stronger than a normal attack.

But my opinion is that that opinion is stupid. Being creative should be rewarded. And of that results in slightly stronger martials over all, GREAT!

→ More replies

40

u/StarkMaximum Barbarian Mar 20 '23

Man, sometimes the "advantage" is just "making the game more engaging for everyone".

→ More replies
→ More replies

117

u/ClearConfusion5 Battle Master Mar 20 '23

I will forever fondly look back at the level 20 fighter in my party, who, when fighting the wizard BBEG in a final stand, stuck his sword point down into the ground, and beat the shit out of him with his bare hands. Truly, an inspiration.

30

u/Peptuck Halfling of Destiny Mar 20 '23

Metal Gear climax!

33

u/ClearConfusion5 Battle Master Mar 20 '23

If you mean revengance, the fighter in question was more like armstrong, it was painfully one sided. See, the dm panicked, and so did the bbeg, meaning they flailed uselessly for a bit while this 7 foot goliath in maybe 150 pounds of +3 full plate armor wailed on them with some of the luckiest rolls, and so many buffs.

→ More replies
→ More replies
→ More replies

21

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23 edited Sep 14 '23

[deleted]

11

u/Vultz13 Mar 20 '23

Might not be RAW but it was a raw move… I’m sorry I’ll see myself out.

→ More replies

16

u/MDCCCLV Mar 20 '23

The problem is 5e where you do action hit bonus action hit. If you do something different that requires an action and it doesn't work, then you can't even bonus action hit. So fighters are really just better off hitting all the time and not doing anything else.

→ More replies

21

u/kboy101222 DM (Dungeon Memelord) Mar 20 '23

I had a player ask me the other day if they could go "full Goblin Slayer" on the enemies.

Problem is that the only thing I know about goblin slayer is a certain thing that happens in episode 1...

(If anyone doesn't get this, I encourage you not to Google it. If you want to, SA/ SV warning)

→ More replies
→ More replies

50

u/Capn_Of_Capns Forever DM Mar 20 '23

I don't know about them, but whenever I play a fighter I always leverage my high Str score to achieve results that would take multiple rounds of combat. Don't need to fight the enemy if you throw the enemy off a cliff. Can't cast spells while being drowned in a river or barrel of water. Doorway blocked by 500 pounds of assorted crap in front of it is much better than "locked."

I'll never forget the time the GM had an enemy fling my fighter in full plate into the middle of the river and smugly declared "better come up with something quick before you drown!" Her plan was for my character to cut the straps on his armor and swim to safety, thereby getting rid of my armor which was annoying her. I looked up the rules on how holding breath works. I don't remember them, but I do remember the math came out to be like five minutes of time, so even though I missed the combat my character was fine. Just calmly walked across the bottom of the river and back out.

16

u/rekcilthis1 Mar 20 '23

The rules for holding breath is 1+ con mod number of minutes, with a minimum of thirty seconds. So you would have had a con mod of like 3-5 depending on how accurate your memory is.

Although, armour has no effect on your ability to swim RAW. Being dunked in water is a significantly bigger problem for magic users, because verbal spells no longer work. I found that when a fairly easy encounter for a 5th level party (2 crocodiles in a river) turned into an absurdly difficult encounter because they kept being dragged into murky water; which blocks line of sight and shuts down verbal components, so the casters were kinda screwed.

→ More replies

14

u/AdmirableSpirit4653 Mar 20 '23

Wow, that's really sounds like something badass! I like it!

→ More replies

7

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

grappling hooks. My fighter did a LOT of rope swinging. Not real well... but he tried.

→ More replies
→ More replies

107

u/yogoo0 Mar 20 '23

Fighters always get a bad rap. They're seen as mostly action heavy since all their abilities relate to combat. And because of this it isn't hard to remember that you do damage when dice hit this number and don't have to worry about damage types, concentration, spell slots etc. So it's usually given to a first time player. Which gives a skewed bias to the role playing aspect of the character and the subtle actions that can be taken. Which leads to a reputation of simple silent people who only know how to swing a sword. And everything a warrior can do, someone else can do that much better. So once you start knowing how to play, it's unlikely you'll go back to warrior cause the other classes are just that much better for what you want to do.

Warriors are meant to be champions with combat skills that exceed everyone around them and to be a leadership beacon to rally behind

Warriors have just as much role play potential during combat as a bard does in a tavern

63

u/TomTalks06 Mar 20 '23

I've always seen the best Fighters as kinda like Captain America, heroes who are strategic powerhouses as well as being very physically capable, even if they're not magically powered like their peers.

42

u/MrCookie2099 Mar 20 '23

I liked the description of what they (and the rest of martials) were in 4th ed: physical geniuses, the embodiment of peak human (or whatever) physical ability. They are the Michael Jordans and Usain Bolts of sword and spear. Watching them carve monsters is like watching an art performance.

7

u/TomTalks06 Mar 20 '23

Ooo I'm stealing that idea next time I play as my wonderful fighter

→ More replies
→ More replies
→ More replies

18

u/Ghede Mar 20 '23

I want to have a feral fighter at some point.

Just a grunting sometimes naked man wielding a sword like it's a club.

Then underneath the layers of greasy unkempt hair, my party might actually spot a circlet. Turns out it was a cursed band of 'animal communication'. That rather than making you communicate with animals, it just drops your int into 'animal that can be trained to understand commands but not language' territory. In other words you are reduced to communicating like an animal.

The mid-thirties wizard is going to be quite upset when he realizes he's been shitting in public places and eating squirrels for a decade.

→ More replies

10

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

I like to always combine magic and melee

Because it’s fucking badass

→ More replies
→ More replies

1.4k

u/MadolcheMaster Mar 20 '23

Fighters are great. I wish the mechanics of the class lent itself to being cool and acting out the class fantasy that video presents

600

u/ThatOneGuyFrom93 Fighter Mar 20 '23

All fighters should bet battle maneuvers.. Battle Master should get a better die and more maneuvers etc

469

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

Man wouldn't it be sick to have actual progression instead of immediately getting your best maneuvers at level 3 and then spending the rest of your progression picking maneuvers like you were stuck picking between the creepy kids at dodgeball?

30

u/mrlbi18 Mar 21 '23

You mean like a warlock with invocations? Man don't you wish every class had a list of cool features you could pick from that got stronger as you level up?

→ More replies

86

u/starfries Mar 20 '23

cough 4e did it cough

37

u/GepanzerterPenner Mar 20 '23

3.5 tome of battle classes (Crusader, Warblade, Swordsage) also do this really well.

6

u/starfries Mar 21 '23

I forgot about that. Tome of Battle (and Path of War for PF1) were so much fun. Now I'm sad thinking about what we lost.

→ More replies

5

u/Kipdid Mar 20 '23

To be fair, a lot of other subclasses get their best option at the first or second subclass feature too. Assassin rogue, samurai fighter, WM sorc, etc etc

→ More replies
→ More replies

82

u/paladinLight Blood Hunter Mar 20 '23

Thats what I did. Every fighter gets 2 maneuvers and cant switch them out, and only get a d6 as the superiority dice, which they only get two of. Battle masters now basically are buffing a decent starting trait.

40

u/Cutie_D-amor DM (Dungeon Memelord) Mar 20 '23

so fighters get martial adept as a bonus feat, with an extra die

48

u/paladinLight Blood Hunter Mar 20 '23

Basically, yeah. They kinda need it, considering all the base class has is bonk.

→ More replies
→ More replies

86

u/gerusz Chaotic Stupid Mar 20 '23 edited Mar 20 '23

Either that, or it just shouldn't exist as a separate subclass.

Edit: Or I would support it being the basis of all weapon combat, with different classes having access to different amounts and types of maneuvers:

  • Artificers: half-martials, so 1 dice at level 1, +1 at levels 3, 7, and 15. 1 maneuvers at level 1, +1 at 3, 7, 10 and 15 with the possibility to replace one as well. Available maneuvers determined by subclass.
  • Barbarians: full-martials but already have rage, so they would have as many dice as a current battlemaster with a slightly different split (2 at level 1, +2 at levels 3, 7, and 15). 2 maneuvers at level 1, +2 at level 3, 7, 10 and 15 with a more limited choice (primarily dealing more damage and intimidating). Subclasses would include bonus maneuvers that don't count against the list of known maneuvers.
  • Bards: no dice, but valor and swords bards could learn maneuvers at the same rate as half-casters and can use their bardic inspiration in place of a superiority dice for them.
  • Clerics: those with martial weapon proficiency would be able to use their channel divinity as a superiority dice and get half-martial progression for maneuvers known.
  • Druids: nope, no dice.
  • Fighters: even more dice and maneuvers (one-and-a-half martial progression, basically): 3 dice at level 1 +3 at levels 3, 7 and 15; 3 maneuvers at level 1 +2 at levels 3, 7 and 10, and +3 at 15. Subclasses would include bonus maneuvers that don't count against the list of known maneuvers. Fighters would have the widest range of maneuvers available.
  • Monks: "ki dice" would replace ki points, martial arts moves would act as BM maneuvers. Full martial progression like the barbarians. Some features would just become free. Subclasses would include bonus moves that don't count against the list of known moves.
  • Paladins: half-martial progression like artificers, maneuvers determined by subclass.
  • Rangers: half-martial progression, maneuvers determined by subclass.
  • Rogues: full martial progression, subclasses would include bonus maneuvers that don't count against the list of known maneuvers.
  • Sorcerers: no dice.
  • Warlocks: hexblades would get half-martial progression, others would get no dice.
  • Wizards: no dice.

15

u/Frequent_Dig1934 Rules Lawyer Mar 20 '23

Honestly that makes a lot of sense. People always call paladins and rangers "half casters", which would mean that their other half is martial. If that simply means getting extra attack then that makes them the same as monks and barbarians who are instead full martials (excluding subclasses) and they even get more attacks than rogues (yeah i know the rogues get sneak attack and other cool stuff). It would be neat to instead have these two progression systems running parallel to eachother, so that either you focus on spells like a wizard or ignore spells and get maneuvers like a fighter or go in between like a paladin. It would even make sense to have lots of maneuvers specific to certain classes but then have the fighter or at least specific subclasses of fighter be able to use those too. The barbarian gets power strikes and stuff like frightening when the attack lands, the monk gets to move and knock prone people easily as well as stunning strike, the paladin gets stuff like commander's strike, the rogue gets parry and riposte or stuff to debuff the enemy, the ranger's hunter's mark could arguably be turned into a maneuver as well as his various multiattacks, and of course the fighter gets to pick and choose between all these options. One small note though, i'd argue only paladins, rangers and artificers (at least i think artificers, i haven't read their actual rules) should get dice at half martial rates. All the other casters with martial subclasses (including the bladesinger maybe) should get them at 1/3rd martial rates like how eldritch knight and arcane trickster are 1/3rd caster.

→ More replies

13

u/Brancamaster Mar 20 '23

StarWars 5e did this with their fighter class. Its a pretty good mechanic

11

u/tvs117 Mar 20 '23

Maneuvers we're originally baseline during play testing. Wizards thought it was to complicated for new players.

6

u/ThatOneGuyFrom93 Fighter Mar 20 '23

I hate when they try to hold our hand. I wish they just make it an option feature then.

→ More replies

148

u/sebastian_reginaldo DM (Dungeon Memelord) Mar 20 '23 edited Mar 20 '23

Wizard is overall my fav, but Battlemasters are by far the most fun class in combat imo.

Trip is great for advantage, but also halves their speed next turn.

Push to knock them into AoEs or set up another PAM opportunity attack.

Menace with a reach or thrown weapon to prevent them from hitting you with melee and give them disadvantage on ranged attacks.

Disarm to cripple the damage of giant combatants: from 3d12+5 to 5 damage. Niche, but specific types of enemies get screwed by this

Precision attack + GWM is just broken

PAM reaction attacks and Ripostes always give you something to do offturn. You can Push, Trip and Menace on your PAM attacks too

GWM gives you a tactical decision every attack not tied to a resource, which is really unique and interesting.

Action surge to blow up someone's hp

Battlemasters was the default Fighter in the 5e playtest but Grognards got angry so they made it a subclass -_-

I will never forgive them.

57

u/UltraInstinctLurker Ranger Mar 20 '23

Idea for a climactic final battle: battlemaster fighter gets blessed to have unlimited maneuvers for a certain time

19

u/RoboMan312 Mar 20 '23

“ULTRA COMBO KO”

20

u/Psychic_Hobo Mar 20 '23

I sorta wonder if it wouldn't be too OP to just declare the Battlemaster subclass features to just be Fighter class features

22

u/sebastian_reginaldo DM (Dungeon Memelord) Mar 20 '23

Samurai Battlemasters and Eldritch Knight Battlemasters would both be extremely strong, but probably not in the realm of "broken."

Champion might actually be half decent if you could choose to throw on extra dice whenever they get their extra crits.

Rune Knight and Arc*ne *rcher 🤮🤮🤮 would have a lot of resources they could burn through, so you might need to houserule that they can't use both on the same hit

→ More replies
→ More replies
→ More replies

83

u/Theblade12 Mar 20 '23

That's what all those twenty million combat feats in Pathfinder are for

→ More replies

23

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

In DCC, fighters get a chance to perform a “heroic deed” with every attack. There are dozens of examples, but you’re encouraged to make up your own deeds that make sense for your character or the situation at hand. I’ve never seen a better implementation of making fighters feel like they look in the movies.

→ More replies

54

u/waffle-lvl-100 Mar 20 '23

Monk is honestly just fighter with style, especially when you use kensai sub class. My current character is kensai monk and I enjoy it.

27

u/GearyDigit Artificer Mar 20 '23

Monk is also one of, if not the, weakest class in the system, because WotC put so much of its power budget in features you'll rarely ever use either due to lack of opportunity or due to lack of resources.

→ More replies
→ More replies
→ More replies

301

u/Slashtrap Rules Lawyer Mar 20 '23

Battlemaster is really fucking cool, i wish it wasn't a subclass

129

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

It should be something every Fighter subclass gets

80

u/MacMacfire Druid Mar 20 '23

It should be something every Fighter Martial subclass gets

22

u/Havelok Mar 20 '23

That's what I do. I give it automatically to Rogues, Fighters and Barbarians for free. Makes playing those classes actually interesting and attractive!

→ More replies
→ More replies
→ More replies

284

u/Jesterhead92 Mar 20 '23

The Fighter Fantasy is a compelling one

The problem is the mechanics don't always support the fantasy

But I also enjoy Fighters, the subclasses reeeeally come in clutch.

41

u/Jozef_Baca Bard Mar 20 '23

Have you heared of our lord and saviour...

8

u/Oshmosis Mar 20 '23

Do tell

24

u/Forgotten_Lie Forever DM Mar 21 '23

PF2e.

A D&D 5E fighter is making 1-4 attacks, maybe replacing an attack with a trip or shove, and if they have the right subclass or feats using a few maneuvers.

A PF2e fighter is choosing a unique and flavourable weapon best suited to their style and upcoming combat. They are entering a combat stance to give them certain situational benefits before choosing their Open strike (an Open can only be used with their first attack of the round). Then they use a Press Strike (which can only be used after they've already attacked) and they might conclude with a Flourish Strike (an intricate attack that can only occur once per a turn). They have multiple types of Open, Press, and Flourish Strikes they can make that combine damage with movement, trips, shoves, etc. They can also make a Feint where they pretend to Strike to make their enemy flat-footed to their next attack or instead shout in their opponent's face to Demoralize them.

20

u/Shock-Robin Mar 21 '23

I want to say probably Pathfinder 2E, maybe? Fighters are sick as all get out in that game, and are one of the strongest classes in the game.

9

u/BeakyDoctor Goblin Deez Nuts Mar 21 '23

Def PF2e

7

u/Alwaysafk Mar 21 '23

"In a game where martials are kings, the Fighter is a god"

→ More replies

9

u/PM_ME_STEAM_CODES__ Warlock Mar 20 '23

Yeah, I LOVE martials from a roleplaying perspective, but aside from Paladin they never really gave me what I wanted. So like 90% of the 5e character's I've played had both weapons and magic.

→ More replies

788

u/IDrawKoi Mar 20 '23

I love how in a world with mages that can wipe away armys with the wave of there hand and giant 4 story tall monsters, there are several people who picked up sharp peices of metal, strapped on some armor and decided to give it a shot.

484

u/Reluctant-Paladin Druid Mar 20 '23

"Magic is powerful you say? Then why can mages die from common colds?"

552

u/Ok_Conflict_5730 Mar 20 '23

fighter: "the mage died from natural causes"

cleric: "..."

cleric: "you caved their head in with a huge rock"

fighter: "rocks are natural"

96

u/LevelSevenLaserLotus Essential NPC Mar 20 '23

So naturally, he died.

60

u/Roshenha-Glensfield Dice Goblin Mar 20 '23

"Yeah, it'd be mighty UNNATURAL if they survived."

13

u/Frequent_Dig1934 Rules Lawyer Mar 20 '23

"We'd have to start looking around for their phylactery in that case."

→ More replies

84

u/IDrawKoi Mar 20 '23

*the common 7 stab wounds to the chest

36

u/felix_the_nonplused Rules Lawyer Mar 20 '23

28 stab wounds!

→ More replies
→ More replies

328

u/Charming_Account_351 Mar 20 '23

One of my favorite posts I ever read about fighters I thought beautiful summed them up and roughly went:

The fighter was asked “As your party stood before gods and demons, harnessing power that bent the very fabric of reality, what did you do?”

Fighter: “I kept up.”

I know this subreddit loves hating on fighters, but they’re badass and fun as shit to play.

155

u/StarTrotter Mar 20 '23

People always say this but I think people tend to like fighters, it’s just I think they tend to want fighters to be able to do a bit more.

44

u/Sgt_Sarcastic Potato Farmer Mar 20 '23

No one hates fighter. I love the fantasy of fighters. But mechanically, you don't "keep up." You have to get propped up by buffs and healing magic to stay relevant. I just want fighters to either have more options, or if they stick to only one thing, at least be the best at it. As it is, they do one thing, and they do it worse than any optimized spell caster.

→ More replies

116

u/Thecristo96 Mar 20 '23

This sub doesn’t shit on fighter, is pissed that wotc shits on fighters

→ More replies

36

u/telemusketeer Forever DM Mar 20 '23

I like to picture them as being very similar to the way Captain America is portrayed in the MCU. He knows that the aliens, gods, and magic that is used by his enemies and allies, along with the massive and world/galaxy-threatening stakes that are often on the line are WAY LARGER than him. Yet he still fights on. In Endgame, when it seems his allies are all defeated, and the gigantic army of space monsters and soldiers approaches, he still pulls himself up to his feet, tightens his broken shield, and prepares to keep fighting.

Sure he is a super-soldier and much stronger/faster/tougher than regular humans, but he is still just a human with really great fighting abilities, yet still manages to hold his own and fight for what he believes in. (Plus if they’re charismatic fighters, then they can give really cool speeches like cap does too Haha)

19

u/Frequent_Dig1934 Rules Lawyer Mar 20 '23

Sure he is a super-soldier and much stronger/faster/tougher than regular humans

Tbf wotc says it in a lot of their class descriptions, "people belonging to a Class are wildly better than people not belonging to one, not everyone who prays is a cleric and not every burglar is a rogue", and likewise cap could easily be described as a human fighter of a really high level.

→ More replies
→ More replies

30

u/Spyger9 Mar 20 '23

But those same worlds also often feature:

  1. Myriad ways to magically augment martial combatants

  2. Greater physical potential in humans/mortals

Seriously it's common for fantasy books, shows, and games to feature heroic warriors with the strength of 100 men that can tear through battlefields like a tornado and shrug off deadly spells without a care.

→ More replies

64

u/Donvack Mar 20 '23

Because when you spells fail and your incantations falter, my steel remains.

→ More replies
→ More replies

328

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

Man, that Battle Master fighter made good use of his superiority dice to win that fight. Looks like he's got Trip, Disarming, and maybe Feinting attacks along with a feat to Push enemies he hits. So he's at least level 4.

224

u/waffle-lvl-100 Mar 20 '23

He also might have the mage slayer feat with how well he handled the magic user up close.

91

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

Very true. Maybe he has Pushing instead of feinting and that feat.
Or he's just higher level than we think and not using his full arsenal.

51

u/waffle-lvl-100 Mar 20 '23

He does seem to be one of the heads of the cast, maybe even the king since the party attack him in the throne room if I remember right.

44

u/gerusz Chaotic Stupid Mar 20 '23

Unfortunately that's not how the mage slayer works which is why it sucks. Because this is how it should work.

→ More replies

59

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

The worst part is that he doesn't win the fight. The video cuts off before he loses.

57

u/paladinLight Blood Hunter Mar 20 '23

He probably would have won if he had any form of backup.

16

u/Watertor Mar 20 '23

Yeah the music drowns out his "WHERE'S MY TEAM" callouts

8

u/SuperJyls Paladin Mar 21 '23

Holding your own 3 v 1 is a victory in on itself

→ More replies

74

u/Ares54 Mar 20 '23

Gonna be that guy and say it's a PF2e fighter.

  1. Opens with Combat Assessment to analyze their opponents.
  2. When the three opponents try to flank hits them with a Quick Reversal
  3. Follows up with Knockdown to bring the mage to the ground
  4. Another Knockdown to elbow the barbarian and throw them off balance
  5. When the other Fighter attacks they Brutish Shove to throw them off the edge
  6. Takes a few hits but follows up with a Snagging Strike
  7. Is using Disruptive Stance, gaining the AoO against the mage when she tries to cast a spell and disrupts her concentration.
  8. Disarms the barbarian after being disarmed, then uses Knockdown again to bring them to the ground.

22

u/BeakyDoctor Goblin Deez Nuts Mar 21 '23

Absolutely. This isn’t a a 5e fighter. This is a PF2e Fighter.

7

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

That's cool! I've never played Pathfinder, so it's interesting to see how this fight would've flowed in that system if someone were to replicate it there.

→ More replies
→ More replies

954

u/AddictedToMosh161 Fighter Mar 20 '23

Yeah, always remember that John Wick not once used magic. Maybe he is just a lvl 20 fighter, showing all those charisma based pricks what you can accomplish with weapons and enough hit points.

475

u/Reluctant-Paladin Druid Mar 20 '23

"He took down three guys, with a pencil."

134

u/OneSaltyStoat Mar 20 '23

A. Fucking. Pencil.

41

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

A. *Fookin. Pencil.

16

u/Rekanvirr Mar 20 '23

You can say he schooled them, maybe even taught them a lesson :)

→ More replies
→ More replies

215

u/StarMagus Warlock Mar 20 '23

"Fighters are great when everybody they fight are lower level fighters."

Sure.....

142

u/Square-Ad1104 Mar 20 '23

Fair point given what was shown here, though that one lady clearly tried to pull out some magic near the end. Funnily enough, though, given their single-target focus Fighters are actually best at fighting individual powerhouses bigger and stronger than themselves.

21

u/ProfBleechDrinker Fighter Mar 20 '23

Another dude looks more like a ranger, though he went in with melee. The horned dude is deffo a fighter though, they have armor.

→ More replies

85

u/StarMagus Warlock Mar 20 '23

Was actually thinking of John Wick. He's a level 20 Fighter in a world where most of the people he is fighting are level 1 fighters.

34

u/Curioughfzfg Mar 20 '23

Just play for honor, inspired me to make more normal human fighters than I care to admit

16

u/rtakehara DM (Dungeon Memelord) Mar 20 '23

though that one lady clearly tried to pull out some magic near the end.

that's what most people would think, but hear me out. heavy armor, long sword, spellcasting as last resort, a level 3~5 eldritch knight can still be considered a "lower level fighter".

→ More replies

76

u/FishToaster Mar 20 '23

Oh come on - John Wick was definitely a zealot barbarian. I've never once seen a better film example of Rage beyond Death.

67

u/AddictedToMosh161 Fighter Mar 20 '23

I never really saw him as angry. More like determined. He seems very much in control. Not something I associate with a raging barbarian.

72

u/Sexybtch554 DM (Dungeon Memelord) Mar 20 '23

BRB. Making a zealot barbarian where I flavor my rage as sheer determination and will.

25

u/AddictedToMosh161 Fighter Mar 20 '23

You can do that. I will use my fighter feats for improved improvised weapons and kill people with a fuckin pencil. Or block attacks with my suit.

24

u/samaldin Mar 20 '23

He is raging in Tranquil Fury

31

u/Mooniebutt Goblin Deez Nuts Mar 20 '23

TVTropes calls that "Tranquil Fury". John Wick is a very...VERY angry man.

9

u/DerWaechter_ Mar 20 '23

I mean while it's called rage, you don't have to treat it as losing control and raging necessarily.

I have a barbarian in one of my games who plays it as more of a matter of determination and hyperfocus on the fight he is in. Basically tuning everything else around him out, reading his enemies, their moves, letting his training/experience guide him, etc. So he is extremely calm, not letting anything cloud his judgement.

In that sense it could absolutely apply to john wick too. A silent determination, where he won't be stopped by anything.

→ More replies

20

u/FishToaster Mar 20 '23

Yeah, but as far as I remember, he spends the latter half of the first movie perpetually at/near 0 hit points, but just barely continuing on "focus, commitment, and sheer will."

I think that if you interpret his determination as an internal rage, he fits a barbarian to a T.

→ More replies

9

u/not-a-velociraptor Mar 20 '23

I think Boromir's death was a pretty good example

47

u/Several-Operation879 Mar 20 '23

Pretty sure he's a barbarian with a dip in fighter and rogue

38

u/Reluctant-Paladin Druid Mar 20 '23

Or maybe he's Gonk

→ More replies
→ More replies
→ More replies

214

u/SkGuarnieri Fighter Mar 20 '23 edited Mar 20 '23

How playing the fight in 5e actually went:

7 rounds of "I use my generic attack action"
1 round of "i disarm"
1 final round of "I use my generic attack action, but i hit them with my fist instead"

It's not that the fantasy is boring, it's the system not really giving you any truly fantastical abilities no one else can pull off in a way.

39

u/SmokeyUnicycle Mar 21 '23

Fantastical abilities?

You can do less than a normal real life human can lmao

22

u/EsholEshek Mar 21 '23

"I want to disarm the peasant child."

"Sorry, you're not a Battlemaster..."

"But I'm a level 14 Fighter. I literally live for melee combat."

"... nor did you take the feat. You have no idea how to disarm someone."

7

u/perkunis Mar 21 '23

Yeah that is not even remotely true, of course you can try to disarm the child.

10

u/EsholEshek Mar 21 '23

Only if you're using optional rules.

Yes, I know that I'm being obtuse.

→ More replies

155

u/GearyDigit Artificer Mar 20 '23

Once again, people aren't saying Fighters (and Martials in general) are bad flavor-wise, they are bad mechanically. Showing video game fight scenes doesn't change how Fighters actually play mechanically in 5e.

49

u/UltimateInferno Mar 20 '23

"This thing is weak"

"I like thing! Thing is great! How dare you have issues with thing. I staunchly oppose the notion that the thing I like should be improved."

37

u/National_Drummer5371 Mar 20 '23

Ya statistically martials are the worst. Barbarians are the lowest on the graphs. Bur people still love barbarians as well as all martials because they're fun

36

u/GearyDigit Artificer Mar 20 '23

I like the idea of Barbarians, but I'd be hard pressed to play one in 5e.

20

u/National_Drummer5371 Mar 20 '23

Low optimization tables I'd play one, but the class total would be more fighter with only about 4 levels of barbarian

→ More replies
→ More replies
→ More replies

102

u/Paradoxjjw Mar 20 '23

The fantasy of a fighter vs the reality of 5e's mechanics for a fighter. I love the fantasy of fighters, but 5e's mechanics for fighters do not do that fantasy justice.

15

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

→ More replies

158

u/Antoen_0 Mar 20 '23

Me too, nice , can the system support my fantasy please ?

40

u/MARPJ Barbarian Mar 20 '23

Come to PF2e, our fighters are stupid good crit machines

17

u/Antoen_0 Mar 20 '23

Our next campaign will be, we started reading the manual after the fiasco and it's everything we wanted.

→ More replies
→ More replies

146

u/thefeas Mar 20 '23

Soon-to-be immortal BBEG, about to deploy super weapon in a magic-nullification chamber: There's nothing you can do to stop me. All your powers are useless here.

Fighter: haha great weapons master goes brrrrrrr

57

u/thefeas Mar 20 '23

Hardwon: go ahead and add 10 to each of those hits for a total of....... 297

19

u/akornzombie Mar 20 '23

BBEG: ow......

→ More replies

6

u/BoardButcherer Mar 20 '23

Gnome Kensai in Baldur's Gate 2 cemented my eternal fascination with exotic fighter classes.

Weapons master go BRRRRR indeed.

35

u/globmand Mar 20 '23

That’s what a fighter should be, and it’s insanely cool. Which is why ‘hit. dead? hit again.’ is such a disappointment. Fighters can be fun, but only if you massively rule of cool it / homebrew it, meaning it’s a disappointment from wizard of the coasts side.

63

u/Nyadnar17 DM (Dungeon Memelord) Mar 20 '23

Looks cool. To bad I can’t do any of that shit with 5e.

“John Wick is a 20th level fighter!” And his greatest opponent is a three story fall….sounds about right for 5e.

60

u/dantheforeverDM Mar 20 '23

I see martial characters like this too though. There are many ways to kill or harm a person, with just one weapon, while spells are kinda limited to be "i wave hands and shit dies".

The problem is that the mechanics don't support this image, unless you spend five minutes explaining something that could be done in thirty seconds.

That's why i can't stand playing pure martials in longer fights. You can't come up with cool descriptions to your seventh hit, that didn't even bloody the enemy.

For oneshots, it's fine, unless there is a specific time constraint.

→ More replies

68

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

Fighters and Barbarians literally do not give a shit about magic and just beat things until they stop moving.

23

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

Correct.

22

u/GearyDigit Artificer Mar 20 '23

Unfortunately, force cage.

22

u/Galilleon Mar 20 '23

Not just that, but force cage + long rest into something that counters your build, like PW:K/Disentegrate vs Zealot Barbarian

Unfortunately we martial mains are doomed to rely on a spell caster eventually

→ More replies
→ More replies

10

u/akornzombie Mar 20 '23

With extreme violence and enthusiasm!

→ More replies

13

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '23

I love how the group doesn’t just get completely wiped and actually managed to trip up Armor Dude a few times. Like, yeah he’s skilled but even he has gaps in his attention

32

u/mobgabriel1 Mar 20 '23

the elf using magic only to backfire was a scene from last session where the enemy wizard used heat metal on my fighter only for it to get grappled,make contact with the armor where he used heat metal and instantly lose the concentration on the spell

8

u/Herahe Mar 20 '23

Oh that's just perfect I'll have to remember that one

14

u/NZillia DM (Dungeon Memelord) Mar 20 '23

Yeah fighters are pretty good when you’re fighting against other nonmagical melee guys

Not so much when you find like A 35ft gap

→ More replies

35

u/Grimmaldo Sorcerer Mar 20 '23

Dont make me tap the sign again

"People complaining/joking about martial being weak are mostly martial enjoyers ghat like them and want them to be way better, the ones that arent and do it for dumb reasons are just idiots"

39

u/0ld_Snake Mar 20 '23

That's how I see Fighter as well, and then I play him and it's boredom. Sadly.

13

u/Jozef_Baca Bard Mar 20 '23

Thats how fighters should be, but in dnd you either have magic or are just boring and weak

Pf2e does it way better, even without magic you can be dominating the battlefield and doing cool superhuman stunts

→ More replies

8

u/Neknoh Mar 20 '23

Everybody out there being Sypha and Alucard

I just wanna be Trevor

38

u/GrymEdm Mar 20 '23

May I interest you in an analysis of fighters in Pathfinder 2 measured against DnD? And if that engages you here's a 2nd video about how PF2 fighters rock. I offer because I think PF2's version is much more engaging and likely inspired DnD's current attempts to spice up martials.

8

u/Dinomide Chaotic Stupid Mar 20 '23

That motherfucker parried a spell. Badass

14

u/OneSaltyStoat Mar 20 '23

Everybody gangsta till the Fighter goes "Miserum!"

11

u/justadiode Chaotic Stupid Mar 20 '23

I need that brutal melee Counterspell to be in the official rules

16

u/Hapless_Wizard Team Wizard Mar 21 '23

Once upon a time, casting a spell in melee provoked attacks of opportunity. That should be a thing again.

→ More replies

6

u/atfricks Mar 20 '23

If Mage Slayer could interrupt the casting of the triggering spell by breaking concentration, that's basically what it is, if a little less explosive.

6

u/DrHot216 Mar 20 '23

A yes my second favorite scene from Shrek

5

u/amtap Chaotic Stupid Mar 20 '23

My next character will be a Duergar Rune Knight with the unarmed fighting style. Looking forward to being large whenever I feel like it and huge once per day. Gonna grab the sentinel feat and a whip so nobody can get past me when necessary.

→ More replies