Adventures: Most fighters see adventures, raids, and dangerous missions as their job. Some have patrons who pay them regularly. Others prefer to live like prospectors, taking great risks in hopes of the big haul. Some fighters are more civic-minded and use their combat skills to protect those in danger who cannot defend themselves. Whatever their initial motivations, however, fighters often wind up living for the thrill of combat and adventure.

Characteristics: Of all classes, fighters have the best all-around fighting capabilities (hence the name). Fighters are familiar with all the standard weapons and armors. In addition to general fighting prowess, each fighter develops particular specialties of his or her own. A given fighter may be especially capable with certain weapons, another trained to execute specific fancy maneuvers. As fighters gain experience, they get more opportunities to develop their fighting skills. Thanks to their focus on combat maneuvers, they can master the most difficult ones relatively quickly.

Alignment: Fighters may be of any alignment. Good fighters are often crusading types who seek out and fight evil. Lawful fighters may be champions who protect the land and its people. Chaotic fighters may be wandering mercenaries. Evil fighters tend to be bullies and petty villains who simply take what they want by brute force.

Religion: Fighters often worship Heironeous, god of valor; Kord, god of strength; St. Cuthbert, god of retribution; Hextor, god of tyranny; or Erythnul, god of slaughter. A fighter may style himself as a crusader in the service of his god, or he may just want someone to pray to before putting his life on the line yet another time.

Background: Fighters come to their profession in many ways. Most have had formal training in a noble's army or at least in the local militia. Some have trained in formal academies. Others are self-taught-unpolished but well tested. A fighter may have taken up the sword as a way to escape the limits of life on the farm, or he may be following a proud family tradition. Fighters share no special identity. They do not see themselves as a group or brotherhood. Those who hail from a particular academy, mercenary company, or lord's regiment, however, share a certain camaraderie.

Races: Human fighters are usually veterans of some military service, typically from more mundane parents. Dwarven fighters are commonly former members of the well-trained strike teams that protect the underground dwarven kingdoms. They are typically members of warrior families that can trace their lineages back for millennia, and they may have rivalries or alliances with other dwarven fighters depending on their lineages. Elven fighters are typically skilled with the longsword. They are proud of their ability at swordplay and eager to demonstrate or test it. Half-orc fighters are often self-taught outcasts who have achieved enough skill to earn recognition and something akin to respect. Gnome and halfling fighters usually stay in their own lands as part of the area militia rather than adventuring. Half-elves are rarely fighters, but they may take up swordplay in honor of the elven tradition.

Among the brutal humanoids, few can manage the discipline it takes to be a true fighter. The militaristic hobgoblins, however, produce quite a number of strong and skilled fighters.

Other Classes: The fighter excels in a straight fight, but he relies on others for magical support, healing, and scouting. On a team, it is his job to man the front lines, protect the other party members, and bring the tough opponents down. Fighters might not much understand the arcane ways of wizards or share the faith of clerics, but they recognize the value of teamwork.

GAME RULE INFORMATION

Fighters have the following game statistics.

Abilities: Strength is especially important for fighters because it improves their melee attack and damage rolls. Constitution is important for giving fighters lots of hit points, which they'll need in their many battles. Dexterity is important for fighters who want to be good archers or who want access to certain Dexterity-oriented feats, but the heavy armor that fighters usually wear reduces the benefit of a very high Dexterity.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills

The fighter's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Jump (Str), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the fighter.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The fighter is proficient in the use of all simple and martial weapons and all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields. Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble. Also, Swim checks suffer a -1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armor and equipment carried.

Bonus Feats: At 1st level, the fighter gets a bonus feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to humans. The fighter gains an additional bonus feat at 2nd level and every two levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, etc.). These bonus feats must be drawn from the following list: Ambidexterity, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge (Mobility, Spring Attack), Exotic Weapon Proficiency*, Expertise (Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Whirlwind Attack), Improved Critical*, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike (Deflect Arrows, Stunning Fist), Mounted Combat (Mounted Archery, Trample, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge), Point Blank Shot (Far Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Shot on the Run), Power Attack (Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Sunder, Great Cleave), Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting (Improved Two-Weapon Fighting), Weapon Finesse*, Weapon Focus*, Weapon Specialization*.

Some of the bonus feats available to a fighter cannot be acquired until the fighter has gained one or more prerequisite feats; these feats are listed parenthetically after the prerequisite feat. A fighter can select feats marked with an asterisk (*) more than once, but it must be for a different weapon each time. A fighter must still meet all prerequisites for a feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.

Important: These feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets every three levels. The fighter is not limited to the list given here when choosing those feats.

Weapon Specialization: On achieving 4th level or higher, as a feat the fighter (and only the fighter) may take Weapon Specialization. Weapon Specialization adds a +2 damage bonus with a chosen weapon. The fighter must have Weapon Focus with that weapon to take Weapon Specialization. If the weapon is a ranged weapon, the damage bonus only applies if the target is within 30 feet, because only at that range can the fighter strike precisely enough to hit more effectively. The fighter may take this feat as a bonus feat or as a regular one.

Base	Attack	Fort	Ref	Will
Level	Bonus	Save	Save	Save	Special
1	+1	+2	+0	+0	Bonus feat
2	+2	+3	+0	+0	Bonus feat
3	+3	+3	+1	+1
4	+4	+4	+1	+1	Bonus feat
5	+5	+4	+1	+1
6	+6/+1	+5	+2	+2	Bonus feat
7	+7/+2	+5	+2	+2
8	+8/+3	+6	+2	+2	Bonus feat
9	+9/+4	+6	+3	+3
10	+10/+5	+7	+3	+3	Bonus feat
11	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+3
12	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+4	Bonus feat
13	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+4
14	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+4	Bonus feat
15	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+5
16	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+5	Bonus feat
17	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+5
18	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+6	Bonus feat
19	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+6
20	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+6	Bonus feat