WΔRRIOR

Vagabond

A long time ago, Sahh asked me to do another WΔRLOCK-type post. This is that.

I've already written a 5e Fighter rework, but I don't think it really holds up. Use this instead.

* * * * *

You become a Fighter by fighting a Fighter. (The Fight is infectious, in that way.)

When you defeat a Fighter, you learn one of their Techniques. (You need to see their Technique in action and figure out what it actually is, or you won't be able to learn it.)

This is the only way to become a Fighter.

 

Your Fighter level is the number of Techniques you know.

At Level 1, you recognize other Fighters on sight, and they recognize you. Fighters rarely get along, for obvious reasons.

Once per session, when you meet or initiate combat with an NPC, you may declare that they are a Fighter, then laugh and laugh as the GM scrambles to assign Techniques to them. (This will, obviously, make combat with them a lot harder.)

At Level 3, you can tell, at a glance, if a creature is your superior, equal, or inferior in any combat-relevant statistic. This includes (but is not limited to) current and maximum HP, level, # of Techniques known, and # of weapons on their person.

At Levels 6, 10, 15, and 21, you can attack an additional time per turn.

 

You can invent new Techniques by combining ones you already know. This takes resources (a dedicated dojo space, ancient martial texts, and/or a community of other Fighters) and time (one session playing as a different character).

If you've learned the same Technique twice, you can combine it with itself to get an exaggerated version of that Technique. 

Either way, this will attract prospective disciples and enemy Fighters.

(Optional) If a Fighter defeats you and allows you to live, you may begin developing a Technique to counter their own. If you do, you will definitely cross paths with them again, when both of you are stronger.

* * * * *

ΔRTS OF WΔR

If you try to use a Technique you've learned without internalizing it, you're likely to push your limits and hurt yourself (Save vs. 1d6, or more if it's especially dangerous). You internalize a Technique through meditation, achieving physical perfection, and esoterick training methods. Think of them as side-quests.

Anyone can learn and use these Techniques without becoming a Fighter. It's just that the only people who can teach Techniques are Fighters, and they are rarely keen on sharing.

Δ: Archer Eyes
Train with a ranger lord for a session; or, Somehow acquire cooler eyes.
Spend 1/2/3 turns locking on to guarantee your next attack from across a room/a clearing/a battlefield.

Δ: Dueling Stance
Train with an etiquette coach for a session; or, Marry royalty of any stripe.
You deal +2 damage when fighting with one hand behind your back.

Δ: Great Weapon Fighting
Train with a monster hunter for a session; or, Cook and eat something Huge or larger.
Reroll 1s and 2s when attacking or dealing damage with two-handed weapons. 

Δ: Perfect Defense
Train with a berserker-knight for a session; or, Become locked inside a suit of armor, forever.
You have +1 AC. You have an additional +1 AC while upholding an extremely inconvenient oath.

Δ: Protector's Oath
Train with a martyr for a session; or, Die for someone else, and come back.
Once per round, you can take an attack for someone in arm's reach. (It ignores your AC.) If they were an enemy, they remake their reaction roll with an additional +2.

Δ: Two Swords Style
Train with a swordwife for a session; or, Get legally married to two or more swords.
You deal +1 damage for each sword you are currently holding.

[To "train for a session," play another character for at least one session. The Fighter returns to the game a soon as is feasible in-fiction.]

Karate Baka Isekai

Δ: Action Surge
Knock yourself unconscious three times by pushing your limits.
Once per day, you can act twice in combat.

Δ: Indomitable
Wear the severed head of a tyrant or slaver on your waist.
You can take 1d6 damage to make a failed Save.

Δ: Second Wind
Travel three days and three nights without rest, carrying another on your back.
Once per day, you can purge yourself of all fatigue and one condition.

Δ: Improved Critical
Crit the same target three separate times.
Your critical hit range is 19-20.

Δ: Superior Critical
Crit the same target seven separate times.
Your critical hit range is 18-20. When you crit another Fighter, you may learn one of their Techniques. (You still need to figure out their Technique before you learn it.)

Δ: Brutal Critical
Deal 40+ damage in a single strike.
When you crit a target, disable OR copy one of their abilities for the next hour (i.e. injure a dragon's wing or fly via sheer willpower).

Δ: Unarmored Defense
Survive 40+ damage from a single strike.
Treat your exposed abs as plate armor.

Δ: Remarkable Athlete
Win a shiny medal in a crowded arena.
You can climb as fast as you can run, jump twice as far and high, and hold your breath four times as long.

Δ: Survivor
Have a near-death experience.
You don't fall unconscious at 0 HP. (You still make Death Saves.)

Δ: Student of War
Watch a historic battle unfold from a tall vantage point.
You can spot 2 flaws in any battle plan. If you shout very loudly, dumb animals and nameless goons will follow your orders for a few seconds.

Δ: Combat Superiority
Defeat a fighting force 10 times larger than yours.
Dumb animals and nameless goons never, ever fuck with you.

Δ: Weapon Bond
Sleep in the wilderness with nothing but your weapons for a week. If you sleep with any creature comforts, start over.
You can't be disarmed of your weapons as long as you are conscious. They will leap a short distance into your hands, when called.

Δ: War Magic
Never wear armor. Instead, wear a tall, goofy hat that screams "I'm a wizard!"
Whenever you cast a spell, you may attack as a bonus action.

Δ: Eldritch Strike
Eat or marry an intangible thing.
You cut through illusions and ghosts like paper.

Δ: Arcane Charge
Carry five curses from five different wizards.
You are immune to magic as long as you are charging in a straight line.

Δ: Deflect Missiles
Walk across a 100+ man battlefield without getting hit.
You can catch as many projectiles per round as you have free hands.

Δ: Born to the Saddle
Stay mounted for three days. Sleep in the saddle.
You can't be dismounted.

[this is about where I started getting bored of adapting the "canon" Fighter abilities. the completion thereof--as well as of the Monk/Ranger/Rogue/Paladin/Barbarian abilities--is left as an exercise to the reader]

Negimaki Kagyu

Δ: Nothing Personnel
Wear sunglasses, carry a cursed katana, and hold onto your virginity. If you've already lost it, get it back.
If no one is looking at you (even for a moment), you can disappear and reappear directly behind an enemy, unless it would be impossible for you to do so.

Δ: Scabbard Cut
Cut down a tree with a fish.
You can treat any sword-shaped object, from a scabbard to a toothpick, as if it were a medium sword.

Δ: Sword Step
Marry the wind; or, Walk across a warm lake without getting wet.
You can balance perfectly on an outstretched weapon or flying projectile, as if weightless.

Δ: Hawk's Gambit
Fall from the top of the tallest tower.
You deal +2 damage while fighting in midair (suspended from a wire is a-ok; standing on the ceiling is not).

Δ: Killing-Shadow
Kill your doppelganger; or Become a Creature of the Night.
The shadow of your sword can cut, if it is dark enough.

Δ: Gentle Cutting Storm
Swing a weapon straight through a loved one without hurting them.
You can take an extra turn of attacks. Don't roll damage for them until you sheathe your weapon dramatically (takes a full turn).

Δ: The Fletching Arts
Shoot through two monstrous eyes with a single shot.
You can ignore cover and curve projectiles around corners.

Δ: Like a Ghost
Let no one, not even yourself, remember your name.
When you kill someone, turn briefly invisible. 

One Punch Man

Δ: Exploding Point Excavating Burst
Level a small hill via explosive means.
You can cast Fireball centered on the tip of your finger.

Δ: Iron Cloth
Kill someone with a necktie.
You may treat cloth as steel.

Δ: World Tree Root Stance
Drink from a tree root deep underground.
You can't be moved against your will, even while dead or unconscious.

Δ: Dark Sky Trial
Acquire a 1' grip diameter, somehow.
You can fire a high, arcing arrow at everything in a 1000' radius as an action. This briefly blots out the sun.

Δ: Red Hot Fist
Set yourself on fire for an hour.
You can light a fire/burn thru wood/heat metal with 1/2/3 turns of rapid, continuous, noisy strikes.

Δ: Sword Swallowing
Eat a legendary sword.
You can hide weapons in your throat. While you do this, you can't talk, and your throat is impervious to slashing damage.

Δ: Extreme Equestrian
Learn the 6 dark secrets of horses.
With a 60' running start, your mounts can charge straight up a wall or do a wall-run. They may still struggle with stairs.

Δ: Tseren's Ear
Listen to the song of the elusive Col Do Ma Ma Daqua.
You can fight without sight, so long as you can hear.

Δ: Burial Chop
Literally push someone into Hell.
With a swift chop, you can bury someone in the ground up to their chest.

Δ: Healing Factor
Become best friends with a troll. (This is widely considered impossible.)
You may heal 1d6 HP/round. If you overheal, Save vs. mutation.

Δ: Turtle Power
Don't sweat it. Turns out, it's really easy.
You can suck each of your appendages into your torso, individually or all at once.

Δ: Swarchery
"Redefine archery," whatever that means.
You can shoot any size of weapon from a bow.

Δ: Hippo Wrestling
Bite thru an iron bar.
Your teeth count as a heavy weapon.

Δ: Qi Arts
Varies.
You can cast a spell. (This Technique is an umbrella term for Fighters that are just Wizards.)

(Add fantasy martial arts to taste.)

Yakuza Reincarnation

P.S. none of these are manga recommendations. They're just pictures with good vibes.

P.P.S. DO read Ranma 1/2 tho
and send me more pictures with good vibes