Brave Fighter (3.5e Class)

Brave Fighter
The brave fighter is a man at arms who is master in combat. Really, it's a replacement to the normal Fighter class, taking elements from previous and future edition fighters and brought up to the strength of others through it.

Making a Brave Fighter
Abilities: As front line warriors, brave fighters value Strength over all, shortly followed by Constitution and perhaps Dexterity, based on their armor choices. Their mental ability scores matter less, though a strong Intelligence helps with more skill points, and Charisma is useful for those going the leader of men route.

Races: Any.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 5d4&times;10 gp (125 gp).

Starting Age: As fighter.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Brave Fighter.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A brave fighter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields). Alternatively, they may trade out tower shield proficiency for a single exotic weapon proficiency.

The brave fighter gains an additional bonus feat at 2nd level and every two fighter levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as fighter bonus feats. A brave fighter must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.

In addition to normal fighter bonus feats, the brave fighter may select the following feats as well: Leadership

These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. A brave fighter is not limited to the list of fighter bonus feats when choosing these feats.

Whenever the brave fighter levels up, he may choose to swap out any and all of the bonus feats granted by this class. Feats must retain their pre-requisites as normal, but he is not locked in his choices forever. He may also choose to do this after 24 hours of training.

If all their ability scores are the same, they can place it in any score. For example, a brave fighter with Str 18, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, and Cha 8 can apply their bonuses to any score except Strength.

If a brave fighter has traded a feat out for an ability increase they cannot trade this "feat" out later as above. The ability increase is permanent.

 : Starting at 3rd level, a brave fighter learns to be more maneuverable while wearing armor. Whenever he is wearing armor, he reduces the armor check penalty by 1/3rd his class level (to a minimum of 0) and increases the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by his armor by 1/3rd his class level. In addition, a brave fighter can also move at his normal speed while wearing medium armor.

At 7th level, a brave fighter can move at his normal speed while wearing heavy armor, and may use evasion and tumble in all armors.

They do not need to qualify for this.

 : At 5th level a brave fighter applies the effect of many weapon specific feats (such as Weapon Focus) to all weapons they are proficient with, and the numerical bonuses are increased by +50% for the weapon they have focus in. For example, a brave fighter with Weapon Focus (longsword) and Greater Weapon Focus (longsword) would gain +3 to attack with longswords, and +2 attack with anything else.

At 9th level, a brave fighter can change what their weapon specific feats apply to as a full round action, the bonuses for the weapon are doubled for the weapon you have focus in, and +50% for every other weapon. For example, the brave fighter gains +4 from Weapon Focus (longsword) and Greater Weapon Focus (longsword), while they get +3 with anything else.

 : At 6th level, brave fighters can make one of their iterative attacks as well as their normal attack in the same standard action. Effectively it grants them pounce, though limited to only one of their iterative.

At 11th, and again at 16th, a brave fighter receives another iterative attack they may make on a standard action. A single classed brave fighter can always make a full attack as a standard action as his BAB matched up with when rapid attacks are gained.

 : Brave fighters of 11th level can make multiple attacks with minimal losses. Their iterative attacks never go lower than -5. Thus a BAB +10 attack pattern would be +11/+6/+6, rather than +11/+6/+1.

 : A level 13th brave fighter gains DR 5/- as long as they are not helpless or immobilized. It represents defending against attacks with parries, blocks, and other fighting techniques which help reduce otherwise fatal blows.

At 17th level, a brave fighter's DR rises to DR 10/-.

 : A 15th level brave fighter is hard to take down. They may delay any negative effect for 1 round, up to and including dying from spells or hit point loss. If they gain an effect which counteracts the negative effect, it may be removed before it comes into play. For example, a brave fighter is reduced to -30 hp, but receives healing to bring him back to positive numbers before the end of his next turn, and so he does not die.

At 19th level, he may delay effects up to 3 rounds.

 : A 20th level brave fighter is a thing of legend. All their equipment is considered artifacts while it is in their possession, rendering it immune to being destroyed or suppressed. They gain DR 15/- and Fast Healing 10 as well, and if they are ever killed they will be reborn after a year and a day in a random location on their home plane, as if subject to reincarnate, as long as their soul is intact. If they are restored to life before that, it costs no XP or GP, and causes no negative levels or Con loss.

Epic Brave Fighter
Bonus Feat: Epic brave fighters continue to gain bonus feats at 22nd and every even level beyond.

Extra Attack: Unlike other classes, who receive a maximum of 4 attacks from high BAB, an epic brave fighter continues to receive extra attacks at 21st and every five levels beyond.

Rapid Attack: An epic brave fighter continues to gain rapid attacks, matching up with the extra attacks they receive at 21st and every five levels beyond.

Human Brave Fighter Starting Package
Weapons: Longsword.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 5 + Int modifier.

Feat: Power Attack.

Bonus Feats: Cleave, Dodge.

Gear: Chain Shirt.

Gold: 10 gp.

Playing a Brave Fighter
Religion: Brave Fighters come from all walks of life, both the religious, and the not.

Other Classes: Other classes see fighters as the first line of defense, the guy who draws fire and lays on the smack down.

Combat: You're a fighter, get on the front lines.

Advancement: The same options fighters have sync well with brave fighters.

Brave Fighters in the World
"So I stabbed him."

Daily Life: Brave fighters are still people. When they aren't fighting, they're off socializing or doing other things.

Organizations: Everyone needs fighting men, most of all armies. Spellcasters may be a rare sight but a brave fighter can always expect to be backed up by his many battle brothers.

NPC Reactions: Fighting men are easy to understand and may either be brave heroes, or symbols of terror.

Brave Fighter Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge Nobility can research brave fighters to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Brave Fighters in the Game
Adaptation: Use the brave fighter to replace the regular fighter!