Fighters

The Pen & Dagger RPG    Players & Heroes Book    Classes      Fighters

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Experts in weapons, tactics, and battle, fighters are the gladiators, champions, and generals who shape the tides of history.

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Fighter Heroes

Prerequisite: 12 Strength
Starting Hit Points: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Die: d10
Proficiencies: You are Trained in Parry, Martial Maneuvers, Weapons, Armor, Shields, and Initiative.
Skills: You can select three Skills.

Fighter Features

Action Surge

When you spend a hero's surge, you can take an extra action.

Combat Expertise

You know a Fighter Combat Feat of your choice. When you know a Fighter Combat Feat, you can use its attack action once per turn. In addition, you gain its benefit at all times.

Boon Option: Learn an additional Fighter Combat Feat.

Opportunity Attack

When an adjacent enemy you can see moves away from you or makes an attack that does not target you, you can spend a hero's surge to make a melee attack against them. If this attack misses, you do not expend your hero's surge.

If you attempt to interrupt an enemy’s attack, choose one ally targeted by that attack. Your opportunity attack and the defense attempt of that ally share the higher success level.
If you interrupt an enemy's movement with a successful attack, they lose the rest of that movement.
Boon Option: You can also make Opportunity Attacks against creatures that move into reach of your melee weapon.

Second Wind

You can spend a hero's surge for healing as part of your turn.

Boon Option: You can make an attempt to end an effect an attempt can end when you use this feature.

Telling Attacks

When you have limited success with a melee or Martial Maneuver attack made with a weapon, you deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to the target. This damage ignores armor.

This damage increases to 1d6 at level 3, 1d8 at level 7, and 1d10 at level 9, as defined in The Fighter table.

The Fighter

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Level	Benefit	Hero’s Surges	Telling Attacks Damage	Title
1	Fighter Features, Action Surge, Combat Expertise, Opportunity Attack, Second Wind, Telling Attacks	4	1d4	Squire
2	Combat Agility, War Craft	5	1d4	Soldier
3	Boon, Sentinel, Veteran	5	1d6
4	War Craft Feature	6	1d6	Knight
5	Valor	6	1d6
6	War Craft Feature	7	1d6	Myrmidon
7	Boon	7	1d8
8	War Craft Feature	8	1d8	Dragoon
9	Boon	8	1d10
10	Heroism	9	1d10

Fighter Combat Feats

Fighter Combat Feats

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Name	Attack Action (Once per Turn)	Benefit
Charge	Move at least 10' in a straight line then make a push attack with advantage or a melee attack.	If you move your full speed in a straight line before making an attack, you gain a +1 rank bonus to the attack.
Cleave	Make a melee weapon attack against two creatures in adjacent squares within range. These attacks do not benefit from bonus damage. If you use a different weapon for each attack, your targets do not have to be adjacent.	Once per round when your melee weapon attack or Telling Attacks feature reduces an enemy to 0 or fewer hit points, you can make a melee weapon attack against another adjacent enemy.
Deadly Maneuvers	Make two or more Martial Maneuver attacks at a -1 rank penalty per attack attempted.	When you make a Martial Maneuver attack with critical success, you can use the Devastating effect to make a weapon attack against the target.
Hamstring	Make a weapon attack with a -1 rank penalty. Until the end of the target's next turn, the distance it moves is reduced by 5' on a normal success, 10' on a major, and 15' on a critical. If the target regains hit points or spends an attack to end this effect, this effect ends.	Your attacks with major or better success against creatures who are unable to move at their normal speed deal your Telling Attacks damage.
Power Attack	Make a non-finesse weapon attack with a -2 rank penalty. This attack deals an additional 5 damage.	When you make an attack with disadvantage and hit with both rolls, deal your Telling Attacks damage.
Shield Wall	Make a shield bash attempt against the target and, until the end of the next turn, treat the target as if you took the defend action against it.	When you use a shield to successfully parry an attack, you suffer no ill effect from the attack.
Shield Expertise	Make a shield bash attempt. If this attack hits, make a weapon attack. This secondary attack deals no bonus to damage.	You can use a shield to parry attacks that target Dexterity.
Trample	Move up to your speed and deal your Telling Attacks damage to creatures you choose whose spaces you move though.	You can move through spaces of foes one size smaller than you with hindered movement.
Two-Weapon Defense	While wielding two weapons, take the defend action and use one weapon to make Parry attempts. At the start of your next turn, make a melee weapon attack with your other weapon. If you did not successfully defend against an attack since you took this action, this attack gains advantage.	Ignore the one-handed restriction when wielding two weapons. In addition, when you parry multiple attacks while wielding a weapon in each hand, you block an additional attack on a limited or better success.
Two-Weapon Fighting	Make an attack with disadvantage with two weapons you wield. If a 20 is rolled, the disadvantage for that attack is cancelled.	Ignore the 1-pound weight restriction when wielding two weapons. In addition, when you have advantage or reliability with an attack, you can forgo it to make an attack with each weapon you wield.

LEVEL 2 Fighters

Combat Agility

When your Opportunity Attack is triggered, you can move 5'.

War Craft

At level two, your study of battle hones you into a weapon of battle. Select your path of war craft.

Arcane Archer

Arcane Archers

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Combining training in ranged combat with study of the arcane, you are capable of unleashing explosive magical attacks.

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Prerequisite: 12 Intelligence

Arcane Shot

You learn two Arcane Shots. When you hit with a ranged weapon attack, you can spend a hero’s surge to enhance its effects with an Arcane Shot you know. In addition, you can trade your Action Surge action to enhance these shots.

At each even level after 2nd, you learn an additional Arcane Shot.

Banishing Shot

Until the end of its next turn, the target is banished to another realm in a state of stasis, unable to be harmed or take any action except to attempt to end this effect. A creature with more hit points than your maximum can spend an attack to end this effect.
Action Surge: Apply the same effect to yourself.

Beguiling Shot

Deal additional radiant damage equal to your Telling Attacks die and until the end of its next turn, the target considers a creature of your choice within your weapon’s range to be its ally. This effect ends if the ally attacks the target.
Action Surge: Become invisible until the start of your next turn.

Bloodthirsting Shot

Deal additional necrotic damage equal to your Telling Attacks die. If this attack kills a target, you can repeat the attack against a new target within your weapon’s range until the attack doesn’t kill a target.
Action Surge: Attack in concert with one of these attacks.

Combustive Shot

Deal additional fire damage equal to your Telling Attacks die to the target and all creatures and flammable objects within 5’ of it. Affected creatures and objects then catch fire, suffering this damage again at the start of their turns until an attack action is taken or an effect occurs to extinguish the flames.
Action Surge: Double this shot’s fire damage dice.

Grappling Shot

Your attack deals additional piercing damage equal to your Telling Attacks die and the target is grappled by a rope as if by you, the end of which appears in your hand.
Action Surge: Pull the target 20'.

Quake Shot

The target and all creatures within 10’ of it are knocked prone and take bludgeoning damage equal to your Telling Attacks die.
Action Surge: Double this shot’s bludgeoning damage dice.

Piercing Shot

Deal additional lighting damage equal to your Telling Attacks die and repeat the attack against all targets in a 15’ line behind the target.
Action Surge: Increase the attack area to a 60’ line.

Sapping Shot

Deal additional cold damage equal to triple your Telling Attacks die and the target is weakened until the end of its next turn. A creature with more hit points than your maximum can spend an attack to end this effect.
Action Surge: Make the effect permanent until the target spends a turn to end it.

Shadow Shot

Deal additional psychic damage equal to your Telling Attacks die and the target cannot see anything that is not adjacent to it until the end of its next turn. A creature with more hit points than your maximum can spend an attack to end this effect.
Action Surge: Make the effect permanent until the target spends a turn to end it.

Staggering Shot

Deal additional force damage equal to your Telling Attacks die and push the target 15’, plus 5’ as a hampering effect.
Action Surge: Repeat this attack.

Thunder Shot

Deal additional sonic damage equal to your Telling Attacks die and push yourself up to 15’ from the target, plus 5’ as a hampering effect.
Action Surge: Repeat this attack.

Tracer Shot

Your next ranged attack against the target within the next minute has unlimited range, does not require line of sight, ignores cover, concealment, and all forms of damage reduction, and gains advantage and reliability.
Action Surge: Gain this effect twice in the next minute.

Ranged Defenses

You become Trained in Dodge. In addition, you can Parry with ranged weapons.

Ranged Expertise

Some of your Fighter Combat Feats offer alternate effects.

Charge: You can use Charge's attack action to make two ranged attacks, though the attacks must be parallel to your movement and cannot benefit from bonus damage or deliver an Arcane Shot.
Cleave: Your Cleave benefit can trigger on a ranged weapon attack, though the additional attack must be the same ranged attack and target an enemy directly behind the target.
Power Attack: You can Power Attack with ranged finesse weapons.

Ranged Opportunities

You can use your Opportunity Attack with a ranged weapon when a creature you can see within range of a weapon you wield makes an attack against your ally.

Spellcasting

You learn the Prestidigitation cantrip.

Boon Options:

• Learn the Arcane language
• Become Trained in Arcane Magic and its Detect Magic feature.

LEVEL 4 Arcane Archer

Strafing Expertise

You learn the Charge Fighter Combat Feat. If you already knew Charge, instead learn a different Fighter Combat Feat.

Telling Shots

You can use your Telling Attacks feature with ranged attacks, though the additional damage deals your ranged attack’s damage type and must be dealt to a target adjacent to your target.

Boon Option: Your ranged attacks ignore disadvantage from Cover and Concealment.

LEVEL 6 Arcane Archer

Magic Arrows

Your ranged weapon attacks become magical and deal 1 additional damage.

Boon Option: Increase additional damage dealt with your Arcane Shots by your Intelligence modifier.

LEVEL 8 Arcane Archer

Hungering Arcana

After affecting a creature with Arcane Shot, the first time you see it move away from you or make an attack that doesn’t include you in the next minute, you can use your Opportunity Attack against it without expending a hero’s surge.

Cavalier

Cavaliers

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An expert in mounted combat, you are a fearless leader known for breaking lines and trampling down foes.

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Prerequisite: 12 Charisma

Calvary Skills

You gain the Handle Animal (Ride) and Acrobatics (Mount and Dismount) skills.

Lancer

While mounted, your weapon attacks are Adept

Boon Option: While mounted, you consider one-handed weapons you wield to possess the Calvary feature.

Vanguard's Expertise

You learn the Charge Fighter Combat Feat. If you already know Charge, instead select another Fighter Combat Feat. In addition, if you move your mount's full speed or have major success on a jump attempt immediately before making a successful Charge attack, increase your attack's damage by your weapon's damage die or deal your weapon's damage if the attack is a push.

Boon Option: Deal this additional damage on a normal success with a jump attempt.

Vanguard's Mien

If you hit a creature with a melee attack and none of your allies are adjacent to you or it, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Charisma modifier. These Temporary Hit Points stack with others but only last until the end of the battle.

Boon Option: Gain Advantage on defenses against fear.

LEVEL 4 Cavalier

Calvary Expertise

You learn the Trample Fighter Combat Feat. If you already know Trample, instead select another Fighter Combat Feat. In addition, while mounted, you maximize your Trample damage.

Boon Option: While mounted, remove all once per round limitations on Trample.

Relentlessness

You can spend a hero's surge to make a Martial Maneuver attempt against a target you strike with a melee attack at the same success level as the attack

Boon Option: Utilize your mount’s size in place of your own when you make mounted Martial Maneuver attempts

LEVEL 6 Cavalier

Combat Expertise

You learn a Fighter Combat Feat of your choice.

Linebreaker

You can use Opportunity Attack against a creature without spending a hero’s surge once per round, provided you are the only enemy adjacent to it.

Boon Option: Remove the once per round limitation.

LEVEL 8 Cavalier

Greater Calvary Expertise

You learn the Cleave Fighter Combat Feat. If you already know Cleave, instead select another Fighter Combat Feat. In addition, while mounted, you ignore all once-per-round limitations on Cleave.

Lead the Charge

When you use the Charge action on a creature with none of your allies adjacent to it, you can use Relentlessness against it without expending a Hero's Surge.

Master-at-Arms

Masters-at-Arms

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You are a cunning combatant skilled with all manner of weapons and capable of sending foes flying and falling before you, their armaments disarmed or sundered.

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Arms Expertise

You learn the Deadly Maneuvers Fighter Combat Feat. If you already knew Deadly Maneuvers, instead select another Fighter Combat Feat. In addition, you reduce Deadly Maneuver's rank penalty by one.

Expert in Arms

You become Adept with features of the weapons you wield.

Boon Option: Become Adept in Initiative and Martial Maneuvers.

Weapon Focus

Your attacks with different weapon groups gain certain benefits, as specified in the Master-At-Arms Weapon Focuses & Maneuvers table.

Boon Option: Weapons you wield benefit from features any weapon in their weapon group possesses.

LEVEL 4 Master-at-Arms

Tactician's Cunning

You gain Reliability with Initiative

Weapon Maneuvers

You can spend a hero's surge to execute powerful maneuvers based on the weapon you wield, as specified in the Master-At-Arms Weapon Focuses & Maneuvers table

LEVEL 6 Master-at-Arms

Tactical Movement

Once per round when a creature adjacent to you moves, you can spend any movement you have remaining in the round to move with it.

Unforgiving Maneuvers

Your successful offensive Martial Maneuver attempts with weapons deal your Telling Attacks damage

LEVEL 8 Master-at-Arms

Brutal Maneuvers

You learn the Power Attack Fighter Combat Feat. If you already knew Power Attack, instead select another Fighter Combat Feat. In addition, you can use Power Attack with Martial Maneuvers to deal 5 bludgeoning damage with them.

Opportunity Maneuver

You can use Opportunity Attack without expending a hero's surge once per round, provided you use it to execute a martial maneuver.

Master-at-Arms Weapon Focuses & Maneuvers

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Weapon Group	Weapon Focus	Weapon Maneuver
Axes & Heavy Blades	On a major success with an attack, you can deal your Telling Attacks damage to a different adjacent enemy	Headsman's Chop: Deal additional damage equal to ¼ of your maximum hit points to a prone target you hit with a melee attack
Flails	Consider your weapon to have the Pull feature and gain an extra 5’ of reach when using it	Reaping Drag: Drag a creature you pulled or tripped with you until the end of your turn
Hammers & Maces	Consider your weapon to have the Push feature and force an extra 5’ of movement when using it	Deadly Shrapnel: After sundering a creature's weapon, deal your attack damage to a different creature within 15'
Light Blades	On a major success with a Parry, you can deal your Telling Attacks damage to your attacker	Scything Blades: Deal your weapon’s damage to creatures that are or become adjacent to you before the end of your next turn
Picks	On a major success with an attack, the target bleeds for your Telling Attacks damage at the end of its next turn. The target can spend an attack to prevent this.	Vengeful Hook: Deal your attack damage to a creature you grapple and repeat this damage at the end of each of the creature's turns while it remains grappled
Spears & Staffs	Block an additional attack when wielding two-handed	Whirling Flourish: Make an attack against all adjacent enemies

Swordmage

Swordmages

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Master of both spell and blade, you combine arcane learning and martial might to overcome that which stands in your way.

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Prerequisite: 12 Intelligence

Arcane Studies

You become Trained in Arcane Magic and its Detect Magic feature and can read the Arcane language.

Bonded Weapon

When you prepare spells, you can touch a weapon to bond with it. This bond lasts until the weapon is destroyed or you bond with a new weapon. While you wear light or no armor, you can use your bonded weapon to make Parry attempts against magical attacks. In addition, you can summon your bonded weapon to your hand as a Move action, provided it is within 1 mile per level of you.

Boon Options:

• Increase the number of weapons you can bond to by one.
• Summon a bonded weapon as part of your turn.

Spellcasting

Choose two Arcane Schools. You learn all 1st level spells from these schools. In addition, you possess a number of spell points equal to your level. Each day, you can spend your available spell points to Memorize spells you know, at a cost of one spell point per spell level. You regain spent spell points after taking a full rest.

Each time you gain an odd level, you learn the spells of the next highest spell level in the Arcane schools you have access to. Boon Options:

• Choose an additional Arcane school and learn its spells, up to a level equal to your number of odd levels.
• Increase your total spell points by one.

LEVEL 4 Swordmage

Aegis of Shielding

While you wear light or no armor and wield your bonded weapon, you reduce all damage you take by one.

Boon Option: Increase this Damage Reduction by one.

Spellblade

You can imbue an offensive spell you have prepared into your bonded weapon as part of your turn. Your next successful attack with the imbued weapon unleashes this spell against the target using the same success level as the attack.

This imbuement ends after the spell is unleashed, one minute passes, or you lose consciousness.

LEVEL 6 Swordmage

Aegis of Assault

When you miss with an Opportunity Attack triggered by an opponent’s movement, you can spend the hero's surge to teleport to a square adjacent to it following its move

Telling Spells

While your weapon is imbued with a spell or effect, your Telling Attacks gain the spell’s damage type

LEVEL 8 Swordmage

Spelldrinking Blade

Immediately after casting a spell or delivering one through your Spellblade feature, you can spend a hero's surge to imbue one of the spell’s effects into your bonded weapon. The effect is then delivered on your next successful attack. For example, if you drink a 1st level burning hands, your next successful attack would deal 2d4 fire damage.

This effect ends after it is delivered or after one minute passes.
Boon Option: Gain the ability to drink spells and spell-like effects you successfully parry with your bonded weapon.

Warlord

Warlord

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A conductor of battle, you inspire your allies to action, interpose steel between foe and friend, and rouse the injured to rejoin the fight.

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Prerequisite: 12 Intelligence

Combat Reflexes

Once per round while using the Defend action, you can make an Opportunity Attack without spending a hero's surge

Rub Some Dirt On It

You gain the Medical skill. If you already possess the Medical skill or if you gain it later, you increase hit points regained through the successful use of it by your Intelligence modifier.

Warlord Expertise

You learn the Shield Wall Fighter Combat Feat. If you already knew Shield Wall, select another Fighter Combat Feat. In addition, when you take the defend action while wielding a shield, you treat an adjacent 5' square as if it were occupied by you for purposes of blocking attacks and movement.

LEVEL 4 Warlord

Greater Warlord Expertise

You learn the Shield Expertise Fighter Combat Feat. If you already know Shield Expertise, select another Fighter Combat Feat. In addition, when you take the defend action while wielding a shield to defend an ally, you can make a defense attempt for both of you when targeted by the same attack.

Imperative Order

You can spend a hero's surge to swap initiative places with an ally you can see or allow them to immediately take an action. If you allow them to take an action and they do not succeed, your hero's surge is not expended , provided you did not take an action through Action Surge.

Heightened Defenses

As an Attack action, you can take the Defend action.

LEVEL 6 Warlord

Combat Expertise

You learn a Fighter Combat Feat of your choice.

Slap ‘em Out of It

As an Attack action, you can touch a creature and spend a hero's surge to end an effect on them that an attempt can end.

Boon Option: Allow the target to spend a hero's surge to regain ¼ of their maximum hit points as well.

LEVEL 8 Warlord

Brutal Defender

You learn the Power Attack Fighter Combat Feat. If you already knew Power Attack, instead select another Fighter Combat Feat. In addition, you can use Power Attack on defense attempts to increase your Deadly Defender damage.

Deadly Defender

Once per round when you parry an adjacent enemy’s attack with major or better success, you can deal your Telling Attacks damage to it.

Rousing Commendation

Once per round while in combat when an ally you can see spends a hero's surge, they gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Intelligence modifier. These Temporary Hit Points last for one minute.

Warrior

Warriors

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The pinnacle of fighting skill, you are unparalleled with your chosen weapons.

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Armor Specialization

Increase your maximum hit points by the highest Damage Reduction of the armor you wear.

Boon Option: Increase your maximum hit points by your armor’s combined Damage Reduction instead.

Unforgiving Combatant

Once per round when you are adjacent to two or more creatures, you can use your Opportunity Attack without spending a hero’s surge.

Sweep

You learn the Cleave Fighter Combat Feat. If you already knew Cleave, instead learn another Fighter Combat Feat. In addition, remove the once per round limitation on Cleave's benefit.

Weapon Specialization

Select a weapon group. You are Adept with them and deal an additional 1 point of damage with them.

Boon Option: Gain this benefit with an additional weapon group.

LEVEL 4 Warrior

Bullrush

You learn the Charge Fighter Combat Feat. If you already know Charge, select another Fighter Combat Feat. In addition, you can use your Power Attack and Hamstring feats on your Charge attack.

Execute

When you deal weapon or Telling Attacks damage to an adjacent target, you can spend a hero's surge to deal additional damage equal to ¼ of your maximum hit points plus your Constitution modifier, provided this damage reduces your target to 0 or fewer hit points

LEVEL 6 Warrior

Overrun

You learn the Trample Fighter Combat Feat. If you already know Trample, select another Fighter Combat Feat. In addition, when you knock a creature prone, you can immediately Trample it.

LEVEL 8 Warrior

Great Cleave

You learn the Power Attack Fighter Combat Feat. If you already know Power Attack, select another Fighter Combat Feat. In addition, you can Power Attack and Hamstring on your Cleave attacks.

Overkill

When you reduce a target to fewer than 0 hit points with a Power Attack, critical hit, or Execute, add the excess damage to your triggered Cleave or move a number of feet equal to the excess damage done, rounded up to the nearest multiple of 5'.

Boon Option: Take this extra move regardless of if you Cleave.

Unparalleled Skill

Once per turn you can reroll a weapon or Telling Attacks damage die

LEVEL 3 Fighters

Sentinel

You can spend a hero's surge to act outside of your turn at any initiative Success Level, so long as you use your action to intercept an attack

Veteran

Your experiences in the fighting arts allow you to easily rub shoulders with similar sorts. Choose one of the following options.

Guard: Double your Reknown with town and city guards
Mercenary: Double your Reknown with mercenaries
Officer: Double your Reknown with military officers
Revolutionary: Double your Reknown with revolutionaries
Soldier: Double your Reknown with soldiers