Fighter

More often than not, hitting things really is the best solution.
— Nirmel Chiv

A human in clanging plate armor sprints at the massed goblins, shield in hand. Behind her, an elf in studded leather armored strikes the goblins with arrows drawn from his magnificent bow. The adjacent half-orc screams commands, assisting the two warriors in coordinating their assault to their benefit. Between the Ogre's club and his comrade, a dwarf in chain mail interposes his shield, deflecting the devastating blow. His accomplice, a half-elf dressed in scale armor, spins two scimitars in a brilliant whirl as she circles the Ogre, searching for a weak point in its defenses. A Gladiator engages in a sporting combat in an arena, mastering his trident and net to fall and reposition his opponents to his advantage and the entertainment of the spectators. His opponent's blade sparkles with blue light just before she unleashes a bolt of lightning to strike him. All of these heroes are fighters, making them the most diversely trained set of individuals you're likely to encounter. As fighters, pursuing Knight, conquering overlords, royal champions, elite foot troops, hardened Mercenary, and Bandit Kings all share an unmatched proficiency with weapons and armor, as well as an in-depth knowledge of battle techniques. And they are highly skilled in dealing with death, both meting it out and staring it down defiantly. Fighters study the principles of every sort of conflict. Every fighter is capable of swinging an axe, fencing with a rapier, wielding a longsword or a greatsword, deploying a bow, and even trapping adversaries in a net. Similarly, a fighter is skilled with shields and various types of armor. Beyond the basic minimum, each combatant possesses a distinct area of competence. Some focus on archery, some on fighting with two weapons simultaneously, and yet others on honing their martial arts abilities through the use of magic. Fighters' combination of strong general ability and extensive specialization makes them dangerous adversaries on both battlefields and in dungeons. Not every city watch member, local militia member, or member of the queen's army is a combatant. The majority of these armies are composed of very inexperienced warriors with only the most rudimentary battle skills. Veterans, military commanders, experienced Bodyguard, and devout Knight are all examples of fighters. Certain fighters are compelled to use their skills as explorers. For a fighter, dungeon exploration, monster slaughter, and other dangerous pursuits are second nature, not dissimilar to the life he or she left behind. There are certainly more risks, but also significantly greater rewards—few fighters in the city guard, for example, have the opportunity to discover a magical Flame Tongue Sword. Typically, fighters fight for a cause. Some battle for countries under threat from monsters, while others want only personal glory. In either scenario, the fighter often shows a heraldic sign reflecting the cause, either by adopting a nation's or royal line's insignia or by designing a crest to represent one's self-interest. Certain fighters are natural-born combatants with an uncanny ability to survive in warfare. Others were taught the principles of combat skills while they were young by senior members of a martial arts group or the military. A third type of fighter emerges from the ranks of individuals who have gotten one-on-one instruction from a seasoned professional. That instructor was, and possibly continues to be, well-educated in a particular area of combat relevant to the student's experience. Numerous fighters distinguish themselves from their contemporaries by adopting and honing a particular style or technique of combat. Although this method may appear to be a natural progression of a fighter's mindset, this is not always the case—how someone views the world in general does not always influence how that person acts when lives are at stake.

Operations

Provided Services

Fighter is a broad term which covers a lot of specialties and skillsets. Adventurer's guilds, mercenary bands, and other fighter-for-hire groups tend to market their services according to certain universal fighter archetypes that their clients can easily understand. These archetypes are numerous and varied. Some of the more common are:

Arcane Archer - Students of an elven tradition of delivering arcane effects with magically infused arrows.
Archer - The more traditional form of archer. Experts with bows and ranged accuracy.
Banneret - Loyalists to a banner or cause with a strict code of honor. Akin to paladins, but secular.
Bastion - Many fighters take bodyguarding work, but bastion are the pinnacle in personal protection who will willingly and unquestioningly give their life to protect others.
Battle Master - Peak students of combat, the battle master enhances weapon skill with studies of combat history, theory and artistry as well as the materials and manufacture of weapons and armor.
Blade Master - Able to quickly adapt to changing battle situations, a blade master utilizes versatile weapons to quickly change their tactics during a fight.
Brawler - Able to absorb damage while dealing it, unarmed combat is a specialty. A brawler might lack the grace and artistry of a monk, but their attacks can be equally devastating and they can take a punch without flinching.
Brute - Durable and strong, a brute might lack subtlety or might be a meticulous planner, but when the fighting starts, they just keep going until they are downed or their are no enemies left.
Cavalier - Master of mounted combat, usually noble born, a cavalier protects the weak and looks for a noble cause to fight for.
Champion - Trained in making pinpoint blows to devastating effect, they combine technique with raw power.
Corsair - Never more in their element that at sea or in the water, a corsair is master of maritime combat.
Demon-Blooded - Often driven to combative work by the powers bestowed upon them by their ancestry, such fighters utilize physical mutations and supernatural abilities to enhance their martial skills.
Dervish - Fast and deadly, fighting a dervish can seem like fighting multiple foes due to their strike-and-move tactics.
Dragoon - Master of the techniques of polearm and spear fighting and powerful front-line fighters.
Dreadnaught - Encased in armor, the dreadnaught offers impenetrable defense on the battlefield.
Duelist - Seeking out individual challenges to test their skill, the Duelist is driven to prove themself superior to other combatants one-in-one.
Eldritch Executioner - With a deep-rooted hatred of those that wield magic, they are the slayers of witches and hunters of those that practice arcane arts.
Eldritch Knight - Utilizing careful study of a narrow field of magic to enhance their martial prowess, the eldritch knight.
Ghost Warrior - Bonded to a chorus of ancestral spirits, they open themselves up to momentary possession to tap into generations of martial expertise.
Gladiator - Trained in combat as a form of entertainment, they aim to instill fear in their enemies with impressive, and highly visible, kills.
Guardian - The focal point of the battlefield, they seek out where the fighting is fiercest and draw attention to themselves and away from their allies.
Knight - Elite soldiers in the employ of or pledged to a liege lord are often awarded the rank of knight. They carry privilege and prestige onto the battlefield and inspire loyalty in their troops.
Master Thrower - Dazzling in their feats of manual dexterity, they can use almost any object at distance to strike an opponent with pinpoint accuracy.
Misericorde - Fighters that favor the speed and precision of light weapons, seeking to weaken and fatigue enemies with multiple carefully placed cuts at vulnerable points.
Rake - Disregarding the rules of honorable combat, a rake doesn't fight fair and will use every dirty trick in their playbook to gain an advantage.
Reach Specialist - Different from a dragoon in that they attempt to down charging opponents with a quick blow from distance and avoid close quarter fighting at all costs, keeping an enemy at bay until allies can close rather than engaging after first strike.
Ronin - Similarly trained to samurai, a ronin finds the restrictive code of honor that samurai are held to a disadvantage. They are still concerned with a code of honor, only one that is more flexible and enhances their deadliness in combat.
Runeblade - Very few exist, but those that wield one of the legendary runeblades are sought after warriors driven by destiny and carrying a truly powerful weapon.
Rune Knight - The rune knight draws on traditions of the giants, applying runes to their equipment to enhance it with special powers.
Samurai - Servants of great leaders required to strictly adhere to a code of honor. They are masters of warfare, seeing their code as the binding of a life of service and the roadmap of how they will live, fight, and die.
Sellsword - Tenacious warriors with a single minded aim: survive and get paid.
Shield Master - Utilizing a shield as both an offensive and defensive piece of equipment, they weave in and out of combat striking and blocking opponents and creating tactical openings of their allies.
Tactician - These capable fighters can win a fight before it even begins. With a keen eye for terrain and obstacles, they analyze the possibilities of the fight in an instant and adapt to their advantage.
Weapon Master - Dedicated to the study and use of a single weapon that becomes an extension of their being and they wield as an unstoppable instrument of death.