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Alternate Fighter Class & Expanded v4.3.1
🕑 Added 2025-02-04 16:46:00 +0000 UTCHey all!
At long last I have an update for the Alternate Fighter: Expanded (and a very small one for the Alternate Fighter). Brining this compendium in line with my latest update for the Alternate Fighter, I’ve greatly expanded the number of Fighting Styles, added/adjusted some Feats, touched-up the Exploits and gave all the subclasses a good once-over.
As usual, let me know what you think in the comments. I’m always open to constructive criticism and feedback!
~laserllama
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Alternate Fighter Expanded v3.4.1
Fighting Styles:
Greatly expanded these in-line with the Fighting Styles in the base Alternate Fighter class. These are hard to design, so let me know what you think of the new options!
Advanced Martial Exploits:
General clarifications on these and a few new ones (Taunting Strike and Pinning Shot). I also took a crack at actually making Lunge useful!
Feats:
Big reworks here!
Alternate Fighting Initiate is a new option (replacing Masterful Technique) as a way of gaining additional Fighting Styles.
Alternate Great Weapon Master is my take on reworking this Feat without the overly-centralizing power attack.
Weapon Adept and Weapon Expert now replace (Signature Weapon) as the way to gain weapon proficiencies and bonus with certain weapons.
Warrior Archetypes:
There were quite a few small “Quality of Life” changes to each subclass, but a few got some extra attention. The Guardian was almost totally reworked. Thematically it’s the same, but no more worrying about a pseudo-aura. Guerrilla got some much-needed buffs to its preparedness, and Pugilist hopefully works as a standalone subclass option now.
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Alternate Fighter Class & Expanded v3.4.1 Change Log
Alternate Fighter v3.4.1
Eye for Talent // Failure resets after another weapon attack hit.
Fighting Style // Classical Swordplay // Corrected an error - the bonus is now to attack rolls instead of damage rolls.
Defensive Fighting // Works with a shield again.
Defensive Expert // Back to CON mod B/P/S reduction…
Alternate Fighter: Expanded v3.4.1
Formatting, art, and grammar updates! Pretty pictures!
Fighting Styles
Updated to match changes to the Alternate Fighter base class!
NEW Styles // Brawling Expert, Featherweight Expert, Heavyweight Expert, Mounted Expert, Shield Expert, Superior Technique.
Blind Warrior // Now has Perception prerequisite.
Exotic Warrior // Renamed (Pit Fighting). Included the ability to gain proficiency in exotic weapons if you DM/campaign has those available.
Featherweight Fighting // Added prerequisites (DEX 13 and Acrobatics)
Heavyweight Fighting // Reworked bonus to Shove attacks as a Bonus Action.
Hurler // Renamed (Thrown Weapon Fighting). Moved here from base class. Added a STR or DEX prerequisite.
Improvised Fighting // STR Prerequisite. Rewritten for clarity.
Mariner // Athletics prerequisite. Now works in Medium Armor and removes the drawbacks of underwater combat.
Melee Marksman // DEX prerequisite. Reworked lightly.
Mountaineer // Athletics prerequisite. Now works in Medium Armor and lets you reduce falling damage you take.
Shield Warrior // STR prerequisite.
Standard Bearer // CHA prerequisite. Rewritten for clarity.
Advanced Exploits
Generally rewritten for clarity.
CUT // Savvy Explorer, Take Down, Improvised Skill,
NEW // Taunting Strike, Pinning Shot,
1st // Eloquent Speech // Bonus only applies to INT checks with these skills.
1st // Lunge // Reworked to be useful (hopefully)!
1st // Streetwise // Bonus only applies to CHA checks with these skills.
3rd // Adrenaline Rush // Dropped STR prerequisite.
3rd // Daring Rescue // Reworked!
Martial Feats
CUT // Masterful Technique, Signature Weapon
Alt Fighting Initiate // NEW!
Alt Great Weapon Master // NEW!
Signature Technique // Only healing Exploits are off-limits, and you can use the Exploit once per round for free with a d4.
Weapon Adept // Get proficiency with all weapons and an ASI!
Weapon Master // Get bonuses to your favorite weapons! Scales with PB!
Warrior Archetypes
General // Updated Archetype Exploit lists with Exploit/theme changes.
Crusader - Solid, no changes!
Guardian
Almost entirely reworked around the Reposition Exploit. You can use it as a reaction to “jump in front of” allies that are about to take damage.
Guerrilla
Generally buffed this subclass as it felt like it didn’t have a solid mechanics to back up its identity of “always prepared”.
Adaptable Combatant // Renamed (Adaptable Warrior). You can now replace ALL of your Exploits in 1 hour. Moved bonus proficiency here.
Survivalist // Reworked to give you a bonus Fighting Style.
By Land or Sea // Reworked/buffed.
Adaptable Fighting Style // CUT
Identify Weakness // Use Eye for Talent to spot a foe’s weak points!
Unwavering // Reworked into a buff for Second Wind and Action Surge.
Legendary Guerrilla // You can use Eye for Talent at initiative.
Hound Master
Updated with my latest version of “Pet subclass” rules.
Loyal Hound // When it is dying you can stabilize it with an Exploit Die. Detailed the rules of acquiring and training a new Loyal Hound.
Loyal Hound Stat Block // Added the Loyal and Strong Jaws traits.
War Hound // NEW feature - train your Hound to use Exploits!
Steadfast Companions // Reworked into a reaction. Cut Second Wind benefits.
Canine Fury // Can now train your Hound to use 2nd-degree Exploits.
Hound of Legend // Your Hound now gets a BEEFY new stat block!
Pugilist
I always felt this subclass was a bit underwhelming, so this time around I did my best to buff it into something that is worth playing!
Contender // Unarmed Strikes scale with Exploit Die!
Iron Physique // CON for AC and you can use Brace Up as a reaction.
Counter Punch // Saving throws have disadvantage with these attacks.
Resolute Strikes // NEW (ish). Magical fists.
Evasive Footwork // Disengage just happens when you use Brawling.
Diamond Physique // Cut free use of Unbreakable, but Brace Up reaction now give resistance to that instance of damage.
Legendary Pugilist // Advantage on certain hard-knocks saves, “knockout” automatically happens on a critical hit.
Quartermaster
Rations // Rewrote this feature for clarity.
Dependable Ally // Rewrote this feature so you can sub attacks out for various different actions. Achieves the same thing as the previous feature.
Legendary Quartermaster // No more permanent passive Ration, but you can be under the effects of two Rations at once.
Quartermaster Rations
Generally streamlined these so they are a bit easier to keep track of. Reigned their power back in since it so easy to create additional Rations.
Fortifying // No longer scales to last 1 hour.
Invigorating // Now scales with 2x Exploit Die
Limbering // Moved to 3rd level. Buff at 10th level changed.
Engorging // Moved to 7th level. No longer scales to last 1 hour.
Heightening // No longer scales to last 1 hour.
Thickening // Moved to 7th level.
Tenacious // CUT. Redundant with Revitalizing Ration.
Rejuvenating // You can still benefit from other Rations, but the Exhaustion can ONLY be cured by magic or a long rest.
Swordsage
Student of the Blade // Only grants one proficiency.
Mythic Reflexes // Renamed (Heightened Reflexes).
Reactive Trance // Renamed (Trance of the Master).
Storm of Steel // Dash also gives you Disengage benefits, Adv on Exploit Dice.
Legendary Swordsage // Enter the Battle Trance at will!
Tinker
Renamed this subclass (cut “Knight”, there are too many Knights…)
Analytical Mind // Removed Mechanical Insight Exploit and just granted you a flat Exploit Die bonus to those tool checks.
Inventive Arsenal // Rewritten for clarity. Only you can use modified objects.
Tinker’s Expertise // CUT
Increased Function // You can teach others to use your modified objects!
Schematics // General streamlining of how these work. Removed most of the passive benefits and added more options of how to apply them to objects.
Witchblade
Sanguine Offering // Reworked without Hit Dice.
War Magic // NEW feature.
Otherworldly Step // Moved to 10th level and buffed!
Legendary Witchblade // Reworked around teleporting and stabbing the dying creature with temp hit points equal to 2x CR.
Spell List // Tightened up!
Comments
laserllama
Some other homebrew supplements (and previous editions include Exotic Weapons), I just thought it'd be fun to include that in the Fighting Style. In official 5e, I'd probably classify stuff like the double-bladed scimitar as an Exotic Weapon.
Francesco Valvo
The Exotic Warrior Fighting style gives proficiency with two exotic weapons. But there are no exotic weapons in 5e, nor you have introduced them (yet?). The Weapon Adept martial feat is said to update the Weapon Master feat, but after that we get your own Weapon Master feat!
Jeff Potato
I haven't had the chance to read everything, but I like the new Pugilist a lot, and the Tinker (Knight) seems a bit easier to understand now (I remember needing to read it a couple times to understand how it worked). I *greatly* appreciate Brawling Expert; it looks like grappling could be a lot more useful to PCs with this.
