Fighters are the backbone of any battle line—disciplined warriors who hone their bodies into weapons and their minds into tactics. Whether you trained under a marshal in a fortress keep, survived the crucible of frontier skirmishes, or rose from gladiatorial pits, your strength lies in martial skill, unbreakable resilience, and the confidence to stand firm when chaos reigns.
Core Build
- Primary Stats: Strength (fuels melee damage); Body (underwrites HP/SP and resilience).
- Secondary Stats: Dexterity (refines Dodge, Athletics, finesse weapons); Mind (grounds resolve, potentially powers optional Tactics skill).
- Signature Skills: Melee Combat, Dodge, Athletics, Intimidation, Survival, Ranged Combat.
Armor and Arms
Fighters wear the heaviest protection they can master—Chain Mail, Scale Mail, or Plate Armor—without penalty once trained. Shields lock against incoming blows. Fighters may develop “mastery properties” (like special bracing techniques or sweeping strikes) which are typically earned by spending XP to achieve high levels in relevant skills such as Athletics or Melee Combat, as detailed later in the rules.
Battlefield Mastery
A fighter’s greatest edge comes from knowing how to effectively use the core Alacrity action mechanics:
- Multi‑Action Penalties: You can declare multiple attacks, parries, or maneuvers each round, accepting the standard 10% penalty per extra action. Veterans learn to balance ferocity with precision, recognizing that two accurate swings might be better than five wild ones.
- Called Strikes: When targeting a foe’s weak point—a joint seam, an undefended flank—you can use the Threading the Needle rules, accepting a significant accuracy penalty for the chance to bypass armor or achieve a decisive hit.
- Teamwork: Effective use of the Lending a Hand rule allows fighters to boost allies’ rolls, coordinate flanking maneuvers, or form a solid shield wall.
Optional Combat Effects (Using the Magic System)
While fighters primarily rely on skill at arms, some learn to push their bodies beyond normal limits through extreme focus or discipline. These abilities are represented by optional “Effects” usable via the core Magic → Mana Points → Effects system:
- If you crave a signature flourish, you might learn battlefield-tuned Effects such as Second Wind (momentary HP recovery) or Combat Trance (reducing multi-action penalties). (See Appendix A for details). These Effects let you carve a warrior who feels almost supernatural in sheer prowess, yet remains true to steel and sweat.
- Requirements: Choosing this path means engaging with the magic system. You must spend 20 XP to initiate the Magic skill (gaining an MP pool equal to your Mind score) and then 5 XP to learn each specific Effect once narratively appropriate (GM approval). Casting these Effects requires spending the associated MP cost.
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File Created: 05/05/2025 Last Modified: 05/05/2025