Daring outlaw or noble hero, dutiful soldier or self-serving mercenary, a fighter faces their destiny with a weapon in hand and few peers in the bloody art of violence.
Their skills and approaches differ, and they employ a dazzling array of fighting styles and special tricks, yet in the end they are defined by their skill in battle, and the true difference between them is not how they fight but when and why.
Fighters are masters of combat, passing beyond basic proficiency to become experts in their chosen style of combat. Each fighter learns a set of techniques that mark them as something special, regardless of whether they are self-taught or guided by a mentor: honing their senses to a razor’s edge and flowing just out of harm’s way while seizing every opening, harmonizing with allies and knowing how to coordinate with them without sharing a word, or harnessing incredible strength to weather enemy blows before crushing them with a single strike.
More than skill sets a fighter apart from other combatants: a fighter has gone through a crucible and come out the other side hard as steel. A fighter might be a veteran scarred by the wars they have fought, a knight dedicated body and soul to their oaths, or a student of the sword who spent years in the tutelage of a demanding master. Even the most inexperienced and gentle fighter has a strength within them that makes them unique.
More information on creating a Fighter can be found here.
Fighters sometimes get a reputation as dour or boring; not so with arcane showoffs, who leverage magic to make their battlefield deeds as flashy and spectacular as possible. As one might expect, some of these warriors fight in arenas for the adulation of crowds, but a surprising number of them can be found on battlefields, acting as shock troops and leading distraction forces. Some are wisecracking, capering maniacs and others are chilling pillars of menace, but they all command the attention of everyone nearby. See more.
Source - Manual of Adventurous Resources: Complete
Fighters always strive to be two steps ahead of their opponents, studying their techniques, predicting their moves, and outmaneuvering them by precision and skill. The bladeseer takes this approach one step further, using their weapon as a focus to manipulate fate and see beyond normal means. As the name implies, such fighters often use blades, but their techniques can be used with any melee weapon. See more.
Source - Gate Pass Gazette #1
Though the name is often thrown out like an insult, a brute is just someone willing and able to apply force to solve their problems. The simplest solution is often a straight line and brutes are capable of breaking through their obstacles where others would have to take clever paths. Brute fighters are a blunt instrument, an unrelenting force able to smash through tricky words and brilliant strategies with a simple and elegant strike to the brainpan. See more.
Source - Adventurer's Guide (Pg. 191)
Though primarily an armament for defense, in the hands of a properly trained combatant a shield can become a powerful weapon. Charging Shield warriors are thus terrifying to behold in battle, battering away the blows of their foes while surging through combat to deliver shattering strikes at the edge of their chosen tool of war. Such a sight only inspires their allies, and many great military heroes were forged in this proud combat discipline (Captain America). See more.
Source - Gate Pass Gazette #2
Dueling is about reading an opponent, getting into their head and knowing what they’ll do before they do. A duelist moves with grace and style, attacks with finesse and biting wit, and lives a life of flamboyance and honor. Duelist fighters know the right steps to take and the right words to say. They are artists working in form and function, strategists thinking moves ahead of their opponents and turning victories into works of art. See more.
Source - Adventurer's Guide (Pg. 192)
A dungeoneer is at home in underground lairs, winding caves, and labyrinthian passages. They have adapted to the harsh conditions of dungeon environments and turned them to their advantage. hether battling in cramped rooms shrouded in darkness, smashing down locked doors, dodging traps, or enduring natural hazards, experienced dungeoneers thrive underneath the earth, fighting on equal footing with the denizens they encounter there. See more.
Source - Dungeon Delver's Guide
Specialists in asymmetric warfare, enforcers mix raw force with trickery and sheer ruthlessness in order to prevail against their foes. Most come out of clandestine organizations, crime syndicates, rebellions, and resistance movements. These formidable warriors are perfectly capable of going toe-to-toe with frontline troops, but typically operate well away from the battlefield. They also tend to occupy the ends of the spectrum between cynicism and ideological fervor, either plying their trade purely for their own enrichment, or risking it all in the name of some cause they believe in. See more.
Source - Manual of Adventurous Resources: Complete
Some warriors become fascinated with the possibilities presented by new technology and arcanoscience, and in their tinkering devise a variety of tools that can be useful in a battle. These gadgeteers keep a lot of tricks up their sleeves or, more often, on their belts. See more.
Source - Adventures in Zeitgeist
Gladiators are athletes of bloodsports and performers to mass applause—more than simple warriors, they’re entertainers with a dramatic flair who have survived and triumphed where countless others have failed. Gladiator fighters are champions, feared or beloved but always respected. Their skills in the arena translate well to the battlefield, and the flourishes that received cheers and shocked gasps from the crowd can just as easily win over or strike fear into their enemies. See more.
Source - Adventurer's Guide (Pg. 193)
Whether on a lonely hunt in the deep forest or blazing a path through the battlefield, the image of a rugged figure moving as one with their faithful hound is an iconic one. Often taking work as bounty hunters, survivalists, or mercenaries, these fighters seek a bond with their companions far beyond that of beast and owner. See more.
Source - Gate Pass Gazette #11
Knighthood is a combination of intense lifelong training, unerring loyalty, and the hard work of modern blacksmithing. The knight is an impenetrable fortress containing the heart of a hero borne swiftly through battle on a noble steed amidst the fluttering heraldry of their house and country. Cultures differ and a knight may take many forms or titles, but duty, honor, and loyalty are universal. Knights are elite warriors bound by honor and a towering example for others to follow—or to fear. See more.
Source - Adventurer's Guide (Pg. 194)
As comfortable in a war council as they are on the front lines, militarists are always looking for ways to exploit the weaknesses of their enemies. See more.
Source - Gate Pass Gazette #3
Militants are perhaps the purest example of a fighter’s art. Rather than training toward a specific set of weapons and armor, a militant trains with them all regularly, ensuring that they will be able to fight effectively in any circumstance with whatever is at hand. Militants are often found in mercenary companies where they might be standing on the front lines of a massed battle with banners snapping overhead one day and engaged in dirty back-alley violence the next. Others may be elite royal guards, and some are merely dabblers that ultimately decided to make their lack of focus an asset. See more.
Source - Thematic Toolkit: Scrapper
While many warriors proudly adhere to a code of conduct or sense of honor, scoundrels want no part of it. Unpredictable and wiley, such fighters know they must use any means at their disposal they want to win—and they want to win. See more.
Source - Gate Pass Gazette #7
A whisper on the wind and a shot in the right place, sharpshooters are deadly instruments capable of precision and speed that most warriors could never hope to achieve. Sometimes functioning as assassins, trick shooters, or simply hunters who cannot afford to miss, sharpshooters do more than just hit their targets. Sharpshooter fighters have the training or talent to wield ranged weapons as skillfully as a surgeon wields a scalpel, and they can take their opponents apart just as easily. See more.
Source - Adventurer's Guide (Pg. 195)
Many warriors get their start in the guard. Whether it’s guarding a city, a noble, or a merchant caravan, well-trained protection and security specialists are always in demand. As the name “watchman” indicates, the job is often at least about as much about alertness as it is about raw combat skill, but the ability to fight is a vital part of a watchman’s job. Because what good is watching for threats… if you can’t deal with them? See more.
Source - Manual of Adventurous Resources: Intrigue