Alternate Fighter Class & Expanded v4.3.1

Hey 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!