In the spirit of the E6 system and full acknowledgment of the quadratic power of casters, I am rewriting all the core classes to play with classic D&D flavor up to level 6, then ramp up from there to match the power of casters.
Warning: Expect the lower levels to look amazing, but not answer any of the real problems of a class. (casters vs mundanes, etc.) 1-6 form the class chassis, while the rest of the class adds new abilities depending on the benchmarks we set.
Fighter BAB Fort Ref Will Abilities
1 +1 +2 +0 +0 Weapon Aptitude
2 +2 +3 +0 +0 Bonus Feats (Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Focus)
3 +3 +3 +1 +1 Weapon Specialization
4 +4 +4 +1 +1 Trained Reflexes
5 +5 +4 +1 +1 Exotic Weapon Aptitude
6 +6 +5 +2 +2 Improved Edge
7 +7 +# +# +# Greater Weapon Specialization
8 +8 +# +# +# Bonus Feat
9 +9 +# +# +# Foil Action
10 +10 +# +# +# Cover
11 +11 +# +# +# Bonus Feat
12 +12 +# +# +# Tactics
13 +13 +# +# +# Bonus Feat
14 +14 +# +# +# Improved Cover
15 +15 +# +# +# Bonus Feat
16 +16 +# +# +# Improved Tactics
17 +17 +# +# +# Bonus Feat
18 +18 +# +# +# Array of Stunts
19 +19 +# +# +# Bonus Feat
20 +20 +# +# +# Master Tactician
AlignmentAny.
Hit Died10.
Class SkillsThe fighter’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Ride (Dex), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level
(2 +Modifiers) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level
2 + Modifiers.
Class FeaturesAll of the following are class features of the fighter.
Weapon and Armor ProficiencyA fighter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields).
Weapon Aptitude (Ex): Your training with a wide range of weaponry and tactics gives you great skill with particular weapons. You have the flexibility to adjust your weapon training. Each morning, you can spend 1 hour in weapon practice to change the designated weapon for any feat you have that applies only to a single weapon (such as Weapon Focus). You must have the newly designated weapon available during your practice session to make this change. For example, if you wish to change the designated weapon for your Weapon Focus feat from greatsword to longsword, you must have a longsword available to practice with during your practice session.
You can adjust any number of your feats in this way, and you don't have to adjust them all in the same way. However, you can't change the weapon choices in such a way that you no longer meet the prerequisite for some other feat you possess. For instance, if you have both Weapon Focus (longsword) and Weapon Specialization (longsword), you can't change the designated weapon for Weapon Focus unless you also change the weapon for Weapon Specialization in the same way.
Bonus Feats: A fighter gains bonus feats according to the table. Feats in parenthesis are specific feats that ignore all prerequisites, while "bonus feat" is simply any [combat] or [fighter] feat, ignoring only ability score prerequisites.
Weapon Specialization:When you have the Edge on a foe, you deal extra damage equal to your BAB. This ability is only active when you are attacking with the weapon you have weapon focus for.
Trained Reflexes (Ex): This ability works just like the Combat Reflexes feat (and counts as such for the purposes of prerequisites) except that the Fighter gains additional attacks of opportunity each round equal his Dexterity modifier or 1/2 his class level, whichever is higher.
Exotic Weapon Proficiency: From Level 5 on, the Fighter can use his weapon aptitude training to become proficient in an exotic weapon. Instead of applying your feats to a weapon you are proficient in, you spend the time familiarizing yourself with a new weapon. You may then spend another hour applying your feats to it as normal. You are considered proficient in the weapon until you change your aptitude (aka fall out of practice with your old weapon)
Improved Edge:From level 6 on, a Fighter adds his Dexterity modifier to his BAB to determine if he has the Edge on an opponent.
Greater Weapon Specialization:Your bonus to damage from Weapon Specialization increases to double your BAB.
Foil Action (Ex): At 9th level, a Fighter's reflexes become a marvel to behold. As an immediate action he may move up to 1/2 his speed and make an attack against a creature. If that creature was performing any action, the Fighter's attack is treated as though it was readied to interrupt that action. If the Fighter's attack hits, the creature's action fails (movement is halted, spells fizzle, attacks are cancelled, etc).
When a Fighter uses Foil Action he gives up one of his attacks of opportunity for the round.
Cover (Ex): Starting at 10th level, whenever an ally within the Fighter's threatened area is within the area of, or included as a target of any effect requiring a Reflex save, the Fighter may spend an immediate action to enter that ally's square. If he does, his ally is pushed into any open adjacent square of the ally's choice, or knocked prone if there is no open square. The Fighter blocks line of sight to his ally and grants it total cover, but is himself exposed to the effect and automatically fails any associated Reflex save. The Fighter does not count as his own ally for the purpose of this ability.
When a Fighter uses Cover he gives up one of his attacks of opportunity for the round.
Improved Cover (Ex): At 15th level, the Fighter automatically blocks line of sight to allies within his threatened area and grants them total cover against attacks. This effect doesn't require an immediate action and doesn't cause the Fighter to be exposed to attacks that should otherwise target those allies. Like his Cover ability, the Fighter is not considered his own ally for the purpose of this ability.
Further, if the Fighter does spend an immediate action he may use his Cover ability to enter the square of any ally up to a number of feet beyond his threatened area equal to 1/2 his movement speed.
Tactics (Ex):Before making any attack against a foe within his reach, the Fighter can move to any point within his own reach. This ability requires no separate action but is limited to 1/2 his movement speed per round.
When a Fighter moves uses Tactics he gives up one of his attacks of opportunity for the round.
Improved Tactics: (Ex): Your Tactics ability is now limited to your full movement speed, up from 1/2.
Array of Stunts (Ex): Starting at 19th level, a Fighter is able to use either two swift actions, one swift action and one immediate action, or two immediate actions per round as he sees fit.
Master Tactician (Ex):Your Tactics ability no longer uses attacks of opportunity. The movement limit is also removed.
Discussion:On "Feats =/= class abilities" issue: Some of the weaker feats are obvious for a fighter, so he gets them as bonus feats. The fighter only feats are turned into full fledged abilities.
On "Weapon Specialization": The old weapon specialization feats are being removed entirely, as they were useless and only usable by fighters anyways.
On "Improved Edge": A level 6 fighter with any dex bonus at all will always have the edge over any other level 6 full BAB class. That's an amazing capstone for the E6 tier.
Credits:bkdubs123 for the cover, array of stunts, and foil class features.