Fighters

Explore Fighter class variants in Shadows of Doubt: Fighter, Berserker, Wizard Slayer, Kensai, and Dwarven Defender. Learn their unique abilities and restrictions.

Fighter

The vanilla Fighter is a balanced choice with no special bonuses or crippling weaknesses. It excels due to Grand Mastery, offering an extra half attack and significant damage bonuses.

• May wear helmets
• May wear any armour and use any weapon
• May achieve Grand Mastery (five slots) with any weapon class
• May achieve Specialisation (two slots) in any fighting style and may place three slots in Two-Weapon Style
• 10 HP per level for the first nine levels, 3 HP per level thereafter
• Dual-class attributes: Strength

Berserker

The Berserker is a variation on the basic fighter, gaining the powerful Rage ability.

• May use Rage once per day at level 1, gaining an additional use every four levels thereafter (e.g., 2 at level 5, 3 at level 9).
• May only become proficient in missile weapons.

Rage provides temporary benefits for 1 turn: +2 THAC0 (to hit armor class 0), +2 damage, +2 to Armor Class, +15 HP (temporary), and immunity to charm, confusion, fear, feeblemind, hold, imprisonment, level drain, maze, stun, and sleep. Upon ending, Rage incurs penalties (-2 THAC0, damage, AC) and removes the temporary HP; if HP drops below 15, the Berserker may fall unconscious.

Wizard Slayer

The Wizard Slayer variant can inflict spell failure on targets but has significant restrictions.

• Each hit inflicts a cumulative 25% chance of spell failure on the target.
• 1% magic resistance per from levels 1-19, alternating +5% / +1% for each subsequent level (reaching 50% at level 30).
• May not use magic items other than magic weapons, armour, helmets, and shields.
• May not drink potions other than healing potions and antidotes.

Spell failure does not affect enemy Clerics and Druids. The inability to equip cloaks, gauntlets, rings, and belts, and to drink most potions, is a major drawback.

Kensai

The Kensai sacrifices armour for increased weapon damage and a potent ability called Kai.

• +2 bonus to Armor Class.
• +1 THAC0 and damage every three levels.
• -1 weapon speed every four levels.
• May use Kai once per day at level 1, gaining an additional use every four levels thereafter (e.g., 2 at level 5, 3 at level 9).
• May not wear armour.
• May not use ranged weapons.
• May not wear gauntlets or bracers.

The Kai ability makes all attacks in the subsequent round deal maximum damage. The Kensai works well with a Druid multiclass due to Barkskin eventually compensating for the AC deficit.

Dwarven Defender

The Dwarven Defender is a specialized tank class with high damage resistance.

• May use Defensive Stance once per day at level 1, gaining an additional use every four levels thereafter (e.g., 2 at level 5, 3 at level 9).
• Gains 5% physical damage resistance at levels 5, 10, 15, and 20.
• May attain High Mastery in axes and war hammers.
• May only attain Specialization in other weapons.
• 12 HP per level for the first nine levels, 3 HP per level thereafter.

Defensive Stance provides an additional 50% physical damage resistance and a +2 saving throw bonus for 1 turn, at the cost of a 50% movement rate reduction. High Mastery is less powerful than Grand Mastery. Damage resistance can reach 100%.