Designing: The Fighter Theme

Capturing the flavor of equipment based characters.

Being ready and capable of effective combat makes the Fighter theme an attractive option for players, but it is far from the only theme able to hold its own in a battle. So what makes the Fighter theme so important? From the earliest conceptions of RISE, we knew the Fighter would be an archetype that resonates well, but how would the RISE representation of the Fighter be different than other games? Would RISE Fighters be as recognizable as they are in classic role-playing games; would they be obvious? Our goal was to make a Fighter theme an option that increased your character combat prowess, making a choice that was as meaningful to the magician as it would be to the knight. Player choice was our focus and Fighter was a great place to start. After all, who does not love bashing through goblins as soon as possible!?

A concept that embodies the essence of Conan, Gimli, Jamie Lannister, and Geralt of Rivia would seemingly be too broad and vague to distill into one option for players to emulate with their character. These fantasy figures are physically and morally diverse, as their stories drive them into radically different paths. Each of these characters maintain a goal-oriented nature and rely upon their skill with equipment to meet their ends. Universal to their character arcs, Gimli is lessened without his axe and Jamie is a shell of a character when wielding the sword is no longer an option for him. Strip the equipment and the Fighter theme fades into some descriptor: dwarf, prisoner, mutant. This is the essence of the Fighter theme: solutions through expertise with equipment. Of course fighters fight, but it is the method of fighting that resonates with the audience; it gives spirit to the character and lasting memory. The flail grasped by William Wallace in "Braveheart," the noble Excalibur held aloft one-handed, and the dashing spear of Achilles draw us to awe and wonder about the character through their martial art, whether glorious or gory. This resonance gave the RISE creators the central benefit of being a Fighter: faster access to advanced ability with equipment, particularly weapons, but including armor and implements. Just being able to use a katana proficiently is awesome, but to gain expertise and mastery is character-defining. The opportunity to roleplay through this development gives the Fighter theme story arcs that other themes would pass by. Image a young woman pushed to the ground after a battle by a bandit scavenger. As she lands in the blood-soaked earth, her hand comes to rest upon a morning star, loosely held by a slain warrior. Firmly grasped, the spike-crowned weapon crashes into her assailant and a fighter is born.

In designing the Fighter, there was room for brashness as well as subtly, tactics and instincts, each inviting an aspect of fighting that is readily available to be explore. For this reason, the Fighter theme was divided into features that emulate particular styles of combat, utilizing certain weapons and armor and granting benefits that other themes may hone or alter. When supplemented by talents, which the Fighter can gain more easily than other themes, the combat effectiveness of this theme considerably exceeds all others. Adding to this, the Fighter claims wider access to Challenge features, making engaging the Fighter inevitable and retreating futile. This makes the Fighter the master of combat, controlling enemy movement and targeting, while dealing steady weapon-based damage to nearby foes. Fighter is the theme that speaks most directly to players because initially it seems the most straightforward, but in RISE it speaks with the voices of knights, vanguards, mercenaries, pirates, and a host of other warriors unified in the goal of making your next character a combatant with unequaled skill.