Fighter Theory: System-Agnostic Sourcebook

Create iconic fighter characters for any fantasy roleplaying game.

A knight sworn to honor, a mercenary chasing coin, a warlord carving out an empire. Fighters shape history with every battle they survive. They're the vanguard, the shield, and the sword, standing between order and ruin. Some fight for duty, others for vengeance. Some seek glory, others have no choice but to endure.

The battlefield is their proving ground, but a fighter is more than their weapon. Behind every blade lies a story.

A Warrior’s Tale, Beyond the Fight

Fighters aren't defined by mechanics or statistics. They’re shaped by their past, their code, and the choices that forge them. Fighter Theory: a System-Agnostic Sourcebook explores the warrior’s role in storytelling, crafting characters with depth and purpose rather than reducing them to a collection of abilities.

This book explores the fighter archetype across history, legend, and fiction. It reveals how warriors have been portrayed through the ages and how their stories can enhance fantasy roleplaying.

Legendary Warriors: Beowulf’s fearless strength, Cú Chulainn’s fated fury, Musashi’s relentless discipline, Eowyn’s defiant courage, and Fafhrd’s wandering spirit. These figures shape the way fighters are imagined and played.

Identity and Drive: Every warrior has a past that shaped them, a cause that drives them, and a burden they carry. Understanding what defines them makes them more than a weapon.

Worldbuilding and Culture: Fighters don’t exist in isolation. Their role in society, their place within armies, and the way their past influences their future all add depth to their journey.

Rivalries and Alliances: Bonds are forged in fire, whether through loyalty, ambition, or shared survival. Warriors stand with those they trust and face enemies who challenge everything they believe.

Storytelling First: Every battle is a choice. Every victory is a step forward. Every defeat is a test of resolve. A fighter’s story is more than what they fight, it’s why they fight.

For Any Fantasy, Any Table, Any Tale

This book is for those who see fighters as more than battlefield tacticians. Whether in a grand kingdom, a lawless frontier, or a desperate rebellion, Fighter Theory provides the tools to craft warriors with history, struggle, and meaning.

This sourcebook is system-agnostic, making it usable in any fantasy roleplaying game. It's also fully compatible with the Simple Approach, including Order of the Magpie and other fantasy roleplaying materials published by Lightspress.

A warrior’s journey is shaped by more than the fights they win. It’s the story they tell, the burdens they bear, and the world they leave behind.

Step Onto the Battlefield. Your Story Awaits.

Pick up Fighter Theory today and forge a warrior worthy of legend.