I come from an older and different paradigm: whatever is not forbidden is allowed. So seeking push-button options for the things you are asking for is rather odd for me, predominantly a post-WotC D&D phenomenon. Many of the ideas you are asking for have been treated in TSR D&D, but it is predominantly in Party Tactics with the assumption that if one member falls another steps up to hold the line. So isolating it into a permission system, where other classes cannot participate in being in the front risking their lives in a similar way, seems unnecessary.  Anyone can risk their lives at the front, especially if you are forced to in a fighting retreat!

What it seems you are asking is something where the Fighter excels compared to others. How TSR managed this was to give GEAER GEAR GEAR to fighters. Being proficient with so many weapons and then holding formations was the first idea to show Fighter excellence. Another was taking advantage of Fighter high early AC and eventual high To Hit and Multiple Attacks. So it did not become a permission to trip, disarm, wolf pack tactics, polearm 2nd row attack, tactical withdrawal, charging, mounted charge, etc. beyond being able to hand the weaponry and having a good chance to do it.

I know this may not be what you are looking for. But I feel that this pre-fabricated "exception-based"(not allowed to others) solutions have become sellable widgets that become a crutch for party coordination. The old TSR fighter was allowed by class not only all weapons and armor, magical and not, but also all protection scrolls; there's an assumed symbiotic relationship between magic-users and frontline warriors. That carries the other way, as the magic-user who stands at the frontline with a staff in a fighting withdrawal might be the only thing between getting the downed fighter to the healer in time and the party imploding.

So I am going to answer your questions assuming my paradigm, maybe you'll like it as it doesn't add much new overhead  :

Crowd control - Using grapple to move or pin creatures
Overbearing is for everyone. This allows sheer numbers to attempt to drag someone down.
Grapple can be complex or reduced to an AWESOME table (no really, it's amazing! Check that KO%).
Use weaponry and or coordination: Mancatchers (that's literally their purpose), Lassoes, Nets, Ropes/staffs/polearms/sticks held between two points people, gaffs/hooks/barbs entangling and forcing movement like nets, etc.

Defensive positioning - Being next to a fighter gives you a bonus to AC, fighters can be used as cover
In my day that was a frontline formations.  But yeah, you are looking for one that triggers without taking advantage of cover and formation... Kinda unnecessary in my view; don't need the widget to do what cooperation and working with game context can accomplish.

Specialized "combat maneuvers" - disarm, sunder armor, things like that.
A lot of these were based on taking advantage of a Fighter's higher To Hit and Multiple Attacks. It was kept available to everyone while at the same time emphasizing the Fighter's excellence by adding a penalty to its performance. Given fighters could usually hit better and try again more often, on average they outpaced others. That said it also allowed a squishy to do a hail mary combat manuever and *possibly* have it work. That swing in potential has a psychological boost to both Fighters and everyone else in a desperate situation.

If you are interested in more there's several older books that explore these ideas, like 2e Complete Handbook: Fighters. Overall you could build a combat monster with specialized widgets, but I found isolating such fun tidbits less rewarding than opening it to everyone and then have a class stand heads above the rest in doing it.

Frontline formations don't do anything. Martials have exactly zero ability to stop the monsters from targeting casters with their spell like abilities. That's also assuming front line even means anything when you can be attacked from any direction or all directions at any time.

Quote from: Domina on December 21, 2023, 11:30:23 AM
Frontline formations don't do anything. Martials have exactly zero ability to stop the monsters from targeting casters with their spell like abilities. That's also assuming front line even means anything when you can be attacked from any direction or all directions at any time.

This is coming from someone who regularly uses miniatures, but Frontline formations prevent melee enemies from running up and swatting the party's Magic User, since they can't move through an enemy's space. Usually you follow up your front line with henchmen carrying pole arms who can reach over the Frontline and poke them from safety. That's how I've always done it anyway.

Quote from: 1stLevelWizard on December 21, 2023, 12:16:26 PM

Quote from: Domina on December 21, 2023, 11:30:23 AM
Frontline formations don't do anything. Martials have exactly zero ability to stop the monsters from targeting casters with their spell like abilities. That's also assuming front line even means anything when you can be attacked from any direction or all directions at any time.

This is coming from someone who regularly uses miniatures, but Frontline formations prevent melee enemies from running up and swatting the party's Magic User, since they can't move through an enemy's space. Usually you follow up your front line with henchmen carrying pole arms who can reach over the Frontline and poke them from safety. That's how I've always done it anyway.

How nice of the DM to never use monsters with any interesting abilities, and only ever use dumb beasts and mindless undead. Wouldn't want the players to stay awake during the fight.

Quote from: Domina on December 21, 2023, 11:30:23 AM
Frontline formations don't do anything. Martials have exactly zero ability to stop the monsters from targeting casters with their spell like abilities. That's also assuming front line even means anything when you can be attacked from any direction or all directions at any time.

I mean this is a true statement in many games, but not true in some other games.

Quote from: Captain_Pazuzu on December 19, 2023, 02:45:56 PM
I was wondering if there were some existing threads regarding new abilities for fighters and martial classes generally?

Building of a OD&D foundation for my Majestic Fantasy RPG, I have gotten positive feedback for these two things.

Fighters get to add their "to-hit bonus" (the difference between hitting AC 9 at level 1 and their current level) to the initiative die. Along with their dex bonus which all characters get.

Fighters can attack a number of Hit dice/levels equal to their level with a minimum attack of 1. So a 3rd level fighter can attack three 1 HD creatures. Or a 2 HD creature and a 1 HD creature. Or attack a 1 HD creature three times.

The way this works in practice is that the player attacks a target and I let know if there is anybody else within range (depending on remaining movement and weapons used) that they can attack.  Or whether they can attack the target again.

These two changes have made playing a fighter character a lot more attractive even for players who normally play 5e.

I have other alterations of the combat system but they are based on tactics and weapon types and are not specific to the fighter class.

Quote from: Domina on December 21, 2023, 11:30:23 AM
Frontline formations don't do anything. Martials have exactly zero ability to stop the monsters from targeting casters with their spell like abilities. That's also assuming front line even means anything when you can be attacked from any direction or all directions at any time.

The general rule concerning tactics is that they allow a force to concentrate its firepower at a time and place where it will be the most effective.

Fighting in a formation doesn't always mean fighting in a straight line. It means operating in concert in way that maximizes the group's firepower effectiveness.

Multiple combatants regardless of edition are by far the biggest threat because the more combatants a force has the more attack they have and the more damage they have. Fighting as formation allows the group to efficiently whittle down the number of opponents faster than if the battle was fought as a series of individual skirmishes.

Fighting as a formation also allows the group to engage and win against superior opponents particularly if the opponent is a single creature or character.  Outside of some area-effect powers and abilities, even the most powerful characters/creatures have a limited number of attacks they can make in a single round compared to a group working together as a formation.

The nature of the group's formation and the specific tactics depends on the nature of their abilities and the circumstances of the encounter. If it is truly a situation where attacks can come from any direction then the group needs to fight in a formation that accounts for that. And there are several from history and fiction.

Quote from: estar on December 21, 2023, 02:30:05 PM

Quote from: Domina on December 21, 2023, 11:30:23 AM
Frontline formations don't do anything. Martials have exactly zero ability to stop the monsters from targeting casters with their spell like abilities. That's also assuming front line even means anything when you can be attacked from any direction or all directions at any time.

The general rule concerning tactics is that they allow a force to concentrate its firepower at a time and place where it will be the most effective.

Fighting in a formation doesn't always mean fighting in a straight line. It means operating in concert in way that maximizes the group's firepower effectiveness.

Multiple combatants regardless of edition are by far the biggest threat because the more combatants a force has the more attack they have and the more damage they have. Fighting as formation allows the group to efficiently whittle down the number of opponents faster than if the battle was fought as a series of individual skirmishes.

Fighting as a formation also allows the group to engage and win against superior opponents particularly if the opponent is a single creature or character.  Outside of some area-effect powers and abilities, even the most powerful characters/creatures have a limited number of attacks they can make in a single round compared to a group working together as a formation.

The nature of the group's formation and the specific tactics depends on the nature of their abilities and the circumstances of the encounter. If it is truly a situation where attacks can come from any direction then the group needs to fight in a formation that accounts for that. And there are several from history and fiction.

Okay. Twenty shadows float up through the floor simultaneously and grab the ankles of every party member, forcing multiple saves against strength drain. They retreat back through the floor afterwards. Which formation helps against this?

Quote from: estar on December 21, 2023, 02:30:05 PM

Quote from: Domina on December 21, 2023, 11:30:23 AM
Frontline formations don't do anything. Martials have exactly zero ability to stop the monsters from targeting casters with their spell like abilities. That's also assuming front line even means anything when you can be attacked from any direction or all directions at any time.

The general rule concerning tactics is that they allow a force to concentrate its firepower at a time and place where it will be the most effective.

Fighting in a formation doesn't always mean fighting in a straight line. It means operating in concert in way that maximizes the group's firepower effectiveness.

Multiple combatants regardless of edition are by far the biggest threat because the more combatants a force has the more attack they have and the more damage they have. Fighting as formation allows the group to efficiently whittle down the number of opponents faster than if the battle was fought as a series of individual skirmishes.

Fighting as a formation also allows the group to engage and win against superior opponents particularly if the opponent is a single creature or character.  Outside of some area-effect powers and abilities, even the most powerful characters/creatures have a limited number of attacks they can make in a single round compared to a group working together as a formation.

The nature of the group's formation and the specific tactics depends on the nature of their abilities and the circumstances of the encounter. If it is truly a situation where attacks can come from any direction then the group needs to fight in a formation that accounts for that. And there are several from history and fiction.

You got a good point I forgot here too, it's not always a straight line. Another common tactic I've found is to have the party bottleneck opponents in doorways. It reduces fighting strength, and it can give cover against missile fire.

Regarding Captain Pazuzu's original question, you could give certain bonuses to fighters to encourage this kind of tactics. Perhaps they can pull up shields in defensive formation to get a bonus to AC versus missile attacks, or something like that.

Quote from: Domina on December 21, 2023, 11:30:23 AM
Frontline formations don't do anything. Martials have exactly zero ability to stop the monsters from targeting casters with their spell like abilities. That's also assuming front line even means anything when you can be attacked from any direction or all directions at any time.

A smart party will attempt to move the engagement to a place that is more favorable. Retreat and reform in an empty chamber where the fighters can hold the entryway. If you just stand there and fight on the monster's home turf then you are already at a disadvantage.

Quote from: 1stLevelWizard on December 21, 2023, 02:46:10 PM

Quote from: estar on December 21, 2023, 02:30:05 PM

Quote from: Domina on December 21, 2023, 11:30:23 AM
Frontline formations don't do anything. Martials have exactly zero ability to stop the monsters from targeting casters with their spell like abilities. That's also assuming front line even means anything when you can be attacked from any direction or all directions at any time.

The general rule concerning tactics is that they allow a force to concentrate its firepower at a time and place where it will be the most effective.

Fighting in a formation doesn't always mean fighting in a straight line. It means operating in concert in way that maximizes the group's firepower effectiveness.

Multiple combatants regardless of edition are by far the biggest threat because the more combatants a force has the more attack they have and the more damage they have. Fighting as formation allows the group to efficiently whittle down the number of opponents faster than if the battle was fought as a series of individual skirmishes.

Fighting as a formation also allows the group to engage and win against superior opponents particularly if the opponent is a single creature or character.  Outside of some area-effect powers and abilities, even the most powerful characters/creatures have a limited number of attacks they can make in a single round compared to a group working together as a formation.

The nature of the group's formation and the specific tactics depends on the nature of their abilities and the circumstances of the encounter. If it is truly a situation where attacks can come from any direction then the group needs to fight in a formation that accounts for that. And there are several from history and fiction.

You got a good point I forgot here too, it's not always a straight line. Another common tactic I've found is to have the party bottleneck opponents in doorways. It reduces fighting strength, and it can give cover against missile fire.

Regarding Captain Pazuzu's original question, you could give certain bonuses to fighters to encourage this kind of tactics. Perhaps they can pull up shields in defensive formation to get a bonus to AC versus missile attacks, or something like that.

Never encountered anything with an at will teleport?

Quote from: Exploderwizard on December 21, 2023, 02:46:31 PM

Quote from: Domina on December 21, 2023, 11:30:23 AM
Frontline formations don't do anything. Martials have exactly zero ability to stop the monsters from targeting casters with their spell like abilities. That's also assuming front line even means anything when you can be attacked from any direction or all directions at any time.

A smart party will attempt to move the engagement to a place that is more favorable. Retreat and reform in an empty chamber where the fighters can hold the entryway. If you just stand there and fight on the monster's home turf then you are already at a disadvantage.

Which location is favorable against creatures that can move through any solid matter?

Are we assuming 5e? Is this theater of the mind or actual miniatures and 5 foot map spacing?
20 shadows, so I assume a larger number of players or higher level? My immediate thought if it's 5e and feats are allowed would be folks with things like sentinel and/or tunnel fighting (if UA is in play) next to the squishier party members to protect them and limit enemy mobility above ground . Dunno if going into the floor counts as leaving reach, but I kinda feel it should, and if so spacing for opportunity attacks could matter too.

I guess you could also have folks with magic weapon or the like where they can reach the melee classes, to make their attacks more viable against the shadow foes, since typically you need magic or elemental damage in 5e to do as much there. Same with lesser restoration folks being within touch range of those in need.

Positioning and spacing could matter if you want to take away the cover of the floor (Is there a room beneath where the fight is taking place that the shadows are retreating to?), or drop an AOE, I guess. Held attacks will potentially have reach and spacing mattering quite a bit too, which I could certainly see as key here. Cover seems unlikely to benefit the players, but might do so for the enemies I guess? Might need to be aware of that for ranged weapons and some magical ranged attacks and the like. Or just consider spacing and positioning for retreat so as not to get in one another's way.

Feel like there isn't one formation answer per se, especially without knowing the specifics of the scenario. That said, in D&D spacing and oftentimes related tactical know-how tends to matter a fair bit unless playing theater of the mind with loose or quantum positioning rules.

Quote from: KindaMeh on December 21, 2023, 02:55:35 PM
20 shadows, so I assume a larger number of players or higher level?

No. If you go to a place where there are twenty shadows hanging out, you encounter twenty shadows. Doesn't matter if you're a level zero farmer or an army of gods.

Come on, where's your tactical genius? Surely it doesn't depend on your opponents being polite?

I think many of my points still apply. Though this may be a kobayashi maru either designed by the dungeon master or triggered by player stupidity or prior action. Maybe with a dash of bad luck. Also... It's not so much tactical genius as the fact that spacing tactics will still apply in most combat scenarios where victory or loss is uncertain. Like, I'm not the best tactician, but when you talked about the scenario possibilities came to mind where formation might matter if victory or retreat is not already nonviable. *shrugs*

It's a cool scenario, but I don't think it totally negates spacing and positioning/formations as viable to the extent folks might want to use them, as described.