Solace MUD Official Forum

I have been posting so many question and I think its time to give something back. Since I noticed there is no Fighters Guide ... i'll try to start the tread. Most of the text is from the site, quoted as it is written.
Fighter is the most simple class, but requiring variations dependin on specialisation.

1.  *** SKILLS ***
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Level  1: axe                   1%      dagger                    1%     
               flail                   1%      mace                       1%     
               polearm           1%      shield block              1%     
               spear               1%      sword                      40%     
               whip                1%      enhanced damage   1%     
               staff                 1%      rescue                     1%     
              parry                 1%      recall                       50%     
Level  2: dirt kicking        n/a     
Level  3: hand to hand        n/a      kick                n/a     
Level  4: second attack       n/a     
Level  5: fast healing          n/a     
Level  6: trip                       n/a     
Level  7: feint                     n/a     
Level  8: bandage              n/a     
Level  9: warcry                  n/a      disarm              n/a     
Level 10: dual wield           n/a      dodge               n/a     
               riding                   n/a     
Level 11: bash                   n/a      third attack        n/a     
Level 12: berserk               n/a      haggle              n/a     
                meditation          n/a     
Level 13: shield cleave       n/a      stance              n/a     
Level 14: lunge                  n/a      trophy              n/a     
Level 15: crush                  n/a     
Level 16: lore                     n/a      offhand disarm      n/a     
               mounted fighting   n/a     
Level 17: recovery            n/a     
Level 20: toughen             n/a     
Level 23: fourth attack       n/a     
Level 25: adrenalin rush      n/a     

 PARRY (sessential skill)
If at first you fail to dodge, block it. Parry is useful for deflecting
attacks, and is succesful more often than dodge. Parry requires a weapon for
full success, the hand-to-hand skill may also be used, but results in reduced
damage instead of no damage. The best chance of parrying occurs when the
defender is skilled in both his and his opponent's weapon type.

  SHIELD BLOCK (useful - although most fighters use dual-wield later so it became useless unless you plan to defend yourself and use shield)
Shield block is a rather fancy name for the art of parrying with a shield.
Characters with no shield block skill will not be able to defend themselves
well with a shield. All classes may learn shield block, but only warriors and
clerics are good at it. Beware, flails ignore shield blocking attempts, and
whips have an easier time getting around them. Axes may split shields in two.

  ENHANCED DAMAGE (essential)
Warriors and skilled thieves can become skilled enough in combat that they are
able to inflict more damage than other classes. Enhanced damage is checked
for with each hit, although with a low skill, the chance of receiving a bonus
is very low indeed.

  DIRT KICKING(extremly useful)
Consider by some to be a cowardly skill, dirt kicking gives the clever
combatant a chance to blind his opponent by casting dirt into his eyes. The
blindness does not last long, but can provide an edge in combat. Dexterity
helps in hitting or avoiding a dirt kick. Only warriors and thieves may
learn this skill.

  HAND TO HAND(very useful when fighting an opponent that can disarm you; useable with throw skill for good damage)
Hand to hand combat is a rare skill in the lands of Midgaard. Learning this
style of fighting gives the player a weapon even when disarmed -- bare hands.
Trained hand to hand experts are far more effective than many swordsmen.
Clerics and warriors are the best at this skill, although thieves and mages
may also learn it

  BANDAGE
This skill allows a fighter to apply their knowledge of wounds and injury
to heal a person. If fighting the fighter can only use the skill while in
an extreme defensive stance.

  DUAL WIELD (must have, although not always can the same weapon be wielded, depends on the size and weight, minotaurs are only with enough strenght to wield two-handed weapon one-handed)
These skills allow you to use more than one weapon at once. Most fighting
classes gain the dual wield skill at some stage. If such a character
attempts to wield a weapon while already using a primary weapon they will
attempt to dual wield it. (This is provided that they are not using a
light, shield or held item which would occupy their other hand.)

  DODGE(must have, works better for dexterous fighters - read elves and kenders)
In the words of one wise warrior, 'the best way to block a blow is to not
be where it lands'. The dodge skill honors this tradition, by improving the
character's natural agility to the point where many blows will miss the
target. The chance of dodging is also affected by the dexterity of the
attacker and the target. Any class may learn dodging.

  SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH ATTACK (must have, but they improve rather fast so you need not master them)
quote:Training in second attack allows the character a chance at additional strikes
in combat -- allow a 100% second attack does NOT guarantee 2 attacks every
round. Any class may learn this skill, although clerics and mages have a
very hard time with it.

  SHIELD CLEAVE(useful)
Allows the person to attempt to shatter a victim's shield if they are
holding one.

***  STANCE ***
    stance offense    stance defense     stance relax/normal     relax
These commands allow fighters and rangers skilled in stancing to change
the posture they will assume when going into combat. Fighters who take on
an offensive stance will attack harder but defend less, while defensive
stancing allows greater defense at the expense of attacks.
The 'relax' command, or stance normal, returns a fighter to normal
fighting posture.
Multi-class fighters and rangers can only stance one level into defense
and offense, while straight class fighters can go two levels of defense or
offense. Some skills, such as flurry, bandage and others, are stance
related and may or may not be useable in various stance states.
It is up to the fighter to discover which skills are useable in
which stances.


*** MOUNTED COMBAT ***
This skill complements the riding skill and is the backbone of fighting
while riding another creature. Without this skill the number of attacks
possible while riding is greatly decreased, as is the damage inflicted and
the ability to defend while mounted.
Mounted fighting is also needed to make skillful mounts and dismounts
while fighting. If someone without this skill wishes to try mounting or
dismounting a creature while they are fighting, then they are likely fail
in the attempt.
The advantages of fighting mounted are:
- Increased damage by physical weapon attacks.
- Chance to land lucky blows from up high.
- Greatly increased shield block ability.
- Increased parrying against attacks made up at you.
- Injury inflicted on a mounted person is reduced if inflicted by someone
not mounted, and the riding person has sufficient riding skills.
- Enemies can not parry your downward attacks as easily.
- Many skill based attacks can not be used against you unless the opponent
is also mounted.
- Fleeing from combat on a mount is far easier than on foot.
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2. *** FEATS ***

Many feats are available at different circles of learning, with each circle
granting progressively greater ability in that feat. Characters may also
choose to learn the same feat at more than one circle of learning, giving
them the combined benefits of both circles.

TOUGHNESS [General]
The character gains more hit points per level. 1st circle adds 3 hitpoints per
level, 2nd circle adds 4 hitpoints per level, and third adds 5. This feat is
retroactive to the levels you gained.

UNCANNY DODGE [General] (for a dexterous fighter)
Allows people to dodge much better, even dodge riding a horse.

HORSE NOMAD [General]
This feat adds up to 10% chance to parry and dodge an attack while you
riding a horse.

MIND OVER BODY,[General] (for elves only)
Character uses his intelligence as a bonus when gaining hitpoints. This feat is
retroactive to the levels you gained.

BLIND FIGHT [Special] [FIGHTER, OUTCAST, RANGER, KNIGHT, ASSASSIN, THIEF] very useful
You can fight effectively even when blinded. This feat improves chances to
parry, dodge, some special defense skills and negates blinded defense minus
against several special attacks.

CRITICAL HIT [Special] [FIGHTER, KNIGHT, OUTCAST]
You can score a critical strike, dealing additional damage on the opponent.
2nd circle feat adds up to 30% to your damage, while 3rd circle feat can
add 50%.

WEAPON FOCUS [Special] [FIGHTER]
Gain additional damage and hitroll while used weapon of chosen type. Adds
up to 4, 6, 8 hitroll on each circle.

BLINDING SPEED [Special] [FIGHTER, THIEF, ASSASSIN] (again for dexterous ones)
Allows fighters, thieves and assassins to deal more attacks to opponent.
This feat adds to the chance to deal 2nd, 3rd and 4th attack, as well as
the chance to dodge and parry. Also this feat helps to and against bash,
trip and lash.


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3. *** WEAPONS SPECIALIZATION ***

Each weapon skill applies to a specific group of armaments, and determines how
well a character fights with a particular weapon. If the character has
the parry skill as well, he can parry incoming attacks. The chance of
parrying is best if the character in question is skilled at both his
weapon and his opponent's.

The weapon skills consist of the following:
axe        the use of axes, ranging from hand to great (but not halberds)
dagger        the use of knives and daggers, and other stabbing weapons
flail        skill in ball-and-chain type weapons
mace        this skill includes clubs and hammers as well as maces
polearm        the use of pole weapons (except spears), including halberds
spear        this skill covers both spears and staves, but not polearms
sword        the warrior's standby, from rapier to claymore
whip        the use of whips, chains, and bullwhips
exotic        the use of strange magical weapons, based on level

SPECIALIZATION SPECIALIZE
This command selects a fighter's weapon specializations. Upon choosing a
weapon type the fighters will be given skills related to that weapon. In
addition a fighter specialized in a weapon will find it easier to dual
wield that type of weapon.
The available weapon specializations at this time are:
sword, dagger, whip/flail, mace, axe, staff/spear/polearm and hand to hand.

SWORD SPECIALIZATION
You gain the prerequisites to flurry, flourentine, riposte and cross slice.

flurry
A fighter specialized in swords may attempt to assault their opponent with
a rapid series of sword blows all at once. Flurry can only be done while
dual wielding swords, and takes a large degree of skill to perform.
flourentine
Flourentine allows sword specialists to gain an advantage in parrying when
using two swords in a dual wield combination.
riposte
Riposte is an automatic skill that allows sword specialized fighters a
chance of returning an attack of their own when they parry an attacker.
If a fighter is more agile than his foe, his ripostes would be much
harder to dodge out.
cross slice
This violent attack involves a sword specialized fighter slashing
horizontally across a victim's body in a scissor motion. If successful the
blades can inflict serious damage.

AXE SPECIALIZATION
You gain the prerequisites to cleave, weapon break and pincer.
cleave
This skill allows a person with an axe to attempt a violent cleaving in
half of the victim. If successful the victim is slain outright, if not
then considerable damage is still inflicted. Cleaving is more effective
when using sharp axes.
break weapon
This skill requires an axe and involves a hard, deliberate blow to the 
victim's weapon. If successful the weapon will be broken and destroyed.
Powerful weapons are much harder to break.
pincer
An axe specialist fighter can dual wield axes and use them in combat to
catch a victim between them in a deadly pincer motion.

FLAIL/WHIP SPECIALIZATION
You gain the prerequisites to strip weapon, choke, lash, pull and eyejab
strip weapon
A person skill in whips and flails may use this skill to rip a weapon
out of their opponent's hands. If successful the victim's weapon is
pulled away, much like a disarm. However, unlike disarm, a person may
strip the weapon off someone they are not fighting simply by targeting
that particular victim's weapon with their whip/flail.
choke
Allows a whip/flail specialist fighter a chance to choke a victim using a
whip or flail. If the choking fails, some damage is still inflicted.
lash
Lash is a skill for whip/flail weapon specialists. The whip
or flail is used to trip up an opponent and knock them to the ground.
pull
While using a whip or flail a skilled fighter can attempt to pull a
victim from a room and into another one.
eyejab
When using a whip or flail a whip/flail specialized fighter can attempt to
flick the tip of their weapon into an opponent's eye, thus blinding them
for a while.

DAGGER SPECIALIZATION
You gain the prerequisites to undercut, bleed and restrike.
undercut
This deadly skill allows a skilled fighter or thief to slip beneath a
victim's defenses and strike rapidly at their ribs and stomach with a
dagger. However, if a victim is more dextrous than the attacker, failing
this skill would most likely cause losing balance for a short period.
bleed
A dagger specialized fighter or a thief may use daggers to sever vital
arteries on a victim and cause them to bleed profusely from the wound.
restrike
A thief or fighter skilled in daggers may attempt to redirect their attack
if it is parried and make another attack upon a defender. This is an
automatic skill and requires good dexterity to perform adequately. All
thieves may learn this skill, and fighters specialized in daggers.

MACE SPECIALIZATION
You gain the prerequisites to backhand, drumming maces and boneshatter.

STAFF SPECIALIZATION
You specialize in spear/staff/polearm.
You gain the prerequisites to charge set, pugil, leg sweep, overhead and stand off.

HAND TO HAND SPECIALIZATION
You gain the prerequisites to iron strike, throw, ground control and hand block.

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4. *** MANUALS ***

Dont know any. *chucke*

Weaponsmaster, Irongrip and Fury

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I hope this is useful. PLEASE feel free to correct me or add useful advice.

Not all. For example, clerics cannot learn dodge.

Sweep attack manual also. Lets you make blows against all the people fighing you.