Sword and Fist is a guidebook which provides supplemental information for characters belonging to the Fighter and Monk base classes. This book contained tips for creating and playing characters of the aforementioned class, as well as a large number of prestige classes, most of which have been reintroduced in the 3.5 supplemental sourcebook Complete Warrior.
This chapter gives descriptions of 31 new martial-related feats (such as Circle Kick and Rapid Reload) and 6 new knowledge-based skills (such as Literature and Mathematics). Several standard skills are also clarified to include new uses.
This chapter discusses means of smoothly incorporating Fighters and Monks into the world around them. It also contains histories for several martial organizations that can be added to a campaign setting.
This chapter contains tips on playing a martial class or prestige class and possible strategies and tactics to succeed in a campaign. Rules for monstrous Fighters and Monks are also given in this chapter, including rules for dealing with multiple limbs, flight, and other non-humanoid physical traits.
This chapter introduces new exotic weapons, magic items, and vehicles. Towers, keeps, and castles for martial characters are also discussed, including the Elven Canopy Tower and the Dwarven Plateau Castle.
The reviewer from Pyramid stated that "The Complete Fighter's Handbook [...] set the stage for kits, and was the prototype for the entire Complete series. History repeats itself as the first class support book for third edition, Sword and Fist, focuses on Fighters and Monks."[3]
