Fighter Guide for 5e D&D – Faerun Foreign Legion

An article explaining the game mechanics of the Fighter class and how to use them.

The purpose of this guide is to help players who have yet to play 5th edition D&D to prepare and run the characters they will be playing. What’s covered in this guide is: 1. What is the Foreign Legion? 2. The Foreign Legion’s History 3. Core Classes 4. Races 5. Classes 6. Equipment 7. Feat Descriptions 8. Spells 9. Languages 10. Campaign Notes 11. G15 Tools

There are many different games out there, and many different ways to play them. One such way is to play in a setting that is completely different than the one you are used to. That’s where this Fighter Guide comes in. This is a warrior class that is meant to be used for a 5th Edition D&D game when adventuring on the continent of Faerun, in the city of Turmish, in the Foreign Legion.. Read more about dnd 5e fighter archetypes and let us know what you think.

From the Players Handbook to Xanathar’s Handbook to Everything, this 5E Fighter guide includes the most recent combat techniques and subclasses.

Grab a weapon and and choose your style because we’ll be covering everything you need to know to make the best fighter in 5e Dungeons & Dragons.

We also have guides to the other classes (from us and externally) find the other great character optimisation guides for D&D here.

Contents

A Weapon for Every Situation: The Fighter’s Core in 5th Edition

“You must fight if fighting is certain to end in triumph! According to Sun Tzu… And, since he created fighting, I’d say he knows a bit more about it than you do, buddy. Then he refined it to the point that no one alive could beat him in the ring of honor!” – Soldier in TF2

Traditionally the front line with the most weapons and a simple motto, “I hit with my [Weapon]”. Since the early days of D&D, ‘Fighting-Man’ was all about reliable damage output and being hard to put down.

The Fighter has developed throughout the years to incorporate additional fighting tactics and moves. From archers and light armour to a fully armored greatsword Knight, there’s something for everyone.

In brief, the D&D Fighter in 5e is a master of weapons and armour.

Barbarians utilize sheer strength and risk/reward to deal enormous damage when they can, while the Fighter’s output is more constant.

When it comes to the Fighter, you’ll want to consider what sort of weapon you’ll construct around it. There are many feasible construction choices to consider. Two-Hand Damage, Ranged Archery, Sword-and-Board, Polearm Defender, and even some support utility with specific sub-classes are used by fighters.

From here on forward, the following color coding will be used:

Sky Blue is a top-of-the-line option. Optimisation of fighters begins here. Blue is a good option for a fighter, but not exceptional. Black is a safe bet. Although there are better alternatives, this is more than enough. Purple indicates that the item is not of the highest quality. It may have a specialized use, but there are better alternatives available. Red denotes a mechanical flaw. If it suits your idea, go for it, but you’ll probably be less successful as a result.

It’s important to keep in mind that this is a Fighter optimisation guide. We’re looking at what makes a basic Fighter build powerful or effective. There will be particular information for one sub-class over the other when possible.

However, if you have a great character concept that isn’t based on the word “charop,” don’t be hesitant to put fun ahead of numbers.

After all, you know your game better than I do.

Class Features for Fighters

• Hit Dice: The Barbarian comes in second with 1d10 per level. You’re fighting alongside Rangers and Paladins, which is ideal if you’re going to be in the heart of things.
• Armour Proficiency: You are proficient with all forms of armour, including shields. It really doesn’t get much better than this.
• Weapon Proficiency: You can handle any basic or martial weapon. You’re not likely to switch weapon kinds often, but you do get to choose from the full menu here.
• Proficiency will not provide you with a large number of skills. Being a Fighter grants you two. Because your background and race may add additional abilities, we’ll cover the greatest skills for a Fighter in a section below.
• Your class does not provide you with any tool competence. Don’t worry, there are other methods to get tool competence via Backgrounds, but they don’t show up very frequently, so don’t be concerned.
• Saving Throws: Strength is a little dull and doesn’t come up very frequently, but Constitution is great against poison, necrotic, and drinking alcohol, among other things.
• Not a terrible way to get the game started. There are many weapon choices, so you should have a good notion of which route you’ll choose by now.
• leather armor, longbow, and 20 arrows (a) chain mail or (b) leather armor, longbow, and 20 arrows A martial weapon plus a shield (a) or two martial weapons (b) two handaxes or a light crossbow with 20 bolts A dungeoneer’s pack or an explorer’s pack?
• Fighting Style – This is where you start to select your specialty. You start with one and Champions gain another at level 10. You may only choose one Fighting Style at a time.
  • Archery provides a +2 boost to attack rolls, making it ideal for ranged builds.
  • There aren’t many methods to gain a flat boost to AC in defense. When you combine this with strong armour, you become very difficult to attack.
  • Dueling: When you just have a one-handed weapon and nothing else, you do more damage. So a sword-and-board combatant or a fencing fighter.
  • When you need two hands on your weapon, Great Weapon Fighting is the way to go. Works well with weapons like Greatswords and Maul that have several dice.
  • Another excellent style for shield users is protection. Uses your reaction to put you at a disadvantage, so you’ll have to battle with your chance attacks.
  • Two-Weapon Fighting: Your second strike will do a bit more damage. It’s not terrible, but you’ll want to use it in conjunction with the Dual Wielder ability.
  • Mariner (UA: Waterborne Adventures): For Dex warriors that desire greater AC, this is a choice. If you envision yourself climbing rigging and swimming in the seas, this is a worthwhile endeavor.
• Second Wind (1st Level): In the early stages, this feels a lot better. While it does grow with Fighter level, it becomes less helpful as you progress. Free healing is great, but extra action attacks will start to compete with it.
• Action Surge (2nd Level): Once every short rest, you get an additional action with all the consequences, including more attacks. The action economy is skewed heavily in your favor when you use action surge.
• Martial Archetype (3rd Level): This is where you choose which Fighter subclass you want to use. We’ll go into additional specifics later. The archetype you select gives you abilities at the 3rd level, as well as at the 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th levels.
• Improvement of Ability Scores (4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th levels): These are fantastic; the more the merrier, and you’re getting quite a few. Take a few feats once you’ve maxed up your main stats.
• Extra Attack (5th, 11th, 20th): The more attacks you have, the more amazing damage you can do. These additional strikes complement your Action Surge well.
• Every day, reroll a failed save using Indomitable (9th, 13th, and 17th). You may reroll a failed saving throw starting at 9th level. You must utilize the new roll if you do so, and you won’t be able to use this feature again until you complete a lengthy rest. Beginning at the 13th level, you may use this function twice between long rests and three times between long rests starting at the 17th level.

Stats:

• Unless you’re aiming for a DEX-based build, you’ll want to increase your Str. Both are suitable for dual wielding and sword-and-board combat techniques. Strength is the best for a two-handed fighter. If you’re a heavyweight combatant, you’ll need some Dexterity for initiative.
• Dexterity is clearly desirable for an archer, although dual wielding and finese weapons are also options. You’ll be a bit easier to hit than a Strength fighter, but you’ll be better at Stealth and initiative. If you’re pursuing dexterity, you may ignore Strength.
• Another top-tier stat, which is a disadvantage. Hit points are much too valuable to be overlooked. Most fighters are melee fighters, and having more hit points allows them to remain in the battle longer (and recover more HP with hit dice). Furthermore, Constitution saving throws enable you to escape some of the game’s most vexing consequences. For an archer, the value of this decreases somewhat, but it is still useful. Start with a 14-16 and work your way up to a 20, but you may be able to leave it at 16-18 if you really want achievements.
• Unless Eldritch Knights and Arcane Archers find this much more helpful, Intelligence: When people speak about the “Big Stupid Fighter,” they’re talking about you, dump Intelligence.
• Wis: Seeing the adversary before they notice you is essential, but Wisdom also helps with widom saves, which come up often.
• Cha: You may leave the ‘face’ things to a Bard unless it falls with the sort of abilities you’re seeking. If you’re using the Rally move, Battlemaster Fighters may like this.

Races with the Best Fighters:

Anything with +STR/DEX/CON is an excellent choice. Early on, defensive benefits may be helpful, but certain choices may be less effective later.

Races from the Player’s Handbook [PHB]

• [+2 Con] Dwarf With +2 CON, Darkvision, and an advantage against and resistance to poison, Dwarves are a formidable fighter race. Theme-wise, you’re looking for Axes and Hammers, although you can certainly break the pattern… Ideally, you should use an axe or a hammer.
  • [+2 Str] Mountain Dwarf This one is a no-brainer… just like the Strength fighter. One of the strongest racial pairings in 5E is +2 STR and +2CON.
  • [+1 Wis] Hill Dwarf If you’re a Dwarf considering a DEX build, this is a good option, but you’ll get more bang for your buck elsewhere. The greatest Dwarf option in Mountain was previously seen by STR-Fighters.
  • [+1 Str] Duergar Superior Darkvision; resistance to illusions, charms, and paralysis; free Enlarge/Reduce and Invisibility Enlarge grants you an advantage on STR checks and saves, as well as an additional d4 damage each attack. If you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors throughout the day, the sun sensitivity may be a disadvantage. [SCAG]
• [+2 Dex] Elf An Arcane archer or any build focusing on DEX weapons bows/finesse will benefit from the Elf Fighter. They acquire Darkvision, resistance to charm, and sleep immunity.
  • [+1 Wis] Wood Elf While the Elf package as a whole is fine, the Wood-specific elements aren’t really useful. It’s a minor upgrade over the High Elf.
  • [+1 Cha] Drow In a prolonged subterranean campaign, enhanced darkvision and Faerie Fire can assist, but the CHA doesn’t help much, and sunlight sensitivity hurts if you venture outdoors. Perhaps you could dress up like Jarlaxxle and wear a huge expensive hat.
  • [+1 Int] High Elf The Arcane Archer and a DEX/INT Eldritch Knight pair nicely with a free wizard cantrip. Trance, competence with Perception tests, and the DEX increase are all available to High Elves, as they are to all Elves.
  • [+1 Int] Eladrin A teleport spell cast by a High Elf. With them, you may quickly become an Eldritch Knight or an Arcane Archer. [DMG]
• Halfling [+2 Dex] You get the same boost in Dexterity as an Elf, but you also gain the Lucky Racial feature, although you can only use finesse weapons, shortbows, and crossbows.
  • Halfling, stout [+1 Def] Although as a dex fighter, you’ll want to keep out of the front lines anyhow, the CON increase may be helpful.
  • Halflings with Lightfoots[+1 Cha] Hiding behind people may be helpful, particularly if you’re a Rally Battle Master in the Warlord style. Otherwise, it’s not very impressive.
  • Halflings who can see ghosts [Wis +1] Wisdom and the ability to communicate telepathically may be beneficial to a combatant, but only to one monster at a time. [SCAG]
• Human [All scores get a +1], For a fighter, it’s a little dull. The more dump-stats you have, the more serious this seems to be. If you’re a generalist, you may be able to get away with it.
  • [+1 to??? and???] Human Variant as well as an accomplishment] It’ll be a different scenario if Human Variant is permitted. With a feat, you may get a head start on your character idea. You’ll acquire a lot more ASIs later, but a Feat (see the Feats section) that allows you to bring a Fighter idea live at level 1 is fantastic.
• [+2 Str, +1 Cha] Dragonborn A CHA increase, some theme damage resistance, and a breath attack are all included.
• [+2 Int] Gnome Similar to the Halfling, but the INT isn’t fantastic unless you’re looking at a Dex-Eldritch Knight or Arcane Archer, which have the tiny stature but no Lucky or Dex Bonus.
  • [+1 Dex] Forest Gnome The DEX is decent for a Dex build, and illusion may be useful for a Dex-Eldritch Knight. TheArcane Archer could find some use in this as well.
  • [+ 1 Con] Rock Gnome Eldritch Knights may find some benefit in this subrace despite the fact that the other choices are better optimized for you.
  • [+1 Dex] Deep Gnome The…svirfneblin… If you spend a lot of time underground, superior darkvision may be useful, but there are better alternatives. Eldritch Knights takes things a step further. [SCAG]
• [+2 Cha and +1 to???] Half-Elf Here are a few of the excellent elf characteristics, as well as a CHA bonus and one additional.
• [+2 Str and +1 Con] Half-Orc Darkvision, deadlier crits, once-a-day KO avoidance, and free Intimidation proficiency are all available. For STR-Fighters, it doesn’t get much better.
• [+1 Int, +2 Cha] Tiefling It’s a +2 to CHA, which isn’t ideal; but, if you’re the appropriate subclass, you could do something with the Int. With the +2 Dex, the Feral Tiefling version has a bit more appeal.
  • [+1 Int and +2 Dex] Tiefling Variant This is an intriguing possibility, particularly when using wings. [SCAG]

Races from the Dungeon Master’s Guide [DMG]

• [+2 Cha] Aasimar Charisma and resistance are excellent, but spells are mediocre at best. [DMG]]
• Eladrin: A more affluent variant of the Elf with the ‘Misty Step’ teleport. [DMG]

Volo’s Monster Guide [VOLO] 

• Aasimar [+1 Wis & +2 Cha] These are mostly your dump stats. The other features look fun but not really optimal for fighters [VOLO] 
• Firbolg: [+2 Wis, & +1Str] The wisdom isn’t particularly helpful, though the strength is nice. The rest of the abilities are a bit hap-hazard for a fighter. [VOLO] 
• Goliath: [+2 Str, & +1 Con] This is much better. A big strong Goliath is similar to a Half-Orc where you get Athletics for free instead of Intimidation. Stone’s endurance is helpful at lower levels until you’re an unkillable badass. [VOLO] 
• Kenku [+1 Wis and +2 Dex] A unique roleplaying option with powers better suited to rogues. However, there is the possibility of a Dex fighter. [VOLO] 
• Lizardfolk: [+2 Con, +1 Wis] With a Bite attack and Natural armour, this is a viable option for a Dex fighter. Because Natural Armour and Worn Armour can not stack, this option is less attractive to STR fighters seeking Plate. [VOLO] 
• [+2 DEX and +1 CHA] Tabaxi For a Dex Fighter, this is a great collection of features. Darkvision, increased mobility, built-in weaponry, and free Stealth and Perception proficiency are all available to Tabaxi. The Cha increase is mostly ineffective, but that’s okay. [VOLO] 
• [+1 to STR, CON, and CHA] Triton Two of the extra stats are important. Aside from that, swim speed, water and air breathing, aquatic creature communication, and cold resistance are all important. Also, only Gust of Wind, out of the three racial spells, utilizes your CHA for anything, so feel free to pick Fog Cloud or Wall of Water instead. It’s excellent in every way. [VOLO] 

[VOLO] Volo’s Monstrous Races 

• Bugbear: The lengthy arms give you more reach on your turns, and the stat benefits line up well as well, favoring Str fighters but not so much Dex fighters. Darkvision, free Stealth proficiency, and 2d6 more damage when striking from surprise are also included. [VOLO] 
• Goblin: A swift Archer Fighter with excellent disengage and concealment abilities. [VOLO] 
• [+2 CON, +1 INT] Hobgoblin They’re said to be great shield wall fighters. However, the Int may be less helpful to you. In a large group, the Save-Face skill is very useful. [VOLO] 
• [-2 Str and +2 Dex] Kobold With these benefits, you’re not going for Strength Fighter; the advantage on any attack as long as an ally is close to your target is fantastic for Sharpshooter/Crossbow Expert builds. It’s even better in campaigns when Sunlight Sensitivity isn’t a factor. [VOLO] 
• [+2 Str and +1 Con, -2 Int] Orc Arcane Archer and Eldritch Knight aren’t as viable now that you’ve lost your Int, but the extra action mobility, darkvision, and intimidation are excellent additions. [VOLO] 
• Yuan-Ti Pureblood: These beings aren’t built for combat. Poison immunity is great, but it’s not worth it in this situation. [VOLO] 

[EEPC] Elemental Evil Races

• [+2 Dex] Aarakocra Fly above the battleground and shower down arrows. [EEPC]
• [+2 Con] Genasi A con boost is great, and every Genasi receives one. [EEPC]
  • [+1 Dex] Air Genasi Another swooping archer… But what about Levitate? It’s not terrible. [EEPC]
  • Earth Genasi: [+1 Str] Pass without Trace is a powerful stealth ability, and Earth Walk helps your mobility. Heavily armored Fighters can use the Strength bonus. [EEPC]
  • [+1 Int] Genasi of Fire Intelligence isn’t really useful; a Dragonborn gets a lot of comparable things with higher stats. Eldritch Knights, on the other hand, may want to take a peek. [EEPC]
  • [+1 Wis] Water Genasi This receives a modest bump in a water-based promotion, but you may want to look into Triton instead. [EEPC]

[WGtE] Eberron Races

• Changeling: You don’t have much to work with when it comes to CHA and DEX increases. In more social efforts, disguising oneself is a useful technique. [WGtE]
• [+1 Dex] Shifters These shifts are more physically demanding races. Darkvison isn’t terrible, and the brief HP boost from shifting makes him a tough Fighter to deal with. [WGtE]
  • Beasthide Shifter: A good Dex Fighter with boosts to AC, CON, and DEX. [WGtE]
  • Cliffwalk Shifter: Your DEX is excellent, and you have the shifter temp HP, but there are just better shifter choices. [WGtE]
  • Longstride is a pure Dex option that also has a mobility option. Longstrider does not need to be poached. [WGtE]
  • Longtooth Shifter: A little STR and DEX isn’t a terrific combination, but it works better for a Strength Fighter or grappler. [WGtE]
  • Razorclaw Shifter is a DEX-based character with a +2 attack. It’s not bad, but it’s not great either. [WGtE]
  • WIS is a dump stat, Wildhunt Shifter. [WGtE]
• [+1 Con] Warforged During a lengthy rest, your Armour composition, poison resistance, and illness immunity will all change. There’s a lot of interesting things here for fighters; you can’t wear armour, but you may be able to persuade your DM to add magical armour effects to your creation. [WGtE]
  • Envoy [+1???, as well as +1???] Good potential for a fighter with some flexibility in terms of the tool you interface with. [WGtE]
  • [+2 Str] Juggernaut A classic military weapon in the form of a live being. The increased damage from unarmed attacks isn’t very helpful unless you often find yourself disarmed. [WGtE]
  • [+2 Dex] Skirmisher Extra mobility and reconnaissance potential. [WGtE]

[GGtR] Ravnica Races

Minotaur: The idea of charging into combat with horns is already fantastic. The extra +1 STR (for a total benefit of +2) is usually preferred, but things only get better from here. Your horns let you to attack for d10 damage while wielding a shield (hint: select the Dueling fighting style), and the Goring Rush (bonus action attack while dashing) and Hammering Horns (bonus action push 5′ while striking) abilities offer you a lot of battle options. It’s also never a bad idea to have some navigational abilities. You may now look forward to constructing a labrynth as well. [GGtR]

There’s a lot more to think about when it comes to the greatest fighter races.

Now that that’s out of the way, here’s the deal with racial abilities: They won’t be as important later in the game. That +1 to your stat has less of an effect on overall performance at 15th level.

The change is considerably more apparent at lower levels. At a low level, 5e is clearly a more difficult game than either 3.x or 4e. It is less forgiving, and it is very simple to be dropped.

When you’re looking at races, keep it in mind. While certain races may lack the “oomph” when it comes to doing damage, the survival benefits that they do have will come in useful during those tough low levels.  

Fighter Subclasses: Martial Arts Archetypes

[XGE] Arcane Archer

An Arcane Archer is a specialist in a particular elven kind of archery in which magic is woven into strikes to create extraordinary effects. As you level up, you’ll get access to additional choices for these ‘Arcane Shots,’ which may offer more damage or utility.

Those bullets all have DCs dependent on INTELLIGENCE, so if you want to remain relevant, you’ll be investing points into INT. Only shortbows and longbows, preferably longbows, are compatible with these Arcane Shots.

• Arcane Archer Lore (3rd level), Free Arcana or Nature skill (both INT-based, so you’ll be excellent at either), and a free cantrip of Prestidigitation or Druidcraft, which all have applications. That’s all right.
• 3rd level Arcane Shot: (2 options) Combat Superiority is essentially the Arcane Archer’s version of Combat Superiority. You are, however, always restricted to two uses each brief rest, so you must be much more cautious than the Battle Master. You begin with two Shot choices and acquire a few more as you go through the stages (see below), ultimately amassing a sizable number.
• Shot with a Curve (7th level) You learn how to redirect an errant arrow toward a new target at 7th level. If you fail an attack roll with a magic arrow, you may reroll the attack roll against a new target within 60 feet of the original target as a bonus action.
• Arrow of Magic (7th level) You may make a nonmagical arrow magical whenever you shoot it from a shortbow or longbow to overcome resistance and tolerance to nonmagical attacks and damage. The arrow’s power goes away as soon as it strikes or misses its target.
• (7th level) Arcane Shot (3 options):
• (10th level): Arcane Shot (4 options):
• Ever-Ready Shot (15th level): Beginning at 15th level, you may use your magical archery anytime a fight begins. You recover one use of Arcane Shot if you roll initiative and have no uses left.
• Shot of Arcane (5 options)
• (18th level): Arcane Shot (6 choices, enhanced shots):
• It’s worth noting that your Arcane Shots all receive an upgrade at 18th level (just more damage on most of them).
• Arcane Shots: There are some good ones in here, as well as some duds. DC 8+ Proficiency + Intelligence modifier for all saving attempts.
  • Taking a hard-hitting brute out of a battle for a turn may rescue your group. Keep in mind that the opponent will make a Charisma saving throw, so aim for foes with low CHA. When an arrow strikes a target after you reach 18th level in this class, it deals 2d6 force damage.
  • Beguiling Arrow: Oddly, this makes one of your friends enchant the adversary, so I suppose you’re cupid? Essentially, this prevents a single ally from being attacked by a single monster. As a saving throw, Wisdom is targeted, which is less spectacular than Banishing but still does damage. When you reach 18th level in this class, the psychic damage rises to 4d6.
  • Bursting Arrow is an AoE attack that does a modest amount of damage to everyone in the area. Unless you’re fighting against a swarm of minions, this is a poor choice.
  • Enfeebling Arrow: Weakening an opponent and halving their weapon damage sounds fantastic. CON is typically a high stat for most monsters with a powerful weapon attack, and Necrotic damage is frequently readily neutralized by unpleasant creatures.
  • Grasping Arrow is similar to Ensnaring Strike, although it does not completely confine the target (or costing concentration). This one is excellent for laying the groundwork for some long-term harm. The poison damage is acceptable at first (poison is frequently resisted), the slowing by 10 feet is great, and the additional damage every time they move is excellent (Intentional or not). The victim or an ally must spend an entire action to make an Athletics check to remove this. If it can’t teleport, it’ll be in big trouble, or at the very least lose a turn.
  • Piercing Arrow: Enemies seldom line up perfectly, and regardless of how excellent your attack roll was, they still receive a Dex saving throw. Ignoring the cover is intriguing, however the Sharpshooter ability already ignores 1/2 and 3/4 of the cover.
  • Another method to shoot around curves or track someone you’ve seen (recently) is to use the Seeking Arrow. It may be helpful against a target that has recently been stealthed or rendered invisible.
  • Shadow Arrow is an excellent Arcane Shot to learn early and use often. It takes a lot of strength to blind an opponent beyond 5 feet. If you start with this, your subsequent assaults (and those of your ranged friends) will have the upper hand.

[PHB] Battle Master

This is the warrior that enjoys planning ahead of time and is more tactical. Not quite a 4e Warlord, but with a few choices for commanding the battlefield.

You may have a lot of influence over the pace of a fight if you employ the correct maneurvers at the right moment.

One disadvantage of the Battle Master is that you won’t be able to fling moves about every round; instead, you’ll have to wait for the perfect moment. You, like the Monk or Warlock, rely on brief rests to keep your additional skills topped up.

• Superiority in Combat: (3rd, 7th, 10th, 15th Level) This is the purpose of the Battle Master. Every brief rest, three Lv. 3 moves are added, as well as four superiority dice. You may use your superiority dice to perform a variety of moves, many of which increase the damage and/or impact of a successful strike. Others provide you unique powers, such as allowing an ally to strike you or allowing you to deflect a hit. When you acquire this feature, you learn three maneuvers and get more as you go through the stages. Section 6 of this guide contains information on maneuvers; notice that many of them can be used with ranged weapons, so this isn’t a melee-only Archetype.
• Student of War (3rd Level): Mostly for flavor, although depending on your campaign tool proficiency, it may be useful. You’ll often find yourself with nothing to do with your tools.
• Know Your Enemy (7th Level): Spend one minute observing a creature and learning about its skills in comparison to yours. In earlier text MUDs, the “Consider” command was similar. This is a trait that no other class possesses, and it will be important throughout the game. Use this information to figure out whether they have a vulnerability or if the elderly woman is a masked assassin.
• Combat Superiority has improved (10th, 18th Level) Your Superiority Dice grow in size, and your moves become more spectacular. It’s not terrible.
• You’ll always get at least one maneuver in battle if you’re Relentless (15th level). Regrettably, this only applies if you don’t have any superiority dice on the initiative roll. It’ll come in useful if you’ve used up all of your superiority dice. Encourages you to finish a battle with nothing left on the table.
• Maneuvers
  • Commander’s Strike – Instructing an ally to strike in a friendly manner until you realize it will cost you one of your attacks plus your extra action. It’s very useful if you have a Rogue in your party who can sneak attack, and even better if they have an attack advantage. Otherwise, you’re better off simply hitting the opponent.
  • Disarming Attack – This is an excellent method to reclaim the maguffin that the adversary has. If they’re holding a weapon or a magical focus, that’s even better. Disarm them and take up their item using your free object interaction, or kick it back to an ally. If you’re sure that weak mages can’t spell without their magic staff, this may be an excellent method to disarm them. If you’re battling animals with no weapons, this isn’t very helpful.
  • Distracting Strike – Advantage is nice but this only grants advantage to the next attack from an ally on this creature. Good for Rogues in your party but only when they’re the next one to target the creature. It becomes a bit situational.
  • Evasive Footwork – Because it stops when you stop moving, this move increases your AC against chance strikes. Either retreat away from a difficult foe or rush past them to their back line. When you can’t afford to be distracted, both options are viable.
  • Feinting Attack – Invest one superiority die and your extra action to gain an advantage over one opponent within 5 feet of you. Battle Masters is a game in which you play as a It’s usually reserved for when you REALLY need to hit, and it’s a little underwhelming.
  • Goading Attack – This is a fantastic Defender move. If your opponent lacks Wisdom, this is a great way to keep their focus on you. The menacing assault is more powerful, but it only works against fearless targets. Consider acquiring this at higher levels, as opponents begin to lose their fear immunity or become massive.
  • Can you get closer…? Lunging Attack – Increase your reach by 5 feet. or do you want to use a Polearm? It all depends on the circumstances.
  • Maneuvering Attack — A ‘Warlord’-style ability that allows you to maneuver an ally across the battlefield. The greatest aspect is that it allows the victim to move half as fast as they normally would without generating chance assaults. This can be used to get the Wizard or Archer out of trouble. Alternatively, if you’re in a hurry, relocate a melee buddy inside charging range so they don’t have to sprint on their turn.
  • The ability to inflict the firghten state on an opponent is very strong. Put oneself between your friends and the enemy to make it difficult for your adversary to be successful. Combine this with friends that compel opponents to perform ability checks (rather than saving throws) for things like grappling. Be careful that certain animals are fearless, so use this to your advantage.
  • Parry – Reduces damage depending on your Dex modifier and the superiority die you score. Only useful for a Dex Build, and even then, it loses some luster if you choose Defensive Duelist since you’ll already have a defensive ability that uses up your response.
  • Precision Attack is similar to Bardic Inspiration in terms of effectiveness (and stacks with it). Surviving a close call with a tiny bost implies you’re causing harm where you might have failed otherwise. There are times when you simply must strike an assault. When you’re running Sentinel and have to stop an opponent from getting past you, it’s even better. This move may be used before or after the attack roll, but before the attack’s effects are applied.
  • When you strike a creature with a weapon attack, you may use one superiority die to try to push it back. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a Strength saving throw if it is Large or smaller. You push the target up to 15 feet away from you if you fail to save.
  • Rally – Another ‘Warlord’ ability, this time granting temporary health points depending on the Charisma factor and the superiority die roll. If you’re taking this route, the Inspiring Leader feat may let you start each battle with temporary hitpoints and then replenish them later with a rally. Just keep in mind that temporary hit points do not stack, so wait until the initial ones have been used up before adding more.
  • Riposte (Melee Only) – If a monster misses you with a melee attack, you may use your reaction and one superiority die to attack the creature with a melee weapon. If you succeed, the superiority die is added to the attack’s damage roll.
  • Sweeping Strike – This ‘Cleave’ type attack falls short unless you’re battling minions.
  • Trip Attack – A great method to give all melee friends an edge. Works against opponents that are big or tiny, which makes up a significant part of the enemy population. If you’re ranged, it theoretically works, but it means you’re putting yourself (and other ranged teammates) at a disadvantage.

[XGE] Cavalier

Mount up and get ready to roll!

The Vavalier is a master of horseback warfare, but that isn’t all you can do. While you definitely want to get in the saddle whenever the opportunity arises, you’re also a capable defender who can keep a front line in check.

To get the most out of this archetype, prioritize Strength and Constitution.

• Proficiency Bonus (3rd Level) Choose from Animal Handling, History, Insight, Performance, or Persuasion to improve your skills. Alternatively, you may acquire a second language. Unless you know you’ll need a particular language in the future, go for the expertise. If you’ll be mounted a lot, Animal Handling is the best option; otherwise, Insight or Persuasion are good options.
• Born to Ride a Horse (3rd Level) Mounted is a characteristic that makes you amazing. Advantage on saving throws performed to save your horse from slipping off. It also takes less time to mount and dismount. Outside of riding about, it’s useless, but if the DM lets you get on that horse, it’ll be very helpful.
• Unwavering Mark (3rd Level) Those who played 4th edition may recognise this. Marking an enemy when you hit it and imposing disadvantage on attacks other than you (while within 5ft). Plus, there’s the bonus-action attack (with advantage) you get on your next turn when the enemy hurts one of your allies. You can mark more than one creature but the special attack is limited to your STR-mod number of times per long rest. So you should be building up that Strength to get the most of this feature. Note this is also, in fact, not redundant with the Sentinel feat, since the attack from that uses your reaction.
• Maneuver of Defense (7th Level) As a reaction, you add +1d8 to a nearby ally’s AC vs. one attack, similar to a Lore Bard’s Cutting Words. This may be used on yourself or a creature within 5 feet of you (including your mount). Even if the assault succeeds, the damage is reduced by half, making this an excellent defender feature. The number of uses every lengthy rest is determined by your CON-mod, which is why, as a Cavalier, you want to have a high CON. For that response, it competes with the Protection fighting style.
• Keep the Line in Place (10th Level) An opponent usually does not trigger chance attacks until they are out of your reach. This feature makes it impossible for an opponent to move around WITHIN your reach. The ability of the Sentinel feat to opportunity attack even when opponents have performed the disengage action is a fantastic combo.
• Charger of Fury: (15th Level) Just in case you needed another incentive to be Strength-focused, the saving throw DC is dependent on your Str. You are not restricted to melee attacks, so you may hurl a javelin if necessary. There are no restrictions on the size of the opponent you may knock prone, but bear in mind that Giant and Gargantuan monsters typically have a high Strength save. Feel free to walk 10 feet in a straight line before attempting to send that gargantuan flying dragon falling to the earth with a javelin.
• Defender of the Vigilant: (18th Level) A unique response that can only be used to make opportunity attacks. This way, instead of making one OA per creature each round, you may create one OA per creature per round. You’re stopping more foes than a jelatonous cube when you combine Hold the Line with Sentinel.

[PHB] Champion

The Champion is the way to go for people who like to play a Fighter mainly for the ability to hit objects and aren’t fond of round-by-round combat choices.

More powerful critical hits, a few skill bonuses, a second Fighting Style, and ultimately the ability to regenerate hit points are all helpful additions that don’t require significant monitoring.

• Critical thinking skills have improved (3rd Level) Critting on a 19-20 instead of a 20 increases your average damage by a little amount. It’ll be more effective if you can figure out how to take advantage of the better odds. The other side is attempting to increase the amount of dice you throw in order to improve your crits, such as the Half-Savage Orc’s Attacks feat, Great Weapon Master feat, and so on.
• Athlete of Distinction. (7th Grade) This trait isn’t noticeable until you understand that initiative is a Dexterity check, thus you get a +2 bonus that increases to +3 at L13. Aside from that, you’ll need 50% competence in Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, and other skills (you’re probably already good at some of them). Increased leap distance is also a bit of a letdown.
• Additional Combat Styles (10th Level) If you didn’t take the Fighting style you required previously, now is the time to do so. Grab an accuracy/damage-boosting style that fits your style (Archery, Dueling, Great Weapon, 2WF), but if you don’t, Defense is your best option. For melee/ranged flexibility, a Dex-fighter might consider taking up either Dueling or Archery if they haven’t already. Protection may be a decent option depending on your party composition if you haven’t found something to do with your response yet and you employ a shield.
• Crit on an 18-20 – Superior Critical (15th Level) Unfortunately, this is a lesser boost than Improved critical, since instead of doubling your critical chance, this only increases it by 50%.
• the survivor (18th Level) If you are ‘bloodied,’ you will regenerate 5 + Con hp per round (Half health or less). At 18th level, you’ll probably have 150+ hit points, so this isn’t very useful in battle, but it ensures that you’ll start every encounter with at least half your health and frees up several higher-level healing slots for the Cleric.

Overall:

[PHB] Eldritch Knight:

For the Fighter with a good Intelligence score who wants to sling Wizard spells.

Your spell choices and slots will be restricted, but you’ll have stronger AoE options, as well as some very powerful defensive spells and a lot of potential usefulness.

• Casting Spells: (3rd Level) You are a 1/3 caster who learns a certain amount of cantrips and spells from the Wizard list in the same way as a Sorcerer, Bard, or Warlock does. Most of your spells are restricted to only two schools: defensive Abjuration and offensive Evocation, but at Lv. 3, 8, 14, and 20, you may choose from any school. Despite the restrictions, spellcasting will allow you to accomplish things that other Fighters can only scoff at.
• Bond of Weapons: (3rd Level) Actually, it’s a step up from fluff. If you need to drop your weapon someplace and have already used your free item interaction for the round, spending a bonus action to teleport it back into your hands is a wiser use of your action budget.
• Magic of War: (7th Level) With the introduction of SCAG cantrips like Booming Blade and Green-Flame Blade, the possibilities are endless. Booming Blade + attack with any weapon other than Great Weapon Master delivers greater single-target damage than the standard 3-attack routine after Lv. 11. (Though you’ll still want to utilize the three attacks for that additional action if you Action Surge.) Great Weapon Masters won’t utilize this as much as they used to, but it’s still useful in certain circumstances.
• Strike of the Eldritch: (10th Level) After striking them with an attack, you have a disadvantage on spell saving until the end of your next turn. Only for EKs that are concerned about their INT score.
• Charge Arcane: (15th Level) Woo! Free teleportation just before an Action Surge nova! A nice mobility boost to get to the opponent you wish to rip apart.
• War Magic has been improved: (18th Level) After casting any spell, you now receive the bonus-action attack. Great for obtaining two attacks in the same round you Haste yourself, for example.

Spellcasting by Eldritch Knights

Cantrips

You learn two cantrips from the wizard spell list of your choosing. At 10th level, you learn an extra wizard cantrip of your choosing.

Slots for Spells

The Eldritch Knight Spellcasting table displays how many spell slots you have for 1st level and higher wizard spells. You must spend a slot of the spell’s level or greater to perform one of these spells. When you complete a long rest, you recover all of your spent spell slots.

You can cast shield using either a 1st-level or a 2nd-level spell slot if you know the 1st-level spell shield and have both 1st-level and 2nd-level spell slots available.

1st-Level and Higher Spells Known

You know three 1st-level wizard spells of your choosing, two of which must be chosen from the wizard spell list’s abjuration and evocation spells.

The Eldritch Knight Spellcasting table’s Spells Known column indicates when you learn additional wizard spells of 1st level or above. Each of these spells must be an abjuration or evocation spell of your choosing, of a level for which you have spell slots. When you achieve 7th level in this class, for example, you may learn one new 1st or 2nd level spell.

At the eighth, fourteenth, and twentieth levels, you may learn spells from any school of magic.

You may replace one of the wizard spells you know with another spell from the wizard spell list whenever you achieve a level in this class. Unless you’re replacing a spell you acquired at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic, the replacement spell must be at a level for which you have spell slots and must be an abjuration or evocation spell.

Alternatively, you may go at our other 5E Class Guides to learn about the other classes. 

Overall:

[SCAG] Purple Dragon Knight (Banneret):

He’s like a Warlord-style “Rally to Me” warrior. To key off, you’ll want to have a good Charisma modifier. This archetype struggles with being a little weak at first, as well as feeling a little messed up.

It gets better after level 10, so you may want to skip it if you don’t anticipate the campaign to reach that point.

• Rallying Cry (Rallying Cry): (3rd Level) When you use your Second Wind ability, you may select up to three allied creatures within 60 feet of you. If the monster can see or hear you, each of them regains health points equal to your fighter level. When you Second Wind, you may heal up to three friends, depending on your Fighter level. Starts off weak, but scales nicely; compares well to a Lv. 10 Mass Healing Word spell (another bonus-action heal). Most people believe that getting this feature at level 10 rather than level 3 is a preferable option.
• Royal Envoy: (7th Level) Effective Persuasion Expertise If you didn’t have it before, you’ll acquire it now, and if you did, you’ll receive a choice that should go to Insight if you didn’t previously have it. Other options include intimidation, animal handling, and performance. Because you’ll most likely already have a high Charisma, this will help you become the party’s “face.”
• Surge of Inspiration: (10th, 18th Level) When you activate your Action Surge ability, you may give an ally a free melee or ranged weapon attack. This is a fantastic ability, and it seems appropriate for a Warlord commander. It’s already a fantastic weapon for dealing a lot of damage in a single round, but it’s much stronger with a Rogue, Paladin, or Barbarian buddy. At Lvl 18, two allies are invited to participate.
• Bulwark: (15th Level) When you use it to make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, it extends Indomitable (Reroll a failed saving throw) to an ally. This will only work if they are experiencing the same symptoms as you. Regrettably, it is much more restricted than it should be. You can’t utilize this function against incapacitating effects, which are the ones you’re most likely to encounter while using Indomitable.

Overall:

[XGE] Samurai

A straightforward archetype that lends itself to a variety of fighter setups. Don’t think that since you’re a Samurai, you’re stuck with a katana.

Fighters that prefer Str, Dex, or even ranged weaponry will benefit from this.

The Samurai is a contemplative and intelligent warrior who benefits from a positive Wisdom modifier.

• Proficiency Bonus (3rd Level) An additional language or talent is required. The additional language is only helpful in a few high-profile campaigns; but, the additional skill competence will nearly always come in handy more often. I recommend choosing either Insight or Persuasion at 7th level, with Persuasion receiving a bonus later.
• Fighting zeal: (3rd Level) This is the essence of the Samurai. Bonus action to get an edge on attacks for the remainder of your turn, as well as some temporary level-scaling hit points. This will be used three times each day, which corresponds to the amount of Action Surges you may anticipate to utilize every day. To get the most out of your fighting spirit, do this before you attack.
• Courtier de Luxe: (7th Level) You don’t have to burn a feat on Resilient (WIS) if you get Wisdom save proficiency! This is a fantastic boost since wisdom is a very frequent saving. You may now add your WIS modifier to Persuasion checks, allowing you to be a potential party face with Persuasion proficiency, good WIS, and a non-negative CHA. It’s also nice.
• Spirit of Abundance: (10th Level) You get one use of Fighting Spirit when you roll initiative and have no remaining uses. Your offensive skills will be greatly enhanced.
• Strike Quickly: (15th Level) During your Attack action, you may give up advantage on one of your attacks in exchange for two attacks with no advantage. This is preferable, particularly if you are sure in your ability to strike both attacks. Rolling twice for two attacks’ worth of damage is always preferable than rolling twice and hoping for a crit. Note that if you Action Surged, you won’t be able to utilize this ability again on your turn.
• Before Death, Strength: (18th Level) A fantastic capstone ability that makes you feel like a badass. When you’re knocked down to 0 hit points, you receive a full turn (which interrupts whoever’s turn it was). You may either take this additional round to heal yourself or go full nova and deal out another turn’s worth of tremendous damage by using your response. However, be cautious about relocating since receiving damage (whether from Opportunity attacks or anything else) may result in death saving throw failures.

Overall:

Skills

The Fighter isn’t very excellent at filling the skill monkey position, but they’re more than capable of providing solid party assistance in this respect.

Don’t be scared to mix and match your skill selections to make your character unique. Even if a skill is mechanically poor, it may still be beneficial to the whole party.

Skills of the Fighter Class:

• Unless you’re aiming for a Dex fighter, Acrobatics are less essential than Athletics. You’ll need this to get out of grapples and withstand shoves.
• Animal Handling: This is a rare occurrence, although it improves if you’re contemplating a mounted Fighter or Cavalier.
• Athletics are very desired. Climbing alone may be a frightening experience. You’ll probably be the one chasing things down, climbing objects, and lifting allies up.
• History: Doesn’t play to your strengths; nevertheless, an Eldritch knight or Arcane Archer with Intelligence points may find it more fascinating.
• Insight: It may be thematically suitable and a helpful party tool. A excellent sense of other people’s intentions or honesty.
• Intimidation: Unless you’re aiming for a Purple Dragon Knight, Cha is unlikely to be a good stat for you. Remember that there are many methods to do a ‘Strength-based intimidation check,’ so become competent in this area and consult with your DM.
• Perception: This is on the verge of becoming a “must have,” simply since there are no meaningful diminishing rewards from having several characters cover it. It’s that critical.
• Survival: This is a campaign-specific item, although it is thematically meaningful and useful regardless.

Non-class abilities:

• Sleight of Hand is a great choice, but it’s not usually coupled with the Fighter unless you’re playing the party Rogue.
• Stealth: Although it is somewhat party specific, it is highly worth acquiring if you are a Dex-Fighter. Especially if you have any sly friends that like surprise rounds.
• Arcana isn’t your strong suit, and unless you’re aiming for Arcane Archer or Eldritch Knight, it’s unusual for a Fighter.
• Investigation: This is also out of the ordinary and out of your comfort zone.
• Religion: I believe you would have picked a Cleric or Paladin if you wanted to be religious (or Wizard).
• Nature: This may be thematically suitable depending on your character’s narrative, but it doesn’t play to your strengths.
• The Healer’s Kit has rendered medicine largely obsolete. Leave it to the Cleric of the Gathering to handle this.
• Deception is a useful skill to have, but others in your group are likely to be better at it.
• Performance: You’ll have a lot of fun roleplaying, but it’s doubtful that you’ll perform well, thus the chances are that you’ll make a fool of yourself.
• Unless you’re dealing with a Samurai or a Purple Dragon Knight, you can usually delegate this to someone else in the party.

Backgrounds:

Your background usually grants you two talents, maybe two languages, possibly two tools, a particular benefit, and a modest quantity of goods/gold.

They may help you flesh out your character, provide mechanical assistance, and further explain your Fighter’s motivations.

Backgrounds of PHB

[insight/religion] Acolyte: This is an unusual decision that may lead to a fascinating tale. Religion isn’t the best talent, but Insight isn’t bad. Though it is not a typical Fighter speciality, the additional languages may be helpful. The benefit is entertaining and flavorful, but it may be game or DM specific.

[deception/sleight of hand] Charlatan: Another unusual pick, but one that might be entertaining. The two tool sets may give your arbarian a weird overlay. The perk may be used to offer some interesting roleplaying possibilities. Most Barbarians will be uncomfortable with this, but it isn’t a terrible option.

[deception/stealth] is a criminal term. Stealth and Thieves Tools are excellent mechanical options, particularly if you don’t have a Rogue in your party. The benefit of having a criminal contact varies depending on the campaign, but it is not to be overlooked.

[acrobatics/performance] entertainer With this combination, I always imagine someone like to a circus strongman. Acrobatics and Performance are useful abilities, but they don’t really apply to the average Fighter. The perk does provide some enjoyable possibilities for character development.

Folk Hero: [animal handling/survival] Both skills are on your class list, but the Vehicle proficiency can be useful. It’s a fun choice from a character standpoint, but it doesn’t wow with the mechanics.

[insight/persuasion] Guild Artisan This is the kind of decision that may help define a character while also providing some entertaining possibilities. The crafting rules, on the other hand, make this a highly campaign-specific game. Well, without a lot of downtime…

[medicine/religion] Hermit This is arguably your weakest Background in terms of mechanics. The talents are incompatible with your abilities, and the benefit is vague. If I had to choose just one background to avoid, it would be this one.

[history/persuasion] Noble: Fits a variety of Fighter kinds thematically. Some retainers to keep your horse watered and secure may be beneficial. The skills aren’t a good fit for you, but having access to the Gaming Kit might be enjoyable.

[athletics/survival] Outlander A mercenary from the wilds might be an excellent match for a group of warriors. The perks are great, but they do tread on the Survival skill’s toes a bit.

[arcana/history] Sage: For a Fighter, he’s a little like the Hermit. The two languages are great if you plan to use them, but the rest is pretty “meh.”

[athletics/perception] Sailor You have two of the greatest abilities. It’s even better if you get a free ship trip. The benefit is campaign-specific, but it might be helpful. Much fun may be had if you utilize the Pirate Variant!

Soldier: [athletics/intimidation] This is a good match for a lot of Fighters. Depending on your DM, the perk may be a bit restricted. Reuniting with former Soldier comrades may be a huge help in more social situations. The advantages of military rank are many, including the ability to issue commands to guards and other army NPCs.

Urchin: [sleight of hand/stealth] Who knew Urchins could be so tasty? Stealth is a fantastic ability to have, and both Thieves Tools and the Disguise Kit are enjoyable to use. The perk is also very good, with plenty of room for it to shine in a variety of campaigns.

Fighter Abilities:

If you already have an even amount in that stat, you should definitely choose a +2 STR/DEX over a feat.

The Fighter is the class that receives the most Ability Score Improvements, with one at levels 4, 6, 8, 12, 14, 16, and 19. As a result, you’ll be able to acquire the stat boosts you’ll need early on while still having some space.

If the modifier you want to increase is an odd number, a feat that gives you +1 may help you balance it out and offer you a benefit.

• Going first gives you the opportunity to disable opponents before they act, or to boost friends before they rush in.
• Athlete: You’d think the +1 to Strength or Dexterity would be useful. The benefits of activity aren’t very thrilling.
• Actor: Unless you’re in a very sociable campaign or searching for the Purple Dragon Knight’s +1 Charisma.
• Charger: Charging in may be helpful for bridging a gap, but it isn’t something you’ll see very frequently.
• If you use crossbows, particularly hand crossbows, you must be a Crossbow Expert. By ignoring loading, you may use a crossbow to perform all of your Extra Attacks. It increases damage and complements the Sharpshooter feat.
• Defensive Duelist: This build is ideal for melee builds that rely on finesse weapons. Each round, provides a good degree of resilience against a single assault.
• Dual Wielder: When dual wielding, get +1 AC… Dual-wielding, on the other hand, is a weakness for single-class Fighters. If you’re a multiclassing Rogue, utilizing two rapiers or a rapier and a dagger may be intriguing.
• Dungeon Delver: In the proper (dungeon-y) adventure/campaign, this character may shine. Even yet, you’re probably not the best person in the group to deal with traps; leave it to the characters with high Intelligence and Wisdom who have Expertise.
• The benefit from this feat isn’t terrible if you have an unusual Constitution score, particularly if you take a lot of short rests. If you already have a high Constitution – 17 or 19 – this improves.
• Elemental Adept: For everyone save Eldritch Knights, this is completely worthless, but they won’t have enough spells to make it function anyway.
• Grappler: I’m not sure how good I am. Maybe if you’re a wrestling fanatic, but even then it seems a little weak. Shoving your opponent prone (they can’t get up while you’re gripping them) completely replaces Restrained.
• Great Weapon Master: It’s fantastic to get a free additional action attack on a kill/crit. It’s fantastic (though rather situational) to be able to boost your damage while lowering your accuracy. Many monsters in 5E have a low AC but a high HP, which you may use to your advantage. At some time, a two-handed weapon wielding will be required to do this feat.
• Healer: Your party may turn to you for this if you’re a supporter. Although it is somewhat better than an inspirational leader, the financial cost is negligible in the long run.
• Heavily Armored: Only if you didn’t start off as a Fighter might this be significant… If you’re a Strength player, this isn’t a bad choice.
• At first, Heavy Armor Master is fantastic (ESPECIALLY if a Variant Human takes it at Lv. 1). As you progress in level, the damage reduction has less of an effect, but it’s never a waste. In addition, you get +1 STR.
• Inspiring Leader: If you have a high Charisma, particularly if you’re a Purple Dragon Knight or a Battle Master with Rally, this may provide a temporary shield for your party before fights – it’s not the strongest, but it’s extremely tasty.
• The INT isn’t very helpful, but depending on the campaign, it may be worth it. Perhaps you should ask the Wizard to take this.
• You don’t need to be lightly armored.
• Linguist: Another strange boost for Int, but it’s still your dump stat, and Languages aren’t always helpful.
• Lucky: This is a great bonus all-around. These fortunate points may be used to offset disadvantage and act in favor of the Champion and Samurai, making their abilities much more powerful.
• Mage Slayer: This spell is campaign-dependent, although it may be devastating against the appropriate foes. This may be used by Eldritch Knights with Counterspell and Dispel Magic (combined with Misty Step/Arcane Charge to get up close) to completely disable opponent spellcasters.
• A decent method for a non-Eldritch Knight to learn a valuable cantrip is to become a Magic Initiate. Choosing Warlock is attractive since it allows you to cast Hex once each day, adding d6s of damage to all hits and penalizing opponent ability checks. Take Wizard if you want to find anything familiar.
• If you’re not a Battle Master, you’ll get an additional Superiority Die, which is a d6 if you’re a Martial Adept. Battle Masters who need even more tactical flexibility will benefit from this.
• If you have 16 Dex, you gain +2 AC as a Medium Armor Master.
• Mobile: Increased speed and unrestricted disengagement from opponents. You’re often the one who stops others, not the other way around.
• You already have the advantage of being somewhat armored.
• Mounted Combatant: If you’re often mounted on anything big, this is a fantastic option. The Cavaliers will undoubtedly want to check it out.
• Observant: This should be in the hands of someone, but it may not be you. Passive Perception can keep you alive, and understanding is important for a ‘Face.’
• Master of Polearms: You already know you want this if a Polearm is your weapon of choice.
• Resilient (Wis): You gain a saving proficiency for a single feat point. That’s fantastic! At level 7, Samurai gain the Wisdom version of this.
• Ritual Caster: Rituals may be very beneficial to your group. It depends on whether or not your DM will allow you to study additional rituals as you progress. Choose between Wizard and Cleric for utility spells and divination abilities.
• Savage Attacker: With all of your numerous attacks, you’ll have a hard time getting the most out of this.
• Sentinel: If you want to play a “Defender” style of Fighter and stop enemies getting past this is your ticket. This is a great way to shut down enemies movement and punish them for even considering attack your allies. Melee Battle Master fighters should get this and the Riposte maneuver as soon as it was available, all but guaranteeing an extra reaction attack against an enemy. This also has fantastic synergy with Polearm Master, letting you stop enemies at reach with OAs.
• Sharpshooter: If you’re going ranged, this is the one to get. This is the Great Weapon master’s equivalent in terms of damage increase at the cost of accuracy, plus disregarding everything except complete cover is great.
• Shield Master is an important accomplishment for grappling fighters since it allows you to push with a bonus action. It’s nice to get the shield benefits on Dex saves.
• Skilled: You’re not meant to be a “Skill monkey,” that’s something for Bards and Rogues to do. If you need to improve your talents, focus on the skills rather than the tool competence, since tools may be learned during downtime.
• Skulker: A stealthy Dex Fighter who fires from a distance, although it’s less effective if you also have Dark-vision. Sharpshooter may be a good match.
• Spell Sniper: You don’t have any spells, and even an Eldritch Knight has too many Attributes to deal with to get this far with feats.
• Tavern Brawler: A grappling fighter’s alternative to the shield master. If you have an unusual Str/Con ratio. It’s a tough pass for everyone else.
• Tough: Not terrible, but if saving throws and health are a problem, you’re definitely better off getting the +2 Con. If your Consitution is already at 20, this will provide you with a significant increase in hit points.
• I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that this is worthless for non-caster warriors. However, it is required for sword and shield Eldritch Knights so that they may spell with both hands full. For other EKs, it’s not quite as important, but the edge on concentration saves and the ability to unleash Booming Blade on Opportunity Attacks are always nice.
• Weapon Master: You’re not going to use this.

Multi-classing as a fighter:

I’d want to take a short look at a few possibilities here, as well as the idea of a “dip” to get some goods from another class.

I’m going to leave some of the finer aspects of multiclassing up to the player, particularly anything that detracts from the character’s main fighting ability.

Unless you’re following a particular build or idea, you’re generally better off remaining a single-classed Fighter from level 1 to 20. However, there are many multiclass alternatives.

While there is a color grade in this area, keep in mind that other choices, such as character idea, may come under your character concept rather than true optimization.

• Barbarian : Any STR-Fighter may be interested in this, Rage for greater damage and reckless attack to force advantage if you take two levels.
• Bard: A Purple Dragon Knight may want to check here since they’ll most certainly have the necessary 13 Cha. Go for Lore bard and Cutting Words if you go three levels in.
• Cleric: Depending on the domain, you may be eligible for certain attractive benefits. Being based on WIS may be detrimental depending on spell selection.
• Druid: Druids have issues that are similar to those of clerics, although they are more severe. WIS isn’t the best place to look.
• Monk: There’s nothing for you here since martial arts necessitates the removal of your armour.
• Paladin: Because CHA is a spellcasting ability, this is a good fit for a Purple Dragon Knight or an Eldritch Knight.
• Ranger: Not a terrible option for an archer build, but you’ll have to invest at least two, if not three levels in Ranger to get to the fun stuff. The Dread Ambusher of the Gloom Stalker (XGTE) is fire.
• Rogue: The Dex fighter’s sneak strike is solid. Cunning Action is a great feature that gives you a lot of versatility.
• Sorcerer: Thanks to Metamagic, a top reward for any caster in general, this is a highly appealing choice for Eldritch Knights. If you’re not an EK, obviously don’t bother with just a dip.
• Other than Eldritch Knight archetypes, there might be something useful here for warlocks. The Eldritch Blast Cantrip or Booming Blade are good options for spell slots that recharge after a brief rest.
• Wizard: Works nicely with an Eldritch Knight who wants to learn more about magic. Other archetypes aren’t required to do so.

  Regards,  

After playing a number of campaign playthroughs, I decided to create a guide for fivee D&D players who are interested in playing an  Faerun Foreign Legion character. This guide provides a system-agnostic background for an ideal character, and assumes a core of knowledge involving the setting and core classes. This guide is intended to be a companion to the table top, and is not written with the same rules as the game.. Read more about variant human fighter 5e build and let us know what you think.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best fighter build 5E?

The best fighter build 5E is a Fighter/Barbarian.

What are the best stats for fighter 5E?

The best stats for fighter 5E are Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution.

Is fighter good in DnD?

Yes, fighters are good in DnD.

Related Tags

This article broadly covered the following related topics:

• 5e fighter guide
• dnd 5e fighter archetypes
• dnd 5e fighter
• 5e fighter
• fighter dnd