When it comes toDungeons & DragonsFighters are a popular class to explore. Fighters are one of the most customizable classes available inDungeons & Dragons. Fighters come in many shapes and sizes and vary from table to table.
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With a backstory and clever use of feats, players can create a number of unique characters. A master chef who developed psionic powers and became a Psi Warrior, a former Eldritch Knight on the run from their homeland after being framed for a coup — the possibilities are endless. In addition, Fighters inDungeons & Dragonshave access to a wide variety of mechanics that allow players to handle a variety of scenarios.
Fighter Subclasses
The versatility of the Fighter class is largely due to the number of official subclasses available. There arecurrently ten total subclasses available for Fighters:
When players consider what role they want to their Fighter to play, it’s important to consider subclass features, as these can be quite unique.
7More Than Just Swords
WhileDungeons & Dragonscampaigns often heavilyuse weapons such as swords, arrows, and shields, players can create a Fighter that specializes in guns. TheGunslinger subclassis an unofficial homebrew subclass created by Critical Role’s Matthew Mercer.
If the DM allows a player to use this specific subclass, the player will gain access to early firearms. The Gunslinger focuses on designing, crafting, and using these powerful ranged weapons. Characters gain firearm proficiency at the third level, as well as the Gunsmith feature. This feature grants players proficiency in Tinker’s Tools, which they can then use to craft ammunition. Players can also repair damaged weapons andcraft new weapons.
Due to the power gap between standardD&Dweapons and firearms, the class also provides ways to balance gameplay. Unlike archers, Gunslinger fighters can misfire, if their attack roll is less than or equal to their misfire score. If the attack misses again, the weapon is damaged, and can not be used until it is repaired.
6Action Surge
Fighters gain access toAction Surge starting at the second level. Thisallows fighters topush beyond their normal limitsand make an additional attack.This can become greatly beneficial if a player rolls a natural 1, causing an attack to miss while a fighter is in melee range.
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This feature alone becomes a beneficial reason for other classes to multi-class into Fighter. For example, a spellcaster that took two levels of Fighter can use the Action Surge to cast two spells within one turn. This can potentially increase to three spells if a reaction spell is used before the character’s turn officially begins.
Action Surge does have limits. At earlier levels, players can only use this feature once between short or long rests. At the seventeenth level players can use their Action Surge twice between rests; however, it is still limited to once per turn.
5Three Fighting Styles
Players looking to maximize their fighting versatility can haveup to three fighting styles. If playerscombine the Champion Fighter Subclass with the Fighting Initiate feat,it is possible to have three fighting styles at once.
This is possible because the Champion Fighter subclass gains an additional fighting style at the tenth level. Players will already have their starting fighting style, which they selected at the first level. The Fighting Initiate feature, introduced in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, allows any character with anexisting proficiency with a martial weaponto gain a bonus fighting style.
4Increasing Feature Usage
Several class features available to Fightersgive the class plenty of combat benefits. Extra Attack grants players the ability to attack twice whenever they take an attack action on their turn. This begins on the fifth level and increases at the eleventh and twentieth levels, to a total of four extra attacks during a turn.
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Indomitable is another class feature that grants players the ability to reroll a saving throw they failed. This feature can be used once between long rests beginning at the ninth level. At the thirteenth level, it can be used twice between long rests. This increases a final time at the seventeenth level to a total of three uses between long rests.
3More Ability Score Improvements
Fighters have anadvantage when it comes to increasing Ability Scoresas a character levels up. While other classes have five chances to either increase an Ability Score or choose a feat,Fighters have seven opportunities.This allows players who choose to create a Fighter to make a variety of versatile characters with just one class.
In addition, some feats grant an ability score increase in addition to a characteristic or skill. This can allow Fighters to gain the benefits of taking both an increase on their ability score and a feature. In particular, Fighter Subclasses such as the Eldritch Knight, which gains the ability to cast spells, can gain a great amount of benefit from maximizing the use of half feats.
2A Wide Variety Of Subclass Features
In addition to having the most Ability Score Improvements of all the classes inDungeons & DragonsFighters also have the most subclass features. Unlike other classes, Fighters havefive available subclass features for each subclass.
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These are available at the third, seventh, tenth, fifteenth, and eighteenth levels respectively. Combined with the sheer number of subclasses available for fighters, this is another reason the class is so versatile. For example, Psi Warriors at the eighteenth level can cast the Telekinesis spell without any components. Samurai at the eighteenth level can use Strength Before Death, which allows them to use a reaction to delay falling unconscious if dropped to zero hit points.
1Spellcasting
Fighters are most often seen as the peak description of a melee character. Most fighters are seen with some form of sword and a variety of other weapons. However, Fighters inD&Dcan alsogain access to spells.
Some subclasses, such as Eldritch Knights, gain spell slots andaccess to the same spells as Wizards. Meanwhile, other subclasses such as Arcane Archers, Psi Warriors, and Rune Knights gain the ability to use spells and magical damage effects as class features.
