Dungeons & Dragons: New Player Guide To Fighters

October 2024 · 10 minute read

The Fighter class has often been maligned in the history of Dungeons & Dragons, primarily due to how descriptive the class title is. It’s the Fighter’s job to fight, and that’s pretty much it — they don’t cast spells, heal wounds, or disarm dangerous locks. The Fighter just goes out and kills things until they die, right? Not exactly. The D&D Fighter offers as much or as little complexity as the player wants to put into them, with an ability set that is easy to get to grips with, while making them incredibly effective in their chosen role as the one who fights.

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The D&D Fighter, Everything You Need To Know

The D&D Fighter class is the master of combat flexibility, equally skilled in using several fighting styles and techniques. These range from the defensive wall, which blocks enemies in heavy armor while holding a shield, to keep the other party members safe from harm; the bow master, who rains death down upon enemies with their deadly barrage of arrows; the big weapon wielder, who cuts foes to pieces with strikes from a weapon that can reach across several spaces; or the dual-weapon user, who performs multiple attacks in a single turn.

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While the D&D Fighter doesn’t have the damage or control options of the spellcasters, they still perform an important role in combat, as it often falls to them to tank the damage and keep the enemy hordes engaged. The ranged option is viable, but it works best in a group with a meat shield that stands on the front lines. Otherwise, the group will soon be overrun by monsters.

D&D Fighters Are The Most Versatile Class When It Comes To Concepts & Themes

There is a stereotype from the old days of D&D of the average fighter being a human with a longsword, a shield, and no personality. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as the Fighter is easily the most liquid class in concept. The only defining element of the Fighter class is that they’re good at fighting, which lends itself to countless different character ideas. This starkly contrasts classes like the Barbarian and the Paladin, which are more challenging (but not impossible) to break out of their mold.

The grizzled mercenary, the glory-seeking gladiator, and the former soldier are all fine ideas for the player who wants to roll up a character and bring them to the game, but there are more options for those who want to get creative. Want to adapt one of the non-Gandalf members of the Fellowship of the Ring into D&D? The Fighter has you covered. Want to play a Samurai who has arrived from a distant land? The Fighter can do that (along with a subclass). Want to play a knight whose social standing provides them with all kinds of legal obligations and political headaches? Just concentrate on the backstory and the personality, as the Fighter covers you for everything else.

In many ways, the Fighter is the perfect class for the roleplayers of the group, as it has the least amount of maintenance in keeping track of abilities and has an easily defined role that anyone can understand. It’s also the best class for new Dungeons & Dragons players who are coming into a group full of veterans, as it’s the simplest to come to terms with, and their role is so simple that it’s hard to mess up.

Easy Character Race Choices For A D&D Fighter

There was a division regarding which races were best suited for the Fighter, as they tend to fall into the Strength or Dexterity build categories. Since the introduction of the Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything stat bonus rules, these concerns no longer apply, and players have more leeway to select the race they want without feeling underpowered.

Regarding the Player’s Handbook options, the variant human with its extra Feat is a great choice, considering how many of the Feats are centered around improving the combat efficiency of specific fighting styles. The half-orc is also a great choice, with the Relentless Endurance and Savage Attacks features both being excellent options for a front-line warrior.

There are also some great options in Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse. The orc has Relentless Endurance and the Dash ability (take a second movement action during your turn) a number of times equal to Proficiency Bonus, giving them a lot more movement speed. The Goliath has a natural resistance to cold damage and Stone’s Endurance, which lets them use their Reaction to reduce damage from an attack by 1d12 + Constitution modifier, which can be done a number of times equal to Proficiency Bonus. If you’re more of an aggressive fighter, the centaur is also a good pick, as they can make an additional attack with their hooves if they move 30ft and perform the Attack action.

How To Use D&D Fighter’s Class Abilities

On its own, the Fighter doesn’t get many abilities compared to the other D&D classes. These are the class abilities that the Fighter gains from levels 1-5, alongside a choice of Fighting Style and a subclass chosen at level 3, which are discussed further below.

Which D&D Fighter Fighting Style Should You Pick?

Like the other martial classes in the Player’s Handbook, the Fighter selects a Fighting Style at level 1. This provides a static buff that always remains active, giving them an extra boost in combat. It helps to know what kind of Fighter you want to play before selecting a Fighting Style, as picking one that matches your character’s strengths will make things a lot easier in the long run.

Which D&D Fighter Subclass Should You Pick?

The Player’s Handbook provides three options for Fighter subclasses, all varying in complexity. If you are a complete newbie to the game and struggle to pick up the rules, select Champion and don’t look back. If you want something more interesting, look at the Battle Master or Eldritch Knight.

If you select the Battle Master but are unsure of what Maneuvers to pick, then go for Commander’s Strike (spend your Bonus Action and a Superiority Dice to let an ally perform an additional attack using their Reacion), Precision Strike (add a Superiority Dice to a damage roll), and Riposte (if the enemy misses with a melee attack, spend a Superiority Dice and your Reaction to attack them back, adding the Superiority Didce to the damage roll if it hits.)

If you select the Eldritch Knight but are unsure what Cantrips to pick, select fire bolt (always gives you access to a ranged attack) and true strike (gain advantage on one attack made in the following round). For the spells, select magic missile (a guaranteed damage dealer that avoids cover), shield (gives an emergency AC boost), and thunderwave (a great keep-away spell when you’re surrounded by minor units.)

Related: D&D Reveals First Look At Upcoming Dungeon Master’s Guide

Why Every D&D Party Needs A Fighter

Fantasy stories are filled with tales of the valiant sword-wielding hero who goes on a quest to save the world from evil. In D&D, anyone can take this role, and the Fighter might be best suited for it, but that doesn’t mean your Fighter has to be that hero. Ironically, the D&D class with the most direct name is the most malleable one, as the simplicity of its abilities and concept are what give it such incredible storytelling potential in your campaign.

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