Fighter

Fighter — summary

Game version: 4.1.1 (Patch 8) · Last updated: 3 August 2026

• Hit die — d10 — 10 + Constitution at level 1
• Main ability — Strength
• Saving throws — Strength, Constitution
• Armour — Light, medium and heavy armour + shields
• Weapons — All simple and martial weapons
• Resource — No resource management. Second Wind and Action Surge return on a short rest.
• Feat levels — 4, 6, 8, 12
• Ability scores — Strength 17, Dexterity 14, Constitution 16, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 10, Charisma 8
• Party role — In a party this class covers: Frontline, Melee damage.

Two ready-made builds

• Easy path: Champion — Greatsword Butcher — One class, twelve levels, zero resource management: walk up and hit.
• Strong path: Battle Master — Manoeuvre Expert — Still one class: the strongest Fighter does not need multiclassing, it needs you to learn the manoeuvres.

Subclasses

• Champion — Unlocks at level 3. Permanently widens your critical hit range and has no resources to manage.
• Battle Master — Unlocks at level 3. Spends Superiority Dice on manoeuvres that trip, frighten and disarm enemies.
• Eldritch Knight — Unlocks at level 3. Adds a few spells alongside the sword; being neither a full caster nor a full warrior, it is not for beginners.
• Arcane Archer — Unlocks at level 3. Fires enchanted arrows from a bow; it wants Dexterity, not Strength, so it does not fit either build here.

Recommended races

• Half-Orc — +2 Strength, +1 Constitution. Savage Attacks adds a die to your critical hits and Relentless Endurance saves you from death once.
• Githyanki — +2 Strength, +1 Intelligence. Free heavy armour proficiency and Misty Step to teleport around the battlefield.
• Shield Dwarf — +2 Strength and +2 Constitution make this the Fighter that stands longest on the frontline.

Recommended backgrounds

• Soldier (Athletics, Intimidation) — Athletics runs off Strength, the Fighter's highest ability, so you win the party's shoving and climbing checks.
• Outlander (Athletics, Survival) — Athletics again from Strength; Survival leans on Wisdom so it stays weak on a Fighter, but it opens camp and tracking checks.

Companions who play this class

• Lae'zel — Battle Master

Resource rhythm

• Action Surge returns on a short rest, which is two free turns a day. Every use you hoard is a turn you wasted.
• Battle Master superiority dice also return on a short rest: after a hard fight, take a short rest before reaching for a long one.

In Honour Mode

• Legendary Actions land outside the turn order, so a one-turn kill plan breaks down; the Champion's extra health and Action Surge buy you a spare turn.
• The Battle Master build is safer in Honour Mode: manoeuvres make enemies miss, and with no reloading, preventing damage beats dealing it.

Level by level: Champion — Greatsword Butcher

• Level 1 — Pick a Fighting Style and 2 skills · Gain: Second Wind
  • Great Weapon Fighting — You reroll low damage dice with a two-handed weapon.
  Tip: Great Weapon Fighting rerolls low damage dice.
• Level 2 — No choice — Action Surge arrives automatically · Gain: Action Surge Tip: Use it on the first turn of hard fights.
• Level 3 — Subclass: Champion · Gain: Improved Critical Hit Tip: Widens your critical hit range. It compounds with anything that grants advantage, such as Reckless Attack or a prone target.
• Level 4 — Feat: Great Weapon Master · Gain: Great Weapon Master
  • Great Weapon Master
  Tip: The -5 to hit / +10 damage option is a toggle you can switch off.
• Level 5 — No choice — Extra Attack arrives automatically · Gain: Extra Attack Tip: The biggest power jump in the game: your attacks per turn double. If you plan to multiclass, do not branch before you have this.
• Level 6 — Ability Improvement: Strength +2 (17 → 19) · Gain: Ability Improvement
  • Ability Improvement (Strength +2)
  Tip: The Fighter gets more feats than any other class: at 4, 6, 8 and 12.
• Level 7 — No choice · Gain: Remarkable Athlete Tip: Adds half proficiency to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution checks you are not proficient in, and increases your jump. Quiet, but it pays off constantly while exploring.
• Level 8 — Ability Improvement: Strength +1, Constitution +1 (Strength 20) · Gain: Ability Improvement
  • Ability Improvement (Strength +1, Constitution +1)
• Level 9 — No choice · Gain: Indomitable Tip: Reroll one failed saving throw per long rest. Do not spend it on minor damage: save it for stuns and fear.
• Level 10 — Pick a second Fighting Style · Gain: Additional Fighting Style
  • Defence — A lasting armour bonus while you wear armour, keeping you alive up front.
  Tip: A second fighting style. If your first went to offence, put this one into defence: it is where the Champion's staying power comes from.
• Level 11 — No choice · Gain: Improved Extra Attack Tip: A third attack per turn: the reward for staying in the class, and unique to the Fighter.
• Level 12 — Feat: Savage Attacker · Gain: Savage Attacker
  • Savage Attacker
  Tip: You roll melee damage dice twice and keep the higher (the game's own wording). It pays off most with big dice: greatswords and greataxes.

Level by level: Battle Master — Manoeuvre Expert

• Level 1 — Pick a Fighting Style and 2 skills · Gain: Second Wind
  • Great Weapon Fighting — You reroll low damage dice with a two-handed weapon.
  Tip: Great Weapon Fighting rerolls low damage dice.
• Level 2 — No choice — Action Surge arrives automatically · Gain: Action Surge Tip: Use it on the first turn of hard fights.
• Level 3 — Subclass: Battle Master and pick 3 manoeuvres · Gain: Combat Superiority
  • Trip Attack — Knocks the enemy prone, so everyone attacking after you gains advantage.
  • Riposte — When an enemy misses you, you strike back without waiting for your turn.
  • Precision Attack — Add it to a roll that was about to miss and turn it into a hit.
  Tip: Trip Attack knocks the enemy prone, giving you advantage against them.
• Level 4 — Feat: Great Weapon Master · Gain: Great Weapon Master
  • Great Weapon Master
  Tip: The -5 to hit / +10 damage option is a toggle you can switch off.
• Level 5 — No choice — Extra Attack arrives automatically · Gain: Extra Attack Tip: The biggest power jump in the game: your attacks per turn double. If you plan to multiclass, do not branch before you have this.
• Level 6 — Ability Improvement: Strength +2 (17 → 19) · Gain: Ability Improvement
  • Ability Improvement (Strength +2)
  Tip: The Fighter gets more feats than any other class: at 4, 6, 8 and 12.
• Level 7 — Pick 2 more manoeuvres · Gain: Menacing Attack
  • Menacing Attack — Frightens the enemy, who then cannot approach and attacks at disadvantage.
  • Pushing Attack — Shoves the enemy back, which ends fights beside ledges and traps.
• Level 8 — Ability Improvement: Strength +1, Constitution +1 (Strength 20) · Gain: Ability Improvement
  • Ability Improvement (Strength +1, Constitution +1)
• Level 9 — No choice · Gain: Indomitable Tip: Reroll one failed saving throw per long rest. Do not spend it on minor damage: save it for stuns and fear.
• Level 10 — Pick 2 more manoeuvres · Gain: Improved Combat Superiority
  • Sweeping Attack — One swing also damages a second enemy standing beside the first.
  • Disarming Attack — Knocks the enemy's weapon away, defanging a dangerous foe.
• Level 11 — No choice · Gain: Improved Extra Attack Tip: A third attack per turn: the reward for staying in the class, and unique to the Fighter.
• Level 12 — Feat: Savage Attacker · Gain: Savage Attacker
  • Savage Attacker
  Tip: You roll melee damage dice twice and keep the higher (the game's own wording). It pays off most with big dice: greatswords and greataxes.

Key equipment

• Everburn Blade (Act 1) — The strongest greatsword you can get early on; it adds fire damage to every hit. Where: In the opening scene, aboard the Nautiloid — carried by Commander Zhalk.
• Adamantine Splint Armour (Act 1) — Turns critical hits against you into ordinary hits. Where: Act 1, forged at the Adamantine Forge in Grymforge (needs a Mithral Ore and a mould).
• Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength (Act 3) — Sets your Strength to 23, freeing your ability points for other things. Where: House of Hope, in the Archive — on a pedestal.
• Balduran's Giantslayer (Act 3) — One of the strongest greatswords in the late game. Where: Act 3, the Dragon's Sanctum — on Ansur's corpse.
• Helldusk Armour (Act 3) — The best heavy armour in the game, at 21 Armour Class. Where: Act 3, House of Hope — worn by Raphael at all times.

Combat tips

• Use Action Surge on the first turn of a fight: damage dealt early is worth the most.
• Take the high ground before a fight starts: attacking from height grants advantage.
• Only switch on Great Weapon Master's -5 to hit against lightly armoured enemies.
• Do not spend Second Wind before you are at half health; a short rest refreshes it anyway.
• Hold a narrow doorway and enemies are forced to come at you one at a time.

Common mistakes

• Do not put points into Intelligence or Charisma: the Fighter uses neither, so put them into Strength.
• Do not leave the -5 to hit penalty on all the time: on a turn you miss, you deal no damage at all.
• Do not try to pair a greatsword with a shield: two-handed weapons cannot be used with one.

All twelve classes and the party picker