Fighter
Professional warriors, guards, or gladiators. Fighters hone their martial skill above all other classes. They use a variety of weapons and can push their bodies further than others.
The following is a revision of the 5e fighter class. It is meant to rebalance fighting styles and improve the fighter's ability to make saves at mid to high levels. Existing 5e subclasses will all work mechanically with this form of the fighter class. Click here for a summary of changes.
Level 1 Fighters
When you create a level 1 fighter, follow these steps to add the following to your character:
Ability Scores
You can take one of these recommended ability score arrays, or you can roll or assign them yourself. You can switch any two ability scores, but you do not add any further bonuses (they're already included).
Strength: 16 Dexterity: 12 Constitution: 16 Intelligence: 8 Wisdom: 12 Charisma: 11
Strength: 12 Dexterity: 16 Constitution: 14 Intelligence: 10 Wisdom: 12 Charisma: 12
Feat
You gain a level 1 feat of your choice. You can choose from the feats available to all classes or choose a level 1 class-specific feat, if there is one available.
Hit Points
At First Level: 10 + Constitution Modifier
At Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution Modifier
Hit Dice: 1d10 per fighter level
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Heavy Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
Saving Throws: Strength and Constitution
Skill Proficiencies: two of: Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Engineering, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival
Items
chain mail -OR- padded armor, longbow, and 20 arrows
a longsword and a large shield -OR- any weapon and a large shield -OR- any two weapons
a light crossbow and 20 bolts -OR- two handaxes
a dungeoneer's pack -OR- an explorer's pack
Multiclass Characters
Instead of leveling up in your original class, you can take a fighter level when you level up. When you do, you gain only a portion of what first level fighters gain.
Class Features
Class features here are sorted by level. When you reach a level as indicated by the icons on the left, you gain all feature or feature improvements listed between the red lines. For example, at first level fighters gain a Fighting Style and the Second Wind feature.
Fighting Style
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. Click here for more information on our changes.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged and thrown weapons.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.
Protection
Reaction - 1 Ally (5 ft.)
When a creature hits one of your allies with an attack and that ally is within 5 ft. of you, you can force the attacker to reroll the attack, targeting you instead. You must be holding a shield or melee weapon to use this ability.
Single Weapon Fighting
When you are wielding a single one or two-handed melee weapon and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you make an attack with an off-hand weapon, you do not suffer disadvantage on the attack roll. As normal, your off-hand weapon must be Light.
Second Wind
You have a limited well of stamina that you can draw on to protect yourself from harm.
Bonus Action - Self - 1/Short Rest
You regain hit points equal to 1d10 + your fighter level.
You can then move up to half your speed without provoking attacks of opportunity.
Action Surge
You can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment.
No Action Cost - Self - 1/Short Rest
On your turn, you can take one additional action. As per normal, you cannot expend more than one spell slot on your turn (if you have spellcasting), even using your action surge.
Combat Maneuver
You learn one Combat Maneuver, which are otherwise available as Feats. When you gain this feature at this level, you can choose a maneuver normally restricted to 4th level.
Martial Archetype
You choose a martial archetype, which represents the specialized training and skills you develop that make you different from other fighters. Your Martial Archetype gives you new abilities at this level and at levels 6, 10, 14, and 18, also listed below.
Martial Archetypes published elsewhere are compatible with this version of the fighter class.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Feat
At this level and every level you gain an ability score improvement, you also gain a feat of your choice.
Extra Attack (2 Attacks)
You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. If you are dual-wielding, your off-hand attack brings you to a total of three attacks.
Martial Archetype Feature
Your chosen Martial Archetype grants you a new feature.
Combat Maneuver
You learn one Combat Maneuver, which are otherwise available as Feats. When you gain this feature at this level, you can choose a maneuver normally restricted to 8th level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Feat
At this level and every level you gain an ability score improvement, you also gain a feat of your choice.
Indomitable
No Action Cost - Self - 3/Long Rest
Trigger: You fail a saving throw or skill check.
You add 1d10* to your roll, potentially turning your failure into a success.
If a fighter uses Indomitable and still fails the saving throw or skill check, the use of Indomitable is not consumed.
*At 13th level, this bonus increases to 2d10. This improvement is also listed at that level.
Martial Archetype Feature
Your chosen Martial Archetype grants you a new feature.
Extra Attack (3 Attacks)
You can attack thrice, instead of twice, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. If you are dual-wielding, your off-hand attack brings you to a total of four attacks.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Feat
At this level and every level you gain an ability score improvement, you also gain a feat of your choice.
Indomitable Improvement
When you use Indomitable, you now add 2d10 instead of 1d10.
Martial Archetype Feature
Your chosen Martial Archetype grants you a new feature.
Combat Maneuver
You learn one Combat Maneuver, which are otherwise available as Feats.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Feat
At this level and every level you gain an ability score improvement, you also gain a feat of your choice.
Extra Attack (4 Attacks)
You can attack four times, instead of three times, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. If you are dual-wielding, your off-hand attack brings you to a total of five attacks.
Martial Archetype Feature
Your chosen Martial Archetype grants you a new feature.
Superior Ability
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2, to a maximum of 22.
Extra Attack (4 Attacks)
You can attack four times, instead of three times, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. If you are dual-wielding, your off-hand attack brings you to a total of five attacks.
