The 5e Fighter Class
Reforged
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.
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Class Features by Level*
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*For abilities that appear at multiple levels, only the first case is listed.
eg. Ability Score Improvement is only listed at level 4.
Recommended Ability Scores
When you make a level 1 character, you can take these recommended ability scores rather than 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
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Strength: 12 Dexterity: 16 Constitution: 14 Intelligence: 10 Wisdom: 12 Charisma: 12
Hit Points
At First Level: 10 + Constitution Modifier
At Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution Modifier
Hit Dice: 1d10 per fighter level
When you create a level 1 fighter, you gain the following:
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Heavy Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
Saving Throws: Strength and Constitution
Skills: two of: Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival
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Items
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chain mail -OR- padded armor, longbow, and 20 arrows
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a longsword and a large shield -OR- any weapon and a large shield -OR- any two weapons
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a light crossbow and 20 bolts -OR- two handaxes
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a dungeoneer's pack -OR- an explorer's pack
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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.
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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.
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Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged and thrown weapons.
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Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.​
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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.
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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.​
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Two-Weapon Fighting
When you make an attack with an off-hand weapon, you do not suffer disadvantage on the attack roll.
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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.
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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, if you cannot expend more than one spell slot on your turn (if you have spellcasting), even using your action surge.
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Combat Maneuver
You learn one Combat Maneuver, as described on the Feats page. When you gain this feature at this level, you can choose a maneuver normally restricted to 4th level.
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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.
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Martial Archetypes published elsewhere are compatible with this version of the fighter class.
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Bulwark
The following is a martial archetype new to Elkan 5e. The Bulwark is a powerful defender who shields their allies with their body, placing themselves in harm's way so that others may live.
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Bulwark: Iron Wall
Bonus Action - 1 Ally (5 ft.) - 1 Round
You cover an adjacent ally of medium size or smaller. Until the end of your next turn or until they are no longer within 5 ft. of you, they gain half cover. While they have cover in this way, you may choose to take half of any damage that isn't psychic damage from abilities or attacks that would damage them. You do not transfer conditions or other ongoing effects when you take this damage. Note that if one of you has resistance to the damage, that doesn't mean the other is also resistant.
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Bulwark: Protection Fighting Style
You gain the Protection Fighting Style, or another Fighting Style of your choice if you already have it.
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Champion
The following is a revision of the 5e Champion martial archetype for fighters, meant to boost the archetype's power while keeping it simple. A Champion focuses on pure martial skill, improving the basic skills that every fighter has beyond normal limits.
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Champion: Improved Critical
You now score a critical hit with all attacks on a roll of 19 or 20. When you deal damage with a critical hit, you roll three times the number of dice, rather than two times.
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Commander
The commander is a martial archetype new to Elkan 5e. The commander focuses on rallying their allies in battle, leading by example and improving the combat ability and survivability of the party.
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Commander: Commander's Strike
Bonus Action - 1 Ally (120 ft.) - 3/Long Rest
With a gesture and a verbal command, you allow one ally to make a single weapon attack as a reaction against a target of your choice.
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Commander: Trained Orator
You gain proficiency in either the Persuasion or Intimidate skill. If you already had proficiency in your chosen skill, you gain expertise instead (you add double your proficiency bonus). If you have expertise in both, choose proficiency in any skill.
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Spellsword
The spellsword is a martial archetype new to Elkan 5e. The spellsword bolsters their fighting ability with spellcasting borrowed from another class.
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Spellsword: Battle Casting
You can use any weapon you are proficient with as a spellcasting focus. You can also perform the somatic components of spells even if you are holding weapons and/or a shield in both your hands.
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Spellsword Spellcasting
You have dabbled in the spellcasting available to more powerful spellcasters. Your own journey to acquire magical ability is slow, but you have integrated spells into your fighting style in a way few spellcasters can. Choose one of the Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard. Your chosen class determines your spellcasting ability, as well as which spell list you draw your spells from.
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Spell Slots
The Spellsword Table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st level spell Charm Person and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast Charm Person using either slot.
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Cantrips
Cantrips are the simplest and weakest of spells, and can be casted without expending Spell Slots. You know three cantrips of your choice from your spell list.
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Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from your spell list. You learn one more spell for each two levels beyond level 3, as indicated on the spells known column of the Spellsword Table. Each spell you learn must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, when you reach level 7 in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
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Switching Spells
When you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the spells you know and replace it with another spell from your spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Alternatively, you can replace a cantrip.
Spellcasting Ability
Your spellcasting ability is based on the class you chose for your spellcasting. Bards, Sorcerers, and Warlocks use charisma. Clerics and Druids use wisdom. Wizards use intelligence.
You use your chosen spellcasting ability score whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your spellcasting ability modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your spellcasting ability modifier
Spell Attack Modifier = your proficiency bonus + your spellcasting ability modifier​
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Spellcasting Focus
You can use a spellcasting focus, component pouch, or a weapon for casting your spells. To do so, you need a free hand to hold your focus or weapon or access your components. Your focus replaces the need for you to have specific material components to cast spells, unless that material component costs 1 gold or more, in which case you must use the specific component instead​
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Spell Slots
Other Archetype: Level 3 Feature
Choose this option if you'd like to use a Martial Archetype that comes from a source that isn't Elkan 5e. Your chosen archetype grants you one or more features at this level.
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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.
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Feat
At this level and every level you gain an ability score improvement, you also gain a feat of your choice. You are eligible for general feats, fighter feats, and combat maneuver feats by default.
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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.
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Martial Archetype Feature
Your chosen Martial Archetype grants you a new feature.
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Bulwark: Defender's Charge
When you use your Protection Fighting Style, you can first move up to half your speed to protect someone further than 5 ft. away. You do not take attacks of opportunity during this movement.
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Champion: Remarkable Athlete
You gain proficiency and expertise in either the Acrobatics or Athletics skill. If you were already proficient in your chosen skill, you gain proficiency in any skill of your choice. If you are already an expert in both Acrobatics and Athletics, you gain expertise in a skill of your choice.
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Commander: Rally
Bonus Action - 1 Ally (120 ft.) - 3/Long Rest
You can say a few words to an ally, inspiring them. The first time this ally rolls an attack roll or saving throw before the end of your next turn, they do so at advantage. They also gain temporary hit points equal to 1d8+ your fighter level. These temporary hit points last until your next short or long rest.
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Spellsword: Spellstrike
As Part of a Weapon Attack - 1 Creature - 5/Long Rest - Magical Ability
When you hit with a weapon attack, you can channel a spell into your weapon, so long as your target is within the normal range of the cantrip. Choose a cantrip you know that targets only one creature other than yourself. You cannot choose a cantrip that already requires you to make an attack with a weapon, or one that requires you to make more than one attack roll.
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If the cantrip requires an attack roll, such as with the Ray of Frost spell, the target suffers the damage and effects of the spell and takes damage from your weapon.
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If the spell normally requires a saving throw, such as the Vicious Mockery spell, then the target rolls the saving throw against the effect as normal.
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Other Archetype: Level 6 Feature
Your chosen Martial Archetype grants you one or more features at this level. If using an archetype not from Elkan 5e, your archetype's feature is likely listed at level 7.
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Ability Score Improvement
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2 or increase two ability scores of your choice by 1, to a maximum of 20.
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Feat
You gain a feat of your choice.
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Indomitable
No Action Cost - Self - 1/Long Rest*
When you fail a saving throw you can choose to add 1d10 to your roll, potentially turning your failure into a success. Once this ability has turned a failure into a success, you must wait until you finish a long rest to use it again. If a fighter uses Indomitable and still fails the saving throw, the use of Indomitable is not consumed.
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*You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 13th level and three times between long rests starting at 17th level. This improvement is also listed at those levels.
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Martial Archetype Feature
Your chosen Martial Archetype grants you a new feature.
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Bulwark: Covering Attacks
When you attack a creature on your turn, whether you hit or miss, you prevent your target from being able to make attacks of opportunity against any creature but yourself until the end of your next turn.
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Champion: Improved Fighting Style
You choose an Improved Fighting Style, normally reserved for fighters of 12th level or higher, as described on the Feats page.
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Commander: Persistent Leader
When you use your Second Wind ability, you regain one use of your Rally feature and one use of your Commander's Strike feature.
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Spellsword: Improved Spellstrike
You can use your Spellstrike ability to channel spells of 1st level or higher into your attacks. This counts as casting a spell, and as normal, you are limited to expending one spell slot per turn. If your spell requires concentration, as in Hold Person or Vampiric Touch, then you begin concentrating on the spell and act as though you had cast the spell normally.
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Other Archetype: Level 10 Feature
Your chosen Martial Archetype grants you one or more features at this level.
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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.
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Ability Score Improvement
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2 or increase two ability scores of your choice by 1, to a maximum of 20.
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Feat
You gain a feat of your choice.
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Indomitable (2 Uses)
You can now use Indomitable to reroll two failures into successes between every long rest.
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Martial Archetype Feature
Your chosen Martial Archetype grants you a new feature.
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Bulwark: Solidify Defenses
When you use Iron Wall, you and your target gain temporary hit points equal to half your fighter level, rounded down. These temporary hit points expire when Iron Wall ends.
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Champion: Superior Critical
You now score a critical hit with all attacks on a roll of 18, 19, or 20. When you deal damage with a critical hit, you roll four times the number of dice, rather than two times.
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Commander: Indomitable Squad
Reaction - All Allies (60 ft.)
You can use your Indomitable ability to affect your allies. You can use Indomitable Squad whenever you or an ally within 60 ft. of you fails a saving throw. You and all allied creatures within 60 ft. of you who failed the same saving throw add 1d10 to their save. This could apply to a Disintegrate spell affecting a single ally, or a dragon's breath weapon targeting several of your allies. If at least one affected allied creature passes their saving throw, you lose one use of Indomitable.
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Spellsword: Rapid Warding
Bonus Action - Self
If you use an action to cast a spell of 1st level or higher that can only target one creature and you target yourself, you can quicken the spell’s casting to a bonus action, allowing you to enter the fray with your magical boons quickly and still have your action available.
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Other Archetype: Level 14 Feature
Your chosen Martial Archetype grants you one or more features at this level. If using an archetype not from Elkan 5e, your archetype's feature is likely listed at level 15.
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Ability Score Improvement
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2 or increase two ability scores of your choice by 1, to a maximum of 20.
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Feat
You gain a feat of your choice.
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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.
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Indomitable (3 Uses)
You can now use Indomitable to reroll three failures into successes between every long rest.
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Martial Archetype Feature
Your chosen Martial Archetype grants you a new feature.
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Bulwark: Iron Retribution
When you use your Action Surge, you first make a single weapon attack against every creature that is adjacent to you as well as every creature adjacent to a creature you are protecting with Iron Wall, if applicable.
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Champion: Survivor
At the start of your turn when you have fewer than half your hit points (rounded down), you regain hit points equal to 5 + your constitution modifier. This feature does not function if you are unconscious.
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Commander: Rallying Surge
When you use your Action Surge, choose up to 3 allies within 60 ft. You shout a command, and each ally can use their reaction to immediately use an action. They can use any action available to them, but they cannot cast a spell of 1st level or higher.
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Spellsword: Spellsurge
When you use your Action Surge feature, you can choose to cast any spell you know without using a spell slot. During this turn, you may cast two spells in the same turn, or even the same spell twice.
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Other Archetype: Level 18 Feature
Your chosen Martial Archetype grants you one or more features at this level.
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Superior Ability
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2, to a maximum of 22.
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Endurance of Champions
When you roll initiative, you regain your Action Surge if you've already used it, and you regain one use of Indomitable.
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