Best Fighter Builds in Baldur s Gate 3: Subclasses Skills and Stats

A Fighter in Baldur’s Gate 3 can dominate any battlefield-with the right subclass, feats, and build shaping their power. Here’s how to craft a warrior that strikes harder, endures longer, and turns every fight into a showcase of tactical precision.

Fighters are the most straightforward class in Baldur’s Gate 3, but they’re more than just good at punching. Sure, that’s how they start out, but, as they level up, they come to control every field of battle they encounter. Their primary stat is Strength.

There’s no single best class in Baldur’s Gate 3, and the game gives you as many opportunities for creative problem solving as it does for punching. Finding the best class really just boils down to how you want to play. Even when playing solo, you’ll still manage the rest of your party, so you’ll get to experiment with multiple classes at once.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Fighter class in Baldur’s Gate 3, and learn all about the best Fighter subclass, feats, and build.

Update (April 15): Added details of the new subclass introduced in Patch 8, which also adds cross-play support and a photo mode.

Is Fighter the best class for you in BG3?

The Fighter class suits players who enjoy versatility, straightforward combat, and tactical flexibility. It excels at both offense and defense, allowing you to tailor your build to heavy melee, ranged precision, or battlefield control. Whether you prefer a heavily armored frontline warrior or a swift duelist, the Fighter adapts to many playstyles while providing consistent performance through multiple attacks and strong weapon mastery.

Fighters are the most straightforward class in Baldur’s Gate 3 – at least for the first few levels. Fighters are good at punching things. As you level up, you’ll get into more of the tactical side of combat and controlling the battlefield, but, at their core, fighters are for dealing damage in melee combat.

Fighters are the best class for your first character. They’re the easiest to understand and the least complicated to play.

Fighter class features

Fighters in Baldur’s Gate 3 excel through their versatility and mastery of combat techniques. They gain multiple attacks per turn, strong defensive options, and proficiency with nearly all weapons and armor. Action Surge allows them to act twice in a single round, while Second Wind restores a portion of their health in battle. Their subclass choice further defines their style-whether it’s precision strikes from a Battle Master, arcane power from an Eldritch Knight, or relentless aggression from a Champion.

Hit Points

• Hit Dice – 1d10 per Fighter level
• Hit Points at 1st Level – 10 your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at higher levels – 6 your Constitution modifer per Fighter level after 1st

Actions

At level 1, Fighters get Second Wind, a Bonus Action that restores 1d10 hit points once per long or short rest.

At level 2, Fighters get the Action Surge Action that allows you to take one additional action on your turn. Action Surge also refreshes with a short or long rest.

Fighting Style

Fighters choose a style of fighting to specialize in:

• Archery – Gain a 2 to ranged weapon attacks
• Defense – Gain a 1 to Armor Class while wearing armor
• Dueling – Deal 2 damage when fighting with one one-handed weapon
• Great Weapon Fighting – When you roll a 1 or 2 for damage with a two-handed melee weapon, that die is rerolled
• Protection – When you have a shield, impose Disadvantage on an attack against your allies when you are within 5ft.
• Two-Weapon Fighting – When you make an attack with your off-hand weapon, you can add your Ability Modifier to the damage of the attack.

Proficiencies

• Weapons – Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
• Armor – Light Armor, Medium Armor, Heavy Armor, Shields
• Skills – Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Religion
• Saving Throws – Wisdom, Constitution

Fighter subclasses

Fighter subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3 each offer a unique combat style and strategic advantage. The Battle Master focuses on precision and tactical control through maneuvers that manipulate the battlefield. Eldritch Knight blends swordplay with arcane spells, allowing for both melee and ranged magical attacks. Champion appeals to players who prefer consistent damage and improved critical hits with minimal complexity. Each option suits different playstyles, whether prioritizing strategy, power, or versatility.

At level 3, Fighters choose from one of the following subclasses.

Battle Master

Battle Master Fighters focus on maneuvers and tactics.

Battle Masters get four uses per short or long rest of the the Superiority Dice feature that power Maneuvers. You’ll also get to pick three Maneuvers from a list of 14.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Fighter Battle Master Maneuvers

The Battle Master subclass turns the Fighter into a tactical powerhouse, using special maneuvers fueled by Superiority Dice to control the flow of combat. These maneuvers, such as Trip Attack, Precision Attack, and Riposte, add precision, crowd control, and counterplay options to each round. Players can tailor their style by choosing maneuvers that enhance ranged attacks, melee strikes, or defensive tactics, making the Battle Master one of the most adaptable and rewarding choices for players who enjoy strategy and versatility on the battlefield.

Eldritch Knight

Eldritch Knight Fighters mix in some magic with their punching.

When you become an Eldritch Knight, you get two level 1 spell slots per long rest. You start out knowing two Cantrips and two Spells (from the lists below), and one Wizard spell.

You can choose two Cantrips from this list:

Baldur’s Gate 3 Fighter Eldritch Knight Cantrips

Eldritch Knight fighters can cast a small selection of cantrips that enhance both combat and utility. The best picks depend on playstyle: Booming Blade or Blade Ward offer solid melee options, while Mage Hand provides control and versatility outside of battle. Fire Bolt or Ray of Frost are strong ranged choices when enemies are out of weapon reach. Balancing damaging and defensive cantrips ensures the subclass makes the most of its limited spellcasting potential alongside strong martial skills.

Eldritch Knights start knowing two spells from this list:

Baldur’s Gate 3 Fighter Eldritch Knight Spells

The Eldritch Knight subclass gives Fighters access to a limited selection of wizard spells, adding magical versatility without sacrificing martial skill. Focus on utility and defense spells such as Shield, Magic Missile, and Mirror Image to enhance survivability and control the battlefield. Cantrips like Fire Bolt or Ray of Frost provide ranged options between weapon attacks, while buffs like Blur or Misty Step improve mobility and sustain. This combination of sword and sorcery makes the Eldritch Knight a flexible choice for players who enjoy tactical combat with a touch of arcane power.

Champion

Champion Fighters do away with all the fanciness of the other subclasses and focus on hitting things real good.

Champions receive Improved Critical Hit that reduces the number you need to roll a Critical Hit by 1.

Arcane Archer

Added in April 2025’s Patch 8, the Arcane Archer adds a magical flair to your ranged Fighter build. You’ll get spell-like arrows called Arcane Shot that do things like banish a target to the Feywild for a turn or deal Psychic damage.

Best Fighter subclass and build in BG3

The Battle Master stands out as the best Fighter subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 thanks to its tactical versatility and control on the battlefield. Its maneuvers provide a mix of offense, defense, and support, allowing you to adapt to different combat situations. For the best build, prioritize Strength or Dexterity depending on your weapon choice, and choose feats like Great Weapon Master or Sentinel to maximize damage or control. Pairing this with a solid armor setup and efficient use of Action Surge turns the Fighter into one of the most consistent damage dealers in the game.

Baldur’s Gate 3 races don’t really have any direct impact on your class, but certain races and subraces come with features that play well with certain classes like extra movement or proficiency with certain weapons. For Fighters, it’s best to focus on exactly that – movement and weapons:

• Wood Elvesand Wood Half-Elves get an extra 5 feet of movement
• Humans get the Civil Militia feature which adds spears, pikes, halberds, and glaives to your repertoire
• Gold Dwarves’ Dwarven Toughness gets you an extra hit point each level
• Half-Orcs get Relentless Endurance that gives you one free hit point when you’re downed (one time per long rest), and their Savage Attacks means you roll an extra damage die when you land a critical hit.

When you’re creating and leveling up your Fighter, Strength is your most important stat (for punching) followed by Constitution (for getting punched).Make Strength your highest stat and Constitution your second.

Fighters pick a subclass at level 3. If you’re looking to keep things simple, Champion is the best fighter subclass – it just makes you better at punching.

Best Fighter Feats in BG3

Great Fighter feats in Baldur’s Gate 3 boost both damage output and survivability. Ability Score Improvement remains a solid early pick for raising Strength or Dexterity, while Great Weapon Master or Sharpshooter dramatically increase damage potential for melee and ranged builds. Sentinel and Polearm Master work well for those focusing on battlefield control, especially in combination with the Battle Master subclass. For defensive builds, Heavy Armor Master and Shield Master offer reliable protection and utility.

Every four levels, you’ll get the option to either increase your stats or choose a Feat. Feats are special talents that add features to your character. If you’re happy with your stats and start taking Feats, Clerics can benefit from:

• Athlete. Your Strength or Dexterity increases by 1, to a maximum of 20. When you are Prone, standing up uses significantly less movement. Your Jump distance also increases by 50%.
• Charger. You gain Charger: Weapon Attack and Charger: Shove.
• Durable. Your Constitution increases by 1, to a maximum of 20. You regain full hit points each time you take a Short Rest.
• Savage Attacker. When making weapon attacks, you roll your damage dice twice and use the highest result.
• Sentinel. When an enemy within melee range attacks an ally, you can use a reaction to make a weapon attack against that enemy. Target ally must not have the Sentinel Feat. You gain Advantage on Opportunity Attacks, and when you hit a creature with an Oppotunity Attack, it can no longer move for the rest of its turn.
• Tough. Your hit point maximum increases by 2 for every level you have gained.

Which Fighter subclass is best for solo play at level 1-12

Battle Master remains the best Fighter subclass for solo play from levels 1-12 in Baldur’s Gate 3. Its early access to Superiority Dice enables critical control like Trip Attack to knock enemies prone and Precision Attack to ensure hits, vital when no party supports you. This versatility shines without allies, unlike Champion’s later crits or Eldritch Knight’s limited spells.​

Solo Advantages

Battle Master empowers a lone Fighter through resource-efficient tools:

• Maneuvers provide battlefield denial, healing via Second Wind, and Action Surge bursts-key for surviving tough encounters alone.​

• Levels 1-2 build durability with Fighting Style and extra actions; level 3 unlocks subclass power immediately.​

• Superiority Dice refresh on Short Rest, sustaining solo runs better than spell slots or Champion passives.​

Key Adjustments

Adapt the prior build for solo by prioritizing control over pure damage:

• Maneuvers: Trip Attack, Menacing Attack, Riposte, Precision Attack-trip to prone-lock groups, menace for fear, riposte on misses.​

• Feats (same priority): Great Weapon Master at 4 for burst, Sentinel at 8 to pin foes, Alert at 12 for initiative edge in ambushes.​

• Race: Half-Orc for Relentless Endurance (survive at 1 HP once per Long Rest) or Githyanki for mobility.​

Level Progression Table

Which subclass gives the most survivability solo levels 1-12

Champion offers the strongest survivability for a solo Fighter from levels 1-12 in Baldur’s Gate 3. Its passive Improved Critical (level 3) doubles crit range to 19-20, boosting consistent damage to end fights faster and minimize incoming hits, while core Fighter durability like Second Wind and eventual Indomitable (level 9) shores up defenses. This edges out Battle Master’s resource reliance in prolonged solo scraps, as crits fuel reliable bursts without dice expenditure.​

Survivability Edges

Champion thrives alone through innate passives over active tools:

• Higher crit chance synergizes with Great Weapon Master for quicker kills, reducing exposure time.​

• Levels 1-2 mirror Battle Master (Fighting Style, Action Surge); no early subclass gap hurts solo starts.​

• Superior Critical (level 7) expands crits to 18+, amplifying output when Second Wind heals dwindle.​

Build Tweaks

Prioritize tankiness with control feats over raw damage:

• Feats: Great Weapon Master (level 4), Sentinel (8), Resilient: Constitution (12) for saves/HP.​

• Race: Half-Orc (Relentless Endurance prevents solo deaths) or Dwarf (poison resistance, extra HP).​

• Style: Defense (+1 AC) over Great Weapon Fighting to stretch survivability.​

Progression Table

This setup outlasts threats in Honour Mode solos by blending crit bursts with Fighter baselines.​