Dungeons and Dragons 5E Fighter Class Guide 2024 Builds and Tips

Step into the front lines of battle with the 2024 Dungeons & Dragons 5e Fighter – a class that blends raw power, tactical mastery, and versatile combat styles like never before. Whether you crave relentless weapon mastery, explosive Action Surges, or the strategic edge of Tactical Mind, this guide will help you forge a Fighter build that dominates the battlefield and adapts to any challenge. From classic sword-and-shield warriors to spell-slinging Eldritch Knights and psionic Psi Warriors, discover how to craft a Fighter that’s as dynamic and customizable as your campaign demands.

Before we get started, a quick disclaimer: There’s no “best” anything in D&D. Classes tend to be well-balanced when it comes to damage output. More importantly, though, D&D is a roleplaying game as well as a combat game, so there’s more to it than stabbing monsters. And that diversity of situations – from picking locks to punting kobolds to seducing dragons – means “best” is entirely subjective.

Our Player’s Handbook (2024) D&D Fighter guide will walk you through the class and talk about some of the changes from D&D 5e.

Is Fighter the best class for you in D&D?

When considering if the Fighter is the best class for you in Dungeons & Dragons 5e, it largely depends on your preferred playstyle. Fighters excel in combat, offering durability, high hit points, and the ability to dish out consistent damage, making them ideal for players who enjoy frontline melee or ranged combat roles. They are highly customizable, with subclasses ranging from straightforward champions to tactically complex battle masters, allowing players of all experience levels to find a build that suits them. While Fighters focus primarily on combat, they can also fulfill secondary roles like scouting or social interaction with the right build choices. However, there is no definitive “best” class in D&D, as the game balances classes well and emphasizes both roleplaying and combat, so the Fighter is best if you want a resilient, versatile warrior who thrives in battle but also offers some flexibility beyond just fighting.

It’s admittedly a little reductive to say, “Well, do you like punching?” but Fighters are, well, fighters. Playing a fighter means you’re going to be focused on combat first. You’ll probably also be the party’s tank, since you’ll have the highest HP.

This doesn’t mean you’ll be relegated to just a meathead role, though. You don’t have to (and shouldn’t) let your martial prowess define your character.

Inspiration for your Fighter

The Fighter class in Dungeons & Dragons 5e 2024 offers a versatile and rewarding experience for players who enjoy mastering combat. Whether you prefer a straightforward, durable Champion or a tactically complex Battle Master, Fighters provide a wide range of playstyles to suit different tastes. With new features like Weapon Mastery and Tactical Mind, Fighters now have even more options to customize their approach, making each build unique and engaging. They excel as frontline Defenders and damage-dealing Strikers but can also fill roles like Scouts or even Faces with the right choices. This flexibility, combined with straightforward mechanics and the ability to adapt fighting styles as you level up, makes the Fighter an inspiring choice for both new and veteran players looking to craft a powerful warrior tailored to their vision.

Fighters aren’t mindless meat-towers – leave that to the smelly Barbarians. They are (or can be) tacticians and nuanced damage-dealers. For inspiration, look to characters like:

• Stalwart leaders and brave defenders like the non-Hobbit members of The Fellowship. Yes, we know Aragorn is a “ranger,” but Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and poor Boromir (minus Gandalf, obviously) can be recreated as Fighters pretty reliably.
• Team captains like Cyclops from the X-Men. Sure, you’re not going to get laser eyes, but Fighters make good leaders who can also deal out damage on their own.
• Tactical tough guys like Jack Reacher. Speaking of meat-towers, why not everyone’s dad’s favorite gigantic-yet-still-huggable man? Sure, he’s huge, but he’s also a tactician. But mostly he’s huge.
• “The Muscle” characters like Chewbacca. In a series full of lovable space rogues and laser sword-wielding wizards, Chewy is the bog-standard fighter and is still the heart of the series.

What’s new for Fighters in One D&D?

One D&D introduces several notable updates to the Fighter class, enhancing its tactical versatility and combat prowess. Fighters now gain the new Weapon Mastery feature at level 1, allowing them to choose three weapons and apply special Mastery properties to their attacks, such as Cleave or Slow. The Fighting Style feature has been moved into a subset of Feats, offering more customization options. Second Wind starts with two uses and scales with level, with partial recharge on short rests. At level 2, the new Tactical Mind feature lets Fighters expend a use of Second Wind to boost failed ability checks. Additional features like Tactical Shift at level 5 improve mobility, and Studied Attacks at level 13 grant advantage on a follow-up attack after a miss, making Fighters more dynamic and strategic in combat. Some subclass features have been reworked, and a new Brawler subclass focuses on unarmed combat, broadening playstyle options for Fighters in One D&D.

No matter what Class you end up picking, One D&D changes the way characters are created. Specifically, the Background you choose now comes with an Ability Score improvement (one point each in three Abilities, or two points in one Ability and one point in another). In addition, every character gets an Origin Feat. We’ll deal with both of those changes below.

One D&D’s Fighters get the Weapon Mastery class feature that adds an extra ability to your weapon attacks. Fighters get to choose three weapons and use that weapon’s Mastery Property. Weapon Mastery adds extra features to your attacks – like Cleave (that gives you a second attack on a nearby creature) or Slow (that, well, slows a creature).

Also, Fighting Style has moved to Feats – specifically the Fighting Style subset of Feats. We’ll break those down below, too.

Fighter class features overview

Fighters in Dungeons & Dragons 5e are masters of martial combat, combining weapon and armor proficiency with tactical versatility. Their core class features include choosing a Fighting Style that enhances their combat capabilities, the ability to recover health with Second Wind, and the powerful Action Surge that allows extra actions in battle. Fighters also gain Extra Attack, enabling multiple strikes per turn, and access to various archetypes (subclasses) that provide unique combat maneuvers, magical abilities, or specialized tactics. Their high durability, weapon mastery, and tactical options make them formidable frontline warriors capable of adapting to diverse combat situations.

• Primary Abilities: Strength or Dexterity (and, we’d argue, Constitution)
• Hit Point Die: d10 per level
• Saving Throw Proficiencies: Strength and Constitution
• Skill Proficiencies: 2 of: Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, Perception, Survival
• Weapon Proficiencies: Simple, Martial
• Armor Training: Light, Medium, Heavy, Shields

Before you decide on your skill proficiencies, make sure you select your Background first. Backgrounds give you proficiency in two skills (and only two), so you want to make sure you don’t double up your selections. Farmer, for example, gives you proficiency in Animal Handling and Nature, effectively taking Animal Handling out of your list of Class-granted skill proficiencies to choose from.

Fighting Style

Fighters in Dungeons & Dragons 5e (2024) excel in versatile combat roles, enhanced by their ability to choose and swap Fighting Styles as they level up. These styles allow Fighters to specialize in various combat techniques such as improving ranged attacks with Archery, boosting defense with Protection or Defense styles, enhancing damage with Great Weapon Fighting or Dueling, or gaining unique tactical advantages like Interception and Blind Fighting. This flexibility, combined with features like multiple attacks and Action Surge, makes Fighters formidable and adaptable front-line warriors who can tailor their fighting approach to the needs of their party and campaign.

Choosing your Fighting Style (feat), like the name suggests, modifies your character’s style of fighting. This is how you’ll make your Fighter a little better at their particular brand of violence.

D&D 2024 Fighting Styles

In Dungeons & Dragons 2024, Fighting Styles have undergone a significant change by becoming feats rather than fixed class features, allowing Fighters and other martial classes to choose or switch their Fighting Style whenever they gain a feat. This new flexibility lets players tailor their combat approach more dynamically throughout their progression. The available Fighting Style feats include familiar options like Archery, Defense, Dueling, Great Weapon Fighting, and Two-Weapon Fighting, as well as new or updated styles such as Blind Fighting, Interception, Protection, and Thrown Weapon Fighting. Each style offers unique bonuses, from attack roll improvements to damage boosts and defensive benefits, enabling Fighters to specialize in ranged combat, melee prowess, or tactical defense according to their preferred playstyle.

Second Wind

Second Wind is a signature Fighter class feature in Dungeons & Dragons 5e that allows the character to regain hit points as a bonus action during combat. Starting at level one, a Fighter can use Second Wind to heal for 1d10 plus their Fighter level, providing a crucial burst of stamina and survivability without relying on external healing sources. In the 2024 update, Fighters begin with two uses of Second Wind, which scale with level, and regain one use on a short rest and all uses on a long rest, making it a more flexible and tactical resource. This ability is particularly valuable at lower levels to keep Fighters in the fight longer, but remains a clutch option even at higher levels when every hit point counts in critical moments.

Fighters get two uses of the Second Wind feature that lets them regain 1d10 their level HP. You regain one use with a Short Rest and both uses with a Long Rest.

Weapon Mastery

Weapon Mastery is a key new feature for Fighters in the 2024 edition of Dungeons & Dragons 5e, allowing them to specialize in specific weapons and unlock unique mastery properties that enhance their combat effectiveness. Each weapon comes with a distinct mastery property-such as Cleave, Graze, or Topple-that grants special effects like hitting multiple foes, dealing damage on a miss, or tripping enemies. Fighters gain more Weapon Mastery slots than other classes, encouraging tactical weapon switching to adapt to different combat situations. This system not only makes martial combat faster and more dynamic but also provides Fighters with a versatile and strategic edge, aligning their weapon choice closely with their preferred fighting style and tactics.

All weapons in One D&D now have a Mastery Property. These are listed in equipment tables and weapon descriptions. If your Class gives you the Weapon Mastery feature (more on this below) and you have proficiency with the weapon you’re using, you’ll get to use the Mastery Property of that weapon with each attack (once per turn). Fighters get to choose three weapons to use this feature with.

We have a guide to Weapon Mastery here.

How to build an effective Fighter

Building an effective Fighter in Dungeons & Dragons 5e (2024) involves focusing on the class’s core strengths: durability, weapon mastery, and versatility in combat. Prioritize choosing a Fighting Style that complements your preferred combat approach-whether melee or ranged-and leverage key features like Action Surge for extra attacks and Tactical Mind for skill boosts. Selecting a subclass that matches your desired complexity and role, from straightforward Champions to tactically rich Battle Masters or Eldritch Knights, allows customization to suit your playstyle. Balancing primary ability scores between Strength or Dexterity depending on weapon choice, and investing in Constitution for survivability, ensures your Fighter can both endure and dish out damage effectively. Skill proficiencies should support your role, with Athletics or Acrobatics being top picks. Overall, an effective Fighter build maximizes combat efficiency and resilience while tailoring tactical options to your campaign needs.

When assigning your stats, make your Fighter’s Strength the highest – for all the talking about not pidgeonholing yourself as the party’s muscle we’ve done, you’re still there to punch. After that, Dexterity is good for Initiative and your AC, but Constitution also is a solid choice for that HP bump.

Best Fighter Backgrounds and Origin Feats

When building a Fighter in Dungeons & Dragons 5e (2024), selecting the right background and origin feats is crucial for both roleplay depth and combat effectiveness. Backgrounds like Soldier, Folk Hero, and Noble are excellent choices, as they provide thematic skill proficiencies and story hooks that complement a Fighter’s martial prowess. Soldier, for example, offers Athletics and Intimidation skills and fits naturally with a combat-focused character, while Folk Hero and Noble add unique roleplaying angles and useful proficiencies. Additionally, the new 2024 backgrounds now grant starting ability score improvements and unique origin feats, enhancing your Fighter’s capabilities from the outset. When choosing origin feats, consider options that boost your combat style, such as Fighting Style feats, Tough for extra durability, Alert for improved initiative, or Brute to increase damage output. Aligning your background and feats with your Fighter’s combat role and story concept will create a well-rounded and effective warrior ready for any battlefield.

Backgrounds in One D&D are a way to codify your character’s personal history into their stats. Backgrounds give you a bump to your stats, a couple of skills, tool proficiencies, and an Origin Feat.

For Fighters, let’s start with anything that lets you bump Strength – Artisan, Entertainer, Farmer, Guard, Noble, Sailor, or Soldier. Of those, Farmer and Sailor also give you the option to bump Constitution, which makes you marginally more tank-y.

The Farmer and Sailor Backgrounds get you the Tough and Tavern Brawler Origin Feats, respectively. Both of those are good for any Fighter.

Fighter subclasses

Fighters in Dungeons & Dragons 5e have a diverse array of subclasses that tailor their combat style and abilities to specific themes and tactics. These subclasses range from the straightforward and resilient Champion, who excels in critical hits and physical prowess, to the tactically versatile Battle Master, who uses maneuvers to control the battlefield. Magical options include the Eldritch Knight, blending spellcasting with martial skills, and the Arcane Archer, which infuses arrows with magical effects. Other notable subclasses include the Cavalier, focused on mounted combat and defense; the Samurai, known for their fighting spirit and precision; the Psi Warrior, who harnesses psionic powers; the Echo Knight, manipulating time and space with echoes; the Rune Knight, using mystical runes for combat enhancement; and the Purple Dragon Knight, who inspires and supports allies. Each subclass offers unique features that enhance a fighter’s role, making the class highly customizable for different playstyles and campaign needs.

You don’t pick a Fighter subclass until Level 3, but you’ll want to think about where you’re heading pretty early on – especially in terms of Background and Origin Feat (above).

Battle Master

Battle Master Fighters are tacticians. This is a good role for the team leader-type Fighters or for the more tactically minded parties. Or, you know, for bossy players. You gain a pool of four Superiority Dice that you can use to perform Maneuvers that do things like command allies to attack on your turn, move allies around the battlefield, add a d8 to Charisma rolls, or give you and your allies Advantage on attacks.

Champion

Champion Fighters are kind of a Fighter subclass, which makes it a perfect supplement to spell-heavy groups, groups with more than one bard (we see you, D&D-themed alternative rock bands), or under-strength groups – meaning groups with four or fewer players at the table Your Critical Hit goes from just 20 to 19 and 20, effectively doubling your ability to land massive damage from 5% to 10% of the times you roll the dice. You gain Advantage on Initiative and Athletics rolls, meaning you’ll be the first to fight more often than not and you’ll make it across that 10-foot gap when your friends don’t. Plus you get a little extra movement when you land a crit, which should let you leap in front of the cleric while he’s healing the sorcerer. again.

Eldrich Knight

Eldrich Knight Fighters blend melee and casting. You get two Cantrips and two Level 1 spell slots for spells. You can also form a magical bond with your weapon that makes you impossible to disarm and lets you summon your weapon to your hand with a Bonus Action. These will get you closer to an Aragorn-style Fighter.

Psi Warrior

Psi Warrior Fighters are a lot like Eldrich Knights except their powers are psionic. You get a pool of four Psi Warrior Energy Dice that you can use to add Force damage to your attacks, cast a shield around yourself that reduces damage, or do some telekinesis. Think Jedi minus the space cop baggage (ACAB includes the Jedi and we’ll die on this hill).

What new tactics can I unlock with the 2024 Fighter build

The 2024 Fighter build unlocks several new tactical options that significantly enhance battlefield control and versatility:

• Tactical Mind: Starting at level 2, you can spend a use of Second Wind to add a d10 to a failed ability check, potentially turning failure into success, and if you still fail, the Second Wind is not expended.

• Tactical Shift: At level 5, using Second Wind also allows you to move up to half your speed without provoking opportunity attacks, greatly improving your mobility in combat.

• Weapon Mastery and Tactical Master: Fighters gain new weapon masteries such as Push, Sap, and Slow, which can be applied to any weapon from level 9 onward, allowing you to impose battlefield conditions like pushing enemies, sapping their attacks, or slowing their movement, reminiscent of Battle Master maneuvers but more flexible.

• Studied Attacks: From level 13, if you miss an attack, you gain advantage on your next attack against the same target, increasing your reliability in combat.

• Improved Action Surge: While you can no longer use Action Surge to cast spells, the combination of Extra Attacks and multiple Action Surges at higher levels lets you unleash a flurry of attacks, maximizing damage output and tactical options.

These additions emphasize a blend of defensive resilience, battlefield control, and adaptive combat tactics, making the 2024 Fighter a more dynamic and strategic class than ever before.

How can I use Tactical Mind to improve my skill checks in 2024 Fighter

You can use Tactical Mind to improve your skill checks by expending a use of your Second Wind only after you fail an ability check. When you do, you roll a d10 and add it to your original check, potentially turning that failure into a success. If the added roll still doesn’t meet the DC, your Second Wind is not spent, so you don’t lose the resource unnecessarily. This makes Tactical Mind a highly efficient way to ensure success on critical skill checks without wasting your healing resource.

Because you only spend Second Wind when the boost turns a failure into a success, you can attempt Tactical Mind on every failed check without risk, greatly increasing your reliability in skill-based challenges. This feature effectively gives you a “second chance” on important rolls, making your Fighter much more competent outside of combat and enhancing your role as a skillful adventurer.

In practice, this means that if you fail a Perception, Stealth, or any other ability check, you can immediately try Tactical Mind to add 1d10 to your roll. The flexibility and resource efficiency of this feature make it a standout tool for improving your skill performance throughout your adventuring day.