Fighter

Class Features

As a fighter, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per fighter level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per fighter level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: All armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival

Equipment

You start with 200 gp, in addition to the equipment granted by your background. The following are good starting items for fighters:

Table: The Fighter
LevelFeaturesKnacks KnownManeuvers KnownFocus PoolManeuver Degree
1stFighting Style, Combat Maneuvers-321st
2ndAction Surge (one use), Soldiering Knacks, Steely Mien1431st
3rdMartial Archetype1441st
4thAbility Score Improvement, Reserves1561st
5thExtra Attack2672nd
6thAbility Score Improvement, Martial Lore2772nd
7thMartial Archetype feature2782nd
8thAbility Score Improvement2892nd
9thIndomitable (one use)39103rd
10thMartial Archetype feature310103rd
11thExtra Attack (2)310113rd
12thAbility Score Improvement311123rd
13thIndomitable (two uses), Studied Attacks412134th
14thAbility Score Improvement, War's Toll413134th
15thMartial Archetype feature413144th
16thAbility Score Improvement414154th
17thAction Surge (two uses), Indomitable (three uses)515165th
18thMartial Archetype feature516165th
19thAbility Score Improvement516165th
20thExtra Attack (3)517175th
Table: The Epic Level Fighter
LevelFeaturesKnacks KnownManeuvers KnownFocus PoolManeuver Degree
21stEpic Ability Score Improvement, Fighting Style Mastery618185th
22ndAgoge619185th
23rdMartial Archetype feature619185th
24thExpanded Reserves, Legendary Action620195th
25thEpic Ability Score Improvement, Extra Attack (4)721205th
26thInexorable722205th
27thMartial Archetype feature722205th
28thLegendary Resistance723215th
29thEpic Ability Score Improvement, Action Surge (three uses)824225th
30thExtra Attack (5)825225th

Fighting Style

1st-level Fighter feature
At 1st level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Archery. You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Blind Fighting. You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.

Close Quarters Shooter. Making a ranged attack roll while within 5 feet of an enemy doesn't impose disadvantage on your roll. In addition, if you hit a creature within 5 feet of you with a ranged attack on your turn, that creature can't take reactions until the end of this turn.

Defense. While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC, and your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.

Dueling. When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Free-Hand Fighting. When you make an attack roll against a creature within 5 feet of you, the d20 die result required to activate a flourish is reduced by 2 as long as you have at least one free hand.

Great Weapon Fighting. When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Interception. When a creature you can see hits a target that is within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial weapon to use this reaction.

Mariner. As long as you are not wearing heavy armor or using a shield, you have a swimming speed and a climbing speed equal to your normal speed. For each of these speeds you already have, your walking speed increases by 5 feet instead.

Opportunist. You have advantage on opportunity attacks.

Protection. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can take a Reaction to interpose your Shield if you’re holding one. You impose Disadvantage on the triggering attack roll and all other attack rolls against the target until the start of your next turn if you remain within 5 feet of the target.

Rider. You have advantage on saving throws made to avoid falling off mounts or vehicles. If you fall off your mount or vehicle and descend no more than 10 feet, you can land on your feet if you're not incapacitated. Finally, mounting or dismounting a creature or vehicle costs only 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed.

Superior Technique. You learn one maneuver of your choice from among the traditions you are proficient with. If you are not proficient in any combat traditions, you become proficient with one. You must choose this combat tradition if you ever become proficient with a new combat tradition. You also gain focus equal to half your proficiency bonus.

Thrown Weapon Fighting. You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon. In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.

Two-Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the offhand attack.

Unarmed Fighting. Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If you aren't wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8. If the damage die of your unarmed strikes is already a d6 or higher, reduce the number required to flourish with unarmed strikes by 1. Additionally, once on your turn when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can deal damage to the creature and also grapple or shove them.

Vigorous Fighting. When you spend hit die to recover focus, you recover an additional 1 focus for each hit die spent.

Martial Versatility

Whenever you gain a level in a class that has the Fighting Style feature, you can replace a fighting style you know with another style available to your class. This change represents a shift of focus in your martial training and practice, causing you to lose the benefits of one style and gain the benefits of another style.

Combat Maneuvers

1st-level Fighter feature
At 1st level, you gain the ability to use combat maneuvers. You gain proficiency in two combat traditions of your choice. You learn three maneuvers of your choice from traditions you are proficient with.

The Fighter table shows how much focus you have to use your maneuvers of 1st degree and higher. To use one of your maneuvers, you must expend focus from your focus pool. You regain all expended focus when you finish a short or long rest. Your maneuvers show how much focus they cost. The Maneuvers Known column of the Fighter table shows when you learn more maneuvers from a tradition you are proficient with, while the Maneuver Degree column shows the highest degree you can select maneuvers from at a given level. You cannot know more maneuvers of a degree than you know of degrees below it.

Additionally, whenever you learn a new maneuver, you can choose one of the maneuvers you know and replace it with another maneuver, and whenever you finish a long rest, you can replace any maneuvers you know with maneuvers from traditions you are proficient with of the same degree over the course of 10 minutes.

Action Surge

2nd-level Fighter feature
You can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment. On your turn, you can take one additional action, except the Magic action. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Starting at 17th level, you can use it twice before a rest, and at 29th level, you can use it three times before a rest, but only once on the same turn.

Soldiering Knacks

2nd-level Fighter feature
Over the course of your training and adventures you have picked up a variety of skills and tricks to help you make your way. At 2nd level you gain a soldiering knack of your choice. Your soldiering knacks are detailed on the Soldiering Knacks page. The Knacks Known column of the Fighter table shows when you learn more fighter soldiering knacks. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Soldiering Knacks you know and replace it with another Soldiering Knack that you could learn at that level.

Steely Mien

2nd-level Fighter feature
At 2nd level your combat experience becomes obvious on some subtle level, influencing how people perceive you, or perhaps how you see them. Choose one of the following options:

Closed Helm

You have great control over your emotions; your face is an unmoving mask, revealing nothing of what you’re thinking. Creatures have Disadvantage on Insight checks made against you. In addition, you are immune to magic and abilities that allow creatures to read your thoughts, determine whether you are lying, know your alignment, or know your creature type.

Heroic Flair

Your victories have emboldened you and you radiate with heroic confidence. You have Advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks made to influence friendly creatures with a CR lower than your fighter class levels.

Watchful Eye

You are eternally alert and wary, ready for trouble. You have Advantage on Insight checks made to determine hostile intent or predict violence, and you have a +5 bonus to your passive Wisdom (Perception).

Martial Archetype

3rd-level Fighter feature
At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you strive to emulate in your combat styles and techniques. The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, 18th, 23rd, and 27th level.

Arcane ArcherXanathar's Guide to Everything. Altered.
Battle MasterRemoved, all martials have maneuvers
CavalierXanathar's Guide to Everything. Altered.
ChampionPlayer's Handbook. Altered.
CrusaderHomebrew.
DragoonHomebrew.
Echo KnightExplorer's Guide to Wildemount. Altered.
Eldritch KnightPlayer's Handbook. Altered.
MedicHomebrew.
Psi WarriorAs in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything except can get proficiency in choice of Determination, Juggernaut, or Templar combat maneuvers at 3rd level, and can choose a bonus proficiency from your choice of Arcana, Insight, Investigation, Perception, or a language at 3rd level
BanneretRemoved, see Marshal for similar play
Rune KnightAs in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything except can get proficiency in choice of Berserker, Juggernaut, or Templar combat maneuvers at 3rd level
SamuraiAs in Xanathar's Guide to Everything except can get proficiency in choice of Determination, Duelist, or Nemesis combat maneuvers and get new ability, Iaijutsi at 3rd level which adds Wisdom mod to initiative and allows you to act when surprised if you use Fighting Spirit; Fighting Spirit returns on short rest at 10th level and you reduce Fatigue and Strife by 1 on a short rest
SharpshooterUnearthed Arcana. Altered.

Ability Score Improvement

4th-level Fighter feature
When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th, 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. Alternatively, you may select a single feat you meet the prerequisites for.

Additionally, you can replace one of your skill proficiencies with a skill proficiency offered by your class at 1st level. The proficiency you replace needn't be from this class.

Lastly, you can do one of the following, representing a shift in the focus of your martial practice:

Reserves

4th-level Fighter feature
At 4th level your stamina increases, allowing you to engage foes longer without tiring. Your focus pool increases by 1 (Included in the Fighter table). At 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th, level your focus pool increases by an additional point.

Extra Attack

5th-level Fighter feature
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class, four when you reach 20th level in this class, five when you reach 25th level in this class, and six when you reach 30th level in this class.

Martial Lore

6th-level Fighter feature
At 6th level, your knowledge of martial lore deepens. Choose one of the following options:

Military Traditions

You’ve familiarized yourself with wars long past and military protocols of the present. Whenever you make an Intelligence check made to recall lore or gather information regarding warfare or military action, you are considered proficient in the skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check. In addition, you have Advantage on Charisma checks made to influence soldiers, guards, or other organized martial forces.

Size Up

Your combat experience against a wide variety of foes has given you a good eye for evaluating threats. You can use a Bonus Action to determine the CR and armor class of a creature you can see within 200 feet.

Weapon Lore

Whenever you make an Intelligence check made to recall lore or gather information about weapons, armor, and other martial equipment, you are considered proficient in the skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check. In addition, you can use an Action to investigate the magical properties of such an item by handling it, such as swinging a sword or hefting a shield. You learn its properties, how to use them, whether it requires attunement, and how many charges it has. You also learn if the item has any sentience or bears a curse, though you only learn if it is sentient or cursed (not the nature of that sentience or curse).

Indomitable

9th-level Fighter feature
When you fail a saving throw, you may choose to add a bonus to the roll equal to your fighter level, possibly turning the failure into a success. This feature can allow a saving throw to succeed even if the d20 result was 1. Once this feature causes you to succeed on a saving throw, you can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 13th level and three times between long rests starting at 17th level.

Studied Attacks

13th-level Fighter feature
You masterfully study your opponents and learn from each attack you make. If you make an attack roll against a creature and miss, you have Advantage on your next attack roll against that creature before the end of your next turn.

War's Toll

14th-level Fighter feature
At 14th level, your experiences have left their impressions on you. All the lives ended—both friends and foes—inevitably weighs down on a person, and each must find their own way to cope and pay the toll of war. Choose one of the following.

Battle Scarred

You’ve embraced every victory and loss, and you wear each battle scar like a badge of honor. Whenever you are reduced to 0 hit points you gain a new permanent scar or mark, and you gain inspiration. Once you gain inspiration in this way you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.

Carouser

You cope through drink and revelry, and have mastered both. You can gain the benefits of a long rest by spending 4 hours drinking, carousing, and taking the occasional blackout nap. You can carouse in this way so long as you consume at least 4 pint’s worth of ale (or equivalent drink), and you are alert and aware of your surroundings while doing so. If you carouse with another creature in this way, you can attempt to learn secrets from it by drinking it under the table. Each hour you spend carousing with a willing creature, make an opposed Constitution check. On a success, that creature answers a question truthfully (even questions it would not normally answer). In addition, you can enjoy alcohol as normal but can’t gain the Poisoned condition from it. This feature has no effect on creatures that are immune to the Poisoned condition.

One Eye Open

Your life has been so regularly in danger that you’ve learned to literally sleep with one eye open. You are alert and aware of your surroundings while sleeping during long rests. You can also never be Surprised and you add half your proficiency bonus to your initiative checks.

Epic Level Fighter: Epic Ability Score Improvement

21st-level Fighter feature
When you reach 21st level, and again at 25th and 29th level, you gain the benefits of an Ability Score Improvement, but your ability score increase can bring an ability score above 20, to a maximum of 24.

Epic Level Fighter: Fighting Style Mastery

21st-level Fighter feature
You have elevated your own fighting styles a cut above those of your peers. Fighting Styles you have gain the following improvements:

Archery. Once on each of your turns, when you would hit a creature with an attack with a ranged weapon, you can attempt to hit another creature with the same attack roll. This creature must be directly behind the previous target, and must be within the normal range of your weapon.
Blind Fighting. Your blindsight increases to 30 feet.
Defense. While you are wearing armor, the first creature you hit on each of your turns has Disadvantage on attack rolls against you until the start of your next turn.
Dueling. While you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you have Advantage on attack rolls against a creature if you are within 5 feet of it, and no other creatures are within 5 feet of you.
Free-Hand Fighting. As long as you have at least one free hand, your attack rolls score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. This bonus can bring a critical hit threshold below 18.
Great Weapon Fighting. Once on each of your turns when you make a weapon attack, you can make another attack with the same weapon against another creature that is within 10 feet of the original target and within range of your weapon.
Interception. If you would reduce the intercepted attacks damage to 0, you can immediately make a weapon attack towards the attacker.
Mariner. As long as you are not wearing heavy armor or using a shield, you have Advantage on saving throws against being knocked Prone, and you can stand up from Prone using 5 feet of movement.
Opportunist. You can make one opportunity attack on each of your turns without expending your Reaction. You cannot take these attacks if you are suffering from an effect that prevents you from taking reactions.
Protection. The target of your protection gains the benefit of the Dodge action until the start of your next turn.
Rider. You cannot be dismounted against your will.
Superior Technique. You gain proficiency in another Combat Tradition of your choice, and you learn two more maneuvers of your choice.
Thrown Weapon Fighting. Your thrown weapons return to your hands on a hit or miss. Once on each of your turns when you would hit a creature with a thrown weapon, you can attempt an additional ranged weapon attack that is within 15 feet of you and the original target.
Two Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two-weapon-fighting, you can make two attacks with your offhand weapon.
Unarmed Fighting. Your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. If you aren't wielding any weapons or a shield when you make an attack roll, you can make one additional attack on your turn.
Vigorous Fighting. You recover twice as much focus when spending hit dice.

Epic Level Fighter: Agoge

22nd-level Fighter feature
Your rigorous and methodical training, has made you capable of shrugging off strenuous activity that would exhaust anybody else, as well as made you proficient with another skill. Choose one skill from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival.

In addition, treat the penalties imposed from Fatigue and Strife as if you had one less level of Fatigue or Strife, to a minimum of 0.

Epic Level Fighter: Expanded Reserves

24th-level Fighter feature
Your stamina increases further. At 24th and again at 28th level, your focus pool increases by an additional point (included in the Fighter table.)

Epic Level Fighter: Legendary Action

24th-level Fighter feature
At the end of another creature's turn, you can use a use of your Action Surge to immediately take an Action. You may only do this once per round, and only if you didn't use Action Surge on your turn.

Epic Level Fighter: Inexorable

26th-level Fighter feature
You learn to take a special action that you can only take on a turn where you use your Action Surge feature. When you take this Action, you draw on your legendary inner strength to empower your might to godlike heights for 1 minute or until you are Incapacitated, allowing you to shrug off magic that would hamper others. For the duration, your movement speed can’t be magically reduced and you can move through creations of force, such as those created by the forcecage or wall of force spells, as if they are difficult terrain.

Epic Level Fighter: Legendary Resistance

28th-level Fighter feature
Your Indomitable class feature now adds a bonus to saving throws equal to your fighter level.