Fighter 5e class
Fighters are masters of weapons and armor. They get the most attacks and Ability Score Improvements of any class, recover with Second Wind and burst with Action Surge. Their archetype adds maneuvers, spells or supernatural techniques.
Jump to: Playing a fighter · Fighter table · Class features · Martial Archetype options · What changed in 2024 · Common questions
Fighter at a glance
- Hit die
- d10
- Hit points at 1st level
- 10 + Constitution modifier
- Hit points per level after 1st
- 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier
- Saving throws
- Strength, Constitution
- Armor
- All armor, shields
- Weapons
- Simple weapons, martial weapons
- Tools
- None
- Skills
- Choose 2 from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Survival
- Subclass
- Martial Archetype at 3rd level
Planning ability scores? Try the point buy calculator or the 4d6 ability score roller.
What the fighter is good at
The fighter is the master of weapons and armor. It’s proficient with all armor, shields and every weapon, and gets more attacks than anyone: two at 5th level, three at 11th and four at 20th. It also gets the most Ability Score Improvements in the game, at 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 19th level, which makes it the best class for feats.
Second Wind heals 1d10 + your fighter level as a bonus action, and Action Surge gives you one extra action on your turn; both come back on a short rest. From 9th level, Indomitable lets you reroll a failed saving throw. It’s simple to play and hard to build badly.
Choosing ability scores
Pick Strength or Dexterity as your attack score. Strength suits heavy armor and big weapons; Dexterity suits archers and finesse weapons. Constitution comes next, then whichever of Wisdom or Intelligence your archetype wants.
With the standard array: 15 in your attack score, 14 in Constitution, 13 in the other of Strength or Dexterity. Plate armor needs Strength 15 to avoid losing 10 feet of speed, and chain mail needs 13. The point buy calculator shows the trade-offs.
Picking a martial archetype
You choose at 3rd level. The SRD’s Champion is the simplest: you score a critical hit on a 19 or 20, then 18 to 20 at 15th level, and gain a second fighting style at 10th. Good for a first character.
The Player’s Handbook’s Battle Master uses superiority dice for maneuvers like trips and disarms, and the Eldritch Knight adds wizard spells. Later books add the Samurai, Cavalier, Psi Warrior and Rune Knight, among others.
Common beginner mistakes
- Saving Action Surge for later. It comes back on a short rest, so use it in most fights, ideally early when it can end the fight faster.
- The wrong fighting style. Dueling only works with a one-handed melee weapon and no other weapons; Great Weapon Fighting needs a two-handed or versatile weapon held in two hands. Match your style to your gear.
- Heavy armor with low Strength. Your speed drops by 10 feet if you don’t meet the armor’s Strength requirement.
- Ignoring feats. With seven improvements, a fighter can raise its main ability to 20 and still take several feats.
Fighter level progression
| Level | Proficiency bonus | Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Fighting Style, Second Wind |
| 2nd | +2 | Action Surge (x1) |
| 3rd | +2 | Martial Archetype |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility† |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack (x1) |
| 6th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility† |
| 7th | +3 | Martial Archetype feature |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility† |
| 9th | +4 | Indomitable (x1) |
| 10th | +4 | Martial Archetype feature |
| 11th | +4 | Extra Attack (x2) |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility† |
| 13th | +5 | Indomitable (x2) |
| 14th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility† |
| 15th | +5 | Martial Archetype feature |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility† |
| 17th | +6 | Action Surge (x2), Indomitable (x3) |
| 18th | +6 | Martial Archetype feature |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility† |
| 20th | +6 | Extra Attack (x3) |
† Optional class features from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, which the builder offers if your table uses them: Martial Versatility. They aren’t in the SRD, so their text isn’t on this page.
Fighter class features (2014 rules, SRD 5.1)
As a fighter, you gain the following class features. Each one shows the fighter level you gain it at; features chosen at a later level (like your martial archetype) add more as you go.
Fighting Style
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 +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
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.
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.
Protection
When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Second Wind
1st level
You have a limited well of stamina that you can draw on to protect yourself from harm. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + your fighter level. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Action Surge
2nd level (1 use) and 17th level (2 uses)
Starting at 2nd level, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment. On your turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible bonus 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, but only once on the same turn.
Martial Archetype
3rd level
At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you strive to emulate in your combat styles and techniques, such as Champion. The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.
Ability Score Improvement
4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 19th level
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.
Extra Attack
5th, 11th and 20th level
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 and to four when you reach 20th level in this class.
Indomitable
9th level (1 use), 13th level (2 uses) and 17th level (3 uses)
Beginning at 9th level, you can reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and 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.
Martial Archetype options
The builder offers 10 subclasses for the fighter, and only shows the ones your build can take.
Official
- Arcane Archer Xanathar's Guide to Everything
- Banneret Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
- Battle Master Player's Handbook
- Cavalier Xanathar's Guide to Everything
- Champion SRD Player's Handbook
- Eldritch Knight Player's Handbook
- Psi Warrior Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
- Renegade Legends of Runeterra: Dark Tides of Bilgewater
- Rune Knight Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
- Samurai Xanathar's Guide to Everything
The SRD includes one martial archetype in each edition, marked SRD above. The others are in the Player’s Handbook and later books, so this page gives their names only. The Champion page has its full text in both editions, a guide and what changed in 2024.
| Rules | SRD subclass | Features by level |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 (SRD 5.1) | Champion | Improved Critical (3rd), Remarkable Athlete (7th), Additional Fighting Style (10th), Superior Critical (15th), Survivor (18th) |
| 2024 (SRD 5.2) | Champion | Improved Critical (3), Remarkable Athlete (3), Additional Fighting Style (7), Heroic Warrior (10), Superior Critical (15), Survivor (18) |
What changed in 2024
The 2024 Player’s Handbook revised the fighter, and the System Reference Document 5.2 has the new version. Here is the fighter side by side in both editions, and what changed, worked out from the two SRDs.
| 2014 rules (SRD 5.1) | 2024 rules (SRD 5.2) | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary ability | — | Strength or Dexterity |
| Hit die | d10 | d10 |
| Saving throws | Strength and Constitution | Strength and Constitution |
| Skills | Choose 2 from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Survival | Choose 2: Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, Perception, or Survival |
| Armor | All armor, shields | Light, Medium, and Heavy armor and Shields |
| Weapons | Simple weapons, martial weapons | Simple and Martial weapons |
| Tools | None | None |
| Subclass | Martial Archetype at 3rd level | Fighter subclass at level 3 |
- The subclass still comes at level 3; the 2024 rules just call it a Fighter subclass rather than a Martial Archetype.
- Persuasion joins the skill list.
- New at level 1: Weapon Mastery, which lets you use the mastery properties of three kinds of weapons (see weapon mastery).
- Ability Score Improvements become feats: at levels 4, 6, 8, 12, 14 and 16 you take the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat you qualify for, and level 19 brings an Epic Boon feat instead of the last improvement.
- New features: Tactical Mind (level 2), Tactical Shift (level 5), Tactical Master (level 9), Two Extra Attacks (level 11), Studied Attacks (level 13), Three Extra Attacks (level 20).
- The level 20 capstone is Three Extra Attacks (2014: Extra Attack (x3)).
Features by level, 2014 and 2024
| Level | 2014 features | 2024 features |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fighting Style, Second Wind | Fighting Style, Second Wind, Weapon Mastery |
| 2 | Action Surge (x1) | Action Surge, Tactical Mind |
| 3 | Martial Archetype | Fighter Subclass |
| 4 | Ability Score Improvement | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5 | Extra Attack (x1) | Extra Attack, Tactical Shift |
| 6 | Ability Score Improvement | Ability Score Improvement |
| 7 | Martial Archetype feature | Subclass feature |
| 8 | Ability Score Improvement | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9 | Indomitable (x1) | Indomitable, Tactical Master |
| 10 | Martial Archetype feature | Subclass feature |
| 11 | Extra Attack (x2) | Two Extra Attacks |
| 12 | Ability Score Improvement | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13 | Indomitable (x2) | Indomitable, Studied Attacks |
| 14 | Ability Score Improvement | Ability Score Improvement |
| 15 | Martial Archetype feature | Subclass feature |
| 16 | Ability Score Improvement | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17 | Action Surge (x2), Indomitable (x3) | Action Surge, Indomitable |
| 18 | Martial Archetype feature | Subclass feature |
| 19 | Ability Score Improvement | Epic Boon |
| 20 | Extra Attack (x3) | Three Extra Attacks |
Fighter class features in the 2024 rules (SRD 5.2)
As a fighter, you gain these class features when you reach the listed Fighter levels. They are listed in level order.
Level 1: Fighting Style
You have honed your martial prowess and gain a Fighting Style feat of your choice (see "Feats"). Defense is recommended.
Whenever you gain a Fighter level, you can replace the feat you chose with a different Fighting Style feat.
Level 1: Second Wind
You have a limited well of physical and mental stamina that you can draw on. As a Bonus Action, you can use it to regain Hit Points equal to 1d10 plus your Fighter level.
You can use this feature twice. You regain one expended use when you finish a Short Rest, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
When you reach certain Fighter levels, you gain more uses of this feature, as shown in the Second Wind column of the Fighter Features table.
Level 1: Weapon Mastery
Your training with weapons allows you to use the mastery properties of three kinds of Simple or Martial weapons of your choice. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can practice weapon drills and change one of those weapon choices.
When you reach certain Fighter levels, you gain the ability to use the mastery properties of more kinds of weapons, as shown in the Weapon Mastery column of the Fighter Features table.
Level 2: Action Surge
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 can't do so again until you finish a Short or Long Rest. Starting at level 17, you can use it twice before a rest but only once on a turn.
Level 2: Tactical Mind
You have a mind for tactics on and off the battlefield. When you fail an ability check, you can expend a use of your Second Wind to push yourself toward success. Rather than regaining Hit Points, you roll 1d10 and add the number rolled to the ability check, potentially turning it into a success. If the check still fails, this use of Second Wind isn't expended.
Level 3: Fighter Subclass
You gain a Fighter subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Fighter levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass's features that are of your Fighter level or lower.
Level 4: Ability Score Improvement
You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat (see "Feats") or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Fighter levels 6, 8, 12, 14, and 16.
Level 5: Extra Attack
You can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Level 5: Tactical Shift
Whenever you activate your Second Wind with a Bonus Action, you can move up to half your Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks.
Level 9: Indomitable
If you fail a saving throw, you can reroll it with a bonus equal to your Fighter level. You must use the new roll, and you can't use this feature again until you finish a Long Rest.
You can use this feature twice before a Long Rest starting at level 13 and three times before a Long Rest starting at level 17.
Level 9: Tactical Master
When you attack with a weapon whose mastery property you can use, you can replace that property with the Push, Sap, or Slow property for that attack.
Level 11: Two Extra Attacks
You can attack three times instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Level 13: Studied Attacks
You 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.
Level 19: Epic Boon
You gain an Epic Boon feat (see "Feats") or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. Boon of Combat Prowess is recommended.
Level 20: Three Extra Attacks
You can attack four times instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Common questions
How many attacks does a fighter get?
One at 1st level, two at 5th, three at 11th and four at 20th, whenever you take the Attack action. Action Surge lets you take the Attack action a second time.
Can you cast a spell with Action Surge?
In the 2014 rules, yes: it’s one additional action, and casting a spell is an action. The 2024 rules say the extra action can’t be the Magic action.
Which fighting style is best?
Archery (+2 to ranged weapon attack rolls) for archers, Defense (+1 AC while wearing armor) for anyone, Dueling (+2 damage with a one-handed melee weapon) for sword and shield, and Great Weapon Fighting (reroll 1s and 2s on damage dice) for two-handed weapons.
How does Second Wind work?
As a bonus action, you regain hit points equal to 1d10 + your fighter level. In the 2014 rules you can use it once per short or long rest; the 2024 fighter gets two uses to start and more as it levels.
What changed for the fighter in 2024?
Weapon Mastery with three kinds of weapons, Fighting Style as a feat, Tactical Mind, Tactical Shift, Tactical Master and Studied Attacks, and Epic Boon at level 19. The attack count is the same: two, three, then four.
The fighter compared with similar classes
| Class | How it compares |
|---|---|
| Barbarian | More hit points and damage resistance, fewer attacks and feats, and no heavy armor while raging. |
| Paladin | Heavy armor plus spells, healing and smites; needs Charisma as well. |
| Ranger | A lighter fighter with spells and exploration features, often an archer. |
| Rogue | One big hit a turn instead of many, with far more skills. |
How to build a fighter
Open the builder, choose the 2014 or 2024 rules on the first step, then pick Fighter as your class. It fills in your hit points, saving throws and proficiencies, then walks you through race, martial archetype, ability scores, background, skills, equipment. Everything the rules can work out is computed for you: Armor Class from your armor, attack bonuses and every skill modifier.
Other classes: Artificer · Barbarian · Bard · Cleric · Druid · Monk · Paladin · Ranger · Rogue · Sorcerer · Warlock · Wizard