Character Class • Martial
Fighter, “The Martial Master”
The Fighter is the dedicated master of armed combat: soldier, knight, archer, mercenary, guard, marine, gunner, retainer, duellist, champion or veteran. What unites Fighters is not one weapon, homeland or social class, but exceptional training and experience in the deliberate practice of war.
What Makes a Fighter?
Not everyone who carries a spear or survives a battle possesses Fighter levels. The class represents a combatant whose training and experience have become exceptional: a professional soldier hardened by campaigns, a household warrior drilled since youth, a mercenary captain, an expert archer, a mounted retainer, a city guard veteran, a siege specialist, a duellist or another dedicated practitioner of martial skill.
Mastery
Fighters understand weapons as working instruments: reach, timing, balance, armour penetration, leverage, formation use and the weaknesses of an opponent.
Endurance
A Fighter is expected to remain effective when battle becomes prolonged, formations break and less experienced combatants lose control of the fight.
Adaptability
Fighters may specialise, but the class supports cavalry, infantry, missile combat, polearms, shields, siege warfare, bodyguard work and more.
Game Statistics
Select the rules system used by the campaign. These are separate implementations of the Fighter and should not be combined automatically.
Fighter — 5.5e / 2024 Rules
Core Traits
- Primary Ability: Strength or Dexterity
- Hit Die: d10 per Fighter level
- Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
- Weapons: Simple and Martial weapons
- Armour: Light, Medium and Heavy armour; Shields
Skill Proficiencies
Choose two:
Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Persuasion or Survival.
Starting Equipment
- Package A: Chain Mail, Greatsword, Flail, 8 Javelins, Dungeoneer’s Pack and 4 GP.
- Package B: Studded Leather Armour, Scimitar, Shortsword, Longbow, 20 Arrows, Quiver, Dungeoneer’s Pack and 11 GP.
- Package C: 155 GP to purchase equipment.
| Level | PB | Features | Second Wind | Weapon Masteries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 | Fighting Style, Second Wind, Weapon Mastery | 2 | 3 |
| 2 | +2 | Action Surge (1 use), Tactical Mind | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | +2 | Fighter Subclass | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | +3 | Extra Attack, Tactical Shift | 3 | 4 |
| 6 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 4 |
| 7 | +3 | Subclass Feature | 3 | 4 |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 4 |
| 9 | +4 | Indomitable (1 use), Tactical Master | 3 | 4 |
| 10 | +4 | Subclass Feature | 4 | 5 |
| 11 | +4 | Two Extra Attacks | 4 | 5 |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 5 |
| 13 | +5 | Indomitable (2 uses), Studied Attacks | 4 | 5 |
| 14 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 5 |
| 15 | +5 | Subclass Feature | 4 | 5 |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 6 |
| 17 | +6 | Action Surge (2 uses), Indomitable (3 uses) | 4 | 6 |
| 18 | +6 | Subclass Feature | 4 | 6 |
| 19 | +6 | Epic Boon | 4 | 6 |
| 20 | +6 | Three Extra Attacks | 4 | 6 |
Core Class Features
Fighting Style — 1st Level
The Fighter gains a Fighting Style feat for which the character qualifies. Whenever the character gains another Fighter level, that Fighting Style may be replaced with another eligible Fighting Style feat.
Second Wind — 1st Level
As a Bonus Action, the Fighter can regain 1d10 + Fighter level hit points. The character begins with two uses. A Short Rest restores one expended use; a Long Rest restores all expended uses. Additional uses are gained at higher levels.
Weapon Mastery — 1st Level
The Fighter begins with mastery of three kinds of Simple or Martial weapons. The number increases with Fighter level. After a Long Rest, one mastered weapon kind can be exchanged for another eligible weapon kind.
Action Surge — 2nd Level
On the Fighter’s turn, the character can take one additional action, except the Magic action. The use returns after a Short or Long Rest. At 17th level the Fighter has two uses between rests, but Action Surge can be used only once on the same turn.
Tactical Mind — 2nd Level
After failing an ability check, the Fighter can expend a use of Second Wind and add 1d10 to the check. If the addition still fails to make the check successful, that use of Second Wind is not expended.
Fighter Subclass — 3rd Level
The Fighter chooses a subclass at 3rd level and gains further subclass features at 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th level.
Extra Attack — 5th Level
The Fighter attacks twice when taking the Attack action. This increases to three attacks at 11th level and four attacks at 20th level.
Tactical Shift — 5th Level
When Second Wind is used as a Bonus Action, the Fighter can also move up to half the character’s Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks.
Indomitable — 9th Level
After failing a saving throw, the Fighter can reroll it and adds the Fighter level to the new roll. Additional uses are gained at 13th and 17th level.
Tactical Master — 9th Level
When attacking with a weapon whose mastery property the Fighter can use, the Fighter may substitute Push, Sap or Slow for that attack’s normal mastery property.
Studied Attacks — 13th Level
After missing a creature with an attack roll, the Fighter gains Advantage on the next attack roll made against that creature before the end of the Fighter’s next turn.
2024 Fighter Subclasses
Battle Master
A disciplined tactician who uses Superiority Dice and martial maneuvers to control the course of battle.
Champion
A direct martial specialist focused on physical excellence, weapon performance, mobility and resilience.
Eldritch Knight
A warrior who integrates arcane spellcasting with martial training and weapon attacks.
Psi Warrior
A Fighter who reinforces movement, defence and attacks with disciplined psionic power.
Video: Fighter Class Guide for D&D 5e 2024
Dungeon Dudes examines the current Fighter from core traits and Weapon Mastery through Action Surge, Extra Attack, feats, subclasses, weapon selection and roleplaying.
Older 2014 subclasses are not mixed into this 2024 rules summary. They can still be used in campaigns that deliberately employ legacy material.
Fighter — Pathfinder 1e
Class Traits
- Alignment: Any
- Hit Die: d10
- Base Attack Bonus: Full
- Good Save: Fortitude
- Skill Ranks: 2 + Intelligence modifier per level
Class Skills
Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (engineering), Profession, Ride, Survival and Swim.
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Bonus Feat |
| 2 | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Bonus Feat, Bravery +1 |
| 3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Armor Training 1 |
| 4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Bonus Feat |
| 5 | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Weapon Training 1 |
| 6 | +6/+1 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Bonus Feat, Bravery +2 |
| 7 | +7/+2 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Armor Training 2 |
| 8 | +8/+3 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Bonus Feat |
| 9 | +9/+4 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Weapon Training 2 |
| 10 | +10/+5 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Bonus Feat, Bravery +3 |
| 11 | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Armor Training 3 |
| 12 | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +4 | +4 | Bonus Feat |
| 13 | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +4 | +4 | Weapon Training 3 |
| 14 | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +4 | +4 | Bonus Feat, Bravery +4 |
| 15 | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +5 | +5 | Armor Training 4 |
| 16 | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +5 | +5 | Bonus Feat |
| 17 | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +5 | Weapon Training 4 |
| 18 | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Bonus Feat, Bravery +5 |
| 19 | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Armor Mastery |
| 20 | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +6 | Bonus Feat, Weapon Mastery |
Weapon and Armour Proficiency
A Pathfinder Fighter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, all armour and all shields, including tower shields.
Bonus Feats
The Fighter gains a combat bonus feat at 1st level and another at every even-numbered Fighter level. These are additional to feats gained through ordinary character advancement.
Bravery
Beginning at 2nd level, the Fighter gains a bonus on Will saves against fear. The bonus rises by +1 for every four Fighter levels beyond 2nd.
Armor Training
Beginning at 3rd level, armour restricts the Fighter less severely. The feature improves at 7th, 11th and 15th level.
Weapon Training
At 5th level the Fighter chooses a weapon group and gains bonuses with weapons from it. Further groups and improvements arrive at 9th, 13th and 17th level.
Video: Pathfinder Fighter Class Analysis
A focused Pathfinder 1e Fighter discussion covering the class’s proficiencies, bonus feats, Bravery and Weapon Training.
Pathfinder Fighter Weapon Groups
The complete Fighter weapon-training groups are retained below. Canonical SpiralWorlds destinations are linked where a stable destination was recovered; names without a publication-safe destination remain plain text rather than being given a guessed URL.
Axes
Blades, Heavy
Blades, Light
Bows
Close
Crossbows
Double
Firearms
Flails
Hammers
Monk
Natural
Polearms
Siege Engines
Spears
Thrown
Armor Mastery — 19th Level
While wearing armour or using a shield, the Fighter gains damage reduction 5/—.
Weapon Mastery — 20th Level
The Fighter chooses one weapon. Threatened critical hits with that weapon are automatically confirmed, its critical multiplier improves by 1, and the Fighter cannot be disarmed of it.
Useful Pathfinder Fighter Feats
Fighter — D&D 3.5e
Class Traits
- Alignment: Any
- Hit Die: d10
- Base Attack Bonus: Full
- Good Save: Fortitude
- Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Intelligence modifier) × 4
- Skill Points per Additional Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier
Class Skills
Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Jump, Ride and Swim.
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Bonus Feat |
| 2 | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Bonus Feat |
| 3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | — |
| 4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Bonus Feat |
| 5 | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | — |
| 6 | +6/+1 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Bonus Feat |
| 7 | +7/+2 | +5 | +2 | +2 | — |
| 8 | +8/+3 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Bonus Feat |
| 9 | +9/+4 | +6 | +3 | +3 | — |
| 10 | +10/+5 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Bonus Feat |
| 11 | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +3 | +3 | — |
| 12 | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +4 | +4 | Bonus Feat |
| 13 | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +4 | +4 | — |
| 14 | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +4 | +4 | Bonus Feat |
| 15 | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +5 | +5 | — |
| 16 | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +5 | +5 | Bonus Feat |
| 17 | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +5 | — |
| 18 | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Bonus Feat |
| 19 | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +6 | — |
| 20 | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +6 | Bonus Feat |
Weapon and Armour Proficiency
The 3.5e Fighter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, all armour and all shields, including tower shields.
Fighter Bonus Feats
The Fighter gains a bonus Fighter feat at 1st level, another at 2nd level and another at every even-numbered Fighter level thereafter. These are in addition to feats gained through ordinary character advancement. The Fighter must still meet every feat’s prerequisites.
3.5e Fighter Feat Paths
Building a Fighter in SpiralWorlds
A convincing Fighter begins with a homeland and military tradition rather than with a weapon statistic alone. The answers to the following questions establish what the character actually knows about war.
Homeland
Where did the character learn to fight? Terrain, trade and local industry determine which weapons, armour and mounts are readily available.
Military Role
Was the Fighter cavalry, infantry, archer, guard, marine, gunner, siege specialist, scout, duellist or household retainer?
Social Position
A noble warrior, prosperous mercenary, city guard and village levy do not have equal access to horses, armour or specialist weapons.
Signature Arms
Choose weapons because they suit training and geography rather than assuming that every Fighter begins with the same sword-and-shield identity.
Campaign Experience
Siege warfare, cavalry raids, naval actions, frontier defence, tournaments and monster hunting produce very different veterans.
Obligations
Professional warriors usually answer to somebody: a household, guild, free city, mercenary captain, sovereign, clan or military order.
The Fighter in 1454
The campaign present is 1454 CE. Across Earth, professional warriors employ different combinations of plate, mail, brigandine, shields, bows, crossbows, polearms, horses, siege weapons and increasingly important gunpowder weapons. These examples are cultural starting points rather than compulsory class builds.
Western European Man-at-Arms
Typical equipment: plate harness or mixed plate and mail, lance when mounted, longsword, pollaxe, mace or dagger.
English Campaign Veteran
Typical equipment: longbow or bill according to role, jack or brigandine, mail elements and sidearm.
Swiss Confederation Infantryman
Typical equipment: pike, halberd, sidearm and armour according to wealth.
Italian Condottiere
Typical equipment: plate or brigandine, lance, sword, polearm or crossbow according to role.
Bohemian War Veteran
Typical equipment: polearm, crossbow, pavise or large shield and, in suitably equipped forces, an early handgun.
Ashikaga Samurai
Typical equipment: armour appropriate to station, yumi, yari or naginata, and sword.
Rajput Warrior
Typical equipment: sword, spear or lance, bow, shield and armour determined by wealth, local manufacture and military role.
Mexica Elite Warrior
Typical equipment: quilted armour, shield, macuahuitl, spear and missile weapons appropriate to military rank.
Andean Warrior
Typical equipment: sling, spear, club or mace, with protective equipment determined by region and status.
Scandinavian Retainer
Typical equipment: spear, sword or axe, bow, shield and mail or other armour appropriate to wealth.
Video: Medieval Fantasy Realistic Weapon Loadouts
This Schola Gladiatoria discussion is retained because it addresses the practical question behind this section: what weapons and equipment a fantasy warrior could plausibly carry together, rather than treating an entire armoury as portable gear.
Fantasy Peoples: Geography, Arms and Military Traditions
Fantasy peoples retain strong geographic identities. Ancestry does not replace geography: an Elf from Britain need not resemble an Elf raised in Scandinavia, and a Dwarf from a Rhine mining enclave may carry different weapons and armour from a Dwarf whose family works a northern hold.
The traditions below describe common military environments, not innate behaviour. Individuals can learn outside them, migrate between regions and adopt the equipment of neighbours, employers or enemies.
Elves
Elven communities are particularly prominent in Britain and Scandinavia. Bows, spears, swords and regionally appropriate armour remain common, but equipment follows homeland and military service rather than ancestry alone.
Dwarves
Dwarves are dispersed through holds, mines, guild networks, fortified urban quarters, specialist enclaves and travelling families. Battleaxes, warhammers, picks, crossbows, polearms and strong shields are common where local industry supports them.
Gnomes
Gnome Fighters emerge from dispersed communities, guild towns, workshops and travelling groups. Where gnomish gunsmithing networks operate, some possess unusual familiarity with early firearms.
Halflings
Halfling Fighters include caravan guards, village defenders, urban retainers and travelling warriors. Slings, bows, crossbows, spears, short blades, bucklers and light armour vary by local tradition.
Orcs
Orcish warfare is shaped by the legacy of the Great Muster and the distinct military needs of the successor powers. Spears, axes, bows, shields, heavy infantry arms, cavalry and war-beasts appear according to region, rank and military doctrine.
See the Orc Worg Rider for one mounted martial tradition.
Hobgoblins of the Ninefold Dominion
The Ninefold Dominion emphasises disciplined infantry, logistics, siegecraft, artillery and cavalry. Spears, pikes, bows, crossbows, scale or mail armour, sidearms and gunpowder weapons all appear in suitably equipped formations.
Weapons, Armour and Battlefield Equipment
Weapons and armour are often the most visible expression of a Fighter’s homeland and training. SpiralWorlds equipment indexes contain both ordinary and unusual arms; availability should still follow local culture, wealth and technology.
Armour & Shield References
Firearm & Siege References
The generic Pathfinder firearm rules contain weapons from several technological periods. Inclusion in the rules index does not make every listed firearm ordinary technology in the 1454 campaign present.
Fighter Character Concepts
These established SpiralWorlds Fighter concepts broaden the class beyond one military profession. Their older mechanical assumptions can be adapted to the edition used by the campaign.
Beast Master
A martial specialist whose battlefield identity is tied to trained animals or dangerous beasts.
Fighter Assassin
A trained martial killer who relies on weapon skill, positioning and preparation.
Fop
A socially conspicuous Fighter whose apparent frivolity can conceal serious martial ability.
Gladiatorial Slave
A Fighter shaped by forced spectacle, arena survival and repeated close combat.
Last Survivor
A hardened warrior shaped by the destruction of a company, household, expedition or community.
Noble
A martial character whose upbringing provides social authority, formal training and expensive equipment.
Nomad
A mobile warrior shaped by migration, mounted warfare, seasonal movement or frontier life.
Outlaw
A Fighter living beyond established authority and surviving through mobility, terrain knowledge, ambush and armed reputation.
Professional Soldier
A career warrior defined by drill, campaigning, logistics and experience under command.
Savage
An older Fighter concept for warriors shaped by harsh environments and non-professional martial traditions.
Tribesman
An older concept centred on kinship, local martial obligation and traditional equipment.
Video: Character Concepts — Warriors
Web DM approaches martial characters from the concept side rather than simply repeating Fighter mechanics, making it a useful companion to the legacy Character Concepts above.
Some legacy Fighter concept material derives from The Quintessential Fighter by Matthew Sprange, published by Mongoose Publishing in 2002.
Roleplaying a Fighter
The Fighter need not be uncomplicated, humourless or defined only by violence. A life built around professional danger creates debts, loyalties, habits, reputations and enemies that can anchor the character firmly in the campaign world.
Who Trained You?
A parent, guild, militia, captain, household, academy, warband or veteran?
Who Paid for Your Equipment?
Expensive armour, firearms and horses imply wealth, patronage, inheritance, plunder or debt.
What Did You Survive?
A siege, naval battle, monster attack, raid, expedition, tournament or years of campaigning?
What Will You Not Do?
Experience may produce hard rules: never abandon a companion, surrender a weapon or enter another siege.
Who Remembers You?
Former officers, armourers, defeated enemies, surviving comrades and creditors connect the Fighter to the world.
Why Adventure Now?
Exile, unemployment, debt, revenge, ambition, curiosity, a broken oath or the hope of wealth?
Video: Fighters — How to Roleplay the Class
Web DM concentrates on making Fighters interesting as people rather than treating the class as nothing more than attack rolls and armour class.
Fighter Rules and Campaign Links
Rules Sources and Provenance
- 5.5e / 2024: the progression and class-feature summaries above follow the current 2024 Fighter rules. They are concise campaign-reference summaries rather than reproductions of the complete official rules text.
- Pathfinder 1e: the Pathfinder progression follows the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Fighter, including full Base Attack Bonus, Fortitude progression, Bravery, Armor Training, Weapon Training, Armor Mastery and Weapon Mastery.
- D&D 3.5e: the 3.5e progression follows the SRD Fighter, including full Base Attack Bonus, good Fortitude progression, the original Fighter class-skill list and the 1st-level, 2nd-level and even-level Fighter bonus-feat progression.
- Legacy Fighter concepts: some older SpiralWorlds concept material was historically attributed to The Quintessential Fighter by Matthew Sprange, Mongoose Publishing, 2002.