Fighter FAQ
What is a Fighter in D&D?
A Fighter is a weapon-focused martial class built around broad armor and weapon proficiency, a Fighting Style, Second Wind, Action Surge, Extra Attack, frequent Ability Score Improvements, and Indomitable. Fighters use a d10 Hit Die and can specialise in Strength or Dexterity, melee or ranged combat, defense, tactics, or subclass-specific magic.
A Fighter is the broadest dedicated martial class in the 2014 rules. The class is built around mastery of weapons and armor rather than spellcasting or one specialised supernatural resource. That simplicity at the base level does not make every Fighter identical. Weapon choice, Fighting Style, feats or Ability Score Improvements, and Martial Archetype can create very different characters.
Core class profile
The Fighter uses a d10 Hit Die.
The class is proficient with:
- all armor;
- shields;
- simple weapons;
- martial weapons.
Saving throw proficiencies are Strength and Constitution.
A Fighter can therefore be built around heavy armor and Strength, light or medium armor and Dexterity, melee weapons, ranged weapons, shields, two-handed weapons, two-weapon fighting, or several hybrid approaches.
Fighting Style
At 1st level, the Fighter chooses a Fighting Style.
The original 2014 options support different martial approaches such as:
- Archery;
- Defense;
- Dueling;
- Great Weapon Fighting;
- Protection;
- Two-Weapon Fighting.
Later pre-2024 sources added further options where those rules are being used.
The Fighting Style is important because it rewards committing to a coherent equipment plan.
A character that constantly changes between unrelated weapon setups may receive less value from a specialised Style.
Second Wind
Second Wind is a 1st-level self-healing feature.
The Fighter uses a bonus action to regain hit points based on a d10 plus Fighter level.
The feature returns after a short or long rest.
Second Wind does not make the Fighter a healer.
It gives the class a reliable way to recover some of its own durability without consuming another party member's action or spell slot.
Action Surge
At 2nd level, Action Surge gives the Fighter one additional action on the Fighter's turn.
The feature returns after a short or long rest.
At 17th level, the Fighter gains a second use between rests, though the 2014 feature prevents both uses from being spent on the same turn.
Action Surge is one of the strongest action-economy features in the class.
It can provide another Attack action, Dash, Dodge, item interaction that requires an action, subclass spell, or another legal action.
The best use depends on what the encounter needs.
Extra Attack
Fighters gain Extra Attack at 5th level.
Unlike most martial classes, the Fighter's version continues scaling.
The Fighter attacks:
5th level → 2 attacks with the Attack action 11th level → 3 attacks 20th level → 4 attacks
This makes repeatable weapon attacks the central high-level damage engine of the class.
Action Surge can temporarily allow another full action on top of that normal output.
Extra Ability Score Improvements
Fighters gain more Ability Score Improvement levels than most classes.
In the 2014 progression, these occur at:
4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th level
When feats are allowed, this also gives the Fighter unusually many opportunities to specialise through feats.
The class can therefore develop a strong mechanical identity even before considering subclass features.
Indomitable
At 9th level, Indomitable lets the Fighter reroll a failed saving throw and use the new result.
Additional uses are gained later.
This is not the same as automatically succeeding.
The new roll can still fail.
Indomitable is best reserved for saves whose consequences are serious enough to justify spending the limited resource.
Martial Archetype
At 3rd level, the Fighter chooses a Martial Archetype.
The 2014 class gains Archetype features at 3rd, 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.
Champion focuses on straightforward physical performance.
Battle Master adds manoeuvres and superiority dice.
Eldritch Knight adds limited Wizard spellcasting.
Later official Archetypes add themes such as archery, cavalry, samurai discipline, runes, psionics, echoes, and leadership.
The subclass determines whether the Fighter remains mechanically simple or becomes one of the more technical martial characters.
In short
A Fighter is a d10 martial class with the game's broadest basic weapon and armor access.
Fighting Style defines the equipment approach.
Second Wind adds self-sustain.
Action Surge creates burst turns.
Extra Attack creates repeatable weapon pressure.
Extra Ability Score Improvements enable strong specialisation.
The Martial Archetype determines the character's deeper tactical identity.