I think one of the many fight scenes that will forever stay in my mind is when Achilles fights Boagrius (the big buff guy) at the start of Troy.
The rest of the movie kind of pales in comparison. He sprints toward his enemy, unflinchingly deflecting the javelins hurled at him, before leaping and piercing the larger man between the shoulder blade and neck, then walks it off like a he just hit a home run.
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The mechanical precision of his movements denote years of training, or, dare we say, God-given abilities.
He is a Fighter, through and through, and you should be, too.
The underdog
I don’t think Fighters get the credit they deserve, even though WotC quotes them as being “the most diverse class in the game” (PHB p70). I haven’t had a player at the table who’s primarily a Fighter, and looking at the big guns, no one in Critical Role’s campaigns have gone that route, either (unless you count Gunslingers). They tend to play Barbarians instead.
So maybe this post will help change that narrative.
People think of the class as being simple. Is that really such a bad thing? They’re great for new players that are learning the game, and they have the durability to keep slugging if you’re into a hack and slash style of play. If you get to pick up feats, then Fighters can become incredibly specialized warriors that can literally put the team on their back. Simplicity is in the one pulling the strings, if you ask me.
You may see on forums people arguing that Fighters are no good at role play, and I would say those people are wrong. Play your role and you’re roleplaying.
The Dex side of things
I think at this point we can let the B(r)oagrius archetype for Fighters die. What about Dexterity based fighters? Think of Dex (names usually have double meanings, right?) from the second season of Daredevil; anything was lethal in that man’s hands, at any range.
Or what about a Great Weapon Fighter equipped with a glaive who’s a Polearm Expert and Sentinel. Oof. Wizards study the subtleties of magic. Fighters study the art of war.
Fighters are the most action-oriented class in the game
They get the most attacks, they increase their ability scores the most, they get all the weapon and armor proficiencies, at ninth level they basically get a legendary resistance in Indomitable. AND I would argue that their range of subclasses are the most dynamic for diversifying the class.
If you play a sludgy game with lots of combat and are not looking for capstone abilities, almost any class would benefit from a couple levels as a Fighter. You’ll take one or two for a fighting style and Action Surge, take a third to get your subclass, a fourth for your ASI and then a fifth to get your second attack. And the next level gets you another ASI…
To counter something I said above: Tor, my eighth-level Tempest Cleric, is probably only leveling up as a Fighter from now on just because he doesn’t hit as hard as I want him to and he has enough spell slots for what I want to do on the magical side of things.
Party composition
It also just fits the character concept I’m going for. I genuinely love how a Fighter can round out a party. For example, say your adventuring group is made up of a Wizard, a Druid, a Paladin, and Fighter. The first three have access to spells and tricks and are beholden with some other sort of powers that the Fighter, generally, can’t tap into.
Then there’s the guy or gal who wears whatever armor they want wielding whatever weapon they choose in their preferred fighting style who still keeps up with them. Give that person a magic item or two that builds off of their skills and really watch them flourish. I am in the camp that the Fighter needs a potent magical weapon that they can get attuned to, bond with, and truly wield. The weapon is an extension of their body.
So what to think about when creating a Fighter?
To relay the PHB, when building your character think of two things. Where did you receive your combat training, and what sets you above and beyond the rest of the soldiers around you, to the point no one wanted to spar with you for fear of defeat?
Were you a footman in the army where your commanders noticed your natural affinity in a fight? Did you move up the ranks or leave because you knew there were bigger things out there? Or did you isolate and practice in a sort of Hyperbolic Time Chamber (also known as the Room of Spirit and Time and I think that sounds cooler)? These are just a couple options among so many potential backstories.
So, take up arms and build a Fighter, already, then let us know how it goes in the comments below.
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