The best races, feats and fighting styles for a 2014 rules fighter, two ready-made builds, and what to pick at every level from 1 to 20.
The fighter is trained with every armor and weapon, and gets more attacks than any other class: two at level 5, three at 11, four at 20. It also gets more Ability Score Improvements than anyone, so it can take feats without falling behind. It works as a heavy-armored front liner, an archer or a sword-and-board defender.
People call the fighter the plain choice. Plain is what wins. 
Action SurgeAction SurgeLevel 2 featureStarting 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. at level 2 is a second full turn, and a fighter who saves it for the round the boss shows up has ended more fights at my table than any wizard.
Action SurgeAction SurgeLevel 2 featureStarting 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. on top
Second WindSecond WindLevel 1 featureYou 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. heals you on a Short Rest
IndomitableIndomitableLevel 9 featureBeginning 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.Strength or Dexterity, then Constitution. Pick one attack stat: Strength for heavy armor and two-handed weapons, Dexterity for a bow. Constitution comes next. Put leftover points into Wisdom for saves. In the 2014 rules your race gives your ability score increases. With the standard array and a Half-Orc (+2 Str, +1 Con), you start with:
Strength 13 or more lets you wear chain mail without losing speed. With Ability Score Improvements at levels 4 and 6, you can reach 20 Strength by level 6 and still have five more for feats.
Feats are optional in the 2014 rules and only one is in the free SRD, so these come from the Player's Handbook. Fighters get extra Ability Score Improvements at levels 6 and 14, so you can afford two or three.
The Champion is the fighter archetype in the free 2014 rules. You choose it at level 3. It is the simplest subclass in the game: more critical hits, more toughness.
Your weapon attacks crit on a 19 or 20. That doubles your crit chance, and fighters make more attacks than anyone.
Add half your proficiency bonus, rounded up, to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution checks that don't already use it. That includes initiative.
A second Fighting Style. Defense is the usual pick if you didn't take it at level 1.
Your weapon attacks crit on 18 to 20.
At the start of each turn, regain 5 + your Constitution modifier hit points while you are at half your hit points or less (but above 0).
The Player's Handbook adds the Battle Master, whose superiority dice add trips, disarms and pushes, and the Eldritch Knight, who casts wizard spells. They are not in the free rules, so this guide does not cover them.
You choose a Fighting Style at level 1, and the Champion gets a second at 10. Pick the one that matches your weapon.
A bonus action to regain 1d10 + your fighter level in hit points. Once per Short or Long Rest.
One extra action on your turn, once per Short or Long Rest. Two uses from level 17, but only one per turn.
Two attacks per Attack action at level 5, three at 11 and four at 20.
Reroll a failed saving throw. One use per Long Rest, two at 13 and three at 17.
Chain mail, a greatsword and more crits than anyone at the table. Savage Attacks adds another die each time one lands.
Build this fighter
Archery's +2 makes this the most accurate character in the party. Stay at range, and add Sharpshooter if your table uses feats.
Build this fighter| Lvl | PB | Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 |
 Fighting StyleFighting StyleLevel 1 featureYou 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.
Second WindSecond WindLevel 1 featureYou 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.
|
| 2 | +2 |
Action SurgeAction SurgeLevel 2 featureStarting 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.
|
| 3 | +2 |
Martial ArchetypeMartial ArchetypeLevel 3 featureAt 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.
Improved CriticalImproved CriticalLevel 3 featureBeginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
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| 4 | +2 | Ability Score ImprovementAbility Score ImprovementLevel 4 featureWhen 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. |
| 5 | +3 |
Extra AttackExtra AttackLevel 5 featureBeginning 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.
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| 6 | +3 | Ability Score ImprovementAbility Score ImprovementLevel 4 featureWhen 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. |
| 7 | +3 |
Remarkable AthleteRemarkable AthleteLevel 7 featureStarting at 7th level, you can add half your proficiency bonus (round up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn't already use your proficiency bonus.
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| 8 | +3 | Ability Score ImprovementAbility Score ImprovementLevel 4 featureWhen 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. |
| 9 | +4 |
IndomitableIndomitableLevel 9 featureBeginning 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.
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| 10 | +4 |
Additional Fighting StyleAdditional Fighting StyleLevel 10 featureAt 10th level, you can choose a second option from the Fighting Style class feature.
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| 11 | +4 |
Extra AttackExtra AttackLevel 5 featureBeginning 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.
|
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score ImprovementAbility Score ImprovementLevel 4 featureWhen 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. |
| 13 | +5 |
IndomitableIndomitableLevel 9 featureBeginning 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.
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| 14 | +5 | Ability Score ImprovementAbility Score ImprovementLevel 4 featureWhen 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. |
| 15 | +5 |
Superior CriticalSuperior CriticalLevel 15 featureStarting at 15th level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 18-20.
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| 16 | +5 | Ability Score ImprovementAbility Score ImprovementLevel 4 featureWhen 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. |
| 17 | +6 |
Action SurgeAction SurgeLevel 2 featureStarting 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.
IndomitableIndomitableLevel 9 featureBeginning 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.
|
| 18 | +6 |
SurvivorSurvivorLevel 18 featureAt 18th level, you attain the pinnacle of resilience in battle. At the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier if you have no more than half of your hit points left. You don't gain this benefit if you have 0 hit points.
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| 19 | +6 | Ability Score ImprovementAbility Score ImprovementLevel 4 featureWhen 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. |
| 20 | +6 |
Extra AttackExtra AttackLevel 5 featureBeginning 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.
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Under the 2014 rules, Half-Orc is the strongest free choice for a Strength fighter and High Elf for an archer. From the Player's Handbook, the variant human's level 1 feat makes it a top pick for either.
Yes, especially for new players. It has nothing to track and crits on 19 or 20 from level 3. The Battle Master from the Player's Handbook offers more choices and more control if you want them.
Archery if you use a bow, Defense or Dueling if you use a shield, Great Weapon Fighting with a greatsword. The Champion gets a second style at level 10.
Play whichever rules your table uses. The 2024 fighter adds Weapon Mastery and Tactical Mind, and gets ability increases from its background. See the 2024 fighter guide for those rules.
Build a fighter in a couple of minutes and start an adventure in your browser. Play solo, or send your friends a link and play together.
This guide includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. TableForge is not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast. Full licenses.
