Dungeons & Dragons: The Best Fighter Feats
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Dungeons & Dragons The Best Feats For A Fighter
Fighters are the most versatile class in Dungeons & Dragons, so here is a huge list of feats to be the best warrior, protector, or leader you can be. Fighters are masters of their craft, eager to show off their skills with every manner of weapon, whether at range or standing toe-to-toe with an opponent. They can wield massive weapons to cut down their foes or use a shield and armor to keep their allies safe from harm. Fighters are a versatile bunch, and the Feats that best fit a character will largely depend on the sub-class selected and the overall goal of the player. The Fighter has flexibility in their selection of Feats because they can choose more than any other class. This allows them to specialize down certain combat routes, or to be well rounded for the overall campaign. THEGAMER VIDEO OF THE DAY In selecting the Feats that best suit your Fighter, one must first consider their character's background: Where did they receive their combat training? What have you experienced in the past? Do you seek to protect your allies as you have done, or failed to do, in the past? Or are you a bloodthirsty, vengeful person, a mere shadow of your former self, seeking to bring justice to those who wronged you? These kinds of questions will help tailor not only your character but the feats they take along the way. Updated on July 16, 2021, by Kristy Ambrose: The Fighter was one of the three original classes that were in the very first D&D game, and the lore and possibilities of the class reflect that long history. When it comes to customization and multiclassing options, no other class is on the same level as the Fighter. The choice of Feats is one step in a process that can either be . We've added a few more choices to our list so you can get the most out of one of role-playing's oldest and most venerated classes. Feats And Fighters
Feats are taken in place of an ability score increase when your character reaches certain levels within their class. Fighters are unique in that they have more Ability Score Improvements than any other class, and so they have the most flexibility with regards to what to take. Fighters can take advantage of this at various levels between 4 and 19. This means you can get the stat bonuses you need early on while having some room for other needs as well. Here, we will cover a few different feats based broadly on the type of Warrior one may choose to play. Great Weapon Master
Source: D&D Player's Handbook Ideal Background: Gladiator Prerequisite: None Main Benefit: Score a critical hit with a melee weapon or reduce a creature to 0 hit points, make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action. Make a successful melee attack with a heavy weapon with which you are proficient, choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, it deals +10 damage. For Warriors who specialize in large, two-handed weapons, this can be a monster of a Feat. Not only do you gain the opportunity to land bonus actions for killing opponents, which can be frequent depending on the types of enemies one is facing, there is also the option to penalize an attack roll in exchange for the potential of dealing out +10 extra damage. The Gladiator is a nice background since your starting kit includes an unusual weapon that can be a two-hander of our choice, like a trident or a Warhammer. If this feat is taken by players who decide to build a Champion fighter, it can become even more powerful. Mobile
Source: D&D Player's Handbook Ideal Background: Sailor, Soldier, Insurgent Prerequisite: None Main Benefit: Speed increase by 10 ft, Dash on difficult terrain, no provocation of Opportunity attacks in melee. Mobile is another great feat that can benefit offensive or defensive fighters. Your speed increases by 10 feet, and when you use the Dash action, difficult terrain doesn't cost extra movement on that turn. When you make a melee attack against a creature, you don't provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not. There are a variety of both Skills and Backgrounds that can combine nicely with the mobile Feat, so don't let the suggestions above box you in. in which your game is set if you need more inspiration or guidance. Crossbow Expert
Source: D&D Player's Handbook Ideal Background: Insurgent, Soldier, Charlatan Prerequisite: None Main Benefit: Ignore the loading time normally needed when firing a crossbow. If using hand crossbows, this can be great for ignoring the necessary loading, allowing for full extra attacks with the weapon. This pairs well with Sharpshooter, and if choosing to go ranged as a Fighter, is essential. This is a great Feat for all kinds of Fighters, in particular, the types that want to get into ranged fighting or multiclass as Rogues or Rangers, and the suggestions reflect those trends. It should be noted that Fighters who focus more on melee damage won't get much out of this Feat, since it doesn't give you any AC or dodge advantages when it comes to using your weapon. Heavy Armor Master
Source: D&D Player's Handbook Ideal Background: Soldier Prerequisite: Proficiency with heavy armor Main Benefit: +1 to Strength. Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage are reduced by 3. At the early levels, Heavy Armor Master is a fantastic feat, not only increasing our Strength, but also reducing the damage from bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing from non-magical weapons by three. Obviously, this feat becomes less impressive as time goes on and we face larger, more dangerous foes or magic users, but during those early levels, one can feel all but indestructible. So why focus on reducing our damage taken instead of our damage output? Again, . Taking this Feat along with a few others can put a character in a place to really soak up all the damage and protect a party. In doing so, other classes can more safely focus on being the glass cannons of the group and investing into their own characters in ways that they might be able to, were it not for their solid tank defending them from harm. Alert
Source: D&D Player's Handbook Ideal Background: Soldier, Sailor, Smuggler Prerequisite: None Main Benefit: +5 to Initiative, you can't be surprised, and creatures you don't see don't gain Advantage on Attack roll against you. The Alert Feat provides a number of ideal bonuses for Fighters. You gain a +5 bonus to initiative, you can't be surprised while you are conscious, and other creatures don't gain Advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being hidden. There should always be someone in the party with the Alert Feat because being surprised is a terrible thing for combat. In addition, having +5 to initiative means that you can charge on in to start dealing damage, or position yourself in a manner that most protects the party. Situational and Party-Related Feats
The good news is that Fighters have a broad range of choices to make their character a great fit in any party. Depending on the adventure you're planning, the module you're using, or the setting in which the story takes place, you can also choose Feats that can not only benefit the individual player but also the whole group. Shield Master
Source: D&D Player's Handbook Ideal Background: Soldier or Knight Prerequisite: None Main Benefit: Attack also allows to shove, shield bonus to Dexterity, saving throws against spells, and no 1/2 damage on the successful saving throw. Few attacks will be able to get through an AC thanks to your shield, plus you have extra abilities that allow you to use your shield in more creative ways than just as a way to block attacks. While all three can be useful, the ability to shove an opponent away from you, and away from the party, only helps keep your allies safe. Adding an extra five feet of movement for an opponent to have to move to get past you and to another character is exactly the type of action that a defending fighter wants. Defensive Duelist
Psi Warrior by Marcela Medeiros Source: D&D Player's Handbook Ideal Background: Courtier, Entertainer, Urchin Prerequisite: Dexterity 13 or higher Main Benefit: Add your proficiency bonus to your AC if you are wielding a finesse weapon. If your Fighter is fond of finesse weapons, which is a common thread in some possible Backgrounds, this allows for additional survivability against a single attack each round. More defense is always good, but it's especially important in group situations if the Fighter is taking the role of the Tank or a melee Fighter. This kind of Feat also brings some multiclassing options forward. The high Dexterity prerequisite means this is an ideal Feat , classes that also have a high Dexterity. Strength is the most important skill stat for a Fighter, but Dexterity is a close second. Inspiring Leader
Source: D&D Player's Handbook Ideal Background: Inquisitor, Soldier, Knight Prerequisite: Charisma 13 or higher Main Benefit: Up to 6 creatures within 30 ft of you can gain temporary hit poibts equal to your level + your Charisma modifier. This will depend on your Charisma score but should not be overlooked. What is better than acting as a strong defender of a party? Granting them temporary hit points so as to minimize any damage that might get through. Other classes that depend on a high Charisma score, , would make decent multiclass options if that's your interest. It also presents some interesting possibilities in terms of backstory. This fits well with a Knight in terms of lore as well and should be considered if one can effectively perform it. Sentinel
Source: D&D Player's Handbook Ideal Background: Soldier, Knight, Smuggler Prerequisite: None Main Benefit: Reduce a creature's speed to 0 for this turn and possibly make an Oppurtunity Attack even if the enemy takes Disengage. The Sentinel is another Feat that's ideal for defenders. It allows you stop enemies outright from rushing past you towards the softer, cloth-wearing targets in your party that need protection. It is party-specific most of the time, but Fighters that have taken a more noble path (or perhaps those that consider themselves to be guardians or leaders) could take this Feat to round out the backstory and role-playing potential.