5e Fighter. S&B

[Theranon]

I have a bit of trouble with having fun with 5e fighter. I think my main issue is being sword & board. And trying to have charisma.

The current build is:
lvl 5 Battlemaster, Human, Noble
Feats: Spear Master, Shield Master, Dueling style
STR:16
DEX:10
CON:16
WIS:11
CHA:14

Feels like the 4x maneuver does not really give that much fun factor. Most of my time I just shield bash and hit twice. I’ve been thinking of multi-classing ,or introducing a new character. Since I don’t really feel I have much options in combat, outside just stabbing things for mediocre damage. Might be able to swap around feats but idk. I like the character but in the fighting parts I feel lackluster...

[BlackbirdXX]

2 levels of warlock? Gives you access to eldritch blast and another cantrip, 2 invocations and a couple first level spells. Other the EB, I would focus on flavor/utility for the other things. Devils sight, Eldritich sight, etc.

Or maybe trade out one of your combat feats for the combat maneuver feat? Forget what it is called, but I believe it lets you add an extra use and extra maneuvers for a little more versatility.

[DracoKnight]

You don't even have to make a new character. Keep the same character, but ask your DM if you can change your class to Paladin, as if you'd been playing one this whole time.

If not, then I'd introduce a new character, or multiclass.

[Deleted]

Get your character killed off in dramatic or awesome fashion and then bring in a Paladin, Barbarian, or Strength Based Rogue.

The Rogue is especially good for having stuff to do. The Mastermind with their Bonus Action help can be fluffed in so many ways.

Had a player who spit in the eyes of enemies at a range of 30' (or whatever the range is for that feature).

[DracoKnight]

Get your character killed off in dramatic or awesome fashion and then bring in a Paladin, Barbarian, or Strength Based Rogue.

The Rogue is especially good for having stuff to do. The Mastermind with their Bonus Action help can be fluffed in so many ways.

Had a player who spit in the eyes of enemies at a range of 30' (or whatever the range is for that feature).

I had a player who played the mastermind's Help action as his character monologuing to distract the enemy. The party's assassin (a member of the mastermind's crime syndicate) took advantage of that (no pun intended) and stabbed the enemy in the back.

[Deleted]

I had a player who played the mastermind's Help action as his character monologuing to distract the enemy. The party's assassin (a member of the mastermind's crime syndicate) took advantage of that (no pun intended) and stabbed the enemy in the back.

The Rogue is the most well design martial, there is just so much cool stuff.

Having actual mechanics to be able to justify your fluff is just the best.

[DracoKnight]

The Rogue is the most well design martial, there is just so much cool stuff.

Having actual mechanics to be able to justify your fluff is just the best.

Eyep. I find that the Rogue and the Monk are just about as good as it gets for Martials - with the monk slightly beating out the rogue, IMO. Or, at least, I find it more enjoyable.

[Deleted]

Eyep. I find that the Rogue and the Monk are just about as good as it gets for Martials - with the monk slightly beating out the rogue, IMO. Or, at least, I find it more enjoyable.

The base monk uses magic (no way around that unless you houserule it otherwise) so I wouldn't consider them just a martial.

However, they are both well designed and I think other classes could take note of it. The Barbarian is close but still needs a bit of work and the fighter needs a lot of work.

[Specter]

Please stop suggesting Eldritch Blast to Fighters. Please. Please. It's getting uncomfortable.

So, you're doing alright. If (IF) you're going to multiclass, go Barbarian, otherwise it either conflicts with your actual options or adds little. Advantage to shoving on its own is cool.

Wanna have fun? Trade that horrible Spear Mastery for a) Lucky, b) Ritual Caster (CHA class), or c) Magic Initiate (whatever you want.

[Deleted]

Please stop suggesting Eldritch Blast to Fighters. Please. Please. It's getting uncomfortable.

So, you're doing alright. If (IF) you're going to multiclass, go Barbarian, otherwise it either conflicts with your actual options or adds little. Advantage to shoving on its own is cool.

Wanna have fun? Trade that horrible Spear Mastery for a) Lucky, b) Ritual Caster (CHA class), or c) Magic Initiate (whatever you want.

Instead of MC barbarian, they should just remake their character into a straight up barbarian Wolf or Eagle totem (as these give cool stuff) so they can pick up the Sentinel, Mobile, or another feat.

[tKUUNK]

If you stick with fighter (or multiclass from this point), would swapping out maneuvers help?

otherwise, plenty of good suggestions here already.

[Vogonjeltz]

I have a bit of trouble with having fun with 5e fighter. I think my main issue is being sword & board. And trying to have charisma.

The current build is:
lvl 5 Battlemaster, Human, Noble
Feats: Spear Master, Shield Master, Dueling style
STR:16
DEX:10
CON:16
WIS:11
CHA:14

Feels like the 4x maneuver does not really give that much fun factor. Most of my time I just shield bash and hit twice. I’ve been thinking of multi-classing ,or introducing a new character. Since I don’t really feel I have much options in combat, outside just stabbing things for mediocre damage. Might be able to swap around feats but idk. I like the character but in the fighting parts I feel lackluster...

Are you aware that contests can replace a single attack? (Disarm, shove, etcetera).

[Asmotherion]

2 levels of warlock? Gives you access to eldritch blast and another cantrip, 2 invocations and a couple first level spells.

I Second that, and propose Agonising and Repelling Blast for an amazing Ranged attack that is also a control ability. Especially if you get UA, Hexblade will be perfect for you, as you can leave Str as it is, and use ASI from now on only for CHA. I'd still get Heavy Armor Master and Combat Caster; The first gives you better AC/Ability to absorb damage. Due to your low Dex, you're better in full plate anyway, so make that count for you. The other will get you advantage to keep your Hex active when you're hit, and you already have proficiency in the save and a fair score, so it's only making it better.

[djreynolds]

I have a bit of trouble with having fun with 5e fighter. I think my main issue is being sword & board. And trying to have charisma.

The current build is:
lvl 5 Battlemaster, Human, Noble
Feats: Spear Master, Shield Master, Dueling style
STR:16
DEX:10
CON:16
WIS:11
CHA:14

..

Bard is right there. Expertise (athletics), inspiration, Jack of all trades. Lore bard 3 more skills. Full spell progression.

Lots of useful spells.

Paladin 2 levels, now you can smite.

Too easy

So grab 3 bard, 2 paladin and then whatever

[BlackbirdXX]

Please stop suggesting Eldritch Blast to Fighters. Please. Please. It's getting uncomfortable.

Sorry. EB helps fix range and, in my defense, I suggested flavor invocations instead of agonizing and repelling. BM should be quite strong in combat without them and have a bunch of fun with trip and maneuvers. But outside of combat and social ( he did put 14 in CHA) it kinda sucks. Think warlock fixes that with minimal investment. Bard is another good call.

[Hairfish]

I have a bit of trouble with having fun with 5e fighter. I think my main issue is being sword & board. And trying to have charisma.

The current build is:
lvl 5 Battlemaster, Human, Noble
Feats: Spear Master, Shield Master, Dueling style
STR:16
DEX:10
CON:16
WIS:11
CHA:14

Feels like the 4x maneuver does not really give that much fun factor. Most of my time I just shield bash and hit twice. I’ve been thinking of multi-classing ,or introducing a new character. Since I don’t really feel I have much options in combat, outside just stabbing things for mediocre damage. Might be able to swap around feats but idk. I like the character but in the fighting parts I feel lackluster...

Spear was really kind of a crap choice. If your DM will let you walk that one back, swap it out for longsword/battleaxe/warhammer and the corresponding UA weapon feat. Longsword is marginally better, given that you're already knocking things down with your shield.

However, shield-based fighters aren't really supposed to be the main damage dealers. In combat, they offer defense and utility. Your shield bash gives damage-dealing melee characters advantage. You should consider Sentinel and Mage Slayer as your level 6 and 8 feats. Take Battlemaster maneuvers that offer battlefield control and the ability to rescue allies (it sounds like you probably grabbed the temp HP maneuver already, since it's CHA-based). You might also see if your DM will let you change styles to the one that grants +1 AC: with a shield and (I assume, since your Dex bonus is zero) full plate armor, you're sitting at 21 AC.

But if you've got your heart set on seeing your personally-dealt damage go up and your DM is cool with more extensive changes, you could go polearm and Great Weapon Master + Polearm Master and take the great weapon style (or UA's tunnel fighter, which makes you a walking 5x5 chokepoint with Sentinel).

[Captain Bob]

Barbarian MC!! All the way, my friend. Become the tank you were born to be - rage gives you advantage on those juicy-sweet, advantage creating shield mastering shove checks, while also giving you free damage and damage reduction. You'll become a tough-as-nails battlefield controller, while retaining the ability to do some fancy stuff with your superiority dice. Or just shove the entire world prone when you action surge and make 5 shove attempts.....If you have other melee in your party this becomes advantage paradise, and if not it at least allows you to semi-crowd control by cutting move speed in half. Plus then you can take whatever barbarian fluff appeals to you according to the subclasses

**ALSO the nice thing about this is that it basically comes online as soon as you grab one level in the class so you don't have to wait for much of anything at all

[djreynolds]

I like spear and shield, its cool

Bard right now will still give you the feel of a Greek Warrior.

1 extra skill

Jack of All Trades will give you a bonus to every skill you do not have proficiency in

You could snag lore bard or valor bard or even grab a UA version

Warlock is cool and very powerful, but if it doesn't fit your concept that's okay to pass

Paladin is a great choice also

The question really is will you take 11 in fighter for that 3rd attack.

IMO, bard and paladin will give you a little extra and still keep the Greek Hoplite feel

I like barbarian but you will need a better dex score, but wearing breastplate would fit better with the Hoplite.

IMO, grab 3 levels of bard after you get your 6th level in fighter for the ASI.

[Bugado25]

I have a bit of trouble with having fun with 5e fighter. I think my main issue is being sword & board. And trying to have charisma.

The current build is:
lvl 5 Battlemaster, Human, Noble
Feats: Spear Master, Shield Master, Dueling style
STR:16
DEX:10
CON:16
WIS:11
CHA:14

Feels like the 4x maneuver does not really give that much fun factor. Most of my time I just shield bash and hit twice. I’ve been thinking of multi-classing, or introducing a new character. Since I don’t really feel I have much options in combat, outside just stabbing things for mediocre damage. Might be able to swap around feats but idk. I like the character but in the fighting parts I feel lackluster...
I think the main problem here is that you came to the class with the wrong expectations. Martial classes in general are repetitive. All of them involve using attack action every turn and sometimes adding an extra effect to the attack.

And apparently you don’t like the tank role very much. Sword and board fighter deal mediocre damage, but can have very high AC. I for example love seeing the DM missing attack after attack on my character, much more than I like dealing some more damage.

How many short rests are you getting per day?
You should be able to use at least 2 maneuvers per encounter normally. Considering that most fights last around 5 rounds in my experience (YMMV), you should be able to use a maneuver every two or three rounds.

The lack of options inside combat will only be solved by multiclassing with casters. Barbarians has even less options than fighter (Only rage and reckless). Rogues only must be careful to make their sneak attack always apply. Paladins spells are mostly used for smites or buffs and healing.

My suggestion, if you want to keep your character is:
Change your fighting style to GWF. You’ll be less tanky but it will solve your lack of damage problem and free up two feats (one should go to GWM).

Now, you can multiclass with some caster. You could do it after 6th level (for another ASI), or right now (as you already have extra attack). I would suggest war cleric, but that would require changing your cha and wis scores. Every level of cleric is good. At first, you get War Priest (2 bonus action attacks per day). At second, you get the channel divinity for +10 on an attack. At 3rd, 2nd level spells, with include spiritual weapon, and at 5th, spirit guardians.

If you don’t want to change your attributes I don’t think any cha caster would give as many good combat options. Bard is gold out of combat, but it does not do much for you combat options IMO. The low level sorcery spells that are valuable to you are mostly those that add to your defense (shield, blur, mirror image, etc). Warlock would add a good ranged option, but it competes with your main attack and changes your character play style completely.

IF you don’t care about keeping your character, change for a full caster.

[Theranon]

Thanks for the input guys!

I was actually running polearm master/sentinel at the start of the campaign. But then they introduced the spear master feat and well, I really liked the fluff. But it does drain my reactions AND/or bonus actions to do the cool stuff. Which competes with riposte etc. I've really starting to feel that battle master really gets most out of two-handed style, mainly punishing attackers and giving advantages. Also getting some cleave options never hurt anybody...

Paladin seems to be more "balanced" around using shield too, with smites giving you some extra pewpew when you need it (or crit). But I already ran a paladin, and wanted to test out the Battle master, cuz it felt like he could do some interesting stuff, but i just found that the stuff he can actually do is fairly limited. BUT as now I see that people are saying you can substitute attack actions attack into a contest, that changes things, I still need to look that up tho. Would get more interesting with that already. Though that would mean going rogue or bard for the skill expertise. Also what happens when you go against larger targets. Cant really contest those I think.

The warlock I feel would actually give me something interesting to work with, and small fluff and boon-style fluff that I could easily incorporate to the character. and give me a decent ranged option, since the low dexterity has been a problem with ranged weapons (except thrown, but the range is pitiful). And some things to actually weight.

The group composition is BM ranger (UA), life cleric, arcane trickster, and land druid. So there is plenty of beef and damage too, and without sentinel (tunnel fighter) there isnt that great way of intercepting anything, or move them far enough for them not to be a threat. So I might opt that way if i'm allowed to change my setup. Spear master unfortunately prolly has to go :/

But yea, don't really see the point of limiting the number of maneuvers, except for maybe 1/round. That would imo make them feel more battelmastery. the extra damage dice isnt that powerful and the maneuvers them selves are not that "op" that you couldn't be allowed to do them atleast 1/round.

Thanks!

-T-