Fighters and high fantasy

[TerakasTaranath]

Fighters are one of my favorite classes in d&d. Easydamus test results give me fighter, I'm a history major with a heavy focus on medieval warfare and my favorite character was an elven fighter.

But I gave up my last fighter because at the table, everyone was using magic and/or doing extra cool stuff and for the first time I felt bland. I never used to feel bland, or I embraced the normalcy. I loved the fact that I was just a person with a sword, some armor and training when all my friends were slinging spells and such.

In Hoard of the Dragon Queen I'm considering another fighter, but there's 2 at the table and a paladin. I want to branch out and try rogue but it's just not a fighter. I have 2 paladins in my gaming past I love as well so I'm not really feeling another paladin.

Does anyone else have the same feeling? Have you found a way to embrace it? Should I branch out? Or try one last hoorah as a fighter. I haven't had a successful fighter in a long time as my last 2 have died and before that I DM'ed for a while.

[Pixel_Kitsune]

I will always say stretch your choices, if you want to stay as a melee character, Blade Bard, Swashbuckler Rogue, Hexblade Warlock etc..

As for the boringness. I think it all comes down to flavor. Only casters tend to have some flavor built in. Let's look at an attack from two different sources in general terms and with some flavor. A Fighter who gets three attacks and a warlock with a triple Eldritch Blast.

Fighter: I swing my weapon three times, I hit twice for X damage.

Warlock: I send out three rays of crackling energy, two strike their target for X damage.

Lock seems more "Interesting". But let's instead try.

Fighter: I rush forward, raising my shield to block my opponent's view. I swing my sword to the left, cutting into their leg, I snap the weapon back and strike again to sever the limb but my foe steps back. Letting the momentum carry me into a spin I bring the blade up in an uppercut type slash across their torso.

Warlock: Three bolts of arcane energy lance out across the field, while the goblin dodges the first bolt the second two adjust with its movement and catch it on either side.

Suddenly the lock seems a bit more mundane while the fighter did a really cool combo.

It's always the flavor you put it. :)

[Unoriginal]

Fighters are one of my favorite classes in d&d. Easydamus test results give me fighter, I'm a history major with a heavy focus on medieval warfare and my favorite character was an elven fighter.

But I gave up my last fighter because at the table, everyone was using magic and/or doing extra cool stuff and for the first time I felt bland. I never used to feel bland, or I embraced the normalcy. I loved the fact that I was just a person with a sword, some armor and training when all my friends were slinging spells and such.

In Hoard of the Dragon Queen I'm considering another fighter, but there's 2 at the table and a paladin. I want to branch out and try rogue but it's just not a fighter. I have 2 paladins in my gaming past I love as well so I'm not really feeling another paladin.

Does anyone else have the same feeling? Have you found a way to embrace it? Should I branch out? Or try one last hoorah as a fighter. I haven't had a successful fighter in a long time as my last 2 have died and before that I DM'ed for a while.

...I'm sorry, what?

You've felt that the Fighter is bland, but you've considered making another one for HotDQ, except there are already two in the group?

It seems to me like you yourself are not actually "embracing" that feeling, and neither is your group.

Plus if there is 2 fighters in the group already, well, then not everyone will be "using magic and/or doing extra cool stuff" (unless you consider what the Fighter do to be extra cool, which I do). So you wouldn't have that feeling of blandness.

If you want to branch out, but neither as Paladin nor Rogue, what about Barbarian? But honestly from your OP it sounds like you want to keep playing a Fighter to me.

[MaxWilson]

Fighters are one of my favorite classes in d&d. Easydamus test results give me fighter, I'm a history major with a heavy focus on medieval warfare and my favorite character was an elven fighter.

But I gave up my last fighter because at the table, everyone was using magic and/or doing extra cool stuff and for the first time I felt bland. I never used to feel bland, or I embraced the normalcy. I loved the fact that I was just a person with a sword, some armor and training when all my friends were slinging spells and such.

In Hoard of the Dragon Queen I'm considering another fighter, but there's 2 at the table and a paladin. I want to branch out and try rogue but it's just not a fighter. I have 2 paladins in my gaming past I love as well so I'm not really feeling another paladin.

Does anyone else have the same feeling? Have you found a way to embrace it? Should I branch out? Or try one last hoorah as a fighter. I haven't had a successful fighter in a long time as my last 2 have died and before that I DM'ed for a while.

I'd probably try a different system that is less magic-centric, or look for an all-fighters campaign.

[djreynolds]

Battlemaster, with precision and trip and menacing maneuvers is awesome

You will grab GWM at 4th, and precision and trip will help out GWM

[thoroughlyS]

You always have the option of going arcane archer for a magical feel, or eldritch knight for full-on casting. And with so many ASIs you could also just take Magic Initiate and/or Ritual Caster. I'm not sure how you or your table feel about multiclassing, but splashing some spells for utility purposes can also be fun. Two levels of war wizard can really compliment a front-line fighter.

I personally sympathize with you, because my favorite kind of character is "martial with a hint of casting" and I know how it feels to want not to be overtly magical. My favorite class is the ranger, and it fits with my playstyle really well. However, I also recognize the failings it suffers from; it doesn't feel good to play. A lot of people use the revised ranger to fill in the gaps they experience, so that could be something to ask your DM about.


You've felt that the Fighter is bland, but you've considered making another one for HotDQ, except there are already two in the group?
After reading the above comment, I realized I may have misinterpreted what you said in your post. I thought you were saying there were going to be two full casters in the HotDQ campaign. Are there already two fighters?

[TerakasTaranath]

You always have the option of going arcane archer for a magical feel, or eldritch knight for full-on casting. And with so many ASIs you could also just take Magic Initiate and/or Ritual Caster. I'm not sure how you or your table feel about multiclassing, but splashing some spells for utility purposes can also be fun. Two levels of war wizard can really compliment a front-line fighter.

I personally sympathize with you, because my favorite kind of character is "martial with a hint of casting" and I how it feels to want not to be overtly magical. My favorite class is the ranger, and it fits with my playstyle really well. However, I also recognize the failings it suffers from; it doesn't feel good to play. A lot of people use the revised ranger to fill in the gaps they experience, so that could be something to ask your DM about.


After reading the above comment, I realized I may have misinterpreted what you said in your post. I thought you were saying there were going to be two full casters in the HotDQ campaign. Are there already two fighters?

Yea there's 2 fighters and a paladin already. I want to make another and perhaps go criminal background for thieves tools and give my character a good perception. But rogue seems more optimal with dragon breath and casters making me make dex saves alot. Dex fighters are fun, but I could just take half or no damage from rogues uncanny dodge (I think thats the ability name)

[thoroughlyS]

If you want something closer to a fighter with an emphasis on DEX, have you considered monk? They also get Evasion, and they get Extra Attack instead of Sneak Attack.

[DrowPiratRobrts]

My recommendation is to branch out. I played rogues when I was just getting in to D&D and it just felt right. After a handful of rogues I went to a monk for a different flavor without worrying all about spell slots and stuff (that may not be your reason, but it was mine). Casters just felt so confusing. Now my Wizard is my favorite character I've ever played, and it's not even the character that shares my name here on the forum. So whether you go with a rogue or a ranger (I'd recommend the revised version) or a monk or a caster, you have a great opportunity to do something unique to your previous experiences. It's an added bonus that the party is so one-dimensional and you can help diversify them if you want.

One big benefit of playing a completely new archetype is that you get better at the role-playing side of things if you make a character you're excited about. You view situations totally differently as a Wizard vs a Rogue, so you start to play differently. Some things are threats that for me that never were before, but now I can also do some things my Rogues never could. I interact with my party and with NPCs totally differently, and I love it! It's expanded my understanding of RPGs and group dynamics quite a bit.

So I say go for it if you're willing to take a small risk! Maybe try a Monk, Bard, or Wizard?

[Vogie]

Yea there's 2 fighters and a paladin already. I want to make another and perhaps go criminal background for thieves tools and give my character a good perception. But rogue seems more optimal with dragon breath and casters making me make dex saves alot. Dex fighters are fun, but I could just take half or no damage from rogues uncanny dodge (I think thats the ability name)

Then make a fighter without being a Fighter. Monk, particularly Kensai or Drunken Master, have many of the features you're looking for, such as bonus action expansion, high wisdom/perception, and Evasion. Most of their supernatural elements exist above level 12, so if you want to avoid that, you can use that as a breakpoint to shift into Rogue, Ranger, Cleric, Druid, et cetera. The concept would be that of a highwayman, mob enforcer, or retired veteran.

[djreynolds]

Yea there's 2 fighters and a paladin already. I want to make another and perhaps go criminal background for thieves tools and give my character a good perception. But rogue seems more optimal with dragon breath and casters making me make dex saves alot. Dex fighters are fun, but I could just take half or no damage from rogues uncanny dodge (I think thats the ability name)

Here is an idea Dex based battlemaster

S&B, take magic initiate bard for heroism.... helps with dragon fear and take vicious mockery so you can talk smack
Grab shield master
Grab resilient dex

Or go dex based battlemaster and get sharpshooter, grab precision and go to town. Take magic initiate for the bless spell, good for 1 minute once a day.
Take resilient wisdom

[TerakasTaranath]

Here is an idea Dex based battlemaster

S&B, take magic initiate bard for heroism.... helps with dragon fear and take vicious mockery so you can talk smack
Grab shield master
Grab resilient dex

Or go dex based battlemaster and get sharpshooter, grab precision and go to town. Take magic initiate for the bless spell, good for 1 minute once a day.
Take resilient wisdom

I've had the idea for a shield master/resilient dex fighter for some time now and I really like the idea.

But everyone's suggestions of branching out makes more sense and is far more logical. However I just have this weird need to get a fighter to a decent level and then retire them. Lvl 8 would probably suffice me, but in 5e I haven't had a fighter survive a campaign yet(due to my mistakes like splitting the party, not blaming the class at all.) I retired a fighter at lvl 4 when my buddy had to leave the group because of moving, so we retired our characters together and they went to explore a new continent.

Making a rogue or ranger excites me in the beginning but then thinking about my lack of 5e fighters survival rate I wanna get back in there :p

But everyone's advice is greatly appreciated and taken into account. I will probably roll with arcane trickster or assassin rogue, and mayyyyyybe mulitclass fighter later.

[Man_Over_Game]

Talk to a DM who's into homebrewing solutions, with things like:


Weaponmaster Fighter, who utilizes different weapons for different strategies, and each weapon is a unique tool, rather than a damage generator.
Updated weapon list, with emphasis on implemented mechanics between each weapon (for example, making some weapons have disadvantage to be used in melee range, for Pikes and Whips).
Modified Fighter class. I like to upgrade the Martial Adept feat to 2 Superiority Dice, and Fighters instead get Martial Adept at level 2 than Action Surge, and they get Action Surge at level 6 instead of a feat. It's not like Fighters really have a diverse ability score spread, and this ramps up their power/versatility pretty comfortably.
Being in a team of squishies. Being a hero means being unique and being needed. In a group of fighters and paladins, you're going to have a hard time standing out as Melee Combatant #3. Try to fill a role that NEEDS to be filled to stand out, rather than forcing your own playstyle. You can still attempt to force your own playstyle, but don't be surprised if it's not anything special in a group of melee warriors.
Talk to your DM about splitting the party. Warriors do a lot better solo than other classes, since Warriors are usually balanced to handle multiple adjacent targets at once. By separating a party of melee warriors, you can have individual events for each player so they can stand out on their own in scenarios where warriors shine.

[lunaticfringe]

You might try a Mastermind Rogue or Wolf Barbarian. They offer solid melee support for your team and they can both benefit from some fighter levels down the road.

Alternatively I'm playing a Valor Bard and it's pretty dang slick. I have fightery feats, but I have a ton of useful tricks & skills.

[KorvinStarmast]

Ranger: Hunter
Ranger: Gloom stalker

They are fighters, but they get some nice bennies to go with.

Later in their career, when 3rd level spells show up, you can summon a pack of wolves.

[TerakasTaranath]

Ranger: Hunter
Ranger: Gloom stalker

They are fighters, but they get some nice bennies to go with.

Later in their career, when 3rd level spells show up, you can summon a pack of wolves.

I've been considering ranger heavily. Probably will go with either of those subclasses too honestly.

[KorvinStarmast]

Depending upon which kind of campaign that you are in, seriously consider fog cloud as a spell. we have found it very useful from levels 1 through 12 in terms of shaping the battlefield, or in helping us to disengage when a fight turns sour. An OA requires the enemy to be able to see you. :smallcool:

Your Mileage May Vary

[djreynolds]

Are you gonna play a fighter??!!!
Or putz around and pretend!!!!!

Just kidding, it's a fun class, and IMO, it relies heavily on the player.

It's you.

It's really the only class I feel I could actually become IRL.

That's why the fighter is so popular.

You know that you want this challenge. So go for it.

[Benny89]

Imo Fighter is good when you start as new player, but more you go into levels the more you realize how limited is he in terms of "out of smacking faces" situations. And also how many other good melee options are out there.

Blade Bard, Hexblade and mostly Paladin have just so many more toys to play with and they are as efficient if not even more in melee fight that it is normal that you feel more of an average character compare to those, even if your DPR is great. They can just do so much more.

Paladins are first example. No wonder it was I think placed as 1st or second most satysfing classes in 5E back in some pool. It has everything you want from front line melee: heavy armors, marial weapons, d10 HP dice. While they don't get as many extra attacks as fighters, they get a lot more value. Vengeance Paladin is best example: advantage on attacks, extra attack, extra attack from PAM, extra attack from Haste, extra attack from level 15th Oath feature and suddenly we are looking at 4-5 attack per round with possible advantage, with possible HUGE nova damage from Smites, with self-buffs like Bless or Haste and damage boosters like Hunter's Mark. You also get best self-heal in game, Aura of Protection, removing harmful spells from yourself etc. Ancient Paladin can be ultimate tank. Conquest Paladin ultimate Control Tank. And you still have tons of good spells. You are immune to deseases, you can cure poisons etc. You are always useful for Team. Not to mention high social rolls.

Blade bards how so many utility, CC and support spells that it's not a joke. Great social character too.

Hexblades are not as good in being solo in front as Fighters and Paladins but they have also tons of other options when it comes to gameplay and have cheap strong range attacks. Also High social rolls.

When you compare DPR of a Fighter with those you will see that Fighter is really strong! Bah, the infamous X-bow Expert fighter is a highest consistent DPR in the game. However apart form that- yeah, well, not much for them. They are easiest, simplest class to play- perfect to learn the game.

However as you play more you realize that melee front line can be covered by many other classes that will do tons of other stuff than Fighter and DPR alone is not really that impressive. Let's not even start with looking at something like Sorcadin....

However that should be a concept of a fighter- a default, easy to get to, easy to play as class. It's their charm and their curse so to speak.

This is the reason I totally not enjoy playing fighter. It's not like I feel "weaker" than other classes, no. But I really don't have anything "cool" to do. Especially if your team already have something like 2x Paladins, or Hexblade + Paladin or Blade Back, Swash Rogue etc. You just feel like you are little... average in high fantasy setting :D.

But hey, I know people who absolutely LOVE playing Fighters in DnD so maybe it's just not for you. Dunno what level you are now, but you can always try to multiclass. 2 Fighter/18 Wizard is a really strong combination that will give you heavy armor, action surge, martial weapons and tons of good magic options.

[TerakasTaranath]

Are you gonna play a fighter??!!!
Or putz around and pretend!!!!!

Just kidding, it's a fun class, and IMO, it relies heavily on the player.

It's you.

It's really the only class I feel I could actually become IRL.

That's why the fighter is so popular.

You know that you want this challenge. So go for it.

I think I made it sound like I actually don't like fighters when in reality they're my favorite class. I love them for the same reason, the connection to realism is really only there for fighters and rogues.

What I mean is I was wondering if anyone else had that feeling of blandness even if they were lovers of fighters.

I would honestly just play a fighter every game until I got one successfully retired but right now there's 2 in my group along side a paladin. Also I'm DMing for a while next then we're picking up an old game where we left off, and in that I was one of my paladins. So I wont get to be a fighter again for a while, and I guess this thread was me venting and looking to see if anyone else had similar feelings.

I'm gonna just roll ranger, I like everyone's suggestion to branch out. It's close but different enough.

[Nhorianscum]

Scrubbed a bunch of filler text.

If you don't feel like yet another multi/EK/SkillOP fighter MFoV has some goodies for homebrew friendly games that expand nicely in the chassis.

[djreynolds]

I think I made it sound like I actually don't like fighters when in reality they're my favorite class. I love them for the same reason, the connection to realism is really only there for fighters and rogues.

What I mean is I was wondering if anyone else had that feeling of blandness even if they were lovers of fighters.

I would honestly just play a fighter every game until I got one successfully retired but right now there's 2 in my group along side a paladin. Also I'm DMing for a while next then we're picking up an old game where we left off, and in that I was one of my paladins. So I wont get to be a fighter again for a while, and I guess this thread was me venting and looking to see if anyone else had similar feelings.

I'm gonna just roll ranger, I like everyone's suggestion to branch out. It's close but different enough.

I love me, a rogue. Rogue/fighter is an easily achieved build, can be strength or dex.

You can play literally anything

One build I like very much is this

Human variant... because I like torches
strength based, but you need a 14 in dexterity for medium armor
1st level.... barbarian,
2nd level.... fighter TWF style
3rd level.... rogue, expertise, SA
4th level.... barbarian, reckless attack

You are basically recklessly attacking with 2 short swords, scimitar, or daggers

You decide more fighter or barbarian, but I choose fighter because of the feat at 6th level

Fighter 6, barbarian 2, rogue 12

uncanny dodge, sneak attack, rage, reckless attack, any fighter archetype works, cunning action

samurai would be cool but and you could grab 8 levels to get wisdom save proficiency at 7th and a feat at 8th

eldritch knight works... yes. You can recklessly attack without rage, so imagine war caster with it.

Play with the class numbers, You are leaning more rogue, and here I recommend champion for improved crit, reckless attack with sneak attack, twin short swords

[GreyBlack]

Fighters are one of my favorite classes in d&d. Easydamus test results give me fighter, I'm a history major with a heavy focus on medieval warfare and my favorite character was an elven fighter.

But I gave up my last fighter because at the table, everyone was using magic and/or doing extra cool stuff and for the first time I felt bland. I never used to feel bland, or I embraced the normalcy. I loved the fact that I was just a person with a sword, some armor and training when all my friends were slinging spells and such.

In Hoard of the Dragon Queen I'm considering another fighter, but there's 2 at the table and a paladin. I want to branch out and try rogue but it's just not a fighter. I have 2 paladins in my gaming past I love as well so I'm not really feeling another paladin.

Does anyone else have the same feeling? Have you found a way to embrace it? Should I branch out? Or try one last hoorah as a fighter. I haven't had a successful fighter in a long time as my last 2 have died and before that I DM'ed for a while.

Yeah, this is a big problem for me that I was just thinking about. Every class has magic innate to it in some capacity. And, to misquote the Incredibles, when everyone is magical, no one is. Magic, instead of being this ethereal manipulation of the universe that only some can access, instead just becomes a rather mundane power set and a list of abilities.

I didn't like it when 4th edition did it, and I'm kinda off-put by it now. Giving everyone Vancian magic is the same as giving everyone Daily or Encounter powers in that it normalizes the abilities.

As to how to embrace it... the best way is to just grit your teeth and make the biggest bruiser you can or doing something completely out of left field. Something I've considered doing is making a grappler whose entire modus operandi is to grapple people and then jump 50 feet into the air with them to piledrive them. So going something like Champion Fighter/Rogue for expertise and from there just controlling the battlefield by throwing opponents into other opponents and smashing folks. Haven't tried it yet so I don't know how much it will do for you but enjoy!

[CleaningCube]

I would consider what my friend did. It was for a lvl 10 one-shot for new players.

He created a hexblade warlock. He ran it as a fighter. High Charisma(Main attack stat), high Constitution, high Dex. He only used his eldritch blast when he couldn't reach a target within melee range and used his spell slots to buff himself and his allies. He had nearly as many hp as the barbarian.

[Kane0]

Yeah man, try a Ranger, Rogue or a multiclass of both even.

[Throne12]

I dont know if anyone has said this yet but play a moon druid. You get cool spells to throw around time to time and when you get the blood rush ever melee main get u can turn into a terrifying beast and tear things apart with tooth and claws.

[Azgeroth]

a fighter than is not a fighter, with more to do than RAAH SMAAASSH!!

ranger,

gloom stalker for ranged,

horizon walker for melee.

you will have a blast.

oh, btw, play a dragonborn. but im not telling you why ;)