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Quick Builds for Every Fighter Subclass in D&D 5e

Original Video:



*This article is an edited version of the script for this video


Arcane Archer(ranged):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Dex

#2: Int

#3: Con


Equipment:

-Longbow

-Half Plate


Feats:

1st: Sharpshooter

4th: Piercer

6th: Resilient: Wisdom

8th: Alert

12th: Lucky

14th: Boost Dex, Int, or Con

16th: Boost Dex, Int, or Con

19th: Boost Dex, Int, or Con


Fighting Style: Archery


Subclass:

Cantrip: Prestidigitation

Arcane Shot Options:

#1: Grasping Arrow

#2: Bursting Arrow

#3: Shadow Arrow

#4: Piercing Arrow

#5: Banishing Arrow

#6: Seeking Arrow


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your bow. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge for burst damage. Apply Grasping Arrow to big targets and use Bursting Arrow on groups of enemies. The other arcane shot options are a bit more niche but will come up sometimes.


Banneret(melee):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Str

#2: Con


Equipment:

-Glaive or Halberd

-Plate Armor

-Javelins


Feats:

1st: Polearm Master

4th: Great Weapon Master

6th: Resilient: Wisdom

8th: Alert

12th: Lucky

14th: Boost Str or Con

16th: Boost Str or Con

19th: Boost Str or Con

Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting or Defense


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your polearm. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge for burst damage. Use javelins if you get stuck at range. Make sure to use your subclass features that stack with Second Wind, Action Surge, and Indomitable.


Banneret(ranged):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Dex

#2: Con


Equipment:

-Hand Crossbow

-Half Plate, Studded Leather if Dex is 20


Feats:

1st: Crossbow Expert

4th: Sharpshooter

6th: Piercer

8th: Resilient: Wisdom

12th: Alert

14th: Lucky

16th: Boost Dex or Con

19th: Boost Dex or Con


Fighting Style: Archery


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your crossbow. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge for burst damage. Make sure to use your subclass features that stack with Second Wind, Action Surge, and Indomitable.


Battle Master(melee):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Str

#2: Con


Equipment:

-Glaive or Halberd

-Plate Armor

-Javelins


Feats:

1st: Polearm Master

4th: Great Weapon Master

6th: Resilient: Wisdom

8th: Alert

12th: Lucky

14th: Boost Str or Con

16th: Boost Str or Con

19th: Boost Str or Con


Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting or Defense


Subclass:

Maneuvers:

#1: Menacing Attack

#2: Trip Attack

#3: Precision Attack

#4: Ambush

#5: Bait and Switch

#6: Evasive Footwork

#7: Tactical Assessment

#8: Riposte

#9: Commanding Presence


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your polearm. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge for burst damage. Use javelins if you get stuck at range.


Battle Master(ranged):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Dex

#2: Con


Equipment:

-Hand Crossbow

-Half Plate, Studded Leather if Dex is 20


Feats:

1st: Crossbow Expert

4th: Sharpshooter

6th: Piercer

8th: Resilient: Wisdom

12th: Alert

14th: Lucky

16th: Boost Dex or Con

19th: Boost Dex or Con


Fighting Style: Archery


Subclass:

Maneuvers:

#1: Menacing Attack

#2: Trip Attack

#3: Precision Attack

#4: Ambush

#5: Bait and Switch

#6: Evasive Footwork

#7: Tactical Assessment

#8: Riposte

#9: Commanding Presence


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your crossbow. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge for burst damage. Throw in your maneuvers as needed, the first 3 choices are usually best.


Cavalier(melee):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Str

#2: Con


Equipment:

-Glaive or Halberd

-Plate Armor

-Javelins


Feats:

1st: Polearm Master

4th: Great Weapon Master

6th: Mounted Combatant

8th: Resilient: Wisdom

12th: Alert

14th: Lucky

16th: Boost Str or Con

19th: Boost Str or Con


Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting or Defense


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your polearm. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge for burst damage. Use javelins if you get stuck at range. Do your best to apply your Unwavering Mark to the hardest hitting enemy.


Champion(melee):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Str

#2: Con


Equipment:

-Glaive or Halberd

-Plate Armor

-Javelins


Feats:

1st: Polearm Master

4th: Great Weapon Master

6th: Resilient: Wisdom

8th: Alert

12th: Lucky

14th: Boost Str or Con

16th: Boost Str or Con

19th: Boost Str or Con


Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting and Defense


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your polearm. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge for burst damage. Use javelins if you get stuck at range.


Champion(ranged):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Dex

#2: Con


Equipment:

-Hand Crossbow

-Half Plate, Studded Leather if Dex is 20


Feats:

1st: Crossbow Expert

4th: Sharpshooter

6th: Piercer

8th: Resilient: Wisdom

12th: Alert

14th: Lucky

16th: Boost Dex or Con

19th: Boost Dex or Con


Fighting Style: Archery and Defense


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your crossbow. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge for burst damage.


Echo Knight(melee):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Str

#2: Con


Equipment:

-Glaive or Halberd

-Plate Armor

-Javelins


Feats:

1st: Polearm Master

4th: Great Weapon Master

6th: Resilient: Wisdom

8th: Alert

12th: Lucky

14th: Boost Str or Con

16th: Boost Str or Con

19th: Boost Str or Con


Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting or Defense


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your polearm. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge and Unleash Incarnation for burst damage. Use javelins if you get stuck at range but you should rarely get stuck at range since you can be in two places at once.


Eldritch Knight(melee):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Str

#2: Int

#3: Con


Equipment:

-Glaive or Halberd

-Plate Armor

-Javelins


Feats:

1st: Polearm Master

4th: Great Weapon Master

6th: War Caster

8th: Resilient: Wisdom

12th: Alert

14th: Lucky

16th: Boost Str, Int, or Con

19th: Boost Str, Int, or Con


Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting or Defense


Subclass:

Spellcasting:

Cantrips: Booming Blade, Green-Flame Blade, Fire Bolt

1st: Find Familiar, Absorb Elements, Shield, Protection from Evil and Good

2nd: Rime’s Binding Ice, Darkness, Web

3rd: Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Hypnotic Pattern

4th: Banishment, Dimension Door


Tactics:

At higher levels, you’ll want to start the combat off with a strong concentration spell. After that, attack as many times as you can with your polearm. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge, potentially in combination with blast spells, for burst damage. Use javelins or spells if you get stuck at range.


Eldritch Knight(ranged):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Dex

#2: Int

#3: Con


Equipment:

-Hand Crossbow

-Half Plate, Studded Leather if Dex is 20


Feats:

1st: Crossbow Expert

4th: Sharpshooter

6th: Piercer

8th: Resilient: Wisdom

12th: War Caster

14th: Alert

16th: Lucky

19th: Boost Dex, Int, or Con


Fighting Style: Archery


Subclass:

Spellcasting:

Cantrips: Mending, Fire Bolt, Blade Ward

1st: Find Familiar, Absorb Elements, Shield, Protection from Evil and Good

2nd: Rime’s Binding Ice, Darkness, Web

3rd: Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Hypnotic Pattern

4th: Banishment, Dimension Door


Tactics:

At higher levels, you’ll want to start the combat off with a strong concentration spell. After that, attack as many times as you can with your crossbow. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge, potentially in combination with blast spells, for burst damage.


Psi Warrior(melee):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Str

#2: Int

#3: Con


Equipment:

-Glaive or Halberd

-Plate Armor

-Javelins


Feats:

1st: Polearm Master

4th: Great Weapon Master

6th: Resilient: Wisdom

8th: Alert

12th: Lucky

14th: Boost Str, Int, or Con

16th: Boost Str, Int, or Con

19th: Boost Str, Int, or Con


Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting or Defense


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your polearm. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge and Psionic Strike for burst damage. Use javelins if you get stuck at range. Throw in your other Psi Warrior features as needed to improve your movement or defenses.


Psi Warrior(ranged):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Dex

#2: Int:

#3: Con


Equipment:

-Hand Crossbow

-Half Plate, Studded Leather if Dex is 20


Feats:

1st: Crossbow Expert

4th: Sharpshooter

6th: Piercer

8th: Resilient: Wisdom

12th: Alert

14th: Lucky

16th: Boost Dex, Int, or Con

19th: Boost Dex, Int, or Con


Fighting Style: Archery


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your crossbow. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge and Psionic Strike for burst damage. Throw in your other Psi Warrior features as needed to improve your movement or defenses.


Rune Knight(melee):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Str

#2: Con


Equipment:

-Glaive or Halberd

-Plate Armor

-Javelins


Feats:

1st: Polearm Master

4th: Great Weapon Master

6th: Resilient: Wisdom

8th: Alert

12th: Lucky

14th: Boost Str or Con

16th: Boost Str or Con

19th: Boost Str or Con


Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting or Defense


Subclass:

Rune Carvor:

#1: Cloud Rune

#2: Fire Rune:

#3: Storm Rune

#4: Hill Rune

#5: Stone Rune


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your polearm. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge and Fire Rune for burst damage. Use javelins if you get stuck at range. Throw in your other runes as needed and don’t forget the passive effects they have as well.


Rune Knight(ranged):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Dex

#2: Con


Equipment:

-Hand Crossbow

-Half Plate, Studded Leather if Dex is 20


Feats:

1st: Crossbow Expert

4th: Sharpshooter

6th: Piercer

8th: Resilient: Wisdom

12th: Alert

14th: Lucky

16th: Boost Dex or Con

19th: Boost Dex or Con


Fighting Style: Archery


Subclass:

Rune Carvor:

#1: Cloud Rune

#2: Fire Rune:

#3: Storm Rune

#4: Hill Rune

#5: Stone Rune


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your crossbow. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge and Fire Rune for burst damage. Throw in your other runes as needed and don’t forget the passive effects they have as well.


Samurai(melee):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Str

#2: Con


Equipment:

-Glaive or Halberd

-Plate Armor

-Javelins


Feats:

1st: Polearm Master

4th: Great Weapon Master

6th: Resilient: Wisdom

8th: Alert

12th: Lucky

14th: Boost Str or Con

16th: Boost Str or Con

19th: Boost Str or Con


Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting or Defense


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your polearm. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge for burst damage. Use javelins if you get stuck at range.


Samurai(ranged):

Race:

Custom Lineage or Variant Human


Ability Scores:

#1: Dex

#2: Con


Equipment:

-Hand Crossbow

-Half Plate, Studded Leather if Dex is 20


Feats:

1st: Crossbow Expert

4th: Sharpshooter

6th: Piercer

8th: Resilient: Wisdom

12th: Alert

14th: Lucky

16th: Boost Dex or Con

19th: Boost Dex or Con


Fighting Style: Archery


Tactics:

Attack as many times as you can with your crossbow. Focus fire on the same enemies as your party. Use Action Surge for burst damage.


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