Fighter Subclasses
| Martial Archetype | Description |
|---|---|
| Commando | Trained in mobility, stealth, and elimination |
| Gladiator | Battles with flair and excels in life or death fights if around friendly creatures |
| Knight | Trains their steed to be as strong in combat as they are |
| Master of Arms | Specializes in a certain weapon property |
| Warrior Poet | Well-rounded fighter, capable in art, rhetoric, etiquette, and combat |
| Villainous Class Option: Raider | Able to utilize a variety of techniques to sow chaos, kill, and plunder |
| A Song of Ice and Fire: Unsullied | Raised to ignore pain and fatigue and create a strong defensive position with allies |
Commando
Commandos are elite fighters. They have been trained to infiltrate areas thought impossible to infiltrate. They do this with their stealth or through their approach in normally insurmountable terrain through abseiling, climbing, or swimming. Of course, once at their goal they remain skilled warriors and hale combatants. These skills make them excellent for reconnaissance or assassinations.
High Value Target
3rd-level Commando feature
You have trained to more efficiently eliminate important targets. As an action, choose a creature you can see within 300 feet of you. For the next hour, you gain an additional 10 feet of movement, but can only use this movement to get closer to the target, and your weapon attacks deal an extra 1d6 damage to the target.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. When you reach 18th level in this class, the extra damage increases to 2d6, and you can use this feature twice between rests.
Silent Soldier
3rd-level Commando feature
You have trained extensively for clandestine operations. You gain proficiency with Stealth, and your armor does not impose disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
Specialized Advance
7th-level Commando feature
You have trained to surmount all kinds of terrain. You do not expend extra movement when climbing, swimming, or crawling, and your armor does not give you any penalty when doing so.
Resilience
10th-level Commando feature
Your tough training can have you withstand certain effects, such as an air elemental's whirlwind or the shatter spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Strength or Constitution saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Silent Takedown
15th-level Commando feature
You have learned how to stealthily knock-out a creature. If you are hidden from a creature, you can make a special grapple against that creature. On a successful grapple check, the creature also cannot speak or attack. While you have a creature grappled in this way, you can use your action to suffocate the creature. The creature is considered out of breath until the end of your next turn.
Gladiator
Gladiators are exhibition fighters, equal parts entertainer and warrior. Whether fighting for their own pleasure, desire for competition, need for coin, or because they were forced into it, the gladiator knows how to curry a crowd's favor and use that favor in combat.
Bonus Proficiency
3rd-level Gladiator feature
You gain proficiency in Performance.
Single Combat
3rd-level Gladiator feature
Your battle prowess excels when taking a foe one-on-one. When you are within 5 feet of a creature and no other creature is within 5 feet of you or the creature, you have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls you make against that creature.
Physical Feat
7th-level Gladiator feature
You have furthered your mastery of exhibition fighting. If you are in combat and must make a Strength (Athletics) check or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, you may make it a Charisma (Performance) check instead.
For Show
7th-level Gladiator feature
You’ve learned how to ensure your strikes draw blood even with a poor attack. Once on each of your turns if you fail on an attack, you may add a bonus equal to your Charisma modifier to the roll. If the attack succeeds, you deal damage equal to the attack roll minus the target's AC plus 1 (e.g. if you rolled a total of 16 and the target’s AC is 14, you deal 16 - 14 + 1 or 3 damage).
Grand Entrance
10th-level Gladiator feature
As a bonus action, you may perform a quick pomp to win over crowds and startle enemies. Creatures within 60 feet that can see or hear you must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save if you are fighting it, it is frightened of you for 1 minute and may remake the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. And on a failed saved if you are not fighting it, it is charmed by you for 1 minute, treating you as if it is a great admirer. In either case, the effect ends early if you or your companions do something harmful to it.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Thumbs Down
15th-level Gladiator feature
Your attacks are fueled by the hatred of your allies for your enemies. If a creature is at or below one-quarter of its maximum hit points, and the number of friendly or frightened creatures within 100 feet of you is greater than the number of hostile creatures (not counting frightened ones) within 100 feet of you, you may make a single attack as a bonus action on your turn against that creature. If this attack succeeds, it is a critical hit.
Thumbs Up
18th-level Gladiator feature
The adoration of your friends and fans can grant you a protecting ward. If you are at or below one-quarter of your maximum hit points, and the number of friendly or frightened creatures within 100 feet of you is greater than the number of hostile creatures (not counting frightened ones) within 100 feet of you, any creature that makes an attack against you must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or lose the attack.
Knight
Few things have changed a battle like a Knight atop their horse. A connection with these beasts have provided great benefit for the combatant and one that requires respect and proper training. Some view their mounts as mere things - tools of war like any sword or lance. But many knights form deep kinship with their beast companions, protecting them in battle like any ally and mourning their loss like a friend's.
Horses are often signs of nobility, as not everyone can afford to keep and care for them, so an expertly trained rider most likely comes from a wealthy family. Although perhaps you trained while advancing the military ranks, on your farm's work horse, or as the stable hand of an aristocratic.
Your Mount
3rd-level Knight feature
Upon choosing this archetype, you receive your mount, a Warhorse or similar large beast.
The bond you have formed with your mount makes your mount more capable. Your mount gains proficiency in two skills of your choice and becomes proficient with all saving throws. Your mount’s proficiency equals your own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, a mount also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC and to its damage rolls. You may forgo your Action to allow your mount to make an attack.
For each level you gain after 3rd, your mount gains an additional Hit Die and increases its hit points accordingly.
Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your mount’s abilities also improve. Your mount can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. Your mount can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
When you use your Second Wind feature, your mount heals for the same amount. Also, when you use your Action Surge feature, your mount may also make an additional action.
If your mount dies or is lost, you must spend 8 hours training a new one to grant it all the benefits of being your mount.
Horse Training
3rd-level Knight feature
Similarly, your mount grants you special benefits while engaging in mounted combat. Mounting or dismounting your mount costs you only 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed, and ff an effect would cause you to fall off your mount, you may use your reaction to stay mounted instead.
Also you can add twice your proficiency bonus on any Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks involving your mount, instead of any proficiency bonus you normally apply.
Gallop
7th-level Knight feature
Your mount has incredible bursts of speed. If you roll initiative while mounted, you may roll initiative for both you and your mount and combine the totals to equal your initiative.
Also, while your mount is taking the Dash action, its long jump distance is doubled and its high jump distance is tripled, and creatures have disadvantage when making opportunity attacks against your mount or you.
Cavalier
10th-level Knight feature
You strike a regal and imposing form on your horse. While mounted, you have advantage on all Charisma checks, and you and your mount are immune to the charmed and frightened conditions.
Destrier
15th-level Knight feature
If your mount takes the Dash action, it may make one attack as part of that dash. And when your mount takes damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of it, it can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.
Rough Riding
18th-level Knight feature
Your bond with your mount allows it to recover from grievous injury. If your mount drops to 0 hit points, it makes a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a success, your mount is brought to a number of hit points equal to 10 + your fighter level instead and suffers one level of exhaustion.
Master of Arms
Some warriors gladly pick up any weapon and charge into battle, but others are more thoughtful in regards to their arms. They understand the work involved to craft a weapon. The necessary skills to balance the blade and pommel. How to properly work the metal to get a strong but light blade. The precise technique to whet and sharpen and repair. A Master of Arms sees a weapon as an extension of the self. And with that proper knowledge comes a thorough study of techniques and maneuvers.
Weapon Properties
3rd-level Master of Arms feature
Starting at 3rd level, your continued practice with weapons grants you additional features when using weapons with certain properties. Choose one of the weapon properties listed below. Any weapon with that property now gains that feature. You may change your weapon property choice by spending 1 hour training During this time you may also change your Fighting Style to another of your available options.
The weapon property gains an additional feature when you become an 18th-level fighter.
Ammunition. You may attack a target when it behind behind cover eliminating any benefits it gains (rules regarding unseen targets still apply), provided that there is an arcing path for your projectile. The target's distance from you is considered doubled to account for the extra distance the projectile moves.
After you reach 18th level in this class, when you miss with an attack and did not have disadvantage on the roll, you may make another attack roll with disadvantage against one other target of your choice within 5 feet of the original target. This second attack does not require a new piece of ammunition.
Finesse. When you make an attack with Dexterity after your last attack against the same target was made with Strength, you gain advantage on the roll.
After you reach 18th level in this class, once per turn you may add both your Strength and Dexterity modifiers to a damage roll.
Heavy. When you have advantage on an attack and would hit with both rolls, you deal additional damage equal to your proficiency bonus.
After you reach 18th level in this class, when you succeed with two hits against the same target on the same turn, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be knocked prone.
Light. If you take the Dash, Disengage, or Use an Object action on your turn, you may make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
After you reach 18th level in this class, once on each of your turns if an attack fails as a part of the Attack action, you may make one additional attack as a part of that action.
Loading. You can load quickly and are no longer limited to firing one piece of ammunition, instead being able to fire as many as attacks you have.
After you reach 18th level in this class, when a creature moves within 5 feet of you, you may use your reaction to make an attack against the creature with advantage.
Reach. When a creature moves into your reach, you may use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the next attack that creature makes before the end of its turn.
After you reach 18th level in this class, once on each of your turns after a successful attack, you may have the target make a Strength saving throw (DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). On a failure, it is pushed 5 feet outside your reach.
Range. The weapon's normal and maximum range are increased by an amount equal to its usual normal range.
After you reach 18th level in this class, as long as you can see the target, your attacks within the normal range are never at disadvantage.
Thrown. You may draw or stow a weapon each time you make an attack on your turn. You may retrieve a weapon you have thrown that is embedded in a creature in place of an attack. When doing so, you deal damage as if you attacked with the weapon you retrieved.
After you reach 18th level in this class, if you use your reaction to make an opportunity attack, you may make two attacks with the same weapon, one melee attack when the creature moves out of your reach and one ranged attack when it has finished its movement.
Two-Handed. You may use your bonus action to add an additional 5 feet to your reach for one attack this turn.
After you reach 18th level in this class, you may turn two attacks into one. When doing so, you gain advantage on the attack roll, and your damage is doubled on a successful hit.
Versatile. When you are targeted with a melee weapon attack, you may use your reaction to reduce the damage. Roll your weapon damage die and subtract the total from the damage dealt. You must decide to use this reaction before you know the damage you would receive.
After you reach 18th level in this class, if you are wielding the weapon one-handed and roll a 1 on the weapon damage die, you may reroll the die and must take the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1. If you are wielding the weapon two-handed, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
No Weapon Properties Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
After you reach 18th level in this class, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 18-20.
Damage Dealt and Taken
7th-level Master of Arms feature
You can manipulate your weapons so as to alter the damage dealt. When you deal weapon damage, it may be your choice of bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage. In addition, when you deal weapon damage to a creature, you are resistant to weapon damage of the same type dealt by that creature to you until the start of your next turn.
Weapon Lore
10th-level Master of Arms feature
Your knowledge of weaponry and armor takes on an innate ability. You can replicate the effects of casting the identify spell on a weapon, shield, or piece of armor by spending 10 minutes with it. You also have advantage on any Intelligence (History) checks about them and ignore any race, class, alignment, and level requirements to attune to them.
Weapon of Choice
15th-level Master of Arms feature
You can hone weapon to its fullest potential. You can give one weapon a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls over the course of a short or long rest. This benefit lasts until you take your next short or long rest.
Warrior Poet
Warrior poets are students of war but also of art, conversation, music, and craft. They strive to represent a complete person in mind, body, and spirit. Their fighting comes from confidence and intense study. Their tranquil soul allows inner peace while many other warriors revel in bloodlust and anger.
Bonus Proficiency
3rd-level Warrior Poet feature
You gain proficiency with one type of artisan's tools and one type of musical instrument of your choice.
Art of War
3rd-level Warrior Poet feature
You become a quick study of your enemy's weaknesses. When a creature finishes its turn, you may use your reaction to make a Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by the creature’s Charisma (Deception) check. On a success, until the end of the creature’s next turn, you gain advantage on the next attack roll against that creature, and that creature has disadvantage on the next two attack rolls against you. This check automatically fails if you could not see the creature's action on its turn.
When you reach 18th level in this class, this Wisdom (Insight) check is made with advantage. Additionally, on a success until the end of the creature’s next turn, it now becomes the next two attacks you make against the creature that have advantage, and the next four attack rolls the creature makes against you that have disadvantage.
Remarkable Philosopher
7th-level Warrior Poet feature
You are casually versed in a variety of intellectual and social pursuits. You may add half your proficiency bonus (round up) on any Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma check that doesn’t already use your proficiency bonus. Additionally, you learn three languages of your choice.
Indomitable Restoration
10th-level Warrior Poet feature
Your will can refocus your mind, body, and soul. You can now use your Indomitable feature to end one of the following conditions you are under: blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, or stunned.
Poetic Rhetoric
15th-level Warrior Poet feature
You can collect your thoughts to better influence and entertain others. If you take 1 minute to prepare your words, you may make one Charisma check within the next hour with advantage. You must decide during the 1 minute which Charisma skill the check will be and what particular task you will be attempting. If you prepare another Charisma check within the hour you already have advantage, you lose the advantage on the older check and gain advantage on the new one.
Additionally, you may spend 10 minutes reciting poetry aloud. A number of creatures of your choice who can hear you equal to your proficiency bonus gain advantage on Wisdom checks and Wisdom saving throws for 1 hour. A creature benefiting from the feature in this way, cannot benefit again until it has taken a long rest.
Villainous Class Options
This subclass is from a series of subclasses based on the Villainous Class Options on pg. 96 of the Dungeon Master's Guide.
You can find more Villainous Class Options here.
Villainous Class Option: Raider
In wartime or outside of it, a Raider plunders and pillages looking to capture gold, treasures, or even people. They can target poor villages or walled cities assaulting from the outside or rioting from within. Although sometimes organized, Raiders revel in the chaos of a fray, able to exploit destruction and combustion to achieve their goals.
Hit and Run
3rd-level Raider feature
When you make an attack against a creature, that creature can not target you with opportunity attacks until the end of the turn.
Raiding Tactics
3rd-level Raider feature
You have learned a variety of ways to sow chaos and destruction. You can take the Use an Object action as a bonus action and are proficient with improvised weapons.
Spoils of War
7th-level Raider feature
our carrying capacity (including maximum load and maximum lift) is doubled, and you have advantage on Strength checks made to push, pull, lift, or break objects. In addition, when you drag or carry a creature grappled by you, it does not cost you extra movement.
Shocking Assault
10th-level Raider feature
You have mastered sudden assaults. If you damage a surprised creature, it must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)). On a failure, it is stunned until the end of the first turn it is not surprised. You also have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet.
Slaughter the Weak
15th-level Raider feature
Your ruthless attacks are especially vicious against the unprotected. You deal an extra 1d10 damage to any creature that is wearing no armor or that you have advantage against.
Incite Riot
18th-level Raider feature
You can draw others to your greedy, destructive ways. As an action, you can use your might to stir up unrest and violence. Choose a creature within 60 feet of you that can hear you. On subsequent turns, you can use your action to continue this frenzied agitation and choose one additional creature within 60 feet of you that can hear you.
At any point you may end of your tirade (no action required) and have each creature you chose (up to a maximum of 10) make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)). On a failure, the creature embraces its baser instincts. It will attack those it feels deserve it or steal objects it wishes to possess (this is usually those in wealth and power).
You can attempt to direct this anger and action toward a particular creature, group, or place during your screed, but ultimately the mob will do what it will. This madness lasts for at least 1 hour, but may last longer and spread to other creatures that witness the assaults and pillaging (DM's discretion).
Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.
A Song of Ice and Fire Subclasses
This subclass is from a series of subclasses based on the culture and world of A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones, but the various locations, people, and cultural touchstones mentioned can easily be reworked to to fit campaigns not set in that world.
You can find more subclasses inspired by A Song of Ice and Fire here.
A Song of Ice and Fire: Unsullied
You began training as an Unsullied as a young male slave. You were chosen for your size, speed, and strength. You were trained not only how to fight, but how to shed your individuality and emotion to only serve the whims of your master and aid your fellow Unsullied. The training was brutal, grueling, and instructive. Those who could not keep up were killed. You survived, were castrated, and became an elite warrior who can ignore pain and has no concept of personal desire.
Phalanx
3rd-level Unsullied feature
You can form a protective wall with your compatriots. While you are within 5 feet of an ally, you and the ally gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Suppress Pain
7th-level Unsullied feature
You are better equipped endure combat. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d4. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled, and reduce the damage by that total. The damage can't be reduced to less than 1.
Resilience
10th-level Unsullied feature
Your tough training can have you withstand certain effects, such as an air elemental's whirlwind or the shatter spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Strength or Constitution saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Unrelenting
15th-level Unsullied feature
You have lost some the weaknesses of the average warrior. You are immune to the charmed and frightened conditions and have advantage on saving throws to resist the paralyzed and stunned conditions.
Durable
18th-level Unsullied feature
You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons.
