The best Fighter subclass, feats, and build in Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldurs Gate 3 has 12 classes for you to choose from when you create your character. The Fighter is the archetypical melee class.

Fighters are the most straightforward class in Baldur’s Gate 3, but they’re more than just good at punching. Sure, that’s how they start out, but, as they level up, they come to control every field of battle they encounter. Their primary stat is Strength.

There’s no single best class in Baldur’s Gate 3, and the game gives you as many opportunities for creative problem solving as it does for punching. Finding the best class really just boils down to how you want to play. Even when playing solo, you’ll still manage the rest of your party, so you’ll get to experiment with multiple classes at once.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Fighter class in Baldur’s Gate 3, and learn all about the best Fighter subclass, feats, and build.

Is Fighter the best class for you in BG3?

Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

Fighters are the most straightforward class in Baldur’s Gate 3 — at least for the first few levels. Fighters are good at punching things. As you level up, you’ll get into more of the tactical side of combat and controlling the battlefield, but, at their core, fighters are for dealing damage in melee combat.

Fighters are the best class for your first character. They’re the easiest to understand and the least complicated to play.

Fighter class features

Hit Points

• Hit Dice — 1d10 per Fighter level
• Hit Points at 1st Level — 10 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at higher levels — 6 + your Constitution modifer per Fighter level after 1st

Actions

At level 1, Fighters get Second Wind, a Bonus Action that restores 1d10 hit points once per long or short rest.

At level 2, Fighters get the Action Surge Action that allows you to take one additional action on your turn. Action Surge also refreshes with a short or long rest.

Fighting Style

Fighters choose a style of fighting to specialize in:

• Archery — Gain a +2 to ranged weapon attacks
• Defense — Gain a +1 to Armor Class while wearing armor
• Dueling — Deal +2 damage when fighting with one one-handed weapon
• Great Weapon Fighting — When you roll a 1 or 2 for damage with a two-handed melee weapon, that die is rerolled
• Protection — When you have a shield, impose Disadvantage on an attack against your allies when you are within 5ft.
• Two-Weapon Fighting — When you make an attack with your off-hand weapon, you can add your Ability Modifier to the damage of the attack.

Proficiencies

• Weapons — Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
• Armor — Light Armor, Medium Armor, Heavy Armor, Shields
• Skills — Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Religion
• Saving Throws — Wisdom, Constitution

Fighter subclasses

At level 3, Fighters choose from one of three subclasses.

Battle Master

Battle Master Fighters focus on maneuvers and tactics.

Battle Masters get four uses per short or long rest of the the Superiority Dice feature that power Maneuvers. You’ll also get to pick three Maneuvers from a list of 14.

Eldritch Knight

Eldritch Knight Fighters mix in some magic with their punching.

When you become an Eldritch Knight, you get two level 1 spell slots per long rest. You start out knowing two Cantrips and two Spells (from the lists below), and one Wizard spell.

You can choose two Cantrips from this list:

Eldritch Knights start knowing two spells from this list:

Champion

Champion Fighters do away with all the fanciness of the other subclasses and focus on hitting things real good.

Champions receive Improved Critical Hit that reduces the number you need to roll a Critical Hit by 1.

Best Fighter subclass and build in BG3

Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

Baldur’s Gate 3 races don’t really have any direct impact on your class, but certain races and subraces come with features that play well with certain classes like extra movement or proficiency with certain weapons. For Fighters, it’s best to focus on exactly that — movement and weapons:

• Wood Elvesand Wood Half-Elves get an extra 5 feet of movement
• Humans get the Civil Militia feature which adds spears, pikes, halberds, and glaives to your repertoire
• Gold Dwarves’ Dwarven Toughness gets you an extra hit point each level
• Half-Orcs get Relentless Endurance that gives you one free hit point when you’re downed (one time per long rest), and their Savage Attacks means you roll an extra damage die when you land a critical hit.

When you’re creating and leveling up your Fighter, Strength is your most important stat (for punching) followed by Constitution (for getting punched).Make Strength your highest stat and Constitution your second.

Fighters pick a subclass at level 3. If you’re looking to keep things simple, Champion is the best fighter subclass — it just makes you better at punching.

Best Fighter Feats in BG3

Every four levels, you’ll get the option to either increase your stats or choose a Feat. Feats are special talents that add features to your character. If you’re happy with your stats and start taking Feats, Clerics can benefit from:

• Athlete. Your Strength or Dexterity increases by 1, to a maximum of 20. When you are Prone, standing up uses significantly less movement. Your Jump distance also increases by 50%.
• Charger. You gain Charger: Weapon Attack and Charger: Shove.
• Durable. Your Constitution increases by 1, to a maximum of 20. You regain full hit points each time you take a Short Rest.
• Savage Attacker. When making weapon attacks, you roll your damage dice twice and use the highest result.
• Sentinel. When an enemy within melee range attacks an ally, you can use a reaction to make a weapon attack against that enemy. Target ally must not have the Sentinel Feat. You gain Advantage on Opportunity Attacks, and when you hit a creature with an Oppotunity Attack, it can no longer move for the rest of its turn.
• Tough. Your hit point maximum increases by 2 for every level you have gained.

For more information on the classes in Baldur’s Gate 3, consult our overviews on the Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard classes. If you’re stumped by the choice, consult our guide on what class to start with.