Everything you need to know about the new fighter for D&D 5e 2024 including rules and tactics
Wizards of the Coast are preparing to release the new 2024 Player’s Handbook which is a revision for D&D 5e (previously known as One D&D or sometimes referred to as 5.5e). Within that are some fairly large scale changes to how each class works. One of the classes receiving the most changes is the fighter.
In this article, I’ve taken a look at everything that’s changing with the new 2024 version of the fighter and what new tactics you can use. If you want to see the original reveal, you can check out the video below:
Why are we getting changes to the fighter?
Fighters have been a constant of D&D and make a great combat specialist. Having said that, the 2014 version of the fighter does have a couple of drawbacks:
- The main one is just the simplicity of combat options. Primarily, fighters make a lot of attacks and not a lot else.
- The other major issue for them is that they have very little to do outside of combat.
This means that while fighters may be effective with a sword, they can feel a bit dull compared to other classes with more options, especially for experienced players.
The 2024 version of the fighter works to address these issues with more variety in attacks and broader utility outside of combat.
What changes have been made to the 2024 fighter?
Quite a lot. Jeremy Crawford confirms in the video above that the fighter and ranger have received the most changes of any class in the 2024 revision. Below I’ve detailed out all the changes incoming. If an ability isn’t featured below, it’s because it remains unchanged from the 2014 rules (as with the fighter’s iconic extra attack feature):
Weapon mastery – lv1
One of the biggest changes is the introduction of a new set of properties available to all weapons known as weapon mastery. These properties allow certain martial classes (barbarians, fighters, paladins, rangers and rogues) to make special attacks with their weapon.
Each weapon has a different property. Some may slow the enemy down, others might knock an enemy prone and others can do damage even when an attack misses. There are a bunch of different properties and you can check out our full guide to weapon mastery for a full explanation of the rules and tactics.
Fighters start with 3 different weapon masteries (more than any other class) and gain more as they level up. They can also choose to change their weapon masteries when they take long rests.
Fighting styles – LV1
In the 2014 rules, fighters and a few other classes were able to choose a fighting style. This remains the case, but all classes with fighting styles (like rangers and paladins too) now have access to all the fighting style options (including those from Tasha’s cauldron of everything).
These fighting styles are also now considered feats that the fighter class allows you to pick up at level 1. You can also swap your fighting style for another one every time you level up (in case your play style changes).
Second wind – lv1
Fighters can currently use an ability called second wind to provide themselves with a small amount of healing. For the 2024 fighter, second wind can not only be used more often (previously it was once per rest), it now has wider application. It can still be used for healing, but can also be used to enhance an ability check and to move away from an enemy without provoking an opportunity attack.
Some of these uses of second wind come at later levels (more on those in a bit). All fighters start with 2 uses of second wind with more uses becoming available as they level up. You can also recharge one use of second wind on a short rest and all uses on a long rest.
Tactical mind – lv2
This is a new option for how you can use second wind, allowing you to add 1d10 to an ability check. The handy thing here is if you still fail the check, you don’t expend a use of second wind. This makes fighters a more viable and reliable option for skill checks and makes them more useful out of combat.
Tactical shift – lv5
At level 5, you get another way to use your second wind. You can use some extra movement up to half of your move speed (which doesn’t count against your usual move speed) without provoking attacks of opportunity. This will allow you to make tactical movements around the battlefield, perhaps to protect an ally or attack a particularly troublesome foe.
Indomitable – lv9
This is a current fighter ability that’s been improved for the 2024 version. Previously, this ability allowed you to reroll a failed saving throw. Now you can still do this, but also get to add your fighter level to the reroll making you even more resilient. The number of uses are limited though starting at just 1 at level 9.
Tactical master – lv9
To really dial up the fighter’s weapon mastery, you can now swap out the weapon mastery ability you’d normally use for the weapon you’re wielding with the options to push, sap or slow.
This basically makes you extremely flexible in the types of debuffs you’re applying to enemies. Imagine shooting an enemy, applying slow, then shooting them again with your extra attack to push them back keeping your enemies really far away!
Studied attacks – lv13
Fighters are such great students of war, that they are able to learn how their opponent fights and adapt their tactics accordingly.
Studied attack means that when you miss an attack, your next attack against that same creature is made with advantage. It’s just another way to make a fighter even more reliable in combat.
Epic boon – lv19
Like all classes at lv19, you get an epic boon (kind of like a super feat). This will allow you to increase an ability score (even beyond the normal maximum of 20, allowing you to potentially go up to 30 in an ability score). You’ll also get an ability alongside that feat too.
To make things juicer, when you gain levels beyond lv20, you’ll get an epic boon each time making you even gnarlier!
Fighter 2024 subclasses
Like for the 2014 fighter, you get to choose a subclass at level 3 known as a martial archetype. You get 4 options in the 2024 PHB (The previous PHB has 3) and all the 3 options from the 2014 book are available here plus the addition of the Psi Warrior from Tasha’s cauldron of everything.
Most of these subclasses have some changes which I’ve outlined below:
Battle master
Largely, battle masters will work the same. They do however get some extra manoeuvres from the options in Tasha’s
Know your enemy also doesn’t require a 1 minute observation time, but it also only reveals resistances, vulnerabilities and immunities for that creature.
Relentless presence also doesn’t drain one of your superiority dice.
Champion
Champions have always been about straightforward, extra power from critical hits and the 2024 champion makes all of this extra reliable and more powerful.
The big shift here is a new feature called heroic warrior (lV10) which gives you heroic inspiration at the start of your turn whenever you don’t have any. With inspiration getting improved so it’s now a reroll of any dice, this is a huge buff allowing you a reroll every single turn!
With criticals rolled on an 18+ too, champions can become even more reliable sources of critical hits, especially with so many attacks in their repertoire.
They also get remarkable athlete at lv3 which now grants advantage on initiative and athletics checks.
Eldritch Knight
The eldritch knight gets some seemingly small, but actually hugely useful changes, especially for maintaining power at higher levels and increasing their versatility.
War magic now allows you to replace an attack with a cantrip rather than letting you make an attack as a bonus action. This is better at higher levels as you gain extra attacks making interweaving spells more useful.
Improved war magic is similar and allows you to forego 2 attacks to cast a level 1 or 2 spell.
There’s also no restrictions on the spell school for spells allowing eldritch knights to take any spells from the wizard’s list which just gives them a load more flexibility.
Psi Warrior
The Psi Warrior was only released a few years ago in Tasha’s and the rules largely remain the same.
Tactics
Below are a few interesting, new ways you can approach playing as a fighter with the 2024 update:
Champion of criticals: Champions are all about increasing the odds of scoring big damage with their critical. They already get up to 4 attacks plus action surge as well. This gives you several chances each turn to land a critical hit. In most cases, you’ll want to use your heroic inspiration reroll on an attack roll to up the odds of landing a hit (or even better, a critical hit). And with your free heroic inspiration every turn, you’ll want to make sure you keep using it. This is an ability better than the lucky feature which was already one of the best feats in the game!
You can dial up the odds of a critical hit even further by taking a weapon with the cleave weapon mastery allowing you to make another attack roll against an adjacent creature to the one you hit (but at slightly lower damage). This attack is still subject to potential critical hits allowing you to theoretically double your number of attacks rolls in a turn (and double the chance of critical hits).
While most creatures won’t line up so neatly for a champion to cleave through them so consistently, this does make the champion particularly devastating against hordes!
Eldritch knight spell attack combos: This is one area where the changes get very exciting! There are a load of ways you can now combo spells with weapon mastery properties. Currently, it’s mainly a case of enhancing an attack with booming blade, now you can consider diving into the fray making an attack or 2, and then launching the likes of sword burst for some AoE damage.
Alternatively, you could use tactical master to push a foe or 2 into a close space, and then launch a low level AoE spell like shatter at extra enemies. Consider two weapon fighting for an offhand attack with your bonus action that’s no longer occupied with making a standard attack too.
You can also get defensive too if you want to get really tanky. Cast something like mirror image to absorb some attacks while you’re on the frontline and still have some spare action economy for an attack or 2.
Master of weapon mastery: Fighters get loads of options with weapon mastery. Ensure you have plenty of different options available for different situations. Cleave is great for crowds, push for combat at height, sap for debuffing enemy martials (and attracting more attacks), slow for ranged combat and topple for fighting alongside allies in close combat. There are other great weapon mastery options too, just use the best one for the circumstances.
Out of combat utility: Fighters can now make usages of second wind to enhance their ability checks. This makes them more reliable with skills and a viable option for investing in certain skills. While still inferior with skills to the likes of rogues and bards, no character can be great at everything. It also makes a bog standard fighter even more reliable at grapples too. Consider filling party skill gaps, and especially with a fighter able to get more ability score increases than anyone else, fighters make a decent backup skill user, especially if you choose your background and species carefully for their extra skills.
So there you have it, all the changes to the 2024 fighter. Largely, the fighter is seeing some big changes and improvements making them more versatile and tactical. Weapon mastery is the big shift here as well as the adaptability of second wind making them a more interesting class to play as.
What do you think of the changes to the fighter? Let us know in the comments below.
Spotlight on the D&D 2024 revision
All the latest updates on what’s changing with the 2024 rules revision.
