Breaking the stereotype in D&D
Human fighters are often dismissed as the most mundane class/race combination in D&D. This choice of character is often seen as the default choice, made for new players, lacking the magical flair of a spell slinger or the exotic appeal of the more fantastical races like elves, gnomes or even thri-kreen.
Let’s explore why Human Fighters are perceived as boring, discuss whether there’s merit to the argument.
Why do people think human fighters are boring?
The idea that human fighters are dull seems to stem from a few key points:
- Simplicity: Fighters seem to be designed with accessibility in mind; at early levels, they don’t have as many mechanical intricacies to remember as other classes and are recommended as a gateway choice for new players. As such, they have a reputation as a class you graduate from at a certain point of learning the game.
- Overfamiliarity: Humans are a pretty relatable race, for the most part they’re like the players! In a game that has a fantastical setting and encourages escapism, they can seem a bit conceptually bland next to the more fanciful races like tieflings and dragonborn.
- Combat-centric perception: Fighters are great in combat, but this kind of specialism could be seen as a limitation. Fighters don’t have many abilities that come into play out of combat (like spellcasters or rogues) that could affect social outcomes and exploration.
These stereotypes can be further reinforced when defaulting to generic backstories and motivations, that pen in the would-be-adventurer to a role in the party without much to get your teeth into.
The hidden strengths of the human race
Humans in D&D are themed around flexibility. The newest edition of D&D (and similarly the variant human supplied in the 2014 PHB) tweaked them mechanically to emphasise this, older ideas of human builds could also be out of place:
- Truly inspired: Rather than fixed bonuses, humans come packaged with a single use of heroic inspiration every time they take a long rest. That’s a guaranteed reroll each day, very useful and the kind of thing normally reserved as a reward from the DM for something impressive.
- Extra proficiencies: Humans get to choose an additional proficiency in any one skill. This isn’t complicated, but it is impactful. It can add variation to a fighter, allowing them to take skills outside of their wheelhouse like persuasion, insight or investigation. This can help them get stuck into the game outside of combat.
- Bonus feat: Humans also get an extra origin feat on top of the one you already gain at 1st level, making Humans the masters of feats. Some can be particularly potent and allow for some interesting combinations with your chosen class.
- Narrative Flexibility: Humans might have less prescription in terms of culture when compared to races like elves or dwarves, but this means that they can be very open in terms of backstory, if you have an interesting character idea, a human might be the easiest fit.
Fighter: More than just a simple class
The fighter class can be underestimated due to how straightforward they appear, however the simple nature of the class seems to be a feature, not a bug to me.
The class provides a great foundation for prioritising positioning during combat, to make the most of your attacks. Unlike spellslingers who manage limited casting resources in the form of spell slots, fighters rely on tactics, and mastery of weapons.
From managing movement to ensure they can reach their foe at the right time, to keeping themselves between the enemy and squishier allies, a good fighter is actually more carefully considered than they might appear.
Fighters also offer an interesting set of subclasses, some of which add further complexity to the build, each providing signature abilities that cater to different playstyles:
- Battle Master: Battlefield experts, battle masters use maneuvers to manipulate combat in strategic ways. Players can flavor these maneuvers as signs of tactical brilliance, disciplined training, or years of experience on show. Battle masters also have to manage a finite set of maneuvers they can use between long rests, similar to spell slots.
- Eldritch Knight: Combining martial skill with spell slinging, eldritch knights introduce magic into the fighter class. This subclass opens opportunities for characters who study magic as a complement to their combat prowess. Of course they aren’t a fully fledged caster, but a choice of spells that compliment their combat abilities can give them a customised feel that will be unique to that character. It also offers players the chance to manage spell slots and prepare spells regularly, without being totally reliant on them. So if they like the extra layer of management a spellcaster offers, they can get that experience here
- Champion: This is the most straightforward sub-class for the fighter. It has features in combat, but I don’t believe it’s short on excitement. It has a higher critical hit rate, making each attack roll a little more thrilling than usual, because there’s a better chance of double damage. This creates cinematic combat reminiscent of legendary warriors, causing damage that other close combat classes could only dream of. In addition, less preoccupation with additional factors like spell choice or focus points, leaves mental room for better mid – fight role play and stronger descriptions of characters actions.
- Psi Warrior: This subclass adds a psychic twist to the fighter, emulating powers like those of a jedi knight. With abilities like telekinetic push or mental protection, fighting as a psi-warrior has a certain flourish not present in other subclasses. They can even protect themselves or others with a protective sphere, adding a further dimension to combat, so your fighter isn’t always on the offensive.
These subclasses show that Fighters are not confined to a single playstyle. Each choice shapes the character’s identity, providing ample opportunities for thematic development and roleplay.
Weapon mastery
The fighter from the 2024 edition is one of the classes that can utilise the ‘magic’ of weapon mastery to further customise your character. Weapon mastery illustrates the martial classes’ acumen with their tools of trade.
In the hands of these classes each simple or martial weapon has special actions that can be taken in combat, similar to a battle master’s maneuvers.
For example, the great axe has a master property called ‘Cleave; allowing a single attack to strike multiple foes. Properties like ‘Push’ can maneuver enemies around the battlefield when hit, while ‘Topple’ can knock enemies prone. These kinds of actions can almost give fighters some of their own ‘spells’, actions that can be taken outside of a simple attack to affect the combat outside of damage.
Players who feel that fighters don’t have variation in combat will find these options add more choice without taking away from the fighters accessibility.
Making your human fighter interesting
To make a human fighter interesting, players should try to move past the standardised stereotypes and start from scratch with questions that lead to unique character creation. This then informs players’ roleplay decisions and how a DM can personalise quests:
- Backstory and motivations: What drives your character to life on road? And why would they be a fighter of all classes? Are they running away from trouble or towards a lifelong goal? These details will help DMs continue your characters story in keeping with the characters themes.
- Personality and values: Not all Fighters are stoic tough guys. Some may be calculating tacticians, pensive warrior philosophers, or even reluctant soldiers, fighting for a cause they don’t believe in. Determining a character’s moral compass and preferences gives more meat to roleplay interactions, creating consistency in how they approach a given situation and encouraging the character to take on a life of its own.
- Influences from literature and media: Iconic Human Fighters like Aragorn and Jon Snow demonstrate that fighters can be layered, emotionally driven warriors that differ in their views. If inspiration is short, consider a few characters you like with more nuanced approaches to emulate.
The problem with playing it safe
A big reason why Human Fighters are seen as boring is that players often default to more predictable character choices.
Fighters are sometimes used as a fallback when players are uncertain about complex mechanics, leading to boring character development if they don’t lean hard into their characters roleplaying potential.
Races like elves, dwarves, or tieflings come with cultural lore and more specific physical traits but these races can also sometimes lead to clichéd roleplay if not conceptually well developed, it just doesn’t manifest itself on the first session. Sure at first a grumpy dwarf might stand out from more amiable members of the party, but without three dimensional characters motivations, they will wash out as boring, regardless of the chosen class.
A good character is a good character, a busier character sheet or funny gimmick at the start doesn’t necessarily mean you will feel engaged with the idea deeper into the campaign.
How can DM’s help?
Dungeon Masters can help to support the development of interesting human fighters in a few ways:
- Integrate backstories: Weave the fighter’s history into the overall campaign. Introduce some hated rivals, reunited with old comrades in arms, or dig up some unresolved conflicts that drive their personal angle.
- Create moral dilemmas: Present some challenges that test the fighter’s values and force them to question their loyalties. Most fighters have a cause, even if it’s just getting rich, be willing to test their commitment to that when the path is tricky or the goal isn’t all its cracked up to be.
- Recognise achievements: Reward fighters for their leadership, bravery, and tactical thinking. Titles, alliances, and potential accolades can be great incentives for growth. Even a bit of heroic inspiration for a well roleplayed scene could draw a player to explore more chances to interact with the world.
Conclusion
Human Fighters aren’t any more boring than other class/race combinations. However they are prone to feeling bland, as they are more of an open book than some concepts. Put the effort into a unique build and lean into roleplaying and they have as much potential as any other character.