Baldur’s Gate 3offers an impressive selection of races, classes, and subclasses from theDungeons and Dragons Fifth Editionrulebook. Of all these options, few are more classicallyDnDthan the Fighter class, a martial master of arms capable of wielding any weapon with deadly effect inBaldur’s Gate 3.
A common misconception about the Fighterclass inDungeons and Dragonsis that its simplicity makes it a “tutorial” class. However, the Fighter is actually the most versatile martial class in the system, and can be built and played in many different ways. The heavily-armored knight with shield and flail, the agile fencing master, deadly with a rapier, the sharpshooter archer who can strike an enemy’s weapon from their hand with a well-placed arrow, all can be built using the Fighter class.
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Baldur’s Gate 3: Fighter Roleplay Features
Fighters are masters of arms and armor, able to wieldanyBaldur’s Gate 3weaponwith skill and comfortable in the heaviest plate. However, when a player creates a Fighter they are given several options that allow them to specialize in a specific combat technique or weapon, and at level 3 they gain a subclass to further customize their own style. With few Skill Proficiencies and no out-of-combat abilities, these choices are core to a Fighter’s roleplay identity. There’s a huge difference between a hulking Strength-based Champion in heavy armor and a dextrous, intelligent Eldritch Knight who weaves magic and martial skill on the battlefield.
Because Fighters generally only need high Strength or Dexterity, as well as some Constitution to keep them alive, they often have a few points left over to spend as they like in the mental Ability Scores. This freedom is almost unique to the Fighter, as most other classes require either Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma to power their features. Instead, Fighters can choose to put their spare points into Charisma tobuild a charming Bard-like adventurer, into Intelligence to combine their martial skill with a good education, or into Wisdom to make a perceptive character who sees through lies and traps alike.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Fighter Gameplay Features
As the name suggests, there’s nowhere that Fighters feel more at home than on the battlefield. Depending on their build they can fill a tank orDPS role inBaldur’s Gate 3, and specialize in melee or ranged combat. Their Second Wind feature makes them one of the most self-sufficient classes, able to heal themselves mid-combat, and their powerful Action Surge allows them to get more done in a single turn than any other class.
While the Fighter’s choice of Fighting Style will help to define how they play in combat, it’s their subclass that will truly decide their build. The Fighter has threesubclasses to choose from inBaldur’s Gate 3,each with its own unique flavor:
Whichever Fighter subclassplayers pick inBaldur’s Gate 3, they can be sure that their character will remain a linchpin of the party on the battlefield. The Fighter’s self-sufficiency is enough to carry it through the toughest battles, and its flexible approach to mental Ability Scores means that players get to choose what their Fighter excels at when the swords are sheathed.
Baldur’s Gate 3comes out on August 3 on PC and September 6 on PS5.
