Best Fighter build in Baldur’s Gate 3

In this article, we’ll navigate through the labyrinthine landscape of subclasses and abilities to craft the ultimate fighter build, one that embodies both raw power and adaptability, to ensure victory in even the direst of encounters.

Unleashing thunderous blows upon foes and standing tall against the mightiest adversaries, fighters are the beating heart of Baldur’s Gate 3’s adventurous realm.

These quintessential warriors wield unmatched versatility in combat, from wielding towering two-handed weapons to striking with pinpoint accuracy from a distance. Their resilience is a shield for their companions, their indomitable spirit leading the charge against the most harrowing odds.

As we delve into the intricate world of character builds within Baldur’s Gate 3, it becomes abundantly clear that the path of the fighter holds a wealth of potential.

Join us on this journey to uncover the recipe for the most formidable fighter that this realm has ever seen.

The Basics of the Best Build for Fighter

Now we know, nothing may ever beat our favourite Githyanki fighter Lae’zel however, the fighter class is sometimes overlooked by players, in favour of more magical and versatile classes. We are here to change that by giving you our opinion on what is the best fighter build possible in Baldur’s Gate 3.

You can start by choosing any of the fighting styles in the character creation menu, this will just determine the style of your play. We started with Great Weapon.

Here is our quick layout for the best fighter build in BG3:

• Race: Half-Orc
• Subclass: Battlemaster
• Background: Soldier
• Ability Focus: Strength, Constitution

Below we will explain in more detail about these choices.

Race Half-Orc

The racial features of half-orcs make them well-suited for combat. Relentless Endurance allows them to survive even the most devastating blows, while Menacing gives them an edge in battle. Savage Attacks can turn a critical hit into a devastating blow, and darkvision allows them to fight effectively in even the darkest of places.

Ability bonus:

• +1 Constitution
• +2 Strength

Racial features:

• Relentless Endurance: When reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead.
• Menacing: You are proficient in the Intimidation skill.
• Savage Attacks: When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon, roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add the extra damage.
• Darkvision: You can see in the dark out to a range of 12 meters.

Subclass Battlemaster

The Battle Master subclass as a fighter subclass is a good choice because it gives you a variety of combat manoeuvres that you can use to control the battlefield and deal extra damage to your enemies. Some of the most useful Battle Master manoeuvres include

• Riposte: You can use this manoeuvre to make an attack against an enemy that has just missed you.
• Pushing Attack: You can use this manoeuvre to push an enemy back 5 feet after you hit them with an attack.
• Disarming Attack: You can use this manoeuvre to try to disarm an enemy after you hit them with an attack.

Eldritch Knight: This subclass is focused on blending martial prowess with magic. Eldritch Knights can learn a limited number of spells, which they can use to augment their attacks or defend themselves. They also have a number of abilities that allow them to cast spells while wearing armor.

Background Soldier

The best build for a fighter in Baldur’s Gate 3 depends on your playstyle and the party composition you are going for. However, here is a general build that is good for most situations:

The Soldier background is a good choice for fighters because it gives you proficiency in Athletics and Intimidation, which are two useful skills for fighters. It also gives you a starting equipment package that includes chainmail, a shield, and a longsword, which are all good weapons for a fighter to start with.

Skills

Level 4

• Feat:
  • Great Weapon Master and great weapon fighting (Melee builds with 2h): You can take a -5 penalty to your attack roll to deal +10 damage on a hit.
  • Ability Improvement (Strength): Increase your Strength score by 2.

Level 5

• Extra Attack: You can attack twice whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Level 6

• Feat:
  • Savage Attacker (Damage builds): You can roll an additional damage die when you roll a critical hit with a melee weapon.
  • Lucky: You can reroll any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check once per day.
  • Heavily Armoured: Increase your maximum Dexterity bonus to AC while wearing heavy armor by 1.
  • Weapon Master: Gain proficiency with all weapons and shields.
  • Athlete (1 Str, extra Jump distance): Increase your Strength score by 1 and increase your jump distance by 3 feet.
  • Charger: If you move at least 10 feet straight towards a target before attacking it, you can add your Strength modifier to the damage roll of the attack.
  • Mobile: You can move through the space of a hostile creature without provoking an opportunity attack from that creature, provided you don’t move more than 5 feet past it.

Level 7

• Manoeuvre:
  • Precision Attack: You can add a d8 to your attack roll to hit a target that you have disadvantage against.
  • Distracting Strike: You can make a melee attack against a creature that you are already engaged with. If the attack hits, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target is distracted until the end of your next turn.
  • Feinting Attack: You can feint to distract a creature and give yourself advantage on your next attack roll against it.

Level 8

• Feat:
  • Ability Improvement (Strength): Increase your Strength score by 2.

Level 9

• Automatically chosen

Level 10

• Manoeuvre:
  • Trip Attack: You can make a melee attack against a creature that is standing. If the attack hits, the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the target falls prone.

Level 11

• Automatically chosen

Level 12

• Feat: Ability score improvement

Weapons and Equipment

Two-handed weapons are the best weapons for fighters, as they deal the most damage. Some of the best two-handed weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3 include:

• Greataxe
• Greatsword
• Maul

Armor: Heavy armor

Heavy armor is the best armor for fighters, as it provides the most protection. Some of the best heavy armors in Baldur’s Gate 3 include:

• Plate armor
• Chainmail
• Half plate

This build is a good all-around build that is good for both damage and survivability. It is a good choice for players who want to play a frontline fighter who can deal a lot of damage and take a lot of hits.

Tips to Elevate your Fighter build

• Dual-wielding fighter: This build focuses on using two weapons to deal a lot of damage. It is a good choice for players who want to play a high-damage fighter who is more mobile than a traditional two-handed fighter.
• Ranged fighter: This build focuses on using ranged weapons to deal damage from a distance. It is a good choice for players who want to play a fighter who can support their allies from a distance.
• Tank fighter: This build focuses on using heavy armor and a shield to protect their allies. It is a good choice for players who want to play a fighter who can soak up a lot of damage and keep their allies alive.

Ultimately, the best build for you will depend on your playstyle and the party composition you are going for. Experiment with different builds and find one that you enjoy playing. Beyond the classic Fighter class, we also have best build guides for Barbarian and can you multiclass in BG3?