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Fighters have been the go-to combat class for as long as tabletop RPGs have existed, andPathfinderis no different. Masters of almost every conceivable weapon, Fighters can handle themselves unlike any other when a situation turns to violence. Whatever threats your party faces, they’ll always be glad to have a Fighter at their back!
Related:Everything You Need To Play Pathfinder
Like many of the classes in Pathfinder, Fighters have a lot of options to choose from. In this guide, we’ll break down the best picks for your character depending on what sort of Fighter you want to build.
All the selections in this guide are available in thePathfinder Core Rulebook.Once you’re familiar with the rules, try experimenting with options from other books!
Why Should You Play A Fighter?
There are plenty of classes that excel in physical combat in Pathfinder, butnone are as versatile as the Fighter.While you’ll probably seek to specialize your character in either ranged or melee combat, they’ll have little trouble switching between the two if needed.
From soaking up damage to dishing it out, Fighters really can do it all. The best part is that they have plenty of maneuvers that let them bring some flair and panache to their battles, or just let you flex your tactical muscles with brilliant plays.
How To Build A Tank Fighter In Pathfinder 2e
A defensive Fighter willalways be in the thick of combat, shrugging off blows while defeating enemies left and right.
Ability Scores
They fill a similar role in the party to the Champion class, and rely on their heavy armor to keep them alive.
Constitutionshould be your highest Ability Score, followed byStrength, then Wisdom.Wisdomhelps shore up your Will Saving Throw, which is your weakest at the start, and the usefulness of Dexterity is limited by the heavy armor you’ll be wearing.
Ancestry
Dwarvesmake excellent tanks, with a boost to both Constitution and Wisdom right from the start. They also have ahigher starting hit point totalthan any other Ancestry.
Gnomeshave good starting hit points and a boost to Constitution, and their size category of Small can lead to some interesting gameplay options. Their Strength penalty canlimit their damage output, however.Choose Dexterity over Strength andwield a Finesse weapon like a Rapier,and you’ll have a Fighter that your foes will underestimate every time.
When in doubt, Humans are always a solid choice!Specifically,half-orc Humans have some powerful Ancestry Featsthat let them stay in the game far longer than their hit point total would seem to allow.
Background
Farmhandsget boosts to defensive Ability Scores, and Athletics is a great Skill for Fighters in general. The Assurance (Athletics) Feat means you’ll rarely fail a feat of strength.
Field Medicshave ideal Ability Score boosts for a tank, and Warfare Lore is a nice fit for your class. Battle Medicine lets you patch yourself up after a fight if no other healing is available.
Laborersnot only get Ability Score boosts that are perfect for what you need, but their increased carrying capacity from theHefty HaulerFeat means they won’t be as bogged down by heavy armor.
Nomadsget boosts to Constitution and/or Wisdom, both of which are great for a tank, and their supercharged Survival Skill is a fantastic boon.
Feats
You start with theShield BlockFeat for free, which is perfect for your role as a front-line combatant. TakeReactive Shieldas your Class Feat to ensure you’re always fully protected as long as your shield holds out.
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Equipment
Spend most of your starting Gold onarmor and shields;a Steel Shield is best, as it provides all the protection of a Wooden Shield but ismuch more durablefor only a single Gold coin more. If your Dexterity Bonus is +1, spring for aBreastplateto get the most AC for your money; if your Dexterity Bonus is +2 or higher, a suit ofScale Mailis much cheaper and provides a slightly better total bonus.
You’ll need a one-handed weapon, since your off-hand will always have a shield.Longswords and Tridentsoffer the highest damage output in this category, but since you’re planning to be surrounded more often than not,consider a Battle Axe.It only deals 1d8 damage instead of 1d10, but its Sweep Trait makes itmore effective overall when fighting off multiple enemies at once.
How To Build A Melee Damage Fighter In Pathfinder 2e
If you’d prefer tofocus more on dealing damagethan taking it, there are some key changes you’ll need to make to the above build. Namely, you’ll want to choose different Feats re-prioritize your Ability Scores. This build also allows you toinflict status conditions on your opponents, making the overall fight much easier.
Your highest Ability Score for a melee damage Fighter should always beStrength.Constitution should come second to help boost your hit point total. Most players will choose Dexterity as their third selection, but choosing Charisma can give you someexciting ways to use Intimidateif you want to try something different.
No Ancestry has an inherent Strength boost, but two - Gnomes and Halflings - have a Strength Flaw, so you shouldavoid them for this build.
Dwarves are a strong choice on account of theirgreat Constitution and hit points, and whileGoblins and Humansmake good all-round Fighters in this role. Elves are better-suited to a ranged build - see below.
Since you can’t get Strength boosts from your Ancestry, it’s important tolook for Backgrounds that offer themalongside useful Feats.
Acrobatsare a good choice for Fighters who choose Dexterity as their third Ability Score, since theSteady BalanceFeat will help you reach foes in tricky positions with ease.
Gladiatorsoffer some powerful flavor to your character, and if you’ve opted to take Charisma as one of your mid-level Ability Scores they can get use out ofImpressive Performance.
Laborersgive your character extra bulk, both in terms of their Ability Boosts and theHefty HaulerFeat.
Warriorsare an excellent choice as they allow you to more easily demoralize your opponents withIntimidating Glare.
Your Feats should focus onclosing with the enemy earlyand hitting them as hard as you’re able to when you get there. Start with eitherSudden Charge, which allows you to get into melee as soon as your turn comes up, orPower Attackto go all-in on damage.
As you level up, try these Fighter Feats to make your character a whirlwind of destruction.
Atwo-handed melee weaponshould be your first priority, followed by the best armor you can afford.
As weapons go, you have some great options just from the Common list.MaulsandGreat Axeshave the highest potential damage. If that’s your primary concern, go with the Maul; the Great Axe is good for dealing with groups, but theFalchion has better Traitsfor this purpose and only slightly less damage.
A Bastard Sword can be wielded one-handed if necessary, making it a versatile (albeit somewhat expensive) weapon in an emergency.
If you’d like to trip up your opponents and have a full toolbox of maneuvers, theWar Flailoffers Disarm, Trip, and Sweep all in a single package.
Like the tank build above, you should choose aBreastplateif your Dexterity Bonus is +1or less, or a suit ofScale Mailif your Dexterity Bonus is +2. If your Dexterity Bonus is +3 due to an Ancestry or Background boost,Studded Leatheroffers the same protection without the movement penalty, letting you charge into battle unimpeded.
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How To Build A Ranged Fighter In Pathfinder 2e
If there’s a Champion, Monk, or even another Fighter on your team to handle the front-line combat, a ranged build offersgreat damage potential from a safe distance.While a Ranger will focus on a single foe at a time, you’ll be able to switch between targets with ease as the situation dictates. Best of all, withmultiple attacks each turnonce you’ve leveled up a bit, you’ll be able to put up some truly impressive numbers when it comes to overall damage.
Dexterityis the most important Ability for a ranged Fighter. Constitution is a good second choice, since you can expect that enemies will want to shoot you back. Strength isn’t as important as it is for a melee build, soprioritize your remaining Ability Scores based on the Skills that you want to use.
Every time you have an opportunity to increase your Dexterity, take it. A ranged Fighter needs as high an attack roll bonus as possible to offset the penalties from Double and Triple Shot.
Elves, Goblins, and Halflingsall have inherent Dexterity boosts, making them ideal choices for a ranged Fighter.
Elves, particularly those with theOtherworldly MagicFeat, get plenty of useful effects based on their Heritage.
Goblins are particularly adept atgetting into an advantageous firing position.
Halflings areespecially dangerous with a Sling in their hands, particularly against large opponents.
Since your primary focus is on a single Ability Score, you can technicallychoose any Backgroundas long as youput your free boost into Dexterity.
Nearly every tier of Fighter Feats has options that enhance ranged attacks. Starting withPoint-Blank Shotat character creation gives you some much-needed protection should an enemy get into melee range with you. After that, look to take the following Fighter Feats as you level up:
Since you’re relying on Dexterity, light armor is the way to go.Leather Armoris cheap and provides ample protection up to a Dexterity Bonus of +4. Once your Dexterity Bonus exceeds that number, you’re actually better off fighting unarmored!
Your Point-Blank Shot stance means that you can safely use aLongbowin most circumstances. If your Strength is 14 or higher, aComposite Longbowwill give you a bit of extra damage thanks to its Propulsive Trait.
It could be a good idea to be prepared with a melee weapon - aRapier or Main Gauche- in case you run out of ammunition. You won’t get the benefits of your Feats, but those weapons' Finesse Traits mean you’ll get to use your exceptional Dexterity for attack rolls.
