In Baldur's Gate 3, the player's choice of character class is arguably the most important decision they make. Each class provides different abilities and utility when exploring the world and when engaging in combat. One such class is the Fighter, who begins the game with the ability to wield any weapon and wear any kind of armor.
The Fighter in Baldur's Gate 3 is one of the simplest classes to understand when looking at it. The Fighter, as their name suggests, fights. More specifically, the Fighter class is an expert on the use of weapons and armor of all kinds and can thus adapt easily to different combat situations. The Fighter subclasses each offer more ways for the Fighter to excel on the battlefield, be it through specialized combat maneuvers, the addition of magic to their arsenal, or simply increasing their survivability and critical hit potential.
Battle Master
The Battle Master subclass is best known for its access to Superiority Dice, a limited resource they can spend to execute maneuvers and boost the damage of their attacks. Battle Master Fighters start gaining their subclass abilities at level 3, where they select three Battle Master Maneuvers and gain access to four Superiority Dice (1d8) per short rest. Whenever a Maneuver involves making an attack, that attack deals additional damage equal to a roll of the Superiority Dice.
Maneuver | Effect |
Menacing Attack | Perform an Attack that can Frighten the Target if they fail a Wisdom Saving Throw. |
Pushing Attack | Perform an Attack that can Push the Target back 4.5m if they fail a Strength Saving Throw. |
Rally | Target an Ally within 18m and give them 8 extra Hit Points. |
Riposte | When an enemy misses the Fighter with an Attack, they can spend a Superiority Die to retaliate with an attack of their own. (This attack always deals piercing damage, regardless of the weapon used) |
Trip Attack (Melee) | Perform an Attack that can knock the Target Prone if they fail a Strength Saving Throw. |
Trip Attack (Ranged) | Same as above, but with a Ranged Attack instead. (Requires a Ranged Weapon) |
Disarming Attack | Perform an Attack that causes the Target to drop their weapon if it hits. |
These Maneuvers allow the Fighter to control the battlefield and aid their allies while pressing the attack.
Eldritch Knight
The Eldritch Knight subclass allows the fighter to learn a small selection of spells from the schools of Evocation and Abjuration, allowing them access to magic to buff themselves and damage their foes. They gain the ability to cast first-level spells once they reach Fighter Level 3, with two spell slots to use when doing so. They also learn two Wizard Cantrips and two Wizard Spells from the aforementioned Spell Schools. They will continue to gain additional spells, and eventually higher level spells and spell slots, as they increase in level.
The Eldritch Knight serves as a way for Fighters to gain limited access to magic and, as a result, the ability to buff themselves and inflict elemental damage. Since they cast spells using the Intelligence stat, the Eldritch Knight subclass is particularly well suited to the Githyanki race.
Champion
The Champion Class is unavailable in the Early Access version of the game, so all information here is drawn from the D&D 5e Tabletop Rules. The Champion Class is one of the simplest subclasses in 5th Edition D&D and largely consists of straightforward but effective abilities which enable the Fighter to do what it does best, fight. Champions gain an increased chance of landing critical hits, a bonus to skill checks that involve Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, longer jumps, and an extra Fighting Style.
The Champion Class is therefore likely to be an exceptional fighter with the ability to land critical hits with greater frequency than any other Fighter subclass.
Baldur's Gate 3 launches on the 3rd of August 2023 for PC and Mac, and the 6th of September 2023 for PS5.