D&D 5E [GUIDE] Battle On: The Fighter Guide

mellored · Nov 19, 2017

FrogReaver said:
Theoretically, at level 10 if you blew all uses in the first fight you would get 5 more uses due to 5 additional fights.

True.
And at 15, battlemaster could 5 more by blowing all his dice in the first battle.

Gladius Legis said:
Battle Master dice uses vs. Samurai attacks with advantage isn't necessarily apples-to-apples.

True. And there's plenty of other differences as well. Like trip could fail, and your allies could get advantage or disadvantage (if ranged). As well as samurai use their bonus action, and get's THP.

But overall I think it's a reasonable comparison.

The bigger point is that battlemasters are front loaded, samurai are back loaded.

Rafael DumDum César · Nov 21, 2017

I am playing a lvl 3 samurai on a campaing. Here is my currently build:

My stats: STR 16; DEX 10; CON 16; INT 8; WIS 14; CHA 8.
Variant Human
HP: 31
AC: 16
Saves: STR +5; DEX +0; CON +5; INT -1; WIS +2; CHA -1.
Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting
Feats: Great Weapon Master.
Iniciative: +0
Armor: Chain
Weapons: Greatsword +5 to hit, 2d6+3 damage;

And this is what I intend to lvl 20 without considering items:

My stats: STR 20; DEX 10; CON 20; INT 8; WIS 18; CHA 8.
Variant Human
HP: 224
AC: 18
Saves: STR +5; DEX +0; CON +5; INT -1; WIS +4; CHA -1.
Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting
Feats: Great Weapon Master; Lucky
Iniciative: +0
Armor: Plate
Weapons: Greatsword +11 to hit, 2d6+5 damage;

How can I optmize this? Is there a need to bump wis to 18 or even 16 or should I get more talents? I did not put any magic items here. What would be the best magic items not considering artifacts and sensient? And if I should change something on my starting build. I have seen the general types of saves and I can't seem to find a lot that will affect int or cha, and my DM does not use Psionics.

Thanks

FrogReaver · Nov 23, 2017

Rafael DumDum César said:
I am playing a lvl 3 samurai on a campaing. Here is my currently build:

My stats: STR 16; DEX 10; CON 16; INT 8; WIS 14; CHA 8.
Variant Human
HP: 31
AC: 16
Saves: STR +5; DEX +0; CON +5; INT -1; WIS +2; CHA -1.
Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting
Feats: Great Weapon Master.
Iniciative: +0
Armor: Chain
Weapons: Greatsword +5 to hit, 2d6+3 damage;

And this is what I intend to lvl 20 without considering items:

My stats: STR 20; DEX 10; CON 20; INT 8; WIS 18; CHA 8.
Variant Human
HP: 224
AC: 18
Saves: STR +5; DEX +0; CON +5; INT -1; WIS +4; CHA -1.
Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting
Feats: Great Weapon Master; Lucky
Iniciative: +0
Armor: Plate
Weapons: Greatsword +11 to hit, 2d6+5 damage;

How can I optmize this? Is there a need to bump wis to 18 or even 16 or should I get more talents? I did not put any magic items here. What would be the best magic items not considering artifacts and sensient? And if I should change something on my starting build. I have seen the general types of saves and I can't seem to find a lot that will affect int or cha, and my DM does not use Psionics.

Thanks

There's not a lot of room for optimization on your current setup. Your stat spread leaves most multiclassing out. About the only thing I would consider would another feat over maxing con.

Gladius Legis · Nov 23, 2017

Finished Xanathar updates. All three Fighter archetypes are very solid, so this class fared well from it. I was wavering between blue and sky blue for Samurai, it's right on the border of those two ratings. Gave it sky blue for now.

FieserMoep · Nov 23, 2017

mellored said:
The bigger point is that battlemasters are front loaded, samurai are back loaded.

I'd say it is more about utility/potential versus reliability.
The Samurai is straight forward in its mechanical approach to combat and the Wis Save just adds to that for it improves the odds of you actually doing your thing.
The Battlemaster on the other side is about choices that can offer quite the options in combat AND peak over the Samurai in this comparison.

The Samurai has its advantage, the BM has to work for his. Yet the BM can do so much more and with good dice leave the samurai behind due to the additive nature of his dice - or suck if he rolls crap.
That puts quite the pressure on the Champion for mindless attack spamming was his turf and given the ton of advantage the Samurai may even be the better crit fisher.

Rafael DumDum César · Nov 23, 2017

FrogReaver said:
There's not a lot of room for optimization on your current setup. Your stat spread leaves most multiclassing out. About the only thing I would consider would another feat over maxing con.

What would be the feat? I don't intend to multiclass. You think samurai is better with great weapon or dex? Also what items would be good?

Gladius Legis · Nov 23, 2017

Rafael DumDum César said:
What would be the feat? I don't intend to multiclass. You think samurai is better with great weapon or dex? Also what items would be good?

Alert is good. So is Sentinel.

Samurai pretty much does all basic Fighter builds equally well. STR or DEX, melee or ranged, go at it.

pdegan2814 · Nov 30, 2017

Just to make sure I've read the description right, if a 15th-level Samurai uses Rapid Strike, Action Surge and Fighting Spirit on the same turn, they would get 7 attacks on that turn with Advantage on 6 of them, yes? They give up Advantage on their first attack, and their extra attack from Rapid Strike is at Advantage due to Fighting Spirit, is that correct?

FieserMoep · Nov 30, 2017

Your generated attack should benefit from Fighting Spirit, yes.
Also it does not have to be your first attack without advantage, you can spend them in what order you want.

Joseph Prior · Dec 1, 2017

For a "4e Style Defender" the Battlemaster + Shield Master/Sentinel seems the best way to play it? Or does Cavalier edge it out as a tank? My gut still says Battlemaster.