How often do you see these fighter archetypes at the table?

[Mistwell]

cusing on dealing the most damage
4) a reach/polearm fighter, using pikes, glaives etc.
5) a classic "sword & board" fighter, focusing on armor and defense

I think my count is 5 campaigns, and I have only seen these two in play.

 

[Ancalagon]

Hello

I've only played "physically" in a single 5e campaign (the one I am running) and no one is playing a fighter

In the phb games I have taken part of, going by memory I've seen 1 archer (built using the samurai subclass), 1 dex-based meleist (Rodrigo! a battle master), one greater weapon fighter and one shield and board fighter.

I am surprised you didn't include the "gish" - the Eldrich Knight. That's a style too....

 

[Shiroiken]

I've seen more archery fighters than any other type, with sword and board close behind. I've seen some TWF fighters, but mostly as multi-class with rogue. We only had one heavy weapon fighter, since most prefer to use a barbarian for that style. Oddly, we've only ever had one polearm character, who was a paladin.

 

[Shiroiken]

I am surprised you didn't include the "gish" - the Eldrich Knight. That's a style too....

gish is a different kind of style. You can have an archer gish, sword and board gish, great weapon gish, two weapon gish, or polearm gish, so they fit into the existing five styles.

 

[Ezequielramone]

I've have many major campaign the last years:
First tyranny of dragons campaign: a classic "sword & board" fighter, focusing on armor and defense
Out of the Abyss campaign: a reach/polearm fighter, using pikes, glaives etc
Princes of the Apocalypse (online): a heavy weapon fighter focusing on dealing the most damage

I'm pretty sure one friend played a fighter with crossbows but don't remember when.

 

[Satyrn]

So far, every fighter has fit into category 2 - an agile/mobile fighter, with dueling or two-weapon fighting.


(We've had 1 fighter so far)

 

[Blue]

I've seen a lot at my gaming club. I'm going to answer this two ways.

First, the way you asked it. I've seen all of these, both as pure fighters and as multiclass that includes fighter. Heavy weapon and archer have been the most common, almost always around feats.

Oh #2 and #5 do overlap a good deal in play - a agile sword and board fighter with dueling fighting style. They are definitely defense oriented, but not "tank" oriented, which may be what you were going for with #5.

Second, I'll flip it, with what I see the most of:

1) an archer fighter, focusing on ranged combat
Fighter, UA Ranger, and the occasional rogue. Almost always with one or both of Sharpshoot and Crossbow Expert feats.

2) an agile/mobile fighter, with dueling or two-weapon fighting
Rogue, Fighter, UA ranger.

3) a heavy weapon fighter focusing on dealing the most damage
Barbarian, Paladin (Vengence), Fighter. Exclusively with GWM. And while any of these can be X + Fighter multiclass, this seems to have a lot of 3 level dips into Fighter (Champion). Especially those half-orc barbarians with a d12 weapon, looking to crit that occurs 19-20 (champion) with advantage (barb) and does 3d12 (half orc racial).

4) a reach/polearm fighter, using pikes, glaives etc.
Paladin, Fighter, occasional Barb.

5) a classic "sword & board" fighter, focusing on armor and defense
Paladin, Fighter, occasional Barb

 

[Warmaster Horus]

I have one of each of those in some flavor or another.

 

[aco175]

In my 5 campaigns there have been 6 fighters, all champion. 5 have been sword and board with strength, while one was dex build who went archer, but ended up front line fighting most of the time.