D&D (2024) Complete Champion : Fighter Tier List

[Zardnaar]

Well the fighter has been buffed with weapon masteries and extra second winds. And thats just early on.The archetypes have also been tuned espicially the Eldritch Knight and Champion.

The fighter is also a great multiclass choice as so.many builds benefit from a 1 or two level dip. It makes a great slice of bacon in someone else's sandwich.

The class is also fairly front loaded with key features at 1,2,3,5, 6 and 7. This bodes well for my lists that tend to weight the first ten levels more than 11-20. No fighter is bad and each archetype builds on the base class reasonably well. They also do well on any concept eg range, melee or hybrid where Barbarians, Monks and Paladins are melee focused.

Tier Ranking

Battlemaster: S
Champion B+
Eldritch Knight A (S at higher level)
Psi Warrior. B

 

[Zardnaar]

Battlemaster

Traditionally the Battlemaster has been the best 5E fighter or at least tied. 2024 is lacking the Echo/Rune Knights however. Fighters are already short rest in effect and this archetype doubles down on it. Combos well with Monks and Warlocks in the party (my BG4 campaign atm).

Level 3

Combat Superiority.
You gain 4 Superiority Dice and 3 maneuvers. How good this is depends a bit more on player skill but obvious ones tend to be riposte, trip attack, precision attack. A lot have extra damage as an option. Build/player dependent but generally this ability is great. Espically at level 3. And it scales with more maneuvers at 7, 10 and 15.

Student of War.
Tool and skill proficiency. More utility on top of tactical mind. You're no rogue but you're closing the gap. I like it good ability. More utility is always nice.

Level 7 Know Your Enemy

Basically a divination effect letting you know immunities, resistances and vulnerabilities. Only once per long rest but you can spend a Superiority Dice to regain it. Personally this is so useful as I have seen things go somewhat pear shaped vs obscure monsters with vulnerabilities. For those players who haven't memorized the MM or metagame......

Improved Combat Superiority.
Your Dice become a d10. Fairly marginal increase tbh. Still decent but not super exciting.

Level 15.
Relentless.
Once per turn you can roll a d8 instead of expending a Superiority Dice. Not quite at will use of your Superiority Dice but every round in effect.

Level 18.
Ultimate Combat Superiority.

Your dice become a d12. It's late and fairly marginal for the level. Big upgrade over d8s though so still decent.

So formally an S tier class with the overall buffs to fighters it still is. Also front loaded along with the base class. It's abilities also work at range and with a bonus feat at level 6 it's a contender for the best archer as well (20 dex, sharpshooter and heavy weapon master level 8).

Is it the most powerful fighter? At levels where it matter yes. It is joined by another fighter later in the S tier. But when it matter the most it's great. It's also competitive either the other martial types with its utility even if it loses out slightly vs Berzerkers and Zealot Barbarians in damage.

 

[Zardnaar]

Champion

The former simple fighter that loses a damage race to a battlemaster using simple maneuvers just to boost damage. Popular with newer players as it was simple and enhanced criticals. Unfortunately an extra 5% chance to crit made the class comparatively weak. But now it's 2024.

Level 3.

Improved critical. You crit in 19 or 20. Fun espicially with advantage but I'm not a fan of random mechanics unless they're reliable. This is an OK ability but people tend to over rate it. WotC realized this however and gave the archetype additional features.

Remarkable athlete. Advantage on initiative rolls and athletics checks. And when you crit you can move up to half your speed. For the most artthis is a boost to initiative. That alone makes it very good all by itself. Still simple as well so thank you WotC. Double feature level 3.

Level 7. Additional fighting style. Most likely a +1 boost to AC. But you can pick any of them. Good ability always useful.

Level 10. Heroic Warrior. If you don't have heroic inspiration at the start of your turn you gain it. This ability is really really good. Espicially with Vex. Blows the Battlemaster level 10 ability out of the water. +1 tier type good level 10 and combos with improved critical.

Level 15. Superior Critical.

Critical hit 18+. With advantage 30% critical chance. Decent ability made to look better by how good Heroic Warrior is.

Level 18. Survivor.

You become harder to put down. Situationally useful both effects and it comes later. Solid ability better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick though.

Overall 2 stand out abilities with Remarkable athlete and Heroic Warrior. Your damage boost however is less than other archetypes. Still reasonably boring comparatively but vastly improved. Formally a C tier archetype. At level 10 I think it's an A tier archetype now. Unfortunately that's reasonably late but it's competive enough at lower levels for a B+ overall imho. Simple and powerful.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I like that they added to the Champion, while still maintaining its status as, "I like to drink beer, eat pretzels, and hit stuff" class.

A lot of people who are really into D&D and/or optimization (which tends to be the majority of people here) forget that there are so many people who aren't into the mechanics, and the Champion is an option that I have seen be unfailingly popular with groups because of that.

Of course, it's also popular, apparently, for people to dip and farm crits, so there's that.

 

[Zardnaar]

I like that they added to the Champion, while still maintaining its status as, "I like to drink beer, eat pretzels, and hit stuff" class.

A lot of people who are really into D&D and/or optimization (which tends to be the majority of people here) forget that there are so many people who aren't into the mechanics, and the Champion is an option that I have seen be unfailingly popular with groups because of that.

Of course, it's also popular, apparently, for people to dip and farm crits, so there's that.

Crit farming most a waste imho.

I'm seeing newer players struggle with weapon mastery 2024. I'm aware of it as I'm running a newbie campaign.

Think most here forget the Simplicity aspect. Seen F all wizards last ten years multiple Sorcerers almost ever campaign.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Crit farming most a waste imho.

I can't comment one way or the other, as I am not into optimization. Not that it's wrong or bad, just not terribly interesting to me. But I have heard people who wanna dip it from the crits.

Dippin' it for the crits!

Has a nice ring to it.

I'm seeing newer players struggle with weapon mastery 2024. I'm aware of it as I'm running a newbie campaign.

I don't doubt that. People who are into D&D forget that we are familiar and comfortable with the rules, so WM is just a little add on. But when you're struggling to understand basic stuff like, "Why can't my 5th level cleric cast 5th level spells? It's in the NAME!!!!" .... well, that can be an issue. Not to mention a lot of the masteries don't play nice with TOTM.

Think most here forget the Simplicity aspect. Seen F all wizards last ten years multiple Sorcerers almost ever campaign.

Yep. As I've often recounted, I've run campaigns that 10 sessions in, the person with the Champion asks, "Why is second wind on my character sheet?" After we explained that, he asked about action surge.

 

[Zardnaar]

I can't comment one way or the other, as I am not into optimization. Not that it's wrong or bad, just not terribly interesting to me. But I have heard people who wanna dip it from the crits.

Dippin' it for the crits!

Has a nice ring to it.



I don't doubt that. People who are into D&D forget that we are familiar and comfortable with the rules, so WM is just a little add on. But when you're struggling to understand basic stuff like, "Why can't my 5th level cleric cast 5th level spells? It's in the NAME!!!!" .... well, that can be an issue. Not to mention a lot of the masteries don't play nice with TOTM.



Yep. As I've often recounted, I've run campaigns that 10 sessions in, the person with the Champion asks, "Why is second wind on my character sheet?" After we explained that, he asked about action surge.

My groups not that bad. One caught on like a fish to water. She's very smart but moving for new job it seems.

Another at least is asking questions. Eg are clerics good tanks? No not really more fighters and Barbarians.

 

[mellored]

Crit farming most a waste imho.

Agreed. 5% of the time you deal +2d6 damage. That's only +0.35.

It's worse than Savage Attacker's +1.37, tied with 4 rolls a turn.

Initiative boost on the other hand, is underrated.


And if you want to stay simple, take Graze as your weapon mastery.

 

[Ashrym]

Battlemaster

Traditionally the Battlemaster has been the best 5E fighter or at least tied. 2024 is lacking the Echo/Rune Knights however. Fighters are already short rest in effect and this archetype doubles down on it. Combos well with Monks and Warlocks in the party (my BG4 campaign atm).

IMO battlemaster is still the best; or at least the most fun.

Level 3

Combat Superiority.
You gain 4 Superiority Dice and 3 maneuvers. How good this is depends a bit more on player skill but obvious ones tend to be riposte, trip attack, precision attack. A lot have extra damage as an option. Build/player dependent but generally this ability is great. Espically at level 3. And it scales with more maneuvers at 7, 10 and 15.

This also adds an additional superiority die at levels 7 and 15.

I think there's been a relatively significant paradigm shift moving from 2014 to 2024 rules with superiority dice and maneuvers because of weapon mastery. 2014 rules gave battlemasters effects based on applying superiority dice with maneuvers. 2024 changes this so all fighters can have effects all the time and battlemasters can stack on additional effects with those superiority dice and maneuvers; and even more effects with feats like crusher, piercer, or slasher.

Student of War.
Tool and skill proficiency. More utility on top of tactical mind. You're no rogue but you're closing the gap. I like it good ability. More utility is always nice.

Don't forget maneuvers like ambush, commanding presence, or tactical assessment. There's a fair bit of increased utility.

Level 7 Know Your Enemy

Basically a divination effect letting you know immunities, resistances and vulnerabilities. Only once per long rest but you can spend a Superiority Dice to regain it. Personally this is so useful as I have seen things go somewhat pear shaped vs obscure monsters with vulnerabilities. For those players who haven't memorized the MM or metagame......

This beats the hell out of the study action to make a check to recall some relevant information.

Level 15.
Relentless.
Once per turn you can roll a d8 instead of expending a Superiority Dice. Not quite at will use of your Superiority Dice but every round in effect.

I think this is fantastic for using maneuvers stacked on weapon mastery far more often.

So formally an S tier class with the overall buffs to fighters it still is. Also front loaded along with the base class. It's abilities also work at range and with a bonus feat at level 6 it's a contender for the best archer as well (20 dex, sharpshooter and heavy weapon master level 8).

Definitely an excellent archer.

I think we have differing ideas on what "S tier means". I think broken good and it might be a me thing lol. I'm more inclined to rate most options A+ or lower, and reserve S tier for something more exceptional.

 

[DrJawaPhD]

Agreed. 5% of the time you deal +2d6 damage. That's only +0.35.

I thought this way as well until a guy in my campaign now paired Champion with Elven Accuracy and dual-wielding for a whole bunch of attacks. The numbers still don't end up overpowered or anything, but he can generally count on getting multiple crits per combat so it's solid DPR and super fun to play