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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Gladius Legis" data-source="post: 7037123" data-attributes="member: 68748">III. Martial ArchetypesChampion: The "I hit it with my sword" archetype, geared toward beginners and Fighter players who liked the simplicity of the class in a previous edition. It's simple, alright. Requires (and allows for) no tactical round-to-round decisions, and always does what it does. If that’s your idea of fun (and fun IS the most important factor), then hey, more power to ya. Just don't cry when someone at the table next to you is rocking a Battle Master or Eldritch Knight and impacting battles much more than you can ever hope to.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Improved Critical: Lv. 3. Doubles your crit chance from 5% to 10%. Which would have some appeal if you actually had something substantial to add to crits. Great Weapon Master and/or a magic weapon that inflicts extra dice in damage helps, but then you run into the other problem, which is simply that you can't rely on crits happening when you want them to. If one happens in Round 1, great. If it happens in Round 4, instead, whoop dee doo. Touted as the signature of this archetype, it just pales in comparison to what Battle Masters and Eldritch Knights can do.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Remarkable Athlete: Lv. 7. Aside from the half-proficiency bump to initiative, this is really quite unremarkable.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Additional Fighting Style: Lv. 10. Well, that's nice. Either diversify your modes of offense, or take the Defense style.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Superior Critical: Lv. 15. Your crit chance is now 15% per hit. Yay, slightly better chance of getting a little random extra damage when you may or may not have needed it most.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Survivor: Lv. 18. Finally, you get a legitimately solid feature with some free healing when below half your hit point maximum. Alas, too little too late to make up for the rest of this archetype's mediocrity.</li> </ul>Battle Master: The archetype that reflects the more technical and tactical Fighter most recently in vogue. Debated whether it succeeds at evoking the spirit of the 3e Warblade or the 4e Fighter, but it definitely succeeds at being effective and powerful. With your maneuvers, you have great control over how you can affect the course of every battle, and when. The only real weakness of this archetype comes if the DM is stingy with short rests; if you get below the 2 short rests per day recommended by the DMG, then the BM suffers quite a bit.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Combat Superiority: Lv. 3 (7, 10, 15). Starts great, gets even better. Three maneuvers at Lv. 3, plus 4 Superiority Dice/short rest make you versatile from the start, and additional dice and maneuvers at well-paced increments add to the goodness. The only knock is that there really should've been some high-level maneuvers involving the use of multiple dice, but those'll be easy enough to add to the chassis if WOTC goes that route.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Student of War: Lv. 3. Tool proficiencies as a whole are a lot more useful with XGTE, so this feature is much more of an asset than it used to be. Crafting is still pretty much useless, however, so if you’re playing in a PHB+1 type of game where XGTE isn’t an option, then this is more or less just fluff to say that your Battle Master is a blacksmith or skilled calligrapher or something.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Know Your Enemy: Lv. 7. Size up anyone you observe or interact with for a minute. The cool factor is undeniable, and it can actually be pretty useful. Take a minute from a hiding spot to determine just how much of your resources you and your party will care to use to beat the enemy, for example, so you don’t overuse them for a battle you’ve determined is relatively easy. Or notice that the seemingly harmless new butler may be more than meets the untrained eye ...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Improved Combat Superiority: Lv. 10, 18. Superiority Dice grow into d10 and eventually d12, making your maneuvers more effective and/or damaging. Not sexy, but it works.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Relentless: Lv. 15. Gives you a Superiority Die at the start of a fight if you blew through them all. Shouldn't come up too often, but sometimes you just needed to nova with all of them the last fight, and this at least gives you something to work with for the next.</li> </ul>[spoiler=Battle Master Maneuvers]Some maneuvers can be only done with a melee weapon, but most can be done with any weapon. The melee-only category will be split off for your convenience.Melee-only:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Riposte: A reaction attack with SD damage against the very common trigger of the enemy missing you in melee. Needless to say, mandatory for all melee Battle Masters to fill up their action economy. If you take the Sentinel feat (and you really should), this will combine with it to practically guarantee a reaction attack.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lunging Attack: Really, just don't bother.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sweeping Attack: Collateral SD damage on a second enemy right next to the first one. Laughably weak attempt at crowd control.</li> </ul>Any:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Precision Attack: Keep dice on hand to turn narrow-ish misses into hits, when you need to the most. Good rule of thumb is to use this when you can reasonably guess or figure that you missed by no more than half the size of your SD (so by 4 or less before Lv. 10, 5 or less Lv. 10-17, 6 or less Lv. 18+).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Menacing Attack: As long as it's not immune to fear, frightening the enemy means it has disadvantage on all attacks. Step back out of its melee range and position yourself in front of the party and that enemy won't be able to do much effectively that round.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trip Attack: Only works on Large or smaller, but that'll still be a lot of enemies. Proned enemy means advantage for everyone in melee range. If you're ranged yourself, but in a party with a lot of melee, otherwise, this is still a great finisher for the last attack on your turn. Also a godsend for ranged against flying enemies, as knocking them prone will make them crash to the earth. Becomes less necessary for Shield Masters depending on how your DM rules that feat or interprets the Sage Advice related to that feat.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Disarming Attack: Obviously terrific against enemies who use weapons. Disarm them, then use your free object interaction that round to pick up their weapon if you have a free hand, or kick it toward one of your allies (or off the cliff, or into the lake) if you don't. A lot of monsters don't use weapons you can disarm, which is why this isn't quite as high-priority as the maneuvers ranked higher.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Evasive Footwork: Used to increase your AC against Opportunity Attacks in case you either need to step back from an adversary, or you want to barge through the enemy front line to get to a back-line foe in melee. This makes for a good battlefield mobility boost.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Maneuvering Attack: Lots of nice uses for this one. Let the Wizard get the hell away from melee enemies, let archers do the same. Or use it to bring a melee Rogue into range and set them up for some stabbing action.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pushing Attack: This one's especially good for archers. It can possibly buy them another round before the enemy closes into melee range. Still pretty good for melee, allowing them to shove an enemy away and move without drawing an Opportunity Attack. Also pretty nice combined with Sentinel’s punishment attack, which can negate an enemy’s attack outright by shoving them out of range. And then there’s the matter of a nearby cliff ....</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Goading Attack: The designated "Defender" maneuver. Menacing and Trip are strictly better if the enemy isn't both (a) immune to fear, and (b) Huge or bigger. Not a high priority at lower levels. You'll have a better chance to face enemies for whom both of the above are true past Lv. 10 or so, so it'll be worth considering then.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Parry: Can be done with a ranged weapon, believe it or not, but only works against enemy melee hits. Only worth considering if going DEX; STR-Fighters should ignore. DEX-melees who later take Defensive Duelist should retrain out of this. Multiclassing 5 Rogue levels also obsoletes this due to Uncanny Dodge.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rally: "Warlord" maneuver. This one requires investment in Charisma to give enough temporary hit points to be worth taking. Warlord-ish Battle Masters, or "Rally Masters," aiming for this one might as well take the Inspiring Leader feat, then use this maneuver to resupply someone's temp HPs once the ones from Inspiring Leader are beaten away.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Commander's Strike: Meant to be THE "Warlord" maneuver. Instead, it's THE reason why trying to make a "Warlord" as you knew it in 4e using the Battle Master archetype isn't very feasible. The action economy from this maneuver is VERY costly, giving up one of your attacks AND your bonus action. Basically, only a Rogue will give you any consistent net damage gain from using this. Can occasionally be worth using on a Paladin, but only if they're willing and able to Divine Smite on the attack. Don't even bother using this on anyone else.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Distracting Strike: Advantage to the next attack from an ally. Only really worth using to set up a Rogue, and whether you can do that relies on initiative; i.e. the Rogue needs to go right after you in the order. As you can imagine, that's rather finicky, making this maneuver pretty situational. Better if you're in a party where the Rogue is consistently Hasted, and can thus attack on turn with the Hasted action, and then Ready their regular action for right after you use this.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Feinting Attack: The bonus action for advantage must be done in melee, but the attack can be done with a ranged weapon. Regardless, not really worthwhile for single-class Fighters, since the advantage applies to just one attack. MUCH better for Rogues with Fighter levels.</li> </ul>[/spoiler]Eldritch Knight: The classic AD&D Fighter/Mage, folded into an archetype. It's one of several avenues in 5e toward what is commonly referred to as a "gish" build, or a build capable of both casting and fighting, and the most purely combat-focused of said avenues.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spellcasting: Lv. 3. You are a 1/3 caster, and you learn a set number of cantrips and spells from the Wizard list similar to how the Sorcerer, Bard and Warlock learn them. Most of your spells are limited to just two schools, the defensive Abjuration and the offensive Evocation, though you get a pick from any school at Lv. 3, 8, 14 and 20. Despite the limitations, this spellcasting will still let you do things other Fighters can only shake their heads at.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Weapon Bond: Lv. 3. Actually a little better than mere fluff. If you have to drop your weapon somewhere and already used your free item interaction that round, using a bonus action to teleport it back in your hands is better for the action economy.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">War Magic: Lv. 7. Amazing with the advent of the SCAG cantrips like Booming Blade and Green-Flame Blade. Booming Blade + attack with anything short of Great Weapon Master does more single-target damage than the typical 3-attack routine past Lv. 11, actually. (Though if you Action Surge, you'll still want to use the 3 attacks for that extra action.) Great Weapon Masters won't use this as consistently, but certain situations can still call for it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Eldritch Strike: Lv. 10. Disadvantage on spell save up until the end of your next turn after hitting them with an attack. Only useful for EKs who actually care about their INT score.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Arcane Charge: Lv. 15. Free teleportation right before an Action Surge nova, woo! A good boost to mobility to get to the enemy you want to tear up.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Improved War Magic: Lv. 18. Now you get the bonus-action attack after any spell you cast. Great for, say, still getting two attacks in the same round you Haste yourself.</li> </ul>[spoiler=Eldritch Knight Spellcasting]This guide won't go in depth into all of the EK spells, because there are existing guides that already do that <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?479648-Bellator-Arcana-The-Eldritch-Knight-Guide" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?469118-GUIDE-Bow-Bond-An-Eldritch-Knight%92s-guide-to-Archery" target="_blank">here</a>. The <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?469130-GUIDE-Arrive-on-Time-A-General-Guide-to-Wizardry" target="_blank">Wizard guide</a> is a good resource on those, too.But generally speaking, EKs fall into two broad types: Those who actually do boost their Intelligence and use their Evocation spells with a DC, and those who ignore their INT scores and instead use their spells for buffing and defense.A few general EK spell pointers, however:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">For melee EKs, Booming Blade (SCAG) is obviously mandatory and does not need INT.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Melee EKs with high INT will also like Green-Flame Blade (SCAG) a lot.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">EKs with high INT will want at least one ranged cantrip (I'm partial to Fire Bolt and/or Ray of Frost). Ranged EKs can even use War Magic for a cantrip + ranged attack combo.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If you have a high INT, Minor Illusion is fantastic.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Blade Ward and True Strike are traps and should be avoided like the plague.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Shield and Absorb Elements (EEPC/XGTE) are every EK's mandatory picks as 1st-level spells, and neither of them require INT. If you're sword-and-board, you need War Caster to actually cast them, which is why that feat is mandatory for sword-and-board EKs. It'll sure be well worth it when you can use your reaction for flat-out resistance to an instance of elemental damage, or to get AC 25 (full plate + actual shield + Shield spell) for a full round.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Your free-school 1st-level spell should be Find Familiar, period. No reason to pick anything else. Familiars are a reliable source of advantage in combat and make terrific scouts in exploration.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Your free-school 2nd-level spell pick at Lv. 8 should go either to Mirror Image or Misty Step if you're low on INT. Those are good even if you have a high INT, but in that case Blindness/Deafness is also a great option.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">3rd-level spells if you have a high INT: Take a good look at Melf's Minute Meteors (EEPC/XGTE). Aside from that, there's always good ol' Fireball. You might also get Counterspell to work for you.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">3rd-level spells if your INT is low: Well ... there's always Leomund's Tiny Hut.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Free-school 3rd-level pick at Lv. 14: Haste is always great for anyone. Or you may prefer Fly. Neither need INT.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">4th-level spells: Fire Shield doesn't need INT, gives you resistance to fire or cold, doesn't use Concentration, and inflicts damage against melee attackers. If you DO have the INT, Storm Sphere or Wall of Fire is quite nice.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Free-school 4th-level pick at Lv. 20: Greater Invisibility is always awesome. Cast it on the Rogue for even more laughs. If you actually DO have the INT, Polymorph is cheesy, busted and fun.</li> </ul>[/spoiler]Purple Dragon Knight/Banneret (SCAG): I really want to rate this lower, because the design decisions concerning this Warlord-ish archetype are some real headscratchers. But for all its faults, even in single combat it's not much worse than the Champion, and within several common party compositions it's a good deal more effective (though never quite matching the Battle Master or Eldritch Knight).<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rallying Cry: Lv. 3. Heals up to 3 allies your Fighter level when you Second Wind. Starts off pretty weak, but actually scales pretty well; compares favorably to a Mass Healing Word spell (another bonus-action heal) at Lv. 10. Which leads to my opinion that this should've been the PDK's Lv. 10 feature, instead of its Lv. 3.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Royal Envoy: Lv. 7. Effectively Expertise in Persuasion. You get that skill proficiency, too, if you didn't have it before; and if you did, you get a choice that should go to Insight if you didn't have it already. Intimidation, Animal Handling and Performance are also possible choices. This is one of the few existing ways for a Fighter to be an effective party face, and why a PDK should also have at least enough CHA for Inspiring Leader.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inspiring Surge: Lv. 10, 18. This really, really, really, really, REALLY should've been the PDK's Lv. 3 feature. Would've made a lot more sense to make this the archetype's so-called signature ability, and it would've made it a lot more effective at the start. This lets an ally get in on the action when you nova with Action Surge, and unlike the Battle Master's Commander's Strike, this does not cost you any attacks or bonus action to use, making this infinitely better than that lousy maneuver. It's especially good with a Rogue, Paladin or Barbarian ally. At Lv. 18 (not 17, this was errata-ed), two allies get to join in.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bulwark: Lv. 15. Extends Indomitable on a mental save (which will usually be WIS) to an ally suffering the same effect as you. Unfortunately, it's much more restrictive than it needed to be. You can't use this feature against incapacitating effects ... which are the types of effects you are most likely to use Indomitable against.</li> </ul>Arcane Archer (XGTE): Despite the strong magical overtone of this archetype, you don’t get any spells (aside from a cantrip at the start). What you do get are Arcane Shots that you can use on a short-rest basis. Those shots all have their DCs based on INTELLIGENCE, which means that is an important secondary stat for you, no exceptions. This means you’re more MAD than most other Fighters. Also, you’re limited to the longbow or shortbow with this archetype, so no Crossbow Expert for you. The structure of this archetype sort of mirrors the Battle Master, right down to its short-rest dependency (and it suffers a lot more from that than the BM does, too). Still, some of the Arcane Shot options are quite useful, and you get a decent amount of them as you level (but unfortunately not more uses until very late).<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Arcane Archer Lore: Lv. 3. Free Arcana or Nature skill (both INT-based, so you’ll be good at either one) and free cantrip of Prestidigitation or Druidcraft, either of which have their uses. Fair enough.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Arcane Shot: Lv. 3 (7,10,15,18). Pretty much the Arcane Archer’s equivalent of Combat Superiority. However, you’re forever limited to 2 uses of this per short rest, so you have to be a lot more conservative than the Battle Master does. You start with 2 Shot options initially and get a few more as you gain more levels (see above), eventually winding up with a decent amount.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Magic Arrow: Lv. 7. Good if you somehow don’t already have, or aren’t going to get, a magic bow. Redundant if you do have a magic bow. Fortunately, this isn’t the only feature you get at this level.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Curving Shot: Lv. 7. If you miss one enemy with an arrow attack, you get to attack a second enemy with that same arrow. Not overly powerful, but neat.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ever-Ready Shot: Lv. 15. Regain a use of Arcane Shot if you don’t have any at the start of every combat. Considering that’s a regain of half of what you get back from a short rest, this is proportionally a more beneficial recharge than the Battle Master’s Relentless. Too bad this comes late; getting this feature at an earlier level would've really helped this subclass' overall effectiveness.</li> </ul>[spoiler=Arcane Shots]Note that at 18th level your Arcane Shots all get an upgrade (just more damage on most of them).<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Banishing Arrow: Removing the right enemy from play for its next full turn can make a battle go more smoothly. Tests an enemy’s CHA save, so you’ll succeed with this more often than not.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Beguiling Arrow: Makes one of your allies charm the enemy you hit, which can be useful if that ally needs to heal up and/or run away. This one has more of a defender-type purpose.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bursting Arrow: Blech. Weak AoE, both damage-wise and area-wise.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Enfeebling Arrow: Weakens the enemy until the start of your next turn, cutting its weapon damage in half. It’s a CON save for the weakening, though. Most monsters with weapon attacks worth worrying about tend to have pretty high CON saves, so this isn’t as reliable as it should’ve been.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Grasping Arrow: This one’s great. It should definitely be one of your initial picks. Does good initial damage (albeit poison damage), slows the target, does more damage (slashing) if it moves (apparently even forced movement works for that), and either the target or one of its lackeys has to waste an action and make an Athletics check to end it. If it can’t teleport, it’s in for a world of hurt, or at the very least a loss of a turn.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Piercing Arrow: The effect sounds cool, but just how many times are you going to have several enemies lined up all in a row in the path of this thing? Not very often.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Seeking Arrow: Your form of “divination,” basically. Occasionally useful, but pretty low priority.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Shadow Arrow: Another strong candidate for your initial picks. Blinds the enemy you hit beyond 5 feet, and it attacks the WIS save, which is a good one to attack on many monsters. If you get an enemy with this early in your Attack action, you can have advantage on the rest of your ranged attacks that turn. And give a turn of advantage to any of your ranged allies, too!</li> </ul>[/spoiler]Cavalier (XGTE): This archetype is the strongest attempt yet at recreating a 4e-style defender with the Fighter class. For the most part, it does a solid job at hampering enemies on the front line. It’s also got some features related to mounted combat that are just added bonuses in the event those happen to be useful. Note that you really need to be STR-based to make the most of this archetype’s abilities, and you also want a good CON, maybe even a bit higher than other archetypes aim for.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bonus Proficiency: Lv. 3. Either an extra language or an extra skill proficiency from the given list. If going with the skill, I’d recommend Insight. Maybe Persuasion if you have an above-average CHA for some reason. Or Animal Handling if in a campaign conducive to being mounted.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Born to the Saddle: Lv. 3. The mount-specific feature. Good benefits if you’re in a situation to take advantage of them, otherwise it’s a ribbon. The Cavalier gets three class features at Lv. 3, the most of any Fighter archetype so far, making it obvious this is indeed a ribbon.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Unwavering Mark: Lv. 3. The hallmark is definitely the disadvantage on enemy attacks vs. your allies that you impose when you hit them and keep within 5 feet of them. And then there’s the bonus-action attack you get on your next turn when the enemy is foolish enough to hurt one of your allies. That latter ability is limited to your STR-mod number of times per long rest, which is why Cavaliers really need to be STR-Fighters. Note this is also, in fact, not redundant with the Sentinel feat, since the attack from that uses your reaction.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Warding Maneuver: Lv. 7. Reaction, +1d8 to AC vs. one attack that can protect either you or anyone next to you. That anyone next to you can be your mount, by the way. Even if the attack still hits, its damage is cut in half. Number of uses per long rest is governed by your CON-mod, which is why you want a good CON as a Cavalier. Handy to have around.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hold the Line: Lv. 10. Normally, an enemy can move around you freely within your reach, but draws an opportunity attack once it tries to leave. This lovely feature prevents that enemy from even moving around in your reach without getting punished and stopped in its tracks for it. Combine with Sentinel’s ability to OA vs. Disengage for even more fun.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ferocious Charger: Lv. 15. DC is based on STR only, another reason Cavaliers need to be STR-based. Amazingly, this can be used with a throwing weapon, as well as the typical melee charge. And best of all, there’s NO SIZE LIMITATION to the enemy you can knock prone with this. So feel free to move 10 feet in a straight line before chucking a javelin at that Gargantuan flying dragon to send it crashing to the ground.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vigilant Defender: Lv. 18. Basically, Combat Reflexes if you’re a 3e veteran. Also known as the way opportunity attacks worked in 4e. You can make OAs against everyone and anyone who triggers them in your reach. Combined with Hold the Line and Sentinel, you’re now a full wall up front.</li> </ul>Samurai (XGTE): The simplest of the XGTE archetypes, it’s not that much more complex than the Champion. But it’s far, far more effective on offense. Narrow cultural trappings of the archetype’s name aside, this is, in many ways, the effective simple Fighter the Champion wishes it was. Works for all basic builds of Fighter, STR- or DEX-based, ranged or melee alike.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bonus Proficiency: Lv. 3. Either an extra language or an extra skill proficiency. If going with the skill, take either Insight or Persuasion. if going with Persuasion, there’s a feature four levels later that will help you with use of that skill.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fighting Spirit: Lv. 3. The Samurai’s cornerstone combat ability. Bonus action to give you straight-up advantage on attacks for the rest of your turn, along with some level-scaling temporary hit points. You get 3 uses of this per long rest — which coincidentally is the exact number of times you can expect to use Action Surge on a typical adventuring day. Which, obviously, means you should save uses of this for your Action Surge turns to get the most out of it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elegant Courtier: Lv. 7. Free WIS-save proficiency, which means you don’t have to burn a feat on Resilient (WIS)! Woohoo! If you somehow already had WIS proficiency, you get INT or CHA instead. Also, you now get to add your WIS mod to Persuasion checks, which means you can actually be a viable party face with Persuasion proficiency, decent WIS and a non-negative CHA. Also nice.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Tireless Spirit: Lv. 10. Now you’re in business. You regain Fighting Spirit at the start of every battle now, so you’ll be using it every battle. A massive boost to your offense.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rapid Strike: Lv. 15. Give up advantage on one of your attacks during your Attack action to make two attacks without advantage in its place. Mathematically, it’s always a good idea to do this when you have the opportunity, since rolling twice for two attacks’ worth of damage > rolling twice for one attack’s worth. Note that you cannot use this feature twice on your turn if you Action Surged, which holds it back slightly.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Strength before Death: Lv. 18. Once per long rest, take an entire extra turn when you get knocked down to 0 hit points. Either use it as an opportunity to heal up, or go full-on Last Samurai and slice up some more enemies on your way to death. Suitably epic when it happens.</li> </ul></blockquote>

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