The Fighter in Playtest 5 got a lot of features that tied into the Weapon Mastery system, and these all seem to have survived the latest revisions, along with a few enhancements. Basically, as before, the Fighter remains a highly customizable class with two extra feats on their leveling path, and the improved Indomitable feature remains in place from playtest 5. So, we're going to look at what has changed, and then take a look at the four subclasses - three familiar from the 2014 PHB and one brand-new subclass in the Brawler.
But let's start with the base class features:
Honestly, not a ton has changed here, but there are some improvements and a new feature.
Fighting Style now incorporates the Martial Versatility feature from Tasha's, allowing you to swap styles when you level up.
Second Wind, in the last playtest, was changed to having multiple charges that recharge on a long rest (starting with 2 and eventually getting 4). Now, you'll also regain a charge when you finish a short rest (similar to the new Channel Divinity) and thus, the old "Second Wind right before a Short Rest to conserve hit dice" strategy will remain possible.
Action Surge is back to being able to perform almost every action, the only exception being the Magic action. So yes, it looks like double-Fireball for an Eldritch Knight has been specifically targeted (or, more likely, two-level dips in Fighter for spellcasters).
You now get up to 6 weapon masteries learned at a time, rather than 5. This is cool and all, but I think that this is basically fluff, because how often do you use six different kinds of weapon in a single day?
Tactical Mind is a new 2nd level feature that allows you to expend a use of Second Wind to add 1d10 to a failed ability check, potentially turning it into a success.
This is nice primarily in that you get something that helps outside of combat. On a combat-light day, you might be willing to give up some of the healing for that.
Additionally, at level 13, you get Studied Attacks, which is honestly really cool (and is an interesting counterpart to the Vex mastery). If you miss an attack against a creature, your next attack before the end of your next turn has Advantage.
So, if I get a Vex weapon like a Rapier, does this mean I basically have advantage on all attack rolls after the first? That's kind of nuts.
Gone from Playtest 5 is Unconquerable. Which is sad, but I still think we're looking at a buffed Fighter compared to 2014.
Actually, one thing not mentioned in the Design Notes is that there is no longer a way to have two weapon mastery options on a single weapon at once. That's kind of sneaky, and actually a sad nerf (we'll see how this opens up design space for the Brawler).
Now, let's do subclasses.
Battle Master:
As one of the most popular subclasses, the changes here are subtle.
Student of War now also grants you proficiency in a Fighter skill as well as the artisan's tools.
Know Your Enemy has been made far easier to use - rather than having to observe someone for 1 minute, you can now assess a creature within 30 feet as a bonus action, learning if they have damage immunities, resistances, or vulnerabilities. However, this does mean you can't find out if it has better or worse ability scores or hit points, or class levels (given that they've moved pretty far away from the idea of NPCs having class levels, that last part is fine). In other words, this has become more of an in-combat thing rather than a "hey, would it be a terrible idea to mess with that guy or not?" one.
Relentless has been redesigned - rather than restoring a single Superiority Die when you roll initiative if you're all out, you now can, once per turn, roll a d8 instead of one of your superiority dice and use it for a maneuver.
This is... this is awesome. It means that (after level 15) you'll never run out of "being a Battle Master." And the fact that this is once per turn, rather than once per combat, is also amazing. I love it.
Now, naturally, maneuvers got some adjustments.
Several maneuvers from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything were added, including Ambush, Bait and Switch, Commanding Presence, and Tactical Assessment.
Commander's Strike now only requires you to use up one of your attacks, and no bonus action.
Disarming Attack, Distracting Strike, Goading Attack, Maneuvering Attack, Menacing Attack, and Precision Attack now work with any type of attack roll.
I'd initially thought some of these were melee-only options, but they're not. However, this means that they also work with Spell Attacks. While the change to Action Surge means we're less likely to see as many casters dipping into Fighter, this will still let you, say, get a precision attack on your Guiding Bolt if you multiclassed into Cleric.
Evasive Footwork lasts until the end your turn, not just your movement. Which is a pretty subtle change, given that the main reason you'd need more AC on your turn would be against opportunity attacks, but this is fine.
Lunging Attack now, rather than giving you extra reach, lets you dash as a bonus action and then, if you move at least 10 feet in a straight line immediately before hitting with a melee attack as part of the Attack action, you can add the superiority die's roll to the damage.
This is interesting - it could be considered a nerf, or a buff, situationally.
Parry has gotten a buff - you reduce damage equal to the superiority die and your Strength or Dex modifier, rather than just the die.
Precision Attack has also been buffed, now triggering only after you miss the attack (and thus you can turn it into a hit,) so you don't have to guess the target's AC.
Rally now lets you choose between Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as the bonus to the temp HP.
So, most of these are modest buffs. Nice. Good subclass stays good.
Brawler:
The brand-new subclass is the Brawler, which leans heavily into the use of Unarmed Strikes and Improvised Weapons.
There is also a grey-box design note that mentions that the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide will include magic items that enhance the use of Unarmed Strikes and Improvised Weapons, meant to benefit the Monk, Brawler Fighter, College of Dance Bard, and anyone else who relies on these.
Level 3:
Unarmed Expert allows you to roll 1d6 + Strength for your Unarmed Strike damage, and if you aren't holding any weapons or shields, it upgrades to 1d8.
Improvised Expert gives you proficiency in Improvised Weapons.
Additionally, when you finish a long rest, you can choose one property between Light and Thrown (20/60) for one-handed improvised weapons and one between Reach and Thrown (10/30) for two-handed improvised weapons. When you attack with improvised weapons, you get to use each chosen property for improvised weapons of appropriate size.
Then, when you attack with an improvised weapon, you can give it one of the following mastery properties for the attack, depending on its size:
One handed: Sap, Slow, or Vex
Two-Handed: Cleave, Push, or Topple
Ok, so. The first thing I need to figure out is what damage an Improvised Weapon does - I think if it's roughly like an existing weapon, it typically does that weapon's damage. But the fact that we can choose between three weapon masteries on each attack feels pretty powerful. Indeed, this resurrects at an earlier level the level 13 Weapon Adept feature from Playtest 5.
Level 7:
Grappling Expert allows you to make one Unarmed Strike as a bonus action, but these can only be used to Grapple or Shove. In addition, at the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.
I could swear I'd seen this feature before, like with a Feat, but it's not in Tavern Brawler or Grappler. Grappling can be very powerful as a means of battlefield control. Naturally, I think this subclass has to go with a strength build.
Level 10:
Dirty Fighting gives you advantage on attack rolls made with improvised weapons and unarmed strikes against a creature you are grappling.
Naturally, this is synergistic with the 7th level feature, and, well, the 3rd level features. There's a clear sense of how this subclass is supposed to work.
Level 15:
Improved Specialist lets you add your Proficiency Bonus to damage rolls with an Improvised Weapon, and the damage die of your two-handed improvised weapons become 1d12.
Additionally, whenever you attack with an improvised weapon, you can use two mastery properties from Improvised Expert instead of one.
So, yeah, if there are magic items that enhance the use of improvised weapons, that really makes it pretty optimal. One thing to note, though, is that you can't use a two-handed weapon while grappling someone. The PB bonus is actually enormous, so your damage while grappling someone will be really good.
Level 18:
Unarmed Specialist upgrades your unarmed strike damage from a d6 to a d8, or from a d8 to a d10 if you're not holding any weapons or a Shield.
As a capstone, this is pretty underwhelming. Again, we're looking at only 1 damage on average more than we had before. Even with a Fighter's many attacks, that's still pretty thin.
Still, this subclass actually looks like it will be a lot of fun (assuming that there really are magic items that give your +Xs to unarmed strikes and improvised weapons) but I have one big problem with it: This is what the Drunken Master Monk should have been. Hell, this is kind of what Monks should be. I really, really hope we see a better Monk in the next playtest. In a vacuum, though, this is a subclass that succeeds both in that it seems decently good power-wise, and also has a very distinct identity.
Champion:
We saw a version of the Champion in Playtest 5, and here we see just a couple of tweaks.
Remarkable Athlete replaces Adaptable Victor and goes to level 3. It now gives advantage on Strength (Athletics) and Initiative Checks, rather than being a sort of Jack of All Trades for Strength, Dex, and Con checks. The jump bonus is unchanged.
Heroic Warrior has been buffed - rather than letting you get Heroic Advantage (aka Inspiration) once ber combat, you now get it once per turn (if you don't already have it).
Eldritch Knight:
Ah, my beloved EK.
Naturally, the most obvious nerf to the subclass is that the change to Action Surge means we can't double-Thunderwave on our turn anymore. But there are other changes here that are improvements.
With class spell lists coming back, we are once again making use of the Wizard list, but apart from our choices at 3rd level, we have no spell school restrictions, which is pretty cool.
EKs can also change out a cantrip when they level up (which is one of those "I'd already allow that anyway" things).
EKs can also now use an Arcane Focus for their spells. Ok, now, let's take a look at arcane foci: these can include a Crystal, Orb, Rod, Staff, or Wand. So, the big question is: can I wield a weapon and a shield and still be able to cast spells that require somatic components?
See, my Eldritch Knight, Jax, technically had to drop his weapon whenever he wanted to cast Shield. I was planning on finally getting him the Warcaster feat when we hit level 14, but we stalled out at 12 (one level before I got 3rd level spells!) So, the question then is: does a Staff as an Arcane Focus count as a Quarterstaff? Because in theory, you could use that as your weapon (doing a 1d6 damage, which isn't quite as much as the 1d8 you get with a warhammer or something like that) and also be able to cast spells with somatic components.
What I'd really prefer is that EKs get to use a simple or martial weapon as a spellcasting focus. It makes sense to me - they're Battlemages, after all. Still, better than nothing, right?
EKs are still 1/3 casters that cap out at 4th level spells and use Intelligence. And they only learn new spells or can swap out a single one when they level up.
War Magic has been redesigned in a very welcome way:
Rather than letting you make a single attack as a bonus action after casting a Cantrip, this now works more like the Bladesinger, letting you replace one of your attacks with a cantrip that has a casting time of one action.
So, my EK would typically only use his cantrips (the SCAG melee cantrips - Booming Blade and Green-Flame Blade) situationally, as it was usually higher damage to just make my three attacks. Now, however, it's always ok to integrate one of those into your attack action.
Here's the real kicker: we can't Action Surge to take the Magic action. But even if we're casting a cantrip with this, we're taking the Attack Action. And that means that we can double-cast Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade twice as long as they're part of separate attacks.
So, just real quick: at level 12, a Fighter with a +1 Battleaxe and Booming Blade could Action Surge to make a total of 6 attacks, four of which are doing 1d8+6 (10.5) and two of which are doing 3d8+6 (19.5) plus the punishment damage if they move. So, with all of those hitting, that's 42 + 39 for a total of 81 damage (if everything hits). And, actually, even without Action Surge, that's 40.5 damage.
Improved War Magic follows suit. Now, you can cast a leveled spell (that has a casting time of an action) if you use two of your attacks. So, at the level you get this, it's nearly the same (though you leave your bonus action free) but at level 20, you can cast a Synaptic Static and then make two attacks.
Notably, these redesigns free up the use of your bonus action, which you might want for Second Wind, or which you might use for Weapon Bond (which, you know, you might need to use given that you're dropping your weapon all the time to cast Shield).
There's no news of whether Booming Blade and Green-Flame Blade are making it into the PHB. I'd love to see them there, as they're perfect fits for EKs, Arcane Tricksters, Warlocks with Pact of the Blade, or College of Valor Bards.
And that gives us the Fighter. This was more of a "tweak" than sweeping change, but in most cases, I'm pretty happy with what I'm seeing. Again, the Brawler is great, but I really want to see some of its toys handed over to the Monk.
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