Fighters are the most basic class in all of Dungeons & Dragons — and by extension Baldur’s Gate 3 — but that doesn’t mean they aren’t a blast to play. Fighters have some of the most powerful combat abilities in the entire game, and the subclasses available to choose from let you truly make your Fighter stand out from the countless other Fighters on the Sword Coast.
Baldur’s Gate 3 does an awful job of telling you what your character will look like at higher levels though, which is a shame considering traditional tabletop D&D allows players to freely pore over the Player’s Handbook during character creation. That’s where this guide comes in! Below you’ll see every available skill, spell, and ability unlocked for Baldur’s Gate 3 Fighters from level 1 to level 12.
All Fighter Level Up Rewards in Baldur’s Gate 3
Fighters have the ability to take a ton of Feats as they level up, so that’s what most of the progression will look like at first glance. However, there are some very useful class actions and features that you’ll get along the way. Here’s an overview of Fighter progression from level 1-12 in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Level 1: Fighting Style (Feature), Second Wind (Class Action)
- Level 2: Action Surge (Class Action)
- Level 3: Fighter Subclass
- Level 4: Feat
- Level 5: Extra Attack (Class Feature)
- Level 6: Feat
- Level 7: Nothing
- Level 8: Feat
- Level 9: Indomitable (Class Feature)
- Level 10: Additional Fighting Style (Class Feature)
- Level 11: Improved Extra Attack (Class Feature)
- Level 12: Feat
Level 1
At level 1, Fighters can choose a Fighting Style that will dictate their overall playstyle. There are 6 Fighting Styles in total, and each of them is listed below.
- Archery
- Defence
- Dueling
- Great Weapon Fighting
- Protection
- Two-Weapon Fighting
Essentially, your Fighting Style will give you a bonus to attack rolls with your chosen weapon or grant you additional defense if you choose something like Protection. You’re basically just choosing your main weapon. It doesn’t lock you into using that weapon type though, so feel free to experiment during your playthrough.
Related: Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Fighter Build: Subclass, Stats, and Skills
Fighters also start with Second Wind at level 1, which is one of their best abilities at low levels. It allows you to heal yourself using a Bonus Action, basically serving as a free potion that refreshes with every short rest.
Level 2
At level 2, Fighters unlock their defining ability: Action Surge. This lets you take an additional Action on your turn after every short rest. Whether you use that additional Action to smite your foes or help an ally after they’ve been knocked down, the extra utility is beyond useful.
Level 3
Level 3 is the most important level for every Baldur’s Gate 3 class since you unlock your Subclass at that level. Fighters are no exception, and they can choose between the following three Subclasses.
- Battle Master
- Eldritch Knight
- Champion
Each of these Subclasses will grant you additional rewards as you level up. You’ll still get everything from the baseline Fighter progression list, but each Subclass has its own unique abilities on top of those. If you regret your Subclass decision down the line, seek out Withers to respec your character.
Battle Master
On the surface level, the Battle Master Subclass is best for Fighters that want to get up close and personal with their enemies. They gain Superiority Dice which can be spent during combat to perform special actions called Manoeuvres during combat. Here’s what Battle Master progression looks like.
- Level 3: Superiority Dice: 4 (Subclass Feature)
- Level 3: Choose 3 Manoeuvres (Feature)
- Level 7: Superiority Dice: 1 (Subclass Feature)
- Level 7: Choose 2 Manoeuvres (Subclass Feature)
- Level 10: Improved Combat Superiority (Subclass Feature)
- Level 11: Choose 2 Manoeuvres (Subclass Feature)
Eldritch Knight
An Eldritch Knight can cast spells while still keeping their feet planted firmly on the front lines. As the name suggests, this is the magic-based Fighter Subclass. They’re basically a Fighter/Warlock hybrid. Here’s what progression looks like for an Eldritch Knight.
- Level 3: Spellcasting (Subclass Feature)
- Level 3: Weapon Bond (Subclass Action)
- Level 7: War Magic (Subclass Feature)
- Level 10: Eldritch Strike (Subclass Feature)
Related: Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Subclass: Wild Magic, Draconic Bloodline, or Storm Sorcery
Champion
The Champion Subclass is for Fighters who don’t want to think too hard about combat. It just improves everything you’ve already gotten used to doing at this point, boosting your critical hit rate and enhancing your physical abilities. Here’s what a Champion gets as they level up.
- Level 3: Improved Critical Hit (Subclass Feature)
- Level 7: Remarkable Athlete: Proficiency (Subclass Feature)
- Level 7: Remarkable Athlete: Jump (Subclass Feature)
Level 4
At level 4, you get to choose a Feat. This is a passive ability that can grant you proficiency with new types of armor or weapons or give you new abilities during combat. You’ll get to choose more from the same list later, so don’t think too hard about this decision for now.
Level 5
At level 5, Fighters unlock the Extra Attack ability which allows them to perform an additional Main Hand Attack or similar ability during their turn if they land a hit on an enemy. It’s a super useful skill to have, but other classes get it too so it’s not that special.
Level 6
At level 6, you get another Feat from the same list you chose from at level 4. By now, you should have a better idea of your playstyle, so give the choice a little more thought this time.
Level 7
Level 7 is a stopgap level, so you won’t get anything new besides the usual HP increase and all that stuff.
Level 8
At level 8, Fighter can take yet another Feat. Hurray.
Related: How to Dye and Customize Armor in Baldur’s Gate 3
Level 9
At level 9, Fighters learn the Indomitable feature. This allows you to reroll a Saving Throw whenever you fail one, which is a situational but useful ability, especially with all the Illithid mind control going on in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Level 10
Fighters can choose a second Fighting Style at level 10, which is a huge boon. It’s the same list as the one from character creation, so try to choose one that synergizes with the one you already have.
Level 11
At level 11, Fighters unlock the Improved Extra Attack feature. This is an upgrade to Extra Attack from level 5, letting you make two additional attacks per turn for a total of three.
Level 12
Finally, your reward for reaching the level cap as a Fighter is one more feat. Sadly, there’s not a huge game-changing ability for reaching level 12.
- This article was updated on August 11th, 2023
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