The tactical combat in Baldur’s Gate 3 can be a major challenge, especially if it’s your first encounter with the rules of Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. While it may not sound like the most exciting class, having a Fighter on the frontline might be the difference between saving the Forgotten Realms and becoming Beholder food.
Choosing Feats is one of the most important parts of building a character, as they can completely change how you approach combat, and you only get a few throughout the game. But Fighters get one extra Feat at level 6, making them some of the most flexible characters.
The Best Feats for Fighters in Baldur’s Gate 3
If you’re going for raw power, Ability Improvement is a great Feat for every class. Ability scores affect every dice roll in the game, so picking the right one can immediately give you a massive boost. Melee Fighters will want to go for Strength to power up their attacks, while ranged Fighters should pick Dexterity. Keep in mind that you only get a bonus on even scores, so this Feat is wasted if you end up on an odd number. Also note that some equipment in Baldur’s Gate 3 can boost Ability scores, so this Feat may not be necessary depending on your gear.
The problem with Ability Improvement is it’s more effective than fun. If you’d rather gain more dramatic effects, go for these Feats instead:
- Sentinel — Sentinel gives you advantage on Opportunity Attacks, and a successful one will halt your enemy in its tracks. This is excellent for almost any Fighter to keep enemies away from squishier teammates.
- Polearm Master — Combining Sentinel and Polearm Master is a classic D&D tactic. This Feat lets you make opportunity attacks when enemies enter your range and allows you to use your bonus action to make a less powerful second attack as long as you’re using a polearm. Since polearms have a longer range than most melee weapons, you’ll be better able to find a target for your extra attacks.
- Great Weapon Master — Fighters that use two-handed weapons can’t do better than Great Weapon Master. It lets you make another attack as a bonus action every time you reduce an enemy to zero hit points or score a critical hit. It also gives you the option to take a -5 penalty to attack rolls in exchange for 10 extra damage. If you can offset the attack penalty — ideally by giving yourself advantage — it’s well worth the tradeoff.
- Dual Wielder — If you’d rather go to battle with a weapon in each hand, Dual Wielder is a great pick. It lets you dual-wield weapons without the Light tag, and it adds +1 to Armor Class when you’re using two weapons.
- Savage Attacker — By giving you advantage on every melee damage roll, Savage Attacker makes sure you get the most out of every hit. This is especially helpful for weapons with large damage ranges, keeping you in the top of the range more often than not.
- Heavy Armor Master — All your damage-increasing Feats don’t mean much if you don’t survive. Heavy Armor Master reduces damage from all non-magical attacks by 3 and increases Strength by 1, making Ability Improvement less necessary.
For most players, we recommend going with Sentinel, Savage Attacker, Heavy Armor Master, and one weapon-centric Feat (either Polearm Master, Great Weapon Master, or Dual Wielder).
The above Feats will make any Fighter better, but there are a few oddball picks you may want to consider if you’re going for a more specialized build:
- Charger — Taking Charger lets you rush toward any enemy and either attack with your weapon or shove them. It’s only useful situationally, but if you’re having trouble keeping targets in melee range, it could be worth it. If that’s not enough, it’s also incredibly funny to dash across the battlefield pushing enemies off cliffs instead of making normal attacks.
- Mage Slayer — While only useful against spellcasters, Mage Slayer lets you shut down some of the most potent attacks in Baldur’s Gate 3. It gives you advantage on saving throws cast against you in melee range and lets you attack the caster as a reaction. Your targets also get disadvantage on concentration saving throws, making it easier to break their ongoing effects.
- Sharpshooter — Ranged Fighters are rare, but if that’s the build you’re going for, Sharpshooter is essential. It lets you ignore penalties against enemies with high ground and trade a -5 attack roll penalty for 10 additional damage on successful hits.
