If the Wizard is the mind of the adventuring party and the Cleric is the soul, then the Fighter is the sword arm that gets things done.
The Fighter has always been one of Dungeons & Dragons’ purest expressions of tactical mastery, martial versatility, and raw battlefield presence. But with the 2025 rules update, Wizards of the Coast has sharpened the class even further, refining its subclasses for clarity, balance, and new tactical possibilities.
Today at RPGInquisitor, we’re taking a close look at the D&D 2025 Fighter subclasses: what’s changed, what’s exciting, and how each archetype can define your battlefield identity.
🛡️ What’s New About the 2025 Fighter?
Before diving into subclasses, here’s a quick overview of the core Fighter updates:
- Expanded Second Wind: Scales better with level and feels more impactful in long fights.
- Improved Action Surge: Smoother integration with newer mechanics, encouraging more dramatic moments.
- Refined Weapon Mastery: Fighters now get special properties from weapons (e.g., force back enemies, stun on hit), making weapon choice feel meaningful, not just cosmetic.
- Streamlined Subclass Progression: Subclasses offer features at consistent, spaced intervals—no weird dead levels.
In short: the Fighter is even more of a frontline force without losing the simplicity that makes it beginner-friendly.
Now, onto the real stars: the subclasses.
🗡️ Champion
The Champion remains the simplest and most direct subclass—but in 2025, it’s cleaner, more rewarding, and slightly more customizable.
What’s New:
- Expanded Improved Critical: Instead of just critting on 19–20, some weapon properties or conditions can modify your crit range dynamically.
- Survivor Feature Buffed: The high-level “Survivor” trait (auto-healing each round) kicks in more reliably, making late-game Champions brutally hard to put down.
Ideal For:
- New players who want to focus on combat without tracking complex powers.
- Veterans who enjoy reliable, consistent performance.
- GMs running games for mixed-experience groups.
RPGInquisitor Verdict:
🎯 “Still the cleanest path to excellence. If you love rolling dice, critting more often, and standing your ground, Champion is king.”
🎯 Battle Master
The Battle Master continues to be the tactician’s choice, with Maneuvers at the heart of its strategy.
What’s New:
- More Flexible Maneuver Selection: Fighters can swap maneuvers more easily, ensuring your style evolves with your campaign.
- Superiority Dice Scaling: Dice increase at higher levels, keeping maneuvers impactful well into Tier 3 and 4 play.
Ideal For:
- Players who like tactical options every turn.
- Those who want to “feel smart” about positioning, control, and damage.
- Anyone who loves using the right move at the right moment.
Favorite Updated Maneuver:
- Precision Attack: Now can turn a miss into a hit post-roll, giving Battle Masters a heroic, cinematic feel without feeling cheesy.
RPGInquisitor Verdict:
⚔️ “Battle Master remains the Fighter’s chess player. Every turn is a question: What’s the best move right now?“
🔥 Eldritch Knight
The Eldritch Knight blends martial prowess with limited spellcasting—and the 2025 update makes it smoother and sharper.
What’s New:
- Spellcasting Adjustments: Spell lists cleaned up to avoid confusing overlaps; Eldritch Knights access more thematic “battle magic” spells.
- Weapon Bond Improvements: Summoning your weapon back is faster and more resilient to magical interference.
- Arcane Strike: An optional new feature that lets you “charge” attacks with magic without needing constant spell slots.
Ideal For:
- Players who want a bit of magic without full caster complexity.
- Gish fans who want to throw fire and steel in equal measure.
- Groups who enjoy magical combat without diving into full wizardry.
Recommended Spell:
- Shield: Always Shield. Trust us. +5 AC reaction saves lives.
RPGInquisitor Verdict:
🪄 “More magic, less clunk. Eldritch Knight is finally the nimble spellsword fantasy it was meant to be.”
🪓 New Fighter Subclass in 2025: Weapon Master (New!)
Weapon Master is a new addition introduced in D&D 2025, replacing some old niche archetypes with something focused, thematic, and crunchy.
What’s New:
- Mastery Over Specific Weapon Properties: You don’t just use a weapon—you unlock special moves depending on the weapon group (Heavy, Light, Reach, Thrown, etc.).
- Tactical Versatility: At high levels, you can swap weapon properties mid-combat, dramatically changing how you control the battlefield.
- Bonus Effects: Strikes with certain weapons trigger knockdowns, grapples, disarms, or forced movement.
Ideal For:
- Players who love thinking about weapon types tactically (not just damage dice).
- Martial artists, weapon masters, and tactical purists.
- Anyone who wants their weapon choice to matter every round.
Signature Move Example:
- With a Reach weapon? You can control enemy movement across multiple squares without needing Sentinel.
RPGInquisitor Verdict:
🛡️ “Weapon Master is the Fighter’s love letter to players who dream of tripping, grappling, and weapon-flourishing their way through an entire battlefield.”
🧠 Overall Thoughts: Fighter in 2025
The 2025 update doesn’t reinvent the Fighter—it refines it.
- Weapon choice matters.
- Subclass abilities feel more distinct.
- High-level Fighters don’t just hit more—they control the field.
The Fighter remains the most tactically versatile and accessible martial class in Dungeons & Dragons, and now, it’s even better equipped to shine in every encounter—from goblin ambushes to the final battle against the mad god.
Whether you’re crit-fishing with a Champion, maneuvering with a Battle Master, slinging spells with an Eldritch Knight, or mastering the art of the weapon itself—you’ll find a Fighter that fits your fantasy.
⚔️ Ready to Take the Field?
Start your journey with the D&D Starter Set or grab the Player’s Handbook 2025 as soon as it’s available!
Stay tuned for our upcoming Fighter Build Guides, where we’ll break down the best race, feats, and multiclass options for every flavor of Fighter.
🎲 Curious about how other 2025 classes are evolving?
Catch our full D&D 2025 deep dives here!
