Warforged Fighter 5e D&D Guide

Warforged Fighters stands tall and proud, their metallic frame gleaming like the armor of ancient knights. They are the epitome of strength and resilience, embodying the perfect blend of artifice and combat prowess.

Unlike their mortal companions, the Warforged Fighter was not born of flesh and blood. No, they were created in the forges of the arcane, a melding of magic and machinery.

In battle, the Warforged Fighter is an unstoppable force, wielding weapons with finesse and power that would make even the mightiest of dragons tremble. They charge into the fray, their hulking form cutting through enemies like a scythe through wheat. 

Do not mistake Warforged Fighters for mere machines, as with each battle fought; they gain experience and wisdom. They adapt, learning from their triumphs and setbacks, becoming the ultimate killing machine.

Creating a Warforged Fighter

Warforged

Warforged were constructed to battle in the Last War and are seen as the outcome of an improved battle machine. These sentient soldiers blend organic and inorganic materials, usually constructed with wood or metal.

Even with their rough exterior, Warforged can still feel emotion and pain. Since the war has ended, most wander without objectives, their only wish now being to once again serve a higher purpose.

Note: These features can be slightly changed or modified if some variations don’t fit your character.

Warforged Subraces

Warforged had older models, but most didn’t survive the war or were destroyed due to their inept building quality.

Fighter Class Features

Hit Points

Proficiencies

Fighter Archetypes

When you’ve reached level 3, you’ll get to choose from 10 different Fighter archetypes. All of them have different playstyles, so you’ll have to choose the most interesting one or the one that best fits your character.

Arcane Archer – Arcane Archers use an elven archery method, infusing magic into their attacks.

They are capable of great patience, using their magical arrows to destroy enemies before they have a chance to attack.

Banneret – Bannerets inspire greatness in other companions through their skillful fighting tactics and unmatched attacks.

They often lead attacks, urging all those who follow them to strike with conviction and be filled with his courage.

Battle Master – Battle Masters use martial techniques to win battles, seeing combat as an academic field and being experienced with weaponsmithing or calligraphy as well. They possess great knowledge and skills used to overcome any enemy.

Cavalier – Cavaliers are mounted warriors prone to leading cavalry charges. They have excellent guarding capabilities and serve as great protectors. Cavaliers often become adventurers to earn prestige and make their mark on the world.

Champion – Champions are focused on one thing, raw physical power honed to destructive perfection, training nonstop until they reach an unmatched physical strike.

Echo Knight – Echo Knights are feared for their deadly echo, using it to cut down enemies before they realize what’s happening. Facing an Echo Knight feels like you’re fighting a swarm of shadows.

Eldritch Knight – Eldritch Knights have mastered common fighting and combine it with magical techniques often used by wizards. 

These knights focus on the Abjuration and Evocation schools of magic, which provide them with unbreakable protection and insane damage capabilities.

Psi Warrior – Psi Warriors use psionic powers to strengthen themselves, infuse their weapons, and breach mental barriers.

You wield the power of magic and mind, dedicating yourself to learning its secrets and turning your body into both weapon and shield.

Rune Knight – Rune Knights use the powers of runes once used by giants to empower their equipment, giving them powerful benefits like improved magical skills, greater damage, or increased protection.

Samurai – Samurais are created through grudges, using their fighting spirit to overcome enemies and hardening their resolve to become unbreakable. Enemies facing a Samurai often only have two choices – yield or die in combat.

Combining Fighter With Warforged

Determining Your Fighter Subclass

Choosing your ideal subclass is subjective, but if your objective is optimization, try understanding what your character wants to do and what stats fit best with their subclass.

Optimal Warforged Subrace

The Warforged don’t have prominent subclasses, so it’s a bit difficult to start with something that completely fits what a Fighter needs.

Since you start with a bonus to Constitution (2) and you’re allowed to raise one other ability score by one, you can effectively get what you were looking for.

It would’ve been better to have Strength as your highest ability score, but Constitution gives some much-needed HP anyway.

Your Warforged Fighter Background

Your Warforged Fighter needs a unique background that will affect its choices, as well as the way it sees the world and what it wants to achieve.

Start by asking yourself some basic questions: Where were they born, and where did they come from? Do they have any goals, bonds, or ideals, and what are their flaws? Where do they belong in social circles and society as a whole? What inspires them?

Place of Birth

Think of the environment a Warforged Fighter grew up in and how it affected them physically and emotionally and eventually shaped their view of the world.

Try to make their place of birth and upbringing correspond with their personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws – this will truly bring their character alive.

Note: The birthplaces of races are usually mentioned in the Player’s Handbook or some of its expansion books.

Characteristics and Personality Traits

Warforged Fighters were very common in times of war, as they are master duelists and offensive behemoths with incredible strength and armor.

Warforged Fighters Examples:

• I make sure to always have a plan prepared for when things go wrong.

• I’m experienced in helping out those who aren’t as smart as I am, and I always patiently explain anything and everything to others.

Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws

Ideal – Express one ideal that is a driving force in a Warforged Fighter’s life – their conviction, ethical principle, and moral standing (probably something about nature).

All people deserve to be handled with dignity and respect.

Bonds – Think of a single bond that your Warforged Fighter has to an event, person, or place. Bonds will tie them to their background and can inspire bravery or stimulate memories driving them against their ideals.

My weapons are symbols of my past life, and I carry them so that I will never forget my roots.

Flaws – Choose a single flaw for a Warforged Fighter – their unhealthy compulsion, greatest fear/weakness, or most vile vice.

I judge others harshly and myself even more severely.

Inspiration

Inspiration is used by the DM to reward you for playing according to your bond, personality traits, ideals, and flaw.

I was created for war, and without it, I have no purpose. If I don’t battle every week, my skills will become rusty.

Note: If you’re struggling to create your background or just don’t want to think, the Player’s Handbook has well-thought-through backgrounds that you can use for your character or use as a mold.

Supplies and Gear For Warforged Fighters

Fighters start with the following equipment, together with the equipment from their background. Choosing equipment based on your situation and your character’s proficiencies is the easiest way to go about things.

• (a) Chain mail or (b) Leather, longbow, and 20 arrows
• (a) One martial weapon and a shield or (b) Two martial weapons
• (a) One light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) Two Handaxes
• (a) Dungeoneer’s pack or (b) Explorer’s pack

You can decide how your character came about these goods – whether they stole, inherited, or purchased them some time back – adding to your character’s background.

Note: By using your starting wealth, you can buy your own equipment (5d4 x 10 GP for Fighters).

Final Thoughts

Warforged aren’t spoken about nearly as much as they should, considering they are immortal machines that were built for war, basically spelling, “I’m a Fighter!”

I mean, if you love Warhammer 40k, you’ll instantly think of a way to turn your Warforged into a Necron, even if it isn’t lore accurate…or ethical.

But that’s beside the point since Warforged have some incredible stats that’ll complement a Fighter well.

Their best would probably be the built-in resilience and protection they get because they’re machines.

I would say Warforged Fighters are the definition of customizable, as their features all make it as easy as possible to turn them into the perfect killing machine.

You might also be interested in the following:

• Warforged Barbarian
• Warforged Ranger
• Triton Paladin