D&D: Big Changes Coming To Battlemaster Fighters With Tasha’s Cauldron
The Battlemaster Fighter is getting a buff with the newest set of rules coming to Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. Come check out the Battlemaster Builds.
It’s good to be a Fighter in 5th Edition. If you want to pick a versatile character that you can shape into many different archetypes, the 5th Edition Fighter might not be your first choice. But with new rules coming in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, the Battlemaster Fighter, currently the second most popular fighter archetype, looks like it’ll be adaptable enough for whatever playstyle you want.
Previewed by Jeremy Crawford, lead rules designer for D&D, the “Battle Master Builds” combine fighting styles, maneuvers, and feats to create a wide variety of options:
If you'd like your D&D fighter to focus on fisticuffs, Tasha's Cauldron of Everything offers twelve Battle Master builds to consider, including the Pugilist! 👊 #DnD https://t.co/XZBeCuPl1Y
— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) November 6, 2020
Each of the Battle Master builds is a template for creating a “radically different fighter” according to Crawford. And with Tasha’s Cauldron introducing new maneuvers and fighting styles, fighters are going to have a serious upgrade to their toolbox on November 17th.
Each of the twelve Battle Master builds in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything shows you how to combine the Battle Master with certain fighting styles, maneuvers, and feats to create radically different fighters, including the Archer and the Strategist. #DnD
— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) November 6, 2020
What are the twelve different builds? So far we’ve seen:
- Pugilist, focusing on brawling/unarmed combat
- Archer, focusing on ranged maneuvers
- Strategist, which probably focuses on making the most of your friends
- Brawler, which utilizes improvised weapons in addition to your fists
So there are still eight different options left to be revealed. If I had to guess, I’d say you can expect one focused on fighting with polearms, one focused on fighting with a two-handed weapon, one focused on fighting defensively, one focused on fighting with two weapons, and one “duelist” style focused on fighting with just a single weapon.
It remains to be seen if there are any other benefits to picking one of these builds besides just getting the different options–but it’ll be the first time we see 5th Edition providing official guidance on how to build your fighter. Either way, there are two new fighter archetypes on top of this: the psi warrior and rune knight fighter, both of which give the fighter a blend of more mystic powers to enhance their prowess. So whether you use purely martial might or add in magic, there’s something for everyone.
Happy Adventuring!
