Fighter

This page is specifically for the fighter class in.

For the version in, refer to Fighter (Baldur's Gate).

Introduction
Fighters, like rangers and paladins, have a wide array of weapons and armor they can use, whereas barbarians can only use a limited amount of armor. They're allowed to spend over two on weapon proficiency points, which no other class except Archer can do, though multi-class fighters can't exceed Specialization.

Ability Scores
During character creation, rolls below the minimum value for the class will be increased to that value. This table uses the values for Humans, other Races have modified ability scores.

* Prime ability score Requisites for Dual-classing.

^ Fighters have access to percentile Strength.

Advanced weapon specialization
The number of points that can be invested into a specific weapon proficiency is up to five points, as a result, fighters may do more damage and hit more often with weapons from the specific proficiency.

Fighter
The Fighter is a champion, swordsman, swordswoman, soldier, and brawler who lives or dies by the knowledge of weapons and tactics. Fighters can be found at the front of any battle, contesting toe-to-toe with monsters and villains. A good Fighter needs to be strong and healthy if hopes to survive.

Class features: Gameplay
 * May wear helmets
 * May wear any armor and use any weapon
 * May achieve Grand Mastery (five slots) with any weapon class
 * May achieve Specialization (two slots) in any fighting style and allocate three slots in Two-Weapon Style
 * Hit Die: d10
 * Prime Requisites for Dual-Classing: Strength
 * Considerable dual-classing levels are 7 (+1/2 Attack Per Round bonus), 9 (maximum level for HD Roll), 13 (1 Attack Per Round bonus). The fighter and its class kits may dual class into thief, cleric, druid and mage
 * Fighter->Thief dual-class is usually superior to pure thieves in backstabbing due to their combat abilities
 * Fighter->Mage dual-class is usually superior to pure fighters in defensive abilities because of defensive arcane spells such as Protection From Magical Weapons
 * Mage(2)->Fighter dual-class could be an interesting approach: Just like another fighter kit with an ability to use scrolls and wands, with some disadvantages

Berserker
This is a warrior who is in tune with animalistic side and, during combat, can achieve an ecstatic state of mind that will enable one to fight longer, harder, and more savagely than any person has a right to. Berserkers tend to be barbarian-like in nature, but not always. Sometimes it is a conscious choice that a warrior in training makes. Regardless, opponents on the battlefield will be unsettled when they see the savage and inhuman elements of the Berserker's personality. This class is common amongst dwarves, known to them as the Battlerager.

Advantages: Disadvantages:
 * May use Enrage ability once per day. Gains one use at level 1 and an additional use every 4 levels thereafter. The enraged state lasts for 1 turn. While enraged, a Berserker gains a bonus of -2 bonus to THAC0 and +2 to damage rolls as well as a -2 bonus to Armor Class, and becomes immune to charm, confusion, fear, feeblemind, hold, imprisonment, level drain, maze, stun (except mind flayer's Psionic Blast in classic versions [Confirmation Needed]), and sleep. The Berserker also gains 15 temporary Hit Points which are taken away at the end of berserk spree, possibly knocking unconscious
 * Becomes winded after berserking: +2 penalty to Armor Class, THAC0, and -2 penalty to damage rolls.
 * May not Specialize in ranged weapons
 * Alignment restricted to any non-lawful

Gameplay
 * Makes for an excellent dual-class for mages and clerics. Berserker rage is incredibly powerful in BG:EE due to the +15 hit points being a massive increase at low levels and the status immunities rendering most mages obsolete. The +2 to-hit, damage and AC also gives equivalent bonuses to a sixth-level kensai while still allowing you to wear helms, bracers and armor. Only being able to put one dot in ranged weapon proficiencies is totally negligible

Wizard Slayer
This warrior has been specially trained by one's sect to excel in hunting and combating spellcasters of all kinds.

Advantages:
 * Each successful hit bestows a 25% cumulative chance of arcane  spell failure on the target for 5 rounds (bypass MR, no save), new hits refresh the duration

Disadvantages: Gameplay
 * +1% Magic Resistance per level through level 19. Then starting at level 20, they gain +5% every even level and +1% every odd level, up to 84% MR max at level 40
 * May not use any magic items apart from weapons, armor, healing potions and antidotes
 * The spell failure effect includes no damage hits against mages protected by Stoneskin or Mirror Image, also works with thrown-axes and thrown-daggers such as Dwarven Thrower, K'logarath, plus all ranged weapons in
 * Druid's Fire Seeds' spread bypasses any defenses, so is true for the spell failure effects if the seeds are thrown from WS, which may be done either by dualing or given by a druid's party member. Send your summons near enemy casters, then throw the seeds upon them, with Haste, Improved Haste, or Whirlwind Attacks
 * Creatures' inherent effects, spells effects like Protection from Magical Weapons and Mantle will block damage and spell failure from taking place if not using the correct weapon type to bypass the damage immunity
 * Special abilities, including stored spells like Contingency, Wands, and Items may still be used by those at 100% spell failure
 * Their Magic Resistance stacks with items such as Human Flesh +5, Shield of the Lost, and Enkidu's Full Plate. Also stacks with Tear of Bhaal Test of Selfishness: Good reward, and Magic Resistance boost from Machine of Lum the Mad
 * Dual-class to thief and taking the Use Any Item HLA bypass the equipment restrictions
 * Due to its disadvantages, it is ill-advised to dual-class this class kit into a mage.
 * Although magic resistance seems attractive, a Monk of level 14 has greater resistance than a wizard slayer

Kensai
This class's name, which means "sword saint" in the common tongue, refers to a warrior who has been specially trained to be one with weapon. The kensai is deadly, fast, and trained to fight without the protection of armor. Despite its common name, a kensai may use any melee weapon with which is proficient.

Advantages: Disadvantages: Gameplay
 * -2 bonus to Armor Class
 * -1 bonus to THAC0 and +1 bonus to damage rolls every 3 levels
 * -1 bonus to Speed Factor every 4 levels, to a maximum of -10 bonus at level 36
 * May use the Kai ability once per day. Gains one use at level 1 and an additional use every 4 levels thereafter. All successful attacks within the next 10 seconds deal maximum damage
 * May not wear any armor, helms, shields or bracers
 * May not use any missile weapon except throwing-axes, throwing-daggers. Dwarven kensai may use the Dwarven Thrower hammer
 * Alignment restricted to any non-chaotic
 * When playing solo, it is advisable to make acquiring a Shield Amulet from Nashkel Carnival and De'Arnise Keep, a priority in order to lower your AC for tough fights
 * When part of a group, a pure kensai works best when buffed by AC-boosting spells like Barkskin, Spirit Armor, or wielding two-handed long reach weapons to fight behind your tanker
 * Mage dual-classing negates the disadvantage of inability to wear any armor.
 * Druid and cleric dual-classing could be another method to deal with the inability to wear any armor because of Barkskin.
 * Thief dual-classing negates every equipment restriction penalty on high-levels.

Dwarven Defender (EE only)
The Dwarven Defender is a formidable warrior that is reputed to be worth two soldiers of any other race. Trained extensively in the art of dwarven warfare, a handful of these stout fighters can render a defensive line all but unbreakable.

Advantages: Disadvantages: Gameplay
 * May use Defensive Stance once per day. Gains one use at level 1, one use at level 4, and an additional use every 4 levels thereafter. For 1 turn, the Dwarven Defender gains +50% resistance to all forms of physical damage, a -2 bonus to Saving Throws, and a 50% movement rate penalty. Does not stack with Hardiness high-level ability.
 * Gains +5% resistance to crushing, slashing, piercing, and missile damage every 5 levels to a maximum of 20% at level 20
 * Hit Die: d12
 * Race restricted to dwarf. May not dual-class due to race restriction
 * May not exceed High Mastery (four slots) in axes and war hammers
 * May not exceed Specialization (two slots) in any other weapon
 * Dwarven Defenders are far superior to barbarians in the early game where Armor Class is much more valuable.
 * With high Constitution score, Dwarven Defenders may have a vast sum of bonus on their saving throw
 * Defensive Stance provides better protection than Hardiness
 * Defender of Easthaven and Belt of Inertial Barrier are suggestible to reach 90% physical damage reduction

Barbarian
A Barbarian can be an excellent warrior. While not as disciplined or as skilled as Fighters, the Barbarians can willingly throw themselves into a berserker rage, becoming tougher and stronger opponents.

Class Features: Gameplay
 * May not wear armor heavier than splint mail
 * May not exceed Specialization (two slots) with any weapon class
 * May achieve Specialization (two slots) in any fighting style and allocate three slots in Two-Weapon Style
 * Moves 2 points faster than other non-monk characters
 * Immune to backstab
 * May use the Barbarian Rage ability once per day. Gains one use at level 1 and an additional use every 4 levels thereafter. The enraged status lasts for 5 rounds with a +2 penalty to Armor Class, but provides a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution, and a -2 bonus to Saving Throws vs. Spell, as well as immunity to all charm, hold, fear, maze, stun (except mind flayer's Psionic Blast in classic versions [Confirmation Needed]), sleep, confusion, and level drain spells
 * 11th level: Gains +10% resistance to crushing, slashing, piercing, and missile damage. An additional +5% is gained at levels 15 and 19
 * Hit Die: d12
 * May not dual-class
 * It is advised to use the Defender of Easthaven for this class. In conjunction with Hardiness, physical damage resistance may reach 80% at most
 * Due to its advantages and disadvantages, this class benefits more from mid to late games when Armor Class for warriors is starting to become meaningless compared to early stages
 * Barbarian Rage makes Barbarian better than Dwarven Defender when it comes against Mage.
 * Suggested armor is White Dragon Scale

High-level class abilities
High level class abilities are added in the expansion Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. For all warrior classes and Monks, the HLA pool consist of abilities which can be accessed from the special abilities menu. These abilities are available to fighters when they reach the next level exceeding 3,000,000 XP.
 * Power Attack, this ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Critical Strike, requires power attack. This ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Smite, requires power attack and critical strike. This ability can be selected only one time.
 * Deathblow, this ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Greater Deathblow, requires deathblow. This ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Whirlwind, this ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Greater Whirlwind, it requires whirlwind. This ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * War Cry, this ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Hardiness, this ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Resist Magic, this ability can be selected as many times you like.

Stronghold
After completing The de'Arnise Keep has been Invaded, protagonist fighters acquire the keep as their stronghold and the privilege to rule it, same as monks.

Gameplay (community)
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