The fighter class is perfect for many players new to Dungeons & Dragons. It's simple to learn and can offer an uncomplicated play style. Conventional fighter builds let the player focus solely on melee weapon attacks without consulting a vast spell list. However, that doesn't mean fighters are bland. Like any class in D&D Fifth Edition, they are as complex as their player.
D&D fighters can be frontline attackers, support tanks, or even spellcasters. A fighter chooses their playstyle by their subclass and the D&D feats they take. Fighters get more Ability Score Improvements than any other class, which includes more feats. Picking the best fighter feats in D&D 5e can make them versatile combatants or monsters who excel at one battlefield role in particular.
Updated July 26th by Isaac Williams: Fighters live and die by their feats, getting more than any other class. This list has been updated to bring it in-line with CBR.com's formatting and to help overwhelmed players choose the best feats for fighters in all of D&D 5e, including with material from newer books.
16 Mounted Combatant
Player's Handbook pg. 168
Mounted combat is very situational in D&D. Many adventures happen indoors, underground, or in cramped areas where mounts aren't usable. However, a horse or similar steed is invaluable in wide-open terrain for mobility and protection. They only get better with D&D 5e's Mounted Combatant feat, especially for fighters.
A fighter with Mounted Combatant has advantage on attacks against all creatures smaller than their mount while riding. This is one of the best sources of advantage in D&D against humanoid or similar enemies. Its other features shore up mounts' weaknesses. This leaves fighters with unmatched mobility and endless advantage on attacks with few downsides.
15 Alert
Player's Handbook pg. 155
Surprised is one of D&D 5e's more common conditions. When one side catches the other unaware, the other team loses an entire round of turns. This is a lot of lost potential damage, particularly for fighters and their many attacks. A single round with the Surprised condition can quickly turn a fight against the party.
The Alert feat prevents a character from being Surprised. On a fighter, this feat presents the opportunity to slay an enemy, present a more appealing target, or get into a better position before ambushing attackers can act. Its other features, like a bonus to initiative and denying unseen enemies advantage, help make it one of the best feats for fighters in D&D 5e.
14 Heavy Armor Master
Player's Handbook pg. 167
Fighters start with proficiencies in all weapons, armor, and shields. It's clear from the beginning what role a fighter will play in a D&D party and what their duties will be. Fighters hit hard, but they also get hit a lot. The Heavy Armor Master feat is invaluable for any character who battles on the frontlines.
Heavy Armor Master lets a character reduce non-magical bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage by three. Three might not seem like a lot, but this damage can build up over many attacks. It can be the difference between life and death, particularly at early levels. Heavy Armor Master also comes with a Strength increase, making it an even better feat for a D&D fighter.
13 Crusher, Piercer, & Slasher
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything pgs. 79, 80, & 81
D&D Fighters are proficient in all weapons, so players are spoiled for choice with what kind of weapons their fighter will take into battle. Each feat improves a specific damage type. Slasher afflicts debuffs with slashing weapons, Crusher moves enemies around with bludgeoning weapons, and Piercer lets piercing weapons deal more damage.
With this trio of feats, every kind of D&D fighter will find something to love. They give fighters more options in combat and make critical hits even more devastating. They also each come with a vital ability score improvement. A character can broaden their tactical choices without diluting their stats.
12 Gift Of The Chromatic Dragon
Fizban's Treasury Of Dragons pg. 17
Fighters deal damage by making more attacks than other classes. Many characters get two at base, while a twentieth-level fighter can make at least four attacks per turn. Any ability that increases every strike's damage is an even better feat for fighters in D&D than it is for other classes.
Gift of the Chromatic Dragon lets a character buff their attacks with an additional d4 damage for a minute. This doesn't seem like much, but it can add up with a fighter's many attacks. Its other feature, letting a character resist damage of certain types, makes the fighter significantly harder to kill in the right circumstances.
11 *Knight of the Rose
Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen pg. 26
Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen's focus on diverse knightly orders gives the book a range of feats perfect for D&D fighters. In particular, Knight of the Rose provides a versatile support ability as beneficial to the fighter as it is to anyone else. Its base ability provides temporary hit points to a creature within 30 feet, including the fighter.
These temporary hit points can reach high amounts, particularly in the late game. A D&D fighter in the thick of combat can use Knight of the Rose to keep themselves on their feet against the odds. At the same time, it can support allies in a way few fighter abilities allow. Its ability score increase of Constitution, Wisdom, or Charisma is also invaluable for shoring up saving throws or skills.
10 Fey Touched
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything pg. 79
Fighters generally aren't known for their spellcasting. However, specific mechanical choices let them tap into the many spells D&D offers. Choosing the Eldritch Knight archetype is one surefire way to gain the ability to cast magic, but feats are another great option.
The Fey Touched feat in D&D adds even more to a spellcasting fighter's arsenal. The feat allows the player to increase their character's Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score. It also grants them the Misty Step spell and one 1st-level spell of their choice. Fighters can use this feat to get new combat tricks or give themselves some out-of-combat utility.
9 Shield Master
Player's Handbook pg. 170
The Shield Master feat safeguards a fighter even when they're alone. The class is most commonly found in the center of the battlefield, so they need protection at all times. Shields can bump a D&D fighter's AC, but taking the Shield Master feat gives them more defense than ever.
Shield Master lets players add their shield's AC bonus to Dexterity saving throws. It also gives them a version of the rogue's Evasion ability that completely negates damage when they succeed on a Dexterity saving throw. On top of its defensive features, Shield Master also lets a fighter shove creatures away or prone with a bonus action.
8 Fighting Initiate
Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything pg. 80
Fighters get the vastest array of Fighting Styles out of any class. The Champion fighter archetype is the only character type in all of D&D 5e that gets two Fighting Styles rather than one. However, some players may want to go even further. Fighting Initiate gives a character yet another Fighting Style.
A fighter can use this to become incredibly versatile. A character with both Dueling and Archery can hold their own at any range. Alternatively, some Fighting Styles — like Defense, Interception, or Blind Fighting — grant abilities that can be used alongside another Fighting Style. Fighting Initiate is one of the best feats for a D&D 5e fighter who wants to dominate the battlefield.
7 Tough
Player's Handbook pg. 170
Fighters in D&D are built around hitting things and can expect to be hit right back. While wizards and sorcerers usually prefer to cast spells at safe distances, most fighter builds require the character to be up close and personal with their targets.
For those warriors who fill the role of party tank or frontliner, the Tough feat is a must-have. It increases a fighter's hit point maximum by twice their level. In addition, it increases them for the same amount on subsequent levels. Paired with a high Constitution score, the Tough feat will allow fighters to weather all manner of punishment.
6 Lucky
Player's Handbook pg. 167
The Lucky feat is one of the best feats in D&D, giving a player three luck points. They can use a luck point to reroll an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. These three encompass most of the significant rolls in D&D 5e. With the Lucky feat, a character gets to succeed more often at anything they turn their mind to.
A character can even use luck points on enemy rolls, potentially causing their enemy's attack to miss. This feat is especially useful to D&D fighters when fishing for critical strikes on their attacks or attempting to dodge an enemy's devastating swing.
5 Magic Initiate
Player's Handbook pg. 168
Spellcasting is one of the most versatile tools in Dungeons & Dragons. Even fighters who don't get spellcasting from their subclass might want a small amount of magic ability. The Magic Initiate feat is perfect for this. It gives the player's choice of a single first-level spell to cast once per day. In addition, they get two cantrips to use at will.
Fighters can use Magic Initiate to improve their martial prowess or fill holes in their abilities. Cantrips like Minor Illusion or Prestidigitation can give a player surprising out-of-combat utility. Spells like Hex are invaluable with a fighter's many attacks. It's one of the best feats for any fighter, but even more invaluable for the D&D Eldritch Knight fighter subclass.
4 Sentinel
Player's Handbook pg. 169
Tanking can be difficult in D&D 5e. Enemies might ignore a frontline fighter and focus on their more fragile teammates instead. Sentinel is the best fighter feat in D&D 5e for players who want to make enemies focus on them. It uses opportunity attacks to keep enemies in place and away from more fragile party members.
When a player with Sentinel lands an opportunity attack, the enemy's speed becomes zero. This traps them next to the enemy they tried to bypass. Creatures also provoke their opportunity attacks even if they use the Disengage action. Additionally, when an enemy attacks another creature, a fighter with the Sentinel feat can use their reaction to make a counter-attack.
3 Crossbow Expert
Player's Handbook pg. 165
Crossbow Expert is ideal for many ranged characters. It doesn't just improve their ranged combat; it gives them flexibility when enemies engage them in melee. Crossbow Expert lets D&D players ignore the disadvantage imposed on ranged attacks against creatures within five feet of them. Fighters with Crossbow Expert can ignore the Loading feature on crossbows, meaning they can make multiple attacks.
When a player attacks with a one-handed weapon, Crossbow Expert lets them make a bonus action attack with a hand crossbow they're holding. This includes the hand crossbow, meaning Crossbow Expert can effectively give a fighter an additional attack per turn. Overall, this feat makes fighters extremely dangerous to enemies at any range.
2 Polearm Master
Player's Handbook pg. 168
Polearm Master is the best feat for any fighter specializing in reach weapons. Its benefits also extend to some non-reach weapons, like spears and quarterstaffs. When attacking with polearms or one of those weapons, the feat allows the wielder to make a bonus action attack with the other end of the weapon. For fighters, more attacks are always a good thing.
Additionally, when wielding any of those weapons or a pike, creatures provoke opportunity attacks when they enter that weapon's reach. Polearm Master famously combines incredibly well with the Sentinel feat. A fighter with both can lock down a 10-foot area in all directions around them. It's one of the best fighter feats in D&D 5e whether a character wants to tank or deal the most damage possible.
1 Great Weapon Master & Sharpshooter
Player's Handbook pgs. 167 & 170
The Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter feats are some of the best in D&D 5e, but they are especially effective for fighters. For melee-focused characters, Great Weapon Master grants an additional attack when they score a critical hit or reduce an enemy to zero hit points. They can also reduce heavy weapon attack rolls to gain +10 to the damage.
Sharpshooter provides the same attack roll reduction/damage buff to ranged attacks. It also lets the player ignore the disadvantage imposed on long-range attacks. These feats are some of the best damage increases in all of D&D 5e. They make a character a force to be reckoned with, particularly with a fighter's many attacks.