Fighters are the most versatile class, as they are able to proficiently use every type of weapon, as well as different types of magic to enhance their abilities and weapons.
Their roles can range from ranged attackers to frontline tanks, and they even have access to some healing with their second wind. No matter what role you want to play, the fighter can usually cover it. However, there are many items that benefit most fighters in different ways. The best items for fighters are listed in this article.
10. Weapons of Warning
This uncommon set of weapons provides a simple but very useful benefit to fighters. Most fighters tend to lead their parties, which also results in them being the first to be attacked, either by an ambush or a sneak attack. The weapons of warning simply do not let you be surprised by any means unless you are incapacitated.
They are also fairly common compared to other items, since they are of uncommon rarity and do not even have to be your primary weapon. It could be a simple dagger of warning (a callback to Lord of the Rings) that is wielded only when traveling, exploring dungeons, or walking into enemy territory.
Once an attempted ambush occurs, you can quickly switch to your primary weapon of choice and fight without being surprised. Being alert does not just apply to the wielder but also to the entire party. Aside from the inability to be surprised, you also gain advantage on initiative rolls, turning a surprise attack into a combat where you end up going first.
9. Ring of Protection
You don’t want to lose your cool greatsword for the bonus of a shield or don’t want to wear heavy armor and gain disadvantage on attack rolls, but still want the AC bonuses from those? Well, the Ring of Protection is a rare ring that offers exactly that.
The ring grants a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws. While the bonus is less than a shield or heavy armor, being only half of a shield and one-third of armor (difference of medium to heavy), the unseen benefits that come along with it make up for the fact. As previously mentioned, the ring gives you a free bonus to AC without any restrictions, such as changing your fighting style or losing stealth options.
Another benefit that it gives is the bonus to saving throws, all of them. No armor or shield provides such a bonus, and at lower levels, a +1 can be the difference between 50 points of damage and 25, which often results in death. The ring is a commonly sought-after item and an easy one to find in most worlds, even with its rare rarity.
8. Adamantine Armor
The armor is made from the strongest material in existence and is forged into different sets of armor. It is the best non-magical armor in the game and comes in many forms.
Most medium and heavy armor sets have an adamantine variation, giving the armor usefulness to most types of fighters, from tanks to warriors. The armor itself does not provide any bonus to AC compared to its non-adamantine variation, but it has a unique feature that lets it shine more.
The adamantine armor sets grant resistance to critical hits, meaning that any critical hit against the wearer becomes a normal hit. At higher levels, many enemies can make critical hits with rolls of even 18 rather than just 20, and advantage on rolls is much easier to come by, especially against the frontline of your party, so being unable to be critically hit is effectively an increase to the wearer’s health and durability in combat. Adamantine armors are the best non-magical armor sets and can even hold up against some of the magical sets, making them a great choice for any fighter.
7. Armor of Invulnerability
This legendary magical plate armor offers one of the best defenses amongst the armor sets. During normal use, the armor functions as any other plate armor, but once its ability is activated, it makes the wearer nearly invulnerable. The wearer gains full immunity to any non-magical damage for the next 10 minutes.
Since this feature is one that can be activated on command (even if only once per day), and it lasts 10 minutes, it can be used for those situations where enemies deal non-magical damage, making the wearer truly invulnerable.
It is also highly effective when fighting groups of enemies who deal mixed damage, effectively doubling the wearer’s hit points in that fight. Generally, it is a great armor set for most combat scenarios, but its use is restricted by its rarity, which rightfully is legendary.
6. Ring of Free Action
The fighter’s greatest tool is their body, and their skills are ones they mastered through great training and even greater trials. Having all that effort be thrown away just by a simple spell can be both a mental and actual defeat.
The Ring of Free Action is a perfect item to safeguard a fighter from such problems. Just by attuning to it and wearing the ring, the fighter cannot be paralyzed nor restrained by magical means, such as the hold monster spell.
The ring provides full immunity to all paralyzing, restraining, and slowing magical effects and allows the wearer to ignore difficult terrain. All around great features to have for anyone, but even greater on a fighter who is often the one in the frontline along with a barbarian, taking hits and outputting damage.
Being paralyzed or restrained is by no means a condition any player enjoys, but the safe distance of a cleric compared to the absolute danger the fighter is in makes this an obvious choice for the fighter.
5. Cloak/Ring of Displacement
The displacer beast is one of the coolest and most well-known creatures in Dungeons and Dragons, with its cool panther-like design and horrifying tentacles that manage to creep out most players while also being a dangerous foe.
What makes the displacer beast especially cool is its Displacement ability. The ring and cloak of displacement, as the name would suggest, grant the user that exact ability with no charges. The wearer seems illusory and confuses opponents at all times, making them harder to see and giving attacks against them disadvantage.
If an attack is made successfully, the effect dissipates, only to reactivate at the start of the wearer’s next turn. The effect is completely passive and requires no charges or costs to be used while also being quite strong. The only thing it lacks is the benefits to saving throws.
The effect of the cloak/ring can be removed by getting hit, and attacks that require saving throws often guarantee hits but half damage on a success. These attacks can render the items completely useless as they offer no protection against saving throws.
4. Belt of Giant Strength
The Belts of Giant Strength are a set of items that change (not increase) your Strength score to a certain score that depends on the belt. The Belt of Storm Giant Strength, providing the highest Strength score of 29, brings the modifier to a whopping +9. The belt’s effect is not affected by other bonuses to strength unless your score is higher than that of the belt.
In that case, the belt will have no effect on you. Fighters can use all weapons but often use Strength-based ones such as greatswords and longswords. Using such weapons with a +9 strength can make every attack almost a guaranteed hit and deal a minimum of 30 damage per turn by 11th level if all attacks land.
Any Belt of Giant Strength is useful to a fighter since fighters cannot increase their Strength scores beyond 20 without the assistance of magic items, unlike the barbarian.
3. Spellguard Shield
Fighters mainly use weapons and tools to carry them through fights. Even the spell-slinging Eldritch Knight subclass remains focused on the weapon rather than the spells, using the spells as a secondary offense or support tool.
The fighter lacks defense from magic in their kit aside from a decently large pool of hit points. The Spellguard Shield is made precisely for that. Simply put, this shield gives you resistance against ANY magical effect, be it spells, curses, or anything imaginable.
By giving resistance, it means that all magical effects on you while holding the shield and being attuned to it have disadvantage, and you have advantage on saving throws against them. This effect is insanely powerful, and it being applied through a shield means you also gain a +2 bonus to AC, and it does not clash with the fighter’s combat style.
It can even be further improved by picking the Protection or Defense fighting styles to either make yourself tankier or defend your allies with your shield. This shield is one of the best items for a fighter, and most often, it’s better to sacrifice a two-handed weapon for it.
2. Weapons of Certain Death
Death Knights stand as a few of the fiercest enemies in the game. Their weapons, Weapons of Certain Death, possess one of the strongest yet simplest abilities. When a creature is damaged with an attack using this magic weapon, the target can’t regain hit points until the start of your next turn.
This weapon can keep an enemy from regenerating any hit points through any means. Many creatures can regenerate hit points every turn, like the hydras or the trolls, and this weapon can be the perfect tool for executing them. These weapons are also useful for any combat, even against groups or single targets. Groups of enemies can have a healer, much like most parties do, and single targets might carry potions to keep themselves safe if needed.
Most Dungeon Masters use some sort of healing for their main villains as a way to keep them from being killed too soon in combat. This weapon is an all-around menace to many creatures and most DMs.
1. Vorpal Sword
One thing almost all creatures share is a head. The Vorpal Sword can change that. Another sword with a simple ability, the Vorpal set of swords can cut any creature’s head, killing it on the spot, on a roll of 20, not a critical hit but 20. The only creatures immune to this effect are those immune to slashing damage and those who have the DM’s favour by their side.
In cases where the weapon does not execute a creature, it deals an additional 6d8 slashing damage along with the critical hit damage. The weapon’s damage also counts as magical, and it is a +3 weapon.
The Vorpal Sword is definitely the strongest official magical item for a fighter and one that can be used with most playstyles. Every fighter enthusiast should use the Vorpal Sword at least once.
Magic weapons for Fighters 5e overview
Here is an easy-to-consult table if you want to get straight to the point and compare the items.
| Item Name | Rarity | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapons of Warning | Uncommon | Provides immunity to surprise attacks and grants advantage on initiative rolls | Better preparedness for combat |
| Ring of Protection | Rare | Grants a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws without restricting fighting style or stealth | Increased defensive capabilities |
| Adamantine Armor | Uncommon | Grants resistance to critical hits, effectively increasing the wearer’s health and durability | Increased durability in combat |
| Armor of Invulnerability | Legendary | Makes the wearer immune to non-magical damage for 10 minutes, offering great protection in combat | Invincibility for a limited time |
| Ring of Free Action | Rare | Provides immunity to paralyzing, restraining, and slowing magical effects, and ignores difficult terrain | Enhanced mobility and control in combat |
| Cloak/Ring of Displacement | Rare | Grants the wearer a chance to dodge incoming attacks by appearing to be in a different location | Increased evasion and survival in combat |
| Belt of Giant Strength | Rare | Changes Strength score to a certain score depending on the belt | Increased strength for greater combat effectiveness |
| Spellguard Shield | Rare | Provides resistance against any magical effect | Enhanced protection against magical threats |
| Weapons of Certain Death | Rare | Can prevent enemies from regaining hit points | Increased effectiveness in taking down enemies |
| Vorpal Sword | Legendary | Can instantly kill creatures on a roll of 20 and deals additional 6d8 slashing damage along with the critical hit damage | High damage potential and the ability to instantly kill enemies |