Highlights
- Dungeons and Dragons' latest edition, One D&D, will be released in 2024 and has made significant changes to base classes like the Fighter through playtests and feedback from fans.
- The base fighter class has multiple features that give it greater combat power and options, such as Weapon Mastery.
- Many fighter subclasses have added or reworked features, and the new Brawler subclass offers an unarmed fighting style.
One D&D, the latest edition of Dungeons and Dragons, is releasing in 2024 and its playtests have made sweeping changes to the game’s base classes like the Fighter. Wizards of the Coast also tweaked some gameplay rules and added new mechanics to the game. The developers will use the playtest materials to get feedback from fans in hopes of making One D&D as balanced and polished as possible before it officially hits the shelves.
Other big changes coming to One D&D come in the form of an overhauled Dungeon Master's Guide, which makes DMing more accessible by restructuring the chapters entirely. There’s also the brand-new Bastion system, which gives the party a custom headquarters, and the game will rework backgrounds to make them more customizable. Despite new mechanics and massive tweaks to core elements, One D&D is meant to be backward compatible with D&D 5th Edition. As such, players shouldn’t expect significant changes to the rules they’ve grown accustomed to in the last decade. However, the latest changes and additions to almost all the game’s classes are something to be excited about.
A Look into the Fighter’s Weapon Mastery Feature in One D&D
Almost every class in One D&D is getting additional content and changes to their skill sets. This is most obvious in the Dungeons & Dragons mainstay Fighter. This all-rounder martial class is getting a level one feature called Weapon Mastery, which unlocks a unique secondary trait for each weapon. A great example of this is Cleave, which upon a successful hit, gives the Fighter an additional attack roll with the same weapon against a second creature within five feet of the first.
Another interesting Weapon Mastery ability is Graze, which essentially lets players hit enemies with significantly lower damage (equal to the ability modifier they used) if they fail their attack roll. The current One D&D playtest weapon table has a Mastery column which shows what the Fighter can access when they use that specific weapon. For example, Cleave applies to heavy melee weapons like the Glaive and Greataxe, which can often slice through multiple opponents in one blow.
The Fighter’s Subclass Roster Gets a Boost and a New Addition
Players who dream of having a Jackie Chan in Rumble in the Bronx-type character that fights mostly with their fists, feet, and improvised weapons like barstools and beer mugs will love the Brawler subclass. According to the playtest, the Brawler forgoes their weapons training in favor of learning the skills needed to throw powerful punches and devastating kicks and turning seemingly harmless objects into deadly weapons.
The subclass gets a significant improvement to Unarmed Strikes at level 3, allowing them to deal weapon-level damage using only their fists. By level 7, they also gain an unarmed attack as a bonus action. This subclass thrives in raucous tavern brawls and meticulous espionage missions where they need to improvise and use ordinary objects to carry out surprise takedowns and assassinations in a pinch, in the vein of Hitman’s Agent 47.
Existing Fighter subclasses also received buffs. Battle Masters can use one of their signature Maneuvers every turn for free with a weaker Superiority Die once they get to level 15. The Eldritch Knight can now swap their extra attack with a cantrip, which is great for both combat and roleplaying. The Champion, upon reaching level 10, can gain Heroic Advantage for free every turn.
Other boosts to this class include multiple uses of the self-healing Second Wind ability per day and access to the Persuasion skill. There’s also the new Studied Attacks (level 13) ability, which gives the player an advantage after a failed attack. The idea is that the Fighter improves during combat as they study their opponent’s movements. These additions and changes give players a chance to be more creative and dynamic with the Fighter, a class that was originally thought to be basic and straightforward.
One D&D is currently in development and is set to release in 2024.