Aasimar Battle Master Fighter Build Guide
Combining the tactical brilliance of Combat Superiority with the Aasimar's Celestial Revelation makes for an unparalleled airborne battlefield controller wielding formidable d10 superiority dice.
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Why Battle Master?
The Aasimar Battle Master Fighter is a 7/10 synergy build that elevates the classic martial tactician into a divine avatar of war. While generic Fighters often struggle with out-of-combat utility and mobility, the Aasimar species directly patches these holes. Celestial Revelation grants you explosive mobility via flight or an aura of radiant damage, allowing you to bypass the frontline and surgically dismantle enemy spellcasters. Furthermore, Celestial Resistance drastically improves your durability against necrotic and radiant damage, making you a nightmare for undead and fiend encounters.
Where this build truly shines is the intersection of species traits and the Battle Master's Combat Superiority. The Battle Master thrives on control—dictating the flow of combat with Superiority Dice. By taking to the skies with Celestial Revelation, you transform Trip Attack from a simple prone-inducer into a lethal tool; knocking a flying enemy prone forces them to plummet to the ground, dealing massive fall damage. You are not just a meat shield; you are a Controller who dictates positioning, shuts down high-priority targets, and uses Healing Hands as an emergency defibrillator for your party's cleric when things go south.
This build operates on precision and efficiency. You will leverage the Aasimar's high base stats to quickly max out your Strength, ensuring your Maneuver save DCs are virtually impossible for enemies to pass. If you want a martial character that demands thoughtful decision-making rather than mindlessly pressing the 'Attack' button, this is your ultimate template.
Battle Master Features
Combat Superiority
Level 3You have honed your martial techniques through extensive training. You learn special techniques called maneuvers that are powered by dice called Superiority Dice. Maneuvers: You learn three maneuvers of your choice from the Maneuver Options section below. Many maneuvers enhance an attack. You can use only one maneuver per attack. You learn two additional maneuvers of your choice at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. Whenever you learn new maneuvers, you can also replace one maneuver you know with another. Superiority Dice: You have 4 Superiority Dice, which are d8s. A Superiority Die is expended when you use it. You regain all expended Superiority Dice when you finish a Short or Long Rest. You gain additional Superiority Dice as you gain fighter levels, as shown in the Superiority Dice column of the Fighter table. Over 7th level (5 dice) and 15th level (6 dice). Saving Throws: If a maneuver requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice) + your Proficiency Bonus.
Student of War
Level 3You gain proficiency with one artisan's tool of your choice, and you gain proficiency with one skill of your choice that is available to fighters at 1st level.
Know Your Enemy
Level 7As a Bonus Action, you can discern certain strengths and weaknesses of a creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself. If the creature has levels in the Fighter class, you learn nothing from this ability. For 1 minute, you have advantage on attack rolls against the creature, and you gain the following benefits: You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks to discern the creature's alignment and state of mind. You discern if the creature is a spell caster.
Improved Combat Superiority
Level 10Your Superiority Dice increase in size from d8s to d10s.
Relentless
Level 15When you roll initiative and have no Superiority Dice remaining, you regain 1 Superiority Die.
Ultimate Combat Superiority
Level 18Your Superiority Dice increase in size from d10s to d12s.
Recommended Ability Scores
Aasimar Traits That Benefit Battle Master Fighter
Celestial Revelation
Flight provides incredible mobility, letting the Fighter reach otherwise inaccessible positions.
Celestial Resistance
Built-in damage resistance reduces incoming damage, keeping your Fighter alive longer in combat.
Healing Hands
Additional healing ability supplements the Fighter's support capabilities.
Darkvision
Aasimar Darkvision helps Fighters scout ahead and fight in darkness without needing a torch.
Combat Effectiveness
| Level | HP | Melee DPR | Ranged DPR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 5 | 39 | 7.8 | 7.8 |
| Level 11 | 81 | 10.73 | 10.73 |
| Level 17 | 123 | 10.73 | 10.73 |
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Build Path (Levels 1-20)
Levels 1-4
Start with a 15 Strength, 14 Dexterity, 13 Constitution, 8 Intelligence, 10 Wisdom, and 12 Charisma. Your primary goal is to secure heavy armor and a polearm. At Level 1, take the Defense or Great Weapon Fighting Style. Level 2 grants Action Surge, the ultimate burst-damage enabler. At Level 3, the build comes online as you select the Battle Master archetype and gain Combat Superiority. You get four d8 Superiority Dice. Choose Precision Attack, Menacing Attack, and Trip Attack as your first maneuvers. You also gain Student of War; grab proficiency in Smith's Tools to repair your own gear. At Level 4, take the Polearm Master feat instead of an ASI. This gives you a reliable Bonus Action attack, granting you a third chance each turn to land a crucial maneuver.
Levels 5-10
Level 5 brings Extra Attack, doubling your baseline DPR. At Level 6, use your Fighter ASI to take Great Weapon Master. This is where Precision Attack proves its worth—use your Superiority Dice to turn near-misses into massive +10 damage hits. Level 7 grants Know Your Enemy; use this bonus action during standoffs to learn if a boss has a weak Strength or Wisdom score, informing whether you should use Trip Attack or Menacing Attack. Level 8 is for bumping Strength to 17 (or 18 if you use custom origins). At Level 9, you gain Indomitable, helping patch your average Wisdom saves. Level 10 is a massive power spike: Improved Combat Superiority upgrades your d8 Superiority Dice to d10s, increasing both your burst damage and your odds of turning a miss into a hit with Precision Attack.
Levels 11-16
Level 11 grants your third Extra Attack, skyrocketing your base DPR to 10.73 without expending resources. At Level 12, max your Strength to 20 to ensure your Maneuver DC is as high as possible. Level 13 provides another use of Indomitable. At Level 14, take the Sentinel feat to perfectly synergize with Polearm Master, locking enemies down before they can reach your Aasimar's 10-foot reach. Level 15 grants Relentless, ensuring you always start a fight with at least one Superiority Die. This guarantees you can always apply Menacing Attack on turn one. Level 16 gives you another ASI; round out your Constitution to 14 or take Resilient (Wisdom).
Levels 17-20
Level 17 brings a second Action Surge, allowing for a devastating 6-attack nova round. Level 18 is your capstone subclass feature: Ultimate Combat Superiority. Your dice are now d12s, making your maneuvers incredibly potent. Level 19 offers your final ASI—Tough is an excellent choice here to inflate your d10 hit dice pool even further. Finally, Level 20 grants your fourth Extra Attack. Combined with Action Surge, Polearm Master, and Celestial Revelation's flat radiant damage bonus, your burst turn can annihilate ancient dragons in a single round.
Recommended Feats
Polearm Master
Take this at Level 4. The Battle Master relies on landing attacks to trigger maneuvers. Polearm Master gives you a Bonus Action attack with the butt of your halberd or glaive. Even though the damage die is a d4, it still triggers your Strength modifier, magical weapon bonuses, and most importantly, allows you to apply a Superiority Die if your main attacks missed. It also weaponizes your reaction when enemies enter your reach.
Great Weapon Master
Take this at Level 6. The -5 to hit for +10 damage is a math equation that the Battle Master solves effortlessly. Because you have Precision Attack, you can declare a GWM strike, see the die roll, and if you miss by a narrow margin, expend a Superiority Die to add 1d8 (later 1d10/1d12) to the attack roll, converting a miss into massive damage.
Sentinel
Take this at Level 14. As a Controller, your job is to protect the squishy casters. Sentinel reduces an enemy's speed to 0 when you hit them with an opportunity attack. Combined with Polearm Master, you can stop a melee enemy 10 feet away from you, preventing them from attacking you entirely while you poke them to death. If they try to bypass you, Sentinel punishes them.
Resilient (Wisdom)
Take this at Level 16 if you didn't roll high stats. Fighters naturally struggle against mind-control magic like Dominate Person or Hold Person. Adding your proficiency bonus to Wisdom saving throws ensures that your heavily armed Aasimar doesn't get turned against the party by an enemy enchanter.
Gear Progression
Tier 1 (Levels 1-4)
Your starting goal is simple: acquire Chain Mail and a Halberd or Glaive. If you have the gold, upgrade to Splint Armor as soon as possible. Keep a handful of javelins for ranged encounters before you unlock your Aasimar flight, though your primary strategy should be closing the distance.
Tier 2 (Levels 5-10)
By now, you need Plate Armor to maximize your AC. Look for a +1 Halberd to offset the Great Weapon Master penalty. A Cloak of Protection or Ring of Protection is highly recommended to bolster your saving throws, especially your weak Wisdom and Intelligence saves.
Tier 3 (Levels 11-16)
Seek out a +2 Halberd. This is also the tier where you should hunt for a Belt of Hill Giant Strength or Fire Giant Strength. If you secure one, you can ask your DM to let you re-train your Strength ASIs into more feats like Tough or Heavy Armor Master. A Winged Boots magic item is also excellent, allowing you to save your Celestial Revelation strictly for the burst damage rather than burning it for mobility.
Tier 4 (Levels 17-20)
Your endgame loadout should feature a +3 Halberd or a legendary weapon like a Vorpal Greatsword (if you abandon Polearm Master). An Armor of Invulnerability paired with your Celestial Resistance makes you nearly unkillable. Finally, a Belt of Storm Giant Strength sets your Strength to 29, guaranteeing your maneuver save DCs are unbeatable.
Party Composition
The Aasimar Battle Master primarily functions as a frontline Controller and heavy damage dealer. You dictate the pace of melee combat. Because you can inflict the Prone and Frightened conditions reliably via Trip Attack and Menacing Attack, you synergize incredibly well with melee-heavy parties that can capitalize on the advantage provided by prone enemies.
Your best friend is a Rogue (Assassin or Swashbuckler). By selecting the Commander's Strike maneuver, you can forgo one of your attacks to grant the Rogue an attack on your turn. Because Sneak Attack is limited to once per turn (not round), the Rogue can apply Sneak Attack damage again, resulting in a massive spike in party DPR.
You also pair perfectly with a Bane-casting Cleric or a Wizard using Mind Sliver. Your maneuvers require enemies to make Strength or Wisdom saving throws. If your casters debuff the enemy's saves, your Combat Superiority features become inescapable. Additionally, your Healing Hands means the Cleric doesn't have to panic if they drop to 0 HP—you can fly over and pick them back up.
Multiclass Options
Barbarian 2 Dip
Taking two levels of Barbarian for Reckless Attack and Rage is statistically incredible for a Battle Master. Reckless Attack gives you on-demand advantage, which stacks with your Precision Attack to ensure your Great Weapon Master strikes almost never miss. Rage halves incoming bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, which perfectly complements your Aasimar's Celestial Resistance to necrotic and radiant damage.
Peace Domain Cleric 1 Dip
A single level of Peace Cleric nets you Emboldening Bond, allowing you to add a 1d4 to attack rolls and saving throws. This 1d4 stacks with Precision Attack, making you a hyper-accurate juggernaut. It also gives you access to Bless and Healing Word, turning your fighter into an exceptional emergency medic alongside your Healing Hands.
Common Pitfalls
- Wasting Maneuvers on High-Stat Monsters: Using Trip Attack on a massive dragon with a +12 Strength save is a waste of a Superiority Die. Use Know Your Enemy to identify weak points, and target squishy casters with Strength saves, or meatheads with Wisdom saves (via Menacing Attack).
- Hoarding Superiority Dice: Combat Superiority dice return on a short rest. If you hold them for a boss fight that never happens, you are playing a subclass-less Fighter. Burn them to end encounters quickly and take frequent naps.
- Misusing Precision Attack: Do not declare Precision Attack before you roll the d20. The feature explicitly states you can use it after you roll but before the DM declares the result. Wait to see if the natural roll is close before spending the die.
- Forgetting Commander's Strike Prerequisites: If you take Commander's Strike, remember it costs an attack, a bonus action, and the ally's reaction. If your Rogue already used Uncanny Dodge this round, they cannot accept the strike. Communicate with your party!
More Questions
Which Aasimar subrace is best for a Battle Master?
Does Healing Hands replace the Fighter's Second Wind?
What happens if I use Trip Attack on a flying enemy?
Does my Celestial Revelation damage apply to Commander's Strike?
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- ♦ Battle Master grants Combat Superiority at level 3
- ♦ High hit points for frontline durability
- ♦ Strong species-class synergy enhances core abilities
- ♦ Darkvision for dungeon exploration
- ♦ Strong melee damage output
Weaknesses
- ♦ Low Wisdom — vulnerable to common saving throws
- ♦ Limited ranged and magical options without multiclassing
Pro Tips
Always use Precision Attack after rolling the d20, but before the DM calls it, to salvage missed Great Weapon Master strikes.
Activate Celestial Revelation before kicking down the door to avoid wasting your first turn's Bonus Action in combat.
Use Know Your Enemy during social standoffs to scout a target's Strength or Wisdom scores before combat erupts.
Pair Menacing Attack with Polearm Master; a frightened enemy has disadvantage on ability checks and cannot move closer to you.
Remember that Relentless at level 15 ensures you always have at least one Superiority Die when rolling initiative. Never hold back!
Other Fighter Subclasses for Aasimar
Other Races for Battle Master Fighter
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Battle Master a good subclass for Aasimar Fighter?
What makes Battle Master different from other Fighter subclasses?
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