Dwarf Battle Master Fighter Build Guide

Levels 1-4

Start with the Defense fighting style; an AC of 17 with Chain Mail and a two-handed weapon keeps you healthy. At level 3, you unlock your core engine: Combat Superiority. Take Precision Attack (mandatory for damage scaling later), Trip Attack (for melee advantage), and Menacing Attack (for crowd control). Your Student of War feature gets you Smith's Tools—perfect for a Dwarf. At level 4, take the Heavy Armor Master feat, bumping your Strength to 16. The flat 3-point damage reduction stacks absurdly well with Dwarven Resilience, making you virtually invincible against Tier 1 goblinoids and bandits.

Levels 5-10

Level 5 brings Extra Attack, doubling your chances to land a maneuver. At level 6, take the Great Weapon Master feat. This is where your build comes online: use Precision Attack to offset the -5 attack penalty, turning near-misses into massive +10 damage hits. Level 7 grants Know Your Enemy; use this Bonus Action to check a boss's AC or Constitution before deciding which maneuvers to burn. At level 8, use your ASI to push Strength to 18. Level 10 is a massive power spike: Improved Combat Superiority bumps your dice to d10s. Learn Brace and Riposte here to weaponize your reaction and maximize your action economy.

Levels 11-16

Extra Attack (2) arrives at level 11, pushing your sustained DPR through the roof. At level 12, use your ASI to cap Strength at 20. Level 14 is the perfect time to bump your Constitution to 16, squeezing even more value out of Dwarven Toughness. At level 15, you gain Relentless. Because you regain a Superiority Die if you roll initiative with none, you should never end a fight with dice left in the tank—burn them all! Take Goading Attack and Sweeping Attack to round out your utility. At level 16, grab the Resilient (Wisdom) feat to patch up your terrible 10 Wisdom and avoid getting mind-controlled.

Levels 17-20

Action Surge (two uses) at level 17 allows you to unleash an absolutely devastating nova round. At level 18, Ultimate Combat Superiority increases your dice to massive d12s, making your Trip Attacks almost impossible for enemies to resist and your Precision Attacks guarantee GWM hits. Level 19 is your final ASI; take the Tough feat. Combined with Dwarven Toughness, your HP pool will rival a Barbarian's. Finally, level 20 brings Extra Attack (3). You are now making four attacks per turn, dropping d12 maneuvers with impunity, and anchoring the frontline like a true Dwarven king.

Great Weapon Master

Take this at level 6. The Battle Master is uniquely equipped to abuse this feat because of Precision Attack. When you take the -5 penalty to hit for +10 damage, you can wait to see your d20 roll before deciding to add your Superiority Die, mathematically erasing the feat's drawback.

Heavy Armor Master

Take this at level 4 to bump your 15 Strength to 16. The flat -3 reduction to non-magical slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage makes a Dwarf Fighter an absolute wall in Tiers 1 and 2, allowing you to save your hit dice and healer's spell slots.

Resilient (Wisdom)

Grab this at level 16. With a base Wisdom of 10, you are a prime target for Hold Person, Fear, and Dominate Person. A failed Wisdom save turns your massive Dwarf DPR against your own party. Proficiency in Wisdom saves is non-negotiable in Tier 3 and 4.

Sentinel

If you prefer a pure lockdown role over maximum damage, take Sentinel instead of an ASI. When an enemy tries to flee your melee range, you reduce their speed to 0. Pair this with Menacing Attack to trap a frightened enemy in place, entirely unable to approach your allies.

Tier 1 (Levels 1-4)

Your goal is to acquire Plate Armor as fast as humanly possible, but you'll likely start with Chain Mail. Wield a Maul or a Halberd depending on your preference for flat damage vs. reach. Carry a heavy crossbow for when your 25-foot Dwarven speed leaves you out of melee range.

Tier 2 (Levels 5-10)

Seek out Adamantine Plate Armor. Negating critical hits on a chassis that already boasts Dwarven Toughness makes you incredibly hard to put down. Look for a +1 Weapon (preferably a Halberd or Maul) and a Cloak of Protection to shore up your saving throws.

Tier 3 (Levels 11-16)

You desperately need Boots of Speed. The Dwarf's 25-foot movement speed becomes a severe liability against flying or highly mobile Tier 3 enemies. Doubling your speed fixes this entirely. Upgrade to a +2 Weapon to keep your GWM attacks landing consistently against higher ACs.

Tier 4 (Levels 17-20)

Hunt for a Belt of Storm Giant Strength to push your Strength beyond the natural cap of 20, making your Ultimate Combat Superiority strikes devastating. Pair this with a +3 Weapon and Armor of Invulnerability to become an unstoppable god of war on the frontline.

As a Dwarf Battle Master, your primary role is the Frontline Controller. You aren't just dealing damage; you are using Menacing Attack to impose disadvantage on enemy attacks and Trip Attack to set up advantage for your melee allies. You are the immovable anvil upon which the rest of the party strikes.

You pair exceptionally well with a Rogue (especially Assassin or Swashbuckler). By taking the Commander's Strike maneuver, you can forgo one of your attacks to let the Rogue attack as a reaction. Because Sneak Attack is limited to once per turn (not round), this allows the Rogue to land a second Sneak Attack in the same combat round, utterly deleting priority targets.

You also shine alongside a Cleric (Peace or Twilight domain). The Cleric's Bless spell stacks perfectly with your Precision Attack, making your Great Weapon Master strikes practically guaranteed to hit. In return, your massive HP pool and threat generation keep enemies far away from the Cleric's concentration.

Barbarian 2 Dip

Taking two levels of Barbarian for Reckless Attack is a massive DPR boost. Advantage on all your melee attacks means you rarely need to burn Superiority Dice on Precision Attack, saving them for raw damage maneuvers. Danger Sense also patches up your mediocre Dexterity saves.

Rogue 3 (Swashbuckler)

A bizarre but potent combination. Cunning Action allows you to Dash as a bonus action, entirely negating the Dwarf's 25-foot speed penalty. Expertise in Athletics combined with your high Strength makes you the undisputed king of grappling, letting you drag enemies into environmental hazards.

• Hoarding Superiority Dice: With the Relentless feature at level 15, you regain a die if you roll initiative with none. If you finish a combat with dice remaining, you are wasting your subclass's potential. Burn them early to tilt the action economy.
• Misusing Know Your Enemy: Remember that this takes a Bonus Action and lasts for 1 minute. It is best used on the first turn of combat against a boss to learn their AC or highest saving throw, dictating which maneuvers you use for the rest of the fight.
• Tripping before the Ranger shoots: Trip Attack knocks enemies prone. This gives melee allies advantage, but imposes disadvantage on ranged attacks. Always check the initiative order before tripping a target.
• Forgetting to use Brace/Riposte: As a Fighter, your reaction is often unused. Taking maneuvers that weaponize your reaction ensures you are dealing damage outside of your turn, maximizing your DPR.