The Fighter class in role-playing elements you're used to from D&D and all the fine video games it's inspired. That is to say, you clobber enemies with strong damage while taking little yourself (or a lot), and make space for your party in the process. For some, this will be a detriment, but if you're a true melee enjoyer, it's a pretty simple and accessible class to play, too.

You can go in a variety of directions with Fighter, but the main ones are Two-Handed DPS (sometimes referred to as a Berserker) or Sword and Shield (colloquially known as Sword and Board). This version goes for two-handed weapons and focuses on big damage, Stun, and sustain. The idea is you'll run in, bash enemies for big damage and crowd control while drawing attention away from your party, which they capitalize on. In short, you make everyone's lives easier.

Avowed: Best Abilities For Fighter (Two-Handed)

Because You Didn't Pay $70 To Block

Early on, basic attacks and Charge will take you far (literally), while the latter offers some welcome utility. Once you pick up Tatzli as a companion, you can take advantage of the freeze synergy. An eventual Rank 3 upgrade will help pile on Stun (don't prioritize it). You can dip into health and/or Stamina boosting abilities in Avowed — Toughness, Constant Recovery, and Armored Grace — as you find yourself needing it, or favor damage buffs first.

Speaking of damage, Brawn and Bleeding Cuts offer a ton of it upfront starting at Level 5. Damage over time is welcome in general as it lets you do other things or play defensively while damage is being dealt. You won't be playing defensively often, mind you, but it's good you still have damage uptime for the rare occasions you are. There's some synergy between Bleed and Stun, too: in some situations you can leave a stunned and bleeding enemy to die while you go to work on his friends.

You might be tempted by Devastating Criticals and dipping into Ranger for Critical Strike, but this stretches attributes too thinly.

Moving into the endgame, Stunning Blows will help you stun enemies much more often, increasing the consistency of your damage output, defense, and your entire party. Meanwhile, Retribution offers a huge damage boost. The boost is situational, sure, but it's a situation you should find yourself in extremely frequently. That's especially the case after you upgrade Shout to Rank 2, unlocking its Taunt effect. Once enemies are Taunted, eat all the damage then throw it back at enemies (maniacal laughter optional).

Best Attributes For Fighter

Fighter Is Point Hungry, To Say The Least

Unlike Ranger, which mostly wants two attributes, Fighter wants three, and would prefer four: Might, Constitution, Dexterity, and Resolve. Dexterity will take the backseat as you don't absolutely need to attack fast, but the rest are imperative. Since you're playing a Berserker archetype, Might takes top priority, allowing you to attack for lots of damage, while offering some carry capacity for good measure. If you're anything like me, you pick up way more than you think you're able to and before long have to sell it all, so you might as well enable yourself with Might.

Constitution isn't far behind Might, enabling you to stay in the fight for longer, and combining well with Toughness and Constant Recovery. Favour it over Resolve; Second Wind Efficiency is a bait stat because it's better to invest in things that increase your chance of killing enemies or not dying in the first place. But if treated as a bonus, there are worse things. Once you're feeling really comfortable, you can bump up Dexterity, but you'll want to keep pace with Resolve as attacking faster will mean higher Stamina use.

Best Weapons And Armor For Fighter

Maces And Two-Handed Hammers For Maximum Stun

As Stun is a key mechanic here, you're locked into Stunning Blows, which in turn locks you in to Maces and Two-Handed Hammers. Physical Damage and Stun are the key affixes you're looking for on those, but of course you'll take a lower Stamina Cost and Critical Hit Chance on top where you can get it. With high values on both, you're sure to keep enemies locked down if not outright dead consistently, which your party will thank you for.

Since you're a slow hitter and constantly in the fray, Heavy Armor makes the most sense. Favor both Damage Reduction stats, but as with your weapons, you'll take more Maximum Stamina and Maximum Essence on top when you're fortunate enough. Medium Armor may still work if you're a bit of a risk taker and really value the Stamina, but keep a close eye on your health and be sure to invest in Health boosting items and abilities to stay in top shape.

How To Play Fighter In Avowed

Hit Hard, Make Space, And Finish Combos

Traditionally, there's not a lot to Fighter and melee archetypes beyond hitting enemies and tanking damage. That doesn't change in Avowed, but there's something to be said for charging into the middle of battle, eating all the enemy damage for your team, and healing it right back up. Apart from that your job is just to Stun enemies often, which both you and your team can follow up on. Since your attacks will often be immune to interruption thanks to Barbaric Shout, that means you'll be doing a lot of stunning.

In situations where an enemy is both bleeding and stunned, you can maximize your battlefield control by ignoring them and debuffing other enemies. It's a winning combination to be sure, so definitely keep an eye out for any gear that provides a boost to either effect. There are certainly other directions to go in with Fighter, but if slow, hard hits that leave enemies defenseless appeal to you, this variant is your best bet in Avowed. Play hard but smart and you should serve your party well.