Did the dwarf characters from The Hobbit inspire you to try playing D&D? Do you have fun roleplaying characters that already have lots of pop culture duplicates and adding a unique twist to the typical stereotype?

If you want a character that values gods, gold, and clan, a Dwarf character is a perfect pick for you. Do you want to make your Dwarf an expert martial warrior? Well, then what you need is a Dwarf Fighter build, which we’ll discuss further below.

The Dwarf race AND the Fighter class can be found in the Player’s Handbook. Click here to pick up your own copy of The Player’s Handbook!

How to Make a Dwarf Fighter

When you’re rolling a Fighter character, decide if you want to make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score. The choice will depend on whether you’ll use melee weapons or the archery fighting style in the game. Make Constitution the second-highest ability score, or Intelligence if you’ll take the Eldritch Knight subclass later.

The three martial archetypes or Fighter subclasses from the Player’s Handbook are:

• Champion
• Battle Master
• Eldritch Knight 

If you want a flexible and combat-dominant subclass, pick the Battle Master. The Champion is a straightforward subclass, which is perfect for new D&D players. Finally, the Eldritch Knight lets you weave magic and spells into your martial fighting style.

On race, choose between playing as a Mountain Dwarf or Hill Dwarf. The best subrace is the Mountain Dwarf, as it gives you a +2 Strength score.

How to Play a Dwarf Fighter

As the namesake of their class, Fighters do well whenever they’re in combat. They often have great control over the damage they give and how they weave around the battlefield. For example, your Action Surge lets you take an extra turn or action. Meanwhile, Second Wind brings back a small portion of your health.

When in battle, stick to the frontlines and target key enemies like spellcasters or the largest foes. Use the unique abilities of your subclass to conquer your enemies. For example, Champions have more chances of landing critical hits. Battle Masters can perform maneuvers that can distract enemies, push, parry, and more.

Eldritch Knights will do well in battle with the following cantrips and spells in their repertoire:

• Booming Blade
• Shocking Grasp
• Shield
• Invisibility
• Misty Step
• Counterspell
• Fly
• Stone Skin

Keep in mind that you also have Dwarven Resilience, which helps you resist poison damage.

How to Roleplay as a Dwarf Fighter

Dwarves are more than bearded people with a Scottish accent and a love for ale. Your Dwarf Fighter doesn’t have to follow this stereotype. Make him or her unique by adding interesting things to your character’s personality and backstory.

For example, remove the Scottish accent and replace it with an English accent. The reason: your Dwarf was adopted by an elven family in an elf city. You can also make your Dwarf clean-shaven for this same reason.

Another example is to add an unusual backstory to your Dwarf Fighter. It doesn’t always have to be tragic or simple. For example, you’re traveling so you can get your money back from a paladin who scammed you with a fake blessing.