5 Backstory Ideas for Your Fighter in Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)

Fighters are the mainstay of new players and veterans alike in D&D, they can be frontliners or ranged, they can specialize in critical hits like the Champion or they can bring a unique combination of Maneuvers like the Battle Master. The Fighter specializes in combat above all else, it’s in the name after all. They have high hit points and can wear the heaviest of armor, giving them a solid Armor Class. They aren’t as utility based as rogues or magic heavy as clerics and wizards, but when initiative is rolled, you’ll be glad to be playing the Fighter. Now it’s time to come up with a few quick backstory ideas to help bring your character to life. Here are five intriguing ideas to use in your game, or to build off of to create a unique character you’ll love to play.

#1: The Soldier

You live a life in service to your nation or kingdom. The soldier is a classic idea for a fighter because above all else, it makes sense. Your soldier could range from a simple infantryman on the front lines to a knight in shining armor. Maybe you’re a high ranking individual in charge of a unit, or maybe you’ve since retired from your long military career, and you want to put the skills you’ve honed to the test in other places. If you are going to play a soldier (which is also a background you could choose) think about questions such as, who do you fight for and how long have you been fighting for them? Do you work for the kingdom, or do your alliances lay with a specific liege lord? Think about what brought you into a military life, does your kingdom have compulsory service, or did something happen to you or your family that made you pick up the sword.

For many soldiers they might go to war because of an impending threat from a neighboring kingdom, or a marauding group of monsters such as orcs or goblins. For others, maybe they’re only in the army because they couldn’t make ends meet elsewhere, or maybe their family has a strong tradition of service that you felt the need to uphold. In the end though, the question remains the same for many adventurers, why did you leave? Was your company defeated and you were the only one who escaped, or maybe your superiors have chosen you for a specific mission due to your skills. Either way, this idea allows you to work with the DM to determine allies and contacts such as your fellow soldiers and your superior officers.

#2: The Mercenary

While similar to the soldier, the mercenary doesn’t fight for kingdom or country, or for honor or loyalty. The Mercenary is a soldier of fortune, and fortune is what they seek. For the most part, adventuring parties often find themselves being mercenaries more often than not, so why not be a mercenary from the get-go. Perhaps you were taken in young, trained from an early age and apprenticed to one of the other mercenaries fighting for a company. Or maybe you’re more of a freelancer, going where the road takes you and fighting whoever (or whatever) you need to in order to make a little coin. Think about questions like what brought you to the mercenary life? How did you learn to fight outside the normal conventions of combat experience. Did you have a mentor, attend a school for duelists, or maybe you picked it up scrapping on the streets to survive, either way, think about how you graduated from these smaller ventures to fighting monsters.

As a mercenary, more often than not gold comes first. Consider whether your character is in the mercenary lifestyle simply to survive, or if they are using it as a path to wealth and glory? Do they have any codes or limitations, or will they do anything for the right price? Again, work with your DM to think up a company that you may have worked with, or maybe some of the jobs you’ve already completed for various contacts. The DM might use these hooks and NPCs to call upon you again, tying your character into the world.

#3: The Slayer

The Slayer is a hunter, a tracker, and a killer. Of what, however, is up to you! You could be a slayer of undead, demons or even dragons. The Slayer might be after whatever he hunts for a particular purpose, or is seeking revenge. He could have simply found that his talents are uniquely situated to fight one type of creature and has become an expert in the field. How did your Slayer decide what they wanted to hunt? Did a dragon burn down their town and now they seek revenge on all of dragon-kind, or do they hunt krakens to become the greatest monster hunter that ever lived? Is your Slayer into harvesting their prey? Do they have respect for the things that they kill? Or maybe they are simply interested in the thrill of the hunt.

Consider how your Slayer learned about their prey of choice. Did they teach themselves, or did they find out another legendary monster hunter or tracker to learn from? Does your slayer keep trophies? Do they have a specific goal they are aiming to meet, or maybe even a specific monster or individual they want to kill to feel as if they have succeeded? Does your Slayer do it for money, or do they simply feel the need to rid the world of their target? Talk to the DM about what you want to hunt, and how that might tie into the campaign as you go.

#4: The Mage

Not all Fighters are magic-less! For some, tying the dance of the blade and spell together is more natural than using one or the other. Eldritch Knights and Psi-warriors fit this backstory idea. The Mage uses spells as easily as the weapons they train with every day, and while they may not ever be as good at magic as a Cleric or Wizard, they have their armor and weapons to back them up when magic fails. Consider how your Mage came to wield both steel and spell, did they attend an academy similar to wizards, or maybe like the Soldier they were part of a group of soldiers trained for special missions. Maybe they were apprenticed to a wizard, but they weren’t powerful enough to become a full mage and now augment the magic they did learn with their combat prowess.

For a more unique mage, think about other less mundane ways your Fighter could have learned magic. Maybe they have a long dormant bloodline similar to a Sorcerer, or were gifted the powers through a pact with a demon, devil or Fey like a Warlock. Maybe they were part of a strange experiment that gave them additional magical abilities, or maybe they have a magical weapon through which they channel their abilities. Work with your DM to decide what approach works best for you, and flesh out any NPCs that might have been involved.

#5: The Bodyguard

A fighter’s skills are very helpful and applicable to guarding a subject. Your bodyguard might have developed his skills in the service of a town guard, or a house guard for a noble. They could be part of a larger staff, or paired specifically with one person such as a prince, powerful merchant or even another member of the party. You could be trained only for combat, or you could have a range of skills such as a butler or majordomo. Consider who your Bodyguard serves, and why. Is it simply because the pay is good, or because guarding someone like royalty affords him higher status? Does your Bodyguard like the individual they serve, or do they do it because they are bound to them? How did your bodyguard get to be on adventures? Were they sent out by their patron, or did they retire or leave?

Consider what makes your bodyguard good at their job. Are they more alert than others? Willing to sacrifice themselves for their job? Does your bodyguard always distrust new people to keep their charge safe, or do they vet each person who might come into contact with them ahead of time. Your bodyguard might find themselves assessing exits and entrances, and whether that person off to the side might be carrying a dagger. If you decide to make your bodyguard a protector of someone else in the party, consider working with them to make your backstories connect and overlap. This is a great way to tie yourself into the party and have a strong connection.

If you like this article or any others I have written, consider liking, subscribing, tipping or pledging here on Vocal as it really helps me continue writing! If you're looking for other articles on Fighters, check the links below!

• Best Magic Items for Fighters
• Best Feats for Fighters
• A Guide to Battlemasters

This is part of a series of backstory ideas for each class. To check out the other articles in this series, follow the links below!

• Barbarian
• Bard
• Cleric
• Druid
• Fighter
• Monk
• Paladin
• Ranger
• Rogue
• Sorcerer
• Warlock
• Wizard