Page 28 - DnD 5e - Xanathar's Guide to Everything

HERALDIC SIGNS
d6 Sign
A rampant golden dragon on a green field, repre-
senting valor and a quest for wealth
2 The fist of a storm giant clutching lightning before
a storm cloud, symbolizing wrath and power
3 Crossed greatswords in front of a castle gate, signi-
fying the defense of a city or kingdom
4 A skull with a dagger through it, representing the
FIGHTER doom you bring to your enemies
s A phoenix in a ring of fire, an expression of an in-
LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE ALL DONE TALKING. domitable spirit
-Tordek 6 Three drops of blood beneath a horizontal sword
blade on a black background, symbolizing three
Of all the adventurers in the worlds of D&D, the fighter foes you have sworn to kill
is perhaps the greatest paradox. On the one hand, a sin-
gular feature of the class is that no two fighters ply their INSTRUCTOR
craft in quite the same way; their weapons, armor, and
Some fighters are natural-born combatants who have
tactics differ across a vast spectrum. On the other hand,
a talent for surviving in battle. Others learned the ba-
regardless of the tools and methods one uses, at the
sics of their combat prowess in their formative years
heart of every fighter's motivation lies the same basic
from spending time in a military or some other martial
truth: it is better to wound than to be wounded.
organization, when they were taught by the leaders of
Although some adventuring fighters risk their lives
the group.
fighting for glory or treasure, others are primarily con-
A third type of fighter comes from the ranks of those
cerned with the welfare of others. They put more value
who received one-on-one instruction from an accom-
on the well-being of the society, the village, or the group plished veteran of the craft. That instructor was, or
than on their own safety. Even if there's gold in the off-
perhaps still is, well versed in a certain aspect of combat
ing, the true reward for most fighters comes from send-
that relates to the student's background.
ing enemies to their doom.
If you decide that your character had an individual
The sections below offer ways to add a little depth a nd
instructor, what is that person's specialty? Do you
a few personal touches to your fighter character.
emulate your instructor in how you fight, or did you
take the instructor's teachings and adapt them to your
HERALDIC SIGN
------- own purposes?
Fighters typically do battle for a cause. Some fight on
behalf of kingdoms besieged by monsters, while others INSTRUCTORS
quest only for personal glory. In either case, a fighter
d6 Instructor
often displays a heraldic sign that represents that cause,
Gladiator. Your instructor was a slave who fought
either adopting the symbol of a nation or a royal line, or
for freedom in the arena, or one who willingly
creating a crest to represent one's self-interest.
Your character could be affiliated with an organization chose the gladiator's life to earn money and fame.
or a cause, and thus might already travel under a banner 2 Milit~ry. Your trainer served with a group of sol-
of some sort. If that's not the case, consider devising a diers and knows much about working as a team.
heraldic sign that symbolizes an aspect of your nature 3 City Watch. Crowd control and peacekeeping are
or speaks to what you see as your purpose in the world. your instructor's specialties.
4 Tribal Warrior. Your instructor grew up in a tribe,
where fighting for one's life was practically an
everyday occurrence.
s Street Fighter. Your trainer excels at urban combat,
combining close-quarters work with silence and
efficiency.
6 Weapon Master. Your mentor helped you to be-
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come one with your chosen weapon, by imparting
bl.At 1worA1 wil( \f\<v•r !iii.Art .... <-c;l (o\f\~ highly specialized knowledge of how to wield it
c;l \ 1tc;'1 r•c;l('1 \,i1~\,i c;"'A 11Aoot Aow"' c;t most effectively.

CHAPTER I I CHARACTER OPTIONS