The fighter is one of the most famous Dungeons & Dragons classes. It often serves as an introductory class for new players and also has a high level of flexibility thanks to its wide range of subclasses. Fighters are the typical front-liner. Their abilities let them stand at the front of the party, taking hits and dishing them back out.
Fighters lack many magical abilities of their own. They rely on mundane abilities, barring subclasses like the Psi Knight and Eldritch Knight. As such, they benefit more than many classes from magic items. D&D Fifth Edition has many magic items a fighter can benefit from. These range from enhanced weapons and armor to much more versatile tools.
Updated June 12th by Isaac Williams: Fighters can hold their own with little magical equipment in D&D 5e. However, they become much more effective with a range of tools at their disposal. We've updated this list with even more of the best magic weapons, armor, and other pieces of equipment for fighters in D&D 5e.
15 Adamantine Armor
Uncommon, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 150
Critical hits can be deadly, even against a fighter. When an enemy rolls a natural 20, it can turn the tide in battles that look certain to be a win. A vicious critical hit aimed at the fighter can lose the party their best tank and hardest hitter.
Adamantine Armor can be any type of metal armor. It gives the wearer immunity to critical hits. This sole benefit can seem minor due to only occurring one in every 20 attacks. However, a fighter gets attacked more than most party members. They are going to suffer more crits than almost anybody else. Adamantine Armor keeps them safe and lets them fight more aggressively with that security.
14 Animated Shield
Very Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 151
An Animated Shield can leave the wielder's hand. It floats protectively in front of them when the wielder speaks the command word. This allows fighters to fight with a two-handed weapon like a greatsword or pike without sacrificing their defenses.
The Animated Shield opens up all sorts of possibilities for a fighter. It lets them grapple enemies, wield heavy weapons, dual-wield, or use ranged weapons while still using a shield. All it costs to protect them for an entire fight is a single bonus action. Other D&D magical shields can have incredible effects, but none let a fighter use the game's most lethal weapons while doing so.
13 Ring Of Protection
Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 191
D&D fighters rely on high Armor Class. This lets them deflect incoming attacks and keep the focus off their less-armored allies. However, standard D&D armor can only do so much. Mundane plate mail caps at 18 Armor Class, and a shield only provides a slight bonus. Luckily, a Ring of Protection can make up much of the difference.
This simple magic item provides the wearer with a +1 bonus to Armor Class and saving throws. These stack with other bonuses from magic armor, magical shields, or even a Cloak of Protection. A fighter can get unmatched AC with these items. In addition, the +1 bonus to saving throws is invaluable for a class with few counters to magical enemies.
12 Powered Armor
Legendary, Lost Laboratory Of Kwalish pg. 56
The Lost Laboratory of Kwalish adds some science-fantasy flavor to Dungeons & Dragons. One of its best magic items is a suit of Powered Armor with a long list of powers. It raises Armor Class, gives an advantage on Death Saving Throws, and increases a character's Strength to 18.
However, the Powered Armor's best traits for fighters are its active abilities. Characters can use the Powered Armor to fire lasers, gain temporary hit points, fly, translate writing, or breathe in hostile atmospheres. These abilities can be powered by hit points. As one of the sturdiest classes in the game, the fighter is well-equipped to use these abilities without too much cost.
11 Dragon's Wrath Weapon
Varies, Fizban's Treasury Of Dragons pg. 25
The Dragon's Wrath Weapon has different tiers of rarity, gaining exponentially more power with each. Its weakest version merely deals additional damage on a Natural 20 of a type associated with a dragon's breath weapon. However, higher levels see rapid improvement.
At its most powerful, a Dragon's Wrath Weapon is a +3 weapon that deals an additional 3d6 damage of that type, alongside a once-per-day breath attack that deals 12d6 damage. It can slowly gain these abilities throughout a campaign through fighting or working alongside dragons, creating a weapon that can grow with a D&D fighter.
10 Cloak Of Displacement
Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 158
The Cloak of Displacement takes its name and effect from the classic Dungeons & Dragons displacer beast monster. Attacks against a character wearing a Cloak of Displacement have a disadvantage. This effect lasts until the wearer takes damage and refreshes on their next turn.
This is an effective combination with a fighter's high Armor Class. If an enemy already needs to roll high to hit a fighter, giving them a disadvantage makes them even more likely to miss. The Cloak of Displacement doesn't make a character invincible, but it gives most enemy attacks the same penalty as striking an invisible target.
9 Bloodaxe
Very Rare, Explorer's Guide To Wildemount pg. 266
The Bloodaxe is a weapon for D&D fighters who want an uncomplicated magic item that will help them in combat. It's a +2 weapon that deals an extra 1d6 necrotic damage per hit on most enemies. This already gives a significant damage increase that scales well with a fighter's many attacks per turn.
However, the Bloodaxe has another valuable feature. When a Bloodaxe attack reduces a non-construct and non-undead enemy to 0 hit points, the wielder gains 10 temporary hit points. A fighter with the Bloodaxe can sustain themselves for a long time, particularly in a fight against many weak enemies.
8 Ring Of Spell Turning
Legendary, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 193
Fighters are among D&D 5e's best martial classes. However, most of them have no magical ability whatsoever. This leaves them vulnerable to spellcasters, and their low saving throws exacerbate this further. Fighters lack proficiency in Wisdom saving throws, leaving them weak against many spells.
A Ring of Spell Turning gives an advantage on saving throws against all spells that target just the wearer. This protects a fighter from the worst crowd control or charm effects. Even better, it reflects the magic back at the caster if the wearer rolls a Natural 20. A fighter wearing a Ring of Spell Turning is a threat to a hostile magic user on every level.
7 Manual Of Gainful Exercise/Manual Of Quickness Of Action
Very Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 81
Almost every fighter uses either Strength or Dexterity. These ability scores affect the accuracy and damage of their attacks, as well as being useful for skills and saving throws. The highest most characters can reach in an ability score is 20. However, some magic items let a player go higher.
The Manual of Gainful Exercise and the Manual of Quickness of Action apply to Strength and Dexterity, respectively. If a character spends 48 hours reading a tome, they gain an additional two points in its ability score. Better, their cap for that score increases as well. With one of these manuals, a fighter's attacks can become harder-hitting than any mortal should manage.
6 Flail Of Tiamat
Legendary, Fizban's Treasury Of Dragons pg. 23
The Flail of Tiamat is, at its base, a weapon that gives a +3 to attack and damage rolls. This already makes it invaluable for any fighter. However, it has other benefits. Every hit with the Flail of Tiamat deals an additional 5d4 damage with a choice of damage type.
Fighters get even more use out of this feature than other classes. With up to four weapon attacks per turn and Action Surge, they can trigger its large bonus damage an eye-watering number of times. Furthermore, the Flail of Tiamat also has a 90-foot cone elemental blast. This serves as an invaluable area-of-effect attack that most fighters don't get access to.
5 The Bloody End
Artifact, Explorer's Guide To Wildemount pg. 178
The Bloody End doesn't make a fighter's attacks more powerful than any +3 weapon. It has no extra damage or other effects on a hit, but it makes fighters far more versatile with many more options. In particular, the Bloody End's most advanced form gives a character powerful combat spellcasting.
The Bloody End's Exalted form lets a character cast spells like Fear and Dominate Monster with a DC of 17. Fighters with The Bloody End don't have to settle for killing foes, as they can turn them against their allies instead. It also grants the ability to damage enemies who manage to land a blow.
4 Sword Of Kas
Artifact, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 226
Artifact weapons are some of D&D 5e's finest weapons. As such, entire adventures and story arcs can be formed around them. The Sword of Kas still stands out from the rest for its array of abilities. Its merest features are +3 to attack and damage rolls. However, it has a bevy of other properties that help a fighter dominate the battlefield.
The Sword of Kas also gives a d10 to Initiative rolls. Its wielder can go before opponents and kill them before they take a turn. On top of that, it gives spellcasting and the potential to boost Armor Class even further. The Sword of Kas can be dangerous to its wielder, but it's worse to their foes.
3 Belt Of Giant Strength
Varies, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 155
The many Belts of Giant Strength all have one incredible feature. They allow the wearer to exceed the 20 ability score limit imposed on player characters. Even the weakest belt can increase a character's Strength score to 21. The strongest belt increases a character's Strength to 29, granting them a titanic +9 modifier.
Many fighters use Strength. For them, a Belt of Giant Strength can be a total game-changer. A fighter with 29 Strength will be one of the best combatants in the game. They'll have precise attacks, hit very hard, and be able to grapple and manhandle nearly any enemy. Even the more reasonable belts provide a massive combat buff.
2 Armor Of Invulnerability
Legendary, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 152
Armor of Invulnerability is a legendary item in D&D, and it more than earns its rarity. It gives the wearer resistance to all nonmagical damage. In addition, the wearer can use an action to make themselves immune to nonmagical damage for 10 minutes. Fighters have some of the highest hit points of any class, an Armor of Invulnerability effectively doubles them against mundane enemies.
10 minutes may not seem very long, but most fights in D&D last less than a minute of in-game time. As such, 10 minutes is more than enough to get a character through all of a lethal boss encounter. They may even fight through two or three battles in that time. The Armor of Invulnerability will more than show its worth in those fights.
1 Vorpal Sword
Legendary, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 209
The Vorpal Sword is another Legendary D&D magic item that earns its name. It gives its wielder a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls and ignores Resistance to slashing damage. However, these pale compared to its main benefit. If a character rolls a Natural 20 to hit with a Vorpal Sword, they decapitate their opponent.
This is instant death for most creatures. There are only a few foes that can survive it, and monsters that do still take an additional 6d8 damage from the attack. The Vorpal Sword makes a fighter almost unstoppable. With up to four strikes per turn and Action Surge, they can decapitate enemies twice as often as most other characters.