What Do Level 7 Fighters Get? A Comprehensive Guide
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At 7th level, Fighters in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition receive a significant boost to their versatility and athleticism. They gain Remarkable Athlete, a feature that enhances their physical prowess in two key ways. First, they add half their proficiency bonus (rounded up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check they make that doesn’t already use their proficiency bonus. Second, they get an additional benefit to running long jumps. When a Fighter makes a running long jump, the distance they can cover increases by a number of feet equal to their Strength modifier.
These enhancements make a level 7 Fighter a more formidable and agile force on the battlefield, able to navigate challenging terrain with greater ease and reliably succeed at difficult physical tasks. This isn’t about combat damage, but rather about utility and reliability outside of just combat. It’s a level where a fighter starts to truly feel like the peak of physical capability.
Understanding Remarkable Athlete in Detail
Enhanced Skill Checks
The first aspect of Remarkable Athlete provides a much-needed boost to skill checks that often rely solely on attribute modifiers. Imagine attempting a Strength (Athletics) check to swim across a rushing river. Normally, if you aren’t proficient in Athletics, your modifier is just your Strength score. But with Remarkable Athlete, a level 7 Fighter with a proficiency bonus of +3 would gain an additional +2 (half of 3, rounded up). This makes a difference between passing a difficult check and not. This benefit applies to any Strength, Dexterity or Constitution check where a proficiency isn’t already used. This means any skill check that you are not proficient with, but also strength, dexterity or constitution saving throws which you do not have proficiency with.
This also means that the Fighter will be better at making checks involving climbing, dodging traps, or resisting physical forces. The added bonus may seem small at first, but at higher levels, combined with higher attributes, it makes them a truly formidable physical force.
Increased Long Jump Distance
The second part of Remarkable Athlete enhances a Fighter’s ability to perform long jumps. Adding your Strength modifier to the distance you can cover during a running long jump is deceptively impactful. Normally, you cover a number of feet equal to your strength score. This is often a trivial bonus at early levels when you may only have a +1 or +2 strength modifier but this becomes far more substantial at later levels and helps a fighter traverse across chasms, clear obstacles and generally be more mobile. A Fighter with 20 Strength (+5 modifier) now jumps an additional 5ft on a running long jump, significantly improving their battlefield mobility.
How Remarkable Athlete Enhances Gameplay
Level 7’s Remarkable Athlete shifts the focus of a fighter from pure combat to overall capability. It’s less about raw damage output and more about flexibility. This level solidifies a fighter as a character who is not just a damage dealer, but an all-rounder. They can become excellent at exploration and environmental interaction due to their increased physical check and mobility.
It also allows fighters to better assist their party. They can use their improved checks to help other characters navigate difficult terrain, or perform feats that may be too challenging for the other members of the party. This versatility is why many consider fighter to be one of the most adaptable and useful class in 5th edition D&D.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do fighters get extra attack at level 7?
No, Fighters get Extra Attack at 5th level, allowing them to attack twice when they take the Attack action. They get a further attack at level 11 and another at level 20. They do not receive an additional attack at level 7.
2. What else do fighters get at level 7 besides Remarkable Athlete?
Level 7 fighters only gain the Remarkable Athlete feature. They do not gain another subclass feature at level 7, it depends on which subclass the player chooses. Most subclasses receive additional abilities at 3rd level, 7th level, 10th level, 15th level and 18th level.
3. Does Remarkable Athlete apply to saving throws?
Yes, it applies to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws if the fighter is not already proficient in those saving throws. The key phrase is that it only works on checks that do not already use your proficiency bonus.
4. How does Action Surge interact with a level 7 fighter?
Action Surge, gained at level 2, allows you to take one additional action on your turn. A level 7 Fighter can use Action Surge to take another Attack action to make 2 attacks (with extra attack) or take other actions like Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object.
5. Can I use Remarkable Athlete to make multiple checks in one turn?
Yes. Remarkable Athlete is always active. If you need to make multiple Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution checks that you aren’t proficient in on your turn, you will receive the bonus to all of them.
6. How does Remarkable Athlete help with grappling?
Grappling involves a Strength (Athletics) check. If a Fighter isn’t proficient in Athletics, Remarkable Athlete provides a bonus to their grappling attempts. If they already are proficient in Athletics, the feature will not apply as they already are using their proficiency bonus on that check.
7. How does Remarkable Athlete affect skills like Acrobatics or Stealth?
Remarkable Athlete applies if you are not proficient in the skill. If you are not proficient in acrobatics or stealth, you would receive half of your proficiency bonus rounded up, when making those skill checks.
8. Does the increased long jump distance stack with other movement bonuses?
Yes, the increased long jump distance provided by Remarkable Athlete stacks with any other bonuses to your movement speed, such as from spells or other feats.
9. Is Remarkable Athlete useful outside of combat?
Absolutely. Remarkable Athlete shines in exploration and social situations. Its benefits to skill checks, jumps, and any other physical endeavor enhance a fighter’s overall usefulness.
10. Can a Fighter use Remarkable Athlete to make Strength checks to break down doors?
Yes, unless they are already proficient in breaking down doors, or unless it is part of a skill check (such as athletics or something similarly specific), then the bonus applies. This is very similar to grappling; If they are using athletics checks then the feature would not apply.
11. What is the best race to pair with a fighter for optimal use of Remarkable Athlete?
There’s no single best race, but a race with a bonus to Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution is synergistic with Remarkable Athlete, as these enhance the base abilities, and subsequently, the modifier bonuses. Aarakocra and bugbears are popular choices for fighters, but any race works fine.
12. Does having a high Strength score increase the benefit from Remarkable Athlete?
Yes, as the Strength modifier directly increases the bonus to running long jumps. High Strength also means better Strength-based skill checks that benefit from the bonus if you are not proficient in the skills.
13. Does Remarkable Athlete affect Strength based ranged attacks?
No. Remarkable Athlete affects Strength checks, not attacks. Strength-based range weapons still use the character’s strength modifier, but not strength checks.
14. Does Remarkable Athlete affect Constitution saving throws against poison?
Yes, but only if you don’t have proficiency in constitution saving throws. The benefit to Constitution checks would still apply to skill checks and situations, not just saving throws.
15. Is the extra movement from Remarkable Athlete considered a bonus action?
No, the bonus to long jumps is not a bonus action. It is simply an enhancement to the distance a fighter can cover with a running long jump. It does not take up any action or bonus action to use the improved jump distance.