Continuing my ongoing list of random DND 2024/5.5e builds that have been bouncing around in my head. Feel free to read, comment, critique, and enjoy!

TL;DR: A Fighter/Ranger mix that hits two enemies (at least) with their attacks every turn pretty reliably using Cleave, Horde Breaker, and Sweeping Attack maneuver. Nothing too fancy with this, so otherwise plenty of flexibility in choices past the core concept.

Previous 2024 Builds

• The Wrangler - Rope/Chain using Fighter Multiclass
• Shadow Monk throwing Javelins
• Fey Wanderer "Ultimate" Party Face
• Well-Rounded Mercy Monk
• Blade-Scion - Bladesinger/Scion Rogue

The Minion Reaper

Classes: Fighter 1 --> Hunter Ranger 5 --> Battle Master Fighter X

Stats: 17 Strength, 14 Dexterity, 14 Constitution, 13 Wisdom, 9/8 Intelligence or Charisma

Species: Orc, maybe Dragonborn (Alternative species with 2014 content: Thri-kreen)

Origin Feat: Lucky

Feats: Lvl 5: Charger (+1 Str); Lvl 9: GWM (+1 Str); Lvl 11: Mage Slayer (+1 Str); Lvl 13: Resilient (Wisdom) (+1 Wis); Lvl 17: +2 Con; Lvl 19: PYF Boon (Maybe Boon of Looming Shadows) (+1 Int or Char, whatever is a 9)

(Alternative feats with 2014 content: Martial Adept)

Masteries: Halberd (Cleave), Pike (Push), Heavy Crossbow (Push), Trident (Topple), PYF

Fighting Styles: Defense, PYF of Interception, Blind Fighting, Druidic Warrior, or Great Weapon Fighting (If 2014 content allowed: Superior Technique)

Maneuvers: Lvl 8: Sweeping Attack, Pushing, Riposte; Lvl 12: Evasive Footwork, Lunging Attack; Lvl 15: Precision Attack, Ambush; Lvl 20: Trip Attack, Menacing Attack (Levels are suggestions, except Lvl 8 choices are mandatory/highly recommended.)

Spells: Hunter's Mark, Fog Cloud (if have Blind Fighting), Jump, Longstrider, Pass Without Trace, Spike Growth, Protection from Poison, Cure Wounds (if other Fighting Style)

Concept:

This isn't an original idea, as various people have come up with similar concepts, but I think this version streamlines the build and makes it a bit more reliable. At level 1 we start Fighter for all the goodies (Con save proficiency, weapon masteries, Fighting Style, and Second Wind), with the key being taking a Cleave weapon mastery. I prefer the Halberd just because of the extra reach making it easier to Cleave enemies, but Greataxe can work as well. I'd also probably take some kind of Push weapon, though this won't be useable the same turn as Cleave (yet), so its utility may be spotty at best. If you don’t feel a need for Con save proficiency and the like, feel free to start Ranger to get the core abilities sooner (and then pick it up later as a feat).

Next five levels we take Ranger for the Hunter subclass. We want mainly Horde Breaker (HB) and Extra Attack here, but we also can appreciate extra weapon masteries, an extra Fighting Style, expertise, and spells. Hunter's Mark will be a straight increase to our damage and uses our bonus action decently well, so I'd focus on that most of the time. But we can cast spells, so feel free to use ones that don't require a particularly high Wisdom modifier.

At Level 5 (Level 4 Ranger) we also take the Charger feat. This increases our bonus action Dash speed from our Orc race (allowing us to get near enemies grouped together) and gives us a way to now somewhat reliably push enemies close together. Charger and HB/Cleave don't have amazing descriptions on how they interact, so check with your DM on if you can push enemies into place with Charger before applying HB/Cleave. Likely with Extra Attack you will want/have to first push the enemy 10 ft with one attack (maybe even 20 ft if you have a Pike or similar weapon out) so that the enemies are next to each other, then HB/Cleave on the second attack when the enemies are together. Also note you technically first HB on the adjacent enemy before Cleaving back to the first target, such that the second target gets full Strength mod to damage but the first target for the Cleave attack does not (but does get Hunter's Mark if so marked).

Once we have the main tactic in place and can fairly reliably push two enemies together, we go back to Fighter for the rest of the progression for lots of benefits: Action Surge, Tactical Shift, Tactical Master, and eventually (at level 16+) Two Extra Attacks and Studied Attacks all add to our ability to land this combo and/or do more reliable damage. We of course get a bunch more ASIs/feats (which I discuss in a moment) and Indomitable, but we also get our subclass, which is Battle Master.

Battle Master maneuvers here are the final step in the process of "cleaving" as many enemies as we can. I use this term loosely because the maneuver Sweeping Attack is very minimal extra damage, only 1d8, and isn't technically an additional attack. But, Combat Superiority does state you can use your maneuvers "once per attack" and not once per turn. Each HB/Cleave we make counts as another attack per their descriptions, so we can (if we want to really burn resources) hit with our first attack, Sweeping Attack to the second enemy, then Horde Breaker with our next attack to that second enemy, Sweeping Attack back to our first target, then Cleave back to our first target and Sweeping Attack the secondary enemy again. Meaning the secondary enemy could take 1d10+Str+2d8+Riders while the main enemy takes (1d10+Str+Riders)x2+1d8. Of course this uses a lot of Superiority Dice in one round, so I'd probably avoid it unless it's a very big/crucial fight, or you know you are going to take a short rest soon.

For other maneuvers, two stand out at level 8 when we get them. Pushing Attack gives us another way to move enemies close to each other, and now all but guarantees we can put two enemies together on our turn for HB/Cleaving. But Riposte opens another interesting option. While HB states the extra attack needs to be on your turn, Cleave does not have a similar restriction. Meaning, besides our normal Opportunity Attacks, if an enemy misses and we Riposte attack, and if that enemy is within 5 ft of another and within our reach, we should be able to Cleave them with our reaction as well. Unfortunately it is much harder to get "rider" damage on Reaction attacks with this build, but still doing an additional attack is very potent, especially given that enemies attacking us should almost always be within 5 ft of each other and in our reach.

Speaking of, we take GWM at level 9 (level 4 Fighter) to add that rider damage during our attack action, which should hopefully include both our HB and Cleave attacks (check with your DM that they agree). Occasionally we may get a bonus action attack from Hew as well here, though sadly that won't add the proficiency bonus to damage.

Feats and other subclass/class choices from there are optional. Mage Slayer and Resilient (Wisdom) are to help shore up your weaker mental saves (along with Lucky and Indomitable), but feel free to take others with similar stat bonuses. Maneuvers like Evasive Footwork raise your AC, making Riposte potentially happen more often, as does the Lucky feat to impose disadvantage, but feel free to choose others. Lunging works with Charger well, giving another bonus action dash if you need it, Precision Attack means you can land the first attack more often, Trip Attack gives advantage, etc. But as I said, these are optional past the core design of the build, which is cleaving through enemies as many times as possible in one turn. (Side note, but I have seen versions that take advantage of Barbarian Rage as well. This build certainly could take levels in Barbarian if desired, but as those builds already exist to go check out, I figured I would add something slightly different with a more straight classed Fighter.)

Lastly, a note on species. Orc is good for us in that it gives us the bonus action dash when we really need to get within range of the enemies, and it couples well with the Charger feat. But Dragonborn also has some nice perks, including a Fly ability at level 5 and a very useful AOE in their Breath Weapon, so it is an option worth considering as well. Or if your table allows old 2014 content, I'd really love the Thri-kreen race. While you can't wield a shield with the secondary arms, you could wield a finesse light weapon, which would qualify you for Defensive Dualist. While this does potentially clog your reactions, competing with Riposte, being able to add +4 to +6 AC is huge in just improving the already decent survival of this character. If allowed, I'd maybe go 13 Dex and 14 Wisdom at character creation, to get the +1 Dex through that feat.

Even more lastly, why am I not recommending the PAM feat? We are relying a lot on polearms like the Halberd, so why not increase that damage? Well, you definitely can if you want, but our bonus action is a little crowded anyways with Hunter's Mark, Orc Dashes, possible other Ranger spells, Second Wind, GWM bonus attacks, and Maneuvers. So I fear we won't be using this as reliably as we would like. The Reaction attack when an enemy enters our reach would be nice, but I'm also not sure how reliably we can trigger Cleave with that reaction, given that we didn't position the enemy to be within 5 ft of its ally when it moves into our reach. So overall I see less benefit for this build here than others might. But if you want to add it, the build certainly has room for the extra feat.