DnD 5e Backgrounds

Soldier 5e Background Guide

Published on January 1, 2025

Explore which D&D classes work best with the Soldier background and how it can help your martial character develop the discipline they need to succeed!

A Solider in ornate gold plate leading a squad of other soldiers

Svetlin Velinov - Wizards of the Coast - Soldier

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What Is the Soldier Background in D&D?

The Soldier is a DnD 5e background that represents a character trained for war from an early age. You’ve learned the discipline, strategy, and physical prowess needed to excel on the battlefield. Whether you fought to protect your homeland or served as a mercenary, this background emphasizes combat efficiency and readiness.

How Does the Soldier Background Work?

The Soldier background offers the following features:

  • Ability Scores: Receive a +2 bonus to one ability and +1 to another, or a +1 bonus to all three: Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution.
  • Feat: Savage Attacker. This feat allows you to roll your weapon damage twice and take the higher result once per turn.
  • Skill Proficiencies: Athletics and Intimidation.
  • Tool Proficiency: One type of Gaming Set.
  • Equipment:
    • Option A: Spear, shortbow, 20 arrows, a gaming set (same as above), healer’s kit, quiver, traveler’s clothes, and 14 GP.
    • Option B: 50 GP for a more customizable loadout.

Let’s break down the benefits:

Ability Scores: The Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution boosts make the Soldier background a solid choice for nearly every martial class. Focusing on Strength and Constitution works perfectly for melee-focused builds, while Dexterity and Constitution support combatants focused on Finesse and Ranged weapons.

Savage Attacker Feat: This feat moderately increases your average damage output, especially for classes reliant on big weapon hits like Barbarians, Fighters, and Paladins. It pairs especially well with weapons that deal high damage, like greatswords or heavy crossbows, as the differences between a minimum roll and maximum roll are more pronounced.

Athletics and Intimidation Proficiencies: Athletics has been nerfed in the 2024 Player’s Handbook because it’s no longer used for grappling. Intimidation is a solid social skill for more menacing builds and allows you to influence NPCs that can’t be swayed with a simple Persuasion check.

Gaming Set Proficiency: While most tools have been given mechanical benefits in the 2024 Player’s Handbook, the gaming set doesn’t have any use beyond being able to discern if someone is cheating (DC 10) or win the game (DC 20).

What Type of Character is the Soldier Background For?

The Soldier background is tailor-made for melee classes like Fighters, Barbarians, and Paladins, though it can also provide the necessary boost to Dexterity-based martials, like Monks, Rogues, and Rangers. Strength or Dexterity increases your melee attack rolls and damage, while Constitution boosts your Hit Points.

The Savage Attacker feat is an okay boost for any weapon-wielding martial, giving you the option to roll your weapon damage twice once per turn and use either roll.

Which 5e Classes Make the Most of the Soldier Background?

The color code below has been implemented to help you identify, at a glance, how good the Soldier 5e background is for a specific class/subclass.

  • Red : Isn’t going to contribute to the effectiveness of your character build at all
  • Orange : Situationally good, but a below-average option otherwise
  • Green : A good option
  • Blue : A great option, you should strongly consider this option for your character
  • Sky Blue: An amazing option. If you do not take this option your character would not be optimized

Artificer: Without an Intelligence boost, there isn't much here for an Artificer.

Barbarian: Boost Strength by +2, Constitution by +1, and pick up the Savage Attacker feat. This is perfect for Barbarians and proficiency in Athletics and Intimidation are added bonuses.

Bard: Without a Charisma boost, there isn't much here for a Bard.

Cleric: Without a Wisdom boost, there isn't much here for a Cleric, even if you're looking to build a more martial-focused Cleric.

Druid: Without a Wisdom boost, there isn't much here for a Druid.

Fighter: Boost Strength or Dexterity by +2, Constitution by +1, and pick up the Savage Attacker feat. This is perfect for Fighters and proficiency in Athletics and Intimidation are added bonuses.

Monk: You can boost Dexterity and Constitution, gain a proficiency in Intimidation, but Savage Attacker only works with weapon attacks, so you won't gain the benefit for your Unarmed Strikes.

Paladin: Boost Strength by +2, Constitution by +1, and grab Savage Attacker to make your weapon attacks even more potent. Plus, proficiency in the Intimidation skill is particularly effective for Paladins, who normally invest a fair amount in the Charisma skill.

Ranger: A perfect choice for a Ranger that wants to focus on combat more than exploration. Boost Dexterity or Strength by +2 (depending on your build), Constitution by +1, and grab the Savage Attacker feat to help boost your weapon damage.

Rogue: If your Rogue wants to highlight their ability to put enemies in the ground, this is an excellent pick up. You can Dexterity by +2 , up your Constitution by +1, and grab the Savage Attacker feat to help boost your weapon damage.

Sorcerer: Without a Charisma boost, there isn't much here for a Sorcerer.

Warlock: Without a Charisma boost, there isn't much here for a Warlock.

Wizard: Without an Intelligence boost, there isn't much here for a Wizard.

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Mike Bernier

Mike Bernier is the lead content writer and founder of Arcane Eye. He is a Adamantine best-selling author of Strixhaven: A Syllabus of Sorcery on DMs Guild and is a contributing author at D&D Beyond. Follow Mike on Twitter.