All D&D Classes Overview

Dungeons and Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game for fantasy and have captured the imagination of gamers for more than half a century. 

Rules for D&D have changed and changed significantly since its inception. Over time it has become more simplified to reduce the learning curve of new players who want to experience this world of Dungeons and Dragons for the first time.

Despite these improvements, many new players struggle to choose the right class for their new character. 

If you’re struggling to settle on a choice Here’s a look at the choices available for classes that are available in D&D 5e.

The History of D&D Classes

Through the many iterations of D&D, some fundamental concepts have remained constant across every version of the role-playing game (RPG). 

Dungeons as well as Dragons have always been about creating characters by determining their race or class and aligning as well as the gameplay is dictated by rolling dice.

In the original game, there featured only three classes to play:

  • Fighting-man
  • Magic-user
  • Cleric

The number of classes within D&D 5E has expanded significantly. However, the core categories of the magic-users, weapons users, and healers are still in place up to the present day.

What are the Current D&D Classes?

D&D classes have seen a lot of progress since the start of this game. Today, players can pick between thirteen classes in published sourcebooks. 

Although each class has something unique to players, classes within Dungeons and Dragons can still broadly be categorized into the following categories:

  • Damage dealers
  • Damage absorbers (also referred to as tanks)
  • Healers

A great D&D party is a well-balanced mixture of all these kinds. Here’s a quick description of the different types of classes available in the creation of the character you want to play to play in your forthcoming Dungeons and Dragons Campaign.

Barbarians

This class is among the most simple to play for novices, as Barbarians can inflict a lot of physical harm while being able to deal massive quantities of damage. 

Barbarians are also not able to access magic, which is difficult for players who are new to the game to comprehend. But Barbarians are a class that Barbarian isn’t straightforward or boring.

Class Features

Barbarians have an amazing set of high-quality features available to them:

  • Rage
  • Unarmored Defense
  • Danger Sense
  • Reckless Attack
  • Primal Path
  • Extra Attack
  • Fast Movement
  • Feral Instinct
  • Brutal Critical
  • Relentless Rage
  • Persistent Rage
  • Indomitable Might
  • Primal Champion

The most distinctive characteristic of Barbarians is their rage. It is an (in-game) minute and lets your character gain the benefit of damage rolls, as well as resistance to piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing injuries as well as advantages on save throws and strength checks. 

This ability can be used to increase damage and endurance which makes it an excellent character feature to use.

The Barbarian’s other classes features are also beneficial. Overall the Barbarian class comes with a number of fantastic features from the beginning which is a significant difference to note since the majority of D&D campaigns do not actually use characters until level 20.

Primal Path

A Primal Path to play your Barbarian that you choose at the 3rd level will determine the kind of Barbarian you’d like to play. There are several paths introduced through sourcebooks over the decades.

They include:

  • Ancestral Guardian
  • Battlerager
  • Beast
  • Berserker
  • Storm Herald
  • Totem Warrior
  • Wild Magic
  • Zealot

Every Primal Path has something unique to your Barbarian. If you’re only beginning with the game, then options from the Player’s Handbook (such as Berserker) are classics and are considered to be one of the most effective Primal Paths, but they also offer the simplicity of the gameplay.

Bards

Bards embody the ideal role of the party clown charming, charming, and totally shady. The class is based on wit, humor, and a sharp tongue to get out of difficult situations, and not on strong swords or spells.

Bards are more of a combat-oriented race and more vulnerable to being sucked up with orcs however, they aren’t necessarily weak. They can help the petty scum who is offended by a Bard. He could end up in the position of could we say… an indentured friendship.

Class Features

The Bard receives the following features of class as they advance in their class:

As full-time spellcasters, Bards can use many magic spells as well as can use cantrips

They are beneficial additions to a bard’s trickery collection (such as Prestidigitation as well as Suggestion) as well as the healing powers (like Healing Word), to simple trickery (like Vicious Mockery). 

Bards don’t have to create spells, which removes the need for preparing spells, which adds another layer of difficulty for beginners.

The main class feature used by Bards includes Bardic Inspiration which allows Bards to boost their ability or attack rolls for their friends or themselves using additional dice that grow the size of your Bard increases in level. 

The other classes’ features are usually useful and are focused on utility, for example, Jack of All Trades and Expertise increasing bonus to your proficiency.

Bard College

The selection for Bard Collège for your character located at the 3rd level will determine the kind of Bard you’d like to be. These are the official Bardic College options available to choose from:

  • Creation
  • Eloquence
  • Glamour
  • Lore
  • Spirits
  • Swords
  • Valor
  • Whispers

Certain Bard colleges excel at persuasion and utilizing Bardic abilities to influence the choices of others.

On the other hand, institutions are darker and teach Bards to utilize their speech skills to strike fear and pain into the minds of their adversaries. 

Certain Bardic schools even concentrate on combat in melee. Make sure you choose the Bardic college that matches your character and play appearance.

Clerics

Clerics are among the most versatile classes and based on the god you select, Clerics can be spellcasters, warriors, or healers. 

But, as Clerics depend on a god or patron to exercise their power, Clerics that stray from the path of their god and are deemed to be a nuisance to their patrons could end up being taken away from their power.

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Class Features

The features of the Cleric’s class are as the following:

  • Spellcasting
  • Divine Domain
  • Domain Spells
  • Channel Divinity: Turn Undead
  • Destroy Undead
  • Divine Intervention

Being divine spellcasters, Clerics can access a variety of magical abilities However, they must be praying in the morning and plan their day’s spells before casting any spell. 

This lets Clerics change their spells based on the requirements of the day. However, it also restricts Clerics to the spells they’ve planned for the day.

Divine Domain

Clerics are servants of gods, so their power varies greatly based on the kind of god they serve. The gods’ possible realms the Cleric can get power from are as follows:

  • Arcana
  • Death
  • Forge
  • Grave
  • Knowledge
  • Life
  • Light
  • Nature
  • Order
  • Peace
  • Tempest
  • Trickery
  • Twilight
  • War

Different domains provide a variety of ways to play Clerics. Life domain Clerics are by far the most healing class available that you can play with properly, while Clerics from war domains are fantastic physical fighters.

And Clerics in the Trickery domain are powerful party characters. Divine domains can affect the Cleric’s style of play more than the majority of subclasses therefore, it is important to select carefully.

Druids

Druids are magic-users who draw their power directly from nature that surrounds them. 

Much like Clerics or Rangers, Druids use Wisdom as their spellcasting ability by utilizing their knowledge of the nature of the wild to induce different magical effects. 

Druids make excellent utility or support characters or perform a formidable combat role by using Wild Shape.

Class Features

Druids get a substantial portion of their class features through the Druid Circle rather than their generic features for classes, yet have a wide range of features at the beginning. The features of Druid classes are described below:

  • Druidic
  • Spellcasting
  • Wild Shape
  • Druid Circle
  • Timeless Body
  • Beast Spells
  • ArchDruid

Druid spells offer a range of incredible options accessible only to Druids with amazing area-of-control spells, such as Entangle as well as iconic healing options like Goodberry. 

Similar to other Wisdom-based casters they, too, Druids must prepare their spells before casting them. 

They spend a few minutes every day reconnecting to the natural world surrounding them.

Wild Shape is an excellent ability that enhances offensive power and gives unique animal capabilities and gives you more hit points. This ability is especially impressive when paired with the Circle of the Moon.

Druid Circles

The Druid Circle you pick determines the decision of whether you wish to play offensive or defensive Druid. There are three options in the official sources:

  • Dreams
  • Land
  • Moon
  • Shepherd
  • Spores
  • Stars
  • Wildfire

Of the Druid Circles, the most famous is, by far, that of the Circle of the Moon, which gives Wild Shape abilities at 1st level, making it one of the strongest classes early on. 

Others circles serve as control or support characters like the Circle of Spores and Circle of the Shepherd and Circle of the Shepherd, while the Circle of Dreams and Circle of Stars give you additional healing capabilities.

Fighter

Fighters are a class that deals damage by nature and come with the ability to choose from a variety of weapons and armor choices and an engaging and exciting ability mechanic to enhance their attacks. 

In return, most Fighters don’t have magical abilities, with only the sole exception of those who are the Eldritch Knight martial archetype.

Class Features

While Fighters benefit from a wide range of capabilities through their Marital Archetype but the primary capabilities that enable the Fighter to fulfill their role as a party member are included in their class’s general features.

  • Fighting Style
  • Second Wind
  • Action Surge
  • Martial Archetype
  • Extra Attack
  • Indomitable

The Fighter class has a wide range of valuable abilities even at lower levels. Its Fighting Style based on the style you pick can be a very useful piece of early-on specialization that helps to determine the direction in which you grow your Fighter.

Martial Archetype

The archetype of a Fighter martial determines specific capabilities and tastes that help the Fighter’s story and style. 

Additionally, specific archetypes, such as Arcane Archer permit specific styles of play, while others such as Eldritch Knight provide access to magical abilities and other possibilities which aren’t available to Fighters otherwise.

Here is a list of the most popular martial archetypes that are suitable for Fighters:

  • Arcane Archer
  • Banneret
  • Battle Master
  • Cavalier
  • Champion
  • Echo Knight
  • Eldritch Knight
  • Psi Warrior
  • Rune Knight
  • Samurai

Monk

Practically live weapons, there’s no more skilled hand-to-hand warrior as monks. While the majority of Monks avoid the weapon, however, those who don’t are more dangerous by using their weapons as live extensions of their bodies. 

Even though Monks don’t have access to magical powers, their ki is more than enough to make up for being unable to cast spells.

Class Features

Monks come with a wide range of features for their class and gain more abilities at every level. 

The Monk’s class is focused on striking enemies with a lot of force and escaping danger swiftly.

These include:

  • Unarmored Defense
  • Martial Arts
  • Ki
  • Unarmored Movement
  • Monastic Tradition
  • Deflect Missiles
  • Slow Fall
  • Extra Attack
  • Stunning Strike
  • Ki-Empowered Strikes
  • Evasion
  • Stillness of Mind
  • Purity of Body
  • Tongue of the Sun and Moon
  • Diamond Soul
  • Timeless Body
  • Empty Body
  • Perfect Self

The majority of Monk class features are beneficial, and the ability to develop new skills for each level, up to the 7th level is an enjoyable and flexible experience. Dexterity is the most important statistic of Monks. Strength is being used to save throws.

Ki is the main mechanic of Monks. It allows players to increase their Monk’s capabilities when needed, such as doing with more force or protecting themselves from damage. 

Ki can make playing Monks an interesting alternative rather than “I punch the bad guy hard in the face,” and keeps the fight alive and lively.

Monastic Tradition

Monastic traditions give monks extra power and flavors to backstories, which allows for more the creation of characters that are interesting and intricate. 

The following are the latest Monastic traditions that have been published:

  • Astral Self
  • Drunken Master
  • Four Elements
  • Kensei
  • Long Death
  • Mercy
  • Open Hand
  • Shadow
  • Sun Soul

Paladin

Paladins are physically strong warriors however, they are blessed with supernatural powers that aid in their fight. 

The powers they possess are granted at the dictates of God. However, Paladins who violate their vows to their gods can swiftly find that the divine favor is removed.

Class Features

Paladins are a class that is unique that combines attack power as well as durability and healing into one. 

Although Paladins aren’t the strongest attackers, the strongest tanks, or the most powerful healers, they’re flexible in a manner that very few classes are able to be.

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These distinctive traits are evident in the attributes granted by the Paladin class. They are which are listed below:

  • Divine Sense
  • Lay on Hands
  • Fighting Style
  • Spellcasting
  • Divine Smite
  • Divine Health
  • Sacred Oath
  • Extra Attack
  • Aura of Protection
  • Aura of Courage
  • Improved Divine Smite
  • Cleansing Touch

Paladins are granted access to a significant portion of their abilities in the early levels, which allows Paladins to shine when the adventure gets underway. 

The majority of Paladin’s classes’ abilities are fantastic and can be useful in a myriad of situations. 

The ability to lay hands is like the healing you find in D&D as it comes with an HP pool which increases with increasing your level.

Paladins also have access to a limited number of spells, which they need to prepare in the same manner as Clerics do.

Cleric prepares. Spells for Paladins typically enhance their physical abilities or defense abilities, which allows some extra damage when needed.

Sacred Oath

An oath taken by a Paladin’s sacred swearing is a commitment to their god to adhere to the divine plan (or set of values). 

The Paladin’s powers are greatly enhanced when they take a sacred vow, however, straying from the oath of a Paladin’s god can be a grave risk, addition.

Here are the sacred oaths from the sourcebooks:

  • Ancients
  • Conquest
  • Crown
  • Devotion
  • Glory
  • Redemption
  • Vengeance
  • Watchers
  • Oathbreaker

While sacred oaths aren’t likely to necessarily alter the way that the Paladin character is played out, certain sacred oaths can allow for a few distinctions between those in the Paladin class. Select a sacred oath that is appropriate for your character and background and your style of play.

Ranger

Rangers can make use of a range of weapons, and utilize methods of deception to strike prey in one swift swipe regardless of whether it is an animal or human. 

While Rangers do not have the durability or armor of the other classes, more durable, however, their capabilities of being able to track and hunt (and the killing) are unparalleled.

Class Features

Note: The features described in this article are based on the variant-Ranger features list from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, as the initial Ranger class as it is described within the Player’s Handbook is widely considered to be weak when compared to other classes.

  • Favored Foe
  • Deft Explorer
  • Fighting Style
  • Spellcasting
  • Primal Awareness
  • Ranger Conclave
  • Extra Attack
  • Land’s Stride
  • Nature’s Veil
  • Vanish
  • Feral Senses
  • Foe Slayer

The abilities of Rangers are centered around dealing severe damage to single hits and concealing from view. 

Rangers gain a large portion of their capabilities at their earliest levels and can be equipped to cast spells. 

Spells for Rangers tend to enhance their abilities naturally and increase their connection to the natural world.

Ranger Conclaves

Ranger Conclaves are a great way to learn and develop guidelines for your character. They also grant the ability to acquire additional skills.

  • Beast Master
  • Fey Wanderer
  • Gloom Stalker
  • Horizon Walker
  • Hunter
  • Monster Slayer
  • Swarmkeeper

Although a decision to choose conclaves for a Ranger conclave typically doesn’t significantly alter the gameplay of the class, they do permit characters to have different appearances and abilities.

Rogue

Silent, hidden, and deadly, Rogues are more at ease in the shadows, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. 

Although Rogues aren’t the most magical of classes (other than Arcane Tricksters) as well as being more susceptible to attack as opposed to other types, they are one of the top combatants that you can find.

Class Features

Rogues typically have a wide collection of talents gained over the many years of life in the underground criminal world. 

They are adept at being in darkness and then launching a deadly attack. They’re also charming and have a sharp laugh and a silver tongue they employ to fool others to gain personal profit.

These characteristics are evident in the characteristics of the class:

  • Expertise
  • Sneak Attack
  • Thieves’ Cant
  • Cunning Action
  • Roguish Archetype
  • Uncanny Dodge
  • Evasion
  • Reliable Talent
  • Blindsense)
  • Slippery Mind
  • Elusive
  • Stroke of Luck

The main ingredient of Rogue is Sneak Attack. Rogue includes sneak attack which permits the Rogue to do incredibly high damage, as long as the player is in the lead by launching the use of a surprise attack. 

The ability to master the art of combat allows Rogues to execute many different abilities with ease, while Cunning Action assists the Rogue to remain alive until they gain more health points.

Roguish Archetype

At the third stage at 3rd level, at the 3rd level, your Rogue can choose an appropriate path to develop their abilities. 

The general rule is that archetypes of roguish give characters flavor but also allow Rogues to become experts in their chosen. These are the most popular options for archetypes of roguish:

  • Arcane Trickster
  • Assassin
  • Inquisitive
  • Mastermind
  • Phantom
  • Scout
  • Soulknife
  • Swashbuckler
  • Thief

Sorcerer

The sorcerers are more fragile than physical combatants and typically require tanks or two to keep their enemies away however, they can unleash powerful magical attacks against their foes that are unmatched by the users of the weapon.

Class Features

As a result of their natural magic The class of Sorcerers enhancement and refinement their magic-user abilities. The following features are listed:

  • Spellcasting
  • Sorcerous Origin
  • Font of Magic
  • Metamagic
  • Sorcerous Restoration

The primary aspect of the Sorcerer class is The Font of Magic, which gives sorcery points to players who can use them to increase their magic and develop spell slots. 

Sorcerers also have access to the Metamagic feature that allows them to apply various effects to the spells they use. 

The main benefit that Sorcerers is that the Sorcerer class is access to an extensive number of spell slots on every level and a vast array of spells.

Sorcerous Origin

The sorcerous roots of your Sorcerer are the reason that they’re born to be a magician. Based on the origin of the magic, the skills of a Sorcerer can differ. 

The Sorcerous roots are mostly just flavor unless damage categories really are important in your game.

However, they provide an array of backgrounds for various backstories and give players to have specific skills.

These are the sources of the sourcebooks currently available:

  • Aberrant Mind
  • Clockwork Soul
  • Draconic Bloodline
  • Divine Soul
  • Shadow
  • Storm
  • Wild Magic

Warlock

At first, they were just ordinary mortals. warlocks are those who have entered into a deal with an entity of power in exchange for supernatural power. 

Though Warlock patrons are typically evil some Warlocks aren’t and can cause conflict with their patrons later on in the future.

Class Features

  • Pact Magic
  • Eldritch Invocations
  • Pact Boon
  • Mystic Arcanum
  • Eldritch Master

Warlocks are able to use their powers through Pact Magic rather than innate Spellcasting as other magicians do, giving them the ability to recharge their spell slots following short breaks. 

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In return, Warlocks have fewer spell slots than other magicians and rely more on cantrips.

Otherworldly Patron

The patron you select for your Warlock determines the spells they can use and also their special capabilities. 

Pick a patron that is suitable for your character as well as their background.

  • Archfey
  • Celestial
  • Fathomless
  • Fiend
  • The Genie
  • Great Old One
  • Hexblade
  • Undead
  • Undying

Wizard

It is the wizard class that is distinguished by the vast variety of spells at their disposal. 

Wizards aren’t very physical strength and with their spellbooks, they make weak opponents, but they compensate for this with a level of magic that is unmatched and a sharp mind.

Class Features

The Wizard’s class features are described below:

  • Spellcasting
  • Arcane Recovery
  • Arcane Tradition
  • Spell Mastery
  • Signature Spells

Differently from others, Wizards do not have any extra features that are not related to Spellcasting which they do with more versatility than other classes. 

Wizards can learn almost every spell, however, they have to learn it by studying a tomb of spells that is located inside the world of Dungeons and Dragons. 

They’re also among the few classes to use Intelligence as a spellcasting ability and must be trained for casting spells.

Arcane Tradition

The Magical schools open to Wizards are as follows:

  • Abjuration
  • Bladesinger
  • Chronurgy
  • Conjuration
  • Divination
  • Enchantment
  • Evocation
  • Graviturgy
  • Illusion
  • Necromancy
  • Order of Scribes
  • Transmutation
  • War Magic

Wizards may decide to specialize in the magic school starting at the 2nd level. 

The arcane specialization transition does not just allow the Wizard to be more proficient in learning spells that are taught in this school, but it provides unique capabilities related to the specific type of school.

Races Versus Classes: What’s the Difference?

One of the most common mistakes that new D&D gamers make is to confuse their character’s race and class. To make things a clearer little bit this is the difference:

  • The race of a character is related to the capabilities a person is born with due to their race, while the character’s class is related to the capabilities a person has because of their training.
  • A good example of a race would be elves, humans, and dwarves. A class is when a person has been trained to become a Rogue or a Bard or Ranger or other roles similar to them.
  • The class of your character can help define the role it plays within your group and what their capabilities are and its race could provide traits and higher scores.

While one word refers to the basic circumstances that led to the character’s birth, the other is a description of the skills and capabilities the character is acquired through training. 

Classes are distinct from backgrounds that assign the character with abilities about their lived experiences.

How to choose a D&D class?

When selecting the D&D class, you need to think about the type of character you’d like to create, as well as the type of style you’d like to play as a player. 

The classes in D&D can be classified into different playstyles, with some overlap in subclasses.

  • Ranged Spellcasters: Warlocks, Sorcerers, Wizards
  • Melee Spellcasters: Clerics, Paladins, Druids
  • Ranged Warriors: Ranger, Fighter, Rogue
  • Melee Warriors: Fighter, Monk, Barbarian, Paladin, Rogue
  • Tanks: Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin, Cleric
  • Healing/Support: Cleric, Bard, Druids

Also, you should think about the subclasses that are available for each class to determine which one best fits the aesthetic and style of the character you’d like to create.

Our Favorite Classes

The preferences of each character are unique, we’ll provide a few of our preferred classes or subclasses in case you have similar preferences. These ideas may in the development of your idea of a character.

  • Fey Wanderer Ranger: The traits of the Fey Wanderer Ranger are perfect for the job of the Party Face and still enjoyable to perform in non-diplomatic situations.
  • Circle of Moon Druid: We usually recommend this course to those who are new to D&D since it’s certainly among the top and most effective classes available in the game at the very beginning levels. It’s always fun to play. Who does not like turning into a dire Wolf and unleashing chaos?
  • The Fiend Warlock: The Fiend-patron Warlock is yet another class perfect for newbies, as it grants Warlocks access to an amazing range of spells and options which help keep the user in a state of health with sufficient time to completely destroy their adversaries.

FAQs

How do classes work in D&D?

During character creation, you pick an appropriate class for your character. Then, you include their bonuses and features on your character sheets. As your character progresses in rank, you’ll be able to unlock additional class features and bonuses, so make sure to ensure that you update your sheet of character!

Which D&D class is the best?

No one class is better than the rest. Each of the classes that are offered in D&D comes with benefits and drawbacks. It’s up to the player to research and decide which one is best suited to your needs. Explore a variety of classes and you’ll be able to determine which classes you like the most.

What are class features in D&D?

Class features are the particular powers and abilities which a class confers to your character. They are released as your character grows in levels, so make certain that you keep your sheet of character up-to-date!

Is Necromancer a class in D&D?

No. When in earlier versions of D&D, there was a distinct “Necromancer” class, in D&D 5E, this class has been eliminated to make way for the School of Necromancy Arcane Tradition, which is The Wizard class.

Can my character have more than class?

It depends. Multiclassing is a ruleset that is optional in D&D 5E. So it is dependent on the dungeon master’s permission. the master allows multiclassing rules to be applied.

Final Words

As a veteran player of D&D There is no definitive answer as to what type of character you should pick to play your next D&D character. 

The beauty that lies in D&D is the way that participants get to explore a vast and varied world of diverse characters and stories. 

While you’re able to keep your balance of play in mind when picking the best D&D class is about choosing a character that is enjoyable to play.

If you’re just beginning your journey into D&D however we’d suggest that the class we would like to play would be the Druid. 

Because it’s so easy for beginners it’s wildly enjoyable, to begin with. Once you’re at ease with D&D however it’s possible to begin to explore other classes.

Keep in mind that playing D&D can be addictive, so choose your new pastime with care. When you begin playing, you’ll never be able to put it down. And we hope that you are as excited that we have!