Classes

lasses are what defines what skills and abilities your player character will have. Your chosen class plays an even bigger role in how you play your character than your race will. Each class has subclasses that tailor the main class towards different goals and play styles. The major (and simple) categories are:

• Warriors: Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, and Rogue.
• Casters: Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard.
• Mix of the 2/Other: Artificer, Bard, Monk, and Paladin.

Very simple explanation of each class below followed by a bit more information for each one.

• Artificer: can cast spells but is more of a scientist or inventor that makes magical items.
• Barbarian: utilizes a primal ferocity to make them a true force to be reckoned with in combat.
• Bard: through music or speech, inspires their allies and demoralizes their foes.
• Cleric: a devoted follower of a deity through which they gain massive magical powers.
• Druid: one with nature in pretty much every way possible.
• Fighter: Sword swinging badass.
• Monk: Lightning fast punches and some magical abilities.
• Paladin: Warriors of a chosen god that through their oath gain immense power.
• Ranger: Skilled hunters, master archers, and friends of the wild.
• Rogue: Deadly assassins and skilled thieves.
• Sorcerer: Powerful magic users that innately know magic.
• Warlock: Powerful magic users that have struck a deal with an even more powerful entity to gain their powers.
• Wizard: Harry Potter. Spellcasters who have dedicated their lives to the study of the arcane sciences.

Artificer

Makers of magic-infused objects, artificers are defined by their inventive nature. They see magic as a complex system waiting to be decoded and controlled. Instead of ephermeral spells, they seek to craft durable, useful, marvelous magic items.

Artificers are like wizards but more like Fred and George when they opened their shop and made cool magic infused items but more(?) dangerous.

Subclasses

• Alchemist: "There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class."
• Armorer
• Artillerist
• Battle Smith: Can make a steel defender (a metal version of Baymax from Big Hero 6).

Barbarian

For some, their rage springs from a communion with fierce animal spirits. Others draw from a roiling reservoir of anger at a world full of pain. For every barbarian, rage is a power that fuels not just a battle frenzy but also uncanny reflexes, resilience, and feats of strength.

You know the whole baby trapped under the car and the mom can lift if off to save their child adage, well this class is kinda centered around that idea. A warrior that focuses a primal ferocity that empowers their attacks and fortifies their defenses.

Subraces (Path of the):

• Ancestral Guardian: Animated Mulan but has a better working relationship with her ancestors.
• Battlerager
• Beast: Can take on aspects of different beasts to help them in battle.
• Berserker
• Storm Herald: Storm from X-Men but also has a giant axe and would, today, be in court-ordered anger management.
• Totem Warrior: A typical shaman type but angry.
• Wild Magic: A Wizard that never went to Hogwarts and just spontaneously produces magical effects without purpose.
• Zealot: Violent nun with rippling biceps.

Bard

Whether scholar, skald, or scoundrel, a bard weaves magic through words and music to inspire allies, demoralize foes, manipulate minds, create illusions, and even heal wounds. The bard is a master of song, speech, and the magic they contain.

You've probably been exposed to the stereotypical bard. The minstrelling companion that attempts to aid their comrades through morale boosting and usually a sad attempt to seduce everything that moves.

Subclasses (College of...):

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

Cleric

Clerics are intemediaries between the mortal world and the distant plane of the gods. As varied as the gods they serve, clerics strive to embody the handiwork of their dieties. No ordinary priest, a cleric is imbued with divine magic.

Clerics are very diverse and can really play any role. They are able to use magic through their devout dedication to a god, so imagine if in any of the exorcist type movies that the priest actually is able to perform the exorcist properly.

If you choose a cleric I will provide pertinent deities to which subclass you choose.

Subclasses:

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

Druid

Whether calling on the elemental forces of nature or emulating the creatures of the animal world, druids are an embodiment of nature's resilience, cunning, and fury. They claim no mastery over nature, but see themselves as extensions of nature's indomitable will.

Druids are my personal favorite. This class is centered around nature. Entangling enemies in vines, shape-shifting into a giant wolf, controlling the weather, and much more. Druids are tree-hugging hippies that can also turn into a rabid weasel and bite your throat out so...

Subclasses (Circle of...):

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

Fighter

Fighters share an unparalleled mastery with weapons and armor, and a thorour knowledge of skills of combat. They are well acquainted with death, both meting it out and staring it defiantly in the face.

Honestly there's not much explaining needed for fighters. Think of any knight or sword swinging badass from media and that's a fighter. However, some subclasses introduce spells and other abilities that present as magical.

Subclasses:

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

Monk

Monks are united in their ability to magically harness the energy that flows in their bodies. Whether channeled as a striking display of combat prowess or a subtler focus of defensive ability and speed, this energy infuses all that a monk does.

Monks, as are fighters, are not very complicated to explain. Monks differ from fighters in that they have no need for armor to defend themselves or weapons in order to pummel their foes. They also have Ki abilities which are similar to spells.

Subclass (Way of...):

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

Paladin

Whether sworn before a god's altar and the witness of a priest, in a sacred glade before nature spirits and fey beings, or in a moment of desperation and grief with the dead as the only witness, a paladin's oath is a powerful bond.

The paladin embodies both the martial prowess of the fighter and the divine magic of the cleric. They, like their cleric cousins, are devouted to a god or cause by way of oaths.

A mainsteam media parallel is Captain America. He has a very clear moral code that he never breaks and speaks up whenever someone around him breaks those same codes.

Subclasses (Oath of):

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

Ranger

Far from the bustle of cities and towns, past the hedges that shelter the most distant farms from the terrors of the wild, amid the dense-packed trees of trackless forests and across wide and empty plains, rangers keep their unending watch.

Legolas. That's, I mean, pretty much it. Likely has a bow, can track enemies, good with animals, and knows some spells.

I will say, however, that Rangers are notorious for being the "weakest" class for whatever reason (likely because a lot of their abilities are survival based), so if a ranger is what you want, we can play around with it to make them a bit stronger.

Subclasses:

• Beastmaster Conclave
• Fey Wanderer
• Gloom Stalker Conclave
• Horizon Walker Conclave
• Hunter Conclave
• Monster Slayer Conclave
• Swarmkeeper

Rogue

Rogues rely on skill, stealth, and their foes' vulnerabilities to get the upper hand in any situation. They have a knack for finding the solution to just about any problem, demonstrating a resourcefulness and versatility that is the cornerstone of any successful adventuring party.

The stealthy hooded assassin that stalks their prey from the shadows and just when least expected, BAM! dagger through the throat. DEAD!

They are also skilled thieves through lockpicking and pickpocketing skills.

Subclasses:

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

Sorcerer

Sorcerers carry a magical birthright conferred upon them by an exotic bloodline, some otherworldly influence, or exposure to unknown cosmic forces. No one chooses sorcery; the power chooses the sorcerer.

The unique characteristic of a sorcerer is that they inherently know magic. Its in their blood so to speak whereas warlocks and wizards are a bit different as you will read shortly.

The source of a sorcerer's magic should align with their subclass and usually is a good place to find inspiration for roleplaying.

Subclasses:

• Abberant Mind
• Clockwork Soul
• Draconic Bloodline
• Divine Soul
• Shadow Magic
• Storm Sorcery
• Wild Magic

Warlock

Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Through pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular.

A way a warlock gains their powers would be by "selling their soul to the devil." However that's not exactly how it works in D&D. It's more like becoming an employee of a great and powerful being that has a great benefit package.

Subclasses:

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

Wizard

Wizards are supreme magic-users, defined and united as a class by the spells they cast. Drawing on the subtle weave of magic that permeates the cosmos, wizards cast spells of explosive fire, arcing lightning, subtle deception, brute-force mind control, and much more.

Harry Potter. Merlin. Pretty much any magic wielding person in a tall pointy hat. Wizards in D&D are pretty much the same, but the hat is optional.

Subclasses (School of):

• Abjuration
• Bladesinging
• Chronurgy
• Conjuration
• Divination
• Enchantment
• Evocation
• Graviturgy
• Illusion
• Necromancy
• Scribes
• Transmutation
• War Magic

Abilities

Everything you want to do in D&D is determined by an ability pretty much. These abilities are:

• Strength: Natural athleticism and bodily power.
• Dexterity: Physical agility, reflexes, balance, and poise.
• Constitution: how much life/health you have (i.e. how many punches you can take before passing out).
• Intelligence: Mental acuity, information recall, and analytical skill.
• Wisdom: Awareness, intuition, and insight.
• Charisma: confidence, eloquence, and leadership.

Each class has a specialty ability or two, and all abilities can be broken down into skills. But don't really worry about that much now.

Abilities and skills are given a number (like +2) which is then added to an ability or attack roll to increase the odds of succeeding. The threshold for succeeding is determined typically by me (your humble Dungeon Master).

Skills

Each ability can also be broken down into skills which just further specify the different things you can do.

Combat

There's really one major difference between being in combat and not, and that is Initiative. When your DM calls for an Initiative Roll, then you will roll 1d20+Initiative. From highest to lowest rolls is the order in which combat will commence.

On your turn you have the following actions you can utilize:

• Action
• Bonus Action: Unless you have an ability or spell that specifies Bonus Action, then there really isn't anything that can be used as a Bonus Action.
• Reaction: Spells that specify Reaction or if an enemy enters or is in your immediate space (5 ft) and leaves then that provokes an opportunity (melee) attack against that enemy. The same works the other way around.
• Free Action: This is saying a short sentence or phrase, opening a door, pulling out your sword, or any small and simple action.
• Movement: You can move up to your move speed all at once or you can break it up throughout your turn.

There is no required order for each of these, and you may any number of them. Generally, each character will use their Action and Movement. Bonus Action, Reaction, and Free Action are a little more situational.