D&D Classes

Your class is the biggest choice you make when you make a D&D character. It decides how many hit points you get, which ability scores matter, what armor you can wear and whether you cast spells. Species and background add flavor and a few bonuses; class decides what you actually do on your turn.

Every class uses the same proficiency bonus (+2 at level 1, up to +6 at level 17) and, in the 2024 rules, every class picks its subclass at level 3. Four classes are pure martial (barbarian, fighter, monk, rogue), two are half-casters (paladin, ranger), and six are full spellcasters (bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, wizard), with the warlock running on its own short-rest Pact Magic slots.

Not sure where to start? Roll a random build with the character generator, work out your hit points with the HP calculator, and write it all down on a free character sheet. Want two classes at once? Read the multiclassing guide.

All 12 classes at a glance

Which D&D class should you play?

Want to hit things and not die: barbarian (d12, Rage) or fighter (d10, the most attacks in the game). Both work with almost no rules knowledge.

Want to heal and still fight: cleric (medium armor, shields, Spirit Guardians at level 5) or paladin (heavy armor, Lay on Hands, Divine Smite).

Want to talk your way through things: bard, the best skill user in the game, with Charisma spells and Bardic Inspiration to boost allies.

Want big spells: wizard for the largest spell list, sorcerer for fewer spells bent with Metamagic, druid for nature magic plus turning into animals, warlock for Eldritch Blast and recharging slots.

Want to be sneaky: rogue (Sneak Attack, Expertise, Cunning Action), ranger (Hunter's Mark, scouting) or monk (fast, unarmored, lots of small hits).

What is the best D&D class? (2024 tier list)

There is no official ranking, and at most tables a well-played class of any tier is fine. This is how the classes stack up for overall power across levels 1 to 20 under the 2024 rules, based on what they can do at the table rather than any survey:

S tier: wizard, cleric, druid. Full casters with huge prepared spell lists. A cleric with Spirit Guardians and a wizard with Fireball shape every fight from level 5 onward, and their 9th-level spells end encounters outright.

A tier: paladin, bard, sorcerer, warlock. The paladin is the strongest non-full-caster thanks to Divine Smite, auras and heavy armor. Bards get Magical Secrets; 2024 sorcerers and warlocks were buffed with more spells and better features.

B tier: fighter, barbarian, rogue, monk. Excellent from levels 1 to 10 and easy to play, but they have fewer answers to flying, invisible or spell-resistant enemies late in a campaign.

C tier: ranger. Hunter's Mark carries it early, but its damage and features fall behind the other half-caster, the paladin, at high level. If your campaign ends before level 11, this list matters a lot less.

For "best class for beginners", flip the list: fighter, barbarian and cleric are the simplest to play well, while wizard and druid have the most to track.

What changed for classes in the 2024 rules?

Subclass at level 3: every class now picks its subclass at 3. In 2014, clerics, sorcerers and warlocks chose at level 1 and druids and wizards at 2.

Weapon Mastery: barbarians, fighters, paladins, rangers and rogues unlock special weapon effects such as Cleave, Topple and Vex. See the weapon mastery guide.

Prepared spells for all: bards, sorcerers, rangers and warlocks now prepare spells from a table instead of a fixed "spells known" list.

Epic Boon at 19: every class gets a powerful Epic Boon feat at level 19. More on the full rules shift in D&D 2024 changes.

Classes FAQ

How many classes are in D&D 5e?

The Player's Handbook has 12 classes: barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, fighter, monk, paladin, ranger, rogue, sorcerer, warlock and wizard. The artificer is a 13th official class, published in Eberron books rather than the Player's Handbook.

What is the easiest D&D class for beginners?

The fighter is the easiest, followed by the barbarian. Both have high hit points, no spells to track and simple turns. The cleric is the easiest spellcaster because it wears armor and has strong healing and buff spells.

What is the strongest class in D&D 5e?

Over a full 1 to 20 campaign, full spellcasters are the strongest, with the wizard, cleric and druid usually ranked at the top. At levels 1 to 5, martial classes like the barbarian and paladin are just as strong or stronger.

Which D&D class has the most hit points?

The barbarian, with a d12 hit die: 12 + Constitution modifier at level 1 and an average of 7 + Constitution modifier per level after that. Fighters, paladins and rangers use a d10; sorcerers and wizards have the lowest at d6.

Can you have more than one class in D&D?

Yes, through multiclassing. When you level up you can take a level in a new class if you have at least 13 in the primary ability of both your current and new class. Your DM has to allow it.

Related

• DnD Character Generator
• How to Make a D&D Character (2024 Rules, Step by Step)
• DnD Stat Roller