D&D Species (Races) in 5e
D&D races are now called species. The 2024 Player's Handbook has 10: Aasimar, Dragonborn, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Goliath, Halfling, Human, Orc and Tiefling. Your species sets your size, speed and special traits like Darkvision. It no longer raises ability scores; in 2024 those increases come from your background.
Your species is what your character is: an elf, a dwarf, a fire-touched tiefling. The 2014 Player's Handbook called this choice race; the 2024 Player's Handbook renamed it species. The idea is the same, but the mechanics shifted in a way that matters for every build.
In 2014 your race gave you ability score increases (+2 Dexterity for an elf, +2 Constitution for a dwarf), which nudged players toward "correct" pairings like a dwarf cleric or a halfling rogue. In 2024 those increases moved to your background, so any species works with any class. Your species now gives only traits: size, speed, senses, resistances and a signature power or two.
Below are our full guides to each species, with every 2024 trait, the 2014 differences and the classes they suit. Once you have picked one, the name generator can suggest names to match, and the character generator can roll up the rest.
Species guides at a glance
| Species | Size | Speed | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aasimar | Medium or Small | 30 ft. | Darkvision, Healing Hands, Celestial Revelation |
| Dragonborn | Medium | 30 ft. | Breath Weapon, Damage Resistance, Draconic Flight |
| Dwarf | Medium | 30 ft. | Darkvision 120 ft., Poison Resistance, Dwarven Toughness |
| Elf | Medium | 30 ft. (Wood Elf 35 ft.) | Darkvision, Fey Ancestry, Trance, Elven Lineage |
| Gnome | Small | 30 ft. | Gnomish Cunning, Darkvision, Gnomish Lineage |
| Goliath | Medium | 35 ft. | Giant Ancestry, Large Form, Powerful Build |
| Halfling | Small | 30 ft. | Luck, Brave, Halfling Nimbleness, Naturally Stealthy |
| Human | Medium or Small | 30 ft. | Resourceful, Skillful, Versatile (bonus Origin feat) |
| Orc | Medium | 30 ft. | Adrenaline Rush, Darkvision 120 ft., Relentless Endurance |
| Tiefling | Medium or Small | 30 ft. | Darkvision, Fiendish Legacy, Otherworldly Presence |
Why did D&D change "race" to "species"?
Wizards of the Coast switched to "species" during the public playtests that led up to the new rules and made it official in the 2024 Player's Handbook. The word "race" carried real-world baggage and suggested that whole peoples share fixed personalities and talents. "Species" describes what the rules actually model: different kinds of beings with different bodies and abilities, such as a goliath's size or an elf's trance.
Mechanically the rename came with two changes. Ability score increases moved from species to backgrounds, and half-elf and half-orc are no longer separate options. To play a character of mixed heritage in 2024, pick the traits of one parent's species and describe the rest however you like.
Where do ability score increases come from in 2024?
From your background. Each 2024 background lists three abilities; you add +2 to one and +1 to another, or +1 to all three, with no score above 20. A Soldier raises Strength, Dexterity or Constitution; a Sage raises Constitution, Intelligence or Wisdom. Your background also hands you an Origin feat, two skills and a tool. See the full list in our 2024 backgrounds guide.
In the 2014 rules your race set the bonus: a mountain dwarf got +2 Strength and +2 Constitution, a human +1 to everything. Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (2020) later let you move those bonuses to any abilities, which was the first step toward the 2024 system. If you mix a 2014 race with 2024 rules, take the ability increases from your background, not the race.
What are the 10 species in the 2024 Player's Handbook?
Aasimar: celestial-touched, heals with a touch and transforms at level 3. Dragonborn: breath weapon and damage resistance from a dragon ancestor. Dwarf: 120-foot Darkvision, poison resistance and extra hit points. Elf: Drow, High Elf or Wood Elf lineage, Trance and Keen Senses. Gnome: Small, with advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saves.
Goliath: 35-foot speed, giant ancestry powers and Large Form at level 5. Halfling: Small, with the Luck trait to reroll natural 1s. Human: an extra skill, Heroic Inspiration every long rest and a second Origin feat. Orc: Adrenaline Rush and Relentless Endurance to drop to 1 HP instead of 0. Tiefling: fiendish legacy spells and resistance. All of them have a 30-foot speed except the goliath.
Gone from the 2024 core book: half-elf and half-orc. Aasimar, goliath and orc are new to the Player's Handbook; in 2014 they lived in supplements like Volo's Guide to Monsters.
How do you choose a species?
Start with the character you want to play, not the numbers. Because 2024 species don't touch ability scores, there are no trap pairings any more: a halfling barbarian or an orc wizard is just as viable as the classic picks. That said, some traits do line up with certain classes. Goliaths and orcs suit front-liners who want to stay standing; elves and halflings suit sneaky characters; aasimar and humans fit almost anything.
If you're torn, look at the traits you'll actually use every session. Darkvision matters in dungeon-heavy campaigns; a flying speed or a breath weapon matters in combat; Heroic Inspiration matters on every bad roll. Ask your DM what kind of campaign it is before you decide.
Species FAQ
Are races and species the same thing in D&D?
Yes. Species is the 2024 Player's Handbook name for what the 2014 rules called race. Both describe what kind of being your character is. The main rules difference is that 2024 species no longer grant ability score increases.
How many species are in the 2024 Player's Handbook?
Ten: Aasimar, Dragonborn, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Goliath, Halfling, Human, Orc and Tiefling. Half-elf and half-orc from the 2014 book are not included.
Can I still play a half-elf in 2024?
Not as its own species in the 2024 Player's Handbook. You can choose the traits of either the elf or the human and describe your character as half-elf, or use the 2014 half-elf if your DM allows older content.
Do species give ability score increases in 2024?
No. In the 2024 rules your background gives +2 and +1, or +1 to three abilities, from the three it lists. Species only give traits such as size, speed, Darkvision and resistances.
What is the best species in 5e?
There is no single best one, because 2024 species no longer affect ability scores. Humans are strong for any class thanks to an extra Origin feat and Heroic Inspiration. Goliaths and orcs are excellent front-liners, and aasimar add healing and flight to almost any build.
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