Do you like storytelling? Adventure? What about romance, bloodshed, and lots and lots of loot? If you answered “yes” to any or all of the above, then Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) is the game for you!
Maybe you’re just looking for a new hobby, or maybe you’ve been interested in D&D before and just don’t know where to start. Dungeons and Dragons is a supremely fun game to play with friends, but admittedly it can look a little tricky if you’ve never played before. But never fear, I’m here to help!
Whether you’re playing one game or signing on to a whole campaign, your first step on your journey to a great D&D experience is creating a character. There are different categories you’ll need to choose from to make your adventurer, such as Race, Class and Background. Here, we’ll look at a category that’s essential to your character but sometimes tricky to decide on—Class.
Your character’s class has everything to do with what they’ll be able to do and your role in the game and in your party. The best and most successful D&D parties are made up of many different classes. When you think about it, that does make sense—you don’t want to be in a tight spot without a healer, or find yourself sneaking past guards without a rogue.
And with that, I’m here to help with this cheat sheet to the basic classes of Dungeons and Dragons.
- Barbarian
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Barbarians are a force to be reckoned with. Rough and tough, they can fly into a powerful (and useful) rage in the heat of battle.
- Bard
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Bards are musicians and entertainers. They can lift the group’s spirits and wield some fun magic (insulting enemies to death, for example); they also often have a reputation for being a bit wild at celebrations.
- Cleric
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Clerics are healers whose power comes from a relationship with their respective deity. Every party definitely needs a cleric; done well, they can be the supportive backbone of the whole group!
- Druid
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Druids are magic users who commune with nature. Most of them can talk to animals, and at higher levels can even adopt animal forms. They’re basically magic environmentalists, and that’s beautiful.
- Fighter
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Fighters don’t use magic, but they are beyond skilled with their weapon(s) of choice and their fists. They’ve mastered classic combat—they don’t need spells to be dangerous.
- Monk
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Monks are martial arts masters, and they harness the power of their mind and body to enhance their fighting. They’ll beat the bad guys into next Tuesday and be centered while they do it.
- Paladin
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Paladins are a bit like Clerics in that they serve a holy purpose, whether their sacred oath is to a deity or to the cause of justice itself. They can also be great healers, but they’re heavy hitters too, what with all that righteous fury.
- Ranger
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Rangers are survivors. They know how to track, and live off the land. They’re often rugged, intriguing outsiders. They can also have an animal companion that fights alongside them.
- Rogue
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Rogues are all about stealth. Is there a lock you need picked? Need to slink past some surly guards? Call a rogue!
- Sorcerer
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Sorcerers are powerful magic-users who gain their powers through genetics. They’re blessed from birth.
- Warlock
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Warlocks are powerful magic-users who gain their powers through a bargain with another entity, such as a demon or fae. They may be playing with fire, but hey, they’re powerful!
- Wizard
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Wizards are powerful magic-users who gain their powers through study and practice. They’re the cool nerds of the magic world.
There you have it! These are the basic classes. What you do with them is your choice. Do you want to play as a dark, twisted paladin, or a bard who only knows Billy Joel songs? Go for it!
Most importantly, have fun. This is YOUR character. Showcase your creativity!
(Gifs courtesy of giphy.com)