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Each of the newcomers to DnD faces the main choice - which class to play? To facilitate navigation in the sea of possibilities provided by the fifth edition, we decided to make this guide. The guide includes classes, options, and races from the player's core book.
Each class has a gradation of difficulty. Simple difficulty - the class has good defense and no spells, medium - good defense and spells appear, high or ultra - low defense and many possibilities, including spells.
Barbarian
A crazy mountain of muscles with a huge two-handed ax that smashes everything in sight into a salad. A barbarian has a rage during which physical abilities related to athletics and close combat are enhanced.
The role of the barbarian is a tank. If you've always dreamed of running headlong into a pack of goblins, taking blows and covering the frail party members with your scarred chest, this is your choice. When leveling a barbarian, you can choose the path of even stronger invulnerability, or the path of a berserker, which deals more attacks at the cost of greater vulnerability.
Difficulty: Easy
Optimal Race: Half-Orcs, Dwarves, and Dragonborn
Stereotypes: Conan the Barbarian, Kratos from God of War, Hulk
Warrior
A versatile soldier who can try on any armor and wield all types of weapons. Strong defense combined with a large number of attacks makes the warrior a dangerous and resilient fighter.
The role of a warrior is a tank or an assassin. One of the key features of the warrior is the action burst, which allows you to get an additional action. Usually, this action becomes an attack, so warriors can deal the most hits at once during combat. When leveling, you can choose the path of a champion with increased critical hits, the path of a general who knows combat maneuvers, as well as a mystic knight, who is not only a warrior, but also a bit of a mage.
Difficulty: Easy
Optimal Race: Dwarves, Half-Orcs, and Dragonborn for melee, Elves and Halflings for ranged combat, Humans for both
Stereotypes: Jon Snow, Mandalorian from Star Wars, Gimli from Lord of the Rings
Rogue
Breaking down doors, disarming traps, stealing and beating from stealth - that's what a rogue knows best. If you want to play as a slimy guy who doesn't mind stealing something and selling it for a higher price, and likes to sneak around and then hide in the shadows again, this is your choice.
The role of the cheater in the team is the killer. The main feature of the fraudster is a hidden attack - an enhanced attack on a weakened enemy. The scammer is very mobile and secretive. In the future, a rogue can develop their hacking and item skills, becoming an assassin with guaranteed critical hits or a mystical rogue, adding invisibility and the ability to pick locks from a distance to their arsenal.
Difficulty: Low
Optimal Races: Halfling, Wood Elf, Alternate Human
Stereotypes: Garrett Shadow, Corvo from Dishonored, Valyr Sanguinar from World of Warcraft
Ranger
The Ranger is a master of survival, so he will easily find food for the team, track down the target and hide in the forest so that even a clairvoyant will not notice. Rangers are first-class hunters and scouts.
The role of the ranger is assassin and support. The ranger's feature is the mechanics of selected enemies and terrain. When leveled, the ranger gets the opportunity to choose creatures that are easier for him to find, as well as the type of terrain. In this area, the ranger and his team receive benefits such as double food gathering and the ability to move quickly and stealthily. A ranger has both healing and stealth spells as well as combat spells. In the future, the ranger can tame an animal companion, or become a deadly assassin.
Difficulty: Medium
Optimal races: Forest Elf, Halfling
Stereotypes: Legolas, Rexar from World of Warcraft, Bear Grylls
Monk
Shaolin monks, kung fu panda and that's it. Monks are unarmed fighters who don't wear armor, run fast, jump high, and can catch arrows.
The role of the monk is the killer. The main feature of the class is Qi points - by spending them, the monk can knock down an enemy, deal several blows or accelerate for a powerful jump. In the future, monks develop through martial arts, shadow scouts or masters of the elements.
Difficulty: Low
Optimal races: Human, Half-Elf, Half-Orc
Stereotypes: Drunken Master, Kung Fu Panda, Aang from The Legend of Aang
Bard
With music, a bard can heal allies, weaken enemies, and enchant dragons.
The role of the bard is support. The main tool is the inspiration cube, which the bard can give to his allies to boost their attacks or ability checks. In the future, you will be able to choose to be a more militant skald, rushing into battle with a sword, or to delve into the magical arts and be able to learn spells of any class.
Difficulty: Medium
Optimal Race: Half-Elf, Tiefling, Human, or Alternate Human
Stereotypes: Buttercup from The Witcher, Sona from League of Legends
Wizard
Wizards are always ready to hurl fireballs and call upon elementals for help.
This class has the largest variety of spells in the game, from creating illusions to summoning a firestorm.
The wizard's role is support and kills. A key mechanic is the book in which the wizard writes down new spells. The book must be protected like the apple of the eye, because if the book is destroyed, the magician will be able to recover only a small part of the knowledge, and the rest will be irretrievably lost. When creating a wizard, you need to choose a school of spells that affects our abilities. For example, a Necromancy wizard will more effectively invoke slaying, while a Defense adept will boost allies.
Difficulty: Highest
Optimal Races: Dwarves, Sun Elves, and Tieflings
Stereotypes: Dumbledore, Gandalf, Jaina Proudmoore from World of Warcraft
Warlock
This class receives magical power from the higher entity with which it makes a contract. A wizard has fewer spells than other classes, but can regenerate them with a short rest.
The sorcerer's role is killer and support. The main choice of a sorcerer is a patron. The Demon makes us alive, the Fairy gives us an attractive appearance, and the Ancient One gives us control over the minds of our enemies. In the future, you will choose a gift - a powerful weapon, a book of spells or a special pet. A small number of spells are compensated by passive effects - appeals. They allow you to use various special abilities, for example, to endlessly change your appearance with the help of illusions or to read any languages.
Difficulty: High
Optimal Races: Tiefling, Half-Elf, and Half-Growling
Stereotypes: Darth Vader, Madoka from Madoka, Gul'dan from World of Warcraft
Sorcerer
Wizards are born with magical power in their blood. Lightning, earthquakes and acid charges are all about wizards.
The role of the magician is the killer. Spells of this class are aimed at destruction. When creating a wizard, we choose whether he will draw his powers from the heritage of the Dragon or from the energy of Chaos. Wizard dragons are resilient and have their ancestor's elemental damage bonus, while chaotic wizards can boost spells while risking a random magical effect.
Difficulty: High
Optimal Races: Tieflings, Half-Elves, and Dragonborn
Stereotypes: Elsa from Frozen, Annie from League of Legends, Natsu from Fairy Tail
Druid
The druid transforms into beasts, heals allies and summons storms on the heads of enemies. If you've always dreamed of bearing down on your opponents in the name of Mother Nature in the guise of a bear, druids are your choice.
The role of the druid is tank and support. The main feature of the druid is the ability to turn into beasts once per game. In the further development of the character, you will choose between the mastery of transformation, getting opportunities to become more dangerous creatures, or delve into magic, expanding the number of available spells.
Difficulty: Medium
Optimal Race: Dwarves, Humans, and Wood Elves
Stereotypes: Malfurion from World of Warcraft, Lone Druid from DOTA 2, Nidali from League of Legends
Priest
A priest worships a deity that has power. Priests have access to the most powerful healing and resurrection spells.
The role of the priest is support and attacks. Depending on the domain you worship, you'll gain unique god-related abilities: For example, a god of life will boost your healing spells, and a god of war will grant your allies supernatural accuracy.
Difficulty: Medium
Optimal Races: Dwarves, Humans, and Wood Elves
Stereotypes: Tarik from League of Legends, Nenneke from The Witcher, Melisandre from Game of Thrones
Paladin
Paladins are knights who protect the weak and root out evil. A paladin draws strength from inner ideals called oaths. A paladin has a lot of health, heavy armor, mastery of all weapons, and high damage. We're not talking about auras and healing anymore.
The role of the paladin in the team is tank and support. Like the priest, the paladin has a divine channel, but can only use it once. The Oath of Vengeance allows you to confidently attack enemies, the Oath of the Ancients controls the opponent, the Oath of Protection protects allies.
Difficulty: Medium
Optimal races: Dragonborn, Half-Elves, Tieflings
Stereotypes: Uther Lightbringer from World of Warcraft, Captain America, Soler from Astor from Dark Souls