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If you've found your way here, you're more than likely someone whose thoughts tend to wander towards epic quests concerning dwarves, elves, goblins, and more. Whether you're enticed by visions of felling great beasts, waging wars against corrupt Lich kings, getting into trouble with tavern misadventures, or the classic dungeon crawl, you're in the right place.

Welcome to the never-ending adventure of Dungeons & Dragons, a game where the roll of a die decides epic adventures and every twist of fate. Few experiences offer as much thrill as your first time immersing yourself in the gold standard of the TTRPG world, where imagination reigns supreme, and the only thing that defines your story is yourself. Embarking on your first D&D journey is an exciting prospect, and one worth taking extra care to do right. Depending on what you choose, your D&D character is your chance to step into the shoes of a battleworn warrior, a dastardly and cunning rogue, or a wise-cracking spellcaster. Yet, for many newcomers, the initial step of picking your species and class can feel like a labyrinth of choices that can result in a particularly devastating case of "analysis paralysis”. If that sounds like you, stick around for what comes next, as we try to determine-

The Best D&D Class for Beginners

First, let's get one thing out of the way: the best class for first-time players is always going to be the class that speaks to you most. While there are classes that are easier for players new to TTRPGs, the class that is most likely to hook you is going to be the class you are most excited to play. If you're someone who already has a good sense of what character type they'd like to create, don't feel pressured to roll up a character that needs to be optimized for every possibility. While some games are clearly structured around crafting the perfect character build for peak combat efficacy, Dungeons & Dragons offers a gameplay experience that thrives the more players bring their distinct and unique fantasies to the table. If you're the type who's been itching to play a Pastry Chef with a penchant for necrotic magics, or a rogue turtle who dashes around with dual blades and lightning-fast reflexes, Dungeons & Dragons is the place to bring those ideas to life.

If you're feeling inspired and think you've got a good sense of what kind of character you'd like to roll up, there's no better place to get started than with your character class. But, for new players, this is usually where things get daunting. In the Player Handbook, there are a total of 12 classes, which can be a lot to sift through when you're not even sure what the core gameplay loop of each class will feel like, let alone how to put together your character sheet.

Of the 12 basic classes offered in the PHB, there are functionally three styles of play we'll define as Martial classes, Skill/utility classes, & Casters. If any of these unique playstyles pique your interest, we'll explore each grouping and call out a few select classes that work best for new players along the way.

Martial Classes Ranked By Approachability

Fighter: RECOMMENDED FOR BEGINNERS

Fighters are a pure martial class, with a simple gameplay loop that generally bounces between positioning, attacking, and a few easy-to-manage tricks up the Fighters' sleeve. Fighters are easily the most approachable of the martial classes, and might even be the most approachable class of the entire game. With key features like Second Wind and Action Surge, the Fighter can offer top-of-the-line survivability along with optimal damage output, making them some of the best front-of-the-line combatants. For new players, the Fighter playstyle allows for up-close and personal interaction with the battlefield, making it the perfect class to learn how to use your abilities, equipment, and surroundings to your advantage. As far as level progression goes, the Fighter experience feels highly consistent, scaling well as it rewards the player with more attacks per round, better battlefield control, and max damage.

Rogue: FUN BUT FRAGILE

In a single turn, Rogues can do some of the most damage in the game. Using stealth for advantage and burst attacks for maximum impact, Rogues are a force to reckon with and perfect for players who don't mind sticking to the sides of the battlefield from time to time, but can be a bit fragile.

Barbarian: SURVIVABILITY OVER EVERYTHING

With a Rage mechanic that provides bonuses to armor and damage, Barbarians are your best bet if you're looking for raw survivability. However, the Rage mechanic might introduce some complexity for new players thanks to the required understanding of resource management. Additionally, the Barbarian can seem like a good pick for beginner players because of its simplicity, but it doesn't necessarily offer the same amount of battlefield control as the Fighter, making it less than ideal for teaching the ins and outs of combat.

Monk: BEST FOR ADVANCED PLAYERS

Monks are a great pick for players who have a strong sense of D&D's combat system and an understanding of action economy. While Monks offer a number of exciting and cool features, most of them rely on a complex understanding of effects, resistances, and other mechanics, along with an understanding of resource management thanks to their Focus points, which can be difficult to track and manage for newer players.

Skill/Utility Classes Ranked By Approachability

Ranger: RECOMMENDED FOR BEGINNERS

For a couple of reasons, Rangers are a preferred class for beginners. First, they offer a combat style not unlike those of the martial classes, focused primarily on consistent damage output and occasional positioning. At early levels, Rangers can focus on selecting targets and finishing them off from backline, giving them the space to learn mechanics and get familiar with the class. But the best thing about Rangers is the experience they offer as an almost modular class, one that grows alongside the player as it reflects your desired playstyle. As you advance further and reach new levels, the Ranger adopts optional features that can add new levels of complexity to your build. Your Ranger can follow a build path that relies on animal companions, and can even dip into some minor spellcasting, providing yet another opportunity to use the Ranger as an introductory class to more complicated mechanics. If you're looking for a strong starting class, and you expect you'll be playing them for a long time, Rangers can be a great class to experience the entire spectrum of combat over time.

Paladin: REWARDING BUT CAN BE COMPLEX

The Paladin offers the perfect blend between magic and martial ability, at the cost of a bit more complexity. Paladins are infused with magic, manifested in their auras and their divine abilities, but even without their magic, Paladins are some of the best weapon wielders in the game. However, with a combat system based on spell slot management, magic abilities tied to personal oaths, and regular combat features, Paladins can be a bit much to handle for newcomers.

Artificer: BEST FOR ADVANCED PLAYERS

Specializing in crafts, infusions, engineering, and even spellcasting, the Artificer can be a complicated class to get behind for almost any experience level. Everyone should give the artificer a try at least once, but this class can't be recommended for those who have yet to learn exactly how D&D works.

Caster Classes Ranked By Approachability

Warlock: RECOMMENDED FOR BEGINNERS

Wizards get all the attention in pop culture, but the true superstar of the D&D spellcaster archetype is the Warlock. Wizards introduce a level of complexity that comes with the field of the study of magic. Tomes, spellcrafting, and rigorous study are necessary tools of the Wizard spellcaster, but not for the Warlock. The Warlock is granted magic as an inherent ability at their disposal. The only price they pay is their uncompromising devotion to a deity of great power, but don't worry, you'll likely be able to find some common ground.

The Warlock serves as a great class to give players a spellcasting experience that feels robust without being inundated with the complexity of other casters. Compared to the Wizard, the Warlock doesn't offer quite as many spell options, but they come with tons of innate powers that are entirely unique to the class, like Eldritch Blast and Eldritch Invocations. Additionally, unlike Sorcerers and Wizards, Warlocks are handy with weapons and adept in combat, making them a great choice for players looking to get a taste of all aspects of play.

Bard: RECOMMENDED FOR BEGINNERS

This may be a controversial pick for a list for beginners, due to the Bard's reputation as a veritable skill-monkey of features, proficiencies, and spells. The Bard has a lot to offer, and can be played within the context of your party in a number of ways: buffing teammates, controlling the battlefield, offensive spellcasting, martial combat, and more. Due to the sheer volume of accessible abilities from instrument proficiency to slinging spells, it can certainly be argued that Bards can be overwhelming for new players, especially when they're playing a crucial role within team dynamics. However, as D&D evolves over the years, we're beginning to see new styles of play being adopted across the table. From campaigns that are combat light to campaigns with strict "no-dying" rules, and even purely social adventures. For fans of D&D and even WoTC themselves, there's no denying the spectrum of playstyles has widened over the years. With the 2024 5.5e ruleset, D&D shifts toward a more streamlined, narrative-focused design philosophy. Moving further from the unforgiving grind of the AD&D dungeon crawl, in turn making certain choices like party composition or optimal builds less integral to the typical D&D experience. Some people prefer settings that call for players who can engage with the world on every level as they investigate a mystery or take part in a heist. While it is never a bad idea to start simple, some players are not the type to box themselves in. Not unlike the Ranger, the number of features, spells, and abilities the Bard can opt into makes it an excellent class for experimenting with the pillars of the D&D combat archetypes.

Cleric: TOO ROLE SPECIFIC FOR BEGINNERS

Clerics are amazing classes that often get written off as pure healers, when in truth, they offer tons of spellcasting and martial ability beyond just buffs. However, for the most part, Clerics will always be a support character. While rewarding, playing a support character can be a lot of responsibility, especially for new players.

Sorcerer: REWARDING WITH SPELLCASTING MASTERY

Sorcerers are a great pick for those who want a bit more of a dedicated spellcasting experience, and are definitely not the most complicated spellcasters on this list. In fact, their inherent spellcasting ability can make their arcane powers feel more streamlined than those of other classes. However, their metamagic ability requires a strong grasp of the impact and effect of spells, including damage types, range, components, etc.

Wizard: BEST FOR ADVANCED PLAYERS

The Wizard is a great class to avoid if you're new to D&D. Within the world of D&D, a Wizard is usually someone who comes from years of study and academics, pursuing arcane knowledge in an effort to become an authority on the art of spellcasting. This level of ravenous dedication to the arcane crafts is equally reflected in its complexity of play, which requires an understanding of magic from every corner.

Your Class, Your Way

There are quite a few viable class options for players new to D&D. To summarize, we recommend the Fighter, Ranger, Warlock & Bard. Each presents a core gameplay loop that can be relied on in most scenarios, while offering plenty of opportunities for further depth, complexity, and customization. It can be hard building your first character, so hopefully this breakdown helped nudge you in one direction or the other, but if not, there's no better way to test out different builds than to try them out in-game. If you roll a character you're not particularly happy with, feel free to pull aside your DM and express your concerns. Losing your character to a fatal encounter is perhaps the most widely discussed precursor to rolling up a new character, but there is more than one way to transition from one character to another. If you're not enjoying one class, work with your DM to naturally phase out the character and bring in another. D&D is always better when everyone at the table is having fun!