A Beginner's Guide to D&D Classes: What Will You Be?

If choosing your race gives your character their heritage, choosing your Class gives them their profession, their skills, and their role in an adventuring party. It's the most important mechanical decision you'll make, defining what you do in the world of D&D. Are you a master of the sword, a conduit of divine power, a shadowy agent, or a wielder of cosmic energies?

What is a Class in D&D?

A class is a template for your character's abilities. It determines your hit points, the weapons and armor you're proficient with, and most importantly, grants you unique features and powers as you gain levels. While there are many classes to choose from in the full D&D library, let's explore four of the most iconic archetypes available in the free Basic Rules. For a full list, you can check out the official D&D Beyond classes page.

The Fighter

The Fighter is a master of martial combat. They are soldiers, knights, bodyguards, and champions. More than just a brute, the Fighter is a student of weapons and tactics, able to adapt to any battlefield situation.

• What they do: Fighters excel at dealing consistent damage and are incredibly durable. They can wear the heaviest armor and use any weapon.
• Key Feature: At 2nd level, they gain Action Surge, a powerful ability that lets them take an extra action on their turn once per rest.
• Play a Fighter if: You want to be a reliable and versatile warrior on the front lines, a master of weapons who is always ready for a fight.

The Cleric

Clerics are intermediaries between the mortal world and the realm of the gods. They are not just passive priests; they are divine agents, wielding their deity's power to heal the wounded, smite the wicked, and protect the faithful.

• What they do: Clerics are arguably the most versatile spellcasters in the game, able to heal, support their allies, and hold their own in a fight with medium or heavy armor.
• Key Feature: Their Channel Divinity allows them to perform incredible acts of faith, like turning undead or healing their entire party.
• Play a Cleric if: You want to be the indispensable heart of the party, a powerful healer and supporter who can turn the tide of battle with divine intervention.

The Rogue

Rogues are masters of skill, stealth, and subtlety. They are spies, assassins, thieves, and explorers who thrive on cunning, agility, and precision. A rogue's greatest weapon is their ability to be in the right place at the right time, and to strike where it hurts most.

• What they do: Rogues are the experts of the party, skilled in everything from picking locks and disarming traps to sneaking past guards. In combat, they excel at dealing massive damage to a single target.
• Key Feature: Their signature ability is Sneak Attack, which lets them deal a huge amount of extra damage to an enemy when they have advantage or an ally is nearby.
• Play a Rogue if: You want to be the clever, resourceful problem-solver who can get the party out of (and into) trouble, all while delivering devastating blows from the shadows.

The Wizard

Wizards are the supreme masters of arcane magic, students of a power that can bend and reshape reality itself. They are scholars, sages, and academics who have dedicated their lives to uncovering the secrets of the cosmos through rigorous study and practice.

• What they do: Wizards have the largest and most diverse spell list in the game, making them the ultimate magical toolkit. They can solve problems with utility spells, control the battlefield with powerful area effects, and unleash devastating elemental power.
• Key Feature: Their Spellbook allows them to learn a vast number of spells and prepare a different selection each day, giving them unparalleled flexibility.
• Play a Wizard if: You want to be a brilliant, versatile spellcaster with a spell for every occasion, a true master of arcane power who can solve any problem with the right incantation.