Classes

Chapter 3: Classes

Adventurers are extraordinary people, driven by a thirst for excitement into a life that others would never dare lead. They are heroes, compelled to explore the dark places of the world and take on the challenges that lesser women and men can’t stand against. Class is the primary definition of what your character can do. It’s more than a profession; it’s your character’s calling. Class shapes the way you think about the world and interact with it and your relationship with other people and powers in the multiverse. A fighter, for example, might view the world in pragmatic terms of strategy and maneuvering, and see herself as just a pawn in a much larger game. A cleric, by contrast, might see himself as a willing servant in a god’s unfolding plan or a conflict brewing among various deities. While the fighter has contacts in a mercenary company or army, the cleric might know a number of priests, paladins, and devotees who share his faith.
Your class gives you a variety of special features, such as a fighter’s mastery of weapons and armor, and a wizard’s spells. At low levels, your class gives you only two or three features, but as you advance in level you gain more and your existing features often improve. Each class entry in this chapter includes a table summarizing the benefits you gain at every level, and a detailed explanation of each one.
Adventurers sometimes advance in more than one class. A rogue might switch direction in life and swear the oath of a paladin. A barbarian might discover latent magical ability and dabble in the sorcerer class while continuing to advance as a barbarian. Elves are known to combine martial mastery with magical training and advance as fighters and wizards simultaneously. Optional rules for combining classes in this way, called multiclassing, appear in chapter 6.
Fourteen classes — listed in the Classes table — are found in almost every D&D world and define the spectrum of typical adventurers.

Classes Summary

Class	Description	Hit Die	Primary Ability	Saving Throw Proficiencies	Armor and Weapon Proficiencies
Barbarian	A fierce warrior of primitive background who can enter a battle rage	d12	Strength	Strength & Constitution	Light and medium armor, shields, simple and martial weapons
Bard	An inspiring magician whose power echoes the music of creation	d8	Charisma	Dexterity & Charisma	Light armor, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Cleric	A priestly champion who wields divine magic in service of a higher power	d8	Wisdom	Wisdom & Charisma	Light and medium armor, shields, simple weapons
Druid	A priest of the Old Faith, wielding the powers of nature — moonlight and plant growth, fire and lightning — and adopting animal forms	d8	Wisdom	Intelligence & Wisdom	Light and medium armor (nonmetal), shields (nonmetal), clubs, daggers, darts, javelins, maces, quarterstaffs, scimitars, sickles, slings, spears
Fighter	A master of martial combat, skilled with a variety of weapons and armor	d10	Strength or Dexterity	Strength & Constitution	All armor, shields, simple and martial weapons
Monk	A master of martial arts, harnessing the power of the body in pursuit of physical and spiritual perfection	d8	Dexterity & Wisdom	Strength & Dexterity	Simple weapons, shortswords
Paladin	A holy warrior bound to a sacred oath	d10	Strength & Charisma	Wisdom & Charisma	All armor, shields, simple and martial weapons
Ranger	A warrior who uses martial prowess and nature magic to combat threats on the edges of civilization	d10	Dexterity & Wisdom	Strength & Dexterity	Light and medium armor, shields, simple and martial weapons
Rogue	A scoundrel who uses stealth and trickery to overcome obstacles and enemies	d8	Dexterity	Dexterity & Intelligence	Light armor, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Sorcerer	A spellcaster who draws on inherent magic from a gift or bloodline	d6	Charisma	Constitution & Charisma	Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows
Warlock	A wielder of magic that is derived from a bargain with an extraplanar entity	d8	Charisma	Wisdom & Charisma	Light armor, simple weapons
Wizard	A scholarly magic-user capable of manipulating the structures of reality	d6	Intelligence	Intelligence & Wisdom	Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows
Artificer	Masters of invention, artificers use ingenuity and magic to unlock extraordinary capabilities in objects.	d8	Intelligence	Constitution & Intelligence	Simple weapons
Blood Hunter	Blood hunters are clever, arcane warriors who have bound their essence to the dark creatures they hunt to better stalk and survive their prey.	d10	Strength or Dexterity	Strength & Wisdom	Light and medium armor, shields, simple and martial weapons