Dungeons and Dragons has an extensive collection of supplement books and quite a lot of official classes and subclasses to boot. However, as much creative freedom as the game gives its players, there simply isn’t accounting for everything.
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Whether a veteran has gone through enough characters that they might be looking for something fresh, or a new player simply doesn’t find something that feels right to them, there are plenty of resources online to check out. It is possible to create an entire class from scratch, but it requires plenty of experience, an understanding of the game, and ultimately, testing.
8 Gunslinger
Author: Matthew Mercer
Who hasn’t wanted to indulge in the life of a hotshot gunslinger? Given that the base game does give the rules for firearms, it makes sense to complement that with a fitting class. There are quite a few versions of the class online, but Matthew Mercer’s adaptation of Percival from Critical Role has got to be one of the most popular ones.
Technically, this is a subclass for the Fighter, making use of extra attacks, Action Surge, and Grit points. Reflecting Percival, the subclass is aimed toward tinkerers, assuming that the characters wielding the gun are also the ones to make and fix them. It is a fun build with extremely high damage and some utility, but not without certain dangers and drawbacks.
7 Necromancer
Source: Valda’s Spire of Secrets
Who needs friends, when one has got an army? While the base game does have a version of a Necromancer Wizard, it is a far cry from what it could truly be. The book gives quite a lot of details and new mechanics for those wishing to dabble in the dark arts.
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From critical magical hits to quickened Animate Dead, to slow accumulation of one’s army of Thralls, there are quite a lot of new toys for adventurers to play with. On top of that, the subclasses, or Grave Ambitions as the game calls it, add quite a lot of depth to characters, focusing the attention on what it is they wish to achieve with this power.
6 Psionic
Author: KibblesTasty
Psionics have a certain infamy to them within the community, mostly due to the Unearthed Arcana Mystic class, which can be quite overwhelming in terms of mechanics and abilities (and consequently takes up more than 30 pages).
This particular version is well-balanced and makes wielding psionic powers fun and manageable. The document itself is still quite long, but there are a lot of customization options and sub-classes. The class is intelligence-based, with its own unique casting system. In terms of power, it sits somewhere around a Warlock, with different nuances depending on the particular subclass and build.
5 Pugilist
Author: Benjamin Huffman
“Pugilist” is a much more ancient word for a boxer or a professional fighter, and this class does a fantastic job of portraying that old-school brawler. The core of the class is somewhere between a fighter and a monk, relying on one’s fists and bravado (which is actually expressed through Moxie points).
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Interestingly enough, the subclasses are called Fight Clubs and reflect the particular brawling scene that a character might be a part of. From alleyways to professional wrestlers with alter egos, there is a lot of room for creative roleplay, backed up by a good martial basis.
4 Soul Binder
Author: FragSauce
In many ways, this class accomplishes many challenges that the Ranger Beast Masters could not. The main focus is the player’s pet companion, which is directly soul-linked to the character. From attacking to channeling magic to assisting in skill checks, there is quite a lot that a player can do with them.
The list of available pets is also quite impressive. From elemental avatars to Fey creatures to Oozes, and more. Each of them has their own stats and abilities, and they scale together with the player’s level. Overall it is an amazing choice for those who enjoy playing with magical pets.
3 Warlord
Author: KibblesTasty
The Warlord is that military commander, the tactical leader, at least when it comes to the battlefield. Their very presence inspires their comrades, and they can actively help those around them. Besides being more than capable martial warriors themselves, they can buff their allies and control the flow of battle.
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It is a very interesting take on a support class, going away from the all-too-familiar “assisting mage” formula. The subclasses are also very interesting in their own ways. Players get to choose from a Chieftain, Commander, Noble, Paragon, or a Tactician, each reflecting the type of a Warlord, and giving some insight into one’s combat background.
2 Blood Hunter
Author: Matthew Mercer
Toss a coin to your Blood Hunter! A glance at the class will reveal a lot of love and inspiration from The Witcher, with unique abilities, a grueling training ritual, and a great knack for hunting monsters.
The class is packed with offensive options for the player, giving them a better chance at surviving the many terrible monsters that the game has to offer. With adaptive damage, curses, and several Blood techniques, this is a great class for those who want to pack a major punch, even if at the cost of their own vitality.
1 Alchemist
Source: Valda’s Spire of Secrets
The Artificer is a fairly recent addition to the fifth edition, and it does come with an Alchemist subclass, but the options do end up being somewhat limited. This version focuses on the inventive fascination with chemicals, both in the form of various potions and tinctures, and explosive substances.
Depending on the subclasses that the player chooses, they might be able to create bombs with different effects, going as far as radiant Holy grenades or Laughing bombs. Or, they could instead create unique potions available only to them, assisting and healing both themselves and their allies. The class gives a lot of options to the player, and it is quite fun to experiment with different formulas.
Dungeons and Dragons
- Franchise
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Original Release Date
- 1974-00-00
- Designer
- E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson
