Summary

  • The 2024 Player's Handbook for D&D emphasizes classes and subclasses, largely providing more options for character customization.
  • Most classes has more subclasses, with four options for each ensuring a variety of themes and abilities for players to choose.
  • The new handbook offers exciting changes, including buffs and tweaks to existing subclasses, making the game feel fresh and dynamic.

Access to classes and subclasses might be the biggest reason to have a Player's Handbook around in Dungeons & Dragons, and the new 2024 iteration doubles down on that core element. Classes define a character's basic role in the party, whether that's casting spells that other party or sneaking into guarded locations to steal goods and assassinate enemies. Subclasses add interesting specializations to the broader category of classes, giving characters more specific themes and unlocking a variety of unique abilities.

Almost every DnD class has more subclasses in the 2024 Player's Handbook than in the prior version, with a standard four subclasses apiece that's consistent across the board. The new 48 subclass approach does mean that Wizards and Clerics take a hit after previously taking the lion's share, but it's still possible to combine previously covered subclasses with the base class rules from the new book. There's plenty to choose from for any type of character, and some subclasses have received big buffs or exciting changes that should make them feel fresh.

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12 Barbarian

Drow barbarian art from the 2024 player's handbook

Path of the Berserker

Path of the Berserker Barbarians tend toward furious violence, with abilities that deal extra damage, grant the character immunities while Raging, and instill fear into others.

Path of the Wild Heart

The Path of the Wild Heart connects Barbarians with animals through DnD spells like speak with animals and empowers their Rage with primal forces themed around varoius animals.

Path of the World Tree

Barbarians who follow the Path of the World Tree channel the world tree Yggdrasil with their Rage, using tendrils of Yggdrasil as offense against enemies and eventually gaining Teleportation.

Path of the Zealot

Path of the Zealot Barbarians channel divine fury with their Rage, gaining some features for both themselves and allies within a nearby radius.

11 Bard

A smiling tiefling Bard in the 2024 D&D Player's Handbook.

College of Dance

Rather than song, College of Dance Bards express themselves through dance, with abilities focusing on mobility, especially when armor isn't in the picture.

College of Glamour

College of Glamour Bards are skilled at illusions and enchantments, able to manipulate their presences to charm or impress others.

College of Lore

Bards in the College of Lore learn additional skill proficiencies and magic through their studies and interrupt enemy attacks with cutting words.

College of Valor

College of Valor brings Bards closer to martial classes in DnD, gaining additional attacks and the ability to channel Bardic Inspiration directly toward offense and defense.

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10 Cleric

A tiefling cleric with a mace and shield in D&D's 2024 Player's Handbook.

Life Domain

Clerics of the Life Domain tap into positive energy to power up their healing spells and abilities.

Light Domain

Light Domain Clerics focus on divine radiance, with flaming spells and features that pierce the darkness.

Trickery Domain

Duplicity is second nature to Clerics of the Trickery Domain, who can create distractions and illusions to give them an edge against enemies.

War Domain

War Domain Clerics up their offensive and defensive abilities while maintaining a greater focus on magic than Paladins.

9 Druid

A druid spellcaster surrounded by plant and animal life in D&D's 2024 Player's Handbook.

Circle of the Land

Druids specializing in the Circle of the Land gain spells and resistances themed around various types of terrain.

Circle of the Moon

Circle of the Moon Druids transform according to lunar magic, like were-creatures, and draw on the moon's power for teleportation abilities.

Circle of the Sea

Circle of the Sea Druids call on the power of the waves and storms to surround themselves or allies with ocean spray and gain flight.

Circle of the Stars

Druids in the Circle of the Stars track the heavens and take on the starry forms of constellations for a variety of benefits and defensive properties.

8 Fighter

A dragonborn Battle Master Fighter with a quiver in front of a dungeon environment.
Custom Image by Ben Brosofsky

Battle Master

Battle Master Fighters gain versatility through a variety of battle maneuvers and are capable of sizing up enemies to learn their strengths and weaknesses.

Champion

Champion Fighters are resilient and powerful in battle, with abilities that help them land more attacks and stay on their feet in intense combat.

Eldritch Knight

Unlike the average Fighter, Eldritch Knights dip their toes into spellcasting and can replace some of their attacks with Wizard cantrips and bond weapons to themselves with magic.

Psi Warrior

Psi Warrior Fighters draw on psionic energy to bring telekinesis into combat, creating protective fields, moving objects, and infusing weapon strikes.

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7 Monk

A dragonborn Monk holding a staff in art from the D&D 2024 Player's Handbook.

Warrior of Mercy

Warrior of Mercy Monks take on a plague doctor flair, wearing masks while they heal allies, bring enemies to swift deaths, and even resurrect the recently deceased at high levels.

Warrior of Shadow

Warrior of Shadow Monks draw on the power of the Shadowfell, embracing darkness to teleport in the shadows of their own making and take enemies by surprise.

Warrior of the Elements

Monks that become Warriors of the Elements embrace the flexibility of employing every element in DnD, dealing extra damage in strikes and explosive bursts.

Warrior of the Open Hand

Warrior of the Open Hand Monks lean into unarmed combat, confusing, moving, and toppling their enemies with their bare hands and gaining an ability to potentially kill foes with single strikes.

6 Paladin

A dwarf Paladin using Divine Smite on enemies in an illustration from D&D's 2024 Player's Handbook.

Oath of Devotion

Taking the Oath of Devotion commits Paladins to justice and order, embodying the knight in shining armor image with sacred weapons, protective auras, and strong spells.

Oath of Glory

Oath of Glory Paladins seek heroic repute, with showy magic, athletic skills, and the ability to use their legendary status to buff themselves at level 20.

Oath of the Ancients

Oath of the Ancients Paladins defend the world against threats of destruction and death, using nature-themed spells and gaining strong defensive features.

Oath of Vengeance

Paladins following the Oath of Vengeance seek punishment for wrongdoers, with spells to stop enemies in their tracks and abilities that assist in finishing them off before they escape.

5 Ranger

A ranger drawing a bow in a snowy environment as depicted in 2024 D&D art.

Beast Master

Beast Master Rangers have a connection with an animal of the land, sea, or sky, commanding their bonded companion to take actions and even share in spell effects.

Fey Wanderer

Fey Wanderer Rangers bring fey magic to the table, whether in the form of charming spells and blessings or mind-scarring attacks that deal psychic damage.

Gloom Stalker

DnD Rangers that take the path of the Gloom Stalker draw upon the Shadowfell like Warrrior of Shadow Monks, inflicting fear upon enemies and dealing pyschic damage.

Hunter

Hunter Rangers are tenacious and skilled at stalking prey, capable of quickly switching between targets to damage more foes in the same turn.

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3

4 Rogue

A rogue from Dungeons & Dragons in front of a battle map in D&D Beyond.
Custom image by Ben Brosofsky

Arcane Trickster

Arcane Trickster Rogues dip into spellcasting with cantrips and spell slots, with a uniquely powerful version of mage hand and a spell-stealing feature giving them their rogueish flair.

Assassin

Assassin Rogues are the perfect choice for ambushing and quickly killing targets, with infiltration features and abilities that make one-shotting surprised enemies more viable.

Soulknife

Soulknife Rogues take the psionic approach, using psychic powers to form energy blades, mask themselves, and stun opponents.

Thief

Thief Rogues follow the traditional mold of adventurous burglars, able to sneak into second-story windows, make good use of magic items, and lay expert ambushes.

3 Sorcerer

A clockwork sorcerer dwarf depicted in D&D's 2024 Player's Handbook.

Aberrant Sorcery

Sorcerers empowered by Aberrant Sorcery have gained psionic power from an alien influence, with spells that draw upon the power of the mind, telepathic abilities, and unusual possibilities like altering the Sorcerer's body or warping space.

Clockwork Sorcery

Clockwork Sorcerers embrace the cosmic force of order, equalizing chaos, aiding others, and buffing themselves with a trance feature that evens any odds that aren't in their favor.

Draconic Sorcery

Draconic Sorcery is available to Sorcerers who received their magic from the power of dragons in DnD, gaining dragon-like elemental affinities and later abilities that let them to sprout dragon wings and summon dragons easily.

Wild Magic Sorcery

Wild Magic Sorcerers make power out of chaos, taking the opposite approach of Clockwork Sorcerers by twisting fate to their own ends while embracing the uncertainty of Wild Magic Surges.