Introducing new players to the game is one of the best parts of being a DM. But it’s important that you put new players in a position to succeed, and that means making sure they play a character that helps them fly, not drown. Some classes put new players in a much better position to do that than others.
D&D 5E may be more streamlined, balanced, and just better thought-out than any edition yet. Every class does something that feels different but powerful in its own way. But there are real differences in how each class achieves that. Some classes are all about rolling dice, taking hits and knowing when to bust out a few specific powers. Other classes call for an almost encyclopedic knowledge of spell lists and abilities, the foresight to prepare what you’re going to use, and creativity to get the most out of your build.
The former is going to give a new player a better experience than the latter.
The problem is, some of the game’s most complicated classes are also the ones that appeal to new players.
Many bookish new players head straight for the classic elven mage archetype. As we’ll discuss, that wizard is one of the hardest classes for newbs to play.
New players love pets! So, many of them head straight for the beastmaster ranger! … A class so difficult to play well that WotC totally remade its mechanics in Unearthed Arcana.
What do you have to look out for? Here are the three worst character classes for new players to try to learn with, and three better options that let them play a similar theme with a better chance to have fun.
Worst Newb Class 1: Wizard
As we mentioned, wizard is a real trap class for new players. A lot of people come into fantasy wanting to play the guy with reality-bending powers. They get a character that’s fragile (although less so than in previous editions) with the game’s most complicated memorization mechanic and a spell list that needs to be studied like you’re getting a pop quiz every session. There are plenty of guides that can help them figure out how to play it, but new players don’t even know how to find those yet. It doesn’t help that Intelligence has become one of the less useful stats beyond spellcasting.
You want to guide these players toward cool spellcasters and away from the academic wizard.
Best Wizard Substitute Class: Sorcerer
No spellcasting class is dead simple, but the sorcerer is a lot more manageable for new players. This is the caster that works the most like a video game spellcaster: You can cast any of the spells you learned so long as you have an energized spell slot. Every time you level up, you learn a new spell and replace a spell you took before that hasn’t been useful.
Sorcerer is still a fairly fragile class that should be kept out of weapon reach. But the different subclasses aren’t too crazy (unlike, say, Druid where they’re practically different classes), you get to dabble in up-casting and other important spell mechanics, and the spell points let you be creative without getting overwhelmed.
Worst Newb Class 2: Ranger
A social outcast who’s tougher than the average guy, knows the secrets of plants and herbs, and comes with a cool fighting style and a pet? From Aragorn to Drizzt Do’Urden, every fantasy fan has come up loving ranger-like characters. The class is a magnet for new players who want to be the badass loner – or fans of 80s body-builder fantasy movies:
Unfortunately, players have had a notoriously hard time getting their ranger characters to shine – especially the beastmaster, two-weapon fighting build. Beast companion powers are underwhelming, the beasts die easy, and two-weapon fighting uses your bonus action and lacks a pop feat like Great Weapon Master or Sharpshooter. The fact that half of the Ranger’s unique powers have to do with overland travel, which many DMs simply skip, doesn’t help. The class is a challenge for even experienced players.
The lament has been loud enough that WotC actually gave the character an Unearthed Arcana overhaul that did away with some of the most controversial aspects – like the beast needing to use the PC’s action to attack.
The book Ranger is not well suited for new players. But there’s a badass warrior from the wilderness who absolutely is.
Best Ranger Substitute Class: Barbarian
From a mechanical D&D point of view, the barbarian shares little with the ranger. But from the outside, it’s the badass loner from the wilderness that any player can love.
In our experience at 3 Wise DMs, Barbarian has been the best class for new players. They’re hardy enough to take a front-line beating, strong enough to crush enemies with great weapons, and rage is a fun, forgiving mechanic to have. Every new player who played a barbarian in our games loved it. It’s a class that’s going to give your newbie a chance to shine and have fun. Hand them an ax and tell them to go forth and smash.
Note: If the new player wants to be more of an archer ranger, then this isn’t the best class to guide them into. Instead, look at rogue or wood elf fighter.
Worst Newb Class 3: Bard
Unlike ranger, bard is widely considered one of the best classes in 5E. However, as a support class that has full access to martial abilities and casting, it’s a hard role for any new player to fill. Not to mention the roleplaying responsibilities that come with being the performance character.
Making bard even more difficult for new players, their magic is often indirect. The best damage spell on their cantrip list is probably vicious mockery, and that does 1d4. It’s a great cantrip for imposing disadvantage on the next role, but that’s not an obvious effect new players are likely to appreciate. True Strike is also on their cantrip list, and that’s just a bad decision waiting to happen (and it’s not like 5E lets you swap out cantrips).
So, bard can be a great class if it’s played well, but we’d save it for your more experienced players.
Best Bard Substitute Class: Rogue
The desire to play a bard often comes from wanting to play an urbane, cynical, snarky character that can make moves in a crowded bar as well as deserted ruins. To my mind, the next best class for that is the rogue.
Unlike past editions, the 5E rogue is not a grab bag of weird abilities the party will need. Picking pockets and locks, detecting and disarming traps, reading weird languages … these are things any class can learn to do now, not just rogues.
Even better, the 5E stealth rules require next to nothing to try to hide as a bonus action (with cunning action). Just put a creature or tree between you and the target, and you’re a stealth-roll away from advantage and sneak attack damage. Or stab anyone next to one of your allies to get those bonus dice.
Rogue works even better as an archer hiding at a distance and taking pop-shot sneak attacks. Up close and personal or far away and sniping, rogue is fun for any new player who wants a class that’s more savvy than smashy. And of course, the stealth and thieving abilities will let them cause mischief whenever they get bored.
What Classes Do You Suggest for New Players?
Those are our suggestions, but these opinions are hardly universal. I’ve seen some lists call Wizard one of the easiest classes to play.
The classes that are best for new players in your game will depend on the way you’re going to run it. In a game with a lot of overland movement, ranger might not be so bad (especially if you nudge them toward archery and the hunter subclass). A smart new player who goes bard might do fine if they lean into the roleplay skills, dex combat and healing word (can’t go wrong keeping the party alive).
No matter what classes you think are hard, think about the experience a new player is going to have with their character and your game. Set them up to have fun, and you could have a great party member for years to come.