Character Race Options

The character race options available for selection during character creation are chosen after the player has finalised his or her ability stats and character class. Player character race choices encompass dwarves, elves, gnomes, half-elves, halflings, half-orcs and humans. The six non-human races in this list are known collectively as "demi-humans."

Each player character race comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Some races are smaller in size, possessing less mass and therefore some hit points, as well as penalties to encumbrance. Nonetheless, these smaller characters have an increased resilience where saving throws are concerned, and additional natural abilities. Certain races enjoy the support of extensive networks of nations and social cultures, while others find themselves as outcasts in virtually every land.

It's essential for players to weigh these factors and make choices based on personal preference rather than aiming for the "optimal" choice. Investigating each character race should be a pleasure, as well as a means to personalise the player's journey.

Other Player Races

When designing the game world, a DM needs to consider the setting's consistency and decide if additional races for player characters, such as goblinish, orcish, monstrous or varying more recent class-race inventions really provide any benefit to play. As more fantastical or whimsical the race that's introduced, excessive attention is paid to novelty, especially when supernatural gifts are granted to players at the outset.

This dilutes the thematic consistency of a D&D setting and disrupts the intended atmosphere of the game, which ought to be less about personal whims and identity and more focused upon group play. Classic races, stripped of their tropes or expectations, provide a blank canvas for new players, better ensuring that character gain their "personality" through PLAY, and not through having something odd or different handed to them on a silver platter.

Character Class Limitations

Class	Dwarf	Elf	Gnome	Half-elf	Halfling	Half-orc	Human
assassin	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	yes
bard	no	no	no	yes	no	no	yes
cleric	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	yes
druid	no	no	no	yes	yes	no	yes
fighter	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
illusionist	no	no	yes	no	no	no	yes
mage	no	yes	no	yes	no	no	yes
monk	no	no	no	no	no	no	yes
paladin	no	no	no	no	no	no	yes
ranger	no	yes	no	yes	no	no	yes
thief	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes

The right-hand table indicates what races can be assigned to which classes. Where the table shows a blank, that class is unavailable for that race. Contrary to rules in AD&D, the experience level limit for demi-humans is equal to humans. Additionally, there are no racial ability score minimums or maximums, as AD&D proposed.

Other races than those indicated above are not available for player characters. However, non-player humanoids of all kinds are usually able to progress as fighters and thieves, and sometimes as assassins, clerics or mages. Bards, druids, illusionists, monks, paladins and rangers are rare among races not allowed for player characters.

See Multi-class Characters