Character creation, and the freedom of choice, are two of the best things about Dungeons and Dragons. In many other TTRPGs and RPGs, classes and races are restricted.
For example, not all races can play as a stealthy Rogue in a lot of RPGs, because the nature of their race doesn’t allow for the finesse it would require. It’s a perfectly decent concept, but it sometimes gets new players confused. Can any race be any class in DnD?
Yes. The rules of DnD allow for any race to play any class. There are combinations that are more viable than others, so some races naturally lend themselves to certain classes. Furthermore, games are run by a Dungeon Master, and if the Dungeon Master thinks that a race-class combination isn’t appropriate for the game, he/she can stop you from playing that combination.
Let’s get into some details regarding this matter. DnD doesn’t strictly disallow you from playing certain race-class combinations, but racial bonuses and roleplaying can sometimes enforce this anyways, so keep reading if you want to find out more about race-class combinations in DnD!
Can Any Race Be Any Class?
As I mentioned earlier, any race can be any class in Dungeons and Dragons. The rules encourage freedom and creativity, but you’d do well to remember that you’ll have to carry the consequences of your character selection.
If you have a really strict DM, they might just stop you from playing certain race-class combinations. For example, there’s nothing in the rules that would naturally make a Goliath Rogue a terrible option, but if the DM thinks that it’s inappropriate for one reason or another, you’re out of luck.
Another possibility is that the DM lets you play the race-class combination, but then lets you bear the consequences. For example, there’s nothing that would make Goliath Rogues worse if you look at their racial traits and things like that, but trying to sneak around in tight spaces successfully might be tough to justify to the DM.
On the other hand, things might get more interesting for you with an unorthodox class-race combination. NPCs and even players might react to it, which can be fun. A lot of players find that using their creativity in DnD to find an unorthodox combination is part of the fun in DnD, and I would tend to agree.
It’s also worth considering, however, that you can get rewarded by picking a race that naturally goes better with the class you want. Make no mistake, some races are better at certain classes than others.
For example, Elves are fantastic choices if you want to play a Rogue. They have a bonus to Dexterity, have Darkvision, and are proficient in perception. What more can you wish for?
The Best Race-Class Combinations in DnD 5e
There are min-maxed builds in DnD, like in any other game with a great amount of stats and options. However, some DMs won’t allow you to play min-maxed characters because they see it as game-ruining.
DnD (and games like it) are unique when it comes to the “best” combinations of character builds because roleplaying is such a huge part of it. For many people, power level comes second after flavor.
Having a min-maxed character in the game can disrupt balance and roleplay. Of course, there are still really strong builds that have really fun and well-thought-out aesthetics.
Just take the Half-Orc Barbarian, for example. It’s one of the most classic melee classes in all of DnD, and it’s really powerful while still having a solid aesthetic.
Half-Orc Barbarians get Savage Attacks, Relentless Endurance, and bonuses to their Constitution and Strength. Both the aesthetic and mechanics work well for a Half-Orc Barbarian, as it is supposed to play as sort of a bulky frontline attacker.
Oftentimes, the best race-class combination revolves around a well-thought-out character concept. That character usually has flaws, fears, and motivations that work well with the look and feel of the character. That’s what makes a race-class combination good, in my opinion.