Dungeons and Dragons Stage 20 Class Tier Record

In Dungeons and Dragons, few decisions are as vital as a personality’s class. Each has their very own methods of navigating the three pillars of TTRPG play: fight, exploration, and social interactions. Although few Dungeons and Dragons campaigns take characters all the best way to stage 20, those that attain these heights develop into true paragons and heroes, capable of defeat harmful foes, shrug off lethal assaults, and even bend the foundations of actuality itself.

Nonetheless, not all classes in Dungeons and Dragons were created equally — and by the point they attain max stage, this disparity turns into much more evident. Whereas followers can rise to the problem as any class within the recreation, some decisions have a a lot simpler time dominating each on and off the battlefield than others. Here is how the courses in Dungeons and Dragons fifth Version 2024 stack up in opposition to each other:

Fight efficiency, talent proficiency, versatility, consistency, entry to highly effective magic, and crew utility are all main components that have been thought of within the making of this record.

S-Tier: Aura Farming and Want Casting

Bard
Paladin
Sorcerer
Wizard

It’s no exaggeration to say that spellcasters are overpowered in Dungeons and Dragons, and entry to Ninth-level spells solely serves to widen that hole. There are numerous highly effective spells within the recreation, however Want is probably probably the most game-breaking. Bypassing casting instances, materials elements, and spell record restrictions, Want can flip the tide of any struggle by summoning an enormous Tsunami, immediately bringing again an ally with Resurrection, making a free Simulacrum or Clone, and even granting the complete occasion a Brief Relaxation mid-combat with Prayer of Therapeutic. For sure, each full caster who can get Want — Bard, Sorcerer, and Wizard simply earns their spot in S-Tier.

Bards proceed to be the star of the present. They will cherry-pick the perfect spells within the recreation, all whereas having talent bonuses similar to Rogue, and Bardic Inspirations handy out to all of their buddies, all earlier than even contemplating Subclass options. In the meantime, the Sorcerer in D&D 2024 makes up for its extra restricted spell alternative choices with Metamagic, in addition to the brand new Innate Sorcery potential, to develop into exceptionally potent. Have been that not sufficient, they’re additionally each Charisma casters, that means each are nice on the social pillar of D&D as nicely.

Wizards could not have gotten as many new toys within the Dungeons and Dragons 2024 guidelines as many different courses, however that’s just because they didn’t want any. With the biggest spell record within the recreation, D&D Wizards have a tool for every occasion of their Spellbook — as long as they’ve a Dungeon Grasp who is just not overly stingy with spell scrolls and gold.

The Paladin is an anomaly at this tier, as it is just a half caster who doesn’t get entry to Want. That stated, Aura of Safety alone makes the Paladin a must have in any group. A +5 bonus to all saving throws for the complete occasion is a life-saver when dealing with probably the most highly effective enemies within the Monster Handbook, who can have DCs as excessive as 27. Although Dungeons and Dragons 2024 reduced the Paladin’s burst damage potential by way of nerfs to Divine Smite, the category nonetheless manages to safe S-Tier by way of occasion utility and their transformative subclass capstone potential that solely comes into play at stage 20.

A-Tier: Knowledge Spellcasters and Comeback Youngsters

Cleric
Druid
Fighter
Monk

Each Clerics and Druids are full casters, that means they’ve entry to some actually game-changing spells, even when they do not get Want usually. A Cleric’s well-placed Mass Heal can fully undo a dastardly foe’s devastating offensive, whereas a Druid’s Shapechange can tip the scales with highly effective monster talents like a Dragon’s breath. Clerics in Dungeons and Dragons 2024 can even achieve restricted entry to the Want spell through Larger Divine Intervention (or everlasting entry if they’re Arcana area), and Druids can develop into staggeringly sturdy with good use of Wild Form, particularly Circle of the Moon. Each are additionally Knowledge casters, that means crucial expertise like Notion and Perception will likely be glorious.

Within the unique fifth Version, Fighters wouldn’t have been wherever near A-Tier, however 2024 was excellent to them. Talents like Tactical Thoughts allow them to sustain with talent checks, whereas their new and improved Indomitable lets them save in opposition to debilitating spells and results that will in any other case be an automated failure. The power to do a whopping eight assaults in a spherical twice per Brief Relaxation means the Fighter in Dungeons and Dragons 2024 will always be a threat, particularly when mixed with Weapon Mastery.

The Monk can also be in an analogous boat. The quick and livid martial artist lacked the juice to make it into A-Tier earlier than, however now that Gorgeous Strike grants a debilitating debuff on a profitable save, not even a Legendary Resistance can fully spoil their enjoyable. Nonetheless, what actually makes the Monk shine in D&D 2024 is the +4 bonus to Dexterity and Knowledge at stage 20. Granting them an AC seemingly a minimum of 24, a max-level monk can dodge blows simpler than most plate-wearing, shield-wielding Paladins and Fighters.

B-Tier: Strong Lessons With a Few Flaws

The Artificer, just lately reprinted in Eberron: Forge of the Artificer, can load themselves and their occasion with magic gadgets, assembly their occasion’s particular wants. What’s extra, the enhancements to Spell-Storing Gadgets imply gamers can flip their Homunculus Servant right into a cell Haste, Sluggish, or Fireball dispenser, offering constant injury, buffs, debuffs, and methods to cheat out a number of focus spells without delay. That stated, the Artificer lacks slightly little bit of the oomph to maintain up with their full-casting brethren, even with highly effective instruments like Flash of Genius and Soul of Artifice of their pockets. What’s extra, many of the Artificer subclasses in Dungeons and Dragons apart from Battle Smith are slightly lackluster.

The Psion is a curious class that lets gamers fulfill some attention-grabbing niches, together with telekinesis, telepathy, physique mutation, and teleportation. Nonetheless, whereas it has quite a lot of distinctive tips, the spell record for the Psion is a little more restricted than the Bard or Wizard, and its Psionic Disciplines aren’t fairly nearly as good because the Sorcerer’s Metamagic. That stated, the Psion class has only appeared in Dungeons and Dragons Unearthed Arcana to this point, and isn’t formally out but, so it might find yourself increased on this record if it will get buffed earlier than it’s printed.

Of all of the courses within the recreation, Warlocks in Dungeons and Dragons are maybe probably the most modular and apparently designed. Their potential to regain spells after a brief relaxation means they all the time have extra within the tank, particularly with the power to regain their slots quicker as soon as a day through Eldritch Grasp. Nonetheless, their lack of versatility with 6+ stage spells, a restricted spell record, and poor scaling at excessive ranges makes mono-class Warlocks wrestle a bit to maintain up with the opposite casters. It is for that reason that Warlock finally ends up being a typical multiclass dip, relatively than one taken all the best way to twenty.

C-Tier: Masters of Their Craft With Obvious Weaknesses

Barbarians in Dungeons and Dragons are terrors on the battlefield, particularly at stage 20. With 24 Energy and Structure, something they’ll get their palms on will likely be torn to items with excessive assault and injury bonuses, and their huge hit level swimming pools will take up nearly something that comes their means. However, therein lies the issue: they have to get their palms on the enemy. With no good ranged choices, poor Knowledge and Intelligence saving throws, and restricted talent versatility, Barbarians have some obtrusive weaknesses that hold them in C-Tier. They’re one-trick pony — although they arguably carry out that trick higher than anybody else.

Rogues undergo from an inverse downside. The very best of the perfect with expertise, every Dungeons and Dragons party wants a Rogue when it is time to make potential checks. What’s extra, defensive choices with Evasion and Uncanny Dodge are life-saving, and Stroke of Luck’s assured pure 20 as soon as per Brief Relaxation is absurd, particularly when mixed with Sneak Assault. That stated, a Rogue’s lack of AoE makes them wrestle in bigger combats with a number of foes, and their solely innate debuff utility comes at the price of Sneak Assault cube — their principal supply of harm. Lessons just like the Bard or Fighter won’t be nearly as good because the Rogue at what they do, however they gained’t have as many weaknesses whereas doing it.

D-Tier: The Most Unlucky Class In Dungeons and Dragons

dungeons and dragons 5e 2024 classes art ranger elf

Alas, poor Ranger. Lauded because the worst class within the unique fifth Version Dungeons and Dragons, the Ranger has positively seen some enhancements within the 2024 guidelines refresh. Nonetheless, the overemphasis on Hunter’s Mark is as a lot a bane as it’s a boon. The spell nonetheless requires focus, even when it may possibly’t be damaged by injury at excessive ranges. This implies highly effective focus spells like Swift Quiver are successfully ineffective, as they forestall a Ranger from utilizing a number of class options, together with Favored Enemy, Exact Hunter, and even the Foe Slayer capstone. It might be higher than it was earlier than, particularly with glorious enhancements to its subclasses, however this crucial design flaw means the D&D 2024 Ranger has nonetheless discovered itself on the backside of the record.