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The eleven base classes of Dungeons and Dragons v3.5 presented in the Player's Handbook vary considerably in their abilities and focuses. What follows is a guide to each of these classes. The parenthetical notes following each class name are listings of certain important qualities of each class, respectively: hit die size, skill points per level, base attack bonus progression ratio (points per level), good saving throws, and alignment restrictions.
Barbarian (d12, 4+Int skills, 1:1 BAB, Fort, Any Non-Lawful)
The barbarian is a front-line warrior. He augments his innate fighting prowess with the ability to rage, increasing his already significant power. He also gains bonuses to evade traps and uncanny dodge, reflecting his instinctive reflexes, as well as an increase to movement speed. With a d12 hit die, the barbarian is also able to soak up more damage than any other class. Bard (d6, 6+Int skills, 3:4 BAB, Ref+Will, Any Non-Lawful)
Combining the major aspects of rogues and sorcerers, the bard is a very versatile adventurer. Her spells focus on illusion and party support roles, and her skill selection is second only to rogues. In addition to these capabilities, the bard gain access to special abilities designed to augment her allies in and out of combat through music. Cleric (d8, 2+Int skills, 3:4 BAB, Fort+Will, Any Alignment)
The cleric is an adventuring group's primary healer. His divinely granted spellcasting powers are also supplemented by a decent melee capacity. Although only having proficiency with simple weapons, the cleric also can use all kinds of armor. He also comes in very handy against undead creatures, as his ability to Turn Undead can either force undead to flee or possibly destroy them. Druid (d8, 4+Int skills, 3:4 BAB, Fort+Will, Any Neutral)
Born of the natural world, the druid serves as a protector of the natural order. She possesses basic combat ability combined with a full spell selection. She begins her career with an animal companion in tow, but also learns to transform herself into animals and other creatures. The druid also features several additional abilities attuning her to nature's flow. Fighter (d10, 2+Int skills, 1:1 BAB, Fort, Any Alignment)
The epitome of a warrior, the fighter combines natural ability with varied experiences, usually focusing on one or two weapons or special attack forms over others. This training is represented as feats, which the fighter gains far more quickly than other classes. This class is one of the most customizable in Dungeons and Dragons. Monk (d8, 4+Int skills, 3:4 BAB, Fort+Ref+Will, Any Lawful)
The monk is a master of herself and her immediate surroundings. She gains greater ability to focus and control her own body than any other class. Through meditation and training, the monk's martial arts prowess is second to none. Furthermore, she gains numerous special abilities increasing her natural immunities and improving her combat skill. Paladin (d10, 2+Int skills, 1:1 BAB, Fort, Only Lawful Good)
A chosen warrior of his deity, the paladin is a superior servant of both good and law. Those who subvert the law or the common good have great cause to fear his wrath. Armed with impressive combat ability and, eventually, a limited spell selection, he also is accompanied by a divine mount. Finally, the paladin is further improved by the protection of his deity, which manifests in several defensive abilities. Ranger (d8, 6+Int skills, 1:1 BAB, Fort+Ref, Any alignment)
Like the druid, the ranger is a defender of the natural world. Her devotion to its safety is reflected in the tenacity with which she hunts her enemies. With the ability to move through woodlands swiftly and secretly, the ranger can track her foes across the lands. She also possesses significant combat ability, and may choose between dual weapon or archery styles. Rogue (d6, 8+Int skills, 3:4 BAB, Ref, Any alignment)
Master of applying skills to any situation, the rogue is second to none in many of his areas of expertise. From conning and thieving to dungeon delving and acrobatics, he can handle almost anything of importance outside of combat. Once fighting, though, he can turn his skill to martial use, applying his keen eye and stealthy movement to surprise his enemies with brutal sneak attacks. Sorcerer (d4, 2+Int skills, 1:2 BAB, Will, Any alignment)
The sorcerer is an intuitive practitioner of the arcane arts. She is endowed with an inborn power and ability to weave mystic energy into powerful spells. She learns magic largely by experimentation, and sacrifices a breadth of spell knowledge for impressive per-day casting ability and spontaneous access to all her known spells. Wizard (d4, 2+Int skills, 1:2 BAB, Will, Any alignment)
Holder of arcane knowledge, the wizard is a spellcasting powerhouse. As he learns spells, he scribes them into his faithful companion, the spellbook. Though he must decide on which spells he will prepare each day, he can use his great intelligence to calculate the spells he will need ahead of time from his massive repertoire. |
