Class

A character's profession is referred to as a "class". There are four main groups of classes in D&D: Fighter, Cleric, Thief (or Rogue) and Mage. A character may have from one up to three different classes, through Dualclassing or Multiclassing.

The Fighter group includes Rangers, Paladins and Barbarians. The focus of this class is physical combat; though some fighter classes have spellcasting abilities, they are very limited. Fighters are generally able to use any weapon and armour in the game and have the highest amount of Hit Points, the best fighting skills and the greatest number of attacks per round.

The Cleric group includes Druids. These classes are primarily spellcasters, but competent fighters as well. Their magic is granted by the gods they serve (and as such, referred to as Divine magic), and the character gains spells through prayer. Divine magic offers a variety of effects, but tends to be focused on restorative and defensive abilities.

The Thief group includes Bards. Rogues are poor fighters, but skilled at stealth, lockpicking and other shady activities. Bards also have access to arcane spellcasting and the Bardsong ability, which will boost their allies' abilities.

The Mage group includes specialists like Necromancers, Diviners and Abjurers. Mages wield Arcane magic, which has a great variety of effects, though healing is not one of them. Mages gain spells through study, which requires a spellbook. Though arcane magic is extremely powerful, mages have the lowest hit points and worst fighting ability of any class.