D&D 5E Best Class Plus Race Level 1

[Zardnaar]

As the title says. I'm getting to play for once and I want to play a warrior type. I'm playing a Goliath Fighter aiming to just live to level 2. Not expecting a long campaign.

Anyway I think Goliath Fighter not to shabby for being a tank. Might not be the best but wondering what is.

No I'm not switching my concept although I can, at best I would switch to another warrior.

 

[Charlaquin]

Honestly, I don’t think it matters much at first level. At that point every class is just 6-10 hit points, a couple basic at-will attacks, and a couple spells for casters. I guess if your goal is survivability, Barbarian is probably the best bet? Probably half-orc or hill dwarf, though Goliath is probably a solid choice for survivability at 1st level too. But we’re talking barely perceptible differences.

 

[Cadence]

Honestly, I don’t think it matters much at first level. At that point every class is just 6-10 hit points, a couple basic at-will attacks, and a couple spells for casters. I guess if your goal is survivability, Barbarian is probably the best bet? Probably half-orc or hill dwarf, though Goliath is probably a solid choice for survivability at 1st level too. But we’re talking barely perceptible differences.

What stat/mod/roll do you think is the most frustrating one to be just a bit short on at that level (to hit, damage, ac, some save)?

 

[Zardnaar]

Honestly, I don’t think it matters much at first level. At that point every class is just 6-10 hit points, a couple basic at-will attacks, and a couple spells for casters. I guess if your goal is survivability, Barbarian is probably the best bet? Probably half-orc or hill dwarf, though Goliath is probably a solid choice for survivability at 1st level too. But we’re talking barely perceptible differences.

I may have missed something though.

Turns out we have a 5th player, I think there's a rogue, arcana cleric and a spellsinger.

Also kinda wanna keep it simple hence fighter. Probably go Eldritch Knight or Battlemaster.

 

[Cadence]

Also kinda wanna keep it simple hence fighter. Probably go Eldritch Knight or Battlemaster.

So now you've expanded your original post up to 3rd level

 

[Zardnaar]

So now you've expanded your original post up to 3rd level

If I make it that far. DMs busy so it's probably touch and go how reliable turnout will be. Let's play whenever games don't tend to run long.

 

[Cadence]

If I make it that far. DMs busy so it's probably touch and go how reliable turnout will be. Let's play whenever games don't tend to run long.

Is 5e advancement pretty quick at the beginning?

 

[Zardnaar]

Is 5e advancement pretty quick at the beginning?

Yes generally one session.

DM hasn't run since AD&D maybe early 3E and doesn't know the rules that well so yeah. That's fine gotta learn somehow.

 

[Charlaquin]

What stat/mod/roll do you think is the most frustrating one to be just a bit short on at that level (to hit, damage, ac, some save)?

HP. At first level you’re at the greatest risk of dying outright from a hit that does half your max HP in damage beyond 0, so if survivability at 1st level is the primary goal, getting the highest max HP possible is in my opinion the best way to do that. That’s why I say hill dwarf Barbarian, although half orc might even be better, since you can have the first hit per day that would kill you outright take you to 1 HP instead. That’s probably worth more than increasing your max HP by 1.

 

[jgsugden]

For strongest melee force:

If you're expecting the game to end before level 3, I'd go Human Variant War Cleric with Great Weapon Master.
If you're going to end between 3rd and 5th level, Moon Druid is the way to go. I like the Aasimar for the bonus damage and flight. Moon druid edges out the War Cleric by a hair at levels 3 and 4, but if you don't want to melee it up as a bear, War cleric is also really strong until it is bypassed at 5th level by the Multi-attack classes.
If you're running 6 to 11 levels, I'd go Vengeance Paladin - Human Variant (again for either Great Weapon Master, or perhaps for Sentinel if you want a defense boost and are willing to give up some offense).
If you're going to Run 12 or more Levels, you want a Battlemaster or Eldritch Knight to maximize the melee damage.

However, the class I've had the most fun running as a melee PC was a Hexblade. Armor of Agathys, and Hex are great ways to keep you competitive in damage, and if you get a pearl of power, rod of the pact keeper or other way to get a bonus slot, your extra spell can do wonders. Also, as you can also be very effective with Eldritch blasts, and do a variety of tricks outside your melee capabilities, you won't get that 'slufest boredom' that many melee only PCs get over a long haul. At 11th level, you tend to bloom into something that feels like a powerful spellcaster on top of your melee abilities (which wane a bit at that point).