D&D 5E D&D Beyond Releases 2023 Character Creation Data

D&D Beyond released the 2023 Unrolled with data on the most popular character choices for D&D. The full article includes a wide variety of statistics for the beta test of Maps, charity donations, mobile app usage, and more. However, I’m just going to recap the big numbers.

The most common species chosen by players are Human, Elf, Dragonborn, Tiefling, and Half-Elf. This contrasts with the stats from Baldur’s Gate 3 released back in August 2023 where Half-Elves were the most popular with the rest of the top five also shuffling around.

Also, keep an eye on the scale of these charts as they’re not exactly even. It starts with just over 700,000 for Humans and 500,000 for Elf, but the next line down is 200,000 with the other three species taking up space in that range. This means the difference separating the highest line on the graph and the second highest is 200,000, then 300,000 between the next two, 100,000 between the next, and finally 10,000 separating all the others.

Top classes start off with the Fighter then move onto the Rogue, Barbarian, Wizard, and Paladin. The scale on this chart is just as uneven as the last, but the numbers are much closer with what appears to be about 350,000 Fighters at the top to just over 100,000 Monks in next-to-last with under 80,000 Artificers. This contrasts far more from the Baldur’s Gate 3 first weekend data as the top five classes for the game were Paladin, Sorcerer, Warlock, Rogue, and Bard.

And the most important choices for new characters, the names. Bob is still the top choice for names with Link, Saraphina, and Lyra seeing the most growth and Bruno, Eddie, and Rando seeing the biggest declines from last year.

Putting that together, it means the most commonly created character on D&D Beyond is Bob the Human Fighter. A joke going as far back as I can remember in RPGs is, in fact, reality proven by hard statistics.

 

[TheSword]

So, not very useful to suggest 3PP then, is it?

Because I'm not the one who was telling people to use 3PP to patch over the deficiencies of the base game.

Well it’s very useful if you’re in a group of people you trust. If you don’t know anyone and are searching for a game maybe take what you can get until it becomes welcome. Like it or not you’re not in a position to be making demands I guess.

 

[CleverNickName]

My response would likely be "Thanks for your time, you can leave now" followed by "Does anyone else know someone who wants to play before I open up another seat?"

Oh it was so much worse.

Our DM tried to play it off cool at first. She said stuff like "I wanted you to roll up characters as a group, I have fun little mini-games that we can play, I want to tell you about the different parts of the game world while you choose your backgrounds," etc. And when that didn't work, she described the different locations, factions, pantheons and stuff, explaining why she had picked or omitted certain options.

The player wasn't listening, though. He was all "my last DM let me play this," and "what's the big deal anyway?" and "you're being unreasonable, come on guys, help me out here," getting more and more frustrated. Eventually he snapped at her: "Look, I'm going to play this character. I don't care about your precious campaign setting." I don't remember his exact words but I remember him sitting back in his chair with his arms folded.

The channel got really quiet, as you can imagine. The DM broke the silence, calmly and firmly. "If you don't care about the campaign setting, you aren't going to have fun here. You need to find another gaming group." And then she kicked him from the channel.

"Sorry about that," said his friend, who had invited him. "He takes some getting used to, but I promise he's a good player."

Our DM didn't miss a beat. "Then I'm sure he'll have no trouble finding another group. Now that that's out of the way, let's roll up those stats..."

 

[Oofta]

So, not very useful to suggest 3PP then, is it?

Because I'm not the one who was telling people to use 3PP to patch over the deficiencies of the base game.

Again, it sucks if you can't find a group and DM that does things the way you want. But the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one. As far as I, and my group, are concerned there are no major deficiencies in the base game.

 

[TheSword]

All of that assumes a lot of things. Like a caster with hideous laughter or vicious mockery, etc. and using one of their 2 spell slots to cast it and that it works. It likely assumes the PCs win initiative and the troll doesn't just eat the wizard first.

We just started a new campaign and, after a couple of intro sessions as kids they're going to be first level so I just verified a few things using average attack and damage. First, on average 1 PC drops per round likely with an attack left over. Even if they did all survive every round, it would still take 3 rounds to kill the troll even if it were not regenerating ... but they don't have a wizard so no fire bolt or any other flame based attack. Time for someone to break out a torch and do minimal damage I guess. Assuming a caster in the group has healing word (my group does not ), that can only be cast twice per long rest.

The only way I see a level 1 party surviving against a CR 5 monster is if they can ambush and have the right combination of PCs and get lucky. My current group of 4? it's basically a guaranteed TPK.

Spoiler: My current level 1 group

• barbarian AC 13, 14 HP, +5/11.5 damage (raging greataxe)
• monk AC 16, 10 HP, +5/14 damage (dwarf with warhammer and unarmed attack)
• rogue AC 13, 8 HP, +5/10 (assumes sneak attack)
• cleric AC 18, 12 HP, +5/7.5 (note: no healing spells)
• fighter AC 17, 12 HP, +5/14 (polearm master w/spear)

Troll, 3 attacks, AC 15, +7/7 + +7/11x2 (total dmg 29) HP 84

The group hits 55% of the time so if they're all alive they'll do on average around 30 points of damage, so it takes 3 rounds. However, in that 3 rounds ... oof.

Round 1: barbarian likely drops. If the troll attacks her with claws, in most cases, she drops. Most of the time the troll will still have an attack left over for a double tap.

Round 2: the barbarian is down, go after the monk or rogue. Rogue is practically guaranteed to go down and suffer another attack to kill.

Round 3: again, if the troll uses claws first, the next PC drops to 0.

And on we go. Every round, the troll on average takes out a PC. Even if the cleric had healing word (they don't) they only have 2 spell slots. The PCs don't have fire based attacks so someone will have to spend an action or two hitting with a torch. Unless there's an ambush, it's a TPK.

Yeah one caster is tough. There would be a few differences with our group though. There’s no way our Barbarian would be less than AC 15. You would likely have a bard in there and at least one arcane caster. The barbarian would be raging so half damage. Would likely last at least 2 rounds but then brought up the following round because the cleric would definitely have healing word.

That said I just know our group would likely handle it, with only one or two KO’d. Probably less. Heck I’ve already ran Dragon Heist once and in the first combat encounter the 3 PCs defeated the troll without Durnan’s help.

 

[TheSword]

Oh it was so much worse.

Our DM tried to play it off cool at first. She said stuff like "I wanted you to roll up characters as a group, I have fun little mini-games that we can play, I want to tell you about the different parts of the game world while you choose your backgrounds," etc. And when that didn't work, she described the different locations, factions, pantheons and stuff, explaining why she had picked or omitted certain options.

The player wasn't listening, though. He was all "my last DM let me play this," and "what's the big deal anyway?" and "you're being unreasonable, come on guys, help me out here," getting more and more frustrated. Eventually he snapped at her: "Look, I'm going to play this character. I don't care about your precious campaign setting." I don't remember his exact words but I remember him sitting back in his chair with his arms folded.

The channel got really quiet, as you can imagine. The DM broke the silence, calmly and firmly. "If you don't care about the campaign setting, you aren't going to have fun here. You need to find another gaming group." And then she kicked him from the channel.

"Sorry about that," said his friend, who had invited him. "He takes some getting used to, but I promise he's a good player."

Our DM didn't miss a beat. "Then I'm sure he'll have no trouble finding another group. Now that that's out of the way, let's roll up those stats..."

Good for her. I hope it turned out to be a good game.

 

[Oofta]

Yeah one caster is tough. There would be a few differences with our group though. There’s no way our Barbarian would be less than AC 15. You would likely have a bard in there and at least one arcane caster. The barbarian would be raging so half damage. Would likely last at least 2 rounds but then brought up the following round because the cleric would definitely have healing word.

That said I just know our group would likely handle it, with only one or two KO’d. Probably less. Heck I’ve already ran Dragon Heist once and in the first combat encounter the 3 PCs defeated the troll without Durnan’s help.

I did forget about the half damage while raging, I was thinking that didn't kick in until higher levels. But I still don't see it changing much and assumes the PC wins initiative. Even if someone did have hideous laughter for example, the troll gets a saving throw at the end of their turn and makes a saving throw with advantage every time it takes damage. If you're lucky the troll will lose 1 round.

I'm sure some groups could do it, especially with a surprise round, but it's hardly a guarantee.

 

[Von Ether]

Oh it was so much worse.

Our DM tried to play it off cool at first. She said stuff like "I wanted you to roll up characters as a group, I have fun little mini-games that we can play, I want to tell you about the different parts of the game world while you choose your backgrounds," etc. And when that didn't work, she described the different locations, factions, pantheons and stuff, explaining why she had picked or omitted certain options.

The player wasn't listening, though. He was all "my last DM let me play this," and "what's the big deal anyway?" and "you're being unreasonable, come on guys, help me out here," getting more and more frustrated. Eventually he snapped at her: "Look, I'm going to play this character. I don't care about your precious campaign setting." I don't remember his exact words but I remember him sitting back in his chair with his arms folded.

The channel got really quiet, as you can imagine. The DM broke the silence, calmly and firmly. "If you don't care about the campaign setting, you aren't going to have fun here. You need to find another gaming group." And then she kicked him from the channel.

"Sorry about that," said his friend, who had invited him. "He takes some getting used to, but I promise he's a good player."

Our DM didn't miss a beat. "Then I'm sure he'll have no trouble finding another group. Now that that's out of the way, let's roll up those stats..."

Weird story. I was running an online one-shot for charity event. This person shows up with "robot" (reskinned human) and takes it upon themselves to make a dramatic entrance via a portal. Turns out this player (who never turned on their camera) only played in one-shots and each game was a "chapter" in their PC's meta multiverse story. To make things even more awkward, the player didn't know any of the game rules, they just knew to click a button on the VTT PC sheet and hope for high numbers.

Between those two things, I felt the mystery player was using the rest of us when I thought about it.

If that had been my personal table, they would have been booted right out.

 

[Von Ether]

Again, it sucks if you can't find a group and DM that does things the way you want. But the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one. As far as I, and my group, are concerned there are no major deficiencies in the base game.

Sad but true. It's the reason for the last 40 years that if you move to a new town, you have join a D&D group first, then find the players who would be open to playing in something NOT D&D.

 

[Oofta]

Weird story. I was running an online one-shot for charity event. This person shows up with "robot" (reskinned human) and takes it upon themselves to make a dramatic entrance via a portal. Turns out this player (who never turned on their camera) only played in one-shots and each game was a "chapter" in their PC's meta multiverse story. To make things even more awkward, the player didn't know any of the game rules, they just knew to click a button on the VTT PC sheet and hope for high numbers.

Between those two things, I felt the mystery player was using the rest of us when I thought about it.

If that had been my personal table, they would have been booted right out.

I used to not care and allowed anything in my games. But after being burned a couple of times I just learned that a simple "No" is sometimes the best response. But that story actually doesn't sound all that far fetched, had a guy join for one session with a character that he apparently had written a lot of fanfic about. Also did not really know the rules or, well, how to play the game.

 

[CleverNickName]

Good for her. I hope it turned out to be a good game.

It was a wonderful campaign setting: the world was once part of the Feywild, but powerful Archfey pulled it into the Material Plane thousands of years ago to escape the Wars of the Courts. Then the gates between the two worlds were all sealed. So obviously, everything in the game world had a "fey" touch to it--lots of elves and gnomes, but also satyrs and firbolgs and half-dryads. But there wasn't a Heaven or a Hell in this world, so demons, devils, or angels...and therefore, much to a certain player's disappointment: no tieflings, aasimar, or Pact of the Fiend (also no orcs or dwarves, or certain subclasses.)

I played an Oath of Ancients paladin. Someone else played an eladrin sorcerer (Wild Magic, of course). There was a Pact of the Archfey warlock, a satyr bard (College of Glamour), and a firbolg druid (Circle of the Summer Court.) The campaign took us from 1st level to 8th level, when we stopped a demented Archfey from unsealing the gates and sending the world back to the Feywild.