D&D 5E The Most Popular D&D Classes & Subclasses

D&D Beyond posted these stats on the most popular D&D subclasses by class based on the "high thirties" in millions of characters on the platform. This is a revisit from last year, with updated data, and only includes single-classed characters.

Fighter is the most-played class (as has always been the case with these stats), followed by rogues, warlocks, clerics, and wizards.

The 'free' (SRD) subclasses are the most popular subclasses on D&D Beyond, which is no surprise.

 

[Undrave]

I talked about this in the Reddit thread that popped up a couple of days ago:

I stated in the stream that this provides a look at what is being played most using D&D Beyond. We're not saying that this data is representative of D&D as a whole, but it is representative of what happens on DDB.

This does indeed include free accounts, accounts with only partial options unlocked, and accounts will all options unlocked - all accounts on DDB. We could share the data from those individual buckets, but for an overall look at what is being played using DDB across the 35m+ characters on the platform, this is accurate.

I can also confirm, that if we look at any of those three groups (free only, partial only, all), the ranking of subclasses is the same. Across all classes, the top subclass you see in the full image on this post holds true. So Path of the Berserker is still the top for Barbarians, College of Lore for Bards, etc. The only thing that changes by separating the groups is the overall percentage of the top subclasses.

Additionally, since this comes up a good bit, we do make a reasonable effort to cull "theoretical" characters by only pulling in "active" ones - which we define as those having made hit point adjustments, leveling up on different days, using features and spells, and taking rests. I know it's not perfect, but it is, as I said, reasonable.

Hopefully that will alleviate some of the speculation about how the data looks within those other parameters.

Thanks!

I find it baffling that anybody who has access to the full PHB would willingly choose to play a Berzerker... It doesn't DO anything interesting! It's not like the Totem Warrior is particularly complicated either. It just has a few decisions points at level up but there's always a solid passive buff!

I choose to read this as encounter power love. And to continue the sentiment expressed in another thread, 4E encounter powers were the best D&D encounter powers.

Encounter Powers were the meat-and-potatoes of your character, the way you could really make your build's personality shine. It's the same with any Encounter ability in 5e, they really make your particular build come alive as its own thing. A class with nothing but dailies is just boring to me.

 

[Charlaquin]

I find it baffling that anybody who has access to the full PHB would willingly choose to play a Berzerker... It doesn't DO anything interesting! It's not like the Totem Warrior is particularly complicated either. It just has a few decisions points at level up but there's always a solid passive buff!

I think a big part of the berserker’s relative popularity is the fact that it’s currently the only Barbarian that feels completely non-magical. A lot of people who want to play a Barbarian just want to play a character who gets mad and hits stuff with a really big sword or axe, and don’t want any sort of supernatural element to that, and the berserker is really the only Barbarian subclass that fully satisfies that narrative.

 

[Mr Fixit]

I think a big part of the berserker’s relative popularity is the fact that it’s currently the only Barbarian that feels completely non-magical. A lot of people who want to play a Barbarian just want to play a character who gets mad and hits stuff with a really big sword or axe, and don’t want any sort of supernatural element to that, and the berserker is really the only Barbarian subclass that fully satisfies that narrative.

True. A lot of people who approach the game from a more casual standpoint, as opposed to fine folks here, also appreciate straightforward easy-to-play classes without all kinds of bells and whistles. Hence the popularity of champions. Likewise, berserker berserks and hits stuff with his big axe. I'd say that's plenty enough.

Speaking of berserkers, Xanathar's zealots, easily refluffed to avoid any mention of the divine influence, make an interesting alternative take on the archetype. And, for those so inclined, they can dual-wield without running into issues with the action economy (looking at you, Frenzy).

 

[Undrave]

I think a big part of the berserker’s relative popularity is the fact that it’s currently the only Barbarian that feels completely non-magical. A lot of people who want to play a Barbarian just want to play a character who gets mad and hits stuff with a really big sword or axe, and don’t want any sort of supernatural element to that, and the berserker is really the only Barbarian subclass that fully satisfies that narrative.

I guess that makes sense. I don't personally really see the appeal but it makes sense.

 

[Undrave]

True. A lot of people who approach the game from a more casual standpoint, as opposed to fine folks here, also appreciate straightforward easy-to-play classes without all kinds of bells and whistles. Hence the popularity of champions. Likewise, berserker berserks and hits stuff with his big axe. I'd say that's plenty enough.

Speaking of berserkers, Xanathar's zealots, easily refluffed to avoid any mention of the divine influence, make an interesting alternative take on the archetype. And, for those so inclined, they can dual-wield without running into issues with the action economy (looking at you, Frenzy).

The Totem Warrior isn't particularly more complicated. If you go Bear for exemple you don't even have to think about anything while raging. No Frenzy to debate using or not. Sure, you get fluffy rituals, but those are basically ribbons and you don't need to use them for the class to be worth it.

 

[Mistwell]

We went from a concept of a barbarian that hates magic and some go out of their way to destroy magic they encounter, to every barbarian except one seeming magical in some way. It's weird. There should be more non-magic barbarians.

 

[Mr Fixit]

We went from a concept of a barbarian that hates magic and some go out of their way to destroy magic they encounter, to every barbarian except one seeming magical in some way. It's weird. There should be more non-magic barbarians.

Not just barbarians. Way too much magic in almost every class. But that's just me.

 

[Guest 6801328]

In other words there's a huge number of players out there who are SO BAD AT D&D that they think they are having fun playing a Champion fighter, when clearly that's not possible.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Not just barbarians. Way too much magic in almost every class. But that's just me.

Yeah, I agree.

 

[Mistwell]

Not just barbarians. Way too much magic in almost every class. But that's just me.

Eh. Fighters have mostly non-magic choices. Rogues have mostly non-magic choices. Paladins and Rangers were always partially magic. Barbarian really stands out as oddly more magical than prior editions.