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.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Druid is the only one where the most popular class isn’t the free option.

 

[Li Shenron]

I am still very happy of the fairly even distribution.

But something is wrong with the Druid numbers. How is it possible that the 3 most popular subclasses together cover 50% of druids with the 3rd one being 7% only? This means other subclasses are at most 7% each, but there aren't 7 more Druid subclasses to reach the remaining 50% together even considering rounding!

 

[Seramus]

I love how these polls never reflect my anecdotal experiences. It's like I'm Alice living in Wonderland.

 

[Remathilis]

I am still very happy of the fairly even distribution.

But something is wrong with the Druid numbers. How is it possible that the 3 most popular subclasses together cover 50% of druids with the 3rd one being 7% only? This means other subclasses are at most 7% each, but there aren't 7 more Druid subclasses to reach the remaining 50% together even considering rounding!

Well, assuming old UA material is hiding in there (from PCS created during playtests, but the sub hasn't made a book yet) we have:

Dreams (XGE)
Spores (GGR)
Stars
Twilight
Wildfire

The latter three coming from UAs, plus there may be variants (there were playtest versions of spores, dreams, and shepherd) that are likewise mucking up the data. But that's all just a theory.

 

[Li Shenron]

Well, assuming old UA material is hiding in there (from PCS created during playtests, but the sub hasn't made a book yet) we have:

Dreams (XGE)
Spores (GGR)
Stars
Twilight
Wildfire

It's still max 38% assuming all are 7.49% rounded down...

 

[Leatherhead]

Land druids being weird is because of this:

From:

Dev Update 7-16-2020

Latest Updates (WIP) Unearthed ArcanaNew Feats - Current Support (WIP) Player Tools Mobile App UpdatesSpell/Gear/Background Descriptions (WIP) Class Feature VariantsExtended Spell ListsReplacem...

dndbeyond.zendesk.com

Also, Custom homebrew Subclasses aren't counted, but that's a small discrepancy.

 

[darjr]

I love this stuff. I kinda want to build the least popular ones and see if they are viable or try to make them so if not.

 

[Parmandur]

Druid is the only one where the most popular class isn’t the free option.

I am still very happy of the fairly even distribution.

But something is wrong with the Druid numbers. How is it possible that the 3 most popular subclasses together cover 50% of druids with the 3rd one being 7% only? This means other subclasses are at most 7% each, but there aren't 7 more Druid subclasses to reach the remaining 50% together even considering rounding!

For both of these points, note that the Druid specifies Circle of the Land (Forest). This suggests that the system would break out Circle of the Land (Arctic), (Mountain), etc. All of which would also be SRD. Wouldn't surprise me if all the Land options added up to a similar amount to the other SRD options.

 

[Li Shenron]

For both of these points, note that the Druid specifies Circle of the Land (Forest). This suggests that the system would break out Circle of the Land (Arctic), (Mountain), etc. All of which would also be SRD. Wouldn't surprise me if all the Land options added up to a similar amount to the other SRD options.

Yes! That must be it. They scored druidic sub-subclasses separately, which means that probably Circle of the Land as a whole is the most popular. I didn't notice, thanks!

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

For both of these points, note that the Druid specifies Circle of the Land (Forest). This suggests that the system would break out Circle of the Land (Arctic), (Mountain), etc. All of which would also be SRD. Wouldn't surprise me if all the Land options added up to a similar amount to the other SRD options.

Good point. This would mean Land Druids are considerably more popular than Moon Druids by quite a margin.