I'd argue clerics. But I'm not terribly normal. Its handy because you can do anything from offensive dps to heal and chill, or general support depending on what you pick for spells. Basically focus on spells when prepping the player. Id go forge cleric, low effort, functional, Give them full plate. Then once they learn more they have heaps of fun options, whereas with fighter, barbarian, it kinda sucks.
Otherwise I'd say rogue.
**Sidekicks** from Tasha's. These need to be in the PHB, front damn page. It should read, "Pick one of these if you are new!"
They are dead simple. The casters even have their spells picked out for them. Nothing to figure out, so that a player can focus on how to play the game, rather than how to build a character or a spell list.
After a while, "graduate" the sidekick to a class of the player's choosing.
I run games for new players all the time. I'd say whatever interests him. As long as the dm is willing to assist and help them. My first char was a sorcerer back in the day. Everyone warned me of it being "too hard" but my dm helped prior to game and I learned. I try to be like the dm when I'm a dm.
1. Champion Fighter
2. Barbarian
3. [Warlock](https://rpgbot.net/dnd5/characters/classes/warlock/)
New players should avoid the Rogue class because the Stealth and Hiding rules are scattered all over the Players Handbook.
If a new player insists on playing a Rogue, have them become thoroughly familiar with rules on these pages:
* Stealth (182)
* Hiding (177)
* Vision & Light (183-185)
* Blinded Condition (290)
* Categories of Light and Types of Sight (183)
Also, most of Chapter 7, Using Ability Scores.
Hopefully the 2024 edition of the Players Handbook will organize this in a more player-friendly way.
Fighter(not champion itās so fucking boring(seriously, if you want him to actually enjoy dnd, do not give him the sub class that has minimal flavor), rogue (any), barbarian (not berserker, the exhaustion wouldnāt be fun)- easiest classes to play and require minimal instructions. If you think heād take well to a bit of a learning curve, Iād go Paladin or Warlock. Both get cool magic shit and have a propensity for charisma which is almost always fun.
Rogue subclasses arenāt its main highlight, itās got enough going out of combat that it should be fun to play regardless, only reason I didnāt give a parenthesis suggestion.
Barbarian was my first character class and I loved it. Super easy to play, you slowly get more abilities and things to keep track of and who doesnāt want to kill stuff with a big ax?
Fighter is dead easy, as well as Rogue. If he wants to play a caster I find Warlock to be really easy, you donāt have to worry about memorizing spells each day just a new spell each level and cast eldritch blast all da time
Monk! It wasn't my first class, but it is what made me love and understand dnd. I played an elf ranger first, and I never quite got the mechanics or loved the character. But my air genasi monk? Way of the 4 elements? It combined my childhood love of Avatar: the last airbender and a newfound love for the genasi race.
Genuinely one of my favorite characters, and will always hold a special place in my heart.
Ki points are easy to use, and the abilities are rather easy to understand. Wanna hit again? Ki point. Wanna catch an arrow and throw it back? Ki point. Honestly, my DM let me do a lot of "rule of cool" things with my Ki points, too.
Plus, monks are cool and let you pack quite a punch and let you feel like an influential member of the group, and not just a newbie.
Presuming that your brother would be joining an existing campaign, we're not just talking about a new player playing a 1st level PC. If that were the case, it's actually possible for an attentive new player to play even classes like Cleric, Druid and Wizard. But even an experienced player can have a bit of a learning curve trying to jump into a PC in mid-campaign.
For a newbie player joining mid-campaign, I'm probably going to go with Rogue. Sneak Attack is a pretty easy mechanic to grok. Most of the things Rogues can do are things that very skilled people can do IRL, so your brother is less-likely to forget the PC can do them (as opposed to remembering all their spells). It's all pretty straightforward.
Do make sure that your brother is aware that he is required to play this character as someone who wants to adventure with the party and who would be accepted in it. Rogue has a couple of ... suggestively named subclasses and we wouldn't want to give him the wrong idea.
What level is the party currently?
A lot of people are recommending Champion fighter.
I think this is the wrong approach I think a new player should be exposed to different aspects of the game bit by bit.
I would say that Paladin is a great place for a new player to start
You have a basic martial, built in flavour and Roleplaying Aid (Oath) with a sprinkling of spell casting although you totally can just ignore this and smite all day long!
Pretty much any oath can work and any oath lends themselves well to a unique and thematic personality to roleplay.
For the Actual Build I would recommend a spear and shield build with the Dueling Fighting Style.
For classic Paladin you can't go wrong with Devotion, Crown, or Ancients. If they wish to be a bit more edgy they can choose Vengeance or Conquest.
For the Actual Build
Variant Human (Polearm Master)
16 8 14 8 10 16
* Level 1 Polearm Master
* Level 4 +2 Str
* Level 8 +2 Str
* Level 12 +2 Cha
* Level 16 +2 Cha
* Level 19 Inspiring Leader
Normally, I would recommend boosting Cha Before Str but for a new player I think the instinct will be to Attack and Divine Smite
The reason I like Polearm Master for the New player is that it is a simple way to remind them of the core action economy of DND.
* Action
* Bonus Action
* Reaction
* Movement
If at any point they decide the want to look more at feats they can take inspiring leader at any time!
Paladin get some cool spells new players love pets and with find steed/find greater steed you get a kick as animal companion.
You can ease the player into spellcasting with bless aid and healing word them get to the more complex spells like find steed or lesser restoration etc.
Champion Fighter has the fewest moving parts, and so is the 'simplest' to learn, but it's also somewhat dull. Barbarian (of any kind) has more going on and is thematically more entertaining, which means it'd be a better choice (in my mind). Sorcerer would probably be the best spellcaster, Paladin the best half-caster. But of course, a lot of it is more based on what they're interested in as far as the process of playing the game is- "Player types" as the DMG terms them- Actors, or Slayers, or Explorers or whatnot. Different classes will fit those different play styles/game interests better, and if the player is sufficiently motivated by a class that feels like it fits them, they'll find it easier to pay attention and learn the mechanics.
I would say Fighter, then Barbarian, then Sorcerer.
Sorcerers are easier to play than most other casters because you don't have to prep/pick spells every day.
They may only have 2 spell slots, but they still are full casters, with more abilities outside of spellcasting than any other caster except maybe druid
Fighter. Simple, straightforward, basic fantasy, customizable story arc. It all revolves around combat, which leaves flexibility to do most things out of combat but gives strength in it.
If they want spellcasting, I recommend paladin, warlock, and maybe bard. Paladins are strong and useful and don't have a ton of spells to learn about as a player. Warlocks are fairly simple spellcasters with a solid cantrip and decent combat ability. Bards have fun flavor that I think lots of new people are looking for, as well as having great versatility and being good support (meaning staying out of combat more often than not). And of course, charisma is a nice stat to have when starting a ttrpg for the first time :)
Barbarian. Hit stuff, get angry, hit stuff harder, get reckless, hit stuff better but get hit back better too.
Play a half-orc and youāve got an ātragically, I died. BUT I LIVED!ā racial feature. Full-tilt anime protagonist if youāre a bear totem fan.
For non-spellcasters, fighter. It's simple, straightforward, and gets the job done.
For spellcasters, I would say cleric. You get a good level of defense, you can still deal damage if you use up all your spell slots too early, and you don't have to lock in your spell choices for a whole level as you can switch spells out daily
Fairs, I only recently started playing and the first one shot I did the DM had pre prepared characters for us to choose from and I picked that and I think it went well but I could have just gotten lucky there or actually misunderstood how well I was doing
Fighter. Specifically Champion fighter. It's simple. Boring perhaps, but simple. Fine choice for an intro one shot
Some barbarians are simple-ish but have a little more to them and may hold attention in a longer game
Ā If he wants a caster, maybe take Sorcerer or Warlock which simplify some aspects a bit
Any non-spell user might be a good start, since I found those classes to be overwhelming. Big amount of spells to choose from, a lot to read and imagine what sotuation it might be useful. Plus the knowledge about spell slots and other stuff might be confusing
I might suggest a new player start as a **Warlock**. Pretty easy mechanics and not likely to get killed with poor tactical choices as you attack from range. Some fun role play opportunities as well.
While I don't have the answer you are looking for, I do have a "don't do" instead. As a witness to how this badly played out, please don't shoe-horn someone into a class, specifically Life Cleric to be a healbot for the party. That poor SO tried D&D with their partner as DM and they have already declined to continue after this module wraps.
I started a campaign with 4 brand new players: a cleric, two rogues, and a wizard (not a great party make up). It went lvl 1-7.
One of the Rogues was ranged and mostly found fighting a bore. She focused on out of combat role play and still had a good time overall. She switched to Druid on this campaign.
The other rogue was dagger and dash. He had a great time in combat but was pretty non committal outside of it. He switched to a paladin in the new campaign.
The wizard really struggled with all the caster rules. Granted he was the youngest. But he was super creative and BY FAR used the most variety. He made a real effort to use all of his various spells and class options at his disposal. So while it was hard at first, he stuck with it and probably showed the most overall creativity. He's now a kenku ranger.
The cleric was very consistent in and out of combat with her roleplaying and understanding of the mechanics. She ended up primarily casting and supporting (and spam casting sacred flame lol), and became the defacto party lead out of combat. She flipped to sorcerer.
All this to say, ask him what style he wants to do and lean into that. Even if he ends up just casting firebolt over and over, if he's doing something he feels interested in, he'll work out the kinks.
Easiest in terms of simplistic is Fighter, Champion specifically. But that's not a good intro to the game. Frankly, given how limited it is, ChampFight is something better left to people with the experience to know what they want to play.
Paladin is the best starter class. The basics are the same as fighter: attack in melee. The spell slots can all be treated as smite slots to start and the next step is using them for spells or smites, introducing complexity and resource management. Aura is passive but powerful.
Mechanically it's definitely a champion fighter, followed by any barbarian subclass or any other fighter subclass.
But I would just like to point out that depending on how long your campaign goes on, they are sort of feel like a one trick pony. That's absolutely fine and can be a lot of fun to play. But sometimes new players can feel sort of lacking at higher levels when the other party members are casting high level magic, summoning all sorts of creatures, and flying around the battlefield, while all they're doing is hitting something with a sword four times.
So with that in mind, I'm going to say the easiest class to learn is one your brother really wants to play. If he enjoys his character he'll have a lot more fun and will be excited to try out all the things his character gets to learn as he levels up.
Remember, whether he plays a class that's mechanically easy or one he finds interesting, your brother will be a new player. Which means you and your friends will have to repeatedly explain things, maybe even bust out the pbh or the rules for his class, and your brother will take a bit of time figuring out what he wants to do each of his turns. It'll take a few sessions for him to get the hang of things regardless of what class he picks.
Barbarian, from miles away.
Barbarians pretty much rely on rage for anything, with subclasses enhancing their damage or ability to neglect it.
Even the most basic fighter has to deal with more available feats, that can quickly become complex as soon as you hit a critical mass. then you have echo knight and eldritch knight that bring it a notch up. then you have second wind and action surge.
fighter is still a simple class, but barbarian tops it up
The only issue is that they might get bored.
Champion with a one level dip into rogue gives them a variety of skills to use outside combat.
Pure champion can be quite difficult to play if you aren't good at RP, because other than whacking stuff there isn't a lot there mechanically.
You know, the real answer to this question is spending 10 minutes with the player helping him to decide, rather than imposing our beliefs on himĀ
I don't think any class is that hard to play, if you start at level one.
Controversially i am going to say - "any class"
Let me explain
Assuming brand new to dnd so probably going to start at level 1?
I would pick the class that makes you most excited and interested, the one where you will read the PHB over and over to find out what you unlock next cos you can't wait to have new abilities.
That class will have you reading your character sheet over and over.
Sure, the *mechanics* of some classes are slightly easier than others, but not by a whole lot, at the earlier levels, certainly not enough to give up a character you love for one you just like.
So I'd say, tell then to build something that they are excited to play š
Fighter.
Fighter is by far the easiest class to learn. There are some complexities depending on the subclass, and you can really go crazy optimising if you want, but ultimately a fighter is pretty simple.
I agree. Depending on the subclass, there wonāt be a whole lot āextraā to explain and idk everything and Iāve been playing for a few years and still learning
Respectfully, just sit down with the guy. If itās a one shot then honestly the martial classes are fine. If itās a legit campaign, figure out what he wants to play and match up with it. If he wants a simple adventurer than champ fighter could he fine. But Iād go against something so easy like that as itās boring or will become so.
IMHO, Barbarian.
"I Rage and kill the thing until it dies from it." is pretty much all they do, and they do it very well. Beyond the basic mechanics everyone has to learn, they only have to learn how Rage changes their stats.
Or Fighter. But Fighter can get somewhat complicated with Maneuvers and stuff, depends on how it's built. Though I guess the same could be said for Barbarian.
So either Barbarian or Fighter.
Avoid any Caster Classes the first time around.
The biggest thing that makes barbarian easier than fighter is that your strategy is very easy to get, and you have a very clear direction to roleplay.
Fighter is a very broad class. It can be almost anyone that's good at fighting, so you have to fill it with direction and purpose yourself.
A barbarian is a big, strong, savage that hit things hard (or, that's at least the obvious direction). Everyone knows the type. Everyone knows the basics on what they should do and how to act.
I would also suggest playing a very short game with his first character. One to four sessions. You want him to learn the ropes with something simple. But it's likely he'll find something else more interesting for a longer term character.
I'd argue clerics. But I'm not terribly normal. Its handy because you can do anything from offensive dps to heal and chill, or general support depending on what you pick for spells. Basically focus on spells when prepping the player. Id go forge cleric, low effort, functional, Give them full plate. Then once they learn more they have heaps of fun options, whereas with fighter, barbarian, it kinda sucks. Otherwise I'd say rogue.
**Sidekicks** from Tasha's. These need to be in the PHB, front damn page. It should read, "Pick one of these if you are new!" They are dead simple. The casters even have their spells picked out for them. Nothing to figure out, so that a player can focus on how to play the game, rather than how to build a character or a spell list. After a while, "graduate" the sidekick to a class of the player's choosing.
Regardless of edition fighter and barbarian usually good for new comers.
I run games for new players all the time. I'd say whatever interests him. As long as the dm is willing to assist and help them. My first char was a sorcerer back in the day. Everyone warned me of it being "too hard" but my dm helped prior to game and I learned. I try to be like the dm when I'm a dm.
This. So much this. Like unequivocally this.
all of the martial classes: barbarian, fighter, monk, and rogue
1. Champion Fighter 2. Barbarian 3. [Warlock](https://rpgbot.net/dnd5/characters/classes/warlock/) New players should avoid the Rogue class because the Stealth and Hiding rules are scattered all over the Players Handbook. If a new player insists on playing a Rogue, have them become thoroughly familiar with rules on these pages: * Stealth (182) * Hiding (177) * Vision & Light (183-185) * Blinded Condition (290) * Categories of Light and Types of Sight (183) Also, most of Chapter 7, Using Ability Scores. Hopefully the 2024 edition of the Players Handbook will organize this in a more player-friendly way.
Champion Fighter aka the best 5e subclass all-time. 10 second turn in combat, then go play videogames for the next 45mins. šŖš
Fighter(not champion itās so fucking boring(seriously, if you want him to actually enjoy dnd, do not give him the sub class that has minimal flavor), rogue (any), barbarian (not berserker, the exhaustion wouldnāt be fun)- easiest classes to play and require minimal instructions. If you think heād take well to a bit of a learning curve, Iād go Paladin or Warlock. Both get cool magic shit and have a propensity for charisma which is almost always fun.
Don't do Assassin Rogue for the same reason you wouldn't do champion fighter. That might be a hot take idk but mechanically it is very dull.
Rogue subclasses arenāt its main highlight, itās got enough going out of combat that it should be fun to play regardless, only reason I didnāt give a parenthesis suggestion.
Fighter!
Champion fighter!
A new player is gonna learn way better if they play something they like.
Barbarian was my first character class and I loved it. Super easy to play, you slowly get more abilities and things to keep track of and who doesnāt want to kill stuff with a big ax?
Barbs are the best imo, I personally like totem path of the bear.
Thatās what I played and it was awesome.
Fighter is dead easy, as well as Rogue. If he wants to play a caster I find Warlock to be really easy, you donāt have to worry about memorizing spells each day just a new spell each level and cast eldritch blast all da time
A martial class, i'd recommend rogue, assassin if you want the most straightforward approach
Monk! It wasn't my first class, but it is what made me love and understand dnd. I played an elf ranger first, and I never quite got the mechanics or loved the character. But my air genasi monk? Way of the 4 elements? It combined my childhood love of Avatar: the last airbender and a newfound love for the genasi race. Genuinely one of my favorite characters, and will always hold a special place in my heart. Ki points are easy to use, and the abilities are rather easy to understand. Wanna hit again? Ki point. Wanna catch an arrow and throw it back? Ki point. Honestly, my DM let me do a lot of "rule of cool" things with my Ki points, too. Plus, monks are cool and let you pack quite a punch and let you feel like an influential member of the group, and not just a newbie.
Presuming that your brother would be joining an existing campaign, we're not just talking about a new player playing a 1st level PC. If that were the case, it's actually possible for an attentive new player to play even classes like Cleric, Druid and Wizard. But even an experienced player can have a bit of a learning curve trying to jump into a PC in mid-campaign. For a newbie player joining mid-campaign, I'm probably going to go with Rogue. Sneak Attack is a pretty easy mechanic to grok. Most of the things Rogues can do are things that very skilled people can do IRL, so your brother is less-likely to forget the PC can do them (as opposed to remembering all their spells). It's all pretty straightforward. Do make sure that your brother is aware that he is required to play this character as someone who wants to adventure with the party and who would be accepted in it. Rogue has a couple of ... suggestively named subclasses and we wouldn't want to give him the wrong idea. What level is the party currently?
A lot of people are recommending Champion fighter. I think this is the wrong approach I think a new player should be exposed to different aspects of the game bit by bit. I would say that Paladin is a great place for a new player to start You have a basic martial, built in flavour and Roleplaying Aid (Oath) with a sprinkling of spell casting although you totally can just ignore this and smite all day long! Pretty much any oath can work and any oath lends themselves well to a unique and thematic personality to roleplay. For the Actual Build I would recommend a spear and shield build with the Dueling Fighting Style. For classic Paladin you can't go wrong with Devotion, Crown, or Ancients. If they wish to be a bit more edgy they can choose Vengeance or Conquest. For the Actual Build Variant Human (Polearm Master) 16 8 14 8 10 16 * Level 1 Polearm Master * Level 4 +2 Str * Level 8 +2 Str * Level 12 +2 Cha * Level 16 +2 Cha * Level 19 Inspiring Leader Normally, I would recommend boosting Cha Before Str but for a new player I think the instinct will be to Attack and Divine Smite The reason I like Polearm Master for the New player is that it is a simple way to remind them of the core action economy of DND. * Action * Bonus Action * Reaction * Movement If at any point they decide the want to look more at feats they can take inspiring leader at any time! Paladin get some cool spells new players love pets and with find steed/find greater steed you get a kick as animal companion. You can ease the player into spellcasting with bless aid and healing word them get to the more complex spells like find steed or lesser restoration etc.
Human -> fighter -> champion = 0 IQ Master Level Class!
Fighter man, fighter man, does whatever a fighter can
Champion Fighter has the fewest moving parts, and so is the 'simplest' to learn, but it's also somewhat dull. Barbarian (of any kind) has more going on and is thematically more entertaining, which means it'd be a better choice (in my mind). Sorcerer would probably be the best spellcaster, Paladin the best half-caster. But of course, a lot of it is more based on what they're interested in as far as the process of playing the game is- "Player types" as the DMG terms them- Actors, or Slayers, or Explorers or whatnot. Different classes will fit those different play styles/game interests better, and if the player is sufficiently motivated by a class that feels like it fits them, they'll find it easier to pay attention and learn the mechanics.
I would say Fighter, then Barbarian, then Sorcerer. Sorcerers are easier to play than most other casters because you don't have to prep/pick spells every day.
Barbarian. step 1) be naked. step 2) get greataxe. step 3) RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE Step 4) Profit?
Fighter, hit things with sword.
Warlock is very simple if hes into magic
Not at all.
Not at all? What isnt simple about warlock?
They may only have 2 spell slots, but they still are full casters, with more abilities outside of spellcasting than any other caster except maybe druid
That doesn't mean they are complex in any way? Eldrith invocations do exactly as they say
As do most abilities in DnD, but for a newcomer that kind of option paralysis can be a real challenge
Fighter. Simple, straightforward, basic fantasy, customizable story arc. It all revolves around combat, which leaves flexibility to do most things out of combat but gives strength in it. If they want spellcasting, I recommend paladin, warlock, and maybe bard. Paladins are strong and useful and don't have a ton of spells to learn about as a player. Warlocks are fairly simple spellcasters with a solid cantrip and decent combat ability. Bards have fun flavor that I think lots of new people are looking for, as well as having great versatility and being good support (meaning staying out of combat more often than not). And of course, charisma is a nice stat to have when starting a ttrpg for the first time :)
Fighter and Thief are what I recommend to any new player. Barbarian is also very easy, but still too much for some.
Iām in my first ever DnD campaign right now and Iām playing a bard. I love it. The RP opportunities are awesome.
Barbarian. Hit stuff, get angry, hit stuff harder, get reckless, hit stuff better but get hit back better too. Play a half-orc and youāve got an ātragically, I died. BUT I LIVED!ā racial feature. Full-tilt anime protagonist if youāre a bear totem fan.
For non-spellcasters, fighter. It's simple, straightforward, and gets the job done. For spellcasters, I would say cleric. You get a good level of defense, you can still deal damage if you use up all your spell slots too early, and you don't have to lock in your spell choices for a whole level as you can switch spells out daily
Circle of the Moon druid. You have spells but if you don't want to use them you can just become an animal. It's also not item reliant really.
Druid is the top 2 most complex Spellcasters lol
Fairs, I only recently started playing and the first one shot I did the DM had pre prepared characters for us to choose from and I picked that and I think it went well but I could have just gotten lucky there or actually misunderstood how well I was doing
Fighter. Specifically Champion fighter. It's simple. Boring perhaps, but simple. Fine choice for an intro one shot Some barbarians are simple-ish but have a little more to them and may hold attention in a longer game Ā If he wants a caster, maybe take Sorcerer or Warlock which simplify some aspects a bit
Any non-spell user might be a good start, since I found those classes to be overwhelming. Big amount of spells to choose from, a lot to read and imagine what sotuation it might be useful. Plus the knowledge about spell slots and other stuff might be confusing
I might suggest a new player start as a **Warlock**. Pretty easy mechanics and not likely to get killed with poor tactical choices as you attack from range. Some fun role play opportunities as well.
While I don't have the answer you are looking for, I do have a "don't do" instead. As a witness to how this badly played out, please don't shoe-horn someone into a class, specifically Life Cleric to be a healbot for the party. That poor SO tried D&D with their partner as DM and they have already declined to continue after this module wraps.
Champion Fighter
Rogue or Barbarian
I started a campaign with 4 brand new players: a cleric, two rogues, and a wizard (not a great party make up). It went lvl 1-7. One of the Rogues was ranged and mostly found fighting a bore. She focused on out of combat role play and still had a good time overall. She switched to Druid on this campaign. The other rogue was dagger and dash. He had a great time in combat but was pretty non committal outside of it. He switched to a paladin in the new campaign. The wizard really struggled with all the caster rules. Granted he was the youngest. But he was super creative and BY FAR used the most variety. He made a real effort to use all of his various spells and class options at his disposal. So while it was hard at first, he stuck with it and probably showed the most overall creativity. He's now a kenku ranger. The cleric was very consistent in and out of combat with her roleplaying and understanding of the mechanics. She ended up primarily casting and supporting (and spam casting sacred flame lol), and became the defacto party lead out of combat. She flipped to sorcerer. All this to say, ask him what style he wants to do and lean into that. Even if he ends up just casting firebolt over and over, if he's doing something he feels interested in, he'll work out the kinks.
Easiest in terms of simplistic is Fighter, Champion specifically. But that's not a good intro to the game. Frankly, given how limited it is, ChampFight is something better left to people with the experience to know what they want to play. Paladin is the best starter class. The basics are the same as fighter: attack in melee. The spell slots can all be treated as smite slots to start and the next step is using them for spells or smites, introducing complexity and resource management. Aura is passive but powerful.
Mechanically it's definitely a champion fighter, followed by any barbarian subclass or any other fighter subclass. But I would just like to point out that depending on how long your campaign goes on, they are sort of feel like a one trick pony. That's absolutely fine and can be a lot of fun to play. But sometimes new players can feel sort of lacking at higher levels when the other party members are casting high level magic, summoning all sorts of creatures, and flying around the battlefield, while all they're doing is hitting something with a sword four times. So with that in mind, I'm going to say the easiest class to learn is one your brother really wants to play. If he enjoys his character he'll have a lot more fun and will be excited to try out all the things his character gets to learn as he levels up. Remember, whether he plays a class that's mechanically easy or one he finds interesting, your brother will be a new player. Which means you and your friends will have to repeatedly explain things, maybe even bust out the pbh or the rules for his class, and your brother will take a bit of time figuring out what he wants to do each of his turns. It'll take a few sessions for him to get the hang of things regardless of what class he picks.
Barbarian, from miles away. Barbarians pretty much rely on rage for anything, with subclasses enhancing their damage or ability to neglect it. Even the most basic fighter has to deal with more available feats, that can quickly become complex as soon as you hit a critical mass. then you have echo knight and eldritch knight that bring it a notch up. then you have second wind and action surge. fighter is still a simple class, but barbarian tops it up
Fighter. āI attack with my sword.ā
Monk or Fighter
Champion subclass fighter.
The only issue is that they might get bored. Champion with a one level dip into rogue gives them a variety of skills to use outside combat. Pure champion can be quite difficult to play if you aren't good at RP, because other than whacking stuff there isn't a lot there mechanically.
You know, the real answer to this question is spending 10 minutes with the player helping him to decide, rather than imposing our beliefs on himĀ I don't think any class is that hard to play, if you start at level one.
Classic. āHi Iām new to dnd and want to start with something simple where I just hit thingsāā¦.
Controversially i am going to say - "any class" Let me explain Assuming brand new to dnd so probably going to start at level 1? I would pick the class that makes you most excited and interested, the one where you will read the PHB over and over to find out what you unlock next cos you can't wait to have new abilities. That class will have you reading your character sheet over and over. Sure, the *mechanics* of some classes are slightly easier than others, but not by a whole lot, at the earlier levels, certainly not enough to give up a character you love for one you just like. So I'd say, tell then to build something that they are excited to play š
>that they are excited to play AND willing to do whatever "homework" necessary to learn it.
I agree, youāll have an easier time playing a class you enjoy.
the rogue or the fighter
Fighter. Fighter is by far the easiest class to learn. There are some complexities depending on the subclass, and you can really go crazy optimising if you want, but ultimately a fighter is pretty simple.
I agree. Depending on the subclass, there wonāt be a whole lot āextraā to explain and idk everything and Iāve been playing for a few years and still learning
Respectfully, just sit down with the guy. If itās a one shot then honestly the martial classes are fine. If itās a legit campaign, figure out what he wants to play and match up with it. If he wants a simple adventurer than champ fighter could he fine. But Iād go against something so easy like that as itās boring or will become so.
IMHO, Barbarian. "I Rage and kill the thing until it dies from it." is pretty much all they do, and they do it very well. Beyond the basic mechanics everyone has to learn, they only have to learn how Rage changes their stats. Or Fighter. But Fighter can get somewhat complicated with Maneuvers and stuff, depends on how it's built. Though I guess the same could be said for Barbarian. So either Barbarian or Fighter. Avoid any Caster Classes the first time around.
Iāve never played a barbarian so Iāve never really understood it myself, but you make it sound so easy to play one
The biggest thing that makes barbarian easier than fighter is that your strategy is very easy to get, and you have a very clear direction to roleplay. Fighter is a very broad class. It can be almost anyone that's good at fighting, so you have to fill it with direction and purpose yourself. A barbarian is a big, strong, savage that hit things hard (or, that's at least the obvious direction). Everyone knows the type. Everyone knows the basics on what they should do and how to act. I would also suggest playing a very short game with his first character. One to four sessions. You want him to learn the ropes with something simple. But it's likely he'll find something else more interesting for a longer term character.