Basically D&D

DMing is a hard job, and literally everyone tackles it differently. Each different way of DMing produces unique campaigns, and I wanted to go over the types of DM's I've come across.

The Overplanner

This DM tries its best to plan every possible outcome its players could make. Not necessarily a bad thing, though it makes sessions few and far between, making players forget what's happened. It makes for vivid and immersive stories, though.

The Winger

This DM is the opposite. They plan nearly nothing, and try their best to make an interesting campaign with only a few notes. While this can make for interesting stories due to split second decisions, it often becomes difficult for long term campaigns, since DM's don't have notes to fall back on.

The Stubborn

Some DM's are just the right amount of stubborn. This one isn't. This one made a perfectly crafted story, and if you dare mess with it, they won't let you. It's difficult to have fun when the DM won't allow you to do a lot.

The Newbie

Not all new DM's are bad. This one is. They flood their campaign with too many people, don't know how to deal with players trying dumb stuff, and don't actually know how to play the game, so they're not sure how player interactions work.

The Pushover

So, I decided that I'd rank classes in few categories. The categories will be

Mechanics

Versatility

Roleplaying

Mechanics is how easy the mechanics are to understand, how little effort is really needed. Versatility is how much they can do, not how well they do them. Roleplaying will be how easy they are to roleplay. This will all be put down on a new player standpoint. All categories will be rated 1-5, with 1 being the best

Barbarian

Mechanics: 1

Versatility: 5

Roleplaying: 1

Barbarians have a thirst for battle, conquest, and glory. To roleplay them is pretty easy, and their mechanics are straightforward. However, they're not very versatile. They're good at one thing. They're strong, and agile, but all they can do with that is fight.

Bard

Mechanics: 3

Versatility: 1

Roleplaying: 2

Bards mechanics aren't quite the easiest to understand, and most people who play them don't realize their exact point. Bards are less support, minus the Bardic Inspiration, and used a lot more for utility, being at least half proficient in anything. That makes them extremely versatile, even in battle they're pretty okay, and can be even better depending on the Bardic College you choose to be part of. Roleplaying them though, you have some wiggle room. There's always the cliché "make an amazing song", but still, bards like to travel for more than QUITE just that.

Cleric

Mechanics: 4

Versatility: 2

Roleplaying: 2

Clerics aren't as straightforward as some other classes. To start off, you have to choose a Divine Domain, which is unlike any other class. That makes them versatile, as a cleric can really be anything. Tricksters, fighters, master healers, druid-esque. They're very unique classes, but one point of a cleric is that they're religious. They believe in a god, and will fight for them. They tend to be good at healing already, and the reason they adventure is to fight for their god. Also, as a cleric, you have to PREPARE your spells, meaning you can't use all of them in one day.

Druid

Mechanics: 3

Versatility: 3

Roleplaying: 3

Druids have a few abilities that make them very interesting to play, and a tad bit versatile. Their versatility goes up as they level, as they can turn into more and more animals. They also need to prepare spells, and them being a spellcaster in general makes them more difficult for newer players. They're not the easiest to roleplay, and that's mostly because roleplaying them right can be a detriment. They will go without things they need to "preserve nature", in extreme cases.

Fighter

Mechanics: 2

Versatility: 4

Roleplaying: 2

Mechanically, Fighters are easy. They fight. They have a few abilities, and they do well at em. They're versatile, but only in the sense of fighting. They can pick up any weapon and use it well. They're usually swords for hire, or looking for fame, making them easy to roleplay.

Monk

Mechanics: 3

Versatility: 4

Roleplaying: 3

Monks are straightforward up until level two. They're amazing unarmed combatants, with the magic of Ki, that uses martial arts and focus to deliver devastating blows. They're not very versatile, but their Ki makes them just that much better. Their roleplaying has a lot of wiggle room, but nearly all monks are trained in a monastary, and you have to make a reason for them to adventure.

Paladin

Mechanics: 3

Versatility: 2

Roleplaying: 1

Paladins are both spellcasters, and heavy armor fighters. At second level, you get to choose a fighting style for your paladin, which gives them a little bonus for certain types of fighting. They're also spellcasters that use holy magic to drive away dark beasts, and protect their party. They are very versatile, and an amazing support class that's both fun, and straightforward once you get into it, minus the spellcasting. All paladins are on a holy quest, and lawful good, making your roleplaying kind of forced, but easy.

Ranger

Mechanics: 2

Versatility: 3

Roleplaying: 1

Rangers are survivalists with an amazing sense of stealth and danger. They are amazing with the bow, and tend to move silently through the wild. They have spellcasting abilities, but usually for little things like magical visuals and cure wounds. They're quite easy to roleplay, because of their wish for a safer world.

Rogue

Mechanics: 1

Versatility: 2

Roleplaying: 2

Rogues are stealthy. Very stealthy. But they also have a TON of proficiencies. And they have "expertise", which doubles their proficiency bonus in two skills, making them even better at them. They're very easy mechanically, since that's really all they are. But they're also easy to roleplay, as most went through extreme training to become master thieves or assassins.

Sorcerer

Mechanics: 3

Versatility: 3

Roleplaying: 2

Sorcerers are spellcasters that use "sorcery points" to be better at what they do. Their spells are good, and versatile, and with "wild magic" they can be not only fun to play, but (possibly) even better. Alternatively, with wild magic they can accidentally cast fireball on themselves. They can also become draconic, giving them powerful new abilities. All sorcerer's have an innate magical power that comes from birth, and go adventuring because that power does not like to stay put.

Warlock

Mechanics: 2

Versatility: 2

Roleplaying: 2

Warlocks can't cast a whole lot of spells in one day, however, they have a lot of "spell-like abilities" and powerful cantrips to use against their opponents. They also have a patron, a powerful deity that grants them their powers. They can be granted "eldritch invocations" to make themselves more powerful and versatile. Usually warlocks are working for their patron, and thats why they adventure.

Wizard

Mechanics: 5

Versatility: 1

Roleplaying: 3

So, I wanted to describe a few cliches and taboos to either avoid, or simply make more relevant if you're making a character. With some of these, it's not quite a problem if your character has them, it's just kind of seen as cop-out backstory or plotpoint.

Dead/Absent Parents

I feel like I don't have to explain this one, but I will. Personally, my first character had dead parents, but as a grew as a player I learned to tie it more into story. This is a major character creation cop-out, it's not even funny. It's usually used with newer players, and almost never is seen as anything but something that's true. Most of the time, this one is okay, as long as it's tied into the lore of your character and serves as an interesting plotpoint. As always, talk to your DM about finding a way to include this.

General Edgy Vibe

Now, for both a DM, and players, this can just get annoying. Without an actual cause, this sub-common trope is both just dumb, and tends to just be a reflection of the personality of the player. Edginess is okay, everyone is edgy, but overdoing it can cause people to get uncomfortable and disturbed by your character. If your character is gonna be edgy, give it a good reason. And don't say it's because they have dead parents.

Playing a Monster Character

If used correctly, this can be extremely interesting, for both the DM, and the players. Luckily, a lot of people don't realize that this is an option for some DM's. And that's a good thing. This is more a problem for new players to do, as they don't know the balance of the game. They can't make their character themselves, since, without an actual guide to make them, like you do with canon classes and races, they have to resort to doing it on their own. This is a large issue, because that puts all the weight on the DM, and is quite frankly just really annoying. If done correctly though, it's interesting and innovative.

Character Too Powerful

Allignments are probably the hardest part of making a character for newer players. For me, I only really knew one. I want to make this post to break down what allignments mean in Dungeons and Dragons.

Chaotic and Lawful

So, the first part of an allignments will either say "Chaotic", "Lawful", or "Neutral". Now, of course, these may seem self explanatory. However, Chaotic does not mean evil. Instead, a Chaotic character would be described as not following a code. Whether that means a code such as laws, or a code such as religion. For example, Batman would be considered Chaotic Good, since he doesn't follow the law, yet he still defends the innocent. Lawful is the exact opposite. Lawful means someone follows some kind of code. A leader of a religious cult, per say, would be Lawful Evil, since they follow a religious code, but in essence are evil. Neutral is neither. A neutral character usually has a moral code, and nothing else.

Good and Evil

Good and Evil means just that, good and evil. But, just like Chaotic and Lawful, there's also a Neutral. Good people are good, Evil people are evil, but Neutral people do whatever benefits them within their code or lack of code.

Examples

To finish this post, I thought I'd give an example for every allignment, for anyone who may still be confused.

Lawful Good

A Royal Guard would tend to be Lawful Good, upholding the law and protecting the innocents in the castle. A paladin is another great example.

Neutral Good

A sellsword working for a prince, as they have their own morals, and would be considered good, helping the prince defend his town.

Chaotic Good

Now earlier I said batman, but to tie it more into D&D, let's broaden it into a vigilante defending his town.

Lawful Neutral

A prince trying to gain power. Yes, they follow the law, but really they only do things that benefit them.

True Neutral

An average peasant. Trying to make a better life, but not quite in the grasp of the law or the church.

Chaotic Neutral

A bounty hunter. They work for themselves, without laws to guide them.

Lawful Evil

An orcish warrior, made for conquest, but following the orcish law.

Neutral Evil

An assassin. They may have morals, yes, but a life of killing for pay would be considered evil

Chaotic Evil

Last, but not least, chaotic evil would be a villian without cause, someone truly insane. An unpredictable enemy with nothing but a thirst for wanton destruction.

Conclusion