Every D&D class has its own array of subclasses. Proving extremely versatile, the best for each class provides game-changing power boosts.

Subclasses give variety to each of Dungeons & Dragons' classes. Every class has them, ranging from as few as four to as many as twelve. They give abilities at certain levels, often radically different from one another. Subclasses can be one of the most significant choices a character makes. They decide how they do their role, and for some classes, they decide what role they fill.

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5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons attempts to balance every class' subclasses. However, its balance isn't perfect. For the most part, they're all useful and viable, but that doesn't mean some aren't better than others. Each class has a subclass typically agreed to be the best. Some of these provide modest boosts in power, and some significantly empower a character.

The barbarian's subclasses typically focus on its signature ability: Rage. They usually give the barbarian additional damage when raging, as well as some unique tricks. None give as much of a direct boost as the Path of the Zealot, however.

The Zealot gives the most direct damage increase, adding Radiant damage to one attack per turn that scales with level. On top of this, it gives a saving throw reroll, the ability to buff allies, and even abilities to prevent the barbarian from staying dead. These abilities are all powerful. However, they're somewhat unfocused and touch on different things, spreading the subclass a bit thin.

The wizard's subclasses tend to be weaker than those of most other classes. The base class provides most of the power with its incredibly versatile spellcasting. As such, its subclasses tend to give one powerful ability and others which are primarily useful for flavor.

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The School of Divination gives a very powerful ability early on. Twice per day, later thrice, the wizard can replace a creature's dice roll with one they rolled at the start of the day. This can save allies from death, guarantee a skill check succeeds, or even force a Natural 20. On top of other useful features — and the ability to recharge spell slots — the Divination wizard stands above its fellows.

The artificer is the first class added to 5e since its beginning, and it acts as something of an all-rounder. It's a half-caster with above-average spellcasting, moderate combat potential, and useful support abilities. Most of its subclasses lean towards one direction or another. Its best, the Battle Smith, enhances everything.

As the name suggests, it has a combat focus. It gives proficiency with better weapons and lets the artificer use weapons with its Intelligence. Its other main feature is a Steel Defender, a pet the artificer can use to protect allies or attack enemies in combat. On top of all that, it gets healing abilities and solid spellcasting. The Battle Smith is just as generalist as the artificer, and very powerful for it.

The ranger is one of 5e's more underwhelming classes. Its later subclasses are deliberately powerful, to try making it more balanced against other classes. The Gloom Stalker is the best example of this. It's themed around ambushes and the Underdark, but this translates into usefulness in almost combat environment.

The Gloom Stalker's abilities are all geared towards alpha striking. It can see further than most creatures in the dark, has spells to improve stealth, and gets a bonus to Initiative. On its first turn in combat, it gets to make an additional, even more damaging attack. With its focus almost entirely on combat, the Gloom Stalker makes the ranger a force to be reckoned with.

The monk has some of the most diverse subclasses in the game. They range from the unarmed powerhouse Way of the Open Palm, to the weapons expert Way of the Kensei, to the stealthy Way of Shadows. However, few increase the monk's power level like the Way of Mercy.

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The Way of Mercy gets the monk's usual toolkit of mobility and multiple attacks. However, they supplement it with healing, extra damage, and debuffing. In particular, they have the ability to apply the Poisoned condition to a creature with no saving throw. This is a severe blow to almost any creature and unique to the Way of Mercy.

Spellcasting has always been powerful in Dungeons & Dragons. Even though 5e tones it down, it's an invaluable tool for any character. Subclasses that add spellcasting are powerful. This is especially so in the case of the Arcane Trickster rogue.

Its magic is focused around Illusion and Enchantment, making it a born problem-solver out of combat. The subclass can beguile NPCs, uncover secrets, and hide themselves perfectly. However, they also have vicious abilities in combat. The Booming Blade cantrip works with Sneak Attack, and they can use Mage Hand to get advantage on attacks nearly all the time.

Paladin Oaths are often among the least impactful subclasses. The base class is both powerful and versatile. Most of its subclasses tend to provide more flavor than powerful abilities, but not so with the Oath of Conquest.

A Conquest Paladin becomes even more of a force to be reckoned with. Its central mechanic centers on the Frightened condition. Frightened creatures near the Paladin have their speed reduced to 0 and take damage. The subclass also comes with plenty of ways to generate fear. As such, it can control the battlefield and every other ability paladins have.

As the name suggests, the Hexblade warlock is meant to use weapons. It has early features focusing on weapons and armor, and it has specific synergy with the Pact of the Blade. However, it also happens to be the most powerful warlock subclass for any other sort of build.

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Granting armor proficiencies just makes the warlock harder to hit, even if they don't get into combat. Its central ability, Hexblade's Curse, works even better with Eldritch Blast than it does with most weapons. Compared to other warlock subclasses, what the Hexblade lacks in utility, it makes up for it with sheer combat power.

The fighter is undeniably good in combat in 5e. It can take more hits than most other classes and outputs high damage throughout the game. However, some players find it too boring or simplistic. For many subclasses, its toolkit comprises basic attacks, with other abilities rarely coming up.

The Battle Master avoids this while also being impressively powerful. Its maneuvers provide the fighter with near-endless options in combat. They also gain the ability to disrupt their foes in countless ways, while usually doing additional damage. Some are even useful outside of combat, a niche few other fighter subclasses tap into.

The druid is one of 5e's most powerful classes, and its subclasses only add to that. All of them are good, but none of them beat the Circle of the Moon. The Circle of the Moon leans into the druid's Wild Shape and lets the druid shift into more powerful beasts from a lower level, while providing better combat abilities when in Wild Shape.

The Circle of the Moon is unusual in that its power is inconsistent. At level 2, a Circle of the Moon Druid can compete better than most other classes in melee combat, while also being a full caster. It drops off at lower levels, only to become more powerful again when it unlocks Elemental Wild Shape, and then again when it gains unlimited Wild Shapes. At no point is it useless, providing both utility and combat prowess.

The Sorcerous Origins in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything are simply more powerful than other sorcerer subclasses, and it's due to a deliberate design choice. Many consider the sorcerer an underwhelming class and find its earlier subclasses similarly disappointing.

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Consequently, the Aberrant Mind and fellow Tasha's Origin the Clockwork Soul get a huge list of bonus spells they know. This makes them much more powerful and flexible than the other subclasses. On top of that, the Aberrant Mind gets telepathy, a versatile form-shifting feature, and the ability to cast spells psionically. For this reason, it's the best Sorcerous Origin.

The bard is a versatile class, and its subclasses reflect this. After many years and books, however, no subclass has bettered its "default" option in the free rules. The College of Lore focuses on skills and magic, both of which happen to be the bard's specialities.

The College of Lore takes a jack-of-all-trades and makes it even better. It gets even more skill proficiencies, and the ability to debuff enemies in combat. However, its most powerful feature is Additional Magical Secrets. The Lore bard gets even more spells, from any list in the game. The result is almost unparalleled flexibility. Even the lack of combat abilities don't bring down the College of Lore.

The cleric is a very solid base class, with a wide range of subclasses. Not one has caused as much controversy as the Twilight Domain. The Twilight cleric is contentious for the sheer power of one ability.

Its Channel Divinity, Twilight Sanctuary, provides a significant number of temporary hit points to nearby creatures every turn. It also provides a party with vastly more sustainability than any other feature in the game. This ability alone is a standout, but the Twilight Domain gets other useful features. One of the more divisive subclasses in Dungeons & Dragons, many tables ban it.

NEXT: Every Dungeons & Dragons Class, Ranked For Beginners

Isaac Williams is a movie-goer, TV watcher, journalist, blogger, gamer, comic book-fan, and roleplayer. He's been a bartender and a waiter, and now he writes lists for CBR. He focuses on TV shows and movies. In his free time, Isaac can be found gaming, reading, playing D&D, walking Birmingham's lengthy canals, and catching up on movies.

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