Your first Dungeons and Dragons character: Race

In DnD, the world's population consists of various peoples and fantasy races that you can all play. Think not only of humans, dwarves, and elves! If there is a non-human character in a series, movie, game, or book that you find cool, there is always a dungeons and dragons race that matches your idea. It can also be the other way around; maybe you find a race somewhere that seems so interesting to play that you base your entire character on it!

Each different DnD race has a different experience of the world, where you can find a lot of inspiration during role-playing. Consider that the mere fact that humans live relatively short lives, while dwarves and elves live for hundreds (or even thousands) of years, can have a significant impact on the worldview and personality of your character!

The race of your character also determines the skills and bonuses you receive. Dwarves, for example, are small, can see without light, and are handy with a set of tools of their choice. Many races also have subraces to choose from, which provide small additional bonuses. Hill dwarves are tougher and gain extra hitpoints, while Mountain dwarves are stronger and can wear armor regardless of their class.

Note: The race of your character is the part of your character that can most depend on the world in which you play. You might have a cool idea for a Viking dwarf or a Celtic elf, but those races might have completely different cultures in the world of your Dungeon Master. Perhaps elves and dwarves dislike each other, or they are close friends. Maybe their world doesn't even have dwarves or elves! Therefore, it might be useful to discuss this with your Dungeon Master.

You can find a complete list with all the technical information (such as bonuses and abilities you receive) of all standard races and subraces in the Player’s Handbook.

In rule expansions like Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything and Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, or guides for alternative campaign settings like Van Richten's guide to Ravenloft and Mythic Odesseys of Theros you can also find other races if you are looking for something extraordinary. In these books, for instance, you will find powerful centaurs that trample their enemies, alien creatures with telekinetic powers, or crow-like beings that cannot speak themselves but can only mimic sounds!