Selecting Your D&D Character’s Subclass

Selecting Your D&D Character’s Subclass

Choosing a subclass for your D&D character is one of those moments that can really shape the rest of your game. It’s not just about adding new abilities—it’s about honing in on what kind of adventurer your character truly wants to be.

I think of subclasses as a way of focusing the broad concept of a class into something much more personal and specific. Want to play a bard? Great—what kind of bard? Do you want to be a fierce warrior or a roguish trickster? That’s where subclasses come in.

For our example character, Ezra Wright, we’re exploring wizard subclasses—called Arcane Traditions in 5th edition. These traditions line up with the classic schools of magic: Abjuration for protection, Evocation for elemental fury, Illusion for trickery, Necromancy for manipulating life and death, and so on. Each one gives a wizard unique abilities that fit their style and story.

But I’m not just picking one for the sake of the rules. I’m thinking about what fits with Ezra’s background and personality. He’s a Guild Coalition Agent—calm, slow to trust, with a code of honor. That tells me he’d probably value defensive magic, something to protect those he cares about. So for him, the School of Abjuration feels like a perfect fit.

I love how D&D lets you blend mechanics and story like this. You can build a character that’s mechanically strong and also fits perfectly into the narrative you’re creating together. For me, that’s the best part of the game.

Want to see how I work through this process in more detail? Check out the full video above, where I dig deeper into subclass choices and how they tie into character backstory and campaign themes.

Cheers,
Brian