D&D 5e character creation guide

Our recommended step-by-step Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Role-Playing Game (RPG) character creation guide for campaigns set in the: Forgotten Realms; the list is based entirely on published hardcopy materials in D&D 5e.

1. What species/Race is your character?
   (subraces are optional)
   1. Aarakocra
   2. Aasimar
      1. Protector
      2. Scourge
      3. Fallen
   3. Bugbear
   4. Centaur
   5. Changeling
   6. Dragonborn
      1. Chromatic Dragonborn 
      2. Gem Dragonborn 
      3. Metallic Dragonborn 
   7. Dwarf
      1. Hill Dwarf
      2. Mountain Dwarf
      3. Grey Dwarves (Duergar)
   8. Elf
      1. High Elf
         1. Moon Elf (Silver)
         2. Sun Elf (Gold)
      2. Wood Elf (Copper)
      3. Dark Elf (Drow)
      4. Eladrin
      5. Avariel (Winged Elf)
      6. Lythari (Wolf Elf)
      7. Sea Elf (Water)
      8. Star Elf
      9. Wild Elf
      10. Shadar-kai (Shadowfell)
   9. Fairy
   10. Firbolg
   11. Genasi
       1. Air
       2. Earth
       3. Fire
       4. Water
   12. Gith
       1. Githyanki
       2. Githzerai
   13. Gnome
       1. Forest Gnome
       2. Rock Gnome
       3. Deep Gnomes (Svirfneblin)
   14. Goblin
   15. Goliath
   16. Half-Elf
   17. Half-Orc
   18. Halfling
       1. Lightfoot
       2. Stout / Strongheart
   19. Harengon
   20. Hobgoblin
   21. Human (no stat difference):
       1. Calishite, 
       2. Chondathan, 
       3. Damaran, 
       4. Illuskan, 
       5. Mulan, 
       6. Rashemi, 
       7. Shou, 
       8. Tethyrian, 
       9. Turami.
   22. Kenku
   23. Kobold
   24. Lizardfolk
   25. Minotaur
   26. Orc
   27. Satyr
   28. Shifter
   29. Tabaxi
   30. Tiefling
       1. Asmodeus
       2. Baalzebul
       3. Dispater
       4. Fierna
       5. Glasya
       6. Levistus
       7. Mammon
       8. Mephistopheles
       9. Zariel
   31. Tortle
   32. Triton
   33. Yuan-Ti
   34. Also, see:
       1. Racial Feats (Xanathar’s Pg. 73)
       2. Demonic Boons (Mordenkainen’s pg. 30)
2. What is your character’s name?
3. Height? Weight? Age? Sex & Gender? 
4. Background:
   What did your character do before they became a hero?
   1. Acolyte
   2. Charlatan
   3. City Watch
   4. Clan Crafter
   5. Cloistered Scholar
   6. Courtier
   7. Criminal
   8. Entertainer
   9. Faction Agent
      1. Harpers
      2. Order of the Gauntlet
      3. Emerald Enclave
      4. Lords’ Alliance
      5. Zhentarim
   10. Far Traveller
       1. Evermeet
       2. Halruaa
       3. Kara-Tur
       4. Mulhorand
       5. Sossal
       6. Zakhara
       7. Underdark
   11. Folk Hero
   12. Guild Artisan
   13. Hermit
   14. Inheritor
   15. Knight of the Order
       1. Unicorn
       2. Myth Drannor
       3. Silver Chalice
   16. Mercenary Veteran
   17. Noble
   18. Outlander
   19. Sage
   20. Sailor
   21. Soldier
   22. Urban Bounty Hunter
   23. Urchin
   24. Uthgardt Tribe Member
   25. Waterdhavian Noble
5. (Refer to your background.) What are your:
   1. Personality Traits
   2. Ideals
   3. Bonds
   4. Flaws
   5. Also, see:
      1. Personal Decisions (Xanathar’s Pg. 64)
6. Alignment: Chaotic/Neutral/Lawful – Good/Evil/Unaligned
7. What languages can you speak/read? (check race, class, and background)
8. What Class is your character now?
   (Class specialisations only apply after choosing your subclass)
   1. Artificer
      1. Alchemist
      2. Armourer
      3. Artillerist
      4. Battle Smith
   1. Barbarian
      1. Path of the Berserker
      2. Path of the Totem Warrior
      3. Path of the Ancestral Guardian
      4. Path of the Storm Herald
      5. Path of the Zealot
      6. Path of the Beast
      7. Path of Wilf Magic
   2. Bard
      1. College of Lore
      2. College of Valor
      3. College of Glamour
      4. College of Swords
      5. College of Whispers
      6. College of Creation
      7. College of Eloquence
   3. Cleric
      1. Knowledge Domain
      2. Life Domain
      3. Light Domain
      4. Nature Domain
      5. Tempest Domain
      6. Trickery Domain
      7. War Domain
      8. Forge Domain
      9. Grave Domain
      10. Order Domain
      11. Peace Domain
      12. Twilight Domain
   4. Druid
      1. Circle of the Land
      2. Circle of the Moon
      3. Circle of Dreams
      4. Circle of the Shepherd
      5. Circle of Spores
      6. Circle of Stars
      7. Circle of Wildfire
   5. Fighter
      1. Champion
      2. Battle Master
      3. Eldritch Knight
      4. Arcane Archer
      5. Cavalier
      6. Samurai
      7. Psi Warrior
      8. Rune Knight
   6. Monk
      1. Way of the Open Hand
      2. Way of Shadow
      3. Way of the Four Elements
      4. Way of the Drunken Master
      5. Way of the Kensei
      6. Way of the Sun Soul
      7. Way of the Ascendant Dragon
      8. Way of Mercy
      9. Way of the Astral Self
   7. Paladin
      1. Oath of Devotion
      2. Oath of the Ancients
      3. Oath of Vengeance
      4. Oath of Conquest
      5. Oath of Redemption
      6. Oath of Glory
      7. Oath of the Watchers
   8. Ranger
      1. Hunter
      2. Beast Master
      3. Gloom Stalker
      4. Horizon Walker
      5. Monster Slayer
      6. Drakewarden
      7. Fey Wanderer
      8. Swarmkeeper
   9. Rogue
      1. Thief
      2. Assassin
      3. Arcane Trickster
      4. Inquisitive
      5. Mastermind
      6. Scout
      7. Swashbuckler
      8. Phantom
      9. Soulknife
   10. Sorcerer
       1. Draconic Bloodline
       2. Wild Magic
       3. Divine Soul
       4. Shadow Magic
       5. Storm Sorcery
       6. Aberrant Mind
       7. Clockwork Soul
   11. Warlock
       1. The Archfey
       2. The Fiend
       3. The Great Old One
       4. The Celestial
       5. The Hexblade
       6. The Fathomless
       7. The Genie
   12. Wizard
       1. School of Abjuration
       2. School of Conjuration
       3. School of Divination
       4. School of Enchantment
       5. School of Evocation
       6. School of Illusion
       7. School of Necromancy
       8. School of Transmutation
       9. War Magic
       10. Bladesinging
       11. Order of the Scribes
   13. Also, see:
       1. Class training (Xanathar’s pg. 66)
9. Also, see:
   1. Starting wealth (PHB Pg. 143)
   2. This is your life (Xanathar’s Pg. 61)

Every game is a new campaign.

If you want to actually play the Role-Playing Games, check out the fifth edition Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, and Dungeon Master’s Guide. These rulebooks introduce you to the vast multiverse of D&D and invite you to create unique characters and worlds within it.