I'm pretty sure that DnD provides some of the most safe-for-work fun that a group of people can have together. The possibilities are literally endless! This isn't like a video game, where you're restricted by artificial limits. Unlike so-called "open worlds" that they provide, you aren't funneled from quest to quest like a pea in a water pipe. You don't have a schedule so planned that you feel like the President. Instead, you have, well, a world like our own. One where you can do literally anything you want to. Want to slap that quest giver? Do it! Want to climb up on a roof and scout ahead? You can! If you ever want to just ignore the main quest for a little while, and instead mess around in various towns and cities doing whatever your heart desires, then you can. It's a game without limits.

That being said, getting into it can prove tricky. There's a huge amount of jargon, rules, and gameplay nuances to learn. A couple of weeks back, I wrote a guide to DnD etiquette, which you should absolutely check out if you've not already. In this article, I've pulled together a list of the 30 strongest classes you can play as. Fifteen of these are the basic classes you can pick from, while the other 15 are incredibly strong subclasses which you can specialize into. Not all of these are easy to play as (in fact, some of them are very tricky), but they will provide you with a lot of fun and combat utility!

30 Class: Ranger

Rangers have a tendency to get super overpowered. Why? Well, in addition to their strong armor class, and a powerful weapon in the form of a longbow, they have very solid perception. This allows them to be a formidable force in combat, capable of taking down even the strongest monsters from range, while also being able to easily escape traps left behind by the enemy. Basically, if you create and develop a ranger correctly, you’re making a very strong hero who is very tough to mess with.

29 Sub-Class: Spellwarp Sniper

What makes this class an absolute powerhouse in the third edition? It’s quite simple really. Area of effect spells are all well and good except for when you render one of your friends unconscious because you weren’t paying attention. Spellwarp Snipers get a special ability that lets them transform and transfigure AoE spells into direct attack spells. This lets you hit one single target with what would have been an AoE spell without endangering your comrades. Other abilities add extra sneak attack damage dice, again increasing the amount of pain they can deliver.

28 Class: Sorcerer

Wizards have to work hard to cast spells. They actually have to learn them. Can you believe that? NERDS. Sorcerers don’t have to do this, instead, thanks to preternatural magical abilities, they can cast more spells on any given day, and have access to all their spells at once. They have exclusive access to metamagic abilities, and can even cast several spells in a single turn. If you’re looking for a powerful spellcaster to play, look no further than the sorcerer.

27 Sub-Class: Hulking Hurler

Ever got annoyed and wanted to throw your computer out of the window during a particularly stressful time at work? The Hulking Hurler is that mood personified. A huge character, as the name implies, these guys don’t bother with swords or spells, instead just tossing whatever comes to hand directly at their enemies’ skulls. Get yourself a bag of holding and you can do huge amounts of damage with a rock, a vase, even small passers-by. One of their abilities allows them to deal double their strength modifier too, increasing the damage even further.

26 Class: Paladin

Forget everything that you think you know about Paladins. They don’t have to be lawful good. They can be driven by just about anything, and regardless of their motivations, they are ferocious warriors. Not only are they tanks that can soak up an insane amount of damage, they can also heal themselves and their party members up both during and after the fight. Exceptionally strong characters, they are a well-rounded classic of a class. If you want to take on anything, play a Paladin.

25 Sub-Class: The Ur-Priest

How would you like a direct line to divinity? One that allows you to tap into the mystical power of the universe without having to go through an operator like a god? That’s what the Ur-Priest is capable of. They get access to a full list of cleric spells, can burn lower-level spells to create higher level ones, and even rob enemies of their abilities. This allows you to take spells from other creatures, including absurdly powerful ones, and then cast them for no cost to you. Pretty neat, huh?

24 Class: Bard

A somewhat maligned class, the bard is more powerful than you’d think. Sure, they can sing you a lovely ballad, but they’re good for far more than that. They can get solid in just about every area, allowing them to be excellent whether you’re charging down a demon or trying to persuade an NPC to help you out. Charismatic, strong, capable characters, the bard is a superb choice if you’re not quite sure which specialization you want to focus on.

23 Sub-Class: Bladesinger

Another second edition fave, the bladesinger is a very powerful mix of the fighter and mage classes. When fighting, you gain huge combat bonuses, and are also able to cast spells with one hand while wielding a sword/axe/table leg in the other. You can even cast spells while wearing armor, which was very hard to do in earlier editions of DnD. If you’re playing an older version of DnD and want to have the best of both worlds, you owe it to yourself to play a bladesinger.

22 Class: Druid

“Walk with the animals, talk to the animals…,” sorry, you caught me at a bad time. A class for the animal lovers out there, the druid can transform into any animal that comes to mind, giving them tremendous versatility. You could become a bull and be a tank, a cat who sneaks and slinks about, or a bird who can see everything your opponents are up to. Once you’re done with the fun of transfiguration, you can then jump back into human form and help out your party more directly with an array of spells.

21 Sub-Class: Dweomerkeeper

A class from third edition DnD, the Dweomerkeeper has a couple of exceptional talents. Spell resistance can be annoying for magic users, can’t it? Well, the Dweormekeeper is capable of transforming any spell into a supernatural ability with their Supernatural Spell perk. These abilities ignore magic resistance, allowing you to rain the hurt down on anybody without worrying about whether or not they can resist it. They can also bond to spells allowing them to cast them without preparing in advance thanks to the Mantle of Spells.

20 Class: Fighter

To many, the fighter seems all-too boring to pick as their first class in DnD. Those people are wrong, though. Fighters are a crucial part of any party. What, you didn’t think you were going to get through a campaign without fighting at any point, did you? You can begin as a fighter before specializing more later, and you can RP as much as you want. Why not find your own fighter’s guild, or become a bouncer/bodyguard of legend, known for your ferocious beatdowns or charming wit? The sky’s the limit. Fighters are a great start your DnD journey.

19 Sub-Class: Pit Fighter

I’ve got a soft spot for the pit fighter. This class isn’t one for those who constantly feel that they must play by the rules. This class fights dirty, and fights to win. They have great hand-to-hand combat bonuses, and an attitude that is a whole lot of fun to roleplay as. You know when Bronn wins Tyrion’s trial by combat in Game of Thrones, he is reprimanded by Lisa Arryn who tells him “you do not fight with honor?” His response is simple, “no, milady, but he did,” while gesturing to his vanquished foe. That is the pit fighter way.

18 Class: Warlock

What’s great about being a warlock? Well, in addition to the opportunities you have for causing magical chaos, you also have a secondary role. This role is to learn about the weird, dark, magical beings of DnD. It’s a fascinating way to gain an understanding of the game’s backstory, while also giving your party a little more color. What’s more, as a warlock, you have to pick an otherworldly patron, which can lead your party into interesting and bizarre adventures, if your DM is so inclined.

17 Sub-Class: Hexblade & Tome Warlock

When you're making a Warlock, you have a lot of options at your disposal. They are basically the Swiss Army Knife of classes. However, Hexblade and Tome? They combine to make an exceptionally powerful individual. Hexblade allows you to source magical weapons, giving you proficiency in medium armor, shields, and martial weapons. Its bonuses go on, but are too numerous to list here. If you also pick Pact of the Tome, your warlock will gain a grimoire that allows you to pick three cantrips from any class. Want versatility? This is the class you should play.

16 Class: Cleric

Want to be the most helpful member of your team? Become a cleric. That’s the end of the matter. Wielding a huge number of healing spells, these guys are the bread and butter of saving the rest of their party from themselves and their hijinks. You needn’t worry however, you don’t need to stay in the back forever. If you want to, you can also specialize in becoming a reasonable fighter, one who smashes people over the head in the name of the Lord. It’s a fun class to play and exceptionally useful, and that’s why it’s here.

15 Sub-Class: Swashbuckler Rogue

Ah, swashbuckling. Doesn’t that word just sum up the art of the adventure? This class can be summed up by its combat style, which resembles that of Syrio Forel’s water dancing. You can gracefully wield two weapons if you like. It also has other abilities such as Rakish Audacity, which gives you a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your charisma modifier. Its most powerful ability is Master Duelist which comes at level 17. This allows you to reroll an attack roll with advantage, should you miss the first time.

14 Class: Necromancer

You know that saying, fight fire with fire? Well, have you considered fighting zombies with zombies? That's what the necromancer class is capable of. The opposite of the holy cleric, this class is all about controlling the dead. They are able to drain the life from their enemies, harvest souls for hitpoints, and raise the dead, regardless of size. Their highest level power, seance, allows them to control any undead for up to 24 hours. A very powerful class to have in your party, they're tremendous fun to play, and well worth a look.

13 Sub-Class: Battle Master

This subclass of the fighter is exceptionally powerful for a couple of reasons. One, the fighter gets to pick three different maneuvers. These can augment your attacks, your evasiveness, or rally your companions. They can also watch an enemy for a minute outside of combat to learn more about it, discovering whether its stats are higher or lower than the characters. Most importantly, they also get to keep four superiority dice back to use for their maneuvers. These become D12s later on.

12 Class: Archer (In Second Edition)

Thank your lucky stars if you have a DM who insists on playing second edition. This gives you access to one of the most powerful ranged classes in the history of DnD, the archer. What makes the archer so good compared to the ranger, I hear you cry. Well, you can attack multiple times in each turn. You know how the English longbowmen were renowned and feared during the Hundred Years War for their ability to loose volley after volley? You can do that as the archer, bringing down enemies like it ain’t no thing.

11 Sub-Class: Samurai Fighter

The samurai draws upon their will to overcome outrageous odds. One of their abilities, Fighting Spirit, gives them an advantage on all weapon attack rolls until the end of their current turn. Another allows you to make two attacks per turn with reduced accuracy, which can really build up, to deadly effect. They don't only excel in combat, however. One of their abilities, Elegant Courtier, allows them to draw upon their wisdom as a modifier to any charisma checks. An all-around tough guy, the samurai is a very strong class indeed.