The 2024 Player’s Handbook forDungeons & Dragonshas, of course, made many big and small changes to the beloved tabletop game. One of those changes comes in the form of which species are ready to be created as soon as you pick up the sourcebook.
While there are species that everyone would expect to see, such as humans, there are also some additions to the starting lineup that might come as a surprise. This list will cover each species that players can pick from in the 2024 Player’s Handbook and which species Dungeon Masters (DMs) can start using for NPCs in mass.
Celestial Revelation (At Level 3)
Aasimar have been in the Fifth Edition of D&Das a playable species since Volo’s Guide To Monsters was released. But, compared to the last Player’s Handbook, aasimar were nowhere to be found. That is not the case in the 2024 sourcebook.
Aasimar are in this core rulebook and have seen changes. There are no subspecies to pick from. The rules, instead, leave it up to you how you showcase that celestial might. Do you sparkle with a pristine, heavenly aura? Or have you fallen from grace in some way? The sky is literally the limit to how you shape your aasimar.
Draconic Flight (At Level 5)
As their name suggests,dragonborn are descended from Dragons, and the lore given about them in this sourcebook does an excellent job of skirting around the bard seducing the Dragon cliché as a potential reason this species even exists. The power this species holds when compared to others is their Breath Weapon, a gift from their ancestors before them.
Unlike other species that may have you select a subspecies, you will instead choose the tone of your scales when creating your dragonborn character. This determines what damage type you will dish out but also have resistance to.
The ancestry options you can choose from are black, blue, brass, bronze, copper, gold, green, red, silver, and white.
Stonecunning
Strong as the mountain is exactly what dwarves are, especially going based on their lore as written in the 2024 Player’s Handbook. One welcome change to picking a dwarf as your character is that they now have a walking speed of 30 feet as opposed to 25 feet of movement.
Another massive change is that both the 2014 and 2024 Dwarf share Stonecunning as a feat, but instead of giving you a bonus to History checks made in regard to stonework, you now can gain Tremorsense for ten minutes.
Trance
Elves have, just as they always have had, a lot going on. A big part of that is when you pick your elven lineage. There are only three, and they should look familiar if you’ve played an elf under the 2014 ruleset. Those three you may choose from are the drow, high, and wood elves.
When you pick your lineage, you will gain some bonuses plus spells that are unique to each classification of elf. They also share four other common traits and feats. As an example, no matter which lineage you choose, all elves enter a trance instead of needing a traditional long rest.
Gnomish Lineage
These small humanoidsare back and, like the elves, will have you select a lineage. But for gnomes, there are only two to choose from instead. Those being the forest or rock gnome. Gnomes, no matter their lineage, are described as secretive and clever.
And, depending on which lineage you choose, you gain access to two spells. For forest gnomes, those are Minor Illusion and Speak With Animals. For rock gnomes, the spells are Mending and Prestidigitation.
Power Build
Here’s hoping you enjoy picking the lineage of your character because goliaths have a list of six to choose from. These choices are all based on the different giants that are featured in Dungeons & Dragons.
In order, there are the cloud, fire, frost, hill, stone, and storm ancestries to pick from. Each of them award their own boon and you can use that boon a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. This feeds into the lore well, as your character is descended from great giants who, themselves, were powerful forces of nature.
Naturally Stealthy
You can take the Hide action even when only behind someone of a size larger than you.
These lucky and brave small humanoids, while cherishing their communities, also can’t help but want to explore. Especially, you know, if you’re picking a halfling to be your adventurer of choice. While classified as a small creature, they also see the same buff as dwarves and gnomes, gaining 30 feet of movement.
But the highlight of choosing a halfling has to be their Luck feat. This prevents you from ever rolling a critical fail, a one on a d20. This is for all d20 Tests, which means this applies to ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws.
Versatile
Humans. What’s there to say? Just kidding, there is still some lore revolving around the species that we all play as in our real life. Though in the lore at the top of their section, the wonderful Wizards of the Coast do remind you that, in comparison to other, longer-living species, we don’t have as much time to use.
Fun. But they made up for it by giving humans Heroic Inspiration. The other feats that humans start out with are pretty strong, such as Versitile, which allows you to pick any Origin feat. And, along with Skillful, that means you start with a feat and a skill proficiency of your choice.
Relentless Endurance
If you played under the 2014 ruleset, you may have been expecting to see half-orc listed. Wrong! Well, not wrong, just not anymore, as instead you may choose to be an orc as your species. Orcs are described as being determined and well-equipped to travel the planes.
They only have three traits, and one of them is Darkvision. Like who doesn’t already have Darkvision? But both Adrenaline Rush and Relentless Endurance make it so that these three feats do more for your character, thanks to their strength and utility.
Otherworldly Presence
Last, but certainly not least, there are the tieflings. While aasimar have a connection to the Upper Planes, tieflings instead have a blood bond to the Lower Planes. How poetic that assimar are the first listed species and tieflings are last. Coincidence?
Like some of the other species, you can choose your Fiendish Legacy, and there are three options. Those are abyssal, chthonic, and infernal. (Do not ask me how to pronounce chthonic). Much like the elves, your legacy grants you bonuses when you pick it, at third level, and again at fifth level.
