Intro

    Lizardfolks were previously monsters in the D&D-verse before becoming a playable race. They’re a reptilian-like race that live in swampy forests and are quite territorial though the level may vary from totally killing any outsider in sight or allowing some amount of trading. They’re often described as cold-blooded who’s main objectives in life is simply to survive, fight, and breed but value fairness and are often neutral.

Despite being a race that has lived for thousands of years, their way of living has remained primitive to the point that their greatest achievement is building a hut (which not many of them choose to do or have). This is due to their hatred towards Intelligence, any Lizardfolk – that is not a shaman- or being that displays Intelligence is outcasted or even killed. In contrast, they do value cunning and cleverness which is useful in fighting and hunting. 

Epic – Definitely! Absolutely! Just YES!

Good – You can. It’s not perfect but it’ll be great too.

Meh – I guess you could but it won’t be as good.

Bad – You shouldn’t! You can but you’d waste a lot of potential.

Lizardfolk Traits

-Straight out of the handbook list the attributes, racial features, etc.

• ASI: +2 Constitution, +1 Wisdom

• Description:

  • Age: They mature at the age of 14 and rarely live past 60 years of age. 

  • Height: Your frills don’t count in the height. Lizardfolk may be slightly taller than most humans but they’re still Medium. 

  • Walking speed: 30” ft

  • Appearance: 

They are described as muscular humanoid lizards with claws, a tail, a serrated jaw, and have crests on their heads. An interesting thing about Lizardfolks is that their scales’ color depends on the environment they are buried in as an egg but it is also stated that it can change in color. 

It is considered wrongful for any Lizardfolk’s scales to be any other color than that of their tribe as they prefer to be similar in appearance. White scales are especially forbidden as it is exclusive to the Herald of Semuanya (Lizardfolk goddess). Their body size, eye color, crest color and serrations are all inherited from their parents.

 

    It’s difficult to tell a male from a female but the closest way is the males have a single long crest that runs from the top of their heads to their shoulders. Meanwhile, the females have two smaller crests that run down to the back of their necks. There are some Lizardfolk born as possessing both male and female parts, these hermaphrodites are infertile, intelligent, and become the tribe’s shaman/s (the only ones allowed to be intelligent and advise in major decision makings of the tribe).

• Language: Common & Draconic. Some sources claim they are unable to read or write.

Best Classes and Archetypes for Lizardfolk

-List each published class/subclass from all official sources.

Artificer

• A class for those that love to tinker, create, and infuse items and weapons with additional effects or features. Absolutely not for a race that despises Intelligence despite their innate Cunning Artisan ability. 

• Alchemist – The Alchemist improves the Artificer’s healing and support skills without drastically changing the class’s functioning. Their potions aren’t just for healing; you can make a number of them (homebrewed if your DM allows), but there are potions for speed, boldness, dependability, flight, transformations, and even injuring by default.

• Armorer – It’s a class for those that want a martially oriented Artificer like the Battle Smith but without the hassle of a robot pet following you around.. The Armorer specializes in improving a set of magical armor so that you can fight more effectively. This is without a doubt the most tanky option available to the Artificer.

• Artillerist – The Artillerist has a lot of potential as a tank and support. They’re armed with guns, cannons, bombs, a flame thrower, and a variety of other weapons. Cannons may be used to attack or protect allies, and the Artillerist spell set includes a slew of new spells that fit the subclass’s ideology.

• Battle Smith – Instead of Strength or Dexterity, the Battle Smith allows the Artificer to rely on Intelligence and Constitution. It lets you use a steel pet in melee combat.

Barbarian

• These warriors are more than just power with rage as steroids. They mainly tank, defend, and do melee damage with some subclass capable of doing spells. Although Lizardfolk’s Natural Armor and Constitution is a nice asset to the Barbarian, it still requires a lot of Strength. 

• Ancestral Guardian – These Barbarians could call upon the spirits and might of their ancestors to aid them and their allies in battle. They’re fantastic at tanking and defending their comrades.

• Battlerager – DWARF EXCLUSIVE

• Beast – These warriors can produce and rip your adversaries apart with their teeth, claws, and tail. The bite can be used to heal oneself. When using claws, you can make a second claw attack. In some situations, using the tail might increase their AC against a single attack per round. As Lizardfolk, you already have those (or can have a tail) but it does add a little something more to what you already have. 

• Berserker – It’s great if you want to go crazy, but it’s also draining (exhaustion can make you sloppy after). If your DM allows it, you can easily alter it to something else, such as penalty points or have it eliminated. Despite the fact that none of the aspects are really novel or unusual, this class is straightforward and effective.

• Depths – Barbarians who can withstand the cold of the murky ocean depths (and cold in general). They feed on the pain and anguish of individuals who have drowned or gone missing at sea to attack their opponents. Unfortunately, a pirate or water-themed campaign might be more suited.

• Juggernaut – Field control is a juggernaut’s forte. They’re fighters whose desire to conquer and fight drives them. Although it’s heavy-handed in practice, battling animals with superb defense and attack can be difficult. 

• Storm Herald – A Barbarian with a nature theme, with qualities conceptually tied to the “Environment” you choose, which you can change each time you gain a level. Unfortunately, you may not be able to level up at the ideal time, and you are seldom conscious of the dangers that await you. It’s still mechanically fascinating, and it’ll keep things interesting while also benefiting anybody you’re with.

• Totem Warrior -Totem Warrior is a little more flexible than other Barbarian subclasses, but it’s also more difficult to build because there are so many options and you can’t change after you’ve made your pick. There are options for tanking, dealing damage, moving around, and supporting your party. In addition, the gameplay with this subclass is more complex and requires more consideration.

• Bear – any creature that is a danger to them, within 5 feet and see/hear/fears them, gets a disadvantage in attack rolls. Unfortunately-unless it was intended- this makes them the prime target of their enemy/ies but they do get resistance to ALL damage while raging except psychic.

• Eagle – their flying speed is equal to their race’s walking speed. It Is pretty handy as it gives extra mobility. You can become a somewhat “dragon”.

• Elk –  They can use a bonus action during their move to pass through the space of a Large or smaller creature. You get to do a knock back effect on enemies when you pass through.

• Tiger – Jumping at least 20 feet towards a target right before making a melee weapon attack. 

• Wolf – They can use a bonus action with their melee weapon attack on their turn to knock down.

• Wild Magic – For those who prefer their adventures to be wildly unpredictable, Wild Magic Barbarian is a wonderful pick. Add some random magic by receiving a random bonus each time you rage, allowing you to accomplish amazing things like teleport in battle.

• Zealot – The Zealot is a fantastic choice for adventurous players or those who are squishy and die frequently, as they are exceedingly difficult to kill and can be brought back to life without the need of expensive ingredients. Unfortunately, rather than being a game-ending issue, dying and resurrecting would become an inconvenience.

Bard

• Often seen as the cheerleaders, artists, musicians, and support of the team but don’t be fooled as this class has many skilled thieves, assassins, and spies. It’s a class that requires a lot of Charisma which Lizardfolk aren’t really known for.

• Creation – Harmony, rhythm, and music is part of all creation and for these Bards it is how they create something from nothing. Because half of the College of Creation’s class features are tied to Performance of Creation, it’s vital that you and your DM understand how it works. Because the outcome is less predictable and exploitable than spells like Creation or Fabricate, it can be exploited.

• Eloquence – The College of Eloquence gives tremendous boosts to the Bard’s Bardic Inspiration. Bards are already excellent support casters, but this takes them to the next level. While other bard colleges emphasize on the Bard’s secondary traits, such as Bardic Inspiration and the Bard’s indisputable mastery of Charisma-based skills, College of Eloquence emphasizes on the Bard’s central features.

• Glamour – These Bards transform into dazzling appearances and charms audiences using the Feywild’s abilities. College of Glamour is an excellent support caster with a combination of support and charm effects, but they lack offensive and defense.

• Lore – Bards remain one of the most versatile classes. More abilities, magic, and the ability to belittle enemies with Cutting Words are more essential, according to College of Lore, than the bard’s alleged ability to use weapons.

• Maestro – For these Bards, music and atmosphere is more than what meets our hearing and minds. After all, atmosphere plays a role in everything from social situations to battles. You become capable of inflicting more mental and emotional harm, repair, and manipulation than physical offense and defense.

• Swords – College of Swords allows you to participate in more martial offense. Sadly, it uses up your Bardic Inspiration dice in exchange for subpar abilities and a minor damage bonus.

• Valor – Bards that are as heroic as the heroes who’s tales they tell. These Bards are mainly melee fighters but also good battle casters.

• Whispers – College of Whispers excels at trickery and misdirection, making it suitable for a campaign that emphasizes diplomacy and roleplaying over dungeon exploration and combat. It isn’t the best in battle, but it is great in social situations.

Blood Hunter

• Blood mages are casters who use the forbidden art of blood magic. Despite their magic’s “gruesome” theme, they intend to use it to destroy evils both near and far . Although an improvement in your ability score will be beneficial, the class does need a high level of Intelligence and Dexterity.

• Ghostslayer – Blood Hunters are the oldest and most conventional of the Blood Hunters, with the goal of eradicating undeath wherever it is found. They are curse specialists who are immune to necrotic damage.

• Lycan – They get the power to change themselves beyond animal-like features as they level up. Although they are skilled at melee combat, losing control can result in more than just their foes being ripped apart. These Blood Hunters have additional immunity and powers, but they cannot be used by their party or others.

• Mutant – In addition to the forbidden talent of blood magic, these Blood Hunters pursue the banned art of mutagen craft, which can temporarily transform them beyond animal-like qualities as they advance. They have a similar feel to that of the Lycan Subclass wherein apart from transformation they’re advantages and immunity is exclusive to themselves.

• Profane Soul – Blood Hunters with a Warlock theme, but no patron. To increase their abilities to resist the stronger evils, they establish partnerships with lesser evils. They can stack Hex and their Rite (and potentially Mark) to consistently add 2d6 to all your weapon attacks, or 3d6 if using the Mark curse.

Cleric

• Healers decked in heavy armor that may not be as capable as fighters when it comes to weaponry but can call upon divine power to smite their foes. Surprisingly, very suitable for Lizardfolks as Constitution and Wisdom are basic necessities of Clerics plus their racial features allows a lot of customization. 

• Arcana – Arcana Domain Clerics have access to the Wizard spells list, which expands the party’s options for support. Practically a wizard without the lengthy study. The best adversaries for this subclass are celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead.

• Blood – Blood manipulation is fun but brutal and centered on controlling the life that flows through the veins of most creatures. This subclass can worsen wounds, change bodies, and gather knowledge, among other things, but it is worthless against non-blooded animals.

• Death – The Death Domain focuses on dealing necrotic damage to your opponents rather than boosting and healing friends. Because this subclass is created to worship malignant gods or deities, unlike most Clerics. It has a high offensive rating and even includes martial weapon proficiency.

• Forge – A robust spell list, a clear front-line combat role, and distinct utility and support choices are all available. Forge Domain Clerics are effective Defenders, and their damage output is great enough that they may be a threat in combat even when not casting spells. 

• Grave – The Grave Domain is intended to maintain a healthy balance between life and death. The Subclass combines attacking and healing skills in a unique way. The bulk of the skills are good, but there are a couple that aren’t too effective or efficient.

• Knowledge – Knowledge Domain Clerics flourish in missions when information is crucial. If you won’t be doing any research or investigation, many of the spells and abilities will appear unnecessary. They aren’t very strong on offense or defense.

• Life – The Life Domain’s clerics are suitable for those that prefer being a healer in their party. This subclass is frequently recognized as the best healer in the game. The Life Cleric may also serve as a front-line Defender due to their access to heavy armor, allowing them to do double duty as a Defender and a Healer. You’ll have to rely almost entirely on spells or weapons to fight, but that shouldn’t be a problem because the Cleric has so many powerful spells.

• Light – The Light Cleric is a Striker and a Controller who specializes in inflicting damage on specific targets and regions. These Clerics already have some of the most powerful Radiant damage spells, and adding fire damage to the strike makes it even more powerful.

• Nature – This subclass has a lot of useful spells (animal friendship, speak with animals, etc.) as well as battlefield control spells (plant growth, spike growth, wind wall). A nature cleric is rather capable, considering these and other variables, particularly when it comes towards being a bruiser, fighter, and support while driving opponents at distance.

• Order – Order Domain Clerics aren’t very good at doing damage, but they excel at boosting allies, crowd control, and dealing with non-battle situations. It’s an excellent option for clerics who wish to lead or assist their group. In heavy armor, you’ll be good in the front lines, and Voice of Authority gives anyone in your group who can deliver large quantities of assault a significant force multiplier.

• Peace – Although Peace Domain Clerics have strong protection spells, it is their unique characteristics that drive this subclass into a near-broken zone. They can make their squad “invincible” to harm and deflect damage from any source, making this subclass infamous for being overpowered.

• Tempest – Although nothing overtly buffs your allies in battle, it is a fascinating Subclass and delivers some good AOE damage and control. Tempest’s talents and spells provide a wide range of fun crowd control, crowd control, and area damage options, making the Tempest Cleric a viable threat at both short and long ranges.

• Trickery – Trickery Domain Clerics have cloning, invisibility, dispel magic, mirroring, beguiling, and other abilities, making them feel like a hybrid between a Rogue and a Wizard. They are, however, more vulnerable and exposed in battle because they aren’t meant to tank. Your Natural Armor can provide some assistance to that.

• Twilight – This Domain is a well-balanced subclass that thrives on the front lines, where they can protect their colleagues while still posing a threat. The majority of their abilities are buffs, utility, defensive options, and attack.

• War – These Clerics are more engaged with melee combat than spellcasting, although they fall short lacking set extra attacks. While this is a fun concept with a lot of interesting options, combining the subclass’ abilities can be difficult because many rely on Concentration or Bonus Actions.

Druid

• A class that is capable of healing and transformation. They have a tendency to be squishy which makes the Lizardfolk race suitable for them with Natural Armor, Bite, Hungry Jaws, Constitution, and Wisdom.

• Dreams –  These Druids use Feywild magic to heal others and have a lot of range in healing, scrying, and teleportation. While all Druids have some healing and utility abilities, this Circle is largely concerned with the craft.

• Land – The Subclass revolves around the Druid’s caster nature. They have additional cantrips, the ability to restore spell slots after a short rest, and a larger spell list, which includes immunity to poison and sickness in specific circumstances.

• Moon – Druids who go all out in terms of their wild transformation. They can maintain their calm and effectively defend themselves against regular strikes at a high level, even if they wobble at the medium level. As a bonus action, you can wild form to increase the number of monsters you can change into with a greater challenge rating. This allows you to access more powerful monsters more quickly than in previous Druid circles.

• Shepherd – In Circle of the Shepherd, the Druid’s options for assisting their group and summoning more powerful monsters using Conjure Animals and Conjure Fey are fantastic. If you enjoy summoning creatures and boosting your teammates, as well as conversing with woodland spirits and calling them to aid you in fight, this is an excellent choice.

• Spores – The pinnacles of life and death, the Circle of Spores, uncover art in decay and give the druid with a host of new attacking options. They use spores and fungi to improve your battle skills, poison your opponents, and take possession of dead bodies.

• Stars – A Subclass with a Cosmic Omen support function, as well as a lot of damage and healing. The class’s defining characteristic is Starry Form, which functions as a battle surge in the same way that Circle of Spore’s Symbiotic Entity or the Barbarian’s Rage does. This is a very adaptable subclass when it comes to attack, recovery, and switching between the two.

• Wildfire – A sniper offensive centered on support fire! This subclass doesn’t have Wild Shape but it can provide you with a companion (or servant, if you like to give it a humanoid form and traits). You have a tremendous amount of teleportation and fire blasting, in addition to the fire-based talents.

Fighter

• A simple combat master class that can still play a major role as they can Tank, Melee, Strike, and do Ranged Damage. A natural class to the Lizardfolk and it’s recommended to make a Dexterity build due to the Constitution boost and Natural Armor. Although racial features do come handy for a Fighter it doesn’t make a Lizardfolk totally remarkable in the class.

• Arcane Archer – These are fighters that specialize in infusing magic into their archery. Because they are ranged attackers, Arcane Archers get a lesser tank role than other Fighter subclasses. Arcane Archers are usually designed with this in mind, with the goal of dealing huge damage while avoiding being hit at all costs.

• Battle Master – A fighter subclass that utilizes superiority dice to tactically alter the battlefield. Its maneuvers allow you to gain an opportunity in strikes, terrify opponents, counter assaults, hit enemies when they miss, and a number of other combat methods. The best approach to Battlemaster is looking for synergies with other features

• Cavalier –  The Cavalier is a mounted warrior who excels at combat. Cavaliers are incredibly competent melee combatants with a wide range of battlefield management options even without a ride. 

• Champion – The design is straightforward but effective. For Fighters, hitting targets with Crits more frequently is a huge issue. If you want a simple to play class with strong stats, the Champion is the way to go. Because of this, the Champion is an excellent character for newcomers.

• Echo Knight – They produce Echos, which are magically transparent gray images of themselves that remain until they are destroyed or disregarded. They may produce an echo on the other side by looking through a keyhole. After that, teleport to it. You may use their echo to perform assaults and opportunity attacks, allowing them to use pam and sentinel without having to be in the same degree of risk.

• Eldritch Knight – These Fighters get the ability to perform spells. Eldritch Knights, like Rangers and Paladins, are semi-casters who earn spell slots up to 4th level. They are confined to the Wizard’s spell range and can only cast abjuration and evocation-based spells.

• Gunslinger –  They can do a lot of damage, but it’s difficult to keep them consistent. Their pistols require reloading, which demands the use of gunpowder, which requires the creation of materials unless your DM is kind enough to let you keep some on hand.

• Psi Warrior – Fighters with a Jedi vibe who employ psychic skills with their weapons. With its shield and bulwark, this subclass has more defensive capabilities than offensive ones. It’s pretty amazing how they can use their weapons to do both melee and range attacks of up to 30 feet. Unfortunately, just like in real life, using your mind’s power necessitates a long period of rest afterward.

• Purple Dragon Knight – A fantastic knight capable of extending their primary Fighter abilities to other members of their party. The main fault of the Purple Dragon Knight is that it tries to make a fighter who is nearly exclusively skilled at combat competent at other things. Dungeons & Dragons is a game where specialization is rewarded and variation is made tough. It’s a great alternative in the right group. It also takes a significant amount of Charisma.

• Renegade –  With the same problem as Gunslinger. What sets them apart is their ability to deal massive damage with a single shot (sniper) or to injure one or more creatures with a rapid shot (pistoleer). They can employ small explosives at a high enough level.

• Rune Knight – These warriors employ runes, a giant’s language, to impart incredible capabilities into their weapons and armor. Giants in the past developed runes, which are ancient symbols with mystical abilities.  You get to pick from a variety of runes that might boost your Fighter or have specific effects. Some of these benefits enhance or supplement your racial talents.

• Samurai – The Samurai is an aggressive Striker who is solely focused on damage output. Samurai are invincible warriors with unrivaled battle prowess. Like the Cavalier, you’ll get extra proficiencies as well. In severe confrontations, they can even employ all three of their extra action skills to gain an edge for three rounds of fighting.

Monk

• Contrary to most assumptions, Monks do not serve deities like Clerics but rather uphold teaching and discipline. They are masters of unarmed strikes and unarmored fighting, another class where Natural Armor comes in handy. 

• Ascendant Dragon – The Ascendant Dragon’s Way excels in a wide range of duties. It turns the Monk into a blaster, giving them the ability to deal with crowds like no other monk subclass. You ultimately obtain new abilities like restricted flight and a type of Frightful Presence that helps to keep opponents terrified for the duration of a battle.

• Astral Self – This Monk can focus more on Wisdom thanks to Astral Self, without sacrificing the class’s combat abilities.It allows them to create a visage of their astral form capable of giving them vision in the dark, an advantage in Wisdom and Charisma saving throws, and send telepathic messages, creepy but handy. Apart from that, most of the abilities they get early on just let them do things that every other monk can just do by default.

• Cobalt Soul – An intelligent monk recognizes their adversary and takes action based on that knowledge. They may discover a creature’s traits such Damage Vulnerabilities, Damage Resistances, and their deepest secrets when they employ their flurry of strikes and mark them as examined, in addition to slapping them to make them reveal information.

• Drunken Master – It encourages you to concentrate on the Monk’s role as a Striker by allowing you to use hit-and-run tactics to keep him alive and out of harm’s way. Way of the Drunken Master, strangely, excels in mobility, making it a perfect alternative for those that enjoy moving around the battlefield.

• Four Elements – The ability to cast spells differentiates this Monk Subclass as the most versatile and distinct. The subclass has a druidic feel to control certain fish, plants, mountains, and cresting waves. It’s more of a battlefield control class, which most monks don’t really do.The elemental disciplines, on the other hand, require a lot of ki points, so you’ll definitely wind up using Flurry of Blows the most of the time.

• Kensei – A weaponized monk capable of making massive ranged weapon attacks. Their skill to counter gives them a bonus to their armor class. While this provides a minor damage boost and access to reach via whips, Agile Parry’s wording renders the Kensei’s most noticeable trait ineffective (perhaps by accident).

• Long Death – The Monk is exceedingly tough to kill thanks to Way of the Long Death’s high tankiness, but it lacks offensive and utility choices. As a result, the Monk has the ability to defend. These monks can survive a lethal blow as long as they have a ki point. They have the ability to terrify to the point that no one dares to challenge or resist them.

• Mercy – These Monks learn how to use Ki to heal and harm others, as well as mastering Medicinal ability. The Monk can now add Healer to their basic tasks as a Scout and Striker, despite not being able to compete with classes like the Cleric. They may also be able to resolve social issues and even elevate the dead to amazing heights.

• Open Hand – This is the common approach to the Monk class. Open Hand offers a variety of fantastic, well-rounded options to help the Monk’s major abilities be as effective as possible. Their strategy can increase the advantage of using one of your limited Ki points to acquire an extra attack by a large amount. They literally can just flat out kill someone who fails a con save, that or 10d10 damage

• Shadow – As the name implies, Way of Shadow allows the Monk to play a more sneaky and stealth role. The monk gains near-magical abilities as a result of the Way of Shadow, allowing them to execute feats far more astonishing than merely hitting objects exceedingly swiftly.

• Sun Soul – This Subclass connects the combat powers of a Monk with the ranged abilities of a Blaster or ranged Striker, and can be utilized in unison. Because they don’t require Ki to function, the features persist a long time, but their damage is limited if you don’t spend Ki. Hence your bite and hungry jaws become extra handy.

Paladin

• Heavy armored, great damage dealing, and practically crusaders that uphold the ideals of the deities they serve. Unfortunately, there isn’t much a Lizardfolk can offer in the class as it already has heavy armor, is good at self preservation, and mainly requires Strength and Charisma.

• Ancients – Paladins of the Oath of the Ancients swear to protect the Light against the world’s darkness, which is a rather broad goal that allows for considerable flexibility. Rangers and Druids have a lot in common in terms of style and options. This gives you access to magical crowd control and tools that other paladins don’t have, as well as Misty Step, which allows you to move around freely.

• Conquest – It’s a solid mix of crowd control and offensive options, and it considerably increases the Paladin’s damage output. It also gives the Paladin a number of useful skills for dealing with groups of adversaries that other paladins find difficult to deal with. Their spells and channel divinity options in combat are designed as subduing and overwhelming opponents.

• Crown – These Paladins excel at diverting attention away from their most susceptible teammates and toward themselves, which makes them a superb Defender construct. Other oath abilities allow you to take damage for your teammates, reducing the amount of time and resources your party has to spend in combat healing multiple characters.

• Devotion – Most people associate “Paladin” with the Oath of Devotion Paladin. Paladins who swear the Oath of Devotion protect and defend the weak and uphold the law. This is a nice option with a good balance of skills if you’re confused which to choose, and if you’re new to the game and would like to gain experience.

• Glory – These Paladins aid those around them in achieving great feats with buffs and support class features. The spell selection is heavily reliant on Concentrating, and while the Channel Divinity options are excellent, their advantages will rapidly wear off, pushing you to look for new options. The remaining attributes of the subclass are either exceptional or situational, so you’ll utilize some of them frequently while using others just sometimes.

• Oathbreaker – The classic Paladin formula is turned on its head when they break their oath in order to serve themselves or an evil cause. This gives them a one-of-a-kind and difficult-to-roleplay personality, and they have a number of great skills to round out the class.As a bonus, their profane energy can cause death and devastation to people who come into contact with it, as well as necrotic action. The spell list is excellent, with a lot of offensive potential and consistent damage.

• Open Sea – They’re paladins with wanderlust, an appetite for adventure, and a love of the sea. They’ve perfected the technique of creating fog so that they and their companions can hide. They can knock their opponents back a maximum of 10″ ft with Fury of the Tides, which would be wonderful in a water/pirate-themed game. Overall, the effectiveness of this category depends on the situation, especially given the campaign theme.

• Redemption – Compared to other Paladins, the Oath of Redemption Paladin emphasizes nonviolent solutions. It is suggested that Charisma be prioritized above Strength/Constitution because they will rely on spells and special abilities rather than physical force. It’s a peculiar long-lasting caster in many ways. 

• Vengeance – In Oath of Vengeance, the Paladin’s abilities as a Striker are emphasized, with the purpose of eliminating enemies quickly rather than relying on defensive tactics. Because of their fundamental durability and the Oath of Vengeance’s capacity to kill stuff, the Paladin is a terrific single/independent character. If your team already has enough support members, the Oath of Vengeance is a fantastic choice for becoming the party’s major damage dealer.

• Watchers – Paladins of the Oath of the Watchers specialize in fighting extraplanar dangers, hence their use is heavily influenced by the campaign type. In many adventures, your paladin will go large amounts of time without experiencing extraplanar opponents, rendering much of Oath of the Watcher’s features ineffective. Even the capstone is only beneficial if they’re dealing with someone who isn’t a fellow pilot. Watchers are one of the least specialized Oaths in terms of mechanics.

Ranger

•  Skilled hunters, trackers, scouts, and woodsmen that know the ins and outs of the wild. Another class that comes natural to Lizardfolk. The racial features do help along with Wisdom granting some spellcasting but it doesn’t make them exceptionally remarkable in the class.

• Beast Master – The Beast Master reshapes the Ranger by presenting them with a superb battle buddy. You can arm their animal companion with weapons and use them to attack or protect. When the ranger is away or taken down, this buddy takes over, which is superior to having no turn at all while shocked or unconscious.

• Drakewarden – The Ranger is partnered with a draconic spirit that the Drakewarden can bring into physical form as a Drake Partner. Over time, the drake grows in size and has the ability to fly and operate as a mount, transforming it into a strong battle companion with some modest support abilities. The drake is a powerful and handy pet that can fit into almost any party, serving as a largely expendable frontline martial character.

• Fey Wanderer – The Fey Wanderer is a terrific subclass with a lot to offer to those who understand how and when to use it. Immunity to charm and fear is provided with psychic damage ability. Instead of focusing on a single enemy at a time, these Rangers may attack multiple foes at once, using one of their abilities to summon fey beings to assist them.

• Gloom Stalker – Rangers known as Gloom Stalkers hunt in the shadows, in areas where most individuals would never wander to. They’re significantly more potent than other ranger characters in campaigns that frequently explore dungeons, caves, tunnels, the Underdark, or other dark locales. Unfortunately, if the campaign has little darkness, it can be tough to use the ability to remain undiscovered in the dark.

• Horizon Walker – Horizon Walkers are Rangers who protect the portals that connect the realms of the multiverse. They aren’t as stealthy and mysterious as the Gloom Stalker, but they are just as deadly. Horizon Walkers have a few abilities that allow them to navigate between planes, but their main characteristic is teleporting around and hitting things in battle.

• Hunter – Because it is modest and lacking the flashy magic  present in many ranger subclasses, the Hunter is a simple yet strong martial alternative. The Hunter also offers the greatest build options of any ranger subclass, allowing you to tailor your character to your playstyle and party role. Against tightly packed groups of enemies, the hunter possesses the best sustained damage in the game. In the broad scheme of things, that is an uncommon event, thus it isn’t overpowered.

• Monster Slayer – In many ways, the Monster Slayer is a simplified version of the Hunter. It functions similarly, but without the customization options and with less build freedom due to subclass characteristics. Despite this, it remains a very useful and effective subclass, striking a good balance between damage output and toughness without the additional cost of extra choice points. If you’re looking for a straightforward ranger, the Monster Slayer is a great option.

• Swarmkeeper – This is the subclass to choose if you want to raise everyone’s dread of insects. They can summon swarms of creatures such as locusts, roaches, other insects, twig blights, birds, and fairies, among others. They’re essentially frontline crowd control, with their ability to move adversaries away from the defensive line or into melee with their frontliners as an archer.

Rogue
Rogue

• A class for those that want to be more sneakier and independent. Rogues require a lot of Dexterity and thematically need some intelligence in getting out of sticky situations or in being tactical. Of course, it’s still playable as a Lizardfolk if your DM allows you to customize and homebrew beyond the limits of the default.

• Arcane Trickster – While leveling up as an Arcane Trickster Rogue, they get the benefits of magic. Very adaptive and can carry out stealth attacks on a frequent basis, even in less-than-ideal conditions. It’s worth noting that they’re not full casters, and their spells are all Intelligence-based.

• Assassin – It is classed as a trap subclass for its ability to create false identities, imitate voices, virtually replace another person, and take over their life for a short period of time. Assassins’ skills don’t always mesh well with the rest of the group which makes them more for independent or tactical work.

• Inquisitive – They are given investigative abilities, such as assessing an opponent’s tactics and preparing a counterattack. Unfortunately, aside from sneak assault bonuses, unless you multiclass or have any extra skills, this subclass limits you in the investigation and lie-detection parts of a campaign.

• Mastermind – They have a lot of infiltration and imitating talents, which allows them to pass themself off as someone else almost flawlessly and learn things that other characters can’t. Not to mention the fact that you’ll be able to help. Everything else is situational, and it’s built as a utility class because it’s very useful in social situations.

• Phantom – It’s a time-consuming subclass to create. They can gain one skill or tool proficiency of their choosing whenever they finish a short or long rest, as a ghostly presence shares its wisdom & knowledge with them. It’s quite nice to have floating skill competence and deal necrotic damage.

• Scout – Scouts are adept in exploring, spying, and inspecting ahead of their comrades and surviving far from the urbanized areas, allowing them to scout ahead of their partners during expeditions. This allows them to keep the group alive while traversing dangerous terrain, effectively making them a non-magical rogue.

• Soulknife – The Subclass possesses a psychic talent that leads them to excel at skill checks like crazy. This, combined with knowledge and/or constant talent, allows them to be better at almost any skill than almost any other class on average, whether they have a matching mod increase. Their telepathy enables them to survey the party while still being able to communicate in real time and in secret about what they see and hear. It also doesn’t need communication in a shared language.

• Swashbuckler – Swashbucklers are a fast-moving fighter-thief subclass. They can make it more difficult for the group to be attacked and minimize surprise attacks. The Swashbuckler engages in a variety of voluntary Acrobatics and Athletics moves and checks during combat.

• Thief – The subclass isn’t built for combat, but it specializes at utility, support, and stealth. Their added action helps them to use equipment effectively when handled properly. For example, healer kits can help the squad in an emergency while not endangering their offensive abilities (when no healer is present).  Fast Hands can be used as a bonus action to drink potions, use a medkit, fling acid, attach themselves, set minor traps, and poison, among other things.

Sorcerer

• Sorcerers vary from Wizards include that their magic is inherited via their lineage rather than learned through study of the arcane arts.They’re mainly Blaster, Controller, Striker, and Utility Caster. Their spellcasting relies on Charisma.

• Aberrant Mind – This Sorcerer is endowed with telepathic skills by an alien. A nice component of the aberrant mind sorcerer is the ability to swap out bonus spells for alternative ones if you don’t need or want one. They can then cast any of their bonus spells as a subtle spell at nearly little cost, and they gain bonus action as a result.

• Clockwork Soul – The power of these Sorcerers comes from another plane or through Modron’s machinations. The subclass possesses spell abilities acquired from the Cleric and Wizard, as well as tools for systematically dealing with diverse difficulties. On the other hand, the Clockwork Soul is heavily reliant on its spell list. They learn new spells that do not count against their total spell limit. They can use Restore Balance to boost their side by taking advantage of benefits and disadvantages that would otherwise hurt or aid the opponents.

• Divine Soul – Sorcerers that have access to the Cleric’s spell list and divine entity-derived talents. Due to their expertise over all armors and shields, as well as a variety of defensive bonuses and healing, Divine Soul Sorcerers have a high level of durability. They can increase their assets in a variety of ways, including increasing hit probability, defense, healing, and weapon attacks. While their abilities sound wonderful, their spell list is limited, and fighting outside their team would be like being naked in battle.

• Draconic Bloodline – Their ancestors’ draconic blood or blessing endows them with magical abilities. On a regular basis, they receive the equivalent of Mage Armor and wings. Which Draconic Ancestor they have determines the type of additional elemental damage they take. The disadvantage is that they must spend a sorcery point, and only after casting an elemental spell, to gain a temporary damage resistance.

• Rune Child – It’s important to note this subclass is quite outdated. A sorcerer whose magic is based on magical runes and who has the ability to absorb and store arcane energy in their body.  Runes are strong symbols that can be applied to a variety of situations. A Rune Child can load a number of runes by simply expending sorcery points, or a Rune Child with no sorcery points and no charged runes can charge one rune as an action.

• Shadow Sorcery – Their inherent magic is credited to the Shadowfell. Shadow sorcery has some interesting tricks, like conjuring a shadow dog; apart from the edgy feel, it’s a useful subclass.

• Storm Sorcery – Their power is based on the might of the elemental air. They’re a good subclass to try if you want to specialize on lightning and thunder and deal additional damage to enemies within 10 feet. Their talents are more suited to melee combat, but sorcerers lack a strong defense. Tempestuous Magic can aid with this by allowing them to move more freely and withdraw while casting spells.

• Wild Magic – From its origins to its abilities, Wild Magic is erratic, making it unreliable and dangerous. They get powers that allow them to twist and tame Wild Magic, such as controlling its surge, bending luck, lessening hazards, and increasing damage. The main issue is that, in addition to being ineffective, the spell has the potential to harm the party or the target. It shouldn’t stop anyone from selecting this subclass because it could be thrilling and engaging, and preparations can be done with the help of the DM.

Warlock

• Warlocks gain their abilities by pledging their allegiance to an eldritch being,some sort of deity, or a fiend. However, these casters rely on Charisma in the same way as the Sorcerer does.

• Archfey – Using the fey’s glamour or illusion, cunning, enchantment, and magic, the Archfey Warlock focuses on entangling foes’ senses. Because spellcasting improves your powers without adding significant complexity, the Archfey is an excellent choice for relatively inexperienced players who want to learn more about spellcasting classes.

• Celestial – These Warlocks convert an Upper Planes entity’s strength into heavenly healing energy. If you like healing but also want to be a Warlock for some reason, the Celestial is fine. There’s a mix of great healing and average blasting on top of the Warlock’s outstanding basic abilities.

• Fathomless – The Fathomless is an underwater creature/entity/being’s servant and the subclass’s traits successfully reflect that. Working on and around water, however, occupies a significant percentage of the subcategory. You’ll swiftly lose value if your patron sends you to do their bidding on dry soil. Despite your racial features, it’s not going to make you an effective Warlock.

• Fiend – This Subclass summons the power of the Nine Hells to punish your enemies with a hail of burning dark energy. The Fiend mostly gives offensive options that improve the Warlock’s means to damage things, but it also has some extremely powerful defensive abilities. The Elemental Adept feat must be considered because the Fiend is essentially a blaster that depends heavily on fire damage.

• Genie – They make a deal with a genie to obtain access to elemental powers and the genie’s infamous wish-granting abilities. Many of the spell options and class features need you to put effort and time to think of new ways to use them. If you’re an experienced player, this is a good option, but if you’re new to the game, you might have better luck with other subclasses.

• Great Old One – The Subclass is a broad set of options focused on wielding power from the unknown while remaining appropriately sane. Although some of the abilities are highly powerful, many of them are situational and will not be used frequently. The spells offer a good mix of options, the features offer some useful tools for dealing with a range of problems, and the whole spooky, cultish sense of receiving strength from an elder creature fits the Warlock perfectly.

• Hexblade – Warlocks wishing to participate in melee combat will have a hard time finding a weapon better than the Hexblade. To channel your skills, they employ a weapon conjured from the domain of shadows. When all of the Hexblade’s features, including its expanded spell list, are combined, the Hexblade becomes a truly fearsome weapon threat, capable of matching or topping damage.

• Undying – The Undying attempts to preserve the Warlock, but it doesn’t have a chance against the other patrons. The majority of the options are situational, leaving the Warlock with little options for creativity in problem-solving. You do have a few options for healing yourself and your buddies, but they’re all underwhelming on their own and laughably inadequate when compared to the Celestial Warlock’s Healing Light function.

Wizard

• Yeah, no, no way unless the DM allows you to go beyond and homebrew. Wizards are Intelligence based casters and Lizard Folks despise Intelligence and the practice of it unless done by a Shaman. Even then you’ll still need a good amount of Intelligence to be effective.  

• Abjuration – They have exceptional survivability, but that doesn’t mean they’re built to fight. They have characteristics that make them larger and more defensive than other Wizards.

• Bladesinging – The subclass allows the Wizard to engage in melee combat while still being able to cast all of the Wizard’s spells. High armor, haste, misty steps, Contingency combinations, and so on can make it more interesting. They simply must play smart; else, a single hit will send them into the key danger zone of plummeting.

• Chronurgist – This subclass comes with several free stun spells, the power to subjugate creatures from the sidelines, and the power to deny opponents a turn in action-heavy battles. They can be transformed into a free spell-storage ring that can be worn. Everyone is essentially given a familiar that can assist them in combat.

• Conjuration – Wizards having the ability to teleport and conjure creatures and objects. In terms of mechanics, it’s not the most powerful subclass, but it is still a wizard. School of Conjuration provides you a sample of everything the Conjuration school of magic has to offer, but if all you want to do is play as a summoner, you won’t be able to do so until you reach 10th level.

• Divination -These Wizards can use saving rolls to radically alter outcomes and even replace the adversary dice roll. Their capacity to see into the past, present, and future makes them highly sought after. They aren’t the most powerful in battle, but they strive to learn discernment, distant vision, supernatural knowledge, and foresight spells.

• Enchantment – Wizards can enchant individuals and make beasts obey their commands by altering and changing their memories. Because you’re multi-attribute dependant, attribute enhancements are great for what you’re aiming to do. You receive two talents of your choice, allowing you to use abilities such as Deception that aren’t on the wizard’s list.

• Evocation – A powerful elemental subclass that excels in adaptability and versatility. They have a short selection of go-to spells with extra damage to help them pack a punch. This makes them beginner-friendly while still being powerful in their own right.

• Graviturgist – Wizards have the capabilities to change the mass of people, creatures, and objects by manipulating gravity. A Graviturgist can accomplish a lot, but that doesn’t imply they can fight on the front lines just because they have gravitational powers. These Wizards are more of a spellcaster on the sidelines than a front-line blaster.

• Illusion – A subclass of illusionists who are masters of deception. Because this subclass necessitates rapid thought and ingenuity, they’re only as good as the player makes them. In short, their power and strength rely on a player’s ability in roleplay.

• Necromancy – They animate the undead and raise an army of the undead capable of overwhelming their opponents. The sole disadvantage is that zombies are incapable of wearing armor or using weapons (unless the DM allows). They’d build a massive wall, but they wouldn’t be able to cause much harm. Skeletons aren’t invincible, and it won’t take much AoE to take them down, but a massive wave of the undead isn’t to be taken lightly.

• Order of Scribes – Without having to carry a spellbook, this Wizard is the most bookish of all Wizards. It’s still debatable if this subclass allows you to pay anything or nothing at all, but it provides convenience while lacking some “wow” factor as a Wizard.

• Transmutation –  These Wizards feature an Artificer-like theme due to their ability to transform materials at will and transform matter into whatever they deem appropriate. Resistances, con saves, speed boosts, and darkvision are just a few of the extras they can get. Despite this, they are thought to have little going for them because some good attributes require time to develop.

• War Magic – Because it isn’t flashy, this subclass appears to be underpowered on paper. If you have a minimum of 13 in Intelligence, War Magic is an excellent choice for multiclassing. It focuses on maintaining concentration, thus it’s a good choice if you’re thinking of battlefield control spells that demand concentration.

Racial Feats/Best Feats

• Bite – Stronger unarmed attacks aren’t always effective. Bite, when paired with the lizardfolk feature Hungry Jaws, might be useful in situations where you don’t have a weapon. Plus, it can be used to attack in some situations when you’re restricted.

• Cunning Artisan – It’s a unique racial attribute but it’s only effective in certain situations. This is a fantastic approach to rapidly create something to protect yourself with if you or your buddies lose your weapons but still have a blade on hand but also to sell to trade or gain funds. A strange characteristic to a race that hasn’t advanced much through the years.

• Hold Breath – Lizardfolks are known to be semi-aquatic with some living in areas underwater with pockets of air since they can only hold their breaths for 15 minutes. Not as effective as a water breathing spell but definitely useful even in situations out of water. 

• Hunter’s Lore – You gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.

• Natural Armor – Your scales aren’t just for camouflaging.   Your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier while you aren’t wearing armor. If the armor you wear would cause you to have a lower AC, you can utilize your natural armor to determine your AC. While wearing your natural armor, the benefits of a shield apply as usual.

• Hungry Jaws – You can get yourself into a brutal feeding spree in combat (especially with human or half-human opponents as Lizardfolk have a taste for them). You can use your bite as a bonus action to make a special strike. If the attack hits, it does regular damage and gives you temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier but you have to finish a short or long rest to use it again.