Summary
There are countless ways one can run a game ofDungeons and Dragons, exploring one of the many pre-existing worlds, running their players throughan official campaign book, or going their own by completely creating a campaign from the ground up, one of thebest ways to create a horror campaign, as there are only one or two books centered around horror.
And just like any campaign, players need to be mindful of their character creation choices, as they need to reflect the world the DM has made, and the story they want to spin. These classes are definitely the ones players should consider before venturing forth on their horrifying adventure.
6Barbarian
A Solid Tank to Hold the Line
Barbarians are the class for players who want toplay the strong and mighty frontlinerready to soak up damage while dealing hefty amounts. Their harnessing of their own rage helps them shrug off their foes damage as they give them one hell of a beat down.
For any campaign, having a Barbarian around is a wise choice, as the party won’t last long without some tanky enough to draw and soak damage, and a horror campaign would certainly be a wise choice, as odds are the DM is going to challenge them to substantially challenging encounters. If the party is lacking in strong composition, there is a significant chance they will struggle to survive.
5Bard
Flavoring a Horror Bard Could Make for a Fun and Unique Experience
Now Bards normally have a specific character archetype normally attached to them, as a lot of players lean into the randy Bard who hits on barmaids and frequents those types of establishments, and while quite amusing for the table, it might be a bit immersion-breaking in a horror campaign. So, this is the perfect chance to bust out a bard that defies this stereotype, and show that classes can be more than the tropes assigned to them.
It could be a fun and interesting challenge to play a more maudlin Bard who creates passages of sad poetry about how desolate the world is, or a creepy songstress known for singing nursery rhymes that unnerve all who hear them.With subclasses such asspirits and whispers, it is quite simple to flavor a bard for a horror campaign.
4Cleric
One Needs Light to Battle the Dark
Cleric is that class that every party wants one of in their party, as they are by far the mostreliable class for keeping their party healthy, and also reviving fallen allies. They often become the most valued but also underestimated members of the party, as just because they are the designated healer, doesn’t mean they can’t make life hell for the opposing team.
With so many domains for the player to choose from, they will be spoiled for choice when creating their Cleric, as they don’t just need to stick to the life domain for healing, they could go for death or grave, as these both would be perfectly apropos for a horror campaign. But, players could also decide to become a beacon of hope in a hopeless world by going for light or life, defying the dark and cruel world around them, and in turn giving others the courage to hope for a better world.
3Rogue
Relieve Others of their Valuables or their Lives
Rogue’s are one of the bread and butter classes forDungeons and Dragons, as every party wantssomeone who is sneaky, can disable harmful traps and pick open locked chests, as they are bound to have something useful inside. They tend to attract a certain type of role-player, usually those who favor morbid lone-wolf kind of characters, whose personality would be perfect for a horror campaign.
But they don’t just have to be a thief either, as Rogue’s have a wide array of subclasses, so there is something for everything. Maybe they can trick others with their magic, or are just an assassin, ready to kill their opponents without even being noticed. Whichever way the player goes, their Rogue is bound to fit into a horror campaign.
2Warlock
Form a Pact with a Powerful Being
Warlocks are among the most popular choice of class in any campaign, but given their nature, and the themes of some of the patrons, they are perfect for a horror campaign. They are one of the many caster classes in D&D, and they gain their power by forming a pact with a powerful being, from an angelic being, to an eldritch abomination, and even a sentient magical weapon.
By entering into these pacts, Warlocks gain magic powers that may be a bit darker than other casters, as most are all about dealing power rather than aiding allies, unless they pick a celestial patron. These adventurers are literally selling their soul, or body, or mind to the patron, so one can bet this is a darker class, perfect for those whodon’t want a happy ending, and for those preparing for a horror campaign.
1Blood Hunter
The Ultimate Monster Hunter
One of Matthew Mercer’s creations, the Blood Hunter is a classinspired by the likes ofThe Witcher, as these hunters are all about dabbling in magic, alchemy, or even becoming part beast themselves in order to level the playing field when coming face to face against monsters.
Every horror campaign is going to have dark and frightening creatures in spades, so it would only make sense that a player might choose to play a Blood Hunter, especially if their character is a native to the campaign setting, rather than someone newly arrived into the dark world. Not only that, but blood is a key word in this classes name, as they have found ways to wield their shed blood in a way that is certainly disturbing, and more befitting a horror campaign than one with more whimsy.
