Best D&D Classes For Harengon Characters | Screen Rant
The Harengon are a recent addition to the playable roster of Dungeons & Dragons races, and they provide a great source for creative players to create new character builds. Debuting in The Wild Beyond The Witchlight adventure, they have a unique set of strengths to play with. Fans of animal races and fey will both find something to enjoy with them.
A race of bipedal rabbits from the beautiful but surprisingly dangerous Feywild, Harengons are energetic, lucky creatures. They can add their proficiency bonus to their initiative rolls and Perception checks, use their Lucky Footwork to add a d4 to a failed Dexterity saving throw, and use Rabbit Hop to leap long distances as a bonus action. In short, they have a set of bonuses that are simple, but almost always useful, making them viable for many types of interesting D&D character builds.
Harengons were just recently added to D&D, so there is still plenty of time for players and DMs to experiment with them. Considering what an unexplored quantity they are, it is the perfect time to test out some Harengon character builds. Their natural agility and luck make them suitable for several potential roles in a party.
Rogues are some of the most useful party members in Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, they're so vital that some say other classes need their selection of skills. With their stealth, ability to find and disarm traps, and talents in misdirection, they are a major source of help anytime the party needs to engage in a little subterfuge. A Harengon's unique set of advantages are perfectly designed to make Rogues better at exactly what they need to do. Mobility and deftness are the two most vital attributes of a Rogue, and the Harengon's natural abilities play perfectly into the archetype.
The Harengon Rogue will likely be the quickest and most evasive member of the party thanks to her mobility-enhancing abilities. Being able to act quickly will help them move exactly where they need to go before the enemy gets a turn. Their bonuses to perception and Dexterity saving throws make Harengons naturally talented when it comes to finding and deactivating traps, as well as getting themselves out of harm's way in case the trap goes off. Considering that D&D campaigns can be full of unexpected traps, being able to circumvent them is an incredibly important ability. When in combat, Rabbit Hop is a perfect repositioning tool to let the Harengon Rogue leap behind an unaware or distracted opponent in order to pull off a sneak attack.
Considering the Harengons' selection of attributes, the creators may well have planned for them to have a natural affinity for being played as Rogues. However, preferred classes are no longer a part of D&D. Whether or not it was intended, a Harengon Rogue is an amazing option for players who love deception and like having extra options for when a plan goes awry.
Rangers, unfortunately, have developed a reputation among many D&D players as a fairly weak class, so much that rangers should be revised significantly in 5.5. Despite the reputation, with proper planning and tactics, they can be absolutely devastating, even outside of their favored terrain. A key part of this approach is the Ranger's Hunter specialization, which puts less emphasis on the ranger's more passive abilities in favor of making them a lethal force in combat. In particular, abilities like Colossus Slayer, Volley, and Uncanny Dodge make a Hunter a frighteningly skilled combatant.
A Harengon Hunter combined these keen combat skills with his own enhanced mobility, creating a warrior of nature that makes the first strike and keeps the enemy from retaliating. For combat, the Harengon Hunter should be equipped with a bow for ranged combat, and for flavor, a weapon that can double as a survival tool, like an axe or machete. D&D combat should always be fun and dynamic, and the Haregon Hunter can provide plenty of excitement. In a fight, his first move should be to survey the area for a vantage point, and use his Rabbit Hop to reach it, preferably a spot that would be difficult to reach easily. From there, the Harengon Hunter would act like a sniper, using the high ground to pepper his enemies with shots, and using Volley to punish them for grouping together. In case an enemy does reach him, he can use his melee weapon and Colossus Slayer to repel their injured target.
To add a bit of extra punch to his skillset, a Harengon Hunter may want to take a couple of levels in fighter to benefit from the Archer Fighting Style, adding an extra bonus to ranged attack rolls. Hunter is a simple yet powerful D&D Ranger subclass, and the Harengon Hunter lives up to that by focusing on being the deadliest archer possible. While possibly not providing the full brute force of a Fighter or Barbarian, it is a role that can add some nice flavor for someone who wants to play a powerhouse in combat, but doesn't want to be a knight or mercenary type.
A Bard is usually a utility player similar to a rogue, although their skills are more social than adventure-focused. A silver tongue and boundless charisma are hallmarks of a successful Bard, in addition to the ability to back up their friends in a fight. Considering a Harengon's existing natural abilities, there is a solid opportunity to make a very fun and flavorful Bard character.
For this Harengon Bard, his performance ability would only be a small part of what they're capable of. With a Bard's expected talent and versatility in D&D, they rely upon a bevy of skills to get by. Quick with a word and a smile, they smooth-talks their way through every city the party encounters, seeking both information and fortune in equal measures. Using their sharp eyes, they survey every room and turn games of both skill and chance to their favor. When a Bard's plans take a wrong turn, their quick reflexes grant them the first move, and their Rabbit Hop acts as an escape strategy for when a scene gets too messy.
People who like to play a more unscrupulous, morally ambiguous character in D&D could have plenty of fun with this Harengon Bard. While his talents are not primarily combat-focused, they bring an abundance of roleplay opportunities and social advantages. Bards are popular for their flexibility, so it's worth trying out the unique advantages of the build. It's still too soon to see how popular Harengon will be with players, but they have plenty of potential for fantastic character builds. It's a perfect time to try new ideas and see how they turn out. With Dungeons & Dragons continuing to add new playable races and refine old mechanics, the game has a bright future.