Our Ranking For The Most Interesting Races in D&D

D&D is one of the most amazing games on the planet. It has been the benchmark for fantasy tabletop gaming for years now. And it has seen a huge resurgence in recent years thanks to gameplay channels like Critical Role and Dimension 20. Not to mention the D&D movie and video games such as Baudlers Gate 3.

One of the best parts of D&D is creating your character. Getting to roll up a powerful wizard or step into the shoes of a cunning rogue. But your class isn’t the only important decision you face when making your character. You have to also consider their race. The worlds of D&D are filled with amazing races. Some are staples of most fantasy series. Some are far more unique. Today we are ranking the most interesting races in D&D.

Githyanki

The Githyanki were one of the more obscure D&D races until the release of Baldur’s Gate 3. Hailing from the Astral Plane, these pointy-eared warriors are resilient, fearsome, and fervently dedicated to the eradication of their arch-enemies: the fearsome Mind Flayers.

The Githyanki, or Gith, were once slaves to the Mind Flayers. But they rebelled and are now a fully fledged empire in their own right. Their most powerful warriors are gifted red dragons by the Dragon Goddess Tiamat. They are often experts in martial combats, as well as powerful mages and psychics. What makes the Gith truly fascinating is their alien feel. Since they come from the Astral plane, while they are present in the material plane they have to deal with a lot of culture shock. Which makes for interesting roleplaying opportunities for any player.

Mind Flayers

The Illithids are most commonly known as Mind Flayers. They are one of the most powerful, ruthless, and dangerous races in D&D. Able to travel the multiverse and dominate the minds of most species they encounter. Mind Flayers are the very definition of your End Game Boss.

Mind Flayers are most recognisable by their bulbous heads and tentacled mouths. They enthrall armies of slaves to do their bidding and fight their wars. But this doesn’t mean they aren’t fearsome foes in their own right. They can be found working alone. But their goals are often for the collective good of their colony, which is working at the behest of an Elder Brain.

Mind Flayers aren’t really a playable race in D&D, due to their high power level. But they make a fantastic addition to any campaign. Providing a very real threat for your players to tackle. Mind Flayers recently saw a huge resurgence in popularity, again thanks to Baulder’s Gate 3.

Vampires

Lords of the night. Masters of blood. Charming, powerful, and deadly. Vampires are a staple of D&D. Both as a playable race and as a fearsome foe for a party to face off against. Vampires aren’t unique to D&D by any stretch of the imagination. But D&D allows players to live out their vampire fantasy.

Vampires often reside in luxurious castles, using vampire spawn and an army of thralls to do their bidding. They lure unsuspecting victims to their home to feast on their blood. Armed with powerful magic and super-human strength, they are no easy foe to conquer.

A vampire’s castle makes for an interesting dnd castle battle map too, if you’re looking for something to really shake up your campaign. On the surface their domains are often inviting and elegant. But they are riddled with traps and dangerous creatures designed to really test your players.

Tiefling

Tieflings are an extremely popular and versatile race for players to be in D&D. Their ancestors were humans who became infused with the magic of the fiendish planes. They now resemble devils, with dark red skin and horns.

Despite their connection to the Hells, Tieflings need not be evil. They are powerful mages and resilient fighters. Having your home be in the infernal realms opens up a world of possibilities in terms of magical artifacts and adventures. They are very popular amongst Bard players, as the idea of being a seductive devil is something a lot of D&D players will love.

Beholder

The poster child of D&D. A Beholder is a spherical creature with one giant eye on their body, and many smaller eye-tentacles protruding from their body. Each of their eyes can channel powerful magic, making them formidable foes.

Beholder’s are one of the most powerful psychic species in D&D. Their very dreams can be forced into existence due to their power. This makes them extremely paranoid and reclusive. The lair of a Beholder is often a labyrinth of puzzles, dangerous monsters, and traps. And if the players manage to bypass all that, they will then have to face off against the Beholder itself. Which is one of the most difficult fights in D&D.