Aarakocra Guide 5e

Which 5e Classes Work With Aarakocra?

Artificer: Free concentration-less flight is great for a spellcaster like the Artificer. The ASI spread isn’t great though.

• Updated: Seeing as the ASI array can be anything you want, this option is much more attractive over the original Aarakocra. 1st level flight is the main reason you'd be going with an Aarakocra but doesn't change the fact that you're giving up your medium armor for evasion + movement options.

Barbarian: Barbarians need to be in melee range to tank for their parties. Flying around and no beneficial racial bonuses means this race does not work for this class.

Bard: Free concentration-less flight is great for a spellcaster like the bard. The ASI spread isn’t great though.

• Updated: 1st level, concentrationless flight, an extra spell, and a beneficial ASI array make this an extremely attractive option for bards.

Cleric: Good racial bonuses and flight is powerful, especially for DEX-based builds.

• Updated: 1st level, concentrationless flight, an extra spell, and a beneficial ASI array make this an extremely attractive option for ranged clerics. Melee clerics will likely be wearing heavy armor, which will restrict the Aarakocra's flight.

Druid: Great racial bonuses and gets around the "no flying" caveat to wild shape.

• Updated: 1st level, concentrationless flight, an extra spell, and a beneficial ASI array make this an extremely attractive option for druids.

Fighter: Most fighters need to be in melee range in order to dish out damage and tank for the party, though the added mobility is nice. A ranged fighter however will absolutely love getting flight at 1st-level.

• Updated: Tankier builds who wear heavy armor and want to be in melee range won't have any use for the Aarakocra's flight, which is it's best ability by far. Ranged builds who are fine wearing light armor and staying at a distance will love the flight at 1st level and may have some use for the natural weapons and spell the race provides.

Monk: With the exception of Kensei monks, most monks don't have a ton of ranged options which makes the Aarakocra's flight significantly less attractive

Paladin: Paladins will want to be on the ground and tanking. Plus, their ranged options are awful.

Ranger: Perfect racial bonuses and flight make this an ideal race for a ranger.

• Updated: Tankier builds who wear medium armor and want to be in melee range won't have any use for the Aarakocra's flight, which is it's best ability by far. Ranged builds who are fine wearing light armor and staying at a distance will love the flight at 1st level and may have some use for the natural weapons and spell the race provides.

Rogue: Solid racial bonuses and flight can get you into situations with advantage for sneak attack quite easily.

• Updated: Both ranged and melee rogues will love the 1st level flight that Aarakocras provide. Because they can use their bonus action to disengage, they'll have no trouble making an attack, disengaging, then flying out of reach. The Aarakocra's Talons allows for a decent offhand option as it does more damage than a dagger, but can't be thrown.

Sorcerer: The only beneficial thing here is flight.

• Updated: 1st level, concentrationless flight, an extra spell, and a beneficial ASI array make this an extremely attractive option for sorcerers.

Warlock: The only beneficial thing here is flight.

• Updated: 1st level, concentrationless flight, an extra spell, and a beneficial ASI array make this an extremely attractive option for warlocks.

Wizard: The only beneficial thing here is flight.

• Updated: 1st level, concentrationless flight, an extra spell, and a beneficial ASI array make this an extremely attractive option for wizards.