Species FAQ
What are species in D&D?
A species is one of the major character-origin choices that describes what kind of people or creature your character belongs to and grants a package of game traits. Depending on the source, those traits can include size, speed, senses, languages, ability-score increases or flexible increases, resistances, proficiencies, innate magic, movement abilities, or other special features. D&D Portal uses the term Species, while older 2014 sourcebooks often use the legacy rules term race.
Species is a character-creation choice
Species is selected when creating a character and supplies rules that exist independently of the character's class.
A Human Fighter and Human Wizard share their Human species traits even though their class features are completely different.
The exact trait package depends on the source
There is no universal list of mechanics every species receives.
One species may provide Darkvision and a resistance. Another may provide extra proficiencies, a teleport, innate magic, a different movement speed, or a flexible skill.
Use the complete species entry rather than assuming a trait from a similarly named species.
2014 terminology differs from D&D Portal terminology
The 2014 Basic Rules and Player's Handbook use the term **race** for this character option.
D&D Portal uses **species** as its player-facing term.
When discussing a 2014 rule, the original term may be mentioned for source accuracy without changing the wiki's Species terminology.
Species can contribute both mechanics and story
A species entry can describe physical characteristics, lifespan, culture, history, languages, and common outlooks in addition to game traits.
Published cultural descriptions are prompts and setting information, not mandatory personality instructions for every player character.
Species and class are separate layers
Species establishes one package of traits.
Class establishes the character's main level progression, Hit Die, proficiencies, class resources and features.
Background and other character options add more layers after that.
A species name is not enough to determine its rules
Different publications can present different versions of a similarly named species.
When a character option comes from a specific source, use that source's complete trait package instead of combining traits from older or newer versions. Campaign availability is a separate question from whether the species has been officially published.