A Primer on 5e D&D Casters (+Half Casters)

This is a list of the casting classes and their differences. I also list the current official subclasses (whether printed in core, supplement, or unearthed arcana) for a given class. I don't go over the mechanics a subclass provides, merely just its theme.


Arcane Casters (Artificer, Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard):
Artificer
INT caster. The only arcane half-caster. Less cantrips. Prepares spells like a Wizard, but does not need a spellbook. Can infuse magic into items, and replicate existing magic items (ex. Bag of Holding). Spell slots recharge on long rest. Basically the magitek class. Magic derived by treating it as a science and trying to decode the complex system of the Weave to use it for their own devices.
	Subclasses for the Artificer are what form of magitek the Artificer chooses to specialize in:
	Alchemist: Potions can be considered one of the earliest forms of magitek. You seek to further the field.
	Armorer: You've suited up in some Power Armor. Y'know, like Samus. Or Iron Man.
	Artillerist: You're an Engineer. You solve practical problems. With solutions such as an arcane cannon. More Gun.
	Battle Smith: Robotics. You try to protect and also be a field medic, with a robotic operating buddy at your side.

Bard
CHA caster. Less cantrips. More levelled spells. Many support abilities to fill a variety of roles. Can only change spells on level-up. Spell slots recharge on long rest. Magic derived by music/song/dance, being emotion given form, an echo of when gods spoke Creation into existence.
	Subclasses for the Bard are what Bardic College the Bard's style is modeled on:
	Creation: Extraplanar studies, learning to tap into truths most can't know without having traversed the planes.
	Eloquence: Masters of the art of oratory. Logic and theatrical wordplay are their bread and butter.
	Glamour: Learned their trade in the Feywild or through someone who's been there. Performers who beguile and mystify.
	Lore: A more general sort of Bard who explores and takes in a bit of everything to use as their muse.
	Satire: Jesters who seek to only spread the truth, even if in a mocking way.
	Spirits: Look into stories of the past of spirits, whatever they may be. Even the Bard may not know.
	Swords: Daring feats of weapon prowess such as sword swallowing, knife throwing, and juggling.
	Valor: Tellers of tales of heroism and inspiration. They seek to spread the knowledge of such and in turn inspire others.
	Whispers: Pretenders who seek secrets to use against others. Considered a parasite by the other colleges.

Sorcerer
CHA caster. More cantrips. Less levelled spells, but can alter them before casting. Can only change spells on level-up. Can create temp spell slots. Spell slots recharge on long rest. Magic derived by their very being, whether through bloodline, their soul, or perhaps even a knot in the Weave.
	Subclasses for the Sorcerer are what their Sorcerous Origin is that explains their nature:
	Clockwork Soul: Somehow, you've been linked with Mechanus, the Lawful Neutral Plane of Nirvana, a place of utmost Order.
	Divine Soul: Somehow, there is a divine spark within, a glimmer of a blessed soul.
	Draconic Bloodline: Somehow, you have the blood of dragons flowing through you. Perhaps your father was a Bard.
	Giant Soul: Somehow, you have a shard of the magic from ancient giants within. A gift once thought lost.
	Phoenix: Somehow, you are linked with the immortal flame of such a creature.
	Psionic Soul: Somehow, the illumination of psionic power has manifested within.
	Sea: Somehow, your heritage ties to powerful creatures of the sea. You feel the call of the ocean at all times.
	Shadow: Somehow, you've been linked with the Shadowfell, a dark mirror of the Prime Material.
	Stone: Somehow, you have a mystical link with the earth around you.
	Storm: Somehow, the magic of the storm permeates your very being.
	Wild: Somehow, you have become a conduit for raw magic, the wild forces of chaos underlying all creation.

Warlock
CHA caster. Less cantrips initially but can potentially have the most. Less levelled spells, but can potentially have some as At-Will abilities. Can only change spells on level-up. Least amount of spell slots, but they recharge on short rest. Spell slots level with you. Magic derived by their connection with their patron, a catalyst that lit up an eldritch spark within, and harnessed via occult research. The most customizable class in the game.
	Subclasses for the Warlock come from who or what their Patron is:
	Archfey: A powerful entity of the Feywild, likely a Lord or Lady of the Fey.
	Celestial: A powerful being from the Upper Planes.
	Fiend: A powerful being from the Lower Planes.
	Genie: Your patron is the rarest kind of genie, a noble one.
	Great Old One: Your patron is a mysterious entity whose nature is utterly foreign to the fabric of reality.
	Hexblade: Your patron is a sentient weapon from the Shadowfell.
	Lolth: Your patron is the Queen of Spiders, the most influential goddess of drow.
	Lurker in the Deep: Your patron lurks somewhere deep in the ocean, or perhaps even the Elemental Plane of Water.
	Raven Queen: Your patron is the goddess of Death.
	Seeker: A conceptual entity who represent the pursuit of knowledge.
	Undead: Your patron is an ancient undead being. Perhaps an old Lich, perhaps a Vampire, there are many options.
	Undying: A broader category representing simply conquering death, whether through undeath or otherwise.

Wizard
INT caster. Average cantrips. Prepares spells, so you have access to whatever is in your spellbook. Spells can be changed daily. Can scribe found Wizard spells into your spellbook. Spellbook expands on level up. Has the largest variety of spells. Spell slots recharge on long rest. You can regain some spell slots after a short rest, once a day. Magic derived through learning and tempered by their studies.
	Subclasses for the Wizard are what Arcane Tradition shapes their focus:
	Abjuration: Keeps you safe and almost makes your armor fair. Magic that blocks, banishes, or protects.
	Bladesinging: An Elf tradition, a blend of sword fighting with cunning magic use.
	Chronurgy: The manipulation of Time, an oft taboo subject among mages.
	Conjuration: Portals and make stuff for free.
	Divination: Helps you sense, commune, and talk to animals.
	Enchantment: Buff, debuff, or in-between.
	Evocation: Elements to burn or shock or freeze your friends.
	Graviturgy: SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE~
	Illusion: Audiovisual tricks to prank the brain.
	Invention: The mad scientists of the wizarding world, always looking into new forms of magic. Masters of innovation.
	Lore Mastery: The most academic of the schools, studying the Weave and testing theories.
	Necromancy: Spares the dying, or you could just resurrect them.
	Onomancy: Magic utilizing the power behind the knowledge of True Names.
	Psionics: Study the mind and are usually referred to as mentalists.
	Scribes: Study and recording of magical tomes and scrolls, to eventually awaken their own spellbook as a companion.
	Theurgy: Arcane study blended with religious devotion.
	Transmutation: Turning things into other things.
	War: Looks at both Evocation and Abjuration to try and have a balance of offense and defense.



Divine Casters (Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger):
Cleric
WIS caster. More cantrips. Has access to entire spell list and prepares spells from it daily. Can be martially inclined and do it well. Gains many supportive abilities to further empower their class to allow them to excel in their chosen position of frontline or backline. Spell slots recharge on long rest. Magic gained through worship and devotion to an otherworldly power, usually a god. Power fueled by faith and one's beliefs.
	Subclasses for the Cleric are in what Divine Domain is related to their deity:
	Arcana: Deities of magic, whether representing magic itself or just the study of it.
	City: Deities of community, commerce, and even architecture of civilizations.
	Death: Exactly what it says on the tin.
	Forge: Deities of the forge and artisans, who teach the value of hard work.
	Grave: Those who watch over life and death. Tend to the dead and allow them to rest peacefully.
	Knowledge: Deities of learning and understanding.
	Life: Opposite to the deities of death.
	Light: Some are beacons of good, others are a guiding light.
	Nature: Basically getting your druid fix while remaining a cleric.
	Order: As opposed to Chaos.
	Protection: Shielding the weak from the strong.
	Tempest: Governing sea and sky, the power of the storm.
	Trickery: A mischievous lot. A bit more fey oriented, like possibly something out of a fable.
	Twilight: Governs the transition of light into darkness, a time of rest and comfort, but also the threshold of the unknown.
	Unity: Governs precious bonds between comrades and those between couples.
	War: Excelling in battle, knowing when to fight the good fight, and inspiring others to do the same.

Druid
WIS caster. Less cantrips. Prepares spells like a Cleric. Similar range of equipment to Clerics, but cannot wear metal and is not as martially inclined. Gains natural shapeshifting (into beasts) abilities, allowing them to fill a variety of roles including tanking (rare for a caster). Spell slots recharge on long rest. Magic gained through communion with nature.
	Subclasses for the Druid are in what Druidic Circle they belong to:
	Dreams: Ties to the Feywild and other dreamlike realms. Seeks to fill the world with dreamlike wonder.
	Land: Sages who safeguard knowledge through oral tradition. Have a mystical connection to their environment.
	Moon: Guardians of the wild, who have improved their shapeshifting abilities.
	Shepard: Communing with the spirits of beasts and fey and learning to call their aid.
	Spores: Find beauty in decay and believe that life and death is one cycle.
	Stars: Tracking the stars and seeking power from the cosmos.
	Twilight: A similar vein to the Circle of Spores but with a more proactive approach, seeking to protect the cycle.
	Wildfire: Understand the necessity of destruction, such as how a forest fire promotes growth.

Paladin
CHA caster. No cantrips. Is a half-caster. Prepares spells like a Cleric. Greater range of equipment than Cleric and more martially inclined to boot. Gains support abilities that bolster the frontline allowing it much leeway on taking offensive or defensive roles. Spell slots recharge on long rest. Boasts some of the highest nova potential in a class if the dice are in your favour, but cannot do it frequently ("half as long, twice as bright"). Magic gained through devotion to an ideal and striving to meet it, the power of one's convictions and resolve. Can be sponsored by an otherworldly being in a similar vein as a Cleric.
	Subclasses for the Paladin come from the Sacred Oath they take that is the foundation of their ideology:
	Ancients: Called Fey Knights or Green Knights, they've cast their lot in with the oldest sects of light against the dark.
		Tenets: Kindle the Light. Shelter the Light. Preserve your Own Light. Be the Light.
	Conquest: Seek glory in battle and the subjugation of their enemies. Order alone isn't enough, Chaos must be actively crushed.
		Tenets: Douse the Flame of Hope. Rule with an Iron Fist. Strength Above All.
	Crown: Sworn to the ideals of civilization, be it the spirit of a nation, fealty to a sovereign, or service to a deity of law.
		Tenets: Law. Loyalty. Courage. Responsibility.
	Devotion: Called Cavaliers, or White Knights, they hold themselves to the highest standard of the "knight in shining armor".
		Tenets: Honest. Courage. Compassion. Honor. Duty.
	Glory: They believe they will achieve glory through deeds of heroism and strive to be ready when destiny calls.
		Tenets: Actions over Words. Challenges Are but Tests. Hone the Body. Discipline the Soul.
	Oathbreaker: Those whose light have been snuffed out, and have broken all bonds and ties to any oath or ideal.
		Tenets: There are none you follow anymore.
	Redemption: Anyone can be redeemed, so they believe, and so they use violence as a last resort.
		Tenets: Peace. Innocence. Patience. Wisdom.
	Treachery: Called Blackguards, they only believe in their own power and survival.
		Tenets: None. It's all about you. You might temporarily have some while you serve someone to further your goals.
	Vengeance: A solemn commitment to punish those who have sinned greatly. Basically the Batman of Paladins in a sense.
		Tenets: Fight the Greater Evil. No Mercy for the Wicked. By Any Means Necessary. Restitution.
	Watchers: Seek to protect the realm from extraplanar threats.
		Tenets: Vigilance. Loyalty. Discipline.

Ranger
WIS caster. No cantrips. Does not prepare spells. Has levelled spells, but much less of them due to being a half-caster. Is also mainly a martial class like the Paladin. Is more of a survivalist that can live off the land, having things like specific environs they excel in or enemies they're good at slaying. Spell slots recharge on long rest. Magic like Druids, just more hands-on through exploration rather than meditation.
	Subclasses for the Ranger include what archetype you seek to emulate:
	Beast Master: You embody the friendship between civilized races and the beasts of the world. You also have a beast companion.
	Fey Wanderer: You guard borders of the Feywild and the Prime Material. Guide the lost, and keep the fey where it belongs.
	Gloom Stalker: You are at home in the darkest places, including the Underdark. You will go anywhere shadows lurk.
	Horizon Walker: You guard the world against extraplanar threats, seeking out portals and the like.
	Hunter: You've decided to be a bulwark between civilization and the terrors of the wilderness.
	Monster Slayer: You went "Fuck you and the Night" and have gone full Belmont to hunt down supernatural evil.
	Primeval Guardian: You follow ancient traditions and work with druids to be one with nature in order to protect it.
	Swarmkeeper: You've gathered hosts of fey creatures to help your cause, you Disney Princess you.


Arcane vs. Divine?
It comes down to their interaction with the Weave (or Shadow Weave if applicable). Think of it like a networked mesh or a spider web separating the caster from the spell they want to cast. The Divine Caster instinctively knows exactly what thread to connect to that will lead them to their target spell. This is achieved from how deep their connection is with their source of power (see above classes). This is also why divine casters are considered holders of "The Power" (and tend to refer to magic as such). On the other hand, the Arcane Caster connects to whatever thread is available, and then manipulates the Weave (changing threads, moving things around, etc.) to get to their target spell. This is achieved through their methodology or understanding of the Weave itself (see above classes). This is also why arcane casters are considered practitioners of "The Art" (and tend to refer to magic as such).

Another way one could think of it is that the arcane are hackers while the divine have the passwords.