List of character races in Dungeons & Dragons

A character race is a fundamental part of the identity and nature of characters in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

Each race has a distinct appearance, behavior and often range of statistics associated with it. The following races have appeared in D&D throughout its history.

Core races

In each edition, the core player character races are detailed in one of that edition's core rulebooks: Men & Monsters for "original" Dungeons & Dragons, the Basic Set and Rules Cyclopedia for "basic" Dungeons & Dragons and the Player's Handbook for all other editions.

Race	Editions as a core race	Sourcebooks in other editions
Dragonborn	4th, 5th	Races of the Dragon^(3.5, T)
Drow	5th	Monster Manual^(3rd, M; 3.5, M; 4th), Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting^(3rd), Underdark^(3.5), Forgotten Realms Player's Guide^(4th), Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms^(4th)
Dwarf	All
Eladrin	4th	Dungeon Master's Guide^(5th)
Elf / High Elf	All
Gnome / Rock Gnome	1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3.5, 5th	Player's Handbook II^(4th)[1]
Half-elf	1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3.5, 4th, 5th	Greyhawk^(O)
Half-orc	1st, 3rd, 3.5, 5th	Complete Book of Humanoids^(2nd), Player's Handbook II^(4th),[1] Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms^(4th)
Halfling / Hobbit	All
Human	All
Tiefling	4th, 5th	The Planewalker's Handbook^(2nd), Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting^(3rd), Monster Manual^(3.5, M), Races of Destiny^(3.5), Planar Handbook^(3.5)

Races from other sourcebooks

Race	Sourcebooks
Aarakocra	Dark Sun Campaign Setting, Expanded and Revised^(2nd), Races of Faerûn^(3rd), Dark Sun Player's Handbook^(3.5), Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerun^(3rd), Elemental Evil Players' Companion^(5th)
Aasimar / Deva	Planewalker's Handbook^(2nd), Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting^(3rd), Races of Faerûn^(3rd), Monster Manual^(3.5, M), Planar Handbook^(3.5), Races of Destiny^(3.5), Player's Handbook 2^(4th), Dungeon Master's Guide^(5th)
Armand	Monster Manual III^(3.5)
Asherati	Sandstorm^(3.5)
Aurak	Dragonlance Campaign Setting^(3.5)
Aventi	Stormwrack^(3.5)
Azer	Monster Manual^(3.5, M)
Azurin	Magic of Incarnum^(3.5)
Baaz	Dragonlance Campaign Setting^(3.5)
Bariaur	Planewalker's Handbook^(2nd), Planar Handbook^(3.5)
Bhuka	Sandstorm^(3.5)
Bladeling	Manual of the Planes^(4th)
Blue (Goblin)	Expanded Psionics Handbook^(3.5, M)
Bozak	Dragonlance Campaign Setting^(3.5)
Bullywug	Monster Manual 2^(4th, M)
Bugbear	Monster Manual^(3.5, M; 4th)
Buomman	Planar Handbook^(3.5)
Catfolk	Races of the Wild^(3.5)
Centaur	Races of Faerûn^(3rd), Monster Manual^(3.5, M), Races of the Wild^(3.5)
Changeling	Eberron Campaign Setting^(3.5), Eberron Player's Guide^(4th)
Chaos Gnome	Races of Stone^(3.5)
Chitine	Underdark^(3.5)
Crucian	Sandstorm^(3.5)
Darfellan	Stormwrack^(3.5)
Deep Imaskarri	Underdark^(3.5)
Diopsid	The Dragon Compendium, Volume 1^(3.5)
Dire Wereboar (Lycanthrope)	Monster Manual^(3.5, M, T), Races of Faerûn^(3rd, T)
Doppelganger	Monster Manual^(3.5, M), Races of Destiny^(3.5), Monster Manual^(4th)
Draconic creature	Races of the Dragon^(3.5, T)
Draotaur	Monster Manual III^(3.5)
Dragonkin	Draconomnicon^(3.5)
Dromite	Expanded Psionics Handbook^(3.5)
Duergar / Gray Dwarf	Monster Manual^(3rd, M; 3.5, M), Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting^(3rd), Underdark^(3.5), Monster Manual 2^(4th, M)
Duskling	Magic of Incarnum^(3.5)
Dvati	The Dragon Compendium, Volume 1^(3.5)
Elan	Expanded Psionics Handbook^(3.5)
Feral Gargun	Races of Stone^(3.5)
Fey'ri	Races of Faerûn^(3rd)
Frost Giant	Monster Manual^(3.5, M)
Gargoyle	Monster Manual^(3.5, M)
Genasi	Forgotten Realms Player's Guide^(4th), Elemental Evil Players' Companion^(5th)
Ghost	Ghostwalk^(3.5, T)
Githyanki	A Guide to the Astral Plane^(2nd), Monster Manual^(3.5, M; 4th)
Githzerai	Planewalker's Handbook^(2nd), Monster Manual^(3.5, M; 4th), Player's Handbook 3^(4th)
Gloaming	Underdark^(3.5)
Gnoll	Unapproachable East^(3rd), Monster Manual^(3.5, M; 4th), Races of the Wild^(3.5)
Goblin	Monster Manual^(3.5, M; 4th)
Goblinoid	Races of Faerûn^(3rd)
Goliath	Races of Stone^(3.5), Player's Handbook 2^(4th), Elemental Evil Players' Companion^(5th)
Grimlock	Monster Manual^(3.5, M), Underdark^(3.5)
Hadozee	Stormwrack^(3.5)
Hagspawn	Unapproachable East^(3rd)
Half-Celestial	Monster Manual^(3.5, M, T)
Half-Dragon	Monster Manual^(3.5, M, T), Races of the Dragon^(3.5)
Half-Fiend	Monster Manual^(3.5, M)
Half-Giant	Dark Sun Boxed Set^(2nd), Dark Sun Campaign Setting Expanded and Revised^(2nd), Expanded Psionics Handbook^(3.5)
Half-Ogre	Savage Species^(3rd), Races of Destiny^(3.5)
Hamadryad	Heroes of the Feywild^(4th)
Hellbred	Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells^(3.5)
Hengeyokai	Oriental Adventures^(3rd)
Hill Giant	Monster Manual^(3.5, M)
Hobgoblin	Monster Manual^(3.5, M; 4th)
Illumian	Races of Destiny^(3.5)
Jaebrin	Monster Manual V^(3.5)
Janni (Genie)	Monster Manual^(3.5, M)
Kalashtar	Races of Eberron^(3.5), Eberron Player's Guide^(4th)
Kapak	Dragonlance Campaign Setting^(3.5)
Kender	Dragonlance Campaign Setting^(3.5)
Kenku	Monster Manual 2^(4th, M)
Killoren	Races of the Wild^(3.5)
Kir-Lanan	Races of Faerûn^(3rd)
Kobold	Monster Manual^(3.5, M; 4th), Races of the Dragon^(3.5)
Korobokuru	Oriental Adventures^(3rd)
Kuo-toa	Underdark^(3.5)
Lich	Monster Manual^(3.5, M, T)
Lizardfolk / Lizardman	Races of Faerûn^(3rd)
Loxo	Shining South^(3.5)
Lupin	The Dragon Compendium, Volume 1^(3.5)
Maenad	Expanded Psionics Handbook^(3.5)
Mephling	Planar Handbook^(3.5)
Illithid	Monster Manual^(3.5, M)
Minotaur	Monster Manual^(3.5, M; 4th), Player's Handbook 3^(4th)
Modron, Rogue	Planewalker's Handbook^(2nd)
Mongrelfolk	Races of Destiny^(3.5)
Mul	Dark Sun Boxed Set^(2nd), Dark Sun Campaign Setting Expanded and Revised^(2nd), Dark Sun Campaign Setting^(4th)
Neanderthal	Frostburn^(3.5)
Neraphim	Planar Handbook^(3.5)
Nezumi	Oriental Adventures^(3rd)
Ogre	Monster Manual^(3.5)
Orc	Monster Manual^(3.5, M; 4th), Races of Faerûn^(3rd)
Phrenic creature	Expanded Psionics Handbook^(3.5, T)
Pixie	Monster Manual^(3.5, M), Heroes of the Feywild^(4th)
Pterran	Dark Sun Campaign Setting Expanded and Revised^(2nd)
Rakshasa	Monster Manual^(3.5, M)
Raptoran	Races of the Wild^(3.5)
Revenant	Heroes of Shadow^(4th)
Rilkan	Magic of Incarnum^(3.5)
Satyr	Monster Manual^(3.5, M), Heroes of the Feywild^(4th)
Sea Kin	Races of Destiny^(3.5)
Shadar-kai	Monster Manual^(4th)
Shade	Races of Faerûn^(3rd), Heroes of Shadow^(4th)
Shadowswyft	Planar Handbook^(3.5)
Sharakim	Cityscape^(3.5), Races of Destiny^(3.5)
Shardmind	Player's Handbook 3^(4th)
Shifter	Eberron Campaign Setting^(3.5), Monster Manual^(4th), Player's Handbook 2^(4th)[1]
Sivak	Dragonlance Campaign Setting^(3.5)
Skarn	Magic of Incarnum^(3.5)
Skulk	Races of Destiny^(3.5)
Slyth	Underdark^(3.5)
Spellscale	Races of the Dragon^(3.5, T)
Spiker	Planar Handbook^(3.5)
Spirit Folk	Oriental Adventures^(3rd), Unapproachable East^(3rd)
Stonechild	Races of Stone^(3.5)
Synad	Complete Psionic^(3.5)
Taer	Unapproachable East^(3rd)
Tanarukk	Races of Faerûn^(3rd)
Thri-Kreen	Dark Sun Boxed Set^(2nd), Dark Sun Campaign Setting Expanded and Revised^(2nd), Expanded Psionics Handbook^(3.5, M), Shining South^(3.5), Dark Sun Campaign Setting^(4th)
Tibbit	The Dragon Compendium, Volume 1^(3.5)
Troglodyte	Monster Manual^(3.5, M)
Troll	Monster Manual^(3.5, M)
Uldra	Frostburn^(3.5)
Unbodied	Expanded Psionics Handbook^(3.5, M)
Underfolk	Races of Destiny^(3.5)
Vampire	Monster Manual^(3.5, M, T)
Vanara	Oriental Adventures^(3rd)
Volodni	Unapproachable East^(3rd)
Vryloka	Heroes of Shadow^(4th)
Warforged	Eberron Campaign Setting^(3.5), Eberron Players Guide^(4th)
Wemic	Races of Faerûn^(3rd), The Complete Book of Humanoids(2nd)
Wilden	Player's Handbook 3^(4th)
Wildren	Planar Handbook^(3.5)
Xeph	Expanded Psionics Handbook^(3.5)
Yuan-ti	Races of Faerûn^(3rd), Monster Manual^(3.5)

Key

Key
O	"Original" Dungeons & Dragons
B	"Basic" Dungeons & Dragons
1st	Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
2nd	Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition
3rd	Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition
3.5	Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition
4th	Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition
5th	Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition
M	Playable race entry is contained within a monster entry
T	Playable template

References

1. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4dnd/20080814