In theory I don't mind 3-4 classes. As long as subclasses massively change the entire playstyle, and the builds are really customisable.
But in practice, we'd be more likely to get 3-4 classes, with even less build choice and subclass impact than 5e on top of that.
Leaving a huge chunk of...
Making subclasses is easier said than done. It takes some pretty decent knowledge of game design to create something which fits with 5e and is balanced.
Pretty much 99% of homebrew subclasses I see are either wildly unbalanced, ignore 5e design conventions, or use language which doesn't fit...
5e multiclassing has always felt tacked on. Like it was thrown in on the Friday before release. It completely ignores tiers of play and expected character progression.
I definitely prefer how Pathfinder does it, with multiclassing being feat based.
Thing is, at this point I'd love a 6e.
But I'm 100% sure that they would make every single part of the game, without fail, something I hate. They've already stated they want less classes, while I want more.
So for now at least, I'm going to keep clinging onto 5e as long as possible.
I feel 5e was an amazing and solid foundation to build upon when it first came out.
But they never built on it. And that foundation is now weathering away and covered in moss from neglect.
Yeah to me, 5.5e is just looking like a big sidegrade. I see absolutely no reason to switch over from 5e. Pretty much every single thing I liked and enjoyed from the playtests got canned.
I was really hoping for a shared maneuver system between all martials. That way new books can add new...
I'm not a fan of that personally, as I prefer subclasses to directly work with the main classes features. Like barbarian features doing things on rage, or druid having alternate ways to use wildshape.
I've always felt that the swashbuckler should be a fighter subclass, rather than a rogue. Rogue can't use a scimitar or cutlass, and can't use a buckler, leading to the subclass not able to do anything which people picture it doing.
I feel this works in theory, but in practice 5e subclasses are such a tiny part of the power budget that they completely fail to scratch the same itch as when they were a full class.
Some classes are worse than others for this.
If subclasses were a big part of the mechanical identity, I...
Ah this thread again. Ok these are the ones I'd pick for a 'PHB 2'
Warlord - Support based martial.
Swordmage - Arcane half caster with an elemental theme. Spellstrike as main class feature.
Psion - Will points caster.
Pet Class - Pathfinder calls it the summoner, but that's a pretty bad name...