D&D General One thing I hate about the Sorcerer

[Maxperson]

If they had to take an Oath at level 1, absolutely. Except, they don't have to make that choice...

Granted, yes, in one's individual campaign, you can explain it thusly, and in fact, force players to think about their subclass choices at level 1- which really, they should, but since the game doesn't suggest this, it does come off as a bit odd.

You're both right. This is what it says.

"When you reach 3rd level, you swear the oath that binds you as a paladin forever. Up to this time you have been in a preparatory stage, committed to the path but not yet sworn to it."

While you are correct in saying that they have not yet sworn the oath, they have already chosen it and have been committed to that path, which makes @Crimson Longinus also right in saying that this is likely what gives them the first two levels of powers.

 

[Shardstone]

So why don't other people get super powers from their crazy beliefs?

Because they're not paladins. Why can't everyone just become a wizard by learning to read? Why doesn't a god make a billion followers into clerics? Some people got what it takes, some people don't.

 

[Yaarel]

I swear I explain why this pipedram doesn't work but it keeps coming back. It's allure is like the crazy person with runaway model looks of a social circle.

You'll never be able to get all the ideas a viable customer base wants to be balanced in a class based game with only 1 class. Tryying to balance Wildshape, Rage, Spellcasting, and Weapons Mastery without siloing them into different class is herculean and maddening task that almost always fails if you do not hard stick to a specific setting.

So far, the "core books" are two: Players Handbook (every rule to play the game) and Monster Manual (challenges).

The other "core book" is actually a choice of Setting Guide. It is the book that explains the fantasy setting, and how each class fits within it. We know what a Setting Guide can do, such as Eberron and Dark Sun. Also, Strixhaven, Spelljammer, Ravenloft, and so on. Setting Guides are entirely responsible for flavor.

Core rules need to remain useful for a wide variety of genres and settings.


People are still deciding what the DMs Guide should be. So far, it is mainly a Treasure Vault, a book of rewards. For 2024, players seem to also want a clear walkthru teaching a new DM how to run an encounter, and afterward, to create ones own. It is also a place for optional variant rules, like Epic tier, and alternative ability scores. Finally, solid advice on how to homebrew ones own Setting Guide.

 

[James Gasik]

I loved the Ultima retrospective.

 

[James Gasik]

The idea of what a paladin is in D&D, wiseacre, was established for some forty years prior to 5e. Even 4e didn't mess with it.

Well, except for maybe the Blackguard.

 

[James Gasik]

You're both right. This is what it says.

"When you reach 3rd level, you swear the oath that binds you as a paladin forever. Up to this time you have been in a preparatory stage, committed to the path but not yet sworn to it."

While you are correct in saying that they have not yet sworn the oath, they have already chosen it and have been committed to that path, which makes @Crimson Longinus also right in saying that this is likely what gives them the first two levels of powers.

I guess, but as I said, the whole idea of "you get your power from a source, but that source is reflected by a feature you don't get yet" is just strange design to me. I know, I know, heaven forbid multiclassed characters overrun the game, but still.

 

[Yaarel]

@Minigiant

I myself have made and used a classless class. It works fine. The trick is to ensure class features cost what they are actually worth. Features that cost the same amount MUST be about equally desirable in the aggregate. Some features are gated by level.

I started playing at the very end of 3e, designed the classless class for it, and it was far more balanced than any of the other 3e classes. Around this time, was the widespread intense criticism against 3e vancian casting and against 3e gaming imbalances, along with the emergence of 4e.

 

[Maxperson]

But how does an oath give them power at all? Where does the power come from?

Fanatical faith. Usually in both the oath and a god, but it can be an oath and some other ideal.

 

[Maxperson]

So why don't other people get super powers from their crazy beliefs?

Because the overwhelming majority of them are not zealots to the point of being able to draw power from those beliefs.

 

[Maxperson]

Well, except for maybe the Blackguard.

3e had paladins of 4 different alignments(LG, LE, CG, CE) in the UA? Another book?

2e had CG paladins of Horus.

1e had the article from Dragon Magazine, "A Plethora of Paladins" that had many different paladins of many different alignments in it.