D&D General The best representations of the power fantasies D&D has had

[Corinnguard]

The PF1 Kineticist has probably been the best iteration of the Element Channeler

One of the designers for Level Up converted PF1's Kineticist class into the Elementalist class for Purple Martin Games' Manual of Adventurous Resources: Complete.

 

[TwoSix]

I think "power fantasy" is so subjective that I'm not sure how to answer. When I think "power fantasy," I tend to think "overpowered" relative to the other classes, so that you feel like your character is the best. And I think that's bad design.

Archetype is, again, subjective. For example, TwoSix sees the artificer archetype as Iron Man, whereas I see it as a steampunk inventor who uses gadgets to replicate magical effects.

To my mind, "power fantasy" isn't really about archetypes, or the image of the archetype. It's about possessing a capability you didn't have before.

The real Artificer power fantasy is "I'm smart enough to invent solutions to my problems." Iron Man or the steampunk gadgetmaker are both just images to overlay on that core power.

 

[Undrave]

I’d say 4E across the board. Peak power fantasy in D&D. Everyone was capable and had a stack of cool things they could do. The only class fantasy that didn’t work for was the players whose class fantasy for the wizard is being orders of magnitude better than everyone else.

And the Wizard fans never forgave us for it...

4e got so close, but then they opted for stupid weapon restrictions (dagger, rapier and crossbow? Seriously?) but 5e rogues are straight gas.

The 4e restriction were for Hand Crossbow, Shortbow, or weapons of the Light Blade and Sling group. You could pick up mace and club with the Ruthless Ruffian Rogue Tactics.

 

[Neonchameleon]

For me the 3.5 druid variant from Player's Handbook II was the best. Unlimited at will wild shape but a beast form with enhancements based off your stats and level.

Never played it but definitely a legitimate answer Tbh I think freeform shapeshifting and full casting should be on different classes.

I am just starting to play a 5e druid and it feels very much just a spellcaster with limited use turn into a weak polymorph.

Which subclass? Because Moon is the only one that really focuses on wild shape. Wildfire, Stars, and Spores all have class features that draw from the same pool as wildshape.

 

[Horwath]

I was never able to get over the presentation of 4e classes feeling like they all the same reskinned stack of cool things to do. As a result, none of them felt like any kind of power fantasy to me, because none of them felt special to me.

4E was essentially a class-less system that was bluffing that it had classes,

with everyone getting same number of at-will, encounter, daily and utility powers at the same given level, you could throw classes to the trash and just have all powers of certain level in the same pool to pick from.

 

[Neonchameleon]

4E was essentially a class-less system that was bluffing that it had classes,

with everyone getting same number of at-will, encounter, daily and utility powers at the same given level, you could throw classes to the trash and just have all powers of certain level in the same pool to pick from.

In other news 5e wizards, sorcerers, bards, clerics, and druids are all the same class.

 

[Vaalingrade]

The 4e restriction were for Hand Crossbow, Shortbow, or weapons of the Light Blade and Sling group. You could pick up mace and club with the Ruthless Ruffian Rogue Tactics.

That still doesn't justify the restriction's existence. There were a couple bafflingly 3e aesthetic and RP restrictions that survived in 4 that shouldn't have like this.

As for class power fantasies that weren't clearly won by 4:

3e's Druid, with certain PRCs was the shapeshifting master players want, while layering on the powerful spellcasting that will hopefully become vestigial.

5e's Paladin finally shrugged off all the alignment junk and holy knight expectation to become the Champion of the Cause it was meant to be.

Bards since 3e have always been excellent. They just needed 4e to teach people the concepts of Leader and Controller to come into their own.

 

[TwoSix]

4E was essentially a class-less system that was bluffing that it had classes,

with everyone getting same number of at-will, encounter, daily and utility powers at the same given level, you could throw classes to the trash and just have all powers of certain level in the same pool to pick from.

Every class system is really just a point-buy system waiting for someone to finish the spreadsheet.

 

[Voadam]

Which subclass? Because Moon is the only one that really focuses on wild shape. Wildfire, Stars, and Spores all have class features that draw from the same pool as wildshape.

Just starting and I am thinking Moon to make wildshape into animals my melee combat thing.

I mostly expect wildshape to be part of druid and maxxing out at CR 1 forms at 8th level seems a lot like a minor ability at best. Mostly trading minor wildshape for unique subclass powers is fine, it is just less iconic D&D druid for me.

Default wildshape does allow wolves at 2nd level and black bears at 4th, and that is decent druid flavor, I just don't see them as being really decent combat options.

 

[Horwath]

In other news 5e wizards, sorcerers, bards, clerics, and druids are all the same class.

very similar.
but in 4E you could take wizard, fighter, rogue or druid powers on same character and not really break anything.