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The best representations of the power fantasies D&D has had
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<blockquote data-quote="Remathilis" data-source="post: 9291827" data-attributes="member: 7635"><p>This is very important to remember.</p><p></p><p>Each edition is built on very different assumptions of what it means to be X class. You can track any class in 5e and look at its origins and five at least 5 different classes that look or play almost nothing like the others. Some classes feel pretty close (wizard, with the exception of 4e, all feels built on the same chassis, while bard hasn't looked remotely similar twice.)</p><p></p><p>That said, if you want how close it hews to the trope, here is mine.</p><p></p><p>Artificer: I kinda feel the original was best at the builder/gadget trope, but it was very hard to play that. </p><p></p><p>Barbarian: they all suck? No, that's not fair. The 5e one is fun to play if a little over note, but it's hard to make them unique vs fighters without resorting to supernatural abilities.</p><p></p><p>Bard: if the core concept is Jack of all trades, 2e bard. If the concept is a magical entertainer, I'm going to say 4e at least feels it's not just a fighter/mage/thief hybrid.</p><p></p><p>Cleric: if we're allowing 2e specialty priests, you cannot best the diversity of that. If not, uhh I'm going 5e. The domain system feels the most fleshed out of them.</p><p></p><p>Druid: an odd inverse relationship exists: the farther the druid gets from a specific cult with strange rules, the more playable it gets. As such, I kinda think 3.5 threads the needle between nature priests and specific religion the best. </p><p></p><p>Fighter: the idea of 3e's build your own class with feats is simply amazing. Too bad they botched it with feat trees and prestige classes. </p><p></p><p>Monk: Monk spent the majority of its life as the weird mechanics class that never quite worked. At least 4e did not feel UP or like it was using rules for a different game.</p><p></p><p>Paladin: the reverse of druid, the easier it became to play, the more fun it was to do so. 5e got this one right.</p><p></p><p>Ranger: Aragorn the class was far too niche. Surprisingly, I'm going with 2e. 2e laid down that a D&D ranger should be (light armor, tracking, stealth, a few spells and two weapons) and every edition since that has tried to do that again and failed. It's a quirk of the system that 2e was able to make a ranger with niche protection, and it will never work that well again.</p><p></p><p>Rogue: IMHO, the only class that has gotten better with each iteration. AD&D thieves sucked past 5th level unless you were multiclassed. 3e rogues were MAD and SA immunity made them useless in a lot of situations. 4e got so close, but then they opted for stupid weapon restrictions (dagger, rapier and crossbow? Seriously?) but 5e rogues are straight gas. </p><p></p><p>Sorcerer: umm... Can I do a write in vote for Pathfinder? 3e sorcs were weak, 4e sorcs were pigeonholed, and 5e took the worst of both. That said, I have high hopes for the 24 sorcerer...</p><p></p><p>Warlock: 4e made them feel like a real class, not a homebrew class that somehow ended up in the PHB. </p><p></p><p>Wizard: you can't beat the raw power of 3e wizards. It was broken and glorious. </p><p></p><p>But even then, you have to compare apples to apples. As cool as a 4e monk or bard was, it would not work outside the design of 4e. The 2e ranger only works because there was no skill system of any worth. Ultimately, each has it's strengths and weaknesses.</p><p></p><p>Except sorcerer. That's pure weakness across the board.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Remathilis, post: 9291827, member: 7635"] This is very important to remember. Each edition is built on very different assumptions of what it means to be X class. You can track any class in 5e and look at its origins and five at least 5 different classes that look or play almost nothing like the others. Some classes feel pretty close (wizard, with the exception of 4e, all feels built on the same chassis, while bard hasn't looked remotely similar twice.) That said, if you want how close it hews to the trope, here is mine. Artificer: I kinda feel the original was best at the builder/gadget trope, but it was very hard to play that. Barbarian: they all suck? No, that's not fair. The 5e one is fun to play if a little over note, but it's hard to make them unique vs fighters without resorting to supernatural abilities. Bard: if the core concept is Jack of all trades, 2e bard. If the concept is a magical entertainer, I'm going to say 4e at least feels it's not just a fighter/mage/thief hybrid. Cleric: if we're allowing 2e specialty priests, you cannot best the diversity of that. If not, uhh I'm going 5e. The domain system feels the most fleshed out of them. Druid: an odd inverse relationship exists: the farther the druid gets from a specific cult with strange rules, the more playable it gets. As such, I kinda think 3.5 threads the needle between nature priests and specific religion the best. Fighter: the idea of 3e's build your own class with feats is simply amazing. Too bad they botched it with feat trees and prestige classes. Monk: Monk spent the majority of its life as the weird mechanics class that never quite worked. At least 4e did not feel UP or like it was using rules for a different game. Paladin: the reverse of druid, the easier it became to play, the more fun it was to do so. 5e got this one right. Ranger: Aragorn the class was far too niche. Surprisingly, I'm going with 2e. 2e laid down that a D&D ranger should be (light armor, tracking, stealth, a few spells and two weapons) and every edition since that has tried to do that again and failed. It's a quirk of the system that 2e was able to make a ranger with niche protection, and it will never work that well again. Rogue: IMHO, the only class that has gotten better with each iteration. AD&D thieves sucked past 5th level unless you were multiclassed. 3e rogues were MAD and SA immunity made them useless in a lot of situations. 4e got so close, but then they opted for stupid weapon restrictions (dagger, rapier and crossbow? Seriously?) but 5e rogues are straight gas. Sorcerer: umm... Can I do a write in vote for Pathfinder? 3e sorcs were weak, 4e sorcs were pigeonholed, and 5e took the worst of both. That said, I have high hopes for the 24 sorcerer... Warlock: 4e made them feel like a real class, not a homebrew class that somehow ended up in the PHB. Wizard: you can't beat the raw power of 3e wizards. It was broken and glorious. But even then, you have to compare apples to apples. As cool as a 4e monk or bard was, it would not work outside the design of 4e. The 2e ranger only works because there was no skill system of any worth. Ultimately, each has it's strengths and weaknesses. Except sorcerer. That's pure weakness across the board. [/QUOTE]
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