D&D 5E What Classes in PHB?

[Tony Vargas]

Warlord-like fighters can be created with the Battlemaster subclass.

http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4ll/20140401

Not from what's revealed in that article.

There's one maneuver a bit like a 4e Warlord at-will (except it's a short-rest recharge) and one a bit like a Warlord Utility (so, 2 out of a couple hundred, yipee), but really a bit more like a fighter encounter.

The Battlemaster, with 16 maneuvers to choose from, does sound like a 4e fighter. /One/ 4e fighter, who chose the 16 exploits most closely resembling those maneuvers, that is.

And Short-Rest recharge? Short rests in 5e are an hour - a completely uninterrupted hour - making them hardly easier to squeeze into an adventuring day than long rests.

But we'll have to wait & see. Maybe the maneuvers will be quite broad and powerful - as benefits they're infrequent re-charge, and the Battlemaster will get more than a paltry two dice...

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I know that it's very likely that the Warlord may be recreated with 2 maneuvers in particular of the battlemaster, but I seem to remember some vague statement about them throwing a bone to those who wanted some sort of warrior that heals others. They could have very well been referring to the Valor Bard though.

I certainly feel that it's probably going to be the Wizard and then the Cleric that get the most subclasses, and many of the classes in the PHB are probably only going to get 2.

The other list in comparison to everything I know from the last public playtest document, well I never even saw fighting style choices as being a subclass in any way as they are commonly shared between classes. While that other list in comparison seems to remove some of the style choices from some classes, the playtest document didn't. The way of the shadow that was rumoured for Monk, well it could be the shadowdancer that was rumoured to be.

I know in some way that almost makes it so that most of the 3.5e core prestige classes do show up in some form among the subclasses.

 

[jadrax]

I know in some way that almost makes it so that most of the 3.5e core prestige classes do show up in some form among the subclasses.

It would be sensible for them to try and get all the core SRD Prestige Classes into the game in some way.

So looking at the list:

Arcane Archer: This was a Feat at one point.
Arcane Trickster: This is a rumored sub-class of Rogue.
Assassin: This is a rumored sub-class of Rogue.
Dragon Disciple: This is a rumored sub-class of Sorcerer.
Duelist: This was a Feat at one point.
Eldritch Knight: This is a rumored sub-class of Fighter.
Shadowdancer: This is a rumored sub-class of Monk (Path of Shadow).

From the SRD that leaves:

Archmage
Blackguard
Dwarven Defender
Hierophant
Horizon Walker
Loremaster
Mystic Theurge
Thaumaturgist

 

[Thaumaturge]

It would be sensible for them to try and get all the core SRD Prestige Classes into the game in some way.

In a podcast, I think, Mearls mentioned they whiteboarded all of the iconic character concepts for D&D. It was their goal to get as many of those in the PH(B) as possible.

So looking at the list:

Arcane Archer: This was a Feat at one point.
Arcane Trickster: This is a rumored sub-class of Rogue.

It's not just rumoured. 5B makes explicit reference to "arcane tricksters".

Assassin: This is a rumored sub-class of Rogue.
Dragon Disciple: This is a rumored sub-class of Sorcerer.
Duelist: This was a Feat at one point.
Eldritch Knight: This is a rumored sub-class of Fighter.

Eldritch knight is mentioned in the same sentence as arcane trickster in 5B.

Shadowdancer: This is a rumored sub-class of Monk (Path of Shadow).

From the SRD that leaves:

Archmage

Could be considered incorporated into the wizard as a whole. Wizards get more than just more spells as they level. They manipulate those spells better.

Blackguard

Probably a paladin subclass.

Dwarven Defender

Dwarf fighter with the protection style.

Hierophant

Same as archmage. This seems to be rolled up into domains. But I'm not super familiar.

Horizon Walker
Loremaster

I don't really know enough about these to judge.

Mystic Theurge

Is no longer necessary. A straight cleric/wizard multiclass achieves this now.

Thaumaturgist

Is just awesome and everyone should be one. Until outleveling it.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Xodis]

I like these lists, and anything making it easier to become an Arcane Archer than how 3x had it, is fine by me Im curious how guns are going to work out this edition though. I know it was mentioned that guns are included in the DMG, but I hope that there isn't a specific class like PF did it. Here is how I would like to see it.

Gunslinger = Fighter Subclass

Gun Mage = Arcane class feat

Sniper/Big game Hunter = Ranger Subclass

Pirate = Rogue Subclass

 

[Nergal Pendragon]

I think they'll end up doing gun users as their own class just due to how many people hate gun users in DnD.

 

[jadrax]

Pirate = Rogue Subclass

I think Pirate is probably better handled as a Background, so people are free to play Pirate Fighters, Rogues, Fighter/Rogues or even Barbarians to their heart's content.

 

[Xodis]

I think Pirate is probably better handled as a Background, so people are free to play Pirate Fighters, Rogues, Fighter/Rogues or even Barbarians to their heart's content.

Probably true, would be a good way to get a gun proficiency as well.

I think they'll end up doing gun users as their own class just due to how many people hate gun users in DnD.

Other than people against that particular flavor, I dont think we will have the issues with Guns like we did in 3x since its not against "Touch AC" only the normal AC everyone has. That being said I could see firearms making crossbows useless unless its handled carefully.

 

[Nergal Pendragon]

Other than people against that particular flavor, I dont think we will have the issues with Guns like we did in 3x since its not against "Touch AC" only the normal AC everyone has. That being said I could see firearms making crossbows useless unless its handled carefully.

Guns hitting touch AC is a Pathfinder thing. In the 3.x DnD books, they didn't have that feature. You can pick up the DMG and check out their stats. In general, I found they were handled very well.

Ironically, if we wanted to be realistic, crossbows should hit touch AC. They were specifically made to counter armor.

 

[steeldragons]

Guns have no business in a D&D game. Period.

Leave yer arquebuses back to WoW and "Gunslingers" are welcome to stay firmly entrenched in Pathfinder.

No guns. Not up for debate. Non-negotiable.