D&D 5E What new classes do you think we need?

[devincutler]

I think we desperately need a class that can front line fight, but still be a skill monkey, and cast decent arcane blaster spells, and heal very well, and shapechange a few times per day, and charm people he speaks with, and has a cool mount that sprouts wings and breathes dragon breath. Can we get one of those?

 

[Staccat0]

I would abide some sort of Warlord (I think a Bard subclass could get it done though - Still I see a non-magical non-Bard archetype ) but so don't personally see the need for any new base classes. If the system had stronger high level play, that would serve a stronger function for class experience

 

[Raith5]

I think we desperately need a class that can front line fight, but still be a skill monkey, and cast decent arcane blaster spells, and heal very well, and shapechange a few times per day, and charm people he speaks with, and has a cool mount that sprouts wings and breathes dragon breath. Can we get one of those?

Haha, basically a Dragonborn FTR/ROG/SOR/DRUID

 

[Z. H. Darkstar]

Haha, basically a Dragonborn FTR/ROG/SOR/DRUID

Or a Dragonborn Valor Bard 18/Undying Warlock 2

Front line fighting: Valor Bard
Skill Monkey: Basic Bard
Decent Arcane Blasting: Warlock for Eldritch Blast, Bard Magical Secrets for desired blasting via Wish
Heal Very Well: Undying Warlock for Spare the Dying, Bard healing spell selection, Song of Rest, and Magical Secrets for Wish and key healing spells
Shapechange a few times per day: Polymorph and True Polymorph are on the Bard spell list
Charm People: Bard...enough said...
Cool Mount That Sprouts Wings: See Shapechange
Breathes Dragon Breath: Dragonborn, unless this was supposed to be part of the mount part. Then, see Shapechange.

 

[Lanliss]

If you pretend that the magic isn't magic and is just mundane, a Valor Bard functions reasonably well as a Warlord. A "grant attack" cantrip could be added easily enough. I don't like doing that kind of reskinning though, especially as you wouldn't want dispel magic to dispel warlord buffs.

As for asking what fictional character isn't covered by a D&D class, that's a hard question to ask. Outside of D&D inspired literature, magicians and other supernatural characters usually don't have as much magic as D&D characters do. Harry Potter wizards seem to have far more constant power than D&D wizards, but their magic seems to be smaller in effect generally speaking. All of the characters in the "Codex Alera" books don't work with existing spellcasting mechanics; they'd require a heavy mixture of Pokémon-esque summoning, self enhancement buffing, and very adaptable and largely consistent magical power. Comic-book style heroes also don't work, as they tend to have one or two powers and a lot of adaptability within them, so anyone inspired by these is going to have a hard time.


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The harry potter wizards are all Commoners, with a lot of cantrips, most of which are homebrewed. That is why Avada Kedavra (Eldritch Blast) is so deadly.

 

[Hussar]

Lump me in with the "would like a warlord please" group.

Not sure if we need a devoted summoner, but, it would be nice if more than just druids actually got summoning spells outside of a couple quite high level ones. I've played a summoner wizard in every edition but, I can't in 5e, so, yeah, I'd like to see "summon monster" make a comeback.

I'd love to see some work done with fighters. The thing is, "Fighter" as a class is SO broad, that it pretty much covers many archetypes, but, it really shows its flaws if you actually try to apply it. I mean a Knight, for example, should have numerous social skills and probably gain some sort of class based bonuses on social interaction. But, a fighter doesn't get any of that. But, if you say you want to make a knight, everyone tells you to just make a fighter.

Which tends to make all the "fighting man" archetypes really, really bland and far too similar.

I'd like to see "Fighter" as a class actually go away and then break down "Fighter" into a number of full classes based on archetypes - the brute fighter, the smart fighter, the swashbuckling fighter, the magic fighter, etc. To me, the base chassis of "fighter" just isn't getting it done.

 

[Xeviat]

Although I don't think it is needed, racial character classes could be interesting. I'm currently working on a genasi class drawing inspiration from the elemental tempest paragon path from 4e that lets a genasi choose a second subrace and granting access to a small list of elemental spells as they level. It's only a 5 level class, I don't believe it needs to be any higher than that although I could see a full 20 levels with it which would also enable me to add in subclasses.

Those could be fun. What if they were typically designed as unique multiclass progressions that hit the tiers properly, with some unique abilities, especially capstones, so they keep up. If a game's going to reach the end, you definitely don't want to lose capstones.

Elf could be a unique fighter/wizard multiclass. Structured like a Paladin, it gets smite at 2nd, Extra Attack at 5th, and War Magic at 7th. Dwarf could be a Fighter/Barbarian. Halfling could be ... I don't know beyond a rogue subclass.

Or they could just be 6 level classes, with the 6th level only choosable at 20th Character Level (it would host the capstone).


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[Lanliss]

Those could be fun. What if they were typically designed as unique multiclass progressions that hit the tiers properly, with some unique abilities, especially capstones, so they keep up. If a game's going to reach the end, you definitely don't want to lose capstones.

Elf could be a unique fighter/wizard multiclass. Structured like a Paladin, it gets smite at 2nd, Extra Attack at 5th, and War Magic at 7th. Dwarf could be a Fighter/Barbarian. Halfling could be ... I don't know beyond a rogue subclass.

Or they could just be 6 level classes, with the 6th level only choosable at 20th Character Level (it would host the capstone).


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With all their annoying happiness, hobbit-kender are clearly rogue/bards. Human is Fighter/Rogue I think, to cover maximum flexibility. Dragonborn is Barb/Sorc. Tiefling is Warlock/Bard. Halfelf can be any pair out of Bard, Cleric, Wizard, Rogue, or Fighter. Half Orc can be Barb, Rogue, or Fighter pairs. Gnome is Rogue/Wizard imo.

 

[Xeviat]

With all their annoying happiness, hobbit-kender are clearly rogue/bards. Human is Fighter/Rogue I think, to cover maximum flexibility. Dragonborn is Barb/Sorc. Tiefling is Warlock/Bard. Halfelf can be any pair out of Bard, Cleric, Wizard, Rogue, or Fighter. Half Orc can be Barb, Rogue, or Fighter pairs. Gnome is Rogue/Wizard imo.

That actually reminds me of something I used to do in 3E; I made NPCs take 1/4th of their levels in their racial favored class. It made elves different from dwarves, and so on.

 

[Xeviat]

I'm surprised no one mentioned "Book of Nine Swords" or "Tome of Magic" classes from 3E.

I've actually been looking over Bo9S lately. I was originally intending on making Barbarian, Fighter, and Monk subclasses to utilize the notions from it, but the more I think on it, the more I think they need to be their own classes. Mystical warriors kind of need to be mystical a lot, not just a few times between short rests.

I never played with them myself, Binders and all those had fans.

I do think adding subclasses which can take from a base class would expand on possibilities. Or adding things akin to the Warlock's pact noon choice, single choices that define your character but don't eat up your whole subclass (Fighting Style works similarly).


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