Zardnaar
Legend
Recently ENworld ran a kickstarter for a "A Touch of Class" which was a compilation of revised classes for the 5E game. As printed originally some of the classes were really bad or perhaps out right broken/to complicated in some cases. Due to an being a member of EN5ider I got the PDF free which I will print out and bind as the postage made the cost of a real copy of "A Touch of Class" to expensive for a 70 page book (it was close to being able to buy a new PHB).
I also tend to be fairly brutal when reviewing new classes. I usually compare them to the closest thing in the PHB they are equivalent to and they have to pass the "would I want to play this" test. Note all of the PHB classes pass that test except for the Elemental Monk and Beastmaster Ranger. In some ways I am a powergamer, I like being good at whatever it is I am doing, I do not take the most powerful option (I might pick being good at healing or skills vs damage). When I actually get to play in effect this means I usually get to play the healer and have come to enjoy "Guy the Cleric" (I have played Champion Fighter, Light Ceric, Valor Bard, Way of Fists Monk, Diviner, Avenger Paladin in 5E mostly lvl 1-5).
Some of the classes also have follow on articles with new subclasses, I will be focusing on the original class and archetypes. The reviews will be brief but I will try to explain what the class is doing or trying to achieve without reprinting the entire class and how effective the class is at doing that and how it would fit into a D&D party.
Alchemist
Several months ago I started a thread about "Do Alchemists Suck". Put simply it was probably one of the worst classes I had seen designed for 5E and it did not compare well for example to the artificer playtest materials in UA let alone various DMGuild classes and homebrew ones or even the Pathfinder version of the class in that system. This class may also be the most heavily revised of the AToC classes.
The new Alchemist has 2 subclasses which are the Science of Creation and Science of Destruction. Bombs and Frankenstein basically. It is hard to compare to the PHB classes as it has a d8 hit dice and light armour but its only a half caster like the Ranger and Paladin and it is bad at fighting. The new on also has an odd scaling mechanism for damage with multiple attacks and scaling attacks where the PHB classes usually have multiple attacks, scaling cantrips, or more dice for damage. The alchemist gets 2 attacks at level 5 (same as Eldritch Blast), gets a AoE upgrade at 9, and then an extra dice of damage at 13 and a 30' radius at 17 and they can deal elemental or poison damage.
The Alchemist can also cast its spells as a ritual and gets cure on its spell list which means unlimited healing if you have time (cure as a ritual). You can also pick a variety of options as you level up in effect similar to talents from Star Wars Saga or Invocations from the 5E Warlock. Some of them are interesting like being able to spend your hit dice without having to short rest, immunity to poison or the option to use wish at level 18.
The science of destruction Alchemist is more or less the Champion Fighter in terms of simplicity and it can sacrifice it spell slots to deal more damage in effect smiting at range.An enhanced bomb deals spell deals 3d8 damage per level of the spell slot used increasing to 4d6 at level 14+ stun effect and a 60' radius. You can take class features to enhance the bomb such as a delayed effect, excluding your allies etc.
The Science of Destruction seems slow to come online, damage looks generous but you are a half caster so spell slots are limited and your at will attack is a fairly middling 1d10. I'm not convinced its that good at blasting and I do not think it compares that well to an Invoker, Light Cleric, Fiend Pact Warlock or even a blaster focused Lore Bard so it kind of fails the "would I play this class" test at least from level 1, it doesn't look to bad from level 9+.
The Science of Creation alchemist gives you a pet to use. You can command this creation and spam your basic bomb. Interestingly the pet can be of a beast or monstrosity CR equal to half your level, its enhances like the Beastmaster Rangers pet and it is a bonus action to command it. A level 16 Alchemist gets to play with a T-Rex for example and the pet is better than say a Mon Druids wile shape (CR 1/3rd your level). Tome of Beasts also has new beasts in particular to pick from if the DM allows it such as the Savager (CR 8 uber dire bear stats similar to T-Rex large sized). At level 14 you can use Dragons, Humanoids and Constructs as well and some of them deal magic damage for example. The Alchemist stinks as a spell caster and as a combatant so this pet is a major class feature and you can command it and spam your basic bomb.
The Science of Creation I think passes my "do I want to play this class" test although a major downside is if your pet gets splattered and then you are up the proverbial creek without a paddle until you make a new one. Its an interesting way of adding a pet to the game, gut feeling is the balance is about right, and it ticks all the right boxes for me (interesting, doesn't suck, new and innovative, well designed). Both Alchemists also get a bit of utility although so do Lore Bards if you want to compare the Science of Desctruction to a blaster focused Lore Bard with hex eldritch blast, fireball, and wave of destruction. The Science of Creation is my pick for playing.
There is also another article with more subclasses for the alchemist- science of Illumination, Mutation, Regeneration. Think skill monkey, beatstick and healer but they are beyond the scope of this post.
I also tend to be fairly brutal when reviewing new classes. I usually compare them to the closest thing in the PHB they are equivalent to and they have to pass the "would I want to play this" test. Note all of the PHB classes pass that test except for the Elemental Monk and Beastmaster Ranger. In some ways I am a powergamer, I like being good at whatever it is I am doing, I do not take the most powerful option (I might pick being good at healing or skills vs damage). When I actually get to play in effect this means I usually get to play the healer and have come to enjoy "Guy the Cleric" (I have played Champion Fighter, Light Ceric, Valor Bard, Way of Fists Monk, Diviner, Avenger Paladin in 5E mostly lvl 1-5).
Some of the classes also have follow on articles with new subclasses, I will be focusing on the original class and archetypes. The reviews will be brief but I will try to explain what the class is doing or trying to achieve without reprinting the entire class and how effective the class is at doing that and how it would fit into a D&D party.
Alchemist
Several months ago I started a thread about "Do Alchemists Suck". Put simply it was probably one of the worst classes I had seen designed for 5E and it did not compare well for example to the artificer playtest materials in UA let alone various DMGuild classes and homebrew ones or even the Pathfinder version of the class in that system. This class may also be the most heavily revised of the AToC classes.
The new Alchemist has 2 subclasses which are the Science of Creation and Science of Destruction. Bombs and Frankenstein basically. It is hard to compare to the PHB classes as it has a d8 hit dice and light armour but its only a half caster like the Ranger and Paladin and it is bad at fighting. The new on also has an odd scaling mechanism for damage with multiple attacks and scaling attacks where the PHB classes usually have multiple attacks, scaling cantrips, or more dice for damage. The alchemist gets 2 attacks at level 5 (same as Eldritch Blast), gets a AoE upgrade at 9, and then an extra dice of damage at 13 and a 30' radius at 17 and they can deal elemental or poison damage.
The Alchemist can also cast its spells as a ritual and gets cure on its spell list which means unlimited healing if you have time (cure as a ritual). You can also pick a variety of options as you level up in effect similar to talents from Star Wars Saga or Invocations from the 5E Warlock. Some of them are interesting like being able to spend your hit dice without having to short rest, immunity to poison or the option to use wish at level 18.
The science of destruction Alchemist is more or less the Champion Fighter in terms of simplicity and it can sacrifice it spell slots to deal more damage in effect smiting at range.An enhanced bomb deals spell deals 3d8 damage per level of the spell slot used increasing to 4d6 at level 14+ stun effect and a 60' radius. You can take class features to enhance the bomb such as a delayed effect, excluding your allies etc.
The Science of Destruction seems slow to come online, damage looks generous but you are a half caster so spell slots are limited and your at will attack is a fairly middling 1d10. I'm not convinced its that good at blasting and I do not think it compares that well to an Invoker, Light Cleric, Fiend Pact Warlock or even a blaster focused Lore Bard so it kind of fails the "would I play this class" test at least from level 1, it doesn't look to bad from level 9+.
The Science of Creation alchemist gives you a pet to use. You can command this creation and spam your basic bomb. Interestingly the pet can be of a beast or monstrosity CR equal to half your level, its enhances like the Beastmaster Rangers pet and it is a bonus action to command it. A level 16 Alchemist gets to play with a T-Rex for example and the pet is better than say a Mon Druids wile shape (CR 1/3rd your level). Tome of Beasts also has new beasts in particular to pick from if the DM allows it such as the Savager (CR 8 uber dire bear stats similar to T-Rex large sized). At level 14 you can use Dragons, Humanoids and Constructs as well and some of them deal magic damage for example. The Alchemist stinks as a spell caster and as a combatant so this pet is a major class feature and you can command it and spam your basic bomb.
The Science of Creation I think passes my "do I want to play this class" test although a major downside is if your pet gets splattered and then you are up the proverbial creek without a paddle until you make a new one. Its an interesting way of adding a pet to the game, gut feeling is the balance is about right, and it ticks all the right boxes for me (interesting, doesn't suck, new and innovative, well designed). Both Alchemists also get a bit of utility although so do Lore Bards if you want to compare the Science of Desctruction to a blaster focused Lore Bard with hex eldritch blast, fireball, and wave of destruction. The Science of Creation is my pick for playing.
There is also another article with more subclasses for the alchemist- science of Illumination, Mutation, Regeneration. Think skill monkey, beatstick and healer but they are beyond the scope of this post.
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