D&D 5E (2014) Idas for a New ENworld Class?

[Zardnaar]

Also thought about a dragon disciple.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Would love a half-caster arcane gish (#1). I think the paladin offers a starting point. Heck, the oath of vegeance paladin is 85% of the way there.

Maybe geomancer whose spells/abilities change depending on the current terrain?

I have to say I agree with your instincts on the Paladin-based approach. In one of the last 3.5Ed campaigns I was part of, I ran a LG "Arcane Paladin": Antares Whitechapel, Sword of Thoth, of the Illuminated Society of Thoth was mechanically designed as a Marshal/Duskblade/Battle Sorcerer. So he had some spells, of course, but importantly, he also had "Auras" that helped out his party mates.

Was he as powerful as a single class Paladin? Nope. Was he fun as hell? Yep. Did he feel like an Arcane Paladin in play? Oh yes, very much so.

Geomancer, though...I love them- played one shortly before Antares, in fact- but I don't think they really would form a good basis for a pen arcane Gish half-caster.

Geomancer Drift mechanics might, however, be a good way to model someone who is a bit reckless with arcane research...

 

[ppaladin123]

I have to say I agree with your instincts on the Paladin-based approach. In one of the last 3.5Ed campaigns I was part of, I ran a LG "Arcane Paladin": Antares Whitechapel, Sword of Thoth, of the Illuminated Society of Thoth was mechanically designed as a Marshal/Duskblade/Battle Sorcerer. So he had some spells, of course, but importantly, he also had "Auras" that helped out his party mates.

Was he as powerful as a single class Paladin? Nope. Was he fun as hell? Yep. Did he feel like an Arcane Paladin in play? Oh yes, very much so.

Geomancer, though...I love them- played one shortly before Antares, in fact- but I don't think they really would form a good basis for a pen arcane Gish half-caster.

Geomancer Drift mechanics might, however, be a good way to model someone who is a bit reckless with arcane research...

I actually meant the Geomancer as another class (besides the 1/2 caster gish) that I'd like to see. I agree that it wouldn't make a good basis for a gish.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Ah, OK!

 

[Imaculata]

I'd love to see a Ninja class. One that combines stealth with acrobatics.

I have yet to see a good Witch class though. In 3.5 there was a witch class (in some none official supplements) that combines divine spells with arcane spells. She has access to both, with some Druid flavor thrown in as well. But it always ends up feeling not really unique. The Witch always ends up being this combination of things we already have in other classes. So what I would like to see, is a Witch class that does have unique abilities that make her actually fun to play.

 

[steeldragons]

Nearly everything being proposed, to me, sounds like things that can be done as archetypes of existing classes.

The only exception, that I see, would be an arcane half-caster en par with the paladin (clerical) and ranger (druidic) half-caster fighter-types.

The bladesinger (in addition to being created and intended strictly for FR, and for elves) and swordmage gives you a magic-user with a little sword-skill/play. The Eldritch Knight does this same thing from the reverse side of the street: a fighter with a [purposely] little bit of spell/arcane magic capacity.

The possibilities for that character type with a Bard or [Blade] Warlock both OVERshoot the target. Bard, as a FULL caster and Warlock with very specific flavor magic powers (if not the spell count/progression) built in.

As the game is set up now the fully "half," middle of the road, [arcane]caster/warrior isn't presented [without multiclassing, precisely, one level of Fighter to one level of wizard].

Generating a full new class requires, not just that the archetype can't be portrayed in some fashion with existing classes, but it's own signature mechanic/features/ability that other archetypes don't already use. If a proposed "class" just uses existing mechanics...and the rest of a matter of RPing flavor...then that's not a case for developing a full separate class...to me.

So that's the only choice/option I see that the fantasy roleplaying game of Dungeons & Dragons is missing/still needs: Arcane Half-caster Warrior type guy.

Wanting a pokeman, wanting a jedi, wanting these other things I'm seeing listed here...sure, you can flavor things this way or that to get a character like that...and ROLEPLAY it how you like. But if you want to play an X, from genre/game/film/cartoon/comic Y, when D&D is built to play genre A,B or Z, then why play 5e D&D?

 

[Zardnaar]

Nearly everything being proposed, to me, sounds like things that can be done as archetypes of existing classes.

The only exception, that I see, would be an arcane half-caster en par with the paladin (clerical) and ranger (druidic) half-caster fighter-types.

The bladesinger (in addition to being created and intended strictly for FR, and for elves) and swordmage gives you a magic-user with a little sword-skill/play. The Eldritch Knight does this same thing from the reverse side of the street: a fighter with a [purposely] little bit of spell/arcane magic capacity.

The possibilities for that character type with a Bard or [Blade] Warlock both OVERshoot the target. Bard, as a FULL caster and Warlock with very specific flavor magic powers (if not the spell count/progression) built in.

As the game is set up now the fully "half," middle of the road, [arcane]caster/warrior isn't presented [without multiclassing, precisely, one level of Fighter to one level of wizard].

Generating a full new class requires, not just that the archetype can't be portrayed in some fashion with existing classes, but it's own signature mechanic/features/ability that other archetypes don't already use. If a proposed "class" just uses existing mechanics...and the rest of a matter of RPing flavor...then that's not a case for developing a full separate class...to me.

So that's the only choice/option I see that the fantasy roleplaying game of Dungeons & Dragons is missing/still needs: Arcane Half-caster Warrior type guy.

Wanting a pokeman, wanting a jedi, wanting these other things I'm seeing listed here...sure, you can flavor things this way or that to get a character like that...and ROLEPLAY it how you like. But if you want to play an X, from genre/game/film/cartoon/comic Y, when D&D is built to play genre A,B or Z, then why play 5e D&D?

This is near the top of my list. Seems to be a missing niche.

Names for the class and 2 subclasses

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Well, I don't play 5th, so I don't know if anything I experienced playing Antares translates...

Because he was multiclassed and Pally mechanics are somewhat unique, Antares had the right FEEL without merely being a reskinned divine holy warrior with a different spell list.

The Marshal auras are less powerful than those of the Paladin, but more flexible.

Since there was no "Smite" ability in any of the classes I used to build him, I looked at feats that could deliver some kind of similar punch. I found the Celestial Sorcerer Lance and Arcane Strike did a decent job, albeit at the cost of depleting his spells. Still, they had the right kind of feel. If there had been another feat to channel arcane energy into defensive or healing abilities- besides spells, of course- I'd have looked hard at those too. Spellfire would have been an option had the campaign progressed long enough.

Another way I boosted his offense simultaneously boosted his utility in the party: he had the Knowledge Devotion feat. Not only did that give him KS:Religion as a class skill regardless of which class he advanced, it gave him potential att/dam bonuses if he succeeded in identifying the critter's nature. This damage boost was thus fittingly entirely dependent on his skill as a researcher.

This made for a nifty scholar/warrior vibe that helped distinguish him from his divinely chosen counterpart. It felt appropriate, though: the lore of Paladins is that they are more often than not chosen by the deity they worship, and thus gained impressive powers to be used in the service of their faith. OTOH, my take on Antares was that he and others in their organization had chosen to devote the impressive powers they had gained to forward the needs of their faith.

Or, putting it differently, Paladins are drafted, but those like Antares are volunteers.

Note: As martial Warlocks, Hexblades would have been a logical base for this archetype. The problems arose from alignment issues and that their powers just didn't have the right feel.

 

[steeldragons]

This is near the top of my list. Seems to be a missing niche.

Names for the class and 2 subclasses

While not my first choice or favorite...and stripping directly from Pathfinder, but being this is homebrew it shouldn't really matter, I guess...

I'd go with base class: MAGUS.
The Fighters fight with her weapons. The Wizard fights with his spells. The Magus trains hard and long to fight with both, simultaneously and/or in synchronous harmony.

Then for subclass archetypes, you get....let's say "Studies."

Study of the Sword (so you end up with a "Swordmagus"
is the "base base" subclass. The basic, simplest, straight up fighter/mage guy.
Medium armor, no shields, simple weapons + (but not full on any/all martial weapons)
Half casting progression (which one will not for the Pally and Ranger, does NOT include cantrips), spell levels 1-5. With Spells Prepared (from one's spellbook).
Special abilities/features, off the top of my head, include [but not limited to]: the use of their primary weapon as an arcane focus; being able to use more spells as bonus actions or reactions[?]; some kind of disadvantage to target rolls against their spell save DC for certain spells/situations, etc...

Study of the Battle (so you get a "Battlemagus")
The more martial/heavy hitter of the crowd. Add in Heavy armor (still no shields). Add in all martial weapons.
Feature to include more "battlefield control" type magical advantages/disadvantages type stuff, use of rituals to cause or increase area effects; scrying/divination stuff, some paladiny auras' type stuff?, etc...

I would add in a third option at the get go...and move the Hexblade to here...who maybe is more "sorcerer" than "mage" with renewable Spells Known instead of Prepared?

Study of the Shadow (oooo, "shadowmagus." I like that...but we already have shadow monks and shadow warlocks... Ok make Hexblade a 4th subclass)
More Roguey/stealthy than the other two options. More the "arcane magic-using scout" or infiltrator than the armored behemoth or the simple sword- mage. BUT -have to be careful- this might not be different enough from either shadow monks or shadowy/hexbladey warlocks to warrant a subclass...in which case, just make a Hexblade the third subclass.

 

[Beleriphon]

I'd love to see a Ninja class. One that combines stealth with acrobatics.

You mean like the Shadow Monk?