D&D 5E What Level 20 Class Would Win?

[R_J_K75]

OMG! You are right! I have to go change my vote...

I haven't played a 5E Bard personally but reading through the class features they seem somewhat lack luster. I did have a player run one recently and even she said that the class was garbage, I tend to agree. I played them in previous editions mostly 2E and 3E and they were a lot of fun but I never cared about min/maxing my PCs I always like a cool concept over everything else.

As far as the OP, I think its almost too hypothetical to answer. Without giving it too much thought though my gut tells me Wizard is probably the ultimate victor. Isn't it a pretty common design concept throughout the editions that if they survive to higher levels that Wizards are by far the most powerful class, at least in theory?

 

[Guest 6801328]

As far as the OP, I think its almost too hypothetical to answer.

Which is why we need a tournament.

 

[R_J_K75]

Which is why we need a tournament.

I totally agree. I'm in, where do I sign up, cmon, someone set it up!!!!

 

[CleverNickName]

I'm sure that others have said as much already (this thread is 5 pages long and counting), but when the cast of Critical Role did a 20th level PvP one-shot between a Barbarian/Fighter, a Cleric, a Druid, a Bard, a Gunslinger, a Ranger/Rogue, and a Rogue/Paladin/Druid monstrosity, all of them outfitted with their trademark artifacts and full resources, and with the battle taking place in a murder-room with traps and lair actions and whatever other horrors Matt Mercer could imagine...

...the Druid was the clear winner. It was never even close.

 

[DND_Reborn]

...the Druid was the clear winner. It was never even close.

Only because none of them were a Wizard.

 

[Iry]

I did have a player run one recently and even she said that the class was garbage, I tend to agree.

I consider Bard to be the most powerful class in the game. While there are specialists that exceed the Bard in specific areas, a Bard can easily contribute to every pillar of play and accommodate a huge variety of builds. Wizard is the only other class I think can contribute strongly across so many pillars.

 

[Captain Panda]

Interesting question, but... it depends! It really, really depends on how much time the character has to prepare. It also depends heavily on the assumed knowledge level/skill of the players. Some classes benefit from planning and forethought more than others.

With no prep time, in the hands of average players who haven't spent time at level 20: the moon druid is probably going to win. The vast array of summoning spells combined with the mobility and infinite hit points of the moon druid is a really tough nut to crack.

Assuming preparation and gold, and a more skilled set of players, I think bard and wizard are the winners. If I was the wizard and had time (and money) to prepare, I'd make a simulacrum, do some planar binding of elemental minions, and true polymorph both the simulacrum and the minions. That's a way to 'brute force' through the druid's hp shell, though there are also tricks one could use involving magic jar to kill the druid. Or just have power word: kill, ready.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I consider Bard to be the most powerful class in the game. While there are specialists that exceed the Bard in specific areas, a Bard can easily contribute to every pillar of play and accommodate a huge variety of builds. Wizard is the only other class I think can contribute strongly across so many pillars.

So YOU'RE the one who voted for bard!

I agree Bard can be very versatile and can chose to contribute in a number of ways. I just find the class boring and silly personally, but to each their own.

 

[Hohige]

The Sorcerer hits harder.
It has the best spell range of the game with Distant Spell
Always win a counterspell/dispel battle with Subtle Spell
Gets natural flight (Dragon, Divine) or umbral form to gets free total cover and resistence all damage(Shadow).
It isn't a common sense, but the winner is obvious. Nothing can compete with it.

 

[Iry]

So YOU'RE the one who voted for bard!

Actually no! While I will toot the Bard's horn as the best dang adventuring class in the game, I voted Wizard as the winner of this competition.

There are no other pillars here. Just raw curb stomping. And the wizard has the best toys for asymmetrical warfare.