D&D 5E Worst Classes Level 1.

[Iry]

LOL it is funny you mention Nature Cleric as that was my alternative to the Way of Tranquility Monk I am making today. I actually took Shillelagh for that build along with PAM for the feat. Very nice combo really.

Make sure to say "You kids get off my lawn" whenever you shillelagh bop someone with PAM.

 

[FrogReaver]

Because scale mail is suboptimal except in pure combat campaigns.

And if you're playing a pure combat campaign, the ranger is obviously going to be bad as half the class is tied up in noncombat aspects. The monk, like the fighter and barbarian, will top rangers in pure combat campaigns. It's 2nd or 3rd last in raw combat.

But in wholeness of 3 pillar campaigns, rangers are a solid middle of the pack at level one.

I don’t really agree but if you are starting from the assumption that abonus to stealth is equivalent to a bonus to ac I see where you are coming from.

I would actually consider those 2 options in armor identical.

 

[Undrave]

Okay so the Monk and the Ranger are pretty low tier for level 1, we've talked about why well enough.

What about the Sorcerer and Warlock? I've seen them mentionned and not more detal put into it? I don't have experience playing or seeing played either at level 1.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Okay so the Monk and the Ranger are pretty low tier for level 1, we've talked about why well enough.

What about the Sorcerer and Warlock? I've seen them mentionned and not more detal put into it? I don't have experience playing or seeing played either at level 1.

The biggest drawback for Sorcerer and Warlock at level 1 is few known spells and not much else to really help them out. True, they get their sublcasses at level 1, but that IMO is a nominal boost really. Once they have metamagic and invocations, it is different, but until then they just lack both depth and breadth compared to other casters. Both can be decent at combat and good at social, but lack exploration often. The only saving grace for the Sorcerer is 4 cantrips, but low HP and AC hinders them. Warlocks can have some armor, but still tend to have poor AC and only decent HP at best.

At level 1, I just don't see a lot of oomph in either class personally. Sorcerer is a bit better (Divine Soul opens up some versatility), but neither are stellar until level 3 IME.

That's my take on them anyway.

 

[Minigiant]

I don’t really agree but if you are starting from the assumption that abonus to stealth is equivalent to a bonus to ac I see where you are coming from.

I would actually consider those 2 options in armor identical.

My main point is that everyone is overvaluing DPR at level 1.

CR 1/4 monsters only have 5-20 hp and AC 12-15. Anyone with martial equavalent weaponry can drop a goblib,kobold, bandit, or guard in 1-2 hits.

What matters is your combat ability vs "solos" and the range of your pillars at level 1. Fighters and Monks are clear solo killers. Rangers and rogues are pillar fillers.

Okay so the Monk and the Ranger are pretty low tier for level 1, we've talked about why well enough.

What about the Sorcerer and Warlock? I've seen them mentionned and not more detal put into it? I don't have experience playing or seeing played either at level 1.

They are both bad at level 1. They neither dominate a single pillar nor cover 2 pillar well at level 1. Sorcerer is better though due to the greater cantrip number.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

With 16/16 dex/wis a monk hits 16 AC... which a fighter gets with 75 gp.

In many of my 5e campaigns, 1st level characters don't have 75gp...

 

[Eyes of Nine]

They get a choice of 4 cantrips, plus good face skills. It's a matter of having something interesting to do, not doing the most damage.

I found the 1st level monk fun to play. We do lots of stealth and perception checks in the game I play in; so Monk does pretty well there. In combat they hold up, even if they don't do max damage. They are better than Rangers, Wizards, and Paladins imho.

 

[Sacrosanct]

The biggest drawback for Sorcerer and Warlock at level 1 is few known spells and not much else to really help them out. True, they get their sublcasses at level 1, but that IMO is a nominal boost really. Once they have metamagic and invocations, it is different, but until then they just lack both depth and breadth compared to other casters. Both can be decent at combat and good at social, but lack exploration often. The only saving grace for the Sorcerer is 4 cantrips, but low HP and AC hinders them. Warlocks can have some armor, but still tend to have poor AC and only decent HP at best.

At level 1, I just don't see a lot of oomph in either class personally. Sorcerer is a bit better (Divine Soul opens up some versatility), but neither are stellar until level 3 IME.

That's my take on them anyway.

It might depend on the subclass. See my post above. Eyes of the dark is great: 120ft darkvision. that means you can get a variant human who has darkvision and get that feat at 1st level. Also, Strength of the Grave saved a TPK.

Also, 90% of the time, wizard or sorcerer, you're going to be casting cantrips because you only have a couple slots (and most likely one of those slots will be for mage armor leaving you with 1 spell slot per long rest). doesn't matter if the wizard can prepare a few more options if they don't have slots to cast the spells. So I've found little difference between sorcerer and wizard. With the extra cantrip, that opens a lot of flexibility when deciding cantrips, as it allows plenty of utility cantrips, like mage hand, mending, and minor illusion, as well as a few different damage types.

 

[Zardnaar]

In many of my 5e campaigns, 1st level characters don't have 75gp...

We've been phb starting equipment. You can get some nice stuff that way if you don't want to risk rolling for gp.

Fighters get to start with chainmail or leather armor and a longbow.

Monks also a lot better with higher rolled stats. I've get to see default array used IRL.

Default arrays only really useful as a baseline in online arguements.

Feats are optional, rolling for stats is not .

With racials it's not to hard to start with an 18 and a 16 for example.

2 feats warp things.

Rogues beat monks damage wise level 3 and then lose again level 5-8. Rogues don't always get to sneak attack either. The old rogue "wow I won initiative doh" situation.

 

[DND_Reborn]

It might depend on the subclass. See my post above. Eyes of the dark is great: 120ft darkvision. that means you can get a variant human who has darkvision and get that feat at 1st level. Also, Strength of the Grave saved a TPK.

Also, 90% of the time, wizard or sorcerer, you're going to be casting cantrips because you only have a couple slots (and most likely one of those slots will be for mage armor leaving you with 1 spell slot per long rest). doesn't matter if the wizard can prepare a few more options if they don't have slots to cast the spells. So I've found little difference between sorcerer and wizard. With the extra cantrip, that opens a lot of flexibility when deciding cantrips, as it allows plenty of utility cantrips, like mage hand, mending, and minor illusion, as well as a few different damage types.

Yeah, Sorcerers I find have more options than Warlocks. Shadow Magic and Divine Soul are my two favorite for different reasons and the extra cantrip does help a bunch for versatility. Wizard makes up for it a bit with Arcane Recovery for an extra slot, and of course Warlocks get their slot back on a short rest as well.