D&D General The Jack, a Class That Gets a Bonus Origin Feat?

doctorbadwolf said:

And obviously other stuff, basically stealing the Bard's jack of all trades schtick and decoupling it from spellcasting. A trickster, skill monkey, and lucky bastard.

And I think the concept actually merits a bonus Origin Feat in tier 1.

It's not without precedent, since the Warlock can get that via invocation (annoys me that pact of the blade doesn't open up fighting style feats as invocations but whatever), but I'm still curious what folks think.

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Benjamin Olson said:

It shouldn't break anything. I think having a major class ability be an extra feat right out the gate sort of robs the class of a prime opportunity to establish a distinct identity, but whatever, maybe it makes it the prime class for the player at the table who actually wanted to be playing a classless ttrpg anyway.

Assuming this is for 2024 5e D&D or some close derivative, it seems to me that the other problem here is that giving such a thing at levels 1 or (to a lesser extent) 2 makes a multiclass dip in the class very powerful and desirable, and it's already going to be powerful to dip into a skillmonkey class in 5e editions, because skills run off of proficiency bonus, which is class independent. Meanwhile 3rd level is already giving the initial subclass features, and 4th level is already a feat.

I also think selecting an additional feat at level 1, 3, or 4 when you already have big decisions to make feels less fun. All and all level 2 seems like the best place to put a bonus feat in Tier 1, and it rhymes with the general trend of feats mostly coming with even levels.

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Greg K said:

There was this Jack Rogue Subclass by someone named Trevor from the old Forgot My Dice website. Don't know if it would be help for ideas.

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soviet said:

Rolemaster had the 'no profession' profession, which was sort of a melange of all martial types

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doctorbadwolf said:

And obviously other stuff, basically stealing the Bard's jack of all trades schtick and decoupling it from spellcasting. A trickster, skill monkey, and lucky bastard.

And I think the concept actually merits a bonus Origin Feat in tier 1.

It's not without precedent, since the Warlock can get that via invocation (annoys me that pact of the blade doesn't open up fighting style feats as invocations but whatever), but I'm still curious what folks think.

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• The class needs to be dex based since strength just has not enough skills
• Dex + Cha or dex + int would make sense for saving throw proficiency
• I guess a fighting style and 2 weapon masteries (with dex weapons) if its a martial character
• Jack of all trades of course + expertise with skills as the "non combat" things
• proficiency with light armor and martial ranged and 1 handed weapons (but no shield) is the most likely
• can at higher levels add the jack of all trades to saving throws as well could be an interesting option (lucky)
• as damage mechanic maybe enhanced crit range would make sense.
• Maybe 2 maneuvers (1 at level 2 a a kind of 2nd fighting style and a level 3?) like what you could get with the fighting style and feat (but they should scale in damage). This would fit the "jack of all trades" relative well.

• 3 skills and Jack of All Trades
• Reaction ability to act, making an attack or ability check, and move half movement, when an ability check goes south (while a tentpole, this can be a level 5 feature)
• Bonus Action charm, intimidate, or Taunt

• Reaction defensive ability similar to Uncanny Dodge or Deflect Attacks in purpose. Maybe you reduce the attack roll and if you make it miss you can move without opportunity attacks as a reaction
• Some sort of dirty fighting thing where you dont do more damage but maybe you let someone else do extra damage to targets you hit or taunt.
• evasion (again you make people angry and then youre hard to punish for it)

Tigris said:

What would this class do in combat? A martial character I guess?

So with the problem of "1 level dip", since you call this class "lucky bastard", why not give this class an inbuilt lucky feat?

Like you gain at level 1 the benefit of the lucky feat, but only with 1 luck point. And you get more luck points at level 3+ proficiency bonus levels (of this class not character level).


Other things coming to mind:

• The class needs to be dex based since strength just has not enough skills
• Dex + Cha or dex + int would make sense for saving throw proficiency
• I guess a fighting style and 2 weapon masteries (with dex weapons) if its a martial character
• Jack of all trades of course + expertise with skills as the "non combat" things
• proficiency with light armor and martial ranged and 1 handed weapons (but no shield) is the most likely
• can at higher levels add the jack of all trades to saving throws as well could be an interesting option (lucky)
• as damage mechanic maybe enhanced crit range would make sense.
• Maybe 2 maneuvers (1 at level 2 a a kind of 2nd fighting style and a level 3?) like what you could get with the fighting style and feat (but they should scale in damage). This would fit the "jack of all trades" relative well.

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doctorbadwolf said:

For luck i was thinking either extra Heroic Inspiration, or something like Artificer's Flash of Genius feature, and maybe a late feature that is just straight up "no actually i succeed on that save, thanks".

I think in combat i would want them to instead of having damage boost features theyd have like mini at will maneuvers (or just Int/cha per short rest), with at least options to just boost ally damage but also a couple personal damage boost options. Just like, the default focus is debuffs and ally setups.

With a subclass thst is basically Jack Sparrow, and is pretty deadly while being just as annoying and lucky.

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