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See, this is precisely what doesn't make sense to me. What you're describing as a concern is exactly the effect of adding subclasses to existing classes ad nauseum instead of diligently defining new concepts as classes or subclasses and adding both in moderation. If this was the approach they...

Right. But my argument is that isn't a great idea even if it seems to be on the surface. I think exploding the # of subclasses in all kinds of thematic directions rather than approaching every new concept with a comprehensive decision tree around when it does or doesn't warrant being a full...

By a single subclass? I don't even know where to start. Prophecies, shawls, covens, charms, potions, familiars, white magic vs black magic, etc. The list is endless, which is why it doesn't already exist as a subclass. You might be able to cobble together some of these features into a...

I'm not asking for ridiculous amounts of splat. I'm asking for sensible decisions to be made when a concept warrants being expressed as a full class vs a subclass.

I think cluttering subclass choices with concepts that are thematically all-over-the-place is much more inelegant than periodically releasing new classes with their own full sets of coherent options. I think the fact that i can easily think up new mechanics and about 10+ subclasses for a witch...

So.... I've been feeling this for a while. While, granted, we got the Artificer in the Eberron book, there's been a long term dearth of new classes for 5e. Especially in light of the new UA, it really worries me that it appears to be because WotC thinks they can/should simply turn every new...

This reeks to me of "let's shoehorn every new concept into a subclass for an existing class" No thanks. I'm fine with Psychic Warrior and Soulknife being subclasses for Fighters and Rogues (in fact it makes way more sense than them being separate classes), but the base Psion should definitely...

Thanks! Can you elaborate on what you're thinking for an armed combat skill? I think standard combat (including unarmed fighting and AC) is handled sufficiently well in the core rules. The reason I wouldn't necessarily favor adapting those as skills is twofold: a.) i'd be afraid of the level...

I do the same. This would just be the default list. But I also intend to partially use Bonding (Wis) for that, since really medicine as academic knowledge is different from practical caregiving.

In general I like the way 5e handled skills-as-ability checks, but I feel the final lineup had some arbitrary choices that could have been better, and I think that 1/2 proficiency and 1.5x proficiency should have been handled in a more formal way to provide some basic tiering to competence...

It is to a point, but I find it unsatisfying that it was done this way as I just don't see it as giving the cleric class the flexibility it should have. Look at how Wizards initially had the schools of magic as subclasses but have since evolved into incorporating different traditions like...

I'd be happy to collaborate with you on it. I honestly feel this is needed. There are all kinds of concepts that would make great cleric subclasses if you untied them from domains and instead made them a core feature - oracle, archivist, prophet, crusader, apostle of peace, blessed chanter, etc...

Indeed. That's what I'm thinking.

Yeah I pretty much agree, which is why I said they dropped the ball. Clerics are pretty much the only class that seems locked into a very specific design philosophy with their subclasses - in large part as a result of the way the core class was misdesigned. Domain choices should have been a...

I'm not following your argument. They only get that benefit if they invest in Charisma, in the same way that clerics are only good in melee combat if they invest in Strength or Dexterity. You're implying that Charisma is a stronger attribute than Strength, but it isn't. Not only that, but...

It isn't just about faith in a higher power, though. That's just the first layer of it. It's also about one's ability to influence the world with it, which is directly tied to Charisma. Think about how, in the real world, religious leaders are always charismatic. In this model, Charisma...

Edited. I've posted about this before, but I think WotC really dropped the ball in the way they baked combat vs spellcasting options into domain choice rather than making it independent and by not emphasizing it enough in the way they designed the cleric in 5e. There's a clear "charismatic man...

Thanks! I need to revisit this and make some updates to it.

Who cares? Many classes in the PHB can be approximated with many other classes in the PHB. Having a full class represent a concept means making that concept a fully developed and central part of the world it inhabits, and this sort of creative freedom is a large part of what D&D is all about...

That's some pretty bad backstory. Of course, the backstory for 4e FR was bad in general, so no surprise there. I'm guessing they're sort of formalizing Shades as the shadar-kai from 4th edition, and creating new lore for shadar kai here to turn them into an elf subrace. I suppose I'm okay with...