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Message: <blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 7192904" data-attributes="member: 92511">So, don't ask why the "Are you satisfied with the Fighter" poll/thread set my mind off on this tangent.But I got to thinking why/how things would have gone IF the 5e game had been released in a symmetrical way across class lines. i.e., some classes have 3 options, many 2, and for some reason clerics and wizards getting 7 or 8 each...at the very least the "big 4" could have been given equal options with the more specialized class concepts (paladins, monks, warlocks, etc...) having fewer.Would it have limited or expanded the class options for 5e? Would it have limited or expanded the options for future publications and rolling releases (like the UA articles that threw out options for over a year)? Would it have been preferable or not to the fans? Here's what I'm thinking/dreaming 5e could'should have looked like:Fighters:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Champion [because I can't think of a better name]: the default "simple" fighter.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Knight: the more complex "maneuvers" fighter. A focus on combat excellence and battlefield control. Similar to the Battlemaster we have now with a more clear description/explanation that this can be your samurais and kensais as easily as western chivalric knights.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Swashbuckler: the "dex" fighter. Combat superiority through speed, acrobatic, and movement based features.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Eldritch Warrior: the "Eldritch Knight" 1/3rd arcane caster we have now. Ain't broke. Don't need to fix it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Crusader: the "Holy Warrior" a 1/3rd divine caster modeled after the Eldritch Knight but with cleric spell list. Paladin-lite.</li> </ul>Mages["Wizards"]:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mage: the default generalist arcane magic-user.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Illusionist: specialist "tricky" mage, mostly as written but spell selection limited to all Illusions, Enchantments, Divinations, and up to 3rd level Conjurations and Abjurations.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Evoker: specialist "blasty" mage, mostly as written but spell selection limited to all Evocations, Transmutations, Abjurations, and up to 3rd level Conjurations and Divinations.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Necromancer: specialist "dark/broody/misunderstood[or just plain evil]" mage, mostly as written, but spell selection limited to all Necromancy, Conjurations, Abjurations, and up to 3rd level Transmutations and Divinations.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Swordcaster: specialist "mage-warrior," 1/2-caster progression; light armor to begin (medium armor as middling/high level feature), choice of 2 martial weapons added to proficiency list (to start, adding weapons as you increase level); may choose 1st and 2nd level spells from any school, must choose any 2 schools of magic to select 3rd and higher level spells from.</li> </ul>Clerics:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Advocate: the "default/classic" cleric, limited weapons, armor and shields, divine spells, channeling/turning undead.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Healer: specialist cleric who is adept at healing magic ("vivomancy"), channeling positive energies (extra good against undead), removing curses and afflictions, added spellcasting or channeling options to balance less or no armor, less or no weapons.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Oracle: a specialist cleric who speaks for their deity with divine power, channeling is their speciality.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Priest: a specialist cleric who is the wandering ascetic, the friar, the preacher, the tender of the community, more battlefield "control" type abilities/channeling, dealing with crowds, heightened interactive skills (persuasion and insight).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Templar: the "church militant," defender of the faithful and arm of divine justice, heavy armor, more combat abilities, a 1/2-caster progression -spellcasting and channeling suffer in lieu of more martial skills/features. A Paladin by any other name...</li> </ul>Some very power deities/widespread religions offer branches of their hierarchy in all of these areas, some only one or two. For a simpler game, it is recommended that all/any organized religion of a world/setting/campaign would offer, at minimum, the Advocate (for PCs) and Priest (for NPCs) options. Rogues:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Thief: the default Rogue, as written. Nothin' wrong there.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Assassin: the specialist "killing" Rogue, as written. Lil' extra strength stuff, lil' extra damage/killin' stuff.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Acrobat: the specialist "bouncing" Rogue with more movement[flippy tumbling]/speed stuff, some entertainment flavor, unarmored defense, slow fall, save bonuses against grappling/stunning/etc..., uncanny dodging/evasion.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trickster: the specialist "tricky magic/jester" Rogue, "Arcane Trickster" as written, 1/3rd arcane/illusion caster.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Avenger: the specialist "works for the church/I'm a Bravo/Wanna play Assassin's Creed?" Rogue, a bit of acrobatics, a bit of assassin, a bit of thief, and 1/3rd caster progression as the Trickster, but using cleric spells.</li> </ul>"Second tier" specialty/specific flavor classes:Barbarian: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Berserker: battle-raging damage-dealing default barbarian dude, as written.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Maurauder: stealthy stealing damage-dealing, a barbarian with thief add-ons.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Shield-Basher: a sword and board expert, extra [forced movement?] attack with shield, bonuses for fighting with/adjacent to others, "Brunhilde/shield maidens" and "shield-wall using viking" types.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Slayer: a monster-hunter par excellence, "ranger on steroids" type. Beowulf.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Totem: shamany magicky barbarian, as written.</li> </ul>Druid:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Land: the default guardian of the [terrain type specific] land druid, as written.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Green: the plant/vegetation specific druid, perhaps a bit fae-obsessed/-touched, the "hedge/green mage" type.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hunt: the animal summoner and controller, better at battle, take on animal traits?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spirit: the Shaman, spirit [fey, elemental, "nature" or "ancestral" spirits] summoner, communicator, and controller.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Moon: the shapeshifter druid, mostly as written, perhaps some more expanded forms/powers.</li> </ul>Ranger:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hunter: the default NON-casting ranger, wilderness warrior with stealth and skill in his terrain against his recurring enemies. Pretty much, as written.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Beastmaster: a specialist ranger skilled at training and controlling animals, animal empathy, extra attacks or actions with/through the animal, scaling beast companion. Could be flufed as magical-ish ability, but no actual spellcasting or explicitly magical ability.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Scout: a specialist extra-thiefy ranger, reconnaissance specialist, movement features, enhanced senses.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Warden: a specialist ranger with a bit more of a nose for the magical, druid/fae friend, more the 1e-style ranger, essentially the wilderness warrior/hunter archetype with "Forgotten lore" offering 1/3rd casting progression using druid magic and druidic or arcane magic item use.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inquisitor: a tracker par excellence/bounty hunter/detective, usually with divine purpose or religious affiliation but a non-affiliated (or formerly affiliated?) type works too, particularly good with divination magics, 1/3rd caster of clerical magic.</li> </ul>Sorcerer: basically keep things as written, "innate magic" features, spell points and meta-magic, add light armors (medium armor at middling/higher level), add some [more than "simple"] weapon choices, based from an ancestral or environmental "origin," just add some obvious origins we didn't get initially. <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dragon (ancestry)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fae (ancestry)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Infernal (environmental or fiendish ancestry)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Wild (environmental or pretty much any ancestry)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Storm (environmental or elemental/fae/djinni ancestry)</li> </ul></blockquote>

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