All these Classes to choose from...... Oh My!

[BadMojo]

understood why heavy armor prof is really all that important except at low levels. Mithral anything is at most a medium armor. A Duskblade can wear a mithral full-plate without any feats spent. Sure, it costs money ... but that's really only a big deal at lower levels.

That's a good point. The only downside to the mithral plate, for me, is being stuck with a specific set of armor. As a player, I'd like having the option to pick up any cool magical set of plate that happens to be in the treasure hoard o' the day and not have to worry about arcane spell failure.

Still, if pressed I probably would spend my feats on things other than Battle Caster if I was playing a duskblade. Anyway, I digress...what was this thread about?

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Still, if pressed I probably would spend my feats on things other than Battle Caster if I was playing a duskblade. Anyway, I digress...what was this thread about?

The many classes out there to choose from. I think we're still in the ballpark of the topic at least! We've hit the warlock and the Duskblade. All in all, I think it should be informative to the OP.

 

[Thanatos]

I really like all the classes that have been added. Some are too specific to be useful in every campaign, but I think having the options are nice. Some are a little underpowered (though, thats where you get with your DM and hammer in some changes) and some are overpowered (is there ANY fix for a Frenzied Beserker other then banning it?), but overall I think the additional classes are a good thing.

I just hate all the books you have to buy to get them...and the Dragon craze right now is like the Drizzit craze...I hope it passes soon.

 

[Aus_Snow]

[. . .] the Dragon craze right now is like the Drizzit craze...I hope it passes soon.

Well, it's the Year of the Dragon at WotC this year. And once it's 2007, well . . . I guess you get your wish.

 

[Pants]

* - Yes, I use core class to mean "20 level class" - back off terminology nazis!

Where's SKR when you need him?

Personally, I'd really like it if my players would look more to 'outside sources' for classes. I've got a Duskblade in my current campaign and I've seen the Warlock, Beguiler, and Scout in action, in some form or another.

While I'd technically 'allow' most anything, I'm particularly enamoured with the Duskblade, Beguiler, Knight, Scout, Ninja, Psion, and Psychic Warrior. The Warlock, while an interesting class, what little I've seen of it has sorta dulled my initial opinion of it. It seems a little too narrowly defined and boring for me. I'm not quite sure what to make of the Dragon Shaman, which seems to be just an amalgamation of weird dragony abilities.

I'm still waiting for a good 'generic' Shaman class. I was hoping that GR's (now cancelled) Class Codex would have their Shaman updated to 3.5.

 

[Nyaricus]

Isn't that all but the swashbuckler? What's wrong with it?

Because unlike the others,it's only a 3 level class

Shadowfoot's Swashbuckler, however, is an amazing base class - and yours for free off of WotC's website

Myself, I allow the following classes pretty much automatically in my FR campaigns:
Archivist (HoH)
Barbarian (PHB)
Bard (PHB)
Beguiler (PHBII)
Cleric (PHB) [no heavy armour prof]
Druid (PHB)
Duskblade (PHBII)
Favored Soul (ComDiv) [give a bonus domain]
Fighter (PHB)
Knight (PHBII)
Marshal (MHB) [1:1 BAB and d10 HD]
Noble (DLCS)
Ranger (PHB)
Rogue (PHB)
Scout (ComAdven)
Sorcerer (PHB) [Eschew Materials at first level and bonus feats as Wizard]
Spirit Shaman (ComDiv)
Warlock (ComArc)
Warmage (ComArc)
Wizard (PHB)
Shadowfoot's (off WotC boards) Swashbuckler [I call it a Duelist]
Dr. Awkward's (off EN World) Brawler [I call it a Pugilist]

I allow these with careful consideration to the campaigns theme:
Artificer (ECS)
Dragon Shaman (PHBII)
Dread Necromancer (HoH)

And the Psionic Classes, if it fits the theme:
Ardent (ComPsi)
Divine Mind (ComPsi)
Erudite (ComPsi)
Lurk (ComPsi)
Psion (XPH)
Psychic Warrior (XPH)
Wilder (XPH)

My buddy has Tome of Magic, but I've yet to allow anything in from that. I allow Paladins as a PrC (ala UA), the Soulknife as a PrC (per 3.0 Psionics Handbook), and definitly disallow all Oriental classes (unless it fits the theme of the game, which hasn't happened yet despite 2 OA books in the grousp posession

Other than that, I have never had a real problem with non-core base classes; I love what they can add to a game, and in all honesty, most of them are vastly underpowered, or on par with the core 11 classes (some of which I have nerfed a bit, and some which I have boosted a bit).

cheers,
--N

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Maybe. I don't read many 3rd party sources simply because I have a hard enough time keeping all the WotC stuff straight. I know that isn't necessarily right, because there is some good stuff out there. I admit I just don't know about it.

Pick up the Year's Best D20 from Malhavoc. It collects the best (in Monte's opinion) stuff from 2004. It's chock full of really, really good stuff of all sorts. Easy way to get 99.9 percent good stuff.

 

[Greg K]

I only allow a few of the WOTC new base classes.

Allowed classes
Healer (with a few mods)
Noble
Swashbuckler: not a great class. I would have preferred some more flexability in class abilities, but this is a problem I have with WOTC classes.

Classes that I am considering to allow
Beguiler
Warlock: I love incantatons, but I don't like the Eldritch Blast schtick (yawn)

Classes that would have been appropriate, but I have what I consider better alternatives:

Duskblade: I have the battle sorcerer (UA) and the Myrmidon (AEG) both of which I prefer mechanically for a hybrid warrior/spellcaster
Knight: I use Hong's Knight which is,imo, more customizable
Scout: I dislike Skirmish. Plus, I already have the Wilderness Rogue from UA
Spirit Shaman: I prefer Green Ronin's Shaman

 

[MerricB]

I've run a *lot* of D&D over the past few years. Here's a few notes... only for classes I've played or DMed.

Complete Warrior
* Samurai - DMed at levels 10-14. Didn't impress me as being particularly good or bad, although its Intimidation tree needs work. (So does the basic ability, to be honest).
* Swashbuckler - played at levels 1-4, DMed at levels 1-8. Needs work. Good role-playing potential. It's really nice to have the Diplomacy skills and the skill points, but it's underpowered as a melee combatant. Really, really has problems against Constructs and Undead.
* Hexblade - DMed at levels 10-14. Good character class; rather unusual spin.

Complete Divine
* Favoured Soul - DMed at levels 1-6. Great class. The sheer amount of healing it can produce - or any other spell - is impressive.

Complete Mage
* Warlock - Used as a NPC (level 10). Good NPC class.
* Warmage - DMed at levels 1-8. A bit too focused for my taste, but very good for players who enjoy that sort of play.

Complete Adventurer
* Scout - played with (levels 1-10). Unusual class. May be underpowered compared to the rogue, although it's nice for wilderness adventures.

Magic of Incarnum
* Incarnate - DMed (levels 1-8). Simply brilliant. One of the most interesting and versatile new classes produced by Wizards.
* Soulborn - DMed (levels 4-8). In some ways, a paladin "done right". Not a bad class, but isn't really special at low-mid levels.
* Totemist - DMed (levels 1-9). Excellent class; it's very good to see how it works.

Player's Handbook II
* Knight - DMed (levels 6-7). Hmm. I like the class, but I haven't seen much of it yet. Fairly effective.
* Dragon Shaman - Dmed (level 1). Already awesome. I like this one a lot, and I can't wait to see more of it in play.

Expanded Psionics Handbook
* Soulknife - DMed (levels 1-8). I liked the concept of this class, but thought it might be weak. Adam's managed to dispel that conception with his dwarf soulknife. It's also been helped significantly by CPsi.
* Psion - DMed (levels 1-10). I'm not fond of psionics myself, but Adam has proven the Psion to be an effective, if problematic character. Blowing all the PPs on one or two fights doesn't impress me much. I'm also very wary of the "I can have any sort of energy type now" powers. Not a fan.

Cheers!

 

[xnrdcorex]

There are only two dragon-based core classes, the Dragon Shaman (PHB2) and the Dragonfire Adept (Dragon Magic).

Are you turned off by them creating as many dragon-based core classes as you think are appropriate?

When he says dragon stuff he probably means dragons of faerun, the dragon classes, dragonomicon, dragonlance campaign setting, 2 big as heck dragon minis...you know, dragon stuff, not just the classes(though I'm aware they cited that specifically). I kind of agree. I hate dragons. I think there overplayed and lame. I'm aware the games called dungeons and dragons, so no need to point that out. I think of the game as more of a window to possability. When I open that window and look outside, I don't wanna see a damn dragon in the sky every time.

aside from my dragon-hate, I use all the complete books, and my friend is currently uses Bof9S. His Bo9S is insane. Its like a fighter...that does things on his turn instead of just attacking, I'd recommend it. as for the completes, I was unimpressed with complete divine except for the prestige classes. Complete adventurer has good classes, feats, and prestige classes. Id put complete arcane inbetween those two when it comes to usefulness.

I'd recommend phb2, unearthen arcanna, and spell compendium if you want some options.