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Message: <blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5888442" data-attributes="member: 92511">Branching off from the blog thread about Backgrounds and Themes...My mind has been soaking up all of the dribs n' drabs of info we've been receiving...listening to peoople's responses...formulating my own shtuff...Below is a "sample party" that I am envisioning for 5e. Obviously all of the specific mechnical stuff is hypothetical...but give it a read and let me know if I'm the only one envisioning this kind of set up...and./or getting excited about it.[note these are all being assumed to be level 1 PCs and that available lists of abilities, skills, themes, etc. will, most likely, expand in further books/sets/offerings or in the "full" levels 1-20 PHB. But for this purpose, let's presume a "starter set" of levels 1-5.]  Player 1: Human Fighter.CLASS: Fighter - Player chooses 3 of 5 (or 10) Class Features. Additional features or increasing training will occur at some point, i.e. every other level, every third, whatever. Let's say: Weapon Master: "Swords group", Toughness, "Sword n' Board" fighting style.RACE: Human - the only Human Racial Abilitiy is "Human Versatility". Player gets to choose an additional Class Feature, at level 1 only, and an additional Skill to tack on, regardless of their Background. Player opts for Weapons Master: "Spears group" as their additional Class Feature and...we'll get to the extra Skill.BACKGROUND: Player chooses the "Town Guard" background, granting: Alertness, Intimidate, Perception (Spots n' Searches). Player decides he's from a town that was near a dwarven colony and so selects "Language: Dwarf" as his additional "extra for being Human" skill.THEME: Player chooses the "Slayer" theme, granting him: Power Attack, Combat Maneuver X, Weapon Focus: "Long Sword" (+1 to hit and damage with the focused weapon, every 3 levels that stacks with his "Weapon Master" bonus).Player 2: Elf FighterCLASS: Fighter - Player chooses 3 of the 5 (or 10( Class Features to start. Weapon Master: "Long./Short Bow", "Archery" fighting style, and "Skirmisher" fighting style.RACE: Elf - automatically receives: Low-light vision, +1 to Dex and +1 to Int., "Elf Senses": grants +2 to all Perception and Search rolls. Player may pick 3 other racial abilities (again from a list of 5 or 10 options)or opts for "Standard/Default Elf Package": granting immunity to Enchantment magic, +1 to use long/short bows and long/short swords, and Woodlore.BACKGROUND: Player chooses "Apprentice", granting her: Read Arcane Magic (as a mundane/non-spell skill); spontaneous casting of the following cantrips Int-bonus +1 times per day: Detect Magic, Light or Prestidigitation; Knowledge: Arcana.THEME: Player selects "Slayer" from the standard Fighter Theme list. Receiving the same "feats" as above.Player 3: Halfling RogueCLASS: Rogue - Player chooses 3 of the 5 (or 10) Class Features to start. Let's say: Stealth, Sneak Attack, Detect/Disarm Traps.RACE: Halfling - Player automatically receives: Low-light vision, +1 to Dex and +1 to Con, Small Size: +2 to AC against larger than human-sized foes. Player fore goes the "Standard/Default Halfling Package" and instead chooses from the Halfling Racial Ability list: Halfling Hiding, Soft-step (move silently and surprise if alone/X feet away from the party, bonus stacks with Rogue Stealth ability), and Halfling Resitance (or Immunity?) to Fear effects.BACkGROUND: Player chooses "Thief" from the standard Rogue BG list, granting: Thievery, Gather Information, Perception (Spot, Listen and Search checks).        THEME: Player chooses "Lurker" from the standard Rogue Theme list: receives some kind of bonus to Sneak Attack, Stealth and Thievery rolls, some additional combat-related feat.Player 4: Human MageCLASS: Mage - Player chooses 3 of 5 (or 10) Class Features to start: Language: Elf, Knowledge: Arcana, Arcane Adept (apply Int-bonus to number of spell levels castable per day). Receives Read Arcane Magic (as non-spell skill) automatically.RACE: Human - choose extra Class Feature and extra Skill, regardless of background, as above. Chooses: Spellcraft as their bonus Class Feature.BACKGROUND: Player chooses "Scholar" from the standard Mage BG list, granting: bonus to Will saves and Int. checks, interaction bonus with other mages, clerics, sages, etc., 2 additional "Knowledge" Skills....Chooses additional Language as their "extra for being human" Skill.THEME: Player chooses "Mystic" from the standard Mage Themes list, granting: Spontaneously cast Int-bonus number of spells per day (from spells available in your spellbook), additional Will save bonus (that stacks with the bonuis from their BG), Read Divine and Nature Magic as a non-magical ability (use of scrolls of all types).I'm sure I could come up with a cleric, druid or ranger or what have you option...but you get the gist.Does this feel good/right/what we're seeing to people or am I totally off base? Are you excited by something like this, as I am, or would you rather see something entirely different? Does this sound like classes are adequately"balanced", to people who care about such things?--SD</blockquote>

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