D&D General Arcane Subclasses UA Survey is up

[Parmandur]

UA in the 5e era almost never includes context/story/lore/fluff.

They tried the Rune Carver as a Prestige Class in a UA ages ago. I rather liked it, but also I was someone coming back to the game after 20 years away so I didn't understand the baggage.

I started playing with 3.x, and I personally gave the Prestoge Class concept bad marks in the uA survey at the time. Never again, please.

I did like the proposed Multiple Class Subclasses, and I would personally have been fine if they had standardized progression to make that more feasible...but neither is it really necessary.

 

[Mistwell]

I was never a fan of prestige classes. They were intended for one special career themed path, and optimizers used them like a Halloween grab bag of candy, Frankensteining one prestige class on another on another in a hodge podge of abilities never intended to work with each other to dominate the mechanics.

Subclasses do a much better job of silo'ing PCs, and the 2024 version where they all only come on line at level 3 makes it even better for that focus. If I never see another Hexblade 1 level dip I'll be a happy man.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

I was never a fan of prestige classes. They were intended for one special career themed path, and optimizers used them like a Halloween grab bag of candy, Frankensteining one prestige class on another on another in a hodge podge of abilities never intended to work with each other to dominate the mechanics.

Subclasses do a much better job of silo'ing PCs, and the 2024 version where they all only come on line at level 3 makes it even better for that focus. If I never see another Hexblade 1 level dip I'll be a happy man.

I like PrC's, but the DM needs to enforce roleplaying restrictions on them. No taking four different PrCs, all meant for different campaign settings.

 

[leozg]

UA in the 5e era almost never includes context/story/lore/fluff.

Not explicitly while they are in UA, but when they become oficial it doesn't change. I mean, they include a text, but the abilities are not linked between them. It seems just a bunch of mechanics not glued with a layer of lore explaining how the character developed these abilities in a way that makes some sense.

 

[pukunui]

EDIT: Never mind. I see someone else already mentioned the Rune Carver UA.

 

[Bladesinger]

I know this ship has sailed seeing as how four subclasses are already in the PHB, however, they should have gone with more thematic subclasses rather than attach themselves to the old eight schools. I’d propose the following -

Battle Mage - a master of Abjuration and Evocation magic

Beguiler - A master of Enchantment and Illusion magic

Necromancer - A master of Divination and Necromancy magic

Summoner - A master of Conjuration and Transmutation magic (this one is a bit of a stretch, but I think it can be made to work, the
name needs work too, but you get the idea)

I am also a fan of Tales of the Valiant Cantrip Master subclass. I think this would have been a better way to go, but YMMV.

 

[Mistwell]

I know this ship has sailed seeing as how four subclasses are already in the PHB, however, they should have gone with more thematic subclasses rather than attach themselves to the old eight schools. I’d propose the following -

Battle Mage - a master of Abjuration and Evocation magic

Beguiler - A master of Enchantment and Illusion magic

Necromancer - A master of Divination and Necromancy magic

Summoner - A master of Conjuration and Transmutation magic (this one is a bit of a stretch, but I think it can be made to work, the
name needs work too, but you get the idea)

I am also a fan of Tales of the Valiant Cantrip Master subclass. I think this would have been a better way to go, but YMMV.

Interesting take. I wouldn't have had any issue with this

 

[Weiley31]

WotC needs to stop jerking around and reintroduce Prestige Classes. All this UA material has been done before in other editions and can be done better with homebrew. We need to see how the 5e system handles elite class hybrids. I see so many builds that are just .... all over the place and make no sense. The structure and enhanced proficiency provided by Prestige classes would be a welcomed addition to a system that IMO falls a little flat at higher levels.

They could be reintroduced for 5e/5.5e. But would they be introduced as they were in earlier editions of D&D, or could they be reintroduced in a new format such as a feat chain? If brought back as they were in 2e/3e, then you would have to deal with the drawbacks that come with multiclassing. As for the feat chain, it's something that's being used by Level Up to get that Prestige class-like feel.

Of course, it would be easier to bring back the Prestige classes as subclasses for a given class.

Hot take: the 5E Prestige Class should be something that you can take starting at Level 15. Make it just a five level spread that let's you pretty much replace the last five levels of your class with its own specific bonuses/abilities of said Prestige Class.

Of course, that would mean that WoTC would HAVE to make five levels of substantial effects or features to make up for the choice of have your classes features getting swapped out for what the Prestige Class is offering.

 

[Corinnguard]

Hot take: the 5E Prestige Class should be something that you can take starting at Level 15. Make it just a five level spread that let's you pretty much replace the last five levels of your class with its own specific bonuses/abilities of said Prestige Class.

Of course, that would mean that WoTC would HAVE to make five levels of substantial effects or features to make up for the choice of have your classes features getting swapped out for what the Prestige Class is offering.

I don't think there are that many adventures (official, 3pp or homebrewed) for 5e that go beyond 15th to make it worthwhile to pick up a prestige class.

 

[mellored]

Hot take: the 5E Prestige Class should be something that you can take starting at Level 15. Make it just a five level spread that let's you pretty much replace the last five levels of your class with its own specific bonuses/abilities of said Prestige Class.

Of course, that would mean that WoTC would HAVE to make five levels of substantial effects or features to make up for the choice of have your classes features getting swapped out for what the Prestige Class is offering.

I'd rather see it be something like..

Only half your levels (rounded down) can be a prestige levels.

Spread it out bit.