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Archetypes to add to 5e
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<blockquote data-quote="Ashrym" data-source="post: 7805135" data-attributes="member: 6750235"><p>I think some of y'all are confusing "archetype" with "class that has the following abilities". A lot of the stuff presented can be covered with existing classes, subclasses, ability (skill) checks, and backgrounds; and multi-classing if need be. A specific archetype doesn't need to be specifically created to exist or be a specific class. ;-)</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The easiest way to do this is with a valor bard who has the criminal (spy variant) background. The subclass bakes combat right into it to cover the 1e fighter requirements and the background covers the 1e thief requirements. All that's needed is appropriate skill proficiencies, taking spells shared with the druid spell list, and using magical secrets for druid spells. I've done it with lore bards too.</p><p></p><p>Alternatively, take 6 levels of fighter, 4 levels of rogue; or 10 levels of druid; or whatever mix feels best. Take entertainer for a background or other suitable background, or make a custom background. Introduce your character as a bard. Expertise in persuasion and history covers the rest. It's pretty much an exact replica of the 1e bard at that point.</p><p></p><p>This archetype is the basis for most of my bards, lol.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Agreed. I had it listed among the bard archetypes in the original test forums for 5e. A shaman preserves history via storytelling, among other things. A bard is one of the first things that comes to mind for the archetype. Clerics and druids also work.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>It's not actually refluff unless a person has predetermined the bard is a minstrel of some sort, which is inaccurate. D&D often treats the class like an entertainer, but the roots are deeper than that. Bards were the oral tradition and scholars in many cultures under different names but similar roles. They were historians and keepers of customary law. They were also attributed magical abilities.</p><p></p><p>It doesn't matter if the name of the class is bard, griot, kahuna, shaman, or ozan. Oral history and tradition being handed down through mnemonic devices (song and poetry) to help remember them is what bards did. The term "bard" comes from specific regions and times but the concepts for various bard archetypes existed everywhere. The ability to entertain was secondary until it become more prominent when they evolved after written history succeeded oral history.</p><p></p><p>All that really takes is writing it into your bard's background.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Bards are already those things. Every bard has a bonus to intelligence skills from jack of all trades, but moving into the archetype more only requires the sage background (or similar sources of intelligence skill proficiencies) and expertise in history. Expertise in history, proficiency in religion, and proficiency in perform covers the traditional bard role or story-teller well.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I saw other answers to this, but expertise in social skills already exists for rogues. That's not requesting a missing archetype; it's requesting special powers regardless of the archetype already being creatable. ;-)</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The archetype is covered in a background. The class spells and skill proficiencies can be taken to match. Lore master does the job reasonably well.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Arcane trickster with the appropriate background and proficiencies works great for the roguish minstrel archetype too. Doesn't even need to be a bard.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ashrym, post: 7805135, member: 6750235"] I think some of y'all are confusing "archetype" with "class that has the following abilities". A lot of the stuff presented can be covered with existing classes, subclasses, ability (skill) checks, and backgrounds; and multi-classing if need be. A specific archetype doesn't need to be specifically created to exist or be a specific class. ;-) The easiest way to do this is with a valor bard who has the criminal (spy variant) background. The subclass bakes combat right into it to cover the 1e fighter requirements and the background covers the 1e thief requirements. All that's needed is appropriate skill proficiencies, taking spells shared with the druid spell list, and using magical secrets for druid spells. I've done it with lore bards too. Alternatively, take 6 levels of fighter, 4 levels of rogue; or 10 levels of druid; or whatever mix feels best. Take entertainer for a background or other suitable background, or make a custom background. Introduce your character as a bard. Expertise in persuasion and history covers the rest. It's pretty much an exact replica of the 1e bard at that point. This archetype is the basis for most of my bards, lol. Agreed. I had it listed among the bard archetypes in the original test forums for 5e. A shaman preserves history via storytelling, among other things. A bard is one of the first things that comes to mind for the archetype. Clerics and druids also work. It's not actually refluff unless a person has predetermined the bard is a minstrel of some sort, which is inaccurate. D&D often treats the class like an entertainer, but the roots are deeper than that. Bards were the oral tradition and scholars in many cultures under different names but similar roles. They were historians and keepers of customary law. They were also attributed magical abilities. It doesn't matter if the name of the class is bard, griot, kahuna, shaman, or ozan. Oral history and tradition being handed down through mnemonic devices (song and poetry) to help remember them is what bards did. The term "bard" comes from specific regions and times but the concepts for various bard archetypes existed everywhere. The ability to entertain was secondary until it become more prominent when they evolved after written history succeeded oral history. All that really takes is writing it into your bard's background. Bards are already those things. Every bard has a bonus to intelligence skills from jack of all trades, but moving into the archetype more only requires the sage background (or similar sources of intelligence skill proficiencies) and expertise in history. Expertise in history, proficiency in religion, and proficiency in perform covers the traditional bard role or story-teller well. I saw other answers to this, but expertise in social skills already exists for rogues. That's not requesting a missing archetype; it's requesting special powers regardless of the archetype already being creatable. ;-) The archetype is covered in a background. The class spells and skill proficiencies can be taken to match. Lore master does the job reasonably well. Arcane trickster with the appropriate background and proficiencies works great for the roguish minstrel archetype too. Doesn't even need to be a bard. [/QUOTE]
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