Class Modularity Options

[hemera]

So after reading the Rule of Three for 5/8/2012, and seeing the bit about having the clerics differentiated by domain choice (light armored, laser cleric for the Sun Domain, melee, heavier armored cleric for the War Domain), it got me thinking about what other modular options we might like to see. And I apologize if this has been already covered, if so please lock, delete and scrub the hdd sectors with fire.

For instance, my pathfinder bard tends toward melee and uses spells sparingly but I love my 4e bard who is multiclassed to heck and back (Resourceful Magician Paragon) who stands way back and blasts people with her wand.

So, I'd love to be able to choose between spell focused and melee focused bards for instance...

Now what about you?

 

[dkyle]

I'm not a big fan of diety-specific stuff for clerics. I'd rather see all that stuff bundled into Themes, and let us pick which Theme we want for the cleric we're playing, whether it's a literal representation of their diety or not. I don't really like all Sun Clerics being Laser Clerics. I'd rather there be a Laser Cleric Theme that might be a logical fit for Sun Clerics, but not a requirement for being a Sun Cleric.

Along those lines, I think most classes should be stripped to their most core essence, with a lot of their other stuff granted by Themes and Backgrounds.

So the Cleric Class would just be a Divine spell casting progression, and little else. There'd be Themes to add other features, like heavy armor, weapons, turn undead, extra healing, or better spellcasting.

Similarly, Bards would just be a slow Arcane spell casting progression, plus songs and bardic lore. Better spellcasting, and melee capabilities, would be available through themes. Possibly some of the same themes a caster cleric, or heavy-melee cleric might use.

 

[Ramaster]

Pathfinder got it right with archetypes.

I would be thrilled if WotC did something similar, since it is such a great idea... not saying it is original (it was inspired by 2e kits, I would think), but DAMN they have a good implementation of them!

 

[steeldragons]

I would expect, beyond "Sun" and "War" they offer at least another dozen Domains for clerics...Off the top of my head:
The four cardinal elements (fire, water,air, earth)
Nature/the "Wild"...Plants and/or Animals.
Life...which probably encompasses things like "Healing" moreso than other domains.
The Sea...most probably wrapped up in/similar to "Water."
Death...in its neutral sense of a part of life.
Undeath...as the unnatural bending of both Life and Death.
Slaughter/Blood/Chaos.
Power (meaning the "evil" kinda "personal power").
Justice/Law.
The Moon(s).
Storms/Weather...most probably wrapped up in the Sky Domains of Sun and Moon...or the Nature Domain.

That would probably cover enough for years of play.

As for other classes...I fully expect, with the creation of "Themes" and "Backgrounds" that variants of classes are all simply done through the application of this or that Theme.

Want an arcane spell casting Bard...a druid/nature casting bard...a "fighter/skald" bard...all done with themes.

Want a shadow-magic assassin...an "extra stealthy"/disguise/spy kinda assassin...or a purely thug/physical kinda "Michaletto" assassin...all done with themes.

Want a Nordic/Viking-esque "barbarian" fighter...a Native-American nomadic "barbarian" fighter...a Mongul/horseriding archer kinda "barbarian" fighter...a "Conan-esque" or "Beowulf pulling Grendel's arm off" kinda barbarian fighter....all done with themes.

Want the Gandalf? The Merlin? The Morgan Le Faye? The Raistlin or Red Wizards of Thay or even the Harry Potter kind of mage...all done with themes.

The Aragorn, the Drizzt, the Robin Hood, the Riverwind...rangers done with themes.

The Grey Mouser, the Gord, the Sheila or Diana (from the D&D cartoon), the Malcolm Reynolds or Marena Baccarin (from Serenity/Firefly) or the Tasslehoff Burrfoot (from DragonLance), or Will Scarlett [albeit Will is probably a bard] rogue...all done with themes.

Paladins, clerics, thieves, specialist mages, witches, warlocks, warlords and shining knights of yore...all done with themes.

I expect and look forward to as WIDE a range of archetypes as possible in 5e D&D...through colorful classes, diverse backgrounds and flavorful themes.

--SD

 

[Howndawg]

I would expect, beyond "Sun" and "War" they offer at least another dozen Domains for clerics...Off the top of my head:
The four cardinal elements (fire, water,air, earth)
Nature/the "Wild"...Plants and/or Animals.
Life...which probably encompasses things like "Healing" moreso than other domains.
The Sea...most probably wrapped up in/similar to "Water."
Death...in its neutral sense of a part of life.
Undeath...as the unnatural bending of both Life and Death.
Slaughter/Blood/Chaos.
Power (meaning the "evil" kinda "personal power").
Justice/Law.
The Moon(s).
Storms/Weather...most probably wrapped up in the Sky Domains of Sun and Moon...or the Nature Domain.

That would probably cover enough for years of play.
--SD

I would add to your list:
Knowledge- for cloistered cleric types.
Shadow/Thievery
Love