Zardnaar
Legend
So here we are. Wrapping up level 13 main campaign this Sunday. I've ran and played a few others and one shot games up to level 12.
The Tier List makes the following assumptions/criteria.
1. I'm starting from level 1-3
2. 12 classes at least 2 have to go in each Tier.
3. I value earlier levels more than later levels.
4. Game will go to level whenever. I'm making no assumptions when the game ends.
5. I'm happy to play those classes at all levels with a random DM.
So its not the best low level class, best high level class or most damage or the most meta party composition.
S. Tier.
Bard. Skills, spells and support and its spell list leans towards control. And bard dice. Fun and powerful. Its also a charisma based class for social pillar. Can steal spelks later on or earlier if youre a lore bard.
Sorcerer. Its a charisma based class and has metamagic. Twin, quicken, empower, subtle, seeking etc. The subclass is just extra sauce on top.
Paladin. Auras and smite and heavy charisma focus. Not hard to key everything of charisma either. Nova potential got nerfed but everything else got powered up to compensate. Dual wield paladin as well now. Comparatively mid archer but you can pull tgat off as well.
A Tier.
Cleric. Always great if somewhat boring. Bit to reliant on Spirit Guardians however. All the subclasses are good to great. Command might be the best spell in the game.
Druid. Previously a B tier class except for moon Druids. New spells, subclasses etc put this next tier up. If this was a meta party tier list would get a higher rating. That relies on party composition though. Good recurring damage by spellcaster standards and good conjuring/summons/zone spells.
Fighter. At low levels the fighter is great. At high levels the fighter is great. At archery the fighter is great. OK skill monkey now and nova potential via action surge and it can heal itself. At higher levels they can shrug off those high DC effects that hose martials hard. Party full of fighters with a cleric to keep them going would probably work great as well.
B Tier.
Monk
Got buffed to hell and back. One of the better strikers with a bot of control and excellent defenses. It just takes a while to get there relative to other strikers. Not very good at range but excellent mobility so not usually a major problem. At some point in tier 2 gets to hang out with the cool kids in the striker club. At higher levels (14+) excellent defenses as well like fighter and paladins.
Warlock
Probably the best designed class in 5.5 and easily the most powerful spellcaster tier 1. Problem is the scaling level 5 on up. At level 12 I'm thinking of multiclasing out. Its a charisma based class though. Pact of tome scales poorly. Blade has issues but pact of the nothing is fine. Very front loaded. Even pure classed at the highest level its fine.
C Tier.
Barbarian
Excellent strker one of the best even. This is not a most damage tier list though. Bit of a one trick pony focused on melee combat. The big critical flaw is its defenses. Smug Barbarian player "may danage is really good". Smug DM "make a wisdom save". Theres enough wisdom saves in the game to make that a big flaw relative to Paladins, Fighters and Monks. Doesn't scale as well as Fighters/Paladins/Monks as well around level 10 or 11. Great striker level 1-10 though espicially if you can maximize melee.
Wizard
Zard you drunken kiwi you're an idiot. Hear me out. All the other spell casters got power crept a lot. Wizard did no texcept illusionist. Worst spellaster at tier 1. Probably worst class in the game even tier. It does scale up to S tier eventually. When that happens is debatable level 10 or 13 is my PoV. How long it takes to get there is my issue. Or you can be good the whole campaign instead. Scroll or spell access can ve DM/campaign dependent. Notice the power creep on the 4 missing wizards from 5.0 phb in the UA playtest? I rest my case.
D Tier.
Ranger.
Starts off well and I have seen level 3 and 4 ones being competitive with Barbarians. Unfortunately thats the best it gets for them. Theres some narrow builds on the fae wanderer but otherwise im looking at MCing out at after level 5 into war cleric, rogue, fighter, druid etc. Building around hunters mark and bonus action issues with feats and subclasses. Kind of punishes you unless you select an archer. Not outright terrible if you know what youre doing but still something has to be D tier.
Rogue.
Skills and damage. Unfortunately the spell guidance exists on classes that have a better ability scores requirements than you. And the bard exists. And the fighter. And damage falls off the cliff after 5th level. Theres some hope on some of the subclasses eg thief and a DM interpreting the magic item rules in your favor. Eg a rare wand level 3+ (the first rare item can drop tier 1). Hope/bribe the DM does not make a great class nor 1 or 2 subclasses such as the new one in Faerun book. A rogue in my game would get a vicious weapon or decent wand if a thief.
The Tier List makes the following assumptions/criteria.
1. I'm starting from level 1-3
2. 12 classes at least 2 have to go in each Tier.
3. I value earlier levels more than later levels.
4. Game will go to level whenever. I'm making no assumptions when the game ends.
5. I'm happy to play those classes at all levels with a random DM.
So its not the best low level class, best high level class or most damage or the most meta party composition.
S. Tier.
Bard. Skills, spells and support and its spell list leans towards control. And bard dice. Fun and powerful. Its also a charisma based class for social pillar. Can steal spelks later on or earlier if youre a lore bard.
Sorcerer. Its a charisma based class and has metamagic. Twin, quicken, empower, subtle, seeking etc. The subclass is just extra sauce on top.
Paladin. Auras and smite and heavy charisma focus. Not hard to key everything of charisma either. Nova potential got nerfed but everything else got powered up to compensate. Dual wield paladin as well now. Comparatively mid archer but you can pull tgat off as well.
A Tier.
Cleric. Always great if somewhat boring. Bit to reliant on Spirit Guardians however. All the subclasses are good to great. Command might be the best spell in the game.
Druid. Previously a B tier class except for moon Druids. New spells, subclasses etc put this next tier up. If this was a meta party tier list would get a higher rating. That relies on party composition though. Good recurring damage by spellcaster standards and good conjuring/summons/zone spells.
Fighter. At low levels the fighter is great. At high levels the fighter is great. At archery the fighter is great. OK skill monkey now and nova potential via action surge and it can heal itself. At higher levels they can shrug off those high DC effects that hose martials hard. Party full of fighters with a cleric to keep them going would probably work great as well.
B Tier.
Monk
Got buffed to hell and back. One of the better strikers with a bot of control and excellent defenses. It just takes a while to get there relative to other strikers. Not very good at range but excellent mobility so not usually a major problem. At some point in tier 2 gets to hang out with the cool kids in the striker club. At higher levels (14+) excellent defenses as well like fighter and paladins.
Warlock
Probably the best designed class in 5.5 and easily the most powerful spellcaster tier 1. Problem is the scaling level 5 on up. At level 12 I'm thinking of multiclasing out. Its a charisma based class though. Pact of tome scales poorly. Blade has issues but pact of the nothing is fine. Very front loaded. Even pure classed at the highest level its fine.
C Tier.
Barbarian
Excellent strker one of the best even. This is not a most damage tier list though. Bit of a one trick pony focused on melee combat. The big critical flaw is its defenses. Smug Barbarian player "may danage is really good". Smug DM "make a wisdom save". Theres enough wisdom saves in the game to make that a big flaw relative to Paladins, Fighters and Monks. Doesn't scale as well as Fighters/Paladins/Monks as well around level 10 or 11. Great striker level 1-10 though espicially if you can maximize melee.
Wizard
Zard you drunken kiwi you're an idiot. Hear me out. All the other spell casters got power crept a lot. Wizard did no texcept illusionist. Worst spellaster at tier 1. Probably worst class in the game even tier. It does scale up to S tier eventually. When that happens is debatable level 10 or 13 is my PoV. How long it takes to get there is my issue. Or you can be good the whole campaign instead. Scroll or spell access can ve DM/campaign dependent. Notice the power creep on the 4 missing wizards from 5.0 phb in the UA playtest? I rest my case.
D Tier.
Ranger.
Starts off well and I have seen level 3 and 4 ones being competitive with Barbarians. Unfortunately thats the best it gets for them. Theres some narrow builds on the fae wanderer but otherwise im looking at MCing out at after level 5 into war cleric, rogue, fighter, druid etc. Building around hunters mark and bonus action issues with feats and subclasses. Kind of punishes you unless you select an archer. Not outright terrible if you know what youre doing but still something has to be D tier.
Rogue.
Skills and damage. Unfortunately the spell guidance exists on classes that have a better ability scores requirements than you. And the bard exists. And the fighter. And damage falls off the cliff after 5th level. Theres some hope on some of the subclasses eg thief and a DM interpreting the magic item rules in your favor. Eg a rare wand level 3+ (the first rare item can drop tier 1). Hope/bribe the DM does not make a great class nor 1 or 2 subclasses such as the new one in Faerun book. A rogue in my game would get a vicious weapon or decent wand if a thief.
