Level Up (A5E) Combat Traditions limited by Class

[xiphumor]

Why are combat traditions restricted by class?

I get that it’s somewhat akin to spell lists for casters, and that there are certainly traditions which synergize better with different classes (Adamantine Mountain for Berserkers, Mist and Shade for Rogues, etc.), but it doesn’t seem to be strictly important from a balance perspective the way that Bards having few damage spells does.

I like that Fighters get more traditions than others. They should have something special. But if they’re going to be restricted like this, I think I would prefer “Pick two traditions, at least one of which must be X, Y, or Z” for a little more customization. (I am specifically sad that I can’t take Mirror’s Glint for my Swashbuckler Rogue).

Could this restriction be loosened, or am I missing something? I would love to hear from the designers on this.

 

[Morrus]

Same reason spells are restricted by class. Why can’t wizards heal? Why can’t healer clerics use fireball?

A free for all system is certainly an approach, and many games do that, but that’s not really 5E, at least to us. 5E is predicted in a class system where the options narrow down the flavour.

 

[lichmaster]

Why are combat traditions restricted by class?

I get that it’s somewhat akin to spell lists for casters, and that there are certainly traditions which synergize better with different classes (Adamantine Mountain for Berserkers, Mist and Shade for Rogues, etc.), but it doesn’t seem to be strictly important from a balance perspective the way that Bards having few damage spells does.

I like that Fighters get more traditions than others. They should have something special. But if they’re going to be restricted like this, I think I would prefer “Pick two traditions, at least one of which must be X, Y, or Z” for a little more customization. (I am specifically sad that I can’t take Mirror’s Glint for my Swashbuckler Rogue).

Could this restriction be loosened, or am I missing something? I would love to hear from the designers on this.

I was exactly of the same idea. I still have to try the game as is, and see if the restriction is natural or really feels artificial.
My guess at the moment is that the traditions available for the classes are the most natural, so picking one that isn't on the list of available ones would be a weird and probably mechanically suboptimal choice.
If you have a particular build in mind, maybe one way to go without changing the system is to multiclass with another class that has access to that tradition (would probably synergise better anyway).
Loosing the restriction is surely possible, but then the Fighter would also feel way less special, so you'd need to come up with something to cover that void. Initially I was thinking of something like this, but I have to play the game a lot before I have a good feel of what could be done well in this sense

 

[Composer99]

There's also the Martial Scholar feat, and several other feats that allow you to use certain maneuvers at will.

Apropos of Mirror's Glint specifically, I should note that the pirate in the art (page 470) looks like a kind of swashbuckler who'd likely be a rogue, so I'd be happy houseruling that proficiency in for that subclass. Reading through that tradition, it is the swashbuckler tradition IMO.

 

[Satirical Bard]

The new duellist fighter archetype is also a swashbuckler, FWIW