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Message: <blockquote data-quote="VenerableBede" data-source="post: 8773053" data-attributes="member: 7032917">IMO, the best justification for a fully new class (not just an archetype, alternate feature suggestions, synergy feats, motif class, prestige class, or even combat tradition) is a new/not-yet-fleshed-out way to play the game, or a new system, that isn't represented by an existing class and couldn't be perfectly represented or realized with an archetype (or one of the other ideas I mentioned).IMO, the style of Summoner that [USER=6975034]@thuter[/USER] mentioned is a great example of a new class that would fit an un-/under-represented style of play. One could argue that the "pet" or "minion" style of play already has representation in the Stitcher artificer or the Beastmaster ranger, but having played both I can easily state that the minions leave a lot to be desired when you want to play a puppetmaster-style character, and especially if you want a tanky pet to take hits and draw attention. Balancing would be difficult, particularly as far as the action economy is concerned, but there absolutely is unused space perfect for a character with a dedicated, customizable minion that takes a fighter-like or berserker-like role while the caster (the main character of the player) takes a Pokemon Trainer–like role in the back of the party. Some people genuinely like playing the game that way, and they don't really have options for that yet, at least not in a way that I find fully satisfactory.The upcoming psion is a great example of a new class that justifies itself with a new system. There are already plenty of full casters in A5e, and making a mind-themed full caster really runs the risk of just feeling like a wizard reskinned. The psion entirely avoids this by creating a new system for "casting". I'm sure a near-infinite amount of other systems could be devised that fit within the A5e framework and allow for really interesting new classes, fully justified in their new identities, because they bring new and interesting rules that other classes simply don't have.That all said, I don't get butthurt by bloat and options like some people do. If someone wanted to make a new martial class called the "samurai" and put in the work and effort to make it polished, balanced, and fun to play, I would love it and would congratulate the person. When we get to choose what content we do and don't want to use, more options filling niche spaces doesn't hurt. Some people might complain, "It's too similar to fighter," or "Fighter archetypes could have already covered this," and for those people I would point them back to my first paragraph and invite them to try and design something truly unique before they shut down people who are iterating on existing things in enjoyable ways.</blockquote>

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