D&D (2024) Cross-class subclasses

[cbwjm]

Still waiting for the next UA for another class group, my hope is that they keep the same subclass structure so that some subclasses can fit across classes.

Some subclasses I'd like to see:
Strixhaven subclasses recreated, might even recreate them myself for a strixhaven game. I thought these were great ideas which fell flat due to the mix of levels that each class gained subclasses.

Witch. A witch subclass could be cool, taken up by a full spellcaster, different covens that have bards, clerics, druids, sorcerers, wizards, or even warlocks.

Warlord. A subclass that can be taken up by any class, I think this would be a good addition, not keen on a full class myself, but a subclass that anyone can pick up would be great.

So many subclasses from 3e could also be upgraded to cross-class subclasses considering that many of them could be entered by different classes. Not sure when we'll get the next UA, but I hope they keep the subclass level the same across all classes.

 

[Olrox17]

i would also like the have cross class subclasses, but in that case, I also believe the subclass level for everyone should be level 1, not level 3. For classed like warlocks, sorcerers and to a lesser degree clerics, it would be weird not to pick your patron/origin/domain right away.

Picking subclasses at 1 would also increase design space, allowing (for example) ranger subclasses that grant the half caster progression, and others that don’t.

 

[cbwjm]

i would also like the have cross class subclasses, but in that case, I also believe the subclass level for everyone should be level 1, not level 3. For classed like warlocks, sorcerers and to a lesser degree clerics, it would be weird not to pick your patron/origin/domain right away.

Picking subclasses at 1 would also increase design space, allowing (for example) ranger subclasses that grant the half caster progression, and others that don’t.

I fully agree with that, but sadly I don't think that's going to be the way that WotC go.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I fully agree with that, but sadly I don't think that's going to be the way that WotC go.

I still think, subclass at 3 for all is great. And then I think, that every class at level 1 should have a second decision point.

For fighters we have fighting style and dex vs con.
For warlock we have partron and bond. Put the sibclass weight on bond and keep patron level 1 ability and spells.
The bard could have song of rest at 1 and could have some alternate song variants (war, nature).
The ranger could chose spellcasting or companion.
The paladin could have spellcasting or smites.
The wizard choses school at level 1 and implement later.

So this would be how I would do it most probably.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I am not sure that we will see cross class subclasses in the new release at the beginning. However, I fully expect to see them at some point but only cross class within a class group. So Expert subclasses, Mages Subclasses and so forth.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

The problem with cross-class subclasses is that they cant reference a feature from its base class: for example, the current 1D&D Hunter subclass could be used on a rogue chassis, even if the levels fit, because it requires spell slots for its conjure barrage thingy.

One thing I could see is doing cross-class subclasses for multi-classing. An archetype that grants its base class part of the features of another class.

So a Fighter MC Bard could be a Fighter with the ''chanter'' archetype, giving him a few uses of Bardic Inspiration, expertise in 2 skills and 1/3 spellcasting, for example.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

The problem with cross-class subclasses is that they cant reference a feature from its base class: for example, the current 1D&D Hunter subclass could be used on a rogue chassis, even if the levels fit, because it requires spell slots for its conjure barrage thingy.

One thing I could see is doing cross-class subclasses for multi-classing. An archetype that grants its base class part of the features of another class.

So a Fighter MC Bard could be a Fighter with the ''chanter'' archetype, giving him a few uses of Bardic Inspiration, expertise in 2 skills and 1/3 spellcasting, for example.

I'd like that as a way to multiclass. Question is: how does addong 1/3 casting to a full spellcaster...
Edit: I thought, maybe restricting mage multiclass to warriors. Warrior multiclass to mages and so on. But given that the expert group has all kinds of (non)spellcasters, it is a bit wild.

 

[cbwjm]

I am not sure that we will see cross class subclasses in the new release at the beginning. However, I fully expect to see them at some point but only cross class within a class group. So Expert subclasses, Mages Subclasses and so forth.

I don't think we will initially either, but hope we will at a later date, though I will homebrew pretty early on I think. I'm not sure that every cross-class subclass would fit within groups, particularly how they've divided up the classes though I can see WotC using them as the divider. Problem is some cross-class subclasses I think work well with full casters, or what I consider warriors (barbarian, fighter, paladin, ranger) and they're spread across the various groups.

 

[cbwjm]

The problem with cross-class subclasses is that they cant reference a feature from its base class: for example, the current 1D&D Hunter subclass could be used on a rogue chassis, even if the levels fit, because it requires spell slots for its conjure barrage thingy.

One thing I could see is doing cross-class subclasses for multi-classing. An archetype that grants its base class part of the features of another class.

So a Fighter MC Bard could be a Fighter with the ''chanter'' archetype, giving him a few uses of Bardic Inspiration, expertise in 2 skills and 1/3 spellcasting, for example.

I think it's fine not referencing a specific class feature in a subclass so I think it'll still work.

Your other idea for multi-classing though, brilliant. I'll be keeping that in mind when homebrewing some of these up. Just waiting to see if wotc stick with the same subclass structure before making some up.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I don't think we will initially either, but hope we will at a later date, though I will homebrew pretty early on I think. I'm not sure that every cross-class subclass would fit within groups, particularly how they've divided up the classes though I can see WotC using them as the divider. Problem is some cross-class subclasses I think work well with full casters, or what I consider warriors (barbarian, fighter, paladin, ranger) and they're spread across the various groups.

The reason I expect that cross-class subclasses will be restricted to the class groups is that I expect the different groups to have different subclass levels. For instance, the expert group has the subclass features at levels 3,6,10, and 14 whereas the mages might have the subclasses beginning at level 1