D&D 5E D&D Class Design Criticism

[Lanliss]

I think rogue's slippery mind is too late. Actually any ability that gives proficiency that late is not the most elegant thing...
It gives you an instant bonus of +5 to will saves.
And it makes you think twice about taking resilient earlier.
In my opinion giving advantage on will saves at that level would have been the better choice. And mathematically it would not be a lot worse.

Monk gets prof in all saves later on. I actually like it.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Monk gets prof in all saves later on. I actually like it.

At level 14. I think about that ability differently. Its partly because it is a bonis to all saves and because monks have naturally good wisdom anyway so you can do without resilient until then.

Sent from my GT-I9506 using EN World mobile app

 

[schnee]

One odd thing is the order Land Druids get their specials.

Nature's Sanctuary is weak and comes in right about the time that animals cease to be any challenge, so you won't matter at all. And Nature's Ward, arguably more powerful and magical - since it deals with fey and grants absolute immunities - comes in earlier.

A 14th level Nature's Sanctuary should be like 'natural animals do not attack you, ones under magical control from a spellcaster of a lower level don't attack you, and animals under magical control from a higher level spellcaster attack with disadvantage'.

Or, just make the one as it is now come in at 6th, and make the one at 14th like the one I just wrote and call it Greater Nature's Sanctuary.

 

[Yunru]

Martial classes get on average 2 features per level (unless it's a very strong feature like Action Surge or Cunning Action).
Spellcasters on the other hand, get on average 2 features per level, plus a caster level.

Something seems off about that.

 

[Henry]

When characters had all their abilities early on, it was considered boring because there was no sense of progress, everything felt static, and levels were just some meaningless numbers.

Game designers just can't win.

It's part of the old aphorism about being unable to please all the people all of the time -- likely a completely different set of plaintiffs.

For the ranger capstone, my belief is that it's there because granting a straight-up bonus to hit is rare; if you're adding yet more to break bounded accuracy, a la Foe Slayer or the barbarian's Primal Champion, then they're shoving that into Endgame territory intentionally.

 

[Charles Rampant]

That's a good question, because what I hear the OP asking is: "why can't I have all my cool abilities at first level?"

Or, "can't WotC just make all abilities into a gradient that gets more powerful each time you go up a level?"

I've been waiting, and I've still heard nothing to suggest an answer to my question, just lots of random wishlisting.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Corwin]

Noted. And way to admit, off-handedly, that D&D is not your ideal RPG. You are not alone.

I think this is the key underlying truth. Every system out there appeals to different people, to different degrees, for different reasons. I never disparage someone enjoying whatever particular D&D edition, or any other RPG system, more than me. Who am I to judge what someone likes?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with preferring something different than what 5e offers. The trick is in finding that system that best scratches your particular itches. Once you do that, you're golden.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I think this is the key underlying truth.

There you go, presenting your opinion as universal truth again! ;P

Every system out there appeals to different people, to different degrees, for different reasons.
The trick is in finding that system that best scratches your particular itches. Once you do that, you're golden.

That's the easy part, you'll probably find 6 different little niche-RPG systems that work better for your specific 'style' out of the box than 5e D&D. The trick is finding 6 other people who feel the same way about at least one of those six systems, and can all agree on which one of them to play.
Or, you could just play 5e, since it's no problem finding lots of folks who can handle playing D&D again, and tweak it work for your style.

 

[Corwin]

There you go, presenting your opinion as universal truth again!

I would have hoped starting with "I think" would have been clear enough, even for you. Perhaps I ask too much of others. ;p