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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jester David" data-source="post: 6178897" data-attributes="member: 37579">Fewer classes are better for a few reasons.First, it prevents unfamiliar ideas from taking over the table. No matter how many splatbooks are released the classes will have some familiar elements, the warblade will still do something fightery, the shugenja will do wizardly things, and the like. This makes the subclasses feel familiar while being easier for the DM to remember what the class does, and easier to learn.As a related point, it prevents classic classes being made redundant from a story perspective. So many 3e classes were variants on the core classes with a slight, slight story tweak. And many 4e classes were established classes with a role tweak. To make room for the invoker, you had to narrow what it means to be a cleric. When you describe a "heavily armoured warrior skilled with a sword" or "arcane spellcaster in robes" only one class should print to mind.It also makes new options easier to describe. Rather than having to start from scratch describing what a "dragonfire adept" or "archivist" is, you just need to mention it's a subclass of ______ and half the work is done.Second, it's also good for balance. It prevents future options from becoming too overpowered, as they're not making an entire new class from scratch. And it prevents new options from making old ones redundant. Pathfinder has that with the ninja being a better rogue than the rougue, and 4e had this with all the second gen controllers being better at controlling than the PHB1 wizards. Instead, if a class is underperforming, they can release better subclasses keeping a core option relevant.Third, it allows for better support. Everyone remembers the classes that saw no options in 3e beyond their one source book. 4e tried to counter this by declaring "everything is core" and thus worthy of support in future accessories. But there were quickly too many classes for equal coverage. Subclasses mean all future books have a finite number of classes to generate content for. Every feat, magic item, or spell aimed at a wizards applies to almost all versions of the wizard.Fourth, it takes less space. 5e classes can take less room than a 4e class, but they're still not light on the page count. You get more diverse content if you diversify via subclasses. You can have three or four subclasses in the space it takes to have a single class. Even if you keep the same fluff:crunch ratio as the late 4e books, you'll effectively get more options though subclasses.</blockquote>

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