D&D 5E Dose D&D have room for a diplomat class?

[nomotog]

I didn't think to think of this before, but is it reasonable to have a class with few or zero combat abilities. Like could we make a diplomat class, or maybe a blacksmith class? Should all classes have a combat role no matter what?

I figure the answer hovers somewhere around whatever the DM/players want's so I want to hear what people think about this.

 

[Fralex]

I don't know, classes like those don't sound like adventurers. Being able to defend yourself is a pretty important part of adventuring, and people like diplomats and smiths seem more like NPCs adventurers might be trying to protect or commission gear from. If a player wanted to be one of those things, a background sounds better-suited to their needs. Do you know of any adventure games where some of the players can't really fight? How was it handled there?

 

[HardcoreDandDGirl]

My favorite edition of D&D had a whole book on it.... http://www.amazon.com/Specialists-Edition-Advanced-Dungeons-Dragons/dp/0786904100

 

[TerraDave]

Diplomat : Bard ?

In terms of your question, I mean, even Picard could defend himself when he had to (though I guess I wouldn't hold my breath for the non-musical non-spell casting bard).

 

[Minigiant]

Well 5th edition forces every class to be in each of the 3 pillars, combat, exploration, and interaction.

But I have been toying with an aristocrat class which is heavy interaction. In combat it is a mix of fighter and rogue getting heavy armor, martial weapons, and sneak attack.

Aristocrat (base class)

• Expertise
• Sneak Attack
• Bonus Language
• Canny Defense (Replace Int for Dex when determining AC)
• All weapons and armor
• Noble Lineage (Subclasses)
  • House of Warriors (you get a fighting style and later Extra Attack)
  • House of Mages (magic build)
  • House of Diplomats (you get a bodyguard)

I even had a blacksmith class in 3e. It dealt extra damage with hammers and any weapon it made and bonus AC with armor it made. It eventually gets fire resistance and a breath attack: Breathe of the Furnace. Converting that would be easy too.

 

[The Human Target]

Diplomat class? Sure.

Class that isn't a combatant? What's the point?

 

[AtomicPope]

Around our table we have an inside joke concerning downtime: I'm going to take a few levels of Expert, then I'll get back to adventuring.

So if we're going to rebuild the broken keep of Thundertree as part of our downtime and character development we'd say,"I'm going to do some remodeling, stonework, take a few levels of Expert. You know. Make a little money that doesn't involve killing strangers."

The joke is the fact that everything in 3e/Mathfinder is a class rather than a story device. We really don't NEED to know what "level" a Mason gets Stonecunning. The game is about adventure, exploration, and daring combat. We have downtime to give more meaning to the adventures, to have a home to fight for and save. If you want a Diplomancer you just make a Sorcerer and give him some Enchantment Spells with Silent/Still (no components) Metamagic.

 

[nomotog]

Diplomat : Bard ?

In terms of your question, I mean, even Picard could defend himself when he had to (though I guess I wouldn't hold my breath for the non-musical non-spell casting bard).

Picard could defend themselves, but they didn't have any cool combat moves part from the ones that everyone had. That would be kind of how the diplomat class would fight. They would be able to use weapons and maybe even have proficiency in a few, but as they level up, they would be gaining ability related to charisma checks.

Part of this thought is that I was wondering how you would do classes for a star treck like setting and you have a lot of people like Spock and Scotty who are scientists and engineers not fighters.

 

[steeldragons]

I'm thinking, no. At its core and roots, D&D is a game of heroic fantasy adventure.

As a background, I can see it. Actually, as a feat I can see it too.

As a basis for its own class? ...Not really.

 

[nomotog]

Well 5th edition forces every class to be in each of the 3 pillars, combat, exploration, and interaction.

But I have been toying with an aristocrat class which is heavy interaction. In combat it is a mix of fighter and rogue getting heavy armor, martial weapons, and sneak attack.

Aristocrat (base class)

• Expertise
• Sneak Attack
• Bonus Language
• Canny Defense (Replace Int for Dex when determining AC)
• All weapons and armor
• Noble Lineage (Subclasses)
  • House of Warriors (you get a fighting style and later Extra Attack)
  • House of Mages (magic build)
  • House of Diplomats (you get a bodyguard)

I even had a blacksmith class in 3e. It dealt extra damage with hammers and any weapon it made and bonus AC with armor it made. It eventually gets fire resistance and a breath attack: Breathe of the Furnace. Converting that would be easy too.

Fire breathing blacksmith. I like it. Giving your expert type class supernatural abilities might help make it easier to sallow. Like a diplomat that can make magically binding contracts or speak every language.