D&D 5E Druid Glut

[Ancalagon]

I'd have said archtypes are the new kits. Although backgrounds are also the new kits . . . so, uh, yeah

Backgrounds are phenomenal. One of my favorite parts of 5e.

 

[Leatherhead]

Archetypes are the new prestige classes!!!

Kinda. But I think the scales are wildly different.

Archetypes are extremely low barrier to entry ways of modifying existing classes. Much, much easier than coming up with a PrC. They are basically a collection of 4 to 5 themed abilities (up to half of which are ribbons) and maybe something like a list of 10 spells or maneuvers to slap over an existing class chassis. The most difficult to make subclasses would have been the Eldritch Knight and the Arcane Trickster, which add spellcasting to classes that don't inherently have spellcasting. So it's all downhill from there.

In a way, they are even easier to design than feats, because you have the skeleton of what it should to sitting in front of you already.