D&D General Exclusive Subclasses for Nonhuman PC races in an Almost Old School World

[bedir than]

I loved the Halfling Sherriff

 

[Minigiant]

I loved the Halfling Sherriff

What does the Halfling Sheriff do that a Halfling fighter can't?

 

[bedir than]

What does the Halfling Sheriff do that a Halfling fighter can't?

IIRC the Sheriff kit had mild rogue feelings, while being a respected member of society, also a little bit lazy.

In core 5e, I would probably make it as a Halfling Fighter (Champion) with a Spy background

 

[Stormonu]

That depends on the edition and class really.

Like a Gnome Artificer would be Rogue subclass in older editions but could be its own class in a new edition.

Whereas a Dwarven Defender would be hardpressed to have subclasses unless you add something like Runeknights and Stone Wardens in it or combined it with Battleragers and Axedwarves.

In later editions, due to the greater demand of options, you would have to combine more sources of inspiration in order to be able to split them up afterward. You would have to combine the Gnome Artificer and Gnome Illusionist into a single Gnome Gadgeteer that creates minor magic items via infusions. Or combine the Bladesinger and Arcane Archer into a single Elven Magic Warrior class with each weapon being their own subclass.

Nah, it wouldn't be too hard to do subclasses for each

Dwarven Defender

• Stalwart (damage reduction, immovibility, sentinel, weapon and shield)
• Cavefighter (mobility, ambush, two-weapon fighting)
• Foeslayer (heavy armor, reach, two-handed weapons)

 

[Stormonu]

Okay, what about reversing this - making race-only subclasses for the existing classes? I think they tried this in Sword Coast (with Bladesinger), but decided to abandon it.

Such as Fighter; subclass Dwarven Defender?

 

[billd91]

Okay, what about reversing this - making race-only subclasses for the existing classes? I think they tried this in Sword Coast (with Bladesinger), but decided to abandon it.

Such as Fighter; subclass Dwarven Defender?

I’d be more inclined to do it with subclasses than full classes. And the blade singers are excellent examples of how they can work. You just need the stamina to hold to the restrictions because nothing says wasted effort more than building a restricted option only to open it up at the first request.

 

[Don Durito]

Like so many things it would work well if it reinforces a setting but without a setting to reinforce people would complain it is needlessly restrictive.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Okay, what about reversing this - making race-only subclasses for the existing classes? I think they tried this in Sword Coast (with Bladesinger), but decided to abandon it.

Such as Fighter; subclass Dwarven Defender?

Breach Warden (gnome, paladin)
Tunnel stalker (dwarf, Rogue)
Warchanter (orc, bard)
Dragon shaman (dragonborn, druid)

 

[aco175]

I would be tempted to make each race a class for levels 1-2 and then the level 3 path become a more traditional class like the examples above. That would give it a more old-school feel.

 

[Minigiant]

Like so many things it would work well if it reinforces a setting but without a setting to reinforce people would complain it is needlessly restrictive.

That's the key

For example the human only druidic Bard, Druid, and Druidic ranger suggests a Celt like nation where the druids of the forest are the main religious power. The Celti-like nobility have the druids train a set of warriors to defend the borders and train warrior-bards to spread the war stories.

So those who want to play a dwarf ranger would see how the dwarves lack the infrastructure for rangers or bards. The dwarves would have their own infrastructure, biology, and culture to have their own classes.