D&D 5E Homebrew Marshal Class (+Thread)

[Tales and Chronicles]

Gotta figure out how any level gating will work, then.

I’m pretty strongly opposed to the idea of the base class being incapable of enabling magic users.

Well, given it can already grant cantrips instead on a single weapon attacks, and a second spell at level 14 if you keep the ability to grant another turn, I would say that having another gambit to spread elemental damage from cantrips on the attack of other allies seems overkill a little. I would go as far as saying that the mundane-support not only enable magic users, but even favors them.

Anyway, its just my preference. I'm just afraid that a martial support will instead just become a ''battery'' for spellcaster at higher level.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Well, given it can already grant cantrips instead on a single weapon attacks, and a second spell at level 14 if you keep the ability to grant another turn, I would say that having another gambit to spread elemental damage from cantrips on the attack of other allies seems overkill a little. I would go as far as saying that the mundane-support not only enable magic users, but even favors them.

Anyway, its just my preference. I'm just afraid that a martial support will instead just become a ''battery'' for spellcaster at higher level.

The ability literally uses a spellcaster as a battery for greater weapon user power.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

We were going to gate some gambits by level anyway, weren't we? Sort of like Invocations? Maybe some verbiage like : may choose an additional Gambit at levels X, Y, and Z; and then just make level X a prerequisite for some of the gambits on the master list.

Yeah. Another way to go may be to cost them differently?

well, no, never mind. Okay so level 2 is a handful of gambits, and then at tier levels you learn a couple more?

 

[Fenris-77]

That should work yeah. If we put level prerequisites right into the gambits it will let us put them all in one list list and keep the class write up nice and neat. Either learn them in two lots of even three. The more we differentiate into tiers the more we can play with power levels.

 

[Tony Vargas]

. I'm just afraid that a martial support will instead just become a ''battery'' for spellcaster at higher level.

If we're still talking the same idea: the Marshal channels the magical damage-type provided by one ally's cantrip (or spell, for more damage?) to weapon-using allies he's already granting a damage bonus too?
Then, really, it's more the caster acting as battery, the mage-captain is more like the jumper cables.
It's a very flavorful idea, but it really seems like it calls for a concept with specific magical power/knowledge.
It's also interesting, perhaps not unique, in that it's an ability that's not just dependent on receptive allies with the right abilities of their own (typical of support functions), but also on a collaborator, to work.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

N

If we're still talking the same idea: the Marshal channels the magical damage-type provided by one ally's cantrip (or spell, for more damage?) to weapon-using allies he's already granting a damage bonus too?
Then, really, it's more the caster acting as battery, the mage-captain is more like the jumper cables.
It's a very flavorful idea, but it really seems like it calls for a concept with specific magical power/knowledge.
It's also interesting, perhaps not unique, in that it's an ability that's not just dependent on receptive allies with the right abilities of their own (typical of support functions), but also on a collaborator, to work.

no. The marshal is directing the magic user. The marshal isn’t doing anything magical.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

That should work yeah. If we put level prerequisites right into the gambits it will let us put them all in one list list and keep the class write up nice and neat. Either learn them in two lots of even three. The more we differentiate into tiers the more we can play with power levels.

Works for me. I’d like the ability to do a simple 1dX or 2dX AoE to be a tier 1 ability, though. Maybe we can change the ability for a low level, and just build an upgrade into it?

in fact, why not warlock it, and have many of the gambits automatically upgrade at certain levels?

 

[Tony Vargas]

The marshal is directing the magic user. The marshal isn’t doing anything magical.

Are we back to attack-granting working on cantrips?
Because, using a cantrip an extra time and channeling the cantrip's damage type to allies' weapons seem like very different things.
I mean, is that something you can do with cantrips, normally?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Are we back to attack-granting working on cantrips?
Because, using a cantrip an extra time and channeling the cantrip's damage type to allies' weapons seem like very different things.
I mean, is that something you can do with cantrips, normally?

Why shouldn’t the marshal allow other characters to do things they can’t normally do?
There is literally no niche for the concept if it can’t do things other support characters don’t do.

 

[Fenris-77]

Works for me. I’d like the ability to do a simple 1dX or 2dX AoE to be a tier 1 ability, though. Maybe we can change the ability for a low level, and just build an upgrade into it?

in fact, why not warlock it, and have many of the gambits automatically upgrade at certain levels?

Yeah, that would work. We could level some and prereq others too.

Are we back to attack-granting working on cantrips?
Because, using a cantrip an extra time and channeling the cantrip's damage type to allies' weapons seem like very different things.
I mean, is that something you can do with cantrips, normally?

Obviously not, but like DBW, I'm not upset to find a new use for an existing ability. D&D hasn't really taken the plunge into multi-character synergy like this, but that doesn't mean it's not cool. So long as it's balanced I don't see the harm.