D&D 5E How many classess/subclasses is too much?

[TwoSix]

This is one of the reasons you'll see GMs will say, "Core + Book X and Book Y" - because managing the choices is otherwise burdensome.

I probably don't see it as much as a burden because I'm usually trying to give the players greater awareness of options that I've allowed via homebrew material, rather than restricting material for thematic considerations. (Since I allow and encourage liberal reskinning, restricting class/subclass material for thematic reasons doesn't make sense in my games.)

So constructing a spreadsheet is really just downloading a file from Reddit and then manually typing in my homebrew material, which takes a couple minutes.

Honestly, it's more for my own reference than the players. We usually build concept first, and I'll suggest options which we might fit their concept better. For example, in a recent game, I had a player who was describing their cleric concept, and I said "You know, that sounds a lot like a 3.5 binder." And they replied "That's actually what I was basing the concept on, I loved that class!" So I was able to reply "You know, I have a 5e conversion of the 3.5 binder that's actually really solid and pretty balanced, would you like to take a look?" and now the player has a PC that they're super excited about (and roleplaying the hell out of!)

 

[Sacrosanct]

Never enough!

There's still plenty of room for cool stuff. I think its disingenuous to count UAs though.

Here's what I can remember off the top of my head. I probably forgot a few...

5 Barbarian : Bezerker, Totem, Zealot, Ancestral, Battlerager

5 Bard : Lore, Valor, Swords, Glamour, Whisper

10 Cleric : Life, Nature, Knowledge, Light, Storm, Trickery, Forge, Grave, Order, War

5 Druid : Land, Moon, Shepperd, Dream, Spore

7 Fighter : Champion, Battlemaster, Eldritch Knight, Purple Dragon, Cavalier, Samurai, Arcane Archer

6 Monk : Open Hand, Shadow, Elemental, Drunken, Sun Soul, Kensei

5 Paladin : Vengeance, Protection, Ancestor, Crown, Redemption

4 Ranger : Hunter, Beastmaster, Monster Slayer, Gloomstalker

6 Rogue : Thief, Assasin, Arcane Trickster, Mastermind, Inquisitive, Scout

4 Sorcerer : Wild, Dragon, Storm, Divine, Shadow

5 Warlock : Fey, Fiend, Great Old One, Celestial, Hexblade

10 Wizard : School (8), War, Bladesinger

73 total subclass

So far I can see some weakness in number of choices...

The fighter sharpshooter and knight were in the same UA as samurai and arcane archer. That's off the top of my head. I know there are several more that seem to be missing

 

[Sacrosanct]

Holy cow look at how many homebrew subclasses there are so far. Good lord...

 

[TwoSix]

Is a different spell list a /mechanical/ distinction? They're both neo-Vancian casters, mechanically.

I consider it a pretty big distinction. Access to top-tier spells is a pretty big class feature. It's why the divine soul is probably the best sorcerer subclass, for example. (It's not over the top because the sorcerers spells known are already so limited, so adding more options just makes the spell choices MORE painful.)

I think the D&D mythos is more an artifact of the game's mechanics, than the other way round.

Hmmm...I wonder what came first, clerics or the D&D henotheistic take on dieties? They kind of enable each other, now.

 

[TwoSix]

Holy cow look at how many homebrew subclasses there are so far. Good lord...

D&D wiki is a terrible place to look for homebrew, though. Occasionally you find some decent ones, but they're generally poor quality.

 

[Sacrosanct]

As I suspected, I figured someone had a list of all non-homebrew subclasses so far (released by WoTC) Giant in the Playground had them:

Spoiler: Barbarian

Hide​

Path of the Ancestral Guardian (XGtE p.9)
Path of the Battlerager (SCAG p.121)
Path of the Berserker (PHB p.49)
Path of the Storm Herald (XGtE p.10)
Path of the Totem Warrior* (PHB p.50)
Path of the Zealot (XGtE p.11)

*Elk and Tiger totems (SCAG p.121)

Spoiler: Bard

Hide​

College of Glamour (XGtE p.14)
College of Lore (PHB p.54)
College of Satire (UA: Kits of Old)
College of Swords (XGtE p.15)
College of Valor (PHB p.55)
College of Whispers (XGtE p.16)

Spoiler: Cleric

Hide​

Arcana Domain (SCAG p.125)
City Domain (UA: Modern Magic)
Death Domain (DMG p.96)
Forge Domain (XGtE p.18)
Grave Domain (XGtE p.19)
Knowledge Domain (PHB p.59)
Life Domain (PHB p.60)
Light Domain (PHB p.60)
Nature Domain (PHB p.61)
Protection Domain (UA: Cleric: Divine Domains)
Tempest Domain (PHB p.62)
Trickery Domain (PHB p.62)
War Domain (PHB p.63)

Spoiler: Druid

Hide​

Circle of Dreams (XGtE p.22)
Circle of the Land (PHB p.68)
Circle of the Moon (PHB p.69)
Circle of the Shepherd (XGtE p.23)
Circle of Spores (UA: Three Subclasses)
Circle of Twilight (UA: Druid Circles and Wild Shape)

Spoiler: Fighter

Hide​

Arcane Archer (XGtE p.28)
Banneret/Purple Dragon Knight (SCAG p.128)
Battle Master (PHB p.73)
Brute (UA: Three Subclasses)
Cavalier (XGtE p.30)
Champion (PHB p.72)
Eldritch Knight (PHB p.74)
Knight (UA: Fighter: Martial Archetypes)
Samurai (XGtE p.31)
Sharpshooter (UA: Fighter: Martial Archetypes)

Spoiler: Monk

Hide​

Way of the Drunken Master (XGtE p.33)
Way of the Four Elements (PHB p.80)
Way of the Kensei (XGtE p.34)
Way of the Long Death (SCAG p.130)
Way of the Open Hand (PHB p.79)
Way of Shadow (PHB p.80)
Way of the Sun Soul (SCAG p.131, XGtE p.35)
Way of Tranquility (UA: Monk: Monastic Traditions)

Spoiler: Paladin

Hide​

Oath of the Ancients (PHB p.86)
Oath of Conquest (XGtE p.37)
Oath of the Crown (SCAG p.132)
Oath of Devotion (PHB p.85)
Oath of Redemption (XGtE p.38)
Oath of Treachery (UA: Paladin: Sacred Oaths)
Oath of Vengeance (PHB p.87)
Oathbreaker (DMG p.97)

Spoiler: Ranger

Hide​

Beast Master (PHB p.93)
Gloom Stalker* (XGtE p.41)
Horizon Walker (XGtE p.42)
Hunter (PHB p.93)
Monster Slayer (XGtE p.43)
Primeval Guardian (UA: Ranger and Rogue)

*Renamed from Deep Stalker

Spoiler: Rogue

Hide​

Arcane Trickster (PHB p.97)
Assassin (PHB p.97)
Inquisitive (XGtE p.45)
Mastermind (SCAG p.135, XGtE p.46)
Scout (XGtE p.47)
Swashbuckler (SCAG p.135, XGtE p.47)
Thief (PHB p.97)

Spoiler: Sorcerer

Hide​

Divine Soul* (XGtE p.50)
Draconic Bloodline (PHB p.102)
Phoenix Sorcery (UA: Sorcery)
Sea Sorcery (UA: Sorcery)
Shadow Magic† (XGtE p.50)
Stone Sorcery (UA: Sorcery)
Storm Sorcery‡ (SCAG p.137, XGtE p.51)
Wild Magic (PHB p.103)

*Renamed from Favored Soul
†Renamed from Shadow
‡Renamed from Storm

Spoiler: Warlock

Hide​

The Archfey (PHB p.108)
The Celestial* (XGtE p.54)
The Fiend (PHB p.109)
Ghost in the Machine (UA: Modern Magic)
The Great Old One (PHB p.109)
The Hexblade (XGtE p.55)
The Raven Queen (UA: Warlock and Wizard)
The Seeker (UA: The Faithful)
The Undying (SCAG p.139)

*Renamed from The Undying Light

Spoiler: Wizard

Hide​

Artificer* (UA: Eberron)
Bladesinging (SCAG p.141)
Lore Mastery (UA: Warlock and Wizard)
School of Abjuration (PHB p.115)
School of Conjuration (PHB p.116)
School of Divination (PHB p.116)
School of Enchantment (PHB p.117)
School of Evocation (PHB p.117)
School of Illusion (PHB p.118)
School of Invention (UA: Three Subclasses)
School of Necromancy (PHB p.118)
School of Transmutation (PHB p.119)
Technomancy (UA: Modern Magic)
Theurgy (UA: Wizard Revisited)
War Magic (XGtE p.59)


So that's 102 official subclasses. Official meaning "released by the WotC design team and not homebrew"

EDIT: more than that, since that's an old thread and doesn't include recent ones like the Rune Knight

 

[TwoSix]

EDIT: more than that, since that's an old thread and doesn't include recent ones like the Rune Knight

Yea, it's missing all the subclasses from Ravnica, for example.

 

[Undrave]

The fighter sharpshooter and knight were in the same UA as samurai and arcane archer. That's off the top of my head. I know there are several more that seem to be missing

I don't quote UA that didn't make it to books. Not everybody plays with them.

Holy cow look at how many homebrew subclasses there are so far. Good lord...

Homebrewer gonna home-brew, not all of them are good quality stuff tho.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Yea, it's missing all the subclasses from Ravnica, for example.

So probably around 115 official subclasses then. Give or take one or two since that list is about a year old since last update. Wow. That's a lot lol.

 

[gyor]

As I suspected, I figured someone had a list of all non-homebrew subclasses so far (released by WoTC) Giant in the Playground had them:

Spoiler: Barbarian

Hide​

Path of the Ancestral Guardian (XGtE p.9)
Path of the Battlerager (SCAG p.121)
Path of the Berserker (PHB p.49)
Path of the Storm Herald (XGtE p.10)
Path of the Totem Warrior* (PHB p.50)
Path of the Zealot (XGtE p.11)

*Elk and Tiger totems (SCAG p.121)

Spoiler: Bard

Hide​

College of Glamour (XGtE p.14)
College of Lore (PHB p.54)
College of Satire (UA: Kits of Old)
College of Swords (XGtE p.15)
College of Valor (PHB p.55)
College of Whispers (XGtE p.16)

Spoiler: Cleric

Hide​

Arcana Domain (SCAG p.125)
City Domain (UA: Modern Magic)
Death Domain (DMG p.96)
Forge Domain (XGtE p.18)
Grave Domain (XGtE p.19)
Knowledge Domain (PHB p.59)
Life Domain (PHB p.60)
Light Domain (PHB p.60)
Nature Domain (PHB p.61)
Protection Domain (UA: Cleric: Divine Domains)
Tempest Domain (PHB p.62)
Trickery Domain (PHB p.62)
War Domain (PHB p.63)

Spoiler: Druid

Hide​

Circle of Dreams (XGtE p.22)
Circle of the Land (PHB p.68)
Circle of the Moon (PHB p.69)
Circle of the Shepherd (XGtE p.23)
Circle of Spores (UA: Three Subclasses)
Circle of Twilight (UA: Druid Circles and Wild Shape)

Spoiler: Fighter

Hide​

Arcane Archer (XGtE p.28)
Banneret/Purple Dragon Knight (SCAG p.128)
Battle Master (PHB p.73)
Brute (UA: Three Subclasses)
Cavalier (XGtE p.30)
Champion (PHB p.72)
Eldritch Knight (PHB p.74)
Knight (UA: Fighter: Martial Archetypes)
Samurai (XGtE p.31)
Sharpshooter (UA: Fighter: Martial Archetypes)

Spoiler: Monk

Hide​

Way of the Drunken Master (XGtE p.33)
Way of the Four Elements (PHB p.80)
Way of the Kensei (XGtE p.34)
Way of the Long Death (SCAG p.130)
Way of the Open Hand (PHB p.79)
Way of Shadow (PHB p.80)
Way of the Sun Soul (SCAG p.131, XGtE p.35)
Way of Tranquility (UA: Monk: Monastic Traditions)

Spoiler: Paladin

Hide​

Oath of the Ancients (PHB p.86)
Oath of Conquest (XGtE p.37)
Oath of the Crown (SCAG p.132)
Oath of Devotion (PHB p.85)
Oath of Redemption (XGtE p.38)
Oath of Treachery (UA: Paladin: Sacred Oaths)
Oath of Vengeance (PHB p.87)
Oathbreaker (DMG p.97)

Spoiler: Ranger

Hide​

Beast Master (PHB p.93)
Gloom Stalker* (XGtE p.41)
Horizon Walker (XGtE p.42)
Hunter (PHB p.93)
Monster Slayer (XGtE p.43)
Primeval Guardian (UA: Ranger and Rogue)

*Renamed from Deep Stalker

Spoiler: Rogue

Hide​

Arcane Trickster (PHB p.97)
Assassin (PHB p.97)
Inquisitive (XGtE p.45)
Mastermind (SCAG p.135, XGtE p.46)
Scout (XGtE p.47)
Swashbuckler (SCAG p.135, XGtE p.47)
Thief (PHB p.97)

Spoiler: Sorcerer

Hide​

Divine Soul* (XGtE p.50)
Draconic Bloodline (PHB p.102)
Phoenix Sorcery (UA: Sorcery)
Sea Sorcery (UA: Sorcery)
Shadow Magic† (XGtE p.50)
Stone Sorcery (UA: Sorcery)
Storm Sorcery‡ (SCAG p.137, XGtE p.51)
Wild Magic (PHB p.103)

*Renamed from Favored Soul
†Renamed from Shadow
‡Renamed from Storm

Spoiler: Warlock

Hide​

The Archfey (PHB p.108)
The Celestial* (XGtE p.54)
The Fiend (PHB p.109)
Ghost in the Machine (UA: Modern Magic)
The Great Old One (PHB p.109)
The Hexblade (XGtE p.55)
The Raven Queen (UA: Warlock and Wizard)
The Seeker (UA: The Faithful)
The Undying (SCAG p.139)

*Renamed from The Undying Light

Spoiler: Wizard

Hide​

Artificer* (UA: Eberron)
Bladesinging (SCAG p.141)
Lore Mastery (UA: Warlock and Wizard)
School of Abjuration (PHB p.115)
School of Conjuration (PHB p.116)
School of Divination (PHB p.116)
School of Enchantment (PHB p.117)
School of Evocation (PHB p.117)
School of Illusion (PHB p.118)
School of Invention (UA: Three Subclasses)
School of Necromancy (PHB p.118)
School of Transmutation (PHB p.119)
Technomancy (UA: Modern Magic)
Theurgy (UA: Wizard Revisited)
War Magic (XGtE p.59)


So that's 102 official subclasses. Official meaning "released by the WotC design team and not homebrew"

EDIT: more than that, since that's an old thread and doesn't include recent ones like the Rune Knight

Discounting UA only subclasses drop it to 80.