Blog (A5E) Level Up: Let’s Talk About Archetypes

We’ve shown you several draft Level Up classes (and we’re busy revising those based on the extensive survey feedback we received). What we haven’t mentioned yet, though, is archetypes.

As you have seen, Level Up classes have feature slots where archetypes plug in just like Original 5E (O5E) does. Every O5E archetype, past, present, and future, can be used with Level Up, which gives Level Up an immense amount of support out of the gate, along with ongoing support from a range of companies. This has been one of our most important goals all along — while Level Up is a standalone game, you can use O5E classes, characters, monsters, spells, archetypes, adventures, and everything else with it.

However, we are also writing our own archetypes. Over the last few weeks we’ve been hammering out a list of 40 archetypes which will be included in the Level Up core rulebook.

Level Up archetypes work in a similar way to O5E archetypes, but may sometimes offer a bit more choice or depth.

While it’s important to reiterate that this list is not final, it’s fairly close to final. Additionally, some names (*) are currently placeholders. With that said, here’s the current list.

Adept​

• Warrior-monk
• Brawler
• Olympian*

Bard​

• Minstrel
• Warchanter
• Loremaster
• Mountebank

Berserker​

• Primal*
• Dreadnought
• Tempest

Cleric​

• Healer
• Warpriest
• Oracle
• Sun/Light*

Druid​

• Skinchanger
• Treespeaker
• Guardian

Fighter​

• Brute
• Knight
• Gladiator
• Sharpshooter
• Swashbuckler/Duelist

Herald​

• Holy Champion
• Inquisitor

Ranger​

• Beastmaster*
• Warden
• Wildborn*

Rogue​

• Assassin
• Burglar
• Trapsmith
• Investigator

Sorcerer​

• Dragon
• Wild
• Planar

Warlock​

• Spellbound
• Diabolist
• Alienist

Wizard​

• Traditionalist*
• Mage
• Firemage

Continue reading...

 

[Tinker-TDC]

I can instantly tell what all of these are meant to play like just by reading the list (which I consider good design) except for: what is the difference between a Traditionalist Wizard and a Mage?

Also nitpick but if you have a reason I'd like to hear why you made a firemage instead of a pyromancer?

 

[Morrus]

I can instantly tell what all of these are meant to play like just by reading the list (which I consider good design) except for: what is the difference between a Traditionalist Wizard and a Mage?

Also nitpick but if you have a reason I'd like to hear why you made a firemage instead of a pyromancer?

I suppose I could ask the same thing. Why would you make a pyromancer instead of a firemage?

Dfiferent people like different words I guess!

 

[Caliburn101]

@Morrus My suggestions for final names etc.

Olympian -> ATHALON
Primal -> UNBROKEN
Sun/Light -> SOLASTOR
Beastmaster -> BEASTMAVEN (this leaves the 'mastery' in but takes the explicit gender aspect out of the name)
Wildborn -> I don't really see the issue with this one, but you could go with WILDHEART or WILDBLOOD
Traditionalist -> It is unclear (apart from Firemage) what these titles mean in terms of whether they are specialist or generalist. Is the traditionalist a specialist? If so, doesn't that make the Firemage a specialist too?

 

[tetrasodium]

Some of the archetypes have an asterisk next to them (ie Olympian, Primal, etc). Does that asterisk mean anything or is it more f a progress indicator editors note that got copied or something?

the monk ->adept sounds like a great change if the barbarian-> berserker & what I've read so far are any indication. As a gm it's going to be nice not needing to find room for a monk player's story, kwai chang caine's clone, and a local shaolin temple any time someone wants to play a monk in one of my games

 

[Morrus]

Olympian -> ATHALON

A maker of ski bags?

 

[Faolyn]

@Morrus My suggestions for final names etc.

Olympian -> ATHALON

<pedant>

Athalon, apparently, is a brand of sportsgear.

Athlon, as in triathlon, comes from the root meaning contest. Since we probably don't want people saying "hi, I'm a contest," then maybe just go for Athlete.

</pedant>

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Athlon, as in triathlon, comes from the root meaning contest. Since we probably don't want people saying "hi, I'm a contest," then maybe just go for Athlete.

Not bad.

I'd go with something like Challenger, myself.

 

[tetrasodium]

derp

 

[Morrus]

Some of the archetypes have an asterisk next to them (ie Olympian, Primal, etc). Does that asterisk mean anything or is it more f a progress indicator editors note that got copied or something?

gladiator?

I feel like you would benefit from reading the OP again.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

gladiator?

I think this would be nice, yes.

But I think there's already a planned fighter subclass with that name.

 

[Staffan]

the monk ->adept sounds like a great change if the barbarian-> berserker & what I've read so far are any indication. As a gm it's going to be nice not needing to find room for a monk player's story, kwai chang caine's clone, and a local shaolin temple any time someone wants to play a monk in one of my games

I'm not sure about the name, though. It's a fine name in a vacuum, but back in 3e there used to be an NPC class called Adept, which was basically a weaker cleric. That might cause some confusion.

 

[Morrus]

I'm not sure about the name, though. It's a fine name in a vacuum, but back in 3e there used to be an NPC class called Adept, which was basically a weaker cleric. That might cause some confusion.

I’m sure any confusion will be cleared up in 0.7 seconds. It’s not something we’re worried about. People are clever!

 

[Horwath]

Some of the archetypes have an asterisk next to them (ie Olympian, Primal, etc). Does that asterisk mean anything or is it more f a progress indicator editors note that got copied or something?

the monk ->adept sounds like a great change if the barbarian-> berserker & what I've read so far are any indication. As a gm it's going to be nice not needing to find room for a monk player's story, kwai chang caine's clone, and a local shaolin temple any time someone wants to play a monk in one of my games

why should every monk be some "shaolin" theme clone?

Last monk I played was a high elf, royal guardian of Evereska.
He was just a warrior with other kind of training from a fighter or a ranger.
No wuxia themes, no some inner-self philosophy themes.
Just a warrior that was trained to be always ready with no real need for armor or weapons(I did use longsword as a "monk weapon"). When you protect high value targets at some nice social event, being in fullplate with a polearm is not nice social etiquette

 

[tetrasodium]

why should every monk be some "shaolin" theme clone?

they shouldn't and I was expressing frustration with it while looking forward to the move away from it

 

[imagineGod]

Initially, I was skeptical about the Advanced 5e plan thinking it was just about complicating the simple 5th Edition rule set.

But Level Up 5e is almost like a d20 Modern look at 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons. Diversifying the classic D&D into Campaigns for all sort of novels turned into games from classic Medieval fantasy to some of the modern blends of Science Fiction and Fantasy. By removing direct associations like the paladin or monk, t frees the imagination.

Almost like Level Up A5e opens the doors to the Numenera ambition for third party publishers

Will A5e be some sort of SRD itself built on the heritage of what WoYC's 5e already offers to TPP?

 

[Imaculata]

Maybe the Olympian could simply be called the Athlete? I get that you probably want to avoid any direct references to mount Olympus, while the archetype itself I presume is more of a devout spiritual athlete of sorts?

 

[Strider1973]

I'm really eager to see the final product, and even the next steps toward it: you guys are doing such a great work! Best wishes to all for everything!

 

[Morrus]

Maybe the Olympian could simply be called the Athlete? I get that you probably want to avoid any direct references to mount Olympus, while the archetype itself I presume is more of a devout spiritual athlete of sorts?

Yeah basically an Olympic gold medalist. Highly trained body. But without the references to the real world.

 

[Raduin711]

I am not sure that Herald is the best replacement for Paladin. To me a herald isn't really a warrior, or even divine. He's the guy that plays the trumpet and introduces High Lord Muckety-Muck.

 

[Faolyn]

I am not sure that Herald is the best replacement for Paladin. To me a herald isn't really a warrior, or even divine. He's the guy that plays the trumpet and introduces High Lord Muckety-Muck.

Maybe they're thinking herald as in Silver Surfer? Still plays the metaphorical trumpet, but also has incredible power of his own.