D&D 5E New D&D WotC survey! On classes.

[Faolyn]

The Wizard's spell list was a mistake. It's too wide and gives all Wizard access to everything so it's super easy to just end up with two Wizards with the same spell list despite having two different subclass.

Having a slightly more curated base list with subclass based addition would have been way better. But then all the Wizard players (who are VIP in the eyes of WOTC apparently) would have probably went on a tantrum "WAAAH! MY MAGICAL BATMAN! WAAAH!"

Wizards have always had most of the spells. The problem is, they used to have to roll to see if they could learn a spell (1e and 2e, when most of those spells were made). If they failed the roll, they couldn't try again until the next level.

It wouldn't be hard to create such a rule again (DC equal to 10 + spell's level or something like that). But would people in general be OK with such a rule?

 

[Mannahnin]

Hey, Cappen uses a lap harp and Silver John carries a guitar! Not a lute amongst them.

 

[CleverNickName]

Now, let's see if somoene can make a fun, interesting, and effective Warlock that isn't a tortured edgelord of questionable sanity, with the same eldritch blast cantrip and its same associated invocations, always begging everyone else to slow down so he can take a(nother) nap.

I hate that trope.
I hate it so much.

 

[Bolares]

But would people in general be OK with such a rule?

Thanks, I hate it

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Hey, Cappen uses a lap harp

He plays the LAP HARP?

Is phrasing still a thing? C'mon, "lap harp" barely qualifies as a single entendre.

 

[Tinker-TDC]

I think I've run for six bards in this edition and have only seen one of them play an instrument. The rapier is far more ubiquitous than playing music (which makes sense for every class in 5e that only has light armor proficiency.)

That being said, I think the way it's written bardic inspiration should be a short-rest power at level 1 and recharge on initiative at level 5. The limit of "must be used in the next 10 minutes," means more often than not the bard gives people inspiration and it evaporates between scenes.

 

[Undrave]

Wizards have always had most of the spells. The problem is, they used to have to roll to see if they could learn a spell (1e and 2e, when most of those spells were made). If they failed the roll, they couldn't try again until the next level.

It wouldn't be hard to create such a rule again (DC equal to 10 + spell's level or something like that). But would people in general be OK with such a rule?

They also had restrictions based on favored schools, so a single Wizard couldn't learn EVERYTHING a Wizard could potentially learn.

That's the part that bugs me. You can play, say, an Abjurer and a Diviner and they could both have the same spell list!

Now, let's see if somoene can make a fun, interesting, and effective Warlock that isn't a tortured edgelord of questionable sanity, with the same eldritch blast cantrip and its same associated invocations, always begging everyone else to slow down so he can take a(nother) nap.

I hate that trope.
I hate it so much.

I made a Gnome Blade Feylock once! He had been a slave on a ship in the Feywild but ended up thrown overboard and made a pact with a mysterious fey there. After that he was returned to the ship and took it over and became a pirate with his fellow liberated gnomes. At some point he got sent to the material plane by an errant portal and he's been looking to afford a way back to his crew ever since.

DEX was his best stat, and I think he only had a +2 to CHA? We were at level 3 if I recall. I know that his spell list included Sleep, Mirror Image and Shadow Blade (and I forgot the last one... maybe Armor of Agathys?) and that I only had Toll the Dead as damaging cantrip as a backup. His invocations were the Mage Armor one and the Magic Sight ones. It was originally for an investigation style game and I only played him for one game so I don't know how good he would have turned out.

At one point, the Paladin got challenged to a duel by a Suahgin and got hit by like 1 critical and two nearly max damage attack and fell in ONE turn. The Barbarian and was too chicken to engage so my little Gnome, with his Pact Blade cutlass and funny pirate captain outfit, walked bravely into battle, activating his Mirror Image. Managed to keep that big guy busy for rounds after round as he kept failing to hit until the others figured out a plan of action. Pretty cool, if foolish. I think I had a single duplicate left by the time we finished him off.

Also, earlier, the DM made the fatal mistake of having a single enemy against us (a monstrous impostor we exposed after some investigating and interrogation) so I simply dropped Sleep on it and ended the fight

 

[Aldarc]

I think I've run for six bards in this edition and have only seen one of them play an instrument. The rapier is far more ubiquitous than playing music (which makes sense for every class in 5e that only has light armor proficiency.)

It's a shame that we didn't get a chance to rant about the equipment list and things like the rapier.

 

[Eric V]

Whilst I sort of agree, the reason I don't suggest that is design space.

See here's the problem with the Wizard in D&D (all editions except 4E) - the design-space of the Wizard is taken up almost entirely by two things:

1) They can learn all the spells (you know what I mean)

2) They can memorize and cast a lot of spells

They've never really had any other abilities than spells, spells, spells and more spells. They've got nothing to replace with abilities, except spells, and if you replace their spells with abilities, well, you basically got the other caster classes lol.

This is why you need a separate class for Necromancer, because you need the design-space to have, say, at least one permanent undead who does your bidding, and probably the ability to summon (on a temporary basis at least) quite a lot of other ones. You also want some spells/abilities with really strong necromantic flavour that might not fit with the general "arcane magic" vibe of a Wizard/Sorcerer/etc.

So I think unless they also dial back the default features of the Wizard - including spellcasting - there's no way to find enough space to make an actual Necromancer, particularly not without creating a situation where every Wizard is going to want a ton of Necromancy spells. Ironically there was kind of more design space in 2E because it did that - a specialist couldn't even cast certain colleges of spell (I forget how it was in 3E).

There are other classes with "design space" issues - Monks, for example, are overloaded with abilities that are default and basically make all monks into Shaolin monks specifically, whatever the theme of their subclass. Rangers needed Tashas to solve their design-space issue, by giving them abilities to replace the abilities taking up design-space. Sorcerers kind of have limited design space because all Sorcerers have to use metamagic and spell-points, even though it might be better if metamagic at least was optional.

13th Age has a Necromancer separate from the Wizard and it works really well. It's possible if one is willing to do away with the subclasses based on school (with little to differentiate them).

 

[Stormonu]

Now, let's see if somoene can make a fun, interesting, and effective Warlock that isn't a tortured edgelord of questionable sanity, with the same eldritch blast cantrip and its same associated invocations, always begging everyone else to slow down so he can take a(nother) nap.

I hate that trope.
I hate it so much.

Challenge accepted. This is my actual character for Rime of the Frostmaiden.

The sixth son of the Decimite family, Yniborys was trained in the mystical arts of blade and spear. He served as the clan's hunter for many years, leading hunting expeditions and tracking down the clan's enemies. Recent events have forced him further away from his clan's outpost into Tentowns in search of food for his clan - and to locate a murderer who has slain two of his brothers while they slept.

Yniborys summons his pact weapon by thrusting his hand into the nearby snow and retrieving the icicle-like weapon from the frozen ground. He has an unnatural skill to understand and interact with animals - a trait he is mystified that other hunters does not possess. His patron is the Elk Lord, who has taught him the ways of the wild and how to respectfully hunt the creatures of the frozen plains and woods. In return, Yniborys has vowed not to hunt the sacred elk of Ten Towns, though all other game - especially those who hunt and kill for sport - are at his mercy.

Yniborys travels with three companions; his hunter friends Dan the Nought, Ein the Sharp-eyed and his mystical servant and attendant, Haria Horn-bearer.

www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/Stormonu521_38595456.pdf