D&D 5E On capstone class features

[Morrus]

I wanna talk capstones! My feeling is that every class's 20th-level feature should be something awe-inspiring that players will strive for. I also feel they should narratively be something unique, rather than an increment of a previous class feature or a numerical advancement of some kind. Like a "thing that only 20th level rangers can do". A new, amazing toy.

Controversially, I also feel it's OK if it's a little OP, since players won't be using it for long! Let them have fun with it. It's your reward for sticking wirh a single class for 20 levels! How often does that happen? And how long do you usually get to play that level 20 character?

 

[Sacrosanct]

I never play to level 20. Just never happened in over 40 years unless it was some weird one off that may have happened when we started that high.

But I agree with you on all points. If level 20 is the cap, then it should mean a lot more than level 19. Most people who play to level 20 probably do so because they like high level play. So that tier is designed for them. Let them get what they want to support that epic level of play.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Yeah, I agree. As noted, it doesn't often matter, but for those rare games that it does it would be nice.

 

[Weiley31]

I do like the Capstones that let you turn into something.

 

[Morrus]

The capstones. The cleric one works for me, but the rest don't really inspire me. Most are just improvements to previous features. No bard is going to sing an epic ballad which echoes throughout the ages about when your character got 4 ki points back.

Barbarian - ability score boost
Bard - regain a a bardic inspiration
Cleric - divine intervention auto succeeds
Druid - unlimited wild shape usage
Fighter - fourth attack
Monk - regain 4 ki points
Paladin - subclass feature
Ranger - attack bonuses v favored enemy
Rogue - once per rest auto hit
Sorcerer - regain sorc points when resting
Warlock - regain spell slots
Wizard - signature spells

 

[CubicsRube]

Without a rewrite of abilities I'd say that all features and abilities can be used at will. Unlimited rages, second winds, 9th level spells you name it.

There's no challenge left in the world, but you can battle a deity and if you win you become a God.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Some ideas:

Ranger: can shut-down Legendary Resistance of their favored foes and Lair action in their favored terrain.

Druid: Grant a 100 ft zone around them immunity to Environmental effects of high level creatures and immunity to all environmental effects of weather and temperature.

Fighter: Legendary action at Initiative -10.

Rogue: Can now use two actions from the Cunning Action's list as part of the same B.A

Monk: When using flurry of blows, you can make any number of attack as long as you dont miss.

Barbarian: Auto-crit when raging, but you are stunned for a round after that.

Warlock: Can steal spell like the Arcane Trickster, but steal the spell slot also. Prof/Rest

Paladin: X

Wizard: Can create new spells by adding effect to them (elemental switch, more damage, casting time etc)

Sorcerer: Cant die while they still have spell slots, but must cast a leveled spell per turn while at 0 hp or start dying.

Bard: each use of inspiration affect Cha mod Allies instead of 1.

 

[Umbran]

It happens almost never, so I can't say they matter much to me.

 

[DeviousQuail]

Barbarian: Good. It's unique, powerful, and doesn't need a change.
Bard: Awful. Give me a new use of BI, spell slots, or something interesting.
Cleric: Boring. Powerful but just an increase to a previous ability. Low on my list of capstone complaints.
Druid: Boring. Should've been a subclass feature to give it more pizzazz.
Fighter: Boring. Vincegetorix's legendary action idea sounds way better.
Monk: Awful. A decent level 11 ability at best. I'd prefer a round where all features cost no ki.
Paladin: Good. The best capstone imo.
Ranger: Boring. Not bad if you use the optional Favored Enemy feature from Tasha's. Awful if you don't.
Rogue: Boring. Not flashy but certainly effective.
Sorcerer: Awful. Same as the monk. Let me turn into a super charged conduit of magic for a minute.
Warlock: Awful. Clearly been hanging out with the bard, monk, and sorcerer too much. Should be a subclass feature that calls on your patron to alter the environment around you.
Wizard: Boring. Something like Level Up's unique spells would be way better.
Artificer: Good. I'm not a huge artificer guy but that's a powerful capstone.

Turns out, I don't have a high opinion of most of the capstone features.

 

[Blue]

I feel that capstones are carrot so that it's worth taking the last couple of levels instead of multiclassing out when you get the last big thing.

I think that they should be big, but not so big that multiclassing is an automatic trap option in a game (or one shot) at 20. So it's important that they are a big deal but not too big.