D&D (2024) One D&D Expert Classes Playtest Document Is Live

The One D&D Expert Class playest document is now available to download. You can access it by signing into your D&D Beyond account at the link below. It contains three classes -- bard, rogue, and ranger, along with three associated subclasses (College of Lore, Thief, and Hunter), plus a number of feats.

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[Haplo781]

I'm pretty sure WotC has data on this. They did that big Class survey this year, remember? Where they asked everyone to review all of the features that the PHB classes got. And also asked how old the people who took the survey were and what edition was their first.

I think that they're changing the ranger class based on that feedback. We're the ones with "tunnel vision". WotC are the ones sitting on a hill with data about all of us.

The problem, as always, is that they're trying to be all things to all people instead of picking a lane.

 

[Minigiant]

I'm pretty sure WotC has data on this. They did that big Class survey this year, remember? Where they asked everyone to review all of the features that the PHB classes got. And also asked how old the people who took the survey were and what edition was their first.

I think that they're changing the ranger class based on that feedback. We're the ones with "tunnel vision". WotC are the ones sitting on a hill with data about all of us.

They made a survey and the data that helped them design the 2014 ranger. They version most fans hate. Same with the monk, sorcerer, etc.

Remember 5e was built on a playtest.

The issue is WOTC doesn't know how to read their data obviously.

 

[Haplo781]

They made a survey and the data that helped them design the 2014 ranger. They version most fans hate. Same with the monk, sorcerer, etc.

Remember 5e was built on a playtest.

The issue is WOTC doesn't know how to read their data obviously.

No, the problem is that they're trying to please everyone.

 

[Minigiant]

The problem, as always, is that they're trying to be all things to all people instead of picking a lane.

That's not the problem. They are hard committed to a lane, put blindfolds on, and stepped on the gas.

 

[Minigiant]

No, the problem is that they're trying to please everyone.

Incorrect.

It's actually the opposite. They are trying to make the least offensive version and telling DMs and 3PP to please everyone.

If they were trying to please everyone Rangers would have more exclusive spells AND be able to do scaling feats of nature with high rolls of Animal Handling, Nature, and Survival.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

They made a survey and the data that helped them design the 2014 ranger. They version most fans hate. Same with the monk, sorcerer, etc.

You're joking, right? The reason why people regularly mocked the 2014 Ranger wasn't because of spellcasting. It was because of how terrible and situational most of their non-spell features were.

Also, do you have a source saying that "most fans hate" the 5e ranger? Because, from my experience and data I've seen, it's plenty popular. It just had major design flaws with Favored Foe/Natural Explorer that people wanted WotC to fix.

Remember 5e was built on a playtest.

And this UA is the result of what is basically 8 years of playtesting.

 

[Minigiant]

You're joking, right? The reason why people regularly mocked the 2014 Ranger wasn't because of spellcasting. It was because of how terrible and situational most of their non-spell features were.

That's my point.

WOTC did a survey and playtest, collected thousands of responses, analyzed the data, and still published the 2014 Ranger.

Also, do you have a source saying that "most fans hate" the 5e ranger? Because, from my experience and data I've seen, it's plenty popular. It just had major design flaws with Favored Foe/Natural Explorer that people wanted WotC to fix.

The fact that WOTC tried to fix it three times and the playtest ranger has the most changes.

People like the concept of the Ranger. They hate the WOTC 5E version of it.

 

[Parmandur]

You're joking, right? The reason why people regularly mocked the 2014 Ranger wasn't because of spellcasting. It was because of how terrible and situational most of their non-spell features were.

Also, do you have a source saying that "most fans hate" the 5e ranger? Because, from my experience and data I've seen, it's plenty popular. It just had major design flaws with Favored Foe/Natural Explorer that people wanted WotC to fix.

And this UA is the result of what is basically 8 years of playtesting.

Yeah, it was never a hated Class, but the least-beloved. Very different problem, for sure.

 

[Remathilis]

A correction: 4e rangers could focus on ranged attacks, but many of their build were melee, and the melee ranger sported the best damage output in the game out of all PC options.
Also, late in 4e they got some mystical power options, but yes, 95% of what they had available was purely martial.

The reason why 4e martial rangers worked is because THEY TOOK ARCHERY AND DUAL WIELDING AWAY FROM ROGUES AND FIGHTERS!

4e made sure powers worked with only certain types of weapons, and the rogue only worked with crossbows and finesse blades, while fighters were sword and board and great weapons (they added a dual wield option for fighters later, iirc). Rangers powers only ever worked correctly with a bow or paired weapons, though later they got magical and pet options.

Now, if we wanted to bring the 4e martial ranger back, we'd have to limit the fighter and rogue's fighting styles and carve out the twf/archer niche for rangers. This could be done by both giving classes incentive to stay in their appropriate fighting style (such as sneak attack only working with finesse weapons and crossbows) and limiting options (only rangers get dual wield and archery fighting styles). But I suspect that would not be very popular.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

That's my point.

WOTC did a survey and playtest, collected thousands of responses, analyzed the data, and still published the 2014 Ranger.

And that was nearly a decade ago. The demographics of players has changed dramatically since then. Things have shifted since then.

What is your argument here? That WotC incompetently designed one class, so they're incapable of competently designing it now?

The fact that WOTC tried to fix it three times and the playtest ranger has the most changes.

People like the concept of the Ranger. They hate the WOTC 5E version of it.

Again, give evidence. All that proves is that the 5e ranger is flawed and WotC recognizes that fact. Not that people don't want it to have spells.