D&D (2024) Simple classes for 1D&D, 1/3; Warrior.

[JiffyPopTart]

If I were tasked to come up with "intro level" characters for 5e I think actual best way to do so would be to redesign the character sheet to emphasize the most important couple numbers and hide everything else.

Instead of showing the math and behind the scenes things, just show end results. When a character levels just replace the sheet with the already leveled replacement.

Take all the character build decisions out of the hands of the player and let them just learn how to apply the 3nd result numbers to the game.

Id make all basic characters humans.

Fighters would be champion with longsword/shield stars on one side of the page and longbow stats on the other.

Wizards would be warlocks with always on invocations and X uses of magic missile.

Clerics would be Divine Sorcerers with one attack cantrip and cure wounds.

Once people have learned how to apply AC/HP/To Hit and other simple concepts THEN if they want to learn more you can give them their same character as expressed on a normal character sheet and they can see how the sausage was made.

If they are having fun as it is, just let them use the prebuilt PC and enjoy the game.

 

[NotAYakk]

You can always limit the selection to "simple" feats or just take level 1 feats or +2 ASI.

Having more feats in all 4 tiers gives opportunity later on to take "cool" feats that would not be your 1st choice or boost secondary and tertiary ability to 20.

Sure.

But if boosting a secondary/tertiary to 20 is the "simple" solution, then either building a fighter is complex to be not-incompetent, or high level fighters aren't good because the feats they get are not better than a tertiary stat boost.

The point is that handing out feats doesn't make building a fighter simple for the player. It just punts the difficulty of class design to the player, unless you design feats that even if you pick them at random without a complex plan you still get a competent PC.

Now that? That is insanely difficult. But then making a fighter could be simple!

You could even have a system where the feats are pre-chosen, with the option to swap them out. Then the simple PC wouldn't have to suck, as it doesn't have random feats, and the more complex option of customizing each feat is harder.

However, this looks a lot like making an actual real class with real features, except those features say "you can drop this feature to gain a feat". This is also hard. Making "take a feat" a non-trap option requires there exist a selection feats that are as good as the default abilities, and that the default abilities also produce a good experience.