D&D 5E (+) So, what have you done to make martials feel better?

[SakanaSensei]

Give them a cup of tea and a biscuit. (That's a cookie for our American Cousins.)

Thinking a bit deeper... I do like to have options for any character I play.* So I'd give them manoeuvres and such. Like maybe some sort of feats that give them more options and special abilities. Basically I'd just re-invent DND 3e. Or maybe PF 2e.




*This lack of interesting options is where 5e leaves colder than a dead halibut on an ice flow.

If you're wanting bespoke abilities that tell you exactly what they do, then A5E maneuvers might be what you want. If that's not quite doing it, there's the Mighty Deeds option I posted above. Another article I found today that I think is kinda genius in how simple it is is here: Combat Maneuvers, The Easy Way

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Cheers, I'll give it a look when I get a moment.

 

[Stormonu]

I'd like to see Leadership added as a skill, and give back the fighter the ability to accumulate followers. The Leadership skill should be usable both in combat and the other pillars - organizing individuals, predicting enemy tactics or weaknesses, political use (Persuasion = changing folk's minds, Leadership = getting them to act), bettering troop morale, recruiting followers and the like. I also think it would be a great skill to dangle Warlord/Marshal-like abilities off, where the fighter's Leadership can modify the ebb and flow of a combat as they maneuver or motivate allies, hone in on enemy weaknesses and the like.

Also, fighters - not just Battlemasters - should be the king of Bonus Actions and Reactions. I'd like to see more "hit point damage and a rider effect" options for fighters, utilizing their bonus actions. Also, more defensive options with reactions, especially ways to use armor, weapons or shields in ways most of the other classes can't

 

[FrogReaver]

Usually they just take an ASI.

Ah, then taking feats away would probably make things worse for you instead of help.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Sounds pretty dope. Is this just for your home game, or is it going to become a product?

Under playtest right now. No idea when it will see the light of day.

 

[James Gasik]

I haven't done much yet, because there is a limit to how many house rules I can add to the game before my players start looking lost. I'm still mostly examining the problem to see what the answer is (sadly, the answer is usually "add more magic" to classes, which is what WotC mostly does).

However, I do highly recommend taking a look at Adventures in Rokugan. The Bushi and the Courtier, especially, showcase ways a character without magic can have a blast, and these will be available in my next campaign.

 

[Garthanos]

The class can focus on being a striker/ skirmisher, or a tank, or a support martial, but not all at once, with a limited number of ability slots.

You could probably amalgamate all the things associated with martial characters into one character (as many heroic figures of legend and fiction and myth do) and it still would not be even close to matching the versatility of the caster.

 

[Laurefindel]

Although it is a small contribution, I often give epic boons as one-off abilities as rewards. Those usually benefit martials most, especially in the lower tiers of play.

 

[Art Waring]

You could probably amalgamate all the things associated with martial characters into one character (as many heroic figures of legend and fiction and myth do) and it still would not be even close to matching the versatility of the caster.

I agree, I think that there is still a lot of design space that is uncharted territory at the moment. Having a mechanically diverse martial character that stands apart from casters, is to me the design goal.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

You could probably amalgamate all the things associated with martial characters into one character (as many heroic figures of legend and fiction and myth do) and it still would not be even close to matching the versatility of the caster.

I want you to imagine a class that at level 11 gets an extra attack (not 3 extra at 5 11 and 17) but other then that gets everything aa fighter gets (including all weapon and armor prof), AND is both a battlemaster AND a champion... but it has D12HDs, and it gets some sneak attack (1d6 at st level 2d6 at 3rd but after that it is equal to prof... but still need adv or adj ally) and every NOT sneak attack ability of the rogue... now give it every non spell ability of the ranger. Give them Jack of all trades from bard and let it go to saves too...

let there subclass be any ranger or any rouge one (except arcane trickster) keep in mind this would include 2 bonus ASI feat not 4 (so overlap rouge and fighter on this)

this gestalt mega munchkin class would have abilities for exploration, combat, and a ton of skills and good ones even if not prof (jack of all trades) uses for bonus actions, and not only the best HD in the game and best armor in the game, but the ability to as a reaction take half damage...

at 20th level they still would not be as versitle as an okay to good made wizard or cleric...