D&D 5E Suggestions For Variant Class Features

[Fenris-77]

Honestly, the best template we have for Strongholds and the like in 5E without dipping into 3PP stuff is actually Acquisitions Inc. Strip out the satire and it's a great template for adding a base of operations, minions, and regular downtime activities into a game as part of the narrative and as something that can help drive the narrative, not just chew up time at the end of sessions. It's really quite brilliant IMO.

 

[bedir than]

Honestly, the best template we have for Strongholds and the like in 5E without dipping into 3PP stuff is actually Acquisitions Inc. Strip out the satire and it's a great template for adding a base of operations, minions, and regular downtime activities into a game as part of the narrative and as something that can help drive the narrative, not just chew up time at the end of sessions. It's really quite brilliant IMO.

How does it compare to Strongholds & Followers (obvi 3pp)?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Followers and stronghold...? well, I'll circle back to that...

...but, enhancements for the Fighter. Sure, especially that might help the champion without making it too much more complicated.

• Extra (Opportunity) Attacks - when you use the Attack Action on your next turn, the first Opportunity Attack you make, before you take your Action on your next turn, doesn't consume your Reaction. If you have two or tree extra attacks, the first two or three OA's don't consume your Reaction.
• Extraordinary Athlete adds it's bonus to Proficient checks, as well as non-proficient.
• Indomitable grants an automatic save instead of a re-roll.
• More & better, level-gated, Maneuvers for the BM.
• Single-class Fighters gain proficient CON saves plus choice of STR & WIS or DEX & CHA
• ...and something out-of-combat-useful for the other two pillars...

...which brings us back to followers & strongholds.

It'd be quite the undertaking and change the scope of the game, but one could expand the social pillar to include politicking & diplomacy and the exploration pillar to include exploration & colonization. And the combat pillar to a mass battle system, of course.

In the classic game, each class could get into doing things like that - the Fighter could become a feudal Lord, the Wizard have his foreboding tower, the Cleric a temple, the Thief a Guild, etc - so bringing them back is one obvious possibility. But having the party, as a whole, build up a community might also be an interesting way to develop things.

My take is to give the fighter retainers, at each Extra Attack Level, that are proficient in a couple skills, couple tools, and can basically help the fighter (and the group) do stuff faster and easier. Mostly a flavor benefit, but one that a subclass could expand easily.

at...11th level, maybe, your home becomes a resource, as well. Maybe it’s just an apartment in Waterdeep, maybe it’s a small keep, whatever. It’s mostly just a safe place to rest, and gives some minor benefits when you spend at least 1 week there, and helps with your choice of a couple downtime activities.

Keep. It. Simple.

as for doing more with the action economy, why not just give the fighter Legendary Actions, and 1 Legendary Save per short rest?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

How does it compare to Strongholds & Followers (obvi 3pp)?

Much simpler, and lower impact.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I would like the option of learning a Fighting Style for a Barbarian. I'm not sure what I would make swappable for it though. It's flat better than Danger Sense and worse than Reckless Attack. Maybe Unarmoured Defense?

 

[Don Durito]

I'd happy give up the Fighters 3rd attack for more interesting and more powerful upgraded Battlemaster maneuvres. Make 3rd Attack a subclass feature instead.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I'd happy give up the Fighters 3rd attack for more interesting and more powerful upgraded Battlemaster maneuvres. Make 3rd Attack a subclass feature instead.

What about (so we don’t have to put maneuvers into the main class) a legendary action instead? Give it maybe 3 very simple things to do, like Attack, Help, and Disengage+half movement?

the combat versatility of being able to do those things between other peoples turns, without spending a reaction, would be fantastic.

 

[Fenris-77]

Much simpler, and lower impact.

Yeah, pretty much. Having a base and having a keep differ in scale more than anything else. IF you wanted to go all the way to a keep you might want Strongholds and Followers too. What AI does well is integrate the notion of followers and downtime into a positive force on the narrative. I've only breezed through S&F so I'm not sure to what extent that book does the same job.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Yeah, pretty much. Having a base and having a keep differ in scale more than anything else. IF you wanted to go all the way to a keep you might want Strongholds and Followers too. What AI does well is integrate the notion of followers and downtime into a positive force on the narrative. I've only breezed through S&F so I'm not sure to what extent that book does the same job.

Yeah, and I think having a very simple, 5e style vagueness, feature thats just “you have 2 retainers, and gain more at level 11, and 17. You also have a home base. [very basic benefits mostly to downtime stuff, something simple and low impact when you rest there]” could dovetail nicely with the AqInc book or Colville’s book.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I'd happy give up the Fighters 3rd attack for more interesting and more powerful upgraded Battlemaster maneuvres. Make 3rd Attack a subclass feature instead.

It'd be a bit of a re-write, but you could do it. Champion could continue getting Extra Attacks. The EK could get a self-buff - the way the Ranger gets Hunter's Mark and the Paladin Smite.