D&D 5E The imbalance of ASI levels in non-spellcasting classes

[Quartz]

It is not, in fact, beside the point.

Was your initial post not about a 'fix' for martial classes?

Yes, and I explicitly mention the Monk's Slow Fall ability as the exception. Guess what the Barbarian, the Fighter, and the Rogue get at level 4 apart from the ASI? Nothing! Full spellcasters get the ASI and an extra spell.

 

[generic]

Yes, and I explicitly mention the Monk's Slow Fall ability as the exception. Guess what the Barbarian, the Fighter, and the Rogue get at level 4 apart from the ASI? Nothing! Full spellcasters get the ASI and an extra spell.

That was my point... that such things as the Monk's ability are not necessary because of all of the other abilities that martial classes receive at different levels, as well as the consistent power level of many of those abilities.

The reason full spellcasters receive two advances at once is because, IMHO, they are less consistent, and more "burst" focused.

In addition, the nature of full spellcasters is that their exploration and social encounter abilities, as well as their combat abilities, hinge on spells which can be gained at once, offering them more possibilities at the cost of consistency (unless you're a sorcerer).

 

[Fenris-77]

@Aebir-Toril - I wasn't agreeing or disagreeing generally, just being granular. Personally, I think the question at hand is a lot more complicated than just the issue of ASI levels.

 

[generic]

@Aebir-Toril - I wasn't agreeing or disagreeing generally, just being granular. Personally, I think the question at hand is a lot more complicated than just the issue of ASI levels.

As do I.

 

[Tony Vargas]

If you look at the spellcasting classes,...

Does this need correction?

Yes, but fiddling with ASIs and 'dead' levels is hardly even a faltering half-step in that direction.

Setting aside the class imbalances, as insoluble for the moment, it would make a lot more sense to index the basic 5 ASIs everyone gets to character level, rather than class.

 

[ccs]

If you look at the spellcasting classes, their spellcasting improves at every level, including the levels that get ASIs. Contrast that with the classes that don't cast spells: apart from the Monk getting Slow Fall at 4th level the non-spellcasters (Barbarian, Fighter, Rogue, Monk) don't get anything apart from ASIs at those levels.

Does this need correction?

Nope.

 

[Garthanos]

• The classes don't need to gain major abilities at the same levels because of how 5e's class design functions.

IF they wanted a multi-classing system not full of traps... that would be a separate issue.

 

[Garthanos]

Setting aside the class imbalances, as insoluble for the moment, it would make a lot more sense to index the basic 5 ASIs everyone gets to character level, rather than class.

That would be a step... ASIs and Multi-Strikes both could get their own character level based advancement with a bonus if you have n levels of fighter on both.

 

[Garthanos]

13th age is pretty simple.

Looked simpler than many other flavors of D&D when I looked at it too.

 

[DND_Reborn]

13th age is pretty simple.

I looked over the OSR material again... still seems needlessly complex IMO, but oh, well.