D&D 5E What 5E needs is a hundred classes

[Sunseeker]

But that's basically this list of classes...

Barbarian - a primitive natural fighter type who wears light armor and typically swings a big sword or axe.
Archer Ranger - a nature oriented fighter with a bow who specializes in tracking
Two weapon ranger - dual-wielding fighter
Paladin - a religious fighter with some holy abilities.
Swashbuckler - a mobile fighter who attacks with light weapons and little to no armor

You just put the Fighter label on all of them. What advantages does that bring for the player at the table?

Generally speaking, it lessens feat bloat, as all of these classes can now take a feat designed for the base class "fighter". It also allows for multiclassing without actually multiclassing. If a ranger is just a fighter with a bow, a barbarian a fighter in a loincloth, then they don't need to skip to a whole new class to pick up some other feature.

 

[mkill]

Generally speaking, it lessens feat bloat, as all of these classes can now take a feat designed for the base class "fighter". It also allows for multiclassing without actually multiclassing. If a ranger is just a fighter with a bow, a barbarian a fighter in a loincloth, then they don't need to skip to a whole new class to pick up some other feature.

You don't need subclasses to achieve that. For feats, just don't limit them to a class at all. If you have a feat that references a certain class feature, like Sneak Attack, just make Sneak Attack the prerequisite. That way, if you come up with another class that Sneak Attacks, the feat is still available.

For class features, just create bigger pools that several classes can access. Similar to 3E spells that are accessed by many classes, you could have a pool of combat maneuvers that many classes can pick from.

 

[Stormonu]

I want the same - but I want the designers to pre-assemble the package and give it to me as a ready-to play package. Instead of starting with a blank sheet that says "fighter", I want to start with a complete archetype that says "swashbuckler" and add maybe a "noble" or a "buccaneer" background or switch some abilities around.

I'm pretty much in agreement here but perhaps stating it differently; describe the 4 base classes and then have the premade packages like Swashbuckler, Saber Rake, Paladin, Ranger, Barbarian, Chevalier, Knight, etc. In the "appendix" you could go wild with swap-as-you-want abilities.

This has the advantages that up front, you get a lot of premade classes. Yet on the backside, you can tear the class system down as much as you want either to facilitate multiclassing (without having to actually multiclass) or just "remove" the class system.

After the splatbookfest that was 3E? With PHB2, DMG2, and MM5, and at least two rounds of class-specific splats?

Not to mention paring down from the 2E corebooks + Completes + DMGR books to 3E's initial outlay... While I admit I ended up buying all those 3E books (save the DMG2) by the end of 3E's run, by the time 4E came out, I was burned out on splats. The idea of buying PHB2, PHB3, etc. really got on my nerves. I'd already laid out for 3-4 previous versions of this stuff, it was getting tiresome to start back at square one and wait 6 months-2 years for stuff I'd previously had access to.

Really, if I could see it being feasible, I'd love 5E to fit in a single book - like the (BECM) D&D Rules Cyclopedia - and feel complete. Just about every other RPG has managed to do this, and I think it sometimes hurts D&D that it hasn't been able to slim itself down to a single book.

 

[Sadras]

The many-class system has the following advantages:

- simple character design, as feats become null and void.
- creates focused characters
- potentially easier rules for multi-classing
- inclusion of all editions (in relation to classes)
- could possibly remove paragon and epic additional name tags and
complexities (from a 4E viewpoint)
- allows players and DM to create custom classes easier than previous
editions

Whats not to like?

 

[Minigiant]

[MENTION=55985]mkill[/MENTION]

The problem with the hundred classes model is that you wont get all 100 class until a year passes. Because of this, players would be limited to whatever the designers craft and would have no ability to Roleplay a character that is not out yet.

What if I wanted to play a two handed weapon nature focused character? I literally can't until Class Book 4 comes out since no class in Books 1-4 have nature and two handed skills.

EDIT: Unless someone can make a list of all the classes to be represented and tell me how many would be in each book, I just don't see the benefit of a hundred classes.

 

[Sanglorian]

@mkill

The problem with the hundred classes model is that you wont get all 100 class until a year passes. Because of this, players would be limited to whatever the designers craft and would have no ability to Roleplay a character that is not out yet.

What if I wanted to play a two handed weapon nature focused character? I literally can't until Class Book 4 comes out since no class in Books 1-4 have nature and two handed skills.

You'd still potentially have the option to multiclass. But the nature of any game is that you can't play all options out of the box - you have to wait. The advantage is that when you do get your two-handed weapon nature-focused character, it's a unique class laser-focused on two-handed weapons and nature, rather than a hodge-podge of feats from different sources that don't play well together.

 

[Minigiant]

You'd still potentially have the option to multiclass. But the nature of any game is that you can't play all options out of the box - you have to wait. The advantage is that when you do get your two-handed weapon nature-focused character, it's a unique class laser-focused on two-handed weapons and nature, rather than a hodge-podge of feats from different sources that don't play well together.

Then why don't we hit the problem at the source and make chooseable classes features that DO play well together?

Make a fighter that can pick up two handed and nature abilities that scale decently with level.
Make a ranger that can take warrior and two handed abilities that do scale decently with level.

Instead of making a system where the combat, skill, and magic system are so incompatible that you need to literally make a new class for it to work.

 

[Sadras]

@mkill
The problem with the hundred classes model is that you wont get all 100 class until a year passes. Because of this, players would be limited to whatever the designers craft and would have no ability to Roleplay a character that is not out yet.

What if I wanted to play a two handed weapon nature focused character? I literally can't until Class Book 4 comes out since no class in Books 1-4 have nature and two handed skills..

Firstly mkill does state in one of his posts we stick 30 classes right of the bat into the 1st PHB. So there will not be a waiting period of years for the 4PHB. I would imagine the most popular and most iconic classes would be available within the 1st PHB.
Secondly the system/mechanics for class design with its listing of class features could be made available in the the PHB, DMG or even an Unearthed Arcana allowing DMs and Players to custom design their own classes. Which would allow you to make the class you'd prefer to play.

Another benefit of this 100-class approach
The system with above presentation would allow more class flexibility at an earlier stage than the previous editions. Remember we had to wait for the Fighters and Rangers Handbooks in 2nd Edition nevermind the Skills and Powers which came much later.

 

[Yora]

If the game is designed in a way, that I don't give my rogue poison and maximize the stealth skill and backstabbing damage and call it an assassin, but take an assassin class, then it means that I can not make a rogue and skill it in a way that it acts as an assassin.
Sure, maybe there would be 30 classes in the first publication. But what if I want to play something more obscure. In a game where I can make my own characters, I have no problem playing a skald. Take a rogue or a bard and put points into lore and music skills. I don't need a class for that. If everything gets its own class, it's "sorry, you have to wait for a book that has a skald".

If you can make modifications to a bard to make it like a skald, then you don't need 100 classes but only those core 30.

 

[Mercutio01]

If you can make modifications to a bard to make it like a skald, then you don't need 100 classes but only those core 30.

Can't XP you, but that was the point I thought about making.