D&D General What Classes Would You Add to D&D?

[ezo]

After our session today we chatted about the the classes in D&D, what is there, what is missing, etc. I know some people want fewer classes, some want a lot more, but I think the majority are pretty happy with what we have, or maybe just 2-3 more classes or so.

What classes (or subclasses) would you add?

A short description for what you might add would help with possible variants--different names of the same class.

I'll update the OP, but I'm curious what there is out there besides what we have now:

1. Artificer
2. Barbarian
3. Bard
4. Cleric
5. Druid
6. Fighter
7. Monk
8. Paladin
9. Ranger
10. Rogue
11. Sorcerer
12. Warlock
13. Wizard
14. Warlord

Any takers?

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Suggestions so far:

1. Arcanist/Warmage ("Wizard" + more cantrips - spells)
2. Archivist/Sage/Scholar (A sage with a focus on lore and language who buffs their party)
3. Ardent (psi-cousin to clerics/paladins)
4. Battlemage (fighter/wizard NOT EK)
5. Beastmaster (? "pet class", single pet?)
6. Chosen ("Warlock" + more invocations - spells)
7. Diplomat/Merchant
8. Dragon Shaman
9. Duelist (An urbane dextrous warrior wielding repartee as deftly as a blade)
10. Priest/Apostle (non militant)
11. Psion/ Mesmer (will points caster)
12. Psionic Mystic (??)
13. Scout (mobile stealthy skirmisher)
14. Shaman
15. Shifter ("Druid" + more wildshapes - spells)
16. Skald (warrior bard)
17. Swordmage (arcane half-caster w/ elemental theme)
18. Warden/Huntsman (A non-spellcasting defender of the bond between civilization and nature)
19. Witch (Arcane + Primal)
20. Scion ("Monster class" - become the monster?)
21. Pendragon
22. Marshal (same as Warlord??)
23. Savant (genius who relies on ingenuity, planning, and keen deductions)
24. Esper (Psionic class created by @Steampunkette )
25. Wielder (bonded to a powerful artifact)
26. Elementalist (living channel for elemental matter and energy)
27. Cavalier
28. Pugilist (unarmed bare-knuckles bruiser)
29. Swashbuckler (skill expert of maritime)
30. Occultist (skill expert of magical concerns)
31. Dragon Knight (warrior with Draconic powers)
32. Illusionist (illusion/deception focused magic)
33. Warder (aburation)

Some (very broad and loose) groups I think are:

Warmage, Battlemage
Swordmage, Skald, Spellblade
Psion/Mesmer, Ardent, Psionic Mystic, Esper
Shaman, Dragon Shaman
Archivist/Sage/Scholar, Diplomat/Merchant, Priest/Apostle
Scout, Warden/Huntsman
Shifter, "Monster class"

1. Beastmaster (? "pet class", single pet?)
2. Chosen ("Warlock" + more invocations - spells, STR focused)
3. Duelist (An urbane dextrous warrior wielding repartee as deftly as a blade)
4. Witch (Arcane + Primal)

 

[Valetudo]

Warlord.

 

[Shiroiken]

I find the number of classes to be very dependent on edition. 5E has a hard time justifying a new class, usually only to fit into a specific setting. Older editions tended to use new classes as a way to add new character concepts, which 5E just uses sub-classes for. The only one I feel that could be added (if they ever decided on how to work it mechanically) would be the Psion.

 

[Gorck]

When OneD&D was still doing the Mages, Warriors, Experts, and Priests groupings, I was pulling for Warlord, Psion, and Shaman to round things out to an even 4 per group.

 

[jdrakeh]

Skald (warrior bard). The current Bard is more like magical Shakespeare.

 

[Vaalingrade]

All of them.

Every class that has been published in D&D including Dragon.

We deserve twice that much for this terrible drought.

 

[J-H]

Something psionic would be nice, but not "magic as spells." I think I like the Matt Colville version, but I haven't gotten to play it
I was recently reading a Battletech/Babylon 5 crossover, and Alfred Bester came up.

I'd like to see a dedicated shapeshifter class, and then we can get that out of Druid and turn Druid back into a fully-featured caster instead of a mash-up.

Dragon Shaman (aura + breath weapon + invocations) is probably different enough from Warlock to justify its own inclusion.

 

[Stormonu]

Battlemage (some sort of fighter/wizard that is NOT the Eldritch Knight), Witch (Arcane + Primal) and Psion.

 

[Quickleaf]

I've done three homebrew classes for 5e – Archivist, Duelist, and Warden – and have a Witch in the works. I'd love to make a Swordmage/Spellblade too, but there's a lot to like in laserllama's homebrew.

• Archivist – A sage with a focus on lore and language who buffs their party, blending the 3.5e archivist class from Heroes of Horror, the Savant class from Dragon #140, the alienist variant in 2e’s Player’s Option: Spells & Magic along with its d20 version in Complete Arcane, 4e arcana skill powers, and a few other ideas. Subclasses include Alienist, Divine Scribe, and Mystic Lorekeeper
• Duelist – An urbane dextrous warrior wielding repartee as deftly as a blade. Based on the AD&D fighter variant, the 3.5e prestige class, with stances adapted from 3e Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords, and touches from the 3e urban ranger from Unearthed Arcana. Subclasses include Dashing Popinjay, Seafaring Scallywag, Sellsword, and Vengeful Blueblood.
• Warden – A non-spellcasting defender of the bond between civilization and nature, based on the AD&D variant ranger with touches of 4e’s warden, with natural “invocations” similar to the 5e warlock. Subclasses include Borderlands Guard, Hinterlands Scout, Wastelands Beastmaster, and Greenwoods Warden.

 

[James Gasik]

Warlord would be nice. Scout instead of Rogue. Sure, you can kit out a Rogue to be a Scout, but I'd prefer a class that lets you be a mobile stealthy skirmisher that didn't presume a life of crime.