D&D (2024) What could have been: More officially supported nonspell nonMages

[Minigiant]

Because of what is happening, we are likely missing a key design that could have made 5.5e/6eOneDnD is better officially supported third party classes in the Warrior and Expert class group.

Most vocal DnD fans lean one way or another on their preferences of the spellcasting or nonspellcasting warriors, skillmoneys, and priests. The official D&D especial of Artificer, Bard, Paladin, and Ranger are of explicit spellcasters of some level. Many 3PP have developed and published new classes similar to these classes with spellcasting stripped out.

OneDnDs design with Class Groups and Spell Lists would have been the best skeleton to develop 3rd party nonspellcasting version of these classes. They could be designed in parallel with the the official classes of the same style and agreements could be forged between WOTC and the 3rd party to support them in their books and digital platform.

When could have the official half casting Paladin and Ranger and full casting Bard along with the noncasting 3rd party Champion, Scout, and Minstrel classes. And by being nonofficial it would allow the classes to develop in fantastical design that would be uncomfortable to the general fan community as a whole and it doesn't contribute to class bloat as they aren't official but only get the visibility of being so.

Alas it likely might never be unless WOTC retreats back and snags a couple publishers to return to mostly being D&D. But one could dream.

To have the gods turn a priest into a minor Superman instead of a smitehappy half cleric at a ton of tables would have been nice.

 

[Branduil]

I'm going to be honest, I consider never again having to deal with the shambling mound of zombified, sacred cattle cadavers that is the "D&D magic system" a very nice glass of lemonade to get out of this.

I mean I'm not disagreeing with you that 3PPs could have done a lot with the class groups and spell lists, it just doesn't upset me too much because now I can go play games with magic systems that are actually balanced and thematically sensible.

 

[Blue]

I like how you are thinking. 3PP could cater to what we want in a more straightforward means. For example, I'd love a nature-attuned-but-no-spell Ranger that uses an invocation system similar to the Warlock with a mix of non-magic, "is it magic?" and definitely magic options. "He's uncommonly good at calming and befriending beasts, I've never seen anything like it." sort of thing.

What were you envisioning for the Minstrel? Giving up full casting should be something pretty special in replacement.

 

[Minigiant]

I'm going to be honest, I consider never again having to deal with the shambling mound of zombified, sacred cattle cadavers that is the "D&D magic system" a very nice glass of lemonade to get out of this.

I mean I'm not disagreeing with you that 3PPs could have done a lot with the class groups and spell lists, it just doesn't upset me too much because now I can go play games with magic systems that are actually balanced and thematically sensible.

Well it could apply to casters.

The est way WOTC could do Psioinics is let 3 third party publishers each do a Psion/Psionicist/Mystic and let the community choose.

What were you envisioning for the Minstrel? Giving up full casting should be something pretty special in replacement.

I was thinking to going harder on Morale Buffs and Social Interaction Buffs while slowly breaking the rules on the Social side. And you'd get a combat style based on your instrument.

 

[DEFCON 1]

The fact that few people designed non-caster classes before this point when they've had 8 years to do so tells me that few people were probably going to do it after the 2024 books were released.

We've had more talk about Psions and arcane half-casters like the Swordmage here than we've had about another non-magic user. Warlord's the closest, but even then no one's been able to settle on anything close to a design.

What other classes does anyone think people were going to make?

 

[Oofta]

Not sure what a non-spell-casting paladin would look like or why it couldn't just be a fighter subclass. We have yet to see the playtest for those, I think there's quite a bit of potential to have more flexibility with the more mundane classes.

Or maybe I'm just missing something.

 

[Minigiant]

The fact that few people designed non-caster classes before this point when they've had 8 years to do so tells me that few people were probably going to do it after the 2024 books were released.

We've had more talk about Psions and arcane half-casters like the Swordmage here than we've had about another non-magic user. Warlord's the closest, but even then no one's been able to settle on anything close to a design.

What other classes does anyone think people were going to make?

Designing non-casters is harder as you aren't just modifying spells. 3e had a lot of non-casting homebrew as it had a core scaling feat system and the neccessity to design new classes and subsystems.

Ironically because One D&D will have spell lists, there is less to work with on casters as 3 classes will have ALL the spells on their list.

 

[Minigiant]

Not sure what a non-spell-casting paladin would look like or why it couldn't just be a fighter subclass. We have yet to see the playtest for those, I think there's quite a bit of potential to have more flexibility with the more mundane classes.

Or maybe I'm just missing something.

Instead of spells the Deities give the NonCasting Paladin divine superpowers maningthem superhumans like Shazaam and Samson, Sorta like the old paladin who wasmostly known for their divine abilities and not their spells and burning spells into smites.

 

[mellored]

Ki. It's a resource, which can do fun things, but isn't spells.

And there is no reason the monk has the be the only class that gets it. I mean, look how many classes get spell slots.

 

[Gorck]

Ki. It's a resource, which can do fun things, but isn't spells.

And there is no reason the monk has the be the only class that gets it. I mean, look how many classes get spell slots.

Hmmm. Now you’ve got me thinking about toying with creating a Psion using Ki rather than spell slots or power points. I’ll have to drum up some ideas the next time I’m in the shower (that’s where I do my best brain storming).