D&D 5E what is the best class?

[brehobit]

Hiya.
Ok brehobit...once you define what you mean by "powerful", you may get somewhere, but as it stands the most powerful class is 100% dependent upon what is going on at that exact moment as well as a million other things...and also reflect advancing time in a campaign. Seeing as we are talking about an RPG, it's impossible to define "everything at the moment"; imagination knows no bounds. Fighter? Totally useless compared to a bard when you need to blend into an upper-class party to try and gain information. Warlock? Equally weak/pathetic when tossed overboard into the churning sea only to be attacked by a pair of were-sharks.

Powerful, in the context I'm using, is "tends to be more effective in most situations". I think your attempt at arguing "it doesn't matter--situations vary too much" has some validity to it, but on the whole I don't think it can be defended. Would you really argue that if we took the 5e fighter and removed all multiple attacks and stat bonuses (say), the fighter wouldn't be "weaker" than the other classes?

Are the classes in 5e balanced enough that it really does come down to the situation? Maybe, but I don't think so. If you are getting a long rest after every encounter, the wizard is generally going to be more effective than a fighter. The wizard has more combat and non-combat options. I do think that the casters are overpowered for my GMing style--I don't generally run dungeons, I run worlds. And combat is common, but multiple combats in a day isn't. There are ways to adjust this in 5e (I'm planning on going with a short rest being a night's sleep and a long rest being 3-4 days or so in a place that is "safe" and "comfortable"). But to claim that there is no need to do this because class utility is purely a function of the events of the exact moment seems to be taking an overly narrow view of the issue.

 

[77IM]

Druid (moon circle), cleric (war), and, surprisingly, bard (either kind). They combine full-caster progression with decent combat abilities. Depending on race and background you can do pretty well on skills, too.

 

[RedShirtNo5.1]

what is the best class in dungeons and dragons?

This one.

 

[brehobit]

Druid (moon circle), cleric (war), and, surprisingly, bard (either kind). They combine full-caster progression with decent combat abilities. Depending on race and background you can do pretty well on skills, too.

I largely agree though I don't personally _like_ the bard (don't care for them as a full caster). But I am curious why war cleric rather than any other that gets martial arms and heavy armor. Or are you just using war as a shorthand?

 

[Zardnaar]

I largely agree though I don't personally _like_ the bard (don't care for them as a full caster). But I am curious why war cleric rather than any other that gets martial arms and heavy armor. Or are you just using war as a shorthand?

War cleric gets extra attacks which can mean more damage via great weapon master. Or even just using a great sword. The tempest cleric power triggers on a hit so it is a lot more situational than the war clerics ability. I have seen a few clerics in action and here are my thoughts.

War Cleric. Pocket fighter
Light Cleric: Blaster type cleric
Tempest Cleric hybrid between light and war, quasi blaster in heavy armor
Life cleric, healer, best support cleric

 

[77IM]

I largely agree though I don't personally _like_ the bard (don't care for them as a full caster). But I am curious why war cleric rather than any other that gets martial arms and heavy armor. Or are you just using war as a shorthand?

Well I think the only other one is Tempest which is not bad at all. I think War has slightly better class features, but taking another look at Tempest I think it has a pretty good spell list.

Re:bards, I am just having trouble adjusting my mental image of the bard from a totally sucky class to a totally awesome class.

 

[Zardnaar]

Well I think the only other one is Tempest which is not bad at all. I think War has slightly better class features, but taking another look at Tempest I think it has a pretty good spell list.

Re:bards, I am just having trouble adjusting my mental image of the bard from a totally sucky class to a totally awesome class.

Tempest has a good spell list, not quite as good at blasting as the light cleric.

 

[TDarien]

what is the best class in dungeons and dragons?

Yes.

 

[aramis erak]

The best class ever in D&D was published in Dragon 109, on page 13... the Ubermensch.

"This character can do practically everything except advance in levels at a reasonable rate."

As for D&D 5... The Warlock seems to be just a hair better than the rest.

 

[Mr Fixit]

But I am curious why war cleric rather than any other that gets martial arms and heavy armor.

War cleric gets extra attacks which can mean more damage via great weapon master.

War Cleric doesn't really geat extra attacks regularly; the number of those is tied to his Wis modifier per long rest. If you're running 4-6 encounters a day, that's 1 extra attack per battle on average (assuming Wis20). Even less for a more intensive day. I don't think that makes War Cleric any more powerful than what certain other features grant clerics of different domains.