D&D General What kind of class design do you prefer?

[ECMO3]

Well yeah, but I don't really think every character should be able to access every option

I respect this position, but if you don't have the option to take them then they aren't really options, which is kind of my whole point.

5E is not completely free from this either. There are multiclass limits which require a 13 in a stat (or two) and then there are stat prerequisites for a few (not many) 5E feats. I think those should go away too. I should not need a 13 dex to multiclass to Rogue, especially when I can start a 1st level Rogue with an 8 Dex (or even lower if I roll), I should not need a 13 in intelligence or wisdom take a ritual caster feat.

 

[Li Shenron]

I voted "few with lots of choices" but I am not sure how few is few for you...

I like classes to be "big" but also with a strong identity. So a 3-classes "fighting-man + skill-monkey + magic-user" doesn't quite cut it for me, it's too dry and technical and gives me a feeling that the game will be too much focused on mechanics and character "builds".

I'd say 6-7 classes at the very minimum, ideally 10-12, maybe it could be stretched to 15 but only if each class has a strong enough uniqueness in both mechanics and narrative.

Then I definitely want each class to have its own broad room for variations, so that two characters of the same class will unlikely ever be the same. This is not all on the class itself but includes external elements as well: for example in 5e you variate characters with subclasses, spells and class-specific choice points (internal) but also ability scores, background and feats (external). Just to say that internal class variations are as important for me as external variations.

 

[Yaarel]

I respect this position, but if you don't have the option to take them then they aren't really options, which is kind of my whole point.

5E is not completely free from this either. There are multiclass limits which require a 13 in a stat (or two) and then there are stat prerequisites for a few (not many) 5E feats. I think those should go away too. I should not need a 13 dex to multiclass to Rogue, especially when I can start a 1st level Rogue with an 8 Dex (or even lower if I roll), I should not need a 13 in intelligence or wisdom take a ritual caster feat.

It seems ok to have level prereqs for feats and certain cross-class archetypes (like "prestige classes", like we saw in the UA Strixhaven). The epic boons are like feats that have a level prereq.

But generally, prereqs get in the way.

For example, Xanathars "race" feats ended up being technically unavailable to custom lineage because of the prereqs, which defeats the purpose of the custom lineage itself.

Prereqs get in the way.

 

[CleverNickName]

I'd prefer 4 classes (warrior, priest, sneak, and mage), with everything else being a subclass of one of those four: eldritch knight, illusionist, tempest cleric, bard, rogue, monk, whatever.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Not sure if 'few classes' is meant to mean 'like 5e' or 'less than 5e'.

As 5e has an absolutely tiny amount of classes compared to other editions. But from how people are talking here they're considering 5e to be many classes.

Ideally I'd have about 20 classes with lots of build options each.

 

[Minigiant]

I consider 14 classes to be the D&D average.

5-6 full casters and 2-3 half casters is 7-9 classes before you add 4-5 noncasters. So that's 11-14 classes.

17-18 classes is my preference though.

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The main reason why I don't like few classes in D&D is that D&D magic is absurdly brokenly ridiculous and can only be balance by locking access to some spells via class spell lists. Unless D&D fans put some hard limitations on what magic can do and WOTC reins in creation of new spells, D&D can never again work with less than 10 classes because you'd need 5-7 spell casting classes.

 

[Horwath]

d12 - non caster
d10 - spell levels every 4 levels
d8 - spell levels every 3 levels
d6 - spell levels every 2 levels

to add basic skill/armor:

d12 - 3 skills + 2 armor categories
d10 - 2 skills + 2 armor categories
d8 - 2 skills + 1 armor category
d6 - 2 skills

sub-classes from 1st level, class+sub-class can(and should) provide additional skill and/or armor proficiency.

 

[Tallifer]

I do not want too many classes, and I also dislike systems in which builds are formalized into subclasses/archetypes/etc so that they feel like separate classes. It means characters are locked into silos. I like lots of mixing and matching to create the character in my imagination.
(I picked neither choice in the poll.)

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Compare to 3e/3.5

Classes: 63ish
Prestige Classes: 965ish
Feats: Even more than prestige classes(not counting them).

That is not just a lot. That is insanely lot.

See above. Pretty easy to increase further.

Dear Athe, please no!

Ultimately when we are at dozens of classes and hundreds of feats we have already passed the point where a class based system is obviously not working and it would be far more sensible to just use a classless system.

 

[Aldarc]

Assuming a class-based structure, I prefer either a small handful of classes (ideally rogue, warrior, mage), which can be built flexibly in a wide variety of ways, or a larger set of classes with a more restricted set of builds or roles (as per 4e D&D).