D&D (2024) What New Classes Should Be Added One D&D PHB?

[Scribe]

Besides, even Mike Mearls, the guy who literally cracked jokes about "shouting hands back on" as a reason to not include a Warlord class, explicitly said that martial healing was fine as far as the devs were concerned, and that if DMs did not like that, they were free to not let players play that in their games.

The Dev's are fine with a lot of things I'm not.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

The Dev's are fine with a lot of things I'm not.

I mean, that's fair. But the other criticism you cut out remains. I've never seen a proposal for a THP-based Warlord that isn't (a) stupidly overpowered because it means enemy damage output literally never matters, or more commonly (b) totally worthless because it can do diddly-squat nothing to fix the HP loss that is absolutely guaranteed to happen due to 5e's math.

I don't want an overpowered Warlord any more than I want a weaksauce one. I want one that is cool, flavorful, and effective, but not overwhelming--that will just make the voices of hatred for the class even stronger, and convince neutral parties that it's a bad idea.

 

[Scribe]

I mean, that's fair. But the other criticism you cut out remains. I've never seen a proposal for a THP-based Warlord that isn't (a) stupidly overpowered because it means enemy damage output literally never matters, or more commonly (b) totally worthless because it can do diddly-squat nothing to fix the HP loss that is absolutely guaranteed to happen due to 5e's math.

I don't want an overpowered Warlord any more than I want a weaksauce one. I want one that is cool, flavorful, and effective, but not overwhelming--that will just make the voices of hatred for the class even stronger, and convince neutral parties that it's a bad idea.

Much like the "I want a better Fighter" discussions, I dont think a Warlord is as impossible a task as its made out to be.

Can 100% of 4e fans of the Warlord be satisfied? Doubtful. Can 80% with a Warlord with 5e designs? I think so.

There are issues with how 5e math works out in a lot of areas, but I think it could be solved.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I know things will be thrown at me, but I honestly think they should get rid of Artificer, not make it a base class. It doesn't fit a lot of settings, it doesn't fit a particularly common or unsupported fantasy archetype (UNLIKE Swordmage and Psion!), and the current design is an absolute disaster which benefits insanely from system mastery and knowing a ton about D&D's rules (in a way literally no other single class does - only some really wacky MC combos). Either get rid of it, or burn it to the ground and start over.

Add Swordmage (or Eldritch Knight expanded into a class, that's a fine idea) and Mystic/Psion to the PHB.

I'm totally over Warlord at this point. Despite being a fan in 4E, if it never comes back I won't actually care.

 

[Remathilis]

I don't think they will add any, except Artificer as a formality of support. Even then, I wouldn't bet.

I don't think WotC will add warlords, psions, swordmages, or any other base classes beyond. I think if they felt there was a clamouring for it, they'd have playtested it before now. Granted, we have a year of updates between here and then, and if they aren't revising the PHB classes as much as expected/hoped then they might try to fit a new class in. I just don't see it.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Given the extent of the testing they are doing, if they are ever going to do a Psion or a stab at Blood Hunter, now would be the time.

Definitely though I hope they don't do Blood Hunter in any form that even resembles the current 5E implementation, because it's just overpowered jank that basically invalidates a bunch of other classes/subclasses. It's particularly funny because it both has a ridiculous number of baseline class features AND the subclasses all give it a bunch more stuff, often totally unbalanced. For example, a single level 3 ability from Order of the Lycan - Hybrid Transformation - is basically better than ALL the subclass abilities a Beast Barbarian gets - and includes stuff that's baseline Barbarian, but here lasts 1 hour per short rest instead of "up to 10 rounds". It's like some horrible Gestalt class from late 3E!

Also because it burns HP, the main limiting factor isn't "The Blood Hunter's HP", it's "How much is the rest of the party able to pump the Blood Hunter full of heals". Great way to force the rest of the party to be your battery!

What a bad design. I'd forgotten how very bad it was.

 

[Aeson]

Jedi

 

[Parmandur]

Definitely though I hope they don't do Blood Hunter in any form that even resembles the current 5E implementation, because it's just overpowered jank that basically invalidates a bunch of other classes/subclasses. It's particularly funny because it both has a ridiculous number of baseline class features AND the subclasses all give it a bunch more stuff, often totally unbalanced. For example, a single level 3 ability from Order of the Lycan - Hybrid Transformation - is basically better than ALL the subclass abilities a Beast Barbarian gets - and includes stuff that's baseline Barbarian, but here lasts 1 hour per short rest instead of "up to 10 rounds". It's like some horrible Gestalt class from late 3E!

Also because it burns HP, the main limiting factor isn't "The Blood Hunter's HP", it's "How much is the rest of the party able to pump the Blood Hunter full of heals". Great way to force the rest of the party to be your battery!

What a bad design. I'd forgotten how very bad it was.

Yeah, I wouldn't expect it as-is, but a Witcher clone that plays with the design space of HP as a resource is interesting.

If it doesn't happen now, I don't evlxpect it ever will. Indeed, if they don't try any new Class now...not sure they will ever bother.

 

[Lycurgon]

What should they add?
They should add a Swordmage/Gish/Stabnerd class. It is very obvious that this is a popular concept and WotC obviously know it, which is why they keep designing subclasses that play around with the concept but haven't don't it well yet. Take Eldritch Knight from Fighter and make it the heavy armour subclass for the Swordmage, take the Bladesinger and make it a light/no armour subclass. Make it a class and make it balanced.

I really hope they don't add Artificer because it doesn't suit all settings and styles of fantasy. But I think it is the most likely to be added.
Other than Artificer I don't see them adding anything else.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

split the 3 subclasses of fighter into 3 fully formed classes...

CHampion keeps the fighter name and now gets 1 or 2 simple sub class choices
Eldritch knight becomes a half caster swordmage
Battlemaster becomes the WARLORD...

BRING BACK THE WARLORD!!!!

oh and artificer