D&D 5E What Seven Classes Would You Keep? (and why!)

[Sacrosanct]

Big 4 plus Druid, monk, and warlock. Why? Because everything else can fit as a subclass. Classes should bring a distinct uniqueness if only 7. I’m not even a fan of the warlock, but it is a very unique class with what it brings.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Interesting. I am just the opposite. I don't like cross-over via archetypes because I feel the same thing can be accomplished by multiclassing. Why have eldritch knight, when I can player a fighter/wizard?

Thanks for your insight!

IME multiclassing almost always leads to an unsatisfying kludge character that kinda fulfills the desired concept on paper, but not very well in practice.

Like a Fighter or rogue/Druid as replacement for Ranger. Where are my skills? Why am I not any better at tracking than anyone else? Why can I turn into animals? Why do my spells not synergise at all with being a warrior? Why do the feature from the two concepts completely compete with each other instead of working together?

I’ve made some really fun MC characters, but I’ve never made one that was MC because no subclass fit the concept, where that character wasn’t incredibly unsatisfying to actually play.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Anyway, I chose;

Bard, Rogue, Ranger, Monk, Druid, Warlock, Paladin.

But really I wouldn’t ever accept a version of dnd that did away with any PHB class, and the lack of Artificer and warlord and psion in 5e is still my biggest problem with the edition.

 

[Lucas Yew]

I chose by mechanics first, fluff second;

Barbarian (STR based, instinctual warrior)
Cleric (WIS based, know entire spell list, received full caster)
Monk (DEX based, wuxia genre enabler)
Ranger (DEX based, methodical warrior, half caster)
Sorcerer (CHA based, pure spontaneous, innate talent full caster)
Warlock (CHA based, unique yet favorite slot progression, pseudo-full caster)
Wizard (INT based, learn each spell separately, academic full caster)

----

Why the others are out is as follows...

Bard (like another post above, anyone can play music to cheer up)
Druid (nature themed priest, thematic overlap with nature domain cleric)
Paladin (the grueling alignment problem, plus that I loathe the "chosen one" trope)

But especially these two (hopefully ripped and gestalted among Barbs/Monks/Rangers);

Fighter (normal guy who fights ain't enough for the superheroic levels)
Rogue (guy who does skills ain't enough, even more so than fighter)

 

[fobia]

I would keep the Sorcerer.

I know a lot of people don't like them mechanically in 5e. And I think it's a valid criticism.
But the concept of a caster that wills spells into existence is way cooler than the whole "I play my flute and FIREBALL!"-shtick of the Bard. Don't like that. Bards need to go.


I let go of

Barbarian and Monk because they could be realized as a Fighter subclass for example.

Paladin because I prefer mundane classes fighting with magical stuff over magical fighters.

Warlock because it's coolest features, the invocations, can also be achieved by pact-making or infernal contracts with other classes.

Bards because I have zero musical talent and can not for the love of god imagine how to produce magic with an instrument. Also the only inspiration I ever had for a Bard was "The music of Erich Zann" and then my friend played that concept. Bard players are the worst.

 

[Zardnaar]

Kender players are the worst.

Kender bards yay for modern D&D.

 

[Ashrym]

bard, cleric, fighter, ranger, rogue, paladin, wizard

Those are the most iconic D&D classes, imo.

 

[Zardnaar]

bard, cleric, fighter, ranger, rogue, paladin, wizard

Those are the most iconic D&D classes, imo.

Swap bard with Druid and I would agree. It didn't really exist until 2E.

1E one was more if a prestige class. Next 1E bard I see will be the 1st one.

It's just really good in 5E.

 

[Hriston]

I chose cleric, druid, fighter monk, paladin, rogue, and wizard because those are the classes first introduced in D&D (1974) and its supplements.

 

[Erekose]

Hmm - I went for Barbarian, Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Wizard because I prefer martial classes over magic-based classes and conceptually (if not mechanically) Druid could be rolled into Cleric and Bard/Sorcerer/Warlock could be rolled into Wizard. Similarly Monk could be rolled, at least conceptually, into either Cleric or Fighter.