D&D 5E What single new class would you like to see?

[Guest 6801328]

I think any class should represent very clear type of character found in fantasy fiction and/or mythology. I'm having a real hard time trying to think of such a character that can't already be created with existing class, archetype, race and background combos. Spirit shaman is about the only one.

I for one would be pretty content with not introducing any more base classes and only extending sub-classes, especially if one were talking about official material. (Even if this thread is about what we'd like to see from Enworld, I always think about these questions in terms of official content expansion.)

That said, if a new class were going to be introduced officially to the game the concept I could get most excited about would be something that encapsulated the archetypes (if not necessarily the implementations from earlier editions of D&D) of the spirit-based, primitive or primalist caster. So something that encapsulates shaman, the witch doctor, fairy tale witches (the sort who have bubbling cauldrons and put curses on people), voodoo priest (or the popular misconception thereof), etc.

AND it seems like this would be the perfect class in which to implement the idea, discussed earlier in the thread, of a divine caster with warlock-like mechanics:
- Instead of Patrons you have spirit realms: Spirits of the Dead, Nature Spirits, etc.
- Instead of Invocations you have specific spirits that remain near to you and can be called upon (spirit of harmony, spirit of vengeance, spirit of fear, spirit of the hunter, etc.)

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

I think any class should represent very clear type of character found in fantasy fiction and/or mythology. I'm having a real hard time trying to think of such a character that can't already be created with existing class, archetype, race and background combos.

Yeah, the 'unfilled' ones I can think of either don't fit the standard D&D setting very well (gadgeteer is more of a higher tech level thing) or don't have strong archetypes (like the divine-rogue thing).

And even those don't necessarily need to be full classes as opposed to new subclasses of existing classes. The divine-rogue could be a "Divine Trickster" like the Arcane Trickster.

Spirit shaman is about the only one.

I'm not sure it warrants a whole new class. A Druid subclass (Circle of the Spirits?) is probably most fitting, but there could be a spirits-based Sorcerer subclass too.

Maybe, very possibly, a speed and mobility based class, for characters like Hermes (or The Flash for a superhero example) but that could be best expressed as an 'Acrobat' archetype for either rogue or monk.

Yeah, I agree. Probably a Monk subclass (Way of the Lightning? Falcon? Cheetah?) which gets stuff like double proficiency bonus to Athletics, advantage on Dex saves under some condition, super-jumping or flight...

 

[Erik Westmarch]

I'm not sure it warrants a whole new class. A Druid subclass (Circle of the Spirits?) is probably most fitting, but there could be a spirits-based Sorcerer subclass too.

It occurred to me after making my own request for Spirit sub-classes that Druid was the obvious best-choice for a primary caster class, not Sorcerer. A Druid who speaks to the spirits of the lake, tree, rock, etc. would be a slam dunk for archetype purposes.

Yeah, I agree. Probably a Monk subclass (Way of the Lightning? Falcon? Cheetah?) which gets stuff like double proficiency bonus to Athletics, advantage on Dex saves under some condition, super-jumping or flight...

This would be pretty cool. It would be very Wu Shu as well, to be able to run along tree tops, quickly scamper up walls, skip once or twice across water, etc. A fight between two monks of this type would probably look like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

 

[Ancalagon]

Lemme see...

An Alchemist with two subclassesP: a mage-like one who uses bombs and elixirs, and a warrior one who uses elixirs for personal mutation.

I think 2 (or maybe 3) subclasses would work, but I would like it that each one can still do a bit of the other one's schtick - ie the warrior can still use potions and bombs but not as well, and the "mage-ish" one still has some mutagenic ability.

I have to say I really, really liked playing an alchemist in 3.X (from Pathfinder)

Just please...no more classes slicing the warrior archetype into thinner and thinner slices, each of whose niche protection requires all the other classes suddenly be incompetent at the new classes schtick.

hear hear!

 

[Tony Vargas]

I want a Tactician class whose abilities trigger off Intelligence.

Really, Intelligence is such a under-powered, under-utilized stat in the game at this point that it is a wonder that anyone but Wizards has it set at above 8. A semi-martial support class that uses the stat would probably be helpful in the very least that the attribute could be considered as something other than "wizard only attribute".

Maybe it'd help more if it came with a Martial Adept style feat that let other characters get in on the INT action, too?

And, of course, the more alternate to Cleric in the game there are, the better. Healing/damage reduction is too essential in the game to be totally dominated by a single class. It really is weird to think that every single adventuring part in the world is required to drag along a religious zealot to constantly give sermons on his/her deities superiority to all others. Yet, somehow, the evangelical zealot has been a requisite party member since 1st edition and not nearly enough in terms of feasible alternatives has yet been presented.

Sure, in 1e you couldn't get by without a Cleric for want of healing. Expanding that to Paladin and Druid didn't make things any less zealous. But 3e added the not-at-all-zealous-or-even-serious strumming-in-combat Bard to the list of healers, and 4e added the Warlord, Artificer, and Shaman - regardless of basic character concept (warrior, mage, priest, etc), there was a Leader option. On top of that, 3e had commodity healing via potions & wands, and 4e added Surges, so everyone had healing resources. Backpeddling may a major feature of 5e, but it still has some healing resources (HD) that every PC brings to the party, and several classes - Bard, Druid, Paladin, even Ranger (barely) - capable of helping the party out significantly in the absence of a Cleric.

I think any class should represent very clear type of character found in fantasy fiction and/or mythology. I'm having a real hard time trying to think of such a character that can't already be created with existing class, archetype, race and background combos.

You might be able to give a nod to almost any concept, but actually do it justice? Consider the difference between the Noble Background in 5e and the Noble Class Morrus & co have already published on EN5ider. There's lots of room for giving the full works to major concepts that have only minor support in 5e.