D&D 5E What the warlord needs in 5e and how to make it happen.

[Hussar]

Wouldn't a "guardian" be some sort of defender-type class?

Well, since 5e doesn't really have roles to speak of, and it really doesn't have a defender role at all, I'm not overly concerned.

I was more thinking Defender as in the guy that gets everyone together to make a strong defense.

 

[TheCosmicKid]

Well, since 5e doesn't really have roles to speak of, and it really doesn't have a defender role at all, I'm not overly concerned.

I was more thinking Defender as in the guy that gets everyone together to make a strong defense.

I wouldn't call that a "guardian". A guardian is the guy who, well, guards people. Throws himself in the path of a bullet shouting "NOOOO!" in slow motion. That sort of stuff. 4E formalized this concept with the word "defender", and 5E didn't, but 5E certainly hasn't forgotten that it's a thing you can do.

 

[Aldarc]

What about a "paragon" as a class name? It's fairly generic. In the computer game, Guild Wars 1, the paragon was a class that functioned similarly to the Warlord. It was a warrior who shouted and supported allies.

 

[Guest 6801328]

What about a "paragon" as a class name? It's fairly generic. In the computer game, Guild Wars 1, the paragon was a class that functioned similarly to the Warlord. It was a warrior who shouted and supported allies.

...except for the dictionary definition of "paragon".

I kinda like the name Guardian. Somebody said it screams "shield and heavy armor" but I don't agree.

 

[Guest 6801328]

It would make it harder to mix.

You could, for instance, take archery, tactics, and stealth, and reach high levels in all 3 areas. Same way you can take mantle of command, diminutive, and nomad disciplines.

Otherwise you need to multiclass.

I also want to address this whole side discussion about how the new Mystic represents a better way to design classes, in that even the base class is highly customizable, allowing for a much wider range of builds.

I agree that it's an interesting, flexible, fun way to create characters. But it's also a lot different from what I think of as the D&D approach. I can imagine a great RPG that had just a few base classes like this, but I do not love the idea of blending the two approaches in the same game.

(In fact, an interesting official supplement would be a set of classes designed this way, meant to be used in place of the regular classes.)

 

[Aldarc]

...except for the dictionary definition of "paragon".

1) Would you mind elaborating more about what you mean? And 2) dictionary definitions have never stopped D&D before.

I kinda like the name Guardian. Somebody said it screams "shield and heavy armor" but I don't agree.

It does come close to your 'warden' label. I would be fine with 'guardian.'

 

[Guest 6801328]

1) Would you mind elaborating more about what you mean? And 2) dictionary definitions have never stopped D&D before.

It does come close to your 'warden' label. I would be fine with 'guardian.'

Google result:

par·a·gon
ˈperəˌɡän/
noun
a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality.
"it would have taken a paragon of virtue not to feel viciously jealous"
a person or thing viewed as a model of excellence.
"your cook is a paragon"
synonyms: perfect example, shining example, model, epitome, archetype, ideal, exemplar, nonpareil, embodiment, personification, quintessence, apotheosis, acme; More
a perfect diamond of 100 carats or more.

If anything, that takes everything that's wrong with "Warlord" and makes it worse. It doesn't describe what the class does, it just implies that, whatever it is they do, they're perfect at it. (Unlike all those 2nd-class classes that have to actually work for a living...)

Ick.

 

[TwoSix]

What about a "paragon" as a class name? It's fairly generic. In the computer game, Guild Wars 1, the paragon was a class that functioned similarly to the Warlord. It was a warrior who shouted and supported allies.

Although somewhat ironically, a lot of the abilities that the GW1 Paragon had got rolled into the GW2.... Guardian.

 

[Corwin]

(In fact, an interesting official supplement would be a set of classes designed this way, meant to be used in place of the regular classes.)

AD&D did something like this back in the day with Player's Option: Skills & Powers.

 

[Aldarc]

Google result:

If anything, that takes everything that's wrong with "Warlord" and makes it worse. It doesn't describe what the class does, it just implies that, whatever it is they do, they're perfect at it. (Unlike all those 2nd-class classes that have to actually work for a living...)

Ick.

God help you should you even look up the definition of "paladin" or some of the subclasses (e.g. champion) then.

Although somewhat ironically, a lot of the abilities that the GW1 Paragon had got rolled into the GW2.... Guardian.

Indeed.