D&D 5E Which classes are functionally composite classes to some degree?

[Blue Orange]

Only because they keep making it a spellcaster. Which I have always opposed.

Though really, if we went by actual class popularity, it's Druid that should be culled for being a Nature Cleric.

They did that in 2e no?

 

[James Gasik]

Um, "trying to make the Paladin into a spellcaster"? There haven't been many times in the game's history when the Paladin wasn't capable of casting spells and spell-like abilities at some point.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Um, "trying to make the Paladin into a spellcaster"? There haven't been many times in the game's history when the Paladin wasn't capable of casting spells and spell-like abilities at some point.

I said "keep," not "trying." 4e is the only version that wasn't a spellcaster, and it was better for it. There are other ways to implement things that don't require spellcasting, but are still holy power. Much as both the Echo Knight and Arcane Archer implement magic without being spellcasters.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Because spells are definitely the ONLY way to do holy things. You couldn't possibly have other mechanics for it. That would be ridiculous.

In the paradigm of how D&D works right now?

Yes, actually.

Lots of things have naturally occurring or innate magic, but that is inevitably framed as arcane. Nothing seems to have innate holiness; they're just other kinds of clerics.

In order to make a non-spellcaster Paladin, D&D would have to accept basic tenets and ideas it is historically afraid of, and we see how well that goes with 50 years without a viable vanilla gish

 

[EzekielRaiden]

In the paradigm of how D&D works right now?

Yes, actually.

Lots of things have naturally occurring or innate magic, but that is inevitably framed as arcane. Nothing seems to have innate holiness; they're just other kinds of clerics.

In order to make a non-spellcaster Paladin, D&D would have to accept basic tenets and ideas it is historically afraid of, and we see how well that goes with 50 years without a viable vanilla gish

Again, 4e provides your contradiction, in that it offered a perfectly viable (and, AIUI, quite enjoyable) Swordmage.

 

[nevin]

The Paladin and Ranger are the base classes. The Fighter is just a hybrid of the two, but using the AND operator.

yeah the ranger was just a sneaky fighter till high level then he got druid spells and then he got magic spells in AD&D. It was basically just multiclassing once you hit high level ranger.

 

[James Gasik]

Yes, but we're no longer in the 4e paradigm. In 5e, "magic" almost always means "can cast spells".

 

[Vaalingrade]

Again, 4e provides your contradiction, in that it offered a perfectly viable (and, AIUI, quite enjoyable) Swordmage.

I didn't really like the sword mage all that much, but yes, there was an attempt.

But that kind of decent game design isn't coming back, let alone be refined and both of us are going to have to accept that.

 

[Minigiant]

Paaaladin.

Nope. Because there is no Saint class for the Warrior + Saint composite.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Nope. Because there is no Saint class for the Warrior + Saint composite.

It would be cleric plus... slightly more cleric.