D&D 5E (2014) Which classes have the least identity?

[Vaalingrade]

SORCERER IS NOT BLOODLINES!!!!!!

They [Annoying Emoji Trend] Should [Annoying Emoji Trend] Be [Annoying Emoji Trend]!!!!!

 

[Vaalingrade]

It was just a suggestion.

My dentist sends their regards.

 

[TiQuinn]

Sorcerer for all the reasons others have stated.

I also can’t get into the monk. I find them pretty bland.

 

[Krachek]

You could move the bard and the ranger to be subclasses of "Rogue." The ranger would cover the sneaky sniper hunter trope, and the bard could cover the stealthy magical sneak trope.

I can imagine a Ranger subclass under both Fighter and Rogue.
Same for the Bard.

 

[mellored]

Sorcerer + Wizard -> Mage
Cleric + Druid -> Priest
Barbarian + Ranger -> Primal (?)

 

[Remathilis]

The fighter's role in the party.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Sorcerer + Wizard -> Mage
Cleric + Druid -> Priest
Barbarian + Ranger -> Primal (?)

Mage + Priest + Primal -> Guy

 

[Remathilis]

Hypothetically, if D&D had to reduce the number of classes, and they where going to remove the ones that has the least identity, which ones would go?

Presume the options to play the character would still be in the game somewhere, just not as a class.
I.e. Fighter gets moved under Ranger, Wizard is a Sorcerer option, ect...

Hmmm. As of this post, the fighter, ranger, sorcerer and wizard are the only classes in double digits. Makes sense. The sorcerer and wizard are essentially slightly different stories and mechanics stapled to the same general archetype, the ranger is a cool story with no mechanical niche, and the fighter is a generic blob of swords.

Ranger being aberrant for lacking good mechanical identity, I think the problem with fighter and wizard/sorcerer is that they are too generic. They are trying to be a dozen different things each. Fighters have to be knights, swordmen, gishes, samurai, supernatural warriors and Jedi in 5 class features. On the other hand, the wizard encompasses diviners, necromancers, elementalist, summoners, enchanters, witches, demonologists, and every other arcane magic caster under the sun and the sorcerer gets to do the same things backwards, in high heels, and with crappier spell lists.

Here's a suggestion, kill wizard, sorcerer and fighter and replace them with more specific classes. Fighter could be a knight/cavalier, a warlord/commander and a gish/magic knight. The sorcerer/wizard should become a dedicated beguiler, summoner, Necromancer and elementalist classes. Then you give transmutation to the artificer and ranged/skirmisher to ranger. Every class has a story, every class has unique mechanics, and no generic I hit things/I cast spells classes.

 

[Yaarel]

Sorcerer + Wizard -> Mage
Cleric + Druid -> Priest
Barbarian + Ranger -> Primal (?)

Not all Clerics are "priests".

The historical Druid is priestly, but the D&D Druid is moreso shamanic.


I prefer the more neutral descriptors.

Artificer + Sorcerer + Swordmage + Warlock + Wizard → Arcane
Cleric + Paladin → Divine
Barbarian + Druid + Ranger → Primal
Bard + Psion → Psionic
Fighter + Rogue + Warlord → Martial


Then refer to the "Arcanes", meaning the Arcane classes and subclasses. And so on.

The "Martials" for Fighter, Rogue, and Warlord, is already common jargon.

Here "Divine" isnt an inclusive religious term, but it can be abstract. Maybe call the power source "Sacred", which is more inclusive.

If I had to choose only one power source, the Bard should be Psionic. But I like the idea of the player choosing the power source, since in different ways any of the magical power sources can make sense for it.

 

[Yaarel]

I can imagine a Ranger subclass under both Fighter and Rogue.

I can imagine the Ranger as a subclass of Fighter, Rogue, Druid, even Wizard.

Same for the Bard.

The 5e Bard is the mythologically accurate one, a full caster.

I only played 3e for a single campaign, without a Bard. And the 3e Bard had a terrible reputation for being bad at everything. For 5e, I tend to dislike the part casters because they suck at the high tiers. Exceptionally, the Paladin seems competent at high tiers, mainly because of high damage, with some magical versatility outside of combat.