D&D 5E Which classes have the least identity?

[Oofta]

It seems to me that people are conflating "identity" with "I like". A fighter has a very clear identity - they're the martial weapon expert who can go toe-to-toe with the bad guys without necessarily relying on supernatural abilities. To me, that's pretty clear. Same with wizards, yes they may be a boring concept to some people (I think the subclasses give them their identity) but they are the iconic study spells and cast away class that relies almost solely on their spells to make a contribution.

 

[Yaarel]

When we talk about identity, we are talking about the "default identity".

Ultimately, it is the player who chooses whatever identity makes sense for the character concept.

A default identity needs to be suggestively flavorful with a light touch, while avoiding baking a specific flavor into the mechanics.

 

[Yaarel]

It seems to me that people are conflating "identity" with "I like". A fighter has a very clear identity - they're the martial weapon expert who can go toe-to-toe with the bad guys without necessarily relying on supernatural abilities. To me, that's pretty clear. Same with wizards, yes they may be a boring concept to some people (I think the subclasses give them their identity) but they are the iconic study spells and cast away class that relies almost solely on their spells to make a contribution.

To be fair, a spellbook could be a feat.

 

[tetrasodium]

A wizard is a swiss army mage, the sorcerer can only ever do a few things but they do it very well and with a lot of flexibility. They are designed to play very differently, and I can't say I've ever seen either in play look all that similar to the other.

I wouldn't say waiting for the player to say "ooo spellbook! I might want to copy it, what spells are in that spellbook!" amounts to playing "differently".

Question. If I have two classes A and B, and B is the same as A but replaces some features of A with its own, and is clearly derivative of B in all other senses, which class has less identity? B? Or A?

It depends on if what is left over after those "some features" amount to being obvious in play with class B or just unseen bonuses & niche features added to something that is basically just indistinguishable from class A

 

[RoughCoronet0]

To be fair, a spellbook could be a feat.

I mean, the Warlock gets the option of a magical tome as well. Could very easily make the wizard a warlock subclass that favors using the Pact of the Tome like how Hexblade favors Pact of the Blade.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

A default identity needs to be suggestively flavorful with a light touch, while avoiding baking a specific flavor into the mechanics.

Does it? White Wolf made a great deal of money in the 1990s by going with a very heavy identity for each of its "classes."

 

[Undrave]

A wizard is a swiss army mage, the sorcerer can only ever do a few things but they do it very well and with a lot of flexibility. They are designed to play very differently, and I can't say I've ever seen either in play look all that similar to the other.

Doesn't mean the Wizard has an identity. it just has better mechanics.

Druid raises a few eyebrows for me as well, because I haven’t seen D&D really define what it means by nature, but not to the same extent.

4e had fantastic lore around the Primal Spirits, you should read the fluff in Primal Power.

 

[Oofta]

To be fair, a spellbook could be a feat.

I'm not sure what that even means. The iconic non-D&D wizard studies tomes to understand arcane knowledge and gain power over reality. No other D&D class does what a wizard does or fits that archetype as well.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I voted fighter, as it's just a grab-bag of concepts (mechanical and/or flavor) that didn't get their own class but probably could.

Wizard is at least bookish and nerdy, unlike a sorcerer who has too many identities all clumped together. But at least each sorcerer subclass has an identity; many fighter subclasses do not.

Ranger's in an odd spot to me; I know what a ranger looks like but I'm not really sure what a ranger does beyond "wilderness stuff."

 

[Oofta]

I mean, the Warlock gets the option of a magical tome as well. Could very easily make the wizard a warlock subclass that favors using the Pact of the Tome like how Hexblade favors Pact of the Blade.

Getting the necronomicon from someone you sold your soul to is not the same as studying the mystic arts to understand the nature of the universe.