D&D 5E Zard's S Tier Archetypes

[Zardnaar]

This thread is about what I consider to be the S tier archetypes for 5E. There's a few archtypes that are A tier that can easily be S tier in the right campaign or using rules from Tasha's.

I may forget no phb versions but I'll try

Artificer: None (Battlesmith maybe A tier)

Barbarian: Totem Warrior.

Bard: Inspiration, Lore

Cleric: death, light, life, twilight

Druid: Moon

Fighter: Battlemaster (debateable),
Eldritch Knight (high level)

Monk: None (open hand A)

Paladin: Vengeance

Ranger: Gloom stalker

Rogue: Arcane Trickster (high level)

Sorcerer: Divine Soul

Warlock: build your own (fiend tomelock)

Wizard: Abjurer, Bladedancer, Diviner, Evocation, War

 

[Mistwell]

Almost nobody knows what "S Tier" means.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

This thread is about what I consider to be the S tier archetypes for 5E. There's a few archtypes that are A tier that can easily be S tier in the right campaign or using rules from Tasha's.

What personal metrics are you rating the archetypes by? Pure combat performance? Just damage dealing? All tiers of play in a 6-8 encounters per long rest game?

 

[Don Durito]

What is S tier?

 

[Scribe]

What is S tier?

A choice which is above any other to the point where picking against it is not always seen as an acceptable option, if one is min/max.

 

[Don Durito]

A choice which is above any other to the point where picking against it is not always seen as an acceptable option, if one is min/max.

I thought maybe that was it but it doesn't make any sense in context.

IF 5 wizard subclasses are S tier than logically none are.

If Battlemaster is S tier than there should be no argument about whether Eldritch Knight is comparable.

 

[GSHamster]

What is S tier?

It's basically Japanese, from anime and games. The rating system has your standard A - D grades, but then there's a special 'S' tier, which is supposed to be very rare and carry the implication that it stands outside the regular rankings. In practice, though, a lot of times it just becomes the top rank.

 

[Don Durito]

What personal metrics are you rating the archetypes by? Pure combat performance? Just damage dealing? All tiers of play in a 6-8 encounters per long rest game?

If you are ranking classes and subclasses I'd argue that you can't assume the 6-8 encounters (or the more accurate 3-18). Especially, as so many games don't keep to that schedule

You have to take some account of the versatility of the class across a range of different encounter days, but probably trending toward low.

It's one reason the Paladin is such an effective class. The Paladin can always use all of their resources in any length encounter day above 0. The Fighter needs effectively at least 3 encounters to do the same.

 

[Zardnaar]

What personal metrics are you rating the archetypes by? Pure combat performance? Just damage dealing? All tiers of play in a 6-8 encounters per long rest game?

Generally overall most classes have an S tier archetypes imho.

It's an overall rating with more focus on earlier levels and probably slightly less than the official guidelines for encounters. Not that it changes much.

 

[Don Durito]

The problem is that the word tier is used to denote something that is a whole level better than the alternatives.

For the most part that isn't the case.

I think it's only the case really for the Arcane Trickster, which is so much better than the other rogues I would never play them. (Maybe the Moon Druid - I don't know I strongly discourage excessive shapeshifting and summoning at the table these days)

I think a case can also be made for the Battlemaster simply because they access to a range of versatility while the other subclasses are all more specialised. (And the Battlemaster can generally do their specialty well enough if they want to - especially with feats).

And the tier system was supposed to denote wide ranging effectiveness across a range of challenges. For the most part there just isn't that kind of difference. The Vengeance Paladin is your best choice if you want to do DPS, but other Paladins are better at lock down and tanking.