tbok1992
2013-05-04, 04:27 AM
Yes, I know that D&D Next PHB 1 isn't even out yet, and that the conversation has devolved into petty and angry bickering with 4e fans saying "Death To Mearls For Slaughtering Our Sacred Cows Which We Slaughtered Other Sacred Cows For!" and with 3e fans saying "SUCK IT! SUCK IT! NOW YOU KNOW HOW IT FEELS! ... Ehhh anyway I'll stick to Pathfinder." But I thought it'd be interesting to think of what'd be the best classes and races to put i nthe PHB 2, given that all the classes in all edition's PHB 1s will get in the PHB 1, and explain why. I'll start with the classes:
-Duskblade/Swordmage/Stabwizard- Because Stabwizard is one of those very big archetypes in D&D that is still just a little too non-mainstream for core. I don't think it should be a fighter or a Wizard sub-class thanks to the fact that a good Gish class should ideally be able to synthesize magic and maneuvers into their own new thing rather than just being a fighter with a few spells or a wizard with a blade.
-Invoker/Oracle/Jesus-Sorceror- Basically, I do like the idea of a Divine guy with a more primal, crazy and unreliable link to the gods, and it seems like a solid idea. Though, l I have heard they might roll that idea into the Sorceror, so...
-Factotum- Because it's an awesome fan-favorite class and a very different take on the "Jack-of-all-trades" concept than the Bard, doing it's neat little "pragmatic dungeoneer" thing.
-Artificer- Because it's popular, it's a great concept, and if they don't include it Eberron fans will be piiiiiiiiiiised.
-Swashbuckler-This is because Mearls has said that he didn't want to introduce all new classes unless they fit their own niche, and I think that the Swashbuckler fits into a Martial class/archetype niche that the Fighter and the Rogue never quite felt like they comfortably occupied, IE the quipping; highly mobile but fragile lovable rogue with lots of abilities involving moving and attacking at the same time/more than usual (Ala the 4e Monk) and lots of fancy acrobatics and aerial stunts they can do.
-Shaman- Because, the class hasn't quite had their own cohesive identity, but it is certainly iconic outside of D&D and a good niche for PCs to fill, so I think that it'd be a good one to have in there. Maybe draw more from the 4e "Spirit Companion" one since that one seemed to stick the most.
-Fleshwarper- This is admittedly a weird choice, since it was originally only a prestige class, but I think that it deserves to be a full class, as it covers territory both thematically and mechanically that no other class quite does (IE Magical transhumanist), and it's such a cool concept.
And I didn't do the Binder because I think it'd work better as a subclass of the Warlock ala the 4e Vestige Pact.
Now for the races:
-Aasimar- Because since the PHB is gonna do the Tiefling, it's only fair that its counterpart be included.
-Primal Deva-This'd be 4e's DEva, since I feel they're so different from the Aasimar lore-wise that they should not be a mere sub-race, and they're a great concept to boot. It'd be smart to play up the Primal meets Divine aspects of the race.
-Catfolk- Because Catgirls are a popular nerd thing, they're a prominent race concept-wise, and better them than googirls. Well, better first than Googirls anyway, I'd personally love a googirl/googuy PC race (Slyths, despite being a good try, don't look all that goo-y).
-Thri-Keen- Yes, I know they're more a Dark Sun thing, but they're in pretty much every setting, and they fit quite well too. Plus, they're one of D&D's most interesting ideas for a PC Race, and one of the strangest as well ,so it'd be great for all those Oddball players.
-Changelings & Shifters-Because everyone whines about Warforged despite them being objectively the best thing ever*, and they're another interesting race from Eberron with a great ability that adds so many roleplaying hooks.
-Goliaths- Because they feel like a race that could be truly special, what with their links to stone, their uber-competitive nature, their links to primal power, their brutish; dumber (Yet still playable) relatives (Look it up, in Races of Stone), but they've never quite clicked. Maybe D&D Next would be their chance to make them more iconic.
-Mongrelfolk- Yes, those Mongrelfolk, with the patchwork-y appearance of 2e and earlier's version with the Medium height of the 3e version, fluffed as Tiefling-equivalents for Chaotic Neutral extraplanar creatures to avoid the horrible horrible unfortunate implications of the classic one, randomly rolling for racial abilities at chargen. I think it'd be a great way to reformat an old concept into something fresh and clever.
-Something New- I want 'em to surprise us as well, not just spin their wheels around 'n around. Mike Mearls said he wanted to do a Fey bruiser, so maybe a Kappa PC race would work for that?
-Human Subraces- Not technically a race, but given that there is no room for the subrace mechanic in the current Human stats, I think they might need to make a separate thing for the human derivatives, IE Sea kin, Asherati, Neanderthals, Underfolk, ect. And, given how common human PCs are, I think the PHB 2 would be a perfect place to do it in.
Aaaand that's all I got. What'd your lists be?
*Before you say anything, No. They are magical robots made for magical World War II, your argument is invalid.
-Duskblade/Swordmage/Stabwizard- Because Stabwizard is one of those very big archetypes in D&D that is still just a little too non-mainstream for core. I don't think it should be a fighter or a Wizard sub-class thanks to the fact that a good Gish class should ideally be able to synthesize magic and maneuvers into their own new thing rather than just being a fighter with a few spells or a wizard with a blade.
-Invoker/Oracle/Jesus-Sorceror- Basically, I do like the idea of a Divine guy with a more primal, crazy and unreliable link to the gods, and it seems like a solid idea. Though, l I have heard they might roll that idea into the Sorceror, so...
-Factotum- Because it's an awesome fan-favorite class and a very different take on the "Jack-of-all-trades" concept than the Bard, doing it's neat little "pragmatic dungeoneer" thing.
-Artificer- Because it's popular, it's a great concept, and if they don't include it Eberron fans will be piiiiiiiiiiised.
-Swashbuckler-This is because Mearls has said that he didn't want to introduce all new classes unless they fit their own niche, and I think that the Swashbuckler fits into a Martial class/archetype niche that the Fighter and the Rogue never quite felt like they comfortably occupied, IE the quipping; highly mobile but fragile lovable rogue with lots of abilities involving moving and attacking at the same time/more than usual (Ala the 4e Monk) and lots of fancy acrobatics and aerial stunts they can do.
-Shaman- Because, the class hasn't quite had their own cohesive identity, but it is certainly iconic outside of D&D and a good niche for PCs to fill, so I think that it'd be a good one to have in there. Maybe draw more from the 4e "Spirit Companion" one since that one seemed to stick the most.
-Fleshwarper- This is admittedly a weird choice, since it was originally only a prestige class, but I think that it deserves to be a full class, as it covers territory both thematically and mechanically that no other class quite does (IE Magical transhumanist), and it's such a cool concept.
And I didn't do the Binder because I think it'd work better as a subclass of the Warlock ala the 4e Vestige Pact.
Now for the races:
-Aasimar- Because since the PHB is gonna do the Tiefling, it's only fair that its counterpart be included.
-Primal Deva-This'd be 4e's DEva, since I feel they're so different from the Aasimar lore-wise that they should not be a mere sub-race, and they're a great concept to boot. It'd be smart to play up the Primal meets Divine aspects of the race.
-Catfolk- Because Catgirls are a popular nerd thing, they're a prominent race concept-wise, and better them than googirls. Well, better first than Googirls anyway, I'd personally love a googirl/googuy PC race (Slyths, despite being a good try, don't look all that goo-y).
-Thri-Keen- Yes, I know they're more a Dark Sun thing, but they're in pretty much every setting, and they fit quite well too. Plus, they're one of D&D's most interesting ideas for a PC Race, and one of the strangest as well ,so it'd be great for all those Oddball players.
-Changelings & Shifters-Because everyone whines about Warforged despite them being objectively the best thing ever*, and they're another interesting race from Eberron with a great ability that adds so many roleplaying hooks.
-Goliaths- Because they feel like a race that could be truly special, what with their links to stone, their uber-competitive nature, their links to primal power, their brutish; dumber (Yet still playable) relatives (Look it up, in Races of Stone), but they've never quite clicked. Maybe D&D Next would be their chance to make them more iconic.
-Mongrelfolk- Yes, those Mongrelfolk, with the patchwork-y appearance of 2e and earlier's version with the Medium height of the 3e version, fluffed as Tiefling-equivalents for Chaotic Neutral extraplanar creatures to avoid the horrible horrible unfortunate implications of the classic one, randomly rolling for racial abilities at chargen. I think it'd be a great way to reformat an old concept into something fresh and clever.
-Something New- I want 'em to surprise us as well, not just spin their wheels around 'n around. Mike Mearls said he wanted to do a Fey bruiser, so maybe a Kappa PC race would work for that?
-Human Subraces- Not technically a race, but given that there is no room for the subrace mechanic in the current Human stats, I think they might need to make a separate thing for the human derivatives, IE Sea kin, Asherati, Neanderthals, Underfolk, ect. And, given how common human PCs are, I think the PHB 2 would be a perfect place to do it in.
Aaaand that's all I got. What'd your lists be?
*Before you say anything, No. They are magical robots made for magical World War II, your argument is invalid.