Bonded soul 5e class

[stewstew5]

WIP. I'm designing a class centered around an animal companion that gets better as you level up while you get occasional abilities. Review/balance/ideas?
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LRwV3pgLEtDe3fKQWNI

[Lacuna Caster]

WIP. I'm designing a class centered around an animal companion that gets better as you level up while you get occasional abilities. Review/balance/ideas?
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LRwV3pgLEtDe3fKQWNI

I'm afraid 5e balancing isn't really my forte, but you might get a little more feedback if you typed up the class a board-specific table format?

[sandmote]

This would probably work better as a rewrite of the Beastmaster subclass for Ranger.

Otherwise, it might help for you to set up everything that's typically standardized for 5e classes. For example, an Ability Score Increase at 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level. Fighters get extra ones at 6th and 14th level, but otherwise all classes have this the same. If this is meant to be a martial class, go ahead and give them Extra Attack at level five (at least until you come up with an alternative).

Also, I would replace the size limit on your companion with a CR limit, and grant the companion ASIs either whenever you get them or at some other levels. Size means a lot less than how powerful the creature is.

For basic class features:

Your hit dice should be a consistent size. This class doesn't seem particularly scrawny, so I recommend a d8 or a d10.
I'd add proficiency for a few martial weapons, based on how you want the PC to fight.
For the tools, I would grant one instrument, game, or set of artisans tools of your choice. I don't think any class grants that, so it would help set the Bonded Soul apart.
For class skills, I suggest adding Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Stealth, and Survival.
For equipment, add the option of "any simple weapon of your choice."
5e doesn't have an "adventurer's pack," and I'm not sure what the other option is worth.


It would be easier to comment on the other abilities listed if you sorted them by when you think the class should get them, because 5e follows a typical curve for how strong/useful/exciting the new abilities are for each level. Otherwise, you should probably come up with some idea of how the PC is going to typically fight. At the very least, the base class needs some abilities that buff the PC in combat.

Emotional is described twice, which I'm particularly mentioning because one of the other abilities rolls off the side of that page.

For the first subclass, I don't think there's any precedent for losing proficiency. Maybe simply grant a bonus while not wearing armor, similarly to the Natural armor of the Barbarian and the Monk?

Finally, apologizes for how scrambled this is, as I writing things in when I notice them.

Edit 1: bunch of typos, and clarifying a few points.