Character Creation Proposal (6e Ideas)

[sayaijin]

I've seen many posts on "Why don't we eliminate this class? It's too similar to this other one mechanically/thematically." Here I propose a different way to make classes that is potentially more complicated, but I thought it was neat.

In place of normal class/multiclass rules, each player picks two of the following categories - a primary and secondary trope.

Categories/Tropes:
1) Precision
2) Brute force
3) Arcane Magic
4) Natural Magic
5) Divine Magic

These categories are how the player answers the question, "How would your character overcome an obstacle?"

They gain "half" features from the primary category at levels 1, 5, 9, 13, and 17 and "half" features from the secondary category at levels 2, 6, 10, 14, and 18. Subclass features occur at levels 3, 7, 11, 15, and 19 and ASI's occur at levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20.

If they pick the same category twice, then they gain "full" features when they would have gained secondary features. All characters naturally have proficiency with light armor and simple weapons.



Level
1) Primary Feature 1
2) Secondary Feature 1
3) Subclass Feature
4) Feat/ASI
5) Primary Feature 2
6) Secondary Feature 2
7) Subclass Feature
8) Feat/ASI
9) Primary Feature 3
10) Secondary Feature 3
11) Subclass Feature
12) Feat/ASI
13) Primary Feature 4
14) Secondary Feature 4
15) Subclass Feature
16) Feat/ASI
17) Primary Feature 5
18) Secondary Feature 5
19) Subclass Feature
20) Epic Boon + Feat/ASI



Below are some possible features for these tropes. Keep in mind, I'm not a game designer so these are likely not balanced, this is just an idea of what they could look like.



Precision:
Half (Levels 1/2, 5/6, 9/10, 13/14, 17/18)
1) Extra skill proficiencies, Sneak Attack (d4)
2) Uncanny Dodge
3) Evasion
4) Proficiency in all saving throws
5) Can make one attack as part of Uncanny Dodge

Full (Levels 2, 6, 10, 14, 18)
1) Cunning Action, Expertise, Sneak Attack (d8)
2) Expertise
3) Extra Feat/ASI
4) Reliable Talent
5) Stroke of Luck (3x/rest)




Brute force
Half (Levels 1/2, 5/6, 9/10, 13/14, 17/18)
1) AC+*, martial weapons, move speed+
2) Additional Attack
3) Jump, Swim, Climb Speed+
4) Extra Feat/ASI
5) Stunning Strike (no ki required)

* E.g. Unarmored Defense / Armor Proficiency

Full(Levels 2, 6, 10, 14, 18)
1) Action Surge, Fighting Style
2) Extra Feat/ASI
3) Additional Attack
4) Extra Feat/ASI
5) Additional Attack



Magic: Players choosing magic have either half or full caster progression based on whether they take magic for one or both of their categories.
Taking two different magic sources gives half caster spell levels and full caster slots.


Magic (Arcane)
Half (Levels 1/2, 5/6, 9/10, 13/14, 17/18)
1) Spells known
2) Cantrip Formulas
3) Flash of Genius
4) Magic Item Adept
5) Magic Item Savant

Full (Levels 2, 6, 10, 14, 18)
1) Ritual Casting, Spell Book, Prepared Spells
2) Metamagic (x2)
3) Metamagic (x4)
4) Spell Mastery
5) Signature Spells



Magic (Divine)
Half (Levels 1/2, 5/6, 9/10, 13/14, 17/18)
1) Spells known, Lay on Hands
2) Aura of Protection
3) Aura of Courage
4) Cleansing Touch
5) Divine Resistance

Full (Levels 2, 6, 10, 14, 18)
1) Channel Divinity, Spells prepared
2) Blessed Strikes/Potent Cantrip
3) Divine Intervention
4) Destroy Undead
5) Divine Intervention Improvement



Magic (Nature)
Half (Levels 1/2, 5/6, 9/10, 13/14, 17/18)
1) Spells known, Deft Explorer
2) Primal Companion
3) Nature's Veil
4) Feral Senses
5) something

Full (Levels 2, 6, 10, 14, 18)
1) Wild Shape
2) Wild Shape Improvement
3) Wild Shape Improvement
4) Beast Spells
5) Archdruid



Lastly, here is a look at the combinations and what current class/subclass they are similar to. This is just to give an idea what kind of subclass features you can use.


Precision/Brute Force - Swashbuckler/Monk

d4 Sneak Attack, Higher AC, better weapons for higher baseline damage. Subclass features would likely be monk themed.

Precision/Magic (Arcane) - Artificer/Bard

d4 Sneak Attacks, Uncanny Dodge, proficiency in saving throws, Flash of Genius
This character already has fantastic saves and defense along with half caster magic. Subclass features would likely be something like the Arcane Trickster or Armorer stealth mode.

Precision/Magic (Nature) - Ranger/Scout
Precision/Magic (Divine) - Bard/Dex Paladin
Precision/Precision - Assassin
Brute Force/Brute Force - Barbarian
Brute Force/Magic (Arcane) - Eldritch Knight/Hexblade
Brute Force/Magic (Nature) - Ranger
Brute Force/Magic (Divine) - Paladin
Magic (Divine)/Magic (Divine) - Cleric
Magic (Nature)/Magic (Nature) - Druid

[OldTrees1]

What about a Brute Force : Magic in a 3:1 ratio?
What about classes with smaller subclasses, or classes with larger subclasses?

This design locks down the options too much and standardizes the classes to the point they will feel too similar (Subclass is always at 3/7/11/15/19 for example). If you left in level by level multiclassing it could help mitigate some author blindness* problems (like the 1/4th caster) however it won't fix the rigid similarities.

Since the goal is to address concerns about similarities, this might exacerbate the concerns.

Instead I suggest 6E adds a 1/2 or 2/3 caster that is still a full mage class with a specific theme (Designer picks one). Making the class a half caster but still devoting the new class features to magic user features would give the designer enough space to ensure the class was differentiated from the generic Wizard/Cleric classes.


* It goes without saying that authors always miss something about their work that the horde of consumers are able to find. So it is wise if authors try to account for some unknown unknowns.

[loki_ragnarock]

This has the potential to be a very interesting role-playing system that isn't D&D.

[JackPhoenix]

Why are you making proposal for 6e on a site that has nothing to do with the developement of... as far as we know at this point, entirely theoretical... 6e? Shouldn't you be sending those proposals to someone at WotC, or just calling them homebrew?

[sayaijin]

Why are you making proposal for 6e on a site that has nothing to do with the developement of... as far as we know at this point, entirely theoretical... 6e? Shouldn't you be sending those proposals to someone at WotC, or just calling them homebrew?

There have been plenty of discussions on here about what we went to see out of 6e. That combined with the many conversations about removing/combining classes led me to come up with this solution for classes and multiclassing.

Also, I've asked Wizards. They are not willing to use unsolicited content.

[OldTrees1]

There have been plenty of discussions on here about what we went to see out of 6e. That combined with the many conversations about removing/combining classes led me to come up with this solution for classes and multiclassing.

Agreed. Several threads have been "I have this criticism about 5E. I think ___ is the root issue. Would changing _____ resolve the issue for the better? Is that change compatible with 5E or would it require a wait for 6E?". This thread is a response to a couple recent threads.

So even if I disagree with the proposed design, I appreciate the theory crafting.

[JackPhoenix]

There's a difference between "I want to change how 5e does things" and "this is an idea for 6e". The former fits in 5e forum. The other doesn't, and there's homebrew section for that.

[Pex]

By obviousness D&D has gone through changes over the years, but you can only change so much. There's another thread discussing what makes D&D be D&D. Some changes are liked. Some changes are disliked. Some of them are the same thing. However subjective it may be to the individual what makes D&D be D&D, there is a breaking point. Like another popular media, you may not be able to define it but you'll know it when you see it. We have an example to show: 4E vs Pathfinder. 4E radically changed everything about D&D. Personal opinion you can point to things that are in previous D&D, but the only thing D&D about it was it kept the ability scores. 4E had its fans, but it ticked off enough people Pathfinder became a success. Not all 4E ideas were bad, having found their way into 5E, but it was enough notD&D. What you're proposing may or may not work, but it's enough notD&D for me.

[sayaijin]

There's a difference between "I want to change how 5e does things" and "this is an idea for 6e". The former fits in 5e forum. The other doesn't, and there's homebrew section for that.

You are correct, and I was trying to do both, so maybe my title was misleading.

This idea works pretty well within 5e, but it's different enough that it might require an entirely new system.

Basically it takes the question "do you want to multiclass?" And makes you answer it up front.

[loki_ragnarock]

4E radically changed everything about D&D. Personal opinion you can point to things that are in previous D&D, but the only thing D&D about it was it kept the ability scores.

They also kept the names: fighter, wizard, cleric, etc. They also kept progression via experience, and experience levels.

It's a little more nuanced than "just the ability scores." That said... I played alot of Pathfinder.