Category 1 class features

[Yakk]

I use Category instead of Tier here, because Tiers are used for level ranges.

To me, a Category 1 feature is a feature on a scale similar to Action Surge and Extra Attack.

They are things in a tier that make you, as a player, look forward to.

Full-tier spellcasters get new spells, fighty types get extra attack (1). I'll leave those out.

I don't include subclasses either.

Here is my list:
Fighter T1: Action surge
Fighter T3: Extra attack(2)
Fighter T4: Action Surge(2), Extra Attack(3)

Paladin T1: Smite
Paladin T2: +Cha to saves
Paladin T3: Improved Smite

Bard T1: Expertise, Jack of all Trades
Bard T2: Font of Inspiration, Magical Secrets
Bard T3: Magical Secrets
Bard T4: Magical Secrets

Sorcerer T1: Font of Magic, Metamagic

Wizard T4: Spell Mastery

Artificer T2: Flash of Genius
Artificer T3: Spell-Storing Item, Magic Item Savant
Artificer T4: Soul of Artifice

Barbarian T1: Rage, Reckless
Barbarian T4: +4 Str/Con

Rogue T1: Cunning Action, Expertise
Rogue T2: Uncanny Dodge, Expertise(2)
Rogue T3: Reliable Talent

Ranger. Nothing.

Warlock T1: EB+AB.

Monk T2: Stunning Strike
Monk T3: Diamond Soul
Monk T4: Empty Body

Cleric T2: Divine Intervention
Cleric T4: Divine Intervention Improvement

Druid T1: Wild Shape
Druid T2: Flying Wild Shape
Druid T4: Beast spells

This list undervalues "gradual" stuff like Sneak Attack/Ki and gaining spells as you gain levels.

I miss anything? Overvalue anything?

In T4, I bolded capstones. To me, capstones are fundamentally different, in that they are "end of career" things. You don't get to play with them for long even if you get that far.

Possibly I should include 'fighting style' for Paladins/Rangers/Fighters. It is mechanically beefy in many cases, even if people take it for granted.

[Psyren]

You need to define tiers and what makes something qualify for one, especially since there appears to be some kind of absolute metric at play here whereby Artificer's range is 2-4 and Ranger doesn't qualify for any.

[Warder]

I think it's a solid list but Evasion belongs on there for sure! Not including subclasses will skew things a little but breaking things up like this makes it easy to visualize why I get frustrated with some aspects of 5e's levelling - you can gain class features and stuff, but for some classes you can go many levels without something you particularily look forward to. If there were more choices to make while levelling up, I think it'd be different.

[PhoenixPhyre]

You need to define tiers and what makes something qualify for one, especially since there appears to be some kind of absolute metric at play here whereby Artificer's range is 2-4 and Ranger doesn't qualify for any.

Tiers here are the Tiers of Play (ie level ranges).

So Ranger (in the OP's opinion) doesn't have any Category 1 features at any level.

[Psyren]

Tiers here are the Tiers of Play (ie level ranges).

So Ranger (in the OP's opinion) doesn't have any Category 1 features at any level.

Got it, but that just changes my ask to be how are the categories defined, even if we're only concerned with one category. Cat 1 = Action Surge doesn't tell me much.

[Dr.Samurai]

To me, a Category 1 feature is a feature on a scale similar to Action Surge and Extra Attack.

They are things in a tier that make you, as a player, look forward to.
If this is the metric, I'm not sure why you're excluding things like Extra Attack, which all martials are looking forward to. Level 5 is a big level for martials. It seems strange to list Extra Attack as a category 1 feature, and then also say that the ranger has nothing to look forward to.

Similarly, aren't Rogues looking forward to Sneak Attack?

[Sorinth]

For Ranger's they have a number of good spells that I look forward too, and if considering Tasha's optional features Deft Explorer should also be a category 1 feature as it gives Expertise which was a cat 1 feature for Rogue.

But the lack of subclass is what really hurts the ranger, almost every Ranger subclass has a cat 1 feature in their subclass at level 3.

And for Rogue not having SA seems weird, that's arguably one the biggest things for choosing rogue, rolling tons of d6s.

[Psyren]

If this is the metric, I'm not sure why you're excluding things like Extra Attack, which all martials are looking forward to. Level 5 is a big level for martials. It seems strange to list Extra Attack as a category 1 feature, and then also say that the ranger has nothing to look forward to.

Similarly, aren't Rogues looking forward to Sneak Attack?


For Ranger's they have a number of good spells that I look forward too, and if considering Tasha's optional features Deft Explorer should also be a category 1 feature as it gives Expertise which was a cat 1 feature for Rogue.

But the lack of subclass is what really hurts the ranger, almost every Ranger subclass has a cat 1 feature in their subclass at level 3.

And for Rogue not having SA seems weird, that's arguably one the biggest things for choosing rogue, rolling tons of d6s.

Yeah, I'm essentially confused on what the criteria are.

[PhoenixPhyre]

Got it, but that just changes my ask to be how are the categories defined, even if we're only concerned with one category. Cat 1 = Action Surge doesn't tell me much.

Agreed on that confusion. It seems entirely subjective...or if there's objective merit, it's fairly vague.

Personally, I don't think that features can be compared fairly between classes in isolation from the rest of the class structure (at least up until the point they're gained, and even then...). Consider a (hypothetical) wizard feature, coming in somewhere around level 16 that said "when you hit with an attack made as part of the Attack action, add 10 damage to it." On a pure (non-bladesinger) wizard, that's weak. How many times do they take the Attack action? On a bladesinger, that's way more powerful. And if you gave the same feature to a fighter, it'd be downright strong.

Even things like Extra Attack have different values depending on the class. On a rogue? Extra Attack is good (one more chance to trigger sneak attack) but not as good as it is on a different class.

This doesn't mean there aren't weaker and stronger features. Just that they have to be considered in context of the class they're designed for.

[Chaos Jackal]

I disagree with the non-inclusion of spell levels.

Spells aren't ki points or even extra Sneak Attack dice, which often just allow you to do the same thing more times or with bigger numbers. Spells are direct boosts in your ability to impact the world, sometimes massively so.

I'd argue that practically every new spell level is a Category 1 feature by your definition. Especially for full casters, 3rd-level spells are leaps and bounds ahead of 2nd-level ones, and from that point onward, for most classes every spell level has at least a couple of picks that can really alter how you play and what you can tackle.

And from 6th-level onward you're getting literal game changers (arguably that's true from 5th for some lists).

If not all spell levels, at least 3rd-level spells and 6th-level and higher spells are definitely Category 1 features.

[Pildion]

I use Category instead of Tier here, because Tiers are used for level ranges.

To me, a Category 1 feature is a feature on a scale similar to Action Surge and Extra Attack.

Ranger. Nothing.


Do you have any idea what a Ranges Natural Explorer does to a survival game =P
It makes Actions Surge cry like a baby haha.

[LudicSavant]

Do you have any idea what a Ranges Natural Explorer does to a survival game =P
It makes Actions Surge cry like a baby haha.

In my experience, it did very little indeed. Yes, in a survival game.

- Natural Explorer provides no benefits unless you are in your favored terrain for at least an hour. What's that, in an environment other than your favored one? Or have only been there briefly? Then you're not doing anything.

- Can't get lost except by magical means? Well that means little in many of D&D's iconic wildernesses, like the jungles of Xen'drik or the Mournlands or the Mists, where magic specifically contributes to you getting lost. Also, if you just have someone with genuinely good skill checks, you're unlikely to get lost by nonmagical means regardless (the DCs in the DMG aren't that high). Even if you do get lost, it's not the end of the world -- the check is repeatable every 1d6 hours.

- Remain alert to danger while foraging or tracking? The main feature here is that you retain your passive perception to spot ambushes and the like while simultaneously doing such activities (https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/91269/what-does-it-mean-to-remain-alert-to-danger). Even when you're in that situation, it only matters if you are the highest Survival *and* Perception check in the entire party by a notable margin, which you may well not be. It's not like you're Wis-SAD rocking Perception Expertise plus additional boosters, or the like.

Contrast, say, a Wizard who isn't even trying to do this. Their familiar is going to have a passive perception of 18 or 19, and are an extra person who doesn't need to be foraging or tracking and can just focus on watching. So yeah, this isn't exactly a giant game-changer by any stretch.

- Can travel a little bit faster alone while stealthy. I have found that traveling alone for extended periods is usually a bad idea.

This is situational as heck in my experience. You have to be in a situation where your long distance on-foot travel pace is important, AND the speed difference is enough to make the deciding difference, AND you need to be stealthy, AND you want to be alone, AND there's no better way to handle the situation available in the party. AND it has to be in your favored terrain. All those stars need to align for this to be providing any value at all.

- When you forage, you get twice as much food. Note that (per DMG pg111) how much food you get is 1d6+Wis pounds, and you have to make a Survival Check to get anything at all. Also the entire party can make that check, but their results don't get doubled by your ability.

You need 1 pound a day per character, so 4 characters would have been sustained without this ability on a roll of 2-6 with 14 Wisdom (and that's if only you forage, not others) by a non-Ranger. You just increased that to 1-6. You still have to make the Survival check DC to get anything, and you still aren't Wis-SAD or a Rogue or anything. It doubles the result (which is usually enough without the doubling anyways), it doesn't help your Survival check (which is the part that often fails just because mathematical probability).

And of course, there's stuff like Goodberry that just blows it out of the water and makes it irrelevant.

- While tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area. It's a bit more information than the raw check version, but it's still not super generous as information-gathering abilities go. This ain't Sherlock Holmes or maxxed out Visual Calculus feats, here.

[Pildion]

In my experience, it did very little indeed. Yes, in a survival game.

- Natural Explorer provides no benefits unless you are in your favored terrain for at least an hour. What's that, in an environment other than your favored one? Or have only been there briefly? Then you're not doing anything.

- Can't get lost except by magical means? Well that means little in many of D&D's iconic wildernesses, like the jungles of Xen'drik or the Mournlands or the Mists, where magic specifically contributes to you getting lost. Also, if you just have someone with genuinely good skill checks, you're unlikely to get lost by nonmagical means regardless (the DCs in the DMG aren't that high). Even if you do get lost, it's not the end of the world -- the check is repeatable every 1d6 hours.


Good god, my group \ I've been using that wrong for the last 5 years haha, I didn't think 5e Ranger had favored terrain, just favored enemies and had it always available.
I always thought the magical means that someone casts a spell on you not the natural world like magics, like dragon breath isn't magic.

[Yakk]

The tiers are levels. So T1 is 1-4, T2 is 5-10, T3 is 11-16 and T4 is 17-20.

I am only excluding Extra Attack(1) and Spells because it is repetitive, not because they aren't great. They add noise; I am interested in what is distinct.

SA/Ki gets dropped because it is gradual, not because it isn't good. No level of SA/Ki is an "omg this level is awesome" point, not even the first one. It does accumulate.

Metamagic/font only qualifies in my mind because if you had spellcasting levels from elsewhere it can be frankly amazing.

[Kane0]

Defining features:
Multiclass: Spellcasting, extra attack
Disqualified*: infusions, invocations, metamagic, extra ASIs

Artificer: flash of inspiration, spell storing item
Barbarian: rage, reckless attack
Bard: font of inspiration, magical secrets
Cleric: -
Druid: wildshape
Fighter: action surge
Monk: Martial Arts, Stunning Strike
Paladin: smite, aura of protection
Ranger: Favored Enemy (UA), Nature's Veil
Rogue: cunning action, sneak attack
Sorcerer: font of magic
Warlock: pact boon
Wizard: -

* Theyre all choose-your-own-class-features

[Chronos]

I think the OP's criterion is pretty clear. Every player has said, at some time or another, "I can't wait until level X, when I get Y". This is a list of all of those Ys that would get someone to say that. And he acknowledges that this approach undersells things like Sneak Attack, because nobody ever says "I can't wait until my Sneak Attack goes from 4d6 to 5d6!", even though 5d6 sneak attack is pretty nice.

The design of the game is such that everyone should get at least one of these each at levels 5, 11, and 17 (the starts of the new tiers). In practice, that doesn't always work. But it does often, with, for instance, 11 being when rogues get Reliable Talent, paladins getting Improved Divine Smite, fighters getting their third attack, and casters getting 6th-level spells.

In many cases, the level when you pick your subclass will also be one of these, though the OP is excluding that, presumably for reasons of space (because there are a lot of subclasses, of varying quality).

[diplomancer]

I know it goes against the "design idea" of the thread. But I'd add "Find Greater Steed" at T3 Paladin (and possibly Find Steed at T2). Yeah, yeah, it's a spell. But it's more of a class feature than a regular spell, and it's definitely something players look forward to.

[Dr.Samurai]

Is everyone really looking forward to Wild Shape if we're ignoring progression and subclass features? I've never played a druid so sincerely asking.

[Yakk]

I think the OP's criterion is pretty clear. Every player has said, at some time or another, "I can't wait until level X, when I get Y". This is a list of all of those Ys that would get someone to say that. And he acknowledges that this approach undersells things like Sneak Attack, because nobody ever says "I can't wait until my Sneak Attack goes from 4d6 to 5d6!", even though 5d6 sneak attack is pretty nice.

The design of the game is such that everyone should get at least one of these each at levels 5, 11, and 17 (the starts of the new tiers). In practice, that doesn't always work. But it does often, with, for instance, 11 being when rogues get Reliable Talent, paladins getting Improved Divine Smite, fighters getting their third attack, and casters getting 6th-level spells.

In many cases, the level when you pick your subclass will also be one of these, though the OP is excluding that, presumably for reasons of space (because there are a lot of subclasses, of varying quality).
I mean, I'm ok with them not being at 5/11/17, hence measuring them by tiers.

They do tend to be at 5/11/17 (even more so if I added spells and extra attack(1) to the list).

I just think it would be sad to go an entire tier without something like this. And its lack -- like with the barbarian -- highlights a problem I find with the class.

I know it goes against the "design idea" of the thread. But I'd add "Find Greater Steed" at T3 Paladin (and possibly Find Steed at T2). Yeah, yeah, it's a spell. But it's more of a class feature than a regular spell, and it's definitely something players look forward to.
You can sort of see that in the Bard's magical secrets; the ability to poach everyone's awesome spell.

And yes, this seriously seriously undersells spell access. Mostly because it would be just full of it. It would probably be well worth doing it where key spell access is integrated.

Paladin T2: Find Steed
Paladin T3: Find Greater Steed

But, even with a high bar, it gets ridiculous:
Wizard T1: Minor Illusion, Familiars, Shield, Absorb Elements, Silvery Barbs, Detect Magic, Identify
Wizard T2: Fireball, Polymorph, Wall of Force
Wizard T3: Teleport, Disintegrate, Clone, Simulacrum, Forcecage
Wizard T4: Wish, True Polymorph, Foresight, Shapechange, etc
and that list is insanely incomplete. Like, it is literally just limited by my typing speed.

[Dr.Samurai]

I just think it would be sad to go an entire tier without something like this. And its lack -- like with the barbarian -- highlights a problem I find with the class.
Well, if we ignore your concern for "noise" by adding five extra lines in your list, the Barbarian looks like this:

Tier 1: Rage
Tier 1: Reckless Attack

Tier 2: Extra Attack

Tier 4: Primal Champion

You'll notice the Barbarian actually has one more "Category 1" feature than the Fighter in Tier 1, and is equal in Tier 2.

Tier 3 is not great. I think Persistent Rage can be added. It's not flashy, but literally all of your abilities key off Rage so this is a big upgrade. But we can leave Tier 3 blank.

In Tier 4, I would add Unlimited Rages to that as well. If you're playing 8 encounters per day, you can now Rage and get your subclass features in all of them. If something knocks you out of Rage, you can just activate it again in combat.

So Barbarian looks like this:

Tier 1: Rage
Tier 1: Reckless Attack
Tier 2: Extra Attack
Tier 4: Primal Champion
Tier 4: Unlimited Rages

I think this is in line with the metric you're using.

[Psyren]

I think the OP's criterion is pretty clear. Every player has said, at some time or another, "I can't wait until level X, when I get Y". This is a list of all of those Ys that would get someone to say that. And he acknowledges that this approach undersells things like Sneak Attack, because nobody ever says "I can't wait until my Sneak Attack goes from 4d6 to 5d6!", even though 5d6 sneak attack is pretty nice.

The design of the game is such that everyone should get at least one of these each at levels 5, 11, and 17 (the starts of the new tiers). In practice, that doesn't always work. But it does often, with, for instance, 11 being when rogues get Reliable Talent, paladins getting Improved Divine Smite, fighters getting their third attack, and casters getting 6th-level spells.

In many cases, the level when you pick your subclass will also be one of these, though the OP is excluding that, presumably for reasons of space (because there are a lot of subclasses, of varying quality).

"I can't wait for Extra Attack at 5" is definitely something I've heard in real play though. Ditto "I can't wait for fireball."

[Chronos]

Which the OP was explicitly omitting for space.

But if you don't want to list every single good spell, I think it's reasonable to just add "access to 3rd level spells", "access to 6th level spells", and "access to 9th level spells" to the list. There's (usually) a big jump in power at those spell levels, much bigger than at other levels: Like, a 5th-level Fireball is competitive with a 5th-level Cone of Cold, but a 3rd-level Burning Hands isn't even close to a 3rd-level Fireball.

[Dr.Samurai]

I think the OP's criterion is pretty clear.
Not quite.

The following:


To me, a Category 1 feature is a feature on a scale similar to Action Surge and Extra Attack.

Is not the same as:


They are things in a tier that make you, as a player, look forward to.

You'll note that when reading the next quote, neither criteria above would result in inclusion of Fighting Styles to the list, but the OP is considering their inclusion anyways. Fighting Styles are not at the same scale as Action Surge or Extra Attack, and if players take them for granted, they are not looking forward to getting them:


Possibly I should include 'fighting style' for Paladins/Rangers/Fighters. It is mechanically beefy in many cases, even if people take it for granted.

It is unclear what purpose the list serves. It appears every class except Bard lacks at least 1 tier where they get a "Category 1" feature, and this highlights a problem for the OP. But we know every martial class gets a Cat 1 feature at level 5 that isn't on the list. We know that every spellcaster looks forward to the next highest level of spellcasting. We know that Rangers get Fighting Style (considered for inclusion) and Canny (same as Expertise) and Extra Attack (can't type into list) and some very good spells with limited accessibility (Pass without Trace). But the list has Rangers at 0.

To gain anything from this list you would have to sit down and have a conversation with the OP. I appreciate what Yakk is trying to do and I agree from the previous thread on Barbarians that barbarian class features are underwhelming. But if the point of this list is to do anything other than highlight that, more needs to be included and criteria needs to be nailed down.

[KingofSnakes]

Classes often get great features at level 1 and/or 2 that set up their core identity and are often worth dipping for: I think this category includes Expertise, Cunning Action, Rage, Action Surge, Divine Smite, Warlock invocations.

Then there are features that often kick off a new tier and make you go "wow, cooking with gas now!". Level 3, 6 and 9 spells, Extra Attack, Improved Divine Smite, Reliable Talent.

I think it's true to say that other increases in spell level and each increment of Sneak Attack don't quite have the same oomph. Sneak Attack is awesome, but it comes in 10 manageable doses, not in a huge hit of awesome all at once.

(Am I under rating Spell level 4? Maybe. Polymorphism slaps.)

[Yakk]

It might be more useful to instead highlight the single best feature in each tier for each class.

Might split out 5/11/17 from the other levels in the tier (otherwise "extra attack(1)" and "3rd level spells" drown out other stuff).

[OldTrees1]

Excluding Subclasses (including Pact Boon since I don't have enough time)
Excluding Extra Attack 1, and Spell levels (they are included without need to explicitly mention them).

These are the features that I eagerly look forward to. I believe this is what the OP was talking about.

Artificier:
2nd Infuse Item
6th Infuse Item
10th Infuse Item
11th Spell Storing Item
14th Infuse Item

Barbarian:
1st Rage
2nd Reckless Attack

Bard:
1st Bardic Inspiration
3rd Expertise

Cleric:
... moving on

Druid:
2nd Wild Shape (yes, even non moon druids)
8th Flying Wild Shape

Fighter:
2nd Action Surge
11th Extra Attack 3

Monk: No comment

Paladin:
6th Aura of Protection !!!
14th Cleansing Touch

Ranger: No comment

Rogue:
1st Expertise !!!
2nd Cunning Action
6th Expertise
11th Reliable Talent !!!

Sorcerer:
... moving on

Warlock:
1st Pact Magic (my preference for shorter recharge times is worth mentioning Pact Magic explicitly)
Various: Invocations

Wizard:
... moving on

[Ulsan Krow]

Got it, but that just changes my ask to be how are the categories defined, even if we're only concerned with one category. Cat 1 = Action Surge doesn't tell me much.


Looks like OP likes the definitions where its something like:

1-4 = Tier 1

5-10 = Tier 2

11-16 = Tier 3

17+ = Tier 4

Reasons being Level 5 is the universal big power spike for every class where martials get Extra Attack and spellcasters get level 3 spells.

Level 11 is also generally considered a big power spike which makes sense as Fighter gets another Extra Attack, spellcasters get level 6 spells, Paladins get improved Smite, Rogues Reliable Talent etc. Generally pretty consistently powerful features


Last tier is a bit more ambiguous for non spell casters. Spellcasters the obvious deferral would be to level 17 due to the acquirement of level 9 spells, endgame. Half casters its their endgame instead at level 5 spells. Other martials its not nearly as clear, Fighter gets another Action Surge and use of Indomitable while Barbarians get a pretty piss poor improvement to a weak feature.

At the least for Rogue and Monk they do get some serious upgrades in their final subclass feature but this is true of many other classes who don't get their subclass final feat at level 17 so yeah, 'tier 4' is a bit less ambiguous if not for the newfound access to level 9 spells.

[Chronos]

And those tiers are literally explicitly defined in the rules.

[PhantomSoul]

Looks like OP likes the definitions where its something like:

1-4 = Tier 1

5-10 = Tier 2

11-16 = Tier 3

17+ = Tier 4

Reasons being Level 5 is the universal big power spike for every class where martials get Extra Attack and spellcasters get level 3 spells.

Level 11 is also generally considered a big power spike which makes sense as Fighter gets another Extra Attack, spellcasters get level 6 spells, Paladins get improved Smite, Rogues Reliable Talent etc. Generally pretty consistently powerful features


Last tier is a bit more ambiguous for non spell casters. Spellcasters the obvious deferral would be to level 17 due to the acquirement of level 9 spells, endgame. Half casters its their endgame instead at level 5 spells. Other martials its not nearly as clear, Fighter gets another Action Surge and use of Indomitable while Barbarians get a pretty piss poor improvement to a weak feature.

At the least for Rogue and Monk they do get some serious upgrades in their final subclass feature but this is true of many other classes who don't get their subclass final feat at level 17 so yeah, 'tier 4' is a bit less ambiguous if not for the newfound access to level 9 spells.


I think the question was about "categories" (proposed feature power levels) not "tiers" (level groupings by tier of gameplay).

[OldTrees1]

How about this for a definition of a Cat 1 feature:

You eagerly look forward to the level where you get that feature.
You are so eager, that if WotC inserted a new dead level right before the feature's level, you would still eagerly look forward to the level you get that feature despite it costing an additional dead level.

These are the features YOU care about the most. What are they?

[Yakk]

How about this for a definition of a Cat 1 feature:

You eagerly look forward to the level where you get that feature.
You are so eager, that if WotC inserted a new dead level right before the feature's level, you would still eagerly look forward to the level you get that feature despite it costing an additional dead level.

These are the features YOU care about the most. What are they?
That isn't bad either; a feature that is 2x as good as a typical feature is Category 1.

Category 2 would be a feature that is about as good average, and Category 3 would be features 1/2 as good as that or worse.

In general, 2 Category X features are as good as a Category X-1 feature; so a pair of Category 3s makes an average level.

Cat 4s would be near ribbons; when a pair of features still leave the level anemic in quality, they are Category 4s.

Maybe Second Wind and Fighting Style are Category 3s. Together they add up to being as good as a Category 2.
ASI might be a Category 2?
Action Surge is Category 1.

[Gignere]

Which the OP was explicitly omitting for space.

But if you don't want to list every single good spell, I think it's reasonable to just add "access to 3rd level spells", "access to 6th level spells", and "access to 9th level spells" to the list. There's (usually) a big jump in power at those spell levels, much bigger than at other levels: Like, a 5th-level Fireball is competitive with a 5th-level Cone of Cold, but a 3rd-level Burning Hands isn't even close to a 3rd-level Fireball.

I think 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level spells are the stand outs. At least for wizards and sorcerers. List of great spells at 5th is way longer than 6th, the only truly stand out at 6th is contingency. 7th you got the game breaking simulacrum.

[sithlordnergal]

In my experience, it did very little indeed. Yes, in a survival game.
--SNIP--


...I feel like I've written those exact some words before, or at least a similar break down of Favored Terrain, in the past XD

[Frogreaver]

Here is my list:
Fighter T1: Action surge
Fighter T3: Extra attack(2)
Fighter T4: Action Surge(2), Extra Attack(3)

Fighter T2: Extra ASI?



Paladin T1: Smite
Paladin T2: +Cha to saves
Paladin T3: Improved Smite

Paladin T4: Aura Improvements?



Bard T1: Expertise, Jack of all Trades
Bard T2: Font of Inspiration, Magical Secrets
Bard T3: Magical Secrets
Bard T4: Magical Secrets

Jack of all Trades isn't a category 1 feature. It's not in the same conversation as action surge, divine smite, metamagic, rage, etc. I'm not sure expertise is either.

Bardic Inspiration doesn't get included but Font of Inspiration does?

I think your going to have to do another pass on the bard.


Sorcerer T1: Font of Magic, Metamagic

Agreed


Wizard T4: Spell Mastery

Wizard T1: Ritual Casting?
Wizard T4: Signature Spells?


Artificer T2: Flash of Genius
Artificer T3: Spell-Storing Item, Magic Item Savant
Artificer T4: Soul of Artifice

Artificer T1: Infuse Item?



Barbarian T1: Rage, Reckless
Barbarian T4: +4 Str/Con

Agree



Rogue T1: Cunning Action, Expertise
Rogue T2: Uncanny Dodge, Expertise(2)
Rogue T3: Reliable Talent

I would remove expertise.
Rogue T4: Stroke of Luck.


Ranger. Nothing.

Agree


Warlock T1: EB+AB.

I'd change to:
T1: Invocations
T3: Mystic Arcanum?


Monk T2: Stunning Strike
Monk T3: Diamond Soul
Monk T4: Empty Body

T1: Martial Arts/Flurry of Blows


Cleric T2: Divine Intervention
Cleric T4: Divine Intervention Improvement

Agree


Druid T1: Wild Shape
Druid T2: Flying Wild Shape
Druid T4: Beast spells

Druid T4: Archdruid?




Possibly I should include 'fighting style' for Paladins/Rangers/Fighters. It is mechanically beefy in many cases, even if people take it for granted.

I would not include fighting style.

[Psyren]

I would not include fighting style.

I'd count it; several builds are willing to multiclass or spend a feat on it (Fighting Initiate), especially Archery and SaB/Dueling builds, so it's a feature many look forward to.

[Frogreaver]

I'd count it; several builds are willing to multiclass or spend a feat on it (Fighting Initiate), especially Archery and SaB/Dueling builds, so it's a feature many look forward to.

IMO. It’s just not on the same level as the other category 1 abilities.

[MrCharlie]

Fighter T1: Action surge
Fighter T3: Extra attack(2)
Fighter T4: Action Surge(2), Extra Attack(3)

Paladin T1: Smite
Paladin T2: +Cha to saves
Paladin T3: Improved Smite

Bard T1: Expertise, Jack of all Trades
Bard T2: Font of Inspiration, Magical Secrets
Bard T3: Magical Secrets
Bard T4: Magical Secrets

Sorcerer T1: Font of Magic, Metamagic

Wizard T4: Spell Mastery

Artificer T2: Flash of Genius
Artificer T3: Spell-Storing Item, Magic Item Savant
Artificer T4: Soul of Artifice

Barbarian T1: Rage, Reckless
Barbarian T4: +4 Str/Con

Rogue T1: Cunning Action, Expertise
Rogue T2: Uncanny Dodge, Expertise(2)
Rogue T3: Reliable Talent

Ranger. Nothing.

Warlock T1: EB+AB.

Monk T2: Stunning Strike
Monk T3: Diamond Soul
Monk T4: Empty Body

Cleric T2: Divine Intervention
Cleric T4: Divine Intervention Improvement

Druid T1: Wild Shape
Druid T2: Flying Wild Shape
Druid T4: Beast spells

Fighters get extra ability score increases, as do Rogues. Fighters actually have less to do with them than rogues do-Rogues get incredible millage out of Moderately Armored1, Sentinel, Mage Slayer, Resilient (CON or WIS), Tough, Lucky, Fighting Initiate1 etc. due to how sneak attack interacts with reaction attacks. If you can get your Rogue to be tanky, then enemies have to choose between attacking the tank or getting smacked by a reaction sneak attack.

Fighters, meanwhile, don't hit hard enough for the really good reaction feats to matter that much-but a multi-feat polearm master fighter remains one of the best builds for the class.

Other missed abilities:
Bards should have inspiration there, not jack of trades.

Artificers have infusions.

Barbarians get relentless rage in tier 3.

Warlocks get eldritch invocations generally. AB is just the best low level one-there are other interesting ones, such as misty visions.

Clerics get channel divinity, and an upgrade to uses at tier 2. Base channel is bad, but either the recovery option in Tashas or any of the good subclasses make it excellent, and the core feature is why it works (short rest recovery, Ho!).

I would also include significant semi-permanent or campaign changing spells, sneak attack, and extra attack (2) here. Extra attack is not "exciting", but it's a core feature of the classes that get it. Ditto for sneak attack.

With that in mind; Wizards get find familiar (and in tier 4, simulacrum), paladins get find steed, and druids get goodberry. All of these are powerful enough to be game changers at their various levels, and last arbitrarily long.

1 In games without multiclassing.

[Chronos]

Expertise is definitely a Category 1 class feature. You play a rogue or bard because you want to be really good at skills. Expertise is the first thing you get that represents that (and the only one, until level 11).

[Frogreaver]

Expertise is definitely a Category 1 class feature. You play a rogue or bard because you want to be really good at skills. Expertise is the first thing you get that represents that (and the only one, until level 11).

When you get expertise it’s a +2 bonus to 2 skills. No one is super excited about that. It’s a nice bonus. Much like a fighting style. What people get excited about expertise is that it scales as you level to a really substantial bonus. But he’s excluding abilities whose primary benefit is they keep scaling. If he wasn’t I think id agree.

[Gurgeh]

Expertise can be very impactful even in T1. If you've sitting got a +3 ability modifier then you still have a 45% chance of failing a DC 15 check for a skill you're proficient in. Expertise pushes that down to 35%, and compounds very effectively with advantage (~20% failure chance reduced to ~12%).

Likewise, there's already some stuff there that starts off pedestrian and ends up spectacular: Action Surge scales immensely, whether via Extra Attack or via spellcasting options from multiclassing. In T1 it usually amounts to one more attack per short rest, which is good but hardly world-beating, but at higher levels it offers a heck of a lot more than that.

[Frogreaver]

Expertise can be very impactful even in T1. If you've sitting got a +3 ability modifier then you still have a 45% chance of failing a DC 15 check for a skill you're proficient in. Expertise pushes that down to 35%, and compounds very effectively with advantage (~20% failure chance reduced to ~12%).

I previously described it as a nice bonus in tier 1 but nothing to get really excited about. To me the above math you did demonstrates exactly that.


Likewise, there's already some stuff there that starts off pedestrian and ends up spectacular: Action Surge scales immensely, whether via Extra Attack or via spellcasting options from multiclassing. In T1 it usually amounts to one more attack per short rest, which is good but hardly world-beating, but at higher levels it offers a heck of a lot more than that.

I think that's fair about Action Surge showing some questionable consistency. As I said, if it wasn't for requirement to stay away from abilities that scale I'd be have no issues with it on T1.

[Yakk]

I was avoiding abilities that require more levels to scale, but not abilities that auto-scale, if that makes sense?

Ki, for example, is an ability that scales with levels in monk; you get 1 point per monk level. If you stop at monk 2, you get 2 unarmed flurries (or similar) per short rest; and your unarmed damage is 1d4 and not magical.

By level 10, you have 10x2 such attacks (almost unlimited), they deal more damage per attack, and they are magical. But assigning this benefit to any one point doesn't work; it happens gradually, and requires many levels of monk investment for it to work.

On the other hand, expertise is ok when you get it, and just scales. No further level investment (in this class) is needed.

Jack of All Trades boosts a pile of stuff, not the least of which is initiative, a number of spellcasting checks (dispel, telekinesis, counterspell, reading higher level scrolls) that are otherwise extremely difficult to get bonuses on. Plus guarantees proficiency bonus (if halved) to all ability checks. It is, I admit, marginal.

Possibly I should do bardic inspiration moreso than font of inspiration. X uses/day is a bigger bump than getting it also refresh on short rests, as nice as that is.

[Frogreaver]

I was avoiding abilities that require more levels to scale, but not abilities that auto-scale, if that makes sense?

yes


Ki, for example, is an ability that scales with levels in monk; you get 1 point per monk level. If you stop at monk 2, you get 2 unarmed flurries (or similar) per short rest; and your unarmed damage is 1d4 and not magical.

If you stop at Paladin 2 you only get 2 uses of divine smite (it's still listed). Trying to understand the consistency there.


By level 10, you have 10x2 such attacks (almost unlimited), they deal more damage per attack, and they are magical. But assigning this benefit to any one point doesn't work; it happens gradually, and requires many levels of monk investment for it to work.

Kind of like the fighters scaling extra attacks? Or action surge scaling off extra attack, sneak attack or higher level spells?


On the other hand, expertise is ok when you get it, and just scales. No further level investment (in this class) is needed.

yea based on your distinction that further class investment doesn't prevent abilities from being on the list then i fully agree


Possibly I should do bardic inspiration moreso than font of inspiration. X uses/day is a bigger bump than getting it also refresh on short rests, as nice as that is.

I like it.

[Yakk]

yes


If you stop at Paladin 2 you only get 2 uses of divine smite (it's still listed). Trying to understand the consistency there.

1. Any spellcasting class or pact magic class makes smite bigger. It scales like crazy with a relatively common resource.

2. 2 uses of level 1 smite is 4d8 (18) damage applied after you see if you hit; it can be save for crits, or key foes. 2 Ki is 2d4+6 (11) damage that can miss.

If every fighting class got Ki as they gained levels, and Flurry of Blows was by far the best one, and Flurry of Blows scaled so both its endurance (how many uses) and size (impact per use) grew with every other fighting class level, it would be comparable to Smite here.

As it stands, it isn't as impressive, and it only scales with monk class levels, and it scales slower than smite does (both in damage/rest and in spike damage).

Kind of like the fighters scaling extra attacks? Or action surge scaling off extra attack, sneak attack or higher level spells?
I attributed those extra attacks to single levels. Ki, as mentioned, is blurred over multiple levels. Same with sneak attack.

What level do you go "oh, this is the level where Sneak Attack gets very good", or "I wish I could have Sneak Attack that a Rogue gets from going from level 10 to 11, that 1d6 is key".

Higher level spells are omitted because everyone knows about them. Access to Nth level spells otherwise perfectly qualifies. Same with extra attack(1); it is sufficiently awesome, but I was trying to keep things brief.

I mean, mentioning "new tier of spells" would be amusing, in that finding drool worthy spells for rangers from their list is challenging. HM/Pass Without Trace/Revivify/Guardian of Nature/Swift Quiver?

[diplomancer]

1. Any spellcasting class or pact magic class makes smite bigger. It scales like crazy with a relatively common resource.

2. 2 uses of level 1 smite is 4d8 (18) damage applied after you see if you hit; it can be save for crits, or key foes. 2 Ki is 2d4+6 (11) damage that can miss.

If every fighting class got Ki as they gained levels, and Flurry of Blows was by far the best one, and Flurry of Blows scaled so both its endurance (how many uses) and size (impact per use) grew with every other fighting class level, it would be comparable to Smite here.

As it stands, it isn't as impressive, and it only scales with monk class levels, and it scales slower than smite does (both in damage/rest and in spike damage).

This made me realize something; a "quick and dirty" way of figuring out Category 1 Class Features is to think in reverse "what levels are popular multiclassing cut-off points?"

[Frogreaver]

1. Any spellcasting class or pact magic class makes smite bigger. It scales like crazy with a relatively common resource.

2. 2 uses of level 1 smite is 4d8 (18) damage applied after you see if you hit; it can be save for crits, or key foes. 2 Ki is 2d4+6 (11) damage that can miss.

If every fighting class got Ki as they gained levels, and Flurry of Blows was by far the best one, and Flurry of Blows scaled so both its endurance (how many uses) and size (impact per use) grew with every other fighting class level, it would be comparable to Smite here.

As it stands, it isn't as impressive, and it only scales with monk class levels, and it scales slower than smite does (both in damage/rest and in spike damage).

I attributed those extra attacks to single levels. Ki, as mentioned, is blurred over multiple levels. Same with sneak attack.

What level do you go "oh, this is the level where Sneak Attack gets very good", or "I wish I could have Sneak Attack that a Rogue gets from going from level 10 to 11, that 1d6 is key".

Higher level spells are omitted because everyone knows about them. Access to Nth level spells otherwise perfectly qualifies. Same with extra attack(1); it is sufficiently awesome, but I was trying to keep things brief.

I mean, mentioning "new tier of spells" would be amusing, in that finding drool worthy spells for rangers from their list is challenging. HM/Pass Without Trace/Revivify/Guardian of Nature/Swift Quiver?

So, I think I understand your rules better.

I think a better summation of your rules would be:
1. Include abilities that scale by character level, proficiency bonus, ASI's, or spell slots or class level.
2. Of those abilities exclude spellcasting and any abilities that have small consistent increases in power UNLESS the ability continues to scale when multiclassing.

Obviously with your stipulations about their strength and etc.

[5eNeedsDarksun]

My experience is that the strongest abilities in the game impact multiple characters (or NPCs and minions); some of these have no limit on the number of beneficiaries.
So based on that Paladin's 6th level Aura is one of, if not the, strongest abilities in the game. Things that doll out temp XP to everyone are really strong, like Shepherd Druid and whatever our Artificer is doing right now that gives us all 12 hp at tier 1. I guess some of this falls under subclass so maybe isn't quite what the OP was asking.
Regardless, I don't really see much in the main classes (beyond of course spells) that improves the party the way those things do, so for me pretty much everything else is tier 2 or lower.

[Frogreaver]

My experience is that the strongest abilities in the game impact multiple characters (or NPCs and minions); some of these have no limit on the number of beneficiaries.
So based on that Paladin's 6th level Aura is one of, if not the, strongest abilities in the game. Things that doll out temp XP to everyone are really strong, like Shepherd Druid and whatever our Artificer is doing right now that gives us all 12 hp at tier 1. I guess some of this falls under subclass so maybe isn't quite what the OP was asking.
Regardless, I don't really see much in the main classes (beyond of course spells) that improves the party the way those things do, so for me pretty much everything else is tier 2 or lower.

If expertise was a level 1 spell it would be a must take. If action surge was a level 2 spell it would be a must take. Etc. Pretty much the only tier 1 abilities above that wouldn’t be must takes as spells are those solely related to attacking.