Making classes feel different

[Yakk]

I am planning a set of class mods for 5e. One goal is to make classes feel different in play.

In baseline, we have Rogue (sneak attack), Paladin (smite) and ... everyone else. Barbarian reckless maybe counts as sufficiently different.

Ranger HM almost does it: but it rewards multi-tap on one target, then the entire class has almost zero other multi-tap abilities.

So....

Rogue: Sneak Attack. One feature I am going to try is ability to swap sneak attack dice for +crot range and +to hit. Like, burn up to 1/2 of your SA dice to change the die roll by the same amount, and if you hit 20 that counts as a crit. Second, adding reaction abilities (disrupitive strike ), the ranger ability from 4e, as inspiration).

Ranger: I am thinking of splitting Ranger into 3 L1 choices: Beastmaster, Hunter and Warden. BM gets Tasha companiom, Hunter gets imprpvrd Hunter's Mark, and Warden gets a Wild Shape variant. Do I make it a pro-single tap, or pro-multi-tap?

Fighter: Add in some free pseudo-maneuvers. Push, grapple, disrupt. Like, each target attacked you can also try one of those. Maybe add improved OA abilities to? Like, pseudo-Sentinal. Don't be afraid to make 2 fighters tag teaming someone utterly broken.

Barbarian: Lean into Reckless: -5/+10 as a class feature. Make it -prof/+2prof (and adjust feats that provide it). Add crit range at 9 and increase brutal critical?

Paladin: Smite. Give it a bit more in class scaling, so Paladin 2/Spellcaster X isn't a better smiter. Also, scale LOH better.

Monk: Ki boost at L1. Allow faster Ki spending (flurry *and* step?). Start making some Ki abilities free (1st point per turn is free at 11?). Rework stunning strike: it is now free, but 1/target/turn, and only unarmed strikes (avoids ki hording for stun spam). Reward mobility somehow - include "things you hit cannot make OA on you" and a "first hit" bonus per turn (like stunning strike), so you'll want to spread the pain. Wall running? Need mrchanics for bouncing off walls etc.

My thoughts are (a) it is easier to add than subtract, and (b) monsters power is easy to change. So my plan is to add to most classes (power up) , giving power budget room for these ideas. (Spellcasters, including artificers, are a seperate pass).

[Yakk]

For ASIs, I'm using "you gain +1 to two different attributes and a feat. If the feat adds to an ability score, you cannot also gain +1 to it from the ASI."

---

Rogue:

L3 feature: Critical Blow. You can exchange up to 1/2 (round down) of your sneak attack dice to change your d20 attack roll by 1 point per die. If this changes the d20 to be 20 or over, the attack becomes a crit.

L5 feature: Disruptive Strike. When an attack hits a creature, you can attack the attacker as a reaction. On a hit, the original attacker has to reroll their attack and the target gets resistance to the damage. Can replace uncanny dodge?

L?? feature: Some way to make cunning action not cost offence.

L?? feature: You can move up to your speed when you use Disruptive Strike.

---

Ranger:

L1 feature: Nature's Bond. Fluff wise, a warlock-like pact, but with primal spirits instead.

Bond of the Hunt: Your Ranger level is increased by 1 for the purposes of spells known, spell slots, etc.

You can cast Hunter's Mark without concentration once/short rest.

Bond of the Beast: Gain a Tasha's animal companion.

Bond of the Claw: Gain wisdom bonus (min 1) beast forms (as if you are a druid). As a bonus action you can take on aspects of that beast form.

You gain temporary HP equal to 1/2 of the beast's HP, and can use that beast form's actions and skills. When you use the bonus action for a beast form, you can choose Hybrid (keeping a humanoid form), or Beast (transforming, no longer having access to humanoid limbs, but gaining the movement options of the target form).

These forms last 10 minutes, and you can do this 2 times per day.

... Then these gain features as you gain levels.

---

Barbarian:

Reckless Attack costs you your proficiency bonus to attack, but adds twice your proficiency bonus to damage.

At level 9, your crit range becomes 19-20 when you reckless attack.

You can sacrifice a [W] when you crit to cause one of a list of effects.

At level 13/17, you add +2[Weapon dice] to crits intead of +1.

...

Paladin:

Divine Smite gains +1d8 damage at level 9, 13 and 17.

LOH grants temporary HP equal to amount healed at level 8.
LOH heals you as well at level 12.

...

Fighter:

Your second wind heals (fighter level/2)d10 (min 1) + fighter level.

At level 4, the first time on a turn you hit a creature you can Shove or Grapple them without expending additional resources.

At level 5, your opportunity attacks deal an extra set of weapon damage dice (this increases two +2 and +3 sets of weapon damage dice at level 11 and 17). In addition, if you are dual-wielding, you can make an opportunity attack with both weapons. Creatures hit by your opportunity attack have their speed halved and have disadvantage on attacks not including you until the end of the current turn. A creature within your reach who makes an attack action that doesn't include you as a target is subject to an opportunity attack.

Grant Champion class features 3 levels later for free, except skip Additional Fighting Style (So at levels 6/10/13/18).

Upgrade Remarkable Athlete:

You gain a +3 bonus to all strength, dexterity and constitution checks and saves. Your jumping distance is doubled. You ignore the first (constitution bonus, min 1) levels of exhaustion you gain. Your are not hindered by encumbrance up to your carrying capacity. When there is a size restriction on an action (like grappling), you can choose to act as a creature 1 size larger.

...

Monk:

Unarmed damage die is increased by 1 step (1d6 to 1d12).

Ki starts at level 1, and you get (monk level+1). Flurry Of Blows is available at level 1; it adds a single extra unarmed attack, and is 1/turn, and doesn't cost a bonus action.

When you spend Ki, you gain temporary HP equal to the amount of Ki spent at the end of the turn (add it up).

Stunning Blow is free, but once per target per turn.

Deflect Missiles becomes Deflect Attacks.

At level 11, Flurry adds 2 attacks.

Monk ASIs add +1 to 4 different ability scores and a feat. (perfection of body and soul). Your attribute cap in all attributes is increased to 22 at level 12.

[togapika]

Ranger: I am thinking of splitting Ranger into 3 L1 choices: Beastmaster, Hunter and Warden. BM gets Tasha companiom, Hunter gets imprpvrd Hunter's Mark, and Warden gets a Wild Shape variant. Do I make it a pro-single tap, or pro-multi-tap?


Maybe depend it on the sub? BM focuses on either two strong hits per turn, 1 from companion, 1 from you or 1 strong hit from companion while you direct from the back line. Hunter focuses on 1 big hit with Hunter's Mark, and that leaves Warden to get multiple strikes from natural attacks (Claw, Claw, Bite for example)

[JNAProductions]

Critical Blow is a pretty sizeable buff, growing as you get to higher levels.
You'll always know exactly how much you need to increase by to get a crit, and since dice are doubled on a crit (including SA dice and base weapon damage) if it makes a crit, you trade those dice.

[Yakk]

Maybe depend it on the sub? BM focuses on either two strong hits per turn, 1 from companion, 1 from you or 1 strong hit from companion while you direct from the back line. Hunter focuses on 1 big hit with Hunter's Mark, and that leaves Warden to get multiple strikes from natural attacks (Claw, Claw, Bite for example)
"1 big hit HM" means rewriting HM to be 1/turn. As written, HM massively encourages multi-tap.

Warden getting Claw/Claw/Bite (maybe alongside weapon attacks?)
Companion is an extra tap.
The Hunter could get the ability to make one of its taps be bigger, or more taps on the Hunted? I really like the bigger tap on the Hunted. Hmm. But it starts feeling Paladin-ish.


Critical Blow is a pretty sizeable buff, growing as you get to higher levels.
You'll always know exactly how much you need to increase by to get a crit, and since dice are doubled on a crit (including SA dice and base weapon damage) if it makes a crit, you trade those dice.

It is. At level 20 you have 10d6.

Assuming a hit on a 10+ and are using a 1d6 damage weapon

20: 22d6
19: 20d6
18: 18d6
17: 16d6
16: 14d6
15: 12d6
14-10: 11d6

157*.05 is 27.48 damage from dice. Without this feature

20: 22d6
19-10: 11d6
= 23.1 damage from dice.

The boost is larger with advantage, because the triangle becomes a quadratic; instead of 0.05 Probability of each die roll, the P is 0.10 - 0.005 per pip away from 21.

Honestly, the level 5 feature (reaction attacks) looks like significantly more DPR boost than this.

[NichG]

Part of feeling different in play is having different sorts of decisions one must make and different sorts of information one can (or will) obtain from a situation. So I'd focus on things that don't fall into too easy of a standard operating protocol sort of mindset - what are the things where the player is going to need to consider the particular situation and make one choice versus another because of the situation. Another angle is to look rather than at choices the player must make, options the class provides that a player will want to feel like they have - essentially the affordances given by having that class versus another. 'Because I'm an X, I can get into position easily', 'Because I'm a Y, this group of chaff enemies is no threat to me and I can ignore them', etc.

Basically what I'm getting at is, a variety of ways to arrive at particular expected DPR numbers are going to do less to diversify the feel of classes than, say, things which change subsystems of the game in ways that just make some impossible things possible or some otherwise possible things impossible.

Like, a character who can selectively bar enemies from moving past them within a radius equal to their per-round movement speed as long as they're still standing is going to have different decisions to make, different information to consider than a Barbarian or Fighter would. Out of these enemies, who do I block? Who do I want to let through? Who is behind me that would be attacked, or could attack? Where should I stand to get the greatest effect from this?

Similarly, a character who can for example copy a single attack or ability from any enemy they kill and carry it forward (but can only hold 1 at a time initially, growing to 2 or 3 as they level and expanding to copying passive things like resistances) has broader considerations - how they fight in one battle influences battles they will fight ten sessions from now. It might be riskier but worth it for them to ask to get the killing blow on a certain enemy rather than the party killing that enemy as soon as possible, for example.

[Yakk]

Sure, but I also want to keep it simple.

The at-will per-round combat loop should remain tight, and the effectiveness per second (including decisions) should remain high. Add in too many interrupts and decision points and that breaks down, and you get the problem of high level 4e combat: high DPR, low DP Real Life Second.

A thing that 4e did well was provide "combat minigames" for each class. Minigames where things in combat that mattered way more to this class than to other combatants, extra puzzles. Rogue had sneak attack, Fighter had its mark mechanic, Warlock had its curse harvest and a bonus to attack the nearest foe, Avenger had its isolation mechanic, Controllers had their zone positioning, a lot of Leaders had a party positioning minigame (getting allies to be within an aura, or repositioning them).

Maybe I should focus on developing a minigame as well as making a mechanical difference in how damage is done.

Proposed Rogue minigames:
1. Trigger sneak attack
2. Save bonus action for some extra damage
3. Trigger reaction attack with sneak attack damage dice

Proposed Fighter minigames:
1. Combat dominance aura positioning
2. Trigger reaction power attack
3. Get more spreads/grapples by spreading hate
4. Decide when the Second Wind

Proposed Barbarian minigame:
??? - maybe we can do something that encourages a Barbarian to save rages. Like, what if a Barbarian who becomes bloodied gets a free rage?

Proposed Paladin minigame:
1. Minimax smites
2. Decide when to Lay On Hands

Proposed Ranger minigame(s)

Pack:
1. Position beast

Hunt:
1. Setup Hunter's Mark?

Claw:
1. Choose transformation?

The 4e assassin had a mechanic where they could layer multiple "points of doom" on a foe. It didn't work very well, but the idea was that the assassin got stronger against a foe the more it prepared to engage it before it died. Much like in 5e, foes didn't live long enough - either you used it on a foe the party wasn't focusing on and it was sub-optimal because of that, or you used it on the foe the party focused on and it never built up because the foe dropped very quickly.

It still had a cool feel.

Bond of the Hunt:
Your Ranger class level is considered 1 higher for the purposes of the Ranger spellcasting feature (spell slots and spells known). You can cast Hunter's Mark without components, or move it to a new target without expending a bonus action on your turn, including after you hit a creature and before you do damage, so long as you are not incapacitated.

At level 4, the first time you deal Hunter's Mark damage on a creature who has been marked since the start of your turn, you deal an extra 1d6 damage. This damage increase to 2d6 at level 8, 3d6 at level 12, 4d6 at level 16 and 5d6 at level 20.

Bond of the Pack:
You gain a Tasha's beast companion. If it is a beast of the sea, it has a land movement speed of 20'. If you give your companion an order to attack, it will continue to attack the target until ordered to stop without further orders.

The companion acts on the Ranger's turn.

At level 4, when your animal companion deals damage to a creature under your Hunter's Mark, you can deal the bonus Hunter's Mark damage. In addition, you can add one feature from the following list to your companion:

* Armored Hide. +2 AC, as a reaction can gain resistance to damage done to it.
* Mount (not flying). Becomes Large, gains 1 HP/Ranger level and HD become d10s, speed increases by 10'. As a reaction can transfer a hit from Ranger to Beast or vice versa while the Ranger is mounted. Ranger mounted on the companion does not stop it from attacking normally.
* Frenzy. When bloodied (reduce to 1/2 max HP or less) can make an attack as a reaction and enter a Frenzy for 1 minute. While Frenzied it deals an extra die of damage on its attacks. Once it has entered a Frenzy, cannot do it again until it completes a long or short rest.
* Fast. Speed increases by 20'. Gains +2 bonus to hit. Creatures hit by the beast cannot make opportunity attacks on the beast or the Ranger that turn.
* Spikes. When Beast or Ranger is missed by a melee attack, can make an attack as a reaction. If grappled or grappling, can make an attack on counterparty as a bonus action.
* Powerful Leap. Once per turn can jump up to 30'. As an action, can leap 60' (does not consume movement). If you jump on a creature, they must make a dex save or suffer 1d8+beast's strength+ranger's proficiency bonus damage. On success, they can move up to 10' to not be landed upon.
* Scent. Has expertise in perception if scent is possible. Can track at full speed without penalty using scent. Knows where invisible creatures are within 30', except in a strong wind in the opposite direction.
* Flying Mount (requires level 8, flying). Becomes Large, HD become d10s. Ranger mounted on the companion does not stop it from attacking normally.
* Constricting Grasp (requires level 8). When grappling, target is restrained. When it hits a creature 1 or more sizes smaller, can start a grapple with an escape DC equal to ranger's Spell Save DC.
* Fey Step (requires level 8) As a bonus action can teleport itself and what is is carrying 60'. Once you do this, cannot do it again until you complete a short or long rest.
* Magic Resistant (requires level 8). Has advantage on saves against spells.
* Tiny (requires level 8). HD become d4. Creature is tiny. If you have other size changing features, can change between sizes as a bonus action.
* Deadly Venom (requires level 12). Creatures hit by its attacks must make a Con save or become Poisoned. While poisoned, they repeat the save at the end of their turn, taking 4d12 poison damage on a failed save; the poison ends on a successful save.
* Regenerating (requires level 12). Regains 5 HP at the start of its turn while above 0 HP. As an action, can expend any number of HD to heal; when doing so, it can also remove one effect that Lesser or Greater restoration could remove.
* Durable (requires level 12). Has proficiency in all saving throws. Gains maximum value from healing die rolls (spent HD, healing spells, etc).
* Huge (requires level 16). Becomes Huge. Gains +4 strength, +4 constitution, 4 HP/Ranger level and HD become d12s. Attacks deal an extra die of damage.
* Blinking (requires level 16). Can gain the effects of the Blink spell as a bonus action, and end it as a bonus action.
* Displacer (requires level 16). Can gain the effects of a Cloak of Displacement as a bonus action, and end it as a bonus action. Effect also applies to creatures mounted on it.

You can add an additional feature at level 8, 12, 16 and 20. Some abilities have a minimum Ranger level requirement.

I think the pet is a minigame in itself?

Claw: Todo. This one is hard.

[Yakk]

Here is a Fighter minigame. It is a mark-like aura.

2 fighters in melee with a foe are a real pain, as the foe has to attack one (at disadvantage), then attack the other (flat roll) to get out from under the effects of Combat Dominance on a possible 3rd attack. But I'm ok with that.

Combat Dominance:
Starting at level 5, you dominate melee combat. While not incapacitated and equipped with a melee weapon enemies within your reach make attacks at disadvantage, and any saving throws they trigger are at advantage. If the enemy attacks you, causes you to make a saving throw, or deals damage to you this effect is suppressed until the start of their next turn (including the triggering event).

Fighters who know the unarmed combat style do not need to have a melee weapon equipped to cause this effect.

---

Rogue mini game?

Disruptive Strike
Starting at level 5, you can disrupt your enemies. Whenever a creature within your melee weapon reach or ranged weapon range hits a creature, you can choose to expend a reaction to disrupt the attack. Make a weapon attack roll against the triggering creature; if it hits, the attacker has to repeat the attack at disadvantage, and if the attack still hits the target has resistance to the damage.

It is uncanny dodge, but aggressive, and works on allies.

---

How about a Barbarian mini game?

Bloodied Rage
Starting at level 5, when you are reduced below 1/2 of your maximum HP you can start your rage as a reaction by making a melee attack on a creature within your reach. Doing so does not use up a use of your rage ability. Once you have done so, you cannot do so again until you have been healed to at least 3/4 of maximum HP.

Save rage charges! Gain an extra attack!

Not a great mini game, but I'm trying Anything better?

---

Ranger is still tricky. Maybe I should just steal from the 4e Avenger? Its minigame was sort of fun.

When a target is the closest foe to you, and you have no other creatures the same range closer to you, you trigger it? It is a fun hunting and isolating mechanic.

---

D&D One did a good job with Monk minigames. Deflect attacks, mobility, etc.

4e had some neat setup and finish techniques. Like, special abilities that both gave mobility and a special attack 1-2 punch. But that doesn't fit 5e much.

Stances might fit; in 5e fighter had a pile of stances. But if we moved it to Monk, it would fit the "mystical martial arts" trope. Give stances an opener and a finisher to encourage flowing from one to another?

It is a bit ... self contained ... however. The minigames should interact with the environment, and a set of stance katas doesn't do that well.

[Vogie]

I believe the original inclination of the Hunter's mark is that they were intended to use different weapons. Barbarians lean towards two handed weapons with large damage die, Rogues & Paladins can have that one big hit regardless of weapon die type, Fighters use whatever weapon combination is best for the moment, but Rangers are in the middle. Once HM is on the target, they get either 2 medium-sized ranged shots or, importantly, 3 medium sized melee shots. If they're dual wielding a pair of d6 weapons, with the two-weapon fighting style, they can get 3 attacks off with 2d6+mod for each, starting at level 5 - fighters can't swing a greatsword that fast until level 11.

You also see this in the 5e subclass design for rangers - nearly every single one either deals additional damage or increases the damage once per round by a larger amount, usually with a bonus action. It's a sort of pseudo hunters mark that's worded so that it stacks with HM. Even the Beastmaster uses the bonus action to have the beast attack. Most of them will allow a ranger to do something like 2d6+1d8+modifier at least once a turn between the subclass bonus and HM.

The reason that you don't see this being used much is twofold

Everyone decried how absolutely terrible Dual Wielding since day one.
Polearm Master allowed anyone to do almost the same thing, with reach. So Rangers just ignored their DW roots and picked that up instead.

[Yakk]

Agreed. Having rangers do tap-tap-tap makes sense. Sadly, Fighters own the tap-tap-tap monopoly.

...

Ok, what if I took an even larger step back.

Paladins: Smite!
Barbarians: Big smash
Rogues: Sneak attack
Rangers: Tap tap tap
Fighters: ???

...

Barbarian

At level 1, you get a Rage Die. It scales from 1d4 up to 1d12. It adds to damage of strength based attacks while raging.

At level 5, you do not gain extra attack. You gain Mighty Blow.

Mighty Blow: When you hit with a weapon in a strength-based attack, you deal 3 sets of weapon damage dice.

(!)

Let's compare a Level 5 Barbarian before and afterwards
18 strength, greataxe
Before: 2 attacks is 2d12+12 damage = 25
After: 1 attack at 3d12+1d6+4 = 27

How about PAM+GWM build?
Before: 3 attacks totaling 2d10+1d4+45 = 58.5
After: 2 attacks for 3d10+3d4+2d6+26 = 57

pretty close.

To double-dip this with extra attack, that is 10 levels. Which is pretty close to the pure-class level 11 damage buff.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

4E did this surprisingly well; it's worth learning from the classes that pulled it off. Each class had it's own little 'minigame', or way to optimize their tactics specific to their class features and powers.

Rogues wanted Combat Advantage, which is pretty analogous to how they've worked in other editions. They have to dance in and out of combat each turn, positioning themselves so they can get their hits in but be relatively safe behind their allies or terrain when the enemy gets to retaliate.

Rangers had to be the closest ally to their target in order to activate Hunter's Mark and Prime Shot, their bonus damage class features. However, like Rogues, they were squishy and unsuited to surviving counterattacks. This played out similarly to Rogues, but distinct in that you cared more about enemies that were far from your allies rather than adjacent to them. (Hunter's Mark in 4E was a bonus action to mark the target, at which point you could get a free d6 of damage on a successful attack 1/round; only one mark at a time, but you could mark a new target as many times per combat as you wanted).

Fighters also used a mark for their shtick. On attacking an enemy, the fighter could mark it for a round. The marked foe took a penalty to attacks that didn't include the fighter, and the fighter could attack them (without using their reaction) if they attacked an ally or shifted (moved in a way that didn't provoke Opportunity Attacks). Their minigame was trying to lock down as many threats as possible.

Warlord was a 4e exclusive class that I'm very sad never made it to 5e. Their play style was all about enabling the other classes' tactics, moving allies around the battlefield to make their 'minigame' easier to achieve, line up charges, shuffle them away from enemies, and more. They also granted buffs and occasionally free attacks. This doesn't work so well in 5e because of the reduced focus on tactical combat, but if you're making combat more tactical anyway, it may be worth adding the Warlord as well.

[Yakk]

4E did this surprisingly well; it's worth learning from the classes that pulled it off. Each class had it's own little 'minigame', or way to optimize their tactics specific to their class features and powers.

Rogues wanted Combat Advantage, which is pretty analogous to how they've worked in other editions. They have to dance in and out of combat each turn, positioning themselves so they can get their hits in but be relatively safe behind their allies or terrain when the enemy gets to retaliate.
Yes. I'm thinking of adding reaction attacks to Rogue starting at level 5. Their on-turn attack advantage is a bit of a gimmie; making the off-turn be a bit harder is a way to make the game not required to do any damage, just significant.


Rangers had to be the closest ally to their target in order to activate Hunter's Mark and Prime Shot, their bonus damage class features. However, like Rogues, they were squishy and unsuited to surviving counterattacks. This played out similarly to Rogues, but distinct in that you cared more about enemies that were far from your allies rather than adjacent to them. (Hunter's Mark in 4E was a bonus action to mark the target, at which point you could get a free d6 of damage on a successful attack 1/round; only one mark at a time, but you could mark a new target as many times per combat as you wanted).
Prime Shot means "No ally is closer". HQ was "closest enemy". Together they formed a minigame.

Sadly, HM was overshadowed mechanically by "get static damage and multi-tap attacks" in 4e.

Avenger sort of did this "isolate a foe" game better, with their "no other enemy adjacent" requirement, at least for melee.

Warlock "harvest kills" was also a slightly crunchier variant.


Fighters also used a mark for their shtick. On attacking an enemy, the fighter could mark it for a round. The marked foe took a penalty to attacks that didn't include the fighter, and the fighter could attack them (without using their reaction) if they attacked an ally or shifted (moved in a way that didn't provoke Opportunity Attacks). Their minigame was trying to lock down as many threats as possible.

This is why I want to introduce "Combat Dominance". Nevermind marking -- it applies to enemies adjacent to the fighter (like the late-4e knight).

So you'll want to wade into battle and get yourself surrounded.

One thought I've had is to give a bonus not immediately, but next turn, to punish violations of Dominance.

[SNIP Warlord]

I'm not about to import warlord. Bit too much.

For the Barbarian, the Berzerker subclass was an interesting system to make a character that phase-transitioned half way through a fight.

Not sure I want to do that.

---

Fighter:
Combat Dominance threatens enemies adjacent to the fighter. Unless they attack the fighter at least once, they are hindered. This hindrance is disadvantage on their attacks, and on the fighter's turn the fighter deals an extra set of weapon damage dice against them (punishing).

Barbarian:
Free entry of Rage when you take 1/2 of your max HP in a fight. At level 5, instead of an extra attack, deal 3[W] with your attack. In addition, you can do something like a Whirlwind, dealing [W] to all creature's in reach ( and offhand [W] if you are dual wielding ), allies and enemies (!).

Rogue:
Sneak attack, plus at level 5 you get disruptive strike (a reaction attack). Minigame being how to maintain SA on your reaction attack.

Ranger:
Let's make Hunter's Mark more positional! Bonuses to hit if you (or your beast) is the closest ally to the target? Some kind of escalating damage if they are the closest foe to you? Encourage the Ranger to go into the back line of the enemy.

Paladin:
Smite, Lay on Hands are enough.

[Yakk]

Iterating on Barbarian.

The 3[W] feels wrong.

Rage Die
1d4, increasing to 1d6 at level 5, 1d8 at level 9, 1d10 at level 13 and 1d12 at level 17.

You add your Rage Die to your damage of strength-based attacks and to Strength Checks/Saves while raging. (this replaces advantage and rage damage bonus)

Mighty Blows
At level 5 when you make a strength based attack your weapons deal an extra set of weapon damage dice, and you add your Rage die to unarmed attack damage even when not raging. In addition, when you make the attack action on your turn, you can make an additional unarmed attack.

This replaces extra attack.

...

L 5 Strength 18, Greataxe Barbarian before: (Damage in Rage is after /)
2d12+8 (21/25)
after:
2d12+1d6+9 (25.5/29)

L5 Strength 18, Longsword Barbarian before:
2d8+8 (17/21)
after:
2d8+1d6+9 (21.5/25)

L 5 Strength 18, Greatsword Barbarian before:
4d6+8 (22/26)
after:
5d6+9 (26.5/30.0)

Strength 18, Dual-Wielding scimitar before:
3d6+8 (18.5/24.5)
after:
5d6+9 (26.5/33.5)

L 5 Strength 18, Greatsword GWM Barbarian before:
4d6+28 (42/46)
after:
5d6+19 (36.5/40)

Strength 18, Dual-Wielding battleaxe before:
3d8+8 (21.5/27.5)
after:
4d8+1d6+9 (30.5/37.5)

Strength 18, PAM Barbarian before:
2d10+1d4+12 (25.5/31.5)
after:
2d10+2d4+1d6+13 (32.5/39.5)

Strength 16, PAM/GWM Barbarian before:
2d10+1d4+9+30 (52.5/58.5)
after:
2d10+2d4+1d6+10+20 (49.5/53.0)

...

Overall I'm pretty happy with those damage changes. The high-optimization (PAM/GWM) loses ~10% damage output, low-optimization (just pick up a two-handed weapon) gains about 15%.

Dual Wielders compete with 2 handed weapons very tightly. Outside of rage, the damage matches - inside rage, dual wielders get an extra 3.5 damage. DW loses a bonus action, which more than makes up the difference.

The Dual Wielder feat (1d8 instead of 1d6) is improved (adding +4 DPR instead of +3) slightly. Sadly so is PAM (mighty blows costs 4 strength static, but adds 1+1d6+1d4 (7)). The "butt" attack of PAM adding strength modifier is why it remains so strong.

The unarmed attack that doesn't work with -5/+10 mitigates the power of GWM. It still combos well with PAM, but it loses a tap.

But a Dual Wielder (feat) Battleaxe Barbarian in Rage does 37.5 damage; 2d8+1d6+4 main hand (16.5), 2d8+1d6 off-hand (12.5), 1d6+4 unarmed bop (7.5). The GWM (feat) Greatsword Barbarian does 5d6+14 main hand at -5 to hit (31.5!) and 1d6+4 unarmed bop (7.5)

Both of those look tempting. And that main hand hit by the GW barbarian is concentration-breaking-riffic.

[Yakk]

I continue to like that Barbarian. Replacing Extra Attack is tasty.

I think the unarmed damage boost should be damage replacement not boost. And extend to improvised weapons.

...

What if replacing Extra Attack was a core way to distinguish the melee classes?

Fighter gets Extra Attack. I also want to give them Combat Domiance

Barbarian gets Mighty Blow

Ranger - I like forking based on bond (beast, hunt and claw)

Paladin, what if we moved enhanced smite down to L5 and boosted it? 2d8 radiant on all attacks. And/or holy sword thing?

Monk, D&DOne upped flurry to 3 attacks at 11.

Rogue I still like Disruptive Strike at 5. But also ways to use SA dice.

...

Holy Sword At level 5 a Paladin can form a bond with a melee weapon as an action. This weapon becomes impossible to remove from the Paladin's possession while the Paladin is alive. If the Paladin forms a bond with a different weapon, the bond ends on the first.

In the Paladin's hands they can Smite with this weapon as an action. They make a melee attack and it does an extra 2d8 radiant damage if it hits. This counts as an Attack Action.

Attacks with the bonded weapon have advantage if the creature has damaged an ally of the Paladin since the end of the Paladin's last turn.

...

This is similar to EA in damage but feels different. It does not encourage TWF nor Ranged attacks. The boost doesn't scale with weapon damage die size, encouraging sword+board. A defender feature is added (advantage to protect allies) to top up damage (a duelist LS is 10.5 plus sword boosts; Smite is +9) and provide some crit fishing.

...

Rangers I like the TWF/Ranged tendency. Hunt should at least encourage that.

Pack should get a beast companion boost.

Claw, multiattack with a weapon attack thrown in? But if transformation is a sometimes thing that sucks, I cannot gate primary damage boost around a sometimes thing.

...

Monk ... I like the punch punch punch flurry feel. But they already sort of have it. I mean, what if at level 5 they get a 2nd bonus action to do anything they want with? They can Attack, MA, MA for 2 attacks, or Attack, Flurry, Flurry?

We could make Flurry be a Ki to add 1 attack to the attack action, and not use a bonus action. Then MA is 1 attack for bonus, as is Step of the Wind.

Then a 2 bonus actions means Attack+Flurry (2) and 2 MA bonus actions... or swap a single MA attack for Step or Defence (or both for both).

...

[MrStabby]

At a kind of high level I have some thoughts/experiences.

1) classes are different based on some non-class things they encourage. A paladin feels different to a fighter, not only because of paladin abilities but because you almost certainly have pumped Charisma. A paladin will spend a game doing lots of persuasion checks for example. On the other hand, a monk and a ranger can feel closer that their class abilities would suggest because they are likely to be primary dex, secondary wis classes.

2) Active abilities determine flavour more than passive abilities. Something that players chose to do engages the mind in a way that an automatic +2 to something won't.

3) Abilities should be things other classes can't get, rather than things other classes only get later. Paladin spellcasting is better for this than eldritch knight for example as the paladin spell list has unique paladin spells. Fighter is a good class in terms of power but feels a bit bland as it stacks features like ASIs that other classes can get.

4) Abilities don't matter if they are not used. Maybe not quite the best example as a wizard and a sorcerer feel somewhat similar, but a wizard's bigger spell list helps distinguish it as there are good, useful spells on that list. The bad examples are often on subclasses - like the Fey ranger getting bonuses to charisma skills (but probably won't have boosted charisma and be the party face) or knowledge clerics with good int skills (but probably low enough in that the party Wizard or Artificer will be the go-to person for arcana checks. If something uses a resource or action or bonus action then it needs to be good enough that sometimes it's the right thing to do.

3) To differentiate classes you want to tick two boxes. What you can do and what you do do. What you can do is big sexy abilities that represent your peak power that other classes can't. Things like sorcerer metamagic showcase this. The other one, what you do, is focussed on making a class feel unique as many rounds in a game as possible and is about frequency and opportunity. Sneak attack is a good example of something used a lot and feeling unique.

4) Damage method mostly doesn't seperate classes. Taking the attack action and shooting a bow with sharpshooter or casting eldritch blast for similar damage are not that different. Different description but functionally similar - you stand back and do some damage. Doesn't matter if its in more chunks of fewer chunks - and damage type tends to not matter all that much. Focus more on what a class does that other classes don't and less on how they do the achieve the same thing but with different die rolls.

[Yakk]

The martial classes basic game loop is the attack action. I think it is important to make that action different in a way that each class envies each other.

So while I do agree damage is damage, the basic game loop should also differ, and the basic game loop of martial classes is damage.

These abilities replace extra attack.

Paladin

Blessed Weapon:
At level 5, a Paladin gains the ability to bless a weapon they are holding over a long or short rest. This weapon remains blessed by the Paladin until the Paladin uses this ability on a different weapon.

While the weapon is Blessed this way, it cannot be damaged nor removed from the Paladins' possession unless the Paladin is dead.

The first time on a turn the Paladin hits with their Blessed weapon on a turn it deals an extra 2d8 radiant damage. Attacks with this weapon are at advantage if the creature attacked has damaged an ally of the Paladin (not including the Paladin) since the end of the Paladin's last turn.

This extra radiant damage increases to 4d8 at level 11.

Barbarian

Rage Die
Starting at level 1 you gain a 1d4 Rage die. While Raging, you add a roll of this die to Strength based weapon damage (improvised weapons, natural weapons or manufactured weapons), Strength saving throws, and Strength checks. This die increases to 1d6 at level 4, 1d8 at level 8, 1d10 at level 12 and 1d12 at level 16.

In addition, you can choose to deal your Rage die plus your strength modifier when dealing unarmed attack, natural weapon or improvised weapon damage after a strength-based attack roll.

Mighty Blows

At level 5, your Strength based weapon attacks deal an extra set of weapon damage dice. In addition, when you make the Attack action on your turn you can make an additional unarmed attack as part of the action.

The additional damage dice from Strength based weapon attacks increases to 2 extra sets at level 9, 3 at level 13 and 4 at level 17.

These replace Rage Damage, Rage advantage Strength saves and Checks, Brutal Critical)

The Rage die is slightly larger than the Rage damage of the base game - 2.5 vs 2 at level 1, and 6.5 vs 4 at level 16. It also crits, which is fun, and using it as a boost to strength checks and saves feels more concrete than advantage.

However you only get 1 attack per turn, unless you two weapon fight or otherwise get a bonus action attack. So you are going to apply your Rage damage bonus less often than a baseline barbarian.

Allowing it to replace unarmed/natural and improvised weapons is both a fun ribbon and gives the level 5 unarmed extra attack a bit of a boost. You'll also note that unarmed attacks don't get to add extra Rage damage when Raging.

Assuming the barbarian gets GWM at level 4, 18 str at 8 and 20 str at 12, and we add a flametongue at level 13 we get (while raging):
Level 1: 1d12+5 vs 1d12+1d4+3 (4% increase)
Level 5: 2d12+30 (43) vs 2d12+2d6+16 (36) (16% decrease, but 6.5 of it isn't crap accuracy)
Level 9: 2d12+34 (47) 4d12 bonus on crit (26) vs 3d12+2d8+18 (46.5) 3d12+2d8 bonus on crit (28.5) (1% decrease)
Level 13: 2d12+4d6+36 (63) 6d12+4d6 bonus on crit (53) vs 4d12+2d6+2d10+20 (64) 4d12+2d6+2d10 bonus on crit (44) (2% increase)
Level 17: 2d12+4d6+38 (65) 8d12+4d6 bonus on crit (66) vs 5d12+2d6+2d12+20 (72.5) 5d12+2d6+2d12 bonus on crit (52.5) (12% increase)

The damage output of the 5[W] barbarian isn't insanely higher than the baseline Barbarian. After accounting for the relative +5 to hit of the punch (no GWM on it), the Mighty Blow barbarian does a bit more damage than the baseline does.

The damage will definitely feel more meaty: who doesn't want to hit for 61 damage on a single blow, and 122.5 on an average crit. The punch is only doing 11.5 damage at this point.

The baseline barbarian was hitting for 1d12+2d6+19 (32.5) and critting for 5d12+4d6+19 (65.5), and swinging twice as often.

One fun (to me) difference is that the new barbarian can burn their unarmed attack to trip or push or grapple without losing as much offensive potential. And a barbarian manhandling a foe is really fun.

Finally, the bonus action "cleave" on a crit or dropping a foe becomes very significant.

TWF barbarians are also effective. At level 5 while raging, 3d6+4 x2 + 1d6+4 = 36.5, all at full attack bonus.

At level 17, dual wielding battleaxes we get 5d8+1d12+5 (34) (63 crit) per axe and 1d12+5 kick for 79.5 damage. Each blow is much lighter than the GWF, but two of them is quite good. GWF's bonus action on dropping a foe or a crit becomes the edge it has over TWF.


Rogue


This replaces Uncanny Dodge:

Disruptive Strike

Starting at 5th level, when a creature hits with an attack roll, you can attempt to disrupt it with by expending your reaction and making a weapon attack (assuming they are a valid target) on the attacker. If your disruptive strike hits, the target gains resistance to the damage done by the triggering attack, and the triggering attack must be rerolled with disadvantage.


This replaces uncanny dodge. It isn't guaranteed, but if it hits you can nullify an attack or reduce damage. It is more active.

It is a significant damage increase *if* the Rogue can arrange for sneak attack on it. On-turn Sneak Attack is a given, the art is arranging for off-turn Sneak Attack.

Having a thrown weapon is really useful here, or a ranged weapon.

This significantly changes the Rogue's main combat loop, as deciding when to use this at-will ability is really really key.

Rogues could cheese their way to doing this with haste plus a readied action. What this does is opens it up for everyone.


Fighter

Action Surge

Starting at 2nd level you can surge into action once before completing a short or long rest. When you do so, you can move your speed, you gain advantage on all attacks, saves and ability checks, and you can make an additional attack on your turn. At 5th level, you can make 2 additional attacks when you Action Surge.

Combat Dominance

Starting at 5th level, when you take the attack action you can make a 2nd attack as well. In addition, any creature adjacent to you has disadvantage on any attack roll (except against you) unless it has attacked you at least once since the start of your last turn.

Improved Combat Dominance

Starting at 11th level, your weapon attacks deal an extra set of weapon damage dice, and you can choose to add both your Strength and Dexterity bonuses to damage with weapons instead of just one. In addition, you have advantage on attacks against creatures who have not attacked you since the start of your last turn.

Perfected Combat Dominance

Starting at 20th level, you can make 3 weapon attacks when you take the attack action. Creatures you hit with an attack have disadvantage on their next attack before the end of your next turn. In addition, you ignore all sources of disadvantage on attack rolls.


At level 11 comparing some builds:

Before GWM Flametongue GS and 20 strength was +4/4d6+15(29) x3 = 87
After GWM Flametongue GS and 20 strength/14 dex is +4/6d6+17(38) x2 = 76
(13% drop)

Before GWM PAM +2 Glaive 20 str was +6/3d10+1d4+17*4=87
After GWM PAM +2 Glaive 20 str 14 dex is +6/4d10+2d4+19*3=84
(3% drop)

Before PAM Spear +2 20 Str was +6/3d6+1d4+9*4=49
After PAM Spear +2 20 Str 14 dex is +6/4d6+2d4+11*3=52
(6% increase)

Before Longsword Duelist with Flaming Longsword, 20 strength was +9/1d8+2d6+7=18.5x3=55.5
After same build and 14 dex is +9/2d8+2d6+9=25x2 =50
(10% decrease)

Before dual rapier +2s, 20 dex was +11/4d8+7*4=46
After same build 14 strength is +11/6d8+9*3=54
(17% increase)

Weak builds get much more out this than strong builds.

And the degree to which strong builds are weakened is reduced by the free advantage that action surge gives, plus the engage advantage of level 11+ combat dominance. Ignoring a fighter with these combat dominance features at melee range is insanely dangerous, but it never compels enemies to attack the fighter - no mind control, no marking. Just doom if you aren't regularly giving the fighter a thwack.


Ranger

Nature's Boon
Starting at level 1, you pick a boon. Select Boon of the Hunt, Boon of the Pack or Boon of the Claw.

Boon of the Hunt
When you pick Boon of the Hunt at level 1, your Ranger level for the purpose of Spellcasting increases by 1, and you can always cast Hunter's Mark using your spell slots. This is in addition to your other spells known.

At level 5 TODO

Boon of the Pack
When you pick Boon of the Pack, you gain a animal companion (see Tasha's).

At level 5, TODO

Boon of the Claw
When you pick Boon of the Claw, you gain the druids Wildeshape feature, but you only know a number of shapes equal to your proficiency bonus. In addition, when you wildshape you can choose to take on the Aspect of the creature and not fully transform. If you do so, you remain the same size, you can keep any physical attributes that are higher than the beast you transform into, and your gear stays equipped. You can use either the beast's AC or your AC. You keep a basic humanoid shape and have fully functional hands, but remain capable of using the creature's natural weapons.

Your HP still changes to that of the beast, and when you are reduced to 0 the transformation ends.

If the creature has a special movement mode (climbing, swimming, flying, burrowing), you cannot use it while your hands are wielding weapons or a shield.

Boon of Blood
If you chose Boon of the Claw, at level 5 you gain temporary HP whenever you deal damage with an attack equal to the damage done. This temporary HP lasts until the end of your next turn. If you start your turn with temporary HP, you can sacrifice them and gain a bonus to damage of the first attack that hits equal to half of the temporary HP you sacrificed.

Remember that if you already have temporary HP and gain temporary HP, you take the larger amount - they do not add up.

In addition, if you hit a creature you haven't done damage to in the last day, you deal an extra 2d6 damage (increasing to 3d6 at level 11 and 4d6 at level 17).

This needs a bit of work. But the core loop that your attacks stack temporary HP, which either soak up damage or give you a damage boost next turn.

My problem is that soaking damage doesn't feel all that fun compared to dealing it, and it takes time to build up a huge bonus.

Ie, longbow SS: 1d8+1d6+15+2d6 (30), first hit does 30. Next turn it does 1d8+1d6+15 (23)+15 (38), then +19 (44), etc.

Sigh. The soak is too large, the damage output isn't high enough even if the soak isn't stripped.

Halve the temporary HP? Have it grant a damage bonus regardless? Grant a larger one if it isn't stripped?

Rogue has +large dice locked down. Barbarian +[W]. Fighter +Taps.


Monk
Ki: The monk gains 2 Ki at level 1, plus 1 for every higher level. The only Ki ability it gains at level 1 is:
Flurry of Blows:
If you aren't incapacitated, on your turn you can spend 1 Ki to make an unarmed attack. At level 11 you can instead spend 1 Ki to make 2 unarmed attacks. You can only do this once per turn.

(note the lack of action. It no longer requires a bonus action). You can stack it with your martial arts attack.

Balanced State:
Starting at level 5, a Monk can take 2 bonus actions per turn.

Instead of extra attack, you get extra bonus action.

Offensively, you can take the attack action, do two martial arts attacks and spend a ki on a flurry for 4 attacks.

You can also dodge as an action, use a martial arts bonus action, ki to flurry, and step as the wind to dash.

It is insanely versatile. And by decoupling flurry from your bonus action, we cannot double-flurry, so your peak damage output doesn't increase.

You lose extra attack, which is actually a great deal - it means not attacking with your action is a modest cost.

[KyleG]

The martial classes basic game loop is the attack action. I think it is important to make that action different in a way that each class envies each other.

So while I do agree damage is damage, the basic game loop should also differ, and the basic game loop of martial classes is damage.

These abilities replace extra attack.

Paladin

Blessed Weapon:
At level 5, a Paladin gains the ability to bless a weapon they are holding over a long or short rest. This weapon remains blessed by the Paladin until the Paladin uses this ability on a different weapon.

While the weapon is Blessed this way, it cannot be damaged nor removed from the Paladins' possession unless the Paladin is dead.

The first time on a turn the Paladin hits with their Blessed weapon on a turn it deals an extra 2d8 radiant damage. Attacks with this weapon are at advantage if the creature attacked has damaged an ally of the Paladin (not including the Paladin) since the end of the Paladin's last turn.

This extra radiant damage increases to 4d8 at level 11.

Barbarian

Rage Die
Starting at level 1 you gain a 1d4 Rage die. While Raging, you add a roll of this die to Strength based weapon damage (improvised weapons, natural weapons or manufactured weapons), Strength saving throws, and Strength checks. This die increases to 1d6 at level 4, 1d8 at level 8, 1d10 at level 12 and 1d12 at level 16.

In addition, you can choose to deal your Rage die plus your strength modifier when dealing unarmed attack, natural weapon or improvised weapon damage after a strength-based attack roll.

Mighty Blows

At level 5, your Strength based weapon attacks deal an extra set of weapon damage dice. In addition, when you make the Attack action on your turn you can make an additional unarmed attack as part of the action.

The additional damage dice from Strength based weapon attacks increases to 2 extra sets at level 9, 3 at level 13 and 4 at level 17.

These replace Rage Damage, Rage advantage Strength saves and Checks, Brutal Critical)

The Rage die is slightly larger than the Rage damage of the base game - 2.5 vs 2 at level 1, and 6.5 vs 4 at level 16. It also crits, which is fun, and using it as a boost to strength checks and saves feels more concrete than advantage.

However you only get 1 attack per turn, unless you two weapon fight or otherwise get a bonus action attack. So you are going to apply your Rage damage bonus less often than a baseline barbarian.

Allowing it to replace unarmed/natural and improvised weapons is both a fun ribbon and gives the level 5 unarmed extra attack a bit of a boost. You'll also note that unarmed attacks don't get to add extra Rage damage when Raging.

Assuming the barbarian gets GWM at level 4, 18 str at 8 and 20 str at 12, and we add a flametongue at level 13 we get (while raging):
Level 1: 1d12+5 vs 1d12+1d4+3 (4% increase)
Level 5: 2d12+30 (43) vs 2d12+2d6+16 (36) (16% decrease, but 6.5 of it isn't crap accuracy)
Level 9: 2d12+34 (47) 4d12 bonus on crit (26) vs 3d12+2d8+18 (46.5) 3d12+2d8 bonus on crit (28.5) (1% decrease)
Level 13: 2d12+4d6+36 (63) 6d12+4d6 bonus on crit (53) vs 4d12+2d6+2d10+20 (64) 4d12+2d6+2d10 bonus on crit (44) (2% increase)
Level 17: 2d12+4d6+38 (65) 8d12+4d6 bonus on crit (66) vs 5d12+2d6+2d12+20 (72.5) 5d12+2d6+2d12 bonus on crit (52.5) (12% increase)

The damage output of the 5[W] barbarian isn't insanely higher than the baseline Barbarian. After accounting for the relative +5 to hit of the punch (no GWM on it), the Mighty Blow barbarian does a bit more damage than the baseline does.

The damage will definitely feel more meaty: who doesn't want to hit for 61 damage on a single blow, and 122.5 on an average crit. The punch is only doing 11.5 damage at this point.

The baseline barbarian was hitting for 1d12+2d6+19 (32.5) and critting for 5d12+4d6+19 (65.5), and swinging twice as often.

One fun (to me) difference is that the new barbarian can burn their unarmed attack to trip or push or grapple without losing as much offensive potential. And a barbarian manhandling a foe is really fun.

Finally, the bonus action "cleave" on a crit or dropping a foe becomes very significant.

TWF barbarians are also effective. At level 5 while raging, 3d6+4 x2 + 1d6+4 = 36.5, all at full attack bonus.

At level 17, dual wielding battleaxes we get 5d8+1d12+5 (34) (63 crit) per axe and 1d12+5 kick for 79.5 damage. Each blow is much lighter than the GWF, but two of them is quite good. GWF's bonus action on dropping a foe or a crit becomes the edge it has over TWF.


Rogue


This replaces Uncanny Dodge:

Disruptive Strike

Starting at 5th level, when a creature hits with an attack roll, you can attempt to disrupt it with by expending your reaction and making a weapon attack (assuming they are a valid target) on the attacker. If your disruptive strike hits, the target gains resistance to the damage done by the triggering attack, and the triggering attack must be rerolled with disadvantage.


This replaces uncanny dodge. It isn't guaranteed, but if it hits you can nullify an attack or reduce damage. It is more active.

It is a significant damage increase *if* the Rogue can arrange for sneak attack on it. On-turn Sneak Attack is a given, the art is arranging for off-turn Sneak Attack.

Having a thrown weapon is really useful here, or a ranged weapon.

This significantly changes the Rogue's main combat loop, as deciding when to use this at-will ability is really really key.

Rogues could cheese their way to doing this with haste plus a readied action. What this does is opens it up for everyone.


Fighter

Action Surge

Starting at 2nd level you can surge into action once before completing a short or long rest. When you do so, you can move your speed, you gain advantage on all attacks, saves and ability checks, and you can make an additional attack on your turn. At 5th level, you can make 2 additional attacks when you Action Surge.

Combat Dominance

Starting at 5th level, when you take the attack action you can make a 2nd attack as well. In addition, any creature adjacent to you has disadvantage on any attack roll (except against you) unless it has attacked you at least once since the start of your last turn.

Improved Combat Dominance

Starting at 11th level, your weapon attacks deal an extra set of weapon damage dice, and you can choose to add both your Strength and Dexterity bonuses to damage with weapons instead of just one. In addition, you have advantage on attacks against creatures who have not attacked you since the start of your last turn.

Perfected Combat Dominance

Starting at 20th level, you can make 3 weapon attacks when you take the attack action. Creatures you hit with an attack have disadvantage on their next attack before the end of your next turn. In addition, you ignore all sources of disadvantage on attack rolls.


At level 11 comparing some builds:

Before GWM Flametongue GS and 20 strength was +4/4d6+15(29) x3 = 87
After GWM Flametongue GS and 20 strength/14 dex is +4/6d6+17(38) x2 = 76
(13% drop)

Before GWM PAM +2 Glaive 20 str was +6/3d10+1d4+17*4=87
After GWM PAM +2 Glaive 20 str 14 dex is +6/4d10+2d4+19*3=84
(3% drop)

Before PAM Spear +2 20 Str was +6/3d6+1d4+9*4=49
After PAM Spear +2 20 Str 14 dex is +6/4d6+2d4+11*3=52
(6% increase)

Before Longsword Duelist with Flaming Longsword, 20 strength was +9/1d8+2d6+7=18.5x3=55.5
After same build and 14 dex is +9/2d8+2d6+9=25x2 =50
(10% decrease)

Before dual rapier +2s, 20 dex was +11/4d8+7*4=46
After same build 14 strength is +11/6d8+9*3=54
(17% increase)

Weak builds get much more out this than strong builds.

And the degree to which strong builds are weakened is reduced by the free advantage that action surge gives, plus the engage advantage of level 11+ combat dominance. Ignoring a fighter with these combat dominance features at melee range is insanely dangerous, but it never compels enemies to attack the fighter - no mind control, no marking. Just doom if you aren't regularly giving the fighter a thwack.


Ranger

Nature's Boon
Starting at level 1, you pick a boon. Select Boon of the Hunt, Boon of the Pack or Boon of the Claw.

Boon of the Hunt
When you pick Boon of the Hunt at level 1, your Ranger level for the purpose of Spellcasting increases by 1, and you can always cast Hunter's Mark using your spell slots. This is in addition to your other spells known.

At level 5 TODO

Boon of the Pack
When you pick Boon of the Pack, you gain a animal companion (see Tasha's).

At level 5, TODO

Boon of the Claw
When you pick Boon of the Claw, you gain the druids Wildeshape feature, but you only know a number of shapes equal to your proficiency bonus. In addition, when you wildshape you can choose to take on the Aspect of the creature and not fully transform. If you do so, you remain the same size, you can keep any physical attributes that are higher than the beast you transform into, and your gear stays equipped. You can use either the beast's AC or your AC. You keep a basic humanoid shape and have fully functional hands, but remain capable of using the creature's natural weapons.

Your HP still changes to that of the beast, and when you are reduced to 0 the transformation ends.

If the creature has a special movement mode (climbing, swimming, flying, burrowing), you cannot use it while your hands are wielding weapons or a shield.

Boon of Blood
If you chose Boon of the Claw, at level 5 you gain temporary HP whenever you deal damage with an attack equal to the damage done. This temporary HP lasts until the end of your next turn. If you start your turn with temporary HP, you can sacrifice them and gain a bonus to damage of the first attack that hits equal to half of the temporary HP you sacrificed.

Remember that if you already have temporary HP and gain temporary HP, you take the larger amount - they do not add up.

In addition, if you hit a creature you haven't done damage to in the last day, you deal an extra 2d6 damage (increasing to 3d6 at level 11 and 4d6 at level 17).

This needs a bit of work. But the core loop that your attacks stack temporary HP, which either soak up damage or give you a damage boost next turn.

My problem is that soaking damage doesn't feel all that fun compared to dealing it, and it takes time to build up a huge bonus.

Ie, longbow SS: 1d8+1d6+15+2d6 (30), first hit does 30. Next turn it does 1d8+1d6+15 (23)+15 (38), then +19 (44), etc.

Sigh. The soak is too large, the damage output isn't high enough even if the soak isn't stripped.

Halve the temporary HP? Have it grant a damage bonus regardless? Grant a larger one if it isn't stripped?

Rogue has +large dice locked down. Barbarian +[W]. Fighter +Taps.


Monk
Ki: The monk gains 2 Ki at level 1, plus 1 for every higher level. The only Ki ability it gains at level 1 is:
Flurry of Blows:
If you aren't incapacitated, on your turn you can spend 1 Ki to make an unarmed attack. At level 11 you can instead spend 1 Ki to make 2 unarmed attacks. You can only do this once per turn.

(note the lack of action. It no longer requires a bonus action). You can stack it with your martial arts attack.

Balanced State:
Starting at level 5, a Monk can take 2 bonus actions per turn.

Instead of extra attack, you get extra bonus action.

Offensively, you can take the attack action, do two martial arts attacks and spend a ki on a flurry for 4 attacks.

You can also dodge as an action, use a martial arts bonus action, ki to flurry, and step as the wind to dash.

It is insanely versatile. And by decoupling flurry from your bonus action, we cannot double-flurry, so your peak damage output doesn't increase.

You lose extra attack, which is actually a great deal - it means not attacking with your action is a modest cost.


These are well thought out and i like them for the most part. Well done. Personally I'm not a fan of the ranger as it stands thus far but given you haven't completed i will be watching to see how it goes.

For me the ranger is....complicated. i want him to be the architypical outdoorsman, tracker type (darrel dixon, aragorn) he may or may not be a monster hunter (geralt), he might be a defender of civilisation from nature (vs druids who defend nature from civilisation). They are fighter/rogues or fighter/druids or barbarian/rogues or barbarian/druids, or even paladin/druids depending on how you look at their skills.
In my mindseye they neither carry a large weapon nor a shield. They fight with 1 or 2 axes, swords, or ranged weaponry. And as befits an outdoorsman they are crafty.

See, complicated.

[Yakk]

So I think I have an idea for the Ranger 5th.

Step 1: Ranger cantrips. Including an upgraded true strike

True Strike (div cantrip)
1 Action
Duration 1 round
Target 1 creature you can see

You gain either gain advantage or ignore a source of disadvantage on your next weapon attack on the target before the end of your next turn. If this attack hits, it deals an extra 1d12 damage.

At higher levels: The extra damage increases to 2d12 at level 5, 3d12 at level 11 and 4d12 at level 17.

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Step 2:
At 5th level when the Ranger takes the attack action, they can also cast a Ranger spell that requires an action to cast.

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The "at will" option is to True Strike and do a buffed attack. Or they can replace True Strike with a Ranger action spell and combo it with an attack.

I think this matches "extra attack" in oomph and feels quite different.

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So
Fighter: Extra Attack, Combat Dominance
Paladin: Blessed Weapon
Monk: 2 Bonus Actions, Stunning Strike
Ranger: Attack+Spell
Rogue: Disruptive Strike
Barbarian: Mighty Blow