D&D 5e Subclass Contest Chat Thread

[MoleMage]

Alright, I'm awake and reasonably caffeinated so let's tally these totals!

Taking third place, with 7 total points earned, we have Fnissalot's Bard College of Constellations! Read the stars, embrace the weirdness of the elder things. Improve your normal bardic inspiration.

In second place, with 12 total points earned, we have Thanatos 51-50's Barbarian Path of the Center! Be heavy. Really heavy. No really, be so heavy arrows curve in flight towards you and enemies can't escape your event horizon.

And in first place, with a whopping 21 total points earned is Ninja_Prawn's Mirrorkin Sorcerous Origin. For when your ancestors went through the looking glass, or into the mirror dimension. Be a perfect mimic. Reflect spells.

Congrats to our three winners and thanks to everyone else who participated!

In the vote for next contest theme, our winner was So You Don't Have To, and our runner-up which automatically gets added to the voting pool next time is I Read this In a Book, Once. I'll be putting the new contest thread up shortly, so keep an eye open!

[MoleMage]

AAAAND the new thread is up!

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...3#post23296993

[Jormengand]

So...

VMC Cleric?

[MoleMage]

So...

VMC Cleric?

I would've predicted bard, but cleric probably pretty close to the mark.

[Jormengand]

I would've predicted bard, but cleric probably pretty close to the mark.

Yah, actually bard makes more sense.

Though invariably, someone will be unable to comprehend how it fits the theme.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Am I allowed to enter a subclass for a homebrew base class? And is it a good idea, even if it's allowed?

Because I wrote (well, converted) a whole class around this theme a couple years ago.

[MoleMage]

Per rule 3, homebrew base classes are allowed provided A: you have permission (it's implied if it's your own class), B: the class was made before the current contest, and C: you provide a link to the source in your submission.

You're solid.

As to it being a good idea...that's up to the voters really.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Oh, and an addition to the future theme long list:

Hold My Beer - subclasses themed after inns & taverns, pub games, excessive drinking, etc.

[MoleMage]

Changed it to Hold my Ale! but it's in the list now. Maybe eventually we'll run out of these, but I somehow doubt it.

[Fnissalot]

I have posted my Community and Collaboration focused cleric domain I have been working on a while for a future project. Any one got any thoughts on it?

[BlueHairedKat]

I have posted my Community and Collaboration focused cleric domain I have been working on a while for a future project. Any one got any thoughts on it?

Convergence Chain is delightful. Possibly too good, if you can throw concentration from someone who's likely to get hit to someone far from the combat, but it's so flavourful and would be so fun to play.

[Thanatos 51-50]

I almost want to just post my Witch base class and draw big ol' circles around the Coven of the Hedge for this. Or roll out the Path of the Chieftan Barbarian subclass in that big book o' homebrew I'm making, but I'll be a good boy and do something else.
Maybe a Rogue?
Or a Ranger?

Edit:
Pretty much the exact second I posted this, I had a flash of inspiration.
Monk

[Icecaster]

Hey guys, I've never done a homebrew contest before but it sounded like a lot of fun, so here I am!

Sooo I finally constructed a subclass that I've had percolating in my mind for a while, and it's a druid circle based on the Selesnya Conclave from Magic: The Gathering. If you've played the game it'll probably make more sense, but I hope I've made it clear enough what the basic idea is based on fluff. Hope everything is balanced and okay.

I'm looking forward to seeing everybody else's submisisons, good luck all! :^D

[Thanatos 51-50]

First draft of the Way of the Sifu is live.
I should probably add a chart or a line codifying "class or subclass resource" and edit it in, but this'll do for now.

As always, feedback is welcome.

[Fnissalot]

Hey guys, I've never done a homebrew contest before but it sounded like a lot of fun, so here I am!

Sooo I finally constructed a subclass that I've had percolating in my mind for a while, and it's a druid circle based on the Selesnya Conclave from Magic: The Gathering. If you've played the game it'll probably make more sense, but I hope I've made it clear enough what the basic idea is based on fluff. Hope everything is balanced and okay.

I'm looking forward to seeing everybody else's submisisons, good luck all! :^D

It looks good overall but convoke might be too powerful. You can surpass 9th spelllevel which is never done before what I am aware of, and you can do that with two level 9 spellcasters.

[Icecaster]

It looks good overall but convoke might be too powerful. You can surpass 9th spelllevel which is never done before what I am aware of, and you can do that with two level 9 spellcasters.

I was worried about this last night actually. I took it down slightly in the hopes it would be better, but I agree. I'm about to cap it at giving a slot level of up to 3rd, that way it justifies the character keeping high level slots for him/herself at later levels but still allows some versatility on what you give. I hope that keeps it in its place a little better.

[Thanatos 51-50]

How about just adding "A spell may not be increased above 9th level using this class feature"?

[Blackbando]

First draft of the Way of the Sifu is live.
I should probably add a chart or a line codifying "class or subclass resource" and edit it in, but this'll do for now.

As always, feedback is welcome.

Oh, wow, your subclass is actually quite similar flavor-wise to what I was planning on making (including it being for monk)! I'm still gonna publish my own take on the concept, as mechanically I've got much different ideas on how to handle it.

Also, yeah, I agree; you should add something about what that resource is, since at the moment one might be able to interpret it as being able to refresh something like Action Surge.

[Fnissalot]

How about just adding "A spell may not be increased above 9th level using this class feature"?

Or, "A spell may not be increased above half of your druid level rounded up." So it scales with your spell level.

[MoleMage]

I don't know that it is as big a problem as all that. Two Nth level spells are going to be more powerful than one Nth level spell upcast to 2N in most cases. If the feature doesn't allow you to actually cast the higher level spell and only applies to updating it's fine. Even if it allows you to cast higher level spells you still need to be capable of casting that spell level in order to do so (it doesn't let you exceed spells known/prepared limitations).

Though if the latter you might specify that spells above 5th level normally can't be cast in those higher level spell slots, since those are normally restricted per day more than 5th and below.

[Icecaster]

How about just adding "A spell may not be increased above 9th level using this class feature"?

Or, "A spell may not be increased above half of your druid level rounded up." So it scales with your spell level.

While both of these solutions could be entirely valid in balancing the ability, I quite like the idea of boosting a spell beyond normal limits. I kept the level cap on the slots low to keep it from getting out of hand, but I'd like to keep that mechanical advantage somehow.

I don't know that it is as big a problem as all that. Two Nth level spells are going to be more powerful than one Nth level spell upcast to 2N in most cases. If the feature doesn't allow you to actually cast the higher level spell and only applies to updating it's fine. Even if it allows you to cast higher level spells you still need to be capable of casting that spell level in order to do so (it doesn't let you exceed spells known/prepared limitations).

Though if the latter you might specify that spells above 5th level normally can't be cast in those higher level spell slots, since those are normally restricted per day more than 5th and below.

Haha, it would appear we both had very similar ideas. The intent of the feature was for it to apply only to upcasting. For instance, you couldn't expend a 6th level slot while receiving a 3rd level slot to cast a 9th level spell you know, and you couldn't expend a 4th level spell slot while receiving a 2nd level spell slot to cast a 6th level spell you know. The target of the Help action has to actually begin the casting of the spell before benefiting from convoke.

Personally, I think if I raise the bar too much then combos for spells like Animate Objects and Conjure _______ will be too good to pass up. If a druid can give up all of his high level slots, then he/she would be obligated to do so as a support since that would be really good supporting, which could quite easily lead to dissatisfaction since the druid loses all his time in the spotlight to give another character super-spells. Setting the donation cap low rather than the upcasted cap low means that the druid can still have their time in the spotlight while still effectively supporting in the cases where they are helpful. It also allows the druid to make a more meaningful contribution to the party than being just spell slot bank for the party wizard and using their action every turn to buff the spells of somebody else, only gaining reprieve when somebody isn't planning on casting a spell/casting a spell that can be upcast.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Oh, wow, your subclass is actually quite similar flavor-wise to what I was planning on making (including it being for monk)!

I am genuinely very sorry. I'm willing to try and think of something else, if it pleases The Court.

[Blackbando]

I am genuinely very sorry. I'm willing to try and think of something else, if it pleases The Court.

Hey, the way I see it? Just means neither of ours will be able to surpass the other sheerly based on flavor alone or any other outside aspects; instead, our mechanics and our mechanics alone will decide which is better.

that makes it sound a lot more epic than just "we put these two things on a forum and now let's see who votes for them" it sounds like a fight to the death

[Ivellius]

I am genuinely very sorry. I'm willing to try and think of something else, if it pleases The Court.

I mean, you did yours first. If anything, he should be changing his.

Edit: Actually working on mine today a bit. I'm a bit stuck for two later features (based on what I want to do), but I'm sure I'll figure out something, hopefully more inspired than my last entry.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I see rangers are as popular as ever. Maybe I'll do one myself, just to prove I can...

[Jormengand]

Thought for the day: why do 1/3 spellcasters have more spells known than 1/2 spellcasters?

Anyway, VMC bard is up. And it's a little weird, and may well be an exceptionally-powerful option for paladins and rangers, so I may need to dial it back a little for them, but hey, let me know what you think.

[MoleMage]

Rough draft for the Path of the Blood Shaman is up. I need to come up with a handful more rites, and then look at numbers as they seem really strong out the gate.

I was gonna do a ranger too, but couldn't come up with a compelling theme.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Is it weird that I kind of want to do a variant multiclass next contest just so Jormengand can't?

Also: I actively tried to come up with a Ranger that fit theme here, too. I want to give the Ranger some love, even if only because WotC didn't.

[Jormengand]

Is it weird that I kind of want to do a variant multiclass next contest just so Jormengand can't?

Yeesh, I didn't know I'd upset you that badly. I'm sorry if my VMC subclasses offended you, I guess?

[Thanatos 51-50]

I'm not upset. It's a joke. I'm trying to be funny. Give it a few more contests and I fully expect to see "Oh, look, Thanatos is doing a Monk again. This is my complete lack of surprise."