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2022-09-28, 10:15 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
I am personally more partial to expert, spellcaster, warrior in these setups. Partially because in a similar vein to LudicSavant's wariness, I find the priest role obnoxious and partially I find the game mechanics of the
priest vs mage stuff kinda odd.
I do also question the need of it, classes are benefited by not having to fall neatly into a broader category.
A few things to act as unified mechanics for simplicity reasons, sure (extra attack does its job pretty well selling a character is good at fighting, a role with extra attack on it is probably fine) an umbrella to dictate play behavior to the classes under it, I'm not interested in.Last edited by Witty Username; 2022-09-28 at 10:16 PM.
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2022-09-29, 12:33 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
Archtypes, not classes. If it were classes then you'd be a Expert Class with a Subclass of Rogue/Bard/Ranger or Artificer.
Priest doesn't have enough definition to separate it from any other caster. The spells lists however may be their own quasi Archetype.Last edited by Leon; 2022-09-29 at 12:45 AM.
Thankyou to NEOPhyte for the Techpriest Engiseer
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Ravia Del'Karro (Magos Biologis Errant)
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2022-09-29, 12:52 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Jul 2015
Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
Neither power sources nor the announced groupings map well onto the 4E roles. Warrior encompasses at least defender and striker, Expert encompasses at least striker and leader, Priest at least defender and leader, and Mage at least striker and controller. This is reinforced by the announced classes in the Expert group: as they exist in current 5E, Rogues are strikers, Rangers are striker/controllers, and Bards are leader/controllers (and each has current subclasses that expand into other roles). I don't see them making the massive thematic changes that would be necessary to slot these class groupings into the 4E roles.
Last edited by tiornys; 2022-09-29 at 12:53 AM.
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2022-09-29, 08:36 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Nov 2006
Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
The Warrior, Expert, Mage, Priest goes back to the first 4 classes of D&D. It has a lot of legacy.
In old D&D, the Priest class didn't get spells at level 1, had an important ability that wasn't spellcasting (turn undead), had limited access to magic weapons, full access to magic armor. Amusingly the first Cleric was basically an anti-vampire class, built to deal with a DM decision to allow a player to play a vampire named Sir Fang.
The Expert class got dungeon-interacting skills, full access to magic weapons, limited access to magic armor. Honestly, my favourite Expert class I've seen was the pre-D&D Talent based one, where they used the Mage spell table for their Rogue; but instead of spells, they got Talents, which could be used at-will. An Expert would get "lockpicking" Talent, and they would just unlock locks when they used it. Now, this isn't the best mechanics for today, as "eliminate part of game" isn't that fun, but back in the day (with how dungeon crawls worked) being able to not have a chance to fail on certain problems was very useful.
The Warrior class got full access to magic armor and weapons.
The Mage class got next to no access to magic armor and weapons, got spellcasting at level 1. Their spells tended to be flashier and change the course of a battle compared to the Priest.
Monk, as it is inspired by stories of Buddhist Monks, being a Priest class makes sense. It moving away from Warrior/Expert may actually help it get a better identity.
Distinguishing Paladin and Cleric is tricky; but, if you make the Paladin a Warrior, and the Cleric a Priest, it does help here. Paladins source material comes from Warriors who are Holy/Religious; Clerics are Priests who are Violent.
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2022-09-29, 08:52 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2021
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2022-09-29, 08:52 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2015
Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
I'm not overly worried. This looks like the 4 class groups that 2nd edition AD&D had -- broad categories where they share a similar feature and might get a in-group set of selections (kits and splatbooks in 2e, feats here). I remember from then that the groupings didn't actually do that much (other than AD&D-specific mechanics like using the same saves or ThAC0 progression) -- you honestly couldn't replace the party Thief with a Bard (if you were going dungeon-crawling), despite them being in the same group, and at high levels there were cleric spells you really wanted that druids couldn't replicate (coming back from the dead not-as-a-lemur being a big one). Until we see otherwise, I feel that this is just grouping together things with like features, and maybe giving them earlier/easier access to feats that effect those like features.
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2022-09-29, 08:53 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2017
Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
The Fighter ends up re-classified as one of the Expert classes.
Crawford has an interview where he says that it was hard to find where to place the Fighter, but in the end they're experts at fighting so it makes sense.
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2022-09-29, 09:14 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Apr 2020
Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
If I had to guess, what they're trying to do is reuse the 4e roles without getting yelled at, and with more focus on non-combat utility. "Expert" is "guy who can pick locks," "Priest" is "guy who can heal and resurrect," "Mage" is "guy who can AOE and later on teleport/plane shift/etc.," and "Warrior" is "guy who primarily just fights good."
Monk is a mobile skirmisher like rogue, but it's not an "expert" because they're not that good at skills, so a monk/fighter/cleric/wizard party will have a harder time at picking locks and other skill stuff.
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2022-09-29, 09:29 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2018
Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
Paladins originally didn't cast spells; they were clearly warriors. They could heal and were immune to disease, had protection from evil and could call a special steed. They also had a badly-defined "dispel evil" at-will ability that is probably better replaced with smiting.
My current favorite paladin (and ranger) version is in Castles&Crusades, and is spell-less. If one wants to keep a paladin as a warrior, ditch spells and just use the spell levels as smite-points.
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2022-09-29, 09:41 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Apr 2015
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
Isn't that odd, though? When I picture a monastery, occidental or oriental, I see the monks doing everything by themselves: cleaning, cooking, repairing, making pots, cultivating a garden with a beehive or two, etc.
Then you have the lonely travelling monk, who might have just been a glorified beggar IRL but in a fantasy setting would more likely be the resourceful sort both outdoors and in the cities they pass through.
And, sorry if I seem obsessed with filling grids, but the fact is that we have an arcane expert and a primal expert but no divine expert.
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2022-09-29, 09:56 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Nov 2006
Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
"Mage" doesn't have to be equal to "spellcaster".
The mage archtype does cast spells, but that doesn't have to be what makes it distinct.
No, it isn't 4e they are mimicing.
It is red box and pre-red box D&D.
The first 4 non-demihuman classes where Fighter, Magic-user, Cleric and Thief.Last edited by Yakk; 2022-09-29 at 09:57 AM.
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2022-09-29, 01:14 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
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2022-09-29, 01:31 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Sep 2022
Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
More samey bland simplification. Its like a bad fetish.
Simple does not mean better.
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2022-09-29, 02:20 PM (ISO 8601)
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- May 2015
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2022-09-29, 02:37 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2010
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
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2022-09-29, 02:58 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2014
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
The material in the One D&D playtest makes it look like they're just making arbitrary boxes for the sake of putting things in boxes. For example:
Originally Posted by One D&D playtest
It reminds me of the bad old days when they'd just randomly slap requirements like "must be Chaotic Neutral" on some random generic bonus. Boxes for the sake of boxes.
Yeah, I really hope they won't push to enforce narrow stereotypes. That would definitely be a downgrade in my eyes.Last edited by LudicSavant; 2022-09-29 at 03:10 PM.
Originally Posted by ProsecutorGodot
Nerull | Wee Jas | Olidammara | Erythnul | Hextor | Corellon Larethian | Lolth | The Deep Ones
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2022-09-29, 03:09 PM (ISO 8601)
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- May 2015
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2022-09-29, 03:16 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2010
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
I don't see the issue with the groupings thing, it's a helpful tool to new players. "What should I play?" "Here's what everyone else is." "Oh neat, it says here you don't have anything from this group, that narrows it down from 12 to 3 for me."
Agree completely, this is laughably weak for an "epic boon", especially a gated one. Even Misty Step at-will would have been questionable, but 1/rest is criminal.Plague Doctor by Crimmy
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2022-09-29, 03:25 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
Tbh, most of the other printed ones don't really feel taht epic to begin with. Misty Step at will may not be as strong as I'd like a 20th level feature, but at least it would be in line with some of the other powers, I don't consider 1 auto hit per combat necessarily better than at will Misty Step.
1/short rest is below current half feat level :SLast edited by Rukelnikov; 2022-09-29 at 03:26 PM.
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2022-09-29, 03:36 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
Plague Doctor by Crimmy
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2022-09-29, 03:36 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2014
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
The issue is that it reinforces the notion that X class = Y role, even though (in current 5e) this isn't true (and that's a good thing).
In 5e, your role isn't determined by your class, it's determined by your subclass and build choices. This is why you can make a well-rounded party from 4 members of the same class, etc. In 5e, a healer might be a Life Cleric, a Dream Druid, or a Redemption Paladin... or it could be a Lore Bard, or a Jorasco Wizard, or a Divine Soul Sorcerer, a Celestial warlock, a Mercy Monk, or even a Thief Rogue with the Healer feat and UMDing a magic staff.Last edited by LudicSavant; 2022-09-29 at 03:47 PM.
Originally Posted by ProsecutorGodot
Nerull | Wee Jas | Olidammara | Erythnul | Hextor | Corellon Larethian | Lolth | The Deep Ones
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2022-09-29, 03:48 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
That isn't a bad notion for brand new players. And experienced ones like us can safely ignore it. I'm not seeing the issue with it as a teaching tool.
How many times do new players come here asking that very question and get told things like "it looks like you don't have a skillmonkey" or "who is your frontliner?"Last edited by Psyren; 2022-09-29 at 03:49 PM.
Plague Doctor by Crimmy
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2022-09-29, 03:52 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2017
Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
There's nothing to indicate that playing "off-role" won't still be an option for more experienced players, though. Bards arguably got slightly better at healing, thanks to the new Song of Restoration giving them some of their old heals back, the new Bardic Inspiration being exceptionally good at pop-up/jack-in-the-box combat healing (which some people would say is the only "good" combat healing, though personally i consider certain spells like polymorph or heal to be worth casting as "heals" in combat), and the new version of Magical Secrets being able to grab old goodies like heal while still potentially cribbing off-class goodies like aura of vitality off the Divine list. So a lore bard can definitely play at being a Priest.
The grouping is more helpful for a brand-new player (or especially group of players!) who want to build a diverse party without splat-diving for stuff like Mark of Healing or knowing about certain combos like Disciple of Life + goodberry/aura of vitality. If a brand new player looks at a party that has a paladin, a cleric, a druid, and a fighter in it, they can think to themself "hmm, I see three Priests and a Warrior. Maybe I should consider playing rogue or wizard." That's unlikely to lead them to a super fun or creative build choice, but neither is it likely to lead them to feel overshadowed or a fifth wheel—in fact, unless one of those other players has specifically built to play "off-role", it will likely steer them into an unoccupied party niche.
Preventing new players from accidentally feeling overshadowed is probably a good thing, so I see no real harm in the class groups as presented. Again, this all feels like a very minor change. The sky isn't going to fall if the staff of the magi says "requires attunement by a Mage" instead of "requires attunement by a sorcerer, warlock, or wizard".
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2022-09-29, 04:13 PM (ISO 8601)
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- May 2015
Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
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2022-09-29, 05:19 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2014
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
An archer Fighter isn't a "frontliner class playing off-role," it's just one of the various roles that a Fighter can fill.
That's the thing. In 5e, a class is not a mechanical role. It's not helpful to start telling people that it is; there are far more helpful models for teaching even if that was the goal.
But of course, they aren’t really just using this as a framework for teaching. They’re actively using it to introduce restrictions in places where there don't need to be restrictions (like the Misty Step feat example above).
The examples from the playtest so far look an awful lot like boxes for the sake of boxes.Last edited by LudicSavant; 2022-09-29 at 05:25 PM.
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2022-09-29, 05:22 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
I am with the Duck.
Disagree. KISS principle is what got the masses to buy into 5e, after the insular 'needs complexity' crowd had gone to the extremes.
It doesn't, please make mention of this in the feedback. I will.
It reminds me of the bad old days when they'd just randomly slap requirements like "must be Chaotic Neutral" on some random generic bonus. Boxes for the sake of boxes.
Yes.Avatar by linklele. How Teleport Worksa. Malifice (paraphrased):
Rulings are not 'House Rules.' Rulings are a DM doing what DMs are supposed to do.
b. greenstone (paraphrased):
Agency means that they {players} control their character's actions; you control the world's reactions to the character's actions.
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2022-09-29, 05:47 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
I still think you're viewing it too narrowly. They're not saying Warrior and Expert are "mechanical roles" like Tank and DPS are. They're saying that those groupings have thematic features that new players might find helpful in combination.
I have little doubt we'll still be able to make things like sneaky monks, melee druids and controller bards. But if a player opens the book looking for a theme, getting directed to 3 classes rather than 12 is a good thing. And then as they get more experienced with the game they can branch out.
I just think that too often around here we lose sight of how even a TTRPG this relatively simple can be daunting to complete newcomers.Plague Doctor by Crimmy
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2022-09-29, 06:01 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2017
Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
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2022-09-29, 06:05 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
Some restrictions may be good for the game. For example, frontloading has its issues in 5e. If multiclassing is restricted in some way via groups, we may have less of that.
That said, I am not very excited by the idea of grouping classes together because I dont see any reason for it. I too prefer each class to be its own thing and I dont see any benefits in putting classes in boxes, and that's because I dont want to see similar features shared between classes.
If they avoid what 4e did that essentially gave pretty much the same abilties to the classes of a specific role, grouping could be a fix when it comes to having frontloaded features. (Why not do away with the frontloading instead? Maybe they want the classes to be somewhat frontloaded if they know that most games take place in the low levels)Last edited by Corran; 2022-09-29 at 06:05 PM.
Hacks!
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2022-09-29, 06:15 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: I just realized we are going back to 4 classes, and I think I love it
And since it doesn't tell you what mechanical role you have, it doesn't actually resolve questions like "who is your frontliner?"
Originally Posted by Psyren
They're just limits on customization that don't need to be there.Last edited by LudicSavant; 2022-09-29 at 06:22 PM.
Originally Posted by ProsecutorGodot
Nerull | Wee Jas | Olidammara | Erythnul | Hextor | Corellon Larethian | Lolth | The Deep Ones