NaturalZero
Hero
I rushed out my earlier comment in this thread because i had to run and didn't really get to the main issue I have with the new fighter additions. One of the big issues with the battle master is that you pick the best maneuvers as soon as you get the subclass and each time you get new maneuvers, you get ones you like less and less. It's a system where you get worse stuff the higher your level gets. The longer you go, the worse the leftovers that you get.
Masteries are the same thing! You pick the masteries you really want up front and then as you level you get the ones that are worse and worse. You get everything you want first, and the rest is relative garbage. What they really need is special higher level masteries that only the fighter can get and are actually better than what you get early on instead of just leftovers. Spell casters get higher level spells as they progress and this is common sense - let the damn fighter get higher level masteries instead of more fighter-cantrips that are the unwanted trash.
The other glaring issue is the basic concept of the new design - constant weapon switching as a means of adaptability. In a real game, weapon users don't usually switch weapons all over the place, but instead invest in feats for a specific type of weapon and hold onto a specific magic weapon. The greatweapon player is never going to put down his +3 greatsword with greatweapon master damage in order to pull out a +0 mace. Real games don't work that way.
What they need to do is just let fighters collect masteries and apply them to their signature weapon as an early and basic feature. That's how real players want weapon users to play. No one wants a goofy weapon-juggling fighter with a golf bag of weapons.
Masteries are the same thing! You pick the masteries you really want up front and then as you level you get the ones that are worse and worse. You get everything you want first, and the rest is relative garbage. What they really need is special higher level masteries that only the fighter can get and are actually better than what you get early on instead of just leftovers. Spell casters get higher level spells as they progress and this is common sense - let the damn fighter get higher level masteries instead of more fighter-cantrips that are the unwanted trash.
The other glaring issue is the basic concept of the new design - constant weapon switching as a means of adaptability. In a real game, weapon users don't usually switch weapons all over the place, but instead invest in feats for a specific type of weapon and hold onto a specific magic weapon. The greatweapon player is never going to put down his +3 greatsword with greatweapon master damage in order to pull out a +0 mace. Real games don't work that way.
What they need to do is just let fighters collect masteries and apply them to their signature weapon as an early and basic feature. That's how real players want weapon users to play. No one wants a goofy weapon-juggling fighter with a golf bag of weapons.
They wouldn't do that, because it would make too much sense and be too easy to balance. It's a lot like bringing back the 5 minute short rest. All of the issues with the Warlock spell amount, Monk ki, second wind numbers, et al, just go away if you balance around encounter features and yet they're here floundering while making everything daily.
I've heard the claim that over half of all characters in 5e use the multiclass rules in the builder. If that's true, that's probably a strong majority of tables that have mutliclass characters. They absolutely have to balance the game around a core mechanic that most tables use.
