D&D General What Classes Would You Add to D&D?

Steampunkette

A5e 3rd Party Publisher!
Supporter
Guess I'll finally weigh in:

Esper is number 1. Not just a psionic caster class, but a psionic caster class which has some mechanical distinctions from traditional spellcasters.

Marshal is number 2. Also known as the Warlord, it's a great design structure to break the rule that "Only magic can heal wounds" which has always been bothersome.

Wielder is number 3. It's a -fantastic- class in the Manual of Adventurous Resources Complete. It's sort of a Martial-Warlock centered around having a powerful magic item that is a core character trait. Very common in media, oft-ignored in fantasy games.

Warcaster is my number 4. It'll be in Martial Artistry and introduces a cantrip-caster that actually -sticks- with being a cantrip caster. Works great for that part of a "Big Battle" fantasy film where a bunch of Wizards are casting a bunch of spells on the battlefield for hours. But also introduces a whole new kind of character fantasy.

Sentinel is 5th and kind of 6th? Also coming in Martial Artistry, it's the "Hero and Companion" character. You see it a ton in movies and media but it's very hard to really do in D&D because whether you're the knight or the squire at the D&D table you're both players and don't want to be the lesser character. So this class has one player playing two characters that divide the power of a PC between them while expanding action economy.

Champion and Gunslinger are tied for 6th (7th?). The Champion is a sort of 4e styled Fighter for A5e/5e with marking mechanics but also a mechanical focus on Quests and Inspiration manipulation. While the Gunslinger works great for Quasi-America games, obviously, but works well for a game with spy action, pirates, or other roles where someone can focus in on ranged attacks. Swap out "Gun" for "Hand Crossbow" and it makes a pretty fantastic Drow Assassin. Especially since I gave them a combat style for using a pistol in one hand and a sword in the other (which also Pirates real good.)

But those haven't released, yet.

(I will note that the Sentinel has gotten rave reviews among the 3rd party publishers of A5e, even from people who were deeply skeptical from the start!)
 
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TwoSix

"Diegetics", by L. Ron Gygax
what is so negative about them?
I'm not going to pretend to be any sort of knowledgeable about Native American mythology, but every usage I've seen of a skinwalker in fantasy fiction has presented them as sadistically evil. The commonality in the presentation makes me assume that various authors are all drawing from the same sources.
 

steeldragons

Steeliest of the dragons
what is so negative about them?
I am not an authority on Native American folklore/myth/legend. I just know they are looked on as evil, probably man-eater/cannibal, magic-using creatures not to be trusted.

All I'm saying is, the term is not as "innocent" as one (including myself) would have originally thought.
 

Greg K

Legend
However, my limited understanding is, in Navajo culture/myth it is a decidedly "evil/harmful" witch-like man-killing character. They are a shapeshifter, yes. But a much more negative connotation.
@Mind of tempest To add to the above, If I recall, correctly, among the Dine' (Navajo), Skinwalkers are powerful evil witches (male or female) that gained their shapeshifting by killing a close relative. Definitely, a negative connotation.
 
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Mind of tempest

(he/him)advocate for 5e psionics
I am not an authority on Native American folklore/myth/legend. I just know they are looked on as evil, probably man-eater/cannibal, magic-using creatures not to be trusted.

All I'm saying is, the term is not as "innocent" as one (including myself) would have originally thought.
@Mind of tempest To add to the above, If I recall, correctly, among the Dine' (Navajo), Skinwalkers are powerful evil witches (male or female) that gained their shapeshifting by killing a close relative. Definitely, a negative connotation.
well we can count that idea as a no go
 

The idea of shapesifter warrior could be wellcome, but I wonder if "nahual" or "skinwalker" for the current standars may tagged as "cultural apropiation".

How would be the subclasses?
 


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