Questions tagged [class]

For questions primarily about classes in RPGs. A design paradigm common among RPGs, a class is an archetype summing up the abilities and role the character will play as well as binding unique mechanics together in one package.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
80 votes
2 answers
79k views

What are "tiers", and what tier is each class?

I tend to play Wizards, almost exclusively, though I have branched out and played Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers, and, at some point each other core class. I would like to play something different for my ...
SlatzG's user avatar
  • 1,129
21 votes
7 answers
5k views

What makes a spell being cast considered to be a {class} spell?

My understanding is that when a spell is known or prepared via one of your class features, or if you cast it via a class feature, it's considered a "class spell" (sorcerer spell, cleric spell, etc.) ...
CTWind's user avatar
  • 19.3k
95 votes
4 answers
76k views

Can you multiclass the same class twice for different class features?

The way that 5e works, each class has a sub class that dictates a heap of class features. The question here is generally, can a character of a specific class take levels in that same class in order to ...
wax eagle's user avatar
  • 104k
26 votes
6 answers
222k views

What tier are the Pathfinder classes?

I know what tiers are, but what tier are the various Pathfinder classes? This is about Pathfinder only, no 3.5 material is relevant. An ideal answer would cover all available (non-prestige) classes, ...
Oblivious Sage's user avatar
  • 55.2k
13 votes
4 answers
6k views

Are spells learned from feats considered to be associated with your class?

The multiclassing spellcasting rules (PHB p. 164, or here in the basic rules) state: Each spell you know and prepare is associated with one of your classes, and you use the spellcasting ability of ...
Rubiksmoose's user avatar
  • 94.6k
42 votes
1 answer
104k views

What are the official, WotC-published classes and subclasses in 5e?

There aren't too many published materials that contain official classes (classes here meaning sub-classes and archetypes included) but they are scattered resources. What are the official, 1st-party, ...
Purple Monkey's user avatar
16 votes
3 answers
19k views

Is class retraining an option?

I skimmed the PHB, but I didn't find any information on "retraining" or any ways to "undo" character advancement. Is retraining (especially of classes and class features) available ...
Robert's user avatar
  • 12.9k
4 votes
2 answers
4k views

Are there rules for Intelligent Items with Class Levels?

So the DM gave me the option of giving this intelligent lance various abilities, including a homebrew version of a Psicrystal's Self-Propulsion and Flight abilities. He also gave me the option of ...
Dorian's user avatar
  • 3,311
68 votes
11 answers
13k views

Is there a way to ask in game (i.e. in a non-meta way) what a character's class is?

Is there a way to ask in game (i.e. in a non-meta way) what a character's class is? There have been a few times when my character is meeting an NPC (allied combatant) or another PC and it's bugging me ...
Dan K's user avatar
  • 1,036
16 votes
1 answer
5k views

How are caster levels determined in concert with the feat Master Spellthief?

The first and third benefits of the feat Master Spellthief from page 79 of Complete Scoundrel are pretty straightforward (although the first's a little sad in that it only affects the level of spell ...
Hey I Can Chan's user avatar
36 votes
3 answers
30k views

What is wrong with the Truenamer?

I have seen a lot of people say that the Truenamer does not work (such as this answer placing Truenamer at the bottom tier) or that it's terrible. As far as I can read and see, though, it seems to be ...
Pro756's user avatar
  • 1,510
20 votes
2 answers
22k views

Are there Race/Alignment restrictions for classes in the PHB?

I'm looking through the PHB and I notice that none of the Classes explicitly state an Alignment or Race limitation. There is flavor text, but there is nothing that looks like a rule. I see some stuff ...
Michael Stum's user avatar
  • 1,117
35 votes
2 answers
5k views

How does the 'five minute adventuring day' affect class balance?

In the basic rules the The Adventuring Day is described as follows: Assuming typical adventuring conditions and average luck, most adventuring parties can handle about six to eight medium or hard ...
Tiggerous's user avatar
  • 25.1k
19 votes
2 answers
7k views

What is the evidence, if any, that the Ranger Beast Master archetype is comparatively underpowered?

I have seen various claims that the Ranger's Beast Master Archetype is underpowered, compared to other ranger archetypes and/or classes. I have searched for some factual analysis that would support ...
Jack's user avatar
  • 31.3k
16 votes
4 answers
10k views

What are the ramifications of switching the spellcasting ability of a class?

With the exception of multiclassing, is there any big reason that if you were to change the spellcasting ability of a (spellcasting) class it would be a bad idea? As a specific example: Let's say I ...
Skyler's user avatar
  • 856
12 votes
5 answers
19k views

Can a character acquire multiple archetypes from the same class?

I have a player that wants to build a Dragonborn Outlander Ranger/Sorcerer, with Slaad as the first Favored Enemy. The archetypes for the Sorcerer are Draconic Bloodline and Wild Magic. Being ...
Justin's user avatar
  • 137
27 votes
5 answers
6k views

Balancing Spellcasters; Spontaneous Casters versus Prepared Casters

So ask any optimizer and they'll almost always tell you the same thing: in 3.5 classes that prepare spells are better than spontaneous spellcasters. It's generally not thought of as even a contest. ...
xanadu's user avatar
  • 2,820
13 votes
3 answers
23k views

How can I check to make sure my homebrew class is balanced compared to pre-existing classes?

A friend and I are embarking on a little project for fun: creating a new class for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons. We have already referred to the DMG section about modifying classes and races etc. ...
MC_Hambone's user avatar
  • 7,131
7 votes
1 answer
615 views

Are there guidelines for homebrewed content?

I am going to be a first-time DM in the near future, and one of the players wants to run a homebrewed class that sounds pretty exciting. I'm eager to include the class, but some searching only turned ...
GOATNine's user avatar
  • 709
27 votes
12 answers
11k views

Is it ever okay to flat-out ban Tier 1 classes?

Background Trying to DM a party that has a Cleric, a Druid, and a Wizard (Tier 1 classes) together is pretty much difficult, especially whenever there is always one person that wants to make a Monk (....
Ruut's user avatar
  • 18k
14 votes
7 answers
4k views

How to fix sorcerors getting shafted by spell point variants?

Using the spell point variant, sorcerors lose a lot of their strength in comparison to wizards (and druids and clerics, but let's stick to arcane for now). They are left with 249 points at 20th level ...
LitheOhm's user avatar
  • 9,557
13 votes
1 answer
6k views

Is this homebrew Dragon Rider class balanced compared to the other official classes?

Is this homebrew Dragon Rider class balanced compared to the other official classes in 5e? Note that all the spells I've put on the Rider spell list require concentration. The class: Dragon Rider ...
qazwsx's user avatar
  • 2,546
6 votes
1 answer
5k views

How do I create a custom playable race?

My friends and I just bought the D&D Starter Set and it only came with a set of pre-created characters. I did a little research (Wikipedia) and found out that in the core books come a larger set ...
Paladin-San's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
470 views

Can Favored Souls choose feats that require cleric levels, such as Initiate of Astilabor?

The Initiate of Astilabor feat (Dragon Magic, p. 20) has the following prequisites: Prerequisite: Cleric level 3rd, dragonblood subtype, deity Astilabor. As a Dracolyte silverbrow human having an ...
Maxpire's user avatar
  • 3,183
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

Can a permanently anthropomorphic animal companion take levels in an NPC or PC class?

I used my Druid power to turn my animal into an anthropomorphic one, and a spell of permanency to make it permanent. Is it possible for my animal take levels in an NPC or PC class?
Gregory benoit's user avatar
24 votes
8 answers
26k views

I'm DMing for a party of two. How can I make sure my players have classes that can play well together?

I am going to be a DM of D&D 5e for my two friends, and they asked me which classes work well paired together. I have only played games with parties of four player characters before, though, so I ...
user avatar
18 votes
6 answers
19k views

What's the difference between a Ranger and a Scout?

Apparently the Complete Adventurer contains rules for a new base class, the Scout. Can anyone explain, at a high-level, what is the difference in character concept between a Ranger and a Scout? When ...
LeguRi's user avatar
  • 6,949
16 votes
2 answers
9k views

What's so bad about Seeker anyways?

I remember being unimpressed about playing a Seeker, and the handbook certainly regards them as a challenge, What core mechanic is such a poor fit? Are there any standard remediations (choice of ...
Brian Ballsun-Stanton's user avatar
16 votes
3 answers
15k views

Are Lawful Evil Tiefling Paladins possible?

I'm creating my character for a new campaign, and as it's only my third campaign I'm struggling a bit. I have been wanting to make a Tiefling for a long time, initially I wanted her to be a warlock ...
Otterchandra's user avatar
14 votes
9 answers
13k views

What should happen when a player does not follow his class at all? (i.e. plays his role badly)

I have a player who created a Druid and is mostly playing like a barbarian in combat and like a rogue the rest of the time. This means he kills animals, does not care for plants, does not use his ...
Alexis Wilke's user avatar
  • 7,401
14 votes
2 answers
12k views

Do Starfinder classes have different tiers of power?

I know that in 3.x (including Pathfinder) it's common to talk about different tiers of classes in terms of power and versatility. Does this also apply to Starfinder, and if so, what are they? I rarely ...
SirTechSpec's user avatar
  • 16.3k
9 votes
1 answer
2k views

If I take the Magic Initiate feat and choose a different class, but pick a spell that's also on my class's list, can I cast it using spell slots?

If I take the Magic Initiate feat and choose a different class's spell list, but pick a spell that's also on my class's spell list, can I cast it using my class's spell slots? I have read this ...
HenryWLee1066's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
1k views

What class(es) should I take on a Dragonfire Inspiration-based archer?

Archery is a combat style with a lot of advantages over melee, but suffers in terms of damage. I'm planning a character based around using Dragonfire Inspiration for damage - none of the silly ...
Miniman's user avatar
  • 144k
5 votes
1 answer
6k views

How do class tiers in Pathfinder shift through levels?

I have read some explanations of abilities that make T1 classes so strong, and what makes T6 classes so useless. However, most of such explanationes mention very high-leveled abilitites, or even ...
R.I.P.30.12.21Baskakov_Dmitriy's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
781 views

Will a spellthief break Pathfinder?

My Pathfinder PC died recently, and the GM is allowing me to pick also from D&D 3.5 classes for my next PC. I'm considering the class spellthief, and my DM has approved this pick, but I'm worried ...
Maiko Chikyu's user avatar
  • 20.8k
5 votes
3 answers
12k views

Can Unearthed Arcana material be used in Adventurers League?

Are classes and other material from Unearthed Arcana articles legal to use in Adventurers League, or are they a kind of beta phase intended for playtest only before they go official?
András's user avatar
  • 64k
38 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is the reason to only give casters a single high level slot up to the upper levels? [closed]

Looking at the spellcasting progression, casters only get a single 8th and a single 9th level slot, from when the spell level becomes available up to the 20th level(1). A similar situation happens to ...
Mindwin Remember Monica's user avatar
27 votes
3 answers
61k views

How "Official" is the Blood Hunter class?

I saw a question recently about the Blood Hunter class, which confused me because the D&D Beyond page for it is very visually distinct from pages for Homebrew, but everything I've seen indicates ...
Kamil Drakari's user avatar
27 votes
2 answers
5k views

What are the literary influences of the D&D Bard?

Can anyone tell me what sources, in literature, film, etc. inspired the Bard class for Dungeons & Dragons? I'm familiar with the Celtic Bards of history and legend, but the modern D&D Bard ...
Joel P. Shempert's user avatar
27 votes
2 answers
4k views

Is there enough disparity between the classes to put them into tiers?

I'm interested in the balance of this new edition's classes. Are casters still noticeably more effective in almost all situations than non casters?
Zarus's user avatar
  • 3,197
18 votes
6 answers
7k views

How long would it take to teach a 6 year old magic? [closed]

I am currently DMing Curse of Strahd for a group of 4 players, including a dwarven life cleric, a circle of the land elf druid, a dwarf fighter, and a half-elf barbarian. After rescuing a few children ...
lightningtrail's user avatar
17 votes
6 answers
15k views

What are martial classes?

What are martial classes in the context of 5e? Is there a consensus on what the terminology means? Are martial classes something that you have to specify to make yourself understood?
Akixkisu's user avatar
  • 19.6k
16 votes
2 answers
2k views

Is succubus in savage species underpowered?

One of my friends mentioned wanting to play a succubus in a pathfinder game and wants to use the savage species succubus class for it though at a glance the succubus class in savage species seems ...
Maiko Chikyu's user avatar
  • 20.8k
13 votes
2 answers
2k views

Is it possible to consistently get spell levels faster than Clerics or Wizards?

In reference to mixing theurge classes with fast-progression classes like the Apostle of Peace, Blighter, or Ur-Preist this answer mentions that "Any time you get a spell level before a Cleric or ...
J. Mini's user avatar
  • 6,304
12 votes
1 answer
32k views

What are class skills in Pathfinder?

Stupid question, but what exactly are class skills in the Pathfinder RPG? I believe it means I get one "free" skill rank in that class, am I right in this assumption?
user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
3k views

How does Hurl Through Hell work in Mechanus?

The variant rule for Mechanus states that all rolls made there are automatically the average. However, what happens when a Fiend Pact Warlock uses their Hurl Through Hell feature there? Can they not ...
Ilya Donskikh's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
361 views

Is the Dwarven Favored Class Bonus for Brawler temporary or permanent and stackable?

For a Dwarf Brawler, you can select the Favored Class Bonus: Brawler: Reduce the hardness of any object made from clay, stone, or metal by 1 whenever the object is struck by the brawler's unarmed ...
Ifusaso's user avatar
  • 43.1k
10 votes
1 answer
770 views

Can Champions cast divine spells from scrolls?

Champions have Focus Spells, and that gives them the Cast a Spell activity. They are also trained in divine spell attacks and divine spell DCs. Is that enough to cast spells from divine scrolls?
András's user avatar
  • 64k
10 votes
1 answer
403 views

Cataphract—homebrew martial adept base class

This is a defensively-minded Tome of Battle martial adept. As with most of my work, I strive to make it stand-alone: ideally, this class should just work, as-is, without any meta commentary, and fit ...
KRyan's user avatar
  • 351k
10 votes
2 answers
1k views

Do ability scores have any effect on casting the Wish spell?

Is a sorcerer able to cast wish in the same way and as effectively as a wizard can? Recently, I had a friendly argument. I wrote my hypothetical wish somewhere around draconic sorcerer level 3. Being ...
Jonaleth Niel Asterion Ixal 's user avatar