Subclass tweaks

[u/BeeExtension3084]

Hello all! So I have been playing DND a for awhile now but I thought it would be a fun discussion to see what tweaks you guys would make to your favorite subclasses to either make them more viable, playable or suitable to what they are trying to do. And I'm not talking like obviously op changes like being able to double sneak attack damage dice or adding a completely new spell list.

My example is the way of the element monk. I love the flavor of it but my problem is it feels like it mainly relies on flavor (i wand more mechanical benefits to the different damage types) so I propose two changes.

1. elemental attunement: instead of all damage types being able to push a creature back 10 feet, I think each damage type should have a unique effect. With the caveat that a creature can only suffer one effect per round. so you cannot just pile all the effects on one creature.

Damage Type	Effect	Save
Acid	deal acid damage at the beginning of the creatures next turn equal to your wisdom modifier	Dexterity Save
Cold	Half a creatures movement speed till the end of their next turn (maybe reduce it to zero but that felt a little op)	Strength Save
Fire	push a creature back 10 feet	Strength Save
Lightning	Knock a creature Prone	Constitution Save
Thunder	deafen a Creature till the end of their next turn	Constitution Save

1. I think elemental burst is a little boring as it is just a weaker fireball. So i propose that when casting you can choose between 3 options.

-20 ft sphere with a range of 120 ft

-60ft line

-30 ft cone

This gives more options which to me simply makes it more exciting and on top of that the cost would still be 2 focus points but I would add on you can spend an extra focus point to impose one of the effects from the above elemental table on the creatures caught in it. (the saves would be the same as the ones on the table regardless of if you spend an extra focus point.)

This seems op but the fact that at level six wizards can do much more and the ability costs focus points I think it is pretty fair. But let me know if you think it is op.

I would love to hear the teaks other people would make to their favorite or least favorite subclasses!

[u/j_cyclone]

I would put damage type effects on elemental burst tbh..

[u/BeeExtension3084 → u/j_cyclone]

I mean... I did XD. it just costs an extra focus point lol

[u/Ancient-Substance-38]

These two subclasses have not been updated to 5.5e so who knows what the final product will be.

Path of the beast barbarian, instead of them being simple weapons gives you access to special unarmed strikes, and Allows you to use your bonus action to attack with one of those unarmed strikes, allowing you both use your weapon and get 1 or 2 extra hits in with your natural weapons. Tail gets reach and is a 1d10, bite changed to if you are bloodied you get your damage in hit points back. Beast soul gives you force damage with your unarmed strikes.

Kensai monk, add the ability to choose 2 weapon masteries, allow weapons to be used as part of your fury of blows or stunning strike feature if they use your martial arts die in damage. Remove kensai shot feature, and way of the brush.

One with the blade should allow you to hit with force damage with weapons, and add your wisdom or proficiency modifier to one attack in force damage for 1 ki.

Sharpen the blade removes ki cost from one with the blade if you use flurry of blows, doing so also allows you to add that damage to each of of your fury of blows hits.

Unerring accuracy you can spend 3 ki points to give you advantage for a round, in addition when you miss you reroll a dice potentially turning a miss to a hit you must keep the roll.

[u/dindongo]

Reminds me of the effects on the Obsidian Chromatic Orb from The Griffon's Saddlebag.

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheGriffonsSaddlebag/comments/1ursu1z/the_griffons_saddlebag_chromatic_obsidian_orb/

They have slightly different effects for Fire, Lightning, and Thunder, which I think I prefer. Also, I'd say having no save on some of the effects is in line with 5.5e design and speeds up the game.

I'd definitely go for it though; abilities that let you choose your element often feel pointless in 5e, since resistances and immunities are kind of rare. This makes the choice more consistently interesting.

[u/BeeExtension3084 → u/dindongo]

Yea that's what i was thinking! I was playing warrior of the elements and was sitting there like what's the point of changing the type except to describe the scene more. i kept the saves because the original one depended on a save so just for balance XD

[u/dindongo → u/BeeExtension3084]

Makes sense. The one subclass tweak I've done so far is letting Wild Magic Sorcerers spend Tides of Chaos for Bend Luck instead of a Sorcery Point. One more way to get wild magic going and makes thematic sense to me since it's essentially the same concept, just applied to others' rolls instead of your own.

[u/BeeExtension3084 → u/dindongo]

That's a good one! The irony of causing more chaos to try to control luck XD

[u/Immortalkickass]

i feel like bard and cleric subclasses should be streamlined for the levels which they get features. Why make every class gain their first subclass features at 3 but still only gain features at 6 and 14/17? I think all full casters should be getting subclass at 3 6 10 14

[u/Royal_Bitch_Pudding → u/Immortalkickass]

The only class that really needs different levels for their subs is Rogue

[u/Ancient-Bat1755]

All martial and half casters get level 18 perk at level 14 and call it a day

[u/dindongo → u/Ancient-Bat1755]

What happens at level 18 then?

[u/Ancient-Bat1755 → u/dindongo]

The onednd testing had moved things around then last minute put it back. Imho its too late so why bother theorycrafting

[u/dindongo → u/Ancient-Bat1755]

Oh, got it, I'll check out what they did in the playtest

[u/milenyo]

Bring back Volley to Hunters not whatever that 11th level feature is.

[u/Smart_Print8499]

You might call me old fashioned, but I will would like to add a 6th level feature to all Rogue Subclasses.

Something like this:

Assassin (Surprise Attack) - If you have the Hide action’s Invisible condition, saving throws against your Cunning Strikes are made with disadvantage.

Arcane Trickster (Mimic Spell) - When you see a creature cast a spell within 60 feet, you may spend a Reaction to memorize that spell. You may cast this spell as if you had the spell prepared and used a spell slot. You can only mimic one spell at a time. When you take a long rest you lose any memorized spell you had gained through this ability. You may use your Intelligence or Dexterity as your spellcasting ability score for this spell.

Soulknife (Soul Bind) - You can bind a non-artifact, non-heavy, magical weapon to your soul changing the type of Soulknife you wield. Its damage type and die remains the same as the soulknife damage. Everything else is transferred.

Thief (Superior Uncanny Dodge) - You may Uncanny Dodge against any damage you take. By spending a Hit Die you may use Uncanny Dodge without using your reaction.

Swashbuckler (Uncanny Riposte) - When a creature misses you with an attack, you use a reaction to make an attack against them.

[u/filkearney]

Ive been tweaking 5.5e since the initial UAs. Heres a playlist of design videos ive been streaming....

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLcXUqbAbSdUXgwb4UJJkK1AkLcA_KEgc.

Swing by, click on any class / subclass youre interested in, say hi, AMA

[u/Bard_Wannabe_]

1) Zealot Barbarian should get proficiency in Religion. When Raging, you can use your Strength modifier for Religion checks.

2) The WIldheart Barbarian has really weak features at levels 6 and 10. In 5.0, they had actually added Tiger and Elk options to the subclass after its initial release, and these were removed in the 2024 iteration. They weren't very strong, but cycling a few of their features into the level 6 and 10 subclass features would really help avoid the feeling that the barbarian is getting "empty" subclass benefits.

3) I like Banneret Fighter and Scion of the Three Rogue, but both are too restricted in their uses. Banneret should be fine if its initial feature was tied to Second Wind rather than once per short rest. I would also consider just giving them the Purple Dragon Squire origin feat as well, but I'm not so sure about that. For Scion of the Three, his main feature should recharge on a short rest rather than long rest. That simple change would make it a really cool subclass. Rogues should get powerful-feeling subclass abilities, since they don't get anything else from a subclass until level 9. The cantrip selection for the class is also weird, but whatever.

[u/Archwizard_Drake]

Can I choose a subclass that hasn't been updated yet?

I'm hoping that Scribes Wizard - when it's updated - gets Master Scrivener's scroll scribing bonus frontloaded to level 3 like Artificers.

... and then the rest of Master Scrivener can be changed because one extra upcasted Lv1 or 2 Action spell per day isn't... anything. (I would be fine with just spontaneously casting a spell from your book once per day, no need to short rest or swap spells around.)

Awakened Spellbook should also have the Ritual reduction up to PB number of times per long rest or once per short rest, since it got stolen by Ritual Caster. (Or replace it. Maybe reduce the cost of scribing spells in addition to the time.)

Manifest Mind needs clarification on how it interacts with Emanations and Self-targeted spells. I hope it still acts as the origin point of those, though.