7,832
edits
Dungeons & Dragons/Classes: Difference between revisions
no edit summary
m (Mass update links) |
HLIAA14YOG (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
| (14 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown) | |||
Line 133:
* [[The Archer]]: One of two specialization options.
* [[The Beast Master]]: Not to quite the same extent as a Druid, though.
* [[Bow and Sword
* [[Dual-Wielding]]: Somewhat [[Mutually Exclusive Powerups|mutually exclusive]] with archery proficiency, though.
* [[Forest Ranger]]: Natch.
Line 155:
* [[Empathy Pet]]: In the form of...
* [[Familiar|Familiars]]
* [[Glass Cannon]]: Like wizards,
* [[In the Blood]]: A sorcerer's powers are innate, as opposed to wizards, who require years of study to learn their magic.
* [[Linear Warriors, Quadratic Wizards]]
Line 168:
==== Wizard / Magic-User / Mage ====
* [[Achilles' Heel]]: Wizards cannot prepare spells without their spellbooks. Very sadistic GMs wanting to equalize the sorcerer/wizard gap are known to exploit this fact.
* [[Badass Bookworm]]: Wizards study dusty old tomes for years to gain the ability to blow stuff up with a flick of the hand.
* [[Crazy Prepared]]: The 2nd and 3rd/3.5 edition wizard was best played with this mindset. Without the cleric's access to all spells each level, wizards must carefully shop for scrolls and prepare the 'right' ones each day.
* [[Creator's Pet]]: The 3rd edition creators, rather infamously, hated the idea of Sorcerer and made sure Wizards were better at every turn.
* [[Empathy Pet]]: Familiars.
* [[Familiar]]
Line 192 ⟶ 193:
* [[Badass Bookworm]]: Archivists add spells to their prayerbook from divine scrolls, and can learn any divine spell in the game, giving them the most versatile spell list around.
* [[Recycled in Space|Recycled In Religion]]: They're essentially Divine Wizards.
* [[Things Man Was Not Meant to Know]]: The flavor of their "Dark Knowledge" feature, though it has no actual mechanical detriment.
==== Ardent ====
Line 213 ⟶ 215:
* [[Invulnerable Knuckles]]
* [[Lightning Bruiser]]: Not quite to the same degree as a Monk, but they're still pretty fast compared to most classes.
* [[
==== Beguiler ====
Line 230 ⟶ 232:
* [[Ars Goetia]]: Many of the Vestiges that Binders make pacts with are based off of demons from the [[Ars Goetia]].
* [[Continuity Nod]]: Some of the Vestiges are based off of characters from events in previous editions of D&D that, due to how they died or were destroyed, have slipped outside of the normal order of existence.
* [[Deal
** The WOTC message boards used to have an epic thread of fan-made vestiges. Many of these were also pop-culture icons, for those players who want to channel [[Ghost Rider]] or [[Homestar Runner|Homsar]].
* [[Red Right Hand]]: Shows up when channelling -- sometimes it is a literal deformity, other times it is a personality quirk like being [[Can Not Tell a Lie|unable to lie]].
Line 239 ⟶ 241:
* [[Arrogant Kung Fu Guy|Arrogant Kung Fu Paladin]]: Pretty common; the class is essentially a Paladin 2.0 with the Tome Of Battle rules, and renowned for being so.
* [[Commanding Officer Powers]]: The White Raven discipline.
* [[Kung Fu Jesus]]: They use divinely inspired martial arts to fight. Inspiration is represented by the DM offering them 3 random cards a turn, each card corresponding to a maneuver.
* [[Made of Iron]]: Damage taken can be delayed up to one round, and the Crusader can heal that damage before it happens (or use the Stone Power feat to negate it outright).
Line 267 ⟶ 270:
* [[Breath Weapon]]: While other characters can pick one up through spells, feats, items, and class features down the line, the Dragonfire Adept is the only class that gets a breath weapon at level 1.
* [[Expy]]: Uses the same casting system as the Warlock.
* [[Full-Contact Magic]]: Compared to other Arcane Users. Not supremely strong, but certainly tougher than others.
* [[Squishy Wizard]]: Averted.
Line 273 ⟶ 276:
Introduced in Heroes of Horror.
* [[Exactly What It Says
* [[Expy]]: Borrows the Warmage's system of casting, but for necromancy spells instead of blasting.
* [[Healing Hands]]: Can expel negative energy at a touch. Infinite healing for any undead (or rare living being healed by negative energy), including themself with the right options.
* [[One Stat to Rule Them All]]: Charisma powers everything the Dread Necro needs to do.
* [[Soul Jar]]: The Dread Necro's level 20 class feature is an automatic transformation into a Lich, complete with the obligatory Phylactery. They even get Craft Wondrous Item as a bonus feat to construct the phylactery, in case they didn't already have it.
* [[Squishy Wizard]]: While only slightly less squishy than normal casters in theory, their infinite healing makes them fairly tankish at times. (For comparison, even the Monk's [[Healing Factor]] is limited to twice the Monk's class level per day.)
* [[Useless Item]]:
==== Duskblade ====
Line 307 ⟶ 310:
Introduced in the book Dungeonscape.
* [[Genius Bruiser]]: A Factotum can supplement an attack or damage roll with their Intelligence modifier, but only a limited number of times per encounter. Also, they gain the ability to constantly apply their Intelligence modifier to Strength and Dexterity-based checks.
** [[Lightning Bruiser]]: [[Action Initiative]] is done with a Dexterity check...
* [[Healing Hands]]: A Factotum can eventually do this.
Line 343 ⟶ 346:
* [[Difficult but Awesome]]: Once you've learned how to play the class, you are nearly on-par with a Factotum.
** Incarnates are capable of utilizing defenses that are normally reserved for spellcasters/manifesters, and are numerically capable of covering any of the four standard roles. Whats more, an Incarnate can change his entire build within 9 hours' time.
* [[Guide Dang It]]: The Incarnate was introduced in a book that wears the title of Most Confusing Splat EVER. Very few people have the know-how to play the class, even on the most popular forums like [[The Order of the Stick
* [[Made of Iron]]: Thanks to having a huge amount of defenses and being focused [[One Stat to Rule Them All|nigh-exclusively]] on Constitution, an Incarnate is very durable. Only the Totemist and Crusader (and, to a lesser extent, the Barbarian) are comparable out of the non-casters.
Line 349 ⟶ 352:
Introduced in Dragon #60, updated for 3.5e in the Dragon Compendium.
* [[Joke Character]]/[[Lethal Joke Character]]: [[Exactly What It Says
==== Knight ====
Line 363 ⟶ 366:
* [[Badass Abnormal]]: Essentially a Rogue with psionic powers up their sleeves.
* [[Overshadowed by Awesome]]: Lurk is an OK class, but since the Psionic Rogue published on the official website for free already did what it was aiming for better and ''Complete Psionic'' is disliked by the people who would be inclined to play a psionic class, Lurk is largely ignored.
* [[Psychic Powers]]
* [[Stealth Expert]]
Line 369 ⟶ 373:
Introduced in the Miniatures Handbook.
* [[Commanding Officer Powers]]: Its signature ability. Unfortunately winds up totally passive in play.
* [[Status Buff]]: The class's main specialty is its auras, a means of buffing one's allies [[The Heart|just by being there]].
* [[The Strategist]]: What this class is supposed to be.
Line 376 ⟶ 381:
* [[Back Stab]]: Of a sort. A Mountebank's Deceptive Attack deals bonus damage against opponents whom they successfully feint against OR whom they have beguiled or otherwise lulled into a false sense of security.
* [[Deal
* [[Greed]]: Whether for [[Lawful Evil|power]], [[Neutral Evil|wealth]], or [[Chaotic Evil|the grim satisfaction of watching the world burn]], Mountebanks tend to be big on the greed.
* [[Hypnotic Eyes]]: One of the class' earliest abilities, which naturally works rather well with their Deceptive Attack feature.
Line 386 ⟶ 391:
* [[Nerf]]: It's like a neutered Rogue. Even with the ability to become invisible, it's not that powerful.
* [[Ninja]]: [[Exactly What It Says
* [[Stealth Expert]]
Line 392 ⟶ 397:
* [[And I Must Scream]]: Psionic powers can be nasty.
* [[Back
* [[Mana]]: Called Power Points, but function as a mana meter, in contrast to normal [[Vancian Magic]] casters.
* [[Mind Rape]]: In several delicious flavours. Injecting an enemy's mind with a second, simultaneously-functioning personality that hates them is only one example.
Line 401 ⟶ 406:
==== Psychic Rogue ====
Introduced in the [https://web.archive.org/web/20210729143628/http://
* [[Back Stab]]: Much like their nonpsionic cousin class, Sneak Attacks are part of the deal. Psychic Rogues get a slower bonus damage progression, but can potentially reinforce them with psychic power.
* [[Loveable Rogue]]
* [[Master of Unlocking]]
* [[Psychic Powers]]: [[Exactly What It Says
* [[Stealth Expert]]
Line 413 ⟶ 418:
* [[Empathic Healer]]: Can donate their hit points to their teammates, and later learns to drain enemies for quick healing.
* [[Magic Knight]]: The psionic version thereof.
* [[Poor Predictable Rock]]:
* [[Psychic Powers]]
Line 423 ⟶ 428:
==== Savant ====
Introduced in Dragon #140, updated for 3.5e in the Dragon Compendium. Notably, it is the only one classes from that book to be entirely original rather than a variant of an existing class.
* [[Master of None]]
* [[Overshadowed by Awesome]]: Essentially a worse, more clumbersome, Factotum.
==== Scout ====
Line 433 ⟶ 439:
* [[Kiting]]: The class's specialty.
* [[Stealth Expert]]: Not to the same extent as the Rogue, since its Skirmish ability doesn't rely on surprise like a Rogue's Sneak Attack, but Scouts are still good at remaining unseen.
* [[Took a Level
==== Shadowcaster ====
Line 459 ⟶ 465:
Introduced in Oriental Adventures, reintroduced in Complete Divine.
* [[Elemental Powers]]: Its spell list consists of Cleric and Wizard spells re-flavored as elemental spells.
* [[Shock and Awe]]: One of their notable features compared to other divine casters is their ability to get Lightning Bolt as a divine spell, qualifying them for the Hexer prestige class. Since that was intended to boost the NPC class adept to boss level threat, its quite potent on them.
* [[Squishy Wizard]]: Since the 3.0 version was for [[Legend of the Five Rings|Rokugan]], where Shugenja wearing armor was socially unacceptable, they have no armor proficiencies despite the lack of penalties for armored divine casters. It unfortunately retains that limitation even when stripped of the setting specific flavor in its 3.5 update.
==== Sohei ====
Line 486 ⟶ 494:
Introduced in Complete Divine.
* [[Ascended Extra]]: While the class remains ''very'' obscure, its unusual spellcasting method became the standard for prepared casters in Fifth Edition.
* [[Difficult but Awesome]]: About as good as you'd expect a Spontaneous Druid to be, minus the Wildshape and Animal Companion. Still relatively good, and is the only Spontaneous Caster capable of completely rewriting its own spell list every 24 hours.
* [[Nature Hero]]
Line 524 ⟶ 533:
* [[Badass Normal]]: Lack any real supernatural abilities by default, but fairly useful despite this.
* [[Blood Knight]]: According to fluff text, warblades ''really'' love fighting.
* [[Calling Your Attacks]]: Not technically part of the mechanics, but almost inevitable when playing with the Tome of Battle maneuver system.
* [[Commanding Officer Powers]]: White Raven discipline.
* [[Genius Bruiser]]: Most of the class features apply your Intelligence score to different combat tactics.
==== Warlock ====
Introduced in Complete Arcane. Unlike most non-core classes, support for it appeared in most subsequent books.
* [[Ascended Extra]]: The one non-core base class to appear in ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2]]'' without mods or expansions, and managed to make the core for both Fourth Edition and Fifth Edition.
* [[Dark Is Not Evil]]: A Warlock does not have to be evil (they can be chaotic instead), despite often getting their powers from fiendish sources.
* [[Magic Knight]]: The Glaivelock build.
Line 552 ⟶ 562:
Introduced in Oriental Adventures, updated for 3.5e in Complete Arcane.
* [[Elemental Powers]]: Each Wu Jen specializes in one particular element. The choices are: [[Dishing Out Dirt|Earth]], [[Playing
* [[Weaksauce Weakness]]: Each Wu Jen selects various taboos they must keep to avoid losing power for the rest of the day. ''Most'' of the suggested taboos only cover their own conduct, but some are exploitable if an enemy knows that [[Grievous Harm with a Body|they can't touch dead bodies]].
== 3.0 & 3.5 Edition [[Prestige Classes]] ==
Line 559 ⟶ 569:
==== Alienist ====
A [[Prestige Class
* [[Body Horror]]: Alienists tend to grow eyes, tentacles, or mouths where there previously were none. Any [[Familiar]] the alienist has develops them first.
Line 566 ⟶ 576:
* [[Insanity Immunity]]: You might want to hold off reading their minds, too.
* [[Power Born of Madness]]: Alienists gain an insanity score which equals half their class level. This score is detracted from their Wisdom attribute ([[Failed a Spot Check|meaning they may not be hearing or seeing the things normal folk do]]), but added to their Intelligence attribute for additional spells. Once or twice per day, they can pull off [[Crazy Awesome|crazy stuff]] because of their insanity.
* [[Summon Magic]]/[[Enemy Summoner]]: Now with added tentacles!
* [[Squishy Wizard]]: As with most spellcasters, Alienists aren't that hardy (barring creative use of the [[Half-Human Hybrid|half]]-[[Eldritch Abomination|Farspawn template]]), but gain a measure of [[Damage Reduction
* [[Tier
==== Arcane Archer ====
Line 576 ⟶ 586:
==== Arcane Trickster ====
A prestige class from
* [[Ascended Extra]]: Originally created for the supplement ''Tome and Blood'', it became one of the core prestige classes in 3.5, and a core rogue "Roguish Archetype" in Fifth Edition.
==== Archmage ====
Line 590 ⟶ 600:
==== Blackguard ====
A prestige class from the ''Dungeon Master's Guide''. Blackguards are evil divine warriors much in the way that Paladins are good ones.
* [[Evil Counterpart]]: To Paladin.
==== Frenzied Berserker ====
Line 606 ⟶ 618:
==== Sunmaster ====
A prestige class from ''[[Forgotten Realms
* [[Blinded
* [[Glowing Eyes of Doom]]: Starting at second level, their eyes glow orange, and they can shoot beams of light from them.
* [[Law Versus Chaos]]: Strongly on the law side. Amaunator was viewed as a deity who brings order to the world.
Line 629 ⟶ 641:
=== Commoner ===
* [[Lethal Joke Character]]: The "Chicken Infested" joke "flaw" lets them produce infinite chickens. Due to its lack of ''everything'', its common to use the class to showcase absurd things that can be achieved with feats, skills and items alone.
* [[Muggles]]: A Commoner is about as weak as a class can get without already being dead. Few hit points, skills more suited for menial labor than adventuring, and no unique abilities whatsoever.
* [[This Loser Is You]]: Averted. The Dungeon Master's Guide is very clear on the fact that the NPC classes are not suitable for player characters, on the basis of their laughable weakness.
Line 642 ⟶ 654:
An NPC class integral to the setting of [[Eberron]].
* [[Lethal Joke Character]]: While not to the extent of Adept, they can still overshadow some of the worse player classes, especially when using things that expand their spell list.
* [[Fridge Logic]]: Magewrights were born from the question of who is manufacturing all these cheap magic items. See, there are these weak, common arcane spellcasters with only passive spells...
Line 663 ⟶ 676:
==== Assassin ====
The assassin is a Shadow Striker from ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]''
* [[Casting a Shadow]]
Line 669 ⟶ 682:
* [[Instant Awesome, Just Add Ninja]]
* [[Master Poisoner]]
* [[Tier
==== Executioner (Assassin) ====
Line 680 ⟶ 693:
* [[Badass Preacher]]
* [[
* [[Church Militant]]
* [[Holy Hand Grenade]]
Line 783 ⟶ 796:
* [[Simple Staff]]
* [[Bow and Sword
==== Invoker ====
Line 791 ⟶ 804:
* [[Divine Intervention]]
* [[The Heretic]]: May be viewed as one for eschewing the church for a more direct connection to the deity.
* [[Mission
* [[Summon Magic]]
Line 843 ⟶ 856:
The ranger is a Martial Striker from the ''Player's Handbook''.
* [[The Archer]]: [[Exactly What It Says
* [[Badass Normal]]
* [[The Beast Master]]: [[Exactly What It Says
* [[Bow and Sword
* [[Dual-Wielding]]: [[Exactly What It Says
* [[Forest Ranger]]
* [[The Hunter]]
* [[Nature Hero]]
Line 871 ⟶ 884:
==== Thief (Rogue) ====
The thief is a Martial Striker sub-class of the rogue from ''Heroes of the Fallen Lands''. It differs from the standard rogue by not having attack powers, instead using only basic attacks modified by tricks and powers.
==== Runepriest ====
Line 913 ⟶ 926:
* [[Teleport Spam]]: Not quite so adept at it as the Battlemind, but Swordmages get a lot of teleporting moves.
* [[Weapon of Choice]]: Go on, guess.
** Though, because their class is keyed off of using "Light Blade" class weapons and "Heavy Blade" class weapons, it's just as viable for a swordmage to be wielding a [[Sinister Scythe|scythe]], [[Blade
==== Warden ====
Line 927 ⟶ 940:
The warlock is an Arcane Striker from the ''Player's Handbook''.
* [[Dark Is Not Evil]]: Spelled out in the handbook.
* [[The Dark Arts]]
* [[Deal
* [[Lovecraftian Superpower]]
* [[Magic Missile]]
Line 939 ⟶ 952:
* [[Evil Weapon]]: According to one of the pacts.
** Infernal Pact gets the [[Names to Run Away From Really Fast|Blade of Annihlation]], a [[
** Star Pact gets the Starshadow Blade, a reskinned Bastard Sword.
** Gloom Pact [[Whip It Good|Whips it good]] with the Scourge of Exquisite Agony.
** Fey Pact gets two: Either the [[
* [[Magic Knight]]
* [[Summon Magic]]
Line 949 ⟶ 962:
The Binder is an Arcane and Shadow Controller Warlock subclass from ''Heroes of Shadow.'' It differs from normal Warlocks by being geared towards controlling the battle rather than dealing massive amounts of damage.
* [[An Ice Person]]: At-will power slows opponents with cold.
* [[Summon Magic]]
Line 958 ⟶ 971:
* [[Badass Normal]]
* [[The Captain]]
* [[Commanding Officer Powers]]: Pairs with hitting things as its main focus.
* [[Drill Sergeant Nasty]]
* [[Genius Bruiser]]
Line 981 ⟶ 995:
* [[Casting a Shadow]]: The Nethermancer school from ''Heroes of Shadow''.
* [[Necromancer]]: The other school from ''Heroes of Shadow''.
* [[Playing
==== Witch (Wizard) ====
The witch is an Arcane Controller sub-class of the wizard from ''Heroes of the Feywild''.
==== Vampire ====
Vampires. Obviously. A Shadow Striker class from ''Heroes Of Shadow.''
* [[Bare-Fisted Monk]]: Vampires are geared towards melee combat, and have literally no need to use weapons, as one at-will power (which doubles as a basic attack) does 1d10 damage at first level; this puts their basic damage on par with a fighter using a greatsword.
* [[Blood Magic]]: The powers that cost them healing surges are flavoured as such.
* [[Cast
* [[Dark Is Not Evil]]
* [[Healing Factor]]: The only class that heals itself automatically. [[Made of Indestructium|This means that anything that doesn't instantly kill them]] [[Implacable Man|will just make them angry.]]
* [[Lethal Joke Character]]: Very weak in combat, dealing lower damage than even the Assassin. Also, [[Made of Iron]].
* [[Our Vampires Are Different]]: Close-combat experts that develop magical powers which put the original Dracula to shame.
* [[Voluntary Shapeshifting]]: Into a bat.
* [[Weakened
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Dungeons
[[Category:Classes]]
| |||