Min-maxers will soon lose some of their favorite build options for characters in Dungeons & Dragons Due to the upcoming rule changes in the 2024 Player’s Handbook. especially, The strategy of “dipping” into a class with a strong and front-loaded set of abilities will be less powerful. This is because of a change made in each class to the progression of class features. From now on, all subclass specializations are granted at level three.
In the case of some classes, like the fighter, rogue or ranger, this changes nothing. For others, getting their subclass into the first level has been a core part of their identity for yearsAnd this will shift the way they level up and get power entirely. It’s a bold change that has many players upset, both over the ramifications when it comes to multiclass builds and the thematic nature of how certain classes relate to their subclasses, especially the Cleric and Warlock.
Why the level one subclass is important for multiclassing
Less incentive for players to alter their class progression
Multiclassing, or taking levels in another class to switch fights, is a staple of minmaxer builds and experimental players. But often, dividing the levels too much between two or more classes can make a character feel cluttered and less powerful, so the typical strategy is to take only a few levels in another class. Among the most popular classes to “dip” into As these are Cleric, warlock and sorcerer, Which all used to have their subclass features at level one.
Dipping into a class for a level or two and gaining lots of new abilities was a fun way to offer horizontal progression, giving players new options without making them more powerful than their party members.
Because of this, there was a lot to gain from just one level in the classes. Some may argue that the front-loaded options are too powerful compared to others, but in the case of most of them, the power levels are even around level two or three, and any imbalance that remains is more attributed to spellcasting. The characters get some small new abilities to fill in at early levels, however Making progression more uniform than this feels like it detracts from the identity of the classesIn more than just one way.
Level one subclasses often define characters’ powers and stories
Some classes need to know where their power comes from
In the case of the cleric, warlock and sorcerer, Understanding the source of a character’s power is essential to defining their history and background. Sorcerers get their powers from some inherent magical part of themselves or exposure to arcane energy; Clerics receive their service from a god; Warlocks have made a pact with a creature beyond mortal life. The reason it felt natural for them to get their subclass at level one was because the core of their identity was themed around the choice.
Related
It makes more sense for a fighter or rogue, someone who has more choice in how their abilities can grow as they learn and gain experience, to make that decision after a few levels. The points at which the subclass unlocks was not arbitrary But, rather, integral to the narrative of Dungeons & Dragons. Changing that just to make subclass choice uniform between all the classes as they progress just seems wrong.