Variant Class: Difference between revisions
1d4chan>Slipmcripfist m added table |
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| Line 11: | Line 11: | ||
!Source | !Source | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="6" | Barbarian | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Horselord]] | |[[Horselord]] | ||
| Line 25: | Line 25: | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | |[[Variant Barbarian]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |||
|- | |||
! rowspan="7" | Bard | |||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Bardic Sage]] | |[[Bardic Sage]] | ||
| Line 42: | Line 45: | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | |[[Variant Bard]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |||
|- | |||
! rowspan="11" | Cleric | |||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Ancestral Speaker]] | |[[Ancestral Speaker]] | ||
| Line 71: | Line 77: | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | |[[Variant Cleric]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |||
|- | |||
! rowspan="12" | Druid | |||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Druidic Avenger]] | |[[Druidic Avenger]] | ||
| Line 93: | Line 102: | ||
|[[Urban Druid]] | |[[Urban Druid]] | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #317 pgs. 30 | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #317 pgs. 30 | ||
|- | |||
|[[Variant Druid]] | |||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Wild Reaper]] | |[[Wild Reaper]] | ||
| Line 103: | Line 115: | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #311 pgs. 60-62 | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #311 pgs. 60-62 | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="18" | Fighter | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Bodyguard]] | |[[Bodyguard]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pg. 33 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Commander]] | |[[Commander]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 33-34 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Corsair]] | |[[Corsair]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 34-35 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Dirty Fighter]] | |[[Dirty Fighter]] | ||
| Line 118: | Line 130: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Exoticist]] | |[[Exoticist]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pg. 35 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Fencer]] | |[[Fencer]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 35-36 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Horseman]] | |[[Horseman]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 36 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Janissary]] | |[[Janissary]] | ||
| Line 130: | Line 142: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Kensai]] | |[[Kensai]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 36 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Knight]] | |[[Knight]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 36-37 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Pugilist]] | |[[Pugilist]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 37-38 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Shield Bearer]] | |[[Shield Bearer]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pg. 38 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Survivalist]] | |[[Survivalist]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pg. 38 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Targetteer]] | |[[Targetteer]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 38-39 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Thane]] | |[[Thane]] | ||
| Line 153: | Line 165: | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | |[[Variant Fighter]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |||
|- | |||
! rowspan="11" | Monk | |||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Chaos Monk]] | |[[Chaos Monk]] | ||
| Line 159: | Line 174: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Holy Monk]] | |[[Holy Monk]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pg. 45 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Hunter Monk]] | |[[Hunter Monk]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pg. 45 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Martial Monk]] | |[[Martial Monk]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pg. 45 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Raging Monk]] | |[[Raging Monk]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pg. 45 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Sidewinder Monk]] | |[[Sidewinder Monk]] | ||
| Line 174: | Line 189: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Steadfast Monk]] | |[[Steadfast Monk]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pg. 45 | ||
|- | |||
|[[Variant Monk]] | |||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Vigilant Monk]] | |[[Vigilant Monk]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pg. 45 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Wild Monk]] | |[[Wild Monk]] | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="16" | Paladin | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Anarch]] (CN) | |[[Anarch]] (CN) | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 47-49 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Anti-Paladin]] (CE) | |[[Anti-Paladin]] (CE) | ||
| Line 191: | Line 209: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Avenger]] (CG) | |[[Avenger]] (CG) | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 49-50 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Corrupter]] (NE) | |[[Corrupter]] (NE) | ||
| Line 200: | Line 218: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Enforcer]] (LN) | |[[Enforcer]] (LN) | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 53-54 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Incarnate]] (N) | |[[Incarnate]] (N) | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 52-53 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Inquisitor]] | |[[Inquisitor]] | ||
| Line 218: | Line 236: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Sentinel]] (NG) | |[[Sentinel]] (NG) | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 50-52 | ||
|- | |||
|[[Variant Paladin]] | |||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Warrior Paladin]] | |[[Warrior Paladin]] | ||
| Line 226: | Line 247: | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="8" | Ranger | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Mystic Ranger]] | |[[Mystic Ranger]] | ||
| Line 239: | Line 260: | ||
|[[Urban Ranger]] | |[[Urban Ranger]] | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
|[[Variant Ranger]] | |||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Warrior Ranger]] | |[[Warrior Ranger]] | ||
| Line 246: | Line 270: | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="4" | Rogue | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Adventurer]] | |[[Adventurer]] | ||
| Line 254: | Line 278: | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | |[[Variant Paladin]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |||
|- | |||
! rowspan="4" | Sorcerer | |||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Battle Sorcerer]] | |[[Battle Sorcerer]] | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
|[[Variant Paladin]] | |||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pgs. 58-59 | |||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Witch]] | |[[Witch]] | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="10" | Wizard | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Anagakok]] | |[[Anagakok]] | ||
| Line 287: | Line 317: | ||
|[[Soul Reaper]] | |[[Soul Reaper]] | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #312 pgs. 34-36 | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #312 pgs. 34-36 | ||
|- | |||
|[[Variant Paladin]] | |||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 59 | |||
|} | |} | ||
Revision as of 07:39, 19 January 2023
A Variant Class is a mechanic that is applied in RPGs with a distinct class-structure approach; more freeform games, such as Unknown Armies, GURPS, Deadlands, World of Darkness, etc, would have no use for it.
As the name suggests, a variant class is an alternative set of traits and features applied to an existing class for a different interpretation of the class's core concept whilst still retaining greater cohesion. Variant classes are simpler and easier to use than full-fledged alternate classes, because they "piggyback" most of their traits on the existing class. Dungeons & Dragons has long made extensive use of this practice, from the Kits of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons to the openly named variant classes and (closely related but not quite the same) alternate class features of 3rd Edition to the "Archetypes" mechanics of Pathfinder and 5th Edition.
Examples of variant classes in D&D include the Sidhe Scholar (a Druid who learns its lore from fae tutors, giving it unique traits like learning Evil Domain spells) and the Paladins of Freedom, Tyranny and Slaughter (Paladins who must be Chaotic Good, Lawful Evil and Chaotic Evil, respectively). Similarly, 4th Edition has the oft-maligned Essentials classes from the latter parts of the edition's lifespan (Usually from the Heroes of X classes) which attempted to simplify the progressions of classes by making overarching features that progressed as the character advanced, but often stripped the character of any choice from the parent class' powers and sticking them with leftovers.