Variant Class: Difference between revisions
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Examples of variant classes in ''D&D'' include the [[Sidhe Scholar]] (a [[Druid]] who learns its lore from [[Fey|fae]] tutors, giving it unique traits like learning [[Alignment|Evil]] [[Cleric Domain|Domain]] spells) and the [[Paladin]]s 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. | Examples of variant classes in ''D&D'' include the [[Sidhe Scholar]] (a [[Druid]] who learns its lore from [[Fey|fae]] tutors, giving it unique traits like learning [[Alignment|Evil]] [[Cleric Domain|Domain]] spells) and the [[Paladin]]s 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. | ||
==3. | ==3.x E== | ||
{|cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" align="center" border="1" style="background:Ivory4";" width="100%" | {|cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" align="center" border="1" style="background:Ivory4";" width="100%" | ||
|- style=background:#565656 align=center align=center | |- style=background:#565656 align=center align=center | ||
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!Source | !Source | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="5" | Barbarian | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Horselord]] | |[[Horselord]] | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #338 pg. 88 | |||
|[[ | |||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Implacable]] | |[[Implacable]] | ||
| Line 30: | Line 26: | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="6" | Bard | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Bardic Sage]] | |[[Bardic Sage]] | ||
| Line 37: | Line 33: | ||
|[[Divine Bard]] | |[[Divine Bard]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 50 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 50 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Harbinger]] | |[[Harbinger]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #337 pg. 93 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Savage Bard]] | |[[Savage Bard]] | ||
| Line 50: | Line 43: | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="10" | Cleric | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Ancestral Speaker]] | |[[Ancestral Speaker]] | ||
| Line 63: | Line 56: | ||
|[[Benevolent]] | |[[Benevolent]] | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #311 pg. 50 | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #311 pg. 50 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Cloistered Cleric]] | |[[Cloistered Cleric]] | ||
| Line 82: | Line 72: | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="11" | Druid | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Druidic Avenger]] | |[[Druidic Avenger]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 51 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 51 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Metal Master]] | |[[Metal Master]] | ||
| Line 117: | Line 104: | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #311 pgs. 60-62 | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #311 pgs. 60-62 | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="17" | Fighter | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Bodyguard]] | |[[Bodyguard]] | ||
| Line 127: | Line 114: | ||
|[[Corsair]] | |[[Corsair]] | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 34-35 | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 34-35 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Exoticist]] | |[[Exoticist]] | ||
| Line 224: | Line 208: | ||
|[[Incarnate]] (N) | |[[Incarnate]] (N) | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 52-53 | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 52-53 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Paladin of Freedom]] | |[[Paladin of Freedom]] | ||
| Line 240: | Line 221: | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 50-52 | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #310 pgs. 50-52 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Variant Paladin]] | |[[Solstice Knight]] | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #338 pg. 94 | |||
|- | |||
|[[Variant Paladin]] (UA) | |||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[ | |[[Variant Paladin]] (CW) | ||
| | |[[Complete Book Series|Complete Warrior]] pg. 13 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Wyrmslayer]] | |[[Wyrmslayer]] | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #332 pg. 90 | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #332 pg. 90 | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="7" | Ranger | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Mystic Ranger]] | |[[Mystic Ranger]] | ||
| | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #336 pg. 105 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Planar Ranger]] | |[[Planar Ranger]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 55 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 55 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Urban Ranger]] | |[[Urban Ranger]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pgs. 55-56 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pgs. 55-56 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Variant Ranger]] | |[[Variant Ranger]] (UA) | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[ | |[[Variant Ranger]] (CW) | ||
| | |[[Complete Book Series|Complete Warrior]] pg. 13 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Wild Defender]] | |[[Wild Defender]] | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #324 pg. 95 | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #324 pg. 95 | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="3" | Rogue | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Wilderness Rogue]] | |[[Wilderness Rogue]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 56 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 56 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Variant | |[[Variant Rogue]] (UA) | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 58 | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan=" | ! rowspan="3" | Sorcerer | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Battle Sorcerer]] | |[[Battle Sorcerer]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 56-57 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 56-57 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Variant | |[[Variant Sorcerer]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pgs. 58-59 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pgs. 58-59 | ||
|- | |- | ||
! rowspan="10" | Wizard | ! rowspan="10" | Wizard | ||
| Line 320: | Line 295: | ||
|[[Dragon Magazine]] #312 pgs. 34-36 | |[[Dragon Magazine]] #312 pgs. 34-36 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[Variant | |[[Variant Wizard]] | ||
|[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 59 | |[[Unearthed Arcana]] pg. 59 | ||
|} | |} | ||
Revision as of 07:05, 20 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.
3.x E
4E
As mentioned above, all the variant classes for 4th Edition weren't using the AEDU system that most classes up until that point were using. Being the creation of Essentials, which tried to simplify the creation and play process for 4E, but to...less than stellar results.
- Blackguard - Variant Paladin with powers drawn from vices.
- Berserker - Variant Barbarian focused on a striking anyone who gets too close.
- Binder - Variant Warlock with less curses.
- Bladesinger - Variant Wizard who casts spells through a sword. Loses out on a lot of the supplementary spells from stuff like Arcane Power.
- Cavalier - Variant Paladin that's focused more on offense at the cost of healing potential.
- Elementalist - Variant Sorcerer powered by the elements.
- Executioner - Variant Assassin who exchanges dailies for crafting poisons and sacrifices encounter powers for a lone encounter power that adds extra damage.
- Hexblade - Variant Warlock who wields a special pact weapon and summons monsters.
- Hunter - Variant Ranger that's focused on archery and stances.
- Knight - Variant Fighter focused more on defensive auras and stances.
- Protector - Variant Druid with an AoE attack instead of Wildshape. Sacrifices dailies for a multi-use power to summon creatures.
- Mage - Variant Wizard focused more on a particular school of magic.
- Scout - Variant Ranger more focused on dual-wielding.
- Sentinel - Variant Druid with an animal companion.
- Sha'ir - Variant Wizard who controls a Gen like a familiar.
- Skald - Variant Bard with an aura that lets others gain extra HP when they spend a recovery.
- Slayer - Variant Fighter more focused on offense.
- Thief - Variant Rogue that's more of a skill monkey and has a special encounter power for a meaner sneak attack.
- Witch - Variant Wizard with a familiar and fortune-telling.
| Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Classes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player's Handbook 1 | Cleric • Fighter • Paladin • Ranger • Rogue • Warlock • Warlord • Wizard | |
| Player's Handbook 2 | Avenger • Barbarian • Bard • Druid • Invoker • Shaman • Sorcerer • Warden | |
| Player's Handbook 3 | Ardent • Battlemind • Monk • Psion • Runepriest • Seeker | |
| Heroes of X | Blackguard* • Binder* • Cavalier* • Elementalist* • Hexblade* • Hunter* • Mage* • Knight* • Protector* • Scout* • Sentinel* • Skald* • Slayer* • Sha'ir* • Thief* • Vampire* • Warpriest* • Witch* | |
| Settings Book | Artificer • Bladesinger* • Swordmage | |
| Dragon Magazine | Assassin | |
| Others | Paragon Path • Epic Destiny | |
| *·: Non-AEDU variant classes | ||
Pathfinder
While the Archetype system helped cut down on the extreme amount of variant classes as seen above, this game wasn't exactly immune to the phenomenon.
The first of the lot are the "Unchained" classes (of which there are for the Barbarian, Monk, Rogue, and Summoner). These weren't too different from their base classes aside from rewordings to avoid abuse cases - which were extremely common in the case of the Summoner. In most cases, these were treated as little more than sidegrades with an RAW issue of blocking off all archetypes not explicitly written with them in mind.
The second are the actual variant classes: