D&D’s 2024 Player’s Handbook Is Making A Big Mistake With Martial & Spellcasting Classes

Though it is too early to judge with certainty, playtest material suggests the upcoming 2024 revised rulebooks will create a divide between martial characters and spellcasters that is not present in the current rules. Veteran players recall a 3e perception among fans that martial classes, like Fighter and Barbarian, did not provide a viable contribution when compared to full spellcasters, like Clerics and Wizards. The 4e system corrected this with its unified power progression and distinct class roles. The 2014 5e classes lean closer to 3e in their design, but martial classes could contribute.

Put simply, spellcasting classes are as powerful as the spells they have access to, while martial classes are as powerful as the Feats they have access to.

System-savvy players quickly recognized that ’s Hand Crossbows and Polearm weapons had Feat support, offering bonus action attacks through Crossbow Expert and Polearm Master. Similarly, the Sharpshooter and Great Weapon Master Feats gave characters an option to reduce their attack accuracy by 5 in exchange for adding 10 to their damage when attacking with these weapon types. Feat synergy gave martial classes clear options for delivering unparalleled ranged or melee damage. The Archery Fighting Style helped offset the accuracy penalty for ranged weapon specialists, while the Barbarian’s Reckless Attack gave Advantage, mitigating the reduced accuracy of Great Weapon Master.

The 5e Dungeon Masters Guide for Dungeons & Dragons provides a recommended number of encounters per adventuring day, but nothing on coherent pacing.

While proven builds like a Polearm Barbarian lack the versatility of spellcasters, or the utility outside of combat afforded to Rogues, it is largely inarguable that they are valuable to adventuring parties. Death is the best status effect, and being able to chew through large monster HP totals in a short period of time means less rounds the party must weather counter attacks. Tighter limits to accessing