The acceptable caveat would be to allow us to use subclasses from level 1. I have a few classes I've built on my own (with stats derived from existing but with whole new spellsets) or adapted from 3.5e, that I would like to use from the get-go, and (although, as the term was used above, I'm an armchair programmer) a workaround would be to let us use SC starting at 1. I know a lot of herp derps would probably misuse this, but it would be a compromise I know I could easily deal with. No absurd hit dice from That Guy, no wacky weapon options unless you add them in manually. Just let us use subclasses at level 1 and I think this would mechanically solve the problem, even with the sheets not saying the subclass name in the corner.
(Ignore this and educate me if there is a way to do that, because I keep getting errors that I'm using my own homebrew spells in homebrew subclasses which is a different kind of bonkers, and that my subclass doesn't match level requirements.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"I'd like to see if there's anyone in this bar hot enough to buy a drink for." "Roll perception." "Nat 1. I guess I'm the hottest person in here." "You buy yourself a drink."
What i dont understand is, if they have it where you can do the subclasses, why cant they apply that to classes? like, whats the difference between adding in subclass features, and making the base character features? just take what they do for subclasses, where you can name it, supply descriptions, etc, and just make it for base classes. all it'd need different would be the option for starting equipment, which they already have an option for for backgrounds, and the ability to have subclasses.
Bases classes are wholly different from subclasses. Subclasses all follow the same template as determined by the base class, using the base classes mechanics as a framework. However, a full class has no such limitations and needs to support every possible feature you could dream of. Just compare the Paladin to the Druid, two very different classes with different class structures, progressions and rules.
Remember that the homebrew subclass creator is more than just a name, description and starting equipment, it needs all the mechanics coded in for things like character builder and character sheet. A lot of these options were manually coded (not made using an editor) for the existing classes because the initial assumption was that it'd only need to be done once per class. They're having to change that, thus having to build a whole new toolset.
Bases classes are wholly different from subclasses. Subclasses all follow the same template as determined by the base class, using the base classes mechanics as a framework. However, a full class has no such limitations and needs to support every possible feature you could dream of. Just compare the Paladin to the Druid, two very different classes with different class structures, progressions and rules.
Remember that the homebrew subclass creator is more than just a name, description and starting equipment, it needs all the mechanics coded in for things like character builder and character sheet. A lot of these options were manually coded (not made using an editor) for the existing classes because the initial assumption was that it'd only need to be done once per class. They're having to change that, thus having to build a whole new toolset.
Not an accurate statement since subclasses like Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster exist.
Both classes and subclasses offer base features and give features at XYZ level. This includes proficiencies, abilities, spells, and so on. The only difference is the subclass isn't a "container" and it doesn't provide base hit dice. There are no other differences if you look at every example of a subclass in official material.
I just found out that I can't create a homebrew class. I just want to make a Ranger with alternative class features mixing the recent UA and Treantmonk's Ranger Variant.
I'm still working on a playable Artificer, too. Wouldn't it be cool to have a Design Contest, though? The homebrew Artificer with the most votes wins. Wizards of the Coast can reward those creators by using features from them for a new UA. They won't have to guess what players are looking for. I'm not even sure I know what I'm looking for, but I'll know it when I see it.
I'm with the Homebrew crowd on this one. I like to use my iPad during gaming (thus, D&D Beyond), and I really wanted to try the Pirate out from https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Pirate_(5e_Class)#Multiclassing. I love to create and would have no issues Cut/Pasting the flavor text and creating the class features. It would only need the Subclass algorithm and have hit points and equipment to be added. I don't see where it should really be all that difficult. I wouldn't even have an issue with my creation being limited to private use pending peer reviews, if even published at all.
I would even love to be able to convert Esper Genesis options to D&D Beyond for use in a more sci-fi themed campaign. Yes, it would be a major undertaking, but if you enable the community to contribute some of the work, you can focus on other things.
((Ah, but then if you enable the community to interact with your IP, no doubt you stand to lose opportunity for profit. So, I think I can see why WotC would drag their feet on fanbase interaction.))
I'm with the Homebrew crowd on this one. I like to use my iPad during gaming (thus, D&D Beyond), and I really wanted to try the Pirate out from https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Pirate_(5e_Class)#Multiclassing. I love to create and would have no issues Cut/Pasting the flavor text and creating the class features. It would only need the Subclass algorithm and have hit points and equipment to be added. I don't see where it should really be all that difficult. I wouldn't even have an issue with my creation being limited to private use pending peer reviews, if even published at all.
I would even love to be able to convert Esper Genesis options to D&D Beyond for use in a more sci-fi themed campaign. Yes, it would be a major undertaking, but if you enable the community to contribute some of the work, you can focus on other things.
((Ah, but then if you enable the community to interact with your IP, no doubt you stand to lose opportunity for profit. So, I think I can see why WotC would drag their feet on fanbase interaction.))
I think you've got the wrong end of the stick here. WotC isn't stopping DDB from adding tools for custom classes, DDB actually has it on their roadmap. The issue is that it's a big undertaking as classes are a complex thing and if you've seen the current homebrew tools, you'd get why those just don't cut it for something like a full class.
An overhaul of the homebrew tools is also on the roadmap, which would not just lead into homebrew classes, but also homebrew equipment (something oft asked for).
I really don't care... I WANT HOMEBREW CLASSES (and equipment would be easier to put in and why don't you, it would help people do epic equipment for their campaigns) EVEN IF 99% OR THEM ARE RUBBISH!!!
I'm with the Homebrew crowd on this one. I like to use my iPad during gaming (thus, D&D Beyond), and I really wanted to try the Pirate out from https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Pirate_(5e_Class)#Multiclassing. I love to create and would have no issues Cut/Pasting the flavor text and creating the class features. It would only need the Subclass algorithm and have hit points and equipment to be added. I don't see where it should really be all that difficult. I wouldn't even have an issue with my creation being limited to private use pending peer reviews, if even published at all.
I would even love to be able to convert Esper Genesis options to D&D Beyond for use in a more sci-fi themed campaign. Yes, it would be a major undertaking, but if you enable the community to contribute some of the work, you can focus on other things.
((Ah, but then if you enable the community to interact with your IP, no doubt you stand to lose opportunity for profit. So, I think I can see why WotC would drag their feet on fanbase interaction.))
I think you've got the wrong end of the stick here. WotC isn't stopping DDB from adding tools for custom classes, DDB actually has it on their roadmap. The issue is that it's a big undertaking as classes are a complex thing and if you've seen the current homebrew tools, you'd get why those just don't cut it for something like a full class.
An overhaul of the homebrew tools is also on the roadmap, which would not just lead into homebrew classes, but also homebrew equipment (something oft asked for).
But you can already do a lot in terms of class features as currently implemented in homebrew tools. Personally, I would rather have those limited tools in the short(er) term, rather than wait for their full implementation. Which, given the development pace and the list of items ahead of it, will be years away.
My suggested interim solution would be to make 4 empty classes, 1 for each hit-die type. No features, no starting equipment, just a subclass selection at level 1. The subclass tool can then be used to create, if not automate, all the necessary features.
Granted, it is a limited solution, for example you wouldn't be able to multiclass in two homebrew classes of the same hit die, but such is the nature of interim solutions. Also, I can't say if this is as easy to do as it sounds, but I assume the main work of adding a new base class is in implementing all the features, rather than setting up the bare container.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Vote here for an interim solution for homebrew classes:
Right now, this is a big point of contention that keeps me from recommending fully to people to come to DNDbeyond as opposed to roll 20. Let's make it at least viable for some homebrew classes! I'm rooting for you DNDbeyond!
The Homebrew for subclasses is a great system and I enjoy using it.
I have built a class with in the sub class due to the capability of the subclass system.
I am no programmer and have little idea of the work that is involved but would you be able to look into what it would take to to creat an almost copy of the sub class system to do the home brew class creation?
This topic has been here for almost 2 years. I find it quite confusing that no actual solution was developed yet. While the existing Homebrew tools are neglected and hard to use. And many of the effects and modifiers are confusing and not well documented.
What I think what should be done first is a json editor for the Homebrew content. This way you could collect suggestions on the system to make it into something that can accept any crazy Homebrew idea. This step should be mostly easy to implement as there are many json parsers. (Yes the data should go through some sanitizer to make sure nobody writes some SQL commands or other harmful stuff. But this should be easy to implement as well) This way the fact that some data structures are hard to represent would go away as it would be an advanced feature. (Some sample data will be needed but that is easy to generate. Or just a json schema). Than from that you could even leave the editor gui up to the community. I'm sure there would be many people would make an editor for it or converters from existing data formats. This also goes for other Homebrew ideas, many of them have the same reasons they are not developed. WoC doesn't say it so you don't want to implement it as it won't be official, or that it is would be a too complex gui/system. This would make both of those problems go away.
And I know the idea of giving the user the power to insert data into your database is really scary. And it is I'm a programmer myself and I know the risks and all that. But I really think that this would be the best option for now. There hasn't been any progress on the Homebrew side of things. From the slow week to week progresses I'm guessing there aren't the many of you working on it so not blaming or anything. Just expressing that for me the lack of proper Homebrew tools and the missing API is what keeps me from actually using it for my home campaign.
My biggest problem with that is the inability to set it to be active at level 1. That would be my ideal patch job as pretty much all my homebrew classes are things like “divination wizard but only divination and all divination” or “ranger but with sand spells and a dash of rogue” and a few other tweaks like proficiencies and tools.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"I'd like to see if there's anyone in this bar hot enough to buy a drink for." "Roll perception." "Nat 1. I guess I'm the hottest person in here." "You buy yourself a drink."
Just want to give this a bump, my DnD group and I would love to be able to be fully on DnD Beyond for our campaign but I'm using a custom class. Please keep up the good work DnD staff!
Just want to give this a bump, my DnD group and I would love to be able to be fully on DnD Beyond for our campaign but I'm using a custom class. Please keep up the good work DnD staff!
Well, if you have a zendesk account, or don't mind making one, vote on the feature request linked to above. I'm convinced that it is quickest way to get (a facsimile of) homebrew classes.
And to the point made earlier about being active from level 1, the suggestion is to have empty classes, where a level 1 "subclass" takes the place of the class. Subsubclasses (which would take the place of actual subclasses) can be implemented easily within the subclass creation system.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Vote here for an interim solution for homebrew classes:
The acceptable caveat would be to allow us to use subclasses from level 1. I have a few classes I've built on my own (with stats derived from existing but with whole new spellsets) or adapted from 3.5e, that I would like to use from the get-go, and (although, as the term was used above, I'm an armchair programmer) a workaround would be to let us use SC starting at 1. I know a lot of herp derps would probably misuse this, but it would be a compromise I know I could easily deal with. No absurd hit dice from That Guy, no wacky weapon options unless you add them in manually. Just let us use subclasses at level 1 and I think this would mechanically solve the problem, even with the sheets not saying the subclass name in the corner.
(Ignore this and educate me if there is a way to do that, because I keep getting errors that I'm using my own homebrew spells in homebrew subclasses which is a different kind of bonkers, and that my subclass doesn't match level requirements.)
"I'd like to see if there's anyone in this bar hot enough to buy a drink for."
"Roll perception."
"Nat 1. I guess I'm the hottest person in here."
"You buy yourself a drink."
What i dont understand is, if they have it where you can do the subclasses, why cant they apply that to classes? like, whats the difference between adding in subclass features, and making the base character features? just take what they do for subclasses, where you can name it, supply descriptions, etc, and just make it for base classes. all it'd need different would be the option for starting equipment, which they already have an option for for backgrounds, and the ability to have subclasses.
Bases classes are wholly different from subclasses. Subclasses all follow the same template as determined by the base class, using the base classes mechanics as a framework. However, a full class has no such limitations and needs to support every possible feature you could dream of. Just compare the Paladin to the Druid, two very different classes with different class structures, progressions and rules.
Remember that the homebrew subclass creator is more than just a name, description and starting equipment, it needs all the mechanics coded in for things like character builder and character sheet. A lot of these options were manually coded (not made using an editor) for the existing classes because the initial assumption was that it'd only need to be done once per class. They're having to change that, thus having to build a whole new toolset.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
I wonder if the release of class feature variants will make the homebrew classes update move quicker?
It'll likely make it move slower because DDB has to prioritise keeping up with WotC releases over revamping their own feature sets.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
Not an accurate statement since subclasses like Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster exist.
Both classes and subclasses offer base features and give features at XYZ level. This includes proficiencies, abilities, spells, and so on. The only difference is the subclass isn't a "container" and it doesn't provide base hit dice. There are no other differences if you look at every example of a subclass in official material.
I just found out that I can't create a homebrew class. I just want to make a Ranger with alternative class features mixing the recent UA and Treantmonk's Ranger Variant.
I'm still working on a playable Artificer, too. Wouldn't it be cool to have a Design Contest, though? The homebrew Artificer with the most votes wins. Wizards of the Coast can reward those creators by using features from them for a new UA. They won't have to guess what players are looking for. I'm not even sure I know what I'm looking for, but I'll know it when I see it.
I'm with the Homebrew crowd on this one. I like to use my iPad during gaming (thus, D&D Beyond), and I really wanted to try the Pirate out from https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Pirate_(5e_Class)#Multiclassing. I love to create and would have no issues Cut/Pasting the flavor text and creating the class features. It would only need the Subclass algorithm and have hit points and equipment to be added. I don't see where it should really be all that difficult. I wouldn't even have an issue with my creation being limited to private use pending peer reviews, if even published at all.
I would even love to be able to convert Esper Genesis options to D&D Beyond for use in a more sci-fi themed campaign. Yes, it would be a major undertaking, but if you enable the community to contribute some of the work, you can focus on other things.
((Ah, but then if you enable the community to interact with your IP, no doubt you stand to lose opportunity for profit. So, I think I can see why WotC would drag their feet on fanbase interaction.))
I think you've got the wrong end of the stick here. WotC isn't stopping DDB from adding tools for custom classes, DDB actually has it on their roadmap. The issue is that it's a big undertaking as classes are a complex thing and if you've seen the current homebrew tools, you'd get why those just don't cut it for something like a full class.
An overhaul of the homebrew tools is also on the roadmap, which would not just lead into homebrew classes, but also homebrew equipment (something oft asked for).
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
I really don't care... I WANT HOMEBREW CLASSES (and equipment would be easier to put in and why don't you, it would help people do epic equipment for their campaigns) EVEN IF 99% OR THEM ARE RUBBISH!!!
But you can already do a lot in terms of class features as currently implemented in homebrew tools. Personally, I would rather have those limited tools in the short(er) term, rather than wait for their full implementation. Which, given the development pace and the list of items ahead of it, will be years away.
My suggested interim solution would be to make 4 empty classes, 1 for each hit-die type. No features, no starting equipment, just a subclass selection at level 1. The subclass tool can then be used to create, if not automate, all the necessary features.
Granted, it is a limited solution, for example you wouldn't be able to multiclass in two homebrew classes of the same hit die, but such is the nature of interim solutions. Also, I can't say if this is as easy to do as it sounds, but I assume the main work of adding a new base class is in implementing all the features, rather than setting up the bare container.
Vote here for an interim solution for homebrew classes:
https://dndbeyond.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360036951934-Homebrew-class-interim-solution
Lets get this show on the road! A tenporary solution is definitely needed!
Well, vote here then.
https://dndbeyond.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360036951934-Homebrew-class-interim-solution
Vote here for an interim solution for homebrew classes:
https://dndbeyond.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360036951934-Homebrew-class-interim-solution
Yes... everyone go do that. It's a patch job, but it would shut most of us up while we wait for a proper implementation.
Right now, this is a big point of contention that keeps me from recommending fully to people to come to DNDbeyond as opposed to roll 20. Let's make it at least viable for some homebrew classes! I'm rooting for you DNDbeyond!
The Homebrew for subclasses is a great system and I enjoy using it.
I have built a class with in the sub class due to the capability of the subclass system.
I am no programmer and have little idea of the work that is involved but would you be able to look into what it would take to to creat an almost copy of the sub class system to do the home brew class creation?
thank you for your time
This topic has been here for almost 2 years. I find it quite confusing that no actual solution was developed yet. While the existing Homebrew tools are neglected and hard to use. And many of the effects and modifiers are confusing and not well documented.
What I think what should be done first is a json editor for the Homebrew content. This way you could collect suggestions on the system to make it into something that can accept any crazy Homebrew idea. This step should be mostly easy to implement as there are many json parsers. (Yes the data should go through some sanitizer to make sure nobody writes some SQL commands or other harmful stuff. But this should be easy to implement as well) This way the fact that some data structures are hard to represent would go away as it would be an advanced feature. (Some sample data will be needed but that is easy to generate. Or just a json schema). Than from that you could even leave the editor gui up to the community. I'm sure there would be many people would make an editor for it or converters from existing data formats. This also goes for other Homebrew ideas, many of them have the same reasons they are not developed. WoC doesn't say it so you don't want to implement it as it won't be official, or that it is would be a too complex gui/system. This would make both of those problems go away.
And I know the idea of giving the user the power to insert data into your database is really scary. And it is I'm a programmer myself and I know the risks and all that. But I really think that this would be the best option for now. There hasn't been any progress on the Homebrew side of things. From the slow week to week progresses I'm guessing there aren't the many of you working on it so not blaming or anything. Just expressing that for me the lack of proper Homebrew tools and the missing API is what keeps me from actually using it for my home campaign.
My biggest problem with that is the inability to set it to be active at level 1. That would be my ideal patch job as pretty much all my homebrew classes are things like “divination wizard but only divination and all divination” or “ranger but with sand spells and a dash of rogue” and a few other tweaks like proficiencies and tools.
"I'd like to see if there's anyone in this bar hot enough to buy a drink for."
"Roll perception."
"Nat 1. I guess I'm the hottest person in here."
"You buy yourself a drink."
Just want to give this a bump, my DnD group and I would love to be able to be fully on DnD Beyond for our campaign but I'm using a custom class. Please keep up the good work DnD staff!
Well, if you have a zendesk account, or don't mind making one, vote on the feature request linked to above. I'm convinced that it is quickest way to get (a facsimile of) homebrew classes.
And to the point made earlier about being active from level 1, the suggestion is to have empty classes, where a level 1 "subclass" takes the place of the class. Subsubclasses (which would take the place of actual subclasses) can be implemented easily within the subclass creation system.
Vote here for an interim solution for homebrew classes:
https://dndbeyond.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360036951934-Homebrew-class-interim-solution