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EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a transcription of the original thread by PlzBreakMyCampaign, found here.
--- I have staged a coup of the Why Tier X's are in Tier X
series of threads with a complete list. My hope is to free JaronK the burden of now a 3rd and a maybe 4th 'tier system for classes' thread. This will save the discussion of tiers themselves for the tier thread. Concern over specific classes can go here.
Let me know if I am missing
any non-variant base class in 3.5. I intend to include them all.
I do not claim to intimately know or play each class. The work I have done is completely at the mercy of the boards and my be changed, so please try to keep indignation to its lowest. Any balance concerns are considered
after the dirty handbook fixes.
You will notice that the upper tiers are casters. If you are looking for all casting classes, feel free to look
here.
Finally, I will try to keep up with the discussion and add mention about specific class features when needed; hence the two posts per tier.
Coloring Key for optimizing the base classes:
Too simple or too few options: It is just about as powerful or weak as it is going to be even after optimization so it's not worth the effort. For low tier classes this means you can't stretch it into higher tiers as easily. For upper tiers its nice that you probably won't suck that much even if you are fairly new.
Some complexity, some options: You get out what you put in. Heavy optimization won't be as obvious as blue colored, but it will be noticable. Consider this normal 'stretchiness' to go up or down a tier dependent on the build and player. JaronK noticed that optimization bumps up or down a tier - two for classes on the edge or with more extensive cheese. This is normal.
Too complex or too many options: You get more than what you put in. You really need to understand how this class works. For high tier classes this is bad because you can't start cold and be the epitome of tier 1. For lower tier classes this is actually a good thing because if you try, you can pull it up more than normal. However it might be frustrating to get past the learning curve.
Tier Outline6(3+3NPC):
Aristocrat,
Commoner, Divine Mind (CP 9),
Warrior, Samurai (CW 6), Truenamer (TM 198)
5 (14+2NPC): Battledancer (DC 26), Divine Mind (with
Web Enhancements), Eidolon (Gh 16),
Expert,
Fighter, Healer (MH 8),
Knight, Lurk (CP 13), Magewright (ECS 256), Mariner (LotT 13), Mlar (Dungeon Magazine 100 256-257 githyanki section),
Monk, Ninja (CAd 5), Noble (DCS 50),
Paladin, Samurai (with
Imperious Command feat), Soulborn (MoI 25),
Soulknife, Swashbuckler (CW 11)
4 (18+1NPC):
Adept,
Barbarian,
Dragonfire Adept (with
Breath Effects), Dragon Shaman (PHB2 11), Fighter (Dungeon Crasher variant), Jester (DC 36), Hexblade (CW 5),
Marshal, Master (WotL 21), Montebank (DC 42), Nightstalker (Races of Ansalon 156),
Ranger,
Rogue, Savant (DC 45), Scout (CAd 10),
Spellthief, Sohei (OA 27),
Totemist, Warlock (CArc 5), Warmage (CArc 10)
3 (16): Ardent (CP 5),
Bard, Beguiler (PHB2 6), Binder (TM 9), Crusader (ToB 8), Dread Necromancer (HH 84), Duskblade (PHB2 19), Factotum (Du 14), Incarnate (MoI 20),
Psychic Rogue (with
powers),
Psychic Warrior, Ranger (Wildshape variant), Shadowcaster (TM 111), Shugenja (CD 10), Swordsage (ToB 15),
Warblade,
Wilder2 (9): Binder (with
Online Vestiges), Death Master (DC 31), Favored Soul (CD 6), Mystic (DCS 47),
Psion, Sha'ir (DC 51), Shaman (OA 23),
Sorcerer, Spirit Shaman (CD 14), Wu Jen (CArc 14)
1 (6):
Archivist, Artificer (ECS 29),
Cleric,
Druid,
"Erudite" variant Psion (with
Spell to Power ACF),
WizardOther (12): Aberrant Paragon (DragMag332 45), Eidoloncer (Gh 17),
Drow Paragon,
Dwarf Paragon,
Elf Paragon,
Gnome Paragon,
Half-Dragon Paragon,
Half-Elf Paragon,
Half-Orc Paragon,
Halfling Paragon,
Human Paragon,
Kobold Paragon,
Orc Paragon,
Tiefling ParagonTier Relative Amount Breakdown: (missing a few classes, feel free to recalculate)
6: 8.3% with NPCs, 4.5% without
5: 22.2% with NPCs, 21.2% without
4: 26.3% with NPCs, 27.2% without
3: 22.2% with NPCs, 24.2% without
2: 12.5% with NPCs, 13.6% without
1: 8.3% with NPCs, 9% without
Displayed in groups of 2:6&5: 30.6% with NPCs, 25.8% without
4&3: 48.6% with NPCs, 51.5% without
2&1: 20.8% with NPCs, 22.6% without
Results:The mode is Tier 4 which JaronK suspected might be the 'default' level of power a PC should have, followed by Tier 3. Notice that when NPC classes are considered Tier 3 and 5 tie for second place, making us even more sure that Tier 4 is truly the norm. Tier 6 and 1 have the same number of outliers when NPC classes are considered, which is good because each is considered 'broken' albeit in opposite manners. Furthermore the mostly non-casting Tier 5 makes up a greater chunk than the all full caster classes of Tier 2, perhaps indicating greater hesitation with 9th level spells and powers.