I tinkered around with an idea for "prestige subclasses" a while back.
You run into issues with non-standard acquisition of sublcass features first and foremost.
It is most certainly ambitious. 🙂
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) April 17, 2019
Eva mentioned this right away too. I’m thinking about solutions.
Summary of issue is: not all classes acquire features at same rate; the feature gain is balanced against the base class. This results in heroes obtaining features at differing rates. I also had problems with a one-size-fits-all suite of features not causing horrible gear grinds either narratively, aesthetically, or mechanically.
But if you're doing a full subclass replacement that's possibly less of a concern internal to the subclass structure.
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) April 17, 2019
Here's another huge issue, Classes don't get the same number of subclass feature slots throughout their levels.
Quick example, barbarians have 4 "Path" entries on their class chart. Bards only have 3 "Bardic College" entries. Cleric's get 5.
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) April 17, 2019
Certainly will work better with the existing class framework.
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) April 17, 2019