D&D 5e Subclass Contest Chat Thread

[pygmybatrider]

I am going to try my best to keep up with submissions and offer feedback as they are posted, as trying to get through everybody in a mad rush at the end of the base class contest was hectic!

First up, gloryblaze's Heart of Cards patron!

Spoiler: Yu-Gi-Oh!lock

Show

I have memories of the show and cards as a child, but I think I was too old when it came out to really get into it. Regardless, I remember the basic premise, and at a glance this subclass does a really good job of capturing that feel. Let's have a look at each feature:

Expanded spell list: really thematic, a mix between portent/strategy-type abilities and summoning.

Card Shark: a nice ribbon. I think it could probably double your proficiency bonus if you are already proficient with Sleight of Hand from a background or multiclass.

Spell Cards: a bit wordy, but I think I get the idea. You get a maximum of 5 free spell levels, that are chosen at random at the start of the day. I think you could probably get rid of the "lower of the two" clause, as it will only ever come into play in very early levels - though I guess if you roll an 18 with a Tiefling, there is a big difference there. Its a unique feature that I actually really enjoy - I know that most of my players would love the chance to make their own deck of spellcards.

Monster Card: I think this a nice ability, it reinforces the minionmancy theme, and lets you cast some of the stronger spells as an action rather than taking a minute. Elementals and demons still carry their associated risks, so it's not game-breaking.

Trap Card: there's a theme going here where I have to read everything twice - particularly that last part about only being able to play Trap Cards as Trap Cards. That's probably more a criticism of my reading ability than your wording, though. While I love the idea and feel that this would probably be great fun at the table, this is the feature that gives me the most pause, simply because there are so many different ways to use it, and therefore it is really hard to work out its balance. You'd also have to let your DM know which cards are set to which triggers at the start of each session, so it's a bit of extra book-keeping.

Whether the cost of losing the ability to use them as normal spell cards is worth the benefit of casting a spell as a reaction is highly dependent on the combination and the way the day turns out. E.g. Trap Carding Hold Person against the first humanoid to attack a friendly creature within 30 ft of you, or Misty Step when somebody rolls a melee attack against you, is probably always going to work out great.

Destiny Draw: I am sure you meant to put a once per long rest limit on this but it's currently missing. This is a powerful feature for sure, but warlock 14th-level features usually are. They do however tend to be limited in scope - either damage or control, and I'm struggling to think of a situation in which this wouldn't be an incredibly useful tool.

Overall I think you've done a great job of representing a Yu-Gi-Oh duelist within the 5e system. The feature are all fluffy and thematic, and you have nailed down some really interesting mechanical features. I love the spell card feature, and think you've limited its power well. Trap Cards and Destiny Draw aren't 100% for me yet, but I can see your line of thinking and think you are on the right track. Good stuff!