4e âHow Toâ Homebrew Class Guide?

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I’m not sure if this has been asked, but here we go.

I am trying to make a custom class, and will be able to do so just by copying/pasting/editing (expecialy w/ the Power Stat Block sticky.

But it would be a hell of a lot easier if someone had a Step-By-Step w/tips/hints guide on how to make a good 4e Class.

Before anyone starts, yes I have tried searching the forums and reading as much as I can, but I simply couldn’t find it. I noticed we have a sticky for Making Races, but not for making classes.

Does such a guide on Class Creation for 4e Exist? If not anyone motivated in writing one up (I would but I lack experience/knowledge in the area of Homebrew crafting)

Thanx for any Input!


Question #1:  Can what you want to accomplish be accomplished by refluffing an existing class?  If so, do that.  If not, think harder, it probably can.  If not, still, read the CharOp forums, play with the builder/read the hell outta books, figure out basic maths and whatnot, rough out something with a cool idea or two.  Post it for critique. 
Also, if it works in your game, its perfect.

Cry Havoc!  And let slip the hogs of war!

As far as I know, no such guide exists.  It's usually far quicker and easier to houserule and/or reflavor the gigaton of material that has already been printed, rather than reinventing the wheel by carving out a new and distinct playstyle niche, new class features,  20 to 40-ish powers per tier, new paragon paths, etc.

Though, in my experience, I've found that if there's a specfic type of flavor or rule subset I want, but but can't quite duplicate (easily) with current material, it's far, far easier to create a new theme rather than a new class.  With themes, you only need to create a handful of powers and a few minor features that are thematic and work reasonably well.

Though that's not to discourage you from trying to make a new class.  If you have a good idea you really want to implement, go for it.

Thanks for the responses.

And I will take the advice and try to just Refulff where I can, but since the idea I am working on isn’t covered anywhere I’ll have to just make a lot of it up as I go.  I’d go with making a Theme but I would be wary that the Theme would become so big that it mise well be a class, or be so overpowered as a theme that it would make any other class broke while using it.

My main issues is just with the math, at what levels is it good to roll 1d8 for dmg, vs 1d10 and stuff like that. I guess the best I can do is just find a preexisting class and steal their powers Rolls/damage and just add different effects.

I’ll keep working at it (Got a few pages of ideas/powers/feats already)