r/DnD • u/[deleted] • 1d ago
Table Disputes Is wanting to have a niche that uncommon and selfish?
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u/Middcore 1d ago
No, it's not.
I think the game is more fun when everybody in the party brings different capabilities. I would be bummed too if I were you.
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u/Stonefencez 1d ago
This is a big thing for me.
A big part of it is also just wanting to be unique, and it feels less special when multiple people are the same class. But it’s also nice to have all the niches covered. Sure, an alchemist artificer and an artillerist artificer can be functionally and flavor-wise be pretty different, but having 3 artificers and no charisma or wisdom class, for example, can limit your versatility. Or not having a healer, or a beefy front liner
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u/gymbunbae 1d ago
I literally picked barbarian specifically to fill in the party's lack of a strength based character, their strongest character had a 10 in strength and it both made my choice feel easier because I enjoy supporting people and filling in for what they need, while it also made me feel immediately useful and like I make some sort of difference and has a positive impact on the campaign overall, as the DM no longer has to work around the fact that there is no strength available.
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u/Stonefencez 1d ago
I agree, I’m the exact same way, I’ll ask everyone else what they’re playing and try to pick something that fills in the gaps.
It’s really fun and it feels rewarding when you feel consistently useful. If there’s 3 wizards, they’re all gonna be fighting over resources, or who rolls highest on the arcana or history checks. Meanwhile, as the lone barbarian you get to shine when something needs some muscle, and I think that’s way more fun.
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u/Zanctmao Paladin 1d ago
Once you factor in sub classes, sometimes there’s a great divergence. And sometimes they cause overlapping convergence. An Eldritch Knight, and a blade singer have a lot in common, for example.
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u/Llayanna Ranger 1d ago
..yes in 3e maybe.. or 4e. Pathfinder? Both, Definitely.
5e? With the long hallway of non decisions? No.
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u/MajorasShoe 1d ago
Class is the big decision. Subclass is a minor one. That's it, that's your character build for the most part. It's the thing that bothers me about 5e the most. Want to be an up front melee, hammer swinging cleric? Sure you can do that, you'll be exactly like every other cleric but with worse attacks than if you just used one of the two cantrips you're supposed to be using.
Pick a class and you know exactly what you'll be doing all campaign. Especially with how little the out of combat stuff seems to matter now.
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u/AZzalor 1d ago
Yeah...I mean same class but different subclass, sure. But same subclass as well, maybe even a similar or same build and that 3x?
Like if you want to do a meme campaign with like 3 berserkers, sure why not if that was the plan but two people joining an ongoing campaing with 0 flexibility of changing their initial plans...that's something that imo the DM should've stopped.
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u/Torma_Nator 1d ago edited 1d ago
I literally joined a one shot where nobody knew the other classes anyone was going to play and the DM didn't want to pigeon hole anyone so he said just bring whatever.
Sounds good on paper but it was the most miserable one shot ever when three people all brought thief rogues.
Edit: People are saying the DM should have planned around having 3 Rogues, when the point of it was a quick prewritten one shot with no planning needed and anyone in the server could claim a spot. We also had 3 of the SAME subclass so we didnt specialize in doing anything, it was the jack of all trades Thief Rogue.
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u/FlakUnkn0wn 1d ago
I guess since it was a preplanned one-shot, it makes sense it was rough, but the idea of a mini thieves guild playthrough sounds fun. It would present some awesome challenges and the groups stealth checks could go crazy!
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u/Torma_Nator 1d ago
If it was a preplanned campaign or had a theme, we could have all brought different thieves in an Oceans Eleven type plot where we all are different types of rogues with different jobs, but that circles around to "have a niche and you will have an identity" which is exactly what the OP said lol.
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u/DifficultMath7391 Wizard 1d ago
I mean, it can go a lot of ways. I remember way back when, a friend of mine did the same thing, and we ended up with three half-orc barbarians, a halfling barbarian, and an evil death cleric. It was hilarious.
But the key points here were a: everyone knew each other very well and knew how to play off of each other, and b: it was a oneshot.
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u/Torma_Nator 1d ago
Ours was a one shot too, as I explained. But we were all strangers that were in an RPG server together, even though I was active and known in the server as a good RPer and good teammate, having been in the DMs previous full campaign and helping run the server. The other players and I hadnt talked much and the DM didnt want anyone feeling like they couldnt play what they wanted...which is a sentiment that can backfire.
If we were all a class that WASNT Rogue we probably would have enjoyed the hell out of it. 3 Druids, Bards, Barbs, etc. But 3 Jack of All Trades Rogues meant we all had no real charisma, strength or wisdom, and whoever had the highest stat did the thing...2 of us would be bored at all times.
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u/DifficultMath7391 Wizard 1d ago
Yeah, not ideal. But a oneshot you can at least suffer through and have it be over. I wouldn't have wanted to do a campaign with the four barbs and the cleric, even though the oneshot was basically the plot of a sitcom.
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u/shibeofwisdom 1d ago
Reminds me of the time I joined a 3-shot at GenCon and I got put in a table of 6 with 4 Bards.
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u/ashkestar 1d ago
That’s when you roll a bard and play a 5-piece band and their manager.
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u/PancakeMixEnema 1d ago
Have them prepare Six bards, inform them that they have been emergency drafted by the King's press gangs and drop them in DnD Normandy.
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u/X_Marcs_the_Spot Transmuter 1d ago
I'm reminded of one short-lived Pathfinder campaign I was in where, due to poor communication on the the DM's part, nobody knew what anyone else was playing, and e veryone besides the rogue had chosen to run some flavor of melee tank. We're talking about a party with a fighter, a paladin, and a fighter/paladin.
Which is bad enough, but it was made worse by the fact that the first 2~5 sessions took place in a maze of narrow cavern tunnels. So in any given fight, only one person could get into melee range at a time, meaning everyone else's talents were wasted tossing javelins or whatever.
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u/DepthsOfWill DM 1d ago
I'm having quite the difficulty adjusting to 5.5 since I'm coming from Shadowrun, and those are two wildly different games. So much so I think a one-shot of three rogues is the only table I feel qualified to DM on the fly.
Give them a fixer like the tavern's barkeep, give them a Johnson like a hooded ranger in a tavern corner, set up a target with a security force of skeletons or goblins, and then make sure the Johnson betrays them somehow.
Which isn't quite DnD, but I feel it's three rogues in a party DnD.
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u/manamonkey DM 1d ago
What did your DM say when you asked them about this?
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u/RodanThrelos 1d ago
This should really just be an automod pinned comment here.
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u/GerudoSamsara 1d ago
OP never actually said/asked "What should I do to alleviate the situation" -- they were specifically wondering if their emotional response was excessive (or not) and asking if their emotional response was a common one (or not) -- which both of these questions are harder to ask of a single person. They were explicitly looking for a wide pool of answers.
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u/Llayanna Ranger 1d ago
The DM shouldn't have allowed this in the first place.
"Sorry, OP is already playing that class Pick a different one. Yes, both of you."
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u/manamonkey DM 1d ago
And if OP bothers to talk to their DM, they'll know if the DM said that or anything like it.
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u/NarcoZero DM 1d ago
It’s pretty normal because the game is designed in that way.
It’s not necessarily a given that everybody plays a different class. It can be fun to have an all-single class party.
But I find it only polite to ask before playing the same archetype as someone else.
So, not exactly a crime, but yeah they’re being rude in my book if they don’t ask what you think about them playing the same class.
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u/Enderking90 1d ago
Yeah I mean having both a necromancy wizard and a cc specialised wizard have different niches and aim to do different things.
Conversely though, light cleric and evocation wizard are going to be doing similar things more then likely, so overlap can exist cross-class.
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u/Monkey_Priest Cleric 1d ago edited 1d ago
Conversely though, light cleric and evocation wizard are going to be doing similar things more then likely, so overlap can exist cross-class.
I went into a Curse of Strahd campaign with some friends. It was to be our first big campaign after a one-shot. I wanted to play a Warlock, but a buddy who had played Cleric in the oneshot said he wanted to play a Sorc. Nobody else wanted to play Cleric, so I did so we'd have that class and no overlapping CHA characters, and went with a Twilight Domain Cleric of Selune. It wasn't the Warlock I had planned but I still got excited for it.
My Sorc buddy then made an Aasimar Divine Soul Sorc who was like a scion of Selune and even said, "I'm going to do what you do but better." Dude even put his second-best stat into WIS, despite it hurting his already terrible AC. When he told me that, and I objected, somehow I was the asshole. So yeah, it's definitely possible to have cross-class overlap
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u/Kronoshifter246 1d ago
I mean, it's funny that he said that, only to watch you carry the entire group with your twilight cleric shenanigans.
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u/Electronic_Rest_628 1d ago
Well, actually D&D is designed around a party of characters of different classes since ever (meaning since 1st edition). People do not want to hear it nowadays, but try to run a party of wizards and you will quickly see WHY it is not a good idea. 5E went out of its way to tell people all kinds of outlandish stuff (...do whatever you want, it will work out great...) which the system was never designed to match.
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u/packofslugs 1d ago
I treat it as a sort of unwritten rule to find a niche for yourself that isn't stepping on the toes of another player. I originally wanted to play a bard in my friend's ongoing campaign, but when he told me there were two bards already I went a different route, even though he, the dungeon master, had no problems with it.
You benefit both yourself and your fellow players by building a character that brings something different to the party. I would never police it as a DM though. One of my favourite one shots involved 3 of the 4 players being fighters and it was sheer chaos.
EDIT - All that to say, yes it's perfectly reasonable to be a bit disappointed. As another user has pointed out, voice your frustrations to your DM and perhaps work with the players to come up with something unique and distinct to each of you. Communication is the key thing with D&D.
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u/aci90 1d ago
I'm curious what's the class? Anyways 2 playing the same class would be odd already, but you can play around that (2 fighters one melee and one ranged for example) but 3 playing the same class is super weird
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u/Dutch_DnD 1d ago
Artificer. Thought it was a nice way of filling the int role without being a wizard
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u/lluewhyn 1d ago
Very specific, but you could probably get three Artificers who all play and feel pretty differently based upon the Subclass and what items you make. An Artillerist will feel pretty different than an Armorer.
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u/TheSheDM 1d ago
Yeah I have two artificers at my table and they feel completely different. One is a gnome battlesmith and one is an elven cartographer. We're playing Dragonlance so the gnome player is flavoring everything non-magical for tinker gnome hijinks while the elf is a "wizard" who specialized in leyline magic.
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u/aci90 1d ago
Well could have been a worse class to overlap on since there still might be a lot of uniqueness given all the magic item shenanigans you can do, still I would be pissed.
Did the DM say anything? Mine would have been "lol no" if someone tried to pull it at our table, but unless you were a very small group your table is going to get uncomfortably crowded so maybe they don't know better or don't know to say no
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u/lluewhyn 1d ago
Yeah, something like three Rogues are going to have a harder time feeling different than three Artificers.
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u/Southern_Courage_770 1d ago
I mean, after level 3 you could have three very different Artificers.
Artillerist can be a ranged blaster.
Battle Smith can be a frontline defender and striker.
Armorer can be a frontline defender or ranged striker.
Alchemist can be party support.
Reanimator... I don't really know what niche it fills, but it's there too.
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u/Ryssablackblood Warlock 1d ago
Interesting. At my tables artificers are a pretty popular pick. That said, the whole "we're playing the same class" schtick is a non-issue for me, because even two characters of the same subclass can have vastly different builds and/or flavors that they don't feel too samey.
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u/Witty-Engine-6013 1d ago
A question of how many other players amd what makes up the party/ is there anything still missing, the reasons I bring that up is with enough players there is going to be overlap but if for instance there are no characters who are the party face for instance that can feel weird, as others have said though diffrent artificers can feel very diffrent do you know what all the subclasses are/will be?
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u/RosieQParker 1d ago
At our most recent game, we discovered that we did an "oops all CHA builds." Bard, Warlock, two Sorcerors. We almost all got beaten up by one guy.
We're having a great time, but we're trying to get a fifth player to roll a Paladin.
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u/PMmeUrTabaxi 1d ago
Our current campaign with 4 players has a similar situation with a rogue, warlock and dexadin. We all argue over who should do intimidatation, deception, and persuasion checks. Heck two of us are even proficient forgers. But perception...? Um, that's on her as 3 of us stare at the ranger. Lol
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u/Szystedt 1d ago
No, I feel the same way. I think it's best if everyone brings something different to the team, not only is it more fun but it helps contrast and highlight each and every other character!
I'm currently considering multi-classing into cleric for this reason myself. While it would definitely be an interesting development story wise and fit with his lore, it's basically entirely because I want my own niche. I chose barbarian because I was told by the one who invited me that we needed a frontliner, but it turns out that our "ranger" had a secret and is actually a ridiculously OP homebrew class that does basically everything my character can do but better and more.
Since I joined late and he clearly has put in so much effort into his character's story, I would feel bad asking them to nerf it... Sooo, deviating a bit seems like the easiest compromise. HOWEVER, in your case, it is them joining late. I do think it would be completely fine asking them to reconsider or working with your DM to make sure you all have different enough roles to fill!
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u/evilwizzardofcoding 1d ago
You are not, in fact i usually specifically avoid playing any class already in the party, especially if the party is relatively small. 3 people playing the same class is a bit much. If they both want to play the same class, they should pick a class no one else is playing.
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u/DawaLhamo 1d ago
When it's a schtick, then it can be fun. Like all gnome fighters. Roll up on them tiny and mighty.
But generally, yeah, I want a varied party. It's more fun to me that way.
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u/Fit-Structure3171 1d ago
we had a full bard campaign once
we were a traveling band
but we spent a lot of time running away from things if we couldn’t control them , but it was a heist campaign so it worked
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u/Initial_Raise8377 1d ago
I think in every session zero I’ve ever been in for a longer campaign, we’ve had a segment where people suggest their several character ideas and we pick the PCs that would make the most balanced and well-rounded party. The only times I’ve seen 2 PCs in the same class have wildly different playstyles through subclass (like Bladesinger/Divination Wizard or Moon/Land Druid). 3 is definitely pushing it so I’m with you.
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u/blargethaniel DM 1d ago
That's odd, I have to say. But you can choose to play whatever class you like, that means they can too.
I'd have a chat with the DM and see if they'd like to change anything, but if not, this may just not be your table.
It happens, it's not fun, but it happens.
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u/sirhobbles Barbarian 1d ago
I dont find it too odd. i have a similar compulsion,
that said a good player would accept everyone doesnt feel the same way and as such i generally have a "Im picking last so i can pick a niche that hasnt been filled yet" attitude
Its a bit complicated in OP's case cos they are new players entering an ongoing game. Really the only real solution is to have a conversation, "hey i prefer if characters are varied so we all have time to shine, are you especially sold on playing X class? and honestly worst case i would just go "oh well" or maybe even change my character.
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u/Minocho 1d ago
I'm with you. I want to be unique in the party (this is more about role for me than class. If I'm a divine sorcerer, and there's a storm sorcerer too, our roles could still be very different) as well, and so I will often choose last. This means I don't get to play my current favorite all the time, but it keeps my character relevant during play.
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u/blargethaniel DM 1d ago
Not odd in that they don't want others to share their class (they want to be unique.) they can have their preferences,
odd that two other people wish to copy them.
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u/StarTrotter 1d ago
Honestly I think it's less they want to copy them as much as they like the idea of the same class. They also mentioned the class being artificer which I will note the various subclasses do bring some notable differences in design if they are all different subclasses.
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u/action_lawyer_comics 1d ago
We have like less than 1/10th of the details. They may be copycats, maybe not. This isn’t AITA
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u/ihvnnm 1d ago
I've dropped out of a few games because all my primary abilities were being performed by other players who always seem to get much gear and luck, I end up feeling like I am just falling behind and mostly useless. Because of that I dislike parties with over 5 players and it seems like everyone is stepping on everyone elses toes, that and battles in game are over too quick and out of game take too long, plus scheduling becomes a bitch.
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u/NewNickOldDick 1d ago
Am I overreacting or am I not the only one that thinks like this?
No, you're not the only one. I habitually forbid same class being played by two players unless both 100% agree that it is ok with both of them.
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u/captaingddss42 1d ago
3 fighters is one thing. 3 artificers is another.
I personally also typically have a problem with this unless there is a themed campaign (e.g., band of bards, group of noble knights, congregation of monks).
Tbh if theyre adamant about it, I would kill off my own character and make a new one
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u/Dutch_DnD 1d ago
Considering it too. Just feels like a shame to lose a character that I have played for 2 months or so. To 3 new players that didn’t take it into consideration
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u/ElvishLore 1d ago
You’re not at all overreacting. Niche protection is a thing and your DM should be spearheading that more than the players. I’m very protective of my players having a sub class all to themselves and if I can swing it, maybe even the entire class.
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u/Saquesh 21h ago
Just playing the same class isn't really stepping on your toes but if they're playing a very similar build then yeah that would bother me too.
You absolutely can ask them to reconsider especially since this is an ongoing game they are joining and really the dm should be making sure they don't step on toes like that.
I was playing an investigator focused full caster once and then a player changed their character to cover the same niche but better, I was livid with both the player and dm for essentially invalidating my character, the player didn't realise that's what they'd done and felt bad but the dm shrugged and said they hadn't thought about it but it was too late now to fix. We ended up changing some of the skills of my own character instead but it tainted the rest of the campaign.
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u/YearObvious7214 21h ago
I think having same class still can feel very different - I run a game with two Rouges. One, traditional high Dex, assasin killing machine; one, high charisma Arcane Trickster. They didn't cover the same spot in the group anymore than two similarly built, different classes would.
But I completely understand where you're coming from. I think it's nice to have something unique, something no one else can do in your group.
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u/Spreckles450 1d ago
Not at all.
While there is nothing bad with a party consisting of multiple of the same class, a balanced and rounded party composition is only a good thing.
As long as your mindset is "I want to be a team player and shore up the party's weaknesses" and not "How dare they prevent me from being a special snowflake" then you are good.
Also, talk to the other players.
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u/Yojo0o DM 1d ago
Not only is it not uncommon or selfish, but I think it's the sign of a poor DM who doesn't provide any guidance to new players joining a campaign over this sort of thing.
You absolutely do have a right to ask them to reconsider.
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u/ThisWasMe7 1d ago
My advice on this matter is rather open-ended. Something like:
The party lacks arcane casters, so a wizard or sorcerer would help. We have a couple of wisdom casters and a rogue, so that's not a need. As long as you're not an exact copy of another character, _you can play whatever you want _ .
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u/Level21DungeonMaster DM 1d ago
When the players all choose similar or the same class it makes my job as a DM much easier.
I know the types of buffs the players will need to remain balanced so the adventure can really progress around a shared narrative.
My current campaign three out of five characters are bards, so a big part of their story is them being in a band and trying to find gigs.
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u/Discount_Mithral Cleric 1d ago
Just started a new campaign, I've had this idea rattling around in my head for a while on a cool character backstory. I worked with the DM to build a character and was excited to play!
First session, another player has my exact race, class, background, and likely subclass (we're still level 2.) I'm pretty bummed about it. I asked the DM on the side to nerf my character so I can build something else.
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u/ChickinSammich DM 1d ago
Depending on the edition you're playing, most or all classes can commonly fill 2 or more roles. Like you could have a melee druid and a caster druid, or for fighter/ranger/rogue you could be melee or ranged. For casters, you could be direct offense or battlefield control or utility or some combination...
So just because two people are the same class doesn't mean they're the same niche depending on how they build the character. Now if they wanted to build their character the same way as you or a very similar way - then I might speak up about it. Honestly, I think you still should speak up about it.
I understand that I have 0 right to ask them to reconsider
You have zero right to DEMAND they pick a different class. You're well within your rights to ask them to reconsider. They're welcome to say no. And maybe you ask and maybe they do say no. Or maybe one of them says yes. Maybe they both do. Maybe they say "oh I was going to play a different way." You never know unless you ask.
I would speak up about how you feel, be ready to accept "no" as an answer, but consider that if you don't ask, "yes" isn't on the table.
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u/laxton1919 1d ago
I get wanting bases covered. But you choosing a class doesn't in anyway restrict someone else from doing it. The game is about fun. And everyone's fun matters.
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u/Numerical-Wordsmith Warlock 1d ago
It’s totally fair to want your character to feel unique, and having a balanced party does make things easier. That said, you could try and see this as a valuable opportunity to role play your character and develop them in different ways.
You could lean into the joke a bit “Weird that three Warlocks all got caught up in the same quest, isn’t it? I wonder if there’s some sort of conspiracy going on…” or “We’re all Whisper Bards? No freaking way! You guys want to start a band and go on tour?”
Or you could take this as your baseline, then have your character specialize using feats and multiclassing, letting them learn in-game and fill a niche that they can see the party needs. Some of my favourite characters started out as one basic thing, then evolved a lot during gameplay.
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u/Dutch_DnD 1d ago
I feel like the joke would get old very fast in a long term campaign
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u/StardustSwall0w 1d ago
I totally get and feel you, but i want to play devil's advocate here:
(Imagine this in the voices of RDJ): If your character needs their class for themselves to be unique, they shouldn't have it.
Your characters isn't defined solely by the choice of class. After a couple of sessions of gameplay it usually isn't even top three identifiers anymore. "The cleric" quickly turns into "the bubbly, gutter-minded pixie girl who's weirdly obsessed with a deity nobody remembers." You're probably just being too hard on yourself, as well as your tablemates.
Stacking classes can sometimes be just as fun, because doubling up on features can occasionally lead to funnier situations than the coverage of many different ones. Opposing world views expressed through the same class can lead to the wildest moments of roleplay at the table. For example when two paladins clash, because one has sworn an oath of vengeance and the other one of redemption, or when two warlock patrons have conflicting goals in mind for the party, or two wizards argue over who gets to read that spellscroll first.
I would suggest you at least give it some time to settle and take that time to focus on what distinguishes their characters from yours, instead of their classes. If it keeps bothering you beyond comfortability, you can talk to your DM and/or those players and find a solutions later on.
Advocate for yourself, that is important, but take your time to make a sound decision as well.
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u/SirCheesyDaGr8 1d ago
TLDR, 3 it too many? In any class, never want 2 people of the same subclass unless they have a cool story idea that makes it make sense and they aren’t stepping on one another.
I might be rude but I 2 thing in each party I DM for
- 1 of each general DnD “role” type (Frontliner/Divine or Support Caster/“Rogue” aka Skill Martials like Monk, Ranger, even certain Bard subclasses/Arcane Caster) (I think these are flexible but I have been in parties that didn’t have this balance and it felt like other team players were forced to over compensate to fill roles or we had two people doing the same thing and inevitably one feels worse(i.e. two tanks))
- No more than 2 of the same role in a party. (More flexible on this, but it just makes things awkward)
For example my party had 2 arcane casters and we had a new player join. When I told him about it I said he could do whatever cause rule 1 was already met , but I strongly recommended he not be an arcane caster because then we just have 3 people doing basically the same thing. Your fireball and minor illusion does not feel special when over half the table can cast it. I also think that this just gets worse when expanded to subclasses
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u/Salt_Situation4625 1d ago
To be fair, the specific class can make a huge difference. 3 Clerics can be just fine, so long as the subclasses don't step on toes - Light, Life, and Grave (for example) all do such different things and even have different weapon and armor proficiencies that there's less overlap than some of those subclass might have with different classes altogether. That said, I feel like that only really applies to Bard, Cleric, and Fighter, at least in 2014 5e (I don't care to bother with 5.5).
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u/UmpireProper7683 1d ago
Anytime I join a new group one of the first questions I'm asking is, "what's the party missing?"
Just saying.
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u/Miserable_Bid_1774 1d ago
It doesn't matter. Who cares if another player has your same class or abilities? This can be beneficial from a strategic perspective
It also has role playing opportunities. Maybe your characters know each other. Maybe it's a friendly rivalry. Why does your character have to be unique?
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u/Vyctor_ 1d ago
> I understand that I have 0 right to ask them to reconsider
Uh, why? They’re joining your game. Sure it’s not just you that’s playing but you’re already part of it. Don’t you get a say in any new people joining the game at all? And why wouldn’t you have the “right” to just ask them hey I’m playing X so could you not? Not just because you’re “intruding” but also the party has no use for a skillset that they literally already have.
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u/Mundane-Football2136 1d ago
Yeah I definitely agree with this - and also think it makes for more fun games when you do. Exceptions are if you're both playing very different subclasses or flavours (swashbuckler vs. scout rogue for example) or if that similarity is baked into the narrative you both share (siblings, comrades, rivals etc.)
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u/Puzzleheaded-Fuel206 21h ago
Nah I 100% understand. Im the same way. When I join a table or am going to be starting a new game I want to know what everyone else is playing because I dont want to pick the same thing as someone else. It happened once in a game I was in where me and another player both brought champion fighters but I min/maxed just a little harder than he did so his entire character just felt kinda pointless. I felt really bad for him
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u/KingGiuba Cleric 17h ago
No I think it's normal, also because it makes a more balanced party. Some classes can play very differently depending on the playstyle (for example cleric/druid/bard melee or ranged/more support or more dmg, ranger/rogue/fighter melee or ranged, warlock melee or ranged etc...) the subclass can also change the playstyle a lot. Of it's about proficiencies you can plan with the team and get different skills etc...
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u/Basket_Chase 1d ago
Class doesn’t have to be your only niche. Subclasses, feats, racials, professions, alignment, backstory, roleplaying all give your character something to distinguish yourself. Your individual personalities will affect how you play the class, which spells you prepare, how you use them in and out of combat. I think you just need reassurance of that more than you need to confront them or raise a discussion. It’s not the niche of your class or choices that makes your character special, it’s the fact that you’re the one piloting it that makes it special.
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u/Comfortable_Rain_469 1d ago
I can see why you'd feel bad about it, but like, you can play the same class in a billion different ways. Different subclass, different fighting style/weapons, different preferred spells, different feats, proficiencies, then obviously roleplay will be completely different ... I supposed if everyone has tried to do exact the same template? O r minmaxed the same way? But that's what I'd do. Embrace the differences.
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u/StarTrotter 1d ago
I can sort of understand the critique. I have a player that very firmly wants their own niche down to the class. They aren't forceful on the matter but they don't like the overlap. Yes, subclasses, fighting styles, weapons, preferred spells, etc can provide some distinction but the majority of the power of a class generally comes from their class more than anything with few exceptions (artificers I'd say more notably have their play style change based on subclass). There's also wizard which is a bit peculiar in that you can easily make scrolls and copy them. Just to toss one last in, I think paladin auras are similarly a good example in that the default aura doesn't stack and thus it can lead to redundancy. It'll cost money but it can really lead to merging of features which one can ignore but it's a powerful thing sitting on the table.
I do personally share your stance though that while classes do lead to overlapping tendencies and I do think this is more pronounced in some more than others, I think there's enough things one can factor in to lead to them playing differently.
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u/Bloodmind 1d ago
It’s normal, and normally something a DM manages. Unless it’s a gimmick of the campaign, having 4 paladins isn’t going to be super fun.
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u/ThisWasMe7 1d ago
Disagree about the paladin party.
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u/Bloodmind 1d ago
In a certain kind of campaign, maybe. For most campaigns, it’s just gonna get boring and repetitive unless everyone works together to make sure their builds are vastly different, which can’t even happen at the lowest levels anyway. And those gimmicky campaigns can get old pretty quick once the novelty wears off.
But hey if it’s your thing, rock on.
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u/Elm-and-Yew 1d ago
Nah. I like when I, and everyone else, has a niche at the table. That way everyone gets their time to shine. It makes loot easier too, because obviously the +1 longsword goes to the only person in the party who uses a longsword.
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u/blauenfir 1d ago
IMO, there is nothing selfish about wanting to protect your own niche. it’s also 100% reasonable to politely ask people if they’d be willing to choose a different class. You absolutely have the right to ask! It’s not even selfish to ask! You just don’t have the right to demand they change, or to be an asshole about it if they decline. Ask, then respect their answer even if you don’t like it, and find a way to cope if they say no… but in my experience, most people shrug and go “yeah okay” - I’ve never had someone take issue with this before.
I have this issue too, I HAAAAAATE doubling up on classes because it makes me competitive and weird and sucks the fun away, I want to be special and have a unique mechanical contribution to the party that nobody else can do. Doubling up is frustrating, I have pretty poor dice luck too so I always end up wondering why the team even needs me…
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u/Dutch_DnD 1d ago
Exactly. I don’t even mind doubling that much, but quadrupling is too much for me.
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u/HeartlessD 1d ago
I also thought I was the only one who felt like this. The way I see it there are enough classes in the game that everyone should want to bring something different to the table. However when I expressed that to my table they just ignore me and say that we could have different subclasses. But I understand that it would ruin the excitement for you. It’s not selfish and even if it was…sometimes you are allowed to be selfish is what others are doing is causing you not to enjoy the game.
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u/Afraid_Fisherman4064 1d ago
I understand your point. As a rogue you're efficient in picking locks, a ranger can look for traces, a cleric knows stuff about religion. I still think it can work with 2 characters if they're going for different subclasses and their characters differ. But for 3 people to have the same class, it's seems tricky, especially if you're playing with 6 or less
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u/silletta Bard 1d ago
Is it just the same class? I too prefer to have a niche, so I don't think that's bad. But I will say that you can often have the same class or even same class and race, and still have two very different characters, especially with subclasses.
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u/Dragonfyre91 1d ago
This is very much how I play too, I hate basically competing with someone.
Sometimes you can have the same class and work in very different ways. My home game has two Rogues and two Druids, but both pairs work very differently. Both Rogues are Assassins, but one has focused on melee combat, and gone for high Stealth and Sleight of Hand, while the other is ranged (multiclassed to Ranger) and is about unloading damage from a distance. The Druids have one as Circle of the Moon (obviously focused on shape shifting), and the other is Circle of Spores, with more focus on the debuffing spellcasting.
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u/Artcat81 1d ago
I feel like it's the DM's job to help keep the table balanced. Now, in rare instances, an all one class party can be delightful. We have a campaign affectionately called The Thieves Guild. And it's literally what it sounds like. that crew cannot take a main baddie head on, so it actually makes for a more challenging gameplay. My suggestion, chat with the gm.
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u/Silver-Alex 1d ago
Mmm, I wouldnt force others change classes. Our current campaing has 4 clerics and zero wizards and we're enjoying the limitations xD
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u/Cranberryoftheorient 1d ago
I think it can still be fun, but I get not wanting to have the same classes.
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u/slackator 1d ago
its never bothered me but I can see when youre an established character and 3 new players join all wanting to be the same class can be a bit irritating. Definitely talk to the DM and the players and let them know that 4 of the same class in any campaign is maybe a bit much and variety is the spice of life, so lets add some salt to the party shall we?
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u/vivvav DM 1d ago
My official policy as a DM has always been that you should play the character you want and that there are no rules against party redundancy at my table, but I'm not going to change my plans to accommodate whatever shape the party takes if you overspecialize in one thing. If you all want to play wizards, there will be times when you go "man I REALLY wish we had a proper frontliner/healer".
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u/BigBandit01 1d ago
I want my niche to be that I’m a gnome bard and so is the rest of the party, we’re traveling musicians and we find ourselves in the fucking center of a world ending apocalyptic level event. The whole party can be niche together😎
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u/Addaran 1d ago
It's something best talked at session zero. I'll usually ask others if they want a backup/niche buddy to help ( splitting the aggro as tank, safety in double scout, double the crowd control effect, etc) or if they prefer a niche. But if i have a really cool concept i absolutely want to play, i wont change.
Some niche are easy to ask for. Being the lockpick person for exemple or a rare school of spell like divination. Asking to be the one melee or range, or the only caster with fireball, not so much.
Since it's new player joining, they should have asked or you could speak out. On the other hand, there's already 9 players and 3 more joining i think? It's bound to have overlap. And int-casster is the stat with the least amount of options. ( lots of wis and cha casters, lots of str and dex martials)
If you voice your opinion, maybe some will change. Either because they want their own niche too, because they understand your feeling or because they were hesitating between two builds.
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u/Unhindered-Klutz3429 1d ago
Clearly you need to play more "Oops, All ____s" games, because they can be pretty fun depending on subclasses. (And for the non-heals classes, buy looooots of healing pots and it's not too bad.)
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u/lurklurklurkPOST DM 1d ago
There are some cons when it comes to everyone having their own niche:
The Frequency Gap: Some skillsets are in demand more often, leading to someone at the table inevitably sitting out most challenges. If every door and chest is locked, the Rogue is in high demand. If those locks are all magical, The Wizard gets all those challenges. If theyre all Mimics, The Barbarian is called for.
The Overlap: Some Skillsets are much broader and provide alternatives or even upgrades to the skillsets of others. Rangers and Rogues come to mind, having narrowly focused skillsets toward Infiltration and Exploration. A well played Druid could manage both with spells like Find The Path and their Wild Shape ability, meaning this player is getting the attention of two other players on top of their share, but that segways nicely into my overall point....
Why not synergize rather than compete for niches?
Why aren't the Rogue and Druid collaborating on this infiltration? Why don't they double team and trade off Help actions for constant advantage? Skillset overlap actually increases the number and success rate of solutions available to the party.
I'm playing a Tomelock that uses illusions to spy and gather information, and one of the other players made a PC that is a Fathomless warlock that is the classic "friendly monster in disguise to avoid conflict" trope, using illusions to hide her monstrous features, and when we found out, we werent disappointed that we made the same build from different directions. We immediately became the PC equivalent of Fred and George Weasley, overlapping enchantments and illusions all over our poor DM's plots. We basically back-doored ourselves into his Court Intrigue plot and took it over.
TL;DR: Having the same Niche means you can Double Team your DM. Reject Main Character Syndrome. Embrace Twinsies Synergy.
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u/Several-Engine-1669 1d ago
If they're joining mid-campaign I feel it's more than a little rude not to coordinate their characters to not overlap the existing group too much. There are exceptions, but in general well-rounded parties make for better games, especially in combat. Even when I once played in an all-rogue heist, the players all brought different types of rogue to the table to add variety.
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u/evlbb2 1d ago
1) You can always talk to them about it
2) Different concepts and flavor and subclasses can change a character a lot. A polearm master - sentinal fighter that does chinese martial arts is very different a ronin samurai fighter is very different from a kobold rune knight who uses giant's might + fire runes to become a cool large sized dragon dealing fire damage every attack.
3) Have you considered it's cool to all be one class and be a cool little paladin order or whatever and share in game history
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u/ShonicBurn 1d ago
I have always been of the Idea that there are some classes the whole party could be. Like cleric, so many builds that are unique. Or if you ever heard the legend of the all barbarian party where each one pretended to be a different class. But If it's not one of those tables I always make a note to be the first to swap class as it's hard to find yourself in a situation where you can't fill in a role in the party.
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u/IndieGameClinic 1d ago
It depends.
Are you playing a tactical combat dungeon crawler or theatre of the mind type stuff. Whether party comp really matters really depends on what kind of DnD you’re playing.
Seems like a pretty good plot hook, and if the DM allows it but doesn’t make it one then it’s a missed opportunity (eg the reason the party has class duplicates is because they’re part of an in-world “guild”)
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u/Thatoneguy9794 DM 23h ago
What's the class
Also, you have every right to be pissed that you can't be THE person with that class, there's only so much you can be like as classes.
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u/Nik130130 23h ago
In my campaingn we play westmarches and change characters frequently. One time i was a fighter and another guy brought a fighter, then another one said he would like his next character to be a fighter. Honestly it sounded very fun, because we could coordinate to have different subclasses and playstyles. I was a batlemaster with thrown weapons and nets, another was a cavalier, and i cant remember the third. But the same class just pronounced our differences in characters more. One was a hunter/trapper, the other a brave protector etc. Even identically built characters can be played in many different ways to be unique. Maybe focus more on that and roleplaying and see how it goes. I was super excited and wanted to convince another friend to play a fighter so we could have an all fighter party, which sounds so silly and fun.
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u/Life_Wolf9609 23h ago
I think its fine to want your own role.
But for me thats not about classes but about roles.
A Druid could be a tank, a damage dealer, a healer or a Support character.
In my last group of 6 PCs i ended up as the only healer as the bard, cause the druid didnt want to prepare any healing spells...
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u/_All_Might__ 21h ago
I feel you, it’s important to feel like you have a meaningful purpose in any party. Having said that duplicate classes in 5e and 5.5e can avoid those pitfalls. Most classes allow for variations such as range vs melee, healing vs dmg (certain classes), and picking different skill proficiencies should help.
I am glad to see you made some progress in the update update
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u/ParsnipPrize DM 1d ago
I highly dislike having multiple people playing the same class.
I'm playing only with close friends and we all kinda agreed on it. Me personally, I would hate it as a player.
Having 2 people with the same class is unpleasant, having three just sucks. It kinda takes away the "uniqueness" of your character.
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u/uirop 1d ago
My party of six rogues beg to differ. Also haven’t you ever heard of personality traits and subclasses?
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u/Ethereal_Stars_7 Artificer 1d ago
Was in an all Thief party back in AD&D. Quite a fun little romp.
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u/CaptJack1987 1d ago
Every time I join a table, I go out of my way to fill the spaces at the table. Cleric in one, Bard in another (cause out Cleric didn't wanna heal lol). It makes the game fun for me when I can provide what others can't, that's just me. Like others have said, maybe retire this character for another campaign and make a new one or find another table <3
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u/Solherb 1d ago
Instead of seeking differences, rejoice in your similarities. For one game I asked the DM if we needed any classes for the story, he was like, "Yea a druid... actually you all could be druids." And ever since then I've wanted an all druid party. Idk how much mileage your class will get, but I think it'd be neat to see how differently people would play the same thing. It might feel like stealing your thunder, yet I'd say think of it more like you have a kool little clique in the group.
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u/HalcyonHorizons 1d ago
Depends on the table and the attitudes of the people there.
For every story like this, there's a dozen of "The DM/group is forcing me to play support / tank because the party is missing it." Two sides of the same coin.
Overlapping classes can be good fun. Three Rogues can start a guild and share scouting. Three Wizards can share spells. Three Walocks can start a cult. 3 Paladins can Deus Vult.
The other players are just as entitled to play the class they want as you.
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u/LilianWilkie Bard 1d ago
I feel like same class is fine but if it's the same subclass and they want to fill a very similar role to yours, that may cause long term issues.
What class is it that you are running?
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u/Armithax 1d ago
Consider the opposite: The table already has a raging, damage-engine Barbarian. So you're competitive and want to prove your can play a Barbarian better than the original Barbarian player, roll up a very similar character, and proceed to try and steal the spotlight from Original Barbarian every chance you get. It should be obvious that this might be a problem both in-game and out-of-game. (Now there is the edge case of two players agreeing to roleplay this competition between two Barbarian siblings, and that could be a lot of fun, but you need very enthusiastic buy-in from both players. And even so, it does leave the party weaker in non-combat situations that require other skills.)
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u/ThisWasMe7 1d ago
If two barbarians can't coexist in the same party, I don't know what can. They can be battle buddies!
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u/GordonFan42 DM 1d ago
Okay here is the thing with me: I literally do not care as a DM if it is a 100% diverse or a 0% diverse party I care about everyone having fun. No tank? No Healer? No issue we have mercenaries that are literally designed to fulfill parts of play that can be quite important... but no one is wanting to do. Beorst Fireheart is my favorite example as he is a barbearian in his underwear that literally just wants to murder things he cares not for gold he just wants blood for the blood god while in terms of healers my favorite is most likely the idol Shanairla Amakiir because she is a 100% support idol... which if she loves you and you try to run from her "No you ain't" and I love the little yandere idol. These are fine solutions just because "Oh hey it isn't optimum" doesn't mean you can't be "Oops all wizards" quirky things make the game fun even if other things make it boring.
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u/MoodiestMoody 1d ago
The group I play in is having some drama about this now. One player/GM is all about niches, and another player dared to talk about multiclassing into "her" specialty for that game. Exhausting! Especially since she's by far the sneakiest.
That said, I do enjoy it more when I'm the best at something. In that game, I'm a barbarian so it's hit points. I also play into the intellectual weakness, and that's been fun.
Talk to the other players first. Either try to lean into a group mindset or branch out from them. Each player class has many different flavors, so choose wisely.
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u/GalacticPigeon13 1d ago
It depends on how wide your niche is, and how similar two characters of the same class can be. Warlock is a highly customizable class with multiple playstyles, while barbarians all play much more similarly.
That being said, if they're joining an ongoing campaign, I see this as more of a faux pas than session 0. Unless you have an absurdly large party and/or your DM is highly restricting classes, there should be enough classes to go around that they won't both play the exact same class as an existing player character.
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u/iceph03nix Fighter 1d ago
What class are we talking about here? And how big of a party?
Some classes can be duplicated and find a decent niche of their own better than others.
I also like to have my own little space of things I do well, mostly to avoid having gaps or to have too many people trying to do the same thing.
I could see in a big party that some of that overlap is bound to happen.
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u/Dismal_Fox_22 Druid 1d ago
As a DM I wouldn’t allow it. I don’t want to have to adapt my campaign to make space for three wizards and no fighter. I put the responsibility of balancing a party on the players, but it’s a standard expectation
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u/Notthatguyagain_ 1d ago
Well, what's the class? There's some greatly customizable classes that can fulfill different niches depending on the build.
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u/NTufnel11 1d ago
It's fair to feel that way, but your way forward is to change your own character, not theirs.
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u/Tesla__Coil DM 1d ago
I feel the same as you, OP. But it's easier in my case because my group doesn't add people mid-campaign; I get to have a unique niche by just talking to everyone during session zero and making the decision myself to create a different character.
I think it's totally reasonable to ask the new players to reconsider, but it's also reasonable for them to want to play artificers #2 and #3 anyway. So don't phrase it like "you are wrong and bad", just "hey, this is how I'm feeling and I'd prefer if".
Alternately, you could respec your character. Maybe your artificer trips and stumbles over a genie vessel and now they're a warlock.
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u/Mariessa- 1d ago
Talking about 3 same class characters can be fine. You all may have very different visions on how to play and build the class, so it's a non-issue. If there's enough overlap, that could be part of the rp. Rivals? Besties?
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u/Turbulent_Jackoff 1d ago
When it's more important to me to play a unique Class than a specific Class, and two other players want to play that specific Class, I choose a different Class, so that it is unique!
I wouldn't tell the players for whom the specific Class is more important to change so that mine could remain unique.
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u/Rhinostirge 1d ago
Wanting to play with a group who coordinates with other players before settling on their characters may not always be realistic, but I think it's pretty reasonable and leads to better games.
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u/Parysian 1d ago
Uncommon, Idk, selfish... maybe a tiny bit? Like I personally wouldn't mind as a player and wouldn't forbid it as a GM, but I also wouldn't consider it unreasonable to feel this way, like I get where you're coming from.
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u/LadyVulcan 1d ago
Yeah I think it's perfectly acceptable to say "please don't copycat me". It's one thing if you were all starting fresh together, and everyone has equal rights to any class. Then, if you care about being a different classes more than you care about playing the class you were most excited about playing, that's a choice you make for yourself.
But coming into an existing campaign like this, you have seniority. That said, you need to speak up and let it be known that it bothers you. Do them a service by taking a minute to examine your feelings and decide exactly what does and doesn't bother you:
Is it the whole class? Would a separate subclass of Artificer bother you the same way? Is it your character's personality or mannerisms that you don't want copied? Is it a particular build or role in the party that you're filling? (Like does your steel defender make the tank of the party, and another tank or a party member using a familiar in the same way, would that also bother you?) Ask yourself a bunch of questions like this to nail down where the boundaries of your feelings are before you begin this conversation with them. Please put in the prep work to have clear communication before broaching the topic.
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u/jaundicemanatee Barbarian 1d ago
I prefer to coordinate with the group and have as many bases covered as possible, but if we don’t do it with just character class, then there are other ways to differentiate. Race, background, feats, and weapon choice for the sheet itself, but different character personalities work too. You may also come up with some clever ways to work together with the others playing your class and end up being a scary thing to deal with, so I wouldn’t say you need to duck out quite yet.
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u/Frammingatthejimjam 1d ago
I get where you are coming from and no, you're aren't wrong on a human (we all want to have fun) level. Maybe ask the DM to say "hey we don't need 3 of XXXX" so you don't come off as the bad guy. IMHO in something like DnD everyone should have the option to have a niche. It's the same in any team sport. If you're not one of the best players it's more fun to be the guy with the hard shot, the big hitter, one of the best penalty killers, etc.
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u/Shiboleth17 1d ago edited 1d ago
Depends on the size of the party.
3 players? I would try not to replicate classes and roles.
6 players? There's gonna be overlap no matter what you do, so just do what you want.
That being said, even if 2 people play the same class, there is no guarantee they will play exactly the same. A light cleric plays very differently from a twilight cleric for example. A wizard could be your ranged damage-dealer, your battlefield controller, or a stealthy thief depending on their spell and skill choices.
Classes aren't locked into one niche.
The type of campaign you're playing might also matter. Does this campaign have the party on the front lines of a war most of the time? Then it just makes sense that 3/4 of you are fighters. Or is this is a campaign of political intrigue and espionage? Then maybe it's not bad to have multiple characters who are charismatic or stealthy. Is this campaign all about research and mysteries? Then a full party of wizards might not be out of place.
So keeo that in mind.
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u/Funny-Amphibian-7931 1d ago
There's nothing wrong with wanting to be special as long as you don't say anything it'll be fine
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u/Laithoron DM 1d ago
This isn't an unreasonable sentiment on your part at all.
As a DM I lay down in Session 0 that I expect folks to avoid overlapping with one another so that everyone can have clear moments where they get to shine without overshadowing each other. Also a party with a broad set of capabilities is able to overcome a wider array of challenges, which is my very strong preference.
So yeah, one newcomer (let alone two) wanting to horn-in on the same niche as an existing player would be a non-starter with my group.
ETA: That said, if the group as a whole decided to do a themed party as Session 0 such as an all Bard band or some such, I'd be totally down for that. Just don't come in mid-campaign and expect to walk all over everyone else though.
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u/Yukiboop 1d ago
My suggestion is don't tie your niche to a class but to a build, something that needs more investment than selecting a class.
something that melds your class and subclass along with race and feats like if a player picking the same class as you makes it feel like they are taking your niche you may want to reconsider what that build does to make it extra special or make sure you exceed at something the base class doesn't set up.
like a booming blade rogue, over sniper rogue, over poisoner rogue over a healer rogue, or int heavy rogue, extreme reach rogue, Ranger lite rogue, smite rogue. just stuff that mixes stuff up over, high dex rogue put expertise on slight of hand and stealth instantly.
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u/Automatic-War-7658 1d ago
I’m in a campaign with two Barbarians and they play VERY differently from each other.
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u/Zealousideal_Leg213 1d ago
This is a preference that can and should be covered and sorted out in a get-on-the-same-page discussion.
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u/Primary_Doubt7369 1d ago
You have every right to ask. But do not demand. You can say "hey I know you two want to play x class but I'm already playing that class and we don't need three. Would it be okay if you two played something else?" And no it's not uncommon or selfish. In the campaign I'm playing weekly I'm the only tank. It's great because I'm the one that the whole team revolves around in combat. I'm decent outside of combat but combat is where my character thrives. We have two warlocks, a bard, a psion, and a rouge and I'm the barbarian. Being part warforged the battle relies on me taking the hits cuz if I don't the others go down.
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u/StarTrotter 1d ago
Nah, you aren't the only one. At my own table I know there is one player that very explicitly wants to have their own niche (class, what they are good at). If somebody picked wizard, they would change from their idea of being a wizard to find a niche. As per myself, I prefer to find niches to fill because it helps to ensure everyone has a chance to shine and nobody gets outshone all the time but I'm less concerned about class as much as role/function. If somebody plays a fighter, I don't think it's bad to also be a fighter but I'd want us to have a different subclass and ideally different weapon preferences (which often impacts feats selected). Moreover, I often consider this when making anything. I had a campaign end which I'll use as an example. The party was a dex based fighter, a barbarian, and a wizard. We didn't have a cha based character, a wis based character, or a healer so my possible character ideas were a cleric, a druid, and a mercy monk. I don't necessarily need to fill all missing niches but I like to fill some of them at the very least.
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u/clerical_error_ 1d ago
I think that in terms of party balance 3 of the same class is kinda a lot, but it's not the end of the world. In terms of just wanting to be the only artificer so you'll be special in the group does seem a little silly to me, but others seem to be passionately on your side so idk. I know if another cleric joined our party my CHARACTER would be so upset, but I would just view it as an opportunity for more shenanigans.
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u/ProphetSword 1d ago
Characters are made unique by their personalities, their actions and how they interact with the world. They are not made unique by their class or their abilities, as anyone can select those at any time.
To be unique and niche, focus on the narrative aspect of your character and not the mechanical.
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u/Sissyintoxicated 1d ago
I thoroughly enjoy other players playing the same class as myself for a couple of reasons. 1, joint endeavors! It's always fun to have others join in most (but not all) of my endeavors because it increases the likelihood of success! 2, it gives me more incentive to excel in my class, always trying to be the first to learn, earn, discover new things, and be the best!
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u/SpikeRosered 1d ago
It becomes a diff kind of game with three players all the same class. Honestly, the rest of the party will feel left out.
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u/RogueOpossum 1d ago
I like being different too, I currently am playing a Druid who is traditionally nature based and another player knew this and choose to be a Nature Cleric and has stepped on my toes all game. I thought perhaps we could team up but they rarely show any interest in any nature related RP, it has been a struggle to find common grounds.
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u/atomzero 1d ago
I almost always end up waiting to see what other people play so I can fill a different role. I kind of wish this was considered basic etiquette. That being said, it's 5e, and your characters can vary, even if they are the same class.
I would look to differentiate myself in my roleplaying, but it is annoying that some people won't give a thought to carving their own role, especially when it's someone who only wants to play the same class every time.
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u/Novel_Willingness721 1d ago
While I agree with the general sentiment here, you said they want to play the same class. What about sub-classes, backgrounds, species, feats?
I can build three of just about any “class” and have them all be very different in how they play.
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u/Privvy_Gaming 1d ago
If those new players are new to D&D, I would try to either roll a new class that is similar to the one I wanted, or try a new and unique build idea with the class you're all playing. Not ideal, but if they're new, then it'll make their experience better and they will be more engaged, making your experience better.
If they're veterans that are new to your group, I would coordinate better with them.
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u/JupiterJunebug 1d ago
Ive been in parties where i doubled up and it was fun, but it was because we planned the pcs together and so established a dynamic where we had diff NARRATIVE niches. If i were in an extant group and someone wanted to play the same niche as me I probably wouldnt be down, though, on account of like... i was there first and had a thing going, and they didnt work w me on it (esp if it was 2 ppl...thats a lot of overlap to have unplanned).
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u/guilersk DM 1d ago
Niche protection is absolutely a reasonable expectation but also an unwritten one. If these players are new enough, they may not know the unwritten rules of the table.
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u/Shadow_Of_Silver DM 1d ago
What is the class? Subclass?
Having 3 identical assassin rogues is different than having 3 wizards with vastly different spell selection.
As long as you're different subclasses, you should be able to differentiate yourselves a bit.
Still weird to have 3 of the same class in a party, but not inherently bad either. I once DMed for a group that was 1 barbarian & 3 clerics, to great success.
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u/Straight_Dog_3284 1d ago
Nah man, this could be fun. Oops all fighters or too many rogues might be a fun thing for the DM to design and play for. Also different subclasses make for different kinds of play as well.
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u/Qucs94 1d ago
Se puede tener una sesion 0 para ellos explicarles por que es mejor no superponer clases. Si van a jugar una trama larga podeis entre los 3 haceros 2 personajes para que en sesiones diferentes podais ir usando los 3 la clase que quereis pero tambien no solapandoos en esa sesion. Si lo comentais con el DJ seguro que lo puede encajar en la trama.
Al final es para pasar un buen rato entre todos.Tener mucha suerte.
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u/knightoblivion 1d ago
I mean... I would say it depends on the class and the type of character. For example, I was in a campaign where we had 2 fighters and a barbarian. But one fighter ended up being the sentinel, polearm, defender style. Second fighter was 2 handed weapon, dive into the back and crush wizards and archers. The barbarian ended up swapping between defender/support with Bear totem, or racing for the backline with Eagle depending on the terrain and the fight.
You can make pretty diverse set of characters with the same class. I would coordinate that at least. No sense in ending up with all thief rogues unless you're explicitly in a short campaign about that.
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u/Kwith DM 1d ago
I wouldn't think of it being selfish. It would be more of a case of unnecessary role overlapping. For example, if you're playing a stealthy rogue scout, is there a point to someone else playing the same role? Not really. Now, that's not saying they can't also play a rogue. They most definitely can, just playing it as a different role so no toes are being stepped on. We all like to have our time in the spotlight and fulfilling our respective roles achieves that. Having someone else come in and take that away kills your enjoyment, I totally agree.
I'd just talk to them and see what their intentions are for the characters. Maybe they are playing the same class, but doing a different subclass to fulfill a different role in the party?
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u/Ardalev Artificer 1d ago
I mean, between subclasses, feats, proficiencies etc. there is enough variety that can make even same class characters feel different and cover different niches.
Unless the newbies copy your build or specialty entirely, you might be taking it a bit harder than needed.
What class are you playing and in what way?
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u/Happy-Criticism-6728 1d ago
Playing the same *class* doesn't have to be playing the same *niche*. Even mechanically identical characters can be played wildly differently. A swashbuckling duelist, an archer, and an armoured tank with a greatsword could all be fighters. But it's even easier to distinguish yourself -- subclasses, feat selection, race, multiclassing, background... all offer SOME sort of mechanical effect to represent how your character differs from another.
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u/BastianWeaver The Kender 1d ago
Depends on what game you play. We play old school, no two fighters or thieves or magic are alike.
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u/Phantomango 1d ago
I don’t play, I DM, but I personally have a rule that PC starting classes don’t overlap for this very reason. Otherwise the party ends up being 3 warlocks and a fighter and they keel over the second something challenges them outside of their limited skillset.
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u/TheShadowKick 1d ago
I kind of like sharing a niche with someone because then we can tag team challenges. That said I understand why other players might not like it and will 100% work with someone who doesn't want me to overlap their niche. If new players joined an ongoing campaign and jumped into the niche of someone who wasn't open to sharing I'd think the new players were being kinda rude.
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u/Many-Ebb-5377 DM 1d ago
In some ways it makes sense for a group working together to have people that are particularly good at one thing or another, but it can also go too far. The "face" concept is ridiculous metagaming, for example. Also, redundancy can be important. If someone is incapacitated or otherwise unavailable, you will probably feel fortunate if someone else in your group has those skills even if not as well developed as the primary.
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u/Professional-Goose93 1d ago
Since its an ongoing adventure I'd reckon its fair for you wanting to keep your niche. Otherwise this would have been something you would have covered in session 0.
Purposely taking the sane classes or background could potentially be fun, think a group like the teenage mutant turtles. Between background and further specialisation there is enough room for niche and specialisation.
Other examples are an all Zhentarim operative cell or a dwarven mining clan etc.
Can you tell us more about the character and niche you are playing and what the new players want to do? Perhaps the collective brainstorm here can help your group define the likeness and differences.
Otherwise remember: No DnD is better than bad DnD. If it can't be solved, look for another table to play at.
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u/SeismologicalKnobble 1d ago edited 1d ago
What you’re feeling is normal. Some classes, it works fine to have multiple people like with fighters and wizards because they’re so versatile that it’s easy to play them differently.
But then there are classes like barbarian and paladin where it’s “I hit/do thing x way with little variation” where it does feel bad to have someone else being the same.
Like I’m playing in a game with two fighters and two warlocks rn and none of us feel like we’re stepping on each other’s toes because we can play our classes so differently from one another. Sure us warlocks are EBing most of the time, but how we flavor our EB is different and the spells, boons, and invocations we took are so different that we don’t notice. With the fighters, one is ranged and the other is melee so they don’t feel the overlap.
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u/DinosaurAlert 1d ago
Normally for things like this I'm on the "Let everyone just have their fun!" side, but no, this is weird.
Now, MAYBE you you coordinated and it was something like, moon druid, stars druid, spores druid, that could still be fun. Could also work for warlock I think. Other classes, not as much.
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u/TiFist 1d ago
I prefer to have sufficient bases covered, and *because this is an ongoing group* I feel like it would be better if they coordinated with you. If this were a new group and three players wanted to do the same thing, I'd be willing to also be flexible.
That said, two overlapping players is not a bad thing. 3 may be.