Player Classes in the Society of Educated Gentlewomen

For this 18th century fantasy DnD 5e conversion, the following classic DnD classes can be used, with the presented tweaks of utility and flavour:

Non-Magical Classes

Beserker (Barbarian): a strong, rage-fuelled warrior capable of absorbing terrifying hits and dealing extraordinary damage - archetype examples include soldiers, traumatised gang heavies, pirates and rage-fuelled aristocrats

focus is removed from "primal" or "savage" terminology

barbarians must have a key source or trigger for their rage - this is often trauma or injustice. They can hone in on this to focus their rage and activate it when required. However, they may accidentally be "activated" when they encounter their trigger or something which reminds them of the key source of rage 

(N.B. this needs a new name)

  Bard: a silver-tongued performer, who taps into the persuasive powers of music and diplomacy - archetype examples include opera singers, instrumentalists, dancers, tumblers, circus performers, diplomats, actors, rhetoricians, poets and con-artists

Bards aren't "magic" for the purposes of this setting

instead, their charismatic rhetoric is persuasive to the point that it may seem like mind-control

Fighter: a master of martial combat, using a variety of era-appropriate weapons

- archetype examples include soldiers, gang members, pirates, highway men, bandits and more

European fighters may specialise in sword, rapier, pistol, or rifle

Finesse fighter may use rapier, dagger or pistols

Fighters from other traditions have access to their own weapons from those traditions (e.g. tomahawks for Native American characters, Shamshers for Mughal characters etc)

Ranger: a master of tracking and survival - archetype examples include game keepers, forest rangers, city watchmen, farmers, hunters, poachers, trackers, explorers, guides

a Ranger's ability to know their favoured terrain is so uncanny that it may appear to be magic

in addition to ranging in the wild, a ranger's biome may also be a major city

rangers often have a vendetta or score to settle with one particular group, faction or species

Rangers make excellent investigators

Rogue: a stealthy operator who deals damage from the shadows

archetype examples include assassins, thieves, soldiers, pirates, explorers, spies

a rogue's ability to go unseen may seem magical, but usually it's merely skill

in SoeG, rogues often operate as thieves, assassins, or spies

rogues are fast movers, and their hit and run style makes them hard to hit back

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Classes which may be axed:

Monk: a skilled martial artist

Paladin: a holy warrior powered by divine batteries

Magic Wielders

If characters are magic wielders they must choose the source of their magic (class): 

Alchemist (replaces cleric): a character focussing on chemical and magical brews and potions to create mind and area altering affects - archetype examples include chemist, alchemist, scientist, drug-dealer, chemical weapons expert

this class replaces the cleric but is very different

they may have a focus on healing and medicine, or on poisons and drugs

while alchemists excel in the lab, they may also create chemical compounds to assist them in battle - this may be drugs and potions (for which there is always a toxicity payment), or compounds like grease, greek fire, or other area of affect or area control substances

if focussing on drugs and potions, recommend strong CON to survive toxicity

if focussing on area of affect, recommend strong DEX for throwing accurately

Artificer: a scientist, magitech scientist or tinkerer who can modify weapons and craft ingenious items

archetype examples include inventor, engineer, tinkerer, weaponsmith, armoursmith, clock maker, toymaker

Artificers excel at tinkering and improving existing tech

they can also invent new tech, given enough time

if an artificer has had reasonable time to study a magical device, they may be able to adapt it to create magical weapons and items

artificers who have unlocked the secrets of Rune Engraving can create magical items from scratch

Hedge Witch (Druid): A nature-based magic user steeped in tradition - archetype examples include wise woman, medicine man, midwife, folk healer, crone, white witch, shaman, fortune teller

must have a rural background or have grown up in the countryside

Hedge witches (gender neutral term) can perform various small cantrips and have a great deal of utility

WIS is their casting stat

Diamorph (Warlock): a strong humanoid (often no longer quite human) with extraordinary powers, an odd weakness, and a cost - archetype examples include Vampires, Werewolves, Frogmen, Glassmen, Spidermen etc.

Diamorphs have i) 2 distinct powers, ii) a critical weakness and iii) a cost that keeps them cohesive. If they don't pay this cost, they begin to unravel

all diamorphs choose an origin story

Sorcerer (Sorcerer) - born with powers they struggle to control - archetype examples include Fireborn, Waterborn, Airborn, Stoneborn,

Sorcerers are elemental in SoeG - they must choose an element they control

All spells must be converted for this element to be used

Sorcerers have a weakness to their opposite element, and can borrow spells from their sister-element

Practitioner (Wizard) - a magic user who has studied and researched magical rituals which they use to control others. They may also have limited use of minor "spells" - archetype examples include wizard, conjurer, mage, cultist, enchanter, magus,

Practitioners may uncover diamorph rituals, and perform these to create diamorphs

they may control or boost others with the use of curses and poppets

they have a limited range of "spells" they may cast immediately

they can use Sigils to lay traps and create area affects