D&D 5E Your PCs have Character Classes/Levels, and no one else does!
Yaarel
He Mage
I agree. Yet if an NPC has class levels, that makes these anomalous too, the same way the player characters are anomalous.
There can easily be a setting where: class = superheroish. Including supervillainish.
Lakesidefantasy
Hero
The question is a little too absolute for me. I voted "Yes", but that doesn't mean I don't ever create Non-Player Characters using the Character Creation rules from the Players Handbook. Most of the time I don't, but sometimes I just like to have fun creating a character. On the other hand, the Players absolutely must use the Character Creation Rules.
Underneath it all, classes and levels are metagame rules that support gameplay and are not a part of the story. A Monk is not the same thing as a monk. As a Player I routinely create characters from an unexpected class, like a fighter using the Wizard class or a rogue using the Fighter class or a monk from the Monk class.
Underneath it all, classes and levels are metagame rules that support gameplay and are not a part of the story. A Monk is not the same thing as a monk. As a Player I routinely create characters from an unexpected class, like a fighter using the Wizard class or a rogue using the Fighter class or a monk from the Monk class.
Vaalingrade
Legend
Voted yes, but not even the PCs have class in-universe.
Classes are just an abstract way to represent the suites of abilities the players have access to. Whether there are other people with the same abilities out there doesn't matter because they aren't player-facing.
And class is also never a thing in-universe. Someone with the rogue class might be considered a 'fighter' because they punch people quite often. A person with the abilities of the wizard class might be called a rogue due to their rakish ways. No one is ever called a cleric; they're a priest, a reverend, a nun, a paladin, a templar. And Paladins are all just called gits.
Classes are just an abstract way to represent the suites of abilities the players have access to. Whether there are other people with the same abilities out there doesn't matter because they aren't player-facing.
And class is also never a thing in-universe. Someone with the rogue class might be considered a 'fighter' because they punch people quite often. A person with the abilities of the wizard class might be called a rogue due to their rakish ways. No one is ever called a cleric; they're a priest, a reverend, a nun, a paladin, a templar. And Paladins are all just called gits.
Baldurs_Underdark
Hero
My experience as DM: My NPCs definitely have levels, because I sometimes just build e.g. a L13 bard or L4 barbarian as opponent for the PCs. If a class resembles a profession, the NPCs may in some situations also explain this to the NPCs, e.g. "I'm a mage" or "I'm a bard". It's fun for me to create, and the players enjoy it once they recognize that's going on. Some other classes are more of a character trait (especially barbarian), so the NPC may only say that they get angry quickly.
Also, pets and draft animals of the PCs always level up (custom level, but at least increased HP) to avoid the situation that one fireball or other AoE spell kills all the PC's (and players') beloved animals.
Also, pets and draft animals of the PCs always level up (custom level, but at least increased HP) to avoid the situation that one fireball or other AoE spell kills all the PC's (and players') beloved animals.
EzekielRaiden
Follower of the Way
Had to respond "other."
Formally speaking, people with the overall fundamental concepts behind Wizard, Paladin, etc. exist in the world. So there are a lot of "bards" for example, or a lot of "druids" and "shamans."
But there is only one Bard, and he is in our party. There is only one Druid, and he is semi-retired training to be a priest. There is only one Fighter, even though there are many mercenaries. There is only one Battlemaster, even though there are many generals and strategists. Etc.
More or less, at any given time, there's really only one person who is taking the heights of a particular art and pushing them much higher. The people in our party have gone from being nobodies to being legendary in short order, and the world itself recognizes their might. This is my compromise, to allow for there to be wizard colleges and orders of priests with actual magic, etc., while still having the player characters stand out for their accomplishments.
In a generation, these folks will be teachers or exemplars that others follow. In a century, they will be well-loved heroes whose tale has grown in the telling. In a thousand years, they will be myths who walked the earth in the distant past.
Formally speaking, people with the overall fundamental concepts behind Wizard, Paladin, etc. exist in the world. So there are a lot of "bards" for example, or a lot of "druids" and "shamans."
But there is only one Bard, and he is in our party. There is only one Druid, and he is semi-retired training to be a priest. There is only one Fighter, even though there are many mercenaries. There is only one Battlemaster, even though there are many generals and strategists. Etc.
More or less, at any given time, there's really only one person who is taking the heights of a particular art and pushing them much higher. The people in our party have gone from being nobodies to being legendary in short order, and the world itself recognizes their might. This is my compromise, to allow for there to be wizard colleges and orders of priests with actual magic, etc., while still having the player characters stand out for their accomplishments.
In a generation, these folks will be teachers or exemplars that others follow. In a century, they will be well-loved heroes whose tale has grown in the telling. In a thousand years, they will be myths who walked the earth in the distant past.
Helldritch
Hero
I voted "No" as this is my go for initial reaction. Unfortunately, 5ed is going the other way and all future product will be built with stat blocks... This change is not my cup of tea.
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