D&D 5E Making the classes more generic

[R_J_K75]

There are other systems, such as GURPS, that allow this to take place. D&D, however, has certain basic features that make it D&D - and classes are one of these elements.

There are reasons why D&D has always been a popular system. Fixed classes is one of them. By removing these features, it is no longer D&D. At that point, better go to an other system.

Traditionally D&D has had classes sure, but I always put the idea of a players unique character, i.e. background, quirks, personality, goals and motivations above what class they were playing. To me its not that one dimensional, so I disagree that by removing classes no longer makes it D&D.

Regardless, I think were beating a dead horse here.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The one to examine is Runequest. Launched in 1978, when I started playing it was the second most popular RPG after D&D. Like D&D it was a fantasy themed game - the main difference was it used a classless system. It also had grittier, more realistic combat.

But after it's heyday it fell into obscurity, struggling to compete with D&D. Why? Smart money is that more people preferred D&D's classes. I believe it is possible to get hold of a current edition, and a lot of it's mechanics where incorporated into Call of Cthulhu, which proved to have longer legs.

 

[Helldritch]

Traditionally D&D has had classes sure, but I always put the idea of a players unique character, i.e. background, quirks, personality, goals and motivations above what class they were playing. To me its not that one dimensional, so I disagree that by removing classes no longer makes it D&D.

Regardless, I think were beating a dead horse here.

A class system such as D&D does not prevent Role Play. Build 10 identical fighters, up to the choice of mechanical background and guess what? All 10 fighters will be played differently. That is what Role Playing is all about. Quirks, personality, goals and motivations are all in the hands of the players. These are what will diffentiate one fighter from another. The class system is there to give common ground for everyone. You can take your fighter at any table playing D&D and it will work. With a classless system, it is easy to go the way of total customization by adding zounds of personal rules which might not work at some table or that would simply be not accepted. With the classed system, you at least get the notion of what is expected of your character and it is easy to retrofit your character to the standard.

 

[Delazar]

I don't mind that DnD has classes (I love DnD), but I would like if they were created with some sort of "formula", and that we could also have access to it.

Something like, you have 20 points to buy these class features. Here is how we did the fighter, the wizard, the warlock, etc. Now you can create your own class with the same system!

Of course design is more art than science, so this is probably wishful thinking, but hey, I can dream!

 

[Haldrik]

I would like if they were created with some sort of "formula", and that we could also have access to it.

There is a 5e book of options in progress ... tho so far only customization for race/species was announced.

"Later this year, we will release a product (not yet announced) that offers a way for a player to customize their character’s origin, including the option to change the ability score increases that come from being an elf, a dwarf, or one of D&D's many other playable folk. This option emphasizes that each person in the game is an individual with capabilities all their own."

 

[DND_Reborn]

More relevantly, the four classes that scored approximately 90%, dusting all other classes, were the core four of Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, and Wizard.

Everything after the core four is superfluous at best, or silly and annoying at worse (that would be the Bard).

Wellm that was hardly surprising though, was it?

I think there is enough distinction between the others to make their classes valid without overloading the core four. YMMV.

And yes, Bards are super annoying!

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

There are reasons why D&D has always been a popular system. Fixed classes is one of them. By removing these features, it is no longer D&D. At that point, better go to an other system.

right but then people get bored and ask for more classes: artificer, duelist etc, etc. 3e was filled with 3rd party stuff trying to cater to niche character concepts.

I think having the ability to take existing abilities and generic concepts and turn them into creative niche builds would get rid of the need for many of the extra books.

I don't mind that DnD has classes (I love DnD), but I would like if they were created with some sort of "formula", and that we could also have access to it.

Something like, you have 20 points to buy these class features. Here is how we did the fighter, the wizard, the warlock, etc. Now you can create your own class with the same system!

Of course design is more art than science, so this is probably wishful thinking, but hey, I can dream!

Kind of like this.

 

[dave2008]

Somewhat like Archetypes. You'd still have your base base archetypes, fighter, magic user, rouge and priest then build from there might work.

Yes, but I could cut it to two or three:
Magic User
Martial (Mundane)
Priest

or

Magic User
Martial (Mundane)

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Yes, but I could cut it to two or three:
Magic User
Martial (Mundane)
Priest

or

Magic User
Martial (Mundane)

Wait.....

Magic User
Fighting ... um... Person.
Cleric

or

Magic User
Fighting .... Person


This does seem familiar.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Yes, but I could cut it to two or three:
Magic User
Martial (Mundane)
Priest

or

Magic User
Martial (Mundane)

Why not just make magic a series of feats that build on each other so that a player can have as much magic as they want without multiclassing?

(because let's face it, multiclassing in a two-class system is silly)