2014: The End of Character Classes?

[Dethklok]

I agree there are ways to work around the issue. I meant out-of-the-box with minimal effort.

Very well then, sir!

 

[Stormonu]

Something I'd like seen done as an optional module for D&D is a classless version of the game. Many modern games get around classes by presenting beginning player archtypes (Deadlands, World of Darkness and Shadowrun does this, for example). Basically they are "starter" characters with options chosen for them already that in D&D, might form up the classic classes we're used to - A wizard archtype, for example might already be built with options where points have been distributed into spell access with nearly no martial skills, the fighter vice-versa; the cleric archtype built with points spread between spells and martial ability - leaning more towards spell ability; while the paladin archtype may be built similar to the cleric but with more points for martial abilities and less for spells. And so on.

This would kind of go back towards 2.5E's Player/DM option sort of building characters - perhaps with 30+ years of experience to smooth out some of the bumps.

 

[Hyper-Man]

Something I'd like seen done as an optional module for D&D is a classless version of the game. Many modern games get around classes by presenting beginning player archtypes (Deadlands, World of Darkness and Shadowrun does this, for example). Basically they are "starter" characters with options chosen for them already that in D&D, might form up the classic classes we're used to - A wizard archtype, for example might already be built with options where points have been distributed into spell access with nearly no martial skills, the fighter vice-versa; the cleric archtype built with points spread between spells and martial ability - leaning more towards spell ability; while the paladin archtype may be built similar to the cleric but with more points for martial abilities and less for spells. And so on.

This would kind of go back towards 2.5E's Player/DM option sort of building characters - perhaps with 30+ years of experience to smooth out some of the bumps.

That's almost exactly what a GM did for a 3.5 game I played in 7-8 years ago. We all started out as 0-Level classless characters and the GM used our individual actions during the opening adventure* (getting the team together) to determine what classes we ended up with when we achieved 1st level. We new this going in but all didn't get the class we were hoping for. It was a fun twist.