Available Classes at Start

[Scribble]

Would it be "fair" do you think to allow players to choose only a set group of classes at the start of the game based upon what race they pick?

After that, they can multiclass into other classes not on the list (or perhaps only if they've met someone to teach them the ropes...)

The idea would be to keep things more consistent with the campaign world? (with possibly the option to choose outside the list if someone really, really wants to...)



I put this here, as opposed to houserules, because I wanted a discussion more along the lines of the fairness of said rule, as opposed to the mechanics... If it is still considered to be in the wrong forum, I appologize.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

You mean like:

Dwarves can only be fighters or rogues
Halflings can only be fighters or rogues
Elves can be fighters, wizards, or rogues

etc?

I think it depends much more on why you choose those restrictions. With a reasonable explanation there's probably nothing wrong with it, provided your players agree. But if you allow multi-classing into non-restricted classes later, I think you'll have a hard time coming up with a plausible explanation for the restrictions.

 

[Scribble]

Yes and no...

It would be a little more split up though, to include different sub races. The idea behind allowing them to multiclass later, would be that anyone can obviously learn a new path, but certain areas of the world just don't have people doing certain things...

 

[Stormborn]

Yes, it is totally and absolutely fair to limit classes or races or any other option that you as the DM feels is inappropriate in you game. Rule Zero applies. In fact I have often thought that in most games/settign it hurt the game to allow all the races or all the classes. A halfling barbarian and an elven paladin just happen to be in the same tavern? Nope.

The only things you need to make sure you do is:
1) Have a good reason that is consitent with your game world. This will help make it easier for players to accept.
2) Tell your players ahead of time what you are planning. You will get less complaints if they know what to expect.

 

[Faraer]

Describe the world, with its racial cultures, to the players vividly enough that they want to take part in it and don't want to play weird, unlikely, disruptive combinations. (If they do, they at least have the information to make a maybe-plausible background.) Get them to come up with a character and then see which class fits, rather than choosing a class first.

Other than that, of course it would be fair.

 

[Herzog]

I am currently playing in two campaigns that use simmilar restrictions.

One is set in the stoneage. only playable race is human, there are feat restrictions, skills that are (yet) unknown and severe armour and weapon restrictions.

The other is set in a homebrew setting where the existence of 'gods' has only recently been introduced to the party. Access to the magic (both arcane and divine) classes has only recently become available, with the exception of the druid class.

Because the setting is consistent with the character restrictions (when access to wizard is restricted, you also do not face wizards on a dayly basis....) and new classes become available as soon as 1 (one) NPC with the class has been recognized as such, this does not feel like a restriction.

I have long been thinking about running a campaign where all characters start out as commoners or specialists, having the oppertunity to take standard classes only after having been introduced to the concepts of those classes by outside influences.

So no, I don't think restricting access to classes is unfair.
However, I agree with Stormborn that you have to inform your players of the exact restrictions you are placing on them, before character creation.

Herzog

ps: actually, being restricted to a limited number of class-options, consistent with the setting, makes a lot of sense. If you want to play a Dwarven Ninja, go find a teacher first!

 

[Scribble]

Because the setting is consistent with the character restrictions (when access to wizard is restricted, you also do not face wizards on a dayly basis....) and new classes become available as soon as 1 (one) NPC with the class has been recognized as such, this does not feel like a restriction.

So no, I don't think restricting access to classes is unfair.
However, I agree with Stormborn that you have to inform your players of the exact restrictions you are placing on them, before character creation.

Herzog

ps: actually, being restricted to a limited number of class-options, consistent with the setting, makes a lot of sense. If you want to play a Dwarven Ninja, go find a teacher first!

That's sort of similar to my campiagn world currently, and what I want to do when I start it again in a few months... (I'm moving, but to a place where a few old friends/group members also moved...)

I want people to have classes open to them, but certain combinations require teachers (they can even teach eachother)

Certain classes (like the totemnist) will only be available to more "primitive" cultures... like wild elves... stuff like that...

PRCs will definitely require the PCs to meet someone or a group with that PRC and then be invited into the group... (in addition to the standard requirements.)

 

[Faraer]

The very term 'restrictions' here is misleading. They're only restrictions starting with assumption that the rules come first, then a setting, so that one that doesn't have all possible character permutations is 'restrictive'. Better to start with the setting and then use the rules as needed to represent that setting. The rules allow all those combinations not because DMs are expected to permit them all, but because they take it that settings, and their races and societies, as well as play styles, differ.

 

[TerraDave]

We have being doing exactly that for a while. Has worked fine.

Starting class is restricted for non-humans based on subrace and humans based on starting region.

You can go to the link below, then races, then poke around and you will see the "starting classes" in there for each as part of the race description:

http://www.terra-viejo.net/SRD/

 

[Prism]

Our recent celtic themed campaign allowed limited classes based upon race at the beginning and opened things up a little later. I feel it worked really well and created good and strong racial characteristics

At the start of the campaign the only starting race was human and the human classes were barbarian, sorcerer, rogue, ranger, bard and druid

At mid levels we encounter the elves and this opened up wizards and clerics and I believe that amongst the dwarves there may have been fighters. Fighter levels were also allowed if you got access to the human nobles