Back to Basics: Races as Class

[Votan]

It does allow for the classes to be balanced with racial abilities and disadvantages included. I don't think that was actually done all that well in the original material, but it is a nice alternative to trying to balance blends.

 

[Sunseeker]

The biggest theoretical draw IMO is presenting something uniquely racial. Not in the sense that elves can only be Knights of Frilly Things but in the sense that Knights of Frilly Things can only be elves. I realize that's not how racial classes have been in the past, but I think that ideally, this is how I'd like to see racial classes presented in the future. Not simply hybrids of existing classes or weapon-focus classes like "Dwarf Mountain Crusher" is really just "Fighter who focuses on hammers and wears rocks", but along the lines of the way in which 4e Essentials classes were basically pre-built to give the player a functional character around a very specific theme.

Racial classes are the niche of the niche. You're not just an elf who wears shiny armor and lacy underwear, you're an elf who focuses specifically on combat styles that revolve around fighting in and fighting with shiny lacy underwear. They offer little room for variance because they are designed to create a very specific concept and theme for that race.

At least that's how I feel about racial classes. I'd be fine with every race having a "racial class" that exemplifies a very very VERY specific theme or concept of that race. I'm not sure I'd agree with every conception, but as long as they attempted to avoid tropes like making Dwarves "Hairy Drunken Hammer Fighters" I think we'd see some very creative stuff.

 

[Dethklok]

Not in the sense that elves can only be Knights of Frilly Things but in the sense that Knights of Frilly Things can only be elves. I realize that's not how racial classes have been in the past

Paladin.

In the 1st edition of Dungeons & Dragons the paladin class had very high ability score prerequisites, and stipulated that only human characters could be paladins.

 

[Sunseeker]

Paladin.

Which is exactly what I don't want.

 

[Dethklok]

Which is exactly what I don't want.

Fine, but when you say racial classes have never been tied specifically to one and only one race, this is wrong. Quite literally, the paladin is the human version of your Knight of the Frilly Things.

 

[Weather Report]

I love it as an option, I converted the Basic Elf to 5th Ed.

 

[Sunseeker]

Fine, but when you say racial classes have never been tied specifically to one and only one race, this is wrong. Quite literally, the paladin is the human version of your Knight of the Frilly Things.

Ill give you that it was, but the paladin has always been a fighter/cleric, its just a pre-cooked hybrid, which is what I want to avoid.

That for example the 4e eladrin/elf paragon path, Shiere Knight, a mini-class build around the concept of fey step. Thats the kind of thing I want racial classes to do, be built around not just a concept or theme of a race, but something that literally ONLY that race can do.

 

[GX.Sigma]

I'll be surprised if races-as-classes don't turn up in one of the first few issues of Dragon after the new rules are published.

 

[Starfox]

Having one race specific class for each race (and possibly subrace) and also allow them to choose from some of the standard classes is a simpler alternative to 1E style multiclassing. Each race effectively has one specific mix, something akin to multiclassing with a little extra racial flavor thrown in. Normal multiclassing would not be allowed.

Wood elf: Druid/Fighter (Archer)
High Elf: Fighter/Mage
Dwarf: Cleric (weaponsmith)/Fighter or Rogue/Fighter (trap expert/engineer) as fits the world's image of dwarfs
Halfling: Rogue+
Half Elf: Cleric/Wizard

And so forth (whatever you like, these are just raw ideas)

Of course, if you do this for all nonhumans, humans need to get something special too, besides just the option to be any class.

 

[Dethklok]

Ill give you that it was, but the paladin has always been a fighter/cleric, its just a pre-cooked hybrid

Yes, the best implementation of this idea would definitely be to have new (or at least new-ish) classes rather than hybrids.

It's compelling to think about humans having Hoplites who give defense bonuses for formations, or dwarven engineers with abilities to forge weapons and build traps.