Classes and Levels or Point buy

[interwyrm]

Which do you prefer, a system with classes and levels? Or a freeform system where you buy skills and abilities with xp?

I prefer the freeform system. With a system like that, you can have a master carpenter or blacksmith who doesn't also have to have gobs of hp and good saves. You can also choose to round out your character with social skills or focus only on one small area.

 

[Crothian]

I perfer the free form, it gives players more control on the character. However, it also has the greater ability to be abused.

 

[Space Coyote]

I originally thought that I liked point buy systems, but when I realized that after 20 years of gaming, about 95% of the games I have played have been class/level based, I concluded that I *must* like that system better

 

[BluWolf]

I said classes and levels simply because it is there and does not need to be fleshed out. I would like to see a completley point-buy or equivalent system worked out in D20. It may be interesting.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Classes and levels. It gives a clearer indication of character power and keeps characters roughly in-line, and makes certain that characters have at least some area of competence outside of a single hyperspecialized field.

It's also far, far easier for players and DMs alike.

 

[Crothian]

I said classes and levels simply because it is there and does not need to be fleshed out. I would like to see a completley point-buy or equivalent system worked out in D20. It may be interesting.

Buy the Numbers, you can find it over at RPGNow

 

[ForceUser]

Call me old-fashioned, but I like character classes. We're getting ready to play in a Grim Tales game, and while I'm looking forward to it, the classes (Strong Hero, Fast Hero, Smart Hero, etc...*yawn*) do nothing for me. Skill-based systems such as GURPs are even worse, to me. Sure, the flexibility can be fun, but I like knowing that my character is a wizard, or a paladin, or whatever. I know it's a construct every bit as artifical as simply taking a skill set and calling it whatever you like, but still. Classes are a sacred cow of D&D that I hope they never retire. It's classical and magical to me.

 

[caudor]

Classes and levels is my cup of tea. Over the years, I think I've grown attached to it and feel comfortable with the approach. There is nothing to it more complicated than that.

 

[SpiralBound]

Buy the Numbers, you can find it over at RPGNow

I second the motion. One of the campaigns I'm playing in uses that system and it's quite a lot of fun. I'm having a lot of fun "freeforming" my character in response to campaign events instead of simply gaining "level x" of whatever class I originally started my character with. I'm not saying throw out all classes and never use them again, but point-buy can be a lot of fun too!

 

[Thanee]

Classes are a sacred cow of D&D that I hope they never retire.

Even though I like point buy systems better for character creation, I agree here. D&D without classes, just isn't D&D.

Bye
Thanee