Classes: You're designing the next PHB, and...

[drothgery]

I'm going to assume I can tweak the classes a bit after I choose them, so I'm picking the roles I want in the book, not necessarily the classes as-is...

Drop the pure nature boys (barbarian, druid) because I don't like them, the monk, because it belongs in OA, and the sorcerer, because it's got no flavor at all. Keep the other original core classes (Fighter, Cleric, Wizard, Rogue, Paladin, Bard). I like the psionic classes, but they probably shouldn't be core.

Swap the Scout for the Ranger, because there's not much point in having both of them, and I like the scout better.

Add Favored Soul for a spontaneous divine caster. Add artificer, because all those magic items high-level characters need have to come from somewhere. Add warmage, for the spontaneous arcane caster and 100% pure blaster. And add swashbucler, because it's needed.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

Well, I answered the poll when it was still twelve choices. That's a better number anyway.

As to my choices -

Fighter - with options to make a barbarian or swashbuckler type character
Rogue
Cleric
Wizard - school or elemental specialties
Ranger - no spells, add scout abilities
Artificer
Bard - full caster, focus on charms and illusions
Druid
Paladin
Monk
Ninja
Samurai - closer to OA version

 

[Romnipotent]

Keep and all the rest not Oriental, except for Ninja
Ninja are the oriental image but theres still ninja like elements for some things in western junk, like a rogue but not.
I dont like excluding anything generic to a core system. Oriental classes should stay in a seperate bit or exotics.

 

[The Shaman]

Where are the choices for Strong, Tough, Fast, Smart, Dedicated, and Charismatic Hero?

That would be my first option as well.

Cleric, fighter, magic-user, and thief would be my second.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

Where are the choices for Strong, Tough, Fast, Smart, Dedicated, and Charismatic Hero?

With the Noble, Jedi, and Akashic classes, just on the other end.

 

[smootrk]

I vote for the core 4 (or 5 if you include a psionic class).

Cleric
Rogue
Mage
Fighter

Everything I ever see is just a variation on those (or combination).

 

[DungeonMaster]

Cleric, Fighter, Wizard and Rogue.
We need not more. They are the archetypes and everything else is a cultural or mechanical variation theroef.

 

[dren]

Hypotheticaly, I'd want three core classes: Fighter, Rogue and Warlock that go up to 15 levels.

All other classes are either advanced classes (16th - 30th levels), specialist classes which you need no prerequisites for (cleric, illusionist, shapechanger) or prestige classes.

It will never happen, but hey, it's how I would build it.

 

[Kaodi]

Hmmm...

While a large part of me wanted to stick the the current bunch, I went... Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Paladin, Rogue, Wizard, Psion, Psychic Warrior, Artificer...
(Sorcerers and Wilders lose out because they are just variants of Wizard and Psion, Monk loses out because of the whole OA thing, Ranger... because there were already too many warrior types, and the whole combat specialties thing... I added Psion and Psychic Warrior because they are another alternative effects class, and Artificer, because making magical items is cool, and kind of integral to the game as is. Not having to sacrifice hard earned XP to make items is good.)

You could do it with just the four super-core classes, with most of the others as prestige classes... Typical combos being... Barbarian - Fighter, Bard - Rogue/Wizard, Druid - Cleric with any two Nature type domains, Monk - Cleric/Fighter, Paladin - Cleric/Fighter, Ranger - Fighter/Rogue, Sorcerer - Wizard

 

[Wolf72]

hard poll ... there's certain classes I think that would make good prestige classes instead of 20 lvl classes.

if you don't want the PrC to be to unbalancing, don't give it such strong abilities (just different) and make the req's easier. A fighter going to a Ranger PrC should be able to pick that up at 5th lvl, maybe 4th.