Deconstructing classes?

[BVB]

Has anyone been able to deconstruct the classes so that they can be re-engineered as a "menu" list of options as a character gains levels? For example: At third level, your hero is allowed to gain either 1d4 hit points and a new level of magic spells or 1d8 hit points and a +1 base attack bonus, or 1d6 hit points and some sort of special ability. Rather than mixing and matching by full class levels, mixing and matching even smaller units within those class levels. ((I vaguely remember something like this from years back in an AD&D supplement where you could design your own character class; depending on the abilities at each level, the experience point curve became steeper.)) In v3.5, it would be almost like a single-level "prestige class" at every character level.

I don't poke around on here that often, so I may have missed a thread similar to this. Just point me in the right direction.

 

[HellHound]

Big Eyes, Small Mouth d20.

The book deconstructs the classes, but doesn't agree with the point values of the classes that result and thus reconstructs the classes with some abilities changed (for fighters, for example).

And you know what I thought when I first read it?

Reads almost identically to the system presented by our own talented writers here in Four-Color to Fantasy.

 

[RangerWickett]

Heh, I was about to get a little miffed at Hound for mentioning a rival product instead of one of our own, but all's well now.

If you want to work on a system like that, I'd suggest keeping the hit dice consistent. Everyone gets d4 per level, plus 8 points to spend on abilities. A caster level costs, like, 4 points, and have to buy skills, hp, and so on.

 

[francisca]

Sean K. Reynolds has been hitting around this with his "templates as classes" stuff on the wizard's website.

I've alway thought the barbarian should be a template. I was halfway there with a barbarian-ish race which had giant blood. When they rage, they grow. The I gave up, because I couldn't nail down a level-based mechanic for advancement. After seeing SKR's stuff, and the race/class stuff over on Monte's site, I've dug it up again. Should be done this time next week.

I see no reason why all of the classes could not be done this way, but that would slaughter one of the sacred cows of D&D.

Oh, and this document may be of interest to you:
d20 Class Construction Engine

 

[der_kluge]

There was a point-based thing that was done a long time ago. Right after 3rd ed. came out. I forget who put that together. I may have a copy of it around here somewhere. I used to.

 

[der_kluge]

There was a point-based thing that was done a long time ago. Right after 3rd ed. came out. I forget who put that together. I may have a copy of it around here somewhere. I used to.

 

[Wombat]

Closest thing I've seen along this line is Joe Mucchiello's Character Customization, which I think I picked up at RPGNow. It's a .pdf file for designing classes & PrCs from the ground up, based on a lot of number crunching. At 75 pages, it covers a lot of contingencies.

It is pretty darn thorough, but I don't recommend it for beginning GMs or those afraid of lots of balance sheeting

 

[Bendris Noulg]

There's one in Mutants & Masterminds as well, although admittedly it's designed very genre-specific (obvious reasons). I'm not all that familiar with it (looked a friend's book over for a week then gave it back), but it could serve as a functional model.

 

[BVB]

Thanks for the feedback, all.

 

[der_kluge]

Khepri's class construction engine.

I think he calculated Bards wrong since they show up as the most powerful. I devised a slightly different system that is based on the number of spells that can be cast, versus just the ability to cast spells. Bards are more in line with my version.

Anyway, here is the link: http://www.community3e.com/dn/class/class_d20cce.pdf