Lobo Lurker
First Post
I was going to post this in the "How could 4th Edition be more elegant" thread but, in the end, decided that it didn't really belong there. What follows is just my opinions on DnD classes in general and how they could be improved. I'm open to opposing viewpoints. 
The classes (by no means set in stone):
Give each class specific roles that aren't intruded upon by other classes... the classic example of this is the bard (arcane spells, support abilities, skills, medium bab). While an argument can be made that no other class brings all of those features together in one class, I still feel that the bard is a class looking for a niche.
Before listing anything, I suppose I should come out and say that I really like how Monte Cook made flavorful classes for his Arcana Unearthed/Arcana Evolved PHB. I don't think that ANY class should be hands down generic blah and I'm not a fan of Bonus Feats being class abilities.
Feats add a lot to the game (in my opinion) and rather like D20 modern's approach of giving each player something at every level be it a new trait or a new feat.
The classes and some comments (this list is not all that well thought out, just some names and notes).
Bard
Primary Ability: Bard Songs These should be a variety of support-style abilities like they are now, but greater in scope. Bards should be the number one support characters.
Secondary Ability: Skills
Tertiary Ability: combat ?
Barbarian
Primary Ability: Damage Dealing
Secondary Ability: Taking Damage
Tertiary Ability: Survival Abilities
Cleric
Primary Ability: Healing
Secondary Ability: Support Spells
Tertiary Ability: Positive/Negative Energy Manipulation
- Note: either the Cleric or the Paladin should be the master of using Postive or Negative energy for specific effects. Basically, take the turn undead mechanic and do something with it (via class abilities) other than turning undead (which puts a serious damper on undead encounters). Perhaps the scope of these abilities can be large enough to replace a Cleric's spellcasting all together (well, maybe leave in some lesser spellcasting ability). Casting spells would then become the Druid, Wizard, Sorceror, & Psion's balleywack.
Druid
Primary Ability: Elemental/Nature-based Spellcasting
Secondary Ability: Healing
Tertiary Ability: Survival Abilties
Fighter
Primary Ability: Weapon/Armor Stunts
Secondary Ability: Combat
Tertiary Ability: Resistance
Monk I'm a little lost with this class...
Primary Ability: Martial Arts Abilities
Secondary Ability: Evasion
Tertiary Ability: Resistance
Paladin Champions?; No spellcasting
Primary Ability: Positive/Negative Energy Manipulation
Secondary Ability: Combat
Tertiary Ability: Resistance
Psionicist Maybe use a skill/feat-based system for it's powers? Not sure what to do with this.
Primary Ability: Mind-Affecting Spells/Powers
Secondary Ability:
Tertiary Ability:
Ranger No spellcasting
Primary Ability: Survival Abilities
Secondary Ability: combat
Tertiary Ability: Animal Friends
Rogue
Primary Ability: Skills
Secondary Ability: Useful & Interesting Abilities
Tertiary Ability: combat
Sorceror not sure whether to keep this a 9-level caster or bump it down to 7th.
Primary Ability: Magic Manipulation Limited spellcasting but lots of ways to manipulate those spells (best metamagiker in the game)
Secondary Ability: Spellcasting (non-support)
Tertiary Ability: Skills
Wizard no REAL changes, but weave the sage archtype into the wizard's portfolio
Primary Ability: Spellcasting (non-support)
Secondary Ability: Item Manufacturing
Tertiary Ability: Knowledges
Other niches needing to be fulfilled: The Spell-casting Warrior, The Agile Warrior, The non-backstabbing skills guy, The magic-using (but not spell-casting) warrior or skill-guy, & skilled magic user.
After looking at this list, I got to thinking that it would, perhaps, be better to have a handful of generic classes (warrior/expert/spellcaster) and have advanced (@4+ levels) and prestige classes (@11+ levels).
Lets hear your thoughts.
The classes (by no means set in stone):
Give each class specific roles that aren't intruded upon by other classes... the classic example of this is the bard (arcane spells, support abilities, skills, medium bab). While an argument can be made that no other class brings all of those features together in one class, I still feel that the bard is a class looking for a niche.
Before listing anything, I suppose I should come out and say that I really like how Monte Cook made flavorful classes for his Arcana Unearthed/Arcana Evolved PHB. I don't think that ANY class should be hands down generic blah and I'm not a fan of Bonus Feats being class abilities.
Feats add a lot to the game (in my opinion) and rather like D20 modern's approach of giving each player something at every level be it a new trait or a new feat.
The classes and some comments (this list is not all that well thought out, just some names and notes).
Bard
Primary Ability: Bard Songs These should be a variety of support-style abilities like they are now, but greater in scope. Bards should be the number one support characters.
Secondary Ability: Skills
Tertiary Ability: combat ?
Barbarian
Primary Ability: Damage Dealing
Secondary Ability: Taking Damage
Tertiary Ability: Survival Abilities
Cleric
Primary Ability: Healing
Secondary Ability: Support Spells
Tertiary Ability: Positive/Negative Energy Manipulation
- Note: either the Cleric or the Paladin should be the master of using Postive or Negative energy for specific effects. Basically, take the turn undead mechanic and do something with it (via class abilities) other than turning undead (which puts a serious damper on undead encounters). Perhaps the scope of these abilities can be large enough to replace a Cleric's spellcasting all together (well, maybe leave in some lesser spellcasting ability). Casting spells would then become the Druid, Wizard, Sorceror, & Psion's balleywack.
Druid
Primary Ability: Elemental/Nature-based Spellcasting
Secondary Ability: Healing
Tertiary Ability: Survival Abilties
Fighter
Primary Ability: Weapon/Armor Stunts
Secondary Ability: Combat
Tertiary Ability: Resistance
Monk I'm a little lost with this class...
Primary Ability: Martial Arts Abilities
Secondary Ability: Evasion
Tertiary Ability: Resistance
Paladin Champions?; No spellcasting
Primary Ability: Positive/Negative Energy Manipulation
Secondary Ability: Combat
Tertiary Ability: Resistance
Psionicist Maybe use a skill/feat-based system for it's powers? Not sure what to do with this.
Primary Ability: Mind-Affecting Spells/Powers
Secondary Ability:
Tertiary Ability:
Ranger No spellcasting
Primary Ability: Survival Abilities
Secondary Ability: combat
Tertiary Ability: Animal Friends
Rogue
Primary Ability: Skills
Secondary Ability: Useful & Interesting Abilities
Tertiary Ability: combat
Sorceror not sure whether to keep this a 9-level caster or bump it down to 7th.
Primary Ability: Magic Manipulation Limited spellcasting but lots of ways to manipulate those spells (best metamagiker in the game)
Secondary Ability: Spellcasting (non-support)
Tertiary Ability: Skills
Wizard no REAL changes, but weave the sage archtype into the wizard's portfolio
Primary Ability: Spellcasting (non-support)
Secondary Ability: Item Manufacturing
Tertiary Ability: Knowledges
Other niches needing to be fulfilled: The Spell-casting Warrior, The Agile Warrior, The non-backstabbing skills guy, The magic-using (but not spell-casting) warrior or skill-guy, & skilled magic user.
After looking at this list, I got to thinking that it would, perhaps, be better to have a handful of generic classes (warrior/expert/spellcaster) and have advanced (@4+ levels) and prestige classes (@11+ levels).
Lets hear your thoughts.
