DnD Blog: Wizard with a License to Kill

[gweinel]

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Another wizards blog which discusses themes. This time related themes with multiclassing.

Overall there isn't too much new info in there, but anyway seems interesting and themes seems to be a basic tool for character creation and development.

 

[I'm A Banana]

It seems like classes might be the umbrellas for different mechanics.

So Wizards access arcane spells, and Clerics access divine spells, and Fighters access martial manuevers, and Rogues access martial tricks (or something).

I'm a fan of that, more or less. It's a good place.

It does raise the question of "what is a class, and what is a theme or background?"

Is "Paladin" a distinct class, or is it essentially a Cleric with the Soldier background and the Slayer theme? What makes it rise above that?

 

[HardcoreDandDGirl]

How could Bruce miss the most important quastions:
Can my monk/assassin with the noble background and spy theme act like matches malone to get into an underworld organization?

 

[hafrogman]

It's actually a little more about backgrounds than it is about themes, but no matter. What I hope for most out of backgrounds seems to be something they touch on: stopping the need/benefit for multiclassing just for skills.

In 3.X they made adding a class skill almost impossible, and skill points for certain classes were very hard to come by. This made the taking a level of rogue or ranger very appealing, even if there wasn't any real desire for the character to be a wilderness warrior or a scoundrel of any kind.

Similarly, in 4e, skill training was a feat. And multiclassing was also a feat, that provided skill training and some other small benefit. If there was a multiclass that gave you the skill training you wanted and you had no conflicting plans for multiclassing, there was really no reason not to take the relevant feat.

So their question is 'What does multiclassing mean in a world of themes and backgrounds?' Well, I hope it means something more than "I want my character to know THIS skill, and the system has straitjacketed my class into not knowing it."

 

[GMforPowergamers]

How could Bruce miss the most important quastions:
Can my monk/assassin with the noble background and spy theme act like matches malone to get into an underworld organization?

I think you mean Monk/warlord with the spy background and the lurker theme...

and sidekicks lots and lots of.. Wait I mean henchmen

 

[dkyle]

Is "Paladin" a distinct class, or is it essentially a Cleric with the Soldier background and the Slayer theme? What makes it rise above that?

Maybe whereas the Fighter gets "maneuvers", the Paladin gets a bunch of fancy smites, plus lay-on-hands (and at higher levels, the lay-on-hands ability would gain the ability to remove disease, etc.). That would make it very different than a Cleric with a Slayer theme.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Going with cordell's example, a wizard spy for thy, how much of his character is defined by spy, and how much wizard, or human ?

 

[GX.Sigma]

Going with cordell's example, a wizard spy for thy, how much of his character is defined by spy, and how much wizard, or human ?

Background in the current iteration gives you skills. So it's probably something like +2 to disguise, +2 to bluff, +2 to listen.

 

[HardcoreDandDGirl]

Background in the current iteration gives you skills. So it's probably something like +2 to disguise, +2 to bluff, +2 to listen.

I would hope for more "+2 when being stealthy or deceptive"

 

[Minigiant]

It seems like classes might be the umbrellas for different mechanics.

So Wizards access arcane spells, and Clerics access divine spells, and Fighters access martial manuevers, and Rogues access martial tricks (or something).

I'm a fan of that, more or less. It's a good place.

It does raise the question of "what is a class, and what is a theme or background?"

Is "Paladin" a distinct class, or is it essentially a Cleric with the Soldier background and the Slayer theme? What makes it rise above that?

That is the vibe I am getting too.
The meaty mechanics of the game are contained it classes while backgrounds and themes are just tweaks on the base system.


Cleric: Turn Undead & Divine Vancian magic (with Full Armor on the side)
Fighter: Full Armor and Weapon Proficiency & Martial Maneuvers
Rogue: Sneak Attack and Extra skills (With Martial maneuvers on the side)
Wizard: Spellbook & Arcane Vancian Magic

Background: Appetizer
Race: Seasoning/Preparation
Class Main Feature: Entree
Class Secondary Feature: Sides
Theme: Drink

I'll start with an order of Spy. Then I'll have The Rogue Sneak Attack.. heavy on the Elf with a side of Maneuvers. And a glass of Lurker.