D&D 5E Do Classes Have Concrete Meaning In Your Game?

[Shasarak]

How would you even distinguish between a 5e warlock and a 5e wizard? They can both cast virtually all of the same spells, and doing so is 90% of their functionality. Moreover a lot of the class ability stuff is very similar to spells or items, or is simply specialist knowledge that a different type of caster might reasonable master via the skill system.

The easiest way would be to see how many spells they can cast in a row.

Or, I dont know, just look at where they are getting their spells from.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Unless your DM is freestyling then every class he adds to his world will be able to be identified. That is just the way that the rules work.

You observe someone that calls themselves an Archmage. In the morning, they study a tome of magic. In the afternoon, you observe them wave their hands in an intricate pattern, using bat feces, and chanting indecipherable words, after which a large ball of fire erupts at a distant point.

The next day, you observe someone that calls themselves a Wizzard (sic). In the morning, they study a tome of magic. In the afternoon, you observe them wave their hands in an intricate pattern, using bat feces, and chanting indecipherable words, after which a large ball of fire erupts at a distant point.

The next day, you observe someone that calls themselves a Sorcerer. In the morning, they study a tome of magic. In the afternoon, you observe them wave their hands in an intricate pattern while holding a glowing crystal orb and chanting indecipherable words, after which a large ball of fire erupts at a distant point.

The next day, you observe someone that calls themselves a Hedge Mage. In the morning, they study a tome of magic. In the afternoon, you observe them wave their hands in an intricate pattern while holding a glowing crystal orb and chanting indecipherable words, after which a large ball of fire erupts at a distant point.


Please, identify the classes of these people.

[sblock]ROT-13 answers: 1. kfbeprerek 2. kkjneybpxkk 3. kkkjvmneqkk 4. acpnepuzntr [/quote]

 

[Remathilis]

You observe someone that calls themselves an Archmage. In the morning, they study a tome of magic. In the afternoon, you observe them wave their hands in an intricate pattern, using bat feces, and chanting indecipherable words, after which a large ball of fire erupts at a distant point.

The next day, you observe someone that calls themselves a Wizzard (sic). In the morning, they study a tome of magic. In the afternoon, you observe them wave their hands in an intricate pattern, using bat feces, and chanting indecipherable words, after which a large ball of fire erupts at a distant point.

The next day, you observe someone that calls themselves a Sorcerer. In the morning, they study a tome of magic. In the afternoon, you observe them wave their hands in an intricate pattern while holding a glowing crystal orb and chanting indecipherable words, after which a large ball of fire erupts at a distant point.

The next day, you observe someone that calls themselves a Hedge Mage. In the morning, they study a tome of magic. In the afternoon, you observe them wave their hands in an intricate pattern while holding a glowing crystal orb and chanting indecipherable words, after which a large ball of fire erupts at a distant point.

Please, identify the classes of these people.

[sblock]ROT-13 answers: 1. kfbeprerek 2. kkjneybpxkk 3. kkkjvmneqkk 4. acpnepuzntr

[/QUOTE]

All four of them are wizards.

Numbers 1 and 4 are using a different title. I can call myself a lot of things: teacher, professor, tutor, instructor, pedant, academian, scholar, sage, but my degree is in Secondary Education and my training is in that field. I can choose to call myself by the common title of my profession (teacher), a name of lower rank (tutor) or one of the highest rank (professor) just as the wizard can call himself a hedge mage or an archmage.

Number 3 is lying, or at least posing. He is either a wizard pretending to be a sorcerer (using the title of another profession to hide his own) or a sorcerer who is attempting to mimic the actions of a wizard (fruitlessly, as he doesn't need the spellbook and gets no benefit from it). In either case, he is mis-identifying himself willfully or not. (I am a teacher, but I can say I'm a graphic design artist if I want. I could also play around in Photoshop for hours, but nobody is going to pay me to do so).

Number 2, if I am reading it right, is a wizard in the meaning of fictional-identification (rather than game-rule identification). If so, he's using the generally assumed term that most people understand. I often introduce myself (when the question of profession comes up) as a teacher, even if the title doesn't encompass my job description perfectly, because it explains my skills and area of employment. I COULD get more specific (High School Literature Teacher) just as the Wizard could (A Fire-focused Evoker) if I wanted to.

Now, if you wanted to be sneaky, you'd claim one of them was a Tome-Pact Fiend Warlock who was studying his Book of Shadows for rituals earlier and using Fireball (gained from the Fiend Pact) later and the two actions were unconnected. (It would be the equivalent of a School counselor coming in to talk with my students for a class period; to the outside observer he is a "teacher" teaching even though that is actually his job description). One observation would not be enough to identify the subject. However, a pattern of behavior and reasonable cause-and-effect could deduce some correlation between in-game behavior and "rules" governing said behavior.

Else, we create a reality where regardless of my actual training or abilities, I can claim to be a chef, an engineer, an airline pilot, or the President and I am not wrong to say that.

~ Remathilis, President of the United States of America.

 

[Shasarak]

Please, identify the classes of these people.

That is easy, since they are all in my setting then they are all Wizards.

 

[Ovinomancer]

All four of them are wizards.

Numbers 1 and 4 are using a different title. I can call myself a lot of things: teacher, professor, tutor, instructor, pedant, academian, scholar, sage, but my degree is in Secondary Education and my training is in that field. I can choose to call myself by the common title of my profession (teacher), a name of lower rank (tutor) or one of the highest rank (professor) just as the wizard can call himself a hedge mage or an archmage.

Number 3 is lying, or at least posing. He is either a wizard pretending to be a sorcerer (using the title of another profession to hide his own) or a sorcerer who is attempting to mimic the actions of a wizard (fruitlessly, as he doesn't need the spellbook and gets no benefit from it). In either case, he is mis-identifying himself willfully or not. (I am a teacher, but I can say I'm a graphic design artist if I want. I could also play around in Photoshop for hours, but nobody is going to pay me to do so).

Number 2, if I am reading it right, is a wizard in the meaning of fictional-identification (rather than game-rule identification). If so, he's using the generally assumed term that most people understand. I often introduce myself (when the question of profession comes up) as a teacher, even if the title doesn't encompass my job description perfectly, because it explains my skills and area of employment. I COULD get more specific (High School Literature Teacher) just as the Wizard could (A Fire-focused Evoker) if I wanted to.

Now, if you wanted to be sneaky, you'd claim one of them was a Tome-Pact Fiend Warlock who was studying his Book of Shadows for rituals earlier and using Fireball (gained from the Fiend Pact) later and the two actions were unconnected. (It would be the equivalent of a School counselor coming in to talk with my students for a class period; to the outside observer he is a "teacher" teaching even though that is actually his job description). One observation would not be enough to identify the subject. However, a pattern of behavior and reasonable cause-and-effect could deduce some correlation between in-game behavior and "rules" governing said behavior.

That is easy, since they are all in my setting then they are all Wizards.

The answers were posted in ROT13 with the post. They are a 1) warlock 2) sorcerer 3) wizard and 4) npc archmage. Anyone can study an arcane tome.

Of course, both of your answers could also be correct. And that's my point.

Else, we create a reality where regardless of my actual training or abilities, I can claim to be a chef, an engineer, an airline pilot, or the President and I am not wrong to say that.

~ Remathilis, President of the United States of America.

Those are titles awarded after achieving either a certain level of education or employment under that title. Not the same thing as a class, unless you've chosen to make it so in your fiction.

 

[Shasarak]

The answers were posted in ROT13 with the post. They are a 1) warlock 2) sorcerer 3) wizard and 4) npc archmage. Anyone can study an arcane tome.

Of course, both of your answers could also be correct. And that's my point.

Those answers do not seem to be consistent with my setting.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Those answers do not seem to be consistent with my setting.

Really? Only wizards in your setting can study books on magic? Interesting.

 

[Shasarak]

Really? Only wizards in your setting can study books on magic? Interesting.

Only in a Holy Symbol, Plate Mail, Two Handed Sword type of way.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Only in a Holy Symbol, Plate Mail, Two Handed Sword type of way.

Okay.

 

[Shasarak]

Okay.

Interesting things to know about but not needed when it is time to Fireball.