JamesonCourage
Adventurer
So far, I'm very, very far from satisfied.The most obvious solution to that possible workload is that this is what splats/fans/the OGL is for -- more classes become easy and encouraged, because they're all very specific. Even with a "basic rules only" game, though, you could export this to the players -- have them whip up the class they want to play, if the rules are robust enough all you'd need is narrative veto power.
Aaaand I'm interested again.Though the workload itself needn't be great.
But this leaves me feeling meh. This works for minor changes. The bigger things get, the more work is required again. Not really good for helping me make classes for each campaign until I've done so a lot (which still takes a lot of work).You can look at minor changes to existing classes as a way of making them specific to your game. Swap out the Thief of the Red Hand's "Sneak Attack" core mechanic and replace it with perhaps some sort of "Divine Magic" mechanic and now you've got a priesthood of a god of trickery and deceit! It's a new class (since every class is very specific), but the work involved was really quite minor: use Tab B instead of Tab C. Take the yellow lego block and replace it with the blue one.
I know it doesn't help our particular conversation, but I don't read your articles (even -or perhaps especially- when you link them or reference them in conversation). I'm not a fan of "Background for non-combat skills", though (at least, if it's what it sounds like at face value).The hardest part is getting the break points right, and I took a stab at that in the articles (Background for non-combat skills, Basic Abilities for weapon/armor types, a Core Mechanic to fuel your powers, and Class Abilities that define what you get as you level). I think it's viable, though I don't think it's quite all that I'd want personally...lots of room for improvement!
But, yeah. I'm not really seeing how this is easy unless you're letting other people do the hard work (use other fan stuff) or just making minor tweaks (your priest of a thief god). That's definitely not hitting the "easy" spot I was hoping for.