Ever Play In/Run a Campaign Where Everyone Played Characters of same Race & Class?

[Haltherrion]

But my question is: Has anyone ever played in or run a group where every single character was the same race and class? How did it go?

I have and it went poorly. The problem with it is that it is hard to find a group of players who really want to play any one thing. By forcing players to do this, you likely distance them from their characters. They may try it out of loyalty to you or willingness to experiment but most of them won't really get into their character and that is a recipe for a short campaign.

That was our experience anyway. The referee tried a setting where we were all thieves. We thought it was a cool concept but it didn't really click for folks, we all got a bit silly and the game didn't last more than a few sessions. I don't think you can easily find any group of players that will likely dig into a single race-class combination.

I suppose if you allowed folks to multi-class after level one without penalty it could work

If you are looking for some sort of commonality of purpose or starting point, you might be better off figuring out a way to include them in some sort of clan, band, order, noble-house or whatever that gives them some common reference point but might allow a wider range of races and classes.

Alternately, you could encourage folks to be of this common class by offering some inducement but have some provision for those who just want something else. For instance, on the paladin theme, you could have an order of paladins where members gain some boon (extra level due to training from birth, paladin steed at level one, cool arms and armor, whatever) but players could opt to be a lay member of the order which might still put some limits on them to allow a wider range for those who really want it (no rogue, neutral or good alignment for instance or perhaps no restriction at all except a good reason for the PC to be serving with paladins).

You'd do well when restricting player choice to discuss with the players and see if you can come to some accomodation with them that might meet both your and their needs. But I'd be wary of too restrictive a PC option even if they agree to it. It has a high chance of presaging a short campaign.

One other comments on the "all the same concept". I saw this in a writing book once: the author observed that the Fellowship in LOTR had only one elf and one dwarf. Why? Because you would not be able to distinguish multiple dwarves or elves from one another. The elf and dwarf were each defined more by their elvishness or dwarvishness. Adding another wouldn't add much to the story.

Of course, players, background and good RP *can* distinguish PCs of the same race and even the same race-class, but ask yourself, are all your players *really* good enough to do so and enjoy it? Don't you have a few (many? most?) whose RP style relies a good deal from the boost they get from their basic race and class? If so, forcing them to be all alike will take away their sense of differentiation which will diminish the campaign for them.