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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Clavis" data-source="post: 4850798" data-attributes="member: 31898">I am a firm believer that the base classes in a class-based fantasy role-playing system should reflect pre-existing archetypes and tropes, and only pre-existing archetypes and tropes. Otherwise, it's pointless to use classes at all. The advantage of a class-based system is the ability to get games going more quickly by being able to point to some precedent in mythology, literature, or real-world history and say "your character is like that". That's why I believe a class-based system like D&D should never have been weighed down by skills and feats, which work better in class-free, point-based systems.  I think the base classes (for player characters) should be Warrior, Thief, and Magic-User. I'm of the opinion that Clerics as a class are not necessary, because they can represented either by Warriors under holy orders, or by Magic-Users. I think Magic Users should have the ability to use healing magic, just like they do in legend. I've always been somewhat dissatisfied with the disconnect between D&D magic and the magic of real-world legend, and would like to see the two much more closely linked.  Subclasses of Warrior could be things like Soldier, Crusader, Knight, Gladiator, Ranger, and Archer. Subclasses of Thief could be things like Con Man, Cat Burglar, Thug, Highwayman, Assassin, and Tomb Robber. Sublasses of Magic-User could be things like Witch, Conjuror (summons and binds demons and other explaner creatures), Illusionist, Theurgist (uses divine names and powers to create effects like a wizard), Necromancer, Saint, and Prophet. I've never been completely satisfied by the way the classes have been represented in any D&D, although generally I think the older versions of the classes were generally better than the newer ones (which sometimes seem to be almost completely divorced from mythology and classic fantasy literature) The Classic D&D thief really got the short-end of the stick at lower levels, however. Also, I like that 4th Edition introduced the use of implements for  Wizards, which does actually make them more like their legendary  precedents. One thing that I think was always missing from D&D was the ability to represent warriors in loincloths or chainmail bikinis as effective characters. It's such a strong fantasy trope that the ability to play such a character (perhaps with an ability that improve their base AC with level) should really have been present.</blockquote>

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