Favourite Classes through the Ages

[Thasmodious]

I'm curious, Thasmodius... how does 4e do the fighter/wizard better? Are we talking about through the multiclass rules, or through the swordmage class? I can see a valid point made for each, and I'm inclined to agree with you... just want clarification on it.

Also, dwarves have always rocked. BECMI dwarves were one of my favourite classes.

I don't much care for the swordmage myself, I meant a multiclass version. You can be a fighter/wizard from 1st level, long as you take the feat, power swaps over your career get you a split of about 2/3 fighter - 1/3 wizard, more like 50/50 if you take a wizard paragon path or paragon multiclassing. A dwarf fighter/wizard with close burst powers, a big hammer, and expeditious retreat (or dimension door) is just awesomesauce.

I haven't experimented much with wizard/fighters, but I'd guess its workable, especially with a race that nets you some decent racial weaponry, like dwarf or eladrin.

First thing I did when I got the 4e books was test the waters on this combination with a dwarf fighter/wizard. I wanted to see what an un-synergistic combination looked like, no racial bonuses to main stats for either class, two classes with different ability score needs. And it worked. He'd be a point or two behind on attack numbers against normally synced up characters, but he was workable from the start.

And, me too, all about the dwarves in BECMI. Dwarves...rocked...nice.

 

[billd91]

1e - Rangers were my hands down favorite, druids came in second. I'm not much of an outdoorsy type personally. I know a lot about it, hunting, camping and so on, I just prefer the comfort of my own bed and a kitchen. These classes let me do some of it vicariously rather than actually get out there.

OA - Samurai - just playing under bushido cultural expectations is a lot of fun, Monks with the OA martial arts rules really shine too.

2e - Thief, specialty priest.

3e - Tough call. I have enjoyed playing clerics, barbarians, duskblades, rangers, rogues, sorcerers... Hard to really pick a favorite, particularly since I've mostly DMed.

PF - Haven't started yet, getting prepped for the new campaign, but I'll be the DM so I don't know that I'd have a personal favorite even at that point.

 

[Greg K]

Basic (Holmes): It was either Fighter or Elf. My friend and I tried to play it once or twice, but were quickly recruited into a 1e group.

1e: A toss between Rangers and Thieves.

2e: Honestly, I don't recall ever being a player during 2e. I think I was always the DM. My favorite classes were, as before, Rangers and Thieves. However, I also liked Specialty Priests and tailored all clerics in my campaign to be such.

Edit: Add David Howery's revised Barbarian and Cavalier classes from Dragon to the 1e and 2e lists. Imo, his Barbarian class is still the best version for any edition of D&D.

3e: Rangers , Rogues (including the Unearthed Arcana Martial and Wilderness variants) and the Barbarian (with the addition of the Unearthed Arcana barbarian hunter variant). I also really liked Green Ronin's Psychic, Shaman, and Witch classes, the OA Shaman, and Hong's Knight (an adaptation of the OA Samurai).

If using the Book of Iron Might, add the Fighter to the above list of classes.

Edit: My choice of 3e classes is as a DM. I never got to play 3e as a player , because the other GMs ran Rolemaster or I was running M&M when I needed a break from D&D.

4e: I have not played, but Fighters, Rangers, Rogues, and Wizards would be the classes that interest me if I did.

 

[Wombat]

Back in the original days, I rather liked the Magic User.

In the 1st/2nd edition days, no class really wowed me, but I played very little D&D during that period.

Under 3rd ed, I loved the Magister (Arcana Unearthed/Evolved) best of all.

4th? Nothing, really.

But in the main, I prefer not to have classes. 3e remains my favourite edition simply because it allowed the greatest freedom within the "character class paradigm".

 

[Olli]

all editions up to 3,5: arcane caster

 

[Rawion]

Ranger and all the cool PrC's for them, Scout, and ToB:Bot9S classes. I only played 3.5 so... thats it.

 

[Greg K]

The complete bards handbook was the best splatbook of all times.

Them's fightin' words, bub. Everyone knows the best 2e handbook was the Complete Thief's Handbook. Complete Bard's comes in second for best 2e handbook (tied with the Complete Druid's and Complete Priest's).

Now, we must kill one another to protect the honor of our favorite 2e handbook and let the bystanders take our stuff! ;P