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<blockquote data-quote="Bishmon" data-source="post: 3949701" data-attributes="member: 56176">Because they don't always cover the same niche. You say the ranger class fills the archer niche? What if someone wants a great archer that isn't a better woodsman? Where's that niche? What if someone wants a quick, lightly armored melee weapon user who isn't phsyically frail and has to rely on hitting opponents when they're at a disadvantage (rogue)? What if someone wants a hand-to-hand combatant that doesn't have mystical abilities (3E, and presumably 4E, monk)? What if someone wants a functional jack-of-all-trades who combines doesn't derive many of his powers from his singing (3E bard)? Where are those niches?That's the problem with limiting the focus of a small set of classes to fill niches. I'm surprised anyone could think that in a game where imagination is the most important element that any significant group of people would have the same vision of what certain niches are. You might think I'd want a classless system then, but I don't. There's enough variation in mechanics and archetypes that a number of classes are useful. But the classes that are there should be reasonably flexible, in order to let people use their imagination instead of the rules as much as possible in order to create a character. In my opinion, 4E has seemingly taken a step back in that regard, which is disappointing after 3E took a step forward.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Bishmon, post: 3949701, member: 56176"] Because they don't always cover the same niche. You say the ranger class fills the archer niche? What if someone wants a great archer that isn't a better woodsman? Where's that niche? What if someone wants a quick, lightly armored melee weapon user who isn't phsyically frail and has to rely on hitting opponents when they're at a disadvantage (rogue)? What if someone wants a hand-to-hand combatant that doesn't have mystical abilities (3E, and presumably 4E, monk)? What if someone wants a functional jack-of-all-trades who combines doesn't derive many of his powers from his singing (3E bard)? Where are those niches? That's the problem with limiting the focus of a small set of classes to fill niches. I'm surprised anyone could think that in a game where imagination is the most important element that any significant group of people would have the same vision of what certain niches are. You might think I'd want a classless system then, but I don't. There's enough variation in mechanics and archetypes that a number of classes are useful. But the classes that are there should be reasonably flexible, in order to let people use their imagination instead of the rules as much as possible in order to create a character. In my opinion, 4E has seemingly taken a step back in that regard, which is disappointing after 3E took a step forward. [/QUOTE]

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