Gamma World-inspired dual-class design

[RangerWickett]

Here's an idea for 5th edition (inspired by Gamma World): enforced dual classing.

When you make your character, you choose two classes, and you get stuff from each. Each class has roughly half the stuff a current 4e class has, so you basically end up with a "build your own class" system.

Starting classes could be something like:

Greatweapon Warrior (heavy melee, athletics)
Twinweapon Warrior (two weapons)
Battlerage Warrior (fury and indomitability)
Openhand Warrior (unarmed combat)
Swiftweapon Warrior (speed, light weapons)

Armored Hero (shield and plate, endurance)
Scoundrel (trickery, sneak attack)
Fusilier (ranged weapons)
Evoker (damage magic)
Enchanter (mind magic)
Illusionist (illusions)
Necromancer (death)
Abjurer (defense)
Diviner (foresight)

So a standard fighter is an armored greatweapon warrior. A rogue is a swiftweapon scoundrel. A ranger is a twinweapon fusilier. A cleric is an abjurer-evoker, while a paladin is an armored abjurer. Someone who wants to mix magic and weapons could be a greatweapon necromancer, a battlerage illusionist, or a swiftweapon diviner.

Each class would have two possible roles, so an armored greatweapon warrior could pick the defender powers of each role, or pick the controller powers of being armored (use your shield and bulk to move people around, grab them, or knock them down) and the striker powers for your huge weapon.

What do you think? How feasible would this idea be?

 

[PeelSeel2]

Great execution of a framework! I have been considering something like this.

 

[Klaus]

So, mandatory hybrid?

 

[Sadrik]

Then for single class you just take the one class twice, which would double up the bonuses in that one area.

 

[TarionzCousin]

I'll buy that for a dollar.

 

[FreeXenon]

Tell us more of your idea. I am interested...

 

[ggroy]

How would a 4E PHB1 warlord fit into this framework?

 

[ggroy]

Hmmm .... going systematically.

PHB1

cleric = abjurer + envoker
fighter = armored hero + greatweapon warrior
paladin = armored hero + abjurer
ranger = twinweapon warrior + greatweapon warrior
rogue = swiftweapon warrior + scoundrel
warlord = armored hero + diviner ?
wizard = fusilier + illusionist, or fusilier + evoker ?
warlock = evoker

PHB2

avenger = swiftweapon warrior + ?
barbarian = greatweapon warrior + battlerage warrior
bard = enchanter ?
druid = abjurer + ?
invoker = fusilier + ?
shaman = diviner + fusilier ?
sorcerer = evoker + battlerage warrior ?
warden = armored hero

PHB3

monk = openhand warrior

runepriest = ?
seeker = fusilier + swiftweapon warrior ?

 

[ggroy]

A better question is whether they will drop the striker/defender/controller/leader roles categories in a future 5th edition. Single roles per class in the Heinsoo 4E D&D, seems to have been broken with 4E Essentials, such as the Slayer and Knight for the 4E Essentials fighter.

For the 4E power sources (martial, primal, arcane, divine, psionic, shadow, etc ...), I could see them perhaps hanging on to arcane, divine, and maybe psionic.

I don't know whether martial and/or primal would be dropped in a future 5th edition. (Back when 4E D&D was first released in June 2008, I would have guessed a barbarian could have been a martial striker, a druid could have been a martial controller or leader, etc ...).

 

[Dice4Hire]

Well, but why 2 parts?

Why not.....

Race:
Background:
Theme:
Class 1/2:
Class 2/2:

Each selection would grant powers and skill choices (one of two choices?) Each selection should have two possible power choices at each level, or at the very least one, so there would be 5-10 choices for each level or power choice.

For example Elves:

Their racial powers should tend towards wizardry and bowmanship (bowelfship?) and be tied to their racial ability score bonuses, Int and Dex and ??? (I'm away from my books) So at for example Encounter 3, they should have a dex with a bow poiwer and an Int with magic power.

With 5 selections to be made, and possible doubling up with the two classes, there would be a ton of variation.