How do you choose a class?

[Jeff2222]

For classed games like D&D I roll ability scores in order then choose a class that makes good use of those abilities, also considering what will work with the rest of the party.

The only classless games I play regularly are all based on the Traveller character generation system, for those I look at what skills the dice choose for me early on in the process and then later try to nudge things to lean further towards those early skills. I think it is more interesting to have a character that is good at a small number of things rather than average at a lot of things.

 

[TiQuinn]

For games like D&D and Pathfinder (but possibly even PBTA with its Playbooks...)

What do you look for when you are selecting a Class?

For games like Call of Cthulhu or GURPS or HERO or other such no-class systems = how you do know what will be fun to play as a character if there are no set classes or powers??

With D&D 5e, it’s a combination of what subclass sounds cool, has fun abilities I’d like to try, and “I’ve got a character in mind that fits this.”

With classless systems, it’s much more about a character archetype or personality that I want to play out - this is often where I lean on tropes (and why I don’t think tropes are bad as long as it’s not a harmful).

 

[aco175]

I always go with a PC who is good at stealth and combat. I have a type.

I managed to go all 10 years of 5e by playing only halfling rogues and a couple dwarf clerics. Not sure how 5.5e will go and if I want to change.

 

[R_J_K75]

I try to come up with a concept that I think will be fun

Exactly! Rules and optimizing doesn't appeal to me so I make characters like Doderdom Gibb. 102 half-elf mage in a 2E Planescape game. He only knew 2 spells, and one was Dancing Lights, I forget the other. He died because he was eaten trying to disco past a Tan'narri

 

[payn]

I've become pretty reliant on two things. Genre/setting and campaign style. I go through similar motions as folks mentioned here, initial idea, session zero, look at what the party needs etc.. Though, I really look for GMs that give me some meat on the bone. That means, campaign players guides, a clear campaign vision, understanding of system and genre. I know I tend to expect a lot (which means I often end up in the GM chair). If a pitch is, "generic fantasy open world sandbox do whatever you want!" thats a huge red flag that the game wont be for me.

That said, in a classless system, im gonna be looking to the GM even more for guidance. I have had occasions where the GM asks, "what do you want to do in a X world" and im happy to come up with something. In essence, chargen isnt a vacuum for me, im not going to develop a concept without input from the entire group, but particularly the GM.

 

[TiQuinn]

I've become pretty reliant on two things. Genre/setting and campaign style. I go through similar motions as folks mentioned here, initial idea, session zero, look at what the party needs etc.. Though, I really look for GMs that give me some meat on the bone. That means, campaign players guides, a clear campaign vision, understanding of system and genre. I know I tend to expect a lot (which means I often end up in the GM chair). If a pitch is, "generic fantasy open world sandbox do whatever you want!" thats a huge red flag that the game wont be for me.

That said, in a classless system, im gonna be looking to the GM even more for guidance. I have had occasions where the GM asks, "what do you want to do in a X world" and im happy to come up with something. In essence, chargen isnt a vacuum for me, im not going to develop a concept without input from the entire group, but particularly the GM.

I totally vibe with this. In a completely generic game, I admit I'm going to end up playing some sort of rogue, ranger, or gish. They're my go-tos - I'm comfortable with them, I know I'll always like them, and they fit easily anywhere.

In Call of Cthulhu, I'm going to lean into a 1920s/1930s type of character, and that's largely going to be based on movies. Maybe it's a film noir detective type character a la Phillip Marlowe, or maybe it's the Lovecraftian university student who dabbled into the Mythos and is going slightly mad, a la Jeffrey Combs from countless movies he's done. The more information I have about the setting, the more ideas I'll come up with.

 

[RenleyRenfield]

For everyone = Do games with more modern group types change the way you pick a character? Such a s Delta Green or Twilight 2000.... You are all soldiers or such, so do you still strive to make your character different, or is overlap good in those games?

What about a group of "James Bond" characters?

Or a group Sherlock Holmes game? Like, when combat is low, and dangerous, and anyone can shoot a gun to kill...

 

[John Dallman]

For everyone = Do games with more modern group types change the way you pick a character? Such a s Delta Green or Twilight 2000.... You are all soldiers or such, so do you still strive to make your character different, or is overlap good in those games?

Some overlap is inevitable, but it's well worth characters having specialisations. It's usually impossible for a character to be good at everything needed.

What about a group of "James Bond" characters?

James Bond, as a subgenre, is more or less defined by a single character who's good enough at everything required. It thus seems more suited to single-character play than a party structure.

Or a group Sherlock Holmes game? Like, when combat is low, and dangerous, and anyone can shoot a gun to kill...

The notable campaign like that I've played was "Horror by Gaslight," Occult horror in the Victorian era, using the CoC system without the Mythos. The players were able to build a decent range of unvarnished Victorian characters and used archetypes to get different sets of primary skills. For example, we really needed our naval officer for the scenario centred on the Doom Bar.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

For everyone = Do games with more modern group types change the way you pick a character? Such a s Delta Green or Twilight 2000.... You are all soldiers or such, so do you still strive to make your character different, or is overlap good in those games?

What about a group of "James Bond" characters?

Or a group Sherlock Holmes game? Like, when combat is low, and dangerous, and anyone can shoot a gun to kill...

I find in ANY genre, at least some overlap can be useful. If the best guy at _______ fails, you still have a reasonable chance at still succeeding at the same task. Hell, I’ve intentionally designed several jacks of all trades, master of none who were essentially the embodiment of the party in microcosm.

Also, with overlap, you can have multiple PCs working on the same task to complete it faster. And redundant expertise means you have several people who can “check the math” to ensure that a course of action will probably succeed.

(I’ma still be the oddball, tho.)

 

[Umbran]

What do you look for when you are selecting a Class?

For games like Call of Cthulhu or GURPS or HERO or other such no-class systems = how you do know what will be fun to play as a character if there are no set classes or powers??

Same answer - I typically am looking to fill gaps.

I am actually pretty easy to please. And unlike some, my creativity blossoms when presented with restrictions. So my first questions are about what spaces in the roster haven't been filled yet, and then figure out a version of that which would be fun for me.