OSR Let's make Shadowdark classes!

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Inspiration for future Shadowdark classes:

1. Species-specific classes (similar to B/X racial classes) -- maybe specific to certain ancestries, maybe not
   1. Elf
   2. Dwarf
   3. Goblin
   4. Halfling
   5. Half-Orc
2. "Multiclass" classes:
   1. Fighter/priest
   2. Fighter/rogue
   3. Fighter/wizard
   4. Priest/rogue
   5. Priest/wizard
   6. Rogue/wizard
   7. Fighter/priest/rogue
   8. Fighter/priest/wizard
   9. Fighter/rogue/wizard
   10. Priest/rogue/wizard
   11. Fighter/priest/rogue/wizard

Depending on flavor and mechanical choices, there's probably multiple ways each of these could be tackled -- a fighter/rogue could be a Conan-style barbarian, but it could also be a Robin Hood-style bandit -- but this seems like a pretty good starting point.

 

[Scribe]

"Multiclass" classes:

1. Fighter/priest
2. Fighter/rogue
3. Fighter/wizard
4. Priest/rogue
5. Priest/wizard
6. Rogue/wizard
7. Fighter/priest/rogue
8. Fighter/priest/wizard
9. Fighter/rogue/wizard
10. Priest/rogue/wizard
11. Fighter/priest/rogue/wizard

Yeah, those would be neat additions, something to think about.

I way laying here doing acupuncture, and I think this and a "ancestry as class" would be cool stand alone options.

 

[NN]

Surely easier to have 3rd ed style multiclassing and just tweak talents so that multiclasses have the same amount by total level as single classes do.

 

[DarkCrisis]

I would love a Multiclass system for SD. I was messing around with an old school style where its more like dual classing. Once you leave a class you cant go back. So take 3 levels of Fighter. Switch to Cleric. Cant take anymore fighter levels. Plus have to follow the class rules, like blunt only for the cleric.

 

[Scribe]

Wouldn't those classes all just be super easy to make?

I think more typical multi class would have some issue, at least to me, since you get the whole class at level 1 really.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Wouldn't those classes all just be super easy to make?

I think more typical multi class would have some issue, at least to me, since you get the whole class at level 1 really.

Exactly the issue.

 

[Scribe]

Exactly the issue.

Yeah, so I'd just personally build out each (Fighter/Thief, Theif/Cleric ... Elf, Goblin) as distinct things.

That said, I'm very anti-multiclassing at this point in the current 5e sense.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Yeah, so I'd just personally build out each (Fighter/Thief, Theif/Cleric ... Elf, Goblin) as distinct things.

That said, I'm very anti-multiclassing at this point in the current 5e sense.

Perhaps you take both classes at the same time and have to split your xp evenly. Take you twice as long to level but you are basically both classes.

 

[Scribe]

Perhaps you take both classes at the same time and have to split your xp evenly. Take you twice as long to level but you are basically both classes.

Doesn't that just make the "you get it all" nature of SD classes even worse? Sure you level up slower, but you start out with everything.

I think having your class at level 1 is a strength, a pillar of SD design, so I wouldn't change that.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Surely easier to have 3rd ed style multiclassing and just tweak talents so that multiclasses have the same amount by total level as single classes do.

I'm not sure that creating a new multiclassing system and making sure it's balanced is easier than the very easy process of creating new Shadowdark classes.

That doesn't mean that's not a worthy goal, but I disagree with "easier."