D&D General Match the class with the historical inspriation

[Sacrosanct]

Was watching a historical documentary, and got to thinking. Specifically how a class/archetype in D&D that is pretty famous never actually emulated the historical inspiration behind that class/archetype.

Before I give it away, let me pose the question.

Historical Inspiration:
Guerilla warfare. Used light and medium armor, and most weapons. Good at stealth and hit and run tactics. Good at medicine, poison, unconventional warfare, and disguise.

So....

would you guess ranger? Or rogue?

 

[Dioltach]

Scout...?

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

I think a problem with this situation might also be that traditionally, D&D didn't always draw from 'historical inspiration'. I'd be more prone to say that with all of the RE Howard and Lankhmar etc influences, possibly moreso than even drawing from Tolkien, they were drawn more from fantasy works slightly (?) more than from history.

For example, fighters. We'd be hard pressed to name many singular warriors historically - it can be done, but I think its much easier to go through and name Grail knights and Ajax and Achilles. Same with some other classes.

I think another issue because editions. Not to start an edition war, but in certain editions, you were hardwired into certain roles and abilities. In 1e, you wouldn't have a rogue RAW that was using medicine, for example, but by 5e, there are all kinds of ways to build a character that incorporates pretty varied piecemeal abilities (probably only to get it called 'sub-optimal' online. YMMV

 

[Sacrosanct]

I'll give a hint. This is a HUGE historical inspirational archetype that has been used many times over the years as the basis of a class.

 

[Krachek]

Hit and run, stealth, unconventional fight,
Any full caster can be a great help. They replace technology in modern warfare.
They replace the nerd guy who launch the Drones, or setup the cloaking device, or hack the network to bypass security.

 

[MattW]

Assassin? Or possibly Ninja. I don't think Druids used much armour....

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Yeah I'd go with Ninja also.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Assassin? Or possibly Ninja. I don't think Druids used much armour....

Yeah I'd go with Ninja also.

Yep. The Iga clan. Looking at their actual battles against Nobunaga, it would seem that the ranger class would be a perfect fit based on what they actually did. Yet in D&D, it seems the ninja class/subclass was inspired by the 80s myth, and not the actual Iga.

Just struck me odd that there was already a perfect class for the ninja of Iga and no one ever played a ranger that way (although the new gloom stalker sure seems to be close). I would posit that the ranger was a better fit through most editions to emulate the real Iga clan, then the various ninja classes did.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Yep. The Iga clan. Looking at their actual battles against Nobunaga, it would seem that the ranger class would be a perfect fit based on what they actually did. Yet in D&D, it seems the ninja class/subclass was inspired by the 80s myth, and not the actual Iga.

Just struck me odd that there was already a perfect class for the ninja of Iga and no one ever played a ranger that way (although the new gloom stalker sure seems to be close). I would posit that the ranger was a better fit through most editions to emulate the real Iga clan, then the various ninja classes did.

I think the Monk should be reforged to include, yes, the unarmored wuxia fist-fighter archetype, but also sohei, kensei and ninja using actual weapons and armors, without so much work around to include such equipment.

 

[Tonguez]

Yeah D&Ds class system is absolutely terrible at emulating rl models and thus it is best to not try. As noted your Iga clan ninja could be emulated as Ninja or Rogue or Scout or Monk - all of which have some degree of Dex-based attacks, stealth and some skills.

The Class system is what defines D&D, but D&D is its own thing and doesnt emulate real world anything