New Classes & Campaign Settings: A Thought Exercise

[Atlatl Jones]

I don't think that "knight" should be its own class, since it's more a matter of social background than combat role. Fighters, paladins, and warlords all fit in well as Knights of Solamnia.

That's even more true for Knights of Neraka. Knights of the skull are clerics and mystics, with some martial training. Knights of the lily are all wizards, with some basic training in armor and weapons.

 

[Mort_Q]

Do we need new/different classes in all cases, or would a different power list be functionally equivalent?

 

[Serendipity]

Dragonlance - some form of Cavalier/mounted horseman knighty thing

Spelljammer - swashbuckler. Either some setting specific variation or the straight up. Either way, a PERFECT fit IMHO.

Planescape: make the 3.x Horizon Walker PrC a full class.

Mystara: not sure how they'll handle Blackmoor if they go to Mystara (which I doubt but I can dream) - maybe some flavor of Technologist?

Don't know enough about Birthright to make a suggestion one way or another.

 

[pukunui]

Do we need new/different classes in all cases, or would a different power list be functionally equivalent?

I don't know that we do. I was just acting on the assumption that WotC would introduce a new class with each new campaign setting as a sort of "selling point". It doesn't matter if I'm right or wrong. It's just a bit of fun speculation.

 

[Harshax]

For Al'Qadim

Sha'ir - and I agree with the previous poster that it is an Arcane Leader

Mystic of Nog - [Assuming we get the Monk in PHB2] would be a sample character build of Monk/Wizard Multiclassing.

Clockwork Magician - [Assuming Eberon's artificer is not the right fit] Hybrid Defender/Controller. Not sure, have to see how summoning is handled before I can really get a grip.

Mageslayer - Arcane Striker with special attacks against characters with the Arcane Power Source

 

[Cryptos]

Do we need new/different classes in all cases, or would a different power list be functionally equivalent?

Since power lists are the vast majority of content for classes, I can't see them just saying "replace the Fighter power list with this Gladiator list." That's 80-90% of the way toward making a new class. What else do you need? The skill list, the hit points and healing surges, the defense bonuses, and a few class abilities, for the most part. Making new classes helps them sell the latest "Random Campaign Setting Player's Guide." They'll use the power source books to roll out long lists of new powers. But I doubt they'd do the majority of the work of creating a new class by having a swapable power list when with a little more work, they could just make and market a new class that people can use in any of their games / campaigns and use the existing classes as well. I can't see them going the route of limiting options or narrowing the expansion of options to a net gain of zero by saying, "for this campaign, change the fighter to this." Instead, they'll want to offer a completely new option plus the opportunity to continue using the fighter.

 

[Mostlyjoe]

Spelljammer: Corsair...Space Pirates basically.

 

[Harshax]

For Al'Qadim

Sha'ir - and I agree with the previous poster that it is an Arcane Leader

Mystic of Nog - [Assuming we get the Monk in PHB2] would be a sample character build of Monk/Wizard Multiclassing.

Clockwork Magician - [Assuming Eberon's artificer is not the right fit] Hybrid Defender/Controller. Not sure, have to see how summoning is handled before I can really get a grip.

Mageslayer - Arcane Striker with special attacks against characters with the Arcane Power Source

 

[Cam Banks]

Knights of the lily are all wizards, with some basic training in armor and weapons.

Warlocks, more properly. Thorn Knights are pretty much warlocks, as was their prototype Ariakas. Their pact? With Takhisis, of course!

Cheers,
Cam