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PrCs: Anathema, or just lack of interest? (Pick two!)
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<blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 7801786" data-attributes="member: 58172"><p>If a normal class requires some mechanic for its character concept, it GIVES it to the character. For example, the Wizard class GIVES the character the Arcana skill and a spellbook.</p><p></p><p>Same goes for a miniclass.</p><p></p><p>For example, I would look at the Silver Pyromancer this way. It is an arcane magic class that specializes in fire. It gives you the Arcana skill or a choice of any skill if you already have Arcana. (This is how a Background works. If you already have the skill that Background grants, you can pick <em>any</em> skill you want instead. So it is useful to pick a Background that gives you skills you already have.) So, any character can start off as a Silver Pyromancer, or later multiclass into it. The class contains all the mechanics that are necessary to be a Silver Pyromancer.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The setting is something separate. For example, the DM can emphasize how the different schools of wizardry are literally different schools. The Eladrin elves might teach enchantment magic from one of their campuses in the Feywild. Meanwhile, a certain enclave of Genasi teach elemental magic. A certain Human wizard tower near a certain city specializes in transmutation magic. And so on. The DM could require players to be familiar with these institutions and their mentors, having gained the relevant knowledge from these places. Some of these mentors might be difficult with specific ideologies, and only friendly under certain circumstances.</p><p></p><p>Likewise, the spiritual organization that the Cleric belongs to might matter in the setting.</p><p></p><p>The order that the Paladin or Ranger belongs too. Whether a Rogue is affiliated with a ‘guild’ or not. The Druid circle. The Barbarian clan. Etcetera.</p><p></p><p>All of this is part of the setting description. For flavor, the Silver Pyromancer might refer to the institution, might while remaining mechanically neutral. Baking a flavor into the mechanics, creates problems, including reducing the usefulness of the class in other settings.</p><p></p><p>For every reason, a miniclass works best as a normal class.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>... Actually, the Silver Pyromancer can include a writeup in two separate design spaces. One is the normal class itself. The other is a Background whose special asset (in addition to skills or tools) relates to the Silver Pyromancer institution.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>If a miniclass is too specific, such as ‘Wizards only!’, then it no longer makes sense for a miniclass. It works better as a Wizard subclass.</p><p></p><p>The point of a miniclass is being a mechanic that any class can take.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Yaarel, post: 7801786, member: 58172"] If a normal class requires some mechanic for its character concept, it GIVES it to the character. For example, the Wizard class GIVES the character the Arcana skill and a spellbook. Same goes for a miniclass. For example, I would look at the Silver Pyromancer this way. It is an arcane magic class that specializes in fire. It gives you the Arcana skill or a choice of any skill if you already have Arcana. (This is how a Background works. If you already have the skill that Background grants, you can pick [I]any[/I] skill you want instead. So it is useful to pick a Background that gives you skills you already have.) So, any character can start off as a Silver Pyromancer, or later multiclass into it. The class contains all the mechanics that are necessary to be a Silver Pyromancer. The setting is something separate. For example, the DM can emphasize how the different schools of wizardry are literally different schools. The Eladrin elves might teach enchantment magic from one of their campuses in the Feywild. Meanwhile, a certain enclave of Genasi teach elemental magic. A certain Human wizard tower near a certain city specializes in transmutation magic. And so on. The DM could require players to be familiar with these institutions and their mentors, having gained the relevant knowledge from these places. Some of these mentors might be difficult with specific ideologies, and only friendly under certain circumstances. Likewise, the spiritual organization that the Cleric belongs to might matter in the setting. The order that the Paladin or Ranger belongs too. Whether a Rogue is affiliated with a ‘guild’ or not. The Druid circle. The Barbarian clan. Etcetera. All of this is part of the setting description. For flavor, the Silver Pyromancer might refer to the institution, might while remaining mechanically neutral. Baking a flavor into the mechanics, creates problems, including reducing the usefulness of the class in other settings. For every reason, a miniclass works best as a normal class. ... Actually, the Silver Pyromancer can include a writeup in two separate design spaces. One is the normal class itself. The other is a Background whose special asset (in addition to skills or tools) relates to the Silver Pyromancer institution. If a miniclass is too specific, such as ‘Wizards only!’, then it no longer makes sense for a miniclass. It works better as a Wizard subclass. The point of a miniclass is being a mechanic that any class can take. [/QUOTE]
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