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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bhikku" data-source="post: 4411824" data-attributes="member: 73721">You might have each class associated with one or more organizations that provide some of the flavor in both fluff and in supporting NPCs. Remember how 3e originally said that prestige classes represented the special training that characters could learn when they joined with special organizations within a given campaign? Apply the same idea to the basic heroic classes in 4e - the game knocks itself out to remind us that the PCs are extraordinary individuals and that a fighter is a breed apart from a soldier or a skirmisher, so let's put that to some use. For example, my Ranger player wanted to model her character strongly on the Dunedain of Middle-Earth, so I made such a group: in this case, a bloodline that bears the traits of half-elves and an organization that trains in the arts of the ranger. Their purpose is to hunt evil and chaotic monsters, expressly to protect the scattered villages in this 'points of light' world; unlike paladins, rangers take the guise of vagabonds and woodsmen, even masquerading as brigands and bandits if needed, and operating in secret. Other rangers exist who are not part of this specific organization, but for the most part this is the original 'school' from which the other rangers derived their own methods. My player had an idea of how she wanted her character to appear and behave in the world, so i gave her an institution that actively encourages her to do exactly that - and incidentally can provide more adventure hooks, mentors, rivals, etc. Even better, if her magic item wishlist includes something that I can't shoehorn into a pile of dungeon loot, it might make a sensible reward from her superiors or a gift from her mentor. It works just as well for the other PCs: our rogue wanted to be part of a ninja-like clan of spies and assassins, though the traditional "Thieves' Guild" is as effective as it ever was. The fey pact warlock is getting immersed in a lot of the darker faerie lore and can expect weird phenomena to signal the presence and attention of his eldritch patrons. Our cleric gave us a little trouble at first, but eventually we determined that the majority of priests have little or now power aside from rituals, while clerics are rare individuals akin to faith healers and medieval hermits - something midway between a saint and a mere mystic. Thus, clerics tend to attract something of a 'cult of personality' despite themselves, even if their associates within a given church or whatnot are a little more mundane. Other classes should pose no challenge - wizards' guilds and colleges are fairly commonplace, paladins lend themselves to knightly orders, and any given fighter has a wealth of options from old alliances with mercenary bands to rival schools of battle technique worthy of any kung fu film (which makes me wonder if fencing schools ever had such dramas). I think once you start playing with the idea, you'll find it not only helps to promote the unique flavor of each class, but also helps connect the PCs with the world and provides you with innumerable tools to challenge, support, direct, and reward the party as well.</blockquote>

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