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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Vyvyan Basterd" data-source="post: 5736251" data-attributes="member: 4892">Not too surprising since previous editions provided no mechanical class ability to defend. All you really had was tactical positioning. Someone mentioned upthread that there was something similar to OA in 1E, but I don't even remember playing with that rule. So basically they redefined the fighter into multiple classes. I don't really understand peoples' hangup on the naming convention, but obviously it is an issue for some.And what armor was best for this elven fighter? Light or Heavy?With the example of the potion-administering fighter? No. I think the post-AD&D supports that more by suggesting characters be able to purchase magical items more freely. Outside of that specicfic example: Recently in my own game the defender stepped out of his role to use the Heal skill on the fallen leader to revive him instead of just swinging his sword. Many fighters can be built for effective battlefield control. And many fighters, before the advent of the Slayer, fulfilled the role of striker through weapon and feat choices. Most of the classes had secondary roles that they were competent in from the start of the edition. In my group its was always deemed that someone "had" to play a thief and another a cleric, as those were the only two classes that could, respectively, find/disarm/unlock and heal. Currently one character might spot the traps, another disarms/unlocks (not always a rogue, last time it was the warlock), and any leader can heal without "forcing" the player into cleric. Our campaigns seem to spend as much time in and out o dungeons as they always have. My experience has definitely been in the camp of the roles always having existed in one form or another.This is definitely a change from prior editions. If you've chosen to build a cleric that relies on ranged attacks, finding a powerful melee weapon will not appeal to the character and would most likely end up in the hands of another character, magic items are certainly more tailored to specific users (which I'm not the biggest fan of either). But again, this seems to be an example of roles changing based on items found, similar to Mark's example of the potion-administering fighter. It's not really based on the choice of the player but instead the whim of the DM or luck of random treasure tables.</blockquote>

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