D&D (2024) Should a general Adventurer class be created to represent the Everyman?

[CreamCloud0]

Then what is the point of backgrounds if your class explains your origin?

backgrounds are basically your life before your class training, the point of them is to diversify a character's identity beyond just being their class.

 

[Mephista]

I kinda get the feeling that this Everyman class is pretty human-centric with a dash of halfling. Like, elves. All elves, gnomes and tieflings are innately sorcerers. That's their Everyman - low level spellcasters. What would a dwarven Everyman look like? Their Moradin-based culture revolves around mining and blacksmithing usually, no? Their everyman is a flavor of low level Artificer, then, no?

You want a class that's all about being lucky, that sounds suspicioulsy like the Human Resourceful trait that grants extra Inspiration.

 

[Remathilis]

backgrounds are basically your life before your class training, the point of them is to diversify a character's identity beyond just being their class.

That only makes sense if your background is your childhood or your character starts adventuring in their mid thirties. If my character was busy learning to be a fighter or rogue or wizard, when did they have time to be a farmer, guard, or artisan?

 

[Guest 7037866]

That only makes sense if your background is your childhood or your character starts adventuring in their mid thirties. If my character was busy learning to be a fighter or rogue or wizard, when did they have time to be a farmer, guard, or artisan?

It is the problem with front-loaded classes IMO. You shouldn't start out at level 1 knowing half the things you know.

Or you have to go with the idea of learning things in your teens (or sooner) and early adulthood as background, then spending a few months to a few years to learn your class. While I think mid-thirties would be a bit of a stretch, mid-twenties would easily be justified IMO.

But we have stories where PCs are still teens when the become adventurers. So either their training began much earlier in life, or something is wrong with the system.

 

[Minigiant]

I kinda get the feeling that this Everyman class is pretty human-centric with a dash of halfling. Like, elves. All elves, gnomes and tieflings are innately sorcerers. That's their Everyman - low level spellcasters. What would a dwarven Everyman look like? Their Moradin-based culture revolves around mining and blacksmithing usually, no? Their everyman is a flavor of low level Artificer, then, no?

You want a class that's all about being lucky, that sounds suspicioulsy like the Human Resourceful trait that grants extra Inspiration.

I think the Adventurer/Everyman has a Race as Class feeling

I would have the Core Four Subclasses be

1. Lucky Guy - Very lucky nobody
2. Factotum - Versatile Role Swapper
3. Paragon - Racial exemplar
4. Divine Descendant - A relative of a demigod or exarch

 

[Storyteller Hero]

It is the problem with front-loaded classes IMO. You shouldn't start out at level 1 knowing half the things you know.

Or you have to go with the idea of learning things in your teens (or sooner) and early adulthood as background, then spending a few months to a few years to learn your class. While I think mid-thirties would be a bit of a stretch, mid-twenties would easily be justified IMO.

But we have stories where PCs are still teens when the become adventurers. So either their training began much earlier in life, or something is wrong with the system.

In a world of fantasy, prodigies can exist. Reincarnated souls can exist. Memory crystals can exist. Divine uploads can exist. Dream Sanctuaries with super compressed time passage can exist.

In fantasy role-playing, the PCs are not necessarily average joes, they are the heroes of the story so there's no official rule that says they can't be exceptions to the norm of people in the setting.

The paths are limitless if the imagination is unleashed.

 

[Remathilis]

It is the problem with front-loaded classes IMO. You shouldn't start out at level 1 knowing half the things you know.

Or you have to go with the idea of learning things in your teens (or sooner) and early adulthood as background, then spending a few months to a few years to learn your class. While I think mid-thirties would be a bit of a stretch, mid-twenties would easily be justified IMO.

But we have stories where PCs are still teens when the become adventurers. So either their training began much earlier in life, or something is wrong with the system.

I mean, 5e has it already that levels 1 and 2 are apprentice levels. A lot of people were upset they moved all subclasses to level 3 to represent "graduating into your specialty" I can't see people wanting to start with just canrtips or getting weapon masteries at level 2 when most people are already complaining about how slow it is to get a build online.

 

[Guest 7037866]

In a world of fantasy, prodigies can exist. Reincarnated souls can exist. Memory crystals can exist. Divine uploads can exist. Dream Sanctuaries with super compressed time passage can exist.

In fantasy role-playing, the PCs are not necessarily average joes, they are the heroes of the story so there's no official rule that says they can't be exceptions to the norm of people in the setting.

The paths are limitless if the imagination is unleashed.

Read the OP.

I mean, 5e has it already that levels 1 and 2 are apprentice levels. A lot of people were upset they moved all subclasses to level 3 to represent "graduating into your specialty" I can't see people wanting to start with just canrtips or getting weapon masteries at level 2 when most people are already complaining about how slow it is to get a build online.

All true.

But if you want the Joe Average Everyman Class structure it doesn't really work with how D&D is currently structured--that was my point.

 

[Remathilis]

All true.

But if you want the Joe Average Everyman Class structure it doesn't really work with how D&D is currently structured--that was my point.

I'll argue it never really worked. Really, the only way such a character could work (barring narrative tricks and meta-currency) is a skill-based system and a game where combat isn't a priority.

 

[GrimCo]

I'll argue it never really worked. Really, the only way such a character could work (barring narrative tricks and meta-currency) is a skill-based system and a game where combat isn't a priority.

Yup. Class based games, and d&d in particular, are not best representations for Everyman, and d&d for at least last 3 editions has more and more powerful PCs even at low level and gap between commoner and even level1 classed PC has grown with every new edition. I mentioned WoD before. In nWoD/CoD core game, characters are everyman. They stumble into world of supernatural, while they themselves are still very much regular Joes. They survive, gather exp and learn skills, they get better in their core skills, they get more diverse skill sets. But their durability improves marginally at best.