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

[Scars Unseen]

I wonder if 5E is really the best chassis for this archetype. I'm planning a mini-campaign that starts off with the players playing villagers that survive a massacre (the massacre will be played out in the first session; I'm planning out a full deck of characters for them to burn through before they end up choosing from among who makes it) and eventually run them through The Sunless Citadel. But what I kind of came to realize is that D&D (especially the more powerful WotC editions) doesn't really suit a campaign built around the premise that the characters don't already have a strong developmental trajectory laid out before them.

What I decided to do is take one of the OSR games (preferably a classless one such as Knave or Cairn) and then build on that, giving the players custom abilities and upgrades suited to how they develop in story and downtime. I think if you wanted to do something similar in 5E, you'd maybe have to just strip all non-essential class features (just leaving stuff like hit die, proficiency bonus, saves and skills), go with a stepped down ability score array, and then do advancement almost exclusively through boons.

 

[Minigiant]

I wonder if 5E is really the best chassis for this archetype. I'm planning a mini-campaign that starts off with the players playing villagers that survive a massacre (the massacre will be played out in the first session; I'm planning out a full deck of characters for them to burn through before they end up choosing from among who makes it) and eventually run them through The Sunless Citadel. But what I kind of came to realize is that D&D (especially the more powerful WotC editions) doesn't really suit a campaign built around the premise that the characters don't already have a strong developmental trajectory laid out before them.

What I decided to do is take one of the OSR games (preferably a classless one such as Knave or Cairn) and then build on that, giving the players custom abilities and upgrades suited to how they develop in story and downtime. I think if you wanted to do something similar in 5E, you'd maybe have to just strip all non-essential class features (just leaving stuff like hit die, proficiency bonus, saves and skills), go with a stepped down ability score array, and then do advancement almost exclusively through boons.

It would be great if Modern D&D had both a 0th levels and a XP by Training system.

Really a level 1 human wizard is 3-10 years of study.

 

[Remathilis]

It would be great if Modern D&D had both a 0th levels and a XP by Training system.

Really a level 1 human wizard is 3-10 years of study.

Which, if true, eliminates the need for backgrounds. Your background IS wizard.

 

[Theory of Games]

This seems like part of the general divide in opinion if classes are more of an occupation or vocation that the character follows through their own volition, or if class is more of a metagame container to hold related character concepts that share a mechanical framework.

And this is a divide that exists within the core classes, sometimes even within concepts for the same class!

I don't see a divide at all. "Class" has always represented a PC's profession and role in the party. Pretty straightforward.

I wonder if 5E is really the best chassis for this archetype. I'm planning a mini-campaign that starts off with the players playing villagers that survive a massacre (the massacre will be played out in the first session; I'm planning out a full deck of characters for them to burn through before they end up choosing from among who makes it) and eventually run them through The Sunless Citadel. But what I kind of came to realize is that D&D (especially the more powerful WotC editions) doesn't really suit a campaign built around the premise that the characters don't already have a strong developmental trajectory laid out before them.

What I decided to do is take one of the OSR games (preferably a classless one such as Knave or Cairn) and then build on that, giving the players custom abilities and upgrades suited to how they develop in story and downtime. I think if you wanted to do something similar in 5E, you'd maybe have to just strip all non-essential class features (just leaving stuff like hit die, proficiency bonus, saves and skills), go with a stepped down ability score array, and then do advancement almost exclusively through boons.

Looks more like a DCC campaign because that system specializes in 0-Level to Hero-Level. Exactly the way you plan to do it, as well.

 

[Minigiant]

Which, if true, eliminates the need for backgrounds. Your background IS wizard.

Not really.

5e 2024 1st level is really something like In-Universe 4th

So you'd get you background at IU level 1.

Then have your 5e level 1 features spread across IU levels 2-4.

Same how people want to play at level 3 when you get a subclass. Which is like your 2nd focus and In universe level/HD 7.

 

[Remathilis]

Not really.

5e 2024 1st level is really something like In-Universe 4th

So you'd get you background at IU level 1.

Then have your 5e level 1 features spread across IU levels 2-4.

Same how people want to play at level 3 when you get a subclass. Which is like your 2nd focus and In universe level/HD 7.

Sorry, not following.

Let's take a normal human. She is born, spends her childhood learning rudimentary skills, and then gets a formal apprenticeship as an artisan, an entertainer or a scribe. She also needs to learn magic to become a wizard. Assuming some successful multitasking, she is working her day job in her background and night classes as a wizard. That tells me that your traditional 1st adventurer is the equivalent of a bachelor's and that getting their subclass is a Master's. That also puts the traditional adventurer in their mid to late 20s I guess.

(I guess the exception would be backgrounds your born into like outlander, noble or urchin. Those seem like your early 20s or even late teens).

 

[Minigiant]

Sorry, not following.

Let's take a normal human. She is born, spends her childhood learning rudimentary skills, and then gets a formal apprenticeship as an artisan, an entertainer or a scribe. She also needs to learn magic to become a wizard. Assuming some successful multitasking, she is working her day job in her background and night classes as a wizard. That tells me that your traditional 1st adventurer is the equivalent of a bachelor's and that getting their subclass is a Master's. That also puts the traditional adventurer in their mid to late 20s I guess.

(I guess the exception would be backgrounds your born into like outlander, noble or urchin. Those seem like your early 20s or even late teens).

Exactly.

And 5e doesn't let you play a 20 year old straight out of high school who only took his level adventure courses.

 

[Remathilis]

Exactly.

And 5e doesn't let you play a 20 year old straight out of high school who only took his level adventure courses.

I would argue no edition does then. Not Basic, not Advanced, not WotC editions.