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What are the Roles now?
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<blockquote data-quote="Aenghus" data-source="post: 6528241" data-attributes="member: 2656"><p>This quote illustrates one of the strong tensions in class-based RPGs, between those who want strong or restrictive classes, and those who want weak or unrestrictive classes. Both extremes here have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on how well they are implemented. </p><p></p><p>Strong/restrictive class RPGs at their best makes for flavoursome classes with clear strengths and weaknesses, simplifies character generation and campaign startup(It's easier to choose Fighter, Rogue, Cleric,Wizard when that behaves as expected), facilitates niche protection and helps avoid the "good at everything" and "good at nothing" design traps. The price is the restrictions chosen, which are a matter of taste.</p><p></p><p>Weak/unrestrictive class-based RPGs move closer to classless skill-based RPGs, and typically have more complex character generation and make campaign setup more complex. Players can likely customise their PCs to be closer to their personal vision, especially those who don't conform to the restrictions of the RPG concerned.</p><p></p><p>I strongly prefer the former design paradigm. Class-based RPGs are inherently unrealistic, I feel you might as well take advantage of the strengths of classes, which I see as simplification and abstraction. As well I feel it's easier to design strong classes as they are simpler than a more open system.</p><p></p><p>IMO the former design type tends to produce distinct roles in and out of combat as a consequence of class restrictions. The latter produces increasingly blurry class-related roles as the classes weaken towards a skill-based, classless system - the roles that develop in such play will be more individual, less class-based, which risks leaving roles uncovered by accident.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Aenghus, post: 6528241, member: 2656"] This quote illustrates one of the strong tensions in class-based RPGs, between those who want strong or restrictive classes, and those who want weak or unrestrictive classes. Both extremes here have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on how well they are implemented. Strong/restrictive class RPGs at their best makes for flavoursome classes with clear strengths and weaknesses, simplifies character generation and campaign startup(It's easier to choose Fighter, Rogue, Cleric,Wizard when that behaves as expected), facilitates niche protection and helps avoid the "good at everything" and "good at nothing" design traps. The price is the restrictions chosen, which are a matter of taste. Weak/unrestrictive class-based RPGs move closer to classless skill-based RPGs, and typically have more complex character generation and make campaign setup more complex. Players can likely customise their PCs to be closer to their personal vision, especially those who don't conform to the restrictions of the RPG concerned. I strongly prefer the former design paradigm. Class-based RPGs are inherently unrealistic, I feel you might as well take advantage of the strengths of classes, which I see as simplification and abstraction. As well I feel it's easier to design strong classes as they are simpler than a more open system. IMO the former design type tends to produce distinct roles in and out of combat as a consequence of class restrictions. The latter produces increasingly blurry class-related roles as the classes weaken towards a skill-based, classless system - the roles that develop in such play will be more individual, less class-based, which risks leaving roles uncovered by accident. [/QUOTE]
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