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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Olgar Shiverstone" data-source="post: 5946994" data-attributes="member: 5868">Before we jump to mechanics, I think that first a class has to be based on a strong archetype that is distinct from the archetype used for other classes.  This can get into pretty fine distinctions, but for example "soldier" and "wilderness scout" can be distinct archetypes (even with some perceived overlap) while "sword and shield fighter" and two-handed fighter" aren't sufficiently distinct.Given a distinct archetype, then, a class should provide a unique combination of mechanics that allow the distinguishing flavor characteristics of the archetype to be achieved without being able to easily replicate that combination with modular, non-class mechanics.  Put another way, the combination of class abilities and mechanics should be such that you can't build the same character by cobbling together other existing mechanics -- if you can, it isn't a separate class.So, for example, if the "rogue" archetype is thematically based on being able to hide, move stealthily, and strike effectively from the shadows, then the rogue class should have unique mechanics enabling it to hide, sneak, and strike from the shadows better than any other class with add-one mechanics.Then we get into how broad the archetypes should be -- are "wizard" and "sorcerer" sufficiently distinct that they are different classes before you assign mechanics, in which case they should be different classes, or are they defined by variations of mechanics, in which case they should be variations on or modules of a single base class.The challenge is where to set the class/archetype boundaries.  It's a neat little systems engineering problem when you think about it. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /></blockquote>

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