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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fanaelialae" data-source="post: 5707693" data-attributes="member: 53980">There are some things I agree with in your post, and some things I don't.I did wish to address this, however.I don't think that combat balance and narrative are necessarily as opposed as you seem to believe.  I think it's merely a matter of how you approach the issue.Now, 4e was designed to be a high fantasy game, so I can't blame the designers for not creating an Everyman class (your classic Innkeeper/Village Lad who sets out for a life of adventure).  That said, I think there's design space for it.First, let's examine the literary tropes of the everyman hero.  Some of these are bumbling yet effective in their early adventures.  One example might be the barmaid from the Dragonlance Chronicles.  Useless with a sword, yet oddly effective with a frying pan.  Others run for cover when danger rears its head like Steven Darige (Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone), a sage who's effectively useless in battle.  He does contribute to the story, but much of the time it's in a more NPC-style research capacity.The first example has a place in virtually any game.  The character's powers are simply flavored as bumbling yet lucky (almost a faux drunken master).  At later levels you can offer this everyman a choice between bumbling powers (a perpetual everyman) and regular powers (he's finally growing into his own as an adventurer).  You can alternately give this type (accidental) leadership powers.  Like an immediate interrupt that, when bloodied, allows the everyman to pull an ally adjacent to defend him and gives that ally a free attack.  The everyman can be made quite incompetent while still allowing the player to meaningfully affect the game both in and out of combat.The second example is one that I don't believe is well suited to a game like D&D.  Even in early editions, there were some combats (like dragon encounters) that could be quite long in real time.  Aside from perhaps the 3.x NPC classes (which weren't intended for player use) there has never been a combat-useless class in D&D (at least to my knowledge).  A 1e rogue might have been better served hanging back and firing a bow, but he was still contributing!  Just to a lesser degree than the fighter.I agree that creating space to play everyman characters is a worthy goal.  However, I do think that some limits need to be set.  I don't believe creating a class that is better off hiding until combat is over is a good idea.  Not for D&D, anyway.</blockquote>

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