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Message: <blockquote data-quote="fuindordm" data-source="post: 9111253" data-attributes="member: 5435">It's almost easier to suggest what D&D tropes would NOT be inserted in the first fantasy TTRPG if it were invented today, now that the fantasy literature of the 50's-70's has faded into the background, and literature of the 2000's is more prominent. Of course, it isn't really feasible to tease out the D&D threads from all the other influences among authors, but here's my take on it:OUT (we wouldn't see these invented today)<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bard as a spellcaster. Like druid this class is almost unrecognizable compared its orginal inspirations. They might have some magic but certainly not as much as D&D gives them. A modern game might invent a Bard (if medival), Face, or Diplomat class that specializes in the social pillar.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Druid as a shapeshifting nature priest. The concept has diverged enormously from its historical/mythological inspiration and I don't think it would be invented today.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ranger as a magic-using warrior. I think a modern game would probably invent some kind of warrior/rogue hybrid, say "Hunter" that might branch out into either guardians or exploiters of the wilderness but I don't think it would occur to anyone to give them spells.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">WIzard as a Vancian spellcaster.  A modern game would probably create some kind of hermetic, analytic, or ritual-based magic user, but it would probably look more like the world of Ars Magica than the Dying Earth.   </li> </ul>IN (common modern tropes)<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Barbarian, Fighter, Rogue are the minimum to model non-magical adventurers</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cleric because mythology-inspired settings need gods and religion</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Monk because of Asian influences on modern fantasy, especially shonen manga</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Paladin is probably close to what a modern game would design for a holy/blessed knight, witcher, or exorcist although the specific powers might be different</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sorcerer because most fictional magic-users have specialized, personal magic, not "learn and cast anything" magic. If better designed this class could subsume numerous tropes like psychic, witch, elementalist, healer, etc. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Warlock because bargaining with outsiders for magic is a very widespread concept.</li> </ul>NEW (modern trope not in D&D)<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summoner as a kind of magician who relies more on outsider allies than their own magic</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Artificer/Alchemist could be a modern version of the hermetic magic-user</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Shapechanger could be a modern version of the druid without the spellcasting</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Assassin/Ninja/Spy could be a completely separate class from the ki-powered Monk or self-serving, opportunistic Rogue</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Stalwart could be a fighter variant that specializes in armor, resistance, and defending allies--an alternative way to model the knight archetype</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gunslinger is completely feasible for a modern game</li> </ul>Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed book has a completely different but thematically complete selection of fantasy classes for 3e/3.5e that makes for very interesting reading.</blockquote>

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