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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Blue Orange" data-source="post: 8699668" data-attributes="member: 7025997">I actually really like 4e Source/Role too, particularly for designing new classes. (What's an arcane 'leader' [really supporter] like?) No model is true, some models are useful. The actual classes are aggregates of 45 years of modifications based on playtesting, customer complaints, and internet flamewars. (Remember CoDzilla, the overpowered 3.5 cleric/druid? Magic-users before damage caps on fireballs?)My original point was about party balance--if we can say that you need a cleric or two half-clerics, maybe if you have three people and no cleric but you have a paladin you can fill it in with a druid (or celestial warlock). I don't think you can reduce all the four classes completely to combinations of the four groups from 2e, but it may be a useful way to think about what roles need to be filled. (Or may not!)You can also use it to reskin existing classes, or balance classes imported from somewhere else--for example, in a lot of JRPGs there is a 'red mage' that does both defensive and offensive spellcasting, kind of like a druid, but with more of an academic flavor rather than the druid's wilderness. That type of character would behave in party balance discussions like a druid, but would have a source/role of arcane controller/leader. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts!</blockquote>