This one will be a biggun, so bear with me. The current plan is to have four base classes, each of which have three or more paths (path here meaning specialty; I'm not married to the nomenclature). Here's the breakdown. I've included alternate names and suggested backgrounds to give you a better idea of the spectrum of fantasy archetypes each class and path is intended to fit.
- Fighter - Fighters are defined by their prowess in melee combat. They are straightforward combatants who engage foes toe to toe, withstanding vicious attacks and delivering them in turn. In a party, they stand on the front line, protecting their less stalwart companions.
- Monk - Brawler, Drunken Master, Martial Artist, Street Fighter
- Savage - Amazon, Barbarian, Berserker, Brute, Gladiator
- Warrior - Cavalier, Guard, Knight, Samurai, Sentinel, Sentry, Soldier, Swordsman, Warlord
- Mage - Mages are wielders of destructive and oppositional magic. They harry foes with mental compulsions or physical impediments and lay waste to them with baleful spells. In combat, they generally avoid the fray and lob spells at enemies from afar. Arcanist, Sage, Scholar.
- Seer - Augur, Diviner, Dream Mage, Enchanter, Foretune Teller, Illusionist, Oracle, Prophet, Psychic, Soothsayer, Spellbinder
- Sorcerer - Elementalist, Geomancer, Wild Mage
- Warlock - Blood Mage, Diablerist, Necromancer, Warlock, Witch, Witch Doctor
- Wizard - Conjurer, Planewalker, Summoner
- Rogue - Rogues are skilled experts who live by their wits. They favor subtlety, subterfuge, and guile over a straight fight. They serve as the party's skirmishers, outmaneuvering and ambushing foes. Freedom Fighter, Infiltrator, Outlaw, Pirate, Treasure Hunter, Trickster.
- Assassin - Ninja, Spy, Thief
- Bard - Diplomat, Duelist, Gambler, Herald, Lyrist, Minstrel, Swashbuckler, Talespinner, Virtuoso
- Scout - Archer, Courier, Explorer, Guide, Gunner, Hunter, Ranger, Sniper
- Theurge - Theurges are wielders of protective and restorative magic. They gird allies for battle, heal fallen comrades so they can return to the fight, and ward foes away from the weak and injured. They may enhance themselves, as well, in order to enter the fray, but they lack the offensive capabilities of other classes. Ascetic, Celebrant, Disciple, Emissary, Exorcist, Hierophant, Miracle Worker, Mystic, Thrall, Zealot
- Druid - Shapeshifter
- Hospitaler - Hierophant, Shepherd, Templar
- Shaman - Elder, Medicine Man
New characters will begin at 1st level in one of the four base classes. When they reach a certain level within a class, tentatively 3rd, they will be able to select a path. Their abilities will be determined by a combination of their classes and paths; some abilities will be common to all members of a class, while some will be specific to members of a particular path.
I'll save multiclassing and advancement for their own threads. Right now, I'd like to gauge how everyone feels about this setup.
There are a few reasons. Firstly, this codifies party roles, as you said. Each of these four classes encompasses a known standard archetype within the fantasy genre, so it's easy for folks to hit the ground running and know what they're doing from past experience. Newbies don't have to suffer through choice paralysis, since they only have four options instead of fourteen. And each of the groupings has significant overlap as it is; monks, savages, and warriors, for example, all share the same line of damage actions, so we can just call those fighter attacks and call it a day.
Scott was the first one to pitch this setup. As I recall, the main reason was to eliminate redundancy. All of the current classes can largely be thought of as variations on these four central themes, and they have few differences at low levels. It isn't until 3rd or 4th level that they start to distinguish themselves, before which they might as well be treated as the same class. That's my understanding, anyway; I'm sure Scott can articulate his reasoning better.
As far as skill affinities go, they'll most likely be dropped. The current idea I'm toying around with involves letting people choose a set number of skills. At first level, you may get three class skills (i.e., skills that must be chosen from a list of skills appropriate to your class) and two "free" skills (i.e., skills that may be chosen from any list as long as you meet the prerequisites). So it's just a matter of identifying which skills are appropriate to which class. To answer your question, yes, every fighter would be able to pick up Unarmed Attack 1 as a class skill.
I am pleased with this as it stands. And I think I like Sniper in the Scout group ;p Sounds fitting enough. I like the set up and I've been on board with this one from the get go.
Question: For example, I'd start with a base Rogue, then at third lvl pick up Scout. At what point would you branch off again into the specializations, or do you pick both at third lvl. Or are they just alternate names?
Those are just alternative names. I had planned on listing them out as "Suggested Backgrounds" on each class and path page to let folks get idea for fun character concepts. They don't really serve any purpose other than to illustrate that you can play one thing while calling it something else.
You and I are on the same page, Josh. If you want to be a master of unarmed attacks, you need to be a monk. Master of melee weapons? Savage or warrior. Master of spell blast (henceforth known simply as Spell 1/2/3/4)? Mage. Master of Wild Form? Druid. To be the master of any attack form, you have to be a specialist in the class designed for it.
You've got the right idea, Brooks, although I want to put that in its own dedicated thread after we okay the current class structure. So far, everyone seems to be on board. Let's give it some time to give Scott and Nick a chance to chime in before we forge ahead.
Nothing to really mention here, pretty straight forward in the discussion so far. As Thad said the first few levels of all classes are the basics, pick up a sword, heal someone, chuck a few packets, hide in the shadows. The core components of each class should be picked up at this level, and progressed down individual trees as you move on. I'll say more on the subject of multiclassing when we actually get to talking about that.
Here's what I'm understanding, just as an example:
All fighters - Plus to Damage, 1 swing attacks
At 3rd level, paths will start learning their specific abilities:
Warriors - Defense abilities
Monks - Special attacks
Savages - Bursts/Withstands
Correct me if I'm wrong in my understanding there.
What I don't understand though, is why this organization? Is there something new we are gaining from this or is it supposed to make things a little simpler?
How are skill affinities going to work? Will it be just as easy for a warrior to learn unarmed attacks as it is for a monk? Will a monk find it just as easy to learn brutality as a savage?
This mostly just seems like a way to classify party roles at the moment.