Roderick_BR
2010-01-03, 12:12 PM
The class matrix (3.x)
Here's a thought exercise I've been working on for a bit.
I'm getting the combat roles idea from 4E, and applying it to 3.5. It's been done before, I know, just wanted to try a few different things.
Basically, we have 3 "power sources": Arcane magic, divine power, and martial prowess, and 4 "combat roles": defender, leader, controller, and striker.
I want to apply this matrix on existing 3.x classes, trying to fill each combination, with the difference of adding 3 classes for each "slot".
The idea is to make each class have a power source and primary role, and have more than one class in each "slot", each filling a secondary role.
Example: in the divine leader slot, we can add cleric (secondary role: defender, due to heavy armor, good saves, and divine feats), archivist (secondary role: controller, due to access to a bigger spell list, including many crowd control effects, and ability to target enemy weaknesses, i.e., debuffing), favored soul (secondary role: striker, sort of, due to it being designed to be a bit more meeler, with a smaller spell selection).
The idea is to streamline the classes abilities, and allow combinations that can be usable in almost any area, but still strong in his own area, without giving up the simulationist aspect.
Toes stepping would be reduced if they belong to the same group, since they are just variations of the same theme. For example, Cleric, archivist, favored soul all belong to the same group, only different methods. A paladin would be a defender with some leader abilities, and marshall would be a buffer with minor healing abilities, so you will choose wich one you want for their varied abilities, not because "Class A does everything class B does, but better."
Of course, some house-ruled classes would be necessary. I like Fax's redone monk, for example.
To make it simple: What good classes are availables, on the top tiers, that I could use to make a list of usable classes, all having a "role" proper for him, but still usable in other roles?
I guess that by the end, I'll have 3x4x3= 36 classes. (+12 if I add psionics, but I don't know much about it, so I won't deal with it for now)
Ok, here's what I got thus far:
{table]-|Martial|Divine|Arcane
Defender|Fighter(?)Knight(C)[br]Warblade(S)|Paladin(L)||
[B]Leader|Marshal(D)Crusader(L)|Cleric(D)[br]Archivist(C)[br]Favored Soul(S)|Bard(L)|
[B]Controler|Monk(?)|Druid(L)|Wizard(?)Sorcerer(S)[br]Intuitive(?)*|
[B]Striker|Rogue(?)[br]Ranger(?)[br]Barbarian(D)||Warlock(?)[br]Warmage(D)|[/table]
*Intuitive class found here: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/18832818/The_Intuitive:_A_wisdom-based_arcane_spellcasting_class,_take_2 I'll try to contact the author later.
The letter between parenteses are the intended secondary roles: (D)efender, (L)eader, (C)ontroler, (S)triker, (?) not sure yet.
So, I'm looking for suggestions to fill in the gaps. If anyone there can suggest me good classes, pointing from which book it's from (I can research the details myself), and suggest what primary and secondary role I could apply to it, I thank in advance.
Few ideas on houserules:
Divine Magic: Uses a mechanic similar to the default spontaneous magic, i.e., you "memorize" a spell list, and spends spell slots to cast them. "prepared" casters, like clerics and archivists can replace their memorized spells with spells from their spells known list. Expontaneous casters, like the favored soul have a fixed spells known list, but a slightly bigger spells memorized list, and more spell slots.
Arcane Magic: Uses the spell points variant. Prepared casters uses a memorized spell list, that he can replace with spells from his spells known list, and cast from there, spending spell points. Expontaneous casters like sorcerer and bard, like the favored soul, have a fixed known/memorized spells list.
spells in general: Just remove spells that are too troublesome or move them to higher level slots. Make defensive casting hard, like they did in Pathfinder.
Martial characters: Add martial maneuvers to all martial classes, and reword some weak class features.
New combat mechanics: A review on combat rules, more options, less dependance on feats/spells/miniatures/etc.
I believe anyone here can see a theme going. I want all power/role combinations have interesting options, and more than one, having each class be unique, but sharing some rules and roles among themselves, so they can be easily replaced, avoiding problems like "who's gonna be <class>?".
Also, keeping the whole group something like tier 3 or 4. Each class is strong in his area, and can help in others.
For example. No one picks a healer class, so one player decides to go paladin, so he can still go in battle, but have some spells for when the party need it, without needing to go cleric, or even a marshal, so he can still buff the party, and join the battle.
And in case a player decided to play a wizard, and other player wants to also play an arcane caster but don't want to repeat the class, he could go sorcerer.
I know it'll be some work, but would still be an interesting setup for some campaign ideas I'm working on, and helps putting in one place most of people's favorite classes.
For multiclass and PrCs, I have some ideas that I'll implement later.
I'll be checking the class and PrC tier threads here and others forums for ideas, and looking up the classes. If anyone have suggestions or opinions, I thank in advance.
PS: Opinions like "this idea sucks", "that class is overpowered", "this class is worthless", are actually welcome, if you can indicate me how to fix it.
Here's a thought exercise I've been working on for a bit.
I'm getting the combat roles idea from 4E, and applying it to 3.5. It's been done before, I know, just wanted to try a few different things.
Basically, we have 3 "power sources": Arcane magic, divine power, and martial prowess, and 4 "combat roles": defender, leader, controller, and striker.
I want to apply this matrix on existing 3.x classes, trying to fill each combination, with the difference of adding 3 classes for each "slot".
The idea is to make each class have a power source and primary role, and have more than one class in each "slot", each filling a secondary role.
Example: in the divine leader slot, we can add cleric (secondary role: defender, due to heavy armor, good saves, and divine feats), archivist (secondary role: controller, due to access to a bigger spell list, including many crowd control effects, and ability to target enemy weaknesses, i.e., debuffing), favored soul (secondary role: striker, sort of, due to it being designed to be a bit more meeler, with a smaller spell selection).
The idea is to streamline the classes abilities, and allow combinations that can be usable in almost any area, but still strong in his own area, without giving up the simulationist aspect.
Toes stepping would be reduced if they belong to the same group, since they are just variations of the same theme. For example, Cleric, archivist, favored soul all belong to the same group, only different methods. A paladin would be a defender with some leader abilities, and marshall would be a buffer with minor healing abilities, so you will choose wich one you want for their varied abilities, not because "Class A does everything class B does, but better."
Of course, some house-ruled classes would be necessary. I like Fax's redone monk, for example.
To make it simple: What good classes are availables, on the top tiers, that I could use to make a list of usable classes, all having a "role" proper for him, but still usable in other roles?
I guess that by the end, I'll have 3x4x3= 36 classes. (+12 if I add psionics, but I don't know much about it, so I won't deal with it for now)
Ok, here's what I got thus far:
{table]-|Martial|Divine|Arcane
Defender|Fighter(?)Knight(C)[br]Warblade(S)|Paladin(L)||
[B]Leader|Marshal(D)Crusader(L)|Cleric(D)[br]Archivist(C)[br]Favored Soul(S)|Bard(L)|
[B]Controler|Monk(?)|Druid(L)|Wizard(?)Sorcerer(S)[br]Intuitive(?)*|
[B]Striker|Rogue(?)[br]Ranger(?)[br]Barbarian(D)||Warlock(?)[br]Warmage(D)|[/table]
*Intuitive class found here: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/18832818/The_Intuitive:_A_wisdom-based_arcane_spellcasting_class,_take_2 I'll try to contact the author later.
The letter between parenteses are the intended secondary roles: (D)efender, (L)eader, (C)ontroler, (S)triker, (?) not sure yet.
So, I'm looking for suggestions to fill in the gaps. If anyone there can suggest me good classes, pointing from which book it's from (I can research the details myself), and suggest what primary and secondary role I could apply to it, I thank in advance.
Few ideas on houserules:
Divine Magic: Uses a mechanic similar to the default spontaneous magic, i.e., you "memorize" a spell list, and spends spell slots to cast them. "prepared" casters, like clerics and archivists can replace their memorized spells with spells from their spells known list. Expontaneous casters, like the favored soul have a fixed spells known list, but a slightly bigger spells memorized list, and more spell slots.
Arcane Magic: Uses the spell points variant. Prepared casters uses a memorized spell list, that he can replace with spells from his spells known list, and cast from there, spending spell points. Expontaneous casters like sorcerer and bard, like the favored soul, have a fixed known/memorized spells list.
spells in general: Just remove spells that are too troublesome or move them to higher level slots. Make defensive casting hard, like they did in Pathfinder.
Martial characters: Add martial maneuvers to all martial classes, and reword some weak class features.
New combat mechanics: A review on combat rules, more options, less dependance on feats/spells/miniatures/etc.
I believe anyone here can see a theme going. I want all power/role combinations have interesting options, and more than one, having each class be unique, but sharing some rules and roles among themselves, so they can be easily replaced, avoiding problems like "who's gonna be <class>?".
Also, keeping the whole group something like tier 3 or 4. Each class is strong in his area, and can help in others.
For example. No one picks a healer class, so one player decides to go paladin, so he can still go in battle, but have some spells for when the party need it, without needing to go cleric, or even a marshal, so he can still buff the party, and join the battle.
And in case a player decided to play a wizard, and other player wants to also play an arcane caster but don't want to repeat the class, he could go sorcerer.
I know it'll be some work, but would still be an interesting setup for some campaign ideas I'm working on, and helps putting in one place most of people's favorite classes.
For multiclass and PrCs, I have some ideas that I'll implement later.
I'll be checking the class and PrC tier threads here and others forums for ideas, and looking up the classes. If anyone have suggestions or opinions, I thank in advance.
PS: Opinions like "this idea sucks", "that class is overpowered", "this class is worthless", are actually welcome, if you can indicate me how to fix it.