Erom
2012-12-18, 05:13 PM
Hey all. Been a while.
I'm gearing up for my usual holiday one-off over Christmas, and this year I'm thinking Old West for the setting, and DnD Next for the system. This obviously requires homebrewing up some character classes, and I'm always interested in seeing what suggestions the hivemind can throw at me.
I'm keeping character generation quick + dirty as befits a one-off session, so character attributes will be set by your class, everyone is playing a Human, and I'm rolling Background and Specialties into a single feature. Basically just pick a class and a background and play.
Those of you unfamiliar with Next just went Huh? Very basic explanation in spoiler. Those of you familiar with Next can skip it.
One of the new things about DnD Next (5th edition, whatever you want to call it) is that it separates out your Class (which, simplistically, describes what your character does, and provides proficiencies, stats, and spells/maneuvers) and your Background (Which is your characters history, and in some ways can be described simplistically as your "roleplaying class", and provides a trait and skill Bonuses). Specialties are the fancy name for your feat package, which I've just rolled into Background.
So in summary:
Class - Abilities, stats
Background - Skills, roleplay
Specialty - Feat chain
Yes, I know there are plenty of good old west systems out there already. Don't care. Interested in experimenting with how well Next stands up to alternate settings.
My query for all of you, then, is what are people's thoughts on what makes a good class versus what makes a good background. Obviously a pistol-focused, rapid fire Gunslinger class needs to be included. But that class can model both an outlaw or a lawman equally well in combat - just make Outlaw and Lawman two different backgrounds, with different skills and traits.
My current thinking:
Classes:
Gunslinger:
A mid-range combat pistol focused character, roughly analogous to the DnD rogue/ranger. Could be a dps focused rapid fire shooter or a sneak attack type.
Dead-eye:
Long range, rifle focused character. Weak in close combat, with some fancy shooting maneuvers, a bit like a blaster-type spellcaster.
Cavalryman:
(Better name?) Tough character with a fairly balanced combat style, mounted combat, mid range carbine use, and close-in with melee weapons. Roughly the dnd fighter.
Backgrounds:
Outlaw - Bunch of social skills like lying and forgery
Lawman - Bunch of social skills like intimidate and diplomacy
Frontiersman - Survivalist, tracking, etc.
Tradesman - roughly the same as the normal dnd profession background
Sawbones - I can't decide if this should be a class instead. A healer class might be nice but it feels kind of flat to be a whole class. I kinda like the idea of any class being able to heal with this background choice.
Preacher - moral bonus, knowledge skills
Miner - toughness, explosives skill, etc.
Native - bonuses with old-school weapons, maybe survivalist/nature type skills (poisons?), another background I could definitely see being a class maybe, the only downside is seeming a bit racist (if native is a class, then a native can't be any class like a white character... seems like dangerous territory...)
Cowboy/ Rancher - Riding, animal handling, etc.
Academic - Not sure about this one. A sort of catch all for higher-education types which would open up fun crafting options (make explosives as a chemist, or repair machinery as an engineer)
So, feedback? Suggestions? Random thoughts?
I'm gearing up for my usual holiday one-off over Christmas, and this year I'm thinking Old West for the setting, and DnD Next for the system. This obviously requires homebrewing up some character classes, and I'm always interested in seeing what suggestions the hivemind can throw at me.
I'm keeping character generation quick + dirty as befits a one-off session, so character attributes will be set by your class, everyone is playing a Human, and I'm rolling Background and Specialties into a single feature. Basically just pick a class and a background and play.
Those of you unfamiliar with Next just went Huh? Very basic explanation in spoiler. Those of you familiar with Next can skip it.
One of the new things about DnD Next (5th edition, whatever you want to call it) is that it separates out your Class (which, simplistically, describes what your character does, and provides proficiencies, stats, and spells/maneuvers) and your Background (Which is your characters history, and in some ways can be described simplistically as your "roleplaying class", and provides a trait and skill Bonuses). Specialties are the fancy name for your feat package, which I've just rolled into Background.
So in summary:
Class - Abilities, stats
Background - Skills, roleplay
Specialty - Feat chain
Yes, I know there are plenty of good old west systems out there already. Don't care. Interested in experimenting with how well Next stands up to alternate settings.
My query for all of you, then, is what are people's thoughts on what makes a good class versus what makes a good background. Obviously a pistol-focused, rapid fire Gunslinger class needs to be included. But that class can model both an outlaw or a lawman equally well in combat - just make Outlaw and Lawman two different backgrounds, with different skills and traits.
My current thinking:
Classes:
Gunslinger:
A mid-range combat pistol focused character, roughly analogous to the DnD rogue/ranger. Could be a dps focused rapid fire shooter or a sneak attack type.
Dead-eye:
Long range, rifle focused character. Weak in close combat, with some fancy shooting maneuvers, a bit like a blaster-type spellcaster.
Cavalryman:
(Better name?) Tough character with a fairly balanced combat style, mounted combat, mid range carbine use, and close-in with melee weapons. Roughly the dnd fighter.
Backgrounds:
Outlaw - Bunch of social skills like lying and forgery
Lawman - Bunch of social skills like intimidate and diplomacy
Frontiersman - Survivalist, tracking, etc.
Tradesman - roughly the same as the normal dnd profession background
Sawbones - I can't decide if this should be a class instead. A healer class might be nice but it feels kind of flat to be a whole class. I kinda like the idea of any class being able to heal with this background choice.
Preacher - moral bonus, knowledge skills
Miner - toughness, explosives skill, etc.
Native - bonuses with old-school weapons, maybe survivalist/nature type skills (poisons?), another background I could definitely see being a class maybe, the only downside is seeming a bit racist (if native is a class, then a native can't be any class like a white character... seems like dangerous territory...)
Cowboy/ Rancher - Riding, animal handling, etc.
Academic - Not sure about this one. A sort of catch all for higher-education types which would open up fun crafting options (make explosives as a chemist, or repair machinery as an engineer)
So, feedback? Suggestions? Random thoughts?