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Xuc Xac
2020-10-19, 07:50 PM
I'm working on a new OSR game and I'm looking for ideas for classes. I'm not putting this in the homebrew section because I'm not looking for help with rules or anything, just some fluff. To break it down without getting into the details, each class has Combat, Magic, and Skill with one ranked High, one Low, and one Medium.

High Combat would be equivalent to the "full attack bonus" types. Low Combat would be the types of characters who have d4 hit dice and daggers.

High Magic would be full casters and low Magic would be "I can use magic weapons without burning myself on the flaming end and I know that potions are taken internally".

High Skill would be "maybe I should just write down the things I don't know how to do" and low Skill would be "just point me at the enemy and tell me when to stop blasting".

There are 6 different combinations of these three things, so rather than leave it as a classless "adventurer" with variable abilities, I'm thinking of just defining these 6 combos as classes. I have some ideas already, but I'd like to hear some other ideas to make sure I'm not missing something obvious. Where would you place your favorite medieval or early modern fantasy classes into these six combos? For example, Skill/Combat/Magic might be a thief and Skill/Magic/Combat could be a bard.

CMS
CSM
MCS
MSC
SMC
SCM

Shirow
2020-10-20, 04:53 AM
There are 6 different combinations of these three things, so rather than leave it as a classless "adventurer" with variable abilities, I'm thinking of just defining these 6 combos as classes. I have some ideas already, but I'd like to hear some other ideas to make sure I'm not missing something obvious. Where would you place your favorite medieval or early modern fantasy classes into these six combos? For example, Skill/Combat/Magic might be a thief and Skill/Magic/Combat could be a bard.

CMS
CSM
MCS
MSC
SMC
SCM

Seems like a very parsimonious approach. Let me check with the core 3.5 classes... ? is for when feats and stuff could tip them in either direction I guess.

CMS Pal, Rng?
CSM Rng, Bar?, Fig?
MCS Clr, Drd?
MSC Sor, Drd?...Wiz?
SMC Rog, ...Mnk?
SCM Mnk, ...Rog?

I am having trouble classifying the tankier classes, as you can see.
Wizard, Fighter and Barbarian would be something like
Wiz Msc
Fig Csm
Bar Csm For me the Combat DPS/Combat Tank distinction is hard to ascribe. As is the Crowd Control characteristics of some full casters.

(My two scents, I have never tried to design anything myself so...)

Belac93
2020-10-20, 12:10 PM
CMS: Battlemage (or maybe barbarian/ranger/paladin)
CSM: Fighter
MCS: Druid
MSC: Wizard
SMC: Bard
SCM: Thief

Maybe this? Focus Wizard on more the scholarly side of things, Battlemage as the 'shoot fireballs' side. Maybe the battlemage is the only one who gets at-will combat magic of any kind.

Telok
2020-10-21, 10:44 AM
I'd suggest taking the "skill" variable out. Either level the classes out for it or drop it completely. If you really want to you could replace it with something like a trick or stunt ability. This is, of course, assuming that you want an rpg that does more than combat and magic.

Basically I'd advocate that for any core function of the game (combat, exploration, social being traditional for D&D-likes, investigation in CoC, etc.) you remove the ability for someone to generate a character that is incapable or incompetent in that area. Obviously if the only core function of the game is fighting then you don't care about the skills column, they're just ribbon abilities.

Xervous
2020-10-21, 11:27 AM
I'd suggest taking the "skill" variable out. Either level the classes out for it or drop it completely. If you really want to you could replace it with something like a trick or stunt ability. This is, of course, assuming that you want an rpg that does more than combat and magic.

Basically I'd advocate that for any core function of the game (combat, exploration, social being traditional for D&D-likes, investigation in CoC, etc.) you remove the ability for someone to generate a character that is incapable or incompetent in that area. Obviously if the only core function of the game is fighting then you don't care about the skills column, they're just ribbon abilities.

I’m more of the mindset that any player should have the agency to choose for their character to be incompetent in an area if the system does a good job of making it clear how to pursue proficiency and excellence in any given field.

For example you can build a big dumb stick swinging barbarian, but you’re consciously neglecting your options for engaging in social situations, exploration, downtime activities etc. Those options would exist in a comparable depth to those of most other classes, but you made Meaty McSmack because you decided you didn’t want any of that. Those other options existing, being straightforward and highlighted for the player lets them know what to generally expect if they grab X Y or Z. If you’re going to have rules for these noncombat abilities there should be an explanation of what those rules are attempting to frame vs. the free for all state of GM arbitration. Are they the only way to introduce additional interaction levers beyond what the GM provides? Are they just codified levers in a world where the GM will give you levers regardless?

Kane0
2020-10-22, 04:09 AM
Reminds me a lot of the way Mass Effect split its classes, except it had three purely in one section and three pairings rather than a strong-average-weak combination.

Pure C - Warrior
Pure S - Thief
Pure M - Mage/Priest

C + M = Battlemage (‘sorcerer’) or Warpriest (‘paladin’)
C + S = Monk
S + M = Bard (Mage) or Inquisitor (Priest)

C + S + M = Warlock (Mage) or Ranger (Priest)

Quertus
2020-10-27, 09:28 AM
I mean, I play Mages, so I would usually play Magic first, and combat or skill secondary depending upon my mood.

However, this is a rather strange division of abilities, as "magic" and "skill" are techniques, they are *how* you accomplish things, whereas "combat" is more *what* you accomplish.

More specifically, having good HP and BAB really doesn't easily translate into the breadth of activities that "skill" or "magic" should.