Genericist: Or, who needs class features?

[Halrax]

So this is an idea I had a while back, and I can't tell if it's brilliant or stupid. To be honest it probably serves better as a model for balance than as an actual class, but you can probably use it in your campaigns. Goal is to be a super simple mid Tier 3 class with no class features.

Chassis: d8 HD, Medium BAB (3/4 class level), 2 + INT skill points at each level (or x4 at 1st). At 1st level chooses one save to have a good progression (1/2 class level + 2), the other two have a slow progression (1/3 class level). Also chooses any six skills as class skills. Has proficiency with simple weapons, light armor, and shields (but not tower shields).
Bonus Feats: Gets one bonus feat that you meet the prerequisites for at each level at levels 1-5. This improves to two per level at levels 6-10, three per level at levels 11-15, and four per level at levels 16-20.
Is this a dumb idea? Is it balanced at Tier 3? What options does it have that would push the optimization ceiling (or floor)? Would anyone in their right mind ever consider using this, even as a DM for a one-off character?

I think it actually takes a lot more work to create one of these than a typical character (at least with wizards you only have to know their highest level spells most of the time) and if you wanted to create a palette of genericists (meaning a group of NPCs for different roles that you can slot in when necessary) you would just use different normal classes.

Another thing about this class is that balance greatly depends on having enough feats available that are worth taking. I'm the sort of person that finds having hundreds or even thousands of different feats to choose from (including both official and homebrew) a really exciting thing rather than an overwhelming nightmare, but campaigns with more restricted options will find this class more or less useless.

I genuinely see the only real use for this is when making or evaluating homebrew classes, in which case you can use this as a benchmark. That or as part of a meta-discussion on how good class design gives both flavor and a variety of options within that flavor. But if you have any other ideas I'm excited to hear them.

Edit: added proficiencies.

[bekeleven]

Hitting tier 2 without some serious magic is basically impossible; hitting tier 3 without magic is doable, but you need some big oomph. I'd peg this as a high tier 4 class, capable of some charging optimization and skill optimization, but without a chassis to be best-in-class at either.

[Jervis]

So this is an idea I had a while back, and I can't tell if it's brilliant or stupid. To be honest it probably serves better as a model for balance than as an actual class, but you can probably use it in your campaigns. Goal is to be a super simple mid Tier 3 class with no class features.

Chassis: d8 HD, Medium BAB (3/4 class level), 2 + INT skill points at each level (or x4 at 1st). At 1st level chooses one save to have a good progression (1/2 class level + 2), the other two have a slow progression (1/3 class level). Also chooses any six skills as class skills.
Bonus Feats: Gets one bonus feat that you meet the prerequisites for at each level at levels 1-5. This improves to two per level at levels 6-10, three per level at levels 11-15, and four per level at levels 16-20.
Is this a dumb idea? Is it balanced at Tier 3? What options does it have that would push the optimization ceiling (or floor)? Would anyone in their right mind ever consider using this, even as a DM for a one-off character?

I think it actually takes a lot more work to create one of these than a typical character (at least with wizards you only have to know their highest level spells most of the time) and if you wanted to create a palette of genericists (meaning a group of NPCs for different roles that you can slot in when necessary) you would just use different normal classes.

Another thing about this class is that balance greatly depends on having enough feats available that are worth taking. I'm the sort of person that finds having hundreds or even thousands of different feats to choose from (including both official and homebrew) a really exciting thing rather than an overwhelming nightmare, but campaigns with more restricted options will find this class more or less useless.

I genuinely see the only real use for this is when making or evaluating homebrew classes, in which case you can use this as a benchmark. That or as part of a meta-discussion on how good class design gives both flavor and a variety of options within that flavor. But if you have any other ideas I'm excited to hear them.

People would mostly use this as a fighter stand in. Worse BAB but better skill selection and all generic feats. I could see this for a wacky meme character that has all the generic good stuff feats. But it’s probably better as filler to fix class skills and get those pesky feat taxes out of the way

[Halrax]

Hitting tier 2 without some serious magic is basically impossible; hitting tier 3 without magic is doable, but you need some big oomph. I'd peg this as a high tier 4 class, capable of some charging optimization and skill optimization, but without a chassis to be best-in-class at either.

To be fair, you do have access to magic systems via Martial Study and Martial Stance, Shape Soulmeld and Open __ Chakra (or Incarnum feats in general), Soul Binding, Psionic feats, etc. Plus you can very quickly stack up Abyssal Heritor or Devil Touched feats, not to mention Aberrant feats or Luck feats. Probably the best thing would be to use Dragonmarks, since those have tons of feats associated with them and actually scale with level.
None of these on their own are enough to make a class good (and each would be better served by having a base class that focuses on them if there isn't one already) but you have enough feats to focus on more than one area. And if you have homebrew that extends and adds mundane feat chains or has repeatable feats that are actually worthwhile, then you can focus on those. You're still limited in all of this by max skill ranks, BAB, or straight up character level restrictions but otherwise you can do pretty well.
This class was probably partially borne from looking at feat chains or groups and thinking that if a build were to focus on one it wouldn't have enough to do anything else until high level.
Also realized I forgot to add weapons and armor proficiencies will edit those in now.