RPG Class List for Feedback and Critique

[GAZ]

What's your reaction to this chart as a list of player classes in a heroic fantasy adventure RPG? Do you think this conception works? Do you feel these identities are distinct? Are in any particular excessive? Do you think any big fantasy archetype is missing? Do you think any of these classes are mislabeled? Are the names evocative enough?


Initiate Warrior Expert

Craft Artificer Fighter Rogue

Study Archivist Warlord Investigator

Legacy Sorcerer Paragon Savant

Arcane Wizard Spell-sword Inveigler

Divine Mystic Champion Inquisitor

Primal Keeper Warden Ranger

Psionic Psychic Psi-blade Cultivator

Pact Witch Knight Agent

Elemental Elementalist Rune-carver Shaper

Alchemy Alchemist Mutant Vivisectionist

Death Necromancer Reaper Assassin

Destiny Oracle Fated Gambler

Morphic Shapeshifter Skin-changer Face-stealer

Shadow Illusionist Hunter Stalker

Spirit Animist Emblem Medium


What do you think of about the idea of later adding heroic disciplines to the game such as fae, blood, void, rebirth, space, time, and/or spacetime?

[Anymage]

In theory sounds fine.

In practice a lot of those have a lot of conceptual overlap (vivisectionist and medium being very archetypally necromantic as one I immediately notice), and making that many role X power source classes will result in a lot of grid filling and a high potential to halfass classes just to have one that fits, and/or imbalance because you have too many options to reasonably playtest most of them.

[Biggus]

What does an Emblem do?

Edit: also Keeper?

[GAZ]

Thank you both for your response. I'm grateful for the chance to get my ideas interrogated.


In theory sounds fine.

In practice a lot of those have a lot of conceptual overlap (vivisectionist and medium being very archetypally necromantic as one I immediately notice), and making that many role X power source classes will result in a lot of grid filling and a high potential to halfass classes just to have one that fits, and/or imbalance because you have too many options to reasonably playtest most of them.

A vivisectionist is supposed to be something of a mad scientist, drinking potions, applying poisons, and making "surgical strikes" (every expert would have a sneak attack type mechanic) like the Pathfinder archetype. A medium would be channeling spirits (usually living nature spirits and not ghosts) through their body to gain access to skills, feats, etc. I don't view either as particularly necromatic, when the necromancer is the guy who throws deathbolts and raises skeleton minions. Do you still think that there is too much overlap? Are the names not selling the difference?

Is there a particular intersection you see as grid filling? Like "That's not a thing. You made that up just have something in that spot." Did presenting the options as a grid prompt the idea? I'm trying to unpack a lot of design space and power budget from some of the classic classes such that Fighter doesn't have to carry Champion and Eldritch Knight and can focus in on being the technical combatant. So that people who just want to fire off damage cantrips don't have to deal with Wizard's esoteric weirdness and complexity and then Wizard can focus down on esoteric weirdness and not have to carry Illusionist and Necromancer and so on.


What does an Emblem do?

Edit: also Keeper?

An Emblem is a warrior calls upon the power of the spirits to bestow them with their emblematic abilities from hawk vision to bear strength to basilisk stare, etc. Think Bravestarr or the 3.5 Incarnum Totemist or if somebody told you about a "totem warrior" class. I am trying to avoid using other people's culturally specific terms. That's why no "monk" or "shaman" etc. Also trying to avoid calling things a blank-warrior or blank-caster as much as possible.

A Keeper is the primal initiate, it does what a "druid" do. Except not shapeshifting. Trying to avoid appropriation and stereotyping with the name. The trying to free up design space, power budget, and make sure "nature caster" doesn't have to carry "turns into a bear as a front line brawler." I think you could be a "Woods Keeper", "Storm Keeper", or "Beast Keeper" etc.

You think the names are too nondescript? It is something I'm concerned with.