Base Classes that make no sense

[Ramza00]

I think there are a lot of mistaken assumptions about what base classes are.

Basically, they're collections of abilities. Like feat chains, except that you have to take them until the end or start new ones. They are NOT particular archetypes. Some of them are incredibly generic (Fighter, Rogue), whereas others are very narrow and could easily be represented by other classes (Barbarian could be a feat chain for the fighter; Ranger could be Fighter/Druid; Paladin could so easily be Fighter/Cleric).

They're just collections of abilities. That's all. There's no criteria for how specific or general they can or should be.

Now a days it may be like that, but it wasn't that originally in the old old days of D&D, then the classes were archetype, but from the progression to D&D to AD&D to 2.x to 3.0 to 3.5 base classes have become more about mechanics and less about archetypes. I am glad for this, it makes the rules of mechanics simpler and more consistent while not stopping roleplaying.