Modular/Job oriented/Path focused class system? [3.P]

[Tanuki Tales]

Out of curiosity, has anyone ever attempted (or completed) a project that simplified all of the myriad of classes into something like three basic chassis (something like Martial/Fighting Guy, Expert/Skillmonkey guy, Cerebral/Magic guy) that could select from or level a variety of paths/jobs/etc. to differentiate themselves (so like what were originally base classes and prestige classes become more like substitution levels/ability paths/archetypes/etc) from one another?

It was an odd idea that just came to me when I was mulling over why there are so many base classes and prestige classes that could be better served as mechanic options for a smaller amount of more modular classes that cover the same basic concept (like collapsing Fighter, Barbarian, Monk into one class).

[ngilop]

I started something like that for a futuristic gameset when I was in college.

None of us really like the class/level base of the games that were out, and it was next to impossbile to find any Alternity books (sad face wish I still had all of mine, one of those random things that disappered in the move)

I broke mine into different jobs

Soldier-the combat focused specialist

Engineer-the electronic and drone specialist

Scientist-the knoweldge and skill specialist

Mentalist-the psionic specialist

I went about this the same way that Blizzard did with their talent tree specilizations for WoW.. sort of.

you were a soldier than you got a list of abilities that are unique just for you but you can also buy general abilities of the other classes of course some were cheaper for certain jobs. For example demolitions was a Soldier general skill but was cheaper for the engineer than it was for the mentalist. While the Soldier got Combat mastery as a unique.

[Grinner]

Out of curiosity, has anyone ever attempted (or completed) a project that simplified all of the myriad of classes into something like three basic chassis (something like Martial/Fighting Guy, Expert/Skillmonkey guy, Cerebral/Magic guy) that could select from or level a variety of paths/jobs/etc. to differentiate themselves (so like what were originally base classes and prestige classes become more like substitution levels/ability paths/archetypes/etc) from one another?

There is. It's called True20, and in essence, it's the generic classes from Unearthed Arcana combined with Pathfinder's archetypes.

I've also considered doing something similar, but one thing prevented me from attempting it. I realized that this sort of system, taken to the extreme, would be nothing that a classless system couldn't accomplish and in a more elegant fashion.

[Tanuki Tales]

There is. It's called True20, and in essence, it's the generic classes from Unearthed Arcana combined with Pathfinder's archetypes.

Something to look into.

I've also considered doing something similar, but one thing prevented me from attempting it. I realized that this sort of system, taken to the extreme, would be nothing that a classless system couldn't accomplish and in a more elegant fashion.

While I don't argue otherwise, the issue with that would be the necessity to rebuild/adapt everything, while just re-doing the class structure doesn't require everything else to be rebuilt.