Another quick, weird idea, inspired by a recent discussion: what if we took away class powers? Instead of defining classes by what they can do (leading to ever-increasing numbers of classes and a general power creep,) why not let anyone do anything? Fight, turn undead, cast spells, pick locks... plus oother talents PCs could pick up at any time, through training and spending cash.
But still have classes. Instead of classes by what powers they have, define them by what they *can't* do. Each character must take at least one class.
Classes would be something like Atheist (can't call for divine aid,) Jinx (fumbles spells and attracts trouble,) Coward (poor fighter,) and Clutz (bad with traps and stealth.) Maybe there would be other classes that PCs could transition to if they wanted to get rid of an old class, like an Atheist who wanted to become a believer could become a Cultist or Divine Minion through role-playing, take some other drawback to get rid of the ban on divine aid.
What other classes would exist?
Sounds like Class=skill kind of thing, wouldn't it be better to just have a skill set for this? In addition to class? Just wondering.
ReplyDeleteIt could be used with a skill system (I'd use backgrounds.) But the point is not the skills, but the focus on what you *can't* do.
DeleteI don't want to use various classes at all and play with PCs being just adventurers - see Bandits & Basilisks.
ReplyDeleteThere is a system in there, just got to tease out the implications.
ReplyDeleteOK, these 'classes' like Atheist, Clumsy, etc are instead 'Nature'. But there has to be some payback for taing a negative trait. For every negative one (Clumsy) you can choose two positives (Smooth Talker, Good Climber). Skills can be acquired through training to a certain level, but most be honed by experience thereafter. All this is limited by age and talent (inherent capacity).
By the way, download Star Wreck the RPG. It is a Star Trek parody game with all negative attributes. Might help you solidify these concepts.
Oh, no... there's already plenty of "trade a disadvantage for a power" games. Besides, you already get unlimited power expansion, under this suggestion.
DeleteSo anyone could pick locks by making a DEX check, except for Clumsy Fumblefingers the Dwarf, anyone could check for traps except for Bad Luck Louie (traps always get him) and so on. I'm always looking for new ways to simplify the festering morass of rules, and I think this idea has possibilities.
ReplyDeleteThat's the way it works as described above. Of course, I changed it in the next post, to fit my principle of "Every rule must make stuff happen." So, in the new rule, Bad Luck Louie can check for traps in times of extreme need, but there's an unknown chance that he'll blow it big time... and unlike everything else, there's no real way to improve.
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