Ten basic medieval fantasy classes

[GMMichael]

As my quest to reimagine character classes continues, I have a new problem to solve: what are the ten most fundamental fantasy classes?

Now now, don't just give me names. That's too easy. I'm asking for ten classes because each class has a construction of three parts, each part having one type: Physical, Mental, or Supernatural.

So one class might be three Physical parts, or PPP. This is most likely a warrior of sorts. The wizard is likely three supernaturals, SSS, or a mental and two supernatural parts, MSS.

Here are the ten classes, by types of parts:
PPP
PPM
PPS
MMM
MMP
MMS
SSS
SSP
SSM
PMS

What name, or class, would you give to each?

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Unless you're using "mental" as a euphemism for "skillmonkey", I have no idea where you're going with this.

 

[MNblockhead]

Change Y to S. S=Supernatural. Maybe you think of "magic" as a natural energy or something, but "Y" is inelegant and supernatural in the definition of magic, regardless of its source. The following started bit tongue in cheek because I'm fighting with a killer headache and this makes me feel better, but ended up being more interesting to come up with something more useful.


1. PPP

Pugilist

or, "Purely Physical Pugilist" if these are supposed to be initials.

2. PPM

Swashbuckler

"Porthos Porthos Muskateer" (hey, I have a headache)

3. PPS

Paladin

"Pure Paladin Saint"

4. MMM

Mentalist

"Madly Mystical Mentalist"

5. MMP

Monk

"Martial Monk Person"

6. MMS

Spiritualist

"Mentally Manipulates Suckers"

7. SSS

Yuanti

"Slithering Snakey Spell-user"

Oh, okay, how about: Sorcerer

"Spontaneous Spell Slinger"

8. SSP

Magician

"Sells Sorcery with Pizzaz!"

(I'm thinking magic, escape artist, performer)

9. SSM

Wizard

Single Solitary Man-who-lives-in-a-tower-library

10. PMS

Dilettante

"for Players who want to Multiclass-min-max Strategically"

 

[GMMichael]

I have no idea where you're going with this.

I wouldn't be asking if I already knew where I was going.

Change Y to S. S=Supernatural.

Done. And XP for going above and beyond.

1. PPP
Pugilist

2. PPM
Swashbuckler

3. PPS
Paladin

4. MMM
Mentalist

5. MMP
Monk

6. MMS
Spiritualist

7. SSS
Yuanti
Oh, okay, how about: Sorcerer
8. SSP
Magician

9. SSM
Wizard

10. PMS
Dilettante

I'm definitely liking some of those as basic classes: Magician, Wizard, Pugilist... Monk opens up the question: do racial/ethnic characters fit as character classes? Like the Spice Merchant, or the Mongol Horseman? Or did you mean the ascetic guy who is really good at brewing beer?

Unfortunately, the Friar Tuck Monk is sort of excluded if you view a "class" as something that is capable of waging war. A different title might be more appropriate, like:

Adventurous Occupations, and some cracks at their elemental codes:
PMM - Treasure Hunter/Thief
PPP - Pugilist/Brawler/Berserker (includes one type of monk)
PSS - Disciple/Zealot (includes the other type of monk)
SSS - Magician/Wizard/Sorceror
PPM - Knight/Soldier
PPS - Ranger/Beastmaster/Horseman
PMS - Princess/Aristocrat/Lord/Dilettante
MMS - Trader/Caravaneer/Gypsy
MSS - Bard/Minstrel
MMM - Sage/Hermit

 

[Morrus]

Hmmm. Is creating your boxes and then trying to find things which fit in them the best approach? It seems the goal is artificial symmetry rather than useful archetypes.

 

[aramis erak]

Hmmm. Is creating your boxes and then trying to find things which fit in them the best approach? It seems the goal is artificial symmetry rather than useful archetypes.

I was thinking the same.

Such exercises are usually going to result in several unplayed/boring/annoying combinations.

 

[GMMichael]

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?626194-Your-ideal-class-orgainization

This post reminded me of the chemist/alchemist, and also the jobs from Final Fantasy 5 that might serve as inspiration:

[sblock]Monk Wind 26 1 26 -23
Knight Wind 23 1 20 -14
Thief Wind 1 16 2 -6
White Mage Wind -7 1 0 25
Blue Mage Wind -8 1 3 23
Black Mage Wind -9 0 -2 31
Berserker Water 21 -9 25 -23
Mystic Knight Water 14 14 14 1
Red Mage Water 8 5 -6 8
Time Mage Water -5 2 -3 24
Summoner Water -10 -1 -1 33
Mime Water 0 0 0 0
Ranger Fire 16 12 1 -5
Ninja Fire 15 14 3 -10
Beastmaster Fire 13 1 8 -3
Geomancer Fire 4 2 4 24
Bard Fire -8 8 -9 11
Samurai Earth 19 2 19 -12
Dragoon Earth 18 5 15 -12
Dancer Earth 5 5 -10 -5
Chemist Earth 2 3 6 -4
Gladiator Advance 26 14 3 -14
Cannoneer Advance 9 6 6 4
Necromancer Advance 4 1 21 29
Oracle[/sblock]

Hmmm. Is creating your boxes and then trying to find things which fit in them the best approach? It seems the goal is artificial symmetry rather than useful archetypes.

Symmetry is a goal, yes. Why not? It might be what's missing from other class systems. Being of use is really up to the player, unless a class option is Invalid, or Conscientious Objector, or Pinball Wizard.

Such exercises are usually going to result in several unplayed/boring/annoying combinations.

Well that's disheartening! I was hoping the rubric "Adventurous Occupations" would prevent boring or annoying combinations. You don't need a cool class to be a hero, though. After all, Samwise Gamgee's class was Gardener, Indiana Jones's class was Anthropologist, and Arthur Dent's class was Disgruntled Homeowner.

 

[Eltab]

Monk opens up the question: do racial/ethnic characters fit as character classes?

An unnumbered mass of Benedictine Monks (c.500 AD and onwards) want to know what is wrong with their race/ethnic background.

Many of them came from the Warrior class before becoming Monks, and presumably could handle themselves in a fight if they had to.

 

[aramis erak]

An unnumbered mass of Benedictine Monks (c.500 AD and onwards) want to know what is wrong with their race/ethnic background.

Many of them came from the Warrior class before becoming Monks, and presumably could handle themselves in a fight if they had to.

Technically, many using benedict's rule are not monks, but friars. The same rule is used for both.

There are almost as many Augustinian rule monastics - Augustinian Rule was the default for diocesan monastics from the 300's onward (and still, largely, is).

Augustine's rule includes Cenobites (monks), Eremites ("Communal" hermits), and a couple orders of friars. Most diocesan monastics are formally considered Cenobitic, but in practice are just shy of being friars.

 

[Jhaelen]

As my quest to reimagine character classes continues, I have a new problem to solve: what are the ten most fundamental fantasy classes?

Now now, don't just give me names. That's too easy. I'm asking for ten classes because each class has a construction of three parts, each part having one type: Physical (P), Mental (M), or Supernatural (S).

Ha! That's extremely similar to an idea I once had for a new RPG system. The primary stats for each character were Physical, Mental, and Spirit, each with an Active expression and a Passive expression.
(Okay, in a way that was just renaming ye olde D&D stats...)

I wanted each character to cover two 'roles', represented by combining a Primary stat and a Secondary stat. I.e. Pp, Pm, Ps, Mp, Mm, Ms, Sp, Sm, and Ss.
I really need to dig into my old RPG stuff to see if I can find my notes again. Iirc, I came up with a couple of classes that you don't typically see in RPGs.
One example was an Archeologist (Mp?). Basically, that's your Indiana Jones archetype.