Class system

[Cariannis]

What class system is Obsidian thinking about using for this game? Straight up Ranger, Rogue or Warrior or could we say go Mage/Shaman? I mean are we talking about duel classing like being a Wizard Slayer then becoming a Mage (Baldur

Edited September 18, 2012 by Cariannis

[Leferd]

Are you asking a question or starting a topics for discussion. If the former, we don't really know yet.

[fortuntek]

I'd love to see a system with some sort of branching advanced classes or prestige classes or the like. Something to further customize our character that doesn't necessarily take place at character creation and offers a strong reward to look forward to part way through the game.

[Paul D]

Don't forget Assassins, Spy's, etc, the ones who work in the shadows. Also where you can develop your character and affiliations during play rather than fixed at creation and stuck there throughout. Perhaps where you become a spy out of necessity, and like it! Or to survive you have to learn Ranger skills.

[Volourn]

Ranger class has been confirmed and we know dwarves can be them.

[Cariannis]

Well if it hasn

Edited September 18, 2012 by Cariannis

[1varangian]

I would like to see a system where you start out as one of the 3 archetypes - warrior / rogue / spellcaster - and then can branch off into other classes as you level up, if you meet the requirements.

 

Warrior - Knight - Commander

\

Paladin

 

Warrior - Berserker - Reaver

 

Rogue - Skirmisher - Assassin

 

 

Illusionist

/

Mystic - Mage - Elementalist

\

Druid - Archdruid

Edited September 18, 2012 by 1varangian

[Leferd]

Well, based on the kickstarter page, we already know that there will be at least 5 classes and potentially expanding to at least 7, with dwarven ranger presumably being an option.

 

 

[Virgil]

I think prestige classes are not that cool. I'm fine with 5-7 basic classes if there is enough skills, abilities etc. I can choose rogue as a basic class but I would invest points in sneak attacks, dual weapons and poison and with fitting gear ( I hope there will be tons of equipment in the game) play as assassin,it means none to me if the class will change to assassin it can be rogue for me, as long as there will be many abilities to choose from I'm fine with limited classes and no prestige classes.

What's the difference anyway ? If game allows you to play as a paladin, berserker, healer does it really matter to name them that way ?

Edited September 18, 2012 by Virgil

[Haplok]

Well, I'm a bit torn about this. I did love the deep, flexible customization options DnD 3 / 3.5 systems provided in regard to picking classes. And I love the unique specializations/Prestige Classes/Kits. Prestige Classes could/should have some story/faction requirements, I guess. Building a character in such a rich, robust system can be as much fun, as playing the game itself. Sometimes even more

 

Then again I find systems that strongly tie your class to game plot and factions very immersive. Like in PS:T you needed to find a teacher to become a mage or a rogue. Only deeper.... way deeper.

Gothic 2 would be a prime example, where your class and faction options were strictly tied. You joined the Mages, you became a novice rune mage. You joined the town militia, you could eventually become a Paladin. You joined the mercenaries and you could eventually become a Dragon Slayer. And the gameplay was significantly different for each class and faction.

 

Well, either would work for me I guess. Anything but a generic, stiff 4 class system with no class customization options (or 7 class, whatever).

Edited September 18, 2012 by Haplok

[Shadowless]

I would love if classess had kits, it made the IE games vastly more replayable because of it.

 

*Starts Wild Mage*

*Casts Magic Missles*

*Summons Demon in Irenicus Chateu*

*Laugh and Cry*

[DCParry]

When DA:O was first hinted out years ago, there was a great discussion on classes and class systems. A place this discussion started was very helpful in formulating ideas of how to work and design classes that are useful and unique.

 

The thing is, there are only really three classes: fighter, mage and expert. Everything else is variation on a theme, or hybridism. I think a more interesting way to approach to ask how classes are going to be differentiated, that is what skills or abilities make someone a "fighter", or a paladin, or a barbarian or any other variation. Is it the ability to merely pick up any weapon? Are there going to skill sets for each weapon? Weapon class? Fighting style?

 

What about magic? If a soul is the source of magic, and we can safely assume that most sentient beings have souls, what gives one the ability to channel that particular power? Or, can everyone do it and only some do it better? If is it innate, what does that say about study and preparation?

 

Most discussions like this turn into random lists of things people are cool (bard/monk/dragon disciple... rawr!). Instead, I think I more fruitful discussion on classes might be how one might take an ur-class like "expert" and have it meaningfully evolve into options like "assassin", "engineer", "bard" and so on. I think having too many base classes creates more problems than the advantages of diversity that it apparently provides.

 

EDIT: My spelling, it was DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED.

Edited September 18, 2012 by DCParry

[Poolp]

I'm not again dual classing or a specialization later on. As long as the play still gets some freedom on how to build his character to match his play style.

Why not being able to do some unlikely class combinations, even if it's not really optimized it could be interesting to play.

[Nakia]

I feel there are three major classes: Warrior, Magic User, Stealth. Then there are sub-classes. I would like my character to be customizable and I gather from what Obsidian has said that this will be so. I do think there should be limitations. Something such as DA:O had. I do not want to be everything there is by the end of the game. One thing that annoyed me with Skyrim is that I had an Orc Warrior using two handed swords primarily but the so called main quest forced me to join the Mages College. I had intentionally kept him away from magic except for a couple of low level healing spells. This just spoiled the character for me.

[Lysen]

I would prefer Planescape: Torment system where you can change your class, but it requires to complete certain quests. Becoming a mage was awesome, for example. On the other hand, playing as a thief or fighter wasn't very fun in PST, and it was a big disadvantage.

[Haplok]

I would prefer Planescape: Torment system where you can change your class, but it requires to complete certain quests. Becoming a mage was awesome, for example. On the other hand, playing as a thief or fighter wasn't very fun in PST, and it was a big disadvantage.

 

Rogue wasn't very powerfull in PS:T, but if you managed to get the jump on a big baddie, you could do some crazy damage. It was very fulfiling. Well, maybe not on the Celestial Host, Missile of Patience or Mechanus' Cannon scale of awesome, but still. A Fighter was pretty boring by comparision, but not necessarily weak... wouldn't say it was a disadvantage as such.

[fortuntek]

It doesn't sound like they're planning on going for the "three class archetype" system and then branching out, but rather seem to be planning to include a set number of base classes (five? seven?) based on how much funding they end up with. I am fine with this. But I also really enjoy specializing later in the game... meta-analyse what it means to have a class all you want, my main point is that sometimes having major developments to your character later on is something that really keeps players interested in continuing the game, something to look forward to. Mind you, for those who are not interested in altering their class/character idea part way through, then they should have the option of staying vanilla (therefore this would have to be balanced as to not be a disadvantage, i.e. any benefits you gain from advanced classes or whatever it happens to be must also be offset by disadvantages, similar to class kits perhaps.)

 

It's just an idea that I would enjoy, for anyone who disagrees that's fine as it's just a matter of subjective preference.

 

One final note... wouldn't it be cool if advanced/prestige classes were gained through completing a major quest chain to join a particular faction? :D Think BG2 Thieve's guild sort of thing except where you become, say, an assassin instead of just a thief, or becoming a Paladin by joining the associated Order and proving your integrity through testing and whatnot. (without unlocking it as a "menu option" on later playthroughs a la Dragon Age). I say, let this determine how we becoming extra specialized; why pick a class like "Spy" or "Assassin" or Paladin, or ANYTHING like that if your character has no prior in-game history being related to any of those things? (without taking it too far; I wouldn't try to extrapolate this to say that we should learn how to be a magic-user in game, for instance.) Let extra specialized classes be tied to lore and make cohesive sense in game. I think this would increase immersion and fit the spirit of this sort of game.

Edited September 18, 2012 by fortuntek

[IrishLuigi]

Up to 7 classes? Aw, looks like my dreams of a Monk class are dashed.

 

I hope they will at least have the option of hand combat (with ways of increasing your hand-to-hand strength). I always do a Fist of the North Star playthrough in any RPG I play!

Edited September 18, 2012 by IrishLuigi

[Darji]

I also think it will be like basic classes with further advanced claees. Like Fighter can become a Knight or darknight (stupid example^^) Or thief goes to rogue or assassin. Something like that.

[Ashram]

I would like to see the bases covered but think it could be handled in a way that both encourages creativity and multiclassing. One game I enjoyed was playing tabletop Star Wars SAGA. While not perfect, I enjoyed the way multiclassing was handled and how roles were defined rather than class. For example you could choose to take levels in soldier, however that soldier could be an armor specialist, ace pilot, hand to hand ace, officer, thug...you name it. You want to have the ability to really motivate others and get some book smarts, why not pick noble? While I do want the basics covered, I don't think it has to be so resrictive.

 

This guy here...is a Ranger level 10....yay. Why not this guy here is a ranger Soldier5/Scavenger3/Scoundrel2 or a ranger could be Soldier10 with certain trained abilities. Point being I don't necessarily like typecasting a class and that being the end all be all. As a role...sure. This kind of system does not preclude having prestige classes to strive for either. Big fan of shooting for something special.

 

My 2 cents.

[Cariannis]

I spent more time messing with the class system in BG2 and ID2 then doing the story lines. Or going back into BG2 just to see if I can solo the story with my toon. My thinking was more along the lines of…

 

“Hmm maybe I could try this party build with everyone starting out as rogues just to switch to mage, cleric, warrior etc. etc later on.”

 

Something like that would be awesome to see again.