I’m going to admit upfront that my design sensibilities, moreso than any prejudice as a player, favor classless systems. My first introduction to classless roleplaying was the computer roleplaying game (CRPG) Fallout. I tinkered with the idea of a classless system after growing dissatisfied with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Second Edition (AD&D 2E), but it wasn’t until I played Oblivion that I really started to explore classless systems from a design perspective.
Dungeons & Dragons is my fantasy RPG of choice, regardless of my desire to avoid the restrictions of classes. The Fourth Edition (4E) rules are uniquely structured to allow for easy adaptation to a classless system, however.
Instead of classes, a player would pick a power source they select their powers from. Class features would either become a feature of the power source or a power. The player could select any three features from their chosen power source. Paragon path prerequisites would default to the power source. I have some ideas for power source feats that would replace the multiclass feats and allow players to select powers from other power sources
Starting hit points would be determined by role: 15 for defenders, 12 for leaders and strikers, and 10 for controller. Class traits such as armor and weapon proficiencies, defense bonuses, hit points per level gained, and healing surges per day would borrow from the core class that shares the same combination of power source and role, with the PHB taking precedence over later releases. A divine leader would use the traits of the cleric, a martial defender would use the fighter’s traits.
The player could chose one defense (except AC) to apply the +2 bonus to. There would be no class skill list. Instead, the player could choose any three skills to be trained in.
Do you prefer a RPG with or without classes? How would you implement a classless system in 4E?
[...] Constitution score in the formula for starting hit points. I don’t like that hit points are determined by role rather than class in 4E. Two of the roles share the same base. That’s a rather narrow field of flavors, compared to [...]
[...] These feats might require additional prerequisites to balance them with the cost of the multiclass power-swap feat and the restriction of powers from a specific class. Or you could just chose to do away with classes all together. [...]
The class/level system of D&D seems pretty intrinsic to the design. This is especially true with 4th Edition. It can be worked around, but the conversion would require a bit of work.
One way to do this, rather than going completely classless, is to broaden the concept of “character class” to the four class roles, Defender, Striker, Controller and Leader, each with it’s own generic mechanic promoting the role. This would determine defensive bonuses, hit points, healing surges, etc. as well as basic function.
From there, players choose a power source similar to the way you mentioned, from which to draw their powers. Each power source could have a unique mechanic for each of the generic role function mechanics that enhances it’s effect. For instance the striker’s extra damage mechanic could do an extra die of damage to a single foe for the Martial source, while a Divine striker’s extra damage does damage equal to the relevant ability modifier to foes adjacent to the target.
You could also institute a favored ability mechanic, similar to Castles & Crusades, wherein the player chooses a favored attribute for their character, granting them a +1 for all roles pertaining to this attribute, increasing to +2 at paragon tier and +3 at epic tier, effectively replacing the weapon expertise and implement expertise feats.
I would do away with class skills and allow characters to choose 5 trained skills from the entire list. Access to extra power sources and class features can be purchased using multi-class feats.
No thoughts as yet on how to go about adjudicating weapon and armor proficiencies.
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I think that a classless system is much more realistic. But I do also think that a class can be a useful tarting point from a role-playing point of view. This is especially true with novice players. That said, I think being sucked into a stereo-typed role is the antithesis of the freedom and imagination that RPGs (at there best) allow to flourish.
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