Such a lack of Class

Something I have been ruminating on for a bit is the whole D&D class system. While I love D&D (particularly 1e AD&D or 0e), I have found myself growing a bit weary of the class system and the whole Vancian magic system. Blasphemy I know, but as someone who cut their teeth on Michael Moorcock's works, the current structure just seems to less and less fit my needs. I know that there have been the Stormbringer/Elric!/Basic Fanyasy systems from Chaosium, but they never really scratched that itch for me. Don't get me wrong, the whole Basic Fantasy system is a great system, but my first gaming experience was D& D and I want to find a way to satisfactorily bend it to my view of fantasy. And yeah, that might mean ditching the class based system and changing up the magic system a bit. I ran across the Black Hack and Knave not too long ago, and they come pretty close to what I want. If you factor in the 3.5 D&D rules for pact/truename/rune magic, then you have got my attention.

Anyway, I am thinking on trying out a set of rules scrapping the class based system (see the 3e based Buy the Numbers) and adding in different choices for magic systems ( keep Vancian but add true name/ pact and rune magic - maybe some Palladium Fantasy inspired stuff). Married to a Swords and Wizardry base, then you have an idea of what I want to work on (Oh and the Red Kobold No Class Hack supplement to the Black Hack). Why? Mostly because, but in reality, my gaming group consists of 13 teenagers that want to have flexibility of play but have a classic fantasy feel. For me, I want to take classic AD&D/D&D material and adapt it to a new audience.

So that's my task, keep a classic D&D base system but completely overhaul some of the core concepts. Many have tried, many have been found wanting. I am pretty excited by the prospect and will plow ahead. The world doesn't necessarily need another D&D variant, but my group and I do. Cheers and happy gaming!

Comments

  1. Gothridge ManorMarch 21, 2020 at 9:20 AM

    Hey John, I've been running my campaign with customized classes. I use the base classes as the framework, but then the player provides a concept and I customize the character around it. For example, a player wanted to play a halfling with a religious slant. He worshiped the Great Imbiber, because why wouldn't he. At the beginning levels he could call upon small favors through role-playing. The player often paid homage to The Great Imbiber and he stayed true so as he gained levels, the favors he was granted grew in power. There are no rules for it, but we role-played through it all. Quite fun.

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  2. XyanthonMarch 21, 2020 at 2:12 PM

    Tim, that sounds like a great approach. I think I'm going to try stripping out all of the base classes all together and then treat class abilities as skills that can be purchased. I get a lot of my kids in my gaming group that want to multiclass. While I like the idea, it seem that what they really want, and what I think is more realistic is to be able to pick up abilities and customise your character as you see fit. I like the whole D&D attributes, to hit, saving throw mechanics - especially as done in Swords and Wizardry complete, but find myself getting a bit stifled by the class and magic system. I'd like to keep Vancian magic, but also add a few different types. The Paladium Fantasy system has some interesting ideas (especially with the circles, pacts, elemental magic, runes, etc.). What I would like to do is be able to mimic how magic is done in the Elric saga (more of Pact magic than spell based) or have Binding and truename magic, or ritual magic, etc. as options for players to chose the path they want.

    I have not really quite got it all figured out just yet, but I think it is worth giving it a go and seeing how it can be managed. Plus, my group of teens is the perfect vehicle to test it out on since they are quite willing to try out different things. More to follow.

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  3. unknownApril 3, 2020 at 12:51 AM

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