50 thoughts on “We have the Paladin, which is the only base class limited to only one race, namely the human.”

  2. I can see how limiting a class to a single race is iconic, but I prefer being able to totally customise my character. For example, if it was a silly game, a goblin Paladin who follows the path of Zugrub, mighty mushroom, could be pretty entertaining to play. Or a more serious game could have an Arach Paladin; a towering spiderlike holy warrior who uses his eight eyes to see into people’s souls.

  6. Back to Kasper’s point, I’m trying to think of cool iconic classes. Giovanni Lanza’s picks are the pretty clear choices; the elven ranger and halfling thief are absolute genre stalwarts.

  8. Well, I was thinking of non-core classes that was normally only associated with a single race, not the classes that are thematically shared across various races.

    The Arcane Archer is good though. My own suggestion would be the Rune Smith for dwarves.

  22. Interesting, Alessandro Gianni. I like that: “Humans are the newcomers to this earth, and their fate is not set. The elves draw upon the forest and song, the dwarves upon stone and rune, and the halflings upon home and hearth. Each has one person in a generation, one who can call on those powers for their own benefit and that of their species.”

  24. Giovanni Lanza, what you write has inspired…something. I can’t put my finger on it, yet.

    I love the idea that they draw their power from different sources. I would add that humans draw on emotion and interaction. Thus the reason they gather in cities and exploit the natural world to create their luxuries.

    By the way, I’ve always disliked the idea that humans are “new”. I don’t see why elves and dwarves can’t be just as “new”, they just chose a different path (and naturally have different abilities). 

  28. I believe it does, indeed, Alessandro Gianni. It’s unfortunate that, similar to martial arts and Bruce Lee, we have yet to truly move forward past the greats. They still remain the “greatest” because we fail to see ourselves as capable of doing better. 

    Or, probably more accurately, we fail to allow anyone else to be said to do better. Because while Tolkien told a great story about races and setting, there are some much better rules and stories for magic since LotR. And Anne Rice does a much better vampire than Stoker.

    I just wish we could move past their works as being definitive sources. Fortunately, gaming has been working in that direction, but then I fear that everything is going to be post-human rather than otherworldly. 😉

    (Sorry, that was a bit drawn out, and off topic. Back to our discussion of racial-specific classes. 🙂 )

  29. Half-orc Berserker

    Drow Fencer (none of the base classes dual-wield!)

    Genasi Elementalist (maybe all four elements, maybe just one e.g. Firesoul Pyromancer)

  30. Maybe the Half-Orc (perhaps just Orc) Berserker could use the mechanic that the Barbarian was originally going to use: the whole “you hit me for 2d8 damage? I’ll hit you back for 2d8 damage!”

  33. Ah, didn’t see that on the Ranger. Still, you don’t start with a second sword, and you have to wait til you level up to get extra damage for one. More could be done, and a Drow is just the one to do it!

  34. I’m kind of surprised it’s the only one, but the Barbarian comes with two melee weapons, so that’s one case where dual wield is available out of the gate.  But don’t let me get between you and any drow love! 🙂

  35. I’m eating breakfast at the airport and I’m thinking the Feastmaster should have magical powers, such as:

    Create Eggoculus: small servants that double as high protein rations.

    Metamorfoodis: change a living being into a related dish – minotaur to burger, roc to egg sandwich, etc.

  38. The most famous drow is this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drizzt_Do%27Urden His signature weapons were two magical scimitars, named Twinkle and Icingdeath. I guess Drizzt was closer to a Ranger in terms of abilities, but in combat he mainly focused on awesome dual-wielding techniques. Other drow also used two-longsword fighting style. More info: http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Drizzt_Do'Urden

    Basically I think the Ranger’s Viper Strike is kind of bland compared to all the cool things you could do with two weapons at once, even a different weapon in each hand. Getting around their defenses, disarming them, distracting them, etc. Then again maybe it’s not enough to justify a whole class separate from Fighter or Ranger. Maybe a couple custom moves would be enough, and a Drow racial move.

    Drow

    You can create one stationary globe of magical darkness around any creature (including yourself), that enemies have difficulty seeing through. You also take +1 to Hack and Slash while within the globe.

  40. Tim Franzke Just like you can kick down doors without a move. When a player has a move, then that move gives him more control over the fiction. It’s kind of the point with having a move, isn’t it?

  41. Yeah, it sets an expectation for the player and GM on what a drow can do. It also limits the bonus a little…although as written you could always get the +1 to H&S, maybe it’s too powerful. Feel free to change it, it was my first idea on what makes Drow interesting.

    Edit: See for example Human Druid “As your people learned to bind animals to field and farm, so too are you bound to them. You may always take the shape of any domesticated animal, in addition to your normal options.”

  42. Just to be clear: Are we talking about drow duel wielder because of Dridzzt?

    If so, while I never read the books, I could imagine what made Mr D so BA was in part the fact that he duel wielded. But was he the exception or the rule?

    If every drow ranger duel wields…doesn’t that lessen it a bit?

    Anywho, I could be way off topic but I thought I’d clarify.

  44. Perhaps:

    Double-Strike: When you dual-wield, roll your damage twice and take the better result.

    Then that opens the way to other fighting styles. For example, the above move is probably more for a swordsman, but there’d be a different move for a lightning-fast striker, and another for someone who wants to deal a much damage as possible.

  45. That move is incredibly powerful and would make everyone dual wield if they don’t like the defence of a shield. (Any you might attack with your shield too…)

  49. I can’t help but think that any of these “roll more damage dice/add more damage” moves are in fact for “someone who wants to deal as much damage as possible.”

    Given that the game already has some mechanics that support the concept of dual wielding, as well as a couple for the Ranger that are already along the lines of damage bonuses, I’d think we could find something  more interesting and less about +MOARDAMAGES!

    Maybe something about reach, which is already a relevant topic with regard to dual wielding.

    Pass the Gate

    When attempting to pass the superior reach of an enemy while wielding two weapons, take +1 forward to Defy Danger attempts.

    And maybe something about some of the other combat moves, like Defend.

    Legion’s Wards

    When spending hold for Defend for any option other than “Deal damage to the attacker equal to your level” while wielding two weapons you may also “Deal damage to the attacker equal to your level.”

    Stuff like this could fit in a CC, and could be available for anybody who really wanted to make dual wielding stand out for their character without it seeming to turn into a DPS-bot.

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