Author Topic: Question about Character Races/classes [Poll/Opinion]  (Read 1324 times)

Legacy_jackkel dragon

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Question about Character Races/classes [Poll/Opinion]
« on: July 17, 2010, 02:56:41 am »


               In the setting I'm designing to use in game modding and stories, many of the "iconic" D+D character races and classes used in NWN are not feasable. I'm wondering what kind of opinions people have about restricted classes or races in NWN. (I already know this is not popular in DA, so I'm not asking there...)

For some perspective, my current NWN project has eliminated all prestige classes and half the base classes, leaving six:
- Barbarian (Warrior)
- Fighter (Warrior)
- Bard (Rogue)
- Rogue (Rogue)
- Druid (Mage)
- Sorcerer (Mage)

Also, the only race that I would have available for players would be human (if the UI allowed reduced race selection.)

Please share your resoning if you comment, I'd like to know why your opinion leans one way or the other.
               
               

               
            

Legacy_olivier leroux

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Question about Character Races/classes [Poll/Opinion]
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2010, 03:17:17 am »


               If there's a good reason for it and your setting and story is interesting I don't mind such designing choices at all. Now, if it would be a simple hack and slash mod without much emphasis on background and no believable IC conversations to speak of, that would be different, but in my book a story-driven mod set in a well thought-out world might even be better and draw you in more if it restricts who you are.
               
               

               
            

Legacy_jackkel dragon

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Question about Character Races/classes [Poll/Opinion]
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2010, 03:19:47 am »


               

olivier leroux wrote...

If there's a good reason for it and your setting and story is interesting I don't mind such designing choices at all. Now, if it would be a simple hack and slash mod without much emphasis on background and no believable IC conversations to speak of, that would be different, but in my book a story-driven mod set in a well thought-out world might even be better and draw you in more if it restricts who you are.


Heh. Sounds like my opinion on DA2. I'm beginning to improve on my poor combat/interaction balance, so maybe it won't be all bad. (If you ever played the half-finished module I have on the vault, you'd know how bad I am at balancing combat with rewards and story.)
               
               

               
            

Legacy_Bard Simpson

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Question about Character Races/classes [Poll/Opinion]
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2010, 02:40:57 am »


               Looking at your list of classes I think of a setting akin to the old Celtic world and believe it could be wonderful (with a good story, as olivier said). I, therefore, think restrictions can be fine in a quality package -- something of the quality over quantity philosophy.
               
               

               
            

Legacy_Belnor

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Question about Character Races/classes [Poll/Opinion]
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2010, 01:03:14 pm »


               I've played on human-centric worlds before. Think there's nothing wrong about it. The story makes the module in my opinion.



Belnor.
               
               

               
            

Legacy_Karvon

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Question about Character Races/classes [Poll/Opinion]
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2010, 02:02:38 pm »


               Priest - Cleric, has been one of the main classes from the beginning, and one of three essential ones IHMO, for any balanced party - others being warrior and rogue.   I suppose druid might be an acceptable fill-in, but it would depend heavily on your setting, story, and the sorts of encounters you would expect your group to deal with.  A druid simply doesn't have the same healing, buffing and combat skills that a cleric lends to a group, generally speaking.

Karvon
               
               

               


                     Modifié par Karvon, 20 juillet 2010 - 01:03 .
                     
                  


            

Legacy_jackkel dragon

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Question about Character Races/classes [Poll/Opinion]
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2010, 04:03:34 pm »


               

Karvon wrote...

Priest - Cleric, has been one of the main classes from the beginning, and one of three essential ones IHMO, for any balanced party - others being warrior and rogue. I suppose druid might be an acceptable fill-in, but it would depend heavily on your setting, story, and the sorts of encounters you would expect your group to deal with. A druid simply doesn't have the same healing, buffing and combat skills that a cleric lends to a group, generally speaking.

Karvon


Maybe it would have been a good idea to explain why I cut certain classes.

In my attempt at a "realistic" setting, I did away with summoning and ressurection. I still need to find a way to rebalance mages without their "insta-tanks," but cutting Cleric was the easiest way to rid the world of insta-heals. Druids certainly don't have the healing potential of Clerics, but I've seen some overpowered druid builds in buffing, shapshifting, and combat. I think the lack of good armor is the biggest hit on druids.

Paladin and Ranger, while both good classes, sort of grated on my nerves while trying to figure out a place for them. Paladins were basically holy knights, even after I tried to remove the alignment restriction (which is hard-coded with the in-game character creator.) Rangers were actually going to replace barbarians, but a woodsman that automatically can cast spells doesn't work in my setting.

Monks are one of those esoteric clases... very good at what it does but very specific to a setting. This isn't a Jade Empire clone I'm making and I don't have those kind of martial artists. Sorry.

Wizards were easy after I cut Cleric. Wizards and Clerics seem to be core classes, and I didn't need the core magic classes to make me go generic. The whole wizard/sorcerer rivalry story has already been done, and much better than I can do it. Besides, sorcerers can cast spells without preperation, giving them an edge over the wizard class.


Bottom line: I'll eventually have to find a way to balance my modules in combat. Low-magic and low-healing are not as easy to balance as I expected, but I'm tired of having a world were everyone just goes to the local priest to have their arms grow back.

Thanks for the opinions, everyone. I'll try to keep these in mind while I create my setting and story. Maybe NWN players will actually get to see this module. 'Posted