The original TFT system and all of the off shoots like GURPS or HOW, do not follow the D&D class system nor specifically the "cleric/paladin" class conceptions. These types of conceptions are left to the referee/players to work out and use if they wish.
The system is set up so that there are only two broad character concept generalizations: warriors and wizards. What type of warrior or wizard you make (barbarian, archer, ranger, druid, illusionist, necromancer, cleric) is left to you the player to conceive and develop. YOU have the FREEDOM to conceive of a spell casting barbarian, wizard duelist, or paladin as you wish
Religion or gods specifically are not a determining factor/limitation to any character skills/spells--unless you the referee/player want them to be.
A referee could say "these spells are only available to to players who are followers of this god" in their setting...or could say a "warrior who serves this god gets access to these spells at a cost of 1 instead of 2 pts. at creation" One could even go so far as to take specific spells and make them "blessings" for followers--an inborn or gifted ability such as "followers of this god can cure light wounds like the spell, no casting needed-just pay EN cost"
Creating a "religious class" is possible within the current rules. Turn the undead with a religious relic/holy symbol? --anyone can unless you as a referee decide to limit who can and who cannot. "Followers of the light bringer can turn undead with a blessed torch --but to all others it is a ordinary torch."
The spells typical of a cleric class are there for blessing, protecting, etc. but in HOW they are available (potentially) to anyone. You can decide to make them only available to followers of certain religions--if you choose to make it that way.
Unlike a more stringent class based system HOW is a wide open tool box. You get to decide for your game world if you want to create a special religious sect or cult with access to certain spells as you desire.
Want to turn the Bless spell into a native ability for all followers of a specific god? Want to make the Curse spell an "evil eye" for followers of a certain god? In HOW you have the FREEDOM to do so!
Don't be afraid of your freedom and in all cases do what is right for you, your players and your game to make it fun!
i agree 100% CB! i've tried to lead thoughts in this direction so many times.
ReplyDeleteThank man--but please note and I am totally okay with folks who disagree and want or need something more defined/structured like D&D. Seems like a good Cauldron article opportunity...
Deletei understand completely. all the parts and pieces are there for anyone to easily create their own various "classes".
Delete"here are some paints. here are some brushes. make your own masterpiece."
those masterpieces would be tasty morsels for the Cauldron.
I agree too, I think a lot of the "hijack" discussion on the last post was more oriented towards the mechanics of using Gods in a campaign -- after all, there isn't much guidance in TFT (not surprising, given that HT was a militant atheist) and GURPS makes it too complex for what fans of HOW, etc., are looking for.
ReplyDeleteAs far as "classes" go -- just no. That's one of the primary reasons I stopped playing D&D. You either are restricted in a completely illogical way, or you can "multi-class" in a tremendously complex way. And if you're going to let people "multi-class," then why have classes at all? Just cut to the chase and use a skill-based system!
Yep. Even if you ignore the complex knot of multi-classing, D&D evolved to have so many different but similar classes that I can't imagine why it didn't continue to evolve into a skill-based system.
DeleteOne of the major beauties of a skill-based system is that you can easily create classes if you desire -- and the player doesn't want to be shoe-horned into a class can still have a non-class, skill-based character.
Totally understand Jeff-and I really appreciated the back and forth discussion about using gods/clerics and such. I had no intention of commenting because I did not want to derail any discussion or idea sharing. I only entered when asked to and sincerely hope it was not a turd in the punch bowl maneuver.
Delete"...sincerely hope it was not a turd in the punch bowl maneuver."
Deleteif it was, i don't taste it :)
@CR -- totally NOT a d**k move!! -- you were pointing out that you could do anything you wanted in a skill-based system, and furthermore that the rules are more of a guideline and an underlying structure, not commandments written in stone! That seems to be a point that needs to be made a lot in the FRPG world -- probably because EGG used to come across like a biblical prophet telling everyone that if they weren't playing it his way, they were WRONG and pathetic (at least that's how he sounded a lot of the time), and should just go back to Monopoly... ;-)
Deleteyum yum. love me some scrambled EGG! :P
DeleteKind of quiet now; I sure hope you're doing okay over there, C. R.!
ReplyDelete