Author Topic: A Note On Class Based Games  (Read 3589 times)

Offline Amechra

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A Note On Class Based Games
« on: January 22, 2016, 04:50:16 PM »
Alright, so I've recently been... digesting... Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine (I have a MA in Borgstromancy and Ars Morani).

One of the interesting things about it are the Miraculous Arcs, which work... kinda like classes. You even multiclass them in a way that's pretty similar to 3.5!

Now, here are two nuances that I could see extracting and applying to a different system.

1) Each Miraculous Arc gives you a power that you only have while following that Arc. Swap Arcs, and you switch it for the power your other Arc gives you.

2) Arcs function over the "level", rather than at the end of it. You start at a rating of 0 in one Arc; gain a "level", add 1 to your rating, and then you can either pick to continue with an Arc you've already begun or start a new one at 0. This is a really fine distinction, but one that combines with 1 to give... interesting results.

It's like... I dunno, imagine that the Wizard gave you the "Arc Power" of learning new spells, and the Fighter gave you the "Arc Power" of picking up new fightin' moves.

You start out at Fighter 0 - you get whatever basic Fighter powers you might want, and then can learn new fightin' moves!
You complete that level, and are now a Fighter 1.
If you want to become a Wizard, you become a Fighter 1/Wizard 0, who can learn new spells.
Your Fighter 1/Wizard 0 can't learn new fightin' moves - that's not what they're focusing on at the moment! If they were, they'd be aiming for a new level of Fighter.

And so on and so forth. It works more smoothly in Chuubo's, since the classes are pretty general... but it's an interesting way to look at stuff.
"There is happiness for those who accept their fate, there is glory for those that defy it."

"Now that everyone's so happy, this is probably a good time to tell you I ate your parents."

Offline Bronzebeard

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Re: A Note On Class Based Games
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2016, 02:39:15 PM »
Sauce?  :tongue

Offline Amechra

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Re: A Note On Class Based Games
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2016, 02:44:39 PM »
Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine.

Also, another game that does something similar is Through the Breach, which might be an even easier source to pull from (as it is... somewhat closer to a more typical RPG.)
"There is happiness for those who accept their fate, there is glory for those that defy it."

"Now that everyone's so happy, this is probably a good time to tell you I ate your parents."

Offline Bronzebeard

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Re: A Note On Class Based Games
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2016, 09:16:43 AM »
Well... they're both locked behind a paypoint.

I'll need time to gather information.
*rolls d20*

Offline Amechra

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Re: A Note On Class Based Games
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2016, 09:23:06 AM »
Well... they're both locked behind a paypoint.

I'll need time to gather information.
*rolls d20*

There's a really in-depth review of Through the Breach here.

And I wouldn't purchase Chuubo unless you know what you're getting into - it's... different. Here's one of the Kickstarter documents.
"There is happiness for those who accept their fate, there is glory for those that defy it."

"Now that everyone's so happy, this is probably a good time to tell you I ate your parents."

Offline Bronzebeard

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Re: A Note On Class Based Games
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2016, 05:31:17 AM »
I'll tell you the truth; I've gone horribly lost in reading the links.
Just so much... OH MY DAYS... The exposition...
At least five chapters for storytelling.

Anyways, I stumbled upon this. I hope that this is what you meant.


Still, I don't think that what they have can be considered multi-classing. And I don't think that it works close to what d20 offers.

Offline Nifft

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Re: A Note On Class Based Games
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2017, 02:12:46 AM »
Chuubo's is a really interesting game. Thumbs up from me. Just don't expect it to play like a more normal game.


Another game which does this -- kinda sorta -- is Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.

In 2e, you need to pre-qualify for your next class (e.g. gathering the trappings), and while in that class you learn & earn specific perks. You retain some of these perks when you leave the class.

3e is similar (but also different and less popular).