Monday, October 1, 2007

Classes, Part II

Eric said:

What I'd really like to see (and if you don't do it, I will) is an outline of 7 classes, sans abilties, with a short description of what makes each class unique.

FYI, I'm completely cool with tossing out the existing classes and starting from scratch. But I would prefer to stick with the 4+3 formula.
So, here is my first draft:

Magic destroyed the world, so we developed Tech – and used it to destroy Magic. Ages later, Magic came back again. The Tribes all sent their Exemplars to face the troubling return of Magic, the just awakening demonic progenitors of magic, and the twisted monsters magic’s rebirth spawned. The Tribes had all kept their secrets, though; some sent fire to fight fire.

Classes

Human:

Magus – Warp the battlefield with Magic

Monster Tamer – Summon Monsters fight by your side

Tech Savant – Repair/Use Ancient Tech – Guns ‘n’ Mechs

Weapon Master – Bond with Weapons (just like Warrior)

Non-Human:

Scion – Call on your Ancestors’ Power (just like Channeler)

Shadow Beast – Learn/Use Monster Abilities

Spirit of Revenge – Return from Hell by Claiming the Souls of the Evil and Wicked


Non - Combat Descriptions:

Magus - Representative of the Power and the Doom, you act as a magnet for both awe and hatred. Try to forge a new balance, take it all on as a martyr, or show others why they should truly respect or fear you. Limitation: No one ever takes you at face value; you must constantly explain or lie about your intentions. However, you never take anyone at face value either, and are perceptive to hidden intentions.

Monster Tamer - Your place isn't in civilized society, and your will is dominant. When you arrive in town, you get what you want, or else. Limitation: You never form equal-sized relationships and always hold a grudge against those who have ignored your desires.

Tech Savant - You speak a language that none understand and use incomprehensible methods. The Pulse of Tech always hums in the distance and distracts when close. Limitation: You break into jargon (gibberish) when explaining anything, Tech-related or not. Your concentration can't be broken - but its never on the things that others find important. The Puzzle of the Pulse is your Will of the Wisp.

Weapon Master - Everything can be a weapon, and you know how to use it. Words, gestures, and much more common weapons are extensions of yourself. People and their will fall prey to your power as well as Monsters do. Limitation: You see everything as a challenge and a combat of some sort. Sex and the conquest for it is as far as your relationships usually go. You leave someone in every town wondering if you'll return.

Scion - Your blood sings with the Songs of the Ancients and your feet dance their Steps. You have a loving heart that bursts forth with Song and Step whenever you hear good music and comradery. Limitation: You have a hard time taking anything seriously, and often insult those you wish to befriend. Even the gravest matters tend to be laughed at.

Shadow Beast - You can imitate anything you come across, and often do. Your personality is fluid to the situation, and others have trouble seeing the real you. Mirrors hold your concentration like nothing else. Limitation: A lack of change is stagnation. You never miss a chance to try something new, even if it means leaving behind something good.

Spirit of Revenge - You've been called back from Hell to enjoy one last romp. You might be able to stay forever, if you fulfill your Pact. Hell needs people more Evil than you, but become too Evil and they'll want you back. Limitation: You feel the need to constantly balance your acts of murder and cruelty to the Wicked with inspiring acts of good. However, no one ever takes your acts of kindness for what they are and accuse you of further cruelty. And they might be right ...

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Interesting start. I like that you stuck with one line descriptions.

I challenge you to re-write the descriptions so that they imply what the characters' lives and abilities are like outside of combat.

Unknown said...

Challenge accepted. Reload the post.

Unknown said...

I'm not feeling it yet. Can you sell each of the classes to me so well that I can't decide which awesomeness I want to play?

Lisa P said...

Mark. Dude. Awesome! Fucking fantastic stuff.

But not for the Red Box Hack. Seriously, it's not making my heart go boom. Now it would for TSOY. Oh yeah... BOOM, BOOM, BOOM! But the Red Box Hack as I see it is all about killing lots of things and taking lots of stuff. While it might be nice to leave people wondering if I'm ever going to be back to their town, it's not the point of this game. (At least how I see it.) It's about killing things. Taking stuff. Moving on to the next things to kill and stuff to take. It's about gaining glory, fame and fortune.

And I don't see how the descriptions you have can lead to that. At least not in the Red Box Hack.

But that's my two cents.

Unknown said...

No, I'm agreeing. See, the point was to just throw something out, you know? I thought them up in a few minutes and then saw how they fit. I'm seeing that it isn't the fit at all. I'll work on it some more (and keep this for something else, maybe).

Lisa P said...

Mark,

That's kewl! On my way to work this morning I thought that maybe the idea you had should be for a game all on it's own. Dude! You should write it! :D