Choosing Classes for your Game And Trimming The Fat!
Introduction
Many different TTRPGs have different classes. The details depend on the game, of course, but the basic rules are the same, with the class providing the spine of a character's growth. There are many systems that have a lot of classes available, including my beloved GLOG. In this case, it may be useful to curate the list of available classes. In the following post I will describe the things I think one should look at when deciding on what classes to forbid or add to their campaign! I will also describe some interesting frameworks of class usage that I think could be fun for you and your players.
Versimilitude
There's a common problem in 5th edition D&D where players expect being able to play anything that was officially published, including both species and classes. This leads to situations where characters and the world they inhabit are incongruent! That's unacceptable! Because of that, the first thing we ought to establish is what's allowed. If the campaign is set in a magical academy, all the characters should be spellcasters, if it is about a crusade limiting them to religious classes (or a rogue who just tagged along to loot) could also lead to interesting outcomes. Similarly with GLOG - limiting the classes just to a few that are available in the world and the situation, especially if you made your own, can lead to a feeling of being a part of the world, instead of being an outsider.
Easier Choice
Cutting down on options also helps to make character creation easier, especially for new players! Because of that, when preparing a game for new players, or a game with lots of character death where characters will be often made, I'd recommend cutting down on the number of classes available, maybe even just to two: the Magic User and the Fighter (preferrably in their setting-specific variation). Besides, a world with just two classes may be more interesting than one with dozens (for examples, look no further than to Carcossa).
Alternative Methods of Assigning Classes
You may also decide to change the way that classes work in your game, not just by limiting the available ones, but by messing with how they may be assigned. Here are some examples of how it may be done!
Metaprogression
Start the party with a small class list. Maybe just one class - Adventurer or a similiar class with generic and adaptable abilities. By actions taken in-game, however, they may unlock new classes for their next characters! By building a wizard tower they may unlock wizards, with bringing new spells and funding research unlocking new schools, or by signing a treaty with The Northerners they may unlock Barbarians. This helps to connect new characters to the world as well as to the party, as they are beneficiaries of the created institutions.
If you decide to use this method, create a list of at least 5 classes that may be unlocked in an obvious way (they are known to the players), as well as at least 3 secret ones (whose method of unlocking may be found in the world). You may also decide to add more, depending on how the players change the world, or new ideas you gain, or as results of their actions. I.e, it may just turn out that by building a larger set of roads they have attracted Merchants, or that their connections to The King's Court have attracted Spies
Communism
You can also decide to make the game classless! Most systems can be adapted to exclude classes, or to just make everyone one class. A good example is Wolves Upon The Coast by the magnificent Luke Gearing, where characters are advanced by boasting of the deeds they will perform. With that, you may reward the skills of players more than characters, as well as empathise different parts of the game. Maybe spells may be only gained through pacts with otherworldly entities, instead of through levelling? Maybe people can learn to become better fighters by training with various masters and achieving various feats, known to the players at the start(almost like an achievement list)? The possibilities are endless.
The Story of A Gun
Heroes are made by their items. Who would Roland be without his revolvers, or Artur without his sword? You could make a simple, basic class, similiar to the starting one in Metaprogression. Characters can add more abilities to it, however, by acquiring rare equipment that makes them able to achieve more. It is crucial for this method to make it rare, with pieces used to upgrade a character rare or one-time use only, making it so that players (and their character's estates) do not hoard them. Thus, a player's character may get a magic sword, then they may play a lineage of warriors who wield it.
Example Class lists
And, if you just want some lists for your GLOG game (or some examples of lists) here are some mostly generic ones, including examples of the other modes described:
Dark Fantasy, Set In The Underbelly of A City
Political Intrigue, Set In A Noble's Court
Tribal Council (Metaprogression)
The players start with one available class, granted to them by the tribe they are sent by - The Councelor (as the tribe values diplomacy, their members merchants who want to create the greatest city uniting the lands), and one granted by the tribe already united with theirs - The Barbarian (as their tribe rides horses and drinks their milk, granting them a strange strength). They can unlock more classes by unifing the surrounding tribes into the council. The heroes represent the highest ideals of the tribes. Here are the surrounding tribes (you may add more):
- Chronicler, provided by The Ones Who Remember - a tribe where everything is governed by the ancient Law, practicing rites held from times Immemorial.
- Butcher, provided by The Shepherds Of Flesh, a tribe of shepherds with many breeds of cattle and swine. They refuse to eat plants, eating only flesh, as they believe that humans may approach a higher level of existence this way. They practice ritual cannibalism.
- Knight, provided by The Fortress, a tribe of farmers defined by their hierarchy, each person bound by oaths to those both above and below.
- Lizard, provided by The Egghome, a tribe of Lizardfolk who live in the Great River.
Post Scriptum
So I've got a bit of a "writer's block" (which is not a real thing). So I made this thing to write something else than the main project that I became unable to do. Maybe it'll let me ramp my production back up. If you know any good ways to write more, please write to me.