So, I was rereading this thread:
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2pvqd?Young-Characters-NPC-Classes#1
And something occurred to me: Why don't we, you know, just make classes for kids? Something viable for a young character, that gives him personality and oomph, but also makes it clear that this isn't quite an adult?
What are the basic classes we need? We need something martial, something magical, and maybe something skill-based, right?
I like the idea of a 'Bully' as a Martial fighting class, maybe combine elements of the Rogue and the Ranger to make an 'Urchin', or something like that.
Anybody with me? Or am I just rambling?
I'm all in favor of creating underpowered classes.
The NPC classes that exist actually do what you are asking pretty well with one real exception: there is no arcane class. A dumbed down version of the sorcerer and wizard whose spell progression only gets as far as the Adept's would suffice. One could borrow the spellbook mechanics of the wizard/magus for the prepared version and mirror the spells known for the spontaneous version.
Someone else was trying to introduce his daughter to Pathfinder by using Disney characters so, for me, when I think 'kiddie classes' I immediately think 'classes for children that want to play Pathfinder' rather than 'let's give everyone a class from the time they're old enough to walk'.
I'm not overly fond of classes in general. I tend to prefer game systems that are skill-based because I feel there's more room to really define your character without having to have the infinity+1 list of class variations so you can get what you want.
All that said, I do think it would be interesting to have Pathfinder for kids that might include younger starting ages. The main issue, I think, would be to make sure it neither underestimates nor overestimates those playing it. People tend to have some odd ideas about what kids can and can't handle as well as how smart they are.
Absolutely. Robin's just as dangerous as Batman, after all.
I love classes, though. I love classes for games that have them, anyway.