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So I have been messing around with the idea of changing up the class design, to better fit with the new action system, and a few things occurred to me:
1) classes aren't balanced (this we already knew)
2) classes are not parallel (less obvious, but not something we didn't know)
3) class progression is confusing and complex
So I was messing around with the fundamentals of the game and I went through a few different versions (some very radically different) which had things like reducing the number of ability scores, to changing the way CL and BAB were calculated based on level, and some more crazy nonsense that I have since abandoned.
I wanna look at the RAE system in Unchained and roll with an idea I have about classes progressing in similar ways allowing them to be run side by side in ways that make them similar, but not the same.
Examples:
classes come in 3 different chassis, each chassis functions basically the same way:
1(Warrior) Full BAB, d10 HD, no magic, 6+INT skills per level
3(Gish) 3/4 BAB, d8 HD, 5th level magic, 4+INT skills per level
4(Full Caster) 1/2 BAB, d6 HD, 9th level magic, 2+INT skills per level
Classes in each category oughta have the same number of class abilities come online at first and second level, and all classes should have their optional class abilities (Rage Powers, Rogue Talents, Ki Powers, etc) come on at even levels, where feats come in at odd levels.
Then, class abilities need to be rewritten for the new action system, everything oughta be a single act, two act, three act, or no act to activate.
Under this system, characters like rogues and monks will be virtually equal in power to barbarians and fighters, paladins and rangers equal to bloodragers, bards and magi equal to inquisitors and hunters, and clerics and druids equal to witches and wizards.
Spellcasting can be changed to be universal. Prepared vs spontaneous can be changed, a lot. I really like the Arcanists stlye of casting, and I think all casters should be based on this system. That doesn't mean we should get rid of the classes that exist per se, but we should rethink they way they work to give the game more balance between them.
Characters should not be able to multiclass within the same chassis, only into other chassis based classes.
In this system the only difference between say, a fighter and a barbarian would be that a fighter gains his combat bonuses from weapon training where a barbarian gets his from rage, but the bonuses are comparable.
I also wanna play with the different sects of magic that exist, making spell progression easier by simply having master lists that all classes use based on their choice of class.
Arcane (INT based)
Nature (WIS based)
Divine (CHA based)
Bardic (CHA based)
Witchcraft (INT based)
Occult (WIS based)
Each of these lists would have an entirely revised spell list, and any class that casts such spells chooses them from the same list, like a paladin gaining spells being the same as say, a warpriest or inquisitor.
Gish classes work as hybrids of one of the warrior classes (choosing an appropriate combat progression, like monk style mixed with nature casting)
warrior classes would also choose a similar list of options
Weapons/Armor
Hunting/Preying
Raging/Berserker
Unarmed/Martial Arts
It can sort of turn the game into a build-your-own class kind of system, but maintains compatibility with all the feats that exist, save for those tied to a class ability.
Is this a project that would interest people to play? Could I find playtesters to help me design and play it?
If you're going to do something drastically different with magic I would suggest basing it on something similar to 'Spheres of Power'.
Here's an exert from my review to show why I'd push that agenda; "[Now I’m going to say something very opinionated]Spheres are better than spells. Spheres of Power is better than Pathfinder’s normal magic. Not more powerful, because it’s not, but just better for the game and for players. Why is it better?
(*) Its more balanced. Normal magic is way more powerful because it’s in limited resource. Each spell scales on it’s own, there are 9 levels of casting and you get more spells at each level. That is three axis in which spells grow in power. Compared to talent/feat based classes like the Fighter this is too much. With spherecasting the growth is as linear as a fighter by being talent-based so even adding the optional advanced talents to spheres that let you do more worldchanging magic you don’t get into God-tier power and fall more into the power level of an Inquisitor or Bard in terms of raw power and versatility.
(*) Its easy. The list of spheres and talents are about 50 pages, not including traditions and advanced talents but including all the full page images. That itself is as varied and encompassing as normal magic. Compare that to the list of spells in the Core rulebook ALONE which is about 147 pages. Nobody has time to read all that! Especially since most of them are trap options. And it doesn’t come near the versatility that spherecasting has in it’s measly 50 pages. You don’t even have to read all those pages. The names of the spheres are intuitive enough where you can just decide your theme and pick whatever sphere that sounds right and read that.
(*) It makes sense. To cast Fireball you don’t need to know Burning Hands or Produce Flame or have any knowledge of any fire spell to cast it. This has always bothered me to no end. You just grab the spell and you can cast it. With spheres you have a starting point. You want to cast a fireball, take the Destruction sphere and learn the Fire Blast talent first. Want to actually make it an AoE blasts, take the AoE talent from the Destruction sphere. This way anything magical you do is a consequence of other magic you know unless you’re picking up an new sphere.
(*) You always have something to do. Each sphere is has an at-will ability at it’s core. Sure you can run out of spell points and be that much weaker but this means you still have something to do rather than just sitting on your butt, wielding a crossbow or begging for a nap when you run out of useful spells. You can actually adventure for more than for four battles along with your martials.
(*) You can actually do things from that anime/book/movie/show/videogame that you wanted to do. Say you want to be Elsa from Frozen, and do ice things. Good luck doing that with normal casting. At best you can be a water elemental sorcerer and cast all kinds of things that have nothing to do with ice after digging through multiple books of spells so that you can get some useful ice spells. Want to be a time mage? Well you’re out of luck, most of that comes as higher level spells. But with spherecasting your icy dreams come true, just pick up the nature sphere with maybe an elemental focus tradition and you’re done. Probably conjuration with the elemental talent for the living snowmen. You can take the Time sphere and be a magical timebender. you can do pretty much anything you want without the baggage of spells outside your theme or abilities that don’t define your concept."
Additionally the way caster levels comes in full, 3/4 and 1/2 like BAB is intuitive in relation to the rest of the game.
I'd also suggest your save design follow along those lines as well.
To answer the question of whether or not something like this would interest me; Well so long as it has a limited scope and is different enough. I have a lot of Pathfinder stuff and generally am happy playing Pathfinder as much as I can but I bought 5th edition because it scratches an itch that I can't easily scratch with Pathfinder. When Five Moons comes out I'll get that too for the same reasons. So probably.