Seeing the potential for PF2 without class and / or level.

[Albatoonoe]

While we haven't seen the full rules, seeing how consistent the rules are got my gears turning. All of the rules are built around very consistent mechanics between Proficiency and Feats. With everything functioning along the same line, I feel that things can be broken down into more granular/atomized options divorced from level and class.

It'll take a bit more work than just breaking down class features. I actually look toward Legend of the Five Rings for a bit of inspiration, where the feats you have inform your level, rather than the other way around. It could even be broken down into smaller categories to reflect combat and non-combat, but I think it could work.

Does anyone else have ideas concerning this? What do you think?

Also, shout out to E6, which is gonna get some new life with these rules, methinks.

[ChibiNyan]

Think E7 may be more likely than E6 if only to unlock Master proficiency as the capstone.

[Albatoonoe]

ChibiNyan wrote:

Think E7 may be more likely than E6 if only to unlock Master proficiency as the capstone.

Oh sure. I was just saying that the system better supports that style of game more than PF1 could.

[Crayon]

I have given some consideration to the idea as it would seem to mitigate some of PF2's problems, but there are too many other systems that fill the niche far better to really make it worthwhile IMO.

[Ramanujan]

I would love to have this.

However while this would be a smaller jump for PF2 than it was for PF1, it still seems a pretty large leap to me.

[QuidEst]

ChibiNyan wrote:

Think E7 may be more likely than E6 if only to unlock Master proficiency as the capstone.

If you do that, it does a great job taking advantage of the feats-only leveling that E7 would have- the next feat granted can be a skill feat to take advantage of the new skill mastery. (Rogue has already gotten it a level early, of course.)

[Lady Funnyhat]

An alternative to E6/E7 could just be removing the +level bonus from all proficiencies and get something close to D&D5e's true bounded accuracy. You can also subtract a monster's level from all of its modifiers with minimal effort.

You can also look into classless systems like Savage Worlds where characters don't have levels, but they do have tiers. So while characters don't get significantly bigger numbers as they gain more XP, they still gain access to abilities that are much more powerful thematically and narratively. Being able to teleport for instance doesn't automatically mean that you are also virtually unhittable by a common soldier.

I have no idea how you would handle class features though. Perhaps make them feats with a number of class feats as prerequisite?