Character class

This article is about the general concept of a "character class" in role-playing games. For character classes specific to Dungeons and Dragons see Character class (Dungeons & Dragons). In computer science, "character class" refers to a type of element of a regular expression.

A character class represents a character's archetype and career in some role-playing games (RPGs). Usually, players choose their class when they create their character and may not completely part from that class during the life of that character.

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) introduced the usage of classes, and they are now found in all games which use the d20 system. They are also found in many computer and videogame RPGs. Outside of these two uses, classes are generally considered outdated and/or unnecessary.

Types of classes

Dungeons & Dragons provided a set of four classes that many players consider archetypal among games with classes: Fighter (combat-based abilities, but almost non-existent magic), Rogue (with stealth- and socialization-based abilities), magic user (powerful magical abilities, but physically weak), and Cleric (healing and supportive magical abilities, and minor combat abilities). Non-fantasy role-playing games often fill the place of the magic user with psychic- or scientist-like classes, and the Cleric (healing class) with a medic or similarly supportive role.

There can also be "hybrid"-character classes such as the Bard, a cross between the thief and mage with an emphasis on interpersonal skills, mental and visual spells, and supportive magical abilities - such as singing a positive stats-aiding song, or the Paladin, a cross between the fighter and cleric with slightly decreased combat skills (although still formidable, but more shield-aimed) but various innate abilities that are used to heal or protect allies and repel and/or smite evil opponents.

In the electronic RPG Final Fantasy series, character classes can be grouped similarly by characteristics like relative physical/magical/special attack/defense power, but distinguished by their skills and equipment. Among the generally physically strong character classes (and their common traits) are classes like knight (broadswords), monk ("buildup" and "kick" skills), dragoon ("jump" and spears) and berserker (uncontrollable character) and there are various types of mages (black for mainly offensive magic, white for holy and mainly curative magic, blue for magic learned by experience/observation, summoner for calling creatures). There are also "other" classes, such as thief ("steal" and "mug" skills and high speed), dancer (ability to equip ribbons), bard (musical instruments as weapons and songs that alter statuses), and scholar (books as weapons and 'seeing' enemy stats and properties).

Classes provide direction and limitations for characters. For example, a thief will usually be provided abilities such as lock picking, but probably would not be able to wield magic as well as a mage (or, depending on the game, possibly not at all). Game designers use the limitations provided by classes to encourage (or enforce) interdependence among characters. Some RPGs restrict the classes a character can choose based on alignment, race, or other statistics, though this is rare among contemporary RPGs.

A common alternative to class-based systems, skill-based systems are designed to give the player a stronger sense of control over how their character develops. In such systems, players choose the direction of their characters as they play, usually by assigning points to certain skills (such as "fighting with a one-handed weapon" or "forgery"). Advancements in class-based systems have sought to provide players similar control by presenting options as the player progresses in level. These options include prestige classes (a form of sub-class that is only available to characters who meet certain prerequisites), multi-classing (advancing a character in two or more classes), and hybrid class/skill systems.

Classless Characters

Classless games often provide templates for the player to work from, many of which are based on traditional character classes. Many classless games' settings or rules systems lend themselves to the creation of character following certain archetypal trends. For example, in the computer role-playing game Fallout (by some referred to as "the communism of roleplay games", because of that), common character archetypes include the "shooter", "survivalist", "scientist", "smooth talker" and "sneaker", unofficial terms representing various possible means of solving or avoiding conflicts and puzzles in the game. Although Fallout is classless and there is no set limit on how a character's skills can grow or what image they may make the character into, their initial skills are specialized into three selected skills and are based directly on the character's other attributes. Some RPGs feature another variation on the classes mechanic. For example in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, players choose a career. The career works like a class with added bonuses or skills related to the selected career. However as the player advances and gains more experience he or she may choose a new career according to a predefined career path. A player might start as a warrior and choose a career path to become a mercenary or choose a different path to become a dragonslayer. The warrior's available career paths do not allow the player to become a mage, similar to the restriction that one cannot change classes.

Non-Role-Playing Games

Outside of role-playing games, some other cooperative games, such as Star Wars Battlefront II or multiplayer tactical shooters, use class-based systems to leverage the emphasis they provide on cooperation. Often, these games also include other elements traditionally found in role-playing games, such as experience points. This is a relatively new "genre", small but growing.

Typical "Classes" for tactical shooter include:

Heavy Infantry (High power weapons, slower),
Sniper (very long range rifles, weak close fighting ability),
Engineer (weaker than average firepower, but abilities such as repairing vehicles, creating automated turrets or planting mines or bombs),
Medic (weaker than average firepower, but can heal others),
Anti-vehicle (Slow, can destroy vehicles, weaker firepower against infantry)
Typical infantry (average firepower, possibly faster than support classes, few or none special abilities)
Spy (Can disguise/cloak himself, plant cameras for remote surveillance and stab foes in the back for one-hit kills; sometimes combined with the sniper to make a "Covert Ops" class)

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Types of classes

Classless Characters

Non-Role-Playing Games

See also