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Saturday, September 13, 2014

Most of Us Seem to Have a Default Class / Race When We Play - What is Yours?



Although I always offer to play whatever the party wants or needs, the truth is I have my comfort zone - I tend towards human or dwarf for the race (although I do enjoy playing the occasional halfling) and the class is usually cleric, fighter or a cleric / fighter multiclass (or just a cleric that considers himself a front line fighter - sometimes wisdom doesn't apply across the board.)

I always feel a little awkward playing a magic-user - too few choices at low levels, too many at higher ones. Thieves are okay, but I'd probably never play a straight up thief - multiclassed with magic-user or illusionist though, and that thief just became a stellar thief ;)

Which is strange, because in my early days of gaming, after I played my first fighter (and my first character Cyrus) I don't think I ever went back and played a straight up fighter. The gods themselves know I NEVER played a cleric back in those days. Paladin, ranger, magic-user and the occasional bard from Dragon #56. Sure, I DMed a lot more than I played, but when I did play, vanilla fighters or clerics were not on my list of what to play.

These days I have a 1st level DCC Warrior and a 1/1 Dwarven Fighter / Cleric in Swords & Wizardry Complete.

Maybe it's because my first character upon my return to gaming (and my embracing the OSR) was a Dwarven Cleric in Castles & Crusades in an online Fantasy Grounds 2 Campaign who happened to be the best combatant in the party.

Or maybe it's because I just happen to like dwarves...

Do you have a default class / race when you play?

19 comments:

  1. I almost exclusively play humans. As for class, probably the thief. Even when I play a different class, I usually just end up playing them as a thief anyway. I always want to play a spellcaster, but I'll start out stingy with my spells and then forget I even have 'em when I need to cast one. Probably didn't help that I mostly played one-on-one sessions as a kid; I'm sure my fellow party members wouldn't forget

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  2. Dwarf Fighter. I blame reading The Hobbit too often as a lad.

    In newer games, Halfling Paladin in the style of a Knight of the Round Table. Don't ask why, I don't actually know but I love to play 'em.

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  3. I seem to always attempt to create a kick-ass cleric.

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  4. I tend to play a picaresque anything so beyond that no preferences.

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  5. I thought you were all about Tieflings Eric.

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  6. I've always been a vanilla human fighter type of player, but in recent years I've mostly enjoyed tiefling mages/warlocks or gnome rogues/fighters.

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  7. I like playing as a fighter or thief, human. I like fighters that are more about quick attacks not duking it out toe to toe. I feel discretion being the better part of valor is vastly underplayed in most fighter character setups. Also limiting out the characters at about level 5 or 6.

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  8. In 1e an elf MU/Thief or the elf mutt as we refer to him. Very versatile, concentrating more on thieving and fighting when young, fading over to more magic as he ages. Never a lot of hit points or AC, but a lot of utility and devastating hits sometimes (usually followed closely by invisibility)

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  9. When I need a simple character to get things started, I will usually start as a thief with a little magic... Race usually doesn't matter, unless I get a bad roll and the racial mods will help keep me out of aseverely weak stat. I always want to make the thief that pulls off the awesome stunts without getting caught, but who would never use his powers to the detriment of his fellow party members, or those who have already been hurt too much... I blame reading books like Harry Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat series when I was a kid.

    Otherwise, I have to admit that part of my enjoyment from the game comes from coming up with interesting class/race combinations that reflect different personality concepts. So I have a couple of characters waiting in the wings for the right situation (and GM) to bring to the table.

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  10. Replies
    1. Honestly, I would never have suspected that you likes witches Tim!

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  11. Fighter or Dwarf almost always, though I did play an Illusionist up to 4th level way back when. Not that I get much chance these days as it always seems to fall to me to DM.

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  12. Typically Dwarven Cleric/Fighters. Sometimes (especially in 3.5 and Pathfinder) I play human or half-elf bard.

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  13. Human magic-user is my preference. Human fighter or cleric if there are already a couple of magic-users in the party.

    In convention play I tend towards elf F/MU since those are, by definition, one-shot games.

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  14. I love rogues and magic users.

    Sneaky stabby rogues.

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  15. Currently I have a Dwarf race/class and a Half Orc Rogue. Most recent inactive character was a Human Wizard. I try to mix it up.

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