Why Classes Are D&D's Best Idea

Dungeons and Dragons has been around for years, and in its many years of influence, D&D has inspired a countless number of videogames. Experience points, a bunch of classic monsters, dungeons, and yes, even dragons as videogame staples can ultimately be traced back to the venerable king of roleplaying games - but there's one idea D&D popularized that doesn't get anywhere near enough credit. And that, is classes.

Yep, everything from warlocks to warriors ultimately draw influence from a couple of very clever ideas the creators of D&D had way back in the 1970s - but why are classes so influential? In an attempt to find out why, The Architect has donned a sword, staff, bow and a whole host of other cliche articles of classy clothing in an effort to find out once and for all why both developers and players love classes as a mechanic so damn much.

You Saw:
Baldur's Gate 3 - EARLY ACCESS
Stranger Things - 2016
Wizardry 1 SNES - 1980
XCOM 2 - 2016
Final Fantasy 3 - 1990
Darkest Dungeon - 2016
Overwatch - 2016 (yes I am refusing to note overwatch 2 as a seperate game out of spite thank you for asking)
Among Us - 2018
Paper Mario 2 The Thousand Year Door - 2004
Super Paper Mario - 2007
Moonbreaker - 2022
Warcraft 3 - 2002
World of Warcraft - 2004
Guild Wars 2 - 2012
Lost Ark - 2019
New World - 2021
Final Fantasy 14 - 2010
Runescape - 2001
Perfect Heist 2 - 2021
Final Fantasy 7 Remake - 2020
Xenoblade 3 - 2022
Dark Souls - 2012
Elden Ring - 2022
Skyrim - 2011
Path of Exile - 2013
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - 2019
Dota 2 - 2013
Dome Keeper - 2022
Gears Tactics - 2020
Space Engineers - 2013
Deep Rock Galactic - 2020
Invisible Inc - 2015
Into The Breach - 2018
Foxhole - 2022
Battle Brothers - 2015
Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga - 2022
XCOM: Enemy Unknown - 2012
The Binding of Isaac - 2014
Risk of Rain 2 - 2019
Gunfire Reborn - 2020
Grim Dawn - 2016
Titan Quest - 2006
Dragon Age Origins - 2009
Before Your Eyes - 2021
Fallout New Vegas - 2010
Terraria - 2011
Magic The Gathering Arena - 2018
Sid Meir's Civilization 6 - 2016
Cybperpunk 2077 - 2021
Prodeus - 2022

[RocketSlug]

I think one other important aspect of class systems adjacent to tutorialization is that different classes can test different skill sets. I don't have the best mechanics, so being the fastest or most accurate clicker isn't really my thing. But I love tank and support classes because instead of dexterity they test my ability to assess the battlefield and control the flow. I am tested in my understanding of threat assessment, resource management, and target prioritization which are just as rewarding to me

[boatjesus]

Worth noting that for Risk of Rain 2, Rex's healing doesn't restore shields, which is what you need for the Plasma Shrimp to work. But two of his abilities are self-damaging, which does effect shields, actually making Rex among the worst choices for Plasma Shrimp in the game.

[Herptroid]

ah yes finally a video on class struggle

[lunasophia]

Classes exist in D&D because Gary and Dave were trying to make it feel like you were playing a character in the fantasy novels they read at the time. I think the narrative basis of D&D is an important part of the context for its classes, and provides another perspective to consider when discussing them. Classes interact with the narrative in different ways. Gandalf's a wizard (yes, I know, I'm simplifying), Bilbo's a rogue, the dwarves are comic re--er, fighters, Aragorn's a ranger, Legolas is why old D&D has Elf as a class, and so on. As a *roleplaying* game, if you're Gandalf, you're going to think about problems differently to a hobbit who wants to go home, smoke a pipe, and have some (more) food. These different fantasies (here talking about the characters, not the stories per se) guided the mechanical design of the classes, and impacts creating characters today. Or maybe that's just me, since I prefer tabletop D&D or video games very close to it in lineage (like Wizardry, which you showed in the video, yay!).

[Ausprit]

It's interesting to watch a video praising classes when Richard Bartle built the first MUD to remove all references to classes (for wildly different reasons).

[rookbranwen]

In a way classes also exist in fighting games as character archetypes, the most familiar of these being grappler, rushdown, and zoner.

[ToxicBastard]

I always like flexible classes in games, like how in Xcom you can make the Assault a shotgun flanker dps beast or a rifleman who is hard to hit and can consistently stay the distance. Or in TF2; Spy is always going to be a sneaky sabotage guy who takes enemies by surprise, but you can change him a little to your liking, being patient and illusive, going for chain kills, being independent of healing items or using your gun as an assassination tool instead of a way to make pursuers bugger off.

[MattMurphyMusicTeacher]

I don’t know long it took to photoshop the Guy Fieri version of a DnD box, but it was worth every second.

[typemasters]

A possible follow-up video you could do would be on weapon classes, where the movement and health other similar stats stay the same but what changes is the weapon of choice.
How weapons are balanced, how some weapons become more popular to use that others, how some players pick less popular weapons to either challenge themselves or because they enjoy said weapon or because the weapon is the best fit to their chosen play style.

[dragonmaster]

I really like how the Legend of Heroes: Trails series utilizes 'classes' without actually giving characters a specific class. In those games, aside from using items or a basic attack, all the characters have two actions in combat; Arts and Crafts.

Crafts are combat techniques unique to each character and have an effect based on that character's 'archetype'. The big martial artist can buff his attack and defense and grab the attention of enemies, the small rogue can deal damage to multiple enemies while delaying their turns or teleport in front of an enemy for a %chance to OHKO.

Arts are magic, but the entire system around arts is the most complex partof a build. All the characters have what's called a Battle Orbment, think a pocket watch that lets you use magic spells. In order to use the Battle Orbment the character needs to insert magic stones called Quartz. Each type of stone is associated with an element, wind, water, fire, earth, space, time and mirage, and each unique Quartz also provides a modification to the character's attributes when attached to the Orbment. A basic fire quartz will increase Strength by 3% but also lower Defense by 1% for example.

Further, each Orbment only has a limited number of slots for quartz, which are arranged in a circle around a central slot. The slots are then joined together by a number of lines starting at the central slot. Generally, the fewer lines that a character's Orbment has, the better they are as a spell caster because each spell requires a certain number of quartz from a given element to be part of a single line. However, this also means that if characters with only one line want to use the most powerful spells, they need to specialize in a single element with only a little room for deviation, while characters with multiple lines in their Orbment tend to be better at accruing weaker spells from a number of different elements.

Of course because, like I mentioned, the different quartz all have unique secondary effects the entire mechanic isn't just about what spells you want each character to have, but also what secondary effects you want each character to have specifically. It's all about experimentation.

Not really about classes specifically, but I just really like how these games handle the concept of classes and spices them up a bit.

[theprofessionalfence-sitter]

On the other hand, I feel that, especially in action focussed games where one controls only (or primarily) one character, classes can often dull out the gameplay, encouraging you to just use the same powers over and over again, or idly standing by and waiting for other characters to do their job, because you don't have anything useful for the current situation.

Also, class specific dialogue can be a double-edged sword, especially in games where things other than combat take up a large role: some players might want to choose a specific class because they prefer the associated gameplay but could then be forced into making narrative choices they don't like. This issue could be fixed, though, by having players choose two classes, one for combat and one for dialogue skills (perhaps diplomat, preacher, snake oil salesman, or bouncer?).

[sanfransiscon]

I do think Skyrim tries to set up starting classes with its races, but only a select few of those racial bonuses or powers are actually useful for a particular build.
The reason why a stealth archer is so common is because it interacts with the most systems. Melee fighters forgo distance and positioning, and pure mages can't use stealth.

[vladimirgoryachev]

As a person who dislikes classes (and most other types of precommitments), I found this video genuinely helpful to understand why classes are so prominent and well-liked by other people. Thank you very much!

[MehnixIsThatGuy]

TL;DW: Classes are the limitation that breeds creativity.

[bagfootbandit]

I'd argue that classes are a reflection of how we categorize people in real life (as far as strengths and weaknesses) and how useful and beneficial it can be to do so. Ofc, this is more in service to achieving goals than it is an excuse to treat people "like damn clerics, " lel.

[alastairvanmaren]

Anyone who has worked creatively likely knows the restrictions breed creativity, rather than suppressing it. They limit the potential space you have to consider and take into account when making decisions, which leaves you free to combine the tools at your disposal in interesting ways that are likely unique to your situation. When the possibility-space for the next word in a poem is the entire English language, it is somewhat paradoxically significantly more difficult to find the right word. But when the possibility-space is limited to "words that rhyme with X" it is far easier to find the word you need.

[pootissandvichhere]

TF2 does this well.

Scout is a single target burst damager who can move really fast and double jump. They can whittle down enemy forces and take the objective with ease, even pushing carts twice as fast as other classes. He is however, described as a stick figure with legs, one good hit from a heavy damage weapon and he’s dead.

Pyros can light enemy spies on fire to make them easier to track, can deal massive burst damage with a DOT afterburn, and their air blast can turn enemy projectiles against the enemy team

Snipers and spies have abilities to instakill enemies by effectively doing more damage than any max overheal, but neither are good at head to head fights. Sniper also has to charge up for the extra damage while spies need to get behind enemy lines undetected to wreak havoc and fool players, one bad mistake with a disguise or bumping into a player while invisible? You’re dead.

Engineers can create teleporters, sentries, and dispensers to move allies quicker, create powerful area denial, and keep the team.

Medics can overheal classes to let them take much more punishment in one burst alongside regular healing, and their Ubercharge creates a powerful buff effect from invincibility, guaranteed crits, etc, but he is utterly useless in a fight

Soldiers and demomen have powerful splash damage attacks, but they can hurt themselves against close up targets. Demoman also tends to not pay attention when setting up stickies, giving spies a good chance for a kill. Pyros can deflect their projectiles to make their attacks hit friends!

Heavies have so much health that they a sniper or spy is needed to deal with one quickly, and good tracking with a mini gun pumps out massive damage! But the scout can easily throw it off and bash their head in with a bat too!

Each class is ridiculously powerful in its own way, but have glaring flaws that others can take advantage of. Everyone is powerful in some way, but some abilities might not be good for the situation, or might make it worse! This is the crux of gameplay. Which class is good for the current situation.

Edited in the rest of the classes

[PVS]

Classes also help COMMUNICATE to players what to expect from each other, from NPCs, enemies, etc.

"He's a barbarian" or "She's a sorcerer" gives 80% of the relevant info to understand the strategic impact on a team or in an opponent.

[reverie]

I am surprised you didnt talk about multiclassing, it is a very useful middle ground between normal classes and modular customization for more experienced players

[bennettpalmer]

I think, hilariously enough, classes work far worse in d&d than they do in most video game examples.

Classes, or class adjacent systems, work well in two situations: either there are thematic reasons to be limited in your options, like if you're playing as an existing character and thus it's important thematically to play into their pre-existing skillset, or you're playing a style of game where you're incentivized to win at all costs, and the classes are needed to prevent everyone from making the same generic "best" build. In a lot of video games, like League of Legends or Overwatch, these two situations both occur.

But in D&D, neither of these things are the case. Very few people are trying to "win" d&d by creating the absolute optimal character, and aside from some exceptions like needing some type of bloodline to become a sorcerer, there aren't really any great lore justifications for barring certain abilities from certain characters. And with d&d being so roleplay focused, classes cause a lot of issues, where a character would naturally want to learn a particular skillset, but because it's just not in their predefined class progression, they just can't do so, with no in universe justification for why this is the case.

Like, imagine a wizard has a bunch of near-death experiences, so they ask the fighter to teach them to wear heavy armor so they're less vulnerable. This seems perfectly plausible, and could be really interesting from a roleplay perspective, but it's simply impossible to do. Or, even more often in my experience, the opposite comes into play. You might want to play a fighter who has spent their whole life studying the blade, to the exclusion of all other weapons, but guess what? If he finds himself in a situation where his enemies are far away from him, rather than this becoming an interesting moment where the character realizes he's made a mistake in over specializing, he can just pick up a bow or crossbow and be almost as good with it as he is with his sword, because that's just how the fighter class works.

The problem with classes, especially as portrayed in games like d&d, is that while they work great mechanically, they simply don't make any sense from a storytelling perspective. This is fine in many video games, where the storytelling is secondary or even completely absent, but in ttrpgs, classes do a lot to hinder the storytelling by forcing character progression to only ever go a specific way, regardless of whether that makes any sense or fits with the narrative being told.