Quasi Classes: A Basic Fantasy Supplement

Creating game materials? Monsters, spells, classes, adventures? This is the place!
CelticViking
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2018 9:49 pm

[NECRO] Re: Quasi Classes: A Basic Fantasy Supplement

Post by CelticViking »

Sorry to cast Raise Thread here, but I am JUST getting into BFRPG and I love, L-O-V-E this idea! The concept of putting an overlay on top of the basic classes makes me very excited and fills me with ideas!

Is there a "guide" on how to build these quasi-classes at present? Should I maybe use a 1e Class Building Guide (to determine Xp progression) but drop all the base stuff (Hit Die, etc...) that the main class already provides?

Please and and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!
User avatar
Dimirag
Posts: 3613
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:24 pm
Location: Buenos Aires (C.A.B.A.), Argentina
Contact:

Re: Quasi Classes: A Basic Fantasy Supplement

Post by Dimirag »

As with the core classes (and sub-classes) there are no hard rules for creation, in art due to the old school way of doing things...
Its more an "art" than a mechanical thing.
A way of doing it is basing on whats already done, taking the general mechanics and twisting or changing according to what you want to create.

A kind of guide:
1-Think of a concept for a QC
2-What is the benefit it will produce?
3-How that benefit manifest mechanically
4-How that mechanic is attached to the level progression?
5-How much XP does it cost?
Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
Drawing portfolio: https://www.instagram.com/m.serena_dimirag/
CelticViking
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2018 9:49 pm

Re: Quasi Classes: A Basic Fantasy Supplement

Post by CelticViking »

Thanks for that.

Has anyone made more of them than the ones in the document? Seems this would be a LOT more fun than creating endless character classes, though that is more my taste than anything else ;)
User avatar
SmootRK
Posts: 4230
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:03 am
Location: Nashville, TN

Re: Quasi Classes: A Basic Fantasy Supplement

Post by SmootRK »

I saw your post this morning but have been out and about all day today. Even now, quick response via mobile phone. I will try to address your post later.

Best short answer is "no" there is no real guidance to how to write more such quasi-classes. Not really sure I would really want it codified in any hard way, lest I constantly break my own "rules".

[Edit to follow up the earlier question]
So, as to any such guidance. I did follow a basic rule/convention (as stated in the document):
  • One main difference is that the quasi-class does not alter or expand the standard base-class features such as hit die, saves, or attacking bonus directly, except in certain situations that are detailed in the individual quasi-class description.
  • While considering a Quasi Class idea and taking into account the statement above, I might put in wording to add some sort of limitations to a class in exchange for certain benefits. For instance, "An Archer wearing heavy armor or otherwise heavily encumbered loses the benefits of their chosen weapon" (but does not necessarily preclude use of armor), or from the Barbaric quasi-class "When wearing light armor (leather) or unarmored, it reduces damage from each physical attack that the character suffers by that amount, down to a minimum of one point of damage from each attack. Non-physical attacks, namely magical effects, are not affected by this damage reduction, explaining much of the barbarian's aversion to magic."
    Note the wording is specific to not necessarily negate or directly change the base class. They could always choose to forgo their quasi-class ability and revert to their base-class standards.
  • I tried (and the key word is "tried") to limit the quasi-class functions to just a few core ideas in order to get that "desired archetype". This is harder to achieve when trying to implement my ideas of "bardic characters" or the in-progress "monk", but it is a design goal. While some abilities require very detailed verbose portions (ie Sage topics), the mechanic is usually fairly succinct in itself.
  • I tried to create Quasi-Class ideas in ways that really could have application when layered upon any particular base class. If the idea would not work with any particular base class, then I re-tooled the idea until I found something that could get universal application. I even tried very hard to consider the most widely utilized Sub-Classes such as Druid, Necromancer, or Illusionist.
    Bear in mind, I mean this in the mechanical sense and not necessarily in the conceptual sense. Obviously it would take a large degree of justification to get a Holy-Necromancer to work in someone's world, but mechanically the rules would be workable otherwise.
    Note that I did not consider certain Sub-Classes that are functionally equivalent to basic idea of the quasi-class... ie I would not even consider Holy paired with a Paladin subclass... each tries to achieve a similar end. Likewise, Barbaric Barbarians would be wonky. To this end, I would recommend removing the less desirable option... for me that means no actual Paladin sub-classes because the Quasi-Class achieves that when paired with a Fighter, and offers a similar objective to other less traditional pairings such as Holy Magic-Users or Holy Clerics (an actual very cool concept that I have used recently).
  • As far as XP considerations. I just did what felt right. In the beginning this was by a percentage, but this felt wrong as it unfairly put additional burdens upon higher XP classes (like MU)... so later this was changed to a specific progression instead. Some classes felt like they offered a whole lot of options (ie Bard) so it got a bigger such progression. I tried to keep things simple though.
Is it really the end, not some crazy dream?
User avatar
Dimirag
Posts: 3613
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:24 pm
Location: Buenos Aires (C.A.B.A.), Argentina
Contact:

Re: Quasi Classes: A Basic Fantasy Supplement

Post by Dimirag »

CelticViking wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 6:40 pm Has anyone made more of them than the ones in the document?
Yes, I have: The Quasi Classes 2 Supplement which includes the Acrobat, Assassin, Medic, and Savage QC.
Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
Drawing portfolio: https://www.instagram.com/m.serena_dimirag/
User avatar
teluria
Posts: 120
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 2:25 pm
Location: Iowa

Re: Quasi Classes: A Basic Fantasy Supplement

Post by teluria »

I actually created a new class from the Sage quasi class called a Researcher. Think of them as a less punchy Indiana Jones type. They can be very useful as hirelings. However as they are exclusively gnomes, they have a risk of being Fascinated when encountering something new, which renders them useless as they will study whatever is so interesting even at risk of bodily harm. There's a reason there are few old gnomes, even if they can live to be 200 otherwise.

My gnomes are a reskinnng of sorts of goblins in Sword and Board.

I also created a sort of strictly exploring type gnome class called Dungeoneer. They have the Tinker ability to MacGyver solutions from materials at hand, but also run the risk of fascination which will cause them to Overengineer, taking longer than needed to build a solution while ignoring their surroundings
Plagiarism is the sincerest form of Appreciation
CelticViking
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2018 9:49 pm

Re: Quasi Classes: A Basic Fantasy Supplement

Post by CelticViking »

Thanks guys :)

I appreciate all the assistance on this as I am really in love with the idea of templates/quasi classes for all my D&D/BFRP needs :)
User avatar
chiisu81
Posts: 4106
Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:05 pm

Re: Quasi Classes: A Basic Fantasy Supplement

Post by chiisu81 »

Solomoriah wrote: Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:04 pm DO NOT Download the Supplement from the Main Downloads area. There is a better version in the Showcase Section~

The file for r4 has been uploaded to the Showcase section:
https://www.basicfantasy.org/showcase.cgi?sid=51
Either this entry needs to be removed from the Downloads page, or we(I) need to know what needs to be done for r4 (or a later release esp. if I edit) to replace r2 on the Downloads page.
User avatar
SmootRK
Posts: 4230
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:03 am
Location: Nashville, TN

Re: Quasi Classes: A Basic Fantasy Supplement

Post by SmootRK »

The release 4 in the showcase can be put into the downloads section, however my main concern in doing that is that the Monk entry is not entirely finished.

Perhaps just remove the Monk from the document since it is unfinished, and then the new R5 can be upgraded to "downloads". The unfinished Monk portion can simply get a Workshop thread and we can see if we get something finished up later (and maybe inserted back in for a R6)?

I have not been able to work on anything of any real substance in ages now. I need a clone so I can do stuff I like to do, instead of work/kids/errands/ etc.
Is it really the end, not some crazy dream?
User avatar
chiisu81
Posts: 4106
Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:05 pm

Re: Quasi Classes: A Basic Fantasy Supplement

Post by chiisu81 »

I've uploaded r5 here. Along with the usual various edits, I put in a rough outline/skeleton for the Monk special attacks/Martial Arts, if 1 or more of you would like to post suggested edits, additions, etc. I think once we get those along with the Order examples fleshed out we can prep r6 for the Downloads page to replace r2 that's on there, along with Smoot's Showcase r4 entry.

Edit: removed my r5 now that Solo has posted an improved version.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 53 guests