Social Class x Adventuring Class (I promised myself not to do this)
So I decided to abandon this project and turn away to things I do need to do in near future (like finish preparing Alien: Farmhands game I'm about to run, finish preparing Cold County Third Mission form the longer campaign or even think of an entry for LEGO Setting Jam). So it was at this moment my mind went "you know what? I got it" and so it goes.
The goal of this post is outlining my idea for feudalist Social Classes x Adventuring Classes. Basically 3x3, Noble, Commoner and Outlaw x Fighter, Magic-User, Thief.
Feudal Estates
For the sake of my mind we abandon First Estate - Clerics. I don't like aesthetics of Christian Clerics and I never play games with only one god so it doesn't make sense to me. I know the Church was kind of the reason medieval feudalism was what it was but I don't give a single about it, it's my fantasy game. So no First Estate, gods are many and there is no official state religion, even if some mystics and priests are powerful and influential I would rather make them just alternate nobles. On the other hand YOU could add it. Make the Clergy social class and Fighters are Paladins and Clerics are Monks/Priests or whatever.
Second Estate - Nobility. Since feudalism originated as a way for king to be able to muster troops - especially armoured cavalry was expensive deal - then regular nobility has to be warriors. I know later there was a shield tax so the noble leech could pay instead of going to war themselves but we're talking about true gritty stuff not the early modern period. So nobles are warriors but are they anything else? Well, to be a roguish archetype is dishonourable so not really (though potentially intrigants/assassins could be here) and as for magic-users it also seems unlikely. Unless culture is very pro magic or magic-users get to be superpowerful like in Black Company. So I guess magic-users are too weird and connect too much to labour to be of noble interest. They smell too much like Commoners. So Nobles only get to be fighters.
Third Estate - Commoners. There are so many castes and professions commoners could be and do. Artisans, merchants, servants, soldiers, peasants. So many skills and so many reasons to abandon it and go adventuring. If you have too many children and not enough land/resources for them to inherit then the spare ones can make a living and career in military. And if by any chance you're well off and can afford it you could send them to practice magic. I can see here fighters and magic-users, thieves not so much - there are no official Thieves Guilds, being a commoner usually means you don't have time to specialise in stealing and the risk of being caught and losing everything is too great.
And unofficial Fourth Estate - Outlaws. Everybody on the verge of society, beggars, thieves, entertainers, all those whose profession is not societally approved and not seen as required. Fighters? Yes, you could be a mercenary or a bandit in the woods. Magic-users? Ever heard of a witch that lives in the forest? Thieves? Yes indeed. Outlaws get no laws but all adventurers!
Social Class/Adventuring Class table
| Class | Fighter | Magic-User | Thief |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noble | Knight | - | - |
| Commoner | Soldier | Sorcerer | - |
| Outlaw | Brigand | Witch | Rogue |
In practice we end up with regular three classes - Fighters, Magic-Users and Thieves - with social class twists.
Knights would need to be fighters with additional leadership oomph. Soldiers maybe just more combat competent. More tactics and teamwork. Brigand gets a malicious twist.
Sorcerers and Witches are just regular magic-users. I don't think differentiation is necessary, Sorcerers would have more resources but less freedom to pursue mystic arts, Witches would be less situated but more free with their research, but in the end it doesn't matter to me that much. It's mostly reputation and societal perception.
Rogues are Thieves but it feels wrong to give a 'Thief' assasination and backstabbing ability. It's very murderous for a regular ass money-grabbers so I'd rather call them Rogues.
A Little Prayer to the Muse
Now, the gods of blogging and inspiration, with this post finished would you let me take care of the stuff I want, please? And stop thinking about this?
Inspirations:
https://reverancepavane.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-aristocratic-caste-part-4.html
https://coinsandscrolls.blogspot.com/2017/06/osr-class-knights.html