Allowing Class to Define Character

[Chillsmack]

I don't think it should define your character each and every time: an in-game class is just a tool that you can form the character around. If it fits for so-and-so to be their actual in-game class, and it works for them then more power to them. You NEED a balance in demographics. Fortunately when it comes to physical combat classes (no magic), it's very easy to simply use the class to express their combat skills without necessarily pidgeon holing them: just because you have an axe doesn't mean you're a member of the Maurader's Guild, for example (which is what I did with my main)

 

It gets a little trickier with magic, and to be honest, it should be because there is lore surrounding the type of magicks seen in FFXIV's Eorzea (my WHM is a conjurer of Gridania for example)

 

Unfortunately with FFXIV the lore itself kinda makes some classes really difficult to RP in-character at all, let alone as templates or foundations, particularly scholar and summoner. If you ever plan on incorporating actual gameplay into your RP (which is something I like to do, and I think if it's done right it adds something full on text simply can't do) you have to really stretch to play a scholar or summoner: by lore there are no scholars left, and with them, their fairies...so how are you using one in battle? Summoners have to witness or be the instruments of a primal's demise in order to capture some of their essence and conjure an Egi...and for sake of realism, and for the sake of making the primals a grave threat rather than a trivial challenge that can be overcome with just a handful of people (product of the world being in a video game, unfortunately) how many times can you have people beating down the primals?

 

Any hurdle can be overcome with that "one-off" explanations that mirror the special circumstances for the player character and the soul stones and whatnot, but when you can explain away something that easily then everyone will have that as the background for their characters, which leads to the community breaking the lore. In this manner, the game's lore itself actually blocks off many people from letting their class define them, but in a negative/restrictive manner, rather than one that promotes creativity.

[Aaron]

Im solely a rogue for dual wield. Everyone who knows Aaron IC will tell you he's a guy with many swords and dual wield is his most noted combat attribute.

 

IC he's still just a swordsman just you'll actually see him with dual wield actions visually etc.

 

I couldn't care less about a back story involving it. Im only getting it for the dual wield. he's no Paladin, or rogue. Just an ex pirate.

 

Still with the death of DF imminent it's gonna be a bitch to level.

 

Honestly I might switch between PLD and NIN IC mainly because

 

1 - DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO GET AARON'S SWORD COLLECTION TOGETHER!? I LITERALLY WENT TWO DAYS NON STOP ON LEVI EX JUST FOR A WAVE SHAMSHIR and missed out on Odin for WEEKS BEFORE I GOT ZANTETSUKEN AKA SWITCHY blade Badassery. That and the other 10 unique swords he has as PLD im not throwing all that time away.

 

And

 

2 - He doesn't always dual wield when fighting.

[Nebbs]

For me it depends on the game, where there are clear mono class toons then I tend to stay within the confines of that class (eg Jedi, Mage, Paladin)

 

In FFXIV as I don't have the class constraint I have instead borrowed from classes to allow for a character that is more diverse, being the sum of her experiances rather than the template of any one class. This has allowed me to let RP shape her.

 

Some things that I have done to soften the steriotyping of a single class.

1. Made her a generalist in terms of magic, so more a gifted amater than a master

2. Have outfits that are character based rather than achivement based and try and keep these consitant.

3. The "T" -broard skills and only good/deep in a couple of things (bard & healing)

4. Play the character not the class, as in don't define who you are or what you do by the class

5. Pick something to lable yourself that is not a class, so I went with Witch. Though this can be diffivcult as a Paladin is a Paladin?

 

I think the main thing I would say, which is universal is play the character not any template, be that class, roll, disability, items etc..

[Kellach Woods]

Considering I craft my characters around the limitations of the system, yes.

[OverlordOutpost]

I've held onto this type of idea since Guild Wars 1.  Characters can certainly learn how to use a weapon, but mastering a weapon involves signing up with a mentor or trainer (hence the in-game classes).  A class won't define the character, but some classes do attract certain personality types more than others. 

 

Finding an incredibly happy go lucky thaumatage pacifist won't be a common occurrence; neither will finding a embittered hate-filled white mage who reverse-heals.  Which is not to say it can't happen, just it isn't common.

 

So when I make a character, I consider what skills the would have learnt casually or on their own; followed by what class (if any) would their personality have led them to specialize in.  In some cases, a character might've chosen a class they didn't fit into well, and that struggle could become a part of them.  It's also important to remember that mastering a skill/class takes -time- and that needs to be considered in your character's backstory/age.

 

As for Jobs, that's a whole different can of worms, since mentioned before; some jobs simply aren't very usable like Scholar or Summoner.  Most cases I tend to stick to the class and not the job.

[ZindelloTarantella]

 

 

Finding an incredibly happy go lucky thaumatage pacifist won't be a common occurrence; neither will finding a embittered hate-filled white mage who reverse-heals.  Which is not to say it can't happen, just it isn't common.

 

Although Square, with the whole 'No classes meant solely for support' idea has made Conjurers and White Mages (technically) lethal to the point where one could play them as essentially 'White Magic Thaumaturges'

[Titor]

I do, because I have not really seen anything to counter the statement.

Every CNJ/WHM I have met ICly has been the motherly, healer, tree-hugger type.

Every MRD/WAR has been hulky brawny type.

Every THM/BLM has been the distant seemingly good but still something is off type

Every LNC/DRG has been..... ..... ..... typical drg.

Every GLD/PLD has been the protective knight type

I only met one ARC/BRD so, not much to go off there.

PUG/MNK seems to be the punchy punchy I punch your face because PUNCH type.

I have not met many other ACN's, but like my character they seem to be the smart/nerdy/bookworm type.

 

If your character breaks any of these patterns I have noticed, great! But I probably have not rped with you O-o

[ZindelloTarantella]

I do, because I have not really seen anything to counter the statement.

Every CNJ/WHM I have met ICly has been the motherly, healer, tree-hugger type.

Every MRD/WAR has been hulky brawny type.

Every THM/BLM has been the distant seemingly good but still something is off type

Every LNC/DRG has been..... ..... ..... typical drg.

Every GLD/PLD has been the protective knight type

I only met one ARC/BRD so, not much to go off there.

PUG/MNK seems to be the punchy punchy I punch your face because PUNCH type.

I have not met many other ACN's, but like my character they seem to be the smart/nerdy/bookworm type.

 

If your character breaks any of these patterns I have noticed, great! But I probably have not rped with you O-o

 

Tarot breaks the tread of the gloomy Lancer type, being more of a rogue anyway. In fact it's why I started this entire thread and discussion was mostly because I wasn't sure if people would believe he could be a 'rogue' without actually having the class.

As for being a non-gloomy lancer, he will play pretend he's gloomy with the right people.

 

"So we ready to go exploring--oh, wait, I'm a lancer, ah..ahem. 'Let's go'...Heh!"

 

But the thing is that I do stereotype for all the reasons you said, even going so far as to apply them to people I know personally. Monks/Pugs are the beefy types to be sure, though oddly I've never RPed much with Warriors. All the paladins seem to be the more 'strategic' thinkers if they aren't 'knightly'. Even then I know ONE who is neither but he's a weirdo! WEIRDO!

[OverlordOutpost]

 

 

Finding an incredibly happy go lucky thaumatage pacifist won't be a common occurrence; neither will finding a embittered hate-filled white mage who reverse-heals.  Which is not to say it can't happen, just it isn't common.

 

Although Square, with the whole 'No classes meant solely for support' idea has made Conjurers and White Mages (technically) lethal to the point where one could play them as essentially 'White Magic Thaumaturges'

While you can, gameplay wise, shove rocks into people's faces for a fun bit of reverse-healing their faces off ... none of the Conjurers in the game or in lore tend towards that personality or attitude.  The only close to qualifing is Edda, who was insane and using corrupted white mage as necromancy to heal/revive the long dead.

[ZindelloTarantella]

 

 

Finding an incredibly happy go lucky thaumatage pacifist won't be a common occurrence; neither will finding a embittered hate-filled white mage who reverse-heals.  Which is not to say it can't happen, just it isn't common.

 

Although Square, with the whole 'No classes meant solely for support' idea has made Conjurers and White Mages (technically) lethal to the point where one could play them as essentially 'White Magic Thaumaturges'

While you can, gameplay wise, shove rocks into people's faces for a fun bit of reverse-healing their faces off ... none of the Conjurers in the game or in lore tend towards that personality or attitude.  The only close to qualifing is Edda, who was insane and using corrupted white mage as necromancy to heal/revive the long dead.

 

Don't remind me...

 

/hates Necromances at even the best of times

[Aaron]

Tarot isn't gloomy when he's swearing people owe him money :frustrated:

[ZindelloTarantella]

Tarot isn't gloomy when he's swearing people owe him money :frustrated:

 

:evil:He figures that if he says it enough times, people will start believing it.:evil:

[Emeraven]

Emeraven is a Bard, she does like the bow and thinks it a very good style of fighting for her. She would call herself a huntress in that regard. She has always believed that songs have a power, something she was taught from a young age. 

 

But shes not typical of either class of adventurer. She can be a rather cold and calculating killer with the bow, a equivalent to our world's snipers. She can appreciate nature, she isn't a nature lover, or has any real loyalty to protecting the twelve's wood.

 

She does sing, and if I can ever get myself to preform with her in RP, you will see she prefers a very different class of song than is the traditional bard fare. She could never feel right in a bards traditional attire and wears a black leather long-coat while out in the hunt.

 

She is influenced by her class and job, then that is filtered through her own strong personality.

[GloryRhodes]

Spahro is a Monk, but I straight up play her as a reporter.  She can't fight at all.  Does that count?

[Aaron]

Tarot isn't gloomy when he's swearing people owe him money :frustrated:

 

:evil:He figures that if he says it enough times, people will start believing it.:evil:

 

I almost paid him that one time he kept saying it lol.

 

Then i realized my +3 resistance stat.