The Science of a "Workable" Class

[Nucleon]

Hi. Please allow me to pontificate on a subject that fascinates me; Building a class that would actually work. It's not so easy; For exemple, the standard "Warrior" class in the game is broken; There is no way a player picking this class can ever achieve a +5 advancement to Endurance, wich is yet a big part of being a fighter.

I also think that gathering all the skills one finds useful at the start of the game, is wrong. If all used equally, these skills will advance at the rate of (about) 1.5 point per level, effectively making the character un-remarkeable and below average as he "progresses". Not a good idea. There is indeed such a thing as a progression that is too hasty.

A good class, IMO, should consist of about 2-3 skill you intend to developp as fast as possible, 1-2 skills that are pleasant but which augmentation will be moderate, and 1-2 skill you don't intend to touch before a long, long while.

And then there are the secondary skills: The skill that will not make you progress in level, but that can easily, and quickly, surpass your Class skills. When I design a character Class, I always wonder which secondary skill would be useful to developp on the side.

Here is my review of various skills, and the place I see for them:

Combat Skills (Blades, Blunts, HtH, Marksman): I set 2-3 of these skills as Class ones, but focus on about one and a half. HtH is a great Class skill to have to let it sleep, since it is rarely used as long as the character can access a weapon.

Defensive Skills (Light Armor, Heavy Armor, Block): I rarely put these in my Class skills, since I tend to play characters who progress a lot in there. These skills have a fast rate of advancement, and that could mess up a perfect built.

Movement skills (Acrobatics, Athletics, Sneak): I like to include Acobatics in my "half-progression" Class skill, but Athletics could really mess a traveller's Class progression. Athletism is also one of the skill I regularly pay trainers for, as it is really slow in its progression.

Magic Skills (Alteration, Conjuration, Destruction, Illusion, Mysticism, Restoration): Magical skills train really, really easily, and for that reason I hesitate to put more than three of those in a magical Class, and among these, one would typically be a rarely used skill. Restoration, exeptionally slow to progess, is a good choice for a Class skill, or for getting training for in the opposite case.

Artisan skills (Armorer, Alchemy, Security): Armorer maybe the fighter's only out-Class skill that could permit him the much needed +5 advancement in Endurance. For every character that doesn't wear H-armor and/or a shield, it is a more judicious choice as a "half-progression" Class skill. Asfor Alchemy, I just like it in my class skills, but that's because i do not use it until relatively late in the game.If one intents to use it profusely, it would be better as a non-class skill.

Personal skills (Speechcraft, Mercantile): Mercantile is almost essential among Class skill if one intends to push it high, given it's slowness to do so. Speechcraft is also a nice Class skill filler.

So this is it. Please descibe here the classes that did it best for you, and explain how.