Defining one's class

Class system is more or less perfect as-is and doesn't need any major changes. You'll come around.

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Intertwined wrote:

I feel this is a game where the player defines the class, not where the game defines the class for you. To me, that's the beauty of this game. I personally don't feel restricted, yet I can create my own unique builds that actually do work in higher difficulties.

You win. People ask in Global Chat SO much -- which class should I play? What sort of Witch should I build?

I think this sort of thinking is residual from more rigid ARPGs. Path of Exile is somewhat unique in that you don't pick your build based on your class -- you pick your class based on your build.

My favourite answer to the above question is: what do you normally play in an ARPG? Look at the class starting areas and figure out which of those will best facilitate your desire to play that way here.

The idea of your desired build dictating which class you choose, as opposed to choosing a class and then figuring out how to build it, is revolutionary in regards to ARPGs, and I think GGG should push it as one of PoE's truly unique features.

But this isn't a "Class system". Play any game out there that has "classes" and you may understand that one class can only perform specific abilities.

Classes are defined by how they were trained. A templar (which is usually very similar to a paladin) doesn't go out and learn how to raise dead because it's against his/her code to do so. A warrior like a Marauder doesn't learn on the fly how to cast ice spears and in his/her mind it's stupid when they can leap into battle and cleave heads off. It completely violates who/what they were trained to be.

I think the game is great and all but I still think they should go the route of naming your own class like Oblivion did. The hardcore gamers that appreciate lore will find this tidbit of misleading information somewhat unprofessional like it was just thrown in there to give each starting area a title even though it's meaningless.

If someone wants to play a Death Knight and loves lore, they surely won't wanna play a Templar (which is probably the best spot to pick) to do so because that's the actual opposite of what they think should be a Death Knight (according to most Templar backgrounds). It may be a stupid thought, but the people who actually enjoy playing a class that has a title and background/history behind it is important.

Sure we can play in the direction to be that character, but it's almost an insult to see a 'caster' shooting a bow as their main ability or a giant barbarian or a holy man summoning undead and shooting out ice and fire. This goes against all lore behind these classes.

Don't get me wrong, I love the system, but having 'classes' is dumb if they don't adhere to what their lore states. Think about calling a plumber over and once he gets there he thinks he's gonna paint your house because that's what he really does but for some reason he has a number for a plumber in the phone book. Dumb analogy but there is nothing about a sense of class in this game beyond their stats and starting point.

It will be an issue with many people once Open beta starts I would guess, maybe not the majority, but a lot of people will find it off setting as they won't have anything 'special' compared to the rest, and many will think it bland to give a title without any true abilities or something to distinguish them from the other classes.

I still say remove the titles and give us the option of creating our own Class Name. That way when people see my undead summoning "templar" with a staff beating the crap out of enemies they can read my horribly uncreative title name of "Shadow Monk". This will let people know what they may be up against or grouped with or just even give people a laugh by what others decide to call their class. :)

Why won't you conform to my stereotypes about fictional people?!

The way to play path of exile is to go

IM GOING TO MAKE NOTHING BUT WITCHES

and then make witches that do everything

problem solved

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Neonexe wrote:

The way to play path of exile is to go

IM GOING TO MAKE NOTHING BUT WITCHES

and then make witches that do everything

problem solved

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I DO, except I use rangers. :)

The way I see it, it's a cove of rangers (or witches), and every member of that society picks up different skills. Some go melee, some magic. Some stay traps and bows. It all up to what the individual has an affinity towards, and how they can help that cove.

A proposal:
We should redefine the word "class" to "category" that would broadly define the character skin and the position in the tree...

then how about as players pick the skills, their more specialised class is determined? I think this is what some players here are suggesting, and I am leaning towards this also. But I don't mind the vagueness of this tree. I love it either way.

A game that uses something like this, its a famous turn based strategy game, and one of my favourite: Heroes of Might & Magic 1-6!

The thing is though, from my own experience, class starting positions on the passive tree does in many ways effect what you can do with character builds. I've seen multiple comments in this thread now expressing that it's all arbitrary and has virtually no effect on character classes; my own experience dictates otherwise. I realized this profoundly now that my Ranger "Monk" is level 60 and working on MoC. It dawned on me that if I really wanted to build my version of a Monk effectively, I really should have rolled as a Shadow because he has much easier access to the Int grid. Now, the reason I wouldn't do this is because of how I personally want to play my Monk, and I just don't see her as a Shadow at all.

Really, you can make a lot of builds work if you want to; the potential is there for so much creativity and customization, BUT, there absolutely are consequences to choosing certain classes for certain builds. I am simply trying to point to and dispel this myth that class starting areas are pointless and arbitrary. I think it may seem like this for certain builds but when you really explore the tree and diverge from the norm's you will experience for yourselves that it does matter to a fairly large degree what class you choose.

From a role-playing and lore standpoint I completely understand what some of you are talking about in regards to the "classes". I personally have no issue being able to rename our classes as we choose, but ultimately I feel like we have a game in our hands where we can virtually build any character we want, and for me that is the greatest gift a developer has given me and beyond that I feel my complaints would be splitting hairs and not worth it.

"

CharanJaydemyr wrote:

"

Intertwined wrote:

I feel this is a game where the player defines the class, not where the game defines the class for you. To me, that's the beauty of this game. I personally don't feel restricted, yet I can create my own unique builds that actually do work in higher difficulties.

You win. People ask in Global Chat SO much -- which class should I play? What sort of Witch should I build?

I think this sort of thinking is residual from more rigid ARPGs. Path of Exile is somewhat unique in that you don't pick your build based on your class -- you pick your class based on your build.

My favourite answer to the above question is: what do you normally play in an ARPG? Look at the class starting areas and figure out which of those will best facilitate your desire to play that way here.

The idea of your desired build dictating which class you choose, as opposed to choosing a class and then figuring out how to build it, is revolutionary in regards to ARPGs, and I think GGG should push it as one of PoE's truly unique features.

I think that a lot of people just aren't used to having this sort of freedom in an ARPG. Honestly, I was overwhelmed at first with my freedom to explore; I didn't know what to do with myself now that my shackles of pre-designed classes had been removed. I almost feel as if I'm rebelling and trying to think of the most absurd classes I could make as possible!

This game definitely requires some thought and introspection by the player to get the full potential and fun out of it. I really don't think it's going to be everyone cup-of-yea, which is fine, but so many people will be missing out.

When I say what I am about to say next I want people to know I'm not addressing anyone specifically, I'm merely expressing and something I have observed over the years that I've been gaming. People like to have their hand's held, and in many ways it is a reflection of the way society has, in some aspects, devolved, but I digress...

To each his own!

Agree on topic. The classes are not unique at all.

Begin of the game and some access to spells is easier with "their" way of playing, however the rest of the game it becomes playing A hero with a certain Skin which you could specialize in anything. THere are no unique abilities or passives.

In D2 I way replaying different classes with different ways. And Actually I was happy with the Assasin + Zeal (which you could get via runeword), but she still had her UNIQUE way of playing the game due to HER spells. In this game PoE I will be replaying one class with different ways, the class doesn't matter realy. What is sad. (of course marauder with int is trolling).

@above me, it's not about the freedom, it's about not having the "unique" feeling. Alot freedom is cool, butSome restriction just feels necessary: FOr example look at the inventory it's very restricted in space (limitated), and that is actually fun because you have to decide.