Which Classes?

Here's a big problem with 4th, much like with any other RPG: too many classes, no balance.


Honestly, PHB1 was amazing as far as class balance was concerned.  Nobody seemed far too out there in comparison to another class, and each one had its own mechanics to work off of.  That being said, how ought it be determined as to which classes get in?  Unfortunately, stereotypes and traditions will kind of force that.

Recently I got ahold of some AD&D books, and looked at how the classes were done, and there were something like four categories:  Fighter, Priest, Mage, Thief.  Each of these archetypes then had two classes: Fighter/Paladin, Priest/Cleric, Wizard/Specialist, Thief/Bard.  If there's one thing I really liked just conceptually about AD&D, it was that those little flip-books existed, each of which is awesome in that it gives many different variations and builds that a character can do.  I would qualify the "Power" books, of which I think I have all but one, as being deficient due to how the PHBs came along, given that just about every book adds classes of the various types, and it is the case that the additional options are hard backed, and only deal with certain "power sources."  It's a pain in the butt, and requires more and more books, which probably hurts sales simply by flooding the market.  Instead, would it not be better to just make a new book that focuses on a single class and its variations?  Yup.  If I'm only interested in my Bard, I'm not going to care about the other classes in my book...

The question remains as to what classes should be in the PHB, and there should only be one, then the little splash books to expand each archetype.  Unfortunately, due to that archetypal restriction, I figure that there should only be two different classes per archetype, as in AD&D, then fill in the gaps with the splash books.

Fighter: Fighter, Paladin
Priest: Cleric, Runepriest
Mage: Wizard, Sorcerer
Thief: Rogue, Bard

I tossed in the Runepriest because there isn't really another decent cleric-type person.  I'm thinking that these archetypes should have certain skills that are available to each of them, then maybe a couple of additional ones to show different training.  For instance, the Cleric could be better at Sense Motive, while the Runepriest could do Decipher Script quite well because his magic is language.

So, using these classes to cover the various roles to fill out an adventuring party, you can have a very "regular" party, or a more out-there style.  Maintaining the healing rules that 4th has, the Cleric is better at restoring hit points, but the Runepriest gives those he heals some sort of buff.  Hey, choices!  It's a trade off.

Working on from here, I think it'll behoove me to re-design some of the classes.  As of right now, I think the one that needs the most is the Fighter, so I'll work on him.  To work on him however, I need to address one very fundamental thing that 4th made impotent: weapons.