Fighter, Mage, Thief

Southpaw

Fighter, Mage, Thief - the holy trinity of RPG games.
Hitter, Caster, Trickster. Soldier, Tinker, Spy. Tank, Damage, Utility... I could go on.

Three basic classes, three basic styles of play. Because this is AD&D which split the usual Mage user to an Arcane and Divine, I've added a Cleric.
Which style of play defines you most?* Which class do you like the most and find the most interesting and fun to play?
What is YOUR game?

I would like to know.



* Notes: - if you prefer a dual/multi class, please choose the style, that is dominant. A F/T who backstabs a lot and places traps wherever possible has a different dynamic than a F/T who hacks everything to pieces and uses thief skills to just open locks and disarm traps. Please try to choose one of the four.
** T/C atrocities, please automatically choose 5th answer.

Southpaw

Just as a guidance...common description of the classes :
Fighter - Tank and Meatshield, usually solving issues with force and violence. And when the issues are much more complicated...using more force.
Mage - Wizard, using supernatural powers and thinking to solve issues. Or summon servants to do his bidding.
Thief - Trickster, utilizing various skills and improvisation to reach his goals. Winning not by force but by strategy and gimmicks.
Cleric - Healer, providing support and buffs. Mostly religious or devoted to nature.


Also, which D&D classes belong to which role :
Fighter - along with Paladins, Rangers, Barbarians and Monks.
Mage - plus Sorcerors and Wild Mages
Thief - also count the Bard in.
Cleric - and Druids of course.

the_spyder

I think I imprinted on the original DragonLance novels. Before that, Gandalf was 'Da Man' in my book.

DreadKhan

I like classes that dont need to rest often, so i have a thing for playing multi or dual thieves that use other classes to boost thiefness rather than provide new strats.

Anduin

Sometimes I'm a thief in the night...

Sometimes I just wanna hit something...

At present I am pondering... So mage.

DreadKhan

*backstabes pondering Anduin*

Lapa

Fighter. It's simple. Point and click to kill. I guess I'm lazy...

secretmantra

/Paul Atreides voice:

"LONG LIVE THE FIGHTERS!"

Xavioria

Mage... and sometimes I multi-class, but every time I have, that multiclass has been some form of mage

deltago

My play style is actually always range, so Archer.

I usually have atleast 3 people using missile weapons in BG series
Arcane Archers were my favourite class in NWN
Mass Effect triology I always used the sniper rifle
Skyrim I snuck around pinging things with a bow
XCOM I tend to have two snipers in my squad.

I can't stand FPS though...

OneAngryMushroom

Thieves can run around and hide, Mages can cast spells and do magey... things... and clerics can heal and buff, but when you need someone to put in work. You call on the dude that swings a sword as big as he is and wrapped in 100 pounds of steel. What other class is going to be in the front lines going toe to claw with a red dragon.

Anduin

@Dreadkhan ...Ouch.. my Mirror Image felt that...

*Fireballs @DreadKhan due to not being able to target the stealthy blighter*

AHF

I favor mages in PnP but so much of the fun replay value comes from the variety and variability of the classes. Why choose just one?

atcDave

I've actually played almost everything at one time or another, both in BG and PNP. But warriors, especially Paladins are what excite me the most. I always want to be the hero or knight in shining armor character. Mages are fun too though when they get to blow things up. And thieves can be fun when they get to blow things up. And clerics can be fun, well, okay, clerics are more of a practical necessity character.

Starlily

I dual a lot, at least I have with 3 characters. Fighter/thief but concentrate on the thief part more than fighter. In other games I usually do mage type. Distance weapons are great for mages. Other games I mean: Avernum and Eschalon. In around the table, I don't do those anymore. I do DM a game on Rpol which is varient 1st/2nd ed. so I get to play everything!

MilesBeyond

BG's actually got this division in four "super-classes": Warrior, Rogue, Wizard, Priest

All the classes within each group have got the same or similar hit dice, APR, roles and functions, etc.

The one thing I love about D&D and BG in particular is that it flaunts the MMO roles that have become so popular today, i.e. it's not about Tank characters and Buff characters and DPS characters. Fighters are your tanks AND your DPS, Paladins are all three, Thieves don't really fit into any category... Characters are more general and versatile instead of being pigeonholed into one specific function.

That being said, the Tank/Buff/DPS system works GREAT with MMOs, where you're going to be fighting with people you've never met before and need a quick analysis of what everyone's doing. But for single player games? Blegh! Give me more diversity!

Balrog99

This sounds lame but since BGEE fixed the scroll swapping bug, only mages and bards (and apparently beastmasters) can get familiars now. I can't seem to play w/o those little critters anymore so I have to play a mage, mage/thief or blade. Although currently I'm playing a Talos cleric and having a blast. There's something very satisfying about firing off a lightning bolt while wearing full plate! I was going to dual her to mage at level 7 but I think I'll wait for BG2EE for that now. I may have to change my vote to cleric in the future.

DreadKhan

Anduin said:

@Dreadkhan ...Ouch.. my Mirror Image felt that...

*Fireballs @DreadKhan due to not being able to target the stealthy blighter*

If I am not doing aerobics, why do I feel the burn?

Oh, fireball. :O

ICN

Mages are fun, but they've always had one major drawback for me.

Ha, take a fireball! And another! Lightning Bolt! Magic Missile! Oh, that appears to have been my last spell... Um, any chance we could pick up this fight again in oh, about eight hours? No? Hey Mr. Fighter, is there any possibility of you assisting me in coming to an equitable solution to my current disagreement with this chap? I um, apologize for all those times I disparaged your smell, mental acuity, and mother's glandular condition. Please? I can't outrun this guy much lon-

Southpaw

MilesBeyond said:

BG's actually got this division in four "super-classes": Warrior, Rogue, Wizard, Priest

All the classes within each group have got the same or similar hit dice, APR, roles and functions, etc.

Yes...and that's why I have added Cleric (or Priest, if you will) to the poll. Of course, roles can vary and I very much understand the MMO "Holy Trinity" or how Guild Wars 2 tried to change it to - Damage / Control / Support.
In this poll, please focus on classic RPGs and especially BG. Or just choose whichever class you liked the most.

smeagolheart

Thief fighter! Conan the warrior thief.

TheCoffeeGod

For the most part, I almost always play an F/M/T multi just because I like utility.

As for actual playing style of my F/M/T class, I basically treat it as a ranged Fighter, who robs and steals EVERYTHING from EVERYONE, who has the ability to Identify and use wands.

That's it in a nutshell.

dstoltzfus

I like thief/mage the most (just the philosophy of it...kinda a jack of all trades...some magic with the thievery-deception; improved invisibility and other magical protections with traps and enhanced backstabbing -- self-sufficiently), but the thief side the most. It's absolutely the most necessary class in the game and the most involved (who do you pay attention to the most when scouting or going through dungeons...especially Durlag's?)

Kozaro

'That's basic psychology. You dress a beggar in fine clothes, people treat him like a noble, and he lives up to their expectations.'

Schneidend

I pick up the biggest sword, axe, hammer, or club I can find and HIT SOMEBODY.

KidCarnival

Mostly thief, usually assassin, sometimes fighter dual, sometimes bard (depending on wether you count bards as rogue or caster class, though I play them similar to thieves). Second would be cleric (or fighter/cleric).

Oxford_Guy

Actually, in order of preference I would say:

Blade
Fighter/Mage
Thief/Mage
Fighter/Thief

The_Shairs_Handbook

Pnp:

2nd edition
Force mage (kara-tur human)
Shadow mage (human)

3rd edition
ShadowCaster (Shadow Mage transformation to 3rd edition) (heavy story transformation to gold elf)
Eldritch knight (Efrit)

4th
Nethermancer (shadow mage transformation to 4th edition)
Swordmage Fire genasi (efrit transformation to 4th edition playrun)


played 2 charachters sence 2nd edition in manyyyy years....
The nethermancer is T.N alig
and the Efrit is C.N....

In Bg... well no favorite dnd classes of mine is there.. so most of the time i play up to 4th chapter and restart the game with a new charname class and race and try diffrient playstyle before i get tired of that class again....

Senash

If I am playing in a fictional universe where I can be whoever I want to be, why not wield powerful arcane magic? I also like to play Bard, but not for the thieving reason, but because of magic and better RP opportunities. Basically anything sounds good to me, as long as they have some magical power which they can use to influence their sorrundings, control nature, call upon the powers of the elements, as long as that power comes from myself or was harnessed by me, and it's not something that some stupid deity gave to me... I will surpass everyone by my own strenght in the Force! I mean... magic. Arcane magic...

Elendar

Cleric / Mage

SamuelVarg

... or Monk is my first choise. Relly cool that I will do my first total play through soon.
Did a good roll with a monk in BGEE and made a good RPG-character around him. WIll be exciting to se what happens to him in the next epic chapter of the Bhaal saga.