So, the appeal for a tech character is the same as a thief/wizard/support character? (ie the non tank, non dps, non healer slot). Or do you choose such characters for other reasons? Or does it depend on the game setting?

Quote from: Ghost Whistler;614810So, the appeal for a tech character is the same as a thief/wizard/support character? (ie the non tank, non dps, non healer slot). Or do you choose such characters for other reasons? Or does it depend on the game setting?

I pick all my characters for roleplay opportunity so care not a jot for roles etc.

Quote from: jibbajibba;614826I pick all my characters for roleplay opportunity so care not a jot for roles etc.

Same here. Not even the original D&D iconic four character classes map very well to the tank-DPS-healer-crowd control scheme; the OD&D Thief would be a very poor DPS unless the DM was being very, very liberal with the backstabbing rules, and the magic-user has limited options for "crowd control" at low to mid levels (outside of sleep and web) but good options for ranged attacks like fireball or lightning bolt (which is why I half-jokingly plastered the heavy weapons guy from TF2 above).

But that's beside the point. Sci-fi settings have a lot of elements that required specialization for PCs to interact with. Hence engineers, medics, pilots and others that SWN groups under Expert, in addition to the well-established Warrior (that may also come in gun-bunny or anachronistic space-swordsman varieties) and Psychic.

And speaking strictly for myself, I don't usual choose classes based on MMO-like roles, even when I'm playing MMOs. I keep role in mind when playing the character, but at the moment of character creation, I grab whatever tickles the imagination. It's less "I want to solve puzzles" and more "I want to play a no-good two-bit scoundrel Thief" if you see what I mean.

Quote from: jibbajibba;614826I pick all my characters for roleplay opportunity so care not a jot for roles etc.

Of course, but you don't have preferences?

Quote from: The Butcher;614975Same here. Not even the original D&D iconic four character classes map very well to the tank-DPS-healer-crowd control scheme; the OD&D Thief would be a very poor DPS unless the DM was being very, very liberal with the backstabbing rules, and the magic-user has limited options for "crowd control" at low to mid levels (outside of sleep and web) but good options for ranged attacks like fireball or lightning bolt (which is why I half-jokingly plastered the heavy weapons guy from TF2 above).

But that's beside the point. Sci-fi settings have a lot of elements that required specialization for PCs to interact with. Hence engineers, medics, pilots and others that SWN groups under Expert, in addition to the well-established Warrior (that may also come in gun-bunny or anachronistic space-swordsman varieties) and Psychic.

And speaking strictly for myself, I don't usual choose classes based on MMO-like roles, even when I'm playing MMOs. I keep role in mind when playing the character, but at the moment of character creation, I grab whatever tickles the imagination. It's less "I want to solve puzzles" and more "I want to play a no-good two-bit scoundrel Thief" if you see what I mean.

More and more I find using those traditional roles (traditional at least since the rise of MMO games) to be actually quite useful. Tank, DPS, Healer, Support (though that's a rather nebulous default for anything else). Ok, those are combat oriented roles because MMO's are combat oriented games, but it still serves I think.

Quote from: Ghost Whistler;615099More and more I find using those traditional roles (traditional at least since the rise of MMO games) to be actually quite useful. Tank, DPS, Healer, Support (though that's a rather nebulous default for anything else). Ok, those are combat oriented roles because MMO's are combat oriented games, but it still serves I think.

If you design character classes around combat roles, you'll have a combat-centric game. Case in point: D&D 4e.

The "wizard" in at least some SF games would be the Super-Scientist.

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