Gender-Locked Classes

[rusty_shackleford]

3e greatest problem is allowing Dwarfs to be mages. It was impossible in 2e and justified hatred in places like Glantri.

3E increasingly becomes a genericized ruleset, though. Just because the core rules allow it doesn't necessarily mean your campaign world allows it. I mean, hell, even Warhampster allows dwarves to be mages. It just causes them to slowly turn into stone.

If it's not part of the rules then it doesn't matter, you're playing a different game.

[Norfleet]

If it's not part of the rules then it doesn't matter, you're playing a different game.

The basic rules is just the first layer of rules covering the generic system. Then you have the campaign-setting specific rules which extend and occasionally override them. That's how it's always been.

[Norfleet]

I respecced everyone into monks at some point. Gave them str elixirs on top of that and the game became some kind of bizarre Asterix and Obelix knockoff.

Now you just need to give the entire party luchador costumes and masks.

[rusty_shackleford]

If it's not part of the rules then it doesn't matter, you're playing a different game.

The basic rules is just the first layer of rules covering the generic system. Then you have the campaign-setting specific rules which extend and occasionally override them. That's how it's always been.

If you change the rules at all, it's a different game.

My source is: Gary Gygax

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[Norfleet]

If you change the rules at all, it's a different game.

But the rules themselves tell you to change the rules. It's right there in every D&D rulebook I can recall. So if I change the rules, in accordance with the rule on changing the rules, aren't I therefore following the rules?

[Manny V]

Warhammer Online had some gender-locked classes:
Dwarf Slayers can only be men
Chaos Chosen and Marauders can only be men
Dark Elf Witch Elves can only be foids
Greenskins are all boyz

But unfortunately they dropped the ball and made the rest available to both men and women (women Warrior Priests of Sigmar? Really? The rare female dwarf throwing her life away fighting in the front lines as an Ironbreaker instead of raising dawi children? Smh)
They also made Dark Elves able to have male sorcerers which on paper is good, but erm akshually in lore Malekith banned male spellcasters because of a prophecy that he'd die to one

But ye overall just gender lock all classes to male and don't make gay classes like dancers

[Norfleet]

The rare female dwarf throwing her life away fighting in the front lines as an Ironbreaker instead of raising dawi children? Smh)

Well, being RARE is not the same as being forbidden. After all, remember: Player characters do not represent normalcy, since normal people do not become murderhobos. It's perfectly justified if the NPCs treat the players as freaks for it, though. Although they probably shouldn't say it too loudly, especially to their faces. You don't want to **** off a mentally ill homicidal clown, after all.

[Oyster Sauce]

You don't really have to LOCK classes, you can just apply realistic stat penalties and bonuses. For instance, being a woman should give you a -2 INT, -4 STR, -2 WIS, -2 CON, +4 CHA, and a skill check bonus to sandwich making. Being black should give you -4 INT, -2 WIS, -2 CHA, bonus to all theft related skills AND movement bonus while running from guards etc. Ofc if you run a simplistic game where stats don't matter as much then sure, hard locking is the way to go. But someone should steal my idea and make a "realistic race and genders" mod for Baldur's Gate.

If you were making a game set during the Civil War, would you allow women to be college professors as long as they're really bad at it?

[Bertram_Tung]

You don't really have to LOCK classes, you can just apply realistic stat penalties and bonuses. For instance, being a woman should give you a -2 INT, -4 STR, -2 WIS, -2 CON, +4 CHA, and a skill check bonus to sandwich making. Being black should give you -4 INT, -2 WIS, -2 CHA, bonus to all theft related skills AND movement bonus while running from guards etc. Ofc if you run a simplistic game where stats don't matter as much then sure, hard locking is the way to go. But someone should steal my idea and make a "realistic race and genders" mod for Baldur's Gate.

If you were making a game set during the Civil War, would you allow women to be college professors as long as they're really bad at it?

If you were making a forum about RPGs, would you allow canadians to moderate it as long as they're really bad at it?

[Manny V]

The rare female dwarf throwing her life away fighting in the front lines as an Ironbreaker instead of raising dawi children? Smh)

Well, being RARE is not the same as being forbidden. After all, remember: Player characters do not represent normalcy, since normal people do not become murderhobos. It's perfectly justified if the NPCs treat the players as freaks for it, though. Although they probably shouldn't say it too loudly, especially to their faces. You don't want to **** off a mentally ill homicidal clown, after all.

it's WOKE, Norfleet, it's WOKE!!!!!!

[Stack of Turtles]

You don't really have to LOCK classes, you can just apply realistic stat penalties and bonuses. For instance, being a woman should give you a -2 INT, -4 STR, -2 WIS, -2 CON, +4 CHA, and a skill check bonus to sandwich making. Being black should give you -4 INT, -2 WIS, -2 CHA, bonus to all theft related skills AND movement bonus while running from guards etc. Ofc if you run a simplistic game where stats don't matter as much then sure, hard locking is the way to go. But someone should steal my idea and make a "realistic race and genders" mod for Baldur's Gate.

If you were making a game set during the Civil War, would you allow women to be college professors as long as they're really bad at it?

Yes, but only in New England and they'd all be rabid abolitionist Episcopalians

[Norfleet]

If you were making a game set during the Civil War, would you allow women to be college professors as long as they're really bad at it?

Set WHERE during which Civil War? I cannot find any specific records of one existing at that exact time period, but by the era of the Civil War, this was not exactly new anymore, being centuries of old hat by now. So yes, I would allow the player to pursue this as a goal (because professor would be a high-level character and you don't generally get to start as a high level character). It was certainly not forbidden by law. You're just weird. But player characters aren't normal.

[TKVNC]

Nay unless every melee is genderlocked to male and women can only play summoners.

Problem is, women are stupid as **** too, so it makes little sense that they'd be casters.

Realistically, there is no reason for women to be playable, unless it's from a race with little-to-no sexual dimorphism.

Female melee is the most egregious of course.

In closing, I'd say yes but game devs are ********, tasteless, and woke. So no.

[Oyster Sauce]

If you were making a game set during the Civil War, would you allow women to be college professors as long as they're really bad at it?

Set WHERE during which Civil War? I cannot find any specific records of one existing at that exact time period, but by the era of the Civil War, this was not exactly new anymore, being centuries of old hat by now. So yes, I would allow the player to pursue this as a goal (because professor would be a high-level character and you don't generally get to start as a high level character). It was certainly not forbidden by law. You're just weird. But player characters aren't normal.

shut up ******

[Norfleet]

Problem is, women are stupid as **** too, so it makes little sense that they'd be casters.

MOST people are stupid as ****. Also, not all casters are Int-based casters. Sufficient numbers of women have been accused or convicted of witchcraft historically to make it clear that, yes, people do believe women can be casters.

Realistically, there is no reason for women to be playable, unless it's from a race with little-to-no sexual dimorphism.

Look, if a someone wants to play a character that is statistically disadvantaged, I'm not stopping them.

Female melee is the most egregious of course.

I mean, if you want to play a crazy person, I don't see why you can't.

[TKVNC]

Problem is, women are stupid as **** too, so it makes little sense that they'd be casters.

MOST people are stupid as ****. Also, not all casters are Int-based casters. Sufficient numbers of women have been accused or convicted of witchcraft historically to make it clear that, yes, people do believe women can be casters.

Realistically, there is no reason for women to be playable, unless it's from a race with little-to-no sexual dimorphism.

Look, if a someone wants to play a character that is statistically disadvantaged, I'm not stopping them.

Female melee is the most egregious of course.

I mean, if you want to play a crazy person, I don't see why you can't.

I suppose it's fair to allow PC's to be anything. You can always be a ****** and play as a woman.

[Bertram_Tung]

I suppose it's fair to allow PC's to be anything. You can always be a ****** and play as a woman.

I already told you I am playing as Male Shepard, leave me alone.

[Norfleet]

I suppose it's fair to allow PC's to be anything. You can always be a ****** and play as a woman.

That's my view, yes. If it's within the realm of possibility at all, let the player attempt it. "Female Space Marine" in 40K would not be on the list, though, since by (previous, I dunno what they did in response to that) lore, that isn't a possible combination. But if the player wants to play as a social outcast...well, they're already a mentally ill homeless person, so why not?

[Eyestabber]

You don't really have to LOCK classes, you can just apply realistic stat penalties and bonuses. For instance, being a woman should give you a -2 INT, -4 STR, -2 WIS, -2 CON, +4 CHA, and a skill check bonus to sandwich making. Being black should give you -4 INT, -2 WIS, -2 CHA, bonus to all theft related skills AND movement bonus while running from guards etc. Ofc if you run a simplistic game where stats don't matter as much then sure, hard locking is the way to go. But someone should steal my idea and make a "realistic race and genders" mod for Baldur's Gate.

If you were making a game set during the Civil War, would you allow women to be college professors as long as they're really bad at it?

Isn't that how it works in real life?

[J1M]

Let's not be myopic. There should be class restrictions based on other characteristics too. Ability scores (D&D), height, nobility status (Dragon Age), family (Eberron), and more.

The latter two could be particularly interesting if, for example, getting married granted access to a new multi-class option. Or earning a landed title allowed you to retrain into a new class.

[jdcp]

The latter two could be particularly interesting if, for example, getting married granted access to a new multi-class option. Or earning a landed title allowed you to retrain into a new class.

Start you with no class and let you choose later on, that's a fun system. Maybe extra requirements (besides gender) for a genderlocked class, be the exception lol

I vote to disagree because I like to be free to choose, still, I don't mind a system where classes are gender locked, it's fun and gives more uniqueness to a character.

[DemoGraph]

This thread is like "left can't meme" meme.

Right wing

The game is defined by its limitations. The game without limits is the game without rules.

If you change the rules at all, it's a different game.

Left wing

4 pages

[SpellSword]

I usually prefer more class choices over less, however I have no desire to see a male Valkyrie.

Wizardry VI - Bane of the Cosmic Forge - Valkyrie.webp

[Oyster Sauce]

I usually prefer more class choices over less, however I have no desire to see a male Valkyrie.

They look cool though

[Stack of Turtles]

If it's not part of the rules then it doesn't matter, you're playing a different game.

The basic rules is just the first layer of rules covering the generic system. Then you have the campaign-setting specific rules which extend and occasionally override them. That's how it's always been.

If you change the rules at all, it's a different game.

My source is: Gary Gygax

Can you tell him I said he sounds like a bit of a self-important ****** and maybe he should try toning it down?

[J1M]

Maybe he just had to fill a magazine and used chatgpt to pad the word count.

Why stop with inherent traits, some classes should be gated by rare events, like you can only gain Lich levels of you are dead. Or levels in another class if you have been resurrected/horribly sunburnt/survived eleven different supernatural spell-like abilities.

[WaterMage]

I usually prefer more class choices over less, however I have no desire to see a male Valkyrie.

If Wizardry 6/7/8 was made by a Korean slop, Psions, Alchemists, Mages, Bishops, Priests and maybe even Lord would be female only.

Hell, they would made even Thyrus Gormann into a redhair loli

The previous supreme patriarch before Gelt. According to wiki "He stands six feet two inches tall with a hawk-like nose, a busy red beard and broad shoulders - looking more like a pit fighter than a wizard." https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Thyrus_Gormann

[Stack of Turtles]

btw, a male Valkyrie would just be an Einherjar. It would have a different costume but could pretty much have the same class abilities.

[Manny V]

btw, a male Valkyrie would just be an Einherjar. It would have a different costume but could pretty much have the same class abilities.

every time i read the name Einherjar i think of their ear-shattering 'BBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR' of their horn from Age of Mythology

[WaterMage]

I also think that players accept gender locking when it doesn't lock out an entire playstyle under a gender. For example, in Sacred 2, Elemental Mage is Female only(high elf) but Dragon mage has shapeshift, mind and wind/earth magic. Or Diablo 2, Sorceress is female only but you still can be a Druid or a Necromancer if male.

That is not ideal but tolerable. Now, **** games like BDO and Lost Ark basically force you to be a woman if you want ANY cool power.