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Gender-Locked Classes

For discussing role-playing video games, you know, the ones with combat.
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Do you like gender-locked classes?

Yay
44
71%
Nay
18
29%
 
Total votes: 62

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Brother Michael
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Post by Brother Michael »

I wonder if the gutting of race locked classes is more a result of build crafting autism, Tumblr-esque attention whoring (I'm playing an orc wizard who acts no different from a human! Aren't I so unique and creative?), or liberal hostility to notions of particularity.

The disenchantment of the world seems to have spread to fantasy itself, and the end of particularity is a symptom. All that remains of elves in DND is that they are beautiful humans with pointy ears, long lives, and might use magic a bit more on average in a world where more people can cast cantrips than cannot. As in real life, the attempt to uproot people from their particular history and culture only leaves them with their most basic stereotypes of those things without any context for why they are so. Elves might be haughty towards the short lived, but does that make any sense when they all share a neighborhood?

"Breaking through" these stereotypes is then presented as a virtue to draw people away from their last shreds of identity so that they become true "individuals," and thus we end up with obnoxious gimmick characters and gnome barbarians whose entire premise rests on a physical disadvantage that might not even be reflected in the mechanics depending on your edition. I'm sympathetic to the argument that adventurers are meant to be exceptional, but the use of point-buy and the flatness of racial distinction undermines that notion. It's always in the back of my mind that the reason this gnome has 18 strength is because a player wanted him to. Thankfully, I think the majority of players prefer a harmony of race and class, but it should be more strictly enforced.
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Post by J1M »

Theorycrafting only exists at the intersection of various restrictions. You can disagree with that form of emergent gameplay, but it isn't the reason everything became generic.
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Post by rusty_shackleford »

drizzt was the worst thing to ever happen to fantasy RPGs
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Post by roldet »

Brother Michael wrote: ↑ January 7th, 2026, 20:32
All that remains of elves in DND is that they are beautiful humans with pointy ears, long lives,
I wish lol. Now they have wrinkles and ugly. Just look at bg3 elves.

Edit: Also recommend Kings Bounty games, these games are the most faithful franchise ever to established fantasy tropes.
Last edited by roldet on January 7th, 2026, 23:30, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by maidenhaver »

I've never rolled a male sorcerer. That should mean something.
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Post by rusty_shackleford »

maidenhaver wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 01:39
I've never rolled a male sorcerer. That should mean something.
Means you've played as a woman
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Post by Vaako »

yeah well male amazon or valkyrie as class wouldnt make much sense and look gay
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Post by Vaako »

rusty_shackleford wrote: ↑ January 7th, 2026, 23:22
drizzt was the worst thing to ever happen to fantasy RPGs
why?
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Post by rusty_shackleford »

Vaako wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:06
rusty_shackleford wrote: ↑ January 7th, 2026, 23:22
drizzt was the worst thing to ever happen to fantasy RPGs
why?
he's a drow but not evil and totally cool and has two scimitars and not like those other evil drow
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Vaako
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Post by Vaako »

rusty_shackleford wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:07
Vaako wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:06
rusty_shackleford wrote: ↑ January 7th, 2026, 23:22
drizzt was the worst thing to ever happen to fantasy RPGs
why?
he's a drow but not evil and totally cool and has two scimitars and not like those other evil drow
Drizzt himself got very boring, but Enterei and Yarlaxle/Gromph were pretty cool in the books. But the books certainly went on too long with all the deaths and resurrections happening.
Last edited by Vaako on January 8th, 2026, 02:14, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by J1M »

Vaako wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:13
rusty_shackleford wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:07
he's a drow but not evil and totally cool and has two scimitars and not like those other evil drow
Drizzt himself got very boring, but Enterei and Yarlaxle/Gromph were pretty cool in the books. But the books certainly went on too long with all the deaths and resurrections happening.
Those names all sound like placeholders that made it past an editor.
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Post by Tangerine »

Vaako wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:06
rusty_shackleford wrote: ↑ January 7th, 2026, 23:22
drizzt was the worst thing to ever happen to fantasy RPGs
why?
Now you can't have races that are inherently evil; it's all blank slate theory even for drow, orcs, and goblins because of one exception.
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Val the Moofia Boss
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Post by Val the Moofia Boss »

The only Forgotten Realms novel I ever read was Icewind Dale. I barely remember anything about it, but I don't remember Drizzt being irritating or anything. I thought it was cool that IIRC he had a little panther statue he could throw out and it'd become a real big panther fighting alongside him.
Last edited by Val the Moofia Boss on January 8th, 2026, 02:24, edited 1 time in total.
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Vaako
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Post by Vaako »

Tangerine wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:16
Vaako wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:06
rusty_shackleford wrote: ↑ January 7th, 2026, 23:22
drizzt was the worst thing to ever happen to fantasy RPGs
why?
Now you can't have races that are inherently evil; it's all blank slate theory even for drow, orcs, and goblins because of one exception.
I dont really mind a few exceptions, keeps things interesting. But when the exception becomes the rule and usual, then it went too far. But it also depends how well it is done. Rings of Power certainly couldnt pull it off with the orcs there to be believable and makes not much sense to begin with low iq orcs which are just predators, now wanting to settle and have kids yeah ridiculous.
Last edited by Vaako on January 8th, 2026, 02:32, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by rusty_shackleford »

"As I created them, there are absolutely no good Drow save for the insane." β€” Gary Gygax
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Post by Oyster Sauce »

100% evil races shouldn't be palette swapped elves, gary
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Post by Tangerine »

Oyster Sauce wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:52
100% evil races shouldn't be palette swapped elves, gary
He made them black. How much more do you need to know they're evil?
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Post by Eyestabber »

Tangerine wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:56
Oyster Sauce wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:52
100% evil races shouldn't be palette swapped elves, gary
He made them black. How much more do you need to know they're evil?
And female dominated, don't forget.
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Post by Tinky Winky »

Everyone who voted yes is a closeted ***** o algo.
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Post by WaterMage »

rusty_shackleford wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:07
Vaako wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:06
rusty_shackleford wrote: ↑ January 7th, 2026, 23:22
drizzt was the worst thing to ever happen to fantasy RPGs
why?
he's a drow but not evil and totally cool and has two scimitars and not like those other evil drow
If a Drow is not evil, he is insane. IMO would be cool if all of his "goodness" is only due a mindcontrol spell + permanency.
rusty_shackleford wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:37
"As I created them, there are absolutely no good Drow save for the insane." β€” Gary Gygax
Drizzt is insane.
Last edited by WaterMage on January 8th, 2026, 06:29, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by maidenhaver »

rusty_shackleford wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 01:47
maidenhaver wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 01:39
I've never rolled a male sorcerer. That should mean something.
Means you've played as a woman
Male sorcerers are ********.
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Post by Kalarion »

Vaako wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:29
I dont really mind a few exceptions, keeps things interesting. But when the exception becomes the rule and usual, then it went too far. But it also depends how well it is done. Rings of Power certainly couldnt pull it off with the orcs there to be believable and makes not much sense to begin with low iq orcs which are just predators, now wanting to settle and have kids yeah ridiculous.
The exception never stays the exception in Libtard World. Remember how there were never any female Space Marines or Custodes?

Better to nuke them all than let libtards get even a glance at "a few exceptions".
. wrote: ↑
Kalarion did this a lot better you know.
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Vaako
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Post by Vaako »

Kalarion wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 13:59
Vaako wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 02:29
I dont really mind a few exceptions, keeps things interesting. But when the exception becomes the rule and usual, then it went too far. But it also depends how well it is done. Rings of Power certainly couldnt pull it off with the orcs there to be believable and makes not much sense to begin with low iq orcs which are just predators, now wanting to settle and have kids yeah ridiculous.
The exception never stays the exception in Libtard World. Remember how there were never any female Space Marines or Custodes?

Better to nuke them all than let libtards get even a glance at "a few exceptions".
Yeah should have stopped that 30+ years ago. If warhammer isnt save and cant gatekeep its way too late already. Problem was the invention of the Smartphone that every ****** is on the internet these days and enough people listen to them.
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Post by asf »

make it so only men can be warrior/wizard/rogue/barbarian

women can be uh... decoration?
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Post by DemoGraph »

asf wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 15:25
make it so only men can be warrior/wizard/rogue/barbarian

women can be uh... decoration?
Loot.

Also priest, sister of mercy, psychologist, sniper, ruler and your goddess.
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Post by Kolgrim »

What about genderfluid classes?
asf
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Post by asf »

****
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Post by rusty_shackleford »

Tinky Winky wrote: ↑ January 8th, 2026, 04:18
Everyone who voted yes is a closeted ***** o algo.
idgi, how does having a female party member make you a closeted *****?
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Post by asf »

closeted simp
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Post by Havitner »

apropos

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