Keep the discussion going but keep it civil.
Here is some of my background to let you know where I am coming from:
My threshold of cognitive dissonance is extremely high (or low depending on how you see it
![Tongue :P](https://www.pinkpetal.org/Smileys/DarkB/tongue.gif)
) so I can work with any rules and make them work together.
I have generally played AD&D 2nd edition with some AD&D and some early 3rd edition rules mixed in.
I also played White Wolf RPGs (pre WoC) and Exalted that use stat/skills as 0-10 dots and roll (stat + skill)d10 : success >=7.
I do not really play any of the MMO games that have been mentioned and I don't really watch too much anime so some of the specifics of races mentioned in them I can't say too much about.
Most jobs in Whore Master use Job Performance = (Main (0-100)) + (Secondary (0-100)) + Level + Traits.
Main is usually 1 or 2 stats/skills averaged and secondary can be 2, 3, 4 or more averaged.
When it comes to races, I generally go by AD&D2e rules.
Humans have no limits while most races have some limitations on what they can do.
In some AD&D versions, nonhuman races are limited in what class they can be and then what level they can max out at. (I never really liked those rules.)
Some races would not be allowed to get certain traits, Dwarves can't get Powerful Magic, Elves can't get Broodmother, etc.
While nothing is absolutely forbidden, they would require more detail and trials to allow, Pikel Bouldershoulder, a Dwarven Druid, is my favorite example.
Humans make up probably 75%+ of Crossgate's population and they are generally 90%+ of the ruling class.
While individuals of different races may hold a few positions of power, they generally have mostly human staff and some 'other race' managers.
The Catacombs can have any race because it is a constantly changing magical portal factory.
Anything can get pulled in and thrown out from anywhere.
There could be Elves from Krynn (Dragonlance), Elves from Athas (Dark Sun), or Elves from Norse Mythology.
While there are hundreds of subraces of Elves, they are generally described as "magically inclined, long lived humanoids with pointy ears."
An Elven Muggle would be extremely rare but not unheard of.
Whether they are "beautiful" is in the eye of the beholder, to an Orc they are scrawny pale stick people.
WM generally goes by the dominent Human perspective for looks so Elves would in general be good looking but not excessivly so.
White Wolf's RPG Vampire has several clans of vampires each with different powers, looks, quirks, rules etc.
Similarly Werewolf and other were-creatures also have several subdivisions.
Soldier is to Mercenary as High School Student is to College Student.
While many cultures require some military service/common education, some people choose to extend their service/schooling to get more money out of it.
If a person is in the military, whether in training or fresh out on the field of battle, they are Soldiers, as they gain rank, they are still Soldiers.
When they finish their service, they can:
- Stay in the same military for more tours of duty and continue being a Soldier,
- End their service entirely and become a Militia (wo)man, able to fight when needed but without any more combat training.
- Leave their previous commanders and hire themselves out for money as either a lone wolf or in a team of Mercenaries,
- Get more specialized training and become an Assassin, Ninja, War Mage, etc.
I see Soldiers as having all the same basic training as all other Soldiers.
Mercenaries are Soldiers working for anyone who has the money with little or no loyalty to stay when the money runs out.
And whatever specialist fighter classes can be Soldiers or Mercenaries being specially trained in a certain area of combat.
Soldiers would have:
- Increased Morality - They are fighting for a cause, whether it is King and Country or defense of their friends and family.
- Increased Obedience - Regimented training with punishment for failure.
- Increased Service - Keep your equipment clean and ready for use.
? Decreased Intelligence, Confidence or Spirit ? Possibly all the focus on training the physical does not allow much for the mental?
Mercenary would have adjustments based on accommodation and pay
- Obedience - The more they get, the more they give. If you don't treat them well, they may turn on you or leave.
- Morality - If you are evil, your henchmen will lean in that direction. If you are good, they will be more helpful to others.
A lone Soldier on a field against a lone Mercenary, the Mercenary would probably win.
A group of Soldiers who have trained together and are fighting for the same cause would probably win against an equally equipped group of Mercenaries who are doing it just for the money.
Probably the easiest way would be Base Class with Sub-Class, two classes, one being primary, the other being secondary.
A Fighter who is trained in magic would be Fighter/War Mage but a Mage trained in weapons could also be Mage/War Mage.
Assassin could be a sub class of Fighter, Mage or Thief depending on what method they prefer for their kills.
- Thief/Assassin - "Kill and get out without being spotted"
- Mage/Assassin - "Teleport in, kill, teleport out"
- Fighter/Assassin - "Kill anyone to get to the target without raising the alarm"
- Mechanic/Assassin - sabotage the King's Starship to make it crash or explode.
- Whore/Assassin - Black Widows, they lay and slay.
As with most of the game's code, the hardest part is the text.
While the C++ language has only a few hundred words and a structured layout, English has billions of words and very chaotic structure.
The more text you can write, the less we need to add when coding it into the game.
Generalization is needed in WM unless you can write every variation you want.
Make a few templates that use identical formatting so I can make a set of rules for input into the game.
Keep the discussion going but keep it civil.