Bigtory and Class system in D&D 3.5 [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bigtory and Class system in D&D 3.5 [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The Vanguard
07-13-04, 07:38 PM Hi in my last posting I was trying to finmd out if D&D had racial bigotry and class systems?, I got it confused with racism since usally it went hand and hand with bigotry.

Now is there bigotry in D&D?,
Grox
07-13-04, 07:51 PM Bigotry, and class systems, are part of the setting of your individual campaign. They generally vary somewhat between various fictional cultures that are part of your game world.

The "stereotypical" feelings of various races toward each other (and other cultural leanings) are, IIRC, recounted in Chapter 2 (races) of the PH (both versions, 3.0 and 3.5). I believe each race description has a subsection entitled "Other Races".

I said "stereotypical" simply because these interpretations seem to be the most common interpretations of gnomes, dwarves, elves, and other fictional creatures. They are not true stereotypes since they are about fictional creatures in fantasy settings. But the ubiquity of certain perceptions (how dwarves feel about elves, etc.), reflect how some of the various human-like races are just reflections of certain aspects of human personalities.

Bigotry and class systems are, IMO, great sources of conflict, challenge, and evil for your campaign. Best of all they can create situations where the only lasting or decent solution to a given problem is through RP instead of combat.
The Vanguard
07-13-04, 09:45 PM Yeah specially with national views, such as in the Victorian era which my homebrew setting is.

England empire was full of bigots, convinced that god born WASP supierority over lesser nations like Ireland. However in my bomebrew setting my Ireland is very much like Heartlands of Forgotten Realms, that still worship the original Gods and Goddess. My English empire which just incorprate into there empire. These English only worship Marduk and in with in some group unofficially Machina, since Steam Tech reacts very badly to Magic these English not favor Mages or Magic in there Towns or Cities, I've figured out let to make Mages and Magic Users to be officially counted by the state.
lostinabook247
07-14-04, 01:14 AM Please forgive me if I'm totally misinterpreting your post, but it sounds like you're new to D&Dyou might be confused by the system of "classes". It isn't something like Lower Class, Middle Class, Upper Class, with class meaning socioeconomic position. Rather, the "classes" are different types of characters - fighters, wizards, rogues, clerics, things like that...its just a different use of the same word.
The Vanguard
07-14-04, 04:08 PM The Class system I'm talking about is Lower, Middle, and Upper Class.
Sulaco
07-14-04, 04:38 PM Originally posted by The Vanguard
The Class system I'm talking about is Lower, Middle, and Upper Class.

It is entirely up to the DM. There is no class-system built into the rules.
The Vanguard
07-14-04, 06:46 PM Well parts of my homebrew setting does have a class system since it's during the Victorian Steam-Punk timeframe, the Irish like kingdom is like Forgotten Realms were there isn't a class system unless Forgotten Realms have a class system that I don't know of.

My English, German and French like nations have a class system, my Scottish nation is ruled by Clans.
GSHamster
07-14-04, 07:02 PM Originally posted by Sulaco
It is entirely up to the DM. There is no class-system built into the rules.

Aristocrat? Commoner?

There is a class system built in to the rules. But there are no built in rules on how members of one class treat the others.
The Vanguard
07-14-04, 10:02 PM That's what of type of Class I'm taking about High born verus low born, does any of the official settings deal with this?.
GSHamster
07-15-04, 12:21 AM Originally posted by The Vanguard
That's what of type of Class I'm taking about High born verus low born, does any of the official settings deal with this?.

Not really. For one thing, adventurers tend to cut across class boundaries. It's not uncommon to have an adventurer be a farmer's daughter, amass wealth and fortune, save the kingdom, and marry the crown prince as a reward.

Off hand, I can't think of any setting that actually enforces class distinctions or restricts mobility between classes. Perhaps Birthright would come the closest.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The Vanguard 07-13-04, 07:38 PM	Hi in my last posting I was trying to finmd out if D&D had racial bigotry and class systems?, I got it confused with racism since usally it went hand and hand with bigotry. Now is there bigotry in D&D?,
Grox 07-13-04, 07:51 PM	Bigotry, and class systems, are part of the setting of your individual campaign. They generally vary somewhat between various fictional cultures that are part of your game world. The "stereotypical" feelings of various races toward each other (and other cultural leanings) are, IIRC, recounted in Chapter 2 (races) of the PH (both versions, 3.0 and 3.5). I believe each race description has a subsection entitled "Other Races". I said "stereotypical" simply because these interpretations seem to be the most common interpretations of gnomes, dwarves, elves, and other fictional creatures. They are not true stereotypes since they are about fictional creatures in fantasy settings. But the ubiquity of certain perceptions (how dwarves feel about elves, etc.), reflect how some of the various human-like races are just reflections of certain aspects of human personalities. Bigotry and class systems are, IMO, great sources of conflict, challenge, and evil for your campaign. Best of all they can create situations where the only lasting or decent solution to a given problem is through RP instead of combat.
The Vanguard 07-13-04, 09:45 PM	Yeah specially with national views, such as in the Victorian era which my homebrew setting is. England empire was full of bigots, convinced that god born WASP supierority over lesser nations like Ireland. However in my bomebrew setting my Ireland is very much like Heartlands of Forgotten Realms, that still worship the original Gods and Goddess. My English empire which just incorprate into there empire. These English only worship Marduk and in with in some group unofficially Machina, since Steam Tech reacts very badly to Magic these English not favor Mages or Magic in there Towns or Cities, I've figured out let to make Mages and Magic Users to be officially counted by the state.
lostinabook247 07-14-04, 01:14 AM	Please forgive me if I'm totally misinterpreting your post, but it sounds like you're new to D&Dyou might be confused by the system of "classes". It isn't something like Lower Class, Middle Class, Upper Class, with class meaning socioeconomic position. Rather, the "classes" are different types of characters - fighters, wizards, rogues, clerics, things like that...its just a different use of the same word.
The Vanguard 07-14-04, 04:08 PM	The Class system I'm talking about is Lower, Middle, and Upper Class.
Sulaco 07-14-04, 04:38 PM	Originally posted by The Vanguard The Class system I'm talking about is Lower, Middle, and Upper Class. It is entirely up to the DM. There is no class-system built into the rules.
The Vanguard 07-14-04, 06:46 PM	Well parts of my homebrew setting does have a class system since it's during the Victorian Steam-Punk timeframe, the Irish like kingdom is like Forgotten Realms were there isn't a class system unless Forgotten Realms have a class system that I don't know of. My English, German and French like nations have a class system, my Scottish nation is ruled by Clans.
GSHamster 07-14-04, 07:02 PM	Originally posted by Sulaco It is entirely up to the DM. There is no class-system built into the rules. Aristocrat? Commoner? There is a class system built in to the rules. But there are no built in rules on how members of one class treat the others.
The Vanguard 07-14-04, 10:02 PM	That's what of type of Class I'm taking about High born verus low born, does any of the official settings deal with this?.
GSHamster 07-15-04, 12:21 AM	Originally posted by The Vanguard That's what of type of Class I'm taking about High born verus low born, does any of the official settings deal with this?. Not really. For one thing, adventurers tend to cut across class boundaries. It's not uncommon to have an adventurer be a farmer's daughter, amass wealth and fortune, save the kingdom, and marry the crown prince as a reward. Off hand, I can't think of any setting that actually enforces class distinctions or restricts mobility between classes. Perhaps Birthright would come the closest.