Class Based RPG vs. Classless RPG Pros and Cons

This post is primarily for people who either love game design or who love learning about in-depth aspects of

tabletop roleplay games.

This post isn’t so much a post about Eternity TTRPG (although we will talk about Eternity TTRPG quite a bit), but about the RPG and TTRPG genres in general. The topic is whether you should choose to play a class based RPG or a classless RPG. It’s a topic that’s always circulating in the game design world, and we’ve been answering a lot of questions lately about this topic on various forums. So, here’s our “official response” to which type of game we think is better.


Our answer: we have no definite answer.


It depends on the type of player and what they’re after, for which is “better.” If you are a game designer or you’re thinking about making a game, you will never please everyone. It’s good that you realize that now and never forget it. If you make the best game ever that is a class-less game, and you present it to people who love class-based RPGs, they will not like (or at least will not love) your game. And vice versa.


So, instead of giving a definite answer on which is better, we will simply give you the facts and let you decide.

Class Based RPG Berserker

Class Based RPG Pros

Many, many roleplay games feature “classes” to define what characters can do, make players feel special, and give them roles within their gaming group. The idea is to let players choose a thematically-specific set of “powers” or abilities that is preset. As the player levels up or advances their character they gain all the abilities available to their class. At high levels, a character even comes to define that class as its paragon. There are many class-based RPG pros.


The reason why classes are so common in games is because, if designed well, classes are incredibly fun. The idea of becoming a master wizard, the world’s best thief, or a raging bro-dozer-like berserker certainly has its appeal. You get to look at a list of options, pick the class that sounds like the most fun/ exciting/ enjoyable, and become that class.


Class Based RPGs Are Simple

Plus, class-based RPGs are simple. There’s no demand for players to learn the entire game all at once. They can simply start off by picking their class’ first ability, then go from there. As they get better at the game, they are slowly introduced to new abilities – often one at a time.


On the other side, people who have been playing RPGs and TTRPGs for a long time and already know every ability that each class offers might eventually get bored. Classes can be confining if you already know what’s coming (if I play a berserker, I know what I’m going to get at Lv.1, 2, 3, and so on). After multiple times playing new characters, classes can lose their sense of wonder.


Depending on the game system, there’s often less opportunity to creatively build characters in a class-based game… Especially if the idea you have for your character can’t be represented by one of the game’s classes.

Eternity TTRPG Article Shop

Class Based RPGs Provide A Framework For Creativity

For new players, class-based RPGs provide a framework for creativity by giving starting ideas (your character can do x, y, and z. So, now knowing that, what do you want to do?). Newer players may not have grand ideas of what they want their character to be, the first time playing a game. Classes make it easier for them by limiting their options, and actually instill creativity by giving them a starting point. “Pick a class and roleplay how you imagine that class to be.”


Even many advanced players still love playing classes because of the themes they represent. There are many gamers who only ever play paladins, or druids, or whatever – because they love what that class “is”, “does,” or represents. My favorite class, for example, is the fallen paladin, because I love doing whatever I want to with my character. Little to no thoughts of morality and consequence, basically ever. Gaming is a fun way for me to explore other sides of my psyche, and fallen paladin lets me do that while laughing about it, with friends.

Class Based RPG Fallen Paladin

Classless RPG Pros

On the other side of the game design spectrum is a classless RPG. If you’re playing a roleplaying game, you should be able to create any kind of character you’d like. There are no limits to the mind, and if you can think of a character you want to play, you should be able to. Right? That is the mindset that defines a classless RPG.


The idea is that instead of letting the game and its rules define a character for you (such as a class would do), you create a character in your mind, then pick powers, skills, and abilities that conform to your own mental image. Having a class, in this sense, can be limiting. What if I want to be a fallen paladin who also has some access to the light? Maybe he’s currently in transition from his former life of a paladin to that of darkness, but he’s not quite there. Wouldn’t it be cool to have light and dark powers during that time?

Classless RPG Pros

Classless RPGs Have More Options and Combinations

“Well, that would be great, but there is no class in the game we’re playing that’s both a paladin and fallen paladin…” Basically, a classless RPG has more options and combinations for characters to manifest.


To be clear, any good games allow for players to take its existing rules set and adjust based on what makes sense for the player and their character. Games should never hinder players’ creativity because of rules. That’s not very fun. Most people play roleplay games so they can roleplay. And they want to play the characters they have in mind, not be boxed in by rules.

“Ok, so there’s no paladin-fallen/ paladin hybrid in the game, but it’s just a game, so let’s work the rules a bit. How about you take one level in paladin, then one level in fallen paladin, and so on?”


That kind of solution can work, in a class-based RPG. But some people like the freedom to just pick any abilities or powers they want. Instead of taking an existing rule set and changing it, like in the above example, why not just list out all powers in the game then let people choose what they like?


A Classless RPG Has More Depth From the Very Start

A classless RPG has more gaming depth from the very start. Another way to say this is that the level of entry is much higher. To make really “good” characters, players need to thoroughly understand the game system. But, the depth of character creation, even from level 1, is much greater than a class-based RPG. The reason why is that players can start building their character in any direction, right from the beginning. They can always pick a simple ability they think is fun, then as they get more comfortable with the game, add more powers as they go.


All in all, even RPGs fall on a large spectrum. Most games, at some level at least, are often mixed between a classless RPG and a class-based RPG. Many games have some form of base class from where players start, but they can branch out in any direction. Maybe they start out as a “berserker” but they end up as a “berserker-wizard” because they keep selecting new spells as they level up, instead of melee techniques.


Or, games allow for multi-classing. Players start out with a very defined class but can quickly add traits or skills from any other class of their choosing, increasing the diversity and depth of gaming experience. Mixed games like these are a great way to allow for more free-form gaming, while keeping most of the benefits of a class-based RPG.

Classless RPG Skill Tree

Eternity TTRPG’s Solution

As you may have guessed, we struggled with this topic quite a bit when designing Eternity TTRPG. Some people love class-based games while others find them restricting. The first two editions of Eternity TTRPG (well before we self-published) were class-based. We had something like eight classes at the time that were all highly thematic and individualized. Then, in a third edition, one of our early players mentioned Skyrim and how much they loved creating a character entirely their own – no “class” restrictions. So, guess what? We tried that too. But, with some problems.


Here was the big problem with our classless RPG experience and why we eventually switched back to a class-based system: by the end of the campaign, everyone’s characters were exactly the same.


Yes, they all started out completely different with totally unique character concepts, and they were substantially unique and different characters for the majority of the campaign. However, as the game progressed and players started seeing what worked with others’ characters, they started copying strategies.


Everyone’s A Super Swordsman-Wizard-Dragon

“That swordsman can heal himself? Maybe my chaos wizard could benefit from a heal as well.”


“I can leap fifty feet into the air, but you can fly? I’m going to start specializing towards flying, too. That sounds way better.”

Since many classless RPGs have no rules to prevent characters from building anything they want, given enough time and gaming sessions, they can (and eventually do) all build super swordsmen-wizard-dragons. Everyone’s characters typically end up being exactly the same by the end of the game. What we’ve found with class-based RPGs is actually the opposite – that characters actually get more defined throughout the game, not less. Characters get further into the classes they’ve chosen, thus providing even stronger role fulfillment (based on their classes) in their adventuring groups.


With classless games? Everyone has flight, invisibility, instant heals, and divine shield. That’s just the way it goes.

Classless RPG Fighter

Eternity TTRPG’s Roots

It took us a while to come back around, but we eventually did settle on a primarily class-based RPG. It’s also true to our roots though, and we just decided that Eternity TTRPG, because of the type of game designers we are, works better as a class-based game. No doubt, other designers have made classless RPGs that really work a lot better than our short foray into the free-form world, and there’s certainly great classless games out there. But that’s not us.


Some of our most-read posts for Eternity TTRPG have been about the Eternity TTRPG classes. As we’ve looked back over the last several months of just our web traffic alone, it’s obvious that people love the concept of RPG classes, and love to see what classes in any given RPG can “do.”


At Eternity TTRPG, we love RPGs of all kinds. We grew up playing video game RPGs. It was always fun just to see the concept of classes for each game. We used to look up other games just to see what their “classes” could do – how each game defined classes, and what made those classes special.


Ultimately, we have fun with class-based games, so we had to make Eternity TTRPG class-based.


Epic Levels And Advancement in Eternity TTRPG

There’s been a lot of work going into the Eternity TTRPG main game. We update the game every 6-12 months or so, and email that update for free to all game owners.


But lately we’ve been hard at work at the Eternity TTRPG Epic Expansion, which will allow players to play from Lv.10 – 100+. Yes, that’s right. Now that the main game has such a robust foundation, it’s possible to allow for essentially unlimited levels. The way we’re going to do it though? A form of classless RPG gaming similar to multi-classing.


Once you hit Lv.10 with a class, you can either start at Lv.1 in a new class or take an “epic level” in your existing Lv.10 class. My fallen paladin I mentioned earlier? He’s now Lv.21. Lv.10 fallen paladin. Lv.10 revenant. Lv.1 dragon knight. I’m getting to play multiple classes, taking my favorite portions from each. I still have structure when playing, but the game is allowing me to sort of “break the rules” a little bit and go outside of the box. It’s led to a lot of great roleplaying moments, adding new classes to my character, as well.


Look for an upcoming release of the Eternity TTRPG epic expansion.


Epic Spells And Abilities

Starting at Lv.11 and every 10 levels thereafter, you can choose an “epic” spell or ability. Epic spells and abilities are twice as powerful as any critical and allow you to choose small areas in which your character becomes truly world-class. The Eternity TTRPG epic expansion merges the best parts of a classless RPG and class-based RPGs by “breaking the base game’s rules” at higher level play by allowing players to mix their favorite parts of various classes.


Do we anticipate everyone to eventually become super swordsmen-wizard-dragons? Yes. By perhaps Lv.100+. But Eternity has 24 classes, meaning that a player would have to reach Lv.240 to become even close to the same as everyone else (due to epic levels). That’s still possible. We’re sure someone will eventually play Eternity TTRPG enough hours to hit that level. But’s it’s not a big concern for us. If you hit Lv.240, you probably should be able to be anything you want in life.

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Jacob Tegtman Eternity TTRPG Creator

Author - Jacob Tegtman

Dear reader, I hope you enjoyed this article. Tabletop gaming has been a passion of mine since I was 6 years old. I've played just about every game from Dungeons and Dragons to video games like Final Fantasy. These games have inspired me, made me laugh, made me cry, and brought me endless hours of enjoyment.


I started Eternity TTRPG - and the indie tabletop game that goes along with it (Eternity Shop) - to share my love of gaming with others. I believe that in our technology-driven age, tabletop games help bring a sense of magic and community back into our world.


If you love the site, please share it with others! I have lots of gaming-related material for you to peruse and use in your own gaming sessions. If you have any questions about the site or want to contribute, just send me a message using the "Contact" page, which you can find in the site's footer.

Box art and game components for
By Jacob Tegtman September 12, 2025
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N4UZQypmuo&ab_channel=EternityTTRPG Transcription What if you combined the card drafting of a deckbuilder, the equipment-sets of a loot quest, and the hidden personal goals of a role-playing adventure—wrapped up in a compact competitive board game? That’s “Journey Adventure Quest” – or JAQ, for short. This is a game my wife and I picked up at GenCon, and I’ve really enjoyed. In our first playthrough at the convention, it felt like there was a lot to wrap my head around. But we just played the game again for the first time since GenCon, and it made perfect sense – after a thorough read through the rulebook. In today’s video, I’ll break down what I like about Journey Adventure Quest, whether you as a D&D fan may like it, and some basic info on how the game is played in case you want to pick it up. JAQ is a competitive (or semi-cooperative / even solo) tabletop/ card game about fantasy heroes growing in power, fighting monsters, building gear and spell combinations, and completing quests. I’ll get into the game in more detail shortly, but for the bulk of this video I actually want to just share what I like best about the game – which are some very specific things. Whenever you get a new piece of equipment for your hero, you can “stack” it on gear of the same type. The way that you do this is to actually leave the card top and left side uncovered, which actually empowers your equipment. This style of gameplay reminds me a lot of early gaming experiences I had with D&D and other RPGs where you finally get your first +1 Longsword. Sort of, before the days of World of Warcraft style play, where you’re just getting the newer, badder glowing sword that adds 1,000 more DPS than you had before. I like that in Journey Adventure Quest, every upgrade adds to the stats of the equipment you had before, and also gives you a unique name. This style of equipment upgrade works for all the gear you’d normally have in a D&D campaign, or other RPG – chest armor, helmet, gloves, belt, weapon, and even your spells! And there’s no limit to how much you can “stack” on one equipment piece. We’ve had some games where one of us had like 8 weapons on top of each other, and was just the most insane gear you could imagine. This stacking and naming effect makes the equipment begin to feel legendary, and incredibly powerful, even though you’ve had the basis for it from the very beginning of the game. This “feel” of equipment upgrading actually isn’t all that important to the gameplay at all, to be honest haha. You’d probably think from me going on about it that it is, but to me the feel is valuable enough for why I like it so much, and it’s a great idea for even your next D&D campaign – emulating something like this. Similar to stacking equipment, you actually do the same thing with monsters. Basically, to defeat it you need both strength, and knowledge for how to bring it down. Your goal (in my cases) is to gather enough strength and knowledge through your gear to overcome the monster. But, when the monster levels up, you do the same thing with stacking the cards so they still show the top and left-hand side. The final thing I want to point out that I really like about the game is that your character actually can’t “die.” Instead of taking “damage” that get removed from your total HP – like you’d see in most games or RPGs – you instead take 1 “blood” marker for each damage you’ve taken. At the end of the game, all of your “blood” markers reduce your overall score, so you can still basically “lose” the game (kind of) from taking too much damage. But it’s really fun – and pretty funny also – that the game has these awesome equipment and monster mechanics, but you actually have no risk of character death. For a low-key, fantasy-adventure, fun/ party kind of game, I really like the low stakes nature of the game. In one game, I think my wife had like 18-blood on her character – which is a ton, by the way. She basically had 0 armor all game, didn’t even try to reduce the damage she was taking – and ended up still winning because she completed all of her character’s quests, in other ways. Super fun. So, here’s roughly how the game is played, overall. Heroes get an initial hand of 7 cards to draft equipment, spells, or other items. Equipment has a cost to it (either in coins, or blood), and you basically just choose what you want for your character. After every two rounds of drafting cards for your hero to power them up, you face monsters. Everyone who can defeat the monster – by overcoming their knowledge and HP – gets rewards, like you can see here. And then, each monster also comes with specific loot drops, which only one player may acquire, based on specific requirements for each loot card. After a monster is defeated, players returning to drafting more equipment and cards to boost their heroes. There are three total “rounds” of fighting monsters. While all of this is happening, there are personal secret adventures : each hero has some hidden goals that often require high-level spells, powerful equipment of a certain type, or certain “colors” that go into their equipment – these are known as guilds. I think of them basically just as being elemental types. Finally, there are quests , which are basically adventures that everyone’s on, to either compete for end-game prizing, or to at least hit certain thresholds where bonuses are given. At game end, the hero with the most points – which you get from a combination of equipment / monster fights / secret adventure completions/ quest/comparisons and) – actually wins the game. To summarize it, the game utilizes a very fun drafting mechanic for gear where you’re building combos, guild-sets, spells and equipment that synergize. You have progressive escalation of your very cool equipment, and monsters you battle. Players have hidden goals that add a roleplay-like flavor, and gives each player a sort of personal story they’re pursuing. And then you have multiple paths to victory: through direct confrontation/quests, through your hero’s power, through completing your secret adventures, and more. All of this a adds replayability, strategic variation, and a sense that you’re sort of roleplaying a character through this board, card game. M any D&D fans enjoy storytelling, character growth, equipment/spells, quests, sometimes hidden motivations, and fighting monster. I would say that journey adventure quest delivers on all of these. What JAQ might not deliver (for D&D fans) would be: Narrative depth, Roleplay flexibility, and stuff like Dungeon exploration and world building. So, it isn’t a replacement, obviously, but if you like D&D and want a light version of a D&D-feeling game, I think you’d have a lot of fun playing JAQ for an hour or two on some afternoon you have free. So there you have Journey Adventure Quest — a game that blends drafting, hero building, secret goals, and monster combat into something strategic, replayable – and most importantly, fun. For many D&D fans, especially those who love loot, spells, and character growth, this is worth a look. If you’ve played the game (or get a chance to), let me know your impressions. Thanks for watching—don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit that bell so you see when we cover more hybrid adventure/ strategy games amidst our journey into D&D!
Woman in dark dress with knives, ram skull, candles, text reads
By Jacob Tegtman September 10, 2025
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FWHvMzf_nI&ab_channel=EternityTTRPG Transcription We’ve reached the grand finale of our journey through Crooked Moon. If you thought alchemical barbarians and plague monks were wild—wait until you see sorcerers turning into pools of blood, warlocks who serve a cosmic jester, and wizards who poke holes in reality itself. This is where things get truly unhinged. Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG—your go-to source for all things D&D. This is Part 3 of our dive into the Crooked Moon subclasses, and the final five might just be the most dramatic of them all. We’ve got blood magic, chaotic laughter, witchcraft bargains, and two wizard paths that pull on the strings of reality. 1. Sorcerer: Crimson Sorcery Crimson Sorcerers channel raw lifeblood as their source of magic. Their powers revolve around something called the Blood Well—a reserve of vital energy they can spend to boost damage, enhance healing, or fuel their abilities. They can even dissolve into a literal pool of blood, slipping through cracks and resisting damage like some vampiric horror. As they grow stronger, they siphon life from their own body to supercharge spells, and eventually unleash Sanguine Feast—tendrils of blood draining everyone around them while restoring their own vitality. It’s absolute blood magic—a perfect subclass for anyone who wants their sorcerer to feel dangerous and unsettling. 2. Warlock: Great Fool Patron Not all horror is blood and gloom—sometimes it’s laughter. The Great Fool is a cosmic jester patron, and its warlocks wield humor as a weapon. They lash out with Vicious Mockery as a reaction, slap curses on enemies that leave them blinded by flowers, clumsy with clown shoes, or honking uncontrollably every time they move. At higher levels, their banter deals psychic damage, and eventually they can Send in the Clowns—summoning ghostly jesters that strike fear and knock enemies prone. It’s creepy circus energy meets eldritch pact, perfect for players who like their dark fantasy with a side of twisted comedy. Real quick to interrupt, we now have free downloadable D&D cards at the Eternity TTRPG website that you can use at your table. Everything from combat actions to status effects – no more flipping through your book to see exactly what being “Petrified” does to your character. You can just take our graphics, print them out at home, and slap them on your table for fun and easy reference. Grab yours today using the link, below! Now, back to the video. 3. Warlock: Horned King Patron The Horned King reminds me, of course, of the Black Cauldron! ...So I already have nostalgia for it. This class is the darker side of warlock pacts—witchcraft, maledictions, and the like. These warlocks curse enemies with agony, rot, or madness, and later channel the Horned King’s majesty by sprouting antlers and radiating an aura that charms, terrifies, or weakens foes. At their peak, they can even form a coven—bonding allies to share curses, teleport across the battlefield to each other’s sides, and spread extra necrotic damage. Thematically, this one screams ‘folk horror witchcraft’—rituals in the woods, blood pacts, and the slow transformation into something more than human. 4. Wizard: Occultist Occultists are the wizards who say, ‘knowledge at any cost.’ They reach beyond the stars, tearing open the veil of reality for forbidden secrets. Their unique mechanic is the Intrusion Die—every time they push their magic, reality might fight back, causing strange intrusions from alien realms. In exchange, they get immense power: removing concentration requirements, teleporting through scrying spells, and even flying or resisting madness. It’s the perfect subclass for players who want their wizard to feel like they’re constantly balancing brilliance with cosmic horror. 5. Wizard: Philosopher  Where the Occultist seeks forbidden knowledge, the Philosopher seeks ultimate truth. These wizards distill existence into Quintessence—a crystalline powder created from dissolving creatures or objects with their magic. That quintessence can then be spent to boost spell levels, craft magic items, or even alter the damage type of spells. Eventually, they craft a philosopher’s stone, granting them immortality, the ability to supercharge spells, and even cheat death itself. It’s the alchemical dream realized—equal parts academic and arcane. And that’s it—the full lineup of Crooked Moon’s subclasses. Fifteen in total, ranging from blood-soaked sorcerers to those we covered in previous videos, like the plague monk, and alchemical barbarian. This supplement doesn’t just remix the classic D&D classes—it drenches them in gothic horror, folk myth, and cosmic strangeness. If you’ve stuck with us through all three parts, thank you. Now I want to know—which of the fifteen subclasses across this series is your absolute favorite? Drop it in the comments, and let’s see which one takes the crown. And if you enjoyed this series, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with your table—because who knows, maybe your next campaign could use a paladin bent on the inquisition, or a spectral ranger.
Soldier aims weapon in war-torn city street. Buildings burning, smoke rising; other soldiers advance in rubble-filled road.
By Jacob Tegtman September 9, 2025
Battlefield 6 beta test left players absolutely delighted due to the classic action, unique destruction system, and career ranks.
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