Summary
RPGs came from the world of tabletop gaming, particularlyDungeons & Dragons, where class systems are absolutely everything to a character. However, in the modern day, game design has shifted to a much more open style of play where classless design has become a more accepted standard.
Whether it’s updated editions to storied franchises or new modern classics, plenty of RPGs take the classless approach. This list is ranked by the quality of the game, and by how effective the classless design is in making a fun RPG experience.
TheElder Scrollsgames have always offered some degree of freedom, with the class system usually defining loose archetypes, butSkyrimchose to do away with classes altogether, relegating them to infrequent buffs. Instead, the player’s skills increase directly with use, rather than assigning points (though some stats do receive buffsdepending on the player race).
In theory, that means the player character will naturally get better at whatever the player is drawn to. This usually works, though sometimes it results in optimized builds such as the infamous stealth archer. Still, in terms of sheer accessibility, it’s hard to get more open thanSkyrim’s classless approach.
TheKingdom Comegames are all about delivering an authentic historical experience in rural HRE, specifically modern-day Czechia. Gamers play as the humble blacksmith Henry, who, through sheer force of will, becomes a fearsome knight.
LikeSkyrim,Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2has a system based broadly on usage. Skills improve as Henry practices them more, unlocking unique perks for each (and evensome sneaky hidden perks). The player can really specialize into learning killer combos for their chosen armament, rewarding the classless playstyle.
CD Projekt Red, as an RPG developer, has never been keen on strict classes for character work. The originalCyberpunkTTRPG had player classes such as the ripper-doc, the rockerboy, the media, and the nomad. However,Cyberpunk: 2077, the half-sequel half-adaption, decided to take a classless approach.
In the game, experience points allow players to purchase power in the class menu, meaning that players can choose whichever path they want to go down, without eliminating the options of other pathways. Ideally, the game wants the player to engage in multiple paths, creating a mix of character archetypes that suits each player’s idiosyncratic approach.
Unlike many typical RPGs,The Witchergames don’t follow an anonymous character that the player can project themselves onto. Rather, players step into the shoes of the well-defined, gruff character of Geralt, a fearsome Witcher warrior who knows signs, alchemy, and dance-like swordplay as he navigates a rich worldfull of secret hidden quests.
InThe Witcher 3, the player can dynamically adjust these three schools to build a character complimented by suitable mutagens. The idea is that abilities are gathered in distinct sets, resulting in coherent builds that try to balance what the player is naturally drawn to, while discarding the rest.
WhileBloodbornetechnically has class selection at the very start, it’s a bit of a misnomer. Instead, these are more like pre-defined starting points with minor changes in the base attributes that are shared between all characters. That means if the player wants to be a magic user and didn’t pick the magic origin, they’re not locked out of that playstyle.
InBloodborne, the player can dynamically choose where to spend their blood echoes, and spec into whatever aggressive playstyle they desire. While that’ll mostly fall into the categories of a build based on either strength, skill, or arcane, there’s still plenty of flexibility to dip into whichever suits best to beatthe game’s fearsome roster of bosses.
Again, whileElden Ringdoes offer a selection of beginning origins, don’t be fooled. This is a massive game where the tiny changes in beginning origins quickly become irrelevant. The guts of the game involve creating particular build built over nearly a hundred hours of play.
The great thing aboutElden Ringis that, after defeating Rennala, the player can respec their character for a fairly cheap price, meaning that if they don’t vibe with the build they’ve made, it can be swapped out quickly. There’s a reason whole subreddits have popped up with unique builds, becauseElden Ringlets the player dictate the build to take downthe game’s Elden Lords.
Famously,Deus Exwasn’t fun until a few weeks before it launched, when all of its systems finally locked together. In an immersive sim, if one system doesn’t work, the whole simulation falls apart. Luckily, the classless system stayed intact, resulting in one of the most adaptable classless systems in RPG history.
Though each player plays as JC Denton, everyone’s version of the secret agent will be different. Some will be good at talking, hacking, shooting, melee, or sneaking, but crucially, no JC Denton will be good at all of them. The game’s classless system neatly ushers the player into defining their own organic class, making it a benchmark for many RPGs to come.
Ever since its release,Fallout New Vegas’s reputation has only been improving. It is now considered to be one of the greatest RPGs made in the 21st century so far, if not ever. There are many reasons why the game is so brilliant, and the classless RPG system is one of them.
When the player levels up, they will be given points to slot into one of many attributes, loosely based on a SPECIAL attribute scoring that is also chosen by the player. That means player builds evolve as the game progresses, unlocking unique perks, and combining into fearless Couriers by the game’s end. Famously, the player can even talk their way out of the final boss fight. That’s how a great classless system works.
