First, let me get this out of the way by saying that so far, I enjoy Skyrim.

I was a bit of a naysayer myself, leading up to the game's release. I wasn't terribly confident in it. But I've been proven wrong, to an extent. While I wouldn't say I prefer it to Morrowind or Daggerfall, I'd say it's definitely a step up over Oblivion and is a full out realization of what that game could have been. So far there seems to be less hand-holding and more immersion. The balance isn't terribly good but I don't think Bethesda has ever released a game that has been well balanced so that was more or less expected.

But I do miss classes. I find that the lack of them actually makes the game less immersive and enjoyable. It's annoying from a gameplay perspective, because it means that I can't really have certain skills lined up from the get-go as areas my character specializes in. I don't like it from a role-playing perspective, either, because it makes it seem like my character has been sitting around pursuing a balanced assortment of tasks his whole life. I'm not sure what sort of upbringing could have led to equal proficiency in PIckpocketing, Two-Handed Weapons and Restoration magic but it takes me out of the game a bit.

Sure, people say that classes can be limiting (which is and isn't true), but even just a Fallout-style of tagging a few skills that you may have worked on beforehand would be cool.

I know it's a minor complaint, and I really do enjoy the game. But as the classless system was something that, IIRC, was much-touted, I wonder if anyone else feels the same way.


On the other hand, I do like the replacement for the Birthsign system.

I don't need the game telling me that I'm a warrior to KNOW I'm a warrior. And the way it is now, I can adapt later on to better suit my character, or to better fight.

Nope, don't miss them at all

A rebellious cleric. Note cleric, not priest.

I like the lack of classes. I like that I can move my character in whatever direction I like. I mostly focus on melee and smithing perks, but I've put 3 into restoration so that I don't have to carry as many health potions around. I wouldn't be able to do that if I'd been shoved into a "warrior" class.

A little. I think the game could have benefited from a major/minor skill system. That said, Skyrim's current system is very cool, reminiscent of the latest Final Fantasy.

I do prefer the current system over classes. Looking back at the classes in Morrowind and Oblivion a lot of them was very much similar, but none of them ever fit my playstyle completely so I always ended up making my own class anyway. So the current system fits me really nice. No need to be a certain class, I just pick the perks I need to make the "class" I have in my head complete.

No, thread underneath this was called "They're in a better place now", how true.

My main is rolling as a rogueish... one-hander bow user being very very sneaky.

However,.... at lev 30 I had so much money,... I decided to go buy every spell I could find and learn it,....

I am NOT limited to any specific class,... now... wether I'll be using all tese spells is another thing.... But at lev 33,... I STILL have the freedom to choose another path towards greatness.


....


So NO,... I do not miss classes.

Classes? What are those? Not those things I have to go back to starting Monday... No... I don't miss them at all. -_-

But seriously, I like the new system. It allows for more adjustment and change if needed.

Yes I missed several classes last week to play the game. Oh but you don't mean those. I truly don't miss being stuck with a "class" from the beginning of the game myself. If I decide at level 20 that maybe I'd rather use a two hander instead of a sword and board it is much easier to do now. Sure I might have some perks in one-handed weapons but it is better than being stuck not leveling because I never picked something for a stat that I found I liked more than what I chose at the start. Honestly when I start a character I know what I'm going to likely do with the character regardless of some arbitrary class system. This way just makes it easier to change my mind and truly evolve a character based on their situation.

reading the title of the topic, I thought you were in college or something and missed classes because you played Skyrim instead

Most players chose a class and then played something else, anyway

For an Elder Scrolls game I miss a strong atmosphere.

Having just played Dark Souls before Skyrim I miss good game play.

Classes were never a big deal, didn't matter where you start you were able to use every skill you got to 100 the only difference was how high your level was going to be and stats since the leveling system was weird.

I'd rather have a wierd level and be able to use every skill instead of having a set level and not being able to use half of everything you supposedly mastered to level 100.

I wish there was a "FFS" smiley I could use. I'd quote atlas and post it

Dude. You come across as a jaded effete narcissist.

I would have loved having the ability to select a starter class (e.g.: Warrior) that only defines your starting stats and abilities. Im playing with a nord warrior that doesnt use magic but I still know heal, flames and sparks and thats kinda messed up. From an RP perspective if noting else.

I think handling it this way would make some people happier without taking anything out of the game.

Nope. :dance:

The absurdity of the "Major is Minor" minmaxing is gone thanks to the class removal.

The thing is, though, that I never really found classes all that terribly limiting. At least not in Morrowind or Oblivion. Maybe a little in Daggerfall, where some of the skills were nearly impossible to level up if you didn't start with them at a decent level already (I'm looking at you, languages). So in that sense, I don't really see how anything's changed. In Skyrim, you didn't focus on Restoration, then decide you want it, so you have to train it up from a low level. In OB/MW/DF, you didn't select Restoration as a skill, then decide you want it, so you have to train it up from a low level. Functionally, they're the same, only in Skyrim training it up contributes to your level gain (which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the game and your point of view).

Instead, I always saw classes as being a way of establishing your character's backstory, of choosing how your character developed before the start of the game. Your Primary, Major, and Minor skills are the ones you learned during your time before being arrested. You can easily deviate from those if you find something else more necessary, but those are your history, what you learned.

I do agree that being forced to improve certain skills to level up killed it a bit, but there was no need for them to bring that in along with the classes.

EDIT: So, as I said in the OP, a Fallout-style skill tagging would have been the perfect compromise.

Very much so.

Agreed. One of the problem is that you start out "unspecified" in anything. You make who you are by playing, when you should already be better in a certain field. When choosing a class, you get skill boosts. In Skyrim, you start out neither as a mage, warrior or assassin, you become so by playing and getting better at certain skills.

I just love being the man I want to be, instead of not being able to pick a lock because my level doesn't let me.

Eh, I miss classes. Even though they'd have to be worked differently.

I tried to suggest a mod to bring them back and work in a way that fit with the new system (learn class skills 20% faster)

But everyone jumped on me for trying to limit gameplay... I still don't see how that is in any way limiting.

No, is still very much here if you play on Master for some play styles.

Nah.

Thing is only a small percentage of players play on Master setting. A very, very small percentage.

I DO. I like the new system just as much as I liked classes.

The thing with classes is - I could start a character and have its background implemented in-game. (I could make up a background as a warrior and START the game as a warrior, instead of starting as a peasent and dig my way to become warrior)

Edit: I would give an example.
I started a character - Dunmer, which was long a warrior as a mercenary for the Hlaalu house in Morrowind. When I started playing Skyrim I wanted badly the game to recognize the fact my character was a warrior in his past and therefor let me have higher skills in Combat, welll that did not happen.


It didn't bother me TOO MUCH tho, and after 2 hours of playing everything turned alright as I improved in my combat skills.