classes should be abolished in place of a system that separates
- skills/attributes (determine HOW GOOD/BAD you do something)
- actions (actially DOING something, which require skills and attributes, and also “trains” them according to the action. e.g. Some action requires skills/attributes but doesn’t really train them, and vice versa )
- task (something that NEED to be done. requires actions that can achieve it)
- job (whether you SHOULD actually perform a task. Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you need to or should do it)
i.e. what we currently known as “class” is nothing but a list of checkboxes against tasks that the “class” is supposed to do or not. With this system, we can actually create new custom classes by just allowing/disallowing (or in more general terms, setting priority for) tasks that the class can perform (i.e. whether it is the class’s job to do a task). Instead of introducing “new classes” with fixed set of behavior, we can simply introduce new Tasks and Actions, and perhaps a template Job (which can be customized by player). Want a hearthling that crafts wood as a primary job, farms when he doesn;t need to, and helps haul stuff when he is free? NOW YOU CAN!
EDIT: a similar concept to the “hero” status is simply reaching heroic levels in one of the attributes/skills and can exists for every skill/attribute. Any “abilities” should be dependent on the attribute/skill level too.