Inherent stats vs class stats

[kranasAngel]

I'm currently making a game in which charchters can change classes. As it stands, half of their stats are based on their class, and the other half are inherent, I.e. Zero is still faster than K even though he's a Knight, and she's a ninja.

What do you all think of this? Should the stats stay 50-50, should they be more class dependent, less?

 

[Kes]

How you organise it is, to some extent, entirely up to you, but I would suggest that whatever decision you come to, you ensure that the results are credible to the player.

If I, as a player, find that my knight is faster than the ninja, I'm going to assume that this is an error.  Even when changing classes there is, I think, the basic expectation that the stats after the change make sense for that class.  To have a slower ninja seems a contradiction in terms, and equally an ultra fast knight doesn't 'fit'.  I know that when I am selecting my classes, I have certain expectations of what the end result will be.  Confound those expectations by too big a degree, and I am likely to get a bit annoyed (at least).

 

[jonthefox]

I don't think I'd mind it.   I'd probably assume that now that X is a ninja, he's going to start leveling up more AGI than the knight, and vice verca for the knight who will be now be lvling up more HP.   If class changes happen as part of the story, I would interpret this as now they're training and learning in a particular way.  

 

[Jeremy Cannady]

It depends really. I mean if someone was a ninja the whole game in they switched classes to a knight then I would expect that knight to be far faster then the average knight but slower then the average ninja (because of armor and things like that).

 

[kranasAngel]

Hmm, thanks, everyone's insight has been really interesting.

 

[Wavelength]

My personal preference is to have stats be mostly or fully "innate" (in the sense of not class-based - instead based on character, equipment, etc.), and skills and passive abilities be mostly class-based.  It creates a clearer division between the two and allows players to play around with a lot of different unique and interesting combinations.

However, I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with the way you have it currently set up.

 

[M.I.A.]

I'm currently making a game in which charchters can change classes. As it stands, half of their stats are based on their class, and the other half are inherent, I.e. Zero is still faster than K even though he's a Knight, and she's a ninja.

What do you all think of this? Should the stats stay 50-50, should they be more class dependent, less?

I am on board with this aspect of a game.

I would suggest that you grab Final Fantasy 4 Heroes of Light (3DS) and/or Final Fantasy Bravely Default (3DS) and see how they handle the Actor Stats/Class Stats. I think they keep it very intuitive and balanced. Best luck!!

 

[Omnimental]

My personal preference is to treat the Class as a sub-specialization, and the Actor as the primary. So each Actor has a clear role, but can sub into different roles through the Class function.