Lets talk about possibilities to add "Class System" to the game

Suggestions
1

Due to my poor English, and the paragraph is long, I hope you guys can understand the content i have in mind clearly XD

For this part i need to apology to any one who is reading to this article first.

Why i think by introducing the class system to the game will provide more fun ?

  1. Right now even Devs mentions many times, they don’t want class involve to the game, and this game has no class setup at all.
    But base on the current meta, I believe most players have at least hunter / crafter / miner or gatherer / Forger …etc setup.
    (just slightly different at skill choice, and someone may combine crafter with forger, and builder with crafter …etc )

As result, i feel the current meta, we already have “class system” made by players, just without an official class name on it.

  1. I find out a lot of new players basically build a rainbow character when they just start, and most of them will change it after they receive some suggestion by experienced players. Focus in one area, the benefit is to be more specific to focus on one thing, it will provide more efficient at skill point usage.

So why devs just setup the class system for everyone to choose it easier ? And new player will understand it easier and learn the game faster.

  1. Current system combine status point (str/control / dex/ vitality / energy …etc) and some skills together (double jump / charge / rapid star …etc) If we assign class and separate status point and skill points as 2 different system. It will allow players to have more free to specific the area they want. More different build will come out since some skill may be famous with different situation. For example crafter can have different status influence, maybe we can change int to affect crafting time ? Instead of rely on power coils setup ?

The class system i have in mine.
One of my favorite game Tree of Savior, this game has really unique class system.
Base on how it works i have some cool ideas come out.
What we can do to fit the boundless play style, we can make it like following.

For every character they can choose 3 - 4 class in the build,
so you can be like Bow hunter + Vendor + Chief + Atlas writer if you want.
Or you want more focus on fighting, you can build a character with all the adventure content class.
I think this setup will be better than the current skill set change system.

Adventure Content Class

  • Bow Hunter
    ( Range type, with current bow skill like rapid fire, charge… etc )

  • Hammer / axe / shovel hunters
    ( With the close combat gear + some unique close combat skills)

  • Grapple hunters
    ( In group fight , they can use grapple to control the enemy. for example the future Titan Boss)

  • Healer
    ( Able to have some skill to boost healing ability, for example mass healing, or apply the buff to teammates by totem)

  • Atlas writers
    ( Able to have some skills to run faster in the world, and write down the map faster)

  • Treasure Hunters
    (Able to have some skills to spot the corpse on atlas easier, and deal extra damage to corpse, more root drop during the combat)

Utility Content class

  • Block source gathers
    ( skills to deal more damage to the block type resource, like gems / metals / wood /gleam …etc. + lighting skills, tool durability skills…etc)

  • Vendor
    (skills to minus the tax, ability to know the market average price for every type of items in game)

  • Builder
    (Chisel skills, falling damage reduction skill…etc)

  • Farmer
    (Future system)

Crafting Content Class
Before i list the crafting class, i think the tool system need to change as well.

  1. Apply the ability to repair tools in game.
  2. Introduce the system to craft unique tools by combine the part of different mats to craft one hammer.
    (for example copper hammer head + Diamond hammer body + ruby handle = 1 unique hammer)
  3. Apply different states to different type of metals / gems
    (for example copper hammer head is less damage but faster action speed, diamond hammer body is more damage but slower , ruby handle maybe increase durability but more energy cost)

This kind of setup can make the tools become unique and can use forever until player find the new one fit their playing style.

Forge system, can be change to enhancement system, the ability to rename the tools, the ability to enhance aoe ability auto harvest to tools.

So we can see some meta hammer / bow / axe / become unique and valuable in the market.
Combine with class idea i provide above, hammer can be used for fighting or mining.
More choices will provide for players to create their unique style to play.

  • Chief
    (skill to craft food & brew, and skill to minus spark cost, crafting speed reduction…etc)

  • Blacksmith
    (Ability to use the new system i provide to craft unique tools)

  • Enchanter
    (ability to apply special effect to tools like aoe , auto harvest… etc)

  • Engineer
    (ability to craft all type of machines, and better repair speed)

  • Decoration crafter
    (ability to craft decoration blocks, and maybe at 10 points cost skill they can change the color of materials)

Conclusion

With this type of class setup + status choice, we can build up a close combat fighter with super fast movement speed and action speed or a tank hunter, or a hunter walk slowly but can deal heavily damage at one shot.

Also depends on skill setup some crafting class may benefit the combat as well.

For example you may want to add builder or block gatherer to the build as well to get the falling damage reduction skill or tool durability skill.
Or how about add a chief to the hunter build to get the food durability increase skill during the combat ?
I think that will be helpful as well.

Also if they add new feature like maybe Mounting and Taming pet system in future.
They can add more class to support the system as well, so more content at one time.
(new class always a new content in a lot of game. )

With this kind of class and status system setup, it won’t limited players creativity, instead it provide more choices to build unique playing style for players.

This is the most important thing i feel this game currently miss.
For character build everyone looks similar, only slightly different.
For gears, everyone used almost same gear at end game.
For Character style, now only one race, so everyone looks really similar as well
(i think race and cloth are important to add in the game as well)

For the MMORPG part, i think a lot of players love to build the identity to their unique characters,
It including the skill or class or states build + special gears (so it provide values for tools) + Unique looks.

For now the Sand box part in this game is really nice, its a game you can build even more detail art work compare to minecraft or other sand box game.

Those just my idea came out earlier XD
Not force dev to change it or anything like that.
Just an idea provide for the fun.
But i do believe this will become the game i want to involve more time for sure.:grinning:

2

I prefer to play games without class systems. I like systems that mimic real life: use a skill, get good at it and get bonuses with practice. Stop using a skill, grow rusty and start losing bonuses. Ultima Online got it right. That, and the capes that would fly out behind as you ran. I mean, if you’re going to wear a cape, it better billow appropriately.

I fail to see how having a class system contributes anything positive to the game. In real life, class systems have just historically contributed to misery, injustice, and human suffering so why would I want to have my entertainment propagate that?

I guess to each their own, but I vote for no class system.

7 Likes
3

Nice idea, but i would like to keep the freedom in allocating skill points how i see fit.
Maybe this could be added as highlighting the skills required for the “classes”. But without learning them.

4

Class system sounds okay I mean we have 5 right now
Hunter
Gatherer
Miner
Builder
Crafter.

But to be able to start off a progression towards a primary and have secondary classes would be cool.

5

My reason is the current status point combine with those skills really limited the creativity of character build for players.

Players already choose to focus on small area as the meta way to build their character to seek the best efficiency of result.

Also, I am really sure most players has similar build for hunters / crafters / especially miners.
So my point is, its already have class system in current patch built by players.
But with a lot of limitation of current skill tree, its not unique at all.

Those will be my reason i feel the class maybe a good idea to involve to the game.
And you can call it w.e it is, just a system. you can make it as mastery system or anything if you don’t like to call it “class”

6

As i said you can choose 3-4 class in one character, so it will provide more skill choice and freedom in one character compare to current meta.
And separate those state’s point out of the skill tree. You have more freedom to build unique character.

For example a food crafter + a range hunter + a miner + engineer.
You can invest the point to maybe str / dex.
And depends on how to design the skill for every class, it will have more interaction between food crafter combine with range hunter or miner comebine with engineer.

Or you can do full crafter setup like current meta we have.
Engineer + food crafter + blacksmith + decoration crafter.
It will be the exactly same crafter build in current meta.

The class system i have still base on skills, not about class itself.
so sometimes players may want some skills in that class tree, and choose that class to create new meta build.
more combination means more chance to find the play style you want and more identity for character build i think.

also if we apply this system, you won’t share the build by “hunter build” or “miner build” . It can be “My build”.
Or Food miner build …etc . At least its become unique for everyone’s character. And yes, players will still create the meta build, but it will be more type of meta, and more possibility to replace the old meta to new meta depends on the new contend added or other balance change.

7

I like the idea of a class system I think the game just doesn’t have enough content to make it happen. Without being to much.
Example:
You get a primary class in food now you can make pies you get a secondary class in builder. Now you can do fast builds make cool blocks ect.
Now unless you can do x amount more classes on the same character which would make it to op in my opinion your going to have to make alts to get the rest of the stuff you need to play the game… soo idk I like the idea if boundless had a real level progression each time you level you get more stam/hp that could make a class system not seem so vulnerable Or restricting

8

Um yeah i think you are right, but that will make dev more easier to balance the content.
They will have 2 ways to do the balance i think.
they can make monster stronger , make gem spawn lower, or they can neft the skill’s damage or other thing.

At least right now the only thing they can change is monster’s state and some recipe.
They really can’t change the skill’s interaction.
So i think the current system maybe more difficult to do the balance.

9

I think classes/races would be great. Races that are naturally inclined to be good at different things and less inclined to be good at others. This would limit the amount of things your toon could do, but make it excel at something in particular.

It could also be good for the economy, too because if everyone can’t do everything they would rely on shoping more.

10

How do you suggest a character levels? Do you unlock skills passive? Can i pick epics i like?

11

Here’s the properties I want out of a skill rework:

  • You can be competent at any task but master only a couple at a time.
  • Mastery is not skill-based it is effort-based and you change masteries by putting effort into another area of the game.
  • There are no alts. One character per psn or steam acct.

It’s hard to get specific without knowing devs’ constraints. And alt buyback would be a very big endeavor. But I don’t see anything changing as long as the alts are what they are.

1 Like
12

Not sure if I agree with one toon per acct. Being able to make alts helps prevent endgame burnout.

2 Likes
13

I just want them to consolidate some of these skills. Maybe free up a few extra skill points for a couple more utility skills. Epic light source is just staring at me and i’ll never have it on my miner lol.

A skill revamp altogether would make me happy. Classes would help i suppose. Right now you never really feel like youre moving in a good direction with your build until like upper 30s low 40s to me.

14

There needs to be another system in place to provide that. Alts are a cost effective solution from a dev effort perspective but break the game balance.

Boundless is in uncharted territory cuz most games don’t let you transfer all items, coins, and even xp to your other chars. And they can’t disable that stuff without hampering the core game. So I see it as the alt system that has to go.

15

Maybe lvl 1- 10 one class
lvl 11- 20 one class
lvl 21 -30 one class
lvl 31 - 40 one class

Well, even in the current meta you can’t have everything in low level character either.
especially for food, you can’t master the food & gear crafting at one skill set either.
so i think alt still require in the system i mention.
If you require other need without shopping at market, you can create more alt to solve the problems.

I mean a lot of hard core players love to lvl up new char as well.
For example i have 25 character in Tree of savior all with different build
(because that game has more class tree setup)

16

I dont see alts ever leaving the game honestly. They can refund the cubits spent to buy the alts but they cant refund the time people spent leveling them.

1 Like
17

I don’t think alt need to be removed either.
If you have a lot of class choice, it will be fun to create more alt to test how those classes combine together.
And that will be the different game experience again for sure. Also can solve the problems some solo players refuse to interact with other people. It also provide them the ability to get everything they need in the game.

18

I’d like to see most of the attribute skills tied to levels instead, and then make the rest of the skills deeper, and maybe go back to more of a skill tree. I could be wrong but I think right now if you focus on crafting, you can basically craft everything in the game (besides the ‘pick one’ epic you didn’t pick) by your mid-30s. In EA before the skills revamp, you has to be much more selective about what you wanted to be able to craft, which I think was better for the economy.

19

Consider the case of a super build which has no points spent in xp-earning tasks but is only handed their xp in rock and pie form from another build.

Eventually these will become the desired meta builds and everyone will focus on them. Alts will always let you reach the most “carry-like” builds in the game with no exposure to risk. There is no difference been 2 characters who can do 2 things and 1 character which can do 4 things. Without that solved there is no way to get the primary benefit of a class system, which is specialization

20

I think the problem to break the balance is not alts.
Its about the game content itself.
For example on the market there is nothing really worth as end game product.
for other mmorpg, you can see the epic gears or armors which is valuable.
It provides goal for players to grind.

Also the current meta hammer mining give way too much exp.
If you need times to level up your alts, it will remain everything balance i believe.