Ongoing insane DM notes - Classes

Typically, I like to think that my DMing style is akin to an explorer forging ahead into the unknown with my players. The actuality is that I show up ill prepared and then make the fun happen through intuition and force of will. Case in point, my class list...

	Str	Int	Wis	Dex	Con	Cha
18	Juggernaut	Abjurer	Psychic	Ninja	Jedite	Prophet
17	Huntress	Necromancer	Monk	Sharpshooter	Ronin	Enchanter
16	Paladin	Summoner	Seer	Blademaster	Evoker	Cantor
15	Geomancer	Elementalist	Druid	Hydromancer	Pyromancer	Aeromancer
14	Valiant Knight	Illusionist	Priest	Rogue/Duelist	Berserker	Noble/Warlord
13	Black Knight	Witch	Cultist	Assassin	Warlock	Sorcerer
12	Gladiator	Wizard	Cleric	Burglar/Scout	Viking	Spy
11	Hexenblade	Shaman	Alchemist	Nightblade	Pirate	Bard/Fool
10	Red Shirt	Beastmaster	Zealot	Runenmeister	Wild Elf	Skald
9	Ranger	Barbarian	Sun Elf	Hill Dwarf	Dark Elf	Mutant Warrior
8	Hobling	Savage	Gnome	Mountain Dwarf	Moon Elf	Tiefling
7	Orionixie	Orc	Halflingon	Centauroid	Birdperson	Naked Mole Ratling
6	Furling	Kobald	Goblin	Andwarvian	Octopode	Mantis Stalker
5	Frogling	Beastman	Satyr	Serpentaur	Golem	The Cloven
4	Faerie	Minotaur	Mushroomen	Naga	Gargoyle	Mutant Freak
3	Ghost	Troll Runt	Jester Psycho	Undead	Robot	Haniver

So there it is. A lot of these are custom classes that I haven't taken the time to build yet. I just let people roll up whatever, and if they pick an unfinished one I just ask them what they imagine the class to be like, give them some kind of class ability/bonus for the first session, and then try to finish making the class at home before the next session. To get the mechanics right, I'd ask these questions...

Spell Use? As cleric or wizard or other? Describe if other.
What size die do you roll for hp?
Hit Progression has 4 options; Fighter, Cleric, Magic-User, Normal Man (aka non-progression)
Any armor or weapon restrictions?
Any beyond human abilities? Describe please

I'd go home and plug those answers into my Custom Class Thingamajig, and then fiddle with it all until I was happy. Whether it's a new species or faction/profession I'd try to put together the framework of the culture and how they fit within the world, but on the flip side of that I want the player to create whatever backstory they like for their character, family, and background. Then we weave all those ideas together to help give richer detail to the class. In practice it's a glorious mess.

Oh right, character creation... so once your scores are rolled up, you look at your highest and lowest total to find your two class options (which can be combined btw if the player and I are crazy enough), or be a human (always an option). I've got 96 classes listed here, but with possible combinations who knows. I'm keeping the non-humans on the low end of the list for a few different reasons. The main one being that I allow players to lower their ability scores if they want to play a particular (fancy ability-heavy) character class. It gives people the opportunity to play any species they want, but is fair to those who bow to the will of the dice. Speed of character creation is a serious consideration, I don't like to think about how much of my life has been spent rolling up characters. When you have a class list of 96, you give people 2 options plus human and then move on. Trust me. Another reason that I tied non-humans to low ability scores is because when I create these custom classes I have to just give a number weight to each new ability, and I'm sure that I'm undervaluing things because player ingenuity will always surprise you. How much xp are wings worth? What about gills? So, as I make the class I will give a value to these, and then later often go back to increase these values. I feel the ability score penalty adds a bit of balance. Hmm, and the third reason is spite. Oh, you're too good to be a human? I've had to be one my whole life, here have an ability score penalty you special little snowflake.

It just dawned on me that I need to add Conviction to my chart and 16 more classes. Oy.

Feels easier to just let people write down anything as a class (two words or less) and make a custom class for each one as I go. No. That's the procrastination talking. You can do it you insane DM you!