The Hero Within RPG 11: The Wayfarer Class – Explorers, Survivors, and Wandering Souls
Should a hero be defined by where they are going—or where they have been?
As we continue developing The Hero Within, one class remains in question—the Wayfarer. Unlike the Warrior, the Mägo, or the Healer, the Wayfarer isn’t bound to a battlefield role.
Instead, they thrive on exploration, adaptability, and survival. But should such a class exist? Or should these traits be woven into all classes instead of standing alone?
Before making a final decision, we want to hear from you! Is there enough depth to justify a dedicated Wayfarer class, or should its essence be integrated into other archetypes? Let’s explore the possibilities together.
🔹 The Wayfarer Class Progression
Wayfarers are masters of survival, exploration, and adaptability. Their journey follows this progression:
Explorer (Stage 1): A seasoned traveler, skilled in navigation, foraging, and endurance.
Wanderer (Stage 2): A worldly adventurer, able to read environments, track enemies, and improvise in difficult situations.
Wayfarer (Stage 3): A legendary nomad, capable of thriving in any land, uncovering secrets, and forging deep connections with the world.
Unlike other classes that focus on combat, Wayfarers specialize in mobility, knowledge, and adaptability.
Community Question:
Does this progression make Wayfarers feel distinct enough from other classes?
Should exploration and survival abilities be a class or a set of universal skills?
🌍 What Role Should a Wayfarer Play?
Wayfarers are not traditional warriors or spellcasters—they bring utility, knowledge, and survival instincts to a group. Some potential roles include:
Pathfinder – The first to explore unknown areas, revealing dangers and hidden paths.
Survivalist – Thrives in harsh conditions, finding food, shelter, and safe routes.
Diplomat – A traveler who understands different cultures, easing tensions and brokering alliances.
Jack-of-All-Trades – Not a master of one skill, but able to adapt to any situation.
Community Question:
Should the Wayfarer specialize in one of these roles, or remain a flexible generalist?
Would it be more interesting to make Wayfarer abilities available to all classes instead?
🚶♂️ Movement & Mobility – Should the Wayfarer Be Built Around Freedom?
Unlike heavily armored warriors or stationary magic users, Wayfarers thrive on constant movement and adaptability. Possible mechanics include:
Evasion & Agility: Able to dodge, escape, or reposition quickly.
Environmental Mastery: Bonuses when navigating forests, mountains, deserts, or ruins.
Travel Bonds: Able to call upon allies, contacts, or old favors from previous journeys.
Wilderness Magic: Not traditional spellcasting, but the ability to harness nature’s flow for guidance and protection.
Community Question:
Should the Wayfarer focus on physical movement, or should their skills be more about knowledge and adaptability?
What unique abilities would make this class feel exciting and distinct?
⚖️ Balancing the Wayfarer – Should It Stand Alone?
A major concern with the Wayfarer is balance—does it offer enough mechanical depth and unique gameplay to be its own class, or would it be better as a subclass or skill tree?
Standalone Class: A fully developed progression path with unique abilities.
Sub-Class or Hybrid: A branch of another class, such as Hunter or Tinkerer.
Skill Tree Integration: Wayfarer traits spread across multiple classes.
Community Question:
Should the Wayfarer be its own class, a sub-class, or a general skillset?
What’s the best way to keep the spirit of exploration and survival without making it feel redundant?
🏆 Help Us Decide the Fate of the Wayfarer!
This class is still on the chopping block, and we need your input!
Is there enough demand for a dedicated Wayfarer class?
Would you rather see these abilities spread across multiple classes?
What mechanics would make an exploration/survival class feel meaningful?
Drop your thoughts in the comments at LifeOfFiction.com and let us know what you think! Together, let’s build a progression system that truly reflects the hero’s journey! 🌍✨🚶♂️
Want to support this project?
You can help fund this project by becoming a yearly subscriber (best), buy Jaime a coffee, or even buy a book!
Want to get a taste of the world we’re creating?
Would you like to participate in the live discussions?
We are developing a growing section of the The Fiction HUB for the TTRPG part of Life of Fiction. A place where we can meet in real time, via video and chat, and discuss these aspects together.
This is available to supporters of Life of Fiction.
If you’d like to be included, please send me a private message and I’ll keep you in the loop. We don’t have an established time yet and have to play it by ear…for now.
Thank you for your time and insights—your feedback is what helps bring The Hero Within to life!
…uh because every other class has a focus on combat people will feel a disconnect.
When everyone one is talking about the fight that they all just went through and did big damage or healing or whatever else.
Then this guy says. “Ya but do you remember the mountain we had to climb to get there? That was easy right because I knew how to do it?”
In a game where everyone else has a focus in combat
He will be the odd one out. And combat is like half to two thirds of the game.
So either give him some combat abilities or scrap the class
I really like that “travel bonds” mechanic
If you don’t keep the class I think that could be a cool thing to give all players
You guys can use this when you’re in a jam.
“Oh I know a guy” then they basically spawn an Npc that didn’t exist before. I don’t know it just sounds fun and kinda immersive
Maybe they can use it and then have to roll to see how the relationship was
If they roll high it’s friendly. If low it’s hostile.
You roll a nat 1? “Oh that’s your ex wife who wants to kill you.” That sort of thing
I wanna play this one!