Many, many years ago I played Dungeons and Dragons, then Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. Those were what are called “Class and level role-playing games”. The players picked characters who had professions (classes that defined their skills and abilities and those characters would achieve advancement in all skills simultaneously by rising a “level”. I graduated to other games, and moved away from “class and level” to other systems, which had allowed characters to have a broader range, and to improve n different ways.
However I am have been tempted to return to class and level principlally by the Conan meets Cthulhu style RPG Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerors of Hyperborea. However I can’t get a hard copy yet, to import the boxed set would cost at least $120, and even printing the PDF ain’t cheap.
However, thanks to a nice Puerto Rican chap , Roberto Micheri, I took a look at Basic Fantasy. That also is available (free) in PDF form but there are Print on Demand versions of the in rule book and some of the scenarioscheap from Amazon. Those and other adventures and material are also free from the site. The authors seem to be doing it as a labour of love. There are modifiers to the basic classes that allow for barbarians as a background, rather than as a class, and the other “quasi-classes”make for good secondary professions to the main class.
The plan is still to work in a Hyborian Age Campaign, with adapting pre-written scenarios and campaigns to that world. So, the characters
Aswulf of Asgard, Aesir Fighter and Barbarian (Quasi class version)
Bladyyn, Bossonian Ranger, brother of Lydyn
Lydyn, Bossonian Cleric and Bard, brother of Bladyyn
Arum Shanash, Shemite Necromancer and Sage (quasi-class). Masquerading as a Sage with some magical skills
Tyrok. Thief and Archer (quasi-class). Background uncertain, short, thick boddied andwith certain preternatural abilities, some suspect him of having pre-human ancestry
Next, the adventure begins