I know this debate has happened way too many times but for some odd reason it got stuck in my head.
In the later editions of the World’s Most Popular Fantasy RPG if you wanted to be a necromancer it wasn’t that difficult. If you were lucky you had the right splat book and boom you’re a necromancer. Maybe you had to go a slightly tougher route. Take a feat or two and then boom you’re a necromancer. Or you might have to take some feats. Gain some levels. And then take a prestige class. And boom. You’re a necromancer.
How does that fly in an old-school game? Well. First, you start off as a Magic-User. Then you explore libraries of forbidden texts. You research and experiment. You find out where the tomb is of an ancient necromancer and raid it for secrets. You find a living necromancer and either attempt to study under him or beat him up and take his stuff. Or you could strike up a deal with some lord of the undead for arcane. It’s all stuff done in game not with the rules and tweaks. And chances are if you survive you’ll have a cooler character than taking options off a menu.
That’s today’s rant. Keep those dice a rolling.