CLASS PLANNING
Build the question before the build: a class planning framework
A useful build is not a configuration sheet detached from context. This framework defines purpose and constraints first, so verified skills, equipment, and values can later be placed where they actually matter.
Planning method · contains no unverified class ranking or numerical claim
Define the use case in one sentence
State the situation, participation mode, and success condition this plan should address. If the job cannot be explained in one sentence, the configuration choices are unlikely to be comparable.
- Content context: what kind of activity the plan must handle.
- Constraints: time, execution load, connection environment, and available resources.
- Success condition: consistency, recovery, speed, or group contribution.
Separate the plan into five layers
Give each layer one question so a single ranking cannot replace the analysis.
- 01
Role objective
What this character must accomplish in the chosen context.
- 02
Core loop
A repeatable sequence that remains usable under pressure.
- 03
Survival and recovery
How the plan recovers from errors and which limits cannot be ignored.
- 04
Resource choices
Where limited resources can materially change the success rate.
- 05
Validation log
Record the version, date, test context, and observed result.
Compare only under matching conditions
Results from different goals, equipment baselines, or execution levels should not be placed side by side. Hold the test context and decision rule constant, then change one main variable.
When evidence is incomplete, record unknown fields and assumptions. Do not hide uncertainty behind numbers that merely look precise.
Make the build revisable
After an update, check whether the objective changed before touching the loop or resource choices. Revise a recommendation only when new evidence changes the conclusion, and record why.
Future Atlas class pages will use this framework to state context, data date, alternatives, and any part still awaiting verification.