Tips on creating a class system and character builder in a paragraph game

My group got assigned a project that is a paragrapg game right now we are supposed to create it as a console application that works with files, later we will have to upgrade it to be a ASP.Net app that works works with Entity framework. But to cut the long story short my partners are a bit lazy on it and I want to make a realy good work of it so. I was wondering if you guys could show me a right direction in how to create it in a good way?

If you could help me with those things:

• How to create a class system (should every CharacterClass be a separate class or maybe interface ?)
• The same goes with races (there are 4 of us so i imagine 4 classes + 4 races)
• Also how to connect the class and race system with a character Creation?

Lately I got interested in design patterns ( I bought the refactoring guru book ) and started to wonder if I could use some of those to make this code easier to manage and transfer to ASP.Net later or maybe I shouldn't. I thought of a Builder design pattern for character creator( which will also be used to create enemies and npcs) But I can't connect those 2 ( class system and the character creator, there will also be I imagine 3 abilities per class + 1 ability per race).

Thank you for staying with for so long I appericiate your time and be happy even if you'd just tell me a word i should look for or even a book!

Okey thank you again and have a nice weekend!