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CLASS MODIFICATIONS
Rogues
The rogue class, including the bard, has been removed and all their special skills or abilities have been converted into proficiency form. See New Proficiencies. In its place, I have added a new class, the Adventurer Class. See New Class: Adventurer.
Wizards
Aside from the spell point system I use(see Magic System), the only other change involves specialist magi.
Specialist Mages
All wizards must begin as mages. After achieving mastery of the 1st circle(10th level) they can join a conclave of specialist magi and become a specialist. This requires a d6+6 months of study and training, and the conclave will demand membership. Membership involves paying dues and such, but will also have benefits as the DM determines. Dues usually involve 1 of 3 forms of payment on an annual basis(paid up front for the 1st year when the mage initially joins at 10th level or later): a unique spell(s) researched by the mage(total spell levels must be 5 or more), a magic item(s) made by the mage or in his possession worth at least 1000 XP in value, or a cash payment of 5,000 gp in gems or gold/platinum. The benefits will at least be: access to the conclave laboratory and library, which frees the mage from buying his own, but often requires reserving it in advance(many members mean more competition for the use of it). The conclave will usually have enough such labs and libraries to allow each member guaranteed access for 3 months out of the year. Thus, many will still end up building their own. The benefit of the library is that any research done in the conclave lab will half the time normally required for the research. The lab is rented out as is the library for 1d10x100 gp/month(depends on the current demand). Other benefits include: magic items for sale to members only, spells for sale or trade, loans from the conclave at low interest rates and using the mage’s magic items or such as collateral, possible reduced cost training, etc. Of course, the conclave expects all members to offer magic items or spell trades to other members first, before going to outsiders. Also, if the conclave is in need of aid, all members are expected to help as best they can.
Those who desire to be specialists still need to meet the ability requirements of the PHB or PO:S&M. They retain the modifiers to their % chance to learn spells from these 2 books as well as the restrictions on magic item use, but now get a choice regarding the bonus to save against their own school. Specialists who are true devotees get a +2 save vs. spells of their school, but also suffer an extra -20% on their chance to learn spells of their minor schools(this on top of the penalty the specialist already has to learn spells outside his school). Those specialists who devote time to study their weakness remove this -20% penalty, but also lose the +2 bonus. Also, the special bonus abilities listed in PO:S&M for specialists can be gained( as well as others the specialist desires which are of his school) but will have an equal disadvantage added to them. By researching these special powers, the specialist will be forced to neglect other areas which become weak, giving a disadvantage in these areas. The actual power itself may bring along an inherent weakness as well, the DM must judge on this to be balanced, but see Kits/Devotions page for ideas.
Their opposition school is the 1 opposite their chosen school on the octagon diagram in the PHB and they have only minor access to the 2 schools adjacent this opposition school(this applies to elementalists also, but not to other specialists who are not school specialists, but effect or philosophy specialists(see PO: S&M).) Spells cast from their school are cast with 1 of 3 bonuses; +2 casting level, -2 on enemy saves or casting time reduced 3 units. If a specialist wants to specialize in a spell, it must be one from his school.
If the specialist actually specializes(PO:S&M) in a spell, which must be of his school, he gets the usual free casting of that spell, and gets all 3 of the specialization bonuses rather than choosing just 1(thus he gets to choose 1 of the 3 when casting a spell of his school, but if casting a spell of his school in which he is also specialized, he gets all 3 of those bonuses). Specialists(school & elemental) still get a bonus spell per level useable only for spells of their school, which are converted to spell points(see Magic System). Regarding trying to learn a spell above their allowed spell level limit, specialists can only do so with spells of their school, this also applies to spell boosting, only spells of their school they can boost. 1 note, the boost option of paying double to impose a -2 save for target does not combine with the specialists ability to impose the same -2 for spells of his school or those he is specialized in. All other combos work normally.
Priests
Priests must choose to be 1 of 3 types: Crusader, Specialty Priest or Druid.
Crusaders
These priests are devoted to 1 of the 4 extreme ethos of the universe: L/G, C/G, L/E or C/E. They use the cleric tables for almost all things, but these are their special abilities:
Turn Undead: as a cleric.
Incite Berserker Rage: as the power in the Priest’s Handbook.
Weapon/Armor Use: crusaders can use all weapons and all armors/shields. A crusader can also Specialize(only) in 1 weapon of their choice. They must pay the slots for it, but gain all the advantages of specialization in it, including using the warrior THAC0 progression for this 1 weapon only.
Finally, crusaders have these Spheres of access for spell use:
-Major Spheres: All, Combat, Guardian, Healing, Law(if lawful) or Chaos(if chaotic), Protection, War
-Minor Spheres: Divination, Necromancy, Wards
Specialty Priests
These priests can be of any alignment except True Neutral. They serve a specific god/goddess. The DM can create his own gods and/or use the priest builder below. This point system keeps all priests in the same power level. Use it to design your various churches.
Specialty priests follow the cleric tables in the PHB but lose turn undead and all spheres except the All sphere. They get 31 points to buy spheres and powers with. Below are what all specialty priests start with for sphere access:
-Major Spheres: All.
They may choose from the following spheres and powers to spend their 31 points, for spheres, minor access costs 1 point while major access costs 2:
-Spheres: can choose from all spheres except these: Animal, Chaos(if not chaotic in alignment), Elemental(fire, air), Law(if not lawful in alignment), Plant, Sun, Time or Weather. Specialty priests can choose minor access only to Elemental(water, earth) for 1 point. ( See PO:S&M for spell changes, the spells have been shifted into new spheres, so the above restrictions are appropriate, for example, light was Sun sphere, but now moved to both Guardian and Creation.)
-turn undead for 6 points.
-use all weapons for 3 points.
-+2 on any 1 of the 5 saving throw categories for 2 points.
-ability to spell specialize in priest spells as a wizard does in mage spells for 2 points.
-incite berserker rage for 4 points(see complete priests handbook).
-immune to level drain for 4 points.
-immune to disease as paladin for 2 points.
-other minor power for 2 points.
-other moderate power for 4 points.
-other major power for 6 points.
see priests handbook for help on determining the power level of minor/moderate/major powers.
Druids
Druids are as in PHB but players can choose some spheres or powers by allocating points. There are several clans of druids that differ from each other, so these points allow for variety in the Druid religion. All druids must be born of a druid mother or father to be accepted, even then, they must pass the tests that the Grand Druid imposes on outsiders during the last part of their quest(see below). If an outsider desires to join, he must start off as an initiate(treat him as a 1st level druid, but he will not be allowed to continue in it if he fails the tests), and must seek the Grand Druid to be accepted. The Grand Druid purposely hides himself to weed out those unworthy of joining, and puts harsh natural obstacles(severe climate, dense jungles, etc) between him and the seeking initiate. During the quest, the Grand Druid will test the initiate, but the initiate will not know what these tests are, and may not recognize a test as such even after going through it. These tests will occur at the end of the initiate’s quest, just before he finds the Grand Druid. There are 7 tests(the DM must personalize these to each PC, and they should not be so difficult that a PC who qualifies for a druid normally and plays his PC competently, if not exceptionally, cannot pass them.): Test of Balance(test the true neutral alignment of the PC), Test of Combat, Test of Endurance(tests the PC’s endurance and ability to survive in the wilderness), Test of Animal Lore(tests the PC’s knowledge and skills with animals, as well as his compassion for them), Test of Plant Lore(tests the PC’s knowledge and skills with Plants and his care for them), Test of Native Lore(tests the PC’s knowledge and skills regarding the natives of the land he intends to be a druid in. How he deals with them and works with them.) and finally the Test of the Druid(an overall test of the PC’s ability to use his combined skills and wits in defense of nature and the Balance. The PC will be faced with a problem that he must overcome, relating to the protection of nature and the Balance and defending it from its foes.).
Druids get the following spheres and 7 points to choose more spheres or powers:
-Major Spheres: All, Animal, Elemental, Healing, Plant, Sun, Weather.
They can choose from the following spheres and powers to spend the 7 points: for spheres, major access costs 2 points, minor access costs 1 point.
-Spheres: Numbers, Time, Travelers, Wards.
-tough bark skin for a natural AV of 2(AC 8 for those who use the normal AD&D system) and +1 saves vs death/poison. Cost is 2 points.
-move silently and hide in shadows as ranger for 4 points.
-base move of 15 for 1 point.
-immune to natural(animal/plant) poisons for 4 points.
Warriors
The only change for warriors is regarding the 2 sub-classes of Ranger and Paladin.
Paladin
A warrior cannot start out as a paladin. Only a warrior of L/G alignment, who did not stray from it and who was devoted to the cause of Law and Good or a specific lawful/good religion and who meets the PHB requirements can even try to be a paladin. He must have paid 10% tithe to his cause as well as being devoted to it in spirit, and he must have the religion proficiency and be skilled in it. If these conditions are met, and the church or ethos of L/G(the crusaders of L/G) considers him worthy(DM can decide if the warrior was played as a paladin would be up to this point), he will be consecrated as a paladin of that order/ethos. Only at 9th level can a warrior submit himself for such consideration. If chosen, he will be ordained in a long(several days to a week) ceremony and knighted as a paladin by the head or high priest of the order to which the warrior petitioned. He will then fast and meditate in isolation at least 1 days journey from civilization, for 1 month, after which, he will receive a personal revelation and vision or dream from his ethos. The dream/vision will show him where his holy weapon waits for him as well as his bonded mount. Both will require a special quest, but others can go with the new paladin as long as the paladin does his best, and does not overly rely on his allies/friends. The DM can place both the holy sword and bonded mount in the same quest if he so desires.
Paladins who serve a specific church, like specialty priests, can choose their spheres with these 8 points, but the DM should choose those most appropriate for the church in question: 2 for major and 1 for minor access:
-Spheres: Combat, Divination, Guardian, Healing, Law, Protection, War.
Crusader paladins who serve the cause of L/G rather than a specific church get:
-Major Spheres: Combat, Law, Protection
-Minor Spheres: Divination, Healing
Rangers
Rangers must be born of a ranger or druid to be trained as such, so long as they meet the PHB requirements and pass the Test of Rangers given by the Grand Druid(see below). In such a case, they take on the species enemy of their parent. If not so born, a warrior that meets the PHB requirements can seek the Grand Druid to ask for such training. As for druids above, the Grand Druid hides to make the quest hard, and places harsh natural obstacles in the would be ranger’s path. Once the Grand Druid is almost found, he will test the candidate with the Test of Rangers. This test, like the tests given druids, will test the ranger’s knowledge and skill with animals, plants, survival, endurance, combat, the people he is to protect and watch over and his ability to use it all in defense of his charge, both nature and humanity. His main foe in this test will end up being his species enemy. He will then be fully trained in the way of the ranger. As the tests indicate, the warrior must already have some knowledge of nature, survival and such, so any warrior who desires to be a ranger should choose his skills wisely.
Rangers get 4 points to choose their spheres from, which will depend on the druid clan the ranger was trained by(the DM should choose the most appropriate spheres): 2 for major, 1 for minor access:
-Spheres: Animal, Elemental, Plant, Sun, Wards, Weather.
Finally, regarding the Tracking, Hide in Shadows and Move Silently ability of rangers, they begin with these 3 proficiencies as if fully paid. In addition, each level the ranger gains gives him 3 special proficiency points(see Proficiency Rules for details) which can only be used on these 3 skills.