Here are my thoughts and ideas on Classes:

There are two aspects to this game that need to be addressed: edition and setting. Unfortunately, the two are actually mutually exclusive.

The edition is the Dungeons & Dragons BECMI version (Basic, Expert, Companion, Master and Immortals), though whether it makes it to the last stage is anybody’s guess. The premise of this version of D&D was to keep things simple. Gygax, on the other hand, thought the game needed to become more detailed. At the time, both were correct. What most people at the time failed to realize (and still do) is that not only did the game evolve, but so did the industry.

The BECMI version wanted to keep the game simple because its target audience was younger gamers who weren’t perceived as being interested in a more sophisticated game. There were so many products produced for this version because this was where the money was… at that time.

The more detailed, sophisticated, ‘advanced’ version became the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, which went on to evolve into 2nd Edition and 3rd Edition (and now Pathfinder).

The point is that the industry evolved. Probably 10,000 (or more) publishers began jumping on the bandwagon. The majority of them targeted their product at an older audience… because these were the ones that were now earning their own income. Remember, until D&D was first published, this entire industry didn’t even exist (except peripherally as historical miniatures). In fact, you could almost argue that the industry spawned other (admittedly derivative) industries.

Now, while the setting of Mystara started out as a ‘simple’ one to support the BECMI version of D&D, it, too, began to evolve as those younger gamers grew up and wanted more depth and detail in their game. However, they liked the world in which they were gaming, had a few years of interest tied up in it, and continued to have fun there.

So, how do you reconcile these two opposite approaches? You don’t. In fact, you really can’t.

One fan (Scott Ludwig, on the Vaults of Pandius) broke down the different character classes by abilities and assigned each level of ability a number of points. He was then able to shuffle the abilities around to create variations… i.e. new classes.

My first reaction to this was: cool! But then I’m an ‘old school’ new-schooler—I’ve evolved with the game and prefer 3.5 (and Pathfinder) over previous versions. As I thought about these new classes, it occurred to me, though, that they are actually a step away from that ‘simple’ game that BECMI was supposed to be (of course, by the time you get to the Immortals set, it’s not all that simple any more anyway).

Thus, my quandary! Add them or not? So, first reaction was to add them, second was to not add them, and now, third ‘reaction’ is to offer them. Any game has to evolve a little bit now and them, and the easiest way to do that is with a little variety. Also, these new classes aren’t any more sophisticated than the basic ones.

So, if anyone has a fancy to try one, be my guest!

BASIC CLASSES AVAILABLE
Cleric (Human)
Dwarf
Elf
Fighter (Human)
Halfling
Thief (Human)
Wizard (Human)


NEW CLASSES AVAILABLE
Bard (Human)
• Prime Req: none
• HD: d6
• Combat: as Thief
• Thievery: PP (Read Writing and Read Scrolls when of sufficient level)
• Arcane: as Magic-User of 1/3 level
• Save: as Magic-User
• Exp: 1,825

Dabbler (Human)
• Prime Req: none
• HD: d4
• Combat: as Thief
• Thievery: PL, HS, MS
• Divine: as Cleric of 1/2 level
• Arcane: as M-U of 1/3 level
• Save: as M-U
• Exp: 1,575

Dwarven Loremaster
• Prime Req: Int
• HD: d4
• Combat: as M-U
• Arcane: as M-U of 2/3 level
• Save: as Dwarf
• Exp: 2,500 (plus 10% penalty)

Elvin Priestess
• Prime Req: Wis
• HD: d6
• Combat: as M-U
• Divine: as Cleric
• Arcane: as M-U
• Save: as Elf
• Exp: 2,000

Elven Scout
• Prime Req: Dex
• Hit Die: d4
• Combat/Melee: as M-U
• Combat/Missile: as Monster (*)
• Thievery: HN, HS, MS
• Arcane Spells: as M-U
• Save as: Elf
• Exp: 3,400

Friar (Human)
• Prime Req: Wis
• HD: d6
• Combat: as M-U
• Divine: 150% Spells
• Save: as Cleric
• Exp: 1,250

Halfling Bumbling Wizard
• Prime Req: none (special, see Halfling, +5% max)
• HD: d4
• Combat: as M-U
• Arcane: as M-U of 2/3 level with 1 in 4 chance of failure
• Save: as Halfling
• Exp: 2,375

Paladin (Human)
• Prime Req: Str AND Wis
• HD: d6
• Combat/Melee: as Monster
• Combat/Missile: as M-U
• Divine: as Cleric of 1/2 levels
• Save: as Cleric
• Exp: 1,750

Priest (Human)
• Prime Req: Wis
• HD: d4
• Combat: as M-U
• Divine: 200% Spells
• Save: as Cleric
• Exp: 1,000

Ranger, Battle (Human)
• Prime Req: Con AND Dex
• HD: d10
• Combat/Melee: as Monster
• Combat/Missile: as M-U
• Arcane: as M-U 1/3 level
• Thievery: choose 3 skills; as Thief of 1/2 level
• Save: as Thief
• Exp: 3,325

Ranger, Sniper (Human)
• Prime Req: Con AND Dex
• HD: d10
• Combat/Melee: as M-U
• Combat/Missile: as Monster
• Arcane: as M-U 1/3 level
• Thievery: choose 3 skills; as Thief of 1/2 level
• Save: as Thief
• Exp: 3,325

Streetwise Urchin (Human)
• Prime Req: Dex
• HD: d4
• Combat: as M-U
• Thievery: as Thief of 3/2 level
• Save: as Thief
• Exp: 1,100

Swashbuckler (Human)
• Prime Req: Str
• HD: d6
• Melee: as Monster
• Missile: as M-U
• Thievery: HS, Backstab
• Save: as Fighter
• Exp: 1,700

Unlikely Hero (Human)
• Prime Req: none
• HD: d12
• Combat: as M-U
• Save: as M-U
• Exp: 2,000

Warlock (Human)
• Prime Req: Con, Int or Wis (any two)
• HD: d6
• Combat: as Cleric
• Thievery: choose 3 skills, as 1/3 levels
• Arcane: as M-U 1/3 level
• Divine: as Cleric 1/2 level
• Save: as Fighter
• Exp: 2,575

SPECIAL CLASSES AVAILABLE
Minotaur: Someone came up with a minotaur class, so I thought I'd toss it in as part of that 'variety'.
• Prime Req: Str and Con
• HD: d12
• Combat: as Monster
• Divine: as Cleric 1/4 levels
• Save: as Fighter
• Exp: 5,000

This message was last edited by the GM at 22:38, Mon 24 Oct 2022.