advanced dungeons & dragons enhanced house rules

8/6/2019 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Enhanced House Rules

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Advanced

Dungeons & Dragons

2nd Edition Rules Supplement

Enhanced House Rules


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Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Enhanced House Rules

Version 1.2

Silverfist Productions 1993

[Net note: Consider this to be my exhaustive list of house rules. They touch in some way or another

on most aspects of the AD&D 2nd Ed. Game, but its modular build-up makes it possible to

incorporate any part you like. I have been reading parts of the archives at greyhawk.stanford.edu,

so I am aware of most of the alternatives presented there.

I have talked all changes over with my players and revised where they thought it appropriate - that

caused version 1.1 . I got some feedback after mailing this to interested members of ADND-L - so

the EDND rules are now in version 1.2 . If you want to see a version 1.3, or (who knows) version

2.0 then you will have to give me some more feedback.

The text was written for my players, so I have added 'net notes' giving more information where I

thought it was useful. A general note is that my revisions on the whole create somewhat stronger

characters than the official rules (more hit points, specialization, better ability scores); as a DM I

have never had problems with this: I simply made the adventures somewhat harder.

The two major advantages of the revisions are that some 'unrealistic' rules are dropped, and that

players get a chance to really develop their characters in a custom-made way.

INTRODUCTION

The following changes to the AD&D 2nd Edition game have their origin in feelings of

dissatifaction with the original rules. Some have been designed to give the players greater freedom

in developing their characters; others have been introduced in order to make my campaign world

more 'realistic'. The changes are, of course, only applicable in my Forgotten Realms(TM)

campaigns. They are not intended to be the final word on these matters - players who feel

dissatisfied with my rules are encouraged to create their own versions. Playtesting will then show

which one adds the most to the fun of the entire gaming group.

Rolling Ability Scores

[Net note: if you like the idea behind this system, but you consider it too generous, then just

decrease the number of dice players can roll to 26 (or whatever, though 18 is the minimum) d6's.]

I allow only one method of rolling PC's in my game worlds. It is based on an article that appeared

in a Dragon several years ago. The underlying idea is quite simple: the player is allowed to roll

31d6 for the six ability scores of his or her character. A player can freely allot these dice, but 3d6 is

the minimum for any ability score: e.g. a player intent on getting a real strong, but clumsy Fighter

may allot 9d6 to Strength and Constitution each, 4d6 to Dexterity, and 3d6 to the other threeabilties. For each ability score the three highest rolls are taken (note that this is not obligatory: a

player who wants a weak character, but rolls 18 on 3d6 may lower this to 8, 6 or whatever, but he or


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she cannot use these points to increase another ability score). These values then have to be modified

according to the race of the character (see Character Races).

The following table shows the distribution of 28d6 for prototypical members of each Character

Class (the player should allot the other 3d6 as he or she considers most appropriate for the character

he or she wants to play):

Character Class STR INT WIS DEX CON CHA Minimum Scores

Fighter 7 3 4 5 6 3 STR 12

Paladin 6 3 6 3 4 6 STR 12, WIS 13, CON 9, CHA 12

Ranger 6 4 6 4 6 3 STR 13, WIS 12, DEX 12, CON 14

Commander 6 3 4 3 6 6 STR 13, WIS 10, CON 14, CHA 13

Thief 4 6 3 7 4 4 DEX 9

Bard 4 4 4 5 5 6 INT 11, WIS 11, DEX 12, CHA 14

Mage 3 7 5 6 4 3 INT 9

Illusionist 3 6 5 6 3 5 INT 9, DEX 14

Abjurer 3 6 6 6 4 3 INT 9, WIS 13

Conjurer 3 6 5 5 6 3 INT 9, CON 13

Diviner 3 6 6 5 4 4 INT 9, WIS 14

Enchanter 3 6 5 5 3 6 INT 9, CHA 14

Invoker 3 6 4 5 6 4 INT 9, CON 14

Necromancer 4 6 6 5 4 3 INT 9, WIS 14

Transmuter 3 6 5 6 5 3 INT 9, DEX 13

Cleric 5 3 7 3 5 5 WIS 9

Druid 5 3 6 4 4 6 WIS 12, CHA 13

Specialty Priest Var Var 6 Var Var Var Variable

Assassin 6 4 4 6 5 3 Fighter / Thief

Crusader 6 3 6 4 5 4 Fighter / Thief

Warlock 6 6 3 5 5 3 Fighter / Mage (Illusionist)

Magician 4 6 4 6 4 4 Thief / Mage (Illusionist)Sorceror 4 6 6 4 4 4 Cleric / Mage (Illusionist)

Avenger 4 4 6 6 4 4 Thief / Cleric

The table also shows the minimum abilities for characters of each class. Note that almost of them

are different from those in the PHB. In all cases, the minima have been lowered so as to make it

easier for a player to get the character of his or her choice. The six 'new' Character Classes are

simply new names for the multi-class characters (see Character Classes).

When a player has decided on the race and class of his or her character, he or she is allowed to

roll up three sets of ability scores that meet the minimum scores (after racial modifications). Theplayer can then choose which of the three sets he or she retains for the character.


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Character Races

[Net note: more races, more fun. My players do NOT volunteer for playing drow, because I take

most races' xenophobism very seriously. But if a player wants to take up the challenge, then there is

no problem for me. I allow more variation in ability scores, because it gives characters morepersonal identity, without unbalancing the game - simply make the adventure somewhat harder.]

The following races can be chosen for PC's:

Race STR INT WIS DEX CON CHA

Human 18 18 18 18 18 18

Dwarf (Mountain, Hill) 18 18 -1 18 +1 18 -1 18 +1 18/1

Dwarf (Duergar) 18 18 -1 18 18 18 +1 18/6

Gnome (Hill) 18 -1 18 +1 18 -1 18 +1 18 -1 18 *1Gnome (Svirfneblin) 18 -1 18 +1 18 18 +2 18 -1 18

Halfling (All) 18 -1 18 18 18 +2 18 -1 18

Orc 18 +1 18 -4 18 -2 18 18 +1 18/6

Half Orc 18 +1 18 -4 18 -2 18 18 +1 18/4

Elf (High) 18 -1 18 +1 18 18+1 18 -1 18

Elf (Grey) 18 -1 18 +1 18 +1 18 +1 18 -2 18

Elf (Wood) 18 18 18 18 +1 18 -1 18

Elf (Wild) 18 18 -1 18 -1 18 +2 18 18/3

Elf (Snow) 18 -1 18 18 18+1 18 18/2

Elf (Dark) 18 -1 18+1 18 -1 18 +2 18 -1 18/8

Half-Elf 18 18 18 18 +1 18 -1 18

Other races are possible too: Gnolls, Minotaurs, Brownies, ... But those races can not be chosen

without the agreement of the DM. The Table also indicates the new modifiers for the various

character races: e.g. an Orc with maximal ability scores will have Strength 19, Intelligence 14,

Wisdom 16, Dexterity 18, Constitution 19 and Charisma 12 (18). The two special signs in the

column for Charisma have the following meaning: '/' indicates that the character has a lowerCharisma score when dealing with humans (the dominant race in the Realms), '*' indicates that Hill

Gnomes are treated by Humans as if their Charisma was one higher than it really is. The real

Charisma is used for interactions between the non-human character and members of his or her own

race. The modifiers for Charisma may disappear when the local population gets to know the true

nature of the character: e.g. the way Drizzt Do'Urden, a drow, is slowly accepted in Icewind Dale.

In an adventuring group, the modifiers normally disappear after a few months of traveling together.

Note further that in the Realms any child of an Elf and a Human is a Half-Elf (the general 2nd

Edition rule does not hold), and that "The Elves of the Forgotten Realms are of human height, but

much more slender." (Cyclopedia of the Realms p.41)


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Character Classes

[Net note: Most of you will probably consider the new hit die system outrageous. Know therefore

that in our Realms, Greyhawk, Dark Sun & Ravenloft campaigns, we allow players at each level to

roll the appropriate die (e.g. d10 for Fighters) twice and take the highest roll. My new system makesonly Fighters significantly better (on average 8 hit points per level) when compared to our old

system (on average 7 hit points per level); but my players agreed with the upgrading of the Fighter

class. If you like the idea, but not the increased hit points, then you can subtract 1 from the fixed

number of hit points a character receives at each level and/or you can change the d4 roll by a d3 roll

- the combination of both decreases the average amount of hit points at each level with 1 1/2, so that

the values get close to those the original system gives, but without its unrealistic total random

aspect.

The new hit die system also removes the useless anxiety associated with reaching a new level.

What should be a great occasion often boils down to a nervous player hardly daring to throw the die

that will determine his or her new hit points total. And when a 1 or 2 comes up, the player oftengoes into a deep depression for some time. It spoils part of the fun.]

* First some general remarks:

- All combinations of races and classes are allowed: there is no a priori reason why an Elf should

be banned from the Paladin class, or why a Dwarf would find it impossible to become a Mage. Still,

there are good reasons for the relative scarcity of these combinations. Most of these have to do with

the different cultures of the races: e.g. Elves and Orcs do not have Lawful Good deities in their

pantheons, so characters of these races will have to find a deity of another race who is willing to

accept them as true followers; Halflings and Dwarves do have Lawful Good deities, but Paladinship

is not something highly valued in their cultures; Dwarves do not often live in woods, so Druids are

therefore extremely rare among them - and Dwarven deities do not consider nature very

important; ... . But for Dwarves, Halflings and Gnomes there is another reason why they do not

often meddle in wizardly magic: these races are themselves inherently magical (cfr. Table 9 on page

21 in the PHB), so that spells have a tendency to go awry when a member of one of these races

casts them: this chance of malfunctioning is 20%.

There is one exception to this: Gnomes have no difficulties with Illusion/Phantasm spells. That

explains why Gnomes often opt for specialization in this school of magic. Nevertheless, the

problem for spells of other schools remains. Therefore Gnomish Illusionists have a habit of being

devout followers of one of their gods (although occasionally Leira will also 'adopt' a Gnome): thesegods then make sure that spells of other schools of magic hardly ever (never say never to a Gnome)

misfire: this chance now becomes 5% per casting. Gnomish Illusionists who fall out of favor with

their gods had better take care when attempting to cast a non-illusion spell. (Note: the multi-class

options for Illusionists are only open to Gnomes).

- All level restrictions are removed. Elves, Orcs and Halflings, for instance, can also become

20th level Fighters. The reason why there are no 42nd level Elven Mages is that all amounts of

experience points needed to obtain a level after the 20th are now double those of the previous level:

e.g. a 20th level Fighter needs 3,000,000 XP, a 21st level one needs 6,000,000 XP, a 22nd level one

12,000,000 XP, etc. Once one reaches 20th level there is really not much one can learn anymore, so

improvement becomes increasingly difficult - most adventurers either retire at these levels or leavethe Forgotten Realms(TM) for other planes of existence.


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- All characters now gain a new hit die up to, and including, tenth level (versus ninth level for

Warriors and Priests in the PHB). This change has to do with the modified Proficiency System (cfr.

infra).

- The hit die system is also changed. This modification was designed in order to make the random

element smaller, so as to make impossible unlikely cases of 3rd level Fighters with 9 hit points (bad

luck when rolling; and notice that this Fighter probably trained and fought as hard as the otherFighter in the group who was lucky and has 25 hit points at 3rd level). The new system also allows

finer distinctions to be made between the various classes, and makes it possible to reflect the way

characters spend their time (this will become clear later on, see Proficiency System). This is the new

table:

Character Class Hit Die

Children d4

Mages d4 +1

Magicians d4 +1 1/2

Thieves & Sorcerors d4 +2

Druids & Avengers d4 +2 1/2

Bards & Warlocks d4 +3 1/2

Clerics & Assassins d4 +3 1/2

Crusaders d4 +4

Paladins d4 +4 1/2

Rangers & Commanders d4 +5

Fighters d4 +5 1/2

Specialty Priest d4 +Variable

This means that a Thief receives for his or her new level 2 hit points (a fixed amount) plus the

result of a d4; a Paladin receives the result of the d4 plus 4 hit points on uneven levels and 5

hitpoints on even levels. This table of course increases the average number of hit points of

characters: e.g. any 7th level Fighter will now have on average 55 hit points - without Constitution

bonus! But I don't think this will cause any difficulties, as the monsters have grown stronger too

they have d4+4 hit points per hit die. For the curious: 0th level NPC's have d4+2 hit points, militia

members have d4+4, and Barbarians, when they are re-introduced, would get d4+6 hit points per

level. (One last note: for each level, one is allowed to roll only once. This system is characterfriendly enough).

- The 10% XP bonus for characters with high ability scores is dropped. There are several

reasons: given my character creation method, nearly everybody would get this bonus, so that it

wouldn't be of any use any more in differentiating the characters. Secondly, it causes difficulties in

calculations. And finally, characters with high ability scores should get a 10% or 20% penalty,

because they find things going for them so easy, that they actually learn less from what they do.

- New character classes are allowed, as are kits from the various Complete ... Handbooks,

although the DM has the final word on the exact capabilities (and the XP table) of each character

class - kits are considered to be classes in their own right, not variations on a class.

* Fighter: Besides the new hit die system, there is only one change: when a Fighter decides to

become proficient (see Proficiency System) with a weapon, he or she automatically also becomes


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proficient with the other weapons of the same weapon group (the weapon groups are listed on p.52

of the PHB): e.g. when a Fighter learns how to wield a hand axe, he also gains enough experience

for wielding a battle axe without penalty. This change has its origin in the fact that Fighters spend

more time practicing, and trying out weapons, than any other character class.

* Ranger & Paladin: There is more than the new hit die system for these classes (they are now, like

all other classes, also allowed to specialize in weapons, but that aspect will be treated underProficiency System). The spheres a Ranger or Paladin (in both cases granted by a deity) has access

to for casting spells are those spheres that Specialty Priests of their deity have major access to.

Rangers and Paladins use the revised rules for spellcasting (see Magic & Spells).

* Commander: This class is added to the AD&D game (see Appendix A).

* Thief: Except for the new hit die system, there are no new rules.

* Bard: Besides the revised hit die system, the Bard class is also changed in a number of ways.

The idea behind the changes was to bring the class closer to the 1st Edition Bard.

- A Bard may cast Priest spells of up to (and including) third level if he or she has this spell

written down in a spellbook - the chance of learning new Priest spells is determined in the same

way as that of learning Wizard spells: consult Table 4 of the PHB on p.16, but use the Bard's

Wisdom score. The Bard only has access to spheres that are major spheres for the Specialty Priests

of his or her Deity (these spheres are listed in the Forgotten Realms Adventures sourcebook, and,

for non-humans, in the Monster Mythology). Bards that do not fulfill their religious duties will find

that they can no longer cast Priest spells.

- As for Wizard spells, there is no longer any limit to the number of spells per spell level that the

Bard can have in his or her spellbook.

- Bards use the revised rules for spellcasting (see Magic & Spells). They are also allowed to cast

Wizard spells when wearing leather or padded armor, but the casting time (except for spells with

only a verbal component) is doubled in these cases. When wearing armor heavier than leather or

padded, only spells with only a verbal component (of the Wizard class, there are no problems with

Priest spells) can be cast succesfully, still at their normal casting time.

- Bards now use the following THAC0 table:

1st

Lvl

2nd

Lvl

3rd

Lvl

4th

Lvl

5th

Lvl

6th

Lvl

7th

Lvl

8th

Lvl

9th

Lvl

10th

Lvl

11th

Lvl

12th

Lvl

13th

Lvl

14th

Lvl

15th

Lvl

16th

Lvl

17th

Lvl

18th

Lvl

19th

Lvl

20 20 19 18 17 17 16 15 14 14 13 12 11 11 10 9 8 7 6

That is: a first level Bard has a basis THAC0 of 20, and a seventh level Bard has a basis THAC0

of 16.

- As these changes make the Bard more powerful, he or she will have to follow the XP level

advancement table of the Fighter class.

- The Bard no longer automatically attracts followers at tenth level after building a stronghold.

* Clerics: Besides the new hit die system, there are also other changes. These were devised with

the intention of prompting players to opt for Specialty Priests, because they have more interesting

role playing profiles than the generic Cleric. A Cleric is from now on considered to be someonewho has devoted his or her life to promoting a certain way of life (an alignment one might say), not

so much as the tenets of a single Deity. A Neutral Good Cleric will therefore pray for his spells to


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all Neutral Good deities in his or her pantheon (he or she may still have a 'favorite' deity, of course).

- Clerics retain their ability to turn (or command) undead, but because the links with their deities

have become weaker, they are limited to casting spells of up to (and including) sixth level. Only in

exceptional circumstances (when a catastrophe is near and there are no Specialty Priests in the

neighborhood) will a deity grant them the use of seventh level spells. For Clerics of non-human

races the level limit may be even more stringent, as their deities often are not as generous withspells as human deities. The following table summarizes the spell level limit for the various races:

Race Level Limit

Human 6

Dwarf (Mountain, Hill) 6

Dwarf (Duergar) 5

Gnome (Hill) 5

Gnome (Svirfneblin) 5

Halfling (All) 5

Orc 3

Half-Orc 4

Elf (High) 6

Elf (Grey) 6

Elf (Wood) 6

Elf (Wild) 6

Elf (Snow) 6Elf (Dark) 6

Half-Elf 6

- A Cleric is allowed to use all types of weapons, as there is no deity anymore to impose

restrictions.

- Clerics use the revised rules for spellcasting (see Magic & Spells).

- A Cleric now uses this THAC0 table:

1st

Lvl2nd

Lvl3rd

Lvl4th

Lvl5th

Lvl6th

Lvl7th

Lvl8th

Lvl9th

Lvl10th

Lvl11th

Lvl12th

Lvl13th

Lvl14th

Lvl15th

Lvl16th

Lvl17th

Lvl18th

Lvl19th

Lvl

20 19 19 18 17 17 16 15 14 13 13 12 11 11 10 9 9 8 7

That is: a first level Cleric has a basis THAC0 of 20, while a seventh level Cleric has 16. (This

change is no real improvement for the Cleric on the original table, but the THAC0 no longer jumps

with two numbers at a time - something quite unrealistic).

* Specialty Priests (e.g. Druids): The revised hit die system is also used for Specialty Priests. The

fixed (but see Proficiency System) amount of hit points a Specialty Priest receives each leveldepends on the kind of deity he or she serves: Specialty Priests of Azuth only receive d4 +2

hit points each level, while those of Tempus get d4 +4 1/2; Druids receive d4 +3 hit points each


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level. The same variability holds true for the minimum abilty scores a Specialty Priest must have:

those are mentioned in the Forgotten Realms Adventures sourcebook and in the Monster

Mythology, and give an indication of the number of dice for each ability score a player normally

roles with when creating his or her character.

- Most Specialty Priests use the revised THAC0 table for Clerics, but Specialty Priests of a Deity

of Love and Healing get another one, more akin to the Wizard THAC0 table.

- The other detailed information (special abilities, spheres, weapons and armor allowed, and

whether or not the turning (or commanding) ability is granted, ...) is not reproduced here, but can be

found in the two books mentioned above.

- Specialty Priests know few spell level restrictions. This table indicates the limit, if any (a

number between brackets means that spells of that level can only be used by Specialty Priests with

19 or more Wisdom. When there remains a limit, e.g. for Orcs, then know that deities may grant

higher level spells under exceptional circumstances):

Race Level Limit

Human -

Dwarf (Mountain, Hill) -

Dwarf (Duergar) 6 (7)

Gnome (Hill) 6 (7)

Gnome (Svirfneblin) 6 (7)

Halfling (All) 6 (7)

Orc 4 (5)

Half-Orc 5 (6)

Elf (High) -

Elf (Grey) -

Elf (Wood) -

Elf (Wild) -

Elf (Snow) -

Elf (Dark) -

Half-Elf -

- Specialty Priests also use the revised rules for spellcasting (see Magic & Spells).

* Wizard (Mage & Specialists): There is more than the new hit die system for Wizards of all kinds:

- Wizards gain bonus spells in a manner similar to Priests: consult Table 5 on p.17 of the PHB,

but use Intelligence instead of Wisdom. But note that just as for Priests, these bonus spells do not

allow a Wizard to cast spells of a higher level than he or she would normally be able to.

- There is no longer any limit to the number of spells per spell level that the Wizard can have inhis or her spellbook.


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- Wizards use the revised rules for spellcasting (see Magic & Spells). They are also allowed to

cast spells when wearing leather or padded armor, but the casting time (except for spells with only a

verbal component) is doubled in these cases. When wearing armor heavier than leather or padded,

only spells with only a verbal component can be cast succesfully, still at their normal casting time.

* Multi-Class (Assassin, Crusader, Warlock, Magician, Sorcerer, Avenger): These six classes are at

the moment the only multi-class options (no Fighter/Mage/Thief anymore). As the new namesindicate, it is my intention to have them replaced by new, 'simple', character classes which combine

only specific abilities of each class and which have normal XP level advancement tables.

Nonetheless, these options are still open at the moment.

Multi-classed characters combine all the abilities of the two original classes, but also the

restrictions. To represent the extra time and experience this demands of the character, the amount of

XP needed to gain a level is also higher: add the XP needed for the level of the original classes and

multiply that sum by three (NOT two, because doing two things at once is far more difficult than

doing them apart): e.g. a 2nd level Assassin needs 9750 XP (2000 for the Fighter side and 1250 for

the Thief side make 3250; 3250 x 3 = 9750). This implies that multi-class characters always gain a

level in their two original classes at the same time, thus no more 3rd level Fighter/5th level Thief(this is to make the transition smoother when the 'simple' Assassin is introduced).

The hit points a multi-class character gains each level are determined in a similar way: an Assassin

would get d4+3 1/2 hit points each level (that means 3 at uneven levels, and 4 at even levels: a

Fighter normally gets d4+5 1/2, a Thief d4+2 - together d4+7 1/2, which divided by two gives d4+3

3/4, which is rounded down to d4+3 1/2).

Players must choose for a multi-class character when creating it; characters are not able to become

multi-classed when their adventuring career has begun. This is because they are then so accustomed

to their 'normal' way of acting that they have lost the plasticity for class combinations. Multi-class

characters are able to 'lose' a class whenever they want to: they simply stop practicing their skills in

that class, and are considered 'single-class' characters from then on (so they cannot become multi-

classed again; their XP total is lowered so that they stay on their level in their single class). These

characters do retain the abilities they have gained in their 'lost' class: e.g. a seventh level Assassin

who decides to develop only his Thief, keeps the THAC0 and extra hit points of his Fighter side at

seventh level; but when he or she reaches eighth level Thief, he or she only gains d4+2 hit points

and improved thieving skills.

* Dual-Class: any character can at any time in his or her career decide to try to learn a new class.

As this is not an easy thing, the character will have to spend some time converting to his or her newclass. There are two ways of doing this: either the character finds another character of the

appropriate class who is willing to teach him or her the basics of the new profession. Such teaching

lasts half a year (only three months when changing within a group: Warrior, Wizard, Priest, Rogue:

e.g. From Fighter to Ranger or from Specialty Priest to Cleric), and costs whatever the teacher

demands. During this period the character cannot go adventuring. Any week-long interruption of the

training means that it will take two weeks more to train the character for his or her new class. At the

end of the teaching period, the character functions at 1st level in his or her new class. However, the

character still needs to acquire one quarter (or one eighth when in in the same group) of his or her

original XP amount, before becoming a 'true' 1st level character in the new class.

The other way is more something of do-it-yourself: the character tries to learn the skills of thenew class by himself. The more experience the character has in his or her original class, the more

difficult this is. To reflect this, the character must acquire half (or one quarter when in the same


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group) his or her original XP amount while converting before reaching 1st level in the new class.

This will often be difficult: a 4th level Fighter switching to Mage must gain about 4000

XP as a 0th level Mage: without spells that is (although he or she will probably learn the first spell

at 2000 XP, but this is up to the DM). Until the character has reached a higher level in his or her

new class, he or she should try not to use the abilities of the former class. Any encounter in which

this happens will result in only half the normal XP being awarded. When the character has attained

a higher level in his or her new class, he or she can freely switch abilities without XP penalties. Butnote that the character can no longer gain levels in his or her former class - unless, of course, the

character switches again to his or her original class (a process which takes one month of formal

training or one fifth of the XP gained in the new class).

Characters can switch as many times as they want to, as long as they meet the minimum scores

for the new class.

Proficiency System

[Net note: I suppose this is the revision I am most proud of, as it really allows for custom-built

characters. Like the idea, but consider it too strong? Then decrease the fixed number of

proficiencies characters receive at 1st level by two, three or four. That should keep specializations

down. And also do not forget to make the characters swim for their lives during one of the first

adventures, and let them find clues in languages they do not know, ... . And NPC's are specialized

too, of course.

The fact that there are no more weapon restrictions removes stereotypes: what is this guy

carrying? A couple of daggers and a staff. Oh, well I have got this hunch that it is a mage.

The Paladin becomes a weaker fighter than the other Warriors, because I have always felt this

class (and its opposite) to be vastly overpowered. Paladins's days do not last 30h per day, so if they

want to do their prayers, then will have less time to spend on body development and weapon

mastery.]

The proficiency system was overhauled so as to allow players to create more specialized

characters. The new system is based on the idea that characters have a certain amount of time to

spend in developing their skills; so clearly, the character should be able to choose which skills.

Nevertheless, there still have to be limits, as otherwise any character would spend more time

studying the anatomy of all things living, so as to be able to backstab them more efficiently. (I am

still thinking about a way in which such a system of unrestricted development could be made towork, but as it will surely be extremely complex (e.g. everything you learn should facilitate learning

some other things, but hamper other, and leave untouched other again), I am not spending much

time on it). Therefore, most skills still reside with their respective classes: no backstab-skill, no

cast-first-level-Wizard-spells-skill, no turn-undead-skill, ... . But the new system does allow more

than the original one, and as such it should be an improvement over it.

* There is no longer any fundamental difference between Non-Weapon Proficiencies and

Weapon Proficiencies - both are now simply called Proficiencies. Characters at 1st level have these

amounts of proficiencies (add their native tongue(s), the ones related to Intelligence (Table 4 on

p.16 of the PHB) and any their class gives them for free):


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Character Class Group # Prof

Warriors 7

Rogues 5

Wizards 5

Priests 6

These proficiencies can be spent in any way the character sees fit: all of them can be used for

learning how to use weapons or all can be spent on non-weapon skills. Non-weapon skills can still

require more than one proficiency, and skills of another group still take one more proficiency to

learn). Weapons cost one proficiency to become proficient with when they belong to the list of

weapons that the character was allowed to use according to the official rules (e.g. a Wizard could

use daggers, staffs, knives, darts and slings), two otherwise (there is no a priori reason why a

Wizard would not be able to wield a long sword, but, given the rest of his or her training, it does

take more time).

* There is more to it however: all classes can become specialized in the use of a weapon or

weapons. All this takes are proficiencies: for the first extra proficiency in a weapon (i.e. the first one

after the one(s) needed to become proficient with the weapon), a character gains +1 to hit and +1

damage with the weapon. More proficiencies for the same weapon either increase the chance to hit

by 1, or the damage by 1 (the highest bonuses a character can get through specialization are +3 to

hit and +3 damage) - the player must choose and write this clearly down somewhere. So a character

with four proficiencies in a weapon he was allowed to use in the official rules has +3 to hit, +1

damage with the weapon, or +2 to hit and +2 damage, or +1 to hit and +3 damage. This variability

allows for different fighting styles: for duelists, for instance, drawing first blood is far more

important than inflicting more damage. Note also that characters can take only one specialization at

each level. Next to this, Warriors (and multi-classed characters with a Fighter part) also get multiple

attacks for specialized weapons (see Table 35 on p.52 of the PHB). For Paladins, these extra attacks

stop at 6th level (i.e. they only get a 2/1 attack cycle when reaching 13th level - see Table 15 on

p.26 of the PHB), for Rangers and Commanders at 12th level (i.e. they can never have a 5/2 attack

cycle). Fighters know no restricions and also have an edge over the other classes, because it is

easier for them to become proficient with weapons (see Character Classes), so they can spend more

proficiencies on weapon specializations.

* Characters gain one proficiency on reaching the following levels (it becomes progressively

harder, because one has to spend more time on practicing ever more skills):2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 17, 20

* What's more, when attaining a level higher than 1st and lower than 11th, a character can decide

to work more or less on his or her physique than is usual for that class. Working more on it costs

time, working less on it gives time to learn something else. This translates into game mechanics in

this way: a player can 'swap' hit points with proficiencies (and vice versa) at the rate of two hit

points for one proficiency. The hit points swapped can only be those that a character automatically

gains at each level lower than eleventh, not the result of the d4 roll that is added to that fixed

number: e.g. a Ranger at attaining 4th level decides she wants to learn Heraldry and Singing; she

only gets one proficiency at 4th level (cfr. supra), so this would normally be impossible but wait:

if she works one hour per day less on her body development, she could do it! Result: instead ofgaining 5+d4 hit points for her 4th level, she only gains 3+d4, but she gets two proficiencies, and so

she can learn the two skills she wanted to. In the same way, a Mage can decide to spend a


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proficiency not on learning a skill, or on learning how to use a weapon, but on improving his

physique: instead of 1+d4 hit points, he gains 3+d4 hit points for that level.

* New proficiencies are encouraged, and all those published in the various Complete ...

Handbooks or in Dragons, or available on the Internet can also be used - but inform the DM when

you take one of those, so that he or she has some idea what should happen when the player says:

"I'm trying to ... ". From Dragon numbers 153 & 169: Wine Tasting, Alchemy, Chemistry, WineMaking, Haggling, Astronomy, Stealth, Street Fighting, Goldsmithing, Orienteering, Street Sense,

Tailing, Riding Seaborne, Eavesdropping, Botany, Calligraphy, Cartography, Diplomacy, Geology;

Other new proficiencies are Strategy (Int +1), and Two- Weapon Style (N/A) - both are in the

General group. Two-Weapon Style lowers the penalties non-Rangers have when fighting with a

weapon in each hand: for each slot taken, the penalties for each hand drop by 1, so that a character

with one slot only has a penalty of -1 on his or her main weapon, and a penalty of -3 on the other

weapon. A character with four slots has no penalties any more. This proficiency is cumulative with

Dexterity, but cannot give a to hit bonus of +1 or more on either weapon - only the penalties are

decreased.

Equipment

For the time being, there are only a few changes: * A new weapon, the two-handed battle axe. It

delivers mighty blows: d10 damage to small and medium creature, 4d4 damage to large creatures. It

has a weapon speed of 9, weighs 12 pounds and normally costs about 40 GP.

* To reflect the true lethal power of crossbows, their damage is upgraded: light crossbow quarrels

inflict d6 damage on small, medium and large creatures; heavy crossbow quarrels inflict d10

damage on small and medium creatures, and d8 damage on large creatures.

* Medium and large ('body') shields now give an armor class improvement of two. Bucklers and

small shields still give an improvement of 1.

* The simplified money exchange rate now is :

1 PP = 10 EP = 100GP = 1000 SP = 10,000 CP = 100,000 BP

Magic & Spells

[Net note: At any rate, it makes spellcasters much more versatile, as they do not have to tell in

advance which spells they take along. We have tried this out for years now and it does not pose any

problems it simply makes playing one of these characters more fun.]

* The spell system of the official AD&D 2nd Edition game is replaced by a Spell Point System

(SPS).

- A character's number of spell points (SP) can be easily determined: multiply the amount of spells

of a given level that the character is allowed to cast by the level of those spells, and sum all

multiplications. For example: a 3rd level Mage with an Intelligence of 17 (which implies that she

gets two extra first level spells and two extra second levels spells - cfr. supra) has 10 SP, becauseshe is allowed to cast four first level spells (two because she is 1st level, and two because of her

high Intelligence), and three second level spells (one because of her level, and two because of her


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Intelligence): (4x1) + (3x2) = 10. Note that she does not have 13 SP: the extra third level spell her

Intelligence allows her to cast, only comes into the account when she reaches 5th level and she may

cast third level spells: she will then have 20 SP (= (6x1) + (4x2) + (2x3)). Also note that the SP

amounts for Sorcerers (Cleric/Mages) are kept separate, but that Bards have only one SP total from

which they deduct both Wizard and Priest spells.

- Each spell costs an amount of SP equal to the level it has. Thus, a Magic Missile costs 1 SP,while a Fireball costs 3 SP.

- A character can cast spells as long as he or she has enough spell points for the spell. BUT: no

character can cast spells of a higher level than he or she is normally allowed to cast, even if the

character has enough spell points for the spells and, for Wizards and Bards, even if the character has

the spell in his or her spellbook. Hence, a 3rd level Mage with 10 SP is not allowed to cast Chain

Lightning (6 SP) or Wish (9 SP). This is not unrealistic, as the character simply does not have the

experience and the ability to invoke magical energies of such power and intricacy (but magic-rich

areas may boost the character's spell ability). Priests are limited in a similar way, as deities do not

think the low- level character has shown himself worthy enough of receiving high-level spells -

although a deity is of course free to grant the high-level spell if he or she finds it necessary tofurther the 'right' cause. Both for Wizard and Priest spells, there is no limit any more on the number

of times a character can cast a specific spell, providing of course that the character has enough SP

and that the spell level limit is not exceeded.

- The time a character needs to study (Wizardly magic) or meditate (Priestly magic) to regain

spent spell points is one hour (this is needed to clear one's mind completely of other thoughts) plus

ten minutes per spell point: e.g. to regain 10 SP a character needs to study or meditate two hours

and forty minutes. For those who can cast both Wizardly and Priestly magic: the one-hour period of

preparation is only needed once.

Note that a full night's sleep will not in itself restore any spell points; and that characters who

haven't slept for a full day (24 hours) are too tired to regain spells - at least six hours of sleep are

needed.

* When in dire straits, Wizards and Bards can use their spellbooks as scrolls: after the casting, the

spell disappears from the spellbook.

* Copying spells from a scroll or a spellbook to another spellbook takes 1 hour per spell level.

Wizards and Bards still have to roll to check whether they succeed in learning a new spell.

* No psionics will be used in my Forgotten Realms(TM) campaigns for the time being.

* Players of Wizards and Bards take note: the content of their characters' spellbooks must be

described in detail, i.e. they must have an index which says which spells are on which pages. This

will be used when the spellbook is damaged - by water, fire and the like - to see which pages were

made illegible or destroyed. In this way, parts of the spellbook can still be used. If there is no index

of the spellbook, then it will be automatically assumed that the entire book is wasted you were

warned.


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Combat

[Net note: save or die make for poor amusement: there is not much fun in failing a save and being

dead. I do not mind players dying, but not because of a *single* die roll.

The critical hit system is used to keep things simple: the other ones I have found on the net require

more die-rolling, and do not take care of all circumstances (what is a hit in the abdomen on a

jelly?). Moreover, they violate the AD&D abstract hit points idea - something I like about this

game (I play MERP and WFRPG for the bloody and messy details). Its abstractness also allows

DM's to describe such effects of the blow as the situation makes acceptable.]

These are the revisions to the official AD&d 2nd Edition combat system:

* Whenever a save vs spell, poison (or whatever) must be rolled for which failure means instant

death (the save or die rolls), this is changed in: failure means 50 hit points damage and two

obligatory System Shock Survival rolls (failure on one (or two) of these rolls means the characterhas died after all, provided of course that the hit point damage hadn't killed him or her already).

* When a character suffers massive damage (50+ hit points) from a single attack, he or she also

has to roll a System Shock Survival roll to survive (not a save vs death magic).

* Life Energy Levels are used in encounters with undead, and for spells that drain experience

levels (see Appendix B).

* Two-handed use of a weapon that is normally used single-handedly imposes a to-hit penalty of 1,

but gives a damage bonus of 2. A proficiency specifically taken for the two-handed use of a weapon

eliminates the to-hit penalty.

* Critical hits (20 on a d20) are now resolved like this: A critical hit means that the attack has done

more than normal maximum damage: the player may add the character's maximum damage for that

weapon and the result of a d10. A 10 on this d10 implies that the player may roll another d10 (this is

repeated each time a 10 is rolled on this d10) and sum all the values: e.g. a Thief with Strength 17

(damage +1) wielding a long sword +3, in which he is specialized twice (+2 damage) rolls a 20 for

his attack against an Ogre: maximum damage is 12+1+3+2 = 18. The player rolls a d10 and comes

up with 10, so he rolls again and rolls 7: this superb attack did (18+10+7 =) 35 hit points damage.

* Fumbles (1 on a d20) can be divided in three cases: fumbles on a saving throw vs magic of somekind, fumbles when attacking, and fumbles on ability checks:

- Fumbles on a saving throw mean that the character is particularly unlucky: if the spell normally

deals damage (e.g. a Fireball), the character takes extra damage equal to one half or one quarter

(save again) of the original damage; if the spell itself deals no damage, the character still takes d6

damage from the side-effects (e.g. stumbling and dislocating an elbow when the spell took effect); if

this extra damage is utterly unlikely (e.g. casting Sleep on somebody who is already sleeping

naturally in a soft bed), then there is none.

- Fumbles when attacking mean that the character has totally miscalculated his or her

swing/throw. The character takes d6 hit points damage (e.g. from tripping and hitting a table, fromcutting oneself, or from spraining a wrist or ankle): if a 6 comes up, another d6 must be rolled (this

procedure will last until the character is dead or another number comes up), and the values must be


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summed.

- Fumbles on ability checks are dealt with on a case by case basis; they will often involve an extra

ability check versus Dexterity to see how just how bad the maneuver was, and damage will then be

determined.

* The combat round (1 minute) is replaced by the combat segment (10 seconds), so that fights willtake less time - in game time that is. The speed factor of a weapon now indicates the amount of

seconds it takes to deal a blow with the weapon; and, similarly, the casting time of spells indicates

the number of seconds it takes to cast the spell (except for spells with a casting time of 1 round or 1

turn: they still take 1 minute and 10 minutes to cast - these spells are thus very impractical in the

midst of combat). The problem of the duration of spells (a duration in segments would make some

spells nearly worthless) is 'solved' in so far that combat-related spells (e.g. Hold Person) now have

durations in segments, whereas the others retain their duration of rounds the remaining problems

will be treated on a case by case basis when they occur. (This change was inspired by the hectic

swordplay one can see in fantasy movies, and by the fact that it was unrealistic that Wizards who

had cast a short spell (e.g. a Power Word Stun) were not allowed to do anything else during the

round - with the combat segment this problem is alleviated, because spellcasters now hardly havethe time to do something else before the new combat segment begins).

* When a character who has multiple attacks with a weapon fights a monster or character whose

attacks all come at the same time (e.g. claw/claw/bite; or fighting with a weapon in each hand), the

order of attacks is determined in this way: roll intiative for the two parties and add their respective

weapon speeds; then divide that sum by two (or three when a Fighter has 5/2 attacks) for the

character with multiple attacks to find when the first attack takes place - the second attack comes at

the normal time. E.g. A 10th level Fighter specialized in the long sword (two attacks per segment)

battles a Cleric wielding a mace. The initiative rolls are 6 for the Fighter and 3 for the Cleric.

Combined with their weapon speeds this gives 11 for the Fighter (6+5) and 10 for the Cleric (3+7);

still the Fighter gets the first attack, because 11/2 is 5 1/2. The order in this segment is thus Fighter

(5 1/2), Cleric (10), and Fighter (11). Note that if the Cleric had used a dagger, he would have

attacked before the Fighter got in any attack at all: 3 (Initiative) + 2 (weapon speed) = 5; and if he

had used a two-handed sword, his single attack would have come last in the round: 3 + 10 = 13.

* Also note that characters who are spellcasting lose all dexterity bonuses while they are doing so

(this is not an addition to the official rules, but a reminder of them).

* A new concept, Body Points, will be used for cases when a sleeping, immobilised or magically

Held character is attacked. A character's body points score is his or her maximum amount of hit

points at first level: these hit points can be considered the character's ability to take physical damage- all hit points that are gained later are due to experience, i.e. knowing how to take less damage

from an attack.

To slay a character that cannot defend himself, one need only bring his or her body points to -1,

after which he or she will slowly bleed to death at -10 (the attacker can quicken this process of

course). Moreover, any attack on a helpless creature is considered to be an automatic critical hit (cfr.

supra): so the weapon does maximum damage and a d10 (possibly more) is rolled for extra damage.

Given that combat segments are used, things should become more realistic. E.g. an immobilised

character with 50 hit points, has only (say he was a Fighter with 16 Con and rolled a 3 for his hit

points on 1st level: 5+3+2=) 10 body points, the attacker with her dagger does 4 body points

damage and rolls a 4 on the d10 for the critical: that segment the character is brought to 2 bodypoints (and hit points, for that matter). He will probably die the next round, because the attacker can

again inflict maximum damage with her dagger and will roll again with a d10.


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Monsters also have body points: their score is equal to twice their hit die, plus bonus hit points

(if any). For instance, a Troll with its 6+6 hit die has 18 body points, while a Storm Giant (19 hit die

+ 2-7 hit points) has 40 to 45. The Storm Giant will thus still be very difficult to kill with a single

blow, which is realistic, given the size and volume of the creature: even a sword stuck deep into his

chest can only damage a part of the huge heart. (This improves on the official, but optional rule that

allows one to kill any sleeping or held creature with one attack). If an entire party attacked thehelpless Storm Giant in a single segment, however, this would probably prove lethal for the

creature, as three swords stuck through one's heart is a bit much to take - and live.

Appendix A

Commander

Ability Requirements:

Strength: 13Wisdom: 10

Constitution: 14

Charisma: 13

Examples

Most of the famous warriors we know were Commanders - not Fighters. The names of Hannibal,

Julius Caesar, Achilles, Spartacus, Charlemagne, Boromir or Alexander have become immortal, not

because these people were unsurpassed swashbucklers, but because they led huge armies of devoted

soldiers, conquered kingdoms and founded empires. They and others like them, Jeanne d'Arc,

Dzenjis Khan, Shaka Zulu, Sitting Bull, Toshiwara, shared the vision and the ambition to command

their people in order to create 'a new world order'. They are in a 'class' of their own.

Ability scores, alignment, and races

The Commander is a subclass of the Warrior, and he or she follows the same level advancement

table as the Paladin and the Ranger. He or she should have minimum ability scores of 13 in Strength

and Charisma, 14 in Constitution, and of 10 in Wisdom.

These high ability scores are needed to put a natural limit on the ratio of Commanders versus

Fighters: there is only one Commander per 50 Fighters. He or she needs a powerful swing and a

well-developed body in order to command genuine respect from his or her soldiers, charisma toinspire them, and feeling for the right move during a battle.

All Commanders must have be somewhat neutral in their alignment, so Lawful Neutral, Neutral

Good, Neutral Evil, True Neutral and Chaotic Neutral are the options for the characters. Succesful

Chaotic Neutral Commanders are rather rare, as they seldom attract large numbers of soldiers.

Neutral Good and Neutral Evil Commanders are hampered by the fact that they are themselves

choicy about the kind of troops they want to command: a Neutral Evil Commander can't do much

with a division that refuses to slaughter civilians, whereas a Neutral Good one will refuse to accept

a division known for its atrocities into his or her army. That is why most Commanders are either

True Neutral or Lawful Neutral (e.g. Eltan in the Forgotten Realms(TM) - note that his division

leaders are Commanders in their own right).

The neutral aspect in their alignment has to do with the fact that a Commander must be able to


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make sacrifices (e.g. sending a group of soldiers to their sure deaths in order to buy time for the

others). He or she must impose order on the troops, but may not be too predictable. Finally, a

Commander always has to keep some distance from what is happening at that moment: he or she is

interested in winning the war, not the battle. If a Commander loses his or her neutrality (voluntarily

or through magic), he or she loses all advantages of this class and becomes a Fighter of the same

level (all excess XP are lost): only something akin to a quest will allow the character to regain the

fame and respect needed for being a true Commander. If the alignment of a Commander is changedmagically to the opposite alignment, then there are no penalties, as there will always remain a

neutral aspect (e.g. from Neutral Good to Neutral Evil or from Chaotic Neutral to Lawful Neutral -

True Neutral characters retain their alignment). Such a Commander will, however, often experience

trouble with his or her soldiers: they are not accustomed to the new style of leadership, which may

result in insurbordination or even mutiny.

All character races can be Commanders, although most are Humans, Dwarves, Orcs or Half-

Elves. Few Elves consider warfare interesting enough to spend their whole lives practicing it.

Halflings are seldom imposing enough to attract non-halfling soldiers, which, of course, restricts

their opportunities as empire builders. Gnomes, on the whole, don't feel like taking warfare

seriously, so few among them aspire a career as a Commander. Half-Orcs seldom win the trust ofHumans or Orcs alike.

Portrait

It is every Commander's dream to lead huge armies into battle, to become immortalised in songs

and poetry, to found a new dynasty. It will be obvious that few Commanders ever reach that goal.

Most of them start out as adventurers in an attempt to gain treasure and fame as fast as possible

(both are needed when attempting to raise an army). Once they think they have enough of both -

some never think they have -, they will try to realize their goals: a lot of them find out that they

have to be content with commanding their own castle or city; others are hired by wealthy rulers;

others still become mercenary captains. Something all of them have in common, however, is

ambition and a desire to have tales of their exploits spread by Bards. That is why these two classes

seem to have a natural affinity for each other: many a bard guild was built at least partly with

money of a Commander Lord who only asked the spread of his name and fame in return.

Commanders are dominant and assertive characters, who know what they want to achieve in life.

They trust in the power of their sword, but not blindly - they are also aware the power of the word.

So they are cunning diplomats, calculating everybody's strengths and weaknesses so as to devise a

sound strategy. They will often want to lead the adventuring group they belong to, as they -

correctly - consider themselves to be born leaders. Only if another character is clearly more

powerful than the Commander, will he or she be willing to obey orders. Commanders at all times

try to appear as nobles, so they wear clothing that represents this aim. The weak spots of anyCommander are his or her pride and over-confidence (e.g. Boromir).

A negative comparison: Paladins try to eradicate all evil in order to serve their deities;

Commanders only battle evil when it presents an opportunity to increase their reputation or when

the evil forces threaten to disturb the plans of the Commander.

Combat

The Commander uses the THAC0-table and the saving throw table of the Warrior. Because he or

she is searching for glory, he or she chooses a style of combat that is somewhat more concerned

with making a big impression than with being efficient. Therefore, Commanders have to take their

first weapon proficiency, and their first specialization in a two-handed weapon (the two-handed use

of a one-handed weapon is also allowed): the two-handed sword, the bastard-sword, the two-handedbattleaxe, a lance, ... . Commanders can also become proficient with all other weapons, but their

first choice must be a 'large' weapon, capable of inflicting much damage. (Compare this with the


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antlers of stags: the larger the antlers, the stronger and healthier the stag is supposed to be).

As for a Commander's armor: he or she will avoid using a shield whenever someone can see it

(unless of course that someone won't be able to tell the tale). This is because Commanders do no

want to give the impression that they are afraid of being hit: it is bad for morale. Another reason

why Commanders do not often use shields is, of course, that they prefer two-handed weapons. Any

type of armor can be worn by a Commander without penalties for his or her abilities, but it will beclear that Commanders prefer suits of expensive custom-made full plate that glisten in the sun - a

sight meant to inspire awe in all who see it.

Special Abilities

Besides the power of his or her voice (cfr. infra), a Commander also has a few other

characteristics:

* A Commander gets the Heraldry proficiency for free, because it reflects his or her fundamental

interests.

* Commanders also get a limited version of the Etiquette proficiency for free: it only helps in

interactions with knights and monarchs about issues related with warfare and politics. Hence, any

Commander knows how to deal with a king or cavalier, but not how to address a patriarch or an

archmage.

* All Commanders have a coat of arms, which they display on their banners. When the

Commander has reached 5th level, the presence of such a banner on the battlefield will increase the

soldiers' to hit chance with 5% (i.e. +1 on attack rolls), and their morale by 1. When the

Commander has reached 11th level, damage is also increased by 1, and the morale bonus becomes

+2. After 17th level, the morale bonus rises to +3. Loss of the banner during a battle has dire

consequences: all bonuses are lost, and the soldiers now have a -1 penalty to hit and a -4 on morale.

Followers

As a Commander dedicates his or her life to performing courageous feats and informing the

world about them, it should come as no surprise that he or she attracts more and higher-level

followers than a Fighter.

* When a Commander reaches 9th level (the name level of the 1st Edition: 'Lord'), he or she will

attract soldiers for every stronghold he or she builds or conquers: these soldiers are similar to the

ones 9th level Fighters attract (see pp.26-27 of the PHB).

* When a Commander reaches 11th level and becomes Supreme Commander, his or her name is

known so far and wide that another type of followers offers its services: adventurers. These

adventurers will often continue to lead their own lives (and may get killed on their adventures, but

someone else will then replace the fallen one), but are always ready to come to the Commander

when or she sends a message. They do not work for free, but are nonetheless content with about one

third of what someone their level would normally ask for his or her services. The first of these

adventurers present themselves when the Commander reaches 11th level, the last when he or she

reaches 13th level. At that moment his or her campaign staff is complete.


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For the Commander's 11th level (roll d100 twice) :

1 Warrior: 01 - 90%: Fighter

91 - 95%: Ranger (only with Neutral Good

Commanders, otherwise a Fighter)96 - 100: Commander

1 spellcaster: 01 - 33%: Specialty Priest of the Commander's deity

34 - 66%: Mage (25% chance of specialist)

67 - 100: Bard

Both are between 3rd and 6th level (2+d4).

For the Commander's 12th level (idem):

1 Warrior: idem, but no second Ranger or Commander

1 spellcaster: 01 - 50%: One of the other two possibilities

51 - 100: the other one

Both are between 4th and 7th level (3+d4).

For the Commander's 13rd level (roll 1d100):

1 Warrior: idem, but no second Ranger or Commander

1 spellcaster: the one the Commander does not have

Both are between 5th and 8th level (4+d4).

The DM will determine race, alignment and personality of these elite followers. Naturally, a

Neutral Evil Commander will never attract a Neutral Good Mage - unless, of course, the Mage is on

a mission to kill this dangerous tyrant.

Raising the Army

As has been mentioned repeatedly, every Commander dreams of mobilizing an army one day.

The size of this army is determined both by the amount of money the Commander has spent on

spreading his name and fame during the last five years before the call to arms (per 1,000 GP spent, a

Commander attracts 20-200 0th level soldiers), and by what he or she has performed during those

years (a Commander who slew a couple of dragons and a beholder will motivate more people thanone who only sat in his or her castle: for the first Commander the number of soldiers attracted per

1,000 GP would be something like 170; for the second one something like 75. A Commander who

last three battles in a row will attract no more than 20 soldiers per 1,000 GP).

These 0th level soldiers arrive within three months after the call to arms. They are untrained, and

do not own a decent armor or sword. Therefore, a Commander who is interested in keeping them

alive, will provide all of them with equipment (leather armor and short sword or short bow can be

considered a minimum). Then he or she will train them intensively for at least one month, after

which they become 1st level Fighters. These soldiers cost the Commander an average of 1 GP per

month

- equipment not included. A huge army will clearly cost a Commander enormous amounts of

money. And that is why most of them start out on an adventuring life: it is still the fastest way to get


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rich.

In addition to these soldiers, a Commander will normally hire a smaller amount of better trained,

and more expensive, specialist troops: their types and wages can be found on p.108 of the DMG.

The combination of the mass of 'spell-fodder' and the experienced shock-troops should enable the

Commander to start his or her own war.

The Power of the Word

Through experience, Commanders learn to make good use of their voices, facial expressions and

body postures: they are orators, not only capable of inciting courage and new strength in tired and

desperate soldiers, but also of forcing people to stop dead in their tracks, overcome by fear.

Translated into game terms:

* A Commander can inspire a single creature that can understand him or her with so much fervor

that the creature's adrenalin level is raised dramatically: it starts to convert its fat and muscle tissue

into energy. After one round of inspiration, the creature gains 2 hit points per level of theCommander (this may raise the hit point total of the creature above its normal maximum). This

effect lasts one turn. During the last round of the turn, the Commander can inspire the creature

again: this causes the effect to last one more turn, but also costs the creature one point of

Constitution. This re-inspiring can take place as many times as the creature has Constitution points

(no hit points are lost for low Constitution during the effect of the inspiring), but once the creature

reaches 5 (or lower) Constitution, it has to make a system shock survival roll or collapse.

Collapsing has the same result as when the Commander chooses not to/is prevented from re-inspire

the creature: the creature suddenly loses all bonus hit points: this may cause a sudden death if the

inspired creature had only a few hit points left. Each lost point of Constitution can be regained by a

week of rest or by the casting of a Heal-spell. Inspiring is also very taxing for the voice of the

Commander: he or she cannot use command words (cfr. infra) until at least one turn has passed after

the last inspiring.

* A Commander can inspire his or her troops (or companions) before a battle. After three rounds of

talking, all creatures within 10 feet per level of the Commander receive bonuses of +1 to hit, +1

damage and +2 on morale. This effect is only applicable to creatures that are friendly to

the Commander and that can understand him or her. The inspiration of a Commander is cumulative

with that of a Bard.

* At higher levels, Commanders have enough mastery over their voices to put so much power in a

single word that it can control the actions of creatures for a short period. These effects are notmagical, as they are not based on divine energy or on intricate formulas - as a consequence, the

effects cannot be dispeled by Dispel Magic. But magic is stronger than the 'mundane' command

words of a Commander, so their effects can be overruled by spells: e.g. the audience captured by a

Commander through his or her Fascinating Speech can still be Enthralled by a Priest; and Free

Action will negate the effects of the Halt command word. Because all command words are related

to charms and enchantments, Commanders receive a +1 bonus per five levels on their saving throws

versus spells from this school or sphere (this bonus is cumulative with Wisdom bonuses and

magical protections). These are the command words:

Level Command Words

1st Level Cause Panc, Cry of Courage, Detect Charm,

Order


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2nd Level Cancel Charm, Cause Rage, Fascinating Speech,

Halt! Soothing Words

3rd Level Aura of Confusion, Aura of Valiance, Cancel

Paralysis, Supreme Command

4th Level Aura of Chaos, Aura of Terror, Cry of Emotions,

Halt Monsters

And this is the command word advancement table for Commanders (note that the spell point

system is also used for Commanders, although the effects are not magical):

Level Point Advancement

Level 6 1

Level 7 2

Level 8 2, 1

Level 9 2, 2

Level 10 2, 2, 1

Level 11 3, 2, 1

Level 12 3, 2, 2

Level 13 3, 2, 2, 1

Level 14 3, 3, 2, 1

Level 15 4, 3, 2, 1

Level 16 4, 3, 2, 2

Level 17 4, 3, 2, 2

Level 18 4, 3, 3, 3

Level 19 4, 4, 3, 3

Level 20 4, 4, 4, 4

Commanders can 'invent' new command words without any of the problems associated with

researching new spells. Nevertheless, the DM will probably allow targeted creatures a +2 to on their

saving throws when the Commander is still trying out his or her new command word.

First Level

Cause Panic

Range: 30 yards Components: V,S

Duration: d4 rounds Casting Time: 1

Area of Effect: 1 creature/4 levels Saving Throw: Negation

Cause Panic causes one creature to flee in panic at maximum movement speed away from the

Commander for 1d4 rounds. A succesful saving throw against this effect negates it, and any

Wisdom adjustment also applies. Of course, Cause Panic can be automatically countered by Cry of

Courage and vice versa.

The somatic component are threatening gestures.


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Cry of Courage


Duration: Special Casting Time: 1

Area of Effect: 1 creature/4 levels Saving Throw: Special

The Commander instills courage in the command word recipient, raising the creature's savingthrow rolls against magical Fear attacks by +4 for one turn. If the recipient has recently (that day)

failed a saving throw against such an attack, the command word immediately grants another saving

throw, with a +4 bonus to the die roll. For every three levels of the Commander, one creature can be

affected by the command word (one creature at levels 1 through 3, two creatures at levels 4 through

6, etc.).

This command word has no effect on undead of any sort.

Detect Charm

Range: 30 yards Components: V,SDuration: 1 round/level Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: 1 creature/round Saving Throw: Negation

The Commander can use this command word to detect if a person or monster is under the

influence of a Charm spell, or similar control such as Hypnosis, Suggestion, beguiling, possession,

etc. He or she talks to the creature for 1 round and analyses its reactions to see whether it behaves

abnormally. The creature rolls a saving throw vs paralyzation and, if successful, the Commander

learns nothing about that particular creature from the inquiry. A Commander who learns that a

creature is being influenced has a 5% chance per level to determine the exact type of influence. Up

to 10 different creatures can be checked before the command word wanes. If the creature is under

more than one such effect, only the information that the charm exists is gained. The type (since

there are conflicting indications) is impossible to determine.

Order

Range: 30 yards Components: V

Duration: 1 round Casting Time: 1

Area of Effect: 1 creature Saving Throw: Special

This command word enables the Commander to command another creature with a single word.The command must be uttered in a language understood by the creature. The subject will obey to

the best of its ability only as long as the command is absolutely clear and unequivocal; hence, a

command to "Die!" causes the creature to fall in a faint or cataleptic state for one round, but

thereafter the creature revives and is alive and well. Typical commands are back, halt, flee, run,

stop, fall, go, leave, surrender, sleep, rest, etc. No command affects a creature for more than one

round; undead are not affected at all. Creatures with Intelligence of 10 (high) or more, or those with

3 or more Hit Dice (or experience levels) are entitled to a saving throw vs paralyzation, adjusted for

Wisdom. (Creatures with 10 or higher Intelligence and 3 Hit Dice/levels get only one saving

throw!)


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Second Level

Cancel Charm


Duration: 1 round/3 levels Casting Time: 1 roundArea of Effect: 1 creature/round Saving Throw: Special

With this command word a Commander can try to make charmed creatures behave normally

again. First, he or she has to talk with the creature for one round. The creature is then allowed a

saving throw vs paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom. If this saving throw succeeds, the Commander

learns nothing. If it fails, the Commander knows if the creature is charmed in some way. If the

Commander decides to talk to the creature for one more round, it is allowed to make a second

saving throw against the original save attack - the Commander rouses the creature's Self so that it

can make another attack against the control of the Charm.

Cause Rage


Duration: 1 round/level Casting Time: 5

Area of Effect: all creatures in range Saving Throw: Negation

All creatures in range that can understand the Commander have to roll a saving throw vs

paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom. Creatures that fail their saving throw go berserk and

automatically attack the nearest enemy with their weapons or, if nothing else is available, with their

bare hands - not with spells. As long as they are berserk, these creatures gain a +1 bonus to hit, a +3

bonus on damage rolls, and 5 extra hit points. If there are no enemies around, the creature has to roll

a succesful Wisdom check in order to avoid attacking the nearest creature. Creatures that make the

original saving throw are immune to the effects of the command word. The Commander that utters

Cause Rage also has to make a saving throw or become berserk.

A Commander can also use this command word to become berserk himself, automatically failing

his save, but without affecting other creatures.

Fascinating Speech


Duration: Special Casting Time: 1 roundArea of Effect: all creatures in range Saving Throw: Negation

A Commander using this command word can enthrall an audience that can fully understand his or

her language. Those in the area of effect must save vs paralyzation or give the Commander their

undivided attention, totally ignoring their surroundings. Those of a race or religion unfriendly to the

Commander's have a +4 bonus to the roll. Any Wisdom adjustment also applies. Creatures with 4 or

more levels or Hit Dice, or with a Wisdom of 16 or better, are unaffected.

To use the command word, the Commander must speak without interruption for a full round.

Thereafter, the fascination lasts as long as the Commander speaks. Those enthralled take no action

while the Commander speaks, and for d3 rounds thereafter while they discuss the matter. Thoseentering the area of effect must also save or become fascinated. Those not enthralled are 30% likely

every turn to hoot and jeer in unison. If there is excessive jeering, the rest are allowed a new saving


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throw. The speech ends (but the d3 round delay still applies) if the Commander is successfully

attacked or performs any action other than speaking.

If the audience is attacked, the fascination effect ends and the audience reacts immediately,

rolling a reaction check with respect to the source of the interruption, at a penalty of -10.

Note: When handling a large number of saving throws for similar creatures, the DM can assume

an average to save time: e.g., a crowd of 20 men with a base saving throw of 16 (25% successchance) will have 15 men fascinated and 5 not.

Halt!


Duration: d4+1 rounds Casting Time: 5

Area of Effect: 1-4 creatures in range Saving Throw: Negation

The command word holds up to 4 humans, demi-humans, or humanoid creatures in place for two

to five rounds, as they are overcome by sheer terror. The Halt! command word affects any bipedalhuman, demihuman, or humanoid of man-size or smaller, as long as the creature can understand

what the Commander is yelling at it. Thus, a 10th-level fighter could be halted, while a deaf kobold

could not.

The effect is centered on the Commander, and it affects persons selected by the Commander

within the area of effect. If the command word is used against three or four creatures, each gets a

normal saving throw vs paralyzation; if only two creatures are being attacked, each rolls its saving

throw with a -1 penalty; if the command word is used against but one creature, the saving throw die

roll suffers a -2 penalty. Saving throws are adjusted for Wisdom. Those who succeed on their saving

throws are totally unaffected by the command word. Undead creatures cannot be halted.

Halted creatures cannot move (although trembling certainly occurs) or speak, but they remain

aware of events around them and can use abilities not requiring motion or speech. Being halted does

not prevent the worsening of the subject's condition due to wounds, disease, or poison. The

Commander uttering the Halt! command word can end the effect with a single utterance at any time;

otherwise the command word lasts for 1d4 +1 rounds.

Soothing Words


Duration: 1 round/level Casting Time: 5

Area of Effect: all creatures in range Saving Throw: Negation

This command word causes all creature in range to feel peaceful and forgiving unless a saving

throw vs paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom, is made. It affects angry, berserk and fearful creatures

alike. Note that a Commander who is himself berserk can not use this command word to cool

down.


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Third Level

Aura of Confusion

Range: 1/2 yard/level Components: V,S

Duration: 1 minute/level Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: all creatures in range Saving Throw: Special

This powerful command word is many a Commander's favorite, although it carries quite some

risk for the Commander as well. The Commander spends 1 round making himself or herself berserk

(see Cause Rage), and then charges into battle. There must be a real challenge for the Commander

(20 Orcs, 3 Trolls - DM's decision, but never a single creature, even if it is a great wyrm);

otherwise, the command word has no more effect than Cause Rage. If sufficient challenge is

present, however, the Commander becomes such a fearful sight that he or she creates mayhem

within half a yard per level. Enemy troops in this area suffer effects similar to those of a Confusion-

spell (p.232 of the PHB - but treat a roll of 1 as Cause Panic), if they fail a saving throw vs

paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom. This the kind of power that enables Commanders to change the

outcome of a battle that is going against them: with some luck, it may route the enemy troops.

Aura of Valiance


Duration: 1 Turn/level Casting Time: 6

Area of Effect: all friendly creatures in range Saving Throw: None

With Aura of Valiance, a Commander fills the friends or troops close to him or her with courage.

The effects of this command word last for 1 turn per level of the Commander - but ends early if the

Commander is killed or withdraws from the battle. During that time the Commander cannot be

made to flee by magical means (Cause Fear, Fear, ...) or by the effects of another Commander. The

Commander can, of course, at all times flee voluntarily, but this ends the effect. Other creatures

friendly to the Commander that stay within range receive a +3 bonus on morale checks and on

saving throws vs spells like Fear.

Cancel Paralysis


Duration: 1 round/3 levels Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: 1 creature/round Saving Throw: Special

This command word resembles Cancel Charm: the Commander talks to a creature for 1 round,

after which it is allowed to roll a second saving throw versus the attack that paralyzed it. This is due

to the inspiring words of the Commander: through an ultimate effort of will the creature tries to

regain control over its limbs. The command word only affects creatures that can understand the

commander.

Each paralyzed creature is only allowed one extra saving throw.


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Supreme Command


Duration: d4+1 rounds Casting Time: 3

Area of Effect: 1-5 creatures Saving Throw: Negation

The Commander can use this command word to influence the actions of up to five creatures for

two to five rounds. The Commander need but utter a single word, and the creatures will, if they canunderstand him or her, obey his or her command to the best of their abilities. Typical commands

are: Sleep!, Halt!, Flee! Undead are not affected at all. Creatures with Intelligence of 10 (high) or

more, or those with 3 or more Hit Dice (or experience levels) are entitled to a saving throw vs

paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom. (Creatures with 10 or higher Intelligence and 3 Hit Dice/levels

get only one saving throw!).

Fourth Level

Aura of Chaos


Duration: 1 minute/level Casting Time: 1 minute

Area of Effect: all creatures in range Saving Throw: Special

This powerful command word has allowed many a Commander to turn the tables during a battle.

The Commander spends 1 round making himself or herself berserk (see Cause Rage), and then

charges into battle. There must be a real challenge for the Commander on the battle-field (e.g. 5

Ettins - DM's decision, but never a single creature, even if it is a great wyrm); otherwise, the

command word has no more effect than Cause Rage. If sufficient challenge is present, however, the

Commander becomes such a fearful sight that he or she creates mayhem within half a yard per

level. Enemies in this area suffer effects similar to those of a Chaos- spell (p.166 of the PHB - but

treat a roll of 1 as Cause Panic), if they fail a saving throw vs paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom.

Note that only creatures with 5 or more hit die or levels are allowed to save.

Aura of Terror


Duration: 2 rounds/level Casting Time: 6Area of Effect: the Commander Saving Throw: Negation

The Commander that utters Aura of Terror manages to make his or her swings look more

dangerous than they really are, so that he or she appears as a divinely inspired warrior hacking and

slashing at everybody and everything that approaches him or her. This is so frightening a sight that

all creatures (also those friendly to the Commander) that approach within half a yard per level of the

Commander have to save vs paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom. Those that fail their saving throw

flee for 2d10 rounds, running at maximum speed away from the Commander (if someone makes it

impossible for them to do so, they will try to hide in as remote a place as they can find). Creatures

that make their saving throw can attack the Commander normally - note that these creatures have to

save again if they leave the area of effect and want to enter it again.


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Cry of Emotions


Duration: Special Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: 1-10 creatures in range Saving Throw: Negation

This command word enables the Commander to use his or her voice and gestures to influence the

emotional status of up to 10 creatures. These creatures are allowed a saving throw vs paralyzation,adjusted for Wisdom, to avoid the effects of Cry of Emotions. The Commander can choose one

emotion from the list on p.157 of the PHB (cfr. Emotion), and the creatures that fail their their

saving throw suffer from that effect. The effect lasts as long as the Commander keeps speaking -

while speaking, he or she is allowed to parry, but no to attack. The Commander can also change the

emotion, but the affected creatures are then allowed a new saving throw.

Halt Monsters


Duration: d4+1 rounds Casting Time: 1 roundArea of Effect: 1-4 creatures in range Saving Throw: Negation

Halt Monsters enables the Commander to frighten up to four creatures in such a dramatic way

that they are unable to do anything but tremble for one plus d4 rounds. The creatures must have

minds (but need not be humanoid) and must be able to hear, although they need not understand the

language of the Commander. If the Commander targets only one creature, it gets a saving throw vs

paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom, with a -3 penalty. When two creatures are targeted, they save at

-1. Three or four creatures save normally.

Appendix B

Life Energy Levels (LELs)

I also feel that -the energy-draining ability of undead is a grossly unbalancing feature of the

AD&D 2nd Edition game.- (Dragon 167, pp.74-75 - but my system is somewhat simpler) That is

why characters have a LEL, next to their 'ordinary' experience level. These LELs are used for all

forms of level-draining: spells, undead, artifacts, ... . This change was prompted by the practical

problems that resulted from energy-draining attacks (what was a character's Climb Walls-percentage

three levels ago?; what spells are lost from memory?), and by the fact that it is not realistic that acharacter 'loses experience': when a character is drained for the first time, he or she should actually

gain experience. It is not my intention to make undead less powerful, but simply to make them

dangerous in a slightly different way.

* New LELs are gained together with the normal experience levels: a 1st level character starts with

1 LEL, and when he or she reaches a new experience level, he or she also gains a new LEL.

* When an energy-draining attack occurs, LELs are drained instead of experience levels. With

each LEL drained, the character loses one point of Constitution (possibly losing bonus hit points

due to a high Constitution; a Constitution

advanced dungeons & dragons enhanced house rules

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