Key Topics--AD&D Core Rules
Key Topics—AD&D® Core Rules

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Contents

About Abilities

Strength

Dexterity

Constitution

Intelligence

Wisdom

Charisma

Alignment

Alignment Combinations

Using Area Alignments

Magical Alignment Changes

Alignment of Magical Items

Casting Spells

Wizard Spells

Illusions

Adjudicating Illusions

Priest Spells

Character Death

Inescapable Death

Raising the Dead

Hovering on Death's Door

Classes

Warrior

Fighter

Paladin

Ranger

Wizard

Mage

Specialist Wizards

Illusionist

Wild Magic

Wild Magic Level Variation

Wild Surge Results

Elemental Wizards

Metamagic

Priest

Cleric

Druid

Quest Spells

Faith Magic

Cooperative Magic

New Spheres

Rogue

Thief

Bard

Multi-Class Combinations

Multi-Class Benefits and Restrictions

Dual-Class Benefits and Restrictions

Combat

Definitions

The Combat Sequence

Figuring the To-Hit Number

THAC0

The Combat Round

Initiative

Individual Initiative

Initiative Modifiers

Group Initiative

Multiple Attacks and Initiative

Spellcasting and Initiative

Weapon Speed and Initiative

Attacking with Two Weapons

Facing in Combat

Movement in Combat

Attacking Without Killing

Weapons in Nonlethal Combat

Punching and Wrestling

Overbearing

Touch Spells in Combat

Missile Weapons in Combat

Firing into a Melee

Range and Rate of Fire

Ability Modifiers in Missile Combat

Grenade-Like Missiles

Dwarves

Dwarf (Monstrous Manual Entry)

Dwarven Plate Mail (AC 2)

Magical Dwarven Plate Mail

Elves

Elf (Monstrous Manual Entry)

Elf, Aquatic (Monstrous Manual Entry)

Elf, Drow (Monstrous Manual Entry)

Elven Chain Mail (AC 5)

Magical Elven Chain Mail

Encounters

Random Encounters

Spicing Up Encounter Tables

Surprise

Experience

Group Awards

Individual Experience Awards

Glossary

Gnomes

Gnome (Monstrous Manual Entry)

Gnomish Workman's Leather Armor (AC 7)

Half-Elves

Halflings

Halfling (Monstrous Manual Entry)

Healing

Natural Healing

Magical Healing

Immunity to Weapons

Silver Weapons

Humans

Human (Monstrous Manual Entry)

Magic Resistance

Effects of Magic Resistance

When Magic Resistance Applies

Successful Magic Resitance Rolls

Money and Equipment

Master Weapons Chart—Arms & Equipment Guide

Equipment List—Player’s Handbook

Armor

Item Saving Throws

Encumbrance

Basic Encumbrance

Specific Encumbrance

Monster Summoning Tables

Conjured Animals

Aquatic Monster Summoning

Aquatic Monster Summoning, Salt Water

Aquatic Monster Summoning, Fresh Water

Morale

Dicing for Morale

Failing a Morale Check

NPCs

Hirelings

Followers

Henchmen

NPC Parties

Proficiencies

Acquiring Proficiencies

Training

Weapon Proficiencies

Weapon Specialization

Nonweapon Proficiencies

Using Nonweapon Proficiencies

Secondary Skills

Racial Adjustments and Restrictions

Racial Ability Adjustments

Racial Level Restrictions

Chance to Hear Noise by Race

Saving Throw

Saving Throw Priority

Rolling Saving Throws

Magical Items that Effect Saving Throws

Special Damage

Falling

Paralysis

Energy Drain

Poison

Spell Lists

Wizard Spells—Player's Handbook

1st Level

2nd Level

3rd Level

4th Level

5th Level

6th Level

7th Level

8th Level

9th Level

Wizard Spells—Tome of Magic

1st Level

2nd Level

3rd Level

4th Level

5th Level

6th Level

7th Level

8th Level

9th Level

Priest Spells—Player's Handbook

1st Level

2nd Level

3rd Level

4th Level

5th Level

6th Level

7th Level

Priest Spells—Tome of Magic

1st Level

2nd Level

3rd Level

4th Level

5th Level

6th Level

7th Level

Quest Spells

Time and Movement

Movement

Jogging and Running

Cross-Country Movement

Getting Lost

Swimming

Climbing

Climbing Rates

Actions While Climbing

Treasure and Magical Items

Gems

Objects of Art

Magical Item Tables

Magical Item Tables--Dungeon Master Guide

Potions and Oils

Scrolls

Rings

Rods

Staves

Wands

Miscellaneous Magic: Books, Librams, Manuals, Tomes

Miscellaneous Magic: Jewels, Jewelry, Phylacteries

Miscellaneous Magic: Cloaks and Robes

Miscellaneous Magic: Boots, Bracers, Gloves

Miscellaneous Magic: Girdles, Hats, Helms

Miscellaneous Magic: Bags, Bottles, Pouches, Containers

Miscellaneous Magic: Candles, Dusts, Ointments, Incense, Stones

Miscellaneous Magic: Household Items and Tools

Miscellaneous Magic: Musical Instruments

Miscellaneous Magic: The Weird Stuff

Armor and Shields

 	Special Armors

Magical Weapons

Special Weapons

Magic Item Tables—Tome of Magic

Potions and Oils

Rings

Rods, Staves, and Wands

Miscellaneous Magic: Books, Librams, Manuals, Tomes

Miscellaneous Magic: Jewels, Jewelry, Phylacteries

Miscellaneous Magic: Braces, Gloves, Hats, Robes

Miscellaneous Magic: Bags, Bottles, Pouches, Containers

Miscellaneous Magic: Candles, Dusts, Ointments, Stones

Miscellaneous Magic: Household Items, Tools, Muscial Instruments

Micellaneous Magic: The Wierd Stuff

Turning Undead

Evil Priests and Undead

Vision and Light

Infravision

Limits of Vision

Effects of Light Sources


About Abilities

Each character in the AD&D game has six abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. The first three abilities represent the physical nature of the character, while the second three quantify his mental and personality traits.

In various places throughout these rules, the following abbreviations are used for the ability names: Strength--Str; Dexterity--Dex; Constitution--Con; Intelligence--Int; Wisdom--Wis; Charisma--Cha.

The six character abilities are described below. Each description gives an idea of what that ability encompasses. Specific game effects are also given. At the end of each ability description is the table giving all modifiers and game information for each ability score. The unshaded area of these tables contains scores a player character can have naturally, without the aid of magical devices, spells, or divine intervention. The blue ability scores can be obtained only by extraordinary means, whether by good fortune (finding a magical book that raises a score) or ill fortune (an attack by a creature that lowers a score).

Wishes and Ability Scores

Sooner or later player characters are going to gain wishes. Wishes are wonderful things that allow creative players to break the rules in marvelous ways. Inevitably, some player is going to use a wish to raise his character's ability scores. This is fine. Player characters should have the chance to raise their ability scores. It can't be too easy, however, or soon every character in your campaign will have several 18s.

When a wish is used to increase a score that is 15 or lower, each wish raises the ability one point. A character with a Dexterity of 15, for example, can use a wish to raise his Dexterity to 16.

If the ability score is between 16 and 20, each wish increases the ability score by only one-tenth of a point. The character must use 10 wishes to raise his Dexterity score from 16 to 17. The player can record this on his character sheet as 16.1, 16.2, etc. Fractions of a point have no effect until all 10 wishes have been made.

If a character of the warrior group has a Strength score of 18, each wish increases the percentile score by 10 percent. Thus, 11 wishes are needed to reach Strength 19.

This rule applies only to wishes and wish-like powers. Magical items (manuals, books, etc.) and the intervention of greater powers can automatically increase an ability score by one point, regardless of its current value.

Exceeding Level Limits (Optional Rule)

Demihuman characters with extremely high ability scores in their prime requisites can exceed the racial maximum levels. In cases where multiple prime requisites exist, the lowest prime requisite is used to calculate any additional levels.

The bonus levels available to characters with high prime requisite scores are summarized on Table 8. The additional levels listed in Table 8 are added to the normal maximum allowed, regardless of what class or race is involved.

For example, a half-elf is limited to 12th level as a thief. A half-elf thief with a Dexterity score of 17, however, is allowed two bonus levels, so he could advance to 14th level.

Table 8:

Prime Requisite Bonuses

Ability Score	Additional Levels

14, 15	+1

16, 17	+2

18	+3

19	+4

Ability--any of the six natural traits that represent the basic definition of a player character: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. A player character's abilities are determined at the beginning of a game by rolling 6-sided dice (d6s). The scores continue to be used throughout the game as a means of determining success or failure of many actions.

Ability check--a 1d20 roll against one of your character's ability scores (modifiers may be added to or subtracted from the die roll). A result that is equal to or less than your character's ability score indicates that the attempted action succeeds.

Table 13:

Class Ability Minimums

Character

Class	Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha

Fighter	9	-- 	--	--	--	--

Paladin*	12	--	9	--	13	17

Ranger*	13	13	14	--	14	--

Mage	--	--	--	9	--	--

Specialist*	Var	Var	Var	Var	Var	Var

Cleric	--	--	--	--	9	--

Druid*	--	--	--	--	12	15

Thief	--	9	--	--	--	--

Bard*	--	12	--	13	--	15

* Optional character class. Specialist includes illusionist.

Spell effects that give bonuses or penalties to abilities, attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, etc., are not usually cumulative with each other or with other magic: the strongest single effect applies. For example, a fighter drinks a potion of giant strength and then receives the 2nd-level wizard spell strength. Only the strongest magic (the potion) is effective. When the potion's duration ends, however, the strength spell is still in effect, until its duration also expires.

Ability Checks as Saving Throws

When a character attempts to avoid danger through the use of one of his abilities, an ability check can be used in lieu of a saving throw.

Class Ability Score Requirements

Each of the character classes has minimum scores in various abilities. A character must satisfy these minimums to be of that class. If your character's scores are too low for him to belong to any character class, ask your DM for permission to reroll one or more of your ability scores or to create an entirely new character. If you desperately want your character to belong to a particular class but have scores that are too low, your DM might allow you to increase these scores to the minimum needed. However, you must ask him first. Don't count on the DM allowing you to raise a score above 16 in any case.

Minimum and Maximum Ability Scores

All nonhuman PC races (also called "demihuman" races) have minimum and maximum requirements for their ability scores. If you want to have a demihuman character, the character's ability scores must be within the allowable range. The minimums and maximums for each race are listed on Table 7 (the minimums are listed before the slash; the maximums are listed after the slash). Your character's sex has no effect on these minimums or maximums.

Consult Table 7 before making any racial adjustments to your character's ability scores. If the basic scores that you rolled up meet the requirements for a particular race, your character can be of that race, even if later modifications change the ability scores so they exceed the maximums or don't meet the minimums. Once you satisfy the requirements at the start, you never have to worry about them again.

Table 7 gives the minimum and maximum scores a newly created character must have to be a member of a demihuman race. Any character can be a human, if the player so desires.

Table 7:

Racial Ability Requirements

Ability	Dwarf	 Elf	Gnome	Half-Elf	Halfling

Strength	 8/18	3/18	  6/18	   3/18	 	   7/18 *

Dexterity	 3/17	6/18	  3/18	   6/18	 	   7/18

Constitution	11/18	7/18	  	  8/18	   6/18	  10/18

Intelligence	 3/18	8/18	  6/18	   4/18	   6/18

Wisdom	 3/18	3/18	  3/18	   3/18	 	   3/17

Charisma	 3/17	8/18	  3/18	   3/18	 	   3/18

* Halfling fighters do not roll for exceptional Strength.

Racial Ability Adjustments

If you chose to make your character a dwarf, elf, gnome, or halfling, you now have to adjust some of your character's ability scores. The adjustments are mandatory; all characters of these races receive the adjustments. Even if adjustments raise or lower your character's ability scores beyond the minimums and maximums shown on Table 7, you do not have to pick a new race. The adjustments can also raise a score to 19 or lower it to 2.

Table 8:

Racial Ability Adjustments

Race	Adjustments

Dwarf	+1 Constitution; -1 Charisma

Elf	+1 Dexterity; -1 Constitution

Gnome	+1 Intelligence; -1 Wisdom

Halfling	+1 Dexterity; -1 Strength

Table 11:

Age

 	     Starting Age	 	 Maximum Age Range

Race	Base Age	Variable	       (Base+Variable)

Dwarf	  40	5d6	  	250+2d100

Elf	100	5d6	350+4d100*

Gnome	  60	3d12	200+3d100

Half-elf	  15	1d6	125+3d20

Halfling	  20	3d4	100+1d100

Human	  15	1d4	 	  90+2d20

* Upon attaining this age, an elf does not die. Rather he feels compelled to migrate to some mysterious, other land, departing the world of men.

As a character ages, his ability scores are affected. Upon reaching one-half of his base maximum age (45 for a human), the character loses 1 point of Strength (or half of his exceptional Strength rating) and 1 point of Constitution, but gains 1 point each of Intelligence and Wisdom. At two-thirds of his base maximum age (60 for a human), the character loses 2 more points of Strength (or all his exceptional Strength and 1 point more), 2 points of Dexterity, and 1 more point of Constitution, but he gains 1 point of Wisdom. Upon reaching the base maximum age, the character loses 1 more point from each of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, while gaining 1 more point in both Intelligence and Wisdom. All aging adjustments are cumulative. See Table 12 for a summary of these effects.

There may be times when a magical device or spell adds years to or subtracts years from a player character's life. This magical aging can have two different effects. Some magical aging physically affects the character. For example, a haste spell ages those it affects by one year. This aging is added directly to the player character's current age. He physically acquires the appearance of himself one year older (a few more wrinkles, etc.). Characters who increase in age from magical effects do not gain the benefits of increased Wisdom and Intelligence--these are a function of the passage of game time--but the character does suffer the physical losses to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution associated with aging. These are breakdowns of the body's systems. Physical age can also be removed in the same manner. Some potions give years back to the character. In this case, the physical appearance of the character is restored. The character can regain lost vigor (Str, Dex, and Con) as his body is renewed but he does not lose any of the benefits of aging (Wis and Int).

Magical aging can also work to increase or decrease the life span of the character. In such a case, the actual age of the character is unaffected. All adjustments are made by the DM to the character's maximum age (which only the DM knows). For example, a human finds a magical fountain that bestows great longevity (10 to 60 years more). The DM has already determined the human will naturally live to 103 years (base 90 + 2d20, in this case 13). The water of the fountain bestows 40 more years so that, unless the character meets a violent end, he will live to 143 years. He still suffers the effects of aging at the usual ages (45, 60, and 90 years, respectively), but the period in which he would be considered a venerable elder of his people is extended for 40 years.

Creating New Player Character Races

Character Abilities: All races, regardless of type, use the same ability generation method as all other player characters. Their scores will range from 3 to 18 unless modified by pluses or minuses.

Creature sizes, defined in the Monstrous Manual, affect abilities as follows:

Creatures of tiny (T) size have a -3 modifier to Strength. Creatures of small (S) size have a -1 modifier to Strength. Creatures of large (L) size have a +1 modifier to Strength. Huge (H) creatures gain a +2 to Strength and Gigantic (G) creatures have a +4.

Those with an Intelligence less than average (as determined by the DM or as listed in the Monstrous Manual) suffer a -1 penalty to Intelligence and those exceptionally Intelligent or greater gain a +1 bonus.

All other ability modifiers are assigned by the DM. Likely candidates include minuses to Charisma and Wisdom and plus or minus adjustments to Dexterity. In all cases, bonuses and penalties should balance out. If a creature has a +1 bonus to Strength, it should have a -1 penalty to another ability. With the exception of Strength, no creature can have a modifier greater than +2 or -2 to any score.

Racial Ability Requirements: It is possible for a creature to have seemingly illogical ability scores. However, you can set minimums and maximums on these. Table 7 in the Player's Handbook shows these limits for the standard player character races. It is the DM's job to do the same for nonstandard races.

As a guide, creatures of large size should have at least an 11 Strength and, unless they are described as agile or quick, should have a ceiling of 17 to Dexterity. Dull-witted creatures (those of low Intelligence) should have a limit of 16 to Intelligence.

The DM can waive any requirements if, for example, a player wants (or gets) a hill giant character with Strength 6. Some rationale should be offered, however. (In the case of the weakling hill giant, perhaps he was the runt of the family, cast out by his fellows, and forced to take up adventuring.)

Level Limits: Like all non-humans, new player character races have level limits. However, these limits are lower than those for other non-humans, since these races are often unsuited to adventuring. (Perhaps this explains why player characters of these races are so rare.)

The maximum level a character from a variant race can attain depends on the character's prime requisite ability score (or scores). Use Table 9 to determine the character's maximum level.

Table 9:

Maximum Levels for Variant Races

Prime Requisite Score   Level Limit

  9	  3

10	  4

11	  5

12	  6

13	  7

14	  8

15	  9

16	10

17	11

18+	12

Unlike the standard demihuman races, new character races never gain additional levels for high ability scores. It is unusual enough that a member of the race has become a player character at all! Without the aid of many wish spells, a character from a non-standard race can never rise above 12th level.

0-Level Characters

Ability Scores: These range from 3-18. For simplicity, don't worry about racial modifiers for the demihuman races. Racial modifiers to combat, Armor Class, hit points, etc., do apply.

Ability Modifiers in Missile Combat

Attack roll and damage modifiers for Strength are always used when an attack is made with a hurled weapon. Here the power of the character's arm is a significant factor in the effectiveness of the attack.

When using a bow, the attack roll and damage Strength modifiers apply only if the character has a properly prepared bow (see Chapter 6 in the Player's Handbook). Characters never receive Strength bonuses when using crossbows or similar mechanical devices.

Dexterity modifiers to the attack roll are applied when making a missile attack with a hand-held weapon. Thus, a character adds his Dexterity modifier when using a bow, crossbow, or axe but not when firing a trebuchet or other siege engine.

High ability scores in Dexterity and Wisdom sometimes give saving throw bonuses. A high Wisdom protects against illusions, charms, and other mental attacks. Dexterity, if high enough, can give a character a slightly higher chance of avoiding the effects of fireballs, lightning bolts, crushing boulders, and other attacks where nimbleness may be a help.

Poison

Debilitating poisons weaken the character for 1d3 days. All of the character's ability scores are reduced by half during this time. All appropriate adjustments to attack rolls, damage, Armor Class, etc., from the lowered ability scores are applied during the course of the illness.

Specific Injuries (Optional Rule)

DMs can use specific injuries to lessen a character's ability scores. A member of the party might acquire a prominent scar, lowering his Charisma by a point. Although, in this case, you'll want a ready explanation of why a scar had this effect, as in some instances a scar can actually enhance the personality of a person. It can make him look tougher, more mysterious, more worldly, more magnetic, all things that could conceivably increase a character's Charisma.

Similarly, the loss of a character's finger or eye could be used as an excuse to lower an excessively high Dexterity. Loss of an arm could reduce Strength (among other things).


Strength

Strength (Str) measures a character's muscle, endurance, and stamina. This ability is the prime requisite of warriors because they must be physically powerful in order to wear armor and wield heavy weapons. A fighter with a score of 16 or more in Strength gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Furthermore, any warrior with a Strength score of 18 is entitled to roll percentile dice (see Glossary) to determine exceptional Strength; exceptional Strength improves the character's chance to hit an enemy, increases the damage he causes with each hit, increases the weight the character is able to carry without a penalty for encumbrance (see below), and increases the character's ability to force open doors and similar portals.

The rest of this section on Strength consists of explanations of the columns in Table 1. Refer to the table as you read.

Hit Probability adjustments are added to or subtracted from the attack roll rolled on 1d20 (one 20-sided die) during combat. A bonus (positive number) makes the opponent easier to hit; a penalty (negative number) makes him harder to hit.

Damage Adjustment also applies to combat. The listed number is added to or subtracted from the dice rolled to determine the damage caused by an attack (regardless of subtractions, a successful attack roll can never cause less than 1 point of damage). For example, a short sword normally causes 1d6 points of damage (a range of 1 to 6). An attacker with Strength 17 causes one extra point of damage, for a range of 2 to 7 points of damage. The damage adjustment also applies to missile weapons, although bows must be specially made to gain the bonus; crossbows never benefit from the user's Strength.

Weight Allowance is the weight (in pounds) a character can carry without being encumbered (encumbrance measures how a character's possessions hamper his movement--see Glossary). These weights are expressed in pounds. A character carrying up to the listed weight can move his full movement rate.

Maximum Press is the heaviest weight a character can pick up and lift over his head. A character cannot walk more than a few steps this way. No human or humanoid creature without exceptional Strength can lift more than twice his body weight over his head. In 1987, the world record for lifting a weight overhead in a single move was 465 pounds. A heroic fighter with Strength 18/00 (see Table 1) can lift up to 480 pounds the same way and he can hold it overhead for a longer time!

Open Doors indicates the character's chance to force open a heavy or stuck door. When a character tries to force a door open, roll 1d20. If the result is equal to or less than the listed number, the door opens. A character can keep trying to open a door until it finally opens, but each attempt takes time (exactly how much is up to the DM) and makes a lot of noise.

Numbers in parentheses are the chances (on 1d20) to open a locked, barred, or magically held door, but only one attempt per door can ever be made. If it fails, no further attempts by that character can succeed.

Bend Bars/Lift Gates states the character's percentage chance (rolled on percentile dice) to bend normal, soft iron bars, lift a vertical gate (portcullis), or perform a similar feat of enormous strength. When the character makes the attempt, roll percentile dice. If the number rolled is equal to or less than the number listed on Table 1, the character bends the bar or lifts the gate. If the attempt fails, the character can never succeed at that task. A character can, however, try to bend the bars on a gate that he couldn't lift, and vice versa.

Table 1:

Strength

Ability	Hit	Damage	Weight	Max.	Open	Bend Bars/

Score	Prob.	Adj.	Allow.	Press	Doors	Lift Gates	Notes

1	-5	-4	1	3	1	0%

2	-3	-2	1	5	1	0%

3	-3	-1	5	10	2	0%

4-5	-2	-1	10	25	3	0%

6-7	-1	None	20	55	4	0%

8-9	Normal	None	35	90	5	1%

10-11	Normal	None	40	115	6	2%

12-13	Normal	None	45	140	7	4%

14-15	Normal	None	55	170	8	7%

16	Normal	+1	70	195	9	10%

17	+1	+1	85	220	10	13%

18	+1	+2	110	255	11	16%

18/01-50	+1	+3	135	280	12	20%

18/51-75	+2	+3	160	305	13	25%

18/76-90	+2	+4	185	330	14	30%

18/91-99	+2	+5	235	380	15(3)	35%

18/00	+3	+6	335	480	16(6)	40%

19	+3	+7	485	640	16(8)	50%	Hill Giant

20	+3	+8	535	700	17(10)	60%	Stone Giant

21	+4	+9	635	810	17(12)	70%	Frost Giant

22	+4	+10	785	970	18(14)	80%	Fire Giant

23	+5	+11	935	1,130	18(16)	90%	Cloud Giant

24	+6	+12	1,235	1,440	19(17)	95%	Storm Giant

25	+7	+14	1,535	1,750	19(18)	99%	Titan

Strength (abbr. Str)--an ability score representing a character's muscle power, endurance, and stamina.

Encumbrance--the amount, in pounds, that a character is carrying. How much he can carry and how being encumbered affects his movement rate are based on Strength and are shown in Tables 47 and 48. Encumbrance is an optional rule.

Wishes and Ability Scores

If a character of the warrior group has a Strength score of 18, each wish increases the percentile score by 10 percent. Thus, 11 wishes are needed to reach Strength 19.

Creating New Player Character Races

Creatures of tiny (T) size have a -3 modifier to Strength. Creatures of small (S) size have a -1 modifier to Strength. Creatures of large (L) size have a +1 modifier to Strength. Huge (H) creatures gain a +2 to Strength and Gigantic (G) creatures have a +4.

If a creature has a +1 bonus to Strength, it should have a -1 penalty to another ability. With the exception of Strength, no creature can have a modifier greater than +2 or -2 to any score.

As a guide, creatures of large size should have at least an 11 Strength.

The DM can waive any requirements if, for example, a player wants (or gets) a hill giant character with Strength 6. Some rationale should be offered, however. (In the case of the weakling hill giant, perhaps he was the runt of the family, cast out by his fellows, and forced to take up adventuring.)

Modifiers to the Attack Roll

Strength Modifiers: A character's Strength can modify the die roll, altering both the chance to hit and the damage caused. This modifier is always applied to melees and attacks with hurled missile weapons (a spear or an axe).

A positive Strength modifier can be applied to bows if the character has a special bow made for him, designed to take advantage of his high Strength. Characters with Strength penalties always suffer them when using a bow. They simply are not able to draw back the bowstring far enough. Characters never have Strength modifiers when using crossbows--the power of the shot is imparted by a machine.

Punching and Wrestling

A character's Strength bonus, if any, applies to punching attacks.

All wrestling moves inflict 1 point of damage plus Strength bonus, if the attacker desires, while continued holds cause cumulatively 1 more point of damage for each round.

Ability Modifiers in Missile Combat

Attack roll and damage modifiers for Strength are always used when an attack is made with a hurled weapon. Here the power of the character's arm is a significant factor in the effectiveness of the attack.

When using a bow, the attack roll and damage Strength modifiers apply only if the character has a properly prepared bow (see Chapter 6 in the Player's Handbook). Characters never receive Strength bonuses when using crossbows or similar mechanical devices.

Grenade-Like Missiles

Most grenade-like missiles are items of opportunity or necessity, such as flasks of oil, vials of holy water, or beakers of acid. As such, these items are not listed on the equipment tables for range, ROF, and damage. The range each can be thrown varies with the Strength of the character and the weight of the object.

Exceptionally heavy items can be thrown only if the character rolls a successful bend bars/lift gates check. In no case can a character throw an item heavier than his Strength would allow him to lift. Thus, the DM can rule that a character would have little trouble chucking a half-empty backpack across a 10-foot chasm, but the character would need to make a check to heave an orc 10 feet through the air into the faces of his fiendish friends.

Wounds

When a character hits a monster, or vice versa, damage is suffered by the victim. The amount of damage depends on the weapon or method of attack.

Sometimes an attack has both a die roll and a damage multiplier. The number rolled on the dice is boosted by the multiplier to determine how much damage is inflicted. This occurs mainly in backstabbing attempts. In cases where damage is multiplied, only the base damage caused by the weapon is multiplied. Bonuses due to Strength or magic are not multiplied. Bonuses due to Strength or magic are not multiplied; they are added after the rolled damage is multiplied.

Lycanthropy

Cursed characters suffer uncontrollable change on the night of a full moon and the nights immediately preceding and following it.

During the change, the character's Strength increases temporarily to 19, allowing him to break bonds, bend bars, and otherwise escape confinement.

Minimum and Maximum Ability Scores

All nonhuman PC races (also called "demihuman" races) have minimum and maximum requirements for their ability scores. The minimums and maximums for each race are listed on Table 7 (the minimums are listed before the slash; the maximums are listed after the slash).

Table 7:

Racial Ability Requirements

Ability	Dwarf	 Elf	Gnome	Half-Elf	Halfling

Strength	 8/18	3/18	  6/18	   3/18	 	   7/18 *

  *Halfling fighters do not roll for exceptional Strength.

Racial Ability Adjustments

If you chose to make your character a dwarf, elf, gnome, or halfling, you now have to adjust some of your character's ability scores. The adjustments are mandatory; all characters of these races receive the adjustments. Even if adjustments raise or lower your character's ability scores beyond the minimums and maximums shown on Table 7, you do not have to pick a new race. The adjustments can also raise a score to 19 or lower it to 2.

Table 8:

Racial Ability Adjustments

Race	Adjustments

Halfling	+1 Dexterity; -1 Strength

Table 12:

Aging Effects

   Middle Age*	    Old Age**	Venerable***

Race	(½ Base Max.)	(2/3 Base Max.)	(Base Max.)

Dwarf	125 years	 	    167 years	 	   250 years

Elf	175 years	    233 years	   350 years

Gnome	100 years	    133 years	  	   200 years

Half-elf	  62 years	 	      83 years	   125 years

Halfling	   50 years	 	      67 years	   100 years

Human	 	  45 years	 	      60 years	 	     90 years

* -1 Str/Con; +1 Int/Wis

** -2 Str/Dex, -1 Con; +1 Wis

*** -1 Str/Dex/Con; +1 Int/Wis

As a character ages, his ability scores are affected. Upon reaching one-half of his base maximum age (45 for a human), the character loses 1 point of Strength (or half of his exceptional Strength rating) and 1 point of Constitution, but gains 1 point each of Intelligence and Wisdom. At two-thirds of his base maximum age (60 for a human), the character loses 2 more points of Strength (or all his exceptional Strength and 1 point more), 2 points of Dexterity, and 1 more point of Constitution, but he gains 1 point of Wisdom. Upon reaching the base maximum age, the character loses 1 more point from each of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, while gaining 1 more point in both Intelligence and Wisdom. All aging adjustments are cumulative. See Table 12 for a summary of these effects.

There may be times when a magical device or spell adds years to or subtracts years from a player character's life. This magical aging can have two different effects. Some magical aging physically affects the character. For example, a haste spell ages those it affects by one year. This aging is added directly to the player character's current age. He physically acquires the appearance of himself one year older (a few more wrinkles, etc.). Characters who increase in age from magical effects do not gain the benefits of increased Wisdom and Intelligence--these are a function of the passage of game time--but the character does suffer the physical losses to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution associated with aging. These are breakdowns of the body's systems. Physical age can also be removed in the same manner. Some potions give years back to the character. In this case, the physical appearance of the character is restored. The character can regain lost vigor (Str, Dex, and Con) as his body is renewed but he does not lose any of the benefits of aging (Wis and Int).

Fighter

Ability Requirements:	Strength 9

Prime Requisite:	Strength

The principal attribute of a fighter is Strength. To become a fighter, a character must have a minimum Strength score of 9.

A fighter who has a Strength score (his prime requisite) of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Also, high Strength gives the fighter a better chance to hit an opponent and enables him to cause more damage.

Paladin

Ability Requirements:	Strength 12

Prime Requisites:	Strength, Charisma

Only a human may become a paladin. He must have minimum ability scores of Strength 12, Constitution 9, Wisdom 13, and Charisma 17. Strength and Charisma are the prime requisites of the paladin.

A paladin who has Strength and Charisma scores of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Ranger

Ability Requirements:	Strength 13

Prime Requisites:	Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom

The ranger must have scores not less than 13 in Strength, 14 in Constitution, 13 in Dexterity, and 14 in Wisdom. The prime requisites of the ranger are Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom.

A ranger who has Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom scores of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Backstab: Thieves are weak in toe-to-toe hacking matches, but they are masters of the knife in the back.

The multiplier given in Table 30 applies to the amount of damage before modifiers for Strength or weapon bonuses are added. The weapon's standard damage is multiplied by the value given in Table 30. Then Strength and magical weapon bonuses are added.

Table 30:

Backstab Damage Multipliers

Thief's Level	Damage Multiplier

1-4	×2

5-8	×3

9-12	×4

13+	×5

Dual-Class Benefits and Restrictions

Any time after reaching 2nd level, a human character can enter a new character class, provided he has scores of 17 or better in the prime requisites of the new class. He does not gain or lose any points on his ability scores (for example, an 18 Strength wizard who changes to fighter does not gain the percentile Strength bonus, but likewise a fighter changing to a wizard would not lose it).

Table 37:

Nonweapon Proficiency Groups

General

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Blacksmithing 	1	Strength	 0

Carpentry 	1	Strength	 0

Rogue

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Jumping 	1	Strength	 0

Weapons

Arquebus: The damage caused by an arquebus is never modified for a high Strength score.

Bola: When a bola hits, the victim is held fast and must take a round to make a Strength check in order to get free. Failure means the bolas are still holding fast.

If the attacker succeeds in a Called Shot to the victim's arms, the bolas wrap themselves tightly around the torso, preventing the victim from using a weapon or employing the protection of his shield until he frees himself. Strength checks are made at -2 penalty due to lack of leverage.

Bows: Bows come in various shapes and sizes. The power of a bow is measured by its pull. The greater the pull, the more Strength needed to work the bow. Thus, it is possible for characters to have bows that grant them damage bonuses for high Strength (it is assumed the character has chosen a bow that has a greater pull). Likewise, characters with low Strengths suffer their usual penalties when using a bow (they are forced to use weaker bows or simply cannot draw back as far). The pull of a bow seldom prevents a character from using the weapon, only from gaining the full effect. The true test of a character's Strength comes in stringing a bow--the bow of a strong hero may simply be unstringable by a lesser man (as was Odysseus's).

An adventurer who wishes to gain a damage bonus from high Strength when wielding a bow must purchase specially crafted bows. Such a bow costs the normal price for a bow plus the normal price again for every bonus point desired. Thus, a warrior with 17 Strength who wants a long bow (base cost 75 gp) that gives him his +1 bonus to damage rolls would have to pay a total of 150 gp. The same fighter with 18/00 Strength (+6 bonus to damage) would pay 525 gp. These bows can be strung and drawn only by characters of that Strength or higher. Others attempting this must make a successful bend bars/lift gates roll.

Crossbow: Strength bonuses or penalties do not apply to crossbows, since these are purely mechanical devices.

Lasso: A victim's Strength can break a lasso, using the character's Bend Bars/Lift Gates roll. Only one attempt can be made on any one lasso.

Certain weapons (such as the lasso) can be used to yank a rider off his speeding mount.

The person or monster wielding the lasso must make a Strength check with a +3 bonus for every size category he's bigger than the rider (or a -3 penalty for every size category smaller).

A 20 is always a failure and a 1 always succeeds--unless the DM deems the result utterly preposterous.

Net: A successful hit with this weapon means that the victim is netted and must try to break free by making a Strength check once per round until successful. The netted victim cannot make any sort of attack until the net has been shaken off.

The attacker may improve his grip on the victim by looping the trailing rope around the netted character. This requires a normal attack roll for success, and the victim loses 4 points of effective Strength (for determining success of freeing oneself from the net) per successful round of attack. If the victim's Strength is reduced to zero, he is hopelessly tangled and cannot escape unless helped by someone outside the net.

Nets are particularly effective in underwater combat. They tend to remain spread once opened, and characters should find them useful for close-in combat. Properly weighted, nets can be thrown by tossing them with a slight spin, so that the force of rotation keeps the lines taut. The range is very short, only 1' for every point of the thrower's Strength.

Spear: A character wielding a spear gains an attack bonus for high Dexterity and a damage bonus for high Strength.

Block & Tackle

A block and tackle is a set of ropes and pulleys that increases the ability to lift heavy objects. When a rope is passed through the multiple wheels of the blocks, it allows characters of any degree of strength to pull heavy objects (more than their normal strengths would allow).

A block and tackle may be considered to add a +4 bonus to any one character's Strength, for purposes of lifting, to a maximum of 19. If a number of persons work together, a bonus of +2 is added to the Strength score of each participant.

Table 47:

Character Encumbrance

  Character	                 	Encumbrance	 Max. Carried

Strength	Unencumbered	Light	Moderate	Heavy	Severe	     Weight

      2	  0-1	      2	  	    3	 	    4	 	  5-6	 6

      3	  0-5	      6	 	     7	 	   8-9	 	   10	10

    4-5	 0-10	  11-13	  	14-16	  	17-19	  	20-25	25

    6-7	 0-20	  21-29	  	30-38	 	39-46	 47-55	55

    8-9	 0-35	  36-50	  	51-65	  	66-80	 	 81-90	90

  10-11	 0-40	  41-58	  	59-76	  	77-96	 	 97-110	110

  12-13	 0-45	  46-69	  	70-93	  	94-117	118-140	140

  14-15	 0-55	  56-85	  	86-115	116-145	146-170	170

     16	 0-70	  71-100	101-130	131-160	161-195	195

     17	 0-85	  86-121	122-157	158-193	194-220	220

     18	0-110	111-149	150-188	189-227	228-255	255

18/01-50	0-135	136-174	175-213	214-252	253-280	280

18/51-75	0-160	161-199	200-238	239-277	278-305	305

18/76-90	0-185	186-224	225-263	264-302	303-330	330

18/91-99	0-235	236-274	275-313	314-352	353-380	380

   18/00	0-335	336-374	375-413	414-452	453-480	480

Basic Encumbrance (Tournament Rule)

To calculate your character's encumbrance category, first figure out the total weight he is carrying (including five pounds for clothing). Then look across the row corresponding to your character's Strength on Table 47 until you come to the column that includes your character's carried weight. The heading at the top of that column shows his level of encumbrance.

The Max. Carried Wgt. column lists the most weight (in pounds) your character can carry and still move. But movement is limited to 10 feet per round, as your character staggers under the heavy load.

Specific Encumbrance (Optional Rule)

The maximum total weight your character can carry is determined by his Strength, as listed on Table 47.

To determine your character's movement rate (see "Movement" in Chapter 14: Time and Movement) for a given load, find the row on Table 48 with his Strength score. Read across it until you find the first column in which the number of pounds listed is greater than your character's current load. At the top of that column are two rows for base movement rates. Characters with a base movement rate of 12 use the top row; those with a base movement rate of 6 use the bottom row. The number in the appropriate upper row is your character's modified movement rate.

Table 48:

Modified Movement Rates

Base  Move	Modified Movement Rate

  Strength	  12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1

    Score	   6	 5	 5	4	4	3	3	2	2	1	1	1

      2	    1	--	 2	--	--	 3	--	--	 4	--	--	 5

      3	    5	--	 6	--	 7	--	--	 8	--	 9	--	--

    4-5	  10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21

    6-7	  20	23	26	29	32	35	38	41	44	47	50	53

    8-9	  35	40	45	50	55	60	65	70	75	80	85	89

  10-11	  40	46	52	58	64	70	76	82	88	94	100	106

  12-13	  45	53	61	69	77	85	93	101	109	117	125	133

  14-15	  55	65	75	85	95	105	115	125	135	145	155	165

     16	  70	80	90	100	110	120	130	140	150	160	170	180

     17	  85	97	109	121	133	145	157	169	181	193	205	217

     18 	110	123	136	149	162	175	188	201	214	227	240	253

18/01-50	135	148	161	174	187	200	213	226	239	252	265	278

18/51-75	160	173	186	199	212	225	238	251	264	277	290	303

18/76-90	185	198	211	224	237	250	263	276	289	302	315	328

18/91-99	235	248	261	274	287	300	313	326	339	352	365	378

   18/00	335	348	361	374	387	400	413	426	439	452	465	478

Jogging and Running (Optional Rule)

If your DM wants greater precision in a chase, the speeds of those involved in the chase can be calculated exactly.

If a jogging pace isn't fast enough, a character can also run. If he rolls a successful Strength check, he can move at three times his normal rate; if he rolls a Strength check with a -4 penalty, he can quadruple his normal rate; if he rolls a Strength check with a -8 penalty, he can quintuple his normal rate. Failing a Strength check means only that the character cannot increase his speed to the level he was trying to reach, but he can keep running at the pace he was at before the failed Strength check. Once a character fails a Strength check to reach a level of running, he cannot try to reach that level again in the same run.

Swimming

All characters are either untrained swimmers or proficient swimmers.

Proficient swimmers can double their swimming speed, if a successful Strength check is rolled (vs. half the character's normal Strength score). For a character with a movement rate of 12, a successful check means he can swim 120 yards in one round, an Olympic-class performance.

Characters can also swim long distances at a faster pace, although at increasing risk. Swimming at the character's normal movement rate (instead of the usual swimming speed of half the normal movement rate) requires a Constitution check every hour, reduces Strength and Constitution by 1 point every hour, and results in a -2 cumulative attack penalty for each hour of swimming. Characters can swim at twice this speed (quadruple normal swimming speed), but they must roll a check every turn and suffer the above penalties for every turn spent swimming. Again, when an ability score reaches 0, the character sinks and drowns.

Upon reaching shore, characters can recover lost ability score points and negate attack penalties by resting. Each day of rest recovers 1d6 ability points (if both Strength and Constitution points were lost, roll 1d3 for each ability to determine points recovered) and removes 2d6 points of attack penalties. Rest assumes adequate food and water. Characters need not be fully rested before undertaking any activity, although the adjusted ability scores are treated as the character's current scores until the character has rested enough to fully recover from the swim.

Wizard Spells

Second-Level Spells

Strength

(Alteration)

Range: Touch	Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 hr./level	Casting Time: 1 turn

Area of Effect: Person touched	Saving Throw: None

Application of this spell increases the Strength of the character by a number of points--or tenths of points after 18 Strength is attained (only if the character is a warrior). Benefits of the strength spell last for the duration of the magic. The amount of added Strength depends upon the spell recipient's group and is subject to all restrictions on Strength due to race and class. Multiclass characters use the best die.

Class	Strength Gain

Priest	1d6 points

Rogue	1d6 points

Warrior	1d8 points

Wizard	1d4 points

If a warrior has an 18 Strength already, from 10% to 80% is added to his extraordinary Strength roll. The spell cannot confer a Strength of 19 or more, nor is it cumulative with other magic that adds to Strength. Beings without Strength scores (kobolds, lizard men, etc.) receive a +1 to attack and damage rolls.

The material component of this spell is a few hairs, or a pinch of dung, from a particularly strong animal--ape, bear, ox, etc.


Dexterity

Dexterity (Dex) encompasses several physical attributes including hand-eye coordination, agility, reaction speed, reflexes, and balance. Dexterity affects a character's reaction to a threat or surprise, his accuracy with thrown weapons and bows, and his ability to dodge an enemy's blows. It is the prime requisite of rogues and affects their professional skills. A rogue with a Dexterity score of 16 or higher gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Reaction Adjustment modifies the die roll to see if a character is surprised when he unexpectedly encounters NPCs. The more positive the modifier, the less likely the character is to be surprised.

Missile Attack Adjustment is used to modify a character's die roll whenever he uses a missile weapon (a bow or a thrown weapon). A positive number makes it easier for the character to hit with a missile, while a negative number makes it harder.

Defensive Adjustment applies to a character's saving throws (see Glossary) against attacks that can be dodged--lightning bolts, boulders, etc. It also modifies the character's Armor Class (see Glossary), representing his ability to dodge normal missiles and parry weapon thrusts. For example, Rath is wearing chain mail, giving him an Armor Class of 5. If his Dexterity score is 16, his Armor Class is modified by -2 to 3, making him harder to hit. If his Dexterity score is 5, his Armor Class is modified by +2 to 7, making him easier to hit. (In some situations, beneficial Dexterity modifiers to Armor Class do not apply. Usually this occurs when a character is attacked from behind or when his movement is restricted--attacked while prone, tied up, on a ledge, climbing a rope, etc.)

Table 2:

Dexterity

Missile

Ability	Reaction	Attack	Defensive

Score	Adj.	Adj.	Adj.

1	-6	-6	+5

2	-4	-4	+5

3	-3	-3	+4

4	-2	-2	+3

5	-1	-1	+2

6	0	0	+1

7	0	0	0

8	0	0	0

9	0	0	0

10-14	0	0	0

15	0	0	-1

16	+1	+1	-2

17	+2	+2	-3

18	+2	+2	-4

19	+3	+3	-4

20	+3	+3	-4

21	+4	+4	-5

22	+4	+4	-5

23	+4	+4	-5

24	+5	+5	-6

25	+5	+5	-6

Dexterity (abbr. Dex)--an ability score representing a combination of a character's agility, reflexes, hand-eye coordination, and the like.

Minimum and Maximum Ability Scores

All nonhuman PC races (also called "demihuman" races) have minimum and maximum requirements for their ability scores. The minimums and maximums for each race are listed on Table 7 (the minimums are listed before the slash; the maximums are listed after the slash).

Table 7:

Racial Ability Requirements

Ability	Dwarf	 Elf	Gnome	Half-Elf	Halfling

Dexterity	 3/17	6/18	  3/18	   6/18	 	   7/18

Racial Ability Adjustments

If you chose to make your character a dwarf, elf, gnome, or halfling, you now have to adjust some of your character's ability scores. The adjustments are mandatory; all characters of these races receive the adjustments. Even if adjustments raise or lower your character's ability scores beyond the minimums and maximums shown on Table 7, you do not have to pick a new race. The adjustments can also raise a score to 19 or lower it to 2.

Table 8:

Racial Ability Adjustments

Race	Adjustments

Elf	+1 Dexterity; -1 Constitution

Halfling	+1 Dexterity; -1 Strength

As stated previously, elven characters add 1 to their initial Dexterity scores. Likewise, as elves are not as sturdy as humans, they deduct 1 from their initial Constitution scores.

Halfling characters have a penalty of -1 to their initially generated Strength scores, and they gain a bonus of +1 to Dexterity.

Table 12:

Aging Effects

   Middle Age*	    Old Age**	Venerable***

Race	(½ Base Max.)	(2/3 Base Max.)	(Base Max.)

Dwarf	125 years	 	    167 years	 	   250 years

Elf	175 years	    233 years	   350 years

Gnome	100 years	    133 years	  	   200 years

Half-elf	  62 years	 	      83 years	   125 years

Halfling	   50 years	 	      67 years	   100 years

Human	 	  45 years	 	      60 years	 	     90 years

* -1 Str/Con; +1 Int/Wis

** -2 Str/Dex, -1 Con; +1 Wis

*** -1 Str/Dex/Con; +1 Int/Wis

As a character ages, his ability scores are affected. At two-thirds of his base maximum age (60 for a human), the character loses 2 more points of Strength (or all his exceptional Strength and 1 point more), 2 points of Dexterity, and 1 more point of Constitution, but he gains 1 point of Wisdom. Upon reaching the base maximum age, the character loses 1 more point from each of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, while gaining 1 more point in both Intelligence and Wisdom. All aging adjustments are cumulative. See Table 12 for a summary of these effects.

There may be times when a magical device or spell adds years to or subtracts years from a player character's life. This magical aging can have two different effects. Some magical aging physically affects the character. For example, a haste spell ages those it affects by one year. This aging is added directly to the player character's current age. He physically acquires the appearance of himself one year older (a few more wrinkles, etc.). Characters who increase in age from magical effects do not gain the benefits of increased Wisdom and Intelligence--these are a function of the passage of game time--but the character does suffer the physical losses to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution associated with aging. These are breakdowns of the body's systems. Physical age can also be removed in the same manner. Some potions give years back to the character. In this case, the physical appearance of the character is restored. The character can regain lost vigor (Str, Dex, and Con) as his body is renewed but he does not lose any of the benefits of aging (Wis and Int).

Ranger

Ability Requirements:	Dexterity 13

Prime Requisites:	Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom

The ranger must have scores not less than 13 in Strength, 14 in Constitution, 13 in Dexterity, and 14 in Wisdom. The prime requisites of the ranger are Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom.

A ranger who has Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom scores of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

While wearing studded leather or lighter armor, the ranger can try to move silently and hide in shadows. His chance to succeed in natural surroundings is given on Table 18 (modified by the ranger's race and Dexterity, as given on Tables 27 and 28).

Illusionist

Ability Requirements:	Dexterity 16

To specialize as an illusionist, a wizard needs a Dexterity score of at least 16.

Rogue

Rogues have a number of special abilities, such as picking pockets and detecting noise, for which they are given a percentage chance of success (this chance depends on the class, level, Dexterity score, and race of the rogue).

Thief

Ability Requirement:	Dexterity 9

Prime Requisite:	Dexterity

The thief's prime requisite is Dexterity; a character must have a minimum score of 9 to qualify for the class.

A thief with a Dexterity score of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Most of their time is spent practicing thieving skills.

To determine the initial value of each skill, start with the base scores listed on Table 26. To these base scores, add (or subtract) any appropriate modifiers for race, Dexterity, and armor worn (given on Tables 27, 28 and 29, respectively).

No skill can be raised above 95 percent, including all adjustments for Dexterity, race, and armor.

Demihuman characters and characters with high or low Dexterity scores have adjustments to their base numbers.

Table 28:

Thieving Skill Dexterity Adjustments

Pick	Open	Find/	Move	Hide in

Dexterity	Pockets	Locks	    Remove Traps	Silently	Shadows

  9	-15%	-10%	-10%	-20%	-10%

10	-10%	-5%	-10%	-15%	-5%

11	-5%	--	-5%	-10%	--

12	--	--	--	-5%	--

13-15	--	--	--	--	--

16	--	+5%	--	--	--

17	+5%	+10%	--	+5%	+5%

18	+10%	+15%	+5%	+10%	+10%

19	+15%	+20%	+10%	+15%	+15%

Bard

Ability Requirements:	Dexterity 12

Prime Requisite:	Dexterity, Charisma

To become a bard, a character must have a Dexterity of 12 or more, an Intelligence of 13 or more, and a Charisma of 15 or more. The prime requisites are Dexterity and Charisma.

The bard has a number of special powers. The base percentage for each power is listed on Table 33. This base percentage must be adjusted for the race and Dexterity of the bard as given in the Thief description.

Table 33:

Bard Abilities

Climb	Detect	Pick	Read

Walls	Noise	Pockets	Languages

50%	20%	10%	5%

Table 37:

Nonweapon Proficiency Groups

General

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Cobbling 	1	Dexterity	 0

Dancing 	1	Dexterity	 0

Pottery 	1	Dexterity	-2

Rope Use 	1	Dexterity	 0

Seamanship 	1	Dexterity	+1

Seamstress/Tailor 	1	Dexterity	-1

Priest

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Musical Instrument 	1	Dexterity	-1

Rogue

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Forgery 	1	Dexterity	-1

Gem Cutting 	2	Dexterity	-2

Juggling 	1	Dexterity	-1

Musical Instrument 	1	Dexterity	-1

Set Snares 	1	Dexterity	-1

Tighrope Walking 	1	Dexterity	 0

Tumbling 	1	Dexterity	 0

Warrior

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Bowyer/Fletcher 	1	Dexterity	-1

Charioteering 	1	Dexterity	+2

Wizard

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Gem Cutting 	2	Dexterity	-2

Weapons

Bola: If an attacker makes a Called Shot to the target's legs and succeeds, the bolas wrap themselves tightly around the victim's legs and prevent further movement. The target must make a Dexterity check in order not to fall down, incurring a -3 penalty if the victim was moving when the bolas hit.

Mancatcher: The target, regardless of armor and other defensive devices (magical or otherwise), is treated as AC 10, though appropriate Dexterity bonuses are allowed. If a hit is scored, the opponent is caught, losing shield and Dexterity bonuses. In addition, the victim can be pushed and pulled around at the whim of the mancatcher's wielder.

Net: On the round after the victim is netted, the attacker has several options for his next action, including using another weapon to strike the entangled victim. The victim loses his Dexterity and shield bonuses to armor class until he is freed.

Spear: A character wielding a spear gains an attack bonus for high Dexterity and a damage bonus for high Strength.

Crampons

Crampons can also be used as a weapon. If an attack roll indicates a miss, the wearer must make a successful Dexterity check to avoid falling.

Casting Spells

During the round in which the spell is cast, the caster cannot move to dodge attacks. Therefore, no AC benefit from Dexterity is gained by spellcasters while casting spells.

Attacking with Two Weapons

When attacking, all characters but rangers suffer penalties to their attack rolls. Attacks made with the main weapon suffer a -2 penalty, and attacks made with the second weapon suffer a -4 penalty. The character's Reaction Adjustment (based on his Dexterity, see Table 2) modifies this penalty. A low Dexterity score will worsen the character's chance to hit with each attack. A high Dexterity can negate this particular penalty, although it cannot result in a positive modifier on the attack rolls for either weapon (i.e., the Reaction Adjustment can, at best, raise the attack roll penalties to 0).

Charging an Opponent

Charging characters gain no Dexterity bonuses to Armor Class and they suffer an AC penalty of 1.

Willing Targets: When attempting to cast a spell on a willing target, the casting is automatic as long as both characters are not engaged in combat.

If the recipient of the spell attempts to do anything besides waiting for the spell to take effect, an attack roll against AC 10 must be made. However, no AC modifiers for Dexterity are applied, since the target is not trying to avoid the spell!

Ability Modifiers in Missile Combat

Dexterity modifiers to the attack roll are applied when making a missile attack with a hand-held weapon. Thus, a character adds his Dexterity modifier when using a bow, crossbow, or axe but not when firing a trebuchet or other siege engine.

High ability scores in Dexterity and Wisdom sometimes give saving throw bonuses. Dexterity, if high enough, can give a character a slightly higher chance of avoiding the effects of fireballs, lightning bolts, crushing boulders, and other attacks where nimbleness may be a help. (See Tables 2 and 5.)

The Surprise Roll

The surprise roll can also be modified by Dexterity, race, class, cleverness, and situation. The DM has the listing of modifiers that apply to given situations. Modifiers can affect either your character's chance of being surprised or his chance of surprising others. A plus to your die roll reduces the odds that you are surprised; a minus increases those odds. Likewise, a minus to the enemy's die roll means that the modifier is in your favor, while a plus means that things are going his way. High Dexterity characters are virtually unsurpriseable, caught off guard only in unusual situations.

Effects of Surprise

Surprised characters lose all AC bonuses for high Dexterity during that instant of surprise.

Using Mirrors

The character also loses all Dexterity bonuses to Armor Class if fighting an opponent seen only in a mirror.

Actions While Climbing

Climbing characters lose all Armor Class bonuses for Dexterity and shield and most often have rear attack modifiers applied against them also.

Creating New Player Character Races

As a guide, creatures of large size should have at least an 11 Strength and, unless they are described as agile or quick, should have a ceiling of 17 to Dexterity.

Creatures of large size or greater cannot be thieves. If it is implied that a creature is clumsy or awkward, it cannot be a thief.

Position of Attackers and Attack Rolls

Characters attacked from the rear do not gain their Dexterity-based Armor Class bonus, and their attacker gains a +2 bonus to his attack roll.

Darkness

Since one can't see anything in the dark, the safe movement rate of blinded characters is immediately slowed by 1/3 the normal amount. Faster movement requires a Dexterity check (see Chapter 14: Time and Movement).


Constitution

A character's Constitution (Con) score encompasses his physique, fitness, health, and physical resistance to hardship, injury, and disease. Since this ability affects the character's hit points and chances of surviving such tremendous shocks as being physically reshaped by magic or resurrected from death, it is vitally important to all classes. Some classes have minimum allowable Constitution scores.

A character's initial Constitution score is the absolute limit to the number of times the character can be raised or resurrected from death. Each such revival reduces the character's Constitution score by one. Magic can restore a reduced Constitution score to its original value or even higher, but this has no effect on the number of times a character can be revived from death! Once the character has exhausted his original Constitution, nothing short of divine intervention can bring him back, and divine intervention is reserved for only the bravest and most faithful heroes!

For example, Rath's Constitution score at the start of his adventuring career is 12. He can be revived from death 12 times. If he dies a 13th time, he cannot be resurrected or raised.

Hit Point Adjustment is added to or subtracted from each Hit Die rolled for the character. However, no Hit Die ever yields less than 1 hit point, regardless of modifications. If an adjustment would lower the number rolled to 0 or less, consider the final result to be 1. Always use the character's current Constitution to determine hit point bonuses and penalties.

Only warriors are entitled to a Constitution bonus of +3 or +4. Non-warrior characters who have Constitution scores of 17 or 18 receive only +2 per die.

The Constitution bonus ends when a character reaches 10th level (9th for warriors and priests)--neither the Constitution bonus nor Hit Dice are added to a character's hit points after he has passed this level (see the character class descriptions in Chapter 3).

If a character's Constitution changes during the course of adventuring, his hit points may be adjusted up or down to reflect the change. The difference between the character's current hit point bonus (if any) and the new bonus is multiplied by the character's level (up to 10) and added to or subtracted from the character's total. If Delsenora's Constitution increased from 16 to 17, she would gain 1 hit point for every level she had, up to 10th level.

System Shock states the percentage chance a character has to survive magical effects that reshape or age his body: petrification (and reversing petrification), polymorph, magical aging, etc. It can also be used to see if the character retains consciousness in particularly difficult situations. For example, an evil wizard polymorphs his dim-witted hireling into a crow. The hireling, whose Constitution score is 13, has an 85% chance to survive the change. Assuming he survives, he must successfully roll for system shock again when he is changed back to his original form or else he will die.

Resurrection Survival lists a character's percentage chance to be successfully resurrected or raised from death by magic. The player must roll the listed number or less on percentile dice for the character to be revived. If the dice roll fails, the character is dead, regardless of how many times he has previously been revived. Only divine intervention can bring such a character back again.

Poison Save modifies the saving throw vs. poison for humans, elves, gnomes, and half-elves. Dwarves and halflings do not use this adjustment, since they have special resistances to poison attacks. The DM has specific information on saving throws.

Regeneration enables those with specially endowed Constitutions (perhaps by a wish or magical item) to heal at an advanced rate, regenerating damage taken. The character heals 1 point of damage after the passage of the listed number of turns. However, fire and acid damage (which are more extensive than normal wounds) cannot be regenerated in this manner. These injuries must heal normally or be dealt with by magical means.

Table 3:

Constitution

Ability	Hit Point	System	Resurrection	Poison

Score	Adjustment	Shock	Survival	Save	Regeneration

1	-3	25%	30%	-2	Nil

2	-2	30%	35%	-1	Nil

3	-2	35%	40%	0	Nil

4	-1	40%	45%	0	Nil

5	-1	45%	50%	0	Nil

6	-1	50%	55%	0	Nil

7	0	55%	60%	0	Nil

8	0	60%	65%	0	Nil

9	0	65%	70%	0	Nil

10	0	70%	75%	0	Nil

11	0	75%	80%	0	Nil

12	0	80%	85%	0	Nil

13	0	85%	90%	0	Nil

14	0	88%	92%	0	Nil

15	+1	90%	94%	0	Nil

16	+2	95%	96%	0	Nil

17	+2 (+3)*	97%	98%	0	Nil

18	+2 (+4)*	99%	100%	0	Nil

19	+2 (+5)*	99%	100%	+1	Nil

20	+2 (+5)**	99%	100%	+1	1/6 turns

21	+2 (+6)***	99%	100%	+2	1/5 turns

22	+2 (+6)***	99%	100%	+2	1/4 turns

23	+2 (+6)****	99%	100%	+3	1/3 turns

24	+2 (+7)****	99%	100%	+3	1/2 turns

25	+2 (+7)****	100%	100%	+4	1/1 turn

* Parenthetical bonus applies to warriors only. All other classes receive maximum bonus of +2 per die.

** All 1s rolled for Hit Dice are automatically considered 2s.

*** All 1s and 2s rolled for Hit Dice are automatically considered 3s.

**** All 1s, 2s, and 3s rolled for Hit Dice are automatically considered 4s.

Constitution (abbr. Con)--an ability score that represents a character's general physique, hardiness, and state of health.

Minimum and Maximum Ability Scores

All nonhuman PC races (also called "demihuman" races) have minimum and maximum requirements for their ability scores. The minimums and maximums for each race are listed on Table 7 (the minimums are listed before the slash; the maximums are listed after the slash).

Table 7:

Racial Ability Requirements

Ability	Dwarf	 Elf	Gnome	Half-Elf	Halfling

Constitution	11/18	7/18	  	  8/18	   6/18	  10/18

Table 8:

Racial Ability Adjustments

Race	Adjustments

Dwarf	+1 Constitution; -1 Charisma

Elf	+1 Dexterity; -1 Constitution

Because of their sturdy builds, dwarves add 1 to their initial Constitution scores. Their dour and suspicious natures cause them to subtract 1 from their initial Charisma scores.

As stated previously, elven characters add 1 to their initial Dexterity scores. Likewise, as elves are not as sturdy as humans, they deduct 1 from their initial Constitution scores.

Table 9:

Constitution Saving Throw Bonuses

Constitution Score	Saving Throw Bonus

   4-6	+1

  	  7-10	+2

11-13	+3

14-17	+4

18-19	+5

By nature, dwarves are nonmagical and never use magical spells (priest spells are allowed however). This gives a bonus to dwarves' saving throws against attacks from magical wands, staves, rods, and spells. This bonus is +1 for every 3 - ½ points of Constitution score. Thus, for example, if a dwarf has a Constitution score of 7 he gains +2 on saving throws. These bonuses are summarized on Table 9.

Like their cousins the dwarves, gnomes are highly magic resistant. A gnome player character gains a bonus of +1 for every 3½ points of Constitution score, just as dwarves do (see Table 9). This bonus applies to saving throws against magical wands, staves, rods, and spells.

All halfling characters have a high resistance to magical spells, so for every 3-½ points of Constitution score, the character gains a +1 bonus on saving throws vs. wands, staves, rods, and spells. These bonuses are summarized on Table 9.

Halflings have a similar resistance to poisons of all sorts, so they gain a Constitution bonus identical to that for saving throws vs. magical attacks when they make saving throws vs. poison (i.e., +1 to +5, depending on Constitution score).

Table 12:

Aging Effects

   Middle Age*	    Old Age**	Venerable***

Race	(½ Base Max.)	(2/3 Base Max.)	(Base Max.)

Dwarf	125 years	 	    167 years	 	   250 years

Elf	175 years	    233 years	   350 years

Gnome	100 years	    133 years	  	   200 years

Half-elf	  62 years	 	      83 years	   125 years

Halfling	   50 years	 	      67 years	   100 years

Human	 	  45 years	 	      60 years	 	     90 years

* -1 Str/Con; +1 Int/Wis

** -2 Str/Dex, -1 Con; +1 Wis

*** -1 Str/Dex/Con; +1 Int/Wis

As a character ages, his ability scores are affected. Upon reaching one-half of his base maximum age (45 for a human), the character loses 1 point of Strength (or half of his exceptional Strength rating) and 1 point of Constitution, but gains 1 point each of Intelligence and Wisdom. At two-thirds of his base maximum age (60 for a human), the character loses 2 more points of Strength (or all his exceptional Strength and 1 point more), 2 points of Dexterity, and 1 more point of Constitution, but he gains 1 point of Wisdom. Upon reaching the base maximum age, the character loses 1 more point from each of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, while gaining 1 more point in both Intelligence and Wisdom. All aging adjustments are cumulative. See Table 12 for a summary of these effects.

There may be times when a magical device or spell adds years to or subtracts years from a player character's life. This magical aging can have two different effects. Some magical aging physically affects the character. For example, a haste spell ages those it affects by one year. This aging is added directly to the player character's current age. He physically acquires the appearance of himself one year older (a few more wrinkles, etc.). Characters who increase in age from magical effects do not gain the benefits of increased Wisdom and Intelligence--these are a function of the passage of game time--but the character does suffer the physical losses to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution associated with aging. These are breakdowns of the body's systems. Physical age can also be removed in the same manner. Some potions give years back to the character. In this case, the physical appearance of the character is restored. The character can regain lost vigor (Str, Dex, and Con) as his body is renewed but he does not lose any of the benefits of aging (Wis and Int).

Paladin

Ability Requirements:	Constitution 9

  He must have minimum ability scores of Strength 12, Constitution 9, Wisdom 13, and Charisma 17. Strength and Charisma are the prime requisites of the paladin.

Ranger

Ability Requirements:	Constitution 14

  The ranger must have scores not less than 13 in Strength, 14 in Constitution, 13 in Dexterity, and 14 in Wisdom.

Warriors get 1 to 10 (1d10) hit points per level and can gain a special Constitution hit point bonus that is available only to warriors.

After 9th level, warriors gain just 3 hit points per level and they no longer gain additional hit point bonuses for high Constitution scores.

After 10th level, wizards earn 1 hit point per level and they no longer gain additional hit point bonuses for high Constitution scores.

After 9th level, priests earn 2 hit points per level and they no longer gain additional hit point bonuses for high Constitution scores.

After 10th level, rogues earn 2 hit points per level and no longer receive additional hit point bonuses for high Constitution scores.

Multi-Class Benefits and Restrictions

The character's hit points are the average of all his Hit Dice rolls. When the character is first created, the player rolls hit points for each class separately, totals them up, then divides by the number of dice rolled (round fractions down). Any Constitution bonus is then added to the character's hit points. If one of the character's classes is fighter and he has a Constitution of 17 or 18, then he gains the +3 or +4 Constitution bonus available only to warriors (instead of the +2 maximum available to the other character classes).

Later the character is likely to gain levels in different classes at different times. When this happens, roll the appropriate Hit Die and divide the result by the number of classes the character has (round fractions down, but a Hit Die never yields less than 1 hit point). The character's Constitution bonus is split between his classes; thus, a fighter/mage gets ½ of his Con bonus when he goes up a level as a fighter and the other ½ of the Con bonus when he goes up a level as a mage. A fighter/mage/thief would get 1/3 of his bonus when he goes up as a fighter, 1/3 when he goes up as a mage, and the other 1/3 when he goes up as a thief.

Table 37:

Nonweapon Proficiency Groups

Warrior

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Endurance 	2	Constitution	 0

Running 	1	Constitution	-6

Energy Drain

When a character is hit by an energy-draining creature, he suffers normal damage from the attack. In addition, the character loses one or more levels (and thus, Hit Dice and hit points). For each level lost, roll the Hit Dice appropriate to the character's class and subtract that number of hit points from the character's total (subtract the Constitution bonus also, if applicable). If the level(s) lost was one in which the character received a set number of hit points rather than a die roll, subtract the appropriate number of hit points. The adjusted hit point total is now the character's maximum (i.e., hit points lost by energy drain are not taken as damage but are lost permanently).

Natural Healing

Characters heal naturally at a rate of 1 hit point per day of rest. Rest is defined as low activity--nothing more strenuous than riding a horse or traveling from one place to another. Fighting, running in fear, lifting a heavy boulder, or any other physical activity prevents resting, since it strains old wounds and may even reopen them.

If a character has complete bed rest (doing nothing for an entire day), he can regain 3 hit points for the day. For each complete week of bed rest, the character can add any Constitution hit point bonus he might have to the base of 21 points (3 points per day) he regained during that week.

Raising the Dead

Curative and healing spells have no effect on a dead character--he can only be returned to life with a raise dead or resurrection spell (or a device that accomplishes one of these effects). Each time a character is returned to life, the player must make a resurrection survival roll based on his current Constitution (see Table 3). If the die roll is successful (i.e., the player rolls equal to or less than his resurrection survival percentage), the character is restored to life in whatever condition is specified by the spell or device.

A character restored to life in this way has his Constitution permanently lowered by 1 point. This can affect hit points previously earned. Should the character's Constitution bonus go down, the character's hit point total is reduced by the appropriate number of hit points (the amount of hit point bonus lost is multiplied by the number of levels for which the character gained extra hit points from that bonus). When the character's Constitution drops to 0, that character can no longer be raised. He is permanently removed from play.

Jogging and Running (Optional Rule)

If your DM wants greater precision in a chase, the speeds of those involved in the chase can be calculated exactly. (But this is time-consuming and can slow down an exciting chase.) Using this optional rule, a character can always double his normal movement rate (in yards) to a jog. Thus, a character with a movement rate of 12 can jog 240 yards in a round. While jogging, a character can automatically keep going for the number of rounds equal to his Constitution. After this limit has been reached, the player must roll a successful Constitution check at the end of each additional round spent jogging. There are no modifiers to this check. Once a Constitution check is failed, the character must stop and rest for as many rounds as he spent jogging. After this, he can resume his jogging pace with no penalties (although the same limitations on duration apply).

Continued running requires a Constitution check every round, with penalties that depend on how long and how fast the character has been running. There is a -1 penalty for each round of running at triple speed, a -2 penalty for each round of running at quadruple speed, and a -3 penalty for each round of running at quintuple speed (these penalties are cumulative). If the check is passed, the character can continue at that speed for the next round. If the check is failed, the character has exhausted himself and must stop running. The character must rest for at least one turn.

Cross-Country Movement

Characters can also force march, intentionally hurrying along, at the risk of exhaustion. Force marching enables a character to travel 2 ½ times his movement rate in miles (thus, a normal man could force march 30 miles in a day). At the end of each day of the march, the character or creature must roll a Constitution check. Large parties (such as army units) make the check at the average Constitution of the group (weaker members are supported, encouraged, and goaded by their peers). A -1 penalty is applied to the check for each consecutive day spent force marching. If the check is passed, the force marching pace can be continued the next day. If the check fails, no more force marching attempts can be made until the characters have completely recovered from the ordeal. Recovery requires half a day per day of force marching.

Even if the Constitution check fails, the character can continue overland movement at his normal rate.

Swimming

All characters are either untrained swimmers or proficient swimmers.

If swimming at half normal speed or treading water, the character can maintain this for a number of hours equal to his Constitution score (although he will have to abandon most of his gear). After a character swims for a number of hours equal to his Constitution, a Constitution check must be made for each additional hour. For each extra hour of swimming, 1 Constitution point is temporarily lost (regaining lost ability points is explained in the next column).

All this assumes calm water. If the seas are choppy, a Constitution check should be made every hour spent swimming, regardless of the character's Constitution. Rough seas can require more frequent checks; heavy seas or storms may require a check every round. The DM may decide that adverse conditions cause a character's Constitution score to drop more rapidly than 1 point per hour.

If a swimming character fails a Constitution check, he must tread water for half an hour before he can continue swimming (this counts as time spent swimming, for purposes of Constitution point loss).

A character drowns if his Constitution score drops to 0.

Characters can also swim long distances at a faster pace, although at increasing risk. Swimming at the character's normal movement rate (instead of the usual swimming speed of half the normal movement rate) requires a Constitution check every hour, reduces Strength and Constitution by 1 point every hour, and results in a -2 cumulative attack penalty for each hour of swimming. Characters can swim at twice this speed (quadruple normal swimming speed), but they must roll a check every turn and suffer the above penalties for every turn spent swimming. Again, when an ability score reaches 0, the character sinks and drowns.

Upon reaching shore, characters can recover lost ability score points and negate attack penalties by resting. Each day of rest recovers 1d6 ability points (if both Strength and Constitution points were lost, roll 1d3 for each ability to determine points recovered) and removes 2d6 points of attack penalties. Rest assumes adequate food and water.

Holding Your Breath

Under normal circumstances (with a good gulp of air and not performing strenuous feats), a character can hold his breath up to 1/3 his Constitution score in rounds (rounded up). If the character is exerting himself, this time is halved (again, rounded up).

While attempting to hold his breath beyond this time, the character must roll a Constitution check each round. The first check has no modifiers, but each subsequent check suffers a -2 cumulative penalty. Once a check is failed, the character must breathe (if he cannot reach the surface, he drowns).

Creating New Player Character Races

Hit Points: All creatures roll their hit points using the die appropriate to their chosen class. At 1st level, Large and greater size creatures gain one additional hit point for every Hit Die the creatures would normally receive (pluses to the die are ignored) in addition to their normal Constitution bonus. Thus, an ogre fighter with a Constitution of 12 would still gain a +4 hit point bonus at first level, since ogres normally have 4 Hit Dice. Thereafter, all new races earn hit points according to level advancement, Constitution, and character class.

Provisions

Rations are not meant as a substitute for meals for any length of time. Foraged herbs, greens, berries, and vegetables are necessary to maintain good health. Without such supplements, various nutritional diseases may set in.

If a party attempts to live on rations for more than three to four weeks at a time, the DM may rule that 1 point of Constitution is lost due to nutritional deficiency. This may be recovered by eating foods other than rations for one week.


Intelligence

Intelligence (Int) represents a character's memory, reasoning, and learning ability, including areas outside those measured by the written word. Intelligence dictates the number of languages a character can learn. Intelligence is the prime requisite of wizards, who must have keen minds to understand and memorize magical spells. A wizard with an Intelligence score of 16 or higher gains a 10% bonus to experience points earned. The wizard's Intelligence dictates which spells he can learn and the number of spells he can memorize at one time. Only those of the highest Intelligence can comprehend the mighty magic of 9th-level spells.

This ability gives only a general indication of a character's mental acuity. A semi-intelligent character (Int 3 or 4) can speak (with difficulty) and is apt to react instinctively and impulsively. He is not hopeless as a player character (PC), but playing such a character correctly is not easy. A character with low Intelligence (Int 5-7) could also be called dull-witted or slow. A very intelligent person (Int 11 or 12) picks up new ideas quickly and learns easily. A highly intelligent character (Int 13 or 14) is one who can solve most problems without even trying very hard. One with exceptional intelligence (Int 15 or 16) is noticeably above the norm. A genius character is brilliant (Int 17 or 18). A character beyond genius is potentially more clever and more brilliant than can possibly be imagined.

However, the true capabilities of a mind lie not in numbers--I.Q., Intelligence score, or whatever. Many intelligent, even brilliant, people in the real world fail to apply their minds creatively and usefully, thus falling far below their own potential. Don't rely too heavily on your character's Intelligence score; you must provide your character with the creativity and energy he supposedly possesses!

Number of Languages lists the number of additional languages the character can speak beyond his native language. Every character can speak his native language, no matter what his Intelligence is. This knowledge extends only to speaking the language; it does not include reading or writing. The DM must decide if your character begins the game already knowing these additional languages or if the number shows only how many languages your character can possibly learn. The first choice will make communication easier, while the second increases your opportunities for role-playing (finding a tutor or creating a reason why you need to know a given language). Furthermore, your DM can limit your language selection based on his campaign. It is perfectly fair to rule that your fighter from the Frozen Wastes hasn't the tongues of the Southlands, simply because he has never met anyone who has been to the Southlands.

  If the DM allows characters to have proficiencies, this column also indicates the number of extra proficiency slots the character gains due to his Intelligence. These extra proficiency slots can be used however the player desires. The character never needs to spend any proficiency slots to speak his native language.

Spell Level lists the highest level of spells that can be cast by a wizard with this Intelligence.

Chance to Learn Spell is the percentage probability that a wizard can learn a particular spell. A check is made as the wizard comes across new spells, not as he advances in level. To make the check, the wizard character must have access to a spell book containing the spell. If the player rolls the listed percentage or less, his character can learn the spell and copy it into his own spell book. If the wizard fails the roll, he cannot check that spell again until he advances to the next level (provided he still has access to the spell).

Maximum Number of Spells per Level (Optional Rule)

This number indicates the maximum number of spells a wizard can know from any particular spell level. Once a wizard has learned the maximum number of spells he is allowed in a given spell level, he cannot add any more spells of that level to his spell book (unless the optional spell research system is used). Once a spell is learned, it cannot be unlearned and replaced by a new spell.

For example, Delsenora the wizard has an Intelligence of 14. She currently knows seven 3rd-level spells. During an adventure, she finds a musty old spell book on the shelves of a dank, forgotten library. Blowing away the dust, she sees a 3rd-level spell she has never seen before! Excited, she sits down and carefully studies the arcane notes. Her chance to learn the spell is 60%. Rolling the dice, Delsenora's player rolls a 37. She understands the curious instructions and can copy them into her own spell book. When she is finished, she has eight 3rd-level spells, only one away from her maximum number. If the die roll had been greater than 60, or she already had nine 3rd-level spells in her spell book, or the spell had been greater than 7th level (the maximum level her Intelligence allows her to learn), she could not have added it to her collection.

Spell Immunity is gained by those with exceptionally high Intelligence scores. Those with the immunity notice some inconsistency or inexactness in the illusion or phantasm, automatically allowing them to make their saving throws. All benefits are cumulative, thus, a character with a 20 Intelligence is not fooled by 1st- or 2nd-level illusion spells.

Table 4:

Intelligence

Ability	# of	Spell	Chance to	Max. # of	Illusion

Score	Lang.	Level	Learn Spell	Spells/Level	Immunity

1	0*	--	--	--	--

2	1	--	--	--	--

3	1	--	--	--	--

4	1	--	--	--	--

5	1	--	--	--	--

6	1	--	--	--	--

7	1	--	--	--	--

8	1	--	--	--	--

9	2	4th	35%	6	--

10	2	5th	40%	7	--

11	2	5th	45%	7	--

12	3	6th	50%	7	--

13	3	6th	55%	9	--

14	4	7th	60%	9	--

15	4	7th	65%	11	--

16	5	8th	70%	11	--

17	6	8th	75%	14	--

18	7	9th	85%	18	--

19	8	9th	95%	All	1st-level

20	9	9th	96%	All	2nd-level

21	10	9th	97%	All	3rd-level

22	11	9th	98%	All	4th-level

23	12	9th	99%	All	5th-level

24	15	9th	100%	All	6th-level

25	20	9th	100%	All	7th-level

* While unable to speak a language, the character can still communicate by grunts and gestures.

Table 7:

Racial Ability Requirements

Ability	Dwarf	 Elf	Gnome	Half-Elf	Halfling

Intelligence	 3/18	8/18	  6/18	   4/18	   6/18

Table 8:

Racial Ability Adjustments

Race	Adjustments

Gnome	+1 Intelligence; -1 Wisdom

  Gnome characters gain a +1 bonus to their Intelligence scores, to reflect their highly inquisitive natures.

Other Characteristics

As a character ages, his ability scores are affected. Upon reaching one-half of his base maximum age (45 for a human), the character loses 1 point of Strength (or half of his exceptional Strength rating) and 1 point of Constitution, but gains 1 point each of Intelligence and Wisdom. At two-thirds of his base maximum age (60 for a human), the character loses 2 more points of Strength (or all his exceptional Strength and 1 point more), 2 points of Dexterity, and 1 more point of Constitution, but he gains 1 point of Wisdom. Upon reaching the base maximum age, the character loses 1 more point from each of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, while gaining 1 more point in both Intelligence and Wisdom. All aging adjustments are cumulative. See Table 12 for a summary of these effects.

There may be times when a magical device or spell adds years to or subtracts years from a player character's life. This magical aging can have two different effects. Some magical aging physically affects the character. For example, a haste spell ages those it affects by one year. This aging is added directly to the player character's current age. He physically acquires the appearance of himself one year older (a few more wrinkles, etc.). Characters who increase in age from magical effects do not gain the benefits of increased Wisdom and Intelligence--these are a function of the passage of game time--but the character does suffer the physical losses to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution associated with aging. These are breakdowns of the body's systems. Physical age can also be removed in the same manner. Some potions give years back to the character. In this case, the physical appearance of the character is restored. The character can regain lost vigor (Str, Dex, and Con) as his body is renewed but he does not lose any of the benefits of aging (Wis and Int).

Wizard

No matter what school of magic the wizard is involved in, Intelligence is his prime requisite (or one of several prime requisites). Characters must have an Intelligence score of at least 9 to qualify to be a wizard.

Mage

Ability Requirements:	Intelligence 9

Prime Requisite:	Intelligence

A mage who has an Intelligence score of 16 or higher gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Specialist Wizards

Minimum Ability Score lists the ability minimums needed to study intensively in that school. All schools require at least the minimum Intelligence demanded of a mage and an additional prime requisite, as listed.

Illusionist

Prime Requisite:	Intelligence

An illusionist who has an Intelligence of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Bard

Ability Requirements:	Intelligence 13

  To become a bard, a character must have a Dexterity of 12 or more, an Intelligence of 13 or more, and a Charisma of 15 or more.

In his travels, a bard also manages to learn a few wizard spells. Like a wizard, a bard's Intelligence determines the number of spells he can know and the chance to know any given spell. These he keeps in his spell book, abiding by all the restrictions on memorization and spell use that bind a wizard, especially in the prohibition of armor. Hence, a bard will tend to use his spells more to entertain and impress than to fight. Table 32 lists the number of spells a bard can cast at each level.

  Since bards are dabblers rather than full-time wizards, their spells tend to be gained by serendipity and happenstance. In no case can a bard choose to specialize in a school of magic. Beginning bards do not have a selection of spells. A 2nd-level bard begins with one to four spells, chosen either randomly or by the DM. (An Intelligence check must still be made to see if the bard can learn a given spell.)

Acquiring Proficiencies

If your DM allows nonweapon proficiencies, the character's Intelligence score can modify the number of slots he has, granting him more proficiencies (see Table 4) {Number of Languages}.

Table 37:

Nonweapon Proficiency Groups

General

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Agriculture 	1	Intelligence	 0

Brewing 	1	Intelligence	 0

Cooking 	1	Intelligence	 0

Heraldry 	1	Intelligence	 0

Languages, Modern 	1	Intelligence	 0

Leatherworking 	1	Intelligence	 0

Weaving 	1	Intelligence	-1

Priest

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Ancient History 	1	Intelligence	-1

Astrology 	2	Intelligence	 0

Engineering 	2	Intelligence	-3

Herbalism 	2	Intelligence	-2

Languages, Ancient 	1	Intelligence	 0

Navigation 	1	Intelligence	-2

Reading/Writing 	1	Intelligence	+1

Spellcraft 	1	Intelligence	-2

Rogue

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Ancient History 	1	Intelligence	-1

Appraising 	1	Intelligence	 0

Reading Lips 	2	Intelligence	-2

Ventriloquism 	1	Intelligence	-2

Warrior

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Animal Lore 	1	Intelligence	 0

Armorer 	2	Intelligence	-2

Navigation 	1	Intelligence	-2

Set Snares 	1	Intelligence	-1

Survival 	2	Intelligence	 0

Weaponsmithing 	3	Intelligence	-3

Wizard

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Ancient History 	1	Intelligence	-1

Astrology 	2	Intelligence	 0

Engineering 	2	Intelligence	-3

Herbalism 	2	Intelligence	-2

Languages, Ancient 	1	Intelligence	 0

Navigation 	1	Intelligence	-2

Reading/Writing 	1	Intelligence	+1

Spellcraft 	1	Intelligence	-2

Creating New Player Character Races

Character Abilities: All races, regardless of type, use the same ability generation method as all other player characters. Their scores will range from 3 to 18 unless modified by pluses or minuses.

Those with an Intelligence less than average (as determined by the DM or as listed in the Monstrous Manual) suffer a -1 penalty to Intelligence and those exceptionally Intelligent or greater gain a +1 bonus.

Racial Ability Requirements: Dull-witted creatures (those of low Intelligence) should have a limit of 16 to Intelligence.

Character Classes: The DM must judge what character classes the new race can be.

Those with penalties to Intelligence cannot be wizards. If the description in the Monstrous Manual implies that a creature is stupid, dull-witted, or in any way averse to magic and spell casting, it cannot be a priest or wizard.

Researching Extra Wizard Spells (Optional Rule)

Some DMs and players feel it is unfair that a wizard can't research a spell simply because he has as many spells of a particular level as he is allowed to have. The DM can allow a wizard to have spells in his spell book beyond the maximum allowed by the character's Intelligence--provided that character goes to the trouble of researching new spells.

Training (Optional Rule)

The amount of time required depends on the instructor's Wisdom. Subtract the Wisdom score from 19. This is the minimum number of weeks the player character must spend in training--it takes his instructor this long to go through all the lessons and drills. At the end of this time, the player character makes an Intelligence or Wisdom check, whichever is higher.

If the check is successful, the lessons have been learned and the character can advance in level. If the check is failed, the character must spend another week in training. At the end of this time, another check is made, with a +1 applied to the character's Intelligence or Wisdom score. The results are the same as above, with each additional week spent in training giving another +1 to the character's ability score. This +1 is for the purpose of determining the success or failure of the check only. It is not permanent or recorded.

Wild Mages

With the discovery of wild magic has come the appearance of wizards devoted to its study. Like their traditional specialist brethren, wild mages have thrown themselves into the intense study of a single aspect of magic. This has given them unique benefits and restrictions on their powers. Wild magic is so different from traditional magic that only those devoted to its study may cast wild magic; no wizard other than a wild mage may attempt to use the spells of wild magic.

Only characters with Intelligence of 16 or greater are qualified to become wild mages. The theories of wild magic are breaking new ground, and only characters of high intelligence are able to decipher the arcane convolutions of its meta-mathematical theory. Although wild magic is chaotic on the surface, study in this field requires diligence and discipline.

Numbers

The Sphere of Numbers revolves around the concept that numbers and mathematical relationships between numbers represent the "core truths" of reality or the "secrets of the universe."

This sphere uses spells that allow a priest to comprehend and use the mysteries of numbers. Since many of these spells are incredibly intricate and depend on very esoteric concepts in mathematics and hypermathematics, only priests with relatively high intelligence (13 or higher) are allowed access to these spells.

Thought

The Sphere of Thought is rooted in the philosophy of mentation and the effects of mental acts and structures on reality. Priests of this sphere believe that the common conception of the thought (i.e., a more-or-less objective analysis of sensory input which is in turn an objective perception of reality) is fallacious and misleading.

This sphere uses spells related to these philosophical beliefs. Like the Sphere of Numbers, these spells are intricate and are based on some esoteric concepts of philosophy. It is suggested that only priests with relatively high intelligence (13 or higher) be allowed access to these spells.

Monster Intelligence

INTELLIGENCE is the equivalent of human  “IQ.” Certain monsters are instinctively cunning; these are noted in the monster descriptions. Ratings correspond roughly to the following Intelligence ability scores:

0	Nonintelligent or not ratable

1	Animal intelligence

2-4	Semi-intelligent

5-7	Low intelligence

8-10	Average (human) intelligence

11-12	Very intelligent

13-14	Highly intelligent

15-16	Exceptionally intelligent

17-18	Genius

19-20	Supra-genius

21+	Godlike intelligence

Helms

Campaign Use: Helms are part of a warrior's basic protection. Failure to use proper headgear leaves a character open to called shots by opponents or to other disadvantages at the DM's option. All headgear except that which does not cover the ears must be removed when making rolls for listening.

The Complete Fighter's Handbook offers an optional rule for Hearing and Vision checks. All helms restrict Hearing and Vision checks to some degree. (A Vision or Hearing check is a 1d20 roll against a character's Intelligence or Wisdom, whichever is higher. These checks can be used when a character has a chance to hear or see something of importance. This check isn't used when characters listen at doors; that has its own check.)


Wisdom

Wisdom (Wis) describes a composite of the character's enlightenment, judgment, guile, willpower, common sense, and intuition. It can affect the character's resistance to magical attack. It is the prime requisite of priests; those with a Wisdom score of 16 or higher gain a 10% bonus to experience points earned. Clerics, druids, and other priests with Wisdom scores of 13 or higher also gain bonus spells over and above the number they are normally allowed to use.

Magical Defense Adjustment listed on Table 5 applies to saving throws against magical spells that attack the mind: beguiling, charm, fear, hypnosis, illusions, possession, suggestion, etc. These bonuses and penalties are applied automatically, without any conscious effort from the character.

Bonus Spells indicates the number of additional spells a priest (and only a priest) is entitled to because of his extreme Wisdom. Note that these spells are available only when the priest is entitled to spells of the appropriate level. Bonus spells are cumulative, so a priest with a Wisdom of 15 is entitled to two 1st-level bonus spells and one 2nd-level bonus spell.

Chance of Spell Failure states the percentage chance that any particular spell fails when cast. Priests with low Wisdom scores run the risk of having their spells fizzle. Roll percentile dice every time the priest casts a spell; if the number rolled is less than or equal to the listed chance for spell failure, the spell is expended with absolutely no effect whatsoever. Note that priests with Wisdom scores of 13 or higher don't need to worry about their spells failing.

Spell Immunity gives those extremely wise characters complete protection from certain spells, spell-like abilities, and magical items as listed. These immunities are cumulative, so that a character with a Wisdom of 23 is immune to all listed spells up to and including those listed on the 23 Wisdom row.

Table 5:

Wisdom

Magical	Chance

Ability	Defense	Bonus	of Spell	Spell

Score	Adjustment	Spells	Failure	Immunity

1	-6	--	80%	--

2	-4	--	60%	--

3	-3	--	50%	--

4	-2	--	45%	--

5	-1	--	40%	--

6	-1	--	35%	--

7	-1	--	30%	--

8	0	--	25%	--

9	0	0	20%	--

10	0	0	15%	--

11	0	0	10%	--

12	0	0	5%	--

13	0	1st	0%	--

14	0	1st	0%	--

15	+1	2nd	0%	--

16	+2	2nd	0%	--

17	+3	3rd	0%	--

18	+4	4th	0%	--

19	+4	1st, 3rd	0%	cause fear, charm person, command,

friends, hypnotism

20	+4	2nd, 4th	0%	forget, hold person, ray of

enfeeblement, scare

21	+4	3rd, 5th	0%	fear

22	+4	4th, 5th	0%	charm monster, confusion, emotion,

fumble, suggestion

23	+4	1st, 6th	0%	chaos, feeblemind, hold monster, magic

jar, quest

24	+4	5th, 6th	0%	geas, mass suggestion, rod of rulership

25	+4	6th, 7th	0%	antipathy/sympathy, death spell, mass

charm

Racial Ability Requirements

Ability	Dwarf	 Elf	Gnome	Half-Elf	Halfling

Wisdom	 3/18	3/18	  3/18	   3/18	 	   3/17

Gnome   +1 Intelligence; -1 Wisdom

Gnome characters gain a +1 bonus to their Intelligence scores, to reflect their highly inquisitive natures. They suffer a -1 penalty to Wisdom because their curiosity often leads them unknowingly into danger.

Other Characteristics

As a character ages, his ability scores are affected. Upon reaching one-half of his base maximum age (45 for a human), the character loses 1 point of Strength (or half of his exceptional Strength rating) and 1 point of Constitution, but gains 1 point each of Intelligence and Wisdom. At two-thirds of his base maximum age (60 for a human), the character loses 2 more points of Strength (or all his exceptional Strength and 1 point more), 2 points of Dexterity, and 1 more point of Constitution, but he gains 1 point of Wisdom. Upon reaching the base maximum age, the character loses 1 more point from each of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, while gaining 1 more point in both Intelligence and Wisdom. All aging adjustments are cumulative. See Table 12 for a summary of these effects.

There may be times when a magical device or spell adds years to or subtracts years from a player character's life. This magical aging can have two different effects. Some magical aging physically affects the character. For example, a haste spell ages those it affects by one year. This aging is added directly to the player character's current age. He physically acquires the appearance of himself one year older (a few more wrinkles, etc.). Characters who increase in age from magical effects do not gain the benefits of increased Wisdom and Intelligence--these are a function of the passage of game time--but the character does suffer the physical losses to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution associated with aging. These are breakdowns of the body's systems. Physical age can also be removed in the same manner. Some potions give years back to the character. In this case, the physical appearance of the character is restored. The character can regain lost vigor (Str, Dex, and Con) as his body is renewed but he does not lose any of the benefits of aging (Wis and Int).

Paladin

Ability Requirements:	Wisdom 13

Only a human may become a paladin. He must have minimum ability scores of Strength 12, Constitution 9, Wisdom 13, and Charisma 17.

Unlike a priest, the paladin does not gain extra spells for a high Wisdom score

Ranger

Ability Requirements:	Wisdom 14

Prime Requisites:	Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom

The ranger must have scores not less than 13 in Strength, 14 in Constitution, 13 in Dexterity, and 14 in Wisdom. The prime requisites of the ranger are Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom.

A ranger who has Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom scores of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

A ranger can learn priest spells, but only those of the plant or animal spheres (see "Priest" later in this chapter), when he reaches 8th level (see Table 18). He gains and uses his spells according to the rules given for priests. He does not gain bonus spells for a high Wisdom score, nor is he ever able to use priest scrolls or magical items unless specially noted otherwise.

Priest

Only priests gain additional spells for having high Wisdom scores.

Table 24:

Priest Spell Progression

Priest	Spell Level

Level	1	2	3	4	5	6*	7**

  1	1	--	--	--	--	--	--

  2	2	--	--	--	--	--	--

  3	2	1	--	--	--	--	--

  4	3	2	--	--	--	--	--

  5	3	3	1	--	--	--	--

  6	3	3	2	--	--	--	--

  7	3	3	2	1	--	--	--

  8	3	3	3	2	--	--	--

  9	4	4	3	2	1	--	--

10	4	4	3	3	2	--	--

11	5	4	4	3	2	1	--

12	6	5	5	3	2	2	--

13	6	6	6	4	2	2	--

14	6	6	6	5	3	2	1

15	6	6	6	6	4	2	1

16	7	7	7	6	4	3	1

17	7	7	7	7	5	3	2

18	8	8	8	8	6	4	2

19	9	9	8	8	6	4	2

20	9	9	9	8	7	5	2

* Usable only by priests with 17 or greater Wisdom.

** Usable only by priests with 18 or greater Wisdom.

All priests, regardless of mythos, must have Wisdom scores of at least 9.

Divination enables the priest to learn the safest course of action in a particular situation, find a hidden item, or recover long-forgotten information. Deities of wisdom and knowledge typically have access to this sphere.

Cleric

Ability Requirement:	Wisdom 9

Prime Requisite:	Wisdom

A cleric must have a Wisdom score of 9 or more.

A cleric who has a Wisdom of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Druid

Ability Requirements:	Wisdom 12

Prime Requisites:	Wisdom, Charisma

Requirements

A druid must be human or half-elven. He must have a Wisdom score of at least 12 and a Charisma score of 15 or more. Both of these abilities are prime requisites.

Table 37:

Nonweapon Proficiency Groups

General

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Animal Handling 	1	Wisdom	-1

Animal Training 	1	Wisdom	 0

Artistic Ability 	1	Wisdom	 0

Direction Sense 	1	Wisdom	+1

Fire-building 	1	Wisdom	-1

Fishing 	1	Wisdom	-1

Mining 	2	Wisdom	-3

Riding, Airborne 	2	Wisdom	-2

Riding, Land-Based 	1	Wisdom	+3

Weather Sense 	1	Wisdom	-1

Priest

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Healing 	2	Wisdom	-2

Religion 	1	Wisdom	 0

Warrior

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Hunting 	1	Wisdom	-1

Tracking 	2	Wisdom	 0

Wizard

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Religion 	1	Wisdom	 0

Saving Throw: Wisdom adjustments to saving throws apply to enchantment/charm spells.

High ability scores in Dexterity and Wisdom sometimes give saving throw bonuses. A high Wisdom protects against illusions, charms, and other mental attacks. Dexterity, if high enough, can give a character a slightly higher chance of avoiding the effects of fireballs, lightning bolts, crushing boulders, and other attacks where nimbleness may be a help. (See Tables 2 and 5.)

Notes on Spells

The spells are organized according to their group (priest or wizard) and level. Within each level, the spells are arranged alphabetically. At the start of each spell description are the following important game statistics:

Saving Throw: This lists whether the spell allows the target a saving throw and explains the effect of a successful save: "Neg." results in the spell having no effect; "½" means the character suffers half the normal amount of damage; "none" means no saving throw is allowed. Wisdom adjustments to saving throws apply only to enchantment/charm spells.

Those with penalties to Wisdom cannot be priests; others can be priests only if their game description mentions NPC priests and the creature has some type of social organization (a tribe, clan, etc.). No nonstandard creature can be a druid, as this is a human belief system.

Determining Research Time

Research time requires the character be in good health. Further, he must refrain from adventuring while undertaking the study. During research, wizards study over old manuscripts and priests work at their devotions.

The minimum amount of time needed to research a spell is two weeks per spell level. At the end of this time, a check is made. For wizards, this is the same as their chance to learn a spell (be sure to account for any specialization). For priests a Wisdom check is made.

Training (Optional Rule)

Since not all characters are suited to instructing others, any player character who attempts to train another must make both a Wisdom check and a Charisma check. If the Wisdom check is passed, the player character possesses the patience and insight to nurture the student. If the Charisma check is passed, the character also has the wit, firmness, and authority needed to impress the lessons on the student. If either check is failed, that character is close, but just not a teacher. If both checks are failed, the character has absolutely no aptitude for teaching.

Finally, the player character must spend time in training. The amount of time required depends on the instructor's Wisdom. Subtract the Wisdom score from 19. This is the minimum number of weeks the player character must spend in training--it takes his instructor this long to go through all the lessons and drills. At the end of this time, the player character makes an Intelligence or Wisdom check, whichever is higher.

If the check is successful, the lessons have been learned and the character can advance in level. If the check is failed, the character must spend another week in training. At the end of this time, another check is made, with a +1 applied to the character's Intelligence or Wisdom score. The results are the same as above, with each additional week spent in training giving another +1 to the character's ability score. This +1 is for the purpose of determining the success or failure of the check only. It is not permanent or recorded.

Movement on Water

Once characters find themselves in a dangerous situation, they must make  a Wisdom check (modified for seamanship proficiency, if this is used) to prevent capsizing. Capsized boats and goods are swept downstream, although hazards like waterfalls and particularly strong rapids will smash most craft.

Which Priests Receive Quest Spells

A priest must possess Wisdom of 17 or better in order to cast quest spells. It is quite possible that a priest could be granted a quest spell but not possess the wisdom to cast 7th-level clerical spells; Powers sometimes work in mysterious ways.

How Is the Quest Spell Granted

A priest must undergo specific preparations to receive a quest spell. Isolated prayer and meditation for 24 hours are required (double this if he has Wisdom of only 17 or is below 12th level).

Helms

Campaign Use: Helms are part of a warrior's basic protection. Failure to use proper headgear leaves a character open to called shots by opponents or to other disadvantages at the DM's option. All headgear except that which does not cover the ears must be removed when making rolls for listening.

The Complete Fighter's Handbook offers an optional rule for Hearing and Vision checks. All helms restrict Hearing and Vision checks to some degree. (A Vision or Hearing check is a 1d20 roll against a character's Intelligence or Wisdom, whichever is higher. These checks can be used when a character has a chance to hear or see something of importance. This check isn't used when characters listen at doors; that has its own check.)


Charisma

The Charisma (Cha) score measures a character's persuasiveness, personal magnetism, and ability to lead. It is not a reflection of physical attractiveness, although attractiveness certainly plays a role. It is important to all characters, but especially to those who must deal with nonplayer characters (NPCs), mercenary hirelings, retainers, and intelligent monsters. It dictates the total number of henchmen a character can retain and affects the loyalty of henchmen, hirelings, and retainers.

Maximum Number of Henchmen states the number of nonplayer characters who will serve as permanent retainers of the player character. It does not affect the number of mercenary soldiers, men-at-arms, servitors, or other persons in the pay of the character.

Loyalty Base shows the subtraction from or addition to the henchmen's and other servitors' loyalty scores (in the DMG). This is crucial during battles, when morale becomes important.

Reaction Adjustment indicates the penalty or bonus due to the character because of Charisma when dealing with nonplayer characters and intelligent creatures. For example, Rath encounters a centaur, an intelligent creature. Rath's Charisma is only 6, so he is starting off with one strike against him. He probably should try to overcome this slight handicap by making generous offers

of gifts or information.

Table 6:

Charisma

Maximum

Ability	# of	Loyalty	Reaction

Score	Henchmen	Base	Adjustment

1	0	-8	-7

2	1	-7	-6

3	1	-6	-5

4	1	-5	-4

5	2	-4	-3

6	2	-3	-2

7	3	-2	-1

8	3	-1	0

9	4	0	0

10	4	0	0

11	4	0	0

12	5	0	0

13	5	0	+1

14	6	+1	+2

15	7	+3	+3

16	8	+4	+5

17	10	+6	+6

18	15	+8	+7

19	20	+10	+8

20	25	+12	+9

21	30	+14	+10

22	35	+16	+11

23	40	+18	+12

24	45	+20	+13

25	50	+20	+14

Henchmen--nonplayer characters who work for a character mainly out of loyalty and love of adventure. The number of henchmen a character can have is based on Charisma and is shown in Table 6. The DM and the player share control of the henchmen.

Racial Ability Requirements

Ability	Dwarf	 Elf	Gnome	Half-Elf	Halfling

Charisma	 	3/17	8/18	  3/18	   3/18	 	   3/18

Table 8:

Racial Ability Adjustments

Race	Adjustments

Dwarf	+1 Constitution; -1 Charisma

Because of their sturdy builds, dwarves add 1 to their initial Constitution scores. Their dour and suspicious natures cause them to subtract 1 from their initial Charisma scores.

Paladin

Ability Requirements:	Charisma 17

Prime Requisites:	Strength, Charisma

  Only a human may become a paladin. He must have minimum ability scores of Strength 12, Constitution 9, Wisdom 13, and Charisma 17. Strength and Charisma are the prime requisites of the paladin.

A paladin who has Strength and Charisma scores of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Druid

Ability Requirements:	Charisma 15

Prime Requisites:	Wisdom, Charisma

A druid must be human or half-elven. He must have a Wisdom score of at least 12 and a Charisma score of 15 or more. Both of these abilities are prime requisites.

Bard

Ability Requirements:	Charisma 15

Prime Requisite:	Dexterity, Charisma

To become a bard, a character must have a Dexterity of 12 or more, an Intelligence of 13 or more, and a Charisma of 15 or more. The prime requisites are Dexterity and Charisma.

Table 37:

Nonweapon Proficiency Groups

General

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Etiquette 	1	Charisma	 0

Singing 	1	Charisma	 0

Priest

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Local History 	1	Charisma	 0

Rogue

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Disguise 	1	Charisma	-1

Gaming 	1	Charisma	 0

Local History 	1	Charisma	 0

Warrior

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Gaming 	1	Charisma	 0

Hirelings

The most frequently employed NPC is the hireling. A hireling is a person who works for money.

Hirelings are no more loyal than human nature allows. For the most part, if paid and treated well, with opportunities to realize their ambitions, working for a charismatic leader, hirelings can be relied on to do their jobs faithfully. But poor pay, injustice, discrimination, threats, abuse, and humiliation at the hands of their masters make them somewhat less than reliable. A smart leader sees to the comfort and morale of his men before his own concerns. With less savory characters--those hired to perform dark deeds--the player character takes even greater chances, especially given the questionable morals of such characters.

Henchmen

Henchmen are much that hirelings are not. They are adventurers who serve out of loyalty. They are willing to risk their lives for those they respect. They are also hard to find.

A PC's Charisma determines the maximum number of henchmen he can have. This is a lifetime limit, not just a maximum possible at any given time.

Training (Optional Rule)

Since not all characters are suited to instructing others, any player character who attempts to train another must make both a Wisdom check and a Charisma check. If the Wisdom check is passed, the player character possesses the patience and insight to nurture the student. If the Charisma check is passed, the character also has the wit, firmness, and authority needed to impress the lessons on the student. If either check is failed, that character is close, but just not a teacher. If both checks are failed, the character has absolutely no aptitude for teaching. Alternatively, the DM can dispense with the die rolls and rule for each player character, based on his knowledge of that character's personality. It is assumed that all NPC tutors have successfully passed these checks.

Is This Injury Necessary?

DMs can use specific injuries to lessen a character's ability scores. A member of the party might acquire a prominent scar, lowering his Charisma by a point. Although, in this case, you'll want a ready explanation of why a scar had this effect, as in some instances a scar can actually enhance the personality of a person. It can make him look tougher, more mysterious, more worldly, more magnetic, all things that could conceivably increase a character's Charisma.


Alignment

After all other steps toward creating a character have been completed, the player must choose an alignment for the character. In some cases (especially the paladin), the choice of alignment may be limited.

The character's alignment is a guide to his basic moral and ethical attitudes toward others, society, good, evil, and the forces of the universe in general. Use the chosen alignment as a guide to provide a clearer idea of how the character will handle moral dilemmas. Always consider alignment as a tool, not a straitjacket that restricts the character. Although alignment defines general attitudes, it certainly doesn't prevent a character from changing his beliefs, acting irrationally, or behaving out of character.

Alignment is divided into two sets of attitudes: order and chaos, and good and evil. By combining the different variations within the two sets, nine distinct alignments are created. These nine alignments serve well to define the attitudes of most of the people in the world.

Alignment Combinations

Nine different alignments result from combining these two sets. Each alignment varies from all others, sometimes in broad, obvious ways, and sometimes in subtle ways. Each alignment is described in the following paragraphs.

Lawful Good: Characters of this alignment believe that an orderly, strong society with a well-organized government can work to make life better for the majority of the people. To ensure the quality of life, laws must be created and obeyed. When people respect the laws and try to help one another, society as a whole prospers. Therefore, lawful good characters strive for those things that will bring the greatest benefit to the most people and cause the least harm. An honest and hard-working serf, a kindly and wise king, or a stern but forthright minister of justice are all examples of lawful good people.

Lawful Neutral: Order and organization are of paramount importance to characters of this alignment. They believe in a strong, well-ordered government, whether that government is a tyranny or benevolent democracy. The benefits of organization and regimentation outweigh any moral questions raised by their actions. An inquisitor determined to ferret out traitors at any cost or a soldier who never questions his orders are good examples of lawful neutral behavior.

Lawful Evil: These characters believe in using society and its laws to benefit themselves. Structure and organization elevate those who deserve to rule as well as provide a clearly defined hierarchy between master and servant. To this end, lawful evil characters support laws and societies that protect their own concerns. If someone is hurt or suffers because of a law that benefits lawful evil characters, too bad. Lawful evil characters obey laws out of fear of punishment. Because they may be forced to honor an unfavorable contract or oath they have made, lawful evil characters are usually very careful about giving their word. Once given, they break their word only if they can find a way to do it legally, within the laws of the society. An iron-fisted tyrant and a devious, greedy merchant are examples of lawful evil beings.

Neutral Good: These characters believe that a balance of forces is important, but that the concerns of law and chaos do not moderate the need for good. Since the universe is vast and contains many creatures striving for different goals, a determined pursuit of good will not upset the balance; it may even maintain it. If fostering good means supporting organized society, then that is what must be done. If good can only come about through the overthrow of existing social order, so be it. Social structure itself has no innate value to them. A baron who violates the orders of his king to destroy something he sees as evil is an example of a neutral good character.

True Neutral: True neutral characters believe in the ultimate balance of forces, and they refuse to see actions as either good or evil. Since the majority of people in the world make judgments, true neutral characters are extremely rare. True neutrals do their best to avoid siding with the forces of either good or evil, law or chaos. It is their duty to see that all of these forces remain in balanced contention.

True neutral characters sometimes find themselves forced into rather peculiar alliances. To a great extent, they are compelled to side with the underdog in any given situation, sometimes even changing sides as the previous loser becomes the winner. A true neutral druid might join the local barony to put down a tribe of evil gnolls, only to drop out or switch sides when the gnolls were brought to the brink of destruction. He would seek to prevent either side from becoming too powerful. Clearly, there are very few true neutral characters in the world.

Neutral Evil: Neutral evil characters are primarily concerned with themselves and their own advancement. They have no particular objection to working with others or, for that matter, going it on their own. Their only interest is in getting ahead. If there is a quick and easy way to gain a profit, whether it be legal, questionable, or obviously illegal, they take advantage of it. Although neutral evil characters do not have the every-man-for-himself attitude of chaotic characters, they have no qualms about betraying their friends and companions for personal gain. They typically base their allegiance on power and money, which makes them quite receptive to bribes. An unscrupulous mercenary, a common thief, and a double-crossing informer who betrays people to the authorities to protect and advance himself are typical examples of neutral evil characters.

Chaotic Good: Chaotic good characters are strong individualists marked by a streak of kindness and benevolence. They believe in all the virtues of goodness and right, but they have little use for laws and regulations. They have no use for people who "try to push folk around and tell them what to do." Their actions are guided by their own moral compass which, although good, may not always be in perfect agreement with the rest of society. A brave frontiersman forever moving on as settlers follow in his wake is an example of a chaotic good character.

Chaotic Neutral: Chaotic neutral characters believe that there is no order to anything, including their own actions. With this as a guiding principle, they tend to follow whatever whim strikes them at the moment. Good and evil are irrelevant when making a decision. Chaotic neutral characters are extremely difficult to deal with. Such characters have been known to cheerfully and for no apparent purpose gamble away everything they have on the roll of a single die. They are almost totally unreliable. In fact, the only reliable thing about them is that they cannot be relied upon! This alignment is perhaps the most difficult to play. Lunatics and madmen tend toward chaotic neutral behavior.

  Chaotic Evil: These characters are the bane of all that is good and organized. Chaotic evil characters are motivated by the desire for personal gain and pleasure. They see absolutely nothing wrong with taking whatever they want by whatever means possible. Laws and governments are the tools of weaklings unable to fend for themselves. The strong have the right to take what they want, and the weak are there to be exploited. When chaotic evil characters band together, they are not motivated by a desire to cooperate, but rather to oppose powerful enemies. Such a group can be held together only by a strong leader capable of bullying his underlings into obedience. Since leadership is based on raw power, a leader is likely to be replaced at the first sign of weakness by anyone who can take his position away from him by any method. Bloodthirsty buccaneers and monsters of low Intelligence are fine examples of chaotic evil personalities.


Using Area Alignments

Using a general alignment for an area allows a quick assessment of the kind of treatment player characters can expect there. The following gives ideas for each alignment.

Lawful good: the people are generally honest, law-abiding, and helpful. They mean well (at least most of them do). They respect the law. As a rule, people don't walk around wearing armor and carrying weapons. Those who do are viewed with suspicion or as trouble-makers. Some societies tend to dislike adventurers, since they often bring trouble.

Lawful Neutral: The people are not only law-abiding, they are passionate creators of arcane bureaucracies. The tendency to organize and regulate everything easily gets out of control.

In large empires there are ministries, councils, commissions, departments, offices, and cabinets for everything. If the region attracts a lot of adventurers, there are special ministries, with their own special taxes and licenses, to deal with the problem. The people are not tremendously concerned with the effectiveness of the government, so long as it functions.

Lawful Evil: The government is marked by its severe laws, involving harsh punishments regardless of guilt or innocence. Laws are not intended to preserve justice so much as to maintain the status quo. Social class is crucial. Bribery and corruption are often ways of life. Adventurers, since they are outsiders who may be foreign agents, are viewed with great suspicion. Lawful evil kingdoms often find themselves quashing rebellions of oppressed peasants clamoring for humane treatment.

Neutral evil, neutral good, and true neutral: Areas dominated by these three alignments tend to adopt whatever government seems most expedient at the moment. A particular form of government lasts as long as the ruler or dynasty in power can maintain it. The people cooperate when it suits them--or, in the case of true neutrals, when the balance of forces must be preserved.

Such neutral territories often act as buffer states between lands of extreme alignment difference (for example, between a lawful good barony and a vile chaotic evil principality). They shift allegiance artfully to preserve their borders against the advances of both sides in a conflict.

Neutral evil countries tend to be benign (but not pleasant) dictatorships while neutral good countries are generally "enlightened" dictatorships. Transfers of power are usually marked by shifts in government, though these are often bloodless coups. There is a certain apathy about politics and government. Adventurers are treated the same as everyone else.

Chaotic Good: The people mean well and try to do right, but are hampered by a natural dislike of big government. Although there may be a single ruler, most communities are allowed to manage themselves, so long as their taxes are paid and they obey a few broad edicts. Such areas tend to have weak law enforcement organizations. A local sheriff, baron, or council may hire adventurers to fill the gap. Communities often take the law into their own hands when it seems necessary. Lands on the fringes of vast empires far from the capital tend to have this type of alignment.

Chaotic Neutral: There is no government. Anarchy is the rule. A stranger to such a town may feel as if he has ridden into a town of madmen.

Chaotic Evil: The people are ruled by, and live in fear of, those more powerful than themselves. Local government usually amounts to a series of strongarm bosses who obey the central government out of fear. People look for ways to gain power or keep the power they've got. Assassination is an accepted method of advancement, along with coups, conspiracies, and purges. Adventurers are often used as pawns in political power games, only to be eliminated when the adventurers themselves become a threat.


Alignment of Magical Items

Certain powerful magical items, particularly intelligent ones, have alignments. Alignment in these cases is not an indication of the moral properties of the item. Rather, it is a means of limiting the number and types of characters capable of using the item--the user's alignment must match the item's alignment for the magic to work properly. Aligned magical items, usually weapons, were created with a specific ethos in mind. the item was attuned to this ethos by its creator.

Aligned items reveal their true powers only to owners who share the same beliefs. In the hands of anyone else, the item's powers remain dormant. An extremely powerful item may even harm a character of another alignment who handles the item, especially if the character's alignment is opposed to the item's.

Aligned magical items should be rare. When an item has an alignment, it is a sign of great power and purpose. This creates opportunities for highly dramatic adventures as the player characters learn about the item, research its history, track it across the country, and finally discover its ancient resting place and overcome the guards and traps set to protect it.


Magical Alignment Changes

A second, more insidious, type of magical item is the one that changes a character's alignment. Unlike the usual, gradual methods by which a character changes alignment, magical alignment changes are instantaneous. The character's personality undergoes an immediate transformation, something like magical brainwashing. Depending on the new alignment, the change may or may not be immediately noticeable. However, you should insist that the player role-play his new situation. Do not allow him to ignore the effects the alignment change will have on his character's personality. Indeed, good role-players will take this as an opportunity to stretch their skills.

Helm of Opposite Alignment: This metal hat looks like a typical helmet. If magic is detected for, it radiates magic of an indeterminate sort. Once placed upon the head, however, its curse immediately takes effect, and the alignment of the wearer is radically altered—good to evil, neutral to some absolute commitment (LE, LG, CE, CG) as radically different from the former alignment as possible. Alteration in alignment is mental and, once effected, is desired by the individual changed by the magic.

Only a wish can restore former alignment, and the affected individual will not make any attempt to return to the former alignment. If a paladin is concerned, he must undergo a special quest and atone if the curse is to be obliterated. Note that once a helm of opposite alignment has functioned, it loses all of its magical properties.


Casting Spells

Both wizards and priests use the same rules for casting spells. To cast a spell, the character must first have the spell memorized. If it is not memorized, the spell cannot be cast. The caster must be able to speak (not under the effects of a silence spell or gagged) and have both arms free. (Note that the optional spell component rule [following section] can modify these conditions.) If the spell is targeted on a person, place, or thing, the caster must be able to see the target. It is not enough to cast a fireball 150 feet ahead into the darkness; the caster must be able to see the point of explosion and the intervening distance. Likewise, a magic missile (which always hits its target) cannot be fired into a group of bandits with the instruction to strike the leader; the caster must be able to identify and see the leader.

Once the casting has begun, the character must stand still. Casting cannot be accomplished while riding a roughly moving beast or a vehicle, unless special efforts are made to stabilize and protect the caster. Thus, a spell cannot be cast from the back of a galloping horse under any conditions, nor can a wizard or priest cast a spell on the deck of a ship during a storm. However, if the caster were below decks, protected from the wind and surging waves, he could cast a spell. While it is not normally possible to cast a spell from a moving chariot, a character who was steadied and supported by others could do so. Your DM will have to make a ruling in these types of extraordinary conditions.

  During the round in which the spell is cast, the caster cannot move to dodge attacks. Therefore, no AC benefit from Dexterity is gained by spellcasters while casting spells. Furthermore, if the spellcaster is struck by a weapon or fails to make a saving throw before the spell is cast, the caster's concentration is disrupted. The spell is lost in a fizzle of useless energy and is wiped clean from the memory of the caster until it can be rememorized. Spellcasters are well advised not to stand at the front of any battle, at least if they want to be able to cast any spells!


Wizard Spells

Wizard spells range from spells of simple utility to great and powerful magics. The wizard spell group has no single theme or purpose. The vast majority of wizard spells were created by ancient wizards for many different purposes. Some are to serve the common man in his everyday needs. Others provide adventurers with the might and firepower they need to survive. Some are relatively simple and safe to use (as safe as magic can be); others are complicated, filled with hazards and snares for the rash and unwary. Perhaps the greatest of all wizard spells is the powerful and tricky wish. It represents the epitome of spell-casting--causing things to happen simply because the wizard desires it to be so. But it is a long and difficult task to attain the mastery needed to learn this spell.

Although some characters can use spells, the workings of magic are dimly understood at best. There are many theories about where the power comes from. The most commonly accepted idea is that the mysterious combination of words, gestures, and materials that make up a spell somehow taps an extradimensional source of energy that in turn causes the desired effect. Somehow the components of the spells--those words, gestures and materials--route this energy to a specific and desired result. Fortunately, how this happens is not very important to the majority of wizards. It is enough to know that "when you do this, that happens."

Casting a wizard spell is a very complicated ordeal. The process of learning the correct procedure to cast a spell is difficult and taxing to the mind. Thus, a wizard must check to see if he learns each new spell (according to his Intelligence--see Table 4). Furthermore, there is a limit to just how much of this strangeness--illogical mathematics, alchemical chemistry, structuralist linguistics--a wizard's mind can comprehend, and so he must live with a limit to the number of spells he can know.

As the wizard learns spells, he records their arcane notes into his spell books. Without spell books, a wizard cannot memorize new spells. Within them are all his instructions for memorizing and casting all the spells he knows. As the wizard successfully learns a new spell, he carefully enters its formula into his spell books. A wizard can never have a spell in his books that he does not know, because if he doesn't understand it, he cannot write the formula. Likewise, he cannot enter a spell into his books that is higher in level than he can cast. If he finds an ancient tome with spells of higher power, he must simply wait until he advances to a level at which he can use them.

The exact shape and size of a character's spellbooks is a detail your DM will provide. They may be thick tomes of carefully inked parchment, crackling scrolls in bulky cases, or even weighty clay tablets. They are almost never convenient to carry around. Their exact form depends on the type and setting of the campaign world your DM has created.

Table 30:

Spell Book Capacities

Level	Standard	Scroll	Traveling

1st	16-100 spells	4-25 spells	8-50 spells

2nd	14-50 spells	3-12 spells	7-25 spells

3rd	12-33 spells	3-8 spells	6-16 spells

4th	11-25 spells	2-6 spells	5-12 spells

5th	10-20 spells	2-5 spells	5-10 spells

6th	9-16 spells	2-4 spells	4-8 spells

7th	8-14 spells	2-3 spells	4-7 spells

8th	7-12 spells	1-3 spells	3-6 spells

9th	7-11 spells	1-2 spells	3-5 spells

Ultimately, it is the memorization that is important. To draw on magical energy, the wizard must shape specific mental patterns in his mind. He uses his spell books to force his mind through mental exercises, preparing it to hold the final, twisted patterns. These patterns are very complicated and alien to normal thought, so they don't register in the mind as normal learning. To shape these patterns, the wizard must spend time memorizing the spell, twisting his thoughts and recasting the energy patterns each time to account for subtle changes--planetary motions, seasons, time of day, and more.

Once a wizard memorizes a spell, it remains in his memory (as potential energy) until he uses the prescribed components to trigger the release of the energy patterns. The mental patterns apparently release the energy while the components shape and guide it. Upon casting, the energy of the spell is spent, wiped clean from the wizard's mind. The mental patterns are lost until the wizard studies and memorizes that spell again.

The number of spells a wizard can memorize is given by his level (see Table 21); he can memorize the same spell more than once, but each memorization counts as one spell toward his daily memorization limit. Part of a wizard's intelligence can be seen in the careful selection of spells he has memorized.

Memorization is not a thing that happens immediately. The wizard must have a clear head gained from a restful night's sleep and then has to spend time studying his spell books. The amount of study time needed is 10 minutes per level of the spell being memorized. Thus, a 9th-level spell (the most powerful) would require 90 minutes of careful study. Clearly, high-level spellcasters do not lightly change their memorized spells.

Spells remain memorized until they are cast or wiped from the character's mind by a spell or magical item. A wizard cannot choose to forget a memorized spell to replace it with another one. He can, however, cast a spell just to cleanse his mind for another spell. (The DM must make sure that the wizard does not get experience for this.)

Schools of Magic

Although all wizard spells are learned and memorized the same way, they fall into nine different schools of magic. A school of magic is a group of related spells.

Abjuration spells are a group of specialized protective spells. Each is used to prevent or banish some magical or nonmagical effect or creature. They are often used to provide safety in times of great danger or when attempting some other particularly dangerous spell.

Alteration spells cause a change in the properties of some already existing thing, creature, or condition. This is accomplished by magical energy channeled through the wizard.

Conjuration/summoning spells bring something to the caster from elsewhere. Conjuration normally produces matter or items from some other place. Summoning enables the caster to compel living creatures and powers to appear in his presence or to channel extraplanar energies through himself.

Enchantment/charm spells cause a change in the quality of an item or the attitude of a person or creature. Enchantments can bestow magical properties on ordinary items, while charms can unduly influence the behavior of beings.

Greater divinations are more powerful than lesser divinations (see below). These spells enable the wizard to learn secrets long forgotten, to predict the future, and to uncover things hidden or cloaked by spells.

Illusions deal with spells to deceive the senses or minds of others. Spells that cause people to see things that are not there, hear noises not made, or remember things that never happened are all illusions.

Invocation/Evocation spells channel magical energy to create specific effects and materials. Invocation normally relies on the intervention of some higher agency (to whom the spell is addressed), while evocation enables the caster to directly shape the energy.

Lesser divination spells are learnable by all wizards, regardless of their affiliation. This school includes the most basic and vital spells of the wizard--those he needs to practice other aspects of his craft. Lesser divinations include read magic and detect magic.

  Necromancy is one of the most restrictive of all spell schools. It deals with dead things or the restoration of life, limbs, or vitality to living creatures. Although a small school, its spells tend to be powerful. Given the risks of the adventuring world, necromantic spells are considered quite useful.


Illusions

Of all spells, those of the illusion school cause the most problems. Not that they are more difficult for your player character to cast, but these spells are more difficult for you to role-play and for your DM to adjudicate. Illusions rely on the idea of believability, which in turn relies on the situation and the state of mind of the victim. Your DM must determine this for NPCs, which is perhaps an easier job. You must role-play this for your character.

Spells of this school fall into two basic groups. Illusions are creations that manipulate light, color, shadow, sound, and sometimes even scent. Higher level illusions tap energy from other planes, and are actually quasi-real, being woven of extradimensional energies by the caster. Common illusions create appearances; they cannot make a creature or object look like nothing (i.e., invisible), but they can conceal objects by making them look like something else.

Phantasms exist only in the minds of their victims; these spells are never even quasi-real. (The exceptions to this are the phantasmal force spells, which are actually illusions rather than phantasms.) Phantasms act upon the mind of the victim to create an intense reaction--fear being most common.

The key to successful illusions or phantasms is believability, which depends on three main factors: what the caster attempts, what the victim expects, and what is happening at the moment the spell is cast. By combining the information from these three areas, the player and the DM should be able to create and adjudicate reasonable illusions and phantasms.

When casting an illusion or phantasm, the caster can attempt to do anything he desires within the physical limits of the spell. Prior knowledge of the illusion created is not necessary but is extremely useful.

Suppose Delsenora decides to cast a phantasmal force spell and can choose between creating the image of a troll (a creature she has seen and battled) or that of a beholder (a creature she has never seen but has heard terrifying descriptions of). She can either use her memory to create a realistic troll or use her imagination to create something that may or may not look like a real beholder. The troll, based on her first-hand knowledge of these creatures, is going to have lots of little details--a big nose, warts, green, scabby skin, and even a shambling troll-like walk. Her illusion of a beholder will be much less precise, just a floating ball with one big eye and eyestalks. She doesn't know its color, size, or behavior.

The type of image chosen by the caster affects the reaction of the victim. If the victim in the above case has seen both a troll and a beholder, which will be more believable? Almost certainly it will be the troll, which looks and acts the way the victim thinks a troll should. He might not even recognize the other creature as a beholder since it doesn't look like any beholder he's ever seen. Even if the victim has never seen a troll or a beholder, the troll will still be more believable; it acts in a realistic manner, while the beholder does not. Thus, spellcasters are well-advised to create images of things they have seen, for the same reason authors are advised to write about things they know.

The next important consideration is to ask if the spell creates something that the victim expects. Which of these two illusions would be more believable--a huge dragon rising up behind a rank of attacking kobolds (puny little creatures) or a few ogres forming a line behind the kobolds? Most adventurers would find it hard to believe that a dragon would be working with kobolds. The dragon is far too powerful to associate with such little shrimps. Ogres, however, could very well work with kobolds--bossing them around and using them as cannon fodder. The key to a good illusion is to create something the victim does not expect but can quickly accept.

The most believable illusion may be that of a solid wall in a dungeon, transforming a passage into a dead end. Unless the victim is familiar with these hallways, he has no reason not to believe that the wall is there.

Of course, in a fantasy world many more things can be believed than in the real world. Flames do not spring out of nowhere in the real world, but this can happen in a fantasy world. The presence of magic in a fantasy world makes victims more willing to accept things our logic tells us cannot happen. A creature appearing out of nowhere could be an illusion or it could be summoned. At the same time, you must remember that a properly role-played character is familiar with the laws of his world. If a wall of flames appears out of nowhere, he will look for the spellcaster. A wall blocking a corridor may cause him to check for secret doors. If the illusion doesn't conform to his idea of how things work, the character should become suspicious. This is something you have to provide for your character and something you must remember when your character attempts to use illusions.

This then leads to the third factor in the believability of an illusion, how appropriate the illusion is for the situation. As mentioned before, the victim is going to have certain expectations about any given encounter. The best illusions reinforce these expectations to your character's advantage. Imagine that your group runs into a war party of orcs in the local forest. What could you do that would reinforce what the orcs might already believe? They see your group, armed and ready for battle. They do not know if you are alone or are the advance guard for a bigger troop. A good illusion could be the glint of metal and spear points coming up behind your party. Subtlety has its uses. The orcs will likely interpret your illusion as reinforcements to your group, enough to discourage them from attacking.

However, the limitations of each spell must be considered when judging appropriateness. A phantasmal force spell creates vision only. It does not provide sound, light, or heat. In the preceding situation, creating a troop of soldiers galloping up behind you would not have been believable. Where is the thunder of hooves, the creak of saddle leather, the shouts of your allies, the clank of drawn metal, or the whinny of horses? Orcs may  not be tremendously bright, but they are not fooled that easily. Likewise, a dragon that suddenly appears without a thunderous roar and dragonish stench isn't likely to be accepted as real. A wise spellcaster always considers the limitations of his illusions and finds ways to hide their weaknesses from the enemy.

An illusion spell, therefore, depends on its believability. Believability is determined by the situation and a saving throw. Under normal circumstances, those observing the illusion are allowed a saving throw vs. spell if they actively disbelieve the illusion. For player characters, disbelieving is an action in itself and takes a round. For NPCs and monsters, a normal saving throw is made if the DM deems it appropriate. The DM can give bonuses or penalties to this saving throw as he thinks appropriate. If the caster has cleverly prepared a realistic illusion, this certainly results in penalties on the victim's saving throw. If the victim were to rely more on scent than sight, on the other hand, it could gain bonuses to its saving throw. If the saving throw is passed, the victim sees the illusion for what it is. If the saving throw is failed, the victim believes the illusion. A good indication of when player characters should receive a positive modifier to their saving throws is when they say they don't believe what they see, especially if they can give reasons why.

There are rare instances when the saving throw may automatically succeed or fail. There are times when the illusion created is either so perfect or so utterly fantastic as to be impossible even in a fantasy world. Be warned, these occasions are very rare and you should not expect your characters to benefit from them more than once or twice.

In many encounters, some party members will believe an illusion while others see it for what it really is. In these cases, revealing the truth to those deluded by the spell is not a simple matter of telling them. The magic of the spell has seized their minds. Considered from their point of view, they se a horrible monster (or whatever) while a friend is telling them it isn't real. They know magic can affect people's minds, but whose mind has been affected in this case? At best, having an illusion pointed out grants another saving throw with a +4 bonus.

Illusions do have other limitations. The caster must maintain a show of reality at all times when conducting an illusion. (If a squad of low-level fighters is created, the caster dictates their hits, misses, damage inflicted, apparent wounds, and so forth, and the referee decides whether the bounds of believability have been exceeded.) Maintaining an illusion normally requires concentration on the part of the caster, preventing him from doing other things. Disturb him and the illusion vanishes.

Illusions are spells of trickery and deceit, not damage and destruction. Thus, illusions cannot be used to cause real damage. When a creature is caught in the blast of an illusionary fireball or struck by the claws of an illusionary troll, he thinks he takes damage. The DM should record the illusionary damage (but tell the player his character has taken real damage). If the character takes enough damage to "die," he collapses in a faint. A system shock roll should be made for the character. (His mind, believing the damage to be real, may cause his body to cease functioning!) If the character survives, he regains consciousness after 1d3 turns with his illusionary damage healed. In most cases, the character quickly realizes that it was all an illusion.

When an illusion creates a situation of inescapable death, such as a giant block dropping from the ceiling, all those believing the illusion must roll for system shock. If they fail, they die--killed by the sheer terror of the situation. If they pass, they are allowed a new saving throw with a +4 bonus. Those who pass recognize the illusion for what it is. Those who fail faint for 1d3 turns.

Illusions do not enable characters to defy normal physical laws. An illusionary bridge cannot support a character who steps on it, even if he believes the bridge is real. An illusionary wall does not actually cause a rock thrown at it to bounce off. However, affected creatures attempt to simulate the reality of what they see as much as possible. A character who falls into an illusionary pit drops to the ground as if he had fallen. A character may lean against an illusionary wall, not realizing that he isn't actually putting his weight on it. If the same character were suddenly pushed, he would find himself falling through the very wall he thought was solid!

Illusions of creatures do not automatically behave like those creatures, nor do they have those creatures' powers. This depends on the caster's ability and the victim's knowledge of the creatures. Illusionary creatures fight using the caster's combat ability. They take damage and die when their caster dictates it. An illusory orc could continue to fight, showing no damage, even after it had been struck a hundred or a thousand times. Of course, long before this its attackers will become suspicious. Illusionary creatures can have whatever special abilities the caster can make appear (i.e., a dragon's fiery breath or a troll's regeneration), but they do not necessarily have unseen special abilities. There is no way a caster can create the illusion of a basilisk's gaze that turns people to stone. However, these abilities might be manifested through the fears of the victims. For example, Rath the fighter meets an illusionary basilisk. Rath has fought these beasties before and knows what they can do. His gaze accidentally locks with that of the basilisk. Primed by his own fears, Rath must make a system shock roll to remain alive. But if Rath had never seen a basilisk and had no idea that the creature's gaze could turn him to stone, there is no way his mind could generate the fear necessary to kill him. Sometimes ignorance is bliss!


Adjudicating Illusions

All illusions are cases of DM adjudication; each depends upon the exact situational factors deemed significant by the DM. All of the following points are only subsidiary guidelines to help the DM maintain consistency.

Intrinsically Deadly Illusions: "Instant kill" illusions that are automatically fatal regardless of level, Hit Dice, or saving throws: collapsing ceilings, inescapable lava pits, etc. The absolute maximum effect of these is to force a system shock check. Surviving characters are not further affected by that illusion.

Spell Effects: Illusions that duplicate spell effects are keyed to the caster's level (for example, a 10th-level illusionist casting a fireball can create a convincing 10-die fireball). Exceeding this limit creates a fatal flaw in the illusion that negates its effect.

Monster Special Attacks: Before the caster can effectively duplicate a monster's special attack, the wizard must have undergone it (a wizard cannot conjure up the twinkle in a medusa's eye correctly without actually experiencing it--i.e., having been turned to stone by one).

Option: Illusionary monsters attack using the wizard's attack values. This would be a subtle clue that the monsters are fake.

Option: Extend the spell level control to monsters--the caster can create monsters only if the total monster Hit Dice are equal to or less than the caster's level (an 8th-level caster could convincingly do one hill giant, two ogres, or four 2nd-level fighters).

Illusion spells require a higher degree of DM-player interaction than other wizard spells. The timing and staging of such spells by the caster are extremely important. Effects that appear out of nowhere are not believed unless the caster takes this into account. On the other hand, an illusionary fireball cast after a wizard has cast a real one could have devastating effects.

The caster must maintain a show of realism at all times when conducting an illusion (if a squad of low-level fighters is created, the caster dictates their hits, misses, damage inflicted, apparent wounds, and so forth; the DM decides whether the bounds of believability have been exceeded).

NPC illusions require careful preparation by the DM, including clues to their nature.

Intelligence is the best defense against illusions. Low and nonintelligent creatures are more vulnerable to illusions, unless the illusion is completely outside their experience or the illusion touches on an area of the creatures' particular competence. Undead are generally immune to illusions, but they are vulnerable to quasi-real effects, most of which start to appear in the 4th-level spell list.

Illusions usually cease to affect a character if they are actively disbelieved. Disbelief must be stated by the player, based on clues provided by the DM. Players stating disbelief must give a reason for disbelief based on sensory information available to the character. Failure to give such a reason results in failure to disbelieve. The DM can impose additional requirements or delays in recognizing illusions (such as Intelligence checks) as needed, such as when one player is obviously parroting a discovery made by another. Disbelief automatically forfeits a saving throw if the effect is real.

For NPCs, a saving throw, Intelligence check, or DM adjudication can be used to determine disbelief (whichever the DM deems appropriate).


Priest Spells

The spells of a priest, while sometimes having powers similar to those of the wizard, are quite different in their overall tone. The priest's role, more often than not, is as defender and guide for others. Thus, the majority of his spells work to aid others or provide some service to the community in which he lives. Few of his spells are truly offensive, but many can be used cleverly to protect or defend.

Like the wizard, the priest's level determines how many spells he retains. He must select these spells in advance, demonstrating his wisdom and far-sightedness by choosing those spells he thinks will be most useful in the trials that lurk ahead.

Unlike the wizard, the priest needs no spell book and does not roll to see if he learns spells. Priest spells are obtained in an entirely different manner. To obtain his spells, a priest must be faithful to the cause of his deity. If the priest feels confident in this (and most do), he can pray for his spells. Through prayer, the priest humbly and politely requests those spells he wishes to memorize. Under normal circumstances, these spells are then granted.

A priest's spell selection is limited by his level and by the different spheres of spells. (The spheres of influence, into which priest spells are divided, can be found under "Priests of a Specific Mythoi" in Chapter 3: player Character Classes.) Within the major spheres of his deity, a priest can use any spell of a given level when he is able to cast spells of that level. Thus, a druid is able to cast any 2nd-level plant sphere spells when he is able to cast 2nd-level spells. For spells belonging to the minor spheres of the priest's deity, he can cast spells only up to 3rd level. The knowledge of what spells are available to the priest becomes instantly clear as soon as he advances in level. This, too, is bestowed by his deity.

Priests must pray to obtain spells, as they are requesting their abilities from some greater power, be it their deity or some intermediary agent of this power. The conditions for praying are identical to those needed for the wizard's studying. Clearly then, it behooves the priest to maintain himself in good standing with this power, through word and deed. Priests who slip in their duties, harbor indiscreet thoughts, or neglect their beliefs, find that their deity has an immediate method of redress. If the priest has failed in his duties, the deity can deny him spells as a clear message of dissatisfaction. For minor infractions, the deity can deny minor spells. Major failings result in the denial of major spells or, even worse, all spells. These can be regained if the character immediately begins to make amends for his errors. Perhaps the character only needs to be a little more vigilant, in the case of a minor fault. A serious transgression could require special service, such as a quest or some great sacrifice of goods. These are things your DM will decide, should your character veer from the straight and narrow path of his religion.

  Finally, your DM may rule that not all deities are equal, so that those of lesser power are unable to grant certain spells. If this optional rule is used, powers of demi-god status can only grant spells up to the 5th spell level. Lesser deities can grant 6th-level spells, while the greater deities have all spell levels available to them. You should inquire about this at the time you create your character (and decide which deity he worships), to prevent any unwelcome surprises later on.

Character Death

When a character reaches 0 hit points, that character is slain. The character is immediately dead and unable to do anything unless some specialized magical effect takes precedence.

Death from Poison

Poison complicates this situation. A character who dies as a result of poisoning still could have active venom in his system.

Poisons remain effective for 2d6 hours after the death of the victim. If the character is raised during this time, some method must be found to neutralize the poison before the character is restored to life. If this is not done, then after the character rolls the resurrection survival check given in "Raising the Dead," he must immediately roll a successful saving throw vs. poison or suffer all the effects of the poison in his body, as per the normal rules.

This may only injure some characters, but it may kill other characters seconds after being raised!

Death from Massive Damage

In addition to dying when hit points reach 0, a character also runs the risk of dying abruptly when he suffers massive amounts of damage. A character who suffers 50 or more points of damage from a single attack must roll a successful saving throw vs. death, or he dies.

This applies only if the damage was done by a single attack. Multiple attacks totaling 50 points in a single round don't require a saving throw.

For example, a character would be required to make a check if a dragon breathed on him for 72 points of damage. He wouldn't have to do so if eight orcs hit him for a total of 53 points of damage in that round.

If the saving throw is successful, the character remains alive (unless of course the 50-hit-point loss reduced his hit points to 0 or below). If the saving throw fails, the character immediately dies from the intense shock his body has taken. His hit points are reduced to 0. The character still can be raised in the normal ways, however.

Inescapable Death

There are occasions when death is unavoidable, no matter how many hit points a character has.

A character could be locked in a room with no exits, with a 50-ton ceiling descending to crush him. He could be trapped in an escape-proof box filled with acid. These examples are extreme (and extremely grisly), but they could happen in a fantasy world.

As a general guideline, inescapable deaths should be avoided--characters always should have some chance to escape a hopeless situation, preferably by using common sense and intelligence. This maintains the interest of the players and helps them retain their trust in the DM.

However, if a situation of inescapable death occurs, the character dies, and there is no need to play such a situation out round-by-round. Allow the player to attempt reasonable (and perhaps even truly heroic) methods of escape. If these fail, simply inform the player of the demise of his character. The doomed character is assumed to have lost all hit points.


Raising the Dead

Curative and healing spells have no effect on a dead character--he can only be returned to life with a raise dead or resurrection spell (or a device that accomplishes one of these effects). Each time a character is returned to life, the player must roll a resurrection survival check based on his character's current Constitution (see Table 3 in the Player's Handbook).

If the die roll is successful (i.e., the player rolls equal to or less than his resurrection survival percentage), the character is restored to life in whatever condition is specified by the spell or device.

A character restored to life in this way has his Constitution permanently lowered by 1 point. This can affect hit points previously earned.

Should the character's Constitution bonus go down, the character's hit point total is reduced by the appropriate number of hit points (the amount of hit point bonus lost is multiplied by the number of levels for which the character gained extra hit points from that bonus). When the character's Constitution drops to 0, that character can no longer be raised. He is permanently removed from play.


Hovering on Death's Door
Hovering on Death's Door (Optional Rule)

You might find that your campaign has become particularly deadly. Too many player characters are dying. If this happens, you may want to allow characters to survive for short periods of time even after their hit points reach or drop below 0.

When this rule is in use, a character can remain alive until his hit points reach -10. However, as soon as the character reaches 0 hit points, he falls to the ground unconscious.

Thereafter, he automatically loses one hit point each round. His survival from this point on depends on the quick thinking of his companions. If they reach the character before his hit points reach -10 and spend at least one round tending to his wounds--stanching the flow of blood, etc., the character does not die immediately.

If the only action is to bind his wounds, the injured character no longer loses one hit point each round, but neither does he gain any. He remains unconscious and vulnerable to damage from further attacks.

If a cure spell of some type is cast upon him, the character is immediately restored to 1 hit point--no more. Further cures do the character no good until he has had at least one day of rest. Until such time, he is weak and feeble, unable to fight and barely able to move. He must stop and rest often, can't cast spells (the shock of near death has wiped them from his mind), and is generally confused and feverish. He is able to move and can hold somewhat disjointed conversations, but that's it.

If a heal spell is cast on the character, has hit points are restored as per the spell, and he has full vitality and wits. Any spells he may have known are still wiped from his memory. (Even this powerful spell does not negate the shock of the experience.)


Classes

Table 13:

Class Ability Minimums

Character

Class	Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha

Fighter	9	-- 	--	--	--	--

Paladin*	12	--	9	--	13	17

Ranger*	13	13	14	--	14	--

Mage	--	--	--	9	--	--

Specialist*	Var	Var	Var	Var	Var	Var

Cleric	--	--	--	--	9	--

Druid*	--	--	--	--	12	15

Thief	--	9	--	--	--	--

Bard*	--	12	--	13	--	15

*Optional character class. Specialist includes illusionist.

Warrior

The warrior group encompasses the character classes of heroes who make their way in the world primarily by skill at arms: fighters, paladins, and rangers.

Warriors are allowed to use any weapon. They can wear any type of armor. Warriors get 1 to 10 (1d10) hit points per level and can gain a special Constitution hit point bonus that is available only to warriors.

The disadvantage warriors have is that they are restricted in their selection of magical items and spells.

All warriors use Table 14 to determine their advancement in level as they earn experience points.

All warriors gain one 10-sided hit die per level from 1st through 9th. After 9th level, warriors gain just 3 hit points per level and they no longer gain additional hit point bonuses for high Constitution scores.

Warrior Experience Levels

Hit

   Paladin/	Dice

Level	     Fighter	   Ranger	(d10)

  1	        	  0	             0	  1

  2	       2,000	       2,250	  2

  3	 	       4,000	       4,500	  3

  4	       8,000   	       9,000	  4

  5	     16,000	     18,000	  5

  6	     32,000	     36,000	  6

  7	     64,000	     75,000	  7

  8	   125,000	   150,000	  8

  9	   250,000	   300,000	  9

10	   500,000	   600,000	9+3

11	   750,000	   900,000	9+6

12	1,000,000	1,200,000	9+9

13	1,250,000	1,500,000	9+12

14	1,500,000	1,800,000	9+15

15	1,750,000	2,100,000	9+18

16	2,000,000	2,400,000	9+21

17	2,250,000	2,700,000	9+24

18	2,500,000	3,000,000	9+27

19	2,750,000	3,300,000	9+30

20	3,000,000	3,600,000	9+33

All warriors gain the ability to make more than one melee attack per round as they rise in level. Table 15 shows how many melee attacks fighters, paladins, and rangers can make per round, as a function of their levels.

Table 15:

Warrior Melee Attacks per Round

Warrior Level	Attacks/Round

1-6	     1/round

7-12	  3/2 rounds

13 & up	     2/round


Fighter

Ability Requirements:	Strength 9

Prime Requisite:	Strength

Allowed Races:	All

The principal attribute of a fighter is Strength. To become a fighter, a character must have a minimum Strength score of 9. A good Dexterity rating is highly desirable.

A fighter who has a Strength score (his prime requisite) of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Also, high Strength gives the fighter a better chance to hit an opponent and enables him to cause more damage.

The fighter is a warrior, an expert in weapons and, if he is clever, tactics and strategy. There are many famous fighter from legend: Hercules, Perseus, Hiawatha, Beowulf, Siegfried, Cuchulain, Little John, Tristan, and Sinbad. History is crowded with great generals and warriors: El Cid, Hannibal, Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, Spartacus, Richard the Lionheart, and Belisarius. Your fighter could be modeled after any of these, or he could be unique. A visit to your local library can uncover many heroic fighters.

Fighters can have any alignment: good or evil, lawful or chaotic, or neutral.

As a master of weapons, the fighter is the only character able to have weapon specialization (explained in Chapter 5). Weapon specialization enables the fighter to use a particular weapon with exceptional skill, improving his chances to hit and cause damage with that weapon. A fighter character is not required to specialize in a weapon; the choice is up to the player. No other character class--not even ranger or paladin--is allowed weapon specialization.

While fighters cannot cast magical spells, they can use many magical items, including potions, protection scrolls, most rings, and all forms of enchanted armor, weapons, and shields.

When a fighter attains 9th level (becomes a "Lord"), he can automatically attract men-at-arms. These soldiers, having heard of the fighter, come for the chance to gain fame, adventure, and cash. They are loyal as long as they are well-treated, successful, and paid well. Abusive treatment or a disastrous campaign can lead to grumbling, desertion, and possibly mutiny. To attract the men, the fighter must have a castle or stronghold and sizeable manor lands around it. As he claims and rules this land, soldiers journey to his domain, thereby increasing his power. Furthermore, the fighter can tax and develop these lands, gaining a steady income from them. Your DM has information about gaining and running a barony.

  In addition to regular men-at-arms, the 9th-level fighter also attracts an elite bodyguard (his "household guards"). Although these soldiers are still mercenaries, they have greater loyalty to their Lord than do common soldiers. In return, they expect better treatment and more pay than the common soldier receives. Although the elite unit can be chosen randomly, it is better to ask your DM what unit your fighter attracts. This allows him to choose a troop consistent with the campaign.


Paladin

Ability Requirements:	Strength 12

Constitution 9

Wisdom 13

Charisma 17

Prime Requisites:	Strength, Charisma

Races Allowed:	Human

The paladin is a noble and heroic warrior, the symbol of all that is right and true in the world. As such, he has high ideals that he must maintain at all times. Throughout legend and history there are many heroes who could be called paladins: Roland and the 12 Peers of Charlemagne, Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawain, and Sir Galahad are all examples of the class. However, many brave and heroic soldiers have tried and failed to live up to the ideals of the paladin. It is not an easy task!

Only a human may become a paladin. He must have minimum ability scores of Strength 12, Constitution 9, Wisdom 13, and Charisma 17. Strength and Charisma are the prime requisites of the paladin. A paladin must be lawful good in alignment and must always remain lawful good. A paladin who changes alignment, either deliberately or inadvertently, loses all his special powers -- sometimes only temporarily and sometimes forever. He can use any weapon and wear any type of armor.

A paladin who has Strength and Charisma scores of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Lawfulness and good deeds are the meat and drink of a paladin. If a paladin ever knowingly performs a chaotic act, he must seek a high-level (7th or more) cleric of lawful good alignment, confess his sin, and do penance as prescribed by the cleric. If a paladin should ever knowingly and willingly perform an evil act, he loses the status of paladinhood immediately and irrevocably. All benefits are then lost and no deed or magic can restore the character to paladinhood: He is ever after a fighter. The character's level remains unchanged when this occurs and experience points are adjusted accordingly. Thereafter the character is bound by the rules for fighters. He does not gain the benefits of weapon specialization (if this is used) since he did not select this for his character at the start.

If the paladin commits an evil act while enchanted or controlled by magic, he loses his paladin status until he can atone for the deed. This loss of status means the character loses all his special abilities and essentially functions as a fighter (without weapon specialization) of the same level. Regaining his status undoubtedly requires completion of some dangerous quest or important mission to once again prove his worth and assuage his own guilt. He gains no experience prior to or during the course of this mission, and regains his standing as a paladin only upon completing the quest.

A paladin has the following special benefits:

A paladin can detect the presence of evil intent up to 60 feet away by concentrating on locating evil in a particular direction. He can do this as often as desired, but each attempt takes one round. This ability detects evil monsters and characters.

A paladin receives a +2 bonus to all saving throws.

A paladin is immune to all forms of disease. (Note that certain magical afflictions --lycanthropy and mummy rot --are curses and not diseases.)

A paladin can heal by laying on hands. The paladin restores 2 hit points per experience level. He can heal himself or someone else, but only once per day.

A paladin can cure diseases of all sorts (though not cursed afflictions such as lycanthropy). This can be done only once per week for each five levels of experience (once per week at levels 1 through 5, twice per week at levels 6 through 10, etc.).

A paladin is surrounded by an aura of protection with a 10-foot radius. Within this radius, all summoned and specifically evil creatures suffer a -1 penalty to their attack rolls, regardless of whom they attack. Creatures affected by this aura can spot its source easily, even if the paladin is disguised.

A paladin using a holy sword projects a circle of power 10 feet in diameter when the sword is unsheathed and held. This power dispels hostile magic of a level up to the paladin's experience level. (A holy sword is a very special weapon; if your paladin acquires one, the DM will explain its other powers.)

A paladin gains the power to turn undead and fiends when he reaches 3rd level. He affects these monsters the same as does a cleric two levels lower--for example, at 3rd level he has the turning power of a 1st-level cleric. See the section on priests for more details on this ability.

A paladin may call for his war horse upon reaching 4th level, or anytime thereafter. This faithful steed need not be a horse; it may be whatever sort of creature is appropriate to the character (as decided by the DM). A paladin's war horse is a very special animal, bonded by fate to the warrior. The paladin does not really "call" the animal, nor does the horse instantly appear in front of him. Rather, the character must find his war horse in some memorable way, most frequently by a specific quest.

A paladin can cast priest spells once he reaches 9th level. He can cast only spells of the combat, divination, healing, and protective spheres. (Spheres are explained in the Priest section.) The acquisition and casting of these spells abide by the rules given for priests.

The spell progression and casting level are listed in Table 17. Unlike a priest, the paladin does not gain extra spells for a high Wisdom score. The paladin cannot cast spells from clerical or druidical scrolls nor can he use priest items unless they are allowed to the warrior group.

Table 17:

Paladin Spell Progression

Paladin	Casting	    Priest Spell Level

Level	Level	1	2	3	4

  9	    1	1	--	--	--

10	    2	2	--	--	--

11	    3	2	1	--	--

12	    4	2	2	--	--

13	    5	2	2	1	--

14	    6	3	2	1	--

15	    7	3	2	1	1

16	    8	3	3	2	1

17	    9*	3	3	3	1

18	    9*	3	3	3	1

19	    9*	3	3	3	2

20*	    9*	3	3	3	3

* Maximum spell ability

A paladin may not possess more than 10 magical items. Furthermore, these may not exceed one suit of armor, one shield, four weapons (arrows and bolts are not counted), and four other magical items.

A paladin never retains wealth. He may keep only enough treasure to support himself in a modest manner, pay his henchmen, men-at-arms, and servitors a reasonable rate, and to construct or maintain a small castle or keep (funds can be set aside for this purpose). All excess must be donated to the church or another worthy cause. This money can never be given to another player character or NPC controlled by a player.

A paladin must tithe to whatever charitable, religious institution of lawful good alignment he serves. A tithe is 10% of the paladin's income, whether coins, jewels, magical items, wages, rewards, or taxes. It must be paid immediately.

A paladin does not attract a body of followers upon reaching 9th level or building a castle. However, he can still hire soldiers and specialists, although these men must be lawful good in comportment.

  A paladin may employ only lawful good henchmen (or those who act in such a manner when alignment is unknown). A paladin will cooperate with characters of other alignments only as long as they behave themselves. He will try to show them the proper way to live through both word and deed. The paladin realizes that most people simply cannot maintain his high standards. Even thieves can be tolerated, provided they are not evil and are sincerely trying to reform. He will not abide the company of those who commit evil or unrighteous acts. Stealth in the cause of good is acceptable, though only as a last resort.


Ranger

Ability Requirements:	Strength 13

Dexterity 13

Constitution 14

Wisdom 14

Prime Requisites:	Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom

Races Allowed:	Human, Elf, Half-elf

The ranger is a hunter and woodsman who lives by not only his sword, but also his wits. Robin Hood, Orion, Jack the giant killer, and the huntresses of Diana are examples of rangers from history and legend. The abilities of the ranger make him particularly good at tracking, woodcraft, and spying.

Table 18:

Ranger Abilities

Ranger	Hide in	Move	Casting	Priest Spell Levels

Level	Shadows	Silently	Level	1	2	3

  1	10% 	15% 	--	--	--	--

  2	15% 	21% 	--	--	--	--

  3	20% 	27% 	--	--	--	--

  4	25% 	33% 	--	--	--	--

  5	31% 	40% 	--	--	--	--

  6	37% 	47% 	--	--	--	--

  7	43% 	55% 	--	--	--	--

  8	49% 	62% 	1	1	--	--

  9	56% 	70% 	2	2	--	--

10	63% 	78% 	3	2	1	--

11	70% 	86% 	4	2	2	--

12	77% 	94% 	5	2	2	1

13	85% 	99%* 	6	3	2	1

14	93% 	99% 	7	3	2	2

15	99%* 	99% 	8	3	3	2

16	99% 	99% 	9	3	3**	3

* Maximum percentile score

** Maximum spell ability

The ranger must have scores not less than 13 in Strength, 14 in Constitution, 13 in Dexterity, and 14 in Wisdom. The prime requisites of the ranger are Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom. Rangers are always good, but they can be lawful, neutral, or chaotic. It is in the ranger's heart to do good, but not always by the rules.

A ranger who has Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom scores of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Although the ranger can use any weapon and wear any armor, several of his special abilities are usable only when he is wearing studded leather or lighter armor.

Although he has the basic skills of a warrior, the ranger also has several advantages. When wearing studded leather or lighter armor, a ranger can fight two-handed with no penalty to his attack rolls (see "Attacking with Two Weapons" in Chapter 9: Combat). Obviously, the ranger cannot use a shield when fighting this way. A ranger can still fight with two weapons while wearing heavier armor than studded leather, but he suffers the standard attack roll penalties.

The ranger is skilled woodsman. Even if the optional proficiency rules are not used, the ranger has tracking proficiency. If the proficiency rules are used in your campaign, the ranger knows tracking without expending any points. Furthermore, this skill improves by +1 for every three levels the ranger has earned (3rd to 5th level, +1; 6th to 8th level, +2, etc.). While wearing studded leather or lighter armor, the ranger can try to move silently and hide in shadows. His chance to succeed in natural surroundings is given on Table 18 (modified by the ranger's race and Dexterity, as given on Tables 27 and 28). When attempting these actions in non-natural surroundings (a musty crypt or city streets) the chance of success is halved. Hiding in shadows and moving silently are not possible in any armor heavier than studded leather--the armor is inflexible and makes too much noise.

In their roles as protector of good, rangers tend to focus their efforts against some particular creature, usually one that marauds their homeland. Before advancing to 2nd level, every ranger must select a species enemy. Typical enemies include giants, orcs, lizard men, trolls, or ghouls; your DM has final approval on the choice. Thereafter, whenever the ranger encounters that enemy, he gains a +4 bonus to his attack rolls. This enmity can be concealed only with great difficulty, so the ranger suffers a -4 penalty on all encounter reactions with creatures of the hated type. Furthermore, the ranger will actively seek out this enemy in combat in preference to all other foes unless someone else presents a much greater danger.

Rangers are adept with both trained and untamed creatures, having a limited degree of animal empathy. If a ranger carefully approaches or tends any natural animal, he can try to modify the animal's reactions. (A natural animal is one that can be found in the real world -- a bear, snake, zebra, etc.)

When dealing with domestic or non-hostile animals, a ranger can approach the animal and befriend it automatically. He can easily discern the qualities of the creature (spotting the best horse in the corral or seeing that the runt of the litter actually has great promise).

When dealing with a wild animal or an animal trained to attack, the animal must roll a saving throw vs. rods to resist the ranger's overtures. (This table is used even though the ranger's power is non-magical.) The ranger imposes a -1 penalty on the die roll for every three experience levels he has earned (-1 at 1st to 3rd, -2 at 4th to 6th, etc.). If the creature fails the saving throw, its reaction can be shifted one category as the ranger chooses. Of course, the ranger must be at the front of the party and must approach the creature fearlessly.

For example, Beornhelm, a 7th-level ranger, is leading his friends through the woods. On entering a clearing, he spots a hungry black bear blocking the path on the other side. Signaling his friends to wait, Beornhelm approaches the beast, whispering soothing words. The DM rolls a saving throw vs. rods for the bear, modified by -3 for Beornhelm's level. The bear's normal reaction is unfriendly, but Beornhelm's presence reduces this to neutral. The party waits patiently until the bear wanders off to seek its dinner elsewhere.

Later, Beornhelm goes to the horse market to get a new mount. The dealer shows him a spirited horse, notorious for being vicious and stubborn. Beornhelm approaches it carefully, again speaking soothingly, and mounts the stallion with no difficulty. Ridden by Beornhelm, the horse is spirited but well-behaved. Approached by anyone else, the horse reverts to its old ways.

A ranger can learn priest spells, but only those of the plant or animal spheres (see "Priest" later in this chapter), when he reaches 8th level (see Table 18). He gains and uses his spells according to the rules given for priests. He does not gain bonus spells for a high Wisdom score, nor is he ever able to use priest scrolls or magical items unless specially noted otherwise.

Rangers can build castles, forts, or strongholds, but do not gain any special followers by doing so.

At 10th level, a ranger attracts 2d6 followers. These followers might be normal humans, but they are often animals or even stranger denizens of the land. Table 19 can be used to determine these, or your DM may assign specific followers.

Table 19:

Ranger's Followers

Die

Roll	Follower

01-10	Bear, black

11-20	Bear, brown

  21	Brownie*

22-26	Cleric (human)

27-38	Dog/wolf

39-40	Druid

41-50	Falcon

51-53	Fighter (elf)

54-55	Fighter (gnome)

56-57	Fighter (halfling)

58-65	Fighter (human)

  66	Fighter/mage (elf)*

67-72	Great cat (tiger, lion, etc.)*

  73	Hippogriff

  74	Pegasus*

  75	Pixie*

76-80	Ranger (half-elf)

81-90	Ranger (human)

91-94	Raven

  95	Satyr*

  96	Thief (halfling)

  97	Thief (human)

  98	Treant*

  99	Werebear/weretiger*

  00	Other wilderness creature (chosen by the DM)

*If the ranger already has a follower of this type, ignore this result and roll again.

Of course, your DM can assign particular creatures, either choosing from the list above or from any other source. He can also rule that certain creatures are not found in the region -- it is highly unlikely that a tiger would come wandering through a territory similar to western Europe!

These followers arrive over the course of several months. often they are encountered during the ranger's adventures (allowing you and your DM a chance to role-play the initial meeting). While the followers are automatically loyal and friendly toward the ranger, their future behavior depends on the ranger's treatment of them. In all cases, the ranger does not gain any special method of communicating with his followers. He must either have some way of speaking to them or they simply mutely accompany him on his journeys. ("Yeah, this bear's been with me for years. Don't know why--he just seems to follow me around. I don't own him and can't tell him to do anything he don't want to do," said the grizzled old woodsman sitting outside the tavern.)

Of course, the ranger is not obligated to take on followers. If he prefers to remain independent, he can release his followers at any time. They reluctantly depart, but stand ready to answer any call for aid he might put out at a later time.

Like the paladin, the ranger has a code of behavior.

A ranger must always retain his good alignment. If the ranger intentionally commits an evil act, he automatically loses his ranger status. Thereafter he is considered a fighter of the same level (if he has more experience points than a fighter of his level, he loses all the excess experience points). His ranger status can never be regained. If the ranger involuntarily commits an evil act (perhaps in a situation of no choice), he cannot earn any more experience points until he has cleansed himself of that evil. This can be accomplished by correcting the wrongs he committed, revenging himself on the person who forced him to commit the act, or releasing those oppressed by evil. The ranger instinctively knows what things he must do to regain his status (i.e., the DM creates a special adventure for the character).

Furthermore, rangers tend to be loners, men constantly on the move. They cannot have henchmen, hirelings, mercenaries, or even servants until they reach 8th level. While they can have any monetary amount of treasure, they cannot have more treasure than they can carry. Excess treasure must either be converted to a portable form or donated to a worthy institution (an NPC group, not a player character).


Wizard

The wizard group encompasses all spellcasters working in the various fields of magic--both those who specialize in specific schools of magic and those who study a broad range of magical theories. Spending their lives in pursuit of arcane wisdom, wizards have little time for physical endeavors. They tend to be poor fighters with little knowledge of weaponry. However, they command powerful and dangerous energies with a few simple gestures, rare components, and mystical words.

Spells are the tools, weapons, and armor of the wizard. He is weak in a toe-to-toe fight, but when prepared he can strike down his foes at a distance, vanish in an instant, become a wholly different creature, or even invade the mind of an enemy and take control of his thoughts and actions. No secrets are safe from a wizard and no fortress is secure. His quest for knowledge and power often leads him into realms where mortals were never meant to go.

Wizards cannot wear any armor, for several reasons. Firstly, most spells require complicated gestures and odd posturings by the caster and armor restricts the wearer's ability to do these properly. Secondly, the wizard spent his youth (and will spend most of his life) learning arcane languages, poring through old books, and practicing his spells. This leaves no time for learning other things (like how to wear armor properly and use it effectively). If the wizard had spent his time learning about armor, he would not have even the meager skills and powers he begins with. There are even unfounded theories that claim the materials in most armors disrupt the delicate fabric of a spell as it gathers energy; the two cannot exist side by side in harmony. While this idea is popular with the common people, true wizards know this is simply not true. If it were, how would they ever be able to cast spells requiring iron braziers or metal bowls?

For similar reasons, wizards are severely restricted in the weapons they can use. They are limited to those that are easy to learn or are sometimes useful in their own research. Hence, a wizard can use a dagger or a staff, items that are traditionally useful in magical studies. Other weapons allowed are darts, knives, and slings (weapons that require little skill, little strength, or both).

Wizards can use more magical items than any other characters. These include potions, rings, wands, rods, scrolls, and most miscellaneous magical items. A wizard can use a magical version of any weapon allowed to his class but cannot use magical armor, because no armor is allowed. Between their spells and magical items, however, wizards wield great power.

Finally, all wizards (whether mages or specialists) can create new magical items, ranging from simple scrolls and potions to powerful staves and magical swords. Once he reaches 9th level, a wizard can pen magical scrolls and brew potions. He can construct more powerful magical items only after he has learned the appropriate spells (or works with someone who knows them). Your DM should consult the Spell Research and Magical Items sections of the DMG for more information.

No matter what school of magic the wizard is involved in, Intelligence is his prime requisite (or one of several prime requisites). Characters must have an Intelligence score of at least 9 to qualify to be a wizard.

All wizards use Table 20 to determine their advancement in level as they earn experience points. They also use Table 21 to determine the levels and numbers of spells they can cast at each experience level.

All wizards gain one four-sided Hit Die (1d4) per level from 1st through 10th levels. After 10th level, wizards earn 1 hit point per level and they no longer gain additional hit point bonuses for high Constitution scores.

Wizards are the most iconoclastic and self-important of all the character classes, for they are unique among all character classes. The peasant can pick up a sword and fight; a pious man can hope to serve his faith; a local wag can spin a good tale; and an unprincipled cad can rob the local merchants. But no one other than a wizard can cast magical spells. The need for highly specialized training truly sets them apart, and they know it.

When mages gather, they tend to form societies or associations, organizations for men who speak of things not understood by the common folk (much like scientists today). But wizards are too fractious and independent a lot to organize themselves into proper unions--they can barely manage to form moderately organized guilds.

Generally, their groups exist for such high-minded reasons as to "facilitate the exchange of knowledge" or "advance the state of the science of magic." Some prepare texts or papers to share with fellow mages, detailing their latest experiments and discoveries or outlining some new theory. They enjoy the recognition of their peers as much as anyone.

To outsiders, wizards seem aloof and daunting. Like craftsmen, they are most comfortable in the company of their fellows, speaking a language they all understand. The untrained, even apprentices, are intruders upon this fellowship and are apt to receive an icy and rude reception.

Wizards are an eccentric, even perverse, lot. They're likely to be found just about anywhere. Nonetheless, they have an affinity for civilization, ranging from small villages to vast cities. Only a few mages actually care to adventure since it is an extremely dangerous undertaking to which they are ill-trained and ill-suited. The vast majority spend their time experimenting in seclusion or working in the service of others, preferably well paid.

Many mages, especially those of lesser ability, turn their art to practical ends--almost every village has a fellow who can whip up a few useful spells to help with the lambing or simplify the construction of a house. In larger cities, these mages become more specialized, such that one might lend his talents to construction, another to the finding of lost things, and a third to aiding the local jewelers in their craft.

Nearly all major families, merchant princes, and nobles have a mage or two in their employ. A few attempt (generally without success) to have these wizards mass-produce magical items. The problem is that wizards are as difficult to manage as rangers or paladins. They do not care for others bossing them around or encroaching upon their perceived privileges and rights, especially since they have the magical resources to make their displeasure known. Also, they are usually kept busy finding ways to strike at their employer's rivals (or thwarting such attempts against their own lord). Foolish is the king who does not have a personal wizard, and lamentable is the ruler who trusts the wrong mage.

Not all wizards spend their time in the service of others. Some seek naught but knowledge. These scholar-mages tend to be viewed much like great university professors today--noble and distant, pursuing truth for its own sake. While not directly in the service of others, they can sometimes be commissioned to perform some duty or answer some question.

The wealthy often provide endowments for such men, not to buy their services (which aren't for sale) but to curry their favor in hopes that they will provide honor, glory, and just perhaps something useful. This situation is not unlike that of the great artists of the Renaissance who were supported by princes hoping to impress and outdo their rivals.

There are wizards who spend all their time shut away from humanity in dark, forbidding towers or gloomy, bat-infested caves. Here they may live in rooms where opulent splendor mingles with damp foulness. Perhaps the strains and demands of their art have driven them mad. Perhaps they live as they do because they see and know more than other men. Who knows? They are, after all, eccentric in the extreme.

Table 20:

Wizard Experience Levels

Level	Mage/Specialist	Hit Dice (d4)

  1	              0	    1

  2	       2,500	    2

  3	       5,000	    3

  4	     10,000	    4

  5	     20,000	    5

  6	     40,000	    6

  7	     60,000	    7

  8	     90,000	    8

  9	   135,000	    9

10	   250,000	  10

11	   375,000	10+1

12	   750,000	10+2

13	1,125,000	10+3

14	1,500,000	10+4

15	1,875,000	10+5

16	2,250,000	10+6

17	2,625,000	10+7

18	3,000,000	10+8

19	3,375,000	10+9

20	3,750,000	10+10

Table 21:

Wizard Spell Progression

Wizard	Spell Level

Level	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

  1	1	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

  2	2	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

  3	2	1	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

  4	3	2	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

  5	4	2	1	--	--	--	--	--	--

  6	4	2	2	--	--	--	--	--	--

  7	4	3	2	1	--	--	--	--	--

  8	4	3	3	2	--	--	--	--	--

  9	4	3	3	2	1	--	--	--	--

10	4	4	3	2	2	--	--	--	--

11	4	4	4	3	3	--	--	--	--

12	4	4	4	4	4	1	--	--	--

13	5	5	5	4	4	2	--	--	--

14	5	5	5	4	4	2	1	--	--

15	5	5	5	5	5	2	1	--	--

16	5	5	5	5	5	3	2	1	--

17	5	5	5	5	5	3	3	2	--

18	5	5	5	5	5	3	3	2	1

19	5	5	5	5	5	3	3	3	1

20	5	5	5	5	5	4	3	3	2

Learning and casting spells require long study, patience, and research. Once his adventuring life begins, a wizard is largely responsible for his own education; he no longer has a teacher looking over his shoulder and telling him which spell to learn next. This freedom is not without its price, however. It means that the wizard must find his own source for magical knowledge: libraries, guilds, or captured books and scrolls.

Whenever a wizard discovers instructions for a spell he doesn't know, he can try to read and understand the instructions. The player must roll percentile dice. If the result is equal to or less than the percentage chance to learn a new spell (listed on Table 4), the character understands the spell and how to cast it. He can enter the spell in his spell book (unless he has already learned the maximum number of spells allowed for that level). If this die roll is higher than the character's chance to learn the spell, he doesn't understand the spell. Once a spell is learned, it cannot be unlearned. It remains part of that character's repertoire forever. Thus, a character cannot choose to "forget" a spell so as to replace it with another.

A wizard's spell book can be a single book, a set of books, a bundle of scrolls, or anything else your DM allows. The spell book is the wizard's diary, laboratory journal, and encyclopedia, containing a record of everything he knows. Naturally, it is his most treasured possession; without it he is almost helpless.

A spell book contains the complicated instructions for casting the spell -- the spell's recipe, so to speak. Merely reading these instructions aloud or trying to mimic the instructions does not enable one to cast the spell. Spells gather and shape mystical energies; the procedures involved are very demanding, bizarre, and intricate. Before a wizard can actually cast a spell, he must memorize its arcane formula. This locks an energy pattern for that particular spell into his mind. Once he has the spell memorized, it remains in his memory until he uses the exact combination of gestures, words, and materials that triggers the release of this energy pattern. Upon casting, the energy of the spell is spent, wiped clean from the wizard's mind. The wizard cannot cast that spell again until he returns to his spell book and memorizes it again.

Initially the wizard is able to retain only a few of these magical energies in his mind at one time. Furthermore, some spells are more demanding and complex than others; these are impossible for the inexperienced wizard to memorize. With experience, the wizard's talent expands. He can memorize more spells and more complex spells. Still, he never escapes his need to study; the wizard must always return to his spell books to refresh his powers.

Another important power of the wizard is his ability to research new spells and construct magical items. Both endeavors are difficult, time-consuming, costly, occasionally even perilous. Through research, a wizard can create an entirely new spell, subject to the DM's approval. Likewise, by consulting with your DM, your character can build magical items, either similar to those already given in the rules or of your own design. Your DM has information concerning spell research and magical item creation.

  Unlike many other characters, wizards gain no special benefits from building a fortress or stronghold. They can own property and receive the normal benefits, such as monthly income and mercenaries for protection. However, the reputations of wizards tend to discourage people from flocking to their doors. At best, a wizard may acquire a few henchmen and apprentices to help in his work.


Mage

Ability Requirements:	Intelligence 9

Prime Requisite:	Intelligence

Races Allowed:	Human, Elf, Half-elf

Mages are the most versatile types of wizards, those who choose not to specialize in any single school of magic. This is both an advantage and disadvantage. On the positive side, the mage's selection of spells enables him to deal with many different situations. (Wizards who study within a single school of magic learn highly specialized spells, but at the expense of spells from other areas.) The other side of the coin is that the mage's ability to learn specialized spells is limited compared to the specialist's.

Mages have no historical counterparts; they exist only in legend and myth. However, players can model their characters after such legendary figures as Merlin, Circe, or Medea. Accounts of powerful wizards and sorceresses are rare, since their reputations are based in no small part on the mystery that surrounds them. These legendary figures worked toward secret ends, seldom confiding in the normal folk around them.

  A mage who has an Intelligence score of 16 or higher gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

The Schools of Magic

Spells are divided into nine different categories, or schools, according to the types of magical energy they utilize. Each school has its own special methods and practices.

Although they are called schools, schools of magic are not organized places where a person goes to study. The word "school" identifies a magical discipline. A school is an approach to magic and spellcasting that emphasizes a particular sort of spell. Practitioners of a school of magic may set up a magical university to teach their methods to beginners, but this is not necessary. Many powerful wizards learned their craft studying under reclusive masters in distant lands.

The nine schools of magic are Abjuration, Alteration, Conjuration/Summoning, Enchantment/Charm, Greater Divination, Illusion, Invocation/Evocation, Necromancy, and Lesser Divination.

Table 22:

Wizard Specialist Requirements

Minimum

Ability

Specialist	School	Race	Score	Opposition School(s)

Abjurer	Abjuration	H	15 Wis	Alteration & Illusion

Conjurer	Conj./Summ.	H, ½ E	15 Con	Gr. Divin. & Invocation

Diviner	Gr. Divin.	H, ½ E, E	16 Wis	Conj./Summ.

Enchanter	Ench./Charm	H, ½ E, E	16 Cha	Invoc./Evoc. & 	Necromancy

Illusionist	Illusion	H, G	16 Dex	Necro.,Invoc./Evoc., 	Abjur.

Invoker	Invoc./Evoc.	H	16 Con	Ench./Charm & 	Conj./Summ.

Necromancer	Necromancy	H	16 Wis	Illusion & Ench./Charm

Transmuter	Alteration	H, ½ E	15 Dex	Abjuration & Necromancy

This diagram illustrates the schools that oppose each other. See Table 22 and its entry descriptions for more information.

Of these schools, eight are greater schools while the ninth, lesser divination, is a minor school. The minor school of lesser divination includes all divination spells of the 4th spell level or less (available to all wizards). Greater divinations are those divination spells of the 5th spell or higher.


Specialist Wizards

A wizard who concentrates his effort in a single school of magic is called a specialist. There are specialists in each type of magic, although some are extremely rare. Not all specialists are well-suited to adventuring--the diviner's spells are limited and not generally useful in dangerous situations. On the other hand, player characters might want to consult an NPC diviner before starting an adventure.

Specialist wizards have advantages and disadvantages when compared to mages. Their chance to know spells of their school of magic is greatly increased, but the intensive study results in a smaller chance to know spells outside their school. The number of spells they can cast increases, but they lose the ability to cast spells of the school in opposition to their specialty (opposite it in the diagram). Their ability to research and create new spells within their specialty is increased, but the initial selection of spells in their school may be quite limited. All in all, players must consider the advantages and disadvantages carefully.

Not all wizards can become specialists. The player character must meet certain requirements to become a specialist. Most specialist wizards must be single-classed; multi-classed characters cannot become specialists, except for gnomes, who seem to have more of a natural bent for the school of illusion than characters of any other race. Dual-class humans can choose to become specialists. The dedication to the particular school of magic requires all the attention and concentration of the character. He does not have time for other class-related pursuits.

In addition, each school has different restrictions on race, ability scores, and schools of magic allowed. These restrictions are given on Table 22. Note that lesser divination is not available as a specialty. The spells of this group, vital to the functioning of a wizard, are available to all wizards.

Race lists those races that, either through a natural tendency or a quirk of fate, are allowed to specialize in that art. Note that the gnome, though unable to be a regular mage, can specialize in illusions.

Minimum Ability Score lists the ability minimums needed to study intensively in that school. All schools require at least the minimum Intelligence demanded of a mage and an additional prime requisite, as listed.

Opposition School(s) always includes the school directly opposite the character's school of study in the diagram. In addition, the schools to either side of this one may also be disallowed due to the nature of the character's school. For example, an invoker/evoker cannot learn enchantment/charm or conjuration/summoning spells and cannot use magical items that duplicate spells from these schools.

Being a specialist does have significant advantages to balance the trade-offs the character must make. These are listed here:

 	A specialist gains one additional spell per spell level, provided the additional spell is taken in the specialist's school. Thus, a 1st-level illusionist could have two spells--one being any spell he knows and the other limited to spells of the illusion school.

 	Because specialists have an enhanced understanding of spells within their school, they receive a +1 bonus when making saving throws against those spells when cast by other wizards. Likewise, other characters suffer a -1 penalty when making saving throws against a specialist casting spells within his school. Both of these modifiers can be in effect at the same time--for example, when an enchanter casts an enchantment spell at another enchanter, the modifiers cancel each other out.

 	Specialists receive a bonus of +15% when learning spells from their school and a penalty of -15% when learning spells from other schools. The bonus or penalty is applied to the percentile dice roll the player must make when the character tries to learn a new spell (see Table 4).

 	Whenever a specialist reaches a new spell level, he automatically gains one spell of his school to add to his spell books. This spell can be selected by the DM or he can allow the player to pick. No roll for learning the spell need be made. It is assumed that the character has discovered this new spell during the course of his research and study.

   When a specialist wizard attempts to create a new spell (using the rules given in the DMG), the DM should count the new spell as one level less (for determining the difficulty) if the spell falls within the school of the specialist. An enchanter attempting to create a new enchantment spell would have an easier time of it than an illusionist attempting to do the same.


Illusionist

Ability Requirements:	Dexterity 16

Prime Requisite:	Intelligence

Races Allowed:	Human, Gnome

The illusionist is an example of a specialist. The description of the illusionist given here can be used as a guide for creating wizards specializing in other magical schools.

First, the school of illusion is a very demanding field of study. To specialize as an illusionist, a wizard needs a Dexterity score of at least 16.

An illusionist who has an Intelligence of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Because the illusionist knows far more about illusions than the standard wizard, he is allowed a +1 bonus when rolling saving throws against illusions; other characters suffer a -1 penalty when rolling saving throws against his illusions. (These modifiers apply only if the spell allows a saving throw.)

Through the course of his studies, the illusionist has become adept at memorizing illusion spells (though it is still an arduous process). He can memorize an extra illusion spell at each spell level. Thus, as a 1st-level caster he can memorize two spells, although at least one of these must be an illusion spell.

Later, when he begins to research new spells for his collection, he finds it easier to devise new illusion spells to fill specialized needs. Research in other schools is harder and more time consuming for him.

Finally, the intense study of illusion magic prevents the character from mastering the other classes of spells that are totally alien to the illusion school (those diametrically opposite illusion on the diagram). Thus, the illusionist cannot learn spells from the schools of necromancy, invocation/evocation, or abjuration.

As an example, consider Joinville the illusionist. He has an Intelligence score of 15. In the course of his travels he captures an enemy wizard's spell book that contains an improved invisibility spell, a continual light spell, and a fireball spell, none of which are in Joinville's spell book. He has an 80% chance to learn the improved invisibility spell. Continual light is an alteration spell, however, so his chance to learn it is only 50% (consult Table 4 to see where these figures come from). He cannot learn the fireball spell, or even transcribe it into his spell book, because it is an evocation spell.


Wild Magic

One of the newest discoveries from the great lands of the Forgotten Realms is wild magic. Originally considered little more than the unfortunate by-product of an epic struggle among the gods of that world, the strange effects of the wild lands (as those areas affected by wild magic are known) have attracted the attention of many a curious or scholarly wizard.

In general, two types of wizards are drawn to these strange areas. The first are the researchers: wizards devoted to the study of the theoretical underpinnings of magic. For them, the wild areas expose long-hidden secrets of the magical universe and give new insights into how magical energy functions. From their work have evolved the beginnings of a theory of random magic--one that defies the traditional schools.

The second type of wizard drawn to the wild lands is far less rigorous and methodical. These spellcasters are attracted by the sheer randomness and uncertainty of the wild lands. Such mages seek to incorporate wild magic into their spells by combining traditional magic with the new theories of random magic, throwing in a dose of their own chaotic natures as an extra measure. These wizards are the true wild mages who have been seen recently in various lands.

Although initially discovered and researched on Toril, the FORGOTTEN REALMS® campaign world, the art of wild magic has quickly spread to other places. Wild mages, through teleporting, spelljamming, planar hopping, and even walking, have carried the precepts of wild magic to lands and worlds far removed from Toril.

Wild Mages

With the discovery of wild magic has come the appearance of wizards devoted to its study. Like their traditional specialist brethren, wild mages have thrown themselves into the intense study of a single aspect of magic. This has given them unique benefits and restrictions on their powers. Wild magic is so different from traditional magic that only those devoted to its study may cast wild magic; no wizard other than a wild mage may attempt to use the spells of wild magic.

Wild mages are by no means specialist wizards--at least not in the traditional sense. Wild mages do not study within the confines of schools. Instead, their research into new theories of wild magic carries them into all different fields. Wild magic has strengths in some areas (particularly divination and evocation), but it is not confined to any single school of magic. The proponents of wild magic proudly trumpet their art's broad base and flexibility as its great advantages.

Of course, these same advocates are quick to downplay wild magic's drawbacks. First and foremost, it is wild magic. On rare occasions, any spell can have dangerously unpredictable results, including backfiring or creating an entirely different effect from what was desired. More commonly, the magnitude of a spell--range, duration, area of effect, or even damage--may fluctuate from casting to casting. Spells cast by wild mages are inherently unpredictable.

Only characters with Intelligence of 16 or greater are qualified to become wild mages. The theories of wild magic are breaking new ground, and only characters of high intelligence are able to decipher the arcane convolutions of its meta-mathematical theory. Although wild magic is chaotic on the surface, study in this field requires diligence and discipline.

There are no restrictions to the alignment of a wild mage. The race of a wild mage is limited to those races with competency at magic; thus, only humans, elves, and half-elves can be wild mages. Gnomes have some magical talent, but lack the broad base of skills and knowledge necessary to master this new field.

Wild mages must abide by the normal restrictions for all wizards concerning weapons and armor. They use the same THAC0 and saving throw values of traditional wizards. They progress in level according to the Wizard Experience Levels and Wizard Spell Progression tables (Tables 20 and 21 in the Player's Handbook ).

Wild mages have several abilities and restrictions. Like specialists, wild mages are able to memorize one extra spell per spell level. This spell must be a wild magic spell, although it can be from any school; wild mages have no opposition schools as do specialists.

Wild mages receive a bonus of +10% when learning new wild magic spells and a -5% penalty when learning other spells. Because wild magic is somewhat "fast and loose," wild mages can research new spells as if they were one level less difficult, decreasing the amount of time and money needed to create new spells.

Certain magical items behave differently in the hands of a wild mage. This is due to his understanding of the random processes that power them. Most notable of these is the wand of wonder. The wild mage has a 50% chance of controlling the wand, allowing him to use charges from the wand to cast any spell he already knows (but does not need to have memorized). The number of charges used by the wand is equal to the number of levels of the spell desired. If the attempt fails, only one charge is used and a random effect is generated.

The wild mage can control the following items 50% of the time, thereby allowing him to select the result or item instead of relying on chance: amulet of the planes, bag of beans, bag of tricks, deck of illusions, deck of many things, and the well of many worlds.


Wild Magic Level Variation
Table 1: LEVEL VARIATION

True  ------------------------------------Die Roll (D20)----------------------------------------

Level 1     2    3   4    5    6    7    8    9   10  11  12  13  14  15   16  17  18  19  20

1 	-1 	-1 	-1 -1 	-1 	0 	0 	0 	0  	0   	0 	0 	0   	0   	0  	+1	+1	+1	+1  +1

2 	-1 	-1 	-1 -1 	-1 	-1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0  	0 	0 	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1

3 	-2 	-1 	-1 -1 	-1 	-1 	-1 	0 	0 	0 	0  	0 	0 	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+2

4 	-2 	-2 	-1 -1 	-1 	-1 	-1 	-1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1  +2	+2

5 	-3 	-2 	-2 -1 	-1 	-1 	-1  	-1 	-1 	0 	0 	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+2	+2	+3

6 	-3 	-3 	-2 -2  	-1 	-1 	-1 	-1 	-1	0 	0 	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+2	+2	+3	+3

7 	-4 	-3 	-3 -2 	-2 	-1 	-1 	-1 	-1 	0  	0 	+1	+1	+1	+1	+2	+2	+3	+3	+4

8 	-4 	-4 	-3 -3 	-2 	-2 	-1 	-1 	-1 	0 	0 	+1	+1	+1  +2	+2	+3	+3	+4	+4

9+	-5 	-4 	-4 -3 	-3 	-2 	-2 	-1  	-1 	0 	0 	+1	+1	+2	+2	+3	+3	+4	+4	+5

Boldface results indicate a wild surge; consult Table 2; Wild Surge Results.

Level Variations

The most broad-reaching aspect of the wild mage's powers is his approach to spells. The wild mage's work with the principles of uncertainty affects all spells that have a level variable for range, duration, area of effect, or damage. Each time a wild mage uses a spell with a level variable, he randomly determines the resulting casting level of the spell. The spell may function at lesser, equal, or greater effect than normal. The degree of variation depends on the true level of the caster, as shown in

To determine the level at which the spell is cast, the player must roll 1d20 at the moment the spell is cast. The variation from the caster's actual level is found at the point where the character's true level and the die roll intersect. (True level refers to the current experience level of the wild mage.) If the result is a positive number, that many levels are added to the caster's true level for purposes of casting the spell. If the result is a negative number, that many levels are subtracted from the caster's true level. If the result is 0, the spell is cast normally. The variation of a spell's power has no permanent effect on the mage's experience level or casting ability.

For example, Theos, a 7th-level wild mage, casts a fireball. He wishes it to take effect 70 yards away at the site of a band of advancing orcs. Fireball has level variables for range (10 yds.+10 yds./level) and damage (1d6/level). A die roll is made on the Level Variation Table with a result of 19, indicating a level variation of +3. The fireball functions as if cast by a 10th-level wizard (7+3) and easily reaches its target, causing 10d6 points of damage. If the level variation had been -3 (die roll of 2), the spell would have operated as if it were 4th level. In this case, the fireball would have fallen short since its maximum range would have been 50 yards (10 yds+ 10 yds 1d4).

One additional effect can occur when casting level-variable spells. If the result from Table 1 is boldfaced, the caster has inadvertently created a wild surge in the spell in addition to the spell's effects. A wild surge briefly opens a doorway through which raw magical energy pours. The energy is incompletely controlled by the actions of the spellcaster. The result, often spectacular, is seldom what the caster intended and is sometimes a smaller or greater version of the desired spell. At other times, wildly improbable results occur. Songs may fill the air, people might appear out of nowhere, or the floor may become a pool of grease. Whatever happens, it is the essence of wildness.

When a wild surge occurs, the DM must roll on Table 2. Unlike many other instances in the AD&D® game in which the DM is encouraged to choose a suitable result, wild surges are best resolved by random chance. Actively choosing a result biases the nature of wild magic. DMs are encouraged to be random and have fun.


Wild Surge Results
Table 2: WILD SURGE RESULTS

D100

Roll 	Result

 01 	Wall of force appears in front of caster

 02 	Caster smells like a skunk for spell duration

 03 	Caster shoots forth eight non-poisonous snakes from fingertips. Snakes do not

attack.

 04 	Caster's clothes itch (+2 to initiative)

 05 	Caster glows as per a light spell

 06 	Spell effect has 60' radius centered on caster

 07 	Next phrase spoken by caster becomes true, lasting for 1 turn

 08 	Caster's hair grows one foot in length

 09 	Caster pivots 180 degrees

 10 	Caster's face is blackened by small explosion

 11 	Caster develops allergy to his magical items. Character cannot control sneezing

       	until all magical items are removed. Allergy lasts 1d6 turns.

 12 	Caster's head enlarges for 1d3 turns

 13 	Caster reduces (reversed enlarge) for 1d3 turns

 14 	Caster falls madly in love with target until a remove curse is cast

 15 	Spell cannot be canceled at will by caster

 16 	Caster polymorphs randomly

 17 	Colorful bubbles come out of caster's mouth instead of words. Words are

released when bubbles pop. Spells with verbal components cannot be cast for 1

turn.

 18 	Reversed tongues affects all within 60 feet of caster

 19 	Wall of fire encircles caster

 20 	Caster's feet enlarge, reducing movement to half normal and adding +4 to

initiative rolls for 1d3 turns

 21 	Caster suffers same spell effect as target

 22 	Caster levitates 20' for 1d4 turns

 23 	Cause fear with 60' radius centered on caster. All within radius except the caster

must make a saving throw.

 24 	Caster speaks in a squeaky voice for 1d6 days

 25 	Caster gains X-ray vision for 1d6 rounds

 26 	Caster ages 10 years

 27 	Silence, 15' radius centers on caster

 28 	10'x10' pit appears immediately in front of caster, 5' deep per level of the caster

 29 	Reverse gravity beneath caster's feet for 1 round

 30 	Colored streamers pour from caster's fingertips

 31 	Spell effect rebounds on caster

 32 	Caster becomes invisible

 33 	Color spray from caster's fingertips

 34 	Stream of butterflies pours from caster's mouth

 35 	Caster leaves monster-shaped footprints instead of his own until a dispel magic

is cast

 36 	3-30 gems shoot from caster's fingertips. Each gem is worth 1d6 x 10 gp.

 37 	Music fills the air

 38 	Create food and water

 39 	All normal fires within 60' of caster are extinguished

 40 	One magical item within 30' of caster (randomly chosen) is permanently drained

 41 	One normal item within 30' of caster (randomly chosen) becomes permanently

magical

 42 	All magical weapons within 30' of caster are increased by +2 for 1 turn

 43 	Smoke trickles from the ears of all creatures within 60' of caster for 1 turn

 44 	Dancing lights

 45 	All creatures within 30' of caster begin to hiccup (+1 to casting times, -1 to

THAC0)

 46 	All normal doors, secret doors, portcullises, etc. (including those locked or

barred) within 60' of caster swing open

 47 	Caster and target exchange places

 48 	Spell affects random target within 60' of the caster

 49 	Spell fails but is not wiped from caster's mind

 50 	Monster summoning II

 51 	Sudden change in weather (temperature rise, snow, rain, etc.) lasting 1d6 turns

 52 	Deafening bang affects everyone within 60'. All those who can hear must save

vs. spell or be stunned for 1d3 rounds.

 53 	Caster and target exchange voices until a remove curse is cast

 54 	Gate opens to randomly chosen outer plane; 50% chance for extra-planar

creature to appear.

 55 	Spell functions but shrieks like a shrieker

 56 	Spell effectiveness (range, duration, area of effect, damage, etc.) decreases 50%

 57 	Spell reversed, if reverse is possible

 58 	Spell takes physical form of free-willed elemental and cannot be controlled by

caster. Elemental remains for duration of spell. Touch of the elemental causes

spell effect (THAC0 equal to caster's).

 59 	All weapons within 60' of caster glow for 1d4 rounds

 60 	Spell functions; any applicable saving throw is not allowed

 61 	Spell appears to fail when cast, but occurs 1-4 rounds later

 62 	All magical items within 60' of caster glow for 2d8 days

 63 	Caster and target switch personalities for 2d10 rounds

 64 	Slow spell centered on target

 65 	Target deluded

 66 	Lightning bolt shoots toward target

 67 	Target enlarged

 68 	Darkness centered on target

 69 	Plant growth centered on target

 70 	1,000 lbs. of non-living matter within 10' of target vanishes

 71 	Fireball centers on target

 72 	Target turns to stone

 73 	Spell is cast; material components and memory of spell are retained

 74 	Everyone within 10' of caster receives the benefits of a heal

 75 	Target becomes dizzy (-4 AC and THAC0, cannot cast spells) for 2d4 rounds

 76 	Wall of fire encircles target

 77 	Target levitates 20' for 1d3 turns

 78 	Target suffers blindness

 79 	Target is charmed as per charm monster

 80 	Target forgets

 81 	Target's feet enlarge, reducing movement to half normal and adding +4 to all

initiative rolls for 1-3 turns

 82 	Rust monster appears in front of  target

 83 	Target polymorphs randomly

 84 	Target falls madly in love with caster until a dispel magic is cast.

 85 	Target changes sex

 86 	Small, black raincloud forms over target

 87 	Stinking cloud centers on target

 88 	Heavy object (boulder, anvil, safe, etc.) appears over target and falls for 2d20

points of damage

 89 	Target begins sneezing. No spells can be cast until fit passes (1d6 rounds).

 90 	Spell effect has 60' radius centered on target (all within radius suffer the effect)

 91 	Target's clothes itch (+2 to initiative for 1d10 rounds)

 92 	Target's race randomly changes until canceled by dispel magic

 93 	Target turns ethereal for 2d4 rounds

 94 	Target hastened

 95 	All cloth on target crumbles to dust

 96 	Target sprouts leaves (no damage caused, can be pruned without harm)

 97 	Target sprouts new useless appendage (wings, arm, ear, etc.) which remains until

dispel magic is cast

 98 	Target changes color (canceled by dispel magic)

 99 	Spell has a minimum duration of 1 turn (i.e., a fireball creates a ball of flame

that remains for 1 turn, a lightning bolt bounces and continues, possibly

rebounding, for 1 turn, etc.)

 100 	Spell effectiveness (range, duration, area of effect, damage, etc.) increases 200%

Unless otherwise noted, all spells created by a wild surge occur at the designated target point and function normally (appropriate saving throws are allowed). The caster's true level is used when calculating range, duration, area of effect, etc. of these spells.

The above list, while long, is only a small fraction of the possible results of a wild surge. The DM is free to create his own tables for wild surges.

Tables like the one above cannot take into account the situation at the instant of casting. It is not feasible to create tailored effects for every spell used in every possible way. Therefore, it is quite likely that some wild magic results will make no sense, be impossible, or have no visible effect. In these cases, the wild surge has no effect. For example, if a mage were casting a wizard lock on a door and triggered a wild surge with the result "Target changes sex," no effect would be visible, since doors do not have a sex (at least as far as we know). Likewise, a rock might be hastened or a snake might have its feet enlarged. In these cases, nothing happens--at least nothing that affects play. When determining the result of wild magic, the DM must use his best judgment.

Finally, not even the randomness of wild surges should be allowed to ruin the story of an adventure. As ultimate storyteller and arbiter of the game, the DM can overrule any wild surge he deems too destructive to the adventure. If this happens, reroll the dice to get a new result. In a case such as this, do not treat a wild surge as having no effect.

Clearly, wild mages are a risky proposition. Not every player will want to play a wild mage; not every party will want a wild mage. The DM should not add benefits to the wild mage, hoping to the make the class more "attractive" to his players. Players who like wild mages will play them without bribery. They will find the uncertainty and randomness of wild mages irresistible; these are the players for whom the wild mage was created.


Elemental Wizards

The elemental wizard is a new variety of specialist mage beginning to appear throughout the lands. These wizards scorn the "accepted" theories of magical classification (the rigid school structure) in favor of a holistic, natural understanding of magic. The result is elementalism.

Elementalism is not a school in itself; it is an area of specialization focusing on spells involving the four prime elements of air, earth, fire, and water. These spells may be from any of the nine schools of magic. The fireball spell, for example, belongs to the evocation school, but according to elementalists, it is also a spell of elemental fire.

Unlike other specialists, an elementalist does not specialize in a single school of magic, but may learn and cast spells belonging to any school. Although this may seem to be a great advantage, elementalists suffer considerable penalties when learning and casting spells that do not relate directly to the elements. The exception to this penalty is the spells of the school of lesser divination, which every wizard may learn.

Each element has a diametrical opposite: air opposes earth, fire opposes water, and vice versa. Every elementalist must choose one element as his specialty. He may learn and cast any spells relating to his chosen element and gains advantages when doing so. He may also cast spells of the two elements which do not oppose his specialty, for which he receives no bonuses or penalties. Consequently, he may not learn or cast any spells associated with the element that opposes his element of specialty. For example, a fire elementalist may cast spells relating to fire, air, or earth, but may not cast spells of elemental water. A specialist is also prohibited from using magical items that duplicate spell effects of his oppositional element.

Fire

|

Air -- opposes -- Earth

|

Water

Although their repertoire of spells is small, elementalists are potent wizards, for they gain the following advantages when involved with spells of their chosen element:

•Elementalists receive a bonus of +25% when attempting to learn spells of their element and a bonus of +15% when learning other elemental spells. They suffer a penalty of -25% when trying to learn spells that do not relate to the elements.

•An elementalist may memorize one extra spell per level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from his element of specialty.

•Because elementalists have an enhanced understanding of spells within their element, they receive a +2 bonus when making saving throws against those spells. Other creatures suffer a -2 penalty when making saving throws against an elementalist casting spells from his specialty.

•Once per day, an elementalist may choose to cast one memorized spell from his element of specialty as if he were 1d4 levels higher. He must declare his decision to do this immediately prior to casting the spell. This affects range, duration, area of effect, and damage; it does not allow the wizard to cast a spell from a level which he normally could not use.

•When an elementalist attempts to create a new spell relating to his specialty element, the DM should count the new spell as one level less (for determining difficulty).

•Upon reaching 15th level, an elementalist does not need to concentrate when controlling elementals of his specialty element summoned by the 5th-level spell conjure elemental . The normal 5% chance of the elemental turning upon its summoner remains in effect.

•At 20th level, there is no chance of a summoned elemental turning upon an elementalist if the creature is of the wizard's specialty element.

A complete listing of elemental spells arranged by each element can be found in Appendix 1.


Metamagic

Metamagic is a special term used by erudite and educated wizards to describe a single class of spells and magical items--those powers that alter or affect other magical spells and items. Metamagic spells do not directly affect people, objects, or events. Instead, the powers of metamagic are used to alter the fabric of spells themselves. Through metamagic spells, such as far reaching or squaring the circle, the once inviolable limits of a spell can be altered. Range, duration, casting time, area of effect, and even sound and color can be tailored through the use of metamagical spells.

   Although the concept of metamagic has existed since the beginning of magical study, it has generally been ignored by most wizards, who have been far more interested in spectacular effects and immediate results. However, a few independent researchers have continued to explore and expand this esoteric field of study.


Priest

The priest is a believer and advocate of a god from a particular mythos. More than just a follower, he intercedes and acts on behalf of others, seeking to use his powers to advance the beliefs of his mythos.

All priests have certain powers: The ability to cast spells, the strength of arm to defend their beliefs, and special, deity-granted powers to aid them in their calling. While priests are not as fierce in combat as warriors, they are trained to use weaponry in the fight for their cause. They can cast spells, primarily to further their god's aims and protect its adherents. They have few offensive spells, but these are very powerful.

All priests use eight-sided Hit Dice (d8s). Only priests gain additional spells for having high Wisdom scores. All priests have a limited selection of weapons and armor, but the restrictions vary according to the mythos.

All priests use Table 23 to determine their advancement in level as they gain experience points. They also all use Table 24 to determine how many spells they receive at each level of experience.

All priests spells are divided into 16 categories called  spheres of influence.  Different types of priests  have access to different spheres; no priest can cast spells from every sphere of influence. The 16 spheres of influence are as follows: All, Animal, Astral, Charm, Combat, Creation, Divination, Elemental, Guardian, Healing, Necromantic, Plant, Protection, Summoning, Sun, and Weather.

 In addition, a priest has either major or minor access to a sphere. A priest with major access to a sphere can (eventually) cast all spells in the sphere. A priest with minor access to a sphere can cast only 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-level spells from that sphere.

All priests gain one eight-sided Hit Die (1d8) Per level from 1st through 9th. After 9th level, priests earn 2 hit points per level and they no longer gain additional hit point bonuses for high Constitution scores.

Table 23:

Priest Experience Levels

Hit Dice

Level	     Cleric              Druid	(d8)

  1	             0	  0	  1

  2	       1,500	       2,000	  2

  3	       3,000	       4,000	  3

  4	       6,000	       7,500	  4

  5	     13,000	     12,500	  5

  6	     27,500	     20,000	  6

  7	     55,000	     35,000	  7

  8	   110,000	     60,000	  8

  9	 	   225,000	     90,000	  9

10	 	   450,000	   125,000	9+2

11	   675,000	   200,000	9+4

12	   900,000	   300,000	9+6

13	1,125,000	   750,000	9+8

14	1,350,000	1,500,000	9+10

15	1,575,000	3,000,000	9+12

16	1,800,000	3,500,000	9+14

17	2,025,000	500,000*	9+16

18	2,250,000	1,000,000	9+18

19	2,475,000	1,500,000	9+20

20	2,700,000	2,000,000	9+22

* See section on hierophant druids under "Druids" in this chapter.

Table 24:

Priest Spell Progression

Priest	Spell Level

Level	1	2	3	4	5	6*	7**

  1	1	--	--	--	--	--	--

  2	2	--	--	--	--	--	--

  3	2	1	--	--	--	--	--

  4	3	2	--	--	--	--	--

  5	3	3	1	--	--	--	--

  6	3	3	2	--	--	--	--

  7	3	3	2	1	--	--	--

  8	3	3	3	2	--	--	--

  9	4	4	3	2	1	--	--

10	4	4	3	3	2	--	--

11	5	4	4	3	2	1	--

12	6	5	5	3	2	2	--

13	6	6	6	4	2	2	--

14	6	6	6	5	3	2	1

15	6	6	6	6	4	2	1

16	7	7	7	6	4	3	1

17	7	7	7	7	5	3	2

18	8	8	8	8	6	4	2

19	9	9	8	8	6	4	2

20	9	9	9	8	7	5	2

* Usable only by priests with 17 or greater Wisdom.

** Usable only by priests with 18 or greater Wisdom.


Cleric

Ability Requirement:	Wisdom 9

Prime Requisite:	Wisdom

Races Allowed:	All

The most common type of priest is the cleric. The cleric may be an adherent of any religion (though if the DM designs a specific mythos, the cleric's abilities and spells may be changed--see following).  Clerics are generally good, but are not restricted to good; they can have any alignment acceptable to their order. A cleric must have a Wisdom score of 9 or more. High constitution and Charisma are also particularly useful.

A cleric who has a Wisdom of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

The cleric class is similar to certain religious orders of knighthood of the Middle Ages: the Teutonic Knights, the Knights Templars, and Hospitalers. These orders combined military and religious training with a code of protection and service. Memberswere trained as knights and devoted themselves to the service of the church. These orders were frequently found on the outer edges of the Christian world, either on the fringe of the wilderness or in war-torn lands. Archbishop Turpin (of The Song of Roland) is an example of such a cleric. Similar orders can also be found in other lands, such as the sohei of Japan.

Clerics are sturdy soldiers, although their selection of weapons is limited. They can wear any type of armor and use any shield. Standard clerics, being reluctant to shed blood or spread violence, are allowed to use only blunt, bludgeoning weapons. They can use a fair number of magical items including priest scrolls, most potions and rings, some wands and rods, staves, armor, shields, and magical versions of any weapons allowed by their order.

Spells are the main tools of the cleric, however, helping him to serve, fortify, protect, and revitalize those under his care. He has a wide variety of spells to choose from, suitable to many different purposes and needs. (A priest of a specific mythos probably has a more restricted range of spells.) A cleric has major access to every sphere of influence except the plant, animal, weather, and elemental spheres (he has minor access to the elemental sphere and cannot cast spells of the other three spheres).

The cleric receives his spells as insight directly from his deity (the deity does not need to make a personal appearance to grant the spells the cleric prays for), as a sign of and reward for his faith, so he must take care not to abuse his power lest it be taken away as punishment.

The cleric is also granted power over undead -- evil creatures that exist in a form of non-life, neither dead nor alive. The cleric is charged with defeating these mockeries of life. His ability to turn undead (see "Turning Undead" in Chapter 9: Combat) enables him to drive away these creatures or destroy them utterly (though a cleric of evil alignment can bind the creatures to his will). Some of the more common undead creatures are ghosts, zombies, skeletons, ghouls, and mummies. Vampires and liches (undead sorcerers) are two of the most powerful undead.

As a cleric advances in level, he gains additional spells, better combat skills, and a stronger turning ability. Upon reaching 8th level, the cleric automatically attracts a fanatically loyal group of believers, provided the character has established a place of worship of significant size. The cleric can build this place of worship at any time during his career, but he does not attract believers until he reaches 8th level. These followers are normal warriors, 0-level soldiers, ready to fight for the cleric's cause. The cleric attracts 20 to 200 of these followers; they arrive over a period of several weeks. After the initial followers assemble, no new followers trickle in to fill the ranks of those who have fallen in service. The DM decides the exact number and types of followers attracted by the cleric. The character can hire other troops as needed, but these are not as loyal as his followers.

  At 9th level, the cleric may receive official approval to establish a religious stronghold, be it a fortified abbey or a secluded convent. Obviously, the stronghold must contain all the trappings of a place of worship and must be dedicated to the service of the cleric's cause. However, the construction cost of the stronghold is half the normal price, since the work has official sanction and much of the labor is donated. The cleric can hold property and build a stronghold any time before reaching 9th level, but this is done without church sanction and does not receive the benefits described above.


Druid

Ability Requirements:	Wisdom 12

Charisma 15

Prime Requisites:	Wisdom, Charisma

Races Allowed:	Human, Half-elf

Historically, druids lived among the Germanic tribes of Western Europe and Britain during the days of the Roman Empire. They acted as advisors to chieftains and held great influence over the tribesmen. Central to their thinking was the belief that the earth was the mother and source of all life. They revered many natural things -- the sun, moon, and certain trees -- as deities. Druids in the AD&D game, however, are only loosely patterned after these historical figures. They are not required to behave like or follow the beliefs of historical druids.

The druid is an example of a priest designed for a specific mythos. His powers and beliefs are different from those of the cleric. The druid is a priest of nature and guardian of the wilderness, be it forest, plains, or jungle.

Requirements

A druid must be human or half-elven. He must have a Wisdom score of at least 12 and a Charisma score of 15 or more. Both of these abilities are prime requisites.

Weapons Allowed

Unlike the cleric, the druid is allowed to use only "natural" armors -- padded, hide, or leather armor and wooden shields, including those with magical enhancements. All other armors are forbidden to him. His weapons are limited to club, sickle, dart, spear, dagger, scimitar, sling, and staff.

Spells Allowed

Druids do not have the same range of spells as clerics. They have major access to the following spheres: all, animal, elemental, healing, plant, and weather. They have minor access to the divination sphere. Druids can use all magical items normally allowed priests, except for those that are written (books and scrolls) and armor and weapons not normally allowed for druids.

Granted Powers

A druid makes most saving throws as a priest, but he gains a bonus of +2 to all saving throws vs. fire or electrical attacks.

All druids can speak a secret language in addition to any other tongues they know. (If the optional proficiency rules are used, this language does not use a proficiency slot.) The vocabulary of this druidic language is limited to dealing with nature and natural events. Druids jealously guard this language; it is the one infallible method they have of recognizing each other.

Additional powers are granted as the druid reaches higher levels:

 	He can identify plants, animals, and pure water with perfect accuracy after he reaches 3rd level.

 	He can pass through overgrown areas (thick thorn bushes, tangled vines, briar patches, etc.) without leaving a trail and at his normal movement rate after he reaches 3rd level.

 	He can learn the languages of woodland creatures. These include centaurs, dryads, elves, fauns, gnomes, dragons, giants, lizard men, manticores, nixies, pixies, sprites, and treants. The druid can add one language at 3rd level and one more every time he advances a level above 3rd. (If the optional proficiency rules are used, it is the druid's choice whether or not to spend a proficiency slot on one or more of these languages.)

 	He is immune to charm spells cast by woodland creatures (dryads, nixies, etc.) after he reaches 7th level.

 	He gains the ability to shapechange into a reptile, bird, or mammal up to three times per day after he reaches 7th level. Each animal form (reptile, bird, or mammal) can be used only once per day. The size can vary from that of a bullfrog or small bird to as large as a black bear. Upon assuming a new form, the druid heals 10-60% (1d6 × 10%) of all damage he has suffered (round fractions down). The druid can only assume the form of a normal (real world) animal in its normal proportions, but by doing so he takes on all of that creature's characteristics -- its movement rate and abilities, its Armor Class, number of attacks, and damage per attack.

Thus, a druid could change into a wren to fly across a river, transform into a black bear on the opposite side and attack the orcs gathered there, and finally change into a snake to escape into the bushes before more orcs arrive.

The druid's clothing and one item held in each hand also become part of the new body; these reappear when the druid resumes his normal shape. The items cannot be used while the druid is in animal form.

 	A druid cannot turn undead.

Ethos

As protectors of nature, druids are aloof from the complications of the temporal world. Their greatest concern is for the continuation of the orderly and proper cycles of nature--birth, growth, death, and rebirth. Druids tend to view all things as cyclic and thus, the battles of good and evil are only the rising and falling tides of time. Only when the cycle and balance are disrupted does the druid become concerned. Given this view of things, the druid must be neutral in alignment.

Druids are charged with protecting wilderness--in particular trees, wild plants, wild animals, and crops. By association, they are also responsible for their followers and their animals. Druids recognize that all creatures (including humans) need food, shelter, and protection from harm. Hunting, farming, and cutting lumber for homes are logical and necessary parts of the natural cycle. However, druids do not tolerate unnecessary destruction or exploitation of nature for profit. Druids often prefer subtle and devious methods of revenge against those who defile nature. It is well known that druids are both very unforgiving and very patient.

Mistletoe is an important holy symbol to druids and it is a necessary part of some spells (those requiring a holy symbol). To be fully effective, the mistletoe must be gathered by the light of the full moon using a golden or silver sickle specially made for the purpose. Mistletoe gathered by other means halves the effectiveness of a given spell, if it causes damage or has an area of effect, and grants the target a +2 bonus to his saving throw if a saving throw is applicable.

Druids as a class do not dwell permanently in castles, cities, or towns. All druids prefer to live in sacred groves, where they build small sod, log, or stone cottages.

Druid Organization

Druids have a worldwide structure. At their upper levels (12th and above), only a few druids can hold each level.

Druids, Archdruids, and the Great Druid

At 12th level, the druid character acquires the official title of "druid" (all druid characters below 12th level are officially known as "initiates"). There can be only nine 12th-level druids in any geographic region (as defined by oceans, seas, and mountain ranges; a continent may consist of three or four such regions). A character cannot reach 12th level unless he takes his place as one of the nine druids. This is possible only if there are currently fewer than nine druids in the region, or if the character defeats one of the nine druids in magical or hand-to-hand combat, thereby assuming the defeated druid's position. If such combat is not mortal, the loser drops experience points so that he has exactly 200,000 remaining--just enough to be 11th level.

The precise details of each combat are worked out between the two combatants in advance. The combat can be magical, non-magical, or a mixture of both. It can be fought to the death, until only one character is unconscious, until a predetermined number of hit points is lost, or even until the first blow is landed, although in this case both players would have to be supremely confident of their abilities. Whatever can be agreed upon between the characters is legitimate, so long as there is some element of skill and risk.

When a character becomes a 12th-level druid, he gains three underlings. Their level depends on the character's position among the nine druids. The druid with the most experience points is served by three initiates of 9th level; the second-most experienced druid is served by three initiates of 8th level; and so on, until the least experienced druid is served by three 1st-level initiates.

Only three archdruids (13th level) can operate in a geographical region. To become an archdruid, a 12th-level druid must defeat one of the reigning archdruids or advance into a vacant position. Each of the three archdruids is served by three initiates of 10th level. From among the archdruids of the entire world, three are chosen to serve the Grand Druid (see "The Grand Druid and Hierophant Druids" section). These three retain their attendees but are themselves servants of the Grand Druid.

The Great Druid (14th level) is unique in his region. He, too, won his position from the previous great druid. He is served by three initiates of 11th level.

The ascendance of a new Great Druid usually sets off shock waves of turmoil and chaos through the druidical hierarchy. The advancement of an archdruid creates an opening that is fiercely contested by the druids, and the advancement of a druid creates an opening in their ranks.

The Grand Druid and Hierophant Druids

The highest ranking druid in the world is the Grand Druid (15th level). Unlike great druids (several of whom can operate simultaneously in different lands), only one person in a world can ever hold this title at one time. Consequently, only one druid can be 15th level at any time.

The Grand Druid knows six spells of each level (instead of the normal spell progression) and also can cast up to six additional spell levels, either as a single spell or as several spells whose levels total to six (for example, one 6th-level spell, six 1st-level spells, three 2nd-level spells, etc.).

The Grand Druid is attended by nine other druids who are subject only to him and have nothing to do with the hierarchy of any specific land or area. Any druid character of any level can seek the Grand Druid and ask to serve him. Three of these nine are archdruids who roam the world, acting as his messengers and agents. Each of them receives four additional spell levels. The remainder are normally druids of 7th to 11th level, although the Grand Druid can request a druid of any level to serve him and often considers applications from humble aspirants.

The position of Grand Druid is not won through combat. Instead, the Grand Druid selects his successor from the acting great druids. The position is demanding, thankless, and generally unexciting for anyone except a politician. After a few hundred thousand experience points of such stuff, any adventurer worthy of the name probably is ready to move on to something else.

For this reason, the Grand Druid reaches 16th level after earning only 500,000 more experience points. After reaching 16th level, the Grand Druid can step down from his position at any time, provided he can find a suitable successor (another druid with 3,000,000 experience points).

Upon stepping down, the former Grand Druid must relinquish the six bonus spell levels and all of his experience points but 1 (he keeps the rest of his abilities). He is now a 16th-level hierophant druid, and begins advancing anew (using the progression given in Table 23). The character may rise as high as 20th level as a hierophant druid (almost always through self training).

Beyond 15th level, a druid never gains any new spells (ignore the Priest Spell Progression table from this point on). Casting level continues to rise with experience. Rather than spells, spell-like powers are acquired.

16th level: At 16th level, the hierophant druid gains four powers:

 	Immunity to all natural poisons. Natural poisons are ingested or insinuated animal or vegetable poisons, including monster poisons, but not mineral poisons or poison gas.

 	Vigorous health for a person of his age. The hierophant is no longer subject to the ability score adjustments for aging.

 	The ability to alter his appearance at will. Appearance alteration is accomplished in one round. A height and weight increase or decrease of 50% is possible, with an apparent age from childhood to extreme old age. Body and facial features can resemble any human or humanoid creature. This alteration is not magical, so it cannot be detected by any means short of true seeing.

17th Level: The character gains the biological ability to hibernate. His body functions slow to the point where the character may appear dead to a casual observer; aging ceases. The character is completely unconscious during hibernation. He awakens either at a preordained time ("I will hibernate for 20 days") or when there is a significant change in his environment (the weather turns cold, someone hits him with a stick, etc.).

A 17th-level hierophant druid can also enter the Elemental Plane of Earth at will. The transference takes one round to complete. This ability also provides the means to survive on that plane, move around, and return to the Prime Material Plane at will. It does not confer similar abilities or immunities on the Prime Material Plane.

18th level: The character gains the ability to enter and survive in the Elemental Plane of Fire.

19th level: The character gains the ability to enter and survive in the Elemental Plane of Water.

  20th level: The character gains the ability to enter and survive in the Elemental Plane of Air.


Quest Spells

Priests and clerics are the servants of Powers--immortal entities with abilities far beyond those of mere mortals. Yet these servants do not wield magical forces equal to those of wizards; priests have nothing to compare with the wish spell, for example. Circumstances will arise when a priest should be able to call upon the magical energies controlled by his Power to achieve something extraordinary in serving a sacred duty. Quest spells are designed to satisfy these extremes and allow the priest to wield high-powered magic without drastically altering the scope of his magic.

Quest spells are a category of powerful spells without an assigned level. They should not be confused with the 5th-level spell quest, which is a specific single spell.

While quest spells are powerful, they are not as powerful as the energies used by Powers. If a god chose to flatten a mountain or raise an island, he could probably do so. Priests cannot achieve such huge effects; they are still mortal beings. But quest spells do provide a priest with magic more powerful than any other priestly magic; a quest spell could easily mean the difference between success or failure in a mission. Quest spells are capable of affecting large areas or numbers of creatures and allow the shaping of great energies; they are often difficult or impossible to resist or dispel.

Quest spells are not part of a priest's normal repertoire. These spells are granted powers, bestowed directly by one's deity to achieve special goals.

Why Quest Spells

Two circumstances are most likely to warrant the granting of a quest spell to a priest. First, a Power may contact the priest in a dream or omen, or by sending a servant or avatar. In this case, the Power requests that the priest perform a vital service on behalf of the Power (the nature of such a request is discussed later). The priest is effectively commanded to go on a quest--hence, the generic title of quest spell.

A second case for the granting of a quest spell may occur if a priest were to discover something of fundamental importance to the faith which the Power must be appraised of (not all powers are omniscient). A priest contacting the Power (with a commune spell or by prayer) might beseech the Power to grant him some exceptional magic to address the situation. The request for a quest spell must never be motivated by selfish considerations on the priest's part (such hubris is grossly offensive to any Power), and circumstances must be truly exceptional. The Power then considers the priest's request and responds accordingly.

In game terms, the first condition translates to the DM using a quest spell as a plot device to spice up a quest for the priest and his party. The second condition translates to a player requesting exceptional aid for his priest PC followed by the DM's decision whether to allow this.

Conditions for Quest Spells

The circumstances which prompt a Power or priest to seek the use of a quest spell are usually related to a major sphere of concern of the Power. A god of druids is not likely to grant a quest spell to address a matter of warfare, commerce, politics, knightly virtue, or other irrelevance (as this Power would view them). However, destruction of a huge swathe of forest by fire is entirely different. To protect or regenerate a great natural resource, a druidic Power would surely consider dispatching his most powerful servants with awesome magic. A major challenge demands a major response.

A Power may choose to equip followers with a quest spell in preparation for a major conflict with servants of a hostile Power. This may be true for both sides in the conflict; the NPCs as well as the PCS might be equipped with quest spells. In this manner, two Powers avoid fighting each other directly; their servants carry out the warfare instead. This will be a major event in any campaign setting! Milder variations on this theme would include the razing of a major temple of the enemy Power or the destruction of a major resource belonging to the Power's servants.

This is a situation in which a DM must exercise caution. This kind of conflict can easily swerve out of control and threaten the destruction of the game world; no Power wants this. Only if a Power has stepped out of line is the retribution by a rival Power tolerable among the community of Powers. If an evil temple has stood in the capital of an evil land for centuries, it is unacceptable for a good deity to strike at it. If an evil temple is hidden in nonevil lands, it is reasonable for a good Power to strike it down. It is important that game balance and the status quo are maintained.

A Power is likely to grant a quest spell when there is a major threat to his followers, church, consecrated grounds, or territories. These situations may become considerably extended; a Power of healing may extend the use of quest magic to help his priests cure a virulent plague affecting ordinary folk. For such a Power, the welfare of the common man is important. In cases such as this, game balance must be maintained by granting quest spells only in true catastrophes.

Exceptional and unique circumstances will arise which will draw quest magic into the game. This may include racial interests (for elves, dwarves, etc.) such as defense of the homelands or protection of great fortresses, or it may include communities of exceptional artisans wishing to draw quest magic from Powers. The discovery of an intensely magical artifact or place important to the Power may necessitate the use of quest magic to secure it. Establishing and developing a major sacred location may justify the use of quest magic (especially with spheres such as Creation, Guardian, Protection, and Wards). Such cases will be individually determined by the DM as major elements of a campaign story line.

Situations Unworthy of Quest Spells

What types of requests do not warrant a Power granting a quest spell? Generally, a quest spell is not needed for events which affect only a minor sphere of interest for the deity and events that are part of normal Prime Material conflict; a senior priest being killed by an agent of an evil Power isn't enough to justify the use of a quest spell. Any problem that has limited scale or should resolve itself in time through the normal efforts of priests does not need quest magic.

The DM must consider whether a problem is out of the ordinary. Only under extraordinary circumstances should a quest spell be granted. If the DM is in doubt, a simple question may provide the answer: Could the problem have a fair chance of resolution through the use of upper-level priest spells if wisely used? Only if the answer is "no" should quest magic be considered.

Which Priests Receive Quest Spells

Only true and faithful servants of a Power who have successfully used powerful magic are eligible for quest spells. This limits quest spells to priests; although a paladin may be true and faithful, his experience is not sufficient to command the magical energies of potent quest magic.

Level limitations are important. It is very rare for a priest of lower than 12th level to be granted quest magic. Priests of 9th level and lower cannot use quest magic; the strain of holding and shaping such magic is too great.

A priest must possess Wisdom of 17 or better in order to cast quest spells. It is quite possible that a priest could be granted a quest spell but not possess the wisdom to cast 7th-level clerical spells; Powers sometimes work in mysterious ways.

Under normal conditions, quest spells are granted to high-level priests rather than their junior counterparts (when such an option exists, such as in a large temple). If the hierarchy of a temple has been destroyed, then the best of the junior echelons may be granted quest spells.

Some cases may not offer as many options as to the recipient of a quest spell. If the nearest priest to the site of a mission is of a lower level than priests at a faraway temple, the chances are good that this priest will be granted a quest spell rather than awaiting the arrival of a faraway superior. Similarly, if the senior priests of a temple are too old to travel or are needed to maintain order at the temple, a priest of a lower level may be granted the quest spell.

In some situations, a Power will recognize an extremely devoted follower by granting him a quest spell, passing up older, more experienced colleagues. Age and experience do not indicate devotion or worthiness. Prodigies exist in all walks of life; clerics are no exception.

Faithfulness and piety of the priest are important but are difficult to judge. The priest must be unswerving in his alignment and have an exemplary record of service to the Power. It is reasonable to ignore an offense committed due to magical influence even if atonement was required (or voluntarily undergone) as a result.

Obviously, these criteria depend on DM judgment. The DM must remember that priests are mortals--and mortals have weaknesses. While a priest who has not been zealous in defense of the faith is a noncandidate for quest spells, a priest who is pure of heart but who has made a few errors might still be considered for quest magic. However, such a priest may be asked to undertake a preliminary quest to prove his worthiness to the Power. This is especially likely if there is no time pressure for the greater quest or if the priest has asked the Power for quest magic rather than the Power commanding the priest.

A preliminary quest is not a trivial affair; it should present a stiff challenge. In a campaign, it will be especially appropriate if such a quest doubles as a test of the priest's mettle and as an opportunity to acquire a new resource (magical items, henchmen, followers, NPC co-operation, etc.) which might assist the greater quest to come.

How Is the Quest Spell Granted

A priest must undergo specific preparations to receive a quest spell. Isolated prayer and meditation for 24 hours are required (double this if he has Wisdom of only 17 or is below 12th level). If this period is interrupted, the priest must begin anew. Following this period, the priest needs one hour to establish and maintain a direct mental link with his deity and receive the spell into his mind. During this communion, the priest is in a state of exultation and is oblivious to the outside world. He cannot be roused from this reverie.

The DM may rule that specific ceremonies be carried out by the priest during the time of meditation and the time of the granting of the spell. These ceremonies should be determined in accordance with the nature of the religion. The priest may be required to be in a major church or temple for the ceremony. The presence of junior priests and acolytes, perhaps united in mass prayer, may also be needed. However, these are only suggestions and should not be rigidly enforced--a god of travelers would not require a quest spell to be granted in a temple, for example.

Introducing the Quest Spell

Bringing a quest spell into a campaign should be a major event. It should create a powerful atmosphere that includes elements of pageantry, solemnity, and ceremony to make the event come alive in the game. Such considerations of staging and flavor are left to DM discretion and the demands of the campaign.

The Cost of Quest Spells

 	Quest spells are not granted without a price. A priest receiving a quest spell is unable to memorize spells of the highest level which he is allowed. He loses any memorized spells of that level (e.g., a 13th-level cleric is unable to use 6th-level spells).

Once a cleric has been granted a quest spell, he does not gain the ability to automatically cast it again. Each time a priest wishes to use a quest spell, he must repeat the described procedures.

Adjudicating Quest Spells

The rules which follow apply to all quest spells. The DM should avoid altering these rules in order to use quest spells consistently and fairly.

Components: Material components are never needed for a quest spell. All quest spells use verbal and somatic components. Since this is invariant, components are therefore not included in the spell descriptions.

Duration: In the spell descriptions, the term "day" is often used. Day means "until the next dawn" if the spellcaster casts the spell during daylight hours and "until the next dusk" if he casts the spell during nighttime hours.

Countering Quest Spells: Most quest spells cannot be dispelled. Because of their semidivine origin, mortal dispel magic spells simply do not affect them. In most cases, only other quest magic will directly counter quest magic.

This also applies to attempts to counter specific elements of quest spells. For example, certain quest spells include the effect of a prayer spell in the area of effect of the quest spell. Such a prayer effect cannot be countered by the use of a mortal prayer spell. The quest prayer overrides the ordinary prayer spell.

Saving Throws: Target creatures at whom quest spells are cast are usually allowed no saving throws. Magical items which would normally protect them against the type of effect (e.g., a ring of free action against a hold/paralysis effect) allow a weakened saving throw of 18. Magic resistance functions, but at only one-half normal. If a quest spell has multiple magical effects, magic resistance checks must be made for each effect.


Faith Magic

A unique feature of clerical magic is faith magic. Using this special category of priest spells, clerics can create semipermanent wards, sanctify ground, ensure good harvests, or even improve the health of followers. In short, this amplified magic allows certain clerical spells to be increased and intensified through the combined efforts of priests and worshipers. Range, area of effect, duration, and even damage can be altered through devotion and combined spellcasting.

To gain this ability, priests and their worshipers form groups to create faith magic. Clerics of nearly all religions seek out worshipers, establish temples, retire to monasteries, and establish seminaries. While there are many mundane reasons to form such groups, priests' attitudes are also shaped by this important difference between clerical and wizardly magic -- the ability to combine magical power. Wizard spells lack this property--even a large number of wizards cannot combine their spells into a whole. Thus, wizards gain no magical benefits from founding monasteries or attracting followers.

Devotional Power

The core of faith magic is devotional power. This power comes from the dedication of ardent followers and priests. It is not something that can be manipulated directly (like a spell), although it is the source of power for spells. Unlike magical energy, devotional energy is not tied to a particular character class. Ordinary people are as much a source of this power as are adventurers. Only priests are significantly different, their lifelong dedication to their god being the wellspring for even greater power.

Not everyone is a source of devotional energy. Almost every character generates a small amount of power, but only those persons dedicated in their beliefs provide the amounts needed for faith magic. Even at this level, the total energy provided by each person is very small. Thus, faith magic can be used only when large numbers of sincere worshipers gather, such as particularly devout congregations, monasteries, seminaries, and universities operated by a religious order. Sincere belief is the most important factor. While persons attending a service may be numerous, casual followers do not contribute to the effect.

Before its power can be harnessed, the devotional energy of a group must be gathered and concentrated toward a single effect. This is known as focusing the effect. Once focused, the devotional energy provides power needed to maintain a spell effect, increase its area of effect, or create a number of other different results. A focus is created by means of the spell focus.

Once the devotional energy has been focused, the cleric or clerics can cast the spell to be amplified. Using the devotional energy gathered by the focus, the spell's effect is increased in area of effect and duration. The exact increase depends on the level of the priest who casts the focus. Such amplified spells typically affect a building (such as a church or hospital), group of buildings, or even an estate.

The spell remains in effect as long as the focus exists. This requires a minimum number of worshipers and periodic renewals of the spell. Since the duration of a focus is long, these renewals often coincide with important festivals of the religion, when numerous worshipers are present to provide devotional energy.


Cooperative Magic

Cooperative spells are unique to priests. These spells allow several priests to combine their abilities to create a greater effect. Combine is one type of cooperative spell.

Cooperative spells do not require a focus or devotional energy; all that is required are two or more clerics of sufficient level to cast any cooperative spell. Casting times for cooperative spells are not excessive and their results are spectacular, making cooperative magic practical and useful to adventuring priests.

All priests who attempt cooperative magic must know the spell to be cast and must be of the same ethos. Generally, only priests of the same religion can use cooperative magic. However, priests of deities known to work in close harmony are sometimes able to use cooperative magic with each other. The decision lies with the DM, since the relations between different deities vary greatly from campaign to campaign.


New Spheres

In addition to the new types of clerical magic, a number of new spheres are introduced in Tome of Magic. These spheres help to round out and complete the priest class.

Chaos

Most of the spells in the Sphere of Chaos give the spellcaster the ability to add randomness and confusion to the world around him. Some of the spells change the probability of the outcomes of events, while others offer protection against Lawful influences.

Many of the spells of this sphere are tricky; while they usually help the spellcaster, there are times when the spell might harm the priest. Such is the way of Chaos--anyone who draws upon chaotic energy knows that nothing is certain, not even the influences of his god.

Powers that operate in this sphere are deities of mischief, trickery, ill luck, and those gods devoted to the power of the individual.

Law

The Sphere of Law is based on two principles. The first is that the group is more powerful than the sum of the individuals who make up the group. The second is that the individual must obey established rules whether or not he personally thinks they are good rules. In both cases, the idea of order is exploited, sometimes beneficially, sometimes harmfully.

The beneficial spells of the Sphere of Law draw upon the first principle. Such spells coordinate the power of a group of characters. By using spells of this sphere, individuals who work closely together can become focused into a strong, united force.

The harmful spells of the sphere draw upon the second principle; they take the concept of law one step too far and prevent the individual from operating with a free will. These spells limit a person's choices and obliterate spontaneity and individual thought and action. Whereas beneficial spells draw a group together, harmful spells isolate the individual or even subjugate him to the commands of another person.

Deities of rulership, kingship, community, and culture are likely to act in this sphere.

Numbers

The Sphere of Numbers revolves around the concept that numbers and mathematical relationships between numbers represent the "core truths" of reality or the "secrets of the universe." By studying numbers and their relationships, some scholars believe they can learn truths otherwise inaccessible; by manipulating numbers, they believe they can actually alter the fabric of reality.

This sphere uses spells that allow a priest to comprehend and use the mysteries of numbers. Since many of these spells are incredibly intricate and depend on very esoteric concepts in mathematics and hypermathematics, only priests with relatively high intelligence (13 or higher) are allowed access to these spells.

Spells from this sphere are most likely to be granted by deities of knowledge (particularly arcane or hidden knowledge).

Many of the philosophies central to this sphere sound unusual, illogical, or even insane -- things one might expect to hear from the lips of a senile "prophet" who has discovered the "truth of All" in the pseudomathematical scratchings he makes in his notebooks. There are many cranks and charlatans claiming to predict the future who are often mistaken for true practitioners of this sphere and vice versa. A priest who is granted spells from the Sphere of Numbers may sound like a crank when he claims the birth dates of kings predict the date of Doomsday, but there is one fundamental difference between him and the charlatan: The priest's spells work.

Thought

The Sphere of Thought is rooted in the philosophy of mentation and the effects of mental acts and structures on reality. Priests of this sphere believe that the common conception of the thought (i.e., a more-or-less objective analysis of sensory input which is in turn an objective perception of reality) is fallacious and misleading. These philosophers maintain that thought is and must be tied closely to reality. In effect, they believe that the thinker, the thought, and the subject of that thought somehow interact. Thus, thinking about an object or condition can sometimes cause a physical change in that object or condition.

Philosophers of this sphere also believe that once a thought has been created ("once a thought is thought"), it exists as a "freestanding mental object." This "thought object" can sometimes be detected and manipulated.

This sphere uses spells related to these philosophical beliefs. Like the Sphere of Numbers, these spells are intricate and are based on some esoteric concepts of philosophy. It is suggested that only priests with relatively high intelligence (13 or higher) be allowed access to these spells.

Spells of this sphere are most likely to be granted by deities of thought or knowledge (especially arcane or hidden knowledge). This sphere might have as its patrons certain deities who rule and exist in the abstract realms of thought. Certain isolated philosophers discuss the existence of a deity of solipsism (the philosophical belief that only the self exists). Since such a deity would believe that it exists alone in the universe, it would have no worshipers.

Time

The spells of the Sphere of Time explore ways in which time can be altered and perceived. These spells manipulate the effects of the passage of time on objects and creatures and can also affect the passage of time itself. Such spells are often the province of deities associated with nature, philosophy, divination, and trickery.

Travelers

Spells of this sphere provide aid and comfort to travelers, making their journeys safer, easier, and more enjoyable. Deities sympathetic to the well-being of explorers, nomads, and other wayfarers often allow access to this sphere.

War

The Sphere of War involves magic specifically for use on the battlefield--in mass combat between large units. Usually, these spells are granted by deities of war: those Powers who believe that victory and courage in battle are the ultimate goals for mortals.

Priests who follow these gods are sometimes generals or leaders of armies. For these priests, tactical and strategic brilliance are as important as personal skill in combat.

There are significant differences between the spheres of War and Combat. Combat spells are those the priest can use in personal altercations. These spells inflict physical damage on an opponent or improve the combat abilities of the priest and several comrades. War spells, on the other hand, are concerned with aspects of large-scale battles other than direct infliction of damage: observation, identification, movement, morale, and the like. Few spells of this sphere inflict physical damage on the enemy.

Unlike spells of other spheres, most War spells can be cast only on a single military "unit." The definition of a "unit" is that which is used in the BATTLESYSTEM™ rules; however, the DM may rule that any large group of troops accompanied by PCS may qualify as a unit. Units can be infantry or cavalry (ground or airborne), human or non-human, of regular or irregular formation. In general, they must be organized as a single unit and must be at least five individuals in number. These spells are generally useless in individual combat.

Spells from the Sphere of War are designed to be used in large-scale battles like those played using BATTLESYSTEM™  rules; thus, these spells refer to concepts from this game system. Distances are referred to in linear inches (not game inches) and times are referred to in BATTLESYSTEM turns, but the DM is free to modify these statistics to suit combat outside the BATTLESYSTEM rules.

The deities who preside over the Sphere of War are careful when granting these spells to their priests. They will generally grant such spells only when a priest is about to enter battle. In the case of the more militant war gods, a priest who petitions for these spells inappropriately or misuses them may suffer dire consequences.

Wards

This sphere includes spells that provide protection of clearly defined areas, ranging from small objects to entire villages. The magical boundaries established by these spells prevent entry or negate the effects of specific creatures, energies, or conditions. Many of the spells take advantage of cooperative magic, involving the casting of a spell by a number of assembled priests to enchant exceptionally large areas (refer to specific spells and the sections in this book on Faith Magic, Devotional Power, and Cooperative Magic for more information). Deities of war and protection, as well as those associated with benevolence and mercy, might bestow these spells.


Rogue

Rogues are people who feel that the world (and everyone it) somehow owes them a living. They get by day by day, living in the highest style they can afford and doing as little work as possible. The less they have to toil and struggle like everyone else (while maintaining a comfortable standard of living), the better off they think they are. While this attitude is neither evil nor cruel, it does not foster a good reputation. Many a rogue has a questionable past or a shady background he'd prefer was left uninvestigated.

Rogues combine a few of the qualities of the other character classes. They are allowed to use a wide variety of magical items, weapons, and armor.

Rogues have some special abilities that are unique to their group. All rogues tend to be adept at languages and thus, have a percentage chance to read strange writings they come across. All are skilled in climbing and clinging to small cracks and outcroppings--even more skilled than the hardy men of the mountains. They are alert and attentive, hearing things that others would miss. Finally, they are dexterous (and just a little bit light-fingered), able to perform tricks and filch small items with varying degrees of success.

Rogues have a number of special abilities, such as picking pockets and detecting noise, for which they are given a percentage chance of success (this chance depends on the class, level, Dexterity score, and race of the rogue). When a rogue tries to use a special ability, a percentile dice roll determines whether the attempt succeeds or fails. If the dice roll is equal to or less than the special ability score, the attempt succeeds. Otherwise, it fails.

All rogues use Table 25 to determine their advancement in levels as they gain experience points.

All rogues gain one six-sided Hit Die (1d6) per level from 1st through 10th. After 10th level, rogues earn 2 hit points per level and no longer receive additional hit point bonuses for high Constitution scores.

Table 25:

Rogue Experience Levels

Level	Thief/Bard	Hit Dice (d6)

  1	              0	   1

  2	       1,250	   2

  3	       2,500	   3

  4	       5,000  	   4

  5	     10,000	   5

  6	     20,000	   6

  7	     40,000	   7

  8	     70,000    	   8

  9	   110,000	   9

10	   160,000	  10

11	   220,000	10+2

12	   440,000	10+4

13	  	   660,000	10+6

14	   880,000	10+8

15	1,100,000	10+10

16	1,320,000	10+12

17	1,540,000	10+14

18	1,760,000	10+16

19	1,980,000	10+18

  20	2,200,000	10+20


Thief

Ability Requirement:	Dexterity 9

Prime Requisite:	Dexterity

Races Allowed:	All

Thieves come in all sizes and shapes, ready to live off the fat of the land by the easiest means possible. In some ways they are the epitome of roguishness.

The profession of thief is not honorable, yet it is not entirely dishonorable, either. Many famous folk heroes have been more than a little larcenous -- Reynard the Fox, Robin Goodfellow, and Ali Baba are but a few. At his best, the thief is a romantic hero fired by noble purpose but a little wanting in strength of character. Such a person may truly strive for good but continually run afoul of temptation.

The thief's prime requisite is Dexterity; a character must have a minimum score of 9 to qualify for the class. While high numbers in other scores (particularly Intelligence) are desirable, they are not necessary. The thief can have any alignment except lawful good. Many are at least partially neutral.

A thief with a Dexterity score of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to the experience points he earns.

Thieves have a limited selection of weapons. Most of their time is spent practicing thieving skills. The allowed weapons are club, dagger, dart, hand crossbow, knife, lasso, short bow, sling, broad sword, long sword, short sword, and staff. A thief can wear leather, studded leather, padded leather, or elven chain armor. When wearing any allowed armor other than leather, the thief's abilities are penalized (see Table 29).

To determine the initial value of each skill, start with the base scores listed on Table 26. To these base scores, add (or subtract) any appropriate modifiers for race, Dexterity, and armor worn (given on Tables 27, 28 and 29, respectively).

The scores arrived at in the preceding paragraph do not reflect the effort a thief has spent honing his skills. To simulate this extra training, all thieves at 1st level receive 60 discretionary percentage points that they can add to their base scores. No more than 30 points can be assigned to any single skill. Other than this restriction, the player can distribute the points however he wants.

Each time the thief rises a level in experience, the player receives another 30 points to distribute. No more than 15 points per level can be assigned to a single skill, and no skill can be raised above 95 percent, including all adjustments for Dexterity, race, and armor. As an option, the DM can rule that some portion of the points earned must be applied to skills used during the course of the adventure.

Table 26:

Thieving Skill Base Scores

Skill	Base Score

Pick Pockets	15%

Open Locks	10%

Find/Remove Traps	  5%

Move Silently	10%

Hide in Shadows	  5%

Detect Noise	15%

Climb Walls	60%

Read Languages	  0%

In addition to the base percentages listed above, demihuman characters and characters with high or low Dexterity scores have adjustments to their base numbers. Some characters may find that, after adjustments, they have negative scores. In this case, the character must spend points raising his skill percentage to at least 1% before he can use the skill. (Some races just aren't very good at certain things!)

A thief character uses the "No Armor" column if wearing bracers of defense or a cloak without large or heavy protective clothing.

Table 27:

Thieving Skill Racial Adjustments

Skill	Dwarf	Elf	Gnome	Half-elf	Halfling

Pick Pockets	--	+5%	--	+10%	+5%

Open Locks	+10%	-5%	+5%	--	+5%

Find/Remove Traps	+15%	--	+10%	--	+5%

Move Silently	--	+5%	+5%	--	+10%

Hide in Shadows	--	+10%	+5%	+5%	+15%

Detect Noise	--	+5%	+10%	--	+5%

Climb Walls	-10%	--	-15%	--	-15%

Read Languages	-5%	--	--	--	-5%

Table 28:

Thieving Skill Dexterity Adjustments

Pick	Open	Find/	Move	Hide in

Dexterity	Pockets	Locks	    Remove Traps	Silently	Shadows

  9	-15%	-10%	-10%	-20%	-10%

10	-10%	-5%	-10%	-15%	-5%

11	-5%	--	-5%	-10%	--

12	--	--	--	-5%	--

13-15	--	--	--	--	--

16	--	+5%	--	--	--

17	+5%	+10%	--	+5%	+5%

18	+10%	+15%	+5%	+10%	+10%

19	+15%	+20%	+10%	+15%	+15%

Table 29:

Thieving Skill Armor Adjustments

Padded, Hide or	Chain mail*

Skill	No Armor	Elven Chain	Studded Leather	/Ring Mail*

Pick Pockets	+5%	-20%	-30%	-25%

Open Locks	--	-5%	-10%	-10%

Find/Remove Traps	--	-5%	-10%	-10%

Move Silently	+10%	-10%	-20%	-15%

Hide in Shadows	+5%	-10%	-20%	-15%

Detect Noise	--	-5%	-10%	-5%

Climb Walls	+10%	-20%	-30%	-25%

Read Languages	--	--	--	--

* Only Bards can wear ring mail or non-elven mail while using thief skills..

Table 19:

Thief Average Ability Table

________________Base Chance To____________________

Level	Find/

of	  Pick	Open	Remove	Move	HideIn	Hear	Climb	Read

Thief  	Pockets	Locks	Traps	Silently	Shadows	Noise	Walls     	Languages

1	30%	25%	20%	15%	10%	10%	85%	--

2	35%	29%	25%	21%	15%	10%	86%	--

3	40%	33%	30%	27%	20%	15%	87%	--

4	45%	37%	35%	33%	25%	15%	88%	20%

5	50%	42%	40%	40%	31%	20%	90%	25%

6	55%	47%	45%	47%	37%	20%	92%	30%

7	60%	52%	50%	55%	43%	25%	94%	35%

8	65%	57%	55%	62%	49%	25%	96%	40%

9	70%	62%	60%	70%	56%	30%	98%	45%

10	80%	67%	65%	78%	63%	30%	99%	50%

11	90%	72%	70%	86%	70%	35%	99%	55%

12	95%	77%	75%	94%	77%	35%	99%	60%

13	99%	82%	80%	99%	85%	40%	99%	65%

14	99%	87%	85%	99%	93%	40%	99%	70%

15	99%	92%	90%	99%	99%	50%	99%	75%

16	99%	97%	95%	99%	99%	50%	99%	80%

17	99%	99%	99%	99%	99%	55%	99%	80%

Restrictions: To lower the overall multiple of the class, restrictions also can be chosen that will affect the behavior and abilities of the class. These multiples are subtracted from the current total. Characters must honor the restrictions of their class.

Skill Explanations

Pick Pockets: The thief uses this skill when filching small items from other peoples' pockets, sleeves, girdles, packs, etc., when palming items (such as keys), and when performing simple sleight of hand.

A failed attempt means the thief did not get an item, but it does not mean that his attempt was detected. To determine whether the victim noticed the thief's indiscretion, subtract three times the victim's level from 100. If the thief's pick pockets roll was equal to or greater than this number, the attempt is detected. A 0th-level victim, for example, notices the attempt only if the roll was 00 (100), while a 13th-level character notices the attempt on a dice roll of 61 or more. In some cases, the attempt may succeed and be noticed at the same time.

If the DM wishes, he can rule that a thief of higher level than his victim is less likely to be caught pilfering. The chance that the victim notices the attempt can be modified by subtracting the victim's level from the thief's level, and then adding this number to the percentage chance the thief is detected. For example, Ragnar, a 15th-level thief, tries to pick the pocket of Horace, a 9th-level fighter. Normally, Ragnar would be detected if his pick pockets roll was 73 or more (100-[3×9]=73). Using this optional system, since Ragnar is six levels higher than Horace, this number is increased by six to 79 (73+6=79). This option only applies if the thief is higher level than his victim.

A thief can try to pick someone's pocket as many times as he wants. Neither failure nor success prevents additional attempts, but getting caught might!

Open Locks: A thief can try to pick padlocks, finesse combination locks (if they exist), and solve puzzle locks (locks with sliding panels, hidden releases, and concealed keyholes). Picking a padlock requires tools. Using typical thief's tools grants normal chances for success. Using improvised tools (a bit of wire, a thin dirk, a stick, etc.) imposes a penalty on the character's chance for success. The DM sets the penalty based on the situation; penalties can range from -5 for an improvised but suitable tool, to -60 for an awkward and unsuitable item (like a stick). The amount of time required to pick a lock is 1d10 rounds. A thief can try to pick a particular lock only once per experience level. If the attempt fails, the lock is simply too difficult for the character until he learns more about picking locks (goes up a level).

Find/Remove Traps: The thief is trained to find small traps and alarms. These include poisoned needles, spring blades, deadly gases, and warning bells. This skill is not effective for finding deadfall ceilings, crushing walls, or other large, mechanical traps.

To find the trap, the thief must be able to touch and inspect the trapped object. Normally, the DM rolls the dice to determine whether the thief finds a trap. If the DM says, "You didn't find any traps," it's up to the player to decide whether that means there are no traps or there are traps but the thief didn't see them. If the thief finds a trap, he knows its general principle but not its exact nature. A thief can check an item for traps once per experience level. Searching for a trap takes 1d10 rounds.

Once a trap is found, the thief can try to remove it or disarm it. This also requires 1d10 rounds. If the dice roll indicates success, the trap is disarmed. If the dice roll indicates failure, the trap is beyond the thief's current skill. He can try disarming the trap again when he advances to the next experience level. If the dice roll is 96-100, the thief accidentally triggers the trap and suffers the consequences. Sometimes (usually because his percentages are low) a thief will deliberately spring a trap rather than have unpleasant side effects if the trap doesn't work quite the way the thief thought, and he triggers it while standing in the wrong place.

This skill is far less useful when dealing with magical or invisible traps. Thieves can attempt to remove these traps, but their chances of success are half their normal percentages.

Move Silently: A thief can try to move silently at any time simply by announcing that he intends to do so. While moving silently, the thief's movement rate is reduced to 1/3 normal. The DM rolls percentile dice to determine whether the thief is moving silently; the thief always thinks he is being quiet. Successful silent movement improves the thief's chance to surprise a victim, avoid discovery, or move into position to stab an enemy in the back. Obviously, a thief moving silently but in plain view of his enemies is wasting his time.

Hide in Shadows: A thief can try to disappear into shadows or any other type of concealment -- bushes, curtains, crannies, etc. A thief can hide this way only when no one is looking at him; he remains hidden only as long as he remains virtually motionless. (The thief can make small, slow, careful movements: draw a weapon, uncork a potion, etc.) A thief can never become hidden while a guard is watching him, no matter what his dice roll is--his position is obvious to the guard. However, trying to hide from a creature that is locked in battle with another is possible, as the enemy's attention is fixed elsewhere. The DM rolls the dice and keeps the result secret, but the thief always thinks he is hidden.

Hiding in shadows cannot be done in total darkness, since the talent lies in fooling the eye as much as in finding real concealment (camouflage, as it were). However, hidden characters are equally concealed to those with or without infravision. Spells, magical items, and special abilities that reveal invisible objects can reveal the location of a hidden thief.

Detect Noise: A good thief pays attention to every detail, no matter how small, including faint sounds that most others miss. His ability to hear tiny sounds (behind heavy doors, down long hallways, etc.) is much better than the ordinary person's. Listening is not automatic; the thief must stand still and concentrate on what he's hearing for one round. He must have silence in his immediate surroundings and must remove his helmet or hat. Sounds filtering through doors or other barriers are unclear at best.

Climb Walls: Although everyone can climb rocky cliffs and steep slopes, the thief is far superior to others in this ability. Not only does he have a better climbing percentage than other characters, he can also climb most surfaces without tools, ropes, or devices. Only the thief can climb smooth and very smooth surfaces without climbing gear. Of course, the thief is very limited in his actions while climbing--he is unable to fight or effectively defend himself.

Read Languages: Out of necessity, thieves tend to learn odd bits of information. Among these is the ability to read various languages, particularly as they apply to treasure maps, deeds, secret notes, and the like. At 4th level, the thief has enough exposure to languages that he has a chance to read most nonmagical writing. This ability naturally improves with more experience. However, your DM can rule that some languages (those the thief has never encountered) are indecipherable to the thief.

The die roll to read a language must be made every time the character tries to read a document (not just once per language). A successful die roll means the thief puzzled out the meaning of the writing. His understanding of the document is roughly equal to his percentage chance for success: a 20% chance means that, if the thief understands it at all, he gets about 20% of the meaning. A different document in the same language requires another die roll (it probably contains different words). It isn't necessary to keep notes about what languages the thief has read in the past, since each document is handled individually.

Only one die roll can be made for any particular document at a given experience level. If the die roll fails, the thief can try again after gaining a new experience level.

If the character knows how to read a given language because he spent a proficiency slot on it, this die roll is unnecessary for documents in that language.

Thieves have other abilities not listed on Table 26:

Backstab: Thieves are weak in toe-to-toe hacking matches, but they are masters of the knife in the back. When attacking someone by surprise and from behind, a thief can improve his chance to successfully hit (+4 modifier for rear attack and negate the target's shield and Dexterity bonuses) and greatly increase the amount of damage his blow causes.

To use this ability, the thief must be behind his victim and the victim must be unaware that the thief intends to attack him. If an enemy sees the thief, hears him approach from a blind side, or is warned by another, he is not caught unaware, and the backstab is handled like a normal attack (although bonuses for a rear attack still apply). Opponents in battle will often notice a thief trying to maneuver behind them--the first rule of fighting is to never turn your back on an enemy! However, someone who isn't expecting to be attacked (a friend or ally, perhaps) can be caught unaware even if he knows the thief is behind him.

The multiplier given in Table 30 applies to the amount of damage before modifiers for Strength or weapon bonuses are added. The weapon's standard damage is multiplied by the value given in Table 30. Then Strength and magical weapon bonuses are added.

Backstabbing does have limitations. First, the damage multiplier applies only to the first attack made by the thief, even if multiple attacks are possible. Once a blow is struck, the initial surprise effect is lost. Second, the thief cannot use it on every creature. The victim must be generally humanoid. Part of the skill comes from knowing just where to strike. A thief could backstab an ogre, but he wouldn't be able to do the same to a beholder. The victim must also have a definable back (which leaves out most slimes, jellies, oozes, and the like). Finally, the thief has to be able to reach a significant target area. To backstab a giant, the thief would have to be standing on a ledge or window balcony. Backstabbing him in the ankle just isn't going to be as effective.

Table 30:

Backstab Damage Multipliers

Thief's Level	Damage Multiplier

1-4	×2

5-8	×3

9-12	×4

13+	×5

The ogre marches down the hallway, peering into the gloom ahead. He fails to notice the shadowy form of Ragnar the thief hidden in an alcove. Slipping into the hallway, Ragnar creeps up behind the monster. As he sets himself to strike a mortal blow, his foot scrapes across the stone. The hairy ears of the ogre perk up. The beast whirls around, ruining Ragnar's chance for a backstab and what remains of his day. If Ragnar had made a successful roll to move silently, he could have attacked the ogre with a +4 bonus on his chance to hit and inflicted five times his normal damage (since he is 15th level).

Thieves' Cant: Thieves' cant is a special form of communication known by all thieves and their associates. It is not a distinct language; it consists of slang words and implied meanings that can be worked into any language. The vocabulary of thieves' cant limits its use to discussing things that interest thieves: stolen loot, easy marks, breaking and entering, mugging, confidence games, and the like. It is not a language, however. Two thieves cannot communicate via thieves' cant unless they know a common language. The cant is useful, however, for identifying fellow cads and bounders by slipping a few tidbits of lingo into a normal conversation.

The concept of thieves' cant is historical (the cant probably is still used today in one form or another), although in the AD&D game it has an ahistorically broad base. A few hours of research at a large library should turn up actual examples of old thieves' cant for those who want to learn more about the subject.

Use Scrolls: At 10th level, a thief gains a limited ability to use magical and priest scrolls. A thief's understanding of magical writings is far from complete, however. The thief has a 25% chance to read the scroll incorrectly and reverse the spell's effect. This sort of malfunction is almost always detrimental to the thief and his party. It could be as simple as accidentally casting the reverse of the given spell or as complex as a foul-up on a fireball scroll, causing the ball of flame to be centered on the thief instead of its intended target. The exact effect is up to the DM (this is the sort of thing DMs enjoy, so expect the unexpected).

Thieves do not build castles or fortresses in the usual sense. Instead, they favor small, fortified dwellings, especially if the true purpose of the buildings can easily be disguised. A thief might, for example, construct a well-protected den in a large city behind the facade of a seedy tavern or old warehouse. Naturally, the true nature of the place will be a closely guarded secret! Thieves almost always build their strongholds in or near cities, since that is where they ply their trades most lucratively.

This, of course, assumes that the thief is interested in operating a band of thieves out of his stronghold. Not all thieves have larceny in their hearts, however. If a character devoted his life to those aspects of thieving that focus on scouting, stealth, and the intricacies of locks and traps, he could build an entirely different sort of stronghold--one filled with the unusual and intriguing objects he has collected during his adventurous life. Like any thief's home, it should blend in with its surroundings; after all, a scout never advertises his whereabouts. It might be a formidable maze of rooms, secret passages, sliding panels, and mysterious paraphernalia from across the world.

Once a thief reaches 10th level, his reputation is such that he can attract followers -- either a gang of scoundrels and scalawags or a group of scouts eager to learn from a reputed master. The thief attracts 4d6 of these fellows. They are generally loyal to him, but a wise thief is always suspicious of his comrades. Table 31 can be used to determine the type and level of followers, or the DM can choose followers appropriate to his campaign.

Table 31:

Thief's Followers

D100	Level

Roll	Follower	Range

01-03	Dwarf fighter/thief	1-4

04-08	Dwarf thief	1-6

09-13	Elf thief	1-6

14-15	Elf thief/fighter/mage	1-3

16-18	Elf thief/mage	1-4

19-24	Gnome thief	1-6

25-27	Gnome thief/fighter	1-4

28-30	Gnome thief/illusionist	1-4

31-35	Half-elf thief	1-6

36-38	Half-elf thief/fighter	1-4

39-41	Half-elf thief/fighter/mage	1-3

42-46	Halfling thief	1-8

47-50	Halfling thief/fighter	1-6

51-98	Human thief	1-8

   99	Human dual-class thief/?	1-8/1-4

   00	Other (DM selection)	--

  Thieves tend to be very jealous of their territory. If more than one thief starts a gang in the same area, the result is usually a war. The feud continues until one side or the other is totally eliminated or forced to move its operation elsewhere.


Bard

Ability Requirements:	Dexterity 12

Intelligence 13

Charisma 15

Prime Requisite:	Dexterity, Charisma

Races Allowed:	Human, Half-elf

The bard is an optional character class that can be used if your DM allows. He makes his way in life by his charm, talent, and wit. A good bard should be glib of tongue, light of heart, and fleet of foot (when all else fails).

In precise historical terms, the title "bard" applies only to certain groups of Celtic poets who sang the history of their tribes in long, recitative poems. These bards, found mainly in Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, filled many important roles in their society. They were storehouses of tribal history, reporters of news, messengers, and even ambassadors to other tribes. However, in the AD&D game, the bard is a more generalized character. Historical and legendary examples of the type include Alan-a-Dale, Will Scarlet, Amergin, and even Homer. Indeed, every culture has its storyteller or poet, whether he is called bard, skald, fili, jongleur, or something else.

To become a bard, a character must have a Dexterity of 12 or more, an Intelligence of 13 or more, and a Charisma of 15 or more. The prime requisites are Dexterity and Charisma. A bard can be lawful, neutral or chaotic, good or evil, but must always be partially neutral. Only by retaining some amount of detachment can he successfully fulfill his role as a bard.

A bard, by his nature, tends to learn many different skills. He is a jack-of-all-trades but master of none. Although he fights as a rogue, he can use any weapon. He can wear any armor up to, and including, chain mail, but he cannot use a shield.

All bards are proficient singers, chanters, or vocalists and can play a musical instrument of the player's choice (preferably one that is portable). Additional instruments can be learned if the optional proficiency rules are used -- the bard can learn two instruments for every proficiency slot spent.

In his travels, a bard also manages to learn a few wizard spells. Like a wizard, a bard's Intelligence determines the number of spells he can know and the chance to know any given spell. These he keeps in his spell book, abiding by all the restrictions on memorization and spell use that bind a wizard, especially in the prohibition of armor. Hence, a bard will tend to use his spells more to entertain and impress than to fight. Table 32 lists the number of spells a bard can cast at each level.

Since bards are dabblers rather than full-time wizards, their spells tend to be gained by serendipity and happenstance. In no case can a bard choose to specialize in a school of magic. Beginning bards do not have a selection of spells. A 2nd-level bard begins with one to four spells, chosen either randomly or by the DM. (An Intelligence check must still be made to see if the bard can learn a given spell.) The bard is not guaranteed to know read magic, as this is not needed to read the writings in a spell book. The bard can add new spells to his spell book as he finds them, but he does not automatically gain additional spells as he advances in level. All spells beyond those he starts with must be found during the course of adventuring. The bard's casting level is equal to his current level.

Table 32:

BARD SPELL PROGRESSION

Bard	Spell Level

Level	1	2	3	4	5	6

  1	--	--	--	--	--	--

  2	1	--	--	--	--	--

  3	2	--	--	--	--	--

  4	2	1	--	--	--	--

  5	3	1	--	--	--	--

  6	3	2	--	--	--	--

  7	3	2	1	--	--	--

  8	3	3	1	--	--	--

  9	3	3	2	--	--	--

10	3	3	2	1	--	--

11	3	3	3	1	--	--

12	3	3	3	2	--	--

13	3	3	3	2	1	--

14	3	3	3	3	1	--

15	3	3	3	3	2	--

16	4	3	3	3	2	1

17	4	4	3	3	3	1

18	4	4	4	3	3	2

19	4	4	4	4	3	2

20	4	4	4	4	4	3

Combat and spells, however, are not the main strength of the bard. His expertise is in dealing and communicating with others. To this end, the bard has a number of special powers. The base percentage for each power is listed on Table 33. This base percentage must be adjusted for the race and Dexterity of the bard as given in the Thief description. After all adjustments are made, the player must distribute (however he chooses) 20 additional percentage points to the various special abilities. Thereafter, each time the character advances a level, he receives an additional 15 points to distribute.

Table 33:

Bard Abilities

Climb	Detect	Pick	Read

Walls	Noise	Pockets	Languages

50%	20%	10%	5%

Bard abilities are subject to modifiers for situation and armor as per the thief.

Climb Walls enables the bard to climb near sheer surfaces without the aid of tools, just like the thief.

Detect Noise improves the bard's chances of hearing and interpreting sounds. He may be able to overhear parts of a conversation on the other side of a door or pick up the sound of something stalking the party. To use the ability, the bard must stand unhelmeted and concentrate for one round (one minute). During this time, all other party members must remain silent. The DM secretly makes the check and informs the player of the result.

Pick Pockets enables the bard not only to filch small purses, wallets, keys, and the like, but also to perform small feats of sleight-of-hand (useful for entertaining a crowd). Complete details on pickpocketing (and your character's chances of getting caught) can be found in the Thief description.

Read Languages is an important ability, since words are the meat and drink of bards. They have some ability to read documents written in languages they do not know, relying on words and phrases they have picked up in their studies and travels. The Read Languages column in Table 33 gives the base percentage chance to puzzle out a foreign tongue. It also represents the degree of comprehension the bard has if he is successful. The DM can rule that a language is too rare or unfamiliar, especially if it has never been previously encountered by the bard, effectively foiling his attempts to translate it. At the other extreme, the bard need not make the dice roll for any language he is proficient in. Success is assumed to be automatic in such cases.

The bard can also influence reactions of groups of NPCs. When performing before a group that is not attacking (and not intending to attack in just seconds), the bard can try to alter the mood of the listeners. He can try to soften their mood or make it uglier. The method can be whatever is most suitable to the situation at the moment -- a fiery speech, collection of jokes, a sad tale, a fine tune played on a fiddle, a haunting lute melody, or a heroic song from the old homeland. Everyone in the group listening must roll a saving throw vs. paralyzation (if the crowd is large, make saving throws for groups of people using average hit dice). The die roll is modified by -1 for every three experience levels of the bard (round fractions down). If the saving throw fails, the group's reaction can be shifted one level (see the Reactions section in the DMG), toward either the friendly or hostile end of the scale, at the player's option. Those who make a successful saving throw have their reaction shifted one level toward the opposite end of the scale.

Cwell the Fine has been captured by a group of bandits and hauled into their camp. Although they are not planning to kill him on the spot, any fool can plainly see that his future may be depressingly short. In desperation, Cwell begins spinning a comic tale about Duke Dunderhead and his blundering knights. It has always been a hit with the peasants, and he figures it's worth a try here. Most of the bandits have 1 Hit Die, but the few higher level leaders raise the average level to 3. Cwell is only 2nd level so he gains no modifier. A saving throw is rolled and the group fails (Cwell succeeds!). The ruffians find his tale amusing. The player shifts their reaction from hostile to neutral. The bandits decide not to kill Cwell but to keep him around, under guard, to entertain them. If the bandits' saving throw had succeeded, the bandits would have been offended by the story (perhaps some of them served under Duke Dunderhead!), and their reaction would have shifted from hostile to violent. They probably would have roasted Cwell immediately.

This ability cannot affect people in the midst of battle; it is effective only when the audience has time to listen. If Cwell tried telling his tale while the bandits were attacking his group, the bandits would have quickly decided that Cwell was a fool and carried on with their business. Furthermore, the form of entertainment used must be appropriate to the audience. Cwell might be able to calm (or enrage) a bear with music, but he won't have much luck telling jokes to orcs unless he speaks their language.

The music, poetry, and stories of the bard can also be inspirational, rallying friends and allies. If the exact nature of an impending threat is known, the bard can heroically inspire his companions (immortalizing them in word and song), granting a +1 bonus to attack rolls, or a +1 bonus to saving throws, or a +2 bonus to morale (particularly useful in large battles) to those involved in melee. The bard must spend at least three full rounds singing or reciting before the battle begins. This affects those within a range of 10 feet per experience level of the bard.

The effect lasts one round per level. Once the effect wears off, it can't be renewed if the recipients are still in battle. However, troops who have withdrawn from combat can be reinspired by the bard's words. A troop of soldiers, inspired by Cwell, could charge into battle. After fighting a fierce fight, they retreat and the enemy does not pursue. Cwell, seeing them crestfallen and dispirited, once again rouses their will to fight. Reinvigorated, they charge back into battle with renewed spirit.

Bards are also able to counter the effects of songs and poetry used as magical attacks. Characters within 30 feet of the bard are immune to the attack as long as the bard sings a counter song (or recites a poem, etc.). While doing this, the bard can perform no other action except a slow walk. Furthermore, if he is struck or fails a saving throw, his effort is ruined. Success is checked by having the bard make a saving throw vs. spell. Success blocks the attack, failure means the attack has its normal effect (everyone affected rolls saving throws, normal damage is inflicted, etc.). The bard can use this ability once per encounter or battle. This power does not affect verbal spell components or command words; it is effective against spells that involve explanations, commands, or suggestions.

Finally, bards learn a little bit of everything in their studies and travels. Thus, all bards can read and write their native tongue (if a written language exists) and all know local history (without cost if the optional proficiency rules are used). Furthermore, bards have a 5% chance per experience level to identify the general purpose and function of any magical item. The bard need not handle the item but must examine it closely. Even if successful, the exact function of the item is not revealed, only its general nature.

Since Cwell the Fine is 2nd level, he has a 10% chance to know something about a magical sword +1. If he succeeds, he knows whether the sword is cursed and whether it has an alignment ("This sword was used by the evil warrior Lurdas. I wouldn't touch it if I were you!"). This ability does not enable him to identify the sword's exact properties, only its history and background. He has no idea of its bonuses or penalties or any special magical powers, except as can be inferred from the histories.

Being something of a warrior, a bard can build a stronghold and attract followers upon reaching 9th level. The bard attracts 10d6 0th-level soldiers into his service. They arrive over a period of time, but they are not automatically replaced if lost in battle. Of course, a bard can build a stronghold any time, but no followers arrive until he reaches 9th level.

  Upon reaching 10th level, a bard can attempt to use magical devices of written nature--scrolls, books, etc. However, his understanding of magic is imperfect (although better than that of a thief), so there is a 15% chance that any written item he uses is read incorrectly. When this happens, the magical power works the opposite of what is intended, generally to the detriment of the bard or his friends. The DM will tell you what happens to your character, based on the situation and particular magical item. The result may be unpleasant, deadly, or embarrassing. (Deciding these things is part of the DM's fun!)


Multi-Class Combinations

All of the standard demihuman races are listed here, along with their allowable multi-class combinations. Note that the character class names (not group names) are used below.

Dwarf	Halfling

Fighter/Thief	Fighter/Thief

Fighter/Cleric

Half-elf

Elf	Fighter/Cleric*

Fighter/Mage	Fighter/Thief

Fighter/Thief	Fighter/Mage

Mage/Thief	Cleric/Ranger

Cleric*/Mage

Gnome	Thief/Mage

Fighter/Cleric	Fighter/Mage/Cleric*

Fighter/Illusionist	Fighter/Mage/Thief

Fighter/Thief

Cleric/Illusionist	* or Druid

Cleric/Thief

Illusionist/Thief

  As stated earlier in their description, specialist wizards cannot be multi-class (gnome illusionists are the single exception to this rule). The required devotion to their single field prevents specialist wizards from applying themselves to other classes. Priests of a specific mythos might be allowed as a multi-class option; this will depend on the nature of the mythos as determined by the DM.


Multi-Class Benefits and Restrictions

A multi-class character always uses the most favorable combat value and the best saving throw from his different classes.

The character's hit points are the average of all his Hit Dice rolls. When the character is first created, the player rolls hit points for each class separately, totals them up, then divides by the number of dice rolled (round fractions down). Any Constitution bonus is then added to the character's hit points. If one of the character's classes is fighter and he has a Constitution of 17 or 18, then he gains the +3 or +4 Constitution bonus available only to warriors (instead of the +2 maximum available to the other character classes).

Later the character is likely to gain levels in different classes at different times. When this happens, roll the appropriate Hit Die and divide the result by the number of classes the character has (round fractions down, but a Hit Die never yields less than 1 hit point). The character's Constitution bonus is split between his classes; thus, a fighter/mage gets ½ of his Con bonus when he goes up a level as a fighter and the other ½ of the Con bonus when he goes up a level as a mage. A fighter/mage/thief would get 1/3 of his bonus when he goes up as a fighter, 1/3 when he goes up as a mage, and the other 1/3 when he goes up as a thief.

If the optional proficiency system is used, the character starts with the largest number of proficiency slots of the different classes. Thereafter, he gains new proficiency slots at the fastest of the given rates. To determine the character's initial money, roll according to the most generous of the character's different classes.

Rupert's character, Morrison the Multi-Faceted, is a half-elf fighter/mage/thief. At 1st level, Morrison rolls three dice for hit points: 1d10 (fighter), 1d6 (thief), and 1d4 (mage). The results are 6, 5, and 2. Their sum (13) is divided by three and rounded down to equal 4 (13/3=4-1/3=4). Morrison begins the game with 4 hit points. Later, Morrison reaches 2nd level as a thief before he reaches 2nd level as a fighter or a mage. He rolls 1d6 for additional hit points and the result is 4. He divides this by 3 (because he has three classes) and rounds down. Morrison gets 1 more hit point when he becomes a 2nd-level thief. (He will also roll 1d10 and 1d4 [both rolls divided by 3] when he reaches 2nd level as a fighter and as a mage, respectively.)

Multi-class characters can combine abilities from their different classes with the following restrictions:

Warrior: A multi-classed warrior can use all of his abilities without restriction. The warrior abilities form the base for other character classes.

Priest: Regardless of his other classes, a multi-classed priest must abide by the weapon restrictions of his mythos. Thus, a fighter/cleric can use only bludgeoning weapons (but he uses the warrior combat value). He retains all his normal priest abilities.

Wizard: A multi-classed wizard can freely combine the powers of the wizard with any other class allowed, although the wearing of armor is restricted. Elves wearing elven chain can cast spells in armor, as magic is part of the nature of elves. However, elven chain is extremely rare and can never be purchased. It must be given, found, or won.

  Thief: A multi-classed thief cannot use any thieving abilities other than open locks or detect noise if he is wearing armor that is normally not allowed to thieves. He must remove his gauntlets to open locks and his helmet to detect noise.


Dual-Class Benefits and Restrictions

Only humans can be dual-classed characters. To be dual-classed, the character must have scores of 15 or more in the prime requisites of his first class and scores of 17 or more in the prime requisites of any classes he switches to. The character selects one class to begin his adventuring life. He can advance in this class as many levels as he desires before switching to another class; there is no cut-off point beyond which a character cannot switch. However, he must attain at least 2nd level in his current class before changing to another class. There is no limit to the number of classes a character can acquire, as long as he has the ability scores and wants to make the change. (Certain character classes have alignment restrictions that the character must meet, however.)

Any time after reaching 2nd level, a human character can enter a new character class, provided he has scores of 17 or better in the prime requisites of the new class. After switching to a new class, the character no longer earns experience points in his previous character class and he can no longer advance in level in that class. Nor can he switch back to his first class at a later date, hoping to resume his advancement where he left off. Once he leaves a class he has finished his studies in it. Instead, he starts over in a new class, at 1st level with 0 experience points, but he does retain his previous Hit Dice and hit points. He gains the abilities, and must abide by all of the restrictions, of the new class. He does not gain or lose any points on his ability scores (for example, an 18 Strength wizard who changes to fighter does not gain the percentile Strength bonus, but likewise a fighter changing to a wizard would not lose it). The character uses the combat and saving throw tables appropriate to his new class and level.

This is not to imply that a dual-class human forgets everything he knew before; he still has, at his fingertips, all the knowledge, abilities, and proficiencies of his old class. But if he uses any of his previous class's abilities during an encounter, he earns no experience for that encounter and only half experience for the adventure. The only values that can be carried over from the previous class without restriction are the character's Hit Dice and hit points. The character is penalized for using his old attack or saving throw numbers, weapons or armor that are now prohibited, and any special abilities of the old class that are not also abilities of the new class. (The character is trying to learn new ways to do things; by slipping back to his old methods, he has set back his learning in his new character class.)

In addition, the character earns no additional Hit Dice or hit points while advancing in his new class.

The restrictions in the previous two paragraphs last until the character reaches a higher level in his new class than his maximum level in any of his previous classes. At that point, both restrictions are dropped: the character gains the abilities of his previous classes without jeopardizing his experience points for the adventure, and he earns additional Hit Dice (those of his new class) and hit points for gaining experience levels in his new class.

Once these restrictions are lifted, the character must still abide by the restrictions of whichever class he is using at the moment. A dual-class fighter/mage, for example, cannot cast spells while wearing armor.

Tarus Blood-heart begins his career as a cleric with a Wisdom of 16. He rises to 3rd level and then decides to become a fighter, since his Strength is 17. He keeps his 14 hit points (rolled on 3d8), but in all other ways he is treated as a 1st-level fighter. Upon reaching 4th level, Tarus is allowed to roll 1d10 for additional hit points. He can now cast spells as a 3rd-level cleric and fight as a 4th-level fighter. For the rest of his career, Tarus advances as a fighter but retains his minor clerical powers--a useful advantage when the situation gets ugly!

When a dual-class or multi-class character is struck by a level-draining creature, he first loses levels in the class in which he has advanced the highest. When his different classes are equal in level, the class level requiring the most experience points is lost first.

The player character is allowed to regain levels lost by level draining, but until he regains all of his former levels, he must select which class he will use prior to any particular adventure. Using abilities of the other class then subjects him to the experience penalties given earlier. When he regains all of his former levels, he is then free to use all the abilities of all his classes once again. Of course, he cannot raise his earlier class(es) above the level(s) he was at when he switched class.

  Tarus is a 4th-level cleric/3rd-level fighter. He is struck by a wight and loses one level from his cleric class, since it is his highest level. If struck again, he would lose one level from his fighter class. Thereafter he could regain his lost levels, but would have to choose to act as either a fighter or cleric. Once he earned enough experience to regain his previous fighter level, he would not be allowed to advance further in it (restoring himself to his previous level only). But he could still advance as a cleric and use his 3rd-level fighter abilities.


Combat

Definitions

Many game terms are used throughout the combat rules. To understand the rules, players must understand these terms, so brief explanations appear below. Further details are provided throughout this chapter.

Armor Class (AC) is the protective rating of a type of armor. In some circumstances, AC is modified by the amount of protection gained or lost because of the character's situation. For instance, crouching behind a boulder improves a character's Armor Class, while being attacked from behind worsens his AC.

Abilities and situations can also affect a character's Armor Class. High Dexterity gives a bonus to Armor Class, for example. But even a character with a Dexterity bonus can have this bonus negated if he is attacked from the rear.

Armor provides protection by reducing the chance that a character is attacked successfully (and suffers damage). Armor does not absorb damage, it prevents it. A fighter in full plate mail may be a slow-moving target, but penetrating his armor to cause any damage is no small task.

Armor Class is measured on a scale from 10, the worst (no armor), to -10, the best (very powerful magical armors). The lower the number, the more effective the armor. Shields can also improve the AC of a character.

Damage (D) is what happens to a character when an opponent attacks him successfully. Damage can also occur as a result of poison, fire, falling, acid, and anything even remotely dangerous in the real world. Damage from most attacks is measured in hit points. Each time a character is hit, he suffers points of damage. It could be as little as 1 point to as many as 80 or more. These points are subtracted from the character's current hit point total. When this total reaches 0, the character is dead.

Initiative determines the order in which things happen in a combat round. Like so many things in the world, initiative is determined by a combination of ability, situation, and chance.

At the start of each round of a battle, an initiative roll is made by both sides. This roll can be modified by the abilities of the combatants and by the situation. The person or side with the lower modified die roll acts first.

Melee is any situation in which characters are battling each other hand-to-hand, whether with fists, teeth, claws, swords, axes, pikes, or something else. Strength and Dexterity are valuable assets in melee.

Missile combat is defined as any time a weapon is shot, thrown, hurled, kicked, or otherwise propelled. Missile and melee combat have the same basic rules, but there are special situations and modifiers that apply only to missile combat.

Saving throws are measures of a character's resistance to special types of attacks--poisons, magic, and attacks that affect the whole body or mind of the character. The ability to make successful saving throws improves as the character increases in level.

Surprise can happen any time characters unexpectedly meet another group (monsters, evil knights, peasants, etc.). Surprise is simply what happens when one side--a person or party--is taken unawares, unable to react until they gather their wits. Their opponents, if unsurprised, are allowed a bonus round of action while the surprised characters recover. It's entirely possible for both sides in a given situation to be surprised!

Attacking with surprise gives bonuses to the attack roll (see Table 35). A surprised character also has a decreased chance of rolling a successful saving throw, if one is needed.

Surprise is determined by a die roll and is normally checked at the beginning of an encounter. Surprise is very unpredictable, so there are very few modifiers to the roll.

  THAC0 is an acronym for "To Hit Armor Class 0." This is the number a character, NPC, or monster needs to attack an Armor Class 0 target successfully. THAC0 depends on a character's group and level or a monster's Hit Dice (see Tables 37-39). The THAC0 number can be used to calculate the number needed to hit any Armor Class. THAC0 is refigured each time a character increases in level. Using THAC0 speeds the play of combat greatly.


The Combat Sequence

In real life, combat is one of the closest things to pure anarchy. Each side is attempting to harm the other, essentially causing disorder and chaos. Thus, combats are filled with unknowns--unplanned events, failed attacks, lack of communication, and general confusion and uncertainty. However, to play a battle in the game, it is necessary to impose some order on the actions. Within a combat round, there is a set series of steps that must be followed. These are:

1. The DM decides what actions the monsters or NPCs will take, including casting spells, if any.

2. The players indicate what their characters will do, including and casting of spells.

3. Initiative is determined.

4. Attacks are made in order of initiative.

These steps are followed until the combat ends--either one side is defeated, surrenders, or runs away.

NPC/Monster Determination: In the first step, the DM secretly decides in general terms what each opponent will do, such as attack, flee, or cast a spell. He does not announce his decisions to the players. If a spell is to be cast, the DM picks the spell before the players announce their characters' actions.

Player Determination: Next, the players give a general indication of what their characters are planning to do. This does not have to be perfectly precise and can be changed somewhat if the DM decides that circumstances warrant.

If the characters are battling goblins, a player can say, "My fighter will attack" without announcing which goblin he will strike. If the characters are battling a mixed group of goblins and ogres, the player has to state whether his character is attacking goblins or ogres.

Spells to be cast must also be announced at this time and cannot be changed once the initiative die is rolled. In any situation where the abilities of a character could make a difference, a clear description must be given.

Before moving on, the DM will make sure he has a clear idea of not only what the player characters are doing, but also what actions any hirelings and henchmen are taking. Once he has a clear view of everything that's likely to happen, the DM can overrule any announced action that violates the rules (or in the case of an NPC, is out of character).

He is not required to overrule an impossible action, but he can let a character attempt it anyway, knowing full well the character cannot succeed. It is not the DM's position to advise players on the best strategies, most intelligent actions, or optimum maneuvers for their characters.

Initiative: In the third step, dice are rolled to determine initiative, according to the rules for initiative.

Resolution: In the last step, PCs, NPCs, and monsters make their attacks, spells occur, and any other actions are resolved according to the order of initiative.

The above sequence is not immutable. Indeed, some monsters violate the standard sequence, and some situations demand the application of common sense. In these cases the DM's word is final.

Here's an example of the combat sequence in action:

Rath is leading a party through the corridors of a dungeon. Right behind him are Rupert and Delsenora. Rounding a bend, they see a group of orcs and trolls about 20 feet away. No one is surprised by the encounter.

The DM has notes telling him that the orcs are hesitant. He secretly decides that they will fall back and let the trolls fight. The trolls, able to regenerate, are naturally overconfident and step forward to the front rank (cursing the orcs at the same time). Turning to the players, the DM asks, "What are you going to do?"

Harry (playing Rath, a dwarf who hates orcs: "Orcs?--CHARGE!"

Anne (playing Delsenora the Mage): "Uh, what!? Wait. Don't do that . . . I was going to . . . now I can't use a fireball spell."

DM: "Rath is charging forward. Quick--what are you doing?"

Jon (playing Rupert, the half-elf, to Anne): "Cast a spell! (To DM) Can I fire my bow over him?"

DM: "Sure, he's short."

Jon: "OK, I'll shoot at orcs."

DM: "Anne, tell me what Delsenora's doing or she'll lose the round trying to make up her mind."

Anne: "Got it! My acid arrow spell at the lead troll."

DM: "Fine. Harry, Rath is in front. Roll for initiative."


Figuring the To-Hit Number

The first step in making an attack roll is to find the number needed to hit the target. Subtract the Armor Class of the target from the attacker's THAC0. Remember that if the Armor Class is a negative number, you add it to the attacker's THAC0. The character has to roll the resulting number, or higher, on 1d20 to hit the target. Here's a simple example:

Rath has reached 7th level as a fighter. His THAC0 is 14 (found on Table 38), meaning he needs to roll a 14 or better to hit a character or creature of Armor Class 0.

In combat, Rath, attacking an orc wearing chainmail armor (AC 6), needs to roll an 8 (14-6 = 8). An 8 or higher on 1d20 will hit the orc. If Rath hits, he rolls the appropriate dice (see Table 44 in the Player's Handbook) to determine how much damage he inflicts.

Modifiers to the Attack Roll

The example above is quite simple. In a typical AD&D game combat situation, THAC0 is modified by weapon bonuses, Strength bonuses, and the like. Figure Strength weapon modifiers, subtract the total from the base THAC0, and record this modified THAC0 for each weapon on the character sheet. Subtract the target's Armor Class from this modified THAC0 when determining the number needed to attack successfully.

Here's the same example, with some common modifiers thrown in:

Rath is still a 7th-level fighter. He has a Strength of 18/80 (which gives him a +2 bonus to his attack roll). He fights with a long sword +1. His THACO is 14, modified to 12 by his Strength and to 11 by his weapon. If attacking the orc from the earlier example, Rath would have to roll a 5 or higher on 1d20 in order to hit (11-6=5). Again, Table 44 in the Player's Handbook

would tell him how much damage he inflicts with his weapon (this information should also be written on his character sheet).

In combat, many factors can modify the number a character needs for a successful hit. These variables are reflected in modifiers to the to-hit number or to the attack roll.

Strength Modifiers: A character's Strength can modify the die roll, altering both the chance to hit and the damage caused. This modifier is always applied to melees and attacks with hurled missile weapons (a spear or an axe).

A positive Strength modifier can be applied to bows if the character has a special bow made for him, designed to take advantage of his high Strength. Characters with Strength penalties always suffer them when using a bow. They simply are not able to draw back the bowstring far enough. Characters never have Strength modifiers when using crossbows--the power of the shot is imparted by a machine.

Magical Items: The magical properties of a weapon can also modify combat. Items that impart a bonus to the attack roll or Armor Class are identified by a plus sign. For example, a sword +1 improves a character's chance to hit by one. A suit of chain mail +1 improves the Armor Class of the character by one (which means you subtract one from the character's AC, changing an AC of 5 to an AC of 4, for example). Cursed items have a negative modifier (a penalty), resulting in a subtraction from the attack roll or an addition to Armor Class.

There is no limit to the number of modifiers that can be applied to a single die roll. Nor is there a limit to the positive or negative number (the total of all modifiers) that can be applied to a die roll.

Table 35 lists some standard combat modifiers. Positive numbers are bonuses for the attacker; negative numbers are penalties.

Table 35:

Combat Modifiers

Situation	Attack Roll Modifier

Attacker on higher ground	+1

Defender invisible	-4

Defender off-balance	+2

Defender sleeping or held	Automatic*

Defender stunned or prone	+4

Defender surprised	+1

Missile fire, long range	-5

Missile fire, medium range	-2

Rear attack	+2

* If the defender is attacked during the course of a normal melee, the attack automatically hits and causes normal damage. If no other fighting is going on (i.e., all others have been slain or driven off), the defender can be slain automatically.

  The DM can also throw in situational modifiers, (e.g., a bonus if the target is struck from behind, or a penalty if the target is crouching behind a boulder). If the final, modified die roll on 1d20 is equal to or greater than the number needed to hit the target, the attack succeeds. If the roll is lower than that needed, the attack fails.

THAC0

To make an attack roll, the character's THAC0 must be known. This depends on the group and level, if the attacker is a player character or NPC, or the Hit Dice if the attacker is a monster or an animal. All 1st-level characters have THAC0s of 20.

For a character of level 1 through level 20, consult Table 38. This table lists the THAC0 number of each group through 20th level, so players don't have to perform any calculations.

For a character higher than 20th level, find the Improvement Rate for the character's group in Table 37. There you'll find the number of levels a character must advance to reduce his THAC0 by 1 or more points. Calculate the character's THAC0 according to his level. A priest, for example, improves by two for every three levels he advances. A 5th level cleric would have a THAC0 of 18. A rogue (a thief or bard) improves one point every two levels. A 17th-level rogue would have a THAC0 of 12. Table 38 lists the THAC0 number of each group at each level.

Creatures do not have character classes and levels, so they calculate THAC0s differently, basing it on the Hit Dice of the creature. Table 39 lists the THAC0 number for monsters having various numbers of Hit Dice. When a creature has three or more points added to its Hit Dice, count another die when consulting the table.

Table 37:

THAC0 Advancement

Group	Improvement Rate Points/Level

Priest	2/3

Rogue	1/2

Warrior	1/1

Wizard	1/3

Table 38:

Calculated THAC0S

       Level

Group	1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8     9    10    11  12     13   14   15  16  17  18   19  20

Priest	20  20  20  18  18  18  16  16   16   14   14   14    12   12   12  10  10   10    8    8

Rogue	20  20  19  19  18  18  17  17   16   16   15   15    14   14   13  13  12   12  11  11

Warrior	20  19  18  17  16  15  14  13   12   11   10     9      8     7     6    5    4     3    2    1

Wizard	20  20  20  19  19  19  18  18   18   17   17   17    16   16   16  15   15  15  14  14

Table 39:

Creature THAC0

Hit Dice

1/2 or less   1-1    1+    2+    3+    4+    5+    6+    7+    8+    9+    10+    11+    12+    13+    14+    15+    16+

      20          20     19    19    17     17    15    15    13  13    11      11        9         9        7	  7        5        5


The Combat Round

If an encounter escalates into a combat situation, the time scale of the game automatically goes to rounds (also called melee rounds, or combat rounds). Rounds are used to measure the actions of characters in combat or other intensive actions in which time is important.

A round is approximately one minute. Ten combat rounds equal a turn (or, put another way, a turn equals 10 minutes of game time). This is particularly important to remember for spells that last for turns, rather than rounds.

But these are just approximations--precise time measurements are impossible to make in combat. An action that might be ridiculously easy under normal circumstances could become an undertaking of truly heroic scale when attempted in the middle of a furious, chaotic battle.

Imagine the simple act of imbibing a healing potion. First a character decides to drink the potion before retiring for the night. All he has to do is get it out of his backpack, uncork it, and drink the contents. No problem.

Now imagine the same thing in the middle of a fight. The potion is safely stowed in the character's backpack. First he takes stock of the situation to see if anyone else can get the potion out for him. However, not surprisingly, everyone is rather busy. So, sword in one hand, he shrugs one strap of the pack off his shoulder. Then, just as two orcs leap toward him, the other strap threatens to slip down, entangling his sword arm. Already the loose strap keeps him from fully using his shield.

Holding the shield as best as possible in front of him, he scrambles backward to avoid the monsters' wild swings. He gets pushed back a few more feet when a companion shoulders past to block and give him a little time. So he kneels, lays down his sword, and slips the backpack all the way off. Hearing a wild cry, he instinctively swings up his shield just in time to ward off a glancing blow.

Rummaging through the pack, he finally finds the potion, pulls it out, and, huddling behind his shield, works the cork free. Just then there is a flash of flame all around him--a fireball! He grits his teeth against the heat, shock, and pain and tries not to crush or spill the potion vial. Biting back the pain of the flames, he is relieved to see the potion is intact.

  He quickly gulps it down, reclaims his sword, kicks his backpack out of the way, and runs back up to the front line. In game terms, the character withdrew, was missed by one attacker, made a successful saving throw vs. spell (from the fireball spell), drank a potion, and was ready for combat the next round.

What You Can Do in One Round

Whatever the precise length of a combat round, a character can accomplish only one basic action in that round, be it making an attack, casting a spell, drinking a potion, or tending to a fallen comrade. The basic action, however, may involve several lesser actions.

When making an attack, a character is likely to close with his opponent, circle for an opening, feint here, jab there, block a thrust, leap back, and perhaps finally make a telling blow. A spellcaster might fumble for his components, dodge an attacker, mentally review the steps of the spell, intone the spell, and then move to safety when it is all done. It already has been shown what drinking a potion might entail. All of these things could happen in a bit less than a minute or more, but the standard is one minute and one action to the round.

Some examples of the actions a character can accomplish include the following:

• Make an attack (make attack rolls up to the maximum number allowed the character class at a given level)

• Cast one spell (if the casting time is one round or less)

• Drink a potion

• Light a torch

• Use a magical item

• Move to the limit of his movement rate

• Attempt to open a stuck or secret door

• Bind a character's wounds

• Search a body

• Hammer in a spike

• Recover a dropped weapon

There are also actions that take a negligible amount of time, things the character does without affecting his ability to perform a more important task. Examples of these include the following:

• Shout warnings, brief instructions, or demands for surrender--but not conversations where a reply is expected.

• Change weapons by dropping one and drawing another.

  • Drop excess equipment, such as backpacks, lanterns, or torches.


Initiative

The initiative roll determines who acts first in any given combat round. Initiative is not set, but changes from round to round--combat being an uncertain thing, at best. A character never knows for certain if he will get to act before another.

Initiative is normally determined with a single roll for each side in a conflict. This tells whether all the members of the group get to act before or after those of the other side.

There are also two optional methods that can be used to determine initiative. Each of these optional methods breaks the group action down into more individual initiatives. However, the general method of determining initiative remains the same in all cases.

Standard Initiative Procedure

To determine the initiative order for a round of combat, roll 1d10 for each side in the battle. Normally, this means the DM rolls for the monsters or NPCs, while one of the players rolls for the PC party. Low roll wins initiative. If more than two sides are involved in combat, the remaining sides act in ascending order of initiative.

  If both or all sides roll the same number for initiative, everything happens simultaneously--all attack rolls, damage, spells, and other actions are completed before any results are applied. It is possible for a mage to be slain by goblins who collapse from his sleep spell at the end of the round.


Individual Initiative
Individual Initiative (Optional Rule)

This method of determining initiative is the same as that given earlier, except that each PC, NPC, and monster involved in the fight rolls and then modifies his own initiative. This gives combat a more realistic feel, but at the expense of quick play.

To players, it may not seem like too much for each to roll a separate initiative die, but consider the difficulties: Imagine a combat between six player characters (each controlled by a player) and five hirelings and henchmen against 16 hobgoblins and five ogres (all of which must be rolled by the DM).

In addition, each die roll must be modified, according to each individual's actions. The resulting rolls make every combat round a major calculation.

This method is not recommended for large-scale combats. It is best used with small battles in which characters on the same side have vastly different speeds.

In the third round of combat, the DM decides to use individual initiatives. Each character is involved in his own fight. Cut off from retreat by fallen rock, the trolls attack. The DM asks the players their intentions.

Harry: "Hit him with my hammer +4!"

Rupert: "Chop him up."

Anne (now in serious trouble): "Cast a burning hands spell."

Each character or monster now rolls 1d10. The rolls and modified results are:

Rath rolls a 2 and is attacking with his hammer (weapon speed 0 instead of 4 due to +4) and is hasted (-2), so his modified initiative is 0.

Rath's troll rolls a 1 and is attacking with natural weapons (+6 modifier) for a total of 7 (1 + 6 = 7).

Rupert rolls a 2 and has a weapon speed of 7 and is hasted (-2) for a modified initiative of 7 (2 + 7 - 2 = 7).

Rupert's troll rolls a 5 and modifies this by +6 for an 11 (5 + 6 = 11).

Delsenora is very unlucky and rolls a 9. Since she is casting a spell, she gains no benefit form the haste spell this round, as the haste enchantment only affects movement. She has a casting time of 1 for a total of 10 (9 + 1 = 10).

The troll fighting Delsenora is very quick and rolls a 1, modified to 7 (1 = 6 = 7).

  The order of attacks: Rath (initiative 0) strikes with his hammer. Rupert and the two trolls (attacking Rath and Delsenora, all initiative 7) attack immediately after. Rupert hits. The troll attacking Rath misses, but Delsenora is hit. Delsenora's spell (initiative 10) would normally happen next, but instead it fizzles. Her concentration was ruined by the blow from the troll. Next, Rupert's troll attacks and misses. Because of the haste spell, Rath and Rupert now attack again (in order of initiative), Rath first, then Rupert.


Initiative Modifiers

Situational factors can affect who has initiative. To reflect this, modifiers are added to or subtracted from the initiative die roll.

Table 40:

Standard Modifiers to Initiative

Situation	Modifier

Hasted	-2

Slowed	+2

On higher ground	 -1

Set to receive a charge	 -2

Wading or slippery footing	+2

Wading in deep water	+4

Foreign environment*	+6

Hindered (tangled, climbing)	+3

Waiting (Player's Handbook)	+1

* This applies to situations in which the party is in a different environment (swimming underwater without the aid of a ring of free movement, for example).

Everyone in the party who will be involved in the round's action must qualify for the modifier. For example, all members of a party must be on higher ground than the opposition to get the higher ground modifier. The DM should ask each player where his character is standing for clarification.

The side with the lowest modified roll on 1d10 has the initiative and acts first.

Continuing the example above, the DM decides that one initiative roll is sufficient for each group and no modifiers are needed. Although Rath is charging, the orcs and trolls are too busy rearranging their lines to be set to receive his charge. Therefore, the -2 to receive charge is not used.

Harry, rolling for the player characters, gets a 7 on a 10-sided die. The DM rolls a 10. The player characters, having the lowest number, act first.

Delsenora's acid arrow strikes one of the trolls just as Rath takes a swing at the last of the fleeing orcs. A bowshot from Rupert drops another one of the creatures as it takes its position in the second rank. Now the monsters strike back.

The orcs manage to finish forming their line. Enraged by the acid, the lead troll tears into Rath, hurting him badly. The others swarm around him, attempting to tear him limb from limb.

Table 41:

Optional Modifiers to Initiative

Situation	Modifier

Attacking with weapon	Weapon speed

Breath weapon	+1

Casting a spell	Casting time

Creature size (monsters with natural weapons only)*

  	Tiny	0

 	 Small	+3

  	Medium	+3

  	Large	+6

  	Huge	+9

  	Gargantuan	+12

Innate spell ability	+3

Magical items**

  	Miscellaneous magic	+3

  	Potion	+4

  	Ring	+3

  	Rods	+1

  	Scroll	Casting time of spell

  	Stave	+2

  	Wand	+3

* This applies only to creatures fighting with natural weapons--claws, bites, etc. Creatures using weapons use the speed factor of the weapon, regardless of the creature's size.

** Use the initiative modifier listed unless the item description says otherwise.


Group Initiative
Group Initiative (Optional Rule)

Some people believe that using a single initiative roll for everyone on the same side is too unrealistic. It is, admittedly, a simplification, a way to keep down the number of die rolls required in a single round. But it allows for much faster combat.

However, the actions of different characters, the types of weapons they use, and the situation can all be factors in determining initiative.

Using this optional method, one initiative die roll is made for each side in the fight. However, more modifiers are applied to this roll, according to the actions of individual characters. These modifiers are listed on Table 41.

Some of the modifiers depend on ability, spell, and weapon. Characters casting spells (but not monsters using innate abilities) must add the spellcasting time to the die roll. Characters attacking with weapons add the weapons' speed factors to the die roll (see the Player's Handbook for information on speed factors). All other modifiers are applied according to each individual's situation.

In the second round of the combat, the DM decides to use the modified group initiative. Rath is surrounded by trolls, and he is not in the best of health. The rest of the party has yet to close with the monsters.

The DM decides that one troll will continue attacking Rath, with the help of the orcs, while the other trolls move to block reinforcements. In particular, the troll burned by the acid arrow is looking for revenge. The DM then turns to the players for their actions.

Players (all at once): "I'm going to . . ." "Is he going? .. ." "I'm casting a . . ."

DM (shouting): "One at a time! Rath?"

Harry: "I'll blow my horn of blasting."

DM: "It'll take time to dig it out."

Harry: "I don't care, I'm doing it."

Jon: "Draw my sword and attack one of the trolls!"

DM: "Anne?"

Anne (not paying attention to the other two): "Cast a fireball spell."

Harry and Jon: "NO! DON'T!"

DM: "Well, is that what you're doing? Quickly!"

Anne: "No, I'll cast a haste spell! Centered on me, so Rupert and Rath are just at the edge and are caught in the spell, too."

DM: "Okay. Harry, roll initiative and everyone modify for your actions."

Harry rolls 1d10 and gets a 6. The DM rolls for the monsters and gets a 5. Each person's initiative is modified as follows:

Rath is using a miscellaneous magical item (modifier +3). His modified initiative is 9 (6 + 3 = 9).

Rupert is using a bastard sword +1 with two hands (weapons speed 7 instead of 8 because of the +1). His modified initiative is 13 (6 + 7 = 13).

Delsenora is casting a haste spell (casting time 3). Her modified initiative is the same as Rath's, 9.

The trolls are attacking with their claws and bites--large creatures attacking with natural weapons +6. Their modified initiative is 11 (5 + 6 = 11).

The orcs are using long swords (weapon speed 5). Their modified initiative is 10 (5 + 5 = 10).

After all modified initiatives are figured, the combat round goes as follows: Delsenora (initiative 9) completes her spell at the same time that Rath (9) brings the house down on the orcs with his horn of blasting.

After all modified initiatives are figured, the combat round goes as follows: Delsenora (initiative 9) completes her spell at the same time that Rath (9) brings the house down on the orcs with his horn of blasting.

The orcs (initiative 10) would have gone next, but all of them have been crushed under falling rock.

The three trolls (initiative 11) are unfazed and attack, one at Rath and the other two springing forward, hitting Delsenora and missing Rupert.

  Finally, Rupert (initiative 13) strikes back. He moved too slowly to block one troll's path to Delsenora, but manages to cut off the second. Things look very grim for the player characters.


Multiple Attacks and Initiative

Combat may involve creatures or characters able to attack more than once in a single round. This may be due to multiple attack forms (claws and bite), skill with a weapon, or character level. No matter what the reason, all multiple attacks are handled by one of two methods.

When multiple attacks result from different attack forms--for example claws and a bite or bite and tail, or a ranger with his two-weapon combat ability--the attacks occur at the same time. The creature resolves all of its attacks in initiative order.

When the attacks are true multiples--using the same weapon more than once--as in the case of a highly skilled fighter, the attacks are staggered. Everyone involved in the combat completes one action before the second (or subsequent) attack roll is made.

Take, for example, a fighter who can attack twice per round, and say he's battling creatures that can only make one attack. The fighter wins initiative. He makes his first attack according to the rolled initiative order. Then each creature gets its attack. Finally, the fighter gets his second attack.

If fighters on both sides in a battle were able to attack twice in a round, their first attacks would occur according to the initiative roll. Their second attacks would come after all other attacks, and would then alternate according to the initiative roll.

  As an option, a warrior fighting creatures with less than one Hit Die (1-1 or lower) can make a number of attacks equal to his level (i.e., a 7th-level fighter can make seven attacks). These attacks are handled in order of initiative.


Spellcasting and Initiative

Casting times for spells can modify initiative rolls, creating a realistic delay for the spellcaster. When a spell's "casting time" parameter is given as a number without any units (e.g., rounds or turns), then that number is added to the caster's initiative roll to determine his modified initiative. When a spell requires a round or more to cast, a normal initiative roll is not made--a spell requiring one round to cast takes effect at the end of the current round, after all other actions are completed.

Spells that require more than one round to cast involve some bookkeeping. The DM or one of the players must keep track of the rounds spent in casting. If the spellcasting character is disturbed during this time, the spell is lost. If all goes well, the spell takes effect at the very end of the last round of the required casting time. Thus, a spell requiring 10 minutes to cast would require 10 combat rounds, and wouldn't take effect until the very end of the 10th round.


Weapon Speed and Initiative
Weapon Speed and Initiative (Optional Rule)

Each time a character swings a weapon, he places himself out of position to make his next attack. Swinging a hammer is not as simple as tapping in a nail. A warhammer is heavy. Swing it in one direction and it pulls in that direction. It has to be brought under control and repositioned before it can be swung again.

The user must regain his balance and plant his feet firmly. Only after doing all this is he ready for his next attack. Compare how quickly someone can throw a punch to the amount of time required to swing a chair to get a good idea of what weapon speed factors are about.

Weapon speed factors slow the speed of a character's attack. The higher the weapon speed factor, the heavier, clumsier, or more limited the weapon is. For the most part, weapon speed factors apply to all creatures using manufactured weapons. The speed factor of a weapon is added to the initiative roll of the character to get his modified initiative roll.

Thus, if the DM decides to use weapon speed factors for player characters, they also should be used for giants, orcs, centaurs, and the like. Otherwise the DM isn't being fair to the players. However, creatures with natural weapons are not affected by weapon speed. Their attacks are natural extensions of their bodies, giving them much faster recovery and reaction times.

Magical Weapon Speeds

  Magical weapons are easier to wield in combat than ordinary ones. Maybe the weapon is lighter or better balanced than normal; maybe it just pulls the character into the proper position of its own volition. Whatever the cause, each bonus point conferred by a magical weapon reduces the speed factor of that weapon by 1. (A sword +3 reduces the weapon speed factor by 3, for example.) When a weapon has two bonuses, the lesser one is used. No weapon can have a speed factor of less than 0.


Attacking with Two Weapons

A tricky fighting style available only to warriors and rogues is that of fighting with two weapons simultaneously. The character chooses not to use a shield in favor of another weapon, granting him a greater number of attacks, with a penalty to his attack rolls (rangers are exempt from the attack roll penalty).

When using a second weapon in his off-hand, a character is limited in his weapon choice. His principal weapon can be whatever he chooses, provided it can be wielded with one hand. The second weapon must be smaller in size and weight than the character's main weapon (though a dagger can always be used as a second weapon, even if the primary weapon is also a dagger). A fighter can use a long sword and a short sword, or a long sword and a dagger, but he cannot use two long swords. Nor can the character use a shield, unless it is kept strapped onto his back.

When attacking, all characters but rangers suffer penalties to their attack rolls. Attacks made with the main weapon suffer a -2 penalty, and attacks made with the second weapon suffer a -4 penalty. The character's Reaction Adjustment (based on his Dexterity, see Table 2) modifies this penalty. A low Dexterity score will worsen the character's chance to hit with each attack. A high Dexterity can negate this particular penalty, although it cannot result in a positive modifier on the attack rolls for either weapon (i.e., the Reaction Adjustment can, at best, raise the attack roll penalties to 0).

  The use of two weapons enables the character to make one additional attack each combat round, with the second weapon. The character gains only one additional attack each round, regardless of the number of attacks he may normally be allowed. Thus, a warrior able to attack 3/2 (once in the first round and twice in the second) can attack 5/2 (twice in the first round and three times in the second).


Facing

Each character or creature is assumed to have a front, flanks, and rear. When creatures of equal size are battling, up to six can surround a single figure.

Normally, a defender attempts to keep his opponents in sight. Thus, if there are no special circumstances (such as a thief moving silently behind the defender), opponents first occupy the front, then the flanks, and finally the rear. It's assumed that the defender will try to keep attackers from getting around him.

The diagram and description apply only when combat involves creatures of the same size. If the attacker is one size greater than the defenders, he occupies two spaces on the diagram. For creatures two sizes or more larger (small creatures attacking a large one, for example), the attacker occupies four spaces.

Thus, a hill giant attacking Horace the fighter would fill two of the spaces, allowing only four orcs to join the attack. If there were two giants attacking, only two orcs could join the combat. When attacking a small creature, one giant and two orcs could make the attack. Any more than this and the attackers would just get in each other's way.

Weapon Length

The actual size of a weapon has little to do with the space needed to wield it. An awl pike is 12 to 20 feet long, yet since it is a thrusting weapon it needs virtually no space side-to-side. It does, however, need that 12 to 20 feet in front! A sabre and a battle-axe are about the same size, but the battle axe requires more space--the sabre can be thrust straight forward into a narrower space, while the battle axe must be swung mightily, which takes a lot of space.

The DM must decide whether a character has enough space to use a particular weapon in a particular setting and situation.

As a guideline, the AD&D rules assume that two fighters using swords can work side-by-side in a 10-foot-wide area. The same space would be filled by one fighter using a two-handed sword.

Position of Attackers and Attack Rolls

Besides determining the number of attackers a single character can face, the relative positions of attackers affect the chance to hit.

Characters attacked from the rear do not gain their Dexterity-based Armor Class bonus, and their attacker gains a +2 bonus to his attack roll. There might also be penalties if the optional Shields and Weapon Frontage rule is used.


Movement in Combat

Since a round is roughly a minute long, it should be easy for a character to move just about anywhere he wants during the course of the round. After all, Olympic-class sprinters can cover vast amounts of ground in a minute.

However, a character in an AD&D game is  not an Olympic sprinter running in a straight line. He is trying to maneuver through a battle without getting killed. He is keeping his eyes open for trouble, avoiding surprise, watching his back, watching the backs of his partners, and looking for a good opening, while simultaneously planning his next move, sometimes through a haze of pain. He may be carrying a load of equipment that slows him down significantly. Because of all these things, the distance a character can move is significantly less than players generally think.

In a combat round, a being can move up to 10 times its movement rating (see Chapter 14: Time and Movement) in feet. Thus, if a character has a movement rating of 9, he can move up to 90 feet in a round. However, the types of moves a character can make during combat are somewhat limited.

Movement in Melee

The basic move is to get closer for combat--i.e., move close enough to an enemy to attack. This is neither a blind rush nor a casual stroll. Instead, the character approaches quickly but with caution. When closing for combat, a character can move up to half his allowed distance and still make a melee attack.

Movement and Missile Combat

  Rather than slug it out toe to toe with an opponent, a character can move up to one-half his normal movement rate and engage in missile fire at half his normal rate of fire. Thus, a man capable of moving 120 feet and armed with a long bow (two shots per round, under normal circumstances) could move 60 feet and still fire one shot. The same man, armed with a heavy crossbow (one shot every other round) would be able to shoot only once every four rounds while on the move.

Charging an Opponent

A character can also charge a foe. A charge increases the character's movement rate by 50% and enables the character to make an attack at the end of his movement. A charging character also gains a +2 bonus to his attack roll, mainly from momentum. Certain weapons (such as a lance) inflict double the rolled damage in a charge.

  However, charging gives the opponents several advantages. First, they gain a -2 bonus to their initiative rolls. Second, charging characters gain no Dexterity bonuses to Armor Class and they suffer an AC penalty of 1. Finally, if the defender is using a spear or polearm weapon and sets it against the charge (bracing the butt against a stone or his foot), he inflicts double damage on a successful hit.

Retreat

To get out of a combat, characters can make a careful withdrawal or they can simply flee.

Withdrawing: When making a withdrawal, a character carefully backs away from his opponent (who can choose to follow). The character moves up to 1/3 his normal movement rate.

If two characters are fighting a single opponent and one of them decides to withdraw, the remaining character can block the advance of the opponent. This is a useful method for getting a seriously injured man out of a combat.

Fleeing: To flee from combat, a character simply turns and runs up to his full movement rate. However, the fleeing character drops his defenses and turns his back to his opponent.

The enemy is allowed a free attack (or multiple attacks if the creature has several attacks per round) at the rear of the fleeing character. This attack is made the instant the character flees: It doesn't count against the number of attacks that opponent is allowed during the round, and initiative is irrelevant.

  The fleeing character can be pursued, unless a companion blocks the advance of the enemy.


Attacking Without Killing

There are times when a character wants to defeat another being without killing it. A companion may have been charmed into attacking his friends (and his friends don't want to kill him to save themselves!); an enemy may have information the PCs can get only by subduing him; characters may simply see the monetary value of bringing back a real, live monster. Whatever the case, sooner or later characters are going to try.

  There are three types of nonlethal attacks--punching, wrestling, and overbearing. Punching is basic bare-fisted fighting. Wrestling is the classic combination of grappling, holds, and throws. Overbearing is simply trying to pull down an opponent by sheer mass or weight of numbers, pinning him to the ground.

Nonlethal Combat and Creatures

When dealing with nonhumanoid opponents, a number of factors must be considered.

First, unintelligent creatures, as a rule, never try to grapple, punch, or pull down an opponent. They cheerfully settle for tearing him apart, limb by limb. This, to their small and animalistic minds, is a better solution.

Second, the natural weapon of a creature are always usable. Unlike men with swords, a lion or a carnivorous ape doesn't lose the use of its teeth and fangs just because a character is very close to it.

  Finally, and of greatest importance, creatures tend to be better natural fighters than humans. All attacks for a tiger are the same as punching or wrestling. It's just that the tiger has claws! Furthermore, a tiger can use all of its legs effectively--front and back.


Weapons In Nonlethal Combat

As you might expect, weapons have their place in nonlethal combat, whether a character is defending or pressing the attack.

Weapons in Defense: A character attempting to punch, wrestle, or overbear an armed opponent can do so only by placing himself at great risk. Making matters worse, an armed defender is automatically allowed to strike with his weapon before the unarmed attack is made, regardless of the initiative die roll. Furthermore, since his opponent must get very close, the defender gains a +4 bonus to his attack and damage rolls. If the attacker survives, he can then attempt his attack.

Those involved in a wrestling bout are limited to weapons of small size after the first round of combat--it's very difficult to use a sword against someone who is twisting your sword arm or clinging to your back, trying to break your neck. For this reason, nearly all characters will want to carry a dagger or knife.

Nonlethal Weapon Attacks: It is possible to make an armed attack without causing serious damage (striking with the flat of the blade, for example). This is not as easy as it sounds, however.

First, the character must be using a weapon that enables him to control the damage he inflicts. This is impossible with an arrow or sling. It isn't even feasible with a war hammer or mace. It can be done with swords and axes, as long as the blade can be turned so it doesn't cut.

  Second, the character has a -4 penalty to his attack roll, since handling a weapon in this way is clumsier than usual. The damage from such an attack is 50% normal; one-half of this damage is temporary.


Punching and Wrestling

These are the most basic of combat skills, unknowingly practiced by almost all children as they rough and tumble with each other. Thus, all characters, regardless of class, are assumed to be somewhat proficient in both these forms of fighting.

Punching occurs when a character attacks with his fists. No weapons are used, although the character can wear an iron gauntlet or similar item. Wrestling requires both hands free, unencumbered by shields and the like.

When punching or wrestling, a normal attack roll is made. The normal Armor Class of the target is used. If a character is attempting to wrestle in armor, the modifiers on Table 57 are used (these are penalties to the attacker's attack roll). Normal modifiers to the attack roll are also applied.

Penalties for being held or attacking a held opponent do not apply to wrestlers. Wrestling involves a lot of holding and twisting as it is, and the damage resolution system for punching and wrestling takes this into account.

Table 57:

Armor Modifiers for Wrestling

Armor	Modifier

Studded leather	  	  -1

Chain, ring, and scale mail	  -2

Banded, splint, and plate mail	  -5

Field plate armor	  	 	  -8

Full plate armor	-10

If the attack roll is successful, consult Table 58 to find the result of the attack: Cross-index the character's modified attack roll with the proper attack form. If, for example, a character successfully punched with an 18, the result would be a rabbit punch (if he rolled an 18 on a successful wrestling attempt, the result would be a kick). Punching and wrestling attacks can succeed on attack rolls of 1 or less (exceptions to the general rule).

Table 58:

Punching and Wrestling Results

Attack Roll	Punch	Damage      % KO	 Wrestle

20+	Haymaker	   2	10	Bear hug*

19	Wild swing	   0	  1	Arm twist

18	Rabbit punch	   1	  3	Kick

17	Kidney punch	   1	  5	Trip

16	Glancing blow	   1	  2	Elbow smash

15	Jab	   2	  6	Arm lock*

14	Uppercut	   1	  8	Leg twist

13	Hook	   2	  9	Leg lock

12	Kidney punch	   1	  5	Throw

11	Hook	   2	10	Gouge

10	Glancing blow	   1	  3	Elbow smash

  9	Combination	   1	10	Leg lock*

  8	Uppercut	   1	  9	Headlock*

  7	Combination	   2	10	Throw

  6	Jab	   2	  8	Gouge

  5	Glancing blow	   1	  3	Kick

  4	Rabbit punch	   2	  5	Arm lock*

  3	Hook	   2	12	Gouge

  2	Uppercut	   2	15	Headlock*

  1	Wild swing	   0	  2	Leg twist

Less than 1	Haymaker	   2	25	Bearhug*

*Hold can be maintained from round to round, until broken.

Punch: This is the type of blow landed. In game terms, the type of blow has little effect, but using the names adds spice to the battle and makes the DM's job of describing the action easier.

Damage: Bare-handed attacks cause only 1 or 2 points of damage. Metal gauntlets, brass knuckles, and the like cause 1d3 points of damage. A character's Strength bonus, if any, does apply to punching attacks.

Punching damage is handled a little differently than normal damage. Only 25% of the damage caused by a bare-handed attack is normal damage. The remaining 75% is temporary. For the sake of convenience, record punching damage separately from other damage and calculate the percentage split at the end of all combat.

If a character reaches 0 hit points due to punching attacks (or any combination of punching and normal attacks), he immediately falls unconscious.

A character can voluntarily pull his punch, not causing any hit point damage, provided he says so before the damage is applied to his enemy. There is still a chance of a knockout.

% K.O.: Although a punch does very little damage, there is a chance of knocking an opponent out. This chance is listed on the table as "% K.O." If this number or less is rolled on percentile dice, the victim is stunned for 1d10 rounds.

Wrestle: This lists the action or type of grip the character managed to get. Wrestling moves marked with an asterisk (*) are holds maintained from round to round, unless they are broken. A hold is broken by a throw, a gouge, the assistance of another person, or the successful use of a weapon. (Penalties to the attack roll apply to weapon attacks by a character who is in a hold.)

All wrestling moves inflict 1 point of damage plus Strength bonus (if the attacker desires), while continued holds cause cumulatively 1 more point of damage for each round they are held. A head lock held for six rounds would inflict 21 points of damage total (1+2+3+4+5+6). Remember, this is the equivalent of pressing hard on a full-nelson headlock for roughly six minutes!


Overbearing

Sometimes the most effective attack is simply to pull an opponent down by sheer numbers. No attempt is made to gain a particular hold or even to harm the victim. The only concern is to pin and restrain him.

To overbear an opponent, a normal attack roll is made. For every level of size difference (1 if a Large attacker takes on a Medium defender, for example), the attack roll is modified by 4 (+4 if the attacker is larger; -4 if the defender is larger).

The defender also gains a benefit if it has more than two legs: a -2 penalty to the attacker's roll for every leg beyond two. There is no penalty to the defender if it has no legs. A lone orc attempting to pull down a horse and rider would have at least a -8 penalty applied to the attack roll (-4 for size and -4 for the horse's four legs).

If the attack succeeds, the opponent is pulled down. A character can be pinned if further successful overbearing attacks are rolled each round. For pinning purposes, do not use the prone modifier to combat (from Table 51).

If multiple attackers are all attempting to pull down a single target, make only one attack roll with a +1 bonus for each attacker beyond the first. Always use the to-hit number of the weakest attacker to figure the chance of success, since cooperation always depends on the weakest link. Modifiers for size should be figured for the largest attacker of the group.

  A giant and three pixies attempting to pull down a man would use the pixies' attack roll, modified by +3 for three extra attackers and +8 for the size difference of the giant (Huge) and the man (Medium).


Touch Spells in Combat
Touch Spells and Combat

Many spells used by priests and wizards take effect only when the target is touched by the caster. Under normal circumstances, this is no problem--the spellcaster reaches out and touches the recipient. However, if the target is unwilling, or the spell is used in the midst of a general melee, the situation is much different.

Unwilling Targets: The spellcaster must make a successful attack roll for the spell to have any effect. The wizard or priest calculates his to-hit number normally, according to the intended victim's Armor Class and other protections. The DM can modify the roll if the victim is unprepared for or unaware of the attack. If the roll succeeds, the spellcaster touches the target and the normal spell effect occurs.

Willing Targets: When attempting to cast a spell on a willing target, the casting is automatic as long as both characters are not engaged in combat. For example, if a fighter withdraws from melee, a cleric could heal him the next round.

If the recipient of the spell attempts to do anything besides waiting for the spell to take effect, an attack roll against AC 10 must be made. However, no AC modifiers for Dexterity are applied, since the target is not trying to avoid the spell!

Whenever a touch spell is successful, the spellcaster suffers from any special defenses of his target, if they are continually in operation. A successful touch to a vampire would not result in energy drain, since the power only works when the vampire wills it, but touching a fire elemental would result in serious burns.

  When a touch spell is cast, it normally remains effective only for that round. However, certain spells do specify special conditions or durations. Be sure to check each spell description carefully.


Missile Weapons in Combat

In general, missile combat is handled identically to standard melee. Intentions are announced, initiative is rolled, and attack rolls are made. However, there are some special rules and situations that apply only to missile combat.

Missile weapons are divided into two general categories. The first includes all standard, direct-fire, single-target missiles--slings, arrows, quarrels, spears, throwing axes, and the like.

  The second category includes all grenade-like missiles that have an area effect, no matter how small. Thus, an attack with these weapons does not have to hit its target directly to have a chance of affecting it. Included in this group are small flasks of oil, acid, poison, holy water, potions, and boulders. Hurled boulders are included because they bounce and bound along after they hit, leaving a swath of destruction.


Firing into a Melee

Missile weapons are intended mainly as long-range weapons. Ideally, they are used before the opponents reach your line. However, ideal situations are all too rare, and characters often discover that the only effective way to attack is to shoot arrows (or whatever) at an enemy already in melee combat with their companions. While possible, and certainly allowed, this is a risky proposition.

When missiles are fired into a melee, the DM counts the number of figures in the immediate area of the intended target. Each Medium figure counts as 1. Small (S) figures count as ½, Large as 2, Huge as 4, and Gargantuan as 6. The total value is compared to the value of each character or creature in the target melee. Using this ratio, the DM rolls a die to determine who (or what) will be the target of the shot.

Tarus Bloodheart (man-size, or 1 point) and Rath (also man-size, or 1 point) are fighting a giant (size G, 6 points) while Thule fires a long bow at the giant. The total value of all possible targets is 8 (6+1+1). There's a 1 in 8 chance that Rath is the target; a 1 in 8 chance that Tarus is hit; and a 6 in 8 chance the shot hits the giant. The DM could roll an 8-sided die to determine who gets hit, or he could reduce the ratios to a percentage (75% chance the giant is hit, etc.) and roll percentile dice.

Taking Cover Against Missile Fire

One of the best ways to avoid being hit and injured is to hide behind something--a wall, a tree, a building corner, a heap of boulders, or whatever happens to be available. Professional adventurers, wishing to make this sound heroic, call this taking cover.

Taking cover doesn't work particularly well in a melee, since the cover hampers defender and attacker equally. However, it is quite an effective tactic against missile fire.

There are two types of protection a character can have. The first is concealment, also called soft cover. A character hiding behind a clump of bushes is concealed. He can be seen, but only with difficulty, and it's no easy task to determine exactly where he is. The bushes cannot stop an arrow, but they do make it less likely that the character is hit. Other types of concealment include curtains, tapestries, smoke, fog, and brambles.

The other type of protection is cover, sometimes called, more precisely, hard cover. It is, as its name implies, something a character can hide behind that will block a missile. Hard cover includes stone walls, the corner of a building, tables, doors, earth embankments, tree trunks, and magical walls of force.

Cover helps a potential target by giving the attacker a negative modifier to his attack roll. The exact modifier for concealment or cover depends on the degree to which it is being used as shelter. A character who stands behind a two-foot wall is a pretty obvious target, especially when compared to the character who lies down behind that wall and carefully peers over it. Table 59 lists the different modifiers for varying degrees of cover and concealment.

Table 59:

Cover and Concealment Modifiers

Target is:	Cover	Concealment

25% hidden	  -2	-1

50% hidden	  -4	-2

75% hidden	  -7	-3

90% hidden	-10	-4

Cover also has an affect on saving throws, granting the character the modifier listed on Table 59 as a bonus to his saving throws against spells that cause physical damage (for example, fireball, lightning bolt, etc.)

  Furthermore, a character who has 90% cover (or more) suffers one-half normal damage on a failed save and no damage at all if a saving throw is successful. This assumes, of course, that the fireball, lightning bolt, or whatever, hit the cover--a man crouching behind a stone wall would be protected if a fireball exploded in front of the wall, but would not be protected by cover if the blast occurred behind him, on his side of the wall.


Range

The first step in making a missile attack is to find the range from the attacker to the target. This is measured in yards from one point to the other. This distance is compared to the range categories for the weapon used (see Table 45 in Chapter 6: Combat).

If the distance is greater than the long range given, the target is out of range; if the distance is between the long- and medium-range numbers, the target is at long range; when between the medium- and short-range numbers, medium range is used; when equal to or less than the short-range distance, the target is at short range.

  Short-range attacks suffer no range modifier. Medium-range attacks suffer a -2 penalty to the attack roll. Long-range attacks suffer a -5 penalty. Some weapons have no short range since they must arc a certain distance before reaching their target. These attacks are always made with an attack roll penalty.

Table 45:

Missile Weapon Ranges

 Range (yards)

Weapon	ROF	S	M	L

Arquebus	1/3	50	150	210

Blowgun	2/1	10	20	30

Comp. long bow,

flight arrow	2/1	60	120	210

Comp. long bow,

sheaf arrow	2/1	40	80	170

Comp. short bow	2/1	50	100	180

Longbow,

flight arrow	2/1	70	140	210

Longbow,

sheaf arrow	2/1	50	100	170

Short bow	2/1	50	100	150

Club	1	10	20	30

Hand crossbow	1	20	40	60

Heavy crossbow	1/2	80	160	240

Light crossbow	1	60	120	180

Dagger	2/1	10	20	30

Dart	3/1	10	20	40

Hammer	1	10	20	30

Hand axe	1	10	20	30

Harpoon	1	10	20	30

Javelin	1	20	40	60

Knife	2/1	10	20	30

Sling bullet	1	50	100	200

Sling stone	1	40	80	160

Spear	1	10	20	30

Staff sling bullet	2/1	--	30-60	90

Staff sling stone	2/1	--	30-60	90

"ROF" is the rate of fire--how many shots that weapon can fire off in one round. This is independent of the number of melee attacks a character can make in a round.

Each range category (Short, Medium, or Long) includes attacks from distances equal to or less than the given range. Thus, a heavy crossbow fired at a target 136 yards away uses the medium range modifier.

The attack roll modifiers for range are -2 for medium range and -5 for long range.

Arquebuses (if allowed) double all range modifiers.


Ability Modifiers in Missile Combat

Attack roll and damage modifiers for Strength are always used when an attack is made with a hurled weapon. Here the power of the character's arm is a significant factor in the effectiveness of the attack.

When using a bow, the attack roll and damage Strength modifiers apply only if the character has a properly prepared bow (see Chapter 6: Money and Equipment). Characters never receive Strength bonuses when using crossbows or similar mechanical devices.

  Dexterity modifiers to the attack roll are applied when making a missile attack with a hand-held weapon. Thus, a character adds his Dexterity modifier when using a bow, crossbow, or axe but not when firing a trebuchet or other siege engine.


Grenade-Like Missiles

Unlike standard missiles, which target a specific creature, a grenade-like missile is aimed at a point, whether this point is a creature or a spot on the ground. When the attack is announced, the player indicates where he wants the missile to land. This then becomes the target point and is used to determine the direction and distance of any scatter.

Most grenade-like missiles are items of opportunity or necessity, such as flasks of oil, vials of holy water, or beakers of acid. As such, these items are not listed on the equipment tables for range, ROF, and damage. The range each can be thrown varies with the Strength of the character and the weight of the object.

A missile of five pounds or less can be thrown about 30 feet. Short range is 10 feet, medium range is 20 feet, and everything beyond is maximum range. Heavier items have reduced ranges. Just how far an object can be thrown is decided by the DM.

Exceptionally heavy items can be thrown only if the character rolls a successful bend bars/lift gates check. In no case can a character throw an item heavier than his Strength would allow him to lift. Thus, the DM can rule that a character would have little trouble chucking a half-empty backpack across a 10-foot chasm, but the character would need to make a check to heave an orc 10 feet through the air into the faces of his fiendish friends.

Once a container hits, it normally breaks immediately. However, this is not always true. Some missiles, like soft leather flasks or hard pottery, are particularly resistant. If there's some doubt about whether a thrown object will break, the DM can require an item saving throw to see if it shatters or rips, spewing its contents everywhere.

If a missile is off-target, it is important to know where it landed--an errant grenade-like missile could present a hazard to other characters, start a fire, or eat a hole in the floor. The process of finding where it lands is known as "scatter." First roll 1d10 and consult the Scatter Diagram.

Table 45:

Grenade-Like Missile Effects

Type of Missile	Area of Effect	Damage from Direct Hit 	   Splash Damage

Acid	1' diameter	2-8 hp	1 hp

Holy water	1' diameter	2-7 hp	2 hp

Oil (lit)	3' diameter	2-12/1-6 hp	1-3 hp

Poison	1' diameter	special	special

Next determine how far off the mark the throw is. If the throw is at short range, use a 6-sided die. If the range is medium, use a 10-sided die. If thrown to long range, roll 2d10. The number rolled is the number of feet away from the intended target the missile lands.

The damage taken from a grenade-like attacks depends on whether a direct hit was scored or the target was in the splash area. Table 45 lists the area of effect for a direct hit and damages from direct and splash hits.

The "area of effect" is the amount of space covered by a direct hit. Any creature in the area of effect will suffer damage according to the Direct Hit column. All creatures within 3' of the area of effect are subject to splash damage.

Types of Grenade-Like Missiles

Acid damage is particularly grim. Aside from the possibility of scarring (which is left to the DM), acid damage cannot be healed by regeneration. It must be healed normally. Thus, it is very useful against regenerating creatures such as trolls. Acid is very rare.

Holy Water affects most forms of undead and creatures from the Lower Planes. It has no effect against a creature in gaseous form or undead without material form.

Unholy water (essentially holy water used by evil priests) affects paladins, creatures whose purpose is to defend good (lammasu, shedu, etc.), and creatures and beings from the Upper Planes.

Holy (or unholy) water affects creatures as does acid, causing damage that cannot be regenerated but must be healed normally.

Oil causes damage only when it is lit. This normally requires a two-step process--first soaking the target in flammable oil and then setting it afire. Thus, using flaming oil often requires two successful attacks.

A direct hit from flaming oil burns for two rounds, causing 2d6 points of damage in the first round and 1d6 points in the second round.

  Poison is generally not very effective as a missile weapon. Most poisons take effect only if the missile scores a direct hit, and even then only if it drops into the gaping maw of some huge creature. Contact poisons have normal poison effects on a direct hit. The DM has information about specific poison effects in the DMG.


Dwarves

Dwarves are short, stocky fellows, easily identified by their size and shape. They average 4 to 4-½ feet tall. They have ruddy cheeks, dark eyes, and dark hair. Dwarves generally live for 350 years.

Dwarves tend to be dour and taciturn. They are given to hard work and care little for most humor. They are strong and brave. They enjoy beer, ale, mead, and even stronger drink. Their chief love, however, is precious metal, particularly gold. They prize gems, of course, especially diamonds and opaque gems (except pearls, which they do not like). Dwarves like the earth and dislike the sea. Not overly fond of elves, they have a fierce hatred of orcs and goblins. Their short, stocky builds make them ill-suited for riding horses or other large mounts (although ponies present no difficulty), so they tend to be a trifle dubious and wary of these creatures. They are ill-disposed toward magic and have little talent for it, but revel in fighting, warcraft, and scientific arts such as engineering.

Though dwarves are suspicious and avaricious, their courage and tenacity more than compensate for these shortcomings.

Dwarves typically dwell in hilly or mountainous regions. They prefer life in the comforting gloom and solidness that is found underground. They have several special abilities that relate to their underground life, and they are noted for being particularly resistant to magics and poisons.

A character of the dwarven race can be a cleric, a fighter, or a thief. He can also choose to be a fighter/cleric or fighter/thief.

From living underground, dwarves have found it useful to learn the languages of several of their neighbors, both friendly and hostile. The initial languages a dwarf can learn are common, dwarf, gnome, goblin, kobold, orc, and any others your DM allows. The actual number of languages is limited by the Intelligence of the player character (see Table 4) or by the proficiency slots he allots to languages (if that optional system is used).

By nature, dwarves are nonmagical and never use magical spells (priest spells are allowed however). This gives a bonus to dwarves' saving throws against attacks from magical wands, staves, rods, and spells. This bonus is +1 for every 3 - ½ points of Constitution score. Thus, for example, if a dwarf has a Constitution score of 7 he gains +2 on saving throws. These bonuses are summarized on Table 9.

Table 9:

Constitution Saving Throw Bonuses

Constitution Score	Saving Throw Bonus

   4-6	+1

  	  7-10	+2

11-13	+3

14-17	+4

18-19	+5

Similarly, dwarves have exceptional resistance to toxic substances. All dwarven characters make saving throws against poison with the same bonuses that they get against magical attacks (see Table 9).

Also because of their nonmagical nature, however, dwarves have trouble using magical items. All magical items that are not specifically suited to the character's class have a 20% chance to malfunction when used by a dwarf. This check is made each time a dwarf uses a magical item. A malfunction affects only the current use; the item may work properly next time. For devices that are continually in operation, the check is made the first time the device is used during an encounter. If the check is passed, the device functions normally until it is turned off. Thus, a dwarf would have to check upon donning a robe of blending but would not check again until he had taken the robe off and then put it on again. If a cursed item malfunctions, the character recognizes its cursed nature and can dispose of the item. Malfunction applies to rods, staves, wands, rings, amulets, potions, horns, jewels, and all other magical items except weapons, shields, armor, gauntlets, and girdles. This penalty does not apply to dwarven clerics using priest items.

In melee, dwarves add 1 to their dice rolls to hit orcs, half-orcs, goblins, and hobgoblins. When ogres, trolls, ogre magi, giants, or titans attack dwarves, these monsters must subtract 4 from their attack rolls because of the dwarves' small size and combat ability against these much bigger creatures.

Dwarven infravision enables them to see up to 60 feet in the dark.

Dwarves are miners of great skill. While underground, they can detect the following information when within 10 feet of the particular phenomenon (but they can determine their approximate depth below the surface at any time).

Detect grade or slope in passage	1-5 on 1d6

Detect new tunnel/passage construction	1-5 on 1d6

Detect sliding/shifting walls or rooms	1-4 on 1d6

Detect stonework traps, pits, and deadfalls	1-3 on 1d6

Determine approximate depth underground	1-3 on 1d6

Note that the dwarf must deliberately try to make these determinations; the information does not simply spring to mind unbidden.

  Because of their sturdy builds, dwarves add 1 to their initial Constitution scores. Their dour and suspicious natures cause them to subtract 1 from their initial Charisma scores.


Dwarf (Monstrous Manual Entry)
Dwarf—Monstrous Manual Entry

Hill	Mountain

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:	Subarctic to sub-	Subarctic to sub-

tropical rocky hills	tropical mountains

FREQUENCY:	Common	Common

ORGANIZATION:	Clans	Clans

ACTIVITY CYCLE:	Any	Any

DIET:	Omnivorous	Omnivorous

INTELLIGENCE:	Very (11-12)	Very (11-12)

TREASURE:	M (x5) (G, Qx20, R)	M (x5) (G, Qx20, R)

ALIGNMENT:	Lawful good	Lawful good

NO. APPEARING:	40-400	40-400

ARMOR CLASS:	4 (10)	4 (10)

MOVEMENT:	6	6

HIT DICE:	1	1+1

THAC0:	20	19

NO. OF ATTACKS:	1	1

DAMAGE/ATTACK:	1-8 (weapon)	1-8 (weapon)

SPECIAL ATTACKS:	See below	See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES:	See below	See below

MAGIC RESISTANCE:	See below	See below

SIZE:	S to M (4' and taller)	M (4½' and taller)

MORALE:	Elite (13-14)	Elite (13-14)

XP VALUE:	175	270

Dwarves are a noble race of demihumans who dwell under the earth, forging great cities and waging massive wars against the forces of chaos and evil. Dwarves also have much in common with the rocks and gems they love to work, for they are both hard and unyielding. It's often been said that it's easier to make a stone weep than it is to change a dwarf's mind.

Standing from four to 4½ feet in height, and weighing 130 to 170 pounds, dwarves tend to be stocky and muscular. They have ruddy cheeks and bright eyes. Their skin is typically deep tan or light brown. Their hair is usually black, gray, or brown, and worn long, though not long enough to impair vision in any way. They favor long beards and mustaches, too. Dwarves value their beards highly and tend to groom them very carefully. Dwarves do not favor ornate stylings or wrappings for their hair or their beards.

Dwarven clothing tends to be simple and functional. They often wear earth tones, and their cloth is considered rough by many other races, especially men and elves. Dwarves usually wear one or more pieces of jewelry, though these items are usually not of any great value or very ostentatious. Though dwarves value gems and precious metals, they consider it in bad taste to flaunt wealth.

Because dwarves are a sturdy race, they add 1 to their initial Constitution ability scores. However, because they are a solitary people, tending toward distrust of outsiders and other races, they subtract 1 from their initial Charisma ability scores. Dwarves usually live from 350 to 450 years.

Dwarves have found it useful to learn the languages of many of their allies and enemies. In addition to their own languages, dwarves often speak the languages of gnomes, goblins, kobolds, orcs, and the common tongue, which is frequently used in trade negotiations with other races.

Combat: Dwarves are courageous, tenacious fighters who are ill-disposed toward magic. They never use magical spells or train as wizards, though they can become priests and use the spells of this group. Because of their nonmagical nature, in fact, they get a special bonus to all saving throws against magical wands, staves, rods, and spells. Dwarves receive a +1 bonus to saving throws against these magical attacks for every 3½ points of Constitution score they have. See Table 9 on page 21 of the Player's Handbook for specific bonuses.

A dwarf's nonmagical nature can also cause problems when he tries to use a magical item. In fact, if a dwarf uses a magical item that is not specifically created for his class, there is a 20% chance the item malfunctions. For example, if a dwarven fighter uses a bag of holding -- which can be used by any class, not just fighters -- there is a 20% chance each time the dwarf uses it that the bag does not work properly. This chance of malfunction applies to rods, staves, wands, rings, amulets, potions, horns, jewels, and miscellaneous magic. However, dwarves have learned to master certain types of magical items -- because of an item's military nature. These objects -- specifically weapons, shields, armor, gauntlets, and girdles -- are not subject to magical malfunction when used by a dwarf of any class.

As with magical attacks, dwarves are unusually resistant to toxic substances. Because of their exceptionally strong Constitution, all dwarves roll saving throws against poisons with the same bonus (+1 for every 3½ points of Constitution score) that applies to saves vs. magical attacks.

In the thousands of years that dwarves have lived in the earth, they have developed a number of skills and special abilities that help them to survive. All dwarves have infravision that enables them to see up to 60 feet in the dark. When underground, dwarves can tell quite a bit about their location by looking carefully at their surroundings. When within 10 feet of what they are looking for, dwarves can detect the grade and slope of a passage (1-5 on 1d6), new tunnel construction (1-5 on 1d6), sliding/shifting walls or rooms (1-4 on 1d6), and stonework traps, pits, and deadfalls (1-3 on 1d6). Dwarves can also determine their approximate depth underground (1-3 on 1d6) at any time.

During their time under the earth, dwarves have also developed an intense hatred of many of the evil creatures they commonly encounter. Thus, in melee, dwarves always add 1 to their attack rolls to hit orcs, half-orcs, goblins, and hobgoblins. The small size of dwarves is an advantage against ogres, trolls, ogre magi, giants, and titans; these monsters always subtract 4 from their attack rolls against dwarves because of that size difference and the dwarves' training in fighting such large foes.

Dwarven armies are well-organized and extremely well-disciplined. Dwarven troops usually wear chain mail and carry shields in battle. They wield a variety of weapons. The composition of a typical dwarven army by weaponry is axe and hammer (25%), sword and spear (20%), sword and light crossbow (15%), sword and pole arm (10%), axe and heavy crossbow (10%), axe and mace (10%), or hammer and pick (10%).

For every 40 dwarves encountered, there is a 2nd- to 6th-level fighter who leads the group. (Roll 1d6 to determine level, with a roll of 1 equalling 2.) If there are 160 or more dwarves encountered, there are, in addition to the leaders of the smaller groups, one 6th-level fighter (a chief) and a 4th-level fighter (lieutenant) commanding the troops. If 200 or more dwarves are encountered, there is a fighter/priest of 3rd- to 6th-level fighting ability and 4th-to 7th-level priest ability. If a dwarven army has 320 or more troops in it, the following high-level leaders are in command of the group: an 8th-level fighter, a 7th-level fighter, a 6th-level fighter/7th-level priest, and two 4th-level fighter/priests.

The commanders of the dwarven troops wear plate armor and carry shields. In addition, the fighters and fighter/priests leading the dwarven troops have a 10% chance per level of fighting ability of having magical armor and/or weapons. The fighter/priests who lead the troops also have a 10% chance per level of priest ability of having a magical item specific to priests (and thus not subject to malfunction).

If encountered in its home, a dwarven army has, in addition to the leaders noted above, 2d6 fighters of from 2nd- to 5th-level (1d4+1 for level), 2d4 fighter/priests of from 2nd- to 4th-level (in each class), females equal to 50% of the adult males, and children equal to 25% of the adult males. Dwarven women are skilled in combat and fight as males if their homes are attacked.

Habitat/Society: Usually constructed around profitable mines, dwarven cities are vast, beautiful complexes carved into solid stone. Dwarven cities take hundreds of years to complete, but once finished they stand for millennia without needing any type of repair. Since dwarves do not leave their homes often and always return to them, they create their cities with permanence in mind. Troops guard dwarven cities at all times, and sometimes (60% chance) dwarves also use animals as guards -- either 2d4 brown bears (75% chance) or 5d4 wolves (25% chance).

Dwarven society is organized into clans. A dwarven clan not already attached to a city or mine travels until it finds an outpost where it can begin to ply a trade. Clans often settle close together since they usually need the same raw materials for their crafts. Clans are competitive, but usually do not war against one another. Dwarven cities are founded when enough clans move to a particular location.

Each dwarven clan usually specializes in a particular craft or skill; young dwarves are apprenticed at an early age to a master in their clan (or, occasionally, in another clan) to learn a trade. Since dwarves live so long, apprenticeships last for many years. Dwarves also consider political and military service a skilled trade, so soldiers and politicians are usually subjected to a long period of apprenticeship before they are considered professionals.

To folk from other races, life within these cities might seem as rigid and unchanging as the stone that the dwarven houses are wrought from. In fact, it is. Above all, dwarves value law and order. This love of stability probably comes from the dwarves' long life spans, for dwarves can watch things made of wood and other mutable materials decay within a single lifetime. It shouldn't be surprising, then, that they value things that are unchanging and toil ceaselessly to make their crafts beautiful and long-lived. For a dwarf, the earth is something to be loved because of its stability and the sea a thing to be despised -- and feared -- because it is a symbol of change.

Dwarves also prize wealth, as it is something that can be developed over a long period of time. All types of precious metal, but particularly gold, are highly prized by dwarves, as are diamonds and other gems. They do not value pearls, however, as they are reminders of the sea and all it stands for. Dwarves believe, however, that it is in poor taste to advertise wealth. Metals and gems are best counted in secret, so that neighbors are not offended or tempted.

Most other races see dwarves as a greedy, dour, grumpy folk who prefer the dampness of a cave to the brightness of an open glade. This is partially true. Dwarves have little patience for men and other short-lived races (since man's concerns seem so petty when seen from dwarven eyes). Dwarves also mistrust elves because they are not as serious-minded as dwarves and waste their long lives on pastimes the dwarves see as frivolous. However, dwarves have been known to band together with both men and elves in times of crisis, and long-term trade agreements and alliances are common.

Dwarves have no mixed feelings about the evil races that dwell below ground and in the Underdark, however. They have an intense hatred of orcs, goblins, evil giants, and drow. The dire creatures of the Underdark often fear dwarves, too, for the short, stout folk are tireless enemies of evil and chaos. It is a goal of the dwarves to wage constant and bitter war against their enemies under the earth until either they or their foes are destroyed.

Ecology: Since much of their culture is focused on creating things from the earth, dwarves produce a large amount of useful, valuable trade material. Dwarves are skilled miners. Though they rarely sell the precious metals and rough gems they uncover, dwarven miners have been known to sell surpluses to local human communities. Dwarves are also skilled engineers and master builders -- though they work almost exclusively with stone -- and some dwarven architects work for humans quite frequently.

Dwarves most often trade in finished goods. Many clans are dedicated to work as blacksmiths, silversmiths, goldsmiths, armorers, weapons makers, and gem cutters. Dwarven products are highly valued for their workmanship. In human communities, these goods often demand prices up to 20% higher than locally forged items. Many people are still willing to pay a high price for a suit of dwarven mail or a dwarven sword. Humans know that the dwarf who forged the item made it to last a dwarven lifetime, so they'll never need to worry about it wearing out in theirs.

Mountain Dwarves

Similar in most ways to their cousins, the hill dwarves, these demihumans prefer to live deep inside mountains. They tend to be slightly taller than hill dwarves (averaging 4½ feet tall) and more hearty (having 1+1 Hit Dice). They usually have slightly lighter skin and hair than their hill-dwelling relatives. In battle, mountain dwarf armies are likely to have more spears (30% maximum) and fewer crossbows (20% maximum) than hill dwarf armies. Mountain dwarves have the same interests and biases as hill dwarves, though they are even more isolationist than their cousins and sometimes consider even hill dwarves to be outsiders. Mountain dwarves live for at least 400 years.


Dwarven Plate Mail (AC2)
Dwarven Plate Mail (AC 2)—Arms & Equipment Guide

Description: The forged black iron plate made by the dwarves exclusively for their own warrior leaders is both heavy and unattractive by human and elven standards. However, dwarves have traditionally placed less emphasis on appearance than on personal defense. Dwarven warriors who wear dwarven plate are often called "waddling cauldrons" by their enemies due to the bulk of this armor.

Campaign Use: As detailed in both The Complete Fighter's Handbook and The Castle Guide, high-quality dwarven plate is the boilerplate version of human plate armor. It is 50% heavier than equivalent mails, making a single suit of dwarven-sized plate mail armor weigh approximately the same as a set of human-sized plate mail.

Additionally, the denser armor affords protection equivalent to plate mail +1, and the armor itself saves against equipment damage at +6, in addition to any bonuses permitted if the dwarven plate in question is also magically enchanted. Stories about dwarven plate armor withstanding the smelting fires of a red dragon's breath may be boastful exaggeration, but it is an established fact that dwarven plate often survives an attack that its wearer does not.

As mentioned, dwarves prize combat effectiveness over a warrior's appearance. It is therefore very rare for the iron appearance of dwarven plate mail to be adorned in any way.

Much like the elves, dwarves do not make dwarven plate for non-dwarves. Not only is it considered impractical to spend one's time building a suit of armor no dwarf can ever hope to wear (a waste of time), but the dwarves will admit to having no skill in working with the peculiarities of the human body. Dwarves tend to ignore things like flexible joints, as their range of movement is already restricted by nature. An ancient dwarven warrior's saying goes something like "If it doesn't fit, bend it. If it still doesn't fit, break it!" Along those lines, another popular dwarven saying is "Never let your armor impede a good fight."

Dwarven field and full plate armor do not exist. Not only would dwarves look like miniature iron golems when so protected, but dwarves prefer to let their facial expressions speak for them in combat. The problem of free movement plays a big part in this practical decision as well.

No human has ever managed to convince a group of dwarves to forge a set of full plate armor for them. If such a task were even to get past the bargaining phase, it would quickly become apparent to all concerned that the dwarves have no experience or knowledge of such constructions and lack the motivation to learn it. Dwarves themselves claim they'd rather be "beating their hammers on orc skulls than beating them in the forge."

Curiously, gnomes have offered to give full plate their "best shot" from time to time, but so far, no human has been brave or foolish enough to accept the offer.

  Dwarven plate mail lasts longer than its human counterpart. As detailed in The Complete Fighter's Handbook, dwarven plate mail can sustain twice as many points of damage as normal plate mail (if the optional armor damage point system presented therein is being used).


Magical Dwarven Plate Mail
Magical Dwarven Plate Mail—Arms & Equipment Guide

  Magical dwarven plate mail is only as encumbering as ordinary plate mail. The enchantment is cumulative with the natural +1 to armor class dwarven plate possesses. Therefore, dwarven plate mail +1 is actually equivalent to ordinary plate mail +2 for purposes of armor class (but not saving throws). It may be easier for the DM and player if the base armor class for dwarven plate is remembered to be 1, equivalent to field plate armor for humans.

Other Dwarven Magical Items

Hammer +3, Dwarven Thrower: This appears to be a standard hammer +2. In the hands of a dwarven fighter who knows the appropriate command word, its full potential is realized. In addition to the +3 bonus, the hammer has the following characteristics:

The hammer has a 180-foot range and will return to its wielder's hand like a boomerang. It has a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls. When hurled, the hammer inflicts double damage against all opponents except giants (including ogres, ogre magi, trolls, and ettins).  Against giants it causes triple damage (plus the bonus of +3).

  Girdle of Dwarvenkind: This belt lowers the wearers' Charisma score by 1 with respect to nondwarves and their ilk. The girdle causes the wearer to gain one point of Charisma with respect to halflings of the stout sort and with respect to all gnomes as well. Dwarves regard the wearer as if he has Charisma two points higher than before. The girdle enables the wearer to understand, speak, and read dwarvish language. The wearer also gains the racial benefits of dwarvenkind (i.e., +1 Constitution, saving throw bonuses based on total Constitution,  60-foot infravision, and detection/determination of approximate depth underground as described in the Player's Handbook). All bonuses and penalties apply only as long as the individual actually wears the girdle. Benefits such as additional languages and combat bonuses against giant-type-opponents never apply.


Elves

Elves tend to be somewhat shorter and slimmer than normal humans. Their features are finely chiseled and delicate, and they speak in melodic tones. Although they appear fragile and weak, as a race they are quick and strong. Elves often live to be over 1,200 years old, although long before this time they feel compelled to depart the realms of men and mortals. Where they go is uncertain, but it is an undeniable urge of their race.

Elves are often considered frivolous and aloof. In fact, they are not, although humans often find their personalities impossible to fathom. They concern themselves with natural beauty, dancing and frolicking, playing and singing, unless necessity dictates otherwise. They are not fond of ships or mines, but enjoy growing things and gazing at the open sky. Even though elves tend toward haughtiness and arrogance at times, they regard their friends and associates as equals. They do not make friends easily, but a friend (or enemy) is never forgotten. They prefer to distance themselves from humans, have little love for dwarves, and hate the evil denizens of the woods.

Their humor is clever, as are their songs and poetry. Elves are brave but never foolhardy. They eat sparingly; they drink mead and wine, but seldom to excess. While they find well-wrought jewelry a pleasure to behold, they are not overly interested in money or gain. They find magic and swordplay (or any refined combat art) fascinating. If they have a weakness it lies in these interests.

There are five branches of the elven race; aquatic, gray, high, wood, and dark. Elf player characters are always assumed to be of the most common type -- high elves -- although a character can be another type of elf with the DM's permission (but the choice grants no additional powers). To the eye of outsiders, the differences between the groups are mostly cosmetic, but most elves maintain that there are important cultural differences between the various groups. Aquatic elves spend their lives beneath the waves and have adapted to these conditions. Gray elves are considered the most noble and serious-minded of this breed. High elves are the most common. Wood elves are considered to be wild, temperamental, and savage. All others hold that the subterranean dark elves are corrupt and evil, no longer part of the elven community.

A player character elf can be a cleric, fighter, wizard, thief, or ranger. In addition, an elf can choose to be a multi-class fighter/mage, fighter/thief, or ranger. In addition, an elf can choose to be a multi-class fighter/mage, fighter/thief, fighter/mage/thief, or mage/thief. (The rules governing these combinations are explained under "Multi-Class and Dual-Class Characters" in Chapter 3: Player Character Classes).

Elves have found it useful to learn the languages of several of the forest's children, both the good and the bad. As initial languages, an elf can choose common, elf, gnome, halfling, goblin, hobgoblin, orc, and gnoll. The number of languages an elf can learn is limited by his Intelligence (see Table 4) or the proficiency slots he allots to languages (if that optional system is used).

Elven characters have 90% resistance to sleep and all charm-related spells. (See Chapter 9: Combat for an explanation of magic resistance.) This is in addition to the normal saving throw allowed against a charm spell.

When employing a bow of any sort other than a crossbow, or when using a short or long sword, elves gain a bonus of +1 to their attack rolls.

An elf can gain a bonus to surprise opponents, but only if the elf is not in metal armor. Even then, the elf must either be alone, or with a party comprised only of elves or halflings (also not in metal armor), or 90 feet or more away from his party (the group of characters he is with) to gain this bonus. If he fulfills these conditions, he moves so silently that opponents suffer a -4 penalty to their surprise die rolls. If the elf must open a door or screen to attack, this penalty is reduced to -2.

Elven infravision enables them to see up to 60 feet in darkness.

Secret doors (those constructed so as to be hard to notice) and concealed doors (those hidden from sight by screens, curtains, or the like) are difficult to hide from elves. Merely passing within 10 feet of a concealed door gives an elven character a one-in-six chance (roll a 1 on 1d6) to notice it. If actively searching for such doors, elven characters have a  one-in-three chance (roll a 1 or 2 on 1d6) to find a secret door and a one-in-two chance (roll a 1, 2, or 3 on 1d6) to discover a concealed portal.

As stated previously, elven characters add 1 to their initial Dexterity scores. Likewise, as elves are not as sturdy as humans, they deduct 1 from their initial Constitution scores.


Elf (Monstrous Manual Entry)
Elf—Monstrous Manual Entry

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:	Temperate to subtropical forest

FREQUENCY:	Uncommon

ORGANIZATION:	Any

INTELLIGENCE:	High to Supra- (14-20)

DIET:	Omnivore

TREASURE:	Individual: N; G,S,T in lair

ALIGNMENT:	Chaotic good

NO. APPEARING:	20-200

ARMOR CLASS:	5 (10)

MOVEMENT:	12

HIT DICE:	1+1

THAC0:	19 (18)

NO. OF ATTACKS:	1

DAMAGE/ATTACK:	1-10

SPECIAL ATTACKS:	+ 1 to hit with bow or sword

SPECIAL DEFENSES:	See below

MAGIC RESISTANCE:	90% resistance to sleep and all charm-related spells

SIZE:	M (5'+tall)

MORALE:	Elite (13)

XP VALUE:	420

Though their lives span several human generations, elves appear at first glance to be frail when compared to man. However, elves have a number of special talents that more than make up for their slightly weaker constitutions.

High elves, the most common type of elf, are somewhat shorter than men, never growing much over than 5 feet tall. Male elves usually weigh between 90 and 120 pounds, and females weigh between 70 and 100 pounds. Most high elves are dark-haired, and their eyes are a beautiful, deep shade of green. They posses infravision up to 60 feet. The features of an elf are delicate and finely chiseled.

Elves have very pale complexions, which is odd because they spend a great deal of time outdoors. They tend to be slim, almost fragile. Their pale complexion and slight builds are the result of a constitution that is weaker than man's. Elves, therefore, always subtract 1 point from their initial Constitution score. Though they are not as sturdy as humans, elves are much more agile, and always add 1 point to their initial Dexterity scores. Elven clothing tends to be colorful, but not garish. They often wear pastel colors, especially blues and greens. Because they dwell in forests, however, high elves often wear greenish grey cloaks to afford them quick camouflage.

Elves have learned that it is very important to understand the creatures, both good and evil, that share their forest home. Because of this, elves may speak the tongues of goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, gnolls, gnomes, and halflings, in addition to common and their own highly-developed language. They will always show an interest in anything that will allow them to communicate with, and learn from, their neighbors.

Combat: Elves are cautious fighters and always use their strengths to advantage if possible. One of their greatest strengths is the ability to pass through natural surroundings, woods, or forests, silently and almost invisibly. By moving quietly and blending into vegetation for cover, elves will often surprise a person or party (opponents have a surprise modifier of -4). As long as they are not attacking, the elves hiding in the forest can only be spotted by someone or something with the ability to see invisible objects. The military value of this skill is immense, and elven armies will always send scouts to spy on the enemy, since such spies are rarely caught-or even seen.

Although their constitutions are weak, elves posses an extremely strong will, such strong wills, in fact, that they have a 90% immunity to all charm and sleep spells . And even if their natural resistance to these spells fails, they get a normal saving throw-making it unlikely an elf will fall victim to these spells very often.

Elves live in the wild, so weapons are used for everything from dealing with the hostile creatures around their camps, to such mundane tasks as hunting for dinner. The elves' rigorous training with bows and swords, in addition to their great dexterity, gives them a natural bonus of +1 to hit when fighting with a short or long sword, or when using a bow of any kind, other than a crossbow. Elves are especially proficient in the use of the bow. Because of their agility, elves can move, fire a bow, and move again, all in the same round. Their archers are extremely mobile, and therefore dangerous.

Because of limitations of horses in forest combat, elves do not usually ride. Elves prefer to fight as foot soldiers and are generally armed as such. Most elves wear scale, ring, or chain mail, and almost all high elves carry shields. Although elves have natural bonuses when they use bows and swords, their bands carry a variety of weapons. The weapons composition of a band of elves is: spear 30%; sword 20%; sword and spear 20%; sword and bow 10%; bow 15%; two-handed sword 5%.

Elven fighters and multi-class fighters have a 10% chance per level to possess a magical item of use to his or her class. This percentage is cumulative and can be applied to each major type of magical item that character would use-for each class in the case of multi-class characters. (For example, a fighter/priest of level 4 or 5 would have a 40% chance to have a magical item useful to fighters and a 50% chance of having an item useful to priests.) In addition, if above 4th level, elven mages gain the same percentage chance to gain items, but gain 2-5 magical items useful to them if a successful roll is made.

For every 20 elves in a group, there will be one 2nd- or 3rd-level fighter (50% chance of either). For every party of 40 elves, and in addition to the higher level fighter, there will be a 1st- or 2nd-level mage (again, 50% chance of either). If 100 or more elves are encountered, the following additional characters will be present: two 4th-level fighter; one 8th-level mage; and a 4th-level fighter/4th-level mage/4th-level thief. Finally, if over 160 elves are encountered, they will be led by two 6th-level fighter/6th-level mage/6th-level thief. These two extremely powerful leaders will have two retainers each-a 4th-level fighter/5th-level mage, and a 3rd-level fighter/3rd-level mage/3rd-level thief. All of these are in addition to the total number of elves in the band.

Elven women are the equal of their male counterparts in all aspects of warfare. In fact, some bands of elves will contain units of female fighters, who will be mounted on unicorns. This occurs rarely (5% chance), and only 10-30 elf maidens will be encountered in such a unit. However, the legends of the destruction wrought by these elven women are rampant among the enemies of the elves.

Habitat/Society: Elves value their individual freedom highly and their social structure is based on independent bands. These small groups, usually consisting of no more than 200, recognize the authority of a royal overlord, who in turn owes allegiance to a king or queen. However, the laws and restraints set upon elven society are very few compared to human society and practically negligible when compared to dwarven society.

Elven camps are always well-hidden and protected. In addition to the large number of observation posts and personnel traps set around a camp, high elves typically set 2-12 giant eagles as guardians of their encampments (65% of the time). For every 40 elves encountered in a camp, there will be the following high level elves, as well as the leaders noted above: a 4th-level fighter, a 4th-level cleric, and a 2nd-level fighter/2nd-level mage/2nd-level thief. A 4th-level fighter/7th-level mage, a 5th-level fighter, a 6th-level fighter, and a 7th-level cleric will also be present. Females found in a camp will equal 100%, children 50%, of the males encountered.

Because elves live for several hundred years, their view of the world is radically different from most other sentient beings. Elves do not place much importance on short-term gains nor do they hurry to finish projects. Humans see this attitude as frivolous; the elves simply find it hard to understand why everyone else is always in such a rush.

Elves prefer to surround themselves with things that will bring them joy over long periods of time-things like music and nature. The company of their own kind is also very important to elves, since they find it hard to share their experiences or their perspectives on the world with other races. This is one of the main reasons elven families are so close. However, as friendship, too is something to be valued, even friends of other races remain friends forever.

Though they are immune to a few specific spells, elves are captivated by magic. Not specific spells, of course, but the very concept of magic. Cooperation is far more likely to be had from an elf, by offering an obscure, even worthless, (but interesting) magical item, than it is with two sacks of gold. Ultimately, their radically different perspective separates the elves from the rest of their world. Elves find dwarves too dour and their adherence to strict codes of law unpleasant. However, elves do recognize dwarven craftsmanship as something to be praised. Elves think a bit more highly of humans, though they see man's race after wealth and fleeting power as sad. In the end, after a few hundred years, all elves leave the world they share with dwarves and men, and journey to a mysterious land where they live freely for the rest of their extremely long lives.

Ecology: Elves produce fine clothes, beautiful music, and brilliant poetry. It is for these things that other cultures know the folk of the forest best. In their world within the forest, however, elves hold in check the dark forces of evil, and the creatures that would plunder the forest and then move on to plunder another. For this reason alone, elves are irreplaceable.

Grey Elves (Faerie)

Grey elves have either silver hair and amber eyes, or pale golden hair and violet eyes (the violet-eyed ones are known as faerie elves). They favor bright garments of white, gold, silver, or yellow, and wear cloaks of deep blue or purple. Grey elves are the rarest of elves, and they have little to do with the world outside their forests. They value intelligence very highly, and, unlike other elves, devote much time to study and contemplation. Their treatises on nature are astounding.

Grey elves value their independence from what they see as the corrupting influence of the outside world, and will fight fiercely to maintain their isolation. All grey elves carry swords, and most wear chain mail and carry shields. For mounts, grey elves will ride hippogriffs (70%) or griffons (30%). Those that ride griffons will have 3-12 griffons for guards in their camps, instead of giant eagles.

Wood Elves

Also called sylvan elves, wood elves are the wild branch of the elf family. They are slightly darker in complexion than high elves, their hair ranges in color from yellow to coppery-red, and their eyes are light brown, light green, or hazel. They wear clothes of dark browns and greens, tans and russets, to blend in with their surroundings. Wood elves are very independent and value strength over intelligence. They will avoid contact with strangers 75% of the time.

In battle, wood elves wear studded leather or ring mail, and 50% of their band will be equipped with bows. Only 20% of wood elves carry swords, and only 40% use spears. Wood elves prefer to ambush their enemies, using their ability to hide in the forest until their foes are close at hand. In most cases (70%), wood elf camps are guarded by 2-8 giant owls (80% ) or by 1-6 giant lynx (20%). These elves speak only elf and the languages of some forest animals, and the treant. Wood elves are more inclined toward neutrality than good, and are not above killing people who stumble across their camps, in order to keep their locations secret.


Elf, Aquatic (Monstrous Manual Entry)
Elf, Aquatic—Monstrous Manual Entry

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:	Temperate/Shallow salt water

FREQUENCY:	Very rare

ORGANIZATION:	Bands

ACTIVITY CYCLE:	Any

DIET:	Omnivore

INTELLIGENCE:	High to genius (14-18)

TREASURE:	K, Q, (I, O, X, Y)

ALIGNMENT:	Chaotic good

NO. APPEARING:	20-120

ARMOR CLASS:	6 (9)

MOVEMENT:	9, Sw 15

HIT DICE:	1+1

THAC0:	19

NO. OF ATTACKS:	1 or 2

DAMAGE/ATTACK:	1-8 (weapon)

SPECIAL ATTACKS:	+1 with spears and tridents

SPECIAL DEFENSES:	See below

MAGIC RESISTANCE:	90% to sleep and charm spells

SIZE:	M (6'+tall)

MORALE:	Elite (13)

XP VALUE:	420

Beneath the crashing waves of wild coastlines lives the sea-elf, aquatic cousin of the woodland elves in conduct and outlook.

Aquatic elves live for many centuries, and their eyes often show the effects of such great age. Otherwise, sea elves show little evidence of aging. They have gill slits on either side of their throats, and greenish-silver skin. Their hair is usually stringy, and emerald green to deep blue in color. Males usually wear their hair short, but females allow their hair to reach as much as 4 feet in length. Unlike mermen, aquatic elves have legs and usually wear clothes woven from underwater plants and reeds. Their dress is quite intricate, most often of greens, blacks, and browns woven in subtle, swirling designs. Sea elves speak elvish, sahuagin, and an oddly accented common.

Combat: Sea elves are a peaceful culture. It is a rare sight to see an aquatic elf launch an attack, and rarer still for an entire band to prepare for war. Sea elves will leave their homes to go to battle only when the entire community is in danger, or against great enemies. When forced to war, they impress all opponents with their fierce bravery and skill.

If given their choice of battlefield, aquatic elves would prefer to fight in a bed of seaweed, or on the reefs, where their natural coloration and stealth skills can give them the chance to hide from their enemies. They can become as invisible in seaweed as their woodland cousins can in the forests, imposing a -5 penalty to their opponent's surprise roll. Sea elves enjoy the ability to move unhindered through seaweed, giving them tremendous advantages in maneuverability. While they lack the infravision of their land-based cousins, they can see clearly at amazing distances. An aquatic elf can count the troops of an enemy at distances of up to 1 mile.

Their preferred weapons are the trident and the spear. These are used for hunting as well as for combat. The trident and spear are wielded so well by sea elves, that they receive a + 1 bonus to their attack roll when using them. They will also use combat nets against their enemies. These off-hand weapons will bind an opponent if the wielder rolls a successful attack against AC 6. (Because of their great Dexterity, aquatic elves do not suffer a penalty to the attack roll for the nets.) Half the time, only a victim's weapon (including natural weapons, like a shark's teeth) will be entangled in the net. The rest of the time, the victim is trapped. A netted victim must either break the net (a bend bars roll) or disentangle himself (a Dexterity check with at a -3 penalty) to get free. Magical gestures are impossible in a net.

On some worlds, sea elves are unable to cast spells. The reasons for this are unknown, but there is a legend among these non-magical sea elves that the drow stole this ability from them, long ages ago.

Like their surface counterparts, aquatic elves demonstrate strong resistance to sleep and charm spells. Aquatic elves also have a 90% immunity against charm person spells. And even if their natural resistance to sleep and charm spells fails, aquatic elves still get a normal saving throw.

In combat, leadership is divided according to the size of the war party. For every 20 elves in a band, there is an additional 3rd-level fighter. For every 40 elves, there is an additional 4th-level fighter. In a force numbering over 100, there will be an 8th-level fighter and two 5th-level lieutenants (in addition to the 3rd- and 4th-level fighters above). A combat unit of more than 160 elves are accompanied by a 9th-level fighter and a 6th-level thief, in addition to their original numbers.

Sea elves befriend dolphins and employ them as companions and comrades-in-arms. In any party of at least 20 sea elves, there's a 50% chance for them to be accompanied by 1d3 dolphins. The dolphins are companions, however, they are neither pets nor cannon fodder. When danger threatens, dolphins join the combat as willing allies.

Battle tactics of the sea elves differ from one band to another, but common strategies include the following:

 A charge from directly beneath an opponent. This is particularly effective against unwanted visitors from the surface, who are unaccustomed to being attacked from below. If the elf launched this attack from a bed of seaweed, he might well escape back to cover before his opponents could react.

A beaching, usually by more than one elf. Sea elves can survive on land for a few minutes at a time, though in a state of growing discomfort. Many of their opponents, like sharks, cannot. Several elves may attempt to wrestle an opponent to the beach, taking it well away from the ocean.

Traps. Beds of seaweed and coral reefs are excellent staging areas for all manner of spring-loaded booby-traps, nets, and perhaps magical entrapments designed and built by surface elves in return for favors. Predators have often decided to turn toward easier prey after encountering a sea elf band's defenses.

Habitat/Society: Small communities of 3d100+100 normal inhabitants are the rule of aquatic elven lifestyle. These communities are often found in heavy weed beds in sheltered waters, though the aquatic elves may fashion homes in caverns in lagoon bottoms and coral reefs. Sea elf communities keep in touch with each other through an elaborate and inefficient custom of wandering herald/messengers who travel from one band to another, much like postal carriers transmitting oral messages. In each community, there are several leader-types, as outlined earlier, ruled over by a fighter of 10th-12th level, with a personal guard of eight 7th-level elf fighters. Magical weapons would be carried by the leader or one of his guards.

Aquatic elves are an anti-social race. They avoid air-breathers as well as other races that dwell beneath the waves. Their cities are usually carved from the rock beneath beds of seaweeds, practically invisible to non-elves. A character has the same opportunity to find a sea elf community as he has to detect a secret door.

As independent as the freedom-loving elves are of each others' communities, they live in even greater isolation from the rest of the undersea races, whom they would rather not deal with. Although the aquatic elves see nothing wrong with the mermen, the tritons, and other good-aligned undersea races, the elves see no reason to involve themselves in the problems of such transitory peoples. It is part of the elven philosophy to let others go about their business with a minimum of interruption; aquatic elves would prefer it if others returned the favor.

Those aquatic elves who are willing to deal with non-elves are highly insulted if the non-elves expresses any lack of confidence in the sea elf's word. An aquatic elf who makes a promise will carry out his obligation unto death. Should he be killed before he can succeed, his entire band will work to see that the promise is fulfilled. On the other hand, aquatic elves do not accept promises from non-elven characters. The sea elves know that they are the only race with the honor to carry out the duties of its dead members. And, besides, only elves live long enough to guarantee that they will have the time to fulfill a vow.

Dolphins are one of the few creatures the sea elves genuinely like. There are 3d6+2 dolphins swimming about most aquatic elf bands, providing one of the few clues as to where the elven cities are located. Aquatic elves are also fairly fond of land elves. It is uncertain how closely related the two races are, although matings between land elves and aquatic elves produce elves with the coloring of high elves, but with greenish hair. As they have hidden gill slits that open up when they dive under the surface, these elves can breathe either air or water indefinitely. The attitudes and abilities of these half-breeds depend upon whether they were reared in the forests or the rich kelp beds, with individuals inclined (65%) to follow the lifestyles of their mothers.

Sea elves have an outlook on the world that comes from long lives among quiet natural beauty. Even with magical assistance to enable them to breathe air, aquatic elves are uncomfortable above the waves, and so very few have seen the forests that the high elves speak of with such enthusiasm. But there are few aquatic elves who would not like to take the impossible trip overland to see the wonders of a forest first-hand.

Sea elves hate sahuagin. This isn't much of a surprise, as almost every undersea race, with the exception of the perverse ixitachitls, hates the sea-devils. But sea elves generate a passion for conflict with the sahuagin that surprises even themselves. Aquatic elves leave their sheltered bands in war parties if they have reason to suspect that sahuagin are dwelling nearby. Should a party of sea elves encounter sahuagin, the former nearly always attack if they outnumber their hated foes. Aquatic elves also make it a point to kill any great sharks in their territory.

Sea elves have no other major enemies, but they dislike surface-dwelling fishermen, due to the numbers of sea elves snared in nets, or mistakenly killed as sahuagin by these ignorant humans.

The sea elves have legends that speak of far-away undersea elves who have learned to shapechange into sea otters or dolphins. There have been search parties motivated by these tales, but no such elves have ever been found.

Ecology: Each band of sea elves is self-sufficient, raising their kelp and hunting fish when necessary.

Sea elves scavenge. They are enchanted by the idea of magic, but they realize that land elves are more equipped to deal with it. They often trade rare or decorative items they have found to the high elves in exchange for metal weapons and tools, which they cannot forge underwater.

Aquatic elves are valuable sources of information regarding the lands beneath the sea. Their scavenging parties have uncovered artifacts and tidbits of knowledge from a vast collection of underwater ruins and sunken ships. Sea elf traders remember the histories of other races back beyond the imaginings of the current generation. The trick is to get them to reveal this information.

Sea Elf Scale Mail—Arms & Equipment Guide

The most intricately constructed demihuman scale mail is found in the undersea kingdoms of the sea elves. More as a matter of appearance and ceremony than for additional protection, the sea elves adapted the idea of scale mail to their own peculiar designs. Their armor can be worn underwater, as it is made of metals that do not rust, and the scales are affixed to a backing of eel-skin, which does not disintegrate as leather does in salt water. Brought forth only in times of war or of great ceremony, this expensive armor is worn only by the noble elven elite.

  This scale mail is unique among others for its beautiful silver coating. Some armorers wonder whether this coating is silver, platinum, or even mithril. It is generally agreed that the rare scale mail of the sea elves is nearly as valuable as elven chain mail (q.v.).


Elf, Drow (Monstrous Manual Entry)
Elf, Drow—Monstrous Manual Entry

Drow	Drider

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:	Subterranean caves & cities	Subterranean caves & cities

FREQUENCY:	Very rare	Very rare

ORGANIZATION:	Clans, bands	Bands

ACTIVITY CYCLE:	 -------Any underground, night aboveground-------

DIET:	Omnivorous	See below

INTELLIGENCE:	High to Supra- (13-14)	High (14-20)

TREASURE:	Nx5, Qx2	Nx2, Q

ALIGNMENT:	Chaotic evil	Chaotic evil

NO.APPEARING:	50	1 or 1-4

ARMOR CLASS:	4 (10)	3

MOVEMENT:	12	12

HIT DICE:	2	6+6

THAC0:	19	13

NO. OF ATTACKS:	1 or 2	1

DAMAGE/ATTACK:	By weapon	1-4 or by weapon

SPECIAL ATTACKS:	See below	See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES:	See below	Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE:	See below	15%

SIZE:	M (5' tall)	L (9' tall)

MORALE:	Elite (14)	Elite (14)

XP VALUE:	Priests: 975	Transformed mages: 3,000

Others: 650	Transformed priests: 5,000

These dreaded, evil creatures were once part of the community of elves that still roam the world's forests. Now these dark elves inhabit black caves and winding tunnels under the earth, where they make dire plans against the races that still walk beneath the sun, on the surface of the green earth.

Drow have black skin and pale, usually white hair. They are shorter and more slender than humans, seldom reaching more than 5 feet in height. Male drow weigh between 80 and 110 pounds, and females between 95 and 120 pounds. Drow have finely chiseled features, and their fingers and toes are long and delicate. Like all elves, they have higher Dexterity and lower Constitution than men.

Drow clothing is usually black, functional, and often possesses special properties, although it does not radiate magic. For example, drow cloaks and boots act as if they are cloaks of and boots of elvenkind, except that the wearer is only 75% likely to remain undetected in shadows or to surprise enemies. The material used to make drow cloaks does not cut easily and is fire resistant, giving the cloaks a+6 bonus to saving throws vs. fire. These cloaks and boots fit and function only for those of elven size and build. Any attempt to alter a drow cloak has a 75% chance of unraveling the material, making it useless.

In the centuries they've spent underground, drow have learned the languages of many of the intelligent creatures of the underworld. Besides their own tongue, an exotic variant of elvish, drow speak both common and the subterranean trade language used by many races under the earth. They speak the languages of gnomes and other elves fluently.

Drow also have their own silent language composed of both signed hand movements and body language. These signs can convey information, but not subtle meaning or emotional content. If within 30 feet of another drow, they can also use complex facial expressions, body movements, and postures to convey meaning. Coupled with their hand signs, these expressions and gestures give the drow's silent language a potential for expression equal to most spoken languages.

Combat: The drow's world is one in which violent conflict is part of everyday life. It should not be surprising then, that most drow encountered, whether alone or in a group, are ready to fight. Drow encountered outside of a drow city are at least 2nd-level fighters. (See Society note below.)

Drow wear finely crafted, non-encumbering, black mesh armor. This extremely strong mail is made with a special alloy of steel containing adamantite. The special alloy, when worked by a drow armorer, yields mail that has the same properties of chain mail +1 to +5, although it does not radiate magic. Even the lowliest drow fighters have, in effect, chain mail +1, while higher level drow have more finely crafted, more powerful, mail. (The armor usually has a+1 for every four levels of experience of the drow wearing it.)

Dark elves also carry small shields (bucklers) fashioned of adamantite. Like drow armor, these special shields may be + 1,+2, or even+3, though only the most important drow fighters have+3 bucklers.

Most drow carry a long dagger and a short sword of adamantite alloy. These daggers and swords can have a+1 to + 3 bonus, and drow nobles may have daggers and swords of +4 bonus. Some drow (50%) also carry small crossbows that can be held in one hand and will shoot darts up to 60 yards. The darts only inflict 1-3 points of damage, but dark elves commonly coat them with poison that renders a victim unconscious, unless he rolls a successful saving throw vs. poison, with a -4 penalty. The effects last 2d4 hours.

A few drow carry adamantite maces (+ 1 to+5 bonus) instead of blades. Others carry small javelins coated with the same poison as the darts. They have a range of 90 yards with a short range bonus of+3, a +2 at medium, and a +1 at long.

Drow move silently and have superior infravision (120 feet). They also have the same intuitive sense about their underground world as dwarves do, and can detect secret doors with the same chance of success as other elves. A dark elf can only be surprised by an opponent on a roll of 1 on ldl0.

All dark elves receive training in magic, and are able to use the following spells once per day: dancing lights, faerie fire, and darkness. Drow above 4th level can use levitate, know alignment, and detect magic once per day. Drow priests can also use detect lie, clairvoyance, suggestion, and dispel magic once per day.

Perhaps it is the common use of magic in drow society that has given the dark elves their incredible resistance. Drow have a base resistance to magic of 50%, which increases by 2% for each level of experience. (Multi-classed drow gain the bonus from only the class in which they have the highest level.) All dark elves save vs. all forms of magical attack (including devices) with a+2 bonus. Thus, a 5th-level drow has a 60% base magic resistance and a +2 bonus to her saving throws vs. spells that get past her magic resistance.

Drow encountered in a group always have a leader of a higher level than the rest of the party. If 10 or more drow are encountered, a fighter/mage of at least 3rd level in each class is leading them. If 20 drow are encountered, then, in addition to the higher level fighter/mage, there is a fighter/priest of at least the 6th level in both classes. If there are more than 30, up to 50% are priests and the leader is at least a 7th-level fighter/8th-level priest, with a 5th-level fighter/4th-level mage for an assistant, in addition to the other high level leaders.

 Dark elves do have one great weakness+bright light. Because the drow have lived so long in the earth, rarely venturing to the surface, they are no longer able to tolerate bright light of any kind. Drow within the radius of a light or continual light spell are 90% likely to be seen. In addition, they lose 2 points from their Dexterity and attack with a -2 penalty inside the area of these spells. Characters subject to spells cast by drow affected by a light or continual light spell add a +2 bonus to their saving throws. If drow are attacking a target that is in the area of effect of a light or continual light spell, they suffer an additional -1 penalty to their attack rolls, and targets of drow magical attacks save at an additional+1. These penalties are cumulative (i.e., if both the drow and their targets are in the area of effect of a light spell, the drow suffer a -3 penalty to their attack rolls and the targets gain a +3).

Because of the serious negative effects of strong light on the drow, they are 75% likely to leave an area of bright light, unless they are in battle. Light sources like torches, lanterns, magical weapons, or faerie fire spells, do not affect drow.

Habitat/society: Long ago, dark elves were part of the elven race that roamed the world's forests. Not long after they were created, though, the elves found themselves torn into rival factions+one following the tenets of evil, the other owning the ideals of good (or at least neutrality). A great civil war between the elves followed, and the selfish elves who followed the paths of evil and chaos were driven into the depths of the earth, into the bleak, lightless caverns and deep tunnels of the underworld. These dark elves became the drow.

The drow no longer wish to live upon the surface of the earth. In fact, few who live on the surface ever see a drow. But the dark elves resent the elves and faeries who drove them away, and scheme against those that dwell in the sunlight.

Drow live in magnificently dark, gloomy cities in the underworld that few humans or demihumans ever see. They construct their buildings entirely out of stone and minerals, carved into weird, fantastic shapes. Those few surface creatures that have seen a dark elf city (and returned to tell the tale) report that it is the stuff of which nightmares are made.

Drow society is fragmented into many opposing noble houses and merchant families, all scrambling for power. In fact, all drow carry brooches inscribed with the symbol of the merchant or noble group they are allied with, though they hide these and do not show them often. The drow believe that the strongest should rule; their rigid class system, with a long and complicated list of titles and prerogatives, is based on the idea.

They worship a dark goddess, called Lolth by some, and her priestesses hold very high places in society. Since most drow priests are female, women tend to fill nearly all positions of great importance.

Drow fighters go through rigorous training while they are young. Those who fail the required tests are killed at the program's conclusion. That is why dark elf fighters of less than 2nd level are rarely seen outside a drow city.

Drow often use giant lizards as pack animals, and frequently take bugbears or troglodytes as servants. Drow cities are havens for evil beings, including mind flayers, and drow are allied with many of the underworld's evil inhabitants. On the other hand, they are constantly at war with many of their neighbors beneath the earth, including dwarves or dark gnomes (svirfneblin) who settle to close to a drow city. Dark elves frequently keep slaves of all types, including past allies who have failed to live up to drow expectations.

Ecology: The drow produce unusual weapons and clothing with quasi-magical properties. Some scribes and researchers suggest that it is the strange radiation around drow cities that make drow crafts special. Others theorize that fine workmanship gives their wonderfully strong metals and superior cloth its unique attributes. Whatever the reason, it's clear that the drow have discovered some way to make their clothing and weapons without the use of magic.

Direct sunlight utterly destroys drow cloth, boots, weapons, and armor. When any item produced by them is exposed to the light of the sun, irreversible decay begins. Within 2d6 days, the items lose their magical properties and rot, becoming totally worthless. Drow artifacts, protected from sunlight, retain their special properties for ld20+30 days before becoming normal items. If a drow item is protected from direct sunlight and exposed to the radiations of the drow underworld for one week out of every four, it will retain its properties indefinitely.

Drow sleep poison, used on their darts and javelins, is highly prized by traders on the surface. However, this poison loses its potency instantly when exposed to sunlight, and remains effective for only 60 days after it is exposed to air. Drow poison remains potent for a year if kept in an unopened packet.

Drow Chain Mail (AC 4)—Arms & Equipment Guide

Description: Drow chain mail is a finely-crafted, satiny black metal mesh that does not encumber its wearer in the least. It is similar, but not identical to, the magical elven chain mail described previously. It is typically fashioned only into tunics, as drow elves share their forest-bound cousins' preference for armor that adequately protects without being overly weighty or restrictive.

Campaign Use: Much like their cousins in the sunlight, the drow have invented their own form of special armor.

What is known for certain is that drow chain mail uses adamantite, the strongest metal known, as the principal component of their mystical alloy. It is mined by myriad drow-allied races in great quantities, and the drow war machine is wholly dependent on adamantite-related technologies.

This alloy has special properties due to the peculiar nature of the radiation emanating from the drow homeland, giving even the basest form of the alloy the equivalent of a magical +1. Drow weapons, shields, armor, etc., all begin with a +1 bonus, and based on the alloy, the amount of time spent in the forge, and the secret processes used, it can increase to as much as +5. The alloy does not radiate magic in the traditional way (a detect magic spell reveals no trace of magical properties).

Whenever drow-alloyed creations, including armor, are exposed to direct sunlight, their magical bonuses are immediately lost and they begin to utterly and irreversibly decay. This happens even after one short exposure, meaning that even a set of drow armor that is immediately returned to utter darkness or the nearest drow homeland will still decay. Physical decay begins 1d12+8 days after exposure to sunlight. The armor completely falls apart after another 1d12 days have passed.

If extraordinary precautions are taken, an adventurer could theoretically use a set of drow armor, if worn only in the dead of night and returned to complete darkness (e.g., a light-proof chest or vault) before the break of day. However, the armor must be returned to the drow homeland once every two weeks to be re-exposed to the radiation. Armor must remain in the homeland two days per day spent above ground. If the armor is not returned to the underdark before two weeks have passed, the magic of the armor is permanently lost. Decay then begins as described above.

The fragments of metal that remain after drow armor deteriorates may be collected and reused for future forgings. However, the metal is nonmagical until the forging process imbues the enchantment.

The surface elves contend that these conditions are poor workmanship on the part of the drow, but scholars have noted many parallels between elven and drow alloys.

For example, one possibility is that just as the strange magical emanations of the drow homeland aid in the construction of their special adamantite objects, it is has been surmised that moonlight, pure and cool, may have something to do with the forging of elven mithril armor. The fact that mithril is as reflective, light, and pure as adamantite is dull, heavy, and dense has not escaped observation.

What is certain about the two magical types of armor is that such parallels cannot be sheer coincidence. Somewhere in the distant past of the two races, when times were better and before the dark elves retreated to the earthen depths, there must have been one common armor technology. The drow took the secrets of forging elven metals with them when they left, but had to discover something to replace both the mithril and moonlight components of the ancient secret art.

  What they eventually discovered, perhaps after many centuries of experimentation, was a magical alloy more abundant than mithril, yet not as stable as elven chain.


Elven Chain Mail (AC 5)

Description: Elven chain mail is the only form of armor made of a legendary elven alloy, a light-weight silvery steel of great strength. Even without enchantment, elven chain mail is typically half the weight of its human-forged counterpart.

Campaign Use: The elves guard the secret of making elven chain mail with more ferocity than they protect even their own children. In the entire multimillennia-long history of the elven race, the number of elven armorers who learn the secrets of forging elven steel can be counted on but one hand. Needless to say, these masters of the art tend to be ancient in the extreme, and the choice of an apprentice comes but once every thousand years. This is the highest honor accorded to any single elf, save being chosen by his peers to lead the elven race.

Apprenticeship is not a gift bestowed by the wealthy or powerful, but chosen by magical testing in a secret ceremony. Some outsiders would argue that the training makes the armorer, but tradition holds great sway in elven circles.

Human and dwarven armorers have been able to divine at least some of the secrets of the elven armorers, but not the most important ones. They know, for example, that mithril silver, that part of mithril which gives this purest of metals its glimmer in the moonlight, is somehow alloyed with other materials. The process of alloying has never been duplicated outside of an elven master forge, so most armorers believe some form of magical manipulation is involved in the process somewhere. Furthermore, anyone hoping to forge elven armor must be able to see the magical emanations radiating from it. While this may be done artificially through magic, this task is geared more toward the elves' natural eyesight. Drow armorers (described later) work under similar conditions.

Naturally, when one has a thousand years to perfect the skills for one's job, just about anything is within grasp. The dwarves call this an unfair advantage, while the humans don't even bother trying anymore. Life is too short, they feel, to waste time on creating something that would be easier stolen or discovered in a dragon's horde.

Elven chain mail is used by elven troops, both cavalry and infantry. It is common among the grey (faerie) elves and advanced elven cultures, but less common among the high elves. It is extremely rare among the wood elves.

Since the material is so strong and valuable, in those rare instances when a suit of elven chain mail is damaged to the point of needing repair, the suit is never discarded, but returned to the armorer for repair or replacement.

By the numbers of suits estimated to exist by human military planners and master armorers, best estimates are that it might take upwards of ten years to make just one suit of elven chain. Otherwise, they reason, there would be a lot more of the armor in use by the elves, and many more suits would be found in the lairs and treasure hordes of monsters across the realms.


Magical Elven Chain Mail

Ordinary elven chain mail is rare in the extreme, but magical elven chain is so precious a gift that only a handful of suits have been rumored to exist anywhere but in royal elven hands.

In addition to the normal weight and flexibility advantages of elven chain, magical elven chain mail is so weightless that it can be worn under one's normal clothes. It is so comfortable and unrestrictive that it can be worn constantly, even while sleeping. Magical elven chain is so soft to the touch that it can be worn without any padding beneath it. This makes magical elven chain the ideal armor for travelers, excluding only the greatest of knights, who by tradition prefer plated armors over all others.

For rogues especially, a set of magical elven chain mail is a more prized possession than even full plate armor +1. Adventurers have lost their lives over mere rumors of magical elven chain.

Other Elven Magical Items

Boots of Elvenkind: These soft boots enable the wearer to move without sound of footfall in virtually any surroundings. Thus the wearer can walk across a patch of dry leaves or over a creaky wooden floor and make only a whisper of noise—95% chance of silence in the worst of conditions, 100% in the best.

  Cloak of Elvenkind: This cloak of neutral gray cloth is indistinguishable from an ordinary cloak of the same color. However, when it is worn, with the hood drawn up around the head, it enables the wearer to be nearly invisible—the cloak has chameleon-like powers.

Outdoors, in natural surroundings, the wearer of the cloak is almost totally invisible; in other settings, he is nearly so. However, the wearer is easily seen if violently or hastily moving, regardless of the surroundings. The invisibility bestowed is:

Outdoors, natural surroundings

heavy growth	100%

light growth	 99%

open fields	 95%

rocky terrain	 98%

Urban surroundings

buildings	 90%

brightly lit room	 50%

Underground

torch/lantern light	 95%

infravision	 90%

light/continual light	 50%

Fully 90% of these cloaks are sized for human or elven-sized persons. The other 10% are sized for smaller persons (4 feet or so in height).


Encounters

Random Encounters

In addition to planned encounters, the DM also runs random encounters. These aren't tied to a specific place or event. They are based on chance.

During the course of an adventure, the DM makes encounter checks, rolling a die to determine if a random encounter occurs. If one does, the DM chooses or randomly rolls for an encounter using a random encounter table he has prepared or one provided with a published adventure. Complete random encounter tables are provided in the Monstrous Compendium. These can be updated and replaced as new creatures are added to the 2nd Edition AD&D game.

When a check indicates an encounter is imminent, a creature or NPC determined by the encounter tables will arrive in the area in the next few minutes to investigate. Many encounters end in combat, but this isn't necessary—it is possible to talk to intelligent creatures, whether in the dungeon, out in the wilderness, or on the streets of a town or city.


Spicing Up Encounter Tables

There are several things that can be done to make encounter tables both easier and more exciting to use. Some of these are strictly for the convenience of the DM, making the job of running the game easier. Others are different ways to pose exciting challenges for players, keeping everyone from being bored.

The first trick is to include basic monster statistics along with each entry on an encounter table. While this means taking a little longer to set up an encounter table, it also means the DM doesn't have to stop and look up information as often in the middle of the game. A shorthand notation similar to the one given below can be used.

Creature—APP #, AT #, THACO #, D #, AC #, HD #, MV #, special notes on attacks and defenses.

APP lists the number of creatures likely to appear. This is given as a die range.

AT is the number of attacks the creature can make.

THAC0 is the combat value of the creature (see Chapter 9: Combat).

D is the damage caused by a successful hit; more than one entry may be needed here.

AC is the creature's Armor Class.

HD tells how many Hit Dice the creature has; hit points aren't given since this should vary from encounter to encounter.

MV is the creature's movement rate.

Special notes should remind the DM of any special abilities, magical items, or defenses the creature might possess.

For DMs willing to devote more time to advance preparation, another good trick is to slowly build a collection of file cards describing special encounters. Each card could have a more detailed description of a person, creature, group, or thing on it.

Once the DM has this collection, "Special Encounter" entries can be added to random encounter tables. When a special encounter occurs, the DM chooses a card from his collection and uses the detailed information there to role-play the encounter. Some possible special encounters include:

The den or lair of a creature, complete with a small map, short key, tactics, and special treasure. (For example, "The nest of a female wyvern and her brood located in an aerie on the side of a cliff. Woven into the nest are two suits of chain mail +1.")

A detailed description of an NPC, including weapons, magical items, spells (if any), goods, physical appearance, attitudes, companions, and perhaps even a mission or story. (For example, "The friar seeking companionship along a lonely trail who is really a bandit leading the party into a trap.")

A cunning trap describing detailed workings and effects. (For example, "A kobold deadfall meant to gather fresh meat rigged in an old mine corridor.")

A vignette complete with characters, actions, and motives. (For example, "A near riot breaks out on a city street after a band of Voorish outlanders, squabbling with a merchant, overturn his melon cart.")

The great advantage of these special encounters is that there is no requirement to use them at any given time. The DM can prepare such cards in his spare time and produce them whenever he needs them. Players will become convinced that the DM is a genius, and his game will never be dull.

Random encounters need not be limited to NPCs and monsters. All manner of things can be included, dangerous or just mysterious. Other possibilities for encounter tables include:

Shrieks in the distance

Traps

Changes in the weather

Rustling of nearby bushes

Lights in the distance

Celestial wonders

Sudden gusts of wind

The clatter of a rock falling from the ceiling

  All of these help build atmosphere. Furthermore, if these are cleverly mixed with real encounters that begin in similar ways, players become attentive and involved. Exploring a dark, dank cave where hideous beasts may live, with only a guttering torch, should be a nervous and scary event. Adding "fake'' random encounters will give players some idea of the uncertainty their characters experience. If nothing else, this kind of encounter will give players some respect for the risks their imaginary characters are taking!


Surprise

Before an encounter begins, a check for surprise may be necessary. Given the right conditions, it is possible for either side in an encounter to surprise the other. In essence, the encounter is just as random for the monsters as it is for the player characters.

As noted in the Player's Handbook, surprise is not always assured nor is the check always necessary. Light, excessive noise, and other types of prior warning can cancel the need for the check. Surprise isn't usually possible when no form of concealment is possible (as in the case of two ships at sea), though darkness, storms, fog, and the like do act as concealment.

In some cases, one side may be able to surprise the other without the other group having the same opportunity. This is particularly true when the player characters are using lanterns or torches and the monsters are not. Seeing the light, the monsters can try to sneak closer and get the jump on the player characters.

   When making a surprise roll, there are many factors that can increase or decrease the chance of surprise. Some of these are very exotic or very particular to a situation, but others can be anticipated. The more common modifiers are listed on Table 57. By comparing other situations to these modifiers, the DM has a guideline for making appropriate adjustments.

Table 57:

Surprise Modifiers

Group's

Other Party is:	Modifier

Silenced	-2

Invisible	-2

Distinctive odor (smoke, powerful stench, etc.)	+2

Every 10 members	+1

Camouflaged	-1 to -3

PC Party is:

Fleeing	-2

In poor light	-1

In darkness	-4

Panicked	-2

Anticipating attack*	+2

Suspicious*	+2

Conditions are:

Rainy	-1

Heavy fog	-2

Extremely still	+2

* A party anticipates attack when they have good cause to suspect immediate danger and know the likely general direction of an attack. A suspicious party is one that has grounds to believe another group might try to make a hostile move against them.


Experience

Experience Point Awards

There are two categories of experience point awards: group and individual. Group awards are divided equally among all members of the adventuring party, regardless of each individual's contribution. The idea here is that simply being part of a group that accomplishes something teaches the player character something useful.

  From a strictly game mechanics point of view, this ensures that all player characters will have the opportunity to advance in experience points at roughly the same rate. Individual awards are optional, given to each player based on the actions of his character.

Table 31:

Creature Experience Point Values

Hit Dice or Level	XP Value

Less than 1-1	       7

1-1 to 1	     15

1+1 to 2	     35

2+1 to 3	     65

3+1 to 4	   120

4+1 to 5	   175

5+1 to 6	   270

6+1 to 7	   420

7+1 to 8	   650

8+1 to 9	   975

9+1 to 10+	1,400

11 to 12+	2,000

13+	3,000 + 1,000 per additional Hit Die over 13

Table 32:

Hit Dice Value Modifiers

Ability	Hit Die Modifier

Armor Class 0 or lower	+1

Blood drain	+1

Breath weapon	+2

Causes disease	+1

Energy drain	+3

Flies	+1

Four or more attacks a round	+1

Greater than normal hit points	+1

High Intelligence	+1

Hit only by magical/silver weapons	+1

Immunity  to any spell	+1

Immunity to any weapon, including 1/2 damage	+1

Invisible at will	+1

Level 2 or lower spells	+1

Level 3 or greater spells, not cumulative with previous award	+2

Magic resistance	+2

Missile weapons	+1

Multiple attacks causing 30+ points of damage	+2

Paralysis	+2

Petrification	+3

Poison	+2

Possesses magical items usable against PCs	+1

Regeneration	+1

Single attacking causing 20+ points of damage	+2

Special defense form, unlisted	+1

Special magical attack form, unlisted	+2

Special non-magical attack form, unlisted	+1

Swallows whole	+2

Weakness or fear	+2


Group Awards

All characters earn experience for victory over their foes. There are two important things to bear in mind here. First, this award applies only to foes or enemies of the player characters--the monster or NPC must present a real threat. Characters never receive experience for the defeat of non-hostile creatures (rabbits, cattle, deer, friendly unicorns) or NPCs (innkeepers, beggars, peasants). Second, no experience is earned for situations in which the PCs have an overwhelming advantage over their foes.

A 7th-level player character who needs one more experience point to advance in level can't just gather his friends together and hunt down a single orc. That orc wouldn't stand a chance, so the player character was never at any particular risk. If the same character had gone off on his own, thus risking ambush at the hands of a band of orcs, the DM could rule that the character had earned the experience.

The DM must decide what constitutes a significant risk to the player characters. Often it is sufficient if the characters think they are in danger, even when they are not. Their own paranoia increases the risk (and enhances the learning experience). Thus, if the party runs into a band of five kobolds and becomes convinced that there are 50 more around the next corner, the imagined risk becomes real for them. In such a case, an experience point reward might be appropriate.

The characters must be victorious over the creature, which is not necessarily synonymous with killing it. Victory can take many forms. Slaying the enemy is obviously victory; accepting surrender is victory; routing the enemy is victory; pressuring the enemy to leave a particular neck of the woods because things are getting too hot is a kind of victory.

A creature needn't die for the characters to score a victory. If the player characters ingeniously persuade the dragon to leave the village alone, this is as much--if not more--a victory as chopping the beast into dragonburgers!

Here's an example of experience point awards: Delsenora and Rath, along with their henchmen, have been hired to drive the orcs out of Wainwode Copse. After some scouting, they spring several ambushes on orc raiding parties. By the third shattering defeat, the orcs of Wainwode decide they've had enough. Leaving their village, they cross the range of hills that marks the boundary of the land and head off for easier pickings elsewhere.

Although Delsenora and Rath have caused the orc village of 234 to leave, they only get the experience for overcoming the 35 they bested in ambushes. Although they did succeed in driving off the others, they did not face them and were thus not exposed to personal risk. Even if they had raided the orc village, the DM should only give them experience for those orcs they directly faced. If, in the village, they routed the guards, pursued them, and caused them to run again, they would only receive experience for the guards once during the course of the battle. Once beaten, the guards posed no significant threat to the party. However, Rath and Delsenora have accomplished their mission of driving out the orcs, making them eligible for the XP award for completing a story goal.

To determine the number of XP to give for overcoming enemies, use Table 31. Find the Hit Dice of the creature on the table. Add the additional Hit Dice for special powers from Table 32 and find the adjusted Hit Dice. Add this number to the current Hit Dice value, so that a 1 + 1 Hit Die creature with +2 Hit Dice of special abilities becomes a 3 + 1 Hit Dice creature for calculation purposes.

  This formula produces an experience point value. Multiply this value by the number of creatures of that type defeated and add together all total values. The result is the total XP the group earns. It should be divided among all of the group's surviving player characters.


Individual Experience Awards
Individual Experience Awards (Optional Rule)

Individual experience point awards are given for things a player does or things he has his character do. Intelligent play is worth experience; good role-playing is worth experience; actions that fit the group's style are worth experience.

Although some of these awards are tied to abilities, giving out these experience points is purely a discretionary act. It is up to the DM to decide if a player character has earned the award and, within a given range, to determine the amount of the award. These awards are normally given at the end of each session, but this isn't a hard-and-fast rule--the DM can award individual experience points any time he feels it appropriate.

Individual experience point awards are divided into two categories. First are awards all player characters can earn, regardless of class. After these are the awards characters can earn according to their character group and class. This information is given on Tables 33 and 34.

Table 33:

Common Individual Awards

Player has a clever idea	50-100

Player has an idea that saves the party	100-500

Player role-plays his character well*	100-200

Player encourages others to participate	100-200

Defeating a creature in a single combat	XP value/creature

*This award can be greater if the player character sacrifices some game advantage to role-play his character. A noble fighter who refuses a substantial reward because it would not be in character qualifies.

Table 34:

Individual Class Awards

Award

Warrior

Per Hit Die of creature defeated	10 XP/level

Priest

Per successful use of a granted power	100 XP

Spells cast to further ethos	100 XP/spell level*

Making potion or scroll	XP value

Making permanent magical item	XP value

Wizard

Spells cast to overcome foes or problems	50 XP/spell level

Spells successfully researched	500 XP/spell level

Making potion or scroll	XP value

Making permanent magical item	XP value

Rogue

Per successful use of a special ability	200 XP

Per gold piece value of treasure obtained	2 XP

Per Hit Die of creatures defeated (bard only)	5 XP

  * The priest character gains experience for those spells which, when cast, support the beliefs and attitudes of his mythos. Thus, a priest of a woodland deity would not gain experience for using an entangle spell to trap a group of orcs who were attacking his party, since this has little to do with the woodlands. If the priest were to use the same spell to trap the same orcs just as they were attempting to set fire to the forest, the character would gain the bonus.


Glossary

Ability--any of the six natural traits that represent the basic definition of a player character: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. A player character's abilities are determined at the beginning of a game by rolling 6-sided dice (d6s). The scores continue to be used throughout the game as a means of determining success or failure of many actions.

Ability check--a 1d20 roll against one of your character's ability scores (modifiers may be added to or subtracted from the die roll). A result that is equal to or less than your character's ability score indicates that the attempted action succeeds.

AC--abbreviation for Armor Class.

Alignment--a factor in defining a player character that reflects his basic attitude toward society and the forces of the universe. Basically there are nine categories demonstrating the character's relationship to order vs. chaos and good vs. evil. A player character's alignment is selected by the player when the character is created.

Area of effect--the area in which a magical spell or a breath weapon works on any creatures unless they make a saving throw.

Armor Class (abbr. AC)--a rating for the protective value of a type of armor, figured from 10 (no armor at all) to 0 or even -10 (the best magical armor). The higher the AC, the more vulnerable the character is to attack.

Attack roll--the 1d20 roll used to determine if an attack is successful.

Bend bars/lift gates roll--the roll of percentile dice to determine whether a character succeeds in bending metal bars, lifting a heavy portcullis, or similar task. The result needed is a function of Strength and can be found in Table 1.

Bonus spells--extra spells at various spell levels that a priest is entitled to because of high Wisdom; shown in Table 5.

Breath weapon--the ability of a dragon or other creature to spew a substance out of its mouth just by breathing, without making an attack roll. Those in the area of effect must roll a saving throw.

Cha--abbreviation for Charisma.

Chance of spell failure--the percentage chance that a priest spell will fail when cast. Based on Wisdom, it is shown in Table 5.

Chance to know spell--the percentage chance for a wizard to learn a new spell. Based on Intelligence, it is shown in Table 4.

Charisma (abbr. Cha)--an ability score representing a character's persuasiveness, personal magnetism, and ability to lead.

Class--A character's primary profession or career.

Common--the language that all player characters in the AD&D game world speak. Other languages may require the use of proficiency slots.

Con--abbreviation for Constitution.

Constitution (abbr. Con)--an ability score that represents a character's general physique, hardiness, and state of health.

d--abbreviation for dice or die. A roll that calls for 2d6, for example, means that the player rolls two six-sided dice.

d3--since there is no such thing as a three-sided die, a roll calling for d3 means to use a d6, making 1 and 2 be a 1, 3 and 4 be a 2, and 5 and 6 be a 3.

d4--a four-sided die.

d6--a six-sided die.

d8--an eight-sided die.

d10--a ten-sided die. Two d10s can be used as percentile dice.

d12--a twelve-sided die.

d20--a twenty-sided die.

d100--either an actual 100-sided die or two different-colored ten-sided dice to be rolled as percentile dice.

DMG--a reference to the Dungeon Master Guide.

Damage--the effect of a successful attack or other harmful situation, measured in hit points.

Demihuman--a player character who is not human: a dwarf, elf, gnome, half-elf, or halfling.

Dex--abbreviation for Dexterity.

Dexterity (abbr. Dex)--an ability score representing a combination of a character's agility, reflexes, hand-eye coordination, and the like.

Dual-class character--a human who switches character class after having already progressed several levels. Only humans can be dual-classed.

Encumbrance--the amount, in pounds, that a character is carrying. How much he can carry and how being encumbered affects his movement rate are based on Strength and are shown in Tables 47 and 48. Encumbrance is an optional rule.

Energy drain--the ability of a creature, especially undead, to drain energy in the form of class levels from a character, in addition to the normal loss of hit points.

Experience points (abbr. XP)--points a character earns (determined by the Dungeon Master) for completing an adventure, for doing something related to his class particularly well, or for solving a major problem. Experience points are accumulated, enabling the character to rise in level in his class, as shown in Table 14 for warriors, Table 20 for wizards, Table 23 for priests, and Table 25 for rogues.

Follower--a nonplayer character who works for a character for money but is initially drawn to his reputation.

Gaze attack--the ability of a creature, such as a basilisk, to attack simply by making eye contact with the victim.

Henchmen--nonplayer characters who work for a character mainly out of loyalty and love of adventure. The number of henchmen a character can have is based on Charisma and is shown in Table 6. The DM and the player share control of the henchmen.

Hireling--nonplayer characters who work for a character just for money. Hirelings are completely under the control of the DM.

Hit Dice--the dice rolled to determine a character's hit points. Up to a certain level, one or more new Hit Dice are rolled each time a character attains a new class level. A fighter, for example, has only one 10-sided Hit Die (1d10) at 1st level, but when he rises to the 2nd level, the player rolls a second d10, increasing the character's hit points.

Hit points--a number representing: 1. how much damage a character can suffer before being killed, determined by Hit Dice. The hit points lost to injury can usually be regained by rest or healing; 2. how much damage a specific attack does, determined by weapon or monster statistics, and subtracted from a player's total.

Infravision--the ability of certain character races or monsters to see in the dark. Infravision generally works up to 60 feet in the darkness.

Initiative--the right to attack first in a combat round, usually determined by the lowest roll of a 10-sided die. The initiative roll is eliminated if surprise. is achieved.

Int--abbreviation for Intelligence.

Intelligence (abbr. Int)--an ability score representing a character's memory, reasoning, and learning ability.

Italic type--used primarily to indicate spells and magical items.

Level--any of several different game factors that are variable in degree, especially: 1. class level, a measure of the character's power, starting at the 1st level as a beginning adventurer and rising through the accumulation of experience points to the 20th level or higher. At each level attained, the character receives new powers. 2. spell level, a measure of the power of a magical spell. A magic-using character can use only those spells for which his class level qualifies him. Wizard spells come in nine levels (Table 21); priest spells in seven (Table 24).

Loyalty base--a bonus added to or a penalty subtracted from the probability that henchmen are going to stay around when the going gets tough. Based on the character's Charisma, it is shown in Table 6.

M--abbreviation for material component.

Magical defense adjustment--a bonus added to or a penalty subtracted from saving throws vs. spells that attack the mind. Based on Wisdom, it is shown in Table 5.

Maneuverability class--a ranking for flying creatures that reflects their ability to turn easily in aerial combat. Each class--from a top rank of A to a bottom rank of E--has specific statistical abilities in combat.

Material component (abbr. M)--any specific item that must be handled in some way during the casting of a magical spell.

Maximum press--the most weight a character can pick up and raise over his head. It is a function of Strength and may be found in Table 1.

Melee--combat in which characters are fighting in direct contact, such as with swords, claws, or fists, as opposed to fighting with missile weapons or spells.

Missile combat--combat involving the use of weapons that shoot missiles or items that can be thrown. Because the combat is not "toe-to-toe," the rules are slightly different than those for regular combat.

Movement rate--a number used in calculating how far and how fast a character can move in a round. This number is in units of 10 yards per round outdoors, but it represents 10 feet indoors. Thus, an MR of 6 is 60 yards per round in the wilderness, but only 60 feet per round in a dungeon.

MR--abbreviation for movement rate.

Multi-class character--a demihuman who improves in two or more classes at the same time by dividing experience points between the different classes. Humans cannot be multi-classed.

Mythos (pl. mythoi)--a complete body of belief particular to a certain time or place, including the pantheon of its gods.

Neutrality--a philosophical position, or alignment, of a character that is between belief in good or evil, order or chaos.

Nonhuman--any humanoid creature that is neither a human nor a demihuman.

Nonplayer character (abbr. NPC)--any character controlled by the DM instead of a player.

NPC--abbreviation for nonplayer character.

Open doors roll--the roll of a 20-sided die to see if a character succeeds in opening a heavy or stuck door or performing a similar task. The die roll at which the character succeeds can be found in Table 1.

Opposition school--a school of magic that is directly opposed to a specialist's school of choice, thus preventing him from learning spells from that school, as shown in Table 22.

PC--abbreviation for player character.

Percentage (or percent) chance--a number between 1 and 100 used to represent the probability of something happening. If a character is given an X percentage chance of an event occurring, the player rolls percentile dice.

Percentile dice--either a 100-sided die or two 10-sided dice used in rolling a percentage number. If 2d10 are used, they are of different colors, and one represents the tens digit while the other is the ones.

Player character (abbr. PC)--the characters in a role-playing game who are under the control of the players.

Poison save--a bonus or a penalty to a saving throw vs. poison. Based on Constitution, it is shown in Table 3.

Prime requisite--the ability score that is most important to a character class; for example, Strength to a fighter.

Proficiency--a character's learned skill not defined by his class but which gives him a greater percentage chance to accomplish a specific type of task during an adventure. Weapon and nonweapon proficiency slots are acquired as the character rises in level, as shown in Table 34. The use of proficiencies in the game is optional.

Proficiency check--the roll of a 20-sided die to see if a character succeeds in doing a task by comparing the die roll to the character's relevant ability score plus or minus any modifiers shown in Table 37 (the modified die roll must be equal to or less than the ability score for the action to succeed).

Race--a player character's species: human, elf, dwarf, gnome, half-elf, or halfling. Race puts some limitations on the PC's class.

Rate of fire (abbr. ROF)--number of times a missile-firing or thrown weapon can be shot in a round.

Reaction adjustment--a bonus added to or penalty subtracted from a die roll used in determining the success of a character's action. Such an adjustment is used especially in reference to surprise (shown on Table 2 as a function of Dexterity) and the reaction of other intelligent beings to a character (shown on Table 6 as a function of Charisma).

Regeneration--a special ability to heal faster than usual, based on an extraordinarily high Constitution, as shown in Table 3.

Resistance--the innate ability of a being to withstand attack, such as by magic. Gnomes, for example, have a magic resistance that adds bonuses to their saving throws against magic (Table 9).

Resurrection survival--the percentage chance a character has of being magically raised from death. Based on Constitution, it is shown in Table 3.

Reversible--of a magical spell, able to be cast "backwards," so that the opposite of the usual effect is achieved.

ROF--abbreviation for rate of fire.

Round--in combat, a segment of time approximately 1 minute long, during which a character can accomplish one basic action. Ten combat rounds equal one turn.

S--abbreviation for somatic component.

Saving throw--a measure of a character's ability to resist (to "save vs.") special types of attacks, especially poison, paralyzation, magic, and breath weapons. Success is usually determined by the roll of 1d20.

School of magic--One of nine different categories of magic, based on the type of magical energy utilized. Wizards who concentrate their work on a single school are called specialists. The specific school of which a spell is a part is shown after the name of the spell in the spell section at the end of the book.

Somatic component (abbr. S)--the gestures that a spellcaster must use to cast a specific spell. A bound wizard cannot cast a spell requiring somatic components.

Specialist--a wizard who concentrates on a specific school of magic, as opposed to a mage, who studies all magic in general.

Spell immunity--protection that certain characters have against illusions or other specific spells, based on high Intelligence (Table 4) or Wisdom (Table 5) scores.

Sphere of influence--any of sixteen categories of priest spells to which a priest may have major access (he can eventaully learn them all or minor access (he can learn only the lower level spells). The relevant sphere of influence is shown as the first item in the list of characteristics in the priest spells.

Str--abbreviation for Strength.

Strength (abbr. Str)--an ability score representing a character's muscle power, endurance, and stamina.

Surprise roll--the roll of a ten-sided die by the Dungeon Master to determine if a character or group takes another by surprise. Successful surprise (a roll of 1, 2, or 3) cancels the roll for initiative on the first round of combat.

System shock--a percentage chance that a character survives major magical effects, such as being petrified. Based on Constitution, it is shown in Table 3.

THAC0--an acronym for "To Hit Armor Class 0," the number that a character needs to roll in order to hit a target with AC 0.

To-hit roll--another name for attack roll.

Turn--in game time, approximately 10 minutes; used especially in figuring how long various magic spells may last. In combat, a turn consists of 10 rounds.

Turn undead--an ability of a cleric or paladin to turn away an undead creature, such as a skeleton or a vampire.

V--abbreviation for verbal component.

Verbal component (abbr. V)--specific words or sounds that must be uttered while casting a spell.

Weapon speed--an initiative modifier used in combat that accounts for the time required to get back into position to reuse a weapon.

Wis--abbreviation for Wisdom.

Wisdom (abbr. Wis)--an ability score representing a composite of a character's intuition, judgment, common sense, and will power.

XP--abbreviation for experience points.


Gnomes

Kin to dwarves, gnomes are noticeably smaller than their distant cousins. Gnomes, as they proudly maintain, are also less rotund than dwarves. Their noses, however, are significantly larger. Most gnomes have dark tan or brown skin and white hair. A typical gnome lives for 350 years.

Gnomes have lively and sly senses of humor, especially for practical jokes. They have a great love of living things and finely wrought items, particularly gems and jewelry. Gnomes love all sorts of precious stones and are masters of gem polishing and cutting.

Gnomes prefer to live in areas of rolling, rocky hills, well wooded and uninhabited by humans. Their diminutive stature has made them suspicious of the larger races--humans and elves--although they are not hostile. They are sly and furtive with those they do not know or trust, and somewhat reserved even under the best of circumstances. Dwelling in mines and burrows, they are sympathetic to dwarves, but find their cousins' aversion to surface dwellers foolish.

A gnome character can elect to be a fighter, a thief, a cleric, or an illusionist. A gnome can have two classes, but not three: fighter/thief, illusionist/thief, etc.

Due to his upbringing, a beginning gnome character can choose to know the following languages, in addition to any others allowed by the DM: common, dwarf, gnome, halfling, goblin, kobold, and the simple common speech of burrowing mammals (moles, badgers, weasels, shrews, ground squirrels, etc.). The actual number of languages a character begins with depends upon his Intelligence score (see Table 4) or the proficiency slots he allots to languages (if that optional system is used).

Like their cousins the dwarves, gnomes are highly magic resistant. A gnome player character gains a bonus of +1 for every 3½ points of Constitution score, just as dwarves do (see Table 9). This bonus applies to saving throws against magical wands, staves, rods, and spells.

Gnomes also suffer a 20% chance for failure every time they use any magical item except weapons, armor, shields, illusionist items, and (if the character is a thief) items that duplicate thieving abilities. This check is made each time the gnome attempts to use the device, or, in the case of continuous-use devices, each time the device is activated. Like dwarves, gnomes can sense a cursed item if the device fails to function.

In melee, gnome characters add 1 to their attack rolls to hit kobolds or goblins. When gnolls, bugbears, ogres, trolls, ogre magi, giants, or titans attack gnomes, these monsters must subtract 4 from their attack rolls because of the gnomes' small size and their combat skills against these much larger creatures.

Gnomish infravision enables them to see up to 60 feet in the dark.

Being tunnelers of exceptional merit, gnomes are able to detect the following within 10 feet (exception: They can determine their approximate depth or direction underground at any time.). They must stop and concentrate for one round to use any of these abilities.

Detect grade or slope in passage	1-5 on 1d6

Detect unsafe walls, ceiling, and floors	1-7 on 1d10

Determine approximate depth underground	1-4 on 1d6

Determine approximate direction underground	1-3 on 1d6

Gnome characters gain a +1 bonus to their Intelligence scores, to reflect their highly inquisitive natures. They suffer a -1 penalty to Wisdom because their curiosity often leads them unknowingly into danger.


Gnome (Monstrous Manual Entry)
Gnome—Monstrous Manual Entry

Gnome (Rock)	Svirfneblin	Tinker	Forest

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:	Hills	Subterranean	Mountains	Forest

FREQUENCY:	Rare	Very rare	Rare	Very rare

ORGANIZATION:	Clans	Colony	Colony/Guild	Clans

ACTIVITY CYCLE:	Any	Any	Any	Day

DIET:	Omnivore	Omnivore	Omnivore	Omnivore

INTELLIGENCE:	Varies (7-19)	Varies (3-17)	Varies (8-18)	Varies (3-17)

TREASURE:	Mx3	Kx2, Qx3	Mx30	J, K, Qx2

C, Qx20 lair	D, Qx5 lair	C, Qx20 lair	C lair

ALIGNMENT:	Neutral good	Neutral (good)	Neutral or	Neutral good

Lawful good

NO. APPEARING:	4-12 (4d3)	5-8 (1d4+4)	1-12 (1d12)	1-4 (1d4)

ARMOR CLASS:	6 or better	2 or better	10 or 5	10

MOVEMENT:	6	9	6	12

HIT DICE:	1 (base)	3+6 (base)	1 (base)	2 (base)

THAC0:	19	17	19	18

NO. OF ATTACKS:	1	1	1	1

DAMAGE/ATTACK:	By weapon	By weapon	By weapon	By weapon

SPECIAL ATTACKS:	Nil	Stun darts	Nil	Traps

SPECIAL DEFENSES:	See below	See below	See below	See below

MAGIC RESISTANCE:	Special	20% (and up)	Special	Special

SIZE:	S (3½')	S (3' to 3½')	S (3½')	S (2' to 2½')

MORALE:	Steady (12)	Elite (13)	Average (8)	Elite (14)

XP VALUE:	65 (base)	420 (base)	65 (base)	120 (base)

Small cousins of the dwarves, gnomes are friendly but reticent, quick to help their friends but rarely seen by other races unless they want to be. They tend to dwell underground in hilly, wooded regions where they can pursue their interests in peace. Gnomes can be fighters or priests, but most prefer to become thieves or illusionists instead. Multi-class characters are more common among the gnomes than any other demihuman race.

Gnomes strongly resemble small, thin, nimble dwarves, with the exception of two notable facial features: gnomes prefer to keep their beards short and stylishly-trimmed, and they take pride in their enormous noses (often fully twice the size of any dwarf or human's). Skin, hair, and eye color vary somewhat by subrace: the most common type of gnome, the Rock Gnome, has skin ranging from a dark tan to a woody brown (sometimes with a hint of gray), pale hair, and eyes any shade of blue. Gnomish clothing tends toward leather and earth tones, brightened by a bit of intricately wrought jewelry or stitching. Rock gnomes have an average life span of around 450 years, although some live to be 600 years or more.

Gnomes speak their own language, and each subrace has its own distinctive dialect. Many gnomes learn the tongues of humans, kobolds, goblins, halflings, and dwarves in order to communicate with their neighbors, and some Rock Gnomes are able to communicate with burrowing mammals via a basic language of grunts, snorts, and signs.

Gnomes posses infravision to 60 feet, and the ability to detect sloping passages (1-5 on 1d6), unsafe stonework (1-7 on 1d10), and approximate depth (1-4 on 1d6) and direction (1-3 on 1d6) underground. They are highly resistant to magic, gaining a +1 bonus to their saving throws for each 3.5 points of Constitution (a typical gnome will have a bonus of +3 to +4). Unfortunately, this also means that there is a 20% chance that any magical item a gnome attempts to use will malfunction (armor, weapons, and illusionary items exempted).

Combat: Gnomes prefer the use of strategy over brute force in combat and will often use illusions in imaginative ways to "even the odds." Their great hatred of kobolds and goblins, their traditional enemies, gives them a+1 on their attack rolls when fighting these beings. They are adept at dodging the attacks of large opponents, forcing all giant class creatures (gnolls, bugbears, ogres, trolls, giants, etc.) to subtract 4 from their attack rolls when fighting gnomes.

Gnomes can use any weapon that matches their size and often carry a second (or even a third) weapon as a back-up. Short swords, hammers, and spears are favorite melee weapons, with short bows, crossbows, slings, and darts coming into play when distance weapons are called for; virtually every gnome will also carry a sharp knife somewhere on his or her person as a final line of defense.

A typical rock gnome will wear studded leather armor and use a small shield (AC 6). Their leaders will have chain mail (AC 4), and any gnome above 5th level has plate mail (AC 2). There is a 10% chance for each level above 5th that the gnome's armor and/or weapon is magical (roll separately for each). Spell casters have a 10% chance per level of having 1-3 magical items usable by their character class.

Habitat/Society: Gnomes live in underground burrows in remote hilly, wooded regions. They are clannish, with friendly rivalries occurring between neighboring clans. They spend their lives mining, crafting fine jewelry, and enjoying the fruits of their labors. Gnomes work hard, and they play hard. They observe many festivals and holidays, which usually involve games, nose measuring contests, and swapping of grand tales. Their society is well organized, with many levels of responsibility, culminating in a single chief who is advised by clerics in matters directly relating to their calling.

A gnomish lair is home to some 40-400 (4d10x10) gnomes, one-quarter of them children. For every 40 adults there is a fighter of 2nd to 4th level. If 160 or more are encountered there is also a 5th-level chief and a 3rd-level lieutenant. If 200 or more are met, there is a cleric or illusionist of 4th to 6th level. If 320 or more are present, add a 6th-level fighter, two 5th-level fighters, a 7th-level cleric, four 3rd-level clerics, a 5th-level illusionist, and two 2nd-level illusionists. Gnomes often befriend burrowing mammals, so 5d6 badgers (70%), 3d4 giant badgers (20%), or 2d4 wolverines (10%) will be present as well. These animals are neither pets nor servants, but allies who will help guard the clan.

Ecology: Gnomes are very much a magical part of nature, existing in harmony with the land they inhabit. They choose to live underground but remain near the surface in order to enjoy its beauty.

Svirfneblin (Deep Gnome)

Far beneath the surface of the earth dwell the Svirfneblin, or Deep Gnomes. Small parties of these demihumans roam the Underdark's mazes of small passageways searching for gemstones. They are said to dwell in great cities consisting of a closely connected series of tunnels, buildings, and caverns in which up to a thousand of these diminutive creatures live. They keep the location of these hidden cities secret in order to protect them from their deadly foes, the kuo-toa, Drow, and mind flayers.

Svirfneblin are slightly smaller than rock gnomes, but their thin, wiry, gnarled frames are just as strong. Their skin is rock-colored, usually medium brown to brownish gray, and their eyes are gray. Male svirfneblin are completely bald; female deep gnomes have stringy gray hair. The average svirfneblin life span is 250 years.

Svirfneblin mining teams and patrols work together so smoothly that to outside observers they appear to communicate with each other by some form of racial empathy. They speak their own dialect of gnomish that other gnomish subraces are 60% likely to understand. Most deep gnomes are also able to converse in Underworld Common and speak and understand a fair amount of kuo-toan and drow. These small folk can also converse with any creature from the elemental plane of Earth via a curious "language" consisting solely of vibrations (each pitch conveys a different message), although only on a very basic level.

All svirfneblin have the innate ability to cast blindness, blur, and change self once per day. Deep gnomes also radiate non-detection identical to the spell of the same name. Deep gnomes have 120-foot infravision, as well as all the detection abilities of rock gnomes.

Combat: Despite their metal armor and arms, these quick, small folk are able to move very quietly. Deep gnomes are able to "freeze" in place for long periods without any hint of movement, making them 60% unlikely to be seen by any observer, even those with infravision. They are surprised only on a roll of 1 on 1d10 due to their keen hearing and smelling abilities and surprise opponents 90% of the time.

The deep gnomes wear leather jacks sewn with rings or scales of mithral steel alloy over fine chainmail shirts, giving a typical svirfneblin warrior an Armor Class of 2. They do not usually carry shields, since these would hinder movement through the narrow corridors they favor. For every level above 3rd, a Deep Gnome's Armor Class improves by one point -- a 4th-level deep gnome has AC 1, a 5th-level deep gnome, AC 0; to a maximum of AC -6.

All deep gnomes are 20% magic resistant, gaining an extra +5% magic resistance for each level they attain above 3rd. They are immune to illusions, phantasms, and hallucinations. Because of their high wisdom, speed, and agility, they make all saving throws at +3, except against poison, when their bonus is +2.

Deep Gnomes are typically armed with a pick and a dagger which, while nonmagical, gain a +1 bonus to attacks and damage due to their finely-honed edges. Svirfneblin also carry 1d4+6 special stun darts, throwing them to a range of 40 feet, with a +2 bonus to hit. Each dart releases a small puff of gas when it strikes; any creature inhaling the gas must save vs. poison or be stunned for 1 round and slowed for the next four rounds. Elite warriors (3rd level and above) often carry hollow darts with acid inside (+2d4 to damage) and crystal caltrops which, when stepped on, release a powerful sleep gas.

Habitat/Society: Svirfneblin society is strictly divided between the sexes: females are in charge of food production and running the city, while males patrol its borders and mine for precious stones. A svirfneblin city will have both a king and a queen, each of whom is independent and has his or her own sphere of responsibility. Since only males ever leave the city, the vast majority of encounters will be with deep gnome mining parties seeking for new lodes. For every four svirfneblin encountered, there will be an overseer with 4+7 Hit Dice. Groups of more than 20 will be led by a burrow warden (6+9 Hit Dice) with two 5th-level assistants (5+8 Hit Dice).

It is 25% probable that a 6th-level deep gnome will have illusionist abilities of 5th, 6th, or 7th level. Deep Gnomes who are not illusionists gain the ability at 6th level to summon an earth elemental (50% chance of success) once per day. Deep gnome clerics have no ability to turn undead.

Ecology: Stealth, cleverness, and tenacity enable the svirfneblin to survive in the extremely hostile environment of the Underdark. They love gems, especially rubies, and will take great risks in order to gain them. Their affinity for stone is such that creatures from the elemental plane of Earth are 90% unlikely to harm a deep gnome, though they might demand a hefty tithe in gems or precious metals for allowing the gnome to escape.

Tinker Gnome (Minoi)

Cheerful, industrious, and inept, tinker gnomes originated on Krynn, but they have spread to many other worlds via spelljamming ships. Physically similar to rock gnomes, even to the extent of sharing the same infravision range, magic resistance, combat bonuses, and detection abilities, their history and culture are so radically different as to qualify them for consideration as a separate subrace.

Graceful and quick in their movements, tinker gnomes' hands are deft and sure. Tinkers have rich brown skin, white hair, and china-blue or violet eyes. Males favor oddly-styled beards and moustaches, and both sexes have rounded ears and typically large gnomish noses. Tinkers who avoid getting blown up in an experiment live for 250-300 years.

Tinker gnomes speak very rapidly, running their words together in sentences that never seem to end. They are capable of talking and listening at the same time: when two tinkers meet, they babble away, answering questions asked by the other as part of the same continuous sentence.

Combat: Tinker gnomes rarely carry weapons, although some of their ever present tools can be pressed into service at need. However, they delight in invention and are always devising strange weapons of dubious utility, from the three barrel water blaster to the multiple spear flinger. Tinkers can wear any type of armor but typically outfit themselves in a variety of mismatched pieces for an effective AC of 5.

Habitat/Society: Tinker gnomes establish colonies consisting of immense tunnel complexes in secluded mountain ranges. The largest gnome settlement on Krynn, beneath Mount Nevermind, is home to some 59,000 tinkers. Other tinker gnome colonies exist, both on Krynn and elsewhere, but their populations seldom exceed 200-400.

All tinkers have a Life Quest: to attain perfect understanding of a single device. Few ever actually attain this goal, but their individual Life Quests do keep the ever hopeful tinkers busy. Males and females are equal in tinker society, and each pursue Life Quests with similar devotion. Each tinker gnome belongs to a guild. The guild occupies the same place in a tinker's life that the clan occupies for other gnomes. Together the guildmasters make up a grand council that governs the community.

Though most tinker gnomes are content to stay home and tinker with their projects, some have Life Quests which require them to venture out into the world. Adventuring gnomes are generally unable to learn from past experience and repeat the same mistakes, yet they are often successful with quirky solutions to save the day for their companions.

Ecology: Despite their great friendliness, tinker gnomes are not well-liked by other races: their technological bent makes them quite alien to those accustomed to magic, and their poor understanding of social relations puts off many potential friends. Sages generally agree that the tinkers' indiscriminate trumpeting of technology has discouraged its development by other races who have encountered tinker gnomes.

Forest Gnome

Shy and elusive, the forest gnomes live deep in forests and shun contact with other races except in times of dire emergencies threatening their beloved woods. The smallest of all the gnomes, they average 2 to 2½ feet in height, with bark-colored, gray-green skin, dark hair, and blue, brown, or green eyes. A very long-lived people, they have an average life expectancy of 500 years.

In addition to their own gnomish dialect, most forest gnomes can speak gnome common (rock gnome), Elf, Treant, and a simple language that enables them to communicate on a very basic level with forest animals. All forest gnomes have the innate ability to pass without trace, hide in woodlands (90% chance of success), and the same saving throw bonus as their rock gnome cousins.

Combat: Forest gnomes prefer boobie traps and missile weapons to melee weapons when dealing with enemies. Due to size and quickness they receive a -4 bonus to Armor Class whenever they are fighting M- or L-sized opponents. Forest gnomes receive a +1 bonus to all attack and damage rolls when fighting orcs, lizardmen, troglodytes, or any creature which they have seen damage their forest.

Habitat/Society: Forest gnomes live in small villages of less than 100 gnomes, each family occupying a large, hollowed-out tree. Most of these villages are disguised so well that even an elf or a ranger could walk through one without realizing it.

Ecology: Forest gnomes are guardians of the woods and friends to the animals that live there. They will often help lost travellers but will strive to remain unseen while doing so.


Gnomish Workman's Leather Armor
Gnomish Workman's Leather Armor (AC 7)—Arms & Equipment Guide

Description: Gnomish workman's leather armor is a variation of high-quality gnomish leather armor (as described in the Equipment Chapter of The Complete Fighter's Handbook). Gnomish workman's leather is adorned with dozens of tiny tool holders and pouches, typically filled with the most bizarre collection of coins, nails, tools, weapons, widgets, and sprockets ever assembled on one body. For this reason, a set of gnomish workman's leather provides protection identical to studded leather armor.

Campaign Use: Typically, gnomish workman's leather is as silent as normal high-quality gnomish leather armor (no Thieving Skill Armor Adjustment). However, this is before a gnomish workman has gotten anywhere near it. As with most things of gnomish design, the whole is a rather sundry compilation of many disjointed parts.

Strange inventions, secret compartments, locked and trapped pockets, and a dizzying array of tool holders and layered item racks are added, modified, moved, and camouflaged almost daily. From week to week, a gnomish workman's armor may change drastically in appearance and function. The armor has a stowage capacity of 10 lbs., up to half of which can be considered hidden.

Importantly, the special benefits of gnomish high-quality leather armor are lost when a gnomish workman begins collecting items to tuck into this leather garb. While a few items on the belt do not significantly ruin this feature of the base armor, enough gadgets to alter the armor class cannot help but clink and bang into each other, crinkle and spill out when the owner bends over, or accidentally drop off or explode in the most heated battle or flight.

Outside of gnomish society, this type of armor has been rarely seen by non-gnomes. Humans and elves rarely steal things they cannot use, unless hired to do so, and dwarves, who might squeeze into a suit if offered, find the concept distasteful and the appearance much too garish for their otherwise stoic tastes. Halflings have displayed a weakness for the many secret compartments found in gnomish workman's leather, and halfling thieves in particular might treasure this type of armor above all else. Indeed, the black market for gnomish workman's leather is rumored to be funded entirely by halfling-run thieves' guilds. This only adds fuel to any fires of discontent between halfling and gnomish clans.

In human settlements and cities, gnomes only don workman's armor when working privately, deep in their secret workshops. Since no one around them either appreciates or respects the trappings of "master craftsmanship," there seems to be little need to flaunt them.

Within the gnomish clan, however, there is a constant competition between all gnomish craftsmen, among both masters and apprentices. In some clans, the competitions have become formalized, with actual categories (most items carried, best personal trap, most secure pouch, nicest appearance, etc.) and prizes (clan contracts or a special badge to be sewn onto the armor). These contests are held on high festival days, much like a merchant's bazaar (just another special guild tradition to confuse the newcomer or overnight visitor).

  In the largest of clans, many competing craftsman's guilds might sponsor and support individual designs or candidates. Every craftsman in the hall will spend long nights tinkering with his own armor to emulate or duplicate the desired effect. Those who succeed will claim partial credit for "testing and perfecting" the basic design. Those who fail might offer small sums of gold for the secret of the new invention.


Half-Elves

Half-elves are the most common mixed-race beings. The relationship between elf, human, and half-elf is defined as follows: 1) Anyone with both elven and human ancestors is either a human or a half-elf (elves have only elven ancestors). 2) If there are more human ancestors than elven, the person is human; if there are equal numbers or more elves, the person is half-elven.

Half-elves are usually much like their elven parent in appearance. They are handsome folk, with the good features of each of their races. They mingle freely with either race, being only slightly taller than the average elf (5 feet 6 inches on average) and weighing about 150 pounds. They typically live about 160 years. They do not have all the abilities of the elf, nor do they have the flexibility of unlimited level advancement of the human. Finally, in some of the less-civilized nations, half-elves are viewed with suspicion and superstition.

In general, a half-elf has the curiosity, inventiveness, and ambition of his human ancestors and the refined senses, love of nature, and artistic tastes of his elven ancestors.

Half-elves do not form communities among themselves; rather, they can be found living in both elven and human communities. The reactions of humans and elves to half-elves ranges from intrigued fascination to outright bigotry.

Of all the demihuman races, half-elves have the greatest range of choices in character class. They tend to make good druids and rangers. A half-elf can choose to be a cleric, druid, fighter, ranger, mage, specialist wizard, thief, or bard. In addition, a half-elf can choose from the following multi-class combinations: cleric (or druid)/fighter, cleric (or druid)/fighter/mage, cleric (or druid)/ranger, cleric (or druid)/mage, fighter/mage, fighter/thief, fighter/mage/thief, and mage/thief. The half-elf must abide by the rules for multi-class characters.

Half-elves do not have a language of their own. Their extensive contact with other races enables them to choose any of the following languages (plus any other allowed by the DM): common, elf, gnome, halfling, goblin, hobgoblin, orc, and gnoll. The actual number of languages the character knows is limited by his Intelligence (see Table 4) or by the number of proficiency slots he allots to languages (if that optional system is used).

Half-elven characters have a 30% resistance to sleep and all charm-related spells.

Half-elven infravision enables them to see up to 60 feet in darkness.

Secret or concealed doors are difficult to hide from half-elves, just as they are from elves. Merely passing within 10 feet of a concealed door (one hidden by obstructing curtains, etc.) gives the half-elven character a one-in-six chance (roll a 1 on 1d6) of spotting it. If the character is actively seeking to discover hidden doors, he has a one-in-three chance (roll a 1 or 2 on 1d6) of spotting  a secret door (one constructed to be undetectable) and a one-in-two chance (roll a 1, 2, or 3 on 1d6) of locating a concealed door.

(See also Elves, Player’s Handbook and Elf, Monstrous Manual)


Halflings

Halflings are short, generally plump people, very much like small humans. Their faces are round and broad and often quite florid. Their hair is typically curly and the tops of their feet are covered with coarse hair. They prefer not to wear shoes whenever possible. Their typical life expectancy is approximately 150 years.

Halflings are sturdy and industrious, generally quiet and peaceful. Overall they prefer the comforts of home to dangerous adventuring. They enjoy good living, rough humor, and homespun stories. In fact, they can be a trifle boring at times. Halflings are not forward, but they are observant and conversational if in friendly company. Halflings see wealth only as a means of gaining creature comforts, which they love. Though they are not overly brave or ambitious, they are generally honest and hard working when there is need.

Halfling homes are well-furnished burrows, although most of their work is done on the surface. Elves generally like them in a patronizing sort of way. Dwarves cheerfully tolerate them, thinking halflings somewhat soft and harmless. Gnomes, although they drink more and eat less, like halflings best, feeling them kindred spirits. Because halflings are more open and outgoing than any of these other three, they get along with other races far better.

There are three types of halflings: Hairfeets, Tallfellows, and Stouts. Hairfeets are the most common type, but for player characters, any of the three is acceptable.

A halfling character can choose to be a cleric, fighter, thief, or a multi-class fighter/thief. The halfling must use the rules provided for multi-class characters.

Through their contact with other races, halfling characters are allowed to choose initial languages from common, halfling, dwarf, elf, gnome, goblin, and orc, in addition to any other languages the DM allows. The actual number of languages the character knows is limited by his Intelligence (see Table 4) or by the number of proficiency slots he allots to languages (if that optional system is used).

All halfling characters have a high resistance to magical spells, so for every 3-½ points of Constitution score, the character gains a +1 bonus on saving throws vs. wands, staves, rods, and spells. These bonuses are summarized on Table 9.

Halflings have a similar resistance to poisons of all sorts, so they gain a Constitution bonus identical to that for saving throws vs. magical attacks when they make saving throws vs. poison (i.e., +1 to +5, depending on Constitution score).

Halflings have a natural talent with slings and thrown weapons. Rock pitching is a favorite sport of many a halfling child. All halflings gain a +1 bonus to their attack rolls when using thrown weapons and slings.

A halfling can gain a bonus to surprise opponents, but only if the halfling is not in metal armor. Even then, the halfling must either be alone, or with a party comprised only of halflings or elves, or 90 feet or more away from his party to gain this bonus. If he fulfills any of these conditions, he causes a -4 penalty to opponents' surprise rolls. If a door or other screen must be opened, this penalty is reduced to -2.

Depending on their lineage, certain halfling characters have infravision. Any halfling character has a 15% chance to have normal infravision (this means he is pure Stout), out to 60 feet; failing that chance, there is a 25% chance that he has limited infravision (mixed Stout/Tallfellow or Stout/Hairfeets lineage), effective out to 30 feet.

Similarly, halflings with any Stoutish blood can note if a passage is an up or down grade with 75% accuracy (roll a 1, 2, or 3 on 1d4). They can determine direction half the time (roll a 1, 2, or 3 on 1d6). These abilities function only when the character is concentrating on the desired information to the exclusion of all else, and only if the character is pure or partially Stout.

Halfling characters have a penalty of -1 to their initially generated Strength scores, and they gain a bonus of +1 to Dexterity.


Halfling (Monstrous Manual Entry)
Halfling—Monstrous Manual Entry

Hairfoot	Tallfellow	Stout

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:	Pastoral	Hills, forests	Hills, mountains

FREQUENCY:	Uncommon	Rare	Rare

ORGANIZATION:	Community	Community	Community

ACTIVITY CYCLE:	Day	Day	Day

DIET:	Omnivore	Omnivore	Omnivore

INTELLIGENCE:	Very (11-12)	Very (11-12)	Very (11-12)

TREASURE:	K (B)	K (B)	K (B)

ALIGNMENT:	Lawful good	Lawful good	Lawful good

NO. APPEARING:	2-12 (2d6)	2-12 (2d6)	2-12 (2d6)

ARMOR CLASS:	7 (10)	6 (10)	6 (10)

MOVEMENT:	6 (9)	6 (9)	6 (9)

HIT DICE:	1-6 hit points	1-6 hit points	1-6 hit points

THAC0:	20	20	20

NO. OF ATTACKS:	1	1	1

DAMAGE/ATTACK:	1-6 (weapon)	1-6 (weapon)	1- 6 (weapon)

SPECIAL ATTACKS:	+3 with bows 	+3 with bows 	+3 with bows

and slings	and slings	and slings

SPECIAL DEFENSES:	See below	See below	See below

MAGIC RESISTANCE:	Nil	Nil	Nil

SIZE:	S (3)	S (4')	S (3)

MORALE:	Steady (11-12)	Steady (11-12)	Steady (11-12)

XP VALUE:	35	35	35

Halflings are a hard-working race of peaceful citizens. Their communities are similar to those of humans, although they usually contain many burrow homes in addition to surface cottages.

Halflings average 3 feet in height, have ruddy complexions, with sandy to dark brown hair, and blue or hazel eyes. Their dress is often colorful but serviceable, and they like to wear caps or tunics. In addition to their own language, many halflings also speak the common tongue, gnome, goblin, and orcish.

Combat: Halflings will fight with great ferocity in defense of good or their homes. They are very skilled with both the sling and the bow (receiving a +3 bonus on all attack rolls) and use these weapons to great advantage in battle. Their tactics often involve feints to draw their attackers into the open where they can be subjected to a volley of fire from cover.

When equipped for battle, halflings wear padded or leather armor. A halfling force is usually armed with short swords and hand axes. In addition, two-thirds of the halflings will be carrying either a sling or short bow.

All halflings above normal level will have Armor Class 6, while those of 3rd or 4th level wear chain mail over their leather (AC 4). Higher level halflings have a 10 percent chance per level of having a magic weapon or armor.

As all halflings are naturally resistant to magic and poisons -- they save at 4 levels above their actual level. In addition, halflings are exceedingly clever at quiet movement and hiding. In combat, their opponents receive a -5 on their surprise roll. In natural terrain halflings are considered invisible when they are hiding in vegetation.

Habitat/Society: Halfling villages will generally have between 30 and 300 (30d10) individuals living in them. For every 30 halflings in a particular community there will be two 2nd-level fighters and a 3rd-level priest. If more than 90 halflings are encountered there will be an additional leader of 3rd-level fighting ability. If more than 150 are encountered there will also be the following additional halfling warriors in the group: one 9th-level fighter, two 4th-level fighters and three 3rd-level fighters. Further, a community of 150 halflings will have a 5th-level priest.

Cheerful and outgoing, halflings, take great pleasure in simple crafts and nature. Their fingers, though short, are very dexterous allowing them to create objects of great beauty. Halflings shun water and extremes in temperature, preferring to settle in temperate pastoral countrysides. They get along well with humans and receive a +2 bonus to all their Reaction Rolls involving human NPCs.

Ecology: Halflings hunt occasionally, but prefer breads, vegetables and fruits, with an occasional pheasant on the side. They have a life expectancy of 100 years on the average.

Tallfellow

A taller (4'+) and slimmer halfling with fair skin and hair, tallfellows are somewhat rare among the halfling folk. Tallfellows generally speak the language of elves in addition to those listed previously and greatly enjoy their company. In combat, tallfellows often ride ponies and carry spears or small lances. Tallfellows of strength 17 or more can rise to 6th level fighting ability. They live 180 years on average. Like elves, a tallfellow can recognize a secret door on a roll of 1 on a 1d6. All tallfellows receive a +2 bonus to surprise rolls when in forest or wooded terrain.

Stout

These halflings are shorter and stockier than the more common hairfoots. Stouts take great pleasure in gems and fine masonry, often working as jewelers or stone cutters. They rarely mix with humans and elves, but enjoy the company of dwarves and often speak their language fluently. Like dwarves, stouts have infravision (60'), a 75% chance to detect sloping passageways, and a 50% chance of determining direction when underground. Stouts with a strength score of 17 or better can work their way up to the 9th-level of fighting ability. Their ties with the dwarven folk have spilled over into their combat tactics, with many stouts employing hammers and morningstars in combat. Stouts also have no fear of water and, in fact, many are excellent swimmers. Stouts can reach an age of 140 or more years.


Healing

Natural Healing

Characters heal naturally at a rate of 1 hit point per day of rest. Rest is defined as low activity--nothing more strenuous than riding a horse or traveling from one place to another. Fighting, running in fear, lifting a heavy boulder, or any other physical activity, prevents resting, since it strains old wounds and may even reopen them.

If a character has complete bed-rest (doing nothing for an entire day), he can regain 3 hit points for the day. For each complete week of bed rest, the character can add any Constitution hit point bonus he might have to the base of 21 points (3 points per day) he regained during that week.

  In both cases above, the character is assumed to be getting adequate food, water, and sleep. If these are lacking, the character does not regain any hit points that day.

Herbalism and Healing Proficiencies

  Characters also can gain minor healing benefits from those proficient in the arts of herbalism and healing. These talents are explained in Chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook.


Magical Healing

Spells, potions, and magical devices can speed the process of healing considerably. The specifics of such magical healing methods are described in the spell descriptions in the Player's Handbook, and in this book for magical items. By using these methods, wounds close instantly and vigor is restored.

Magical healing is particularly useful in the midst of combat or in preparation for a grievous encounter. Remember, however, that the characters' opponents are just as likely to have access to magical healing as the player characters--an evil high priest is likely to carry healing spells to bestow on his own followers and guards. Healing is not, of itself, a good or evil act.

  Remember that under no circumstances can a character be healed to a point greater than his original hit point total. For example, say a character has 30 hit points, but suffers 2 points of damage in a fight. A while later, he takes an additional point of damage, bringing his current hit point total to 27. A spellcaster couldn't restore more than 3 points to him, regardless of the healing method used.


Immunity to Weapons

Some monsters, particularly lycanthropes and powerful undead such as vampires, are immune to normal weapons. Attackers need special weapons to hurt them. The most common of these are silver and magical weapons.

Special weapon requirements are listed in the monster descriptions as "Silver weapons or magic to attack" or "+2 weapons or better to hit," or something similar. The listed weapon, or one of greater power, must be used to damage the monster. Magical weapons are of greater power than silver weapons and each plus a magical weapon gets is a measure of power. Obviously, then, a sword +2 is more powerful than a sword +1.

Even creatures immune to certain weapons can be affected by magical spells, unless a specific immunity to a spell, or group of spells, is listed in the description, in the Monstrous Manual.

Effects of Weapon Hits

When a creature is hit by a weapon to which it is immune, the attack appears to leave a visible wound. However, no points of damage are inflicted.

For example, a vampire strides across the banquet hall toward the player characters. Fearfully, they loose a volley of arrows at him. Three hit, but he doesn't even break his stride. They watch, aghast, as he disdainfully plucks the arrows from his body. Just as he closes with them, Targash swings and hits him with his sword +3. The vampire's smug look of overconfidence is transformed to one of snarling rage as he realizes with a shock that one of these sniveling humans has hurt him!


Silver Weapons

When confronting a creature immune to all but silver weapons, players will learn (probably the hard way) that just any old silver weapon won't do. Ordinary weapons plated with a thin layer of silver are not effective. The weapon, or at least the blade, must be made of pure silver. Such weapons must be custom-made. In addition, silver is a poor choice of metal for a weapon and so cannot be used for every-day purposes.

To retain its cutting power and shape, a silver weapon should be used only when absolutely needed. While there are no rules to prevent its constant use (since there are too many variables for type of weapon, amount of use, etc.), be ready to surprise characters who constantly use silver weapons in place of normal ones. "Oh, dear, you hit that orc's plate mail with your silver sword and the blade bent!" or "You know, you've been using your silver-headed spear so much that the point is no longer good. It's kind of like hitting that werewolf with a clumsy club except it doesn't work as well!"

Creature vs. Creature

One obvious question that arises in the minds of those with a logical bent is "How do other creatures fight those immune monsters?" In the case of monsters, sufficient Hit Dice enable them to attack immune creatures as if they were fighting with magical weapons. Table 48 lists various numbers of Hit Dice and their magical weapon equivalents.

These Hit Dice equivalents apply only to monsters. Player characters and NPCs cannot benefit from this.

Table 48:

Hit Dice Vs. Immunity

Hit Dice	Hits creatures requiring

4+1 or more	+1 weapon

6+2 or more	+2 weapon

8+3 or more	+3 weapon

10+4 or more	+4 weapon

Using Immune Monsters in a Campaign

Creatures with powerful weapon immunities should be used with care. Players trust the DM to create situations in which they have a chance to win. Don't use such creatures unless the party has weapons to defeat them, or there is some other reason for encountering that monster.

Every player character in the party needn't have a weapon effective against the monster, but there should be at least two in the party. Avoid making an encounter dependent on the actions of a single character. It's not much fun for the other players and too many things can go wrong with the plan if the key player doesn't cooperate or his character gets hurt.

The warning above is just that, however--a warning. It's not a rule. There are times where using such creatures on an unprepared party can lead to creative and entertaining play.

For example, say the party is just beginning an adventure involving lots of werewolves. Early on, they are attacked by a hairy creature and their weapons don't seem to do any good! If not dispatched by spells, it causes serious injury, but doesn't manage to kill anyone, before it flees for some reason or another. It shouldn't take too much for players to figure out what they need, and getting appropriate weapons can become part of the adventure.

  Immune creatures also can be used to control a party that has become abusive or just too powerful. Such uses of very potent creatures should be extremely rare.


Humans

Although humans are treated as a single race in the AD&D game, they come in all the varieties we know on Earth. A human PC can have whatever racial characteristics the DM allows.

Humans have only one special ability: They can be of any character class and rise to any level in any class. Other PC races have limited choices in these areas.

Humans are also more social and tolerant than most other races, accepting the company of elves, dwarves, and the like with noticeably less complaint.

  Because of these abilities and tendencies, humans have become significant powers within the world and often rule empires that other races (because of their racial tendencies) would find difficult to manage.


Human (Monstrous Manual Entry)
Human—Monstrous Manual Entry

Aborigine/	Bandit/

Caveman	Adventurer	Brigand

FREQUENCY:	Rare	Very rare	Common

TREASURE:	Nil	By class	J, N, Q

ALIGNMENT:	Neutral	Any	Chaotic evil

NO. APPEARING:	10-100 (10d10)	1-8	20-200 (20d10)

ARMOR CLASS:	8	Varies	10 to 6

HIT DICE:	1-6 hp/ 2 HD	Varies	1-6 hp

THAC0:	20 (19)	Varies	20

MORALE:	Average (9)	Varies	Average (9)

XP VALUE:	15 (35)	Varies	15

Barbarian/Nomad	Berserker/Dervish	Farmer/ Herder

FREQUENCY:	Rare	Rare	Common

TREASURE:	L, M	Nil	Nil

ALIGNMENT:	Any	Neutral/L. good	Neutral (good)

NO. APPEARING:	30-300 (30d10)	10-100 (10d10)	1-20

ARMOR CLASS:	10 to 6	10 to 6	10

HIT DICE:	1-6 hp	1-6 hp	1-6 hp

THAC0:	20	20	20

MORALE:	Average (9)	Fearless (20)	Average (9)

XP VALUE:	15	15	15

Gentry	Knight	Mercenary

FREQUENCY:	Common 	Very rare	Rare

TREASURE:	J,K,L,M,N,Q	L,M	L,M

ALIGNMENT:	Any	Any lawful	Any

NO. APPEARING:	1-20	1-4	10-100 (10d10)

ARMOR CLASS:	10	4 or 2	7 to 4

HIT DICE:	1-6 hp	2+	2-8 hp

THAC0:	20	19 or less	20

MORALE:	Average (9)	Elite (14+)	Steady (11-12)

XP VALUE:	15	Varies	15

Merchant 	Sailor/

Fisherman	Merchant/Trader	Middle Class

FREQUENCY:	Common	Common	Common

TREASURE:	10-60 sp	10-1,000 gp	J,M,N

ALIGNMENT:	Any	Any	Any

NO. APPEARING:	4-80 (4d20)	30-300 (3d10>010)	2-40 (2d20)

ARMOR CLASS:	10 to 8	10 to 5	10

HIT DICE:	1-6 hp	1-6 hp	1-6 hp

THAC0:	20	20	20

MORALE:	Average (9)	Average (9)	Average (9)

XP VALUE:	15	15	15

Peasant/	Pirate/

Serf	Pilgrim	Buccaneer

FREQUENCY:	Common	Uncommon	Common

TREASURE:	Nil	I	J,M,N,Q

ALIGNMENT:	Any	Any	Any evil

NO. APPEARING:	1-100	10-100 (10d10)	30-300 (30d10)

ARMOR CLASS:	10	10 to 8	10 to 6

HIT DICE:	1-6 hp	1-6 hp	1-6 hp

THAC0:	20	20	20

MORALE:	Average (9)	Average (9)	Average (9)

XP VALUE:	15	15	15

Police/

Constabulary	Priest	Sailor

FREQUENCY:	Uncommon	Very rare	Common

TREASURE:	10-60 sp	J,K,M	L,M

ALIGNMENT:	Any lawful	Any	Any

NO. APPEARING:	2-20 (2d10)	1-8	4-80 (4d20)

ARMOR CLASS:	7 to 4	Varies	10 to 8

HIT DICE:	1-6 hp	1-6 hp	1-6 hp

THAC0:	20	20	20

MORALE:	Steady (10)	Varies	Average (9)

XP VALUE:	15	Varies	15

Slaver	Soldier	Thief/Thug

FREQUENCY:	Common	Uncommon	Common

TREASURE:	Nil	I	J,M,N,Q

ALIGNMENT:	Any	Any	Any evil

NO. APPEARING:	1-100	10-100 (10d10)	1-8

ARMOR CLASS:	10	8 to 4	10 to 8

HIT DICE:	1-6 hp	1-6 hp	1 to 3

THAC0:	20	20	20

MORALE:	Average (9)	Steady (10-12)	Varies

XP VALUE:	15	15	Varies

Tradesman/

Craftsman	Tribesman	Wizard

FREQUENCY:	Common	Rare	Very rare

TREASURE:	1-100 gp	Nil	L,N,Q

ALIGNMENT:	Any	Any	Any

NO. APPEARING:	2-12 (2d6)	10-100 (10d10 )	1-8

ARMOR CLASS:	10	8	10

HIT DICE:	1-6 hp	1-6 hp	Varies

THAC0:	20	20	Varies

MORALE:	Average (8-9)	Average (9)	Varies

XP VALUE:	15	15	Varies

Aborigine/Caveman

These primitive humans are found in otherwise uninhabited regions. For every 10 aborigines there will be a 3rd-level fighter. Aboriginal tribes are always led by a chief (a 5th-level fighter) and 1-4 subchiefs (4th-level fighters). For every 10 aborigines encountered there is a 10% chance that they have a shaman (3rd-level priest) with them.

Most encounters (60%) will be with predominantly male war or hunting/gathering parties. There is a 40% chance that an encounter will be in or near their lair. Aborigines make their lairs in natural shelters such as caves or forest groves. The number encountered above is for males; there will usually be an equal number of females and children in the lair.

Aborigines are typically armed with stone axes, spears, and clubs.

Adventurer

These are NPC counterparts of the PC's band, groups of fighters, thieves, priests, and wizards who band together in search of fame, fortune, and power. Typical adventuring bands consist of between two to eight members. Solitary adventurers may be separated from their group, lost, advanced scouts, or sole survivors of decimated groups.

After determining the base size of the group encountered, determine which class each belongs to:

d10	Class

1-4	Fighter

5-6	Cleric

7-8	Thief

9-10	Wizard

Determine the level of the party of adventurers; low, medium, high, or very high, and roll for each member on the table below.

Level	   Level Range	Die

Low	1-3	(1d3)

Medium	4-7	(1d4+3)

High	7-12	(1d6+6)

Very high	9-20	(1d12+8)

A high level adventurer will have attracted followers who will accompany the party -- 1-100% of them. This can swell an encountered band's size to that of a small army.

Clerics and wizards will have 1-100% of their full spells at the time the encounter occurs (round down).

Higher level fighters and clerics will usually have plate mail and shields, and ride unbarded medium warhorses. Each level an adventurer has attained gives a cumulative 5% chance for magical items as shown below. Roll for each item marked "Y." Reroll if a cursed or otherwise undesirable item occurs, but only one reroll is allowed for each category. If no usable item is indicated, the adventurer has no item in that category.

Item	        Fighter Wizard Cleric  Thief

Armor	Y	N	Y	N

Shield	Y	N	Y	Y

Sword	Y	N	N	Y

Misc. Weapon	Y	N	Y*	Y

Potion	Y	N	Y	Y

Scroll	N	Y	Y	N

Ring	N	Y	N	Y

Wand/Staff/Rod	N	Y	N*	N

Misc. Magic	N	Y	Y	Y

*If there is no usable miscellaneous weapon, roll again for possibility of a wand/staff/rod. If one is indicated but is unusable by a priest, there is no such item present.

In addition, such adventurers have ordinary treasure. Fighters have type L and M; clerics J, K, and M; wizards L, N, and Q; and thieves J, N, and Q.

Bandit/Brigand

Bandits are rural thieves who openly prey on travelers and isolated dwellings. They travel in groups of 20-200, usually led by high level fighters, rogues, wizards, and priests. For every 20 bandits encountered, there will be an additional 3rd-level fighter. If 100+ are encountered, the leader will be at least 8th level. Bandits are typically armed with swords, spears, and small shields. Up to 20% may be armed with bows. Bandits may wear no armor (50%), leather (35%), padded (10%), or ring mail (5%). Brigands are better equipped and will have higher morale.

Barbarian/Nomad

Barbarians belong to primitive cultures that possess rudimentary skills such as animal husbandry and simple manufacturing (weaving, carving). They may live in villages of simple buildings or in portable structures like tents, tepees, yurts, or wagons. In aquatic regions, they may live on watercraft like canoes or rafts.

Barbarians are typically armed with swords, knives, bows, spears, and clubs. Armor is limited to shields, helmets, and chestplates. They tend to be hostile toward unfamiliar wizards. Barbarians are adept at surprising opponents; such opponents have a -5 penalty on their surprise rolls.

Berserker/Dervish

Berserkers are violent war parties prone to manic behavior in battle. When encountered, berserkers drive themselves into a battle frenzy that raises their fighting skills and morale. Berserkers attack twice per round, or once at+2. Many use leather armor and shields, giving them Armor Class 7. Berserkers need never make morale checks.

Dervishes are highly religious nomads. Due to their fanatical nature, dervishes add 1 to their attack rolls and damage dice. They never check morale in combat.

If encountered during a peaceful period, berserkers may be indistinguishable from normal warrior bands; dervishes may be mistaken for armed pilgrims.

Farmer/Herder

These are simple people involved in the production of agricultural goods. About 65% of all encounters will be with farmers tilling their land. Encounters with herders may occur anywhere there is grazing land or a market for their herds. Encounters with herders also involve the herd animals, whatever they are.

Gentry

These are the upper classes. They are not the ruling nobility, but their wealth and connections make them nearly as powerful. Each member of the gentry encountered may be accompanied by 0-3 guards (d4-1) and 1-6 servants. The guards are mercenary fighters of 1st to 6th level and armed with sword and spear. The servants might fight as 0-level fighters, but are more likely to panic. The gentry themselves might be armed with daggers and short swords.

Knight

Knights are armored, mounted fighters directly serving their lord. They may be on a quest, a specific mission, or simply patrolling their lord's realm. Knights may be accompanied by their squires, hirelings, and other followers (50%). Knights are armed with sword, lance, mace or flail, and dagger. Armor includes a shield and either plate or chain mail. A knight rides a medium or heavy warhorse, usually a barded mount.

About 5% of encounters will be with a vanquished knight. Being stripped of arms and armor, the knight may be mistaken for any nonwarrior class. The knight may even support this deception, at least until weaponry becomes available.

See Adventurer to determine level and special possessions.

Mercenary Soldier

These are groups of low level fighters who hire themselves to the highest bidder. When encountered, there is an even chance they may be already hired and on their way to a war, meeting with a prospective employer, open for employment, or on their way home and not willing to take on a new task just yet.

See Adventurer to determine level and special possessions.

Merchant Sailor/Fisherman

Men of the sea are usually found on or near open waters. If encountered inland, sailors may be ferrymen on streams or rivers. Fishermen will either be putting out to a fishing site, fishing, or returning with their catches. Sailors may be armed with knives, short swords, cutlasses, or belaying pins (1 point of damage).

Merchant/Trader

Merchants and traders deal in goods and services. Those encountered in the wild are traveling in caravans in search of new business. Only 10% of the number encountered are actually merchants: 10% are drovers and the rest are mercenary guards. The guards are led by a fighter (6th-11th level) and a lieutenant one level lower. Each leader is accompanied by 12 guards of 2nd level. For each 50 people in the caravan there is a 10% chance of a wizard (6th-8th level) and a 5% chance of a priest (5th-7th level), as well as a 15% chance of a thief (8th-10th level) accompanied by 1-4 thieves (3rd-7th level). All such leaders, guards, and special characters are in addition to the number of merchants, drovers, and normal guards.

The treasure is mostly in trade goods (90%). The caravan has 10 pack animals or one wagon per 5,000 gp value.

Middle Class

These are travelers journeying on personal business. They are found primarily in civilized regions, although pioneers may be encountered in relatively peaceful frontier regions. Middle class travelers may be armed with knives, daggers, and short swords.

Peasant/Serf

Peasants are farmers, herders, and simple tradesmen of low social class. Unlike serfs, peasants are freemen.

Serfs are totally subject to the local lord; they are the lowest of the social classes. They farm and perform the brute labor functions on large agricultural holdings. Serfs, really, are little more than slaves.

Both peasants and serfs may be armed with daggers, clubs, quarterstaves, and farming tools. They never have any treasure except under the rarest of occasions when they are able to hoard scavenged goods.

Pilgrim

Pilgrims are groups of the devout on their way to or from a holy place. They can be found anywhere.

A group of pilgrims will always be accompanied by priests and other character classes. These people may be acting as leaders, guards, or pilgrims. Groups of pilgrims always include one to six 2nd-level priests, one to four 4th-level priests, one or two 6th-level, and one 8th-level priest (accompanied by one 3rd- and one 5th-level assistant). For every 10 pilgrims, there is a 10% chance of one to eight fighters (1st-8th level) and 1-6 thieves (2nd-7th level). There is a 5% chance per 10 pilgrims of a wizard of 6th-9th level. If the pilgrims are lawful good, the fighters will be paladins; if the pilgrims are chaotic good, the fighters will be rangers. If the party is neutral, the priests will be druids. If the pilgrims are lawful evil, they all fight as berserkers, although armed only with daggers.

Pilgrim alignment is determined below:

d100	Alignment

01-35	Lawful good

36-55	Chaotic good

56-65	Neutral

66-85	Lawful evil

86-00	Chaotic evil

About 75% of pilgrim bands encountered are on foot. There is a 5% chance that a high level priest will be carrying a religious artifact, carefully hidden and protected by traps and magic.

Pirate/Buccaneer

These are seafaring thieves and fighters. Pirates are always led by a captain of 8th or 10th level -- 8th if fewer than 200. The captain will have a 6th- or 7th-level lieutenant and four mates of 4th level. For every 50 pirates encountered, there will be a 3rd-level fighter, as well as a 15% chance for a cleric of 12th-15th level and a 10% chance for a wizard of 6th-9th level. For every 100 pirates, there will be a 5th-level fighter. All of these are in addition to the pirates already indicated by the dice.

Pirates wear leather armor; leaders wear chain mail. All are armed with knives, swords, and polearms. Some will be armed with crossbows, either light (20%) or heavy (10%). In addition their ships may be equipped with ballistae or catapults.

Buccaneers are similar, but are neutral with evil tendencies.

Police/Constabulary

These are the duly appointed representatives of the local government, concerned with upholding the laws, maintaining the peace, and carrying out their superior's will. If constables are encountered in the wilderness, they might be pursuing a fugitive (50%) or investigating a case on the outskirts of their jurisdiction (50%). Constables are the equivalent of fighters of 1st-4th level. Wilderness encounters include a 25% chance that the constables are accompanied by a mob. The mob is composed of citizenry temporarily deputized to assist the police; they fight as 0-level fighters.

Priest

These are typical NPC priests traveling on personal business or on a mission. The number encountered refers to the number of actual priests. If they are of high enough level, they might also have followers accompanying them (50%).

See "Adventurers" to determine level and special possessions.

Sailor

Nonmerchant sailors are the seagoing armed forces of the local government, acting as police or soldiers. They may be patrolling their home waters, pursuing a waterborne criminal, or on their way to or from a mission in other waters. Each ship is commanded by a captain (6th-level fighter) and a first officer (5th-level fighter). Sailors are armed with swords, knives, bows, and polearms. They may also be armed with heavier weapons such as catapults and ballistae.

Slaver

Slavers are usually found in control of a band of captive slaves; if no slaves are present, the slavers may be mistaken for mercenaries or brigands. The slavers' leader might be a thief, fighter, or fighter/thief (6th-11th level), assisted by a lieutenant one level lower. Each leader is accompanied by 1-12 guards of 1st or 2nd level. For each 50 slaves and slavers, there is a 10% chance of a wizard (6th-8th level) and a 5% chance of a priest (5th-7th level); these work for the slavers.

There are 10 slaves present for each 1-10 slavers. Slaves are treated the same as serfs. They may be recently acquired captives being taken from their homelands or long-time slaves being moved to a new market. Such slaves will be on foot and linked together in strings of 10-100 by ropes or chains. They will be willing to help any adventurers who try to rescue them, although they will be limited in the help they can provide. Slaves may be any class or type, but only 1% of captives belong to one of the character classes.

Soldier

These are organized militia engaged in the defense of their home region. Soldiers are led by a captain (6th level or higher) and a lieutenant (1-4 levels lower). Each leader is accompanied by 1-12 soldiers of 1st or 2nd level. Most soldiers are engaged in routine patrols of the homeland. If local wars are occurring, there is a 50% chance that the soldiers are either heading off to the war or returning from it. There is a 5% chance of a cleric (5th-7th level) for each 50 soldiers present.

See "Adventurers" to determine level and special possessions.

Thief/Thug

These are low level rogues who, if not already engaged in a crime, may attempt to rob wealthy or weak-looking adventurers. Thieves may be armed with concealed weapons such as knives, darts, blackjacks, and short swords.

See "Adventurers" to determine level and special possessions.

Tradesfolk/Craftspeople

People engaged in the trades and crafts will be about their business when encountered. They may be operating a shop, acquiring materials for their business, or traveling to or from a client's location. They are willing to do business with adventurers, provided they are properly paid. They will not attack except to defend themselves. Note that 1% of all tradesfolk may be retired adventurers. Tradesmen may be armed with knives, quarterstaves, and tools.

About 90% of their treasure is merchandise or equipment.

Tribal Culture

Tribal societies are the heart of primitive cultures; people hunt, fish, and farm near their simple villages. They are found in any climate.

For each 10 tribespeople, there will be an additional 3rd-level fighter. Tribes are led by a chief (a 5th-level fighter) and 1-4 subchiefs (4th-level fighters). For every 10 encountered, there is a 4th-level priest with them, and for each 30 tribespeople encountered, a 6th-level priest. The tribe has a shaman (8th-level priest). Tribal priests tend to be druidical in nature.

Tribal villages are made of local materials (grass, bamboo, mud, ice). In addition to the males encountered, there will also be an equal number of women and a 75% chance of 20-50 slaves.

Tribesmen's weapons are typically clubs, knives, spears, and bows. Armor is limited to shields.

Wizard

These are typical NPC wizards. They may be engaged in personal business, gathering materials, or traveling. The number encountered refers to the number of actual wizards. They may be accompanied by 0-3 (1d4-1) servants and guards for each wizard. Guards are fighters 1-4 levels lower than the wizard they protect.

See "Adventurers" to determine level and special possessions.

Class Restrictions and Level Limits

The human race has one special ability in the AD&D game: Humans can choose to be of any class-- warrior, wizard, priest, or rogue -- and can rise to great level in any class. The other races have fewer choices of character classes and usually are limited in the level they can attain. These restrictions reflect the natural tendencies of the races (dwarves like war and fighting and dislike magic, etc.). The limits are high enough so a demihuman can achieve power and importance in at least one class. A halfling, for example, can become the best thief in the land, but he cannot become a great fighter.

  The limits also exist for play balance. The ability of humans to assume any role and reach any level is their only advantage. The demihuman races have other powers that make them entertaining to play -- particularly the ability to be multi-classed (see Glossary). These powers balance the enjoyment of play against the ability to rise in level. Ask your DM for the level limits imposed on nonhuman characters.


Proficiencies
Proficiencies (Optional)

Most of what a player character can do is defined by his race, class, and ability scores. These three characteristics don't cover everything, however. Characters can have a wide range of talents, from the potent (and intricate) arts of magic to the simple and mundane knowledge of how to build a good fire. The character's magical ability (or lack thereof) is defined by his class. Lesser abilities, such as fire building, are defined by proficiencies.

A proficiency is a learned skill that isn't essential to the character's class. A ranger, for example, may find it useful to know something about navigation, especially if he lives near an ocean or sea coast. On the other hand, he isn't likely to suffer if he doesn't know how to navigate; he is a ranger, not a sailor.

Proficiencies are divided into two groups: weapon proficiencies (those related to weapons and combat) and nonweapon proficiencies (those related to everything else).

All proficiency rules are additions to the game. Weapon proficiencies are tournament-level rules, optional in regular play, and nonweapon proficiencies are completely optional. Proficiencies are not necessary for a balanced game. They add an additional dimension to characters, however, and anything that enriches characterization is a bonus. If weapon proficiencies are used in your game, expect them to apply to all characters, including NPCs. Nonweapon proficiencies may be used by players who enjoy them and ignored by those who don't without giving unfair advantages to anyone (provided your DM allows this; he's the one who must deal with any problems).

Once a proficiency slot is filled, it can never be changed or reassigned.


Acquiring Proficiencies

Even newly created, 1st-level characters have proficiencies. The number of proficiency slots that a character starts with is determined by his group, as shown in Table 34. Each proficiency slot is empty until the player "fills" it by selecting a proficiency. If your DM allows nonweapon proficiencies, the character's Intelligence score can modify the number of slots he has, granting him more proficiencies (see Table 4). In both cases, new proficiencies are learned the same way.

Consider the case of Rath, a dwarf fighter. Table 34 gives him four weapon proficiency slots (he is a warrior). If nonweapon proficiencies are used, he has three slots and his Intelligence of 11 gives him two additional proficiency slots (according to Table 4) for a total of five nonweapon proficiency slots. The player must assign weapon or nonweapon proficiencies to all of these slots before the character goes on his first adventure. These represent what the character has learned before beginning his adventuring career.

Table 34:

Proficiency Slots

     Weapon	  Nonweapon

  Proficiencies	  	Proficiencies

Group	Initial	#Levels	Penalty	Initial	#Levels

Warrior	4	    3	  -2	   3	    3

Wizard	1	    6	  -5	   4	    3

Priest	2	    4	  -3	   4	    3

Rogue	2	    4	  -3	   3	    4

Thereafter, as the character advances in experience levels, he gains additional proficiency slots. The rate at which he gains them depends on the group he belongs to. Table 34 lists how many weapon and nonweapon proficiency slots the character starts with, and how many levels the character must gain before he earns another slot.

Initial Weapon Proficiencies is the number of weapon proficiency slots received by characters of that group at 1st level.

# Levels (for both weapon and nonweapon proficiencies) tells how quickly a character gains additional proficiency slots. A new proficiency slot is gained at every experience level that is evenly divisible by the number listed. Rath (a warrior), for example, gains one weapon proficiency slot at every level evenly divisible by 3. He gets one new slot at 3rd level, another at 6th, another at 9th, and so on. (Note that Rath also gains one nonweapon proficiency at 3rd, 6th, 9th, etc.)

Penalty is the modifier to the character's attack rolls when he fights using a weapon he is not proficient with. Rath, a dwarf, chose to be proficient with the warhammer. Finding himself in a desperate situation, he snatches up a flail, even though he knows little about it (he is not proficient with it). Using with weapon awkwardly, he has a -2 penalty to his chance to hit.

Initial Nonweapon Proficiencies is the number of nonweapon proficiency slots that character has at 1st level. Even if you are playing with weapon proficiencies, nonweapon proficiencies are optional.


Training

Like all skills and abilities, proficiencies do not leap unbidden and fully realized into a character's mind. Instead, a character must train, study, and practice to learn a new proficiency. However, role-playing the training time needed to learn a new skill is not much fun. Thus, there are no training times or study periods associated with any proficiency. When a character chooses a proficiency, it is assumed that he had been studying it in his spare time.

Consider just how much spare time the character has. The player is not role-playing every second of his character's life. The player may decide to have his character spend a night in town before setting out on the long journey the next day. Perhaps the character must wait around for several days while his companions heal from the last adventure. Or he might spend weeks on an uneventful ocean voyage. What is he doing during that time?

Among other things, he is studying whatever new proficiencies he will eventually learn. Using this "down time" to handle the unexciting aspects of a role-playing campaign lets players concentrate on more important (or more interesting) matters.

Another part of training is finding a teacher. Most skills are easier to learn if someone teaches the character. The DM can handle this in several ways. For those who like simplicity, ignore the need for teachers--there are self-taught people everywhere in the world. For those who want more complexity, make the player characters find someone to teach them any new proficiency they want to learn. This can be another player character or an NPC. Although this adds realism, it tends to limit the PC's adventuring options, especially if he is required to stay in regular contact with his instructor. Furthermore, most teachers want payment. While a barter arrangement might be reached, the normal payment is cash. The actual cost of the service depends on the nature of the skill, the amount of training desired, the availability of tutors, the greed of the instructor, and the desire of the DM to remove excess cash from his campaign.


Weapon Proficiencies

A weapon proficiency measures a character's knowledge and training with a specific weapon. When a character is created, the player checks Table 34 to see how many weapon proficiency slots the character has. These initial slots must be filled immediately, before the character embarks on his first adventure. Any slots that aren't filled by then are lost.

Each weapon proficiency slot must be assigned to a particular weapon, not just a class of weapons. Each weapon listed in Table 44 (Weapons) requires its own proficiency; each has its own special tricks and quirks that must be mastered before the weapon can be handled properly and effectively. A fencer who is master of the epee, for example, is not necessarily skilled with a saber; the two weapons look similar, but the

fighting styles they are designed for are entirely different. A player character could become proficient with a long bow or a short bow, but not with all bows in general (unless he devotes a proficiency slot to each individually). Furthermore, a character can assign weapon proficiency slots only to those weapons allowed to his character class.

As a character reaches higher experience levels, he also earns additional weapon proficiencies. The rate at which proficiencies are gained depends on the character's class. Warriors, who concentrate on their martial skills, learn to handle a great number of weapons. They gain weapon proficiencies quickly. Wizards, who spend their time studying forgotten magical arts, have little time to practice with weapons. They gain additional weapon proficiencies very slowly. Multi-class characters can use the most beneficial line on Table 34 to determine their initial proficiencies and when they gain new proficiencies.

Effects of Weapon Proficiencies

A character who has a specific weapon proficiency is skilled with that weapon and familiar with its use. A character does not gain any bonuses for using a weapon he is proficient with; the combat rules and attack chances assume that everyone uses a weapon he is proficient with. This eliminates the need to add a modifier to every die roll during battle.

When a character uses a weapon that he is not proficient with, however, he suffers a penalty on his chance to hit. The size of this penalty depends on the character's class. Warriors have the smallest penalty because they are assumed to have passing familiarity with all weapons. Wizards, by comparison, are heavily penalized because of their limited study of weapons. The modifiers for each class (which are taken as penalties to the attack die roll) are listed on Table 34.

Related Weapons Bonus

When a character gains a weapon proficiency, he is learning to use a particular weapon effectively. However, many weapons have similar characteristics. A long sword, bastard sword, and broad sword, while all different, are all heavy, slashing swords. A character who is trained with one can apply some of his skill to the others. He is not fully proficient with the weapon, but he knows more about it than someone who picks it up without any skill in similar weapons.

When a character uses a weapon that is similar to a weapon he is proficient with, his attack penalty is only one-half the normal amount (rounded up). A warrior, for example, would have a -1 penalty with a related weapon instead of -2. A wizard would have a -3 penalty instead of -5.

Specific decisions about which weapons are related are left to the DM. Some likely categories are:

hand axe, battle axe;

short bow, long bow, composite bow;

heavy and light crossbows;

dagger, knife;

glaive, halberd, bardiche, voulge, guisarme, glaive-guisarme, guisarme-voulge;

harpoon, spear, trident, javelin;

footman's mace, horseman's mace, morning star, flail, hammer, club;

military fork, ranseur, spetum, partisan;

scimitar, bastard sword, long sword, broad sword;

sling, staff sling


Weapon Specialization

Knowing how to use a weapon without embarrassing yourself is very different from being a master of that weapon. There are warriors, and then there are martial artists. An Olympic fencer is more than just an athlete; he can do things with his weapon that astound most fencers.

In the AD&D game, part of your character's skill is reflected in the bonuses he earns as he reaches higher levels. As your character advances, he becomes a wiser, more dangerous fighter. Experience has taught him to anticipate his opponents and to pounce on any advantage that presents itself. But this is a general, overall improvement, brought about by the warrior's sharpening senses and timing. It applies equally to all types of fighting.

Weapon specialization is an optional rule that enables a fighter (only) to choose a single weapon and specialize in its use. Any weapon may be chosen. Specialization is normally announced (and paid for with weapon proficiency slots) when the character is created. But even after a player character earns experience, he can still choose to specialize in a weapon, provided he has the weapon proficiency slots available.

In one way, a weapon specialist is like a wizard specialist. The specialization requires a single-minded dedication and training. Thus, multi-class characters cannot use weapon specialization; it is available only to single-class fighters.

Cost of Specialization

Weapon specialization is obtained by devoting extra weapon proficiency slots to the chosen weapon. To specialize in any sort of melee weapon or crossbow, the character must devote two slots--one slot to become proficient with it, and then a second slot to specialize in it. Any bow (other than a crossbow) requires a total of three proficiency slots: one for proficiency and two to specialize. Assume, for the moment, that Rath the dwarf decided to specialize with the warhammer. Two of his four proficiency slots are thus devoted to the warhammer. With the two remaining, he can become proficient with the short sword and short bow (for example).

Effects of Specialization

When a character specializes with a melee weapon, he gains a +1 bonus to all his attack rolls with that weapon and a +2 bonus to all damage rolls (in addition to bonuses for Strength and magic). The attack bonuses are not magical and do not enable the character to affect a creature that can be injured only by magical weapons.

Bow and crossbow specialists gain an additional range category: point blank. Point-blank range for bows is from six feet to 30 feet. Point-blank range for crossbows is from six feet to 60 feet. At point-blank range, the character gains a +2 modifier on attack rolls. No additional damage is caused, but Strength (for bows) and magical bonuses apply. Furthermore, if the character has an arrow nocked and drawn, or a bolt loaded and cocked, and has his target in sight, he can fire at the beginning of the round before any initiative rolls are made.

Fighters who specialize also gain extra attacks earlier than those who don't specialize. Bonus attacks for specialists are listed on Table 35. The use of this table is explained in Chapter 9: Combat. Bow specialists do not gain any additional attacks per round.

Table 35:

Specialist Attacks Per Round

  Other

Fighter	Melee	Light	Heavy	Thrown	Thrown	(Non-bow)

Level	Weapon	X-bow	X-bow	Dagger	Dart	Missiles

1-6	3/2	1/1	1/2	3/1	4/1	3/2

7-12	2/1	3/2	1/1	4/1	5/1	2/1

13+	5/2	2/1	3/2	5/1	6/1	5/2


Nonweapon Proficiencies

The most detailed method for handling character skills is that of nonweapon proficiencies. These are much like weapon proficiencies. Each character starts with a specific number of nonweapon proficiency slots and then earns additional slots as he advances. Initial slots must be assigned immediately; they cannot be saved or held in reserve.

Nonweapon proficiencies are the most detailed way to handle the question of what the player character knows. They allow the player to choose from a broad selection and define the effects of each choice. Like the other methods, however, this system is not without drawbacks. First, nonweapon proficiencies are rigid. Being so defined, they limit the options of both the player and DM. At the same time, there will still be questions unanswered by these proficiencies. Whereas before such questions were broad, they will now tend to be more precise and detailed. Secondly, using this system increases the amount of time needed to create a character. While the end result is a more complete, well-rounded person, setup time can take up to two or three hours. Novice players especially may be overwhelmed by the number of choices and rules.

Unlike weapon proficiencies, in which some weapons are not available to certain character classes, all nonweapon proficiencies are available to all characters. Some nonweapon proficiencies are easier for certain character classes to learn, however.

Table 37 lists all nonweapon proficiencies. They are divided into categories that correspond to character groups. The proficiencies listed under each group can be learned easily by characters of that group. A fifth category--"General"--contains proficiencies that can be learned easily by any character.

Refer to Table 38. When a player selects a nonweapon proficiency from those categories listed under "Proficiency Groups" for his character's group, it requires the number of proficiency slots listed in Table 37. When a player selects a proficiency from any other category, it requires one additional proficiency slot beyond the number listed.

Table 37:

Nonweapon Proficiency Groups

General

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Agriculture 	1	Intelligence	 0

Animal Handling 	1	Wisdom	-1

Animal Training 	1	Wisdom	 0

Artistic Ability 	1	Wisdom	 0

Blacksmithing 	1	Strength	 0

Brewing 	1	Intelligence	 0

Carpentry 	1	Strength	 0

Cobbling 	1	Dexterity	 0

Cooking	1	Intelligence	 0

Dancing 	1	Dexterity	 0

Direction Sense 	1	Wisdom	+1

Etiquette 	1	Charisma	 0

Fire-building 	1	Wisdom	-1

Fishing 	1	Wisdom	-1

Heraldry 	1	Intelligence	 0

Languages, Modern 	1	Intelligence	 0

Leatherworking 	1	Intelligence	 0

Mining 	2	Wisdom	-3

Pottery	1	Dexterity	-2

Riding, Airborne 	2	Wisdom	-2

Riding, Land-Based 	1	Wisdom	+3

Rope Use 	1	Dexterity	 0

Seamanship 	1	Dexterity	+1

Seamstress/Tailor 	1	Dexterity	-1

Singing 	1	Charisma	 0

Stonemasonry 	1	Strength	-2

Swimming 	1	Strength	 0

Weather Sense 	1	Wisdom	-1

Weaving 	1	Intelligence	-1

Priest

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Ancient History 	1	Intelligence	-1

Astrology 	2	Intelligence	 0

Engineering 	2	Intelligence	-3

Healing 	2	Wisdom	-2

Herbalism	2	Intelligence	-2

Languages, Ancient 	1	Intelligence	 0

Local History 	1	Charisma	 0

Musical Instrument 	1	Dexterity	-1

Navigation 	1	Intelligence	-2

Reading/Writing 	1	Intelligence	+1

Religion 	1	Wisdom	 0

Spellcraft 	1	Intelligence	-2

Rogue

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Ancient History 	1	Intelligence	-1

Appraising 	1	Intelligence	 0

Blind-fighting 	2	NA	NA

Disguise 	1	Charisma	-1

Forgery 	1	Dexterity	-1

Gaming 	1	Charisma	 0

Gem Cutting 	2	Dexterity	-2

Juggling 	1	Dexterity	-1

Jumping 	1	Strength	 0

Local History 	1	Charisma	 0

Musical Instrument 	1	Dexterity	-1

Reading Lips 	2	Intelligence	-2

Set Snares 	1	Dexterity	-1

Tightrope Walking 	1	Dexterity	 0

Tumbling 	1	Dexterity	 0

Ventriloquism 	1	Intelligence	-2

Warrior

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Animal Lore 	1	Intelligence	 0

Armorer 	2	Intelligence	-2

Blind-fighting 	2	NA	NA

Bowyer/Fletcher 	1	Dexterity	-1

Charioteering 	1	Dexterity	+2

Endurance 	2	Constitution	 0

Gaming 	1	Charisma	 0

Hunting 	1	Wisdom	-1

Mountaineering 	1	NA	NA

Navigation 	1	Intelligence	-2

Running 	1	Constitution	-6

Set Snares 	1	Intelligence	-1

Survival 	2	Intelligence	 0

Tracking 	2	Wisdom	 0

Weaponsmithing 	3	Intelligence	-3

Wizard

# of Slots	Relevant	Check

Proficiency	Required	Ability	Modifier

Ancient History 	1	Intelligence	-1

Astrology 	2	Intelligence	 0

Engineering 	2	Intelligence	-3

Gem Cutting 	2	Dexterity	-2

Herbalism 	2	Intelligence	-2

Languages, Ancient 	1	Intelligence	 0

Navigation 	1	Intelligence	-2

Reading/Writing 	1	Intelligence	+1

Religion 	1	Wisdom	 0

Spellcraft 	1	Intelligence	-2

Table 38:

Nonweapon Proficiency Group Crossovers

Character

Class	Proficiency Groups

Fighter	Warrior, General

Paladin	Warrior, Priest, General

Ranger	Warrior, Wizard, General

Cleric	Priest, General

Druid	Priest, Warrior, General

Mage	Wizard, General

Illusionist	Wizard, General

Thief	Rogue, General

Bard	Rogue, Warrior, Wizard, General


Agriculture
Agriculture: The character has a knowledge of the basics of farming. This includes planting, harvesting, storing crops, tending animals, butchering, and other typical farming chores.


Ancient History
Ancient History: The character has learned the legends, lore, and history of some ancient time and place. The knowledge must be specific, just as a historian would specialize today in the English Middle Ages, the Italian Renaissance, or the Roman Republic before Caesar. (The DM either can have ancient periods in mind for his game or can allow the players to name and designate them.) Thus, a player character could know details about the Age of Thorac Dragonking or the Time of the Sea-Raiders or whatever else was available.

The knowledge acquired gives the character familiarity with the principal legends, historical events, characters, locations, battles, breakthroughs (scientific, cultural, and magical), unsolved mysteries, crafts, and oddities of the time. The character must roll a proficiency check to identify places or things he encounters from that age. For example, Rath knows quite a bit about the Coming of the Trolls, a particularly dark period of dwarven history. Moving through some deep caverns, he and his companions stumble across an ancient portal, sealed for untold ages. Studying the handiwork, he realizes (rolls a successful proficiency check) that it bears several seals similar to those he has seen on "banned" portals from the time of Angnar, doorways to the legendary realm of Trolhel.


Animal Handling
Animal Handling: Proficiency in this area enables a character to exercise a greater-than-normal degree of control over pack animals and beasts of burden. A successful proficiency check indicates that the character has succeeded in calming an excited or agitated animal; in contrast, a character without this proficiency has only a 20% chance of succeeding in the attempt.


Animal Lore
Animal Lore: This proficiency enables a character to observe the actions or habitat of an animal and interpret what is going on. Actions can show how dangerous the creature is, whether it is hungry, protecting its young, or defending a nearby den. Furthermore, careful observation of signs and behaviors can even indicate the location of a water hole, animal herd, predator, or impending danger, such as a forest fire. The DM will secretly roll a proficiency check. A successful check means the character understood the basic actions of the creature. If the check fails by 4 or less, no information is gained. If the check fails by 5 or more, the character misinterprets the actions of the animal.

A character may also imitate the calls and cries of animals that he is reasonably familiar with, based on his background. This ability is limited by volume. The roar of a tyrannosaurus rex would be beyond the abilities of a normal character. A successful proficiency check means that only magical means can distinguish the character's call from that of the true animal. The cry is sufficient to fool animals, perhaps frightening them away or luring them closer. A failed check means the sound is incorrect in some slight way. A failed call may still fool some listeners, but creatures very familiar with the cry automatically detect a false call. All other creatures and characters are allowed a Wisdom check to detect the fake.

Finally, animal lore increases the chance of successfully setting snares and traps (for hunting) since the character knows the general habits of the creature hunted.


Animal Training
Animal Training: Characters with this proficiency can train one type of creature (declared when the proficiency is chosen) to obey simple commands and perform tricks. A character can spend additional proficiencies to train other types of creatures or can improve his skill with an already chosen type. Creatures typically trained are dogs, horses, falcons, pigeons, elephants, ferrets, and parrots. A character can choose even more exotic creatures and monsters with animal intelligence (although these are difficult to control).

A trainer can work with up to three creatures at one time. The trainer may choose to teach general tasks or specific tricks. A general task gives the creature the ability to react to a number of nonspecific commands to do its job. Examples of tasks include guard and attack, carry a rider, perform heavy labor, hunt, track, or fight alongside soldiers (such as a war horse or elephant). A specific trick teaches the trained creature to do one specific action. A horse may rear on command, a falcon may pluck a designated object, a dog may attack a specific person, or a rat may run through a particular maze. With enough time, a creature can be trained to do both general tasks and specific tricks.

Training for a general task requires three months of uninterrupted work. Training for a specific trick requires 2d6 weeks. At the end of the training time, a proficiency check is made. If successful, the animal is trained. If the die roll fails, the beast is untrainable. An animal can be trained in 2d4 general tasks or specific tricks, or any combination of the two.

An animal trainer can also try to tame wild animals (preparing them for training later on). Wild animals can be tamed only when they are very young. The taming requires one month of uninterrupted work with the creature. At the end of the month, a proficiency check is made. If successful, the beast is suitable for training. If the check fails, the creature retains enough of its wild behavior to make it untrainable. It can be kept, though it must be leashed or caged.


Appraising
Appraising: This proficiency is highly useful for thieves, as it allows characters to estimate the value and authenticity of antiques, art objects, jewelry, cut gemstones, or other crafted items they find (although the DM can exclude those items too exotic or rare to be well known). The character must have the item in hand to examine. A successful proficiency check (rolled by the DM) enables the character to estimate the value of the item to the nearest 100 or 1,000 gp and to identify fakes. On a failed check, the character cannot estimate a price at all. On a roll of 20, the character wildly misreads the value of the item, always to the detriment of the character.


Armorer
Armorer: This character can make all of the types of armor listed in the Player's Handbook, given the proper materials and facilities. When making armor, the proficiency check is rolled at the end of the normal construction time.

The time required to make armor is equal to two weeks per level of AC below 10. For example, a shield would require two weeks of work, whereas a suit of full plate armor would require 18 weeks of work.

If the proficiency check indicates failure but is within 4 of the amount needed for success, the armorer has created usable, but flawed, armor. Such armor functions as 1 AC worse than usual, although it looks like the armor it was intended to be. Only a character with armorer proficiency can detect the flaws, and this requires careful and detailed inspection.

If the flawed armor is struck in melee combat with a natural die roll of 19 or 20, it breaks. The character's AC immediately worsens by 4 additional classes (although never above 10), and the broken armor hampers the character's movement. Until the character can remove the broken armor (a process requiring 1d4 rounds), the character moves at ½ of his normal rate and suffers a -4 penalty to all of his attack rolls.

If an armorer is creating a suit of field plate or full plate armor, the character who will use the armor must be present at least once a week during the creation of the armor, since such types of armor require very exact fitting.


Artistic Ability
Artistic Ability: Player characters with artistic ability are naturally accomplished in various forms of the arts. They have an inherent understanding of color, form, space, flow, tone, pitch, and rhythm. Characters with artistic ability must select one art form (painting, sculpture, composition, etc.) to be proficient in. Thereafter they can attempt to create art works or musical compositions in their given field. Although it is not necessary to make a proficiency check, one can be made to determine the quality of the work. If a 1 is rolled on the check, the artist has created a work with some truly lasting value. If the check fails, the artist has created something aesthetically unpleasing or just plain bad.

Artistic ability also confers a +1 bonus to all proficiency checks requiring artistic skill--music or dance--and to attempts to appraise objects of art.


Astrology
Astrology: This proficiency gives the character some understanding of the supposed influences of the stars. Knowing the birth date and time of any person, the astrologer can study the stars and celestial events and then prepare a forecast of the future for that person. The astrologer's insight into the future is limited to the next 30 days, and his knowledge is vague at best. If a successful proficiency check is made, the astrologer can foresee some general event--a great battle, a friend lost, a new friendship made, etc. The DM decides the exact prediction (based on his intentions for the next few gaming sessions). Note that the prediction does not guarantee the result--it only indicates the potential result. If the proficiency check is failed, no information is gained unless a 20 is rolled, in which case the prediction is wildly inaccurate.

Clearly this proficiency requires preparation and advance knowledge on the part of the DM. Because of this, it is permissible for the DM to avoid the question, although this shouldn't be done all the time. Players who want to make their DM's life easier (always a good idea) should consider using this proficiency at the end of a gaming session, giving the DM until the next session to come up with an answer. The DM can use this proficiency as a catalyst and guide for his adventures--something that will prompt the player characters to go to certain places or to try new things.

Characters with the astrology proficiency gain a +1 bonus to all navigation proficiency checks, provided the stars can be seen.


Blacksmithing
Blacksmithing: A character with blacksmithing proficiency is capable of making tools and implements from iron. Use of the proficiency requires a forge with a coal-fed fire and bellows, as well as a hammer and anvil. The character cannot make armor or most weapons, but can craft crowbars, grappling hooks, horseshoes, nails, hinges, plows, and most other iron objects.


Blind-fighting
Blind-fighting: A character with blind-fighting is skilled at fighting in conditions of poor or no light (but this proficiency does not allow spell use). In total darkness, the character suffers only a -2 penalty to his attack roll (as compared to a -4 penalty without this proficiency). Under starlight or moonlight, the character incurs only a -1 penalty. The character suffers no penalties to his AC because of darkness.

Furthermore, the character retains special abilities that would normally be lost in darkness, although the effectiveness of these are reduced by one-half (proficiency checks are made at half the normal score, etc.). This proficiency is effective only against opponents or threats within melee distance of the character. Blind-fighting does not grant any special protection from missile fire or anything outside the immediate range of the character's melee weapon. Thus, AC penalties remain for missile fire. (By the time the character hears the whoosh of the arrow, for example, it is too late for him to react.)

While moving in darkness, the character suffers only half the normal movement penalty of those without this proficiency.

Furthermore, this skill aids the character when dealing with invisible creatures, reducing the attack penalty to -2. However, it does not enable the character to discover invisible creatures; he has only a general idea of their location and cannot target them exactly.


Bowyer/Fletcher
Bowyer/Fletcher: This character can make bows and arrows of the types given in Table 44.

A weaponsmith is required to fashion arrowheads, but the bowyer/fletcher can perform all other necessary functions. The construction time for a long or short bow is one week, while composite bows require two weeks, and 1d6 arrows can be made in one day.

When the construction time for the weapon is completed, the player makes a proficiency check. If the check is successful, the weapon is of fine quality and will last for many years of normal use without breaking. If the check fails, the weapon is still usable, but has a limited life span: An arrow breaks on the first shot; a bow breaks if the character using it rolls an unmodified 1 on his 1d20 attack roll.

Option: If a character wishes to create a weapon of truly fine quality and the DM allows it, the player can opt to use the following alternative procedure for determining the success of his attempt. When the proficiency check is made, any failure means that the weapon is useless. However, a successful check means that the weapon enables the character to add Strength bonuses to attack and damage rolls. Additionally, if the proficiency check is a natural 1, the range of the bow is increased 10 yards for all range classes or is of such fine work that it is suitable for enchantment.


Brewing
Brewing: The character is trained in the art of brewing beers and other strong drink. The character can prepare brewing formulas, select quality ingredients, set up and manage a brewery, control fermentation, and age the finished product.


Carpentry
Carpentry: The carpentry proficiency enables the character to do woodworking jobs: building houses, cabinetry, joinery, etc. Tools and materials must be available. The character can build basic items from experience, without the need for plans. Unusual and more complicated items (a catapult, for example) require plans prepared by an engineer. Truly unusual or highly complex items (wooden clockwork mechanisms, for example) require a proficiency check.


Charioteering
Charioteering: A character with proficiency in this skill is able to safely guide a chariot, over any type of terrain that can normally be negotiated, at a rate 1/3 faster than the normal movement rate for a chariot driven by a character without this proficiency. Note that this proficiency does not impart the ability to move a chariot over terrain that it cannot traverse; even the best charioteer in the world cannot take such a vehicle into the mountains.


Cobbling
Cobbling: The character can fashion and repair shoes, boots, and sandals.


Cooking
Cooking: Although all characters have rudimentary cooking skills, the character with this proficiency is an accomplished cook. A proficiency check is required only when attempting to prepare a truly magnificent meal worthy of a master chef.


Dancing
Dancing: The character knows many styles and varieties of dance, from folk dances to formal court balls.


Direction Sense
Direction Sense: A character with this proficiency has an innate sense of direction. By concentrating for 1d6 rounds, the character can try to determine the direction the party is headed. If the check fails but is less than 20, the character errs by 90 degrees. If a 20 is rolled, the direction chosen is exactly opposite the true heading. (The DM rolls the check.)

Furthermore, when traveling in the wilderness, a character with direction sense has the chance of becoming lost reduced by 5%.


Disguise
Disguise: The character with this skill is trained in the art of disguise. He can make himself look like any general type of person of about the same height, age, weight, and race. A successful proficiency check indicates that the disguise is successful, while a failed roll means the attempt was too obvious in some way.

The character can also disguise himself as a member of another race or sex. In this case, a -7 penalty is applied to the proficiency check. The character may also attempt to disguise himself as a specific person, with a -10 penalty to the proficiency check. These modifiers are cumulative, thus, it is extremely difficult for a character to disguise himself as a specific person of another race or sex (a -17 penalty to the check).


Endurance
Endurance: A character with endurance proficiency is able to perform continual strenuous physical activity for twice as long as a normal character before becoming subject to the effects of fatigue and exhaustion. In those cases where extreme endurance is required, a successful proficiency check must be made. Note that this proficiency does not enable a character to extend the length of time that he can remain unaffected by a lack of food or water.


Engineering
Engineering: The character is trained as a builder of both great and small things. Engineers can prepare plans for everything from simple machines (catapults, river locks, grist mills) to large buildings (fortresses, dams). A proficiency check is required only when designing something particularly complicated or unusual. An engineer must still find talented workmen to carry out his plan, but he is trained to supervise and manage their work.

An engineer is also familiar with the principles of siegecraft and can detect flaws in the defenses of a castle or similar construction. He knows how to construct and use siege weapons and machines, such as catapults, rams, and screws.


Etiquette
Etiquette: This proficiency gives the character a basic understanding of the proper forms of behavior and address required in many different situations, especially those involving nobility and persons of rank. Thus, the character will know the correct title to use when addressing a duke, the proper steps of ceremony to greet visiting diplomats, gestures to avoid in the presence of dwarves, etc. For extremely unusual occurrences, a proficiency check must be made for the character to know the proper etiquette for the situation (an imperial visit, for example, is a sufficiently rare event).

However, having the character know what is correct and actually do what is correct are two different matters. The encounters must still be role-played by the character. Knowledge of etiquette does not give the character protection from a gaffe or faux pas; many people who know the correct thing still manage to do the exact opposite.


Fire-building
Fire-building: A character with fire-building proficiency does not normally need a tinderbox to start a fire. Given some dry wood and small pieces of tinder, he can start a fire in 2d20 minutes. Flint and steel are not required. Wet wood, high winds, or other adverse conditions increase the time to 3d20, and a successful proficiency check must be rolled to start a fire.


Fishing
Fishing: The character is skilled in the art of fishing, be it with hook and line, net, or spear. Each hour the character spends fishing, roll a proficiency check. If the roll is failed, no fish are caught that hour. Otherwise, a hook and line or a spear will land fish equal to the difference between the die roll and the character's Wisdom score. A net will catch three times this amount.

Of course, no fish can be caught where no fish are found. On the other hand, some areas teem with fish, such as a river or pool during spawning season. The DM may modify the results according to the situation.


Forgery
Forgery: This proficiency enables the character to create duplicates of documents and handwriting and to detect such forgeries created by others. To forge a document (military orders, local decrees, etc.) where the handwriting is not specific to a person, the character needs only to have seen a similar document before. To forge a name, an autograph of that person is needed, and a proficiency check with a -2 penalty must be successfully rolled. To forge a longer document written in the hand of some particular person, a large sample of his handwriting is needed, with a -3 penalty to the check.

It is important to note that the forger always thinks he has been successful; the DM rolls the character's proficiency check in secret and the forger does not learn of a failure until it is too late.

If the check succeeds, the work will pass examination by all except those intimately familiar with that handwriting or by those with the forgery proficiency who examine the document carefully. If the check is failed, the forgery is detectable to anyone familiar with the type of document or handwriting--if he examines the document closely. If the die roll is a 20, the forgery is immediately detectable to anyone who normally handles such documents without close examination. The forger will not realize this until too late.

Furthermore, those with forgery proficiency may examine a document to learn if it is a forgery. On a successful proficiency roll, the authenticity of any document can be ascertained. If the die roll is failed but a 20 is not rolled, the answer is unknown. If a 20 is rolled, the character reaches the incorrect conclusion.


Gaming
Gaming: The character knows most common games of chance and skill, including cards, dice, bones, draughts, and chess. When playing a game, the character may either play out the actual game (which may take too much time for some) or make a proficiency check, with success indicating victory. If two proficient characters play each other, the one with the highest successful die roll wins. A character with gaming proficiency can also attempt to cheat, thus gaining a +1 bonus to his ability score. If the proficiency check for the game is 17 to 20, however, the character has been caught cheating (even if he won the game).


Gem Cutting
Gem Cutting: A character with this proficiency can finish the rough gems that are discovered through mining at a rate of 1d10 stones per day. A gem cutter derives no benefit from the assistance of nonproficient characters. A gem cutter must work with a good light source and must have an assortment of chisels, small hammers, and specially hardened blades.

Uncut gems, while still of value, are not nearly as valuable as the finished product. If the cutting is successful (as determined by a proficiency check), the gem cutter increases the value of a given stone to the range appropriate for its type. If a 1 is rolled, the work is exceptionally brilliant and the value of the gem falls into the range for the next most valuable gem (the DM has the relevant tables).


Healing Prof
Healing:  A character proficient in healing knows how to use natural medicines and basic principles of first aid and doctoring. If the character tends another within one round of wounding (and makes a successful proficiency check), his ministrations restore 1d3 hit points (but no more hit points can be restored than were lost in the previous round). Only one healing attempt can be made on a character per day.

If a wounded character remains under the care of someone with healing proficiency, that character can recover lost hit points at the rate of 1 per day even when traveling or engaging in nonstrenuous activity. If the wounded character gets complete rest, he can recover 2 hit points per day while under such care. Only characters with both healing and herbalism proficiencies can help others recover at the rate of 3 hit points per day of rest. This care does not require a proficiency check, only the regular attention of the proficient character. Up to six patients can be cared for at any time.

A character with healing proficiency can also attempt to aid a poisoned individual, provided the poison entered through a wound. If the poisoned character can be tended to immediately (the round after the character is poisoned) and the care continues for the next five rounds, the victim gains a +2 bonus to his saving throw (delay his saving throw until the last round of tending). No proficiency check is required, but the poisoned character must be tended to immediately (normally by sacrificing any other action by the proficient character) and cannot do anything himself. If the care and rest are interrupted, the poisoned character must immediately roll a normal saving throw for the poison. This result is unalterable by normal means (i.e., more healing doesn't help). Only characters with both healing and herbalism proficiencies can attempt the same treatment for poisons the victim has swallowed or touched (the character uses his healing to diagnose the poison and his herbalist knowledge to prepare a purgative).

A character with healing proficiency can also attempt to diagnose and treat diseases. When dealing with normal diseases, a successful proficiency check automatically reduces the disease to its mildest form and shortest duration. Those who also have herbalism knowledge gain an additional +2 bonus to this check. A proficient character can also attempt to deal with magical diseases, whether caused by spells or creatures. In this case, a successful proficiency check diagnoses the cause of the disease. However, since the disease is magical in nature, it can be treated only by magical means.


Heraldry
Heraldry: The knowledge of heraldry enables the character to identify the different crests and symbols that denote different persons and groups. Heraldry comes in many forms and is used for many different purposes. It can be used to identify noblemen, families, guilds, sects, legions, political factions, and castes. The symbols may appear on flags, shields, helmets, badges, embroidery, standards, clothing, coins, and more. The symbols used may include geometric patterns, calligraphed lines of script, fantastic beasts, religious symbols, and magical seals (made for the express purpose of identification). Heraldry can vary from the highly formalized rules and regulations of late medieval Europe to the knowledge of different shield patterns and shapes used by African tribesmen.

The character automatically knows the different heraldic symbols of his homeland and whom they are associated with. In addition, if the character makes a successful proficiency check, he can correctly identify the signs and symbols of other lands, provided he has at least a passing knowledge of the inhabitants of that land. His heraldry skill is of little use upon first entering a foreign land.


Herbalism
Herbalism: Those with herbalist knowledge can identify plants and fungus and prepare nonmagical potions, poultices, powders, balms, salves, ointments, infusions, and plasters for medical and pseudo-medical purposes. They can also prepare natural plant poisons and purgatives. The DM must decide the exact strength of such poisons based on the poison rules in the DMG. A character with both herbalism and healing proficiencies gains bonuses when using his healing talent (see the Healing proficiency).


Hunting
Hunting: When in wilderness settings, the character can attempt to stalk and bring down game. A proficiency check must be made with a -1 penalty to the ability score for every nonproficient hunter in the party. If the die roll is successful, the hunter (and those with him) have come within 101 to 200 yards (100+1d100) of an animal. The group can attempt to close the range, but a proficiency check must be made for each 20 yards closed. If the stalking is successful, the hunter automatically surprises the game. The type of animal stalked depends on the nature of the terrain and the whim of the DM.


Juggling
Juggling: The character can juggle, a talent useful for entertainments, diversions, and certain rare emergencies. When juggling normally (to entertain or distract), no proficiency check is required. A check is made when trying spectacular tricks ("Watch me eat this apple in mid-air!"). However, juggling also enables the character to attempt desperate moves. On a successful attack roll vs. AC 0 (not a proficiency check), the character can catch small items thrown to harm him (as opposed to items thrown for him to catch). Thus, the character could catch a dagger or a dart before it hits. If this attack roll fails, however, the character automatically suffers damage (sticking your hand in the path of a dagger is likely to hurt).


Jumping
Jumping: The character can attempt exceptional leaps both vertically and horizontally. If the character has at least a 20-foot running start, he can leap (broad jump) 2d6+his level in feet. No character can broad jump more than six times his height, however. With the same start, he can leap vertically (high jump) 1d3 plus half his level in feet. No character can high jump more than 1-½ times his own height.

From a standing start, a character with this proficiency can broad jump 1d6 plus half his level in feet and high jump only three feet.

The character can also attempt vaults using a pole. A vault requires at least a 30-foot running start. If a pole is used, it must be four to 10 feet longer than the character's height. The vault spans a distance equal to 1-½ times the length of the pole. The character can clear heights equal to the height of the pole. He can also choose to land on his feet if the vault carries him over an obstacle no higher than ½ the height of his pole. Thus, using a 12-foot pole, the character could either vault through a window 12 feet off the ground (tumbling into the room beyond), land on his feet in an opening six feet off the ground, or vault across a moat 18 feet wide. In all cases, the pole is dropped at the end of the vault.


Languages, Ancient
Languages, Ancient: The character has mastered a difficult and obscure tongue, now primarily found in the writings of pedantic sages and sorcerers. The main use of the language is to read tomes of ancient secrets written by long-dead mystics. This proficiency enables the character to either read and write or speak the language (his choice).


Languages, Modern
Languages, Modern: The character has learned to speak a language of the known world. To do so, there must be a teacher available. This could be another player character, an NPC hireling, or simply a local townsman.


Leatherworking
Leatherworking: This proficiency enables a character to tan and treat leather and to make clothing and other leather objects. The character can make leather armor, as well as backpacks, saddlebags, saddles, and all sorts of harnesses.


Local History
Local History: The character is a storehouse of facts about the history of a region the size of a large county or a small province. The character knows when the ruined tower on the hill was built and who built it (and what happened to him), what great heroes and villains fought and fell at the old battlefield, what great treasure is supposed to be kept in a local temple, how the mayor of the next town miraculously grew hair on his balding pate, and more.

The DM will provide information about local sites and events as the character needs to know them. Furthermore, the character can try to retell these events as entertaining stories. Once the subject is chosen, he can either make a proficiency check and, if successful, add that tale to his repertoire, or actually tell the story to other characters. If the character succeeds in entertaining them, the player need not make a proficiency roll for the character, since he has succeeded. The character can tell these stories to entertain others, granting him a +2 bonus to his Charisma for the encounter. But telling stories to hostile beings is probably not going to do any good.


Mining
Mining: A character with mining proficiency is needed to site and supervise the operations of any mine. First, the character can attempt to determine what types of ores or gems can be found in a given area. To do this, he must spend at least a week searching a four-square-mile area. The DM may rule that more area must be searched to find anything of value and may thus increase the amount of time required. At the end of the search, the character can say what is likely to be found in this area. After this, the character can site the mine. On a successful proficiency check (made secretly by the DM), the character has found a good site to begin mining for any minerals that may be in the area. The check does not guarantee a successful mine, only that a particular site is the best choice in a given area. The DM must determine what minerals, if any, are to be found in the region of the mine. On a failed check, the character only thinks he has found a good site. Much effort is spent before the character is proved wrong, of course.

Once the mine is in operation, a character with mining proficiency must remain on site to supervise all work. Although this is a steady job, most player characters will find it better to hire an NPC for this purpose.


Mountaineering
Mountaineering: A character with this proficiency can make difficult and dangerous climbs up steep slopes and cliffs with the aid of spikes, ropes, etc. If a character with mountaineering proficiency leads a party, placing the pitons (spikes) and guiding the others, all in the party can gain the benefit of his knowledge. A mountaineer can guide a party up a cliff face it could not otherwise climb. A character with this proficiency gains a 10% bonus per proficiency slot spent to his chance to climb any surface. Note that mountaineering is not the same as the thief's climbing ability, since the latter does not require aids of any sort.


Musical Instrument
Musical Instrument: The character can play a specific musical instrument. An additional instrument can be added for every extra slot devoted to this proficiency. The character plays quite well, and no proficiency check is normally required. The DM may direct the character to make a proficiency check in what he feels are extraordinary circumstances.


Navigation
Navigation: The character has learned the arts of navigating by the stars, studying currents, and watching for telltale signs of land, reefs, and hidden danger. This is not particularly useful on land. At sea, a successful proficiency check by the navigator reduces the chance of getting lost by 20 percent.


Pottery
Pottery: A character with this proficiency can create any type of clay vessel or container commonly used in the campaign world. The character requires a wheel and a kiln, as well as a supply of clay and glaze. The character can generally create two small- or medium-sized items or one large-sized item per day. The pieces of pottery must then be fired in the kiln for an additional day.

The raw materials involved cost 3 cp to make a small item, 5 cp to make a medium-sized item, and 1 sp to make a large item.


Reading Lips
Reading Lips: The character can understand the speech of those he can see but not hear. When this proficiency is chosen, the player must specify what language the character can lip read (it must be a language the character can already speak). To use the proficiency, the character must be within 30 feet of the speaker and be able to see him speak. A proficiency check is made. If the check fails, nothing is learned. If the check is successful, 70% of the conversation is understood. Since certain sounds are impossible to differentiate, the understanding of a lip-read conversation is never better than this.


Reading/Writing
Reading/Writing: The character can read and write a modern language he can speak, provided there is someone available to teach the character (another PC, a hireling, or an NPC). This proficiency does not enable the character to learn ancient languages (see Languages, Ancient).


Religion
Religion: Characters with religion proficiency know the common beliefs and cults of their homeland and the major faiths of neighboring regions. Ordinary information (type of religious symbol used, basic attitude of the faith, etc.) of any religion is automatically known by the character. Special information, such as how the clergy is organized or the significance of particular holy days, requires a proficiency check.

Additional proficiencies spent on religion enable the character either to expand his general knowledge into more distant regions (using the guidelines above) or to gain precise information about a single faith. If the latter is chosen, the character is no longer required to make a proficiency check when answering questions about that religion. Such expert knowledge is highly useful to priest characters when dealing with their own and rival faiths.


Riding, Airborne
Riding, Airborne: The character is trained in handling a flying mount. The

particular creature must be chosen when the proficiency is chosen. Additional proficiency slots can be used to learn how to handle other types of mounts. Unlike land-based riding, a character must have this proficiency (or ride with someone who does) to handle a flying mount. In addition, a proficient character can do the following:

• Leap onto the saddle of the creature (when it is standing on the ground) and spur it airborne as a single action. This requires no proficiency check.

 	• Leap from the back of the mount and drop 10 feet to the ground or onto the back of another mount (land-based or flying). Those with only light encumbrance can drop to the ground without a proficiency check. In all other situations, a proficiency check is required. A failed roll means the character takes normal falling damage (for falling flat on his face) or misses his target (perhaps taking large amounts of damage as a result). A character who is dropping to the ground can attempt an immediate melee attack, if his proficiency check is made with a -4 penalty to the ability roll. Failure has the consequences given above.

 	• Spur his mount to greater speeds on a successful check, adding 1d4 to the movement rate of the mount. This speed can be maintained for four consecutive rounds. If the check fails, an attempt can be made again the next round. If two checks fail, no attempt can be made for a full turn. After the rounds of increased speed, its movement drops to 2/3 its normal rate and its Maneuverability Class (see Glossary) becomes one class worse. These conditions last until the mount lands and is allowed to rest for at least one hour.

  • The rider can guide the mount with his knees and feet, keeping his hands free. A proficiency check is made only after the character suffers damage. If the check is failed, the character is knocked from the saddle. A second check is allowed to see if the character manages to catch himself (thus hanging from the side by one hand or in some equally perilous position). If this fails, the rider falls. Of course a rider can strap himself into the saddle, although this could be a disadvantage if his mount is slain and plummets toward the ground.


Riding, Land-Based
Riding, Land-Based: Those skilled in land riding are proficient in the art of riding and handling horses or other types of ground mounts. When the proficiency slot is filled, the character must declare which type of mount he is proficient in. Possibilities include griffons, unicorns, dire wolves, and virtually any creatures used as mounts by humans, demihumans, or humanoids.

A character with riding proficiency can perform all of the following feats. Some of them are automatic, while others require a proficiency check for success.

 	• The character can vault onto a saddle whenever the horse or other mount is standing still, even when the character is wearing armor. This does not require a proficiency check. The character must make a check, however, if he wishes to get the mount moving during the same round in which he lands in its saddle. He must also make a proficiency check if he attempts to vault onto the saddle of a moving mount. Failure indicates that the character falls to the ground--presumably quite embarrassed.

 	• The character can urge the mount to jump tall obstacles or leap across gaps. No check is required if the obstacle is less than three feet tall or the gap is less than 12 feet wide. If the character wants to roll a proficiency check, the mount can be urged to leap obstacles up to seven feet high, or jump across gaps up to 30 feet wide. Success means that the mount has made the jump. Failure indicates that it balks, and the character must make another proficiency check to see whether he retains his seat or falls to the ground.

 	• The character can spur his steed on to great speeds, adding 6 feet per round to the animal's movement rate for up to four turns. This requires a proficiency check each turn to see if the mount can be pushed this hard. If the initial check fails, no further attempts may be made, but the mount can move normally. If the second or subsequent check fails, the mount immediately slows to a walk, and the character must dismount and lead the animal for a turn. In any event, after four turns of racing, the steed must be walked by its dismounted rider for one turn.

 	• The character can guide his mount with his knees, enabling him to use weapons that require two hands (such as bows and two-handed swords) while mounted. This feat does not require a proficiency check unless the character takes damage while so riding. In this case, a check is required and failure means that the character falls to the ground and sustains an additional 1d6 points of damage.

 	• The character can drop down and hang alongside the steed, using it as a shield against attack. The character cannot make an attack or wear armor while performing this feat. The character's Armor Class is lowered by 6 while this maneuver is performed. Any attacks that would have struck the character's normal Armor Class are considered to have struck the mount instead. No proficiency check is required.

 	• The character can leap from the back of his steed to the ground and make a melee attack against any character or creature within 10 feet. The player must roll a successful proficiency check with a -4 penalty to succeed. On a failed roll, the character fails to land on his feet, falls clumsily to the ground, and suffers 1d3 points of damage.


Rope Use
Rope Use: This proficiency enables a character to accomplish amazing feats with rope. A character with rope use proficiency is familiar with all sorts of knots and can tie knots that slip, hold tightly, slide slowly, or loosen with a quick tug. If the character's hands are bound and held with a knot, he can roll a proficiency check (with a -6 penalty) to escape the bonds.

This character gains a +2 bonus to all attacks made with a lasso. The character also receives a +10% bonus to all climbing checks made while he is using a rope, including attempts to belay (secure the end of a climbing rope) companions.


Running
Running: The character can move at twice his normal movement rate for a day. At the end of the day he must sleep for eight hours. After the first day's movement, the character must roll a proficiency check for success. If the die roll succeeds, the character can continue his running movement the next day. If the die roll fails, the character cannot use his running ability the next day. If involved in a battle during a day he spent running, he suffers a -1 penalty to his attack rolls.


Seamanship
Seamanship: The character is familiar with boats and ships. He is qualified to work as a crewman, although he cannot actually navigate. Crews of trained seamen are necessary to manage any ship, and they improve the movement rates of inland boats by 50 percent.


Seamstress/Tailor
Seamstress/Tailor: The character can sew and design clothing. He can also do all kinds of embroidery and ornamental work. Although no proficiency check is required, the character must have at least needle and thread to work.


Set Snares
Set Snares: The character can make simple snares and traps, primarily to catch small game. These can include rope snares and spring traps. A proficiency check must be rolled when the snare is first constructed and every time the snare is set. A failed proficiency check means the trap does not work for some reason. It may be that the workmanship was bad, the character left too much scent in the area, or he poorly concealed the finished work. The exact nature of the problem does not need to be known. The character can also attempt to set traps and snares for larger creatures: tiger pits and net snares, for example. A proficiency check must be rolled, this time with a -4 penalty to the ability score. In both cases, setting a successful snare does not ensure that it catches anything, only that the snare works if triggered. The DM must decide if the trap is triggered.

Thief characters (and only thieves) with this proficiency can also attempt to rig man-traps. These can involve such things as crossbows, deadfalls, spiked springboards, etc. The procedure is the same as that for setting a large snare. The DM must determine the amount of damage caused by a man-trap.

Setting a small snare or trap takes one hour of work. Setting a larger trap requires two to three people (only one need have the proficiency) and 2d4 hours of work. Setting a man-trap requires one or more people (depending on its nature) and 1d8 hours of work. To prepare any trap, the character must have appropriate materials on hand.

Characters with animal lore proficiency gain a +2 bonus to their ability score when attempting to set a snare for the purposes of catching game. Their knowledge of animals and the woods serves them well for this purpose. They gain no benefit when attempting to trap monsters or intelligent beings.


Singing
Singing: The character is an accomplished singer and can use this ability to entertain others and perhaps earn a small living (note that bards can do this automatically). No proficiency check is required to sing. The character can also create choral works on a successful proficiency check.


Spellcraft
Spellcraft: Although this proficiency does not grant the character any spellcasting powers, it does give him familiarity with the different forms and rites of spellcasting. If he observes and overhears someone who is casting a spell, or if he examines the material components used, he can attempt to identify the spell being cast. A proficiency check must be rolled to make a correct identification. Wizard specialists gain a +3 bonus to the check when attempting to identify magic of their own school. Note that since the spellcaster must be observed until the very instant of casting, the spellcraft proficiency does not grant an advantage against combat spells. The proficiency is quite useful, however, for identifying spells that would otherwise have no visible effect.

Those talented in this proficiency also have a chance (equal to ½ of their normal proficiency check) of recognizing magical or magically endowed constructs for what they are.


Stonemasonry
Stonemasonry: A stonemason is able to build structures from stone so that they last many years. He can do simple stone carvings, such as lettering, columns, and flourishes. The stone can be mortared, carefully fitted without mortar, or loosely fitted and chinked with rocks and earth. A stonemason equipped with his tools (hammers, chisels, wedges, block and tackle) can build a plain section of wall one foot thick, ten feet long, and five feet high in one day, provided the stone has already been cut. A stonemason can also supervise the work of unskilled laborers to quarry stone; one stonemason is needed for every five laborers. Dwarves are among the most accomplished stonemasons in the world; they receive a +2 bonus when using this skill.


Survival
Survival: This proficiency must be applied to a specific environment--i.e., a specific type of terrain and weather factors. Typical environments include arctic, woodland,

desert, steppe, mountain, or tropical. The character has basic survival knowledge for that terrain type. Additional proficiency slots can be used to add more types of terrain.

A character skilled in survival has a basic knowledge of the hazards he might face in that land. He understands the effects of the weather and knows the proper steps to lessen the risk of exposure. He knows the methods to locate or gather drinkable water. He knows how to find basic, not necessarily appetizing, food where none is apparent, thus staving off starvation. Furthermore, a character with survival skill can instruct and aid others in the same situation. When using the proficiency to find food or water, the character must roll a proficiency check. If the check is failed, no more attempts can be made that day.

The survival skill in no way releases the player characters from the hardships and horrors of being lost in the wilderness. At best it alleviates a small portion of the suffering. The food found is barely adequate, and water is discovered in minuscule amounts. It is still quite possible for a character with survival knowledge to die in  the wilderness. Indeed, the little knowledge the character has may lead to overconfidence and doom!


Swimming Prof
Swimming: A character with swimming proficiency knows how to swim and can move according to the rules given in the Swimming section (Chapter 14: Time and Movement). Those without this proficiency cannot swim. They can hold their breath and float, but they cannot move themselves about in the water.


Tightrope Walking
Tightrope Walking: The character can attempt to walk narrow ropes or beams with greater than normal chances of success. He can negotiate any narrow surface not angled up or down greater than 45 degrees. Each round the character can walk 60 feet. One proficiency check is made every 60 feet (or part thereof), with failure indicating a fall. The check is made with a -10 penalty to the ability score if the surface is one inch or less in width (a rope), a -5 penalty if two inches to six inches wide, and unmodified if seven inches to 12 inches wide. Wider than one foot requires no check for proficient characters under normal circumstances. Every additional proficiency spent on tightrope walking reduces these penalties by 1. Use of a balancing rod reduces the penalties by 2. Winds or vibrations in the line increases the penalties by 2 to 6.

The character can attempt to fight while on a tightrope, but he suffers a -5 penalty to his attack roll and must roll a successful proficiency check at the beginning of each round to avoid falling off. Since the character cannot maneuver, he gains no adjustments to his Armor Class for Dexterity. If he is struck while on the rope, he must roll an immediate proficiency check to retain his balance.


Tracking
Tracking: Characters with tracking proficiency are able to follow the trail of creatures and characters across most types of terrain. Characters who are not rangers roll a proficiency check with a -6 penalty to their ability scores; rangers have no penalty to their ability scores. In addition, other modifiers are also applied to the attempt, according to Table 39.

Table 39:

Tracking Modifiers

Terrain	Modifier

Soft or muddy ground	+4

Thick brush, vines, or reeds	+3

Occasional signs of passage, dust	+2

Normal ground, wood floor	0

Rocky ground or shallow water	-10

Every two creatures in the group	+1

Every 12 hours since trail was made	-1

Every hour of rain, snow, or sleet	-5

Poor lighting (moon or starlight)	-6

Tracked party attempts to hide trail	-5

The modifiers in Table 39 are cumulative--total the modifiers for all conditions that apply and combine that with the tracker's Wisdom score to get the modified chance to track.

For example, if Thule's Wisdom score is 16 and he is trying to track through mud (+4), at night (-6), during a sleet storm (-5), his chance to track is 9 (16+4-6-5). (Thule is a ranger so he does not suffer the -6 penalty for non-rangers tracking.)

For tracking to succeed, the creature tracked must leave some type of trail. Thus, it is virtually impossible to track flying or noncorporeal creatures. The DM may allow this in rare instances, but he should also assign substantial penalties to the attempt.

To track a creature, the character must first find the trail. Indoors, the tracker must have seen the creature in the last 30 minutes and must begin tracking from the place last seen. Outdoors, the tracker must either have seen the creature, have eyewitness reports of its recent movement ("Yup, we saw them orcs just high-tail it up that trail there not but yesterday."), or must have obvious evidence that the creature is in the area (such as a well-used game trail). If these conditions are met, a proficiency check is rolled. Success means a trail has been found. Failure means no trail has been found. Another attempt cannot be made until the above conditions are met again under different circumstances.

Once the trail is found, additional proficiency checks are rolled for the following situations:

 	• The chance to track decreases (terrain, rain, creatures leaving the group, darkness, etc.).

 	• A second track crosses the first.

 	• The party resumes tracking after a halt (to rest, eat, fight, etc.).

Once the tracker fails a proficiency check, another check can be rolled after spending at least one hour searching the area for new signs. If this check is failed, no further attempts can be made. If several trackers are following a trail, a +1 bonus is added to the ability score of the most adept tracker. Once he loses the trail, it is lost to all.

If the modifiers lower the chance to track below 0 (for example, the modifiers are -11 and the character's Wisdom is 10), the trail is totally lost to that character and further tracking is impossible (even if the chance later improves). Other characters may be able to continue tracking, but that character cannot.

A tracking character can also attempt to identify the type of creatures being followed and the approximate number by rolling a proficiency check. All the normal tracking modifiers apply. One identifying check can be rolled each time a check is rolled to follow the trail. A successful check identifies the creatures (provided the character has some knowledge of that type of creature) and gives a rough estimate of their numbers. Just how accurate this estimate is depends on the DM.

When following a trail, the character (and those with him) must slow down, the speed depending on the character's modified chance to track as found from Table 39.

Table 40:

Movement While Tracking

Chance to Track	Movement Rate

1-6	¼ normal

7-14	¼ normal

14 or greater	3/4 normal

In the earlier example, Thule has a modified tracking chance of 9, so he moves at ½ his normal movement rate.


Tumbling
Tumbling: The character is practiced in all manner of acrobatics--dives, rolls, somersaults, handstands, flips, etc. Tumbling can only be performed while burdened with light encumbrance or less. Aside from entertaining, the character with tumbling proficiency can improve his Armor Class by 4 against attacks directed solely at him in any round of combat, provided he has the initiative and foregoes all attacks that round. When in unarmed combat he can improve his attack roll by 2.

On a successful proficiency check, he suffers only one-half the normal damage from falls of 60 feet or less and none from falls of 10 feet or less. Falls from greater heights result in normal damage.


Ventriloquism
Ventriloquism: The character has learned the secrets of "throwing his voice." Although not actually making sound come from somewhere else (like the spell), the character can deceive others into believing this to be so. When using ventriloquism, the supposed source of the sound must be relatively close to the character. The nature of the speaking object and the intelligence of those watching can modify the character's chance of success. If the character makes an obviously inanimate object talk (a book, mug, etc.), a -5 penalty is applied to his ability score. If a believable source (a PC or NPC) is made to appear to speak, a +2 bonus is added to his ability score. The observer's intelligence modifies this as follows:

Intelligence	Modifier

less than 3	   +6

     3-5	   +4

     6-8	   +2

     9-14	     0

   15-16	    -1

   17-18	    -2

     19+	    -4

A successful proficiency check means the character has successfully deceived his audience. One check must be made for every sentence or response. The character is limited to sounds he could normally make (thus, the roar of a lion is somewhat beyond him).

Since ventriloquism relies on deception, people's knowledge of speech, and assumptions about what should and shouldn't talk, it is effective only on intelligent creatures. Thus, it has no effect on animals and the like. Furthermore, the audience must be watching the character since part of the deception is visual ("Hey, his lips don't move!"). Using ventriloquism to get someone to look behind him does not work, since the voice is not actually behind him (this requires the ventriloquism spell). All but those with the gullibility of children realize what is truly happening. They may be amused--or they may not be.


Weaponsmithing
Weaponsmithing: This highly specialized proficiency enables a character to perform the difficult and highly exacting work involved in making metal weapons, particularly those with blades. The character blends some of the skill of the blacksmith with an ability to create blades of strength and sharpness. A fully equipped smithy is necessary to use this proficiency.

The time and cost to make various types of weapons are listed on Table 41.

Table 41:

Weapon Construction

Construction	Material

Weapon	Time	Cost

Arrowhead	 10/day	 	1 cp

Battle Axe	10 days	10 sp

Hand Axe	 5 days	 5 sp

Dagger	 5 days	 2 sp

H. Crossbow	20 days	10 sp

L. Crossbow	15 days	 5 sp

Fork, Trident	20 days	10 sp

Spear, Lance	 4 days	 	4 sp

Short Sword	20 days	 5 sp

Long Sword	30 days	10 sp

2-hd Sword	45 days	 2 gp


Weather Sense
Weather Sense: This proficiency enables the character to make intelligent guesses about upcoming weather conditions. A successful proficiency check means the character has correctly guessed the general weather conditions in the next six hours. A failed check means the character read the signs wrong and forecast the weather incorrectly. The DM should roll the check secretly. A proficiency check can be made once every six hours. However, for every six hours of observation, the character gains a +1 bonus to his ability score (as he watches the weather change, the character gets a better sense of what is coming). This modifier is cumulative, although sleep or other activity that occupies the attention of the character for a long period negates any accumulated bonus.

Sometimes impending weather conditions are so obvious that no proficiency check is required. It is difficult not to notice the tornado funnel tearing across the plain or the mass of dark clouds on the horizon obviously headed the character's way. In these cases, the player should be able to deduce what is about to happen to his character anyway.


Weaving
Weaving: A character with weaving proficiency is able to create garments, tapestries, and draperies from wool or cotton. The character requires a spinning apparatus and a loom. A weaver can create two square yards of material per day.


Using Nonweapon Proficiencies

When a character uses a proficiency, either the attempt is automatically successful, or the character must roll a proficiency check. If the task is simple or the proficiency has only limited game use (such as cobbling or carpentry), a proficiency check is generally not required. If the task the character is trying to perform is difficult or subject to failure, a proficiency check is required. Read the descriptions of the proficiencies for details about how and when each can be used.

If a proficiency check is required, Table 37 lists which ability is used with each proficiency. Add the modifier (either positive or negative) listed in Table 37 to the appropriate ability score. Then the player rolls 1d20. If the roll is equal to or less than the character's adjusted ability score, the character accomplished what he was trying to do. If the roll is greater than the character's ability score, the character fails at the task. (A roll of 20 always fails.) The DM determines what effects, if any, accompany failure.

Of course, to use a proficiency, the character must have any tools and materials needed to do the job.  A carpenter can do very little without his tools, and a smith is virtually helpless without a good forge. The character must also have enough time to do the job. Certainly, carpentry proficiency enables your character to build a house, but not in a single day! Some proficiency descriptions state how much time is required for certain jobs. Most, however, are left to the DM's judgment.

The DM can raise or lower a character's chance of success if the situation calls for it. Factors that can affect a proficiency check include availability and quality of tools, quality of raw material used, time spent doing the job, difficulty of the job, and how familiar the character is with the task. A positive modifier is added to the ability score used for the check. A negative modifier is subtracted from the ability score.

Rath, skilled as a blacksmith, has been making horseshoes for years. Because he is so familiar with the task and has every tool he needs, the DM lets him make horseshoes automatically, without risk of failure. However, Delsenora has persuaded Rath to make an elaborate wrought-iron cage (she needs it to create a magical item). Rath has never done this before and the work is very intricate, so the DM imposes a penalty of -3 on Rath's ability check.

When two proficient characters work together on the same task, the highest ability score is used (the one with the greatest chance of success). Furthermore, a +1 bonus is added for the other character's assistance. The bonus can never be more than +1, as having too many assistants is sometimes worse than having none.

Nonweapon proficiencies can also be improved beyond the ability score the character starts with. For every additional proficiency slot a character spends on a nonweapon proficiency, he gains a +1 bonus to those proficiency checks. Thus, Rath (were he not an adventurer) might spend his additional proficiency slots on blacksmithing, to become a very good blacksmith, gaining a +1, +2, +3, or greater bonus to his ability checks.

Many nonplayer craftsmen are more accomplished in their fields than player characters, having devoted all their energies to improving a single proficiency. Likewise, old masters normally have more talent than young apprentices--unless the youth has an exceptional ability score! However, age is no assurance of talent. Remember that knowing a skill and being good at it are two different things. There are bad potters, mediocre potters, and true craftsmen. All this has much less to do with age than with dedication and talent.


Secondary Skills

The second method for determining what your character knows is to assign secondary skills. Secondary skills are broad areas of expertise. Most correspond to occupations that your character may have been apprenticed in or otherwise picked up before beginning his adventuring life. Secondary skills are much more general than nonweapon proficiencies. They should not be used in combination with nonweapon proficiencies, which are explained later.

Every player character has a chance at a secondary skill. Either choose one from Table 36 or take a chance and roll randomly. A random roll may result in one, two, or no secondary skills.

Table 36:

Secondary Skills

D100

Roll	Secondary Skill

01-02	Armorer (make, repair & evaluate armor and weapons)

03-04	Bowyer/Fletcher (make, repair, & evaluate bows and arrows)

05-10	Farmer (basic agriculture)

11-14	Fisher (swimming, nets, and small boat handling)

15-20	Forester (basic wood lore, lumbering)

21-23	Gambler (knowledge of gambling games)

24-27	Groom (animal handling)

28-32	Hunter (basic wood lore, butchering, basic tracking)

33-34	Jeweler (appraisal of gems and jewelry)

35-37	Leather worker (skinning, tanning)

38-39	Limner/Painter (map making, appraisal of art objects)

40-42	Mason (stone-cutting)

43-44	Miner (stone-cutting, assaying)

45-46	Navigator (astronomy, sailing, swimming, navigation)

47-49	Sailor (sailing, swimming)

50-51	Scribe (reading, writing, basic math)

52-53	Shipwright (sailing, carpentry)

54-56	Tailor/Weaver (weaving, sewing, embroidery)

57-59	Teamster/Freighter (animal handling, wagon-repair)

60-62	Trader/Barterer (appraisal of common goods)

63-66	Trapper/Furrier (basic wood lore, skinning)

67-68	Weaponsmith (make, repair, & evaluate weapons)

69-71	Woodworker/Carpenter (carpentry, carving)

72-85	No skill of measurable worth

86-00	Roll twice (reroll any result of 86-00)

Once a character has a secondary skill, it is up to the player and the DM to determine just what the character can do with it. The items in parentheses after each skill describe some of the things the character knows. Other knowledge may be added with the DM's approval. Thus, a hunter might know the basics of finding food in the wilderness, how to read animal signs to identify the types of creatures in the area, the habits of dangerous animals, and how to stalk wild animals.

Like the previous method ("Using What You Know"), this method has strengths and weaknesses. Secondary skills do not provide any rules for determining whether a character succeeds when he uses a skill to do something difficult. It is safe to assume that simple jobs succeed automatically. (A hunter could find food for himself without any difficulty.) For more complicated tasks, the DM must assign a chance for success. He can assign a percentage chance, have the character make a saving throw, or require an Ability check (see Glossary). The DM still has a lot of flexibility.

This flexibility means the DM must sometimes make up the rule to cover the situation, however. As mentioned earlier, some DMs enjoy this; others do not, their strengths being elsewhere. While secondary skills define and limit the player's options, they do not greatly simplify the DM's job.


Magic Resistance

Some creatures or items strongly resist the effects of magic (or impart such resistance to others). This makes them more difficult to affect with magical energy than ordinary creatures or items.

A rare few creatures are extremely anti-magical--magic rolls off them like water off a duck's back. More common are creatures, especially from the Outer Planes of existence, that live in enchanted or sorcerous lands and are filled with powerful magical energies. These creatures eat and breathe the vapors of wizardry, and they have a high tolerance against arcane power.

Magic resistance is an innate ability--that is, the possessor does not have to do anything special to use it. The creature need not even be aware of the threat for his magic resistance to operate. Such resistance is part of the creature or item and cannot be separated from it. (Creatures, however, can voluntarily lower their magic resistance at will.)

Magic resistance is also an individual ability. A creature with magic resistance cannot impart this power to others by holding their hands or standing in their midst. Only the rarest of creatures and magical items have the ability to bestow magic resistance upon another.

Magic resistance is given as a percentile number. For a magical effect to have any chance of success, the magic resistance must be overcome. The target (the one with the magic resistance) rolls percentile dice. If the roll is higher than the creature's magic resistance, the spell has a normal effect. If the roll is equal to or less than the creature's magic resistance, the spell has absolutely no effect on the creature.


Effects of Magic Resistance

Magic resistance enables a creature to ignore the effects of spells and spell-like powers. It does not protect the creature from magical weapon attacks or from natural forces that may be a direct or accidental result of a spell. Nor does it prevent the protected creature from using his own abilities or from casting spells and using magical items. It can be effective against both individually targeted spells and, within limits, area-effect spells.

If a magic resistance roll fails, and the spell has normal effect, the target can make all saving throws normally allowed against the spell.


When Magic Resistance Applies

Magic resistance applies only if the successful casting of a spell would directly affect the resistant creature or item. Thus, magic resistance is effective against magic missile (targeted at a creature or item) or fireball (damaging the area the creature or item is in) spells.

Magic resistance is not effective against an earthquake caused by a spell. While the creature may suffer injury or death falling into a chasm the spell opens under its feet, the magical energy of the spell was directed at the ground, not the creature. Magic resistant creatures are not immune to events that occur as the consequence of spells, only to the direct energy created or released by a spell.

Player characters do not normally have magic resistance (though they still get saving throws vs. magical spells and such); this ability is reserved mainly for special monsters.


Successful Magic Resitance Rolls
Successful Magic Resistance Rolls

A successful magic resistance check can have four different results, depending on the nature of the spell being resisted:

Individually Targeted Spells: By definition, these spells affect just one creature, and only the targeted creature rolls for magic resistance (if it has any). If a spell of this type is directed at several targets, each rolls independently of the others. (An example of this would be a hold person spell aimed at four creatures, with each creature getting a magic resistance roll, if they have magic resistance.)

If the magic resistance roll is successful, the spell has no effect on that creature. If the spell is targeted only at the creature, the spell fails completely and disappears. If several targets are involved, the spell may still affect others who fail their magic resistance roll.

Area-Effect Spells: These spells are not targeted on a single creature, but on a point. The spell's effect encompasses everything within a set distance of that point. A successful magic resistance check enables the creature to ignore the effect of the spell. However, the spell is not negated and still applies to all others in the area of effect.

In-Place Spells: These spells operate continuously in a particular place or on a particular creature, character, or item. Protection from evil is one example of this kind of spell.

Magic resistance comes to play only if a creature or item finds himself (or itself) in the place where the spell is in operation. Even then, magic resistance may not come into play--nothing happens if the spell isn't of a type that affects the character. Thus, a part water spell would not collapse simply because a magic resistant creature walked through the area. A protection from evil spell, which could affect the creature, would be susceptible to magic resistance.

If the DM determines that a magic resistance roll is appropriate, and the roll succeeds, the in-place spell collapses (usually with a dramatic thunderclap and puff of smoke).

Permanent Spells: Magic resistance is insufficient to destroy a permanent spell. Instead, the spell is negated (within the same guidelines given for in-place spells) for as long as the magic resistant creature is in the area of effect.

  Thus, a magic-resistant creature might be able to step through a permanent wall of force as if it weren't there. However, the wall would spring back into existence as soon as the creature passed through (i.e., no one else can pass through).


Money and Equipment

Table 43:

Initial Character Funds

Character Group	Die Range

Warrior	5d4 x 10 gp

Wizard	(1d4+1) x 10 gp

Rogue	2d6 x 10 gp

Priest *	3d6 x 10 gp

Table 42:

Standard Exchange Rates

Exchange Value

Coin	CP	SP	EP	GP	PP

Copper Piece (CP) =	    1	1/10	1/50	1/100	1/500

Silver Piece (SP) =	  10	  1	1/5	1/10	1/50

Electrum Piece (EP) =	  50	  5	  1	½	1/10

Gold Piece (GP) =	100	10	  2	  1	1/5

Platinum Piece (PP) =	500	50	10	  5	  1


Master Weapons Chart
TABLE 6:  Master Weapons Chart—Arms & Equipment

     Guide

Weight	Speed	   Damage

Item	Cost	(lbs)	Size	Type	Factor	S-M	L

Arquebus***	500 gp	10	M	P	15	1d10	1d10

Battle Axe	5 gp	7	M	S	7	1d8	1d8

Belaying pin	2 cp	2	S	B	4	1d3	1d3

Blowgun	5 gp	2	L	--	5	--

Barbed Dart	1 sp	‡	S	P	--	1d3	1d2

Needle	2 cp	‡	S	P	--	1	1

Bolas	5 sp	2	M	B	8	1d3	1d2

Bow	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

Composite long bow	100 gp	3	L	--	7	--	--

Composite short bow	75 gp	2	M	--	6	--	--

Flight arrow	3 sp/12	‡	M	P	--	1d6	1d6

Long bow	75 gp	3	L	--	8	--	--

Sheaf arrow	3 sp/6	‡	M	P	--	1d8	1d8

Stone arrow, flight	3 cp/12	1/10	M	P	--	1d4	1d4

Short bow	30 gp	2	M	--	7	--	--

Caltrop	2 sp	2/10	S	P	n/a	1	1d2

Cestus	1 gp	2	S	S	2	1d4	1d3

Chain	5 sp	3	L	B	5	1d4+1	1d4

Club	--	3	M	B	4	1d6	1d3

Crossbow	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

Hand quarrel	1 gp	‡	S	P	--	1d3	1d2

Hand crossbow	300 gp	3	S	--	5	--	--

Heavy quarrel	2 sp	‡	S	P	--	1d4+1	1d6+1

Heavy crossbow	50 gp	14	M	--	10	--	--

Light quarrel	1 sp	‡	M	P	--	1d4	1d4

Light crossbow	35 gp	7	S	--	7	--	--

Dagger or dirk	2 gp	1	S	P	2	1d4	1d3

Bone dagger	1 sp	1	S	P	2	1d2	1d2

Parrying dagger	5 gp	1	S	P	2	1d3	1d3

Stone dagger	2 sp	1	S	P	2	1d3	1d2

Dart	5 sp	1/2	S	P	2	1d3	1d2

Flail, Footman's	15 gp	15	M	B	7	1d6+1	2d4

Flail, Horseman's	8 gp	5	M	B	6	1d4+1	1d4+1

Gaff/Hook	--	--	--	--	--	--

Attached	2 gp	2	S	P	2	1d4	1d3

Held	5 cp	2	S	P	2	1d4	1d3

Hand/Throwing axe	1 gp	5	M	S	4	1d6	1d4

Harpoon	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

One-handed	20 gp	6	L	P	7	1d4+1	1d6+1

Two-handed	20 gp	6	L	P	7	2d4	2d6

Javelin	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

One-handed	5 sp	2	L	P	4	1d4	1d4

Two-handed	5 sp	2	L	P	4	1d6	1d6

Javelin, Stone	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

One-handed	5 cp	2	M	P	4	1d4	1d4

Two-handed	5 cp	2	M	P	4	1d4+1	1d6

Knife	5 sp	1/2	S	P/S	2	1d3	1d2

Bone knife	3 cp	1/2	S	P/S	2	1d2	1d2

Stone knife	5 cp	1/2	S	P/S	2	1d2	1d2

Lance @	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

Heavy horse lance	15 gp	15	L	P	8	1d8+1	3d6

Jousting lance	20 gp	20	L	P	10	1d3-1	1d2-1

Light horse lance	6 gp	5	L	P	6	1d6	1d8

Medium horse lance	10 gp	10	L	P	7	1d6+1	2d6

Lasso	5 sp	3	L	--	10	--

Main-Gauche	3 gp	2	S	P/S	2	1d4	1d3

Mancatcher **	30 gp	8	L	--	7	--	--

Morning star	10 gp	12	M	P/B	7	2d4	1d6+1

Net	5 gp	10	M	--	10	--	--

Polearm	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

Awl pike #	5 gp	12	L	P	13	1d6	1d12

Bardiche	7 gp	12	L	S	9	2d4	2d6

Bec de corbin	8 gp	10	L	P/B	9	1d8	1d6

Bill-guisarme	7 gp	15	L	P/S	10	2d4	1d10

Fauchard	5 gp	7	L	P/S	8	1d6	1d8

Fauchard-fork	8 gp	9	L	P/S	8	1d8	1d10

Glaive *	6 gp	8	L	S	8	1d6	1d10

Glaive-guisarme*	10 gp	10	L	P/S	9	2d4	2d6

Guisarme	5 gp	8	L	S	8	2d4	1d8

Guisarme-voulge	8 gp	15	L	P/S	10	2d4	2d4

Halberd	10 gp	15	L	P/S	9	1d10	2d6

Hook fauchard	10 gp	8	L	P/S	9	1d4	1d4

Lucern hammer #	7 gp	15	L	P/B	9	2d4	1d6

Military fork *	5 gp	7	L	P	7	1d8	2d4

Partisan #	10 gp	8	L	P	9	1d6	1d6+1

Ranseur #	6 gp	7	L	P	8	2d4	2d4

Spetum #	5 gp	7	L	P	8	1d6+1	2d6

Voulge #	5 gp	12	L	S	10	2d4	2d4

Quarterstaff	--	4	L	B	4	1d6	1d6

Sap	1 gp	1/10	S	B	2	1d2	1d2

Scourge	1 gp	2	S	--	5	1d4	1d2

Sickle	6 sp	3	S	S	4	1d4+1	1d4

Sling	5 cp	‡	S	--	6	--	--

Sling bullet	1 cp	1/2	S	B	--	1d4+1	1d6+1

Sling stone	--	1/2	S	B	--	1d4	1d4

Spear	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

One-handed	8 sp	5	M	P	6	1d6	1d8

Two-handed	8 sp	5	M	P	6	1d8+1	2d6

Spear, long	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

One-handed	5 gp	8	L	P	8	1d8	1d8+1

Two-handed #	5 gp	8	L	P	8	2d6	3d6

Spear, stone	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

One-handed	8 cp	5	M	P	6	1d4	1d6

Two-handed	8 cp	5	M	P	6	1d6	2d4

Staff sling	2 sp	2	M	--	11	--	--

Stinkpot	1 sp	2	S	B	--	1d3	1d3

Stiletto	5 sp	1/2	S	P	2	1d3	1d2

Sword	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

Bastard sword	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

  One-handed	25 gp	10	M	S	6	1d8	1d12

  Two-handed	25 gp	10	M	S	8	2d4	2d8

Broad sword	10 gp	4	M	S	5	2d4	1d6+1

Claymore	25 gp	10	M	S	8	2d4	2d8

Cutlass	12 gp	4	M	S	5	1d6	1d8

Drusus	50 gp	3	M	S	3	1d6+1	1d8+1

Falchion	17 gp	8	M	S	5	1d6+1	2d4

Khopesh	10 gp	7	M	S	9	2d4	1d6

Long sword	15 gp	4	M	S	5	1d8	1d12

Rapier	15 gp	4	M	P	4	1d6+1	1d8+1

Sabre	17 gp	5	M	S	4	1d6+1	1d8+1

Scimitar	15 gp	4	M	S	5	1d8	1d8

Short sword	10 gp	3	M	P	3	1d6	1d8

Two-handed sword	50 gp	15	L	S	10	1d10	3d6

Trident	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

One-handed	15 gp	5	L	P	7	1d6+1	3d4

Two-handed	15 gp	5	L	P	7	1d8+1	3d4

War hammer	2 gp	6	M	B	4	1d4+1	1d4

Whip	1 sp	2	M	--	8	1d2	1

Notes for weapon chart above:

* This weapon inflicts double damage against charging creatures of L or greater size.

** This weapon can dismount a rider on a successful hit.

***  This weapon available only if allowed by the DM.

@ This weapon inflicts double damage when used from the back of a charging mount.

# This weapon inflicts double damage when firmly set to receive a charge.

‡ These items weigh little individually. Ten of these weigh one pound.


Equipment List
Table 44:

Equipment—Player’s Handbook

Clothing

Belt	3 sp

Boots	--

Riding	3 gp

Soft	1 gp

Breeches	2 gp

Cap, hat	1 sp

Cloak	--

Good cloth	8 sp

Fine fur	50 gp

Girdle	3 gp

Gloves	1 gp

Gown, common	12 sp

Hose	2 gp

Knife sheath	3 cp

Mittens	3 sp

Pin	6 gp

Plain brooch	10 gp

Robe	--

Common	9 sp

Embroidered	20 gp

Sandals	5 cp

Sash	2 sp

Shoes	1 gp

Silk jacket	80 gp

Surcoat	6 sp

Sword scabbard, hanger, baldric	4 gp

Tabard	6 sp

Toga, coarse	8 cp

Tunic	8 sp

Vest	6 sp

Daily Food and Lodging

Ale (per gallon)	2 sp

Banquet (per person)	10 gp

Bread	5 cp

Cheese	4 sp

City rooms (per month)	--

Common	20 gp

Poor	6 sp

Common wine (pitcher)	2 sp

Egg or fresh vegetables	1 cp

Grain and stabling for horse (daily)	5 sp

Honey	5 sp

Inn lodging (per day/week)	--

Common	5 sp/3 gp

Poor	5 cp/2 sp

Meat for one meal	1 sp

Meals (per day)	--

Good	5 sp

Common	3 sp

Poor	1 sp

Separate latrine for rooms (per month)  2 gp

Small beer (per gallon)	5 cp

Soup	5 cp

Household Provisioning

Barrel of pickled fish	3 gp

Butter (per lb.)	2 sp

Coarse sugar (per lb.)	1 gp

Dry rations (per week)	10 gp

Eggs (per 100)	8 sp

(per two dozen)	2 sp

Figs (per lb.)	3 sp

Firewood (per day)	1 cp

Herbs (per lb.)	5 cp

Nuts (per lb.)	1 gp

Raisins (per lb.)	2 sp

Rice (per lb.)	2 sp

Salt (per lb.)	1 sp

Salted herring (per 100)	1 gp

Spice (per lb.)	--

Exotic (for example, saffron, clove)  15 gp

Rare (for example, pepper, ginger)	2 gp

Uncommon (cinnamon)	1 gp

Tun of cider (250 gal.)	8 gp

Tun of good wine (250 gal.)	20 gp

Services

Bath	3 cp

Clerk (per letter)	2 sp

Doctor, leech, or bleeding	3 gp

Guide, in city (per day)	2 sp

Lantern or torchbearer (per night)	1 sp

Laundry (by load)	1 cp

Messenger, in city (per message)	1 sp

Minstrel (per performance)	3 gp

Mourner (per funeral)	2 sp

Teamster w/wagon	1 sp/mile

Transport *

Barge	500 gp

Canoe	--

Small	30 gp

War	50 gp

Caravel	10,000 gp

Carriage	--

Common	150 gp

Coach, ornamented	7,000 gp

Chariot	--

Riding	200 gp

War	500 gp

Coaster	5,000 gp

Cog	10,000 gp

Curragh	500 gp

Drakkar	25,000 gp

Dromond	15,000 gp

Galleon	50,000 gp

Great galley	30,000 gp

Knarr	3,000 gp

Longship	10,000 gp

Oar	--

Common	2 gp

Galley	10 gp

Raft or small keelboat	100 gp

Sail	20 gp

Sedan chair	100 gp

Wagon or cart wheel	5 gp

* Movement rates for this equipment are given in the DMG.

Animals

Boar	10 gp

Bull	20 gp

Calf	5 gp

Camel	50 gp

Capon	3 cp

Cat	1 sp

Chicken	2 cp

Cow	10 gp

Dog	--

Guard	25 gp

Hunting	17 gp

War	20 gp

Donkey, mule, or ass	8 gp

Elephant	--

Labor	200 gp

War	500 gp

Falcon (trained)	1,000 gp

Goat	1 gp

Goose	5 cp

Guinea hen	2 cp

Horse	--

Draft	200 gp

Heavy war	400 gp

Light war	150 gp

Medium war	225 gp

Riding	75 gp

Hunting cat (jaguar, etc.)	5,000 gp

Ox	15 gp

Partridge	5 cp

Peacock	5 sp

Pig	3 gp

Pigeon	1 cp

Pigeon, homing	100 gp

Pony	30 gp

Ram	4 gp

Sheep	2 gp

Songbird	10 sp

Swan	5 sp

Tack and Harness

Barding	--	--

Chain	500 gp	70 lbs.

Full plate	2,000 gp	85 lbs.

Full scale	1,000 gp	75 lbs.

Half brigandine	500 gp	45 lbs.

Half padded	100 gp	25 lbs.

Half scale	500 gp	50 lbs.

Leather or padded	150 gp	60 lbs.

Bit and bridle	15 sp	3 lbs.

Cart harness	2 gp	10 lbs.

Halter	5 cp	*

Horseshoes & shoeing	1 gp	10 lbs.

Saddle	--	--

Pack	5 gp	15 lbs.

Riding	10 gp	35 lbs.

Saddle bags	--	--

Large	4 gp	8 lbs.

Small	3 gp	5 lbs.

Saddle blanket	3 sp	4 lbs.

Yoke	--	--

Horse	5 gp	15 lbs.

Ox	3 gp	20 lbs.

* These items weigh little individually. Ten of these items weigh one pound.

Miscellaneous Equipment

Backpack	2 gp	2 lbs.

Barrel, small	2 gp	30 lbs.

Basket	--	--

Large	3 sp	1 lbs.

Small	5 cp	*

Bell	1 gp	--

Belt pouch	--	--

Large	1 gp	1 lbs.

Small	7 sp	½ lbs.

Block and tackle	5 gp	5 lbs.

Bolt case	1 gp	1 lbs.

Bucket	5 sp	3 lbs.

Chain (per ft.)	--	--

Heavy	4 gp	3 lbs.

Light	3 gp	1 lbs.

Chest	--	--

Large	2 gp	25 lbs.

Small	1 gp	10 lbs.

Cloth (per 10 sq. yds.)	--	--

Common	7 gp	10 lbs.

Fine	50 gp	10 lbs.

Rich	100 gp	10 lbs.

Candle	1 cp	*

Canvas (per sq. yard)	4 sp	1 lbs.

Chalk	1 cp	*

Crampons	4 gp	2 lbs.

Fishhook	1 sp	**

Fishing net, 10 ft. sq.	4 gp	5 lbs.

Flint and steel	5 sp	*

Glass bottle	10 gp	*

Grappling hook	8 sp	4 lbs.

Holy item (symbol, water, etc.)	25 gp	*

Hourglass	25 gp	1 lbs.

Iron pot	5 sp	2 lbs.

Ladder, 10 ft. 	5 cp	20 lbs.

Lantern	--	--

Beacon	150 gp	50 lbs.

Bullseye	12 gp	3 lbs.

Hooded	7 gp	2 lbs.

Lock	--	--

Good	100 gp	1 lbs.

Poor	20 gp	1 lbs.

Magnifying glass	100 gp	*

Map or scroll case	8 sp	½ lbs.

Merchant's scale	2 gp	1 lbs.

Mirror, small metal	10 gp	*

Musical instrument	5-100 gp	½-3 lbs.

Oil (per flask)	--	--

Greek fire	10 gp	2 lbs.

Lamp	6 cp	1 lbs.

Paper (per sheet)	2 gp	**

Papyrus (per sheet)	8 sp	**

Parchment (per sheet)	1 gp	**

Perfume (per vial)	5 gp	*

Piton	3 cp	½ lbs.

Quiver	8 sp	1 lbs.

Rope (per 50 ft.)	--	--

Hemp	1 gp	20 lbs.

Silk	10 gp	8 lbs.

Sack	--	--

Large	2 sp	½ lbs.

Small	5 cp	*

Sealing/candle wax (per lb.)	1 gp	1 lbs.

Sewing needle	5 sp*	*

Signal whistle	8 sp	*

Signet ring or personal seal	5 gp	*

Soap (per lb.)	5 sp	1 lbs.

Spyglass	1,000 gp	1 lbs.

Tent	--	--

Large	25 gp	20 lbs.

Pavilion	100 gp	50 lbs.

Small	5 gp	10 lbs.

Thieves' picks	30 gp	1 lbs.

Torch	1 cp	1 lbs.

Water clock	1,000 gp	200 lbs.

Whetstone	2 cp	1 lbs.

Wineskin	8 sp	1 lbs.

Winter blanket	5 sp	3 lbs.

Writing ink (per vial)	8 gp	*

*	These items weigh little individually. Ten of these items weigh one pound.

**	These items have no appreciable weight and should not be considered for encumbrance unless hundreds are carried.


Armor

You are going to want your player character to buy armor, if he is allowed to use any. Armor is the easiest and cheapest way to improve your character's chance of surviving the more violent dangers of the adventuring life. Clearly, the better the armor the character possesses, the less likely he is to be hurt. Armor protection is measured by Armor Class (AC), a number rating; the lower the Armor Class number, the better the protection. Table 46 lists the values for all the types of armor found in the equipment lists.

Armor*

Banded mail	200 gp	35 lbs.

Brigandine	120 gp	35 lbs.

Bronze plate mail	400 gp	45 lbs.

Chain mail	75 gp	40 lbs.

Field plate	2000 gp	60 lbs.

Full plate	4,000-10,000 gp	70 lbs.

Helmet	--	--

Great helm	30 gp	10 lbs.

Basinet	8 gp	5 lbs.

Hide	15 gp	30 lbs.

Leather	5 gp	15 lbs.

Padded	4 gp	10 lbs.

Plate mail	600 gp	50 lbs.

Ring mail	100 gp	30 lbs.

Scale mail	120 gp	40 lbs.

Shield	--	--

Body	10 gp	15 lbs.

Buckler	1 gp	3 lbs.

Medium	7 gp	10 lbs.

Small	3 gp	5 lbs.

Splint mail	80 gp	40 lbs.

Studded leather	20 gp	25 lbs.

*	See table 46 for the Armor Class ratings of various armor types

Table 46:

Armor Class Ratings

Type of Armor	     AC Rating

None	10

Shield only	  	  9

Leather or padded armor	  	  8

Leather or padded armor + shield, studded leather, or ring mail armor	  7

Studded leather or ring mail + shield, brigandine, scale mail, or hide armor	  6

Scale mail or hide + shield, chain mail	  	  5

Chain mail + shield, splint mail, banded mail, bronze plate mail	   	  4

Splint mail, banded mail, or bronze plate mail + shield, plate mail	  3

Plate mail + shield, field plate	  2

Field plate armor + shield, full plate	  1

Full plate armor + shield	  0

See "Shields" for more information on the defensive benefits of various shields.


Item Saving Throws

When weapons are subjected to a general danger--the flames of a fireball, the icy chill of a cold ray, or the smashing blow of a giant's boulder--the roll to hit and hit points do not apply. Instead, the following Item Saving Throw table is used. This saving throw represents an item's general ability to withstand the effects of the attack. It is rolled just like a normal saving throw (see "Combat").

The item saving throw should be used only when the item is not being carried by a character or when a character fails his saving throw against the same attack. A character who successfully saves against the blast of a fireball spell need not make separate saving throws for his potions. The character who failed the same save failed to protect himself adequately and must therefore check for his potions (and probably his scrolls, too). Not all items need make a save in every instance. It is perfectly reasonable to ignore the save for a character's sword and armor in the same fireball situation described above, since there is so little chance that these will be affected.

Furthermore, magical items are more resistant to damage, gaining bonuses to the saving throw. Items with a plus (a sword +1, for example) gain that plus as a bonus to the die roll. If the item possesses additional special abilities, it should have an extra plus for each of these. Magical items with no stated pluses should gain a bonus relative to their power. A potion would have a +1 while a miscellaneous magical item could have a +5 or +6. Further, if the saving throw is versus an attack the device was designed to counter (e.g., extreme cold vs. a ring of warmth), an additional bonus of +2 is allowed.

Table 29:

Item Saving Throws

                   	Crushing   Disinte-	Magical	Normal

Item	Acid	Blow            gration      Fall	Fire  	Fire     	Cold   	Lightning  Electricity

Bone or Ivory	11	16	19	  6	  9	  3	  2	    8  	  2

Cloth	12	--	19	--	16	13	  2	18	  	  2

Glass	  5	20	19	14	  7	  4	    6	17	  	  2

Leather	10	  	  3	19	  	  2	  6	  4	  3	13	  	  2

Metal	13	  	  7	17	  	  3	  6	  2	  2	12	  	  2

Oils*	16**	--	19	--	19	17	  5	19	16

Paper, etc.	16	  	  7 	19	--	19	19	  2	19	  	  2

Potions*	15**	--	19	--	17	  4	13	18	15

Pottery 	  4	18	19	11	  3	  2	  4	  2	  	  2

Rock, crystal	  3	17	18	  	  8	  3	  2	  2	14	  	  2

Rope	12	  	  2 	19	--	10	  6	  2	12	  	  2

Wood, thick	  8	10	19	  	  2	  7	  5	  2	  9	  	  2

Wood, thin 	  9	13	19	  	  2	11	  9	  2	10	  	  2

* This save does not include the container, only the liquid contents.

 ** Of course, even though the save is made, the item is probably hopelessly mixed with the acid.


Encumbrance
Encumbrance (Optional Rule)

A natural desire is to have your character own one of everything. Thus equipped, your character could just reach into his pack and pull out any item he wants whenever he needs it. Sadly, there are limits to how much your character, his horse, his mule, his elephant, or his whatever can carry. These limits are determined by encumbrance.

Encumbrance is measured in pounds. To calculate encumbrance, simply total the pounds of gear carried by the creature or character. Add five pounds for clothing, if any is worn. This total is then compared to the carrying capacity of the creature to determine the effects. In general, the more weight carried, the slower the movement and the worse the character is at fighting.


Basic Encumbrance
Basic Encumbrance (Tournament Rule)

Encumbrance is divided into five categories: Unencumbered, Light, Moderate, Heavy, and Severe Encumbrance.

To calculate your character's encumbrance category, first figure out the total weight he is carrying (including five pounds for clothing). Then look across the row corresponding to your character's Strength on Table 47 until you come to the column that includes your character's carried weight. The heading at the top of that column shows his level of encumbrance.

Use Table 49 to figure out the encumbrance category of your character's mount or beast of burden.

The Max. Carried Wgt. column lists the most weight (in pounds) your character can carry and still move. But movement is limited to 10 feet per round, as your character staggers under the heavy load.


Specific Encumbrance
Specific Encumbrance (Optional Rule)

The maximum total weight your character can carry is determined by his Strength, as listed on Table 47.

The basic encumbrance rule gives general categories of encumbrance but does not allow for fine distinctions. Some players and DMs may take exception to the idea that adding one more pound to a character suddenly shifts that character to the next (and drastically worse) encumbrance category. They may want to use the following optional table; Table 48 reduces a character's movement rating 1 factor at a time.

To determine your character's movement rate (see "Movement" in Chapter 14: Time and Movement) for a given load, find the row on Table 48 with his Strength score. Read across it until you find the first column in which the number of pounds listed is greater than your character's current load. At the top of that column are two rows for base movement rates. Characters with a base movement rate of 12 use the top row; those with a base movement rate of 6 use the bottom row. The number in the appropriate upper row is your character's modified movement rate.

Tarus (a human with a base movement of 12) has a Strength of 17 and is carrying a 140-pound load. Looking across on the 17 rows shows that 140 falls between 133 and 145 on the table. Looking at the top of the 145 column shows that Tarus has a modified movement rate of 7. He can carry five more pounds of gear (total 145 pounds) and maintain his speed, or drop seven pounds of equipment (to 133 pounds) and increase his speed to 8.

Table 47:

Character Encumbrance

Character	                 	Encumbrance	Max.Carried

Strength	Unencumbered	Light	Moderate	Heavy	Severe	Weight

2	 	0-1	2	3	 	4	5-6	6

     	3	  	0-5	6	7	 	8-9	10	10

    4-5	 	0-10	11-13	14-16	 	17-19	20-25	25

    6-7	 	0-20	21-29	30-38	 	39-46	47-55	55

    8-9	 	0-35	36-50	51-65	  	66-80	81-90	90

  10-11	0-40	41-58	59-76	 	77-96	97-110	110

  12-13	0-45	46-69	70-93	 	94-117	118-140	140

  14-15	0-55	56-85	86-115	116-145	146-170	170

     16	 	0-70	71-100	101-130	131-160	161-195	195

     17	 	0-85	86-121	122-157	158-193	194-220	220

     18	0-110	111-149	150-188	189-227	228-255	255

18/01-50	0-135	136-174	175-213	214-252	253-280	280

18/51-75	0-160	161-199	200-238	239-277	278-305	305

18/76-90	0-185	186-224	225-263	264-302	303-330	330

18/91-99	0-235	236-274	275-313	314-352	353-380	380

   18/00	0-335	336-374	375-413	414-452	453-480	480

Table 48:

Modified Movement Rates

Base  Move	Modified Movement Rate

Strength	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1

Score	  	6	5	5	4	4	3	3	2	2	1	1	1

2	    	1	--	 2	--	--	 3	--	--	 4	--	--	 5

3	    	5	--	 6	--	 7	--	--	 8	--	 9	--	--

4-5	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21

 	6-7	20	23	26	29	32	35	38	41	44	47	50	53

8-9	35	40	45	50	55	60	65	70	75	80	85	89

10-11	  	40	46	52	58	64	70	76	82	88	94	100	106

12-13	  	45	53	61	69	77	85	93	101	109	117	125	133

14-15	  	55	65	75	85	95	105	115	125	135	145	155	165

16	  	70	80	90	100	110	120	130	140	150	160	170	180

17	  	85	97	109	121	133	145	157	169	181	193	205	217

18 	110	123	136	149	162	175	188	201	214	227	240	253

18/01-50	135	148	161	174	187	200	213	226	239	252	265	278

18/51-75	160	173	186	199	212	225	238	251	264	277	290	303

18/76-90	185	198	211	224	237	250	263	276	289	302	315	328

18/91-99	235	248	261	274	287	300	313	326	339	352	365	378

18/00	335	348	361	374	387	400	413	426	439	452	465	478


Monster Summoning Tables

Monster Summoning I

 1	Ant, giant

 2	Bat, huge

 3	Beetle, fire

 4	Bullywug

 5	Goblin

 6	Hobgoblin

 7	Jermalaine (3d4 appear)

 8	Kobold (3d4 appear)

 9	Leech, giant (1 HD)

10	Muckdweller

11	Orc

12	Rat (3d4 appear)

Monster Summoning II

 1	Beetle, bombardier

 2	Centipede, giant

 3	Frog, giant or killer

 4	Gnoll or flind

 5	Lamprey, land

 6	Lizard man

 7	Mongrelmen (2 HD)

 8	Mudmen

 9	Spider, large

10	Stirge

11	Toad, giant

12	Troglodyte

Monster Summoning III

 1	Ankheg (3-4 HD)

 2	Bat, giant (mobat)

 3	Beetle, boring

 4	Bugbear

 5	Centipede, megalo-

 6	Crab, giant

 7	Crocodile, wild

 8	Dog, death

 9	Gelatinous cube

10	Ghoul

11	Lizard, giant

12	Lyc., rat

13	Orc, orog

14	Osquip

15	Sandling

16	Scorpion, large

17	Snake, constrictor

18	Spider, huge

19	Weasel, giant

20	Urchin, land

Monster Summoning IV

 1	Ankheg (5-6 HD)

 2	Ape, carnivorous

 3	Banderlog

 4	Ettercap

 5	Gargoyle

 6	Ghast

 7	Hell hound

 8	Huecuva

 9	Hydra, 5 heads

10	Lyc., wolf

11	Ogre

12	Ooze, gray

13	Owlbear

14	Scorpion, huge

15	Snake, giant const.

16	Toad, poisonous

17	Toad, fire

18	Wasp, giant

19	Wolf, worg

20	Yeti

Monster Summoning V

 1	Ankheg (7-8 HD)

 2	Cockatrice

 3	Displacer beast

 4	Doppleganger

 5	Hornet, giant

 6	Hydra, 7 heads

 7	Hydra, 5 heads, cryo- or pyro-

 8	Leucrotta

 9	Lizard, subterranean

10	Lyc., boar

11	Margoyle

12	Minotaur

13	Ochre jelly

14	Rust monster

15	Slithering tracker

16	Snake, giant, pois. or spitting

17	Spider, giant

18	Giantkin, verbeeg

19	Wolf, winter

20	Zombie, ju-ju

Monster Summoning VI

 1	Basilisk

 2	Beetle, stag

 3	Carrion crawler

 4	Dracolisk

 5	Drider

 6	Griffon

 7	Hydra, 8 heads

 8	Lizard, minotaur

 9	Lyc., tiger

10	Manticore

11	Ogre mage

12	Otyugh

13	Pyrolisk

14	Salamander

15	Spider, phase

16	Troll

17	Wolfwere

18	Wraith

19	Wyvern

20	Yuan-ti, halfbreed

Monster Summoning VII

 1	Basilisk, greater

 2	Behiror tunnel worm

 3	Bulette

 4	Chimera

 5	Ettinor hill giant

 6	Golem, flesh

 7	Gorgon

 8	Hydra, 10 heads

 9	Hydra, 8 heads (pyro- or cryo-)

10	Lizard, fire

11	Mummy

12	Neo-otyugh

13	Pudding, black

14	Roper

15	Shambling mound

16	Slug, giant

17	Sphinx, hieraco-

18	Troll, 2-headed

19	Umber hulk

20	Xorn

Monster Summoning VIII

 1	Beetle, rhinoceros

 2	Giant, fireor frost

 3	Giant, fomorian

 4	Golem, stone

 5	Gorgimera

 6	Hydra, 12 heads

 7	Hydra, lernaean, 8 heads

 8	Pudding, brown

 9	Remorhaz

10	Rust monster

11	Will o'wisp

12	Worm, purple


Conjured Animals

HD	Roll	Animal	Value

 1	01-10	Baboon	1¼

11-25	Dog, wild	1¼

26-35	Hawk, large	1

36-40	Hawk, blood 	1¼

41-50	Jackal 	½

51-55	Mammal, small	varies

56-60	Mammal	varies

61-65	Otter 	¾

66-70	Otter, sea 	1¼

71-80	Owl, common	1

81-90	Rat, giant	½

91-00	Skunk 	¼

2	01-70	Animal, herd	2

71-80	Badger 	1½

81-00	Horse, wild	2

 3	01-05	Badger, giant	3

06-10	Boar, warthog	3

11-15	Cattle, wild	2½

16-20	Cheetah	3

21-30	Dog, war	2½

31-35	Hyena, wild	3

36-45	Lion, mountain 	3¼

46-50	Lynx, giant	2½

51-60	Mule 	3

61-70	Camel 	3

71-80	Stag*	3

81-90	Wolf 	2½

91-00	Wolverine	3

 4	01-10	Bear, black	3¾

11-25	Boar, wild	3¾

26-40	Eagle, giant	4

41-50	Jaguar 	4¼

51-60	Leopard	3½

61-75	Owl, giant	4

76-90	Weasel, giant	3¾

91-00	Wolf, dire	3¾

 5	01-15	Ape, carnivorous	5

16-25	Buffalo	5

26-40	Hyena, giant	5

41-55	Otter, giant 	5

56-70	Skunk, giant	5

71-85	Stag, giant*	5

86-00	Wolverine, giant	5

6	01-25	Bear, brown	6¼

26-50	Lion 	5½

51-75	Porcupine, giant	6

76-00	Tiger	6¼

 7	01-50	Boar, giant	7

51-00	Lion, spotted	6½

 8	01-50	Bear, cave	7½

51-00	Tiger, sabre-tooth	7½

 9	--	Oliphant	8½

10	--	Bear, polar	10

11	--	Elephant	11

(African)

12	--	Mastodon	12

13	--	Mammoth	13

14+--	Whale 	(to 36)

*Stag: This is a large male deer that can butt for 2-8 or strike with its hooves for 1-3/1-3.

*Giant stag: A very large stag, 7' at the shoulder and weighing about 1,500 pounds. It can butt for 4-16 (4d4) or strike with its hooves for 1-4/1-4.

Terrain Guide

Plain: downs, heath, meadow, moor, prairie, savanna, steppe, tundra

Scrub: brackens, brush, bush, thickets, veldt

Forest: copses, groves, jungle, rain forest, woods

Rough: badlands

Hills: bluffs, dunes, ridges (gorge, rift, valley, canyon)

Mountains: glacier, mesa, tor

Desert: barrens, flat, waste

Swamp: bog, fen, marsh, mire, morass, quagmire, slough

Pond: lake, pool, tarn


Aquatic Monster Summoning

Special Encounters: Roll on the appropriate table. If the encounter is not suitable, then none occurs.

Surface Encounters: Unintelligent monsters are 75% likely to be driven off by flaming oil nearby, 90% if actually burned by it. Large amounts of food thrown overboard are 50% likely to end such an encounter.

Fish School: This is a large group of one type of fish, the aquatic version of herd animals. They usually do not attack unless commanded by magical means. If panicked, they might mill about, obstructing vision and movement. If large enough, they might cause buffeting damage (1-2 to 1-8, depending on size).

Ghost Ship: This is a lost ship manned by undead. Although it can be seen at any time, it usually attacks only at night, when its masters are at full power. Roll percentile dice once for the crew and once for their leaders. Crew: 01-40 = 10-40 skeletons; 41-80 = 10-40 zombies; 81-00 = 10-20 ju-ju zombies. Leaders: 01-30 = 1-4 wights; 31-60 = 1-3 wraiths; 61-80 = 1-2 spectres; 81-95 = 1-2 ghosts; 95-00 = 1 lich.

Hazard (ice): This can be a single huge ice mountain or 10-20 smaller, grinding floes. Hard contact with ice reduces seaworthiness by 5% and is 10% likely to require a seaworthiness check to avoid sinking.

Seaweed: This includes both floating masses of weed and beds on the bottom. The former slows ships by 50%. The latter are 30-300' high and reduce vision to 10 feet. Both provide a 40% chance for another encounter if moved through or investigated.

Sunken Ship: This is a victim of a storm, ice, or hostile action. Sometimes these have their original cargo, and may be inhabited. Roll percentile dice: 01-10 = Has merchant treasure (see Men, merchant); 11-20 = No treasure; 21-60 = 2-24 lacedons (original crew); 61-00 = Monster (roll on appropriate encounter table).

Special Encounters: These can include morkoth, mottled worms, shipwreck survivors, an eye of the deep, sudden storms, seaweed that allows underwater breathing when eaten, giant clams, aquatic versions of carnivorous plants, storm giants, and so on.


Aquatic Monster Summoning, Salt Water

Monster Summoning I

1	Barracuda (1 HD)

2	Lamprey, common

3	Merman

4	Otter, sea

5	Piranha (3d4 appear)

6	Urchin, black

Monster Summoning II

1	Barracuda (2 HD)

2	Dolphin

3	Locathah

4	Ray, ixitxachitl

5	Ray, sting

6	Sea horse

7	Seawolf, lesser

8	Urchin, green

Monster Summoning III

1	Barracuda (3 HD)

2	Crab, giant

3	Lacedon (ghoul)

4	Sahuagin

5	Selkie

6	Urchin, red

Monster Summoning IV

1	Hippocampus

2	Kapoacinth (gargoyle)

3	Lobster, giant (crayfish)

4	Merrow, ogre

5	Otter, giant

6	Shark (3-5 HD)

7	Triton

8	Urchin, yellow

Monster Summoning V

1	Crocodile, giant

2	Lamprey, sea

3	Scrag (troll)

4	Sea lion

5	Selkie

6	Shark (5-6 HD)

7	Spider, giant marine

8	Water weird

9	Urchin, silver

0	Roll again with 1d8

Monster Summoning VI

1	Eel, marine

2	Narwhal

3	Octopus

4	Seawolf, greater

5	Shark (7-8 HD)

6	Snake, giant sea (8 HD)

Monster Summoning VII

1	Ray, manta

2	Slug, giant sea

3	Snake, giant sea (10 HD)

4	Squid, giant

Monster Summoning VIII

1	Eye of the deep

2	Dragon turtle (12 HD)

3	Kraken*

4	Shark, giant

5	Vodyanoi (16 HD)*

6	Whale, killer

7	Whale, small herbivore (12 HD)

8	Worm, mottled (purple)

* This creature has a 10% chance to become free-willed for the duration of the spell if ordered to act against its nature or inclinations.

Special Encounters: Roll on the appropriate table. If the encounter is not suitable, then none occurs.

Surface Encounters: Unintelligent monsters are 75% likely to be driven off by flaming oil nearby, 90% if actually burned by it. Large amounts of food thrown overboard are 50% likely to end such an encounter.

Fish School: This is a large group of one type of fish, the aquatic version of herd animals. They usually do not attack, unless commanded by magical means. If panicked they might mill about, obstructing vision and movement. If large enough, they might cause buffeting damage (1-2 to 1-8, depending on size).

Ghost Ship: This is a lost ship manned by undead. Although it can be seen at any time, it will usually attack only at night, when its masters are at full power. Roll percentile dice once for the crew and once for their leaders. Crew: 01-40 = 10-40 skeletons; 41-80 = 10-40 zombies; 81-00 = 10-20 juju zombies. Leaders: 01-30 = 1-4 wights; 31-60 = 1-3 wraiths; 61-80 = 1-2 spectres; 81-95 = 1-2 ghosts; 95-00 = 1 lich.

Hazard (navigational): This can ground or damage a vessel that does not have aboard a pilot familiar with the waters. Such hazards as sandbars and submerged logs often change position.

Seaweed: This includes both floating masses of weed and beds on the bottom. The former slows ships by 50%. The latter are 30-300' high and reduce vision to 10 feet. Both provide a 40% chance for another encounter if moved through or investigated.

Special Encounters: These can include morkoth, mottled worms, shipwreck survivors, an eye of the deep, pearl beds, sudden storms, seaweed that allows underwater breathing when eaten, giant clams, aquatic versions of carnivorous plants, storm giants, and so on.


Aquatic Monster Summoning, Fresh Water

Monster Summoning I

1	Frog, giant (1 HD)

2	Koalinth (hobgoblin)

3	Lamprey, common

4	Nixie (3d4 appear)

5	Otter, common

6	Piranha (3d4 appear)

Monster Summoning II

1	Eel, electric

2	Frog, giant (2 HD)

3	Kuo-toa

4	Leech, giant (2 HD)

5	Lizard man

6	Piranha, giant

Monster Summoning III

1	Crab, giant

2	Crocodile, common

3	Frog, giant (3 HD)

4	Lacedon (ghoul)

Monster Summoning IV

1	Beetle, giant water

2	Crayfish, giant

3	Kapoacinth (gargoyle)

4	Kelpie

5	Merrow, ogre

6	Otter, giant

7	Pike, giant

8	Spider, giant water

Monster Summoning V

1	Crocodile, giant

2	Eel, giant electric

3	Scrag (troll)

4	Water weird

Monster Summoning VI

1	Eel, marine

2	Gar, giant

3	Octopus

4	Seawolf, greater

5	Snake, giant sea (8 HD)

6	Vodyanoi (8 HD)

Monster Summoning VII

1	Catfish, giant

2	Greenhag

3	Naga, water

4	Snake, giant sea (10 HD)

Monster Summoning VIII

1	Slug, giant sea

2	Dragon turtle (12 HD)

3	Kuo-toan monitor

4	Worm, mottled (purple)


Morale

The old saying, "the best defense is a good offense" is clearly true in the AD&D game. And the best way to avoid suffering damage is to beat the foe so badly he wants to crawl under a rock or, better yet, run away. That's where morale checks come in.

The gnoll in front of Beornhelm smashes a mace against the fighter's shield, just as the searing heat of lightning clips all the hair on the side of his head. Instantly, the heat is followed by the booming thunderclap in his ear. All the while, some vile little creature is trying to gnaw on his shin! It's really enough to ruin an adventurer's day. But, Beornhelm is cool, calm and in control--because the player running him says so. The same can't be said for the monsters.

In almost all situations, players should be the ones who decide what their characters do. A DM should never tell a player, "Your character decides he doesn't want to get hurt and runs from the fight," unless that character is charmed and therefore controlled by the DM.

A suggestion that a character might want to retreat, advance, open a chest, or whatever, is all right, but a DM shouldn't force a player character to do something by simply insisting. Only under the most unusual circumstances--charm, magical fear, or other forced effects--should the DM dictate the actions of a player character.

Monsters and NPCs are an entirely different matter, however. The DM makes their decisions, trying to think like each creature or non-player character, in turn.

In combat, thinking like a creature mainly means deciding what actions it takes and how badly it wants to fight. As a general rule, monsters and NPCs are no more eager to die than player characters. Most withdraw when a fight starts to go badly.

Some panic and flee, even casting their weapons aside. If they think they can get mercy, brighter foes might fall to their knees and surrender. A few bloodthirsty or brainless types might fight to the death--but this doesn't happen too often. These are the things that make up morale, things the DM must decide, either through role-playing or dice rolling.

The Role-Playing Solution

The first (and best) way to handle morale is to determine it without rolling any dice or consulting any tables. This gives the biggest range of choices and prevents illogical things from happening. To decide what a creature does, think about its goals and reasons for fighting.

Unintelligent and animal intelligence creatures attack and most often for food or to protect their lair. Few ever attack for the sheer joy of killing.

Those attacking for food attack the things they normally hunt. A mountain lion, for example, doesn't hunt humans as a rule, and it doesn't stalk and attack humans as it would a deer. Such creatures normally allow a party of adventurers to pass by unhindered. Only when the creature is close to its lair does the chance of attack come into play. Animals often fight to protect their territory or their young.

When they do become involved in combat, animals and other creatures rarely fight to the death. When hunting, they certainly try to escape, especially if they are injured. Their interest is in food. If they can't get it easily, they'll try again elsewhere. Most often, it is only when pressed, with no avenue of escape, or perhaps when its young are threatened, that an animal will sacrifice its own life.

Of course, in an AD&D game, a creature can attack and fight to the death when that will make for the most drama and excitement. For example, say a group of characters spot a grizzly bear blocking the path ahead of them. Instead of wisely waiting for it to shamble off, the party foolishly puts some arrows into it. Enraged, the beast attacks the party with berserk fury, causing serious harm and teaching them an important lesson before it dies.

Intelligent creatures have more complicated motivations that the need for food and shelter. The DM decides what the creatures want. Greed hatred, fear, self-defense, and hunger are all motivations, but they are not worth dying for.

As a guideline for intelligent creature and NPC motivation, consider the actions of player characters. How often do they fight to the death? Why would they? At what point do they usually retreat?

Certainly, NPC adventurer parties should behave similarly to player characters. After all, their concerns are much the same as those of the player characters--getting cash and improving themselves. They are not very interested in dying.

On the other hand, members of some fanatical sects may willingly sacrifice themselves for the cause. Even so, a few have been known to reconsider at the last minute!

The morale of NPCs and intelligent creatures should also jibe with known facts about his, her, or its personality. If an NPC with the party has been portrayed as cowardly, he probably won't willingly march into the jaws of death. One noted for his slavish loyalty, on the other hand, might stand his ground, dying to protect his friends or master. There are many choices, and the AD&D game works best when a person, not the dice, makes the choice.


Dicing for Morale

Sometimes there are just too many things going on to keep track of all the motivations and reactions of the participants. For these times, use the following system to determine the morale of the creature or NPC. Never use this system for a player character!

First, do not check morale every round of a combat. Aside from the fact that this slows everything down, it also crates unbalanced and unrealistic battles. Everyone going into a fight expects a little danger. Only when the danger becomes too great should a morale check be rolled. Just when the DM rolls morale checks is a matter of judgment, but the following guidelines should prove useful.

Check Monster and NPC Morale When:

• The foes have been surprised, but only on the first round after surprise

• Faced by an obviously superior force

• An ally is slain by magic

• 25% of their group has fallen

• 50% of their group has fallen

• A companion is slain after more than 50% of the group has fallen

• Their leader deserts or is slain

• Fighting a creature they cannot harm due to magical protections

• Ordered to attempt a heroically dangerous task

• Offered temptation (bribe, chance to steal, etc.)*

• Told to act as a rear guard, such as covering a fighting withdrawal

• Directed to use up or use a charge from a personal powerful magical item*

• Given a chance to surrender (and have met the conditions for one other morale check)

• Completely surrounded

* In this case, the morale check can be used to see if they agree or refuse.

Obviously, following the guidelines above too strictly can lead to illogical situations. Players, once they've learned the conditions calling for morale checks, may try to abuse the rules. For example, they might think to offer surrender terms to every monster they meet, figuring the odds of the morale check might work out their way.

Don't let players get away with this, and don't let the dice overrule logical or drama. When 1st-level player characters offer surrender terms to an ancient red dragon (obviously hoping for a lucky break on the dice), remember what common sense is saying: "There ain't no way!"

How to Make a Morale Check

Table 49 lists the base morale number for various types of creatures. Table 50 lists conditions and situations that can modify this base morale number. To roll a morale check, find the rating that most closely matches the creature. Add or subtract the modifiers that apply to the situation. Some modifiers, such as the number of Hit Dice can be calculated in advance. Roll 2d10.

If the total rolled on the dice is equal to or less than the morale rating, the creature is unaffected and keeps fighting. If the roll is greater, the creature panics and flees, or it takes some other appropriate action.

Table 49:

Morale Ratings

Creature Type	Morale

Non-intelligent monster	18

Animal, normal and peaceful 	  3

Animal, normal predator	  7

Animal intelligence monster	12

Semi-intelligent monster	11

Low intelligence	10

Average 0-level human	  7

Mobs	  9

Militia	10

Green or disorganized troops	11

Regular soldiers	12

Elite soldiers	14

Hirelings	12

Henchmen	15

Table 50:

Situational Modifiers

Situation	      Modifier

Abandoned by friends	-6

Creature lost 25% of its hp*	-2

Creature lost 50% of its hp*	-4

Creature is chaotic	-1

Creature is fighting hated enemy	+4

Creature is lawful	+1

Creature was surprised	-2

Creatures are fighting wizards or magic-using foes	-2

Creatures with 1/2 HD or less	-2

Creatures with greater than 1/2 HD, but less than 1 HD	-1

Creatures with 4 to 8+ HD	+1

Creatures with 9 to 14+ HD	+2

Creatures with 15 or more HD	+3

Defending home	+3

Defensive terrain advantage	+1

Each additional check required in round**	-1

Leader is of different alignment	-1

Most powerful ally killed	-4

NPC has been favored	+2

NPC has been poorly treated	-4

No enemy slain	-2

Outnumbered by 3 or more to 1	-4

Outnumber opponent 3 or more to 1	+2

Unable to affect opponent***	-8

Wizard or magic-using creature on same side	+2

    * Or a group that has lost that percentage of monster or creatures.

  ** -1/check required.

*** Creatures protected from attack by magic or which require magic weapons to be struck and group does not possess these.


Failing a Morale Check

When a creature or NPC fails a morale check, its first concern is to escape or avoid whatever situation caused the check in the first place. If it is being overpowered in combat, it tries to flee. If the party's mage is blasting lightning bolts about, it tries to get away from him.

If there is no place to go, the NPC or monster, if it is intelligent enough, falls down and surrenders--provided it thinks the party is likely to spare its life. A goblin is not about to surrender to a bunch of bloodthirsty dwarves because it knows how kindly those dwarves treat captured goblins! Now, if there just happened to be a nice, compassionate-looking human there, the goblin might give up if the human could promise it safety.

How drastic a panicked creature's flight is depends on the DM's judgment and how much over the base morale the modified die roll was. If the roll was close to what was needed, the creature tries to back out of the combat and find safety nearby. If the morale check was blown badly, the creature just forgets everything and bugs out, casting aside anything that slows it down.

Lawful creatures normally try to fall back in some sort of organized manner--keeping together as a group or, at least, all fleeing to the same place. Chaotic creatures tend to break and run in any direction that promises safety.

Example of Morale: As the player characters slash through thick underbrush, they stumble across a band of 10 gnolls gnawing on roasted game birds. Neither group is surprised. An elf in the party shouts in the gnolls' language, "Surrender, you scum of the forest! You haven't a chance and we'll let you keep your miserable hides."

The DM refuses to roll a morale check, since the gnolls don't know if their enemies are strong or weak. Besides, the DM sees possibilities for a nice dramatic fight in this encounter.

Snarling, the gnolls hurl aside their badly cooked birds. The tallest one grunts out in the local tongue, "I think you wrong, tree-thing. We win fight. We take hides!" He hefts a great mace in his hands. The two groups attack. A furious, slashing battle ensues.

Suddenly, the mage of the party cuts loose with a magic missile spell, killing the largest of the gnolls. Now the DM rolls a morale check, both for the magic and the loss of the leader, applying appropriate modifiers.

The DM decides the gnolls are disorganized troops--a hunting party, not a war party. This gives them a base morale of 11. The gnolls have a -4 penalty (chaotic, fighting mages, and more than one check required in the round), giving an adjusted result of 7.

Two 10-sided dice are rolled, resulting in a 3 and a 2, for a total of 5. They pass the morale check, since the number rolled is less than their modified morale, and they decide to keep fighting.

In the next round, an NPC fighter with the party loses 25% of his hit points in wounds. The DM rolls a check for him as a hireling. His base morale is 12, but this is modified by -1 (+2 for mages on his side, -2 for his wounds, and -1 since his employer is lawful good and he is neutral), giving him a morale of 11. He rolls a total of 12--not good enough. He decides he's had enough and gets out of the fight, although he only goes so far as to hide behind a nearby tree and watch from safety.

  No morale checks are made for the player characters--players make their own decisions.


NPCs

Of all the things the DM does—judging combats, interpreting the actions of the player characters, creating adventures, assigning experience—of all the things he can possibly do, nothing is more important to the AD&D game than the creation and handling of nonplayer characters (NPCs). Without nonplayer characters, the AD&D game is nothing, an empty limbo. The AD&D game is a role-playing game, and for the players to role-play, they must have something or someone to interact with. That's what NPCs are for, to provide the player characters with friends, allies, and villains. Without these, role-playing would be very dull.

An NPC is any person or creature the player characters must deal with and that the DM has to role-play. The player characters must deal with a trap, but the DM doesn't role-play a trap. It's not an NPC. A charging dragon is an NPC—the DM acts out the part of the dragon and the players decide how their characters are going to react to it. There are times when the DM's role-playing choices are simple (run away or charge), but often the DM's roles are quite challenging.

For convenience, NPC encounters are generally divided into two broad categories: monsters (those living things that aren't player character races) and full NPCs (races the player characters commonly deal with). The range of reactions in a monster encounter is generally less than in a full NPC encounter.

The DM has to think of himself as a master actor, quick-change artist, and impressionist. Each NPC is a different role or part the DM must quickly assume. While this may be difficult at first, practice makes the task much easier. Each DM develops certain stock characters and learns the personalities of frequently used NPCs.

  There are many different categories of NPCs, but the most frequently encountered are common, everyday folk. Player characters deal with innkeepers, stablers, blacksmiths, minstrels, watchmen, petty nobles, and others, many of whom can be employed by player characters. These NPCs are grouped together as hirelings.

Table 69:

NPC Spell Costs

Spell Required	Minimum Cost

Astral spell	2,000 gp per person

Atonement	*

Augury	200 gp

Bless	*

Charm person	1,000 gp

Clairvoyance	50 gp per level of caster

Commune	*

Comprehend languages	50 gp

Contact other plane	5,000 gp + 1,000 per question

Continual light	1,000 gp

Control weather	20,000 gp

Cure blindness	500 gp

Cure disease	500 gp

Cure light wounds	10 gp per point healed

Cure serious wounds	20 gp per point healed

Cure critical wounds	40 gp per point healed

Detection spells (any)	100 gp

Dispel magic	100 gp per level of the caster

Divination	500 gp

Earthquake	*

Enchant an Item	20,000 gp plus other spells

ESP	500 gp

Explosive runes	1,000 gp

Find the path	1,000 gp

Fire trap	500 gp

Fools' gold	100 gp

Gate	*

Glyph of warding	100 gp per level of the caster

Heal	50 gp per point healed

Identify	1,000 gp per item or function

Invisible stalker	5,000 gp

Invisibility	500 gp

Legend Lore	1,000 gp

Limited wish	20,000 gp **

Magic mouth	300 gp

Mass charm	5,000 gp

Neutralize poison	100 gp

Permanency	20,000 gp **

Plane shift	*

Prayer	*

Protection from evil	20 gp per level of caster

Raise dead	*

Read magic	200 gp

Regenerate	20,000 gp

Reincarnation	*

Remove curse	100 gp per level of caster

Restoration	*

Slow poison	50 gp

Speak with dead	100 gp per level of caster

Suggestion	600 gp

Symbol	1,000 gp per level of caster

Teleport	2,000 gp per person

Tongues	100 gp

True seeing	5,000 gp

Wish	50,000 gp **

Wizard lock	50 gp per level of caster

  * This spell is normally cast only for those of similar faith or belief. Even then a payment or service may be required.

** Some exceptional service will also be required of the player character.


Hirelings

The most frequently employed NPC is the hireling. A hireling is a person who works for money. Most hirelings have fairly ordinary skills, while others are masters of a craft or art, and a few are experts of specialized adventuring skills. Typical hirelings include the following:

Archer	Architect

Armorer	Assassin

Baker	Blacksmith

Bladesmith	Foot Soldier

Jeweler	Laborer

Messenger	Minstrel

Sage	Sailor

Spy	Thief

Hirelings are always employed for a stated term of service or for the performance of a specific task. Thus, a mercenary contracts to serve for one season. A thief can be hired to steal a named item. A sage works to answer a single question. A blacksmith may indenture himself for a term of years. A sailor works for a single voyage. Quite often these contracts can be renewed without difficulty, but the only thing that binds a hireling to the player character is regular pay and good treatment. Hirelings do not serve a PC out of any great loyalty.

Thus there are some things hirelings will not do. Most hirelings do not foolishly risk their lives. There are soldiers willing to take their chances on the field of battle, but even these courageous (or foolish) few do not willingly undertake the greater hazards of adventuring. They man castle walls, guard caravans, collect taxes, and charge the massed foe well enough, but they often refuse to accompany a PC on an adventure. Even a hireling who regularly undertakes dangerous missions (a thief or an assassin, for example) normally refuses to join player character parties. These hirelings are loners. They contract to do a job and get it done in their own way, without interference from anyone else.

Hirelings are no more loyal than human nature allows. For the most part, if paid and treated well, with opportunities to realize their ambitions, working for a charismatic leader, hirelings can be relied on to do their jobs faithfully. But poor pay, injustice, discrimination, threats, abuse, and humiliation at the hands of their masters make them somewhat less than reliable. A smart leader sees to the comfort and morale of his men before his own concerns. With less savory characters--those hired to perform dark deeds--the player character takes even greater chances, especially given the questionable morals of such characters.

Whatever their personalities, hirelings generally need to make morale checks (explained in the DMG) whenever they are faced with a particularly dangerous situation or are offered a bribe or other temptation.

Finding hirelings is not difficult. People need jobs. It is simply a matter of advertising. Under normal circumstances, applicants respond to ads. Only when trying to employ vast numbers or hire those with unusual specialties (such as spies) does the process become complicated. Just what needs to be done in this situation depends entirely upon the DM's campaign. Your character may have to skulk through the unsavory bars of the waterfront, rely on questionable go-betweens, or pay a visit to the thieves' guild (if there is one). Just employing one of these characters can be a small adventure in itself.

  Employment costs of hirelings vary from a few gold pieces a month to thousands of gold pieces for an especially dangerous task. The skill and experience of a hireling has a great effect on his salary. A learned sage researching some obscure piece of lore can charge hefty sums. Costs can also be affected by the conditions of the campaign--the setting, the recent events of the world, and the reputations of the player characters (if any). Most hirelings sign on for what they think is fair. While few will turn down more money, most will drive the best bargain they can. Your DM has more information about employment costs, since he may need to alter these to fit his campaign.

There are three types of hirelings: common, experts, and soldiers. Common hirelings form the vast majority of any population, particularly in an agricultural community.

Common hirelings are farmers, millers, innkeepers, porters, and the like. While some of these professions require special knowledge, they don't, as a rule, require highly specialized training. These are the men and women whose work forms the base upon which civilized life is built.

Expert hirelings are those whose training is specialized. This group includes craftsmen, sages, spies, assassins, alchemists, animal trainers, and the like. Since not everyone is trained in these skills, few experts are available for hire, and these few earn more than the common hireling. Indeed, truly exotic experts (such as spies) are very rare and extremely expensive.

  The skills and abilities of expert hirelings can be determined by using the optional proficiency system given in the Player's Handbook. These define the limits of an expert's ability and, in general, the time needed to exercise many crafts.


Followers

More reliable than those who are motivated purely by money are those characters who, while they expect pay, were originally drawn into service by the reputation of the player character. These are followers, usually a unit of soldiers of one type or another. Followers serve only those of significant power and reputation, thus the construction of a stronghold is necessary to attract followers.

Followers have the same needs and limitations of hirelings. Most must be paid and well-treated. They also do not accompany the player characters on group adventures. They have some advantages over hirelings, however. Followers do not serve for a specific term of contract. They remain with the player character as long as their basic needs are met. They are more loyal than the average hireling and are treated as elite troops. Unlike most hirelings, followers can increase in level (although this occurs very slowly since they act only as soldiers). All followers in a unit advance to the next level at the same time. Finally, the player character need not seek out followers--they come to him, seeking out positions within his illustrious household.

Followers appear only once. Replacements do not arrive to fill the ranks of the fallen. (Massive losses of followers in combat only gives the character a bad reputation, discouraging others from flocking to his banner.) Player characters should take care of their followers, perhaps treating them as an elite bodyguard.

  Some characters attract unique followers such as animals or magical beings. Although termed followers, these creatures are more properly treated as henchmen in terms of loyalty and what they will and will not do. They do not count against the character's limit on henchmen, however, since they are technically followers.


Henchmen

Henchmen are much that hirelings are not. They are adventurers who serve out of loyalty. They are willing to risk their lives for those they respect. They are also hard to find.

Henchmen are powerful allies to a player character. Unlike hirelings, they have the nerve and ability to become powerful adventurers. Although they expect their share of treasure, they do not usually join a player character for money. They are attracted to the PC because of his reputation or other qualities he possesses. As such, henchmen cannot be expected to flock to the banner of a neophyte adventurer. He may gain himself one or two companions, but others come only when he has earned a greater reputation, met more people, and proven himself a true friend and ally to these NPCs.

Henchmen can come from any source. Most often they are at first mere hirelings or followers who, through distinctive actions, come to the attention of the player character. Some may be higher level, more skilled hirelings who develop a bond to the player character through long employment. Others may be followers who have sound advice for the player character.

A henchman is always of lower level than the PC. Should he ever equal or surpass the PC's level, the henchman leaves forever; it is time for him to try his luck in the real world. In some ways, the player character is the mentor and the henchman his student. When the student has learned as much as the teacher, it is time for him to go out on his own.

Henchmen are more than just loyal followers; they are friends and allies. Naturally, they expect to be treated as such. They have little need for those who do not trust them or treat them coldly. Abusiveness or taking advantage of the friendship quickly ends the relationship. Just as players must with their own friends, player characters must be sensitive to the needs and feelings of their henchmen. Furthermore, henchmen attach themselves to a particular player character, not a group of player characters. Thus it is only under the direst of circumstances that a henchman accepts the orders of another PC. Should his friend (the player character) fall, the henchman sees to his needs. He doesn't abandon him and continue on with the other player characters unless this is clearly the only way to aid his friend.

A PC's Charisma determines the maximum number of henchmen he can have. This is a lifetime limit, not just a maximum possible at any given time. In a world where the fallen can be restored to life, it is expected that a man would make this effort for his dearest friends, both player characters and henchmen. For example, Rupert the half-elf has had seven henchmen, but all have fallen for one reason or another. Rupert's Charisma is 15, so with the death of his latest henchman, no more come to join him. (Word has obviously gotten around that Rupert's friends tend to meet unpleasant ends, and he doesn't even have the decency to bring them back to life! Even if he had tried to raise his henchmen and failed, Rupert would still be viewed as a jinx, bad luck for those around him.)

Attracting a henchman is fairly difficult. One cannot advertise for friends with any great success. They grow and develop from other relationships. A henchman can be found by placing trust in a skilled hireling. Heroic deeds (saving the life of an NPC) can create a strong and instant bond. Love certainly can form this bond. The player and the DM must trust their own judgment to determine when an NPC becomes a henchman. There is no clear line an NPC must cross to make the transition from hireling to henchman. Instead, it is a slide from one status to the other.

Once an NPC becomes a henchman, the player gains a high degree of control over the character. He should be responsible for the record keeping for that character. It is almost, but not quite, like having a new PC for the player. If the DM allows it, the player can have all information regarding the abilities of the henchman, although the DM may choose not to reveal this information. The player is allowed to make nearly all decisions for the NPC, but the DM can overrule any action as being out of character.

There are certain things henchmen do not do. They do not give away or loan out magical items. They do not allow others free access to their spell books. They do not tolerate spell use that questions their loyalty (detect lie or know alignment cast upon them). They do not accept less than their due share. In general, within these limits, henchmen do what is desired of them. The DM can at any time dictate the actions of a henchman, since the character is still an NPC.

If a PC is not attentive to the wishes and needs of his henchmen, or if he abuses and humiliates them, he can expect the worst. This is the stuff mutinies and rebellions are made of. Should an abusive player character fall at the hands of a once-loyal henchman, he has only himself to blame.

  On the other hand, not all henchmen are paragons of loyalty. The player character must always be aware that henchmen are sometimes not what they seem. They can be a means to get at the player character. Throughout history, many a cruel and cunning villain has posed as a true companion, waiting for his chance to strike or spy on his friend.

Sooner or later, all players are going to discover the value of henchmen. However, knowing that henchmen are useful and playing them properly are just not the same. Misused and abused henchmen can quickly destroy much of the fun and challenge of a campaign.

  As stressed in the Player's Handbook, a henchman is more than just a hireling the player character can boss around. A henchman is a PC's friend, confidante, and ally. If this aspect of the NPC is not stressed and played well, the henchman quickly becomes nothing more than a cardboard character, depriving the DM of a tool he can use to create a complete role-playing experience. For the DM, a henchman is just that—a tool, a way of creating an exciting story for the player characters.


NPC Parties

To avoid delays, create NPC parties before play. The tables allow such parties to be set up quickly and impartially, and the DM is encouraged to make any changes that will enhance play. The tables should be considered a starting point.

A typical NPC party has 2-12 members -- 2-5 major characters and the rest henchmen or men-at-arms.

Characters: The Character Subtable provides a typical party structure by limiting number and classes of the NPC characters encountered. Determine character race (20% demihuman) and demihuman multiclasses on the Racial Subtable (multiclass results can exceed the Character Subtable limits).

Character Level and Equipment: These will usually be comparable to those of the player characters, but NPC level will rarely exceed 12th. Arms, armor, and equipment will be typical: a 1st level warrior would have scale or chain armor and minimal gear. At 2nd level, banded or plate mail is typical, weapons profuse, and equipment complete (much oil, holy water, mirrors, etc.). NPC magic will be used if a fight breaks out. Note that if the NPCs are defeated, their magical items will enter your campaign.

Character spells: These are selected by the DM according to those most suited to the NPC party. Wizards are subject to the limits of spells known. Henchmen spellcasters are treated likewise.

Henchmen: The major NPCs will have a total of 2-5 henchmen, up to the party size, with any remainder men-at-arms. If the encounter is below the 3rd dungeon level, all those with the major NPCs will be henchmen.

Henchman class and race is determined as for the major characters. Major NPCs are assigned henchmen in order of Charisma, allowing for compatibility (e.g., a paladin would not follow a thief, nor would a ranger below 8th level have henchmen). A henchman's level is one-third of that of his master (round up or down). If the master's level is above 8th, the henchman has 1 additional level per 3 full levels of the master. Thus, a 5th level mage would have a 2nd level henchman, while an 11th level mage would have a 5th level henchman (4 + 1). Henchmen are armed much as major NPCs, though they are not as heavily ar-

mored. Their magic is assigned as for major NPCs, but is usually less powerful.

Men-at-Arms: Little detail is needed for these other than hit points. They often have poor armor and few weapons: for example, studded leather, crossbow and dagger, or (at best) scale mail, shield, spear, long sword, and backpack. They are seldom found underground below the 3rd dungeon level.

Character Subtable

Dice Score	Character Type*	Maximum Number in Party

01-17	Cleric	3

18-20	Druid	2

21-60	Fighter	5

61-62	Paladin	2

63-65	Ranger	2

66-86	Wizard	3

87-88	Specialist	1

89-98	Thief	4

99-00	Bard 	1

* Typically, 20% of these will be non-human.

**Character hypertext jumps are to the Player’s Handbook entries

Race Subtable

Dice Score	Race	% of Multiclass

01-30	Dwarves*	15%

31-55	Elf	85%**

56-65	Gnomes*	25%

66-90	Half-Elf*	85%**

91-00	Halflings*	10%

*In an evilly aligned party, these will be half-orcs (elves will be renegade drow). The chance for a multiclass half-orc is 50%: fighter-thief (01-33), fighter-cleric (34-45), or cleric-thief (45-50).

**If the roll for multiclass is 01-20, the character is triple-classed.

***Race hypertext jumps are to the Player’s Handbook entries.

Multiclass levels: For two classes, subtract 1 level; for three classes, subtract 2 levels. Adjust each class downward to the racial maximum, if applicable.

Magical Items for NPC Parties

Level	Chance/No. of Items/Table

 1st	10%	/	1	/	I

 2nd	20%	/	2	/	I

 3rd	30%	/	2	/	I

10%	/	1	/	II

 4th	40%	/	2	/	I

20%	/	1	/	II

 5th	50%	/	2	/	I

30%	/	1	/	II

 6th	60%	/	3	/	I

40%	/	2	/	II

 7th	70%	/	3	/	I

50%	/	2	/	II

10%	/	1	/	III

 8th	80%	/	3	/	I

60%	/	2	/	II

20%	/	1	/	III

 9th	90%	/	3	/	I

70%	/	2	/	II

30%	/	1	/	III

10th	 *	/	3	/	I

80%	/	2	/	II

40%	/	1	/	III

11th	 *	/	3	/	I

90%	/	2	/	II

50%	/	1	/	III

10%	/	1	/	IV

12th	 *	/	3	/	I

 *	/	2	/	II

60%	/	1	/	III

20%	/	1	/	IV

13th+	 *	/	3	/	I

 *	/	2	/	II

 	 *	/	1	/	III

60%	/	1	/	IV

*	Automatically has this with no roll needed.

Use random determination only when any general magical item would be suitable to the individual. Note that some items are in groups or multiples.

Magical Items for Character Encounters

TABLE I

Die	Item (d20)

 1	2 Potions: flying, healing

 2	2 Potions: extra-healing, polymorph (self)

 3	2 Potions: fire resistance, speed

 4	2 Potions: healing, hill giant strength

 5	2 Potions: heroism, invulnerability

 6	2 Potions: human control, levitation

 7	2 Potions: animal control, diminution

 8	1 Scroll: 1 spell Level 1-6

 9	1 Scroll: 2 spells Level 1-4

10	1 Scroll: protection from magic

11	1 Ring: mammal control

12	1 Ring: protection +1

13	1 Armor: +1 leather

14	1 Shield: +1

15	1 Sword: +1(no special abilities)

16	10 Arrows: +1

17	4 Bolts: +1

18	1 Dagger: +1

19	1 Javelin: +2

20	1 Mace: +1

TABLE II

Die	Item (d20)

 1	2 Potions: oil of etherealness, superheroism

 2	2 Potions: ESP, gaseous form

 3	1 Scroll: 3 spells 2-9 or 3-7

 4	2 Rings: fire resistance, invisibility

 5	1 Ring: protection +2

 6	1 Staff: striking

 7	1 Wand: magic missiles

 8	1 Wand: wonder

 9	1 bracers of defense AC 4

10	1 brooch of shielding

11	1 cloak of elvenkind

12	1 dust of appearance

13	1 figurine: serpentine owl

14	3 javelins of lightning

15	1 jar keoghtom's ointment

16	1 robe of useful items

17	1 set: chain mail +1, shield +2

18	1 set: chain mail +3

19	1 Sword: +2(or +1 with abilities*

20	2 Weapons: crossbow of speed, hammer +1

TABLE III

Die	Item (d20)

 1	1 Ring: spell storing

 2	1 Ring: mind shielding

 3	1 Rod: cancellation

 4	1 Staff: command

 5	1 Wand: fear

 6	1 Wand: negation

 7	1 bag of tricks

 8       1 boots of speed

9	1 boots of striding and springing

10	1 cloak of displacement

11	1 necklace of missiles

12	1 pipes of the sewers

13	1 rope of climbing

14	1 rope of entanglement

15	1 scarab of protection

16	1 set: plate mail +2, shield +3

17	1 Shield: +5

18	1 Sword: +3(or +2 with abilities*)

19	1 Mace or hammer: +2

20	1 Spear: +2

TABLE IV

Die	Item (d20)

 1	1 Ring: djinni summoning

 2	1 Ring: human influence

 3	1 Ring: spell turning

 4	1 Rod: smiting

 5	1 Rod: terror

 6	1 Wand: lightning or fire

 7	1 Wand: illusion

 8	1 Staff: thunder & lightning

 9	1 amulet of life protection

10	1 cube of force

11	1 deck of illusions

12	1 eyes of charming

13	1 helm of teleportation

14	1 horn of blasting

15	1 robe of blending

16	1 stone of good luck

17	1 set: plate mail +3, shield +4

18	1 Sword: +4(or +3 with abilities*)

19	1 Arrow: of slaying (character class)

20	1 Net: of entrapment

•	Intelligence, if any, will not exceed 16.


Racial Adjustments and Restrictions

Racial Ability Adjustments

If you chose to make your character a dwarf, elf, gnome, or halfling, you now have to adjust some of your character's ability scores. The adjustments are mandatory; all characters of these races receive the adjustments. Even if adjustments raise or lower your character's ability scores beyond the minimums and maximums shown on Table 7, you do not have to pick a new race. The adjustments can also raise a score to 19 or lower it to 2.

Table 7:

Racial Ability Requirements

Ability	Dwarf	 Elf	Gnome	Half-Elf	Halfling

Strength	 8/18	3/18	  6/18	   3/18	 	   7/18 *

Dexterity	 3/17	6/18	  3/18	   6/18	 	   7/18

Constitution	11/18	7/18	  	  8/18	   6/18	  10/18

Intelligence	 3/18	8/18	  6/18	   4/18	   6/18

Wisdom	 3/18	3/18	  3/18	   3/18	 	   3/17

Charisma	 3/17	8/18	  3/18	   3/18	 	   3/18

* Halfling fighters do not roll for exceptional Strength.

Table 8:

Racial Ability Adjustments

Race	Adjustments

Dwarf	+1 Constitution; -1 Charisma

Elf	+1 Dexterity; -1 Constitution

Gnome	+1 Intelligence; -1 Wisdom

Halfling	+1 Dexterity; -1 Strength


Racial Level Restrictions

In addition to unlimited class choice, humans can attain any level in any class. Once again, this is a human special ability, something no other race has. In the AD&D game, humans are more motivated by ambition and the desire for power than the demihuman races are. Thus, humans advance further and more quickly.

Demihumans can attain significant levels in certain classes, but they do not have the same unlimited access. Some players may argue that the greater age of various non-humans automatically means they will attain greater levels. That can present problems.

Demihuman characters are limited in how high a level they can achieve both to preserve internal consistency (humans are more flexible than non-humans) and to enforce game balance. A DM, however, can change or eliminate these limits as he sees fit. As with class restrictions, the consequences must be examined in detail.

Given their extremely long lifespans, demihumans without limitations would quickly reach levels of power far beyond anything attainable by humans. The world would be dominated by these extremely powerful beings, to the exclusion of humans. Human heroes would be feeble compared to the heroes of elves and dwarves.

Given their numerous advantages, demihumans would be the most attractive races--no one would play a human. Again, this isn't necessarily bad, but it's very different. The resulting game will be completely unlike the standard sword-and-sorcery milieu. You might need to set the campaign in an ancient age, before the ascendance of men (though given the situation, it's unlikely that men would ever become dominant).

Table 7:

Racial Class and Level Limits*

Character Class	Character Races

 	Human       Dwarf        Elf       Gnome      Half-elf      Halfling

Bard	     U	–	  –	     –	U	       –

Cleric	     U	10	  12	     9	14	       8

Druid	     U	–	  –	     –	9	       –

Fighter	     U	15	  12	   11	14	       9

Illus.	     U	–	  –	   15	–	       –

Mage	     U	–	  15	     –	12	       –

Paladin	     U	–	  –	     –	–	       –

Ranger	     U	–	  15	     –	16	       –

Thief	     U	12	  12	   13	12	     15

U  A player character can advance to the maximum possible level in a given class. The Player's Handbook gives rules for advancing the player characters to 20th level.

–   A player character cannot belong to the listed class.

* Player characters with less than exceptional prime requisites cannot advance beyond the listed level.

Exceeding Level Limits (Optional Rule)

Demihuman characters with extremely high ability scores in their prime requisites can exceed the racial maximum levels. In cases where multiple prime requisites exist, the lowest prime requisite is used to calculate any additional levels.

The bonus levels available to characters with high prime requisite scores are summarized on Table 8. The additional levels listed in Table 8 are added to the normal maximum allowed, regardless of what class or race is involved.

For example, a half-elf is limited to 12th level as a thief. A half-elf thief with a Dexterity score of 17, however, is allowed two bonus levels, so he could advance to 14th level.

Table 8:

Prime Requisite Bonuses

Ability Score	Additional Levels

14, 15	+1

16, 17	+2

18	+3

  19	+4


Chance to Hear Noise by Race

Dwarf	Elf	Gnome

15% (3)	20% (4)	25% (5)

Half-elf	Halfling	Human

15% (3)	20% (4)	15% (3)

Of course, the chance to hear noise given above represents more or less optimum conditions—helmet off, not moving, and all others remaining relatively still for one round while the character stands and tries to hear noises carried on the breeze or down a hallway. Under such conditions, the character will get a relatively clear idea of the nature of the noise—animal grunts, slithering, speech (including language and race), and perhaps even words.

Less than perfect conditions don't alter the chance to hear (which is low enough) but can affect the clarity. Some, like the muffling effect of doors or the echoing of stone passages, may still allow the character to hear a noise reasonably well, but may prevent precise identification.

In some situations, a character can hear muttering, growls, panting, or voices, but may be unable to identify the issuer of the sounds. The character would know there is something ahead, but wouldn't know what. In other situations, the chance to hear anything at all may be affected. Extreme cases can give you the excuse to provide misinformation. Guttural speech may sound like growls, the moaning wind could become a scream, etc.

In some cases a check is necessary even when the character is not attempting to discern some unknown noise. The character tries to hear the shouted words of a pirate captain over the raging storm. He can see the captain and can clearly tell the man is speaking. Indeed, the captain may even be speaking to him. However, a hearing check should be made to find out if the character can make out the captain's words over the fury of the storm. If the character were a little closer, the storm a little less, or the captain's lungs exceptionally strong, the character's chance of success would be increased.

In all cases, hearing a noise takes time. The amount of time spent listening to the captain is obviously the time it takes him to speak his peace. Standing and hearing noise in a corridor or at a door requires a round, with the entire party remaining still.

Furthermore, a character can make repeated checks in hopes of hearing more or gaining more information. However, once a character fails a check, he will not hear anything (even if he immediately makes a successful check on the next round) unless there is a substantial improvement in the conditions. The group will have to move closer, open the door, or take some other action to allow a new check.

If a check is successful, the character can keep listening to learn more. This requires continued checks, during which the player can attempt to discern specifies—number, race, nature of beast, direction, approaching or retreating, and perhaps even bits of conversation. The player states what he is trying to learn and a check is made.

Trying to overhear things this way is less than reliable. Thieves should not be allowed to use their hear-noise ability like super-sensitive microphones!


The Saving Throw
Saving Throws

The saving throw is a die roll that gives a chance, however slim, that the character or creature finds some way to save himself from certain destruction (or at least lessen the damage of a successful attack).

  More often than not, the saving throw represents an instinctive act on the part of the character--diving to the ground just as a fireball scorches the group, blanking the mind just as a mental battle begins, blocking the worst of an acid spray with a shield. The exact action is not important--DMs and players can think of lively and colorful explanations of why a saving throw succeeded or failed. Explanations tailored to the events of the moment enhance the excitement of the game.

Rolling Saving Throws

To make a saving throw, a player rolls a 20-sided die (1d20). The result must be equal to or greater than the character's saving throw number. The number a character needs to roll varies depending upon the character's group, his level, and what the character is trying to save himself from. A character's saving throw numbers can be found in Table 60.

Saving throws are made in a variety of situations: For attacks involving paralyzation, poison, or death magic; petrification or polymorph; rod, staff, or wand; breath weapon; and spells. The type of saving throw a character must roll is determined by the specific spell, monster, magical item, or situation involved.

  Monsters also use Table 60. The DM has specific information about monster saving throws.

Table 60:

Character Saving Throws

Attack to be Saved Against

Paralyzation,

Character Class and	Poison, or	Rod, Staff,	Petrification	Breath

Experience Level	Death Magic	or Wand	or Polymorph*	Weapon**	Spell***

Priests

1-3	10	   	14	13	16	15

4-6	  9	   	13	12	15	14

7-9	  7	   	11	10	13	12

10-12	  6	   	10	  9	12	11

13-15	  5	   	  9	  8	11	10

16-18	  4	   	  8	  7	10	  9

19+	  2	   	  6	  5	  8	  7

Rogues

1-4	13	   	14	12	16	15

5-8	12  	   	12	11	15	13

9-12	11	   	10	10	14	11

13-16	10	   	  8	  9	13	  9

17-20	  9	     	  6	  8	12	  7

21+	  8	     	  4 	  7	11	  5

Warriors

0	16	   	18	17	20	19

1-2	14	   	16	15	17	17

3-4	13	   	15	14	16	16

5-6	11	   	13	12	13	14

7-8	10	   	12	11	12	13

9-10	  8	   	10	  9	  9	11

11-12	  7	   	  9	  8	  8	10

13-14	  5	   	  7	  6	  5	  8

15-16	  4	    	  6	  5	  4	  7

17+	  3	    	  5	  4	  4	  6

Wizards

1-5	14	   	11	13	15	12

6-10	13	   	  9	11	13	10

11-15	11	   	  7	  9	11	  8

16-20	10	   	  5	  7	  9	  6

21+	  8	   	  3	  5	  7	  4

*Excluding polymorph wand attacks.

**Excluding those that cause petrification or polymorph.

   ***Excluding those for which another saving throw type is specified, such as death, petrification, polymorph, etc.


Saving Throw Priority

Sometimes the type of saving throw required by a situation or item isn't clear, or more than one category of saving throw may seem appropriate. For this reason, the saving throw categories in Table 60 are listed in order of importance, beginning with paralyzation, poison, and death magic, and ending with spells.

Imagine that Rath is struck by the ray from a wand of polymorphing. Both a saving throw vs. wands and a saving throw vs. polymorph would be appropriate. But Rath must roll a saving throw vs. wands because that category has a higher priority than polymorph.

The categories of saving throws are as follows:

Save vs. Paralyzation, Poison, and Death Magic: This is used whenever a character is affected by a paralyzing attack (regardless of source), poison (of any strength), or certain spells and magical items that otherwise kill the character outright (as listed in their descriptions). This saving throw can also be used in situations in which exceptional force of will or physical fortitude are needed.

Save vs. Rod, Staff, or Wand: As its name implies, this is used whenever a character is affected by the powers of a rod, staff, or wand, provided another save of higher priority isn't called for. This saving throw is sometimes specified for situations in which a character faces a magical attack from an unusual source.

Save vs. Petrification or Polymorph: This is used any time a character is turned to stone (petrified) or polymorphed by a monster, spell, or magical item (other than a wand). It can also be used when the character must withstand some massive physical alteration of his entire body.

Save vs. Breath Weapon: A character uses this save when facing monsters with breath weapons, particularly the powerful blast of a dragon. This save can also be used in situations where a combination of physical stamina and Dexterity are critical factors in survival.

  Save vs. Spell: This is used whenever a character attempts to resist the effects of a magical attack, either by a spellcaster or from a magical item, provided no other type of saving throw is specified. This save can also be used to resist an attack that defies any other classification.


Magical Items that Effect Saving Throws

Stone of Good Luck (Luckstone): This magical stone is typically a bit of rough polished agate or similar mineral. Its possessor gains a +1 (+5% where applicable) on all dice rolls involving factors such as saving, slipping, dodging, etc.—whenever dice are rolled to find whether the character suffers from some adverse happening. This luck does not affect attack and damage rolls or spell failure dice.

Additionally, the luckstone gives the possessor a +/- 1% to 10% (at owner's option) on rolls for determination of magical items or diversion of treasure. The most favorable results will always be gained with a stone of good luck.

Cloak of Protection: The various forms of this marvelous device all appear to be normal garments made of cloth or leather. However, each plus of a cloak of protection betters Armor Class by one and adds one to saving throw die rolls. Thus, a cloak +1 would lower Armor Class 10 (no armor) to Armor Class 9, and give a +1 bonus to saving throw rolls. To determine how powerful a given cloak is, roll percentile dice and consult the table below:

D100

Roll	Power

01-35	cloak +1

36-65	cloak +2

66-85	cloak +3

86-95	cloak +4

96-00	cloak +5

  This device can be combined with other items or worn with leather armor. It cannot function in conjunction with any sort of magical armor, normal armor not made of leather, or with a shield of any sort.

Ring of Protection: A ring of protection improves the wearer's Armor Class value and saving throws versus all forms of attack. A ring +1 betters AC by 1 (say, from 10 to 9) and gives a bonus of +1 on saving throw die rolls. The magical properties of a ring of protection are cumulative with all other magical items of protection except as follows:

1. The ring does not improve Armor Class if magical armor is worn, although it does add to saving throw die rolls.

2. Multiple rings of protection operating on the same person, or in the same area, do not combine protection. Only one such ring—the strongest—functions, so a pair of protection rings +2 provides only +2 protection.

To determine the value of a protection ring, use the following table:

D100

Roll	Level of Protection

01-70	+1

71-82	+2

   83	+2, 5-foot radius protection

84-90	+3

   91	+3, 5-foot radius protection

92-97	+4 on AC, +2 to saving throws

98-00	+6 on AC, +1 to saving throws

  The radius bonus of 5 feet extends to all creatures within its circle, but applies only to their saving throws (i.e., only the ring wearer gains Armor Class additions).

Periapt of Proof Against Poison: The periapt of proof against poison is indistinguishable from other periapts. The character who has one of these magical gems is allowed a saving throw vs. poison that normally disallow any such opportunity. The Special Save column on the table below lists the saving throw for such poisons. The owner rolls against his normal score for poisons which are usually at a penalty, and gets a plus on all other poison saves. Roll 1d20 and consult the table below to determine the effectiveness of a particular periapt:

D20	Special	Plus of

Roll	Save	Periapt

1-8	19	+1

9-14	17	+2

15-18	15	+3

19-20	13	+4


Special Damage

Getting hit by weapons or monsters isn't the only way a character can get hurt. Indeed, the world is full of dangers for poor, hapless player characters, dangers the DM can occasionally spring on them with glee. Some of the nastier forms of damage are described below.

Falling

Player characters have a marvelous (and, to the DM, vastly amusing) tendency to fall off things, generally from great heights and almost always onto hard surfaces. While the falling is harmless, the abrupt stop at the end tends to cause damage.

When a character falls, he suffers 1d6 points of damage for every 10 feet fallen, to a maximum of 20d6 (which for game purposes can be considered terminal velocity).

This method is simple and it provides all the realism necessary in the game. It is not a scientific calculation of the rate of acceleration, exact terminal velocity, mass, impact energy, etc., of the falling body.

The fact of the matter is that physical laws may describe the exact motion of a body as it falls through space, but relatively little is known about the effects of impact. The distance fallen is not the only determining factor in how badly a person is hurt. Other factors may include elasticity of the falling body and the ground, angle of impact, shock wave through the falling body, dumb luck, and more.

People have actually fallen from great heights and survived, albeit very rarely. The current record-holder, Vesna Vulovic, survived a fall from a height of 33,330 feet in 1972, although she was severely injured. Flight-Sergeant Nicholas S. Alkemade actually fell 18,000 feet--almost 3.5 miles--without a parachute and landed uninjured!

The point of all this is roll the dice, as described above, and don't worry too much about science.


Paralysis

A character or creature affected by paralysis becomes totally immobile for the duration of the spell's effect. The victim can breathe, think, see, and hear, but he is unable to speak or move in any manner. Coherent thought needed to trigger magical items or innate powers is still possible.

Paralysis affects only the general motor functions of the body and is not the ultimate destroyer of powerful creatures. It can be particularly potent on flying creatures, however.

The adventurers encounter a beholder, a fearsome creature with magical powers that emanate from its many eyes.

After several rounds of combat, the party's priest casts a hold monster spell, paralyzing the creature. The paralyzed beholder can still use the spell-like powers of its eyes and can still move about (since it levitates at will). But, on the other hand, it is not able to move its eyestalks to aim. Since all of its eyes were most likely facing forward at the moment of paralysis, the adventurers cleverly spread out in a ring around the creature. To attack one or two of them with its powers, the beholder must turn its back on the rest.


Energy Drain

This is a feature of powerful undead (and other particularly nasty monsters). The energy drain is a particularly horrible power, since it causes the loss of one or more experience levels!

When a character is hit by an energy-draining creature, he suffers normal damage from the attack. In addition, the character loses one or more levels (and thus, Hit Dice and hit points). For each level lost, roll the Hit Dice appropriate to the character's class and subtract that number of hit points from the character's total (subtract the Constitution bonus also, if applicable). If the level(s) lost was one in which the character received a set number of hit points rather than a die roll, subtract the appropriate number of hit points. The adjusted hit point total is now the character's maximum (i.e., hit points lost by energy drain are not taken as damage but are lost permanently).

The character's experience points drop to halfway between the minimum needed for his new (post-drain) level and the minimum needed for the next level above his new level.

Multi-class and dual-class characters lose their highest level first. If both levels are equal, the one requiring the greater number of experience points is lost first.

All powers and abilities gained by the player character by virtue of his former level are immediately lost, including spells. The character must instantly forget any spells that are in excess of those allowed for his new level. In addition, a wizard loses all understanding of spells in his spell books that are of higher level than he can now cast. Upon regaining his previous level, the spellcaster must make new rolls to see if he can relearn a spell, regardless of whether he knew it before.

If a character is drained to 0 level but still retains hit points (i.e., he is still alive), that character's adventuring career is over. He cannot regain levels and has lost all benefits of a character class. The adventurer has become an ordinary person. A restoration or wish spell can be used to allow the character to resume his adventuring career. If a 0-level character suffers another energy drain, he is slain instantly, regardless of the number of hit points he has remaining.

If the character is drained to less than 0 levels (thereby slain by the undead), he returns as an undead of the same type as his slayer in 2d4 days. The newly risen undead has the same character class abilities it had in normal life, but with only half the experience it had at the beginning of its encounter with the undead who slew it.

The new undead is automatically an NPC! His goals and ambitions are utterly opposed to those he held before. He possesses great hatred and contempt for his former colleagues, weaklings who failed him in his time of need. Indeed, one of his main ambitions may be to destroy his former companions or cause them as much grief as possible.

Furthermore, the newly undead NPC is under the total control of the undead who slew it. If this master is slain, its undead minions gain one level for each level they drain from victims until they reach the maximum Hit Dice for their kind. Upon reaching full Hit Dice, these undead are able to acquire their own minions (by slaying characters).

Appropriate actions on the part of the other player characters can prevent a drained comrade from becoming undead. The steps necessary vary with each type of undead and are explained in the monster descriptions in the Monstrous Manual supplement.


 Poison

This is an all-too frequent hazard faced by player characters. Bites, stings, deadly potions, drugged wines, and bad food all await characters at the hands of malevolent wizards, evil assassins, hideous monsters, and incompetent innkeepers. Spiders, snakes, centipedes, scorpions, wyverns, and certain giant frogs all have poisons deadly to characters. Wise PCs quickly learn to respect and fear such creatures.

The strength of different poisons varies wildly and is frequently overestimated. The bite of the greatly feared black widow spider kills a victim in the United States only once every other year. Only about 2% of all rattlesnake bites prove fatal.

At the other extreme, there are natural poisons of intense lethality. Fortunately, such poisons tend to be exotic and rare--the golden arrow-poison frog, the western taipan snake, and the stonefish all produce highly deadly poisons.

Furthermore, the effect of a poison depends on how it is delivered. Most frequently, it must be injected into the bloodstream by bite or sting. Other poisons are only effective if swallowed; assassins favor these for doctoring food. By far the most deadly variety, however, is contact poison, which need only touch the skin to be effective.

Paralytic poisons leave the character unable to move for 2d6 hours. His body is limp, making it difficult for others to move him. The character suffers no other ill effects from the poison, but his condition can lead to quite a few problems for his companions.

Debilitating poisons weaken the character for 1d3 days. All of the character's ability scores are reduced by half during this time. All appropriate adjustments to attack rolls, damage, Armor Class, etc., from the lowered ability scores are applied during the course of the illness. Furthermore, the character moves at one-half his normal movement rate. Finally, the character cannot heal by normal or magical means until the poison is neutralized or the duration of the debilitation is elapsed.

Table 51:

Poison Strength

Class	Method	Onset	Strength

A	Injected	10-30 minutes	15/0

B	Injected	2-12 minutes	20/1-3

C	Injected	2-5 minutes	25/2-8

D	Injected	1-2 minutes	30/2-12

E	Injected	Immediate	Death/20

F	Injected	Immediate	Death/0

G	Ingested	2-12 hours	20/10

H	Ingested	1-4 hours	20/10

I	Ingested	2-12 minutes	30/15

J	Ingested	1-4 minutes	Death/20

K	Contact	2-8 minutes	5/0

L	Contact	2-8 minutes	10/0

M	Contact	1-4 minutes	20/5

N	Contact	1 minute	Death/25

O	Injected	2-24 minutes	Paralytic

P	Injected	1-3 hours	Debilitative

Method: The method is the new way in which the poison must normally be used to have full effect. Injected and ingested have no effect on contact. Contact poisons have full effect even if swallowed or injected, since both are forms of contact. Injected or ingested poisons have half their normal effect if administered in the opposite manner, resulting in the save damage being applied if the saving throw is failed and no damage occurring if the saving throw is successful.

Onset: Most poisons require time to work their way through the system to reach the areas they affect. Onset is the time that elapses before the poison's effect is felt. The effect of immediate poisons is felt at the instant the poison is applied.

Strength: The number before the slash lists the hit points of damage suffered if the saving throw is failed. The number after the slash lists the damage taken (if any) if the saving throw is successful. Where "death" is listed, all hit points are immediately lost, killing the victim. Note that in some cases a character may roll a successful saving throw and still die from the hit point loss.

Not all poisons need cause damage. Two other common effects of poison are to paralyze or debilitate a victim.

Paralytic poisons leave the character unable to move for 2d6 hours. His body is limp, making it difficult for others to move him. The character suffers no other ill effects from the poison, but his condition can lead to quite a few problems for his companions.

Debilitating poisons weaken the character for 1d3 days. All of the character's ability scores are reduced by half during this time. All appropriate adjustments to attack rolls, damage, Armor Class, etc., from the lowered ability scores are applied during the course of the illness. In addition, the character moves at one-half his normal movement rate. Finally, the character cannot heal by normal or magical means until the poison is neutralized or the duration of the debilitation is elapsed.

Treating Poison Victims

Fortunately, there are many ways a character can be treated for poison. Several spells exist that either slow the onset time, enabling the character the chance to get further treatment, or negate the poison entirely.

  However, cure spells (including heal) do not negate the progress of a poison, and the neutralize poison spell doesn't recover hit points already lost to the effects of poison. In addition, characters with the herbalism proficiency can take steps to reduce the danger poison presents to player characters.


Spell Lists

Wizard Spells—Player’s Handbook

1st Level

Affect Normal Fires

Alarm

Armor

Audible Glamer

Burning Hands

Cantrip

Change Self

Charm Person

Chill Touch

Color Spray

Comprehend Languages

Dancing Lights

Detect Magic

Detect Undead

Enlarge

Erase

Feather Fall

Find Familiar

Friends

Gaze Reflection

Grease

Hold Portal

Hypnotism

Identify

Jump

Light

Magic Missile

Mending

Message

Mount

Nystal's Magic Aura

Phantasmal Force

Protection From Evil

Read Magic

Shield Spell

Shocking Grasp

Sleep

Spider Climb

Spook

Taunt

Tenser's Floating Disc

Unseen Servant

Ventriloquism

Wall of Fog

Wizard Mark

2nd Level—Wizard Spells, Player’s Handbook

Alter Self

Bind

Blindness

Blur

Continual Light

Darkness 15' Radius

Deafness

Deeppockets

Detect Evil

Detect Invisibility

ESP

Flaming Sphere

Fog Cloud

Fool's Gold

Forget

Glitterdust

Hypnotic Pattern

Improved Phantasmal Force

Invisibility

Irritation

Knock

Know Alignment

Leomund's Trap

Levitate

Locate Object

Magic Mouth

Melf's Acid Arrow

Mirror Image

Misdirection

Protection From Cantrips

Pyrotechnics

Ray of Enfeeblement

Rope Trick

Scare

Shatter

Spectral Hand

Stinking Cloud

Strength

Summon Swarm

Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter

Web

Whispering Wind

Wizard Lock

3rd Level—Wizard Spells, Player’s Handbook

Blink

Clairaudience

Clairvoyance

Delude

Dispel Magic

Explosive Runes

Feign Death

Fireball

Flame Arrow

Fly

Gust of Wind

Haste

Hold Person

Hold Undead

Illusionary Script

Infravision

Invisibility, 10' Radius

Item

Leomund's Tiny Hut

Lightning Bolt

Melf's Minute Meteors

Monster Summoning I

Nondetection

Phantom Steed

Protection From Evil, 10’ Radius

Protection From Normal Missiles

Secret Page

Sepia Snake Sigil

Slow

Spectral Force

Suggestion

Tongues

Vampiric Touch

Water Breathing

Wind Wall

Wraithform

4th Level—Wizard Spells, Player’s Handbook

Charm Monster

Confusion

Contagion

Detect Scrying

Dig

Dimension Door

Emotion

Enchanted Weapon

Enervation

Evard's Black Tentacles

Extension I

Fear

Fire Charm

Fire Shield

Fire Trap

Fumble

Hallucinatory Terrain

Ice Storm

Illusionary Wall

Improved Invisibility

Leomund's Secure Shelter

Magic Mirror

Massmorph

Minor Creation

Minor Globe of Invulnerability

Monster Summoning II

Otiliuke's Resilient Sphere

Phantasmal Killer

Plant Growth

Polymorph Other

Polymorph Self

Rainbow Pattern

Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer

Remove Curse

Shadow Monster

Shout

Solid Fog

Stoneskin

Vacancy

Wall of Fire

Wall of Ice

Wizard Eye

5th Level—Wizard Spells, Player’s Handbook

Advanced Illusion

Airy Water

Animal Growth

Animate Dead

Avoidance

Bigby's Interposing Hand

Chaos

Cloudkill

Cone of Cold

Conjure Elemental

Contact Other Plane

Demishadow Monsters

Dismissal

Distance Distortion

Domination

Dream

Extension II

Fabricate

False Vision

Feeblemind

Hold Monster

Leomund's Lamentable Belaborment

Leomund's Secret Chest

Magic Jar

Major Creation

Monster Summoning III

Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound

Passwall

Seeming

Sending

Shadow Door

Shadow Magic

Stone Shape

Summon Shadow

Telekinesis

Teleport

Transmute Rock to Mud

Wall of Force

Wall of Iron

Wall of Stone

6th Level—Wizard Spells, Player’s Handbook

Antimagic Shell

Bigby's Forceful Hand

Chain Lightning

Conjure Animals

Contingency

Control Weather

Death Fog

Death Spell

Demishadow Magic

Disintegrate

Enchant an Item

Ensarement

Extension III

Eyebite

Geas

Glassee

Globe of Invulnerability

Guards and Wards

Invisible Stalker

Legend Lore

Lower Water

Mass Suggestion

Mirage Arcana

Mislead

Monster Summoning IV

Mordenkainen's Lucubration

Move Earth

Otiluke's Freezing Sphere

Part Water

Permanent Illusion

Programmed Illusion

Project Image

Reincarnation

Repulsion

Shades

Stone to Flesh

Tenser's Tranformation

Transmute Water to Dust

True Seeing

Veil

7th Level—Wizard Spells, Player’s Handbook

Banishment

Bigby's Grasping Hand

Charm Plants

Control Undead

Delayed Blast Fireball

Drawmij's Instant Summons

Duo-Dimension

Finger of Death

Forcecage

Limited Wish

Mass Invisibility

Monster Summoning V

Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion

Mordenkainen's Sword

Phase Door

Power Word Stun

Prismatic Spray

Reverse Gravity

Sequester

Shadow Walk

Simulacrum

Spell Turning

Statue

Teleport Without Error

Vanish

Vision

8th Level—Wizard Spells, Player’s Handbook

Antipathy-Sympathy

Bigby's Clenched Fist

Binding

Clone

Demand

Glassteel

Incendiary Cloud

Mass Charm

Maze

Mind Blank

Monster Summoning VI

Otiluke's Telekinetic Sphere

Otto's Irresistable Dance

Permanency

Polymorph Any Object

Power Word, Blind

Prismatic Wall

Screen

Serten's Spell Immunity

Sink

Symbol

Trap the Soul

9th Level—Wizard Spells, Player’s Handbook

Astral Spell

Bigby's Crushing Hand

Crystalbrittle

Energy Drain

Foresight

Gate

Imprisonment

Meteor Swarm

Monster Summoning VII

Mordenkainen's Disjunction

Power Word, Kill

Prismatic Sphere

Shape Change

Succor

Temporal Stasis

Time Stop

Weird

Wish

*	Italicized spells are reversible.


Spell Lists--Wizard Spells--Tome of Magic
Wizard Spells—Tome of Magic

1st Level

Conjure Spell Component

Fire Burst

Fist of Stone

Hornung's Guess*

Lasting Breath

Metamorphose Liquids

Murdock's Feathery Flyer

Nahal's Reckless Dweomer*

Patternweave*

2nd Level—Wizard Spells, Tome of Magic

Chaos Shield*

Hornung's Baneful Deflector*

Insatiable Thirst

Maximilian's Earthen Grasp

Nahal's Nonsensical Nullifier*

Past Life

Protection From Paralysis

Ride the Wind

Sense Shifting

3rd Level—Wizard Spells, Tome of Magic

Alacrity

Alamir's Fundemental Breakdown

Alternate Reality*

Augmentation I

Far Reaching I

Fireflow*

Fool's Speech*

Lorloveim's Creeping Shadow

Maximilian's Stoney Grasp

Minor Malison

Spirit Armor

Squaring the Circle

Watery Double

Wizard Sight

4th Level—Wizard Spells, Tome of Magic

Dilation I

Divination Enhancement

Far Reaching II

Greater Malison

Locate Creature

Mask of Death

Minor Spell Turning

Mordinkainen's Celerity

Summon Lycanthrope

There/Not There*

Thunder Staff

Turn Pebble to Boulder

Unluck*

5th Level—Wizard Spells, Tome of Magic

Far Reaching III

Khazid's Procurement

Lower Resistance

Magic Staff

Mind Fog

Safeguarding

Von Gasik's Refusal

Vortex*

Waveform*

6th Level—Wizard Spells, Tome of Magic

Augmentation II

Bloodstone's Spectral Steed

Claws of the Umber Hulk

Dilation II

Forest's Fiery Constrictor

Lorloveim's Shadowy Transformation

Wildshield*

Wildstrike*

7th Level—Wizard Spells, Tome of Magic

Acid Storm

Bloodstone's Frightful Joining

Hatch the Stone from the Egg

Hornung's Surge Selector*

Intensify Summoning

Malec-Keth's Flame Fist

Shadowcat

Spell Shape*

Steal Enchantment

Suffocate

8th Level—Wizard Spells, Tome of Magic

Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting

Air Boat

Gunther's Kaleidoscopic Strike

Homunculus Shield

Hornung's Random Dispatcher*

Wildzone*

9th Level—Wizard Spells, Tome of Magic

Chain Contingency

Elemental Aura

Estate Transference

Glorious Tranmutation

Stablize*

Wail of the Banshee

Wildfire*

Wildwind*

Italicized spell is reversible.

An asterisk (*) indicates a wild magic spell.


Spell Lists--Priest Spells--Player's Handbook
Priest Spells—Player’s Handbook

1st Level

Animal Friendship

Bless

Combine

Command

Create Water

Cure Light Wounds

Detect Evil

Detect Magic

Detect Poison

Detect Snares and Pits

Endure Cold/Endure Heat

Entangle Spell

Faerie Fire

Invisibility to Animals

Invisibility to Undead

Light

Locate Animals or Plants

Magical Stone

Pass Without Trace

Protection From Evil

Purify Food & Drink

Remove Fear

Sanctuary

Shillelagh

2nd Level—Priest Spells, Player’s Handbook

Aid

Augury

Barkskin

Chant

Charm Person

Detect Charm

Dust Devil

Enthrall

Find Traps

Fire Trap

Flame Blade

Goodberry

Heat Metal

Hold Person

Know Alignment

Messenger

Obscurement

Produce Flame

Resist Fire/Resist Cold

Silence, 15' Radius

Slow Poison

Snake Charm

Speak With Animals

Spiritual Hammer

Trip

Warp Wood

Withdraw

Wyvern Watch

3rd Level—Priest Spells, Player’s Handbook

Animate Dead

Call Lightning

Continual Light

Create Food & Drink

Cure Blindness

Cure Disease

Dispel Magic

Feign Death

Flame Walk

Glyph of Warding

Hold Animal

Locate Object

Magical Vestment

Meld Into Stone

Negative Plane Protection

Plant Growth

Prayer

Protection From Fire

Pyrotechnics

Remove Curse

Remove Paralysis

Snare

Speak With Dead

Spike Growth

Starshine

Stone Shape

Summon Insects

Tree

Water Breathing

Water Walk

4th Level—Priest Spells, Player’s Handbook

Abjure

Animal Summoning I

Call Woodland Beings

Cloak of Bravery

Control Temperature, 10' Radius

Cure Serious Wounds

Detect Lie

Divination

Free Action

Giant Insect

Hallucinatory Forest

Hold Plant

Imbue With Spell Ability

Lower Water

Neutralize Poison

Plant Door

Produce Fire

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius

Protection From Lightning

Reflecting Pool

Repel Insects

Speak With Plants

Spell Immunity

Sticks to Snakes

Tongues

5th Level—Priest Spells, Player’s Handbook

Air Walk

Animal Growth

Animal Summoning II

Anti-Plant Shell

Atonement

Commune

Commune With Nature

Control Winds

Cure Critical Wounds

Dispel Evil

Flame Strike

Insect Plague

Magic Font

Moonbeam

Pass Plant

Planr Shift

Quest

Rainbow

Raise Dead

Spike Stones

Transmute Rock to Mud

True Seeing

Wall of Fire

6th Level—Priest Spells, Player’s Handbook

Aerial Servant

Animal Summoning III

Animate Object

Anti-Animal Shell

Blade Barrier

Conjure Animals

Conjure Fire Elemental

Find the Path

Fire Seeds

Forbiddance

Heal

Heroes' Feast

Liveoak

Part Water

Speak With Monsters

Stone Tell

Transmute Water to Dust

Transport Via Plants

Turn Wood

Wall of Thorns

Weather Summoning

Word of Recall

7th Level—Priest Spells, Player’s Handbook

Animate Rock

Astral Spell

Changestaff

Chariot Sustarre

Confusion

Conjure Earth Elemental

Control Weather

Creeping Doom

Earthquake

Exaction

Fire Storm

Gate

Holy Word

Regenerate

Reincarnate

Restoration

Resurrection

Succor

Sunray

Symbol

Transmute Metal to Wood

Wind Walk

*	Italicized spells are reversible.


Spell Lists--Priest Spells--Tome of Magic
Priest Spells—Tome of Magic

1st Level

Analyze Balance

Anti-Vermin Barrier

Call Upon Faith

Courage

Emotion Read

Know Age

Know Direction

Know Time

Log of Everburning

Mistake Missive

Morale

Personal Reading

Ring of Hands

Sacred Guardian

Speak With Astral Traveler

Thought Capture

Weighty Chest

2nd Level—Priest Spells, Tome of Magic

Aura of Comfort

Calm Chaos

Create Holy Symbol

Dissension's Feast

Draw Upon Holy Might

Emotion Perception

Frisky Chest

Hesitation

Idea

Lighten Load

Mind Read

Moment

Music of the Spheres

Mystic Transfer

Nap

Rally

Sanctify*

Zone of Truth

3rd Level—Priest Spells, Tome of Magic

Acclerate Healing

Adaptation

Astral Window

Caltrops

Choose Future

Create Campsite

Efficacious Monster Ward

Emotion Control

Extradimensional Detection

Helping Hand

Invisibility Purge

Know Customs

Line of Protection*

Memory Read

Miscast Magic

Moment Reading

Random Causality

Rigid Thinking

Slow Rot

Squeaking Floors

Strength of One

Telepathy

Telethaumaturgy

Thief's Lament

Unearthly Choir*

Zone of Sweet Air

4th Level—Priest Spells, Tome of Magic

Addition

Age Plant

Blessed Warmth

Body Clock

Chaotic Combat

Chaotic Sleep

Circle of Privacy

Compulsive Order

Defensive Harmony

Dimensional Folding

Fire Purge

Focus*

Fortify*

Genius

Inverted Ethics

Join With Astral Traveler

Leadership

Mental Domination

Modify Memory

Probability Control

Rapport

Solipsism

Tanglefoot

Thought Broadcast

Tree Steed

Uplift*

Weather Stasis

5th Level—Priest Spells, Tome of Magic

Age Object

Barrier of Retention

Blessed Abundance

Champion's Strength

Chaotic Command

Clear Path

Cloud of Purification

Consequence

Disguise

Easy March

Elemental Forbiddance

Extradimensional Manipulation

Extradimensional Pocket

Grounding

Illusory Artillery

Impeding Permission

Meld*

Memory Wrack

Mindshatter

Repeat Action

Shrieking Walls

Thoughtwave*

Time Pool

Unceasing Vigilance of the Holy Sentinel

Undead Ward

6th Level—Priest Spells, Tome of Magic

Age Creature

Crushing Walls

Disbelief

Dragonbane

Gravity Variation

The Great Circle*

Group Mind

Land of Stability

Legal Thoughts

Monster Mount

Physical Mirror

Reverse Time

Seclusion

Skip Day

Sol's Searing Orb

Spiritual Wrath*

7th Level—Priest Spells, Tome of Magic

Age Dragon

Breath of Life

Divine Inspiration

Hovering Road

Illusory Fortification

Mind Tracker

Shadow Engines

Spacewarp

Spirit of Power*

Tentacle Walls

Timelessness

Uncontrolled Weather

Quest Spells—Priest Spells, Tome of Magic

Abundance

Animal Horde

Circle of Sunmotes

Conformance

Elemental Swarm

Etherwalk

Fear Contagion

Health Blessing

Highway

Imago Interrogation

Implosion/Inversion

Interdiction

Mindnet

Planar Quest

Preservation

Revelation

Reversion

Robe of Healing

Siege Wall

Shooting Stars

Sphere of Security

Spiral of Degeneration

Stalker

Storm of Vengeance

Transformation

Undead Plague

Warband Quest

Ward Matrix

Wolf Spirits

Italicized spells are reversible.

An asterisk (*) indicates a cooperative magic spell


Time and Movement

As in the real world, time passes in all AD&D game worlds. Weeks slip away as

wizards research spells. Days go by as characters ride across country. Hours pass while exploring ruins. Minutes flash by during battles. All of these are passages of time.

There are two different types of time that are talked about in these rules. Game time is the imaginary time that passes for the characters in the game. Real time is the time in the real world, the time that passes for the players and DM as they play the AD&D game. The two times are very different; players and DMs should be careful to distinguish game time from real time.

For example, when the character Delsenora researches a spell for three weeks, this is three weeks of game time. Delsenora is out of action as three weeks pass in the campaign world. Since nothing interesting at all happens to Delsenora during this research time, it should require only a minute or two of real time to handle the situation. The exchange in real time is something like this:

Louise (Delsenora's player): "Delsenora's going to research her new spell."

DM: "OK, it'll take three weeks. Nothing happens to her. While she's doing that, the rest of you get a chance to heal your wounds and do some stuff that you've been ignoring. Johann [pointing at another player], you'd better spend some time at the church. The patriarch's been a little upset that you haven't been attending ceremonies."

Jon (Johann's player): "Can't I go out and earn some more experience?"

DM (Not wanting to deal with a split-up group): "The patriarch mumbles something about failing in your duties to your deity, and he rubs his holy symbol a lot. You know, it's not very often that low levels like you have personal audiences with the patriarch. What do you think?"

Jon: "Marvelous. Subtle hint. I'll stay and be a good boy."

DM: "Well, great! The three weeks pass. Nothing happens. Del, make your roll for the spell research."

And so three weeks of game time flash by in brief minutes of real time.

The importance of game time is that as a campaign progresses, characters tend to become involved in different time-consuming projects. Three characters may set off on a four-week overland journey, while a wizard researches for six weeks. At the inn, a fighter rests and heals his wounds for two weeks. It is important to note how much time passes during different tasks, so the activities of different characters can be followed.

Campaign time is measured just as it is in real life: years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds. But, since this is a fantasy game, the DM can create entirely different calendars for his world. There may be only 10 months in the year or 63 days to a month. When beginning play, these things are not tremendously important, so players need not worry about them right away. With continued adventuring, players eventually become familiar with the calendar of the campaign.

  Rounds and turns are units of time that are often used in the AD&D game, particularly for spells and combat. A round is approximately equal to a minute (it is not exactly one minute, so as to grant the DM some flexibility during combat). A turn is equal to 10 minutes of game time. Turns are normally used to measure specific tasks (such as searching) and certain spells. Thus, a spell that lasts 10 turns is equal to 100 minutes or one and two-thirds hours.


Movement

Closely related to time is movement. Clearly your character is able to move; otherwise, adventures would be rather static and boring. But how fast can he move? If a large, green carrion crawler is scuttling after Rath, is the redoubtable dwarf fast enough to escape? Could Rath outrun an irritated but heavily loaded elf? Sooner or later these considerations become important to player characters.

All characters have movement rates that are based on their race. Table 64 lists the movement rates for unencumbered characters of different races.

Table 64:

Base Movement Rates

Race	Rate

Human	12

Dwarf	 	 6

Elf	12

Half-elf	12

Gnome	  6

Halfling	  6

A character can normally walk his movement rate in tens of yards in a single round. An unencumbered human can walk 120 yards (360 feet), slightly more than a football field, in one minute. A dwarf, similarly equipped, can walk 60 yards in the same time. This walk is at a fairly brisk, though not strenuous, pace that can be kept up for long periods of time.

However, a character may have to move slower than this pace. If the character is carrying equipment, he may move slower because of the encumbrance, if this optional rule is used (see "Encumbrance" in Chapter 6: Money and Equipment). As the character carries more gear, he gradually slows down until he reaches the point where he can barely move at all.

When a character is moving through a dungeon or similar setting, his movement rate corresponds to tens of feet per round (rather than the tens of yards per round of outside movement). It is assumed that the character is moving more cautiously, paying attention to what he sees and hears while avoiding traps and pitfalls. Again, this rate can be lowered if the optional encumbrance system is used.

Characters can also move faster than the normal walking pace. In the dungeon (or anytime the character is using his dungeon movement rate), the character can automatically increase his movement to that of his normal walking pace. In doing so, however, he suffers a -1 penalty to his chance of being surprised and gives a +1 bonus to others on their chance of being surprised by him (the rapidly moving character is not taking care to conceal the noise of his passage in the echoing confines of the underground). Furthermore, the character does not notice traps, secret doors, or other unusual features.

It is also certainly possible for a character to jog or run--an especially useful thing when being chased by creatures tougher than he cares to meet. The simplest method for handling these cases is to roll an initiative die. If the fleeing character wins, he increases the distance between himself and his pursuers by 10 times the difference in the two dice (in feet or yards, whichever the DM feels is most appropriate). This is repeated each turn until the character escapes or is captured. (If this seems unrealistic, remember that fear and adrenaline can do amazing things!)


Jogging and Running TM
Jogging and Running (Optional Rule)

If your DM wants greater precision in a chase, the speeds of those involved in the chase can be calculated exactly. (But this is time-consuming and can slow down an exciting chase.) Using this optional rule, a character can always double his normal movement rate (in yards) to a jog. Thus, a character with a movement rate of 12 can jog 240 yards in a round. While jogging, a character can automatically keep going for the number of rounds equal to his Constitution. After this limit has been reached, the player must roll a successful Constitution check at the end of each additional round spent jogging. There are no modifiers to this check. Once a Constitution check is failed, the character must stop and rest for as many rounds as he spent jogging. After this, he can resume his jogging pace with no penalties (although the same limitations on duration apply).

If a jogging pace isn't fast enough, a character can also run. If he rolls a successful Strength check, he can move at three times his normal rate; if he rolls a Strength check with a -4 penalty, he can quadruple his normal rate; if he rolls a Strength check with a -8 penalty, he can quintuple his normal rate. Failing a Strength check means only that the character cannot increase his speed to the level he was trying to reach, but he can keep running at the pace he was at before the failed Strength check. Once a character fails a Strength check to reach a level of running, he cannot try to reach that level again in the same run.

Continued running requires a Constitution check every round, with penalties that depend on how long and how fast the character has been running. There is a -1 penalty for each round of running at triple speed, a -2 penalty for each round of running at quadruple speed, and a -3 penalty for each round of running at quintuple speed (these penalties are cumulative). If the check is passed, the character can continue at that speed for the next round. If the check is failed, the character has exhausted himself and must stop running. The character must rest for at least one turn.

For example, Ragnar the thief has a Strength of 14, a Constitution of 14, and a movement rate of 12. Being pursued by the city guard, he starts jogging at 240 yards a round. Unfortunately, so do they. His Constitution is a 14, so he can keep going for at least 14 rounds. He decides to speed up. The player makes a Strength check, rolling a 7. Ragnar pours on the speed, increasing to 360 yards per round (triple speed). Some of the guardsmen drop out of the race, but a few hold in there. Ragnar now has a -1 penalty to his Constitution check. A 13 is rolled, so he just barely passes.

But one of the blasted guardsmen is still on his tail! In desperation, Ragnar tries to go faster (trying for four times walking speed). The Strength check is an 18: Ragnar just doesn't have any more oomph in him; he can't run any faster, but he is still running three times faster than his walking speed. The player now must roll a Constitution check with a -2 penalty (for two rounds of running at triple speed). The player rolls the die and gets a 4--no problem! And just then the last guardsman drops out of the race. Ragnar takes no chances and keeps running. Next round another Constitution check is necessary, with a -3 penalty. The player rolls an 18. Exhausted, Ragnar collapses in a shadowy alley, taking care to get out of sight.


Cross-Country Movement

A normal day's marching lasts for 10 hours, including reasonable stops for rest and meals. Under normal conditions, a character can walk twice his movement rate in miles in those 10 hours. Thus, an unencumbered man can walk 24 miles across clear terrain.

Characters can also force march, intentionally hurrying along, at the risk of exhaustion. Force marching enables a character to travel 2 ½ times his movement rate in miles (thus, a normal man could force march 30 miles in a day). At the end of each day of the march, the character or creature must roll a Constitution check. Large parties (such as army units) make the check at the average Constitution of the group (weaker members are supported, encouraged, and goaded by their peers). Creatures must roll a saving throw vs. death at the end of each day's force marching (since they lack Constitution scores). A -1 penalty is applied to the check for each consecutive day spent force marching. If the check is passed, the force marching pace can be continued the next day. If the check fails, no more force marching attempts can be made until the characters have completely recovered from the ordeal. Recovery requires half a day per day of force marching.

Even if the Constitution check fails, the character can continue overland movement at his normal rate.

One drawback of force marching is that each day of force marching results in a -1 penalty to all attack rolls. This modifier is cumulative. Half a day's rest is required to remove one day's worth of force marching penalty. Characters who have managed to force march for eight straight days suffer a -8 penalty to their attack rolls; it takes four days of rest to return to no attack roll penalty.

  Overland movement rates can be increased or decreased by many factors. Terrain can speed or slow movement. Well-tended roads allow faster marching, while trackless mountains slow marches to a snail's pace. Lack of food, water, and sleep weaken characters. Poor weather slows their pace. All these factors are detailed in the DMG.


Getting Lost

Monsters, bandits, evil wizards, and villainous knights can all make travel in the wilderness dangerous. But none of these is the greatest hazard characters will have to face. Getting lost is equally dangerous and far more common. Once characters are lost, almost anything can happen.

There are two ways of getting lost: There's just lost and then there's hopelessly lost. Each is quite different from the other.

Just Lost

Sometimes, characters are lost because they do not know how to get to a specific place. They know where they have been (and how to get back there), but they don't know the correct route to reach their goal. This occurs most often when following a road, a trail, a map, a river, or a set of directions.

Under these circumstances, there is a reasonable certainty that the player characters will wind up somewhere. After all, roads go from place to place and rivers start and end somewhere. Whether this is where the player characters want to go is another matter entirely. No particular rules are needed to handle these situations, only some confusing forks in the road and the wit (or lack thereof) of the players.

For example, imagine the characters following a well-marked trail. Rounding the corner, they find the trail splits into two equally used trails. The directions they got in the last village said nothing about the trail branching. They must guess which way is the right way to go. In a sense, they are now lost. Once they choose a trail, they do not know if their guess was correct until they get to the end. But, they can always find their way back to the last village. So they are not hopelessly lost. This can also happen when following rivers, roads, or blaze markings.

Hopelessly Lost

Hopelessly lost is another matter altogether. This happens when player characters have no idea where they are, how exactly to get back to where they were, or which way to go to get to where they want to be.

Although it can happen, player characters seldom get hopelessly lost when following some obvious route (a road or river). Trails do not guarantee safety since they have a maddening habit of disappearing, branching, and crossing over things that look like they should be trails (but aren't).

The chance of getting hopelessly lost can be reduced by sighting on a landmark and keeping a bearing on it, or by hiring a guide. Darkness, overcast days, thick forests, and featureless wastes or plains all increase the chance of getting lost.

Checks for getting hopelessly lost should only be made when the player characters are not following a clear road, river, or trail. Checks should be made when following a little-used trail or when a river empties into a swamp, estuary, or delta. Checks should also be made when moving cross-country without the aid of a trail, river, or road. One check should be made per day.

To make the check, find the entry on Table 81 that best matches the type of terrain the characters are in. This will give a percentage chance to become lost. From this, add or subtract any modifiers found on Table 82. Roll percentile dice. If the die roll is less than the percentage, the characters are lost.

Table 81:

Chance of Getting Hopelessly Lost

Surroundings	% Chance

Level, open ground	10%

Rolling ground	20%

Lightly wooded	30%

Rough (wooded and hilly)	40%

Swamp	60%

Mountainous	50%

Open sea	20%

Thick forest	70%

Jungle	80%

Table 82:

Lost Modifiers

Condition	Modifier

Featureless

(no distinquishable landmarks)*	+50

Darkness	+70

Overcast	+30

Navigator with group	-30

Landmark sighted	-15

Local guide	Variable**

Poor trail	-10

Raining	+10

Directions	Variable**

Fog or mist	+30

  * This would apply, for example, when the characters are sailing out of sight of land.

** The usefulness of directions and the knowledge of a guide are entirely up to the DM. Sometimes these are very helpful but at other times only manage to make things worse.


Swimming

All characters are either untrained swimmers or proficient swimmers.

When the DM determines the swimming ability of characters, the decision should be based on his campaign. If the campaign is centered around a large body of water, or if a character grew up near the sea, chances are good that the character knows how to swim. However, being a sailor does not guarantee that a character can swim. Many a medieval mariner or black-hearted pirate never learned how to swim and so developed a morbid fear of the water! This is one of the things that made "walking the plank" such a fearful punishment. Furthermore, some character races are normally suspicious of water and swimming. While these may vary from campaign to campaign, dwarves and halflings often don't know how to swim.

Untrained swimmers are a fairly hapless lot. When they are unencumbered, they can manage a rough dog-paddle in relatively calm waters. If the waters are rough, the current strong, or the depth excessive (at sea or far out on a lake), untrained swimmers may panic and sink. If weighed down with enough gear to reduce their movement rate, they sink like stones, unable to keep their heads above water. In no way do they make any noticeable progress (unless, of course, the object is to sink beneath the surface).

Proficient swimmers are able to swim, dive, and surface with varying degrees of success. All proficient characters are able to swim half their current land movement rate times 10 in yards, provided they are not wearing metal armor. A character with a movement rate of 12 could swim 60 yards (180 feet) in a round. Characters whose movement rates have been reduced to 1/3 or less of normal (due to gear) or who are wearing metal armor cannot swim--the weight of the gear pulls the character under. They can still walk on the bottom, however, at 1/3 their current movement rate.

Proficient swimmers can double their swimming speed, if a successful Strength check is rolled (vs. half the character's normal Strength score). For a character with a movement rate of 12, a successful check means he can swim 120 yards in one round, an Olympic-class performance.

Like running, swimming is not something that a character can do indefinitely. There are several different speeds a character can choose to swim at, thus moving in either short sprints or a slower, but longer-lasting, pace.

If swimming at half normal speed or treading water, the character can maintain this for a number of hours equal to his Constitution score (although he will have to abandon most of his gear). After a character swims for a number of hours equal to his Constitution, a Constitution check must be made for each additional hour. For each extra hour of swimming, 1 Constitution point is temporarily lost (regaining lost ability points is explained in the next column).

Each hour spent swimming causes a cumulative penalty of -1 to all attack rolls.

All this assumes calm water. If the seas are choppy, a Constitution check should be made every hour spent swimming, regardless of the character's Constitution. Rough seas can require more frequent checks; heavy seas or storms may require a check every round. The DM may decide that adverse conditions cause a character's Constitution score to drop more rapidly than 1 point per hour.

If a swimming character fails a Constitution check, he must tread water for half an hour before he can continue swimming (this counts as time spent swimming, for purposes of Constitution point loss).

A character drowns if his Constitution score drops to 0.

A freak wave sweeps Fiera (an elf) overboard during the night. Fortunately, she can swim and knows that land is nearby. Bravely, she sets out through calm water. Her Constitution score is 16. After 14 hours of steady swimming, she makes out an island on the horizon. Two hours later she is closer, but still has some way to go. During the next hour (her 17th in the water), her Constitution drops to 15 (her attack penalty is -17!) and she must make a Constitution check. A 12 is rolled--she passes. In the last hour, the 18th, the seas become rough. Her Constitution is now 13 (the DM ruled that the heavy seas made her lose 2 points of Constitution this hour), and the DM decides she must pass an extra Constitution check to reach shore. She rolls a 5 and flops onto shore, exhausted.

Characters can also swim long distances at a faster pace, although at increasing risk. Swimming at the character's normal movement rate (instead of the usual swimming speed of half the normal movement rate) requires a Constitution check every hour, reduces Strength and Constitution by 1 point every hour, and results in a -2 cumulative attack penalty for each hour of swimming. Characters can swim at twice this speed (quadruple normal swimming speed), but they must roll a check every turn and suffer the above penalties for every turn spent swimming. Again, when an ability score reaches 0, the character sinks and drowns.

Upon reaching shore, characters can recover lost ability score points and negate attack penalties by resting. Each day of rest recovers 1d6 ability points (if both Strength and Constitution points were lost, roll 1d3 for each ability to determine points recovered) and removes 2d6 points of attack penalties. Rest assumes adequate food and water. Characters need not be fully rested before undertaking any activity, although the adjusted ability scores are treated as the character's current scores until the character has rested enough to fully recover from the swim.

  To continue the earlier example with Fiera, after a bad last hour in the water, she reaches shore. Her Constitution is 13 and she has a -18 penalty to her attack roll. Exhausted, she finds some ripe fruit and collapses in the shade of a palm tree. All the next day she rests. At the end of the day she rolls a 4 on 1d6 and regains 4 points of Constitution, restoring it to normal. An 8 is rolled to reduce her attack penalty, so the next day she suffers only a -10 penalty to her attack roll. The next day of rest lowers this by 6 to -4 and the third day erases it completely. So in three days she has fully recovered from her 18-hour ordeal in the water.


Climbing

Although thieves have specialized climbing abilities, all characters are able to climb to some degree or another. Climbing ability is divided into three categories: thief, mountaineer, and unskilled.

Thieves are the most skilled at climbing. They are the only characters who can climb very smooth, smooth, and rough surfaces without the use of ropes or other equipment. They are the fastest of all climbers and have the least chance of falling.

Mountaineers are characters with mountaineering proficiency or those the DM deems to possess this skill. They have a better climbing percentage than unskilled characters. Mountaineers with proper equipment can climb very smooth, smooth, and rough surfaces. They can assist unskilled characters in all types of climbs.

  Unskilled climbers are the vast majority of characters. While they are able to scramble over rocks, they cannot use climbing equipment or negotiate very smooth, smooth, and rough surfaces. They have the lowest climbing success rate of all characters.

Calculating Success

The chance of success of a climb is calculated by taking the character's skill level (given as a percentage) and modifying it for his race, the condition of the surface, and situational modifiers. Table 65 lists the percentages for the different categories of climbers.

The chance of success given in Table 65 is modified by many factors. Some of these remain the same from climb to climb (such as a character's race) and can be figured into the character's base score. Others depend on the conditions of a given climb. All factors are listed on Table 66.

The final result of Tables 65 and 66 is the number the character uses for Climbing checks. A Climbing check is made by rolling percentile dice. If the number rolled is equal to or less than the number found from Tables 65 and 66, the character succeeds with the Climbing check. Rolls above this number indicate failure.

A Climbing check must be made any time a character tries to climb a height of 10 feet or more. This check is made before the character ascends the first 10 feet of the climb. If the check is passed, the character can continue climbing. If the check is failed, the character is unable to find a route and cannot even attempt the climb.

Table 66:

Climbing Modifiers

Situation	Modifier

Abundant handholds

(brush, trees, ledges)	+40%

Rope and wall **	+55%

Sloped inward	+25%

Armor:

Banded, splint	-25%

Plate armors (all types)	-50%

Scale, chain	-15%

Studded leather, padded	-5%

Character race: *

Dwarf	-10%

Gnome	-15%

Halfling	-15%

Encumbrance	-5% †

Surface condition:

Slightly slippery

 (wet or crumbling)	-25%

Slippery (icy, slimy)	-40%

Climber wounded below ½ hp 	-10%

* These are the same as the modifiers given in Table 27. Make sure that thief characters are not penalized twice for race.

** Rope and wall applies in most climbing situations in which the character is able to brace his feet against the surface being climbed and use a rope to assist in the task.

  † This is -5% per encumbrance category above unencumbered, or per movement rate point lost off normal movement rate.

No further attempts can be made by that character until a change occurs. This is either a significant change in location (a half mile or more along the face of a cliff) or an improvement in the character's chance of success.

For example, Brondvrouw the gnome is an unskilled climber. Her normal chance of success is 25% (40%--15% for being a gnome). She has been cut off from the rest of the party by a rugged cliff, 50 feet high. Fortunately, the cliff is dry and the rock seems solid. She makes an attempt, but rolls a 49 on the percentile dice. She cannot limb the cliff. Then one of her friends above remembers to lower a rope. With the rope, Brondvrouw can again try the climb, since her percentage chance is now 80%. This time, she rolls a 27 and makes the ascent.

Table 65:

Base Climbing Success Rates

Category	Success Rate

Thief with mountaineering proficiency *	Climb walls % + 10%

Thief	Climb walls %

Mountaineering proficiency *	40% + 10% per proficiency slot

Mountaineer (decided by DM)	50%

Unskilled climber	40%

* Only if the optional proficiency system is used.

  	On particularly long climbs--those greater than 100 feet or requiring more than one turn (10 minutes) of climbing time--the DM may require additional checks. The frequency of these checks is for the DM to decide. Characters who fail a check could fall a very long way, so it is wise to carry ropes and tools.


Climbing Rates

Climbing is different from walking or any other type of movement a character can do. The rate at which a character moves varies greatly with the different types of walls and surfaces that must be climbed. Refer to Table 67. Cross-reference the type of surface to be climbed with the surface condition. Multiply the appropriate number from the table by the character's current movement rate. The result is the rate of climb for the character, in feet per round, in any direction (up, down, or sideways).

All the movement rates given on Table 67 are for nonthief characters. Thief characters are able to climb at double the movement rate for normal characters.

For example, Ragnar the thief and his companion Rupert (a half-elf) are climbing a cliff with rough ledges. A recent rain has left the surface slightly slippery. Ragnar has a movement rate of 12 and Rupert's is 8. Ragnar can cover 12 feet per round (12 x 1 since he is a thief), but Rupert struggles along at the pace of 4 feet per round (8 x ½). If Ragnar had gone up first and lowered a rope to Rupert, the half-elf could have climbed at the rate of 8 feet per round using rope and wall (8 x 1).

Types of Surfaces

Very smooth surfaces include expanses of smooth, uncracked rock, flush-fitted wooden walls, and welded or bolted metal walls. Completely smooth walls, unbroken by any feature, cannot be climbed by anyone without tools.

Smooth and cracked walls include most types of well-built masonry, cavern walls, maintained castle walls, and slightly eroded cliff faces.

Rough faces are most natural cliffs, poorly maintained or badly built masonry, and typical wooden walls or stockades. Any natural stone surface is a rough face.

Rough with ledges is similar to rough faces but is dotted with grips three inches or more wide. Frost-eroded cliffs and natural chimneys are in this category, as are masonry buildings falling into ruin.

Ice walls are cliffs or faces made entirely of frozen ice. These are different from very smooth and smooth surfaces in that there are still many natural cracks and protrusions. They are extremely dangerous to climb, so a Climbing check should be made every round for any character attempting it without tools.

Trees includes climbs with an open framework, such as a scaffold, as well as trees.

Sloping walls means not quite clifflike but too steep to walk up. If a character falls while climbing a sloping wall, he suffers damage only if he fails a saving throw vs. petrification. If the save is made, the character slides a short distance but is not harmed.

Rope and wall require that the character uses a rope and is able to brace himself against a solid surface.


Actions While Climbing

Although it is possible to perform other actions while climbing, such as spellcasting or fighting, it is not easy. Spellcasters can use spells only if they are in a steady, braced

position, perhaps with the aid of other characters.

Climbing characters lose all Armor Class bonuses for Dexterity and shield and most often have rear attack modifiers applied against them also. Their own attack, damage, and saving throw rolls suffer -2 penalties. Those attacking from above gain a +2 bonus to their attack rolls, while those attacking from below suffer an additional -2 penalty to their attack rolls.

Table 67:

Rates of Climbing

                         ------------------ Surface Condition ----------------------

Type of Surface	Dry	Slightly Slippery	Slippery

Very smooth *	¼	--**	--**

Smooth, cracked *	½	1/3	¼

Rough *	1	1/3	¼

Rough w/ledges	1	½	1/3

Ice wall	--	--	¼

Tree	4	3	2

Sloping wall	3	2	1

Rope and wall	2	1	½

* Nonthief characters must be mountaineers and have appropriate tools (pitons, rope, etc.) to climb these surfaces.

** Thief characters can climb very smooth, slightly slippery surfaces at ¼. However, even thieves cannot climb very smooth, slippery surfaces.

A climbing character cannot use a two-handed weapon while climbing. The DM can overrule these penalties if he feels the player character has reached a place of secure footing. If struck while climbing (for any amount of damage), the character must make an immediate Climbing check. Failure for a roped character means he spends a round regaining his balance; an unroped character falls if he fails this check.

Climbing Tools

Tools are an integral part of any mountaineer's equipment and all climbs can profit from the use of tools. Mountaineering tools include rope, pitons (spikes), and ice axes. However, it is a mistaken belief that the main function of tools is to aid in a climb. The main purpose of pitons, rope, and the like is to prevent a disastrous fall. Climbers must rely on their own skills and abilities, not ropes and spikes, when making a climb. Accidents happen when people forget this basic rule and trust their weight to their ropes and pitons.

Therefore, aside from ropes, other tools do not increase the chance of climbing success. However, in the case of a fall, climbing tools can reduce the distance fallen. When a character falls, he can fall only as far as the rope allows, if being belayed, or as far as twice the distance to the last piton set (if the piton holds--a piton pulls free 15% of the time when a sudden stress occurs). The distance fallen depends on how far apart the pitons have been set. Falling characters fall twice the distance to the last piton that holds.

For example, Rath is 15 feet above his last piton. Suddenly, he slips. He falls the 15 feet to his piton, plus another 15 feet past his piton since there's 15 feet of rope between him and the piton, for a total of 30 feet fallen and 3d6 points of falling damage.

Roping characters together increases individual safety, but it also increases the chance that more than one person falls. When a character falls, the character(s) on either side of the falling climber must roll Climbing checks (a penalty of -10 is applied for each falling character after the first one to fall). If all checks are successful, the fall is stopped and no one suffers any damage. If a check is failed, that character also falls and Climbing checks must be repeated as before. Climbing checks are made until either the fall is stopped (the climbers on either side of the falling character[s] successfully roll Climbing checks or the last nonfalling climber succeeds with his check), or all the roped-together characters fall.

For example, a party of five is roped together as they go up a cliff. Suddenly, Johann falls. Megarran, immediately above him, and Drelb, following him, must roll Climbing checks. Megarran passes her check. But Drelb fails and is snapped off the wall. Now Megarran must make another check with a -10 penalty (for two falling characters), and Targash, who's bringing up the rear, must also roll a check with a -10 penalty. Both succeed on their rolls and the fall is stopped.

Getting Down

  Aside from jumping or flying, the quickest way to get down from a height is to rappel. This requires a rope attached at the top of the climb and a skilled mountaineer to set up the rappel and to hold the rope at the bottom. When rappeling down a surface, a Climbing check with a +50 bonus must be rolled. Free rappels (with the end of the rope unsupported at the bottom) are also possible, but the modifier is only +30. Of course, a failed check results in a slip sometime during the rappel (the DM decides on the damage suffered). A character can rappel at a speed equal to his normal dungeon movement (120 feet per round for an unencumbered human). One other thing to bear in mind is that there must be a landing point at the end of the rope. Rappelling 60 feet down a 100-foot cliff means the character is either stranded at the end of the rope or, worse still, rappels right off the end and covers the last 40 feet much faster than he did the first 60!


Treasure and Magical Items

Characters in a role-playing game strive for many things—fame, glory, experience, among them. But for those who are not fully satisfied with such intangible rewards, there is one other goal—fortune.

  Strands of glittering golden chains, stacks of silver coin, heaps of marten fur, bejeweled crowns, enameled sceptres, silken cloths, and powerful magical items all wait to be discovered—or wrested from the grasp of powerful monsters. With such treasures awaiting, how could any bold adventurer be content to remain peacefully at home?

Treasure Tables

Table 84 :

Treasure Types

LAIR TREASURES

Treasure 	 Platinum or	   	  Art

Type	Copper  	  Silver	Gold	 Electrum*      Gems	Objects      Magical Item

A	1,000-3,000  	200-2,000	 	1,000-6,000	 300-1,800	10-40	2-12	Any 3

   	25%	30%	 	40%	 35%	60%	50%	30%

B	1,000-6,000	1,000-3,000	 	200-2,000	 100-1,000	1-8	1-4	Armor Weapon

   	50%  	25% 	 	25%	   	 25%	30%	20%	   	10%

C	1,000-10,000	1,000-6,000	 	—	 100-600	1-6	1-3	Any 2

   	20%	30%	 	—	 10%	25%	20%	   	10%

D	1,000-6,000	1,000-10,000	1,000-3,000	 100-600	1-10	1-6	Any 2 + 1 potion

    10%	15%	50%	   	 15%	30%	25%	   	15%

E	1,000-6,000	1,000-10,000	1,000-4,000	 300-1,800	1-12	1-6	Any 3 + 1 scroll

    5%	25%	25%	   	 25%	15%	10%	   	25%

F	   	—	3,000-18,000	1,000-6,000  1,000-4,000	2-20	1-8	Any 5 except weapons

   	—	10%	40%	   	 15%	20%	10%	   	30%

G	   	—	—                 2,000-20,000 1,000-10,000	3-18	1-6	Any 5

   	—	—	50%	   	  50%	30%	25%	   	35%

H	3,000-18,000	2,000-20,000	2,000-20,000	1,000-8,000	3-30	2-20	Any 6

   	25%	40%	55%	   	40%	50%	50%	   	15%

I	   	—	—	—	100-600	2-12	2-8	Any 1

   	—	—	—	   	  30%	55%	50%	   	15%

INDIVIDUAL AND SMALL LAIR TREASURES

J  	   	3-24	—	—	   	—	— 	—	   	—

K	   	—	3-18	—	   	—	—	—	   	—

L	   	—	—	—	   	2-12	—	—	   	—

M	   	—	—	2-8	   	—	—	—	   	—

N	    —	—	—	   	1-6	—	—	   	—

O	10-40	10-30	—	   	—	—	—	   	—

P	   	—	10-60	—	   	1-20	—	—	   	—

Q	   	—	—	—	   	—	1-4	—	   	—

R	    —	—	2-20	   	10-60	2-8	1-3	   	—

S	   	—	—	—	   	—	—	—	1-8 potions

T	   	—	—	—	   	—	—	—	1-4 scrolls

U	   	—	—	—	   	—	2-16	1-6	Any 1

   	—	—	—	   	—	90%	80%	   	70%

V	    —	—	—	   	—	—	—	Any 2

W	    — 	—	5-30	   	1-8	2-16	1-8	Any 2

   	—	—	—	   	—	60%	50%	   	60%

X	    —	—	—	   	—	—	—	Any 2 potions

Y	   	—	—	200-1,200	—	—	—	   	—

Z	   	100-300	100-400	100-600	 	100-400	1-6	2-12	Any 3

—	—	—	   	—	55%	50%	   	50%

* DM's choice

To use Table 84, first find the letter given under the monster listing. On that row each column then lists the percentage chance of a particular type of treasure appearing and the size range for that particular type. Treasures with no percentage listed are automatically present. Either choose to have that particular treasure present (and the amount) or roll randomly to determine the result.

The first part of the table (letters A-I) lists treasures that are found in lairs only. These are sizeable treasures accumulated by social creatures (humans, orcs, hobgoblins, etc.) or by those creatures notorious for the size of their treasure hoards (especially dragons).

The second part of the table lists treasures likely to be owned by intelligent individuals or to be found in the lairs of animal intelligence or less monsters. These treasures are small. Intelligent creatures seldom carry large amounts of cash, while unintelligent ones seldom make the effort to collect it. When an individual or lair treasure warrants being larger than normal, several smaller entries can be listed to create an overall larger hoard.

Coins

When treasure is found in the form of coins, it will normally be bagged or kept in chests unless it has been gathered by unintelligent monsters. Coins (regardless of metal) normally weigh in at 50 to the pound.


Gems

When gems are found, determine the value of each gem (or each group of gems if there are many present) on Table 85. This table lists the base value for each gem and the general class of each stone for purposes of description. Uncut stones, if found, have their base value reduced to 10% of the amount listed.

Table 85:

Gem Table

D100	Base

Roll	Value	Class

01-25	     10 gp	Ornamental

26-50	     50 gp	Semi-precious

51-70	   100 gp	Fancy

71-90	   500 gp	Precious

91-99	1,000 gp	Gems

 00	5,000 gp	Jewels

In addition, there is a 10% chance that any given stone will be above or below its normal value. (Assume 10% of the stones present in a large horde are automatically unusual.) These gems can be modified according to Table 86.

Table 86:

Gem Variations

D6

Roll	Result

1	Stone increases to the next higher base value. Roll again, ignoring all results but 1.*

2	Stone is double base value

3	Stone is 10-60% above the base value

4	Stone is 10-40% below the base value

5	Stone is half base value

6	Stone decreased to next lower base value. Roll again, ignoring all results but 6.**

  * Above 5,000 gp, the base value of the stone doubles each time. No stone can be greater than 100,000 gp.

** Below 10 gp, values decrease to 5 gp, 1 gp, 5 sp, 1 sp. No stone can be worth less than 1 sp and no stone can decrease more than five places from its initial value.

Although you can choose to describe gems solely by their values ("You found a 50 gp gem"), more flavor is gained by described stones by name and color. The lists below present stones of different categories and their descriptions.

Ornamental Stones

Azurite: Opaque, mottled deep blue

Banded Agate: Brown, blue, red, and white stripes

Blue Quartz: Transparent pale blue

Eye Agate: Gray, white, brown, blue, and green circles

Hematite: Gray-black

Lapis Lazuli: Light or dark blue with yellow flecks

Malachite: Striated light and dark green

Moss Agate: Pink, yellow-white with gray-green moss-like markings

Obsidian: Jet black

Rhodochrosite: Light pink

Tiger Eye Agate: Rich golden brown with dark striping

Turquoise: Aqua with darker mottling

Semi-Precious Stones

Bloodstone: Dark gray with red flecks

Carnelian: Orange to red-brown

Chalcedony: White

Chrysoprase: Translucent apple to emerald green

Citrine: Pale yellow brown

Jasper: Blue, black to brown

Moonstone: White with pale blue hue

Onyx: Black, white, or bands of both

Rock Crystal: Clear, transparent

Sardonyx: Bands of red and white

Smoky Quartz: light gray, yellow, brown or blue

Star Rose Quartz: Smoky rose with white star center

Zircon: Clear pale aqua

Fancy to Precious

Amber: Transparent golden (100 gp)

Alexandrite: Dark green (100 gp)

Amethyst: Purple crystal (100 gp)

Aquamarine: pale blue green (500 gp)

Chrysoberyl: green or yellow green (100 gp)

Coral: Pink to crimson (100 gp)

Garnet: Deep red to violet crystal (100-500 gp)

Jade: Light to dark green or white (100 gp)

Jet: Deep black (100 gp)

Pearl: Pure white, rose, to black (100-500 gp)

Peridot: Olive green (500 gp)

Spinel: Red, red-brown, green, or deep blue (100-500 gp)

Topaz: Golden yellow (500 gp)

Tourmaline: Pale green, blue, brown, or red (100 gp)

Gems and Jewels

Black Opal: Dark green with black mottling and golden flecks (1,000 gp)

Black Sapphire: Rich black with highlights (5,000 gp)

Diamond: Clear blue-white, rich blue, yellow, or pink (5,000 gp)

Emerald: Brilliant green (5,000 gp)

Fire Opal: Fiery red (1,000 gp)

Jacinth: Fiery orange (5,000 gp)

Opal: Pale blue with green and gold mottling (1,000 gp)

Oriental Amethyst: Deep purple (1,000 gp)

Oriental Emerald: Bright green (5,000 gp)

Oriental Topaz: Fiery yellow (1,000 gp)

Ruby: Clear to deep crimson red (5,000 gp)

Sapphire: Clear to medium blue (1,000 gp)

Star Ruby: Translucent ruby with white star highlights (5,000 gp)

Star Sapphire: Translucent blue with white star highlights (5,000 gp)


Objects of Art

This category includes jewelry, ornamental drinking vessels, elaborate snuff boxes, fine crystal and glass, statuary, carvings, and all the other small embellishments that make life more pleasant and easy to bear. The value of each should be determined on Table 87.

Table 87:

Objects of Art

D100

Roll	Value

01-10	10-100 gp

11-25	30-180 gp

26-40	100-600 gp

41-50	100-1,000 gp

51-60	200-1,200 gp

61-70	300-1,800 gp

71-80	400-2,400 gp

81-85	500-3,000 gp

86-90	1,000-4,000 gp

91-95	1,000-6,000 gp

96-99	2,000-8,000 gp

 00	2,000-12,000 gp

The DM should name each item found by the player characters, since this helps them picture in their minds just what they have found.


Magical Item Tables

When possible, the DM should select the magical items he gives out in his campaign. Sometimes, however, the DM has more pressing game matters on his mind. To determine randomly what magical item has been found, roll on Table 88. This table directs you to one of the specific categories in Tables 89-108.

Items followed by a group name are usable only by characters of that group.

Note: XP Value is the number of experience points a character gets for making an item.

Table 88:

Magical Items

D20

Roll	Category

01-20	Potions and Oils

21-35	Scrolls

36-40	Rings

41	Rods

42	Staves

43-45	Wands

46	Miscellaneous Magic: Books and Tomes

47-48	Miscellaneous Magic: Jewels and Jewelry

49-50	Miscellaneous Magic: Cloaks and Robes

51-52	Miscellaneous Magic: Boots and Gloves

53	Miscellaneous Magic: Girdles and Helms

54-55	Miscellaneous Magic: Bags and Bottles

56	Miscellaneous Magic: Dusts and Stones

57	Miscellaneous Magic: Household Items and Tools

58	Miscellaneous Magic: Musical Instruments

59-60	Miscellaneous Magic: The Weird Stuff

61-75	Armor and Shields

76-100	Weapons

Once the general category is determined, the DM can choose a specific item from the tables below. (Each item on the tables is given a die roll number so that the DM can select items randomly, if he chooses.) Some tables have several subtables. Each subtable has a range of numbers in parentheses at the top. To select the appropriate subtable, check the die listed after the table's title. Roll the listed die and find the result in the number range at the top of one of the subtables. This is the subtable you read to determine which item in the list has been found.

For example, the Potions and Oils table has "(D6)'' after the title. That means you roll a 6-sided die to determine which Subtable (A, B, or C) to read. If you roll a 2, for example, you check subtable A (which has "1-2'' at the top); if you roll a 6, you read subtable C (which has "5-6'' at the top). Roll 1d20 on the appropriate subtable to determine the specific item found. Then turn to the descriptions following the tables to find out what each item does.


Magical Item Tables--Dungeon Master Guide
Magical Item Tables—Dungeon Master Guide

Table 89:

Potions and Oils (D6)

Subtable A (1-2)

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Animal Control* 	250

2	Clairaudience 	250

3	Clairvoyance 	300

4	Climbing 	300

5-6	Delusion**	—

7	Diminution 	300

8	Dragon Control* 	700

9	Elixir of Health 	350

10-11	Elixir of Madness** 	—

12	Elixir of Youth 	500

13	ESP 	500

14-15	Extra-Healing 	400

16	Fire Breath 	400

17	Fire Resistance 	250

18	Flying 	500

19	Gaseous Form 	300

20	DM's Choice	—

Subtable B (3-4)

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Giant Control* 	600

2	Giant Strength (Warrior)*	550

3	Growth 	250

4-5	Healing 	200

6	Heroism (Warrior)	300

7	Human Control*	500

8	Invisibility 	250

9	Invulnerability (Warrior)	350

10	Levitation 	250

11	Longevity 	500

12	Oil of Acid Resistance 	500

13	Oil of Disenchantment 	750

14	Oil of Elemental
Invulnerability *	500

15	Oil of Etherealness 	600

16	Oil of Fiery Burning 	500

17	Oil of Fumbling** 	—

18	Oil of Impact 	750

19	Oil of Slipperiness 	400

20	DM's Choice	—

Subtable C (5-6)

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Oil of Timelessness 	500

2	Philter of Glibness 	500

3	Philter of Love 	200

4	Philter of Persuasiveness**	400

5	Philter of Stammering and Stuttering 	—

6	Plant Control 	250

7-8	Poison**	—

9	Polymorph Self 	200

10	Rainbow Hues 	200

11	Speed 	200

12-13	Super-Heroism (Warrior)  	450

14	Sweet Water 	200

15	Treasure Finding 	600

16	Undead Control* 	700

17	Ventriloquism 	200

18	Vitality 	300

19	Water Breathing 	400

20	DM's Choice	—

  * The type of creature affected can be determined by die roll (see the specific item description for more information).

** The DM shouldn't reveal the exact nature of the potion.


Scrolls DMG
Table 90:

Scrolls (D6)

Subtable A (1-4)

D20 Roll	Item*	Level Range

1-3	1 spell 	1-4

4-5	1 spell 	1-6

6	1 spell 	2-9 (2-7**)

7	2 spells 	1-4

8	2 spells	2-9 (2-7**)

9	3 spells	1-4

10	3 spells	2-9 (2-7**)

11	4 spells	1-6

12	4 spells	1-8 (1-6**)

13	5 spells	1-6

14	5 spells	1-8 (1-6**)

15	6 spells	1-6

16	6 spells	3-8 (3-6**)

17	7 spells	1-8

18	7 spells	2-9 (2-7**)

19	7 spells	4-9 (4-7**)

20	DM's Choice	—

  * See "Scrolls" in Appendix 3 to determine whether a priest scroll or a wizard scroll is found.

** Level Range lists the range of spell levels on the scroll. Ranges marked with double asterisks (**) are used to determine priest spells.

Subtable B (5-6)

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Map 	—

2	Protection from Acid 	2,500

3	Protection from Cold 	2,000

4	Protection from Dragon Breath 	2,000

5	Protection from Electricity 	1,500

6-7	Protection from Elementals 	1,500

8	Protection from Fire 	2,000

9	Protection from Gas 	2,000

10-11	Protection from Lycanthropes 	1,000

12	Protection from Magic 	1,500

13	Protection from Petrification 	2,000

14	Protection from Plants 	1,000

15	Protection from Poison 	1,000

16	Protection from Possession 	2,000

17	Protection from Undead 	1,500

18	Protection from Water 	1,500

19	Curse 	—

20	DM's Choice	—

   The XP Value (experience point value) for spell scrolls is equal to the total spell levels contained on the scroll x 100.


Rings
Table 91:

Rings (D6)

Subtable A (1-4)

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Animal Friendship 	1,000

2	Blinking 	1,000

3	Chameleon Power 	1,000

4	Clumsiness 	—

5	Contrariness 	—

6-7	Delusion 	—

8	Djinni Summoning* 	3,000

9	Elemental Command 	5,000

10	Feather Falling 	1,000

11	Fire Resistance 	1,000

12	Free Action 	1,000

13	Human Influence 	2,000

14	Invisibility 	1,500

15-16	Jumping 	1,000

17	Mammal Control*	1,000

18	Mind Shielding 	500

19	Protection 	1,000**

20	DM's Choice	—

Subtable B (5-6)

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1-2	Protection 	1,000**

3	Ram, Ring of the* 	750

4	Regeneration 	5,000

5	Shocking Grasp 	1,000

6	Shooting Stars 	3,000

7	Spell Storing 	2,500

8	Spell Turning 	2,000

9	Sustenance 	500

10	Swimming 	1,000

11	Telekinesis*	2,000

12	Truth 	1,000

13	Warmth 	1,000

14	Water Walking 	1,000

15	Weakness 	—

16	Wishes, Multiple*	5,000

17	Wishes, Three*	3,000

18	Wizardry* (Wizard)	4,000

19	X-Ray Vision 	4,000

20	DM's Choice	—

  *The power of these rings is limited by the number of charges.

** per +1 of protection


Rods DMG
Table 92:

Rods

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1-2	Absorption (Priest, Wizard)	7,500

3-4	Alertness 	7,000

5	Beguiling (Priest, Wizard, Rogue)	5,000

6-7	Cancellation 	10,000

8	Flailing 	2,000

9	Lordly Might (Warrior)	6,000

10	Passage 	5,000

11	Resurrection  (Priest)	10,000

12	Rulership 	8,000

13-14	Security 	3,000

15-16	Smiting (Priest, Wizard)	4,000

17	Splendor 	2,500

18-19	Terror 	3,000

20	DM's Choice	—


Staves DMG
Table 93:

Staves

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1-2	Mace 	1,500

3	Command (Priest, Wizard)	5,000

4-5	Curing (Priest)	6,000

6	Magi (Wizard)	15,000

7	Power (Wizard)	12,000

8	Serpent (Priest)	7,000

9-10	Slinging (Priest)	2,000

11-12	Spear 	1,000*

13-14	Striking (Priest, Wizard)	6,000

15	Swarming Insects (Priest, Wizard)	100**

16	Thunder & Lightning 	8,000

17-18	Withering 	8,000

19	Woodlands (Druid)	8,000

20	DM's Choice	—

  * per +1 of power

** per charge


Wands DMG
Table 94:

Wands

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Conjuration (Wizard)	7,000

2	Earth and Stone 	1,000

3	Enemy Detection 	2,000

4	Fear (Priest, Wizard)	3,000

5	Fire (Wizard)	4,500

6	Flame Extinguishing 	1,500

7	Frost (Wizard)	6,000

8	Illumination 	2,000

9	Illusion (Wizard)	3,000

10	Lightning (Wizard)	4,000

11	Magic Detection 	2,500

12	Magic Missiles 	4,000

13	Metal and Mineral Detection 	1,500

14	Negation 	3,500

15	Paralyzation (Wizard)	3,500

16	Polymorphing (Wizard)	3,500

17	Secret Door and Trap Location 	5,000

18	Size Alteration 	3,000

19	Wonder 	6,000

20	DM's Choice	—


Miscellaneous Magic: Books, Librams, Manuals, Tomes DMG
Table 95 :

Miscellaneous Magic: Books, Librams, Manuals, Tomes

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1-3	Boccob's Blessed Book (Wizard)	4,500

 4	Book of Exalted Deeds (Priest)	8,000

 5	Book of Infinite Spells 	9,000

 6	Book of Vile Darkness (Priest)	8,000

 7	Libram of Gainful Conjuration (Wizard)	8,000

 8	Libram of Ineffable Damnation (Wizard)	8,000

 9	Libram of Silver Magic (Wizard)	8,000

10	Manual of Bodily Health 	5,000

11	Manual of Gainful Exercise 	5,000

12	Manual of Golems (Priest, Wizard)	3,000

13	Manual of Puissant Skill at Arms (Warrior)	8,000

14	Manual of Quickness of Action 	5,000

15	Manual of Stealthy Pilfering (Rogue)	8,000

16	Tome of Clear Thought 	8,000

17	Tome of Leadership and Influence 	7,500

18	Tome of Understanding 	8,000

19	Vacuous Grimoire 	—

20	DM's Choice	—


Miscellaneous Magic: Jewels, Jewelry, Phylacteries DMG
Table 96:

Miscellaneous Magic: Jewels, Jewelry, Phylacteries (D6)

Subtable A (1-3)

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Amulet of Inescapable Location 	—

2	Amulet of Life Protection 	5,000

3	Amulet of the Planes 	6,000

4	Amulet of Proof Against

Detection and Location  	4,000

5	Amulet Versus Undead 	200*

6	Beads of Force 	200 ea.

7	Brooch of Shielding 	1,000

8	Gem of Brightness 	2,000

9	Gem of Insight 	3,000

10	Gem of Seeing 	2,000

11	Jewel of Attacks 	—

12	Jewel of Flawlessness 	—

13	Medallion of ESP 	2,000

14	Medallion of Thought Projection 	—

15	Necklace of Adaptation 	1,000

16-17	Necklace of Missiles 	100**

18	Necklace of Prayer Beads (Priest)	500***

19	Necklace of Strangulation 	—

20	DM's Choice	—

Subtable B (4-6)

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Pearl of Power (Wizard)	200*

2	Pearl of the Sirines 	900

3	Pearl of Wisdom (Priest)	500

4	Periapt of Foul Rotting 	—

5	Periapt of Health 	1,000

6	Periapt of Proof Against Poison 	1,500

7	Periapt of Wound Closure 	1,000

8	Phlactery of Faithfulness (Priest)	1,000

9	Phylactery of Long Years (Priest)	3,000

10	Phylactery of Monstrous Attention (Priest)	—

11	Scarab of Death 	—

12	Scarab of Enraging Enemies 	1,000

13	Scarab of Insanity 	1,500

14	Scarab of Protection 	2,500

15	Scarab Versus Golems 	****

16	Talisman of Pure Good (Priest)	3,500

17	Talisman of the Sphere (Wizard)	100

18	Talisman of Ultimate Evil (Priest)	3,500

19	Talisman of Zagy 	1,000

20	DM's Choice	—

      * Per level

   **  Per die of damage

  *** Per special bead

**** See item description


Miscellaneous Magic: Cloaks and Robes
Table 97:

Miscellaneous Magic: Cloaks and Robes

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Cloak of Arachnida 	3,000

2	Cloak of Displacement 	3,000

3-4	Cloak of Elvenkind 	1,000

5	Cloak of Poisonousness 	—

6-8	Cloak of Protection 	1,000*

9	Cloak of the Bat	1,500

10	Cloak of the Manta Ray 	2,000

11	Robe of the Archmagi (Wizard) 	6,000

12	Robe of Blending 	3,500

13	Robe of Eyes (Wizard)	4,500

14	Robe of Powerlessness (Wizard)	—

15	Robe of Scintillating Colors (Priest, Wizard)	2,750

16	Robe of Stars (Wizard)	4,000

17-18	Robe of Useful Items (Wizard)	1,500

19	Robe of Vermin (Wizard)	—

20	DM's Choice	—

* Per plus


Miscellaneous Magic: Boots, Bracers, Gloves DMG
Table 98:

Miscellaneous Magic: Boots, Bracers, Gloves

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Boots of Dancing 	—

2	Boots of Elvenkind 	1,000

3	Boots of Levitation 	2,000

4	Boots of Speed 	2,500

5	Boots of Striding and Springing 	2,500

6	Boots of the North 	1,500

7	Boots of Varied Tracks 	1,500

8	Boots, Winged 	2,000

9	Bracers of Archery (Warrior)	1,000

10	Bracers of Brachiation 	1,000

11-12	Bracers of Defense 	500*

13	Bracers of Defenselessness 	—

14	Gauntlets of Dexterity 	1,000

15	Gauntlets of Fumbling 	—

16	Gauntlets of Ogre Power

(Priest, Rogue, Warrior)	1,000

17	Gauntlets of Swimming and Climbing

(Priest, Rogue, Warrior)  	1,000

18	Gloves of Missile Snaring 	1,500

19	Slippers of Climbing 	1,000

20	DM's Choice	—

* Per AC of protection less than 10


Miscellaneous Magic: Girdles, Hats, Helms DMG
Table 99:

Miscellaneous Magic: Girdles, Hats, Helms

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1-3	Girdle of Dwarvenkind 	3,500

4	Girdle of Femininity/Masculinity

(Priest, Rogue, Warrior) 	—

5-6	Girdle of Giant Strength

(Priest, Rogue, Warrior) 	2,000

7-9	Girdle of Many Pouches 	1,000

10	Hat of Disguise 	1,000

11	Hat of Stupidity 	—

12	Helm of Brilliance 	2,500

13-14	Helm of Comprehending Languages

and Reading Magic 	1,000

15	Helm of Opposite Alignment 	—

16	Helm of Telepathy 	3,000

17	Helm of Teleportation 	2,500

18-19	Helm of Underwater Action 	1,000

20	DM's Choice	—


Miscellaneous Magic: Bags, Bottles, Pouches, Containers
Table 100:

Miscellaneous Magic: Bags, Bottles, Pouches, Containers

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Alchemy Jug 	3,000

2	Bag of Beans 	1,000

3	Bag of Devouring 	—

4-7	Bag of Holding 	5,000

8	Bag of Transmuting 	—

9	Bag of Tricks 	2,500

10	Beaker of Plentiful Potions 	1,500

11	Bucknard's Everful Purse 	 *

12	Decanter of Endless Water 	1,000

13	Efreeti Bottle 	9,000

14	Eversmoking Bottle 	500

15	Flask of Curses 	—

16	Heward's Handy Haversack 	3,000

17	Iron Flask 	—

18	Portable Hole 	5,000

19	Pouch of Accessibility 	1,500

20	DM's Choice	—

* See item description


Miscellaneous Magic: Candles, Dusts, Ointments, Incense, Stones DMg
Table 101:

Miscellaneous Magic:

Candles, Dusts, Ointments, Incense, and Stones

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Candle of Invocation (Priest)  	1,000

2	Dust of Appearance 	1,000

3	Dust of Disappearance 	2,000

4	Dust of Dryness 	1,000

5	Dust of Illusion 	1,000

6	Dust of Tracelessness 	500

7	Dust of Sneezing and Choking 	—

8	Incense of Meditation (Priest)  	500

9	Incense of Obsession (Priest)  	—

10	Ioun Stones 	300*

11	Keoghtom's Ointment 	500

12	Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments 	500*

13	Philosopher's Stone 	1,000

14	Smoke Powder **	—

15	Sovereign Glue 	1,000

16	Stone of Controlling

Earth Elementals 	1,500

17	Stone of Good Luck (Luckstone) 	3,000

18	Stone of Weight (Loadstone)	—

19	Universal Solvent 	1,000

20	DM's Choice	—

  * Per stone or pot of pigment

** This item is optional and should not be given unless the arquebus is allowed in the campaign.


Miscellaneous Magic: Household Items and Tools DMG
Table 102:

Miscellaneous Magic: Household Items and Tools

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Brazier Commanding Fire Elementals

(Wizard) 	4,000

2	Brazier of Sleep Smoke (Wizard)	—

3	Broom of Animated Attack 	—

4	Broom of Flying 	2,000

5	Carpet of Flying 	7,500

6	Mattock of the Titans (Warrior)  	3,500

7	Maul of the Titans (Warrior)	4,000

8	Mirror of Life Trapping (Wizard)	2,500

9	Mirror of Mental Prowess 	5,000

10	Mirror of Opposition 	—

11	Murylynd's Spoon 	750

12-13	Rope of Climbing 	1,000

14	Rope of Constriction 	—

15	Rope of Entanglement 	1,500

16	Rug of Smothering 	—

17	Rug of Welcome (Wizard)	6,500

18	Saw of Mighty Cutting (Warrior)	2,000

19	Spade of Clossal Excavation (Warrior)	1,000

20	DM's Choice	—


Miscellaneous Magic: Musical Instruments DMG
Table 103:

Miscellaneous Magic: Musical Instruments

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Chime of Interruption 	2,000

2	Chime of Opening 	3,500

3	Chime of Hunger 	—

4	Drums of Deafening 	—

5	Drums of Panic 	6,500

6	Harp of Charming 	5,000

7	Harp of Discord 	—

8	Horn of Blasting 	1,000

9	Horn of Bubbles 	—

10	Horn of Collapsing 	1,500

11	Horn of Fog 	400

12	Horn of Goodness (Evil)	750

13	Horn of the Tritons (Priest, Warrior)	2,000

14	Horn of Valhalla 	1,000*

15	Lyre of Building 	5,000

16	Pipes of Haunting 	400

17	Pipes of Pain 	—

18	Pipes of Sounding 	1,000

19	Pipes of the Sewers 	2,000

20	DM's Choice	—

* Only if used by character of appropriate class.


Miscallaneous Magic: The Weird Stuff DMG
Table 104:

Miscellaneous Magic: The Weird Stuff (D6)

Subtable A (1-3)

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Apparatus of Kwalish 	8,000

2-3	Boat, Folding 	10,000

4	Bowl Commanding Water Elementals

(Wizard)  	4,000

5	Bowl of Watery Death (Wizard)  	—

6	Censer Controllong Air Elementals (Wizard)  	4,000

7	Censer of Summoning Hostile Air Elementals (Wizard)

   	—

8-9	Crystal Ball (Wizard)	1,000

10	Crystal Hypnosis Ball (Wizard)	—

11	Cube of Force 	3,000

12-13	Cube of Frost Resistance 	2,000

14	Cubic Gate 	5,000

15	Daern's Instant Fortress 	7,000

16	Deck of Illusions 	1,500

17	Deck of Many Things 	—

18	Eyes of Charming (Wizard)	4,000

19	Eyes of Minute Seeing 	2,000

20	DM's Choice	—

Subtable B 4-6

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Eyes of Petrification 	—

2	Eyes of the Eagle 	3,500

3-4	Figurines of Wondrous Powers 	100*

5	Horseshoes of Zephyr 	1,500

6-7	Horseshoes of Speed 	2,000

8	Iron Bands of Bilarro 	750

9	Lens of Detection 	250

10	Quaal's Feather Token 	1,000

11-12	Quiver of Ehlonna 	1,500

13	Sheet of Smallness 	1,500

14	Sphere of Annihilation 	4,000

15	Stone Horse 	2,000

16	Well of Many Worlds 	6,000

17-18	Wind Fan 	500

19	Wings of Flying 	750

20	DM's Choice	—

* Per Hit Die of the figurine.

Armor and Shields

To determine the magical item found, roll for the type of armor on Table 105 and then the magical adjustment on Table 106. If a Special armor is found, roll for the type on Table 107.

Table 105:

Armor Type

D20 Roll	Armor

1	Banded mail

2	Brigandine

3-5	Chain mail

6	Field plate

7	Full plate

8	Leather

9-12	Plate mail

13	Ring mail

14	Scale mail

15-17	Shield

18	Splint mail

19	Studded leather

20	Special

Table 106:

Armor Class Adjustment

D20 Roll	AC Adj.	XP Value

1-2	 -1	 —

3-10	+1	   500

11-14	+2	1,000

15-17	+3	1,500

18-19	+4	2,000

20	+5	3,000


Special Armors DMG
Table 107:

Special Armors

D20 Roll	Armor Type	XP Value

1-2	Armor of Command 	+1,000

3-4	Armor of Blending 	+500

5-6	Armor of Missile Attraction 	—*

7-8	Armor of Rage 	—*

9-10	Elven Chain Mail 	+1,000

11-12	Plate Mail of Etherealness 	5,000

13-14	Plate Mail of Fear 	4,000

15-16	Plate Mail of Vulnerability 	—

17-18	Shield, large, +1, +4 versus Missiles 	400

19-20	Shield -1, Missile Attractor 	—

* No experience points are gained, regardless of the amount of additional AC protection the item provides.


Magical Weapons DMG
Magical Weapons

To determine the type of magical weapon found, roll once on Table 108 for a weapon type. Then roll on Table 109 to determine the plus (or minus) of the weapon. If a Special result is rolled, roll on Table 110 to determine the exact weapon found. A range of numbers in parentheses is the number of items found.

Table 108:

Weapon Type (D6)

Subtable A (1-2)	Subtable B (3-6)

D20 Roll	Weapon	D20 Roll	Weapon

1	Arrow (4d6)	1	Military Pick

2	Arrow (3d6)	2	Morning Star

3	Arrow (2d6)	3	Pole Arm

4-5	Axe	4-5	Scimitar

6	Battle axe	6-8	Spear

7	Bolt (2d10)	9-17	Sword

8	Bolt (2d6)	18	Trident

9	Bullet, Sling (3d4)	19	Warhammer

10-12	Dagger	20	Special (roll on Table 110)

13	Dart (3d4)

14	Flail

15	Javelin (1d2)

16	Knife

17	Lance

18-19	Mace

20	Special (roll on Table 110)

Table 109:

Attack Roll Adjustment

D20	Sword	  XP	  Other	 	  XP

Roll	 Adj.	Value	Wpn Adj.	Value

1-2	-1	  —	-1	  —

3-10	+1	   400	+1	   500

11-14	+2	   800	+1	   500

15-17	+3	1,400	+2	1,000

18-19	+4	2,000	+2	1,000

20	+5	3,000	+3	2,000


Special Weapons DMG
Table 110:

Special Weapons (D10)

Subtable A (1-3)

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Arrow of Direction 	2,500

2	Arrow of Slaying 	250

3	Axe +2, Throwing 	750

4	Axe of Hurling 	*

5-6	Bow +1 	500

7	Crossbow of Accuracy, +3 	2,000

8	Crossbow of Distance 	1,500

9	Crossbow of Speed 	1,500

10-11	Dagger +1, +2 vs. Tiny or Small creatures	300

12-13	Dagger +2, +3 vs. larger than man-sized	300

14	Dagger +2, Longtooth 	300

15	Dagger of Throwing 	*

16	Dagger of Venom 	350

17	Darts of Homing 	450

18	Hammer +3, Dwarven Thrower 	1,500

19	Hammer of Thunderbolts 	2,500

20	DM's Choice	—

* See item description

Subtable B (4-6)

D20 Roll	Item	XP Value

1	Hornblade 	*

2	Javelin of Lightning 	250

3	Javelin of Piercing 	250

4-5	Knife, Buckle 	150

6-7	Mace of Disruption 	2,000

8	Net of Entrapment 	1,000

9	Net of Snaring 	1,000

10-11	Quarterstaff, Magical 	500

12	Scimitar of Speed 	*

13-14	Sling of Seeking +2 	700

15	Spear, Cursed Backbiter 	—

16	Trident of Fish Command 	500

17	Trident of Submission 	1,500

18	Trident of Warning 	1,000

19	Trident of Yearning 	—

20	DM's Choice	—

* See item description

Subtable C (7-9)

D20 Roll	Sword	XP Value

1	Sun Blade 	3,000

2-7	Sword +1, +2 vs. magic-using and enchanted creatures

600

8-10	Sword +1, +3 vs. lycanthropes and shape changers

700

11-12	Sword +1, +3 vs. regenerating creatures 	800

13	Sword +1, +4 vs. reptiles 	800

14-15	Sword +1, cursed 	—

16	Sword +1, Flame Tongue, 	900

17	Sword +1, Luckblade 	1,000

18	Sword +2, Dragon Slayer 	900

19	Sword +2, Giant Slayer 	900

20	DM's Choice	—

Subtable D (10)

D20 Roll	Swords	XP Value

1	Sword +2, Nine Lives Stealer 	1,600

2-3	Sword +3, Frost Brand 	1,600

4	Sword, +4 Defender 	3,000

5	Sword +5, Defender	3,600

6	Sword, +5 Holy Avenger 	4,000

7-8	Sword -2, Cursed 	—

9	Sword of Dancing 	4,400

10	Sword of Life Stealing 	5,000

11	Sword of Sharpness 	7,000

12	Sword of the Planes 	2,000

13	Sword of Wounding 	4,400

14-16	Sword, Cursed Beserking 	—

17-18	Sword, Short, of Quickness (+2) 1,000

19	Sword, Vorpal Weapon 	10,000

20	DM's Choice	—


Magic Item Tables--Tome of Magic
MAGIC ITEM TABLES—Tome of Magic

Table 4: POTIONS AND OILS

D20  	XP

Roll 	Item 	Value

1-4 	Aroma of Dreams  	   	   300

5-6 	Curdled Death 	   750

7-12 	Murdock's Insect Ward 	   200

13 	Oil of Elemental Plane Invulnerability 	5,000

14-15 	Oil of Preservation 	   750

16-17 	Potion of Elemental Control 	   600

18-20 	Starella's Aphrodisiac 	   	 	   250


Rings TM
Table 5: RINGS

 D20  	XP

 Roll 	Item 	Value

 1-3 	Ring of Affliction 	  --

 4-6 	Ring of Armoring (W) 	2,000

 7-8 	Ring of Bureacractic Wizardry (W)	   --

 9-11 	Ring of Elemental Metamorphosis 	3,000

 12-14	Ring of Fortitude 	1,000

 15-17	Ring of Randomness (P) 	  --

 18-20	Ring of Resistance (W) 	1,000


Rods, Staves, and Wands TM
Table 6: RODS, STAVES, WANDS

D20  	XP

Roll 	Item 	Value

1-4 	Rod of Distortion 	 5,000

5-6 	Staff of the Elements (W)  	           10,000

7-12 	Wand of Corridors 	 4,000

13-14	Wand of Element Transmogrification 	 2,000

15-17	Wand of Misplaced Objects 	 2,000

18-20	Wand of Prime Material Pockets 	 5,000


Miscellaneous Magic: Books, Librams, Manuals, Tomes TM
Table 7: MISCELLANEOUS MAGIC: Books, Librams, Manuals, Tomes

D20  	XP

Roll 	Item 	Value

1-7 	Manual of Dogmatic Methods 	   --

8-16 	Tome of Mystical Equations (P) 	 1,000

17-20 	Trimia's Catalogue of Outer Plane Artifacts (W)           12,000


Miscellaneous Magic: Jewels, Jewelry, Phylacteries TM
Table 8: MISCELLANEOUS MAGIC: Jewels, Jewelry, Phylacteries

D20  	XP

Roll 	Item 	Value

1-2 	Amulet of Extension (W) 	1,000

3-4 	Amulet of Far Reaching (W) 	1,000

5-6 	Amulet of Leadership 	5,000

7 	Amulet of Magic Resistance 	5,000

8 	Amulet of Metaspell Influence (W) 	3,000

9-10 	Amulet of Perpetual Youth 	2,000

11 	Brooch of Number Numbering 	4,000

12 	Gem of Retaliation 	2,000

13-14 	Medallion of Spell Exchange (W) 	3,000

15-16 	Necklace of Memory Enhancement 	1,000

17-18 	Scarab of Uncertainty 	1,000

19-20 	Talisman of Memorization (W) 	1,000


Miscellaneous Magic: Braces, Gloves, Hats, Robes TM
Table 9: MISCELLANEOUS MAGIC: Bracers, Gloves, Hats, Robes

D20  	XP

Roll 	Item 	Value

1-4 	Bracers of Brandishing 	3,000

5-8 	Fur of Warmth 	5,000

9-12 	Reglar's Gloves of Freedom 	3,000

13-16 	Robe of Repetition (P,W) 	6,000

17-20 	School Cap (W) 	2,000


Miscellaneous Magic: Bags, Bottles, Pouches, Containers TM
Table 10: MISCELLANEOUS MAGIC: Bags, Bottles, Pouches, Containers

D20  	XP

Roll 	Item 	Value

1-3 	Bag of Bones (P) 	3,000

4-8 	Flatbox 	5,000

9-13 	Jar of Preserving 	   500

14-15	Nefradina's Indentifier (W) 	1,000

16 	Tenser's Portmanteau of Frugality (W)  	6,000

17-20 	Thought Bottle 	1,000


Miscellaneous Magic: Candles, Dusts, Ointments, Stones TM
Table 11: MISCELLANEOUS MAGIC: Candles, Dusts, Ointments, Stones

D20  	XP

Roll 	Item 	Value

1-3 	Candle of Propitiousness 	   750

4-5 	Dust of Mind Dulling 	1,000

6-7 	Powder of the Black Veil 	1,000

8-9 	Powder of Coagulation 	   500

10-11 	Powder of the Hero's Heart 	   750

12-13 	Powder of Magic Detection 	1,000

14-15 	Puchezma's Powder of Edible Ojects 	1,000

16-19 	Salves of Far Seeing 	1,000

20 	Warp Marble 	5,000


Miscellaneous Magic: Household Items, Tools, Muscial Instruments TM
Table 12: MISCELLANEOUS MAGIC: Household Items, Tools, Musical Instruments

D20  	XP

Roll 	Item 	Value

1 	Crucible of Melting (W) 	 1,000

2-3 	Everbountiful Soup Kettle 	 1,000

4 	Forge of Metal Protection 	            10,000

5 	Glass of Preserved Words 	 2,000

6 	Horn of Valor 	  	 5,000

7 	Hourglass of Fire and Ice (W) 	 2,000

8 	Lens of Speed Reading 	    500

9-10 	Lorloveim's Obsidian Mortar and Pestle 	    500

11 	Mirror of Retention 	 1,200

12 	Mirror of Simple Order 	   --

13 	Mordom's Cauldron of Air 	 3,000

14 	Philosopher's Egg (W) 	 1,000

15 	Pick of Earth Parting 	 5,000

16-17 	Skie's Locks and Bolts 	  	 1,000

18-19 	Tapestry of Disease Warding 	 2,000

20 	Zwann's Watering Can (P) 	 1,000


Micellaneous Magic: The Wierd Stuff TM
Table 13: MISCELLANEOUS MAGIC: The Weird Stuff

D20  	XP

Roll 	Item 	Value

1 	Air Spores 	    500

2 	Bell's Palette of Identity 	 1,000

3 	Claw of Magic Stealing (W) 	 3,500

4 	Contracts of Nepthas 	 1,000

5 	Crystal Parrot 	  	 1,500

6 	Dimensional Mine 	     --

7 	Disintegration Chamber 	 5,000

8 	Elemental Compass 	           10,000

9 	Globe of Purification (P) 	    500

10 	Globe of Serenity (P) 	  	    500

11 	Law's Banner (Wr) 	 5,000

12 	Liquid Road 	    500

13 	Mist Tent 	 2,000

14 	Mouse Cart 	 3,500

15 	Portable Canoe 	 2,000

16 	Prism of Light Splitting 	 1,500

17 	Quill of Law 	 7,000

18 	Saddle of Flying 	 4,000

19 	Teleportation Chamber 	            10,000

20 	Time Bomb 	 1,000

Items followed by a letter in parentheses are usable only by specific classes: P Priest, W Wizard, Wr Warrior.


Turning Undead

One important, and potentially life-saving, combat ability available to priests and paladins is the ability to turn undead. This is a special power granted by the character's deity. Druids cannot turn undead; priests of specific mythoi may be able to at the DM's option.

Through the priest or paladin, the deity manifests a portion of its power, terrifying evil, undead creatures or blasting them right out of existence. However, since the power must be channeled through a mortal vessel, success is not always assured.

When encountering undead, a priest or paladin can attempt to turn the creatures (remember that the paladin turns undead as if he was two levels lower--a 5th-level paladin uses the level 3 column in Table 61). Only one attempt can be made per character per encounter, but several different characters can make attempts at the same time (with the results determined individually).

Table 61:

Turning Undead

Type or Hit Dice	Level of Priest†

of Undead	 1      	2        3         4          5        6        	7        8       	9        10-11       12-13	14+

Skeleton or 1 HD 10	7	4	T	T	D	D	D*	D*	D*	D*	D*

Zombie	 13	10	7	4	T	T	D	D	D*	D*	D*	D*

Ghoul or 2 HD	 16	13	10	7	4	T	T	D	D	D*	D*	D*

Shadow or

3-4 HD	 19	16	13	10	7	4	T	T	D	D	D*	D*

Wight or 5 HD	 20	19	16	13	10	7	4	T	T	D	D	D*

Ghast	 --	20	19	16	13	10	7	4	T	T	D	D

Wraith or 6 HD	 --	--	20	19	16	13	10	7	4	T	T	D

Mummy or 7 HD	 --	--	--	20	19	16	13	10	7	4	T	T

Spectre or 8 HD	 --	--	--	--	20	19	16	13	10	7	4	T

Vampire or 9 HD	 --	--	--	--	--	20	19	16	13	10	7	4

Ghost or 10 HD	 --	--	--	--	--	--	20	19	16	13	10	7

Lich or 11+ HD	 --	--	--	--	--	--	--	20	19	16	13	10

Special**	 --	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	20	19	16	13

*An additional 2d4 creatures of this type are turned.

**Special creatures include unique undead, free-willed undead of the Negative Material Plane, certain Greater and Lesser Powers, and those undead that dwell in the Outer Planes.

†Paladins turn undead as priests who are two levels lower.

Attempting to turn counts as an action, requiring one round and occurring during the character's turn in the initiative order (thus, the undead may get to act before the character can turn them). The mere presence of the character is not enough--a touch of drama from the character is important. Speech and gestures are important, so the character must have his hands free and be in a position to speak. However, turning is not like spellcasting and is not interrupted if the character is attacked during the attempt.

To resolve a turning attempt, look on Table 61. Cross-index the Hit Dice or type of the undead with the level of the character (two levels lower for a paladin). If there is a number listed, roll 1d20. If the number rolled is equal to or greater than that listed, the attempt is successful. If the letter "T" (for "turned") appears, the attempt is automatically successful without a die roll. If the letter "D" (for "dispel") is given, the turning utterly destroys the undead. A dash (--) means that a priest or paladin of that level cannot turn that type of undead. A successful turn or dispel affects 2d6 undead. If the undead are a mixed group, the lowest Hit Dice creatures are turned first.

Only one die is rolled regardless of the number of undead the character is attempting to turn in a given round. The result is read individually for each type of undead.

For example, Gorus, a 7th-level priest, and his party are attacked by two skeletons led by a wight and a spectre. The turning attempt is made, resulting in a roll of 12.

Gorus's player reads the table for all three types of undead using the same roll--12--for all three. The skeletons are destroyed (as Gorus knew they would be). The wight is turned (a 4 or better was needed) and flees. The spectre, however, continues forward undaunted (since a 16 was needed to turn the spectre).

Turned undead bound by the orders of another (for example, skeletons) simply retreat and allow the character and those with him to pass or complete their actions.

Free-willed undead attempt to flee the area of the turning character, until out of his sight. If unable to escape, they circle at a distance, no closer than ten feet to the character, provided he continues to maintain his turning (no further die rolls are needed).

If the character forces the free-willed undead to come closer than ten feet (by pressing them into a corner, for example) the turning is broken and the undead attack normally.


Evil Priests and Undead

Evil priests are normally considered to be in league with undead creatures, or at least to share their aims and goals. Thus, they have no ability to turn undead. However, they can attempt to command these beings.

This is resolved in the same way as a turning attempt. Up to 12 undead can be commanded. A "T" result means the undead automatically obey the evil priest, while a "D" means the undead become completely subservient to the evil priest. They follow his commands (to the best of their ability and understanding) until turned, commanded, or destroyed by another.

Evil priests also have the ability to affect paladins, turning them as if they were undead. However, since the living spirit of a paladin is far more difficult to quell and subvert, paladins are vastly more difficult to turn.

  An evil priest attempting to turn a paladin does so as if the priest were three levels lower than he actually is. Thus, a 7th-level evil priest would turn paladins on the 4th-level column. He would have only a slim chance of turning a 7th-level paladin (7 HD) and would not be able to turn one of 8th level at all (using the level of the paladin as the HD to be turned). All "D" results against paladins are treated as "T" results.


Vision and Light

Before a character can do anything in the dungeon or the wilderness, he has to be able to see what he is doing. If a character can't see a target, his chances of hitting it are very small. If he can't see, he can't read a scroll or a large "Keep Out" sign on the wall. In the AD&D game, characters can see set distances and often by fantastic means that defy logic.

Infravision

   There are two definitions of infravision that can be used in the AD&D game. The first is simple but lacks detail. It is, however, a perfectly adequate definition for those who don't want to bother with the complexities of infravision. The second, optional, definition, adds another level of detail to the game. It allows the DM to create special situations in which the function of infravision becomes important, but requires the DM to keep track of more rules and more details.

Standard Infravision

The easiest definition of infravision is that it allows characters to see in the dark. Nothing more is said about how this works—it simply works. Characters do not see into the infared spectrum or "see'' heat or anything else. They just see in the dark as clearly as they do in normal light. However, since it is a somewhat magical power, the range is not that of normal vision—infravision ability extends only 60 feet. Beyond this only normal vision is allowed.

Optional Infravision

This definition is much more scientific and accurate to what we know of physical properties of the real world. To its advantage, this definition makes infravision very different from normal sight, with its own strengths and weaknesses. To its disadvantage, it introduces a certain amount of scientific accuracy (with all its complications) into a fantasy realm.

According to this definition, infravision is the ability to sense or "see'' heat. The best comparison is to thermal imaging equipment used by the armed forces of many different nations today. This special sense is limited to a 60-foot range. Within this range, characters can see the degrees of heat radiated by an object as a glowing blob translated into colors like a thermagram.

If this definition is used, there are several things that must be considered. First, large heat sources will temporarily blind characters with infravision just as looking at a bright light blinds those with normal vision. Thus, those attempting to use infravision must make the effort to avoid looking directly at fires or torches, either their own or the enemy's. (The light from magical items does not radiate significant heat.) Second, the DM must be ready to state how hot various things are. A literal interpretation of the rule means that characters won't be able to tell the floor from the walls in most dungeons. All of it is the same temperature, after all.

The DM must also be ready to decide if dungeon doors are a different temperature (or radiate heat differently) from stone walls. Does a different color or kind of stone radiate heat differently from those around it? Does the ink of a page radiate differently enough from the paper to be noticed? Probably not. Can a character tell an orc from a hobgoblin or a human? Most creatures have similar "thermal outlines"—somewhat fuzzy blobs. They do not radiate at different temperatures and even if they did, infravision is seldom so acute as to register differences of just a few degrees.

  Be sure you understand the effects this optional definition of infravision can have—there are dangers in bringing scientific accuracy to a fantasy game. By creating a specific definition of how this power works, the DM is inviting his players to apply logic to the definition. The problem is, this is a fantasy game and logic isn't always sensible or even desired! So, be aware that the optional definition may result in very strange situations, all because logic and science are applied to something that isn't logical or scientific.


Limits of Vision

The first limitation on vision is how far away an object can be before it cannot be seen clearly. Size and weather have a great effect on this. Mountains can be seen from great distances, 60 to 100 miles or more, yet virtually no detail can be seen. On level ground, the horizon is about five to 12 miles away, but a character usually cannot see a specific object that far away. The limit of vision for seeing and identifying man-sized objects is much less than this.

Under optimum conditions, the maximum range at which a man-sized object can be seen is about 1,500 yards, if it is moving. If the object doesn't move, it usually cannot be seen at this distance. Even if it is moving, all that can be seen is a moving object. The character cannot tell what it is or what it is doing.

At 1,000 yards, both moving and stationary man-sized objects can be spotted. General size and shape can be determined, but exact identifications are impossible. It is not likely that creature type can be identified at this range, unless the creature has a very unique shape.

At 500 yards, general identifications can be made. Size, shape, color, and creature type are all distinguishable. Individuals still cannot be identified, unless they are distinctively dressed or separated from the rest of the group. Livery and heraldic symbols or banners can be seen if large and bold. Most coats of arms cannot be distinguished at this distance. General actions can be ascertained with confidence.

At 100 yards, individuals can be identified (unless, of course, their features are concealed). Coats of arms are clear. Most actions are easily seen, although small events are unclear.

At 10 yards, all details but the smallest are clear. Emotions and actions are easily seen, including such small actions as pick-pocketing (if it is detectable).

Of course, conditions are seldom perfect. There are a number of factors that can reduce visibility and alter the ranges at which things can be spotted and identified. Table 62 lists the effects of different types of conditions.

All ranges are given in yards.

"Movement" indicates the maximum distance at which a moving figure can be seen. "Spotted" is the maximum distance a moving or a stationary figure can be seen. "Type" gives the maximum distance at which the general details of a figure can be seen--species or race, weapons, etc. "ID" range enables exact (or reasonably exact) identification. "Detail" range means small actions can be seen clearly.

There are many factors other than weather that affect viewing. Size is an important factor. When looking at a small creature (size S), all categories are reduced to the next lower category (except the "detail" range, which remains unchanged). Thus, under clear conditions, the ranges for seeing a small creature are "movement" at 1,000 yards, "spotted" at 500 yards, "type" at 100 yards, and "ID" and "detail" at 10 yards.

When sighting large creatures, the "movement," "spotting," and "type" ranges are doubled. Exceptionally large creatures can be seen from even greater distances. Large groups of moving creatures can be seen at great distances. Thus, it is easy to see a herd of buffalo or an army on the march.

The ranges given in Table 62 do not take terrain into account. All ranges are based on flat, open ground. Hills, mountains, tall grass, and dense woods all drastically reduce the chances of seeing a creature. (The terrain does not alter sighting ranges, only the chances of seeing a creature.) Thus, even though on a clear day woods may hide a bear until he is 30 yards away, it is still a clear day for visibility. The bear, once seen, can be quickly and easily identified as a bear. The DM has more information on specific terrain effects on sighting.

Table 62:

Visibility Ranges

Condition	Movement	Spotted	Type	ID	Detail

Clear sky	1,500	1,000	500	100	10

Fog, dense or blizzard	     	     10	     10	    5	    5	  3

Fog, light or snow	   500	   200	100	  30	10

Fog, moderate	   100	     50	  25	  15	10

Mist or light rain	1,000	   500	250	  30	10

Night, full moon	   100	     50	  30	  10	  5

Night, no moon	  	     50	     20	  10	    5	  3

Twilight	  	   500	   300	150	  30	10

  As a final caveat, the ranges in Table 62 assume Earthlike conditions. Sighting conditions on one of the Lower Planes, or the horizon distance on another world, could be entirely different. If your DM feels he must take this into account, he will have to learn more about this subject at his local library or make it up.

Table 63:

Light Sources

Source	Radius	Burning time

Beacon lantern	240 ft.*	30 hrs./pint

Bonfire	50 ft.	½ hr./armload

Bullseye lantern	60 ft.*	2 hrs./pint

Campfire	35 ft.	1 hr./armload

Candle	  5 ft.	10 min./inch

Continual light	60 ft.	Indefinite

Hooded lantern	30 ft.	2 hrs./pint

Light spell	20 ft.	Variable

Torch	15 ft.	30 min.

Weapon**	  5 ft.	As desired

* Light from these is not cast in a radius, but rather in a cone-shaped beam. At its far end, the cone of light from a beacon lantern is 90 feet wide. A bullseye lantern has a beam 20 feet wide at its far end.

** Magical weapons shed light if your DM allows this optional rule.


Effects of Light Sources

The types of lighting and their radii are given in the Player's Handbook. However, these represent only the most basic effects of a light source. There are other effects of carrying a light that do not lend themselves to easy quantification or simple tables.

Being Seen

If player characters are using light to find their way, then not only can they see, but they can also be seen. Hiding one's light is impossible in this case. Characters using a light to find their way can even be watched by creatures beyond the range of their own light. Since the light source illuminates the area around the player characters, it makes them visible to people or creatures out to the watchers' normal visibility ranges. The radius of the light source isn't the issue in this situation.

  For example, on a clear plain, a raiding party of orcs could easily see the light of a fire and the silhouettes cast by the characters, even at 1,500 yards. Indeed, since the brightness of the fire is so different from the surrounding darkness, the light would be noticeable at even greater ranges, though details wouldn't be. Unless characters using a light source take special measures (posting a guard in the darkness, for example), they cannot surprise creatures who can see the light of their fire, torch, or lantern.

Using Mirrors

  At times it is useful for characters to look at objects or creatures via reflections in a mirror. This is particularly true of those creatures so hideous (such as a medusa) that gazing directly upon them might turn the viewer to stone. When using a mirror, a light source must be present. Second, attempting to direct your actions by looking in a mirror is very disorienting (try it and see). Thus, all actions requiring an ability or proficiency check or an attack roll suffer a -2 penalty. The character also loses all Dexterity bonuses to Armor Class if fighting an opponent seen only in a mirror.