If you’re walking in on the middle of this series, there’s an index here.
So, I’ll start sketching out classes. I decided that for each class, a picklist consisting proficiency slots, ability, spells, HD size increase, and HD number increase. Take two at first level and pick a third, and then take one additional at each level.
Fighter
Gain proficiency in a weapon of your choice and proficiency in an armour of your choice at first level. Take one advancement from the following list at first level and an additional one at each level. You have advantage on saving throws against steel.
Add a new proficiency slot
Decrease a saving throw by 1
Increase the size of your hit dice before 9th level
Increase your number of hit dice before 9th level
Add 3 HP to your HP total from 9th level
Can take elite followers from 9th level
Add a second attack per round once from 7th level
Add a third attack per round once from 13th level
A fighter gains no abilities in second edition, but can get elite followers, and is the only class to be able to specialise in weapons, as well as gets a unique strength bonus. All warriors can multi-attack. I’m happy to revise proficiency to give fighters the unique specialisation. That way, weapon specialisation rules can be a fighter subsystem, and allow things like their being able to fire into melee. Multi-attack should be a fighter only option, given then evening out of benefits and drawbacks across classes.
Paladin
Gain proficiency in a weapon of your choice and proficiency in an armour of your choice at first level. Take one advancement from the following list at first level and an additional one at each level. You have advantage on saving throws against steel or domination (your choice).
Add a new proficiency slot
Gain the spiritual mission downtime proficiency
Decrease a saving throw by 1
Turn undead (once per turn and once per creature)
Divine smite (spend 1d6 HP to inflict 1d8 additional radiant damage on a successful attack, or other patron-appropriate damage at GM’s discretion)
Detect magic in ranged rank (devilry)
Lay on hands (2 HP per level, touch rank, once per day)
Cure disease (touch rank, once per week)
Aura of protection (+1 saving throws to allies in same melee range)
Increase the size of your hit dice from 9th level
Increase your number of hit dice before 9th level
Add 3 HP to your HP total from 9th level
Learn a priest spell from 9th level, as per a priest of 8 levels lower.
We need to write rules for turning undead, and added divine smite because it’s a pretty iconic power from subsequent editions. I removed the less iconic “whistle for horse”, and I like how I can add a bunch of powers to paladin from the get go because advancements are self-limiting.
Ranger
Gain proficiency in a weapon of your choice and proficiency in one of tracking or calm animal at first level. Take one advancement from the following list at first level and an additional one at each level. You have advantage on saving throws against steel or wands (your choice).
Add a new proficiency slot
Decrease a saving throw by 1
Gain a favoured enemy (favoured enemies are always threatened with an additional 1d8 damage when attacked by the ranger)
Gain advantage on reaction rolls with beasts
Increase the size of your hit dice before 9th level
Increase your number of hit dice before 9th level
Add 3 HP to your HP total from 9th level
Learn a priest spell from 9th level, as per a priest of 8 levels lower.
Gain animal followers from 9th level.
Writing this, I realised that followers aren’t included on any lists aside from the ranger, because they’re a feature of building a stronghold for everyone else. This means I need to add follower rules into strongholds, or add them here. My inclination is strongholds, so that’ll need a thorough revision. Need a list of animal followers, and favoured enemies that are very specific.
Thief
Gain proficiency in a light weapon of your choice and proficiency in one of pick pockets, open locks, detect noise, sneak, climb walls, decipher script at first level. Take one advancement from the following list at first level and an additional one at each level. You have advantage on saving throws against wands.
Add a new proficiency slot
Gain a new proficiency in pick pockets, open locks, detect noise, sneak, climb walls, or decipher script.
Decrease a saving throw by 1
Increase the size of your hit dice before 9th level
Increase your number of hit dice before 9th level
Add 2 HP to your HP total from 9th level
If you are hidden from your opponent, you can backstab them to threaten an additional 1d6 damage. This can be taken again from 7th and 13th level to increase damage threatened by an additional 1d6 HP each time.
You can always try to use wizardly scrolls – although the GM will roll 1d6 and on a 1, the magic will backfire and likely be dangerously overpowered in its effect or do the precise opposite of what you intended.
So, writing the thief list reveals the challenge in making proficiencies open to all: I can’t say “this class only gets this”. I think the solution is free specialisation for this class. Then, on revision, I realised that you get proficiency slots on advancement, but you need to train in downtime to assign them. I’ll clarify that in the downtime rules, but it opens a decent level up simplifications and makes for a neat “delayed investment” in proficiencies which I like. And, it makes the “get a proficiency” ability so much more powerful for thieves and bards!
Bard
Gain proficiency in a light weapon of your choice and proficiency in one musical instrument at first level. Take one advancement from the following list at first level and an additional one at each level. You have advantage on saving throws against wands.
Add a new proficiency slot
Decrease a saving throw by 1
Gain a new proficiency in disguise, acrobatics, juggling, forge documents, climb walls, ventriloquism, or any game
Increase the size of your hit dice before 9th level
Increase your number of hit dice before 9th level
Add 2 HP to your HP total after 9th level
Learn a random wizard spell after 3rd level, as per a wizard of one third the level, rounded down
You gain advantage on reaction rolls with non-beasts
You learn to give a performance for one turn that grants all allies who hear it advantage on their next morale check, next saving throw or next attack roll, their choice.
You learn to how to counter any magic associated with music by performing against it.
You always know a legend or rumour about a hero or magical item, although the GM will roll 1d6 and on a 1, that rumour or legend will not be entirely true.
You can always try to use written magic – scrolls, books, glyphs – although the GM will roll 1d6 and on a 1, the magic will backfire and likely be dangerously overpowered in its effect or do the precise opposite of what you intended.
I pulled some of the proficiencies from the rogue list in second edition, but otherwise this is identical. I need to double check that advantage works for the bardic inspiration ability, but while it’s a little rule-breaking, we can break rules as a treat.
Priest
Gain a granted power appropriate to your deity (see the granted power list for examples), and proficiency in religion at first level. Take one advancement from the following list at first level and an additional one at each level. You have advantage on saving throws against domination.
Learn a priest spell of a level equal to half of your level rounded down.
Add a new proficiency slot
Gain the spiritual mission downtime proficiency
Decrease a saving throw by 1
Turn undead (once per turn and once per creature)
Increase the size of your hit dice before 9th level
Increase your number of hit dice before 9th level
Add 2 HP to your HP total after 9th level
I need to write a granted powers list, but aside from that, both priests and wizards are quite straightforward, as a lot of their content is offloaded to their spell list.
Wizard
Gain one spell at first level and proficiency in arcane at first level. Take one advancement from the following list at first level and an additional one at each level. You have advantage on saving throws against transformation.
Learn a wizard spell of a level equal to half of your level rounded down.
Add a new proficiency slot
Gain the inscribe scroll, study spell book, charge wand, or create spell book downtime proficiency
Decrease a saving throw by 1
Gain proficiency in magical research.
Increase the size of your hit dice before 9th level
Increase your number of hit dice before 9th level
Add 1 HP to your HP total after 9th level
Wizards are more simple again, and reminded me to incorporate the paladin and priest downtime proficiencies.
This leaves me with a lot of revisions:
- Armour proficiency
- Weapon mastery is for fighters only
- Proficiency slots being “spent” at downtime training
- Animal followers
- When followers can arrive
- Elite followers for fight
- Favoured enemies
- Advantage on morale, attacks, saving throws
- Granted powers
- Turn undead
This has been a part of the Advanced Fantasy Dungeon Series! Let me know your thoughts on this approach, whether I’ve overlooked anything glaring, or anything of the sort!
Idle Cartulary
7th June 2022
Playful Void 