CHARACTER RACES
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As will be evident from the tables and
text that follow, new opportunities
abound for player characters in the AD&D
game. Players have
15 racial types and 13 classes and sub-classes
(not including the
bard) to choose from when creating their
characters, and each allow-
able class/race Combination has qualities
that set it apart from all others.
And, of course, the Dungeon Master will
be quick to notice that all
of these possibilities are equally open
to the non-player characters
which populate the campaign world that
he or she has designed.
CHARACTER RACE TABLE
I.: CHARACTER CLASS LIMITATIONS
Racial Stock of Character
- | DWARF | - | - | ELF | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | HALF-ELF | HALFLING | HALF-ORC | HUMAN | - |
Character
Class |
Gray | Hill | Mountain | Dark | Gray | High | Valley | Wild | Wood | Deep | Surface | Half-
Elves |
Halflings
(All) |
Half-
Orcs |
Humans | Alignment
Requirements |
CAVALIER | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | yes1 | no | no | yes | Any non-evil at start |
Paladin | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes1 | no | no | yes | Lawful good only |
CLERIC | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | yes2 | yes | yes | yes | Any |
Druid | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | yes | yes | no | yes | True neutral only3 |
FIGHTER | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | Any |
Barbarian | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | Any non-lawful |
Ranger | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | no | no | yes2 | no | no | yes | Any good4 |
MAGIC-USER | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | no | no | yes2 | no | no | yes | Any |
Illusionist | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | no | no | no | yes | Any |
THIEF | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | Any non-good at start |
Acrobat | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | Any non-good at start |
Assassin | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | Any evil at start |
MONK | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | Any lawful |
BARD | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | no | no | yes | Any neutral |
1: If of dark, gray, or high elf descent.
2: Except for those of wild elf descent.
3: Possibly with good tendencies.
4: Possibly with neutral tendencies.
Notes Regarding Character Race Table I:
Character Class names are shown in capital letters if the class
is major; sub-classes are shown with the first letter capitalized only.
All of the racial varieties and strains available for player characters
are listed alphabetically according to major type, and then alphabetically
within each major type for the sub-races thereof. An exception is made
for halflings, where stout, tallfellow, and hairfoot halflings are
grouped under one heading because each strain of that race has the
same class limitations. Although the limitations are the same for all
strains within the major races of dwarves and gnomes, each variety
is listed separately to emphasize the fact that player characters can
now be of any one of those five sub-races.
A “no” indicates that the race cannot become the character class in
question.
A “yes” indicates that the race is able to become the character class
in question.
The column for Alignment Requirements applies to members of all
races, not only to those races listed in the bottom section of the table.
CHARACTER RACE TABLE II.: CLASS LEVEL LIMITATIONS
ADQ: My players can't
understand why
their dwarvish fighter and
elven magic-user
can't go up in levels after
a certain
level is attained. Why has
this limitation
been put into the game?
ADA: Limitations were
put on the different
character races to balance
the
game and give all races a
"fighting chance."
For instance,
dwarves have many
abilities and skills that
normal humans
characters don't have. They
can be
multi-classed, they have
infravision,
they can detect traps (see
details for
each race
in the Players Handbook).
Although this is true that
they can't raise
in level in certain skills,
they have
other abilities that should
more than
make up for this "lack".
(Polyhedron #13)
How to use this table: The new class level limitations for non-human
player characters depend not only on the race and class of the character,
but also on the ability score(s) he or she possesses in the characteristic(s)
which are vital to the class in question. Accordingly, the
table has been redesigned and divided into sub-tables for each race.
In each sub-table, class and ability score are cross-referenced to find
the maximum level attainable by a character of that class who possesses
the ability score in question.
The ability scores given in the left-hand column of each chart pertain
to different characteristics, varying according to the class of the character.
For fighters, rangers, and assassins, the score refers to strength;
for magic-users and illusionists, intelligence; for clerics and druids,
wisdom; for thieves, dexterity. The level limits for rangers, assassins,
and druids may be governed by ability scores other than the primary
one listed above; these special cases are covered in footnotes for
each sub-table where they apply.
The designation “U” denotes unlimited level advancement for a character
of the appropriate race and class - either effectively without
limit (for thieves and clerics), or up to the highest level attainable
in the class (for druids and assassins). The cavalier class is not listed
on the
tables for elves and half-elves, and the bard class is not listed on
the table for half-elves, because level advancement in either of those
classes is unlimited for any character with the requisite ability scores
to qualify for the class.
Note that in many cases, the ability scores given exceed the normal
limits for beginning characters. This is to allow for characters who have
increased their ability scores beyond normal limits by some magical
means, such as wish spells or the use of magical
tomes and librams or
certain artifacts and relics. The gaining of ability scores higher
than those given on the table -which should not be possible except in the
most extraordinary of circumstances - does not raise any level limit
beyond what is shown here. If a character’s ability score is lower than
the first entry given on the appropriate table, then the level limit
for that character is the same as the lowest level shown on the table;
for
example, a hill dwarf assassin with strength of 14 or less can attain
9th level in that class.
Important: The level limits given and implied in the sub-tables
may be exceeded by 2 in all cases where (a) the character is single-classed
and (b) the class in question could be a multi-classed choice for that
character. Examples: A hill dwarf fighter/cleric
with 18 strength can advance
only to the 8th level as a fighter, while a hill dwarf with the same
strength who was a fighter only could advance as high as 10th level. A
hill dwarf clericlfighter with 14 strength can attain 6th level as
a fighter; if the character were single-classed as a fighter, he or she
could advance
to the 8th level in that class. A half-elf cleric/ranger with 18/90
strength, 18 intelligence, 18 wisdom, and 18 constitution can attain 9th
level in the ranger class, but a half-elf ranger with the same ability
scores can rise as high as 1lth level in the class. A hill dwarf assassin
is
restricted to the level limits shown on the table, since a hill dwarf
cannot be both a multi-classed character and an assassin.
<revised, but not revised at 2ph.cr.htm>
Ability Score | Cleric (All) | Fighter (Hill) | Fighter (Mtn/Gray) | Thief (All) | Assassin (All) |
15 | 8 | 6 | 7 | U | 9 |
16 | 9 | 6 | 7 | U | 9 |
17 | 10 | 7 | 8 | U | 9 |
18 | 11 | 8 | 9 | U | 9 |
18/99 | - | 8 | 9 | - | 111 |
18/00 | - | 9 | 10 | - | 122 |
19 | 13 | 10 | 11 | U | 122 |
20 | 16 | 12 | 13 | U | 122 |
21 | 18 | 15 | 16 | U | 122 |
1: Intelligence 18 and dexterity 19 also
required
2: Intelligence 19 and dexterity 19 also
required
Ability Score | Cleric (All) | Fighter (All) | Illusionist (All) | Thief (All) | Assassin (All) |
15 | 7 | 5 | 6 | U | 8 |
16 | 8 | 5 | 6 | U | 8 |
17 | 9 | 5 | 6 | U | 8 |
18 | 10 | 5 | 7 | U | 8 |
18/50 | - | 6 | - | - | 91 |
18/75 | - | 7 | - | - | 102 |
18/99 | - | 8 | - | - | 102 |
19 | 12 | 9 | 8 | U | 102 |
20 | 14 | 9 | 10 | U | 102 |
21 | 14 | 9 | 13 | U | 102 |
1: Intelligence 18 and dexterity 18 also
required
2: Intelligence 19 and dexterity 19 also
required
TABLE II.C.: ELVES
----------Cleric-------------------
---------Druid--------
----------------------Fighter----------------------------------------
--------------------------------Magic-User---------------------------------------------
Ability
Score |
Dark
Males (C) |
Dark
Females (C) |
All
Others (C) |
Wild (D) | All
Others (D) |
Dark
Males (F) |
Dark
Females (F) |
Gray/High (F) | Valley (F) | Wild (F) | Wood (F) | Dark
Males (MU) |
Dark
Females (MU) |
Gray (MU) | High (MU) | Valley (MU) | Wood (MU) | Thief
(All) |
Assassin
(All) |
Ranger
(All) |
12 | 4 | U | 7 | 10 | U | 7 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
13 | 5 | U | 7 | 10 | U | 8 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
14 | 6 | U | 7 | 10 | U | 9 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
15 | 7 | U | 7 | 10 | U | 10 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
16 | 7 | U | 8 | 10 | U | 10 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
17 | 7 | U | 9 | 10 | U | 10 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 9 | U | - | 6 |
18 | 7 | U | 10 | 111 | U | 10 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 9 | U | 10 | 73 |
18/75 | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 94 |
18/90 | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 105 |
18/99 | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 105 |
18/00 | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 117 | 105 |
19 | 7 | U | 11 | 121 | U | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 7 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 | U | 128 | 126 |
20 | 7 | U | 12 | 141 | U | 10 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 11 | U | 128 | 146 |
21 | 7 | U | 12 | 172 | U | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | 18 | 11 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 13 | U | 128 | - |
22 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 13 | - | - | - |
1: Charisma 18 also required.
2: Charisma 19 also required.
3: Intelligence 15 and wisdom 15 also
required. If both of those socres are greater than 15, the character may
attain 8th level.
4: Intelligence 16 and wisdom 16 also
required.
5: Intelligence 17 and wisdom 17 also
required.
6: Intelligence 18 and wisdom 18 also
required.
7. Intelligence 16 and wisdom 19 also
required.
8: Intelligence 19 or wisdom 19
also required.
Ability
Score |
Cleric | Druid | Fighter | Ranger | M-U | Thief | Assassin |
15 | 5 | U | 6 | 6 | 7 | U | 11 |
16 | 6 | U | 6 | 6 | 7 | U | 11 |
17 | 7 | U | 7 | 7 | 7 | U | 11 |
18 | 8 | U | 7 | 8 | 8 | U | 11 |
18/90 | - | - | 8 | 91 | - | - | 11 |
18/99 | - | - | 9 | 101 | - | - | 11 |
18/00 | - | - | 10 | 112 | - | - | 11 |
19 | 10 | U | 11 | 153 | 8 | U | 11 |
20 | 12 | U | 13 | 153 | 8 | U | 11 |
1: Intelligence 18, wisdom 18, and constitution
18 also required.
2: Intelligence 18, wisdom 18, and constitution
18 also required. If both wisdom and
constitution are greater than 18, the
character can attain 12th level. If both are
greater than 19, the character can attain
14th level.
3: Intelligence 19, wisdom 19, and constitution
19 also required.
Ability
Score |
Cleric
(All) |
Druid
(All) |
Hairfoot (F) | Stout (F) | Tallfellow (F) | Thief
(All) |
15 | 4 | 61 | 4 | 5 | 6 | U |
16 | 4 | 72 | 4 | 5 | 6 | U |
17 | 5 | 93 | 5 | 6 | 7 | U |
18 | 6 | 114 | 5 | 6 | 7 | U |
18/50 | - | - | 6 | 7 | 8 | - |
18/90 | - | - | 7 | 8 | 9 | - |
19 | 8 | 135 | 8 | 9 | 10 | U |
20 | 10 | 135 | 8 | 9 | 10 | U |
1: Charisma 15 also required.
2: Charisma 15 also required. If charisma
is 16 or greater, the character can attain 8th level.
3: Charisma 16 also required. If charisma
is 17 or greater, the character can attain 10th level.
4: Charisma 17 also required. If charisma
is 18 or greater, the character can attain 12th level.
5: Charisma 19 also required.
Ability
Score |
Cleric | Fighter | Thief | Assassin |
14 | 4 | 10 | 8 | U |
15 | 5 | 10 | 9 | U |
16 | 6 | 10 | 10 | U |
17 | 7 | 10 | 11 | U |
18 | 7 | 10 | 11 | U |
18/99 | - | 10 | - | - |
18/00 | - | 11 | - | - |
19 | 7 | 12 | 11 | U |
20 | 7 | 14 | 11 | U |
21 | 7 | 17 | 11 | U |
To the editor:
I seem to have run into a problem as a DM
because of an article in TD-36.
I have a player in
my group who has spent a lot of time developing
a multi-class character, specifically a half-elf
Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User. In our discussions in
developing this character, I informed the player
that her character would be limited (by the
Players Handbook) to 4th level as a Cleric, 6th <update>
level as a Fighter and 6th level as a M-U because
of the character’s abilities.
Then the next day in The Dragon I find
a
52nd-level Fighter/43rd-level Magic-User/27thlevel
Thief. (See “Leomund’s Tiny Hut,” page
17). What do I tell my group? I’m limiting multiclass
characters and The Dragon is publishing
super-characters. Please help me clear this up
before I’m forced to make the wrong choice that
will make these characters unusable in other
dungeons.
C. T. Dawson
High Point, N. C.
(Dragon #40)
Our apologies go to Mr. Dawson and anyone
else who may have been alarmed about seeing
that super-character mentioned in Leomund’s
Tiny Hut. The passage in
which that phrase appears
is part of a hypothetical description of a
character and his possessions, which author Len
Lakofka employed to introduce a column dealing
with how to define deities. In fact, the top line
of the right-hand column on page 17 says “. . .
the concept of a 25th-plus level character is ridiculous
anyway, but I’ll leave that for another
article.”
The “52nd-level Fighter. . .” which introduces
the column as a facetious device to illustrate
the sort of super-character who should not
be allowed to develop. Len’s actual recommendation
on the subject of player-character levels
is expressed in the second statement—and that
point of view is endorsed by The Dragon.
—Kim
(Dragon #40)
Hey Big Fella,
Since you're fielding queries
about ancient history in this thread....after 20 years with Unearthed Arcana,
I just realized that I can find no mention of level limits for elven and
half-elven cavaliers!
(Probably because I never
considered such a character before yesterday...) Did I miss something?
My first inclination was this: use the same level limits as for fighters, with the restriction that elven/half-elven cavaliers must be single classed, and thus may attain 2 levels higher than shown on the table.
In this manner, a high elf who has trained to a high level of Strength can reach 9th or 10th level as a cavalier -- making him a significant character, in my campaign.
Whaddya think?
Thanks!
Joe
Hola Amigo:)
Your thinking is exactly
the way I see matters--despite the rules.
The [cavalier] is a [fighter],
so those limist apply, The additional two levels for being single-classed
also applies.
A grey elf with 19 strength
would indeed be a formidable figure.
However, as I recall my
reasoning back then I wanted the elves to have the chance for a few really
tough fighters.
Cheers,
Gary
Joe Maccarrone wrote:
Thank you -- I think I'll
go with my gut, then. Having limits to the fighter class, but not the cavalier,
seems incongruous.
An elven cavalier of level 9+ -- who'd no doubt also have a high dex and great skill with a bow -- would make a fine champion for the skinny, pointy-eared folk.
As the Faerie Knights were
reputedly of great puissance, you might want to go further that two levels
above the indicated maximum. after all, the stats required for a cavalier
are very stringent. Perhaps three levels, with one added for each 18 in
Con and Dex, Str level addition also.
Hey wait! that isn't in the rules... :lol:
Of course I have been known to ignore them fairly often
Heh,
Gary
P.S. To all rule lawyers:
CHARACTER RACE DESCRIPTIONS
The expanded/revised character race tables show all of the racial varieties
that are now open to player characters.
In summary, player
character dwarves are no longer limited to being hill dwarves or
mountain dwarves; elves can be other than high elves; and gnomes
are not restricted to being “surface gnomes.” The special characteristics
of the additional sub-races are given on the following pages.
Half-Elves:
Half-elves of high elven ancestry
are fully described on page 17 of the
Players Handbook. Those descended from gray, wood, and valley
elves have similar abilities and restrictions. Because wild elves do
not
trust humans any farther than they can toss them, no instances are
known of half-elves descended from grugach stock. Half-elves of
drow descent retain their elf parent’s disadvantages with regard to
light, but have none of the special advantages of full-blooded drow,
and are looked upon as outcasts by the dark elf population.
Halflings:
The three sub-races of halfling -
stout, hairfoot, and tallfellow - are
described in general on page 17 of the Players Handbook. Differences
in class level limits for the three sub-races are given on Character
Race Table II in this text. For the purposes of level advancement
and abilities, consider those of mixed blood to be stouts.
Half-orcs:
Half-orcs are described on page 17
of the Players Handbook, as
amended by the information on the tables in this text.
Humans:
Humans are the dominant race in the AD&D@ game universe,
having
no limits on what classes they can practice or how high a level one
can attain. Note that human player characters, and only humans,
may be created using a special character generation method (presented
in this book) which allows the player to select the character’s
class before any of his or her ability scores are determined.
Race | DG | DH | DM | ED | EG | EH | EV | EWi | EWd | GD | GS | 1/2E | HH | HS | HT | 1/2O | H |
DWARF | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Gray (DG) | P | A | A | G | H | H | H | H | H | A | A | N | N | T | N | N | N |
Hill (DH) | A | P | G | H | A | A | A | A | A | N | G | N | T | G | G | H | N |
Mountain (DM) | A | G | P | H | A | A | A | A | A | T | T | N | T | G | T | H | N |
ELF | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Dark (ED) | G | A | A | P | H | H | A | H | H | H | A | A | A | A | A | T | N |
Gray (EG) | A | A | A | H | P | G | A | T | G | N | T | G | T | T | G | A | N |
High (EH) | A | A | A | H | P | G | A | N | G | T | T | G | T | T | G | A | N |
Valley (EV) | A | A | A | A | N | N | P | N | N | G | G | T | N | N | T | A | A |
Wild (EW) | A | A | A | H | N | N | A | P | N | A | A | A | A | A | N | A | A |
Wood (EWd) | A | A | A | H | G | G | A | N | P | N | N | G | T | T | G | A | N |
GNOME | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Deep (GD) | A | N | T | H | N | N | T | N | N | P | G | N | T | T | T | A | N |
Surface (GS) | A | G | G | A | T | T | G | N | N | G | P | T | G | G | G | H | N |
HALF-ELF* (1/2E) | N | N | N | P | P | P | P | A | P | N | T | P | N | N | T | A | T |
HALFLING | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Hairfoot (HH) | N | T | T | A | T | T | N | N | T | N | T | N | P | P | P | N | T |
Stout (HS) | T | G | G | A | T | T | N | N | T | T | T | N | P | P | P | N | N |
Tallfellow (HT) | N | T | T | N | G | G | T | T | G | N | T | G | P | P | P | N | N |
HALF-ORC (1/2O) | N | H | H | N | A | A | A | A | A | H | A | N | N | A | A | P | T |
HUMAN (H) | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | T | N | N | N | N | P |
Notes on the Racial Preferences Table:
Column headings are abbreviations for racial types, reading from
left to right in the same order that the table entries are given from
top to bottom. The entries in a certain row represent how members
of that race or sub-race generally view characters of each race.
Some relationships are not reciprocal; for instance, dark elves regard
all halflings with antipathy, while tallfellow halflings are generally
neutral in their feelings about dark elves.
P: indicates that the race is generally preferred, and
dealings
with members of that race will be reflected accordingly.
G: indicates that considerable goodwill exists toward the race.
T: indicates that the race is viewed with tolerance and
generally
accepted, if not loved.
N: indicates that the race is thought of neutrally, when
it is
thought of at all, although some suspicion will be evident.
<remember to apply the -1 to -8% modifier for suspicion: DMG.100/102>
A: indicates that the race will be greeted with antipathy.
H: indicates a strong hatred for the race in question.
* With regard to the reactions of faces other than elves, half-elves
are considered as a specific racial type. However, elves will react
to half-elves as if the half-elf were either a half-elf or a fullblooded
elf of the same racial type as the half-elf’s non-human
ancestor, whichever is the more negative reaction.
<move these into the appro places, after the first version is done>
TABLE II.C.D.M.: DARK ELF MALES
Ability Score | Cavalier | Cleric | Fighter | Ranger | Magic-User | Thief | Thief-Acrobat | Assassin |
12 | - | 4 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - |
13 | - | 5 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - |
14 | - | 6 | 9 | - | - | - | - | - |
15 | - | 7 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - |
16 | - | 7 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - |
17 | - | 7 | 10 | - | 12 | U | - | - |
18 | - | 7 | 10 | 6 | 12 | U | - | 10 |
18/01 | - | - | 10 | 71 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/51 | - | - | 10 | 92 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/75 | - | - | 10 | 92 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/76 | - | - | 10 | 92 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/90 | - | - | 10 | 103 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/99 | - | - | 10 | 103 | - | - | - | 115 |
18/00 | - | - | 10 | 103 | - | - | - | 126 |
19 | - | 7 | 10 | 124 | 13 | U | - | 126 |
20 | - | 7 | 10 | 144 | 15 | U | - | 126 |
21 | - | 7 | - | - | 18 | U | - | - |
22 | - | - | - | - | 18 | - | - | - |
1: Intelligence 15
and wisdom 16 also required. If both of those scores are greater than 15,
the character may attain 8th level.
2: Intelligence
16 and wisdom 16 also required.
3: Intelligence
17 and wisdom 17 also required.
4: Intelligence
18 and wisdom 18 also required.
5: Intelligence
18 and wisdom 19 also required.
6: Intelligence
19 and wisdom 19 also required.
TABLE II.C.D.F.: DARK ELF FEMALES
Ability Score | Cavalier | Cleric | Fighter | Ranger | Magic-User | Thief | Thief-Acrobat | Assassin |
12 | - | U | 9 | - | - | - | - | - |
13 | - | U | 10 | - | - | - | - | - |
14 | - | U | 11 | - | - | - | - | - |
15 | - | U | 12 | - | - | - | - | - |
16 | - | U | 12 | - | - | - | - | - |
17 | - | U | 12 | - | 5 | U | - | - |
18 | - | U | 12 | 6 | 5 | U | - | 10 |
18/01 | - | - | 12 | 71 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/51 | - | - | 12 | 92 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/75 | - | - | 12 | 92 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/76 | - | - | 12 | 92 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/90 | - | - | 12 | 103 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/99 | - | - | 12 | 103 | - | - | - | 115 |
18/00 | - | - | 12 | 103 | - | - | - | 126 |
19 | - | U | 12 | 124 | 7 | U | - | 126 |
20 | - | U | 12 | 144 | 9 | U | - | 126 |
21 | - | U | - | - | 11 | U | - | - |
22 | - | - | - | - | 11 | - | - | - |
1: Intelligence 15
and wisdom 16 also required. If both of those scores are greater than 15,
the character may attain 8th level.
2: Intelligence
16 and wisdom 16 also required.
3: Intelligence
17 and wisdom 17 also required.
4: Intelligence
18 and wisdom 18 also required.
5: Intelligence
18 and wisdom 19 also required.
6: Intelligence
19 and wisdom 19 also required.
T. Foster wrote:
Hi Gary,
What was the reason behind allowing drow elves to be rangers in UA? The concepts of the race and class seem almost entirely antithetical to me (the former utterly chaotic and evil and dwelling deep underground, the latter good-aligned and dwelling in the wilderness, serving as protectors of civilization), and even more pertinently it seems to encourage the sort of "angst-plagued good-aligned drow" cliche (most famously embodied by R. A. Salvatore's Drizzt -- who is of course a drow ranger) that I find quite noxious and I believe you've expressed disdain for as well. So, what was the idea with allowing drow to be rangers and opening the door to all those Elric-wannabes?
Short answer:
Because alignment overrides other considerations, and Drow rangers are as chaorically evil as any other Drow.
They are allowed rangers so as to be viable as a fighting race that needs scouts and trackers. On the usrface (pun intended) a Drown ranger seems out of place, but being that they need such work done underground, and when venturing above, it is logical that the race have rangers.
Cheers,
Gary
T. Foster wrote:
So the drow ranger isn't the 'standard'
ranger class/archetype found in the PH, but rather a 'ranger-like' class
that fulfills many of the same functions (and thus has analogous abilities)
but in a manner appropriate to drow society (i.e. evil-aligned, mostly
underground-based). That actually makes a lot of sense, certainly much
moreso than the anomalous good-aligned surface-dwelling drow rangers I
was picturing (thanks for nothing, R.A. Salvatore...).
Your assessment
is as I envisaged the Drow
rangers, indeed.
As it happened, circumstances prevented
me from further developing the matter as I had thought to--the Drow
as the main social denizens of the Underdark,
their contention with the Illithids
and the Kuo-toa and the Gray
Dwarves. (I never did realy develop anything special about the Sunless
Sea, but i imagined it with strange islands and ships plying it's waters,
monstrous marine monsters of fearsome mein...)
Anyway, don't be too harsh in your judgement of Bob Salvatore. After all, he is an fiction author seeking to earn his likelihood, and I am sure Lorraine Williams gave him free rein in regards the AD&D material.
But as for surface-dwelling Drow
rangers, Drow of any sort for that matter, about as likely as desert-dwelling
polar
bears
Drow will visit the "Roofless World"
of the surface, rove about outside on on cloudy and dark days, after sundown,
but they like the sky and the open spaces not at all.
Cheers,
Gary
(bold added)
Mr. Awesome wrote:
Interesting stuff about drow rangers...
How about drow cavaliers?
Surely they're not supposed to
ride horses?
I've never been able to figure
out what the idea behind drow cavaliers is, and I'd love to lay this niggling
distraction in the back of my mind to rest.
Drow
can and shoulD have a warrior class of aristocratic sort, viz.cavaliers.
Of course they would ride such steeds as are common in their environment.
Cheers,
Gary
Elfdart wrote:
Maybe they ride those pack lizards
from D1-2-3.
I stopped rolling treasure type about the same time I stopped rolling hit points for monsters/ NPCs. I just figure 5hp/ die for regulars; 7hp/ die for tough ones. I do the same with treasure. I just assume a proportional average based on how tough the monsters are. That way I don't end up with 30 orcs guarding a massive hoard (which can happen if you go strictly by the dice). When I have extra time, I use the various equipment lists and "go shopping" -I convert a large part of the cash into various goods as described in the DMG.
When winging it, I just pick treasure I think fits the monsters and ignore the treasure type tables. I've found that using modules like Hommlet and the examples from the DMG as guidelines works better; it's quicker and has a more natural feel to it. For example, if I have a group of bandits, I'll give them treasure in the form of livestock (especially horses!) and the sorts of things a group of outlaws might have stolen. For a ringer I made one of the horses a prize stallion (which the bandits themselves don't realize) worth a bundle of money. The PCs turned up their noses because there was no "real" loot and turned the animals loose.
Lizards are a likely sort of steed
for a Drow cavalier,
yes.
As for the manner in which you select
treasure, it is sound and logical IMO.
Large amounts of portable wealth--coins,
jewelry,
and gems are likely only where the
surrounding society, or passing merchants,
have such things, robber barons and pirates
spring to mind as examples of encounters where portable wealth in quantty
would be the norm.
Cheers,
Gary
TABLE II.C.G.: GRAY ELVES
Ability Score | Cavalier | Cleric | Druid | Fighter | Ranger | Magic-User | Thief | Acrobat | Assassin |
12 | - | 7 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
13 | - | 7 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
14 | - | 7 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
15 | - | 7 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
16 | - | 8 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
17 | - | 9 | U | 5 | - | 11 | U | - | - |
18 | - | 10 | U | 6 | 6 | 11 | U | - | 10 |
18/01 | - | - | - | 71 | - | - | - | 10 | |
18/51 | - | - | - | 92 | - | - | - | 10 | |
18/75 | - | - | - | 6 | 92 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/76 | - | - | - | 103 | - | - | - | 10 | |
18/90 | - | - | - | 8 | 103 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/99 | - | - | - | 9 | 103 | - | - | - | 115 |
18/00 | - | - | - | 10 | 103 | - | - | - | 126 |
19 | - | 11 | U | 11 | 124 | 12 | U | - | 126 |
20 | - | 12 | U | 11 | 144 | 13 | U | - | 126 |
21 | - | 12 | U | - | - | 15 | U | - | - |
22 | - | - | - | - | - | 18 | U | - | - |
1: Intelligence 15 and wisdom 16 also required.
If both of those scores are greater than 15, the character may attain 8th
level.
2: Intelligence 16 and wisdom 16 also
required.
3: Intelligence 17 and wisdom 17 also
required.
4: Intelligence 18 and wisdom 18 also
required.
5: Intelligence 18 and wisdom 19 also
required.
6: Intelligence 19 and wisdom 19 also
required.
TABLE II.C.H.: HIGH ELVES
Ability Score | Cavalier | Cleric | Druid | Fighter | Ranger | Magic-User | Thief | Acrobat | Assassin |
12 | - | 7 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
13 | - | 7 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
14 | - | 7 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
15 | - | 7 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
16 | - | 8 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
17 | - | 9 | U | 5 | - | 10 | U | - | - |
18 | - | 10 | U | 6 | 6 | 10 | U | - | 10 |
18/01 | - | - | - | 71 | - | - | - | 10 | |
18/51 | - | - | - | 92 | - | - | - | 10 | |
18/75 | - | - | - | 6 | 92 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/76 | - | - | - | 103 | - | - | - | 10 | |
18/90 | - | - | - | 8 | 103 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/99 | - | - | - | 9 | 103 | - | - | - | 115 |
18/00 | - | - | - | 10 | 103 | - | - | - | 126 |
19 | - | 11 | U | 11 | 124 | 11 | U | - | 126 |
20 | - | 12 | U | 11 | 144 | 12 | U | - | 126 |
21 | - | 12 | U | - | - | 14 | U | - | - |
22 | - | - | - | - | - | 17 | U | - | - |
1: Intelligence 15 and wisdom 16 also required.
If both of those scores are greater than 15, the character may attain 8th
level.
2: Intelligence 16 and wisdom 16 also
required.
3: Intelligence 17 and wisdom 17 also
required.
4: Intelligence 18 and wisdom 18 also
required.
5: Intelligence 18 and wisdom 19 also
required.
6: Intelligence 19 and wisdom 19 also
required.
TABLE II.C.V.: VALLEY ELVES
Ability Score | Cavalier | Cleric | Druid | Fighter | Ranger | Magic-User | Thief | Acrobat | Assassin |
12 | - | 7 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
13 | - | 7 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
14 | - | 7 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
15 | - | 7 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
16 | - | 8 | U | 5 | - | - | U | - | - |
17 | - | 9 | U | 5 | - | 11 | U | - | - |
18 | - | 10 | U | 6 | 6 | 11 | U | - | 10 |
18/01 | - | - | - | 6 | 71 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/51 | - | - | - | 6 | 92 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/75 | - | - | - | 6 | 92 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/76 | - | - | - | 6 | 103 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/90 | - | - | - | 8 | 103 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/99 | - | - | - | 9 | 103 | - | - | - | 115 |
18/00 | - | - | - | 10 | 103 | - | - | - | 126 |
19 | - | 11 | U | 11 | 124 | 12 | U | - | 126 |
20 | - | 12 | U | 11 | 144 | 13 | U | - | 126 |
21 | - | 12 | U | - | - | 15 | U | - | - |
22 | - | - | - | - | - | 15 | U | - | - |
1: Intelligence 15 and wisdom 16 also required.
If both of those scores are greater than 15, the character may attain 8th
level.
2: Intelligence 16 and wisdom 16 also
required.
3: Intelligence 17 and wisdom 17 also
required.
4: Intelligence 18 and wisdom 18 also
required.
5: Intelligence 18 and wisdom 19 also
required.
6: Intelligence 19 and wisdom 19 also
required.
TABLE II.C.W.I.: WILD ELVES
Ability Score | Cavalier | Cleric | Druid | Fighter | Ranger | Thief | Acrobat | Assassin |
12 | - | 7 | U | 7 | - | U | - | - |
13 | - | 7 | U | 7 | - | U | - | - |
14 | - | 7 | U | 7 | - | U | - | - |
15 | - | 7 | U | 7 | - | U | - | - |
16 | - | 8 | U | 7 | - | U | - | - |
17 | - | 9 | U | 7 | - | U | - | - |
18 | - | 10 | U | 8 | 6 | U | - | 10 |
18/01 | - | - | - | 8 | 71 | - | - | 10 |
18/51 | - | - | - | 8 | 92 | - | - | 10 |
18/75 | - | - | - | 8 | 92 | - | - | 10 |
18/76 | - | - | - | 8 | 103 | - | - | 10 |
18/90 | - | - | - | 10 | 103 | - | - | 10 |
18/99 | - | - | - | 11 | 103 | - | - | 115 |
18/00 | - | - | - | 12 | 103 | - | - | 126 |
19 | - | 11 | U | 13 | 124 | U | - | 126 |
20 | - | 12 | U | 13 | 144 | U | - | 126 |
21 | - | 12 | U | - | - | U | - | - |
22 | - | - | - | - | - | U | - | - |
1: Intelligence 15 and wisdom 16 also required.
If both of those scores are greater than 15, the character may attain 8th
level.
2: Intelligence 16 and wisdom 16 also
required.
3: Intelligence 17 and wisdom 17 also
required.
4: Intelligence 18 and wisdom 18 also
required.
5: Intelligence 18 and wisdom 19 also
required.
6: Intelligence 19 and wisdom 19 also
required.
TABLE II.C.W.O.: WOOD ELVES
Ability Score | Cavalier | Cleric | Druid | Fighter | Ranger | Magic-User | Thief | Acrobat | Assassin |
12 | - | 7 | U | 6 | - | - | U | - | - |
13 | - | 7 | U | 6 | - | - | U | - | - |
14 | - | 7 | U | 6 | - | - | U | - | - |
15 | - | 7 | U | 6 | - | - | U | - | - |
16 | - | 8 | U | 6 | - | - | U | - | - |
17 | - | 9 | U | 6 | - | 9 | U | - | - |
18 | - | 10 | U | 7 | 6 | 9 | U | - | 10 |
18/01 | - | - | - | 7 | 71 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/51 | - | - | - | 7 | 92 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/75 | - | - | - | 8 | 92 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/76 | - | - | - | 8 | 103 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/90 | - | - | - | 9 | 103 | - | - | - | 10 |
18/99 | - | - | - | 10 | 103 | - | - | - | 115 |
18/00 | - | - | - | 11 | 103 | - | - | - | 126 |
19 | - | 11 | U | 12 | 124 | 10 | U | - | 126 |
20 | - | 12 | U | 14 | 144 | 11 | U | - | 126 |
21 | - | 12 | U | - | - | 13 | U | - | - |
22 | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | U | - | - |
1: Intelligence 15 and wisdom 16 also required.
If both of those scores are greater than 15, the character may attain 8th
level.
2: Intelligence 16 and wisdom 16 also
required.
3: Intelligence 17 and wisdom 17 also
required.
4: Intelligence 18 and wisdom 18 also
required.
5: Intelligence 18 and wisdom 19 also
required.
6: Intelligence 19 and wisdom 19 also
required.
<HALF-ELF TABLE NOT DONE>
TABLE II.E.h: HALFLINGS (Hairfoot)
Ability Score | Cleric | Druid | Fighter | Thief |
15 | 4 | 61 | 4 | U |
16 | 4 | 72 | 4 | U |
17 | 5 | 93 | 5 | U |
18 | 6 | 114 | 5 | U |
18/50 | - | - | 6 | - |
18/90 | - | - | 7 | - |
19 | 8 | 135 | 8 | U |
20 | 10 | 135 | 8 | U |
1: Charisma 15 also required. <edit?
don't all druids have a 15 Cha min.?>
2: Charisma 15 also required. If charisma
is 16 or greater, the character can attain 8th level.
3: Charisma 16 also required. If charisma
is 17 or greater, the character can attain 10th level.
4: Charisma 17 also required. If charisma
is 18 or greater, the character can attain 12th level.
5: Charisma 19 also required.
TABLE II.E.s: HOBBITS (Stout)
Ability Score | Cleric | Druid | Fighter | Thief |
15 | 4 | 61 | 5 | U |
16 | 4 | 72 | 5 | U |
17 | 5 | 93 | 6 | U |
18 | 6 | 114 | 6 | U |
18/50 | - | - | 7 | - |
18/90 | - | - | 8 | - |
19 | 8 | 135 | 9 | U |
20 | 10 | 135 | 9 | U |
1: Charisma 15 also required. <edit?
don't all druids have a 15 Cha min.?>
2: Charisma 15 also required. If charisma
is 16 or greater, the character can attain 8th level.
3: Charisma 16 also required. If charisma
is 17 or greater, the character can attain 10th level.
4: Charisma 17 also required. If charisma
is 18 or greater, the character can attain 12th level.
5: Charisma 19 also required.
TABLE II.E.t: HOBBITS (Tallfellow)
Ability Score | Cleric | Druid | Fighter | Thief |
15 | 4 | 61 | 6 | U |
16 | 4 | 72 | 6 | U |
17 | 5 | 93 | 7 | U |
18 | 6 | 114 | 7 | U |
18/50 | - | - | 8 | - |
18/90 | - | - | 9 | - |
19 | 8 | 135 | 10 | U |
20 | 10 | 135 | 10 | U |
1: Charisma 15 also required. <edit?
don't all druids have a 15 Cha min.?>
2: Charisma 15 also required. If charisma
is 16 or greater, the character can attain 8th level.
3: Charisma 16 also required. If charisma
is 17 or greater, the character can attain 10th level.
4: Charisma 17 also required. If charisma
is 18 or greater, the character can attain 12th level.
5: Charisma 19 also required.
TABLE II.F: HALF-ORCS
Ability Score | Cleric | Fighter | Thief | Assassin |
14 | 4 | 10 | 8 | U |
15 | 5 | 10 | 9 | U |
16 | 6 | 10 | 10 | U |
17 | 7 | 10 | 11 | U |
18 | 7 | 10 | 11 | U |
18/99 | - | 10 | - | - |
18/00 | - | 11 | - | - |
19 | 7 | 12 | 11 | U |
20 | 7 | 14 | 11 | U |
21 | 7 | 17 | 11 | U |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph
Elric Smith
So why are you arguing?
You don't like or understand the logic, then change it to fit you ideal.
Instead of complaining about why Life isn't more liek monopoly or payday
just change the rules you want and go on. No answer any one gives will
satisfy you because, you have your own idea of what the solution should
be, so use it.
Ken
Ken,
A good suggestion, because sure as shootin', and just like I said, I ain't about to bother with any more of the demi-human silliness <stick out tongue>
Heh,
Gary
As for broading the ranger and druid classes to include elves, it is logical that the memebrs of the demi-human race in question would assume such roles because of their association with humans. Of course that assumes a human-dominated world--which is the case in the vast majority of campaign worlds I know of.
the addition also makes the elves a tougher bunch to mess with
Cheers,
Gary
Ooops, thought of something else. Sorry it's another AD&D question.
For the new races introduced in Unearthed Arcana, how did you envision their stat modifications?
Would you have given a wood elf, for example, a +1 strength, -1 intelligence only?
Or would you give the wood elf the basic elven adjustments as well, so the character would get +1 strength, -1 intelligence, +1 dexterity, -1 constitution?
Thanks Gary, I appreciate your insight.
The basic racial adjustments
apply to varieties of that race, so as you note, the Wood
Elf character would get +1 strength, -1 intelligence, +1 dexterity,
-1 constitution.
Clarification of that question was overlooked, as were a number of others, because of the haste needed in producing the book.
Cheers,
Gary
Quote:
Originally posted by
Cias the Noble
Greetings, Col_Pladoh. I
now have some questions about the Unearthed Arcana. You may have been asked
some of these questions a thousand times and, if you wish, please feel
free to direct me to where I can find any previous answers you may have
given.
Many people feel that the new material given in the Unearthed Arcana was “unbalanced” or that it gave too much power to certain races/classes. I have also come to understand (and please correct me if I am wrong) that the production of the UA was rushed and many of the rules were not properly play-tested. What rules (if any) from the UA would you remove and/or change, especially regarding the following:
1) Racial level limits. The
tables in the UA seem a bit complex and I’ve always wondered, if your revision
had ever been released, if this would have changed.
Not that any of this matters
really, but here are my answers.
Note that musch of the material
in UA had previously been published in Dragon magazine, then cleaned up
and expanded a bit for the book.
Can't say if time would have
changed my take on racial limits, but I doubt it, as I assumed a human-based
and rules world setting for the AD&D game.
The limits printed in the
UA book had been in play for at least a yearm and we had no trouble with
them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MerricB
G'day, Gary!
A couple of questions:
In Unearthed Arcana,
the demi-human level limits were revised, allowing higher levels for exceptional
stats and the like.
I was wondering if that
was one of your contributions to the book or if it was done by someone
else?
Almost all of the material
in the UA book was mine, picked up from articles I wrote in Dragon
magazine.
Asto the increase in types
of demi-humans and their level limits, yes.
That was of my doing.
As human PCs were getting
to higher levels then it seemed a good idea to allow for more potent non-human
characters, while at the same time maintaining the human race as predominant.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dead
Dear Gary,
Please help me find inner peace.
I love 1st Edition AD&D to death, but there were two rules in the game that annoyed the hell out of me and, as a result, I did not abide by them. Here are the rules:
1) Level limits for demihumans
2) Restrictions on picking up multiple classes (or stopping your progression in a class/classes). In other words, if you started an elf fighter/wizard from 1st level, then you were stuck with an elf fighter/wizard forever! You weren't "officially" allowed to add another class, or discontinue, say, your fighter class and pursue wizardry only. [Not to mention the fact that humans could not pick up multiple classes (except they could dual-class if they had extraordinary attributes; but only once in their life).]
I don't regret that in the
least. If demi-humans, already given some advantages, were as able as humans,
the world would be dominated by them, and there goes the whole of having
a relatively familiar world setting in regards to what cultures and societies
one will find in control. So a demi-human is unlimited in thief level only,
as that is a class not destined to control the fate of major groups or
states.
As for limiting human PCs to one class or possibly a dual class, the game is supposed to be about heroic people, not comic book super heroes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dead
I want to return to the
good ol'days very soon and run a retrospective 1E AD&D campaign but
I want to stay as *true* to the original rules as possible. Now, I know
your decision to have the two rules above was for "game balance", but I'd
like to hear from you how I could possibly describe the restrictions "in
game".
If you create a setting
with a complete demihuman culture and varied societies, complete with a
long history for that dominant race, then have them take the place of humans
and restrict humand as if they were a demi-human race. The only unlimited
race should be theone that is dominant on the planet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dead
Using the elf fighter/wizard
as an example: If the player is a 4th-level fighter/4th-level wizard, but
(in game) his character wants to join the clergy of an elven god and become
a cleric, I can't just say: "No, the rules don't allow you to do that."
I have to give an "in game" explanation.
How many people do you know
that are able to excell in more than one field? what some bozo wants to
do so as to have a dominant PC isn't a matter for consideration in regards
a campaign. Saying "why not" is a lame excuse. In a world where magic works,
many-ton beasts can fly, things breath fire, it makes as much sense for
a player to demand that his PC can ivent a spell that always slays his
target subject, ot armor that is impervious to any and all forms of attack.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dead
As to the level restrictions
on demihumans, you might say: "Demihumans just lose all drive for adventure
after
they've had but the merest taste of it". This doesn't rub well with me,
though, because they don't get very far before they're restricted. Top
levels are, perhaps, 10th. To get to 10th level doesn't take very long.
It is just a drop in the river of time.
So? Maybe the whiny player
should take his wannabe PC off to a game world where everyone is a superhero
of unpteenth level with barns full of magic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dead
Alternatively, Gary, you could tell me that roleplaying games were in their early conception back then and your decision to put these arbitrary restrictions in place to serve game balance (but not resolving in-game believability) was a mistake.
Either response should put me on the road to finding inner peace.
Thankyou.
Bah! It is a mistake to
bow to the wished of munchkins who whine. If they know the restrictions
on dfemi-human characters before they create one, then they haven't a leg
to stand on.
Why are humans more able to rise in level than demi-humans? Because the gods say so, and don't like pointy eared types with curly-toed shoes, squat miners with big beards, hairy-footed midgets, etc.
Cheers,
Gary
<an added entry at mc.htm
could be made>
<i was LOL when reading
Gary's responses - Pres>
< :) >
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph
Elric Smith
Right answers all the way
gary
Ken
Thanks Ken!
Your kind and unsolicited support is appreciated
BTW, give me your snailmail addy again, so I can sent the check as promised.
Heh,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by dead
The player is not a munchkin.
They like the story idea of a diverse character. They're not thinking about
how much stuff they can slaughter at and loot to steal at all.
Okay, you know better than
I do. I am left wqith the nagging question: If the players aren't concerned
about power gaming, wish only to create "stories," why should they worry/express
concern about level limits
Quote:
Originally Posted by dead
I'm somewhat at peace now.
Then I did a somewhat satisfactory
job in responding.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dead
I'm glad to see your stance
on this but I'm gonna stick to my house rules (which don't create over-powerful,
comic-book characters, by the way).
Thanks.
It is your campaign, and
you best what the participants expect and enjoy.
Novertheless, what I said
about level limits for demi-human PCs is logical in the fantasy cosmos
the AD&D game subsumes.
without such limits, using
actual human history, myth, and legend becomes problematical.
Cheerio,
Gary
[QUOTE=BigFreekinGoblinoid]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Col_Pladoh
...
Bah! It is a mistake to bow
to the wishes of munchkins who whine. ...
..../QUOTE]
I think I just found my new sig. Thanks Gary!
Darn!
I knew i should have trade marked that line <EEK!>
Heh
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by cleaverthepit
ROTFLMAO
davis
Don't applaud...throw gold
coins
Cheers,
Gary
<ok, evidently, i wasn't
the only one - pres>
Quote:
Originally Posted by Storm
Raven
This argument only holds
true if you assume that nonhumans are going to be designed with inherent
advantages over humans as a baseline. And even for that situation, it has
always seemed to me like a very clunky solution to the perceived problem.
Why weren't demi-humans designed to be relatively equal in advantage to
humans from the get-go rather than creating level limits?
If the only difference between
humans and the demi-human races was superficial--size and a few minor physical
traits, why bother to have such races at all? Of course, fantasy literature
suggests there are advantages to demi-human races too, so that might be
a consideration to an able game designer...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
Mouser
Thanks for the input, Gary.
I thought I had the copy
of Dragon at home but apparently not.
Maybe it's in storage at
my parents, still.
The title of the column,
iirc, was something like "The Last Word on Demihumans."
A misleading title, for
certain, for here I am having to expend far too much time and effort on
the subject <devious>
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
Mouser
I agree. Can't recall any
mythologies that have elves, dwarves, etc. as having the upper hand against
humans.
Nor any fantasy literature,
although I don't read as much of it as I used to.
Just so.
The Norse dwarves were like
giants in their powers, and the French fey were as potent as fairies in
some fairy tales.
Neither is suitable for
inclusion as a character race in a FRPG.
The original gnomes were
earth elementals of considerable potency as well, but i modeled the D&D
race after those in fable and fairy tale.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
Mouser
WHo says you have to stop
adventuring once you hit the level limit?
Besides, if they want to keep advancing just take Thief as a multi-class.
Gray Mouser
Well said, but such an obvious
thing is clearly not what munchkins want. How can their PCs be the toughest
kids on the block that way?
Story-schmory! The rap is to kick butt and be all powerful...
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by BOZ
i know there's not much
love for 2E, but when we played that i *always* used the optional "slow
advancement" rule for demihumans. that way there was never an abrupt end,
but once you hit that limit, things slowed down a bit, and in the case
of elves, a lot.
Without comment in regartds
to 2E, your rule regarding a slowing of advancement seems well-founded
if your campaign world was based on human culture and society.
Cheers,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by Storm
Raven
On the other hand we have
the rule "demi-humans can't advance beyond a certain level in any class
other than thief" because . . . of nothing that can be expressed
in internal terms.
That makes the rule wholly
arbitrary.
No, "we" is not applicable.
I made that rule because it fitted logically with the other assumptions
I had set forth in the game. All of the total balderdash was completely
at my whim, thus wholly arbitrary. It is you who are trying to rationalize
your whims. To make them valid you need to write a game system
Cheers,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
Mouser
Of course. But ion your
original quote it was progression of the story that you referred to, which,
imo, isn't contingent on level progression.
Quit it! You are ruining
the story he is trying to put forth as a cogent argument <paranoid>
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
Mouser
Of course not. Elves can
reach up to 11th level as M-U's, 13th if you use UA. That's pretty powerful,
imo. I can barely cast a first level spell, after all.
That's game stuff, not touchy-feely
story. Oh, wait, we are talking about a game here, aren't way? for a moment
i got confused and thought we were lost in making up fairy tales for kiddies
and amateur thespians...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
Mouser
Of course, it's your campaign
so you can do whatever you want. I had similar thought about level restrictions
for a while but chnaged my mind. IMO, the racial abilities demi-humans
get and the level limitations combine to do a fairly good job at representing
the picture of such beings in mythology and literature. YMMV
Gray Mouser
Truer words were never stated,
than that.
It is strictly up to the
GM and his group to decide what makes their campaign interesting, enjoyable,
and exciting.
that's the reason I really
hate to get involved in thses kinds of discussions....other than to devil
some folks who take games and themselves too seriously <EEK!>
Heh,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by Barak
Alright, enough jesting.
I do seriously wonder about
demi-humans being limited in -all- classes (thief excluded).
Elves are reknowned for
their MU, dwarves for their fighters.
Would it truly destroy the
idea of human-domination to have each unlimited in their favored field?
Yes,i do really think that
unlimited demi-human races will absolutelt obviate the humanocentric bases
for a campaign world...unless the demi-humans are very few and far between.
to have them as an integral
part of the campaign world, one must have them limited in potential to
something less than the dominant humans.
As I wished to have include demi-humans commonly as PCs, NPCs, and in basically their own racial communitities and state entities as well as amongst human societies, I limited their potential power so as to make human dominance a reasonable assumption for play.
Cheers,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by loki44
Yes. Which work of lit? I dunno. Who said the game has to be strictly drawn from existing literature? It is redundant to say again, but if you want elves to be more, or as powerful in your game, then I say uncap that level limit pronto! I was simply trying to argue the point that level limits can be justified in my opinion. It's all about suspension of disbelief and we all have our own ideas of what should or should not be gamewise.
Absolutely incisive and
correct. A game that is mainly drawn from literature is handicapped and
hobbled by its limited source material. By using literature of all sorts
as inspirational, anD casting a wide net, the resulting game can be as
open to alteration as A/D&D was. that despite later versions so many
people play the basically "dead" OD&D and AD&D game systems speaks
volumes as to the strength of that design method.
That someone will spend hours, and thus pretty much require me to waste a good deal of time likewise, disputing about the potential of imaginary races in the game it s testiment to its power to captivate the fancy of active minds
Cheers,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by dead
...
To say, "No, your demi-human suddenly can't advance any more in levels," or, "No, you do not pick up another class for your magic-user even though he's been training in sword-play for the last campaign year," or, "No, your elf fighter/wizard cannot stop progressing in fighter and focus his talants on wizardry" -- to say no to all these things because "God saideth" lacks creativity to me...
Thanks.
So much for story telling.
None of that should have any part in a work of literature.
On the other hand, if you are playing a game, the players should be well aware of the paramaters of the character classes and races before they create a PC with which they will PLAY A GAME.
If they want to tell stories, they might try hanging out somewhere where such people come to hear them, or else take up a career as authors of same.
Heh,
Gary
<>
Quote:
Originally Posted by PapersAndPaychecks
Did I just see a reference
to a halfling magic-user/thief? Played by a Gygax? Please don't tell my
gaming group you're allowed to do that, otherwise we'll end up with a party
full of hobbits again...
Actually, reading various accounts of early D&D games, I have the impression that the "rules" on which classes could be played by which races, and how high level they could achieve, were fairly frequently ignored and might be better described as guidelines than rules.
If the Dm allows a hanfling
magic-user/tief, who am I to quibble.
That said, most of the campaigns I played in did keep pretty close to the level limits for non-human PCs. none of the players had problems with that, although when their characters had reached the end of their ability to progress, most, including myself, loked for meand to move them up yet another level the grey elf was thus the choice of many a player wanting a demi-human PC with magical ability.
Cheers,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuzenbach
I was curious about something.
What are your views regarding magical aging, both in 1E and how the rules
currently work in 3E? IMHO, today's rules governing magical aging are nothing
more than the RPG version of "Affirmative Action" for all races who's lifespan
neither meets nor exceeds 160 years.
Back in 1E, I liked the idea that if the party met with a ghost, it was OK for the humans, half-orcs, and halflings to immediately run from it and have the elves and dwarves deal with the foe. That circumstance made ghosts more frightening and gave long-lived races a certain kind of "specialness". Granted, 1E held that dwarves and elves could advance no further than 10th or 14th level respectively, but that's neither here nor there.
I don't care to make comparisons
between OAD&D and new D&D. I will say, though, that I concur with
your evaluation of the aging effects in the original game, and that human
and non-long-lived PCs were meant to flee opponents who could age them,
that being more fearsome even than level loss!
As for level limits for demi-humans,
there was none on the thief aspect, and in my estimation, and such PC that
hit the maximum levels possible was either playing for a very long time
or in a Monty Haul campaign. It took me five years to work my dwarf fighter,
Zigby, to his level limit. He didn't go on all that many adventures as
my single PC, but he was there getting half experience on many a big-time
foray with Mordenkainen and/or Bigby and the rest.
Quote:
Originally Posted by haakon1
And racial limits. My elven
fighter topped out at 7th level.
The expansion of non-human
PC level limits covered in Unearthed Arcana was to facilitate their
play in higher-level camoaigns. For example, an elven fighter/magic-user/thief
of 5/9/12 level equates to around 19th level.
Cheers,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by haakon1
I didn't use much from UA.
I actually didn't mind the racial limits. I thought it added interesting
"balance" and challenges.
For example, my half-orc LG fighter/cleric, who always wished he could be a paladin, but never could be, was built around a contradiction that I found interesting.
And my 7th level elven fighter survived Against the Giants, the D series, and Demonweb Pits all at his maxed out level, so 7th level (with 61 hp) wasn't totally weak . . . he could survive and contribute with his 11th level comrades, and I liked knowing he was "the best he could be".
No problem with that.
There were many players that were not happy thus, however, so that was why I tinkered with the demi-human racial level maximums. There was no way I would ever remove them entirely across the board, certainly, as the world setting was always assumed to be human dominated for the reason I have expressed many times in the past: I have never felt competant to design a world with the dominant cultures and societies being non-human.
The same is generally true even for most SF settings.
Cheers,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by airwalkrr
Oh yea, I forgot about those
cuz we never used 'em.
Then one must perforce assume
your world was dominated by non-humans as demi-human racial factors made
them generally superior to humans overall...
Cheers,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by airwalkrr
One of the many elements
of fantasy that we merely glossed over because our group felt it added
little to the game.
I certainly see where you
are coming from though. And actually, we did enforce level limits, just
not for PCs, who we considered were more special.
That is a clever comprimise
I did not consider.
The demi-human, and humanoid,
PCs being very special might indeed exceed the norm for their race.
Good show that
Cheers,
Gary
<be sure to revise the cr.htm in the PH>