A D&D AND AD&D GAME FEATURE

THE FIGHTER



by James M. Ward

Polyhedron - 1st Ed. AD&D - Polyhedron #1

Everyone has a favorite character class in 
the role-playing game they play most 
often. This column exists to give a general 
idea of what characteristics and/or 
quirks a superior, balanced character in a 
particular character class would have. 
These "archetypical" characters are 
designed ot act as benchmarks for your 
own characters; they are only subjective 
guidelines. 

However, if all or most of the characters 
in your campaign are like those presented 
in this column, perhaps too much is being 
given away: Beware the curse of 
Monty Haul. 

Persona

Ian is a 36-year-old  human fihgter. He is 
generally a stable, sober, well-spoken 
person. Ian is known for his honesty and 
bravery. He highly regards magic-users, 
but his dealings with clerics are shaded by 
the fact that he is irreverent towards most 
holy orders, but deeply believes in the 
druidic ways. 

Early on in his life he learned of druidic 
ways and instantly felt a kinship with 
their ideas. This has led him to scoff at 
the teachings of other holy orders. To this 
day he has always supported the druids in 
any effort they have asked of him. 

He is interested in all forms of weaponry 
and has a large collection of unusual 
weapons. He is also interested in legends 
of war and has gone to great lengths ot 
collect old tombs <tomes> on the subject. 

Ian's one passion besides war and combat 
is hunting. He has refined it to a high 
art, having gone so far as to use unconventional 
weapons to give the animals he 
hunts a sporting chance. He can often be 
found hunting birds or larger game with 
slings or javelins or strange curved throwing 
sticks. 

Ian is usually a calm man, but the 
subject of goblins or kobolds will drive 
him into a fury. Too often he has seen the 
remains of forests despoiled by these 
races. He has often gone on hunting 
expeditions in the nearby hills to track 
down tribes of the monsters and rid the 
countryside of them. 

When encountering bands of men, Ian 
loves to challenge one of their number to 
personal combat. These fights continue 
until he has disarmed his opponent or 
knocked him off his horse, whichever 
comes first. If the defeated warrior is a 
good sport about the fight he will be 
invited to Ian's keep (see below) for good 
food and company. If not he is ordered to 
leave Ian's lands. (Incidentally, Ian 
has only been defeated three times since 
he started this practice. Each time the 
warrior was invited to Ian's keep and 
offered a position as teacher so that Ian 
could improve his skills enough to win a 
second match.) 

Skills 

Ian speaks dwarvish, elvish, trollish, and 
orcish, as well as the common tongue. 
In the past he has been hired as an expert 
in the following areas: archer (longbow), 
habilar (heavy), heavy horseman, Lieutenant 
of the Guard, and weapons maker. 
He is proficient in the following weapons: 
longbow, throwing dagger, halberd, short 
sword, two-handed sword, weighted net, 
ranseur, longsword, throwing disc (as  
dart), lance (heavy horse). 

He maintains a supply of items with 
Continual Light on them. These incldue a 
short woden rod (to be used instead of a 
torch); a gold coin (easily thrown into a 
room or traded with savages); two throwing 
daggers (used against creatures of the 
night that fear the light); and a large 
silver cross (to increase its effectiveness 
against evil). All of these light sources 
have proven highly useful in his long 
fighting career. 



Ian's most prized weapon is a trained 
war dog which has been barded to 
increase its armor class. The beast has 
been very useful in and out of the dungeon, 
and as a result, Ian treats it better 
than he treats himself. 

Ian always has 10,000 gp worth of small 
gems hidden on his person. He also has at 
least ten of each type of coin; he keeps the 
coppers in a visible belt pouch and the 
rest hidden away in his armor or equipment. 

Holdings and possessions

Ian owns a small keep with a druid 
friend. The tower is nestled in a forest 
many leagues away from the city of 
Veluna<?> whose lord Ian has sworn the oath 
of allegiance to. The heads of two green 
dragons (see below), a cave bear, and a 
five-headed hyddra hang proudly in the 
main hall of the keep. Ian keeps slightly 
over 200,000 gp in gold coins in his treasury, 
and a coffer of 90 gems in his chambers worth 
900,000 gp. 

Ian has also earned the respect of fifty 
warriors who will fight at his command; 
among those are the two lords, three champions, 
and five heroes. 

Ian maintains a herd of heavy war 
horses on his lands, using them himself 
for general travel. Knights and warriors 
also come from all around to buy his 
trained animals. However, the best of 
these mounts he keeps for his uses or to 
present to his lord. 

The druid has also trained three hippogriffs 
as mounts; Ian always rides the 
largest male when going to war. 

Ian allows a small group of wood elves 
to maintain a shrine deep in his woods. 
He has never delved into their mysteries 
but knows he can call on them for magical 
assisstance should the need arise. 

Ian's keep has seldom been attacked, 
and only once has it been in danger of 
being captured. An evil lord with two 
green dragons and an army tried to take 
Ian's keep. For three days Ian and his 
outnumbered, tired men fought bravely 
to keep the enemy off the walls. On the 
fourth day it looked like the end, until 
treants came from the forest and routed 
the evil lord's army and saved Ian's hold. 
From that day onward Ian has paid homage 
to the treants of the forest, knowing 
they would help in times of great need. 

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