A D&D AND AD&D GAME FEATURE
THE FIGHTER
by James M. Ward
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 to 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 fighter.
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 <hobilar?> (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).
Equipment
As a rule, archetypes do not drip with
magic items, though they do have a few
powerful ones. Ian has a magical two-
handed sword (normally +1; +4 vs. reptiles).
The sword is a neutral god
weapon, with the ability to detect secret
doors and invisible objects. He also owns
a short sword (a +1 luck blade with all its
wishes used). He keeps this weapon hidden
in a sheath in his leg armor. These
weapons have served him long and faithfully;
they are his only major magic items.
They are not the only useful items he
has, however. He has ordinary flour
packed in the horns of his helmet;
this substance has been used to blind attackers,
help locate invisible foes, and make biscuits.
He has razor sharp discs strung in a
necklance around his neck; a special pad
protects his chest. When thrown these
discs only do dart damage but they are
also useful for other things: Ian uses them
to cut ropes, and has traded them with
other warriors who are interested in unusual
weapons. He replenishes his own
supply at his keep between adventures.
At his belt is a dragonhide sack filled
with caltrops. The caltrops are dropped to
slow down advancing monsters, chasing
riders, or thrown at creatures coming at
him from above.
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.
<c6 image>