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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Korgoth" data-source="post: 3454316" data-attributes="member: 49613">Congrats on getting a 1e PHB, a very stylish gaming book indeed.As to your question: Classes in "Classic D&D"There is basic agreement in both main editions of Classic (Moldvay/Cook and Mentzer) on the classes.  They are as follows: Cleric, Fighter, Magic User, Thief, Dwarf, Elf, Halfling.You're already familiar with Cleric, Fighter, Magic User ("wizard") and Thief ("rogue").  A Dwarf is like a Fighter but tops out at 12th level (a Dwarf Lord) and gets some bonuses to underground stuff.  An Elf is a combination Fighter/Magic User (and can cast spells in armor with no penalty) but tops out at 10th level (an Elf Lord) and gets a few other powers.  A Halfling is a Fighter who gets a bonus with missles, has a 90% (!) chance to hide in woodland settings and cannot use 2H stuff, but tops out at only 8th level (a Sheriff).  All the demihuman classes have incredibly sick saving throws, especially Dwarves and Halflings.Hit Dice are smaller than you're used to: d8 for Fighter and Dwarf, d6 for Cleric, Elf and Halfling and d4 for Magic User and Thief.  But that's OK because almost all the numbers and bonuses are lower.Moldvay/Cook edition (aka B/X) covers levels 1-14 (1-3 in Moldvay Basic, 4-14 in Cook Expert).  Cleric spell progression is pretty fast... they get 5th level spells by level 7 (but don't go higher than 5th level spells).  By the time they reach 9th+, Thieves will almost never miss their rolls.  You can allow advancement past 14th level (there are suggestions for it), or even just import the stuff from Mentzer's Companion set if you want... or you can leave it self-contained at 14th level.  A lot of people like to do the latter, especially for classic Swords and Sorcery gaming.Mentzer edition (aka BECM for Basic, Expert, Companion, Masters) is mostly the same as Moldvay/Cook, except that the Cleric spell progression and the Thief skill progression are slower.  In the Companion set (levels 15-25) and Master set (levels 26-36) some new classes get added.  Specifically, a "Mystic" (monk) class is added, and several 'prestige' classes are introduced.  At 9th level and above, a Neutral Cleric can become a Druid.  At 9th level and above, a Fighter can, if he chooses not to become a Lord and build a stronghold, become a Paladin if Lawful, an Avenger (Blackguard) if Chaotic or a Knight if none of the above is appealing.There was a final supplement to the Mentzer series called the Immortal Set, which explained how your character could ascend to divinity after reaching 36th level, and then how you can continue to play the characters after they have become deities.  It is kind of a separate game altogether, but some include this set in the Mentzer series and thus refer to the whole series as "BECMI".Rules Cyclopedia is just the whole Mentzer series (minus the Immortals) compiled in one book with a few additions, lousy art and some typos.</blockquote>

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