AD&D 1E Revised and Rebalanced Barbarian for 1e A&D

[Celebrim]

Barbarian

The barbarian class is a sub-class of fighter which – having grown up in lands far from civilization - is adept at the many skills necessary for survival in a hostile wilderness. These skills include rapid movement, climbing, use of many weapons, uncanny intuition, and many skills and abilities pertaining to living out of doors.

A barbarian must have strength and dexterity scores of no less than 13 each, a constitution score of 14 or better. The principal attribute of the Barbarian is constitution, and those with greater than 15 in that ability gain a 10% bonus to earned experience.

A barbarian may not dual or multiclass, save as a barbarian Shamans and/or Witchdoctors as described below.

Barbarians can be of any non-lawful alignment, but must be human. They do not use alignment language of any sort, however, and the barbarian knows only how to speak his tribal tongue and the common tongue. A barbarian must learn how to read & write if he or she desires these skills. A barbarian can learn languages according to his or her intelligence, just as any other character can.

Barbarians gain a bonus to armor class of +1 point per level attained to a maximum of +4 at 4th level provided that they wear only armor of a non-bulky sort. This bonus is of the same sort as the defensive bonus for Dexterity. The reaction and attacking adjustment remains unchanged.

Barbarians are tough and hardy fighters, hardened by the savage lands of their birth. They have 12-sided HD and a base movement rate of 15". In addition, barbarians gain +2 HP per point of constitution over 14, as opposed to normal constitution bonuses for other classes.

They use the combat tables and saving throw tables for normal fighters, and may use any sort of weapon, shield, and armor. However, fairly bulky or bulky armor reduces the barbarian's AC bonus for dexterity as well as limits many of their primary abilities and as such barbarians typically forgo it.

All barbarians gain bonuses to their saving throws of +1 per four levels obtained to a maximum of a +4 bonus: i.e. +1 on all saves at 4th level, +2 at 8th level, +3 at 12th level, and +4 at 16th level.

Barbarians begin proficient in six weapons, but these must be knife, club, and spear plus three culturally weapons chosen by the GM as appropriate to the Barbarian’s chosen culture. Some typical examples:

Coastal: Harpoon, trident, and hand axe
Artic: Harpoon, hand axe, and dagger
Desert: Light lance, short bow, and scimitar
Forest: Hand axe, short bow, and dagger
Jungle: Blowgun, short bow, and javelin
Mountain: Broad sword, quarter staff, and javelin
Steppe: Light lance, short bow, and short sword

Barbarians gain new weapon proficiencies every two levels. They suffer a -2 penalty to hit when using weapons they are not proficient in.

Barbarians begin with two NWP proficiencies chosen from those available to Rangers, and gain an additional NWP every three levels.

BARBARIANS (FIGHTERS) TABLE I.

Experience. Points	Exp. Level	12-Sided Dice for Accumulated Hit Points
0 -- 6,000	1	1
6,001 -- 12,000	2	2
12,001 -- 24,000	3	3
24,001 -- 48,000	4	4
48,001 -- 80,000	5	5
80,001 -- 150,000	6	6
150,001 -- 275,000	7	7
275,001 -- 500,000	8	8
500,001 -- 1,000,000	9	8 + 4
1,000,001 -- 1,500,000	10	8 + 8
1,501,001 -- 2,000,000	11	8 + 12

500,000 experience points per level for each additional level above the 11th.

Barbarians are highly suspicious of, fear, and deplore magic and most of those who use it. They will generally refuse to employ any sort of magic item nor allow any magic item or spell to be employed upon them. They will often seek to destroy magic items, and certainly will destroy any magic items entrusted to their possession which – owing to their level of experience – they do not trust themselves to use. If successful, they receive an XP award as if they had taken possession the destroyed items, but they otherwise do not receive any such XP reward for taking possession of a magic item which they cannot employ.

While magic-users and clerics will viewed with suspicion always, this suspicion will not prevent a mutually beneficial association provided the spell users do not violate their person by employing spells on them. Initially, only the simple clerical spells of the type used by shamans and witch doctors of their own tribes according to the ceremonies that they are familiar with will be deemed as honorable and safe magic that does not violate their taboos, though in time a skilled and worldly barbarian having become acquainted by observation with other sorts of magic may feel comfortable enough to allow it to be employed on their person provided the person who does so is well trusted and known to them, such as a travelling companion. Even then only the most basic of spells are tolerated, and only performed in familiar manners. It is certainly not enough that a trusted companion vouch for the character of someone else, for they might be deceived in this regard or sinisterly controlled by the unknown party! Many months or years of acquaintance are required to overcome these suspicions and superstitions.

Barbarians may freely associate with clerics and M-U but will not voluntarily allow themselves to receive spells from them. They will save versus spells against even friendly magic, and even in an unconscious state. A barbarian of less than 4th level receives no XP during an adventure if they intentionally benefit from friendly spellcasting.

A barbarian of at least 4th level may freely receive spells from a well-known and trusted cleric or druid comrade, but only spells of 3rd level and lower ability.
A barbarian of at least 8th level may freely receive spells from a well-known and trusted M-U or illusionist comrade, but only spells of 2nd level or lower ability.
A barbarian of at least 12th level may freely receive spells from a well-known and trusted cleric or druid comrade, but only spells of 5th level and lower ability.
A barbarian of at least 16th level may freely receive spells from a well-known and trusted M-U or illusionist comrade, but only spells of 4th level or lower ability.

As barbarians rise in level some of the limitations placed on the barbarian by their own mores and superstitions are relaxed.

Level	Actions and Abilities
3	May use magic potions provided they are identified and vouched for by a trusted source.
4	May use magic weapons provided they are identified and vouched for by a trusted source.
5	May use magic armor provided it is identified and vouched for by a trusted source.
6	May employ a single magic weapon that is not identified.
7	May use weapon-like miscellaneous magic items provided it is identified and vouched for by a trusted source.
8	May employ a single magic armor that is not identified.
9	May use most magic items available to fighters provided they are identified and vouched for, except those that involve scrolls, texts and tomes. These are always viewed with suspicion regardless of level.

A barbarian that violates these strictures, even unintentionally gains no further XP form that point until they can atone and cleanse themselves, a process that requires 1 day per level of the spell received and outlay of 1 s.p. worth of incense, offerings, herbs, and the like per day per level of the barbarian. A barbarian which employs any magic item and as a result suffers a curse, will deem themselves as having violated their mores and taboos and will both require themselves to cleanse themselves and seek to destroy the cursed item as soon as they are free of it.

A barbarian’s natural attack abilities allow him or her to strike creatures that would normally be immune to non-magical attacks as the barbarian rises in level. At 4th level the barbarian can affect creatures which require a + 1 or better weapon to hit, while a 6th-level barbarian can strike creatures which require a + 2 weapon to hit. Similarly, at 8th level, the barbarian can hit creatures requiring a + 3 weapon to hit, and at 10th level can hurt creatures requiring a + 4 weapon to hit. At 12th level, a barbarian can affect creatures harmed normally only by weapons of + 5 or better. The barbarian, despite the ability to hit such creatures, does not gain a bonus “to hit” or inflict additional damage because of this ability, nor any immunity to attacks themselves.

Primary Abilities

A barbarian has climb ability of 70% + 4% per level after the 1st. This operates the same as the thief ability.
A barbarian has hide in shadows ability of 20% + 4% per level after the 1st. This operates the same as the thief ability.
A barbarian has a move silently ability of 20% + 4% per level after the 1st. This operates the same as the thief ability.
A barbarian has an athletics ability of 20% + 4% per level after the 1st. This operates the same as the thief ability.

A barbarian's base jump increases +1' on standing high jumps, +2' on running high jumps and standing broad jumps, and by +4' on running broad jumps.

A barbarian adds 1/2 of his level (rounded down) to his charisma for the purpose of interacting with other barbarians (maximum 25).

Barbarians gain many skills equivalent to NWP but with an alternative chance of success that depends on level rather than ability score. In general, if a Barbarian ever has the NWP covered by their class ability, they may either use the NWP normally or employ the percentage chance from their class ability, which ever has the higher chance of success.

A barbarian has a 40% + 5% chance / level to administer first aid per the Healing NWP.

A barbarian as a base 40% + 5% chance / level to track successfully per the Tracking NWP or the Ranger’s tracking ability.

Barbarian surprise on 3 in 6, and is only surprised on a 1 in 10.

Barbarian can negate attempts to backstab at 5% per level (maximum 100%). If successful, the target gains no bonus to hit or damage on the attack.

Favored Terrain

A barbarian’s acquaintance with the wilderness from birth grants him an intimate understanding of the environment, and in such environments or regions they may operate with great comfort and improved understanding. A barbarian is eligible to gains new favored terrain at 4th, 8th, 12th level, 16th and 20th level, provided at some time before achieving that level he has spent significant time (months at the least) living in the wild and familiarizing himself with the ways of the new region. A barbarian that has not completed this requirement must wait until such time they have done so before designating an additional favored terrain.

If in a favored terrain, outdoors and wearing non-bulky armor, the barbarian has the following benefits addition to those outlined above:

+20% chance to track successfully.
+20% chance to hide.
+20% chance to move silently.
Surprised only 1 time in 20, rather than 1 in 10.
Surprise foes 4 times in 6, rather than 3 in 6.
20 + 5% chance / level to detect illusions (maximum 90%)
5% chance / level to detect magic other than illusions (maximum 75%)
40% + 5% chance / level to hunt successfully as the Hunting NWP.
40% + 5% chance / level to use any survival skill as the Survival NWP.
40% + 5% chance / level to identify plants per the Herbalism NWP.
40% + 5% chance / level to navigate successfully per the Navigation NWP.
40% + 5% chance / level to set snares successfully as the Set Snares NWP.

Secondary Abilities
Barbarians begin with two of the following abilities and gain an additional ability from the list every three levels:

40% + 5% chance / level to handle small watercraft per the Boating NWP
40% + 5% chance / level to run a great per the Running NWP
40% + 5% chance / level to construct snares, deadfalls, pits and the like in natural terrain successfully per the Trap Making NWP.
40% + 5% chance / level to handle steeds per the Riding NWP
40% + 5% chance / level to signal over long distances by smoke, drums, mirrors, flags or other devices or to receive and understand such signals per the Signaling NWP.
40% + 5% chance / level to train, employ, or tame animals per the Animal Handling NWP.

The GM may choose to limit starting secondary abilities to those appropriate to the culture the barbarian comes from.

The Barbarian Horde
A barbarian attracts no followers, but upon reaching 8th level, a barbarian may summon a barbarian horde. This horde can only be summoned in the native territory of the barbarian, from among barbarians of his background. A barbarian horde can number as many members as its leader’s experience-point total divided by 1000. Thus, a barbarian who has just reached 8th level gather a 275-member horde, and one who has just reached 9th level can have a 500-member horde. A horde takes a week to gather in the barbarian’s home territory, and must have a stated purpose, such as “Tear apart the College of Magic in Arcana City brick by brick” or “Rescue Princess Madelyn from the Storm Pirates” or “Serve under Goodbar the Cleric in his battle against the infidels.” Deviating from the proclaimed purpose by the horde or its leader may cause the horde to disband, at the DM’s option. Members of disbanded hordes will return by the quickest and safest route to their home lands.

A barbarian horde can only be kept together for as many weeks as the barbarian leader has levels of experience. At the end of this time, the horde is usually disbanded. Exceptions may be made if large amounts of treasure are distributed to the members, if the leader has an effective charisma of 23 or more with respect to other barbarians, if the leader of the horde is a tribal leader as well, or if an unattained goal is in easy reach. Each of these special circumstances which apply would extend the duration of the horde by 1-2 weeks at most. A tribal leader who has his horde disband beneath him will not receive a
warm welcome the next time he returns to his homeland. In addition to the normal barbarians in the horde, the leader of the horde will gain 2d6 aides, each of a level equal to one-half of the leader’s level (rounded down). Each aide will have two assistants of one-half the aide’s level. The horde has a 10% chance per 100 participants of having a shaman spiritual leader of 4th-7th level, and a 10% chance per 250 participants of having a witch doctor of 3rd-5th level as well.

 

[Celebrim]

Relevant Non-Weapon Proficiencies

Animal Handling, CHARISMA, Easy: Proficiency in this area enables a character to exercise a greater-than-normal degree of control over trained animals, such as pack animals, beasts of burden, hunting dogs, and the like. A person proficient with animal handling automatically gets calm and well treated animals to perform any task they were previously trained in, while those who aren’t proficient in these tasks must check. A successful proficiency check also indicates that the character has succeeded in calming an excited or agitated animal; or, successfully urged it pull 20% more than usual amount for a short period, or to perform under guidance some simple task which it was not previously trained to perform but which it is capable of by inclination and ability (such as a dog fetching an object, an oxen calmly bearing a child, etc.). At -9 on the check, a proficient person may calm an agitated wild animal, including predators, but only those startled or fearful, not predators hungry and looking for a meal.

Boating, DEXTERITY, Easy: A character with boating proficiency is able to guide small personal watercraft safely over lakes, coastal water, or down a rapid stream with capsizing. These boats are generally rowed or oared and include such things as canoes or kayak. In addition, a character with boating proficiency can insure that a boat is propelled at its maximum speed, and will be able to read flowing water to detect hidden obstacles, assess danger of a rapid or cascade, stow cargo safely as may be managed on such crafts, and so forth.

Note that this proficiency is distinct from Seamanship, which applies to controlling large ships generally over 30’ in length and generally with masts and sails. However, if such boats have oars, a character with Boating will also be able to serve as a proficient rower.

Healing, WISDOM, Moderate: A character proficient in healing knows how to use natural medicines and basic principles of first aid and doctoring. If the character tends another within one hour of their wounding (and makes a successful proficiency check), his ministrations restore 1d3 hit points (but no more hit points can be restored than were lost than their last time wounded). Ten minutes are required for such ministrations per person to be treated, to bathe, dress, and treat their wounds, and suitable materials such as salves, poultices, bandages, wine or other cleansing agent, and clean water must be available. Once one such healing effort is performed, no further efforts will be successful on any particular set of wounds, though if the person is wounded again, additional aid may be offered.

If a wounded character remains under the care of someone with healing proficiency, that character can recover lost hit points at the rate of 1 per day even when traveling or engaging in nonstrenuous activity. If the wounded character gets complete rest, he can recover 2 hit points per day while under such care. Only characters with both healing and herbalism proficiencies can help others recover at the rate of 3 hit points per day of rest. This care does not require a proficiency check, only the regular attention of the proficient character. Up to six patients can be cared for at any time.

A character with healing proficiency can also attempt to aid a poisoned individual, provided the poison entered through a wound. If the poisoned character can be tended to immediately (the round after the character is poisoned) and the care continues for the next five rounds, the victim gains a +2 bonus to his saving throw (delay his saving throw until the last round of tending). No proficiency check is required, but the poisoned character must be tended to immediately (normally by sacrificing any other action by the proficient character) and cannot do anything himself. If the care and rest are interrupted, the poisoned character must immediately roll a normal saving throw for the poison. This result is unalterable by normal means (i.e., more healing doesn't help). Only characters with both healing and herbalism proficiencies can attempt the same treatment for poisons the victim has swallowed or touched (the character uses his healing to diagnose the poison and his herbalist knowledge to prepare a purgative).

A character with healing proficiency can also attempt to diagnose and treat diseases. When dealing with normal diseases, a successful proficiency check automatically reduces the disease to its mildest form and shortest duration. Those who also have herbalism knowledge gain an additional +2 bonus to this check. A proficient character can also attempt to deal with magical diseases, whether caused by spells or creatures. In this case, a successful proficiency check diagnoses the cause of the disease. However, since the disease is magical in nature, it can be treated only by magical means.

Herbalism, INTELLIGENCE, Hard: Those with herbalist knowledge can identify plants and fungus and prepare non-magical potions, poultices, powders, balms, salves, ointments, infusions, and plasters for medical and pseudo-medical purposes. They can also prepare natural plant poisons and purgatives. Some of these ingredients may be rare and/or valuable and useful in the production of true magical potions. Attempting to find a particular ingredient requires 1d8 hours and most be made in appropriate terrain and often during the appropriate seasons, for many ingredients can only be found fresh during a certain time of the year. Rare or valuable ingredients are at -5 on the check and must be looked for individually, and ingredients that are both rare and valuable are at -10 on the check. Common ingredients are of no particular worth, and a short list necessary for ordinary medicine can be found with a single check. Ingredients of ordinary value are more uncommon and prized and generally worth 1d4 coppers, and rare ones worth 1d20 coppers. Valuable ingredients are generally worth 1d4 silvers, while those that are both rare and valuable are worth 1d100 silvers. The DM must decide the quantity utility of the ingredients found, such as for example the exact strength of the poisons which can be derived from them based on the poison rules in the DMG. A character with both herbalism and healing proficiencies gains bonuses when using his healing talent (see the Healing proficiency).

Ingredients which can be gathered by Herbalism checks may be readily available from Apothecaries in civilized lands, for such trade is common, but they will be available for purchase at 2 to 3 times the indicated selling prices, and professional Apothecaries will be loath to trade the secrets of their foraging and suppliers, lest the valuable plants be overharvested or their livelihood undercut.

Hunting, WISDOM, Moderate:

When in wilderness settings, the character can attempt to locate, stalk, and bring down game. Two proficiency checks are required. The first proficiency check indicates whether suitable game can be found. This depends on the environment and type of game sought. Apply penalties as follows:

Jungle: -1
Plains: -1
Scrubland: -2
Civilized Lands: -2
Badlands: -3
Desert: -4
Arctic: -5
Small Game: +1
Large Game: Double penalties
Presence of trained dog or equivalent Hunting Animal: +3 (+5 if hunter also has Animal Handling)

Once signs of game are located, such as suitable habitat, distant herds, spoor, or other signs, a second proficiency check must be made with a -1 penalty to the ability score for every non-proficient hunter in the party (including non-carnivorous steeds or other animals not accustomed to hunting). If the die roll is successful, the hunter (and those with him) have come within 51 to 150 yards (50+1d100) of an animal undetected and with a clear view of the intended prey. The group can attempt to close the range further, but a proficiency check must be made for each 20 yards closed with a cumulative -1 penalty. If the stalking is successful, the hunter automatically surprises the game. The type of animal stalked depends on the nature of the terrain and the judgement of the DM.

Small game is hares, duck, dove, hens, squirrel or other small animals as appropriate to the climate. A successful hunt requires 1d6 hours and yields enough food for the hunter and 1d4 others to have a meal (or a larger number of meals for a smaller number of people).

Large game is deer, antelope, boar, bison, or other large animals as is appropriate to the terrain. A successful hunt requires 1d8 hours. Such animals though may prove difficult to take with primitive weaponry, but if successful they will provide at least enough food for the hunter and 4d6 others – more if GM deems the animal particularly large. Very large animals will yield more food than can be successfully consumed before it begins to spoil, and successful application of the Cooking NWP and a judicious amount of time will be required to dry and prepare the meat for storage.

Navigation, INTELLIGENCE, Moderate: The character has learned the arts of navigating by the sun, and stars, and a sense of direction reinforced by such subtle signs as may be observed concerning the flowing of streams, winds, currents, the growth of plants, and landmarks. A successful proficiency check by the navigator prevents the person from becoming lost in any familiar environment, and reduces the chance of being lost by 20% in unfamiliar surroundings, or else increases the chance of finding ones bearings again by 20% should the person become lost. Any proficient navigator, if allowed viewing of the clear sky for a few minutes, be able on a successful check to determine true north.

Of course, various tools such as sextants, compasses, maps, and astrolabes exist which aide in such efforts. If a proficient navigator or guide comes from a culture with such devices, they will automatically know how to use them to the greatest effect. And if such tools are unfamiliar to them, they will quickly pick up their operation should someone proficient in their use demonstrate their utility.

Running, CONSTITUTION, Hard:

Signaling, INTELLIGENCE, Hard: A character with this proficiency can send and receive messages over long distances using a variety of signaling methods, such as drums, flags, smoke signals, mirrors or whistling. The recipient must see (or hear) the signal in order to interpret it. Complex messages require the sender and recipient to share a common language, otherwise only rudimentary single word messages as might be used as trail signs may be transmitted: “safety”, “danger”, “plague”, “go away”, “food” or a simple prearranged code. Messages can be sent and received at the rate of between 10 words per round. The difficulty of these methods lies in the fact that they may be easily intercepted by unintended recipients who also know the common techniques of long distance signaling.

To transmit a message, both the sender and receiver must make successful proficiency checks. If either fails his check, the message is garbled; they may try again in the next round. If either checks fail, or either rolls a natural 20, the message is received, but has the opposite of the intended meaning.

Note that while many NPCs will only know one or two means of signaling as is appropriate to the local culture, PCs with this skill are assumed to be broadly conversant in these systems, as they are often used to communicate between different cultures. This does not preclude that remote or isolated civilizations will have their own difficult to decipher system, or that covert groups such as thieves, bandits, and militaries might not develop their own secret codes designed to thwart understanding which the PC will not be familiar with automatically.

Set Snares, DEXTERITY, Moderate: The character can make simple snares and traps, primarily to catch small game. These can include rope snares and spring traps. A proficiency check must be rolled when the snare is first constructed and every time the snare is set. A failed proficiency check means the trap does not work for some reason. It may be that the workmanship was bad, the character left too much scent in the area, or he poorly concealed the finished work. The exact nature of the problem does not need to be known. The character can also attempt to set traps and snares for larger creatures: tiger pits and net snares, for example. A proficiency check must be rolled, this time with a -4 penalty to the ability score. In both cases, setting a successful snare does not ensure that it catches anything, only that the snare works if triggered. The DM must decide if the trap is triggered.

Thief characters owing to their knowledge of traps can always attempt to use this NWP with a percentage chance of success equal to their Find/Remove Traps skill. Traps made by non-thief characters using this skill always have a 50% chance of being noticed by any intelligent observer, as the skill doesn’t cover production of the sort of traps and camouflage necessary to make effective man traps. (See Trap Making.)

Setting a small snare or trap takes one hour of work. Setting a larger trap requires two to three people (only one need have the proficiency) and 2d4 hours of work. Setting a man-trap requires one or more people (depending on its nature) and 1d8 hours of work. To prepare any trap, the character must have appropriate materials on hand.

Characters with Animal Lore proficiency gain a +2 bonus to their ability score when attempting to set a snare for the purposes of catching game. Their knowledge of animals and the woods serves them well for this purpose. They gain no benefit when attempting to trap monsters or intelligent beings.

Survival, WISDOM, Easy: A character with knowledge of survival is knowledgeable about natural hazards and how to overcome them. They receive at all times a bonus of +4 on ability checks or saving throws to resist damage or conditions arising from natural hazards such as frostbite, hypothermia, heat exhaustion, and the like, and are able on a successful ability check to impart sufficient knowledge to grant a +2 bonus on saves to their travelling companions. Likewise, they are able with a successful check to find or construct suitable shelter for the night or from hazards, such as shade during the day when in the desert, using natural features and materials. They also should be allowed a proficiency check to recognize natural hazards such as quicksand, avalanche prone slopes, hidden glacial crevasses, and the dens of predatory or dangerous animals as well avoid disease exposure and poisonous water. A successful proficiency check also finds at least a minimal amount of drinking water to sustain a person, though the difficult of this check may increase in truly arid or desert regions while be nearly trivial in alpine or rain forest regions (a penalty or bonus of +/-5 may apply depending on the terrain.). Without a check, a character proficient in survival will be able to plan the logistics of expedition across a wilderness area successfully, knowing what gear to carry, how much food and water is required, whether to bring beasts of burden or mounts, and what sort are suitable given the length of the journey and the number of persons involved. The GM should give appropriate advice and guidance if needed.

By using this proficiency, a character can search a wilderness area to locate a small amount of a desired material, such as a branch suitable for carving into a bow, enough kindling to start a fire, a medicinal herb, a discarded dear antler, or a natural component required for a spell. The character must spend 2-8 (2d4) hours searching, and the material must theoretically be available in the area being searched (for instance an icicle isn't available in the desert, nor dry kindling on the ocean floor). The DM doesn't confirm if the material sought is actually available until after the character has searched for the designated period. If the DM decides the material isn't in the area, no proficiency check is necessary; he merely reveals that the search was in vain.

If the DM decides the material is indeed available, a successful proficiency check means the character has found what he's been looking for. As a rule of thumb, the character locates no more than a handful of the desired material, though the DM may make exceptions (if searching for a few leaves of a particular herb, the character may instead find an entire field). If the check fails, the material isn't found. The character may search a different area, requiring another 2–8 hours and a new proficiency check.

Tracking, WISDOM, Hard: With this NWP, you have the same tracking skills as a Ranger, albeit likely at a reduced level. The base chance to track for most classes is 30% plus your twice Wisdom score (so a character with 13 Wisdom has a 56% chance to track), and this chance increases by 4% for each new highest level you obtain. (Multi-classed or dual classed characters do not count level increases in a class unless that level increase would bring that classes level higher than any other class they possess.) For untrained character, the base chance to track is 15% plus twice Wisdom, but any negative modifiers to the chance to track are doubled.

The chance of successfully tracking is further modified as follows:

Prior snow +30%
Prior soft or muddy ground +20%
Thick brush, vines, or reeds +15%
Sand, no wind +15%
Indoors, Dusty Floor +10%
Tall grass +10%
Indoors, Wood Floor -10%
Rocky ground -20%
Indoors, Stone Floor -25%
Shallow water, unmoving -25%
Sand, wind -35%
Shallow water, moving -50%
Deep water -100%
Low traffic, every 12 hours since trail was made -10%
High traffic, every hour since trail was made -5%
Every creatures in the group +1%
Every hour of rain, snow, or sleet -25%
Poor Lighting - -25%
Unskilled party attempts to hide trail -5%
Skilled party attempts to hide trail -25%

For tracking to succeed, the creature tracked must leave some type of trail. Thus, it is virtually impossible to track flying or non-corporeal creatures. Flying creatures may only be tracked by creatures native to the plane of elemental air, and then only at a -100% penalty. Non-corporeal creatures may only be tracked on the ethereal plane, and then only at a -50% penalty.

For the purposes of hiding a trail, a skilled party is one in which at least one in five characters in the party is a Ranger, Barbarian, or possesses the Tracking NWP or cases where the entire party possesses the Move Silently class ability.

To track a particular creature, the character must first find the trail. Indoors, the tracker must have seen the creature in the last 30 minutes and must begin tracking from the place last seen. Outdoors, the tracker must either have seen the creature, have eyewitness reports of its recent movement ("Yup, we saw them orcs just high-tail it up that trail there not but yesterday."), or must have obvious evidence that the creature is in the area (such as a well-used game trail). If these conditions are met, a skill check is rolled. Success means a trail has been found. Failure means no trail has been found. Another attempt cannot be made until the above conditions are met again under different circumstances.

A tracker may attempt to track any obvious trail he finds, though he will not know whether it belongs to a particular person or creature. However, a successful NWP (note, not a skill check) can be used to identify the tracks of any known sort of creature (deer, bear, manticore) as well as determine the approximate size and weight as well as any sort of footwear worn, if applicable. The approximate number of creatures in the party can also be determined. The better the check, the more accurate and complete this information will be.

Once the trail is found, additional skill checks are rolled for the following situations:
The chance to track decreases (terrain, rain, creatures leaving the group, darkness, etc.).
A second track crosses the first.
The party resumes tracking after a halt (to rest, eat, fight, etc.).

Once the tracker fails a tracking skill check, another check can be rolled after spending at least one hour searching the area for new signs. If this check is failed, no further attempts can be made. If several trackers are following a trail, a +10% bonus is added to the chance of the most adept tracker. Once he loses the trail, it is lost to all.

If the modifiers lower the chance to track below 0 the trail is totally lost to that character and further tracking is impossible (even if the chance later improves). Other characters may be able to continue tracking, but that character cannot.

When following a trail, the character (and those with him) must slow down, the speed depending on the character's modified chance to track as found from Table 39.

Table 40: Movement While Tracking
Chance to Track Movement Rate
30% or less 1⁄4 normal
31%-69% 1⁄2 normal
70%-99% 3⁄4 normal
100% or greater normal

Trap Making, INTELLIGENCE, Moderate: A successful NWP check allows the placement or construction of deadfalls, pits, and similar large traps capable of severely wounding or killing man-sized or larger creatures. Suitable tools and materials must be available, and construction generally requires 3 man days or longer for a suitable trap. Only the trap making skill can be used to construct traps which are suitably subtle enough to normally be disguised from the senses of intelligent creatures. Thieves may attempt Trap Making with the same chance of success as their Find/Remove Traps roll. If for some reason a thief acquires the Trap Making NWP, they receive a bonus of +20% on attempts to construct such traps.

 

[Celebrim]

Barbarian Shamans and Witch Doctors
A barbarian may at some point decide to learn the mystical secrets of his tribe, familiarizing himself with the magical lore of his youth, and taking up the secret arts of magic he has hitherto eschewed. Such a path brings benefits, but is not considered wholly honorable and however necessary will be deemed by his peers a profession unsuitable for a war leader.

If a barbarian is to walk the path of a shaman he must make the decision sometime after acquiring his 2nd level but sometime before attaining 7th level. The Barbarian must have a Wisdom of at least 13 and a Charisma no lower than 9. The barbarian must find a suitable shaman willing to teach him and spend six weeks learning the basics of the craft, after which he must go on a vision quest lasting seven days during which he must defeat at least one monster of monster level equal to his own level in single combat in broad daylight under the open sky. No XP is earned for this quest, such XP being sacrificed to earn his first level as a Shaman. Thus proving himself worthy to the gods and spirits of his tribe, he may enter the path of as a 1st level Shaman. Progress thereafter as a Shaman uses twice the XP progression as a Barbarian – thus 12,000 XP is required to obtain the second level. For each level of Shaman past the first, the Barbarian gains a 1d4 HD, but does not add his constitution modifier unless the new level would be his new highest level. Once the levels of Shaman exceed those of Barbarian, he may add the full constitution modifier of his Barbarian class as well.

Progress as a Shaman may be ended at any point after obtaining 2nd level or upon obtaining 7th level at 300,001 XP - the maximum allowable in the path - but once it is ended no further progress as a Shaman is ever possible. Once the barbarian chooses to end his progress as a Shaman, he may either return to progressing as a Barbarian or he may take the full plunge into the arcane secrets of the tribe by becoming a Witch Doctor. To become a Witch Doctor he must have an Intelligence of at least 13. If he follows the path of a Witch Doctor, he must now find a suitable witch doctor willing to teach him the basics of the craft, after which he must go on a vision quest lasting seven during which he must defeat at least one most of monster level higher than his own highest level in single combat underground. No XP is earned for this quest, such XP being sacrificed to earn his first level as a Witch Doctor. Progress as a witch doctor is at three times the XP required of that of a barbarian – thus 18,000 XP is required to obtain the second level. The path may be abandoned at any point after acquiring his 2nd level but before attaining the 5th level – the maximum level possible for the class obtained at 144,000. As with Shaman, for each level of Witch Doctor past the first, the Barbarian gains a 1d4 HD, but does not add his constitution modifier unless the new level would be his highest level. if the levels of Witch Doctor exceed those of both Barbarian and Shaman, he may add the full constitution modifier of his Barbarian class as well to each obtained HD.

When at last the Barbarian has completed his magical training, he may return to the path of a Barbarian, progressing from the point which he left off. However, until such time as his level in barbarian exceeds both that of Shaman and Witch doctor he gains but 4 hit points per level obtained. Once his newest barbarian level is higher than his progression in both Shaman and Witch doctor he gains his full D12 barbarian HD again.

Unlike normal Dual Class progression, while progressing as a shaman and barbarian, he does not lose access to his barbarian skills and may freely utilize them as compatible with his new career. Indeed, for the course of his new career he utilizes the THAC0, saving throws, and weapon proficiencies of attained from his barbarian levels. For the purpose of any of his barbarian class abilities, his level is considered to be equal to the highest level he has obtained in any class path – barbarian, shaman, or witch doctor.

Example of Hit Dice Progression

A Barbarian with 17 Constitution, advances to sixth level, earning 6 12 sided HD with a bonus of 36 hit points for high constitution, for a total of 75 hit points. At this point, the player decides his character having the necessary prerequisites and personality desires to seek the path of the Shaman, and after informing the GM of his intention undergoes the necessary quests. He then becomes a 1st level Shaman. He proceeds on this path until he obtains the 6th level, earning in the process 5 4 sided HD but no constitution bonus because as of yet he has not exceeded his previously obtained level in Barbarian, earning 12 more hit po0ints for a total of 87. He then completes his training as a 7th level Shaman, adding one more 4 sided HD and his constitution bonus (for he’s now exceeded his previous level) for 9 more hit points and a total of 96. He then decides to embark upon the path of the witch doctor, again fulfilling the necessary training and questions, and becoming a 1st level Witch Doctor. This he proceeds to take till 5th level, earning 4 more 4 sided HD but again no constitution bonuses for 8 further hit points and a total of 99. He is now a 6th level barbarian, 7th level Shaman, 5th level Witch Doctor. No more progress as a spellcaster is possible, so he returns to his Barbarian path, eventually obtaining 7th level, and earning 4 more hit points (without rolling) and without earning CON – for he has yet to exceed his level as a Shaman. Finally, he earns his long delayed 8th level as a barbarian and a earns another 12 sided HD with his full CON bonus, for 13 more hit points, bringing his total to 114.

Drawbacks of being a Shaman and/or Witch Doctor
Immediately upon obtaining the first level as a Shaman, the Barbarian permanently loses access to all of the following abilities.

a) The Barbarian forgoes ever being able to summon a Barbarian horde, as the role of the Shaman in his tribe is not to declare or lead such endeavors.
b) The Barbarian immediately ceases to have his super charismatic effect on other barbarians, losing the former bonus of ½ of his level added this his charisma that applied to such interactions. Barbarians may fear and respect those that practice their native magical arts, but they never trust them as fully nor admire them as they do their pure warrior leaders.

c) The Barbarian never again earns new weapon proficiencies even after returning to the Barbarian path, as his diverse duties preventing further study of such things.

d) Whenever the barbarian must atone for breaking his taboo against foreign magic, he loses access to all of his spell abilities until he can complete the purification ritual, and the cost of such rituals are multiplied by his highest obtained level as a Shaman, and then multiplied again by his highest obtained level as a Witch Doctor. For example, a 6th level barbarian, 7th level shaman, 5th level witch doctor has a slow poison – 2nd level spell cast on him while dying of poison – by the new henchman of a comrade, too new of a relationship for the character to feel at ease. Upon reviving, the character must spend two days purifying himself with special herbs and incense costing 210 s.p. each day before he resume gaining XP or have access to his spell abilities.

Benefits of being a Shaman

1) Spell Casting:
Shamans have a limited spell progression and a limited number of spells known from a subset of the spells available to clerics. For each such spell known to the Shaman they must fashion a totem or fetish, which serves as a focus for memorizing the spell and without which they can’t recall the spell in detail nor make the necessary connections to the spirit world in order to receive the spell. Each totem requires 1 day to fashion and materials such as wood, shells, beads, bone, twine, sinew, dye, feathers or fur costing 1 s.p. per level of the spell it is associated with. The Shaman can fashion new totems or fetishes as necessary with proper time and materials. Spell casting progression is as follows.

Experience Level	Experience. Points	1st level spells known	2nd level spells known	3rd level spells known	4th level spells known	1st level spells per day	2nd level spells per day	3rd level spells per day	4th level spells per day
1	0-12000	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
2	12,001 -- 24,000	4	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
3	24,001 -- 48,000	5	3	0	0	3	1	0	0
4	48,001 – 96,000	6	4	0	0	4	2	0	0
5	96,001 – 160,000	7	5	3	0	5	3	1	0
6	160,001 – 300,000	8	6	4	0	6	4	2	0
7	300,000+	9	7	5	3	7	5	3	1

Shaman Spell Lists
1st: ceremony, cure light wounds, detect evil, detect magic, light, portent, penetrate disguise, protection from evil, remove fear, and resist cold
2nd: augury, chant, detect charm, detect life, messenger, resist fire, snake charm, and speak with animals
3rd: cloudburst, cure blindness, cure disease, dispel magic, locate object, prayer, remove curse
4th: divination, exorcise, neutralize poison, reveal, tongues, speak with plants
2) Healing: Shamans gain a +10% bonus to successfully administer first aid, and further are supernaturally gifted at healing, doubling the usual rates and benefits available for successful use of the NWP.
3) Curse Detection: Shamans gain a 5% chance per level (maximum 35%) of detecting a curse passively through sixth sense. Such awareness occurs (if it occurs) just immediately prior to the action which if performed would trigger the curse. A shaman detecting themselves in the act immediately is forewarned and may halt their intended course of action (if not prevented from doing so by some other circumstance beyond their control. A shaman detecting a colleague about to trigger a curse must win an initiative check against the colleague if they are to successfully give out a cry or pull them back from the course of action in time, otherwise, the moment is too fleeting and the colleague blunders forward on their intended course unabated before realizing what is happening. Note that Shamans will not intentionally and may not test known magical items in this manner, for to do so would violate their taboos. The sixth sense will not work, because they do not have any real intention of going through with the act of meddling with such alien items, and would prefer naturally to destroy those which fall into their hands just to be safe.
4) Priestly Skills: At the 3rd and 6th level of progression, the Shaman may take a NWP from the Cleric list.
5) Limited Magic Item Use: Shaman may utilize all scrolls of protection, as well as staff of the serpent, staff of striking, candle of invocation, incense of meditation, and phylactery of long years normally restricted to clerics. Such items are not offensive or unknown to them.
Benefits of being a Witch Doctor

1) Spell Casting:
As with shamans, Witch Doctors have a limited spell progression and a limited number of spells known from a subset of the spells available to M-U. For each such spell known to the Witch Doctor they must fashion a totem or fetish, which serves as a focus for memorizing the spell and without which they can’t recall the spell in detail nor make the necessary connections to the spirit world in order to receive the spell. Each totem requires 1 day to fashion and materials such as wood, shells, beads, bone, twine, sinew, dye, feathers or fur costing 1 s.p. per level of the spell it is associated with. The Shaman can fashion new totems or fetishes as necessary with proper time and materials. Spell casting progression is as follows.

Witch Doctors do not require spell books, and may cast their spells while wearing non-bulky armor for their art is more an extension of their Shamanic craft than the normal academic arts of the magic user.

Experience Level	Experience. Points	1st level spells known	2nd level spells known	3rd level spells known	1st level spells per day	2nd level spells per day	3rd level spells per day
1	0-18000	3	0	0	1	0	0
2	18,001 -- 36,000	4	0	0	2	0	0
3	36,001 -- 72,000	5	3	0	3	1	0
4	72,001 – 144,000	6	4	0	4	2	0
5	144,001+	7	5	3	5	3	1

Witch Doctor Spell Lists
1st: affect normal fires, cause fear, dancing lights, identify, jump, precipitation, protection from good, push, shield, spider climb, ventriloquism
2nd: audible glamor, circle charm, circle dance, detect invisibility, invisibility, irritation, levitate, magic mouth, scare
3rd: cause disease, clairaudience, clairvoyance, feign death, monster summoning 1, speak with the dead
2) Blind Sight: At first level, Witchdoctors acquire the Blind-Fighting NWP if they do not already have it.
3) Arcane Skills: And 2nd and 4th level, Witchdoctors may take one NWP from the M-U list.
4) Limited Magic Item Use: Witch doctors may utilize a limited number of items including some normally restricted to magic-users: rod of beguiling, wand of magic detection, wand of metal and mineral detection, wand of secret door and trap location, bowl of command water elementals, brazier of commanding fire elementals, censor controlling air elementals, crystal ball, drums of panic, figurine of wondrous power, quall’ s feather token, robe of useful items, robe of entanglement, and stone of controlling earth elementals. Such items fall within the purview of study of the witch doctor and so are not inherently offensive to him.
5) Scroll Use: Witch Doctors may attempt to read scrolls as a 10th level thief with a base 75% chance of success.
6) Improved Caster Level: While advancing as a Witch Doctor does not gain the character any new Shaman spells known or ability to cast for such spells per day, the character may add their Witch Doctor class level to their Shaman level when casting Shaman spells for the purpose of dispelling magic, range and duration of the spell, and other attributes of the spell that depend on caster level.

 

[Celebrim]

I've finished the revised barbarian write up.

And I hate this, but I love it. It's more Ranger-y than the Ranger now. Which, might actually force me to revise the Ranger.

It's funny how everything is connected. Pull on a string and everything unravels unless you stitch it up.