Secrets of the Shadowend: Variant Classes for Swords & Wizardry

[Nellisir]

I'll be posting classes, races, and other material here. Technically these are for the S&W system, but they are easily adaptable to other game systems. This material will eventually be compiled into a single document for downloading.

I don't use experience charts. My goal is for these to be pretty balanced, but you may do what you like. If you think they're balanced, use 3e XP progression. If not, use S&W, LL, OSRIC, Basic D&D, 1e, 2e, or roll randomly on a d12 every time the party completes a quest or dungeon. Thieves advance on result of 8+, clerics on 9+, fighters on 10+, paladins & rangers on 11+, and wizards on 12+. Dwarf and half-orc fighters get +1 to their roll, elf wizards get +1, halfling thieves get +1, gnome illusionists get +1, and half-elf rangers get +1.

Glossary of Terms
Advantage: An advantage is a +2 bonus on a die roll, or -2 penalty on an opponent's die roll, whichever is favorable to the character.
Boon: A feat.
Knack: A knack ability succeeds on a roll of 16 or higher on a 20-sided die.
Skilled: A skilled ability uses the saving throw progression; a roll equal or higher than the character's saving throw succeeds.
Unskilled: An unskilled ability succeeds on a roll of 18 or higher on a 20-sided die.

The OGL for this material is located here: http://secretsoftheshadowend.blogspot.com/p/ogl.html

 

[Nellisir]

Illusionist


Hit Dice: 1d6 (+1 hp per level after 9^th level.)
Armor: None
Weapons: Dagger, Dart, Staff
Skills: An illusionist is skilled in feats of intelligence and perception; magical lore; legerdemain; and lying, smooth-talking, tale-telling, or yarn-spinning.



Class Features
Persistent Illusion: Any illusion the illusionist casts with a duration of “concentration” persists for a number of rounds equal to her level after she stops concentrating.

Pierce the Veil: Illusionists have advantage on saves against illusions.

Face in the Crowd (3rd): At 3^rd level the illusionist can cause herself to appear so normal, mundane, and unexceptional that she blends into her surroundings. All creatures in the area treat her as if she belonged there, effectively ignoring her. Creatures that directly interact with the illusionist make a save to disbelieve the illusion, and mindless creatures are not affected by it. The illusionist can do this for one minute per level per day, in increments of one minute.
The illusion does not turn her invisible or allow her to disguise herself as a specific individual or type of person. She retains her general shape and appearance.
At 7^th level the illusionist can extend this ability to include any companions within 30’ of her.

Sense Deception (5th): By 5^th level, an illusionist has developed a keen sense of what is real and true, and what is not. She gains a knack for sensing illusions, lies, and trickery. This knack does not necessarily indicate what is an illusion or what is a lie, merely the presence of one. It does not replace a saving throw.

Mirror (9th): At 9^th level, the illusionist can appear exactly as another individual of roughly the same body type, and no more than twice as tall or half as high. The illusionist looks, feels, smells, and sounds just like the target creature. The effect requires the illusionist to have a portion of the target creature (a hair, drop of blood, a tooth) or significant item ( a scepter or crown, an amulet, a personal weapon). This item is incorporated into the illusion in its true form, and the effect ends if it is separated from the illusionist.
This effect does not confer any special knowledge or abilities on the illusionist, but the duplication is otherwise seamless. Creatures that interact with the illusionist do not gain a save to disbelieve. The illusionist’s actions, or lack of specific knowledge, can cast doubt on her identity, but her true identity cannot be discerned without magical aid.
Mirror lasts for one hour. The illusionist can extend the duration beyond an hour by making a saving throw, with success indicating the effect lasts for another hour, and failure ending the effect.


Permanent Illusion (11th): At 11^th level the illusionist can cause one illusion to become permanent. The caster can attempt to make as many permanent illusions as she wants, but doing so requires a saving throw for each additional permanent illusion. A failed save means all the illusions end.

 

[Nellisir]

The Fighter

Fighter
Hit Dice: 1d6+2 (+3 hp per level after 9^th level.)
Armor: Any armor, shields.
Weapons: Any weapons.
Skills: Fighters are skilled at feats of strength and endurance. A fighter may select up to three additional skill areas.



Class Features

Applied Force: A fighter adds her full Strength bonus to her attack rolls as well as to her damage rolls.

Dominate: Against creatures with one hit die or less, a fighter makes one attack per level each round.

Weapon Mastery: At first level, the fighter selects one class of weapons: axe, bows, club, crossbows, dagger, darts, flail, mace, pole arm, sling, spear, sword, and two-handed sword. She receives a +1 bonus to hit and damage with these weapons. This increases to +1/+2 at 3^rd level; +2/+2 damage at 5^th level; +2/+3 at 7^th level; and +3/+3 at 9^th level.
Alternatively, the fighter can select a new weapon group at 5^th level (and/or 9^th level), gaining a +1/+1 with the new group, which increases to +1/+2 at 7^th level. Either group, or a new group, may be advanced at 9^th level.


Parry: At 3^rd level, the fighter gains the ability to parry, adding her base to-hit bonus to her armor class. She cannot attack on any round that she parries.


Shield-bearer: At 7^th level, a fighter gains a 1^st-level fighter henchman. If the squire dies, another will replace him the next time the fighter gains a level, depending on the circumstances surrounding the death of the previous squire(s). Frequent or suspicious deaths are likely to incur repercussions, particularly if the shield-bearer is from a powerful household.


Stronghold: At 9^th level the fighter may establish (or have conferred upon her) a stronghold and with it a body of loyal men-at-arms who will swear fealty to her.


Flurry of Steel: At 11^th level, the fighter gains a second attack per round. If she chooses to parry instead, she gain an additional +2 bonus to her parry bonus.

 

[Nellisir]

The Barbarian

Barbarian

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Hit Dice: 1d6+2 (+3 hp per level after 9^th level.)
Armor: Light or Medium armor, shields.
Weapons: Any except crossbows.
Skills: Barbarians are skilled at feats of strength and endurance. They are also skilled at survival, climbing, and swimming.



Restrictions

Superstitious: Barbarians mistrust overt displays of magic and sorcery. When presented with displays of such magic they must succeed at a saving throw or be stunned for one round. A barbarian character may overcome this restriction, but permanently loses 1d6 hit points.


Class Features



Dominate: Against creatures with one hit die or less, a barbarian makes one attack per level each round.


Powerful: Barbarians have advantage in feats of strength and endurance.


Rage: The barbarian can go berserk in combat, gaining a +2 bonus to hit and damage, but suffering a -2 penalty to his armor class. This increases to +3/+3 at 5^th level and +4/+4 at 9^th level. For purposes of language and communication, the barbarian’s Intelligence score drops to 3. The barbarian’s rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to the barbarian’s level. While in his rage, the barbarian focuses on his foes until they are dead. He cannot use skills except for feats of strength, and no skills that take longer than a round. If his rage continues after his foes are gone, he will attack his nearest ally unless he makes a successful saving throw.


The barbarian’s rage can be reawakened or extended beyond its normal duration by making a successful saving throw each round. Each successful save extends the rage by one round, incurs a cumulative -1 penalty on subsequent saves to continue, and lowers the barbarian’s Strength score by one point after the rage ends. The Strength penalty disappears after 8 hours of rest.


Animal Reflexes: At 3^rd level, the barbarian gains advantage against surprise attacks and traps.


Cleave: When the barbarian drops an opponent to 0 or fewer hit points, he may make a second attack with the same weapon against a new foe that is within reach.


Tenacity: At 7^th level the barbarian can continue to fight after losing all his hit points, so long as he is raging. The barbarian ends when the rage does.


Youngblood: At 7^th level, a barbarian gains a 1^st-level barbarian henchman. If the youngblood dies, another will replace him the next time the barbarian gains a level, depending on the circumstances surrounding the death of the previous youngblood(s). Barbarians are not particularly put off by frequent deaths, but the death of a youngblood by sorcery or other foul means are viewed with distrust and may incur repercussions.


War band: At 9^th level the barbarian becomes a leader among his people, whether he likes it or not, and can summon a war band to accomplish a particular task or objective. The exact number and makeup of the war band will depend on the goal to be accomplished.


Whirlwind: At 11^th level, while raging, the barbarian can make an attack at every creature he can reach without moving at his normal attack bonuses, but suffers a -4 penalty to armor class (instead of -2) while doing so. The barbarian cannot chose to hit some creatures and not others.

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Steppe Nomad (Barbarian Variant)

Steppe nomads are members of migratory horse-riding cultures. They are renowned for their skill in fighting from horseback. Their traditional weapons are powerful short bows and curved sabres.


Skills: Steppe nomads have riding instead of swimming.
Saddleborn: Steppe nomads have advantage in riding instead of feats of strength.
Mounted Warrior: Steppe nomads lose the Rage class ability and gain the Mounted Warrior ability in its place. The bonuses remain the same, but apply only when the steppe nomad is mounted. There is no duration to this feature, and no penalty to Armor Class.
Cleave: This ability only functions when the character is mounted.
Whirlwind: This ability only functions when the character is mounted. There is no penalty to Armor Class.

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Zealot (Barbarian Variant)

Zealots are fanatical religious warriors. They occupy the same place in cult hierarchies that paladins do in divine orders.


Skills: Zealots are skilled at religious lore and local lore instead of climbing and swimming.
Fervor: This ability is the same as rage.
Divine Aid: This ability replaces Animal Reflexes. Once per day the zealot can cast cure light wounds upon himself.

 

[Nellisir]

The Ranger

Ranger
Goblin-hunter, giant-killer, dragon-slayer: these are rangers. They are independent, cunning, and experienced in fighting the monstrous creatures that prey on civilization. They live in the frontiers and borderlands, protecting gentler lands by hunting threats in the wilderness.

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Hit Dice: 1d6+2 (+3 hp per level after 9^th level.)
Armor: Any light or medium armor, shields.
Weapons: Any weapon.
Skills: Feats of endurance and dexterity, climbing, natural lore, perception, stealth, swimming, survival, and tracking.



Restrictions

Self-Sufficient: Rangers, by temperament and training, do not rely on others. They do not adventure with more than two other rangers, and do not keep more wealth than they can easily carry. Fellowships often include more than three rangers, but they spread their protection out over a large area, and do not travel together.


Class Features
Alertness (1st): Rangers have only a 1 in 6 chance of being surprised.
Ambush (1st): A ranger can create an ambush, increasing the chance of surprising an opponent. This takes one round per party member, and adds 1 to the chance of surprising the opponent. Characters that are have knacks or skills in hiding or sneaking do not add to the preparation time. The ambush is stationary and the targets must move into it.
Opponents that are expecting a fight, and would not ordinarily be surprised, instead have a 1 in 6 chance of being surprised, at the GM’s discretion.
Keen-Eyed (1st): Rangers have advantage on perception and tracking checks.
Implacable Foe (1st): A ranger has a +1 on rolls against the humanoid races (bugbears, gnolls, goblins, hobgoblins, kobolds, ogres, and orcs) at 1^st level. This applies to saves, checks (i.e. tracking or surprise), attack rolls, and damage rolls. This increases to +2 at 5^th level, and includes giants and trolls. At 9^th level the bonus becomes +3, and includes dragons.
Whether or not the bonus applies is at the GM’s discretion. It is reasonable to apply it to a save versus a goblin trap in a goblin lair, but not against a trap in a thieves’ guild that includes goblins as members.
Marksman (1st): A ranger adds his Dexterity bonus to his to-hit roll with ranged weapons.
Far Shot (3rd): At 3^rd level, the range on a ranger’s missile weapons increases by 50%.
Woodland Stride (3rd): At 3^rd level, the ranger moves at his normal movement rate through non-magical wilderness, including undergrowth and other hindrances, and cannot be tracked except by a ranger of higher level.
Companion (7th): At 7^th level the ranger gains a companion. This might be a 1^st level ranger, or an animal companion. If the companion dies, another will replace him the next time the ranger gains a level, depending on the circumstances surrounding the death of the previous companion(s).
Swift (7th): At 7^th level the ranger’s speed increases by either +10 feet per round or +3, depending on the rule system.
Fellowship (9th): At 9^th level the ranger attracts a small band of like-minded allies and companions to aid and assist him. Intelligent animals, monsters, and various player-character races are all possible members of the fellowship.
Deadeye (11th): Once per day at 11^th level the ranger can make a careful, steady attack on a foe. For each full round he spends aiming, the ranger gets a +2 bonus to hit, to a maximum of +6 at three rounds. In addition, he does double damage after the first round of aiming, triple damage after the second round, and quadruple damage after the third round.
The ranger cannot move while aiming, and the target must be visible, within range, and not moving faster than a walk. Any damage to the ranger while he is aiming disrupts his attack.