What Classes Existed in Earlier Editions?

[Scribble]

So what classes existed in editions prior to 3rd?

The ones I know off the top of my head:

Basic D&D

1. Fighter
2. Cleric
3. Magic-User (MU!)
4. Thief
5. Mystic
6. Druid
7. Elf
8. Halfling
9. Dwarf

OD&D:

1. Fighting Man
2. Magic-User
3. Cleric
4. Thief
5. Monk
6. Paladin


1st Edition

1. Fighter
2. Cleric
3. Wizard
4. Thief
5. Acrobat (How come they get no love?)
6. Assassin
7. Druid
8. Barbarian
9. Monk
10. Ranger
11. Bard (though it was like a secondary class right? Like a Primordial PRC?)
12. Paladin
13 Illusionist
14. Cavalier (Can't believe I forgot them as well.. I was also a big fan.)
15. Oriental barbarian
16. Bushi
17. Kensai
18. Monk
19. Ninja
20. Samurai
21. Shukenja
22. Sohei
23. Wu Jen
24. Yakuza


2nd Edition

1. Fighter
2. Wizard
3. Thief
4. Cleric
5. Ranger
6. Bard
7. Paladin
8. Illusionist (Or was this just a wizard specialty in second?)
9. Psionicist
10. Wild mage

I never owned the 1e Oriental Adventures.. Did that have new classes or just talk about how to use the classes?

What am I missing? (Probably lots, and I might have messed up on some since my memory of earlier editions is broken...)

 

[Filcher]

Add Cavalier to the 1E list.

And 1E OA had a ton of different classes:

Samurai
Ninja
Wujen
Monk
Kensai
Some sort of warrior priest.

...others? Barbarian maybe?

 

[Mouseferatu]

5. Acrobat (How come they get no love?)

"Thief-Acrobat," technically. And there are some would call it a "proto-PrC" as well, since you had to have levels in thief first.

11. Bard (though it was like a secondary class right? Like a Primordial PRC?)

Correct. You had to have levels in, uh, I think fighter and druid before you could take it.

8. Illusionist (Or was this just a wizard specialty in second?)

In 2E, it was just one of the various specialties.

I never owned the 1e Oriental Adventures.. Did that have new classes or just talk about how to use the classes?

Quite a few. Oriental barbarian (gotta love those names), bushi, kensai, monk (variant abilities from the PHB), ninja (had to dual-class with other classes), samurai, shukenja, sohei, wu jen, and yakuza.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Add Cavalier to the 1E list.

D'oh! And this.

And I was a big fan, too. Dunno how I forgot them.

 

[noffham]

OD&D:

Fighting Man
Magic-User
Cleric

Greyhawk:
Thief

Blackmoor:
Monk
Assassin

Eldritch Wizardry:
Druid

Strategic Review:
Ranger

The 1E Bard required levels in Fighter and Thief.

 

[Mouseferatu]

There were also a huge number of classes to appear in Dragon Magazine, across the life of 1E and 2E. I couldn't even begin to give you a complete list, but I know they included the witch, the death-master, the anti-paladin, and the jester, among many others. Some were intended only for NPC use.

 

[TerraDave]

B/X

Cleric
Dwarf
Elf
Fighter
Halfling
Magic User
Theif

And latter, many others...including "proto-prcs" like avenger, knight, druid (I think)...

 

[TerraDave]

OD&D:

Greyhawk:
Thief


The 1E Bard required levels in Fighter and Thief.

I think Greyhawk also introduced the paladin.

 

[noffham]

I think Greyhawk also introduced the paladin.

I believe that is correct. Serves me right for relying on memory.

Greyhawk also introduced different hit dice by class and variable weapon damage dice in place of pure d6's.

 

[drothgery]

There were 2e splatbooks that introduced the Barbarian and Ninja.