Whats w/ class limitations for my gnome???

[Driddle]

So my GM tells me, dude, you can't have a gnome bard. And I'm trying to figure out why, because my gnome is really a good-looking little guy (Chrisma=18 rocks!) and he's just the perfect height to pick up women, if you know waht I mean. And I'm thinking he's got a nice voice, too. And you know what they say about guys with really big noses.

But anyway, the GM is all over the place, trying to convence me that gnomes can't be bards. So screw that, right? I'm all righteous mad, and getting pretty ugly ... when it hits me: Orc Paladin!

You should have seen this guy's reaction to my Holy Orcish Fist concept (which I thouhgt was pretty good, if I do say so myself.). Nuh-uh no way amigo.

Well, it gets worse from there. He's got like a dozen rules about how only certain races can be certain classes, and anyone whose not a human can only reach certain experience levels. (Racism!!!) If my gnome wants to be an illusionist, thats OK. And even a theif. But I can't be a dwarf mage, right? And then there's some bullblank about high attribute points being worth extra experience percentages?!

Have any of you guys had to deal with this in your own games, and if so, am I just too fresh a gamer to understand these sort of GM rules?

 

[drowdude]

Sounds like 2nd Edition blues to me

 

[Sodalis]

there is no such thing as a class restriction...

BUT you DM has the option of excluding some race/class combos if he feels that it does not fit into his campaign, or he just doesnt liek it... (rule 0)

but by the books, you can have a 1/2 orc sorc with cha of 12 if you really wanted. It would just mean that you cannot cast any spells above lvl 2, and your DC would suk arse...but still- its something taht YOU will haev to deal with.

In life, there are people who excel at what they do because of talent (racial or otherwise) and thse that work hard at what they do (experience). In game- there are also these kinds of people

 

[BenBrown]

Ayup. Take a look at his books. If they say "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons" rather than "Dungeons and Dragons" you may be out of luck--or at least unlucky in your choice of DM.

 

[Driddle]

What do you mean, "2nd edition blue?" Can he do that to my gnome?

 

[Driddle]

OK. The DM's book WAS blue. But it doesnt say antyhing about "second edition."

Maybe I need to find a new DM.

 

[BenBrown]

Okay, see, in 1st and 2nd edition Advanced D&D there were these things called class and level restrictions, which basically said that if you were a certain race you could only be certain classes and only go up to certain levels in those classes. This didn't apply to humans, but non-humans could multiclass and gain levels in more than one class at once.

It's your DM's world, and if he's bound and determined to apply these class restrictions, there's nothing you can really do except grin and bear it or find another game.

It may be that he's still using his old 2nd edition (or even 1st edition) rule books. In which case, if you're looking at your 3rd edition players handbook, you're going to be in trouble once the game starts, as you're essentially playing different games. The changes for 3rd edition were rather sweeping, completely redid multiclassing, and eliminated level limits, at least as far as the rulebook is concerned.


*****
I think I've found a new Rule One for good GM-player relations. "Make sure you're playing the same game".

-Ben

 

[BenBrown]

OK. The DM's book WAS blue. But it doesnt say antyhing about "second edition."

Maybe I need to find a new DM.

Probably so. It looks like he really liked the class/level limits from 2nd edition (lord knows why) and is applying them to his current game.

 

[Driddle]

((insert explicative here, like crap or something))

You have got to be kidding me!! You mean I've spent $30 bucks on a game book (and extra for the Momster Manual, so I could be prepared), and he's not even playing the same game with me?! That's so incredibly .....

I figured that 'cause he had two DM books, he had like twice the game info that I saw at the book store and I was expecting a heck of a game. Ya know?!

What does a 2nd edition DM book look like?

 

[Akunin]

Well, it and several other books from first and second edition had a few different covers over the time they were printed. Check your DMs book to see if it looks like this:

If not, he's playing an older version of the game.