* * * Wizards Community Thread * * * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Thread : 'Forester' 3E Core Class Started at 01-13-06 04:56 PM by eldersphinx Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=568345 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 1] Author : eldersphinx Date : 01-13-06 04:56 PM Thread Title : 'Forester' 3E Core Class One other attempt on converting 0E elves to a 3E setting - essentially, creating a mini-core class with a mix of combat ability and arcane spellcasting, limited to 10 levels that 'elf'-class characters would take early in their adventuring careers. 0E Attack Ranks reflect multiclassing into Fighter or possibly Ranger; the GAZ5 "elven wizard" takes levels of arcane caster PrC. Hopefully this balances well against existing 3E classes and works well for elven characters on Mystara. Thoughts? The Forester is a mix of warrior and wizard - an individual able to fight fairly effectively, wield arcane magic and move effectively through the wilderness. A class often adopted by elves and friends of elves, foresters are capable adventurers but may find themselves outstripped by the most powerful of wizards and other adventurers. Abilities: Intelligence powers the forester's arcane spellcasting. Strength and Dexterity both provide useful combat benefits and allow the forester to function well in melee. Alignment: Any. Hit Die: d8. Class Skills A forester's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Concentraction (Con), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Swim (Str). Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier. BAB Fort Ref Will 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1 +0 +0 +2 +2 3 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2 +1 +0 +3 +3 4 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 3 +2 +1 +3 +3 4 1 0* -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 4 +3 +1 +4 +4 4 2 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 5 +3 +1 +4 +4 4 2 1 0* -- -- -- -- -- -- 6 +4 +2 +5 +5 4 2 2 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- 7 +5 +2 +5 +5 4 3 2 1 0* -- -- -- -- -- 8 +6/+1 +2 +6 +6 4 3 2 2 1 -- -- -- -- -- 9 +6/+1 +3 +6 +6 4 3 3 2 1 0* -- -- -- -- 10 +7/+2 +3 +7 +7 4 3 3 2 2 1 -- -- -- -- -- 11 n/a n/a n/a n/a 4 3 3 3 2 1 0* -- -- -- 12 n/a n/a n/a n/a 4 3 3 3 2 2 1 -- -- -- 13 n/a n/a n/a n/a 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 0* -- -- 14 n/a n/a n/a n/a 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 -- -- 15 n/a n/a n/a n/a 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 1 0* -- 16 n/a n/a n/a n/a 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 1 -- 17 n/a n/a n/a n/a 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 1 0* 18 n/a n/a n/a n/a 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 19 n/a n/a n/a n/a 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 20 n/a n/a n/a n/a 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Class Features All of the following are class features of the forester. Weapon and Armor Proficiency A forester is proficient with all simple weapons, as well as with light and medium armor and shields (except tower shields). A forester can cast forester spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a forester wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass forester still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes. Spells A forester casts arcane spells which are drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. Like a wizard, a forester has a spellbook and must learn and prepare spells ahead of time. To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the forester must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a forester’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the forester’s Intelligence modifier. Unlike a bard or sorcerer, a forester may know any number of spells. She must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting a good night’s sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the forester decides which spells to prepare. A forester is not as adept in the arts of magic as some other casters; at certain levels, new spells are only gained if the character has a high enough Intelligence to qualify for a bonus spell of that level. (This is shown with the notation '0*'.) If the character's Intelligence is insufficient to qualify for a bonus spell, no spells of that level may be cast, prepared or learned. Spellbook A forester must study her spellbook each day to prepare her spells. She cannot prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook, except for read magic, which all foresters can prepare from memory. A forester begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard spells, plus three 1st-level spells of your choice. For each point of Intelligence bonus the forester has, the spellbook holds one additional 1st-level spell of your choice. At each new forester level, she gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based on her new forester level) for her spellbook. At any time, a forester can also add spells found in other wizards’ or foresters' spellbooks to her own. Limited Class Progression Unlike other core classes, a forester's level progression is limited to 10th level. After this level is reached, the character must multiclass or select a prestige class. Spell progression for levels 11-20 is listed above in the event that a forester takes prestige levels in a class that offers "+1 level of arcane spellcasting class"; this spell progression can't be achieved in any other manner. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 2] Author : havard Date : 01-20-06 02:45 PM This looks like a good solid class eldersphinx! You might want to take a look at the Arcane Warrior class from Dave Arneson's Blackmoor which also combines fighting skills with arcane magic. IMC The Forester is more an organization than a class, and its mostly made up of Rangers and Druids. I am actually considering having most elves in Mystara be Druids. This makes more sense with what is written on elven magic in Gaz5 (Alfheim)... In any case I'd say there is room for your class though. I am wondering why WotC hasnt come up with something like this yet... Håvard -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 3] Author : MrFilthyIke Date : 01-20-06 02:56 PM Not bad ES, I'm sure I'd tweak it, but a solid go at the problem of converting 0E elves to 3.5E. :) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 4] Author : havard Date : 01-20-06 03:08 PM Not bad ES, I'm sure I'd tweak it, but a solid go at the problem of converting 0E elves to 3.5E. :) That class would certainly help in this issue yeah :) OTOH, I'm pretty happy with making them Elven Fighter Wizards. The Wizard Favored Class makes sure all elves have a greater talent for magic than other races even if they dont actually possess the Wizard class too. It is more of a conversion of the "spirit" of the system than rule by rule conversion though. Also, by making many elves Druids, I keep a close connection to some of the elements in the Alfheim gaz. There is no one right way to do these things though... Håvard -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 5] Author : MrFilthyIke Date : 01-20-06 04:43 PM There is no one right way to do these things though... Oh, there is...it'll just that a meeting of the Mighty Mystaran Minds that post here on this board. :thumbsup: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 6] Author : Hugin Date : 01-20-06 05:52 PM That class makes for a great alternative option; there are alot of different ways you could go about it, but this is a nice one. IMC's 'ranger' is the forester, so that class is generally reserved for elves and certain humans. However, I gave elves 'druid', 'ranger', and 'sorcerer' as favoured classes (not 'wizard'). Mind you, if I had this class a number of months ago, I may have tested it out for you when a player asked to play a 'Forester' character! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 7] Author : Cthulhudrew Date : 01-20-06 10:23 PM You might want to take a look at the Arcane Warrior class from Dave Arneson's Blackmoor which also combines fighting skills with arcane magic. IMC The Forester is more an organization than a class, and its mostly made up of Rangers and Druids. This has always been my problem when trying to do a conversion of the Forester. A straight up conversion itself isn't too difficult, but I get hung up on the classification. What is the spirit/concept of the Forester? By name alone- "Forester"- it would appear to be some sort of Ranger. By statistics (and given the multiclass nature of the elves in OD&D), it is just a fighter/wizard. So is it really part of the concept that it should have arcane magic as a feature? Or is that just a holdover of the idea that elves (ie, fighter/mages) are nature warriors? In that case, it should just be a ranger of some sort, or some sort of druid. Or for that matter, should it be a prestige class? Or just (as Havard suggests) an organization, devoid of class/abilities? Or maybe just something along the lines of the Organizations in the Champions of Valor product (which features class substitution levels)? I just don't really know where to place myself. (Of course, further complicating things, for me, is the fact that in 1st edition, Rangers used some arcane magic- which would be almost exactly like the Forester in OD&D). -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 8] Author : gawain_viii Date : 01-20-06 11:19 PM Very well done, 100 points for you! I am of the oppinion, because of the description of the Forrester in DotE-T, that the Foresters are an organization which may be offered to humans (of almost any class and "compatible" alignments). Membership gives the character certain elf-like options not available to non-human member, such as: human Forresters may select Elven regional/racial feats as if he were actually an Elf. I don't have any Forester players, so haven't completely developed the details of the org. On the matter of comparable conversions, I rely on "Templates" similar to the ones in Star Wars d20 and the "NPC Characters" section of the DMG, where a table lists the "suggested" progression of classes per level... EG: "standard" Elf Char LVL---Class LVLs---- 1---(1/2)Fighter/(1/2)Wizard <-- see 3.0 PHB Multiclassing at 1st Lvl sidebar 2---1 Ftr/1Wiz 3---1Ftr/2Wiz 4---2Ftr/2Wiz ~~~ 10--5Ftr/5Wiz 11--6Ftr/5Wiz 12--7Ftr/5Wiz etc... And Similarly for Halflings... 1---(1/2)Fighter/(1/2)Rogue <-- see 3.0 PHB Multiclassing at 1st Lvl sidebar 2---1 Ftr/1Rog 3---1Ftr/2Rog 4---2Ftr/2Rog ~~~ 8---4Ftr/4Rog 9---5Ftr/4Rog 10--6Ftr/4Rog and for the Master (will post PrC details later) 7---3Ftr/4Rog 8---4Ftr/4Rog 9---4Ftr/4Rog/1Master 10--4Ftr/4Rog/2Msr etc... But, as always, the players find some way to thward my attempts at storyboarding, so the templates are pretty much my tool for converting pre-existing/pre-printed 0e N/PCs, not a requirement for players to follow. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Downloaded from Wizards Community (http://forums.gleemax.com) at 05-10-08 09:29 AM.