About a month ago I posted my homebrew version of the Paladin class for BECMI D&D on these boards. I thought I'd share my version of the Avenger class as well.
As I recall, I borrowed some mechanics for the Avenger and Paladin classes from Fantastic Heroes & Witchery Retro-RPG, a free rules set I came across some years ago.
Feel free to adopt this version of the Avenger class for your own BECMI D&D, changing it as you will to fit your campaign.
Avenger
by Craig AntounPrime Requisites: Strength and Wisdom.
Other Requirements: Charisma scores of 9 or greater.
Experience Bonus: 5% for Wisdom of 13 or better and Strength of 13-15, 10% for Wisdom of 13 or better and Strength of 16-18.
Hit Dice: 1d8 per level up to 9th level. Starting with 10th level, +2 hit points per level, and Constitution adjustments no longer apply.
Maximum Level: 36th
Saving Throws: As Fighter of equal level.
THACO: As Fighter of equal level.
Alignment: Chaotic.
Armor: Any; shields permitted.
Weapons: Any.
Special Abilities: Aura of Despair, Deadly Touch, Detect Evil, Fighter Maneuvers, Unholy Fortitude; at 3rd level Turn/Control Undead; at 6th level Clerical Spells and Inflict Ailment; at 9th level Fighter Combat Options; at 12th level Multiple Attacks.
Weapon Mastery: Four weapon choices at 1st level, then an additional choice at levels 3, 6, 9, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 30, 33, and 36. One additional choice earned for each 300,000 XP earned after 36th level.
Skills: Ceremony required. Recommended Animal Training, Deceiving, Intimidation, Knowledge (Religion), Riding, and Torture.
The avenger is a free-spirited warrior who loves Chaos and anarchy and who refuses to adhere to the laws and codes that he considers limit his own potential. He serves his own Immortal or church without closely following the rules, but follows his instincts with the clear-cut intent of increasing anarchy in the world. The avenger fights for the cause of Entropy anywhere it is required and using any means necessary. His devotion carries him forward and allows him to accomplish exceptional and tremendous exploits without having to take into account ideals like a sense of honor or the established order, which he considers are barriers to creation’s natural form: Chaos.
Avengers must make an alliance with a Chaotic clerical order. This is not swearing an oath of fealty, but a loose agreement of loyalty and support. The order’s leaders may summon the avenger at any time, and he must do as they command. If he disobeys them, he loses all special abilities and benefits of the avenger class, becoming a fighter of equal level. Even then, the fighter may regain avenger status by negotiating with a different Chaotic order.
Class Details
Prime Requisite: An avenger has two prime requisites: Strength and Wisdom. If an avenger has a score of 13 or more in both ability scores, he gains a 5% bonus to experience points earned in every adventure; if his Strength score is 16-18 and his Wisdom is 13 or more, he earns a 10% bonus to experience points.
Minimum Scores: A character of the avenger class must have a Charisma of 9 or greater when first played.
Hit Dice: An avenger starts with 1d8 (1-8) hit points (plus Constitution adjustments, if any) and gains 1d8 more hit points (plus adjustments) with each level of experience. Two additional hit points are gained for each level after 9th level.
Armor: An avenger can wear any kind of armor, and may use a shield.
Weapons: An avenger can use any weapon.
Special Abilities
Aura of Despair
Avengers radiate a malign aura that causes enemies within 10’ to take a -2 penalty on all saving throws. This ability functions while the avenger is conscious, but not if he is unconscious or dead.
Deadly Touch
Avengers can cause wounds by touching any living creature, inflicting 2 points of damage per level (maximum 40 hit points of damage at 20th level). The avenger must utter a short prayer when using this ability, which requires an attack roll. The avenger need not use the full extent of his deadly touch on a single foe, and any remaining balance can be inflicted upon another target. Once the avenger has used up all of his entropic power, this ability is no longer available for the remainder of the day.
Alternatively, the avenger can use this power to cure damage to undead creatures, using the same mechanics as the inflict wounds version does.
Detect Evil
An avenger can detect evil (as per the clerical spell) as often as once per round, simply by concentrating. The range of this ability is 120’, and the avenger cannot use this ability and attack in the same round.
Fighter Maneuvers
Beginning avengers can utilize Fighter Maneuvers (Cleave, Lance Attack, and Set Spear vs. Charge). See the Fighter class for a full explanation of these combat maneuvers.
Unholy Fortitude
This manifestation of faith provides the avenger immunity to non-magical diseases. Immunity does not extend to curses such as lycanthropy or a mummy’s rotting disease.
Turn/Control Undead
An avenger of 3rd level or higher can turn undead as if he were a cleric of one-third his actual experience level rounded down. If the result is “turn” or “destroy,” the avenger may choose to control the undead instead. If control is chosen, it lasts for 1 turn per clerical level of the avenger – thus, a 17th level avenger could control undead for 5 turns. Undead thus controlled behave as if charmed, obeying the avenger as if they were friends.
However, if the undead are turned or destroyed by a cleric during the duration of the control, the control is dispelled immediately, and cannot be renewed. If the duration of the control ends without incident, the undead will flee (as if turned).
Clerical Spells
Upon reaching 6th level, an avenger gains the divine ability to cast clerical spells as if he were a cleric of one-third his actual experience level (rounded down). For example, a 12th to 14th level avenger casts spells as a 4th level cleric.
The avenger learns how to meditate and cast spells from the clerics of his order – but at a price (the price is usually 10,000 gp per clerical level gained).
Inflict Ailment
At 6th level and above, when using deadly touch, an avenger may cause disease or create poison as per the spells of the same name (caster level equivalent to the avenger’s clerical spellcasting level). Each use of inflict ailment is treated as if causing 5 hit points of damage.
Fighter Combat Options
At 9th level, the avenger gains the use of Fighter Combat Options (Disarm, Parry, and Smash). See the Fighter class for a full explanation of these combat options.
Multiple Attacks
Multiple attacks are gained at 12th level, which grants the avenger two attacks per round with melee and thrown weapons. Three attacks are possible at 24th level, and four attacks at 36th level.
Other Details
Associates and Hirelings
An avenger may not have human or demi-human hirelings. However, the avenger may try to persuade monsters of Chaotic alignment to become his hirelings. If a Chaotic creature is not immediately hostile, the avenger may offer food or treasure, indicating (through word or gestures) friendship. If this fails, threats or combat resulting in surrender may accomplish nearly the same result. If the creature’s Reaction roll indicates friendship, the creature is persuaded to follow and obey the avenger. The effect lasts for a duration identical to the magic-user spell charm monster; once it ends, it cannot be renewed. The avenger may have a number of Chaotic monster hirelings that his Charisma score allows for; once he loses one, he may try to persuade another.
While he may adventure with characters of Chaotic or Neutral alignment, an avenger will never knowingly associate with Lawful characters, nor will he continue an association with someone who consistently offends his moral code.
Code of Conduct
An avenger must be of Chaotic alignment and loses all class abilities if he ever willing commits a good act. Additionally, an avenger’s code requires that he disrespect all authority figures who have not proven their physical superiority to him, refuse help to those in need, and sow destruction and death at all opportunities.
Ex-Avengers
Avengers who fail to live by their code of conduct lose their avenger status and all associated supernatural abilities, becoming a fighter of equal level. If their failing was unintentional, they may recover their lost abilities with proper atonement; a deliberately act of goodness incurs a definite loss.
General Skills
Avengers are required to have the Ceremony skill at 1st level. Recommended skill choices for avengers include Animal Training, Deceiving, Intimidation, Knowledge (Religion), Riding, and Torture.
Magic Items
An avenger may use any magic item that a fighter may use as well as those not restricted to another specific class.
Sanctuary
An avenger may visit any castle, ruin, or dungeon known to be ruled by an intelligent Chaotic monster or character and, using his alignment tongue, demand Sanctuary (see the Knight class). An avenger may pretend to be a knight and request Sanctuary of other rulers; if he deceives the ruler (and is not tripped up by some alignment-revealing magic), the ruler will provide him with normal Sanctuary.
Higher Experience Levels
When avengers reach Name (9th) level, they are often referred to as a destroyer (whether male or female).
Land-Owning Avengers
At 9th level or greater, avengers may construct a modest stronghold to live in, but can never form or rule a dominion.
Experience Table
Level 1: 0
Level 2: 2,750
Level 3: 5,500
Level 4: 11,000
Level 5: 22,000
Level 6: 45,000
Level 7: 90,000
Level 8: 180,000
Level 9: 360,000
Level 10: 500,000
Level 11: 650,000
Level 12: 800,000
Level 13: 950,000
Level 14: 1,100,000
+150,000 XP each level thereafter