Name level options
by Cab DavidsonFor 'Ranger' one might also consider 'druidic knight'
1. The Druidic Knight must be an exemplary example of the Neutral alignent, and must swear fealty to a council of druids.
2. The Druidic Knight may, if he has a wisdom score of 13 or higher, cast spells as a druid of 1/3 of his level, rounded down. While the druids will not require payment to teach the Knight how to cast spells, they will ordinarily ask a service of some sort in return.
3. Druidic knights do not abhor metal in the same way that druids do, but they do lose abilities if they have contact with large volumes of processed metal. Consequently, they can not wear metal armour.
4. Druidic knights gain the ability to speak with animals (at will) at 9th level, and the ability to speak with plants at 15th level.
5. Druidic knights all owe fealty to druids and the environments that they protect, and must obey summons to assist in such matters.
6. While druidic knights gain no magical abilities to detect or affect evil or good, they can by concentration detect all neutral aligned creatures within 120'
Warlock
A travelling mage may choose to broaden his knowledge of fighting styles into more than just the use of magic. Some shun the society of other wizards and instead seek out warrior schools to learn how to handle weapons more effectively.
A travelling mage of any alignment, who can find suitable tuition, may choose to learn to fight using the full range of weapons used as a fighter. A warlock adheres to the following conditions and gains the following abilities.
1. A warlock may be of any alignment, but must have certain physical characteristics before training; one or more of the physical attributes (dexterity, strength or constitution) must be at 13 or higher.
2. A prospective warlock must be inducted either into a fighting school or another campaign appropriate warrior society. The warlock will never gain leadership of such a society, and will never be fully respected as a warrior. Being thus inducted may require a service (neutral schools), payment (chaotic schools) or good reputation and an oath of service (lawful).
3. A warlock cannot become a specialist mage; for reasons unknown, the capacity to handle a broad range of weapons is not compatible with any of the known specialist circkes of magic.
4. A warlock immediately gains two weapon matery slots, an can use two new weapons at basic mastery. Any weapon permitted to a fighter can be chosen. Additionally, a warlock can used any weapon at 'unskilled'. A warlock can further advance in weapon mastery in any weapon, as normal.
5. A warlock can wear any armour and can use a shield, however, it is not possible to cast magic user spells while using any armour, including a shield.
6. A warlock may research magic and assist others researching magic in the same fashion as any travelling mage. However, few 'true' wizards trust warlocks, and offers of assistance are almost invariable viewed with suspicion.
7. Warlocks are especially resistant to the influence of intelligent swords and other intelligent magic items (save for artifacts, to which warlocks have no special resistance). A warlock may make a save versus. paralysis to avoid falling under the influence of an intelligent magic item, success meaning that the warlock remains in control.
Mage adept
Some are born with innate magical gifts but never gain the tuition required to make anything of them. Most never gain the instruction they need. But a few, after earning a name in another craft, have their talents awakened later on. Name level thieves or fighters sometimes learn of their gifts through adventuring, and some few choose to see how far they can take their skills.
1. A mage adept must be accepted as apprentice to a wizard (9th or higher level mage). While this may seem simple enough, few will want to accept an already independent minded adult, and very often a great service or payment will be required.
2. Mage adepts, as they learn mage craft relatively late in life, require constant study to retain their abilites. Consequently they can only gain magical skills if they have an intelligence score of 13 or higher, and they simply have insufficient time to become land owners or guild masters.
3. Mage adepts can cast magic user spells at 1/3 of their level, rounded down. Such spells are gained in the same way as for magic users, and are memorised from spell books.
4. While mage adepts may use whatever weapons and armour as allowed by their primary class, they cannot cast magic user spells while wearing any armour, or using a shield.
5. Mage adepts are surprisingly resilient against a range of magical attacks; saving throws against wands, staves and spells are at a +2 bonus.