Herewith my set of ideas to bring the AD&D 1e races in the Classic D&D framework, including options for name level characters.
Advanced Character Options
by Antonio EleuteriRolling ability scores
At character creation the player chooses a race and a class. Dice rolls or abilities may be modified depending on the race chosen. Scores can then be traded per standard rules (Basic P p. 48). Racial minima must be met after the modification and trading. The racial ability modifiers cannot bring scores past 18.
Multiple classes
All demihumans can progress in more than one class at the same time. Experience points are divided evenly between all the classes, so advancement may be uneven. When rolling for hit points, divide by the number of classes (keeping the fractions). Always add the Constitution modifier to each hit die rolled.
Example: an Elf Fighter/Magic-user attains 2nd level as a Fighter. He rolls 1d8 (4) adds his Constitution modifier (+1) and divides by two, to get 2.5 hit points. The character gains only 2 hit points, but the player records the fraction. Later, the character advances as a Magic-user, so the player rolls 1d4 (2), adds +1 and divides by 2 to get 1.5. This time the fraction is used and added to the previous .5 to get a total additional 2 hit points.
Demihumans who choose a single class which could be used in a multiclass combination, can add +2 levels to the level limit. This is an important choice since to access some name level class options, they may need to increase their level to at least 9.
Example: a Half-Elf multiclass can reach at most 8th level in the Fighter class. However, if the character is single-classed, he can reach 10th level, and he can gain access to the fighter combat options; furthermore, he can become a Knight or a Paladin.
The following rules apply in general:
- When multiclassing as Thief, performing thief functions restricts the character to leather armor and thief weaponry (for example, a Fighter/Thief cannot backstab with a two-handed sword).
- When multiclassing as Cleric, characters can use weapons not normally allowed to clerics.
Humans can achieve at most two classes, but they must abandon the current one to pursue the second. To have two classes the character must have scores of at least 13 as the primary attribute of the original class, and at least 16 as the primary attribute of the new class. Until the level gained in the new class is larger than the level of the old class, any use of the abilities of the latter during encounters nets the character only 10% of the total XP gained (corresponding to the proportion of the prime requisite of the new class; thus slowing down advancement). When advancing in the new class no new hit dice are gained.
Aging
The age maxima are the following (Companion DM p. 21): Gnome as Dwarf, Half-Elf as Halfling, Half-Orc as Human.
Descriptions
The following name abbreviations are used:
F – Fighter; C – Cleric; M – Magic-user; T – Thief; P – Paladin; K – Knight; D – Druid; A – Avenger
Numbers in parentheses () indicate that the class or class combinations exist only as NPCs in the race in question, unless the DM rules otherwise.
All demihumans hear noise on a 1-2 on d6.
Dwarf
Ability modifiers: +1 Con, -1 Cha
Minimum ability scores: Con 9
Improved saves: +4 bonus to saves vs. Poison, Magic Wands and Rod/Staff/Spell.
Infravision: 60' (Basic P p. 45)
Detection: 1-4 on d6 (Basic P p. 45)
Combat: +1 to hit goblins, hobgoblins, orcs and half-orcs in melee; -4 to AC when fighting ogres and giant humanoids (Master DM p. 16).
Languages: common, dwarven, gnome, goblin, kobold, orcish, alignment tongue.
Classes and levels: (C11), F9 [K], T36.
Multiclass combinations: F/T, (F/C).
Thief modifiers: OL+10, F/RT+15, CW-10, RL-5.
Elf
Ability modifiers: +1 Dex, -1 Con
Minimum ability scores: Int 9
Resistance: 90% resistance to sleep and charm spells. Immunity to ghoul's paralysis. Immunity to magical aging effects.
Combat: +1 to hit with short bow, long bow, short sword, long sword.
Language: common, elvish, gnome, halfling, goblin, hobgoblin, orcish, gnoll, alignment tongue.
Stealth: +2 on d6 to surprise checks if alone (or at least 90' in advance of a party not composed of elves and/or halflings) or with other elves/halflings and not in metal armor. Normal chance to surprise in non-optimal conditions (e.g. open a door).
Infravision: 60' (Basic P p. 46)
Detection: 1-2 on d6 (Basic P p. 46). 1 on d6 without active search within 10'. 1-3 on d6 if the door is just concealed (e.g. behind a curtain).
Classes and levels: (C10 [D36]), F7 [K], M11, T36
Multiclass combinations: F/M, F/T, M/T, F/M/T, (C/F, C/M, C/T, C/F/M, D/F, D/M, D/T, C/F/T, C/M/T)
- When multiclassing as M can cast spells in armor.
Thief modifiers: PP+5, OL-5, MS+5, HS+10, HN+5
Gnome
Improved saves: +4 bonus to saves vs. Magic Wands and Rod/Staff/Spell.
Minimum ability scores: Con 9
Infravision: 60' (Basic P p. 45)
Detection: 1-4 on d6 (Basic P p. 45)
Combat: +1 to hit kobolds and goblins in melee; -4 to AC when fighting gnolls, bugbears, ogres and giant humanoids (Master DM p. 16).
Languages: common, dwarven, gnome, halfling, goblin, kobold, burrowing mammals, alignment tongue.
Classes and levels: (C10), F6, M7, T36.
Multiclass combinations: F/M, F/T, M/T, (C/F, C/M, C/T)
- When multiclassing as M can cast spells in armor.
Thief modifiers: OL+5, F/RT+10, MS+5, HS+5, HN+10, CW-15.
Half-Elf
Resistance: 30% chance to resist sleep and charm spells.
Language: common, elvish, gnome, halfling, goblin, hobgoblin, orcish, gnoll, alignment tongue.
Infravision: 60' (Basic P p. 46)
Detection: 1-2 on d6 (Basic P p. 46). 1 on d6 without active search within 10'. 1-3 on d6 if the door is just concealed (e.g. behind a curtain).
Classes and levels: C8 [D36], F8 [K, P], M8, T36.
Multiclass combinations: C/F, C/M, F/M, F/T, M/T, C/F/M, F/M/T, (C/T, D/F, D/M, D/T, C/F/T, C/M/T)
- When multiclassing as M can cast spells in armor.
Thief modifiers: PP+10, HS+5.
Halfling
Ability modifiers: +1 Dex, -1 Str
Minimum ability scores: Con 9, Dex 9
Improved saves: +4 bonus to saves vs. Poison, Magic Wands and Rod/Staff/Spell.
Stealth: +2 on d6 to surprise checks if alone (or at least 90' in advance of a party not composed of elves and/or halflings) or with other elves/halflings and not in metal armor. Normal chance to surprise in non-optimal conditions (e.g. open a door).
Language: common, dwarven, elvish, gnome, halfling, goblin, orcish, alignment tongue.
Combat: +1 to hit with any thrown or missile weapons. -2 to AC vs. large opponents. +1 to individual initiative.
Classes and levels: (C6 [D12]), F7 [K], T36
Multiclass combinations: F/T, (C/F, C/T, D/F, D/T)
Thief modifiers: PP+5, OL+5, F/RT+5, MS+10, HS+15, HN+5, CW-15, RL-5.
Half-Orc
Ability modifiers: +1 Str, +1 Con, -2 Cha
Minimum ability scores: Con 9
Language: common, orcish, alignment tongue.
Infravision: 60' (Basic P p. 45)
Classes and levels: C7, F10 [K, A], T36
Multiclass combinations: C/F, C/T, F/T
Thief modifiers: PP-5, OL+5, F/RT+5, HN+5, CW+5, RL-10.