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Basic D&D Custom Class Template

by Scott W. Ludwig

The following is intended to expand the options available to player characters, while remaining true to the mechanics and "feel" of Basic Dungeons & Dragons. The template for the appropriate race is referred to, and ratings are chosen for each category-with the total ratings equalling FOUR points. Those values which appear in parentheses exceed the abilities normally found in Basic D&D, and may therefore be prohibited in a given campaign; they are included here for the sake of completeness, and to provide ideas for personal expansions or changes. A character's allowed weapons and armour, as well as special combat abilities, are determined by the Combat Rating: Fighter allows all; C/T allows a limited selection, comparable to the standard Thief or Cleric; M-U allows for no armour, and a very limited selection of weapons.

Human Template

Rating	Hit Die	Combat	Thievery	Divine	Arcane
4	(d12)	N/A	(3/2 lvl)	(200% Spells)	M-U
3	(d10)	(Monster)	Thief	(150% Spells)	2/3 lvl
2	d8	Fighter	5 Skills	Cleric	1/2 lvl
1	d6	C/T	3 Skills	1/2 lvl	1/3 lvl
0	d4	M-U	none	none	none

• ( _ ): Optional, exceeds normal limits.
• x/y lvl: Treat as Thief, Cleric, or Magic-User of appropriate level; Round 1/2 up and 1/3 down (ex. 2 1/3 -> 2; 2 1/2 -> 3).
• n% Spells: Multiply the number of spells available to be memorised/prepared by this percentage. So, a 4th level Cleric with a rating of 4 would be able to prepare 4-1st level and 2-2nd level spells; while a 4th level Cleric with a rating of 3 would be able to prepare 3-1st level and 2-2nd level spells (you may, of course, choose to round down instead).
• X Skills: Choose X Thief skills, and improve in these as if a Thief of equal level. You may want to allow Backstab to be chosen at the cost of 2 skills (note: Thief skills, as with spell-casting, may be prohibited or penalised while wearing certain armour).
• Combat Specialist Option: I don't allow a character to select a Combat Rating of 3 (Monster); instead, I allow a character to increase his Melee Ability by ONE level by lowering his Missile/Thrown Ability by TWO levels. Similarly, I allow a character to increase his Missile/Thrown Ability by ONE level by lowering his Melee Ability by ONE level. No ability may be raised above "Monster " or lowered below "M-U " in this manner, and the Rating remains the original value.

Sample Human: "Paladin ", HD: d6 (1), Combat: as Fighter (2), Divine: as Cleric of 1/2 level (1). Being a righteous warrior, who eschews missile weapons-considering them fit only for peasants and cowards-he chooses to raise his Melee Ability to that of a Monster, and so lowers his Missile/Thrown Ability to that of a Magic-User (however, his Combat Rating remains 2).

Elf Template

Rating	Hit Die	Combat	Thievery	Divine	Arcane
4	(d10)	N/A	(3/2 lvl)	Cleric	(200% Spells)
3	(d8)	(Monster)	Thief	2/3 lvl	N/A
2	d6	Fighter	5 skills	1/2 lvl	N/A
1	d4	C/T	3 Skills	1/3 lvl	N/A
0	d2	M-U	none	none	M-U

• Elves with Arcane Rating (0) may cast spells while wearing armour (alternately, they do not suffer a chance of spell failure for wearing armour).
• Elves with Arcane Rating (4) may not cast spells while wearing armour (alternately, they suffer normal penalties for wearing armour when casting).
• 10th level maximum.
• 50% experience penalty till 10th level.

Dwarf Template

Rating	Hit Die	Combat	Thievery	Divine	Arcane
4	(d12)	N/A	(3/2 lvl)	(150% Spells)	Option I
3	(d10)	(Monster)	Thief	Cleric	--
2	d8	Fighter	5 Skills	2/3 lvl	or
1	d6	C/T	3 Skills	1/3 lvl	--
0	d4	M-U	none	none	Option II

• 12th level maximum.
• 10% experience penalty till 12th level.
• Either the DM or the player chooses between Arcane Options (I) and (II) from below.

Halfling Template

Rating	Hit Die	Combat	Thievery	Divine	Arcane
4	(d10)	N/A	(3/2 lvl)	(150% Spells)	Option I
3	(d8)	(Monster)	Thief	Cleric	--
2	d6	Fighter	5 Skills	2/3 lvl	or
1	d4	C/T	3 Skills	1/3 lvl	--
0	d2	M-U	none	none	Option II

• 8th level maximum.
• Either DM or the player chooses between Arcane Options (I) and (II) from below.

Arcane Options for Dwarves and Halflings

Rating	Option I	Option II
4	M-U	2/3 lvl
3	2/3 lvl	1/2 lvl
2	1/2 lvl	1/3 lvl
1	1/3 lvl	1/4 lvl
0	none	none

• Option I: Every time a spell is cast roll a d4, if a "1 " is rolled the spell fails and is lost. This represents the character's magically resistant nature exerting itself.
• Option II: The character has learned to overcome the mixed blessing of his magically resistant nature through slow and methodical study.
• You may assign one option to Dwarves and the other to Halflings, assign the same option to each, or allow players to choose based upon character conception. For myself, I prefer Option II for Dwarves-to better reflect their serious natures. While for Halflings I prefer Option I-in order to convey a more whimsical, carefree, or comedic bent.

Base Experience Points for Advancement

Rating	Hit Die	Combat	Thievery	Divine	Arcane
4	2000	N/A	1100	1000	2500
3	1500	1500	700	750	1875
2	1000	1000	400	500	1250
1	500	500	200	250	625
0	0	0	0	0	0

To use this table, find the value in each category that corresponds with your rating and add them together. This is the experience required to advance to 2nd level-the rest of the experience table can be extrapolated from this. Note: For Thievery, I multiplied the number of skills minus one by 100. Those with Rating (3) gain an advantage, as I assume Backstab, Read Language, and Use Scrolls to be a single special skill for experience purposes (making for a total of eight "skills "). For Rating (4) I assumed half again as many "skills ".

Example: Elven Scout

·        (1) Hit Die: d4 (500exp)

·        (2) Melee: as M-U (1000exp)

·        (*) Missile: as Monster (*)

·        (1) Thievery: HN, HS, MS (200exp)

·        (0) Arcane: as M-U (0 exp)

·        Exp for 2nd level: 1700 (effectively 3400 w/ exp penalty)

Saving Throw Table Determination

First, the easy part: Demi-Humans always use the table specific to their race. Now, on to Humans...

1.      Compare the ratings for Combat, Thievery, Divine, and Arcane;

2.      If the rating for one category is highest, use the Saving Throw table for the class which is associated with that category-Fighter for Combat, Thief for Thievery, Cleric for Divine, and Magic-user for Arcane;

3.      If two or more abilities are still tied, use the table for the first of the categories to appear on the following list:

                        i.      Arcane

                        ii.      Divine

                        iii.      Thievery

                        iv.      Combat

This is designed, as are the Demi-Human templates, to disadvantage non-standard classes-it serves to explain why they aren't standard (i.e. they're generally less efficient than the optimised standard). You may, of course, choose to determine this differently-perhaps simply basing it on the combat rating or character conception.

(Note: Hit Points gained after 9th level are determined by the Saving Throw table used-(+1) per level for Clerics and Magic-Users, and (+2) for Fighters and Thieves. Demi-Humans use the value given for their race.)

Example: Cleric

• (1) Hit Die: d6 (500exp)
• (1) Combat: as Cleric (500exp)
• (2) Divine: as Cleric (500exp)
• Save: as Cleric
• Exp Base: 1500

Sample Archetypes

Bard

• HD: d6
• Combat: as Thief
• Thievery: PP (Read Writing and Read Scrolls when of sufficient level)
• Arcane: as Magic-User of 1/3 level
• Save: as Magic-User
• Prime Req: none
• Exp: 1825

Friar

• HD: d6
• Combat: as M-U
• Divine: 150% Spells
• Save: as Cleric
• Prime Req: Wis
• Exp: 1250

Priest

• HD: d4
• Combat: as M-U
• Divine: 200% Spells
• Save: as Cleric
• Prime Req: Wis
• Exp: 1000

Swashbuckler

• HD: d6
• Melee: as Monster
• Missile: as M-U
• Thievery: HS, Backstab
• Save: as Fighter
• Prime Req: Str
• Exp: 1700

Assassin

• HD: d4
• Combat: as Fighter
• Thievery: Backstab, CW, HS, MS
• Save: as Thief
• Prime Req: Str
• Exp: 1400

Bumbling Halfling "Wizard"

• HD: d4
• Combat: as M-U
• Arcane: as M-U of 2/3 level with 1 in 4 chance of failure
• Save: as Halfling
• Prime Req: none (special, see Halfling, +5% max)
• Exp: 2375

Dwarven Loremaster

• HD: d4
• Combat: as M-U
• Arcane: as M-U of 2/3 level
• Save: as Dwarf
• Prime Req: Int
• Exp: 2500 (plus 10% penalty)

Elven Priestess

• HD: d2
• Combat: as M-U
• Divine: as Cleric
• Arcane: as M-U
• Save: as Elf
• Prime Req: Wis (special, see Elf)
• Exp: 1000 (effectively 2000 with 50% penalty)

Streetwise Urchin

• HD: d4
• Combat: as M-U
• Thievery: as Thief of 3/2 level
• Save: as Thief
• Prime Req: Dex
• Exp: 1100

Unlikely Hero

• HD: d12
• Combat: as M-U
• Save: as M-U
• Prime Req: none
• Exp: 2000

Less Unlikely Hero

• HD: d10
• Melee: as M-U
• Missile: as Fighter
• Save: as Fighter
• Prime Req: none
• Exp: 2000

Dabbler

• HD: d4
• Combat: as Thief
• Thievery: PL, HS, MS
• Divine: as Cleric of 1/2 level
• Arcane: as M-U of 1/3 level
• Save: as M-U
• Prime Req: none
• Exp: 1575