For this Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day I want to put out something I have been playing around with.
For the record I am using the
Swords & Wizardry Complete Rulebook from Frog God Games.
Swords & Wizardry Multiclassing
I LOVE the old school games. B/X, AD&D, BECMI, and the clones. But the one thing I always felt 3.x Edition did better than any other edition, past or future, was multiclassing. The rules were easy, you could multiclass into a lot of great combinations to get that character concept you really wanted.
With many of the OSR games (original and clone) the multiclassing rules were less than optimal in my mind.
So I wanted to bring 3e style multiclassing to the clone world. The biggest issue with doing this though is 3e made the classed more alike in terms of advancement. Now people will complain that this attempt at game balance "ruined" the class's uniqueness. I say rubbish. So the classes are bit more balanced than before, that's not a bug, it's a feature. I was looking over SW and I realized I could do what I wanted easily.
Swords & Wizardry classes are largely like 3e ones now. The unified Save and Ascending AC make saves and to hits much easier to deal with. I just need to see if something like this is feasible.
So I dumped it all into
Google Sheets. Which I am sharing below.
The tabs are where I worked out median XP vaules, base to hit and base saving throws.
The final analysis is on tab SW Level Advancement.
So like 3e, this has all the classes use the same level advancement table. Base Saving Throw is based on Character Level (not Class Level). Classes then add what ever bonuses they need.
Now if you are adding things up in your head you can see a problem right now. Take a level of Ranger and improve your total saves. I thought about that. My solution is not elegant, but it works. I will get to that in a moment.
So how does it all work? Simple you take a class just like you do in SW when you get enough XP to level up you can keep going in that class and get the advantages listed for that class you you can take another class. Your hit points are determined by your Class Levels. Saves are based on Character Levels.
So if you are a Fighter 3/Magic-User 2 you have at least 16,000xp, your Base Save is 11.
Your hit points are 3d8 + 2d4 + Constitution Modifier x 5 (class level).
With these rules this character can still use a sword and cast spells. He can't wear armor since that is a restriction of the Magic-user class.
There are a couple of logical next steps here.
First this opens up a wide variety of choices for demi-human characters. Keep level caps if you like, but I think there are not enough game-design reasons to do this. If you want to "balance" things out give humans +1 on any two ability scores of their choice and +1 on saves. Call it Human Resilience.
The other logical leap is this would allow Prestige Classes in SW.
Prestige Classes in Swords & Wizardry
Here is an example of the Loremaster.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/loremaster.htm
Requirements
To qualify to become a loremaster, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills
Knowledge (any two) 10 ranks in each.
Feats
Any three metamagic or item creation feats, plus Skill Focus (Knowledge [any individual Knowledge skill]).
Spells
Able to cast seven different divination spells, one of which must be 3rd level or higher.
These would have to change to something more fitting to S&W.
Requirements
To qualify to become a loremaster, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Character Level: 6th
Intelligence Score of 16 or higher.
Wisdom Score of 14 or higher.
The ability to cast five different divination spells, one of which must be 3rd level or higher.
| Loremaster |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Level |
Attack |
Special |
Spells |
| 1 |
+0 |
Secret |
Add additional level of previous spellcasting class |
| 2 |
+0 |
Lore |
Add additional level of previous spellcasting class |
| 3 |
+1 |
Secret |
Add additional level of previous spellcasting class |
| 4 |
+1 |
Bonus Language |
Add additional level of previous spellcasting class |
| 5 |
+2 |
Secret |
Add additional level of previous spellcasting class |
| 6 |
+2 |
Greater Lore |
Add additional level of previous spellcasting class |
| 7 |
+3 |
Secret |
Add additional level of previous spellcasting class |
| 8 |
+3 |
Bonus Language |
Add additional level of previous spellcasting class |
| 9 |
+4 |
Secret |
Add additional level of previous spellcasting class |
| 10 |
+5 |
True Lore |
Add additional level of previous spellcasting class |
Saving throws are based on Character Level, not Class Level.
Level is obvious. Attack just adds to the attacks as the base class (like Cleric or Magic-User). Spells are also obvious, keep advancing in spells as you normally would.
The Special will need some work.
From the SRD:
Class Features
All of the following are Class Features of the loremaster prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Loremasters gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells per Day/Spells Known
When a new loremaster level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of loremaster to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.
Secret
At 1st level and every two levels higher than 1st (3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th), the loremaster chooses one secret from the table below. Her loremaster level plus Intelligence modifier determines the secrets from which she can choose. She can’t choose the same secret twice.
Loremaster Secrets
Level +Int Modifier
Secret
Effect
1
Instant mastery
4 ranks of a skill in which the character has no ranks
2
Secret health
+3 hit points
3
Secrets of inner strength
+2 bonus on Will saves
4
The lore of true stamina
+2 bonus on Fortitude saves
5
Secret knowledge of avoidance
+2 bonus on Reflex saves
6
Weapon trick
+1 bonus on attack rolls
7
Dodge trick
+1 dodge bonus to AC
8
Applicable knowledge
Any one feat
9
Newfound arcana
1 bonus 1st-level spell
10
More newfound arcana
1 bonus 2nd-level spell
Lore
At 2nd level, a loremaster gains the ability to know legends or information regarding various topics, just as a
bard can with bardic knowledge. The loremaster adds her level and her Intelligence modifier to the lore check, which functions otherwise exactly like a bardic knowledge check.
Bonus Languages
A loremaster can choose any new language at 4th and 8th level.
Greater Lore (Ex)
At 6th level, a loremaster gains the ability to understand magic items, as with the identify spell.
True Lore (Ex)
At 10th level, once per day a loremaster can use her knowledge to gain the effect of a legend lore spell or an analyze dweomer spell.
So items in red need to be redone. In order:
+4 to any check involving Intelligence on a previously unknown topic.
+2 on Saving throws vs. Mind control, ESP and Charm.
+2 on Saving throws vs. Petrify or Polymorph
+2 on Saving throws vs. moving out of the way.
Applicable Knowledge = Something like Secondary Skills.
Each prestige class would require some tweaking. But at least now there is a place for them in S&W.
Earlier I mentioned the Ranger and Paladin are a bit too much (despite the fact that the median XP per level is the same as the Paladins). My solution is make them Prestige Classes.
You would have to be a fighter first before moving into the vocation of Paladin or Ranger. There is some precedent for this in Rules Cyclopedia and even Unearthed Aracana.
It would take some cleaning up, but I think this is a solid system. It would still have the same feel as S&W while giving you the flexibility of 3e.
What do you all think?
