D&D Revised and Simplified Classes

This revision aims to clear up some problems with 3^rd edition while adding flexibility. In this document the 11 PHB classes, the 5 NPC classes, and the 2 Psychic classes have been restructured to be achievable by 6 highly-customizable base classes and a handful of Prestige Classes. In general changes were made to give more flexibility to the classes and to eliminate Front-Loading (the tendency of many classes to offer their best abilities in the first 1-3 levels so there was little reason not to multiclass out of it almost immediately).

Other changes were made to the skill system to make it viable to play a game with significant downtime without extra rules fixes. Now characters gain a number of extra skill points every year instead of every level, enabling characters to actually learn something when they aren’t off adventuring. If a system closer to the original is preferred in your campaign, simply give characters the same number of skill points every level that you would normally give them every year.

Note that each class has a "Starts with Class" line at the top. These are benefits to reflect the large number of years spent training for first level as listed in the Description chapter of the PHB. It represents skills gained from years of study in the class that can’t easily be replicated by just suddenly taking on first level of a new class. In short, it is one of the places that front-loaded abilities went to make it more likely that players will multiclass because it fits the character and not just because a bunch of cool abilities are granted by taking one level of another class.

Note that when a class grants a selection of feats, the character must still meet all the normal prerequisites to take any of these feats.

Human: 2 Highest Level (2 Favored Classes)

Dwarf: Warrior or Priest (Chosen at creation)

Elf: Arcanist or Holy Warrior (Chosen at creation)

Halfling: Expert or Psychic (Chosen at creation)

Gnome: Arcanist or Expert (Chosen at creation)

Half Elf or Half Orc: Highest Level

Combat Proficiency Feats: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons, Oriental Exotics, Western Exotics, Armor (Any), Shields, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Dodge, Mobility, Martial Arts Feats (Any)

Warrior

Starts with Class: 3 Class skill groups, (2+int) x4 skill points, +1 Fort, +3 Combat Proficiencies, Skill Level 3

Warrior Training Feats/Special Abilities: Uncanny Dodge 1, Uncanny Dodge 2, Any Combat Proficiency Feats, Ambidexterity, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Expertise, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Unarmed Strike, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Rapid Shot, Shot on the Run, Spring Attack, Stunning Fist, Sunder, Two-Weapon Fighting, Whirlwind Attack

Holy Warrior

Starts with Class: 5 Class skill groups, (4+int) x4 skill points, +1 Fort, +2 Combat Proficiencies, Skill Level 4

Ranger/Priest of the Hunt: Alertness, Ambidexterity, Blind Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Endurance, Far Shot, Improved Critical, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Run, Shot on the Run, Spring Attack, Track, Two Weapon Fighting

Paladin/Priest of War: Armor Proficiency (Any), Dodge, Cleave, Expertise, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical, Leadership, Mobility, Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Spirited Charge, Spring Attack, Trample, Whirlwind Attack

Paladin/Priest of Defense: Armor Proficiency (Any), Blind Fight, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Endurance, Expertise, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Leadership, Quick Draw, Stunning Fist, Sunder, Toughness, Turn Undead (works at Divine Caster Level)

Priest

Starts with Class: 5 Class skill groups, (3+int) x4 skill points, +1 Fort, +1 Will, +3 Combat Proficiencies, Skill Level 4, +1 Domain

Cleric Training: Turn Undead (works at Divine Caster Level), +1 Domain, Armor Proficiency (Any), Shield Proficiency, Spontaneous Healing, Spontaneous Domain, Any other Feat or Special Ability particularly appropriate to Deity

Arcanist

Starts with Class: 5 Class skill groups, (4+int) x4 skill points, +2 Will, +1 Combat Proficiencies, Skill Level 4, Summon Familiar

Arcane Training: Any Item Creation, Metamagic, Summon Familiar, or other Magic-related feat

Caster levels must be chosen when achieved to apply to Preparation (Int-based, Wizardry) or Spontaneous (Cha-based, Sorcery) casting styles. Spontaneous Casters get Known Spells each level while Preparation Casters get 2 spells at each level (plus all the level 0s if first caster level is taken in the first character level). An Arcanist with both Spontaneous and Preparation casting abilities may treat spells gained from level increase (either Known Spells or the 2 wizardry spells) as applying to both casting styles, but spells gained from wizardry research do not add to spontaneous casting ability.

Expert

Starts with Class: 12 Class skill groups, (8+int) x4 skill points, +1 Reflex, +2 Combat Proficiencies, Skill Level 7

Expert Training: Sneak Attack (+1d6), Evasion, Uncanny Dodge 1, Uncanny Dodge 2, Uncanny Dodge 3+, Crippling Strike, Defensive Roll, Improved Evasion, Opportunist, Skill Mastery, Slippery Mind, +1 Skill Level, Bardic Knowledge (at Character Level), Alertness, Armor Proficiency (Light), Blind Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Expertise, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Run, Skill Focus, Track

Psychic

Starts with Class: 4 Class skill groups, (3+int) x4 skill points, +2 Will, +2 Combat Proficiencies, Skill Level 3, +1 Power Point, +Psicrystal, +3 Psionic Combat Modes

Psi Training: Any Psionic Combat Mode, Any Psionic Feat, Psicrystal, Domain Power Discovery Rate, Domain Ability Power Point Bonus

Skill Groups:

In this system, skills are bought as class skills in groups of three related skills. A character does not take Class Skill in Craft or Profession as a whole, because these are merely a collection of many other skills. So a character that spends one of their Class Skill Groups to get Craft: Blacksmith also treats Craft: Arms Crafter and Craft: Jewelsmith as Class Skills. As an exception, skills that become a Class Skill by buying 5 cross class ranks do not turn their related skills into Class Skills. A character with 5 ranks in any skill in a Skill Group adds a +1 (cumulative) synergy bonus to the other skills in the group. For example, a character with 5 ranks in Blacksmith gets a +1 synergy bonus to Arms Crafter and Jewelsmith. If Arms Crafter also had 5 ranks, Jewelsmith would get a +2 synergy bonus. This benefit supercedes and takes account for the other synergy bonuses listed in the Skills section of the PHB, so do not apply both bonuses. All of the PHB and PsiHB skills are listed below , though a few do not fit into groups and many have been fit into groups that are not exact fits, but done for elegance.

Martial Arts Feats:

These are new feats designed to allow characters in Oriental-style settings to take on unarmed combat abilities without feeling the loss of the monk as a basic character class. In general these feats are not nearly as powerful as monk abilities, but can be taken by anyone as a feat, and are available as Combat Proficiency Feats.

The following normal feats are also considered Martial Arts Feats: Blind Fight, Deflect Arrows, Improved Disarm*, Improved Trip*, Improved Unarmed Strike

* These have Prerequisites of: Dex 13+, Improved Unarmed Strike instead of the normal Prerequisites if taken as Martial Arts Feats.

Momentum Throw [Martial Arts]

You have learned to use an opponent’s inertia against him to throw him with the force of his own motion.

Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Trip, BaB 4+

Benefit: Whenever you gain at attack against an opponent that has just taken a Full Move or a Charge action during his turn (either as a Readied action or as an Attack of Opportunity) you may use this feat. You make a Trip Attack against the opponent, with all of the usual rules and rolls. However, the opponent’s Strength bonus, if any, is added to your roll to perform the trip. Further, in addition to being prone a successfully tripped opponent travels a number of feet equal to the amount your roll exceeded his. His course of flight, within 45°of his original path of movement, is yours to decide. If the opponent still has an action after this attack, he may use it to stand from being prone (provoking Attacks of Opportunity as normal for doing so).

Headlock [Martial Arts]

You can put opponents into terrible sleeper holds, quickly dropping them to unconsciousness.

Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, BaB 5+

Benefit: When grappling you do not provoke an Attack of Opportunity from your opponent. Your grappling damage is 1d6 + Str bonus subdual damage rather than the normal damage. Each turn your opponent must make a Fortitude save against a DC of the damage dealt +5 or be knocked Unconscious (as a Sleep effect, not as 0 Hit Points). Each round that you successfully maintain a grapple increases your original Grapple Check by +2.

Vitals Strike [Martial Arts]

You are able to make your blows land on nerve clusters and other important bodily targets.

Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike OR Sneak Attack, BaB 6+

Benefit: You can choose to have your unarmed attacks deal normal damage instead of subdual damage against any opponents with a recognizable anatomy. This, of course, excludes anything immune to critical hits. You may not use this on any non-humanoid creature that you have not encountered or studied before, since you do not know its weak spots.

Staggering Blows [Martial Arts]

You have trained yourself to hit harder with an unarmed strike.

Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, BaB 4+

Benefit: You do the next larger category of damage with your unarmed attacks than is normal. This is 1d4 damage for Medium Sized characters and 1d3 damage for Small characters.

Hammer Blows [Martial Arts]

Your blows hit with the force of a club.

Prerequisites: Staggering Blows, BaB 6+

Benefit: You do the next larger category of damage with your unarmed attacks than with Staggering Blows. This is 1d6 for Medium Sized characters and 1d4 damage for Small characters.

Maul Blows [Martial Arts]

Your blows hit with the force of a heavy mace.

Prerequisites: Hammer Blows, BaB 9+

Benefit: You do the next larger category of damage with your unarmed attacks than with Hammer Blows. This is 1d8 for Medium Sized characters and 1d6 damage for Small characters.

Repeating Kick [Martial Arts]

You are able to maintain your balance in order to direct several weaker attacks at those around you.

Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, BaB 6+

Benefit: You may make a full attack action to make one attack against every opponent in your threat range at your full attack bonus, much like Whirlwind Attack. However, due to lack of balance you suffer a –2 cumulative penalty for every attack made to all attacks (e.g. –2/-2 to attack two opponents, -4/-4/-4 to attack three opponents, and so on), and a non-cumulative –2 damage from every damage roll.

Prestige Classes:

Many of the following classes get a "Training Bonus". This is a series of benefits that the character gains a year or so after taking the class, and represents picking up the aspects of the class that cannot be gained purely from adventuring.

Bear Shirt (Barbarian)

Many barbarian tribes employ berzerkers: men and women that are in touch with the spirits of the bear and wolverine who can use this connection to fly into a blood rage in combat. Many warriors from these tribes wait long for the day that they can hope to earn the privilege of being indoctrinated into this esteemed circle of warriors. A Bear Shirt warrior is mystically bonded to the spirit of the tribe, and exists to protect their homeland. Should the Bear Shirt lose the respect of his tribe or fail to serve his best in their time of need he loses his Damage Reduction, his Fast Movement, and any Rage abilities gained past the 6^th level of the prestige class. In order to recover his powers he must serve in penance as directed by the elders of his tribe, or find another tribe of berzerkers that will take him in.

Requirements: BaB 5+, Training by a barbarian tribe that uses Berzerkers

Training Bonus: 2 Class skills/skill groups, 6 skill points, +1 Fort, +1 Skill Level

Chi Artist (Monk)

Many stories of the Orient feature heroes that can use their understanding of the martial arts to achieve amazing results and bizarre acts of combat prowess. What few know is that these exist in reality, though they are rare. In order to gain the wonderful and fabled powers of the martial artists in legend, a warrior must possess a spark of psychic activity that makes him more capable in a fight and able to access incredible feats similar to those of the Psion.

Requirements: BaB 4+, 1+ Psychic Power Points, Training by a Chi Master,

Training Bonus: 1 Class skills/skill groups, 4 skill points, +1 Reflex, +4 Power Points

Chi Master (Monk)

Many Chi Artist strive to eventually reach the pinnacle of their training, but most will never reach such a height.

Requirements: 10^th level of Chi Artist

Training Bonus: 2 Class skills/skill groups, 6 skill points, +1 Reflex, +10 Power Points

*The character still visibly ages, just does not gain aging penalties. Maximum life span is extended by 20%.

Blessed Knight (Paladin)

Sometimes, when the need is great, a benevolent god will imbue a champion of Good. Often these are patrons of Law as well, but sometimes Neutral or Chaotic deities also see a need to field a force of blessed knights. They invariably draw these from their existing faithful, granting them abilities to inspire them to further greatness.

A Blessed Knight can lose favor in much the same way as a Paladin, save that the Lawful requirements obviously are reversed for a Chaotic Good knight. A Neutral Good Blessed Knight has to work much harder at being good, since he does not have to worry about being Lawful or Chaotic.

Requirements: BaB 4+, Divine Caster Level 1+, Chosen by Deity

Training Bonus: 2 Class skills/skill groups, 4 skill points, +1 Fort, +1/week Remove Disease

Wilderness Protector (Druid)

In much the same way that gods of good will sometimes create a Blessed Knight, gods of nature can create a Wilderness Protector. This individual is bound to the power of the earth and trees and given a great need to protect the wildlands from encroachers. To this end they are given great power over their forms in order to better understand and defend the land. Unfortunately, this shifting empowerment often seems to react poorly to the rigid forms of metal. None of a Wilderness Protector’s shapeshifting can transform more than a tiny bit (enough for a few fasteners) of metal or other inflexible or unnatural material. A Wilderness Protector that fails his territory or his deity loses all special powers.

Requirements: Divine Caster Level 4+, Chosen by Deity

Training Bonus: 2 Class skills/skill groups, 4 skill points, +1 Will, +1/day Wild Shape

Other Prestige Classes:

Learned Entertainer (Bard) Tribal Shaman (Adept) Cavalier Knight (Noble) Arcane Specialist (Sage/Loremaster)

Unholy Terror (Blackguard) Midnight Killer (Assassin)