Dungeon Master's Guide Chapter 2

Chapter 2 is all about characters, both PC and NPC. It starts with a few ways to roll characters' ability scores, much like the old Methods I-IV in the original DMG. There's the standard method (4d6, drop the lowest, arrange as desired), Organic characters (4d6 in order, drop the lowest, reroll one score, switch a pair around), Customized average characters (3d6, arrange as desired), Random Average (3d6 in order, the original old-school method), High-Powered (5d6, drop the two lowest, arrange as desired), Floating Reroll (4d6, drop the lowest, but you can reroll the lowest once, arrange as desired), Standard Point Buy (ability scores cost points and you get 25 points to play with), or Nonstandard Point Buy (variable points to buy ability scores with). Oh, and there's the Default Array, which is scores of 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8 arranged as desired. It's a faster version of the Standard Point Buy method. So, there are lots of options depending on the DM's taste and the type of game you're planning.

Next, we talk about races. More specifically, sub-races of the standard races. There are no standard subraces listed, but there are suggestions for how the DM can make his own up. This is a really good way to customize the campaign. You can give different ability score adjustments to subraces, but keep them balanced; otherwise, the subrace might be too powerful. If every player wants to use your subrace, it might be unbalanced. You can also modify the base races if you want to; suggestions on how to do that are given. If you're an old-school player and want to retain that feel, you can bar certain races from taking certain classes (no dwarf wizards, for example). And you get to use that time-honored 'In my world...' reasoning when players complain. Just don't overdo it; if a player is desperate to play a dwarf wizard for some reason, and the only reason you're not allowing it is because you don't feel like it, it might be best to give in. The players want to have fun, too.

Then there are the new races. You can come up with something completely new, convert something from an older edition (like the uldra from Dragon #129 or the half-dryad from #109), or use monsters as races. This is something that was discouraged way back in the day, but it's cropped up from time to time as an optional feature. Here, it's explicitly discussed as a possibility (but not made official policy), and there are suggestions for which monsters would be suitable; humanoids are the best ones, but you can get as crazy as a unicorn or hill giant if you really want to. There are rules given for how to equate them to standard races, how to generate their ability scores based on their Monster Manual ratings, and how to handle any special abilities they might have (such as a troll's regeneration).

I will note that while this is a really neat addition, we don't actually have the Monster Manual yet. When we get to the chapter that talks about encounter tables, I'm going to make a list of all the monsters we have statistics for so far. There really aren't that many, even counting the various adventures that have already been written up.

Next, we have classes. The section begins with a discussion of modifying the classes. Various ways of doing so are here, including variant spell lists. There's an example list for a Witch class, which would be a common class addition. There's no other class info, though, just the spell list. It includes a variety of spells from different lists, and there's a flavor aspect of the first six levels of spells having exactly thirteen spells each. Cute.

New classes are a possibility as well, but Prestige Classes are the highlight here. There's a section on how to create them (which is expanded in the Dragon #274 article I mentioned earlier), and then we get our first six official prestige classes, which I will summarize here.

The arcane archer is an elf or half-elf who can use magic to give their arrows extra power. They have to have some arcane ability, but their archery skills are paramount. High-level arcane archers can do some nasty things, such as create an arrow of death, which is sort of like an arrow of slaying except that it's not target-specific (just user-specific; only the arcane archer who created it can use it).

The assassin is someone who kills for money, and is very good at it. They have rogue abilities like sneak attack and uncanny dodge, but they also have bonuses to save vs. poison and also have some spell ability. Their spell list is included here, and while it's short, these can be a nasty surprise for players who are expecting a typical rogue.

The blackguard is an evil paladin. In the old days, they were called anti-paladins and weren't official. Now, they're as official as it gets, and they are nasty customers. They get a fiendish servant, which is basically a familiar (but can also be a mount, or a guardian beast). They get sneak attack like a rogue, smite good, command undead...yeah, they're anti-paladins. Except that sometimes, a fallen paladin will take this class, in which case they get some additional bonuses. High-level ex-paladins (11th or more) can automatically trade in their paladin levels for blackguard levels, and while this costs them some of the other benefits of trading in levels, they still benefit as they gain all the blackguard abilities anyway. Oh, and blackguards get spells, too. Basically the opposite of the paladin spell list, of course.

Dwarven defenders are...well, they're dwarves that are really good at defending a spot. They get bonuses to defend a particular spot, including damage reduction and bonuses to their AC.

Loremasters are spellcasters who get bonuses such as saving throw or attack roll bonuses, bonus spells, or a feat as they level up. They also continue to improve as spellcasters as if they were still advancing in their caster class. This is a prestige class primarily for full casters (wizard, sorcerer, cleric, and druid), although other casters (bard, paladin, ranger) can gain some benefits from it (but not as much as the full casters).

Shadowdancers are the other rogue prestige class. They gain several abilities related to shadows, several of which are magical in nature. High-level shadowdancers can even teleport between shadows.

So those are the core prestige classes. We also saw the mystic in Dragon #274, so we're up to seven prestige classes so far. I'm sure there will be plenty of others in the months to come.

Now we have something completely new: NPC classes. These aren't like the Dragon magazine classes that everyone played despite warnings that they were supposed to be for NPCs only, like the archer, the duelist, the death master, etc. No, these are the ordinary people. The commoners, the nobility...the non-adventuring types. There are five of them. I've seen these mentioned in the "Dead of Winter" adventure and in a couple of other places, but they haven't been explained and defined until now. Like regular PC classes, these have a full 20-level progression, gain feats every three levels, get better attack bonuses and saving throws as they go up...yes, you can run into a 20th-level commoner in 3rd edition. I imagine that tough guy would still get smoked by a 5th-level fighter, though.

The Adept is a junior spellcaster that serves the function of the shaman or the witch doctor from the older editions, although it's not restricted to humanoids. They have some spellcasting ability, and serve as lesser versions of wizards and/or clerics and druids. They prepare their spells, but don't have spellbooks. So, they're basically Temu clerics with a bit of wizard magic thrown in.

The Aristocrat is your basic nobleman who isn't an adventurer. Older editions had nobles as either high-level characters or 0-level nobodies. This edition gives them more nuance. Like fighters, they can use any simple or martial weapons, and any armor and shield. They even get 8-sided hit dice, so they aren't pushovers in combat. And there's a possibility a PC could indeed get a level or two in aristocrat, but only if they start out as one; you can't multiclass into the aristocracy, even if you are later ennobled by a king or duke.

The Commoner is...well, he's a commoner. He sucks at combat and saving throws, has the hit points of an anemic wizard, and can use a grand total of ONE simple weapon. That's it. Even wizards are better at fighting. They get the smallest selection of class skills, too. Yuck. Needless to say, it's not recommended that anyone ever play a commoner.

The Expert is the catch-all for 'skilled in something that isn't farming' Experts have the widest option for class skills; they pick ten skills from the entire list, including the restricted ones (such as Disable Device). And they get a minimum of six skill points per level, so they can choose a lot of skills as they advance in levels. So, an expert can serve as a rogue in a pinch if they have the skills to pick locks and such. Again, these can be PCs, although their expertise is usually going to be in something other than adventuring. They can use simple weapons and light armor, but no shields. Experts are recommended for merchants, artisans, sailors and sages.

Finally, there's the Warrior. This is the Temu version of a fighter; he gains no bonus feats, although they do advance in base attack bonus and saving throws exactly like a fighter, and they do get the 'every three levels' feat as they level up. Like the aristocrat, they get the same weapons and armor proficiencies as a fighter. They make great mook opponents, and I've seen several 'orc warrior' and the like in the adventures I've already seen. Don't play one; be a fighter instead. But it's great for humanoids that aren't going to be classed as fighters or barbarians.

And that's the NPCs. Next, there's a variant rule on multiclassing where your character starts out with two classes, but you're an apprentice in both; neither of them is at full-strength. For example, you could decide your character will be a multi-classed fighter/sorcerer. You would get half the benefits of each class at first level. So, the apprentice fighter gets no base attack bonus but does get a +1 to Fort saves and a bonus feat. The apprentice sorcerer gets a +1 to Will saves and his full complement of spells known, but can't cast as many per day as a full 1st-level sorcerer. For hit points, pick which of your two classes is the main one, and get the maximum hit points plus your Con bonus.

Once your character reaches 2nd level (1,000 XP), you fill in the rest of the details of both classes; your fighter gets his attack roll bonus, and the sorcerer gets his full retinue of daily spellcasting as well as gaining a familiar. The same rules apply to any class combination, but you can't triple-class this way; only two classes can be chosen at 1st level.

Next up is a variant on leveling up and having to train to gain new skills and feats. This is a nod to the older games, although the training costs are nowhere near what they used to be; 50 gp per week for a trainer? It used to be 1,000 gp/week if you were a great role-player and didn't screw up in any sessions. Times have certainly changed, haven't they? Back in those days, we had to earn our levels, and we were happy when we got it, you whippersnappers! None of this coddling like you've got.

Some campaigns require you to start out at higher level than 1st; either it's a high-powered game, or your 4th-level monk just got eaten by a grue, so you're starting over with a new character, but the party is already gone up a couple of levels, so your 1st-level character is hopelessly outgunned. So, you start off with a couple of extra levels, based on where the rest of the party is at. You even get to buy equipment, including magic items. Nice.

Then there's a section on how the different character classes fit into a campaign. The problem with this is that this information may be useless in different types of campaigns. Still, it's useful for the generic type of 'throw everything in' fantasy that D&D is known for. This section also includes a new feat: Leadership. It is necessary for characters who want to run their own private army, and it comes with followers and a cohort (which is basically your lieutenant). Higher-level charismatic leaders get more followers and a tougher cohort.

There's also a sidebar where animal companions for druids are mentioned...and rangers can get them too, using the animal friendship spell. This wasn't specified in the PH that I'm aware of, so I wanted to highlight it here.

Finally, the most spectacular section of tables in the book: The NPC statistics. This breaks down all eleven classes by level and gives a generic version of that character that can be used when you have a sudden need for a particular character to show up. The benefits of leveling up are included in each level, as well as appropriate equipment and even magic items 'earned' over time and levels. Not only that, but there are random tables to determine the character's alignment, race, and class if you want. And the races are quite out there, with the evil ones including lizardfolk and mind flayers. If I run into a 20th-level mind flayer monk, I'm just giving up right then and there.

The only thing these NPC tables don't give is specific spells for casters. This makes sense, because you want to have the casters customized so players don't expect the same spells all the time (even though all the wizards are going to cast fireball).

At the end of this section is a breakdown of the bonuses and penalties that go along with all of the NPC races mentioned in the tables. This is especially helpful at this point in time, since the Monster Manual hasn't been released yet, so we don't actually know the minotaur's strength or the wererat's AC bonuses. This will help with the classed monsters until the MM comes out the following month.

And that's it for this lengthy chapter. Next up is an equally long chapter on how to run the game. Apparently the first chapter was just a warmup; this one has a lot of meat to it. I'll be back tomorrow to cover that in at least a bit of depth. We'll see. Until then, game on.