Saturday 13 November 2010

OSRIC: Hyborian Character Generation Rules

Okay, I lied. This stuff forced it's way into my brain while I was in bed. I'm sure as hell not going to get any sleep till I write it all down so here it goes.

In the Hyborian Age, player characters must be human. A fact that will go without saying for anyone familiar with the setting. However, multi-class characters are very much a trope of Hyboria – Conan himself was fighter/thief after all, though it could be argued with some justification that he was dual-class character who dabbled in thievery for a bit before returning to his original fighter class.

Therefore, I'm initiating the following character generation house-rules for my Hyborian campaign:

  • All PC's must be human.They use the human stats and racial modifiers as listed in the OSRIC rulebook regardless of Hyborian cultural or ethnic background.

  • Human PC's may multi-class OR dual-class if they wish.

Multi-Class Rules:

Multi-class characters can pick up to two classes from the following four groups and combine them to create their character. However, no more than one option can be chosen from each group. For example, it is not possible to have a multi-class Magic-User/Illusionist or Fighter/Ranger. The one exception is the Houri class. The Houri class may, in fact, multi-class with another Rogue class.

Group One: Fighting Men - Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger (Note that while Paladins are a playable class they may not be multi-class characters).

Gp2: Rogues - Assassin, Houri, Thief

Gp3: Sorcerers- Demonologist (NPC), Illusionist, Magic User, Necromancer (NPC)

Gp4: Priests - Cleric. Druid.

All normal multi-classing rules apply with the following exceptions:

  • Weapon Proficiencies: Character may choose from all the weapons permitted to the multi/class characters classes. However, he receives a number of weapon proficiencies equal to that made available to his most restrictive class. (i.e. A Fighter/Cleric is not restricted to blunt weapons, but may choose only two weapon proficiencies, not 4) Note that multi-class fighters may not specialise.
  • Armour Proficiencies: A multi-class character uses the most restrictive of his character classes to determine which armour he may wear. Thus a cleric/thief is limited to leather and studded leather armour. A fighter/magic-user may not wear armour at all.

Weapon Specialisation:

Only single class (not multi-class) fighters may use the weapon specialisation rules. All other classes (including other, single-classed fighting men and multi-class fighters) may NOT specialise.

6 comments:

Miranda said...

Looks good.

Forgive my ignorance, but have you detailed the extra classes such as the Houri on your blog?

Dangerous Brian said...

Thanks Evan. The first part of the Houri article is up tonight. It's a modified version of the Houri class first published in White Dwarf 13 (fluff heavily modified, mechanics only lightly so).

The Necromancer class is from White Dwarf 35 or thereabout. I'll get to that one shortly.

I made a mistake with the Demonologist class. The White Dwarf article for the Demonologist was actually a RuneQuest article. Not to worry though. I'll just have to create it myself.

Dangerous Brian said...

oh, and the Barbarian class is already up on the blog. It can be found here:
http://dangerousbrian.blogspot.com/2010/11/barbarians-at-gates-rules-for-barbarian.html

Miranda said...

Sounds good. I especially look forward to the Necromancer class. I've always appreciated the practitioners of the black arts.

Dangerous Brian said...

It's not bad as classes go, very slick and in keeping with the "Sword and Sorcery" genre depiction of Necromancers.
Definately not a good class for PC's unless you're playing an evil camapaign, but excellent villains. The "Stronghold of Bone" class feature is just wonderful. Should be up within the week.

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