Advanced Dungeons & Dragons® Player’s Option™: Skills & Powers Book Credits Design: Douglas Niles and Dale A. Donovan Psionics Design: Bill Slavicsek and Dale A. Donovan Development and Editing: Jean Rabe Design Contributions: Rich Baker, Skip Williams Editing Contribution: Dori Hein Project Coordinator: Steve Winter Typography: Angelika Lokotz Graphic Design: Dee Barnett Production: Paul Hanchette Cover Art: Jeff Easley Interior Art: Thomas Baxa, Doug Chaffee, Les Dorscheid, Jeff Easley, Ken Frank, Eric Hotz Thanks to: Wolf Baur, Tim Beach, Michele Carter, Roger E. Moore Special Thanks to: Brad Bolas TSR, Inc. TSR Ltd. 201 Sheridan Springs Road 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton Lake Geneva Cambridge CB1 3LB WI 53147 USA United Kingdom Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Dungeon Master, Dark Sun, Dragonlance, and AD&D are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Player’s Option, DM, Monstrous Manual, Planescape, and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Random House and its affiliate companies have worldwide distribution rights in the book trade for English language products of TSR, Inc. Distributed to the book and hobby trade in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. ©1995 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork presented herein is prohibited without the express written consent of TSR, Inc. 2154XXX1501 Second printing: February 1996 Printed in the U.S.A. Foreword When I first began playing the AD&D® game (more years ago than I care to remember), the system seemed to offer rules for every conceivable eventuality—indeed, the books contained more systems and procedures than any player or DM could possibly need. It didn’t take long to disabuse myself of that notion. As I recall, it was the first time the players asked me, the DM, if their characters could swim. How well? How fast, and for how long? And if their characters couldn’t swim, could they float for awhile? And how many gold pieces could you carry before you sank like a stone? Many of those questions have been subsequently answered in accessories and, most significantly, in the AD&D 2nd Edition game rules. However, for every situation defined by rules, and every new procedure introduced to the game, more questions were asked by creative (dare I say ‘devious’?) players, and more systems were improvised by every DM. It would nice the say that the Player’s Option™: Skills & Powers system will put all that to rest—but we’d all recognize that as an exaggeration, to say the least. Nor would that be a realistic objective. Part of adventure gaming is the discovery of the unknown and the unexpected, and we’ll always need a referee to oversee this. However, I believe that this book adds a lot to the game, and I hope you will agree that it does so without increasing the game’s complexity. The word ‘option’ is in the title for a very good reason: We have attempted to add to the number of choices available to players and DMs alike, without adding to the complications of resolving these choices. I sincerely hope that you’ll decide that we have succeeded. Doug Niles, April 25, 1995 All things in nature must evolve in order to keep pace with their surroundings. Organisms must adapt as their environment changes if they wish to thrive. This also is true in gaming. The AD&D game is one of the oldest role-playing rules systems around. And it’s a great system; its longevity is proof enough of that. But in the time that the AD&D game has existed, gaming itself has evolved, and so has the game. The original AD&D game evolved from the D&D game in the late 1970s. Then, in the early ‘80s, the Unearthed Arcana book, the first major evolution of the AD&D game, was published. More evolutions followed, culminating in 1989 with the publication of the AD&D 2nd Edition game rules. Now, the Player’s Option books (and the DM™ Option: High-level Handbook to be published later this year) represent the latest evolutions of the AD&D game. The central concept behind the Player’s Option books is player choice. We wanted to expand the AD&D game in ways that had never been explored before. We hoped to offer the players and DMs of the AD&D game more options (there’s that word again) than they ever had. We wanted to give those who play the AD&D game more choices, more control over their game and their characters than was previously considered possible. We hope we’ve succeeded, but in truth, that decision is not in our hands. You, the DMs and players of the game will have the final say in this matter. We hope you use these rules in your games. We also hope you’ll give us your feedback on these rules and the AD&D games you play using them, thus insuring that the game will continue to evolve. Me, I’m just happy to have had an impact on the game that has influenced my life for so many years. Dale Donovan, April 26, 1995 Table of Contents Chapter 1: Character Points Character Generation Character Backgrounds Chapter 2: Ability Scores Strength, Stamina, Muscle Dexterity, Aim, Balance Constitution, Health, Fitness Intelligence, Reason, Knowledge Wisdom, Intuition, Willpower Charisma, Leadership, Appearance Alternate Subability Method Subability Checks More About Ability Checks Chapter 3: Racial Requirements Racial Ability Adjustments Racial Level Limits Character Points Dwarves Elves Gnomes Halflings Half-elves Half-orcs Half-ogres Humans Other Races The Races Aarakocra, Alaghi, Bugbear, Bullywug, Centaur, Flind, Giff Githzerai, Gnoll Goblin, Hobgoblin, Kobold, Lizard man, Minotaur, Mongrelman Ogre, Orc, satyr, Swanmay, Thri-kreen, Wemic Chapter 4: Character Classes Warriors Fighter Paladin Ranger Rogues Thief Bard Priests Clerics Specialty Priests Druids Wizards Wizard Specialist Wizards Multi-classed and Dual-classed Characters Non-adventurers Chapter 5: Character Kits The Social Ranks System Kits Acrobat, Amazon Animal Master, Assassin Barbarian, Beggar Cavalier Diplomat, Explorer Gladiator, Jester Mariner, Merchant Mystic, Noble Outlaw, Peasant Hero Pirate, Pugilist Rider 78 Savage, Scholar Scout, Sharpshooter Smuggler Soldier, Spy Swashbuckler Thug Weapon Master Creating New Kits Chapter 6: Nonweapon Proficiencies Proficiencies and the Character Point System Improving Proficiencies Acquiring Character Traits Selecting Character Disadvantages Using Proficiencies in Play Modifying Proficiency Rolls Proficiencies and Level Advancement Use of Proficiencies by Nonproficient Characters Using Disadvantages Proficiency Descriptions Trait Descriptions Disadvantage Descriptions Chapter 7: Weapon Proficiency and Mastery Selecting Weapon Proficiencies Character Class Restrictions Weapon Groups Nonproficiency and Weapon Familiarity Weapon Group Proficiencies Shield Proficiency Armor Proficiency Fighting Style Specialization Weapon Specialization and Mastery Monsters and Weapon Mastery Equipment Different Forms of Wealth Ways to Spend and Save Money Encumbrance and Movement Equipment Tables Chapter 8: New Schools of Magic The Alchemist The Geometer The Shadow Mage The Song Wizard Chapter 9: Psionics Using Psionics Closed and Open Minds Mental Armor Class Psionic Strength Points Psionic Combat The Five Psionic Attacks The Five Psionic Defenses Adding Substance to Psionic Combat Using Psionic Powers Closing an Open Mind Psionics in a Round Limitations to Psionic Powers Psionics and Magic Psionicists and Wild Talents Psionicists Wild Talents Psionic Powers Clairsentient Powers Psychokinetic Powers Psychometabolic Powers Psychoportive Powers Telepathic Powers Psionic Powers Summary Appendix: Compiled Tables Index Chapter 1: Character Points Introduction Welcome to Player’s Option Skills & Powers, the companion to the Player’s Option Combat & Tactics book. This volume unveils new role-playing possibilities without increasing the complexity of the AD&D® game. Just as the Combat & Tactics book widened the scope of encounters, this tome expands character creation. Together, these books heighten players’ involvement with their characters, the campaign, and the AD&D game as a whole. Use what you like, change what you don’t like, and above all have fun! The chapters in this book are building blocks for constructing Player’s Option characters. AD&D game players will find several familiar terms, such as kits. But these kits are different than those presented in supplements such as The Complete Fighter’s Handbook. Instead, Player’s Option kits are packages coupled with special skills that add depth and flavor to characters. There are other changes and additions, and these will unfold as you read this book. One such change is selecting character abilities using a character point system. Here’s an overview of what character points do: Character Points Every character begins play with a number of character points determined by his race and class. Further, every time a character advances a level, he gains 3 to 5 character points. The character point system is a new concept for the AD&D game. The points serve numerous purposes, and these are summarized below. Note: This book assumes that a typical campaign will award 3 CPs per level, and that most characters will use one of these during play (see below). Larger character point awards will result in a higher-powered campaign, but if both DM and players agree, that’s fine—enjoy yourselves. · Character points are used to purchase weapon proficiencies. New weapon proficiencies usually cost 2 or 3 character points. This is discussed in chapter seven. · Similarly, character points are used to purchase nonweapon proficiencies. Purchasing a nonweapon proficiency usually costs from 2 to 5 points. Also, character points are used to purchase traits, and bonus character points are awarded for taking disadvantages. This is discussed in chapter six. · Points can be used to increase proficiency scores.