Serendipity, sort of

The first thing one of my players asked me about after I published my February 7^th post Kicking My Imagination in the Butt (or Ask and Ye Shall Receive) was “Can I play one of these guys?”

  

And I was all like, “What?  No, these are the perpetually restless natives that are going to make your adventuring lives a living heck!”, but then I thought about it.  I have these tribes of Aztecosaurs living all throughout my map so inevitably some of them are likely to prove friendly to the player-characters and humanity and demi-humanity in general (random rolls on the Monster Reaction table ensure that!).  So okay, “Yes,” the possibility of an Aztecosaur (really have got to come up with my own name for these guys as I’d hate to end up forcing the nice people over at Kingsisle Entertainment to sue me for copyright infringement) player-character is no longer out of the question.  But how should they be perceived by their human and demi-human friends?  In other words, what 'race-as-class' should they be?

I’d already planned on my Avemetatarsalia inspired tribesmen being ‘Hunter/Gatherers.’  So naturally, my savage dino-men would best be represented as Huntsmen!  Happy accident indeed, most of the hard work is already done!  So how are my dino-sapiens different from human Huntsmen?  Dino-men?  Sauro-sapiens?  Sauro-men (no! no Tolkien puns!)?  I guess dino-sapiens will do as a general term but I think I’ll take my cue from the creative people at Kingsisle for the more specific names…

Anyway, let’s look at the stat blocks I came up with for them and work from there, just like I did with the Goblins.  Only, wait.  I haven’t come up with any stat blocks or I’d have posted ‘em here already, right?  So much for the work being already done!  But I’ll need the stat blocks sooner or later anyway so let’s cobble ‘em together, shall I?

 

Based on the original illustration (above) and Mr. Stater’s article on the LAND OF NOD site different types of dinosaurs equate to different (in my case) tribes of dino-sapiens.  So looking at the original art from Kingsisle starting on the left we have an obvious carnivore or raptor inspired tribe; being meat-eaters and knowing that their dinosaur equivalents ate other dinosaurs they will serve as my ‘bad’ tribesmen, filling the role of headhunters, cannibals and such.  Clearly Chaotic.  Now I need to name them.

A quick review of ancient Mesoamerican cultures via Google turns up a number of possible name sources.  In no particular order I have the Aztecs (unavailable), Olmecs, Toltecs, Zapotecs, Incas and Mayas; remember I’m not trying to be exhaustive about this or anything, just looking for some good names.  For our carnosaurs I’m liking Toltecosaur, no particular reason; though the word Toltec does put me in mind of the German word for the dead, Tote.  Anyway, these mobs should be fast, relatively protected and their natural attack is clearly a nasty bite.

Next up is what looks like a Hadrosaur inspired tribesman.  I’m thinking they should be slower than the dino-sapien norm and rather hardy.  A tail sweep melee attack seems in order to help them survive.  All mobs in melee range should save vs. Dragon Breath or be knocked off their feet.  As for a name, I’d like to differentiate this vegetarian race from the Toltecosaurs so I’ll steer away from the –ec ending names and I think I like Mayasaur for these gentler dino-sapiens.

Thirdly, we have a beefy looking tribesman apparently inspired by Styracosaurus, at least if I'm reading that head frill correctly.  Again I’m thinking he should be slower than your average dino-sapien, but tougher too.  A good fighter.  Maybe a charge or a gore attack?  Might as well make it a gore attack, what’s that horn for otherwise?  As for their name, I like Olmecosaur, puts them on equal footing with the Toltecosaurs.

Because I could easily see Mayasaurs and Olmecosaurs banding together for mutual protection and greater numbers, I believe that they both should be Lawful in alignment.

Finally (sorry, no undead dino-sapiens, at least not yet!) we have the pterosaur inspired tribesmen.  Fast, even light on their feet (hollow bones, you know) but not as hardy as the other types.  The pterosaur appears to be another meat-eater from the looks of those teeth, likely fish and other small game that they swoop down upon, so their attack will be a bite as well.  As these pterosaurs don’t have the plant-eaters’ herding instints nor the carnosaurs aggressiveness I’m thinking their alignment should be Neutral.  As I don’t much care for the alternative, I’ll call the pterosaurs Incasaurs.

Okay, time for the stat blocks:

Dino-sapiens

                                   Toltecosaur            Mayasaur    Olmecosaur           Incasaur

Armor Class:         6                                   7                        5                                  7

Hit Dice:                  1                                   1+1                    2                                  1-1

Move:                        120' (40')                   90’ (30’)          90’ (30’)                    120’ (40’)

   Flying:                   --                                  --                       --                                 180’ (60’)

   In water:              --                                  120' (40')         --                                 --

Attacks:                   1 bite or                      1 tail sweep      1 gore or                    1 bite or

                                     weapon                      or weapon        weapon                      weapon

Damage:                  2-7 or                          special or         2-7 or                         2-7 or

                                     weapon + 1                weapon + 1     weapon + 1                weapon + 1

No. Appearing:                 -----------------           2-8 (6-36)      -----------------

Save As:                   Fighter: 1                   Fighter: 1         Fighter: 2                  Fighter: 1

Morale:                    10                                7                        12                                8

Treasure Type:     D                                D                        D                                 D

Alignment:             Chaotic                      Lawful              Lawful                        Neutral     

Dino-sapiens are a varied race of intelligent humanoid reptiles with many characteristics common to dinosaurs.  Dino-sapiens are tribal, living in small, extended family groups.  Because of their reptilian strength, all dino-sapiens gain a bonus of + 1 on damage rolls.

The Toltecs are meat-eaters and aggressive, with a reputation for cruelty and savagery.

The Mayasaurs eat plants and are by far the friendliest of the dino-sapien species.  Mayasaurs enjoy swimming and are quite good at it.  A Mayasaur’s tail sweep inflicts no damage but requires everyone in melee range to save against Dragon Breath or be knocked prone.  Mayasaurs can be found in larger villages living with Olmecosaurs.

The Olmecosaurs are also plant-eaters but tend to be more assertive than their Mayasaurian cousins, with whom they often live.

Incasaurs eat meat but are not as aggressive as the Toltecosaurs.  Incasaurs can fly under their own power and can hunt while doing so.

Okay, stat blocks are done.  Good work everybody!  Now let’s take a look at the huntsman class in light of this new information.  Hmm, Hit Dice and Armor Class are the two points at which we have issues.  I can increase the Hit Dice for the dino-sapiens but that’ll mean a big bump in current XP requirements.  Also, looks like our dino-sapien hunters may be foregoing any non-magical armor as their natural Armor Classes are equal to or better than most leather armor!

Okay, finally, back to the original point of this post; I present:

The Dino-Sapien Class

Dino-sapiens are a varied species of intelligent humanoid reptiles with many characteristics common to dinosaurs.  They live primitively because their civilization is nearing the end of its decline, though the ruins of their former greatness dot the verdant landside.  Like human Huntsmen, the dino-sapiens are prized for their wilderness survival skills and the additional combat power of their animal companions.  Dino-sapiens are often hired out as local guides or even porters for their familiarity with the wilderness.  Players must specify which particular race of Dino-sapien their character is from and gain that race’s specific natural attack for d6 damage plus any Strength bonuses.

The prime requisites for a dino-sapien character are Strength and Intelligence.  If a dino-sapien has scores of 13 or better in both Strength and Constitution, the character will gain a 5% bonus to earned experience.  If the dino-sapien's Strength is 13 or better and his or her Intelligence is 16 or better, the character will earn a 10% bonus on earned experience.

RESTRICTIONS: Dino-sapiens use eight-sided dice (d8) to determine their hit points. They may wear nothing more protective than leather armor, and may not use a shield. They may, however, use any type of weapon.  A dino-sapien’s combat ability progresses as a Cleric.  A dino-sapien character must have a minimum Intelligence score of 9.  Dino-sapiens make their saving throws as a Thief of equivalent level.

SPECIAL ABILITIES: If a dino-sapien surprises a target, usually by making a successful Move Silently or Hide in Terrain roll, he gains a +4 bonus to hit and inflicts double damage with any ranged weapon during the surprise round.  At 3rd level huntsmen may tame and train an animal companion who will fight for and beside them.  Only normal or giant animals can be tamed and the animal’s hit dice cannot be greater than the dino-sapien’s level.  A dino-sapien's skills includes learning how to plan ambushes and set snares, survive in specific environments, move silently in natural settings, hide in terrain, read tracks, remove snares, pitfalls and other natural traps and spot ambushes, and how to hear noises in the wild better than other humans.  As a Dino-sapien progresses in level, he or she becomes more proficient in these wilderness skills.  Use the same table as huntsmen for determining a Dino-sapien's success in each category (depending on his or her level of experience). 

Advancement:

A Dino-sapien may only advance up to 9th level (Master Dino-Huntsman). However, this is balanced by the dino-sapien's special abilities, especially their combination of strong natural and regular weapon attacks, natural armor class, animal companion and wilderness skills.  Dino-sapiens may still found a lodge, which might well become the center of a new village!

Level
1	0	Dino-Skinner
2	1944	Dino-Trapper
3	3888	Dino-Wrangler
4	7776	Dino-Seeker
5	15552	Dino-Tracker
6	32400	Dino-Stalker
7	64800	Dino-Hunter
8	129600	Dino-Huntsman
9	259200	Master Dino-Huntsman

Just to show how out off-base I was with my dino-NPCs only plan, while I was writing this post one of my other players got in touch with me and when I told him about the contents of this post he was all over me saying he’d assumed that the dino-sapiens would be a player character option from the moment he read the first post and what the heck was I thinkin’ thinking otherwise!

Regretfully, I can see it now, an all dino PC group bent on fighting the incursion of the humans and demi-humans into their tribal lands and not at all in favor of desecrating the final resting places of their ancient ancestors!

Not at all the D&D campaign I was setting out to make…

Goblins Aren’t Green

In fact the Basic Rules set describes them this way: "Their skin is a pale earthy color, such as chalky tan or livid gray."  I realize that anyone who’s grown up in the era since the introduction of Warhammer or with WoW as their only exposure to fantasy might have a problem with this, but there’s nothing for it.  To help you adapt to the cold, hard truth here’s a Goblin Player Character class that presents the thievin’ little wretches as they are perceived in my campaign setting:
 
Goblins are smaller than humans, being about 6o pounds and only attaining a height of around 4 feet.   They are as diverse in appearance as humans, but have twisted and exaggerated features.  Goblins have a strongly covetous nature, and are prone to steal pretty much anything that seems to be of value; livestock, laundry, villagers or unminded children, even wagon wheels.  A goblin's wardrobe is generally made of scavenged cloth, scraps of leather and bits of chain mail, as well as stolen trinkets, charms, and whatever else may be handy.  Goblins also tend to be voracious eaters and will, if not minded when food is plentiful, over-eat until they regurgitate and then start all over again.

The prime requisites for a Goblin are Strength and Dexterity.  If a Goblin has a score of 13 or greater in both Strength and Dexterity, the character will gain a 5% bonus on earned experience points.  If the Goblin's Strength is 13 or greater and his or her Dexterity is 16 or greater, that character will gain a 10% bonus on earned experience.

RESTRICTIONS: Goblins use six-sided dice (d6) to determine their hit points.  They may advance to a maximum of 10th level of experience.  Goblins have the advantages of both fighters and thieves.  They may fight with any kind of weapon, except two-handed or polearms other than spears, and while they can wear any type of armor they can only use their thief skills when wearing leather armor or lighter and may not use shields.  Goblins advance in combat ability as a Cleric.  Due to their infravision Goblins suffer a -1 to attack rolls made while in full daylight.  Goblins must have a 9 in both Strength and Constitution.

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Goblins have infravision and can see up to 90 feet in total darkness.  When striking unnoticed from behind, a Goblin gains a bonus of + 4 on "to hit" rolls and inflicts twice the normal amount of damage.  A Goblin's training includes learning how to pick pockets, climb steep surfaces, move silently, hide in shadows, open locks (with a set of lock picks or burglar's tools), remove small traps (such as poisoned needles), and how to hear noises better than most humans.  As a Goblin progresses in level, he or she becomes more proficient in these "thiefly" skills.  Use the same table as thieves for determining a Goblin's success in each category (depending on his or her level of experience).  Goblins save as Fighters of the same level.

Advancement:

Level
1	0	Goblin Apprentice
2	1,200	Goblin Footpad
3	2,400	Goblin Robber
4	4,800	Goblin Burglar
5	9,600	Goblin Cutpurse
6	20,000	Goblin Sharper
7	40,000	Goblin Pilferer
8	80,000	Goblin Thief
9	160,000	Goblin Master Thief
10	280,000	10th level Goblin Master Thief

In addition to their normal thieving abilities, a Goblin who reaches 5th level can read languages (including simple codes, dead languages, treasure maps, and so on, but not magical writings) with an 80% chances of success.  If the attempt to read a given piece of writing fails, the Goblin must advance at least one level before another attempt to read it is allowed.  Goblins never gain the ability to read magic-user or elf scrolls.

Goblins do not establish domains or build castles or strongholds like other characters.  However, upon reaching 9th level (Goblin Master Thief), a Goblin may construct a hideout (a cave network, take over a dungeon level or fortify a house in a city and so forth).  A Goblin that has constructed a hideout will attract 1-6 1st level thieves who have come to learn under a master.  Additionally, a bodyguard like that of a Goblin King's of 1-6 Goblins will be made available to the character as well.  This bodyguard will also act as muscle for the character's underlings as well.

Wait a minute!  Didn’t you say last time that Race as Class characters are always portrayed as Fighting Men?  Actually I said through the prejudice of Race as Class is that those character were equivalent to Fighting Men and this is still largely true of the Goblin as, like any other thief PC, a goblin can forego its thieving skills to use better armor.  But I wanted a class to represent goblins as viewed in my campaign, as the thievin’, larcenous, take-it-if-it’s-not-nailed-down buggers that they are (sort of like kenders, but more honest about it).

 

Class Warfare

I’ve been going over the player character options available for Basic/Expert and there are more than you might think, the OSR has opened more than a few doors in that regard.  I’m even crafting a class or two of my own and I feel that I should touch on a topic which has been controversial since its introduction, or its comparison to Advanced D&D at any rate.  Perhaps the biggest, single issue most players seem to have with the Basic/Expert model of D&D is the way Moldvay decided to handle the demi-humans: the so-called “Race as Class.”  This topic has been discussed exhaustively on the internet and analyzed by minds keener than my own, following any of the links included below will lead you to excellent discourses about the pros and cons of this method.

However, I don’t feel that any of them necessary touch on the rationale behind the thinking that produced the Race as Class model.  The reason for racial classes and even level limits in earlier versions of D&D is because of the biggest conceit in the mind of the game’s originators: Humans are the best.  Even if only in terms of level limits humans clearly rise above all other races in that they have no level limits except for the limits of the game itself, whereas in the Little Brown Books, Basic/Expert, BECMI and AD&D Elves, Dwarfs, Gnomes, Halflings, half-whatevers are specifically limited to the number of levels they can advance (pre-Unearthed Arcana), limiting their proficiency in all professions relative to humans.  Admittedly this is changed in the last couple of versions of the Grand Ol’ Game, but is still a valid point of view on earlier versions.

For human characters, class is all about their professional identity.  Be it Farmer, Banker, Fighting Man, Thief; class is about what you as a character can do and do well.  The classes for humans, while archetypal, are not rigidly defined.  Are you a foppish rake for hire with a wit as sharp as your foil?  You’re a Fighting Man (sorry, I should say Fighter but I really prefer the LBB terminology in this instance).  Are you a sullen-eyed Hillman from the North possessing panther-like reflexes with a destiny to trod on the jeweled thrones of the southern Kingdoms?  Fighting Man.  Are you a stout-hearted man-at-arms defending the realm; courteous, brash and fiercely loyal?  Still a Fighting Man.  See where I’m going?  Not so for demi-humans.

For demi-human characters, class is quite another thing all together.  I think in Race as Class that it’s more accurate to say that the class is about how the race is thought of and understood by humans.  Classes for demi-humans and/or humanoids tend to be rather strict in the definition of the race they attempt to portray.  There are no doubt Dwarves that are just as devout as any human cleric, but to uneducated human eyes they still fight with axes and in the same manner as their brethren.  There are undoubtedly Elves just as capable in the ways of woodcraft as any Huntsman, but because they still cast spells and wear chainmail rather than leather they are “Elves.”  One of the more interesting prejudices built into the Race as Class system seems to be that all the races are more or less equivalent to the Fighting Man class for humans.  Makes a certain kind of sense, the other races need fighting capability; indeed as frequent opponents of the characters the various demi-humans and humanoids are seen, through the lens of the game, as capable fighters.  The only real exception to this are the Elves, allowed in the LBBs to also level as Magic Users or in Basic/Expert (and BECMI) where they are the only real multi-class.

So there you have it, my insights into the Race as Class model as used in Basic/Expert.  I’m not so deluded as to think that this will have players of other editions abandoning their version of choice in droves, but I do think that revealing the biases and prejudices behind the system will help others better understand the rules as they are.

Presented for your edification (These are just some of my favorite opinions of the Race as Class model):

• B/X Blackrazor
• B/X Blackrazor 
• Chronicle of Eveboria
• Hack and Slash
• Jack's Toolbox
• Roll 'Em
• The Welsh Piper

Some additional thoughts…

Of course many have sought to circumvent the restrictions of the Race as Class model and truth be told I’ve even tinkered with separating race from class, like in this article here, at times in the past but I’m now inclined to think in different terms.

If, for example, a player really wanted to be Dwarf Cleric, I think I’d rather allow that Dwarf character to be able to cast cleric spells at the cost of advancing in fighting prowess as a Cleric rather than a Fighting Man with no additional change in experience requirements or other restrictions, especially weapons.