Tourist class for DIY D&D

Tourists are travellers from distant lands or possibly from the future. Wherever they come from they seem singularly unaware of the dangers that surround them. They consider everything that happens to them merely an exotic holiday. What they lack in guile they make up for in their bizarre, seemingly supernatural luck, and unusual technology.

Hit Die: d6
Saves, XP and other faffery as Thief

Weapons & Armour
Tourists have a great deal of enthusiasm for combat but very little training. They are proficient only in weapons that are easy to use, mainly bludgeoning weapons, crossbows, slingshots and guns. Bladed weapons are beyond them, as are complicated missile weapons like slings and bows.
Tourists will refuse to wear armour heavier than leather, considering it hot and stuffy. However they get a +4 bonus to AC and saves against any danger of which they are blithely unaware. In DCC, they add their Luck bonus to AC as well.

Thief-like Skills
Go Unnoticed: Tourists are often able to blunder through high-security checkpoints and well-defended guardposts without even realising they are going somewhere they shouldn't. They can 'Hide' and 'Move Silently' as a Thief of their level.
It Was Open, So I Came Inside: Tourists can 'Pick Locks' as a Thief of their level. They don't actually pick the locks, they just find doors that happen to be left ajar. The DC is determined by how frequently the door is opened.

Luck
In DCC, the Tourist is able to spend and regain Luck just like a Thief.
In other systems, the Tourist gains a limited number of points per day to spend on modifying rolls up or down. This number is equal to 2 times the Tourist's level. Each point modifies the roll by 1, just as in DCC. Or you could mod in the DCC Luck stat just for this one character, that would be a bit of a gas.

Money
Whatever class starts with the highest money in your game, the Tourist starts with twice that much.

Foreign Gadgetry
At 1st level the Tourist arrives with a single item of foreign provenance, perhaps magically enchanted or perhaps technology from the distant future. This item is chosen at random and once lost cannot be replaced.
The Tourist receives a mail order package containing a new random item at every odd-numbered level. If it is the same as an item they have already got, they can send it back with a strongly-worded note demanding an exchange, but processing will take 4-6 weeks.
Any non-Tourist trying to operate one of these gadgets has a 1 in 3 chance of it backfiring unpleasantly upon them.

1. Camera: Makes a flash of light that blinds all creatures in a 30' square in front of the user (DC 15 Ref save to avoid.) Also takes pictures. Can be used once per day.
2. Animate Luggage: A large chest or backpack that walks around by itself and follows the Tourist faithfully. Carries twice as much as a normal human. Prefers to run from danger but if cornered will ram for 1d6 damage. If the Tourist is killed, there is a 50% chance the Luggage will imprint upon the nearest creature, and a 50% chance it will run off and go feral.
3. Bug Repellent: Exceedingly strong spray for keeping off noxious insects. When used, all creatures who smell it must make a morale check or flee until out of the radius of 50'. Tourists are immune to the stuff and allies may plug their nostrils in advance. Each can contains 2d6 charges of spray.
4. Sunblock: A mysterious unguent that provides DR 5 against fire and radiation attacks, and total immunity to sun scorch, light beams and other solar shenannigans. Lasts 6 hours but must be applied 20 minutes in advance. Each tube contains 6d6 doses for one person each.
5. Everfull Lunchbox: Whenever you open this lunchbox, there will be a tuna & corn sandwich, a banana and a thermos full of tea.
6. Travel Guide: A book containing many truths and several falsehoods about the local area. The Tourist may consult the book once for each area (town, dungeon, hex or zone, whatever). The DM will roll a secret die for the type of information found: 1-2: useful secret (hidden door, trap warning, saucy blackmail information, etc.) 3-5: useful information but not secret, 6: false and potentially dangerous information.
7. Portable Jukebox: A small box containing several imps (or possibly 'computer chips') which can record and play back sounds with perfect fidelity. Also contains a variety of musical recordings of an utterly alien and shamelessly licentious style. This novelty confers a +2 bonus to reaction rolls for NPCs of Neutral or Chaotic alignment; Lawful characters will find the music crude and boorish.
8. Universal Panacea: A bottle of pills that can heal just about any ailment, but not hit point loss. Minor ailments, including anything non-permanent, require 1 pill; major ailments, such as permanent blindness, disease or poisoning, require 2 pills; extreme ailments, such as dismemberment or a curse, require 4 pills. There are exactly 15 pills in each bottle.

FLAILSNAILS-compatible race & class compendium

Bored of yr. Fighter/Wizard/Cleric/Thief? Roll up and get your variant classes, sub classes and completely novel classes right here.
Arranged sort of haphazardly from least gonzo to most.
Will keep adding to this as I find them.

My 4E-to-old-school conversions:
Warlord
Empath (4E Ardent)
Shapechanger (4E Druid)

Zak's alternate classes where you roll on a table for feats each time you level up:
Random Fighter
Random Thief
Random Ranger
Random Wizard
Random Barbarian

and Reynaldo's Random Paladin

 Blood Island classes - including Viking, Berserker Viking, Adventurer, Shaman
Bounty Hunter
Mountebank
White Wizard
Blue Wizard  ('copy wizard')
DCC Summoner
Half-Ogre
Rockpriest  (Dwarf Cleric)
Freelander
Feral Dwarf
Illusionist as Specialist, not Magic-User
Dandy
Witch Hunter
Beast Master
Druid  (blood & guts druid, sacrifices HP to summon spirits)
Gnome  (tiny fairy type)
Passenger
Bouncer
Scrivener
Gentleman
Pacifist
War Dog
Lizardman
Shardik  (bear people)
Nordanbjorn  (sapient bear)
Frogling
Frogling  (HMS Apollyon)
Frogman  (Wampus Country)
Myconid (Mushroom Man)
Annelidist  (infested with demon worms)
Moleman
Blood Druid
Battle Princess/Murder Princess
Battle Princess  (yes, two people independently made their own Battle Princess class)
Sub-Human
Plant Goblin
Fallarin  (winged humanoid)
Selkie
Black Hobbit
Pixie
Centaur
Eberron Classes: Warforged, Shifter and Gnome Artificer
Wormhandler
Merrowman
Cuckoo
Flying Monkey
Time Gnome
Planetary Ape
Crocman
Horde Trooper  (I guess this is from a cartoon or something?)
Chaos Monk
Stranger  (John Carter type modern human gadding about in the fantasy world)
Tourist  (also a John Carter, sort of)
Tourist  (Discworld style)
Orangutan
Bleaklands Ghoul
Fire Lizard of Kalak-Nur
Scientist
Amazon
Son of the Toad
Anti-Druid  (City/Machine Druid)
Vat Spawn
Engineer
Magitek Engineer
Grease Monkey
Muscle Wizard
Machine Bonded 
Robo-Dwarf
Robot
Robodroid
Frankenstein
Octorok
Harry Potter Goblin
Alice
Mermaid
Gargoyle
Christmas Elf
Luchador
Luchador  (sword & planet style)
Barsoomian Green Man
Ghost in the Machine
Hacker
Gadgeteer
Vault Person
Doxy
Mechtaur
Bene Gesserit
Mega Robot
Pokemon Trainer
Shyguy
Godzilla-Man
'Klengon'
'Vulkin'
'Wooky'
Jedi
Warpstar Knight

Dust PC classes (not actually gonzo if you happen to be playing 1920s dust bowl D&D)
Athlete
Dancer
Carny
Scrap Princess
Midwife
Preacher
Activist
Murder Ballad Boy

Races
(not many of these because most people seem to like doing race-as-class)
Atlantean
Dogfolk
Sky-Man
In-vest-igator
Hengeyokai
A shitload of races  including 'Void Elf', 'Deodand', 'Goblin from Labyrinth'

DCC Classes (not quite OSR-compatible)
Warforged
Dwarven Cleric
Gnome, Bard, Ranger and Paladin
Monk
Druid
Muscle Wizard
Barbarian

Old school classes from 4E: The Warlord

Warlords are awesome and if you disagree then fuck you. If you neither agree nor disagree but don't know what a warlord is, then listen up. A warlord is a fighter who leads the party with his inspiring words and superb tactics. Warlords are commonly found laying out sweet strategems, maneuvering their allies into position, or shouting at wimps who complain that they "can't fight with this sucking gut wound". Warlords were previously available only in 4E, but fortunately for you I have just made you a Warlord class for Basic/1E so you have no excuse not to be a Warlord now.

(Note: A warlord isn't necessarily a commander of a huge army, at least not until name level. They're more like a tactician who commands an elite squad, i.e. the PC party. Some people have wanted to change the warlord's name to something like 'Marshal' or 'Battle Tactician' to reflect this. However, those people and their wimpy names have been destroyed by the badassery of the name WARLORD.)

Hit die: d8
Attack Bonus: +1 (LotFP) or as Cleric
Saving throws: As Fighter
XP Progression: As Fighter

Warlords demand absolute dedication from their allies in battle. This doesn't mean the other players have to obey everything the Warlord tells them to do, it just means that when the Warlord says jump, your character trusts him enough to know that there must be a knee-high buzzsaw approaching or suchlike. To establish this trust, the Warlord must spend ten minutes talking to any new party members. There cannot be more than one Warlord in a party - if there are, then their orders confuse each other and the Warlords' abilities are all negated. The Warlord cannot command a group of people larger than the Warlord's Charisma (until 9th level - see below.)

Warlords can spend a standard action to use a Command, which is a catch-all term for various speeches, orders, battle-cries, etc. that have the power to turn the tide of battle. The Warlord can use one Command per level per encounter - the focus required for this sort of tactical thinking and charismatic oration is very mentally draining.
Commands only work on allies who are conscious and can understand the Warlord. They also need to be within 30' or the command is too faint or garbled to be heard.

Pick one Command at 1st level and one other at each odd-numbered level thereafter:

Invigorating Command: The warlord inspires one ally to fight on through the pain, giving them 1d6 temporary hit points (last until the end of the encounter or 1 turn). 7th Level: 1d6+level hitpoints, and if the ally is unconscious, you can use this to slap them awake.
"Come on, we just need you to hold the line for a little longer!"
"Maggot! Did I give you permission to die? Get back on your feet!"

Inspiring Command: The warlord brings one ally back from the brink of terror and defeat, allowing them to reroll a failed morale check or saving throw vs. fear. This command can be used as a reaction (i.e. on the turn of the person failing the save or morale check.) 7th level: Can grant all allies a rerolled morale check, OR grant one ally a rerolled save against domination, confusion, or other mental effects.
"Hold steady, men, this isn't over yet!"
"Fight him, my brother! Don't let the evil magic control your mind!"

Warning Command: The warlord warns one ally of an incoming attack, granting them a +4 bonus to AC for one round against the next attack from a designated enemy. 7th level: The warlord predicts every attack just before it happens, granting the bonus against all incoming attacks in the next round.
"Eeek! Look out behind you!"
"Take two steps to the left... now."

admittedly, non-dorky pictures of Warlords are somewhat hard to find

Analysing Command: The warlord points out a weak spot in the enemy's armour or their posture, allowing one ally to gain a +2 bonus to hit and damage against that enemy on their next attack. 7th level: All allies gain the bonus against that enemy for one round.
"There's a chink in his armour, just above the breastplate."
"Hey fatso! (Quick, I've got his attention, stab him in the ass!)"

Tactical Command: The warlord sees an opening in the flow of battle and orders one ally into it, granting them an extra action. 7th level: This Command, and the extra action it grants, can be used before initiative is rolled.
"Do it now, while the way is still clear!"
"Everything's going according to plan."

Threatening Command: The warlord makes a terrifying threat toward one enemy, forcing them to make a morale check. This doesn't work against obviously fearless creatures (constructs, undead, etc.) but it does work against enemies who don't speak the warlord's language. 7th level: All enemies in range must make a morale check.
"I've killed a thousand of your kind in dingy caverns just like this one. What makes you think you'll be any different?"
"I'M GOING TO EAT YOUR BRAINS AND SHIT IN YOUR SKULL!"

just imagine the warlord in this picture is less "here we see Specimen A, the manticore" and more "KILL  THAT FUCKER YOU BEAUTIFUL BASTARDS"

Army
At 9th level, the Warlord gains the ability to command an army of up to 1000 soldiers per level. Everyone in the army is considered to be an ally for the purposes of Commands, though the effects will still be limited by the 30' radius. Furthermore, the Warlord's Commands can now also be used as Gambits - essentially the same thing but on a battlefield scale. For example, a Tactical Gambit could be used to steal a march on the enemy, an Analysing Gambit could maneuver a unit into position to flank, etc. DM fiat/negotiation will be required here since there is no formal system for mass combat in D&D, but try to fit it into whatever mass combat system you're using.

Centaur class for DIY D&D

The Centaur is a being irretrievably trapped between two natures. Half-man and half-horse, the centaur possesses both the wild urges of the animal realm and the high knowledge of civilisation. They possess innate powers of divination but are also afflicted by a chronic madness. Centaurs dwell apart from human civilisation and generally live deep within ancient forests. Their society is dedicated to the control of animal desires, for when the centaurs fail to master themselves they will descend into violence and licentiousness. As a result, most centaurs are very pious and reserved, spending their time in quiet contemplation of the future and the past. To focus on the present is the centaur's greatest desire and fear.

Adventuring centaurs are usually those who have been outcast from their tribe for failing to remain calm and collected. Perhaps they allowed their madness to take hold of them, or perhaps they merely questioned the elders' doctrine of non-interference with some prophesied event.

(Stats for LotFP, but can work with other OSR systems)

Requirements: Wisdom of 11 or less

Hit die: d8

Attack Bonus: +1 (other systems: as Cleric)

Save Progression: As Cleric

Cleric spellcasting: As Cleric, but lags 1 level behind (i.e. no spells at 1st level, 1 spell at 2nd, etc.)

Large Size: A centaur is not much wider than a human but is a good deal longer and taller. A centaur cannot fit into a space any smaller than 5' high or 5' long. Wearing human armour will protect the centaur with a -2 AC penalty at the front and no protection from the rear or sides. Custom centaur armour usually costs 3x that of normal armour.

Hoofs: Having four legs and hoofs makes the centaur well-suited to movement in the wilderness but less so in urban or indoor environments. Over open terrain or forest the centaur has a base movement of 150' per turn, but indoors, underground and in towns or cities the base movement is only 90'.

Riding: Centaurs can carry one human on their back without being encumbered, or two but the centaur will be encumbered.
Mobile Shot: Centaurs can move and fire bows without any penalty to speed or accuracy. The greatest horseback archer of the Mongols is no match for a creature that combines man and horse in one body.

Fugue: Centaurs are usually pious and reserved creatures, but when they get drunk their bestial natures emerge. Consuming even a small amount of alcohol will send the centaur into a fugue for 1d4 turns. During this time the centaur loses all inhibitions and must constantly search for treasure, food and wine. If interrupted by enemies the centaur will fight to the death, and if they find a store of food or wine they will feast and then fall asleep for the remainder of the fugue. All this should be controlled by the player themselves but they must be willing to play the role appropriately.
This is no mere drunkenness however but a divinely inspired insanity. While in a fugue the centaur gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls due to their unerring accuracy; a +2 bonus to saving throws because of an uncanny sixth sense; and once per fugue a brief vision that will lead them to their immediate goals, such as an augury of the nearest food or treasure.

After the fugue ends, the centaur will pass out for 1 turn and during this time make a saving throw vs. spell; if successful, a more long-term vision is granted from the following table. The saving throw attempt may only be made once per day regardless of how many fugues are triggered.

(d20):

1-3: Vision of the centaur achieving their current goal

4-8: Vision of the centaur suffering an imminent death

9-12: Vision of a random NPC nearby

13-16: Vision of a random location nearby
17-18: Further vision related to the fugue (i.e. if the fugue was primarily spent eating, a vision of a nearby cookhouse might be received)

19: Vision of a far-off location, possibly another plane

20: Vision of an important event in the distant future

Harry Potter-style Goblin Class

Goblins in Harry Potter are actually pretty cool. Refreshingly divorced from the influences of D&D or even Tolkien, they bear a greater resemblance to gnomes and dwarves than anything else. Though they are uneasily integrated into wizarding society, they still live a very separate existence, dwelling primarily within their underground tunnels and lightless bank vaults. It also appears that they're oppressed by the wizards, since there have been several bloody goblin rebellions in the past (it's typical of Rowling's style that she treats this as a humorous historical quirk rather than a glaring example of social inequality). One of the most common disagreements between the races is over their concept of ownership: goblins take the view that the creator of an object is its owner, and any 'sale' is in reality a loan that lasts for the duration of the purchaser's life, but no further. Thus, the current ownership of relics like the Sword of Gryffindor (forged by Ragnuk the First and 'sold' to Godric Gryffindor) is a contentious issue.

Here we present statistics for a Goblin class for use with Lamentations of the Flame Princess or other D&D games. This could also be reskinned as a tinker gnome or other such race.

GOBLIN

Hit die: d8

Attack bonus: +1

Saving throws: As Specialist
EXP progression: As Cleric - 1,750 for 2nd level and doubling thereafter; for 9th level onwards, cease doubling and instead add 112,000 for each successive level

Skill Points: Goblins are a skilled race, though not as versatile as human Specialists. The Goblin gains 2 skill points at 1st level and 1 skill point at each level thereafter, i.e. half the skill points of a Specialist. These points can be spent only in the following categories: Architecture, Open Doors, Search, Sleight of Hand, Tinker.
Mundane Crafting: No other race possesses the crafting skills of the goblins. Within 1 turn (10 minutes) a goblin can create more or less any mundane object, provided the raw materials are available. For example, a 10-foot pole could be made into a 5-foot ladder, a steel shield could be made into several swords, or a lump of stone could become a small statuette. No tools or workshops are required; don't ask how the goblins do it, because they won't tell you.
Highly intricate devices may take longer at the DM's discretion, and art pieces with gold piece value cannot be created unless the raw materials are of similar value. Only loose objects can be crafted, so you can't 'craft' a locked door into a pile of wood shavings. You also cannot create any technology that your character doesn't know about, so no crafting AK-47s in a medieval setting; though if you did find an AK-47 somewhere, the goblin could try to reverse engineer it.
Magical Crafting: The greatest goblin craft is the creation of new magic items, though only the oldest and cleverest goblins achieve this level of mastery. At 10th level a goblin can create magic weapons and armour with a +1 bonus, and this bonus increases by 1 every two levels thereafter, to a maximum of +5 at 18th level. Creation of other magic items is up to the DM to consider. This process should cost as much as the g.p. value of the magic item in question.
Alternatively, if playing in a campaign with only unique and rare magic items, consider allowing the goblin to forge their own unique items only after completing a special quest.

The main draw of this class is, of course, the Mundane Crafting ability, which allows the goblin to essentially bypass any questions of "Did you buy such-and-such before we set out?" and even create entirely new objects which no-one could have predicted a need for. This might be overpowered if the goblin just chooses to carry a bunch of spare wood and metal everywhere, but maybe not if you followed tight encumbrance rules like the Anti-Hammerspace Item Tracker. I also like the idea of the PCs scrounging around in the dungeon and building new weapons or items out of questionable materials. "The rust monster will never expect a stone sword!"

What I Talk About When I Talk About Prestige Classes (Part 2)

So I've been writing some posts about prestige classes. This one is to develop the idea of campaign-specific classes that help to tie the PCs into the world. They're divided according to a range of half-formed campaign ideas I've been thinking about.

Classes for a campaign based on Norse mythology

Berserker: "When Hardbeen heard this, a demoniacal frenzy suddenly took him; he furiously bit and devoured the edges of his shield; he kept gulping down fiery coals; he snatched live embers in his mouth and let them pass down into his entrails; he rushed through the perils of crackling fires; and at last, when he had raved through every sort of madness, he turned his sword with raging hand against the hearts of six of his champions."

- Saxo Grammaticus, Gesta Danorum

Berserker Rooks from the Lewis Chessmen. Note the teeth chewing the shields.

When a warrior is violently wronged - his comrades slain, his hall burned, his village slaughtered - he may become a Berserker. Such a state lasts only so long as the character quests to revenge himself upon the perpetrator of the evil deed. When entering into a berserkergang (rage) the character will gain temporary hit points, a bonus to attack and damage, and immunity to fire. However he may struggle to tell the difference between friend and foe.

Völva: The völva are seeresses who practice the mysterious magic known as seid, which allows them to gaze into the future along the strands of fate, and at higher levels to weave the threads of fate themselves. Völva are wanderers, travelling from place to place where their services are needed but rarely welcome after their task is complete. If a völva is to take on an apprentice, she must first be convinced of the character's worth and wisdom. After becoming a völva, the character can never return home again.
Male practitioners of seid, known as seidmen, are even rarer. Because they practise women's magic, they are reviled in Viking society and executed if captured.
Hermit: Sometimes the violent life of a Viking becomes too much for even the stoutest of warriors. After witnessing the death of a boon companion, a character may choose to take the Hermit class. A Hermit does not own anything he cannot carry, nor can he use any items worked by human hand, including armour and weapons. The Hermit gains tracking abilities as a Ranger, and is able to travel and feed himself without fail in even the most dire of conditions. Mundane wild animals will not harm him, and those who once knew him will not recognise him any more. The Hermit can gain bonus XP by throwing treasure away into the wilderness.
The Hermit generally renounces his class after a period of mourning, after which he returns to civilisation more or less the same as he was before. (This class is derived from certain scenes in Arrow-Odd and also the Epic of Gilgamesh.)
Skald: A Skald is a wandering poet who describes tales of wonder and glory for the entertainment of his listeners. To become a Skald, a character requires both a high Charisma and a suitably epic story to tell about their adventures. The player must then compose a poem describing the adventure and perform it. The Skald's poetry grants him the adoration of the masses and a bonus to reaction rolls for large groups of normal humans. Additionally, many fae creatures, demons and even gods can be distracted or defeated by flyting, an act of ritualized poetic insults.

Classes for Batmania

Traveller: When different Aboriginal tribes wish to communicate or trade, there are complex laws and taboos that govern their interaction. The one invested with the power to navigate these laws is called the Traveller. Travellers essentially have 'diplomatic immunity' between tribes, though this depends on their comprehensive knowledge of the local customs. This diplomatic immunity extends even to the realm of the spirits, who must accept the Traveller and not harm them as long as they obey the spirits' traditions. The Traveller is also able to sing special songs that guide them along songlines, where each landmark in the journey is related to a specific verse of the song. Travelling on songlines is always easy and free of trouble. The powers of the Traveller remain only so long as they are charged with a specific journey by their own tribe.

Classes for Hogwarts

Animagus: An Animagus is a wizard* who can transform at will into a particular animal. The species of the animal is selected randomly. The process of becoming an Animagus includes both arduous training and beastly shamanic rituals to unlock the wizard's inner creature. If the ritual goes wrong, the Animagus may become permanently trapped in animal form, or turned into a horrifying human/animal hybrid.
Legilimens: A Legilimens is a wizard trained in the art of mind-reading, allowing them to delve into the thoughts of others. They are also able to use the opposite discipline, Occlumency, to protect themselves against Legilimency and other mental attacks. Legilimency requires strenous training and can only be learned from another, more experience Legilimens.
*Of course, in Hogwarts everyone is a wizard even if they are a Fighter or a Thief.

Classes for an Antediluvian setting

False Idol: False Idols are those who are worshipped as gods, in defiance of the one true God who created the heaven and the earth. The False Idol class is unusual in that anyone or anything can take levels in it - not just humans but also animals, spirits, inanimate objects or landmarks. Instead of gaining EXP, the Idol's level is related to the number of active worshippers. The False Idol gains the ability to spontaneously cast Cleric-type spells, and at higher levels to grant such spells to its own followers.

Bonus: Classes that can be granted by PCs or NPCs

Rolang wrote up a Paladin class in response to my post, where he specifies that the Paladin is created by a high-level Cleric with the spell Initiate Paladin. This got me thinking about other master-apprentice type relationships. The following classes can be taken by PCs when they are low level, and/or granted to their hirelings when they are high level.

Trusty Sidekick: A Fighter of 6th level or above may choose to appoint one of their Fighter henchmen as a Trusty Sidekick, but only if the henchman has saved the Fighter's life. The Sidekick now has hit points or hit dice equal to their master, will never fail morale checks and will always act to protect and serve their master. (If a PC, the Sidekick can still choose to abandon their master but will lose the prestige class immediately.)

NPCs who grant Sidekick status are typically retired or semi-retired adventurers, local lords, knights, and other such who will not be likely to join the actual PC party and thus overshadow everyone else.

If the bond of the Sidekick is broken, the two characters will become Mortal Enemies, destined for strife until only one survives.

If the Sidekick or the master dies, then the other must enter a period of mourning as a Hermit (if the death was natural or immediately avenged) or a Berserker (if the killer escapes unpunished).

As well as a PC-NPC interaction, the Sidekick system could also be used as a hacky way to let low-level PCs adventure alongside high levels.

Sorcerer's Apprentice: A Magic-User of 8th level of above may take on 1-3 Apprentices. The Apprentice must be a Magic-User henchman of lower level. To initiate them, the Magic-User must grant them one spell for each level of spell that they are able to cast. Wise or paranoid masters will also require a magical blood binding which compels the Apprentice to protect and obey their master at all times, an enchantment that is difficult to be rid of. 

If an Apprentice ever exceeds the level of their master, then the blood binding is reversed. Most Apprentices will definitely seek to exploit this in order to slay their master and steal their spells.

Not really sure about the rules for these two but the concept is solid. Basically the idea is that the Sidekick relationship is about being best buddies and crying when the other person gets killed. Apprentice is the opposite of that - it's a race to get more XPs so you can dick the other guy over.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Prestige Classes

Some people seemed to like my previous post about prestige classes. I figured I would follow it up with some concrete examples of what I'm thinking of. Here are some brief sketches of possible 'old school prestige classes', arranged according to type.

Classes requiring a journey to a remote location

Monk of the Beyul: Long ago, the great Guru created seven hidden valleys of paradise, protected from the outside by snowstorms and snow leopards. The only way to find these valleys is to follow the directions of a terma (esoteric scroll) which is itself hidden inside a sacred cave or a stupa (reliquary). The monks who dwell in the beyul practice a secret art which allows them to perform superhuman feats of strength and agility. They are willing to teach it freely, on the assumption that anyone who reaches the valley must be pure of heart.

Anthropophage: In a distant land far to the south, there are a tribe of cannibals who have discovered secret culinary techniques by which they can gain the powers of their enemies by devouring their organs. Some adventurers have returned from this land with hidebound cookbooks and mysterious smiles on their faces.

Classes revolving around a particular quest or mission

Paladin: A paladin is not merely a holy warrior. A paladin is one who has been chosen by their God for a specific quest of utmost importance and righteousness. While the quest lasts, the paladin gains mystical powers, strength and protection from evil, but only in pursuit of that quest. When the paladin reaches their goal, their powers vanish forever.

Cosmic Debt Collector: Relics pilfered from a hall at the end of the universe; minutes stolen from the hour between twelve and one; a patch of stars caught in a bottle: these are the kinds of theft that attract the attention of the immortal cosmic Powers behind the universe. But the Powers do not retrieve that which is stolen from them, they merely count it as a debt. And the debt will always be repaid. Occasionally, it is possible for a human to be chosen as their agent and empowered to collect the debt. The Debt Collector is empowered to travel through the known planes and warp the very fabric of reality itself. The abuse of these powers for petty means is frowned upon.

 A two-stage class

Paladin (alt): A paladin is a person who is too good for this world. Anyone can become a paladin, even a sorcerer or a thief. All they have to do is undertake one act of purest selflessness, sacrificing their own life for the benefit of an innocent. If, somehow, they survive this sacrifice, they will be granted holy powers for God himself smiles upon them.

Unfortunately, the favour of God is a heavy burden to bear in a world filled with sin. No paladin can continue to measure up to the moment of radiant goodness that first defined them. Sooner or later they will fall, and when they do they fall further than any other, becoming an Anti-Paladin.

Anti-Paladin: An Anti-Paladin is a terrible sight to behold, a ravening beast who is hardly able to tell friend from foe as they take out their existential rage on anything in their path. Their once holy power becomes evil and destructive. The state of being Anti-Paladin lasts only for a few hours, after which the character is left with nothing but dark memories and bloodstained hands.

Classes involving bargains with dangerous powers

Warlock: No adventurer starts out as a warlock. Even the most foolish among them know that it is madness to risk one's very soul for a brief chance at power. Yet once they have set out on their path, the lure of the devil's offer is always there. When faced with insurmountable challenges or certain death, some will choose to make a pact with Hell to save themselves.
The powers of the warlock are significant, but their days are numbered before they must pay the debt and be dragged down to Hell. The only way they can ward off this end is by offering the souls of others, but the number of sacrifices required grows larger every time.
The only way to escape the warlock's fate is to be blessed by a powerful cleric and undertake a dangerous mission of penitence. Well, not the only way - it's also possible to take your soul from one demon and sell it to another...
Goblin Prince: The goblins of the Summerwood have no royalty of their own. By ancient law, they must choose humans to be their princes and princesses. One who becomes a Goblin Prince is granted access to their fey magic, including the ability to summon animals and to become supernaturally lucky. However, when the harvest moon next rises it is time for the Prince to become a King. The King is taken by the goblins to the heart of the wood, locked inside a wicker throne and set ablaze. The only way to escape this fate is to abdicate the throne, which requires someone else to take up the mantle of the Prince and all that it entails.

Cat Fancier: There are secrets that only the cats know. Some few make a pact with the cats, and are given access to these secrets - forgotten spells, ancient lore, things which men think they have kept hidden from all. The price that the Cat Fancier must pay is only to offer their hospitality to any cats whom they meet. As news of the pact spreads, the Cat Fancier will find their home overrun with felines. Wherever they travel they will have cats following them, and woe betide them if any of their furry guests come to harm. Most will eventually be driven mad by the incessant mewling of a thousand kittens.
The Pact of the Cat can be broken if a good team of dogs are brought in to chase the cats away. But the cats will not forget.

Classes requiring you to defeat someone of that class

Grand High Magister of the Order of Tzun: The title of Grand High Magister of the Order of Tzun is not merely an honorific; it is enchanted with mystical energies by the original Magister, Tzun himself. Tzun believed it was best if the Magister was given special powers because the Magister was democratically elected. Unfortunately, after his death an obscure loophole in the ancient laws was discovered, allowing the title to be passed on by a formal duel. Since then, the title has never been claimed any other way.

Bearer of the Body of the Saint: Long ago, a mysterious 'saint' came to earth. Later he was killed and his mummified body parts were scattered. By cutting off one's own body part and replacing it with the body of the saint, one can acquire mysterious powers. It is said that many warriors fight each other to gain control of the body parts.

Classes granted by a particular faction

Anarch-Assassin: The Anarch-Assassins believe in the total destruction of the social order in order to create a better world for the future. They know secret techniques of stealth, poisoning and bomb-making. Those who join their order and learn their skills are expected to assist them in their endeavours, or else wake up one night to find a bomb under their bed.
Myrmidon: The most fearsome warriors in the Imperial Army are the Myrmidons, conditioned to fight alongside each other as brothers. They gain a bonus to fighting in ranks and are immune to fear. During peacetime the Myrmidons are allowed to travel freely as long as they serve the goals of the Empire. When war breaks out, each Myrmidon receives a black talisman which serves as a call to arms. Such is the strength of their mental conditioning that it is almost impossible to resist this call or to disobey the orders of their superiors.

Classes requiring certain restrictions on behaviour

 Vegan Ninja: Vegan Ninjas are sworn to do no harm to any animal, nor use any product of animal labour. They have no problem doing harm to humans, though. The Vegan Ninja cannot eat meat or any animal products, and cannot attack mundane animals of any kind. They cannot wear hide or leather armour, nor can they use bows made with sinew, clothes sewn with catgut, fletched arrows, woolen clothes, etc. Nor can they ride horses, ride in carts, or eat food grown in fields tilled by animal labour. In exchange for these numerous and irritating restrictions, the Vegan Ninja gains supernatural powers of agility and telekinesis.
Trappist Cavalier: Trappist Cavaliers are warriors blessed with holy powers by St. Benedict, in exchange for which they swear a solemn vow of silence. A regiment of Trappists on the battlefield is a terrifying sight, riding into battle without a single war-cry. The powers of the Trappist include the ability to enforce silence upon their enemies, and at higher levels also pacifism or even submission to the will of God. They are also able to brew holy ales that confer strength upon those who drink them.
Smirking Coward: The Smirking Cowards are an order of assassins who, through a combination of unholy rites and psychological conditioning, trade away their courage in exchange for dark powers. A Smirking Coward gains a bonus to assassination attempts and sneak attack damage, as well as a variety of indirect murder techniques such as contact poison and insanity-causing patterns. However, the Smirking Coward is wholly unable to fight an enemy face-to-face. As soon as their opponent is aware of them and threatening to attack, the Coward is forced to flee.

Classes acquired as an 'Achievement' for unusual or amusing circumstances

Dungeon Survivor: If the entire party is killed in the dungeon, save for one character, then when that character emerges into the open air they take the Dungeon Survivor class. Their time alone in the mythic underworld has changed them, making them more sensitive to the subterranean world. They gain a bonus to detect secret doors checks and surprise rolls while in the dungeon. However, if they linger too long in the dungeon they may give in to the siren call of the lightless corridors, and vanish into the dark never to return...
Talespinner: A character whose travels have taken them very far afield (say, the two furthest points they've visited are over 100 miles apart) may take the Talespinner class. Their outrageous tales of distant lands make them popular in town, help them to recruit hirelings, and can be used to distract eager listeners.
Drunken Master: Whenever a character fails their carousing roll, there is a very small chance that they will wake up the next morning having spontaneously discovered the secret techniques of the Drunken Master. They gain a bonus to both attack and defense, but only while utterly shitfaced.
Crippled Master: When a character takes three or more permanent disfigurements (severed limbs, gouged eyes, etc.) they may take the Crippled Master class. This character has learned not just to overcome their disabilities but to use their unique fighting style to their advantage. Enemies take a penalty to defenses against the unexpected techniques of the Crippled Master, and the character also gains a special combat maneuver based on what disfigurement they have suffered.

The Prestige Class in Old-School D&D

Old-school D&D players don't seem to dig the concept of a prestige class very much, probably because it makes character generation more cluttered and build-y and blah blah, I'm sure if you're reading this blog you know all that already and if you don't, well, there is surely someone posting about it on RPGnet at this very moment.

But: I think there is room for the concept of 'extra abilities/training that you tack onto your character' in OSR/DIY D&D play. Look at it this way: my FLAILSNAILS character Blodgrist has developed x-ray vision from drinking the blood of a mutant crab, and has a Sword of Rage that he stole from the goddess Kali. Both of those things arguably define his character more than his class (Fighter), but they aren't things I picked so much as they just happened to him (though I still had some agency because I chose to drink the blood and to steal the sword). And other people have been turned into talking dogs or cursed with the grief of a million mothers or some other thing. And there is this thing where Ian talks about how 'Paladin' can be something you sort of lay over the top of 'Fighter' on a temporary basis.

What I'm getting at is that Prestige Classes could be not too dissimilar from curses, magic items, mutations, and other things that happen to your character to make them who they are - which is kind of the core principle of character development in OSR, right? But there would be some differences from the PrCs in 3e or the Paragon Paths in 4e:

A Prestige Class is diegetic. Finding a prestige class in a splatbook in no way entitles you to pick that class. If you want to train as a Monk of the Spiral Fang then you don't buy the Ultimate Monk Handbook, you actually have to trek to the Spiral Fang Monastery and probably perform some quest to prove your worthiness, and then undergo intensive training for six months before you come out knowing kung fu or whatever.
Now, if you see a PrC in a book somewhere you can maybe convince your DM that this class exists somewhere in his/her world, but then maybe not because...

A Prestige Class is usually campaign-specific. Just as you can't expect every campaign to have a Deck of Many Things or a mad wizard who will give you mutations from Gamma World, you can't expect every campaign to include every prestige class. And furthermore, just as most DMs like to make up their own magic items, many of their prestige classes will only exist in that world. So if I'm running a Viking campaign maybe I cooked up a Berserker PrC, but someone else's science fantasy game will have Alchemical Gunsmith and a city-based game could have the Urban Ranger. But they could also get much more specific than that, like even 'Farseer of the Obsidian Tower' or 'Gullet Scavenger' 'Most Holiest Jester-Mendicant' etc.
I think this would be cool for FLAILSNAILS games because it would be another thing that you've picked up on your weird picaresque adventures through the multiverse. "Yeah, I got this sword in the Vats of Mazarin, this scar comes from a thoat stampede, and I learned to kill a man with a sewing needle from the Metassassins of Kwishtar."

A Prestige Class is mysterious. You can't plan to build your character around a certain PrC because you mostly don't know which ones are available. You go looking around the world and then you discover what's out there. The DM is not obliged to give you a PrC that you like any more than he/she is obliged to give you a particular magic item. (The DM can incorporate players' suggestions if they're good and fitting, though.)

A Prestige Class can have any rules that you like. It's DIY, so do whatever you want. Balance? Pfah! I spit on your balance!

A PrC could be just something that you fulfill the requirements for and then you get it. Like if you wanted to become an Animagus from Harry Potter, you don't take levels in that, you either are an Animagus or you aren't. Alternatively, a PrC could let you 'spend' XP to gain levels in that instead of your regular class. Presumably the amount of content that the DM wrote for the class would set a limit on how high you can go. Personally I'd prefer to limit them to 1-3 levels. I like the idea better if your base class remains the thing that you really are, and the PrC is just something on top of that. So maybe a general rule that you can't have more levels in your PrC than you do in your regular class.

A PrC could have stringent requirements of stat, class, race, etc. Though you should be careful not to have the player travel all the way to the monastery only to be told, "No, you need 13 Wisdom to join our order, you only have 12."

A PrC could happen due to wholly diegetic reasons - for example you could become a paladin because a priest charges you with a holy mission, and you don't have to expend any character resources on that any more than you'd pay extra to be able to wield a magic sword once you'd acquired it. Or it could be something that costs XP or levels - perhaps it's paid in advance so you get your powers as soon as your training is complete but you don't get anything the next time you level up.
Realistically you would get special training by actually spending time on training, but that's pretty boring unless you're already playing a game with lots of structured downtime.

I guess my vision of how PrCs would work is similar to everything else in FLAILSNAILS in that it's a total wild west; anything goes as long as everyone's having fun. If, on the other hand, you were running a closed-circuit campaign, then PrCs would be much more restricted and would serve to tie your players more closely into the setting.

80 Alternative Class Titles

One of my favourite D&D moments in memory was when one of my players fought and subdued a giant caterpillar. When he asked me, I told him I couldn't see any reason why he shouldn't be able to train the monstrous insect and ride on it. In response he gleefully crossed out the word 'Fighter' on his character sheet and replaced it with 'Caterpillar Knight'.

& in FLAILSNAILS games where character mortality is high, people often don't seem to bother much with putting any unique spin on their character. It's just "I'm a Fighter." And I know that your character is supposed to emerge from play over time, but you could *also* give a little bit of a twist to your guy at 1st level, which seems only fair to him since he's probably going to die soon anyway.

So how's this for a houserule: after you pick what your character class 'really' is, you then have to pick what you will call it. You're allowed to pick any name you like except for the following four: Fighter, Specialist, Magic-User, Cleric.
If you're unsure about what you want your class to be, or you just can't be bothered because you're probably going to die anyway - then roll or choose from the following table:

(d20)	Fighter	Specialist	Magic-User	Cleric
1	Man-at-Arms	Cutpurse	Wizard	Clergyman
2	Barbarian	Assassin	Warlock	Witchfinder
3	Brigand	Con Artist	Pyromancer	Sun Worshipper
4	Huntsman	Tomb Robber	Necromancer	Satanist
5	Crusader	Gambler	Alchemist	Druid
6	Mercenary	Bastard	Prestidigitator	Hermit
7	Monster Hunter	Harlot	Summoner	Monk
8	Swashbuckler	Bard	Illusionist	Preacher
9	Blade Dancer	Dandy	Psion	Shaman
10	Zealot	Urchin	War Mage	Nun
11	Treasure Hunter	Smuggler	Enchantress	War-Priest
12	Duellist	Poisoner	Sorceror	Vampire Hunter
13	Samurai	Cattle Rustler	Scholar	Healer
14	Hoplite	Tinker	Lunatic	Medicine Man
15	Blacksmith	Pirate	Apprentice	Taoist
16	Squire	Burglar	Voodoo-User	Prophet
17	Skald	Forager	Witch	Theologian
18	Refugee	Mummer	Cartomancer	Death-Priest
19	Berserker	Acrobat	Dreamwalker	Gnostic
20	Wild Man	Charlatan Priest	Mystic Chef	Rabbi

Most of these 'classes' should be self-explanatory. For the few that aren't:
A Refugee is a character like the Flame Princess. You were probably just some ordinary peasant until your family/village was destroyed by monsters/soldiers, and since then you've gotten pretty good at fighting because the people who weren't good at fighting are all dead.
A Berserker is not a Barbarian. Duh! A Barbarian is like Conan or Red Sonja, a Berserker is a Viking who froths at the mouth.
A Bastard is just you're a shit. You don't have any particular profession other than treating people terribly.
A Charlatan Priest is a Rogue pretending to be a Cleric.
A Cartomancer is like, you have a deck of tarot cards and you say something like "In your future, all I predict is... *pulls out card* Death." (then you cast Finger of Death.)
A Monk is just a bald guy from a monastery, let's not get into the kung fu angle at this point.

Note: Some of these concepts might require minor mechanical support from your DM. For example, a Pyromancer's Magic Missile will probably be a little fireball, so it should be able to set things on fire. Check with your DM first! (FLAILSNAILS players, remember: you only have to get one DM to agree to it and then all the DMs have to go along with you.)

Note 2: All this is for Lamentations of the Flame Princess but I'm sure you can figure out how to use it for whatever game you're playing.