Ranger Class for Delving Deeper

(A friend was looking for a Delving Deeper ranger class and no one fessed up. So I wrote one for him.)

Rangers are highly trained fighters of the wilds, using stealth and woodcraft to defeat their enemies. They fight most effectively against goblins and giants, learning their ways and weaknesses to protect the wilderness from their deprivations. 

They may wear leather or chain armor and shields, as well as wield any weapon. Rangers can use magic swords and most other weapons, especially missile weapons. 

As a protector of the wild places and the plants and animals therein, a ranger's greatest enemies are the goblins and giants. A ranger may add their level to the damage when fighting goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, bugbears, ogres, trolls, and giants. 

Rangers are especially skilled in woodcraft techniques including:

• Hide and move silently through cover,
• Track game and enemies, as well as avoiding being tracked,
• Forage for food and water,
• Calm and pacify wild animals, and
• Surprise or ambush enemies in the wilderness.

A ranger accomplishes all of these with a throw of 3-6 on a six-sided die.

At 6th level, rangers gain the ability to cast spells. They cast magic user spells first, learning cleric spells at 7th level. Rangers commune with the wilderness to cast cleric spells, just like a Cleric. They memorize and cast magic user spells like a magic user does. Rangers will start a spellbook at 6th level, writing their spells in it. The referee will determine which spells are in the spellbook.

Strength is the Prime Requisite of Rangers.

Table 1.24: Ranger Progression

Ranger Level	Experience Points Required	Hit Dice	Poison	Wands Rays	Paralysis Petrify	Breath Weapons	Spells
1	0	1+2	12	15	14	13	16
2	2,000	2+1	12	15	14	13	16
3	4,000	3	10	15	12	11	14
4	8,000	4	10	12	12	11	14
5	16,000	5	10	12	12	11	14
6	32,000	6	8	12	10	9	12
7	65,000	7	8	12	10	9	12
8	130,000	8+1	8	9	10	9	12
9	240,000	9+2	6	9	8	7	10
10	360,000	10	6	9	8	7	10
11	480,000	10+2	6	9	8	7	10
12	600,000	11	4	6	6	5	8

A ranger requires 240,000 experience points per level beyond the 12th.
A ranger adds one hit die per two levels beyond the 9th.

Ranger Level	1st Level MU Spells	2nd Level MU Spells	3rd Level MU Spells	1st Level Cleric Spells	1st Level Cleric Spells	1st Level Cleric Spells
6	1	-	-	-	-	-
7	2	-	-	1	-	-
8	2	1	-	2	-	-
9	2	2	-	2	1	-
10	2	2	1	2	2	-
11	2	2	2	2	2	1
12	2	2	2	2	2	2

(This class is mostly drawn from +James Spahn and his White Box Companion, before converting to DD. Thanks for your inspiration.)

A Human Sub-Race for LL and AEC: The Seventh-Born

A while ago I started converting magic users from Chivalry and Sorcery to OSR D&D. I created the Primitive Talent magic user, a kind of add-on class that combined with other classes. I really didn't like the design, so I've rewritten it as a human sub-race for Labyrinth Lord and AEC. This allows it to operate without complicating class. The Seventh-Born is a reference to the magical abilities that folk tales give the seventh son of a seventh son, etc.

Human Sub-Race: The Seventh-Born

Requirements: WIS 12

At the dawn of mankind, life was a struggle to survive. Humans had several natural advantages, including intelligence, community, and tools. Magic was one of those tools. Often the seventh child and their descendants could do things others couldn't. In the mists of time, there were no teachers nor books from which to learn spellcraft. These persons gained talents from life experience, not because someone told them how to do it. These are the Seventh-Born. Their heritage remains in humans through the present.

The seventh-born can cast spells, but they cannot learn spells from teachers or books, nor can they create magic items nor research new spells. They do not memorize, but must sleep and meditate to regain spells. They can cast up to their level in spells per day. They can use magic items made by other magic users. A seventh-born does not spend long hours studying spells, so they can be any character class. The initial list of spells a character knows is based on social class:

Yeoman or Serf
Animal Invisibility
Detect Magic
Divine Weather
Protection from Evil
Charm Person (if CHA = 16+)

Townsman
Detect Magic
Hold Portal
Protection from Evil
Read Languages
Charm Person (if CHA = 16+)

Guildsman
Detect Magic
Protection from Evil
Read Languages
Read Magic
Charm Person (if CHA = 16+)

Nobleman
Detect Magic
Locate Creature
Protection from Evil
Read Magic
Charm Person (if CHA = 16+)

The GM picks (or randomly rolls) an additional spell for every 10,000 XP the character gains. Magic User and Cleric spell lists (and Druid, if using AEC) are eligible. Spells are limited to level equal to half the character's level, rounded up. For example, a level 3 seventh-born fighter can have 2nd level spells.

Magic User Class for Heroic Age of Tékumel

I mentioned on G+ that I'd post an example of a class with the new way of expressing subclasses, such as Tribal versions. So, here is the Magic User class with subclasses Priest and Shaman. Let me know what you think.

Magic User Class

Magic Users can be priests, lay priests, shamans, or other users of magic. Anyone who casts spells is considered a Magic User. 

Weapons and Armor

·        Dagger or staff, and any weapons they received from their background. Magic users of the Temples of Karakán, Chegárra, Vimúhla, and Chiténg* can take any one-handed weapon instead of the staff.

·        Light armor and no shield are required for spell casting. One can use an action to drop the shield to cast.

Metal

Metal interferes with magic. Any more than 2 ounces of metal (20 Káitars) on a wizard’s person or in contact with their body will cause a catastrophic critical failure. Many wizards carry gems or letters of credit for their cash needs.

Magic User Skills
Professional	Spells and Spellcasting skills
Restricted	Level 1: 1st Level spells Levels 2-3: 2nd Level spells Levels 4+: 3rd Level spells Weapons restricted to dagger or staff*
Prohibited	Soldier and Military skills

Saving Throw Bonus

Magic Users gain a +2 on PSY saving throws.

Magic User Experience Table                  

Level	Fighting Level	Casting Level	Hit Dice	Experience
1	1	1	1d6	0-2000
2	1	2	2d6-1	2001-4000
3	1	3	3d6-2	4001-8000
4	2	4	4d6-3	8001-16000
5	2	5	4d6	16001-32000
6	2	6	5d6-1	32001-64000
7	3	7	6d6-2	64001-125000
8	3	8	7d6-3	125000-250000
9	3	9	7d6	250001-375000
10	3	10	8d6-1	375001-500000

Each additional Level requires 125,000 experience points more than the last. The Hit Dice go up by +1 per Level. Fighting Level stays at 3.

Sub-Class: Priest

Prerequisite:  Priest skill

Priest Skills
Professional	Knowledge, Spells, and Spellcasting skills
Restricted	Level 1: 1st Level spells, Levels 2-3: 2nd Level spells, Levels 4+: 3rd Level spells, Weapons restricted to dagger or staff*
Prohibited	Soldier and Military skills

Sub-Class: Shaman

Shaman Skills
Professional	Spells and Spellcasting skills
Restricted	All non-Professional skills must be from Tribal Support skills. Level 1: 1st Level spells, Levels 2-3: 2nd Level spells, Levels 4+: 3rd Level spells, Weapons restricted to dagger or staff*
Prohibited	Soldier and Military skills