Classes of the Realms

Barbarians are mighty warriors who rely on their strength and incredible toughness, as empowered through ancestral totems and nature spirits to win battles. Barbarians are less versatile than the often more civilized fighters but are adept at dealing heavy damage to their foes quickly.

The most famous barbarian of Toril is likely Wulfgar, friend and companion to Drizzt Do'Urden.

Barbarians are common within several organizations within Faerûn such as Uthgardt warrior traditions of the Silver Marches and Icewind Dale, the primal warriors of the Reghed Glacier, wild tribes of the Chondalwood, Chult, and the famous berserkers of Rashemen and its neighboring regions.
However, contrary to common belief, not all warriors who live outside civilization's borders are barbarians. Only those who embrace the wild and primal ways of the rage can rightly call themselves barbarian, imbuing them with a wild spirit not found amongst most warriors. Barbarians' feral nature means they lack the discipline to be lawful, though all other alignments are found amongst barbarians.

Barbarians have a reputation, perhaps not completely deserved, as reckless ruffians and savage nuisances who needless disrupt society by acts of mayhem. However, barbarians, while undoubtedly feral and unpredictable by the nature of their rages are not necessarily uncultured brutes and have time and time again proven cunning and resourcefulness as well as sheer physical power and endurance. Sometimes, in spite of their aversion to order, barbarians even demonstrate honor.

However, barbarians are united, no matter their origins, by a marked lack of disciplines or patience for the laws and traditions that others adhere to. Likewise, while a generalization, it is true to some degree that nearly all barbarians come from outside the confines of settled civilization, being far more common amongst nomadic tribes or frontier settlers than they are amongst urban city dwellers. It is from these remote origins that barbarians often derive their reverence for nature, which brings them close to druids, rangers, and others who venerate the wilderness and honor it.

Many barbarians are human, since humans are amongst the most widespread of the race as well as, in many cases the most uncivilized. However, orc and goblinoid barbarians are more common still and are sometimes the most commonly encountered soldiers of their race.[4] Barbarians from the other races are relatively rare, though amongst elves there are the wild elves, amongst halflings the ghostwise, and amongst dwarves the wild dwarves, each of which have barbarian traditions. Half-elves from the Yuirwood are also sometimes drawn to the way of the barbarian, as are planetouched raised amongst tribal cultures.[2] Dragonborn, goliath, and half-elven barbarians are also fairly common, dragonborns and half-elves preferring the way of thaneborn barbarians, while goliaths are more often rageblood barbarians.

Barbarians have varying attitudes towards magic. On the one hand, barbarians distrust most things they do not understand and this extends towards what they call "book magic" or magic learned in a school or university, such as that used by swordmages or wizards. On the other hand, barbarians are themselves wielders of primal magic, as are the druids many barbarians call friends, or at least allies. Likewise, barbarians often show a large degree of respect for sorcerers, whose approach to magic is much like their own approach to combat. In no small way it is likely that the barbarian prejudice against scholarly magic is due in part to the fact that many barbarians are illiterate.

Abilities

As handy with a weapon as a fighter, barbarians become tougher and more agile as they become more powerful. Though barbarians can wield one-handed weapons many prefer to use two-handed weapons in order to deal maximum damage. Barbarians are also well-versed in the use of light armor but typically lack training in heavier forms of protection such as chainmail or shields, though a few are trained in the latter. Because they lack heavier forms of armor and put their emphasis on power over speed most barbarians train themselves to take incredible levels of punishment that would easily fell lesser beings. Barbarians also develop an aptitude for following up deadly blows with smaller ones, so as to finish off their enemies quickly and easily.

Barbarians draw upon the primal energies of the natural world and its guardian spirits, often in the form of ancestral totems, for empowerment, gaining powerful abilities called evocations. The feral might gained by barbarians can manifest in many other ways and some use it to empower themselves to the point of nigh invulnerability, finding it easier to take blows and plow onwards rather than dodge them. Others might gain the ability to literally shape their fate, affecting the quality of luck dealt them through force of will.

The most distinctive aspect of barbarians is their ability to "rage," wherein they let loose powerful emotional bursts fueled by their primal power. When they rage, barbarians gain powerful benefits to their lesser evocations that last until they collapse or enter a new rage. Barbarians can also use a fraction of their raging power to deal a devastating attack known as a rage strike.

Barbarians have been known to take on other, less common abilities. For instance, many but not all barbarians are trained in moving more swiftly than other adventurers, at least while wearing chainmail or lighter armor, by a factor of roughly twenty to thirty percent. Other barbarians have the capacity to react to danger instinctively, before they are even aware of its presence, giving them an edge against invisible or otherwise unseen attackers. When this ability is developed further these barbarians become difficult or nigh impossible to flank effectively, reacting instantaneously to threats from all around them, be they enemies, traps, or magical effects.

Bards are versatile arcanists, capable in combat, art, and magic alike. Bards practice magic as they would art or song and use their artistic talents to induce magical effects that either bolster their party or hinder their enemy, typically through illusion magic. They also are among the most versatile of characters, capable of learning from practically any trade.

The most notable of the world's bards during the Era of Upheaval was likely Storm Silverhand of the Seven Sisters or Ningal of Unther.

Culture
Both literally and figuratively enchanting bards draw upon, more than perhaps any other profession, the works of all who've come before them. Storytellers, musicians, enchanters, dancers, and lorekeepers bards are often wanderers, traveling from one place to another in search of new lore or perhaps in the hopes of spreading what they already know. Some come into the services of others as ambassadors or spies, but most bards prefer the freedom of mobility and living by one's whims, though this is not without exception and most bards acquire their skills as a result of training under previous bards drawing upon ancient traditions of lore and arcane magic.Bards have a reputation for being joyful and inspiring, though as with every skill their ability to charm and draw others to them has a darker side. Evil bards are typically manipulative and cunning, twisting the hearts of others either through magic or sheer charisma. Still, most bards, regardless of personal morality, have a strong distaste for blatant violence, at least when it can be avoided. To a bard the joys of life are in seeking knowledge or, better yet, witnessing the discovery of such knowledge firsthand. For this reason many bards are drawn to the adventuring lifestyle, hoping to witness the weaving of new tales firsthand - or perhaps even to instigate them.

Bards are common throughout Toril, appearing most commonly in the Dalelands and North Faerûn, though they can also be found in large numbers in as diverse locations as Chult or Vaasa. Some of the world's greatest magical and adventuring traditions were propped up and supported by bards. The most notable of these, the Harpers, held a large numbers of bards within their ranks.

The most common bards are humans and eladrin, as well as half-elves and half-eladrin to a lesser extent, the latter three drawing upon the ancient magical and musical traditions of the Tel-quessir to their benefit. On the other hand, few half-orcs, orcs, or goblinoids become bards, their ancient traditions less befitting of the bard's lifestyle. Nor, for that matter, are dwarven, except for gold dwarves, though halfling and gnomish bards are. Of all the races, half-elves, with their unusual combination of endurance and charm, are considered to have the best natural ability for a bard's lifestyle, though gnomes and tieflings also make excellent bards.

Bards typically get along well with others having chosen different paths, in no small part due to their versatility and charm. In parties of adventurers most bards serve as spokesmen of sorts, due to their affinity for social interaction and skill at enchantment. Bards clash with few characters, having a little bit of something to offer just about anyone.

Bards are drawn most often to the worship of gods of magic, such as Corellon, Selûne, or others. Good bards might worship Bahamut or Moradin. Less moralistic bards might be drawn to the worship of Lolth, Tiamat, or Zehir instead.

Abilities

Bards are among the most versatile of adventurers. While not necessarily as tough as a fighter, as skilled as a rogue, or as intelligent as a wizard, the bard class combines all these aspects, and more, to be a "jack-of-all-trades" support character. For instance, bards are better trained in weaponry than all other arcanists, including swordmages, trained in the use of all simple weapons, longswords, scimitars, short swords, and most kinds of ranged weapons. Many are also skilled in the use of rapiers. Similarly, bards are naturally knowledgeable and have an uncanny ability for improvisation and trying new things. But unlike fighters or rogues, who might be similarly proficient, bards are capable of casting rituals, though to a lesser extent than wizards or clerics, and spells.

Bards of all kinds learn to inspire virtue and ability in those around them, though what qualities they inspire may vary from bard to bard. Some bards inspire cunning and quick reflexes in their allies, while others might inspire and further the courage and valor in those with whom they fight. Similarly, bards can, through their music and arts, soothe the nerves of their allies and, through their magic, heal their wounds and bolster their spirits, either at rest or in combat.

Bards are uncannily good at persuasion and diplomacy. For many bards this is a result of their typically high charisma but all bards, even those with a lower degree of personal allure, are able to charm their way through many troubles. They do this by actually enchanting the very words they speak, making them sound even more persuasive and compelling than they would normally.
Like other arcanists, bards usually use implements to increase the effectiveness of their spells. Most bards use wands for this purpose, wielding them like a conductor's baton. Some bards, however, use more specialized implements such as songblades or enchanted magical instruments. Many bards in particularly treasure the latter, since they can be used not only for magic but for weaving beautiful music.

A cleric is a divine servant of one or more gods, serving them through combat prowess and divine spells, investing their allies with divine power. They are divine leaders who inspire through their own strength of faith. Clerics gain their powers through training and activate them through prayers and rites in the name of their divine patron.

Perhaps the most well-known — and infamous — cleric on Toril was Fzoul Chembryl before his ascension to godhood.

Culture

Religion is deeply important to the majority of people on Toril, who feel that the gods are a very real and active presence in their lives, something that is not very far from the truth. For this reason, serving the gods is something that most people do as just a regular part of their lives. Clerics are elite agents of gods, sworn to follow and obey the tenants of their deity's dogma in ways that the average mortal cannot. Some clerics serve primordials or fiends, though in the latter case the cleric must make foul sacrifices in order to retain their divine power, and the majority remain servants of the truly divine. Clerics must be close to the alignment of their patron, usually within one step of the deity's alignment or less.

Gods are as varying as people and, as a result, so are their divine agents, such as clerics, who might be good or evil, lawful or chaotic, dependent on who they worship and why. Good clerics heal and protect, helping those in need while evil clerics terrorize and destroy, increasing the power of their deity and themselves. Generally, good, or at the very least nonevil, clerics are more common, since good or nonevil deities tend to attract worshipers more than evil ones do. However, some evil gods are truly powerful, such as Bane, and have a large legion of followers and clerics willing to do their bidding. Similarly, though many clerics belong to orderly and structured churches, chaotic gods have clerical servants as well.

Relatively few priests become wandering clerics, but those that do are often inspired with the desire to spread their deity's works, for good or evil. Others are sent by their superiors, dispatched on missions of importance for the church. The most active clerics are typically humans or dwarves, with half-elven, elven, and dragonborn clerics also being relatively common. A few others take on the adventuring lifestyle for more mundane reasons. Regardless of motivation, clerics are highly valued companions, serving as healers and occasional leaders to their compatriots. Additionally, clerics may be specialized in ways, based on the deity they worship, that put them on agreeable terms with other adventurers.

Nearly all clerics are ordained members of a religious organization of some kind, though a few operate more independently and even those who are bound to a hierarchy do not necessarily answer to superiors. Most make their career choice relatively early in life, seeking to uphold the ideals of his or her god. Churches are often, but not always, tied to a specific god and a few gods maintain separate churches, some of which war with one another over differing interpretations of their god's (or pantheon's) dogma.
edit Abilities

Clerics commonly use light or medium armor, simple weapons, and divine magic to improve the abilities of themselves or their allies in combat. Many clerics are also skilled in the use of heavy armor and shields. Clerics augment these spells, also known as prayers, through holy symbols of their deity that carry with them or wear. Clerics are also experts in casting rituals, spell-like abilities that require an incredible amount of time and preparation to use but which often have dramatic effects. Others might instead choose to be trained in preparing alchemical recipes.

Clerics can also learn to directly access the power of their deity through their body in a prayer known as channel divinity. This power may manifest it in several ways such as increasing the abilities of the cleric as well as being able to repel undead creatures. A few clerics learn instead to either destroy or control undead, with evil clerics generally choosing the latter. A cleric may also gain an individual variant of channel divinity based on the nature of their god, with clerics of Mielikki and Shar having access to a wildly different variant of channel divinity.

Clerics are powerful healers thanks to special training and the blessings of their gods, both of which increase the potency of the curative prayers available to them. Any cleric is capable of even a basic healing word prayer, with more experienced clerics often capable of much more. Some clerics are also trained in transforming other prayers into powers of healing or, if the cleric worships a non-good god, into spells of necrotic power.

Some clerics have additional abilities less common amongst their compatriots. A great many clerics have learned, in addition to the gentle repose ritual know to all clerics, the ritual of Simbul's conversion, which allows a cleric to convert their prayers into healing energy. A fewer number of clerics, generally evil in alignment, have learned instead to convert this stored energy into negative energy for the purpose of harming enemies.

Many clerics are also fluent in Supernal or Abyssal and their related dialects.

A druid is a versatile and often heroic character, capable in both combat and casting evocations. Druids obtain these primal powers from being at one with nature or from one of several patrons of the wild, often gods or powerful nature spirits. Druids are not often trained in wearing heavier armors or most weapons but instead have the ability to change into powerful beast forms. Through their evocations and abilities as a creature of the wild, druids can turn the tide of a battle, hindering their foes as easily from afar or in a melee or sometimes striking them with deadly force or healing nearby allies.

Haarn Brightcloak and Jaheira are well-known druids.

Known for their mysterious nature druids call the wilderness their home and views its dangers as a challenge to meet and conquer. With a great respect and veneration for nature, druids stray away from extremes of good, evil, order, or chaos, instead seeking only to maintain a natural state of being which most of the civilized world cannot or will not understand. But though druids may appear at first serene they can be provoked into fits of fury and are often cunning, and thereby dangerous, foes.

Powerful sentries of the natural world, druids are often seen by outsiders as primal controllers of the wilderness. However, though druids indeed draw great power from nature, druids, nigh universally, do not see themselves as masters of the wild but rather its servants, much as a cleric might serve a god or a knight his liege. To a druid, claim of power over the world is something that only an urbanite removed from nature could profess, due to a lack of understanding. The primal power that druids draw upon comes to them not through control, but through unity in spirit. This distinction is, however, lost on most.

Druids are not the only caretakers of the wilderness, though they are perhaps the best known. Comparable to wizards in many ways, druids are often nature's lorekeepers, possessing an enormous degree of knowledge about the inhabitants, locations, and phenomena of Toril's wildernesses. However, while wizards seek this knowledge for knowledge (or sometimes power)'s sake, druids act on behalf of that which they study. More than anything else, druids value the pristine wilderness, accepting its cruelty and ugliness along with its wonder and beauty, but harboring a deep hate for that which twists or violates the laws of the natural world, such as aberrations or undead. As such, while druids rarely act selfishly, they are nonetheless as likely to be good or evil.

Druids share a brotherhood of sort with all other druids, though it is often a loose association rather than a tightly bound network. Ignoring the artificial boundaries of kings and princes, druids respect and protect all the lands of the world, working with druids from far-away lands as readily as with those whom they know personally. Induction into these societies often requires knowledge of secret rites and passing dangerous tests but once received, druids are rarely cast out and allowed to more or less carry on their work in their own way. Many of these societies are religious in nature and tied to a church of some sort, but not all are. In particular, druids find themselves drawn to the worship of the gods Angharradh, Chauntea, Mielikki, Auril, Silvanus, Sseth, Talos, or Umberlee, or the gods Isis or Osiris before their disappearance during the Spellplague. The primordial Aerdrie Faenya as well as the exarchs Baervan Wildwanderer, Cyrrollalee, Gwaeron Windstrom, Shiallia, and Thard Harr are also common subjects of veneration, as were Anhur, Eldath, Lurue, Nobanion, Rillifane Rallathil, Sebek, Segojan Earthcaller, Ubtao, and Ulutiu and before the Spellplague.

Druids are most often Tel-quessir, gnomes, or humans, particularly more feral tribes. A few druids also come from other racial backgrounds, such as gnolls[2], ghostwise halflings, lightfoot halflings, or wild dwarves though, generally, druids are uncommon amongst other races and cultures. Druids as a whole reject civilization as a false comfort and as a result sometimes find it difficult to get along with its inhabitants, such as paladins, rogues, or arcanists. Druids instead prefer the comfort of individuals with like minds, such as barbarians, rangers, shamans, or wardens.

Regardless of race, druids are most commonly found in regions where there remains pristine wilderness, such as Aglarond, Chult, the Great Dale, the High Forest, the Moonshaes, the North, the Vast, the Vilhon Reach, or the Western Heartlands. Before its devastation during the Spellplague, the Chondalwood was another center of druidic activity. However, druid do not neglect more barren landscapes for lush forests and plains and druids of all kinds also care for the mountains, the deserts, the lakes, and the swamps of the world.

Druids work well in a support role, since they are both competent spellcasters and combatants. Druids can cast ability-augmenting, offensive, defensive, and healing evocations, making them versatile casters and able secondary healers, often with the aid of implements such as staffs or totems. Like clerics or wizards, druids know how to cast rituals and are, even at the start of their training, capable of using beasts of the wild as their messengers.

The ability to wild shape is one of the druid's most potent abilities and allows druids to shapeshift into any beast of roughly their size, including some plants as well as several fey. At its most basic level this ability allows druids to shapeshift into an indistinct being of feathers, fur, or claws that resembles the Primal Beast spoken of in many druidic legends. From this Primal Beast the druids draw some of their primal energy, whether in their beast form or unchanged, either increasing their durability or making them swifter, in either case while wearing hide or lighter armor. Druids can change appearance at will, and some do not age, although they still have the same life expectancy as other members of their race. Some experienced druids can extend this capacity for shapeshifting at will into any person they desire.

Other druids have less common abilities. Some druids have, in addition to their wild shape evocations, animal companions that fill some of the functions provided by wild shaping. A few druids are experts in the fields of botany and zoology, identifying various species with perfect accuracy by instinct. As a result, druids are naturally wary of possible deception by wildlife and fey. Likewise, druids have a natural sense for the safety of drinking water. Similarly, many druids are immune to the effects of organic poisons. Several druids are also masters at moving through the wilderness at fast speeds, ignoring the hampering effects of natural hazards such as thorns or briars. With enough training, these druids do not even leave a hint of their movement through the wild.

Fighter is a descriptive term for a combat expert skilled with a variety of weapons and trained to protect other members of a group. A skilled fighter defines the front line of any battle, holding it while their allies maneuver. Any individual fighter can use almost any armor and weapon they choose and benefits from the ability to quickly learn more and more tactical maneuvers. With the proper time and training, fighters become capable of mastering their weapons to the point of killing opponents in a single blow.

Artemis Entreri, Bruenor Battlehammer, Drizzt Do'Urden and Azoun IV are all well-known fighters from Toril's history. Two even more powerful fighters of old were Zaknafein Do'Urden, Weapons Master of the House Do'Urden, and the ancient gold elf Coronal Eltargrim Irithyl.

Among the most common adventurers, fighters come from an innumerable set of backgrounds. Some are knights in the service of a quest or elite foot soldiers whilst others are ambition would-be overlords or hardened mercenaries. What brings fighters together, however, is their common roots as warriors who put themselves in the thick of battle, between their allies or minions and harm and while many fighters could be called disreputable, few if any are true physical cowards.

All fighters draw on a wealth of experience built by others who've come before them, though some are more formal about it than others. Many fighters come to their profession through formal training as members of a militia or army, some having been trained within formal academies. Others are more or less self-educated, their skills hardened through self-experience rather than formal instruction. Some fighters are brought to the ways of martial combat by a threat to their home and others are a part of a long family tradition. Regardless, fighters, while commonly sharing a bond with those whom they've fought beside personally, do not see themselves as a whole to be brothers in arms, at least not typically. Instead, fighters are united by the heat of battle and the skills they carry with them.

Fighters are common in nearly every part of Faerûn and though they are sometimes overlooked due to their widespread nature, truly skilled fighters are well-respected for their abilities. While many fighters operate on their own or as parts of informally organized groups, others hold themselves to a higher ideal and are part of knightly orders. These include such renowned groups as the Purple Dragons of Cormyr, the Knights Kuldar of Barakmordin, or, in the past, the Champions Vigilant of Helm.

Likewise, fighters come from a wide variety of races. Amongst humans, dwarves, eladrin,, particularly moon elves, halfling, most often lightfoot or strongheart halflings, and dragonborn fighters are particularly common, drawing on military traditions and often serving as agents of the ancient kingdoms ruled over by each of these races. Half-orc fighters are also common, though less so, and are typically outcasts of both lineages who've taken their hardships and channeled it into a force for discipline and martial skill. Amongst the goblinoid races, hobgoblins are most commonly fighters, the other races typically lacking the discipline for a strong martial tradition. Drow and duergar fighters are also common.

Fighters of all varieties are skilled in the use of most commonly used weapons and armor, making them highly proficient in the ways of battle. All fighters are adept at both melee and ranged combat, though the training of fighters puts its emphasis on melee. Fighters of most kinds, with the exceptions of the battlerager and tempest fighters, favor either one-handed or two-handed weapons and are particularly adept with their favored weapon, though they remain skilled in the other style. Most fighters prefer melee to ranged combat, though a few are experts in bows and other ranged weapons, specializing in these, instead of melee weapons, at close range. Fighters also have a high morale and are hardened to take blows that would kill lesser beings, making them archetypically durable during prolonged combat.

As a whole, fighters work best among others and are trained to protect the flanks of allies. When an enemy attacks a friend or ally of a fighter, the fighter is prepared to leap to the ally's defense and distract the foe, decreasing the effectiveness of their attacks. Fighters are also better able to take advantage of flaws in an enemy's defense than warriors of other types.

Monks are psionicists, proficient in focusing their bodies through the mystical energy known as psionics or ki in order to defend themselves while unarmed or to strike their foes with deadly power. Due to their special training monks are, in fact, as capable in combat as fully armed warriors typically are, striking with as much lethality as many fighters, rangers, or rogues. Additionally, most monks are capable of affecting their enemies in other ways.

Sabuti Shanardanda was a notable monk from Amn during the Era of Upheaval.

Monastic traditions appear to have originally arisen in Amn and Calimshan simultaneously, though traditions from Kara-Tur and other material planes have since immigrated to Faerûn and may have, in fact, originated earlier. Most monastic orders are devoted to the worship and internalization of the ideals of a god, though others do not and it is not required for the practice of a monk’s lifestyle, since a monk’s power comes from within, rather than from divine sources. Gods more commonly worshiped by monks tend to be either gods like Bahamut who are champions of virtue, deities of battle such as Tempus, or those who require of their followers a disciplined lifestyle. Monks of Ilmater, Shar, are also common Yondalla, and members of the Shining Hand were devoted to Azuth prior to the exarch's death.

Monks usually live in monasteries, which can be found throughout all of Toril, though most commonly in Amn, Calimshan, Damara, Kara-Tur, the Lake of Steam, or Silverymoon, as well as Mulhorand prior to the Spellplague. It is here where monks rigorously train the mastery of their bodies and minds, notably being able to defend themselves with their bare hands and certain specialized weapons. Due to the discipline imposed by this training, all monks are of an orderly, some would say lawful, temperament. However, monasteries, and the monks that reside within, may vary in morality. Good monasteries are servants of the people, protecting them from bandits and other threats. Evil monasteries, on the other hand, can become tyrannical bastions, ruling the surrounding lands through fear or serving despots as spies and assassins. Most monks adhere to neither extreme, however.

Most monks come to their individual monastery at an early age, either as orphans or members of starving families. However, relatively few of these monks feel any close connection to their previous families or friends from before joining the monastery, though they may or may not feel such a connection to their fellow students. Other monks come from a different background, most often within cities where masters of an order set up schools to teach the fighting style and traditions of his or her order to prospective students.

Most monks are humans, yet another example of humanity’s ever-varying and ever-changing culture. Similarly, many monks who are not human are half-humans such as half-elves or half-orcs, the latter in particular being well-suited for a physical rigors of a monk’s life. Elves can be, due to their unusually long lives, agility, and single-minded approach towards arts and disciplines, be potentially well-suited for the life of a monk. However, dwarves, in spite of their hierarchical and orderly culture, find the concept of the monk unusual and only very rarely to dwarven monks make themselves known. Likewise gnomish and halfing monks, with the exception of stronghearts, are not particularly common. Similarly, monks are a completely alien tradition to the more savage humanoids such as orcs or goblinoids.

Monks’ psionic mastery of martial arts does not require them to fight without armor, although they do gain benefits from eschewing it for an unarmored defense, acquiring a unique ability to sense and avoid attacks, sometimes enhanced by their experience and ability to percieve or intuition Likewise, monks often use only their bare hands as weapons, delivering powerful blows that grow stronger as the monk increases in power. Monks are, however, trained as well in the use of clubs, daggers, spears, slings, shurikens, and quarterstaffs. Of these, monks can use their unarmed strikes, clubs, daggers, staffs, or spears as implements to enhance their psionic powers, known as disciplines. Some monks are also trained in the use of crossbows, handaxes, nunchaku, kamas, or sianghams and, in particular, prefer the use of kamas and sianghams, which are small enough and specialized enough to allow them to use their unarmed techniques.

As melee combatants, monks are more or less equivalent to more traditional warriors in skill and deadliness, learning a number of techniques that give them an edge over their armed foes. Monks can also learn to stun their opponents and as they grow more experienced some monks learn a number of other methods, becoming capable of deflecting missile attacks or killing a foe with a single blow.

All monks are unusually focused and many are difficult to charm or enchant. Monks can also use this focus, as well as their psionic power, to affect their own body in unusual ways. With a little training, for instance, monks can become adept at using their surroundings to slow their descent when falling to nonlethal speeds. Likewise, monks may be able to purify their body, gaining immunity to common illnesses and the ability to heal themselves at will. With additional training, monks learn to halt their aging, speak with any creature, gain immunity to poisons, or gain an unusual degree of resistance to virtually all supernatural effects.

The paladin is a holy knight, crusading in the name of good and order, and is a divine spellcaster. From 1st through 3rd edition, paladins were required to maintain the Lawful Good alignment.

In addition, compared to other classes the paladin class has one of the most restrictive codes of conduct in their single-mindedness and utter devotion to good. Paladin characters are expected to demonstrate and embody goodness. It is taboo for a paladin to lie or use poison, and some interpretations say they should only use stealth as a last resort. Other restrictions are sometimes laid on the paladin depending on campaign setting, ranging from restricting the class to the point of making it comically unplayable to a class that only differs from other warrior classes in its additional divine powers. Failure to maintain a lawful good alignment or adhere to the code of conduct causes paladins to lose their paladin status and many of their special abilities until they are able to atone.

Typical tenets of the Paladin code are as follows (though many variants exist):

* A Paladin must be of Lawful Good alignment.
* A Paladin may never willfully commit an Evil act.
* A Paladin cannot associate with any character that persistently commits acts which would cause the Paladin him/herself to Fall - notably Evil creatures.
* A Paladin must remain truthful and forthright at all times.
* A Paladin must give fair warning and due quarter to enemies.
* A Paladin holds stealth, subterfuge, attack from the rear, missile weapons and especially poison as weapons of last resort.

Occasional, necessary, minor deviations are permissible, but a single gross violation of his/her code of conduct will strip the Paladin of powers until he/she Atones. Acts of Evil or alignment shift always qualify. (Atonement typically involves a quest or undertaking by way of penance, but forced or accidental violations may waive this requirement.)

The Paladin class is available to all races, although most Paladins are still human. The class is notably uncommon among savage humanoids such as orcs and goblins, where good-aligned beings are rare.

Rangers are warriors and hunters who excel at exploring the fringes of civilization. Hunters, scouts, trappers, and assassins rangers can be found wherever civilization borders the wilderness. Many rangers use only natural armor and benefit from a closeness to the wild. Nearly all rangers worship a god, and almost always this god is tied in some way to the natural world.

The most famous of all Toril's rangers is by far the legendary drow Drizzt Do'Urden, though Dove Falconhand was also well-known during her lifetime.

Most at home on the edge, rangers might be assassins, explorers, scouts, or some combination of the above. Rangers are often stereotyped as wild frontiersmen and are thought of as woodland hunters of deadly prey, skilled in wilderness lore. This is not, however, true of all rangers and others are more at home within ancient ruins, vast deserts, caverns of the Underdark, or city sewers. What defines the culture of the rangers is not so much a bond with nature, though many share such an affinity, but rather their attraction to the unknown and the untamed, often to protect it but sometimes to subjugate it or emulate its feral power instead,[2] a drive which inspires rangers to as distant and varying locations as Aglarond, the Chondalwood, Chult, the Cold Lands, the Dalelands, Evermeet, the North, the Hordelands, the Lake of Steam, Rashemen, or the Western Heartlands. Rangers can be useful allies, but they can also be deadly enemies, disappearing into the wilderness after a devastating attack. When in combat, rangers generally rely on evasive hit-and-run tactics, darting in and out of harm's way.

The stereotype is not without merit, however, and many rangers fit the image of cunning hunters and protectors of forests or other wildlands. These rangers see themselves as the enemies of nature's enemies and have a special affinity for barbarians and druids, who often share similar goals. But is important to note that other rangers are more mercenary, fighting for personal glory or wealth. As their aspirations may differ so do rangers' backgrounds, some coming from special military training while others learn under solitary mentors who vest them with lessons on how to survive in places where few of the civilized races care to tread. Whether through military or personal training, all rangers are fairly self-reliant and as much, if not more, at home in the wild as they are in a bustling city.

Rangers are very often motivated by good intentions and have a well-placed sense of right and wrong and are also very often drawn to the unknown as a rejection of civilization's rigidity. For this latter reason and in spite of their often good nature, rangers rarely get along with paladins, even those not of a lawful alignment. Rangers with other motives are not uncommon however, and evil rangers are rightly feared, often taking the role of a savage predator, hunting their victims with cruelty and wicked intent. Similarly, while rangers are often chaotic in mindset, others feel an attraction to law or feel no need to put themselves on either "side." In spite of this, many rangers do align themselves with larger organizations, such as the Harpers or Zhentarim. Regardless of personal ethics, most rangers hold themselves accountable to gods of the wilderness, such as Mielikki or Silvanus.

Among the civilized humanoid races, rangers are most common among the Tel-quessir, whose culture places a high value on the natural world and its exploration and their natural grace also benefits those among them who take on the way of a ranger. Elves in particular are very common, though many eladrin take on the way of the two-blade ranger. Amongst the other races humans, due to the race's physical and mental versatility, and dragonborns are also very common rangers. Half-orcs and half-elves, while less suited, are often attracted to the ranger's ways as well, half-elves particularly through their elven ancestors and half-orcs out of a desire to get away from the ostracizing confines of civilized society or, for that matter, orcish society. Dwarven rangers, while rare, are well-respected and commonly known as "cavers" amongst their people. Halflings are, however, both physically well-suited for a ranger's lifestyle and culturally acclimatized, with the exception of the ghostwise. The rarest of the civilized races to breed rangers are gnomes, except for deep gnomes who value their skills at scouting the Underdark. Among the savage races rangers are far more rare, gnolls being the most common to breed rangers.

Trained to be nimble and deadly, rangers of all kinds are essentially scouts or assassins who favor hit and run tactics to a straight fight. Some rangers prefer the wilderness of the surface world, while others dwell beneath in the caverns of the Underdark. In either case rangers train their senses to an extremely keen level. Many rangers hone their wilderness survival skills even further through the acquisition of an animal companion, either through a mutual friendship or outright slavery.

All rangers are proficient to some degree in lighter armors and most military-grade weapons and many, but not all, also have some skill in the use of shields. Generally, rangers prefer to be lightly protected, as it allows them more agility and use of their reflexes then heavier armor makes possible.[6] All rangers are skilled in archery and dual weapon melee combat, most often choosing to emphasize one or the other. Rangers who emphasize either style often become members of traditions that further specialize them, such as the High Forest scout or the Impilutran Demonslayers. Rangers of either type are nonetheless skilled in the other style, even though it is to a lesser degree, and all rangers are excellent archers and ambushers.

While magic is not a typical part of ranger training more experienced and wizened rangers sometimes learn to wield primal magic in much the same manner as a druid might, drawing on the power of ancient nature spirits to empower themselves or others. Each day rangers must focus this power within themselves, preparing which evocations they intend to cast. Ranger also frequently obtain a special enmity for a particular kind of creature, focusing their training on learning how to overcome foes of that type.

A rogue is a versatile character, capable of sneaky combat and nimble tricks. The rogue is stealthy and dexterous, and often charming as well. Where other characters have the power to defeat enemies, the rogue has the wit to track them down and lead the team past traps and barriers on the way to that fight.

Several well-known rogues of Toril include Ravenscar of Baldur's Gate, Regis of the Companions of the Hall, and Mirt of Waterdeep.

Rogues have a reputation for thievery but not all rogues are thieves and in Faerûn they are as often diplomats or envoys as burglars. As a whole, rogues are an enormously diverse group and some are acrobats, spies, or swashbucklers, many with complex motivations driving them, although it would be dishonest to say that the skills of a rogue do not lend themselves well to a thief's lifestyle and thieve's guilds are found widely throughout the world, such as the powerful Shadow Thieves. Some are masters of stealth, while others prefer other methods of subterfuge. What rogues share is not any one occupation but rather an affinity for mingling with people and finding or getting into things others would rather leave unfound or unopened. Rogues of all sorts are resourceful and adaptable, having what might be called a “sixth sense” for avoiding peril, which helps them to get out of the dangerous situations that they often finds themselves in.

Rogues choose their daring lifestyle for a variety of reasons. Typically, rogues are imagined as selfish burglars and assassins whose sole motive is profit. This is not entirely fair but neither is it wholly untrue and most rogues, regardless of their moral standing, hope to earn something from their exploits. Many rogues seek material wealth but others seek fame, or perhaps infamy, and a few are simply daredevils seeking the thrill of a real challenge. Because of these traits, rogues are most typically in opposition to order and tradition, and are therefore wary of lawful-aligned paladins, though rogues in the service of law and order do exist and rogues are equally likely to be found serving good or evil. Many rogues, regardless of motives or morals, worship Beshaba, Cyric, Oghma, Shar, Sune, Tymora, or Waukeen. In days past, before the Spellplague and the god's subsequent disappearance, many also worshiped Mask.

Thieving rogues are sometimes members of large gangs known as thieves' or assassins' guilds but rogues can come from any number of backgrounds. Most rogues, regardless of their business, are primarily self-taught or learned their skills from a teacher, often a more experienced rogue. These rogues often recruit their students as assistants in various jobs that require their unique skills, from which the younger rogue develops their skills. Partings between the mentor and student are rarely clean and in general, rogues feel little brotherhood unless part of the same guild. In fact, most rogues tend to view eachother with even more suspicion than they do everyone else and most partnerships are short-lived.

Humans are among the best rogues, in large part due to their natural adaptability, which fits the modus operandi of many rogues to a letter. Elves and halflings have, due to their physical agility, perhaps an even greater affinity for the life of a rogue. Among the best rogues are those from the tiefling race, whose cunning and aura of confidence makes them well-suited for the rogue's lifestyle. Half-elves also make good rogues, though to a lesser extent as do dwarves of all kinds and rock gnomes or deep gnomes, all of whom are often renowned for their expert skill with disarming traps or picking locks. Half-orc rogues are not entirely uncommon either, though such individuals tend to focus more on using veiled threats and brute strength rather than stealth. Similarly, there are many rogues to be found amongst the more “savage” humanoids, particularly goblinoids. Eladrin of many kinds are often rogues as well. Regardless of race, rogues are most common in Amn, Calimshan, the Cold Lands, the Dragon Coast, Evermeet, the Great Dale, the Lake of Steam, Narfell, the North, the Shaar, Tashalar, and the Western Heartlands.

Rogues are deadly but somewhat vulnerable front line combatants, preferring to strike from the shadows and dart back into them, either excelling at ranged or light melee attacks. All in all, in combat the rogue remains more interested in supporting teammates through the harassment of enemies — and slipping around to sneak attack — than in standing up to an opponent directly, as reflected in their choice of armor, which is typically leather or lighter. Some rogues play against this stereotype however and engage in more brutal attacks, though still lacking the sheer combat endurance possessed by fighters, paladins, or swordmages. Rogues of all kinds are particularly skilled when wielding daggers or shuriken or when they have the opportunity to strike first.

The greatest value of rogues lies in the fact that they are the handymen. Without pure battle or magical power, a rogue can contribute in ways as varied as disarming traps, scouting enemies, and persuading possible allies, using their wealth of skill points and long list of useful adventuring skills. And while rogues are more physically fragile than some other classes, many possess an ability to avoid danger that can seem uncannily supernatural at times. Similarly, the mind of a rogue can sometimes be described as “slippery” and several rogues are infuriatingly difficult to charm or enchant.

A sorcerer, sometimes known as a sorceress if female, is a wielder of arcane magic bound only by their own willpower. Unlike most other arcanists, particularly the wizards they are often compared with, sorcerers have innate magical ability and are noted for their lack of study in obtaining such power. And while a wizard focuses on isolating their foes and diminishing their ability to fight, a sorcerer prefers to unleash his or her full power, without restraint, blasting their enemies into oblivion. The magic a sorcerer wields is, as a result, intensely powerful though often somewhat unpredictable, much like a barbarian in the heat of a rage.

Among the best-known sorcerers in Faerûn is the Simbul, a powerful sorceress from Aglarond, although most of her sisters are also skilled sorcerers.

Sorcerers are arcane artists, casting spells as a poet might write poetry, innately, rather than through regimented study. How they come by this power is not commonly known, though it is speculated that sorcerers' very flesh is, in some way, touched by arcane power. Many sorcerers claim to be the descendants of dragons, a claim that is neither wholly false nor wholly true. It is evident that many sorcerers do indeed draw upon ancient dragon blood but others appear to draw their power from other sources, such as wild magic. Regardless of the origin in question, most sorcerers view their magic through a lens of emotion rather than logic, and they are not prone to specialization in the same way many wizards are. As a result, most sorcerers do not get along very well with wizards and are usually, at best, competitive with the studied mages, with wizards viewing sorcerers as inept bunglers and sorcerers viewing wizards as obstinate and unnecessarily secretive prudes. However, many who are neither fail to see a difference between the two in practice. For similar reasons to their uneasy relationship with wizards, sorcerers do not typically get along with monks or paladins, though they often enjoy the company of druids or rogues.

Regardless of the origin of a sorcerer's power, most discover their power some time during puberty, where it begins to manifest in unpredictable and often disturbing manners, such as haunting lights or mysterious sounds. In time, most sorcerers realize they are the source of the disturbance and react accordingly, either for good or ill. Fortunate sorcerers might come under the tutelage of a more experienced arcanist but more often sorcerers are left to fend for themselves, friends and family shying away from them and their uncommon abilities. As a result, few sorcerers feel any brotherhood of any kind, and have little urge to work with one another. Most sorcerers do, however, share a common bond in their worship of gods associated with magic, including, in the past, any of the Mystras. However, sorcerers are drawn to the worship of many gods, favoring none in particular and a sorcerer is as likely to worship Lathander as Selûne.

As a result of their uneasy upbringing, the ease with which power flows to them, and other factors, most sorcerers are free spirits who flinch against authority and tradition. Most seek out an adventurer's life in order to expand their own power and test its limits. Some do this in order to help others, using their power to protect the weak. Others seek to simply prove themselves, obtaining a place of respect within society. Other sorcerer have crueler ends in mind, however, intent on using their power as a means to subjugate or instill fear in those whom they consider inferior.

Sorcerers are often human or half-elven in origin, in part because of humanity's diversity and adaptability. However, there is nothing particular about humans that makes them well-suited for a sorcerer's talents, and individuals of any race can manifest sorcerers. Kobold sorcerers are particularly common, likely due to their draconic origins, of which kobolds are extremely proud. Arcanists from other uncivilized races are also more likely to be sorcerers than wizards, since they lack the proper infrastructure and culture for the intellectual pursuit of arcane power. Gold dwarves, wild elves, and lightfoot halflings often also demonstrate a natural talent for sorcery.

Sorcerers are found throughout all of the world, though some realms have a greater tolerance for their talents than others. For instance, Aglarond, particularly during the rule of the Simbul in the Era of Upheaval held a great amount of respect for sorcerers. Similarly, many sorcerers can be found now throughout Calimshan, the Dragon Coast, the Great Dale, the High Forest, the Lake of Steam, the Nelanther Isles, the Shaar, Silverymoon, Tethyr, and the Western Heartlands

Sorcerers are best in a support role, though they often put themselves at risk as a part of their job. While in combat, sorcerers are typically heavy hitters, dealing lots of damage, though many sorcerers also appreciate the utility of long-ranged, hindering spells that exchange raw power for a greater number of enemies injured or other effects. To aid them in casting these spells, sorcerers make use of daggers and staffs as implements, which empower their spells and make them more potent. And while wizards rely on their ability to learn and memorize for the purpose of spellcasting, sorcerers more typically rely on their willpower and emotional presence to focus and empower their abilities.

Because a sorcerer's power is inherent most of their abilities are dependent on their precise ancestry. Many sorcerers are descended from dragons, at least distantly, and draconic blood, with its arcane infusions, makes a potent source of power for many sorcerers, many of whom learn to tap this power in order to make themselves stronger, more resilient, or elementally gifted. Others sorcerers tap into the power of wild magic, giving them an added versatility in their powers at the cost of predictability. Because this power comes naturally, sorcerers have an opportunity to pick up training in most simplistic weapons, giving them a slight edge over wizards in non-magical combat, though still behind other arcanists. Like wizards, the vast majority of sorcerers lack training in the use of any armor.

A few sorcerers, though not all, take on familiars or magical companions who can be summoned to service. Like the familiars of wizards, sorcerer familiars can cast spells that their master is capable of using, as well as having the capacity to communicate with them on a very basic level.

A warlock is an arcanist who gains power through pacts with powerful entities, most commonly devils, elder evils of the Far Realm, fey, or demons. These pacts allow warlocks to channel powerful abilities of arcane might that would otherwise be closed to them.

Davoren Hellsheart and Ammon Jerro are some of Faerûn's best known warlocks.

Warlocks have an overall poor reputation, a result of their dealings with otherworldly and often malevolent outsiders. However, not all warlocks are evil by nature and may use such deadly gifts for more benign purposes. How far the warlock goes to fulfilling their pact is entirely up to them, though corruption is an ever-present danger for warlocks of all stripes. Likewise, many warlocks make pacts with several creatures, rather than just one, in order to access even more power, though all warlocks must eventually favor one pact over all the others.

Like sorcerers many warlocks come from a supernatural bloodline and it has been said that warlocks are "born, not made." This is not true for all warlocks, though many do indeed come from fiendish bloodlines. Those that aren't are still often touched by destiny in some special way, sought out by powerful extraplanar forces as tools and minions, altering their soul and giving them supernatural abilities beyond the ken of most mortals. These forces behold warlocks to their power, though some break away from the chains of their servitude to forge their own destiny. More often, warlocks, by choice or by circumstance, become much like cruel and capricious beings they serve. Regardless of how they treat their patrons most warlocks have a healthy respect for the divine, particularly patrons of magical power such as Corellon or Selûne, though many evil warlocks are drawn to Asmodeus and Cyric as well. There are exceptions, however. Some warlocks seek out good gods deliberately to counter the powerful temptations they deal with regularly. Other warlocks feel no ties to the gods, perhaps due to their frequent dealings with other supernatural powers.

Tieflings and others of fiendish blood are powerfully drawn to the ways of the warlock and are among the most common to take the path. Humans, thanks in large part to their capacity for ambition, also breed many warlocks, hoping to find a path to power that does not take them a significant portion of their short lifespans. Half-orcs are also commonly warlocks, in part because the powers that choose to give patronage to warlocks do not discriminate between them and other, more "purebred" races. Other planetouched, particularly fey'ri, genasi, and worghests, but also celadrin, as well as shadar-kai, and star elves are also often drawn to forge warlock pacts, the latter due in part to the chaotic and troubled energies which fill Sildëyuir. Warlocks from other races are far more rare, though halflings and half-elves, when given the incentive, make excellent practitioners of the dark arts.

Warlocks have varying views of those who differ from them, in part because of their outsider place in society. Generally, warlocks view other arcanists through a lense of bitter rivalry but many have a healthy respect for fighters' strength or clever rogues. Few warlocks get along well with practitioners of divine magic, in part due to their dealings with unholy powers, but warlocks rarely try to deliberately upset allies who could prove useful, which includes healing clerics.

Warlock spells are also called invocations, which are released through sheer force of will rather than by trained practice or innate ability. Invocations tend to be more powerful and deadly than those of a wizard or sorcerer, though with limited range or area of effect. Some invocations are less inherently deadly but instill terror or confusion in an enemy and warlocks are adept in cursing those with whom they fight. The most basic of all invocations is called an eldritch blast and is essentially a charged blast of pure arcane energy. When forced into combat, experienced warlocks often elude enemy blows through spells of flying, teleportation, or invisibility.

As a result of their pacts, warlocks channel arcane power with more ease than most other arcanists, though this power is most particularly focused around a warlock's pact. Prior the Spellplague this difference in the acquisition of magical power made warlocks intrinsically different than their fellow casters. Unlike other arcanists, warlocks were not limited to a number of spells per day, but instead could unleash each of their powers as often as they wanted, though at the cost of versatility. This changed with the Spellplague, after which warlocks became more similar to other arcanists in their casting methods.

Warlocks have some degree of training the use of basic weapons and leather armor, which gives them a slight edge over both wizards and sorcerers in non-magical, though still leaving them vulnerable to the attacks of more specialized combatants. For the most part, warlocks, like other arcanists, rely on their magic as both a shield and a weapon and the tools a warlock is most likely to use are his or her implements. For this purpose most warlocks use rods or wands though specialized weapons, pact blades being the most common, can sometimes be used by highly experienced warlocks to enhance their invocations.

Several warlocks learn additional abilities to help them. From their ties to dark power, some warlocks, gain a resistance to cold iron over time. Others learn to make their bodies more resilient, healing more quickly through their fiendish power, sometimes at extraordinary rates. Similarly, many warlocks acquire resistance to various energy types, particularly attacks that use acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic energy as a major component. Lastly, some warlocks become so full of arcane power that they are able to literally imbue mundane items with their power at a whim, creating magical items of great value, even if he does not possess the knowledge typically necessary to create such an item.

Wizards are a form of mage who learn the art of arcane spellcasting through research and learning. What wizards lack in combat prowess and armor they make up with a broad range of magical spells and abilities learned through years of practice and training. Through their spellcasting ability powerful wizards can control the battlefield, using spells that affect wide areas, often hindering enemies, while also learning to use powerful rituals of arcane power.

Wizards are generally the best respected of all arcanists, since they usually have a measure of discipline that is uncommon among other arcanists, particularly sorcerers or warlocks whose very nature makes them comparatively unruly. Not all wizards are deserving of this reputation, however, and wizards can be as easily chaotic or evil as any other class. Previous to the Spellplague, wizards as a whole were associated with the good goddeses Mystra, whom many worshiped, though Mystra's death has ended this. Others worship Mystra's evil adversary, Shar, the goddess of darkness, giving them an entirely different reputation.

Elminster Aumar, the Sage of Shadowdale, is by far the best-known example of a wizard.

Wizards have a wide variety of powers called spells available to them, fueled by the arcane energy of the universe. Prior to the Spellplague these powers flowed from the Weave, which was governed by the goddess Mystryl, followed by Mystra, and then by Midnight. Since the Spellplague magic no longer requires a god's governance, though many gods remain associated with arcane magic.

A wizard's spells differ from those of other arcanists usually in terms of usage or scale. While a warlock's spells are primarily malevolent and a swordmage might use defensive spells that empower themselves a wizard uses their power to control the nature of a battle, a landscape, or even the physical makeup of the universe itself. When in combat, a wizard favors spells that hinder many enemies at once, rather than attacking one or that empower themselves or allies.

When casting spells, wizards often use magical implements such as staffs, orbs, or wands. These implements concentrate the arcane power in a spell, increasing its effectiveness. All wizards have a degree of specialization in implements, preferring one kind over another. Some take a liking to orbs, which they use to increase the duration of their spells' effects. Others prefer using wands to enhance their accuracy or staffs to defend themselves. The most basic spells available to wizards are known as cantrips and require little skill on the part of the wizard in order for them to be cast. Such spells are typically small tricks of magic such as creating a light source, a sound, or moving a small object telekinetically.

Wizards are also skilled in the use of rituals, powerful spells that require a significant amount of time and energy to cast, thereby making them impractical in battle but immensely useful in non-combat applications. As with their daily spells (spells which a wizard can only master once per day), wizards keep these rituals written in a spellbook, where each ritual takes up at least a page, with complexity and page length directly proportional to the power inherent in a ritual.

Wizards may specialize in one or more of eight schools of magic, choosing their specialty early on in their training. This specialization is sometimes required in order to join the ranks of some of the world's most prestigious wizards, such as the Red Wizards of Thay, who require all initiates to be specialized in one of the schools of magic.

Specialist wizards are treated and regarded as wizards by the world at large in spite of this specialization and many regard themselves as such, though sometimes distinctions are made for diviners, illusionists, and necromancers. Nonetheless, all of the following are simply considered wizard variants by the magic casting community.

Ninja
Ninjas move through the shadows, striking down the unwary and vanishing again with ease. Ninjas walk where others cannot. They blend their training in stealth and assassination with a focused mind. Their rigorous preparation sharpens their minds and bodies, giving them supernatural abilities of stealth and making them phantoms in the eyes of many. Although ninjas in battle lack the staying power of martial characters such as fighters or barbarians, they excel at making combat occur on their terms: appearing and disappearing seemingly at a whim.
This is a base class.
Class Features
HD: d6
BAB: Medium
High Saves: Ref
Weapon proficiency: All simple weapons plus the shortbow, shuriken, and short sword.
Armor proficiency: None.
Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft Alchemy, Craft Traps, Craft Weapon, Craft Armor, Disable Device, Diplomacy, Hide, Listen, Lore, Move Silently, Open Lock, Search, Sleight of Hand, Spot, and Tumble.
Skill points: 6 + Int modifier
Class Abilities
Level 1: Ki Power, Trapfinding, Sneak Attack +1d6
Level 2: Ghost Step (Invisible)
Level 3: Sneak Attack +2d6, Poison Use
Level 4:
Level 5: Sneak Attack +3d6, AC Bonus +1
Level 6: Acrobatics +2, Ki Dodge
Level 7: Sneak Attack +4d6
Level 8: Ghost Strike
Level 9: Sneak Attack +5d6
Level 10: Ghost Step (Ethereal), AC Bonus +2
Level 11: Sneak Attack +6d6
Level 12: Acrobatics +4, Evasion
Level 13: Sneak Attack +7d6
Level 14:
Level 15: Sneak Attack +8d6, AC Bonus +3
Level 16: Ghost Sight
Level 17: Sneak Attack +9d6
Level 18: Acrobatics +6, Greater Ki Dodge
Level 19: Sneak Attack +10d6
Level 20: Ghost Walk, AC Bonus +4
Level 21: Sneak Attack +11d6
Level 22:
Level 23: Bonus Epic Feat, Sneak Attack +12d6
Level 24: Acrobatics +8, Improved Evasion
Level 25: Sneak Attack +13d6, AC Bonus +5
Level 26: Bonus Epic Feat
Level 27: Sneak Attack +14d6
Level 28:
Level 29: Bonus Epic Feat, Sneak Attack +15d6
Level 30: AC Bonus +6, Acrobatics +10
Ninjas gain bonus epic feats at 23rd, 26th, and 29th level.
AC Bonus: A ninja is highly trained at dodging blows, and she has a sixth sense that lets her avoid even unanticipated attacks. When unarmored and unencumbered, a ninja adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her Armor Class. This ability does not stack with the monk's AC bonus ability. In addition, a ninja gains a +1 bonus (Dodge) to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five ninja levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, +4 at 20th, +5 at 25th, and +6 at 30th).
Ki Power: A ninja can channel her <i>ki</i> to manifest special powers of stealth and mobility. She can use her <i>ki</i> powers a number of times per day equal to her class level (up to 30 uses/day). <i>Ki</i> powers can be used only if a ninja is wearing no armor and is unencumbered.
As long as a ninja's <i>ki</i> pool isn't empty (this is, as long as she has at least one daily use remaining), she gains a +2 bonus on her Will saves.
Ghost Step: Starting at 2nd level, a ninja can spend one daily use of her ki power to become invisible for 3 rounds. At 10th level, a ninja can become ethereal when using ghost step instead of becoming invisible.
Acrobatics: Starting at 6th level, a ninja gains a +2 bonus to Tumble checks. This bonus increases to +4 at 12th level, +6 at 18th level, +8 at 24th level, and +10 at 30th level.
Ki Dodge: At 6th level and higher, a ninja can spend one daily use of her <i>ki</i> power to cause an attack against her to miss when it might otherwise hit. When a ninja activates this ability, her outline shifts and wavers, granting her concealment (20% miss chance) against all attacks for 3 rounds.
Ghost Strike: At 8th level and higher, a ninja can spend one daily use of her <i>ki</i> power to strike spirits as if they were corporeal (this ignores their concealment bonus like the Spirit Shaman's Ghost Warrior ability) for three rounds.
Ghost Sight: At 16th level and higher, a ninja can see invisible and ethereal creatures as easily as she sees material creatures and objects.
Greater Ki Dodge: Starting at 18th level, a ninja's <i>ki</i> dodge ability grants total concealment (50% miss chance).
Ghost Walk: A 20th-level ninja can spend two daily uses of her <i>ki</i> power to enter the Ethereal Plane for an extended period of time. This ability functions as the ethereal jaunt spell with a caster level equal to the ninja's class level.

Scout
Any force on the move, whether it's an army or an adventuring group, needs information about what's ahead and what's behind and, more important, time to prepare for battle. A scout can navigate difficult terrain at good speed, and she specializes in seeing her foe before the opponent ever detects her presence. In a dungeon or in the wild, a scout is seen only when she wants to be.
This is a base class and has 30 levels.
Class Features:
HD: d8
BAB: Medium
High Saves: Ref
Weapon proficiency: All simple and rogue weapons.
Armor proficiency: Light armor.
Skill points: 8 + Int modifier
Class Skills: Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Heal, Hide, Listen, Lore, Move Silently, Search, Spot, Survival, and Tumble.
Class Abilities:
Level 1: Sneak Attack +1d6, Trapfinding
Level 2: Battle Fortitude, Uncanny Dodge
Level 3: Dash, Swashbuckler Dodge +1 AC, Trackless Step
Level 4: Bonus Feat
Level 5: Evasion, Sneak Attack +2d6
Level 6:
Level 7: Swashbuckler Dodge +2 AC
Level 8: Bonus Feat, Camouflage
Level 9: Sneak Attack +3d6
Level 10:
Level 11: Swashbuckler Dodge +3 AC, Improved Initiative
Level 12: Bonus Feat
Level 13: Sneak Attack +4d6
Level 14: Hide in Plain Sight
Level 15: Swashbuckler Dodge +4 AC
Level 16: Bonus Feat
Level 17: Sneak Attack +5d6
Level 18: Free Movement
Level 19: Swashbuckler Dodge +5 AC
Level 20: Bonus Feat, Blind-Fight
Level 21: Sneak Attack +6d6
Level 22:
Level 23: Bonus Epic Feat, Swashbuckler Dodge +6 AC
Level 24:
Level 25: Sneak Attack +7d6
Level 26: Bonus Epic Feat
Level 27: Skirmish +1 AC
Level 28:
Level 29: Bonus Epic Feat, Sneak Attack +8d6
Level 30:
Scouts gain bonus epic feats at 23rd, 26th, and 29th level.
Battle Fortitude: At 2nd level, a scout gains a +1 bonus on Fortitude saves. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th, +3 at 20th, and +4 at 29th.
Free Movement: At 18th level and higher, a scout can slip out of bonds, grapples, and even the effects of confining spells easily. This ability duplicates the effect of a freedom of movement spell, except that it is always active.
Skirmish: At 27th level, a scout gains a +1 dodge AC bonus.
Scout, Wilderness Stalker, and Swashbuckler levels stack for determining your Swashbuckler Dodge ability.
New Feats: Swift Ambusher, Swift Hunter

Thug
Not all warriors get their training at the hands of an instructor or in a warband – some get it in the streets. They travel light, trust in their wits as much as their strength, and prefer a quick, decisive strike to a prolonged battle.
Despite the name, not all thugs are mere hooligans – many are crafty veterans who use their knowledge of the streets to their advantage.
This is a base class and has 30 levels.
Class Features:
HD: d10
BAB: High
High Saves: Fort
Weapon proficiency: All simple and martial weapons.
Armor proficiency: Light armor.
Skill points: 4 + Int modifier
Class Skills: Bluff, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Intimidate, Heal, Lore, Parry, Sleight of Hand, Taunt, and Tumble.
Class Abilities:
Level 1:
Level 2: Sneak Attack +1d6
Level 3:
Level 4: Sneak Attack +2d6
Level 5:
Level 6: Sneak Attack +3d6
Level 7:
Level 8: Sneak Attack +4d6
Level 9:
Level 10: Sneak Attack +5d6
Level 11:
Level 12: Sneak Attack +6d6
Level 13:
Level 14: Sneak Attack +7d6
Level 15:
Level 16: Sneak Attack +8d6
Level 17:
Level 18: Sneak Attack +9d6
Level 19:
Level 20: Sneak Attack +10d6
Level 21:
Level 22: Sneak Attack +11d6
Level 23: Bonus Epic Feat
Level 24: Sneak Attack +12d6
Level 25:
Level 26: Sneak Attack +13d6, Bonus Epic Feat
Level 27:
Level 28: Sneak Attack +14d6
Level 29: Bonus Epic Feat
Level 30: Sneak Attack +15d6
Thugs gain bonus epic feats at 23rd, 26th, and 29th level.

Description Edit
Master of the spirit world, the spirit shaman follows a different divine tradition from that of the cleric or druid. Her world is filled with powerful, living spirits, some helpful and some malign. By bargaining with these spirits, the spirit shaman gains power over the natural world and mighty divine magic with which to aid her comrades or smite her enemies. Creatures that are considered spirits include fey, elementals, and incorporeal undead such as wraithsand shadows.
Class Features Edit
Hit die : d8

Base Attack Bonus progression :
Medium
Saving Throws :

High = Fortitude & Will

low = Reflex

Proficiencies :
Weapons:
Spirit Shaman ~ club, dagger, dart, handaxe, spear, quarterstaff, sling, shortbow,throwing axe, and light crossbow.

Armor:
Light & Shields. (except tower shields)

Skill Points : ( 4 + Int modifier ) ×4 at 1st Character level.

Class Skills : Concentration, Craft (alchemy), Diplomacy, Heal, Lore, Listen, Spellcraft, Spot, and Survival.


Spellcasting: Divine (Wisdom-based, no need for spell preparation). Must have a Wisdom score of 10 + the spell's level to cast a spell.
Special: Charisma-based for spell DC only. Caster's Charisma ability score, not Wisdom is utilized in determining the DC of attack-based spells.

Additional progressions Edit
Level Features Gained
1 Spirit Guide

2 Chastise Spirits

3 Detect Spirits

4 Blessing of the Spirits

5 Follow the Guide

6 Ghost Warrior

7 Warding of the Spirits

8
9 Spirit Form 1/day

10
11 Recall Spirit

12
13
14
15 Spirit Form 2/day
16 Weaken Spirits

17 Spirit Journey

18
19 Favored of the Spirits

20 Spirit Form 3/day, Spirit Who Walks

21 Epic Character: Spirit Shaman
Chastise Spirits continues to improve
22
23 Bonus Feat
24
25 Spirit Form 4/day
26 Bonus Feat
27
28
29 Bonus Feat
30 Spirit Form 5/day
Abilities Edit
Warning: Edit
Many of these abilities will not work against some spirits pre-MotB expansion, as these creatures have still not been properly identified as "spirits". Also most Spirit Shaman special abilities such as Spirit Form, Spirit Journey, etc are not instantly activated but must be cast and are subject to the normal Concentration checks and provokeAttacks of Oppurtunity outside of Defensive Casting Mode.
Spirit Guide Edit
All spirit shamans have a personal spirit guide. This incorporeal entity grants the shaman the Alertness feat automatically.
Chastise Spirits Edit
Spirits (even if incorporeal) within a 30’ radius of you take 1d4 Burst Damage per Class level (Will save for half, DC is Charisma-based). Usable as a standard action, 3 + Charisma modifier times per day. This ability is very similar to the cleric ability Turn Undead but is not considered the same for the purpose of feat prerequisites.
Note: Chastise Spirits does not distinguish between friendly and hostile spirits - a bug, mostly likely.
Detect Spirits Edit
Usable at will as a spell-like ability. Same as Detect Undead, but applies to spirits (spirits appear as yellow dots in the mini-map).
Blessing of the Spirits Edit
Usable at will as a Spell-Like Ability. As Protection from Alignment (self only), except it applies to spirits and has a duration of permanent (may be dispelled).
Follow the Guide Edit
A spirit shaman’s spirit guide helps her maintain control of her mind. At 5th level, if a spirit shaman is targeted by a mind-affecting spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again immediately at the same DC. She only gets this one extra chance to succeed on each saving throw. This ability does not stack with similar abilities granted by other classes the spirit shaman may have.
Ghost Warrior Edit
The Spirit Shaman ignores any concealment or miss chance effects when fighting enemy spirits. Note that this ability will not work against any other creature with concealment.
Warding of the Spirits Edit
Usable once per day as a spell-like ability. As Magic Circle against Alignment, except it applies to spirits and has a duration of 10 minutes per level. Warding of the Spirits does not stack with Blessing of the Spirits.
Spirit Form Edit
At 9th level, the spirit shaman gains the ability to become temporarily incorporeal once per day, gaining a 50% concealment bonus for 5 rounds. The spirit shaman can use this ability twice per day at 15th level, and gains another use every 5th Spirit Shaman level thereafter.
Recall Spirit Edit
At 11th level, the spirit shaman gains the ability to restore life to the recently deceased once per day. The effect is similar to the Raise Dead spell.
Weaken Spirits Edit
At 16th level, the spirit shaman can choose to strip all spirits within 30 feet of herself of their defensive abilities by expending a daily use of her Chastise Spirits ability. When a spirit is weakened, it loses its spell resistance, any damage reduction, and any miss chance or concealment effect it may have. This weakening effect lasts for 1 round plus 1 additional round for every 3 spirit shaman levels. Spirits that make their Will save (DC 10 + spirit shaman level + Charisma modifier) are unaffected by the weakening effect.
Note: Weaken Spirits does not distinguish between friendly and hostile spirits - a bug, mostly likely.
Spirit Journey Edit
At 17th level, the spirit shaman gains the ability to vanish bodily into the spirit world once per day. This effect lasts for 1 round per spirit shaman level, and during this time the spirit shaman cannot attack or be attacked. The effect is similar to the Ethereal Jaunt spell.
Favored of the Spirits Edit
At lvl 19 you gain a contingency effect that activates a Heal if your hit-points or ability score drop to 0. The effect can only be activated once per day. This ability works even against death spells. It is unknown how the ability would function if the Spirit Shaman were to be "killed" by a spell like Disintegrate.
Spirit Who Walks Edit
At 20th level, the spirit shaman becomes one with the spirit world. She gains damage reduction 5/cold iron, a +3 resistance bonus to saves against enchantments, and the Low-light Vision feat if she doesn’t already have it.
Spellcasting Edit
Key ability
Type Prepared

Charisma
Wisdom divine No

The favored soul follows the path of thecleric but is able to channel divine power with surprising ease. She is able to perform the same tasks as her fellow divine spellcasters but with virtually no study. Favored souls cast their spells naturally, as much through force of personality as through study. Though this gives them extraordinary divine abilities no normal person could ever match, they see their gift as a call to action, and so in some ways may lag behind their more studious colleagues.
Favored souls cast divine spells by means of an innate connection rather than through laborious training and prayer, so their divine connection is natural rather than learned. Mortals who perform great services to deities, devoting their lives and work to the cause of their god or goddess, sometimes become the Chosen of that deity.
Being born a favored soul has both advantages and disadvantages. Like a cleric, a favored soul has access to her god's divine magic. Unlike a cleric, however, the magic of a favored soul is natural. As such, it is unlikely to be denied by her god. Because favored souls do not need to pray for their spells, deities don't need to approve or disapprove each and every incantation. This and the many divine powers of a favored soul make members of the class quite powerful. Despite these powers, favored souls are often hindered by a sense of inescapable destiny that surrounds their births. They didn't choose their paths and may not want anything to do with their religion. In this way, the powers of a favored soul can be a burden rather than a blessing.
See Spirit Shamans/Favored Souls vs. Regular Casters discussion.
Class Features Edit
Hit die : d8

Base Attack Bonus progression :
Medium
Saving Throws :

High = Fortitude, Reflex & Will

low = NONE
Proficiencies :
Weapons:
Simple & Deity's Favored Weapon.

Armor:
Light, Medium & Shields. (except tower shields)

Skill Points : ( 2 + Int modifier ) ×4 at 1st Character level.

Class Skills : Concentration, Craft (alchemy, armor, weapon), Diplomacy, Heal, Lore, Parry and Spellcraft.


Spellcasting: Divine (Charisma-based, no need for spell preparation). Must have a Charisma score of 10 + the spell's level to cast a spell.
Special: Wisdom-based for spell DC only. Caster's Wisdom ability score, not Charisma is utilized in determining the DC of attack-based spells.
Additional Progressions Edit
Level Features Gained
1 Deity's Weapon Proficiency
2
3 Weapon Focus - Deity's favored weapon
4
5 Energy Resistance 10/-
6
7
8
9
10 Extra Energy Resistance
11
12 Weapon Specialization - Deity's favored weapon
13
14
15 Extra Energy Resistance
16
17 Haste
18
19
20 Damage Reduction 10/alchemical silver or 10/cold iron
21
22
23 Bonus Feat
24
25
26 Bonus Feat
27
28
29 Bonus Feat
30

Deity's Weapon Proficiency Edit
At level 1, Favored souls gain a weapon proficiency feat that allows them to use their deity’s favored weapon. For example, favored souls of Kelemvor will gain the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat, enabling them to use a bastard sword. If the deity's favored weapon is an unarmed strike, the favored soul receives Improved Unarmed Strikeinstead.
 seems to be bugged; souls of Tyr cannot equip any martial weapons, including longsword. at level 3 with the weapon focus longsword can be equipped, but if you want to dual wield with a shortsword you need to waste a feat on martial weapons*
 The bug is that if the "Back" button is used at any time during character creation, a FS will not get their first weapon proficiency feat. If you make a mistake creating the character, choose cancel instead and start over.
Weapon Focus - Deity's favored weapon Edit
At level 3, a Favored Soul automatically gains the Weapon Focus feat for their deity’s favored weapon.
Energy Resistance Edit
At 5th level, a favored soul chooses an energy type and gains resistance (10/-) against that type. At 10th level and 15th level, the character gains resistance (10/-) against another energy type of her choosing. These effects don't stack; you simply choose a different energy type.
Weapon Specialization - Deity's favored weapon Edit
At level 12, a Favored Soul automatically gains the Weapon Specialization for their deity’s favored weapon.
Haste Edit
At 17th level, a favored soul may use the spell Haste three times per day.
Damage Reduction Edit
At level 20, depending on alignment, the Favored Soul gains damage reduction 10/alchemical silver if lawful, or 10/cold iron if chaotic. A neutrally aligned Favored Soul can choose either type.
Note: In the current patch, 1.12, a Favored Soul can choose between the damage reductions regardless of alignment.
Epic Levels Edit
An Epic Favored Soul recieves bonus feats at levels 23, 26, and 29.
Spellcasting Edit
Key ability
Type Prepared

Charisma
Wisdom divine No
 Cleric spell list
 Spirit Shaman/Favored Soul Spell Progression
A favored soul casts divine spells, which are drawn from the cleric spell list.
To learn or cast a spell, a favored soul must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. Also, Favored Souls use their Charisma ability modifier to determine bonus spells. However, the Difficulty Class (DC) for a saving throw against a favored soul's spell is 10 + the spell level + the favored soul's Wisdom modifier + other bonuses. For a more complete explanation, see the wiki page on DC's.
Initial selection Edit
A favored soul begins play knowing four 0-level orisons and three 1st-level spells of your choice.
Leveling Edit
At each new favored soul level, he gains one or more new spells. The number of spells known increase at each new favored soul level according to the favored soul spell progression. It is not affected by the character's charisma score. These new spells are drawn from the cleric/favored soul spell list.
Replacing Edit
Starting at their 6th class level, and every two levels after, favored souls can replace one known spell with a new spell of the same level. The spell that can be replaced must be two spell levels below (or lower) what the favored soul can currently cast (1st level spell at 6, 1st or 2nd level spell at 8, 1st or 2nd or 3rd level spell at 10, and so forth).
Casting Edit
A favored soul need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his spells per day for that spell level. He does not have to decide ahead of time which spells he’ll cast.
Favored souls can also use metamagic feats instantly when choosing spells to cast.
Spellcasting Prodigy Edit
 Although it might seem that this feat would not work properly for Favored Souls, it actually does. For the purposes of determining bonus spells, the Favored Soul's Charisma is treated as being 2 points higher. For the purposes of determining DC, the Favored Soul's Wisdom is treated as being 2 points higher.

Swashbuckler

he swashbuckler embodies the concepts of daring and panache. Favoring agility and wit over brute force, the swashbuckler excels both in combat situations and social interactions, making her a versatile character indeed.
Class Features Edit
Hit die : d10

Base Attack Bonus progression :
High
Saving Throws :

High = Fortitude

low = Reflex & Will

Proficiencies :

Weapons:
Simple & Martial.

Armor:
Light (only).

Skill Points : ( 4 + Int modifier ) ×4 at 1st Character level.

Class Skills : Bluff, Craft (armor & weapon), Diplomacy, Lore, Parry, Taunt, and Tumble.

Additional progressions
Level Features gained
1 Weapon Finesse

2 Grace +1

3 Insightful Strike

4
5 Swashbuckler Dodge +1

6
7 Mobility

8 Improved Flanking

9
10 Swashbuckler Dodge +2

11 Grace +2, Lucky

12
13 Acrobatic Skill Mastery

14 Weakening Critical

15 Swashbuckler Dodge +3

16
17 Slippery Mind

18
19 Wounding Critical

20 Swashbuckler Dodge +4, Grace +3

21
22
23 Bonus Feat

24
25 Swashbuckler Dodge +5

26 Bonus Feat

27
28
29 Grace +4, Bonus Feat

30 Swashbuckler Dodge +6

Weapon Finesse Edit
A swashbuckler gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat at 1st level.
Grace Edit
A swashbuckler gains a +1 bonus on Reflex saves at 2nd level. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level, +3 at 20th level, and +4 at 29th level. A swashbuckler loses this bonus when wearing medium or heavy armor or when encumbered.
Insightful Strike Edit
At 3rd level, a swashbuckler becomes able to place her finesse attacks where they deal greater damage. She applies her Intelligence bonus to damage rolls (in addition to any Strength bonus she may have) with any light weapon, as well as any other weapon that can be used with Weapon Finesse, such as a rapier. Targets immune to sneak attacks or critical hits are immune to the swashbuckler’s insightful strike. A swashbuckler cannot use this ability when wearing medium or heavy armor or when encumbered.
Swashbuckler Dodge Edit
A swashbuckler is trained at focusing her defense on a single opponent in melee. She gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC against melee attacks from her current target or last attacker. This bonus increases by +1 at every five levels after 5th (+2 at 10th level, +3 at 15th, +4 at 20th, +5 at 25th, and +6 at 30th). A swashbuckler loses this bonus when wearing medium or heavy armor or when encumbered.
Note: This feat stacks with the Dodge feat. Any attack which causes the Swashbuckler to lose his dexterity bonus to AC also causes him to lose the bonus granted by this feat.
Mobility Edit
At 7th level, a swashbuckler gains Mobility as a bonus feat even if she does not qualify for it.
Improved Flanking Edit
A swashbuckler of 8th level or higher who is flanking an opponent gains a +4 bonus to attacks instead of a +2 bonus to attacks.
Lucky Edit
At 11th level, a swashbuckler gains Luck of Heroes as a bonus feat.
Acrobatic Skill Mastery Edit
At 13th level, a swashbuckler becomes so certain in the use of her acrobatic skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. When making a Tumble check, a swashbuckler can't roll less than 5, even if in combat.
Weakening Critical Edit
A swashbuckler of 14th level or higher who scores a critical hit against a creature also deals 2 points of Strength damage to the creature. Creatures immune to critical hits are immune to this effect.
Slippery Mind Edit
When a swashbuckler reaches 17th level, her mind becomes more difficult to control. If the swashbuckler fails her save against an enchantment spell or effect, she automatically gets one reroll. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed at a certain saving throw.
Wounding Critical Edit
A swashbuckler of 19th level or higher who scores a critical hit against a creature also deals 2 points of Constitution damage to the creature. (This damage is in addition to the Strength damage dealt by the swashbuckler’s weakening critical class feature.) Creatures immune to critical hits are immune to this effect.