Swords & Wizardry Complete Revised errata (official)

With my errate document for the previous version of Swords & Wizardry Complete now being obsolete due to the release of the Revised update in 2023, I sought out and obtained permission from the game's publisher, Mythmere Games, to create a new official document for users of Revised.

Note that I've only included errors with the potential to impact useability; simple grammar mistakes and the like are not considered. Additionally, be aware that the Swords & Wizardry rules differ from those of original D&D in a number of mostly minor ways, and that this is intentional and done for legal purposes. Such intentional deviations do not qualify as errata.

This is a living document. If you have any new items you'd like to submit for consideration, please contact me.

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Page 51, Cleric Spells: The spell Restoration appears on the list as a level six spell. Level seven is correct.

Page 73, Designing a Dungeon Adventure: "To help you get started, the diagram of a dungeon cross-section and the sample floor plan maps included here may be a good resource for you." The cross-section diagram mentioned here is not present.

Page 80, Getting Lost: Two distinct methods for determining when a party is lost are described, a flat 1-in-6 chance and a percentage chance that varies by terrain. The Referee may use whichever method is preferred.

Page 92, Ship Types table: The last two entries in the "Small Ship" row are shifted one column to the left.

Page 96, Reading the Monster Descriptions: The explanation of how magic resistance functions was omitted. The missing text reads as follows:

Magic Resistance: One of the 'Special' items that may be listed for some monsters is "Magic Resistance," followed by a percentage. The given percentage chance is the likelihood that any magic used against the creature (other than bonuses from weapons) will fail to take effect. Roll d100 and if the result is equal to or less than the given percentage, the magic will fail. A saving throw may still be attempted if Magic Resistance fails to stop the magic (Magic Resistance is an additional defense, not a replacement for a saving throw).

Page 134, Magic Potion Descriptions, Animal Control: This potion is described as working "as per the spell." This spell is not present in the magic chapter, however. The missing spell's description is as follows:

Control Animal
Spell Level: Druid, 2nd level
Range: 80 feet
Duration: 24 hours

This spell may be cast on a single normal animal or a giant version of a normal animal. The animal must have some rudimentary intelligence, so it does not ordinarily work on insects or other non-mammals. This determination is up to the Referee. The author would consider giant spiders to have rudimentary intelligence, but not giant centipedes, so that’s a good example of how subjective the spell’s interpretation can be. If in doubt, feel free to only apply the spell to mammals.

If the animal fails a saving throw, it will follow the caster’s commands and, for the duration of the spell, be able to understand these commands (although the caster does not automatically gain the ability to understand the animal; the communication is one-way).

Page 144, Descriptions of Miscellaneous Magic Items, Spade of Excavation: The reference to "20 minutes (1 turn)" should read "10 minutes (1 turn)."

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Last updated 21 Jul 2026

All Eleven New Classes From the Swords & Wizardry Book of Options, (Casually) Rated From 1 – 10

First off, what do I mean by “casually?” I mean that I’ve held off on using any of these in an actual game thus far, so all my opinions are based on the text and the semi-expert (?) status I’ve acquired over my past 35 years as a classic D&D enjoyer. In other words, my thoughts on how a given new class might play relative to the standard ones is both purely conjectural and strictly personal. Now, without further ado...

BARBARIAN

A very strong start. Essentially the Unearthed Arcana version done right, without all the overbearing roleplay restrictions (like insisting on destroying every magic item the party finds) and toned-down just enough in terms of overall power to not make regular fighters obsolete. They enjoy the biggest hit dice of any official S&W class yet, d10s, but they’ll need them, seeing as they can’t wear any armor better than ring mail (AC 6). In addition to that, they get ranger style tracking and resistance to surprise, thief style climbing and keen hearing, some other detection bonuses (secret doors, illusions, etc.) relating to their keen senses, and a unique ability to improve their own odds of gaining surprise by laying ambushes. They tend to be chronically short of cash, however, since they can’t own more wealth than they can carry on their persons. I’ve always been skeptical of the need for a “Conan class,” seeing as how he was already a major source of inspiration for the fighter, but this is still probably the best one I’ve seen.

Rating: 8/10

BARD

Essentially a variant druid that sacrifices considerable spellcasting ability and the signature shapeshifting for a better weapon and armor selection (they can wear chain and wield anything), a percentile lore skill, the ability to fascinate crowds with oratory, and many (one per level gained!) bonus languages. Interestingly, they can also use the same magic items as fighters, druids, and thieves, despite having no thief abilities. On paper, the hit they take to spellcasting seems dire. I’m talking no third level spells until they reach bard level ten, and they must wait all the way until bard level eighteen to access their highest (fifth) level spells. I suspect that whether that tradeoff is worth it or not is going to depend on just how useful lore and language skills are in a specific campaign. I simply adore the flavor, though. Original AD&D’s pseudo-Celtic bardic warriors were always a bit cooler than AD&D 2nd Edition’s foppish minstrel bards in my book.

Rating: 7/10

CHIVALRIC KNIGHT

Of all the classes on offer here, this is the only one that left me completely underwhelmed. In theory an update to the old AD&D cavalier, I just don’t think this one offers enough bang for the buck. Roughly 130 gp worth of free gear at the start in form of a horse, a selection of weapons, and some chainmail armor is…fine, I guess. It’s just too bad that first level is really the only time in a character’s career where laying hands on that kind of money is remotely difficult. Other than that, you get a +1 to hit (only, no extra damage) with sword, mace, and lance. This doubles to +2 on horseback. Oh, and you can request free meals and lodging at castles due to your knightly status. That’s really it as far as upsides. Not much at all compared to the general combat boosts fighters with above-average strength and dexterity enjoy, never mind the likes of paladins and rangers with their suites of exotic powers. Worse, you have serious roleplay restrictions to contend with, such as not being able to use any missile weapons (!) on account of them being dishonorable or whatever, and, of course, being beholden to an NPC liege. I just can’t imagine ever recommending this class to a player as written. If you really want to be a “knight in shining armor,” you’re better served rolling any other fighter type and just ponying up (pun fully intended) for a horse.

Rating: 2/10

DEMON HUNTER

Now we’re talking! These guys, magic-user/cleric hybrids with big Solomon Kane energy, are everything I could want them to be. They lean hard into the original Law vs. Chaos alignment system, being stern champions of Law obsessed with rooting out and destroying Chaos wherever it hides. Think the paladin, if they were less upright knightly types and more grizzled swashbuckling occultists. They also have an opposite number in the form of fallen demon hunters called Nimoroths that have sold out to Chaos. Like clerics, demon hunters have d6 hit dice and can turn the undead (although not quite as well as clerics can). They aren’t restricted in terms of weapon types and can wear light armor. Similar to magic-users, they prepare their spells from books. They have their own spell list consisting of five levels. Demon hunter spells tend to be laser-focused on their core task of finding and destroying manifestations of Chaos, and they also all tend to tie into the alignment system somehow. For example, their Magic Missile equivalent, Dart of Radiance, deals full damage to Chaotic targets, greatly reduced damage to Neutral ones, and zero damage to Lawful beings. Finally, attaining higher levels eventually gives them special abilities to detect disguised lycanthropes, demons, and other creatures of Chaos. I can’t say enough good things about the design of this class. It’s wicked cool, well thought-out, and makes clever use of the too-often neglected alignment system.

RATING: 10/10

DWARVEN PRIEST

A slightly modified fighter/cleric with a maximum level of twelve, the dwarven priest suffers from a slowed-down spell progression akin to the bard’s (that caps at cleric spell level four) and the loss of a few abilities from both classes (fighter parrying, clerical turning) in exchange for not needing as much experience to advance as a true multi-class would. If you like the idea of being able to cast a few cleric spells in conjunction with the fighter’s d8 hit dice and no “blunt weapons only” prohibition, this is the class for you. The big sell here for me, though, is that level ceiling of twelve. S&W typically restricts dwarves to no higher than eighth level as fighters, and anything above sixth requires a strength score of 17+! This alone makes it a great choice if you just want to play a mighty dwarf warrior first and foremost. As a whole, not very novel, but quite functional.

Rating: 7/10

ELFBLADE

At first glance, the elfblade looks similar in spirit to the dwarven priest. You have a single-class elf fighter/magic-user (not unlike B/X or BECMI D&D’s dedicated elf class) that trades in some magical ability for d8 hit dice and a generous maximum class level of twelve. Instead of the fighter’s dexterity-based parry ability that improves armor class in melee, the elfblade has an intelligence-based “arcane parry” that improves their saving throws against magic that targets them. The question of whether the elfblade is better than a standard elf fighter/magic user is a complicated one. I think it depends on the hypothetical character’s exact ability scores. If strength and/or dexterity are notably high, the fighter option can really shine. If they aren’t (and especially if intelligence is), the elfblade becomes a very attractive choice. Keep in mind, though, that the slower magic advancement is no joke. A fighter/magic-user will be able to start throwing around fireballs after attaining level five (40,000 xp); the elfblade must wait until level seven (100,000 xp). Elfblades are also limited to no higher than fourth level spells, whereas fighter/magic-users with good intelligence can potentially master fifth level ones as well. I’ll rate this one just slightly lower than the dwarven priest, since I don’t feel it expands the horizon for elf players as much as that class does for dwarf fans.

Rating: 6/10

ILLUSIONIST

By far the simplest to summarize and review. This is straight-up Peter Aronson’s vintage illusionist, as first seen in the pages of Strategic Review and later, slightly modified, in the AD&D Players Handbook. It works exactly as you remember it, spell list and all. Not that fans of the class would want it any other way.

Rating: 8/10 (i.e. iconic for a reason)

NECROMANCER

A variant magic-user with a five-level spell list containing a mix of new and recurring dweomers focused on death, darkness, and the undead. Weapon options are notably better, though, with the added ability to use slings for ranged damage and a scythe (reskinned battle axe) in melee. They also get a “bind undead” power that functions much like an evil cleric’s command function from AD&D. In other words, they can roll on a table resembling the one clerics use for turning in order to see if they can compel certain non-intelligent undead like skeletons, zombies, and ghouls into their service. Canny Referees will quickly realize that they can repurpose this table for Chaotic clerics in S&W, regardless of whether they intend to use necromancers proper in their campaigns or not. While they don’t technically have to be of evil/Chaotic bent, necromancers can’t be Lawful. Spells are mostly what you’d expect, with a few surprises, like good old Raise Dead. One thing that strikes me as potentially dicey is that most of their few true offensive spells rely on being able to touch targets. That’s not always a great plan with d4 hit dice and no armor. Still, there's ample spooky flavor here. Who doesn’t love the idea of having hordes of badass undead minions? Such a character would probably do well to exercise some discretion regarding their career choice when mixing with general society, though.

Rating: 7/10

TROUBADOR

This one is dead simple, but I dig it. What we have here is a variant thief that gets access to low level (maximum third) illusionist spells and a magical singing ability (effectively the same as the bard’s oratory) in exchange for no backstab attack and overall slower thief skill progression. A straightforward, pick-up-and-play take on the “arcane trickster” archetype. Not all that different from the assassin, in a sense, except they get more hit points and expertise at poisoning and disguise instead of spells and mind control singing. If you’re reminded of the AD&D 2nd Edition bard, that’s likely no coincidence.

Rating: 7/10

WARLOCK

Another class like the demon hunter that combines elements of the cleric and magic-user with d6 hit dice, no weapon restrictions (but alas no armor), and an emphasis on alignment-based magic. The warlock represents an Elric of Melniboné style sorcerer who draws power from pacts made with powerful beings from other dimensions. Despite the sinister title, this can include “good” Lawful entities as well as diabolic Chaotics and aloof Neutrals. In effect, the warlock is three classes in one, as almost every spell on their five-level list has a Lawful, Neutral, and Chaotic variation. For example, the first level warlock spell Infuse Mortal Form allows Lawful casters to heal the target of 2-7 damage, Chaotic casters to raise the target’s strength by 2-4 for a limited time, and Neutral casters to temporarily sharpen the target’s senses and greatly improve their ability to spot secret doors. Most critically, though, warlocks are the only casters that don’t need to select and prepare their spells in advance. So long as they have a spell slot of a given level “open,” it can be channeled into any warlock spell of that level from the main list they desire. Their spell list is naturally quite limited to balance out all this flexibility, consisting of thirty choices total, six per level. The warlock is a real winner for me. It has a strong sword & sorcery flavor, since warlocks more closely resemble the magician characters in the fiction works of Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, or Michael Moorcock than either the standard D&D magic-user or cleric. As much as I love those classes, I can easily imagine a campaign in which warlocks replace both! Again, as with the demon hunter, the implementation of the spells themselves is a fantastic way to make the alignment scheme really matter in the game. Bravo!

Rating 9/10

WRATH-CHANTER

Shame to end on a lower note, but the wrath-chanters, BoO’s take on berserkers, seems like another undercooked fighter variant in the vein of the chivalric knight to me. Like the knight, they suffer from the dire restriction of being able to use no missile weapons at all. Like the barbarian, they’re limited to mid-range armor (chain), although they aren’t afforded bigger hit dice to compensate. Their one and only asset is the ability to enter a berserk rage in melee. This requires a successful percentile roll, with the success chance starting at an extremely modest 15%. If unsuccessful, they get to keep trying for free in each subsequent round. They can also spend a whole round doing nothing but trying to go berserk, which grants +15% to the roll. Once it does finally kick in, their combat rage does confer some decent bonuses. A starting +1 to hit and damage that eventually reaches a maximum of +3 at eight level, immunity to mind-affecting spells, the capacity to keep fighting for a while with negative hit points, etc. That’s nothing to sneeze at, but factor in the harsh equipment restrictions and their complete lack of other skills and they’re effectively a one-trick pony that will only perform its trick if you get lucky. Why would you settle for this when the fighter, paladin, ranger (and maybe barbarian) can do so much more so much more reliably? Beats me!

Rating: 3/10

The original barbarian class, adapted for Swords & Wizardry

Like its fellow iconic D&D classes, the ranger, illusionist, and bard, the first published iteration of the barbarian debuted in the pages of a periodical. In the barbarian's case, however, it wasn't one of TSR's official publications, but rather Great Britain's own White Dwarf, back before it existed exclusively to promote the Warhammer tabletop wargaming lines. Author Brian Asbury's barbarian first appeared in the December 1977 issue, with some additions meant to update it for the newly-released AD&D game appearing later on in 1979.

Since my goal here is to adapt the class to a format compatible with the original D&D-based Sword & Wizardry game, I'm drawing exclusively on the 1977 version rather than attempting to incorporate the AD&D elements (with one qualified exception; see below). I was also forced to settle one area of ambiguity, in that neither of the WD articles specified what attack table barbarians are meant to use. Since they save as clerics and their experience progression is also quite similar to that of clerics, I opted to assign them the cleric attack table as well.

Finally, as a personal aide, I've always been especially skeptical of the need for a dedicated barbarian class in D&D, considering that Conan himself was a primary inspiration for the fighter. Still, the notion has proven itself an enduring one and I'm happy to present it here for the many who don't share my reservations.

BARBARIAN

Grim warriors hailing from the untamed hinterlands, the uncommon bravery and preternatural reflexes of the Barbarians are shaped by their close ties with the primal forces of nature. Their battle prowess is the stuff of legends, as is their craftiness and guile. Woe to the "civilized" opponent who takes their feral appearance and lack of formal education as weaknesses to be exploited, for the proud Barbarian is nobody's fool!

Like the Monk, many of the Barbarian's most potent skills require good ability scores to access. Players considering this class should be aware that Strength 13+, Dexterity 13+, Intelligence 9+, and Wisdom 14+ are all needed to fully realize its potential.

ABOUT BARBARIANS

Prime Attribute: Constitution, 13+ (+5% experience bonus).

Hit Dice:1d6+1 at 1st level, 1d6/level thereafter (Gains 1 hp/level after 10th level).

Armor/Shield Permitted: Shield permitted. Barbarians may initially wear no armor, but gain the ability to use leather armor at 6th level and ring or chain mail at 11th level.

Weapons Permitted: Long sword, spear, hand axe. Barbarians with Strength 13+ may also use battle axes. For every point of Dexterity a Barbarian has in excess of 12, one additional weapon may be used. The exceptions to this are complex mechanical weapons such as crossbows, which Barbarians shun on principle.

Ancestry: Human.

Alignment: Any.

Fighting Ability: Barbarians use the same attack table as Clerics.

Saving Throws: Barbarians have the same base saving throws as Clerics of four levels higher than their actual level. They do not benefit from a Cleric's +2 bonus to saving throws against paralysis and poison, however.

Magic Items: Barbarians may use any magic item available to Fighters, Thieves, and members of all classes. An exception is writing-based magic items such as books and manuals, which may only be employed by Barbarians with Wisdom 14+. Barbarians of lesser Wisdom are assumed to be illiterate due to their primitive upbringings.

BARBARIAN CLASS ABILITIES

Catch Missiles: Barbarians with Dexterity 13+ have a percentage chance to pluck missiles shot or hurled at them right out of the air, causing these attacks to automatically miss regardless of attack roll. Each such missile requires its own roll and this ability is only effective against physical projectiles of manageable size. Thus, such things as magic missile or lightning bolt spells cannot be caught, nor can the huge boulders hurled by giants. Magical weapons subtract 5% from the Barbarian's success chance for each "plus" they possess. Barbarians with Dexterity 15 or 16 gain a +5% bonus to this skill, and this bonus increases to +10% for Barbarians with 17 or 18 Dexterity.

Climb Walls: Barbarians with Dexterity 10+ may climb sheer surfaces. This functions as the Thief skill of the same name.

Danger Sense: This represents the chance on 1d6 of automatically detecting any source of imminent danger within a 20-foot radius of the Barbarian. The precise nature and location of the danger is not necessarily revealed, only the simple fact of its existence.

Ferocity: Barbarians with Strength 10+ gain a +1 bonus on all to-hit rolls.

First Strike: Barbarians with Strength 13+ and Dexterity 10+ have a 75% chance of being able to deliver an exceptionally deadly opening blow in melee. This ability applies only to the Barbarian's first attack roll in a given combat encounter and only if the Barbarian's side has won the initiative roll on that round. The attack gains a +2 to-hit bonus and deals double damage if successful. This increases to triple damage at 5th level and quadruple damage at 9th level.

Hardy: Barbarians are twice as resistant to disease as the typical human. It is up to the Referee to determine what this means in concrete game terms, but a +2 or greater bonus to saving throws against diseases is a solid choice.

Hear Noise: As the Thief skill of the same name.

Instinctual Evasion: Keen senses naturally improve a Barbarian's armor class by one point. This is cumulative with any armor class bonuses from armor, magic, or high Dexterity.

Sign Language: Barbarians of Intelligence 9+ are adept at making themselves understood via hand signals and other body language. A successful roll indicates that a particular concept or idea (within reason, of course) can be communicated to any intelligent being capable of viewing the Barbarian's gestures.

Strong Heart: Barbarians do not frighten easily. Being subjected to any spell or magic item capable of instilling fear or panic in a victim has a 50% chance of instead driving a Barbarian into a berserk rage. In this state, the Barbarian gains +2 on all to-hit rolls and (if an NPC) need not check morale for the remainder of the current encounter. If this roll fails, the Barbarian is still able to attempt any standard saving throws the magic in question allows for.

Tracking: This ability is similar in most respects to the one of the same name possessed by Rangers. The base chance of success should be adjusted as follows based on the difficulty of the terrain the Barbarian's quarry has traversed.

Outdoors	Penalty
Hard ground	-20%
Rain or snow	-30%
Crosses water	-40%

Indoors	Penalty
Regular passage	-25%
Normal door	-30%
Trap door	-40%
Chimney	-50%
Secret door	-55%

Hide in Shadows (Optional): In the 1979 follow-up to his original Barbarian feature, Brian Asbury recommends that Barbarians with Dexterity 11+ and Intelligence 9+ also be given the Hide in Shadows skill, as per a Thief of the same level. Whether this ability is available or not is a matter for the individual Referee to decide.

Barbarian Advancement Table

Level	XP Required for Level	Hit Dice (d6)*	Saving Throw
1	0	1+1 hp	11
2	1,500	2+1 hp	10
3	3,000	3+1 hp	9
4	6,000	4+1 hp	8
5	12,000	5+1 hp	7
6	24,000	6+1 hp	6
7	48,000	7+1 hp	5
8	96,000	8+1 hp	4
9	200,000	9+1 hp	4
10	325,000	10+1 hp	4
11	450,000	10+2 hp	4
12	575,000	10+3 hp	4
13	700,000	10+4 hp	4
14	825,000	10+5 hp	4
15	950,000	10+6 hp	4
16	1,075,000	10+7 hp	4
17	1,200,000	10+8 hp	4
18	1,325,000	10+9 hp	4
19	1,450,000	10+10 hp	4
20	1,575,000	10+11 hp	4
21+	+125,000 per level	+1 hp/level	Remains at 4

*Hit points shown for levels after the character no longer gains full hit dice are the total combined number. An 11th-level Barbarian has 10 HD plus 2 hit points total.

Barbarian Skills

Level	Catch Missiles	Climb Walls	Danger Sense	Hear Noise	Hide in Shadows*	Sign Language	Tracking
1	5%	80%	1	1-2	10%	10%	40%
2	10%	81%	1	1-2	15%	20%	45%
3	15%	82%	1	1-3	20%	30%	50%
4	20%	83%	1-2	1-3	25%	40%	55%
5	25%	84%	1-2	1-3	30%	45%	60%
6	30%	85%	1-2	1-3	35%	50%	65%
7	35%	86%	1-3	1-4	40%	55%	70%
8	40%	87%	1-3	1-4	55%	60%	75%
9	45%	88%	1-3	1-4	65%	65%	80%
10	50%	89%	1-4	1-5	75%	70%	85%
11	55%	90%	1-4	1-5	85%	75%	90%
12	60%	91%	1-4	1-5	95%	75%	95%
13	65%	92%	1-5	1-6	100%	75%	100%
14	75%	93%	1-5	1-6	100%	75%	100%
15	80%	94%	1-5	1-6	100%	75%	100%
16	85%	95%	1-5	1-6	100%	75%	100%
17	90%	96%	1-5	1-6	100%	75%	100%
18	95%	97%	1-5	1-6	100%	75%	100%
19	100%	98%	1-5	1-6	100%	75%	100%
20	100%	99%	1-5	1-6	100%	75%	100%
21	100%	100%	1-5	1-6	100%	75%	100%
21+	No further improvement

* Optional skill (see above).

The original illusionist class, adapted for Swords & Wizardry

Debuting in the winter 1975 issue of TSR's short-lived house organ The Strategic Review, Peter Aronson's illusionist class was the first of many contemporary "specialist" magic-user variants to gain significant traction within the D&D community at large. This is primarily because unlike the various healers, witches, warlocks, mystics and such making the rounds, it was the lone such sub-class to be effectively canonized by none other than Gary Gygax, who included it in the 1978 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook. That version is subtly different from Aronson's 1975 vintage one, however.

In the interest of keeping this little bit of "gameable history" as accessible as possible, I've adapted it to what I consider to be the gold standard of modern Original D&D variants, Swords & Wizardry. My one main concession to the new format was the addition of prime attributes, as the SR article was mum on this point. In a small handful of cases, I also referred to the aforementioned Players Handbook when the source text omitted a key detail necessary for playability. Examples would be the misdetection spell, which has neither a range nor a duration supplied in the SR article, or prismatic spray, which appears as a listing on a table but has no accompanying description whatsoever.

ILLUSIONIST

Master mesmerists, weavers of shadow, the enigmatic Illusionists represent a highly specialzed arcane tradition that split from that of more conventional Magic-Users untold generations ago. While significantly less skilled at manipulating solid matter and elemental energies than their Magic-User kin, Illusionists make up for this with their unparalleled ability to muddle the senses and indeed twist the very minds of their spellbound subjects to suit their whims. To play an Illusionist effectively requires formidable creativity and cunning, as well as an open-minded Referee willing to reward both.

ABOUT ILLUSIONISTS

Prime Attribute: Intelligence and Dexterity, both 13+ (+5% experience bonus).

Hit Dice:1d4/level (Gains 1 hp/level after 11th level).

Armor/Shield Permitted: None.

Weapons Permitted: Dagger, staff and darts.

Ancestry: Human.

Alignment: Any.

Fighting Ability: Illusionists use the same attack table as Magic-Users.

Magic Items: Other than items usable by any class, Illusionists are quite limited in this regard. They may employ scrolls of Illusionist spells, Crystal Balls (excluding those with the added power to sense sounds or thoughts), Wands of Fear, Wands of Magic Detection, Wands of Paralyzing, and wands containing Illusionist spells generally. Whether or not an Illusionist of level 11+ may also create these items is subject to Referee determination.

ILLUSIONIST CLASS ABILITIES

Spell Casting: Illusionists learn, prepare, and cast their spells using the same procedures as Magic-Users, with the exception that they do not require use of the read magic spell (or equivalent) to understand the magical writings of other Illusionists.

Saving Throw Bonus: Illusionists gain a bonus of +2 on all saving throw rolls against spells, including spells from magic wands and staffs.

Illusionist Advancement Table

Level*	XP Required for Level	Hit Dice (d4)**	Saving Throw	Number of Spells (by level)
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
1	0	1	15	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	3,000	2	14	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	6,000	3	13	3	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	12,000	4	12	4	1	-	-	-	-	-
5	25,000	5	11	4	3	-	-	-	-	-
6	50,000	6	10	4	4	1	-	-	-	-
7	75,000	7	9	4	4	2	-	-	-	-
8	110,000	8	8	4	4	3	1	-	-	-
9	175,000	9	7	5	4	4	2	1	-	-
10	350,000	10	6	5	5	4	3	2	-	-
11	525,000	11	5	5	5	4	4	3	1	-
12	700,000	11+1 hp	5	5	5	5	4	4	2	-
13	875,000	11+2 hp	5	5	5	5	5	5	2	1
14	1,050,000	11+3 hp	5	6	6	5	5	5	3	2

*Illusionists are capped at 14 levels of ability.
**Hit points shown for levels after the character no longer gains full hit dice are the total combined number. A 13th-level Illusionist has 11 HD plus 2 hit points total, not 11 HD plus one hit point gained at 12th level and another 2 hit points gained at 13th.

ILLUSIONIST SPELLS

Level 1

Change Self
Color Spray
Darkness**
Detect Illusion
Detect Invisibility*
Gaze Reflection
Hypnotism
Light**
Mirror Image*
Phantasmal Force*
Ventriloquism
Wall of Fog

Level 2

Blindness
Blur
Deafness
Detect Magic*
Dispel Illusion
Fog
Hypnotic Pattern
Improved Phantasmal Force
Invisibility*
Magic Mouth*
Misdetection
Rope Trick*

Level 3

Continual Light**
Continual Darkness**
Dispel Exhaustion
Fear
Hallucinatory Terrain*
Illusionary Script
Invisibility 10-Foot Radius*
Nondetection
Paralyzation
Phantasmal Killer
Spectral Force
Suggestion*

Level 4

1st Level Magic-User Spells
Confusion*
Emotions
Improved Invisibility
Massmorph*
Minor Creation
Shadow Magic
Shadow Monsters

Level 5

2nd Level Magic User Spells
Chaos
Create Spectres
Demi-Shadow Magic
Demi-Shadow Monsters
Major Creation
Project Image*
Summon Shadow

Level 6

Conjuration of Animals**
Mass Suggestion
Permanent Illusion
Programmed Illusion
Shadow Monsters III
True Sight

Level 7

Alter Reality
Astral Spell*
Maze*
Prismatic Sphere*
Prismatic Spray
Vision

*As the Magic-User spell.
** As the Cleric spell.

SPELL DESCRIPTIONS

1st Level Magic User Spells

Spell Level: Illusionist, 4th Level
Range: Varies
Duration: Varies

An Illusionist that learns this "spell" has actually mastered the formulae for all of the basic 1st level Magic-User spells and may henceforth prepare any of them as 4th level Illusionist spells. Scrolls containing 1st level Magic-User spells may also be utilized if read magic is first employed as normal. These Magic-User spells do not count toward the Illusionist's maximum number of 1st level spells known based on Intelligence.

2nd Level Magic User Spells

Spell Level: Illusionist, 5th Level
Range: Varies
Duration: Varies

An Illusionist that learns this "spell" has actually mastered the formulae for all of the basic 2nd level Magic-User spells and may henceforth prepare any of them as 5th level Illusionist spells. Scrolls containing 2nd level Magic-User spells may also be utilized if read magic is first employed as normal. These Magic-User spells do not count toward the Illusionist's maximum number of 2nd level spells known based on Intelligence.

Alter Reality

Spell Level: Illusionist, 7th Level
Range: Varies
Duration: Varies

This spell is functionally identical to limited wish, with the exception that the Illusionist must first create an illusionary depiction of the desired result via phantasmal force or similar immediately before casting this spell to convert the scene to physical reality.

Blindness

Spell Level: Illusionist, 2nd Level
Range: 120 feet
Duration: Until dispelled

This spell will blind a single target that fails a saving throw. The effect is permanent until dispelled or voluntarily lifted by the Illusionist.

Blur

Spell Level: Illusionist, 2nd Level
Range: Caster only
Duration: 1d4+4 minutes

Localized visual distortion betters the caster's armor class by two and confers a +2 bonus to saving throws against wands, staffs, and similar magic devices.

Change Self

Spell Level: Illusionist, 1st Level
Range: Caster only
Duration: 1 minute/level plus 1d6+10 additional minutes

This spell modifies the caster's appearance to resemble any creature of roughly human size and shape.

Chaos

Spell Level: Illusionist, 5th Level
Range: 120 feet
Duration: Concentration

Chaos allows the Illusionist to designate a 30-foot by 30-foot square area within range wherein all creatures are automatically confused (as per the spell confusion) for as long as concentration is maintained. Level 9+ Illusionists and Fighters (to include Paladins and Rangers if the Referee permits) are unaffected, however.

Color Spray

Spell Level: Illusionist, 1st Level
Range: 20 feet
Duration: Instantaneous

A burst of clashing colors erupts from the Illusionist's hand, filling a wedge-shaped area five feet wide and 20 feet long and potentially incapacitating one or more targets with up to six combined levels/HD. To determine the exact magnitude of the effect, roll 1d6 and add one for every five levels the Illusionist has attained above the second, bearing in mind that six remains the highest possible modified result. Actual targets are chosen randomly from those within the area of effect. If the level/HD affected equals or exceeds those of a given target, that target is rendered unconscious with no saving throw and the remainder of the spell effect passes on to the next target. If a target ends up only partially affected due to this (five HD of total spell effect split up 3/2 between a pair of three HD monsters, for instance), the partially affected target may attempt a saving throw. That saving throw gains a +2 bonus for every level "short" the spell effect is beyond one. For example, a five HD creature subjected to a mere two HD of color spray effect would save at +4. Targets with more than six levels or HD are unaffected.

Create Spectres

Spell Level: Illusionist, 5th Level
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent

By way of this sinister dweomer, a single dead subject of at least two levels/HD can be animated as a spectre with half the levels/HD it had in life, rounded up. The newly-created undead retains its own mind and will, as opposed to being a thrall of the Illusionist. Subjects of this spell cannot have been deceased for longer than four hours plus one additional hour per level of the Illusionist.

Detect Illusion

Spell Level: Illusionist, 1st Level
Range: 60 feet
Duration: 3 turns

The caster is able to recognize and see through any illusion in range while this spell is active.

Deafness

Spell Level: Illusionist, 2nd Level
Range: 120 feet
Duration: Until dispelled

This spell will deafen a single target that fails a saving throw. The effect is permanent until dispelled or voluntarily lifted by the Illusionist.

Demi-Shadow Magic

Spell Level: Illusionist, 5th Level
Range: Varies
Duration: Varies

As shadow magic, except the amount of damage dealt/targets slain is doubled.

Demi-Shadow Monsters

Spell Level: Illusionist, 5th Level
Range: 30 feet
Duration: 1 minute/level

As shadow monsters, except the creatures have 40% of their regular HD, AC 8[11], and the maximum HD summonable is equal to 1.5 times the Illusionist's level, rounded down.

Dispel Exhaustion

Spell Level: Illusionist, 3nd Level
Range: Touch
Duration: 4 hours

This spell has the odd effect of removing the psychological impact of exhaustion and injury without addressing their underlying physical causes. The recipient may act normally without rest for the spell's duration, but afterward is forced to rest twice as long as normal to compensate. Badly wounded individuals (including ones recently returned to life via raise dead) can also act without penalty, though they will suffer an additional 1d6 damage when the spell expires.

Dispel Illusion

Spell Level: Illusionist, 2nd Level
Range: 120 feet
Duration: 10 minutes against an item

Automatically dispels any illusion created by a non-Illusionist and functions with the same success rate as dispel magic against those of true Illusionists.

Emotions

Spell Level: Illusionist, 4th Level
Range: 180 feet
Duration: Concentration

The Illusionist may use this many-faceted spell to project a variety of overwhelming emotions over a 40-foot by 40-foot square area within range. Subjects therein are entitled to a saving throw to resist in all cases. The various emotions and their effects are as follows:

Bloodlust: Causes mindless hostility against all perceived enemies. +2 on attack rolls and need never check morale.

Bravery: Immune to fear.

Despair: -75% morale.

Fear: Victims flee at top speed for one minute per level of the Illusionist and each has a 60% chance to drop any held items.

Hate: Roll 1d10 to determine the object of each victim's hate. 1-2 = enemies, 3-4 = allies, 5-7 = enemies and allies, 8 = themselves, 9-10 = the Illusionist. The victim will immediately attempt to attack the nearest object of hate. Grimly, self-hatred will typically result in spontaneous suicide attempts.

Fear

Spell Level: Illusionist, 3nd Level
Range: 60 feet
Duration: Instantaneous

The cone-shaped emanation of this spell (5 feet wide at its base, 30 feet wide at its farthest end) affects up to 4d10 random targets with one level/HD, 3d10 random targets with two levels/HD, 2d10 random targets of three levels/HD, 1d10 random targets of four levels/HD, 1d6 random targets of five levels/HD, and 1d4 random targets of six levels/HD. Creatures with more than six levels/HD are unaffected. Victims that fail their saving throws will flee at top speed for one minute per level of the Illusionist and each has a 60% chance to drop any held items.

Fog

Spell Level: Illusionist, 2nd Level
Range: Moves 6 feet per minute
Duration: 1 hour

This spell creates a 15-foot radius cloud of opaque vapor that blocks vision. The cloud moves slowly forward at a rate of six feet per minute unless strong winds push it in another direction instead. It is heavier than air and will sink to fill low areas.

Gaze Reflection

Spell Level: Illusionist, 1st Level
Range: 80 feet
Duration: 1 turn

While under the effect of this spell, the harmful gazes of such monsters as the medusa and basilisk will not affect the caster and will actually be reflected straight back at their sources as if by a mirror (subject to the limits of the spell's range).

Hypnotic Pattern

Spell Level: Illusionist, 2nd Level
Range: 120 feet
Duration: Concentration plus 1d6+3 minutes thereafter

The Illusionist projects a pattern of psychedelic undulating color that can hold beings beholding it motionless for the indicated duration. The pattern fills a caster-designated 30-foot by 30-foot square area within range and affects up to 4d6 random targets with one level/HD, 3d6 random targets with two levels/HD, 2d6 random targets of three or four levels/HD, and 1d6 random targets of five or six levels/HD. Creatures with more than six levels/HD are unaffected.

Hypnotism

Spell Level: Illusionist, 1st Level
Range: 80 feet
Duration: Until dispelled

Similar to charm person, hypnotism will bring a single humanoid under the Illusionist's influence. The victim must look the Illusionist in the eyes during casting, however, and the saving throw is made with a -2 penalty.

Illusionary Script

Spell Level: Illusionist, 3nd Level
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent

A single casting of illusionary script is sufficient to allow for the scribing of up to one standard size page's worth of special magical writing. Such writing can only be comprehended by the specific person or class of persons designated by the Illusionist, in a manner akin to magic mouth. All others making the attempt must succeed at a saving throw to avoid confusion (per the spell) for 1d6 turns.

Improved Invisibility

Spell Level: Illusionist, 4th Level
Range: 240 feet
Duration: 4 minutes plus 1 minute/level

As invisibility 10-foot radius, except for duration and the fact that subjects may attack without ending the invisibility prematurely.

Improved Phantasmal Force

Spell Level: Illusionist, 2nd Level
Range: 240 feet
Duration: Concentration plus 3 minutes thereafter

This spell is functionally identical to phantasmal force, except for duration and the fact that the Illusionist can move freely without losing concentration.

Mass Suggestion

Spell Level: Illusionist, 6th Level
Range: Shouting distance
Duration: 1 week

As suggestion, except the caster may choose to affect 1d8 targets (who each save as normal) or a single target (who saves with a -4 penalty). Only a single suggestion is possible per casting, regardless of the number of targets affected.

Major Creation

Spell Level: Illusionist, 5th Level
Range: 10 feet
Duration: Varies

The Illusionist may create up to 30 pounds/level of inanimate matter. Soft goods, such as those made of wood, will remain permanently. Mineral and metallic ones will eventually vanish. The harder the material, the shorter its existence. Gold, for example, persists for but one day.

Minor Creation

Spell Level: Illusionist, 4th Level
Range: 10 feet
Duration: 4 days plus 1 day/level

The Illusionist may create up to 10 pounds/level of soft inanimate matter (no harder than the hardest of woods). All such matter will vanish upon expiration of the spell.

Misdetection

Spell Level: Illusionist, 2nd Level
Range: 30 feet
Duration: 1 minute/level

While this spell lasts, the caster may attempt to tamper with detection spells cast nearby. A detect evil or detect magic, for example, could provide false results if the Illusionist so desired. The success rate for this is the same as a casting of dispel magic.

Nondetection

Spell Level: Illusionist, 3nd Level
Range: Caster only
Duration: 2 turns/level

Detection spells (detect evil, etc.) will not function on the Illusionist while this spell is in effect. Additionally, the Illusionist is treated as though wearing an Amulet Against Scrying.

Paralyzation

Spell Level: Illusionist, 3nd Level
Range: 180 feet
Duration: Until dispelled

Targets with a collective level/HD total no greater than twice the Illusionist's own level are paralyzed if they fail their saving throws. The effect is permanent until dispelled or voluntarily lifted by the Illusionist.

Permanent Illusion

Spell Level: Illusionist, 6th Level
Range: 240 feet
Duration: Until dispelled

As spectral force, except for duration.

Phantasmal Killer

Spell Level: Illusionist, 3nd Level
Range: 60 feet
Duration: Until resolved (see below)

This spell affects a single target, manifesting as an unspeakably horrid avatar of that targets's own worst fears. Only the Illusionist and the target can see this frightful beast, which truly only exists in its would-be victim's mind. As such, there is no attacking or evading a phantasmal killer. The only possible defense is disbelief and failure to disbelieve spells instant death. Successfully disbelieving requires rolling the target's Intelligence score or less on 3d6. Treat the Intelligence score as five points higher if the target has faced a phantasmal killer before, one point higher if the target is an Illusionist, and three points higher if the target is endowed with telepathic powers, either naturally or through the use of magic spells or devices. These modifiers are cumulative. In the last case, a disbelieving telepath may even opt to turn the phantasmal killer against the Illusionist that made it!

Prismatic Spray

Spell Level: Illusionist, 7th Level
Range: 70 feet
Duration: Instantaneous

This spectacular display of sorcerous might causes a variety of colored rays to fan out across a horizontal plane 5 feet wide at its base and 15 feet wide at it farthest point 70 feet distant from the Illusionist. Every being in that area will be struck by one or more rays, each of which corresponds to one of the layers of a prismatic sphere spell and inflicts the same harmful effect noted in that spell's description. Roll 1d8 for each target: 1 = red, 2 = orange, 3 = yellow, 4 = green, 5 = blue, 6 = indigo, 7 = violet, 8 = struck twice (roll again twice, ignoring any 8s).

Programmed Illusion

Spell Level: Illusionist, 6th Level
Range: 240 feet
Duration: 12 minutes (see below)

As spectral force except the Illusionist describes a pre-set illusion to be triggered on the spot in question at a later time. The trigger can either be a follow-up command from the Illusionist or the occurrence of some specified event (such as another intelligent being walking through a doorway or touching a particular object). The spell will remain dormant indefinitely until triggered, only then being subject to the 12 minute duration.

Shadow Magic

Spell Level: Illusionist, 4th Level
Range: Varies
Duration: Varies

Shadow magic seemingly takes the form of a number of other spells, one of the Illusionist's choice per casting. Since much of the spell's actual substance is comprised of semi-real shadowstuff, however, the effects are correspondingly weaker. Fireball and lightning bolt deal 1d6 damage for every four levels of the Illusionist, rounded down. Wall of fire and wall of ice deal 1d2 damage. Death spell kills 1d8 victims with no more than 1 level/HD each.

Shadow Monsters

Spell Level: Illusionist, 4th Level
Range: 30 feet
Duration: 1 minute/level

This spell summons up quasi-real monsters of any type desired to serve the caster, provided their total HD doesn't exceed the Illusionist's own level. Regardless of type, the creatures will have no special abilities (magic use, level drain, etc.), be AC 9[10], and possess only 20% of their regular HD, rounded up. Shadow monsters take double damage from silver weapons.

Shadow Monsters III

Spell Level: Illusionist, 6th Level
Range: 30 feet
Duration: 1 minute/level

As shadow monsters, except the creatures have 60% of their regular HD, AC 7[12], and the maximum HD summonable is equal to twice the Illusionist's level.

Spectral Force

Spell Level: Illusionist, 3nd Level
Range: 240 feet
Duration: Concentration plus 5 minutes thereafter

As phantasmal force, except for duration and fact that the illusion can have auditory, olfactory, and thermal components in addition to visual ones.

Summon Shadow

Spell Level: Illusionist, 5th Level
Range: Close
Duration: Until mission is completed

As invisible stalker, except the supernatural being summoned is a shadow. More specifically, one shadow for every five levels of the Illusionist, rounded down.

True Sight

Spell Level: Illusionist, 6th Level
Range: Sight
Duration: Level plus 1d6+10 minutes

While this spell is active, the caster perceives all things as they truly are. Invisible, ethereal, and astral beings are plain to see. Anything under the effect of polymorph and similar shapechanging effects appears in its original form. Even a being's alignment, class, level, and general intentions can be discerned.

Ventriloquism

Spell Level: Illusionist, 1st Level
Range: 90 feet
Duration: 5 minutes

The Illusionist's voice is able to be projected from any point within range.

Vision

Spell Level: Illusionist, 7th Level
Range: Caster only
Duration: One question

In seeking a vision, the Illusionist reaches out to alien intelligences on distant planes of reality in search of the answer to any single question. The result is determined by making a reaction roll with a +2 bonus. A positive result means a full and accurate answer. A neutral reaction means a moderately useful, if incomplete response. A negative reaction results in no useful information and subjects the unfortunate Illusionist to a quest spell cast by the offended higher power.

Wall of Fog

Spell Level: Illusionist, 1st Level
Range: 160 feet
Duration: Concentration

The opaque vapors created by this spell block vision but have no other effects. The caster may choose to create a straight wall 60 feet long and 20 feet high, or a circular wall with a 15-foot radius, also 20 feet high.

The original bard class, adapted for Swords & Wizardry

Doug Schwegman's pioneering bard class, introduced in the February 1976 issue of The Strategic Review, deserves to be celebrated for its lasting influence on the game. Ever since its adoption into the AD&D Players Handbook in 1978 (albeit with numerous alterations), some iteration of the concept has been present in most every official version of the rules. That said, Schwegman's actual article is a tad rambling and has a tendency to tuck vital nuggets of game information away in the midst of some pretty convoluted paragraphs. This is my attempt to clean it up and reframe in the format used by my favorite contemporary take on Original D&D, Swords & Wizardy. My only concessions to the new format were the addition of prime attributes (the SR article was mum on this), extrapolating a likely solution to what appears to be a typo in the description of followers available to sixth college bards, and the ommission of the bonus experience awards for succeeding at the charm and lore abilities (as S&W uses a somewhat variant experience system).

BARD

The celebrated Bards are an order of arcane warrior-poets. Cunning loremasters as well as entertainers extraordinare, their ancient art encorporates martial prowess, stealth, and magical might. As true jacks of all trades, they can never hope to rival Fighters, Magic-Users, or Thieves within their respective realms of expertise, yet their peerless social aptitude, deep reservoir of knowledge, and sheer flexibility grant them an undeniable edge all their own.

ABOUT BARDS

Prime Attribute: Strength and Intelligence, both 13+ (+5% experience bonus).

Hit Dice:1d6/level (Gains 1 hp/level after 10th level).

Armor/Shield Permitted: Leather, ring, chain; shield permitted.

Weapons Permitted: Any.

Ancestry: Human, Dwarf (maximum 8th level), Elf (maximum 8th level), Halfling (maximum 8th level).

Alignment: Bards may be of any alignment, although most are Neutral and on friendly terms with druidic organizations. Lawful bards do not have access to thieving skills.

Magic Items: Bards may employ any magic item usable by Fighters, Thieves, or members of all classes. Additionally, they may use (but not create) Magic-User scrolls. At the Referee's discretion, magic items based on sound (Horn of Blasting, Pipes of the Sewers, etc.) may have enhanced effects when used by Bards.

Fighting Ability: Bards use the same attack and saving throw tables as Clerics. They do not gain any class-specific saving throw bonuses, however.

Bardic Colleges: Bard characters derive thier many skills from training obtained through scholarly organizations known as colleges. These scarcely resemble institutions of higher learning as we know them, instead being loose yet far-reaching webs of association maintained between individual Bards of similar accomplishment. While Bards of higher colleges can often be snobbish about associating with their "lessers" in lower ones, all Bards tend to be fiercely loyal to their fellows and the college system as a whole, regardless of alignment. It is rumored that magical intruments with wonderous effects exist that can only be properly played by Bards of a high enough college.

BARD CLASS ABILITIES

Thievery: Non-Lawful Bards have thieving abilities equal to a Thief of half their current level (round down). Non-human Bards benefit from the same bonuses non-human Thieves do. Note that Bards do not gain a Backstab ability and cannot climb walls or move silently when wearing any armor heavier than leather.

Spell Casting: Bards learn, prepare, and cast Magic-User spells in the same manner members of that class do. They cannot cast spells while wearing any form of non-magical armor.

Charm: The mystical song of Bards has a percentage chance of mesmerizing any listeners within a 60-foot radius of them. This power may be used up to once per level per day and affected beings will do nothing but stand in place listening to the Bard until the singing stops, the Bard leaves the area of effect, or they are attacked or otherwise startled. The Bard may attempt to verbally implant a suggestion in any charmed being (as per the 3rd level Magic-User spell). A saving throw is permitted to resist the suggestion and success both breaks the charm and is apt to leave the target very angry. A Bard's song also nullifies the hazardous effect of a harpy's. Situational modifers apply to charm attempts, as per the chart below.

Bard Charm Modifiers

Bard has charisma 15+	Bard is an Elf	Target is a Monk	Target is other classed character	Target is undead	Target is demon	Target is other monster	Bard has AC bonus from magic items
+5% per point above 14	+5%	-10%/level	-5% per level over four	-10%/HD	-200%	-5% per HD over three	-5% per point of bonus

Lore: This number represents the Bard's base percentage chance to possess information relating to a person, place, item, or event deemed significant enough by the Referee to have inspired tales and legends within the campaign setting. It can be used to identify magic items, but the chance of success will generally be half normal (or less) if the item in question is not a weapon or piece of armor. Bards of Elf ancestry gain +5% to this ability.

Expert Linguist: Being both highly educated and well-traveled, a Bard may learn as many additional languages as he or she has points of Intelligence.

Followers: As natural leaders, Bards attract a much higher than usual number of special hirelings, as shown in the accompanying chart. The class of each is determined using the "Bard Follower Classes" chart. Higher level follower slots will generally be taken up by already existing followers who have advanced in level, rather than all new ones. For example, a Bard who advances from the first college to the second will be joined by a new first level follower and one of the previous two will be promoted to second level in order to fill that slot on the chart. A Bard need not pay these followers, and ones that die or otherwise leave the campaign are not replaced. Bards following other Bards will not have their own followers. If the optional morale rules are used, these followers gain a +4 morale bonus (not cumulative with any bonus from high Charisma, but low Charisma penalties still apply).

Bard Follower by College

College	Followers by Level
	1	2	3	4	5	6
First	2	-	-	-	-	-
Second	2	1	-	-	-	-
Third	3	2	1	-	-	-
Fourth	3	3	2	-	-	-
Fifth	3	3	3	3	-	-
Sixth	4	4	4	3	3	-
Seventh	4	4	4	4	4	4

Bard Follower Classes

01-30%	31-55%	56-75%	76-90%	91-99%	100%
Bard	Druid	Fighter	Thief	Magic-User	Roll twice, ignoring 100%

Bard Advancement Table

Level*	XP Required for Level	Hit Dice (d6)**	Saving Throw	College	Charm/Lore	Number of Spells (by level)
						1	2	3	4	5	6	7
1	0	1	15	-	10%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	1,000	2	14	1st	20%	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	4,000	3	13	1st	30%	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	9,000	4	12	1st	40%	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	16,000	5	11	2nd	50%	3	-	-	-	-	-	-
6	25,000	6	10	2nd	60%	3	1	-	-	-	-	-
7	50,000	7	9	2nd	70%	4	1	-	-	-	-	-
8	100,000	8	8	3rd	80%	4	2	-	-	-	-	-
9	150,000	9	7	3rd	90%	4	2	-	-	-	-	-
10	200,000	10	6	3rd	100%	4	2	1	-	-	-	-
11	250,000	10+1 hp	5	4th	110%	4	2	1	-	-	-	-
12	300,000	10+2 hp	4	4th	120%	4	2	2	-	-	-	-
13	400,000	10+3 hp	4	4th	130%	4	3	2	-	-	-	-
14	500,000	10+4 hp	4	5th	140%	4	3	2	1	-	-	-
15	600,000	10+5 hp	4	5th	150%	4	3	3	1	-	-	-
16	700,000	10+6 hp	4	5th	160%	4	3	3	2	-	-	-
17	800,000	10+7 hp	4	6th	170%	4	3	3	2	-	-	-
18	900,000	10+8 hp	4	6th	180%	4	3	3	2	1	-	-
19	1,000,000	10+9 hp	4	6th	190%	4	4	3	2	1	-	-
20	1,100,000	10+10 hp	4	7th	200%	4	4	3	3	2	-	-
21	1,200,000	10+11 hp	4	7th	210%	4	4	4	3	2	-	-
22	1,300,000	10+12 hp	4	7th	220%	4	4	4	3	3	-	-
23	1,400,000	10+13 hp	4	7th	230%	4	4	4	4	3	-	-
24	1,500,000	10+14 hp	4	7th	240%	4	4	4	4	4	1	-
25	1,600,000	10+15 hp	4	7th	250%	5	5	4	4	4	2	1

*Bards are capped at 25 levels of ability.
**Hit points shown for levels after the character no longer gains full hit dice are the total combined number. A 12th-level Bard has 10 HD plus 2 hit points total, not 10 HD plus one hit point gained at 11th level and another 2 hit points gained at 12th.

An expanded armor table for Swords & Wizardy

On a recent read through the latest edition of Swords & Wizardry, an adaptation of the original D&D from the mid-'70s, it struck me that the equipment list notably includes ring mail armor in addition to the leather, chain, and plate varieties found in the source text. This got me thinking more generally about the various armor types beyond that "basic three" that were added to the game over time, particularly in AD&D. Some of them, like the aforementioned ring armor or studded leather, have little to no precedent in historical or archaelogical records. With that in mind, here's my take on an expanded armor list that's broadly compatible with the ones found in later editions. I kept the more dubious items in for tradition's sake, but flagged them as such, making them easy to ignore if you're a stickler about such things. Enjoy!

Armor

Armor Type	Effect on AC from a base of 9[10]	Weight** (pounds)	Cost
Shield	-1[+1]	10	15 gp
Padded gambeson	-1[+1]	15	3 gp
Leather	-2[+2]	25	5 gp
Ring*, scale, studded leather*	-3[+3]	40	30 gp
Chain	-4[+4]	50	75 gp
Banded*, brigandine, lamellar, laminar, splint	-5[+5]	60	85 gp
Plate	-6[+6]	70	100 gp

*Possibly ahistorical armor type.
**Magical armor weighs half normal.

Review: Swords & Wizardry Complete Revised

Mythmere Games has recently finished work on Swords & Wizardry Complete Revised, an updated take on their flagship fantasy RPG. As an enthusiastic backer of the book's highly successful Kickstarter campaign and equally enthusiastic reviewer of game stuff, I couldn't wait to dive in and take you all along for the ride. The information below is based on the first PDF release of the core rules sent out to backers, which should be virtually identical to the upcoming final print and PDF releases, barring a few minor last minute typographical fixes.

Before I get to that, however, here's a little disclaimer: This latest release isn't my introduction to Swords & Wizardry Complete (S&WC). I've been a fan of the game's earlier incarnations for years. I even furnished some (very minor!) behind-the-scenes assistance with the preparation of this Revised edition, mainly by collecting outstanding errata. Though my name appears in the book's credits as a result, I'm in no way compensated, let alone employed, by Mythmere Games and purchased my copy of the book with my own money, just like the 2800 other Kickstarter backers. So while my fanboy status means you probably shouldn't expect an unbiased review out of me, you can at least be assured that none of my praise has been purchased.

With that out of the way, what exactly is S&WC? In essence, it's a cleaned up, legally distinct restatement of the very first ("pre-Advanced") set of rules for Dungeons & Dragons that were initially published between 1974 and 1978. In other words, the ur-game all RPGs to this day derive from. The Swords & Wizardry brand has been around since 2008 and is the creation of Matt Finch, author of the acclaimed Tome of Adventure Design accessory and the same fellow who pioneered the whole idea of finding legal ways to publish new material for legacy versions of D&D, thereby kicking off a little thing called the OSR (Old School Renaissance) movement.

Having been born in the tail end of the 1970s, I cut my gaming teeth on a combination of AD&D and the later 1981 B/X D&D line. For the longest time, the only things I knew about the various foundational Dungeons & Dragons rules pamphlets (colloquially known as Original D&D, OD&D, or 0E) were that they were chaotically organized, choppily edited, and expensive collectors items to boot. It wasn't until I saw how the material was presented in Swords & Wizardry Complete that I truly understood the lightning-in-a-bottle success of early D&D. Finch's artful polishing revealed that the original was not only a better game at its core than I would have expected, but a better one than I could have imagined.

See, when the classic D&D family tree split into two main branches in 1978 (largely due to acrimonious high-stakes legal wrangling between Gary Gygax's TSR and ousted OD&D co-creator Dave Arneson), each branch inherited some of the fledgling game's coolest features. AD&D got the gritty sword & sorcery feel, demonic antagonists, and iconic character classes like the assassin and paladin, albeit wedded to a significantly larger and more complicated set of mechanics. The Basic D&D line, starting with the first boxed Basic set edited by J. Eric Holmes, assumed OD&D's overall simplicity and ease of modification/expansion. S&WC is what demonstrated to me what an elegant "best of both worlds" option the pre-split rules could therefore be.

So far, I could be describing any of several prominent "retro-clone" game lines based on OD&D. What makes this one different? Well, that mainly comes down to the fact that the core mission of S&WC isn't to replicate the primordial 1974 "white box" D&D alone (as with White Box: Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game and Delving Deeper) or AD&D (as with OSRIC), but instead to capture the essence of D&D as it was commonly played right before AD&D grew to dominate the scene circa 1979. By widening its scope to incorporate all the best material from the various OD&D supplements (including Greyhawk, Blackmoor, Eldritch Wizardry, and key bits from the magazine Strategic Review), it's fundamentally doing something no other modern repackaging does.

This leads into the second most common question newcomers to S&WC tend to have: If you're not going to embrace the bare bones three character class approach of the '74 White Box, why not skip straight to AD&D? For me, the answer's easy: The things I love most about AD&D, such as the separation of character species and class (as opposed to every elf being a hybrid fighter/magic-user) and the wide assortment of flavorful class options, come with some major downsides. People are still arguing to this day over exactly how AD&D's surprise and initiative rules are even intended to work, for example. S&WC functions for me like an alternate universe version of AD&D that gathered together the best of the entire OD&D line, reorganizing and streamlining it without dialing up the base complexity or shifting the emphasis away from empowering individual GM's in favor of the "official" rulings from on high. Running combats and other common adventuring scenarios with it is no more complex or time-consuming than doing so with, say, the newbie-friendly B/X edition.

That said, don't underestimate the many nitty-gritty differences between how various character classes were presented pre and post-AD&D, either. The S&WC paladin, for example, is clearly the far less cleric-like version from Supplement 1: Greyhawk. That means no spellcasting or turning undead. Similarly, those only familiar with post-AD&D implementations of the assassin, ranger, monk, and even common fighter are in for some fascinating surprises here.

But enough backstory! If you didn't know what and why S&WC is, you damn well do now. Time to tackle Revised more specifically. What does this rendition of the game bring to the table that previous ones didn't? Most immediately obvious is the new layout by Mythmere's Suzy Moseby. To me, it's a clear improvement on what came before, especially in the area of spell listings, monster stat blocks, and other concentrated nuggets of game data. I find that the situational pivot to a three column format for these list-like sections makes picking out relevant bits of information on a page more intuitive and quicker than ever. While I can detect the influence of Necrotic Gnome's Old School Essentials line at work, S&WC doesn't wholly embrace that paradigm. I prefer this, as it allows for a pleasing middle ground between the somewhat dry OSE bullet point format and Finch's colorful and often witty prose style. For a fine example of the latter, check the description of the spell Holy Word: "Creatures of fewer than 5 hit dice are slain; creatures of 5–8 hit dice are stunned for 2d10 turns; and creatures with 9–12 hit dice are deafened for 1d6 turns. Creatures with 13+ hit dice are unaffected but probably impressed." As a fan of authorial voice in my RPGs (within reason), this suits me fine.

This superior layout is accompanied by new black-and-white interior art from Del Teigeler, J.E. Shields, Brett Barkley, Chris Arneson, Ed Bickford, Ala Fedorova, Mike Hunter, J. Preston, Adrian Landeros, and Matt Finch himself. Though there is perhaps less of it than in some earlier editions, I found every piece to be tastefully done and relevant to the text it accompanies. A quality-over-quantity approach, in other words. My favorites include the assassin who, in a nice twist relative to the stereotypical knifing scenario, is shown running away from the aftermath of a bombing and the adorable pack llama that closes out the equipment chapter.

The two cover art options, a gorgeously understated gold sigil by Del Teigeler (available with premium Smyth sewn binding as well as print-on-demand) and a typically trippy take on a wizard facing down an extradimensional beastie by the inimitable Erol Otus (a print-on-demand exclusive), are both wonderful in my eyes. I've encountered some negative responses to the Otus piece, largely based on the notion that the monster in it resembles a space alien more than a traditional fantasy critter. Need I remind you all, however, that OD&D dates from a time before these sorts of distinctions were treated as holy writ by speculative fiction lovers? The original boxed set includes androids and Martians on its encounter tables and the first officially published adventure, Dave Arneson's Temple of the Frog, was based on a Star Trek episode. So lighten up and embrace the gonzo, already!

Leaving aside their presentation, the rules themselves have seen their most substantial revision and expansion to date. Most of these changes were suggestions by fans meant to bring the game even closer in function to OD&D proper. Monster stats now include the number appearing and lair encounter percentages, as well as morale scores intended for use with the long-awaited optional B/X-compatible morale system debuting here. High level monsters award increased experience. Wilderness travel has been fleshed out with additional guidelines pertaining to encounter check frequency and a nifty section devoted to generating random castles and their powerful inhabitants. Suggested procedures for spell and magic item creation are now provided. Intelligent weapons now get their due in S&W via the addition of simplified rules for Stormbringer style ego clashes. Random treasure generation, a particular sore point for me in prior editions, has been completely overhauled. It now calls for far fewer rolls and makes magic items much more accessible. Too many rolls and too little magic were my two biggest gripes with the old "trade-out" system, so I couldn't be happier. At this point, I feel confident saying that pretty much every worthwhile concept from the OD&D corpus is now represented, and represented well, in S&WC. Only junk like the Blackmoor hit location tables has rightly been left on the cutting room floor.

With these upgrades in place, S&WC at last fully lives up to its title, being an impressively complete fantasy RPG condensed into a mere 144 pages. It encompasses nine character classes (assassin, cleric, druid, fighter, magic-user, monk, paladin, ranger, thief), five ancestries (dwarf, elf, half-elf, halfling, human), roughly 200 spells, 160 monsters and just as many magic items, procedures for dungeon and wilderness creation, hirelings and henchmen, stronghold building, naval, aerial, mass, and siege combat, and more; everything needed to run any type of adventure for characters of any level. The book's habit of presenting multiple rules options for things like saving throws (the original five categories or the popular "single save" approach unique to S&W?), armor class (ascending or descending?), and initiative (a total of four distinct systems!) makes this overall brevity all the more impressive. Of all the official (A)D&D versions ever released, I'm only aware of one, the 1991 D&D Rules Cyclopedia, that aspired to cover so much ground within a single set of covers. The comparatively focused S&WC manages to do it in less than half the page count, however, and never gets itself bogged down in iffy design cul-de-sacs (general skills, weapon mastery) and reams of unnecessary math (War Machine) like the sprawling Cyclopedia does at its worst. Its design is a simultaneous triumph of scope and economy.

Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't offer any caveat or criticism. I may be a fan, but I can still acknowledge that the stark simplicity and heavy emphasis on competent, confident GM rulings inherent to OD&D (and hence to S&WC) won't appeal to everyone. Packing all the above-mentioned gaming content into such a slim volume doesn't permit much in the way of digression and handholding. To illustrate that, here's S&WC's description of the infamously tricky Polymorph Self spell in its entirety: "The caster assumes the form of any object or creature, gaining the new form’s attributes (the use of wings, for example), but not its hit points or combat abilities. The Referee might allow the benefit of the new form’s armor class if it is due to heavily armored skin. A great deal of the spell’s effect is left to the Referee to decide." That's all. 63 words spread out over three sentences, and two of those sentences essentially boil down to "figure it out yourself." That's around a third of the explanation AD&D provided and a quarter of what you get in the current (5th) edition of D&D. Hell, the 3rd edition devoted over 700 words to this spell alone. Or perhaps you want to know how much damage falling into a thirty foot-deep pit will cause? Too bad, because S&WC won't tell you. For "rules lawyer" players and GMs who take solace in always being able to crack open a book and be presented with The Answer, this sort of borderline free kriegsspiel roleplaying may not cut it. Whatever your feelings on them, "crunchier" RPGs certainly evolved for a reason. Gamer, know thyself. Some may also lament the lack of a true index, although I myself have found the table of contents entirely adequate for a work this length.

In conclusion, take it from someone with 30+ years of experience: This latest evolution of Swords & Wizardry is easily the best yet; a standout in the crowded retro-clone field and a legitimate contender for the honor of greatest "D&D" rule book ever devised, despite the fact that it can't legally use the name. As a slick distillation of everything that was great about the game from its inception, it demands serious consideration from anyone intent on running an old-school campaign today.