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CHARACTER CREATION GUIDE
Abilities, Hit Points, and Saving Throws
New to Wizards of the Coast's 3rd Edition rules? Not even sure what I mean when I say ‘Wizards of the Coast's 3rd Edition’? This is a guide for the new player trying to figure out where he or she should start when making a character for use in Neverwinter Nights (NWN).
Wizards of the Coast's 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons® rules allow for an unprecedented flexibility in creating a truly unique character. Two players choosing to play a Fighter can be as different as night and day depending on what feats, skills and what characteristics they choose to develop. This all can be very daunting to the new comer- especially if NWN is your first exposure to the 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules. There is always some confusion when you first create a character for a complex role-playing system, as there seems to be too many rules to keep track of and options to keep in mind.
Now let’s start with a bit of history; Dungeons & Dragons has been around for many years in various incarnations. The title ‘3rd Edition’ comes from the fact that several versions of the rules system for this famous game have existed before the current version. Each edition was quite different from the one before it. That difference is most apparent in the latest version- it is a large departure from the previous versions. As a new player you do not need any experience with the previous versions of the Dungeons & Dragons rules systems; in fact, it may be helpful to understanding the new rules if you do have preconceived notions.
All the rules needed to play Dungeons & Dragons are contained within a group of books (Wizards of the Coast's 3rd Edition Rulebooks) called the Player’s Handbook, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual. The computer game Neverwinter Nights uses these rules.
I have taken the basic information from the NWN manual and added some additional thoughts on things to look out for each character class and things to keep in mind for a new player.
Thinking of a character can be an easy or difficult process- to start with I always think of a character I would enjoy reading about in a fantasy book, seeing in a fantasy movie, or is featured in something I have written or role-played in a live setting. While creating a stereotyped fearless knight or a sly rogue and so on always has appeal, I encourage NWN players and Dungeon Masters (DMs) to create totally original characters that shatter the typical way each character class is presented. This is the mark of originality if you can create a completely new character using the standard rules. Those are the characters that stick out and become legends.
We need to cover some concepts before you begin exploring the races to choose from: Abilities, Hit Points, and Saving Throws.
Abilities - These are the basic components of your characters that alter how you interact with the NWN world:
· Strength (Str): Indicates how developed your muscles are for physical tasks such as lifting or pushing. The stronger you the better you are at melee.
· Intelligence (Int): Your ability to reason, to learn and comprehend your surroundings. The more Int you have the better skills you will possess.
· Dexterity (Dex): How nimble, quick and graceful you are. The more Dex you have the better you can avoid damage from enemies or traps.
· Constitution (Con): How hardy you are. Different from Str in that Con refers more to endurance, stamina and general health. The more Con you have the more damage you can weather and less likely you will be to contract disease or succumb to poison.
· Wisdom (Wis): Your perception, strength of will, and intuition. The higher your Wis the more in tune with your surroundings you will be.
· Charisma (Cha): This is a mix of leadership, personal magnetism, physical appearance, verbal ability and social skills. The higher your Cha the more likely you will be able to sway, intimidate, seduce or bluff and so on those around you.
Hit Points- These are a measure of how much damage which can be inflicted upon your character before they are unconscious or dead. For example Jinn, a 4th Level Rogue has 15 Hit Points is hit with an arrow from a bandit hiding in the trees. The arrow does 5 damage to Jinn. Jinn now has 10 Hit Points left and has a wound. If Jinn is hit with more arrows later in the combat and receives more than 10 more Hit Points of damage he dies. In other words if your character is damaged and has 0 (or less) hit points your character dies in the Neverwinter Nights Official Campaign. In Neverwinter Nights a module designer has the ability to change what the death settings are to 3rd Editions standard rules which state that a character is unconscious at 0 Hit Points and loses an additional hit point a round until 10 rounds have passed (the character is now at –10 Hit Points) at which point the character dies.
Hit Points are not just an indicator of how much physical damage you can take. Extra hit points as you gain levels are also an indication of you advancing skill at avoiding critical damage. Your 13th Level Fighter (with 100 Hit Points) may take 40 damage from a volley of 15 arrows but this does not mean you have 15 arrows sticking out of your heart and are just being manly. It probably means you took many small wounds but managed to avoid being hit in a critical area. You have not taken 40 damage in physical terms but the 40 damage represents the fact you were able to survive being struck with 15 arrows- you are injured but not dead as you would be at 1st level. You have enough experience in combat to be able to survive such a deadly situation.
Saving Throws- The term ‘Saving Throw’ harkens back to the earliest D&D rules where a character is required to ‘throw ‘the dice down (roll) in order to ‘save’ them from a bad situation. There are three types of saving throws in 3rd Edition D&D:
· Reflex: When you need to react to something very quickly to avoid damage or perform some desperate action such as dodging a fireball, avoiding a spike trap, catching a party member that has slipped off the ledge and so on.
· Will: Resisting mental attacks, magical effects or anything requires willpower such as Charm, illusions, domination spells and so on.
· Fortitude: Standing up to attacks to your vitality, health, or anything that attacks your constitution such poison, disease, energy drain or paralysis for example.
For example Jinn, the 4th Level Rogue, notices- at the last second- an assassin has pushed a large stone statue off a building in hopes of crushing our hero. He needs to make a saving throw- or specifically a Reflex saving throw- in order to avoid being struck by the statue. Jinn rolls his dice and success in making his Reflex saving throw and jumps clear of the statue as it crashes to the ground.
One the biggest decisions you will have in creating a character is choosing what race you want to play. Each race brings with it a distinct cultural attributes, abilities, advantages and disadvantages. As a player, you can shape whatever history or education you want into your character but choosing a race tends to bring certain permanent attributes to your character. If you play a Halfling for example you will be of shorter stature to most of the races in NWN. You can be an unusually large Halfling but you still will be seen as a Halfling by the rest of the world. Also consider some races have an irrational dislike of other races. Dwarves are known for there mistrust of elves for example.. You could be the most true-hearted Paladin in the known world but the Dwarven bartender won’t let you stay because you’re an elf. These are things to consider when picking a race.
The particulars of the culture of each race will not be dealt with as each can be subject to interpretation by the player when creating a character. The bonuses and penalties will be described as they effect your character in the game.
Available Races
Note: I will be including text from the manual in italics to emphasize what has been said in the manual that you can look up.
Humans are considered very adaptable to their surroundings and being quick to learn new skills.
· Favored Class (Any): When determining whether a multiclass human suffers an XP penalty, his highest-level class does not count. (this will discussed further in the Character Creation II- Multiclassing)
· Quick to Master: 1 extra feat at 1st level
· Skilled: 4 extra skill points at 1st level, plus 1 additional skill point at each level up
Extraordinarily resilient to damage and magic- they are feared warriors.
· Dwarven Ability Adjustments: +2 Con, -2 Cha
· Favored Class (Fighter): A multiclass dwarf's fighter class does not count when determining whether he suffers an XP penalty for multiclassing.
Special Abilities: Stonecunning, Darkvision, Hardiness vs. Poisons, Hardiness vs. Spells, Offensive Training vs. Orcs, Offensive Training vs. Goblinoids, Defensive Training vs. Giants, Skill Affinity (Lore).
· Elven Ability Adjustments: +2 Dex, -2 Con
· Favored Class (Wizard): A multiclass elf's wizard class does not count when determining whether he suffers an XP penalty for multiclassing.
Special Abilities:
Immunity to Sleep, Hardiness vs. Enchantments, Bonus Proficiencies (Longsword, Rapier, Shortbow, Longbow), Skill Affinity (Listen), Skill Affinity (Search), Skill Affinity (Spot), Keen Senses, Low-light vision.
· Gnome Ability Adjustments: +2 Con, -2 Str
· Favored Class (Wizard): A multiclass gnome's wizard class does not count when determining whether he suffers an XP penalty for multiclassing.
Special Abilities: Small Stature, Hardiness vs. Illusions, Offensive Training vs. Reptilians, Offensive Training vs. Goblinoids, Defensive Training vs. Giants, Skill Affinity (Listen), Skill Affinity (Concentration), Spell Focus (Illusion), Low-light vision.
A potent mix of human curiosity and ingenuity with the Elven longer lifespan and magical defensives.
· Favored Class (Any): When determining whether a multiclass half-elf suffers an XP penalty, his highest-level class does not count.
Special Abilities: Immunity to Sleep, Hardiness vs. Enchantments, Partial Skill Affinity (Listen), Partial Skill Affinity (Search), Partial Skill Affinity (Spot), Low-light vision.
The brutal Orc mixed with the natural intelligence of the human has produced a race of enormous strength and endurance possessing a foul temper and dubious intelligence.
· Orc Ability Adjustments: +2 Str, -2 Int, -2 Cha
· Favored Class (Barbarian): A multiclass half-orc's barbarian class does not count when determining whether he suffers an XP penalty for multiclassing.
Special Abilities: Darkvision.
Tiny, resourceful and skillful; Halflings are sometimes dismissed as weak by the foolish.
· Halfling Ability Adjustments: +2 Dex, -2 Str
· Favored Class (Rogue): A multiclass halfling's rogue class does not count when determining whether he suffers an XP penalty for multiclassing.
Special Abilities: Small Stature, Skill Affinity (Move Silently), Skill Affinity (Listen), Lucky, Fearless, and Good Aim.
Players are encouraged to read more about each race as ideas may be added to an existing character concept or further fleshed out.
Each character class has a list of skills that are the preferred skills of their class. A ‘preferred’ skill is one where a player must only spend 1 skill point to raise the rank of that skill by 1 point.
Most other skills are considered ‘cross-class’ which means that a player can take that skill but it will cost 2 skill points per rank instead of 1.
There are some skills that are so specialized that only certain classes can take them:
Animal Empathy- Only Rangers and Druids.
Perform- Only Bards
Use Magic Device- Only Bards and Rogues.
This means that no other class in the game can spend points on these skills but the classes listed.
Skill List- here is a brief explanation of each skill
Animal Empathy- Gaining the temporary trust of a wild animal.
Concentration- Defense against being distracted while casting a spell or fighting.
Diplomacy: Persuade- Sway another's thinking.
Diplomacy: Taunt- Distract opponents in combat.
Disable Trap*- Player can perform a variety of actions on a trap.
Discipline*- Defense against combat feats like Knockdown and Disarm.
Heal- Can be used with Healing Kit to heal wounds and cure diseases and poisons.
Hide- Hide from enemies.
Listen- Chance to detect hidden creatures.
Lore*- Identifying properties of items found.
Move Silently- Move without being detected.
Open Lock- Allows a chance to unlock a door or chest.
Parry*- Defensive stance in combat.
Perform- Bard's gain access to Bardsong.
Pick Pocket- Steal items from another character.
Search- Ability to find important or valuable items.
Set Trap*- set a trap for others to trigger.
Spellcraft- identify a spell being cast.
Spot- Ability to see hidden or camouflaged things.
Use Magic Device- Ability to operate a magical device that has some sort of restrictions on it such as only being useable by a certain class, race or alignment.
*Notes:
Disable Trap and Set Trap can be considered subsets of the Dungeons & Dragons® Disable Device skill.
Discipline is a Neverwinter Nights skill. It is not a part of the Dungeons & Dragons® game experience but is a necessary part of the Aurora Engine technology.
Lore can be considered a subset of the Dungeons & Dragons® Knowledge skill.
Parry is a Neverwinter Nights skill. It is not a part of the Dungeons & Dragons® game experience but is a necessary part of the Aurora Engine technology.
Lets begin with the classes. The NWN manual has this to say: A Class is the profession or vocation of your character. It determines what he or she is able to do: combat training, magical ability, skills, and more. In selecting what class is right for your character, keep in mind what base strengths you want him or her to have. The eleven basic selections can approximate most any character concept.
That last idea is very true. As I mentioned, a good way to make a character is to think of someone, some hero or villain you want to play and use the rules to make that character. It might take a few levels to get your character to where he or she is starting to have the right ‘feel’ for what you had in mind but do not despair. This actually gives a better sense of reality, as no character starts fully formed and perfect. Everybody has to learn his or her skills/spells etc. from the ground up.
I have included a section called “Making the Best…”. Some may feel that this section removes the role-playing element of creating a character by focusing on how to best utilize each special feature of the classes. Making a character is a complicated process and some may want to be the magic user that is very dim or a fighter that is sickly and weak to add a bit of flavor to their role-playing.That’s great, but at some point your character will be called upon to be a hero and save the world, kill the dragon and so on, and for that you can’t handicapped yourself too much in the pursuit of a character. Remember in every story about a bumbling, absent-minded magician there is also the invincible knight or deadly rogue to protect him. A good character is a mix of strength and weakness.
Barbarians
Barbarians are brave, even reckless, and their warrior skills make them well suited to adventure. Instead of training and discipline, barbarians have a powerful rage that makes them stronger, tougher, and better able to withstand attacks. They only have the energy for a few such displays per day, but it is usually sufficient. Constant exposure to danger has also given barbarians a sort of "sixth sense," the preternatural ability to sense danger and dodge attacks, and their running stamina is legendary.
With their toughness and fighting ability they are the shock troops of the D&D world. People picture the typical Barbarian as the huge Viking type from somewhere to the ‘North’. Keep in mind that this does not have to be the only example of a Barbarian. They have this stunning ability to Rage in combat which makes them stronger and tougher, becoming a tornado of destruction- what other examples of characters would have this frightening ability? A barroom brawler? A crazy street lunatic? A daring rich duelist bent on revenge? Consider different possibilities for the Barbarian. While they are detailed in the Wizards of the Coast's Player’s Handbook as the typical example of wandering Norsemen-type, you do not have to be that when creating your character.
Making the Best Barbarian.
You will notice that Barbarians have the most hit points in the game (a 12 sided dice compared to all other fighter types with a 10 sided dice or even 8 sided) that makes them the class that will most likely be thrown in front of whatever is coming to soak up damage to protect the weaker members of the group. The Barbarian tends to concentrate on being fast and furious as opposed to bulky and heavily armored.. This lack of armor may be made up for in hit points (especially if you raise your Con for hit point bonuses) but consider raising your Dexterity to make up for light or medium armor. This, again, depends on what sort of character you are building. If we are making a street brawler we might decide to raise Constitution to give him the ability to shake off massive amounts of damage with a grunt. On the other hand, the rich duelist might want the high Dexterity to compliment the image of the lightning fast reflexes saves him from damage (and prevents the commoner from ruining his expensive clothes!).
Strength is a very important ability for the Barbarian as it relates to combat, but again it depends on what sort of character you want to play.
Here is the breakdown of what the Barbarian class benefits:
· Alignment Restrictions: Any non-lawful
· Hit Die: d12
· Proficiencies: All simple and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields
· Skill Points (Int Modifier * 4 at 1st level): 4 + Int Modifier
· Ex-Barbarians: Barbarians are unable to progress in levels if their alignment ever becomes lawful.
Skills
Skills are another way of defining and individualizing and distinguishing your character from other Barbarians. Barbarians have the following skills that are within their class- that means when you want to raise a rank in one of these skills you only spend 1 skill point. If you wish to take a skill that is not on this list you must 2 skills points. Some skills such as Use Magic Device are not available at all to Barbarian and skill points cannot be spent on it. The Barbarian is meant to fight and so points spent on Parry and Discipline would be a wise idea.
Class Skills
· Discipline
· Heal
· Listen
· Lore
· Parry
· Diplomacy: Taunt
Bards often serve as negotiators, messengers, scouts, and spies. They love to accompany heroes (and villains) to witness heroic (or villainous) deeds firsthand, since a bard who can tell a story from personal experience earns renown among his fellows. A bard casts arcane spells without any advance preparation, much like a sorcerer. Bards also share some specialized skills with rogues, and their knowledge of item lore is nearly unmatched. A high Charisma score allows a bard to cast high-level spells.
Bards are very difficult to classify as they are part scholar, part thief, part spy, part spell caster and part warrior. With so many routes to focus on a common error is to try and be good at everything and that leads to being mediocre at all. To play a successful Bard a player must think about what sort of character they would want to play and select certain parts to emphasize. For example, a combat based Bard would focus on his physical attributes over Cha and Wis (which determines spell ability) and take a few spells that aid directly to fighting. On the other hand, a player who wishes to be a spy or entertainer would focuses on persuasion and more Cha-based skills.
Making the Best Bard
As mentioned above Bards use Wis is used to determine spells. If you wish access to as many spells as possible as you gain experience and move up you must set your Wis high upon creation. For example, if you only have 11Wis then you will only be able to cast 1 level spells (12 Wis allows 2nd level spells, 13 Wis allows 3rd level spells and so on). If your Wis is 9 you will not be able to cast spells at all and this miss out on a huge advantage to being a Bard. A player should have at least decided whether the use of spells is going to be a big part of his or her Bard at the very start because increasing Wis is much harder after the initial creation of a character.
After deciding on Wis the player needs to decide sort of abilities, skills and equipment would complement them. High Dex or Str for Fighter- Bards (keep in mind that the casting of Bard spells are not affected by wearing armor and Bards are proficient in any type of armor- so if you’re considering a fighter-type then you can invest in some good armor), High Cha or Int (used to determine Skill points) for more spy/storyteller types.
Here is the breakdown of what the Bard class benefits:
· Hit Die: d8
· Proficiencies: All simple weapons, all armor, and shields
· Skill Points (*4 at 1st level): 2 + Int Modifier
· Spellcasting: Divine (Wisdom based, armor-related chance of spell failure is ignored)
Skills
Second only to the Rogue in sheer diversity of skills that can be taken the Bard has a wide range of skills that can be developed. Be careful in how you use you points as even the Bard cannot excel in every one of his or her skills. This is where a solid character concept can be of great value in deciding where to put those very valuable skill points. The Bard is the only class that can take Perform and so should use it to their full advantage.
Class Skills
· Concentration
· Discipline
· Heal
· Hide
· Listen
· Lore
· Move Silently
· Parry
· Perform (The Bard is the only class that can take this skill)
· Diplomacy: Persuade
· Pick Pocket
· Spell Craft
· Diplomacy: Taunt
· Use Magic Device
Clerics act as intermediaries between the earthly and the divine (or infernal) worlds. A good cleric helps those in need, while an evil cleric seeks to spread his patron's vision of evil across the world. All clerics can heal wounds and bring people back from the brink of death, and powerful clerics can even raise the dead. Likewise, all clerics have authority over undead creatures, and they can turn away or even destroy these creatures. Clerics are trained in the use of simple weapons, and can use all forms of armor and shields without penalty, since armor does not interfere with the casting of divine spells. In addition to his normal complement of spells, every cleric chooses to focus on two of his deity's domains. These domains grants the cleric special powers, and give him access to spells that he might otherwise never learn. A cleric's Wisdom score should be high, since this determines the maximum spell level that he can cast.
What is not emphasized in the above description is that fact that a Cleric is the only class that is the closest to being a Fighter/Magic-User without multiclassing. They have a huge range of spells, all of which are not effected by armor and so they can protect them selves in battle far better than other magic users. In addition they have very good hit points (1d8 for the Cleric compared to the Sorcerer or Wizard’s 1d4 per level), the use of shields and some weapons. These special considerations shatter the stereotype of a Cleric as a priestly type in a long robe handing out alms for the poor. Players must also include the crusader in full plate as an archetype of a Cleric.
Making the Best Cleric
To the Cleric Wisdom is the most important ability. Do not consider being a cleric just to make a good fighter as they are mighty fighters indeed, but can never match the class Fighter. The big advantage of being a Cleric is being to access a selection of very powerful spells and the ability to turn Undead. For that you need to spend some of creation points on raising your Wis as much as you can. It depends, as always on what sort of character you want to create of course, but if you choose the divine path when you are making your character then you must be willing to use points to make your Wis high enough to be granted high-level spells. As with the Bard if you have a 11 Wis you have access to 1st level spells (12 for 2nd level spells etc.)
Something to keep in mind is the choosing of your characters deity. Each deity has Domains which will grant the Cleric additional abilities. These Domains (Good, Law, War, Earth, Protection, Luck etc) can further individualize your character from other Classes and indeed, other Clerics. Having a good idea of what your character is when you are making him or her should making the selection of what Domains that much easier.
The other important ability to consider is Cha. Cha is used to determine how many times per day a Cleric can try to turn undead and how powerful His or her effect is. Normally a character get to attempt three turns a day plus his or her Cha modifier. For example if you have a Cha of 12 your modifier is +1 and thus you get an additional turn undead account per day. Depending on how much you wish focus on this ability you should consider how many points you put into Cha when you create your character.
The other thing to consider is taking advantage of the fighter side of the Cleric. Since Wis is the only class specific ability you need to worry about when you are creating your Cleric it is a good idea to think about how you want to focus on the fighter elements of being a Cleric. For example, you get to cast spells while wearing armor with not penalty like the Bard, so you nee not worry about taking heavier armor for better protection.
· Hit Die: d8
· Proficiencies: All simple weapons, all armor, and shields
· Skill Points (*4 at 1st level): 2 + Int Modifier
· Spellcasting: Divine (Wisdom based, armor-related chance of spell failure is ignored)
Skills
The use of the skill Heal can save the Cleric from using his spells to restore a wounded companion. The Heal skill, used with a Healing Kit can also have a chance of curing diseases and poisons without resorting to spells. A Cleric is advised to study the Heal skill in order to save his or her spells for more dire situations.
A player will also notice that the Parry Skill is also available for study. If the Cleric is hurt or dead he or she cannot aid the party and so it is important that the Cleric know when being defensive is better than being offensive in combat. Sometimes the most important contribution to a party for a Cleric is simply staying alive.
Class Skills
· Concentration
· Heal
· Hide
· Lore
· Parry
· Diplomacy: Persuade
· Spell Craft
Druids gain power not by ruling nature but by being at one with it. They hate the unnatural, including aberrations or undead, and destroy them where possible. Druids receive divine spells from nature, not the gods, and can gain an array of powers as they gain experience, including the ability to take the shapes of animals. The weapons and armor of a druid are restricted by their traditional oaths, not simply training. A druid's Wisdom score should be high, as this determines the maximum spell level that they can cast.
Druids and Rangers are two sides of one coin. Druids can be seen as the embodiment of the power of nature while Rangers can be viewed as the highly skilled experts and warriors of the wild.
Druids, while able warriors themselves, focus on the use of magic and magical abilities to battle their enemies. They have a dizzying array of abilities that they are granted as they progress to higher levels but, unlike the Bard, apart from Wis there are few other things that need to be considered in the creation of a Druid as his or her special abilities are not based on anything but Druid level. That means that having a high Cha, for example, does not make your Wildshape ability at 5th level better (as turning undead becomes better with higher Cha for Clerics). This frees the players to pick and choose what sort of Druid they want to make and not be concerned about innate abilities as they will be granted through experience.
Something to keep in mind while you are thinking about your character is that Druids are a reflection of nature- both beautiful and dangerous and thus, they must keep a balance within themselves about their world- that is, all Druids must remain very close to Neutral in alignment as nature is a giver and taker of life in equal measure. A careful reading of alignment is important to understand the frame of mind of a player wishing to play a Druid character. If a Druid moves away form Neutral they lose a great deal of their Druidic abilities.
Making the Best Druid
Again Wis is the single most important ability to consider as a wide variety of powerful spells are available if you have enough Wis to be granted them. The system is the same for the other spell casters in that if you have only 11 Wis you may only cast 1 level Druid Spells, if you have 12 then you cast up to 2nd level spells and so on. As I have mentioned before it is a good idea to put points into Wis when you are creating the character as it more difficult to raise an ability naturally throughout the game (you can add +1 to an ability of your choice at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16 and 20th level of experience) or gamble on acquiring a magic item that will artificially raise an ability.
For those wishing to bolster the fighting side of his or her Druid, remember that Druids are restricted in their weapons due to oaths they have made for being accepted into a Druidic order. If you plan on being in the thick of things you might consider including Dex in the initial abilities, as the armor bonus would serve to protect the Druid from direct harm in combat. You also do not suffer penalties for wearing armor for spell casting so you may consider investing in some good armor.
· Alignment Restrictions: Must have some measure of Neutrality
· Hit Die: d8
· Proficiencies: Proficient with druid weapons, as well as shields and light and medium armors
· Skill Points (*4 at 1st level): 4 + Int Modifier
· Spellcasting: Divine (Wisdom based, armor-related chance of spell failure is ignored)
· Ex-Druids: A druid that is no longer neutral cannot gain levels.
Skills
Being a citizen of the wild the Druid has the much sought after skill of Animal Empathy. This skill can mean the difference between life and death to a weakened or defenseless Druid. By directing his or her will on the mind of a wild beast the Druid can dominate the creature for a time. A druid should exploit this rare skill in developing their skills. As the Druid increases skill the more ferocious of beasts will be subject to the Druid will.
Class Skills
· Animal Empathy
· Concentration
· Heal
· Lore
· Parry
· Diplomacy: Persuade
· Spell Craft
Fighters can be many things, from soldiers to criminal enforcers. Some see adventure as a way to get rich, while others use their skills to protect the innocent. Fighters have the best all-around fighting capabilities of the PC classes, and they are trained to use all standard weapons and armor. A fighter's rigorous martial training grants him many bonus feats as he progresses, and high-level fighters have access to special melee maneuvers and exotic weapons not available to any other character.
Fighters fight. They are the regular army grunt, the ones that go in first and come out last on the battlefield. In most other things- magic use, skills, additional abilities they are very limited but they cannot be equaled in straight fighting. They have access to any weapon or any armor in the game and can use each of them all equally well. The puzzle the player must solve is what type of fighter they want to be. They are granted the most (fighting) feats in the game and thus, can tailor what sort of fighting they wish to master.
Player should not think that by creating a Fighter they are forgoing all role-playing potential because all they do is fight. The reverse actually is true. Fighters do not have the restrictions of other classes due to other classes special abilities (i.e. the Druid has taken oaths, the Cleric must obtain his spells from a god that is observed etc.). No restrictions on alignment, traits etc. exist for the fighter and so they are very flexible in what you make of them.
Making the Best Fighter
To be a good fighter it’s important to concentrate on the fighting abilities. Which ones you focus on makes all the difference in what style of fighting you wish to master. Combine that with all the feats you get access to over your career and you definitely need to have some idea what sort of character you want to create.
Two basic approaches to creating a fighter:
1. Heavy Fighter- With this type you rely on armor to protect you and so you can keep your Dex modest as you will not get armor class bonus due to heavy armor penalties to any high Dex advantages. In this case keep Dex low and raise your Str as you will be relying on your powerful attacks rather than your lightning reflexes. In 3rd Edition rules high Str adds bonuses to combat, both ‘to hit’ and damage done. For example: if your Str is 10 your get no bonuses to hit and damage but if your Str is 12 you get +1 to hit and +1 damage. This +1 goes up by one every even number after 10 (+1 for 12, +2 for 14, +3 for 16 and so on). It is easy to see why a Fighter would want a huge Str to help him in combat. Using a Shield adds to your armor class and adds to your protection. Finally using a large weapon that does large amounts of damage is the final piece in this version of a fighter. Take any feats that require Str as a prerequisite as they will only contribute to your mighty attacks. Picture a knight in shining (and very thick) armor.
2. Finesse Fighter- Uses light or medium armor leans more towards dodging attacks rather than trusting he can absorb the damage. This type of fighter will concentrate on Dex as his main ability upon creation. This seems like a strange thing to do, as Str seems to be the biggest bonus to a fighter, but this is possible because there is a feat known as Weapon Finesse which allows a player to take one light weapon (dagger, short sword etc.) and use the Dex bonus when calculating the to hit bonus, instead of any Str bonuses while welding it. So a character with high Dex could have the same chance to hit with a very high Dex as does the Heavy fighter example above who has a very high Str. The only drawback is the lack of extra damage that can be done with high Str.
Of course, many variations can be made of each of these depending on what you want. What about an artful fighter who takes all fancy fighting techniques like Disarm, and Knockdown? How about a lightning fast Fighter approach that takes really high Con (shades of a Barbarian). In the end, all you need to consider is what sort of character you are making and tailor the use of the rules to that.
· Hit Die: d10
· Proficiencies: All simple and martial weapons, all armor, and shields
· Skill Points (*4 at 1st level): 2 + Int Modifier
Skills
Apart from Parry the Fighter tends to rely on feats rather than skills to help his or her defeat their enemies and so is only interested in the minimum of skills that will allow a more effective combat machine. Each of the Fighter’s skill are very useful to combat even Lore, which can be used to identify magic items found in the darkest dungeons when a scholar is no where to be found to seek advice from.
Concentration has dual uses in that is can be used for helping a spell caster finish the casting of a spell. For the Fighter however it is his defense against taunting opponents that would seek to anger or distract the Fighter into making mistakes in battle.
Class Skills
· Concentration
· Discipline
· Heal
· Lore
· Parry
Monks are versatile warriors skilled at fighting without weapons or armor. Good-aligned monks serve as protectors of the people, while evil monks make ideal spies and assassins. Though they don't cast spells, monks channel a subtle energy, called ki. This energy allows them to perform amazing feats, such as healing themselves, catching arrows in flight, and dodging blows with lightning speed. Their mundane and ki-based abilities grow with experience, granting them more power over themselves and their environment. Monks suffer unique penalties to their abilities if they wear armor, as doing so violates their rigid oath. A monk wearing armor loses their Wisdom and level based armor class bonuses, their movement speed, and their additional unarmed attacks per round.
There is no other class that is given quite as many strange and unique abilities as the Monk. To be able to use unarmed attacks that cause as much damage in combat as a trained fighter with a magic weapon is an astonishing feat and thus, the Monk is rare and special individual. The Monk’s special abilities are mostly based on the prevention of damage; the best saving throws in the game, additional natural armor class through keen awareness of surroundings (Wis) and ever increasing layers of resistances to poisons, aging, mental attacks and so on. The Monk training is so particular and rigorous that, once you leave the class and multiclass to another class, you cannot ever take up the Monk’s path again.
Making the Best Monk
A common decision when making a Monk is automatically choosing a high Str order to do more damage. While that is certainly a path you can consider, you must also remember that Monk’s are the only character class that get an armor class bonus from their Wis. When you make your character you are limited in what sort of armor (if any) you will take. Heavy armor negates a great deal of the Monk’s special abilities so he or she must rely on quickness and staying alert. It is a good idea to start with some sort of Wis bonus as this can make up for the lack of armor protection.
It is also a good idea if you choose a lower Str and higher Dex-type character to take the Weapon Finesse Feat with your Unarmed attacks to increase your ‘to hit’ bonus. This way you can suffer less penalties for using the Monk’s lightning fast ‘Flurry of Blows’ class feat. This allows you to do an extra attack at the cost of –2 to all your attacks (including attacks of opportunity) that round.
The Monk also has the best saving throw bonuses in the game. This may make you the default thief if your party lacks a proper Rogue as you have the best chance of surviving traps.
· Alignment Restrictions: Any lawful
· Hit Die: d8
· Proficiencies: Proficient with monk weapons, as well as shields and light and medium armors
· Skill Points (*4 at 1st level): 4 + Int Modifier
Skills
The selection of skills for the Monks contains many of the physical skills that a Monk would normally encounter in his or her training in martial arts. The Monk relies on lighting fast reflexes rather than brute force and so stealth can be utilized to convey the Monk to an opponent and strike quickly to ensure a swift victory. A player considering what to take as a Monk should remain true to their character concept originally developed as one cannot be perfect in all things. Is the ability to Hide more important than the ability to Persuade? Will your character want to be educated on the Lore of magical items vs. being able to Parry attacks? It all depends on what sort of Monk you want to make.
· Concentration
· Heal
· Hide
· Listen
· Lore
· Move Silently
· Parry
· Diplomacy: Persuade
Paladins take their adventures seriously, and even a mundane mission is, in the heart of the paladin, a personal test—an opportunity to demonstrate bravery, to learn tactics, and to find ways to do good. Divine power protects these warriors of virtue, warding off harm, protecting from disease, healing, and guarding against fear. The paladin can also direct this power to help others, healing wounds or curing diseases, and also use it to destroy evil. Experienced paladins can smite evil foes and turn away undead. A paladin's Wisdom score should be high, as this determines the maximum spell level that they can cast. Many of the paladin's special abilities also benefit from a high Charisma score.
Very few players can play a good Paladin as they are written. It is very difficult to play a character that is Good with a capital ‘G’. This makes playing a Paladin one the toughest to do- but not impossible. You will find that sticking to Lawful Good in a world where it is easier to hit first and loot the body is demanding. For those who can play a Paladin well, they are a formidable class with many, many benefits. This does not mean that players must play all Paladins according to the stereotype- ultra-conservative, inflexible, close-minded, do-gooder. There is nothing in the rules about what sort of personality (you don’t have be nice to do the right thing), what sort of clothing (ever heard of a Paladin in multi-colored armor?), what sort of habits are even state of mind you have to have. Make the character your own.
A Paladin is not just a fighter with ‘lots of stuff’. A better way to see the Paladin is as a war-like Cleric. They are designed to be warriors with the added bonus of some magic that is focused on battling evil. As a result, when you are crafting your Paladin you must take to consideration a great number of things.
Making the Best Paladin
To really gain the full benefits of being a Paladin one has to be above average in several abilities. Cha is what Paladins are known for- they are leaders, they are an inspiration to troops and they should be physical embodiments of lies directly opposite to the dark and foul world of evil. Cha is used to determine the strength of Lay on Hands, saving throw bonuses, turn undead ability and the power of Smite Evil. Wis is used to determine what level of Clerical spells are available (a players needs 14 Wis to gain access to all the spell levels a Paladin is granted- 4th level is the highest spell level they get). Finally, Dex, Str and Con are all elements of being a warrior that need to be considered as well. Selecting what you want to take is a difficult process and must be prepared to make sacrifices in other areas in order to gain the full benefits of this class.
A benefit of the divine nature of the spells cast is that Paladins can wear any sort of armor without a penalty for spell casting. Paladins do a lot of fighting so the ability to wear any sort of armor is very important.
Paladins, like Monks, are restricted in their multiclassing abilities. Once you leave the path of Paladinhood to pursue another class, you may never return to it.
· Alignment Restrictions: Lawful Good only
· Hit Die: d10
· Proficiencies: All simple and martial weapons, all armor, and shields
· Skill Points (*4 at 1st level): 2 + Int Modifier
· Spellcasting: Paladin Spells. Divine (Wisdom based, armor-related chance of spell failure is ignored)
· Ex-Paladins: A paladin that is no longer lawful good cannot gain leaves until their alignment is lawful good again.
Skills
Given the enormous amount of extra abilities granted with the Paladin class they are given fewer skills to develop. Each one of them is essential however to supporting the Paladin in his or her divine call.
The type of Paladin you wish to play comes into consideration when selecting which skills to develop. While it is hard not to take Parry as a basic class skill what other skills will you take? Does Heal matter to you when you can Lay on Hands? Do you want to use your Cha to influence others with Persuade? Are you well versed in Lore from books or adventures?
Paladins are given very few skills points to spend and so one must choose wisely and not waste points.
Class Skills
· Concentration
· Heal
· Lore
· Parry
· Diplomacy: Persuade
· Diplomacy: Taunt
Rangers are skilled stalkers and hunters who make their home in the woods. Their martial skill is nearly the equal of the fighter, but they lack the latter's dedication to the craft of fighting. Instead, the ranger focuses his skills and training on a specific enemy—a type of creature he bears a vengeful grudge against and hunts above all others. Rangers often accept the role of protector, aiding those who live in or travel through the woods. His skills allow him to move quietly and stick to the shadows, especially in natural settings, and he also has special knowledge of certain types of creatures. Finally, an experienced ranger has such a tie to nature that he can actually draw on natural power to cast divine spells, much as a druid does, and like a druid he is often accompanied by animal companions. A ranger's Wisdom score should be high, as this determines the maximum spell level that he can cast.
As Clerics have the Paladin as their warrior incarnations so do Druids have the Ranger as their fighting embodiment. The Ranger is given far more combat related powers and far less magic with which to battle their enemies. Rangers can also be viewed as the scouts, detectives, and trackers of the D&D world. While it is true that in the wilderness the Ranger cannot be matched, his or her skills are no less useful in the city or deep in the heart of a stony dungeon.
A Ranger can be of any alignment and thus, it is up to the player to develop a personality that can be as varied as the wilderness itself.
The Ranger has the unique ability to study a group of creatures so extensively that he gains many bonuses when confronted with them. As a Ranger gains experience he can not only include more groups but increase his bonuses against his existing favored enemies.
Making the Best Ranger
As was mentioned, to gain the full benefit of the class you need to remember Wis when creating your character to access all your spell levels and increase your ability with the Wilderness Lore Skill. Dex is the primary feature of the Ranger as a lot of the their abilities hinge on stealth and quickness. They are also not proficient with Heavy Armor and, therefore, should concentrate on Dex to make up for the lack of protection. Rangers also begin with the feats of Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting but only if they are wearing no armor or light armor. Again we see that Dex is important if a player is interested in taking advantage of these free feats.
This two-weapon fighting ability is a clear indication that Rangers are, indeed, made for fighting and players should keep that image clearly in mind when creating a Ranger. They have rare skills but they are also deadly warriors.
· Hit Die: d10
· Proficiencies: All simple and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields
· Skill Points (*4 at 1st level): 4 + Int Modifier
Skills
As with the Druid, the Ranger has the Animal Empathy skill which can be used to enormous benefit for a lone Ranger.
Since survival is the name of the game for the Ranger in the untamed wilderness they have to be aware of their surroundings. One of the few classes that have Spot and Search in their list of skills, the Ranger would do well to exploit this advantage over other classes. Being masters of the wild the Ranger also knows how to set traps for the unwary. Depending on your character concept this may be a focus for your character as well. Only Rogues have trained in this deadly skill as well.
While the Ranger has access to a wide range of skills, they do not have a great deal of skill points to spend on these skills. Careful selection of skills is paramount to gaining any advantage over the long run in skills.
Class Skills
· Animal Empathy
· Concentration
· Heal
· Hide
· Listen
· Lore
· Move Silently
· Parry
· Search
· Set Trap
· Spot
Rogues have little in common with each other. While some—maybe even the majority—are stealthy thieves, many serve as scouts, spies, investigators, diplomats, and simple thugs. Rogues are versatile, adaptable, and skilled at getting what others don't want them to get. While not equal to a fighter in combat, a rogue knows how to hit where it hurts, and a sneak attack can dish out a lot of damage. Rogues also seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to avoiding danger. Experienced rogues develop nearly magical powers and skills as they master the arts of stealth, evasion, and sneak attacks. In addition, while not capable of casting spells on their own, a rogue can sometimes "fake it" well enough to cast spells from scrolls, activate wands, and use just about any other magic item.
The Rogue is only character where skills are of paramount importance. Rogues have the highest skill points per level and access to the most skills of any character class. For this reason Rogue become the Jack-of-All Trades as they seem to have a bit of knowledge about a wide variety of topics. Whereas a fighters get few skill points and even fewer in-class areas to spend them the Rogue can throw a few points into a great deal of skills ‘just in case’. Rogues are not solely limited to learned skills, however, as they are given one of the most devastating combat abilities in the game: the Sneak Attack. At higher levels this is the most damaging combat attack in the D&D world. A Rogue can quickly end a deadly struggle with one quick strike from the shadows. As mentioned above, the rest of the Rogue’s combat abilities are for avoiding damage altogether- armor class bonuses even if surprised and an almost magical avoidance of certain attacks makes the Rogue a viable combatant.
Making the Best Rogue
As with creating any character, a player must decide what the focus of that character will be - the Rogue is no different. The Rogue gets many skill points per level and can leave it at that. However, something to consider may be raising the Int of a starting Rogue and, suddenly, with an ability bonus of, say, 2 because of an Int of 14 or 15, you have 8 more skill points to spend on initial skills and 2 extra points per level hereafter. This adds up to a lot of extra skill points. Rogues have a wide variety of skills they can choose from and a player may need to sit down and think about what skills are important to them so that they can be concentrated on throughout there career. Rogues get a lot of skills points, but even they can’t be good at everything.
In addition to Int as an area of focus, Dex must be considered, as it is extremely important to the Rogue. Dexterity is important since several Rogue skills rely on Dex, a Rogues typically have fewer hit points than more martial classes (only a d6 for hit points), and they have an unfortunate occupational hazard of working with deadly traps. The avoidance of damage should be a mantra for the Rogue.
As for the rest, a player should consider what is important: bolstering hit points with a high Con? Adding to combat damage with a higher Str? These are decisions that should be based on what sort of Rogue you are playing: a spy, a highwayman, a thug, a cutpurse and so on.
· Hit Die: d6
· Proficiencies: Proficient with rogue weapons and light armor. They are not proficient with shields
· Skill Points (*4 at 1st level): 8 + Int Modifier
Skills
The Rogue is far and away the most highly skilled character class in the game. Most of their abilities are somewhat secondary to their vast knowledge and training in the mundane world. This makes the Rogue nearly indispensable for the party of adventurers wishing to confront all manner of obstacles- sometimes the Rogue’s skills are all that save a group from certain death. The price is that the Rogue cannot face the enemy in open combat or cast powerful combat or healing spells.
The Rogue gains the most skill points of all the classes, but they are also expected to have the widest range of expertise. A Rogue must concentrate on some essentials that only the Rogue can easily train in such as Disabling Traps or Open Locks. These two skills, which can be essential, are also only available as a class skill to the Rogue. The second tier of skills are also rare and may be shared with only one or two classes: Pick Pocket, Search, and Spot. The Rogue acts as the early warning system to a party that lacks a Ranger who can also be accomplished in such skills.
The Rogue has one skill that is so rare that none but the Rogue and the Bard can train in it: Use Magic Device. No other class can study this skill and so the Rogue should exploit it.
Class Skills
· Concentration
· Disable Traps
· Heal
· Hide
· Listen
· Lore
· Move Silently
· Open Lock
· Parry
· Diplomacy: Persuade
· Pick Pocket
· Search
· Set Trap
· Spot
· Use Magic Device
Sorcerers are arcane spellcasters who manipulate magic energy with imagination and talent rather than studious discipline. They have no books, no mentors, no theories—just raw power that they direct at will. Sorcerers know fewer spells than wizards do and acquire them more slowly, but they can cast individual spells more often and have no need to prepare their incantations ahead of time. Also unlike wizards, sorcerers cannot specialize in a school of magic. Since sorcerers gain their powers without undergoing the years of rigorous study that wizards go through, they have more time to learn fighting skills and are proficient with simple weapons. Charisma is very important for sorcerers; the higher their value in this ability, the higher the spell level they can cast.
Sorcerers seem to show up regularly as the central hero in fantasy novels; a young inexperienced servant/ stable hand/ sheepherder is really the last in a long line of magic users and has yet to tap their awesome magic potential. It is this innate potential that separates the Sorcerer from any other magic using class. All their ability comes from within and requires no study, no prayer and without long hours of practice. Since their brainpower is not used in the acquiring of their magic ability they use their own awareness of self and their own confidence in their abilities to decide what their potential is. This is demonstrated in game terms through their Cha.
Creating The Best Sorcerer
Obviously Cha is the central focus of the Sorcerer as all their magic abilities are associated with this ability. Set it high and increase it when you can. Very few of the other classes have only one ability to focus on and so players creating a Sorcerer should take advantage of this from the start.
As was mentioned previously, the huge drawback to this class is the limited number of spells one can use. Unlike the other classes, which have a wide variety of spells to choose from, a Sorceror must choose wisely what spells they take as they are unchangeable. The selection of spells becomes as important as the assignment of basic abilities and skills. When choosing spells, consider a balanced approach of spells that can grow more powerful over time (Magic Missile, for example, continues to grow in power until level 9 and is useful throughout a Sorceror's career), spells that grant a special ability that will remain useful (Haste or Expeditious Retreat, for instance), and spells that will keep you alive through the tough early levels, even if they will become less useful as you increase in level (like Sleep or Stinking Cloud).
This concentration on Cha leaves a great deal of points left for developing what sort of Sorcerer you want to be. Sorcerer’s have access to simple weapons but no armor, and have very low hit points (a measly d4!), so fighting may not be an option unless you carefully plan what abilities to focus on (Dex for armor bonus, Con for added hit points?). Again, it all depends on what you are planning to do with the character. You will have points to spend after Cha is dealt with so choose wisely.
A Sorcerer's main advantage is the number of times per day they can cast the few spells they have. A Sorceror may be able to outlast a Wizard or Cleric due to the sheer amount of spells he or she can cast, which may be the deciding factor in who is standing at the end of a magic duel.
· Hit Die: d4
· Proficiencies: All simple weapons. No armor or shields
· Skill Points (*4 at 1st level): 2 + Intelligence Modifier
· Spellcasting: Arcane (Charisma based, no need for preparation, armor-related chance of spell failure is a factor); Sorcerers begin the game knowing all cantrips
Skills
Owing perhaps to the wild nature of the magics that come naturally to the Sorcerer they do not have access to a great deal of skills, instead relying on their innate familiarity with the magical world to protect them and vanquish their enemies.
A lone Sorceror should consider the benefits of Heal and Lore if they wish to remain independent and able to make the best use of the items that he or she does come across in his or her travels. In addition, a Sorcerer should be able to recognize many spells, through the skill Spellcraft, so that when the time comes to learn new spells he or she has seen many spells in action and can make a more informed choice of choosing new spells to inherit.
Class Skills
· Concentration
· Heal
· Lore
· Spellcraft
Wizards are arcane spellcasters who depend on intensive study to create their magic. To wizards, magic is not a talent but a difficult, rewarding art. When they are prepared for battle, wizards can use their spells to devastating effect. When caught by surprise, they are vulnerable. The wizard's strength is her spells; everything else is secondary. She learns new spells as she experiments and grows in experience, and she can also learn them from other wizards. In addition, over time a wizard learns to manipulate her spells so they go farther, work better, or are improved in some other way. A wizard can call a familiar: a small, magical, animal companion that serves her. With a high Intelligence, wizards are capable of casting very high levels of spells.
Epic fantasy stories are never complete without the elderly spell caster who delves deep into forgotten tombs and welds spells of awesome power and might. These are the Wizards within the D&D world, subject to long hours of study but reaping untold benefits of power and knowledge through hard work. It requires patience and diligence to be a successful Wizard and it is not an easy road.
Since this form of magic use is based on careful study, that factor must be considered when creating a personality for your Wizard. Is he or she diligent, blasé or frustrated by the constant study and memorization? Why would someone put themselves through all the long hours of study?
Alignment is not a consideration so a character can range from a pathological self-absorption to a Paladin-like commitment to all things good. All the player needs to consider is how the Wizard’s power will be used.
Making the Best Wizard
Wizards can focus quite easily on what is important to make them the very best Wizards through one ability: Int. That must be considered first and foremost. Int decides what level of spells can be understood and cast and also how many spells can be studied for use. Raise your Int to as high as you can allow within the idea of your character when creating your Wizard- that is where your power lies.
Wizards have little combat ability and should not be trying to dodge swords and parry attacks along the front line. They can, however, destroy entire armies from a distance and so are to be feared on the battlefield. While a Fighter can kill but one opponent at a time, the Wizard can slay many- at a price. That price is the vulnerability to being wounded and killed if attacked directly.
Like the Sorcerer, your Wizard need not conform to the robed stereotype, however one should concentrate on what you does best. Focus on feats and skills that help your spell casting and leave direct combat to others. You are a person of high intelligence and so will have a larger pool of skills like the Rogue- choose them wisely as well with regards to what sort of Wizard you want to make.
The Wizard has the ability to pick and choose what spells her or she will learn and memorize them - that is there strength. While the Sorcerer may have more time to wile away in a Tavern while you study your spells, you have your pick of a huge number of spells.
· Hit Die: d4
· Proficiencies: Proficient with wizard weapons. No armor or shields
· Skill Points (*4 at 1st level): 2 + Int Modifier
· Spellcasting: Arcane (Intelligence based, requires memorization, armor-related chance of spell failure is a factor); Wizards begin the game knowing all cantrips and four 1st level spells.
Skills
Similar to the Sorcerer in that skills are not where the power if the class lies, they have nonetheless learned their magics through the careful study of ancient texts, and thus have accumulated a vast store of knowledge. The Lore skill becomes important if the Wizard is considered the scholar in a group and is relied upon to give advice on mysterious items found while adventuring.
Since the bulk of their time spent hitting the books is spent in learning about the casting of spells, they have little time left for any skills not essential to that end.
Class Skills
· Concentration
· Heal
· Lore
· Spell Craft
Final Word
That’s it for looking at each of the classes in detail for the beginner player seeking a basic understanding how each of the classes is different form the next. Take your time in crafting a character that you enjoy playing. Some people learn that they would rather leap in and bash their opponents instead of planning a careful ambush or casting defensive spells- find what works for you. Neverwinter Nights is a huge game and you want to make the best of the time spent playing it. Consider what sort of character you want to play in the vast worlds soon to be created by the Toolset.
NEVERWINTER NIGHTS © 2002 Infogrames Entertainment, S.A. All Rights Reserved. Manufactured and marketed by Infogrames, Inc., New York, NY. Portions © 2002 Bioware Corp. BioWare Aurora Engine copyright 1997- 2002 BioWare Corp. All Rights Reserved. BioWare, the BioWare Aurora Engine, and the BioWare Logo are trademarks of BioWare Corp. All Rights Reserved. Neverwinter Nights, Forgotten Realms, the Forgotten Realms logo, Dungeons & Dragons logo, Dungeon Master, D& D, and the Wizards of the Coast logo are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. and are used by Infogrames Entertainment, S. A. under license. All Rights Reserved. Windows and Windows 95/ 98/ 2000/ XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other trade-marks are the property of their respective owners.