AD&D (1e) class question

[c_g]

I'm looking for help for a game starting soon. I need you all to cast your minds back into the mists of the distant past, when Bards were an overpowered prestige class, magic items were created by legendary faceless NPCs and then appeared at random in dungeons, and Wizards didn't overwhelm the game until at least tenth level. That's right, first edition.

In an upcoming game we're resurrecting 1st edition itself, and some of the fine old (ok, nightmarishly difficult) adventure modules. In a fit of masochism, I've decided I want to try to play a swashbuckler-type character, an agile fencer quick with blade and witty repartee, prone to dramatic leaps, swinging on chandeliers, and other such tactically unwise but ever-so-impressive actions.
I know that this is not a character whose style is really suited to the mechanics of 1st ed, but I want to try. The question is, what class could suit such a character? Or, rather, what's the least unsuitable? I can draw on pretty much any of the 1st ed books, and can probably make slight adjustments to fluff (changing the names of OA classes to suit other settings, etc).

So, I put out the call to the gathered memory of the forums. What could I be?

[Meat Shield]

Wasn't there one of the Player Option's books with a swashbuckler type fighter kit you could use to approximate this sort of thing?

Anyone, I'm sure one of the grognards around here has a better memory than I. (Looking at you Matthew, Nexx, Charity, etc)

[Matthew]

Hullo, hullo.

Well... the swash in 1e is all in your imagination (and attribute scores).

Easiest thing to do is be a Fighter. You want a high Dexterity (something like 17 or 18 to offset the Two Weapon Fighting penalties) and then you're pretty much good to go. Get hold of a Long Sword (call it a Rapier, if you need to) and a Dagger. If your DM is using Weapon Specialisation, you are probably going to want to Double Specialise (+3 to hit and +3 damage, three attacks every two rounds) with the Long Sword. Leather Armour will let you move at a full 120 ft per round, but Mail will only decrease that to 90 ft per round anyway.

I will have a look around for an actual Rapier in 1e, but I don't recall there being one off hand.

If your DM is open to any 2e resources, then there is a lot more to think about. Kits, proficiencies and actual stats for a Rapier.

[hamlet]

Another option might be to use the thief class, or the thief/acrobat from unearthed arcana. You won't be as great at hitting oponents, but you won't be bad at it, and it gives you some skills that you can use to do the swinging, leaping, and fancy stuff.

[Matthew]

Aye, that's true. A Thief or Thief/Acrobat would be a pretty good fit...

Actually, you might consider being a Half Elf Fighter/Thief and get the best of both worlds, though I don't think Multi Class Fighters can specialise...

[hamlet]

Aye, that's true. A Thief or Thief/Acrobat would be a pretty good fit...

Actually, you might consider being a Half Elf Fighter/Thief and get the best of both worlds, though I don't think Multi Class Fighters can specialise...

Easy enough to house rule one supposes.

[LibraryOgre]

There is no restriction on multi-classed fighters specializing in 1st edition. Really, I think the best option would be a thief-acrobat. Use a broadsword (single-edged, basket-hilted), with a dagger in your off-hand. With a 17 or 18 dex, you're 0,-2 on your main and secondary hands. A fighter/thief would also work well, especially if you go thief-acrobat. If you're going evil, an assassin wouldn't be horrid... light armor, any weapon, and a tendency to backstab. Plus, disguises.

[Jayabalard]

Agreed on the fighter/thief/acrobat.

[nagora]

In an upcoming game we're resurrecting 1st edition itself, and some of the fine old (ok, nightmarishly difficult) adventure modules. In a fit of masochism, I've decided I want to try to play a swashbuckler-type character, an agile fencer quick with blade and witty repartee, prone to dramatic leaps, swinging on chandeliers, and other such tactically unwise but ever-so-impressive actions.
I know that this is not a character whose style is really suited to the mechanics of 1st ed, but I want to try. The question is, what class could suit such a character? Or, rather, what's the least unsuitable? I can draw on pretty much any of the 1st ed books, and can probably make slight adjustments to fluff (changing the names of OA classes to suit other settings, etc).

I'd have to say that the best option is to get the DM to put together a "swashbuckler" class for you made up from fighter and thief-acrobat. I don't see the normal thief skills of pickpockets etc, being part of the class, nor pole-arm use for that matter.

If you're thinking of Burt Lancaster in "The Crimson Pirate" then a straight fighter is going to be a bit of a struggle, I think.

Half-elf Fighter/Thief-Acrobat is probably the way to go otherwise. Just make sure you have the UA errata!

[clericwithnogod]

There is no restriction on multi-classed fighters specializing in 1st edition.

Errata for Unearthed Arcana:

http://www.acaeum.com/library/errata_ua.html

[Matthew]

Ahah! Yeah, I thought I had read that for 1e as well. Damn errata page.

[nagora]

Ahah! Yeah, I thought I had read that for 1e as well. Damn errata page.

I cut the errata out and stuck them into my copy of UA over the old text.

[Matthew]

Probably a good idea.

[nagora]

Probably a good idea.

The Dragon UA errata printing was arranged so that the errata fit like that, although some of the missing tables have to be glued in between pages. They've survived for 23 years with only one piece having to be re-stuck.

[Scaboroth]

Ahh, 1st Ed. All this nostalgia is making me misty-eyed *sniff*
I remember the first time I flipped through the Player's Handbook, upgrading from original D&D to AD&D. Ooh, the fighter gets a d10 hit die! Druid, what's that? Weren't they like, cultists who sacrificed people at Stonehenge or something? And the utterly loony rules on Psionics stuck in the back of the book; get this: the way to determine if you actually had psionic powers was, you roll a d00 at the time of character creation. If you get a 100, you have psychic powers!
Those were indeed the days.

[nagora]

Ahh, 1st Ed. All this nostalgia is making me misty-eyed *sniff*
I remember the first time I flipped through the Player's Handbook, upgrading from original D&D to AD&D. Ooh, the fighter gets a d10 hit die! Druid, what's that? Weren't they like, cultists who sacrificed people at Stonehenge or something? And the utterly loony rules on Psionics stuck in the back of the book; get this: the way to determine if you actually had psionic powers was, you roll a d00 at the time of character creation. If you get a 100, you have psychic powers!
Those were indeed the days.

Just a note: Stonehenge has no connection whatsoever to druids. It is much, much older than that. Modern idiots dressed in sheets who claim otherwise are liars and frauds.

[viking vince]

If your DM likes Dragon magizine classes, try the Duelist

http://www.alltkm.com/dandd/DandD/dragmag/Drmg073.pdf

[Scaboroth]

Just a note: Stonehenge has no connection whatsoever to druids. It is much, much older than that. Modern idiots dressed in sheets who claim otherwise are liars and frauds.

A good point, which I am very well versed in today. However, back when I was 12 years old...

[wumpus]

[edit: this will teach me to read all the postings in a thread].

If anybody in your group has an extensive collection of "The Dragon" (and hopefully total recall), there was a class for 1e in there call "the Duelist". It was more of a cross between a fighter and an assassin (the idea being the typical duelist took pay to fight duels).

I'm guessing it was published roughly between 1e and Unearthed Arcana, maybe 1985 or so.

Some notes:

• poor armor selection (probably just leather)
• high hit points (d12)
• bonuses for fighting humans/PC races
• bonuses for fighting one on one
• bonuses for using same weapon as opponent
• don't count on using weird weapons (but rapier is a good choice)

[EvilJames]

Wasn't there one of the Player Option's books with a swashbuckler type fighter kit you could use to approximate this sort of thing?

Anyone, I'm sure one of the grognards around here has a better memory than I. (Looking at you Matthew, Nexx, Charity, etc)

PO was 2nd ed.

I never got to play much 1st edition so I'm not sure how you would go about making a good buckle swasher, but I'm sure it can be done.