BECMI/BX additional material

For thieves being more able to pick their powers I really like Necrotic Gnome's The B/X Rogue.

It takes away the standard rogue powers and allows them to choose different ones over levels and puts most things on d6 checks instead of percentile ones (so consistent mechanics with hearing noise and everybody else's find traps ability).

I would like it better if there were better more powerful higher level options instead of just adding more lower choice type powers, but I much prefer it conceptually to the default thief with their static list of skills and terrible percentages.

(Some of you have heard this before, but...)

While it doesn't address the high level issue, my preferred simple fix/slight power up to the B/X or BECM Thief is to replace all the percentages with just having all skills use the Hear Noise chance. Except Climb Sheer Surfaces, which instead starts 5/6, and when every other skill advances, I increase the die size but keep a 1 in x chance of failure.

I optionally combine this with giving the Thief a d6 HD. They're still relatively fragile thanks to their poor armor, but those two changes make them a more viable choice. (Some people will argue that despite the d4 HD Thieves are more durable than they look, because their XP table is so cheap that they'll be multiple levels ahead of their peers. This is almost never the case in actuality).

DarthBeckett said:

I am considering making a Druid and Bard class for starter characters, so am open to spells from them as well.

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OSE Advanced Fantasy Player's Tome has B/X baseline versions of both of these.

Advanced Labyrinth Lord has a B/X baseline druid class, it is a little more AD&D with stat requirements. It also has a basic version of the clerical flamestrike and spiritual weapon spells and a complete list of druid spells done at a B/X baselline.

As noted Third Kingdom Games has a bard class in their OSR Alternative Classes product.

I am sure there are others

Class Compendium has a bard and an elven greensinger class and a sylvan elf class which are druid like.