Page 159 - D&D - Player's Handbook

PALADIN serkers, and gladiators. Its reliance on armor provides a
good cultural touchstone for dwarf characters, as befits
The Oath of the Crown can represent a wide variety of
its role in the Realms. Alternatively, you could use the
paladins associated with various knightly orders across
battlerager as the basis for a militant religious order in
the Flanaess. The Knights of the Hart are the perfect
your world, especially one focused on cruelty or fury.
faction for this type of paladin. In addition, paladins as-
For the tiger and elk totems, conversion is simply a
sociated with the Great Kingdom likely take this oath.
matter of replacing them with more suitable animals (if
necessary).
ROGUE
The City of Greyhawk is known as the City of Thieves CLERIC
for good reason. Its thieves' guild exerts power across The concept of a goddess of magic is important to the
the world. Nestled at the center of the Flanaess's eco- Realms. If your campaign lacks a deity concerned with
nomic network, the guild and the city it rules has a hand magic, the Arcana Domain works well for religious
in almost every business deal across the region.
orders charged with hunting down or policing arcane
The Mastermind archetype is the perfect way to rep-
spellcasters. If your world strikes a conflict between ar-
resent an ambitious member of Greyhawk's thieves' cane and divine magic, this domain provides the divine
guild. Willing to take a personal risk on a job but more
faction's mage hunters.
comfortable directing muscle, this flavor of rogue is a
great match for a character who wants to follow in the FIGHTER
footsteps of Nerof Gasgol and rise to political and eco-
The Purple Dragon Knight captures the essence of a
nomic power.
bold battlefield strategist. It provides a framework for a
Rakes and bravos are common throughout the cities
mercenary captain, a member of an elite order of war-
of the Flanaess. A Swashbuckler can thus originate
riors, or a noble charged with leading vassals into battle.
from almost any city, but among the Rhennee in partic-
ular, Swashbucklers are common. As travelers along
MONK
waterways, they have learned that a quick, mobile ap-
proach to combat works best. You've probably noticed that the Way of the Long Death
and the Way of the Sun Soul are both handy tools for
WARLOCK modeling monastic orders at opposite ends of the align-
ment spectrum. A particularly sinister order is a good
Warlocks are relatively rare in Greyhawk, but as Iuz
match for the Long Death, while a heroic order follows
has ascended to power, he has begun to offer power
the Way of the Sun Soul.
directly to those who choose to serve him. Some of the
other mysterious powers of Oerth, most notably Vecna
and Tharizdun, also offer pacts to warlocks who dare PALADIN
contact them. The Oath of the Crown's utility for your campaign comes
Both Iuz and Vecna fit the Undying patron's role. Iuz, from its ability to capture neutral paladins, those whose
in particular, uses offers of power to corrupt and subvert code of conduct is focused on the law rather than on
folk among his enemies. He offers easy bargains and moral principles. Its divine spellcasting makes it tricky
great power to those in the realms of Furyondy and Ve- to use as a tool for every knightly order, but it's a great
luna who are willing to subvert those states from within. option for a theocracy. You could also decide that the
Some warlocks relish their role as turncoats, a few oth- spells a paladin casts aren't divine in origin, but arcane.
ers turn against Iuz, and still others take his power and
use it to their own ends. SORCERER
Storm Sorcery is a good match for an arcane order sup-
WIZARD
ported by a powerful seagoing culture. These sorcerers
Bladesingers form an elite cadre of warrior-mages in the might form an elite cadre of sea captains, helping a king-
kingdom of Celene. Some of these agents work beyond dom dominate the sea through trade or raiding.
Celene's borders, wielding blade and magic against the
queen's enemies. The art of the blade song is unknown WARLOCK
beyond that kingdom; no non-elf has learned its secrets. The Undying patron is a great option for the agents of a
powerful lich king, necromancer, or other undead ruler.
HOMEMADE WORLDS These warlocks are also useful for portraying any cult
Running your campaign in a world of your own cre- or organization focused on a powerful, undead figure
ation? Here are tips for introducing some of this book's from your campaign's past.
character options to your world, skipping options that
WIZARD
have obvious applications in a world.
The bladesinger's flavor makes it more than just a war-
BARBARIAN rior/mage in the Forgotten Realms. In your campaign,
The Path of the Battlerager is somewhat difficult to consider using it to model an order of elf knights or an
incorporate into a setting because of its idiosyncratic elite group of warriors trained to protect the rulers of a
nature. It provides a good match for pit fighters, ber- magocracy.

APPENDIX I CLASS OPTIONS IN OTHER WORLDS