The aristocracies of the New Kingdoms are a varied bunch, but they fall - mostly - into the categories outlined below (note that the truly great Court Nobles are not included below). In order to qualify for entry into these multi-classes, the player must select one of the following Character Backgrounds: Aristocrat, Ecclesiastic (Nobles of the Robe only), Scholar or Soldier, along with a combination of social status and wealth as noted in the description of each variant.
The Noble of the Sword
The Noble of the Sword is a variant on the Versatile Combatant: they represent the standard aristocrat -
not the rural, hidebound Petty-Nobles, the tremendously powerful Nobles of the Court, or the urbane
Nobles of the Robe. These folk are moderately wealthy, well-versed in everything a noble ‘should’ know,
and, despite the name, not the quickest to choose combat. Rather, the name reflects a slowly fading
legacy of their place in the now-heavily eroded feudal society of the New Kingdoms. Nobles of the
Sword can select the Nobility or Upper-class social status, but can only choose from the Wealthy,
Affluent or Comfortable wealth levels.
Classes Combined: Professional and Fighting-Man
Requirements: Strength 9+ and Intelligence 9+
BtH Progression: as Fighting-Man
Hit Points: half the sum of 1d6 + 1d8 (rounded up)
Saving Throws: +4 to Strength and Constitution saves.
Weapons/Armors: All armors and shields, and six weapon proficiencies of the player's choice. The
penalty for non-proficiency is -2.
Abilities: Fighting-Man specialty - may choose from Cavalryman, Duellist or Guard.
Add their level +2 to the following skills: Athletics, Gambling, Knowledge - feudalism, Knowledge - local,
Knowledge - military, Linguistics, Persuasion, Riding.
The Petty-Noble
The Petty-Noble is a further variant on the Versatile Combatant: they represent the highly conservative,
comparatively poor rural aristocrats (who make up the majority of the nobility in the New Kingdoms).
Petty-Nobles are incredibly jealous of their status and privileges, despite the fact that many of them are
substantially less well-off than successful peasants or merchants. They are renowned for their
obsession with precedence and protocol, their obsolete traditionalist methods of managing their lands
and the violence and contempt that marks their relationship with their miserable tenants. Petty-Nobles
can select either the Nobility and Upper-class social status, but are limited to the Successful,
Comfortable, Decent, Modest or Poor wealth levels.
Classes Combined: Professional and Fighting-Man
Requirements: Strength 9+ and Intelligence 9+
BtH Progression: as Fighting-Man
Hit Points: half the sum of 1d6 + 1d8 (rounded up)
Saving Throws: +4 to Strength and Constitution saves.
Weapons/Armors: All armors and shields, and six weapon proficiencies of the player's choice. The
penalty for non-proficiency is -2.
Abilities: Fighting-Man specialty - may choose from Cavalryman, Hunter, Mercenary or Soldier.They add their level +2 to the following skills: Animal Handling, Athletics, Knowledge - feudalism,
Knowledge - local, Knowledge - military, Knowledge - nature, Knowledge - religion, Riding.
The Noble of the Robe
The Noble of the Robe is, in fact, not a single multi-class role. Rather they come in three flavours:
Versatile Fighter (the most common, these folk ape the Nobles of the Sword in many respects), Versatile
Clergyman and Versatile Magic-User. Nobles of the Robe are those aristocrats who have risen to the
higher orders through the use of wealth to purchase a title or office, or through exceptional non-military
service of the Crown. They are generally very wealthy, urbane and confident in their place and have a
high-cultural bent to their interests. They tend to view Petty-Nobles with great disdain. Many among them
have advanced or liberal attitudes. Nobles of the Robe can select either the Nobility or Upper-class
social status, but can not select a Wealth level below Successful.
Versatile Fighters
Classes Combined: Professional and Fighting-Man
Requirements: Strength 9+ and Intelligence 9+
BtH Progression: as Fighting-Man
Hit Points: half the sum of 1d6 + 1d8 (rounded up)
Saving Throws: +4 to Strength and Constitution saves.
Weapons/Armors: All armors and shields, and six weapon proficiencies of the player's choice. The
penalty for non-proficiency is -2.
Abilities: Fighting-Man specialty - may choose from Duellist, Soldier or Guard.
They add their level +2 to the following skills: Artistic Capacity, Athletics, Gambling, Knowledge -
feudalism, Knowledge - history, Knowledge - known world, Linguistics, Persuasion.
Versatile Clergyman
Classes Combined: Professional and Clergyman
Requirements: Wisdom 9+ and Intelligence 9+; allegiance to a non-Chaotic deity.
BtH Progression: as per Clergyman/Professional
Hit Points: 1d6
Saving Throws: +4 to Intelligence and Wisdom saves.
Weapons/Armors: Mace and staff, and any armor up to chain-mail and shield. Non-proficiency
penalty: –4 to hit.
Abilities: All the Clergyman class abilities (including adding level to Knowledge-religion and Persuasion
skill checks), plus the following skills (to which they add their level +2): Artistic Capacity, Detection,
Gaining Information, Knowledge - feudalism, Knowledge - history, Knowledge - occult, Linguistics,
Persuasion.
Versatile Magic-User (also known as Nobles of the Wand)
Classes Combined: Professional and Magic-User
Requirements: Dexterity 9+ and Intelligence 11+
BtH Progression: as per Professional
Hit Points: half the sum of 1d4/1d6 (round up)
Saving Throws: +4 to Intelligence saves, plus all saves against magic (this can never stack to get a
+8 bonus).
Weapons/Armors: Dagger, staff and leather armor. Non-proficiency penalty: –4 to hit. Wearing any
kind of armor hinders spellcasting.
Abilities: Arcane-lore skill and spellcasting ability (white, gray or - rarely - black magic), plus eight skills
outlined below (adding level +2 to relevant skill checks): Alchemy, Artistic Capacity, Astronomy/Astrology,
Knowledge - feudalism, Knowledge - history, Knowledge - occult, Linguistics, Persuasion.
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