Characters / First To Third Edition Core Classes

This is the character sheet for the core classes Dungeons & Dragons introduced between its 1st and 3rd Editions. Go to Dungeons & Dragons Classes if you want to check out the classes introduced in other editions.

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Assassin

Assassin

A sub-class of the thief introduced in the OD&D Blackmoor supplement, the assassin became a Prestige Class in 3rd Edition.

• Boring, but Practical: 3E Assassins have a very small list of spells they can use, but it contains almost all the spells a stealthy character would want (read: Invisibility), and the ability to cast arcane spells at all opens up huge new options for them.
• Master of Disguise: The assassin was the only class in OD&D and 1st edition to include rules for disguising yourself, including the possibility of disguising yourself as a different sex or (humanoid) race.
• One-Hit Kill: Their signature ability in 1st edition was the ability to do this to any enemy they surprised (with a chance of failure depending on relative level). This is retained in 3.x edition, though you needed to observe for three rounds and the attack allows a save to resist dying instantly. At the Assassin's option, it can be modified into a paralyzing attack should they wish to take prisoners.
• Professional Killer: Their specialty is killing others cleanly and stealthily. And their powerful stealth abilities make it all the easier for them.
• Stealth Expert: Even more so than the Rogue. They can hide in plain sight and use stealth-based spells, which is everything the Rogue would ever want.

Barbarian

Barbarian

First officially codified in the Unearthed Arcana supplement to 1st Edition (though it appeared in a fanzine before this); disappeared from 2nd Edition, only to be reintroduced in the Players Options series; finally recodified as a standard class in 3rd Edition. Class Handbooks: WotC 3.5 version, Brilliant Gameologists 3.5 version (copied from the GiantITP version), Gleemax 4E version.

• Badass Normal: All of their abilities are neither magical nor supernatural. Which means everything they do is something that, on paper, anyone can do.
• Barbarian Hero: The good and neutral aligned Barbarians are described as "free and expressive".
• The Berserker: In 3rd edition, where it was their signature ability.
• Boring, but Practical: The class's main trick is to rage for stat bonuses, then get up in the enemy's face and wallop them with the biggest weapon available. It's not very versatile, but a well-built barbarian can pump out so much damage that it's generally the only trick they need.
• Canon Immigrant: The barbarian first appeared in the British fanzine White Dwarf before being adopted by TSR.

• Lightning Bruiser: In 3.x, the barbarian has the highest base movement speed of any class except for the monk. In addition to that he has uncanny dodge, meaning that he reacts so quickly to danger that he gains a bonus to reflex saves against traps and cannot be flanked or sneak-attacked in combat.
• Made of Iron: Traditionally, barbarians have the highest hit points of the core classes, and in most cases, actually take reduced damage from all physical attacks at higher levels (the DR is so small that it only outright prevents Scratch Damage, though).
• Nature Hero: They were expanded upon in the splatbook "Masters of the Wild", and they are consistently described as being "wild" and appreciating nature in the books.
• Never Learned to Read: Possibly; in the third edition, barbarians must spend skill points for literacy, whereas other characters are automatically literate.
• One Stat to Rule Them All: In 1st Edition, Constitution. In 3rd, barbarians benefit from all physical stats (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution).
• Unskilled, but Strong: Compared to the Fighter, Barbarians have more health, faster movement and huge stat boosts when raging, but not nearly as many combat feats.
• Unstoppable Rage: The barbarian's distinguishing characteristic in 3rd Edition is rage. The original 1E barbarian from White Dwarf also had this ability, but the official one by Gary Gygax did not (it was defined by its extreme resilience).

Bard

Bard

A class introduced in Strategic Review Vol.2 Issue 1, converted to the Ur-Example Prestige Class in AD&D 1st Edition, then made its own class again from 2nd Edition onward. Class Handbooks: Gleemax 4E version, Gleemax 3.5 version, Brilliant Gameologists 3.5 version

• The Bard: The Trope Codifier for the concept of a Jack of All Trades bard that uses magical music.
• Characterization Marches On: Started out mechanically as a Prestige Class and thematically as a druidic lorekeeper who learned and taught magic through music. By third edition they're a starting class with closer thematic ties to skalds and who use Magic Music.
• Girls Like Musicians: A stereotypical bard uses their high charisma score to seduce anyone. This is technically because they're a high charisma class who could easily end an encounter by...turning it into an encounter, but the way this was attached to bards rather than other charisma based classes is likely because of this trope.
• Magic Music: Third edition made the bard's magical abilities into this; previous editions had them as merely bits of lore that the bard had picked up from his travels.
• Make Me Wanna Shout: Their offensive spells (such as shout) tend to fall into this trope, as does their strongest performance ability, deadly performance.
• Master of None: Bards have half-decent fighting abilities, a little bit of arcane (wizard) magic, and some thieving skills, but aren't particularly good at any of them. The best ways to make them good all involve specializing (as they are given plenty of options in source books due to their status as a core class). One interesting quirk in 3rd Edition was that while the little bit of magic they got was arcane, their spell list included a couple of divine spells — namely, the Cure spells. Of course, Clerics were still better healers.
• Music for Courage: The inspire courage ability lets a bard enhance his allies and protect them from fear attacks.
• The Power of Acting: Bards don't have to be musicians; any form of entertainment, including acting, can work as a source of power.
• The Power of Rock: By default bards tend to be musicians with magic powers.
• Prestige Class:
  • The AD&D 1st Edition version could be considered the Ur-Example. A bard had to start as a fighter, work up to at least 5th level, then switch to thief and work up to at least 5th level again, and then switch to druid and only then - assuming your stats were also up to it - you could become a bard.
  • It may astound those accustomed to the notion of the Master of None, but the insanely high requirements to break into the Bard class in first edition meant that carrying a musical instrument was a sign that you were a badass - fighter, thief, and (thanks to your third and final class) loremaster and minor spellcaster as well.
• The Red Mage: Bards are the inspiration for the Trope Namer from Final Fantasy, actually, technically making them the Trope Maker. They're decent melee fighters, have a diverse if limited selection of magic, and come equipped with a raft of special abilities related to music and skills. The main drawback is that they'll be outclassed in almost any area by a more dedicated class.
• Simplified Spellcasting: Starting in 3.5, a bard's spells are simple enough that they can still cast them in light armor without any chance of spell failure.
• The Smart Guy: Fans of Elan might be surprised to learn that in 2nd Edition, Bards actually had the highest Intelligence ability requirement of any of the Core classes — a Wizard "merely" needed an Intelligence of 9 while a Bard needed a score of 13.
• Wandering Minstrel: Often joins up with an adventuring party to chronicle their exploits in song.

Cleric / Priest

Cleric / Priest

One of the three original classes. Purportedly created during the Braunstein days of Blackmoor as a counter to one of the other players, who was playing as a vampire character. Class Handbook: Gleemax 4E version, Brilliant Gameologists 4E version, Gleemax 3.5 version, Brilliant Gameologists 3.5 version.

• All Monks Know Kung-Fu: The Cloistered Cleric (no armor or weapon abilities in exchange for knowledge skills and divination) variant in 3.5 finally provides an aversion for the system, as a class for a western book copying monk.
• Church Militant: Despite nominally being religious devotees and healers, all clerics have access to at least medium armor (heavy in 4th edition and earlier, though some deities will grant heavy armor in 5th) and some perfectly serviceable weaponry. Compare this to most other casting classes, which tend to get light armor (and no armor at all for Arcane casters) plus a short list of weapons.
  • The Church of the Silver Flame from the *Eberron* campaign setting explicitly designates player character clerics as this, with non-combat divine magic users in the "adept" NPC class.
  • The Cloistered Cleric variant in 3.5 edition averts this, trading away basic attack bonus and weapon/armor proficiency in exchange for more skill points and class skills to spend them in.
• Combat Medic: As the only one of the original three classes to get healing magic, clerics have been pigeonholed into this role ever since.
• Detect Evil: One of the cleric's spells is the Trope Namer.
• Evil Counterpart: Many evil cleric spells are evil counterparts to good cleric spells. In addition, evil clerics' ability to channel negative energy to cast inflict spells or rebuke and command undead is the evil counterpart to good clerics' ability to channel positive energy to cast cure spells or turn and destroy undead.
• Good Shepherd: A common attitude for good-aligned clerics.
• Healing Hands: A cleric's many healing spells tend to work as touch spells.
• Holy Hand Grenade: How much they use this trope depends on the edition. In 1st edition, this type of spell was either weak (e.g. Spiritual Hammer, which hit like a...slightly magical club), evil (reversed healing spells) or very high level (Flame Strike, on par with raising the dead or traveling to another plane of existence). On the other hand, 3rd edition's profligacy with this trope is what helped give rise to CoDzilla.
• Necromancer: When you choose to become Evil Cleric, you gain access to undead summoning and dozens of rebuking spells for beefing your undead army. This can potentially outclass Wizard Necromancer in terms of quantities of undeads.
• Religion is Magic: Have the ability to cast spells through the service of their god.
• Technical Pacifist: In the first two editions, clerics cannot cause bloodshed, and thus cannot use slashing or piercing weapons. Apparently, bludgeoning people to death with a big, heavy mace is just fine, though. This restriction was created by Gygax, who supposedly based this on Archbishop Tilpin from La Chanson de Roland, even though Tilpin actually wielded a sword and lance (both named "Almace"). The idea of clerics wielding bludgeons was actually based on The Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts Bishop Odo of Bayeux wielding a club in battle. Later editions and spin-off games like Pathfinder and 13th Age justify that by saying that Clerics are proficient in simple weapons - most of which are bludgeoning. It's unknown if the Braunstein Blackmoor era cleric had these restrictions or not.
• Turn Undead:
  • Though in the third edition, this applies only to good clerics and ones who are neutral but channel Positive Energy
  • Evil Clerics get to control the undead instead — but be careful when trying to tame more powerful spirits.
• Vampire Hunter: Word of God says they were inspired by vampire-hunting priests from Hammer Horror movies.
• Warrior Monk: In every edition, standard clerics have excellent armor proficiency, decent attack progression, and adequate weapon proficiency.
• White Magic: The typical cleric focuses on healing and support magic. However this can be subverted depending on the cleric's deity, especially if they're evil-aligned.

Druid

Druid

Originally a sub-class of Clerics introduced in the Eldritch Wizardry supplement turned into its own class in 2nd Edition.

Class Handbook: Gleemax 4E version, Gleemax 3.5 version Brilliant Gameologists 3.5 version.

• The Beastmaster: The spell Animal Friendship, available at 1st level, allows druids to do this, with a one-time chance of failure. 3rd edition replaces the spell with an animal companion class feature which functions almost identically.
• Druid: The Trope Codifier for the concept of a Druid as a nature-themed magician.
• Healing Hands: Though less effectively than clerics, by and large, they are capable of healing others.
• Klingon Promotion: In 1st and 2nd edition, druids had to defeat (not necessarily kill) higher-ranked druids to advance in levels beyond 11th.
• Loyal Animal Companion: A 1st level spell which became one of the classes defining traits.
• Magnificent Bastard: invoked In 2nd Edition, the Complete Druid's Handbook uses this outlook as an example for some class kits. An Advisor (the kit) to a king would suggest a particular area for hunting grounds (seems very non-Druid) because he knows that his king will see the beauty of the locale and instead ban anyone from hunting there or even approaching the would-be hunting grounds, thus fulfilling the Druid's obligation and duty to protect nature in some form.
• Nature Hero: Many druids tend to be hermits who live in the wilderness, in harmony with nature.
• The Red Mage: Druids fall outside the dichotomy of white-magic clerics and black-magic wizards, with both healing and damaging spells regardless of alignment.
• Speaks Fluent Animal: Druids usually have access to the speak with animals spell from an early level, which allows them to do just that.
• Squishy Wizard: Only in 1st Edition, where they had similar armor restrictions to thieves (i.e. leather or nothing). After, they're still restricted to non-metal armor (but dragonhide is not metal).
• Summon Magic: Can summon animals, fey, and elementals.
• Voluntary Shapeshifting: Their signature ability, Wild Shape, allows them to change into animals at will a certain number of times a day. Eventually, this expands to transforming into elemental made of fire, water, wind, or earth.

Fighter / Fighting Man

Fighter / Fighting Man

One of the original three classes.

• Badass Normal: None of their abilities rely on magic or supernatural means.
• Bullfight Boss: Dungeoncrashers variants can pull this off.
• Charles Atlas Superpower: Their main function was to kill things with weapons, so...yeah. The Greyhawk supplement made them beefier due to adding "to-hit" and damage bonuses for a high Strength stat, especially if they qualified for the Exceptional Strength percentile.
• Early-Installment Weirdness: In OD&D the School of Psionics was introduced as an attempt to give the Fighting Men their own set of spells.
• Magically Inept Fighter: Trope Codifier, all non-spellcaster classes other than Rogue have no access to magic.
• Overshadowed by Awesome: In 3.5, The Tome of Battle removed any incentive to ever play a fighter. A Warblade, even when denied access to the martial arts system he's the showcase for, has better base stats and fills the fighter's role better than the fighter.
• Terror Hero: One of the few useful class skills a fighter gets is Intimidate. The Zhentarim Soldier upgrade makes them one of the best at it; take Imperious Command, and you can reduce an opponent to cowering in a single round.
• Weak, but Skilled: Compared to the Barbarian, although it's a very relative comparison - they have slightly less health, move slower and can't use Rage, but have more combat feats than anyone else.

Illusionist

Illusionist

Originally a sub-class distinct from the Magic-User class and with its own spell list (though there was overlap). Became "merely" one type of specialist wizard among several others as early as AD&D 2nd edition (though a remnant of the old separation stuck around until 3E — gnome wizards had to be illusionists). First introduced in Strategic Review Vol.1 Issue 4.

• Power Copying: The 1st edition DMG made it clear that illusionists could only make convincing illusions of monsters they had personally encountered, making the main "illusion" line of spells (Phantasmal Force, Improved Phantasmal Force, Spectral Force) function similarly to Blue Magic from Final Fantasy - the illusionist can, with clever use of his spells, "use" the powers of defeated monsters against his current foes. The weakness of the technique is that recognizing the illusion for what it almost always negates all effects of the spell.
• Master of Illusion: The name of the game for illusionists.
• The Red Mage: Not as much so as the druid in 1st edition, but a sufficiently-leveled illusionist could prepare both healing and damaging spells, as well as the illusions and mezzing spells which were their stock-in-trade.
• Squishy Wizard: Being a subclass of the magic-user, they inherit this trope from it.

Monk

Monk

A Cleric sub-class introduced in the OD&D Blackmoor supplement. Made its own class in AD&D 1st Edition.

• Awesome, but Impractical: Regardless of its flaws, not many other classes can literally punch out Cthuhlu.
• Bare-Fisted Monk: They gain the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, which lets them deal lethal damage with unarmed strikes. Their abilities eventually increase this damage dramatically and give them the power to ignore certain damage resistances as though they were made of certain powerful metals.
• Charles Atlas Superpower: Most of the monk's abilities are not magical in nature, but merely stem from years of training. Including the ability to do lethal damage with their fists, the only Core class that can do so without taking a feat.
• Early-Installment Weirdness: When first introduced in OD&D they were a variant of the Cleric class (which made sense), who had all the abilities of a thief (which didn't), could fight effectively with any weapon and wear any armor, but fought best with bare fists and without armor. Not that they made much more sense when they returned in 3rd edition...

• Fragile Speedster: Even if you happen to roll 18 for all your ability scores, monks will never get as tough as the true fighting classes, with their naturally high AC and movement speed bonuses being their main boons. Taken up to eleven in their Advanced Dungeons & Dragons incarnation where their hit die was D4, the same as the Squishy Wizard magic-user class though they did get two hit dice at first level.
• The Grappler: Meant to be this in 3.5, but his poor Base Attack Bonus and Grappling with Grappling Rules makes him the worst core class at grapples (even the Squishy Wizard, Sorcerer and Druid can transform into or summon something good with grapples, while the cleric can self buff and size increase themself).

• Invulnerable Knuckles: Said knuckles count as magic weapons for the purpose of piercing magic defenses. This also has the side-effect of letting a Monk punch ghosts.
• Ki Manipulation: 3rd Edition describes many Monk abilities as being quasi-spiritual.
• Master of None:
  • Have a lot of "flavour" abilities with no value, like the ability to partially slow your fall by using nearby walls (most wizards can completely slow all falls, period, with a level 1 spell). Most of its abilities are contrary, as well: The monk has a lot of mobility-enhancing powers that would lead to hit-and-run attacks... But Flurry of Blows only work when the monk stands still.
  • Depending on the edition, in 3e monks are somewhere between a fighter (with unpredictable offensive powers) and a rogue (without sneak attack). 4e makes them strikers, and 13th Age monk is focused on using techniques and special attacks.
• Mage Killer: Practically the only thing they consistently outperform every other class in across the editions is getting around the enemy fighting line quickly and locking down their mage. Of course, by 3.x, trying to take down a good mage with the monk's anti-mage abilities is like trying to eat a brick wall while using a really well-made knife and fork.
• The Paralyzer: Stunning Fist, which is essentially a "proc" in 1st edition (kicks in if you beat the required to-hit score by 4+) and part of a character build in 3rd edition (a possible free feat).
• Rapid-Fire Fisticuffs: Flurry of Blows.
• Required Secondary Powers: By strict rules as written, a Monk is arguably not proficient in Unarmed Strike.
• Touch of Death: Quivering Palm.
  • Became a Useless Useful Spell in 3.5 when it could no longer affect targets of higher Hit Die than the monk. Most mooks at the level you gain it have more Hit Dice than player characters, nevermind targets you'd actually feel like expending it on.
  • It doesn't have to be instant-death, either; the monk is able to simply will the target to die at any time for at least a week after landing the attack (depending on the monk's Wisdom and level), and if the target fails a Fortitude save, they drop dead. Extortion ahoy!
• What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?: Monks have tons of filler abilities that are easily replicated by cheap, common, magic items (What good is limited access to slow fall over 20 levels if a Ring of Slowfall is dirt cheap and easily afforded by the time you start getting the basics of the ability and does more than it ever will?).
• Wuxia:
  • Averted. Playing your monk like a wuxia badass is a good way to get your ass handed to you by the guys who aren't fighting naked and barehanded.
  • Played mostly straight in fourth edition and entirely straight in fifth, with the relatively balanced magic of fifth edition especially making the monk's mobility kit and large pool of varied tricks extremely powerful and never really redundant. In the mid-levels the monk will likely be the only player in the party with full vertical movement, for instance, and most enemies won't have it either.

Paladin

Paladin

Introduced in the Greyhawk Supplement for OD&D as a Fighter sub-class. Made its own class in AD&D 2nd Edition.

• Combat Medic: They can cast healing spells and their Lay on Hands ability allows them to heal others. They often heal others in the middle of combat.
• Cool Horse: The paladin's Special Mount, gained upon reaching level 4. Not only is it tougher than a standard Mount, it shares an empathetic bond with the paladin and levels up as she does. Though a warhorse is the iconic example, all sorts of different mounts have been presented as options.
• Detect Evil: One of the paladin's abilities duplicates the effect of the cleric spell of the same name, which is the Trope Namer.
• Evil Counterpart: The Blackguard prestige class is to evil deities as Paladins are to good deities.
• Healing Hands: the "Lay on Hands" innate ability, and at higher levels, healing clerical spells.
• Good Is Not Soft: Paladins fight to uphold the concepts of honor, order, loyalty, and kindness, but that doesn't mean they're naive pushovers, and anyone that crosses a paladin can quickly find out how intense their divine wrath can be.
• Holy Hand Grenade: "Smite Evil", the alternate name to the page, comes from the Paladin's signature ability to do extra damage to Evil foes.

• Magic Knight: An offensive variant in 3rd edition, where they have their smite evil ability to take out evil foes; a defensive variant in 1st, where they project a permanent circle of protection from evil, giving their allies saving throw and armor class bonuses.
• Oathbound Power: Possibly the most famous example of this trope; See Right Makes Might for more details.
• Right Makes Might: A paladin's powers are tied directly to his alignment; if she strays from the path of righteousness, she loses all her special abilities.
• The Paladin: Trope Codifier.

Ranger

Ranger

A Fighter sub-class introduced in Strategic Review Vol.1 Issue 2. Made its own class in AD&D 2nd Edition.

• The Beastmaster: Not to quite the same extent as a Druid, but they still normally gain an Animal Companion.
• Bow and Sword in Accord: A standard weapon selection since the class first appeared.
• Dual Wielding: First tied to the ranger class in 2nd edition, thanks to a certain drow ranger. Somewhat mutually exclusive with archery proficiency, though. 3.5 explicitly separated the two traits into distinct career paths. Some splatbooks added mounted combat and wrestling to Ranger styles.
• Forest Ranger: Many rangers tend to be woodsmen (or women).
• Hunter of Monsters: Their Favored Enemy ability increases skill checks and damage rolls made against specific creatures, and they tend to prefer to hunt these same creatures for varying reasons.
• Nature Hero: They tend to live in the wilderness, receive most of their powers from nature itself, and, like the druid and barbarian, will seek to protect it from harm.
• Speaks Fluent Animal: They are able to use Wild Empathy to communicate with animals and magical beasts and influence their behavior.

Rogue / Thief

Rogue / Thief

Introduced in the OD&D Greyhawk supplement.

• Back Stab: Sneak Attack! A common trait of the Rogue is the ability to do extra damage when the enemy is off-guard.
• Badass Normal: None of their abilities are based on magic or supernatural means.
• Combat Pragmatist: Being the only core non-spellcaster with Use Magic Device as a class skill (the skill governing use of magic items like scrolls and wands) gives one a lot of options.
• Five-Finger Discount: Picking pockets is one of the standard Thief abilities.

• Master of Unlocking: Picking locks is one of the rogue's key specialties.
• One Stat to Rule Them All: Dexterity. It is the key to their skills and defenses.

• Roguish Romani: One of the Theif's kits for 2e was a gypsy. Despite what it sounds like, it was actually presented in a neutral light, with the "gypsies" themselves simply having different cultural views on personl property, namely that something only qualified for as long as it remained on your person.
• Squishy Wizard: When they were introduced, they used a d4 to roll their health, although it was somewhat offset by them being able to wear leather armor. AD&D 1st Edition bumped it up to a d6.
• Stealth Expert: As the archetypical skill expert, Rogues are also proficient at sneaking. It helps them make use of their backstabs or sneak attacks in battle.
• Thieves' Cant: This language is unique to this class, and is limited to the discussion of thievery-related activities.
• Trap Master: Only rogues are allowed to have any chance of successfully disarming exceptionally difficult traps.
• Utility Party Member: The Rogue has traditionally been the party's skill monkey, thanks to receiving, depending on the edition, the most skill points per level or the most non-combat skill boosts.

Sorcerer

Sorcerer

An alternate arcane spellcaster introduced in 3rd Ediiton.

• Black Mage: Arcane healing is possible, but it's very inefficient compared to divine spells. Either by a spell that converts other spells into a small amount of healing, or taking damage from someone else and putting it on your self, or transferring it another target. Or the high level stuff like Limited Wish or Wish that can simply replicate almost any spell.
• Bullying a Dragon: According to the fluff, many sorcerers are persecuted by Muggles because of their supposed "freakish" or "demonic" nature. Yeah, actively making trouble with a guy who, for all you know, can blow up a city block or whistle up a dragon to fight you. Smart move.
• Empathy Pet: They have Familiars.
• Glass Cannon: Like wizards, sorcerers can dish out huge amounts of damage with their spells, but their d4 Hit Dice means that they won't have many Hit Points.
• Linear Warriors, Quadratic Wizards: At the low levels, they struggle while the warrior-type classes shine. At the higher levels, they are blowing up entire armies and solving problems warrior-types could only dream of accomplishing.

• Remember the New Guy?: The only 'new' class in 3e, introduced mostly because 1/4th of the PHB was wizard spells. Many worlds were retconned so that famous wizards were sorcerers.
• Squishy Wizard: Their hit die is only d4, the smallest hit die size and thus assures a low HP, and they cannot wear armor of any kind without risking spell failure, thereby assuring an easy hit. Between having low hit points and being easily struck, it wouldn't take much to put a Sorcerer out of commission.
• Superpowerful Genetics: A sorcerer's powers are innate, as opposed to wizards, who require years of study to learn their magic.
• Vancian Magic: Of a different sort than wizards and most other spellcasting classes. Rather than being required to prepare spells in advance, sorcerors can spontaneously cast any spell they know, and are allowed to cast only a given number of spells per day (sorcerers also get to cast more spells per day than wizards). On the other hand, sorcerers are only allowed to know a limited number of spells, period. This gives sorcerers great flexibility to adapt their plans on the fly (in contrast to wizards, who are screwed if they go up against something they didn't prepare for ahead of time), but less flexibility in terms of the total range of situations that they can tackle.

Wizard / Magic-User / Mage

Wizard / Magic-User / Mage

One of the original three classes.

• Achilles' Heel: Wizards cannot prepare spells without their spellbooks. Very sadistic GMs wanting to equalize the sorcerer/wizard gap are known to exploit this fact.
• Badass Bookworm: Wizards study dusty old tomes for years to gain the ability to blow stuff up with a flick of the hand.
• Black Mage: Regardless of alignment, healing is one of the very, very few things they can't do.
• Crazy-Prepared: The 2nd and 3rd/3.5 edition wizard was best played with this mindset. Without the cleric's access to all spells each level, wizards must carefully shop for scrolls and prepare the 'right' ones each day.
• Empathy Pet: Familiars.
• Glass Cannon: They can inflict massive damage and do almost anything in the world, but their low HP and difficulty evading blows means they can be put out of commission in very few blows.
• Linear Warriors, Quadratic Wizards: At the low levels, the struggle to really do much of anything while the warrior-type classes knock down the enemies. At the high levels, they're solving problems left and right and taking out enemies before they even know what's going on, which is something warrior-types won't be doing any time soon. 3.x Edition took this into overdrive.

• Necromancer: Similar to Evil Cleric, Wizard class is capable of reanimating undeads via the Animate Dead spell and creating undead via the Create Dead spell. They have early access to the Chill Touch, a lethal close range spell. However, they cannot rebuke undead.
• The Smart Guy: The only core class whose most important stat is Intelligence.
• Spell Book: A wizard's spellbook carries notes on the spells that they've studied and learned.
• Squishy Wizard:
  • OD&D magic-users used a d6 to roll their health, until the Greyhawk supplement introduced using a d4 as an alternate. The d4 stuck from then up to 3.5 Edition.
  • The inability to wear most (in some editions, any) armor or use shields makes a wizard who doesn't have a defensive spell up in advance very easy to hit in combat, and especially in earlier editions the potential for any hit scored to ruin any spell the wizard might have been busy casting at the time.
• Vancian Magic: The Trope Codifier. Wizards have to prepare their spells ahead of time, and can only have a certain number at once.