Choosing a Class

If you are new to Dungeons & Dragons you may find that the huge amount of classes, feats, and skills available can be confusing. For beginners we suggest the following classes:

• If you want to play a character who uses weapons and can wear heavy armor: choose Fighter. Most important attributes: Strength and Constitution.
• If you want to play a good all-rounder character who can fight well but can also learn some spells and have a pet: choose Ranger. Most important attributes: Dexterity and Wisdom.
• If you want to play a mage who can shoot offensive spells at enemies: choose Sorcerer. Most important attribute: Charisma.
• If you want to play a healer with good defensive ability and lots of spells to aid the party: choose Cleric. Most important attribute: Wisdom.

New and Revised Base Classes

All of the standard Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition classes are available in Hidden Tradition. However several classes have been tweaked to be closer to the D&D 3.5 edition rules to make them significantly more balanced and useful. Here are the basic changes, for full details, see the Hidden Tradition class documentation.

Bard

Bards get 6 skill points each level, which are essential for the Bard to maximise the effects of their Bard Song and Curse Song – see this table for details of how many points Bards require for this. This follows the D&D 3.5 edition rules, and helps make the Bard a solid choice as an highly skilled all-round character.

Ranger

Rangers receive improved Reflex saving throws and 6 skill points at every level, though they now only get d8 Hit Points. They receive the Point Blank Shot feat at level 2, and Rapid Shot at 9, making them an excellent class if you want to play an archer character. They also get Evasion at level 11 and the powerful Hide in Plain Sight feat at level 17. As with Bards, this reflects the extra abilities this class gets in D&D 3.5, and makes the Ranger a great choice as an skillful skirmish fighter. Rangers and Druids also have the ability to speak to many of the friendly animals who roam the world.

Swashbuckler

Quick, clever, and devastatingly skilled, the Swashbuckler relies on speed and agility rather than brute force, turning every fight into an elegant display of swordsmanship.

Stat	Value
Hit Die	d10
Base Attack Bonus	High
Good Saves	Fortitude
Skill Points	4 + INT modifier per level
Proficiencies	Simple and Martial weapons, Light armor
Primary Ability	Dexterity, Intelligence

Class Skills: Discipline, Parry, Persuade, Taunt, Tumble, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon.

Shaman

Shamans are spiritual intermediaries who walk between the world of the living and the realm of spirits. Drawing power from ancestors, nature, and the unseen forces that bind the world together, they call upon ancient wisdom to heal allies, commune with animal companions, and unleash the raw forces of nature against their foes.

Stat	Value
Hit Die	d6
Base Attack Bonus	Poor
Good Saves	Fortitude and Will
Skill Points	4 + INT modifier per level
Proficiencies	Simple weapons, Light armor, Shields
Primary Ability	Wisdom
Spellcasting	Divine

Spellcasting Warning: To cast a spell, a Shaman must have a Wisdom score of 10 + the spell’s level. For example, to cast a 3rd-level spell, a Shaman must have a Wisdom of 13.

Class Skills: Animal Empathy, Concentration, Heal, Listen, Lore, Search, Spellcraft, Spot, Craft Trap, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon.

New and Revised Prestige Classes

A Prestige Class is a special class that may only be chosen after meeting certain requirements and may not be chosen at first level. There are 12 official Prestige Classes available as standard in Neverwinter Nights, plus several new custom ones.

Hidden Tradition allows you to choose any of these standard NWN Prestige Classes. However on the HT server several of them have revised requirements. The revisions provide better game balance and in most cases are closer to the D&D 3.5e rules. For example, our server changes make Harper Scout and Purple Dragon Knight significantly easier to acquire than before, and make Shadowdancer, Pale Master, and Champion a bit more difficult. Note that these revised requirements listed below replace the requirements listed within the game itself, so use this list as your definitive guide.

New Prestige Classes

Eldritch Knight

(Prestige Class — maximum 10 levels)

Few can match the Eldritch Knight’s mastery of both sword and sorcery. These warrior-mages have devoted equal attention to martial discipline and arcane study, tempering their spells with steel and their steel with spells.

Stat	Value
Hit Die	d6
Base Attack Bonus	High
Good Saves	Fortitude
Skill Points	2 + INT modifier per level

Prerequisites

• Ability to cast 3rd-level arcane spells (Wizard level 5 minimum)
• Proficiency with a martial weapon

Dervish

(Prestige Class — maximum 10 levels)

From the deserts and trade routes of the south come warriors unlike any other. Through years of devotion to their blade and the dance of war, Dervishes have transcended ordinary combat — spinning, striking, impossible to pin down.

Stat	Value
Hit Die	d10
Base Attack Bonus	High
Good Saves	Reflex and Will
Skill Points	4 + INT modifier per level

Prerequisites

• Base Attack Bonus +5
• Discipline 3 ranks, Tumble 3 ranks
• Expertise, Dodge, Mobility

Stat requirement: Expertise requires INT 13+.

Dread Commando

(Prestige Class — maximum 5 levels)

Elite soldiers trained to operate deep behind enemy lines, Dread Commandos combine the killing instinct of a veteran warrior with the stealth and cunning of a scout. Patient, precise, and utterly deadly when the moment is right.

Stat	Value
Hit Die	d8
Base Attack Bonus	High
Good Saves	Reflex
Skill Points	6 + INT modifier per level

Prerequisites

• Base Attack Bonus +5
• Hide 6 ranks, Move Silently 6 ranks
• Dodge, Mobility

Stat requirement: Dodge requires DEX 13+. This is rarely a problem for a stealth-focused character but worth confirming early.

Scarlet Corsair

(Prestige Class — maximum 10 levels)

Masters of intimidation, dirty fighting, and maritime combat, Scarlet Corsairs are feared throughout the Mediterranean. They fight without honour and win without apology.

Stat	Value
Hit Die	d8
Base Attack Bonus	High
Good Saves	Reflex
Skill Points	4 + INT modifier per level

Prerequisites

• Base Attack Bonus +5
• Persuade 8 ranks
• Taunt 8 ranks

Revisions

Pale Master

The Pale Master gets a +4 Strength bonus at level 6.

Harper Scout

Scouts gain the One With the Land ability at level 4, and a very useful +2 bonus to saves vs spells at level 5.

Purple Dragon Knight

PDK’s have several of their abilities buffed to make them an excellent choice for party support.

• Rallying Cry duration 1 → 5 + PDK level
• Inspire Courage duration 10 → 10 + PDK level
• Final Stand radius Large → Colossal, per-target HP roll

Updated Prerequisites for Prestige Classes

Arcane Archer

• Race: Elf or Half-elf
• Base Attack Bonus: +6
• Feats: Weapon Focus (longbow or shortbow), Point Blank Shot
• Spellcasting: Able to cast first level arcane spells (i.e. a level of Bard, Sorcerer, or Wizard)

Assassin

• Alignment: any Evil
• Skills: Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks

Blackguard

• Alignment: any Evil
• Base Attack Bonus: +6
• Skills: Hide 5 ranks
• Feats: Cleave

Divine Champion (Champion of Torm)

• Alignment: any non-Evil
• Base Attack Bonus: 7
• Skills: Lore 3 ranks
• Feats: Weapon Focus in any melee weapon

Dwarven Defender

• Race: Dwarf
• Alignment: any Lawful
• Base Attack Bonus: +7
• Feats: Dodge, Toughness

Harper Scout

• Alignment: any non-Evil
• Skills: Persuade 8 ranks, Lore 2 ranks
• Feats: Alertness, Iron Will

Pale Master

• Alignment: any non-good
• Skills: Lore 8 ranks
• Skill Focus: Lore
• Arcane Spellcasting: level 3 or higher

Purple Dragon Knight

• Alignment: any non-Evil and non-Chaotic
• Base Attack Bonus: +4
• Skills: Intimidate 1 rank, Listen 2 ranks, Persuade 1 rank, Spot 2 ranks

Red Dragon Disciple

• Class: Bard or Sorcerer
• Skills: Lore 8 ranks

Shadow Dancer

• Skills: Hide 10 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks, Perform 5 ranks (note: you will need at least two levels of Bard in order to acquire this)
• Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Lightning Reflexes

Shifter

• Feats: Alertness, Wild Shape (i.e. must be a Druid)
• Spellcasting: level 3 or higher

Weapon Master (Kensai)

• Base Attack Bonus: +5
• Skills: Intimidate 4 ranks
• Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Expertise, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack, Weapon Focus in a melee weapon

Full details of all of the Prestige Classes available can be found here.