Descriptions of Classes in Menzoberranzan
Cleric: Clerics are as defined in the PHB. As turning or controlling of undead is the only special ability clerics have, all clerics may control or turn undead, regardless of religion. All clerics are clergy of some deity. In addition to the weapons allowed to clerics on page 13 of UA they may use bo stick , jo stick, mancatcher, sling, and whip.
Dwarven Cleric: Dwarven clerics are described in the PHB, UA, DD, and Dragon Magazine #129. Dwarven clerics cannot turn undead until 7th level, at which point they can turn undead as a standard cleric of 4 levels less. From first level on, however, dwarven clerics are +2 on to hit and damage rolls against undead. Dwarven clerics must be dwarves (including duergar) in service to a dwarven god. Dwarven clerics use the experience tables of clerics.
Shaman: Shamans are more primitive forms of clerics who concentrate on their tribal duties as well as their religious duties. They may use any weapon allowed by their god to SPs and (usually) any weapon common to their tribe. They may (usually) wear any armor. They use the experience tables of clerics or fighters, whichever is lower. They gain spells as clerics but do not gain wisdom bonuses to # of spells usable. Shamans have a chance equal to 5% per point of intelligence to begin play able to read and write for free. If they are able to do so, the DM will determine what script they know (additional scripts can still be purchased as usual). Shamans have local lore and ancient history for free with respect to their tribe only. The general list of spells shamans have access to is listed here. Most shamans do not know any deity specific spells.
Specialty Priest: Most gods have specialty priests. These clerics are defined as specific to their deity, with adjusted powers, spell access, and requirements. In general SPs follow the rules given in Faiths and Avatars and Demihuman Deities.
Fighter: Fighters are as defined in the PHB and UA. Note the adjustments to specialization given on the proficiencies page.
Bandit: Bandits are described in Dragon Magazine #63 and Best of Dragon IV. They can track as barbarians. They surprise on a 1-4. They are only surprised on a 1. They can climb walls as a thief of the same level. They can hide in natural terrain just as a thief of the same level can hide in shadows. They can attempt to locate and disarm traps in natural areas (not on items or in constructed or hewn areas) as a thief of the same level (this applies to snares, pits, deadfalls, etc.). The bandit can conceal his tracks and the tracks of one other creature per 2 levels (round down) while moving at 1/2 normal movement rate or less. This penalizes all tracking rolls by 1/2 of the bandit's skill at tracking (so to cover tracks in a constructed area the bandit would have had to take the tracking NWP). Use of this skill penalizes olfactory based tracking (such as by a bloodhound or minotaur) by 10%. Bandits may only use one-handed melee weapons but may employ all missile weapons. They may employ any armor that does not reduce their movement by less than 3" (thus to use plate armor they'd need a magical suit) and medium or smaller shields. Bandits attack and save as fighters, including getting one attack/round/level in melee against creatures with less than 1 HD or of 0th level. They gain 3 attacks every two rounds in melee at 8th level and 2 attacks/round in melee at 15th level. They may specialize. At 10th level they attract followers as a ranger does (though the type of followers will vary significantly).
Barbarian: Barbarians in Menzoberranzan are presumed to come from subterranean cultures and so have been adjusted appropriately. As underdark dwellers they can track underground as long as it's a natural area (not a constructed area or one hewn out of the rock). They cannot detect magic or illusions though they have learned enough about survival in the wilds that illusions of apparently "natural" scenes grant them a +2 bonus to the saving throw. They gain leadership with all creatures from their own tribe and tribes that they've gained the respect of in some way (usually through proving themselves physically, flinds gain this bonus with all gnolls). Survival and first aid are replaced by free proficiency in healing, hunting, and fire building. Animal handling, riding, running, signaling, rowed and paddled small craft, and sound imitation are replaced by the related NWPs, gained for free. Snare building is part of the hunting NWP.
Hunter: Hunters must be evil. They are not required to learn any particular weapons. They can cast one cantrip/day at 6th level, 2/day at 7th level, and 3/day at 8th level. They cannot use druid spells. They do not gain a bonus to damage against giant-class creatures. They gain a bonus to hit humans, demi-humans, and humanoids (any creature affected by hold or charm person). This bonus to hit is equal to +1 per four levels of the hunter, rounded down (so +1 at 1st level, +2 at 5th level, etc.). Hunter followers will, obviously, differ in composition from ranger followers. In all other ways they are the same as rangers.
Magic-User: Magic-users are as per the PHB. PCs may start with or without a book of cantrips.
Alchemist: Alchemists are described in Dragon issue 130. They can use cantrips from the following groups: alchemist, useful, reversed, and personal. At 0th level alchemists can use one cantrip, 2 at 1st level, and 3 at 2nd level. By 3rd level they will have learned the following numbers of cantrips by group: 2-8 alchemist, Int useful, 1-4 reversed, and 1-4 personal.
Death Master: Death masters are described in Dragon Magazine #76 and Best of Dragon IV. Death masters need not bury bodies to gain xps as listed, instead any form of dealing with the body, including eating it, hoarding it, or hiding it, is acceptable. Their spellbooks and scrolls cannot be read by magic-users and vice versa. Only when a death master reaches 4th level can he cast spells and read scrolls. By this time he must have become literate. The death master read magic spell applies only to death master texts and is usually referred to as read death magic. Death masters have a unique relationship with Orcus, being a very unique type of specialty priest. Many gain their first spells in visions and dreams as they reach 4th level. Before this they often dream of spell casting and alchemy and so they frequently lack cantrips to learn with. On reaching 4th level a death master without a teacher will wake up for nights over the course of 1 night to an entire month (30 days) and scribble fevered notes until a complete read death magic spell as well as three other random spells from the list of 1st level death master spells have been scribed, forming the basis for the death master's new spellbook. Death masters with teachers who are literate can use 1 cantrip at 1st level, 2 at 2nd level, and 3 at 3rd level. Death masters can use useful, reversed, personal, haunting sound, alchemist, and death master cantrips. A death master who came up with a teacher will have learned the following #s of cantrips of each type by the time they reach 4th level: Int useful, 2-8 reversed, 2-8 personal, 2-8 haunting sound, 1-4 alchemist, and 1-4 death master.
There is only one death master cantrip commonly known in the area of Menzoberranzan and this is always one of the first cantrips taught a death master. Death masters must be CE by 4th level, not 9th, do not automatically change alignment as they rise in level, and are affected normally by such things as a helm of alignment change. A non-CE death master can never rise above 3rd level (unless their alignment alters appropriately). They suffer normal ego damage from aligned items.
Thief: Thieves are as described in the PHB. A thief must be literate to use the read languages ability (including being able to read scrolls). Leomund's Tiny Hut in Dragon #47 contains some additional notes on thieves, including their ability to set traps and will be used as reference by the DM.
Thief-Acrobat: Thief-acrobats are as described in the PHB and UA.
Assassin: Assassins are as described in the PHB with some adjustments. Assassin core abilities are hide in shadows and move silently. They can perform these as a thief of the same level. At 9th level an assassin of an underdark race (including dwarves, gnomes, half-orcs, etc.) that can also become thief-acrobats may choose to become an assassin-acrobat (just as a thief can when reaching 6th level). If this occurs, all further advancement in thief skills other than climb walls, move silently, and hide in shadows ceases and the assassin is able to use thief-acrobat abilities as a thief-acrobat of 3 levels less. They may never choose to change later to assassin-acrobat or go back if they have changed. There is no other adjustment (such as an experience point cost or additional proficiencies). Assassins must be of a non-good alignment, they don't have to be evil.
Bounty Hunter: Bounty hunters are described in Dragon Magazine #52 and Best of Dragon IV. Bounty hunters do not have any special requirement for killing off other 13th level bounty hunters. Any bounty hunter can achieve 13th level. Bounty hunters can backstab as a thief of the same level and track as a ranger of the same level. Beginning at 3rd level, they can assassinate as an assassin of two levels less. Alternately, they can choose to use this skill to incapacitate a foe rather than killing them. Incapacitation lasts 2-16 turns. Beginning at 3rd level they can use all the basic thief abilities (not the thief-acrobat abilities) except pick pocket as a thief of 2 levels less. At 7th level they gain the disguise abilities of an assassin. At 9th level they can attack 3 times every two rounds in melee. They may use any weapon. They use the combat table of fighters and saving throw table of thieves. They can use any armor and weapons, though most armors will cause them to suffer penalties to their thief skills.
Bard: Both dwarven and drow bards have the same minimum ability requirements as standard bards and use their experience and spell advancement tables. Both gain all the special abilities of bards as listed. The dwarves have a bard they call the loremaster that mirrors the 1st Edition bard except that they can cast spells as a dwarven cleric rather than a druid. They cannot turn undead and do not gain bonuses to hit and damage undead. The drow bard does not take initial levels in any other class. Drow bards can cast magic-user spells instead of the druid spells usable by a typical bard. They have one more HD than normal bards (so a 1st level drow bard starts with 1d6 for hps rather than 0). The magic-user's saving throw and thief's to hit tables are used. Armor and weapons are limited as per the normal bard and they can also use hand crossbows. They can use general and bardic magical items. Starting funds are as per thieves. Drow bards use magic-user spells and can read magic-user scrolls and spellbooks as with magic-users. They must maintain spellbooks of their own. Their starting spellbooks are determined just as for magic-users, including the option of having a book of cantrips (if they choose to have a book of cantrips they have the following numbers of cantrips by type: useful = intelligence - 5, reversed = 2-8, legerdemain = 3-6, person-affecting = 2-8, personal = 4-10, and haunting sound = 2-8).
Savant: Savants are described in Dragon issue #140.
Witch: The witch class is described in Dragon Magazine #114. Witches have their own spell lists and cannot use magic-user spells and spellbooks nor magic-user or cleric scrolls. The 9th level power to use all magical scrolls is never gained. Witches can use all magic-user cantrips. If they choose to start with a book of cantrips they start with the same number of cantrips in each of these categories as a magic-user. As noted elsewhere, all spellcasters can manufacture potions as early as 1st level, though at the levels given they are guaranteed to learn the recipes for the potions described. Witches must be trained by other witches and gain their spells in the usual manner. A witch of 10th level or higher that already has a familiar through the use of the find familiar spell, cannot gain one through their special power and so is stuck with what is most likely an inferior familiar. A witch that loses her special familiar can use the find familiar spell to summon a normal one. Simply put, a witch cannot have two familiars and those summoned by the spell find familiar operate under the limits of that spell rather than the witch's special ability, even if the witch is over 9th level. Witches are not immune to cantrips and orisons. Any discrimination or limitations based on race and gender are specific to the deity served.
Witches do have High Secret Orders but a witch does not have to join a High Secret Order if they don't wish to. If they decide to they can try at 10th level and above (not merely at 10th level only), though entry tends to be harder the higher the level of the witch attempting to be admitted. High Secret Orders often require a quest, duty, or term of service to be performed in order to gain admittance and while failure will not prevent a witch from joining later, it usually hurts their chances, requiring even harder tasks to gain admittance. In many areas witches won't know of their deity's High Secret Order until the order contacts them, though they are aware the High Secret Order exists. Even when their mentor is a member of the High Secret Order it is likely the only member they know is the mentor and possibly another witch or two the mentor associates with frequently (each order operates differently, with some acting as scattered loners while others require continual cooperation to achieve their goals). Even members of a High Secret Order rarely know more than a few of the other members, though this may be the entire order since witches are so rare. In this case, only those in charge of the local order actually know they are so small and keep the secret from the others for various reasons.
Witchdoctor: Witchdoctors are multi-classed shaman/magic-users. They are always literate. Some deities do not allow their shamans to become witchdoctors. Witchdoctors always start with a book of cantrips and a book of 1st level spells. They will know the following numbers of cantrips by type: Int-1d12 useful (minimum 1), 1d6 reversed, 1d6 legerdemain, 1d8 person affecting, 1d4 personal, and 1d8 haunting sound. They will know the spell read magic and 1d4 other spells determined by the DM. They are not limited to the magic-user spells on page 40 of the DMG, though those spells seem to be the most common ones employed by witchdoctors.
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