What we know about 3rd Edition

3rd Edition Website 3rd Edition News Character Class Overview

As of today, there are days to release.

Notice: Please note that this page is not being updated very often. This is because we only put significant game mechanics and news on this page, and those have slowed down considerably. For a more complete list of 3rd Edition-related news and opinions, check Eric Noah's 3rd edition News Page. For an overview of how each class is changing, check our Character Class Overview.

Sorcerers don't need spell books. This is in addition to not memorising spells.

Elf details. We know pretty much all there is to know about elves now. Their favored class is, as expected, Wizard. they get free proficiencies in longsword, rapier, and the bows. Bonuses on search, spot and listen checks. +2 Dex, -2 Con. The 90% resistance has changed to be immune to sleep and a +2 save vs enchantment spells, making them less broken.

More on Multiclassing restrictions. Apart from the epxerience penatlies we knew about, it turns out that certain classes will have restrictions. So far, we know that once you multiclass over to a Paladin or a Monk, you won't be able to go anywhere else. I would not be surprised if Barbarian were added to that list.

Turning Undead Details. We know that it depends not only on Charisma and Wisdom of the Priest, but also their level. Check here for a table.

Armor requires a proficiency. Hold it, don't panic yet. Apparently some classes will get them for free, and you don't have to be proficient in a given type, just light and heavy. Otherwise, you get penalties according to how heavy the armour is. These penalties applt to anything that involves movement.

Monk info! Just what I was waiting for. Hit the Character Class Overview for the lowdown.

Racial adjustments are now +2. Also interesting is the revelation that ALL races have this bonus. And half-orcs get shafted. Badly.

Hit Dice maximums are gone. Another staple falls to the wayside. A 15th level Fighter now has 15d10 +15xCon bonus Hit Points. This brings PC's in line with monsters.

All classes can now make magic items. Now there's a shocker. Still, it means I'm going to be playing a lot more fighters and druids. I don't know that I like this change, even though we don't know yet how it's going to work.

All classes can gain multiple attacks. The system is a little complicated, but the way it works is that if your class bonus is at least +6, you get a second attack with a bonus of 5 less. Note that you can't take a second attack at a penalty if you have a +3 bonus, for example.

Cantrips and Minor Magics have been revealed. Also many cleric domains, Mage schools and a host of spells. Check out Eric Noah's 3rd Edition Site for the details.

More skill system details. It would appear that your initial number of skill points depends on your intelligence and race. The number of skills you start with varies by class. there is also a limit on the amount of points you can spend in one skill to start with, to prevent a 1st level character only failing a check on a 1.

Spell format has been improved. The listing and description of spells is more friendly now. Take a look at the example on Eric Noah's 3e site. (link above)

A new Paladin ability has been revealed! Smite Evil is a nasty ability that gives bonuses according to the Paladin's Charisma. See our Character Class overview for details.

The Feat and Skill system has been somewhat clarified. We know now that having more than one "rank" in a feat will give you bonuses on your roll for related skills. A concrete example was also given:
Tracking is a skill under the Wilderness Lore Feat. The difficulty varies according to a number of factors.
e.g Smooth stone - DC25, small creature DC+4. Therefore a 1st level character with Tracking would need to roll a 29 or better on d20 to track successfully in this scenario. Not too likely is it? But if the character has the relevant attribute (probably Wisdom) at 18, they will get a +4 to their roll. More than one rank in the skill or feat would give pluses, and Rangers are likely to get pluses as well. Simple enough... Armour Class has changed. Instead of ranging from -10 to 10, it now goes from 10 (still no armour) to 30 (-10). This is a logical change. Many new players I have encountered were confused at the whole concept of -3 being better than 2. This removes that problem.

THAC0 is gone. It has been replaced by a much simpler system. Take your current THAC0, and subtract it from 20. You attack, and roll d20. Add the roll to the number you got earlier, as well as any strength, magical or class-related bonuses. The total is the armour class you hit.
EXAMPLE: Melgin, a 4th level Elven Fighter, would normally have a THAC0 of 17. She attacks with a long sword +1, and has a Strength of 17. She rolls a 12. To that she adds all her bonuses: +1 for her Strength, +1 for her magical bonus, +1 for an elf using a long sword, and +3 for her level bonus. Her adjusted roll is 18, which is the AC she hits. Notice under both systems, she hits AC 2 or the equivalent, 18.

Initiative has changed. There are now no adjustments for weapon speed, spellcasting or anything except Dexterity. One initiative roll is taken at the start of combat for each PC and for the monsters. The higher the number, the sooner you go. You may also choose to delay or refocus. Delaying ensures you take the last attack in every round, whereas refocus forfeits your attack for the round, but makes sure you take the first attack in each subsequent round. The reasoning behind this is less clear. The weight of a weapon, in my mind, should dictate how fast you can strike or not. However, there is a school of thought that says while a dagger may be easier to swing than a battle axe, you need to get an awful lot closer. I remain unconvinced...

Methods for rolling up characters have been standardised. All DMs are now strongly advised to use the 4d6, drop lowest method. There are several reasons for this, starting with:

Class ability requirements are no more. Want to play a Paladin with Charisma 3? Not a problem. A really dumb Wizard? Still not a problem. This is one of the reasons that no other method is needed for rolling characters.

Characters may add one point to any ability score every 4 levels. And this is another reason. It seems a bit slow to me, especially to a character who starts with nothing above 13, but it can be fairly nasty. If my current character had this ability, she would have 19 Strength by now. That's gonna leave a mark. Exceptional Strength is gone, by the way.

Preists may trade a spell of level X for Xd8 points of healing. I would imagine that there will no longer be cure light wounds and the like as a result of this. I like this rule, mainly because it gives a more strategic bent to the game. Do you heal your party's 13th level fighter who has 2 HP left, or do you save that 6th level spell for later and hope the fighter can hang in there?

Monks are back! I always loved these guys. I'm hoping they'll be watered down a good deal from what they were in 1st edition, but this is a welcome change. Other character classes include barbarians, assassins and sorcerors. This is what we know about them...

Demihuman restrictions are gone. Any race can be any class and achieve any level. A half-orc paladin. A dwarven mage. Bizarre, but true. As yet there are no concrete benefits being leaked about how they plan to beef up humans, but there are rumours, such as:

Humans may receive 20% bonus XP. Once again, this is not definite, but it would make sense. No one is going to play a human unless they have a significant benefit like this. Why play a human Thief when you can play a more dextrous, infravisioned immortal Elven Thief? Exactly. No reason whatsoever.

Multiclassing has changed. I believe, though I am not sure, that humans can now multiclass. But the major difference is in the way it works. No longer can you start as a multiclassed character. You choose your starting class, then as you adventure you may pick up another. When you receive your XP, you decide which class to give them to. However, if one class should become more than a level higher than any other, you receive an XP penalty. Hit points will be cumulative, not averaged, but they probably won't be received at the same time anyway.

Character Classes now stand alone. This means that a fighter and a Paladin are totally different classes, not subdivisions of the warrior class. It also means that, if you really want to, you could play a Paladin/Ranger multiclass. I can think of a fairly nasty situation involving a Paladin/Ranger with two Holy Swords...

Ability score bonuses and stats are different. No more dumping that low score in Charisma! All the ability scores now have more of an effect on the game...Charisma's adjustments will be more useful than before, for example.

All classes eventually gain multiple attacks in a round. Yes, even wizards. While this sounds like it takes away from the fighter, but they get much, much more than they ever had before. Check out our class review page.

Heavy armour now negates Dexterity bonuses. Possibly the most sensible rule change. Why on earth should someone in 100 lbs of armour gain a bonus because of their dexterity? Like they can move in that thing? Personally, I'd like to see Strength play a role in that, seeing as how someone with Str 23 can move pretty easily in a suit of full plate...

There's another suit of Elven armour. Not many details on this so far, but we know it's there. Hopefully it will work something like Elven Chain does now.

Characters heal faster now. Healing naturally is at the rate of 1HP/day/level. As yet, Constitution has no effect on healing, though the thought is that it will eventually. Although this means that a wizard at 1HP will heal back to full faster than a fighter at 1HP, that's just plain common sense. Bigger wounds heal slower...

Proficiencies are now skills. Let's face it...choosing your NWP's is the most time-consuming and boring part of character generation. The new skills list is shorter, but a lot more comprehensive. Also, the Heroic Feat idea brings a new angle to the game. Whereas skills are pretty much the same as NWP's, Heroic Feats will not normally require a skill roll, but will have a deeper effect on the game. An example would be taking a penalty to attack rolls to inflict an equal bonus to damage. These feats are learned, and then simply used to provide something similar to a granted ability. Some even exist for spellcasting.

Wizards can master spells. This enables them to cast the mastered spell without having to memorise it. Very sensible. A 15th level wizard who has been casting Magic Missile several times a day for years shouldn't have to memorise the thing...he probably could cast it in his sleep!

Saving Throws now depend as much on the power of the attack as the level of the target. This means that a high-level 3e character could still need a 16 to save against an ancient dragon's breath weapon, for example. Again, very sensible. There are now only 3 types of save...Reflex, which is adjusted by Dexterity, Fortitude, which is adjusted by Constitution, and Mental, which is adjusted by Wisdom. Different classes will be resistant to different attacks, giving them bonuses on that save.

Wizards casting spells during melee is a bad idea. At least, it is if they're anywhere near the fight. This is beacuse anyone in range can now take a free swing. However, they are being made more powerful in other ways. Check out our Complete 3E Class Guide for more.

Level drains are changing. Incorporating a house rule I use myself, level drain attacks are now temporary, though their duration is as yet unreleased. I normally have it depends on several things, including the type of undead, the level lost, and the character's class and race. I doubt 3e will be that involved.

Monsters can have classes!. And why not? They will now have ability scores, bonuses and classes. Imagine the fun your DM will have running your 10th level party up against 4 Kobolds, then pointing out that they're actually 18th level Paladin/Mages. Ouch.