Starting classes

Class format is based heavily on the GLOG format from Goblin Punch. That being said, while I borrow a few things from the GLOG core rules, the combat system (to which most of these are related) is completely different.

Infantry

Fight well on a team. Combat trained.

• Stat bonus: +1 blocking defense every level
• Starting items: chainmail, large shield, spear, lucky charm
• Skill: archer, surgeon, or tactician

Level 1: phalanx, siege diet

Level 2: team attack, mentor

Level 3: squad support

Level 4: heroic sacrifice, rally

• Phalanx: when you block alongside allies in the same engagement, gain +1 defense for each ally, and +2 for each infantry ally blocking with you.
• Siege diet: you can split your meals with an ally to each get by on one ration per day.
• Team attack: gain +1 damage for each ally engaged with the same target in the same round.
• Mentor: if you have fought alongside an ally through at least one level up, once per encounter you can perform one non-magical technique they have performed during the same encounter, including skill checks if you have the same skill.
• Squad support: if an ally within reach would take damage from a ranged attack, you may take their place.
• Heroic sacrifice: whenever an ally in the same engagement would take a wound, you can choose to take the damage in their place.
• Rally: once per day, call out inspiration to your allies to restore 1d6 hit points to all who an see or hear you.

Thief

Use stealth, skill, and luck to steal. Combat capable.

• State bonus: +1 stealth every level
• Starting items: blackjack, dark cloak, manacles with key
• Skill: sleight of hand, jeweler, or panhandler

Level 1: thievery, change hands

Level 2: lucky, stash

Level 3: slippery

Level 4: very lucky, great escape

• Thievery: gain the locksmith and pickpocket skills at rank 1.
• Change hands: once per session, you can declare that you retroactively swapped items with another character in the party, no matter how separated you are.
• Lucky: once per day, reroll any 1d6 roll immediately after the result has been seen. Can be used for damage, a skill check, or any other 1d6.
• Stash: by storing treasure in a hidden way, you can keep up to half of your next level's worth of treasure safe from other thieves at night or during the day.
• Slippery: get a +5 bonus to speed when retreating out of a melee engagement.
• Very lucky: reroll up to two additional 1d6 rolls, as lucky.
• Great escape: once per day, you can instantly escape from anything you could plausibly have escaped from, no matter how difficult it would have been.

Hunter

Specially skilled in subduing large beasts and laying traps. Combat capable.

• Stat bonus: +1 to stealth every two levels
• Starting items: hunting knife, trapping kit, bow, quiver, animal skull
• Skill: survivor, butcher, or archer

Level 1: trapper, astride

Level 2: wrangle

Level 3: provoke, fast trapper

Level 4: steer

• Trapper: improvise traps outside of combat to either halt, damage, or create an alert when passed through. You must spend an hour in the morning preparing your trapping kit. More elaborate or effective traps could be made using specific materials at GM discretion.
• Astride: climb on top of large beasts to strike vulnerable areas for a guaranteed hit, along with a +3 damage bonus. Beasts can spend their turn attempting to shake off a hunter with a strength save, but if the hunter spends their turn clinging on, it becomes a strength contest.
• Wrangle: using a rope, attempt to tie down a beast with a strength contest. Anyone can contribute to this contest, but any non-hunters will be knocked prone if the beast wins instead. Any tied down beast will remain prone until it can succeed a difficult strength save.
• Provoke: take an action to impel beasts into charging at you. They will take 1 damage if you are beside a wall when you do this.
• Fast trapper: once per encounter, a trap can be improvised during combat. This takes one full round, accounting for movement to lay tripwires or hazards.
• Steer: while astride, a hunter can force the beast to move if they succeed on a strength contest.

These are the three classes I recommend having available from the start, to ease players into the game, and to facilitate a lower starting power level and magical scale. After they play for a bit, and do various interesting things, I recommend opening up class options, including magical classes which will be detailed in a later post.