Variant Classes in Planescape?

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Shadow of Torment's picture
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Variant Classes in Planescape?

I have a rather good-sized collection of Dragon Magazines, and I've always been very interested in the Class Acts at the back of the magazine. Now that I've come into Planescape, I've been wondering; of all the various variant classes in my collection, which ones could actally be integrated into a Planescape campaign, and how could they be integrated? Can anyone help me answer these questions? Below is the complete list of the variant classes in my collection, each accompanied by a "blurb" that summarises the difference between it and the original.

Sidhe Scholar- an intellectual variant Druid; a scholar who gains divine powers by studying and drawing upon the power of the "Sidhe"; the Seelie and Unseelie courts. (From the way the article was written, it also seems that the Sidhe Scholar doesn't have an alignment restriction like the normal Druid.)

Wild Monk- a variant, Lawful Neutral only Monk who studies the ways of nature- eventually gaining the ability of Wild Shape, like a Druid.

Wild Defender- essentially a hybrid of Ranger and Paladin who must be Neutral Good or any Morally Neutral alignment.

Filidh- a variant Wizard; a lorekeepr from a barbarian society. Gains Bardic Knowledge and bonuses to casting Divination.

Anagakok- like the Filidh, this is a variant Wizard from a barbarian society; can't learn Illusion or Necromancy spells, but gains access to certain Druidic spells.

Chaos Monk- a variant Monk who must be Chaotic rather than Lawful, gaining powers thanks to its ties to chaos, such as Flailing Strike rather than Flurry of Blows.

Totem Druid- a variant Druid who draws its powers from a single totemic animal spirit.

Harbinger- a variant Bard of Nonlawful Nongood alignment who uses its music to cause fear, doubt, despair and bad luck amongst its foes.

Mystic Ranger- a variant Ranger (must be Nonevil in alignment) who focuses more on the spiritual side of its discipline- granting it access to more spells and to begin learning magic from the first level.

Rage Cleric- a frenzied variant Cleric who embraces its patron diety with passionate fury; this lets it Rage like a Barbarian at the cost of being unable to be of Lawful alignment.

MakThuumNgatha's picture
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Variant Classes in Planescape?

The planes are a big place and all of these classes conceivably have a place in it. The nature oriented classes, as well as the filidh and anagakok wouldn't be likely be living in Sigil; but the nature oriented classes would definitely have a place in the Outlands and Beastlands among other places and the barbarian wizard classes would definitely have a place in Ysgard. The mystic ranger I think would probably be quite common among the planes and the chaos monk would have a very interesting place among the githzerai in Limbo

Keraunos's picture
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Variant Classes in Planescape?

I think the Chaos Monk sounds like it would fit in well with the Xoasitects. Same sort of ethos there.

Keraunos's picture
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Variant Classes in Planescape?

I think the Chaos Monk sounds like it would fit in well with the Xoasitects. Same sort of ethos there.

Moog's picture
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Variant Classes in Planescape?

Quote:
Harbinger- a variant Bard of Nonlawful Nongood alignment who uses its music to cause fear, doubt, despair and bad luck amongst its foes.

I can just see a Harbinger in the Bleakers...

It'd be like Morrissey...

Armoury99's picture
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Variant Classes in Planescape?

'Keraunos' wrote:
I think the Chaos Monk sounds like it would fit in well with the Xoasitects. Same sort of ethos there.

And githzerai too.

I came to PS in 2nd ed, specifically with Skills & Powers, so class varients and combos were the norm when we orginally played, and seemed to fit the strange nature of the Planes.

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