Half-elves are living enigmas, spanning
two cultural worlds, and are outcasts from
both. Prejudice is a daily reality for half elves.
They are not fully accepted by either
their human or elven contemporaries due
to their mixed heritage and the stereotypes
each race attributes to the other. Humans
tend to see half-elves as frivolous and lazy
wastrels, who will steal your money and
your daughter without a thought. Elves
(particularly Gray and Sylvan) tend to see
half-elves as greedy and power-hungry,
with little or no respect for nature. None
of these assumptions are necessarily true.
Being raised in such an environment gives
half-elves a unique perspective of the world.
They lack the fierce racial loyalty of most
other races, therefore they tend to rely
more on themselves. This self-reliance, combined
with relatively long life spans and
learning ability, make half-elves the most
versatile characters of all. If you count the
multi-classed combinations, half-elves have
more classes open to them than any other
race.
The character kits presented in the PHBR
series help to greatly expand a character’s
role and motivation. Most of the multi-classed
combinations for half-elves have no
character kits. This article alleviates this
lack by presenting kits for multi-classed
half-elves, finally giving such characters
identity. Please note that no kits for single-classed
half-elves are presented here as
those presented in the PHBR series (Complete
Fighter’s Handbook, Complete Thief’s
Handbook, Complete Priest’s Handbook,
Complete Bard’s Handbook, and Complete
Ranger’s Handbook), are in most cases just
as appropriate to half-elves as to humans.
Also note that some kits from the Complete
Book of Elves also may fit a half-elven character.
Check with your DM first, as some
kits, such as the Spellfilcher and the Bladesinger,
are usually available only to elves.
Note: Nonweapon proficiencies marked
with * are found in The Complete Thief’s
Handbook. A * * indicates a proficiency
from The Complete Bard’s Handbook.
Fighter/Thief kits
Shadowblade
Description: The Shadowblade is considered
an elite member of the thieving
community. She is a dark and foreboding
character combining the subtlety of a thief
with the deadly skills of a warrior. Many
thieves’ guilds will have one or two in their
employ. Other Shadowblades hire themselves
out to the highest bidder. Whether
it’s assassination, bounty hunting, enforcing,
or just plain larceny, if there is a roguish
job that requires some extra muscle,
the Shadowblade is the person to call.
Requirements: Shadowblades must
have a Strength of 13 or greater, and a
Dexterity of 12 or higher. As with all
thieves, they may not be of Lawful Good
alignment.
Role: As many half-elves find little acceptance
with the mainstream society, they
often feel more at home with thieves’
guilds (who pragmatically appreciate their
multi-faceted talents). Shadowblades are
well known and respected in the underworld
for their fighting skills.
Secondary skills: Any.
Weapon proficiencies: A Shadowblade
may spend her weapon proficiencies any
way she wishes. Whether or not multiclassed
fighters are normally allowed to
specialize in weapons, the Shadowblade
character should have this option.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:
Information Gathering*, Intimidation*,
Thieves’ Cant. Recommended: Blindfighting,
Disguise, Jumping, Tumbling, Endurance,
Tracking, Weaponsmithing, and
Alertness *.
Skill progression: Shadowblades usually
progress about equally in their thief
skills. The exception is Pick Pockets, which
they tend to find unimportant.
Equipment: No special equipment is
preferred. Like all multi-classed thieves,
Shadowblades may not use any thief skills
but Read Languages, Detect Noise, and
Open Locks in armor heavier than leather.
Special benefits: Shadowblades are
well respected in the underworld and
therefore receive a +2 to all reaction rolls
from thieves who know of the character’s
status. Shadowblades also gain a +10% to
Hide in Shadows, and a +5% bonus to
their Move Silently skills.
Special hindrances: Regardless of
actual alignment, Shadowblades have a
notorious reputation and therefore receive
a -2 to reactions from non-thieves and
-4 reaction from law enforcement officials
if they know of the Shadowblade
status. Shadowblades also receive a -10%
penalty to the Pick Pockets ability.
Military Scout
Description: The Military Scout has
many differences from the scout kit in the
Complete Thief’s Handbook, not the least
of which is an increased fighting ability.
This is a well-rounded intelligence gatherer,
as much a spy and guerrilla warrior
as a wilderness thief.
Requirements: The Military Scout
must have a Strength and Dexterity of 10
or more and an Intelligence of 11 or higher.
They cannot be lawful good.
Role: Just as the Shadowblade finds
acceptance in a thieves’ guild, some halfelves
find their niche in a standing army.
In the military, a half-elf’s talents usually
don’t go unnoticed, and their ability to
combine skills makes them excellent
scouts. They are trained for reconnaissance,
sabotage, and other intelligence
gathering, sometimes even infiltrating
enemy camps. As the opportunity for
treason is high for military scouts, they
are treated better than the common soldier
to maintain loyalty.
Secondary skills: Required: Bowyer/
Fletcher, Fisher, Forester, Hunter, or
Trapper/Furrier.
Weapon proficiencies: Military
Scouts must be proficient with a knife.
The other proficiencies may be filled as
the player wishes. Military Scouts may not
specialize in weapon use.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:
Direction Sense, Disguise, and Survival or
Tracking. Recommended: Alertness*, Fire
Building, Fishing, Modern Languages,
Weather Sense, Set Snares, Endurance,
Running.
Skills progression: Hide in Shadows,
and Move Silently are favored skills. Pick
Pockets and Open Locks are the least
important, but they still may be helpful in
information gathering.
Equipment: Scouts usually have standard
outdoor equipment: rations, a bedroll,
a knife, rope, etc. They usually take equipment
specific to the mission they are on,
often including a disguise kit.
Special benefits: When in a wilderness
setting, Military Scouts have a bonus
of +10% to the following thief skills: Find/
Remove Traps, Move Silently, Hide in
Shadows, Detect Noise, and Climb Walls
(for trees and cliffs). Military Scouts have a
patron who can provide aid, usually a
standing military unit. This is mostly a
role-playing consideration.
Special hindrances: In an urban
setting, Military Scouts have a -5% penalty
to all thief skills except Pick Pockets,
Open Locks, and Read Languages. Having
a patron can be a hindrance as well as a
benefit. Scouts must report to their commanders,
and may be called on missions
that go against the plans of the adventuring
party.
Fighter/Cleric kit
Crusader
Description: A Crusader is a half-elf
devoted to spreading of his faith. The
Crusader seeks to defend the faithful,
combat the church’s enemies, and bring
his religion to the heathens.
Specialty priests: If the Complete
Priest’s Handbook is being used, the following
priesthoods may have Crusaders as
well as clerics: Community, Culture,
Death, Everything, Evil, Fire, Good, Guardianship,
Justice/Revenge, Race (half-elf),
Redemption, Strength, War, and Wisdom.
Requirements: Crusaders must have a
Strength of 13 or greater, a Wisdom of 14
or higher, and a Charisma of 12 or greater.
They may not be of chaotic alignment, as
chaotic people hold the individual’s freedom
as or more important than the morals
the Crusaders attempt to spread. Although
most Crusaders are good, some are more
interested in destroying “infidels” than in
protecting the faithful. That type of Crusader
may be neutral or evil.
Role: This is as close to a paladin as a
demihuman can get. Like their human
cousins, Crusaders are holy warriors who
stand for a cause. However, this cause is
not always lawful good, although most
Crusaders are lawful good. Crusaders
always put the interest of their faith ahead
of their party.
Secondary skills: Required: Armorer,
Weaponsmith, or Scribe.
Weapon proficiencies: The Crusader
may spend his weapon proficiencies as is
wished. However, a crusader must abide
by the weapon restrictions of his faith.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:
Religion. Recommended: Etiquette, Heraldry,
Modern Languages, Riding (Landbased),
Ancient History, Spellcraft,
Blind-fighting, and Endurance.
Equipment: Crusaders should get the
heaviest armor and most deadly weapon
they can afford and that their priesthood
will allow.
Special benefits: When in combat
against a member of an opposing religion
or philosophy (the DM will decide which
priesthoods and creatures qualify), or in
defense of their own priesthood’s followers,
the Crusader gains a bonus of +1
on attack and damage rolls. Crusaders
have a permanent +1 to all saving throws.
Special hindrances: A Crusader must
serve his priesthood first and foremost.
The Crusader must try to convert or fight
those who oppose his religion, and defend
followers of the Crusader’s religion with
his life.
Fighter/Druid kit
Wilderness Avenger
Description: When nature is wantonly
abused and destroyed, those who care will
try to stop it. These people will use force if
necessary. Normally these individuals are
rangers. If the one destroying nature is
very unlucky, it will be a Wilderness
Avenger. These people are similar to rangers,
but rangers always show at least a
little mercy toward their opponents. Wilderness
Avengers are not so forgiving.
While not evil, they are more inclined to
believe the end justifies the means.
Specialty priests: If the Complete
Priest’s Handbook is being used, the following
priesthoods may have Wilderness
Avengers, as well as druids: Agriculture,
Animals, Earth, Elemental Forces, Fertility,
Hunting, Life/Death/Rebirth Cycle, Race
(half-elf), Seasons, and Vegetation.
Requirements: Wilderness Avengers
must have a Strength and Constitution of
14 or greater, a Wisdom of 12 or higher,
and a Charisma of 15 or greater. Neutrality
must be an element of their alignment.
They still must abide by the alignment
restrictions of their priesthood.
Role: Where rangers protect people
and natural creatures, Wilderness Avengers
are merely trying to preserve the
natural balance, and are not picky about
how they do so. They allow some hunting
and harvesting of wild animals and plants
(DMs: Please use common sense in determining
this), but if it upsets the balance of
nature, Wilderness Avengers are not
averse to using militant methods to stop it.
Wilderness Avengers normally get along
well with rangers, people they are often
confused with. They see the rangers’
overprotectiveness of the good races as a
flaw, however. They draw their power
from being in tune with the forces of
nature rather than a reverence for life.
Secondary skills: Required: Forester.
Weapon proficiencies: Scimitar and
one missile weapon (whether or not these
are allowed by the priesthood). All other
weapon proficiencies must be allowed by
the avenger’s priesthood.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:
Tracking, Survival, Animal Lore. Recommended:
Agriculture, Animal Handling,
Animal Training, Alertness*, Direction
Sense, Weather Sense, Herbalist, Hunting,
Fishing, Set Snares.
Equipment: Wilderness Avengers may
not wear metal armor, but may use metal
shields if allowed by their priesthood.
Special benefits: A Wilderness Avenger
gains a bonus of +1 on attack and
damage rolls when fighting “unnatural”
creatures. Such creatures include those of
extraplanar origin, undead, golems, and
artificially created beings. A Wilderness
Avenger also gains a 5% chance to hide in
natural surroundings and move silently
per level (use highest level; i.e., a 2nd/3rd
level fighter/druid Wilderness Avenger
would have 15% in both skills).
12 FEBRUARY 1995
Special hindrances: Wilderness
Avengers are rugged and unkempt looking,
thereby receiving a -3 to reactions in
urban social settings. They cannot specialize
in weapon use. A Wilderness Avenger
will not let an act of destruction against
nature go unavenged.
Fighter/Mage kits
Spellarcher
Description: Spellarchers belong to a
fraternity of half-elves fighting prejudice
and oppression. They fight to change the
rules of society with both arms and magic.
They combine the two, using their arrows
to increase the range of some spells.
Requirements: Spellarchers must
have a Strength of 9 or greater, and Dexterity
and Intelligence scores of 15 or
higher. They must be chaotic in alignment.
Role: Spellarchers are a self-proclaimed
group of half-elf freedom fighters. They
study magic in an unusual way; combining
it with archery. The method of spellarchery
has so far remained a mystery to all
but these half-elves. If a Spellarcher tries
to teach this to someone of another race,
other Spellarchers will hunt her down and
put an end to student and teacher permanently.
Secondary skills: Required: Bowyer/
Fletcher.
Weapon proficiencies: Required:
Spellarchers must specialize with the long
bow. They may not specialize in any other
weapon. The remaining weapon proficiency
slot may be filled as the player wishes.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:
Bowyer/Fletcher, Spellcraft. Recommended:
Fire-building, Herbalist, Reading/
Writing, Blind-fighting, Hunting, Running,
Survival.
Equipment: All Spellarchers start out
with a finely-crafted long bow (+1 bonus
to material saving throws) and a quiver of
flight arrows free of charge.
Special benefits: Spellarchers have
the ability to cast touch-delivered spells
onto their arrows and fire those arrows
normally. This allows such touch-delivered
spells to affect targets out of reach of the
Spellarcher. Obviously, spells that can be
cast only on the character’s self, such as
change self or chill touch are ineligible for
this ability. The spell-carrying arrow must
strike its target (i.e., a successful attack
roll) for the spell to take effect. All normal
saving throw attempts are allowed. Note
that even if the target makes his save vs.
the spell, he still takes damage from the
arrow. If the arrow misses its target, the
spell is lost. (DMs: One possible exception
to this is if the spell-carrying arrow strikes
a viable target for the spell other than the
one the Spellarcher intended to hit. Use
the grenade-like missile rules and scatter
diagram on pages 62-63 of the DMG to
determine where the errant missile falls.)
Special hindrances: Spellarchers may
not cast spells from the school of divination.
They may never wear any armor.
Spellarchers must aid the cause of halfelves
over the rules of elves, humans, and
other races.
Aristocrat
Description: Occasionally a human
noble and an elf will marry. Their half-elf
children are brought up in luxury, with
the best schools and tutors money can
buy. Although almost any character may
by a member of the aristocracy, not all are
eligible for the Aristocrat kit. The Aristocrat
is a foppish, swashbuckling dandy
who combines swordplay with lessons in
sorcery. The Aristocrat is the epitome of
elegance and wit.
Requirements: Aristocrat PCs must
have a Strength of 9 or greater, and Dexterity
and Intelligence scores of 13 or
higher, and a Charisma of at least 14.
Role: The Aristocrat excels at three
arts: fencing, sorcery, and looking good.
She prefers to use light “gentleman’s”
weapons rather than the bastard swords
and battle axes. Aristocrats’ abilities and
status make them tend to feel that they
are better than others. This usually annoys
other characters, but their wit and
charm makes Aristocrats hard not to like.
The Aristocrat can be honorable and
naive, a fun-loving prankster, or a spoiled
machiavellian conspirator.
Secondary skills: Usually none; Aristocrats
don’t need to earn a living.
Weapon proficiencies: All the Aristocrat’s
initial proficiencies must be filled
with the following weapons: main gauche,
rapier, sabre, stiletto, and crossbow (hand
or light). The Aristocrat may specialize in
one of the above weapons, and once specialized,
she may never specialize in another
weapon.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:
Etiquette, Heraldry, Reading/Writing.
Recommended: Animal Handling, Animal
Training (falcon), Dancing, Riding (Landbased),
Appraising, Disguise, Gaming,
Tumbling, Spellcraft, Musical Instrument.
Equipment: See below.
Special benefits: The Aristocrat starts
with twice as much money as a normal
fighter. She also may be able to demand
shelter in many places (especially from
other nobles). Aristocrats may take rogue
proficiencies at the normal cost. Because
of an Aristocrat’s debonair charm, a bonus
of +3 is given on reaction rolls to members
of the opposite sex. When armed
with the specialized weapon, the Aristocrat
gets a +1 bonus to her armor class
due to extensive training from childhood.
Special hindrances: An Aristocrat
will not tolerate shoddy goods and services,
and demands the best that money can
buy. In game terms, this relates to being
charged 1.5 to 2 times the normal prices
for items. Less may be accepted in an
emergency, but if it becomes a habit the
Benefits of this kit can be lost. Other
wealthy individuals also may demand
shelter from the Aristocrat.
Cleric/Ranger kit
Rescuer
Description: Getting lost or injured in
the wilderness can be a fatal experience in
a fantasy campaign. The frequency of
man-eating monsters and infrequency of
fellow travelers to provide aid makes such
a predicament seem hopeless. Luckily,
some half-elves have devoted their lives to
the humanitarian cause of finding and
aiding those who require help, be they
human, demihuman, humanoid, or animal.
Requirements: A Rescuer requires a
Strength of 14 or greater, a Dexterity of 13
or higher, and a Wisdom of at least 15.
Like all rangers, a good alignment is
required.
Role: For religious or moral reasons,
the Rescuer finds fulfillment in helping
others. Although usually a member of an
organized religion, the Rescuer finds true
spiritual communion in the majesty of
nature rather than in a man-made church.
The Rescuer’s goals may not fit in with the
party’s goals, as she feels the need to provide
help to any unfortunates. Many parties
would do well to learn from the
Rescuer’s example.
Specialty priests: If the Complete
Priest’s Handbook is being used, the following
priesthoods may have Rescuers:
Animals, Culture, Dawn, Everything,
Good, Guardianship, Healing, Light, Moon,
Nature, Oracles/Prophecy, Peace, Race
(half-elf), Redemption, Strength, Sun, and
Wisdom.
Secondary skills: Any.
Weapon proficiencies: None are
required. Weapons chosen must be allowed
by the PC’s priesthood.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:
Tracking, Survival, Healing. Recommended:
Direction Sense, Fire-building,
Rope Use, Weather Sense, Herbalist, Religion,
Animal Lore, Endurance, Hunting,
Mountaineering.
Equipment: A Rescuer should have
standard outdoor equipment, as well as a
healing kit.
Special benefits: The innate kindness
of a Rescuer always seems to shine
through, giving her a +3 bonus on reaction
rolls to good or neutral beings. Because
a Rescuer draws spiritual power
from nature as well as a deity, any healing
spell cast in natural surroundings receives
a +1 point per die bonus to hit points
regained. Any animal followers of the
Rescuer may be trained to help locate and
escort people to safety automatically after
being with the Rescuer for one month.
Special hindrance: A Rescuer must
aid any living creature in need if she is
able. This rule does not extend to the
character’s species enemy, or to nonliving
creatures, such as undead. Although Rescuers
will fight and kill in self-defense or
in the defense of their allies, they try to
heal friends and enemies alike after the
battle is over. Rescuers may kill creatures
for food to feed themselves and their
allies.
Mage/Cleric kit
Arcanist
Description: The Arcanist is a half-elf
in search of esoteric knowledge, arcane
lore, and spiritual enlightenment. An
Arcanist’s entire life is devoted to gaining
knowledge of the supernatural. Because of
a half-elf’s dual-world upbringing, many
do not think along conventional lines.
Thus, the Arcanist considers priestly magic
and wizardry to be merely extensions of
one another. The Arcanist considers himself
to be a practitioner of an entirely
different, more pure form of magic, and
hopes to eventually attain mastery of all
spells.
Requirements: The Arcanist must
have Intelligence and Wisdom scores of at
least 15.
Specialty priests: If the Complete
Priest’s Handbook is being used, all forces
and philosophies may have Arcanists, as
well as the deities of Ancestors, Arts,
Culture, Darkness/Night, Dawn, Death,
Everything, Fertility, Fate/Destiny, Light,
Magic, Messengers, Mischief/Trickery,
Moon, Oracles/Prophecy, Peace, Race (halfelf),
Sites, Sun, Time, War, and Wisdom.
Role: The Arcanist is a very useful
addition to a party, not only for the benefits
of his spells, but also for the vast
knowledge of various mystical subjects
this character possesses. This character is
fascinated by all forms of magic and is
constantly seeking to add to his store of
arcane knowledge, and will often accompany
adventures just to encounter new
magical items, spells, or creatures.
Secondary skills: Required: Scribe.
Weapon proficiencies: Any allowed
by the priesthood.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:
Ancient History, Reading/Writing, Religion,
Spellcraft. Recommended: Heraldry, Ancient
Languages, Astrology, Herbalist.
Equipment: Aside from spell books
and religious symbols, none are required.
Only elven chain mail may be worn by
Arcanists.
Special benefits: The Arcanist has an
ability similar to the Bard’s magical-item
identification (legend lore) ability. The
Arcanist has a 5% chance per level to
identify the history and background of
any magical item she encounters.
Special hindrances: The Arcanist has
a “spooky” feel to her, and has a -2 reaction
penalty to all characters except spellcasters
(wizards, priests, paladins, rangers,
and bards).
Thief /Mage kits
Guild Mage
Description: A wizard can be a very
useful addition to a thieves’ guild. A sleep
spell on guards, invisibility, spider climb,
darkness, Tenser’s floating disk, and many
other spells are invaluable in pulling off a
heist. Many thieves’ guilds have therefore
found it in their best interest to hire a
Guild Mage or two. Although elves and
gnomes (and dual-classed humans) may be
employed by guilds as resident mage/
thieves, only half-elves are eligible for the
Guild Mage kit.
Requirements: Guild Mages require
Dexterity and Intelligence scores of 13 or
greater. They may not be lawful good.
Role: As stated under the Shadowblade
Kit, many half-elves find the acceptance
lacking in their communities to exist in a
thieves’ guild, and guilds make use of halfelves’
multi-faceted talents. Half-elves that
show both magical and larcenous promise
are trained to be Guild Mages.
Secondary skills: Any.
Weapon proficiencies: Any normally
allowed to thieves.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:
Information Gathering*, Reading/Writing,
Thieves’ Cant. Recommended: Disguise,
Forgery, Gaming, Local History, Ventriloquism.
Skill progression: Guild Mages have
no preference.
Equipment: No special equipment is
needed by most Guild Mages. They may
not wear any armor.
Special benefits: Due to his close
association with professional thieves, a
Guild Mage gains a bonus of +5% to his
abilities to Open Locks, Hide in Shadows,
and Climb Walls.
Special hindrances: A Guild Mage is
not used for petty thefts, and has a -15%
penalty to his Pick Pockets skill.
Prestidigitator
Description: This mage/thief is similar
to the bard in that they both have a talent
for entertaining crowds. The Prestidigitator,
however, not only entertains crowds,
but robs them blind as well. A showman
and con man, a Prestidigitator exemplifies
the trickster.
Requirements: An Intelligence of 12
or greater, a Dexterity of 11 or higher, and
a Charisma of 15 or greater are required
of the Prestidigitator. They may not be
lawful good.
Role: A Prestidigitator is a half-elf who
turned to magic as a means of getting
attention, but was always a rogue at heart.
Often, mages will earn a living showing off
their magical skills to entertainmentstarved
crowds. A Prestidigitator combines
sleight-of-hand with real magic to
excel in this career. She also can boost her
income by picking a few pockets at the
show, and burgling a few houses before
moving on to the next village.
Secondary skills: Required: Gambler.
Weapon proficiencies: Any available
to thieves, but they prefer small, easily
concealed weapons such as knives.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:
Crowd Working* *, Observation. * Recommended:
Animal paining, Etiquette, Modern
Languages, Local History, Disguise,
Gaming, Ventriloquism, and Fast Talking. *
Skill progression: The Prestidigitator
makes use of the Pick Pockets skill far
more than any others. All other skills are
useful to help get the character out of
sticky situations when luck runs out.
Special benefits: The Prestidigitator
has two main abilities. The first is sleightof-
hand or prestidigitation. With a successful
Pick Pockets roll, the Prestidigitator
can perform simple yet impressive tricks
of “stage magic.” The DM should modify
this roll to fit the situation as is appropriate.
For instance, palming a small coin
should be done at a +15% bonus, while
making a small animal (like a rabbit) disappear
should have a -15% penalty. Obviously,
making something the size of an
elephant disappear would take a lot of
preparation or real magic to pull off. Although
not a specialist, the Prestidigitator
prefers spells from the schools of illusion/
phantasm and conjuration/summoning.
She gains a bonus of +5% to learn spells
from these schools.
Special hindrances: Prestidigitators
suffer a -5% penalty to learn spells from
any school other than the two listed
above. Half of a Prestidigitators initial
discretionary thiefly skill points must go to
the Pick Pockets skill.
Fighter/Mage/Cleric kit
Redeemer
Description: A Redeemer is a half-elf
who combines spiritual, martial, and magical
skills to help destroy a foe. He is a
serious character dedicated to bringing
vengeance on a nemesis. Generally, this
foe also is an enemy of the church, and
the Redeemer considers this creature to
be an abomination.
Requirements: A Redeemer must
have Strength, Wisdom, and Intelligence
scores of 14 or greater and also must be of
lawful alignment due to his intense dedication
to the destruction of a specific enemy.
Specialty priests: If the Complete
Priest’s Handbook is being used, the following
priesthoods may also have Redeemers:
Competition, Culture, Everything, Evil,
Good, Justice/Revenge, Light, Race (halfelf),
Redemption, and War.
Role: A Redeemer has made it his life’s
purpose to hunt down and kill a certain
foe. Often this is because of a childhood
tragedy that the Redeemer feels compelled
to avenge. This intensity often makes the
Redeemer seem to be grim and brooding.
The Redeemer will try to persuade other
characters to aid this personal war.
Secondary skills: Any.
Weapon proficiencies: Any allowed
by the PC’s priesthood. Redeemers may
not specialize in weapon use.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:
Ancient History (for species enemy), Blindfighting.
Recommended: Religion, Spellcraft,
Endurance, Hunting, Tracking,
Weaponsmithing.
Equipment: Redeemers always carry
any weapons or items specifically designed
to take advantage of a foe’s weaknesses.
For example, if the species enemy is werewolves,
the Redeemer will never leave
home without a good supply of silvered
weapons. Redeemers may cast wizard
spells only when clad in elven chain mail
or no armor.
Special benefits: The Redeemer has a
special species enemy of the player’s
choice, similar to a ranger. The character
has a bonus of +1 bonus on attack and
damage rolls, and a +1 bonus to armor
class when fighting that creature only.
Special hindrances: A Redeemer’s
hatred for his species enemy runs deep,
and may become irrational. If an opportunity
to attack a species enemy occurs and
the player does not wish his character to
attack, the character must roll under his
Wisdom to avoid taking this action.
Fighter/Mage/Thief kits
Dilettante
Description: A Dilettante is a half-elf
who has difficulty finding a niche. As a
result, she becomes the proverbial “jack of
all trades, master of none,” drifting from
profession to profession.
Requirements: A Dilettante must have
a 12 or greater in all characteristics except
Wisdom, as Dilettantes often, but not
always, lack self-discipline implied by a
high Wisdom score. They also lack the
dedication to be of any lawful alignment.
Role: Dilettantes have trouble staying
with one job for very long, but this is
certainly not due to any lack of talent or
intelligence. Along their way, they dabble
in warrior, rogue, and mage skills, among
others. Dilettantes usually are from one of
the upper classes, much like Aristocrates,
for the lower classes are not often afforded
the opportunity to drift through various
crafts. Many humans also resemble
Dilettantes, but they don’t have as long of
a life span as half-elves, and therefore
don’t learn as many skills as a Dilettante.
Secondary skills: A Dilettante should
roll 1d6 times for secondary skills.
Weapon proficiencies: Any. As with
most skills, Dilettantes may not specialize
in weapon use.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:
None, but see “Special benefits” below.
Recommended: Any.
Equipment: No special equipment is
required of the Dilettante. They prefer
goods and services of the highest quality,
but this is not a requirement.
Special benefits: Dilettantes may
choose nonweapon proficiencies from the
warrior, mage, and rogue groups at normal
cost. Further, they get three extra
nonweapon proficiency slots.
Special hindrances: A Dilettante may
never devote extra proficiency slots to any
nonweapon proficiency to improve that
skill. She also may never devote more than
five points (ten points at first level) per
level to any single thief skill. Dilettantes
receive a -2 penalty to reaction rolls from
any serious artist or scholar, as these
individuals are annoyed with the superficial
dabbling of the Dilettante.
Diplomat
Description: Being from two distinct
cultures and having to walk the line between
them, half-elves make excellent
diplomats. Although a half-elf of any class
may learn the arts of diplomacy, only a
Fighter/Mage/Thief is eligible for this kit,
for they alone have the well-rounded
abilities suited to this profession.
Requirements: A Diplomat needs a
Strength and Dexterity of 9 or greater, an
Intelligence of 12 or higher, and a Charisma
of 14 or greater. Unlike most
thieves, they may be of any alignment.
Role: A half-elf Diplomat’s job is to
moderate disputes and attempt to keep
peace between two nations (usually either
human or elven). They learn many skills to
aid them in their career. In their party, the
Diplomat will be the individual to call
upon to parley with monsters. The other
skills make her just as valuable an asset
when negotiations fail.
Secondary skills: Scribe.
Weapon proficiencies: The Diplomat
should be proficient with at least one
small, easily concealable weapon (dagger,
knife, hand crossbow, etc.). Diplomats may
not specialize in weapon use.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Required:
The Diplomat must purchase at least two
extra Modern Languages. Bonus: Etiquette,
Local History. Recommended: Fast Talking,
Heraldry, Ancient History, Reading/
Writing.
Equipment: Although no special equipment
is required of a Diplomat, heavy
arms and armor tend to make one look
more threatening than is preferred in
such a profession.
Special benefits: Due to his dealings
with them, a Diplomat has a +4 bonus to
reaction rolls for leaders or politicians of
any other race. Diplomats occasionally
may be offered “diplomatic immunity” for
crimes, but this will depend on the country
of operation, and possibly the crime in
question.
Special hindrances: Diplomats do not
operate with as much freedom as other
characters. They are still in the employ of
and are answerable to their king or queen.
Further, if the Diplomat character does
offend a foreign nation, the king or queen
will hasten to discipline the character to
keep peace.
Conclusion
These kits should help the half-elves in
your campaign expand their identities, but
this list is by no mean complete. DMs are
encouraged to modify these kits to suit the
campaign or invent new kits. Half-elves
from the DARK SUN® setting of Athas, or
the dark domains of the RAVENLOFT®
campaign could be radically different than
those of most AD&D games. Players and
DMs alike always should be considering
options to make the games more fun for
everyone.
