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- Description: Travel is rarely a safe affair on the roads of Fälgorna, whether one traverses the forbidding wilderness or the pastoral countryside. Beside the dangers of nature and fantastic menaces, such as dragons and giants, there are those who prey on their journeying kin. Almost every stretch of road near civilization is claimed by one or more bands of highwaymen and even the far wilderness may hide the strongholds of robbers.
- Bandits must be strong and hardy to withstand the harsh forces of nature, the people who seek their destruction and even each other. The Bandit, therefore must be strong and healthy to survive the rigors of his chosen path in life.
- Requirements: Bandits must have a minimum Intelligence of 10 and minimum Strength, Dexterity and Constitution of 12
- Bandits are usually neutral or evil in alignment, but some rare groups practice Robin Hood style banditry and are of good alignment..
- Role: Bandits practice their profession of thievery by force rather than by stealth, as do normal thieves. Bandits operate in the open countryside, making them similar in some ways to rangers. They can (and successful ones do) develop wilderness survival skills and and utilize their thief abilities to enable them to further their ends. Bandits typically involve themselves in highway robbery, raids on small villages or isolated settlements, kidnapping, and similar activities.
- Bandits are often vicious characters, desperate, cunning and cruel. They are prone to fight or even betray each other, but two things keep them bound in groups: the utter necessity for cooperation in order to survive the perils of the wilderness, and the strength of a cunning leader who coordinates their efforts.
- Some leaders manage to organize very large groups of Bandits. Yet, few leaders have the strength or charisma to keep such a group of cutthroats together for long and those groups that do persist usually dissolve upon their leader’s demise.
- Bandits do not belong to guilds, as such. A large group of them or network of cooperating groups may be considered analogous to a guild, however — providing some training, intimidating non-members who operate in their “territory,” and so forth. A few Bandit groups may actually have connections to a big city guild, though such ties would probably be very loose (occasional cooperation rather than subservience).
- Bandits rarely have pleasant reason for pursuing their lifestyles. Most have a history better left behind, and my have a price (or three) on their heads in some place or another. The average Bandit would be better off outside the wilderness, but with enemies and authorities elsewhere, it is the closest available thing to a sanctuary.
- Bandits can expect less than mercy at the hands of the law. As if banditry itself wasn’t punishable, most of these thieves already have a few major crimes under their belt. But, like a city guild, Bandits can work out arrangements with local military and civilian authorities. In exchange for bribes and/or a cut of the take. Bandits may garner information on rich targets and how best to avoid the punitive expeditions that may periodically be sent against them.
- Weapon Proficiencies: Bandits use all sorts of missile weapons (bows, slings, darts, crossbows, etc.), but will only use hand-held weapons under five feet in length that will not encumber them or be awkward to use in combat (i.e., medium-size or smaller weapons). Bandits never use polearms or other weapons requiring two hands to wield.
- Bandits rely on their fighting skills more than most thieves, therefore, at first level a Bandit gains an additional 50 physical skill points which may be used to learn a weapon skill of his choice. In addition, Bandits may expend physical skill points to gain expertise in a weapon as if he were a ranger or paladin of one level lower than their current level.
- Nonweapon Skills: Bonus: Ambush, Survival (choice of terrain), Trackless Movement. Recommended: Alertness, Animal Handling, Animal Training, Animal Noise, Camouflage, Fire-building, Information Gathering, Intimidation, Local History, Looting, Land-based Riding, Rope Use, Set Snares, Sign Language, Signaling, Tactics, Tracking, Trail Signs.
- Skill Progression: The skills favored by Bandits are those useful for scouting and preparing ambushes — specifically, climb walls, (for tree climbing, etc.), move silently and hide in shadows. The bribe official skill and set traps skills also often prove useful to the Bandit. A Bandit, who often risks capture, may also wish to study the art of escaping bonds.
- Equipment: A Bandit should be well-equipped for wilderness survival. Vital items include provisions, backpack and pouches, flint and steel, tinder, a blanket and a knife. Less vital, but often of use, are climbing equipment (crampons, pitons, etc.), fishing gear, light sources, rope, sewing needles and thread, a whistle, spyglass, small tent, thieves’ tools, and a whetstone.
- Bandits must move quickly, but must also hold their own in a fight and often wear heavier armor than the average thief. A Bandit will never willingly wear armor heavier than chain mail. He prefers a skull cap or no helm at all. If a shield is used, it will be small. (Note, a Bandit’s thief skills are penalized when wearing most armor.)
- Some Bandits also like to own trained animals for hunting or message carrying. To make effective use of such an animal, the Animal Training skill must be learned.
- Bandits may use magic items normally only usable by fighters, as well as items usable by thieves and those usable by characters of any class.
- Surprise: Outside of a major settlement Bandits surprise opponents on a roll of 7 in 10 if they have at least a turn to prepare an ambush (in addition to normal ambush surprise). The chance for surprise is reduced to 5 in 10 if less time is available, and the bandit must have at least one round to prepare to gain any bonus to his chance to surprise. These bonuses are in addition to the effects of the initial round of automatic surprise granted by a successful use of the Ambush skill
- Larger Hit Die: Bandits depend on force of arms more than stealth when engaging in robbery, therefore they must be stronger to survive the rigors of battle. Bandits roll a d8 for hit points instead of the normal d6 (see table 3.41 Bandit Experience Levels).
- Increased Attacks: As a Bandit gains fighting experience, so does he gain the ability to attack more effectively. They gain one attack per round until attaining 8th level, when they can attack three times every two rounds. Upon reaching 15th level a bandit gains the ability to attack twice in a round.
- Allies: The most obvious advantage the Bandit possesses is his association with an outlaw band. The band can provide him with shelter, a place to trade his stolen goods, and protection if needed. While most Bandits operate in groups, some chose to act alone but seldom successfully.
- Limited Thieving Skills: Bandits have little use for more subtle forms of thievery. They prefer to take what they need. Therefore, Bandits may never learn the pickpockets skill. Likewise, the open locks and find/remove traps skill is of more use to a burglar who depends on escaping unnoticed after pilfering a home or business. Bandits, therefore, may not learn the pick locks skill and receive a -20% penalty to their find/remove traps skills when attempting to use it outside of natural surroundings; however, they may find/remove large traps such as snares, pits, and other similar contrivances in natural surroundings without penalty. In addition, skills such as read languages and underworld contacts are of limited use to a bandit and are penalized by -10%.
- Reaction Penalty: Bandits are generally despised by other characters. Normal people hate and fear highwaymen and other types of thieves tend to look at them with scorn, as outcasts and crude robbers. For this reason, any Bandit who is recognized as such suffers a -2 reaction penalty among non-Bandit NPCs.
- Wanted by the Law: Regardless of whether a Bandit has personally broken any laws, he probably has a price on his head because of his association with an outlaw band. Bounty Hunters, possees, city guardsmen and many others may seek out the Bandit for the bounty promised for his capture or death. The constant fear of capture takes its toll on the Bandit in a variety of ways.
- Experience Point Penalty: Bandits must earn more experience points to advance a level (approximately 25 percent) as shown below on table 3.41: Bandit Experience Levels.
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Level
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Bandit
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Hit Dice (d8)
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Attacks per round |
| 1 |
0
|
1 |
1/1 |
| 2 |
1,800
|
2 |
1/1 |
| 3 |
3,600
|
3 |
1/1 |
| 4 |
7,500
|
4 |
1/1 |
| 5 |
15,000
|
5 |
1/1 |
| 6 |
30,000
|
6 |
1/1 |
| 7 |
60,000
|
7 |
1/1 |
| 8 |
110,000
|
8 |
3/2 |
| 9 |
200,000
|
9 |
3/2 |
| 10 |
300,000
|
9+2 |
3/2 |
| 11 |
450,000
|
9+4 |
3/2 |
| 12 |
650,000
|
9+6 |
3/2 |
| 13 |
900,000
|
9+8 |
3/2 |
| 14 |
1,150,000
|
9+10 |
3/2 |
| 15 |
1,400,000
|
9+12 |
2/1 |
| 16 |
1,650,000
|
9+14 |
2/1 |
| 17 |
1,900,000
|
9+16 |
2/1 |
| 18 |
2,150,000
|
9+18 |
2/1 |
| 19 |
2,400,000
|
9+20 |
2/1 |
| 20 |
2,650,000
|
9+22 |
2/1 |
|
+250,000 experience points and +2 hit points per level beyond 20th.
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