Are there actually "kits" and "HLA" in D&D?
Are there actually "kits" and "HLA" in D&D?
Just out of curiousity, I was wondering if there were class kits in DnD and if there were also High Level Abilities in DnD. The reason I ask is because I know BG1 follows the rules closely (with a few modifications for real-time playability) but BG2, which also sues 2nd ED rules, bends them a bit more by including Monks and Sorcerers. I'm just wondering if the class-kits and HLAs are also in DnD, because I haven't really delved into P&P.
Monks, Sorcerers, and Barbarians are classes from the D&D 3rd Edition rules. They were included in the BG2 crpg (which implemented AD&D 2nd Edition rules), because pnp 3E rules were being published around the same time.
AD&D 2E had several "core" rule books, such as the "Player's Handbook", "Dungeon Master's Guide", and "Monsterous Manual".
AD&D 2E also had many "supplemental" rule books, such as "The Complete Fighter's Handbook", "The Complete Priest's Handbook", and so on. These books each contain many, many optional kits for the fighter class, priest class, and so on. Bioware selected 3 kits from each of the main 8 classes to implement into BG2.
There were also several "Player's Option" and "Dungeon Master Option" rule books published to expand AD&D 2E. I think the HLAs from BG2 were inspired from these.
For a not-too-shabby list of AD&D (pre-3E) material, check out this website:
TSR Archive: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
(There are probably better organized, more complete lists out there somewhere.)
When pnp 2E materials were being published by TSR in the 1990's, they also created different fantasy settings. Each "universe" featured a different flavor, such as:
Greyhawk (typical fantasy, one of the first settings, originally started with AD&D 1st Edition)
Forgotten Realms (typical fantasy, TSR's largest most detailed setting)
Ravenloft (gothic horror setting, my absolute favorite)
Spelljammer (wizards in space setting)
Oriental Adventures (kung-fu setting)
Al-Quadim (genies in bottles setting)
Birthright (ruling a kingdom setting)
Planescape (bizzarro setting (?), joining all the different 2E universes (i.e. Planes of Existence))
...and many others. Check it out.
AD&D 2E had several "core" rule books, such as the "Player's Handbook", "Dungeon Master's Guide", and "Monsterous Manual".
AD&D 2E also had many "supplemental" rule books, such as "The Complete Fighter's Handbook", "The Complete Priest's Handbook", and so on. These books each contain many, many optional kits for the fighter class, priest class, and so on. Bioware selected 3 kits from each of the main 8 classes to implement into BG2.
There were also several "Player's Option" and "Dungeon Master Option" rule books published to expand AD&D 2E. I think the HLAs from BG2 were inspired from these.
For a not-too-shabby list of AD&D (pre-3E) material, check out this website:
TSR Archive: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
(There are probably better organized, more complete lists out there somewhere.)
When pnp 2E materials were being published by TSR in the 1990's, they also created different fantasy settings. Each "universe" featured a different flavor, such as:
Greyhawk (typical fantasy, one of the first settings, originally started with AD&D 1st Edition)
Forgotten Realms (typical fantasy, TSR's largest most detailed setting)
Ravenloft (gothic horror setting, my absolute favorite)
Spelljammer (wizards in space setting)
Oriental Adventures (kung-fu setting)
Al-Quadim (genies in bottles setting)
Birthright (ruling a kingdom setting)
Planescape (bizzarro setting (?), joining all the different 2E universes (i.e. Planes of Existence))
...and many others. Check it out.
Why is it that whenever I finally get around to playing a new game for the first time,
I feel like playing Baldur's Gate for the second time...
I feel like playing Baldur's Gate for the second time...
The Monk actually existed from the first edition, but were not included in base 2nd edition to con people into forking out for Oriental Adventures.
Barbarians were introduced in Unearthed Arcana for first edition AD&D, in 2nd edition once again they were put in separate books to separate the gullible from their money.
Separating the gullible from their money is of course what 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions were all about. Fixing what wasn't broken to make some fast bucks has been part of the system for millenia, TSR/WoTC/Hasboro didn't invent the scam, but they sure know how to exploit it.
Barbarians were introduced in Unearthed Arcana for first edition AD&D, in 2nd edition once again they were put in separate books to separate the gullible from their money.
Separating the gullible from their money is of course what 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions were all about. Fixing what wasn't broken to make some fast bucks has been part of the system for millenia, TSR/WoTC/Hasboro didn't invent the scam, but they sure know how to exploit it.
[QUOTE=Darth Gavinius;1096098]Distrbution of games, is becoming a little like Democracy (all about money and control) - in the end choice is an illusion and you have to choose your lesser evil.
And everything is hidden in the fine print.[/QUOTE]
And everything is hidden in the fine print.[/QUOTE]