ROGUE - GUILDSMAN

Description:  Guildsmen are the artisans and craftsmen of society, and in most 
urban areas they make up the bulk of the working population.  In rural and 
wilderness areas, such tasks are performed by individuals who have learned their 
craft, often from a parent or other family member, and continue to practice it 
as it has been for generations.  In large urban centers, however, large guilds 
have been set up to handle the business of nearly all trades.  Individual 
artisans of that trade are often excluded from being able to practice it in a 
guild-controlled area (which often has monopolistic control of an industry) or 
are absorbed into the guild.  Young men and women of all races are also brought 
into the guild at a young age as apprentices and brought up in the guild's way 
of doing things.  Apprentices often end up working in family businesses much as 
the independent village craftspeople do, but always with loyalty to the guild 
tradition and leadership.  

Guildsmen PCs represent those who have passed through their apprenticeship phase 
and now form a generally literate class of skilled workers.  Though they do not 
always have the respect of the nobility, the wealth and influence of the guild 
they represent does grant them a certain degree of respect from others in 
society.  They may come from a guild that represents any trade or craft that the 
DM allows (e.g., blacksmiths, woodcutters, bookbinders, leatherworkers), and the 
player and DM must confer on what options are available.

Requirements:  Guildsmen use six-sided hit dice and the THAC0 and saving throw 
progression of Rogues.  Guildsmen begin with 2 weapon and 4 non-weapon 
proficiencies and gain new weapon and non-weapon slots every 5 levels.  
Guildsmen must have scores of at least 10 in Intelligence, Dexterity, and 
Charisma.  Because of their indoctrination in guild politics and bureaucracy and 
following a code of conduct that demands loyalty to the greater interests of the 
guild as a whole, a Guildsman cannot be of chaotic alignment.

Weapons & Armor:  Guildsmen have no restrictions in their choice of armor, 
shield, or weapons.

Thief Abilities and Modifiers:  Appraisal, Bribe Official, Detect Illusion, 
Detect Magic

In addition to their initial abilities, at 5th level a Guildsman gains the 
abilities to Detect Noise and Read Languages.  A Guildsman gains zero 
discretionary points at 1st level and only 20 points per level thereafter, of 
which no more than 10 can be devoted to any one ability.

Special Benefits:  Regardless of their trade, a professional Guildsman (i.e., a 
leveled PC, rather than a simple 0-level craftsman engaged in the same trade) is 
a skilled, insightful, and canny businessman and manager in addition to being an 
expert craftsman who is very knowledgeable about their chosen field.  Their 
training and expertise grant them the following abilities:

Agents:  Upon reaching 10th level a Guildsman will begin to attract agents from 
outside the guild to serve him or her.  These agents are individuals of 
exceptional ability, rather like henchmen or a Ranger's followers, come to serve 
the Guildsman because of his or her outstanding reputation.  The DM must 
generate the details of the sort of agents that will be attracted (with some 
modification, the table for determining Trader agents from the revised and 
expanded Dark Sun Campaign Setting can be used, as could the tables for Ranger 
followers in the Player's Handbook or the Complete Ranger's Handbook), but in 
general a Guildsman will attract one (or perhaps a few) new agent(s) each time 
he or she gains a level.  A Guildsman never has to accept the services of a 
given agent, but if the agent is rejected that agent is lost and the Guildsman 
cannot reroll to attract a new agent until he or she gains a level.  

If a Guildsman is still in service to his or her original company, these agents 
will have personal allegiance to the Guildsman but will also have to swear to 
serve the guild itself; if the Guildsman later leaves to start his or her own 
company, not all of his or her agents will be willing (or able) to leave the 
employ of the guild to accompany him or her in a separate business venture.  
This situation will require a loyalty check as per the Dungeon Master's Guide at 
the very least.  Of course, a Guildsman who has already established his or her 
own business need not worry about such conflicts of interest.

Character Insight:  Guildsmen have a very good eye for people and for judging 
their intentions and their capabilities.  This ability can only be used with 
respect to humanoid targets, and it requires the Guildsman to spend a full round 
of uninterrupted observation (though he or she may do this while conversing with 
another creature, if desired).  At the end of this round, the Guildsman has a 
10% chance per level to learn one of the following pieces of information:  
class, experience level, social class, reputation, any ability score, or the 
character's number of hit points (current and maximum).  If the Guildsman 
attempts to assess a disguised target, the skill roll is penalized by 25% (50% 
if a magical disguise is being used), but a successful check indicates that he 
or she sees through the disguise and gets a true assessment.  If the roll would 
have succeeded but for the penalty, then the Guildsman is able to determine that 
the subject is disguised, but is unable to glean additional information.  If the 
check is failed, no information is gained, and a roll of 96-00 is an automatic 
failure, regardless of the Guildsman's level.  If a natural 00 is rolled on the 
check, the Guildsman has badly miscalculated (e.g., believes the target to be 
1d6+1 levels lower or higher than his or her actual level).

Guild Advancement:  Guilds are always on the lookout for new talent to fill out 
the leadership positions of the guild (described under Guild Leadership).  
Individual Guildsmen therefore strive to make a good impression on their 
superiors and ensure rapid promotion through the ranks.  A Guildsman who gains 
sufficient experience points to advance to a new level must present him- or 
herself to a Master (if training up to 4th level or below), Guildmaster (if 
training to 9th level or below), or Grand Master (if training to 10th level or 
above) and submit a record of his or her activities during the previous level to 
the guild archives for review.  Assuming that the Guildsman has no outstanding 
debts to the guild and has otherwise conducted him- or herself in an appropriate 
manner, training for the new level can begin normally.

It is also possible, however, for a Guildsman to attempt to really impress the 
guild leadership in this interview, magnifying their accomplishments and putting 
themselves on the 'career fast track'.  To do this, the Guildsman should roll 
1d20 and add to it the level he or she is seeking to attain.  If the result is 
less than or equal to the Guildsman's Charisma score, he or she has managed to 
favorably impress the masters of the guild and will be allowed to advance two 
experience levels.  If the check fails but the net result does not exceed 20, 
his or her glowing self-recommendation is duly noted but he or she is simply 
passed along to the next level as normal.  If the result exceeds 20, however, 
his or her attempt at self-aggrandizement and gratuitous sycophancy is pointed 
out for what it is and he or she is formally reprimanded by the leaders of the 
guild.  In this situation, a Guildsman is not allowed to advance a level and in 
fact is reduced to the minimum experience points possible for his or her current 
level, in essence forcing him or her to 'repeat' the level he or she had just 
'completed'.  At the DM's option, the roll to move up on the 'career fast track' 
can be modified by specific tasks undertaken by the Guildsman during the 
previous level that were beneficial (or harmful) to the guild's interests.

Guild Leadership:  Upon reaching 5th level, a Guildsman reaches the rank of 
Master within his or her Guild.  At this rank, he or she is deemed competent to 
recruit and train 0-level youths to become apprentices in his or her guild (and 
eventually full-fledged Guildsmen).  In fact, a Master Guildsman can teach his 
or her craft to others in a basic fashion, such that any character under his or 
her close supervision can gain temporary proficiency in his or her chosen craft 
(with a proficiency score based on the student's own relevant ability score).  
The time required for teaching is a number of days equal to 20 minus the 
student's Intelligence score, and it will be forgotten within a number of days 
thereafter equal to the student's Intelligence score.

At 10th level, the rank of Guildmaster is attained, and at this point many 
Guildsmen choose to step outside the ranks of their original company and set up 
their own guildhouse, usually associated with the guild that trained them but in 
rare cases as an independent operation.  In extremely rare cases, a Guildmaster 
may turn 'renegade' and set up a guildhouse or business in direct competition 
with their former guild, and the infighting that can result from such 
competitive efforts is rarely pleasant.  Regardless of whether a Guildsman stays 
with his or her employer or sets up their own business, they still gain the 
benefit of reactions with middle-class NPCs as if middle-class but also modifies 
reactions with upper-class characters as if he or she was upper-class, as the 
Guildsman's wealth and position in his or her company afford a certain degree of 
social prominence.

If a Guildmaster remains with his or her original company, he or she will be 
assigned a retinue of bodyguards, paid for by the guild, who will follow the 
Guildsman as their commander.  This body of guards will comprise one 1st level 
fighter (almost always Mercenaries) for every level of experience of the 
Guildsman, plus a commander of 4th-6th level.  He or she also gains the ability 
to recruit up to three 'journeyman' Guildsmen (i.e., 4th level or below) from 
the company to serve as middle managers under his or her direct authority.

A Guildmaster who establishes his or her own company loses the benefits of 
direct support from the parent guild (i.e., he or she must now pay his or her 
own living expenses, as well as the salaries of anyone serving under him or 
her).  If they have personally recruited any new apprentices to their former 
guild, they are generally allowed to bring along 1d4 1st level Guildsmen to 
assist them in setting up their new business.  They can also hire mercenaries 
(and will generally have no difficulty attracting them to sign on), but any such 
guards will also need to be paid out of the Guildmaster's own pocket.

A Guildsman who reaches 15th level attains the title of Grandmaster and becomes 
the equivalent of minor nobility, gaining a significant voice in local and 
national decisions affecting commerce related to their trade.  This is true 
regardless of whether he or she works for his or her original guild or has 
founded a new company.  A Grandmaster Guildsman also gains double the normal 
benefit from a successful Local History proficiency check, as they are able to 
ingratiate themselves and their guild in the history and fabric of life of a 
region in the most favorable way.

Grandmasters also begin to learn secret guild rituals that have the potential to 
raise the ability score connected with their primary skill (e.g., Strength for 
Blacksmithing, Dexterity for Metalworking, Intelligence for Weaving).  Beginning 
at 15th level, each time a Guildsman reaches a new level he or she can attempt 
one of these Guild rituals, which requires one full week to complete and 
requires the assistance of at least three other Grandmasters.  At the conclusion 
of the guild ritual, the Grandmaster must roll 1d20 and compare the result to 
the relevant ability score.  If the result exceeds his or her score in that 
ability, he or she gains one point in that ability permanently.  If the roll is 
equal to or less than his or her current score, no bonus is gained at that 
level.  If a natural 1 is rolled, the ritual has been performed improperly and 
the Grandmaster loses 1d4 points from that ability.  In any event, a Guildsman 
cannot raise an ability score above his or her racial maximum in this fashion.

Guild Membership:  All Guildsmen are, naturally, members of a guild.  At 1st 
level, they are full-fledged 'Journeymen', with full rights and privileges of 
Guild Membership.  A Guildsman in any major city where their guild is 
represented can request food and shelter at their guildhouse (though they will 
be expected to work while staying there).  A Guildsman also receives a salary 
sufficient to defray his or her normal living expenses and to support him or her 
at a 'middle class' level (i.e., a Guildsman never needs to pay living expenses, 
as long as they remain in good standing with their guild).  In addition to this, 
once per experience level a Guildsman can secure a loan of up to 100 g.p. per 
level of experience.  This loan must be repaid (plus interest of 25%, -1% per 
level of the Guildsman) before the Guildsman can gain a new level, and within 6 
months in any event.  A Guildsman cannot have more than one loan outstanding at 
a time.  Guildsmen also have a responsibility to their guild in terms of being a 
good representative of it in their lives.  Thus, all guilds have a code of 
conduct, and any Guildsman trained by that guild must follow it; the penalty for 
transgressing varies depending on the violation, but can include any form of 
censure up to and including expulsion from the guild.  While the code varies 
from guild to guild, it usually conforms to the following principles:

- By joining a guild, a Guildsman forsakes citizenship in any city or nation or 
membership in any tribe or clan.
- Guildsmen swear an oath of allegiance to their guild and its leaders.
- Guildsmen promise to perform in the best interest of their guild in exchange 
for their salary.
- Guildsmen promise to deal honestly in trade with strangers, friends, and foes 
alike.
- Guildsmen promise not to flaunt the wealth they gain through their association 
with the guild.
- Guildsmen agree to uphold the laws of the city or nation in which they work 
and to do nothing to attract the wrath of local officials against the guild.
- Guildsmen promise to cooperate with others of their guild (or allied guilds) 
to make life very expensive and difficult for any person who unjustly imprisons, 
blackmails, or otherwise harasses any Guildsman of their guild or an allied guild.

Guild Training:  Every Guildsman receives specialized training in the craft that 
his or her guild represents.  The player of a Guildsman thus gains free 
proficiency in any one Crafts proficiency (or other proficiency allowed by the 
DM as a guild in his or her campaign) with a +1 bonus.  This proficiency 
improves by 1d4 for every five levels of experience (rounding down), as 
Guildsmen learn more of the hidden secrets and advanced knowledge of the 
profession that their increase in status within the guild allows.  When using 
any thief ability in a manner that directly relates to their craft (DM's 
discretion), Guildsmen gain a +20% bonus to the chance of success (maximum of 
100%).

Each guild also has a 'signature weapon' in which all members of the guild are 
trained (e.g., throwing hammer for blacksmiths, footman's pick or pickaxe for 
miners, gaff/hook for fishermen, staff for papermakers).  A Guildsman's training 
in this weapon is such that they gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with 
it.

Finally, beginning at 5th level, all Master Guildsmen are trained in reading and 
writing so that they can begin to study the detailed records and archives of the 
guild that contain so many of the ancient secrets of their craft, ranging from 
the natural to the mystical.  They gain free proficiency in Reading/Writing if 
they do not already possess it, in addition to the thief ability to Read 
Languages being gained at this level.  They also gain the ability to use magical 
scrolls of all types (including wizard and priest spell scrolls) at this level, 
with a base 20% chance, -2% per level after 5th, of reading the spell 
incorrectly and causing it to malfunction in some way.  The exact effect of such 
a malfunction is up to the DM, but it will nearly always be to the detriment of 
the Guildsman and those around him or her.

Public Relations:  Guildsmen know very well that they need to be able to relate 
to the public outside their guild in order to promote their business and 
continue its growth and success.  As a result, at 5th level and every five 
levels thereafter a Guildsman can select one Local History and one Modern 
Language proficiency at no cost, so that they may be better able to solicit new 
business clients or potential employees into the guild.

In addition, because of the public stature that his or her position within the 
guild affords, any Guildmaster (10th+ level Guildsman) can attempt to inspire 
others with a motivational speech or 'pep talk' once per day.  This requires the 
Guildmaster to be able to address them without interruption for one round.  At 
the end of this time, all allied creatures able to hear and understand the 
Guildmaster within a radius of up to 10' per level of experience receive the 
benefits of a bless spell for one round per level of the Guildmaster, though 
this duration is halved for any listener who is not also a Guildsman or a direct 
employee or member of a guild (even if it is a different guild, provided it is 
not in open conflict with that of the speaker).

Even when not delivering such messages directly, a Guildmaster learns a great 
deal about professional and interpersonal leadership during his or her climb 
through the career ladder, and they learn to improve themselves in this regard 
on an ongoing basis.  As a result, at 10th level and each level thereafter a 
Guildsman may roll 1d20 and compare the result to his or her Charisma score.  If 
the result exceeds his or her Charisma, he or she gains one point of Charisma 
permanently.  If the roll is equal to or less than his or her current Charisma, 
no bonus is gained at that level.  A Guildsman's Charisma score cannot exceed 
his or her racial maximum in this fashion.

Special Hindrances:  Guildsmen use their roguish skills in the practice of their 
trade but are not particularly expert at them.  As a result, their chance of 
success for any thief skill can never exceed 80% unless it relates directly to 
their chosen craft (see Special Benefits:  Guild Training), though the actual 
percentile score can exceed 80 if the Guildsman wishes to allocate extra points 
to a skill to offset penalties that he or she may encounter while using these 
skills.

Guildsmen must always be willing to contribute to the profitability and success 
of their guild, and they are required to donate at least 10% of all profits they 
gain from any activity to the guild.  This limitation no longer applies if a 
Guildsman of 10th level or above elects to found a new company or guildhouse.  
At all levels, however, a Guildsman must submit the record of his or her 
activities to the guild leadership and engage in full training at every level of 
experience (excepting levels that are 'skipped' through Guild Advancement).

In a similar vein, each time a Guildsman gains a new level there is a 2% chance 
times the new level gained that he or she will be sent off on a mission in the 
interest of the guild.  This can be role-played out, or it can simply be 
resolved "off-board", making the character unavailable for adventuring for 1d6 
weeks plus one week times the level just attained.  Refusal of such a mission is 
not an option, but if the Guildsman does an exceptional job with it, he or she 
may receive a bonus the next time he or she comes up for 'promotion' to the next 
level.  Awarding such a bonus is left to the DM's discretion, but it should only 
be awarded if the guild mission is actually played out and not if it is handled 
"off-board".  Even if a Guildsman founds his or her own business or guildhouse, 
this chance of being called upon for service to the greater guild (which 
encompasses all individual guildhouses within the trade, at least in the mind of 
a Guildsman) remains each time he or she advances a level, but the chance of 
being called upon is halved.

Bonus Proficiencies:  any one Crafts proficiency (or other proficiency allowed 
by the DM)
Preferred Proficiencies:  Administration, Ancient History, Bureaucracy, 
Ceremony/Ritual, Diplomacy, Disguise, Etiquette, Gaming, Grooming, Haggling, 
Heraldry, Interrogation, Language (any), Law, Linguistics, Local History, 
Mercantilism, Numeracy, Numismatics, Reading/Writing, Reading Lips, Research, 
Riding (Land-based), Scribe


***DISCLAIMER*** 

As with all postings by me of classes or races, it should be noted that portions 
of the information contained herein were inspired by or derived from information 
in published works of TSR, Inc., and may contain references to those works, 
quotations or passages of text (especially in the area of 'Character 
Description', where applicable sections from TSR works were often carried over 
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invented by TSR staff writers.  No relationship with TSR, Inc., is to be implied 
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In instances where I have lifted an essentially complete class or race without 
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have inserted a reference to the appropriate D&D sourcebook for those curious in 
including it in their campaign.  Only variations that include a significant 
component of original work, alteration, or reformulation (including the 
compositing elements from various TSR sources into new combinations) of have 
been included in this set of postings. 


<a href="mail to:tjaden@u.washington.edu">Jason Eric Nelson </a> < tjaden@u.washington.edu >