The expressed purpose of this book is to provide AD&D 2nd edition gamers with NPC classes to use in a campaign. To this end it provides character class and level advancement for the following NPC types: Apothecary, Appraiser, Blacksmith, Cartographer, Engineer, Guide, Healer, Historian, Scribe and Seer. I would like to propose some alternatives to just using these classes for supporting roll characters and henchmen, or for the occasional player, as the book suggests. I can imagine some great role-playing resulting from the use of these character classes as PCs in regular adventuring scenarios. What follows is some suggestions on how this might be accomplished.
As far as the work itself goes, it is comparable to the other DM Guides produced by TSR at the time, maybe better than some but not by much. There is an annoying fiction piece that introduces each section as the main character meets and interacts with that sections subject class. Otherwise the text is well done, easy to read and reference. The classes appear balanced, and appropriately under powered as they are closer to your common man than the hero status assumed of most PCs. That's what makes role-playing such a character such an interesting possibility. Their newness and unique skill combinations make them suited for original and innovative play in an adventuring environment.
In a mixed group party, characters of these types might end up in adventures together in several ways, staged by the DM's scenario. They could be escaped/escaping slaves or prisoners, fleeing their captors and possibly returning to free others and/or exact revenge on their enemies. They may be members of the same caravan, thrown into adventure by adversity and forced to work together to save the caravan, themselves and return home safely. Imagine a group of townsfolk or villagers, forced by desperation or threat to confront a monster's lair or an enemy stronghold, in order to save their homes and families. In all these cases a successful conclusion can inspire further excitement via adventuring and maybe prompt some to begin training in more traditional classes to become dual or multi-classed.
Of course, some of the individual classes lend themselves very well to being members of an adventuring party without the need for a staged event to bring the together and into action.
Appraiser: Just a specialized thief, a fence and/or profiteer in search of rare items to obtain and sell.
Cartographer: An explorer in search of knowledge, or a commissioned surveyor for some high lord official, or even a plain old treasure hunter with a knack for maps.
Engineer: A renovator of ruins, in search of real estate to redevelop for himself or his employer.
Guide: With multiple variations provided (hunter, escort, navigator, interpreter, mountaineer and spelunker), these guys are natural adventuring party members. Consider them non-magical rangers.
Historian: Your typical scholarly treasure hunter, ala Indiana Jones for example. For riches and/or knowledge learned people risk life and limb even in our real world.
Seer: Magic User/Cleric hybrids with a knack for divination. Really just another kind of spell caster with a lower than normal power potential. Whether they are adventuring for a cause or following a vision, they are as natural suited for adventuring as the Guide types are.
Apothecary, Blacksmith, Healer, Scribe: Because of the sedentary nature of most of their skill activities, it is difficult to easily accept one as an adventurer without imagining a life changing event that uproots them from their crafts' traditional work habits. However, anyone of them could be a full time craftsman and a part time adventurer. Being part of a more casual group of adventurers is another excuse to bring any of these classes together but the only real good one for these four.
That's my two cents on the subject, not a review of the work but an alternate look at how it might be valuable to its owner.
This review appears in Alarums & Excursions #322 (see review archive), and was posted here with permission.
Go to forum!
(Due to spamming, old forum discussions are no linked.)