Swords & Wizardry Complete Reference

Roll Attribute Scores

Roll 3d6 for each of six attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Characters are intentionally flawed, not superhuman. Referees may allow adjustments for long-term campaigns.

Strength

Measures muscle power. Prime Attribute for Fighters, Paladins, Rangers, and Assassins (one of). Affects to-hit/damage for Fighters, opening doors, and carrying capacity.

Score	To-Hit	Damage	Open Doors	Carry Modifier
3–4	–2	–1	1	–10
5–6	–1	+0	1	–5
7–8	+0	+0	1–2	+0
9–12	+0	+0	1–2	+5
13–15	+1	+0	1–2	+10
16	+1	+1	1–3	+15
17	+2	+2	1–4	+30
18	+2	+3	1–5	+50

Dexterity

Measures agility and reflexes. Prime Attribute for Thieves and Assassins (one of). Affects missile accuracy, AC, and parrying.

Score	Missile Bonus	Effect on Armor Class
3–8	–1	Worse by 1 point
9–12	+0	None
13–18	+1	Better by 1 point

Constitution

Measures health and stamina. Affects hit points and survival checks.

Score	Hit Point Modifier	Raise Dead Survival
3–8	–1	50%
9–12	+0	75%
13–18	+1	100%

Intelligence

Measures memory and reasoning. Prime Attribute for Magic-Users and Assassins (one of). Affects languages and spells.

Score	Max Languages	Max Spell Level	Understand New Spell	Min/Max Basic Spells
3–7	0	4	30%	2/4
8	1	5	40%	3/5
9	1	5	45%	3/5
10	2	5	50%	4/6
11	2	6	50%	4/6
12	3	6	55%	4/6
13	3	7	65%	5/8
14	4	7	65%	5/8
15	4	8	75%	6/10
16	5	8	75%	6/10
17	5	9	85%	7/All
18	6	9	95%	8/All

Wisdom

Measures willpower and intuition. Prime Attribute for Clerics, Monks, and Druids. Wisdom 13+ gives +5% XP bonus. Clerics with 15+ gain a bonus 1st-level spell.

Charisma

Measures personality and leadership. Affects hirelings and morale.

Score	Max Special Hirelings	Retainer Morale
3–4	1	–4
5–6	2	–2
7–8	3	–1
9–12	4	0
13–15	5	+1
16–17	6	+2
18	7	+4

Character Classes

Assassin

Rare sub-class of Thieves trained as secret operatives. Neutral or Chaotic only. Humans only.

• Prime Attributes: DEX, STR, and INT all 13+ (+5% XP)
• Hit Dice: 1d6 (gains 1 hp/level after 13th)
• Armor/Weapons: Leather only, shield permitted. Any weapons.
• Saving Throw Bonus: None
• Abilities: Disguise (5% base detection), Poison use (no self-error), Backstab (+4 hit, double damage; triple at 5th, quadruple at 9th), Thieving skills (as Thief 2 levels lower), Establish Guild (14th).

Cleric

Armored warrior-priests serving Law or Chaos. Half-Elves and Humans.

• Prime Attribute: WIS 13+ (+5% XP)
• Hit Dice: 1d6 (gains 1 hp/level after 9th)
• Armor/Weapons: Any armor and shield. Blunt weapons only (club, flail, hammer, mace, staff). No missile weapons other than oil or slings.
• Saving Throw Bonus: +2 vs paralysis and poison
• Abilities: Divine Spells, Banish Undead (Lawful), Religious Stronghold (9th). WIS 15+ grants bonus 1st-level spell.

Druid

Mysterious nature priests. Neutral only. Humans only.

• Prime Attributes: WIS and CHA both 13+ (+5% XP)
• Hit Dice: 1d6 (gains 1 hp/level after 9th)
• Armor/Weapons: Leather armor, wooden shield. Dagger, sickle-shaped sword (as short sword), spear, sling, oil.
• Saving Throw Bonus: +2 vs fire
• Abilities: Nature Spells (requires mistletoe), First Mysteries (2nd: identify plants, pure water, move through undergrowth), Shape Change (5th: 3 forms/day), Immune to Fey Charms (5th), Secret Druidic Language, Druidic Stronghold (11th).
• Druidic Hierarchy: Advancement to Archdruid (12th) and Grand Druid (13th) requires defeating the current holder.

Fighter

Trained warriors, best at combat. Any alignment. Any ancestry.

• Prime Attribute: STR 13+ (+5% XP)
• Hit Dice: 1d8 (gains 2 hp/level after 9th)
• Armor/Weapons: Any.
• Saving Throw Bonus: +1 on all saves except spells
• Abilities: Multiple attacks vs creatures of 1 HD or less (one per level), Parry (DEX 14+: -1 to -5 penalty on enemy attacks), Strength to-hit and damage bonuses (Fighters only!), Establish Stronghold (9th).

Fighter Parrying Ability

Dexterity Score	Penalty to Enemy Attacks
14	-1
15	-2
16	-3
17	-4
18	-5

Magic-User

Scholars of arcane magic. Any alignment. Elves, Half-Elves, and Humans.

• Prime Attribute: INT 13+ (+5% XP)
• Hit Dice: 1d4 (gains 1 hp/level after 11th)
• Armor/Weapons: None. Dagger, staff, and darts.
• Saving Throw Bonus: +2 vs spells (including wands and staffs)
• Abilities: Arcane Spells (from spellbook), Wizard's Tower (11th). Starting spellbook contains as many 1st-level spells as INT allows (roll % chance per spell).

Monk

Ascetic martial artists seeking enlightenment. Any alignment (most Lawful). Humans only.

• Prime Attribute: WIS 13+ (+5% XP)
• Hit Dice: 1d4 (gains 1 hp/level after 16th)
• Armor/Weapons: None (AC improves by level). Any weapons.
• Saving Throw Bonus: +2 vs paralysis and poison (WIS 12+)
• Magic Items: Weapons and magic rings only. Cannot use potions.
• Stat-Gated Abilities:
  • DEX 15+: Multiple unarmed attacks per round, Deflect Missiles (save to deflect arrows/magic missiles)
  • WIS 15+: Weapon damage bonus (+1 at 2nd, +2 at 4th, up to +5 at 10th), Slow Falling (20ft at 5th, 40ft at 8th, any at 11th), Alertness (1-in-6 party surprise)
  • STR 12+: Deadly Strike kill chance (25% if unarmed attack beats target by 5+)
• Other Abilities: Thief skills (1st), Speak with Animals (4th), Mastery of Silence (5th), Mastery of Mind (6th: 90%+ mind-reading immunity), Mastery of Body (7th: self-heal 1d6+1/day), Mastery of Self (8th: immune to charm/mental control), Oneness with Self (10th: immune to geas/quest), Harmonic Touch (13th), Establish Monastery (11th).

Monk Advancement

Level	AC [Asc]	Unarmed Damage	Move	Weapon Bonus (WIS 15+)
1	9 [10]	1d4	12	+0
2	8 [11]	1d6	13	+1
3	7 [12]	1d6	13	+1
4	6 [13]	1d8	15	+2
5	5 [14]	1d10	16	+2
6	4 [15]	1d12	17	+3
7	3 [16]	2d8	18	+3
8	2 [17]	2d8+1	19	+4
9	1 [18]	2d8+2	20	+4
10	1 [18]	2d8+4	21	+5

Paladin

Lawful champions against evil. Lawful only (reverts to Fighter if alignment lost). Humans only.

• Prime Attribute: STR 13+ (+5% XP)
• Hit Dice: 1d8 (gains 2 hp/level after 9th)
• Armor/Weapons: Any.
• Saving Throw Bonus: Divine Favor (base save is 2 better than Fighter, already reflected in save table)
• Magic Items: Suit of magic armor, magic shield, up to 3 magic weapons, plus 4 additional magic items max. Uses Fighter magic items.
• Charity: Must donate all treasure beyond basic needs.
• Abilities: Lay on Hands (2 hp/level/day, or cure disease), Immune to Disease, Warhorse (5 HD, summoned), Dispel Evil (8th), Detect Evil 60ft (8th), Stronghold (9th).

Ranger

Protectors of the wilderness. Lawful only (reverts to Fighter if alignment lost). Humans only.

• Prime Attribute: STR 13+ (+5% XP)
• Hit Dice: 2d8 at 1st level, 1d8/level thereafter (gains 2 hp/level after 9th)
• Armor/Weapons: Any. Uses Fighter magic items.
• Saving Throw Bonus: None (but better base save than most classes)
• Charity: Must donate all treasure until becoming Ranger-Knight (8th level).
• Restrictions: No followers until Ranger-Knight (8th). Max 1 other Ranger companion until 8th.
• Abilities: Tracking (90% base outdoors, -10%/day old, -10%/day rain), Alertness (party surprised 1-in-6), +1 damage/level vs giants/trolls/ogres/orcs/goblins/kobolds, Scholar of Healing Magic (8th: use healing scrolls/items), Scholar of Scrying/Travel Magic (9th), Fortress (9th), Spells (Cleric and Magic-User spells at 9th+).

Thief

Experts in stealth and dungeoneering. Neutral or Chaotic only. Any ancestry.

• Prime Attribute: DEX 13+ (+5% XP)
• Hit Dice: 1d4 (gains 1 hp/level after 10th)
• Armor/Weapons: Leather armor, no shield. Any weapons (magical weapons limited to daggers and swords).
• Saving Throw Bonus: +2 vs devices (traps, wands, staffs, magical devices)
• Abilities: Backstab (+4 hit, x2 damage; x3 at 5th, x4 at 9th), Thieving Skills (see table), Read Normal Languages (3rd: 80% comprehension), Read Magical Writings (9th: cast MU spells from scrolls, 10% misfire for 7th+ level spells), Establish Guild (9th).

Thieving Skills

Level	Climb Walls	Delicate Tasks	Hear Sounds	Hide	Move Silent	Open Locks
1	87%	15%	3 in 6	10%	20%	10%
2	88%	20%	3 in 6	15%	25%	15%
3	89%	25%	4 in 6	20%	30%	20%
4	90%	30%	4 in 6	25%	35%	25%
5	91%	35%	4 in 6	30%	40%	30%
6	92%	40%	4 in 6	35%	45%	35%
7	93%	45%	5 in 6	40%	50%	40%
8	94%	50%	5 in 6	55%	60%	55%
9	95%	60%	5 in 6	65%	70%	65%
10	96%	70%	5 in 6	75%	80%	75%

Non-Human Thief Bonuses

Ancestry	Climb	Tasks/Traps	Hear	Hide	Silent	Locks
Dwarf	—	+15 (traps only)	—	+5	+5	+5
Elf	—	—	—	+15	+10	—
Half-Elf	—	—	—	—	—	—
Halfling	—	+5	—	+10	+10	+10

Multi-Classing and Dual-Classing

Multi-Classing (Non-Humans)

Dwarves, Elves, and Half-Elves may have more than one class at a time. Halflings and Humans may only have a single class.

• Dwarf: Fighter/Thief
• Elf: Fighter/Magic-User, or Fighter/Magic-User/Thief
• Half-Elf: Fighter/Magic-User, or Fighter/Magic-User/Cleric

Multi-Class Rules

• Hit Dice: Begin with 1 HD. Roll appropriate die for each class, average the results. Limited to 9 HD total regardless of class combination. After 9 HD, gain only 1 hp per additional level.
• XP: Split evenly among all classes, even when capped in one. No XP bonuses from attributes.
• Saving Throws: Use the best available from any class, including class bonuses.
• Level Advancement: New HD gained only when all class levels advance. Abilities gained immediately when a class level is reached.
• Armor Restriction: Thieving skills only usable in leather or lighter. Spells cannot be cast in non-magical armor (Elves/Half-Elves: magical armor is OK).

Dual-Classing (Humans)

Single-classed Fighters, Magic-Users, Clerics, and Thieves can switch class. Requires 16+ in the new Prime Attribute. MU cannot become Cleric and vice versa. XP may be divided by the level at which the switch was made.

Taking the Vows of a Paladin

A Lawful Fighter with CHA 17+ may take Paladin vows at any time.

Alignment

• Law: Civilization, order, goodness. Champions of Law fight the forces of Chaos.
• Chaos: Anarchy, destruction, evil. Servants of demonic powers and dissolution.
• Neutrality: Balance, self-interest, nature. Standing aloof from the eternal struggle.

Class Alignment Requirements

Class	Required Alignment
Assassin	Neutral or Chaotic
Cleric	Any (Law or Chaos affects abilities)
Druid	Neutral only
Fighter	Any
Magic-User	Any
Monk	Any (most are Lawful)
Paladin	Lawful only (loses all abilities if broken)
Ranger	Lawful only (loses abilities if broken)
Thief	Neutral or Chaotic

Saving Throws

A single saving throw number, rolled on d20, must be met or exceeded. Each class has bonuses against specific threats.

Base Saving Throws by Class (Levels 1-10)

Level	Fighter	Cleric	MU	Thief	Assassin	Monk	Druid	Paladin	Ranger
1	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	12	14
2	14	14	14	14	14	14	14	11	13
3	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	10	12
4	12	12	13	12	12	12	12	9	11
5	11	11	13	11	11	11	11	8	10
6	10	10	12	10	10	10	10	7	9
7	9	9	12	9	9	9	9	6	8
8	8	8	12	8	8	8	8	5	7
9	7	7	11	7	7	7	7	4	6
10	6	6	11	6	6	6	6	3	5

Class Saving Throw Bonuses

Class	Bonus
Fighter	+1 on all saves except spells
Cleric	+2 vs paralysis and poison
Magic-User	+2 vs spells (including wands and staffs)
Thief	+2 vs devices (traps, wands, staffs, magical devices)
Druid	+2 vs fire
Monk	+2 vs paralysis and poison (requires WIS 12+)
Paladin	Divine Favor (already reflected in superior base save)
Assassin, Ranger	None

Ancestry Saving Throw Bonuses

Ancestry	Bonus
Dwarf	+4 vs magic
Halfling	+4 vs magic

Ancestries

Human

Hardy and adaptable. No special abilities or restrictions. Can be any class with no level limits.

Dwarf

Short, stocky, dwelling in mountains.

• Darkvision: 60 ft.
• Stonecunning: Detect sloping corridors, moving walls, traps made of stone (falling blocks, rigged ceilings, poison dart slits). Can identify recent vs. old stonework.
• Resilience: +4 save vs magic.
• Classes: Fighter or Fighter/Thief (multi-class).
• Level Limits: Fighter max 6 (7 with STR 17, 8 with STR 18). Multi-class Fighter/Thief limited to Fighter 6. Thief unlimited.

Elf

Long-lived, magical affinity.

• Darkvision: 60 ft.
• Keen Senses: 4-in-6 detect secret doors (searching), 1-in-6 passive.
• Ghoul Immunity: Cannot be paralyzed by ghouls.
• Classes: Fighter/Magic-User (multi), Thief (single), or Fighter/Magic-User/Thief (multi).
• Level Limits: Fighter max 4 (5 with STR 17, 6 with STR 18). Magic-User max 8 (9 with INT 18). Thief unlimited. Max 5th-level spells regardless of MU level.
• Spellcasting: Cannot cast spells in non-magical armor. Magical armor does not inhibit casting.

Half-Elf

Blend of human and elven traits.

• Darkvision: 60 ft.
• Keen Senses: 4-in-6 detect secret doors (searching).
• Classes: Fighter/Magic-User (multi), Fighter/Magic-User/Cleric (multi), or Thief (single).
• Level Limits: Fighter max 6 (7 with STR 17, 8 with STR 18). Magic-User max 6 (7 with INT 17, 8 with INT 18). Cleric max 4. Thief unlimited.
• Spellcasting: Cannot cast spells in non-magical armor. Magical armor does not inhibit casting.

Halfling

Small folk, peace-loving but surprisingly hardy.

• Resilience: +4 save vs magic.
• Missile Bonus: +1 to hit with missile weapons.
• Classes: Fighter or Thief.
• Level Limits: Fighter max 4. Thief unlimited.

Equipment

Starting Gold

Roll 3d6 × 10 gp.

Weapons

Weapon	Damage	Weight	Cost
Axe, Battle	1d8	15	5 gp
Axe, Hand	1d6	5	1 gp
Dagger	1d4	2	2 gp
Flail	1d8	10	8 gp
Mace	1d6	10	10 gp
Spear	1d6	10	1 gp
Sword, Long	1d8	10	15 gp
Sword, Short	1d6	5	8 gp
Sword, Two-Handed	1d10	15	30 gp
Bow, Long	1d6	5	60 gp
Bow, Short	1d6	5	15 gp

Armor

Type	AC (Descending)	AC (Ascending)	Cost
Shield	-1	+1	15 gp
Leather	7	12	5 gp
Ring Mail	6	13	30 gp
Chain Mail	5	14	75 gp
Plate Mail	3	16	100 gp

Movement & Weight

Weight is listed in pounds. A "normal" level of miscellaneous equipment (not including armor and weapons) is assumed to weigh 10 pounds. Treasure is added to this, with each coin and gem weighing one-tenth of a pound.

Base Movement Rate

Weight Carried*	Base Movement Rate
Up to 75 pounds	12
76–100 pounds	9
101–150 pounds	6
151–300 pounds (300-pound max)	3

* Carry Modifier (from Strength) is added to the total weight capacity before dropping movement categories.

Movement Rate Quick Reference

Movement Rate	6	9	12
Walking Underground	120 ft./turn	180 ft./turn	240 ft./turn
Running Underground	240 ft./turn	360 ft./turn	480 ft./turn
Combat Underground	60 ft./round	90 ft./round	120 ft./round
Hiking (Wilderness)	6 miles/day	9 miles/day	12 miles/day
Forced March (Wilderness)	12 miles/day	18 miles/day	24 miles/day
Combat (Wilderness)	60 yards (180 ft.)/round	90 yards (270 ft.)/round	120 yards (360 ft.)/round

Indoor, Underground, and City Movement

A turn represents 10 minutes, and a round represents 1 minute of combat.

Description	Speed	Results
Walking	Base movement rate × 20 feet/turn	Mapping and careful observation possible.
Running	Base movement rate × 40 feet/turn	No mapping. Successfully surprised; no chance to surprise others. Noise may attract enemies.
Combat	Base movement rate × 10 feet/round	Battling foes or fleeing. Faster than ordinary running, incurs all running disadvantages.

Outdoor Movement

Description	Speed	Results
Hiking	Base movement rate in miles/day	No forced march checks required.
Forced March	Double base movement rate in miles/day	Check required once per day (4d6 vs Strength) to continue.
Combat	Base movement rate × 10 yards (30 ft)/round	Battling foes or fleeing.

Exploration

Secret Doors

• All characters (when actively searching): 2-in-6
• Elves (when actively searching): 4-in-6
• Elves (passively, just passing by): 1-in-6
• It takes one turn for each 10'x10' area searched
• Finding a secret door does not necessarily mean knowing how to open it

Listening at Doors

• Humans: 1-in-6
• Non-humans (Dwarves, Elves, Half-Elves, Halflings): 2-in-6
• Success indicates hearing something, but may not reveal the source

Opening Stuck Doors

Many dungeon doors are stuck closed and require force to open. The chance to force open is based on Strength:

STR	Open Doors (d6)
3–6	1
7–15	1–2
16	1–3
17	1–4
18	1–5

Up to three characters can attempt to force a door simultaneously, each rolling separately. However, they spill into the room and automatically lose initiative if monsters are within.

Traps and Pits

• Triggering traps: 2-in-6 when passing over the trigger
• Dwarves (when actively searching for stonework traps): 4-in-6
• Dwarves (passively, just passing by stonework traps): 1-in-6
• Identifying a trap does not reveal how to disarm it, though the mechanism may be obvious once visible features are identified