Sparking Toad Rod (Swords & Wizardry Magic Weapon)

A sparking toad rod is a glass or possibly clear crystal tube nearly 4 feet in length.  One end flairs out like a horn while the other is a spherical bulb that contains what appears to be a toad suspended in a flickering incandescence (sheds light as a candle).  Although the actual firing mechanism is unknown, the user can willfully cause an eruption of sparks that zig-zag from the open end and radiate out, filling a cone 15 feet long and 15 feet at the end.  Everyone caught in this discharge suffers 1d4 hp damage.  Once fired the device will not fire again for 1d2 rounds (with a result of 1 being the next round).

Anyone holding a sparking toad rod gains a +2 to saves against electrical attacks.

The rod is surprisingly resilient   It will not break from incidental or accidental bumps or drops.  However, any amount of purposeful blunt damage or falls of 10 feet or more will cause it to detonate.  The resulting explosion causes everyone within 10 feet to be subjected to a lightning bolt spell (cast as from a 5th level magic-user, save for half damage).  The toad creature is completely burnt to ash.

These devices are not magical in nature and are often found in metallic ruins or among other alien artifacts.

SWAD: Special Hirelings

Hirelings and "Special Hirelings" - this is one of the hallmarks of my Back in the Day memories.  As a player, my character wasn't anything without a proper support staff.  How I shiver to think of all the lives lost through the years.  It only took one stray arrow, or a goblin that breaks through the line, or a wandering anything to comes up from behind, and there goes another porter.   And how many traps have claimed my torch bearers?   From a metagaming perspective, I suppose  that is just another facet of resource management.  But does it have to be?  What if the lowly commoner that faithfully servers at your side could be elevated to something "Special"?

So here is my offering in the first annual Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day: The Special Hireling* class!

The Special Hireling

After a successful adventure as a common hireling (torch bearer, porter, or whatever) the character may choose to become a professional adventurer's follower.  Without the skill or courage to strike out on their own these followers gain some perks but remain noncombatants and are only precariously viable.  You never encounter a Special Hireling - they are cultivated through adventuring.  If a Special Hireling ever leaves their service they loose all their levels and abilities through despair.

Prime Attribute: all attributes lower than 13 (+5% experience bonus)

Hit Dice: 1d4 (Gains 1 hp/level after 5th level)

Armor/Shield Permitted: Leather armor only, no shield

Weapons Permitted: Dagger, club, oil

Race: Human or Halfling

Special Hireling Class Abilities

Cannon Fodder: Special Hirelings save as a Fighter of the same level and gain +2 bonus on saving throws against traps.

Loyal: Special Hirelings are especially loyal to their employer and gain a +1 on all moral checks.

Noncombatant: Special Hirelings attack as a Magic-User of the same level.

Skilled: Special Hirelings gain experience as a Thief.

Focused: Special Hirelings are dedicated to their service and cannot multi-class.

Strong as a Mule: Treat the Special Hireling's strength as  +1 per level (max 18) for the purpose of determining Carry Modifier and Base Movement Rate.

Firestarter (1st): At first level a Special Hireling is gifted at starting fires and may light a torch or lantern even without a flint and steel or tinderbox if given enough time (1 turn or less depending on the environment).

Torch Craft (2nd): At second level a Special Hireling becomes skilled at keeping a fire going.  Any event or action that might extinguish a torch or lantern is allowed a saving throw to remain lit.  Furthermore, they can cobble together a torch from dungeon debris and detritus (pending GM approval, takes 1 turn) that will burn for half as long as a normal torch.

Efficient Packers (3rd): At third level Special Hirelings become experts at packing and load balancing.  They can increase the carrying capacity of containers by 10% without penalty.  Furthermore, once per day there is a 10% chance that they can "unpack" any reasonable mundane item not listed as equipment on their inventory ("I knew you would need that, sir!").

Firemaster (4th): At fourth level a Special Hireling can extend the life of a torch to twice as long as normal, included those cobbled together with the fire keeper ability.  Furthermore, a torch master can wield a torch as a club doing an additional 1d4 fire damage.  The life of a lantern can be extended by 25%.

Master Hireling (5th): At fifth level a Special Hireling gains an additional +1 to moral checks and can Hear Sounds like a first level thief when on watch.

Check out the Blog Role and don’t forget the awesome Frog God 25% off S&W products sale today only at their store HERE - you must use the coupon SWApprDay**.  The ever amazing SRD web site also has a S&W PDF sale too - use SWAD252013 at checkout.

* not to be confused with the reference to special hirelings meaning classed hirelings…

**The coupon excludes items less than $1, S&W Cards, Pre-Orders, and Subscriptions.

S&W Gnomes

There are no gnomes in Swords & Wizardry, just tantalizing hints...


White Box (3rd)
Dwarves can speak gnomish (page 16)


White Box (1st)
Halfling is a broader category of wee folk, including gnomes (page 10)


Core (4th)
nothing

Complete (Kickstarter)
nothing

Monstrosities
There is no entry for Gnome, but they are mentioned in some of the encounter write ups - beware of spoilers.  A type of armor is described that specifically calls out sizes for halflings and gnomes being smaller than dwarves (page 14). Officially  gnomes use halfling stats (page 66, 70).  Most telling, a couple of entries outline the gnome village of Nomengarten. We get all the standard fare, including mushroom houses, earth-tone clothes, red, cone hats, peace-loving friends of small forest animals (think Pink Floyd), smurf-like singing and dancing, gold and pastries.  I would also add that gnomes seem to attract a certain category of monsters...

Finally, here is a thorough exposition on the broader subject by Matthew James Stanham.

And this is just genius: The Backpack Gnome by tony dowler