Sidhe [Aurania]

By D. Daniel Wagner
A new class for for the original Dungeons & Dragons game
Transcribed from the Manual of Aurania (1977) with permission from the author

The Sidhe are a type of Irish Elf that have unusual powers. They are both warriors and magic-users at once, although only fair at either. The most powerful of the Sidhe were once Gods and had vast powers. 

Sidhe have abilities much like Elves, but don't have "infravision", having only better than average night vision. However, they detect invisible objects automatically by sight and have full vision of such objects by use of a 1st level spell. Sidhe are little affected by age or disease. 

Sidhe possess the spells of a magic-user one level below them, that is a 4th level Sidhe would have the spells of a Conjurer, 3 first and 1 second level spells. Several spells are different, the exceptions being:

1st level - Add See Invisible
2nd level - Add Infravision and Cure Light Wounds (Elven types only)
3rd level - Add Polymorph Self & Others. Delete Fly, Fireball and Lightning Bolt
4th level - Add Fireball, Lightning Bolt and Fly
5th level - Add Control Weather

Sidhe fight on the fighting man chart and use an 8-sided die minus one for their hit points or can use the alternate hit system (old system) - just ignore adds. Saving throws are the best of either fighting man or magic-user at their level.

Sidhe prefer as weapons spears, swords and knives. They don't wear plate-mail or plate for any reason, standard chain-mail being preferred.

Sidhe may use any magical item that either a magic-user or a fighter can use with the following exceptions: they cannot use any wands or staves except Staff of Healing and cannot have a magic sword with high intelligence and ego.

Books operate as follows on Sidhe:
Manual of Puissant Skill at Arms: Fights one level up. No other good or harm.
Manual of Stealthy Pilfering: Lose 3500 experience points.
Manual of Golems: Not useable, no damage.
Book of Exulted Deeds: As Magic-User.
Book of Vile Darkness: As lawful Fighting Man.
Book of Infinite Spells: Useable
Various Librams: As Magic-user of proper alignment.

Experience Points

1st level - 0
2nd level - 3,000
3rd level - 6,000
4th level - 12,000
5th level - 25,000
6th level - 50,000
7th level - 100,000
8th level - 200,000
9th level - 300,000

* * * * * 

Notes: 

Daniel told me that this is one of his favorites. He recently described them on OD&D Discussion as "like the Elf. They have the progression of a Fighting man as far as (what would later become) THACO. They cast spells like a Magic user but one level slower. Thus a 1st level Sidhe has no casting level, a 2nd = 1st level MU and so forth. They get some bonus abilities, best of which is Detect Invisible. Overall this makes them in many ways a full fighter/mage. But they have several limitations: they lose use of some of the best spells (
Fireball, for example becomes a 4th level spell) and heavy armor. They only use spears, swords, daggers (and staffs). At any given level you get the best saves from either Fighter or MU."

Read more about the Sidhe in Irish mythology.