Kit

Kits are a mechanical function for classes introduced in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

A kit can be summarized as a "sub-class" or a "class variant"; a way to take a specific class, such as a Fighter, Wizard or Rogue and to redefine its skills abilities to better fit a specific archetype. For example, an Anatomist Necromancer who is capable of surgically healing living beings and crafting flesh & bone golems, or a Blade Bard who fits the role of the Swashbuckler as defined by Eric Flynn.

Kits always have special, additional requirements in order to enter them. At the same time, they give special advantages and disadvantages that build onto those of the existing base class.

Kits were abandoned as a mechanic when Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition was released by Wizards of the Coast. Although Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition began to retouch upon their basic concept with the idea of built-in variant class features, the truest homage to the mechanic was done by Pathfinder, which introduced the Archetype system for its classes. Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition followed in Pathfinder's footsteps and actually made kits core, to the extent all classes now have to choose from a number of kits that is slowly growing with the release of Unearthed Arcanas. They are now class features though, rather than specializations that lock out other options.

List of Kits

Racial

• Dwarven Defender - Dwarf-exclusive fighter kit. Gets boosted hit dice, damage reduction, and a powerful defensive stance, all in exchange for not being able to put more than two points in non-axe/warhammer weapons and capped at four for those. Generally reckoned to be broken as shit in the hands of a halfway-competent character.

Bard

• Blade - Stabby bard. Gets some insanely-powerful stances, but not good at the theif-y side of barding, gets no bardsong progression, and has a lower Lore. Not very bard-y, but very dangerous.

• Jester - Uses music to inflict nasty status effects and penalties on enemies instead of buffing allies. Great for enemies immune to most magics.
• Skald - Heavy metal bard. Good at fighting and pumps up party with metal ballads, but almost as shit at thieving as the blade.

Druid

• Totemic Druid - Trades in shapeshifting for ability to summon spirit animals. Busted solid at lower levels by virtue of magic weapons being a hell of a lot rarer back in the day, and being able to call up creatures immune to non-magical and +1 weapons. By the time they fall off, the class is already starting to fall off a bit anyway.

Fighter

• Amazon - Because fuck you, it's the 80s and we're nerds, we want hot warrior-women as a playable class, that's why! Nearly a third of the kit actually goes towards pointing out that you don't have to be an amazon to be a female warrior, you take this kit to portray a very specific kind of female warrior. Needless to say, you have to be a female warrior to take this class, with proficiency in two weapons (recommended: Spear and Longbow for humans, elves and half-elves, Axe and Hammer for dwarves, Throwing Axe and Shortsword for gnomes, and Javelin and Sling for halflings) to qualify. You also need the Animal Handling non-weapon proficiency, on the justification that amazons are skilled animal trainers/mounted warriors. Amazons get a bonus to their first ever attack against a given male NPC - if they're not a skilled (level 5+) warrior themselves or haven't seen amazons fighting before, since "most men won't expect an amazon to know how to fight". They also suffer a -3 penalty to reaction rolls against NPCs from male-dominated societies.

• Barbarian - This is a pretty blatant Conan expy, and the book (Complete Fighter's Handbook) admits it. You need at least 15 strength and proficiency in Battleaxe and Bastard Sword (or two other weapons the DM judges "thematically appropriate" for a barbarian warrior). In exchange, you get "barbaric charisma", which increases the results on your reaction rolls - positive and negative.

• Beast-Rider - Essentially an analogue to the Cavalier with a little Barbarian flavoring, this is a warrior who specialises in riding into battle atop a mighty battle beast. Requires Charisma 13 and the Animal Handling proficiency, but the Beast-Rider gets to select a specific kind of animal that he or she is specifically adept at riding. He starts the game with a tamed mount and is better at handling them, even having a telepathic link with his current bonded steed. Drawback? A -3 penalty to reaction rolls outside his tribe, and a similar nasty effect to the death of his bonded mount as if he were a mage who lost his familiar; 2d6 damage and save vs. spells or spend the next 2d6 hours as if Feebleminded

• Berserker - Barbarians before the class got fully introduced. Requires a minimum of 15 Strength, +3 reaction to cultures that also respect berserkers, and can use a full-turn action to "Go Berserk" for a bunch of combat-related bonuses. The drawback? Other cultures don't like you, you can't use ranged weapons whilst berserk (and therefore can't start with proficiency in them), can't use cover, keep fighting until all enemies are dead, can potentially die after leaving the berserk state, can't be healed while berserk, and can't use any sort of strategy while berserk - talk about your two-edged swords!

• Cavalier - Your knight in shining armor, this kit is only available to Fighters and Paladins, must be a Good alignment, and must have the following minimum ability scores: Strength 15, Dexterity 15, Constitution 15, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 10. Only humans, elves and half-elves can be cavaliers, and you need the Animal Handling, Lance and Sword proficiencies to join the kit. You get a big bunch of combat-related bonuses; increasing attack roll bonuses with lances, swords and horseman's weapons, complete immunity to Fear and nullify Fear on allies within 10 feet, resistance to mind-altering effects, +3 to reaction rolls against NPCs from your culture (unless they're evil, of course), and you get a free noble steed AND the in-game right to demand shelter from lower caste members of your culture. The drawbacks? Oh, brother... you cannot use ranged weapons, must always go for the most impressive target, must always have the best grade of armor (ignoring magical bonuses - so, yes, you do have to forgo that powerful +5 chainmail for the shiny, totally mundane suit of plate armor), must follow "The Code of Chivalry" and can lose all your kit-benefits if you ignore these restrictions, just like a fucking paladin!

• Gladiator - Introduced before Dark Sun made this into a full-fledged class in its own right, this is a standard "showy" professional fighter, the bloodier equivalent to a pro-wrestler. You must have proficiency in shortswords, tridents and nets to join this class, and "the DM is within his rights to insist that the Gladiator learn one strange weapon proficiency (such as whip) for every "normal" proficiency (like sword, spear, etc.)." They get a free, bonus weapon specialization, but they are both more recognizable and likely to be harassed by sleazy would-be promoters and managers.

• Myrmidon - A highly trained combat professional, the kind of warrior who makes a living as a high-ranking soldier. Requires 12s or better for Strength and Constitution, gets a free weapon specialization and the benefits of a powerful patron, but is more memorable and, of course, has to obey that patron, since that represents their boss.

• Noble Warrior - If the Cavalier wasn't "knight in shining armor" enough for you, you got this palooka. Restricted to members of the "noble" caste of society with Str and Con 13+, Noble Warriors are expected to have proficiency in Animal Handling, and in the following weapon proficiencies (unless the DM rules the culture is different to medieval Europe): longsword OR bastard sword, lance, horseman's flail OR horseman's mace. A Noble Warrior starts with the highest amount of gold of any of the warrior kits, gets a +3 reaction bonus to "lower caste" members of his native culture, and is respected by those of equal or higher rank. The drawback? His costs of living increase sharply (+10% multiplied by character level to all costs) to reflect his demands for "the best of the best", with his reaction bonus changing to a penalty if he settles for less than he is "expected to". Also, he's got a powerful patron he's sworn loyalty to and has to obey.

• Peasant Hero - Your basic "local boy done good" type, this warrior originated from a rural background but hasn't forgotten their roots, meaning he can always count on help and loyalty from amongst the peasantry, but he's also expected to help them however he can, or lose their respect until he makes amends.

• Pirate/Outlaw - Two archetypes merged together due to their basic similarities, this kit doesn't have much going for it. You may get some nebulous DM mandated bonus, like belonging to the equivalent of Robin Hood's Merry Men or being able to fence your loot in a notorious pirate city, but you will be plagued by the lawful authorities.

• Samurai - Were you really surprised that this would show up? Your standard "Oriental noble warrior", you must have proficiency in the Scribe skill and your weapon proficiencies are pretty damn restricted; two specialization points in Katana and three in Daikyu (samurai greatbow), plus one point you can put in any other "samurai" type weapon. You gain the Kiai ability, letting you boost your Strength to 18/00 (the peak of human ability) for 1 round once per day per level. The drawback, of course, is that either you have sworn your loyalty to a master, who can command you kill yourself if they wish, or you're a ronin, and so you halve all your experience.

• Savage - This is similar to the Barbarian in that it represents a warrior from a particularly primitive culture. Naturally, you need to be strong (min Strength 11) and very tough (min Constitution 15) to have survived, and your initial weapons proficiency options are limited to what the DM considers appropriate for your culture, like spear and bow. You gain one special ability that mimics the effect of one of four specific spells (Alarm, Animal Friendship, Detect Magic, Detect Evil) but which is not magical and which can be used once per day per level. The drawback is that you don't like armor, so you can't wear it without giving yourself a penalty to attack, damage and skill rolls - a penalty the DM can increase if they judge you're just ignoring the roleplaying aspect of "you don't like civilized foolishness like armor".

• Swashbuckler - The witty, charming sword-flashing hero, a swashbuckler needs brains (Int 13+) and grace (Dex 13+) to succeed at their chosen role. You get free specialization-tier proficiency with either the stiletto, main-gauche, rapier or sabre, you get to take Rogue skills for their standard price, you improve your AC when unarmored or lightly armored, and you improve your reaction rolls with members of the opposite sex. Downside is that the DM has full authority to make your life "interesting", since swashbucklers are always in trouble.

• Wilderness Warrior - Not quite the Ranger, as you might expect, this is merely a warrior from a particularly tough and rugged environment, with a dash of "funny foreigner" for that extra 80s sleazy-charm. Requires a minimum Constitution of 13, a Wilderness Warrior receives a +5 bonus to Survival checks in their native environment, with the only penalty being that you should roleplay being a "fish out of water" early on in your career.

Ranger

• Archer - Trades in any armor above light, Charm Animal, and the ability to put more than one point into any melee weapons for absolute missile supremacy, able to put an otherwise fighter-exclusive five proficiency points into bows, get a scaling hit-and-damage bonus with them, and make called shots.

• Beast Master - Druid-y. Can't wield metal weapons or armor, but can summon animals to fight for them and gets some boosts to stealth.

• Stalker - Gets some nice wizard spells on their list and thief-style backstabbing and stealth in exchange for their heavier armor proficiencies.

Rogue

• Assassin - Trades in thief skills for backstab supremacy and poison use.

• Bounty Hunter - Ditto, but gets skill with setting traps instead.

• Swashbuckler - Trades in all backstabbing to be a fighter-lite.

• Shadowdancer - Alignment-restricted to non-lawful, and loses out on thief skills and backstabbing in favor of saving throws, stealth, and a short-range teleport through shadows.

Wizard

Necromancer

The Necromancer is such a strongly iconic form of wizardry that it got its own handbook for 2e, and with it came a selection of specialized necromancer kits.

• Archetypal Necromancer - This is your iconic evil necromancer, the degenerate wizard who masters the black arts for the sake of perversion and destruction. Naturally, it requires any Evil character alignment, it has a slightly elevated affinity for weapons, and it taps into the otherwise optional rules about Dark Blessings (unique special powers like mundane weapon immunity, regeneration, shadow form, etc) and Fell Prices (curses, deformities, madness and incurable diseases) from the same handbook, gaining 1d3 Dark Blessings and at least as many Fell Prices.

• Anatomist - This kind of necromancer dabbles in the dark arts more for the opportunities it offers for understanding how the human body works. An anatomist is more lethal in melee with cutting implements, gaining free Specialization (Dagger) and the ability to wield cutlasses and shortswords. They are much more effective at surgery, which translates to increased proficiency with the Healing skill, and can use the unique Autopsy skill to examine bodies for information. As a drawback, they have to do at least one dissection of a humanoid corpse a month or lose their special surgical skills until they catch up on their practice.

• Deathslayer - Believing heavily in the adage "know thy enemy", the deathslayer is a warrior-wizard who studies necromancy solely for increased aptitude in killing the undead. Consequently, they need Strength 13 in addition to Intelligence 9 and Wisdom 16 to qualify for the kit, and have special traits that make them much more powerful against a specific kind of "higher" undead (ghost, vampire, spectre, mummy, lich or banshee). The drawback is that their compulsion to kill the undead is so strong it functions as an irreversible geas effect.

• Philosopher - The philosopher doesn't give a damn about the moral implications of necromancy and other black arts; their all-consuming hunger is to learn, study and understand dark magic, making them a theoretician of the occult and skilled, if unnerving, sages in the fields of dark lore. Consequently, philosopher-necromancers have a minimum Int requirement of 14 instead of 9, and must be a neutral and non-good (so Neutral Evil or L/T/C Neutral) alignment. Their advanced knowledge makes them potentially capable of instantly knowing anything relating to the topics of necromancy, necromantic items and the netherworlds (lower planes), advanced proficiency at learning necromantic skills, and an increased likelihood of having psionic wild talents. The drawback? Increased likelihood of being insane and a high penalty to learning any non-necromancy spells.

• Undead Master - The other sort of archetypal necromancer, this is a black mage whose obsession is with mastery and control, driving them to enslave the dead, the damned and the living for the sake of their own glory and ego. Restricted to the Neutral and Evil alignments, Undead Masters have access to the Enchantment school of spells (normally forbidden to necromancers) and can command and bind undead, fiends and extraplanar creatures as if they were clerics. The downside is that they're much less adept at defending themselves (restricted to proficiency in only one wizard weapon) and their proficiency with Necromancy, Conjuration and Enchantment prevents them from using the Alteration, Illusion and Divination schools of spellcraft.