(Dragon #60 edited and republished in Best of Dragon, Vol. IV.)

I think Roger Moore has a good grasp of the game and his articles tend to reflect this. I’ve included this class in my “articles worth salvaging” list because a jaded player of mine wanted to give them a go. White Dwarf classes were intended to be played where Dragon magazine took seriously their claim that these were NPC classes only. Unfortunately, the Jester skews heavily NPC.

What does the Jester get?

• HP & Saves: same as a thief
• Climb sheer surfaces: starts at 75%.
• Pick pockets: as a thief two levels lower, means it wont see use, not that this skill gets used often even by characters that are good at it.
• Insults: Lower enemy morale by 10%. A neat sounding ability that has marginal use.
• Catch thrown objects: starts at a high 81% chance but seldom comes into play.
• Ventriloquism at will: limited to 10 feet, but its unlimited use invites creative and potentially class-defining shenanigans.
• Fast leveling: 1100 xp for level 2. On par with the XP requirements of a thief with dex 16 so not broken.
• Spells: sparse, joke themed selection only starting at level 2.

The Downside

It’s a thief subclass. I’d argue the strongest ability the thief brings is trap detection (as a dwarf or gnome) and scouting (as an elf or halfling). The Jester does neither of these.

I’ve seen the class in play, and it’s just OK. Ventriloquism and fast leveling stand out as its main features. However, fast leveling comes with the drawback of high training costs, leaving the party broke. Overall, I’d prefer to play a thief.