A brilliant game, worth every penny if you want a simplified-yet-versatile fantasy rpg, but one oversight (sadly) keeps it from being the go-to game for my future fantasy gaming -- one of the core archetypes for this style of gameplay appears to be missing.

We have the Knight class; the warrior for whom social standing and public perception (honor) are crucial. We also have the Savage class, which effectively brings us the fierce, raging warrior from beyond the borders of decadent civilization.

What we lack is some sort of Sellsword or Mercenary class -- a character type some of my players have gravitated toward since the first edition of AD&D. The ex-soldier or city guard or similar, now seeking their fortune through adventure and plunder.

Neither a high-born fighter concerned with social standing, nor a wild barbarian primitive, the sellsword archetype is, perhaps, the "everyman" fighter.. Motivated to move beyond the familiar in search of fortune.

Don't get me wrong, Ambition & Avarice is probably the best and the smartest "original-school fantasy" ruleset I've seen in decades. If you have any interest, buy it. However, I know my players, and this lack of a seminal archetype has moved A&A from "a game I must run as soon as I possibly can" to " a game I will probably run, once I can figure out some sort of kluge version of the missing archetype".

My opinions, anyway.

It may indicate how good the game is, that I actually regret this turn of events.