The One True Way to Play Dungeons & Dragons

Players new and old are having some difficulties these days deciding how to get their Dungeons & Dragons game on. It is all about Old School versus New School. Edition Wars. The OSR is fractured. Hither and Yon we hear of “Gaming Cults” and “Cults of Personality” gathering.

Which rules would Arneson want us to play? Which rules would Gygax want us to play?

What about Holmes or Moldvay or Mentzer or Cook or… whoever have you.

Where, oh where, can I find the One True Rules so I can play Dungeons & Dragons the Right Way?

This is simple, people.

There are no rules, only rulings.

If you and your friends are playing a game and having fun, you are playing it right.

No more, no less. Anyone who tries to tell you different is either trying to sell you something or stroking their ego.

If you play Dungeons & Dragons* and have fun – you win!

* Or any other role-playing game, whether with one page or a thousand pages of rules.

40 Years Ago Today…

40 Years Ago Today…

 

December 25, 1981. Christmas morning in the small northern Indiana town of Chesterton.

 

A Christmas morning like many others, however, there would never again be a Christmas morning like that for me.

 

For that Christmas is the year I received the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set, the “Moldvay” magenta edition. 

And my life was never the same again. 

In fact, that one single gift directed my life pretty much every day since that day.

 

I still remember opening the gift and setting it aside on the pile of other games and toys, then later that afternoon, belly filled and everyone going off to rest and recover in their own way, I sat down in the big chair in our family’s formal living room to check out that new game.

 

I’d seen it before, at several stores; I realized it was a different boxed set than the one I was used to seeing (the “Holmes” set). I’d even expressed interest in it before, but that one little book with the sacrificial victim on the cover (Eldritch Wizardry) put my mom off the idea of my ever playing such a strange game.

Little did my parents realize that this was that self-same game, in a new edition, written and illustrated in a child-friendly manner, and available at that most innocent of stores, Toys ‘R Us. I had read The Hobbit, and most of the Lord of the Rings (that part in Two Towers with Frodo, Sam, and Gollum was just soooo boring to a 12-year old…). I had consumed other fantasy and science-fiction books and movies in large quantities...

And so not recognizing it as “that game,” my parents thought that some game with a dragon on the cover would be a natural fit, and as they had a few dollars left in the budget they set for games and toys for me, they picked it up… on a whim!

 

I tore open the box, opened the book -- and never looked back.

 

I was the first kid in my age group/social cadre to get D&D, and so I of course became the first Dungeon Master of the group. Oh, the spectacular mistakes I made! Worst example – I did not understand monster hit dice at first, and just assumed that their hit dice were their hit points. So orcs had 1 hit point, ogres had 4, and red dragons had 10… monster kills were in the 100s before I figured out THAT mistake.

 

But the game was glorious fun. In January I picked up the D&D Expert Set. In rapid order thereafter I picked up modules B1 and T1, which introduced me to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, the books of which I picked up at the Hallmark Books shop in Marquette Mall in Michigan City. I rapidly discovered that there were hobby shops dedicated to Dungeons & Dragons, among other things. I picked up my first issue of Dragon Magazine, #57, at B&A Hobbies, also in Michigan City, around that same time.

 

By April 1982 Dungeons & Dragons had become my life. My first non-D&D game was Gamma World 1^st Edition, which I received for my birthday that month. I also decided I wanted to design and write for Dungeons & Dragons, as I sent off a letter complete with hand-written monsters, to TSR; some months later, I received a “thank you, but” reply, my first rejection letter at age 13.

 

Needless to say, it did not stop me.

 

I was known as “That D&D Guy” in school thereafter. If I was not King of the Nerds, I was certainly somewhere on that court. I played D&D in the high school D&D Club (run by the Anatomy & Physiology teacher, Mr. Jim Strange), right up until a priest came in and convinced our principal that D&D was satanic.

 

I continued playing even when I lived in Germany for a year between high school and college; I even introduced gaming to some German friends there. I like to think that I ran some good games there, but between my half-assed German and all the beer, I never quite knew…

 

I continued playing in college. I ditched my German for Teaching program for Anthropology and Humanities, thinking that somehow that might A) be more interesting and B) help my be a better game designer, so I might get a job writing for TSR (silly me, what they wanted was designers with English degrees, to save $ on the editorial process). In graduate school I had a dual epiphany – I hated academia and I really, REALLY wanted to work in the Game Industry. Sneaking into my first Game Manufacturer’s Association Trade Show with some faked-up business cards sealed the deal.

 

From 1995 to 2012, most of my adult life was spent (WELL SPENT, so very, very well spent) working in the Game Industry. I never got paid full time to be a game designer – sadly, game designers have never been well paid, so I worked in peripheral support areas. Over the years, I worked for Wizards of the Coast, West End Games, WizKids, Chessex Distribution, Alliance Distribution, ACD Distribution, SCRYE Magazine, Comics & Games Retailer Magazine, and Chimera Hobby Shop, among others. To stay in the business I did anything I could – I worked in publishing, purchasing, marketing, advertising, public relations, sales, and warehousing – in manufacturing, distribution, and retail. I even got to do some design work, initially as a freelancer.

 

That work of which I am most proud, and which also sadly was my Waterloo, was publishing the Wilderlands of High Adventure under license from Judges Guild and working directly with Bob Bledsaw; closely followed by working on Lejendary Earth with Gary Gygax (the fruits of which died on the vine, and would never see print). I got to work with two of my greatest childhood heroes – for Bob and Gary had a stature in my heart and mind much as, say, Joe Namath or Reggie Jackson might have in the hearts of football and baseball fans.

 

It was amazing.

 

How many can say they lived their dreams?

 

All that was born on that one simple Christmas day 40 years ago. A simple box, a simple game, from which sprang forth a lifetime of amazing adventures, in the world of fantasy and in real life.

 

Life is a game. Roll some dice.

 

Merry Christmas.

Orcs and XP through the Ages

I have been working on a booklet about humanoids and found some interesting tidbits about XP ratios and humanoids through the editions (and this also touches on treasure). The main simple distillation of what I found can be seen in the ratio of the number of orcs a party must kill/defeat before rising from 0 XP at 1st level to 2nd level.

After almost 40 years, I now understand why I always thought AD&D was more of a grind than B/X, which I think is a major element in my preference for B/X...

Party of four adventurers: Cleric, Fighter, Magic-user, and Thief; XP required to get to 2nd level:

OD&D: 7,200

GH: 7,200
B/X: 7,200
AD&D: 7,254
5E: 1,200

XP Value of One Average Orc (5 hp):

OD&D: 100 xp
GH: 10 xp
B/X: 10 xp
AD&D: 15 xp
5E: 100 xp

Number of Orcs a Party must Kill to rise to 2nd level (not including Treasure XP):

OD&D: 72

GH: 720
B/X: 720
AD&D: 484
5E: 12

Average Treasure per Orc, including Individual & Lair Treasure (except 5E), ASSUMING MAXIMUM COINS in treasure (not counting gems or jewelry) and Orcs per Group:

OD&D: 26 gp (TT D: 8,000 gp/300 orcs)
GH: 26 gp (TT D: 8,000 gp/300 orcs)
B/X: 133 gp (TT D: 8,000 gp/60 orcs)
AD&D: 16 gp (TT C, O & L: 4,860 gp/300 orcs)
5E: N/A

Number of Orcs a Party must Kill to rise to 2nd level (including Treasure XP, except in 5E):

OD&D: 58

GH: 200
B/X: 51
AD&D: 234
5E: 12

Poison By the Book

ORIGINAL D&D 1974

The only guidance regarding poisons in the original LBBs is on p. 20 of Men & Magic, where it mentions under saving throws that if you make your save versus poison, you suffer only “one-half of the total possible hit damage.” Perhaps this means that, instead of death, you suffer half your current hit points? Nowhere else does it mention the possibility of poison causing hit point damage, all mentions are of death.

HOLMES BASIC 1977

“If a hit is scored by a poisoned weapon, a curare tipped blowgun dart, the poisoned sting of a giant scorpion, etc., the victim must make his saving throw against poison or paralysis and also take the number of damage points indicated by the die roll.” p. 19 [“Die roll” here presumably meaning the damage die of the weapon or attack]

Giant Centipede: +4 to save.
Medusa: Bite of the asps on its head is poisonous.
Purple Worm: Poisonous sting.
Spider: All spiders’ bites are poisonous; save at normal, +1, or +2 depending on size.
Yellow Mold: Save versus poison or die.
Potion of Poison: Allows a saving throw versus Poison.

MONSTER MANUAL 1977

Ant, Giant: Death on a failed saving throw, 1d4 damage on a successful saving throw.
Centipede, Giant: Poison is weak, +4 saving throw or die.
Couatl: Couatl poison apparently is fatal, as no other effect is mentioned.
Demons and Devils are fully susceptible to poisons.
Frog, Poisonous: Poison is weak, +4 saving throw or die.
Imp: Save or die.
Masher: Save or die.
Medusa: Save or die.
Mold, Yellow: Save or die within 24 hours. It apparently kills as quickly as other poisons. However, subsequently, rather than being treated as a poison, it is otherwise treated as a disease, requiring cure disease and resurrection (not raise dead) to raise a victim from the dead.
Naga: All forms of naga poison are save or die, poorly written relation to the bite damage notwithstanding.
Pseudo-Dragon: Poison causes a death-like state of catalepsy lasting 1-6 days, during which the victim has a 25% chance of actually dying.
Purple Worm: Save or die.
Quasit: Poison drains 1 point of Dexterity for 2d6 rounds if save is failed; no effect if save is successful.
Ray, Pungi: Save or die, with a special note that death is instant [so apparently death is not instant for most other poisons]
Ray, Sting: Save or suffer 5d4 points of damage and paralysis for 5d4 turns. No effect if save is successful.
Roper: Its tentacles are described as “poisonous,” though there is no explicit save versus poison to resist the weakening effect (50% of Strength in 1d3 rounds).
Scorpion, Giant: Like the Pungi ray poison, this poison is noted as causing immediate death.
Snake, Giant Amphisbaena: Poison causes instant death.
Snake, Giant Poisonous: Poison causes death, but even with a  successful save, the victim suffers 3d6 points of damage.
Snake, Giant Sea: Save versus poison or die.
Snake, Giant Spitting: Save versus poison or die.
Spider, Giant, Huge, and Large: Giant spider poisons are venomous, saving at 2 to no modifier depending on size (the larger the spider the stronger the venom, unlike the general rule in the real world).
Spider, Phase: Save at -2 or die.
Spider, Giant Water: Save or die.
Sprite: Arrows have a sleeping poison; save versus poison or sleep for 1d6 hours.
Toad, Giant Poisonous: Save or die immediately.
Wasp, Giant: save versus poison or become permanently paralyzed, with death occurring in 1d4+1 days.
Wyvern: Death if save is failed, 1d6 points of damage is saving throw is successful.

PLAYERS HANDBOOK 1978

Slow Poison (2nd level cleric spell)

“When this spell is placed upon a poisoned individual it greatly slows the effects of any venom, even causing a supposedly dead individual to have life restored if it is cast within a number of turns less than or equal to the level of experience of the cleric after the poisoning was suffered, i.e. a victim poisoned up to 10 turns previously could be temporarily saved by a 10th or higher level cleric who cast slow poison upon the victim.” PHB p. 45

Neutralize Poison (4th level cleric spell described on PHB p. 48) can produce a poison that can kill a creature if it fails a saving throw versus poison.

DUNGEON MASTERS GUIDE 1979

“Poison Types:
The poison of monsters, regardless of its pluses or minuses to the victim’s saving throw, is an all-or-nothing affair. That is, either they do no damage, or they kill the victim within a minute or so. Poison potions generally do the same, though you may optionally elect to have any given one be slow-acting, so that the victim will notice nothing for 1-10 hours after quaffing it. Monster poisons are all effective by either ingestion or insinuation into the body and blood stream of the victim. Poison potions must be ingested [though see the poison potion description, below]. If you allow poison use by characters in your campaign, users can purchase ingestive or insinuative poisons only, having to obtain dual-use poisons from monsters.” DMG p. 20

Then are listed types A to E ingestive poisons and types A to D insinuative poisons. Note that only ingestive poisons have any damage if the save is made, while there is no damage dealt if the save is made against insinuative poisons (of which all are inferior to monster venom, dealing 15, 25, or 35 hit points of damage, save type D, which deals death). All these poisons save ingestive E give a +1 to +4 chance to save, not being as potent as most monster venoms.

“Assassins use all forms of poison, other than those listed above, at an efficiency which gives the victim a +1 on the saving throw; all other character types use them at an efficiency level which allows the victim +2 on saves (in all cases). Assassins who have studied poisoning have no penalty. (see ASSASSINS’ USE OF POISONS.)” DMG p. 21

RE: Assassins’ use of poisons (DMG p. 20) has a listing of the costs and times involved for a 9th level+ assassin to specifically study certain aspects of poisoning, and the special abilities gained once all studies are complete (requiring 20 to 32 weeks of study at a cost of 64,000 to 256,000 gp).

“For those who wonder why poison does either killing damage (usually) or no harm whatsoever, recall the justification for character hit points. That is, damage is not actually sustained – at least in proportion to the number of hit points marked off in most cases. The so called damage is the expenditure of favor from deities, luck, skill, and perhaps a scratch, and thus the saving throw. If that mere scratch managed to be venomous, then DEATH. If no such wound was delivered, then NO DAMAGE FROM THE POISON. In cases where some partial damage is indicated, this reflects poisons either placed so that they are ingested or used so as to ensure that some small portion does get in the wound or skin of the opponent.” DMG p. 81

“Poison: A poison potion is simply a highly toxic liquid in a potion flask. Typically, poison potions are odorless and of any color. Ingestion, introduction of the poison through a break in the skin, or possibly just skin contact, will cause death. Poison can be weak (+1 to +4 on saving throw), average, or deadly (-1 to -4 or more on the saving throw). Some poison can be such that an neutralize poison spell will simply lower the toxicity level by 40% – say from a -4 to a +4 on saving throw potion. You might wish to allow characters to hurl poison flasks.” DMG p. 127

MOLDVAY BASIC 1981

“If a poisoned attack hits a creature (such as the sting of a killer bee), the victim must save vs. Poison or die.” p. B26

“Poison: Poison is the bane of all characters. If a character is hit with a poisoned attack and misses his or her saving throw vs. Poison, the character will usually die.” p. B29

Centipede, Giant: Save versus poison or be violently ill for 10 days.
Killer Bee: Save or die.
Medusa: Save or die in one turn.
Snake, Spitting Cobra: Venom spit into an eye will cause blindness if the save is failed. A failed saving throw against a bite causes death in 1d10 turns.
Snake, Pit Viper: Save or die.
Snake, Sea: Save or die after 3 to 6 turns; no effect until death, only 25% chance neutralize poison will work.
Snake, Giant Rattlesnake: Save or die in 1d6 turns.
Spider, Giant Crab: Save or die in 1d4 turns.
Spider, Giant Black Widow: Save or die in 1 turn.
Spider, Giant Tarantella: Save or dance a magical dance to exhaustion.
Yellow Mold: In Basic it is a save versus Death Ray, not Poison.

COOK EXPERT

Fish, Giant Rockfish: Save or die.
Purple Worm: Save or die.
Scorpion, Giant: Save or die.
Sea Dragon: Breathe poison, but the save is versus Dragon Breath or die.
Wyvern: Save or die.

20 Untimate Questions

20 Untimate Questions

1. Ability scores generation method? Roll 4d6 (do NOT roll 1’s over) and take the highest three; do this six times, and arrange to taste

2. How are death and dying handled? Rather complicated, actually, so I’ll post the rule as I have it written:

•           When you are reduced to between 0 hit points and a number of negative hit points equal to your level, you may make a saving throw versus Poison; if you succeed, you remain conscious, but are sickened, and all you can do is crawl, groan, and mumble (you cannot attack, defend yourself, cast a spell, use a magic device, pull a lever, shout, pull something from a backpack, or perform any other action, and if you try to do so, you automatically FAIL and immediately fall unconscious). You can drink a potion that is ready and at hand (i.e. in a pocket or pouch, not in a backpack). If you fail the save, or otherwise fall unconscious through attempting an action, you must make a second saving throw, as below, or start bleeding, though you get a +2 bonus to the saving throw (each time you must make it) as your wounds are not as severe.

•           When you are reduced to a number of negative hit points between the negative of your level plus one to -10 plus your negative level, you are unconscious. You must make a saving throw against Poison or you are bleeding; you bleed one hit point every round, at the end of the round after all attacks and spells and other actions have been accounted for. If you make your saving throw, you are temporarily stabilized; however, after every turn (10 rounds) which unconscious you must make another saving throw, or start bleeding.

•           When you reach a number of negative hit points equal to -10 plus the negative of your level plus one, you die.

o          EXAMPLE: Bobby the Bold is a 5th level fighter. From 0 to -5 he has a chance of remaining conscious, though barely able to move or speak. At -6 he is automatically unconscious, and must make a saving throw every turn or start bleeding 1 hit point per round. When he reaches -16 he dies.

•           Any character can stop an unconscious character’s wounds from bleeding by applying first aid. This requires one full round (must start the round at the wounded character’s side and end it there) where the rescuer remains uninterrupted (i.e., cannot be attacked). Remember, during this time you are prone and not using your Dexterity bonus (if any), so any attackers gain applicable bonuses to hit you. At the end of that round, the wounded character can attempt another saving throw against Poison; if successful, he stops bleeding, if he fails, he bleeds again. If the saving throw is a “Natural 1,” you do 1d4 points of damage to him by doing something stupid. If the saving throw is a “Natural 20,” you stop the bleeding completely and restore 1d4 hit points. If you fail you can try again next round. If successful and it is not a “Natural 20,” you must spend the next full round bandaging the wounds (remember, these are one minute rounds, not 10 second rounds), or one turn later, he must again make a saving throw or start bleeding again. Once the bleeding has been stopped and bandaged, the wounded character need not make anymore saving throws.

•           Any magical cure, from cure light wounds to heal, or potion of healing, etc., that cures at least one hit point of damage automatically stops bleeding without the need to bandage the wound.

•           Any character reduced to a sickened state through hit point loss and then revived to greater than 0 hit points will remain in a weakened state for 1d6 turns. While weakened he suffers a -2 penalty to hit, a -2 penalty to damage, and a -2 penalty to all saving throws, cannot cast spells or use magic devices, and moves at only half speed.

•           Any character reduced to unconsciousness through hit point loss and then revived to greater than 0 hit points will remain in a coma for 1d6 turns. Thereafter, he must rest until he regains half his hit points, or no less than a full week at minimum. He will be incapable of any activity other than that necessary to move slowly to a place to rest, eat, and sleep. He cannot attack, defend, cast spells, use magic devices, carry burdens, run, study, research, or do anything else. This is true even if curing spells and/or healing potions are used to return him to full hit points, though if a full heal spell is used the restrictions no longer apply. (DMG p82)

•           For each day of complete bed rest in a clean, normal environment (i.e. NOT in a dungeon) you heal 1 hit point, up to 7 per week. However, if you suffer a Constitution penalty to hit points, your healing for the full week is reduced by that many points (from the first day of rest). If you have a -2 penalty to hit points, you would only gain 5 hit points back from a full week of rest, gaining NO healing on the first two days!

•           The second week of complete bed rest any character with a bonus to hit points from Constitution adds the bonus to his hit points restored for the COMPLETE week of rest.

•           On the third and subsequent weeks of complete bed rest you gain DOUBLE the normal hit points (after first subtracting or adding) each week.

3. What about raising the dead? Raise dead spells are generally reserved for heroes of the faith, though some of the more mercenary temples are open to selling their miracles for cash and services (a cash payment or equivalent of no less than 6000 gp plus a magically-induced quest). The only cleric in the party is a 4^th level cleric of Thor; it is highly unlikely that Thor would allow the return of a hero gathered by the Valkyries!

4. How are replacement PCs handled? The new PC is rolled up in standard fashion, and begins with an amount of XP equal to half that of the previous PC. He has a chance of having his own magic items (based on class and level), unless he was bequeathed the items from the previous character (in which case he must be of the same race, and of the family or close family friend of the former character).

5. Initiative: individual, group, or something else? Group initiative, with situational positions determining who goes first, with Dexterity breaking ties if there are any questions.

6. Are there critical hits and fumbles? How do they work? Critical hits on Natural 20 (if not needed to hit the target) mean maximum damage only; Fumble on a Natural 1 means you miss automatically, and if it would have been a miss anyway you drop your weapon (or the bowstring breaks, etc), plus you lose any other attacks that round.

7. Do I get any benefits for wearing a helmet? Nope, but if you do not, opponents can target your head at no penalty (per DMG p 28)

8. Can I hurt my friends if I fire into melee or do something similarly silly? Yes, most definitely, as per the DMG.

9. Will we need to run from some encounters, or will we be able to kill everything? Running away is a perfectly viable and often preferred tactic.

10. Level-draining monsters: yes or no? Yes.

11. Are there going to be cases where a failed save results in PC death? Definitely.

12. How strictly are encumbrance & resources tracked? I call for an encumbrance audit when a big treasure is found. Resources only when something pertinent comes up (what, you don’t have any rope?)

13. What's required when my PC gains a level? Training? Do I get new spells

automatically? Can it happen in the middle of an adventure, or do I have to wait for down

time? No training required for the basic stuff, but in the case of spells, study is required. Magic-users get one spell of any level they can cast each new level “free,” though it cannot be a “named” spell and must be chosen from the Player’s Handbook. Oh, and as XP is given only after the PCs get back to "home base," it won't happen in the midst of the dungeon.

14. What do I get experience for? Killing, avoiding, or otherwise overcoming monsters; gaining treasure; spending treasure appropriately or carousing; 100 xp per level of the dungeon for the first time you get to the level; role-playing appropriately; making the DM or players laugh.

15. How are traps located? Description, dice rolling, or some combination? All of the above.

16. Are retainers encouraged and how does morale work? Encouraged. Morale per combat as the situation warrants, then at return to town to see if he remains employed.

17. How do I identify magic items? Identify spell for quick and expensive, or one week of study of the item per feature by a PC magic-user for cheap and slow.

18. Can I buy magic items? Oh, come on: how about just potions? Potions and scrolls generally, yes, in the city. The village alchemist, mage, and cleric have a few items each, but at very dear cost.

19. Can I create magic items? When and how? Not for quite a few levels, except for minor potions and scrolls. Requires lots of down time, and either lots of gold or specific monster parts.

20. What about splitting the party? Please do… oh please oh please do…