I've seen equipment packs appear elsewhere in old-school blogs, but I haven't seen any for Labyrinth Lord specifically. They're invaluable for quick character creation because gearing up seems to take longer than everything else put together, between adding up costs (in different coin types), adding up weights, and deciding what's most useful to have. I'm also going to try to improve game utility by having themed packs for specific situations, so that groups can re-equip quickly for the needs of their current mission.
For these packs, each item is followed by the weight in pounds in [square brackets]. After the pack's contents is the total cost, with a DM-optional “package deal” price offered by outfitters when the contents are all bought together.
Dungeoneer's Pack
Backpack [2]
Blanket, winter [3]
Case, map [½]
Crowbar [5]
Flask [1½]
Flint and Steel [-]
Ink [-]
Quill Pen [-]
Lantern [3]
Oil, 10x 1-pint flasks [10]
Parchment, 2 sheets [-]
Pole, 10' wooden [8]
Rations, unpreserved, 2 days [2]
Rope, silk, 50' [5]
Sack, large, empty [½]
Spade [8]
Vial, ink [-]
Waterskin [4]
Total Cost: 40gp 8sp 3cp (package deal: 40gp)
Total Weight: 44½ (Encumbered to 90/30 movement)
For: This pack equips an adventurer for dungeon delving in an area close to town; extra equipment may be required if travelling far overland as well.
Wilderness Pack
Backpack [2]
Bedroll [5]
Blanket, winter [3]
Flask [1½]
Flint and Steel [-]
Hammer [2]
Rations, unpreserved, 2 days [2]
Rations, trail, 10 days [10]
Rope, hemp, 50' [10]
Sack, large, empty [½]
Spikes, iron, x12 [8]
Torches x8 [8]
Waterskin [4]
Total Cost: 14gp 3cp (package deal: 14gp)
Total Weight: 56 (Encumbered to 90/30 movement)
For: This pack equips an adventurer for overland travel in varied terrain for up to 12 days.
Travelling Light Pack
Backpack [2]
Bedroll [5]
Rations, unpreserved, 2 days [2]
Sack, large, empty [½]
Waterskin [4]
Total Cost: 3gp 7sp
Total Weight: 13½ (unencumbered)
For: This pack is for adventurers who let their companions carry heavy equipment. Characters in heavy armour may have no other option, and having at least one unladen character in the group is useful to spread the load of the heavy packs around, and/or to carry back loot.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
What Was I Thinking? Part 2
Following on from my last post, here's the continuation of my explanations for my house rules:
MAGIC
Magic-users (and other arcane classes like Elves) prepare spells rather than memorising them, and don't need to have their spellbook to hand to prepare spells that they know. The spellbook is only required for learning a new spell (scribing it into the book is a necessary part of the learning process) and for any magical research; the spellbook is a workbook and notebook rather than a reference work. Scribing a spell from another magic-user's spellbook takes days at least (if not weeks) of uninterrupted work, making trading spells a risky measure of trust since spellbooks are very time-consuming to replace.
Magic-Users and Elves start knowing Read Magic, one randomly rolled first level spell, and one chosen spell at both first and second level. The second level spell can't be used until level 3 of course; it's advance study in anticipation of increased magical skills.
REASONS: This slight variant on spellbooks means that Magic-Users don't have to carry them around everywhere. I like this for several reasons. One is that since PCs don't automatically get an enemy MU's spellbook after killing and looting him, they don't acquire so many new spells so quickly and easily. Another is that it's not so hard to keep one-of-a-kind unique NPC spells out of player hands. Also, if a player MU loses his book, he's not so useless after a single day.
The rule for known spells for a starting character is similar to the standard rules, except that a PC gets a free randomly rolled level 1 spell before choosing a level 1 spell. This helps MUs be a little more versatile and encourages some of the less commonly used spells into play.
POWER ATTACK
Before making a melee attack roll, a player can choose to make a power attack, taking a 4-point penalty on the attack roll to gain 1d4 to the damage if the attack hits. Stronger power attacks are possible: -6 to hit for +1d6 damage, -8 to hit for +1d8 damage, -10 to hit for +1d10 damage, -12 to hit for +1d12 damage.
REASON: I like the idea of the power attack system from 3e, but a 1-for-1 trade from to-hit to damage would be too potent in Basic (especially since the ability doesn't cost a feat). This system makes the exchange about 2-for-1 on average, but does allow for a power attack to hit extremely hard on a good enough roll, which helps give it the feel of a do-or-die gamble.
THAC0 DEFENCE
Players roll a "defence" against the attacks made against them instead of the DM rolling for the attack. The DM declares the number of attacks (splitting by type if applicable, e.g. claw/claw/bite) against a PC. The player rolls his defence against them: a d20 plus his AC, and declares the result. A lower result is better. If the result is equal to or higher than the attacker's THAC0 (including all modifiers into the THAC0 score) the attack hits, otherwise it misses. A natural 1 is an automatically successful defence, and a natural 20 is an automatic failure, suffering a critical hit (unless the attack is of a blunt type).
Note that this is a procedural change rather than a rule change: it's mathematically identical to the standard method of the DM rolling for the attacks.
REASON: As a player, I always used to prefer combat defence rules where I got to roll dodge/parry/whatever to ones with a D&D-style passive defence like AC. It took a while before I realised that if the chance of being hit is, say, 50/50 by a given enemy, it doesn't matter whether I'm rolling for defence or not – it's 50/50 – it just seems like I have more control if I roll the dice. So, this was the initial reason why the THAC0 Defence system appealed to me when I read it in the Dragon Magazine Archive (issue #177 page 24, for those who have it). The second reason was that one of the things I always found awkward about various versions of D&D was keeping track of PC ACs. Having to keep asking players to remind me of their AC, or realising after a while that I had one of their ACs recorded wrongly and I'd had them hit when the attack should've missed; it's a bane of mine across editions. With THAC0 Defence, the players are the only ones who need to know their own ACs, which helps them and me.
THIEVES
The Thief class gets 1d6 for Hit Dice.
Clarification on the scope of Thief skills: Starting percentages may be low, but they represent the chance of exceptional feats. "Move Silently" is the chance of complete silence, which isn't always needed - moving quietly is usually enough to give a chance of surprising an enemy, and that doesn't require a roll. "Hide in Shadows" is the chance of remaining unseen in direct line of sight with only shadow for concealment - having real concealment can improve the chance or give automatic success. Players may be able to find traps (and find ways around them) by experimentation and cleverness, without having to succeed at "Find and Remove Traps" rolls.
REASONS: The HD increase helps Thieves do damage under the “class-based weapon damage” rule, and I think it's good for it's own sake. Thieves have weak armour making them almost as vulnerable as MUs, but are more likely to get into combat (especially if they do any forward scouting or try Backstabbing), and in many groups are less likely to get protected like the MU would. I think Thieves are too weak per the standard rules, and increasing HP seems a good way to boost them (especially since it can help them survive any traps they set off accidentally, so it aids them in their class role).
The interpretation of Thief skills is another thing I've found on the blogosphere. It helps to keep the low skill percentages of low-level Thieves in context and suggest ways to get round their mechanical limitations (i.e. using descriptions to resolve thiefly activities so the player doesn't have to roll for those low percentages).
TWO WEAPON FIGHTING
A character can wield a one-handed weapon in each hand. Attack and damage modifiers are based on the characters' Strength or Dexterity modifiers - whichever is lower - and on a successful hit, the player gets to roll damage for both weapons and choose which one hit (this option does not add multiple attacks).
REASONS: Dual-wielding is a tricky beast to make both balanced and simple in D&D. My experiences in 2e and 3e are that adding more attacks for dual-wielding is either unbalanced (2e) or clunky (3e). Rolling damage twice and taking the better one is simple, and balanced because it's exactly the same as using a single two-handed weapon (in my version of “class-based weapon damage”). The limit of using the lower of STR or DEX means that classic brute-force fighters are going to be better off with the two-hander, which fits the flavour of dual-wielding and ensures that not everyone will dual-wield (2e failed badly on both counts); dual-wielding has its own advantages at high levels when magic weapons with special effects are common.
MAGIC
Magic-users (and other arcane classes like Elves) prepare spells rather than memorising them, and don't need to have their spellbook to hand to prepare spells that they know. The spellbook is only required for learning a new spell (scribing it into the book is a necessary part of the learning process) and for any magical research; the spellbook is a workbook and notebook rather than a reference work. Scribing a spell from another magic-user's spellbook takes days at least (if not weeks) of uninterrupted work, making trading spells a risky measure of trust since spellbooks are very time-consuming to replace.
Magic-Users and Elves start knowing Read Magic, one randomly rolled first level spell, and one chosen spell at both first and second level. The second level spell can't be used until level 3 of course; it's advance study in anticipation of increased magical skills.
REASONS: This slight variant on spellbooks means that Magic-Users don't have to carry them around everywhere. I like this for several reasons. One is that since PCs don't automatically get an enemy MU's spellbook after killing and looting him, they don't acquire so many new spells so quickly and easily. Another is that it's not so hard to keep one-of-a-kind unique NPC spells out of player hands. Also, if a player MU loses his book, he's not so useless after a single day.
The rule for known spells for a starting character is similar to the standard rules, except that a PC gets a free randomly rolled level 1 spell before choosing a level 1 spell. This helps MUs be a little more versatile and encourages some of the less commonly used spells into play.
POWER ATTACK
Before making a melee attack roll, a player can choose to make a power attack, taking a 4-point penalty on the attack roll to gain 1d4 to the damage if the attack hits. Stronger power attacks are possible: -6 to hit for +1d6 damage, -8 to hit for +1d8 damage, -10 to hit for +1d10 damage, -12 to hit for +1d12 damage.
REASON: I like the idea of the power attack system from 3e, but a 1-for-1 trade from to-hit to damage would be too potent in Basic (especially since the ability doesn't cost a feat). This system makes the exchange about 2-for-1 on average, but does allow for a power attack to hit extremely hard on a good enough roll, which helps give it the feel of a do-or-die gamble.
THAC0 DEFENCE
Players roll a "defence" against the attacks made against them instead of the DM rolling for the attack. The DM declares the number of attacks (splitting by type if applicable, e.g. claw/claw/bite) against a PC. The player rolls his defence against them: a d20 plus his AC, and declares the result. A lower result is better. If the result is equal to or higher than the attacker's THAC0 (including all modifiers into the THAC0 score) the attack hits, otherwise it misses. A natural 1 is an automatically successful defence, and a natural 20 is an automatic failure, suffering a critical hit (unless the attack is of a blunt type).
Note that this is a procedural change rather than a rule change: it's mathematically identical to the standard method of the DM rolling for the attacks.
REASON: As a player, I always used to prefer combat defence rules where I got to roll dodge/parry/whatever to ones with a D&D-style passive defence like AC. It took a while before I realised that if the chance of being hit is, say, 50/50 by a given enemy, it doesn't matter whether I'm rolling for defence or not – it's 50/50 – it just seems like I have more control if I roll the dice. So, this was the initial reason why the THAC0 Defence system appealed to me when I read it in the Dragon Magazine Archive (issue #177 page 24, for those who have it). The second reason was that one of the things I always found awkward about various versions of D&D was keeping track of PC ACs. Having to keep asking players to remind me of their AC, or realising after a while that I had one of their ACs recorded wrongly and I'd had them hit when the attack should've missed; it's a bane of mine across editions. With THAC0 Defence, the players are the only ones who need to know their own ACs, which helps them and me.
THIEVES
The Thief class gets 1d6 for Hit Dice.
Clarification on the scope of Thief skills: Starting percentages may be low, but they represent the chance of exceptional feats. "Move Silently" is the chance of complete silence, which isn't always needed - moving quietly is usually enough to give a chance of surprising an enemy, and that doesn't require a roll. "Hide in Shadows" is the chance of remaining unseen in direct line of sight with only shadow for concealment - having real concealment can improve the chance or give automatic success. Players may be able to find traps (and find ways around them) by experimentation and cleverness, without having to succeed at "Find and Remove Traps" rolls.
REASONS: The HD increase helps Thieves do damage under the “class-based weapon damage” rule, and I think it's good for it's own sake. Thieves have weak armour making them almost as vulnerable as MUs, but are more likely to get into combat (especially if they do any forward scouting or try Backstabbing), and in many groups are less likely to get protected like the MU would. I think Thieves are too weak per the standard rules, and increasing HP seems a good way to boost them (especially since it can help them survive any traps they set off accidentally, so it aids them in their class role).
The interpretation of Thief skills is another thing I've found on the blogosphere. It helps to keep the low skill percentages of low-level Thieves in context and suggest ways to get round their mechanical limitations (i.e. using descriptions to resolve thiefly activities so the player doesn't have to roll for those low percentages).
TWO WEAPON FIGHTING
A character can wield a one-handed weapon in each hand. Attack and damage modifiers are based on the characters' Strength or Dexterity modifiers - whichever is lower - and on a successful hit, the player gets to roll damage for both weapons and choose which one hit (this option does not add multiple attacks).
REASONS: Dual-wielding is a tricky beast to make both balanced and simple in D&D. My experiences in 2e and 3e are that adding more attacks for dual-wielding is either unbalanced (2e) or clunky (3e). Rolling damage twice and taking the better one is simple, and balanced because it's exactly the same as using a single two-handed weapon (in my version of “class-based weapon damage”). The limit of using the lower of STR or DEX means that classic brute-force fighters are going to be better off with the two-hander, which fits the flavour of dual-wielding and ensures that not everyone will dual-wield (2e failed badly on both counts); dual-wielding has its own advantages at high levels when magic weapons with special effects are common.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
What Was I Thinking? Part 1
When I debuted my campaign of Labyrinth Lord recently and unveiled my house rules (already posted here) some of my players weren't too keen and seemed to think they were excessive in scope. I don't agree. On the other hand, putting myself in their place I can imagine how the house rules might seem arbitrary, since I didn't include explanations of my reasons for them.
I always like in an RPG when a designer explains why the rules are the way they are, so it seems only fair that I explain my decisions for making the house rules that I did. To keep this from being a huge indigestible mass of information (I have a bad habit of making overly large posts sometimes) I'm going to break it down into smaller parts.
Here's Part 1:
ATTRIBUTES
Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and Charisma work as described in the rulebook, except that Prime Requisites are removed, so these attributes don't modify experience earned for any class (ability score minimum values for demihumans still apply). Instead, Intelligence modifies experience for all classes, 5% per modifier point (i.e. -15% for Intelligence 3, -10% for 4-5, -5% for 6-8, no modifier for 9-12, +5% for 13-15, +10% for 16-17, +15% for 18). Wisdom modifies all saving throws, not just magic.
REASONS: I explained my thinking behind this one in a previous blog post. In short, I wanted to prevent the double-dipping of some Prime Requisites but not others (for example, Fighters getting benefits direcly from a high Strength and also for having it as a PR, unlike Magic-Users getting no direct benefit from Intelligence), to make mental attributes more appealing for non-spellcasters, and make the classes less closely tied to their typical attributes.
ATTRIBUTE ROLLS
When creating a character, the player rolls 3d6 in order, nine times. The first six rolls make up the six attributes in the order: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma. The final three are floating results that can be substituted in for any of the six attributes (or discarded if too low to be any use).
REASONS: I didn't want a rolling system like 4d6-drop-lowest that just inflates the numbers across the board; nowadays that just seems to me like power inflation for its own sake. I wanted a system that was based on rolling stats “in order” so PCs might have atypical strengths and weaknesses for their classes (to make PCs less cookie-cutter). On the other hand, the floating results allow players to make some choices, and give some insurance against bad rolls on the original 6 rolls without powering up too much across the board.
CLASS-BASED WEAPON DAMAGE
All classes can use all weapons (apart from physical size limits), but the damage done is based on the character's class, not the weapon. The damage die is equal to the classes' hit die type. The exceptions are for daggers or slings (which do one die size smaller) and two-handed weapons (which allow the player to roll damage twice and take the better result).
REASONS: This rule isn't my own invention, but I liked it as soon as I saw it. I adopted it partly for Clerics; I don't have a problem in general with the blunt-weapons restriction on Clerics, but I'm using the Forgotten Realms setting again, after a 2e game where the Priest PC could use a sword (with limits) then a 3e game with no Cleric weapon restrictions at all. This rule allows all weapons to Clerics (and Magic-Users) without giving away one of the Fighter's advantages (hitting for 1d8 damage). Plus this rule helps avoid the factor of some weapons being clearly better than others, which is one thing I never liked about Basic. So this one simple house rule solves two problems at once.
CRITICAL HITS
On a natural attack roll of 20, the result is a critical hit, scoring maximum weapon damage. Blunt weapons cannot score criticals.
REASONS: I like the idea of something special happening on a natural 20. I wanted to avoid the 3e-ism of complicating things with adding “confirmation rolls” (despite using a similar system years before in 2e), and also to avoid ramping up the damage too much. So I decided to go with another rule I'd seen elsewhere, and simply give maximum damage on a critical. Also, with no special effects on a 20 I don't have to worry about the odd cases where a character needing a natural 20 to hit can only do a special-effect critical; if they do hit, they will hit hard, but I'm happy with that (and the fact that groups of weak enemies are a little more dangerous).
Regarding the blunt weapon limit, this is partly for flavour (edged weapons doing critical hits is more intuitive) but mostly because blunt weapons would otherwise be the best choices under the “class-based weapon damage” rule, because of their full effectiveness against skeletal undead. The loss of critical hits gives them a very slight loss of average damage to even the scales. Plus, giant's clubs are some of the most damaging single attacks in the game; with critical hits their deadliness would be too much for my liking.
DEATH
When being raised from the dead, a character must make a save versus death. Failure means that something of the character doesn't quite make it back from the Fugue Plain, so his Charisma attribute drops by one point. If this would reduce Charisma below 3, the character doesn't come back at all and is permanently dead save for divine intervention.
REASONS: This is the one real “nerfing” house rule I introduced, because getting raised without penalty seems cheesy and too videogamey to me. I don't like the death penalties from other editions of D&D either (level loss or Constitution loss), because these have the potential to be “death spiral” situations where dying makes you more vulnerable to dying again. Charisma loss doesn't have that problem, it fits thematically, and it helps keep Charisma an important attribute. Allowing a saving throw to resist the Charisma loss helps to keep the penalties minor, just enough that death is more than a trivial inconvenience to high-level characters.
DEMIHUMANS
Demihumans can increase hit points after reaching their level limit. Every 200,000 XP above the minimum XP for their last level grants one additional HP (or a reroll of HP - see "Hit Points" below). This should be noted on the character sheet by writing a + after the level - for instance, a Dwarf with maximum level plus 2 HP writes "12+2" in the level box. Saving throws and other features do not increase beyond the level limit.
Note that the standard race-classes only represent typical adventuring members of their races. If a player is dead set on an atypical demihuman character (like a dwarven thief), he can combine class and race features to create a special class (e.g. Dwarf Thief) - subject to DM vetting of course.
REASONS: Although I supported demihuman level limits in a previous post, I prefer for PCs to have some potential to progress. This rule keeps this progress both small and slow so humans don't lose their unique benefit.
The second part of the rule reflects my feelings on the race-classes. Not every elf in the fantasy world has the Elf PC class (for example), the race-class just a template for game purposes that reinforces what each race typically does and is typically good at, giving the demihumans a “feel” that I never see in them in other versions of D&D. Requiring a player to make the special class for demihumans that don't follow the norm keeps those characters as rare as they should be (otherwise, “special snowflake syndrome” sets in and everyone wants to be the “rare and unusual” race/class combinations), and means that the player will be more invested in such a character.
ENCUMBRANCE
This will be handled informally unless this leeway is abused.
REASONS: This is just a formalisation of what I've already been doing for years.
HIT POINTS
Characters get maximum hit points at level 1. At each level up, the character rolls his entire new hit dice, adding Constitution modifiers, and takes this roll if it is higher than the current hit point total, or keeping the existing hit point total if that's higher. Example: a level 1 Fighter with 14 Constitution gets 9 HP (max d8+1), and at level 2 he rolls 2d8+2 for HP, keeping 9 HP if the new roll is lower.
At each level beyond Name level, the player chooses to either take the fixed hit point addition, or to reroll all the hit dice and then add all the fixed hit points. If the latter option is taken, the character still can't lose hit points even on a low roll, but does miss out on getting the fixed hit point(s) that he would've had from the first option.
REASONS: As far as I know, the “reroll all HD each level” system had it's beginnings in a common misinterpretation of OD&D's vaguely-worded HP rules. I like how it helps to “normalise” HP so that a run of high or low rolls doesn't let a character shoot ahead (or fall behind) permanently in HP.
The “maximum HP at level 1” part of the HP rules is a rule I've been using for many years before it became official with 3e, and fits especially well in Basic where zero HP means instant death.
I always like in an RPG when a designer explains why the rules are the way they are, so it seems only fair that I explain my decisions for making the house rules that I did. To keep this from being a huge indigestible mass of information (I have a bad habit of making overly large posts sometimes) I'm going to break it down into smaller parts.
Here's Part 1:
ATTRIBUTES
Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and Charisma work as described in the rulebook, except that Prime Requisites are removed, so these attributes don't modify experience earned for any class (ability score minimum values for demihumans still apply). Instead, Intelligence modifies experience for all classes, 5% per modifier point (i.e. -15% for Intelligence 3, -10% for 4-5, -5% for 6-8, no modifier for 9-12, +5% for 13-15, +10% for 16-17, +15% for 18). Wisdom modifies all saving throws, not just magic.
REASONS: I explained my thinking behind this one in a previous blog post. In short, I wanted to prevent the double-dipping of some Prime Requisites but not others (for example, Fighters getting benefits direcly from a high Strength and also for having it as a PR, unlike Magic-Users getting no direct benefit from Intelligence), to make mental attributes more appealing for non-spellcasters, and make the classes less closely tied to their typical attributes.
ATTRIBUTE ROLLS
When creating a character, the player rolls 3d6 in order, nine times. The first six rolls make up the six attributes in the order: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma. The final three are floating results that can be substituted in for any of the six attributes (or discarded if too low to be any use).
REASONS: I didn't want a rolling system like 4d6-drop-lowest that just inflates the numbers across the board; nowadays that just seems to me like power inflation for its own sake. I wanted a system that was based on rolling stats “in order” so PCs might have atypical strengths and weaknesses for their classes (to make PCs less cookie-cutter). On the other hand, the floating results allow players to make some choices, and give some insurance against bad rolls on the original 6 rolls without powering up too much across the board.
CLASS-BASED WEAPON DAMAGE
All classes can use all weapons (apart from physical size limits), but the damage done is based on the character's class, not the weapon. The damage die is equal to the classes' hit die type. The exceptions are for daggers or slings (which do one die size smaller) and two-handed weapons (which allow the player to roll damage twice and take the better result).
REASONS: This rule isn't my own invention, but I liked it as soon as I saw it. I adopted it partly for Clerics; I don't have a problem in general with the blunt-weapons restriction on Clerics, but I'm using the Forgotten Realms setting again, after a 2e game where the Priest PC could use a sword (with limits) then a 3e game with no Cleric weapon restrictions at all. This rule allows all weapons to Clerics (and Magic-Users) without giving away one of the Fighter's advantages (hitting for 1d8 damage). Plus this rule helps avoid the factor of some weapons being clearly better than others, which is one thing I never liked about Basic. So this one simple house rule solves two problems at once.
CRITICAL HITS
On a natural attack roll of 20, the result is a critical hit, scoring maximum weapon damage. Blunt weapons cannot score criticals.
REASONS: I like the idea of something special happening on a natural 20. I wanted to avoid the 3e-ism of complicating things with adding “confirmation rolls” (despite using a similar system years before in 2e), and also to avoid ramping up the damage too much. So I decided to go with another rule I'd seen elsewhere, and simply give maximum damage on a critical. Also, with no special effects on a 20 I don't have to worry about the odd cases where a character needing a natural 20 to hit can only do a special-effect critical; if they do hit, they will hit hard, but I'm happy with that (and the fact that groups of weak enemies are a little more dangerous).
Regarding the blunt weapon limit, this is partly for flavour (edged weapons doing critical hits is more intuitive) but mostly because blunt weapons would otherwise be the best choices under the “class-based weapon damage” rule, because of their full effectiveness against skeletal undead. The loss of critical hits gives them a very slight loss of average damage to even the scales. Plus, giant's clubs are some of the most damaging single attacks in the game; with critical hits their deadliness would be too much for my liking.
DEATH
When being raised from the dead, a character must make a save versus death. Failure means that something of the character doesn't quite make it back from the Fugue Plain, so his Charisma attribute drops by one point. If this would reduce Charisma below 3, the character doesn't come back at all and is permanently dead save for divine intervention.
REASONS: This is the one real “nerfing” house rule I introduced, because getting raised without penalty seems cheesy and too videogamey to me. I don't like the death penalties from other editions of D&D either (level loss or Constitution loss), because these have the potential to be “death spiral” situations where dying makes you more vulnerable to dying again. Charisma loss doesn't have that problem, it fits thematically, and it helps keep Charisma an important attribute. Allowing a saving throw to resist the Charisma loss helps to keep the penalties minor, just enough that death is more than a trivial inconvenience to high-level characters.
DEMIHUMANS
Demihumans can increase hit points after reaching their level limit. Every 200,000 XP above the minimum XP for their last level grants one additional HP (or a reroll of HP - see "Hit Points" below). This should be noted on the character sheet by writing a + after the level - for instance, a Dwarf with maximum level plus 2 HP writes "12+2" in the level box. Saving throws and other features do not increase beyond the level limit.
Note that the standard race-classes only represent typical adventuring members of their races. If a player is dead set on an atypical demihuman character (like a dwarven thief), he can combine class and race features to create a special class (e.g. Dwarf Thief) - subject to DM vetting of course.
REASONS: Although I supported demihuman level limits in a previous post, I prefer for PCs to have some potential to progress. This rule keeps this progress both small and slow so humans don't lose their unique benefit.
The second part of the rule reflects my feelings on the race-classes. Not every elf in the fantasy world has the Elf PC class (for example), the race-class just a template for game purposes that reinforces what each race typically does and is typically good at, giving the demihumans a “feel” that I never see in them in other versions of D&D. Requiring a player to make the special class for demihumans that don't follow the norm keeps those characters as rare as they should be (otherwise, “special snowflake syndrome” sets in and everyone wants to be the “rare and unusual” race/class combinations), and means that the player will be more invested in such a character.
ENCUMBRANCE
This will be handled informally unless this leeway is abused.
REASONS: This is just a formalisation of what I've already been doing for years.
HIT POINTS
Characters get maximum hit points at level 1. At each level up, the character rolls his entire new hit dice, adding Constitution modifiers, and takes this roll if it is higher than the current hit point total, or keeping the existing hit point total if that's higher. Example: a level 1 Fighter with 14 Constitution gets 9 HP (max d8+1), and at level 2 he rolls 2d8+2 for HP, keeping 9 HP if the new roll is lower.
At each level beyond Name level, the player chooses to either take the fixed hit point addition, or to reroll all the hit dice and then add all the fixed hit points. If the latter option is taken, the character still can't lose hit points even on a low roll, but does miss out on getting the fixed hit point(s) that he would've had from the first option.
REASONS: As far as I know, the “reroll all HD each level” system had it's beginnings in a common misinterpretation of OD&D's vaguely-worded HP rules. I like how it helps to “normalise” HP so that a run of high or low rolls doesn't let a character shoot ahead (or fall behind) permanently in HP.
The “maximum HP at level 1” part of the HP rules is a rule I've been using for many years before it became official with 3e, and fits especially well in Basic where zero HP means instant death.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Master Thief Skills
In Labyrinth Lord, Thief skills reach maximum values at level 14. Even though these are good skill levels, the cap makes Thieves unappealing characters at high levels, since all they gain per level after this point is a mere one Hit Point per level, a few more rows on the Attack Table, and a single improvement to their mediocre saving throws at 17. For this, they need to earn 120,000 XP per level past name level, which is not a fast rate (it's equal to Fighters, and the Cleric needs only 100,000 per level).
Frank Mentzer's BECMI edition dealt with the maxed-Thief problem by retroactively nerfing Thief skills in the Companion Set so they actually needed more levels to get 99%+ abilities. I think that Thieves are underpowered as it is (hence my house rule to up their HD to d6), so that's not a solution I favour. Apparently (I'm going from second hand information, since I've never owned this one) the Moldvay/Cook Expert Set intended a different approach, promising unique advanced skills for higher level Thieves in the Companion Set (which never got made). In that spirit (and also inspired by the AD&D 2e High Level Campaigns book) I've had a go at making up Master Thief Skills.
So:
MASTER THIEF SKILLS
At level 15 and up, a Thief gains 15% to two separate Master Thief Skills per level. The maximum that any of these skills can be raised to is 75%.
Master Thief Skills List:
Hide in Plain Sight (advanced Hide in Shadows)
This skill allows the Thief to attempt to Hide in Shadows even when he is already being watched. In combat, a successful Hide in Plain Sight can set up a Backstab for the following round.
Swift Glide (advanced Move Silently)
This skill allows the Thief to Move Silently at full movement speed, even running. A Swift Glide roll allows passage across liquid surfaces, requiring a walking pace (no slower or faster) and no other actions; failure means falling in.
Jury-Rig Traps (advanced Find & Remove Traps)
This skill allows the Thief to reset a trap he has already disabled with a trigger of his choosing, allowing the possibility of tricking dungeon denizens into their own traps. The skill can even be used to move a trap (unless it's on a large enough scale that this is impossible) or disassemble parts for the Thief's own purposes (for instance, to retrieve an intact bottle of acid from an acid trap, replace it with holy water, etc.). Failure at this skill doesn't result in triggering the trap, it simply means that the operation is beyond the Thief's abilities.
Finesse Locks (advanced Open Locks)
This skill allows the Thief to pick a lock without tools, or to pick a lock with tools in a single round. If the skill roll fails, a normal Open Locks roll can still be attempted (with tools) on the same lock. Another use for this skill is, after picking a lock, to sabotage it so that the key(s) it was made for no longer fit, but the Thief can open the lock by Finesse without having to roll.
Wallrunning (advanced Climb Walls)
This skill allows the Thief to climb at the same speed as moving across level ground, and still keep one hand free. A failed skill roll means that this advanced form of climbing won't work in this case, but it doesn't mean falling, and a normal Climb Walls can still be attempted. Should the Thief fall (for any reason) within reach of handholds, he can attempt this skill to grab on and prevent the fall; if he falls without anything to grab, a skill check still allows him to take half damage.
Unfasten (advanced Pick Pockets)
This skill allows the Thief to unfasten armour or clothing on a target by undoing buckles or clasps, cutting straps, etc. This can be attempted in or out of combat, with chances modified as per Pick Pockets. Success allows the Thief to unfasten the target's apparel either immediately, after 1d6 rounds, or after 1d6 turns (Thief's choice from the three options). The effect is to halve movement, and reduce the AC of armour by 2 (and possibly reduce the target's modesty!). Multiple unfastens increase the AC penalty but don't hinder movement any further. The target can cancel the movement penalty by spending one round sorting his apparel, but the AC penalty can only be sorted by spending a full turn putting the armour back together.
Frank Mentzer's BECMI edition dealt with the maxed-Thief problem by retroactively nerfing Thief skills in the Companion Set so they actually needed more levels to get 99%+ abilities. I think that Thieves are underpowered as it is (hence my house rule to up their HD to d6), so that's not a solution I favour. Apparently (I'm going from second hand information, since I've never owned this one) the Moldvay/Cook Expert Set intended a different approach, promising unique advanced skills for higher level Thieves in the Companion Set (which never got made). In that spirit (and also inspired by the AD&D 2e High Level Campaigns book) I've had a go at making up Master Thief Skills.
So:
MASTER THIEF SKILLS
At level 15 and up, a Thief gains 15% to two separate Master Thief Skills per level. The maximum that any of these skills can be raised to is 75%.
Master Thief Skills List:
Hide in Plain Sight (advanced Hide in Shadows)
This skill allows the Thief to attempt to Hide in Shadows even when he is already being watched. In combat, a successful Hide in Plain Sight can set up a Backstab for the following round.
Swift Glide (advanced Move Silently)
This skill allows the Thief to Move Silently at full movement speed, even running. A Swift Glide roll allows passage across liquid surfaces, requiring a walking pace (no slower or faster) and no other actions; failure means falling in.
Jury-Rig Traps (advanced Find & Remove Traps)
This skill allows the Thief to reset a trap he has already disabled with a trigger of his choosing, allowing the possibility of tricking dungeon denizens into their own traps. The skill can even be used to move a trap (unless it's on a large enough scale that this is impossible) or disassemble parts for the Thief's own purposes (for instance, to retrieve an intact bottle of acid from an acid trap, replace it with holy water, etc.). Failure at this skill doesn't result in triggering the trap, it simply means that the operation is beyond the Thief's abilities.
Finesse Locks (advanced Open Locks)
This skill allows the Thief to pick a lock without tools, or to pick a lock with tools in a single round. If the skill roll fails, a normal Open Locks roll can still be attempted (with tools) on the same lock. Another use for this skill is, after picking a lock, to sabotage it so that the key(s) it was made for no longer fit, but the Thief can open the lock by Finesse without having to roll.
Wallrunning (advanced Climb Walls)
This skill allows the Thief to climb at the same speed as moving across level ground, and still keep one hand free. A failed skill roll means that this advanced form of climbing won't work in this case, but it doesn't mean falling, and a normal Climb Walls can still be attempted. Should the Thief fall (for any reason) within reach of handholds, he can attempt this skill to grab on and prevent the fall; if he falls without anything to grab, a skill check still allows him to take half damage.
Unfasten (advanced Pick Pockets)
This skill allows the Thief to unfasten armour or clothing on a target by undoing buckles or clasps, cutting straps, etc. This can be attempted in or out of combat, with chances modified as per Pick Pockets. Success allows the Thief to unfasten the target's apparel either immediately, after 1d6 rounds, or after 1d6 turns (Thief's choice from the three options). The effect is to halve movement, and reduce the AC of armour by 2 (and possibly reduce the target's modesty!). Multiple unfastens increase the AC penalty but don't hinder movement any further. The target can cancel the movement penalty by spending one round sorting his apparel, but the AC penalty can only be sorted by spending a full turn putting the armour back together.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Level Limits
There are some things about old-school D&D that I've completely changed my opinion about at some point, and the system of limiting demihuman level advancement is one of them. For many years I thought that it was completely stupid, an arbitrary game-balance artefact that gave demihumans some weird kind of mental disability that stopped them from learning anything new after a certain point. In fact, until recently I'd intended to house-rule level limits out when I ran Labyrinth Lord.
What changed my mind was the sudden realisation of what level limits mean. They're not a “learning difficulty” - they're a performance plateau, like when an athlete reaches a peak performance where they just can't get any better, and actually have to work hard just to keep up what they have.
The "peak performance" claim might seem strange when the level limits look far short of the level that the game goes up to (20), but look at things in perspective. Compare the demihumans in the LL core to Fighter, the human class that they all have much in common with. All but one of them can get beyond Name level, by which a Fighter already has most of the hit points he's ever going to get, and near-superhuman combat ability overall. At level 9, without any other modifiers, a Fighter can wound an opponent in plate armour with shield 50% of the time; he can confront large numbers of level 1 Fighters (each one a “Veteran” per the D&D level titles) successfully, fight and kill creatures like giants and dragons of colossal scale, and is so renowned for his prowess that merely founding a small keep will attract warriors from far and wide to pledge themselves to his service. In short, a level 9 Fighter is a warrior of epic proportions. A Dwarf at level cap (12) is beyond even this, with slightly more hit points than the equivalent level Fighter and significantly better saving throws. The Elf can also get beyond Name Level (to 10), and is fully as capable at magic as a Magic-User of equal level as well. Even the humble Halfling gets almost to Name level (8).
Imagine that these breakpoints represent the maximum physical potential of the demi-humans. Dwarves are excellent at combat thanks to their toughness and determination, but they they're just not built for much speed or agility. Elves have speed and agility to spare, but lack brawn. Halflings can get surprisingly effective in combat, but are disadvantaged in physical power. In all cases, building on their strengths eventually reaches a point of diminishing returns where it doesn't overcome their inherent weaknesses anymore. Hence, the level limit. Humans are the special case – they are the supremely versatile race, whose unique package of qualities allows them to develop in potential without limit. Outside of the context of RPG game systems, the idea that someone who already is exceptional among the elite (at any physical or mental discipline) keeps getting better and better is extraordinary; so really the demihumans aren't odd for having level limits, it's the humans who are odd for not having them!
Looking at things in this way is especially in-genre: it's a very common trope in fantasy and sci-fi that humans have the greatest potential because of their all-round capabilities, unhindered by any intrinsic limitations. It also works well on a world-building level – having the very mightiest warriors, spellcasters, and so on be humans helps to justify the human-dominated world that D&D (and most classic fantasy) is built around.
Primarily, though, the level limit mechanic is about game balance. It gives demihumans a disadvantage to compensate for their racial benefits. Many other games model “human versatility” by making them equally suited to any class/role while non-humans excel only in one or two roles, failing to consider that in group games, characters typically do best by focusing in one or two roles anyway because they're in a team of specialists. The level-limit method handles “human versatility” on a micro-scale (versatility within a role) not just a macro-scale (versatility across roles) which works much better within typical RPG gameplay.
What changed my mind was the sudden realisation of what level limits mean. They're not a “learning difficulty” - they're a performance plateau, like when an athlete reaches a peak performance where they just can't get any better, and actually have to work hard just to keep up what they have.
The "peak performance" claim might seem strange when the level limits look far short of the level that the game goes up to (20), but look at things in perspective. Compare the demihumans in the LL core to Fighter, the human class that they all have much in common with. All but one of them can get beyond Name level, by which a Fighter already has most of the hit points he's ever going to get, and near-superhuman combat ability overall. At level 9, without any other modifiers, a Fighter can wound an opponent in plate armour with shield 50% of the time; he can confront large numbers of level 1 Fighters (each one a “Veteran” per the D&D level titles) successfully, fight and kill creatures like giants and dragons of colossal scale, and is so renowned for his prowess that merely founding a small keep will attract warriors from far and wide to pledge themselves to his service. In short, a level 9 Fighter is a warrior of epic proportions. A Dwarf at level cap (12) is beyond even this, with slightly more hit points than the equivalent level Fighter and significantly better saving throws. The Elf can also get beyond Name Level (to 10), and is fully as capable at magic as a Magic-User of equal level as well. Even the humble Halfling gets almost to Name level (8).
Imagine that these breakpoints represent the maximum physical potential of the demi-humans. Dwarves are excellent at combat thanks to their toughness and determination, but they they're just not built for much speed or agility. Elves have speed and agility to spare, but lack brawn. Halflings can get surprisingly effective in combat, but are disadvantaged in physical power. In all cases, building on their strengths eventually reaches a point of diminishing returns where it doesn't overcome their inherent weaknesses anymore. Hence, the level limit. Humans are the special case – they are the supremely versatile race, whose unique package of qualities allows them to develop in potential without limit. Outside of the context of RPG game systems, the idea that someone who already is exceptional among the elite (at any physical or mental discipline) keeps getting better and better is extraordinary; so really the demihumans aren't odd for having level limits, it's the humans who are odd for not having them!
Looking at things in this way is especially in-genre: it's a very common trope in fantasy and sci-fi that humans have the greatest potential because of their all-round capabilities, unhindered by any intrinsic limitations. It also works well on a world-building level – having the very mightiest warriors, spellcasters, and so on be humans helps to justify the human-dominated world that D&D (and most classic fantasy) is built around.
Primarily, though, the level limit mechanic is about game balance. It gives demihumans a disadvantage to compensate for their racial benefits. Many other games model “human versatility” by making them equally suited to any class/role while non-humans excel only in one or two roles, failing to consider that in group games, characters typically do best by focusing in one or two roles anyway because they're in a team of specialists. The level-limit method handles “human versatility” on a micro-scale (versatility within a role) not just a macro-scale (versatility across roles) which works much better within typical RPG gameplay.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Labyrinth Lord House Rules
Now that I've begun running my LL game proper (as opposed to the one-shot trial run a few months ago), I've decided on my set of house rules to tweak the game to my tastes. It's open to revision depending on how things work out in-game, but it's mostly final if not playtested.
The rules are:
ATTRIBUTES
Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and Charisma work as described in the rulebook, except that Prime Requisites are removed, so these attributes don't modify experience earned for any class (ability score minimum values for demihumans still apply). Instead, Intelligence modifies experience for all classes, 5% per modifier point (i.e. -15% for Intelligence 3, -10% for 4-5, -5% for 6-8, no modifier for 9-12, +5% for 13-15, +10% for 16-17, +15% for 18). Wisdom modifies all saving throws, not just magic.
ATTRIBUTE ROLLS
When creating a character, the player rolls 3d6 in order, nine times. The first six rolls make up the six attributes in the order: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma. The final three are floating results that can be substituted in for any of the six attributes (or discarded if too low to be any use).
CLASS-BASED WEAPON DAMAGE
All classes can use all weapons (apart from physical size limits), but the damage done is based on the character's class, not the weapon. The damage die is equal to the classes' hit die type. The exceptions are for daggers or slings (which do one die size smaller) and two-handed weapons (which allow the player to roll damage twice and take the better result).
CRITICAL HITS
On a natural attack roll of 20, the result is a critical hit, scoring maximum weapon damage. Blunt weapons cannot score criticals.
DEATH
When being raised from the dead, a character must make a save versus death. Failure means that something of the character doesn't quite make it back from the Fugue Plain, so his Charisma attribute drops by one point. If this would reduce Charisma below 3, the character doesn't come back at all and is permanently dead save for divine intervention.
DEMIHUMANS
Demihumans can increase hit points after reaching their level limit. Every 200,000 XP above the minimum XP for their last level grants one additional HP (or a reroll of HP - see "Hit Points" below). This should be noted on the character sheet by writing a + after the level - for instance, a Dwarf with maximum level plus 2 HP writes "12+2" in the level box. Saving throws and other features do not increase beyond the level limit.
Note that the standard race-classes only represent typical adventuring members of their races. If a player is dead set on an atypical demihuman character (like a dwarven thief), he can combine class and race features to create a special class (e.g. Dwarf Thief) - subject to DM vetting of course.
ENCUMBRANCE
This will be handled informally unless this leeway is abused.
HIT POINTS
Characters get maximum hit points at level 1. At each level up, the character rolls his entire new hit dice, adding Constitution modifiers, and takes this roll if it is higher than the current hit point total, or keeping the existing hit point total if that's higher. Example: a level 1 Fighter with 14 Constitution gets 9 HP (max d8+1), and at level 2 he rolls 2d8+2 for HP, keeping 9 HP if the new roll is lower.
At each level beyond Name level, the player chooses to either take the fixed hit point addition, or to reroll all the hit dice and then add all the fixed hit points. If the latter option is taken, the character still can't lose hit points even on a low roll, but does miss out on getting the fixed hit point(s) that he would've had from the first option.
MAGIC
Magic-users (and other arcane classes like Elves) prepare spells rather than memorising them, and don't need to have their spellbook to hand to prepare spells that they know. The spellbook is only required for learning a new spell (scribing it into the book is a necessary part of the learning process) and for any magical research; the spellbook is a workbook and notebook rather than a reference work. Scribing a spell from another magic-user's spellbook takes days at least (if not weeks) of uninterrupted work, making trading spells a risky measure of trust since spellbooks are very time-consuming to replace.
Magic-Users and Elves start knowing Read Magic, one randomly rolled first level spell, and one chosen spell at both first and second level. The second level spell can't be used until level 3 of course; it's advance study in anticipation of increased magical skills.
POWER ATTACK
Before making a melee attack roll, a player can choose to make a power attack, taking a 4-point penalty on the attack roll to gain 1d4 to the damage if the attack hits. Stronger power attacks are possible: -6 to hit for +1d6 damage, -8 to hit for +1d8 damage, -10 to hit for +1d10 damage, -12 to hit for +1d12 damage.
THAC0 DEFENCE
Players roll a "defence" against the attacks made against them instead of the DM rolling for the attack. The DM declares the number of attacks (splitting by type if applicable, e.g. claw/claw/bite) against a PC. The player rolls his defence against them: a d20 plus his AC, and declares the result. A lower result is better. If the result is equal to or higher than the attacker's THAC0 (including all modifiers into the THAC0 score) the attack hits, otherwise it misses. A natural 1 is an automatically successful defence, and a natural 20 is an automatic failure, suffering a critical hit (unless the attack is of a blunt type).
Note that this is a procedural change rather than a rule change: it's mathematically identical to the standard method of the DM rolling for the attacks.
THIEVES
The Thief class gets 1d6 for Hit Dice.
Clarification on the scope of Thief skills: Starting percentages may be low, but they represent the chance of exceptional feats. "Move Silently" is the chance of complete silence, which isn't always needed - moving quietly is usually enough to give a chance of surprising an enemy, and that doesn't require a roll. "Hide in Shadows" is the chance of remaining unseen in direct line of sight with only shadow for concealment - having real concealment can improve the chance or give automatic success. Players may be able to find traps (and find ways around them) by experimentation and cleverness, without having to succeed at "Find and Remove Traps" rolls.
TWO WEAPON FIGHTING
A character can wield a one-handed weapon in each hand. Attack and damage modifiers are based on the characters' Strength or Dexterity modifiers - whichever is lower - and on a successful hit, the player gets to roll damage for both weapons and choose which one hit (this option does not add multiple attacks).
The rules are:
ATTRIBUTES
Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and Charisma work as described in the rulebook, except that Prime Requisites are removed, so these attributes don't modify experience earned for any class (ability score minimum values for demihumans still apply). Instead, Intelligence modifies experience for all classes, 5% per modifier point (i.e. -15% for Intelligence 3, -10% for 4-5, -5% for 6-8, no modifier for 9-12, +5% for 13-15, +10% for 16-17, +15% for 18). Wisdom modifies all saving throws, not just magic.
ATTRIBUTE ROLLS
When creating a character, the player rolls 3d6 in order, nine times. The first six rolls make up the six attributes in the order: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma. The final three are floating results that can be substituted in for any of the six attributes (or discarded if too low to be any use).
CLASS-BASED WEAPON DAMAGE
All classes can use all weapons (apart from physical size limits), but the damage done is based on the character's class, not the weapon. The damage die is equal to the classes' hit die type. The exceptions are for daggers or slings (which do one die size smaller) and two-handed weapons (which allow the player to roll damage twice and take the better result).
CRITICAL HITS
On a natural attack roll of 20, the result is a critical hit, scoring maximum weapon damage. Blunt weapons cannot score criticals.
DEATH
When being raised from the dead, a character must make a save versus death. Failure means that something of the character doesn't quite make it back from the Fugue Plain, so his Charisma attribute drops by one point. If this would reduce Charisma below 3, the character doesn't come back at all and is permanently dead save for divine intervention.
DEMIHUMANS
Demihumans can increase hit points after reaching their level limit. Every 200,000 XP above the minimum XP for their last level grants one additional HP (or a reroll of HP - see "Hit Points" below). This should be noted on the character sheet by writing a + after the level - for instance, a Dwarf with maximum level plus 2 HP writes "12+2" in the level box. Saving throws and other features do not increase beyond the level limit.
Note that the standard race-classes only represent typical adventuring members of their races. If a player is dead set on an atypical demihuman character (like a dwarven thief), he can combine class and race features to create a special class (e.g. Dwarf Thief) - subject to DM vetting of course.
ENCUMBRANCE
This will be handled informally unless this leeway is abused.
HIT POINTS
Characters get maximum hit points at level 1. At each level up, the character rolls his entire new hit dice, adding Constitution modifiers, and takes this roll if it is higher than the current hit point total, or keeping the existing hit point total if that's higher. Example: a level 1 Fighter with 14 Constitution gets 9 HP (max d8+1), and at level 2 he rolls 2d8+2 for HP, keeping 9 HP if the new roll is lower.
At each level beyond Name level, the player chooses to either take the fixed hit point addition, or to reroll all the hit dice and then add all the fixed hit points. If the latter option is taken, the character still can't lose hit points even on a low roll, but does miss out on getting the fixed hit point(s) that he would've had from the first option.
MAGIC
Magic-users (and other arcane classes like Elves) prepare spells rather than memorising them, and don't need to have their spellbook to hand to prepare spells that they know. The spellbook is only required for learning a new spell (scribing it into the book is a necessary part of the learning process) and for any magical research; the spellbook is a workbook and notebook rather than a reference work. Scribing a spell from another magic-user's spellbook takes days at least (if not weeks) of uninterrupted work, making trading spells a risky measure of trust since spellbooks are very time-consuming to replace.
Magic-Users and Elves start knowing Read Magic, one randomly rolled first level spell, and one chosen spell at both first and second level. The second level spell can't be used until level 3 of course; it's advance study in anticipation of increased magical skills.
POWER ATTACK
Before making a melee attack roll, a player can choose to make a power attack, taking a 4-point penalty on the attack roll to gain 1d4 to the damage if the attack hits. Stronger power attacks are possible: -6 to hit for +1d6 damage, -8 to hit for +1d8 damage, -10 to hit for +1d10 damage, -12 to hit for +1d12 damage.
THAC0 DEFENCE
Players roll a "defence" against the attacks made against them instead of the DM rolling for the attack. The DM declares the number of attacks (splitting by type if applicable, e.g. claw/claw/bite) against a PC. The player rolls his defence against them: a d20 plus his AC, and declares the result. A lower result is better. If the result is equal to or higher than the attacker's THAC0 (including all modifiers into the THAC0 score) the attack hits, otherwise it misses. A natural 1 is an automatically successful defence, and a natural 20 is an automatic failure, suffering a critical hit (unless the attack is of a blunt type).
Note that this is a procedural change rather than a rule change: it's mathematically identical to the standard method of the DM rolling for the attacks.
THIEVES
The Thief class gets 1d6 for Hit Dice.
Clarification on the scope of Thief skills: Starting percentages may be low, but they represent the chance of exceptional feats. "Move Silently" is the chance of complete silence, which isn't always needed - moving quietly is usually enough to give a chance of surprising an enemy, and that doesn't require a roll. "Hide in Shadows" is the chance of remaining unseen in direct line of sight with only shadow for concealment - having real concealment can improve the chance or give automatic success. Players may be able to find traps (and find ways around them) by experimentation and cleverness, without having to succeed at "Find and Remove Traps" rolls.
TWO WEAPON FIGHTING
A character can wield a one-handed weapon in each hand. Attack and damage modifiers are based on the characters' Strength or Dexterity modifiers - whichever is lower - and on a successful hit, the player gets to roll damage for both weapons and choose which one hit (this option does not add multiple attacks).
Forgotten Realms Race-Classes for Labyrinth Lord
Last weekend, I made up LL-style race-classes for all the major races of the Realms in the 4e era. I'm loving how quick and simple it is to make things for this game - it's a breath of fresh air after years of running d20, where the most basic things drag down into mind-numbing drudge work.
Anyway, here they are for anyone who might find them useful:
DRAGONBORN
Requirements: STR 9, CHA 10
Prime Requisite: STR
HD: d8 (+2 HP per level above 9)
XP: As Magic-User
Maximum Level: 12
Armour and Weapons: Any, but standard armour doesn't fit; custom armour is required costing double or more.
Attacks: As Fighter
Saves: As Dwarf/Halfling, but replace the "Breath Attacks" column with a duplicate of the "Poison or Death" column.
Special Abilities: Dragonborn are trained in techniques to fight dragons and gain a +1 to hit against them, increasing to +2 at level 7 and +3 at level 11. They gain Draconic as a bonus language.
Dragonborn also have a breath weapon of their own, of a single type like a true dragon chosen at character creation (for example, a cone of fire like a red dragon). This does 1d6 damage, usable once per day, with half the area of the true dragon's breath weapon. The damage improves to 2d6 at level 4, and 3d6 at level 8. The dragonborn gets two uses per day at level 2, three at level 6, and four at level 12. The area increases to the true dragon's at level 10. Targets gain a saving throw versus Breath Attack for half damage. Dragonborn are immune to the effects of their own breath attack, as well as the same kind of breath attack from other dragons and dragonborn. They are further immune to ordinary instances of a similar nature to their attack. For instance, a dragonborn with a red dragon type breath weapon is immune to all ordinary fire. However, dragonborn will sustain half damage from magical based attacks that are similar to the nature of their breath attacks. A dragonborn with blue dragon breath, for instance, will not suffer damage from a natural lightning strike, but will suffer half damage from the spell lightning bolt.
At 9th level, a Dragonborn can become a leader among his kind, equivalent to a Fighter of equal level.
DWARF
Adventuring dwarves in the Realms are either Gold Dwarves or Shield Dwarves. Both use the Dwarf class without modifications.
ELF
The choice of subrace modifies the core Elf class:
Drow (Dark) Elf: Drow are limited to chainmail or lighter armour and no shield, but can Move Silently and Hide in Shadows as a Thief of equal level. They do not cast spells like a typical Elf, but can invoke Darkness (reversed Light as the Magic-User spell), Faerie Fire (lights up a target giving all attackers +2 to hit them and negating benefit of invisibility or concealment, 120' range, no save), and/or Levitate (as the Magic-User spell), up to a total number of combined uses equal to the Drow's level per day. Drow also gain a +4 bonus to all saving throws against magic, and resist all effects of a spell on a successful save even if it would normally still do half damage (but Drow still don't get a save against effects that don't allow a saving throw). Drow have infravision to 120'. Instead of the Elf bonus languages, they get Drow and Undercommon.
Moon (Silver) Elf: Moon Elves use the default Elf class.
Sun (Gold) Elf: Sun Elves are limited to chainmail or lighter armour and no shield, but with their deep knowledge of the arcane they can use magical items allowable to any other class (even clerical scrolls), alignment, etc.
Wild (Green) Elf: Wild Elves are limited to leather (or no) armour and no shield, but have the ability to hide like a Halfling. Their spells come from the Clerical spell list (not the Magic User/Elf list) and they know all available spells like a Cleric. When using a bow, they gain one additional attack per round.
Wood (Copper) Elf: Wood Elves are limited to studded leather or lighter armour and can use a shield, but have the ability to hide like a Halfling. Their spells can be prepared and cast from any mixture of both the Magic-User and Cleric spell lists; they know all spells from the Cleric list, but must learn Magic-User spells as normal.
GENASI
Requirements: CON 12
Prime Requisites: STR and CON. Both at 13+ gives +5% XP, STR 13+ and CON 16+ gives +10% XP.
HD: d6
XP: As Elf
Maximum Level: 10
Armour and Weapons: All
Attacks: As Fighter
Saves: As Elf
Special Abilities: Genasi choose a single elemental aspect (air, earth, fire or water) at character creation, and have magical abilities dependent on their choice. Air genasi do not need air to breathe, earth genasi have a -1 AC bonus for hard skin, fire genasi are immune to normal fire and take half damage from magical fire, and water genasi can breathe underwater and move underwater as fast as on land. All genasi have 60' infravision.
Genasi also gain spell-like abilites depending on their element that they can invoke twice per day each, all from the Magic-User spell list, once they reach the required level (in brackets).
Air: Floating Disc (1), Levitate (3), Fly (5), Arcane Eye(7), Cloudkill (9)
Earth: Shield (1), Locate Object (3), Protection from Normal Missiles (5), Polymorph Self (7), Passwall (9)
Fire: Light (1), Continual Light (3), Fireball (5), Wall of Fire (7), Conjure Elemental: fire only (9)
Water: Sleep (1), Mirror Image (3), Water Breathing (5), Wall of Ice (7), Transmute Rock to Mud (9)
At level 10, the genasi gains a secondary elemental aspect, adding all the base abilities of both. The second aspect doesn't add more castings, just options - for example, a Fire/Water Genasi can cast Light or Sleep twice per day, or once each, etc., but these don't need to be prepared.
HALF-ELF
Half-elves choose from human classes, and are handled like humans in the game mechanics except that they gain the Elf abilities of infravision 60', the increased ability to detect secret doors, and immunity to ghoul paralysis. They also get the Elf bonus languages plus Common and their local language; this is Chondathan, Damaran, Thayan, or Untheric, defaulting to the region where the character begins play (Chondathan in the Dalelands). Half-Elves gain a bonus -1 Reaction Adjustment, cumulative with any modifier from Charisma.
They pay for this with a 10% XP penalty, cumulative with any XP modifer from INT (for example a half-elf with 13 INT has a net -5% modifier to earned XP).
HALFLING
There are two subraces of Halfling adventurers:
Lightfoot: limited to studded leather or lighter armour and may use a shield, but can Move Silently and Hide in Shadows as a Thief (may hide as a Thief or as a Halfling, whichever is better at the time).
Strongheart: use the default Halfling class.
Both subraces speak both Common and their local language; this is Chondathan, Damaran, Thayan, or Untheric, defaulting to the region where the character begins play (Chondathan in the Dalelands). Both subraces can use slings for 1d6 damage (i.e. the damage is not reduced for the weapon's size).
HUMAN
Humans in the Realms speak both Common and their local language; this is Chondathan, Damaran, Thayan, or Untheric, defaulting to the region where the character begins play (Chondathan in the Dalelands).
TIEFLING
Requirements: DEX 9, INT 9
Prime Requisites: DEX and INT. Either at 13+ gives +5% XP, both at 13+ gives +10% XP.
HD: d4
XP: As Magic-User
Maximum Level: 10
Armour and Weapons: All weapons, no armour or shield.
Attacks: As Thief
Saves: As Magic-User
Special Abilities: Tieflings have infravision to 60', and have a +4 bonus to saving throws against fire, cold, and electricity. They have Abyssal as a bonus language. They can use all Thief skills (except Pick Pockets, but including Backstab) as a Thief one level lower (minimum level 1). They can learn and cast spells as a Magic-User, and automatically know one spell per character level but cannot learn spells by any means besides gaining levels. The spell known at level 1 must be Protection from Evil.
Anyway, here they are for anyone who might find them useful:
DRAGONBORN
Requirements: STR 9, CHA 10
Prime Requisite: STR
HD: d8 (+2 HP per level above 9)
XP: As Magic-User
Maximum Level: 12
Armour and Weapons: Any, but standard armour doesn't fit; custom armour is required costing double or more.
Attacks: As Fighter
Saves: As Dwarf/Halfling, but replace the "Breath Attacks" column with a duplicate of the "Poison or Death" column.
Special Abilities: Dragonborn are trained in techniques to fight dragons and gain a +1 to hit against them, increasing to +2 at level 7 and +3 at level 11. They gain Draconic as a bonus language.
Dragonborn also have a breath weapon of their own, of a single type like a true dragon chosen at character creation (for example, a cone of fire like a red dragon). This does 1d6 damage, usable once per day, with half the area of the true dragon's breath weapon. The damage improves to 2d6 at level 4, and 3d6 at level 8. The dragonborn gets two uses per day at level 2, three at level 6, and four at level 12. The area increases to the true dragon's at level 10. Targets gain a saving throw versus Breath Attack for half damage. Dragonborn are immune to the effects of their own breath attack, as well as the same kind of breath attack from other dragons and dragonborn. They are further immune to ordinary instances of a similar nature to their attack. For instance, a dragonborn with a red dragon type breath weapon is immune to all ordinary fire. However, dragonborn will sustain half damage from magical based attacks that are similar to the nature of their breath attacks. A dragonborn with blue dragon breath, for instance, will not suffer damage from a natural lightning strike, but will suffer half damage from the spell lightning bolt.
At 9th level, a Dragonborn can become a leader among his kind, equivalent to a Fighter of equal level.
DWARF
Adventuring dwarves in the Realms are either Gold Dwarves or Shield Dwarves. Both use the Dwarf class without modifications.
ELF
The choice of subrace modifies the core Elf class:
Drow (Dark) Elf: Drow are limited to chainmail or lighter armour and no shield, but can Move Silently and Hide in Shadows as a Thief of equal level. They do not cast spells like a typical Elf, but can invoke Darkness (reversed Light as the Magic-User spell), Faerie Fire (lights up a target giving all attackers +2 to hit them and negating benefit of invisibility or concealment, 120' range, no save), and/or Levitate (as the Magic-User spell), up to a total number of combined uses equal to the Drow's level per day. Drow also gain a +4 bonus to all saving throws against magic, and resist all effects of a spell on a successful save even if it would normally still do half damage (but Drow still don't get a save against effects that don't allow a saving throw). Drow have infravision to 120'. Instead of the Elf bonus languages, they get Drow and Undercommon.
Moon (Silver) Elf: Moon Elves use the default Elf class.
Sun (Gold) Elf: Sun Elves are limited to chainmail or lighter armour and no shield, but with their deep knowledge of the arcane they can use magical items allowable to any other class (even clerical scrolls), alignment, etc.
Wild (Green) Elf: Wild Elves are limited to leather (or no) armour and no shield, but have the ability to hide like a Halfling. Their spells come from the Clerical spell list (not the Magic User/Elf list) and they know all available spells like a Cleric. When using a bow, they gain one additional attack per round.
Wood (Copper) Elf: Wood Elves are limited to studded leather or lighter armour and can use a shield, but have the ability to hide like a Halfling. Their spells can be prepared and cast from any mixture of both the Magic-User and Cleric spell lists; they know all spells from the Cleric list, but must learn Magic-User spells as normal.
GENASI
Requirements: CON 12
Prime Requisites: STR and CON. Both at 13+ gives +5% XP, STR 13+ and CON 16+ gives +10% XP.
HD: d6
XP: As Elf
Maximum Level: 10
Armour and Weapons: All
Attacks: As Fighter
Saves: As Elf
Special Abilities: Genasi choose a single elemental aspect (air, earth, fire or water) at character creation, and have magical abilities dependent on their choice. Air genasi do not need air to breathe, earth genasi have a -1 AC bonus for hard skin, fire genasi are immune to normal fire and take half damage from magical fire, and water genasi can breathe underwater and move underwater as fast as on land. All genasi have 60' infravision.
Genasi also gain spell-like abilites depending on their element that they can invoke twice per day each, all from the Magic-User spell list, once they reach the required level (in brackets).
Air: Floating Disc (1), Levitate (3), Fly (5), Arcane Eye(7), Cloudkill (9)
Earth: Shield (1), Locate Object (3), Protection from Normal Missiles (5), Polymorph Self (7), Passwall (9)
Fire: Light (1), Continual Light (3), Fireball (5), Wall of Fire (7), Conjure Elemental: fire only (9)
Water: Sleep (1), Mirror Image (3), Water Breathing (5), Wall of Ice (7), Transmute Rock to Mud (9)
At level 10, the genasi gains a secondary elemental aspect, adding all the base abilities of both. The second aspect doesn't add more castings, just options - for example, a Fire/Water Genasi can cast Light or Sleep twice per day, or once each, etc., but these don't need to be prepared.
HALF-ELF
Half-elves choose from human classes, and are handled like humans in the game mechanics except that they gain the Elf abilities of infravision 60', the increased ability to detect secret doors, and immunity to ghoul paralysis. They also get the Elf bonus languages plus Common and their local language; this is Chondathan, Damaran, Thayan, or Untheric, defaulting to the region where the character begins play (Chondathan in the Dalelands). Half-Elves gain a bonus -1 Reaction Adjustment, cumulative with any modifier from Charisma.
They pay for this with a 10% XP penalty, cumulative with any XP modifer from INT (for example a half-elf with 13 INT has a net -5% modifier to earned XP).
HALFLING
There are two subraces of Halfling adventurers:
Lightfoot: limited to studded leather or lighter armour and may use a shield, but can Move Silently and Hide in Shadows as a Thief (may hide as a Thief or as a Halfling, whichever is better at the time).
Strongheart: use the default Halfling class.
Both subraces speak both Common and their local language; this is Chondathan, Damaran, Thayan, or Untheric, defaulting to the region where the character begins play (Chondathan in the Dalelands). Both subraces can use slings for 1d6 damage (i.e. the damage is not reduced for the weapon's size).
HUMAN
Humans in the Realms speak both Common and their local language; this is Chondathan, Damaran, Thayan, or Untheric, defaulting to the region where the character begins play (Chondathan in the Dalelands).
TIEFLING
Requirements: DEX 9, INT 9
Prime Requisites: DEX and INT. Either at 13+ gives +5% XP, both at 13+ gives +10% XP.
HD: d4
XP: As Magic-User
Maximum Level: 10
Armour and Weapons: All weapons, no armour or shield.
Attacks: As Thief
Saves: As Magic-User
Special Abilities: Tieflings have infravision to 60', and have a +4 bonus to saving throws against fire, cold, and electricity. They have Abyssal as a bonus language. They can use all Thief skills (except Pick Pockets, but including Backstab) as a Thief one level lower (minimum level 1). They can learn and cast spells as a Magic-User, and automatically know one spell per character level but cannot learn spells by any means besides gaining levels. The spell known at level 1 must be Protection from Evil.
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