Dungeon Hack Rules Review

Firing in the Melee

By the book, you would roll semi-randomly based on relative size and numbers before the "to hit" roll is made. ("The minor difference represents the fact that there will be considerable shifting and maneuvering during combat which will tend to expose both opponents to fire on a near equal basis.") I don't know if it's worth the continual effort, though I think we've found how advantageous missile fire is when playing by the book. I wouldn't be opposed to make that semi-random determination only if the shooter misses the "to hit" roll for the intended target.

Spellbooks

We assume every magic-user starts with a standard spell book. A travelling spell book costs 500 gold pieces for materials, and five of them can fit in a backpack. I think the spellbook "capacity" as listed in Unearthed Arcana is a little harsh. We'll worry about it when people start accumulating 40 or 50 spells. The primary reason to have a travelling spell book is so that you don't lose your only copy of your spells. NOTE: It does cost 100 gp per level for each spell to record a spell in your spellbook.

Training (since people are slowing approaching 2nd level)

p86 of the DMG has (as I'm sure you're shocked to discover) a pretty extensive system for the cost and time of training. While I think the concept has merit, I don't think we want the *average* 1st level character to disappear for training for 3 weeks at a cost of 4500gp to reach 2nd level.

Here's my suggested compromise, which I've used in past AD&D campaigns: Upon gaining sufficient XP, you get the new hit points immediately. Training is required for improved saves, to hit, class abilities and must be done by an NPC of the desired level or higher (until name level). This process takes 1 week and at a cost of 1000gp of pre-advancement level. Service, oaths, quests, loans, and trades of magic items can all reduce or eliminate the training fee.

Deity list (for Mark)

• Hanalla - light, hierarchy, pride, political power
• Thumis - wisdom & education. Scholastic, fussy and over-precise, well meaning old duffers.
• Belkanu - the afterlife and other planes.
• Avanthay (f)- the elements, fertility, harvests etc.
• Karakan - Glorious War, honour, violence in the cause of the state.
• Haru - darkness, chance and mystery.
• Kasarul - knowledge, secrets, and magic.
• Sarku - Death, or more precisely Undeath and Immortality.
• Dalamelish (f) - beauty, enjoyment and pleasures of all kinds.
• Vimula - Violence and burning things.

Shields

• A small shield can be counted against only one attack per melee round.
• A normal-sized shield can effectively be counted against two attacks per melee round.
• A large shield is counted against up to three attacks per melee round.
• Attacks from the right flank and rear always negate the advantage of the shield.

Tim Kask Method of Rules Adjudication

Try following this step-by-step procedure to resolve situations not covered by the rules:

1. Make something up.

Bugbears are silent?

Listening at Doors, from the DMG

Race Of Listener Chance Of Hearing Noise

Dwarf 2 in 20 (10%)

Elf 3 in 20 (15%)

Gnome 4 in 20 (20%)

Half-Elf 2 in 20 (10%)

Halfling 3 in 20 (15%)

Half-Orc 3 in 20 (15%)

Human 2 in 20 (10%)

Once you add in the racial modifiers, these are the same percentages as a 1st or 2nd level thief.

OD&D Quote of the Day

"Anyone with a Wis of 4 is obviously Lawful, and probably a dwarf."

Dungeon Hack Rules Commentary

Dungeon Hack Scientists have found the OSRIC pdf to be reasonable sit in for an actual copy of the 1st Edition AD&D books. Tests have indicated that carrying an actual copy of the idol-cover Player's Handbook with you will improve you luck on saving throws. Unless stated otherwise, the OSRIC pdf and the Gygax PHB will be interchangeable. In the case of conflict, assume the PHB is authoritative until further clarification. To start things out, the following rule exceptions or clarifications will be in effect. Experimentation (and large quantities of caffeine) is essential to quality Dungeon Hacks, so these may change after group discussion. We'll try to keep the website up to date: http://sites.google.com/site/dungeonhack/ Again, some of these may be obvious to people who have recently reread the rules. Please reply with any questions and we'll update the list. * No weapon specialization. Alternate method may be used with group vote. No other Unearthed Arcana rules/races/classes are being used at onset. * In "the old days", we always played with double damage on a natural 20 to hit. I'll leave this up to group vote. * Demihumans will be limited in levels as shown on pg14 of the PHB. Ignore footnotes - ability scores do not matter. * Magic-Users being with a standard spellbook containing "Read Magic" and three other 1st level spells from the PHB. * Magic-Users will be required to roll to learn new spells (pretty much by the book). * We'll be using spell components to some extent. If the component is rare, expensive, or has a listed GP cost, assume you'll need it. This should minimize bookkeeping. Casters will be assumed to have reacquired more mundane component as a part of the living expenses. * You're unconscious at 0 HP, dead an -10, and heal 1 HP/day. * There is no need for training upon reaching 2nd level. We'll discuss a compromise if people approach 3rd level. * We'll be using the combat pretty much as written. It's explained clearly with excruciated detail to examples and exceptions here: http://www.dragonsfoot.org/php4/archive.php?sectioninit=FE&fileid=263&watchfile=0 - It's really not that bad, it just goes to crazy heights to resolve initiative ties (NFL playoff levels). We'll simplify things like surprise segments and weapon vs armor by group consensus after a few combats. * We'll be trying this system for encumbrance: http://sites.google.com/site/dungeonhack/rules/supplies-and-provisions (until people are trying to carry back four suits of plate mail from fallen foes I'm not concerned with counting every dagger and dart. What we want to simulate is the effect of limited food and light resources, and limits on the ability to fight/flee while carrying a dragon's horde worth of coins)

Another Reason for Demihuman Level Limits

Quoth TheDungeonDelver on Dragonsfoot:

"There's this guy who used to post on a message board I frequent. He went by the nickname of 'Halaster Blackcloak' and it pisses him off to no end that anyone uses level limits. That's why they're in effect in my game."

A Short List of Setting Assumptions

From rpg.net:

A short list of setting assumptions that make D&D work:

1) Adventuring is very, very deadly. Most adventurers fall down holes and die.
2) Mages are rare and secretive. They do not integrate into legitimate power structures; rather they hoard their knowledge from rivals and from a fearful world. The world that had mages mass-conjure and mass enchant now lies in ruins. people loot its' remains, usually dying in the process
3) Peasant is not the default origin. It is younger noble with no inheritance.
4)You are not buying and selling at village smithies. You flog to travelling merchants, nobles, wealthy collectors, wizards and barons.

The Future is Awesome

From a Planet Algol session: "The party accepts a commission from the proprietor of the Lamia's Breath Intoxicating Vapour Lounge in Agog city to recover a runaway synthetic prostitute from a do-gooder hero, Gan-ron the silver man.Their reward for returning the synthetic being 250 gold credits value of Gamma Orichalcum, a soft, highly reactive, radioactive metal that is also a potent hallucinogenic stimulant."

Also, the referee in Mutant Future games is called "Mutant Lord". This may be my new dungeon master title.

An old schooler's take on Dragonlance

There is many things I like with DL:
-- An intolerant order of sorcerers who hunt down all MU who don't want to join and obey.
-- The three orders of knighthood.
-- Draconians.
-- The post-apocalyptic fantasy feel.

There is likewise many things I don't like:
-- Ansalon is too small for my taste (but relatively easy to double all distances)
-- I hate Kenders and Tinker gnomes, I really hate them.
-- I dislike minotaurs and would replace them with Greyhawk's Scarlet Brotherhood.
-- I dislike the timeline after the war of the lance (easily discarded)
-- I dislike priests have no spells during the war of the lance. (Nonetheless, also easily houseruled: priests of ancient deities would have been specialty priests ala 2e, but don't exist anymore. However, druids and clerics are available as PCs, though rare as NPCs; clerics would be akin to later 3e DL mystics.)

Last: I would have the half-orc race being hobgoblins instead, and playable as such in the setting.

Enjoy it. I may never laud Dragonlance again.

Draconians > Dragonborn