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May 21, 2013, 2:22pm

Original D&D Discussion :: Community :: Delving Deeper RPG :: BHP DD Products :: Advancement in DD RPG

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Topic: Advancement in DD RPG (Read 333 times)

ravenheart87
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Advancement in DD RPG
« Thread Started on May 14, 2012, 7:37am »

I have a few questions about DD.

Do I remember correctly, that the highest level in core DD is 14th?

Does the magic-user get a "bump" around level 6-7 (can't remember correctly) and level up earlier than a fighter?

Is level 9 the "name level" for everyone?

« Last Edit: May 14, 2012, 9:04am by ravenheart87 »

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Finarvyn
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Re: Advancement in DD RPG
« Reply #1 on May 14, 2012, 3:03pm »

I haven't seen the actual rules yet, but with any RPG it's typically easy to extrapolate levels above those listed by simply looking for the pattern and extending it.

The biggest issues tend to be things like (1) how many XP to advance, (2) how many HP or HD when you advance, (3) how many spells when you advance, and (4) what happens to the combat charts when you advance.

For example, with OD&D I tend to use the original white box for spells and the pattern for spell advancement is predictable enough that I could allow character growth as high as I like. Similarly, HD or HP tend to follow their own pattern, XP has a pattern, and combat charts tend to have a pattern. In that way the game never really "caps out" unless the GM wants it to do so.

Having said that, if DD is as close to its source material as I expect it to be, your estimates are probably pretty pretty close. OD&D doesn't have a single unified "name level" but a different one for each class, but many people don't use the level names as Dave did in '72 anyway.

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Cameron DuBeers
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Re: Advancement in DD RPG
« Reply #2 on May 14, 2012, 4:13pm »

Hello Ravenheart, as a co-author of DD I can answer your questions.

Unless there has been a change during the editing/layout phase, all included PC classes include XP progressions to 12th level.

About the "bump", I believe it was addressed by the editor and proof-readers so I can't really answer that question.

We do not, last I checked, include titles for ranks in DD.

Again, the text is in the hands of others and it is entirely possible there have been changes of which I'm not aware.

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Re: Advancement in DD RPG
« Reply #3 on May 14, 2012, 6:06pm »

May 14, 2012, 7:37am, ravenheart87 wrote:

As the editor I can clarify the remaining mysteries...

Yes, 9th level is effectively "name level" for all classes, although DD does not explicitly contain level titles as these are WotC's intellectual property.

Yes, the magic-user advances more quickly than do the other classes through the mid-levels. Of course the exact numbers of experience points required differ from the original for legal reasons, but the general patterns of advancement are maintained.

12th level is the highest level detailed explicitly. As I recall it the fighter, magic-user, cleric and the (optional) thief require 600, 500, 400 and 300 thousand experience points to achieve 12th level, respectively.

Hope this answers your questions

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ravenheart87
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Re: Advancement in DD RPG
« Reply #4 on May 15, 2012, 1:28am »

Thank you for the answers! The "name level" question was about the ability to build stronghold/tower, gather followers, not about titles, but that was answered too.

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Finarvyn
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Re: Advancement in DD RPG
« Reply #5 on May 15, 2012, 2:21pm »

In some of my low-level campaigns I cap out levels around levels 5-6, so stronghold rules would never come into play if I didn't tweak things a little.

I'd say that the GM should consider what level range he or she wants for characters, pick some arbitrary level near the top of the scale, and allow characters to build strongholds and attract hirelings at that level.

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