Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2014 6:52:24 GMT -6
Hello fellow old-schoolers!
I bought the Original D&D some time ago, and I finally have the time to read them.
I will be asking your opinion on a couple of conumdrums as I read the first three booklets front to back.
My first question:
How am I supposed to interpret the combat matrix? Do magic-users and clerics only advance on the combat matrix after their first couple of levels? Do they advance one step in the combat matrix, or four at once after gaining the necessary level?
Thanks for your time
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jeff
Level 4 Theurgist
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Post by jeff on Oct 2, 2014 7:18:11 GMT -6
In regards to the combat matrix on p. 19 of M&M.
I believe it signifies that a level 1-5 Magic User is equivalent to a level 1-3 Fighting Man, a level 6-10 Magic User is equivalent to a level 4-6 Fighting Man, and so forth. Likewise, a level 1-4 Cleric is equivalent to a level 1-3 Fighting Man, a level 5-8 Cleric is equivalent to a level 4-6 Fighting Man, and so forth.
Thus, a 7th level Cleric rolls a d20 and scores a 14. He will successfully hit a target with an Armor Class of 3 or higher (i.e. worse).
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Post by oakesspalding on Oct 2, 2014 7:19:28 GMT -6
You go step by step, but the steps get 'wider' as you go from Fighting-Man to Cleric to Magic-User. Fighting-Men advance a step at 4th, Clerics at 5th and so on.
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Post by Merctime on Oct 2, 2014 8:36:48 GMT -6
Welcome to the boards, by the way, @jonasaap! I trust you will enjoy your stay. I'm sure that many questions will be answered to your benefit and pleasure, although people other than me may have to do it! I'm still reasonably new to OD&D like (I assume) you are. Fight On!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2014 10:36:06 GMT -6
This doesn't really fit in here, but making a whole new thread seemed a bit overblown to me.
How would you, considering that the campaign is set in Middle-Earth as we know it in LOTR (Dangers on the road, armies and warriors are quite commonplace) arm Thorin Oakenshield & Company?
I'm not saying they should carry or wear loads of armor, but I think that if Professor Tolkien had finished his rewrite of the Hobbit, he would have given the Dwarves more than just small knives in terms of weaponry.
Your thoughts are very welcome, I've been brooding on this for a month now!
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Post by scottenkainen on Dec 18, 2014 11:00:41 GMT -6
Tolkien knew that all weapons did 1-6 damage, so there was no reason for the dwarves to carry anything better than knives.
~Scott "-enkainen" Casper
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2014 11:22:30 GMT -6
I'm doing it for flavor, too. I rather wouldn't face down orcs with spears with only a knife.
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Post by tetramorph on Dec 18, 2014 13:40:07 GMT -6
I don't know. I always picture dwarves with war hammers and battle axes. Until they discover the troll's lair and, after looting it, find all that elven weaponry. Rad.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2014 2:01:58 GMT -6
If I were going to play in Middle Earth I'd use a different rule set; magic in OD&D is nothing like Middle Earth magic. I know there are a lot of Tolkienesque critters in OD&D, but they're there because we harassed the $hit out of Gary until he included them. OD&D is much more inspired in play by Fafhrd & the Mouser and Dying Earth. Gary's opinion on "Lord of the Rings" was "Bah! Stupid hobbits!"
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Post by tkdco2 on Dec 19, 2014 2:47:08 GMT -6
There is a Middle Earth section here on these boards, along with several ideas on adapting it to OD&D (or vice versa). Lots of good ideas there.
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Post by Finarvyn on Jan 10, 2015 8:10:50 GMT -6
How about this: interpret the "dwarven knife" as being more similar to a short sword. It's not like they are carrying around a swiss army pocket-knife or something like that, assume it's a decent-sized blade.
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Post by Finarvyn on Jan 10, 2015 8:37:49 GMT -6
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Post by Vile Traveller on Jan 10, 2015 10:27:45 GMT -6
How about this: interpret the "dwarven knife" as being more similar to a short sword. It's not like they are carrying around a swiss army pocket-knife or something like that, assume it's a decent-sized blade. The dwarven Messer:
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Post by geoffrey on Jan 10, 2015 11:29:10 GMT -6
If I were going to play in Middle Earth I'd use a different rule set; magic in OD&D is nothing like Middle Earth magic. I know there are a lot of Tolkienesque critters in OD&D, but they're there because we harassed the $hit out of Gary until he included them. OD&D is much more inspired in play by Fafhrd & the Mouser and Dying Earth. Gary's opinion on "Lord of the Rings" was "Bah! Stupid hobbits!" I like to mix The Hobbit and the Wilderlands. Imagine The Hobbit's map as sitting alongside the western edges of the maps of the Elphand Lands and Viridistan (even as the Blackmoor map sits directly north of Valon and the Valley of the Ancients), which would put the eastern Iron Hills in the Elphand Lands. Perhaps the Iron Hills could be equated with the Nizir Hills. After all, "nizir" is the dwarven word for "iron". (Yes, I made that up.) In other words, inject an immense amount of swords & sorcery into The Hobbit (while totally ignoring all of Tolkien's other stuff), and use OD&D for the rules.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2016 10:02:59 GMT -6
Hey folks, been a while.
After a bit of a hiatus playing D&D (Ran a couple of Call of Cthulhu sessions) I'm back to D&D.
My previous adventure was fun, but my dungeon was a bit too simple, and the plot non-existent. I'm essentially starting from scratch, the game world will be firmly my own creation, but for now all I need is dungeon. I'll get the pc's together in a roadside tavern, traveling home after the previous session.
Is there anything inspirational to whip up a good dungeon?
Thanks!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2016 12:01:55 GMT -6
NO PLOT!!! NO PLOT NO PLOT NO PLOT!!!!!!!
Make a world the PCs can explore. What happens is what happens.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2016 12:53:56 GMT -6
Yes sir!
I wrote down a few random ideas after dinner:
The tavern I mentioned above was expecting a shipment of ale. The cart never arrived. There has been a series of cabbage thefts on a nearby farm; snares were set but not rabbits were caught.... could it tbe the mystical wer-rabbit? A known thief has escaped from his cell with a stolen masterkey. He took some of his old loot and hid somwhere upriver. Near an old abandoned temple (think early mediëval style; not quite a church, but not quite Greek pantheon either) strange lights were seen,and harsh voices were heard.
Now; my first thought was to let a bunch of gnolls or kobolds tunnel through the temple floor and raid the ale transport. Drunk as can be they got careless, and so they will attract the adventurers. Maybe the tunnel system under the temple is very extensive and filled with creatures worse than gnolls?
Any fun ideas are welcome!
(I assume this isn't too plot-heavy,Gronan?
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