Post by tavis on Aug 26, 2010 22:39:10 GMT -6
Others may have noted this before, but the section on item saving throws seems to me like a pretty direct survival from Chainmail to Arneson's 14 pages of notes to OD&D:
Things that I think point in this direction:
- "Those items not listed should be assumed automatically destroyed" seems to me to be Gygax making a ruling to deal with the fact that Arneson had just put these items on a chart & no others, either because they were exemplars or because they were the only ones in the game when the chart was made
- the idea that lightning and fire are diametrically opposed only makes sense in a game where these are the two things wizards can hurl
- unlike the item save tables in AD&D, but like Chainmail, this assumes the only kinds of damage you'll need to worry about will come from weapons, fireballs, dragon fire, and lightning (from bolts or dragons)
- the AD&D tables are different in many ways, from how often you save for items (when you fail a save vs. when you die) to what the range of rolls is - the OD&D chart has no numbers you couldn't generate on 3d6, while the AD&D one has plenty of 1s, 2s, 19s, and 20s - which suggests to me a Gygaxian replacement for an early Arnesonian rule, rather than just an iterative revision
Magical items will, during the course of play, be struck by various forms of weapons. For the sake of simplicity it is generally easier to assume they survive unharmed if their wearer/user is not killed (exception, helms). If the wearer is killed, or the items are alone, throw for them on the following table if struck by fire (Dragon or Ball) or lightning (Dragon or Bolt). Those items not listed should be assumed automatically destroyed.
Magical Items Saving Throws (Roll with a twenty-side die)
Item Saving Throw
Ring of Fire Resistance 10*
Ring of Protection 12
Wands of Fire Ball and Lightning Bolt 14**
Staff of Power 10
Staff of Wizardry 12
Magic Armor +1 14
Shield +2 12
Weapon +3 10
* minus 2 if hit by lightning so saving throw becomes 12 or better.
**minus 2 if hit by the opposite weapon it throws (fire-lightning and vice versa), so saving throw becomes 16 or better.
Magical Items Saving Throws (Roll with a twenty-side die)
Item Saving Throw
Ring of Fire Resistance 10*
Ring of Protection 12
Wands of Fire Ball and Lightning Bolt 14**
Staff of Power 10
Staff of Wizardry 12
Magic Armor +1 14
Shield +2 12
Weapon +3 10
* minus 2 if hit by lightning so saving throw becomes 12 or better.
**minus 2 if hit by the opposite weapon it throws (fire-lightning and vice versa), so saving throw becomes 16 or better.
Things that I think point in this direction:
- "Those items not listed should be assumed automatically destroyed" seems to me to be Gygax making a ruling to deal with the fact that Arneson had just put these items on a chart & no others, either because they were exemplars or because they were the only ones in the game when the chart was made
- the idea that lightning and fire are diametrically opposed only makes sense in a game where these are the two things wizards can hurl
- unlike the item save tables in AD&D, but like Chainmail, this assumes the only kinds of damage you'll need to worry about will come from weapons, fireballs, dragon fire, and lightning (from bolts or dragons)
- the AD&D tables are different in many ways, from how often you save for items (when you fail a save vs. when you die) to what the range of rolls is - the OD&D chart has no numbers you couldn't generate on 3d6, while the AD&D one has plenty of 1s, 2s, 19s, and 20s - which suggests to me a Gygaxian replacement for an early Arnesonian rule, rather than just an iterative revision
