OD&D + AD&D Players Handbook

[Falconer]

I want to try something in my next campaign. Basically the subject of the thread says it all. The game would run solely on OD&D materials with the addition of the AD&D Players Handbook (1e) in the hands of the players. In a sense it would be “D&D circa 1978”, i.e. before the Dungeon Masters Guide came out (however, I would not use the Monster Manual either).

I like the Players Handbook because it collects so many classes and spells and has a good equipment list. It is a little more complex than I would like, but it’s easy enough to tell players “don’t worry about X”. In other words, its utility outweighs any qualms I have about it.

On the other hand, I have been reading some Judges Guild materials (Verbosh, Ready Ref Sheets Vol I), and there is just something about the OD&D era materials that have a certain magical aura about them. Besides which I don’t like the complexity of AD&D in general.

I don’t know what sort of feedback to expect from this message, just musing aloud. Has anyone tried this or something similar? Would it really be unbalancing at all (PCs too powerful)? What other of issues or questions or options will I run into?

[geoffrey]

For quite a while we gamed with Holmes, the Monster Manual, and the Players Handbook (similar, though not identical, to your plan). It didn't cause us any problems. Basically the only thing we had to ignore were segments. We simply ruled that any spell that took less than a round to cast took one round.

I think you have a winner of a plan, here. IMO, AD&D didn't get overly-complex until the DMG.

[vladtolenkov]

Here's an old discussion where I had a similar notion:

odd74.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=othereditions&action=display&thread=1671

Fin and some of the others made some great suggestions in the above thread.

Oddly, I've now come around to a place where I'm more comfortable with AD&D, but the Player's Handbook is still a pretty amazing book, and I totally get the desire to use it with OD&D or Holmes.

[Finarvyn]

Falconer, interesting that you would propose use of the Player's Handbook but not the Monster Manual.

It's not a bad approach, overall, based on:
1. the PH has better organization than OD&D (OD&D has stuff in multiple books)
2. the PH has more extensive cost charts
3. the PH has a selection of spells my magic-user players like better

I'm a little uncertain about the "ignore certain parts" thing, however. Have you considered downloading a copy of OSRIC and then deleting the parts you would ignore? Then you could give your players something like a "Falconer Player's Handbook" without anything left to ignore. (And if you do this, please send me a copy. )

[kesher]

What other of issues or questions or options will I run into?

What are you thinking about for HP, especially if you're not using the Monster Manual?

[Falconer]

Jun 15, 2010 5:15:28 GMT -6 Finarvyn said:

Falconer, interesting that you would propose use of the Player's Handbook but not the Monster Manual.

Yeah, at the end of the day there isn’t any real reason not to use the MM, except that it’s just another way to keep me immersed in the OD&D booklets.

Jun 15, 2010 5:15:28 GMT -6 Finarvyn said:

I'm a little uncertain about the "ignore certain parts" thing, however. Have you considered downloading a copy of OSRIC and then deleting the parts you would ignore? Then you could give your players something like a "Falconer Player's Handbook" without anything left to ignore. (And if you do this, please send me a copy. )

I have thought about it, but to be honest, it’s a lot of work and expense for very little gain. And besides, I’m sure to change my mind again on things, down the road. At the end of the day, I know the Gygax PHB inside and out, I think it gives the players the right sense of the game, I like the illustrations and the character of Gygax’s language... It’s not perfect, but it’s as close to a Rosetta Stone of D&D as you can get, in my opinion. Anyway, my ability as DM to lean over and say, “don’t worry about X” only demonstrates my mastery of the game and usually just makes me seem magnanimous towards the players anyway.

Jun 15, 2010 7:16:43 GMT -6 kesher said:

What are you thinking about for HP, especially if you're not using the Monster Manual?

Hit dice for characters would be per the PHB. Hid dice for monsters would be d8, which is the same in Greyhawk as it is in the Monster Manual, so I don’t anticipate any problems there.