Playing OD&D with Hardcovers

[murquhart72]

It's been a while since I've had a chance to read my books, but I recall stating once that OD&D with all it's supplements and TSR issues is pretty much AD&D. Besides an increase in some hit dice and minor changes, what differences do you think would come up if I were to play a game of OD&D using only the first few AD&D hardbacks?
Reason I'm asking is my GF and I will be living out of a VW Beetle soon and while we're huddled together in the snow, we'll have plenty of time for play, but no real storage. I want to leave my OD&D stuff in storage, but still have something old and portable. The AD&D books came to mind, especially that they were written by the same dude and are so similar.
Just an opening for discussion I guess

[Aplus]

Given your situation, I would recommend just printing up some play copies of OD&D! (They are much smaller than AD&D books)

Your girlfriend must love you a lot!

[coffee]

OD&D gives you just enough to get that old imagination really sailing.

AD&D gives you enough to sink it to the bottom of the lake.

Your mileage may vary, of course, but I find AD&D to be bloated with a bunch of 'options' that I have no interest in ever using. The DMG is a great read for inspiration, but it's nightmarish to use as an active game reference.

(I don't want to sound like I'm edition-bashing; I've played more AD&D than any other edition (and am still in a game). I just would never be able to run it because of the bloat.)

But the important thing is to have fun with it, no matter which version you use.

[talysman]

If you're really really familiar with the structure of the three core AD&D books, and if you prefer the hit dice progression from Greyhawk/AD&D, then you can pretty much play OD&D style with AD&D by changing the following:
PHB

• drop ability score minimums for the four main classes (F/MU/C/T);
  
• drop specific percentages for racial skills (dwarves can detect new stonework, period, no roll needed, etc.);
  
• ignore most of the restrictions for dual classing, except ability score minimums;
  
• ignore weapon speed factors and AC adjustments, unless you use those currently;
  
• ignore casting times and spell components;
  
• ignore spell ranges that vary with casting level;
  
• ignore any other tables desired.

DMG

• ignore pretty much every table other than combat and saving throws (just wing it if you need the info.)

Experience is tricky, because Greyhawk's table is pretty AD&D-like, but the pre-Greyhawk method is also popular. You have to make a personal call on which you prefer.

[Zenopus]

Oct 5, 2011 17:13:01 GMT -6 talysman said:

If you're really really familiar with the structure of the three core AD&D books, and if you prefer the hit dice progression from Greyhawk/AD&D, then you can pretty much play OD&D style with AD&D by changing the following:

Sounds like how I played AD&D through most of the 80's!

[amalric]

Oct 5, 2011 19:29:41 GMT -6 Zenopus said:

Oct 5, 2011 17:13:01 GMT -6 talysman said:

If you're really really familiar with the structure of the three core AD&D books, and if you prefer the hit dice progression from Greyhawk/AD&D, then you can pretty much play OD&D style with AD&D by changing the following:

Sounds like how I played AD&D through most of the 80's!

Ditto! ;D

[mythmere]

When you're playing with all the supplements, the differences with AD&D are pretty subtle, but there are a lot of them. Mostly its a matter of nuance or simplicity rather than something starkly and obviously different. So, I'd photocopy your OD&D books and use those. Ordinarily I'd say to print out a copy of Swords & Wizardry, but the full-supplement version isn't free, unfortunately, just the one that goes up to Supplement 1: GH and the one that's based on the LBBs only. S&W is worth it if you're playing OD&D for the first time or want faster reference, since the supplements are codified together instead of separate, but if you've already got the full set of OD&D books to copy, and you're familiar enough to use them, then that's the better approach, IMO.

If you play with the AD&D books, you're almost 100% likely to end up playing AD&D just because the distinctions tend to be so subtle.

[murquhart72]

I think what I'm trying to go for here is (because OD&D is pretty much hardwired into my brain): an OD&D game, but using the tougher, yet still old, AD&D books to use as reference; As well as using things I like from AD&D to drop into a game I've just about memorized. Kind of like using AD&D as a reference work for OD&D with all it's supplementary material...
Or, I just don't know what I'm talking about and/or know what I want... Maybe just grab B/X and used those two booklets?
Kinda thought streaming here...

[Finarvyn]

In many ways, OD&D is an attitude more than a set of rules. I've had times when I have used my AD&D rulebooks for reference, other times C&C, or the Rules Cyclopedia, or my B/X books, or S&W Whitebox ... the exact rulebook doesn't really matter much to me and I mix monsters from one rules set with character options from another without much problem.

The key is that most of the later rules sets have specific rules for more situations, so I just ignore a lot of that stuff. Basically, if I can't recall a rule during play I just "wing it" instead of slowing things down. That's the OD&D way!

I'd say use whichever rules set you have handy and enjoy!

[Sean Michael Kelly]

Oct 6, 2011 13:04:07 GMT -6 Finarvyn said:

In many ways, OD&D is an attitude more than a set of rules. I've had times when I have used my AD&D rulebooks for reference, other times C&C, or the Rules Cyclopedia, or my B/X books, or S&W Whitebox ... the exact rulebook doesn't really matter much to me and I mix monsters from one rules set with character options from another without much problem.

The key is that most of the later rules sets have specific rules for more situations, so I just ignore a lot of that stuff. Basically, if I can't recall a rule during play I just "wing it" instead of slowing things down. That's the OD&D way!

I'd say use whichever rules set you have handy and enjoy!

Exactly where I'm coming from as well. There are times I pull stuff out of all kinds of systems. (at times, I ask the players opinion, at others.... over-rule!) Sometimes I use a standard deck of playing cards to manage initiative for large encounters (a la Savage Worlds), or I may throw some strange curve-ball from a different system, like giving them an exploding die rule (with limiting conditions). It's a game! Make it fun!

[kenmeister]

Oct 5, 2011 12:16:02 GMT -6 murquhart72 said:

Reason I'm asking is my GF and I will be living out of a VW Beetle soon and while we're huddled together in the snow, we'll have plenty of time for play, but no real storage.

I recommend making babies.

[Falconer]

Yeah, I wouldn’t sweat the differences. You know what subsystems to leave out of the AD&D 3 cores to make it OD&D-like. If you’re going to use all the Supplements and TSRs, the convenience and awesome content of the AD&D 3 cores is worth the nebulous supposed loss of creativity and slight change in flavor it would cost.

[Deleted]

Oct 6, 2011 13:04:07 GMT -6 Finarvyn said:

In many ways, OD&D is an attitude more than a set of rules.

Ding! Winner.

[blackbarn]

I suggest going with only dice, blank paper and pencils, making your own rules up as you go, based on what you have already memorized from OD&D over the years, and coming up with your own game variant suited to how you play. Let us know how it went, and share your unique game rules when it's over!

[talysman]

Oct 10, 2011 17:23:11 GMT -6 blackbarn said:

I suggest going with only dice, blank paper and pencils, making your own rules up as you go, based on what you have already memorized from OD&D over the years, and coming up with your own game variant suited to how you play.

There's that as a possibility. I don't know why I didn't post a link before to a post I wrote about what you need to know to play OD&D. Basically, how to define five things. Once you know that, you can steal a couple tables from multiple sources and play without any formal rules at all, and you're playing D&D.