What I did with R&B Box D&D

[Dirk Desiato]

I was feeling nolstagic for good ol' Red Box, Blue Box D&D, so I looked through my copies and my old pet-peeve sprang up again. Lack of balance and stuff that does not make sence. I could go back and forth on balance but a few little tweeks and I think I have it sorted out. The "not making sence" stuff mostly had to do with weapons cost/effectiveness. Rather than going crazy, I just implemented a old suggestion that someone said to me a hile ago that I think allows a bit of creativity to the players as to what they are armed with.

Well, here it is:
D&D Stuff

Base Damage
Fighter, Dwarf, Elf: D8
Halfling, Cleric, Thief: D6
Magic User: D4

Weapon Damage Cost Weight Range Notes
Melee Base 5 30 --
Melee Thrown Base 7 30 S5-20M21-40L41-60 Ini if thrown
2H Melee UP 1 10 100 -- Lose Ini
Small Melee Down 1 3 10 S5-10M11-20L21-30 Ini if thrown
Small Ranged Down 1 25 30 S5-50M51-100L101-150 Ini vs Melee
Large Ranged Base 40 30 S5-50M71-140L141-210 Ini vs Melee
Ammo for Ranged 5 -- 20 "Shots"
Silver "Arrow" 30 -- one "Arrow", Does half damage to Magical

1D4 Down 1 = 1D2

Punch 1D2 Lose Ini

AC Conversion

Old New
9 10
8 11
7 12
6 13
5 14
4 15
3 16
2 17
1 18
0 19
-1 20

Page X26 D, E, Half, and T go in C column.

Bonus to hit = Fighter 1-3,0 4-6,+2 7-9,+5 10-12,+7 13-15,+8

All BUT MU 1-4,0 5-8,+2 9-12,+5 13-15,+7

MU 1-5,0 6-10,+2 11-15,+5

All Classes stop at Level 15. Elf magic goes no higher than level 10.

MU: Int +1, +2 add 1 or 2 first level spells.
Int +3 add 1 second level spell when available.
NOT FOR ELVES!

Cleric: Same as MU Int but for Wis. Bonus first level spells are added at first level!


First level characters start at max HP.



I know that looks a mess, it is a copy.

Any comments/questions?

[Constantine XI]

Here's what I've been doing of late for my game set in the Grand Duchy of Karameikos:

~ Legends of Mystara ~

Ability Scores:

Roll 4d6, discarding the lowest die, and assign as desired.

Choose Primes
as per C&C; 3 for humans, 2 for demihumans

Choose Class:

“Core” Class
Fighter (d8)
Cleric (d6)
Magic User (d4)
Thief (special)


Demi-humans
Elf (d6)
Dwarf (d8)
Halfling (d6)

Racial abilities as per C&C

The Importance of Hit Die:

The character’s Hit Die type is used for weapon damage, representing his combat skill and martial training. The Base to Hit (BtH) is determined by calculating THAC0 by class and level, as per Rules Cyclopaedia, and subtracting this number from 20. See Appendix 2: Comparative Bonus to Hit Chart.
The minimum damage a character scores, exclusive of any bonuses, on a successful strike is equal to his BtH. Once BtH exceeds the character’s Hit Die type, then this figure is used instead for damage on a successful hit, to a maximum equal to the weapon’s damage die:

 for a back-up weapon reduce the damage die by one die type;
 for an improvised weapon, reduce the damage die type by two die types;
 for two-handed weapons, or a one-handed weapon used two handed, increase to damage by one die type

For Example: Pyotr, a 5th level Fighter, THACO 17 (BtH: +3) rolls 1d8 for damage with a martial weapon. Any roll of 1 or 2 is treated as a 3 (his BtH). At 9th level (THAC0 14; BtH: +6), any roll of 1,2,3,4,or 5 is treated as a 6. At 12th level (THAC0 12; BtH: +8), a successful hit automatically does a full 8 points of damage.

Hit Die type is also used when rolling initiative. In the case of a tie, the character whose DEX is a Prime wins. Higher DEX score breaks any further deadlocks, otherwise actions are simultaneous

A character may dual- or multi-class only with compatible (DM’s veto) classes with which he has the appropriate Prime, or any other combination allowed by the DM.

Hit Points, Damage, and Recovery:

All characters start with hp equal to CON score. Also determine hp by level (up to level 4, fixed hp progression thereafter, do not add CON bonus). These reflect how much damage the character can take in one hit (massive damage threshold, MDT). Once hp by level exceed CON score, the roles are reversed: CON now reflects the character’s MDT. If the character’s level exceeds the MDT, then this value is used instead, up to a maximum MDT of 20 for PCs

Characters with CON bonus ignore all damage equal to or lower than this bonus. If struck for more than this amount, however, full damage is taken. This is not Damage Reduction.

Any damage over and above the character’s hit points (CON score or by level, as appropriate), is applied directly to the character’s CON score, and he (usually) falls unconscious (roll under current CON score to stay conscious, and to attempt any strenuous activity). Additional CON points are lost, one per round, until stabilised (see below) or dead.

If MDT is equalled or exceeded in one hit, roll a CON check (d20 + level +CON bonus) against (CB 12 or 18) + CL ½ (damage taken). On a failed roll, the character is 0 hit points and dying, losing 1 point of CON per round until dead or stabilised (roll, unmodified, d20 under current CON score, once per minute [6 rounds] to automatically stabilise).


For Example:
A 1st level Fighter with CON 15 (+1) has a MDT of 8 (for d8 hit die type, maximum at 1st level) and 15 hit points (CON score). He ignores any hit that delivers 1 hp or less damage.
If he is struck for 8+ damage in a single hit, he must roll CON check 12 (if Prime) or 18 (if not) + ½ damage sustained or drop to 0 hp immediately and dying.
If total damage exceeds 15 (say 18 points), the balance is applied to his CON score (reduced to 12, and dropping by one point per round until stabilised or dead).
At 3rd level, the same Fighter’s hit points (rolled, say 4 at 2nd level and 6 at 3rd level) equal 17 (8 + 4 + 5), and MDT is now 15 (CON score). MDT is checked if damage from one attack equals or exceeds 15. CON damage is applied if total damage exceeds 17 points.

If you are wounded, you recover 1 point of CON per day of rest, and 1 hp per wound per day of rest, up to your level in hit points (1 hit point minimum). If you are active, you heal 1 hp. After seven days your CON bonus is included as the healing rate speeds up. After 14 days this rate doubles, after 30 days it triples.

Non-lethal damage is recovered at a rate of 1 hp per hour, regardless of activity, until healed. (Once “non-lethal” damage starts to cause CON damage, such damage is considered very much “real”, however.)

Typical Inhabitants:

Not all Men are created equal. Use the following as a very rough guide for the combat capabilities of normal men:

General Classification
hit points/MDT Initiative/ Damage Combat Ability
Sedentary females 3 d3 -3
Sedentary males 4 d4 -2
Active females 4 d4 -1
Active males 5 d4+1 NM
Labouring females 5 d4+1 NM
Labouring males 7 d6+1 NM

These attributes are exclusive of ability score bonuses and bloodline bonuses. Remember, hit points equal CON or MDT as listed, whichever is greater.

With regard to skills/professions, assume a Prime, and bonus of +2 to +10 in relevant, appropriate fields of expertise.

Critical Hits:

On a critical hit (‘natural 20’ which is also 11+ above the number required to hit), you roll double damage + the higher of strength/magic/specialisation bonuses or Bonus to Hit (BtH).

"Helpless” Opponents:

When a character threatens a “helpless opponent” (as defined by the DM), he automatically hits for maximum damage. (A hit roll is still required to determine whether or not a critical is scored; the helpless defender loses initiative and DEX bonus to AC.) In addition to hit point damage, this damage is also applied directly to the helpless defender’s CON score. This affects MDT until CON is restored. (Remember CON bonus isn't added to hp, so there is no need to recalculate hp other than damage taken.)


Multiple Opponents:

For each attacker beyond a character’s attacks per round (usually one), add one to the hit and damage (up to maximum) rolls of all attackers, representing the advantage of superior numbers.

Conversely, Fighters and Demi-humans at who fell one opponent of 1 HD (d6 HD type) or less, may make an immediate attack against another opponent within melee range, once per round. If the character has the Fighter “kit” the combat dominance class feature replaces this ability upon attaining 4th level, as per the standard Castles & Crusades rules, but up to d8 HD type.

Combat Manoeuvres (as C&C):

Dodge: +2 AC bonus against up to three attacks of which you are aware; can be declared any time before your turn, counts as an action.

Evade: +4 AC bonus against one opponent; can be declared any time before your turn, counts as an action.

Disarm: available only to Demi-human, Fighter and Rogue classes and their “kits”. Roll to hit AC 18 + opponent’s level/HD + DEX bonus. This counts as an attack.

Flank/Rear Attack: +1 flank/+2 rear attacks.

Two Weapon Fighting: -3 Primary/-6 Secondary hand; DEX bonus reduces the penalty. Secondary weapon does one die less damage than usual. This can also be applied to multiple ranged attacks (if appropriate): the first is at -3, the second at -6

Disengage: If you hastily disengage (full movement rate), you suffer -2 AC for the entire round, and your opponent gets a free attack (one attack only);
A fighting withdrawal (½ movement rate) allows you to disengage without any AC penalty; you can take no other action in that round.


This has been working well for about a year now in my B10 Night's Dark Terror campaign.

N.

[Bloodcat]

This is what I am doing for my campaign "From Castle Caldwell to Bloodstone", set in Mystara's Grand Duchy of Karameikos. (Cept with 12 gods and no Immortals stuff.)

Im mostly using Moldvay/Cook with some Mentzer and Rules Cyclopedia stuff. My decision is that there may be only 2 printed pages of house rules tacked on. This is page 1. (Note I am not counting the rules for the AD&D classes or AD&D spells as part of the house rules.)

Its working well so far. I still have to come up with the Level 15 rules and some rules for spell scribing and the like that were posted in my Yahoo group but not official house rules yet.

http://content.imagesocket.com/images/D_DHouserules71a.png (http://imagesocket.com/view/D_DHouserules71a.png)

Notice how I have put charts side by side for more room? Fancy huh?