D&D 1E Common House Rules for AD&D?

[Voadam]

We ditched level limits, and instead gave humans +1 to any one ability score and the ability to multiclass (with a fairly generous list of allowed combinations). We added dex bonus to initiative (or subtracted - lower was better, right?), and did max hp at first level. Probably some other stuff I am forgetting, it is over 20 years since I last played AD&D.

That was for 2e (with bits and pieces of BECMI brought across from time to time - mostly monsters). I never played 1e.

We also did "dead at -10 hp" ("hovering at death's door"), but I cannot remember if that was a house rule or an official variant we switched on. 2e had a lot of those.

_
glass.

2e had a d10 based init where lower was better and bigger weapons and higher level spells generally added more to the roll.

1e had d6 init with a lot of complications but high was good.

2e had dead at -10, while 1e had if you hit 0 exactly you were unconscious and not dead and losing 1 hp/round until -10 and dead if untreated. Otherwise dead at -1.

 

[Mannahnin]

We ditched level limits, and instead gave humans +1 to any one ability score and the ability to multiclass (with a fairly generous list of allowed combinations). We added dex bonus to initiative (or subtracted - lower was better, right?), and did max hp at first level. Probably some other stuff I am forgetting, it is over 20 years since I last played AD&D.

That was for 2e (with bits and pieces of BECMI brought across from time to time - mostly monsters). I never played 1e.

We also did "dead at -10 hp" ("hovering at death's door"), but I cannot remember if that was a house rule or an official variant we switched on. 2e had a lot of those.

Dex giving a reaction adjustment which subtracted from your initiative roll (lower was better) was a core 2E rule.

Death's Door / at -10 HP was an optional rule in the DMG but everyone I ever played with used it.

 

[glass]

Dex giving a reaction adjustment which subtracted from your initiative roll (lower was better) was a core 2E rule.

No it wasn't. It was an extremely common (sometimes accidental) house rule, but RAW reaction adjustment added to your surprise rolls rather than subtracting from initiative - I just checked. (Unless it is hidden somewhere other than the description of reaction adjustment in the PHB).

_
glass.

 

[Voadam]

No it wasn't. It was an extremely common (sometimes accidental) house rule, but RAW reaction adjustment added to your surprise rolls rather than subtracting from initiative - I just checked. (Unless it is hidden somewhere other than the description of reaction adjustment in the PHB).

_
glass.

Yeah, I just checked in my PDF of the revised 2e PH. Dex reaction adjustment is not listed in the optional individual initiative modifiers the way weapon speed and spell casting time from tables 55 and 56 on page 123.

The entry on Dexterity on page 20 in the Ability Score section makes explicit that the reaction modifier applies to being surprised.

"Reaction Adjustment modifies the die roll to see if a character is surprised when he unexpectedly encounters NPCs. The more positive the modifier, the less likely the character is to be surprised."

I really wish the original 2e PH was available in PDF. I remember using a dex modifier to be quicker on initiative in 2e. I never had the revised version in print.

 

[Musing Mage]

In 1st Edition, Dexterity does add to your personal initiative if you're using missile weapons specifically... perhaps that's what you were thinking of? Maybe a 2e game you played used this rule?

 

[Mannahnin]

Well, heck.

Shows how good my memory is.

Thanks, guys.

 

[Lanefan]

Very early on we completely took out Dexterity modifiers from initiative (and at the same time completely stripped out the 1e-RAW initiative system and replaced it with our own somewhat-simpler version) and haven't really missed it - Dex already has enough going for it as a stat, it doesn't need that too.

 

[John R Davis]

Yep. As a round is so long the thinking in the books is a slight dex bonus would be irrelevant so isn't used

It's very important in surprise

After a 30 year gap we are back playing 1st Ad&d again

We adore weapon v AC adjustments.

House rules we are using.
-Max hp level 1
-Double damage on a 20
-Something bad on a 1.
-Dead at -10
-May fiddle demi human class max in due course

 

[Emirikol]

Yep. As a round is so long the thinking in the books is a slight dex bonus would be irrelevant so isn't used

It's very important in surprise

After a 30 year gap we are back playing 1st Ad&d again

We adore weapon v AC adjustments.

I always liked weapon vs ac and our character generators (written in Basic) accounted for them instantly.
I recall my favorite weapon was morning star because it was outstanding to all ACs. 2d4 damage was decent too. Not as good vs larger though.

 

[John R Davis]

Indeed.

Footmans Flail for me! ( As I always played something a bit clericy!!!)

It adds real flavour to the game but doesn't really slow it.

Am really happy how the sessions are going..nice for the " answer" to be in the players head and not on the character sheet, for the most part.