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<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 6690466" data-attributes="member: 4937"><p>I confess to having done this sort of thing many times before, so it's more of acquired wisdom than it is inherent brilliance.</p><p></p><p>For some reason it was in my head that you were using AD&D rules rather than BECMI, so some of what I suggested would require access to books you probably don't have.</p><p></p><p>If you are fudging rolls, either the M-U was being an idiot and deserved to die or else you are doing it wrong.</p><p></p><p>First level characters are very fragile indeed in BECMI rules and really should not be facing anything that does more than 1d3 damage with an attack. Unless you want to consider the PC's disposable, you should also avoid anything with multiple attacks (unless they do but 1 point of damage) or ranged attacks.</p><p></p><p>Beyond that, even some things that are weak foes are simply too potent to risk. Orcs or bandits for example should be held off until second level in most cases. Even a single one with its longsword, battle axe, or broadsword can kill pretty much any character they face on a lucky hit.</p><p></p><p>What you have to do is focus on really mundane challenges until you can level them up. Unfortunately, this is probably the origin of the old rats in the cellar trope. There are ways to re-skin that sort of thing into a more epic and atmospheric adventure though, and ways to tone down foes so that they are more easily handled (a drunk orc, for example, might be a more surmountable obstacle).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 6690466, member: 4937"] I confess to having done this sort of thing many times before, so it's more of acquired wisdom than it is inherent brilliance. For some reason it was in my head that you were using AD&D rules rather than BECMI, so some of what I suggested would require access to books you probably don't have. If you are fudging rolls, either the M-U was being an idiot and deserved to die or else you are doing it wrong. First level characters are very fragile indeed in BECMI rules and really should not be facing anything that does more than 1d3 damage with an attack. Unless you want to consider the PC's disposable, you should also avoid anything with multiple attacks (unless they do but 1 point of damage) or ranged attacks. Beyond that, even some things that are weak foes are simply too potent to risk. Orcs or bandits for example should be held off until second level in most cases. Even a single one with its longsword, battle axe, or broadsword can kill pretty much any character they face on a lucky hit. What you have to do is focus on really mundane challenges until you can level them up. Unfortunately, this is probably the origin of the old rats in the cellar trope. There are ways to re-skin that sort of thing into a more epic and atmospheric adventure though, and ways to tone down foes so that they are more easily handled (a drunk orc, for example, might be a more surmountable obstacle). [/QUOTE]
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