3.5 Rules, 1E Feel

[Remathilis]

A lot of what's been discussed is good advice, but let me give one obvious one.

Run the game like you would a 1e game.

The problem with threads like this is that no one exactly agrees on that "1e feel" since no one ran 1e the same way. So, take the flavorful elements of 1e that attract you to it (not the mechanical ones) and mix them in.

Did you love the sprawling dungeons with death-traps and glorious treasure? There are plenty of those to go around (You already have DCC 35, so you are familiar with Goodman Games. Almost all of there modules are classic dungeon crawls). WotC was even nice enough to convert Tomb of Horrors and White Plume Mountain for you!

Did your game focus on wilderness exploration? Make good use out of Frostburn, Sandstorm, etc's expanded terrain rules. Or get a good old map and hexplore away!

Make sure you only use monsters that fit the 1e model (IE either classics from myth and fantasy or modeled after cheap plastic toys.) I'd shy away from half-anythings, but definitely focus on horde monsters, demons/devils, giants, and dragons.

Not enough? Ok. Limit some class/race combos. Stick with the PHB + a few choice selections from beyond core. Remove item creation feats.

Lastly, make sure you tell your players you want to run this old school and ask them to contribute. You might be surprised to see what they think "1e feel" is.

Oh, and 4d6, drop the lowest six times. Arrange to taste. Lets roll.

 

[Reynard]

Did your game focus on wilderness exploration? Make good use out of Frostburn, Sandstorm, etc's expanded terrain rules. Or get a good old map and hexplore away!

How i wish DCC #35's beautiful huge maps had hexes!

Lastly, make sure you tell your players you want to run this old school and ask them to contribute. You might be surprised to see what they think "1e feel" is.

Luckily we've played 3.5 together AND 1E together, so we all know where everyone's coming from.

Oh, and 4d6, drop the lowest six times. Arrange to taste. Lets roll.

4d6, drop the lowest, in order -- swap 2 stat positions.

 

[S'mon]

I've done this with my last two 3e campaigns. The main things I've found beneficial:

1. No buying magic items above 3,000gp. Cap sales too, don't give huge awards unless appropriate.
2. NPC demographics: NPCs go from level 1-10 or 1-12, not 1-20. Plan to run the campaign to this level, or do 'epic' plane-hopping etc.
3. XP: Half XP is good. BUT don't reduce treasure! Roll it up randomly. With no purchase of major items, the PCs will accummulate a bunch of weird stuff.
4. Keep an eye on non-core spells, feats, prestige classes etc.

 

[Remathilis]

How i wish DCC #35's beautiful huge maps had hexes!

You're in luck. Just print this link on a piece of transparency paper on an inkjet printer (available at your local office store) and viola!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'll play Devil's Salmon...

Were I trying to run 3.5 more like I ran earlier editions, I'd:

1) Keep using the minis, AoOs and run the game until it reached a natural stopping point- no arbitrary level limits. Roll your stats, 4d6 drop the lowest (possible re-roll 1's, if you're generous).

2) Let PCs buy magic items, but availability is random. Players ask the shopkeeper if he has __________, and the DM makes a randomized check.

3) Use PrCls- they're like Kits, but better. In keeping with the "old-school feel," though, I'd limit each PC to one PrCl. Caveat Emptor!

4) Keep the buff spells- they first popped up in 2Ed.

5) Limit the number of books used for the campaign- a typical way to do that is Core + Completes. A few DMs in our group limit it slightly further by not allowing any of the classes from the Completes.

6) I'd keep Psionics- they date back at least to the 1Ed PHB, and really, the 3Ed incarnation of the Psi rules are pretty much the best and most balanced.

7) Either beef up the Bard's HD and give him some access to the Druid spell list or make players who want to play bards use the multiclass rules to make them. (Bards were an optional class combining several classes.)

8) Use the Gestalting rules for non-human multiclassing, and the standard multiclassing rules for Human multiclassing. If this is done, the PC must have exceptional key stats in the classes in which they multiclass (typically 16+).

Well, with the exception of the last two, I do almost all of that already. I don't limit the # of PrCls a PC can have, though, but I do make sure that the PC has a good in-campaign (IOW, non-min-maxing the mechanics) reason for taking the PrCl.

weapons of speed don't exist

What? Why? Those are classic old-school weapons!

 

[Greg K]

I'll play Devil's Salmon...

6) I'd keep Psionics- they date back at least to the 1Ed PHB, and really, the 3Ed incarnation of the Psi rules are pretty much the best and most balanced.

Then, I would go with GR's Psychic's HB[/QUOTE]

 

[Greg K]

I forgot about equipment:

No spiked chains, elven thinblades, etc.
No sunrods, tanglefoot bags,etc.
No halfling riding dogs.

and, I would get either the Dragon issue with Ari's polearm article which reintroduces several polearms and/or From Stone to Steel.

 

[S'mon]

Pick up Wilderlands of High Fantasy if you can.....best "old school" 3.5 product in existence, IMHO.

RC

Yeah - maybe get Caverns of Thracia too. The Players' Guide is nice, as is CSIO.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I forgot about equipment:

No sunrods, tanglefoot bags,etc.

While we didn't have those, we did expand the alchemical weapons available in game beyond mere firebombs. The players had to think of them, though.

No halfling riding dogs.

We always had some kind of creature for smaller stature PC races to ride- dogs, ponies, wolves, etc.

and, I would get either the Dragon issue with Ari's polearm article which reintroduces several polearms and/or From Stone to Steel.

That plus a couple of other polearm articles were unified into a single section of DCv1...along with a bunch of nice polearm (and other tasty) feats.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

Remathilis is correct. First and foremost remember that it's not what edition you run but how you run it. Add, delete and change rules willingly.

For my own part, I'd institute race/class combination limitations from 1E/2E. Let PC's advance unrestricted but multiclass combinations must conform to what was allowed in 1E/2E. Paladins, Monks, and Druids are human-only. Humans don't multiclass - or rather if they do they must conform to dual-class qualification requirements and limitations. You multiclass out of paladin into something else and you NEVER advance as paladin again.

Cut xp gain/level advancement by at least half.

Reintroduce 0-level NPC's as the vast bulk of the population. Assume that title/name level is a practical upper limit - leveled NPC's are RARELY going to exceed around 10th level. Accordingly, assume knowledge of ANY magic which incorporates spells above 5th level simply does not exist except as a mere theoretical possibility. If it ever was possible it isn't now. Any monster with capabilities beyond that point is complete conjecture - most such will never even have been heard of and those that have are universally understood to be legends/tall tales/extinct.