D&D 1E Favorite Obscure Rules from TSR-era D&D

[Quickleaf]

Totally can grok how it's just what some are looking for. But for me, it's just more bookkeeping on my end as GM. The juice aint worth the squeezing, but ymmv.

Yep, I gotcha. What are your thoughts on the B/X and AD&D five saving throw model? I was reading Dolmenwood which uses the similar idea with just more universal / easier-to-grasp names. It struck me that D&D has had so many saving throws, and it seemed a bit like that XP progression as a sort of vestigial organ that added more bookkeeping for little payoff.

 

[Professor Murder]

Yep, I gotcha. What are your thoughts on the B/X and AD&D five saving throw model? I was reading Dolmenwood which uses the similar idea with just more universal / easier-to-grasp names. It struck me that D&D has had so many saving throws, and it seemed a bit like that XP progression as a sort of vestigial organ that added more bookkeeping for little payoff.

Honestly for me the best version of saves was 3rd. Reflex/Fortitude/Willpower. The old school saves were rather arbitrary in classifications in my experience. But then again, I don't much care for old school design due to the disparate systems. The advent of 3rd ed / d20 with a central system for resolution is just very key for me in terms of game design.

 

[overgeeked]

And then there were groups that used benchmark leveling. And everyone was the same level, even the cleric and rogue. I never played with benchmark leveling back in the day, but we has campaigns where "everyone starts at level X" which was benchmark leveling, but only before the game actually started.

I’d never heard of that until 4E or 5E. We always did set XP when starting at higher level, not a specific level. It just didn’t make sense to do otherwise.

 

[Mannahnin]

And then there were groups that used benchmark leveling. And everyone was the same level, even the cleric and rogue. I never played with benchmark leveling back in the day, but we has campaigns where "everyone starts at level X" which was benchmark leveling, but only before the game actually started.

I’d never heard of that until 4E or 5E. We always did set XP when starting at higher level, not a specific level. It just didn’t make sense to do otherwise.

Indeed. I just started running another 10,000xp limited series (not a one shot; probably two or three sessions) adventure using B/X, and it's a nice xp break point. Elves are 3rd level, Thieves are 5th (and I house rule them two ways to improve them) and everyone else is 4th.

 

[Maxperson]

Yeah but don't forget that if you want to backstab a giant you might have to be on a ledge or have a ladder handy.

That's why you backstab with a ballista.

 

[Mannahnin]

That's why you backstab with a ballista.

Yet another virtue of B/X.

 

[Maxperson]

Yet another virtue of B/X.

 

[James Gasik]

And then there were groups that used benchmark leveling. And everyone was the same level, even the cleric and rogue. I never played with benchmark leveling back in the day, but we has campaigns where "everyone starts at level X" which was benchmark leveling, but only before the game actually started.

I had many DM's who were too lazy to calculate XP (and some who felt the 2e XP system was too slow for their tastes), so it wasn't unusual to be told "and everyone goes up a level". I didn't give it much thought at the time, but that really feels unfair to some classes.

Not the Cleric though. The Cleric had way too much power to level up as fast as they did.

 

[James Gasik]

That's why you backstab with a ballista.

Club, dagger, or sword in 1e. Definitely a melee weapon in 2e. That only worked in The Gamers!

 

[Maxperson]

Club, dagger, or sword in 1e. Definitely a melee weapon in 2e. That only worked in The Gamers!

But it WAS funny!