Recent content by Mannahnin

This is how I'd run it. Shield-punching isn't that unwieldy (depending on the angle/nature of the handle and strapping, if any), but it's a blunt implement and doesn't get the same leverage most weapons do. I would not rule that attacking with the shield loses the AC bonus, but it'd be in...

Ghouls are absolutely the toughest monster among the low level stuff (Carrion Crawlers honorable mention) in B/X. They're super nasty and punch well above their weight class with three attacks causing paralysis. I usually only require a given victim to have to save a maximum once per round...

Death Saves taken while at 0 is a concept which was introduced in 4th ed*. I think the idea was to create additional suspense, rather than the steady, predictable effect of bleeding at 1HP per round until death finally occurs at -10, like in 3E. Probably because of the scaling ever-increasing...

Pretty sure you didn't mention 2E at all; but I could be having a reading comprehension issue, I suppose.

I expect that a lot of folks unsatisfied with death at zero simplified Gygax's original death's door rule, and then 2E just codified the simplification. And that the prevalence of usage for this optional rule is what led to WotC making it core in 3E (though they also removed the...

As Colville terms it, "The wangrod defense". :ROFLMAO:

It's my recollection that 2nd ed codified the Death's Door optional rule of death being at -10, with the 1hp/rd bleed, rather than at zero. This was a simplification and expansion of Gygax's optional rule from the 1E DMG, still presented as optional, but used at every table at which I...

TBF, Lloyd Alexander/the Prydain books won a Newbery Award, so they certainly shouldn't be obscure. But I'm certainly happy to see folks talking about them. :)

Because this one is categorically different? The wording is clear, and consistent across the three major "time of damage" categories (instant, entry & start of turn, and end of turn). IMO it's just folks' preconceptions getting in the way and making them think every AoE should cause damage...

Earthsea was definitely above my head at the age I read it; I found A Wizard of Earthsea challenging, and really struggled with the next two. I'm planning to re-read them this year, though.

Personally I'm not a fan of the way BECM and RC stretched progression over 36 levels. I think it was a poorly thought out choice, which really only works for folks who play a TON, and expect to regularly play at high levels. For most of us, most of those levels are wasted space, and the poor...

I really dug them as a kid, though Taren Wanderer was over my head in parts. It's so, so good, though.

Perhaps the best and cleanest Sage Advice explanation I've seen in this edition.

Does she? My understanding was that all her JG stuff was done work for hire, and she's never owned any of it. I heard that Goodman bought the rights to Dark Tower, but not that she has any of her other stuff. It would be wonderful if so.

I keep it one casting roll in 5TD. Though after a few months of play I changed the rules so it isn't a miscast on EVERY failed spell. It's only a full miscast in my game if you miss the roll by 5 or more, or roll a 1 on the casting roll in any event.