Search results

I think it depends on the approach you're trying to introduce. If you're just looking to quickly "set the hook" on playing the game, winging an exciting combat and using a lot of behind the scenes funneling and such works with just about any system, including B/X. However, I think Bullgrit...

I went to Archon back in the 80s, but then didn't go to any conventions for a couple of decades or so. Last year I went to Owl Con (although I didn't register for any games, just ran a pick-up OD&D game and checked out Lou Zocchi's booth) and to the first North TX RPG Con, which was a total...

My 13 year old son loves to play, and wishes we would play more often. He's making his own dungeon (with Labyrinth Lord rules) that he runs, sometimes., but usually when he plays, I run the game. My daughters are 10 and 7. They've tried D&D, but quickly get bored with it. However, I recently...

Level limits never bothered me, but I'm not fond of demihuman PCs, in any case. I like a *very* humanocentric world, where non-humans races are more like monsters (and are rare and don't mix with human society). I think my next campaign will probably sidestep the entire issue by using all...

I use a mix of die rolls and descriptive search, and like Ant, often have successful die rolls "focus in" on something. I don't use a one-size-fits-all approach; exactly how I handle it depends on the situation. If the players say "we carefully search the room" I'll mark of the turns required...

Here's the wording of the rest rule from the original D&D rules:

This is a serious game.

Yeah, I think B/X combat works well with DM rulings like this that seem appropriate for the actions the characters and monsters are taking. Another example is stuff like two groups charging together "meeting in the middle" rather than a more by the book "side A moves, then side B moves" approach.

Were you using the "rest 1 turn in 6" rule? Just curious. Also, I know you mentioned that you didn't use reaction checks. Did you ever feel the need the use distance rolls, or did you do that based on what seemed appropriate for the situation? (As a side comment, in OD&D, you check distance...

Huh. In Original D&D, the Thief (once the class was added) skill is remove trap, without any special chance to find traps. And the ability is only "remove small trap devices (such as poisoned needles)." What's really amusing is that the 1st level B/X Thief has a 10% chance to Find Trap as a...

The different ways DMs handle pit traps always interest me. I know you're going for as much of a "by the book" approach as you can, but I like to vary the way pit traps work (and their chances for opening). Also, I've had some PCs use a pole as a tapping device. That is, they're not trying...

FWIW, I think the 100 XP per hit die guideline is viable if you treat it as a guideline, and if you apply the relative XP rules from pg. 18 of Men & Magic (i.e. reduced XP according to the ratio when the total PC levels outweigh the monster levels). That helps in keeping higher level PCs from...

Well, it's really quibbling over relatively minor differences, but I prefer the 1981 B/X rules over the 1983+ BECM rules. I don't like most of the stuff added to BECM (e.g. weapons mastery, general skills) and don't like the 1-36 scale. I also find the interior art of the RC to be hideous...

Yeah, I agree. I think the RC is overrated.

That's a Holmes rule that I imported into my OD&D game. (The Holmes rule variant on movement while exploring is another one I nabbed.)

Too bad none of the MUs got charm person and got magically friendly with some burly NPCs. I like to charm a couple of "personal bodyguards" when I'm running a low-level MU. Ups my life expectancy and gives me some additional dice to roll and actions to take in combats.

As DM, did you decide on a use for it? Just curious, since the rules leave that open and up to you. Curious what you decided, here, too. In my game, standard rations spoil just like normal food, but if taken into a dungeon that is a mythic underworld, they will spoil within hours. I allow...

I don't know for certain, but I suspect that Luke and Ernie Gygax were not that familiar with 3e when they wrote Gaxmoor. In fact, if it followed form with other Troll Lord products written by recognized names from the early days of D&D (e.g. Gary Gygax, Rob Kuntz), it was probably written in...

In many fantasy worlds, long-term incarceration of criminals isn't common; it's usually a temporary measure until the real punishment is meted out (flogging, hanging, branding, loss of hand, monetary restitution to a victim, weregild to a family, et cetera). Is this the case in your campaign...

A couple thoughts: Statless adventures have a higher value when coupled "rules light" systems where on-the-fly stat generation is simple, and a lower value when used with heavier systems with lots of crunch. (That is, if I'm running a high crunch system, I'd rather have all that work done for...