A historical look at D&D ACs (part 1)

[billd91]

The biggest problem with the thief in AD&D simply comes from their ludicrously low chances of success at low levels. With only a 20% chance of finding and removing traps at first level, why are they with the group? At higher levels, magic begins to tread on their toes.

As they level up, thief saving throws also tend to be terrible compared to the other characters. They quite often have the worse or second worst save and they're the only class grouping that has a save category that never gets down to single digits (breath weapon). So the AD&D thief could certainly use some reform.

 

[Scylla]

Lolth is pretty much the only one that I can recall any serious expectation of getting into a fight with PCs. And her extreme AC is balanced out with low hit points (66 if memory serves). Tough defense, relatively glass jaw.

This was exactly right. So very hard to hit, but if you got a good hit in...
I remember Lareth in the Hommlet moathouse having a pretty ridiculous AC too.

It speaks volumes about the change in the game that Lolth, defined as a god at one point, has pretty much half the hit points of a goblin sharpshooter in 4e!