OD&D Advice wanted going back to a OD&D game for nostalgia

[Lord Vangarel]

After nearly two years my heavily modified Pathfinder game has just wrapped up and as it's the 40th anniversary and all that I've persuaded my group to give OD&D (RC edition) a shot to see where it all started. I'm the only one who played this edition before but that was a long long time ago.

Anyway I've got my self a copy of the rules and the module B1 "In Search of the Unknown" and was looking for any advice people could give whether it's house rules or just your own experiences with the module to make things better for the group.

I'm going to try and stick with the RAW as much as possible so we can get as much of the original experience as it used to be.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

I'm going to try and stick with the RAW as much as possible so we can get as much of the original experience as it used to be.

If you're playing RAW, be prepared for lots of casualties. Be upfront to the players about it and prepare a handout for character generation without your help. Otherwise you'll spend too much time rolling up replacement characters.

To lessen the impact a bit you could house-rule that new characters receive maximum possible hp for the first level. It doesn't make them much tougher, but running a 1st level fighter with 2 hp takes a bit getting used to.

 

[Lord Vangarel]

To lessen the impact a bit you could house-rule that new characters receive maximum possible hp for the first level. It doesn't make them much tougher, but running a 1st level fighter with 2 hp takes a bit getting used to.

I was worrying about that. Been looking at the monsters and was going to be very careful with monster choices, low hp, no area of effects that do damage etc. Max hp sounds good but may take away the nostalgia feeling. I kind of want to experience the old rules again as it's so long since I last DM'd them and I probably got loads of things wrong then which probably skewed my memory of them.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

You OP sounds like the players have no prior experience with old D&D versions. Rest assured much dying will happen regardless of the number of HP on first level.

Fine things like traps and poison aside, on level 1 they won't have any CLW, healing will take a lot of time, thus each hp loss is a big concern.

 

[Lord Vangarel]

You OP sounds like the players have no prior experience with old D&D versions. Rest assured much dying will happen regardless of the number of HP on first level.

Everyone but me started with 2E then moved to 3E when it was available and then briefly with 4E before back to 3.5 and then Pathfinder for the last few years. I heavily houseruled the last campaign but have always liked the idea of running older editions again for a bit of fun.

Ok, forgot about clerics not getting spells at 1st level, so make sure potions of healing can be found, go easy on the monsters, and have a back up plan for characters. I was thinking maybe not instantly dying at 0 hit points but maybe entering a death save or something, see starting to houserule already!

 

[Keldryn]

Ok, forgot about clerics not getting spells at 1st level, so make sure potions of healing can be found, go easy on the monsters, and have a back up plan for characters. I was thinking maybe not instantly dying at 0 hit points but maybe entering a death save or something, see starting to houserule already!

Nothing wrong with borrowing the AD&D rule for death at - 10 HP. A lot if us played some sort of mix of Basic/Expert D&D and AD&D back in the day, so it is an authentic experience.

After burning out on modern D&D, I ran a very successful few sessions of Basic D&D. I gave max HP at first level. Still had a pretty high casualty rate until the players adopted a more cautious approach.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Nostalgia can possibly sustain a one shot. Thats not gonna cut it for regular gaming. Either you enjoy the gameplay experience or you don't.

 

[Mr. Greengoat]

I have been playing & DMing Basic D&D and OSR stuff for the last five years or so. Last year I started my old-time RPG group on basic D&D and there were soem initial growing pains.

More recent players of D&D/PF can be downright OUTRAGED at how their new characters are unceremonoisly eaten/slaughtered. Just make sure to tell them that the game is dangerous at the start, roll charcters really quick if their is a death and get them in there. No one writes background for a character until they have survived a couple sessions.

Not RAW but Max HP at first level is pretty standard.
Also we roll five sets of characters at campaign start and have this list to fall back on if a charater dies. They get to chose from the list or a fresh 3d6 re-roll with a new charcter.
Even then, death is pretty common for parties starting out until people start hitting 2nd level.
Also we have a "bandaging" rule that recovers 1 hp after combat for anyone who says "I bandage so-and-so!"
Unconciousness happens at 0 hp, death happens at -level hp.

Points to emphasize to players:

• You get WAY more XP for looting treasure than for slaying monsters. Getting loot should be priority and adventurers should try to avoid/swindle monsters. XP for adventures are boom or bust depending on what you find, not a clean progression.
• Wizards and Thieves should avoid melee combat at all cost. Both can go down in one hit and will likely BE hit with their armor. The sleep spell or charm person are the best initial spell choices.
• Everyone should have a ranged weapon.
• Frontline combatants should have Plate + Shield.

I also highly reccomend B2 - Keep On The Borderlands as a really great starting adventure that lasts for a long time.

 

[Storminator]

I don't think you should put a lot of effort into increasing survivability. Bob the Fourth was a staple of OD&D for a reason.

You should come up with a plausible reason for injecting new PC after new PC, and make the players roll up several to start, and perhaps encourage them to roll new PCs during slow moments (an OD&D PC can be made in a couple minutes once you get used to it).

Get your players used to the idea that their PCs will die regularly, and they should embrace that fact.

PS

 

[amerigoV]

Ok, forgot about clerics not getting spells at 1st level, so make sure potions of healing can be found, go easy on the monsters, and have a back up plan for characters. I was thinking maybe not instantly dying at 0 hit points but maybe entering a death save or something, see starting to houserule already!

Christ, just go play Tiddlywinks if you are going to do that. Go big or go home. And if you do not rip up their character sheet on the spot when they die, you are not doing it right.