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<blockquote data-quote="Baron Opal II" data-source="post: 8021029" data-attributes="member: 6794067">Part of the OD&amp;D gaming DNA is that anybody can do anything with a roll of 1 on a d6, equivalent to 18+ on a d20. It was (I think) explicitly stated that a fighter could take off their armor and scout out an enemy position with a not hopeless chance of success. Thieves can do not only that, but can do so in armor and a backpack with just shadows (not darkness) and silently (not quietly). That got transmitted to later editions with varying degrees of success.*With that in mind, some suggestions.<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Increase thief HD to d6.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spell casters start with 3 1st level spells. (So, +2 1st level)</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">5 HP kicker.</li>
</ul>That seems to have been enough where the magicians still had to resort to thrown oil and daggers, but could be more utilitarian rather than just casting sleep once. Thieves were more survivable, they aren't meant to be the glass cannons magicians are. And the 5 HP kicker helps prevent the single shot take out of a character as well as giving the DM and players a marker of &quot;blooded&quot;. You had some marker when HPs were no longer luck, grit, or endurance but actually trauma and blood loss.Alternatively, you could start them at 3rd level. Either way, it gives the characters a feel of being green without being fragile. One of the issues with low level D&amp;D is that the characters are only the equal of the monsters, and they out number you. *Not quite sure why I mentioned that, but it seemed germane.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Baron Opal II, post: 8021029, member: 6794067"] Part of the OD&D gaming DNA is that anybody can do anything with a roll of 1 on a d6, equivalent to 18+ on a d20. It was (I think) explicitly stated that a fighter could take off their armor and scout out an enemy position with a not hopeless chance of success. Thieves can do not only that, but can do so in armor and a backpack with just shadows (not darkness) and silently (not quietly). That got transmitted to later editions with varying degrees of success.* With that in mind, some suggestions. [LIST] [*]Increase thief HD to d6. [*]Spell casters start with 3 1st level spells. (So, +2 1st level) [*]5 HP kicker. [/LIST] That seems to have been enough where the magicians still had to resort to thrown oil and daggers, but could be more utilitarian rather than just casting sleep once. Thieves were more survivable, they aren't meant to be the glass cannons magicians are. And the 5 HP kicker helps prevent the single shot take out of a character as well as giving the DM and players a marker of "blooded". You had some marker when HPs were no longer luck, grit, or endurance but actually trauma and blood loss. Alternatively, you could start them at 3rd level. Either way, it gives the characters a feel of being green without being fragile. One of the issues with low level D&D is that the characters are only the equal of the monsters, and they out number you. *Not quite sure why I mentioned that, but it seemed germane. [/QUOTE]

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