D&D 1E Common House Rules for AD&D?

[Calithena]

The new edition of OSRIC does a nice job with a slightly simplified AD&D 1e type initiative system that will also help you understand the original better in retrospect if you hadn't taken the time to figure it out before now. Assuming that's of interest of course.

 

[Voadam]

It was fine in the AD&D PHB. It’s only when you try to use every caveat and Dragon article and later supplement that it becomes insane.

Parts of it from the 1e PH are mostly fine.

There is a lot of wiggle room for the DM to throw in whatever consideration they want also.

I can't find any explanation of how spells are supposed to factor in normal round initiative (there is a clear explanation for the surprise round segments) or reverse engineer why a lot of spell timing things work out the way they do from the example combat. Why does 1 segment sleep not go off in the 1 segment of free action surprise round? 5 segment silence going off before later begun 7 segment prismatic spray makes sense but not sure how winning initiative would have interacted with a shorter spell. No idea why thief who looses initiative goes before the initiative winning illusionist's spell goes off.

Rate of fire for missile weapons is not explained but you can infer it works like multiple fighter attacks and that works. Or have them go simultaneously on normal initiative and that would work too.

Page 38:

Rate of fire is based on the turn (for table-top miniatures) or the melee round.

Page 43:

Casting Time shows the number of melee rounds, or segments of a melee round,
required to cast the spell. Remember that there are 10 segments to a melee round,
10 melee rounds to a turn. Some spells require additional time and preparation.

Page 104:

INITIATIVE
The initiative factor affects who can do what and when during the course of an
encounter of any sort. Surprise, already covered heretofore, obviates the need
for initiative checks, as the surprising party has complete freedom of action for
a time. However, surprise eventually wanes, and then, just as in other
circumstances, the relative weight of action must be determined. Initiative allows
one group, the party or the monster(s), to begin some course of action prior to
the other group.
Actions affected by initiative are many and include slamming a door, fleeing,
moving to grapple or melee, a call for a truce or surrender, firing wands,
discharging missiles, beginning a spell, and so on.
The initiative check is typically made with 2 six-sided dice, 1d6 for the party,
and another of a different size or color for the creatures encountered. This
check is made each round of play where first action is a factor. Because a
round is a full minute long, dexterity seldom is a factor in the determination of
which side acts first. However, if one group is slowed or hasted, or one or more
members of the group are, the initiative will always go to the non-slowed or
hasted side. In most other cases, the group with the higher die score will always
act first. For effects of initiative in fighting, see COMBAT hereafter.

Page 104 again under the COMBAT section:

This form of fighting includes the use of hand-held weapons, natural weaponry
(claws, horns, teeth, etc.), grappling, and special or magical touch attacks, i.e.
poison, petrification, paralysis, energy level loss, etc. As with most other combat
forms, the first “blow” will be struck by the side gaining initiative during the
round. Surviving opponents will then be allowed their attacks. Note that haste
and slow spells will have the effects heretofore mentioned. Fighters able to strike
more than once during a round will attack once before opponents not able to do
so, regardless of initiative, but if fighter and fighter melee, initiative tells. Position
and weapon length will sometimes affect the order of attack in melee combat.

Page 105:

Example of Combat:
A party of 5 characters — a magic-user, a cleric, a thief, a human fighter,
and a dwarf fighter surprise an illusionist with 20 orcs. The opponents are 30’
distant, and the magic-user immediately begins casting a sleep spell [1 segment casting time]. The
cleric also prepares to cast a spell, silence, 15’ radius [5 segments casting time]. Meanwhile, the thief
darts to the rear of the party to attempt to hide in the shadows and attack
from behind when opportunity presents itself; the human fighter nocks an
arrow and shoots it at the illusionist; and the dwarf hurls an axe. The surprise
segment is over, and initiative is determined. The illusionist/orcs win initiative,
and while the former begins a spell of his own, the latter rush to attack,
hurling spears as they come. A spear hits the magic-user, so the sleep spell is
spoiled. The orcs are attacked by the fighters, the cleric casts his spell upon
the illusionist, and the magical silence both spoils his prismatic spray spell [7 segments casting time] and
enhances the chances for the thief’s attack, for he is successfully slinking and
sliding around in the shadows. Thus, after surprise and 1 melee round, the
party has inflicted 2 hits upon the illusionist, spoiled his spell attack, and
felled one orc and wounded another. They have taken 3 spear hits and had
one of their spell attacks ruined.
Initiative is now checked for the second round. The illusionist/orcs again win
initiative and attack first, 5 orcs going after each fighter to grapple, 6 rushing
the magic-user, and 3 heading for the cleric. The fighters are pulled down, as is
the magic-user, but the cleric avoids their grasp. The illusionist begins casting
another spell, one which requires no verbal component; he does not hear the
thief behind him. It is now the party’s turn in the round. The cleric smites 1 of
the onrushing orcs and kills it, and the thief stabs the illusionist from behind with
his sword, killing him; the fighters and magic-user are held fast by orcs, so they
can do nothing. Round 2 is over.
The initiative roll in the third round goes to the party. The cleric kills another
orc, while the thief rushes at the orcs holding the nearest fighter. It is now the
orcs’ turn, and as their leader is dead and they still face 2 powerful opponents,
they will check morale. It is probable that they will kill the pinned characters
with dagger thrusts if their morale does not break, or that they will release the
pinned characters and run away if their morale is bad.

Page 105:

First Strike:
The 1 minute melee round assumes much activity — rushes, retreats, feints,
parries, checks, and so on. Once during this period each combatant has the
opportunity to get a real blow in. Usually this is indicated by initiative, but
sometimes other circumstances will prevail. High level fighters get multiple blows
per round, so they will usually strike first and last in a round. Slowed creatures
always strike last. Hasted/speeded creatures strike first. A solid formation of
creatures with long weapons will strike opponents with shorter weapons first, a
rushing opponent will be struck first by a pole arm/spear set in its path. Your
DM will adjudicate such matters with common sense. When important single
combats occur, then dexterities and weapons factors will be used to determine
the order and number of strikes in a round.

 

[fuindordm]

That's a good summary!
In the example, I think the MU not finishing sleep in the surprise round is a mistake. If the enemy is surprised then the party should have at least one full segment.
I find a lot of confusion around the initiative system can be cleared up with one simple house rule:

• The side with the lower roll on a d6 wins initiative, and the number on the die is the segment that the side starts to act.

Example: Party rolls 2, enemy rolls 4. Fighters already engaged with an enemy attack on segment 2. A PC who moves 20 feet reaches their destination on segment 4 or 5 depending on their base speed. A MU can start casting fireball on 2 but the spell won't go off until 5 so they risk losing their spell if attacked. On the other hand a 1- or 2-segment spell is safe to cast. And so on...

 

[Emerikol]

Weapon type vs armor was an optional rule.

 

[Mannahnin]

Weapon type vs armor was an optional rule.

It is not labeled as such.

From Gary's preface to the PH:

"Everything in the ADVANCED DUNGEONS 8 DRAGONS system has purpose; most of what is found herein is essential to the campaign, and those sections which are not - such as subclasses of characters, psionics, and similar material - are clearly labeled as optional for inclusion."

And from his introduction to the DMG:

"Thus, besides the systems, I have made every effort to give the reasoning and justification for the game. Of course the ultimate reason and justification is a playable and interesting game, and how much rationalization can actually go into a fantasy game? There is some, at least, as you will see, for if the game is fantasy, there is a basis for much of what is contained herein, even though it be firmly grounded on worlds of make-believe. And while there are no optionals for the major systems of ADVANCED D&D (for uniformity of rules and procedures from game to game, campaign to campaign, is stressed), there are plenty of areas where your own creativity and imagination are not bounded by the parameters of the game system. These are sections where only a few hints and suggestions are given, and the rest left to the DM."

AD&D 1E had very few significant optional rules. In contrast to 2E, which had a lot of them.

I think the PH just has Bards and Psionics as optional.

The DMG has an optional suggestion on page 25 that you can give players extra starting items if it's a difficult campaign, but that's not really a rule. The optional rules in the DMG are mostly tiny little tweaks, rather than major systems, as Gary alludes.

There's an optional rule for large shields giving +2 against missiles (p 28), optional parameters for Cure Blindness (p 41), +3 or greater weapons and armor may optionally function on other planes (Astral Spell, p 42), optional restriction on the Enlarge spell (p 44), one for shorter scatter distance for grenade-like missiles at short range (p 64), an optional rule for mixed groups of undead and Turning (p 65), the Special Note Regarding Fighters' Progression to smooth their attack advancement (p 74), an optional rule allowing unconsciousness at between -1 and -3 HP instead of the official rule for unconsciousness only at exactly 0 HP (p 82), Fighters being optionally allowed to take weapon proficiency with siege engines (p 109), optional double rate of fire rule for Boot Hill firearms and optional save vs dynamite explosions but increased base damage for it ( p 113), optional charge limit for certain powerful magic rings (p 122 & 129), an optional rule that 1% of wands may be trapped to backfire (p 135), the Mirror of Mental Prowess may optionally allow planar travel (p 150), deities who create or control an artifact may be able to reverse the effects of some artifact powers (p 156), scimitars may optionally use a table for properties instead of just defaulting to a single +2 option (p 169), cursed backbiter spears may appear as +2 or +3 instead of just +1 (p 169 as well), random lower planes creatures may optionally have poisoned tails or mouths (p 195).

As for more major systems, the DMG offers four different alternatives for ability score generation, but they aren't presented as one official way and three optional variants, but as all being official and recommended.

 

[Emerikol]

It is not labeled as such.

<snip>

True but there are references in other places to this set of rules that indicate they are optional.

 

[Voadam]

It is not labeled as such.

From Gary's preface to the PH:


And from his introduction to the DMG:


AD&D 1E had very few significant optional rules. In contrast to 2E, which had a lot of them.

I think the PH just has Bards and Psionics as optional.

The DMG has an optional suggestion on page 25 that you can give players extra starting items if it's a difficult campaign, but that's not really a rule. The optional rules in the DMG are mostly tiny little tweaks, rather than major systems, as Gary alludes.

There's an optional rule for large shields giving +2 against missiles (p 28), optional parameters for Cure Blindness (p 41), +3 or greater weapons and armor may optionally function on other planes (Astral Spell, p 42), optional restriction on the Enlarge spell (p 44), one for shorter scatter distance for grenade-like missiles at short range (p 64), an optional rule for mixed groups of undead and Turning (p 65), the Special Note Regarding Fighters' Progression to smooth their attack advancement (p 74), an optional rule allowing unconsciousness at between -1 and -3 HP instead of the official rule for unconsciousness only at exactly 0 HP (p 82), Fighters being optionally allowed to take weapon proficiency with siege engines (p 109), optional double rate of fire rule for Boot Hill firearms and optional save vs dynamite explosions but increased base damage for it ( p 113), optional charge limit for certain powerful magic rings (p 122 & 129), an optional rule that 1% of wands may be trapped to backfire (p 135), the Mirror of Mental Prowess may optionally allow planar travel (p 150), deities who create or control an artifact may be able to reverse the effects of some artifact powers (p 156), scimitars may optionally use a table for properties instead of just defaulting to a single +2 option (p 169), cursed backbiter spears may appear as +2 or +3 instead of just +1 (p 169 as well), random lower planes creatures may optionally have poisoned tails or mouths (p 195).

As for more major systems, the DMG offers four different alternatives for ability score generation, but they aren't presented as one official way and three optional variants, but as all being official and recommended.

1e DMG page 28:

WEAPON TYPES, “TO HIT” ADJUSTMENT NOTE
If you allow weapon type adjustments in your campaign please be certain to remember that these adjustments are for weapons versus specific types of armor, not necessarily against actual armor class. In most cases, monsters not wearing armor will not have any weapon type adjustment allowed, as monster armor class in such cases pertains to the size, shape, agility, speed, and/or magical nature of the creature. Not excluded from this, for example, would be an iron golem. However, monsters with horny or bony armor might be classed as plate mail if you so decide, but do so on a case-by-case basis. Naturally, monsters wearing armor will be subject to weapon type “to hit” adjustment.

"If you allow" reads to me here as optional and discretionary.

 

[Mannahnin]

1e DMG page 28:

WEAPON TYPES, “TO HIT” ADJUSTMENT NOTE
If you allow weapon type adjustments in your campaign please be certain to remember that these adjustments are for weapons versus specific types of armor, not necessarily against actual armor class. In most cases, monsters not wearing armor will not have any weapon type adjustment allowed, as monster armor class in such cases pertains to the size, shape, agility, speed, and/or magical nature of the creature. Not excluded from this, for example, would be an iron golem. However, monsters with horny or bony armor might be classed as plate mail if you so decide, but do so on a case-by-case basis. Naturally, monsters wearing armor will be subject to weapon type “to hit” adjustment.

"If you allow" reads to me here as optional and discretionary.

Thanks for reminding me! I'm slapping my forehead on this one. I used "opt" as my search term in the texts.

It's definitely not labeled optional in the PH, contrary to Gary's preface (editorial errors in AD&D? I'm shocked!).

 

[PHATsakk43]

Gary not having a consistent style guide of terminology is, I suppose, part of the charm.

 

[overgeeked]

All rules in an RPG are optional. Anyone telling you otherwise is trying to sell you RPG rules.