D&D 1E Favorite Obscure Rules from TSR-era D&D

[James Gasik]

25% of all magic swords shed light in 2e. Let me tell you how many magic swords I've encountered over the years that shed light unless their enchantment specified that they did so, lol.

Far less than 25%.

Of course, in 1e, if a sword shed light, as I recall, it was equal to a candle, and not very useful.

 

[Voadam]

Of course, in 1e, if a sword shed light, as I recall, it was equal to a candle, and not very useful.

1e PH page 102

 

[James Gasik]

1e PH page 102

View attachment 364699

Thanks, so better than a candle, but less useful than most other light sources.

 

[James Gasik]

I actually had it backwards, if you check the 2e PHB, it's in 2e that magic weapons provide light equal to a candle. Nobody I ever played with bothered to check that, including me, so for decades I thought light meant as the spell light, lol.

 

[Voadam]

I actually had it backwards, if you check the 2e PHB, it's in 2e that magic weapons provide light equal to a candle. Nobody I ever played with bothered to check that, including me, so for decades I thought light meant as the spell light, lol.

Huh, they also nerfed torches from 40' radius down to 15' and from an hour to only half an hour?

Continual light stones at 3rd level it is.

 

[Kannik]

"Sleep and slit" has been a staple tactic for low-level parties since forever round here.

Oh yes, it is perhaps the ultimate classic (the counterpoint being/becoming the high-level scry-and-slay).

 

[CleverNickName]

Geez, I'd forgotten most of these. My 5e players have no idea how good they have it.

 

[Reynard]

Oh yes, it is perhaps the ultimate classic (the counterpoint being/becoming the high-level scry-and-slay).

The most upset I have ever seen a player was when the party (who were big users of scry-buff-teleport-nova) got the same treatment from an enemy BBEG.

 

[TwoSix]

The most upset I have ever seen a player was when the party (who were big users of scry-buff-teleport-nova) got the same treatment from an enemy BBEG.

 

[David Howery]

not sure how obscure it was, but I recall a rule about fighters getting one attack per level when facing critters with less than 1HD. I remember it being useful when you were level 4-5, but after that, the DM generally stopped throwing hordes of kobolds at you....