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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ariosto" data-source="post: 5147493" data-attributes="member: 80487">Not really. It would say about as much as the replacement of a magic-user with a wand of magic missiles -- if I had relevant information about this "wand of knock spells" (which is not a standard item in the 1E DMG).There is a wand of secret door and trap location. If one were able to find one for sale, then it might or might not be worth the purchase. It depends upon one's circumstances.However, such a wand is probably not a potential player-character! One can spend so much gold, and have the wand. Or, one can gain so much gold as a thief, enough XP to attain 6th level or higher (or about a level lower if a henchman) -- and have the full range of thief functions and the gold to spend."It depends upon one's circumstances" is really the bottom line.YMMV, but in my experience it's "45 minutes tops" (epic battle) in TSR-D&D versus "45 minutes average, 30 minutes minimum" (call this a scrap?) in WotC-D&D.One might start by passing up ToEE, which I have never seen as anything but a slog of one fight after another.Look, the game was designed for players with freedom of choice. If the fighters and the magic-user are all your own figures, then play them (or not) however you please. If you want to field a gang of thieves, then do that and pursue enterprises suited to the gang's interests.If unloading spells in one big shot works for you, then work it. If you're having fun with the all-cleric party that "nobody expects", then rock on. It's not going to be a sure answer to every problem, so choose your problems wisely.In old D&D, big, bad Wizards start out as mere Mediums or Prestidigitators with but a single spell to unleash. Throughout their careers, they are dangerous above all to each other. Even non-spellcasters, moreover, tend to value their lives enough to "do unto the m-u before he does unto you!" They are, like thieves, more vulnerable than other classes to poison (especially in AD&D, at least 1E). Although magical means can speed fighters' recovery of HP, only time suffices for spells. In 1E, it takes a 12th-level wizard 24.5 hours -- more than a full day -- to recover what in other versions is a "daily" allotment. That assumes a straight 16.5 hours of work without a break, which is pushing it. It would be a stretch to go any longer without a rest of at least 4 hours.It's a long way to such lofty status. Even then, a failed save versus an 8-dice lightning bolt (castable by a mere warlock with less than 1/8 the experience) is likely to come at least very close to killing our mighty magician at his or her fresh-as-a-daisy best. A failed save, barring a bonus, happens more than 1/3 of the time.Oh, and no crossbow -- per the PHB, just dagger, dart and staff. UA adds knife, sling and caltrop. I'm not sure how weapon proficiency is supposed to apply to caltrops. A -5 non-proficiency penalty would make a crossbow a pretty poor choice.Now, if one actually plays a character as a character, pursuing her or his own career from low levels to (with luck) high, a life that involves interests besides killing things, then the choices may be different than if one is simply putting together pawns of a certain level for a combat-game scenario.</blockquote>

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