D&D 5E Getting the AD&D feel in 5th edition

[Ravenheart87]

Lots of good ideas here. I already mentioned before in another topic that Exhaustion can be used to simulate serious wounds. I'm still undecided if I should create a seperate Exhaustion/Wounds charts, or just hand out Exhaustion for criticals and 0 HP/HD.

 

[fuindordm]

Yes, I've been reading that thread too.

On thinking about this more, I've decided that crits shouldn't take off a HD or cause exhaustion, because they're so common. If you have advantage on a roll you crit about 10% of the time, so monsters with pack tactics become even more nasty than they already are.

But I'm totally on board with dropping to zero HP knocking off a HD, causing exhaustion, or carrying some other penalty.

 

[fuindordm]

3. Wizard spell knowledge (chance to learn, max. number of spells)

This is a tough one. I think this limitation on wizards, often ignored, is a key element of the AD&D experience. Why is it a limitation? First, it slows the rate at which wizards acquire new spells (and encourages them to spend money and time on researching new ones). Second, your PC doesn't always get the spell of choice. In AD&D wizards had to be creative with what they had.

It is necessary or desirable to bring an element of this into 5th edition? Well, maybe. Because wizards can in theory add every spell in the list to their books (since 3rd edition), and can likely buy scrolls to order, there's really nothing preventing them from collecting them all. And with no limitation on spell knowledge in the world, every spell is common knowledge.

Personally, I think the two limitations are redundant. If you have a chance of not being able to learn a spell at all, then it already limits the size of your book. And the most interesting part of this rule is that it forces PCs to use a wider variety of spells than the old standbys.

Suggestion: When you attempt to copy a new spell into your book, Make a DC 10 Int check to see if you understand it (chance to learn ranges from 55% at Int 10 to 80%). This might not just represent intellectual prowess, but also whether your personal aura/magical ability is able to connect with the spell as written. You do not need to make this roll for spells in your speciality. Characters with the ritual casting feat must also make this roll to add spells to their books.
What if you fail the roll for a spell you really wanted? You have two options: purchase scrolls of the spell so that you can use it anyway from time to time, or sink the money and time into researching a version of the spell that you know. The new version can't be identical to the old, but it can be pretty close (e.g. a longer-range, smaller radius fireball).

 

[Nebulous]

I wish to god there was a way to bring back segment spell casting, so higher level spells are incrementally longer to cast. I know it slowed down play, but it was logical and balancing. Same thing for Weapon Speeds. I loved them, but it was just more numbers to think about.

 

[steeldragons]

I wish to god there was a way to bring back segment spell casting, so higher level spells are incrementally longer to cast. I know it slowed down play, but it was logical and balancing. Same thing for Weapon Speeds. I loved them, but it was just more numbers to think about.

Not sure what I can do about Weapons Speed (not sure if I'd want to), but for the spells, my homebrew/houserule is a blanket +1 round of casting per spell level over 3. So a 4th level spell takes 2 rounds (in 5e terms, 2 actions), 3 rounds @ 5th, and so on.

It REALLY helps maintain that "gotta keep the foes off the mage/the mage safe" even when at levels where the mage could take care of themselves.

That's another thing for the 1e feel: Spell disruption. It happens. It screws you up. You lose the spell, no effect (or if you're feeling VERY 1e, give 'em a roll on yon Sorcerer's Wild Magic table, for a particularly 'bad" disruption).

I can not stress enough the XP for gold and keeping/incorporating training at level up. That, to me is the biggest mechanic crutch of a 1e style experience. Perhaps only matched by/along with...

Differing XP tables. Everybody levels at a different rate. "Simple" classes: Fighters, Thieves, et al. level the fastest. "Rarer/more complex" classes: I'd put your Barbarians, your clerics, your rangers here, level slower. The most unusual/rare/specialized powers classes: your Mages, Paladins, [Psions if you use them], et al. level the slowest to keep their "more powerful than everybody else" in check.

 

[Nebulous]

Not sure what I can do about Weapons Speed (not sure if I'd want to), but for the spells, my homebrew/houserule is a blanket +1 round of casting per spell level over 3. So a 4th level spell takes 2 rounds (in 5e terms, 2 actions), 3 rounds @ 5th, and so on.

It REALLY helps maintain that "gotta keep the foes off the mage/the mage safe" even when at levels where the mage could take care of themselves.

That's another thing for the 1e feel: Spell disruption. It happens. It screws you up. You lose the spell, no effect (or if you're feeling VERY 1e, give 'em a roll on yon Sorcerer's Wild Magic table, for a particularly 'bad" disruption).

I can not stress enough the XP for gold and keeping/incorporating training at level up. That, to me is the biggest mechanic crutch of a 1e style experience. Perhaps only matched by/along with...

Differing XP tables. Everybody levels at a different rate. "Simple" classes: Fighters, Thieves, et al. level the fastest. "Rarer/more complex" classes: I'd put your Barbarians, your clerics, your rangers here, level slower. The most unusual/rare/specialized powers classes: your Mages, Paladins, [Psions if you use them], et al. level the slowest to keep their "more powerful than everybody else" in check.

Do the wizards mind that spells can take so long? They're basically don't do anything during the in-between rounds. A simpler house rule might be that if you're casting a spell in a round, you always go last, no matter what. But even then, i couldn't convince my players to go along with that, it's not how we've ever played.

And i have not used XP for a long, long time. I level them up about every 4-5 sessions, as needed.

 

[Nebulous]

Not sure what I can do about Weapons Speed (not sure if I'd want to)

Weapon speeds make perfect sense in a real world simulation. If you're in cramped quarters, you pull out two daggers and knife the bad guy with the slow, bulky broadsword before he can recover from his swing. In D&D, that degree of realism doesn't fit in.

 

[Thalionalfirin]

I love this thread. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on it.

 

[Rune]

I wish to god there was a way to bring back segment spell casting, so higher level spells are incrementally longer to cast. I know it slowed down play, but it was logical and balancing. Same thing for Weapon Speeds. I loved them, but it was just more numbers to think about.

This seems easy enough. All spells that use a bonus action are completed on the caster's initiative count. All other spells are completed on the caster's initiative count minus the spell slot level being used.

Until the spell is completed, the caster must maintain concentration on the spell being cast (but may still simultaneously maintain concentration on an ongoing spell, unless the spell being cast is a concentration spell).

 

[Nebulous]

This seems easy enough. All spells that use a bonus action are completed on the caster's initiative count. All other spells are completed on the caster's initiative count minus the spell slot level being used.

Until the spell is completed, the caster must maintain concentration on the spell being cast (but may still simultaneously maintain concentration on an ongoing spell).

Do you mean add the level of the spell to the initiative? (or subtract maybe). So a 6th level spell is slower, so you add -6 to your initiative.