D&D 1E Giving an AD&D feel to 5e

dmhelp

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I really prefer the 5e proficiency bonus/bounded accuracy over ad&d. But I miss the feel of ad&d. I was thinking the following changes would give more of an ad&d feel to 5th edition:
--- modified rules
So after reading all of the feedback I'm thinking:
1. Roll 4d6s (reroll until >= 75 total) and apply standard racial modifiers, max 18 abilities (instead of 20)

2. No Artificers/Sorcerers/Warlocks (Wizards may also pick from Sorcerer or Warlock subclasses); no feats; no standard multiclassing

3. The first 4 ASIs gained instead give a new saving throw proficiency (with ASIs after this being ignored): Fighters & Rogues will have all saves at level 12, Monks at level 14, a Fighter/Rogue at level 10, and other classes at level 16

4. AD&D ("gestalt") multiclassing allowed (non-Human PHB races only) with two classes from two separate groups: Barbarian/Fighter/Ranger, Cleric/Druid, Rogue, & Wizard (e.g. Fighter/Wizard is ok, but Barbarian/Fighter is not; Bards/Monks/Paladins may not multiclass)

5. After level 10 only gain 1 hp/level with no con mod, or 3 hp/level if Barbarian/Fighter/Monk/Paladin/Ranger/Rogue
---
Any thoughts from people that like 1e and 5e?
 
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Point 1 will probably go bad unless you redo the point where +1/-1kicks in. Most attribs back in 2e did that at 6 &15. Hacing it at 8 &12 means that every attrib matters to something even if that something is an untrained skill linked to a dump stat
 


Point 1 will probably go bad unless you redo the point where +1/-1kicks in. Most attribs back in 2e did that at 6 &15. Hacing it at 8 &12 means that every attrib matters to something even if that something is an untrained skill linked to a dump stat
I don’t follow. 4D6 is fine for AD&D style. The math is different in 5e and more closely emulates 1e/2e aside from the bucket of hit points issue, but reinstating a cap would go a long way towards not only speeding the game up a bit but also bring the hit point math in line with bounded accuracy.
 


I don’t follow. 4D6 is fine for AD&D style. The math is different in 5e and more closely emulates 1e/2e aside from the bucket of hit points issue, but reinstating a cap would go a long way towards not only speeding the game up a bit but also bring the hit point math in line with bounded accuracy.
I thought you were talking about the old stat generation over the standard array but it sounds like you might be talking about something else. If not, you could give ad&d characters the 15/14/13/12/10/8 standard array & it still wouldn't put the kind of pressure to perfectly arrange their stats that you see in 3.x 4e & 5e because it literally would have close to zero mechanical impact where most of them went. Here's the table for Constitution from ad&d as an example that applied to everyone
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Completely strip out the xp for defeating monsters and replace with xp for gp obtained. Remove or reduce any healing at a short rest. Combat should be a thing to be avoided or if unavoidable, fought in the most efficient way possible. Minimize risk, maximize reward.
 

I think rolling for stats was the biggest way to different characters in ad&d since feats weren’t there to differentiate characters. So I think removing ASIs helps keep your starting stats distinctive. By replacing them with save proficiencies I think you can recreate the feel of tough saves at high level.

5e players are very lego my eggo about taking things away which is why I was looking for a replacement for rogue/fighter extras.
 


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