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I'm a Fighter, not a Lover: Why the 1e Fighter was so Awesome
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<blockquote data-quote="fuindordm" data-source="post: 9747757" data-attributes="member: 5435"><p>Randomness, lucky rolls and treasure drops, and exploiting luck to build your PC's legend were definitely part of the core game.</p><p></p><p>However, the enormous power gap between randomly generated characters, via ability score and hit points, is one of the very few things about AD&D that I actively dislike. And it is most egregious for fighters. Exceptional strength is not that uncommon in fairly generated PCs, but it still doesn't sit well with me.</p><p></p><p>For my AD&D campaign I had a long think about how the ability scores work and eventually decided that each class group should get more out of their prime requisite than PCs from other groups, but always staying on the same scale. Clerics get bonus spells for Wisdom, thieves get bonuses to their skills for high dex, etc. So you should get exceptional strength for BEING a fighter (paladin, ranger, barbarian), not just because you had a lucky roll.</p><p></p><p>Here's the house rule I use:</p><p></p><p>Strength table for PCs in the fighter group only:</p><table style='width: 100%'><tr><td style='width: 54.6pt'><span style="color: black">Strength </span></td><td style='width: 38.6pt'><span style="color: black">To hit</span></td><td style='width: 50.55pt'><span style="color: black">Damage</span></td><td style='width: 81.0pt'><span style="color: black">Racial ceiling</span></td><td style='width: 85.5pt'><span style="color: black">Carry capacity</span></td><td style='width: 67.5pt'><span style="color: black">Open doors</span></td><td style='width: 89.75pt'><span style="color: black">Exceptional feat</span></td></tr><tr><td style='width: 54.6pt'>9</td><td style='width: 38.6pt'> </td><td style='width: 50.55pt'> </td><td style='width: 81.0pt'> </td><td style='width: 85.5pt'>Base +10 lbs</td><td style='width: 67.5pt'>1-2</td><td style='width: 89.75pt'>2%</td></tr><tr><td style='width: 54.6pt'>10-11</td><td style='width: 38.6pt'> </td><td style='width: 50.55pt'> </td><td style='width: 81.0pt'> </td><td style='width: 85.5pt'>Base +20 lbs</td><td style='width: 67.5pt'>1-2</td><td style='width: 89.75pt'>4%</td></tr><tr><td style='width: 54.6pt'>12-13</td><td style='width: 38.6pt'> </td><td style='width: 50.55pt'> </td><td style='width: 81.0pt'> </td><td style='width: 85.5pt'>Base +35 lbs</td><td style='width: 67.5pt'>1-2</td><td style='width: 89.75pt'>7%</td></tr><tr><td style='width: 54.6pt'>14</td><td style='width: 38.6pt'> </td><td style='width: 50.55pt'><span style="color: black">+1</span></td><td style='width: 81.0pt'> </td><td style='width: 85.5pt'>Base +50 lbs</td><td style='width: 67.5pt'>1-3</td><td style='width: 89.75pt'>10%</td></tr><tr><td style='width: 54.6pt'>15</td><td style='width: 38.6pt'><span style="color: black">+1</span></td><td style='width: 50.55pt'><span style="color: black">+2</span></td><td style='width: 81.0pt'>Halfling</td><td style='width: 85.5pt'>Base +100 lbs</td><td style='width: 67.5pt'>1-3</td><td style='width: 89.75pt'>13%</td></tr><tr><td style='width: 54.6pt'>16</td><td style='width: 38.6pt'><span style="color: black">+1</span></td><td style='width: 50.55pt'><span style="color: black">+3</span></td><td style='width: 81.0pt'>Gnome</td><td style='width: 85.5pt'>Base +125 lbs</td><td style='width: 67.5pt'>1-3</td><td style='width: 89.75pt'>20%</td></tr><tr><td style='width: 54.6pt'>17</td><td style='width: 38.6pt'><span style="color: black">+2</span></td><td style='width: 50.55pt'><span style="color: black">+4</span></td><td style='width: 81.0pt'>Elf</td><td style='width: 85.5pt'>Base +150 lbs</td><td style='width: 67.5pt'>1-4</td><td style='width: 89.75pt'>30%</td></tr><tr><td style='width: 54.6pt'>18</td><td style='width: 38.6pt'><span style="color: black">+2</span></td><td style='width: 50.55pt'><span style="color: black">+5</span></td><td style='width: 81.0pt'>Dwarf, Half-Elf</td><td style='width: 85.5pt'>Base +200 lbs</td><td style='width: 67.5pt'>1-4 (magic 1)</td><td style='width: 89.75pt'>35%</td></tr><tr><td style='width: 54.6pt'>19*</td><td style='width: 38.6pt'><span style="color: black">+3</span></td><td style='width: 50.55pt'><span style="color: black">+6</span></td><td style='width: 81.0pt'> </td><td style='width: 85.5pt'>Base +300 lbs</td><td style='width: 67.5pt'>1-5 (magic 2)</td><td style='width: 89.75pt'>40%</td></tr></table><p> </p><p>The racial limit refers only to the bonuses, not the actual score. For example, a halfling fighter with a 17 strength has +1 to hit, +2 damage, an extra 100 points of carry capacity, etc.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="fuindordm, post: 9747757, member: 5435"] Randomness, lucky rolls and treasure drops, and exploiting luck to build your PC's legend were definitely part of the core game. However, the enormous power gap between randomly generated characters, via ability score and hit points, is one of the very few things about AD&D that I actively dislike. And it is most egregious for fighters. Exceptional strength is not that uncommon in fairly generated PCs, but it still doesn't sit well with me. For my AD&D campaign I had a long think about how the ability scores work and eventually decided that each class group should get more out of their prime requisite than PCs from other groups, but always staying on the same scale. Clerics get bonus spells for Wisdom, thieves get bonuses to their skills for high dex, etc. So you should get exceptional strength for BEING a fighter (paladin, ranger, barbarian), not just because you had a lucky roll. Here's the house rule I use: Strength table for PCs in the fighter group only: [TABLE] [TR] [td width="54.6pt"][COLOR=black]Strength [/COLOR][/td] [td width="38.6pt"][COLOR=black]To hit[/COLOR][/td] [td width="50.55pt"][COLOR=black]Damage[/COLOR][/td] [td width="81.0pt"][COLOR=black]Racial ceiling[/COLOR][/td] [td width="85.5pt"][COLOR=black]Carry capacity[/COLOR][/td] [td width="67.5pt"][COLOR=black]Open doors[/COLOR][/td] [td width="89.75pt"][COLOR=black]Exceptional feat[/COLOR][/td] [/TR] [TR] [td width="54.6pt"]9[/td] [td width="38.6pt"] [/td] [td width="50.55pt"] [/td] [td width="81.0pt"] [/td] [td width="85.5pt"]Base +10 lbs[/td] [td width="67.5pt"]1-2[/td] [td width="89.75pt"]2%[/td] [/TR] [TR] [td width="54.6pt"]10-11[/td] [td width="38.6pt"] [/td] [td width="50.55pt"] [/td] [td width="81.0pt"] [/td] [td width="85.5pt"]Base +20 lbs[/td] [td width="67.5pt"]1-2[/td] [td width="89.75pt"]4%[/td] [/TR] [TR] [td width="54.6pt"]12-13[/td] [td width="38.6pt"] [/td] [td width="50.55pt"] [/td] [td width="81.0pt"] [/td] [td width="85.5pt"]Base +35 lbs[/td] [td width="67.5pt"]1-2[/td] [td width="89.75pt"]7%[/td] [/TR] [TR] [td width="54.6pt"]14[/td] [td width="38.6pt"] [/td] [td width="50.55pt"][COLOR=black]+1[/COLOR][/td] [td width="81.0pt"] [/td] [td width="85.5pt"]Base +50 lbs[/td] [td width="67.5pt"]1-3[/td] [td width="89.75pt"]10%[/td] [/TR] [TR] [td width="54.6pt"]15[/td] [td width="38.6pt"][COLOR=black]+1[/COLOR][/td] [td width="50.55pt"][COLOR=black]+2[/COLOR][/td] [td width="81.0pt"]Halfling[/td] [td width="85.5pt"]Base +100 lbs[/td] [td width="67.5pt"]1-3[/td] [td width="89.75pt"]13%[/td] [/TR] [TR] [td width="54.6pt"]16[/td] [td width="38.6pt"][COLOR=black]+1[/COLOR][/td] [td width="50.55pt"][COLOR=black]+3[/COLOR][/td] [td width="81.0pt"]Gnome[/td] [td width="85.5pt"]Base +125 lbs[/td] [td width="67.5pt"]1-3[/td] [td width="89.75pt"]20%[/td] [/TR] [TR] [td width="54.6pt"]17[/td] [td width="38.6pt"][COLOR=black]+2[/COLOR][/td] [td width="50.55pt"][COLOR=black]+4[/COLOR][/td] [td width="81.0pt"]Elf[/td] [td width="85.5pt"]Base +150 lbs[/td] [td width="67.5pt"]1-4[/td] [td width="89.75pt"]30%[/td] [/TR] [TR] [td width="54.6pt"]18[/td] [td width="38.6pt"][COLOR=black]+2[/COLOR][/td] [td width="50.55pt"][COLOR=black]+5[/COLOR][/td] [td width="81.0pt"]Dwarf, Half-Elf[/td] [td width="85.5pt"]Base +200 lbs[/td] [td width="67.5pt"]1-4 (magic 1)[/td] [td width="89.75pt"]35%[/td] [/TR] [TR] [td width="54.6pt"]19*[/td] [td width="38.6pt"][COLOR=black]+3[/COLOR][/td] [td width="50.55pt"][COLOR=black]+6[/COLOR][/td] [td width="81.0pt"] [/td] [td width="85.5pt"]Base +300 lbs[/td] [td width="67.5pt"]1-5 (magic 2)[/td] [td width="89.75pt"]40%[/td] [/TR] [/TABLE] The racial limit refers only to the bonuses, not the actual score. For example, a halfling fighter with a 17 strength has +1 to hit, +2 damage, an extra 100 points of carry capacity, etc. [/QUOTE]
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I'm a Fighter, not a Lover: Why the 1e Fighter was so Awesome
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