I'm going to run a 1e game

[Obryn]

OK, so I'm an unabashed D&D fan. I've run every edition of D&D from the 3-hole-punched Basic book onwards. Like most others who started playing around the time I did, my childhood games were an unholy mishmash of BECM and AD&D, with rules pretty much used just whenever from whatever source we were looking at at the time. I don't think it was until 2e that I really started using a single set of books for most of my games. I loved 3e for a long time, and 4e is probably my favorite edition to-date.

Anyways, along with the new & shiny comes the old nostalgia. In particular, I've always wanted to run Temple of Elemental Evil, from H1 onwards. I've never really run it the whole way, though - back when I was much younger, we just used the dungeon. Later on, I don't think I even got that far.

I've looked into doing 3e or 4e conversions, but frankly, that's just a bunch of prep work I'd rather not do. So I shelved my much-loved and much-worn copy of ToEE and waited for the right time.

Before I got married, I was running a 1/month Saturday game, usually for many hours at a stretch, for my players who have moved around all over the region. But, wedding planning, followed by being newly married, followed by a general ennui for the 3e game I was running, followed by schedule conflicts, has kept it hibernating for over a year. And now, with 4e out, I don't want to run 3e and some of the players would prefer to play something other than 4e for this game.

So really, I want to run a game for my Saturday crowd. I want to run ToEE. Why not run it in its actual edition? (Shocking thought, I know!) That way I can avoid conversion work entirely, and we have a nice compromise game for this group of pretty varied gamers. (And before anyone asks - I have absolutely no desire to run C&C. I had the books, but gave them away... It just leaves me cold, to be honest.)

At any rate, I'll start this game up within a month or so, I hope. I'm a bit rusty with AD&D, but it looks a lot like riding a bike... You never really forget how to play or run it. I'll use OSRIC as a kind of desk reference for the rules, since the 1e DMG is a wonderfully befuddling morass and it's pretty tough to find exactly what it is you're looking for. I plan on using only the most rudimentary rules involving segments; ignoring weapon speed entirely; but maybe - just maybe - dipping into the weapon vs. AC tables. (They look fun, you know?)

I'm looking forward to it!

-O

 

[ExploderWizard]

Anyways, along with the new & shiny comes the old nostalgia. In particular, I've always wanted to run Temple of Elemental Evil, from H1 onwards.

Hommlett was T1. My inner geek couldn't let that pass.

Anyhoo, I wish you the best of luck for your group. As far as running the "whole thing"............I may get stomped for saying this but a lot of the actual TOEE is a pretty boring dungeon with lots of empty rooms. I know its a classic but that big of a dungeon didn't hold our interest back in the day when we had loads more free time to play.

 

[Edgewood]

I'm looking forward to it!

Welcome to the 1st Edition club. I went back recently my self and have started my Open RPG group. It's so nice to get back to my roots. Hope you have fun with it!!

 

[grodog]

So really, I want to run a game for my Saturday crowd. I want to run ToEE. Why not run it in its actual edition? (Shocking thought, I know!) That way I can avoid conversion work entirely, and we have a nice compromise game for this group of pretty varied gamers. [snip]

At any rate, I'll start this game up within a month or so, I hope. I'm a bit rusty with AD&D, but it looks a lot like riding a bike... You never really forget how to play or run it. I'll use OSRIC as a kind of desk reference for the rules, since the 1e DMG is a wonderfully befuddling morass and it's pretty tough to find exactly what it is you're looking for. I plan on using only the most rudimentary rules involving segments; ignoring weapon speed entirely; but maybe - just maybe - dipping into the weapon vs. AC tables. (They look fun, you know?)

Sounds good If you're looking for input on what other rules to consider using/modifying/etc., let us know!

Also: there're some good ideas on ways to play with and develop T1-4 over on Canonfire! and in the Greyhawk forums on K&K and DF, so it's worth spending a little time prepping if you're interested in such.

 

[Obryn]

Hommlett was T1. My inner geek couldn't let that pass.

Hah! Good call. I'm so used to writing about KotS...

Anyhoo, I wish you the best of luck for your group. As far as running the "whole thing"............I may get stomped for saying this but a lot of the actual TOEE is a pretty boring dungeon with lots of empty rooms. I know its a classic but that big of a dungeon didn't hold our interest back in the day when we had loads more free time to play.

Well, we'll have to see how it works. If it stinks, there's tons of other classic modules, like G123 and D123, both of which I have copies of.

-O

 

[Obryn]

Sounds good If you're looking for input on what other rules to consider using/modifying/etc., let us know!

Sure!

I already plan on using Fighter weapon specialization. I may or may not use a crit houserule I used to use in 2e, where crits do different things for slashing, stabbing, and smashing weapons.

Also: there're some good ideas on ways to play with and develop T1-4 over on Canonfire! and in the Greyhawk forums on K&K and DF, so it's worth spending a little time prepping if you're interested in such.

I'll take a look!

-O

 

[ExploderWizard]

Well, we'll have to see how it works. If it stinks, there's tons of other classic modules, like G123 and D123, both of which I have copies of.

-O

If you never played them and would like suggestions for 1E:

L1 The Secret of Bone Hill
L2 The Assassins Knot
I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City

These are great for exploration style gaming. L2 is a cool murder mystery and the others are easy to adapt to a story of your own.

 

[Tewligan]

If you're looking for tips-n-such as to what to use, I would recommend using the 2e initiative system. Much cleaner and less headache-inducing!

Oh, and welcome back to the 1e fold, by the way!

 

[Obryn]

Oh, and welcome back to the 1e fold, by the way!

I don't know that I ever really left the 1e fold - I never actively disliked 1e or anything like that. Much like many other games that I like, I just haven't played it in years. I think there are some oddities in its design, still, but it's been a long time (or maybe never) since I played 1e close to by-the-book.

This isn't an exclusive game for my D&D time; it's just a once-a-month long session. I'm still running my 4e game every Wednesday night and loving it.

-O

 

[Henry]

I plan on using only the most rudimentary rules involving segments; ignoring weapon speed entirely; but maybe - just maybe - dipping into the weapon vs. AC tables. (They look fun, you know?)

I'm looking forward to it!

-O

You could still use weapon speeds, but only use them just like 1st edition did -- don't count "reaction adjustment" on Dex for init like some house rules used to, and only use weapon speeds to resolve ties in the actual d10 or d6 die rolls. Those were only for surprise rolls.

The "vs. AC" tables? Those things used to give me fits, especially since it was really more for armor types than actual AC bonuses. So if you were striking a chimera who was AC 4 you didn't use it, but striking a dude in banded mail, you did use it. ARGH!

Regardless - I wish you many hours of fun! Good luck!