D&D 1E Inch/Foot notation in 1E Monster Manual

[AwesomeOpossum74]

Is it me, or is the notation for speed and distance backwards in the 1E MM? For instance, the Groaning Spirit/Banshee's move speed is notated at 15", which would normally read "15 inches". I'd bet that this is actually meant to be "15 feet", which should be notated as 15'.

On the same monster, it says "its wails will cause the hearers within 3" to save versus magic ..."
Safe to think this should be 3 feet, and not 3 inches?

 

[Mark CMG]

Is it me, or is the notation for speed and distance backwards in the 1E MM? For instance, the Groaning Spirit/Banshee's move speed is notated at 15", which would normally read "15 inches". I'd bet that this is actually meant to be "15 feet", which should be notated as 15'.

On the same monster, it says "its wails will cause the hearers within 3" to save versus magic ..."
Safe to think this should be 3 feet, and not 3 inches?

The inch notation is meant to represent tens of feet indoors in 1E and tens of yards outdoors.

 

[Corathon]

Is it me, or is the notation for speed and distance backwards in the 1E MM? For instance, the Groaning Spirit/Banshee's move speed is notated at 15", which would normally read "15 inches". I'd bet that this is actually meant to be "15 feet", which should be notated as 15'.

On the same monster, it says "its wails will cause the hearers within 3" to save versus magic ..."
Safe to think this should be 3 feet, and not 3 inches?

Sorry, but no. Creatures in AD&D 1E have movements in inches, which are tens of yards outdoors, and tens of feet in a dungeon. A banshee is an incorporeal spirit, and is fast (15" is faster than a human's move of 12"). Likewise, the creature's wail affects those within 30' - she doesn't need to yell in your ear to kill you.

Edit: I believe that the phrase is "ninjaed".

 

[GreyICE]

How very gamist of Gygax.

 

[AwesomeOpossum74]

Sorry, but no. Creatures in AD&D 1E have movements in inches, which are tens of yards outdoors, and tens of feet in a dungeon. A banshee is an incorporeal spirit, and is fast (15" is faster than a human's move of 12"). Likewise, the creature's wail affects those within 30' - she doesn't need to yell in your ear to kill you.

Edit: I believe that the phrase is "ninjaed".

LOL at "ninjaed"!

Just to be clear, I was talking about scientific notation of distance, not DnD. So what we're saying here, is that the notation is intentionally different in DnD?

Continuing to use the Banshee as an example, it's speed being 15", would then be read as 15 feet in a dungeon, and 15 yards outdoors?

 

[Alzrius]

LOL at "ninjaed"!

Just to be clear, I was talking about scientific notation of distance, not DnD. So what we're saying here, is that the notation is intentionally different in DnD?

Continuing to use the Banshee as an example, it's speed being 15", would then be read as 15 feet in a dungeon, and 15 yards outdoors?

It is indeed intentionally different in AD&D. Inches were used to denote movement on maps, as part of the game's war-gaming heritage. It was understood (and explained in the PHB, as I recall) that each inch was 10 feet indoors, and ten yards outdoors.

So the banshee that can move 15" is moving 150 feet indoors, and 150 yards (450 feet) outdoors.

 

[AwesomeOpossum74]

It is indeed intentionally different in AD&D. Inches were used to denote movement on maps, as part of the game's war-gaming heritage. It was understood (and explained in the PHB, as I recall) that each inch was 10 feet indoors, and ten yards outdoors.

So the banshee that can move 15" is moving 150 feet indoors, and 150 yards (450 feet) outdoors.

Ok, that explains a lot. I haven't yet received my PHB (it happens that's the last book of the 3 cores that I ordered. I went most expensive to least expensive so as to keep it from hurting so much when the wife found out.) I have my friend's original PHB, but haven't had much time to walk through it yet. There's a LOT of stuff to remember, so it'll be slow going while I try to absorb some of it!

I'm pretty much totally new to the game, save some very limited play time. Therefore, lots more questions to go!

 

[Alzrius]

I'm pretty much totally new to the game, save some very limited play time. Therefore, lots more questions to go!

No worries, answering questions is a big part of what makes the EN World community go round!

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

It is indeed intentionally different in AD&D. Inches were used to denote movement on maps, as part of the game's war-gaming heritage. It was understood (and explained in the PHB, as I recall) that each inch was 10 feet indoors, and ten yards outdoors.

So the banshee that can move 15" is moving 150 feet indoors, and 150 yards (450 feet) outdoors.

Don't forget the time element. Those are 1-minute rounds in 1E. So that's 150 feet or 150 yards per 1-minute round.

 

[Crothian]

I'm pretty much totally new to the game, save some very limited play time. Therefore, lots more questions to go!

Best of luck to you and hopefully you all have a great time with it. As for the questions, they really don't end. I've been playing 1e for over thirty years and just this summer at Gen Con I learned something new about the game.