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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MerricB" data-source="post: 1839516" data-attributes="member: 3586">The Quick Guide to the Dungeon Masters Guide, 1st editionIntroduction - The DMG has the rules the DM needs for the game; explanations for the rules are given, so that the DM understands why the game is as it is, so that the DM is informed when changing the system.Dice and Miniatures - What's the difference between linear and bell curve probability? Use official miniatures to spice up the game.Creating the Player Character - Various ways of rolling ability scores, and the effect of Wishes and Age on such. Disease, Secondary Skills and Death.Character Abilities - What are the racial stereoptypes? What followers do high-level PCs get? Descriptions of other PC abilities, including elucidations on thief and assassin abilities. The use of poison is discouraged because it takes the challenge out of the game; monster PCs discouraged likewise. (Major Essay)Alignment - The use and descriptions of the alignments and the alignment languages. Money - Generation of random gems and jewelry; the expenses of PCs. Reputed magical properties of gems, herbs, etc.Armour, Armour Class & Weapons - The encumbrance of armour and descriptions of the types. The reason the Dex bonus to AC is not lessened by heavy armour (Minor Essay).Hirelings - Mercenaries, sages and other expertsHenchmen - How to hire, and their loyalty once hired.Time - The importance of keeping track of time in the campaign (Major Essay); keeping track of time in the dungeon.Character Spells - Acquisition of spells for the classes and the starting spellbook of the MU. Expanded notes on judging various spells.The Adventure - Running outdoor adventures, including random encounters. How to become lost. Adventures in the air, including flying mounts. Waterborne adventures, including vessel descriptions, wind, vessel damage, boarding, ramming and so forth. Underwater adventures, adjustments to combat, movement and spells. The Planes (Minor Essay). Outdoor movement rates. Infravision, Ultravision and Invisibility (Minor Essays); Mirror, Detection of Evil/Good; Listening at doors.Combat - Description of procedures including Surprise, Initiative (most confusing version!), Action types, Encounter reactions, Missile discharge, Parleying, Charging, Turning Undead, Spell Casting during melee, Unarmed Combat, Pursuit and evasion. Melee, including an example. The Attack Matrices - to hit, psionics, saving throws, turn undead. Notes on saving throws. Item saves. What hit points are (Minor essay). Effects of Alcohol and drugs; Insanity.Experience - Assessment and division of XP. Monster XP, Treasure XP - modified by the challenge of the encounter. Training rules.The Campaign - What is a campaign? (essay), Setting things in motion (essay); Climate & Ecology; Social Class and Rank (major essay); Town and city social structure; Economics; Taxes (essay); Monster Populations and placement (major essay); Placement of Monetary treasure (major essay); Placement of magic items (major essay); Territory development by PCs; Peasants, serfs and slaves; A sample dungeon, the first dungeon adventure.Non-Player Characters - Trait tables; Special roles of the DM; Hiring NPCs to cast spells; Monsters and organisation (major essay) including descriptions of what happens when PCs leave and them come back. Use of non-human troops.Construction & Siege - Underground construction; building castles (with component costs); War machine stats; Siege attack values.Conducting the Game - Rolling the dice and control of the game; handling troublesome players; integration of experienced or new players into an ongoing game; multiple PCs for one player; deity intervention; The ongoing campaign - using boot hill and gamma world in D&D. Magical Research - Creating holy water; Researching spells; Fabrication of Magic items; Non-standard Magic Items.Use of Magic Items - Command Words, Scrying; Potion Miscibility; Energy Draining.Treasure - Random map table; random magic item tables; magic item descriptions; artifact descriptions.AppendicesA) Random Dungeon GenerationB) Random Wilderness TerrainC) Random Monster EncountersD) Random Generation of Creatures from the Lower PlanesE) Alphabetical Recapulation of Monsters (including XP values)F) GamblingG) TrapsH) TricksI) Dungeon DressingJ) Herbs, Spices and Medicinal VegetablesK) Describing Magical SubstancesL) Conjured AnimalsM) Summoned MonstersN) Inspirational and Educational ReadingO) Encumbrance of Standard ItemsP) Creating a Party on the Spur of the MomentGlossaryAfterword:IT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME, NOT THE LETTER OF THE RULES, WHICH IS IMPORTANT. NEVER HOLD TO THE LETTER WRITTEN, NOR ALLOW SOME BARRACKS ROOM LAWYER TO FORCE QUOTATIONS FROM THE RULE BOOK UPON YOU, IF IT GOES AGAINST THE OBVIOUS INTENT OF THE GAME. AS YOU HEW THE LINE WITH RESPECT TO CONFORMITY TO MAJOR SYSTEMS AND UNIFORMITY OF PLAY IN GNEERAL, ALSO BE CERTAINTHE GAME IS MASTERED BY YOU AND NOT BY YOUR PLAYERS. WITHIN THE BROAD PARAMETERS GIVEN IN THE ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS VOLUMES, YOU ARE CREATOR AND FINAL ARBITER BY ORDERING THINGS AS THEY SHOULD BE, THE GAME AS A WHOLE FIRST, YOUR CAMPAIGN NEXT, AND YOUR PARTICIPANTS THEREAFTER. YOU WILL BE PLAYING ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS AS IT WAS MEANT TO BE. MAY YOU FIND AS MUCH PLEASURE IN SO DOING AS THE REST OF US DO!Cheers!</blockquote>

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