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<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 7632903" data-attributes="member: 4937"><p>So, your favorite character - the one that got to your highest level - had a 16 in their prime requisite, and thus was entitled to a 10% XP bonus and a +1 bonus to damage. So, yes, just about any character could be fun to play - Ogdin Mudstump, Dwarf Thief, was fun to play for his short career. But it's not surprising at all that your favorite character was one that was at least on the playable side of the equation. </p><p></p><p>However, your favorite character would totally outclassed by one with two 17s or an 18 strength. I'm guessing that didn't happen (or you did actually have another score of 16 or higher). Your 11th level fighter only would have had about 47 hit points, and that's not really viable for a front line character when you are facing off against level X monsters. If that same fighter had say a 16 Strength and also a 17 Constitution, so that they have say about 74 hit points, now we are talking. Or if you had 16 Str but also a 17 Dex, so that with plate and shield at 2nd level and without magic you'd be in that all important negative AC range, that might make up for not having any hit points. As a practical matter, you'd get hit only about half or a third the time as the same fighter with a 14 Dex through those low levels because orcs and the like would need a 20 to hit you as opposed to say a 17. That's huge.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Did you not have a cleric in the party? </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Style of play can go a long way, as can having a group with a particular attitude. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Half of all characters dying at first level was normal. A lot of the time players would start with two characters (if the DM allowed it) and use one as a meat shield for the better character. Or if the DM didn't allow that, they'd buy a dog (a 2HD dog would likely outclass a starting fighter in a lot of ways) or hire a man-at-arms if they could and have the NPC shield for their character. (Who says charisma is useless?) But if you had good stats you got out of that danger zone fairly quickly. The difference between a character with 16 CON and one without it is huge. The difference between a 1st level Ranger and a 1st level Fighter with no fighter bonuses for stats above 17 is huge, because you start with that second HD. The difference between a M-U that has a 14 Int and one that has an 18 Int isn't that great to start, but by the time you hit name level the differences in your chance to learn a spell and your maximum number of spells in your spell book is massive. In 3e terms, once you start hitting name level, the 14 Int M-U is a tier 3 character, but the 18 Int M-U is tier 1 because you can learn most of the spells you want to learn and you can learn enough spells to have a solution for any problem.</p><p></p><p>Characters with different ability scores in 1e AD&D were practically playing a different game. One of the reasons 4d6 drop the lowest is such a terrible method is that in a group of 6 people who aren't cheating, you'll one player that will be like 40 point buy in 3e terms, and another that will be like 15 point buy. The power levels of party members will be all over the place. </p><p></p><p>One bad roll ending a low level character was normal. One bad roll shouldn't end a high level character who is part of a party unless the DM is just throwing crap at the party left and right. Instant death save or die poison is not fatal if you fail your save, and you have a 7th cleric either in the party or as a henchmen - slow poison, neutralize poison, character is back in action. Don't travel without one.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 7632903, member: 4937"] So, your favorite character - the one that got to your highest level - had a 16 in their prime requisite, and thus was entitled to a 10% XP bonus and a +1 bonus to damage. So, yes, just about any character could be fun to play - Ogdin Mudstump, Dwarf Thief, was fun to play for his short career. But it's not surprising at all that your favorite character was one that was at least on the playable side of the equation. However, your favorite character would totally outclassed by one with two 17s or an 18 strength. I'm guessing that didn't happen (or you did actually have another score of 16 or higher). Your 11th level fighter only would have had about 47 hit points, and that's not really viable for a front line character when you are facing off against level X monsters. If that same fighter had say a 16 Strength and also a 17 Constitution, so that they have say about 74 hit points, now we are talking. Or if you had 16 Str but also a 17 Dex, so that with plate and shield at 2nd level and without magic you'd be in that all important negative AC range, that might make up for not having any hit points. As a practical matter, you'd get hit only about half or a third the time as the same fighter with a 14 Dex through those low levels because orcs and the like would need a 20 to hit you as opposed to say a 17. That's huge. Did you not have a cleric in the party? Style of play can go a long way, as can having a group with a particular attitude. Half of all characters dying at first level was normal. A lot of the time players would start with two characters (if the DM allowed it) and use one as a meat shield for the better character. Or if the DM didn't allow that, they'd buy a dog (a 2HD dog would likely outclass a starting fighter in a lot of ways) or hire a man-at-arms if they could and have the NPC shield for their character. (Who says charisma is useless?) But if you had good stats you got out of that danger zone fairly quickly. The difference between a character with 16 CON and one without it is huge. The difference between a 1st level Ranger and a 1st level Fighter with no fighter bonuses for stats above 17 is huge, because you start with that second HD. The difference between a M-U that has a 14 Int and one that has an 18 Int isn't that great to start, but by the time you hit name level the differences in your chance to learn a spell and your maximum number of spells in your spell book is massive. In 3e terms, once you start hitting name level, the 14 Int M-U is a tier 3 character, but the 18 Int M-U is tier 1 because you can learn most of the spells you want to learn and you can learn enough spells to have a solution for any problem. Characters with different ability scores in 1e AD&D were practically playing a different game. One of the reasons 4d6 drop the lowest is such a terrible method is that in a group of 6 people who aren't cheating, you'll one player that will be like 40 point buy in 3e terms, and another that will be like 15 point buy. The power levels of party members will be all over the place. One bad roll ending a low level character was normal. One bad roll shouldn't end a high level character who is part of a party unless the DM is just throwing crap at the party left and right. Instant death save or die poison is not fatal if you fail your save, and you have a 7th cleric either in the party or as a henchmen - slow poison, neutralize poison, character is back in action. Don't travel without one. [/QUOTE]
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