Playing D&D with only the PHB

[Scribble]

Or.... you could just not stat up farmers.

Is there some reason you need to stat up farmers?

Dude! I totally got a 23 on my sow fields check!

 

[WSmith]

And hey, you even have horses in the PHB (in the Paladin entry). But no stats for other animals, nor any Summoned Monsters.

The first print PHB in 3.0 had at least a few monster stats in the back.

Hum, it may have been during that time frame. I have the 1st print, but the adversaries were not monsters at all, but generated characters.

So what would some of the challenges of playing this way be?

Commoners, they all have 1d4-1 HP and a -1 BAB if you ask me. Simple enough

 

[Alnag]

Actually it was my general practice for years to run a game with just PHB. I bought all three books but most of the time DMG and MM were catching dust in a library. Their relevance to the game was pretty low. Conditions were not much of an issue, we level up after completing adventure and the players were facing enemies with "estimated stats".

It worked. Nothing else mattes. Now I play SW, so it is one book already. Good for them

 

[Particle_Man]

The very first 3.0 phb had some monsters included in it.

Heck, there was a free version of Traveller that gave you all you needed to play...if everyone played Human Merchants.

 

[Daniel D. Fox]

We've played with just the PHB in 3rd edition, mostly due to the fact that the majority of the foes they fight are classed humanoids.

As for true "monsters", well - I truly don't remember the last time we had a real monster in the game for over 6 years, playing on a weekly basis.

For animals, I just make the stats up. It works.

 

[KingCrab]

Is there some reason you need to stat up farmers?

So they can spot the monster creeping up behind the PCs?
So the PCs can kill them and take their stuff?
So the PCs can kill them while they're trying to warn them of the monsters creeping up behind the PCs?

 

[Particle_Man]

I guess it would make the Ranger's choice of favoured enemy easier.

On the other hand, the turn undead ability (and animate dead, etc.) would be less useful, with no statted up undead. Summon Monsters/Nature's Ally, same deal.

And there would be half-orcs, but no orcs!

 

[Particle_Man]

So they can spot the monster creeping up behind the PCs?
So the PCs can kill them and take their stuff?
So the PCs can kill them while they're trying to warn them of the monsters creeping up behind the PCs?

1) NPC vs. NPC = DM's fiat

2) PC vs. NPC farmer = dead farmer.

 

[Li Shenron]

The first print PHB in 3.0 had at least a few monster stats in the back.

I was about to say the same... I think I could play the game without the DMG, but not without the MM.

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

the frist 3.o PHB also had xp tables up to 10th level and a few magic items ..so yeah u could use just it we did