Surviving low-level old school D&D

[Melan]

I have found that engaging encounters on your own terms and trying to withdraw from those where you don't have that is a good general rule to live by. But I also fondly remember my first character ever, who was killed by orcs in a mine in his first combat, the wizard who was caught breaking into a palace in his home town and had his hand chopped off as a punishment (harsh), or the 3.0 game where we all went down to a combination of orcs/shambling mound, the survivors sent a rescue expedition to retrieve and loot the corpses, and suffered a second TPK (brutal but fun).

What also helps is that I have never taken character death too hard - it is a cool war story, and often makes a character memorable even if he never realised his life goals or whatever... the classic example being Ratomil the Rogue, a thief character in my current campaign who died in the first round of his first combat before gaining initiative, to 1 HD illusionary monsters. Ratomil is fondly remembered, while his player took out another sheet of paper and rolled up a new pc.

Of course, some people like a different type of fun, and more power to them. Myself, I like old school D&D because it is really my shrewdness making a difference between life and death. There are limits - I don't think I'd enjoy a hyper-paranoid don't-you-touch-anything campaign - but most of the time, I am all right with a bit of danger.

 

[Hussar]

For most of my current 3e campaign I've been averaging 1 dead PC per 4 hour session. I started using death at negative CON + 10 to reduce fatalities; still lost 2 PCs in 1 fight to a fireballing Wizard. Funny thing is, I'm using B/X and C&C modules and monster stats to reduce the lethality!

Maybe it's because players expect to win the fights in 3e they die so much. Plus the modern modules especially can be rather linear.

The big eye opener for me in 3e was the World's Largest Dungeon, where I was running three, four encounters pretty much every session. 3e monsters are just really, really lethal. The fact that most creatures where CR=PC level can either incapacitate or outright kill a PC in a single full attack, while not likely, WILL come up from time to time.

 

[Quartz]

Charm Person wasn't a spell for turning monsters against their kin, it was a way to ensure we had a door & chest opening machine on our side.

Oh yes indeed.

 

[baradtgnome]

1) There are the rules to the game, and then there is the intent (which is certainly open to personal interpretation). To me, the intent is the fun of adventuring, and the game is more fun when the characters have a decent shot at survival; plus I want to reward reasonable risk-taking as I find "probe every bit of floor with a 10' pole" utterly boring.

Well said and agreed. This is how we like our D&D.

For those who prodded every square foot of floor with a pole, listen at every door, and took every possible precaution in excrutiating detail - I refer you to page 97 of the AD&D DMG. Gary had little patience for that style of play and made recommendations on how to 'train' your players. Anyone remember Ear Seekers? (page 36 AD&D MM).

Now if you like having a checklist to open each and every door, and your DM supports that as good play. Then for you it is. Its just that we don't find that fun.

2) D&D has always been my gateway at being the character in a fantasy novel....

Again, I think we have a game more similar to Eric. It took us a while to make the rule adjustments and player learning but we did, and still do, stay away from the grinding procedures and high kill rate games. I don't think it is about right or wrong, just playing in a style that suits.

 

[S'mon]

The big eye opener for me in 3e was the World's Largest Dungeon, where I was running three, four encounters pretty much every session. 3e monsters are just really, really lethal. The fact that most creatures where CR=PC level can either incapacitate or outright kill a PC in a single full attack, while not likely, WILL come up from time to time.

Yeah, that's why I stopped using 3e monster stats in my 3e games.

 

[rounser]

Um, you don't have to cheat or house rule running out of HP if you're using the Rules Cyclopedia. There's optional "death's door" rules for below zero HP under the heading Keeping Characters Alive, page 266.

They even appear to be more forgiving than the 2E death's door rules, so long as someone has a healing skill, spell or potion handy.

 

[S'mon]

Um, you don't have to cheat or house rule running out of HP if you're using the RC. There's optional "death's door" rules for below zero HP under the heading Keeping Characters Alive, page 266.

They even appear to be more forgiving than the 2E death's door rules, so long as someone has a healing skill, spell or potion handy.

I'm using that (Death Save at 0hp) in my current Labyrinth Lord chatroom Wilderlands game. Came up last session when the halfling went one on one with the BBEG... luckily he made his death save & woke up cradled in the arms of his amazon ladyfriend.

 

[rounser]

I'm using that (Death Save at 0hp) in my current Labyrinth Lord chatroom Wilderlands game. Came up last session when the halfling went one on one with the BBEG... luckily he made his death save & woke up cradled in the arms of his amazon ladyfriend.

I note that one side effect of this rule is that a seventh level halfling or a tenth level dwarf or elf has a 95% chance of making this save, given they need a 2 or more.

That makes them on average a cat with 19 lives from that point on. Gimli, Legolas and Frodo get plot protection, seemingly.

Given the lethal nature of unfudged BECMI D&D, I'm not sure that this is such a bad thing, but if you combine this rule with weapon mastery (deflect revolves around death ray saves as well) then you begin to make a stronger case for not using the no level limits optional rule for demihumans.

Come to think of it, elf with short sword weapon mastery (deflect and disarm) and dwarf with battle axe weapon mastery (delay and stun) are quite reminiscent of those LotR movie characters in melee.

 

[GenghisDon]

Level 1 never was too popular with my crew. Starting at L 3 works just fine(I like L3 but no xp, it can take a while to hit 4.) Same starting gp/gear.

 

[S'mon]

I note that one side effect of this rule is that a seventh level halfling or a tenth level dwarf or elf has a 95% chance of making this save, given they need a 2 or more.

That makes them on average a cat with 19 lives from that point on. Gimli, Legolas and Frodo get plot protection, seemingly.

Given the lethal nature of D&D, I'm not sure that this is such a bad thing, but if you combine this rule with weapon mastery (deflect revolves around death ray saves as well) then you begin to make a stronger case for not using the no level limits optional rule for demihumans.

Come to think of it, elf with short sword weapon mastery (deflect and disarm) and dwarf with battle axe weapon mastery (delay and stun) are quite reminiscent of those LotR movie characters in melee.

I'm retaining the level limits, so the halfling can't go over 8th, while the human Fighter is unlimited. Plus I'm restricting him to shortsword 1-h, longsword 2-h. I'm also using max hp, which favours the d8 classes. No weapon mastery in LL.