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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ariosto" data-source="post: 5035496" data-attributes="member: 80487">Vol. 1, pp. 10-11:"Strength will also aid in opening traps and so on.""Intelligence will also affect referees' decisions as to whether certain action would be taken, and it allows additional languages to be spoken [per p. 12].""Wisdom rating will act much as does that for intelligence.""Dexterity applies both to manual speed and conjuration. It will indicate the character's missile ability and speed with actions such as firing first, getting off a spell, etc.."Most of those cases are not quantified in specific rules. That is obviously not an indication that they are not to be part of the game! I would suggest rather that it is an indication that anything might potentially be part of the game.There is a mindset, far from unusual among D&Ders, by which each addition of a "skill" for one character imputes lack of competence in that area to other characters. Supposed adventurers of the ilk of Leiber's and Howard's heroes are thereby required to be clumsy instead of stealthy, to balk at climbing trees, to fall out of their saddles, to be unable to camp and live off the land ... and so on and on.If ever you wonder whence comes prejudice against "skill systems" -- that is it.Back to Men & Magic:Charisma gets by far the most attention. First, there is a table giving "maximum number of hirelings" (in a sense distinguished in AD&D by  the term "henchmen") and a bonus or penalty to Loyalty (which affects employees or followers of all types)."In addition the charisma score is usable to decide such things as whether or not a witch capturing a player will turn him into a swine or keep him enchanted as a lover. Finally, the charisma will aid a character in attracting various monsters to his service."That last is specifically addressed in a section on Non-Player Characters that starts on page 12. The Reaction table there can be used more generally to add a chance factor -- "with appropriate plusses or minuses, according to the offer, the referee rolling two six-sided dice and adjusting for charisma" -- to determining the disposition of NPCs in any situation.Page 13 treats the interrelated factors of loyalty and morale. "Morale dice can cause a man or intelligent monster to attempt to surrender or become subdued. When this happens an offer of service can be made (assuming that communication is possible) as outlined above. Subdued monsters will obey for a time without need to check their reactions, and such monsters are salable.""Periodic re-checks of loyalty should be made. Length of service, rewards, etc., will bring additional plusses. Poor treatment will bring minuses."Charisma is the only character factor consistently underlined in reference after reference. That might be just coincidence, but it appears to be the most important factor apart from hit points (the risking of which it can help to minimize). It is given more attention than the other ability scores combined, and more than combat in Vol. 1 (the Naval and Aerial sections in Vol. 3 making up most of the combat rules).There follows a discussion of Relatives, with particular attention to inheritance and estate taxes. "Characters without a relative will lose all their possessions should they disappear and not return before whatever period is designated as establishing death."Among other items in Vol. 1 are Magical Research and Books of Spells. Speaking of spells, here are the magic-user's first two lists:1st Level: Detect Magic; Hold Portal; Read Magic; Read Languages; Protection From Evil; Light; Charm Person; Sleep.2nd Level: Detect Invisible; Levitate; Phantasmal Forces; Locate Object; Invisibility; Wizard Lock; Detect Evil; ESP; Continual Light; Knock.Volume 3 gives probably the best discussion of dungeons in any edition (well complimented by the sections in Supplement 1). It also treats The Wilderness; Construction of Castles and Strongholds; Specialists and Men-at-Arms; Rumors, Information and Legends; Player-Character Support and Upkeep; Baronies; the Angry Villager Rule; Healing Wounds; Time; and other non-combat subjects.</blockquote>

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