AD&D 1E Three Things that can't be Fixed in 1e AD&D

[Voadam]

Spell disruption was still in 3e but it was definitely easier on the casters as long as they put decent amounts of skill points into concentration they might be able to "save" against being disrupted or even set themselves up to cast defensively without having to worry about an attack of opportunity even occurring.

Readying an action to get off a standard action attack was an option too to interrupt a spell, but you had to give up full attacks to do so and maybe have it be entirely wasted if the trigger did not happen. I can remember a fight where our only option was readying attacks against the foe (ogre mage variant?) who kept popping in, attacking, then popping out ethereally all on his turn. Very annoying.

 

[cbwjm]

Readying an action to get off a standard action attack was an option too to interrupt a spell, but you had to give up full attacks to do so and maybe have it be entirely wasted if the trigger did not happen. I can remember a fight where our only option was readying attacks against the foe (ogre mage variant?) who kept popping in, attacking, then popping out ethereally all on his turn. Very annoying.

I forgot about readying an action, I could see that being useful for archers covering the party from enemy spellcasters.

That ogremage fight sounds like it would be very annoying.

 

[Voadam]

That ogremage fight sounds like it would be very annoying.

It was annoying, which is fine for a one off villain fight where we beat him. It required a different tempo using less effective attack sequences and was a change of pace. If he had fled and come back again and again after using his fast healing it would have gotten tiresome quick.

Pretty much the same way I feel about most 2e and 3e fiends having at will teleport.

 

[fuindordm]

hmm. Did people actually use the random % chance to know a spell rules? From what I remember back in the 1E gaming days, we pretty much let starting mages pick the spells they wanted (they already had a difficult start). I don't think we used the % chance of adding a new spell either.... if they found a scroll, they could copy it in, no problem. I don't remember how we did 'adding new spells when you gained a level', although I think it was just 'add one of whatever you want'....

Yes I always used the % chance to understand. Otherwise every MU uses the same spells.

Vancian casting is not just spell slots, it is the atmosphere of MUs scrounging ruins and risking ancient curses to retrieve fragments of magic they can use, but barely understand.

 

[fuindordm]

Magic missile is very useful even at first level, but it's best held in reserve to finish off a wounded opponent.

Burning hands is theoretically useful due to its unusual duration (1 full round) which lets it clear a wider area or prevent vermin and animals from closing to melee range at the DM's discretion. Still much worse than sleep, of course, but it could buy the party a precious extra round of preparation or missile fire.

 

[David Howery]

Yes I always used the % chance to understand. Otherwise every MU uses the same spells.

that seems like it could really hamper starting mages who don't have really high INT. At the least, I'd think they should be able to choose one spell for their book. Otherwise, random bad luck (something that can really plague 1E RAW) could give them nothing all that useful to survive....