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<blockquote data-quote="Mannahnin" data-source="post: 9501347" data-attributes="member: 7026594">Yes, I did a deep dig on this a while ago and as far as I could determine the first time it appears in print in an official D&amp;D product as a general system is in 1981 Basic.&nbsp; It's not presented as a core rule per-se, but as an optional example resolution system in the Dungeon Mastering as a Fine Art appendix of advise and guidance for new DMs, at the back.The idea of rolling under an ability score appears in individual special cases before that (like the Dex &quot;save&quot; to avoid falling into a pit created with the Dig spell, in the 1978 AD&amp;D PH, and I believe a few special situations in modules), but Moldvay is the first D&amp;D writer to generalize it.It really is good.&nbsp; For my taste, the only tweaks it more or less NEEDs are a softening of straight &quot;at 0HP you're just dead&quot;, and some buff to Thieves, who genuinely do suck, despite their slightly faster advancement.&nbsp; Arguably a small boost to Fighters can be nice, if you're finding that people always choose Dwarf instead.I have a longer list of <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/working-on-succinct-ose-house-rules-for-online-pickup-play.677558/post-9450692" target="_blank">house rules I LIKE to use</a>, but really those are the most important ones.Edit: Oh, and as important DM advice:1. Use Reaction Rolls and Morale. This makes the game less lethal, less predictable, and more fun and surprising for you as well as your players.2. Be sure to &quot;thoughtfully place&quot; (to quote OD&amp;D) multiple important hoards containing gems, jewelry, and/or magic items (&quot;various magical items and large amounts of wealth in the form of gems and jewelry&quot;, ibid) on each dungeon level prior to doing any random generation of contents per the procedure on B52.&nbsp; Moldvay only briefly mentions placing &quot;special monsters&quot; and &quot;special treasures&quot; before doing random generation, but he undersells it and misses the mark in his example of dungeon stocking on pages B55-56.&nbsp; If you just go by the tables your players will be too poor and unable to level at the pace he recommends on page B61, of a level within 3-4 sessions.3. Be sure to include some scrolls in the treasure hoards.&nbsp; Especially M-U ones so they're not quite so spell-poor.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Mannahnin, post: 9501347, member: 7026594"] Yes, I did a deep dig on this a while ago and as far as I could determine the first time it appears in print in an official D&D product as a general system is in 1981 Basic. It's not presented as a core rule per-se, but as an optional example resolution system in the Dungeon Mastering as a Fine Art appendix of advise and guidance for new DMs, at the back. The idea of rolling under an ability score appears in individual special cases before that (like the Dex "save" to avoid falling into a pit created with the Dig spell, in the 1978 AD&D PH, and I believe a few special situations in modules), but Moldvay is the first D&D writer to generalize it. It really is good. For my taste, the only tweaks it more or less NEEDs are a softening of straight "at 0HP you're just dead", and some buff to Thieves, who genuinely do suck, despite their slightly faster advancement. Arguably a small boost to Fighters can be nice, if you're finding that people always choose Dwarf instead. I have a longer list of [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/working-on-succinct-ose-house-rules-for-online-pickup-play.677558/post-9450692']house rules I LIKE to use[/URL], but really those are the most important ones. [I]Edit[/I]: Oh, and as important DM advice: 1. Use Reaction Rolls and Morale. This makes the game less lethal, less predictable, and more fun and surprising for you as well as your players. 2. Be sure to "thoughtfully place" (to quote OD&D) multiple important hoards containing gems, jewelry, and/or magic items ("various magical items and large amounts of wealth in the form of gems and jewelry", ibid) on each dungeon level prior to doing any random generation of contents per the procedure on B52. Moldvay only briefly mentions placing "special monsters" and "special treasures" before doing random generation, but he undersells it and misses the mark in his example of dungeon stocking on pages B55-56. If you just go by the tables your players will be too poor and unable to level at the pace he recommends on page B61, of a level within 3-4 sessions. 3. Be sure to include some scrolls in the treasure hoards. Especially M-U ones so they're not quite so spell-poor. [/QUOTE]

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