Okay,

I've been thinking how to make 1E AD&D/OSR-style characters a bit more palatable if you end up with crap scores. The dice sometimes don't forgive and, unlike OD&D, said scores are WAY more relevant for a lot of things. No one really wants to play a Thief that's barely capable of being a Thief. So, for my own OSR-style game, I figured adapting some of the original rules (Start at lvl 0, 'Cavalier' training, etc) might be in order. I naturally changed some of the language simply because this rule is meant for more than a Knight. Since I also adapted Level Caps for Elves, Dwarves, etc (even though they are soft caps), it still means a potentially more effective character over time.

QuoteCharacters undergo continual training and practice in their particular fields, whether war, ecclesiastics or magic, and as such that part of any day not spent adventuring is spent in practice. As a result of this constant training, the character can increase his or her core and associated ability scores. When a character reaches 1st level, percentile dice are rolled for one of these abilities (player choice). An Archer with 14 Agility might have 14/87 Agility upon attaining 2nd level. The percentage has no normal effect on play, and the ability score is considered to be the main number (14 in this case).

As a character attains each higher level, 2d10 are rolled and the result added to the percentile score for 1 of their core abilities. When a percentile score goes over 100, the main score is raised by 1 and the 100 is discarded. (In the example, if the character with 14/87 Agility rolls a 21 for this ability upon gaining 2nd level, the character's agility score is now 15/08, and is treated as a 15.) Ability scores can be raised as high as 18 in this manner, within the limitations based on kith or race. If a character loses a level, the percentile points gained for that level are lost.

This might allow for Human characters to more readily Dual Class, even if you drop the insane requirements to do so. Heck, it may even allow a player to work on a score they need to dual class when their core abilities are fine.

The 2nd paragraph is a little confusing. You reference an agility score but the additional points increase dexterity.Also, it appears that the 14/87 agility character jumped up by two points, going from a 14/87 straight to a 16 rather than 15. Am I missing something or was the intention to raise the score to 15?

I tried this a couple times.  At one point I was writing a complex percentile AD?&D.  It eventually morphed into The Arcane Confabulation.  I like it okay but like most random character advancement you see a lot of cheating.

Quote from: Exploderwizard on June 23, 2024, 02:02:17 PMThe 2nd paragraph is a little confusing. You reference an agility score but the additional points increase dexterity.Also, it appears that the 14/87 agility character jumped up by two points, going from a 14/87 straight to a 16 rather than 15. Am I missing something or was the intention to raise the score to 15?

Ooops!

Anyhow, it's not a bad way to allow attribute advancement but I think it makes more sense in the context of 3d6 in order than it does in the context of the Unearthed Arcana's method of generating characters.

Quote from: David Johansen on June 23, 2024, 08:33:49 PMAnyhow, it's not a bad way to allow attribute advancement but I think it makes more sense in the context of 3d6 in order than it does in the context of the Unearthed Arcana's method of generating characters.

Even on 4d6, drop the lowest, you're still gonna end up with (on average) 10.5. Even if you go with my preferred method of 4d4+2, you still end up with ~12 on average. And unlike the Cavalier version, you can only choose 1 stat at a time to improve. Even with Age and Kith bonuses (or penalties!) you're still usually going to end up far from having the 'sweet spot' scores. Unlike standard D&D, my Magicians and Illusionists need Vitality (Constitution) as much as they need Intellect since I use a modified Vancian-style magic system whereby to cast a spell, you have to pass a 'Weariness Test' (akin to Decipher's Lord of the Rings RPG) and casting multiple rounds in a row is more likely going to result in you dropping from exhaustion.

The Arcane Confabulation (my fantasy heartbreaker I suppose) uses an accumulated casting penalty representing "miasma" in the aether which can and should be ritually dispersed or avoided by careful ritual preparations.  But I could see weariness for more chi oriented casting.  I might implement that as an option at some point.

Quote from: David Johansen on June 24, 2024, 02:35:14 PMThe Arcane Confabulation (my fantasy heartbreaker I suppose) uses an accumulated casting penalty representing "miasma" in the aether which can and should be ritually dispersed or avoided by careful ritual preparations.  But I could see weariness for more chi oriented casting.  I might implement that as an option at some point.

Miasma sounds interesting. I have an idea for how detection of magickal energies might work (since my setting is not your typical 'High Fantasy' like D&D where magic is overpowered; you can't get something for nothing).

I have a Corruption mechanic where being exposed to blighted areas (ruins like barrows, fighting the Walking Dead or almost any supernatural monster) causes said blight to build up in your character. Over time it can cause negative effects like wounds being unable to be stanched or healed (I have 2 stages of magical healing: Stanching and actual Healing which leaves the flesh whole again, no scars etc), unable to access supernatural class abilities, etc.

I have been working on a tie-in series of Light Novels and figured I could share this part:

QuoteThe three tall Snow Elves carried the younger blood-drenched Half-Elf into their shelter and laid him gently upon several reindeer pelts. The matron said to them, "Where did you find this outlander? He has the look of a Dark Elf, but also that of a Man."

"We were hunting in the forests nearby and came upon the blood trail he left behind. He had felled more than a dozen Orks before he passed out. We could not, in good conscience, leave him to perish in the cold," said the oldest. "As it is, he has lost much of his blood and may well die anyway. The wounds he received are numerous and several are very deep. We provided what aid we could," said the oldest, pointing to the numerous bloody bandages covering his body.

Coming over, she removed several of the dressings and studied the lacerations and gashes under them, noting their severity. There was corruption in all of them as his foes had obviously used an envenomed substance upon the weapons which transmitted the blight they carried. She would have to clean them first before they would heal and his time was running short. She moved to a richly appointed and lacquered wooden chest and opened it to retrieve one of a series of large specially prepared silken cloths, which she then sang a short prayer to Iaer, the Goddess of Healing, over before laying it in a small silver bowl into which she poured clear spring water from a finely crafted white porcelain pitcher. Another chant saw the bowl and its contents begin to glow with their own inner light, sanctifying them in their healing power.

Pointing to the youngest she said, "Remove the rest of the bandages as I clean the wounds. The two of you need to hold him down, for this will likely be extremely painful and he may well thrash about."

Following her instructions they began. The sanctified cloth was then used to gently clean out the foul smelling ichor that wept from the wounds. All three of the men leaned upon Athanaric who began to moan and writhe in obvious distress and pain. More than once the matron had to stop as his movements started to become violent as the Elves struggled to keep the half-Elf from twisting out of the way of their mother mending his wounds. Though it took time, the vile substance was eventually leeched out and the woman tossed the cloth into the fire which caught almost immediately and burned up completely but not before emitting a noxious fume that caused all within the tent to cough and sputter but was soon enough dissipated by winds coming in from the open the flap pushing the acrid smoke out the top.

Chanting a series of Orisons in the Elvish tongue, the priestess observed that each of the gashes began to close. Another Orison to place him in a magickal slumber to aid in his healing followed. So great was the strain upon her from casting so many spells in a short time that she had to sit and rest for a moment. Reaching with shaking hands, she took a quaff of white honey-colored liqueur which helped to stave off her collapsing.   

"I have stanched his injuries, but he will bear scars if we don't make some salve to prevent them. But you will have to go collect the ingredients if I am to make it as I'm nearly exhausted from healing him. Otherwise, one of you will have to sew them up to prevent them from reopening. And you will have to do it soon."

Snow Elves are a type of Wilder Elf (basically nearly Primeval Elves) that live in the boreal forests of the north. Dark Elves are not evil, but are merely 'Dwarf-like' in that they live under the mountains, are master smiths, are pale skinned w/black hair, etc. They're descended from Mountain Elves (another type of Wilder Elf) and their cousins (those Dark Elves who emigrated to The Summer Lands and are accounted as Highborn Elves) became the Deep Elves (basically, Noldor). Dark Elves, along with Dusk Elves and Fair Elves are considered 'Twilight Elves' (my fancy way of saying 'Grey Elves).

Orisons are the spells (prayers) of Cleric-types (Seers, Healers, Reapers, etc).

It is not a bad idea and it has some 1e "cred", although for me it looks like an extremely convoluted way to say you can raise one ability point for every six levels or so.

Quote from: Insane Nerd Ramblings on June 24, 2024, 12:05:05 AM

Quote from: David Johansen on June 23, 2024, 08:33:49 PMAnyhow, it's not a bad way to allow attribute advancement but I think it makes more sense in the context of 3d6 in order than it does in the context of the Unearthed Arcana's method of generating characters.

Even on 4d6, drop the lowest, you're still gonna end up with (on average) 10.5. Even if you go with my preferred method of 4d4+2, you still end up with ~12 on average.

I really like 4d4+2, maybe because I read some earlier comment from you.

One nitpick: the average of 4d6 pick highest is 12.24 or something, 10.5 is for 3d6.

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2024/04/where-ad-is-better-than-3d6-in-order.html

My system starts with 3d6, in order, and then allows the scores to improve.  It's not a straight comparison, but you might be able to adapt it to your purposes.  Mine is more gambling, it occurs less frequently, there's an opportunity cost, but the payoff can be higher--as many as 4 points on a really lucky roll.  (That's mostly irrelevant to your purposes, but for clarity, the scores are on a different scale, so that getting bigger boosts isn't a game breaker.)  Anyway, adapted for AD&D, it would work something like this:

- Get a chance to bump 1 score about every 3 levels. 
- Pick your score and roll a d20.  If you roll over the score, get 1 point in it.  If you roll under the score, get half a point.

Mathematically, on average scores, it works out about the same as your system, with a lot less tracking.  For low scores, you get a bigger bang, and for high scores, you get less.  Which may be a plus or a minus from your perspective.