[Moldvay] Spells and Elves

Phillip · October 04, 2013, 12:29:20 PM

Quote from: SineNomine;695866Because by the time you get 2nd level spells, the elf has just barely reached level 2. For most of their career the elf is going to be about 1 spell level and 2 character levels behind the MU.

In B/X? Don't have the books at hand, but I don't think so. In AD&D, the division of XP keeps a F/MU about a level behind, but as I recall the B/X progression is more generous (and I think the HP as well). That might be less of a big deal at low levels, though. Still, we're talking just a little longer to attain a level, and the small shortage in spells comes up pretty late in a game capped at (IIRC) 14th.

To me, it looks as if the tradeoff (even before considering other features such as infravision and immunities) is heavily in the Elf's favor -- if one is inclined to think that way, as in the discounting of the Thief that raised the issue. In practice, it hasn't put off many players IME from playing MUs.

SineNomine · October 04, 2013, 06:09:11 PM

Quote from: Phillip;696584In B/X? Don't have the books at hand, but I don't think so. In AD&D, the division of XP keeps a F/MU about a level behind, but as I recall the B/X progression is more generous (and I think the HP as well). That might be less of a big deal at low levels, though. Still, we're talking just a little longer to attain a level, and the small shortage in spells comes up pretty late in a game capped at (IIRC) 14th.

To me, it looks as if the tradeoff (even before considering other features such as infravision and immunities) is heavily in the Elf's favor -- if one is inclined to think that way, as in the discounting of the Thief that raised the issue. In practice, it hasn't put off many players IME from playing MUs.

The exact breakdown is in post #21, but as it turns out, the elf just spends most of their time 1 level behind the MU- which is still significant in terms of spell access, especially at the low levels where a lot of B/X games spend their time. Assuming a spherical cow and a steady rate of XP accumulation, the MU is going to be throwing fireballs at 20K xp, while the elf needs 32K before he gets to do that- more than half again all the XP they've earned that campaign so far. Pound for pound the elf's options are superior, but surviving long enough to put on that weight is a good trick- because nobody expects the MU to go stand in front.