Quote from: Persimmon on May 16, 2023, 09:52:57 AM
Given the inherent lethality of old school D&D in all forms it's always been rather unfathomable to me why people would prefer lower HD for characters other than "It's tradition."  That's the first thing we imported into our game when we got the PHB.  d10 HD for fighters? d8 for clerics?  d6 for thieves (not fucking rogues)?  Yes, please!  In the long run if you're rolling legit, there likely won't be a huge difference anyhow, but those few extra HP can be lifesaving at the lower levels.

At some point, most DMs and players put their foot down at stat inflation. For some, it's going from a d6 to a d10 for a fighting man's hit points, for others it's turning dragons into Godzilla.

FWIW I started reading the DMG cover to cover to see if I could find any gold (to use in my B/X games)... already found things I like and things I dislike.

Here are parts I and II.

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2023/05/ad-dmg-cover-to-cover-part-i-pages-1-9.html
https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2023/05/ad-dmg-cover-to-cover-part-ii-pages-9-22.html

Maybe I should start a thread with the full text if people are interested in this discussion here.

Quote from: Eric Diaz on May 22, 2023, 08:52:53 PM
FWIW I started reading the DMG cover to cover to see if I could find any gold (to use in my B/X games)... already found things I like and things I dislike.

Here are parts I and II.

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2023/05/ad-dmg-cover-to-cover-part-i-pages-1-9.html
https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2023/05/ad-dmg-cover-to-cover-part-ii-pages-9-22.html

Maybe I should start a thread with the full text if people are interested in this discussion here.

Sure, interesting posts, but this comment: "the art is not impressive"...

Nay, good sir, you miss the point. The art makes the DMG. It is much less sophisticated and more humorous than you'd expect, and lets the reader in on the secret to being a good DM. Where the text seems strict, uptight, unyielding, etc., the art is goofy, funny, evocative, and varied. Being a good DM is about rulings, not rules, and this whimsy expresses the point better than words. Some of the more serious stuff like the dude trying to escape a skeleton in some sort of underwater dungeon are the parts of running the game that drive home the imminent death aspect; PCs will die. But then you get the characters trying to infiltrate the wererats demonstrating the ultimate aspect of being a DM: dealing with utter nonsensical horseshit the players will devise to circumvent the maniacal plans you have concocted to bring about their doom. So you learn to roll with both and how the game is in the end a game, nothing more, nothing less. You take it seriously because it is FUN to take it seriously, but you also understand that serious fun is better with a little bit of lighthearted humor. It's like the John Candy eating popcorn story from Superbowl 23...that is the essence of the game.

Yes, nice!

I'm still on page 22, so I only glanced through the art so far, but I like this kind of different perspective.

Still think the art is not impressive, but yes, it might serve a function well.

AD&D has its diehard fans and detractors, but I'm a bit in the middle here so I like to hear from people that have different takes from me.

AD&D has a much more robust random dungeon gen system, wilderness gen, etc. All those little tables for generating stuff can be useful in BX.

Another thing to port over are the sections on gems and materials and their magic propertied.

Little things that never made it to BX.

My current TSR D&D and AD&D mashup looks essentially like this:

RC is the core book. So stat modifieers and most basic rules are done by D&D method: the -3 to +3 stat mods: Combat, morale, spells, monsters, wilderness exploration etc is done by the RC/BE/B/X. I skipp Weapon Mastery. AD&D variations can be used when addressing stuff not covered by the RC. Want to skin a dragon and make armor? AD&D covers that.

I simply add the AD&D core books as splatbooks. The players choose races and classes from the PHB( I add in half-orcs and assassins back into the game).

Spellcasters will mainly use spells from D&D because they are not as bloated in their descriptions. Rules for handling spellbooks is taken from AD&D 2ed. No specialist wizards or domain clerics. Specialist wizards could theoretically be handled as in the Glantri Gazetteer. Clerics of a specific god could theoretically be handled with Legend&Lore as a guideline, but no change to the clerical spell list by spheres. Except for druids of course.

I have implemented a nerfed version of weapon vs armor by decreasing all modifiers by 1 step closer to zero. This give far fewer modifiers to keep track of. The RC armors list , which I use, is a bit shorter list than AD&D's and I think I've found a manageable varation on the concept.

I don't use weapon proficiens. I use critical hits and a simplified progression for multiple attacks for warrior classes. So no 1.5 nr of attacks per round.

I don't  use AD&D non-weapon proficiens except for when they tie into class abilities. Form example the Druid and the Ranger.

I think a stopp now so this post doesn't get any longer. But it is my way how to do it.

But in this day and age you might as well just use Advanced Labyrinth Lord,  BX Advanced,  OSE Advanced etc etc, to gain similar results.