Standard D&D Rule You Always Apply Regardless of Edition?

Christopher Brady · May 18, 2018, 10:52:06 PM

Quote from: Technomancer;1038200Max HP at first level. Honestly not sure if that's an actual rule in any edition and I'm out of town so I don't have my books to check.

It became the norm from 4e. But it was cribbed from a very popular house rule since the LBB's, or so it was claimed. I know that it was popular since Red Box, though. I have a former GM who used it since then.

Quote from: RPGPundit;10389281. That's not a main rulebook. It's a set of optional campaign rules.

It's technically still a rule from D&D,

Quote from: RPGPundit;10389282. That's not D&D.

Yes, it is. Quite crying over facts you can't change.

And... I have no rules I carry over from an edition. I modify the system into what I need.

I suppose, I could say Ascending AC, because it's easier for the human brain to add than it is to subtract. But that's only been since 3e, and I've only used it once outside of 3-5e, which is Scarlet Heroes.

darthfozzywig · May 20, 2018, 01:13:19 PM

Quote from: RPGPundit;1038013For me, it's reaction rolls and morale. B/X style.

Same. Without them, it's an endless stream of hack 'n slash. With them, you get really interesting, unexpected situations.

RPGPundit · May 22, 2018, 02:55:05 AM

Quote from: Christopher Brady;1039769Yes, it is. Quite crying over facts you can't change.

I helped end that travesty pretending to be D&D. So yeah, I think I did change some facts there.

Cave Bear · May 22, 2018, 09:09:50 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;1040167I helped end that travesty pretending to be D&D. So yeah, I think I did change some facts there.

My 4E books still exist, man.

AsenRG · May 22, 2018, 10:24:35 AM

Roll under your attributes for tasks is the big one. Though it might be roll 3d6+Attribute, as well.
Other than that, reaction rolls and sometimes, morale rolls, but both are sometimes simply unnecessary.

RPGPundit · May 24, 2018, 02:02:41 AM

Quote from: AsenRG;1040213Roll under your attributes for tasks is the big one. Though it might be roll 3d6+Attribute, as well.
Other than that, reaction rolls and sometimes, morale rolls, but both are sometimes simply unnecessary.

Roll-under is not my style. But something I almost always use (you can tell because my OSR games all feature it) is roll D20+ ability score modifier + skill vs DC.

Mike the Mage · May 24, 2018, 02:25:15 AM

Quote from: AsenRG;1040213Roll under your attributes for tasks is the big one.

Same here.

We've been having fun with combat manuevers with this one. My players ask me stuff like this

"Can I jump on the table to get the higher ground?"
"Sure, roll under your Dex or Str"
"Okay I make it"
"Great! You have a +2 on your next attack but one of the goblins is hacking at the table leg"

Willie the Duck · May 24, 2018, 07:12:39 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;1040413Roll-under is not my style. But something I almost always use (you can tell because my OSR games all feature it) is roll D20+ ability score modifier + skill vs DC.

Can you elaborate? I mean, I know there are technical, mechanical reasons why to choose one or the other (such as roll under fails if people consistently get stats of 20 or higher, but otoh has a bounded range of rolls, etc.), but other than that, aren't roll under on d20 (possibly with skill mod, such as in Beyond the Wall) pretty much the same conceptual thing as D20+ ability score modifier + skill vs DC?

Merrill · May 24, 2018, 10:07:57 AM

One rule I always apply:

Paladin status must be *earned*. You don't start as one--you must perform heroic deeds of courage and self-sacrifice, while maintaining a pious and lawful alignment to ultimately become a paladin.

It makes for good roleplaying

Mike the Mage · May 24, 2018, 11:04:09 AM

Quote from: Silas1066;1040454One rule I always apply:

Paladin status must be *earned*. You don't start as one--you must perform heroic deeds of courage and self-sacrifice, while maintaining a pious and lawful alignment to ultimately become a paladin.

It makes for good roleplaying

Cool.:cool: Could go for Rangers in 1ed too.

Krimson · May 24, 2018, 10:46:36 PM

Quote from: RPGPundit;1040413Roll-under is not my style. But something I almost always use (you can tell because my OSR games all feature it) is roll D20+ ability score modifier + skill vs DC.

Roll under never felt right to me for aesthetic reasons. Since the game I played most is 1e, I am used to percentage dice for roll under, and d20 just feels better when it rolls high.

Zalman · May 25, 2018, 01:49:20 PM

Quote from: Willie the Duck;1040442aren't roll under on d20 (possibly with skill mod, such as in Beyond the Wall) pretty much the same conceptual thing as D20+ ability score modifier + skill vs DC?

They are mathematically similar perhaps, but conceptually opposite, in that one's goal is to roll high, the other's goal is to roll low. The concept, and all its attendant feelings and aesthetics, is exactly the difference. There are lots of people who have more fun aiming high than aiming low (I'm one of them).

Willie the Duck · May 25, 2018, 02:12:07 PM

Quote from: Zalman;1040620They are mathematically similar perhaps, but conceptually opposite, in that one's goal is to roll high, the other's goal is to roll low. The concept, and all its attendant feelings and aesthetics, is exactly the difference. There are lots of people who have more fun aiming high than aiming low (I'm one of them).

I would call that conceptually similar, but mechanically opposite. They are both making a check using a D20, with success primarily mediated by your attribute. Rolling high or rolling low is a matter of taste that doesn't change the overarching nature of what you are doing.

Steven Mitchell · May 25, 2018, 03:30:23 PM

Quote from: Krimson;1040530Roll under never felt right to me for aesthetic reasons. Since the game I played most is 1e, I am used to percentage dice for roll under, and d20 just feels better when it rolls high.

This is me. I've thought about it a lot. Even when I have really good reason to prefer roll under for a particular mechanic (such as how it works with the numbers that are driven by the rest of the system), I'm extremely reluctant to use it. As near as I can tell, I have no rational reason to avoid it, but even knowing this, the aesthetic feeling persists. I eventually learned to chalk it up to an irrational bias, such that I can play a game with roll under and enjoy it just fine by carefully ignoring that feeling, but am extremely pressed to attempt to run one.

RPGPundit · June 02, 2018, 06:19:36 AM

Quote from: Willie the Duck;1040442Can you elaborate? I mean, I know there are technical, mechanical reasons why to choose one or the other (such as roll under fails if people consistently get stats of 20 or higher, but otoh has a bounded range of rolls, etc.), but other than that, aren't roll under on d20 (possibly with skill mod, such as in Beyond the Wall) pretty much the same conceptual thing as D20+ ability score modifier + skill vs DC?

1. Roll under puts way more emphasis on ability score, rather than skill. A guy with a big skill bonus matters less than a guy with a big ability score.

2. The modifiers seem to be just the right fit to represent raw talent, compared with skills. Though I usually don't make my skills (or DC values) as high as in 3e.

3. I think it's more intuitive for players to be aiming for a natural 20 than for a 1.