I wasn’t going to do this, but decided what the heck. Our game is basic 3 book AD&D.
- Ability scores generation method?
- 4d6 drop lowest, arrange as desired OR
- 3d6 12 times, keep 6 best, arrange as desired
- Player chooses before rolling anything
- How are death and dying handled?
- 0 hp to -CON gets a save vs. death to be unconscious
- Otherwise dead
- What about raising the dead?
- As per spells or devices and VERY rare
- How are replacement PCs handled?
- Depends, but usually met next time into town or on the road
- Initiative: individual, group, or something else?
- Group: 1d6 per side
- High roll wins, tie goes to the previous winner (momentum)
- Are there critical hits and fumbles? How do they work?
- Not as a standard part of the combat system.
- Do I get any benefits for wearing a helmet?
- Only in certain circumstances
- Can I hurt my friends if I fire into melee or do something similarly silly?
- Yes, if you miss your target
- Will we need to run from some encounters, or will we be able to kill everything?
- You will need to run from many encounters
- Level-draining monsters: yes or no?
- Oh, yeah.
- Lots of them
- Are there going to be cases where a failed save results in PC death?
- Yes
- Save-or-die situations will almost always be obviously dangerous
- Except poison
- How strictly are encumbrance & resources tracked?
- Moderately strict encumberance
- Pretty strict ammunition and water
- Very strict food and torches
- What’s required when my PC gains a level? Training? Do I get new spells automatically? Can it happen in the middle of an adventure, or do I have to wait for down time?
- Standard AD&D GP expense per DMG just “vanishes” from PC’s account
- Training is hand-waved but assumed to be ongoing
- One random automatic new spell when a new spell level is available
- Minimal downtime required…could be camp in the middle of an adventure
- What do I get experience for?
- Money treasure (Coins, gems, jewelry, expensive art, precious metal items)
- Combat (Enemies killed or totally defeated)
- No XP for magic items or value of mundane items
- Sometimes an “adventure reward” for successful completion of goal-oriented adventures, but this is never very big
- How are traps located? Description, dice rolling, or some combination?
- Simple traps can be found by anyone looking
- More advanced traps can be found x% of the time by looking
- Some traps can only be found by skilled PCs (thieves, dwarves for stone traps, etc)
- Thief or racial bonuses add to x% for non-skilled searchers
- Are retainers encouraged and how does morale work?
- Yes, henchmen/retainers/hirelings are strongly encouraged
- Morale/loyalty works as per AD&D rules except in exceptional cases
- How do I identify magic items?
- Usually have to be tried out
- Tasting a potion tells taster what it is
- Identify spell can assist with items
- Basic items (+1 sword, etc) IDed by DM after some use
- Weird items or special powers sometimes unknown for long periods of time
- Can I buy magic items? Oh, come on: how about just potions?
- No
- Still no
- Can I create magic items? When and how?
- Yes
- Get to that point and we’ll work it out
- What about splitting the party?
- Don’t prefer it for the logistical reasons, but allowed
