Zenopus wrote:A new OD&D retroclone in a white box game from Brave Halfling is now available: Delving Deeper Boxed Set. It's a clone of the LBBs (pre-supplements) and replaces the Swords & Wizardry Whitebox published previously by BH. $39.95 before 11/15, $49.95 after. Page for OrderingAbout (see here for pictures).(I have no affiliation with this product)
Keith the Thief wrote:Also: Just out of curiosity, why would we be surprised that Initiative is included?Wasn't a roll for initiative part of OD&D?
Zenopus wrote:While Chainmail used a d6 roll to determine who went first, it's not explicitly mentioned in the three LBBs. It was later clarified in an issue of Strategic Review.Here's a summary I posted on the OD&D Discussion forums earlier this year. It focuses on the use of Dex in initiative but will give you the general idea:Chainmail - d6 roll + other factors1974 D&D [LBBs] - unspecified, implies dexterity has an influenceStrategic Review #2 - clarifies d6 roll + optional dexterity influenceEldritch Wizardry - alt system where dexterity can influence missile fire/spells, but not meleeMetamorphosis Alpha - pure dexterityHolmes Basic - pure dexterity (though all spells and missile fire precede combat)Gamma World - dexterity for first round, after that d6 with dexterity influenceAD&D - dexterity plays minimal role in initiative (just missile fire in certain situations?)
Keith the Thief wrote: I would've sworn initiative rolls were in the 1E DMG.But, I'm often wrong. My wife reminds me of that frequently.~Keith
Mythmere1 wrote:They are, it's just that dexterity plays a minimal roll as compared to Holmes, where dexterity is the only determinant of melee combat order (although it's arguable whether spells, missiles, and movement cycle through in dex order or by initiative in Holmes).In AD&D you roll 1d6 to determine which segment in a 10 segment round you act in.In the first three D&D books, though, there was nothing about the sequence of battle within a melee round except the reference to Chainmail (which, as Zenopus said, used a d6 to see who went first).
Mythmere1 wrote:In AD&D you roll 1d6 to determine which segment in a 10 segment round you act in.
robertsconley wrote:It was more you rolled 1d6 to see which segment your OPPONENT acted in. If you rolled a 6 your opponent acted in segment 6. Which is why higher is better in the AD&D initiative roll.
Keith the Thief wrote:Since you mentioned spells, did you guys use any kind of house rules for helping magic users get more spells at lower levels?~Keith
Prufrock wrote:Was wondering where my box set was. According to Brave Halfling websit the box set is going thru another edit and will be shipped out in early 2012.Martin
Serian wrote:Use scrolls!I created a house rule so that with proper materials at hand, a magic user who is one experience level (or more) beyond the minimum required to cast a certain level of spells is able to scribe a spell of that level to a scroll.The magic user must memorize the spell to scribe, just as though the intent was to cast it normally. The spell is expended from the magic user's memory upon scribing it to the scroll.
Keith the Thief wrote:That's a good idea.I'd been thinking a staff might be good workaround. The staff could have charges (i.e, spells) available to the MU.And that would give the MU a Gandalf look, but I hadn't figure out how to incorporate the MU's Intelligence into that scheme.In your scroll idea the MU could gain some advantage from a higher intelligence.
Serian wrote:Here's a homebrew stick for you, too (vintage 1980's, sometime from my high school campaign days):Staff of Spell Storing This magical staff functions much like a ring of spell storing. It can store either cleric spells, magic user spells, or any combination of the two. It is usable by a member of either the cleric or magic user class, or any subclass thereof, regardless of the type of spells stored. The staff can contain any number of first through fourth level spells, up to a limit of 25 total spell levels. The spells stored in the staff function at the 8th level of magic use for all spells stored, regardless of the level of the caster who stored them in the staff. Casting a spell from the staff requires no components other than the staff itself, however standard device activation time still applies to initiative. An attempt to store a spell of 5th or higher level of any type in the staff , or attempting to store more spell levels than its capacity, will cause it to explode as per a retributive strike. The wielder may also voluntarily break the staff in a retributive strike. (For information regarding the retributive strike, see the description of the staff of the magi; count each spell level in the staff as equal to one charge.) If a staff of spell storing is left "empty" of spells for longer than 30 days, it loses all magical properties and becomes a normal, nonmagical staff.
Scathaigh wrote:In the opposing direction, how long would it remain charged without expenditure or usage of the stored spells before there is a magical decay affect, and the stored magics drain away or do something else?
Serian wrote:It is an interesting concept. If one uses simply the established rules and examples in the DMG, a charged magical device can remain so indefinitely, as there is no precedent for such magical decay. On the other hand, to use such a ruling would certainly keep the players attentive. :-)