Questions about the 3LBBs (OD&D)
Aug 19, 2018 9:27:39 GMT -5
The Semi-Retired Gamer and El Borak like this
Post by Admin Pete on Aug 19, 2018 9:27:39 GMT -5
Here are some questions that newbies to OD&D might ask. By OD&D in this thread, I mean just the original three little brown books. 3LBBs
1. Where are the prime requisites for each class located? The booklet talks of such things, but never shows a table or a listing of any kind.
Answer: As state the prime requisites for each class are Fighting-Men - Strength (no minimum); Magic-User - Intelligence (no minimum); Cleric - Wisdom (no mimimum)
2. Am I to assume that "Hit Dice" also represent the number of attacks a player and an NPC get? A Hero gets 4d6 to roll for damage?
Answer: Hit Dice are how many dice your character gets to roll to determine that characters hit points. The level 4th or Hero for a Fighting Man tells you where on the table to roll to see if you hit. All weapons do 1d6 damage unless otherwise indicated for all characters at all levels. Now if you were using Chainmail a Hero would be four attacks versus a 1 Hit Die creature. But most people do not normally use Chainmail for combat in OD&D. The "alternate combat system" in the 3LBBs is really the primary combat system and was from early on in the OD&D playtesting. While Chainmail could be used for somethings, the references to Chainmail were mostly for the purpose of selling copies of Chainmail. OD&D can be played without reference to Chainmail.
3. Do all weapons do 1d6 points of damage?
Answer:Yes, in OD&D all weapons do 1d6 points of damage unless otherwise indicated (see also magic weapons, which may or may not have a damage bonus or do different amounts of damage, especially original referee created items.)
4. What are the rules for ability checks? Strength and otherwise?
Answer: Those are left up to the referee and are not called out by name in the original rules, the closest to these are the rules in respect to Charisma. Ability checks were used early in the process as a fairly intuitive referee tool that each referee had to come up with their own method of using.
5. Do I really have to buy a copy Chainmail...Will it contain a lot of information that you need to play OD&D?
Answer: Can Chainmail be useful? Yes, especially if you have wargaming in your background. It will not provide much information, if any, that is particularly useful to anyone without a wargaming background. The exception would be if you decide to take your OD&D game into mass combat with troops territory. In that case there are other fan supplements that have been written to help you take advantage of Chainmail and use it without a teacher. Since the pdf is now available of Chainmail for a modest price and the fan supplements are free, I would recommend them if your interests lie in the direction.
Note: some will claim that the game was designed to use the Man to Man matrices in Chainmail for combat and that the Alternative System was a late addition. None of that is true. Playtesters have stated that the Man to Man matrices in Chainmail where never used during the Playtest era.
1. Where are the prime requisites for each class located? The booklet talks of such things, but never shows a table or a listing of any kind.
Answer: As state the prime requisites for each class are Fighting-Men - Strength (no minimum); Magic-User - Intelligence (no minimum); Cleric - Wisdom (no mimimum)
2. Am I to assume that "Hit Dice" also represent the number of attacks a player and an NPC get? A Hero gets 4d6 to roll for damage?
Answer: Hit Dice are how many dice your character gets to roll to determine that characters hit points. The level 4th or Hero for a Fighting Man tells you where on the table to roll to see if you hit. All weapons do 1d6 damage unless otherwise indicated for all characters at all levels. Now if you were using Chainmail a Hero would be four attacks versus a 1 Hit Die creature. But most people do not normally use Chainmail for combat in OD&D. The "alternate combat system" in the 3LBBs is really the primary combat system and was from early on in the OD&D playtesting. While Chainmail could be used for somethings, the references to Chainmail were mostly for the purpose of selling copies of Chainmail. OD&D can be played without reference to Chainmail.
3. Do all weapons do 1d6 points of damage?
Answer:Yes, in OD&D all weapons do 1d6 points of damage unless otherwise indicated (see also magic weapons, which may or may not have a damage bonus or do different amounts of damage, especially original referee created items.)
4. What are the rules for ability checks? Strength and otherwise?
Answer: Those are left up to the referee and are not called out by name in the original rules, the closest to these are the rules in respect to Charisma. Ability checks were used early in the process as a fairly intuitive referee tool that each referee had to come up with their own method of using.
5. Do I really have to buy a copy Chainmail...Will it contain a lot of information that you need to play OD&D?
Answer: Can Chainmail be useful? Yes, especially if you have wargaming in your background. It will not provide much information, if any, that is particularly useful to anyone without a wargaming background. The exception would be if you decide to take your OD&D game into mass combat with troops territory. In that case there are other fan supplements that have been written to help you take advantage of Chainmail and use it without a teacher. Since the pdf is now available of Chainmail for a modest price and the fan supplements are free, I would recommend them if your interests lie in the direction.
Note: some will claim that the game was designed to use the Man to Man matrices in Chainmail for combat and that the Alternative System was a late addition. None of that is true. Playtesters have stated that the Man to Man matrices in Chainmail where never used during the Playtest era.
