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In Memory of Gary Gygax

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Today Gary Gygax passed away. He was the co-creator of the game we all enjoy so much: Dungeons & Dragons. A lot of us honed our vocabulary, our critical thinking, and creativity due to Gary Gygax’s work. It created communities where we found new friends and were able to keep them through on-going games.

Today is a day to think about how D&D has affected our lives: not just the game itself, but also the multitude of other RPGs that were inspired by the creation of the game. And we should also take a moment to remember the Father of Roleplaying, Gary Gygax.

Tributes to E. Gary Gygax

Critique of Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition

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With 4th edition just around the corner, I thought I’d give my impression of 3rd Edition and the d20 system.

Good Ideas

The d20 system has several good ideas that make it easier to understand and more easy to play.

  • Positive AC. A larger AC being better than a smaller AC makes more sense.
  • Magic. I like the idea of the effectiveness of saving throws being based on spell level. This makes more powerful magic inherently harder to avoid than less powerful magic, and it makes a lot of sense. I never liked the way a sixth level spell like Death could be simply shrugged off by a Save vs Death Ray, the easiest saving throw to make.
  • Saving Throws. Having saving throws based on “reflex” or other descriptions of how a character may actually avoid a situation is clearer.

Bad Ideas

Unfortunately, the d20 system sometimes made things “too logical” and went a little overboard on the complexity of certain areas.

  • Every class can be mixed with every race. I don’t like this idea, however it is easy enough for a DM to decide in his game world to restrict certain race/class combinations.
  • Sorcerers. It’s not a bad idea as far as game mechanics go (which is why I think they used it) but a “sorcerer” isn’t conceptually different enough from a “wizard” which I think makes it confusing. I think they should have come up with a more unique name/panache for this class. Kind of reminds me of how they used to make a big deal out of “Illusionists” in AD&D 1st edition.
  • Combat. Where should I start? Combat in the d20 system is basically a mess. It’s overly complicated with game mechanics that detract from enjoyment. Complicated combat rules are good for video games sometimes because you don’t see them and a computer can make calculations way faster than you can, but they aren’t good for tabletop games. Combat in the game should be fun but quick.  A drawn-out combat sequence might be good once in an adventure against a particularly important enemy, but who really wants to spend 30 minutes dispatching a group of goblins?
  • Spell Feats. I think this just makes the game more complex. I asked a friend if you could just rule out spell feats as a DM, but he said that it would unbalance the classes.

Poisons

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Typically poisons range from instant death (as found in the Dungeons and Dragons game) and the simple 1 point of damage per round (as found in video games like the Ultima series). These are both very simple, but don’t provide a wide range of possible outcomes. Some games have cumbersome charts that still have their limitations. And there is the matter of whether or not you want to randomly roll what a poison does. Instead we might be able to come up with some concepts that allow a DM to create a poison that’s appropriate on-the-fly.

Properties of Poison

Poisons have 4 or 5 properties in terms of game mechanics.

  1. Saving Throw: Adjustment to saving throw is generally an indicator of the poison’s strength. (Suggested range: +4 to -4.)
  2. Incubation Period: The time before poison takes effect can also be determined by how powerful you think the poison should be, or how fast it reaches the bloodstream (breathing, ingestion, injection, etc.) (Typical ranges: 1 day to instantaneous)
  3. Duration: This is the time the poison takes to run its course, after the incubation period.
  4. Effect: The effect of the poison can be damage, penalties to rolls, and any other quantifiable modification to game play. Effects should be used with the next optional category “appearance” for the best game play.
  5. Appearance: This is how the poison affects the non-quantifiable modification to game play. This is somewhat optional, but can include things like sores, vomiting, or anything else which can be part of the story, but doesn’t really affect the numbers of game play.

Poison Creation

DM:      You step on a block that depresses; a dart shoots out of a crack in
         the wall and hits you.  Make a saving throw vs poison.

Player:  I rolled a 10.

DM:      You can't feel any effects.

game hours later...

DM:      The ogre misses you.  Suddenly your arms feel strange and are becoming
         numb.  All your muscles are getting slower.

Player:  Hide in the shadows around the corner in the hallway.

DM:      You try to get out as quickly as possible, leaving to the protection of
         the corridor.  You become paralyzed.  You hear the ogre coming towards
         you and hope that you hid well...

As you can see from this example, the player wasn’t sure he had been poisoned, and the effects did not occur until later. This kind of situation could be very interesting and fun with other players to help out, but care must be taken not to let it ruin the game. This gives characters a chance to be cautious and makes antidotes and spells like neutralize poison more important.

The DM in this situation can easily create a poison ahead of time, or on the spot. The DM may want to make some charts for quick reference such as the ones below:

Simple Chart

This chart is a simple chart that contains weak, moderate, and strong poisons that do damage. This is particularly good for a DM who wants to give the players a chance to use their antidotes once the poison sets in.

             Save Bonus     Incubation        Duration         Damage
             -----------    ---------------   -------------    -------------
Weak:        +1d4           1d6 hours         1d8 hours        1d4 per turn
Moderate:    0              1d4 turns         1d6 turns        1d2 per round
Strong:      -1d4           instant           1d10 turns       1d20 per round

Effects Chart

This is a chart for the kind of DM who wants to give poison more “flavor.” Yum. You can use the chart above to supplement the results, or determine the missing pieces on your own.

1d6  Incubation         1d12   Effect                Appearance
---  -------------      ----  --------------------  ---------------
 1    instantaneous      1     -1 to combat rolls    pain
 2    1d8 rounds         2     -1 to hit, +2 to AC   numbness
 3    1d6 turns          3     partial paralysis     paralysis
 4    1d4 hours          4     -1 to hit, 1/2 CHA    sores
 5    2d12 hours         5     1/2 STR, +2 AC        weakness
 6    1d6 days           6     -1 hit rolls, saves   mild sickness
                         7     1/2 move, no actions  violent sickness
                         8     comatose sleep        sleep
                         9     1 dmg per round       poisoned
                        10     1d4 dmg per turn      poisoned/sick
                        11     1d10 dmg per hour     mildly sick
                        12     5d6 dmg per round     death

The Wizard’s Codex

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Originally published by February 2001, the Wizard’s Codex contains a collection of custom spells created by authors at Heroes Only. All of these spells have been used and tested within the gaming environment, but of course you should consider their effects on your own campaign before adopting them.

This list of spells is updated from time to time, with the “last modified” timestamp appearing at the end of the article.

First Level Spells

Chill 1

Author: Angelo Bertolli
Range: 10′
Duration: 2 rounds
Effect: This spell does 1d4 points of damage to one creature within range. Furthermore, the creature must save vs paralysis or suffer -1 to melee hit and damage rolls for 1d6 rounds. A large heat source nearby gives a +2 to save. The caster may use this spell on one target up to 2 rounds after casting.
Author Notes: Another classic spell concept (also known as Chilling Touch). This one is modeled more after the spell Ice Knife from an adventure in Dungeon Magazine #47.

Keepsake

Author: Jeff Querner
Range: touch
Duration: permanent
Effect: When keepsake is cast on your magic book, it disallows use of your book by anyone not mentioned in the spell casting. The spell can even allow you to distinguish which spells which people may or may not look at. If someone attempts to read your spell without your authority (decided when you cast the spell), a note appears saying “naughty, naughty.” However, keepsake does not stop anyone from destroying the spell book.

Mana Shield

Author: Jeff Querner
Range: 0
Duration: 6 turns
Effect: Protects the caster, effectively giving him 2d4 extra mana hp for the duration of the spell. Damage is taken from the mana shield first. Despite the nature of the spell, multiple spells are not cumulative.

Power

Author: Angelo Bertolli
Range: ?
Duration: ?
Effect: This spell is totally unpredictable, doing something weird and different every time, or may do nothing at all. The DM really should determine the effect as randomly as possible (though effects should be weird and unexpected, not necessarily powerful).
Author Notes: This spell is a tribute to the spell of the same name from the classic game Eamon. It’s the all-purpose magical tool that DMs can provide to do “special things” in adventures. For example, I had one adventure where a magical doorway would only open a portal (dimension door) when this spell was cast upon it.

Stoneskin 1

Author: Angelo Bertolli
Range: 0
Duration: 1 turn
Effect: Protects the caster against attacks by turning the his/her skin hard and stone-like. The caster gains a -2 bonus to AC vs melee and hand-thrown attacks, and a -4 bonus to fired missles. (No bonus vs. giant missiles like thrown boulders.)
Author Notes: Just your classic stoneskin spell, as found in many RPG settings. In particular, the SMAUG MUD comes to mind.

Second Level Spells

Acid Splash

Author: Angelo Bertolli
Range: 90′
Duration: instant
Effect: This spell fires one or more missiles of acid. The total damage the spell inflicts is 3d6 points of damage. The caster must decide before casting the spell how many missiles to fire, and the total damage will be distributed among them evenly (rounded down, even to zero). Each creature that takes damage may make a save vs spells for half damage. Creatures made of stone are not affected by this spell.
Author Notes: The idea of this spell came from the spell of the same name in Wizardry 7 [2].

 

Electrapulse

Author: Angelo Bertolli
Range: 60′
Duration: instant
Effect: This spell fires a charge up to 60′ away that bursts into a pulse of electrical energy with a 10′ diameter. The electrapulse does 4d4 points of damage with a save vs spells for half damage. Creatures resistant to lightning automatically take half damage and may make a save to take no damage.
Author Notes: I went through a phase where it bothered me that there weren’t any attack spells on level 2 and that low level wizards hardly ever had anything to do in battles. I also thought spells with fixed damages were more appropriate to the game than ones that grew with the caster’s level.

Flame Bolt

Author: Angelo Bertolli
Range: 30′
Duration: instant
Effect: This spell shoots a bolt of fire at one creature up to 30′. The flame bolt does 2d10 points of damage with a save vs spells for half damage. Creatures resistant to fire automatically take half damage, and may save to talk no damage.

Prismatic Orb

Author: Angelo Bertolli
Range: 90′
Duration: 1 round
Effect: Creates an orb of randomly changing colors which can be fired at one creature within range. The color the orb happens to be when it strikes the color (determined by the table below) determines the effects of the orb. The DM may add colors and effects to this table.
[easytable]
1d8,Color,Effect
1,Red,”2d8 fire dmg, save for half”
2,Orange,save or be charmed for 1d4 rounds
3,Yellow,save or be confused for 2d4 rounds
4,Green,save or be slowed for 1d4 rounds
5,Blue,”2d8 lit dmg, save for half”
6,Violet,”save or pain for 2d4 rounds (-1 AC, saves, hit/dmg)”
7,White,”2d8 cold dmg, save for half”
8,Black,save or blind 1d4 rounds
[/easytable]

Third Level Spells

Riding Disc

Author: Jeff Querner
Range:
Duration:
Effect: A larger version of Floating Disc that can support 2 (heavily laid down) or 3 people. The disc moves 15 feet a round.

Fourth Level Spells

Absorb

Author: Jeff Querner
Range: 0
Duration: 1 hour
Effect: Absorbs 1 point per die from all damage taken.

Magic Mirror 1

Author: Jeff Querner
Range: 10′
Duration: 1 turn per level
Effect: Turns a reflective surface within range into a magic mirror through which the caster can view other creatures or areas. The caster must name the area or creature. The caster and any other creatures viewing the mirror will be able to see the images, but only the caster will hear sound from the viewing. Detection and vision spells can be cast into it, allowing the caster to detect magic, see invisible, etc in the area he is viewing.

 

Meteor

Author: Angelo Bertolli
Range: 120′
Duration: instant
Effect: This fires a meteor at a target, doing 1d6 points of damage per level of caster of impact damage (with a save for half). It then explodes into a fireball of diameter 15′, doing another 1d6 points of fire damage per level of caster to all creatures within that area (with a save for half).

Fifth Level Spells

Dream 1

Author: Jeff Querner
Range: special
Duration: special
Effect:This allows the caster to visit and communicate with another creature through the victim’s dream. The caster must have met the creature, and must name the creature, but the spell is otherwise unlimited by distance. This spell does not cause the victim to fall asleep: if the victim is not sleeping the spell fails. If the victim knows the dream is spell induced and does not wish to have the dream, he can make a save vs spells to wake up. Within the dream the caster may visit the victim, communicate with the victim, or even attempt to attack the victim in the dream. However nothing in the dream has any real effect, and the victim wakes up if killed in the dream.

Sixth Level Spells

Infinite Image

Author: Jeff Querner
Range: 0
Duration: 2 hours
Effect: An advanced version of mirror image that creates 3d4 images instead of 1d4.

Steal Items

Author: Jeff Querner
Range: 240′
Duration: instant
Effect: Takes 1d4 random items from the person it’s cast on. The spell might affect items the victim is equipped with or carrying. The spell places the items in the wizard’s backpack or bag.

Ninth Level Spells

Nexus

Author: Angelo Bertolli
Range: 30′
Duration: permanent
Effect: When this spell is cast upon a creature, it “shuffles” its abilities scores. The victim may save vs spells to avoid the effects. This dreaded attack is non-reversible, and can cause special problems for characters with minimum attribute requirements (DM’s discretion). One method of randomly determining the shuffle is to roll 1d6 for each attribute and swap that attribute with the number of the attribute indicated by the roll. It is possible to end up with the same attributes. This spell is almost useless against monsters because most monsters are considered to have the “average” score for all their abilities (DM’s discretion).
Author Notes: Another unoriginal attempt at spell writing on my part–inspired by certain monster attacks in the free game Angband.

Tenth Level Spells

Spells of this circle are generally unattainable by mortals without sufficient aid from greater powers.

Notes:

  1. This spell was featured in the Basic Fantasy Olde Dungeoneer’s Almanack 2008. You can find a more complete compendium of spells in the Libram Magica.

Optional Rules for Classic Games

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Written by Angelo and Jeff

Here are some optional rules that you may want to adopt in a more basic type campaign (which I find more fun). When deciding on a rule, go for whatever is more fun or will make a better story-line in the game.

Attributes

Even though it may not be fair to my old players, I think I might adopt this system also. Just roll 9d6 for each phsyical (STR, DEX, CON) and mental (INT, WIS, CHA) attributes and then let the players choose where they want to put them. Allow players to trade 2 for 1 between the 2 categories. If you want, you might consider just rolling 10d6 for each category to give a better chance of getting good scores. Also, don’t roll ability checks much, if at all. Too much rolling dice makes the game too random and not enough story. If you can’t base it on a saving throw, you probably shouldn’t roll it. How creatures react to players should be based on how the players have acted, not on a charisma check.

Alignments

Alignments don’t seem very important. Either just ignore them, or rule them out completely. Also, I would rule out alignment languages since they don’t make any sense. You can give a group of thieves a secret code but chances are the thieves in a city 1000 miles away won’t know it.

Classes

I don’t think every little sub-class should have it’s own class and an entire set of rules. I would say just add a little flavor to your campaign by giving guidelines for certain titles. Like a thief can be a ninja-type character, hiding in shadows, using assassin weapons, climbing walls, backstabbing, etc. So that could be his title if he dresses right. So you can make variations on any class. You can even offer/show these variations to players to see if they want to use it. However, I found that most players don’t want to go with something like that unless the rules change for their character and they’re getting extra bonuses. Class variations are a good way to add personality to your NPCs.

Equipment

Unlike just about any other game, D&D makes it easy to buy the best (normal) armor and weapons at the very beginning and makes no reason to buy the cheaper, crappy items (like a club). One way to get around this is to make your own treasure chart, plus don’t have every city and town sell everything on the equipment lists. Small towns and villages (perhaps where the characters come from) may have few items. Also, you might want to give players less gold to start with, maybe only 1d6 x 10 gp.

Food

I treat food very losely in my game and don’t count time spent very carefully. How much food you consume ends up being a DM discretion. However other people just throw the whole requirement out of the game.

Saving Throws

One thing that I like is making saving throw modifiers based on other abilities. This makes it a little more important to have good abilities, and makes certain classes generally more resistant to certain attacks.

  • STR – paralysis/stone
  • INT – mind attacks (charm, confusion, fear, sleep, etc.)
  • WIS – spells
  • DEX – wands and breath
  • CON – poison/death
  • CHA – none

Also, one optional rule is to make players request saving throws (say they are going to do something besides just stand there and take what’s coming). Ex: a dragon breathes on a fighter and a wizard. The wizard’s player says, “Jump out of the way.” The fighter’s player says, “Hold my shield up over my body.” The fighter makes his saving throw and lines his shield up. The wizard misses and jumps half-way out of the cone of fire and is blown back a few steps. This makes it a little more realistic… if you want a saving throw, you need to try and move out of the way or resist it somehow. Players get too used to automatically getting saving throws.

Monsters

Monsters can be really boring if all they do is attack and have nothing unique about them. One way I solved this problem was by creating monster variations. This is REALLY good if you have a basic game and not a lot of monsters to choose from in the book. One of the things I saw was how they had 10 types of giants when all they had to do was have 1 kind of giant and just make variations off of that. It makes the game a lot simpler. All you need to do is change the description a little bit.

A goblin attacks, an orc attacks, a gnoll attacks, only a few hit points seperates the monsters and all they are is a threat to the character’s life. An interesting way of changing that is to give each monster class a personality, such as making bugbears act like Klingons, having honor above life but still acting evil. Kobolds can usually have a lot of jewelry but never, ever fight, always running and finding a way to escape. Lizard men can be the rudest creatures in the campaign, flicking the characters off or waving their private parts in their general direction or something.

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