Ruminations on OD&D: 3d6 In Order and Level Limits

Now that the Christmas shipping madness has passed I might be able to get some writing done.

I have played with a LOT of people over the years that ignored these two simple guidelines. Of course, it was mostly AD&D 1st/2nd Edition mash-ups, but the principle still applies. I, myself, disdained them for a large chunk of my gaming life. It is only now that I have returned to my gaming "roots" that I really understand their intent. I will go out on a limb and admit that I think they pose a rather ham-fisted solution to a perceived "problem", but nevertheless, I do understand them, and the necessity for them.

They are demographic controls. Especially post-Greyhawk OD&D, with the introduction of Paladins, Thieves, and multiclassing, opened a flood gate of new classes and options that still continues. OD&D doesn't go to great pains to balance classes against each other. It is mostly achieved with the XP tables. Some classes are inherently more powerful, though, than a simple XP increase can account for. (ahem, Paladin, cough cough). So, the problem becomes "how to limit said class". Places strict attribute requirements and require 3d6 rolled in order. To play a Paladin you would have to roll a 17+ on Charisma, not just a 17+ in a group of 6 rolls. Other new classes have lower absolute requirements, but more of them.

So, if you don't have a particular problem with a party full of Rangers, Druids, and the inevitable guy who insists on playing a chaotic good assassin (one who has seen the darkness in his heart and now kills for a good cause), then you may safely ignore 3d6 in order and do it however you please. Seriously, there is no sarcasm in that. Maybe a plethora of supposedly-rare classes all functioing in a single group is not a concern for your game. All I'm saying is, I see the reasoning in it.

Same for demi-human level limits. This is the one I was really directing the "ham-fisted" remark at. This one is dirt simple. Who wants to play a dwarf when you top out at level 6? Well, somebody who really wants to play a dwarf. Who wants to role play a dwarf. Oddly enough, I've been in that boat where humans are concerned. I've played in games with virtually no restrictions on what I could do with my character.

In the group I played with most often, we rolled 4d6, dropped the lowest and re-rolled 1's. Arranged to taste. no racial level limits, any race could multiclass. If we wanted to be a certain class but didn't have the stats for it, the DM would tell us to put the best number we had on the stat and he would raise it to the minimum.We weren't middle schoolers min-maxing, mind you. We were just very player/character focused. As a group we shared DMing and we all wanted each other to play whatever we wanted. We didn't want to force anyone into a class/race they didn't want just so we could be in line with the rules. Ironically enough, I was typically the only guy playing a straight-up human fighter.

It seemed that with our high-brow way of thinking, we believed that we, as players, had to have maximum freedom to "design" the character we wanted to play or else it wouldn't be fun. We never explored the possibility of finding the fun in a character that we "found" through random generation. I think we missed more than we gained.

3d6 Qualities and Flaws

Some of the descriptions may be a little vague because the mechanics for them aren't ironed out. Overall, what do you think?

Qualities

Qualities are aspects of the character that are intrinsic to the character. They represent inborn characteristics, such as being resistant to illness or keen vision. They may also represent the effects of life on the character, being such things as wisdom or the ability to withstand hardship.

At generation the player randomly determines the character's starting Quality. This is rolled on the Quality Table, and is the only time the character may gain the Qualities on that table. If the player is willing to risk a roll on the Flaw table, he may either: Select his character's Quality –OR– Roll twice on the Quality Table. The decision to risk the Flaw Table must be made before rolling on the Quality Table. Thereafter, at every 3^rd level, the player selects a new Quality. There is no table or list. The player is free to devise any Quality he desires, with referee approval. The only restriction is that the new Quality can not mimic one of the Qualities on the Quality Table. The Qualities on that table represent inborn aspects of the character and are not things that the character will naturally develop as the campaign progresses.

Description of Qualities and Flaws

Qualities

Attuned

If the character is a magician this Quality will provide some sort of benefit to casting. If the character is an adventurer, he is able to learn magic, albeit at great difficulty.

Born Leader

This character is able to inspire followers and hirelings. If given time to analyze a tactical situation and formulate a plan, he is able to provide other benefits to his “side”.

Chosen

This character enjoys a close relationship with a higher power. The player may choose to either: Be able to heal 1 wound per level per day –OR– have a –1 bonus to all saving throws.

Steady Hands

The character enjoys a –2 benefit to all rolls involving manual dexterity, such as picking locks or pockets, gem cutting, or playing a musical instrument.

Icy Veins

This character is virtually fearless in the face of things that would break lesser men. –2 to saving throws vs fear effects. He also never suffers any penalties for having to perform any activities under stress.

Iron Will

This character receives a –2 bonus to saving throws vs any and all mind altering effects.

Keen Hearing

–2 bonus to any rolls to hear things, actively or passively.

Keen Vision

The character's range of vision and visual acuity is increased by 50%.

Lightning Reflexes

The character receives a +2 bonus on initiative rolls. Additionally, any initiative ties automatically go to this character.

Silky Voice

The nature of this character's voice grants a –2 bonus to any roll involving the voice, singing, oratory, bargaining, lying, bluffing, seduction, etc.

Tough

This character receives a –2 bonus to saving throws vs poisons or other physical depridations. He also increases his wounds total by 3.

Unnatural Grace

On any roll involving balance or grace this character receives a –2 bonus.

Flaws

Savagry
This character is unable to simply take prisoners or be content with besting a foe. Only blood will do.


Poor Vision/Hearing
Randomly determine which. Character suffers a +2 penalty to rolls associated with the Poor sense.


Dim-witted
The character suffers a +2 penalty to any roll associated with intelligence, memory, or reasoning. Character may not cast magic.


Clumsy
The character suffers a +2 penalty to any roll associated with balance or manual dexterity.


Frail
The character suffers a +2 penalty to any roll associated with physical conditions such as disease or poison.


Gullible
The character suffers a +2 penalty to any roll associated with mind altering effects.


Timid
The character suffers a –1 penalty to Initiative, as well as a +2 to saving throws vs fear effects.


Inept
This character is unable to cast spells and may not use any magic item that operates on the wielder's person (potions, for example) or spells that require command.


Abandoned
This character is bereft of the gods. Healing magics are less effective on this character.


Troubling Countenance
This character has an unseemly aura. Any rolls involving personal interaction suffer a +2 penalty.


Slow
Character's MV is -1, and Initiative rolls are -1.


Slight Frame

Character suffers a +2 penalty to any rolls related to physical strength.

3d6 Games Mission Statement

Some of you may have noticed this in the "Current Fancy" area to the left. It is the cover I've worked up for the 3d6 rules I'm working on. It started as a personal spin on Searchers of the Unknown, and those rules have influenced me. However, 3d6 will also incorporate some of my ideas from Crucible. It has grown beyond what I can convey in a single page, or even four.

My design goals are two-fold, at the highest level. I want quick character design, that also engenders a real desire to actually play the completed character. Secondly, I want the actual system mechanics to be simple, quick, and effective. They should be there when needed, stay out of the way when not needed, and be transparent at all times.

The combat system I've already posted is a very strong indication of what you can expect from the systems. I am currently working on the character creation section, which will blend the simplicity of SotU with my ideas for stat-less characters and Qualities from Crucible. Actually, those are the only things I'm keeping from Crucible.

I'm very excited about this project. It's like a lot of different things I've been reading, and ideas I've had off and on over the years have been pieces of a puzzle that I am now bringing together. I'm very happy with the 3d6 roll-under, but I know roll-unders aren't very popular. It's going to manage saving throws and task resolution quite well, I think.

Characters will be class and level, but classes will be very broad in application and level will be more of a method of determining relative capabilities. I would like to get away from the idea that a level is a big homogeneous improvement. I want to make it more individualized based on the player's desire for the character. Character development is a little way off, though. I want to have a rough roadmap for it so I don't end up with beginning characters that won't fit the advancement paradigm, but that's as far as I'm thinking about that right now.

So, if anyone has any thoughts on this "mission statement", I'm dying for some feedback.

3d6 Combat System

Here it is, my first draft (at least the first one I've wanted to present) of a 3d6 combat system. While Searchers of the Unknown inspired me to do this, it has become more of its own thing. It is still my hope to condense everything down to one page, but once I started this and the ideas started flowing, the one-page thing became less of a priority. I'll worry about page count when I get it hammered out. Without further ado . . .

Basically, I want to have the to-hit roll target be the opponent's AC (per SotU), roll under on 3d6. Modifiers (please remember that this is roll under so a negative modifier is a Good Thing):

Character Type Bonus

Adventurer

Burly -1/2 Levels

Cunning -1/3 Levels

Magician -1/5 Levels

Damage will be determined by the degree of success of the to-hit roll:

Simple Success (Roll≤AC) deals 1D

Great Success (Roll≤AC-2) deals 2D

Stunning Success (Roll≤AC-4) deals 3D

In all cases, the damage die is d6. In the case of multiple dice, only like numbers are considered, with the highest being totalled. Light weapons are -1 to all dice counted, Medium weapons are unmodified, and Heavy weapons are +1 to all dice counted.

So, how about some percentages?

A 1^st level Burly Adventurer vs Opponent in Chain (AC6)

Refired

Level +1

Opp. AC +6

Roll Needed 13

Chance to-hit 40%

3d6

Level -1

Target 6

Roll Needed 7

Chance to-hit 16%

So, obviously something needs to be done here. Bearing in mind that the roll “to-hit” is more accurately described as a roll “to-damage”, we can explore the following. Historically maces were brought to bear against opponents in metal armors. They didn't damage the opponent by penetrating the armor, they wore the opponent down by knocking him around inside the armor. Sooooo . . . what if we apply the following:

Metal armors (Chain and Plate) are +2 vs bludgeoning weapons. Then we get the following chance to-hit:

Level -1

Target 8 (AC6 +2vs Mace)

Roll Needed 9

Chance to-hit 37.5%

That is much more in line with the other numbers. It has the added option of providing a layer of tactical choice at a small complexity premium. To offset the beneficial to-hit, as well as maintaining a degree of accuracy, damage degrees are calculated without the modifier. Thus, the damage degrees for the above scenario would be:

Original unmodified AC 6

Roll needed for Simple Damage (1D) ≥9 (37.5%)

Roll needed for Great Damage (2D) ≥4 (1.9%)

Roll needed for Stunning Damage (3D) ≥2 (0%)

Ok, that's all done considering a 1^st level adventurer. I believe the numbers will hold up because after you reach a target number of 10 on 3d6, the bonuses hit a law of diminishing returns. Also, there is the fact that, in all truth, I was forced to device this so that low level characters can have any hope against heavily armored foes. Still and all, though, it seems reasonable to me, and at least gives a nod to accurately modeling the effects of bludgeoning weapons against metal armors, insofar as the system I am presenting.

Thoughts, comments, criticisms?

PS> The percentages above were arrived at using the Dice Probability Calculator link at the bottom of my Hall of the Sages column at left.