Rules

Available Hires, Number and Level

The player party visits their local Sword & Board to recruit NPCs for the next adventure. How many potential hirelings are present? What class? What level?

DM’s Summary

In this article, I get into lots of details and tables. Here’s the short version.

Number of Hirelings: First decide the frequency of each character class. Fighters might be common, dwarves and elves rare, and all others uncommon. Roll a d12. Divide the result by 2 for common types, 4 for uncommon, and 11 for rare. Drop the fraction.

Level of Hirelings: Roll a dice in size (number of sides) equal to or greater than the PC’s level and a d3. Divide the result of the first dice by the result of the d3, rounding up. In case of a result higher than the PC’s level, re-roll the first dice.

For explanations, examples, and variations, see below.

Number of Hirelings

“Then Hazard tells us how many [hirelings] there are and how much they cost according to his system…”—Phenster, “Regular Entourage: Hirelings and Henchmen”

Phenster doesn’t make much of it, but limiting the number of potential hirelings represents a cost of failure in Hazard’s system. In an inn full of unlimited potential hires, a candidate’s refusal has no significant consequences, and hirelings are a boring commodity.

We could use a two-step method, first determining if any hires of a particular class are available, then how many. I prefer to put the steps together in one dice roll, and I have the idea that greater numbers should be less frequent.

Playing with dice, I hit on this method to determine the number of hirelings available of a given class. The basic mechanic is to divide a dice result by a number and drop the fraction. The higher the divisor, the fewer potential hires.

This method is similar to using a larger dice as a smaller dice. To generate a number from 1 to 3, for example, we roll a d6, divide the result by 2, and round up. The only difference is, here, we drop the fraction instead of rounding. The practical effect, evident in the table below, is that we split the chance for the highest number, giving the remainder to zero. The chance for any other result is still the divisor over the dice size.

Comparison: d3 and d2, Rounding up (Standard) and Dropping the Fraction
d6Divided by 2 (d3)Divided by 3 (d2)
Round UpDrop FractionRound UpDrop Fraction
11010
21110
32111
42221
53221
63322
d6 Results Dividing by 2 and 3, Rounding up and Dropping the Fraction.
  • Dividing by 2 and dropping the fraction, there’s still a one-third chance for a 1 or 2, but the chance for a 3 is reduced to one-sixth, and there’s a one-sixth chance for a zero.
  • Dividing by 3, we split the chance for the highest result, a 2, into three parts, sharing between the 2 (one part or one-sixth) and the zero (two parts).

We’ll see below, the effect is the same with larger dice and greater divisors, but we share the chance between the highest result and zero in more parts. A d12 divided by 6, gives us a 1⁄12 chance for a 2 and 5⁄12 for a zero.

Simple Example

The DM decides that fighters for hire are common at the Green Dragon Inn. Thieves, magic-users, and all halflings are uncommon, and clerics are rare, as are dwarves and elves of any class. To determine the number available, she throws a d6 and divides the result by 2 for common types, 3 for uncommon, and 6 for rare. A table of results looks like this:

d6Common (÷ 2)Uncommon (÷ 3)Rare (÷ 6)
1000
2100
3110
4210
5210
6321

The table shows that some number of common types are available five in six times. One or two are present one-third of the time, and three only one-sixth. One candidate from the uncommon types is available half the time, and two of them one in six times. While rare types appear only one-sixth of the time, then only a single candidate.

One-sixth, or 16⅔%, may not be considered so rare; we use the term relative to common. For finer granularity, we can use a larger dice. A d12’s 8⅓% gradation makes the rare types sufficiently infrequent while still keeping them in the game. If rare types appear only 1% of the time, for example, it’s hardly worth rolling for it.

A d20, with its 5% gradation, yields a few more potential hires of the common type, while keeping the numbers of uncommon and rare types low.

d20CommonUncommonRare
÷234567891011121314151617181920
10000000000000000000
21000000000000000000
31100000000000000000
42110000000000000000
52111000000000000000
63211100000000000000
73211110000000000000
84221111000000000000
94321111100000000000
105322111110000000000
115322111111000000000
126432211111100000000
136432211111110000000
147432221111111000000
157533221111111100000
168543222111111110000
178543222111111111000
189643322211111111100
199643322211111111110
2010654322221111111111
d20 Results Divided by 2 Through 20.

Still, I like the d12 for the purpose. The granularity is enough fine for game purposes, and, depending on the divisor, we get up to six common types. With only a 28% refusal chance on the negotiation table, more than six candidates available might as well be a hundred; no need to roll on the negotiation table. Plus, we get some use out of the dodecahedron.

d12 Number of Hirelings Available by Class Frequency Divisor
d12CommonUncommonRare
÷23456789101112
100000000000
210000000000
311000000000
421100000000
521110000000
632111000000
732111100000
842211110000
943211111000
1053221111100
1153221111110
1264322111111
d12 Results Divided by 2 Through 12.

In the table above, I place arbitrary categories on the divisors based on their maximum results. One might consider a divisor of 6 as rare, allowing 2 of the rare types 8⅓% of the time. The DM can select a divisor for each category as seems fit, even changing the divisor to suit current conditions (as in wartime or when a demon horde is on the rampage). For example, I like a divisor of 2 for common types, 4 for uncommon, and 11 rare. We might say men-at-arms (0-level) are twice as numerous as fighters and roll twice on the common column.

d12Common (÷ 2)Uncommon (÷ 4)Rare (÷ 11)
1000
2100
3100
4210
5210
6310
7310
8420
9420
10520
11521
12631
Common: fighters, men-at-arms (roll twice)
Uncommon: magic-users, thieves, halflings
Rare: clerics, dwarves, elves

Hireling Level Determination

Phenster suggests, by the method to determine hireling cost based on experience required for their level, that those of 2nd and higher levels might be seeking work at the Nine of Pentacles. He does not, however, provide a method for determining the level.

The simplest method to determine hireling level is, of course, to roll a dice the size of the highest possible level (the hiring PC’s level). This gives us an even chance for each level. But, like greater numbers of candidates, I have the idea that higher-level NPCs seeking employment are less frequent.

To skew the results toward lower levels, roll the level using an equal distribution as in the previous paragraph, then divide the result by the results of a second dice, rounding up. Taking the d8 (8th-level PCs) as an example, we see in the table below that dividing by a d2 splits the first dice in half, giving equal distributions in the low and high results. Dividing by a d3 or a d4 yields some variation in the lower middle results (3 and 4 on the d8) but the same equal distribution for the lowest results and the upper half.

d8÷ d2÷ d3÷ d4÷ d6
118.75%25.00%31.25%43.75%
218.75%25.00%31.25%31.25%
318.75%20.83%15.63%10.42%
418.75%12.50%9.38%6.25%
56.25%4.17%3.13%2.08%
66.25%4.17%3.13%2.08%
76.25%4.17%3.13%2.08%
86.25%4.17%3.13%2.08%
Distribution of Results of a d8 Divided by the Results of a d2, d3, d4, and d6.

The small percentage equally distributed for higher-level hirelings feels appropriate. I do want some variation in the lower levels, which leaves the d2 aside. The larger the divisor (second) dice, the greater the percentage for lower-level hirelings and lesser for higher levels. I like the d3 for the greater (though small) chance for higher-level results, but it requires (unless one is armed with a d6 numbered 1 to 3 twice) an additional mental step to derive the d3 results from a d6 roll. For this reason, while its higher results are less likely, the d4 is attractive. I give tables of results for both. Let the DM decide.

Determine Hireling Level (÷ d3)
PC Level
NPC Level2nd3rd4th5th6th8th10th12th16th20th
183.33%66.67%50.00%40.00%33.33%25.00%20.00%16.67%12.50%10.00%
216.67%22.22%33.33%33.33%33.33%25.00%20.00%16.67%12.50%10.00%
311.11%8.33%13.33%16.67%20.83%20.00%16.67%12.50%10.00%
48.33%6.67%5.56%12.50%13.33%16.67%12.50%10.00%
56.67%5.56%4.17%10.00%8.33%12.50%10.00%
65.56%4.17%3.33%8.33%8.33%10.00%
74.17%3.33%2.78%6.25%8.33%
84.17%3.33%2.78%6.25%5.00%
93.33%2.78%2.08%5.00%
103.33%2.78%2.08%5.00%
112.78%2.08%1.67%
122.78%2.08%1.67%
132.08%1.67%
142.08%1.67%
152.08%1.67%
162.08%1.67%
171.67%
181.67%
191.67%
201.67%
Dice Equal to PC’s Level Divided by a d3.
Determine Hireling Level (÷ d4)
PC Level
NPC Level2nd3rd4th5th6th8th10th12th16th20th
187.50%75.00%62.50%50.00%41.67%31.25%25.00%20.83%15.63%12.50%
212.50%16.67%25.00%30.00%33.33%31.25%25.00%20.83%15.63%12.50%
38.33%6.25%10.00%12.50%15.63%20.00%20.83%15.63%12.50%
46.25%5.00%4.17%9.38%10.00%12.50%15.63%12.50%
55.00%4.17%3.13%7.50%6.25%9.38%12.50%
64.17%3.13%2.50%6.25%6.25%7.50%
73.13%2.50%2.08%4.69%6.25%
83.13%2.50%2.08%4.69%3.75%
92.50%2.08%1.56%3.75%
102.50%2.08%1.56%3.75%
112.08%1.56%1.25%
122.08%1.56%1.25%
131.56%1.25%
141.56%1.25%
151.56%1.25%
161.56%1.25%
171.25%
181.25%
191.25%
201.25%
Dice Equal to PC’s Level Divided by a d4.

Pandemonium Society characters reached levels around 13th. I include 20th level because we have a dice for it.

At levels for which no dice matches (7, 11, 13, 14, 17, 19), use the next higher dice. On any result above the PC’s level, re-roll the first dice—not the divisor dice (d3 or d4). A d16 is achieved by rolling any dice plus a d8. An even result on the first dice adds 8 to the d8 results. Ignore the first dice’s odd results. In the same way, we can make a d9 (with a pair of d3s), d15 (d5, d3), and a d18 (d6, d3).

Regular Entourage: Hirelings and Henchmen

The following article is from L’avant garde: Newsletter of the East Middleton Wargamers Association #65, July 1984.

Regular Entourage

by Phenster

Jinx likes to have a lot of sword- and spearmen as a regular entourage. He says it's better to have more steel on the target. Beowulf doesn't like to have any hires at all. He says his two-handed sword is steel enough. I like to have a fighter or two to protect my skin when the going gets rough. Hazard lets us roll the dice for our hirelings, so it's more fun when I can't throw a spell. Plus, when one of our characters is killed, we can always take over a hireling or a henchman.

We used to advertise for positions and role-play the encounter and haggle for the fee and all that, but after one or two times it wasn't much fun. Now we just go to the Nine of Pentacles[1] and buy ale for potential hires. We tell Hazard what professions we're looking for and how many. Then Hazard tells us how many there are and how much they cost according to his system (see below). We still do some haggling.

Dwarves and elves for hire are rare, but we can usually find one or two human-types or halflings we want. And there's never a shortage of men-at-arms, unless there's a war or something, like the time a horde of demons got loose from the Great Halls and rampaged the countryside.

Hire Rates by Armor Type

To figure the cost to retain the services of a hireling, Hazard takes 1/10th the XP required for the hire's level. All 1st-level human and halfling types cost 100 g.p. minimum. Men-at-arms (0-level) are 50. 1st-level dwarves and elves are 200.

That's the usual rate, which we call CHAIN. Double the rate is PLATE (+1 reaction), and half is called LEATHER (-1 reaction). You can negotiate for even lower rates (-2 reaction). Then it's called JACK, as in "I didn’t get jack...." Any bonus money or benefits is called SHIELD (+1 if consequential). If you really want a particular hireling for some reason (like if a fighter looks especially strong), you can pay DOUBLE PLATE for an extra bonus.

We have to buy armor and weapons for hires, of course, plus equipment and rations. We also pay room and board, and hirelings get half-shares of the treasure. We usually don't have to pay guild fees (for magic-users and thieves), but a potential hire might haggle for it, and that gets expensive!

Dwarves and elves expect to be paid plate (-1, -2 for lesser offers).

Negotiation

After we make an initial offer, Hazard rolls 2d6 on this table. He gives a bonus for really good offers (PLATE and SHIELD), high charisma[2] and the PC's reputation for treatment of hirelings. Or a penalty for bad offers, etc.

2 Offended (-1 further checks)
3-5 Refuses
6-8 Haggles
9-11 Accepts
12 Pleased (+1 loyalty)

If the prospect is offended, he just can't be persuaded and he might spread rumors about you. You take a penalty on any other negotiations for a month or so. If he refuses, you might get him back in the game by doubling your offer, but it's usually not worth it. In case he wants to haggle, he might make a counteroffer, or he could say no (usually politely) and wait for you to make a better one. This is the time to throw in shield (a bonus), so you get another roll on the table.

Shield

Shield is a bonus offered in addition to the usual rate (plate, chain, leather). If offered up front, it usually gets you a +1 bonus on the first negotiation roll. After the first roll, you can offer shield to convince the hire (get another roll), but you get no bonus.

Good examples of shield are more gold, gems, jewelry, paying guild fees, or a magic item (even a potion will do). Bonus gold, gems or jewelry should be at least 20% of the base offer. Offering a small trinket as a bonus or saying you equip all your fighters with plate mail and shield is called a WOODEN SHIELD if it's true. It's good (you might get another roll) but not good enough for a bonus to the roll. If it isn't true, it's called a STRAW SHIELD, the same as promising extra treasure or any other future thing. Offering a straw shield gets you a -1 penalty on the negotiation table. This is because the initial payment usually goes to the hire's family for safe-keeping until he comes out of the dungeon. It serves as his estate if he doesn't make it.

When we were starting out and didn't have much treasure yet, we mostly paid chain. But now we usually have enough gold to pay plate. Our reputation for good pay and fair treatment is pretty good, except for Jinx. He's generous with shield, but his hires have a habit of "giving up the estate."

Loyalty

Initial Loyalty

When the hire accepts an offer, the DM rolls 3d6 for the hireling's loyalty score. Add any bonuses/penalties from the PC's charisma and the negotiation roll. The DM keeps hirelings' loyalty scores secret from the players.

Testing Loyalty

A hireling's loyalty is tested at the end of every adventure, after treasure has been divided and hirelings have been paid their shares. Bonuses and penalties based on treatment during the adventure (+1/-1) and extra treasure (+1) apply. If you didn't get any treasure to distribute, -1 to the roll. You get a +1 if the hire is the same alignment as you and a -1 if the hire's alignment is diametrically opposed to yours (you probably won't know it). Hazard also tests loyalty whenever a hireling is faced with great danger or some moral dilemma concerning the employer, the party, or the mission for example.

Test loyalty with a d20 roll. Rolling the loyalty score or less means his loyalty goes up +1. Higher than the loyalty score means his loyalty goes down -1.

Broken Loyalty

If the loyalty score ever drops below 11, the hireling's loyalty is broken. This means that if the initial loyalty score (3d6) is 10 or less, the hireling probably won't stay with you after the first adventure, unless you manage to get some bonuses on the loyalty test.

When a hireling's loyalty is broken between adventures, he leaves. (Role-play according to circumstances.) If loyalty is broken in the dungeon or some dangerous wilderness, the hireling's morale drops to 10[3], and he will leave as soon as it's safe. A neutral hire might commit treachery if he can take advantage of a situation. An evil one probably will commit treachery just to be mean.

Saving the hireling's life automatically gains +1 directly to his loyalty score.

Suicide missions, asking to do something against his alignment, or some behavior on the PC's part that is dramatically opposed to the hire's alignment, will automatically break loyalty.

Henchmen

A hireling whose loyalty score reaches 20 becomes a henchman (one adventure minimum). A henchman is a trusted lieutenant to the PC. His loyalty is no longer in question, and he doesn't have to check morale anymore. (A hireling has to pass a morale check when things are looking grim or run away.) A henchman follows the PC in all cases (except extreme cases as above: suicide missions, etc.). A henchman gets a full share of the treasure, and he pays his own way (room and board, etc.). He's a lot like, but not quite, like another PC. The player has full control over the henchman's actions, but don't abuse the privilege (like sharing magic items and stuff like normal 2nd PC rules).

Experience Points

Henchman and hirelings only get half XP. Hazard doubles the number of PCs, then adds the NPCs, then divides the total XP by that number. The PCs get two times the amount, and NPCs just get one.

1 Phenster mentions the Nine of Pentacles elsewhere (see “Dirty Fighting”), referring to it as the group’s “local Sword & Board,” which, we assume, is an inn.

2 See Ability Score Bonuses and Penalties [E], “Ability Score Modifiers in the Great Halls of Pandemonium.”

3 See Morale [E], “Advanced Combat.”

Level Advancement

This is the 22nd in a continuing series of articles, which reedits house rules for Holmes Basic D&D from 40-year-old game club newsletters. Mentions of house rules are in bold text and followed by a [bracketed category designator].

For rules category descriptions and more about the newsletters, see “About the Reedition of Phenster’s.” For an index of articles, see Coming Up in “Pandemonium Society House Rules.”

Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, incidents, and newsletters are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is pure coincidence.

A note on the cover page near the closing staple of Paradigm Lost #2 (November 1980) instructs the subscriber to “REMOVE STAPLE WITH CARE . . . CENTERFOLD INSIDE!!!!” Phenster teases us further in the editorial column “From the Amanuensis”:

We have a special "centerfold" treat in this issue for all you little demons of the Pandemonium Society. An assortment of tables (that go with a piece by Hazard about characters past 3RD LEVEL) are arranged by themselves on one side of 6 pages with a drawing of a siren (sorry, none of our photographs came out). All you have to do is unfold the pages (you were careful with the staple, right?) and paste/tape them onto cardboard that you can fold in threes. Add a few more tables of your own devising for your own custom Referee Screen!

Our subscriber A. J. Postlethwaite seems to have heeded the first instruction but failed to carry out the second. Only two tiny holes indicate the staple’s one-time presence. The center pages are intact.

I reproduce Hazard’s tables within each house rule below.

Level Advancement

by Hazard

Players in the Great Halls of Pandemonium progressed beyond 3rd level over the summer. Since school started I've been juggling calculus, chemistry, and trying to decide how to manage experience points, spells, attack matrices, and so on. (Thank Crom for study hall!) My first idea was to make the switch to AD&D like everybody else. After a lot of reading and much thinking though, I decided the "advanced" rules are too complicated for what they give the game. I looked at the old rules too, but frankly, it's a big mess. They just kept adding on to the system until it became a golem of rules. Eventually, I made up some stuff, inspired by both the old and the new. I tried not to change any numbers (hit tables, saving throw matrices, spells, etc.) from levels 1-3 in the Basic book, so any characters rolled-up from that book are still valid in the Great Halls campaign.

Necessary Experience for Higher Levels

Double the amount you need every level, as in the Basic rules, until you get to 8th level. The total amount you need to get to 8th level is what you need to get from 8th to 9th and for every level higher. Fighters need 4,000 to attain 3rd level, 8,000 for 4th, etc. . . They need 128,000 to reach 8th level. Then they need 128,000 more XP to get to 9th level (256,000), then 128,000 more for 10th level (384,000), and so on.

You get normal HD + bonus h.p. for CON at every level gain through 9th level. After that, you don’t get more HD or bonus h.p. You just get +1 h.p. per level except fighters, which get +2.

Magic Spells

Clerics

Clerics get first and second level spells through their faith at 2nd and 4th level, respectively. Third through fifth level spells (gained at 5th, 6th, and 7th level) are delivered to them by divine intermediaries, like angels and such, while sixth and seventh level spells are given by the deity itself. Clerics can cast these spells at 9th and 12th levels.

Clerics get another first and second level spell at every other level after the first spell. Third through fifth, they get every 3 levels, and sixth and seventh every 4 levels.

Magic-Users

Magic-users start with 1 first level spell at 1st level, 2 at 2nd and 3rd, then 3 for 3 levels, 4 for 4 levels, and so on (as in the chart). The number of spells increases the same for each spell level. Magic-users can cast another level of spells at every odd numbered level.

Cleric's Turning

The only table in the whole lot that makes any sense. At higher levels, clerics can turn the next undead monster at every level, getting better by 2 pips. At 4th level they automatically destroy the weakest sort.

Thief's Abilities

Thieves add 5% to each ability (except Climbing and Hearing) per level up to 99% (highest). Climbing adds 1% each level, and the range to hear noise goes up 1 every 4 levels. Thief's blow from behind ability gives them triple damage at levels 5-8, x4 at 9-12, x5 at 13-16, and so on. Thieves can read languages 80% of the time at 4th level, like in Basic, but they can’t read magic scrolls (not cleric) until 10th level.

Attack Matrices

Characters Attacking

I did these tables a little different from the book because I wanted to make a smooth transition from level to level without jumping from e.g. 19 to 17, like a fighter does from level 3 to 4 in the old rules. If you look at the average level for each range (which is how they did it in the old rules--completely nuts!), it works out to about the same without any jumps.

1st level characters need a 20 to hit a monster with a 0 AC. The fighter's chance to hit goes up 1 (3/3) every level. The cleric's goes up 3/4 of a point, drop the fraction, thief 3/5, and magic-user 3/6 (or 1/2) per level. Did you see the math magic I did there?

Monsters Attacking

Same as 1st level characters, monsters with less than 1 Hit Dice need a 20 to hit 0 AC, then the number to hit goes down 1 per HD. So, 1 HD needs 19, 2 an 18, 3 a 17, and so on. Monsters with HD+n are counted as the next higher HD.

Saves

I cast some math magic on the saving throw tables too. For each save I averaged the total increase from level 1 to 13 from the Saving Throw matrix in D&D and spread it out over the levels. For instance, fighters save Death Ray 12 at 1st level and 4 at 13+. Formula, where L is character level: 12-(12-4)/(13-1)*(L-1). So the saving throw goes down 2/3rds point per level, rounding up. Clerics also go over 12 levels too, but I used 10 as the divisor for magic-users.

Fighters have the best saves, total increase 8 over 12, except dragon breath, which is 10/12. Clerics' good saves are 8/12 (Spells, Death Ray), others are 7/12. Magic-users have the worst. Their spells (good) save is 7/10; the rest are only 5/10.

Basic D&D says Thieves save as fighters, but Greyhawk has them as M-Us. I took a road across the middle ground. Thieves start like fighters in all categories, and they progress as fighters in physical categories (8 and 10 over 12) and as M-Us against spells and wands (7, 5/10).

Elves, dwarves, and halflings use the best save in each category by their class (multi-class possible), like dual-classed humans. Dwarves and halflings get +2 to all saves except dragon breath, which gets a +1.

Paradigm Lost #2 (November 1980)

Experience Points by Class and Level [E]

LevelThiefClericFighterMagic-User
10000
21,2001,5002,0002,500
32,4003,0004,0005,000
44,8006,0008,00010,000
59,60012,00016,00020,000
619,20024,00032,00040,000
738,40048,00064,00080,000
876,80096,000128,000160,000
9153,600192,000256,000320,000
10230,400288,000384,000480,000
11307,200384,000512,000640,000
12384,000480,000640,000800,000
13460,800576,000768,000960,000
14537,600672,000896,0001,120,000
15614,400768,0001,024,0001,280,000
16691,200864,0001,152,0001,440,000

Hit Dice by Class and Level [E]

LevelThiefClericFighterMagic-User
11d41d61d81d4
22d42d62d82d4
33d43d63d83d4
44d44d64d84d4
55d45d65d85d4
66d46d66d86d4
77d47d67d87d4
88d48d68d88d4
99d49d69d89d4
109d4+19d6+19d8+29d4+1
119d4+29d6+29d8+49d4+2
129d4+39d6+39d8+69d4+3
139d4+49d6+49d8+89d4+4
149d4+59d6+59d8+109d4+5
159d4+69d6+69d8+129d4+6
169d4+79d6+79d8+149d4+7

Number of Spells per Day [E]

Clerics

Spell Level —
Level1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th
1
21
32
421
5321
63221
743221
843222
9543221
10543322
11653332
126543321
137644322
147644432
158754432
168755432
179855533
189865543

Magic-Users

Spell Level —
Level1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
11
22
321
432
5321
6332
74321
84332
944321
1044332
11544321
12544332
135544321
145544332
1555544321
1665544332
17655544321
18665544332

Cleric’s Turning [E]

Undead Monster —
LevelSkeletonZombieGhoulWightWraithMummySpectreVampire
17911NNNNN
2T7911NNNN
3TT7911NNN
4DTT7911NN
5DDTT7911N
6DDDTT7911
7DDDDTT79
8DDDDDTT7
9DDDDDDTT
10DDDDDDDT
11DDDDDDDD
N: No effect
T: Automatic turn
D: Automatic destroy

Thief’s Abilities [E]

LevelOpen
Lock
(%)		Remove
Trap
(%)		Pick
Pocket
(%)		Move
Silently
(%)		Hide in
Shadows
(%)		Climb
Sheer
Surfaces
(%)		Hear
Noise
(d6)
1*1510202010872
22015252515882
32520303020893
4**3025353525903
5*3530404030913
64035454535923
74540505040934
85045555545944
9*5550606050954
10***6055656555964
116560707060975
127065757565985
13*7570808070995
148075858575995
158580909080995
169085959585995
17*9590999990995
189999999995995
199999999999995
* Blow from behind (+4 attack) starts at ×2 damage, increases every 4 levels to ×3, ×4, and so on
** Read languages 80%
*** Read magic scrolls

Character Attack Matrices [E]

Fighter Attacking

Character Level —
AC12345678910111213141516
0201918171615141312111098765
119181716151413121110987654
21817161514131211109876543
3171615141312111098765432
416151413121110987654322
51514131211109876543222
6141312111098765432222
713121110987654322222
81211109876543222222
9111098765432222222

Cleric Attacking

Character Level —
AC12345678910111213141516
02020191817171615141413121111109
1191918171616151413131211101098
21818171615151413121211109987
3171716151414131211111098876
416161514131312111010987765
5151514131212111099876654
614141312111110988765543
71313121110109877654432
812121110998766543322
91111109887655432222

Thief Attacking

Character Level —
AC12345678910111213141516
020201919181717161615141413131211
119191818171616151514131312121110
21818171716151514141312121111109
3171716161514141313121111101098
41616151514131312121110109987
515151414131212111110998876
61414131312111110109887765
713131212111010998776654
8121211111099887665543
911111010988776554432

Magic-User Attacking

Character Level —
AC12345678910111213141516
020201919181817171616151514141313
119191818171716161515141413131212
218181717161615151414131312121111
317171616151514141313121211111010
4161615151414131312121111101099
51515141413131212111110109988
614141313121211111010998877
7131312121111101099887766
81212111110109988776655
911111010998877665544

Monster Attack Matrix [E]

Monster Hit Dice —
AC<1123456789101112131415
0201918171615141312111098765
119181716151413121110987654
21817161514131211109876543
3171615141312111098765432
416151413121110987654322
51514131211109876543222
6141312111098765432222
713121110987654322222
81211109876543222222
9111098765432222222

Saving Throws [E]

Fighters

Character Level —
Save12345678910111213141516
Spell
Magic Staff		161615141413121211101098876
Magic Wand1313121111109987765543
Death Ray
Poison		121211101098876654432
Turn to Stone141413121211101098876654
Dragon Breath151514131211101098765543

Clerics

Character Level —
Save12345678910111213141516
Spell
Magic Staff		1515141313121111109987765
Magic Wand1212111110109887765544
Death Ray
Poison		1111109987765543322
Turn to Stone1414131312121110109987766
Dragon Breath161615141413121211101098876

Magic-Users

Character Level —
Save12345678910111213141516
Spell
Magic Staff		1515141313121111109887665
Magic Wand14141313121211111010998877
Death Ray
Poison		131312121111101099887766
Turn to Stone131312121111101099887766
Dragon Breath161615151414131312121111101099

Thieves

Character Level —
Save12345678910111213141516
Spell
Magic Staff		16161514141312121110998776
Magic Wand131312121111101099887766
Death Ray
Poison		121211101098876654432
Turn to Stone141413121211101098876654
Dragon Breath151514131211101098765543

Multi- and Dual-Class Characters [E]

Multi-class (non-human) and dual-class (human) characters use the best save for each category by class.

Dwarves and Halflings [E]

Dwarves and halflings add 2 to the dice roll to all saves except Dragon Breath, to which they add 1.

Classes and Races

This is the 21st in a continuing series of articles, which reedits house rules for Holmes Basic D&D from 40-year-old game club newsletters. Mentions of house rules are in bold text and followed by a [bracketed category designator].

For rules category descriptions and more about the newsletters, see “About the Reedition of Phenster’s.” For an index of articles, see Coming Up in “Pandemonium Society House Rules.”

Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, incidents, and newsletters are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is pure coincidence.

Playing Classes in the Pandemonium Society

by Phenster

Some of us play AD&D with the big kids at the Game Hoard. I recommend Ivanhoe's "GOLGOROTH" campaign to anyone who can play on Monday nights. He puts lots of magic in his world, and he isn't stingy with treasure like some AD&D DMs I've heard about.

We wanted to put some AD&D rules in our D&D game. Tombs got the DUNGEON MASTER'S GUIDE and read it from cover to cover, and so did Cypher. I tried to, but I got stuck in the combat chapter. Tombs told me I could skip the combat chapter, because, after playing in Ivanhoe's game, he didn't think anybody else read it either. Cypher thinks that was the best part. Hazard says most of the AD&D rules are too complicated for what they do. Beowulf just flips through the Monster Manual and fights the monsters.

For a long time we've already been allowing thieves for the other character types, like in AD&D. We give dwarves a +10% bonus on locks and trap skills. Halflings get the same bonus to pick pockets, and elves are better at sneaking around (moving & hiding). Dwarves and halflings take a -15% penalty on climbing.

I wanted to let dwarves and halfings be clerics and magic-users too. But Hazard thinks it's better to differentiate between character types. Or else they all start to feel the same. He said there are probably dwarf religious leaders, for example, but most of them don't cast spells and go on adventures. Maybe there are some, and we might meet them sometimes.

If they want, dwarves and halflings can advance as fighters and thieves, like an elf does with fighting and magic-using. And elves can add thief to their class list, even though it takes even longer to go up in levels, because you have to divide x.p. into all three classes. Or you can be an elf who is just a fighter or just a magic-user or just a thief.

Depending on their DEX, thieves get a bonus to their abilities (not including climbing).

DEX Abilities
--- ---------
15 +5%
17 +10%
18 +15%

Nobody seems to know why non-human characters can't go up high in level, like humans. Hazard says it's just the game-way to even out the playing field, because non-humans get special abilities, like better saving throws and seeing in the dark. So, we let elves, dwarves, and halflings go up as high as they like. To make it up to the humans, Hazard gives them 2 extra points to add to their primary ability score and 1 point to add to any ability (even the primary if they want).

Human beings can also take more classes, but it works differently from non-humans. Humans can switch between classes but only advance in one class at a time. So, for example, if a level 3 fighter switches to clericing, all x.p. goes to gaining cleric levels. Later, the same character can switch to magic-using. Then he goes up in magic-user levels. When you switch to a new class, you don't get hit points for the first level. Clerics that switch to another class still can't use edged weapons without the usual consequences. Hazard makes us pay for training when we take a new class, and it’s expensive.

Basel wanted to play a druid, but Hazard said druids and rangers and such don't fit the ambiance in the Great Halls of Pandemonium, which is mostly dungeon adventures. Those classes are more for outdoor campaigns.

—L’avant garde #37, April 1981

I break these up into discreet rules, so a DM may choose one or more or all as befits their preference. Skillful Humans [E] is suggested for use only in combination with any other of these rules that give an additional bonus to non-humans. I cite the rulebook where applicable.

Skillful Humans [E]

After choosing a class, 1st-level human-types add two points to their primary ability score by class and one additional point to any ability score. No score can be raised over 18 (addition mine).

No Level Limits [E]

Dwarves, elves, and halflings can achieve any experience level in their profession.

Non-Human Thieves [E]

“There are special rules for halflings, dwarves and elves who wish to be thieves—these are given in ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS” (Holmes, 6).

Dwarves, elves, and halflings can be thieves as well as humans. Non-human thieves adjust their thief’s abilities according the following table.

Race/AbilityPick PocketsLocks & Traps*Move & Hide**Climb†Hear Noise‡
Dwarf+10%−15%+1
Elf+10%+1
Halfling+10%−15%+1
*Pick Locks, Remove Traps
**Move Silently, Hide in Shadows
†Climb Sheer Surfaces
‡Phenster doesn’t mention hear noise. Maybe it’s obvious. I add the final column.

Dexterity Bonus to Thief’s Abilities [E]

Thieves with high Dexterity adjust all thief’s abilities except Climb Sheer Surfaces according to the table below. Note the jump from 15 to 17.

Dexterity ScoreBonus
15+5%
17+10%
18+15%

Single-Class Elves [E]

“[Magic-users] have the advantage (shared with clerics and some elves) of being able to work magical spells” (6, emphasis mine).

In addition to fighter/magic-user, elves can be single-classed fighters or magic-users.

Non-Human Single and Multi-Classes [E]

Non-humans can be any single class or may take multiple classes. An “X” in the table below indicates the race-class combination is allowed.

Race/ClassClericFighterMagic-UserThief
DwarfXX
ElfXXX
HalflingXX

Dual-Class Humans [E]

Humans may, at any time during their careers, take up a new profession. A training period and a fee (see below) may be required, after which, earned experience goes toward advancement in the new profession. At anytime thereafter, the character may switch back to a previous profession or take another. A dual-class cleric may not use edged weapons.

Training: Phenster doesn’t specify the training period or the fee. I suggest one year and 1,000 gp per total class level at training time. So a 3rd-level fighter, training to become a magic-user, must pay 3,000 g.p.

Class and Race Combinations à la Carte [C]

Hazard nixes Phenster’s suggestion to open the gates on race and class combinations, while reserving the right to use them as NPCs. Furthermore, a DM might allow and disallow particular combinations for player characters according to the campaign setting. One might imagine a world, for example, in which dwarf-kind invented magic. In the campaign, dwarf magic-users are common, and perhaps elves are denied magic-use. In another world, the halfling god is the most powerful divinity, so halflings may be clerics.

Additional Character Classes [C]

“There are a number of other character types which are detailed in ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. There are sub-classes of the four basic classes. They are: paladins and rangers (fighting men), illusionists and witches (magic-users), monks and druids (clerics), and assassins (thieves). There are half elves” (7).

Again according to the campaign setting, a DM might allow other classes and races. Detailing each class is beyond the scope of this series. Of course, DMs may make up their own classes or find many classes elsewhere. Those noted above, with the exception of witches, are found in the AD&D Player’s Handbook (1978), to follow the rulebook’s guidance. They are also found in various OD&D supplements and issues of the Strategic Review, which groups may have referenced prior to mid-1978.

“The Witch” NPC class is detailed in Dragon No. 43 (November 1980). Tucked into that article is another article: “The Real Witch” (8) is an origin piece by Tom Moldvay. Also interesting are two articles: “Witchcraft Supplement for Dungeons & Dragons” (Dragon No. 5, March 1977) and “Another Look at Witches and Witchcraft in D&D” (Dragon No. 20, November 1978). Following the latter, check out the related article “Demonology Made Easy” (No. 20). We’ll see later, in the Monsters section, that Hazard makes use of these early Dragon articles for his Great Halls of Pandemonium campaign.

For late-1st-Edition era, “The Witch” is further treated in Dragon No. 114 (October 1986). For what seems a comprehensive list of witch references and illustrations, see “Witches in Early D&D” by Oakes Spalding, Save Versus All Wands (November 2017).

The previous month, in the Pandemonium Society’s Paradigm Lost #3 (March 1981), appears the following notice under GAMES & CAMPAIGNS:

KING OF WANDS (NEW!): ADVANCED D&D wilderness adventures (some dungeons too). Explore dark lands, kill monsters, claim territory, become the King of Wands! Wednesdays after school @ 3:15. Call Basel: (redacted).

Next up in Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules: Level Advancement

Half All OD&D’s Magic Swords Suffer Cruel Fate

“SWORDS: Among magic weaponry swords alone possess certain human (and superhuman) attributes, Swords have an alignment (Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic), an Intelligence factor, and an egoism rating (as well as an optional determination of the their origin/purpose)” (Monsters & Treasure, 27).

It’s a little known fact that all magic swords in D&D’s original edition are intelligent. In 1974, we determine a magic sword’s intelligence with a d12 roll. An intelligence of 7 or higher grants the sword an increasing number of primary and extraordinary powers and the ability to communicate.

A roll of 1 to 6, however, gives us a sword with intelligence yet unendowed with any powers or any means to communicate. It is also denied an ego, for “Only those swords [with an] Intelligence of 7 or more will have an Egoism rating” (29). Such a sword may signal its condition only to characters of a differing alignment, who take damage from a touch.

Magic Swords Intelligence Table from D&D (1974), Monsters & Treasure, 28

Maybe the co-creators did not intend to manufacturer such an item. An asterisk denotes that “Although the sword cannot communicate it will endow its user with the powers it has, but these will have to be discovered by the user” (28), while the Mental Powers column makes it clear the sword has “None endowed.” Perhaps “the powers it has” refers to the sword’s magic powers, such as has a sword +1, +2 vs. Lycanthropes or a sword +2, Charm Person Ability?

As written, if we obey the dice, half all OD&D’s magic swords suffer this fate. Considering that it is usual for a magic sword to have been created in some long ago time and that such weapons tend to be nigh indestructible, we might say it is a fate worse than death.

In B/X D&D, Moldvay, Cook, Marsh save magic swords from this cruelty by replacing the straight up d12 roll for intelligence with a d20 table. A sword is intelligent on a result of 15 or higher. A 14 or less results in a null intelligence score.

Alternative Method to Increase Prime Requisite for XP Bonus

In “Three Paradigms: Evolution of Ability Score Adjustments and the Prime Requisite Bonus in Old-School D&D,” I stated my preference for the complimentary paradigm from OD&D over the later practice paradigm to determine experience-point bonuses. The Pandemonium Society had another idea. They used both.

This is the 20th in a continuing series of articles, which reedits house rules for Holmes Basic D&D from 40-year-old game club newsletters. Mentions of house rules are in bold text and followed by a [bracketed category designator].

For rules category descriptions and more about the newsletters, see “About the Reedition of Phenster’s.” For an index of articles, see Coming Up in “Pandemonium Society House Rules.”

Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, incidents, and newsletters are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is pure coincidence.

Another Way to Adjust Ability Scores for XP

by Phenster

Ivanhoe tells me he doesn't use the rules for bonus XP in his AD&D campaign because it's too much math. In the Pandemonium Society, we use bonus XP for high prime requisites. Cypher helps us with the math. It's really pretty easy the way she explains it. But we didn't much use the rule that says you can change your ability scores when you roll up a character.

Like, if you want to be a fighter, you can subtract 2 from your INT and add 1 to STR, and a cleric or magic-user can subtract 3 from STR and add 1 to WIS or INT (for M-U). The higher your prime requisite the more XP you get.

That system worked for Beowulf because he didn't care about being intelligent. He just wanted to be a burly brute. But Tombs wanted to play the cleric. They have to be wise and be able to fight pretty good, so he didn't want to lower his strength.

I rolled a 13 for INT, a 15 WIS, and 12 STR. I could've been a cleric or an elf, but I really wanted to be a magic-user of the wise-old-wizard kind. A wise old wizard is usually frail so I lowered my STR to raise my INT to 14. Not enough to get 10% extra XP, but I got another language. I could have lowered my WIS 2 to get another INT, but a 13 WIS is barely above average, so I didn't want to do it.

Tombs and I talked it over with Hazard, and we came to a compromise. Hazard let us use the points to raise our prime requisite score, just like in the rulebook, except we didn't really change the scores. For example, I used 6 WIS points to make a 17 in my prime requisite without lowering WIS or raising INT. I’m still wise (15) and not any more intelligent (14), but I get a 10% bonus on XP. Tombs used 3 points of STR, without lowering it, to raise his prime requisite to 15, but his WIS is still 14.

Of course, everyone wanted to do it that way then. Except for Beowulf. He still wanted to be a brute. Hazard said we could do it either way: changing the scores or just using the points toward our prime requisites, or both. But just not using the same points twice.

—from L’avant garde #59 (January 1984)

Alternative Method to Increase Prime Requisite [E]

After generating ability scores, instead of raising and lowering scores (as described in Holmes: Adjusting Ability Scores, 6), the player uses points from certain above average scores to increase the prime requisite score only as it applies to the experience-point bonus. All constraints—used abilities by class, number of points used, minimum scores, etc.—are according to Holmes. The only difference is that no ability scores are raised or lowered.

Using this method, it helps to think of the prime requisite as a separate score, initially equal to the class’s primary ability score.

I put the alternative method in the [E] Extra category because it’s quick and easy: Count points above 9 in one or two abilities and add one or more points to another score. Furthermore, as no sacrifice is made, players have no barrier—only the prospect of earning more XP.

Strength Not Complimentary for Magic-Users [E]

When using the Alternative Method to Increase Prime Requisite [E], magic-users cannot use points of Strength to increase Intelligence.

As in OD&D’s Men & Magic, high Intelligence makes a more clever fighter, but a strong magic-user is no more adept in the profession. The Pandemonium Society seems to ignore this point.

Combined Methods to Increase Prime Requisite [P]

The alternative method may be used together with that described in Holmes, though points may only be used for one method.

In Phenster’s example, he reduced his Strength score to raise Intelligence, but when using Wisdom, he adjusted neither score.

For simplicity during character creation, I suggest using Holmes’s raise-and-lower method first to get the desired ability score bonuses, Then use the alternative method to figure the final prime requisite score for the XP bonus.

Because it effectively adds a second step to character creation while at the same reintroducing the time-consuming min/max decisions, this one goes in [P] Pandemonium.

Simplifying the Exchange Rate

We might simplify both methods by setting the exchange rate at 2 for 1 in all cases. I don’t propose it here for three reasons.

  1. I try—though not always successfully—to avoid B/X-isms in Phenster’s.
  2. While the Holmes spirit is simplicity in one sense, it also embraces a certain complexity, most often where it fails to modify rules from OD&D.
  3. The difference in the exchange rate, 2 or 3 for 1 depending on ability and class, implies a difference in the importance of each ability to each class. Consider that the more intelligent fighter improves faster than the wiser one (exchanging 2 INT or 3 WIS for 1). Likewise, the smarter cleric improves faster than the more brawny (2 INT or 3 STR for 1). And the more successful thief must be not only intelligent but also wise (2 INT and 1 WIS for 1). I appreciate this nuance.

Read more about the article Doom’s Door: Death Trap Design

Doom’s Door: Death Trap Design

“Zap! You’re dead!” J. Eric Holmes warns against these sorts of traps in the 1977 Basic D&D (40). I tend to comply. Sometimes, though… sometimes!

During the daily cartography exercise that is #Dungeon23, I noticed an auspicious alignment. Let us go to Deep Dungeon Doom’s Level 2 (image above). From room 37 in Kubra Kowthar’s domain, a corridor runs northwest to an apparent dead end. Stopping to search for secret doors—as adventurers do—we stand above Level 3’s Laughing Rift.

I am doomed to put a pitfall there. The floor opens beneath our feet. We fall 110 feet to the rocky floor below—Zap!

Holmes lets us get away with such a trap, though, if “a character might avoid or overcome [it] with some quick thinking and a little luck.” With that in mind, we set about to give ourselves a chance.

Warning

Beyond the secret door—for one there is—room 23 lies at the bottom of the Bastion of Law. Carved into the stone block wall that disguises the secret door is the following warning:

YOUR DOOM LIES BEYOND
FOR BEYOND YOU LIE BELOW

On our side of the door, we read a similar inscription:

YOUR DOOM IS UPON YOU
FOR YOU ARE UPON YOUR DOOM

Ignoring the warning—we’re adventurers after all—we find the secret door, whose presence we think obvious. The trap is armed when the opening mechanism is engaged. From room 23, we would walk through, into the space beyond. From this side, the floor opens beneath us.

Chance to Spring the Trap

If the DM is a little soft, we might say the trap is not maintained. It engages when weight is upon it only one-third of the time, to use a B/X-ism (B22).

Saving Throw Conditions

Further, the aperture is 3 feet square. The tight fit allows us a save vs Turn to Stone to catch ourselves with outstretched arms, feet kicking in the void, fingertips gripping a floor stone’s edge. Quick comrades have a chance to snatch us from fate. Otherwise, we might be able to haul ourselves out on our own. DM’s call. This DM would ask how we intend to do it.

Failing that, we have time to feel heart rise to throat, as we plummet into darkness.

Map showing area 78, Sludge Pit (03/19), of the Laughing Rift (Level 3), Deep Dungeon Doom.
Running through the trash heap in the Central Rift Floor (77, below center), the stream turns to a thick sludge of decayed organic waste. It fills a 20-foot-deep pit (78) in front of rough-carved stairs. Runoff flows south and west through a grate to who-knows-where. Endowed with an adventurer’s presence of mind, we make a quick check for treasure at the bottom of the pit while we’re down there.

Unexpected Deliverance

One last chance. Directly below, the Sludge Pit (78) awaits. We save vs Dragon Breath to take half 11d6 damage.

We still have to wrestle off any armor before drowning and swim to the surface through viscous muck. Then we find ourselves all alone and sans armure at the nethermost point of the Laughing Rift—Zap! Welcome to Deep Dungeon Doom!

Read more about the article Ability Score Modifiers in the Great Halls of Pandemonium

Ability Score Modifiers in the Great Halls of Pandemonium

“Saving Throw VS. Death,” the previous article in the series, wrapped up the Pandemonium Society’s house rules for combat, as published in various issues of the newsletters L’avant garde and Paradigm Lost. We jumped around issue numbers to talk about the combat rules in a coherent manner. Now, it makes sense to take the remaining house rules by book-order, that is, in the order as the rules they modify appear in Holmes.

So, we start here with ability scores, and we’ll end with treasure, which seems appropriate for such an adventure. For, an adventure it is. It may be of the there-and-back-again sort, but Phenster’s contributions to the newsletters from 1980 to 87 are numerous. Between here and there, we have some monsters to fight before we can take the treasure.

This is the 19th in a continuing series of articles, which reedits house rules for Holmes Basic D&D from 40-year-old game club newsletters. Mentions of house rules are in bold text and followed by a [bracketed category designator].

For rules category descriptions and more about the newsletters, see “About the Reedition of Phenster’s.” For an index of articles, see Coming Up in “Pandemonium Society House Rules.”

Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, incidents, and newsletters are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is pure coincidence.

Additions to Ability Scores

by Phenster

The guys at the Game Hoard talk a lot about the ability adjustments[1] they have from high scores in their A(dvanced) D&D games. They get pluses to lots of stuff, like +3 to saving throws for WIS, −4 on AC for an 18 DEX, and bonuses to hit AND damage for STR. They even get "extra strength" (fighters only) that can give them as high as +6!!

We think it's more fun to have bonuses for more high scores besides CON and DEX like in the rules, but according to Hazard we have to be careful of "power creep," or it makes the game too easy. So, Mandykin and Tombs worked out some extra bonuses that Hazard said was OK for his "Great Halls" campaign.

—from Paradigm Lost: the Newsletter of the Pandemonium Society of Neighborhood Dungeons and Dragons Players, #2 (November 1980)

Following this introduction, Phenster provides a table showing modifiers for Strength, Wisdom, Dexterity, and Charisma. I reproduce the table below, adding Constitution and the full Dexterity entry from Basic D&D (1977, 6) plus a couple rows for Intelligence (9) for completeness. Note that rule-smiths Mandykin and Tombs in some cases add bonuses without corresponding penalties.

Power creep aside, while I don’t agree that they make the game too easy, I do think AD&D’s bonuses—similar to those introduced in OD&D’s Greyhawk supplement (1976)—are over-complicated for Holmes. Conversely, Moldvay’s Basic (1981) bonuses and penalties for ability scores are too elegant. Neither has the Holmes spirit we wish to preserve.

Ability Score Bonuses and Penalties [E]

AbilityScoreBonus/Penalty
Strength18+3 attack, damage, force doors
17+2
15-16+1
7-14None
6 or less−1
Intelligence11-181-8 additional languages
10 or lessNone
Wisdom15 or more+1 magic saves
14 or lessNone
Constitution18+3 hit points per hit dice
17+2
15-16+1
7-14None
6 or less−1
Dexterity15 or more−1 armor class
13 or more+1 missile fire
9-12None
8 or less−1 missile fire
Charisma18Up to 12 hirelings; +3 loyalty2
1710; +2
13-166-9; +1
7-125
6 or less4; −1

1 From the context, I assume Phenster intends “ability score modifiers.”
2 Phenster covers loyalty in an article about henchmen, which we’ll get to. For now, we note that loyalty, for the Pandemonium Society, is not the same as morale.

Saving Throw VS. Death

This is the 18th in a continuing series of articles, which reedits house rules for Holmes Basic D&D from 40-year-old game club newsletters. Mentions of house rules are in bold text and followed by a [bracketed category designator].

For rules category descriptions and more about the newsletters, see “About the Reedition of Phenster’s.” For an index of articles, see Coming Up in “Pandemonium Society House Rules.”

Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, incidents, and newsletters are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is pure coincidence.

“If hit points are reduced to zero or below, the combatant is dead” (Holmes, 18).

The following article was printed in L’avant garde #77, dated March 1986. If the Postlethwaite Collection is near complete, this is Phenster’s penultimate contribution to the newsletter. It is the last concerning the Pandemonium Society’s house rules for combat.

Saving Throw VS. Death

by Phenster

The fight with the gnoll-demon's army went bad for us. Phenster Prime only had 3 hit points left when the black dragon raised its head out of the water. I tried to DISINTEGRATE it, but it saved, and I didn't have any other good spells against it, because I already used FIRE BALL on the gnolls and CHARM MONSTER on Charon, who was poling us down the River Styx, taking us to Hell.

We were sitting ducks. The dragon spit acid on us, and it didn't matter if I saved or not, and it didn't matter if the acid was washed away as the boat sank into the current. Phenster Prime was sizzled. Hazard called it an ignominious death.

When we used to play cops and robbers and war or other make-believe games, when we shoot somebody, we just say, "BANG, you're dead! Count to 10!" And you have to fall on the ground and count to 10 really really fast before you can get up and get back in the game again.

But D&D isn't like those make-believe games. The rules say when you lose all your hit points, you're character dies. No bang, no counting--when you're dead your dead. We usually play by the rules. You can be raised or resurrected with magic, but it's expensive and takes time to go back to base town and talk to the bishop or a wizard. Most times at 0 hit points it's faster just to roll up a new character, or take a henchman if you have one, and get back in the game.

Hazard gave me a saving throw versus death, but I didn't make it. You have to roll a 20 minus your level, then add your h.p. bonus. I needed an 8, but I got a 5, so Phenster Prime was dead on the River Styx.

The Bully got sizzled, too, but he made his saving throw against death. (He only needed a 4.) He was still unconscious though with 1 h.p., so Friar Tombs had to haul him to shore so he wouldn't drown. Then the Bully woke up, and Friar Tombs put some healing on him, while I rolled up a new character because I didn't have a henchman.

The dragon disappeared, and so did Charon, and they never found Phenster Prime's body. The party was stranded on the shore of the River Styx, so they had to walk to Hell. Phenster Double Prime joined them on the way.

Save vs Death [P]

A character who reaches 0 or fewer hit points may attempt a saving throw vs Death. The number needed is 20 minus the character’s level. The character’s Constitution bonus to hit points is added to the roll. Failure means death. Success means the character has 1 hit point and is unconscious until the end of the current encounter.

This was a recurring joke among the AD&D crowd when I was a teenager. A game in which one might make a saving throw versus Death couldn’t be serious. For that reason, I throw it in category [P] Pandemonium.

Dirty Fighting

This is the 17th in a continuing series of articles, which reedits house rules for Holmes Basic D&D from 40-year-old game club newsletters. Mentions of house rules are in bold text and followed by a [bracketed category designator].

For rules category descriptions and more about the newsletters, see “About the Reedition of Phenster’s.” For an index of articles, see Coming Up in “Pandemonium Society House Rules.”

Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, incidents, and newsletters are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is pure coincidence.

The following excerpts are from Phenster’s contribution to L’avant garde #53 (March 1983). Though out of order, they reproduce the entire article.

Dirty Fighting

by Phenster

Sometimes we want to do something in combat besides attacking with a weapon. Like the time Mandykin had to fight an ogre all by herself after she got separated from the group by a falling portcullis. We couldn't lift the portcullis, so the rest of us went to find another way around. Mandykin found the ogre's lair first. She knew she couldn't beat it in a fair fight, so she had to fight dirty.

She had a bag of salt that we use to throw at zombies, so she threw a handful in the ogre's face, first. She had to make a missile attack with a -4 penalty. She hit, so the ogre was blinded. (Sometimes we throw sand, too, and it's the same.) Then she wanted to trip it. So she rolled her hit dice and added +2 for her high dexterity (17) against the ogre's hit dice. She had 7 4-sided vs. the ogre's 4+1 d8s. It was close but she did it. By the time we found the long way around, Mandykin had the ogre tied up and was sitting on its belly.

Then there was the time we fought a balrog at the edge of the Pit to Hell. Only Beowulf and Jinx had magic weapons, and my spells weren't working on it. Jinx said, "Let's rush it." I said, "What?!" He said, "We'll push it back into the Pit to Hell." I said it was a bad idea, because the balrog could immolate. But Beowulf asked me if I had a better idea and I didn't. Hazard said we should all throw our hit dice (+ damage bonus) against the balrog's hit dice. Only four of us could push, and we got 88 all together. The balrog got 49, so we pushed it into the Pit, but it immolated! We all got burned pretty bad, and Jinx got caught by the balrog's whip and was jerked down into the Pit to Hell.

Shoving, Tripping, and Throwing Sand/Salt

Instead of attacking with a weapon, a combatant may take one of the following actions. A character with multiple attacks with a weapon takes only one of these actions per round.

Hit Dice Roll

Shove [E] and Trip [E], as well as Wrestling [E] farther below, use opposed hit dice rolls. That is, each side rolls dice equal in size and quantity to their hit dice. A 6th-level magic-user rolls 6d4; a 10th-level fighter, 9d8+2.1 Constitution bonuses or penalties to hit points are not counted. The higher roll wins the contest.

Shove [E]

Attackers and defenders make opposed hit dice rolls, adding their Strength bonus or penalty to melee attack.2 A successful shove moves the defender a space in the direction opposite the attacker. Attackers move with the defenders, and the combatants are in close quarters (see Close Quarters). In case of failure, the combatants are in close quarters, but the defenders do not move.

Trip [E]

To trip an opponent, an attacker must step into close quarters with the defender. Attacker and defender then make opposed hit dice rolls, adding their Dexterity bonuses or penalties to AC and missile fire.2 A successful trip indicates the defender is prone. (See Prone [E].) On a failed attempt, the defender may immediately attempt a trip, becoming the attacker. A series of failures takes place in an instant of struggle.

Throw Sand/Salt [P]

The attacker, within 10' of the target, makes a missile attack with a −4 penalty. On a hit, the target must make a saving throw vs. Paralysis or be blinded for 2 to 5 rounds, suffering +2 penalty to AC and −4 to attack rolls.

Note: A penalty to an attack roll to effect a particular result is danger close to allowing PCs to “aim for the eyes” with any attack. When using this [P] Pandemonium rule, be prepared to defend against arguments for such “called shots.”

Source of Opposed Hit Dice Rolls

An opposed hit dice roll is also used in a Shield Wall Push [P] (see “Phalanx Fighting” and “The Phalanx and the Shield Wall.”) I find a similar procedure in the Strategic Review Vol. 1, No. 2 (Summer 1975) under the heading QUESTIONS MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED ABOUT DUNGEONS & DRAGONS RULES (3). In a combat example, a group of orcs grapple with a hero. To be successful, the orcs must roll their combined hit dice and beat the hero’s hit dice roll. Prior to the opposed roll, each orc must make a successful attack roll against the hero before its hit dice can be counted in the grapple. The Pandemonium Society seems to ignore this step.

Nonlethal Attacks

Whenever we have a brawl at the Nine of Pentacles (that's our local Sword & Board), we fight with our fists or wrestle, or we use makeshift weapons, like bottles and chair legs. In a fist fight, you do 1 + STR bonus in NONLETHAL damage, which means, if you go down, you aren't dead, you're just knocked out. Makeshift weapons do 1-3 real damage. We can get in big trouble if we kill someone in base town though, so we have to be careful with that. Wrestling is just another hit dice throw that you add your damage bonus to or your dex bonuses. It doesn't really do any damage, but if you win you can make the other guy do what you want, like pin him to the floor or make him say "Uncle" or just about anything else you can think of.

Fist Fighting [E]

A fist does 1 point of damage. Add the attacker’s Strength bonus2 to damage as normal. All damage is nonlethal.

Knocked Out [E]

When a creature takes nonlethal damage equal to its current hit point total, it falls unconscious for 1 to 6 rounds.

Wrestling [E]

The attacker chooses whether to use Strength or Dexterity and steps into close quarters with the defender. The combatants make opposed hit dice rolls adding the chosen bonus or penalty. If the attacker wins, a desired effect takes place.

Feint

Mandykin wanted a way she could do a feint in melee. Hazard said it was a "subtle action," and it's assumed in a combat round. But Mandykin said a feint is about as subtle as a parry and there's a rule for parry right in the book.

A feint is when you trick your opponent into thinking you're going to do one thing, but then you do something else. You catch him off guard, so you get a bonus (+2) on your attack. It only works against man-type creatures. You do a feint on your go, then you have to wait until your opponent goes to see if he fell for it: Roll a 20-sided die, subtract your level, add your opponent's level or hit dice and his bonus for a high wisdom (if he has one). If you roll under your dexterity score, he's tricked! and takes a -2 to his attack, and you attack at +2. If he isn't tricked, he gets a +2 on his attack (because you left yourself open), and you attack normally.

Feint [P]

To feint, an attacker makes a Dexterity check, subtracting his or her level and adding the opponent’s level (or hit dice), plus the opponent’s Wisdom bonus. If successful, the opponent attacks with a −2 penalty, and the attacker, immediately afterward, makes an attack with a +2 bonus. When the feint fails, the opponent attacks with a +2 bonus, and the attacker with a −2 penalty.

Note: I add the attacker’s −2 penalty in the failure case to discourage overuse, and still I class this one as [P] Pandemonium.

1 We’ll see later that the Pandemonium Society uses hit dice by level progression from Greyhawk (1976, 10-11).
2 Also later, we’ll see ability score bonuses and penalties.