100 days of B/X (part IV - B15 to B18) - spellcasting

Continued from here.

In B15, we’ve reached one of the hardest parts to convert to my minimalist system, which is magic. This happens for several reasons.

First of all, it’s impossible to make a system that is both balanced and compatible with the original, because the original isn’t balanced at all. Fireball is a 3rd-level spell that causes 5d6 damage (save for half) for a bunch of foes, but gets stronger each level. Cure Serious Wounds is a 4th-level spell that cures 2d6+1 HP, never getting stronger. For a 5th level cleric spell, you can creates enough food fora  dozen men and their horses for one day... or raise the dead.

So the first difficult choice here is between changing something that I notice in practice, in my games, isn’t balanced, or keeping something original to the game that I like, which is basic D&D.

My tendency is to try to do a bit of both, giving the player the option to use spells from the original or from other places, while also offering my own selection of spells. I’ve already done this multiple times in my book Alternate Magic. So I won’t analyze every spell carefully, just go through them quickly.

Before starting the analysis, let’s begin with B15’s own description, which says that spells need to be cast with gestures and voice. I think that’s something interesting to keep, in order to impose some limitation on magic-users.

Notice that, in B/X, clerics are extremely powerful, more so than magic-users, since they can have access to all the spells. On top of that, they can resurrect the dead very early, which I’ve criticized many times. 

In AD&D, this cleric progression is corrected, and material components are also introduced, which creates a more serious limitation on magic-users. But most people simply ignore this, and even if they didn’t, it wouldn’t make sense to choose your spells every day without having all the components to choose from.

Curiously in B15 is said "Spells must be memorized before an adventure begins", which is more sensible than choosing everyday IMO, but this means (apparently) "one spell per adventure (or per day, if the adventure is longer than one day)" as written in the Clerical Spells section. 

Also in B16 it is said "the DM may choose which spells a character has in the book, or may allow the player to select them", which, of course, makes a HUGE difference, but the book doesn't tell which one to use.

Maybe it would be better to combine these requirements so that some limit is placed on magical power while, at the same time, there isn’t so much bookkeeping.

Even if I were to redo every one of the spells, which I honestly feel like doing, I would have to choose which line to apply to each one.

I could include spells that get progressively stronger, like the infamous fireball. I could include spells that are replaced later by slightly stronger spells, like Cure Light Wounds, which becomes Cure Serious Wounds. Or I could include spells that become gradually obsolete, like Sleep, which at first is extremely powerful for dealing with the typical groups a first-level character can face, but which later is completely set aside to make room for more powerful spells.

The same applies to Magic Missile, which has a somewhat dual nature: it’s relatively weak at any level, even though it’s iconic.

We can assign each spell at least two characteristics: starting power and scaling, and that’s without even getting into their applicability.

Of course, whichever of these lines I follow, whether spells that scale with level or spells that are easily replaced, it requires a completely different magic system, because it changes the balance of the entire system.

The fact that I prefer unlimited D&D over limited D&D makes everything even more complicated, since the number of spells, and even of magic systems and settings, is potentially infinite.

For a minimalist RPG, offering many magic system options is counterintuitive, so I’ll choose (or create) one, and leave the existing spells (as well as Alternate Magic) for those who have other preferences.

So, first, let's write a minimalist version of the spellcasting system WITHOUT rewriting the spells.

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Spellcasting

A spell is a technique that certain creatures (usually possessing the Spellcasting skill) can use to produce magical effects through special gestures and words. This ability is acquired through study, meditation, and some measure of innate talent. Casting requires the caster to be able to speak and to have at least one empty hand.

A spellcaster can learn a number of spells of their choice equal to their spellcasting bonus. The player chooses his spells on creation and upon each new level. If the PC discovers a grimoire, scroll or tutor while adventuring, he can also swap known spells for new ones when he gains a new level.

Casting spells costs mana points (MP), which is a measure of magical “stamina” of sorts. A spellcaster has a number of MP equal to their spellcasting bonus times 2, but cannot spend more than half their maximum MP on a single spell (round up, minimum 2). MP recovers at a rate similar to HP. In addition, once a day, a spellcaster may recover 10% of the maximum MP (round up) in one hour of study or meditation. To recover any MP, the spellcaster must possess his own grimoire or magic symbol (creating or consecrating a new one takes one day per spellcaster level).

An unwilling target of certain spells can ignore some or all of the effects with a saving throw (representing dodging or enduring the spell, or sheer luck), if explicitly described in the spells.

Being reduced to zero MP has dangerous effects. [Magic mishap table to be added]

Spells from other books and games

In this game, spells have no levels. If you are using spells from other books, a spell costs 2 MP per spell level to cast. Optional rule: if the spell in question becomes more powerful with caster level, the cost is equal to the caster’s level instead, but the caster may choose to cast it as a spellcaster of lower level to save MP (which cannot be smaller than the original cost). For example, a 5th-level caster uses 6 MP to cast a 5d6 fireball, but a 10th-level caster can cast a 10d6 fireball for 10 MP or a 7d6 fireball for 7 MP and so on.

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Now, for minimalist spells. Well, the spells in B/X are pretty terse, but we can make them shorter... adn fewer.

Choosing purely by my personal taste, and trying to keep some balance between the need to let magic-users grow ever more powerful, which is cool, and not allowing them to simply be superior to everyone else, especially fighters who, particularly in B/X, have somewhat limited powers, I would choose the following points for my magic system:

• Make first-level magic-users a bit more powerful and high-level magic-users a bit less so.
• Get rid of spell levels being separate from the magic-user’s level. For example, Fireball could keep gaining extra damage per magic-user level, but without being a third-level spell, instead being a spell usable at any level. Maybe a few spells like wish should be gatekept as rituals, not sure.
• Get rid of spells lots while we're at it.
• Use "known spells" instead of "memorized spells", perhaps allowing spells to be swapped when you gain a level, with a decent amount of study time, etc., but not letting magic-users choose their spells every day, and greatly reducing the number of spells, so that you can create themed magic-users, for example, one more focused on fire spells, other in healing, and so on.
• Keep the idea that spells get more powerful as the magic-user gets more powerful.
• In fact, 1d6 per caster level sounds good and could be used for fireball, healing, sleep, and even charm.

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A spell’s range is 120' unless otherwise noted. A 0' range indicates the spellcaster can only affect himself or a target he touches. Duration is one hour unless otherwise noted (after the duration is nearly over, the spell can be cast again to maintain the effects). 

Spells that cause or restore damage take effect immediately and are permanent.

HP affected. Some spells affect a number of HP, which is the total rolled. An affected creature must have current HP equal to or lower than that total. If the target makes a successful save and the spell says “save halves”, the total is halved for that target (rounded up) before comparing. 

Example: a spell that affects 30 HP does not affect a creature with 20 HP that saves (30 halved is 15), but a spell that affects 40 HP does (40 halved is 20), whether or not it saves. Each creature affected uses up HP from the total equal to its current HP, so a spell that affects 30 HP can put to sleep creatures with 10 and 20 HP.

Multiple targets: certain spells can have multiple targets. Unless otherwise noticed, the caster decides the main target, and nearby targets are affected if there is any damage (or HP) left. 

The expressions "save halves" and "save ignores" mean that a successful save by an unwilling target halves or ignores the effect.

• Charm: one humanoid creature within range, up to a maximum of 1d6 HP per MP spent (save halves), regards the caster as a trusted friend. It won’t act against its own life or its nature, and it can make a new save whenever it is ordered to do something against its interests. After the duration the creature knows it has been charmed.
• Cure Wounds (Range: 0). Heals 1d6 HP+1 per 2 MP spent, up to the target’s max HP.
• Detect Evil Intentions: the caster can “feel” evil intentions of living and undead creatures nearby, but not precise thoughts. The specifics are up to the GM.
• Detect Magic: each nearby item, person or place that is enchanted or currently affected by magic glows faintly.
• Fireball. A burst of flame explodes at a point within range and fills a 20' radius, causing 1d6 damage per MP spent (save halves).
• Light: creates a source of light similar to a torch, without heat. If cast upon an object, it moves with it. If cast upon the eyes of a foe, the target is blinded for a minute (save ignores).
• Magic Missile. One or more (one per 2 MP spent) bolts of force strike targets the caster can see, causing 1d6+1 damage each. The caster divides the dice as they like among the targets, and each target takes the sum of its dice. No attack roll or save is needed.
• Protection from Evil (Range: 0). Gives a target creature +1 to AC and saving throws against evil creatures (e.g., all non-human chaotic creatures). In addition, summoned and artificial creatures (demons, elementals, golems, etc.) cannot touch (even with melee weapons) or possess the target unless the target touches them first (even with melee weapons). Ranged weapons do not affect this limitation either way.
• Resist Cold (Range: 0). The target takes no harm from normal cold (cold weather, etc.) and halves the damage (rounded up) from other cold attacks, including magical ones.
• Resist Fire (Range: 0). The target takes no harm from normal fire (up to a bonfire, but excluding lava, etc.) and halves the damage (rounded up) from other fire attacks and other effects.
• Sleep. All living creatures (not including undead, automatons, elementals and creatures that do not sleep) in a 20' radius fall into a magical sleep, up to a maximum of 1d6 HP per MP spent (save halves). While unconscious they can be easily slain. They wake after one hour, or sooner if wounded or shaken awake.

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So, there you have it: B15 reduced to half or less, paragraphs reduced to a line or two. Most other spells can easily receive a similar treatment, because that is all I need for my games.

There are also several good lists out there, including CC stuff from Cairn and similar games, but these are slightly closer to B/X.

100 days of B/X (part III - B11 to B14) - alignment, costs, language

Continued from here.

B11 - Alignment.

Too much time has been spent on the subject. Here, the "cosmic forces" are not even mentioned, and alignment is just a measure of how trustworthy and altruistic you are. Law is explicitly similar to Good and Chaos explicitly similar to Evil. It doesn't work much better or worse than other versions of D&D. 

Because of that, alignment languages do not make sense here.

In addition, alignment is kept secret for Chaotics and Neutrals, but Neutrals have little reason to hide their alignment, and Alignment Language could be tested anyway...

B12 - Cost of Weapons and Equipment

The costs are very strange by medieval standards, but they make sense to make the game a bit more interesting and challenging, as PCs cannot carry much treasure at once.

One tip for remembering how much a coin is worth is The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16): one silver coin per day of work is a decent, standard wage for an ordinary laborer.

Armor is too cheap compared to other items, while garlic is ridiculously expensive, perhaps due to a typo. Plate armor costs about a dozen cloves of garlic, which I discussed before. These outliers have been fixed and simplified.

B13 - Language

This is purely setting-specific IMO. I don't think B/X (and D&D in general) is great in this aspect. Maybe a percentage of all intelligent creatures should speak Common anyway, to allow for more roleplaying and social interaction. I don't think it is an issue that needs to be changed or explored much in a minimalist game, anyway.

Not much to add to the player character creation example. It seems as always that the PC rolled a bit well for his stats, but not by much. Most of this has been covered in the last post.

B14 is the character sheet.

I'll stop here because B15 describes spellcasting and probably deserves a post of its own.

Anyway, here is my version.

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Equipment

Most items are simplified because items are not the focus of the game. Weapons, armor and shields received more attention to make combat more diverse and interesting. Ordinary clothes are assumed and not counted.

Currency

The usual currency in this game is coins of various metals. For simplicity’s sake, assume all coins have similar weight, and each metal is ten times more valuable than the next in the list. 

1 platinum piece (pp) = 10 gold pieces (gp) = 100 silver pieces (sp) = 1,000 copper pieces (cp).

A gold coin is enough for hot meal, a cold beer or a night in a collective room. Copper pieces are rarely worth carrying for adventurers, but are common currency in hamlets etc. A common laborer will earn rough 1 gp per day and eat cheaper food.

100 coins weight one “item” (i.e., roughly 3 pounds).

Quick equipment selection (optional)

Instead of picking equipment, it is easier to give starting characters a predetermined selection. Each is worth about 105 gp. Feel free to add 10 gp to each character for saving everyone’s time if you want.

Fighter (96 gp equipment + 9 gp spare, 19 weight)

Light armor, light shield, large weapon, medium weapon, backpack, bedroll, camping gear, healing kit, rations × 3, rope, torches.

Thief (100 gp equipment + 5 gp spare, 16 weight)

Light armor, daggers × 2, sling, sling bullets, lock picks, backpack, bedroll, rations × 3, rope, grappling hook, torches.

Cleric (101 gp equipment + 4 gp spare, 16 weight)

Light armor, light shield, medium weapon, holy symbol, backpack, bedroll, rations × 3, healing kit, torches.

Mage (83 gp equipment + 22 gp spare, 16 weight)

Staff, daggers × 2, sling, sling bullets, grimoire, backpack, bedroll, rations × 3, rope, healing kit, hooded lantern, oil × 3, steel mirror, blank book, torches.

Miscellaneous equipment

Food (one day): Fresh (1 gp, weight 1), must be eaten within a week. Rations (2 gp, weight 1/3) last for one month. A hot meal or cold beer in a tavern costs 1 gp.

Common tools (5 gp, weight 1): backpack (holds 10 weight), bedrolls (winter bedrolls: 10 gp, weight 2), blank books, block and tackle (requires rope), board game, camping gear (flint, small blade and hammer), chain (per feet), climbing gear (for wood surfaces or similar; stone climbing gear is 10 gp, weight 2), clothes (winter clothing: 10 gp, weight 2), cooking tools, crowbars, fishing tools, grappling hook, hammers, healing kits (10 uses), hooded oil lantern, hunting traps, merchant's scale, musical instruments (small, like drums, horns, trumpets; larger and more complex instruments cost 10 gp or more), rope (silk, per 20 feet), shackles, steel mirror, winter blankets.

Heavy tools (5 gp, weight 3): caltrops (enough for 10 square feet), shovel, pick, iron spikes (30), tent (1 person).

Cheap tools (1 sp, weight 3): 15 torches, 10' pole, 20 candles (weight 1).

Expensive tools (25 gp, weight 1): holy symbol, lock picks, grimoire, and luxury versions of common items (that might be 10% better or give you a +1 bonus to a test).

Liquids: water for one day (usually free, weight 1; weight 2 in very hot weather), pint of oil (1 gp, weight 1/3 — can be lit and thrown 20' for 1d6 fire damage), holy water (25 gp, weight 1/3 — can be thrown 20' for 1d8 damage against undead, demons, etc.).

Skills & tools

Skills will often require tools such as a healing kit, climbing gear, lock picks, etc. Improvised tools will often cause disadvantages. Some tasks will be impossible without tools or made with a -10 penalty (GM's call).

Melee Weapons

In the case of melee weapons, the damage, price, and weight are determined by size. 

Size Damage Price (gp) Weight

Small (S) 1d4 3 1/3

Medium (M) 1d6 5 1

Large (L) 1d8 10 2

Great (G) 1d10 20 2

Small weapons can be used in the offhand and thrown (10 feet). E.g., dagger, dart, sap.

Medium weapons are used in the main hand and can likewise be thrown (10 feet). E.g., short sword, hand axe, light mace.

Large can be used in one or both hands (+1 damage when used with both). E.g., longsword, dane axe, heavy mace.

Great weapons must use two hands to attack. Two-handed sword (zweihänder, claymore), great axe, lucerne hammer, maul, most polearms, etc.

Ranged Weapons

All ranged weapons require ammunition and two hands to operate.

Weapon Damage Price (gp) Weight Range

Sling 1d4 2 1/3 40'

Short bow 1d6 20 1 60'

Long bow 1d6 30 2 70'

Crossbow 1d8 40 2 80'

Crossbows are slow. You must spend one round (or attack, if you have several) reloading between shots.

Ammunition costs:

• Arrows or bolts. 20 for $5, weight 1.

• Sling bullets. 30 for $1, weight 1.

Armor and shields

Armor comes in three types: light (+2 AC, 40 gp, weight 5), medium (+4 AC, 160 gp, weight 10), and heavy (+6 AC, 360 gp, weight 15). Unarmored characters have AC 10. The Dexterity modifier is always added to AC.

Shields

Shields may be light (AC +1, 10 gp, weight 2) or heavy (AC +2, 24 gp, weight 4; AC +4 against missile weapons). If used offensively, they deal 1d2 damage. Reinforced shields, made mostly of iron or heavy wood, add 50% to weight and cost; they are somewhat tougher but grant no extra bonuses to AC.

Languages

Every character begins to play knowing how to speak Common plus one additional language. Non-human characters have their extra language determined by their ancestry, while human characters may freely choose their extra language from the available list. Characters with positive modifiers in Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma may select further languages as described in the Modifiers chapter.

In most settings, characters begin the game illiterate. A character may learn to read and write by trading one of their available language slots for literacy rather than an additional spoken language.

The languages available to characters depend on the setting. Some common languages are Common, Elvish, Dwarvish, Halfling, Goblin, Draconic, Celestial, and Infernal. Common is the most widely spoken tongue across all peoples. Celestial and Infernal are the languages of angels and devils respectively, Draconic is used by dragons and sorcerers, and Goblin is used by goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, and similar peoples. Other languages may include Thieves' Cant (a secret, coded language used by criminals and rogues to communicate secretly in plain sight), trail signs and sign language. In some settings there might be dozens of languages (sometimes even in the same kingdom) and a few alphabets.

Trading Languages

After selecting Common and their first additional language, a character may trade every three further languages for one skill of their choice instead. Spellcasters may choose one extra spell in place of a skill. For example, a character with five extra languages from high ability scores could end up with Common, Elvish, Goblin, Literacy, and one skill.

Alignment Languages (Optional)

If the setting uses alignment languages, each character may select the language of their alignment (Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic) for free, in addition to their other languages. The GM should confirm whether alignment languages are in use before character creation begins.

"Tragic Characters"

If you rolled your charters and the sum of all abilities is below 63, you can re-roll the smallest ability score once and take the best result. Repeat this until the result is 63 or greater. Alternatively, re-roll all abilities at once.

Skills & Checks

Skills

Certain characters gain skills through their ancestry, class, or talents. Skills allow characters to accomplish impressive feats that would be very difficult for the untrained.

A skill is calculated using the highest relevant ability score plus the character's level, minus 10. For example, a level 3 character trained in Alchemy with Intelligence 13 has a skill of 6 (i.e., 13 + 3 − 10). To test a skill, roll 1d20 and add your skill level; a result of 20 or more is a success. A natural 1 always forces a second roll; if that roll also fails, a mishap occurs at the GM's discretion.

 Alchemy (Int/Wis). The character can identify potions, poisons, and similar substances. Mishap: the substance is misidentified or accidentally imbibed.

 Athletics (Str/Dex). Covers climbing steep surfaces, jumping long distances, swimming in extreme currents, and other hard physical feats. Mishap: the character falls midway if climbing, falls prone and takes 1d6 damage if jumping, or risks drowning if swimming.

 Awareness (Cha/Wis). The character's general alertness to their environment, such as noticing an ambush or suspicious behavior.

 Decipher (Int/Wis). The character can attempt to decipher unfamiliar languages, codes, and scripts. Mishap: the text is misread.

 Find (Int/Wis). The character can search for hidden doors, concealed objects, and things hidden in plain sight.

 Healing (Int/Wis). The character can heal 1d4 HP per person immediately after combat, and 1 HP per person once per day just before sleep. Mishap: the patient loses 1 or 1d4 HP instead.

 Hear (Wis). In a quiet environment, the character can listen at doors or detect approaching sounds.

 Locks & Traps (Dex/Int). Covers picking locks and finding and removing traps. Picking locks requires thieves' tools and may only be attempted once per lock. Finding and removing a trap each require a separate roll and may only be attempted once per trap. Mishap: the lock and lockpick are broken, or the trap is triggered.

 Lore (Int/Wis). Covers history, myths, legends, and arcane knowledge. Mishap: the character recalls confidently but incorrectly, and the GM provides false information.

 Nature (Int/Wis). Covers tracking, hunting, foraging, and wilderness survival. Mishap: the character becomes lost, follows a false trail, blunders into a monster, or unknowingly gathers something poisonous.

 Persuasion (Cha). Twice per encounter, the character may re-roll a reaction roll or morale check, taking the better result. Mishap: the attempt backfires; take the worse result instead.

 Sleight of Hand (Dex). Covers picking pockets and similar feats of manual misdirection. Mishap: the attempt is noticed immediately and with certainty.

 Stealth (Dex). Covers hiding in shadows and moving silently. Attacking or moving breaks concealment. Mishap: the character makes a conspicuous noise or is spotted in plain sight.

Unskilled Characters

The GM may decide that certain tasks are simply impossible for the untrained. Alternatively, an untrained character uses their raw ability score minus 10. A character with Intelligence 13 attempting an Alchemy roll would roll as if he had Alchemy 3 (i.e., 13 − 10). I prefer to err on the side of “there is always a chance”, noticing that unskilled attempts are often dangerous.

Ability Checks and Unskilled Tasks

If a task is easy and could be accomplished by an average person with some effort (e.g., breaking down a door or climbing a rope) it is rolled using the raw ability score alone, with no penalty. For example, 1d20 + 13 for a character with Strength 13. If the character has a relevant skill, they may add their level to this roll as well.

Alignment

The universe hangs in the balance of the cosmic struggle between Law, the infinite unifying principle of order and conformity, and Chaos, the unrelenting entropic force of freedom and change. It is up to you to pick a side or remain neutral.

You can choose to be Lawful, Chaotic, Neutral, or Unaligned, unless your class or other features require a specific alignment. Alignment is not a straitjacket for behavior, but a summary of your philosophy, worldview, and sympathies.

Lawful characters believe in heavenly order. There are divine laws, legitimate rulers, and faithful prophets, though also false idols and usurpers. Unholy magic is better left alone, the undead must be destroyed, and other aberrations with them. Some Lawful creatures are very dangerous, because the universe has mysterious rules the mortal mind cannot fully comprehend. To defy Law is to bring destruction upon the world.

Chaotic characters believe in freedom and chance. There are no legitimate kings or queens, no perfect doctrines, no reasonable taboos. The universe is ruled by randomness. The strong rule the weak with power and lies, as it always has been. People and magic are just tools for the clever. Even demons may cut good deals if you’re smart enough. 

Neutral characters believe in Balance. Both Law and Chaos are inimical to humankind, as each vision of paradise would turn this world into a living hell. The gods of Neutrality, if they exist at all, are bound by nature and want to preserve reality as it is. Life is more important than order or freedom.

Unaligned people and creatures are agnostic about this struggle, whether because they don't fully understand it, feel they cannot affect it, or simply don't care.

People don't always act in accordance with their alignment, and it is often hard to distinguish one from another. All alignments contain good and evil people. A Lawful character may wage war against other Lawful sects for religious or mundane reasons or choose justice over mercy without exception. Chaotic characters may cooperate with Neutral or Lawful ones to achieve a common goal. A Neutral character can pray to the Lawful gods against the hordes of Chaos in a moment of need.

Lawful and Neutral beliefs are more common amongst humankind, though Chaos is often worshiped simultaneously, or in secret.

Many nonhuman creatures identify as forces of Law, Chaos, or Neutrality. It is often hard to say if they're telling the truth. As a rule, Lawful creatures are somewhat more predictable, since they have rules to follow (though those rules often contradict each other).

Hit Points as Dodge / short term exhaustion

Short post today.

D&D HP is abstract, I know. But what if it weren’t?

I used to think mild bleeding would be the closest analog. But in my experience it doesn’t hold up.

I’ve had broken bones; they don’t work like HP damage at all. Same for disease.

In practice, HP loss basically: 

A) Make you closer to death, but; 

B) With the same effectiveness in attacking, running, etc., as if you were unscathed.

When I broke my foot, I was IMMEDIATELY out of any possible fight (which probably means 0 HP), but I also could run effectively, etc. Breaking an arm meant I couldn’t fight at all, but maybe I could still run.

Exhaustion didn’t leave me wounded or ready to attack either. But maybe slower to dodge? In other words, an slower reaction time (your running speed and accuracy remain similar). That works.

Boxers and MMA fighters accumulate damage, bruises, etc., but a similar thing happens in BJJ: as you get short-term exhaustion, you get gassed out and more vulnerable to an attack. But you STILL could get a lucky punch (although a “lucky submission” doesn’t happen as often, people DO win with late submissions after taking a great beating).

In AD&D, IIRC, marching too makes you temporarily lose levels; it works even better as it affects your attacks, spells and skills.

But HP as short-term exhaustion that makes you slower to dodge is easier and still makes sense.

You can STILL carry “wounds” from one day to another, but in this case the 5e method of recovering all HP in a day or two makes more sense, as short-term exhaustion cannot usually be carried for a long while.

And a trained fighter/adventurer can recover faster.

So maybe HP is a combination of accumulated internal/external damage AND short-term exhaustion. AND long term exhaustion... Guess we’re back to the abstract. Sigh. At least we are not using luck and plot armor in our definition.

Well, at least thinking of HP as exhaustion rather than just wounds easily explains why you can lose HP from starvation, dehydration, sleep deprivation, etc. (although Constitution damage seems to work better for those purposes, especially to disallow high-level PCs to survive two weeks without water as most people die after in day, both extremes sounding absurd for adult humans).

And this keeps 0 HP = open yourself to serious wounds, which is why we need a random table to make results more diverse, as they are in real life (a serious wound can take days, months or years to recover... IF you survive).

Realism, you ask? Nope; I'm into verisimilitude + fun.

100 days of B/X (part II - B1 to B10)

Part I.

We have all read B/X many times. Now I'll re-read it with a critical eye, looking for things I don't like and have house-ruled away, to create my new version.

It is a minimalist (or almost minimalist) version, and I'll mercilessly cut every part that is not used often to enhance the fun of my games.

I still want to make it COMPATIBLE, at least vaguely, to TSR D&D, for several reasons - I like playing classic modules, and I'm very used to the numbers, procedures, monsters, etc.

I'll skip huge swaths and just focus on the most interesting bits. If you have never read B/X, I'd recommend taking a look for yourself (for the reasons explained here).

Here we go!

B1 - credits and art, skipped.

B2 - Foreword and acknowledgements. 

"Those rules [original D&D] were written for people with a background of gaming experience. This revision was designed to be easily read and used by individuals who have never before played a role playing game. In the half-dozen years since the original rules were published, the TSR staff has answered thousands of rule's questions. The answers helped find problem areas in those rules, areas which could either stand minor improvements or were difficult for novice gamers to understand. This revision was aided not only by the collected gaming experience of TSR personnel but by the gaming experience of the thousands of players and DMs who sent us letters in the mail."

My house rules (and this series of posts, of course), are meant for people with a background in D&D, so I will not teach how to roleplay. But, like B/X, they are based on problems that emerged from my real experiences with the rules, and I should probably start my own foreword with that.

B3 - How To Use This Book, Definitions of Standard D&D Terms.

Not much to comment on here for the reasons explained in B2. Basic covers levels 1-3, mostly dungeon adventures, while Expert covers levels 4-14, and the Companion (which never appeared for B/X) would take characters to 36th level. As I explained in another post, levels 1-20 work much better, although anything beyond 15 has to be added to B/X instead of adapted. I will consider it.

One thing to note is that the wilderness is too deadly for 1st-level PCs and becomes too easy around 8th level, which also needs to be taken into account.

B4 - "At the start of the game, the players enter the dungeon..." interesting advice and probably too often ignored. The "caller" is explained here but I don't use it my games.

Use of the Word "Level" explains the confusion created by the lack of a good thesaurus when the word "level" was used in the game, since characters, dungeons, spells, and monsters are all divided into levels that are not necessarily compatible (e.g., a level 5 MU can get a level 3 spell in dungeon level 4). Later editions dropped monster levels, but it's the use that makes the most sense when compared to PC levels ("A monster's level is equal to the number of Hit Dice").

I'll skip "How to Use Dice," but the section below is interesting because it never really explains how to win or what the game's actual goals are, beyond the obvious goal of having fun. Not great, IMO, but I'll skip this is my game too.

B5: PART 2: PLAYER CHARACTER INFORMATION

This section explains the creation of PCs. Not much to add here; I find 3d6 in order too harsh (and not even used in the basic modules anyway), equipping characters too boring (it could be replaced by starting packages, which I'll leave as an option), and the rest can be simplified. See my version below.

B6: Character Abilities, Ability Score Adjustments, Hit Points and Hit Dice: nothing to comment here. 
It is interesting that Charisma and Constitution cannot be changed, as they are useful to all PCs. But, to be honest, I wouldn't see a problem with reducing them to 9 to raise prerequisites. However, I find the whole idea of prerequisites an unnecessary complication, so I'm skipping it.

1st-level HP is a problem that is often house-ruled away because most players do not want PCs starting the game with 1 HP. But since I don't treat 0 HP as immediate death in my games, I won't change it.

B7: Bonuses and Penalties Due to Abilities.

I love the simple -3 to +3 bonuses and penalties, so I'll probably keep them. I'm replacing the maximum number of retainers and morale with something else, and since there is no separate magic save for now, Wisdom and Charisma will grant additional languages like Intelligence does.

Still, every ability score matters, since I'll be using a roll-under system for skills.

B8: Character Class Tables

One of my main reasons for creating my minimalist version of B/X is that I dislike looking up tables. I'd much rather have a 7th-level fighter gain a +7 attack bonus and +7 to saving throws. It works surprisingly well, being essentially Target 20 with a few twists of my own.

Thief abilities are described here. I've turned them into skills because that solves several problems. Skills are based on ability score minus 10 (minimum 0), plus level, giving starting thieves roughly a 15%-20% chance of success, which I find reasonable.

Backstab is NOT described here, and I won't be turning it into a skill. It will remain a special ability.

B9-B10: Character Classes

Here things start to get a bit tricker. I will add cleave and multiple attacks to fighters. Turn undead will be simplified to 1d6, with results that are not dissimilar to B/X (or even RC on higher levels). Thieves and mages are similarly simplified, but spellcasting will be dealt with in its own chapter. Clerics will be nerfed as they are too powerful.

Things such as dwarves and elves will be treated separately from class. For now, I'll keep many of the same special powers and maybe give humans a few ability points, but I might change this later, as I don't find these powers neither interesting nor sensible.

Magic-users and clerics get "taboos" to avoid using some weapons and armor, but these are a lot less restrictive than the originals.

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MY VERSION:

Here are how my corresponding house-ruled version looks so far, without much formatting. I will share the whole PDF later on.

1. Introduction

This is a minimalist version of classic/OSR games. It functions as a toolbox, not a complete game. It has no spells or monsters, for example; it only replaces character rules.

This game assumes:

• You are familiar with classic/OSR games.

• You are looking for a quicker, easier version (or reference book) that still fits perfectly, with little conversion needed.

• You want more options with less complexity.

• You want to keep the d20, six abilities, saving throws and other traits of the classic games.

In short, this game has:

• A single d20 mechanic. To do almost anything, roll 1d20 plus ability bonus/penalty and other modifiers, try to hit a DC (usually 20).

• Attack rolls use a similar system, adding attack bonus (AB) and hitting the target's AC.

• A single saving throw, although some classes and races will have certain bonuses. To make a saving throw, roll 1d20, add your level and any appropriate bonuses. The DC is usually 20, but see "miscellaneous rules".

• Ability checks work in a similar manner. "Roll under" is optional and not assumed.

• Spell slots and Vancian casting are replaced by a similar check.

• Ability scores have some additional functions.

• Identical XP tables for all classes. You can replace XP with "milestones" or some other form of advancement if desired.

• No prime requisites. No XP bonuses due to high ability scores, etc.

• Four classes, four races. Race is separated from class. Any race can pick any class, barring setting limitations.

• No level and class limitations for elves, dwarves, etc. Some aspects of these races have been changed to compensate.

• Fewer armor/weapon limitations. These have been reduced to a minimum.

• Streamlined skills and checks. Percentage skills, 1-in-6 checks, etc. are replaced by a d20 roll, which includes thieves' skills.

• Advantage/disadvantage is optional. Advantage means you roll two dice and pick the best one; disadvantage means the opposite. This replaces +4/-4 modifiers if you dislike these (or if passing/failing a check would be impossible and you want to make it possible).

• Fighters, experts and mages replace other terms (fighting-man, magic-user, etc.) for short.

• Minimal added crunch (note to self). Document must be 60 pages or less (including rules on PCs, monsters and GMs). Appendixes with more options (but avoiding new mechanics) are permitted.

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The Basics

When a character tries to do anything that carries a risk of failure, roll 1d20, add your modifiers (usually a skill), with 20 or more signifying success. A "hard" difficulty is assumed; the GM may set other difficulty numbers (DC) for particularly easy or hard tasks, as indicated in the table below.

Notice that a DC of 18 is similar to 1-in-6 chances or a 15% chance, making it easy to convert tasks from other systems to this one (e.g., if you have 3-in-6 chances of getting lost, avoiding it is an "easy" check).

Natural 1

A natural 1 is an automatic failure and, when attempting something risky, means potential disaster (DM's call). Roll again, with a success meaning you barely avoided disaster (but still failed to reach your goal and might suffer a small setback defined by the GM).

The table below provides suggested Difficulty Classes (DCs) for common tasks.

Difficulty	DC	% Chance	Equivalent
Very Easy	8	65%	~4-in-6
Easy	11	50%	~3-in-6
Medium	14	35%	~2-in-6
Challenging	18	15%	~1-in-6
Hard	20	5%	—
Very Hard	25	—	—
Nearly Impossible	30	—	—
Epic	35	—	—
The Stuff of Legend	40	—	—

A failure after rolling a natural 1 is called a mishap.

For example, when you are climbing, rolling a natural 1 means you risk a mishap, such as falling halfway through. This does not usually apply to attack rolls.

Natural 20

A natural 20 may mean a special success or critical hit, depending on the GM and the circumstances.

In combat, I treat a natural 20 as an automatic hit, with maximum damage (e.g., 9 instead of 1d6+3).

Saves and Magic

Optionally, the GM may rule that a natural 20 and natural 1 have similar results for saving throws and magic rolls.

Trying Again

You can usually try again, depending on the consequences of your failure.

Even if a natural 1 caused you to break your lock picks, you can try again if you have a second set, etc. This requires time, and some rolls can only be attempted once a turn, once a day, etc.

Everything Else

Use your favorite game as written, adapting to d20 when necessary.

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2. Player Characters

How To Create A Player Character

There are seven steps to create a player character, using an "AABCDEF method" for easy memorization.

A starting character can be a blank slate, shaped entirely by adventure. Backstories are welcome, but what defines your character is what they do, not past glories.

Every character needs a reason to adventure and to keep adventuring. If that reason is lost, find a new one, or retire the character and create another.

• Abilities. Roll 3d6 six times to find out your character's abilities. Roll in order or assign to taste. If the sum of all abilities is 60 or less, you can discard and roll again. Alternatively, assign either 14, 12, 11, 10, 9 and 7, or 13, 12, 11, 10, 9 and 8 to your ability scores.

• Ancestry. Choose an ancestry. This will affect your ability scores.

• Bonuses. Check the Bonuses and Penalties table and record any modifiers tied to outstanding ability scores.

• Class. Pick a class. This determines your HP, attack rolls, saving throws, and any special abilities. Note all of these down.

• Details. All characters start at 1st level with 0 XP. Record both on your sheet. Pick any additional languages and skills you can.

• Equipment. Every character starts with 3d6×10 gp. Browse the Equipment and Weapons table and outfit your character within your budget, writing down your purchases and any money left. Record your Armor Class (AC) based on whatever armor you chose.

• Finishing Touches. Choose an alignment, write down any physical details or background you find appropriate, and give your character a name. Don't get too attached.

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Abilities

Each ability score tells you something different about your character:

• Strength measures raw muscle power and physical force. Characters with high Strength are better suited to the fighter class.

• Intelligence reflects the capacity to learn, retain knowledge, and solve problems. High Intelligence favors the mage class.

• Wisdom represents intuition, common sense, and sound judgment. High Wisdom suits the cleric class well.

• Dexterity captures speed, agility, and fine motor control. A character with high Dexterity excels in the thief class.

• Constitution combines overall health and endurance. It influences every class by potentially modifying the number of hit points a character has.

• Charisma is a blend of appearance, personal magnetism, and leadership. It shapes how monsters and NPCs react to the character.

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Ancestries

There are four ancestries: Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, and Human.

1. Dwarf

A sturdy and enduring folk, renowned for their skill in mining, smithing, and stonework. They are typically stout in build, about 4' tall, long-lived, and known for their stubbornness and loyalty.

• +1 to Strength or Constitution (random).

• Favored weapon (+1): axes, maces, and crossbows.

• Darkvision 60'.

• Bonus: +4 to the Find skill to detect structural abnormalities (hidden passages, moving walls, built-in traps, recent changes, etc.).

• +2 to all saving throws.

• Limitation: cannot use great weapons and must use two hands for large (1d8) weapons such as a longsword.

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2. Elf

Elves are an ancient and graceful people, attuned to magic and the natural world. They are almost as tall as humans but thinner. They are long-lived to the point of near-immortality and carry themselves with an otherworldly air that other races often find either enchanting or unsettling.

• +1 to Intelligence or Dexterity (random).

• Favored weapon (+1): swords and bows.

• Bonus: +4 to the Find skill to detect hidden doors. +4 to the Hear skill.

• Darkvision 60'.

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3. Halfling

Halflings are a small and nimble folk, cheerful by nature and surprisingly hardy for their size (about 3'). They have a reputation for going unnoticed when they wish to, and for a love of comfort, food, and the occasional unexpected adventure.

• +1 to Constitution or Dexterity (random).

• Favored weapon (+1): all ranged weapons.

• Bonus: +4 to the Stealth skill.

• +2 AC against attacks from large creatures (larger than human-sized).

• +2 to all saving throws.

• Limitation: cannot use great weapons and must use two hands for large (1d8) weapons such as a longsword.

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4. Human

Humans are the most widespread and adaptable of peoples, found in every corner of the world and in every walk of life. What they lack in the innate gifts of other ancestries they make up for in ambition, versatility, and sheer variety.

• +1 to three random different ability scores.

• Favored weapon (+1): choose two of swords, axes, maces, spears, small weapons, bows, crossbows, slings, etc. Alternatively, choose a bonus language.

• Bonus skill: choose one skill.

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Bonuses and Penalties

Each ability score has a corresponding bonus or penalty.

Score	Adjustment
3	-3
4-5	-2
6-8	-1
9-12	No adjustment
13-15	+1
16-17	+2
18	+3
19*	+4
20*	+5

Strength adjustments apply to melee attack and damage rolls.

Dexterity adjustments apply to ranged attack rolls and Armor Class.

Constitution adjustments apply to hit points gained per hit die.

Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma adjustments grant additional languages. For example, if your adjustments are -1, +3, and +2, you gain four additional languages (minimum zero).

Level 1 characters cannot start with an ability score above 18. If an ability reaches 19 during character creation, lower it to 18 and add 1 point to another random ability.

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Classes

There are four basic classes: Cleric, Expert, Fighter, and Mage.

The Expert replaces the traditional Thief; while his default skills lean toward thievery, he may trade them for others.

When choosing a class, look at your highest abilities and consider which classes they favor. A score of 13 or above in a relevant ability is a good indicator.

As a rule of thumb:

• Strength favors Fighters.
• Dexterity favors Experts.
• Intelligence favors Mages.
• Wisdom favors Clerics.

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1. Cleric

With the power granted by your deity, you protect the innocent and weak from the forces of darkness, fight against the dying of the light, and smite the wicked creatures that roam the earth.

Class Features

• HD: 1d6
• Attack Bonus: level / 2 (round down)
• Saving Throw: level + 2
• Spellcasting: level / 2, round down (see the Magic chapter)

Turn Undead

Clerics can repel or destroy undead by brandishing their holy symbol.

The undead must be visible and within a 60-foot radius of the cleric.

Turning can be attempted once per minute, in lieu of an attack.

Turned undead flee by any means available and will not harm or contact the cleric for one minute.

To turn undead:

1. Roll 1d6.
2. Add the cleric's level.
3. Subtract the target's HD (for example, 2 for zombies).

A result of 5+ succeeds.

A result of 10+ destroys the undead permanently.

The roll result also indicates the total HD of undead affected (minimum one creature, maximum 10 HD).

Examples:

• A result of 11 against zombies destroys 5 zombies.
• A result of 11 against skeletons destroys 10 skeletons.

In mixed groups, lower-HD undead are affected first.

Taboo

A cleric must use blunt weapons and cannot use edged weapons (including swords, bows, spears, etc.).

A cleric who breaks this or other taboos appropriate to their alignment or deity may lose supernatural powers until atonement is made. Specific consequences depend on the setting.

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2. Expert

Your shadowy past no longer matters. You chose a life of adventure, and the skills you developed will come in handy.

Class Features

• HD: 1d6
• Attack Bonus: level / 2 (round down)
• Saving Throw: level + 2

Skilled

You gain seven bonus skills:

• Athletics
• Decipher
• Hear
• Find
• Locks & Traps
• Pick Pockets
• Stealth

(See Skills below.)

Backstab

When backstabbing (see the Combat chapter), you may use your backstab bonus instead of your combat bonus.

In addition, add your level to any damage dealt with a successful backstab.

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3. Fighter

You might call yourself a knight, barbarian warrior, soldier, or ranger, but it makes no difference. Your main skill is violence, a useful talent in this perilous world.

Class Features

• HD: 1d8
• Attack Bonus: level
• Saving Throw: level + 3

Cleave

When you reduce an opponent to 0 HP with a melee attack, you may immediately make an additional attack against another opponent within range.

The maximum number of attacks gained this way is equal to your level.

Extra Attack

Fighters gain:

Level	Attacks
7	3/2 attacks
15	2 attacks
20	3 attacks

3/2 attacks means you attack twice in the first round, once in the second, twice in the third, and so on.

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4. Mage

Common folk fear you because you dare to cross the boundaries of morality and superstition.

When adventurers descend into the abyss of ancient ruins, you are the one who knows what lurks below.

Class Features

• HD: 1d4
• Attack Bonus: level / 2 (round down)
• Saving Throw: level + 1
• Spellcasting: level / 1, round down (see the Magic chapter)

Taboo

A mage cannot cast spells while wearing armor or using a shield, as these interfere with the flow of mystical energies.

Additionally, a mage requires one free hand to cast spells.

A two-handed weapon does not prevent spellcasting, since it may be momentarily held in one hand while casting.

100 days of B/X (part I)

Have you noticed that there's only about 100 days left until the end of the year?

I realized that by chance, and it made me a little anxious. I still have a few goals for 2026 that are far from being completed.

It hasn't been a total failure, though. I read almost all the books I had planned to read (and wrote several reviews here), wrote a few posts and pages of my new setting (which I also shared here), among other things. The two most difficult tasks were meditation and finishing writing a few (short) books. I had planned to meditate for just 10 minutes a day, and I couldn't even manage half of that consistently.

Well, 100 is a nice round number, and if I can complete just 1% of what's left each day, I should be able to finish some of those goals quite easily. I'll need to meditate for 20 minutes a day, and if I write less than a page a day, I can easily finish my latest neoclone (a minimalist version of B/X that I've been discussing for years), which should end up at under 100 pages, many of which are already written.

Maintaining that kind of consistency is certainly a challenge for me, but perhaps the challenge itself can serve as motivation to keep trying. And if I fail, at least something good will come out of it: in January 2027, if I'm not satisfied enough to publish it on DTRPG, I'll make the unfinished document available here on the site instead. Maybe I'll do both, who knows. Also, I'm running a campaign so I can play-test some rules in real time.

Or maybe I'll just vow to abandon the project after that, or at least leave it aside for 2027. This can't go on forever.

AI did this.

Now that I've shared this with all of you, I'll feel pressured to make at least some effort in that direction. I can't promise I'll write every day, but I'll try to keep up the pace, maybe seven pages a week, and so on. 

I plan to READ and COMMENT on B/X, page by page, just as I already did with almost the entire AD&D DMG, while also examining point by point which aspects I'd like to change.

(Actually, that may be the hardest part: deciding what I prefer. Ascending or descending AC? Roll high or roll low? Skills? Doesn't matter. I'll make an effort to reach a decision within a finite amount of time.)

In any case, I'll share as I go and welcome your comments and opinions.

What about you? Do you have any "end-of-year resolutions" for the next 100 days? Any books to read or projects to finish? Let me know in the comments!

Prismatic Campaign log (intro + 1 to 8)

So it's been a while since I've written anything, but I've been running a campaign in my Prismatic Planet setting, and I've been making brief session summaries that I share here. I wrote most of the tables myself, but then I asked AI to generate enclaves using them, and it turned out quite well. The summaries have also been written with the help of AI, but that's what's happened so far. It's a sandbox campaign, and the PCs have ignored a few hooks along the way, as you'll see.

All skin colors were generated randomly (except for the PCs who choose to be red, like the Red Martians from Barsoom).

The intro was partly written by one of the players as I've asked then to describe their backstory.

Let me know what you think of it!

Introduction

The PCs are the Orash-Khai siblings, their skin a vivid crimson, are survivors of the Orun-Khai tribe, destroyed by drought and hunger. They went west to seek for food, shelter, etc., and maybe some place to be accepted and gain fame/glory.

Zarak Orash-Khai (20): Warrior and ranger.

Lark Orash-Khai (18.5): Technologist and psionic.

Nyko Orash-Khai (17): Scholar and warrior.

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First Adventure (Days 1 to 7)

The characters arrived in Orveth, a village of red men who hated mutants. They were invited to join the village if they could prove their usefulness, or to confront the village's enemy: the Bone Wizard and the yellow men beyond the desert to the north.

They also met a counselor who possessed a cylindrical alien object. When Lark examined it and pressed a button, he was affected in some way, suffering intense nausea. The counselor advised them to leave the village before the effects became noticeable.

The next day, they decided not to cross the desert but instead travel west through the nearby forest in search of the tribe of green men. During the journey, they encountered strange sights, including a glowing fungus covering much of the forest and trapping a yellow man up to his neck.

Along the way, Lark noticed keloid-like growths emerging on his arm from the inside out. Despite this, he resisted the more harmful effects, and the transformation appeared to be only cosmetic, as he could still move his arm normally.

Later, they encountered a yellow woman and attempted to communicate with her, but things went very badly. They were attacked by a group of yellow men armed with knives who did not speak the same language. The woman informed them that the village of the green men lay two days to the east, and that there was also a cave in another direction inhabited by "the one who thinks alone."

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Second Adventure (Days 8 to 15)

The characters arrived at the village of Kaldurr, deep within the forest. There they discovered that the green queen Ossavel was gravely ill, and that the government was effectively in the hands of the yellow regent Davar.

An elderly red man named Druvas welcomed them and revealed tensions between the factions. The reds sought the missing prophetess Sovan, who could see the future. They believed she might bring equality and prosperity. The yellows were divided: some supported rule by an elite that would usher in the "Golden Age" foretold by the prophetess, opposing the green people's pacifist philosophy.

Despite this, the yellow soldier Mirathis showed sympathy toward the players and attempted to recruit them to oppose Davar.

Several days later, other reds returned with news that Sovan might have gone to a nearby underground ruin to the west. Lark expressed a desire to explore the location. The PCs set off and encountered strange winged creatures along the way (Mi-Go).

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Third Adventure (Days 16 to 18)

After resting and recovering, the players explored Sigma-7 Base, a technological shelter inhabited by mutant humanoid creatures.

They fought the creatures and later battled robots. Along the way, they discovered numerous pieces of advanced technology, recovering a laser rifle (3d6, e7) and a battery (e14).

At the end of their exploration, they fought a gigantic three-meter-tall obsidian woman. During a desperate cesarean operation, Niko managed to save a mutant baby from inside her, even though the mother died.

The question now was how to care for the child.

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Fourth Adventure (Days 19 to 25)

The players decided to return to the village and try to convince someone from the green faction to take care of the baby.

With some reluctance, Mirathis agreed to find a caretaker in exchange for one hundred silver coins.

Meanwhile, other red men continued north in search of the prophetess.

After handing over the baby, the player characters also headed north. Along the way through the forest, they encountered monsters and obstacles, including other red men who were completely drugged out, while following the trail of those searching for Sovan.

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Fifth Adventure (Days 26 and 27)

On the first day, the PCs were attacked by giant spider-like creatures, and Lark was badly wounded.

On the second day, they found the body of a red man missing part of his head.

They also met two blue merchants, Torgul and Naarak, who had been robbed by savage yellow men living in a nearby shelter. Investigating the shelter, the PCs discovered that many of the savages were suffering from something resembling radiation sickness, possibly caused by a glowing green stone inside.

They recovered the stolen treasure, fought the sick and mutated yellow savages, and received a reward. However, they left the "poisonous" stone behind and continued north with the two blue men. Both Naarak, the warrior, and Niko were badly injured.

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Sixth/Seventh Adventure (Days 28 to 32)

After defeating a giant tiger-like creature with tentacles, the characters arrived with the merchants at the city of Sorvheen, a settlement hidden within an enormous pit.

The city was inhabited by blue warriors who revered combat and martial prowess above all else.

Speaking with the city's red minority, the characters learned that the prophetess had passed through and continued north, possibly toward Erethrix.

They set out in pursuit.

Erethrix was a vast city whose center was protected by high walls and three great towers: the Black Tower, the White Tower, and the Silver Tower. Around the walls stood various establishments, including expensive taverns and brothels, along with scattered poor shacks and small two- or three-story stone buildings.

Its population was diverse, consisting of blue, green, red, and yellow people. The city was supposedly ruled by mysterious obsidian sorcerers and their blue guards.

There, the adventurers heard rumors of a massive Shelter to the west, an enormous ruin of the Ancients where the prophetess might have gone. They decided to seek her there.

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Eighth Adventure (Days 33 to 43)

The party left Erethrix and crossed the savanna, enduring red dust storms.

On the third night, three Ankhegs emerged from the mist and attacked. The group was injured, especially Lark.

They later arrived at Rholor, a settlement built on suspended platforms atop dark metal pillars. It was inhabited by about ninety pale-skinned people who had chosen not to speak.

They were welcomed because Lark was psionic, and the young leader communicated directly into his mind. After resting, the party continued their journey.

On the way to the mountain, they spotted an enormous creature resembling a six-meter-tall tree trunk covered in eyes and tentacles. They did not approach it, and the creature eventually moved on.

The group then reached Chovrek, a village of red men carved into stone. Its leader, Drav, whose hands bore chemical burns, welcomed them warmly and promised assistance in exchange for offerings of any artifacts they found, which the villagers considered sacred.

They climbed Mount Hedron beneath the shadows of pterodactyl-like creatures and entered a ruin with white metal walls and sealed doors. 

Single saving throws

It's been a while now that my D&D-style games have used a single saving throw.

Original D&D's saving throws, with their more concrete categories like spells, death ray, and petrification, always seemed a bit limited to me, and since the 2000s (with 3rd and later 4th edition) the idea of having a save for reflex, another for willpower, and another for physical resistance made more sense. 5th edition, with its ability-based saves, seems even more direct, removing the need for the reflex/will/fortitude "middlemen."

But even that distinction eventually became somewhat pointless to me.

First, let's discuss the method behind saving throws against dangers such as like petrification, spells, etc. Contrary to what many claim, they don't actually distinguish well between classes. Thieves, for example, are NOT particularly good against breath weapons, but they are against spells, and dwarves, with their short legs, once they reach high level, end up dodging dragon fire better than they resist spells.

Also, paladins have better saves dues to divine favor, and dwarves/halflings because they are small/hardy. So you can barely tell what the saving throws really are within the game-world.

Without actually looking at the tables, you cannot explain the rhyme or reason for saving throws. Even if you can, it is a rationalization rather than a reason.

Even in Basic and AD&D, saving throws were eventually affected by ability scores, adding yet another layer of complexity (first by Wisdom, than by Dex etc.). The idea of using a dexterity check as a saving throw also shows up very early in the game's history.

Optional rule in the Rules Cyclopedia

But let's say the original saving throws actually did something closer to what the classes suggest: maybe fighters more resistant to petrification, thieves dodging breath weapons, and wizards avoiding enemy spells.

The first problem would be edge cases like fireballs, which are spells AND supposedly can be dodged (and probably avoided by armor too).

The second is that this simply doesn't match the fiction found in Appendix N. Conan resists spells not by "blocking magic," but by being tough. Likewise, a dragon's breath can be dodged by a thief, but it can also be blocked, at least partially, by armor or a shield, or avoided with a spell. Remember: in Chainmail / OD&D, it's powerful fighters, not intelligent characters, who are able to detect invisible people (which could ALSO be a saving throw IMO).

In short, dangers don't correspond, in any precise way, to how characters actually avoid them, neither in fiction nor in reality.

On top of that, the differences between saving throws within the same class are minor, and can be summarized, as pointed out long ago on Delta's blog, as a bonus ranging from +0 to +4 applicable across all classes (which is roughly equivalent to a DC in contemporary D&D). So the tables are an unnecessary complication.

Of course, saving throws organized by danger category also fail to explain edge cases like avoiding falling into a pit, crossing a river with a strong current, or dodge a falling rock (which maybe should be handled as a trap instead, an altogether different mechanic). I'd also have to consider how PCs would deal with the lasers, radiations and psychic powers of my current setting.

A single saving throw also helps resolve several difficulties in one roll. For example: can you spot the trap before reaching it? And if you do reach it, can you avoid falling in? Or if you're bitten by a snake — can you see it coming, dodge during the attack, resist the venom in your own bloodstream through natural antibodies, or even mystically alter your breathing, power through it, and so on.

While I don't remember the exact 3e or 4e rules on the matter, I like that in 5e they at least tried to give the Fighters better saves altogether with the Indomitable feature.

My last attempt at having more than one save was diving then into Mental and Physical, but even that was not necessary. Does armor help or hinder your physical defense against dangers that can be dodged? Most D&D editions do not seem to take this into account. Do we even need a physical defense other than AC?

Well, maybe for poison. But even then, unless you use "save or die" poisons you don't need Constitution to affect it. Just save "save or lose 3d6 HP" and your Constitution and level are already taken into account to see if you'll survive or not. What about a form of radiation there bypasses HP? Well, is there any reason to think bulky fighters would resist radiation any better than mages?

Maybe we need a mental save for Charm etc.? Not a great idea either. In which setting or game would it make sense to a mage or other creature to easily mind-control a T-Rex of limited intelligence?

So, basically now I got every PC to have a single saving throw number. They are not always the same: fighters get a +3 bonus, thieves +2, wizard +1 (and yeas that means they are frailer against fireballs). Monsters work similarly to fighters, most of the time (so we barely need the 5e thing where monsters can resist 3 times, or the AD&D thing where monsters have a chance of ignoring spells - which might be an issue for another post).

It is been working very well so far, and that's probably what I'm going with from now on.

My question: do you see any advantage in having several saves?