IT'S DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE! TAKE THIS: ... for 100 Coin.

 

I'd love to write a piece comparing the NES Zelda to 80's D&D

I am often thinking about low-level D&D games because those are the ones I play the most. And I am often trying to understand what can be done at levels 1-3 to increase the potential for survivability and nurture interest in the explored space. 

But I would like to do this while still challenging the players to ferry randomly-generated PCs through the early vulnerable levels without resorting to either the Gygaxian method of starting players at level 3 or the current 5e method of increasing stat bonuses, offering maximized HP/increased HD, and reducing early XP requirements to low levels (e.g. the accumulated XP for a 3rd level fighter in 5e vs BX is 1200 vs 6000).

One way to accomplish this providing tools, used broadly, at 1st level. Now, while I could just offer potions, scrolls, and hirelings in randomly rolled starting equipment packages, I do like to try and maximize choice for the players.  I think this is an important aspect at the beginning of dungeons because it builds group cohesion and encourages questions, so why not make it a part of the standard you-meet-at-an-inn scene?

Additionally, with 4 to 6 players, there is often excess coin which in some ways blunts the initial dungeon crawl session. Why should players get excited about 200 coins pulled out of a dungeon when they have 100+ coins sitting in their pockets?

So, after equipment is selected, for every 100 coins spent, the players may purchase one of the items below (by rolling 1d8 on the list) from various NPCs in the town or bar or the DM could prepare a curated list of one from each.

Example (using a silver standard): Red, Fish, Fetch, and Mayfly have a total of 460 silver. After equipping themselves with weapons, leather armor, special equipment, and dungeon tools they have 120 silver left.

The DM has chosen to pre-roll one time on each of the tables below generating this availability:

• Potion-Gaseous Form, sold by the local alchemist
• Scroll-Floating Disc, sold by a woman known for her card tricks
• Treasure map- detailing the first 2-3 rooms of the dungeon, sold by a sage
• Follower- an orphan with quick hands (lock picker) wants to join them (ward fees paid to the local sheriff)

The players now discuss and chose what they think might serve them best. The interaction itself could also be a way to introduce NPCs and provide some details/lore without an info dump.

• Potion- PC: Can we get more of this from you? NPC: Maybe with the right material, but the lord would prefer I work on turning lead into gold.
• Scroll- PC: Are you a wizard? NPC: More a diviner of fortune, for 50 coins I can tell you what the stars sing.
• Treasure map- PC: Why don't you use it? NPC: I'm rather caught up in my own research and just needed extra funding. But I do have a topic you could help me with since you are going in that tomb.
• Follower- PC: Kinda suspicious you just want to follow us. NPC Follower: Look I have few prospects at the orphanage and I seek revenge on Lord Blackblade. Also, I refuse to be a farmer.

-o0o- The Tables -o0o-

Potions: This list is from the Basic Rules book of BX D&D. I think the list is pretty solid and potions are very general-purpose given they can be consumed by anyone in the party.

1. Diminution
2. ESP
3. Gaseous Form
4. Growth
5. Healing
6. Invisibility
7. Levitation
8. Poison

Scrolls: Restricted to MUs, but really helps give them a bit of a jumpstart. Now I usually let my MUs start with 2 spells, plus Read Magic, so maybe this list might be better with a few level 2 spells on it. This list creates an interesting additional decision, especially with level 2 spells on it: hold the scroll to copy it or use it?

1. Charm Person
2. Detect Magic
3. Floating Disc
4. Hold Portal
5. Protection from Evil
6. Shield
7. Sleep
8. Ventriloquism

Treasure Maps: In modern play, treasure maps don't get enough love. But they are a great way to tell the players what exactly is in the dungeon, yet still, make it interesting by leaving out crucial information. Maybe you can also start the players with pieces of the map and this would be an additional part.s

1. A general outline of the dungeon- omits enemy placement
2. A general outline of the dungeon- omits noted treasure placement
3. Map of how a part of the dungeon was, but not how it is now
4. Map displays "enemy" force that no longer exists at all
5. A well-mapped portion of the dungeon, but omits trap(s)
6. Map of 1 or 2 secret doors, but not what's behind them
7. Map of a secret room but not the hidden door that leads to it nor its general location
8. A very detailed map of a collection of 2-3 rooms

Followers: These folks are like level 0 super-fans of the PCs for some reason. In keeping with the above theme of "utility", each follower fulfills a basic dungeon action or has some demi-human-like ability. But they almost certainly will not fight except to defend themselves and while loyalty is high (score 16) it can be lowered.

1. Woodsman: Open doors on a 3:6
2. Scout: Suprise now 1:6
3. Lockpick: Pick Locks 2:6
4. Sapper: Find (2:6) & disable room traps (3:6)
5. Lamplighter: Lantern on pole, torches the ready, even in adverse conditions
6. Sprite: Find secrets 2:6; bored always needs to see "action"
7. Mountaineer: Climb as a 1st-level thief; good ropes/spikes
8. Linguist: Knows 3 non-Common languages (one lawful, neutral, chaotic; or all 3 law/chaotic)

A more flavorful take can be found below. These followers have a bit more going on in terms of personality but still fill a utility role.

1. Boar-rior: Pig-headed 1st level fighter, 2H weapons aren't slow, gluttonous (2x rations) 
2. Candle keeper: Very good with light, constantly sets candles out, afraid of the dark
3. Curious corvid: Smart bird that is quick to burgle small shiny objects 2:6, slow to relinquish
4. Doc: Good at mending, but not much; else always longed to be a soldier
5. Street rat: Could be actual wererat, 2:6 to pick-locks; might steal the 2nd best prize of the chest
6. Charlatan: Can easily entertain with card tricks, knows 1 actual spell, arrogant
7. Dungeon hipster: Can determine the safety of strange liquids (poison vs. other vs. IPA), but might accidentally drink all of a given potion (1:6) 
8. Corridor cowboy: Ain't a monster that can't be rode or a rider that can't be throw'd, really good with a 50' rope, will attempt to lasso, and ride most monsters of pony-size or greater (2:6)

ADDITION: Great post here by Prismatic Wastes on group-decided leveling which might be good for working with followers. OR maybe allows players to upgrade these lists or part of them. But I'd be wary to going too high (say to Level 3 spells).

THE CHARACTER SHEET: A Framework For Your Players

 

The above picture is of the character sheet I created for my BX Castle Xyntillan game. The images are from Nate Treme's awesome Highland Paranormal Society Patreon.

Because the players for my Castle Xyntillan game have come from 5e, I really wanted to make sure I had a character sheet that would, in part, convey the focus of BX (and old-school) play in my eyes and have all the numbers they would need to assess risk or perform actions.

LEFT: Character Description

Pretty standard. The usual lines for name, level, class, race, etc were left as one big blank box because I agree with the idea of leaving as much white space as I can for doodling. Likewise instead of trying to somehow anticipate all the background information that too is a big white box.

Background: Now the one thing I did change was adding a 2-in-6 roll for "use of background".  The Advanced Genre Rules of OSE provides a table of possible character backgrounds similar to those found in the 1e DMG. Players seem to like to have descriptors of their lives before adventuring, so the die roll helps define what they can do with it. Not high because if they were successful, then they wouldn't be adventures.

So between class, background (2-in-6), WIS, and INT, a player has a good assessment of what a character knows and to what extent they know it.

RIGHT: Equipment & Burden

Slot-based equipment tracking is my preferred method. And at the top of the sheet, I've tried to include broad categories of how many slots weapons, armor, treasure, and equipment take up. I think equipment, its standard, and imaginative use, are core to the old-school experience. Equipment defines us in the modern-day and I am very sure even more so in "ye olden days". As mentioned, equipment assists in imaginative play because it gives a player additional tools to resolve encounters.

A big problem handing out a party Bag of Holding, a common practice of 5e, is that individual players lose track of the variety and number of tools they have. The only things left in front of them on their character sheet are weapons, magic, and character abilities. With 5e, these are often all 80% combat-focused. So combat is 90% the answer. But if you realize you have a 50' rope, marbles, a bell, and rations? Well, an alarm, distraction, or ladder could be created. All very interesting.

But I did not place it in the center because it would be too much blank space. However equipment, and here "BURDEN", needs to be thought of first before combat. So it has a far more prominent place. I switched equipment and encumbrance to "BURDEN" because I wanted the character to be weighed down by the literal and metaphorical. Both treasures and sins are heavy. And because we have a slot-based system its easy to make those equal.

The hands at the top are to give the player a couple of "free slots" but also to reinforce a basic and important choice about what you are carrying in your hands. Light is important, but so could a weapon or shield. Kinda prevents that "juggling" were players have 2-4 items almost floating around them.

Finally, for new players understanding that equipment is important and what is needed can be daunting so here is a "fast pack" determined by Gygax to be the basic equipment a player needs:

 

"Gax" Pack (9 slots total)

CENTER: Exploration, Save Throws, Health, and Combat

In the end, this section is what I want players' eye to wander to the most and to consider the most. And I want players to also consider each "module" in that order. As a player in BX D&D:

1. Exploration is performed at a certain rate hindered by your armor and BURDEN
2. Exploration Actions can uncover important features: traps, secrets, and enemies
3. Save Throws are often a result of exploration actions and "Death" is put at a high position
4. Heath is affected by Exploration, Exploration Actions, and Save Throws
5. Combat can occur, but it should not be the first thing considered in an encounter

So, exploration is front and center for the players. They see that armor and BURDEN affect that and its an important choice: heavy armor (4/6 slots) is more protective but cuts hard on speed and how much you can carry. This also (hopefully) encourages hireling use. Hirelings can spread the weight of equipment, treasure, and be extra hands in a fight.

Exploration Actions are an attempt to unite all the various "sensory rolls" in BX: force doors, hear, and find things.  I hope it immediately prompts players to investigate the space specifically, beyond "I roll preception/INT". Again, I hope that actions also make players think about how they can improve their chances. Space was also left for additional exploration actions or extra sensory perceptions.

Save throws are a classic in D&D and players, especially new ones, to old-school play need to be made aware of their prominence in the game. Saves personify risk and truly occupy a game space between exploration and combat. They are free-form like the former but often result in damage or death like the latter.

Health is at risk with all of the above and even before a player gets into a combat situation, their health might have been modified by a poison needle, pit trap, or magic ward. Why crowns? I don't really know. I wanted some variation of the flaming heart, but this weirdly works. I did want hit dice to be a more prominent number because I use it for grappling: PC HD roll vs. Opponent HD roll; modified by STR/DEX; highest wins.

SUMMARY: In short, I want players to focus on what their characters are doing in-game; that cause and effect and less how all of their character parts work like a Swiss watch. So I tried to create a character sheet that helps that by focusing on in-game actions.

BEGINNING SPELLBOOKS: Get Wizard's Going Quick

I think second to picking equipment, spell selection is the second thing that slows character creation down. So I looked through the level 1 spells and created themed spellbooks. I tried not to repeat any of the spells so each book is unique. The addition of the level 2 spell is to incentivize getting there.

Interestingly, while Readings on Astral Combat contain the most combat-oriented magic and therefore the most powerful, I think the other three books actually solve problems that might stimy level 1 BX PCs or lead to the greatest reward from an early dungeon.

Its might also be interesting to write a dungeon using obstacles implied by level 1 spells.

INSPIRED BY MOTHERSHIP, HERE IS A CHARACTER SHEET ORGANIZED TO GET PLAYERS UP AND RUNNING QUICK

Character sheet here, formatted with the new character generation rules found in LotFP's Eldritch Cock.

CARCOSA ALTERNATIVE CHARACTER CREATION

Nice post from Throne of Salt that I think could also be used to generate characters for Carcosa.

I really like the CONCEPT table where once per session, a player can either add 1d6 points to a roll or re-roll a skill check provided they are acting according to their character concept.

This sounds like a nice house rule to mix with 5e's backgrounds, ideals, bonds, and flaws in some manner.

Concept	Aspect
1) Adventurer	Go out there and find some excitement.
2) Creator	Working, building, making.
3) Mentor	Teacher and keeper of knowledge.
4) Martyr	Self-sacrifice for others' sake.
5) Ruler	Control and command
6) Seeker	Looking for answers.
7) Healer	Fights against the world's decay.
8) Traditionalist	Upholds the old ways.
9) Mediator	The point between two parties.
10) Hermit	Isolation, solitude, wisdom.
11) Heretic	Upends faith, casts doubt.
12) Conqueror	Glorious victory at all costs.
13) Abomination	Something's broken inside.
14) Destroyer	Let nothing remain standing.
15) Chosen	Hailed as the doer of a great task.
16) Defiler	Blame and undermine all others.
17) Protector	Protect and preserve what is precious.
18) Visionary	Big-picture ideas of a better tomorrow.
19) Zealot	Of absolute faith and conviction.
20) Disciple	Follower of teachers old and new.
21) Righteous	Unshakable confidence in their path.
22) Traveler	The open road still softly calls.

I LIKE THIS IDEA OF PLAYERS EARNING POINTS IN GAME FOR THE NEXT CHARACTER THEY ROLL

At my local FLAGS I have been running a drop-in/drop-out game of The Caverns of Thracia. Since everyone starts out with level 1 characters, it is not surprising they die. This is not too crushing as using B/X-LotFP allows for fast creation. However, it would be nice to reward players somehow for their continued persistence in this game. This is where Kill Your Dungeon Master's fate points come in.  Leveling up, trying a new character class, or whatever the DM wants earns player points they can spend on their next character. So instead of 3d6 down the line, a player can spend points to swap two scores, roll a 4d6-drop lowest for another, maybe even start a level 2!