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Questions tagged [odnd]

For questions relating to the original 1974 edition of Dungeons & Dragons (also known as "OD&D" or "0e") and its supplements. (This tag also covers some questions about Chainmail, a predecessor wargame to which D&D was originally written partly as an expansion.)

13 votes
1 answer
2k views

What does '#AT' mean in early versions of D&D and AD&D?

In many early D&D and AD&D modules, NPCs, monsters, and other creatures are often listed with an attribute of #AT followed by a number. What does that mean? For example, from the AD&D ...
cas's user avatar
  • 982
83 votes
4 answers
11k views

OD&D said it could be played with 20-50 players and one referee. How was that expected to work and still be fun?

Original D&D is often the shorthand name for the 1974 Dungeons & Dragons, Vol. 1, Men & Magic, written by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The section on "Scope" has this quote: Number of ...
Thunderforge's user avatar
  • 15.9k
10 votes
5 answers
7k views

What is the meaning behind the OD&D and AD&D Treasure Types that monsters have?

What is the meaning behind all of the treasure types monsters have listed in OD&D and AD&D? I know that Treasure Type A represents Humans and the things they collect, while Treasure Type H ...
user avatar
67 votes
11 answers
26k views

How can I make "Empty" rooms interesting?

Traditional advice for making megadungeons in older versions of D&D is in addition to any rooms with Monsters, Treasure, Traps, or "Tricks", there should also be at least 50 to 60 percent "Empty" ...
user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
5k views

What is a more realistic carrying capacity for a backpack? [closed]

When looking over the rules of a few O D&D retroclones, I noticed a trend: most backpacks are only listed as being able to carry 30 or 40 pounds. From what I've tried to look up though, people ...
user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
474 views

What would be the pros and cons of removing ability scores from O D&D?

Recently, I've been playing quite a bit of a variant on the Swords & Wizardy retroclone of O-D&D. What our group has noticed in general is that high and low scores rarely matter, and even ...
user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
85 views

Why are there maximum level caps for race in S&W? [duplicate]

We had an incredibly fun time with our first Swords & Wizardry session and are wondering why non-human character races have a cap for maximum level. For instance, in the core rules: Dwarven ...
tim-phillips's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
1k views

Does the Enchant Magic Item spell exist anywhere in OD&D?

Is Enchant Magic Item (a 6th level AD&D spell) written up anywhere in the OD&D books, supplements, or Strategic Review? I am researching the difference between OD&D magic item creation and ...
RS Conley's user avatar
  • 39.9k
2 votes
2 answers
673 views

What is the plot of ST1 Up the Garden Path

So I recently saw a couple copies of ST1: Up the Garden Path become available through a used game store I frequent. This lead me to wondering what exactly was it's plot? As an aside has anyone ever ...
mirv120's user avatar
  • 4,694
7 votes
1 answer
471 views

Where can I download "Expedition to the Ancient Academy" podcast episodes?

I want to listen to the following podcast featuring early edition D&D: http://robertsongames.com/dnd/robertson-games-podcast But I can't find the actual audio files anywhere. The podcast is in ...
Curyous's user avatar
  • 485
11 votes
4 answers
3k views

Why do Clerics unlock 3rd and 4th level spells at the same experience level?

In Moldvay, possibly Holmes, and the retro-clone, Swords & Wizardry, Clerics simultaneously unlock 3rd and 4th level spells at the 6th experience level. They advance from 2/2 at level 5, to 2/2/1/...
Matt Joiner's user avatar
10 votes
5 answers
19k views

Where can I find a complete list of every D&D book ever released before 3rd Edition?

Where can I find a complete list of every D&D book ever released before 3rd Edition? Is there such a thing? I'm mostly interested in the supplement material like modules and the hardcover ...
jasonaburton's user avatar
20 votes
4 answers
2k views

Was Original D&D an Historical Wargame?

At the dawn of roleplaying, the Castle & Crusade Society and Lake Geneva Tactical Studies Association (LGTSA) focused on Medieval Britain, and produced the Chainmail tabletop wargame rules with a ...
ExTSR's user avatar
  • 7,143
5 votes
5 answers
507 views

What are the consequences of changing the ratio of XP to GP?

One issue with older versions of D&D that heavily relied on treasure GP is that characters have to become rich to advance so that by fourth or fifth level mundane equipment costs become ...
HerbN's user avatar
  • 3,532
15 votes
6 answers
2k views

Using 2x on d12 instead of x on a d6 in OD&D/Classic D&D/Clones

A staple of of early D&D is the "1 in 6" or "2 in 6" chance for surprise, finding secret doors, and so on. Recently, some of the retro-clones, mostly noticeably Lamentations of the Flame Princess ...
HerbN's user avatar
  • 3,532

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