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.)
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Does OG DND actually have content where players kill Vishnu?
I am a DND fan and a Hindu, but Jason Tondro (a Senior Designer for Dungeons & Dragons) was quoted as saying:
Were players expected to fight Vishnu, one of the principal deities of
Hinduism, kill ...
2
votes
1
answer
186
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How did Chainmail to hit resolution work for OD&D?
I recently bought the hefty "The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons", weighing in at 576 pages. It is a fascinating resource, with facsimile copies of the original Chainmail Fantasy ...
17
votes
3
answers
3k
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Why would anyone kill a dragon rather than subdue it in OD&D?
The rule for subdual in OD&D says (Monsters & Treasure, p. 12/13):
Subduing Dragons: Any attack may be to subdue rather than to kill, but this intent
must be announced before melee begins. ...
9
votes
1
answer
362
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Where is weapon damage stated?
So I've read from multiple sources that weapon damage in the original D&D booklets is 1d6 regardless of weapon. However, reading through the books, I can't find reference to weapon damage at all.
...
11
votes
1
answer
505
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Were there Martians in Greyhawk?
The third of the three Dungeons and Dragons booklets Underworld & Wilderness Adventures (1974) on Other Worlds says
Some areas of land could be gates into other worlds, dimensions, times, or ...
6
votes
2
answers
639
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Is there an equivalent to archmage special ability Arcane Fire in previous editions?
I'm searching for an equivalent to the archmage prestige class ability from 3.5e, Arcane Fire (DMG, page 178), in previous editions (Player's Options, 2e, 1e or OD&D), but not 4e or 5e. Any ...
4
votes
0
answers
107
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Were there multiple tripartite portals in the Greyhawk Castle?
I'm sorry that I have a kind of esoteric question, but it has been bothering me for some time, and I cannot find a resolution.
There supposedly was a tripartite portal somewhere in the deepest levels ...
83
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4
answers
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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 ...
31
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3
answers
6k
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Why are there five chromatic dragons and not four?
The five chromatic dragon types are already in the original edition of D&D.
In that same game, player characters had access to four primary kinds of damage: physical blows, fire, cold and ...
69
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8
answers
41k
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What are the differences between Holmes, Moldvay, and Mentzer D&D?
What are the differences between Holmes, Moldvay, and Mentzer D&D? Also, which one came first?
7
votes
1
answer
382
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In OD&D, how do you calculate XP, HP and Max HP when switching class?
In Original D&D, specifically the rules described in Men & Magic, it says:
Elves can begin as either Fighting-Men or Magic-Users and freely switch class whenever they choose, from adventure ...
11
votes
1
answer
491
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What is "fantastic melee", and "non-fantastic melee"?
I was reading about some original DnD editions today and came across an excerpt of combat that mentioned non-fantastic combat.
The excerpt in question was
Assume the following dice score by the Hero. ...
48
votes
2
answers
6k
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Identifying my late father's D&D stuff found in the attic
I recently found a box of Dungeons & Dragons stuff in the attic of my father's home. In addition to an old boxed set of Dungeons & Dragons (the Men and Magic booklet mentions hobbits and ents),...
20
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4
answers
2k
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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 ...
6
votes
2
answers
191
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In Caverns of Thracia, where does this trap door lead to?
In the original Caverns of Thracia, there is a trap door marked on the map.
Where does this lead to?