D&D Rules Comparison 8

Author: DHBoggs / Labels: ,

Missiles
Missile range given a +1 for short and -1 for long.  D&D74 instead reduces target Armor Class by 1 at medium and 2 at short range.
Thrown objects are treated as missiles.  No rule for thrown objects exists in D&D74.
Rules for cover:  (D&D74 has none) Apply a -1 penalty to hit for each quarter of the target’s body protected, or -2 if the cover is impenetrable.  A penalty total of -5 or greater means no attack possible.  The character so thoroughly protected behind cover can’t attack either.

Oil and Water
Holy water causes 1d8 damage to vulnerable creatures.
Oil, when thrown on a target can only be set afire by a successful attack roll.  The procedure requires two attack rolls – one to hit and douse the target and one to lite. P44.
Oil burns for 10 rounds.  Burning oil causes 1d8 damage per round.

Saving Throws
Saving throws are made with a d20 (D&D74 does not specify)
For spell effects, saving throw success results in ½ damage if damage is a normal effect, otherwise the character escapes the effect. (p45)

Healing

1d4 hit points are recovered by resting each day.


Discussion:  The most noticeable ommision from D&D74's missile rules, in my opinion, are rules for dealing with cover, since in dungeon and room environments it is common to try to seek shelter behind objects.  The cover rules for D&D94 are good ones, and will smoothly integtrate with OD&D.

The oil and holy water rules and saving throw rules are likewise welcome clarifications and additions.

As for healing, 1d4 gives the characters a bit more of a break than the 1 per day of OD&D.  It's pretty much a matter of campaign flavor and preference how daily healing is handled.

4 comments:

Hedgehobbit said...

The 1 hp/day rule was around when Heroes all had 14 hit points. But when a 4th level fighter has 4d8 plus a more generous Con bonus, raising it to an average of 2.5 a day probably isn't that much of a change, proportionately.

faoladh said...

Hm. I'm not sure I like that cover rule, actually. A character standing with his left side behind a stone wall and right leg behind a hedge is unable to throw a dart or be hit at all? I think that instead the DM should rule on when a hit is impossible (pretty much only when all four quarters are behind impenetrable cover, to my thinking, so I'd only make it impossible when the modifier for cover is -8), but apply the modifier as calculated otherwise.

DHBoggs said...

Great point.

DHBoggs said...

Excellent point. I'll admit I didn't think that one through and I totally agree it should be the DM who decides whether a shot - or anything else - is possible or not.

Post a Comment

About Me

My photo
Game Archaeologist/Anthropologist, Scholar, Historic Preservation Analyst, and a rural American father of three.
Powered by Blogger.

My Blog List

Followers