There is (intentionally) no difference between OSRIC and AD&D --- except as clarification given 30 years of hindsight. Some names and serial-numbers have been filed off of OSRIC as a legal protection, that's all.You said ADnD is risk-vs-reward gaming.
How is that unique to ADnD?
What about OSRIC is not risk vs reward gaming?
I am probably the worst person to ask about this, but...Tangential question- what is the thinking behind scarcity of classes based on your dice rolls? Are certain classes more powerful based on such scarcity? How does this benefit game play?
Yes that was my understanding as well. Interested in what the poster meant. This could lead to an interesting discussion.There is (intentionally) no difference between OSRIC and AD&D --- except as clarification given 30 years of hindsight. Some names and serial-numbers have been filed off of OSRIC as a legal protection, that's all.
OSRIC is now 15 years old. Maybe it will get a face-lift someday, but the intend is to preserve AD&D for posterity--not "improve it".
I am probably the worst person to ask about this, but...
The "prestige classes" (e.g. paladin, ranger and bard) were originally suppose to be less common that the core classes. This is somewhat mitigated by AD&D allowing for alternative roll-up systems (e.g. 4d6, etc.).
A lot of house-ruling and fudging goes on because players wanna to play the candy-classes (so bad they could just cry). So the nice DM's just give up and let them. None of the AD&D classes are system-breakers. They're just my pet peeve (especially paladins).
We didn't know this until the History of Middle Earth series came out containing Tolkien's notes and draft. But as it turned out Tolkien don't die. Yes their physical form will perish but their spirit will go to the Hall of Mandos, regain strength, and when ready regain a new body in Valinor. That process varies from individual to individual become particularly long if it somebody who done great evil in their life like Feanor and many of his sons.My DM invented a prestige race "High Elf" which was more Tolkienized. (Regular elves were Grey Elves). The scores were very hard to get. Once (in 10 years) did I get lucky and roll them. Shortly after the game started, my party was approached by a lawful evil faction and bribed to betray me. Two sessions and I was back-stabbed --- D E A D.
Sorry, that probably wasn’t put clearly; I was more trying to highlight the risk-vs-reward of AD&D versus other versions, in particular B/X or OD&D, not OSRIC. It’s the tactical crunch, one example would be segments and casting times, that makes AD&D play as a very different game from B/X or OD&D and enhances the importance of decisioning making.You said ADnD is risk-vs-reward gaming.
How is that unique to ADnD?
What about OSRIC is not risk vs reward gaming?
OSRIC is less a clarification of 1e, but rather one interpretation of 1e. Very close in most regards, but not the same. There is a lot missing from OSRIC.There is (intentionally) no difference between OSRIC and AD&D --- except as clarification given 30 years of hindsight. Some names and serial-numbers have been filed off of OSRIC as a legal protection, that's all.
OSRIC is now 15 years old. Maybe it will get a face-lift someday, but the intend is to preserve AD&D for posterity--not "improve it".
Naaaah son. This Paladin absolutely rocked those devil bitches. He's standing there singing the 'Farming these bitches for the XP's' song at the top of his lungs, feeling the holy spirit while your fighter, other fighter and slightly different fighter are off doing something 'interactive'/'immersive' with each other down in the valley with those tentacles...It's good because the paladin gets killed.
The clarification comes in, to my mind, with regards to bringing together pieces from all 3 of the AD&D book into one place (e.g. halflings get +3 with missile weapons from the MM). OSRIC is an example of good archival research and best-effort at reading original intent, IMO. I haven't found (except for some missing stuff, like WvsAC) anything significantly different. They are, to my mind, the same thing---with a nod and wink that says we left some things out because of legal concerns (which subsequently proved to be minor). Those elements seamlessly stitch back in if you get the original books (now available, but weren't at the time of OSRIC's publication).OSRIC is less a clarification of 1e, but rather one interpretation of 1e. Very close in most regards, but not the same. There is a lot missing from OSRIC.
Yes. I'm sure he handily emerges victorious in 3e. But we are talking 1e here...so he's doomed.Naaaah son. This Paladin absolutely rocked those devil bitches. He's standing there singing the 'Farming these bitches for the XP's' song at the top of his lungs, feeling the holy spirit while your fighter, other fighter and slightly different fighter are off doing something 'interactive'/'immersive' with each other down in the valley with those tentacles...
Bold of you to say this to the guy who wrote Red Prophet Rises.@Malrex & T1T: Eat your vegetables every day boys so your games grow up big and strong...and then, maybe later, you can have some candy.
Except he's in plate armor, so he's a UA paladin, which means he has better stats, the cavalier "to hit" bonus, +6 gear including a Holy Avenger, and good positioning at a choke point. He could get lucky.Yes. I'm sure he handily emerges victorious in 3e. But we are talking 1e here...so he's doomed.
That's how DCS drew knights, even in Holmes Basic.Except he's in plate armor, so he's a UA paladin, which means he has better stats, the cavalier "to hit" bonus, +6 gear including a Holy Avenger, and good positioning at a choke point. He could get lucky.
So Gygax could do something wrong?But you make an excellent point that UA was the continuation of a trend of character power inflation (that started with the 1e paladin) and continued uncontested until the nascent OSR (briefly) kicked it in the nuts.
He already downed an ice devil and that barbed devil looks doomed. Devils are tougher in 3e. That Pit Fiend? 13 HD in 1e, 20 HD in 3e. Also, IIRC it will explode for 20d6 damage if he manages to slay it (2e+).Yes. I'm sure he handily emerges victorious in 3e. But we are talking 1e here...so he's doomed.
So you are saying the paladin dies? Music to my ears.He already downed an ice devil and that barbed devil looks doomed. Devils are tougher in 3e. That Pit Fiend? 13 HD in 1e, 20 HD in 3e. Also, IIRC it will explode for 20d6 damage if he manages to slay it (2e+).
The barbed (or maybe the horned? Whatever the Cornugon used to be before they got wussy about the word 'devil') devil became an absolute bastard in 3e. Some of those things in that picture have 100-200 hp now bro. And plate armour is absolute garbage in 3e for anyone with half a dexterity. Devils were a frickin cakewalk in 1e. If he made it to Hell pre-Planescape, he is a high level character absolutely loaded to the tits with magic items even by your anemic 1e standards. That paladin is categorically having the time of his life. He is living the fucking dream right there.He already downed an ice devil and that barbed devil looks doomed. Devils are tougher in 3e. That Pit Fiend? 13 HD in 1e, 20 HD in 3e. Also, IIRC it will explode for 20d6 damage if he manages to slay it (2e+).
Awww...you're no fun anymore.I don't think you're playing AD&D RAW bro, I think you're playing some half-starved, DM is god, white-book D&D and you're in trouble if your players ever figure out the rules. Stop edition-baiting (as if UA counts as a frickin 'edition')