I’ve offered to run a Basic D&D (Moldvay edition) game session for my group, and they’ve accepted. I’ve actually offered a few times through the years, but this is the first time they’ve agreed.

I started D&D with the Basic edition. One of my Players started with OD&D (1974), another Player started with AD&D1 (early to mid 80s), and the third Player started with D&D3 (2002-2003). So at least two of my guys have no previous experience with BD&D, and the other two of us hasn’t had the experience for around 30 years or so.

My goal with this one-shot is to get and give a little taste of the old, classic D&D play feel. So I’m going to use a classic module, and I’ll run everything right by the book. And this is where I have a slight problem.

The adventure module I plan to use is: B1 In Search of the Unknown – it’s a classic dungeon crawl, with plenty of classic monsters, traps, tricks, puzzles, and gimmicks. Strangely, though, what it doesn’t have plenty of is treasure. For those who don’t know or remember, B1 maps out and describes the dungeon areas in great detail, but it leaves the monster and treasure placement up to the DM.

There are 25 monster encounters listed in the back of the book. The text says to use only 16-20 of these encounters, but because there’re 56 rooms in the dungeon, I’m going to place all 25 encounters somewhere. That will still leave over half the rooms empty of monsters. (Random wandering monsters are 1 in 6 every two turns.)

There are 34 treasures listed in the back of the book. The text says to use only 15-25, and the treasures are relatively very small – at total gp value of just 2,841 (counting all 34). That’s not much gp (or xp) for a two-level dungeon of 56 rooms. In fact, it seems extremely cheap compared to other classic modules I’ve read – even the Caves of Chaos (in B2 Keep on the Borderlands) has a total treasure of 29,852gp (over 10 times the B1 amount).

If I were designing this dungeon, with an eye on playing the numbers, I’d put enough xp on the first dungeon level for a party of six 1st-level PCs to reach 2nd level if they fully completed (secret rooms and all) the first dungeon level (assuming all beginning PCs survived the dungeon level completion – not at all a sure thing by BD&D standards).

Then enough xp on the second dungeon level for a party of six 2nd-level PCs to reach 3rd level if they fully completed (secret rooms and all) the second dungeon level (assuming all PCs survived the dungeon completion – not at all a sure thing by BD&D standards).

You may think this leveling is too fast or too slow, but this is what I would like. It’s enticing to the Players. But with the dungeon as written – with only 2,841 gp – it’s not likely (arguably not possible) a group of 6 PCs would gain a single level even by fully completing both levels of this adventure. Wouldn’t that be rather disappointing? To complete a whole dungeon and still all be only 1st level?

So, I’m considering placing enough treasure in the dungeon to make this level-gain formula happen. (Again, assuming they fully complete everything, and all survive.)

Or, maybe I could use the Basic D&D rule book to roll the entire dungeon randomly? I’m thinking, though, this is a lot of work.

But whichever I do, I’m concerned that it might not be a “fair” example/test of classic Basic D&D if I increased the treasure in a published adventure. Hell, my Players may not care to play more than this one game session, regardless of the treasure/experience haul their PCs get. But then I’d hate for them to decide they don’t like the game because for all their work in the adventure, all they ended up with a rather pathetic/unexciting reward.

Bullgrit

Sample combat with the AD&D1 rules.

*******************

The PC:

Yrag, the Lord* [I will refer to the Player as “Gary”]
Fighter 9

Strength: 18/46 (+1 to hit, +3 damage)**
Intelligence: 14
Wisdom: 14
Dexterity: 16 (+1 reaction/missile, -2 defense)
Constitution: 16 (+2 hit points)
Charisma: 17

Armor Class: -4
plate mail +2, shield +2, dexterity

Movement: 12″ (magical armor is weightless, and does not hinder movement rate)

Hit Points: 81

Attack: 3/2 rounds; +2 with longsword on level 9 column of fighter attack matrix
Longsword +1, Flame Tongue

Damage: +4 to 1d8 against Small or Medium size creatures, or 1d12 against Large size creatures
Longsword +1 Flame Tongue

Notable Equipment
Plate Mail +2
Shield +2
Longsword +1, Flame Tongue
Boots of Feather Falling
Ring of Invisibility
Scroll of Protection from Elementals (all)
Potion of Storm Giant Strength

* This is one of Gary Gygax’s old characters, taken straight from a module by EGG’s old DM.
** I’m only including the modifiers that actually affect combat.

* * *

The opponents:

8 goblins, 4 hobgoblins, 2 bugbears

Goblins x8
AC: 6
Move: 6″
HD: “1-7 hit points” – that’s technically 1-1 HD
HP: 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 7
Attack: 1 short sword or 1 [footman’s] military pick in 1-1 HD column of monster attack matrix
Damage: 1d6 or 1d6+1

Hobgoblins x4
AC: 5
Move: 9″
HD: 1+1
HP: 4, 4, 5, 7
Attack: 1 [long] sword or 2 composite [short] bow in 1+ HD column of monster attack matrix
Damage: 1d8 or 1d6

Bugbear x2
AC: 5
Move: 9″
HD: 3+1
HP: 14, 16
Attack: 1 spear (thrown) or 1 morning star in the 2-3+ column of the Monster attack matrix
Damage: 1d6 or 2d4

Now, the fight:

Yrag starts this encounter by entering a large chamber with a group of goblinoids about 50 feet away. [Yrag’s sword is out and ignited before entering this encounter.]

Check for surprise: DM rolls 1d6 [4] for goblinoids (not surprised), Gary rolls 1d6 [2] for Yrag (surprised for 2 segments, but Yrag has +1 surprise modifier for Dexterity 16, so he is only surprised for 1 segment).*

[According to the rules, DMG 62, if surprise occurs, the parties must be 10-30 feet apart. So, the goblinoids are not 50 feet away, they are now moved up to 30 feet away. The rules are pretty clear that this “must” and “will” happen based on the surprise, not on the original placement.]

The goblinoids have 1 surprise segment for action:
The goblins move 6 feet toward the human intruder (Movement 6″ = 6′ per segment).

The hobgoblins shoot their bows. Normally, they get a full round’s worth of attacks, but if their bows are “ready”, they get three times the normal number of attacks. Well, I’ll say half of the hobgoblins have their bows ready. So, two hobgoblins get to shoot their bows 2 times, and two get to shoot 6 times. Range is Short.
Hobgoblin#1 shot 1: roll 1d20 [3] -3 short composite bow vs. AC 2*** = 0 total attack = miss (needs 20)
Hobgoblin#2 shot 1: roll 1d20 [14] -3 short composite bow vs. AC 2 = 11 total attack = miss
Hobgoblin#3 shot 1: roll [11] = 8 = miss
Hobgoblin#4 shot 1: roll [8] = 5 = miss
Hobgoblin#1 shot 2: roll [19] = 16 = miss
Hobgoblin#2 shot 2: roll [17] = 14 = miss
Hobgoblin#3 shot 2: roll [11] = 8 = miss
Hobgoblin#4 shot 2: roll [15] = 12 = miss
Hobgoblin#3 shot 3: roll [7] = 4 = miss
Hobgoblin#4 shot 3: roll [9] = 6 = miss
Hobgoblin#3 shot 4: roll [20] = 17 = miss (natural 20s are not autohits)
— Well, we see here that the hobgoblins can’t possibly hit AC -4 with their bows, so I’m not going to roll the remaining 5 attacks.

The bugbear wait for the pipsqueaks to test the human.

The surprise segment is over. The goblins are 24 feet away from Yrag and closing; the hobgoblins are 30 feet away and shooting, and the bugbears are 30 feet away and standing their ground.

Round One

Time for initiative. Gary must declare “precisely and without delay” his intended actions for this round, and the DM must decide on the goblinoids’ actions. Gary says he will attack the goblins. The DM decides the goblins will attack, the hobgoblins will change weapons, the bugbears will hold.

Check for initiative: DM rolls 1d6 [5] for the goblinoids, Gary rolls 1d6 [6] for Yrag. Yrag has the initiative, on, technically, the 2nd segment of the round.

1st – Yrag actions:

Since the goblins are more than 10 feet away, Yrag must charge to engage them this round. [A strict DM could say that since Gary didn’t “precisely” say he was going to charge, that he can’t. I’m going to be lenient and say he can include a charge as part of his declaration to “attack the goblins”.]

Yrag charges 24 feet and attacks the goblins. As a fighter, Yrag can make one attack per opponent if they are less than one hit die — and goblins are so. But as the goblins are arrayed in a front line, and looking at the grid chart**, Yrag can only attack 3 this round.

Yrag attacks goblin#1: roll 1d20 [10] +2 from character sheet, +0 long sword vs. AC 6 = 12 total attack = hit (needs 6)
Yrag damage: roll 1d8 [2] +4 from character sheet = 6 total damage = kills goblin#1
Yrag attacks goblin#2: roll 1d20 [18] +2 from character sheet, +0 long sword vs. AC 6 = 20 total attack = hit
Yrag damage: roll 1d8 [6] +4 from character sheet = 10 total damage = kills goblin#2
Yrag attacks goblin#3: roll [8] = 10 = hit
Yrag damage: roll [3] = 7 = kills goblin#3

2nd – Goblinoids’ actions:

Remaining goblins close and surround Yrag and attack him with their military picks. Since Yrag killed the 3 originally in his front squares**, the remaining goblins close on his 2 front flank squares and his 3 rear squares. Goblins #4 and #5 are in Yrag’s flank, and so Yrag doesn’t get his shield for his AC (making him AC -1). Goblins #6, #7, and #8 are on Yrag’s rear, and so Yrag doesn’t get his shield, nor his Dexterity bonus, and the goblins also get a +2 for the rear attack (against AC 1).
Goblin#4 attack: roll 1d20 [6] (against AC -1) +2 footman’s military pick vs. AC 3 = 8 total attack = miss (needs 20)
Goblin#5 attack: roll [18] (against AC -1) +2 footman’s military pick vs. AC 3 = 20 = hit
Goblin#5 damage: roll 1d6+1 [4] = Yrag takes 4 damage (puts him at 77 hit points)
Goblin#6 attack: roll [13] (against AC 1) +2 footman’s military pick vs. AC 3, +2 rear attack = 17 = miss (needs 19)
Goblin#7 attack: roll [12] (against AC 1) = 16 = miss
Goblin#8 attack: roll [8] (against AC 1) = 12 = miss

If the hobgoblins fire into the melee, they have a chance of hitting the goblins — 5 goblins count as 2.5 targets, and Yrag counts as 1. The hobgoblins already know they can’t possibly hurt the human with their bows, so no need to bother trying. They draw their swords and hold their ground.

The bugbears continue to hold their ground (getting a kick out of seeing the little pipsqueaks get quisinarted).

Round Two

Time for initiative. Gary declares that Yrag will turn around and continue to attack the goblins. The DM decides what the goblinoids will do. Technically, the DM should check for the goblinoids’ morale, but 1) that is more rules to learn for this sample, and 2) it wouldn’t be much fun to have the fight end or turn into a pursuit — so fight on! The DM decides the goblins will continue attacking, the hobgoblins will hold their ground, and the bugbears will still hold.

Check for initiative: DM rolls [1], Gary rolls [6]. Yrag has initiative, again.

1st – Yrag’s actions:

Yrag turns to put his front on the 3 rear goblins. (This puts his back to the hobgoblins.)
Yrag attacks goblin#4: roll [12] = 14 = hit (needs 6)
Yrag damage: roll [8] = 12 = kills goblin#4
Yrag attacks goblin#5: roll [1] = 3 = miss (natural 1s are not auto misses)
Yrag attacks goblin#6: roll [4] = 6 = hit
Yrag damage: roll [5] = 9 = kills goblin#6
Yrag attacks goblin#7: roll [10] = 12 = hit
Yrag damage: roll [3] = 7 = kills goblin#7
Yrag attacks goblin#8: roll [13] = 15 = hit
Yrag damage: roll [3] = 7 = kills goblin#8

2nd – Goblinoids actions:

The remaining goblin (#5) attacks. (I can’t find anything that says you can’t move around an opponent to attack his flank, but for this fight, the goblin will stay were he is — Yrag’s front flank.

Goblin#5 attack: roll [14] = 16 = miss (needs 20)

Hobgoblins are disappointed they didn’t declare shooting at the human’s now exposed rear.

Bugbears smile at the carnage.

Round Three

Time for initiative. Gary declares that Yrag will leave the sole remaining goblin and move to the hobgoblins (6 feet away). The DM decides that the goblin will continue attacking, the hobgoblins will attack, and the bugbears will still hold.

Check for initiative. DM rolls [2], Gary rolls [1]. Goblinoids have the initiative.

1st – Goblinoids actions:

Goblin#5 attack: roll [12] = 14 = miss (needs 20 for AC -1)

Hobgoblins move up the 6 feet and take up Yrag’s 3 rear squares (for hobgoblins #1, #2, and #3, Yrag has AC 1) and the one vacant flank square (for hobgoblin #4Yrag has AC -1).

Hobgoblin#1 attack: roll 1d20 [17] -1 long sword vs. AC 3, +2 rear attack = 18 = hit (needs 17)
Hobgoblin#1 damage: roll 1d8 [6] = Yrag takes 6 damage (puts him at 71 hit points)
Hobgoblin#2 attack: roll [7] = 8 = miss
Hobgoblin#3 attack: roll [11] = 12 = miss
Hobgoblin#4 attack: roll 1d20 [19] -1 long sword vs. AC 3 = 18 = miss (needs 19)

Bugbears wait.

2nd – Yrag’s actions:

Yrag turns to the face the hobgoblins.
Yrag attacks hobgoblin#1: roll 1d20 [14] +2, +0 vs. AC 5 = 16 = hit (needs 7)
Yrag damage: roll [5] = 9 = kill hobgoblin#1
Yrag attacks goblin#5: roll [16] = 18 = hit (needs 6)
Yrag damage: roll [8] = 12 = kills goblin#5

Round Four

Time for initiative. Gary declares that Yrag will turn around and face the hobgoblins and attack them and the goblin. The DM decides that the goblin will continue attacking, the hobgoblins will continue attacking, and the bugbears will continue watching.

Check for initiative: DM rolls [3], Gary rolls [4]. Yrag has the initiative. (But even if Yrag had lost initiative, he’d still get his extra attack at the beginning of the round, before the goblinoids who don’t have extra attacks.)

Yrag attacks hobgoblin#2: roll [5] = 7 = hit (needs 7)
Yrag damage: roll [3] = 7 = kills hobgoblin#2

1st – Yrag’s actions:

Yrag attacks hobgoblin#3: roll [3] = 5 = miss

2nd – Goblinoids’ actions:

Goblins are now all dead.

Hobgoblin#3 attack: roll [15] -2 long sword vs.AC 2 (this hob is now on Yrag’s front) = 13 = miss (needs 20)
Hobgoblin#4 attack: roll [20] -1 long sword vs. AC 3 = 19 = miss (natural 20s are not auto hits)

Bugbears figure they will have to fight in another round or two.

Round Five

Time for initiative. Gary declares that Yrag will continue to fight the remaining hobgoblins (unfortunately, they are arranged such that no matter how he turns, one will be on his flank). The DM decides that the hobgoblins will continue to fight, and the bugbears will wait their turn.

Check for initiative: DM rolls [6], Gary rolls [6]. (The DM considers checking Gary’s d6 for a load, because he’s getting a lot of 6s on his initiative rolls :-) Tied initiative. So they check weapon speed factors. Both Yrag and the hobgoblins are using long swords (speed factor 5), so the initiative is truly tied. The DM lets Gary roll for Yrag’s actions first, but any damage will only be applied after the hobgoblins attack too. (Although, it is apparent, now, that the hobgoblins can’t actually hit Yrag, at all, anyway.)

1st – Yrag’s actions:

Yrag attacks hobgoblin#3: roll [1] = 3 = miss (needs 7, and natural 1s are not auto misses)

2nd – Goblinoids’ actions:

Hobgoblin#3 attacks: roll [16] = 14 = miss (needs 20)
Hobgoblin#4 attacks: roll [3] = 2 = miss

Bugbears stop smiling.

Round Six

Time for initiative. Gary declares that Yrag will continue to fight the remaining hobgoblins. The DM decides that the hobgoblins will continue to fight, and the bugbears will throw their spears.

Check for initiative: DM rolls [4], Gary rolls [2]. The goblinoids have the initiative. But this is an even numbered round, so Yrag gets his extra attack at the beginning.

Yrag attacks hobgoblin#3: roll [7] = 9 = hit (needs 7)
Yrag damage: roll [3] = 7 = kills hobgoblin#3

1st – Goblinoids’ actions:

Hobgoblin#4 attacks: roll [13] -1 vs. AC 3 = 12 = miss

The bugbears throw their spears at Yrag’s front. Since there is one medium sized hobgoblin and one medium sized human in the melee, the ratio of hitting an ally is 1:1. By the book, the DM should determine where the missiles go by decision (determining by random die roll is a secondary option). So the first thrown spear will roll on Yrag, and the second will roll on hobgoblin#4.
Bugbear#1 attacks Yrag: roll [15] -3 thrown spear vs. AC 2 (as a thrown weapon — is different adjustment than used as melee) = 13 = miss (needs 20)
Bugbear#2 attacks hobgoblin#4: roll [11] -2 thrown spear vs. AC 5 = 9 = miss (needs 11)

2nd – Yrag’s action:

Yrag gets his regular attack now, and he turns to face the hobgoblin.
Yrag attacks hobgoblin#4: roll [19] = 21 = hit
Yrag damage: roll [6] = 10 = kills hobgoblin#4

Round Seven

Time for initiative. Gary declares that Yrag will engage the two bugbears. The DM decides that the bugbears will engage Yrag.

Check for initiative: DM rolls [5], Gary rolls [3]. Goblinoids have the initiative.

1st – Goblinoids’ actions:

The bugbears move the 6 feet up to Yrag, but they take up opposite sides. This means bugbear#1 is on Yrag’s current front (AC -4), and bugbear#2 is on his current rear (AC 1).
Bugbear#1 attacks: roll 1d20 [14] +0 morning star vs. AC 2 = 14 = miss (needs 20)
Bugbear#2 attacks: roll 1d20 [1] +1 morning star vs. AC 3, +2 rear attack = 4 = miss (natual 1s are not auto misses)

2nd – Yrag’s action:

Yrag attacks bugbear#1: roll 1d20 [17] +0 long sword vs. AC 5, +1 Strength, +1 magic sword = 19 = hit (needs 7)
Yrag damage: roll 1d12 (bugbears are large size creatures) [4] +3 Strength, +1 magic sword = 8 = bugbear#1 now at 6 hit points

Round Eight

Time for initiative. Gary declares that Yrag will continue to fight the bugbears. The DM decides that the bugbears will continue to fight Yrag.

Check for initiative: DM rolls [3], Gary rolls [3]. Tied initiative. So check weapon speed factors. Long sword has speed factor 5, morning stars have speed factor 7: Yrag gets initiative. But this is an even numbered round, so he gets his extra attack first.

Yrag attacks bugbear#1: roll [14] = 16 = hit (needs 7)
Yrag damage: roll 1d12 [9] = 13 = kills bugbear#1

1st – Yrag’s actions:

Yrag turns and attacks bugbear#2.
Yrag attacks bugbear#2: roll [5] = 7 = hit (needs 7)
Yrag damage: roll 1d12 [7] = 11 = bugbear#2 now at 5 hit points

2nd – Goblinoids’ actions:

Bugbear#2 attacks: roll [16] +0 morning star vs. AC 2 = 16 = miss (needs 20)

Round Nine

Time for initiative. Gary declares that Yrag will continue fighting the bugbear. The DM decides the bugbear will continue to fight Yrag.

Check for initiative: The DM roll [1], Gary rolls [5]. Yrag has the initiative.

1st – Yrag’s actions

Yrag attacks bugbear#2: roll [15] = 17 = hit
Yrag damage: roll [7] = 11 = kills bugbear

End of this combat.

At the end, Yrag killed 8 goblins, 4 hobgoblins, and 2 bugbears, and he stands well at 71 hit points (lost 10). The fight took 9 rounds. Did I miss any rules?

* 10 six-second segments to the one-minute round. Combat normally happens in rounds, but some special situations (like surprise and spell casting) break down into segments.
** Contrary to some claims, even AD&D1 used battlegrids (squares or hexes) for combat — check the DMG page 69, and the DMG screen third, back panel.
*** The weapon vs. AC chart listed ACs by number, not by type. Plate +2 and shield +2 and Dexterity bonus +2 may give a total AC of -4, but for this chart, it still counts as AC 2 (standard plate and shield) or AC 3 (plate only) for flank/rear attacks.

Bullgrit

Last game night, I offered to introduce everyone in our group to the coolness that is [old school] Battletech. I brought my old 1985 box set and my dog-eared 3025 Technical Readout (with the green Marauder on the cover) to the table, and the 4 of us present that night set about a two-on-two skirmish.We randomly determined our mechs, and teamed up in an attempt to make the fight fair.I ended up with a Wasp (a 20 ton machine – the smallest in the game), and teamed up with the player running the Marauder (75 tons). We were against a Rifleman (60 tons) and a Crusader (65 tons).One other player in our group used to play Battletech regularly, and was well versed in the rules and tactics. One other had played some of the computer version, but the fourth player had no experience with the system.Our skirmish lasted probably 20-25 turns, during which my side won initiative exactly 1 time. Plus we couldn’t roll worth crap on our attack dice. In the end, the Marauder was heavily blasted, losing a leg, and then erupting in a beautiful ammo explosion. My Wasp was tagged a few times and then crippled itself with a failed death from above attack. The only good thing we managed to do back to our opponents was to blast most of the armor off the Crusader, and it had to shut down temporarily due to overheating.Since that battle was a learning experience for two of the players, it lasted about 3 hours. But the other experienced player and myself managed to talk the others into going in for a campaign of Battletech. The other player will GM the campaign, and I get to drive a mech.I played in a campaign back in the mid 80s (driving an Archer), and I GMed a campaign in the mid 90s. During and in between those campaigns, I played several lance-vs-lance battles as one-offs. I’m very excited to get to play a campaign again – this time I’m driving an Enforcer mechHere’s hoping this campaign will be as fun as the ones I played 1.5 and 2.5 decades in the past.Bullgrit

Over the years I’ve read several references and stories about people’s first experiences with early editions of D&D – OD&D, AD&D1, B/XD&D. The thing that surprises me with these tales is that the PCs don’t die.

My first experiences with BD&D and AD&D had PCs dying all over the place. My very first experience with the game, delving into the module In Search of the Unknown, had a character die in the very first area and encounter of the dungeon. My first DMing experiences had several PC deaths in the module Keep on the Borderland. The ogre alone easily killed half a dozen 1st-level, beginning PCs. Two PCs died in the pit trap at the beginning of the kobold cave.

It was not uncommon at all (could even be said to be very common) to have PCs with 1-4 hit points (even fighters could roll that with their 1d8 hit points) die from the first goblin or kobold hitting for 1d6 damage. In the first couple years of my playing this game, I don’t think any group completed any dungeon without no deaths at all. Hell, it might have taken 20 PCs to enter (in several 3-6-man forays) for 4 to complete a dungeon.

A couple years after we started playing D&D, my group agreed to always start new PCs at around 3rd level (5,001 xp), because lower-levels were a crap shoot to survive.

Just recently I read a tale of the adventures of a group playing their very first D&D characters in an old-school adventure with the old-school rules, and the PCs ended up gaining a couple levels without a single death in the party. These Players were new to the game, with 1st-level PCs, in an environment where they had no base town of any kind. Yet they made their way through encounters that were often of equal number and levels.

This kind of thing blows my mind. In my experience, old-school, 1st-level D&D was brutally random. A group of six 1st-level PCs against a group of six goblins could easily end with a couple of PC deaths, possibly even a TPK. In fact, my experiences with the game at that stage makes me think these stories I read where the novice, low-level party succeeds with their first try makes me think either the DM is going *very* easy on them, or the stories are not “accurate.”

Bullgrit