tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post5009046848542169547..comments2024-03-25T22:48:31.750-04:00Comments on Dreams in the Lich House: Munchkins of the Old School - Revealed!Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-11136586303246947122012-03-11T17:55:35.084-04:002012-03-11T17:55:35.084-04:00FWIW, Q1 was out by 1981 at the latest, while Gyga...FWIW, Q1 was out by 1981 at the latest, while Gygax's ouster didn't happen until 1985 at the earliest. Gygax wrote a rather glowing intro for Q1, though admittedly I recall it talking more about the cleverness of the level design than about it making any sense from a plot perspective.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-23082937781009101832011-03-31T06:49:02.311-04:002011-03-31T06:49:02.311-04:00Regarding Q1 - yeah, it's okay. A guy re-wrot...Regarding Q1 - yeah, it's okay. A guy re-wrote the ending and published it at Dragonsfoot.org - it's based pretty heavily on MERP's Shelob's Lair. It's pretty well done - doesn't tie up the Elder Elemental ideas, but gives Lolth a less steampunk domain for the final confrontation.<br /><br />http://www.dragonsfoot.org/php4/archive.php?sectioninit=AD&fileid=160&watchfile=0Daen Ral Worldbuilderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08466580672856608560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-8864675151343079762011-03-29T08:11:58.935-04:002011-03-29T08:11:58.935-04:00Pierce - The issue is that Q1 goes in a totally di...Pierce - The issue is that Q1 goes in a totally different direction than the G-series and the D-series.<br /><br />In the G-series, a rogue house of the Drow breaks from the worship of Lolth, throws in with the "Elder Elemental God" (EEG), and foments a plot on the surface world to gain sufficient power to take over the Vault of the Drow.<br /><br />So the ultimate enemy in those 6 modules is a Drow noble house serving the EEG; the plot has *nothing* to do with Lolth. The party's mission is to go and wipe out House Eilserv. Making the 7th module the overthrow of Lolth makes zero sense. (Note that Gary Gygax wrote the first 6, and Zeb Cook wrote the 7th). It's not necessarily Zeb's fault either, as I seem to remember Q1 was tacked on after Gary's outster from TSR (blame the suits).<br /><br />Q1 has some interesting ideas - making Lolth's domain steam-punk definitely works for me; it just doesn't belong at the end of the G and D series. I keep thinking someone will write an actual end to the series that involves overthrowing the EGG, perhaps elsewhere in the underdark.<br /><br />You'll find a lot of Greyhawkers identify the Elder Elemental God with Tharizdun (in module WG4); it's possibly the entity in the Shrine of Evil Chaos (module B2), and the original Temple of Elemental Evil (before Zuggtmoy was involved). Gygax weaved this quasi-Lovecraftian god into a number of places.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-2991717548281884052011-03-29T03:59:16.126-04:002011-03-29T03:59:16.126-04:00Whats wrong with Q1?Whats wrong with Q1?Piercehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17342275462566805167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-26879333582845642362011-03-28T22:37:15.702-04:002011-03-28T22:37:15.702-04:00Oh, but running high level AD&D is a blast! Co...Oh, but running high level AD&D is a blast! Combat is fast, furious and deadly!Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08192212467523179768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-55491894192341882362011-03-28T21:22:00.302-04:002011-03-28T21:22:00.302-04:00My Gamer ADD keeps me from sticking with a campaig...My Gamer ADD keeps me from sticking with a campaign that long, so I'd never know. :)Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-5146273008267538462011-03-28T21:18:02.764-04:002011-03-28T21:18:02.764-04:00Once characters reach name level, they need a lot ...Once characters reach name level, they need a lot more XP in AD&D. Fighters need 250,000 per level, in AD&D as opposed to 120,000 in LL.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08192212467523179768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-89491985737692106262011-03-28T21:13:11.387-04:002011-03-28T21:13:11.387-04:00I do realize that AD&D characters need to sell...I do realize that AD&D characters need to sell a few of those magic items to cover the exorbitant training costs (assuming the DM doesn't hand wave training).<br /><br />You're right about the bigger hit dice making some AD&D guys tougher - I also remember clerics and druids had a ton of spells because of the wisdom bonuses. Power creep, baby!<br /><br />My players will read all that and will be clamoring for AD&D.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-37830409273375783222011-03-28T20:22:51.763-04:002011-03-28T20:22:51.763-04:00Some other considerations to throw out there:
1) ...Some other considerations to throw out there:<br /><br />1) AD&D training costs are quite steep at low levels. All the additional xp from creatures and magic items is irrelevant if you are unable to gain additional xp because you've already qualified for the next level but are unable to pay for the training. So what appears to be a flood of xp at low levels doesn't necessarily work out that way.<br /><br />This effect is more prominent for multi-class characters than it is for single-class characters. This effect goes away at mid levels, though, because training costs scale linearly, while xp needs scales geometrically.<br /><br />In fact, this effect has been a factor in my current campaign even though I don't grant xp for magic items. (Nor xp for the gp accrued for immediately-sold magic items.) There have been multiple instances of PCs who could not gain xp in one or more of their classes until they acquired a significant amount of additional treasure just to pay training costs.<br /><br />2) In addition to slightly faster xp accrual in AD&D, it's also slightly more survivable than B/X. I'm not convinced stats are really much of a factor here (or if they are a factor, the significance depends on the type of stat rolling method used by the campaign), but greater PC hp totals, better damage against large monsters, the -10 hp cushion (which is of varying significance depending on whether the DM has death happen at -1 vs. -4 hp), men-at-arms that aren't unwilling to enter the dungeon, and retainers that don't check loyalty or leave after every adventure all lean toward AD&D being slightly more survivable.<br /><br />All that said, there's probably some counter-arguments for how B/X is more survivable, so take the above with a grain of salt.Guy Fullertonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12034114718540912559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-49796247963851158732011-03-28T20:10:05.345-04:002011-03-28T20:10:05.345-04:00Wow. Never realized it before. Food for thought ...Wow. Never realized it before. Food for thought for sure.Higgipediahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15898074416237354260noreply@blogger.com