AD&D - New Player Guide - The Core Books

[@Classic_DM]

I'll be converting my free Pathfinder Second Edition Compatible adventure, The Indigo Oasis, to AD&D soon! Check it out! www.telliotcannon.com/shop/the-indigo-oasis-pathfinder-2e-compatible-free-adventure

[@willdenham]

Against The Giants, Descent, and Queen was the most awesome set of modules I've DM'd.

[@Classic_DM]

I love them so much because they were the FIRST to be truly Epic!

[@BockwinkleB]

Dayum, look at those ability scores! Not very 1E to be honest, but the great thing about 1E is when Gary says use whatever rules you want to and ignore whichever ones you want to.

[@littlesherlock2313]

I always enjoyed the simplicity in 1e that allows me as a DM to play a whole session without checking the rulebooks, and I also enjoy the freedom to alter the rules based on the situation.

[@Classic_DM]

Agree 100% Matthew. Same for Traveller (hugely under rated)

[@willdenham]

I love 1st ed. That's where I left off and that's where I will start again when I find another group of victims.

[@Mystic-realm]

1e art is so awesome and inspiring! Of course art is subjective so is charisma :) Thanks for taking the time to make this video. Good stuff

[@havindatadhd]

Thank you so much for doing this🤘 I just happened to find the original books at a comic shop here, and was so excited to start playing but those books are freaking impossible to follow so this series helps a ton! Thank you so much my man🤘🤘

[@Classic_DM]

Glad the videos help. Be forewarned that I use a lot of house rules and quality of fun changes, so watch out if you bump into any rules lawyers! They can't stand such sacrilege. 🎲🎲🎲 Have fun. AD&D and Traveller are like the fire and wheel to the empires of today.

[@MarkHyde]

Greetings from five years in the future - these videos are just plain brilliant - thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience - :)

[@Classic_DM]

Thanks Mark. Hope you find some fun in there! These date back to 2018, but this video makes a great starting point for folks looking to get back in AD&D.

[@willdenham]

I actually like the kitsch quality of the art in the early books. Very nostalgic for me. That said, I do agree that Fiend Folio is a masterpiece. I'm glad I was able to get one in perfect condition when I re-upped my core books 10 years ago.

[@Classic_DM]

Fiend Folio's art was uncredible and super gritty!

[@smoothaction2024]

I enjoyed your video. I am a D&D 5e DM interested in running an AD&D game for my players in the future, so I appreciate the great information. As far as altering the minutiae of the rules, Gygax and Arneson created a system in which the DM has director’s cut though the actors are free to act and speak as they please; so unlike the dude below, I feel like the rules are a just a template that a flexible, malleable world evolves on. Keep playing AD&D and posting these vids. Nicely done!

[@Classic_DM]

Thanks for the feedback! I agree the rules are a fabric for each DM's tapestry. Hopefully all players of all editions and games can keep the fires burning on this cool and timeless hobby! Thank you, sir, for the kind words!

[@daviddamasceno6063]

I really recomend you to read the AD&D 1st edition books, specially the Player's Handbook and the Dungeon Master's Guide. Reading them is really fun, since they're written by Gygax himself, so you kinda feel like you're sitting with him in a bar and he's talking to you about this awesome game he made. Also, those books go deep into the foundations of each rule, so you get to know what things like charisma, levels and hit points actually mean (like, did you know that losing hit points doesn't really mean you're getting injured?). I feel like those books do make you a better DM, regardless the D&D version you play.

[@spaztekwarrior]

That’s awesome. I played first Ed. AD&D back in late 70s. I still think it’s the best. :) Saved up allowance for Players Handbook and got Monster Manual and DMs guide for birthday and Christmas. Still have the books and not getting rid of them.

[@Classic_DM]

100% agree. AD&D has some quirks, but is far more magical than some of the more complex systems of today. Getting those books in 8th grade changed everything.

[@tcschenks]

Very good. I’ve been gradually building up my lost AD&D collection via DMs Guild.

[@Classic_DM]

They do print on demand and lots of folks sell their stuff n Facebook, but the prices are high. I just print my own PDFs these days.

[@lostonwallace1396]

Still playing/running 1st edition and 2nd edition Greyhawk campaigns. Been DMing them since the mid 1980s.

[@Classic_DM]

Rock on! I love Pathfinder 2E but it's getting excessively complex. I find my heart still beats for AD&D

[@willdenham]

We also adapted the rules. We used the core rolling system but a lot of things like movement, encumbrance we took as suggestive.

[@michaelholland6533]

Those character sheets you created are awesome.

[@Classic_DM]

You can get a free copy of the PPTX I used to make them here. www.patreon.com/posts/32789599 Also this video walk through the method I use as a long tutorial kzbin.info/www/bejne/mp2qdaStepugf9E

[@matthewweng8483]

I still have all the original books from 1979 (2 of some), Rogues Gallery, The Greyhawk Set, Character Sheets, and like 20 issues of Dragon Magazine... some are a little beat up, but man, it all stirs up such great old memories. Wanted to start playing again after 25 years, but I’ve been wary of 5th edition and been wondering if anyone still plays 1st edition. Thanks for creating such a great series! I’m stoked to start playing again.

[@Classic_DM]

Lots of people play. Usually people who grew up with it when we were kids and have the time to get with friends or even family. It can also be a lot of fun to get someone new into playing as it's not difficult for them to run a couple of characters. I change a rules to help the game feel more modern, such as movement per melee round to be around 25 feet as opposed to 12", dropping segments and using the 6 second melee round. I also make more "checks" against ability scores when players used to later editions start doing actions that feel like feats or skills. Finding players or a DM is usually the tricky part.

[@kgib4214]

Very helpful, Im running a homebrew 5e campaign where the BBEG, Garius Tovax, a mad wizard who plane hops across multiple historical events on Earths history and the PC's, with the help of a magical artifact that allows them to follow him through his portals, follow him and possibly change history. The end session lf the campaign I am planning for will reveal that Garius Tovax is actually Gary Gygax and he is having their 5e Characters play test 1e and if their 1e characters die their 5e characters die.

[@Classic_DM]

That sounds fun! Anytime an artifact an villain are involved the adventure leaps up in fun factor in my opinion. I've never been a huge fan of throwing darts at kobolds if you catch my drift. 🎲🎲🎲 with your portal idea, and bringing a "historical figure" to life opens all sorts of interesting time shifting opportunities. Hopefully the party won't end up in "The Savage Curtain" style episode of the original Star Trek! I use a lot of homebrew elements, but if you have anything you need ideas on let me know. I love the 5e_1e crossover. Your players will really have to use their wits!

[@Hypn0ninjaGaming]

Just the channel ive been looking for :) - subscribed

[@Classic_DM]

Be sure and poke around here too! www.telliotcannon.com/

[@Hypn0ninjaGaming]

@@Classic_DM I will do, thank you

[@davidleonard8547]

This takes me back to that first time I cracked those books. I was in awe, trying to figure out how all the rules worked, and blended together. We almost all began playing fighters first off. That was fine, at first, but then we began to see the limitations of that. That's when others broke into Rangers and Paladins and Dwarfs (fighters, still), and I began playing Mages and Thieves, but for whatever reason, no one chose Clerics or Druids. We were pretty shortsighted...but we were also short on players, too.

[@willdenham]

I like the idea of maxing HP's. I never thought of it for monsters, and it does make sense. I think it would add to fluidity of gameplay as well. I also played an RPG called just 'Fantasy' by Game Designer's Workshop and it had, in addition to health something called 'fate points' to be used when a character dies in order to miraculously avoid or survive a fatal blow. I granted fate points often with experience points at the end of a session and some treasure pieces, potions, scrolls, etc.could also grant fate points. It was damn near impossible to die in my campaigns. You had to want to die because you were sick of your character. On that note I played in circles where there was a DM who would rip your character sheet up after dying in the middle of an adventure. He was an a-hole who literally brought some people, who had long playing, multi-year characters who they adored to tears. He would do that to visiting players, outside of his main group, who would drop in for a one day session.

[@Classic_DM]

A DM who rips up character sheets is a arse-hat.

[@freedomlover9560]

My system for character creation: 1. Choose class, then choose race. 2. Roll 4d6, reroll all ones and drop the lowest die. 3. Roll eight sets of ability scores, drop the lowest (I do comeliness). 4. Arrange as desired. 5. For first level, assign the maximum roll for hit points and add their constitution bonus. 6. Give a minimum amount of equipment for the character to operate. 7. Roll for gold and divide by five. There is a system in the Unearthed Arcana for rolling ability scores according to class, but I find that makes the characters too powerful.

[@Classic_DM]

Sounds great and lots of player flexibility.

[@theunclecappy4846]

All editions are good. It's like a console to play your game on. 1e is the gameboy, 2e the gamecube, 3.5e the PC, 4e the Xbox, 5e the Playstation. It's good and fun to know your editions, to love them all for all their quirks and bugs.

[@Classic_DM]

We're lucky to have so many great RPGs for sure. It's just ashame the publishers never support the older versions with content. Compare that to the music industry with greatest hits, boxed sets, and remasters. Even the book publishing industry keeps classic novels alive.

[@jacestandridge7174]

Thank you I was looking for a video like this and it helped so much thanks.

[@Classic_DM]

No problem. Pathfinder 2E came out today and it's awesome. I'll be doing a ton of stuff on it too. Have fun!

[@janesawyer3495]

Unearthed Arcana is important. It adds in an additional AB score, and introduces new classes and spells.

[@JustAnotherJarhead]

UA isn't that bad. required for 1st Ed...No. Does it have cool stuff that can be used in 1st...yes. Was the actual book binding job a cmplete shit show of cheapness, yes. I'm sure Gary regretted that...lol

[@BockwinkleB]

MM2 is great, both in the monsters included and the random encounter tables that encompass all 3 monster manuals.

[@Classic_DM]

Great point! Thanks @bockwinkleB Drive Thru RPG does not offer MM2 in print still which is too bad. Even though the Fiend Folio is softcover it's handy to have print versions! www.dmsguild.com/product/17005/Monster-Manual-II-1e

[@cptcosmo]

I still have all my 1st Ed. AD&D books, and almost every Dungeon Module TSR put out.

[@Classic_DM]

Awesome! Keep them and if you can grab a friend, play them again! The old classic adventures are amazing.

[@elbowofalacrity8611]

Thanks for doing these.

[@Classic_DM]

Sure thing! Hope they are helpful and fun.

[@noditschi]

Hi there, I am currently guest GMing our ADnD game. I've been playing with this group for some six years now, which started in ADnD because that's what the first GM was used to and no one wanted to risk changing systems after we deviated from the group. Ever since we've had to modify the game so often with our own house rules that it feels like it would've been easier to write our own system inspired by ADnD. Bottom line: no one is really satisfied with the system. I wouldn't have asked if everyone but me felt like it was perfectly fine to play by the rules (which sometimes take extreme effort to understand in the first place). I would love to switch to pathfinder 2e, which has lots of mechanics that I'd been thinking of somehow integrating into ADnD even before pathfinder 2e came out. Alone reading through the Core Rulebook compared to the PHB is such a comfort (which is understandable, because the whole gaming scene became more experienced ever since, just like comparing Messiah and Cohen-Tannoudji quantum text books). I love the dynamic combat, the character choices, the roleplaying mechanics, but the idea gets shut down with the excuse of it all being power gaming, or on the account of complexity (which is funny because all of us have enjoyed Role Master, most of all the greatest protester in the party). So, to me it mostly sounds like the insecurity of investing (time and effort) in a new system after the decades these guys have been playing. As someone who's experienced both systems, I would love to have you do more in depth comparison of the two systems, how playing characters or running the game would be in these two systems compared.

[@Classic_DM]

Great challenge! Give me some time to do it properly!

[@noditschi]

@@Classic_DM looking forward to it! Also any tips you might have forme as to how to handle the situation or maybe introduce aspects into our current game ...

[@wanderinghistorian]

You're doing AD&D right by hacking the heck out of it. I'd love to play in your AD&D game.

[@Classic_DM]

Thanks man! I think I focus on player fun so much that rules lawyers have high blood pressure. 🎲🎲🎲

[@Charles-jj2su]

I’m 22, I really like old school. I feel like theirs misconceptions on the older editions: I feel the newer stuff like 5e is way more complex than ADND. Idk what it is, but adding on stuff like feats and a million abilities even to basic fighters just doesn’t do it for me. I like the simplicity of the older game :)

[@Classic_DM]

Agree 100% AD&D is a muscle car, fast, strong, gutsy, with personality. Modify it, customize it, drive it anywhere, love the memories you made at every turn. Modern RPGs are like SUVs with electronic hatches, televisions on visors, dings, dongs, info-tainment systems on the wrong time zone, tires that cost $180 each, and rear view cameras because turning your head is really hard. 🎲🎲🎲

[@ElvenSonic]

that’s odd. I’ve felt that 5e has been about as complicated as B/X was. Maybe a little less than becmi. For example, in 5e, armor class is determined by the bonuses you get from the armor your character is wearing, plus dexterity (and any spells or abilities afterwards, which are typically very simple to read). Your AC is essentially a difficulty class opponents have to roll against in order to hit you, which slots in perfectly with 5e’s difficulty class systems. You learn this, pretty much the whole system has been figured out. Very beginner friendly. In AD&D, your armor class is determined by a chart that tells you what every armor in the game’s AC number is, which is modified by various attributes such as dexterity, shields, etc. but at a certain point those modifications don’t make you harder to hit, because the “to hit matrix” has 5 armor classes require the same roll to hit. Oh god and make sure your character is wearing a helmet because there’s a very complicated and intricate subsystem on what happens when you’re attacked by an intelligent or unintelligent opponent while missing a helmet. Oh and don’t forget that you can be easier or harder to hit based on the material your armor is made out of and the type of weapon your opponent is using or whether or not it’s a saturday in the afternoon or columbus day in connecticut. Holy shit and then we get into what is even going on in combat. In 5e, you roll to figure out where your turn is in combat. you do it once, and when your turn comes up, you have an action, move action, and a bonus action, and then your done. It’s admittedly a really slow and clunky system, especially when you have more than seven characters on the board in an encounter. It leads to players disconnecting from the action sometimes when one player starts taking to long. The advantage here, however, is the simplicity of the system. it slots into 5e’s core DC system with ease, meaning it’s really easy to explain to new players what to do when combat comes up. AD&D, on the other hand… jesus fucking christ. I’ve struggled for DECADES to understand AD&D’s combat. No matter how many times i’ve read A.D.D.I.C.T. it’s never made any sense. The only advantage the system has is that both sides act on their own respective turns, which means less busy work. But that’s about it (oh and rolling initiative every turn is admittedly pretty fun). Everything is significantly more complicated to such an extreme degree that I 100% guarantee you literally nobody playing AD&D has ever used it’s combat, opting to use B/X’s combat instead. At least that’s how it’s been for me. Regardless, I get pretty frustrated when I see OSR people say they don’t like modern D&D because “It’s too complicated!” and then turn around and praise AD&D 1e. It’s so hypocritical. Authors Note: btw I’ve got nothing against AD&D 1e. In fact I kinda love how all over the place it is. I’ve had a lot of fun playing with my non-osr friends asking if they can do a thing that’s really simple in modern d&d and then I go “Uh let me take a look” and proceed to explain for the next fifteen minutes the complicated ass system AD&D has for the action they’re trying to perform. God AD&D is so fun… My problem stems from the grognard attitudes much of the OSR community has for 5e while borderline blindly praising systems they probably only like because they’re nostalgic for them. well that and echo chambers are a powerful thing.

[@peterjefferson3963]

Same here. 5e just feels cartoony to me and feels like a videogame. I am just not into crazy high fantasy campaigns. Demon and dragon borne and cat people make no sense to me. If it does for you, than cool go for it. I think that using a more basic structure to start off with and rocking it is very rewarding. I think that 5e just gives too many options and the spirit of the game is lost. 5E is a different game than AD&D imo and not better.

[@jessecollins3652]

This is really cool! What method do you recommend to generate stats?

[@Classic_DM]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmi8q2iZbciqjKM

[@mpstroudy88]

My coworkers and I are doing an online AD&D campaign. I've never played. Where can we get that customizable powerpoint?

[@Classic_DM]

Here are some resources. Old Greyhawk Sheets www.patreon.com/posts/32789599 Shrine of Tamoachan Sheets www.patreon.com/posts/33134391 Tutorials (explains fonts and design ideas) kzbin.info/www/bejne/mp2qdaStepugf9E

[@mpstroudy88]

@@Classic_DM Thank you! The crew loves these!

[@willmistretta]

The best advice I can give any newcomer is: Learn on OSRIC! It's free, has straightforward organization, and doesn't mess around with weapon speed factors, pummeling tables, or any of the junk nobody ever used anyway. Once you've digested that, you'll be prepared to savor all the rich flavor of the original books with none of the frustration. I wish we had something like it back in the day.

[@Classic_DM]

OSRIC is definitely great. My only complaint is the broke out every single "to hit" table for each class. Check out this adventure I made for it. Video preview as well. www.telliotcannon.com/shop/black-ship-of-the-sunless

[@willmistretta]

@@Classic_DM That is weird, although I alleviate it somewhat by using a screen with the attacks and saves. That does look neat. A high level adventure and a historical setting is a very ambitious combination.

[@Cr4z3d]

I must be lucky as hell then, local game store actually has the old books and sells them for around 10-20 each. Should I spend the extra tho? Already have the 5e starter which I also managed to get cheap by price matching, the new bartering, heh.

[@Classic_DM]

It's up to you, really. Personally, I love having PDFs and Printed versions. of course with PDFs, I can take them with me anywhere (especially on business trips or on my phone) and since they are often searchable, it really helps when I am designing something and needs to refer to 6 different sources. There is also my personal habit of loving books. Like a little kid at heart, I love having them. I have some Pathfinder books I open maybe 4 times a year for 30 minutes, but at the same time I have them on hand! If I had a chance to grab printed books, I'd snatch them up in a heartbeat. It's so tangible! That way after the global apocalypse, you can still game in the bomb shelter when cloud storage is fubar :)

[@freedomlover9560]

There is no replacement for the hard cover books. If it's original print with the Gygax name on it, I would say buy them up.

[@JustAnotherJarhead]

BUY THEM

[@noditschi]

A couple years ago we were looking for the DM Screen and could only find second hand for hundreds of Euros... So, we made our own.

[@BunnyNiyori]

Pdfs are fine if you are under 30 and used to reading from a screen. But considering the expected cost of 5th 2024, 90 bucks for pod hardcovers is not excessive. And as a player, you would only need the Player's for 30 bucks. But I should mention, 1st AD&D is in my belief, the best of the game all editions. If you want to go back to BECMI, Rules Cyclopedia is a single book at 30 bucks and looks great. But, you can get free pdfs with Basic Fantasy Role Playing Game. The truth is, there are several ideal clones of AD&D1st out there. OSE and OSRIC and Castles and Crusades being a few examples.

[@Classic_DM]

@@BunnyNiyori I have a much more updatedversion of this info here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oniTe6KpoLhmercsi=qT08d8gXaoc96H7D

[@Classic_DM]

Find out about the story, characters, and the show! www.telliotcannon.com/classic_dm/2018/12/27/an-introduction-to-the-classicdm-show

[@theldun1]

1st Ed is and will always the best!! Everything else is just a cash grab. 5E is the biggest cashed grab of all!

[@Classic_DM]

I agree 100% What was once game publishing is now BOOK publishing. This why everything is a hardback, full color, full of 2D digital art by the world's most incredible concept artists. Compare today's RPG books to the original Traveller LBBs or the original AD&D books. Back then, the goal was a game that opened the door to your imagination. Now it's a book with the imagination already determined by somebody else.

[@BLav01]

I have never bought d&d merch, but 5e is intended to get more people into d&d is it not? Making it accessible to younger/newer players, until they get addicted and learn older editions lol!

[@nrais76]

@@BLav01 @Amber-Rose Burns-Lavergne 5e is exactly that - intended to be simple, accessible, and get more players. It does a good job at that, catering to the casual gamer, but after running it for a bit, I don't much care for it myself.

[@A_real_Ha_So]

This brings back memories from 81-82 when we used this edition and looking at these old covers and artwork really takes me back. We had a great campaign but by 83, the others had given it up and I had no one else to play with, which really sucked. All these years later, I never really got to do another campaign but always enjoy watching these. Also and i hate saying this .. No i don't but you get what I mean here. Obama might have had a 16 CHR among the left but when you think about it, Trump's CHR is just as big dealing with most of the right. It's just that his wisdom (I will never understand how some things enter his mind) might be just be a 12 while Obama on the other hand tells folks what they want to hear, giving him a 15 WIS. That aside, I truly did enjoy this video and plan on watching more of your channel.

[@Classic_DM]

I'm glad you had fun with these old school AD&D modules and videos! memories. This game truly changed my life and brought a lot of magic to peoplearound the world. I think everyone has a great example of charisma, especially with leaders in the public eye and throughout history.

[@BarokaiRein]

''didn't know how to get into it,everyone is just playing 5th edition'' Yeap,took me fucking 6 months to find a pathfinder group and it has taken me an entire year so far to find 4th edition group. Even if you play online it's bloody hard to find just a group in the first place for anything that's not 5e,let alone group that works for you.

[@markwilson3697]

actually Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, and Dragon Lance were well established AD&D 2e settings before WoTC purchased TSR in the mid 90s.

[@Classic_DM]

Thanks, Mark for the correction!

[@Idreallyrathernotthanks]

Hey, Great stuff. 5E player here. Any ideas on where I could find a 1E game that would be friendly enough to accept someone wanting to learn the old ways? Also, do you recommend OSRIC at all? Is it faithful to 1E?

[@Classic_DM]

The best way to find an AD&D game is to run one yourself and invite 1-3 friends to play an older module with pregenerated characters, such as The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan. It is very easy to play. www.dmsguild.com/product/17031/C1-The-Hidden-Shrine-of-Tamoachan-1e All you need to have really is the DM Screen and the player's handbook to look up spells. All other details are include in the module. www.telliotcannon.com/1st-edition My biggest tip is your 5E players will die horribly if they do not THINK and be aware of how hard it is for them to hit enemies vs being hit. Hit Points are very low in AD&D and player's do not have a lot of save your butt feats/actions. Tell them to play as if you were really there.

[@Nexusofgeek]

Fiend Folio is my favorite o.g. monster book

[@Classic_DM]

I love it! The artist. Russ Nicholson, that did most of the great images passed away last year. russnicholson.blogspot.com/

[@shallendor]

I prefer the Justicar series of novels for Greyhawk! I played so much AD&D from 1982 to 2009 that i have played basically every class and kit that sounded fun, including from other campaign worlds. Most of that time was in the Forgotten Realms. I prefer Jakandor, Planescape, Greyhawk and Dark Sun!

[@Classic_DM]

I missed the Justicar series. They look awesome! Those are the ones by Paul Kidd, right? The Forgotten Realms really boosted the game with tons of novels, and in many ways helped the game breakthrough. www.amazon.com/Paul-Kidd/e/B001K7YQ7A/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

[@captcorajus]

This is a very good video. Very well done. However, your understanding on 'chance to know a spell' is wrong. The way you would do it is you would go down the spell list, one spell at a time, and roll percentiles. You'll note that there is a MINIMUM number of spells a character of a certain intelligence would know as well as a maximum. So, going down the list, roll the die and make a note for the spells your character knows. If you don't know it, you just don't have the ability to learn it and will never know it. You do this every time the character gains a new spell level. Obviously, the M-U will only have spells in their spellbook that they KNOW. Some DMs would allow a reroll for unknowable spells when a new spell level is gained, reflecting new mastery in craft. Note also there is a minimum and max number of spells a character can know per spell level. The player gets to choose which spells they are rolling for.

[@Classic_DM]

A good overview of the "by the book" way of handling spells! PHB p10. We never liked it as kids, so we changed it to be more appealing, giving the player the opportunity to pick and choose spells their character could learn per level and using the Intelligence ability score as the limitation max level due to complexity. I think this is why they included the minimum number of spells rule as well, so if you did fail all those first pass rolls, you got to try again and again until you hit the minimum. Always felt convoluted. Opinion of course. Here's the Minimum Rule "Minimum Number of Spells/Level states the fewest number of spells by level group a magic-user can learn. If one complete check through the entire group fails to generate the minimum number applicable according to intelligence score, the character may selectively go back through the group, checking each spell not able to be learned once again. This process continues until the minimum number requirement has been fulfilled. This means, then, that certain spells, when located, can be learned - while certain other spells can never be learned and the dice rolls indicate which ones are in each category. Example: The magic-user mentioned above who was unable to learn a charm person spell also fails to meet the minimum number of spells he or she can learn. The character then begins again on the list of 1st level spells, opts to see if this time charm person is able to be learned, rolls 04, and has acquired the ability to learn the spell. If and when the character locates such a spell, he or she will be capable of learning it. " Now imagine never rolling low enough. Even at 14 intelligence, you only have a 55% chance of success. Makes human beings and demi-humans look like unteachable dopes. :O

[@TheEldarGuy]

Cap's not wrong. The PHB does say to go down the list like that, and this where the confusion starts. (Actually it starts on page 3 I think). The DMs Guide, on its release, clarified some of this: every Magic-user starts with 5 spells, Read Magic, Detect Magic, then one spell each of Offensive, Defensive, and Miscellaneous types. These can be chosen OR rolled. The Magic-user knows these spells and they in the initial spell book. While adventuring, the Magic-user finds a spell book, and now the %chance comes into play. When discovering a scroll or spell book with unknown spells a Read Magic spell needs to be cast. At 1st Level, with the spell being Sleep or Magic Massile, none of this is going to be done until either after the adventure or at least when there is a long enough break for the Magic-user to be able use the Read Magic spell.

[@willdenham]

I actually found all the core books cheap, around 15, 20.00 each in a used book store about 10 years ago. I just looked online and my jaw dropped. WTH!?

[@Classic_DM]

There is a huge resurgences of the old school books, especially since OSE (Old School Essentials) took off, which I fail to understand other than juts having a one-stop rewrite?

[@thegingergod3122]

The stats for Mercede are roughly what I roll for every character, though I usually have 1 18 as well.... I'm really good at rolling d6's

[@JohnDretired]

Only fighters and sub-classes qualify for percentile strength by the book. Decent video... you're using some house rules as well.

[@Classic_DM]

Guilty on the house rules!

[@Dawning_Light]

Where did the art for the characters come from? Obscura’s art especially is vey beautiful.

[@Classic_DM]

Hello Dawn. The character portraits are made by taking screenshots in Black Desert Online while browsing outfits in the cash shop. That short hair-white bob cut is the default for the Witch class. Here is a video on how I do these. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoq4oqWJd5eFiqM

[@JustAnotherJarhead]

All good commentary. One thing I would Caution young or new players to this old school rule set, be careful "tweaking" the rules too much. Especially character generation, you are TRAINING your players, you are setting standards and expectations. If All of the characters have 15s, 16s,17s and god for bid an 18 or two for attributes, so are going to be epic heroes, and it's hard to go UP from there. Players only have an issue playing in the mid-range of attributes or stats if "others" have greater than average. So...if every fighter/ranger etc... has an 18/90 Strength, not only is it severely imbalanced at 1st level (or even 5th) , but it takes away from the big picture. There is a certain magic to having characters that are heroes, but still very mortal, and no, not every character should hit maximum level, it's okay to have a Magic user that peaks at 8th level. those first 8 levels are the most fun anyways. Also watch the tempatation to assign Max hit points at first level as well, It can create an imbalance as well, where even at Max a Magic user can only have 6 hp, where a Ranger could have 24 hp if you use maximums. 24 hp at 1st level is insane.

[@Classic_DM]

Great feedback! Thanks. I need to update this video for 2020 especially seeing how Paizo addressed some of the combat issues in Pathfinder Second Edition. You may like some of these house rules? kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoGxpWWGgah5rKc kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXrZcoiGbc52mqs kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpSxeqqAn7OZrNE

[@parttimed.m.1111]

Not a big fan of moving from the higher threat of death. I personally enjoy the grittier approach

[@Classic_DM]

AD&D using rules as written is very hard at early levels for most people and harder to get 6-12 players at a table in the modern world. Good players are more than capable of running multiple characters or bring henchmen along. I always prefer small parties with max hit point player characters so every player can develop their character like a protagonist as opposed to a disposable wargaming piece. AD&D's magic is indeed how gritty it is. Such a literal game changer for the course of gaming history.

[@Kiteman78]

Can someone please explain the ac rules to me. I don’t get them

[@littlesherlock2313]

Luke Bolser AC starts at a base of 10, and it can go up or down based on one’s armor and dexterity as well as magical items. A lower number means that you are less likely to be hit, i.e. an AC of 0 is harder to hit than an AC of 7. Chain mail and shield would give you an AC of 3, but if your dexterity was high that could be as low as 0 and magical items could lower that further. Armor doesn’t necessarily make it harder for enemies to actually come into contact with you so much as it makes it harder for a hit to actually do damage. If a man wearing normal clothes gets stabbed with a sword, it’s almost certain to go through, but if the same man is stabbed with the same amount of force while wearing a suit of armor then it’s a lot less likely to go through. Dexterity affects armor class because it affects your ability to dodge or parry an incoming blow. It makes sense that someone who’s more coordinated and quicker would be better at dodging and parrying in combat. However, your dexterity bonus only helps if you can see the attack coming, so if you’re surprised or being attacked from the rear your dexterity bonus is negated. Similarly, a shield can be used to block incoming blows, but these too are limited. Shields can only be accounted for so many blows in one round based on their size, and you can’t use them to block behind you. So if you’re using a buckler and you’re being attacked by 5 troglodytes, that buckler is only able to be used against one of the attackers because it’s small. And if there’s a troglodyte behind you, then you definitely can’t block him with your shield nor can you attempt to dodge or parry his attacks because you can’t see him. But if you’re wearing plate armor, your effective armor class against him is still a 1 because your armor is likely to stop any incoming attacks. If you think of AC as your chances of getting damage done rather than how good you are at not getting hit, it’s easier to comprehend why a lower score is better and why it works the way it works.

[@Kiteman78]

Matthew Siano thank you so much the players handbook wasn’t any help

[@kiteman7891]

I have 2 things I’m confused about 1. What are special abilities and what do they do 2. How does a player do more damage

[@Classic_DM]

Hello Luke, In 1st edition Dungeons and Dragons there is less emphasis on "special abilities" like in 3rd, 3.5, 4th, and 5th edition like we see in most ARPG (Diablo 1,2,3 for example), or MMOs such as World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls Online, or Black Desert Online. There are exceptions. Below are some examples of what I would label as "Special Abilities" Paladin Detect evil at up to 60' distance, as often as desired, but only when the paladin is concentrating on determining the presence of evil and seeking to detect it in the right general direction. Druid Ability to change form up to three times per day, actually becoming, in all respects save the mind, a reptile, bird or mammal. Do more damage for spell casters is casting higher level spells at a higher level, whereas for melee, it means boosting strength and getting better weapons. The main increase that happens on a per level basis is your chance to hit lower armor class targets.

[@kiteman7891]

Classic_DM Okay. Thank you

[@jasonmountain4643]

With Wizards of the Woke going for broke, a lot of people are now looking to the classics. Myself included.

[@jeannarushlow7008]

Illusionist needs a higher minimum DEX

[@Classic_DM]

You're right! One of the FB group members caught this too. I adjusted her in later episodes.

[@Grumium101]

If your having fun then that's the main thing. I could not play in a game like that. It would bore me to death. We play rules pretty close to btb. It is deadly and to me fun. It also promotes smart play because you can't go head to head with everything you see. You have to think of creative ways to make it past certain things. If your having fun with it then that's good, but you are no longer playing 1st edition.

[@Classic_DM]

Thanks for sharing your perspective. "Deadly is fun" is absolutely cool, especially if your group really knows how to play, have insight into the game mechanics, and think tactically. I think my goal behind this video series is to provide a degree of evangelism for 1st edition, as I find it to be incredibly fun and quite flexible. The target was absolute beginners and the younger generation of 5th edition players. This was TSR's first real stab at making a Pen and Paper RPG and many of the detailed mechanics always felt too complicated or off. (Henchmen and keeps for example or 1 minute melee rounds) Perhaps that is why the subsequent editions revised these , added more checks, skills, and so on. In any event, all thoughts, comments, and criticisms are great, and hopefully you had some fun along the way. I think KZbin could use a really hard core rule tutorial that is razor sharp and BTB perfect. Maybe this series will inspire others to do just that!

[@freedomlover9560]

If you're not having fun in first edition AD&D, you need a better DM. If it isn't first edition, it isn't worth playing.

[@bossbullyboy195]

Haha yah a 15 CHA = 8 years of successful deception rolls