Friday, March 21, 2014
Let's review some choices for Holmes Basic in view of the manuscript.
Let's review some choices for Holmes Basic in view of the manuscript. Holmes presumably left out the Greyhawk strength modifiers because he was using LBB static dice damage (most monsters attack once for one d6 of damage). It would have been too 'off' to have some of the bigger monsters doing d6 damage while Fighters with exceptional strength getting +3 to hit/damage (or more). Gygax put the 'variable dice' damage back in but not the exceptional strength, so the end result is missing one key component of the Greyhawk additions.
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Holmes did include two key components from Greyhawk: 'variable dice' HD for PCs and increased Con bonuses. These both benefit PCs but not monsters. The manuscript version of the rules is less lethal than the published version. This is also reflected in Holmes' lower suggested numbers for monster encounters (manuscript: 2 for a party of 4-6; published: equal numbers)
ReplyDeleteFurther clarification: Gygax put back in 'variable dice' damage for the monsters, but not characters, which when combined with the lack of exceptional strength, skews damage towards the monsters.
ReplyDeleteThe whole business of variable damage for monsters and variable hit dice for all seems to be a significant error in the published version (in spite of the specific warning against this in Greyhawk). Monsters have d8 hit dice, multiple attacks, and variable damage, while PCs are stuck with d6 damage and d4 hit dice for thieves and magic-users.
ReplyDeleteThinking back, this is probably a major reason for me and everyone I know using the 'optional' variable weapon damage in Moldvay (in fact many people never realised it was only optional).