Welcome to the House Rules!

This comprehensive review lists verbatim optional or questionable rules from the AD&D Players Handbook that have ruled upon by the DM Lamashtu. Please use these rulings as a guide, and should further questions arise always defer to the DM whom ultimately has the final say.

Note: Rulings are below their items, not above. (So you don’t get lost!)

Ruling:

• Character Creation uses 4d6 keep 3 – arrange as you like.

• Henchmen will be rolled the same way.

• Mercenaries and Hirelings will generally be created using Meatshields (http://www.barrowmaze.com/meatshields) – otherwise will use 3d6 arranged in order.

• In the event one of these becomes a PC or a Henchman, they will receive up to 3 ability points to the player’s choice of attribute to meet the prime requisite of a class the DM and player agree would make sense. If the Player and DM cannot agree, or the 3 points isn’t enough to pick another class, the class will be Fighter – and the Strength will be set to 9, or whatever was rolled – whichever is higher.

• First level PCs begin with max h.p. for their class’s hit dice.

Ruling:

• No subterranean races

Ruling:

• Skills are unrestricted, but the DM requests players try to stick to skills that fit their character.

Ruling:

• Alignment languages are not full blown languages – they are a means by which creatures sharing an alignment can communicate certain vital aspects of shared philosophy; concepts such as power structures, ownerships, interrelationships, value, and priority.

• Players may only begin the game proficient in their own alignment languages.

• Players may only begin the game proficient in “standard” languages for their background and class (a sage might well know obscure languages, but a dwarf fighter is unlikely to know more than his own tongue, common, and perhaps the language(s) of his racial enemies).

Ruling:

• Do not roll for this.

Ruling:

• Starting characters will not need to worry about this table.

• Established characters may end up using this table as a basis for their household costs, but we’ll worry about the details later.

Ruling:

• Do not roll on this column.

Ruling:

• Roll on this column.

Ruling:

• The basis of the economy is the silver piece, rather than the gold piece.

• Prices for “common” goods and weapons are reduced one primary level of coin (1p.p. becomes 1g.p., 1g.p. becomes 1s.p., and so on)

• Between copper and silver are b.p. (bronze pieces)

• Treasure received will generally be adjusted in this light – at the DM’s discretion
• x.p. remains calculated as 1×.p. per gold piece

• Magic items other than potions keep their price in g.p.; “common” potions will be figured in s.p.

• Gems retain their current listed values

• Coins weigh 100 to the lb.

Relative values:

200 copper pieces (c.p.) = 1 gold piece (g.p)
100 bronze pieces (b.p.) = 1 gold piece (g.p.)
10 silver pieces (s.p.) = 1 gold piece (g.p.)
2 electrum pieces (e.p.) = 1 gold piece (g.p.)
20 gold pieces (g.p.) = 1 platinum piece (p.p.)

Ruling:

• Tracked between sessions.

• Common sense is the rule of the day.

• Also note that coins are assumed to be 100 to the lb, which means approximately 10x the coin capacities stated above.

Ruling:

• Experience points shall be gained for each 1g.p. of coin or bullion, gems, and items of art retrieved via exploration or the defeat of enemies – this includes pickpocketing and other forms of theft.

• g.p. gained through business, gambling, and similar accrues no x.p.

• Multi-classed characters continue to divide experience by the number of classes they have, even when their level(s) are maxed.

• Experience points are gained for defeating enemies/monsters – this includes tricking enemies, talking them down, and gaining their cooperation. At the DM’s discretion avoidance and even flight may warrant an award of x.p.

• Especially good deaths will trigger an experience award to be applied to any henchman, mercenary, or hireling who the player chooses to become a full PC.

Note: This bonus is lost if the player chooses to roll a new character.

Experience for magical items is awarded thusly:

• 1/4 of book x.p. value to the identifier of the item.

• 1/4 of book x.p. value to the owner of the item.

• 1/2 of book x.p. value upon first use/consumption of the item.

• Items sold award only any applicable identifier’s x.p.

• Items for which full x.p. were ultimately award that are later sold shall subtract 3/4 of their x.p. value from the owner (but will never cause the seller to lose a level).

• Full book x.p. value for the creation of magic items (divided among all participants if more than one – the prime artificer to receive 1/3 share, the remainder to be split).

Ruling:

• In cases where an experience award happens during actual play, the player may add to their h.p., and use any improved to-hit tables or saving throws IMMEDIATELY

• New skills, powers, spells, spell slots, etc. must wait until they have paid for and received the requisite training or DM mandated equivalent

• Actual award of x.p. will usually take place when PCs have returned to a civilized place, or after any adventure taking place in a civilized area – however they DM may make awards as he sees fit, either as a matter of campaign pacing, or judgment that early award makes sense in a given case.

Ruling:

• Optional rule not being included in the game.

Ruling:

• A roll-to-hit of a natural 20 always hits, but it not a critical hit.

• A maximum roll for damage will follow method B above.

Ruling:

• Method B.

Rulings:

• This rule is in effect as 100 s.p./month.

Ruling:

• This rule is in effect.