Alternative Systems for AD & DTM

Combat #1

Initiative

Notes: I've never really bought the idea of a minute-long melee round. Yes, I've heard all of the explanations, and while I agree that in a given battle there will be a lot of to-and-fro, I can't believe that, on average, each combatant will only have one opportunity to cause injury for every minute that passes. This, like so much of AD&D, smacks heavily of a rationalisation for a very old ruling that dates back to Chainmail wargaming days. (I know that in 3rd Ed, the minute-long round has finally been done away with.) Here's my system for handling actions in a round:

Each melee round can be thought of as roughly ten seconds long. For Initiative, everyone involved rolls 1d10 (low is good), with a negative modifier equal to their usual Reaction Adjustment for Dex. The DM then counts up from 0, and players call out when it's their go.

The Casting Time of a Spell adds directly to the caster's Initiative, so spellcasters should call out something like "starting to cast (whatever)..." on their rolled Initiative, and then 'spell goes off' when the Casting Time has been completed. The good thing about this is that it's finally possible to tell exactly when casting can be interrupted by a blow - any successful hit or jostle during those initiative counts will ruin the spell. Characters with multiple attacks (e.g. specialised warriors, people firing bows, etc) will attack once on their rolled Initiative, and again 5 counts later, with further multiple attacks coming 5 counts later, and so on. Creatures with multiple attacks can be assumed to resolve all attacks on their Initiative roll.

A character can always choose to hold their action until a later initiative count, perhaps waiting until an enemy wizard begins to cast before striking.

It should already be obvious that high-Dex characters may end up with an Initiative of less than 0, and that multiple attacks and spells often extend the initiative count beyond 10. Don't worry about this - I generally start the count with "negative numbers...zeros, ones..." etc., and then go on to ask for actions after 10 at the end, lumping everything together into one 'round'. Once they've all been resolved, it's time to roll for Initiative again.

This system does tend to assume that NPCs and monsters should each have individually rolled Initiatives, too, and that it's the burden of the DM to keep track of them. This is extra effort, I agree, but it can be simplified with an Excel (or similar) spreadsheet that generates random rolls of 1-10, printed out beforehand. Just tick off the rolls as you use them up. If, instead, you choose to give monsters a group Initiative, you end up with the odd spectacle of a squad of Orcs simultaneously swinging axes, then waiting politely until it's their collective go again. This not only seems silly, it means that wily spellcasters can make sure that their spells are never interrupted, by waiting until all the bad guys have had their attack before casting.

Furthermore, some mental note should be kept with regard to spell durations. Anything listed as lasting one or more rounds is fine, but spells with durations in old-style minutes may need adjusting. The decision here is as to whether a spell is combat or non-combat. Combat spells with durations in 'minute rounds' should be given the same duration, but in the new 10-second rounds. Non-combat spells can keep their current duration, in minutes or whatever.

Called Shots

Notes: I'm not an exponent of Hit Locations in AD&D, but I do feel that a little extra colour benefits combat. I should point out that the following system has not been rigorously tested, but it shouldn't unbalance things.

On the table that follows each Called Shot must be announced before the To Hit roll is made. Making a Called Shot adds 1 to the Initiative count (looking for an opening), and will have a To Hit penalty as shown below. The resulting special effect only occurs if damage from the blow equals 25% or more of the victim's normal total (unwounded) HP, and the duration is 1d6 rounds, unless stated otherwise below.

For creatures of non-human shape, it should be easy to decide on the appropriate penalty and effect, using the below as a guideline. Note that enemies wearing appropriate protection - full-face helmets, for instance - might be declared immune to certain Called Shot locations.

Called Shot To: To Hit Penalty: Effect:
Head -4 Defender Stunned; they attack at -4 and lose 2 AC
Eye -8 Defender permanently blind in that eye; all ranged attacks at -2
Arm -4 Defender's arm is numbed; drop anything carried; arm is useless
Leg -5 Defender's leg is numbed; roll under Dex on 1d20 each round of combat or fall
Disarm Attack vs AC 0* Defender's weapon flies 1d10 feet in a random direction. Large weapons require two successive Called Shots
Aimed Disarm Attack Vs AC-3* Defender's weapon flies 1-10 ft as aimed by attacker. Cannot be done against large weapons

* Defender's Parrying bonus should also apply as a penalty.

Additional Weapons

Notes: Here's a selection of weapons from Pangea, my long-running campaign. A few of them are specific to certain cultures, and bear out my belief that Dwarves are hard-done by in AD&D. The Goblin Bow may seem overpowered here; below I give increased damage values for other bows.

Bow, Goblin
Cost 15gp, 2lb, ROF 2, Damage 1d6. S-50y, M-100y, L-150y
Broadsword
Cost 12gp, 4lb, Damage 2d4
Claws (Bagh Nakh) Pair
Cost 5gp, 2lb, Damage 1d3. Two blows/round
Maul
Cost 5gp, 10lb, Damage 2d4, two-handed
Spear, Long (2H)
Cost 15sp, 8lb, Damage 2d4
Stiletto
Cost 2gp, 1/2lb, Damage 1d3
Waraxe, Dwarvish
Cost 20gp, 10lb, Damage 1d10, two-handed
Warhammer, Dwarvish
Cost 10gp, 8lb, Damage 2d4, two-handed
Lasso
Cost 5sp, 5lb, ROF ½, S-3y, M-5y, L-10y*
Net
Cost 5gp, 10lb, ROF ½, S-3y, M-4y, L-5y*

* These are Entangling Weapons - see below

NB: Missile damage for other bows: Shortbow - 1d8, Longbow - 1d10, Light Crossbow - 2d4, Heavy Crossbow - 2d8

Entangling Weapons

Notes: This system attempts to account for such things as lassoes, nets, bolas and the like. Generally such weapons will not be affected by the armour worn by the target, but are affected by such things as Dex bonus to AC and shields.

Lassoes:

1d10: Effect:
1-3 Caught round target's throat; takes 1d4 Subdual Damage each round unless throat is armoured*
4-6 Caught round target's arms and chest; arms immobile until rope cut or successful Bend Bars roll made*
7-9 Caught round target's waist; no added effects*
10 Caught round target's legs; legs immobile and will fall unless rolls 1d20 under Dex-4*

* In all cases, the attacker may roll an opposed Str vs. Str to pull the defender off his feet, each round until the rope is cut.

Nets:

On a hit assume that the net, if large enough, has entangled the victim. Victims cannot use long weapons, and, as above, the attacker may roll an opposed Str vs. Str to pull the defender off his feet, each round until the net is cut or broken.

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