From The Red Book to the New Book

[Suteinu]

From Basic to 5th Edition:
Iconic PC’s from the Red Book

Although I was introduced to D&D just as 2nd Ed D&D was hitting its stride, it was made through the good ol’ Basic D&D Red Book. It made quite a first impression. Larry Elmore’s artwork has stuck with me, reminding me of the newness and sense of possibilities I experienced upon that first encounter. (Later, I purchased an acquaintance's AD&D PHB, not yet realizing that there was a second edition out and that I was funding his purchase thereof. Heck, Trampas Whitman’s artwork was cooler anyhow, in an underground, old-school way!)

As an exercise in character creation for 5th Ed, I’ve gone back to the old Red Book, using the pre-gen characters therein as my guide. Six of them have stat blocks printed on pg. 34, but the first one is in the “pick-a-path-”style character from the book’s introduction and there is a similar fighter statted out on pg. 31. This gives us 8 characters to build.

The method I’ve used to build these characters is to translate them as simply and directly as possible from the Red Book to the 5th Ed standards. Stats were transferred directly, then I modified them by 5th Ed rules for races; the Red Book offered no such modifiers. The classes and races were fairly straight forward, with each of the humans having a class of there own and each of the demi-humans taking the Fighter class (I’ll `splain later.) When it came to equipment, I went by the 5th Ed arrangements of weapons, armor, and gear, then lined those choices up to reflect closely (though oft not exactly) the descriptions on the Red Book. For backgrounds, I mostly relied on Mr. Elmore’s artwork to judge each character’s attitude and up-bringing. The names were, with one exception, taken directly from the class descriptions in the Red Book, embellishing it or not as I saw fit.

Let’s begin:

[Suteinu]

The Fighter from the Introductory Adventure
Telmus Tanner (Ftr 1)
NG male human, Folk Hero, Proficiency +2, 13 hp
Str 17 (+3), Dex 12 (+1), Con 16 (+3), Int 9 (-1), Wis 9 (-1), Cha 14 (+2)
Prof. Saves: Strength, Constitution
Skill/ Tool Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Perception, Survival,
Land vehicle, Leather working tools
Languages: Common
Feats: Dungeon Delver
Fighting Style: Dueling
Equ: Longsword, dagger, chainmail armor, shield, dungeoneer’s pack, common outfit,
belt pouch, crowbar

Here is the Fighter as Grandfather Gygax intended: melee focused, a mighty-deeds doer, and a good people person, if a bit shy on book-larnin’.

The reader plays him on his first adventure, wherein Telmus relies on his militia training, dice rolls, and the reader’s daring. He’s a local boy done good, so I decided to give him the Folk Hero background. As with all the other humans here, I built him with the alternate human option: +1 to two ability scores, +1 proficiency in a skill/ tool set, and +1 feat at level 1. Since I played through the game before re-building these PC’s, and he proved wary of traps (lucky dice rolls,) I decided that he should have the Dungeon Delver feat. To simplify his gear, I got him the dungeoneer’s pack. In keeping with the idea that he is a well-rounded youngster with a noble heart and and adventurous spirit, I think that he would advance as a Champion, though he has yet to reach that point in his advancement.


The Cleric
Clarion of the Healing Hand (Clc 1, Deity: Pelor, or setting equivalent)
LG female human, Acolyte, Proficiency +2, 10 hp
Str 10 (+0), Dex 9 (-1), Con 14 (+2), Int 11 (+0), Wis 17 (+3), Cha 16 (+3)
Prof. Saves: Wisdom, Charisma
Skill/ Tool Proficiencies: History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, Religion
Languages: Common, Celestial, Elvish, Primal
Feats: Healer
Domain: Healing
Equ: Mace, dagger, shield, chainmail armor, priest’s pack, holy symbol, belt pouch,
vestments, common outfit

Clarion is the classic healer/ warrior of D&D. She is an Acolyte (there used to be titles for each class level and this fit) of Pelor, god of healing (assuming a Greyhawk setting, though the fact that her shield bears an insignia reminiscent of Krynn’s Knights of Solomnia could place here there instead, and the Mystara setting, the probable homeland of these characters by publication history, offers an even broader option.)

Clarion wields mace & shield and holy symbol, the latter better than the former. While her offensive physical stats leave something to be desired, she has great defensive capabilities due to her heavy armor, cleric spells, and domain powers. As a soldier of the faith who was raised behind protective walls (cloistered, possibly indoctrinated,) Clarion carries a priest’s pack; her faith is all she’s ever needed. That’s not to say that she’s been sheltered. Her skill proficiencies and feat show that she has had quite a bit of medical training and time spent comforting the wounded, the sick, and the dying. She has likely seen some horrors in her young life.

Making her a cleric of Light rather than of Healing would also work well, if one wanted to emphasize the Cleric’s roll as turner-of-the-undead more than that of the healer. Also, the aforementioned emblem on her shield might point her more toward a War-based build.


The Fighter (p. 31)
Fleetwood MacKells (Ftr 1)
CN human male, Entertainer (Gladiator), Proficiency +2, 12 hp
Str 17 (+3), Dex 13 (+1), Con 15 (+2), Int 7 (-2), Wis 9 (-1), Cha 8 (-1)
Prof. Saves: Strength, Constitution
Skill/ Tool Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Performance,
Disguise Kit
Languages: Common, Giantese
Feats: Mobile
Fighting Style: Two-Weapon Fighting
Equ: Longsword, 2 hand axes, chainmail, shield, explorer’s pack, belt pouch, common
outfit, arena outfit, antique dwarvish brooch

These stats come from the partially filled-in character sheet example in the middle of the book. While some of the inspiration is taken from the section that explains the Fighter class, the picture that I went with was the one on the cover; if that doesn’t say Int 7, I give up! “I couldn’t think of anything else to do, so I just went at `im.”
His miss-matched armor and over-the-top helmet, along with his audience pleasing apparent courageousness, lead me to see in him the Entertainer (Gladiator) background. Fleetwood is an act-first kind of guy, physical, fearless, and bold! While his stats are among the more inferior (by min-maxing standards,) they do make it easier to play him up as the brash, swashbuckling, glory-seeking Fighter we’ve all come to know and love (to varrying degrees.)


The Magic-User
Felonius the Seer (Wiz 1)
N human male, Sage (Apprentice), Proficiency +2, 8 hp
Str 8 (-1), Dex 16 (+3), Con 14 (+2), Int 17 (+3), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 10 (+0)
Prof. Saves: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skill/ Tool Proficiencies: Arcana, Deception, History, Insight, Investigation, Perception,
Performance, Survival
Languages: Common, Draconic, Gnomish
Feats: Skilled
Cantrips: Firebolt, Light, Prestidigitation
Spellbook: Alarm, Detect Magic, Magic Missile, Protection from Good and Evil, Sleep,
Tasha’s (Uncontrollable) Hideous Laughter
Equ: Component pouch, spellbook, scholar’s pack, common outfit, tiny gnomish
music box that plays a dimly-remembered melody

Ah, the magic-user! The fellow who really put the magic in sword and sorcery games, despite the fact that, at level 1, he could be killed by his own familiar. So many ways to go here! “The Seer” implies that he is (or will be) a Diviner. The name “Felonius” tells of an anti-social, possibly “Criminal background,” though if he was an Acolyte he could be a Felonius monk (Tool Proficiency: keyboard instruments.) That would counter intuitively imply, perhaps, the Entertainer background. Ah, the problem of word-play …

So let’s look at it this way: mastery of magic is supposed to be rare enough that it is a wondrous thing. Felonius might then stand out as an odd-ball eccentric, likely secretive, maybe artistic. Now I’m picturing a young Tom Waits, and one of Bigby’s apprentices, too. He has a basic set of spells, useful but with character, and a broad range of skills that attest to his eccentricity and learnedness. He’s a fellow who is familiar with the local nightlife, observant, able to out-drink most of his fellow apprentices (Con 14,) and with a flair for the dramatic (Performance, Prestidigitation.)

“Spinnin’ a cyclomatic slipstream of mystic magic missiles down a darkly shone street, where the moon-stolen sunlight shines Spanish onto an elvish misconception of my precarious emotional interconnection to a pipe-stuffed dreamer, and a fellow malcontent pours forth his survivalistic insecurities from a ten-copper scabbard, all patent pleather and second-hand bronze, until an otherwise pointless interplay of exchanges is run-through from beginning to the hilt, stopping a dangerously ill-conceived conversation shorter than a near-sighted halfling’s downcast gaze.” Now I’m having fun!

Thief
Greegan Broadknife (Rge 1)
CN human male, Criminal, Proficiency +2, 9 hp
Str 16 (+3), Dex 18 (+4), Con 12 (+1), Int 14 (+2), Wis 9 (-1), Cha 8 (-1)
Prof. Saves: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skill/ Tool Proficiencies: Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Slight of
Hand, Stealth; Playing Cards, Thieves’ Tools
Languages: Common, Thieves’ Cant
Feats: Skulker
Equ: Shortsword, 2 daggers, shortbow, leather armor, thieves’ tools, burglar’s pack,
playing cards, belt pouch, false belt pouch (w/ lead slugs,) silver teardrop earring (made from a real teardrop)

Rogue indeed! This fellow knows what he is and is proud of it:

“I won’t (help)! What are we, some charitable institution? WE’RE THIEVES!!”
-a dedicated Thief from a very famous movie

The title and job description of Thief seem to call for the Criminal background pretty directly. For skills, we cover all of the traditional Thief Skills of the elder edition.

Now, the old-school Thief’s three most distinguishing abilities are stealth, backstabbing, and trap finding. In a dungeon environment, each are equally important for a scout and a second-story man. This points us to three feats for level 1: Alertness (reactions, scouting senses,) Dungeon Delver (dealing w/ traps,) and Skulker (stealthy actions.) 5E’s Rogue can do these things with equal ease, so none are truly necessary; it’s just a matter of what we wish to emphasize with Greegan. Since Greegan strikes me as the sort who would make backstabbing a priority (see what I did there?), I went with Skulker. Naturally, at 3rd level he will travel the whoot-owl Path of the Thief.

So do we meet Greegan Broadknife, the Thief, a “field agent and consultant for treasure-hunters.” He is a self-serving mercenary type with either a contract, some personal loyalty, or a reputation to preserve to keep him with the other PC’s. Greegan is one of those guys you want ahead of you in the dungeon, and at your side in a fight. At your back, well …


The Dwarf
Thaco Rolf, clan Bruinheim (Ftr 1)
LG hill dwarvish male, Noble, Proficiency +2, 11 hp
Str 16 (+3), Dex 14 (+2), Con 11 (+0), Int 7 (-2), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 9 (-1)
Prof. Saves: Strength, Constitution
Skill/ Tool Proficiencies: History, Intimidation, Investigation, Persuasion, Dragonchess
game, Gemcutter’s tools
Languages: Dwarvish, Common
Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighter
Equ: Battle axe, shortsword, dagger, scalemail, shield, dungeoneer’s pack, fine clothes,
common clothes, signet ring, scroll case/ family tree and pedigree, purse (40 gp), gem cutter's tools, dragonchess set

Now for the demi-humans. These races were represented as classes of their own back in the day for simplicity’s sake. This did help to reinforce the stereotypes that go with their respective species and cultures. Each is based on the Fighter class (weapon and armor proficiencies) then add their own racial abilities as class abilities.

Rolf the Dwarf, a stout fellow of earthy nature and noble bearing. The hill dwarves are traditionally the ones most likely met, and the +1 hp/ HD never hurt anyone. The illustration on pg. 49 shows the expected aloofness of his people in his bearing and expression.

Not among the elder sons of his noble father, his education in the finer things was extensive if not deep. When it comes to it, though, he likes to fight, and is good at it. His favored weapon currently is his axe, which he can wield best with both hands, but can fight axe-and-shield if necessary. His equipment reflects his nobility of birth and the dwarvish preference for subterranean environs.


The Elf
Belrain (Ftr 1)
CG high elvish female, Sage, Proficiency +2, 9 hp
Str 16 (+3), Dex 16 (+3), Con 9 (-1), Int 10 (+0), Wis 7 (-2), Cha 11 (+0)
Prof. Saves: Strength, Constitution
Skill/ Tool Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Arcana, History, Perception, Performance; Languages: Elven, Common, Orcish, Primal, Sylvan
Cantrip: Friendship
Fighting Style: Dueling
Equ: Longsword, longbow, dagger, studded leather armor, shield, explorer’s pack

Belrain is a high elf, the “basic” elf type. The Red Book’s elf class is essentially a fighter/ magic user (here is the spirit of the Bladesinger,) so she is a Fighter with an eye on the Eldritch Knight Path. As a high elf, she knows a single cantrip at level 1. I chose for her Friendship, as it is the closest cantrip to Charm Person spell in the Red Book elf’s spellbook. She carries an explorer’s pack, being self-reliant, individualistic, and the above-ground type. Longsword and bow are the signature weapons of the elf, so they are present, too.

The Hob- er, Halfling
Alton Touchberry (Ftr 1)
NG “lightfoot” halfling male, Entertainer, Proficiency +2, 9 hp
Str 16 (+3), Dex 11 (+0), Con 9 (-1), Int 11 (+0), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 8 (-1)
Prof. Saves: Strength, Constitution
Skill/ Tool Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Insight, Perception, Performance, Disguise Kit,
Bagpipe
Languages: Halfling, Common
Fighting Style: Archery
Equ: Shortsword, shortbow, 2 tomahawks (hand axes), throwing stones, chainmail
armor, explorer’s pack, common outfit, stage outfit, bagpipe

First things first: I did not come up with the name “Touchberry.” I’m not sure if they misspelled “Toughberry” or “Tookberry” or what, but that’s the name they gave in the Red Book. Also, the stats are not what one typically thinks of when thinking “halfling;” dexterity usually gets preference over strength. Still, it is a Fighter build, so there it is. The lightfoot sub-race and the Archery style help to bring the old-fashioned sneak-and-sling hob- I mean, halfling we all knew back to the fore, despite the slightly lower-than-average dexterity offered here. Luck gets him through when the dice are really against him. He’s prepared for light and fast combat, and able to sing for his supper when the occasion presents itself.

Alton “Don’t” Touchberry is a tale-spinner, a piper, a whistler, a romantic, a poet, a bit of a big-mouth, and a usually amiable fellow. No wonder they didn’t try to keep him among the homebodies of Rivertown. Although possessed of a certain amount of common sense and insight, this burly young fellow was more apt to get into mischief. He enjoyed helping others with hard work (never his own,) story and song, drinking and wrestling. He finally “Took” to the road to make his own stories…


And, as a bonus …

[Suteinu]

Warduke


Scythus Retario, the Warduke, Evil Fighter, Chaotic Superhero (Ftr 1)
CE human male, Mercenary, Proficiency +2, 12 hp
Str 16 (+3), Dex 12 (+1), Con 14 (+2), Int 9 (-1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 11 (+0)
Prof. Saves: Strength, Constitution
Skill/ Tool Proficiencies: Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception
Feats: Martial Adept (Feinting Strike, Menacing Attack)
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Infernal, Skylla’s Cypher (from another charater’s
Linguist feat)
Fighting Style: Defense
Equ: Longsword, dagger, hand axe, half-plate, shield, spear, net, garotte, explorer’s
pack, common outfit, arena outfit, 2 belt pouches


I re-created Warduke from the module “Quest for the Heartstone” for 5E and am currently playing him in a campaign. Right now, he is 7th level (Ftr 5, Rge 2) and a fine combat tactician, due more to insight and instinct than intelligence. What intrigued me about the idea initially was the title “Chaotic Superhero.” Look at those stats! That’s after the alternate human mods! Origionally (see “Quest for the Heartstone,”) his Dex & Wis were each one lower, and he’s a superhero? That would never stand in a post-Drizzt AD&D, nor in editions 3-4; just look at his stats from 3.5 as posted in Dungeon Magazine. Yet the 5E game balance is such that this was good stuff with which to work. For his background I chose Mercenary, a combination of Criminal and Outlander. The skills I chose based on battlefield prowess, survival instinct, and having to deal with people. This is also before he finds the Helmet, though he did get to begin with his iconic gladiatorial plate.

[Petrocorus]

The method I’ve used to build these characters is to translate them as simply and directly as possible from the Red Book to the 5th Ed standards. Stats were transferred directly, then I modified them by 5th Ed rules for races; the Red Book offered no such modifiers.

Did you check the equivalent point buy allotment of the given stats?



The Cleric
Clarion is the classic healer/ warrior of D&D. She is an Acolyte (there used to be titles for each class level and this fit) of Pelor, god of healing (assuming a Greyhawk setting, though the fact that her shield bears an insignia reminiscent of Krynn’s Knights of Solomnia could place here there instead.)

If the Red Book you're referring to is indeed, as i believe, the Basic Box of the famous BECMI collection of Basic D&D which was published in parallel of ADD1, then the setting is probably Mystara, and the symbol probably refer to one of Mystara gods.
Making her a Light Cleric may indeed fit the BECMI Cleric better.



The Elf
Belrain (Ftr 1)
CG high elvish female, Sage, Proficiency +2, 9 hp
Str 16 (+3), Dex 16 (+3), Con 9 (-1), Int 10 (+0), Wis 7 (-2), Cha 11 (+0)

Belrain is a high elf, the “basic” elf type. The Red Book’s elf class is essentially a fighter/ magic user (here is the spirit of the Bladesinger,) so she is a Fighter with an eye on the Eldritch Knight Path.


Then why not make her a Bladesinger, IIRC.
Did she really had only 10 in Int in the book?



The Hob- er, Halfling
Alton Touchberry (Ftr 1)
NG “lightfoot” halfling male, Entertainer, Proficiency +2, 9 hp
Str 16 (+3), Dex 11 (+0), Con 9 (-1), Int 11 (+0), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 8 (-1)
Prof. Saves: Strength, Constitution
Skill/ Tool Proficiencies: Accrobatics, Insight, Perception, Performance, Disguise Kit,
Bagpipe

My memory is fuzzy on this, but IIRC, the halflings had some rogue abilities, like they were stealthy or something?

[Suteinu]

"Did you check the equivalent point buy allotment of the given stats?"

No, I just went with the stats given and modified them by the 5E rules. Never much cared for point-buy, really, except when making characters for games at conventions. I'm old-fashioned and like to roll the bones!



"If the Red Book you're referring to is indeed, as i believe, the Basic Box of the famous BECMI collection of Basic D&D which was published in parallel of ADD1, then the setting is probably Mystara, and the symbol probably refer to one of Mystara gods. Making her a Light Cleric may indeed fit the BECMI Cleric better."

Good point. In that case, there's a good bit more freedom for the player. As I recall, they took no great pains to detail the setting's pantheon, mentioning merely that folks had their religions. Later, "Immortals" were introduced, but weren't technically gods, though some presented themselves as such.



"... why not make her a Bladesinger, IIRC.
Did she really had only 10 in Int in the book?"

The classes were closer to Fighter-type builds, so I went with that, but building her as a Wizard/ Bladesinger makes good sense.
And her Intelligence is actually 9 in the Red Book. After making her a High elf a la 5E, it went up to 10.
Obviously, this game preceded the concept of min/maxing :smallbiggrin:



"My memory is fuzzy on this, but IIRC, the halflings had some rogue abilities, like they were stealthy or something?"

The ability was called Hiding. It simply allowed a halfling to easily conceal himself, though far more easily in wooded or brushland surroundings, less so in subterranean settings or in the presence of light sources, and almost never in the presence of magical light sources. These were not modified by Dexterity, to keep the game simple I assume. Since Alton isn't a Rogue, per se, I simply have him rely on the halfling Luck and the Lightfoot Naturally Stealthy abilities.

[Petrocorus]

Good point. In that case, there's a good bit more freedom for the player. As I recall, they took no great pains to detail the setting's pantheon, mentioning merely that folks had their religions. Later, "Immortals" were introduced, but weren't technically gods, though some presented themselves as such.

I don't remember there was much setting info in the BECMI boxes, though i only ever used the Red and the Blue (Expert i believed), most of this was disseminated in the Gazetteers and the modules, IIRC.



"... why not make her a Bladesinger, IIRC.
Did she really had only 10 in Int in the book?"
And her Intelligence is actually 9 in the Red Book. After making her a High elf a la 5E, it went up to 10.
Obviously, this game preceded the concept of min/maxing :smallbiggrin:


Oh myy.... I don't remember BECMI well enough, but i remember that ADD1 was already emphasising that Int was the big stat for magic-user. I remember that at the concept was a bit "roll your stats and go to town with what the eff you rolled."

[Suteinu]

"Oh myy.... I don't remember BECMI well enough, but i remember that ADD1 was already emphasising that Int was the big stat for magic-user. I remember that at the concept was a bit 'roll your stats and go to town with what the eff you rolled.'"

I've just had a look over the Red Book. There doesn't seem to be any direct advantage for having a high Intelligence for Magic-User spellcasting aside from her high Intelligence gets her a bonus percentage of XP, thus more quickly advancing to more spells. Yes, in AD&D there is a direct reliance on high Intelligence for both base-line and bonus spells, but again, this was Basic D&D, so there was probably a concerted effort to make things as simple as possible. Also, these "racial classes" were based more on the Fighter class; the spells are considered a racial bonus, not a class focus, so she really is more of a Fighter than a Magic-User.

[MaxWilson]

"Did you check the equivalent point buy allotment of the given stats?"

No, I just went with the stats given and modified them by the 5E rules. Never much cared for point-buy, really, except when making characters for games at conventions. I'm old-fashioned and like to roll the bones!

I approve. A straight conversion is the right way to proceed.

I hope you enjoy 5E!

[Once a Fool]

First, thanks for writing this up. Very entertaining read!

A few thoughts, though:

First, as previously alluded to, Mystara had no gods. Instead, there were Immortals (okay, effectively demi-gods) and ideals.

Second, I get why you would want the halfling to be a lightfoot for the stealth ability, but I wonder if stout wouldn't be a better choice. Perhaps with a custom background for stealth.

Finally, regarding Intelligence in Basic: not only did it have very little actual significance for a spellcaster, a 9 wasn't actually even below average, although it was on the low end of it. Penalties didn't start kicking in on stats until you got down to 8 (and bonuses didn't kick in until 13). Moving forward with this character, I'd focus on utility spells, perhaps with a wizard multiclass for increased options and ritual caster.

[Suteinu]

Petrocorus and Once a Fool: Made a note of the wierd Mystara gods-or-lack-there-of. Thanks for the reminder.


Once a Fool & MaxWilson: Glad y'all enjoyed it! I like to entertain.


Once a Fool: Good suggestion about the Hob- I mean, halfling. I did almost go that route, but opted for the lightfoot because it was more the traditional, base-line model. Also, yeah, the 9-11 range of stats tend to be the average. One of the things I am really enjoying about 5E is that one does not feel as pressured into having super stats as in editions previous. Makes one play more.

[Petrocorus]

Petrocorus and Once a Fool: Made a note of the wierd Mystara gods-or-lack-there-of. Thanks for the reminder.

There is apparently a website (pandius.com/) dedicated to Mystara. I'd quite like to see the setting info gathered in some sort of book / compendium.



Once a Fool & MaxWilson: Glad y'all enjoyed it! I like to entertain.

It is entertaining.



Once a Fool: Good suggestion about the Hob- I mean, halfling. I did almost go that route, but opted for the lightfoot because it was more the traditional, base-line model. Also, yeah, the 9-11 range of stats tend to be the average. One of the things I am really enjoying about 5E is that one does not feel as pressured into having super stats as in editions previous. Makes one play more.

Some background like City bounty hunter could give him the Stealth skill. Or he could be a Ranger. That might fit too.

[Once a Fool]

Once a Fool: Good suggestion about the Hob- I mean, halfling. I did almost go that route, but opted for the lightfoot because it was more the traditional, base-line model. Also, yeah, the 9-11 range of stats tend to be the average. One of the things I am really enjoying about 5E is that one does not feel as pressured into having super stats as in editions previous. Makes one play more.

Specifically 9-12. The breakdown was as follows:

3: -3
4-5: -2
6-8: -1
9-12: +/-0
13-15: +1
16-17: +2
18: +3

An astute observer may note that the bell curve so formed parallels the bell curve of probabilities that 3d6 yield. (The 4 most common results in the center, followed by the next 3 common in each direction, followed by the next 2 in each direction, and finally, the least common at each extremity.)

The simple elegance of this design is something I've long wanted to reintroduce into D&D.

[Petrocorus]

Specifically 9-12. The breakdown was as follows:

3: -3
4-5: -2
6-8: -1
9-12: +/-0
13-15: +1
16-17: +2
18: +3

An astute observer may note that the bell curve so formed parallels the bell curve of probabilities that 3d6 yield. (The 4 most common results in the center, followed by the next 3 common in each direction, followed by the next 2 in each direction, and finally, the least common at each extremity.)

The simple elegance of this design is something I've long wanted to reintroduce into D&D.
I'm personally glad it was abandoned. Yes, it's elegant and make sense if you roll 3d6. But it also mean that in practice, a guy with 12 in Str is not really stronger than a guy with 9, and a guy with 15 is barely stronger. And a guy with 18 is mybe 3 times stronger than a guy with 15, from point of view the of bonus to hit and dmg.
It was even worse in ADD1, i remember playing a ranger with 17 in Str and being really weak compared to the guys with 18. And also playing a Cleric with 15 in almost all stat and having almost no bonuses.
With a point buy system, i really believe the linear system we have since 3.0 is much more elegant and more logical. It also help to live without a 18. Even if optimizer will always want it and if some other part of the rules made people crave for it.

[randomodo]

Petrocorus and Once a Fool: Made a note of the wierd Mystara gods-or-lack-there-of. Thanks for the reminder.


The game I'm running is in Mystara but I couldn't make myself go with the immortals route, so I've got more conventional D&D gods - a small pantheon for the native Traladarans of Karameikos and several of the Forgotten Realms gods for the occupying Thyatians. Seems to work out okay.

[Cyan Wisp]

Thank you for your colourful conversions! These bring back good memories, many of which are olfactory, for some reason - the smell of the box and the books, the crayons, the cooking in the house while I read the books (at 10 years old). My red set is long gone, unfortunately.

My favourite piece of art in that book was always Greegan. Thieves/rogues have always resonated to me, and I think that picture just summed them up. 5e rogues are so much fun to play (mainly due to cunning action).

Belrain the elf was a good compromise, though I would rather see her weaker (str 12), more intelligent (14) and heading for MC fighter/wizard.

I'm semi-surprised that you didn't stat out Aleena the cleric, though. :smallredface:

[Suteinu]

Randomodo: I'm interested; with which deitied did you deign to deify your D&D domain?

[Suteinu]

Cyan: Thanks, glad it brought back such memories. The olfactory part resonates with me, too. Every time I open one of the old books, I go back to the days when I'd finally gotten my own room, all my music was on cassette tapes, and D&D had a line of action figures, right next to GI Joe, Masters of the Universe, and Star Wars.

I didn't make Aleema because she wasn't given any stats in the book. Sure, I could have used the stats given on the pre-gen page, but she was also pretty dead by that time ....