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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jan 2018

    Default Running H1 and figuring out gear for party.

    Hello everyone, random, wonderful and probably dumb question.
    I am going to be running H1 the Bloodstone books (1-4) for my party. It's for levels 15+ and naturally this is new characters and although I know Gygax LOVED his charts, but he also really loved saying "no start at level 1" so I can't find in the dmg if there is a chart for starting higher or not.

    So my question is, if there is a chart I am missing can someone tell me? OR If anyone has some good recommendations for what people around 2,000,000 exp would have?

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Lord Torath's Avatar

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    Default Re: Running H1 and figuring out gear for party.

    I've got a few suggestions for you. First, I think the Monster Manual (or possibly the 2E Monstrous Manual, which should be close enough for this purpose) had tables and rules for equipping NPC parties with magic items based on the level of the NPC.

    Another option is to let each player spend, say 10-15% (or maybe 1 - 1.5%) of their current XP level on magic items. You might prohibit certain items (No Deck of Many Things, or Rings of Wishes), or limit the PCs to items below a certain XP value.

    Third, you can decide each PC starts out with, say 10 magic items, and they can decide how many are from which category (Ring, Wand/Staff/Rod, Weapons, Armor, and Misc Magic), and then you or they roll randomly to determine which type they are until they get useful items. Then give each of them 2-8 useful potions, and maybe a couple of scrolls (more for the wizards and priests, less for everyone else).

    Disclaimer: I am completely unfamiliar with the H series, other than knowing they are for high-level characters.

    Since AD&D gave xp for treasure, you could also allow the PCs to have any mundane gear they want (and can carry and/or transport), assuming that maybe 50% of their XP came from gold.
    Last edited by Lord Torath; 2021-02-25 at 02:43 PM.
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  3. - Top - End - #3
    Orc in the Playground
     
    knag's Avatar

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    Jun 2016

    Default Re: Running H1 and figuring out gear for party.

    When I start players at high levels I let them buy whatever they want of non-magical items. Particularly at level 15+, they should be fabulously wealthy at this point (fighters having build keeps, thieves establishing guilds, wizards building towers, etc).

    For magical items, if you're looking for a by the book way of equipping them, I would use the tables in the Random Encounters section of the DMG (p. 194, "Magic Possessed by Encountered Creatures")

    These tables give a decent and class-appropriate distribution of magic items.

    Or you can just pick them.
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  4. - Top - End - #4
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jan 2018

    Default Re: Running H1 and figuring out gear for party.

    Thanks the suggestions will help a bunch. I was just worried of over powering or underpowering the party. I sadly still have to reread over the H books.
    I saw a little chart for random magic item's per level in the dmg (pg 194 if anyone was wondering). But I do think I am going to go along with your guide lines and suggestions.

    Again thanks to you both!

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Kobold

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    Feb 2006
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    Default Re: Running H1 and figuring out gear for party.

    Well, let me grab Under the Dark Fist off my shelf and see how that kits starting players out. (It's a 2e Spelljammer adventure for characters level 10-14, so more or less in scope.) It has a bunch of pregen characters at the back in case you don't have high-level PCs ready to go, so their loadout should be more or less representative of what they are expecting at that mid/high level breakpoint.

    Going down the list:
    • A Paladin 11 has Full Plate +1, Shield +3, Holy Avenger Long Sword, and a Ring of Warmth.
    • A Fighter 12 has a Great Axe +4, Chain Mail +3, 6 Skulls of Flaming Death (consumable explosion magic), Ring of Shooting Stars, White Wolf Cloak +2 (also provides protection as Ring of Cold Resistance)
    • A Transmuter 14 has a Wand of Polymorph with 80 charges, Robes of the Arch-Magi, a Ring of Protection +2, a Potion of Gaseous Form, Staff +3, and a Ring of Teleport Without Error 1/day
    • An Evoker 13 has a Cloak of Fire Resistance, a Ring of Protection +4, a Robe of Protection +2, Bracers of Defense AC5, a Wand of Fire with 100 charges, a Wand of Frost with 100 charges, a Wand of Lightning with 100 charges, and a ring that casts a Fire Shield (vs heat) once a day
    • A Priest of Hel 13 has a Robe of Stars, a Short Sword +5 Nine-Lives-Stealer, a Ring of Regeneration, a Wand of Animate Dead with 67 charges, and Plate Mail +4
    • A multiclass Cleric 10 / Thief 11 has a Cloak of Elvenkind, Boots of Elvenkind, a Ring of Invisibility, Leather Armor +3, a Shield +3, a Broad Sword +4, and a Potion of Etherealness

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Orc in the Playground
     
    rredmond's Avatar

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    Jun 2012
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    Default Re: Running H1 and figuring out gear for party.

    Lapak had a good idea, and I have H2 handy (though H1 would probably be a better resource :) ) but there are pre-gens there and they have the following items:
    H Paladin 16: longsword +5, holy avenger, NSA; plate mail + 3; silver horn of Valhalla
    H Ranger 16: longbow of the forest + 1, requires 18/01 or greater Strength to use; user adds STR bonuses to hit and damage; bow has double normal range; arrows of slaying vs. demons (1) and vs. giants (2); 24 arrows +1; cloak of elvenkind; boors of speed (provides AC and MV bonuses listed above)
    H Cleric 16: mace of disruption; chain mail + 3; shield + 5
    1/2E Bard 17 (?): Cli lyre ring of protection +3; longsword + 1; dagger + 2
    1/2E MU 8/ThAcro 20: longsword + 1, luck blade (1 wish); ring of protection + 3
    H MU 16: staff of the magi (20 charges); dagger + 1; bracers of defense AC 2; figurine of wondrous power (serpentine owl)
    H Monk 16: carpet of flying (smallest size)

    Isle of the Ape WG6 had the following Pregens:
    H Cleric 19: Potions: Climbing, Flying, Invisibility; Scrolls: Four spells (levels 1,3, 5,7); + 2plate mail, + 2 shield; + 5 footman's mace, + 2 hammer; Boots of Water Walking (as ring), Gauntlets of ogre Power( + 31 + 6), Girdle of Free Action (as ring), Mantle of Celestian, Ring of Fire Resistance, Ring of Spell Storing (3, levels 2,4,6), Scarab of Protection (9 charges), Necklace of Prayer Beads: astralness (astral travel once / month), blessing, curing (x 2), summoning, wind walking.
    H Druid 14: Potions: Dimnution, Plant Control, Water Breathing; Scrolls: Seven spells (levels 4,4,5,5,6,6,7), Protection from Elementals; + 2 Leather cuir bouille; Cloak of Protection + 5; + 4 Staff-Spear, + 3 scimitar, + 2 dagger, 10 Sling Bullets of Impact, + 2 Sling of Seeking; Amulet of Proof against Det. & LOC., Bag of Tricks (rat-lion), Figurines of Wondrous Power Headband of Comprehending Languages, Necklace of Missiles ( M O , 2/8, 2/6, 2/4), Pouch of Carrying (holds as much as a backpack), Ring of Invisibility; Ring of the Ram, Slippers of Spider Climbing, Stone Controlling Earth Elementals
    H Ftr 17]: Potions: Extra-Healing, Fire Resistance, Speed; Scrolls: Protection from Evil, Blindness, Holding, Petrification; + 2 plate armor, + 3 shield; + 4 defender broadsword (sword powers: detect enemies in 3" r., detect magic in 3 r., leaping as boots-6 times/day; speech; Int 15, Ego 15); + 3 hand axe; + 2 dagger; Cube of Force; Dust of Appearance (10); Girle of Frost Giant Strength, Decanter of Endless Water, Periapt of Wound Closure, Ring of Feather Falling, Ring of Free Action, Sheet of Smallness
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  7. - Top - End - #7
    Bugbear in the Playground
    Join Date
    Apr 2009

    Default Re: Running H1 and figuring out gear for party.

    The answer you seek is to be found on p. 194 of the 1e DMG under the section headed "Magic Possessed by Encountered Creatures". In terms of gold, I assume that a character has non-magical wealth roughly equal to the XP needed to reach their level divided by 5. A character with 100k XP, therefore, would have 20k worth of non-magical wealth

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Australia

    Default Re: Running H1 and figuring out gear for party.

    An observation* - Pregen characters are never as well equipped as characters who have fought their way through.
    The best items are a little weaker (15 th level would normally have a +3 (Maybe 2 or 4) main weapon, a couple of +2 backup weapons (eg, bow for a fighter with a +3 sword).

    And they lack the depth. Everyone should have magic armour and shield (or bracers etc), everyone will probably have some sort of ring (or 2)

    + a few other bits and pieces of permanent magic - girdles, boots, amulets etc
    + my experiance would suggest about 1/2 doz potions
    + scrolls for those who can (wizards and clerics probably have 2-3. I'm pretty sure most rogues would have about the same, but I'm less sure that's right for this edition)
    + a wand/staff or 3 for each person who can use them.

    * I played more modules of 2nd ed than AD&D. My AD&D was more D&M created. But the observation seems to work well across editions
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  9. - Top - End - #9
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Mar 2021

    Default Re: Running H1 and figuring out gear for party.

    Appendix P: Creating a Party On the Spur of the Moment (page 225 of the original DMG) could be what you seek. It was intended for quick & dirty convention use, so you may want to round things out a bit. Also note that it's entirely possible to get hosed by bad dice rolls.
    Last edited by Lars Thorson; 2021-04-06 at 08:12 PM.

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