House Rule: Fighter Weapon Affinity

This is a house rule for B/X (Moldvay/Cook) D&D and Labyrinth Lord.


House Rule: Fighter's Weapon Affinity

When a Fighter reaches 3rd level, he can choose to start an affinity for a specific type of weapon (e.g., longsword, battle axe, spear, two-handed sword, et. al.). This affinity gives him an additional +1 to attack rolls with the weapon, and allows him to roll a second D6 for damage and take the better die.

House Class: Archer

This is a house class for Basic/Expert (Moldvay/Cook) D&D or Labyrinth Lord.


House Class: Archer

Requirements: DEX 12

Prime Requisite: DEX

Hit Dice: D6

Maximum Level: None

An Archer is a fighting class that specializes in ranged combat with a bow or crossbow.

An Archer fights as a Cleric of the same level, except that the Archer fights as a Fighter with either a bow *or* a crossbow. An Archer progresses in level as a Fighter.

An Archer may choose to spend a round aiming instead of fighting. There are two possible bonuses from aiming, and the player must choose which when she declares the character is aiming. They are:

• The player can roll two dice instead of one when attacking the next round, and take the better roll
• The player can roll two D6 for damage, and take the better roll

An Archer may only aim when not in melee and when not being targeted by other ranged attacks.

When an Archer aims at a target that is unaware of the impending attack, and is either still or moving slowly, the attack causes an additional 4 points of damage. Opponents that are in melee are generally moving too erratically to be sniped in this manner.

An Archer may not wear armor heavier than studded leather.

Reaching 3rd Level: When an Archer reaches third level, she gains the Swift Volley special ability. This ability allows the Archer to fire a second arrow *at the same target* in a round, but at -3 penalty to the second attack roll. An Archer may only use Swift Volley when not in melee and when not being targeted by other ranged attacks.

(Expert-level class features will be presented in a future 'blog post.)

House Rule: Goblin as a PC Race, with Two House Classes

This is a house rule for Basic/Expert (Moldvay/Cook) D&D or Labyrinth Lord.


House Rule: Goblin as a PC Race

In the Hallras campaign, Goblins are an alien race hailing from the same foreign planet as their slave-masters, the Elfs. The Elfs brought Goblins to this world to mine and explore the many subterranean ruins that share the Last Coast with Hallras.

Goblins stand half as tall as Men, with green skin ranging in color from the brightest lichen to the darkest forest hues. They have exceptionally long ears, enormous eyes, and long mouths full of curved, razor-sharp teeth. They typically have numerous tattoos and piercings all across their lean bodies, and dye and style their hair in ways considered outrageous by Men and Elfs.

Goblins have infravision of 60'. Bright sunlight distracts and discomforts them, but causes no damage. Their long ears and large eyes allow them to detect hidden and secret doors more easily than Men (a roll of 1-2 on a D6), and also grant them a +1 bonus to listening tests.

Goblins cannot use large weapons or wear armor heavier than studded leather. Their small size grants them a -2 bonus to AC versus melee opponents that are of greater size than Men.

House Class: Goblin Mystic

Requirements: WIS 9

Prime Requisite: WIS

Hit Dice: D6

Maximum Level: 9 

A Mystic is the closest Goblin equivalent to a Cleric. A Mystic fights, casts spells, and turns undead (that is, repels them with sacrificial life energy) as a Cleric of the same level, and progresses in level as a Cleric, but with an additional 20% experience required per level.

Like Elfs, Goblins do not worship the gods. The magic of Elfs and Goblins is sacrificial in nature; they harness the life energy released by pain and harm, translating that energy into magical effects. Most often, a Mystic can produce magic through fleeting pain without causing herself any lasting harm, but a Mystic may also do more serious harm to herself when the need arises.

This sacrificial magic is not Evil; in fact, a Mystic must be aligned to Good. A Mystic can never cause lasting harm to another creature through her magic. She may cause harm otherwise, but only when her life or the life of an ally is in jeopardy. Additionally, the nature of sacrificial magic is such that a Mystic cannot cast magic upon herself (e.g., cannot heal herself).

Reaching 3rd Level: When a mystic reaches 3rd level, she can harm herself to cast spells she doesn't currently have memorized, provided she could memorize them if she was rested. The spells are cast as if they were memorized, but the Mystic must take damage equal to the spell's level (e.g., a 3rd-level spell requires 3 points of damage). The Mystic must be in a position that allows her to adequately harm herself (e.g., a dagger in hand and the freedom to cut herself). Damage taken to cast spells in this manner cannot be healed magically; only time and rest will heal it.

(Expert-level class features will be presented in a future 'blog post.)

House Class: Goblin Delver

Requirements: DEX 9

Prime Requisite: DEX

Hit Dice: D6

Maximum Level: 9 

All Goblins are at home under the earth, but the Delver thrives in subterranean environments. He might be used by his slave-master Elf as a dungeon runner, trap-bait, cartographer, or treasure-hunter.

A Delver fights as a Thief of the same level, and progress in level as a Thief, but with an additional 20% experience required per level.

Dungeon-delving is dangerous work; while all Goblins are considered lucky, only the luckiest Goblins are chosen to be Delvers, and they need that luck to survive a dungeon's traps. A Delver has the special ability Delvers' Luck, which gives a Delver's player a pool of three special, lucky dice per playing session (these dice should be easily identifiable; e.g., they could be a special color). A Delver's player can add one of these lucky dice to any test or effect roll, and may choose to substitute the lucky die for any other die rolled along with it. When a lucky die is used, it is removed from the lucky die pool and retired for the remainder of the play session. Until it is used, it can keep being rolled with other dice. Only one lucky die can be added to a given roll at a time. The lucky dice pool is reset to three at the start of each play session.

A Delver can accurately sense his depth in subterranean environments as it relates to his last position on the surface.

A Delver has the ability to disarm mechanical traps, making a 2D6 test against the trap's rating to determine success (and complications). For every 3rd level the Delver advances (3rd, 6th, 9th, etc.), he gets a cumulative +1 bonus to the disarm test.

A Delver can hide and slowly move while maintaining concealment in subterranean shadows and low lighting, making a standard 2D6 test to determine how well he hid. For every 3rd level the Delver advances (3rd, 6th, 9th, etc.), he gets a cumulative +1 bonus to his concealment test.

Reaching 3rd Level: When a Delver reaches 3rd level, he gains the Sense Precious special ability. Delvers can smell precious metals and minerals within 60', provided flowing air could reach from the source to the Delver. If the Delver concentrates, the player can make a standard 2D6 test to attempt to determine the direction of the source and a rough idea of quantity (e.g., a few coins, a chest's-full, a hoard, etc.). With each 3rd level after level 3 (6th, 9th, 12th, etc.), this sense's range extends cumulatively by 20', and the delver gets a cumulative +1 bonus to the sense roll.

(Expert-level class features will be presented in a future 'blog post.)

House Rule: Breaking Shields

This is a house rule for Basic/Expert (Moldvay/Cook) D&D or Labyrinth Lord, adapted from the Trollsmyth 'blog's "Shields Shall be Splintered!" house rule.

House Rule: Breaking Shields to Avoid Damage

Fighters, dwarfs and halflings, when wielding a shield, can choose to avoid all damage from a single melee opponent's weapon by sacrificing that shield. The shield is broken and ruined by this action, no longer providing its bonus to AC.

These classes can also sacrifice a wielded shield when targeted by a spell or magic effect that allows a saving throw to avoid some or all damage, when the shield could reasonably be expected to help avoid the damage (e.g., the fireball spell). The shield can be sacrificed in one of three ways: 

1. to avoid some of the spell or effect's damage when a saving throw to avoid that same amount of damage is failed
2. to avoid all of a spell or effect's damage after a saving throw to avoid all damage is failed
3. to avoid all of a spell or effect's damage after a saving throw to avoid some of the damage is successful

House Rule: Casting Unprepared

This is a house rule for Basic (Moldvay) D&D and Labyrinth Lord.

House Rule: Casting Unprepared

Upon reaching 3rd level, a magic-user or elf may attempt to cast a spell they've previously learned (i.e., have transcribed into their spell book) without proper preparation (i.e., not having memorized it). There is risk in so doing, for magic spells are intricate, and even a small mistake while casting might produce a grave complication. The more powerful the spell, the greater the risk.

To cast a spell without proper preparation, roll 2D6, subtract the level of the spell, and consult the following chart:

Net | Outcome

--------------------------------------------------------

10+ | The spell is cast successfully with no 
      complications, as if it had been memorized

7-9 | The spell is cast successfully, but there is 

      a minor complication

4-6 | The spell fails, and there is a minor complication 

2-3 | The spell fails, and there is a major complication

 1- | The spell fails, and the caster must save versus 
      magic; if the save succeeds, caster collapses and 
      will be unconscious for 1d4 round; if the save 
      fails, the caster dies

If a natural 12 is rolled *and* the net result is 10+, the spell's effect is doubled, as the caster unknowingly improved the spell by mistake.

At each 3rd level beyond level 3 (e.g., levels 6, 9, 12, etc.), the caster gets a cumulative +1 to the casting unprepared roll above.

Example

Singe is a 6th-level magic-user. In the previous round, Singe cast her last memorized Fireball spell. This round, she decides to cast the spell without proper preparation. Her player rolls 2D6 for a result of 8, subtracts 3 for the spell's level, and adds 1 for her bonus (because she is 6th level), for a net result of 6. Singe fails to cast the Fireball spell, and there is a minor complication. Her player suggests to the DM that the complication be Singe's hair is set on fire (there is history here, as her name suggests) and she loses the next round extinguishing the flames. The DM agrees.