A New Way Forward
Authored by Mr. Z. ~4 min 43 sec
I have pored over the terse guidelines of Gygax and Arneson's original rules for years, and my interest in their development has only grown. Recently, however, my every waking thought has been consumed by the idea that there has to be a better way. I have established the following "pain points" in the original booklets (I-III), and the reasons why:
Polyhedral Dice
The original game was clearly designed with only the twenty-sided and six-sided dice in mind, with the intention of deriving percentage-based odds from some combination of the two. My theory is that TSR needed a way to use the other dice, sold bundled with their twenty-sider, and slapped on some half-hearted use cases later on.
The consequence of this, in the original game, is that the Dungeon Master thus must recall a half-dozen different dice for different uses, while the player mainly throws d20s. This slows down the game immensely for the starting DM.
Armor Class
This concept is derived from wargaming. I recognize that it is integral to the history of the hobby, however it can be difficult (especially for newer players) to abstract in one's mind. One attack roll is NOT one hit, but a representation of the likelihood of dealing significant damage to an opponent during a melee exchange.
This is also, mind you, unrealistic. Wearing armor does not reduce the likelihood that someone hits you and may at times provide much the contrary result.
Ability Scores
Beyond their initial generation, and the bonuses derived from them thereafter, ability scores are generally useless and serve no purpose. This is mitigated in later editions with the addition of ability checks, skills tied to said ability checks, and so on. This, in my opinion, is an over-correction, but changes to the scores in Basic and Advanced make clear the idea that the scores should have more bearing on gameplay.
Mechanics
As a consequence of the point on dice above, there is a whole mess of mechanics in the original game. 3d6 for abilities, 1d6 for initiative (maybe), 2d6 for cleric turning, d20 for attacking and saving throws, and if supplements are involved, myriad polyhedrals for HP, thief abilities, weapon damage, etc. Personally, I love it, but it does become a hassle when new players are involved (I can't list the number of times I've been asked "so what do I roll?").
Clerics
I concur with the sentiment of Delta (see his blog post here) regarding clerics. Their overt reliance on Christianity, or ubiquitous monotheistic religions (thus having political sway) in general, precludes the weird pantheons that DM's like myself have grown to love dreaming up.
In addition, the Cleric stomps on the toes of the Elf, and is consequently... easier to level up? It doesn't make much sense. A party consisting of only clerics, in the base D&D game, can be incredibly potent. This also precludes the DM's use of undead, unless he or she feels like throwing the cleric(s) a bone.
Takeaway
Based on the above, it is my intention to develop a TTRPG based loosely on D&D books I, II, and III and Dave Arneson's First Fantasy Campaign that implements the following solutions to the above "problems:"
- Only six-sided dice are necessary for play, excepting perhaps a percentile for the referee.
- Armor provides damage reduction, and dexterity determines the likelihood of a dodge. Further, an "attack roll" truly represents a single hit.
- Ability scores are made more useful, with clear formulas for determining their use in-game.
- The core resolution mechanic is unified to: "throw a number of six-sided dice and add bonuses, then compare to a target number."
- Clerics are removed.