Old School Feats Revisited

A little less than a year ago, I mused about a way to utilize feats in context of old-school rules. I gave an example of how such a system might work with the magic-user class, but I never went further. Since I have been in the midst of going over all the material I have produced over the years and finishing ideas, I thought it apropos to “finish” this post by providing a full set of feats for all four base classes.

In the original post, I noted that any implementation of the system could (and probably should) be customized for a particular campaign. Thus, what follows makes the following assumptions:

1. Building upon a post I made on Charisma and Wisdom, Charisma is the Prime Requisite for Clerics, Wisdom has been replaced with Awareness and the latter is the Prime Requisite for Thieves.
2. The range of bonuses is going to be in the 0e/Holmes/S&W/LL+OEC range of ±1.
3. The initiative system is individual, specifically a Holmesian variation where Awareness determines initiative order rather than Dexterity.
4. Characteristics will be rolled with 3d6 in order.
5. There is a combat bonus associated with each characteristic.

The bonuses for each characteristic are as follows:

• Strength (S) = to-hit melee
• Dexterity (D) = to hit ranged
• Constitution (C) = hit points
• Intelligence (I) = damage
• Awareness (A) = initiative
• Charisma (CH) = armor class

Every class has a Prime Characteristic and characters have an Ancillary Characteristic. If these characteristics are 13-14 they may choose to have a +5% XP bonus (cumulative). If they are 15+ they may choose a 10% bonus (cumulative). This can result in up to a +20% XP bonus. Alternatively, the player may choose to have the feats associated with either or both the Prime Characteristic and Ancillary Characteristic:

Cleric

S = Improved Turning (Turn at one level higher)
D = Empower Spell (Maximize the variable on one spell per day)
C = Extend Spell (Double the duration of one spell per day)
I = Weapon Proficiency (Choose one weapon not allowed by class at character creation)
A = Divine Protection (+1 on saves vs. spells or spell-like devices)
CH = Bonus Spell (Gain one random 1st level spell per day)

Fighter

S = Power Attack (Take up to a -3 penalty on a to-hit roll for an equivalent bonus on any damage roll that results)
D = Cleave (When a target is reduced to 0 hp, gain an extra attck)
C = Fortitude (+1 on saves vs. poison and death)
I = Shield Bash (May use a Shield Bash as an attack. The damage is 1d3 and the target automatically drops to the bottom of the initiative order the next round).
A = Weapon Focus (Gain a +1 to hit and damage with one weapon chosen at character creation)
CH = Expertise (Take up to a -3 penalty on a to-hit roll for an equivalent bonus to AC until next attack)

Magic User

S = Armor Proficiency (May wear leather armor without penalty)
D = Empower Spell (Maximize the variable on one spell per day)
C = Extend Spell (Double the duration of one spell per day)
I = Weapon Proficiency (Choose one weapon not allowed by class at character creation)
A = Iron Will (+1 save vs. Petrify or Paralyze)
CH = Store Spell (Store one spell which can be spontaneously cast in place of another prepared spell of equal or greater spell level).

Thief

S = Armor Proficiency (May wear Chain Mail without penalty)
D = Weapon Finesse (May use the Dexterity Bonus for melee instead of the Strength Bonus)
C = Toughness (Gain +3 hit points)
I = Sneak Attack (do an extra 1d6 in damage on attack from the rear or from the flank)
A = Lightning Reflexes (+1 save vs. Breath Weapons)
CH = Magical Aptitude (Choose one first level spell that can be cast once per day)

For example:
A player rolls a Strength of 16, an Awareness of 13 and average or below on all other characteristics. She decides to have a fighter (Prime Characteristic = Strength) and chooses Awareness as the Ancillary Characteristic. She may have either a 10% XP bonus or Power Attack from Strength and either a 5% XP bonus or Cleave from Awareness. Therefore she has the following options:

1. Power Attack and Cleave
2. Power Attack and 5% XP bonus
3. 10% XP bonus and Cleave
4. 15% XP bonus.

There are a few interesting ways to implement this system:

• So as not to punish players who do not have two characteristics at 13 or more (as in the example above), but still put some limitations on availability, feats can be available for characteristics of 9 or more.
• For those who don’t like level limits, one can balance out the racial advantages of the various demi-humans by only allowing humans to take advantage of the above system.
• For those who like being more strict, the feats can be only available at 13+ and unavailable to demi-humans (who function as a means to give cool powers to "hopeless" characters)

There are also some interesting implications about this system (especially if one ignores experience point bonuses). These all basically become class abilities:

• Cleric = Bonus Spell
• Fighter = Power Attack
• Magic User = Weapon Proficiency
• Thief = Lightening Reflexes

To my mind all of these make some sense. Clerics normally expect bonus spells. Fighters should have a tactical choice for a chance to do more damage. Gandalf can now wield his sword. Thieves should be a little more lucky when trying to get away with a dragon’s treasure.

Meditating on Ability Bonuses

Awhile ago, I wrote a post about Charisma and Wisdom. In it I challenged the basic assumptions of both ability scores in an attempt to return to the symmetry of Prime Requisites vs. Combat Abilities found in OD&D with later versions of the game that include the Thief as a core class. While thought provoking, I am not sure I was entirely successful.

Recently, James over at Grognardia also wrote about Charisma in a very similar vein to what I was trying to get at in my own, earlier, post. This prompted a brief discussion of ability scores and bonuses that ended up admitting that while the balance found in OD&D is intellectually awesome, in practice it is hard to image a fighter with an 18 Strength not getting some kind of combat bonus since that is how we have played the game for 30+ years.

Yesterday, Jeff of Jeff's Gameblog posted this little gem. At first, I dismissed it out of hand because it made no real sense to me — why would a dumb fighter advance faster than a smart one? Why would a weak MU do any better than a strong one? It then hit me: a dumb fighter would rely more on his fighting ability than would a smarter fighter; a weak MU would rely more on their arcane magic than would a stronger MU.

Imagine for a moment a MU had to move a couch. With a STR of 10+ that couch is going to be lifted/dragged to where it needs to be. With a STR of 8 or less (especially 3!) it is more likely that a spell like Floating Disc is going to be cast in order to move that couch. Who is more likely to be more skilled, faster over time: the MU who uses arcane magic for everything or the one who can rely on other skills to do everyday mundane things? I am beginning to see that it is very plausible to argue the MU with a 3 STR would.

Using my previous re-tooling of Charisma and Wisdom, here are my own initial thoughts about XP bonuses:

Low Strength = Magic-User bonus
Low Dexterity = Cleric Bonus
Low Constitution = Thief Bonus
Low Intelligence = Fighter/Dwarf
Low Awareness = Halfling
Low Charisma = Elf

Here are my explanations:

• Magic Users — see above.
• Clerics are more likely to solve problems face-to-face therefore discouraging missile combat as a way to solve problems.
• Thieves that have lower hit points are much more likely to solve problems by avoiding combat and being sneaky.
• Fighters and Dwarves that are intelligent (able to form strategy and planning) are less likely to rely on their sword/axe arm.
• Halflings (Hobbits) are naturally inclined to live happily in their own little bubble without much awareness of the outside world. Those who are aware just aren't natural hobbits.
• Elves, being long-lived and the one race inclined to being two classes at once, represent the impulse to do everything sans divine help. The less in tune with God, the more likely the elf will succeed doing what elves do. This also gives elves a nice, sinister spin.

This all got me thinking about the inherent symmetry of OD&D vs. combat bonuses built into Prime Requisites and how I can have my cake and eat it, too. With XP bonuses divorced from Prime Requisites, it is possible to give every ability score a combat bonus/penalty.

Using my previous re-tooling of Charisma and Wisdom, here are my initial thoughts:

Strength = to hit bonus melee
Dexterity = to hit bonus ranged
Constitution = hit points bonus
Intelligence = henchmen number & loyalty
Awareness = damage bonus
Charisma = armor class bonus

The first three are pretty standard and therefore don't need much explanation. The last three, however, break the mold.

• Intelligence — This requires a bit of reverse engineering. If a fighter is more fighter-like by relying on their sword, than the opposite of that would be a fighter who relies on planning — leading a number of henchmen. In addition, which class is most likely to take advantage of henchmen — the Magic-User!
• Awareness — This represents the ability to be aware of weaknesses in an opponent's defenses.
• Charisma — Someone who has divine protection is going to be harder to hit.

It should be noted, that there are some editions of D&D where certain combat bonuses are only available to fighters. There are a couple of ways to simulate this. The first is to have additional bonuses associated with Prime Requisites that are only available to the given class. Here are some initial thoughts (some of which already duplicate some existing rules):

Strength = Fighters and Dwarves get a bonus to encumbrance (they are trained to move in armor). If that doesn't float your boat, how about DR when armor is worn?
Dexterity = Elves get a bonus to saving throws involving balance (death/breath)
Constitution = Halflings get a bonus to saving throws involving durability (poison/spells)
Intelligence = Magic-Users get to know more spells/get bonus spells
Awareness = Thieves get bonuses to Thief Skills
Charisma = Clerics gets bonus spells

Secondly, rather than getting all the the various combat bonuses, characters would only get the bonus associated with their class plus one other of their choice (thus giving classes a bit of diversity).

Thoughts?

Rethinking Charisma and Wisdom

This is the time of year that the Orthodox Church is reading St. Paul's Letter to the Romans. I mention this, because I've been pouring over the original Greek and ran into this word: χάρισμα. Those of us who have spent any time in the hobby will immediately recognize its English progeny: charisma. What we won't recognize, however, is its meaning. Whereas we see charisma being related to attractiveness, charm and leadership qualities, χάρισμα means a gift freely given.

This got me thinking about characteristics and what they mean. In OD&D there is a kind of nice symmetry with the six characteristics. Three are prime requisites corresponding to the three base classes and which affect XP acquisition. The other three have a mechanic related (directly or indirectly) to combat. Constitution affects Hit Points, Dexterity affects missile combat and Charisma affects the number of henchmen one can bring to bear and how loyal they are.

The introduction of the Thief class disrupts this symmetry. If there is one thing about the Holmes edition that really irks me, it is that the prime requisite for Thieves has two mechanical bonuses (XP and missile fire) while every other class only gets one (XP).

As I see it, there are two ways to fix this:

1. Do what was done in later editions of the game — give more mechanical bonuses to the other three prime requisites. There are two consequences to this approach (neither of which I am fond of). Intelligence gets short shrift in combat. Outside of extra languages, more spells, and/or skill bonuses Intelligence never really gets to shine once swords are drawn. Charisma becomes a dump stat. As characters gain more and more mechanical benefits for high ability scores, they become more and more robust. Therefore, the need to have henchmen in order to survive (especially at lower levels) disappears.
2. The other option is to use χάρισμα as a jumping off point to redefine the ability scores in order to maintain the prime requisite's primary function as XP modifier.

The root word of χάρισμα is χάρις (charis) which is often translated as grace. In Paul, it is most often encountered is its plural form χαρίσματα (charismata) or gifts. The implication is that God freely pours out His grace upon us, and this manifests itself as gifts — preaching, teaching, etc. Given that the source of the Cleric's abilities —spells and turning — are granted by a divine power (God), it seems to me that Charisma is a better fit for a prime requisite than Wisdom for the Cleric.

Though Wisdom literally means the quality of being wise, that is not how it is used mechanically in later editions of the game. Rather, it is used to grant bonuses to saves vs. spells and to awareness-type skills. This mechanical expression more closely resembles an Orthodox Christian theological notion called the nous.

The word nous is difficult to translate. The best way I have found is the idea of receptive intelligence. When we have "aha!" moments, or instantaneous sparks of inspiration that is the nous in action. In other words, it is that part of us that is spiritually and physically aware of our surroundings. It receives information and processes it in a way that our reason cannot. Given that one of the primary functions of the Thief us to be aware of their surroundings, Wisdom (ironically) can become the prime requisite of Thieves, if it is understood to be the nous. In order to avoid the mental dissonance of criminal activity and being wise, I might be tempted to rename the ability Awareness.

Therefore, we now have four prime requisites: Strength, Intelligence, Charisma and Awareness. They all have the primary mechanical function of affecting XP; however, in order to do this Charisma must be stripped of the henchman mechanics. Either that, or the mechanic can be spread across all of the prime requisites.

I come to this from the perspective that when we think of great leaders, we will most often find people who have great skill in their chosen field. Alexander the Great was a great military mind. Pope John Paul II was a great theological mind. Bill Belichick, while not being very charismatic, certainly has a great football mind. Thus, when it comes to attracting and keeping hirelings, having a high prime requisite can represent that great mind found in the likes of Alexander the Great, Pope John Paul II and Bill Belichek.

One could go further and say that each prime requisite affects the loyalty of its given class. Thus, a magic user with a high Intelligence would have better loyalty from magic user hirelings than fighting-men. The reverse would be true of a fighting-man with high strength.

Therefore, the highest prime requisite score would determine the max number of hirelings total that can be hired. Strength would determine the highest number of fighting-men and their loyalty. Intelligence would would determine the highest number of magic users and their loyalty. Charisma would determine the highest number of clerics and their loyalty. Awareness would determine the highest number of Thieves and their loyalty.

The end result of this retooling of characteristics is a return to the symmetry of OD&D, where all prime requisites grant the same bonus to every class and where Dexterity and Constitution grant the same combat bonuses to every class.

Things that Make Me Go Hmmm...

Over at Grognardia, James meditated on his mild discomfort with what he called "double-dipping" characteristics — those that have both a game mechanic and give XP bonuses (such as Dex for Thieves). In response, Matthew Slepin of Wheel of Samsara wrote this:

If you don't like the idea of XP benefits for high stats (and I do not like that at all; nor requirements for certain classes) then I think you're left with two rational decisions. Either make all the stats mean something or dump them.

This got me thinking: what if all the characteristics were dispensed of? All mechanical bonuses associated with characteristics could then be tied to classes. This got my creative juices flowing and I came up with the following:

• Archer: This class is good with ranged weapons. They receive a +1 to hit with all ranged attacks.
• Berserker: This class is good at delivering devastating blows in HTH. They receive a +1 to all damage rolls in HTH.
• Sergeant: This class represents natural born leaders. Other classes may have a maximum of 3 hirelings. Sergeants may have up to 6. These hirelings have a +1 to their morale. Sergeants may also forfeit an action to provide a floating +1 bonus to a fellow party member for that round (to hit HTH, to hit ranged, damage or AC).
• Shield Maiden/Tank: This class is good with armor, shields and defense. They receive a -1 bonus to their AC.
• Weapon Master: This class is good with HTH weapons. They receive a +1 to hit with all HTH attacks.
• Clerics, Elves and Magic Users do not receive any bonuses beyond their spell casting abilities.
• Dwarves get a +1 HP for every HD.
• Halflings get a +1 to all saving throws.

Now, personally, I like a little randomness in my character generation. This can be accomplished in any combination of the following:

1. Roll a d10 to determine which class the character is.
2. Roll a d6. On a 1-3 the class bonus remains at 1. On a 4-5 the bonus is 2. On a 6 the bonus is 3.
3. In addition to the class bonus, roll on the following table:

1-2: +1 to hit with ranged attacks
3-4: +1 damage with HTH
5-6: -1 AC
7-8: +1 to hit with HTH
9-10: +1 HP per HD
11-12: +1 to all saving throws
13: -1 to hit with ranged attacks
14: -1 damage with HTH
15: +1 AC
16: -1 to hit with HTH
17: -1 HP per HD
18: -1 to all saving throws
19-20: Roll twice ignoring 19-20.

Archers, Berserkers, Sergeants, Shield Maidens/Tanks and Weapon Masters function as fighters. The other classes all function as otherwise written.

D&D without characteristics — makes me go hmmm...