My Preliminary AD&D Dogma Rules

AD&D Dogma is a variant of play that uses no variants. It follows the books TO THE LETTER - inconsistencies and all! Dogma rules were applied in some other campaigns somewhere else - I simply adapted them for my own use and have never actually used them in play....yet! I want to use these rules for my next campaign! Original Dogma rules were for OD&D, but I have adapted them here for the rules-heavy AD&D version of the game.

[EDITED on 9/22/2015 to reflect re-reading of character creation rules in the DMG. Edits are in bold italics]

The following abbreviations apply to this document:

• PHB = Players Handbook
• DMG = Dungeon Masters Guide
• MM = Monster Manual
• DM = Dungeon Master 
• NPC = Non-Player Character
• XP = Experience Points

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dogma Rules

Each character will be rolled up using Method I in the DMG (4d6 drop the lowest, arrange to taste). A character MUST be used unless it cannot qualify for ANY class. All racial minimums must be met in order to be of the race selected, otherwise the character is human by default. All minimum stat restrictions must be followed as per the PHB Ability Score Tables. Character age categories will be applied up to the starting age of the character (cannot drop below minimums or increase above maximums). Hit points will be rolled using the appropriate Hit Die type – all rolls are final (even rolls of 1). Starting money will be rolled randomly for each character who is then responsible for equipping the character BEFORE the game begins. Only those items listed in the PHB are allowed to be purchased and no haggling or bargaining will be done with vendors at this stage of the game. Pets purchased will be the sole responsibility of the owner and will be considered to be trained ONLY if the character is willing to spend additional money (confer with the DM for cost). Do not worry about backstory or history or even why the characters are there....all that can be expanded upon once they achieve 3rd level. It is recommended that a quick, short nickname be used for the character until they reach 3rd level since the mortality rate is extremely high. Party balance is also not too much of an issue if the party consists of enough players. One player character per person; henchmen limited by Charisma. Only Player Characters are able to gain full XP.

Any and all powers and abilities of race and class are to be noted on the character sheet. All weapon proficiencies and languages are to be noted as well. Only those races and classes in the PHB are viable, using all supplemental information found in the MM for halflings (AC bonus vs. giants, +3 to hit with slings and bows). Multi-classing is permitted as per the rules provided in the PHB. All level limits will be strictly enforced as per the PHB rules.

Hirelings and henchmen can be hired on before play commences; the DM will inform characters of wages and require rolls be made before play begins, assuming the community is large enough to support such activities. NPCs can be added to the party as full members only if all players agree. All alignments of NPCs are strictly confidential (magic may be used to determine compatibility, but reactions may be modified accordingly as a result).

Characters will begin in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and should select a patron deity from the list of Greyhawk Deities and Demigods (clerics are REQUIRED to do so). No substitutions permitted. Party member alignments should be similar or within a reasonably restricted portion of the alignment graph. Party members of diametric alignments should have a good reason to exist in the same party. Obviously, a party cannot be composed of a paladin and an assassin. Likewise, party members should not worship deities that actively oppose each other (Hieroneous & Hextor, St. Cuthbert & Iuz, etc.). All characters are assumed to be linked in some manner; interparty squabbling and in-character drama should be reserved for a normal campaign, not dogma. Survival requires cooperation!

Play will be conducted by the DM in an educational manner – all rulings will be explained per the rules as they occur. The party is expected to have one mapper, one caller, and one note-keeper; these responsibilities should be performed by different players. Responsibilities are listed below:

CALLER: shall make group decisions known to the DM but should NOT force his or her own agenda on the party; rolls initiative and surprise for the party; keeps track of the marching orders and makes changes as necessary; keeps track of weapons in hand and light sources for the party. This should be (but is not required to be) the character with the highest Charisma (de facto party leader).

MAPPER: shall keep track of the party’s progress through a dungeon/ wilderness using graph/hex paper going only by the DM’s description (note that the DM will NOT correct the map except for grossly inaccurate or obviously wrong interpretations). This should be a character with a high Wisdom.

NOTE-KEEPER: shall keep track of all party resources and treasures found, track encumbrance for mules, note movement rates for all party members/mounts/pack animals, and generally keep the information gathered by the party in the course of their adventure. Magical treasures located must be indicated as to who is using/holding said items, whether or not they have been identified, and any resulting effects of their usage. This should be a character with a high Intelligence.

Magic-users will have all spellbooks detailed before play begins. Each magic-user must list spells in the spellbook, other spells known due to intelligence, and spells that cannot be learned due to a failed roll. Each spell level uses a single tome; spellbooks are assumed to be left in a safe location while the party adventures; if the magic-user wants to take the book(s) with them, they must account for their safety, encumbrance, etc. All spells will function EXACTLY as listed in the PHB with supplemental notes provided in the DMG. Contradictory explanations will be ruled by the DM, with an eye towards consistency.

The DM will remain absolutely Neutral during the campaign. No benefits, boons, or fudging will be done for either side in a conflict. All rulings will be made fairly and with an eye towards “reality” within the ruleset provided in the DMG. Players may challenge a ruling only once; a ruling, once made, is final. The DM reserves the right to rule differently in different circumstances.

Players will have the choice of selecting one of 4 pre-made modules to begin play:

•    T1 The Village of Hommlet  (located in the southern portion of the Viscounty of Verbobonc)
•    N1 Against the Cult of the Reptile God (located in the southern portion of Sterich)
•    U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (located on southern shores of Keoland)
•    DM78 Citadel by the Sea (located on the Wild Coast near the Pomarj)

Each module leads into a larger campaign which will be revealed as the module concludes. Experience points will be given out when the characters return to a safe location with their treasure and only after treasure has been divided and play assessed by the DM. Performance ratings will also be noted with XP totals and it should be known that superior play will receive the higher XP totals. If a player knows the module in question and uses the knowledge to their benefit, they will politely be asked to leave the session. If the player has played the module already and can act as if they have not, they may receive an experience bonus or upgrade in their XP performance rating as a reward.

Players who lose their characters in the course of play will be asked to roll up a new character given the same rules. All replacement characters must start at 1st level (see below). They will be introduced to the party as soon as possible, given whatever circumstances the party happens to find themselves in. Any party members killed lose all rights to their former possessions – the items become party property to be dispersed among the members as they see fit (does not count for XP). If the average party level is ever 3 or more levels higher than 1st level, then the new character will be increased in experience points until they are at the minimum XP to be one level below the average party level. Such characters will not have any magic items and enter play with double the standard starting money -- no exceptions. Deceased characters of 1st to 3rd level will NEVER be raised/resurrected/reincarnated.

It is assumed that play will continue until the characters withdraw from the dungeon. Each adventure is considered to consist of a single day of play. It may be several days before the party concludes the module. Therefore it is incumbent on the players to return to a safe place before the end of the session. This may or may not be applicable or possible in all situations, but should be followed as a general guideline for awarding experience points. Should a player be unable to attend a session, that player’s character will NOT be able to join the party. Should a player be unable to attend a session which continues from a previous session, that player should understand that the character will only receive XP as a henchman (1/2 normal share) and performance will be averaged with a Poor rating for any missed sessions in which their character is involved. Should any player miss more sessions than they have played in, their performance will be evaluated by the group. Those players who are unfortunately unable to make a regular commitment may be asked to leave the group until they can make the time to participate. If a player misses the previous session and is in attendance after the fact, the DM may allow the character to enter the dungeon by himself to “catch up” to the others, or allow them to play a henchman until the party returns to the safe location (and thus earning FULL XP for the henchman during this period). Performance ratings are averaged over the number of sessions played, regardless of how much experience was earned in each session. Performance ratings are used to calculate the number of weeks required to train for gaining levels.

Cheating will NOT be tolerated. Cheating is defined as purposely altering numbers, stats, lists, etc. for personal or party benefit, fudging dice rolls, and/or using the rules to gain an unfair advantage over others in the game. Abusive behavior will likewise NOT be tolerated. No player has the right to tell another player how to play their character. However, breaches in alignment and erratic behavior will be warned against before any action is taken by the DM. Helpful suggestions, even if innocently provided, can become irritating if constantly done. Temper tantrums will NOT be tolerated at the table. Deaths occur frequently in dogma rules and should not be taken as a failure by the player or maliciousness on the part of the DM. The dice will dictate most circumstances and random rolls are just that – RANDOM. Nothing in AD&D is guaranteed so long as the outcome is dependent on a random dice roll. Players who have a problem with this will be directed to find their fun elsewhere.

Dramatic role-playing is requested but not obligatory; some players have trouble getting into character. Regardless, all actions, once stated, will be considered to have begun. All statements should be made using a 1st-person voice. Stating “We should do this” is much different from “I do this.” The latter is the correct form to take during play unless the players are discussing among themselves their best course of action. The caller should always speak in “active voice” for both his own PC and all other characters. Do not get hung up on details – allow the game to progress naturally and fluidly. Taking too long to come to a course of action will cause an actual delay in the game, as the characters are assumed to be arguing among themselves just as the players are. Such delays will result in more random Wandering Monster checks, or may cause nearby monsters to investigate the cause of all the noise! Descriptions assume that the party has a light source – it also assumes that all the characters are viewing the same thing. If this is not the case, your character cannot act on knowledge they could not possibly have (i.e., a human reacting to what a demi-human is seeing with infravision, or a character in the back rank around the corner preparing to face off against a monster at the front rank, etc.).

The game is filled with hidden things (invisible items, traps, secret doors, subtle slopes, etc.). Some characters have better than normal detection abilities. However, it slows the game down if these abilities are used every turn. It also leads to prolonged adventure downtime, which leads to boredom. A dungeon need not be scoured for each and every copper piece, and some hidden things will likely be missed by the party. Do not feel that you have to search every 10’ square of the map to be successful. Experience is not based on these actions, but rather overcoming obstacles and gaining treasure. These should be the foremost goals of any adventuring party.

DICE ROLLS – All dice will be rolled openly and only when requested. Do not assume that a roll made prior to being asked will be accepted…. Any die that rolls off the table will not be counted. Any die that lands crookedly off a book or in a crack will have to be rolled again until a valid number is achieved. Hiding rolls will not be tolerated. All dice used should be clearly marked and easy to read across the table by anyone. If dice used by a player do not conform to this standard, they will be asked to use dice provided by the DM. All rolls are final, regardless of the outcome, unless a situation exists in which the number rolled is invalid. The DM has the right to invalidate any roll made at the table (within reason) and only if the situation merits.

AD&D - Party Setback in G2

We had a very tense session last weekend! The party is on level 2 of the Frost Giants module G2, having made their way through the ENTIRE Glacial Rift to end up in the caves beneath the mountain. They made their way cautiously around the open areas, exploring every dead-end chamber and tunnel. They were ambushed by the ice toads (who posed little or no problem) and located the "map of the Jarl's Caverns" in the hand of the dead frost giant by the collapsed tunnel. They even wanted to excavate the tunnel using transmute rock to mud spells (I discouraged this, saying that the rock above was too unstable) as their dwarf henchman could attest.

So they went to the boulder-blocked area off the main entry chamber (marked STOREROOM on the map). Moving the boulder aside (3 fighters with strength spells on them!), they entered the tunnel leading into the lair of the 2 white dragons. They came upon the male dragon as it was turning the corner to see who invaded its lair. The ranger thankfully was not surprised. At the urging of his wife, he readied the ring of spell storing (taking off his gloves to do so) and the others were oblivious but alerted to some danger ahead. Due to the shape of the entry tunnel, only the front line (ranger and dwarf fighter henchman) and the lantern-bearer hireling could see what was happening. The others were aware that there was danger (from the ranger's warning), but not what they faced.

The first round of combat went poorly. The dragon, spotting intruders, breathed at the entry tunnel. That spelled the end for the 3 hp hireling lantern-bearer who froze in place as a "corpse-icle." The others made their saving throws. The ones in the hallway behind were also affected by the frost since the bulk of the area of the cone would have splashed into the tunnel. I gave them bonuses to their saves based on distance from the corner (starting at +2, then +4, and +6 to those in the back ranks. The druid, just outside the tunnel, was too far away to be affected by the breath weapon.

Needless to say, I decimated the hit points of the party. Since everyone saved, they were all alive but very hurt, some in single digits. Then the ring of spell storing released the fireball which blossomed on the dragon. The dragon failed its saving throw by 1 and took full damage (+1 damage per die) which was 11d6+11 damage total!! The rolls were poor, unfortunately, and the dragon was left alive, but extremely pissed!

The next round the party decided to retreat, leaving the cleric, ranger, and dwarf fighter in the front to handle the dragon. The magic-user and thief backed out of the tunnel, followed by the halfling fighter. They all huddled behind the boulder while the druid cast a healing spell on the magic-user. The dragon moved into the entry way to attack those that burned him. It could not attack yet since it had to cross the distance first. The others took defensive postures while the cleric cast a pitiful cure serious wounds (5 hp!) on the ranger to bolster his health.

On the third round I rolled randomly to see what the dragon would do. He opted to breathe again (ugh). The cleric was casting a flame strike at the dragon. Initiative was rolled and the party lost (big time). The dragon breathed again, rearing up to strike those directly in front, so the splash back was less severe than before. The fighter and dwarf were instantly killed (dwarf saved but was only 7th level, and the ranger failed his save with a 3). The cleric, whose spell was disrupted, was barely hanging on with 6 hp left.... The others looked on in horror as their friends died (and party morale took a nose-dive).

The cleric attempted to withdraw from combat, but the dragon stretched out his neck and chomped down on the hapless cleric who fell to -3 hp. A blast of magic missiles on its head did the dragon in the following round but the damage had already been done. Two members of the party were dead, a 3rd was dying, and the hireling was thoroughly frozen. The party moved in to tend to the dead and dying when the magic-user spotted the SECOND dragon approaching!

The magic-user quickly set up a wall of force to completely block the entryway while the djinn was summoned forth to carry the dead. They immediately retreated and had the djinn move the boulder back into place. The party retreated back to the glacier to do some healing. Unfortunately it was late and we had to stop, but the mood was somber in the room.

Unfortunately, the party has to retreat back to the safe base cave off the glacier. The other dragon, after finding that it could not exit the cave the normal way, decided to give chase on the surface (a tunnel leads to the surface through the northwest ceiling). This is going to be ugly. The dragon's mate is pissed and will likely circle the glacier looking for the party to surface. If they are smart they will go invisible - if not, they will likely perish to the other dragon! Oddly enough, they took on 2 mated dragons in a similar situation on their way off the glacier the last time (random encounter roll). They took some damage from one breath weapon before resorting to the fireball tactic. Of course, the rolls were much better then....

The dwarf henchman has died 3 times before and lost a lot of Constitution as a result. The ranger will be losing hit points due to Con loss when he is raised. Both will have to wait a week before returning to the front lines - two very heavy-hitting fighters who will be sorely missed. It's likely that the party will have to retreat back to civilization, a long trip that they can ill afford to make, especially with an angry dragon flying about and who knows what else lurking in the snow-swept mountains. I sincerely hope that no one fails their resurrection survival percentages! That would seriously disrupt player morale!

Name Level Druid - Almost there....

I've been running my 1st edition AD&D game since January 2000. It has taken 15 loooooonnnngggg years to get the party druid to 11th level (just shy of 12th by about 750 xp). "What?", you say. "Why so long?", you ask. Well, we've been on and off a few times - medical emergencies, family matters, holidays, etc. We haven't had a good long run of consecutive games since the beginning of the campaign. Also , it's hard to give out Experience Points when the party insists on going to the furthest reaches of my campaign world to scour dungeons for treasure (which they rarely found). Add to this the number of level drains we had in the Desert of Desolation and you can see why it took so very long to get to this point.

Now, due to a Libram of Silver Magic, the magic-user is an 11th level Wizard and the druid is about to become a name level Druid of 12th level! This means that all the end-game stuff I've been putting off for so very long has to be designed NOW!! The ranger just made 9th level, which means he'll be seeing followers after he makes the next level. The cleric is also 9th and can get followers whenever she decides to settle down and build a church. I'm gonna be a busy DM for the next few months I can tell!

I've been agonizing over the druid hierarchy for a little over 2 weeks now. I'm not sure how to proceed since the player wants to keep playing in the group while enjoying all the perks and responsibilities of being a name-level character. I don't blame him - he's waited 15 years to play with the "big boys" and now that he has all this firepower, he can't wait to use it on something. The endgame material Gygax built into the game to basically force the characters to retire at or soon after name level is causing the druid grief. He wants to forego the followers (who he sees as nothing more than useless in a high-level dungeon setting) and doesn't want the Archdruids to boss him around. I see this as more of a role-playing opportunity to link him into the world and the grander scheme of things. But, of course, the anarchistic player wants his own rules and wants to do his own thing. And here I thought I had purged that "must win at all costs" mentality from him a while ago. Sigh.

The hierarchy seems to be divided into a local group and a world group. The local groups each have their own Great Druid and are separated by geographical regions. The world groups is headed by the Grand Druid who has his own Druids and Archdruids to attend his needs. The local groups seem more preoccupied with the defense of nature on the small scale and the tending to the flocks of worshipers. The world group seems more focused on defending the world from catastrophic changes and elemental disasters. I can work with the world group, since this is the route the adventures are taking. However, the Grand Druid selects his candidates from the ranks of the eligible Druids of the local groups, taking the best and brightest if you will. Now, I consider the player character's Druid to be one of these elite types who has been watched for a while. Ever since the Hierophants directed the PC druid to Haven to help out Princess Argenta (B3) I've been planning to make a big deal of how he's been groomed and watched to become a member of the worldwide druids. It seems to be what he's interested in as well. However, I see his initiation as a servant of the Grand Druid being blocked by the necessity that he has to first prove himself in combat. Should I allow him to bypass the local group first and go directly to the Grand Druid's entourage? Perhaps. But he will have to FIND the Grand Druid first. I don't suppose he should be easy to find or easy to get to. After all, he has an entire WORLD to watch over and may not even be humanoid!!! It would be interesting to have a treant as the Grand Druid. I'll have to look into this. Otherwise, I could see an elf or human occupying the spot - like a crusty old Radagast in the Hobbit movies. Perhaps the Grand Druid is a nomad - living off the land and carrying only those things he truly needs with him. He would be followed by his attendants, of course, and might show up in the darnedest of places! This could be a means of getting the characters out of the Karameikos/Selenica rut they've been stuck in for the past few years. Geez, there are so many other places to see in Mystara and they keep going back to the same two cities....