Basic D&D: Christmas Nostalgia

My maternal grandmother, affectionately called "Nanna," was a wonderful old lady who had practically helped raise me from an infant since she lived so close to us. For my eleventh Christmas she selected a present which she was told was "all the rage" among kids my age. I am speaking of the Moldvay Basic D&D boxed set. I fell in love with the artwork on the box cover instantly and ripped it open to see how to play. There was no game board... Gee, the dice look funny... And check out how long the rulebook is! We'll be here all night trying to learn how to play this game. And nobody wanted to learn how to play a game with a 64-page rulebook that had an index and chapters.... So, after perusing the rulebook for a few hours, and then looking at B2: Keep on the Borderlands, the module that came with the boxed set, my mother made the executive decision that the game was a little too mature for me at that time. I disagreed vehemently, but realized that without anyone to play with, the game would simply sit in my closet until it was given away to one of my cousins or sent to the thrift shop with the other older toys.

The following week, my mother and Nanna took me to Toys 'R' Us in Massapequa, NY to return the opened D&D Basic set and find something a bit less challenging to buy. I checked out the aisle where all the board games were kept, but my eyes kept wandering back to all the TSR boxed sets and rulebooks nearby. In the end, I settled for something of comparable price which looked just as cool (but had a game board and normal tokens and dice, as well as cardboard chits) - the DUNGEON! boardgame. Now this was much more our speed, and I have spent many happy years playing this fun game with my family. In fact, some of my friends and family specifically request DUNGEON! every now and again.

But, I was still intrigued by the D&D game. Later that year, for my birthday in 1982, I received yet another copy of the Basic D&D game (along with my 3rd box of Tri-Trac <sigh>). I had no idea who I would play it with - my siblings were all much younger than I, and my parents had no idea how to play a game without a board and weird dice. I started reading, creating characters, drawing my own maps, and generally trying to figure out how the hell to play this game. It was so intriguing, yet so elusive since I had no idea where to start, or even how to start. The following autumn I found myself in middle school, surrounded by a number of new kids from the neighborhood that I had never met. I hit it off with some guys from down the block and we decided to join a school-sponsored D&D club. The club was not very successful (due to the negative publicity from the 700 Club), and I don't remember going more than a couple of times. I had gotten a diorama set for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS from my uncle over the summer, and now had the boxed set AND some plastic miniatures to play the game. These were all promptly stolen out of my locker shortly after I joined the club. I gave up. It seemed I was never meant to play this game after all.

Then, the guys I had met at the game club came calling at my door one weekend. They convinced me to go over one of their houses and play D&D with them. I said sure (after being torn away from my Saturday morning cartoons), and soon I was falling down the rabbit hole into a life of role-playing. We weren't very good at playing the game - the rules were all there, but we were too impatient to read them all before we started. All I remember about my first session was the purple cover of B4: The Lost City and playing a Fighter or Dwarf (can't remember which) and entering the metal cylinder ladders that would take us into the dungeon. We didn't last long. We encountered a white ape that pretty much took us all out. But I was totally hooked! The premise of the game, the time period, the monsters, the character types, the artwork - all of it! It was like playing DUNGEON! without being stuck in the same dungeon trying to get those 10,000 gp and heading back to start before the others. We had to cooperate with each other in order to overcome obstacles (some of us understood that better than others).

Since that time, I became lifelong friends with the others at that first gaming table. I later slaughtered giants as Bruno Nogard the Fighter in G1-2-3: Against the Giants (which was also my first time co-DMing an adventure), and later plumbed the depths of Oerth against the Drow, then entered the Abyss to take on the Spider Queen herself. After our initial romp at high levels, we dumbed things down, back to 1st level, and this time I got to play my first elven fighter/magic-user (Lantwynn Ruman) in the U-series of modules (Saltmarsh) which was utterly amazing! Every summer of middle and high school we would binge on AD&D, getting better and better, and then eventually creating our own AD&D campaigns and heading off to college where we really started gaming seriously.

But, I always came back to Basic/Expert D&D. Although we no longer cared about this older version of the game, I couldn't shake it. It was my "first love" after all. I kept up with all the rulebooks and supplements for B/X D&D, and later BECMI D&D, then the Gazetteer series, and all the new modules. There was something magical about that initial run of D&D that gets me, even now. Every Christmas time I break open the box and carefully read through my copy. Although my Expert Rulebook has fallen apart, the Basic book is still in good shape (I purchased multiple copies so I always had one). I've since typed the rules into my computer to better search and correct errors in the originals. But I still love looking at this rulebook, and re-reading the excellent advice by Gygax in B2: Keep on the Borderlands. The original dice from my box set were lost long ago (or cracked and broke over the decades of playing). I have a set of solid yellow dice with black numbers that are strictly used only for Basic D&D characters and module creation. I even re-purchased the diorama set that was stolen all those years ago, even though I detest plastic miniatures.

But, I have no one to play the game with anymore. Anyone who would even deign to humor me is now 3,000 miles from where I live. Sure, we could play over the computer, but it's not the same. And besides, all my friends prefer the shinier D&D 5E rules or the complexity of AD&D 1st edition. Race as class just doesn't appeal; neither does limited spells or magical items. But I grew up with this form of D&D and I will continue to love it until I die (or at least until I can't read the numbers on the dice anymore).

AD&D Magic Items: Miscellaneous Weapons

Hammer of Thunderbolts

Not as well-known as magic swords, the miscellaneous weapons are 14% likely to be found in a randomly generated hoard of magic treasure. This category includes such weapons as daggers (the sword's little cousin), axes, hammers, maces, and missile weapons (and their ammunition). Some unusual weapons were selected for inclusion on the list (like flails, military picks, and tridents), which are not typically selected by player characters. Other weapons that are typically selected for their damage potential (mostly pole-arms) are not included, or only have +1 versions listed (like the battle-axe +1 or morning star +1). Does this mean that certain weapons only have +1 versions, and never have +2, +3, or higher magical bonuses? This is unknown. Some of the weapons only have one version listed, and at a value higher than +1! Such weapons include the crossbow of accuracy +3, the javelin +2, scimitar +2, and sling of seeking +2.

Most of the magic weapons listed have a straight magical bonus listed without any additional powers. The magical bonus is meant to apply both "to hit" and damage rolls (with some exceptions listed hereafter). Thus, an axe +2 gives +2 "to hit" and does 1d6+2 damage to any creature it hits in melee (not counting any strength or other bonuses of the character wielding it). This is somewhat different from the original D&D game in which the bonus applied either to hit or to damage rolls, not necessarily both.

MAGIC WEAPON RULES AND DESCRIPTIONS

Magic arrows which miss their targets are listed as being recoverable 50% of the time. Those that hit their targets are considered to be destroyed. This is the first time this rule is stated anywhere, and has been later applied by many to all arrows.

Arrows of Slaying are keyed to a specific type of creature and are all considered to be +3 enchanted. Each has a special mark that designates the creature type to be affected. If used against the type of creature it is enchanted to slay, any hit will instantly kill the creature (without rolling damage and regardless of hit points). The list in the DMG only has 24 listings, but can be expanded or modified at the DM's desire.

Axes (not battle axes) can be thrown up to 3" with the hit bonus, but then do not receive the damage bonus. It is assumed that if used in melee, the bonus applies to hit and damage rolls as normal. Only the Axe +2, throwing can be used normally at double range and with the standard damage bonus.

Bows give their enchantment bonus on "to hit" rolls and the damage rolls of their ammunition. If magic arrows are used, total the bow and arrow enchantments. The type of bow depends on the circumstances of the campaign, and the culture that made it. Apparently, magic bows are only +1 enchantment only (which makes sense, since magic arrows can be anywhere from +1 to +3 in enchantment).

Crossbows of Accuracy +3 give the bonus to any missile fired from it and all ranges are considered to be short range (no range penalties!). Only 10% of these will be heavy crossbows. It is worth noting here that magical crossbow bolts are only found at +2 enchantment, so when using such in this crossbow, the archer is +5 to hit and damage!

Crossbow of Distance has doubled range categories, but is otherwise of +1 enchantment to hit and damage. 10% of these will be heavy crossbows.

Crossbow of Speed allows the user to fire at double the normal rate of fire. If grasped, the crossbow will automatically cock itself. In surprise situations it is of no help, but in complete surprise situations the held crossbow will enable its user to fire in the 2nd segment portion. Otherwise, it allows first fire in any melee round, and end of the round fire also, when applicable (typically, as a light crossbow only). 10% of these are heavy crossbows, and it is assumed then that the rate of fire moves from 1/2 to 1 per round. In any case the weapon has a +1 bonus.

Dagger of Venom appears to be a standard +1 weapon, but the hilt holds a hidden store of poison. Any hit on a natural 20 injects fatal poison into the opponent unless a saving throw vs. poison is successful. The dagger holds 6 doses of poison and more can be refilled manually. Use of this weapon by good (and particularly LG) characters must be carefully monitored. Although this sounds like a great weapon, the poison only works on a roll of 20 - it's otherwise a +1 dagger.

Hammer +3 Dwarven Thrower was created in the original D&D rulebooks and was one of the highlights of playing a dwarf character. It appears to be only a +2 war hammer, but in the hands of a dwarven fighter it becomes a +3 weapon, can be thrown up to 6", and will return to the thrower's hand like a boomerang. The bonus works even when hurled for both "to hit" and damage rolls. However, when hurled, the hammer does double dice damage against all opponents except giants (including ogres, ogre-magi, trolls, and ettins), against which it causes triple damage (plus bonus of +3). Thus, the base weapon damage is doubled or tripled when thrown, then the bonus is applied.

Hammer of Thunderbolts appears to be a regular hammer of large size and extra weight. It is too unwieldy to use in combat unless the character has at least a Strength of 18/01% or better and a height over 6'. The hammer then functions as +3 enchantment and gains double damage dice on any hit. If the wielder wears any girdle of giant strength and gauntlets of ogre power, the hammer can be properly wielded if the true name of the hammer is known. When swung or hurled it gains a +5 bonus, double damage dice, all girdle and gauntlet damage bonuses, and strikes dead any giant upon which it scores a hit! When hurled and successfully hitting,  a clap of thunder accompanies the strike, stunning all creature within 3" for 1 round. (Remember that a stunned target can take no actions and is +4 to be hit by attacks.) Throwing range is 1" + 1/2"/point of strength bonus for the gauntlets and girdle, i.e. 6 + 7 to 12 = 13 to 18 x 1/2" = 7½" to 10" range. The hammer of thunderbolts can only be thrown once every other round due to its unwieldiness, and after 5 throws within a 2 turn span of time, the thrower must rest for 1 turn. At first this sounds like a great weapon (and is modeled after Thor's hammer, Mjolnir), however requiring 2 other strength-based magic items to use it properly is a basic Gygax "gotcha" move. Most parties would balk at allowing one fighter to get both a girdle of giant strength AND gauntlets of ogre power, when it make much more sense to have two characters own those items (and increase both of their damage potentials). The height and Strength requirements just to use the +3 weapon alone is enough to place it out of the hands of most characters (and all of the demi-humans). It is, however, a cool visual and an awesome weapon to aspire towards, like the Holy Avenger or the Staff of the Magi.

A side note at the end of the hammers section shows that magic hammers can be throw as hand axes are, which means that, unless noted, when hurling a magic hammer only the "to hit" bonus applies.

Curiously, there is no mention of a mace +3 - the chart lists only a mace +1, mace +2, and mace +4 along with the mace of disruption.

Mace of Disruption appears to be a +1 mace, but it has a NG alignment, and any evil character touching it takes 5-20 damage! If the mace strikes an undead creature or evil creature from a lower plane, it functions like a cleric turning undead as if the wielder were 12th level, and if the creature struck scores equal or below the number shown, it is disrupted and slain. Thus skeletons, zombies, ghouls, shadows, and wights are instantly blasted out of existence, as are ghasts and even wraiths. Mummies have only a 20% chance, spectres 35%, vampires 50%, ghosts 65%, liches 80%, and other affected evil creatures 95% chance of saving. Even if the undead/fiend saves, damage upon such creatures is doubled (double bonus and double dice damage). It is assumed then that against undead/fiends it is a +2 bonus weapon, and failure to save indicates that the undead/fiendish creature is destroyed.

Scimitar +2 can optionally be treated as a magic sword - especially if the campaign has a more Asian flavor. Thus it can range in bonus from +1 to +5, and may include scimitar of wounding or scimitar of sharpness as options.  It may also be intelligent or have special powers and abilities like magic swords.

Sling of Seeking +2 gives the user a +2 bonus for "to hit" and damage dice, but missiles from the weapon are only regarded as +1 magical with respect to seeing what creatures can be hit (thus, if a creature requires magic weapons of +2 or better to hit, it is unaffected by missiles from this sling). There are no listed magic sling stones or sling bullets, so these apparently do not exist.

Spears can be used as melee or missile weapons. If used as a missile, they may be broken by any creature with 18/00 or greater strength or against or by one that is massive (like dinosaurs, huge dragons, cave bears, hippos, rhinos, etc.) Intelligent creatures may pick up and return fire with a magic spear 75% of the time, or may break the weapon 25% of the time (save vs. crushing blow). Unintelligent creatures will be 25% likely to break it (save as above). Unlike axes and hammers, there appears to be no restriction on the damage bonus when thrown.

Spear, Cursed Backbiter appears to be a +1 magic spear (or +2 or +3 at DM option). It performs naturally at this bonus when used in combat, but each time it is used in anger against a melee opponent, there is a 1 in 20 chance cumulative that it will function against its wielder, and once it does so cannot be dropped without a remove curse spell. When functioning in this manner, the spear curls to strike the wielder in the back, thus negating any shield and/or Dex bonuses to AC, and doing normal damage. Backbiting also applies to hurling the spear, but once loosed it is no longer cursing the wielder; however, the damage done to the wielder is thus doubled in this case.

Trident (military fork) +3 is a short-hafted weapon about 6' long overall. Upon command, the middle tine retracts into the pole, and the pole extends to 9' length, thus creating a military fork with a short center spike. The changing in form requires 1 round.

It is curious to note that, with the exception of the cursed backbiter spear, there are NO cursed magic weapons on this list. In comparison, there are three cursed magic swords on that list.

Some of the other magic weapons that appear in the DMG are actually considered miscellaneous magic items, rods, or Artifacts since they are not used in the traditional sense of a weapon. Such weapons include the arrow of direction, javelin of lightning, javelin of piercing, maul of the titans, net of entrapment, net of snaring, trident of fish command, trident of submission, trident of warning, and trident of yearning. There are also the rod of lordly might (which can transform into several different magical weapons), the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords, Mace of Cuthbert, Sword of Kas, and Wand of Orcus (all artifacts).

ENCHANTING MAGIC WEAPONS

There are some spells that can temporarily make normal weapons magical, such as shillelagh, enchanted weapon, and flame arrow, but the weapons do not become like magic items - they mostly can only be used to hit creatures only struck by magic weapons and gain either the bonus to hit, or damage, or neither (depending on the wording of the spell). Creation of magic weapons is not well-explained in the rules. It apparently requires the Enchant an Item spell, a permanency spell, and some other spell to grants the magical bonuses. The only place I've ever seen an explanation of how those bonuses are installed was in a WHITE DWARF Magazine series of articles on magic item creation. These articles indicated that the spell limited wish can be used to charge items with enchantment bonuses (one spell per bonus) before making them permanent. I think this is a perfectly good use of an otherwise curious spell that is poorly understood (after all, how does one limit a wish?). I assume that clerics make clerical weapons (maces, hammers, etc.) while magic-users make bows and bladed weapons, but only a magic-user can cast limited wish or permanency spells.

It is curious that some magic weapons are limited in their enchantment bonus. I have no explanation for this other than it could have been a decision by Gary Gygax to limit the power of such weapons' damage potentials. It appears that maces are the only weapons other than swords to be allowed +4 enchantment. All other weapons are of +1, +2, or +3 value. Then again, when one considers that most magic weapons harken back to the original D&D rules which used a chart and 2d6 roll to determine hits (from CHAINMAIL), then that +1, +2 or +3 bonus held more power than with a d20 roll.

UNEARTHED ARCANA MAGIC WEAPONS

Perusing the UNEARTHED ARCANA list, one can see that the enchantment bonus increased for many of the weapons and new weapon types were added to the list. Arrows and hand axes were now up to +4 enchantment. Battle axes could be +2 or +3 as well. Bolts of +1 or +3 value were now available. Sling bullets are added to the list, and could be of +1 to +3 enchantment. Normal magical daggers (that didn't care about opponent size) were listed up to +3 value. Darts were added to the list, up to +3 bonus. Flails could now be up to +2 bonus, and hammers up to +4 bonus. Javelins could be +1 or +3 bonus. Knives were added to the list, up to +2 bonus. The lance was added to the list at +1 bonus (probably for cavaliers which debuted in this book). The mace +3 was added to the list, as was the morning star +2. Pole arms finally got a +1 bonus on the list, and magic quarterstaff  was added (for those monk types, or non-magic-user staff combatants), the scimitar got a +1, +3 and +4 version, as well as the scimitar of speed option. Finally, spears, of +4 or +5 bonus were added as well. Some new special weapons included the axe of hurling, sling bullet of impact, dagger +2 longtooth, dagger of throwing, dart of homing, hornblade, and buckle knife.

Axe of Hurling is the equivalent of the dwarven thrower for axe fans. It can be thrown up to 6" and returns to the thrower at the end of the round, whether it scores a hit or not. Damage when hurled is twice normal dice damage, then the bonus is added. It only causes normal damage when used in melee. The bonus on the axe is +1 to +5.

Sling Bullet of Impact appears to be a normal sling bullet, but close examination reveals tiny rune inscriptions and they radiate as magic when detected. Each bullet is +1 bonus "to hit" only. The unadjusted score to hit is the base chance of whether additional damage is done. For each point above the minimum number to hit, the missile causes +2 damage to the target struck. Thus, if the hit was 5 above what was required to hit, the damage would be +10. The bonus damage is added to the base damage for a sling bullet.

Dagger +2 Longtooth appears to be a normal weapon or a magic weapon of the normal sort, but when wielded by a gnome or halfling, it lengthens and functions as a short sword, but remains as light and handy as a dagger. The weapon will penetrate wood or stone as if it were softer material in the hands of a gnome or halfling, inflicting maximum damage against such substances. This means that the speed factor of the blade is that of a dagger, while the damage is that of a short sword, and locks, bolts, or bars could be cut through easily with the blade.

Dagger of Throwing appears to be a normal weapon, but radiates strong magic when detected. The balance of the weapon is perfect, and when thrown, ranges are doubled (2"/4"/6"), and a successful hit will inflict double normal dagger damage plus the magic bonus. Magic bonuses range from +1 to +4.

Hornblade is a magic weapon that originally appears to be a sickle-like knife about the size of a short sword. It appears to be nothing more than a horn set in a handle grip. If the proper pressure plate is pressed, a curved blade will spring out. These range from knife-sized, to dagger-sized, to scimitar-sized, and have magic bonuses of +1 to +3 based on size. The smaller versions can be thrown, and the bonus applies to hit and damage rolls. Any class that can use a sickle can use a hornblade. It can be wielded as a weapon of the type it emulates (knife, dagger, or scimitar), providing the user has proficiency with the weapon. The hornblade is retractable between uses. Seems like an awful lot of trouble just to give a druid a switchblade...

Darts of Homing appear to be normal projectiles, but are actually magic weapons of +3 value. If the dart hits the target it is thrown at, it will magically return to the thrower in the same round and can be re-used. A dart of homing does 4-9 points of damage on a successful hit against any size of creature (1-6 plus bonus). If the dart misses its intended target, it loses its magic. These darts have double the range of normal darts (3"/6"/9"). Hopefully these are found in large quantities since the only character likely to get much use of this weapon is a magic-user with pitiful attack rolls, so I don't see the weapon returning all that often...

Buckle Knife is a magic blade with a hilt that resembles a large ornamental belt buckle or a complete buckle of a smaller sort. Its hilt can easily be grasped and the weapon drawn from its belt sheath. The knife blade is short but sharp, so it does damage as a larger knife. The magic bonus is +1 to +4. This is apparently a great weapon for a thief or assassin who needs to carry a weapon incognito.

Magic Quarterstaff is a new magic weapon with two special qualities worth mentioning. Upon command, the staff will alter its length from as short as 6' to as long as 12' (or any length desired in between). It otherwise causes damage as a quarterstaff (1d6) plus its magic bonus of +1 to +5. This particular magic item was showcased as belonging to the thief-acrobat on the Dungeon & Dragons Saturday morning cartoon. I'm sure it exists on this list only to give a thief-acrobat a vaulting pole or balance pole when desired.

Scimitar of Speed is a +2 weapon that enables its wielder to strike first in a melee round, even though some magical effect might have otherwise slowed his or her speed and reaction time. This initial attack comes on the 1st segment of the round, ahead of any other actions that might also take place. It also allows more than one strike in some rounds; it allows the wielder to strike with multiple attacks one place better than they can normally. Thus, if a druid is striking, he can strike at 3/2 attacks. A 7th level fighter with this scimitar could attack 2/1 attacks or better if specialized in scimitar as well. The increase in attacks is also cumulative with the effects of a haste spell. The bonus of the weapon can be +1 to +5, and there are also other forms of this weapon (such as cutlass, tulwar, or yatagan).

Magic weapons still require the wielder to be proficient with the weapon, otherwise they suffer the non-proficiency penalty to attack.

FINAL IMPRESSIONS

Most of the magic weapons listed are of the normal sort one would find in any D&D game, but what if the D&D character chose oddball weapons for their weapon proficiencies? A monk with a bo stick or spetum is out of luck if they require magic weapons to hit a gargoyle! If using purely the Players Handbook and Dungeon Masters Guide, then none of the pole arms found are magical in nature. This caused so many players to choose a sword as one of their weapons in order to guarantee that they would find at least one magic weapon to use. Double-specializing in an oddball weapon that causes a lot of damage is great, but then don't expect to find a magic version of the weapon.

How come some magic weapons don't have cool abilities like magic swords? I would expect some enchanted battle-axes to have vorpal qualities, or maybe a bone-breaking mace that prevents opponents from using their weapons or moving effectively, or shattering one's shield, magic or otherwise. Those should have been the weapons included in the DMG. Why can't a club be enchanted? I can think of several cartoon characters with enchanted clubs that did cool things (Mighty Mightor, Captain Caveman, and Bobby the Barbarian from the D&D cartoon, to name a few). All the magic weapons should have been listed under the Miscellaneous Weapons list (except, of course, the Artifacts).

Don't get me wrong, the sword is the iconic weapon of the Medieval warrior, but only the Fighter classes can use them effectively (except for a few types usable by Thieves). The rest of the classes are limited in their weapon selections and, although most can use other types of magic items that fighters can't, seems to be limiting if the character is designed to be more of a fighting type. Take a war cleric, for example. A cleric of Heironeous or Hextor, or perhaps a follower of Bane, should be able to use weapons that can actually do something more than grant +n to hit. Magic swords can slay dragons or giants, produce cold or fire, have specific bonuses against certain creature types, or have the abilities to drain life levels or cut off limbs. Why don't miscellaneous weapons get cool powers like that? The only ones that do have restrictions on who can use them, and/or have limitations based on other magic items possessed or ability scores, height, or race. Not many swords have such restrictions!

The Unearthed Arcana list tried to make miscellaneous magic weapons better by increasing the magic bonuses or adding in new items omitted in the DMG. However, the truly cool powers are still reserved for swords.