Five parts including A: Monsters, B: Weapons, C: Magic Items, D: Higher Level Play, and E: Other Rulesets These references to the "great beyond" made the Holmes set very intriguing to me as a youngster; enough so that many years later I compiled lists of this sort.... They give the impression of great depth, a bit like the references to the Silmarillion in The Lord of the Rings. Page numbers: If there are two page numbers listed (e.g., pg 43/44), this reflects the page number for the 1st edition (1st print) followed by the 3rd (final) edition. If these are the same, just one page number is listed. If the reference is only found in one edition this is noted. The page numbers for the two editions is generally the same until the Monster List (starting at pg 22) where reformatting changed some of the page numbers. PART A: REFERENCES TO MONSTERS NOT DESCRIBED IN THE MONSTER LIST Foreward: The David Sutherland illustration at the bottom of the page shows a lizard man riding a giant lizard (pg 3) Note: Lizard men are described in the MONSTER LIST, but not giant lizards. Additional Character Classes: “a centaur, a lawful werebear, and a Japanese Samurai fighting man” (pg 7) Magic Spells: “…conjuring a water elemental (5th level) requires the presence of water...” (pg 13) Monster Saving Throws: “demons, balrogs and dragons may be highly resistant to certain kinds of magic” (pg 14) Charm Person spell affects: “sprites, pixies, nixies, kobolds, goblins, orcs, hobgoblins and gnolls (pg 14) Notes: In the 1st print, pixies are “air sprites” and nixies are “water sprites”, but there is no separate entry for sprite. The 1st print MONSTER LIST includes nixies but not gnolls; the 3rd edition is the opposite. Hold Portal spell: “a strong anti-magical creature like a Balrog will shatter it” (pg 14) Protection from Evil spell: “This spell hedges the conjurer round with a magic circle to keep out attacks from enchanted monsters such as elementals, invisible stalkers, demons, etc” (pg 15) Audible Glamer spell: “A lion roaring would require a fourth level casting, but the sound of a giant snake…” (pg 15) Snake Charm spell: "For each level the cleric has attained one level of snake(s) (1 hit die of snakes) can be charmed. Thus, a 3rd level cleric could charm 3 snakes with 1 hit die each or 1 snake with 3 hit dice." (pg 17) Notes: According to the rules, a Second Level Cleric Spell is not available until Fourth Level is reached. There is a giant snake with 2 hit dice in the SAMPLE DUNGEON, but no regular or giant snakes in the MONSTER LIST. Combat Melee: “Thus a small fast creature, like a vampire bat ... could be assigned ... AC 3” (pg 19) Note: This may just refer to the bat form of a vampire, which is in the MONSTER LIST; however, the only described AC of the vampire is AC 2 (pg 32/33) Poisoned Weapons: “the poisoned sting of a giant scorpion” (pg 19) Monsters: “No attempt has been made to include the demons or gods or goddesses from the GODS, DEMI-GODS & HEROES Supplement” (pg 22) Giant: "Giants in castles usually have other monsters there - a hydra, wolves, bears or referee's choice" (pg 27; 1st only). This text in Holmes is adapted from the Giant entry in Monsters & Treasure, page 9. Lycanthrope: "Thus we find ... were-leopards in Africa and were-sharks in Polynesia (pg 29/30) Note: Were-sharks feature prominently in Holmes later published novel MAZE OF PERIL Nixie: “travel in the water with 10-100 large fierce fish” (pg 30; 1st only) Pixie: “All are friendly with elves and fairies” (pg 31) Vampire: "can call up to 10 to 100 rats or 3 to 18 wolves to their aid" (pg 32/33). This text in Holmes is from the Vampire entry in Monsters & Treasure, page 9. The 2nd edition of Holmes adds an entry Giant Rats to the Monster List but not normal rats. In OD&D rats and wolves would fall under the Small Animals on page 20 of Monsters & Treasure: "These can be any of a huge variety of creatures such as wolves, centipedes, snakes and spiders. Any hit will kill the smaller, while larger beasts (such as wolves) will receive one Hit Die. Generally speaking they will be Armor Class 8." So, Giant Rats - 1 HP each, AC8. Wolves - 1 HD each, AC8. Dungeon Mastering: “a trip apt to be punctuated by attacks by brigands” (pg 40/41) Note: Bandits are found the MONSTER LIST, but not brigands. SAMPLE DUNGEON (each monster is given abbreviated stats) Room L: phosphorescent fungus; giant crab Room M: large octopus Room N: sarcophagus skeleton - non-standard skeleton; see notes below. Room S: giant snake Room S2: ape The skeleton in sarcophagus #5 in Room N is tougher than a normal skeleton: "#5 animated skeleton (7 hit points), armor class 7, is armed with a curved scimitar" (pg 44/45). Standard skeletons in the Monster List have 1/2 HD (1-4 hit points) and armor class 8. PART B: REFERENCES TO WEAPONS NOT FOUND ON THE EQUIPMENT LIST The war hammer is missing from the Holmes equipment lists, despite the 1st print of Holmes mentioning a War Hammer +1 (pg 35, Armor and Weapons list), +2 (pg 35, explanation of Magical Weapons) and +3 (pg 6, Dwarves). This does not originate in Holmes, since the Men & Magic equipment list is also missing a war hammer while Monsters & Treasure has a War Hammer +1, +2 and +3 in the Miscellaneous Weapons magic item list (pg 24). Greyhawk includes only a "Dwarven Hammer" in the variable weapon damage table that does 1-6 damage (pg 15). Clerics: “mace or the quarter staff” (pg 6) Poisoned Weapons: “a curare tipped blowgun dart” (pg 19) Missile Fire: Table includes Horse Bow (Short Composite Bow), Sling Stone and Javelin (pg 20) “…unless in a very high roofed area, all slinging, as well as long range fire, is not possible” (pg 20) Example of Combat: ""Bruno the Battler" smashes open a dungeon door and is confronted by a big goblin in chainmail armed with a scimitar." (pg 21) Lizard Man entry: "They are at least semi-intelligent and use such weapons as spears and clubs" (pg 29). Nixie entry: “they carry javelins” (pg 30; 1st only) Sample Dungeon, Room M: The pirates "are armed with cutlasses" (pg 43/44) Sample Dungeon, Room N: "skeleton ... armed with a curved scimitar" (pg 44/45) PART C: REFERENCES TO MAGICAL ITEMS NOT FOUND IN THE TREASURE TABLES Character Alignment: "There are some magical items that can be used only by one alignment of characters" (pg 8) Note: The section on Magic Items does not describe any alignment-restricted items. The Helm of Good/Evil can be used by any alignment. Men & Magic included intelligent magic swords (page 27) and artifacts (page 39) that harm wielders of the wrong alignment; Greyhawk adds a number of other alignment-oriented magic items. Languages: "Magic-users spells and some magic items will enable the speaking and understanding of languages" (pg 9) Note: The section on Magic Items does not describe any magic items that specifically enable this. Furthermore, there are not any M-U spells that enable speaking of languages. The closest is Read Languages, which allows understanding of written words. This sentence is taken directly from the section on Languages in Men & Magic (page 12), but OD&D also lacks any M-U spells or magic items which enable the speaking and understanding of languages. Greyhawk adds a 6th level cleric spell called Speak with Monsters (page 30). Light: "Magic swords and some staves shed light..." (pg 9) Note: The section on Magic Items does not describe any staff that sheds light. This is probably a reference to the Staff of Power which includes Continual Light amongst its powers (Monsters & Treasure, page 35). This paragraph is derived from one about light on page 9 of The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures that mention magic swords but not staves. Magic Spells: "Thus there are magic wands, staves, rings, amulets, potions, scrolls and similar items which give the user magical powers just as if he had a magic spell" (pg 13) Note: The section on Magic Items does not describe any magic amulets per se, although the Medallion of ESP could be interpreted as such. Monsters & Treasure has an Amulet vs Crystal Balls and ESP (page 36), and Greyhawk adds an Amulet of Inescapable Location (page 49). Charm Person: "Intelligence 18 or more New Saving Throw every: day" (pg 14) Note: Holmes does not describe any means of achieving an intelligence of more than 18 (or specifically describe any monsters with such). This table is taken from Greyhawk, page 21, which similarly lists "Intelligence 18 and above". Greyhawk further describes two magic items that can increase Intelligence by 1 point, and thus could increase it above 18 (Tome of Clear Thought and Deck of Many Things) Magic-User Spells, Read Magic: "[t]he means by which incantations on an item or scroll are read. Without such a spell or similar device magic is unintelligible to even a magic-user" (pg 15). Note: The section on Magic items does not describe any "items" (other than scrolls) that require Read Magic to be used (although the Broom of Flying, which has a "command word" that is "magically engraved", is a possibility), or any "devices" that duplicate the effect of a Read Magic spell. Magic Weapons: "Certain cursed armor and shields actually increase the probability of being hit by the indicated amount" (pg 20) Note: The tables for Magic Items includes cursed armor, but not cursed shields. Sample Dungeon: Wand of petrifaction and scroll which reverses its effect (pg 44/45). These items are not described in the sections on Magic Items or Spells. "Petrifaction" is used here rather than the standard D&D term "petrification". See http://phrontistery.info/disq6.html for more information on this topic. PART D: REFERENCES TO HIGHER LEVEL PLAY (an expanded version of this list can be found here) Introduction: Constitution will influence “being paralyzed or killed and raised from the dead” (pg 5) Introduction: “a charismatic male defeated by a witch will not be turned into a frog…” (pg 5) Notes: This is a revision of a similar sentence in M&M (pg 11), which uses "swine" instead of "frog". The term "witch" is not otherwise described in OD&D, though it could be considered the female title for a 5th level magic-user (Warlock), who could cast the 4th level spell Polymorph Others. Page 27 of M&M has an illustration of a "beautiful witch". Page 7 of the Holmes rulebook indicates that witches will be a player character class in AD&D, although this did not prove to be the case. A witch NPC class first appeared in THE DRAGON #5 in March 1977 (the first Holmes set appeared in 1977, probably later in the year, the first advertisement being in DRAGON #9, Sep 1977). Fighters: “After they reach the fourth level of experience they also increase their ability to get hits…” (pg 6) Thieves: “Thieves above the 3rd level of experience can read magic scrolls and books and 80% of languages so that treasure maps, etc are easy for them” (pg 6) Numbers of Characters: “A seventh level cleric can raise the dead, if you can find one!” (pg 8) Experience Points: “There is no theoretical limit to the number of levels a character may progress (15th level fighting man, 14th level wizard, etc.). [sic] but only the first three levels are covered in this book” (pg 11) Clerical Abilities: “higher level clerics can dispel [the undead] ... When a higher level cleric dispels an undead monster it disappears and is gone forever" (pg 12) Use of the Word Level: “A fifth level monster, such as a 5-headed hydra, is worth many more experience points than an orc” and “Example: “While on the 4th dungeon level, my 6th level magic-user encountered a 5th level monster and attacked it with a 3rd level spell” (pg 12) Magic Spells: “conjuring a water elemental (5th level) requires the presence of water...” (pg 13/13) Saving Throws: "...the weapon has no effect (spell, death ray, posion, paralyzation, stone, polymorph)..." (pg 14/14). Monster Saving Throws: “undead are unaffected by spells which require a living mind: …hypnotism” (pg 14) Enlargement spell: “A 10th level magic-user could enlarge an object up to 120 cubic feet in volume…” (pg 14) Magic Missile spell: “Higher level magic-users fire more than one missile” (pg 15) Note: The thaumaturgist in the Sample Dungeon knows this spell, but his description does not mention that he can fire multiple missiles. Audible Glamer spell: “A lion roaring would require a fourth level casting…” (pg 15) Darkness spell: “It can be countered by a dispel magic or a light spell. (Dispel magic is a third level spell)” (pg 15) Note: Dispel Magic is listed in the Book of Third Level Spells, which are listed but not described. Wizard Lock spell: “can be passed through without a spell by any magic-user three levels higher than the one who placed the spell” (pg 16) Third level spells: “can only be used by magic-users of the fifth level and above” (pg 16) Clerical spells: “Second level spells are not available to clerics of below fourth level, and are included for use with non-player characters and scrolls” (pg 17; 3rd only) Remove Fear spell: “a 5th level cleric adds 5” [to the saving throw against fear] (pg 17) Combat Melee Table: “For characters over 3rd level consult table in AD&D” (pg 18) Monsters: “If one wanted to use a chimera…maybe it ran into a high level magic-user and was partially shrunk by a magic spell, reducing its hit points” (pg 22) Bandits: can be accompanied by 4th-6th level fighter, 10th-11th level magic-user, or 8th level cleric (pg 22) Djinni: “Very great magic-users and exceptionally wise clerics are rumored to be able to command or capture djinni so as to have them as servants” (pg 24) Dwarves & Elves: Leaders can be “level 2-7” (dwarves) or F/MU of “2-4 level/2-8 level ability” (elves) (pg 25) Giant Rats: “Note to DM: Clerics of the 5th level or higher may have a Cure Disease spell, which they may administer in exchange for a suitable “donation” to their temple” (3rd only; pg 27) Note: The entries for Giant Tick, Green Slime and Mummy also refer to the Cure Disease spell. Skeletons: "Animated skeletons act only under instructions of their motivator, an evil magic-user or cleric...They can be dispelled by a good cleric..." (pg 31/32) Zombies: "Corpses animated by the will of some evil magic-user or evil cleric...They can be dispelled by a lawful cleric" (pg 33/34) Ring of Contrariness: “cannot be removed without a remove curse spell (third level clerical spell)” (pg 37/38). Note: The entries for Ring of Weakness and Helm of Good/Evil also refer to a cleric’s remove curse spell. Sample Dungeon: The thaumaturgist is 4th level, and “If magic is thrown at him his saving throw is better than that of magic-users of the third level, add +1 to his saving throw score” (pg 42/43). The thaumaturguist also knows four first level spells and two second level spells, which matches the number for a 4th level magic-user in Men & Magic. PART E: SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO ORIGINAL or ADVANCED DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS ORIGINAL DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Preface: "This book is based upon the original work published in 1974 and three supplementary booklets published in the two year period after the initial release of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS" (pg 2) Foreword: The Foreword is a reprint of the Foreword of OD&D, and contains the following references: "From the CHAINMAIL fantasy rules [Arneson] drew ideas for a far more complex and exciting game, and thus began a campaign which still thrives as of this writing" (pg 3) "The third booklet of this set will be of great help in this respect, for a number of helpful suggestions regarding how to accomplish it all have been given in order to help you accomplish the task with a minimum of time and effort. [This information is now included in the single book you have in your hand.]" (pg 3) Note: The third booklet of the original set was UNDERWORLD AND WILDERNESS ADVENTURES Combat Melee: "The more complex system used for advanced play allows for varying amounts of damage by different weapons and by various sorts of monsters" (pg 18). This may refer to the variable weapon damage option for Greyhawk, or AD&D, although this appears in the 1st print which was published prior to AD&D. Note that monsters in Holmes are given varying damage, just not the player characters. Monsters: "No attempt has been made to include demons or gods and goddesses from the GODS, DEMI-GODS & HEROES Supplement" (pg 22). Monsters: "A good guide to the amount of treasure any given monster should be guarding is given in the MONSTER & TREASURE ASSORTMENTS which are included in the game" (pg 22; 1st only). Note: this was changed in the 2nd edition when the box set was changed to include B1 instead of the M&TA Set 1. Giant: "There are several ways to calculate catapult (giant) fire. This one is adapted from CHAINMAIL" (pg 26). Dungeon Mastering As A Fine Art: "The geomorphic dungeon levels provided with this game contain many suggestions and will prove very useful" (pg 38; 1st only). Note: This refers to DUNGEON GEOMORPHS SET ONE, BASIC DUNGEONS. ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (For brevity, “AD&D” is used in place of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons) Preface: “Players who wish to go beyond the basic game are directed to the AD&D books” (pg 2) Fighting Men: “…experience levels that high are not discussed in this book and the reader is referred to the more complete rules in AD&D” (pg 6) Thieves: “There are special rules for hobbits, dwarves and elves who wish to be thieves – these are given in AD&D” (pg 6) Additional Character Classes: “There are a number of other character types which are detailed in AD&D” (pg 7) Saving Throws: Higher level characters get better saving throws and these are given in AD&D" (pg 14). Combat Melee: “Full tables are given in AD&D” (pg 18) Monsters: “A large selection of monsters is given in alphabetical order and many more can be found in AD&D” (pg 22) Dragon: “Of the dozen different kinds found in AD&D only four will be covered here” (pg 24) Treasure: “There are many more magical and wondrous items described in AD&D” (pg 33/34). |
Exploring the Underworld of Holmes Basic Dungeons & Dragons > Rules Expansions for higher level play >