INTRODUCTION

Even if you are not familiar with fantasy role playing games in general, and AD&D in particular, you will find this work (with its companion volume, the Monster Manual) is a complete game system in itself. It will stand alone, and it has been written and edited in order to make the whole as easily understood as possible without taking anything away from its complexity and completeness. If, on the other hand, you are a veteran adventurer of many swords & sorcery campaign games, AD&D will prove to be superior to any past offerings in the fantasy role playing game field. You will find it easy to integrate your existing character or characters into the new system, and at the same time the game will be both familiar and different. There are nuances not found in previous efforts. All the necessary information is presented in clear and concise terms, in a format which logically follows the flow of play.

The characters and races from which the players select are carefully thought out and balanced to give each a distinct and different approach to the challenges posed by the game. Advantages and disadvantages, advancement in level, characteristics and abilities are all detailed and explained so that selection of a player-character type—or the integration of an existing character—can be done with foreknowledge and projection. In a similar vein, the individuals running the campaign games, the Dungeon Masters, will have available more data and guidelines upon which to build more interesting and detailed milieu.

Clerics and fighters have been strengthened in relation to magic-users, although not overly so. Clerics have more and improved spell capability. Fighters are more effective in combat and have other new advantages as well. Still, magic-users are powerful indeed, and they have many new spells. None of these over-shadow thieves. All recommended sub-classes—druids, paladins, rangers, illusionists, and assassins—as well as the special monk class of character, are included in order to assure as much variety of approach as possible. Non-human races—dwarven, elven, gnome, half-elven, half-orcish, and halfling—are likewise included. Each offers some advantage and difference, yet has distinct disadvantages, just as human characters do. But some readers might still be wondering what fantasy role playing games are all about, so enough about contents and on to explanations.

AD&D is a world. Of course, this world is not complete. It needs organizers and adventurers to order and explore it. It needs you! A fantasy role playing game is an exercise in imagination and personal creativity. The organizer of the campaign, the Dungeon Master, must use the system to devise an individual and unique world. Into this world of weird monsters, strange peoples, multitudinous states, and fabulous treasures of precious items and powerful magic stride fearless adventurers—you and your fellow players. Inexperienced and of but small power at first, by dint of hard fighting and clever deeds, these adventurers advance in ability to become forces to be reckoned with—high priests or priestesses, lords, wizards and arch-magi, master thieves. The abilities of each adventurer are fixed, but even such characteristics as Strength, Intelligence, and Wisdom are mutable in a fantasy world. By means of group co-operation and individual achievement, an adventurer can become ever more powerful. Even death loses much of its sting, for often the character can be resurrected, or reincarnated. And should that fail there is always the option to begin again with a new character. Thus AD&D is, as are most role playing games, open-ended. There is no “winner”, no final objective, and the campaign grows and changes as it matures.

This new system provides the Dungeon Master with more and better material from which to devise the campaign milieu, and that in turn means a more interesting and imaginative game for the players .

Enjoy the game, and always bear in mind that it is fantasy. Magical worlds have a strange way of differing, but while yours may not be quite the some as the one described here, it is ripe for adventure and plunder. Cleverness and imagination, along with a bit of luck, will always prevail—won’t they?

THE GAME

Swords & sorcery best describes what this game is all about, for those are the two key fantasy ingredients. AD&D is a fantasy game of role playing which relies upon the imagination of participants, for it is certainly make-believe, yet it is so interesting, so challenging, so mind-unleashing that it comes near reality.

As a role player, you become Falstaff the fighter. You know how strong, intelligent, wise, healthy, dexterous and, relatively speaking, how commanding a personality you have. Details as to your appearance, your body proportions, and your history can be produced by you or the Dungeon Master. You act out the game as this character, staying within your “god-given abilities”, and as molded by your philosophical and moral ethics (called alignment). You interact with your fellow role players, not as Jim and Bob and Mary who work at the office together, but as Falstaff the fighter, Angora the cleric, and Filmer, the mistress of magic! The Dungeon Master will act the parts of “everyone else”, and will present to you a variety of new characters to talk with, drink with, gamble with, adventure with, and often fight with! Each of you will become an artful thespian as time goes by—and you will acquire gold, magic items, and great renown as you become Falstaff the Invincible!

This game lets all of your fantasies come true. This is a world where monsters, dragons, good and evil high priests, fierce demons, and even the gods themselves may enter your character’s life. Enjoy, for this game is what dreams are made of!

The game is ideally for three or more adult players: one player must serve as the Dungeon Master, the shaper of the fantasy milieu, the “world” in which all action will take place. The other participants become adventurers by creating characters to explore the fantastic world and face all of its challenges - monsters, magic, and unnamed menaces. As is typical for most of us in real life, each character begins at the bottom of his or her chosen class (or profession). By successfully meeting the challenges posed, they gain experience and move upwards in power, just as actual playing experience really increases playing skill. Imagination, intelligence, problem solving ability, and memory are all continually exercised by participants in the game.

Although the masculine form of appellation is typically used when listing the level titles of the various types of characters, these names can easily be changed to the feminine if desired. This is fantasy—what’s in a name? In all but a few cases sex makes no difference to ability!

As with most other role playing games, this one is not just a single-experience contest. It is an ongoing campaign, with each playing session related to the next by results and participant characters who go from episode to episode. As players build the experience level of their characters and go forth seeking ever greater challenges, they must face stronger monsters and more difficult problems of other sorts (and here the Dungeon Master must likewise increase his or her ability and inventiveness). While initial adventuring usually takes place in an underworld dungeon setting, play gradually expands to encompass other such dungeons, town and city activities, wilderness explorations, and journeys into other dimensions, planes, times, worlds, and so forth. Players will add characters to their initial adventurer as the milieu expands so that each might actually have several characters, each involved in some separate and distinct adventure form, busily engaged in the game at the some moment of “Game Time”. This allows participation by many players in games which are substantially different from game to game as dungeon, metropolitan, and outdoor settings are rotated from playing to playing. And perhaps a war between players will be going on (with battles actually fought out on the tabletop with miniature figures) one night, while on the next, characters of these two contending players are helping each other to survive somewhere in a wilderness. Each individual campaign has its own distinct properties and “flavor”. A good Dungeon Master will most certainly make each game a surpassing challenge for his or her players. Treasure and experience gained must be taken at great risk or by means of utmost cleverness only. If the game is not challenging, if advancement is too speedy, then it becomes staid and boring. Conversely, a game can be too deadly and become just as boring, for who enjoys endlessly developing new characters to march off into oblivion in a single night of dungeon adventuring?!

Sometimes, however, because of close interaction (or whatever other reason) two or more Dungeon Masters will find that their games are compatible to the extent that participants in these individual campaigns can use the characters created in one to adventure in the others. In such cases the Dungeon Masters have created a very interesting “world” indeed, for their milieu will offer interesting differences and subtle shifts which will pose highly challenging problems to these players.

Ultimately, despite the fact that this is a game system created by someone else, the game’s viability rests principally with the referee. The Dungeon Master must design and map out the dungeon, town, city, and world maps. He or she must populate the whole world, create its past history, and even devise some rationale for what transpired (and will probably happen). As players, you help immeasurably by participating, by letting the referee know that you appreciate his or her efforts, and by playing well and in a sportsman-like fashion. Good play inspires better creations to challenge that play.

Skilled players always make a point of knowing what they are doing, i.e. they have an objective. They co-operate - particularly at lower levels or at higher ones when they must face some particularly stiff challenge - in order to gain their ends. Superior players will not fight everything they meet, for they realize that wit is as good a weapon as the sword or the spell. When weakened by wounds, or nearly out of spells and vital equipment, a clever party will seek to leave the dungeons in order to rearm themselves. (He who runs away lives to fight another day.) When faced with a difficult situation, skilled players will not attempt endless variations on the same theme; when they find the method of problem solving fails to work, they begin to devise other possible solutions. Finally, good players will refrain from pointless argument and needless harassment of the Dungeon Master when such bog the play of the game down into useless talking. Mistakes are possible, but they are better righted through reason and logic, usually at the finish of play for the day.

This game is unlike chess in that the rules are not cut and dried. In many places they are guidelines and suggested methods only. This is part of the attraction of AD&D, and it is integral to the game. Rules not understood should have appropriate questions directed to the publisher; disputes with the Dungeon Master are another matter entirely. 

The referee is the final arbiter of all affairs of his or her campaign. 

Participants in a campaign have no recourse to the publisher, but they do have ultimate recourse - since the most effective protest is withdrawal from the offending campaign. Each campaign is a specially tailored affair. While it is drawn by the referee upon the outlines of the 1 books which comprise AD&D, the players add the color and details, so the campaign must ultimately please all participants. It is their unique world. You, the reader, as a member of the campaign community, do not belong if the game seems wrong in any major aspect. Withdraw and begin your own campaign by creating a milieu which suits you and the group which you must form to enjoy the creation. (And perhaps you will find that preparation of your own milieu creates a bit more sympathy for the efforts of the offending referee...)

One of the most important items you must have to play the game is a character record. This can be a specially printed sheet, or you can simply use a note pad and design your own record sheet for your character if your Dungeon Master is agreeable, for he or she will usually retain at least a copy of all such records.

As information is developed for your character - his or her abilities, race, class, alignment—it must be accurately recorded. All details of the capabilities and possessions of the character must be noted. Where equipment and weapons are carried must be listed. Spells known and spells memorized for an adventure have to be kept track of. A running total of experience points must be maintained. All of these subjects are discussed herein. Ask your DM how records of your character should be kept, read the rules and commentary, and record the data you develop according to the rules (and your campaign referee’s instructions) in a form suitable to your DM.

All in all, this is a game for enjoyment. We are certain that it will provide endless hours of entertainment and excitement. That is the sole purpose for its creation. So enjoy, and may the dice be good to you!

FOR DUNGEON MASTERS

It is incumbent upon all DMs to be thoroughly conversant with [the player’s rules], and at the same time you must also know the additional information which is given [later], for it rounds out and completes the whole. While players will know that they must decide upon an alignment, for example, you, the DM, will further know that each and every action they take will be mentally recorded by you; and at adventure’s end you will secretly note any player character movement on the alignment graph.

After the material which pertains directly to the [players], comes the information which supplements and augments. There is a large section which lists and explains the numerous magical items. There are sections on the development of the campaign milieu, dungeon design, random creation of wilderness and dungeon levels, and the development of non-player characters. In fact, what I have attempted is to cram everything vital to the game into this book, so that you will be as completely equipped as possible to face the ravenous packs of players lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce upon the unwary referee and devour him or her at the first opportunity.

Thus, besides the systems, I have made every effort to give the reasoning and justification for the game. Of course the ultimate reason and justification is a playable and interesting game, and how much rationalization can actually go into a fantasy game? There is some, at least, as you will see, for if the game is fantasy, there is a basis for much of what is contained herein, even though it be firmly grounded on worlds of make-believe. And while there are no optionals for the major systems of AD&D (for uniformity of rules and procedures from game to game, campaign to campaign, is stressed), there are plenty of areas where your own creativity and imagination are not bounded by the parameters of the game system. These are sections where only a few hints and suggestions are given, and the rest left to the DM.

There is so much that could have been included herein that a major part of authoring this volume was deciding what would be omitted! The criterion was usefulness. First come material which was absolutely vital to play, then came the inclusion of what would be most helpful to you, and finally interesting items of brood appeal which tend to improve the flavor of a campaign were sifted into the work. Material included was written with an eye towards playability and expedition. The fun of the game is action and drama. The challenge of problem solving is secondary. Long and drawn out operations by the referee irritate the players. More “realistic” combat systems could certainly have been included here, but they have no real part in a game for a group of players having an exciting adventure. If you will do your best to keep the excitement level of your games at a peak, you will be doing yourself and your participants a favor which will be evident when players keep coming back for more.

The final word, then, is the game. Read how and why the system is as it is, follow the parameters, and then cut portions as needed to maintain excitement. For example, the rules call for wandering monsters, but these can be not only irritating—if not deadly—but the appearance of such can actually spoil a game by interfering with an orderly expedition. You have set up an area full of clever tricks and traps, populated it with well-thought-out creature complexes, given clues about it to pique players’ interest, and the group has worked hard to supply themselves with everything by way of information and equipment they will need to face and overcome the imagined perils. They are gathered together and eager to spend an enjoyable evening playing their favorite game, with the expectation of going to a new, strange area and doing their best to triumph. They are willing to accept the hazards of the dice, be it loss of items, wounding, insanity, disease, death, as long as the process is exciting. But lo!, every time you throw the “monster die” a wandering nasty is indicated, and the party’s strength is spent trying to fight their way into the area. Spells expended, battered and wounded, the characters trek back to their base. Expectations have been dashed, and probably interest too, by random chance. Rather than spoil such an otherwise enjoyable time, omit the wandering monsters indicated by the die. No, don’t allow the party to kill them easily or escape unnaturally, for that goes contrary to the major precepts of the game. Wandering monsters, however, are included for two reasons, as is explained in the section about them. If a party deserves to have these beasties inflicted upon them, that is another matter, but in the example above it is assumed that they are doing everything possible to travel quickly and quietly to their planned destination. If your work as a DM has been sufficient, the players will have all they can handle upon arrival, so let them get there, give them a chance. The game is the thing, and certain rules can be distorted or disregarded altogether in favor of play. 

Know the game systems, and you will know how and when to take upon yourself the ultimate power. To become the final orbiter, rather than the interpreter of the rules, can be a difficult and demanding task, and it cannot be undertaken lightly, for your players expect to play this game, not one made up on the spot. By the some token, they are playing the game the way you, their DM, imagines and creates it. Remembering that the game is greater than its ports, and knowing all of the parts, you w ill have overcome the greater port of the challenge of being a referee. Being a true DM requires cleverness and imagination which no set of rules books can bestow. Seeing that you were clever enough to [obtain] this volume, and you have enough imagination to desire to become the maker of a fantasy world, you are almost there already! Read and become familiar with the contents of this work and the one written for players, learn your monsters, and spice things up with some pantheons of super-powerful beings. Then put your judging and refereeing ability into the creation of your own personal milieu, and you have donned the mantle of Dungeon Master. Welcome to the exalted ranks of the overworked and harassed, whose cleverness and imagination are all too often unappreciated by cloddish characters whose only thought in life is to loot, pillage, slay, and who foil to appreciate the hours of preparation which went into the creation of what they aim to destroy as cheaply and quickly as possible. As a DM you must live by the immortal words of the sage who said: “Never give a sucker an even break.” Also, don’t be a sucker for your players, for you’d better be sure they follow sage advice too. As the DM, you have to prove in every game that you are still the best. This book is dedicated to helping to assure that you are.

DICE

As the DM, the tools of your trade are dice—platonic solid-shaped or just about any other sort. The random numbers you generate by rolling dice determine the results based on the probabilities determined herein or those you have set forth on your own. In case you are not familiar with probability curves, there are two types which are determined by your dice: linear (straight line), which has equal probability of any given integer in the number group, and bell (ascending and descending line), which has greater probability towards the center of the group of numbers than at either end. The two curves are illustrated thus:

Linear probability develops a straight line of ascending probability when used as a cumulative probability as shown above.

Bell distribution, when used to delineate the probability of certain numbers appearing, develops a curved line like this:

A single die, or multiple dice read in succession (such as three dice read as hundreds, tens and decimals) give linear probabilities. Two or more dice added together generate a bell-shaped probability curve.

Before any further discussion takes place, let us define the accepted abbreviations for the various dice. A die is symbolized by “d”, and its number of sides is shown immediately thereafter. A six-sided die is therefore “d6”, d8 is an eight-sided die, and so on. Two four-sided dice are expressed by 2d4, five eight-sided dice are 5d8, etc. Any additions to or subtractions from the die or dice are expressed after the identification, thus: d8+8 means a linear number grouping between 9 and 16, while 3d6 -2 means a bell-shaped progression from 1 to 16, with the greatest probability group in the middle (8, 9). This latter progression has the same median numbers as 2d6, but it has higher and lower ends and a greater probability of a median number than if 2d12 were used. When percentage dice are to be used, this is indicated by d%.

The d4 can be used to generate 25% incremental probabilities, random numbers from 1 to 4, with +1 it generates a linear 2-5, etc. It can be used to get 1 or 2 (1 or 2 = 1, 3 or 4 = 2) or in conjunction with any other dice to get linear or bell-shaped probability curves. For example, 2d4 = 2-8, 3d4 = 3-12, d4 + d6 = 2-10, d4 + d20 (as d10) = 2-14. When rolled in conjunction with another die, the d4 can be used to determine linear number ranges twice that shown on the other die, thus: d4 reading 1 or 2 means that whatever is read on the other die is the number shown; but if the d4 reads 3 or 4, odd the highest number on the second die to the number shown - so if d8 is the second die 1 to 16 can be generated, if a d12 is used 1 to 24 can be generated. If a d20 is used either 1-20 (assuming the use of a standard d20 which is numbered 0-9 twice without coloring one set of faces to indicate that those faces have 10 added to the number appearing) or 1-40 (assuming that one set of faces is colored) can be gotten by adding 0 if 1 or 2 is rolled on the d4 and 10 or 20 (depending on die type) if a 3 or 4 is rolled. Linear series above this are possible simply by varying the meaning of the d4 number; 1 always means add 0, but 2 can be interpreted as add the value (highest number) of the second die, 3 can be twice value, and 4 can be thrice value. Thus, a d4 reading 4 in conjunction with a d8 (linear curve 1-32) would mean 24 + d8, or 25-32.

What applies to d4 has similar application with regard to d6, d8, d12, and d20. The d6 has 16 ⅔% intervals, d8 has 12 ½% intervals, and d20 can have 10% or 5% intervals. A d6 is useful for getting a random number from 1 to 3 (1-2 = 1, 3-4 = 2, 5-6 = 3), while 1 to 5 can be easily read from a d20 (1-2 = 1, 3-4 = 2, 5-6 = 3, 7-8 = 4, 9-0 = 5).

The d20 is used often, both as d10 and d20. The bell-shaped probability curves typically range from 2-20 to 5-50, i.e., 2, 3, 4 or 5d20 added together. Also common is the reading as above with one decimal place added to the result to get 20-200, 30-300, etc. In the latter case, a roll of 3 on one die and 0 (read as 10) totals 13, plus one place, or 130. 

Non-platonic solid-shaped dice are available in some places. The most common of these is a ten-sided die numbered 0-9. As with the d20, this can be used for many purposes, even replacing the d20 if a second die is used in conjunction to get 5% interval curves (1-20). Also, the die can give 0-9 linear curve random numbers, as the d20 can.

Other dice available are various forms of “averaging” dice. The most common of these has six faces which read: 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5. The median of the curve it generates is still 3.5, that of a normal d6, but the low and high numbers, 2 and 5, are only half as likely to appear as 3 or 4. There is a 33 ⅓% chance for either of the two latter numbers to be rolled, so the probabilities of absolutely average rolls are for greater. Other such dice have zeros on them, several low numbers, and so on. These sorts of dice, along with poker dice, “put & take” dice, or any other sort can be added in order to give you more flexibility or changing probabilities in random selection or event interpretation. 

For example: The author has a d6 with the following faces: SPADE, CLUB, CLUB, DIAMOND, DIAMOND, HEART. If, during an encounter, players meet a character whose reaction is uncertain, the card suit die is rolled in conjunction with 3d6. Block suits mean dislike, with the SPADE equaling hate, while red equals like, the HEART being great favor. The 3d6 give a bell-shaped probability curve of 3-l8, with 9-12 being the mean spread. SPADE 18 means absolute and unchangeable hate, while HEART 18 indicates the opposite. CLUBS or DIAMONDS can be altered by discourse, rewards, etc. Thus, CLUBS 12 could possibly be altered to CLUBS 3 by offer of a tribute or favor, CLUBS 3 changed to DIAMONDS 3 by a gift, etc.

In closing this discussion, simply keep in mind that the dice are your tools. Learn to use them properly, and they will serve you well.

USE OF THE WORD "LEVEL"

The term level has multiple meanings in this game system.

Level as an indication of character power. A player character begins the game at 1st level, i.e. the lowest possible level for a player character. The higher the level number, the more powerful the character is.

Level as used to indicate the depth of the dungeon complex beneath the ground. The 1st level of a dungeon is the first layer of the underground complex of tunnels, passages, rooms, chambers, and so forth. It is the 1st level beneath the ground. Beneath the 1st level is the 2nd, below that is the 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc. The higher the number, the lower the dungeon level (and possibly the more hazardous its perils).

Level as a measure of magic spell difficulty. The magic spells available to some classes of characters are graded by difficulty factor—which, incidentally, reflects the spells’ effectiveness to some extent. 1st level spells are the basic ones available to beginning characters. They are generally the least powerful spells. Next come 2nd level spells, then come 3rd level spells, and so on. The highest level of any type of magic spell is 9th level, spells usable only by 18th level magic-users—lesser magic-users can possibly employ such spells under certain circumstances which are explained hereafter, but only at considerable risk.

Level as a gauge of a “monster’s” potential threat. Relatively weak creatures, monsters with few hit points, limited or non-existent magical abilities, those which do little damage when attacking, and those which have weak, or totally lack, venom are grouped together and called 1st level monsters. Slightly more powerful creatures are ordered into 2nd level, then comes 3rd, 4th, 5th, and so on all the way up to 10th level (the highest, which includes the greatest monsters, demon princes, etc.).

USE OF MINIATURES

The special figures cost for AD&D add color to play and make refereeing for easier. Each player might be required to furnish painted figures representing his or her player character and all henchmen and/or hirelings included in the game session. Such distinctively pointed figures enable you to immediately recognize each individual involved. Figures can be placed so as to show their order of march, i.e., which characters are in the lead, which are in the middle, and which are bringing up the rear. Furthermore, players are more readily able to visualize their array and plan actions while seeing the reason for your restrictions on their actions. Monster figures are likewise most helpful, as many things become instantly apparent when a party is arrayed and their monster opponent(s) placed. Furnishing such monsters is probably best undertaken as a joint effort, the whole group contributing towards the purchase of such figurines on a regular basis. Be very careful to purchase castings which are in scale! Out of scale monsters are virtually worthless in many cases. As a rule of thumb, HO scale is 25 mm = 1 actual inch = 6-feet in scale height or length or breadth.

Figure bases are necessarily broad in order to assure that the figures will stand in the proper position and not constantly be falling over. Because of this, it is usually necessary to use a ground scale twice that of the actual scale for HO, and squares of about 1 actual inch per side are suggested. Each ground scale inch can then be used to equal 3⅓, linear feet, so a 10-foot wide scale corridor is 3 actual inches in width and shown as 3 separate squares. This allows depiction of the typical array of three figures abreast, and also enables easy handling of such figures when they are moved. While you may not find it convenient to actually use such figures and floor plans to handle routine dungeon movement, having sheets of squares for encounter area depiction will probably be quite helpful. If you do so, be certain to remember that ground scale differs from figure scale, and when dealing with length, two man-sized figures per square is quite possible, as the space is actually 6 scale feet with respect to length. This is meaningful when attacking a snake, dragon, etc. if characters are able to attack the creature’s body length. With respect to basically bipedal, erect opponents, scale will not be a factor. Details of preparation end painting of miniature figures for the game are not germane to this work. Your hobby supplier will have an assortment of small brushes and paints for such purposes, and you may inquire there as to the best techniques of painting.

GAME AIDS

Various products such as modules, playing aids, and miniature figurines will be most helpful in establishing and maintaining an interesting and exciting campaign. There are so many such products available that it is not possible to detail each here, but some guidance can be given.

Paper products range from record sheets for characters and special screens for the DM, which contain frequently-consulted charts and tables on his or her side, to complete dungeon or world scenarios. 

Miniature figures used to represent characters and monsters add color and life to the game. They also make the task of refereeing action, particularly combat, easier too!  It is suggested that you urge your players to provide painted figures representing their characters, henchmen, and hirelings involved in play. The monsters can be furnished by you - possibly purchased through collection of small fees levied on each playing session. 

It is also very important to keep abreast of what is happening in the world of adventure gaming.