Dungeons & Dragons - Old School

I have just finished a nice bottle of Zinfandel and I feel relaxed enough to share a few things with you. You might want to finish a bottle of your own choosing before you begin to read.

I started playing Dungeons and Dragons in 1978, and I continue to this day. Back then, I only knew of one version and it was Basic Dungeons and Dragons. That version of the game had some things going for it that we have not seen in any version since, but it also had some shortfalls and so, we had Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, then Second Edition, Third Edition, and so on. This summer, we are promised a revolutionary Fourth Edition, and I am anxious to see what comes of it. Okay, enough of the historical background; I promised you some tips and tricks.

Tip one is simply this: Do not take anything too seriously. If you get consumed with adherence to the rules you will not have fun. The rules are meant to be a guide, not a master. There are many things in the rule books that my own group has ignored, altered or embellished over the last thirty years. We have certain house rules that we have come to rely on more than what is actually written in the books. we have developed an alternate system of spell use that works well for us, but would certainly not be sanctioned at GenCon. We take what we want to use from the books, add some stuff of our own, and we have fun. If a game is not fun, then what good is it anyway?

For Dungeon Masters, know that your monsters can kill a PC (player character) at any given time. In the world that is your game table, you are God and you have all the forces of the multi-verse at your command. Since you know that you can kill off a character, or a group of characters, at whim, don't. The DM Screen is your friend and you should use it. Not so much to hide the details of your latest adventure, but to conceal the fact that your rolls are better than a player's rolls, or that there were really four more goblins waiting in the next room, or that the poison on the villain's blade was instant death when a player failed his saving throw. Let the players have fun and you will too. It really is not much fun to create a new character while everyone else plays the game.

For players, immerse yourself in your character. Imagine that you really are this person that you play. What motivates this guy? Is it really just money, or is it power and fame? Do you see the possibility of forging an empire by your own hand? Do you dream of creating spells that have never before been used by another? Do you want to raise an army and conquer the neighboring kingdom? Make these dreams known to your DM and the other players. When you ride into a new town, instead of just staying at the inn, see if there is a house for sale and buy it. Now and then, when there is down time within the game, declare that you're going home for while. Spend your money and make improvements on your property. Find a wife and raise a family. If your adventures are successful you should be able to buy a lot of property in the town and build things that the townsfolk would not have without you. Eventually, you should be able to control much of the surrounding territory financially and be ready to build a keep, or a tower or monastery or something of your own.

My favorite character is a multi-classed drow elf who loves books and spells of all kinds. He built a small city of his own, and a magic school, and is now the king of his own lands. He has declared that, for the good of the world, he has to take over because he believes that there is no one who can rule the world better than he can. He has declared that he will exact his revenge on a particular deity who chastised him in his youth, and he has determined that he will find the secret of becoming a lich, so he can live almost forever. Now, these are some tall orders for a PC, and I know that my DM can bring an end to this character at any given time, but it makes for good role-playing and we have fun with it. This character has developed spells that you will not likely see anywhere else outside of our game. He has stolen precious items from the most well-guarded repositories and defeated monsters that are savage and unique. I bow to the efforts of my DM, and some sheer luck, to keep him in the game.

Spell-casters can feed off of the material that is already in place. My drow has a fondness for fire-based spells. He saw Chain Lightning in action and thought about how he could apply that to a Fireball spell. He saw the destruction that he brought to his own party members when he cast a Fireball and developed a spell called Friendly Fire, which harms only those who harbor ill-will towards himself. This one sometimes catches a PC party member, but that's just what they get for being unworthy companions. You can also bring the ridiculous into the game. I have another character who created a spell called Treadmill. I was inspired by a Saturday morning cartoon. Under the influence of this spell, no matter how fast you run you can't go anywhere, and if you stop trying to run then the treadmill carries you to the limit of the spell's area of effect. I had yet another character who took the Weighty Chest spell and cast it on arrows. It is just a temporary spell, but anyone who was hit by a weighty chest arrow had to suffer the effects.

Clerics can develop spells too. The game is flexible enough that a DM can rule that this was a spell known to the gods, but held back from mortal man until such time as they were ready for it. Again, you can use material already on hand as inspiration. Also, don't forget that you are to expand your patron deity's influence in the world of men. Wherever you go, unless you serve a secretive god, you should build shrines and altars dedicated to the god you serve. Seek out fertile ground and bring the truth to the world.

Don't be reluctant to bring a little humor into the game. I once had a dual classed Druid Thief. The joke was: What does he steal, plants? I also had a lawful good cleric named Robin Steel (rob and steal). I had a halfling character who rode a Saint Bernard instead of a pony, and I had a character who was at opposite ends of the limits of human physical attributes; he was almost seven feet tall and weighed about ninety pounds.

A few practical tips here and I'm done for the night.

Cast a Continual Light spell on a stone or a coin and place it in a covered tube. You will have a flashlight that never goes out. Uncover one end of the tube to use it.

Fashion a sword of wood or stone for use against rust monsters and their kin. Have it magically enhanced if you have the means.

Use scrolls at the first opportunity; they are usually placed in an adventure for a reason. The exception to this is that magic user scrolls should be evaluated against your spell books. If you do not have the spell you should save it or copy it for future use.

As a follow-up of the last tip; always keep materials at hand for copying new spells into your spell books.

Do not hesitate to use your last Healing Potion.

Your friends are who they are. Do not be afraid to exploit their real life sympathies or phobias.

When in doubt, run. You can always come back later, unless you fight to the death and lose.

If all else fails, pray, the DM may provide divine intervention.