The following pages represent my House Rules for the 2nd edition AD&D game. Any rule not covered here follows the 2nd edition rules. My rules include the use of the Proficiency system and most Kits. Rules for Weapon Specialization are extended and altered as per the second page of this web site. Much of this material was absorbed from 1st edition, and some even from Basic D&D. A little was retro-fitted from 3rd edition, and a tiny bit is my own creation.
This document may be incomplete; it represents my rules as of today, and may be added to, subtracted from, or modified in the future. In any case, PC's will be aware of the change and why I chose to change it, and it will be a fair adjustment and adjudicated fairly with regards to exisiting PC's.
Ability Scores: ability scores will be generated using a point buy system. You have a certain number of points to distribute according to the schedule below. The amount of points you have to distribute will vary from setting to setting, but the average will be 75-85. Racial adjustments will be applied after spending your character points. Character point totals will be listed in the campaign details page.
standard 6: 2-14: 1 point per point 15: 16 16: 17 17: 18 18: 19
comeliness: 2-15: free 16: 3 17: 5 18: 7 19: 10
Exceptional Strength: The first 2 points above 19 are worth 25%; after that, each point spent is worth 10%. So an 18:00 costs 26 points. Racial adjustments for strength above 18 are 10%.
19 is the max limit for any ability score unless otherwise stated in this document.
Rules for Comeliness: Comeliness will NOT follow the rules presented in the Unearthed Arcana. Instead, high Comeliness may improve reaction rolls by the following scheme: 16: +1 17: +2 18: +3 19: +4 20: +6 Low Comeliness may also affect reaction rolls: 3: -5 4: -4 6: -3 7: -2 8: -1 There may be other appropriate uses of Comeliness in a die rolling situation, and in every case, the bonuses or penalties shall follow the above scheme.
Every 4th level, you may add 1 point to any ability score you wish.
Bonus wizard spells for high INT: 16: 1 first 17: 2 first 18: 2 first, 1 second 19: 2 first, 2 second
Starting Hit Points and Gold: all characters receive full hit points for first level, plus their CON bonus, plus the average of their 0 level hit points, or what they would have as a "monster" encounter. Therefore the following 0 level hit points apply:
humans: 3 dwarf: 4 elf: 4 gnome: 4 half elf: 4 half orc: 4 tiefling: 4 half ogre: 9
all PC's begin play with maximum 1st level gold; if the campaign begins above 1st level, all PC's begin play with maximum gold for 1st level, plus any non magical equipment they want, and may receive a number of magic items chosen by the DM and handed out for free.
Race: racial class and level limits will apply, but according to this chart NOT the one from the PHB.
Human Dwarf Elf Gnome Half Elf Halfling Half Orc Tiefling Half Ogre
Fighter: U U 12 10 14 10 U 12 15
Ranger: U -- 15 -- 16 -- -- 12 --
Paladin: U -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Wizard: U -- U 9 12 -- -- 14 --
illusion: U -- -- U 11 -- -- 12 --
Priest: U 15 -- 9 14 12 11 10 10
Druid: U -- 12 -- 9 9 -- -- --
Rogue: U 12 12 14 12 U 15 U 15
Bard: U -- -- -- U 9 -- 15 --
Monk: U -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Pion++: U 7 4 8 4 9 -- 9 --
U--unlimited advancement -- class is not available to that race
++--Psions may not always be available, depending on the setting.
Demi Humans may exceed their class level limits if their prime requisite for their class is exceptional, according to the following scheme: 16:+1, 17:+2, 18:+3, 19:+4. Advancement beyond even those levels is possible, but will require twice the amount of experience points per level as a human character, and only single classed characters can extend beyond those limits above. For example, a dwarf with an 17 in DEX could extend his thief class to 14th, even if he is multiclassed, but he could not extend it beyond that if he were a fighter/thief.
ability score adjustments for additional PC races:
half orc: +1 strength and constitution, -1 charisma and wisdom
tiefling: +1 intelligence and charisma, -1 strength and wisdom
half ogre: +4 strength and constitution, -4 wisdom and charisma
Half ogres strength and constitution are maxed at 19, comeliness at 15.
Half orc comeliness is maxed at 15.
Multi Class combinations for additional races:
Half-Orc: Fighter/Thief, Fighter/Priest, Priest/Thief
Half-Ogre: Fighter/Thief
Tiefling: Fighter/Mage, Fighter/Priest, Fighter/Thief, Wizard/Thief, and Priest/Thief.
Thief ability adjustments for additional races:
Half Orc Half Ogre Tiefling
Pick Pockets: -5% -20% -5%
Open Lock: +5% +5% --
F/R Traps: +5% -- --
Move Silently: -- -5% +10%
Hide: -- +5% -10%
Detect Noise: +5% -- -5%
Climb Walls: +5% -30% --
Read Lang: -10% -25% +5%
Initiative: Individual initiative for PC's will be used; in most circumstances, the enemies will roll group initiative, though circumstances can break up the unity therein. Using individual initiative means using weapon speed and casting times to modify; plus, I give the reaction adjustment for high dexterity as a bonus to the initiative. To be clear, low numbers are better, so the reaction adjustment for high DEX must be subtracted from the initiative die roll, before weapon speeds or casting times are added.