Alex Schroeder: Halberds & Helmets

Running Dungeons, when to roll for random encounters, how much XP to give for monsters, how to restock dungeons...

Keep prep short. Use every idea right away. Be impartial and be adversarial. Let them struggle....

No skills. Fewer classes. Quick and random character generation. Smaller bonuses, little damage, few hit points. Rare healing. Simple combat. Treasure is XP. No magic shops. Random...

No clerics. Healing magic makes fights and delves longer. Undead turning makes fights with undeads easier. None of this makes the game better, but instead the Old Testament referen...

Spells and your repertoire: not being able to copy spells from scrolls and spellbooks and requiring a teacher instead, and not being able to learn more spells than you can cast per...

Movement and reputation, two systems I'd like to use but actually I don't....

Chasing, injury, and death....

Combat: surprise, initiative, d30 rule, not using variable weapon damage, shields shall be splintered, formations, protection, targeting, retreating, fleeing....

Skills: class abilities, the roll to open doors and bend bars, the lucky die of fate, and thieves' skills, they can all be mapped to a 1d6 roll....

Retainers: make sure you agree on how many characters you all bring along. As always, just use pregens. When to make the loyalty check....

Basic terms: player, player character, experience points, level, hit points, saving throw, circle, reaction roll and morale check....

A little something about demon lords: why do their priests survive? They must useful to somebody! I like the ambiguity of the old gods. They are not all good or all evil. And I lik...