D&D Holmes Revised (Basic, BX)

What is this?
— A Word from the Reviser
Is this yet another Holmes expansion? Well, yes and no. Yes it expands the rules beyond the
original three levels, but unlike the several Holmes expansions already floating around the
internet, this one isn’t basically just someone’s set of house rules. First and foremost this
document is the complete and original Holmes rulebook reformatted along the lines of Moldvay
Basic D&D and its clone, Labyrinth Lord. I did this because, whilst Holmes set out to produce
an easier to understand introductory edit of the original game, the end result was still somewhat
lacking in clarity and organization. In the reformatting process, I have tried to keep any
necessary editing to an absolute minimum.
Secondly, I have expanded the original three levels to level 12 and beyond. The utility of the
Holmes rulebook was limited by the fact that it dealt only with the first three levels of
experience. Readers wanting to play higher levels then had the choice of referring to the original
or advanced versions of the game, and let’s face it if you had to do that you were probably going
to play those games instead, or having a go at expanding the Holmes rules themselves. The
various Holmes expansions borrow from a variety of sources, from the original game through to
1st Edition AD&D, and in one case even 3rd Edition D&D, but none have attempted to faithfully
follow the path that Holmes himself trod by using only the same source material, without the
―taint‖ of house rules.
Having said that, this document is more than just a reformat of the original rulebook, and more
than just an expansion of the rules, it is also a revision of those rules. Quite a few changes were
made by TSR to the Holmes rulebook between its first print in 1977 and its third edition in
December 1979. Thanks to the wonderful detective work of ―Zenopus76‖ in his article List of
Changes Made to the Holmes Rulebook (1st/3rd)*, we have a detailed list of these changes.
Working from that article I have revised this document to include various weapons, monsters and
magic items mentioned in the rulebook but lacking detail, as well as text missing from one print
to the next. You can read a more detailed explanation of what I have done at the end of this
book.
My hope is that this document will not only help people to have a better understanding of this
most unique version of D&D, the first Basic edition of the game, but that it will also be useful
for those wanting a truly Holmes gaming experience. And for those wanting a ―pure‖ Holmes
game without all the extras, a list of changes made can be found at the end of this book.
The Reviser
2010
*http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=319375#319375
Rules for Fantastic Medieval Role Playing Adventure Game Campaigns
Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures
By Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson

Edited by Eric Holmes
For
Jeff and Chris
Revised without permission by Anon
Cover art by Mark Quist

Interior art by Mark J. Allen
The artwork in this document is used without permission
© 1974, 1977 TACTICAL STUDIES RULES

Revised Edition 2010
3
reface
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. It is
aimed solely at introducing the reader to the concepts of fantasy role playing and the basic play
of this game. To this end it limits itself to basics. The rules contained herein allow only for the
first three levels of player progression, and instructions for the game referee, the "Dungeon
Master," are kept to the minimum necessary to allow him to conduct basic games. This is
absolutely necessary because the game is completely open ended, is subject to modification,
expansion, and interpretation according to the desires of the group participating, and is in general
not bounded by the conventional limitations of other types of games. This work is far more
detailed and more easily understood than were the original booklets nonetheless, for with it, and
the other basic components of the game, any intelligent and imaginative person can speedily
understand and play DUNGEONS & DRAGONS as it was meant to be played. Players who
desire to go beyond the basic game are directed to the ADVANCED DUNGEON & DRAGON
books.
We wish to extend our sincere thanks to the following individuals who helped to make this
possible through their idea contributions: Brian Blume, Ernie Gygax, Tim Kask, Jeff Key, Rob
Kuntz, Terry Kuntz, Alan Lucien, Steve Marsh, Mike Mornard, and Jim Ward.
About the Editor

The editor of this booklet, Dr. J. Eric Holmes, is an associate professor of neurology at the
University of Southern California's School of Medicine. In addition, he is a devoted
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS player whose background as a writer eminently qualifies him to
prepare a work such as this one.
In addition to authoring a college-level textbook in his own field, Dr. Holmes has also completed
two novels in the area of fantasy literature. His versatility is further demonstrated by his valuable
work on this volume for Basic Dungeons & Dragons.
4
Foreword from the Original Edition
ONCE UPON A TIME, long, long ago there was a little group known as the Castle and Crusade
Society. Their fantasy rules were published, and to this writer's knowledge, brought about much
of the current interest in fantasy wargaming. For a time the group grew and prospered, and Dave
Arneson decided to begin a medieval fantasy campaign game for his active Twin Cities club.
From the map of the "land" of the "Great Kingdom" and environs — the territory of C & C
Society — Dave located a nice bog wherein to nest the weird enclave of "Blackmoor," a spot
between the "Giant Kingdom" and the fearsome "Egg of Coot." From the CHAINMAIL fantasy
rules he drew ideas for a far more complex and exciting game, and thus began a campaign which
still thrives as of this writing! In due course the news reached my ears, and the result is what you
have in your hands at this moment. While the C & C Society is no longer, its spirit lives on, and
we believe that all wargamers who are interested in the medieval period, not just fantasy buffs,
will enjoy playing DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS. Its possibilities go far beyond any previous
offerings anywhere!
While it is possible to play a single game, unrelated to any other game events past or future, it is
the campaign for which these rules are designed. It is relatively simple to set up a fantasy
campaign, and better still, it will cost almost nothing. In fact you will not even need miniature
figures, although their occasional employment is recommended for real spectacle when battles
are fought. A quick glance at the Equipment section of this booklet will reveal just how little is
required. You have everything needed with this edition of the game except pencil and paper. The
most extensive requirement is time. The campaign referee will have to have sufficient time to
meet the demands of his players, he will have to devote a number of hours to laying out the maps
of his "dungeons" and upper terrain before the affair begins. 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.] There should be no
want of players, for there is unquestionably a fascination in this fantasy game — evidenced even
by those who could not by any stretch of the imagination be termed ardent wargamers. The
longevity of existing campaigns (notably "Blackmoor" in the Twin Cities and "Greyhawk" in
Lake Geneva) and the demand for these rules from people outside these campaigns point towards
a fantastic future. Tactical Studies Rules (now TSR Hobbies, Inc.) believes that of all forms of
wargaming, fantasy will soon become the major contender for first place. The section of this
booklet entitled Scope (now covered in the INTRODUCTION) will provide an idea of just how
many possibilities are inherent in DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS.
These rules are strictly fantasy. Those wargamers who lack imagination, those who don't care for
Burroughs' Martian adventures where John Carter is groping through black pits, who feel no
thrill upon reading Howard's Conan saga, who do not enjoy the de Camp & Pratt fantasies or
Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser pitting their swords against evil sorceries will not be
likely to find DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS to their taste. But those whose imaginations know
no bounds will find that these rules are the answer to their prayers. With this last bit of advice we
invite you to read on and enjoy a "world" where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!
E. Gary Gygax
TSR Hobbies, Inc.
1 November 1973
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
5
Table of Contents
Preface 4 Monster Reactions 57

About the Editor 4 Chases in the Dungeon 58
Foreword from the Original Edition 5 Combat 58
Table of Contents 6 Combat Sequence 58
Section 1: Introduction 7 Combat Movement 58
Introduction 7 Attacking 58
How to use this Book 7 Armor Class 59
Using the Dice 7 Melee Combat 59
Use of the Word Level 8 The Parry 59
Section 2: Characters 9 Melee Resolution 60
Creating Characters: An Overview 9 Combat Tables 60
Character Abilities 9 Damage & Healing 61
Adjusting Ability Scores 11 Missile Fire 61
Hit Points 11 Cover 62
Character Classes 12 Poisoned Weapons 62
Clerics 12 Fire 62
Fighting Men 14 Holy Water 63
Magic-Users 14 Magic Weapons 63
Thieves 16 Saving Throws 64
Dwarves, Hobbits & Elves 18 Encounter & Combat Examples 65
Additional Character Classes 19 Section 6: Monsters 67
Hopeless Characters 19 Hit Dice 67
Character Death & Inheritance 19 Monster Saving Throws 67
Character Alignment 20 Monster List 67
Languages 21 Section 7: Treasure 98
Money & Coins 21 Base Treasure Values 98
Cost of Equipment & Weapons 22 Gems & Jewelry 98
Section 3: Spells 24 Use of the Treasure Table 99
Magic-User Spells 24 Treasure Table 100
Spell Casting Constraints 24 Maps & Magic Categories 101
Magic-User Spell List 25 Explanation of Magic Items 104
Clerical Spells & Spell List 26 Magical Weapons & Armor 104
Evil Cleric Spells 26 Potions 104
Beginning Spells 27 Scrolls & Rings 105
Saving Throws vs. Spells 27 Wands & Staves 106
Spell Descriptions 27 Miscellaneous Magical Items 108
Section 4: Adventuring Rules 51 Section 8: Dungeon Master Info 110
Time & Movement in the Dungeon 51 Dungeon Mastering as a Fine Art 110
Rest 51 Wandering Monsters 112
Encumbrance 52 Magical Research 113
Light 52 Scrolls & New Spells 113
Doors 53 Hirelings & Magic Items 113
Traps 53 Sample Dungeon 114
Hiring Retainers 54 Final Word 121
Experience Points & Experience Levels 54 Appendix 122
Section 5: Encounters & Combat 57 - Demi-Human Thieves 122
Encounters & Time 57 - Damage by Weapon Type 124
Surprise 57 Reviser’s Notes 124
Initiative 57 Further Reading 128
6
SECTION 1: Introduction
Introduction
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantastic, exciting and imaginative game of role playing for adults 12
years and up. Each player creates a character or characters who may be dwarves, elves, hobbits
or human fighting men, magic-users, pious clerics or wily thieves. The characters are then
plunged into an adventure in a series of dungeons, tunnels, secret rooms and caverns run by
another player: the referee, often called the Dungeon Master. The dungeons are filled with
fearsome monsters, fabulous treasure and frightful perils.
As the players engage in game after game their characters grow in power and ability: the magic-
users learn more magic spells, the thieves increase in cunning and ability, the fighting men,
hobbits, elves and dwarves, fight with more deadly accuracy and are harder to kill. Soon the
adventurers are daring to go deeper and deeper into the dungeons on each game, battling more
terrible monsters, and, of course, recovering bigger and more fabulous treasure! The game is
limited only by the inventiveness and imagination of the players, and, if a group is playing
together, the characters can move from dungeon to dungeon within the same magical universe if
game referees are approximately the same in their handling of play.
The Dungeon Master designs the dungeons and makes careful maps on graph paper. The players
do not know where anything is located in the dungeons until the game begins and they enter the
first passage or room. They create their own map as they explore. While only paper and pencil
need be used, it is possible for the characters of each player to be represented by miniature lead
figures. The results of combat, magic spells, monster attacks, etc., are resolved by rolling special
polyhedral 20-sided dice.
How to use this Book

The game requires at least two players, one of whom is the Dungeon Master and has prepared
the dungeon, the set of dice, pencil and paper for keeping records and maps, and optionally, a
table top to represent the locality of the adventurers with some form of markers for the characters
and the monsters they encounter. The game is more exciting and spectacular using the lead
miniature figures mentioned above, which can be painted to each player's individual taste, but
paper markers or chessman can be used effectively.
Read this whole book through, except for the Sample Dungeon section at the end. After one
player has been chosen to be Dungeon Master, he or she should then read through the description
of the sample dungeon. The other players then create a character apiece, equip the characters, all
as described below, and then the players are ready to venture into the danger-filled depths of the
dungeon!
Using the Dice

Players need not be confused by the special dice called for in Dungeons & Dragons. By using
the assortment of 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, 12- and 20-sided dice, a wide range of random possibilities can
be easily handled.
7
When the determination of a percentage probability is called for use the 10-sided die. Roll 2 such
die (or one die twice) and designate 1 die the tens and one the units. Let us say a red die will be
tens. Then a roll of red 6 and white 2 with a pair of dice is 62%.
For a linear curve (equal probability of any number), simply roll the appropriate die for 1-4, 1-6,
1-8, 1-10 , or 1-12 . If some progression is called for, determine and use the appropriate die (for
instance, 2- 7 would call for a 6-sided die with a one spot addition). For extensions of the base
numbers, roll a second die with the appropriately numbered die. For example: to generate 1-24,
roll the 12-sided die and 6-sided die, and if the 6-sided die comes up 1-3, the number shown on
the 12-sider is 1-12, and if the 6-sider comes up 4-6, add 12 to the 12-sided die and its numbers
become 13-24. If 1-30 or 1-36 are desired read the 6-sider with the 20- or 12-sided die, with 1-2
equalling no addition, 3-4 adding 10, and 5-6 adding 20. This principle can be used to generate
many other linear curves.
For bell curves (increasing probability of numbers in the center, decreasing at both ends), just
roll the same die two or more times, roll several of the same type of dice, or even roll two or
more different dice.
In some places the reader will note an abbreviated notation for the type of die has been used. The
first number is the number of dice used, the letter ―d‖ appears, and the last number is the type of
dice used. Thus ―2d4‖ would mean that two 4-sided dice would be thrown (or one 4-sided would
be thrown twice); ―3d12‖ would indicate that three 12-sided dice are used, and so on.
Use of the Word Level

The word level is used in the game to mean successively deeper strata of the dungeon labyrinths.
Also, characters advance in experience by level and at each new level they increase their hit dice
(the amount of damage they can take) and increase in special abilities such as theft or magic.
There is no theoretical limit to the number of levels a character may progress (15th level fighting
man, 14th level wizard, etc.).
Level is used in reference to monsters to indicate how tough and ferocious they are. Thus a
monster's level usually indicates its hit dice and special abilities, and is a measure of how hard it
is to kill. A fifth level monster, such as a 5-headed hydra, is worth many more experience points
than a first level orc.
Most dungeons are constructed of deeper and deeper levels below the surface. Usually the
dungeon level indicates how difficult it is. Thus, the third level of a dungeon would contain
monsters primarily drawn from the third level, although not exclusively. Such an area of the
dungeon would be particularly dangerous for first level characters and probably should not be
attempted until they have more experience.
We are talking, therefore of dungeon level, monster level, character level and spell level.
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!" The multiple usage of the term "level" will
become quite familiar and not at all confusing once players have participated in a few sessions of
the game.
8
SECTION 2: Characters
Creating Characters: An Overview

There are six basic abilities for each character: Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Constitution,
Dexterity and Charisma. Each player starts a character by rolling three 6-sided dice for each
characteristic. 18 is as high as one can get with three dice, so a character with a Strength of 18
would be super-powerful, one with a Strength of 3 (lowest possible dice roll) would barely be
able to lift his sword off the ground.
After all six abilities have been rolled and recorded on a separate piece of paper or other
permanent record for the character, the player decides what class the character will be. This
decision is based on the character's strongest abilities and the player's preferences. Most
Dungeon Masters allow a player only one (or perhaps two characters) at a time.
Players decide what class they want their character to be and make any adjustments in prime
requisite desired. Characters can be either male or female. The character's name, class, ability
scores and other information is recorded by the player on a separate sheet of paper or other
record. The player is responsible for keeping a record of the character's bonuses and penalties,
any damage he takes, how much gold he owns, what weapons and other items he carries, etc.
There are two more important die roles to be made for each character.
First generate a random number for "hit points."
And finally, gold owned by the character initially is determined by rolling three 6-sided dice and
multiplying the result by 10. The result is the number of gold pieces owned. From this amount
the character must outfit himself.
Character Abilities
The following tables summarize and add to the description of the abilities given below. The
meaning of terms like "hit die," "fire missile at +1," and "earned experience" will be made clear
later.
Strength (STR) is obviously important for fighters and is considered the prime requisite for
that class. A score of 9-12 is average. There are advantages to fighting men with scores of 13 and
higher when it comes to accumulating experience, as explained later, so any character with a
Strength of 13 to 18 should be considered for the fighting class.
Intelligence (INT) is the prime requisite for magic-users. Since there are advantages to the
magic-user if his Intelligence is 13 or higher, any character with such a score should be
considered for this class. High Intelligence also allows any character to learn additional
languages, one language for every point above 10 in intelligence. Thus, a man with an
intelligence level of 15 could speak seven languages, i.e. common, alignment, plus five others as
selected.
9
Intelligence
Score Languages Spoken
3-10 Common & Alignment
11 Common, Alignment, +1
Wisdom (WIS) is the prime requisite for clerics. Clerics can perform miraculous spells even
though they do not have special Intelligence, and second level (experienced) clerics can heal
wounds. If a character has a high Wisdom score (13 and over) he would do well as a cleric.
Constitution (CON) is a combination of health and endurance. It will influence how a

character can withstand being paralyzed or killed and raised from the dead, etc. In addition,
dwarves and hobbits have strong Constitutions and a character should have a Constitution greater
than 9 to be a dwarf or a hobbit.
Constitution Add to Each

Score Hit Die
3-6 -1*
7-14 0
15-16 +1
17 +2
18 +3
*never less than 1 hit point
Dexterity (DEX) applies to speed and accuracy. Characters with high Dexterity can get off the
first arrow, throw the first spell or draw a weapon and strike the first blow. Dexterity is the prime
requisite for thieves, and scores of 13 and over in this ability make the character a good
candidate for the thief class. Hobbits are also noted for their Dexterity with weapons and a
character should have a Dexterity greater than 9 to be a Hobbit.
Dexterity Fire Any

Score Missile
3-8 -1
9-12 0
13-18 +1
Charisma (CHA) is a combination of appearance, personality, sex appeal and so forth. Its most
important aspect is leadership. A character of Charisma below 13 can not hire more than 5
followers, and their loyalty will be luke-warm at best — that is, if the fighting gets hot there is a
good probability they will run away. On the other hand, someone with a Charisma of 18 can win
over a large number of followers (men or monsters) who will probably stand by him to the death.
Also a female with high Charisma will not be eaten by a dragon but kept captive. A charismatic
10
male defeated by a witch will not be turned into a frog but kept enchanted as her lover, and so
forth.
Ability Prime Requisites Table

Ability Experience
Score Bonus/Penalty
3-6 -20%
7-8 -10%
9-12 0
13-14 +5%
15-18 +10%
Adjusting Ability Scores

It is possible to raise a character's scores in a prime requisite by lowering the scores of some of
the other abilities. This recognizes that one can practice and learn feats of fighting, intelligence,
etc., but must take a penalty in another area by so doing.
Magic-users and clerics can reduce their Strength scores by 3 points and add 1 to their prime
requisite for every 3.
Fighting men, clerics, hobbits and dwarves can reduce their Intelligence score by 2 points and
add 1 to their prime requisite for every 2.
Fighting men, hobbits and dwarves can reduce their Wisdom by 3 points, and magic-users can
reduce it by 2 to gain 1 point for their prime requisites.
Thieves can raise their Dexterity score by lowering Intelligence 2 points and Wisdom 1 point for
each additional point of Dexterity.
Constitution and Charisma can not be altered, and Dexterity can not be reduced.
In no case can any ability be lowered below 9.
Hit Points
To generate the numbers roll the special dice for this game — 8-sided, 6-sided, 4-sided. This
represents the amount of damage the character can take. For the number of "hit points" roll the
proper sided die mentioned below. The die pertaining to players' character type is rolled once per
level of experience (see the section Experience Points and Experience Levels, page 54).
Fighters, including dwarves, generate random numbers from 1 to 8, clerics from 1 to 6, and
magic-users and thieves from 1 to 4. Elves use a spread of from 1 to 6 as they are both fighters
(1-8) and magic-users (1-4). Although hobbits are always fighters, they also use a 1 to 6 point
spread due to their size. Note that Constitution can add or subtract hit points, but no character
can have less than 1 point per level regardless of subtractions.
11
Character Classes
Clerics
Requirements: None
Prime Requisite: WIS
Hit Dice: d6
Maximum Level: None
Are humans who have dedicated themselves to one or more of the gods. Depending on the god,
the cleric may be good or evil, lawful or chaotic. Clerics have their own special spells and unlike
magic-users they begin with none. As they advance in experience levels they gain the use of
additional spells. Spells for evil clerics differ slightly from those of good clerics.
They may, however, wear armor, including magic armor, and carry non-edged weapons such as
the mace or the quarter staff. No swords or bows and arrows, however can be employed. The
cleric is forbidden by his religion from the drawing of blood.
Cleric Level Progression

Experience Hit Dice Spells
Level Title Points (6-sided) 1 2 3 4 5
1 Acolyte 0 1 - - - - -
2 Adept 1,500 2 1 - - - -
3 Priest 3,000 3 2 - - - -
4 Vicar 6,000 4 2 1 - - -
5 Curate 12,000 5 2 2 - - -
6 Bishop 25,000 6 2 2 1 1 -
7 Lama 50,000 7 2 2 2 1 1
8 Patriarch 100,000 8* 2 2 2 2 2
9 Patriarch 9th Level 200,000 8+½ 3 3 3 2 2
th
10 Patriarch 10 Level 300,000 8+1 3 3 3 3 3
11 Patriarch 11th Level 400,000 8 + 1½ 4 4 4 3 3
12** Patriarch 12th Level 500,000 8+2 5 5 5 4 4
*No bonus to hit points from Constitution after this level

**+100,000 experience points and ½ a hit point per level thereafter
Clerical Abilities
Good clerics have the ability to turn away the "undead," — skeletons, zombies and their ilk —
and higher level clerics can dispel them. If the cleric turns the undead away they retreat before
him, will not touch him and flee from his immediate vicinity if they can. When a higher level
cleric dispels an undead monster it disappears and is gone forever.
When a cleric confronts one or more of the undead, consult the table below. A "T" means the
monsters are automatically turned away. If there is more than one of the undead, roll two 6-sided
dice to see how many are turned away. The numbers on the table indicate that the cleric may be
able to turn the undead. Roll two 6-sided dice, if the roll is equal to, or greater than, the number
12
given in the table it means the cleric has been successful in turning the undead and a second die
roll can be used to determine how many have been affected.
Cleric vs. Undead Table

Cleric Undead Type
Level Skeleton Zombie Ghoul Wight Wraith Mummy Spectre Vampire
1 7 9 11 - - - - -
2 T 7 9 11 - - - -
3 T T 7 9 11 - - -
4 D T T 7 9 11 - -
5 D D T T 7 9 11 -
6 D D D T T 7 9 11
7 D D D D T T 7 9
8 D D D D D T T 7
9 D D D D D D T T
10 D D D D D D D T
11 D D D D D D D D
12 D D D D D D D D
Number = score this number or greater to turn away

T = automatically turned away, up to 2 dice in number
D = Dispelled/dissolved, up to 2 dice in number
13
Fighting Men
Requirements: None
Prime Requisite: STR
Hit Dice: d8
Maximum Level: None
Any human character can be a fighting man and all hobbits and dwarves are members of the
fighter class, unless they opt to be thieves. Elves are a combination of fighting man and magic-
user, as described later. Fighting men can use any weapon and wear any kind of armor including
magic weapons and magic armor. They can not do other kinds of magic, however. As they
advance in experience they increase their "hit dice" and are harder to kill. After they reach the
fourth level of experience they also increase their ability to get hits on an opponent.
Fighter Level Progression

Experience Hit Dice
Level Title Points (8-sided)
1 Veteran 0 1
2 Warrior 2,000 2
3 Swordsman 4,000 3
4 Hero* 8,000 4
5 Swashbuckler 16,000 5
6 Myrmidon** 32,000 6
7 Champion 64,000 7
8 Superhero 120,000 8
9 Lord 240,000 9***
th
10 Lord 10 Level 560,000 9+2
11 Lord 11th Level 680,000 9+4
th
12**** Lord 12 Level 800,000 9+6
*Highest level for elf and hobbit

**Highest level for dwarf
*** No bonus to hit points from Constitution after this level
****+120,000 experience points and 2 hit points per level thereafter
Magic-users
Requirements: None
Prime Requisite: INT
Hit Dice: d4
Maximum Level: None
Humans who elect to become magic-users must not wear armor and can carry only a dagger for
protection. They can, however, use almost all magical items, but not magical swords and other
magical arms other than daggers. They have the advantage (shared with clerics and some elves)
of being able to work magical spells. At the start, however, they can cast only one spell and must
advance a level in experience before they can learn another. Thus the magic-user starts out as an
extremely weak character, but if he survives and rises in experience, he becomes increasingly
14
powerful. The types of spells and the way they are used are discussed in a later section. Magic-
users, of course, may be either good or evil, lawful or
chaotic, and most of their spells remain the same.
Magic-User Level Progression

Experience Hit Dice Spells
Level Title Points (4-sided) 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Medium 0 1 1 - - - - -
2 Seer 2,500 2 2 - - - - -
3 Conjurer 5,000 3 3 1 - - - -
4 Theurgist 10,000 4 4 2 - - - -
5 Thaumaturgist 20,000 5 4 2 1 - - -
6 Magician 35,000 6 4 2 2 - - -
7 Enchanter 50,000 7 4 3 2 1 - -
8 Warlock* 75,000 8 4 3 3 2 - -
9 Sorcerer 100,000 9 4 3 3 2 1 -
10 Necromancer 200,000 10 4 4 3 3 2 -
11 Wizard 300,000 11** 4 4 4 3 3 -
12*** Wizard 12th Level 400,000 11 + 1 4 4 4 4 4 1
*Highest level for elf

**No bonus to hit points from Constitution after this level
***+100,000 experience points and 1 hit point per level thereafter
The number of spells a magic-user may employ during an adventure is determined by what level
magic-user he may be. If he is a first level, only one. He gets to choose the spell he will
memorize from his books and he does this before the expedition starts off. He does not
necessarily get to choose from the entire list of first level spells, however. That depends on his
Intelligence, as shown in the table below.
Number of Spells
Intelligence of % Chance to Know Knowable per Level
Magic-User Any Given Spell Minimum Maximum
3-4 20% 2 3
5-7 30% 2 4
6-9 40% 3 5
10-12 50% 4 6
13-14 65% 5 8
15-16 75% 6 10
17 85% 7 All
18 95% 8 All
Let us suppose that old Malchor the first level magic-user is planning on going on a dangerous
quest. His Intelligence is only 10 (equal to maybe an IQ of 100!) and he can not have studied and
copied into his books all the spells listed under Book of First Level Spells (this list is given
later). The most he can have available is 6 and the least 4 (maximum and minimum from the
table above). The game player would like to give him the Sleep spell. His chance to "know" this
spell — have it available in his books is 50% (from the table) — so two 10-sided dice are rolled
15
to give a percentage, using the system described earlier. A roll of anything less than 51 means
the spell is available, 51 or above, it is not, and poor Malchor must try for another spell.
Incidentally, if he goes through the entire list without getting his minimum of 4 spells, he gets to
try again. Once the spell is in his magic books, Malchor can memorize it for use, but being a first
level magic-user, he can only memorize one spell. Further study and experience with magic
expands his ability and when he reaches second level he can carry two spells in his head!
Thieves
Requirements: None
Prime Requisite: DEX
Hit Dice: d4
Maximum Level: None
Are humans with special abilities to strike a deadly blow from behind, climb sheer surfaces, hide
in shadows, filch items and pick pockets, move with stealth, listen for noises behind closed
doors, pick locks and remove small traps such as poisoned needles. Every thief has these
abilities, but as they progress in experience they become better and better at it. A table for
determining whether a thief has accomplished one of these feats is given later.
The thief's ability to hear noise at closed doors, secret panels, etc. is rolled on a six-sided die like
anyone else, but his ability improves as he advances in experience.
When a thief of any level strikes a blow from behind, a bonus of +4 to hit is given, and double
damage is scored.
Thieves above the third level of experience can read magic scrolls and books and 80% of
languages so that treasure maps, etc., are easy for them.
16
Thieves are not truly good and are usually referred to as neutral or evil, so that other members of
an expedition should never completely trust them and they are quite as likely to steal from their
own party as from the Dungeon Master's monsters.
Thieves can wear nothing stronger than leather armor and can not carry shields. They can use all
the weapons of a fighting man including magic swords and magic daggers.
There are special rules for hobbits, dwarves and elves who wish to be thieves — these are given
in the Appendix.
Thief Level Progression

Experience Hit Dice
Level Title Points (8-sided)
1 Apprentice 0 1
2 Footpad 1,200 2
3 Robber 2,400 3
4 Burglar 4,800 4
5 Cutpurse 9,600 5
6 Sharper 20,000 6
7 Pilferer 40,000 7
8 Master Pilferer 60,000 8
9 Thief 90,000 9
10 Master Thief 125,000 10*
11 Master Thief 11th Level 250,000 10 + ½
12 Master Thief 12th Level 375,000 10 + 1
* No bonus to hit points from Constitution after this level

**+125,000 experience points and ½ a hit point per level thereafter
Thief Skills Table

Thief Open Remove Pick Move Climb Sheer Hide in Hear
Level Lock Trap Pockets Silently Surfaces Shadows Noise
1 15 10 20 20 87 10 1-2
2 20 15 25 25 88 15 1-2
3 25 20 30 30 89 20 1-3
4 35 30 35 35 90 25 1-3
5 40 35 45 45 91 35 1-3
6 45 40 55 55 92 45 1-3
7 55 50 60 60 93 50 1-4
8 65 60 65 65 94 55 1-4
9 75 70 75 75 95 65 1-4
10 85 80 85 85 96 75 1-4
11 95 90 95 95 97 85 1-5
12 100 95 100 100 98 90 1-5
Drego the thief tries to pick the lock on a treasure chest. He is a first level thief so he needs a roll
of 01% to 15% on the dice. He rolls 3 and 0 — a 30% and not good enough to open the lock. He
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is allowed only that one try — one roll of the dice — to open it, because no matter how long he
works on the lock there is only a 15% chance that an inexperienced thief can get it open.
Later, Drego is alone in a dark corridor when a party of evil warriors walks by. He announces
that he will hide in the shadows. He rolls a 0 and a 2, 02%, much less than the score of 10% he
needs for success. He is not seen.
Dwarves, Hobbits and Elves
Dwarves
Requirements: CON 9
Hit Dice: d8
Maximum Level: Fighter 6th Level
Are about four feet tall, stocky of build and weigh 150 pounds, shoulders very broad, their skin a
ruddy tan, brown or grey. They wear long beards. Dwarves progress as fighting men. They are
sturdy fighters and are especially resistant to magic as shown by their better saving throws
against magical attack. They have infravision and can see 60 feet in the dark. Underground, they
can detect slanting passages, traps, shifting wails and new construction about one-third of the
time. They are the only ones who can wield the +3 magic war hammer (described later).
Dwarves can all speak the languages of gnomes, kobolds and goblins.
Elves
Requirements: None
Prime Requisite: STR & INT
Hit Dice: d6
Maximum Level: Magic-User 8th Level, Fighter 4th Level
Are five or more feet in height, slim of build, weigh about 120 pounds and have fair to tan skin.
They can use all the weapons and armor of the fighting man, including all magical weapons, and
can also cast spells like a magic-user. Thus, they have the advantages of both fighting men and
magic-users as well as certain special capabilities of their own. Elves progress in level as both
fighting men and magic-users, but since each game nets them experience in both categories
equally, they progress more slowly than other characters. They use a six-sided die for hits.
They can detect secret hidden doors about one-third of the time. They have infravision; like
dwarves, they can see 60 feet in the dark. They are not paralyzed by the touch of ghouls. Elves
can speak the languages of orcs, hobgoblins and gnolls as well as Elvish and the Common
speech they share with men, dwarves and hobbits.
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Hobbits
Requirements: DEX 9, CON 9
Hit Dice: d6
Maximum Level: Fighter 4th Level
Are short, 3 feet high, little folk with several special abilities. Out-of-doors they are difficult to
see, having the ability to vanish into woods or undergrowth. They are like dwarves in their
resistance to magic.
Hobbits progress as fighting men, but use a six-sided die for hit points. They can use all the
weapons and armor of a fighting man as long as it is "cut down" to their size. Hobbits are
extremely accurate with missiles and fire any missile at +1.
Additional Character Classes

There are a number of other character types which are detailed in Advanced Dungeons &
Dragons. There are sub-classes of the four basic classes. They are: paladins and rangers
(fighting men), illusionists and witches (magic-users), monks and druids (clerics), and assassins
(thieves). There are half elves. Special characteristics for dwarven, elven, and hobbit thieves are
given. In addition, rules for characters who possess the rare talent of psionic ability are detailed.
However, for a beginning campaign these additions are not necessary, and players should
accustom themselves to regular play before adding further complexities.
At the Dungeon Master's discretion a character can be anything his or her player wants him to
be. Characters must always start out inexperienced and relatively weak and build on their
experience. Thus, an expedition might include, in addition to the four basic classes and races
(human, elven, dwarven, hobbitish), a centaur, a lawful werebear, and a Japanese Samurai
fighting man.
"Hopeless Characters"
Sometimes the universe of chance allows a character to appear who is below average in
everything. At the Dungeon Master's discretion, such a character might be declared unsuitable
for dangerous adventures and left at home. Another character would then be rolled to take his
place. There is enough chance in the dungeon encounters, however, that sometimes a character
like this will survive and advance to a position of power and importance.
Character Death and Inheritance

If a character is killed, then for the next game the player rolls a new character. The new
character, of course, starts with no experience. A character may be allowed to designate a
"relative" who will inherit his wealth and possessions (after paying a 10% tax) on his death or
disappearance. There: is no reason, however, why a character could not choose to "retire,"
wealthy and covered with glory, and let some fresh, hot-blooded adventurer take the risks.
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When a character is killed, the lead figure (if used) representing his body is removed from the
table, unless it is eaten by the monsters or carried off by his comrades to be returned to his
family. A sixth level cleric can raise the dead, if you can find one! Also, of course, wish rings
and other magic can restore the deceased adventurer to his comrades and friends!
Character Alignment
Characters may be lawful (good or evil), neutral or chaotic (good or evil). Lawful characters
always act according to a highly regulated code of behavior, whether for good or evil. Chaotic
characters are quite unpredictable and can not be depended upon to do anything except the
unexpected -- they are often, but not always, evil. Neutral characters, such as all thieves, are
motivated by self interest and may steal from their companions or betray them if it is in their
own best interest.
Players may choose any alignment they want and need not reveal it to others. Note that the code
of lawful good characters insures that they would tell everyone that they are lawful.
There are some magical items that can be used only by one alignment of characters.
If the Dungeon Master feels that a character has begun to behave in a manner inconsistent with
his declared alignment he may rule that he or she has changed alignment and penalize the
character with a loss of experience points. An example of such behaviour would be a "good"
character who kills or tortures a prisoner.
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Languages
The "common tongue" spoken through the "continent" is known by most humans, elves,
dwarves, and hobbits. All other creatures and monsters which can speak have their own
language, although some (20%) also know the common one.
Lawful good, lawful evil, chaotic good, chaotic evil, and neutrality also have common languages
spoken by each respectively. One can attempt to communicate through the common tongue,
language particular to a creature class, or one of the divisional languages (lawful good, etc.).
While not understanding the language, creatures who speak a divisional tongue will recognize a
hostile one and attack.
Characters with an Intelligence above 10 may learn additional languages, one language for every
point above 10 in intelligence. Thus, a man with an intelligence level of 1 5 could speak seven
languages, i.e. common, alignment, plus five others as selected.
Magic-users spells and some magic items will enable the speaking and understanding of
languages.
Any languages should be selected before the character begins play.
Money & Coins

5 copper pieces = 1 silver piece
10 silver pieces = 1 gold piece
or 50cp = 10sp = 2ep = 1gp = 1/5pp
2 electrum pieces = 1 gold piece
5 gold pieces = 1 platinum piece
All coins are roughly equal in size and weight, being approximately the circumference and
thickness of a quarter and weighing about twice as much as a quarter.
21
Cost of Equipment & Weapons
Selection of items is strictly up to the players, and gold pieces are taken away accordingly
(players may sell to one another, of course, and then gold pieces would be transferred).
Melee Weapons
Item Cost in gp
Axe, Battle 7
Axe, Hand 3
Dagger 3
Flail 8
Halberd 7
Javelin 1
Lance 4
Mace 5
Morning Star 6
Pike 5
Pole-Arm 7
Quarter Staff 2
Scimitar 10
Spear 2
Sword 10
Sword, Two-Handed 15
Missile Weapons
Item Cost in gp
Bow, Composite 50 Armor
Bow, Horse 35 Item AC Cost in gp
Bow, Long 40 No armor 9 -
Bow, Short 25 Shield only 8 10
Crossbow, Heavy 25 Leather armor 7 15
Crossbow, Light 15 Leather & shield 6 25
Sling 1 Chain-type mail 5 30
Arrow, Silver Tipped 5 Chain & shield 4 40
Arrows x 20 or Quarrels x 30 5 Plate mail 3 50
Arrows, Quiver of 20 10 Plate & shield 2 60
Quarrels, Case with 30 10 Helmet - 10
Sling Stones x 20 2
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Equipment
Item Cost in gp
Back Pack, leather 5
Garlic, bud 5
Holy Symbol, wooden 2
Holy Symbol, silver 25
Holy Water, vial of 25
Iron Spikes x 12 1
Lantern 10
Mallet & 3 Stakes 3
Mirror, silver, small 15
Mirror, steel 5
Oil, flask of 2
Pole, 10' 1
Rations, Iron – (for dungeon expeditions) 1 person/1week 15
Rations, Standard – for 1 Person/1 week 5
Rope, 50' 1
Sack, large 2
Sack, small 1
Tinder Box 3
Torches x 6 1
Water/Wine Skin 1
Wine, quart 1
Wolvesbane, bunch 10
Livestock and Transport

Item Cost in gp
Mule 20
Horse, Draft 30
Horse, Light 40
Horse, War, Medium 100
Horse, War, Heavy 200
Saddle 25
Saddle Bags 10
Barding (horse armor – armor class 5) 150
Cart 100
Wagon 200
Raft 40
Small Boat 100
Other items cost may be calculated by comparing to similar items listed above.
SECTION 3: Spells
Magic-User Spells
The magic-user acquires books containing the spells, the study of which allows him to
memorize a spell for use. He can then throw the spell by saying the magic words and making
gestures with his hands. More important, as the spell is recited it fades from the spell-caster's
mind and he can not use it again! He must go back to his study and re-learn the spell. This
takes at least 1 day. Magic-users can not bring their magic books into the dungeon with them.
Always assume that more than 1 day has passed between expeditions, so that a magic-user
who leaves the dungeon and goes home may start a new game with all his spells ready, but
the appropriate time lag must be carefully noted.
This rule places great limitations on the magic-user's power, but there are ways to partially
overcome them. One is to have the spell written out on a magic scroll. Certain magical items
which can be found in dungeons can be used by magic-users, and often only by magic-users.
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. Some of these are described later
under Treasure. It is also possible for a magic-user, through the expenditure of much money
for research, to create new spells.
Spell Casting Constraints

A magic-user bound and gagged can not use his magic. In some cases the spell may require
substances or apparatus, such as conjuring a water elemental (5th level) requires the presence
of water, a sleep spell requires a pinch of sand. A magic-user must concentrate on his spell,
so he can not cast a spell and walk or run at the same time, and he certainly can not cast a
spell while engaged in combat. Then, after all that, the spell may not work!
24
Magic-User Spells
Book of First Book of Second Book of Third
Level Spells Level Spells Level Spells
1 Charm Person Audible Glamer Clairaudience
2 Dancing Lights Continual Light Clairvoyance
3 Detect Magic Darkness Dispel Magic
4 Enlargement Detect Evil Explosive Runes
5 Hold Portal Detect Invisible Fire Ball
6 Light ESP Fly
7 Magic Missile Invisibility Haste Spell
8 Protection from Evil Knock Hold Person
9 Read Languages Levitate Infravision
10 Read Magic Locate Object Invisibility 10'
11 Shield Magic Mouth Lightning Bolt
12 Sleep Mirror Image Monster Summoning I
13 Tenser’s Floating Disc Phantasmal Forces Protection from Evil 10' Radius
14 Ventriloquism Pyrotechnics Protection from Normal Missiles
15 Ray of Enfeeblement Rope Trick
16 Strength Slow Spell
17 Web Suggestion
18 Wizard Lock Water Breathing
Book of Fourth Book of Fifth Book of Sixth

1 Charm Monster Animate Dead Anti-Magic Shell
2 Confusion Cloudkill Control Weather
3 Dimension Door Conjure Elemental Death Spell
4 Growth of Plants Contact Higher Plane Disintegrate
5 Hallucinatory Terrain Feeblemind Geas
6 Ice Storm Growth of Animals Invisible Stalker
7 Massmorph Hold Monster Lower Water
8 Monster Summoning II Magic Jar Move Earth
9 Polymorph Others Pass-Wall Part Water
10 Polymorph Self Telekinesis Projected Image
11 Remove Curse Teleport Reincarnation
12 Wall of Fire Transmute Rock to Mud Stone to Flesh
13 Wall of Ice Wall of Iron
14 Wizard Eye Wall of Stone
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Clerical Spells
Clerics of the first level can not cast any spells. When they reach the second level, however,
they are capable of one spell per game/day. Since clerical spells are divinely given, they do
not have to be studied to master them. A second level cleric can call on any first level spell he
wants to use, thus the entire gamut of spells is available to him for selection prior to the
adventure. However, only that spell or spells selected can be used during the course of the
adventure.
Clerics of higher levels may administer spells in exchange for a suitable ―donation‖ to their
temple.
Cleric Spells
Book of First Book of Second Book of Third
1 Cure Light Wounds Bless Continual Light
2 Detect Evil Find Traps Cure Disease
3 Detect Magic Know Alignment Locate Object
4 Light Hold Person Prayer
5 Protection from Evil Resist Fire Remove Curse
6 Purify Food and Water Silence 15' Radius Speak With Dead
7 Remove Fear Snake Charm
8 Resist Cold Speak with Animals
Book of Fourth Book of Fifth

Level Spells Level Spells
1 Create Water Commune
2 Cure Serious Wounds Create Food
3 Neutralize Poison Dispel Evil
4 Protection from Evil 10’ Radius Insect Plague
5 Speak with Plants Quest
6 Turn Sticks to Snakes Raise Dead
Evil Cleric Spells

Evil clerics have basically the same spells as do good clerics. However, spells in italics are
reversed for evil clerics. The reversed spells are:
Cause Disease Darkness

Cause Fear Detect Good
Cause Light Wounds Dispel Good
Cause Serious Wounds Finger of Death
Contaminate Food and Water Protection from Good
Continual Darkness Protection from Good 10' Radius
Curse
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Beginning Spells
A first level magic-user (Medium) or a second level cleric (Adept) may cast one spell, and as
they go up in experience points they increase the number of spells they can use with each
new level. Magic-users retain the spells they already have and select new ones from the
appropriate list. Clerics can call upon more spells.
Saving Throws vs. Spells

Even when a magical spell has been properly thrown, it does not always work. Anyone
subjected to magical attack rolls a special die to see if the magic took effect (see Saving
Throws, page 64).
Spell Descriptions
Animate Dead
Type: Magic-User 5
Duration: See below
Range: See below
The creation of animated skeletons or zombies. It in no way brings a creature back to life. For
the number of dead animated simply roll one die for every level above the 8th, thus a Sorcerer
gets one die or from 1-6 animated dead. The spell lasts until dispelled or the animated dead
are done away with.
Anti-Magic Shell
Type: Magic-User 6
Duration: 12 turns
Range: 0"
A field which surrounds the magic-user and makes him totally impervious to all spells. It also
prevents any spells from being sent through the shell by the magic-user who conjured it. The
zero range merely means that the magic-user casts the spell on himself or on something he
touches.
Audible Glamer
Type: Magic-User 2
Duration: 2 turns
Range: 24"
By means of this spell the magic-user is able to create an auditory hallucination. The volume
of sound and the number of voices, calls, etc. is a direct function of the level of the sender. At
second level the caster can, at best, make it seem as if 2-8 persons were conversing in normal
tones. With each additional level which the magic-user attains a like volume can be added,
i.e. at third level the caster could create the sound of 4-16 persons moving and speaking
normally, or half that number shouting and fighting. For other than human sounds simply
27
judge by relative sound volume (a lion roaring would require a forth level casting, but the
sound of a giant snake approaching would easily be accomplished by a second level magic-
user).
Bless
Type: Cleric 2
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 6"
Blessing raises morale and adds + 1 to attack dice of the party blessed. Blessing can be given
during any turn the characters are not engaged in combat. This spell is reversible.
Charm Monster
Type: Magic-User 4
Duration: See below
Range: 12"
The counterpart of a Charm Person spell which is employable against all creatures. If
animals or creatures with three or fewer hit dice are involved determine how many are
affected by the spell by rolling three six-sided dice. It is otherwise identical to the Charm
Person spell.
Charm Person
Type: Magic-User 1
Duration: See below
Range: 12"
This spell applies to all two legged, generally mammalian humanoids of approximately man
size including sprites, pixies, nixies, kobolds, goblins, orcs, hobgoblins and gnolls. It does not
affect the undead or large monsters. If the spell is successful it will cause the charmed entity
to come completely under the influence of the magic-user. The possibility of the entity
breaking free from the charm spell later depends upon its intelligence. A new saving throw
will be made according to the following schedule:
Intelligence New Saving throw every:

3-6 month
7-9 three weeks
10-11 two weeks
12-15 one week
16-17 two days
18 or more day
Clairaudience
Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: 12 turns
Range: 6"
A spell which allows the user to hear noise behind doors or in darkness, or whatever is in
range. The spell can penetrate 2 feet of rock but a thin coating of lead will prevent
penetration.
28
Clairvoyance
Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: 12 turns
Range: 6"
A spell which allows the user to see behind doors, around corners or whatever is in range.
The spell can penetrate 2 feet of rock but a thin coating of lead will prevent penetration. It
does not enable the caster to see in the dark if he is not normally able to do so.
Cloudkill
Type: Magic-User 5
Duration: 6 turns
Range: See below
This spell creates a moving, poisonous cloud of vapor which is deadly to all creatures with
less than five hit dice. Movement: 6"/turn according to wind direction, or directly away from
the spell caster if there is no wind. Dimensions: 3" diameter. Duration: 6 turns, but the cloud
is dispelled by unusually strong winds or trees. Note that the cloud is heavier than air, so it
will sink to the lowest possible level.
Commune
Type: Cleric 5
Duration: See below
Range: 0"
A spell which puts the cleric in touch with the powers "above" and asks for help in the form
of answers to three questions. Communing is allowed but once each week maximum;
(referee's option as to making less frequent). Veracity and knowledge should be near total.
Once per year a special communing should be allowed wherein the cleric can ask double the
number of questions.
Confusion
Type: Magic-User 4
Duration: 12 turns
Range: 12"
This spell will immediately affect creatures with two or fewer hit dice. To determine when
the spell takes effect for creatures above two hit dice, the difference between the level of the
magic-user and the score of a twelve-sided die = delay in effect, i.e. a positive difference
means a turn delay, while a zero or negative difference means immediate effect. Creatures
with four or more hit dice will have saving throws against magic, and on those turns they
make their saving throws they are not confused; but this check must be made each turn the
spell lasts. The spell will affect two six-sided dice of creatures with the addition of +1 for
each level above the 8th of the magic-user. Confused creatures will attack the magic-user's
party (dice score 2-5), stand around doing nothing (6-8), or attack each other (9-12). Roll
each turn.
29
Conjure Elemental
Type: Magic-User 5
Duration: See below
Range: 24"
A spell to conjure an air, water, fire or earth elemental. Only one of each type can be
conjured by a magic-user during any one day. The elemental will remain until dispelled, but
the magic-user must concentrate on control or the elemental will turn upon its conjurer and
attack him, moving towards him in a straight path, attacking any figure in its path.
Contact Higher Plane

Type: Magic-User 5
Duration: See below
Range: Caster
Used to seek advice and gain knowledge from creatures inhabiting higher planes of existence
(the referee). The higher the plane contacted, the greater the number of questions that can be
asked, the greater the chance that the information will be known, and the higher the
probability that the question will be answered truthfully. Use the table below to determine
these factors, as well as the probability of the magic-user going insane. Only questions which
can be answered "yes" or "no" are permitted.
Plane # of Questions Chance of Knowing Veracity Insanity

3rd 3 25% 30% 0%
4th 4 30% 40% 10%
5th 5 35% 50% 20%
6th 6 40% 60% 30%
7th 7 50% 70% 40%
8th 8 60% 75% 50%
9th 9 70% 80% 60%
10th 10 80% 85% 70%
11th 11 90% 90% 80%
12th 12 95% 100% 90%
If a magic-user goes insane, he will remain so for a number of weeks equal to the number of
the plane he was attempting to contact, the strain making him totally incapacitated until the
time has elapsed. For each level above the 11th, magic-users should have a 5% better chance
of retaining their sanity. The spell is usable only once every game week (referee's option).
Continual Light
Type: Magic-User 2 / Cleric 3
Duration: See below
Range: 12"
Sheds a circle of light wherever the caster desires. Creates a circle of illumination 6" in
diameter, not equal to full daylight. Continues to shed light until dispelled. The cleric spell is
the same as that for magic-users, except that the light shed is equal to full daylight. This spell
is reversible.
30
Control Weather
Type: Magic-User 6
Duration: Referee’s option
Range: Referee’s option
The Magic-User can perform any one of the following weather control operations with this
spell: Rain, Stop Rain, Cold Wave, Heat Wave, Tornado, Stop Tornado, Deep Clouds, Clear
Sky.
Create Food
Type: Cleric 5
Duration: Instantaneous
Range: See below
A spell with which the cleric creates sustenance sufficient for a party of a dozen for one game
day. The quantity doubles for every level above the 8th the cleric has attained.
Create Water
Type: Cleric 4
Range: See below
By means of this spell the cleric can create a supply of drinkable water sufficient for a party
of a dozen men and horses for one day. The quantity doubles for every level above the 8th the
cleric has attained.
Cure Disease
Type: Cleric 3
Range: 1 person
A spell which cures any form of disease. The spell is the only method to rid a character of a
disease from a curse, for example. This spell is reversible.
Cure Light Wounds

Type: Cleric 1
Range: 0"
During the course of one melee round this spell will heal damage done to a character,
including elves, dwarves and hobbits. A die is rolled and 1 is added to it; the result is the
number of hit points restored (2-7). The zero range means the cleric must touch the wounded
person to heal him. The reverse of this spell, Cause Light Wounds, also requires a touch (such
as a successful to hit roll) to cause 2-7 points of damage.
31
Cure Serious Wounds
Type: Cleric 4
Duration: 1 turn
Range: 1 person
This spell is like a Cure Light Wounds spell, but the effects are double, so two dice are rolled
and one pip is added to each die. Therefore, from 4 to 14 hit points will be removed by this
spell. This spell is reversible.
Dancing Lights
Type: Magic-User 1
Duration: 2 turns
Range: 12"
This spell creates from 1-6 lantern-like lights which give the appearance of the illumination
carried by a party of dungeon adventurers or a similar group. The magic-user can cause them
to move, even around corners, up to the maximum range of the spell. Once cast, the magic-
user need simply speak his desire, and the lights follow instructions, so there is no need for
continued concentration.
Darkness
Type: Magic-User 2
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 12"
Causes total darkness in an area of 50 feet radius in which even infravision is useless. It can
be countered by a Dispel Magic or a Light spell.
Death Spell
Type: Magic-User 6
Range: 24"
An incantation which kills from 2-16 creatures with fewer than seven hit dice. The creatures
must be within an area of 6" x 6" to come under the spell.
Detect Evil
Duration: 2 turns
Range: 6"
A spell to detect evil thought or evil intent in any creature or evilly enchanted object. Poison,
however, is neither good nor evil. This spell is identical for clerics except the duration is 6
turns and the range 12". This spell is reversible.
Detect Invisible
Type: Magic-User 2
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 10 feet x level of spell caster
A spell to find treasure hidden by an invisibility spell. It will also locate invisible creatures.
32
Detect Magic
Duration: 2 turns
Range: 6"
A spell to determine if there has been some enchantment laid on a person, place or thing. It
has a limited range and short duration. It is useful, for example, to discover if some item is
magical, a door has been "held" or "wizard locked," etc.
Dimension Door
Type: Magic-User 4
Range: 1"
A limited Teleport spell which allows the object to be instantaneously transported up to 36"
in any direction (including up or down). There is no chance of misjudging when using a
Dimension Door, so the user always arrives exactly where he calls, i.e. 12" upwards, 32" east,
etc. Range: 1".
Disintegrate
Type: Magic-User 6
Range: 6"
This spell will cause material of any kind - other than that of a magical nature - to
disintegrate. It will blast a tree, dragon (if it fails to make its saving throw against magic),
wall section, or whatever.
Dispel Evil
Type: Cleric 5
Duration: 1 turns
Range: See below
Similar to a Dispel Magic spell, this allows a cleric to dispel any evil sending or spell within
a 3" radius. It functions immediately. This spell is reversible.
Dispel Magic
Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: 1 turn
Range: 12"
This spell can dispel most kinds of spells or enchantments except those on magical items.
Enlargement
Type: Magic-User 1
Duration: 1 + level of spell caster in turns
Range: 3"
This spell increases the size and mass of the object upon which it is cast. It doubles the size of
non-living matter, and it increases the size of living matter by one-half (example: a 6’ man
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would become 9’ tall). Only one object or thing can be affected by the spell, and the caster
must be able to see or touch the object or thing in order to make the spell work. Note it will
not add to the magical nature of any object, so a potion enlarged will simply be a single
potion with a greater volume. It will, for example, make a door stronger, however, as an
Enlargement spell will cause it to be twice as thick. In cases where the object is very large,
the spell is limited by a volume equal to 12 cubic feet/level of the spell caster, i.e. a 5th level
magic-user could enlarge an object up to 60 cubic feet in volume.
ESP
Type: Magic-User 2
Duration: 12 turns
Range: 6"
A spell which allows the user to detect the thoughts (if any) of whatever lurks behind doors
or in darkness, or whatever a creature in range is thinking. The spell can penetrate 2 feet of
rock but a thin coating of lead will prevent penetration. The undead do not think.
Explosive Runes
Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: See below
Range: 0"
These magic runes can be placed upon a parchment to safeguard it from unauthorized
reading. When read by someone other than the caster, the runes explode, destroying the
parchment and dealing 4-24 points of damage without a saving throw.
Feeblemind
Type: Magic-User 5
Duration: See below
Range: 24"
A spell usable only against magic-users, it causes the recipient to become feeble-minded until
the spell is countered with a Dispel Magic. The Feeblemind spell has a 20% better chance of
success, i.e. lowers the magic-user’s saving throw against magic by 4, so that if normally a 12
or better were required to save against magic, a 16 would be required against a Feeblemind.
Find Traps
Type: Cleric 2
Duration: 2 turns
Range: 3"
Enables the cleric to locate any magical and mechanical traps in a radius of 30 feet.
Finger of Death — see Raise Dead
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Fire Ball
Type: Magic-User 3
Range: 24"
An explosive burst of flame, which detonates with a radius of 20' and causes 1d6 damage per
level of the caster, with a saving throw halving damage.
Fly
Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: Caster’s level + 1d6 turns
Range: 0"
Allows the target to fly at 120' per turn.
Geas
Type: Magic-User 6
Duration: See below
Range: 3"
A spell which forces the recipient to perform some task. Any attempt to deviate from the
performance of the task will result in weakness, and ignoring the Geas entirely brings death.
The referee must carefully adjudicate the casting and subsequent performance of the geased
individual when this spell is used. Duration: Until the task is completed.
Growth of Animals
Type: Magic-User 5
Duration: 12 turns
Range: 12"
A spell which will cause from 1-6 normal-sized animals (not merely mammals) to grow to
giant-size with proportionate attack capabilities.
Growth of Plants
Type: Magic-User 4
Duration: See below
Range: 12"
This spell causes normal brush or woods to become thickly overgrown and entangled with
creepers, vines, thorns, briars and so on, so as to make the area virtually impassable. It will
affect an area of up to 30 square inches, the dimensions decided by the caster of the spell.
Duration: until the spell is negated by a Dispel Magic.
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Hallucinatory Terrain
Type: Magic-User 4
Duration: See below
Range: 24"
By means of this spell terrain features can either be hidden or created - an illusion which
affects a large area. Thus a swamp, hill, ridge, woods, or the like can be concealed or made to
appear. The spell is broken when the magicked area is contacted by an opponent.
Haste Spell
Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: 3 turns
Range: 24"
When this spell is cast, targets move and attack at twice their normal rate. Affects up to 24
creatures in an area of 60' x 120'.
Hold Person
Range: 12"
Similar to a Charm Person spell. Affects 1-4 persons. Holds the person or persons rooted to
the spot unless released or the spell wears out. If cast at one person alone it reduces his saving
throw by 2.
Hold Portal
Type: Magic-User 1
Duration: 2-12 turns
Range: 10 feet
A spell to hold a door, gate or the like. It is similar to the wizard lock spell (see below) but it
is not permanent. Roll two 6-sided dice to determine the duration of the spell in turns. A
dispel magic will negate it, a strong anti-magical creature like a Balrog will shatter it and a
knock spell will open it.
Ice Storm
Type: Magic-User 1
Duration: 1 turn
Range: 12"
When cast this spell creates a cubic storm area of 3" per side. Great hailstones descend
causing 3-30 points of damage to those within its confines (saving throws are not possible).
Infravision
Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: 12 + 6 turns per level
Range: 0"
When cast, the target gains the gift of infravision identical to that of a demi-human.
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Insect Plague
Type: Cleric 5
Duration: 1 day
Range: 48"
By means of this spell the Cleric calls to him a vast cloud of insects and sends them where he
will, within the spell range. They will obscure vision and drive creatures with less than three
hit dice off in rout. The dimensions of the Insect Plague are 36 square inches. (Note: This
spell is effective only above ground.)
Invisibility
Type: Magic-User 2
Duration: See below
Range: 24"
A spell which lasts until the user or some outside force breaks it. The magic-user can cast it
upon himself or any person or object in range. An invisible person can not attack and remain
invisible; he becomes visible again before he strikes a blow, and the spell is broken.
Invisibility 10' Radius

Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: See below
Range: 24"
A spell which lasts until the user or some outside force breaks it. The magic-user can cast it
upon himself or any person or object in range. Those affected by it cannot see each other. An
invisible person can not attack and remain invisible; he becomes visible again before he
strikes a blow, and the spell is broken with respect to that individual.
Invisible Stalker
Type: Magic-User 6
Duration: See below
Range: See below
The conjuration of an extra-dimensional monster which can be controlled with merely a word
from the Magic-User who conjured him. The invisible stalker will continue on its mission
until it is accomplished, regardless of time or distance. They cannot be dispelled once
conjured, except through attack. Details of the invisible stalker itself can be found in the
Monster section.
Knock
Type: Magic-User 2
Range: 6"
Spell which opens known secret doors, held portals, doors locked by magic, barred and
otherwise secured gates, locked chests, etc.
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Know Alignment
Type: Cleric 2
Duration: 2 turns
Range: 10 feet
By employing this spell the cleric is able to tell exactly the alignment of any creature. That is:
lawful good, lawful evil, chaotic good, chaotic evil, neutrality.
Furthermore, this spell allows the cleric to tell how lawful or chaotic, good or evil, a creature
is. Thus the cleric will be able to know whether a neutral person tends towards any of the four
alignments.
Levitate
Type: Magic-User 2
Range: 20 feet x level of spell caster
This spell lifts the caster, all motion being in the vertical plane; however, the user could, for
example, levitate to the ceiling, and move horizontally by the use of his hands. Upwards
motion 60 feet/turn. If cast on another person, range 20 feet for each level of magic-user.
Light
Duration: See below
Range: 12"
A spell to cast light in a circle 3" in diameter, not equal to full daylight. It lasts for a number
of turns equal to 6 plus the level of the user. Thus a first level magic-user could cast the spell
for 7 turns, and, of course, he could turn it off before 7 turns had gone by, but he would not
be able to cast it again during that game. This spell is identical for clerics except the duration
is 12 turns. This spell is reversible.
Lightning Bolt
Type: Magic-User 3
Range: 24"
This 60 foot long bolt of lightning causes 1d6 damage per level to everyone within its area of
effect, with a saving throw halving damage.
Locate Object
Duration: 2 turns
Range: 60 feet + level of spell caster in 10's of feet
In order for this spell to be effective it must be cast with certain knowledge of what is to be
located. Thus the exact nature, dimensions, color, etc. of some magical item would have to be
known for the spell to work. A well-known object such as a flight of stairs leading up can be
detected by this spell, however. The spell gives the direction of the object but not the distance
and can only detect at a limited range. The cleric spell has a base range of 9".
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Lower Water
Type: Magic-User 6
Duration: 10 turns
Range: 24"
Utterance of this spell causes the water level in a river or similar body of liquid to drop 50%
of its depth.
Magic Jar
Type: Magic-User 5
Duration: See below
Range: See below
By means of this device the magic-user houses his life force in some inanimate object (even a
rock) and attempts to possess the body of any other creature within 12". The container must
be within 3" of his body at the time the spell is pronounced. Possession of another body takes
place when the creature fails to make its saving throw against magic. If the possessed body is
destroyed, the spirit of the magic-user returns to the magic jar, and from thence it may
attempt another possession or return to the magic-user’s body. The spirit of the magic-user
can return to the magic jar at any time he so desires. Note that if the body of the magic-user is
destroyed the life force must remain in a possessed body or the magic jar. If the magic jar is
destroyed the magic-user is totally annihilated.
Magic Missile
Type: Magic-User 1
Range: 15"
A conjured missile equal to a magic arrow, and it does 1 die roll plus 1 point (2-7) to any
creature it strikes. Roll the missile fire like a long bow arrow (Missile Fire Table, page 61).
Higher level magic-users fire two missiles at level 4, three missiles at level 7 and four
missiles at level 9.
Magic Mouth
Type: Magic-User 2
Duration: See below
Range: 0"
Resembles ventriloquism in that sound issues from a chosen object, but there are differences.
A mouth appears, or the mouth of the object moves in accordance with what is said. The
magic mouth can be ordered to speak under certain conditions, such as when anyone comes
within 10 feet, or when a specific person comes within 10 feet, etc. The spell lasts until the
message is given. Message can not exceed 25 words.
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Massmorph
Type: Magic-User 4
Duration: See below
Range: 24"
This spell is used to conceal up to 100 men (or creatures of near man size) as a woods or
orchards. The concealed figures may be moved through without being detected as anything
other than trees, and it will not affect the spell. It will be negated by a command for the caster
or by means of a Dispel Magic spell.
Mirror Image
Type: Magic-User 2
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 0"
The spell caster creates 1 to 4 images of himself. Images are indistinguishable from the
magic-user and do exactly what he does. Any attack on an image dispels it but does not affect
the others. Roll a 4-sided die to determine the number of images created by the spell.
Monster Summoning I
Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 10 feet
The caster calls forth a monster or monsters to appear from the Wandering Monster Table
II, Level 1 (page 113). The monster or monsters summoned are faithful to the magic-user
until the spell ends.
Monster Summoning II
Type: Magic-User 4
Duration: See below
Range: 0"
This spell is identical to Monster Summoning I except that either one or two 2nd level
monsters will appear.
Move Earth
Type: Magic-User 6
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 24"
When above ground the Magic-User may utilize this spell to move prominences such as hills
or ridges. The spell takes one turn to go into effect. The terrain affected will move at the rate
of 6" per turn.
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Neutralize Poison
Type: Cleric 4
Duration: 1 turns
Range: One person or object
A spell to counter the harmful effects of poison. Note that it will not aid a character killed by
poison, however.
Part Water
Type: Magic-User 6
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 12"
A spell which will part water up to 10' deep.
Pass-Wall
Type: Magic-User 5
Duration: 3 turns
Range: 3"
A spell which opens a hole in a solid rock wall, man-sized and up to 10' in length.
Phantasmal Forces
Type: Magic-User 2
Duration: See below
Range: 24"
Creation of vivid illusions of nearly anything the user envisions (a kind of projected mental
image). The illusion persists as long as the caster concentrates on it unless it is touched by a
living creature. Damage caused by the illusion will be real if the illusion is believed to be
real. Note the illusion is visual and not auditory.
Polymorph Others
Type: Magic-User 4
Duration: See below
Range: 6"
This spell lasts until it is dispelled. The spell gives all characteristics of the form of the
creature, so a creature polymorphed into a Dragon acquires all of the Dragon's ability – not
necessarily mentality, however. Likewise, a Troll polymorphed into a snail would have innate
resistance to being stepped on and crushed by a normal man.
Polymorph Self
Type: Magic-User 4
Duration: 6 turns + the level of the magic-user
Range: Caster
A spell allowing the user to take the shape of anything he desires, but not the combat abilities
of the thing he has polymorphed himself to resemble. That is, while the user may turn himself
41
into a Dragon of some type, he will not gain the ability to fight and breathe, but he will be
able to fly.
Prayer
Type: Cleric 3
Duration: See below
Range: 3"
By means of this spell the cleric lowers the saving throw of his opponents. The prayer affects
an area of 2" square. It lowers the saving throws of those within the area by 5% (1 point) plus
5% for every ten levels the Cleric has gained, i.e. an 11th level cleric lowers the saving throws
by 10%, and at 21st level it would jump to 15%. Duration: turn of melee following the spell.
Projected Image
Type: Magic-User 6
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 24"
By means of this spell the magic-user projects an image of himself up to 24" away, and all
spells and the like used thereafter appear to originate from the projected image.
Protection from Evil

Duration: 6 turns
Range: 0"
This spell hedges the conjurer round with a magic circle to keep out attacks from enchanted
monsters such as elementals, invisible stalkers, demons, etc. It serves as an "armor" from evil
attacks, adding + 1 to all the users saving throws, and subtracting -1 from the hit probability
of evil opponents. These effects are cumulative with such magical protections as magic armor
and rings of protection. Duration for clerics is 12 turns. This spell is reversible.
Protection from Evil, 10' Radius

Duration: 12 turns
Range: 10 feet
This spell hedges the conjurer round with a 10’ radius magic circle to keep out attacks from
enchanted monsters such as elementals, invisible stalkers, demons, etc. It serves as an
"armor" from evil attacks, adding + 1 to the saving throws of all within the circle, and
subtracting -1 from the hit probability of evil opponents. These effects are cumulative with
such magical protections as magic armor and rings of protection. This spell is reversible.
Protection from Normal Missiles

Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: 12 turns
Range: 3"
Once cast, the target becomes completely impervious to normal missiles.
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Purify Food and Water
Type: Cleric 1
Range: 10 feet
This spell will make spoiled or poisoned food and water usable. The quantity affected is that
which would serve a dozen people. This spell is reversible.
Pyrotechnics
Type: Magic-User 2
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 24"
This spell requires some kind of real fire to work — a torch, brazier, campfire, etc. It can
create either a great display of flashing fiery colors and lights resembling fireworks or a great
amount of thick smoke covering an area of at least 20 cubic feet if a torch is the source, for
example. The effect depends on the size of the fire used to cause it, and when the spell is used
the fire-source is extinguished.
Quest
Type: Cleric 5
Duration: See below
Range: 1 person
This is similar to the Geas, except that the character sent upon a Quest by the cleric is not
killed by failure to carry out the service. However, the cleric may curse him with whatever he
desires for failure, and the referee should decide if such a curse will take effect if the
character ignores the Quest, basing the effectiveness of the curse on the phrasing of it and the
alignment and actions of the character so cursed.
Raise Dead
Type: Cleric 5
Range: See below
The cleric simply points his finger, utters the incantation, and the dead person is raised. This
spell works with men, elves, and dwarves only. For each level the cleric has progressed
beyond the 8th, the time limit for resurrection extends another four days. Thus, an 8th level
cleric can raise a body dead up to four days, a 9th level cleric can raise a body dead up to
eight days, and so on. Naturally, if the character's Constitution was weak, the spell will not
bring him back to life. In any event raised characters must spend two game weeks time
recuperating from the ordeal. The reverse of this spell is:
The Finger of Death: Instead of raising the dead, this spell creates a "death ray" which will
kill any creature unless a saving throw is made (where applicable). Range: 12". (A cleric-type
may use this spell in a life-or-death situation, but misuse will immediately turn him into an
anti-cleric.)
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Ray of Enfeeblement
Type: Magic-User 2
Range: 3"
When the magic-user employs this spell a thin beam of coruscating grayish light springs from
his hand. The creature struck by this ray will lose 4 points of strength for a number of melee
rounds equal to the level of the spell caster. If the intended victim makes its saving throw
against magic the ray does nothing to him. Creatures who lose strength will do 25% less
damage than is indicated, per 4 points of strength lost, on all attacks which involve physical
force or contact, i.e. striking, clawing, biting, squeezing, etc.
Read Languages
Type: Magic-User 1
Duration: 2 turns
Range: 0"
The means by which directions and the like are read, particularly treasure maps. Very much
like Read Magic spell below.
Read Magic
Type: Magic-User 1
Duration: 2 turns
Range: 0"
The 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. (Note once a scroll is looked at
under a Read Magic spell, the magic-user can read it again without such aid.)
Reincarnation
Type: Magic-User 6
Duration: Permanent
Range: 1 person
A spell to bring a dead character back to life in some other form. The form in which the
character is reincarnated is dependent upon his former alignment (Law, Neutrality or Chaos).
Use a random determination and whatever the result is, the reincarnated character is that
creature and must play as it. If he comes back as a man, determine which class, and roll a six-
sided die to determine which level in that class, and similarly check level for reincarnation as
an elf or dwarf.
Remove Curse
Range: 0"
A spell to remove any one curse or evil sending. Note that using this spell on a "cursed
sword", for example, would make the weapon an ordinary sword, not some form of
enchanted blade. The cleric spell is the same as that for magic-users.
44
Remove Fear
Type: Cleric 1
Duration: See below
Range: 0"
When the cleric lays his hands upon a person and chants this spell it will quiet fear. Thus, a
person running away due to a fear wand attack gains another saving throw, adding the
number equal to the level of the cleric to the die, i.e. a 2nd level cleric gives +2 to the saving
throw against fear, a 5th level cleric adds 5, etc.
The reverse of this spell, Cause Fear, will cause the victim to flee in panic away from the
caster for 1 round per level of the cleric casting the spell.
Resist Cold
Type: Cleric 1
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 3"
This spell allows the person to resist the effects of cold. Freezing temperatures can be
withstood with ease while the effects of the spell last, and it gives a +2 to saving throws
against cold (wand or even dragon breath). Any damage sustained from cold is also reduced
by -1 from each die of damage taken.
Resist Fire
Type: Cleric 2
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 3"
Similar to the resist cold spell, this incantation allows the individual to resist normal fire for a
maximum of 2 melee rounds. It gives a +2 on saving throws against fire of all sorts, and any
damage sustained from fire is reduced by subtraction of 1 from each die of damage so
sustained.
Rope Trick
Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: Caster’s level + 6 turns
Range: 0"
Once cast, any length of rope (up to 50') can stand upright by itself.
Shield
Type: Magic-User 1
Duration: 2 turns
Range: 0"
By means of this spell the user imposes a self-moving magical barrier between himself and
his enemies. It provides the equivalent of plate armor and shield (armor class 2) against
missiles, chain mail and shield (armor class 4) against other attacks.
45
Silence: 15' Radius
Type: Cleric 2
Duration: 12 turns
Range: 18"
Allows the user to cast silence in a large area so as to prevent sound or allow his party to
move noiselessly. It can be used to silence some object as well. Note conversation is not
possible under a silence spell.
Sleep
Type: Magic-User 1
Duration: 2-8 turns
Range: 24"
Puts all kinds of creatures to sleep for 2-8 turns. Monsters of higher level are less affected as
follows. To determine the number of creatures put to sleep by the spell: if the creatures have
up to 1 die of hit points (or 1 die +1 point), roll two 8-sided dice to find the number put to
sleep, creatures with 2 dice of hit points (or 2 dice +1 hit point) roll two 6-sided dice,
creatures with 3 dice of hit points (or 3 dice +2 points) roll one 6-sided die, and of creatures
of 4 dice (or 4 dice +1 point) only one will be put to sleep. Creatures with more hit dice are
unaffected by the spell. Undead are always unaffected. There are no saving throws allowed.
Slow Spell
Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: 3 turns
Range: 24"
When this spell is cast, targets move and attack at half their normal rate. Affects up to 24
creatures in an area of 60' x 120'.
Snake Charm
Type: Cleric 2
Duration: See below
Range: 6"
Variable strength spell functioning better as the level of the user goes up. 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. Duration depends
upon the state of the snake at the time of the spell casting. If it is not attacking duration is 2-5
turns; if it is attacking duration is 7-1 2 melee rounds.
Speak with Animals

Type: Cleric 2
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 3"
Allows the cleric to speak with any form of animal and understand what they say in reply.
There is a possibility the animals will do some service for the cleric, and they will not attack
his party.
46
Speak with Dead
Type: Cleric 3
Duration: See below
Range: 0"
A spell which allows the user to converse with a dead body, the cleric being able to ask three
questions. Note that the length of time the creature has been dead will be a consideration. Up
to 7th level clerics can only converse with recent dead, 1-4 days); up to 14th level 1-4 months;
above 20th level clerics have no limitations as to time. (The referee will answer the three
questions asked in any reasonable form he desires, riddles being recommended!)
Speak with Plants

Type: Cleric 4
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 3"
This spell allows the cleric to speak with all forms of plant life, understanding what they say
in reply. Plants so spoken to will obey commands, of the cleric, such as part to allow a
passage and so on. This spell does not give the cleric the power to command trees as ents do.
Stone to Flesh
Type: Magic-User 6
Duration: Permanent
Range: 12"
This spell turns stone to flesh, and it is reversible, so as to turn flesh to stone. It is particularly
useful in reviving characters who have been petrified by some monster. It is permanent unless
a reversed spell is used.
Strength
Type: Magic-User 2
Duration: 48 turns
Range: 0"
This spell increases a fighter's strength by 2-8 points, a thief's by 1-6 points, or a cleric's by 1-
4.
Suggestion
Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: 1 week
Range: 5 feet
Unless a saving throw is made, the target will carry out any single suggestion made by the
caster. Suggestions must be simple and relatively short.
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Telekinesis
Type: Magic-User 5
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 12"
By means of this spell objects may be moved by mental force. Weight limits are calculated
by multiplying the level of the magic-user by 200 Gold Pieces weight. Thus, a Necromancer
is able to move a weight equal to 2,000 Gold Pieces.
Teleport
Type: Magic-User 5
Range: See below
Instantaneous transportation from place to place, regardless of the distance involved,

provided the user knows where he is going. Without certain knowledge of the destination
teleportation is 75% uncertain, so a score of less than 75% of the percentile dice results in
death. If the user is aware of the general topography of his destination, but has not carefully
studied it, there is an uncertainty factor of 10% low and 10% high. A low score (1-10%)
means death if solid material is contacted. A high score (91-100%) indicates a fall of from 10
to 100 feet, also possibly resulting in death. If a careful study of the destination has been
previously made, then the magic-user has only a 1% chance of teleporting low and a 4%
chance of coming in high (10-40 feet).
Tenser's Floating Disc

Type: Magic-User 1
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 10 feet
The wizard, Tenser, always greedy for more treasure, devised this spell. It summons a
floating platform which is disc-shaped. The disc floats at approximately waist height and can
bear up to 5,000 gold pieces in weight. The disc will follow the magic-user who created it
wherever he goes, staying six feet behind him at all times. When the spell wears out anything
still upon the floating disc will fall to the ground.
Transmute Rock to Mud

Type: Magic-User 5
Duration: See below
Range: 12"
The spell takes effect in one turn, turning earth, sand, and of course, rock to mud. The area
affected is up to 30 square inches. Creatures moving into the mud will become mired,
possibly sinking if heavy enough or losing 90% of movement otherwise, unless able to fly or
levitate. The spell can only be countered by reversing the incantation (requiring a Transmute
Rock to Mud spell) or by normal process of evaporation (3-18 days as determined by rolling
three six-sided dice).
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Turn Sticks to Snakes
Type: Cleric 4
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 12"
Anytime there are sticks nearby a cleric can turn them into snakes, with a 50% chance that
they will be poisonous. From 2-16 snakes can be conjured (roll two eight-sided dice). He can
command these conjured snakes to perform as he orders.
Ventriloquism
Type: Magic-User 1
Duration: 2 turns
Range: 60"
Allows the user to make the sound of his voice issue from someplace else, such as a statue,
animal, behind a door, etc.
Wall of Fire
Type: Magic-User 4
Duration: See below
Range: 6"
The spell will create a wall of fire which lasts until the Magic-User no longer concentrates to
maintain it. The fire wall is opaque. It prevents creatures with under four hit dice from
entering/passing through. Undead will take two dice of damage (2-12) and other creatures
one die (1-6) when breaking through the fire. The shape of the wall can be either a plane of
up to 6" width and 2" in height, or it can be cast in a circle of 3" diameter and 2" in height.
Wall of Ice
Type: Magic-User 4
Duration: See below
Range: 12"
A spell to create a wall of ice six inches thick, in dimensions like that of a Wall of Fire. It
negates the effects of creatures employing fire and/or fire spells. It may be broken through by
creatures with four or more hit dice, with damage equal to one die (1-6) for non-fire
employing creatures and double that for fire-users.
Wall of Iron
Type: Magic-User 5
Duration: 12 turns
Range: 6"
The creation of an iron wall three inches thick with a maximum length and height equalling 5
square inches.
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Wall of Stone
Type: Magic-User 5
Duration: See below
Range: 6"
Like a Wall of Iron, but the thickness of the wall is two feet and its maximum area 10 square
inches. The wall will last until dispelled, broken down or battered through as a usual stone
wall.
Water Breathing
Type: Magic-User 3
Duration: 12 turns
Range: 3"
A spell whereby it is possible to breathe under water without harm or difficulty.
Web
Type: Magic-User 2
Duration: 48 turns
Range: 10 feet
Creates masses of sticky strands which are difficult to sever but subject to flame. Covers an
area 10 X 10 X 20 feet. Giants can break through in two melee rounds, weaker creatures take
much longer, i.e. a normal man would require 2-8 turns to get through them. A flaming sword
will slash through a web in one melee round.
Wizard Eye
Type: Magic-User 4
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 24"
A spell which allows the user to send a visual sensor up to 24" away in order to observe the
scene without himself moving. The "eye" is invisible. It moves 12"/turn.
Wizard Lock
Type: Magic-User 2
Duration: See below
Range: 10 feet
Similar to hold portal but lasts indefinitely. It can be opened by a knock spell without
breaking the wizard spell. A wizard lock can be passed through without a spell by any magic-
user three levels higher than the one who placed the spell.
50
SECTION 4: Adventuring Rules
Time and Movement in the Dungeons

A fully armoured man can move 120 feet per turn at a cautious walk. Each turn takes ten
minutes (scale time, not actual) in the characters' magical universe. In the players' universe
arguments sometimes develop and a turn may take considerably longer! Each turn is ten
minutes except during combat where there are ten melee rounds per turn, each round lasting
ten seconds.
Let us say a party has come to a blank wall and decides to search it for secret doors. The
Dungeon Master says it will take one turn for one character to search a 10 foot section of
wall. Unbeknownst to the adventurers, a monstrous purple worm is coming toward them
down a side corridor. The Dungeon Master consults his table of monsters and sees that the
worm travels 60 feet per turn, so it will be 60 feet closer when the search is completed. Let us
hope the party remembered to have somebody watch the rear!
An unarmoured and unencumbered man can move 240 feet per turn, an armored man 120
feet, and carrying a heavy load only half that. Faster speeds can be allowed for charging or a
short sprint. If a character is being pursued, however, he may have to throw away heavy
treasure or armor in order to escape.
Movement Table
Feet/Turn
Exploring/ Moving Running
Encumbrance Mapping Normally (x3)
Unarmored, unemcumbered man 240 480 720
Fully armoured man or
120 240 360
unarmored and heavily loaded
Fully armoured AND
60 120 -
heavily loaded
Since Dungeons & Dragons was originally written for wargamers who are used to miniature
figures, distances are often given in inches.
Inches can be converted to feet by multiplying by ten: 1 inch = 10 feet, 2 inches = 20 feet,
etc. This scales the movement appropriately for maneuvering the figures on the top of a
gaming table.
Rest
Time must be taken to rest, so one turn every hour should be spent motionless — i.e., one
turn out of every six. If the party has been running (triple normal speed) they will need two
turns to rest.
51
Encumbrance
A back pack or sack will hold weight which equals approximately 300 gold pieces. For game
purposes all forms of coins weigh the same. A character carrying 300 gold pieces would not
be considered to be heavily loaded — assuming that the other equipment he or she carried
was not excessive — for 300 gold pieces are assumed to weigh about 30 pounds. A character
with 600 gold pieces is likely to be considered as being heavily loaded, as the weight of the
other equipment normally carried will make the character's load in the neighborhood of 75
pounds minimum (a fighting man will be far more loaded down, but it is assumed that such
individuals are trained to be stronger and so able to carry more weight).
In order to give players a better idea of just how encumbered they are by equipment and
subsequent additions of treasure to their load, it is suggested that they note on a sheet of paper
just where or how each item they have with them is stored or carried.
Example: The magic-user, Malchor, is about to set off on a dungeon exploring expedition. In
addition to his normal garb of boots, loin cloth, robe, girdle, and pointy hat he notes that he is
bringing the following equipment with him:
2 daggers (1 in girdle, other in boot)

1 back pack
1 large sack (in pack)
1 — 50' coil of rope (in pack)
1 standard rations (in pack)
1 small sack (in pack)
12 iron spikes (in small sack in pack)
1 quart wine (in pack)
1 small sack, shoulder slung, left side
2 flasks of oil (shoulder sack)
2 vials holy water (shoulder sack)
1 garlic bud (shoulder sack)
1 wolvesbane bunch (shoulder sack)
20 gold pieces (in purse hidden under robe)
1 water skin, shoulder slung, right side
1 tinder box (tucked in girdle)
1 lantern, filled with oil (left hand)
1 — 10' pole (right hand)
Light
Most dungeons are dark. Elves and dwarves can see 60 feet in the dark, as can all monsters
(and this term embraces all of the evil characters of the Dungeon Master), but humans and
hobbits will need artificial light or be reduced to half speed or less. Magic swords and some
staves shed light, but the party may have to resort to torches or lanterns. A good torch will
burn for six turns, while a flask of oil in a lantern will last 24 turns. Either allow the bearer to
see 30 feet. Artificial light, of course, will attract monsters who live in the dark and will also
warn them that the party is approaching. Note that elves and dwarves lose their ability to see
60 feet if there is light within 30 feet of them.
52
Doors
Doors are usually closed and often stuck or locked. They have to have the locks picked or be
smashed open. A roll of 1 or 2 indicates that a door has been forced open. Of course, if the
party has to hit the door several times before getting their roll of 1 or 2, there is no possibility
of surprising the occupants of the room.
When the characters come to a door they may listen to detect any sound within. A die roll of
1 for humans, 1 or 2 for elves, dwarves and halflings, indicates that they have heard
something, if there is anything to hear. The "Undead" — skeletons, zombies, ghouls, wights,
wraiths, mummies, spectres and vampires — make no noise unless they wish to. The party
gets one try at listening to any door, wall, panel, etc.
If elves pass by a secret door or passage, roll a six-sided die and a 1 or 2 means they sense
something there. If the party is searching for a secret door then an elf will locate it on a roll of
1 to 4, other characters on a roll of 1 or 2. Of course, the Dungeon Master will lessen these
possibilities in lower levels of the dungeon.
Doors opened will usually shut automatically unless spiked or wedged open. Doors open
automatically for monsters, however, unless held or spiked shut.
Traps
Many dungeons contain traps, such as trap doors in the floor. If a character passes over one a
six-sided die is rolled; a roll of 1 or 2 indicates that the trap was sprung and he has fallen in,
taking one or more 6-sided, dice of damage.
53
Hiring Retainers
In all probability the referee will find it beneficial to allow participants in the campaign to
"hire into service" one or more characters. At times this may be nothing more than a band of
mercenaries hired to participate in and share the profits from some adventure. However it is
possible that players will be desirous of acquiring a regular entourage of various character
types, monsters, or any army of some form. Non-player characters can be hired as follows:
Generally, only the lowest level of character types can be hired, i.e. first level. The player
wishing to hire a non-player character "advertises" by posting notices at inns and taverns,
frequents public places seeking the desired hireling, or sends messengers to whatever place
the desired character type would be found (elfland, dwarf-land, etc.). This costs money and
takes time, and the referee must determine expenditures (rolling a 6-sided die for 100's of
gold pieces is suggested).
Once some response has been obtained, the player must make an offer to tempt the desired
character type into his service. As a rule of thumb, a minimum offer of 100 gold pieces would
be required to tempt a human into service, dwarves are more interested in gold, magic-users
and elves desire magical items, and clerics want some assurance of having a place of worship
in which to house themselves. The Dungeon Master will act out the part of the prospective
employee, making whatever kind of deal would be appropriate.
Monsters can sometimes be lured into service if they are of the same basic alignment as the
player-character, or they can be charmed and thus ordered to serve. Note, however, that the
term "monster" includes men found in the dungeons, so in this way some high level
characters can, arbitrarily, be brought into a character's service, Charisma allowing or through
a Charm spell. Some reward must be offered to a monster in order to induce it into service
(not just sparing its life, for example).
A man or intelligent monster can surrender or become subdued. When this happens an offer
of service can be made (assuming that communication is possible) as outlined later in the
Hostile-Friendly Reaction Table (page 57). Subdued monsters will obey for a time without
need to check their reactions, and such monsters are salable.
Experience Points and Experience Levels

Accumulated experience is measured by experience points. Experience points are awarded on
the basis of treasure obtained and monsters killed or subdued. Experience for treasure
recovered is on the basis of 1 point for every gold piece. Convert jewelry, gems, etc. into gold
piece value. (For more information regarding treasure, see Treasure and Base Treasure
Values, page 98) Treasure is usually divided equally among members of the party and
therefore the experience is also. If, for some reason, one character gets more of the loot, such
as a thief stealing gems from the saddle bags on the way home, then he should get the
additional experience points.
Monsters killed or overcome by magic or wits are worth experience points to be divided
among the entire party.
54
Experience Points for Monsters Overcome
Monster’s Base Bonus for
Hit Dice Value Special Abilities
Under 1 5 1
1 10 3
1+1 15 4
2 20 5
2+1 25 10
3 35 15
3+1 50 25
4 75 50
4+1 125 75
5 175 125
5+1 225 175
6 275 225
6+1 350 300
7 450 400
7+1 525 475
8 650 550
8+1 750 625
9 to 10 900 700
11 to 12 1100 800
12 to 13 1350 950
14 and up 1650 1150
Special abilities of the monster would indicate monsters which regenerate, use or hurl
missiles, have poison, have paralytic touch, etc.
If the defeated monster is lower in level than the character who overcomes him, less
experience is gained. The experience points for the kill are multiplied by a fraction: monster's
level/character's level. For example, if a third level fighting man killed a first level orc he
generates ⅓ the experience points. The Dungeon Master usually takes all the experience
earned by the party, treasure and monsters defeated, and divides it equally among all
surviving members of the expedition.
The Dungeon Master should have the option of lowering the number of experience points
gained under special circumstances. If one character sneaks out of the dungeon with all the
treasure while the rest of the party is being eaten, he should gain some experience points but
not necessarily all of them!
Remember that characters with high scores in their prime requisite get a bonus of experience
points.
No more experience points should be awarded for a single game than will move a character
up one experience "level." Thus if a first level fighting men earns 5,000 experience points
this would ordinarily move him up two levels (see table below). He is therefore only allowed
the number of points that would take him up to second level and almost up to third. He
therefore receives 3,999 experience points, not 5,000, because 4,000 points would move him
up two levels.
55
As a guideline, it should take a group of players from 6 to 12 adventures before any of their
characters are able to gain sufficient experience to attain second level. This guidelining will
hold true for successive levels. Note that it is assumed that the 6 to 12 adventures are ones in
which a fair amount of treasure was brought back — some 10% to 20% of adventures will
likely prove relatively profitless for one reason or another.
56
SECTION 5: Encounters and Combat
Encounters and Time

There are ten "rounds" of combat per turn. Each round is ten seconds, so a combat turn is
shorter than a regular turn, but results in at least as much muscular fatigue.
Surprise
Surprise may occur whenever one party is unaware of the presence of the other. A roll of a 1
or 2 on a six-sided die means the party or the monsters were surprised. If the party surprises a
monster they get an opportunity to cast a spell, shoot arrows, shut the door, run, or draw
weapons and attack before the monster can react. A character surprised by a monster may
drop whatever he is holding — on a die roll of 6 — and the monster gains first reaction
(which means it will usually charge to attack the party).
Initiative — Who Gets the First Blow?

When two figures are brought into position 10 scale feet (or less) apart they may engage in
melee. The character with the highest Dexterity strikes first. Characters with high Dexterity
can get off the first arrow, throw the first spell or draw a weapon and strike the first blow. If
the Dungeon Master does not know the Dexterity of an attacking monster he rolls it on the
spot. Subject to the limitation of heavy weapons the two figures exchange blows in turn until
the melee is resolved. If Dexterities are within 1 or 2 points of each other, a 6-sided die is
rolled for each opponent, and the higher score gains initiative — first blow.
Attackers who surprise an opponent or who approach him from behind always get the first
blow.
Monster Reactions
Obviously, some creatures will not always be hostile. Some may offer aid and assistance. To
determine the reaction of such creatures, roll 2 dice:
Hostile/Friendly Reaction Table

Score Reaction
2 Attacks immediately!
3-5 Hostile reaction
6-8 Uncertain, make another offer, roll again
9-11 Accepts offer, friendly
12 Enthusiastic, volunteers help
The Dungeon Master should make adjustments if the party spokesman has high Charisma or
offers special inducements.
57
Chases in the Dungeon
If the party decides to flee they may be able to delay pursuit by discarding some of their
possessions. Unintelligent monsters will stop to pick up food half the time (roll 1-3 on a 6-
sided die) and intelligent monsters will stop for treasure half the time (roll 1-3). Burning oil
will deter monsters (referee's discretion).
Combat
Melee is the most exciting part of the game, but it must be imagined as if it were occurring in
slow motion so that the effect of each blow can be worked out. When the party of adventurers
is attacked by several monsters, all may be involved in melee, but the hand-to- hand battles
must be fought one at a time and then the result imagined as if all were going on
simultaneously.
Combat Sequence
When there is time, or when a magic-user says he is getting a spell ready, magic spells go off
first. This is followed by any missile fire, if the distance to the monsters permits, and then
melee is joined, after which no missile fire is permitted because of the danger of hitting
friendly forces. If a magic-user is not involved in the melee he can get another spell off after
1 or more melee rounds have gone by. If he is personally attacked he can't concentrate to use
his magic but must draw his dagger and defend his skin! However, if the magic-user had
some magical device — such as a wand or staff — it could be used in lieu of the dagger as an
attack weapon.
Combat Movement
Movement (if any) is usually at a sprint; an unarmored man can move 20 feet per melee
round, a fully armored man only 10 feet.
Attacking
Combat results are based on the attacker's ability (indicated by his "level") and the defender's
abilities (indicated by his "armor class"). In a melee the attacker strikes a blow or "takes a
swing." The probability of a hit is converted into a random number of 1 to 20 (the specially
marked die is recommended). The attacking player rolls, and if the number indicated on the
tables, or greater, is scored, a hit has been made on the opponent. He then makes another die
roll, with one 6-sided die, to see how many points of damage were done by the hit. These are
subtracted from the defender's "hit points." If hit points are reduced to zero or below, the
combatant is dead. If he survives he gets to swing at his attacker. The die roll is read off the
table for his attack capability against his opponent's armor class and he makes a 20-sided die
roll. If he makes his score, or greater, damage points are rolled and subtracted. If he does not
make his die roll the attack was a miss, glanced off his opponents shield or armor, etc. and
the first opponent strikes again.
58
Armor Class
The "armor class" of humanoid monsters is literally the armor they are wearing (or possibly
their skin/hide!). For non-human creatures, however, it is assigned partly on this basis, with
strong armor class for scales and shells, and partly on the basis of difficulty to hit. Thus a
small fast creature, like a vampire bat, might be hard to hit with a sword and could be
assigned "armor class: plate" (AC 3) to indicate this although its own skin would make it
seem more like "armor class: none" on first thought. All the monsters in the monster section
given later have an armor class assigned and the Dungeon Master can make up an appropriate
armor class for any new ones he invents.
Melee Combat
Each round consists of an exchange of blows with ordinary weapons. Light weapons such as
the dagger allow two blows per round. The heavy two-handed sword, battle axe, halberd,
flail, morning star, and most pole arm can be used only once every other round. The light
crossbow takes time to cock and load, so it likewise can be fired only once every other round.
The heavy crossbow takes twice as long to load and fire. Unless otherwise specified,
monsters can strike, bite, claw, jab, etc. as fast as a man can strike with a hand weapon.
Characters can be attacked by more than one opponent at a time; the Dungeon Master should
be guided by the actual placement of the figures on a paper sketch or on the table in deciding
how many opponents can engage as melee starts, always keeping in mind the dimensions of
the dungeon itself. One would not expect to get more than two or three figures fighting side
by side in a ten foot corridor, for example.
After each round of melee the players may move other characters than those engaged in
actual combat into position to render assistance, etc. Remember that spells and missiles fired
into a melee should be considered to strike members of one's own party as well as the enemy.
Characters who are wounded continue to strike valiantly until they are killed or the melee
ends in their favor, unless they choose to break off the combat and flee. If combat is broken
off, the fleeing party must accept an attack without any return on his part, the attacker adding
+2 to his die roll for hit probability, and the armor class of the fleeing party can not include a
shield.
The Parry
A player may elect to have a character parry an attacker's blow. He must announce he is
doing so before the opponent strikes. The parry subtracts 2 from the attacker's die roll. The
person parrying does not get his next hit, using that part of the round for the parry. If the
attacker still makes his roll and gets exactly the number needed, the parrying weapon was
broken but no damage inflicted. It takes one melee round to draw a new weapon, but one
hanging free, or in the other hand, can be employed immediately.
59
Melee Resolution — Conquer, Withdraw, Surrender or Die!
A character in melee may withdraw from combat if there is space beside or behind him to
withdraw into. His opponent gets a free swing at him as he does so with an attacker bonus of
+2 on the die roll, and shields do not count as protection when withdrawing.
A losing combatant may offer to surrender. His opponent does not have to accept the offer, of
course. Non-human monsters are often too unintelligent to consider such an offer.
If an opposing figure is killed or withdraws, the attacker may advance or pursue immediately
— if the player desires — or he may take some other action.
Combat Tables
The combat tables used by D&D gamers are often extremely complicated. The tables below
will take some practice to use with facility. Once the system is mastered, however, players
can add whatever modifications they wish. A 20-sided die is used for all combat resolution.
Character Attack Table

Classes Armor Class
Cleric & 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
Fighter Thief Magic-User No Shield Leather Leather Chain Chain & Plate Plate &
Levels Armor Only Armor & Shield Mail Shield Mail Shield
0 Human 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
1-3 1-4 1-5 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
4-6 5-8 6-10 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
7-9 9-12 11-15 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
10-12 13-16 16-20 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
13-15 17-20 21-25 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
16+ 21+ 26+ 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 5
Monster Attack Table

Monster’s Armor Class
Hit Dice 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
Up to 1+1 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
1+2 to 2 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
2+ to 3 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
3+ to 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
4+ to 6+ 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
7 to 8+ 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
9 to 10+ 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
11 & up 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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Damage and Healing
In combat, if a character receives a blow, a 6-sided die roll will be made to determine the
number of damage points inflicted. (The more complex system used for advanced play allows
for varying amounts of damage by different weapons and by various sorts of monsters — see
Appendix.) These are subtracted from the character's "hit points." If his hit score falls to zero
he is dead. The number of damage points scored by a monster's hit is variable and is given in
the monster section. In general, humanoid creatures and first level monsters do one six-sided
die's worth of damage per "hit" — whether the hit is a sword blow, a bite, a horn gore, a
clawing or whatever.
Hit points can be restored, if the character is alive, by a clerical healing spell, a healing potion
or some other magical item. Otherwise he must continue on in his wounded state until the
game is over and he returns to the surface. Each day of rest and recuperation back "home"
will regenerate 1 to 3 of his hit points for the next adventure.
Missile Fire
Hits with arrows and other missiles are based on the range of the weapon in question. The
short, medium and long ranges of missile weapons in feet are:
Missile Fire Table

Range in Feet
Type Short Medium Long
Bow, Short* 0-50 50-100 100-150
Bow, Horse 0-60 60-120 120-180
Bow, Long 0-70 70-140 140-210
Bow, Composite 0-80 80-160 160-240
Crossbow, Light 0-60 60-120 120-180
Crossbow, Heavy 0-80 80-160 160-240
Sling Stone 0-60 60-120 120-180
Javelin 0-20 20-40 40-80
Axe/Dagger/Spear 0-10 - 10-30
*Short composite bow
If the archer is firing at long range his dice roll for a hit is one higher than the score for hits
with any other weapon, and is read off the table under the opponent's armor class. At medium
range the archer uses the score as shown, and at close range he adds 1. Thus a longbowman
fires an arrow at a giant rat (armor class: 7) at a range of 200 feet (long range). He needs a 13,
rolls a 9 and misses. The rat advances and the archer fires another arrow when he is 60 feet
away (short range). He rolls an 11, adds 1 for close range, getting a 12, a hit, and does one die
of damage.
Note that ranges shown are for underground missile fire. Outdoors read feet as yards. Also,
unless in a very high roofed area, all slinging, as well as long range fire, is not possible.
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Cover
When an enemy figure is only partially exposed behind a wall, rocks, etc., the archer must
subtract 2 (-2) from his die roll. Note that an enemy archer would not have to expose himself
beyond partial cover to fire back. Figures behind high walls, firing through arrow slits or
concealed in woods are very hard to hit. Subtract 4 from the die roll for missiles fired against
such targets. Once the party is engaged in melee, arrows cannot be fired into the fight because
of the probability of hitting friendly characters.
Poisoned Weapons
If a hit is scored by a poisoned weapon, a curare tipped blowgun dart (not detailed in these
rules), the poisoned sting of a giant scorpion, etc., the victim must make his saving throw
against poison or paralysis and also take the number of damage points indicated by the die
roll. It is recommended that the Dungeon Master not allow players to make use of poisoned
weapons in all but extreme situations.
Fire
Flasks of oil can be spread on the floor of the dungeon and ignited. The pool will be 5 feet
across, if circular, and the flames do two 8-sided dice of damage to anything caught within
the conflagration. The fire burns out in 1 turn or 10 melee rounds.
If a creature is struck directly with oil (whether or not it is immediately set aflame) damage
will be one 8-sided die on the first melee round it is afire, and on the second melee round two
8-sided dice of damage will be sustained; thereafter no further damage will be taken, as it is
assumed that the oil has run off, been wiped off, burned away, etc.
Flasks of oil can be used as missiles, with characters hurling them at adversaries. Naturally,
even if such missiles strike they will not burst into flame by themselves, and some form of
ignition is necessary in most cases. To hit a target with such a missile assume that a base
score of 11 or better is required. Adjust this score according to Dexterity (-1, 0, or +1
according to the Dexterity of the individual).
Flask of Oil Bonus/Penalty To Hit

Thrower’s Dexterity
Target Size 3-8 9-12 13-18
Rat-sized or smaller -4 -3 -2
About 2' tall -3 -2 -1
About 4' tall -2 -1 0
Man-sized -1 0 +1
About 8' tall 0 +1 +2
About 18' tall +1 +2 +3
Huge (large dragons, etc.) +2 +3 +4
Stationary (or almost so) +3 +4 +5
Treat the oil flask missile as a hand-hurled axe.
62
To ignite oil once the flask has struck, some flaming object must also be hurled at the target.
A torch, a lantern, or any similar flaming missile will do. Probability to hit is the same as the
oil flask missile, with an additional bonus of +2 to ignite the oil as the latter substance is
assumed to have spread over a fairly large area.
Flaming oil will not harm such non-corporeal monsters as wraiths and spectres. It will harm
skeletons, zombies, ghouls, wights and mummies — although it will do only half normal
damage to the last two named. Similarly, monsters which normally use fire weapons — such
as red dragons, fire giants, and hell hounds — are not harmed by flaming oil.
Holy Water
The effects of a vial of holy water on the undead are the equivalent of a flask of burning oil
on other creatures. Other monsters are not affected by holy water.
Magic Weapons
Magic weapons are usually designated as +1, +2, +3, etc. This means that they give the
wielder that many points to add to his roll for a hit. They may have other powers, do
additional damage, etc., and some monsters can only be injured by magic weapons, being
impervious to ordinary attack. Magic armor and shields subtract from the combat die roll of
anyone striking at them, and the armor and shield bonuses are simply added together to
determine the subtraction. Certain cursed armor and shields actually increase the probability
of being hit by the indicated amount.
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Saving Throws
This die roll is called a "saving throw" because if you roll the correct number (given in the
chart below) or any higher number, you are unaffected or "saved."
Cleric Saving Throws

Spell or Magic Death Ray Turned to Dragon
Level Magic Staff Wand or Poison Stone Breath
1-4 15 12 11 14 16
5-8 12 10 9 12 14
9-12 9 7 6 9 11
13+ 7 5 3 7 8
Fighter and Thief Saving Throws

Fighter Thief Spell or Magic Death Ray Turned to Dragon
0 Human* 17 14 13 15 16
1-3 1-4 16 13 12 14 15
4-6 5-8 14 11 10 12 13
7-9 9-12 12 9 8 10 10
10-12 13-16 10 7 6 8 8
13+ 17+ 8 5 4 5 5
*Normal men and monsters with less than 1 hit dice
Magic-User Saving Throws

1-5 15 14 13 13 16
6-10 12 12 11 11 14
11-15 8 9 8 8 11
16+ 3 6 5 5 8
Dwarf and Hobbit Saving Throws

1-3 14 11 10 12 14
4*-6** 12 9 8 10 12
*Highest level for a hobbit

**Highest level for a dwarf
Failure to make the total indicated results in the weapon having full effect, i.e. you are turned
to stone, take full damage from dragon's breath, etc. Scoring the total indicated, or higher,
means the weapon either has no effect (spell, death ray, poison, paralyzation, stone,
64
polymorph) or half damage (from dragon breath, fire ball, lightning, wand of cold and
staves). Higher level characters get better saving throws.
Encounter and Combat Examples

"Bruno the Battler" smashes open a dungeon door and is confronted by a big goblin in
chainmail armed with a scimitar. Bruno's dexterity is 1 3 and the goblin's only 9 so the
fighting man draws his trusty sword and takes the first swing. He needs a 14, rolls an 8 and
misses. The goblin swings at Bruno, who is wearing chainmail and carrying a shield. The
goblin rolls a 12, his blow glances off Bruno's shield. Bruno swings again, a 15, gets a hit,
rolls a die of damage, a 2. The goblin can take 4 points of hits so he swings back, rolls a 16,
gets a hit. The damage die comes up 3. Bruno can take 6 points of hits, so he is still alive. He
makes a desperate swing, a 17, gets a 4 on the 6-sided die for damage, the goblin is killed!
Second Example
A party of adventurers is standing at an intersection of corridors when the Dungeon Master
rolls a "wandering monster." Using the Wandering Monster Table, he determines that the
party is being attacked by six large spiders with 1+1 (hit point) hit die each and they are 100
feet away. "Malchor" the magic-user throws a Sleep spell but it only affects four of them; the
other two keep coming. The party decides to fire arrows (the Dungeon Master rules that only
those in the front row have a clear field of fire). The spiders are 50 feet away and coming
fast. Two characters get off arrows from their long bows and they agree to both shoot at "the
one on the left." They roll a 3 (an obvious miss) and a 15. The spiders are armor class: 8
(shield), and the range is medium for the longbow; the 15 is a hit and is found to do 4 damage
points. The spider's hit die is rolled and comes up a 3 (+1), equalling 4 hit points — the
creature is killed by a lucky arrow hit! The second spider keeps coming. The archers get off
one more arrow apiece, a 6 and a 9, and the shafts miss! The two fighters drop their bows and
draw swords as the monster is upon them, biting!
The Dungeon Master rolls the spider's Dexterity: 10. Bruno the Battler has a 13 so he swings
first, rolls an 8, a miss. The spider is next, rolls a 6. He needs a 15 against the fighting man's
chain mail and shield, and he misses. "Mogo the Mighty," Dexterity 9, swings last, rolls a 17,
a hit! The spider takes 2 points of damage but can withstand 5 so it keeps fighting. The first
round of melee is over. Bruno swings again, 10, another miss. The spider strikes, 16, Bruno
takes 2 points of damage, not enough to kill him, but the spider's bite is poison. Bruno rolls
his saving throw against poison, fails to make it, and dies a horrible death. Mogo, attempting
to avenge his comrade, strikes again, a 6, and the blow glances harmlessly off the spider's
armored head. The second round of melee is over!
Then the spider rolls a 6 and a 10, both misses and Mogo rolls a 4 and a 10, and so fails to
strike a vital area through the spider's armor. Malchor has pulled back from the combat and
the other members of the party are hurrying forward but have not yet reached the melee.
In the fifth round the spider makes a hit with a roll of 16 against Mogo's chain mail and does
1 point of damage plus the poisonous bite. Mogo rolls a saving throw of 12 (adjusted
according to the weak poison of the spider) against the poison, so it doesn't affect him. He
can take 3 hit points; he subtracts the 1 point of damage done and keeps fighting. His swing
misses, however, a 2.
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Five melee rounds have gone by when the Priestess Clarissa steps over the body of the fallen
Bruno to join the fray. Her Dexterity is only 6, however, so the spider and the fighting man
exchange another set of swings without connecting before she can hit. Raising her heavy
mace she deals the giant arachnid a blow of 19, connecting for a damage roll of 5. The spider
falls dead with the side of its head smashed in!
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SECTION 6: Monsters
A large selection of monsters is given in alphabetical order and many more can be found in
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. No attempt has been made to include demons or gods and
goddesses from the Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes Supplement. The Dungeon Master can
easily invent new creatures or "borrow" them from works of fantasy and science fiction.
For each monster listed we give the move in feet per turn and the hit dice, which indicates
how tough the creature is and how many experience points it is going to be worth. Armor
class is needed for the combat table to determine how hard the creature is to hit. Treasure is
discussed in the next section and a table there gives the different treasure designations. If the
monsters’ alignment is not given, it may be assumed to be an unintelligent beast that will
attack anyone who comes near. ―Attacks‖ means the numbers of blows, bites, etc. the
creature can deliver in a single melee round. ―Damage‖ gives the effect of these attacks. Then
there follows a brief description which includes any special powers and attributes of the
creatures.
Hit Dice
Monsters’ hit dice are 8-sided.
Monster Saving Throws

Evil men and man-type monsters like goblins and orcs make man-type saving throws. Higher
level monsters are tougher and more resistant to magic, just as player characters are.
Monsters use the table above, most monsters being considered as fighters for purposes of
saving throw, although magic-using monsters would use the magic-user or fighter column,
whichever was more favorable, if not a human. The same applies to monsters using clerical-
type magic. For conversion of monsters to the table, count each hit die as one level.
There are many special cases. The undead are unaffected by poison (except zombies who are
poisoned by salt) and unaffected by spells which require a living mind: Sleep, Charm Person,
hypnosis, etc. Large or powerful creatures like demons, balrogs and dragons may be highly
resistant to certain kinds of spells especially if thrown by a magic-user of lower level than
their own level.
Monster List
Ant, Giant
Move: 180 feet/turn Treasure Type: Q (x3), S

Hit Dice: 2 Attacks: 1
Armor Class: 3 Damage: 1-6 points
There is only a 10% chance that giant ants will be found near their lair (nest), and any
treasure indicated will be in the egg chamber of the nest. This will be guarded by 5-50 giant
ants.
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Ape
Move: 120 feet/turn Alignment: neutral

Hit Dice: 4+1 hit point Attacks: 2 hands + 1 bite
Armor Class: 7 Damage: 1-3/hand, 1-6/bite
Treasure Type: nil
Apes are generally non-aggressive and shy, but if threatened or cornered will fight fiercely. If
it scores a hit with both of its hands it does an additional 1-6 points of damage grabbing and
rending its opponent.
Balrog
Move: 60 feet/turn, Treasure Type: F

150 feet flying Alignment: chaotic evil
Armor Class: 2 Damage: see below
A Balrog is a highly intelligent and truly terrible opponent. Balrogs have a magical nature
and cannot be killed by normal missile fire or melee weapons. There is a high probability that
spells will not work against them (75%). They operate equally well in darkness or light and
can remain airborne for three turns. In combat a Balrog will normally attack with a +1
magical sword, however, if it immolates (any score of 7 or better on two 6-sided dice, DM to
check each round) it also attacks with its whip. If the whip hits, the Balrog drags the
opponent against its flaming body, doing 3d6 points of damage. In this manner a Balrog can
fight two opponents at the same time.
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Bandit
Move: 120 feet/turn Alignment: lawful evil — 25% probability

Hit Dice: 1 chaotic evil — 25% probability
Armor Class: variable (typically AC 6) neutral — 50% probability
Treasure Type: A Damage: 1-6 points
Attacks: 1
For every 30 bandits there will be one 4th level fighting man (leader, etc.).
For every 50 there will be one 5th or 6th level fighter.
Over 200 — a 25% chance of a magic-user, (die 1-4, 4th level, 5-6, 5th level). 25% chance of
a cleric, 4th level.
300 — there will absolutely be a magic-user, 50% chance of a cleric.
With these high level types, 5% chance for each level for magical accoutrements (i.e. 4th level
fighter, 4x5 = 20%, roll 20% or less means he has the item, then chosen from the appropriate
list by die roll).
Fighting Men — Armor, Shield, Sword

Magic-user — Wand/Staff, Ring, Miscellaneous Magic
Cleric — Miscellaneous Weapon, Armor, Shield
Armor Class — Supernormal characters: chain mail and shield, barded horses. Regular troops
in leather and shield.
25% will have bows — short bow or light crossbow.

25% will be cavalry — leather and shield.
10% will be medium horse — clad in chain mail and shield. Horses are unarmored,
however.
Will have prisoners in a ratio of 1:10 bandits.
Each bandit carries 3-18 silver pieces on his person.
Basilisk
Move: 60 feet/turn Alignment: Neutral

Hit Dice: 6+1 hit point Attacks: 1 bite
Treasure Type: F
A rather small reptilian monster, unintelligent, that turns creatures to stone by its glance or its
touch. Saving throws applicable. It can be viewed in a mirror without harm. If it sees its own
eyes in a mirror it must make a saving throw or be turned to stone!
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Bear

Hit Dice: 3+3 hit points Attacks: 2 claws/1 bite
Armor Class: 8 Damage: 1-3/claw, 1-6/bite
Treasure Type: nil
Bears have excellent hearing and smell but rather poor eyesight. They have an aggressive
disposition. If a bear scores a paw hit with an 18 or better it also hugs for an additional 2-8
points of damage.
Beholder
Move: 30 feet/turn Alignment: lawful evil

Hit Dice: see below Attacks: 1 bite
Armor Class: 4/2 Damage: 2-8
Treasure Type: I,F
The body of these creatures is a great globe of about 3’ in diameter, that levitates slowly
about as it wills. Atop it are ten eye stalks, while in the centre of the spherical body is a great
eleventh eye. The body can withstand 40 points of damage, and the central eye can withstand
20 points of damage, before the creature will die. The eye stalks can withstand 10 points of
damage each before ceasing to function. Beholders fight as 11 Hit Dice monsters.
Eye Number Function

1 Charm Person spell
2 Hold Person spell
3 Sleep spell
4 Fear Ray
5 Slow spell
6 Petrifaction Ray
7 Disintegrate Ray
8 Cause Serious Wounds
9 Darkness spell
10 Magic Missile spell
These monsters are avaricious and aggressive.
Berserker

Hit Dice: 1+1 hit point Attacks: 1
Treasure Type: J
Berserkers are simply men mad with battle-lust. The force consists only of fighting men.
When fighting normal men, kobolds, goblins or orcs, they add + 2 to their attack die roll due
to their ferocity. They never retreat or surrender, will always fight to the death. No prisoners!
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Black Pudding
Move: 60 feet/turn Treasure Type: nil

A black amorphous blob, 5 to 30 feet in diameter, the black pudding is always hungry and
always dangerous. It moves 60 feet per turn, dissolves wood, corrodes metal, can not affect
stone, and causes three dice of damage to exposed flesh. If an armored man runs through a
black pudding it will eat away his armor in the next turn. Black puddings travel easily on
ceilings and walls and can pass through small openings. It can be killed only by fire; other
attacks break it up into smaller puddings, thus a magical flaming sword does normal damage
to this monster.
Blink Dog
Move: 120 feet/turn Alignment: lawful good

Hit Dice: 4 Attacks: 1 bite
Treasure Type: C
Blink Dogs resemble African wild dogs, are highly intelligent, travel in packs, and employ a
limited teleportation. When attacking they teleport close to the enemy and then reappear 1' to
4' away and attack in the same melee round. This teleporting is known as "blinking" and an
instinct prevents a "blink" into a solid object. The entire pack will blink out and not reappear
if seriously threatened. They will always attack a displacer beast.
Brigand — same as Bandit except +1 morale and evil alignment.
Bugbear
Move: 90 feet/turn Alignment: chaotic evil

Treasure Type: B
These creatures are great hairy goblin giants. Despite their size and shambling gait they move
very quietly and attack without warning whenever they can. They surprise a party on a roll of
1-3 on a 6-sided die due to their stealth.
Carrion Crawler

Hit Dice: 3+1 hit point Attacks: 8 tentacles
Armor Class: 7 Damage: 0
Treasure Type: B
This scavenger is worm shaped, 9' long, 3 feet high at the head and moves quickly on
multiple legs. It can move equally well on the wall or ceiling as on the level. The mouth parts
71
are surrounded by eight tentacles, two feet long, which produce paralysis on touch (i.e. when
a hit is made).
Centaur

Hit Dice: 4 Attacks: 1 weapon/2 hooves
Armor Class: 5 Damage: 1-8/weapon, 1-6/hoof
Treasure Type: A
Centaurs will always carry some sort of weapon: 50% will be armed with club, 25% with
spears, and the balance will be armed with horse bows. In melee the centaur will attack twice,
once as a man and once as a horse with his two front hooves.
Centipede, Giant

Hit Dice: ¼ (1-2 hit points) Attacks: 1
Armor Class: 9 Damage: special
These nasty creatures are found nearly everywhere. They are aggressive and rush forth to bite
their prey, injecting poison into the wound, but in many cases this poison is weak and not
fatal (add +4 to saving throw die roll). They are a little over a foot long and come in many
colors (gray, black, red-brown, etc.).
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Chimera
Move: 120 feet/turn, Attacks: 2 claws + 3 heads

180 feet flying Damage: 1-3/claw
Hit Dice: 9 2-8 for goat head
Armor Class: 4 2-8 for lion head
Treasure Type: F 3-12 for dragon head
Alignment: chaotic evil
The chimera has three heads — goat, lion and dragon. It has the forebody of a lion, the
hindquarters of a goat and the wings of a dragon. The goat's head gores with its horns, the
lion's head bites with its fangs, and the dragon's head can bite or breathe fire (with a 5 inch
range and 3 dice of damage). Like a regular dragon, the dragon head will only breathe fire
50% of the time, the other 50% of the time it will bite. If the dragon head breathes fire (3
times/day maximum), the breath has a range of 50 feet and does 3-24 points of damage.
Cockatrice
Move: 90 feet/turn, Treasure Type:

180 feet flying Alignment: neutral
A smallish monster with the head, wings and legs of a cock and the tail of a serpent. The
cockatrice can fly and it turns opponents to stone with its touch if it scores a hit.
The monster is not intelligent.
Crab, Giant

Hit Dice: 2 Attacks: 2 claws
Armor Class: 3 Damage: 2-12/claw
Giant crabs are found in any area near water of any sort. They operate equally well on land or
in water, always seeking to find something to eat. Their eyes, being on stalks, can peek over
ledges or around corners with ease. They tend to hide and rush forth to seize their prey
(surprise on a 1-4 on a 6-sided die), striking with their giant claws one at a time as fast as a
man, doing 2-12 points of damage per hit.
Displacer Beast
Move: 150 feet/turn Alignment: neutral (evil)

Hit Dice: 6 Attacks: 2 tentacles
Armor Class: 4 Damage: 2-8/tentacle
Treasure Type: D
The displacer beast resembles a puma with six legs and a pair of tentacles which grow from
its shoulders. It attacks with the tentacles which have sharp horny edges. It is highly resistant
to magic, gets a +2 on its saving throws.
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The displacer beasts always appear to be 3 feet from their actual position. This makes the
beast harder to hit. Subtract 2 from all attack die rolls against them and add +2 to all saving
throws made by the beast.
Djinni
Move: 90 feet/turn, Treasure Type: nil

The djinni are intelligent, free-willed air elementals. As such they are quite powerful and
highly magical in nature. Although not able to do all of the things credited to them in fairy
tales, they can: conjure food that is nutritionally sound, create drinkable beverages, magic
soft goods and even wooden objects which have permanence into being, conjure metallic
objects which will last for a short time (the harder the metal, the shorter the life, i.e. djinni
gold lasts one day, but djinni steel lasts but one turn), create illusions with both visual and
audial components which will remain until touched or dispelled magically (the djinni does
not need to concentrate upon the illusion to maintain it in existence), make themselves
invisible, make themselves gaseous in form, and each djinni is able to form itself into a
whirlwind.
A djinni whirlwind is a cone with a 10 foot base diameter, a 20 foot diameter at the top, and a
height of 30 feet. It takes the djinni 1 full turn to go into this state — or come out of it. A
djinni whirlwind will sweep aside and kill all creatures with fewer than two hit dice which it
encounters, and it causes 2-12 hit points of damage to all other creatures caught in its path.
A djinni is able to carry up to 6,000 gold pieces in weight without tiring, walking or flying. It
is able to carry a double load for a short time — 3 turns walking or 1 turn flying — but must
then rest for a turn.
Very great magic-users and exceptionally wise clerics are rumoured to be able to command
or capture djinni so as to have them as servants.
Doppleganger
Move: 90 feet/turn Alignment: chaotic evil/neutral

Treasure Type: E
These amorphous creatures are intelligent and of evil nature. A doppleganger is of mutable
form, able to shape itself into the double of any humanoid creature (up to seven or so feet
tall) it observes. Once in the likeness of the person it is imitating it will attack. The favorite
trick of the doppleganger is to do away with the person whom it is imitating in a manner
which does not alert the person's companions. Then, in the role of that individual, the
doppleganger will attack the others by surprise, and at great advantage, as the group is
engaged in some activity which distracts from its watchfulness, i.e. such as fighting with
some other monster.
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Sleep and Charm spells do not affect dopplegangers. All other forms of magical attack are
likewise difficult against them, as dopplegangers' saving throw scores are 10 or better against
spells and 7 or better against magic wands.
Dragon
Move: 90 feet/turn, Treasure Type: H

240 feet flying Alignment: see below
Hit Dice: see below Attacks: 2 claws + 1 bite
Dragons come in many colors, sizes and shapes. Most are intelligent. Large, old dragons are
far too formidable for low level characters to combat, and even young ones are exceedingly
dangerous opponents.
Dragon Breath Hit

Type Weapon Breath Range & Shape Dice Alignment
White cold 80 foot x 30 foot cone 5-7 neutral/chaotic evil
Black acid 60 foot x 5 foot line 6-8 chaotic evil/neutral
Red fire 90 foot x 30 foot cone 9-11 chaotic evil
Blue lightning 100 foot x 5 foot line 8-10 lawful evil
70 foot x 20 foot cone
Brass sleep/fear 6-8 neutral/chaotic good
50 foot x 40 foot cloud
All dragons are able to use their breath weapons but three times per day, so often they will
opt to attack by clawing and biting rather than breathing. To determine if a dragon will opt to
breathe or attack otherwise after the first attack (when it always breathes) simply roll a 6-
sided die, a score of 3 or less indicates the dragon will attack by claw and fang, while a 4 or
better indicates it will breathe.
Cone-shaped breath weapons originate from the dragon's mouth with a 2 foot diameter.
Line-shaped breath weapons originate at the height of the dragon's head at the time of release
and travel in a straight line.
Cloud-shaped breath weapons billow forth from the dragon's mouth to a height of 30 feet
above the ground.
Hit dice for a dragon are indicative of its overall size, while the number of hit points per hit
are an indication of the dragon's age. The number and value of hit dice also equal the damage
done by the dragon's breath weapon. First, roll an 8-sided die to determine the overall size of
the dragon: 1-2 = small (positively female), 3-6 = medium (equal chances for being male or
female), 7-8 = large (positively male). For each type of dragon there is a spread of three hit
dice, the lowest figure is for small size, the middle number is for medium size, and the
highest is for large sized.
The age, or maturity, of a dragon is determined as follows:
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Die Description and Value of Hit Dice
Roll Age of Dragon and Breathe Weapon
1 very young – 1-5 years 1 hit point per die
2 young – 6-15 years 2 hit points per die
3 sub-adult – 16-25 years 3 hit points per die
4 young adult – 26-50 years 4 hit points per die
5 adult – 51-100 years 5 hit points per die
6 old – 101-150 years 6 hit points per die
7 very old – 151-200 years 7 hit points per die
8 ancient – 201+ years 8 hit points per die
Example: A medium-sized young red dragon has 10 hit dice, and as it is young, each hit die
is worth 2 hit points, so it can sustain a maximum of 20 hit points. If it breathes fire it will do
a maximum of 20 hit points of damage to all creatures within the cone of fire — those which
make their saving throw against dragon breath will take only one-half maximum damage, 10
hit points.
If characters encounter a sleeping dragon they can elect to attempt to subdue it rather than kill
it (striking with the flat of weapons or hitting non-vital areas). A dragon is subdued when it
has taken subduing hit points equal to its total hit points. In the case above, 20 subduing hit
points would subdue the medium-sized young red dragon. However, until it is subdued it will
fight normally. Once subdued, a dragon can be sold or forced to serve the character or
characters who subdued it. Note that a dragon will stay in a subdued condition for a
maximum of one month, and thereafter it will seek to kill its captor(s) and/or escape.
As dragons are intelligent, or semi-intelligent at worst, they will always act to their best
advantage in any given situation — bargaining, combat, or in captivity.
The amount of treasure shown for a dragon is a broad generalization. Very young and young
dragons are unlikely to have accumulated any wealth. Small dragons will have less than
medium-sized or large ones. Dragons with more hit dice — more powerful dragons — will
tend to have more treasure than weaker ones. Very old and ancient dragons will usually have
more wealth and magic in their hordes.
Saving throws against dragon breath weapons normally reduce damage by one-half. In the
case of the brass dragon, the saving throw will indicate whether or not the weapon has any
effect. If the dragon breathes a cone of sleep gas, and a victim fails to make his saving throw,
he will sleep as if struck by a sleep spell, regardless of his level. If the dragon breathes a
cloud of fear gas, treat its effects the same as a wand of fear; if the victim fails to make his
saving throw he will run away at top speed for 1-3 turns, dropping everything he holds in his
haste to flee. In either case, if the saving throw is made the breath weapon will have NO
effect.
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Dwarf
Move: 60 feet/turn Alignment: lawful good 25%, neutral 75%

Armor Class: 4 Damage: 1-6
Treasure Type: G
These short sturdy folk have been described under characters. For every 40 dwarves (or
possibly fewer) there will be one high order dwarf, the leader, who may have magic arms or
armor, and be of level 2-7.
Elemental
Air Earth Fire Water

180' in water
Move: 360' 60' 120'
60' on land
Hit Dice: 12
Armor Class: 2
Treasure Type: nil
Alignment: neutral
Attacks: see below
2-12 in water
Damage: 1-6 3-18 2-12
1-6 on land
There are four types of Elementals: Air, Earth, Fire and Water.
Air Elementals: move only by flying. They can turn into a whirlwind which will sweep all
creatures under two hit dice away, the whirlwind being conical in shape, 30 feet in diameter
at the base, 60 feet in diameter at the top, and 120 feet high. Forming a whirlwind requires
one full turn as does dissolving it.
Earth Elementals: can not cross water. When fighting an opponent not standing on the
ground, an earth elemental will only do 2-12 points of damage. They have the effect of a
super battering ram against walls, scoring damage as if they were striking an opponent (3-18
points).
Fire Elementals: can not cross water. They act as incendiaries when in contact with
flammable material. When fighting fire-using opponents, they do only one die +1 of damage
(2-7 points).
Water Elementals: are generally confined to water, being able to move only 60 feet from
such a body of liquid.
All elementals must be controlled at all times by the persons who have called them forth.
Failure to control any elemental will result in its turning upon the one who called it up and
attacking. Control consists merely of the summoner maintaining undivided attention upon the
elemental; and being attacked, moving, or any other action will tend to break this
concentration.
No elemental may be hit by normal men unless magically armed.
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Elf
Move: 120 feet/turn Alignment: chaotic good (some neutral)

Treasure Type: E
Elves generally are of two sorts, wood elves and high elves. When a group of 50 (or possibly
fewer) is encountered, they will have a leader (fighter/magic-user) of 2-4 level/2-6 level
ability. They are described in the characters section.
Fairy
Move: 120 feet/turn Alignment: neutral/chaotic good

Treasure Type: B
Fairies are smaller cousins of the elves. They have the ability to become invisible at will and
can become visible and attack in the same round. They have a fondness for magical weapons,
particularly swords and bows. Fairies avoid contact with humans at all costs, but otherwise
show them no antipathy. When roused, fairies are dangerous opponents considering their size
and build.
Fire Beetle

These giant beetles are about 2½' long, but are capable of delivering serious damage with
their powerful mandibles. They are non-intelligent, nocturnal creatures found both above
ground and below ground. Fire beetles have two glands above their eyes and one near the
back of their abdomen which give off a red glow. For this reason they are highly prized by
miners and adventurers, as this luminosity will persist for 1-6 days after the glands are
removed from the beetle. The light shed will illuminate a 10’ radius.
Gargoyle
Move: 90 feet/turn, Treasure Type: C

150 feet flying Alignment: lawful evil
Armor Class: 5 Damage: 1-4 points each
As depicted in medieval architecture, gargoyles are reptilian, horned, taloned, fanged, winged
beasts of hideous aspect. They will attack nearly anything that approaches them and are at
least semi-intelligent and cunning. They can only be hit with magic weapons.
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Gelatinous Cube
Move: 60 feet/turn Treasure Type: variable

These monsters are shaped like cubes 10 feet or so on a side. They move through rooms and
corridors of dungeons at 60 feet/turn, sweeping them clean of all living and dead material. In
the process they may pick up indigestible items like gold and gems and carry them within
their body. Flesh that comes into contact with the cube is anesthetized unless a saving throw
against paralysis is made. The touch of the cube causes 2-8 points of damage as the creature
seeks to devour its victim.
The gelatinous cube is subject to fire and normal weapons but not to cold, lightning or most
spells.
Ghouls

Treasure Type: B
Ghouls are hideous humanoid creatures of bestial aspect who live on dead bodies. Ghouls
paralyze any human/humanoid figure they touch except elves who are immune. The character
touched gets to make his usual saving throw against paralysis. The ghoul must score a hit on
the combat table to deliver its paralyzing blow, which also does regular damage. They
otherwise melee in normal fashion and are subject to missile fire and regular weapons.
Giant
Move: 120 feet/turn Alignment: variable

Hit Dice: 8-12 Attacks: 1
Armor Class: 4 Damage: variable
Treasure Type: E + 5000 GP
Giants can throw rocks like a catapult, range 200 feet with a 20 foot hit area. Each rock does
2 dice of damage to anything it hits. A giant can throw one rock every 5 melee rounds.
There are several ways to calculate catapult (giant) fire. This one is adapted from Chainmail.
If figures are being used on a table, the giant estimates the range to his target and throws. The
actual distance is then measured. Two six-sided dice of different colors are then rolled. One
color is an overshoot and the other an undershoot. To decide which number to use, take the
greater. The miss is in inches, shown by the die spots. If they tie the rock lands at the
specified range. Anything within 2 inches of the impact is hit. If figures are not used, treat the
thrown rock as an arrow or other missile on the combat table.
Giants can be one of many types, including the following:
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Hit
Giant Type Dice Alignment Lair Size Damage Special Characteristics
Hill Giant 8 N/CE Cave 12’ 2-16 None
Throws rocks 240' with
Stone Giant 9 N Cave 14’ 3-18
a 30' impact area
Impervious to cold.
Frost Giant 10+1 N/CE Castle 16’ 4-24 Does 2 die +1 damage
per hit
Impervious to fire, 2
Fire Giant 11+3 N/LE Castle 12’ 5-30
dice +2 damage
Keen sense of smell,
Cloud Giant 12+2 N Castle 18’ 6-63
3 dice damage
Castle, Can use weather control
underwater, spell to cause storm.
Storm Giant 15 N/CG 24’ 7-42
or 3 dice +3 damage
mountain
Giants in castles usually have other monsters there — a hydra, wolves, bears or referee's
choice.
Giants encountered outside their lair carry 1,000 to 6,000 gold pieces as well as rocks for
throwing in their capacious shoulder sack.
Gnoll
Move: 90 feet/turn Treasure Type: Individuals L, M;

Hit Dice: 2 D, Q(x5), S in lair
Armor Class: 5 Attacks: 1
Alignment: chaotic evil Damage: 2-8 points
Gnolls are low-intelligence beings like hyena-men, and they travel in rapacious bands of
loose organization. They employ a great variety of weapons; they are strong, but dislike work
(including mining). For every 20 gnolls encountered, there will be a leader-type with 16 hit
points (attacks as a 3 hit dice creature).
Gnome
Move: 60 feet/turn Alignment: chaotic good 75%, neutral 25%

Treasure Type: C
Gnomes are similar to dwarves, whom they resemble. They are smaller, have longer noses
and beards and inhabit low-land and hill burrows rather than mountains. They favor
crossbows.
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Goblin
Move: 60 feet/turn Treasure Type: L

Hit Dice: 1-1 hit point Alignment: lawful evil
(but always at least 1) Attacks: 1
Goblins fight at -1 off their attack die roll in full daylight. They can see in the dark. They
always attack dwarves on sight.
In the goblin lair there will be a goblin king who fights as a hobgoblin. He has a bodyguard of
5-30 goblins who also fight as hobgoblins. They are large and fearless, fight at full strength
under all conditions and take nothing off their hit die, in dark or light.
Green Slime
Move: 0 Treasure Type: nil

Armor Class: can always be hit Damage: Special
Non-mobile, this horror can be killed by fire or cold but is unaffected by other weapons. It
eats away wood and metal, but not stone. Once in contact with flesh it sticks and penetrates in
one turn, turning the flesh into green slime. It can not be scraped off but must be excised or
treated with a Cure Disease spell. It often drops from high places, such as ceilings.
Griffon
Move: 120 feet/turn, Treasure Type: E

Hit Dice: 7 Attacks: 2 claws + 1 bite
The griffon is a fierce, swift, and loyal steed with the wings, head and forelimbs of a giant
eagle and the hindquarters of a lion. It will, however, always attack horses, being extremely
fond of horseflesh, and can not be brought within 360 feet of horses. Wild griffons attack
anyone who comes close to their nest.
Gray Ooze

This seeping horror resembles wet stone and is difficult to detect. It can corrode metal in one
turn. It does two 8-sided dice of damage to exposed flesh every turn it is in contact with it. It
is impervious to cold and fire but can be killed by weapons and lightning. It moves only 10
feet per turn.
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Harpy
Move: 60 feet/turn, Treasure Type: C

150 feet flying Alignment: chaotic evil
Hit Dice: 3 Attacks: 2 claws + 1 weapon
Armor Class: 7 Damage: 1-4/attack
This creature has the lower body of an eagle and the upper torso and head of a woman. By
their singing they lure men to them, their touch then Charms them and they are killed and
devoured. Any creature hearing the harpy song must make its saving throw against spells or
be drawn irresistibly to his doom!
Hell Hound

Hit Dice: 3-7 Attacks: 1 bite
Treasure Type: C
Large reddish-brown hounds who can breathe fire, causing 3-7 6-sided dice of damage (equal
in number to the hounds' hit dice). They can usually detect hidden invisible objects or
creatures. Range of the fire breath is only five feet and is treated as a blow on the combat
table, with special damage done per hit.
Hippogriff

Hit Dice: 3+1 hit point Attacks: 2 claws + 1 bite
Having the foreparts of a great eagle and the hindquarters of a horse, the hippogriff is a fierce
fighter, attacking with claws and beak. They can be used as steeds but will not herd with
pegasi, and the two will normally fight each other.
Hobgoblin

Treasure Type: D
A hobgoblin king and his bodyguard of 1-4 all fight as ogres. Hobgoblins are big, powerful
goblinoids, and their morale (such as a saving throw against fear) is always a +1.
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Horse
Light Medium Heavy Draft/Mule

Move: 240' 180' 120' 120'
Hit Dice: 2 2+1 3 2+1
Armor Class: 7 (unless wearing barding – AC 5)
Treasure Type: nil
Attacks: 2 hooves, 1 bite
Damage: 1-6/hoof, 1-4/bite
Mules can often be taken into dungeons and they can carry 3,500 gold pieces. Horses can
usually carry more, but lack the ability and calm necessary for dungeon expeditions.
Hydra

Hit Dice: varies with number of heads Attacks: 1/head
Armor Class: 5 Damage: 1-6/head
Treasure Type: B
Unlike the standard mythological concept of the hydra as a snake with many heads, this beast
is dinosaur-like with many heads. Each head is represented by one hit die of 6 points, so a
three headed hydra has 18 hit points, a 6 headed one, 36. When six hit points are scored
against the beast, one head has been killed. The hydra will continue to attack, however, if it
has one head left, and usually all the heads attack at once, so it takes multiple bites every
melee round.
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Invisible Stalker

Treasure Type: nil
An invisible stalker is a creature from a non-dimension, summoned by a powerful magic-user

to do their bidding. They are faultless trackers and until its mission is accomplished, the
invisible stalker will never vary. If commanded to attack it must be destroyed to be stopped,
although a Dispel Magic spell will also work.
This creature will resent missions which entail long periods of continuing service, such as
guarding a magic-user for a month, a year, etc. They will then seek to fulfil the letter of their
duties by perverting the spirit.
Kobold

Hit Dice: ½ (1-4 hit points) Attacks: 1
Treasure Type: J
These evil dwarf-like creatures behave much like goblins, but are less powerful. A chieftain
fights like a gnoll, as does his bodyguard of 1-6. Kobolds are highly resistant to magic and
get a +3 on all saving throw dice except dragon breath. They have infravision.
Lammasu
Move: 120 feet/turn, Treasure Type: A

240 feet flying Alignment: lawful good
Hit Dice: 6+2 hit points Attacks: 2 claws
Armor Class: 6 Damage: 1-6/claw
These creatures are human-headed, winged lions which are highly lawful in nature, intelligent
and very magical, who will aid lawful persons, protect them, and generally befriend them.
Lammasu are able to:
- become invisible at will

- teleport 360 feet in any direction at will
- use cleric spells as if they were of 6th level status
- continually emanate a Protection from Evil 10’ Radius
They speak all human languages.
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Leprechaun
Move: 150 feet/turn Treasure Type: F

Hit Dice: ½+1 hit point Alignment: neutral
(2-5 hit points) Attacks: 0
Armor Class: 8 Damage: nil
These small creatures of magical talent and mischievous nature can become invisible at will,
Polymorph non-living objects, create illusions and use Ventriloquism spells as often as they
like. Their keen ears prevent them from being surprised. Being full of mischief they will
often (75%) snatch valuable objects from persons, turn invisible and dash away. There is a
75% chance of such theft being successful. If pursued closely there is a 25% chance that the
leprechaun will drop the stolen goods.
If caught or discovered in its lair the leprechaun will attempt to mislead its captor into
believing he is giving over his treasure while he actually is duping the captor. It will require
great care to actually obtain the leprechaun’s treasure.
Leprechauns have a great fondness for wine, and this weakness may be used to outwit them.
They have an 80% resistance to magic.
Lion

Hit Dice: 3+1 hit point Attacks: 2 claws/1 bite
This creature is somewhat cautious, but they are fierce fighters if threatened or cornered.
Lizard, Giant

Hit Dice: 2 Attacks: 1 bite
Because of their large maws, giant lizards are able to engulf prey. A successful to hit roll of
20 indicates the creature has snapped shut its jaws on the opponent, thus causing double
damage (4-16 points).
Lizard Man
Move: 60 feet/turn Treasure Type: D

120 feet in water Alignment: neutral
These aquatic monsters will capture men in order to take them to the tribal lair for a feast,
with the man served as the main course! They are at least semi-intelligent and use weapons
such as spears and clubs.
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Lycanthrope
Wererat Werewolf Wereboar Weretiger Werebear

Move: 120' 150' 120' 120' 90'
Hit Dice: 3 4 4+1 5 6
Armor Class: 7 5 4 3 2
Treasure Type: C C C C C
neutral/ neutral/ neutral/ neutral/ neutral/
Alignment:
lawful evil lawful evil chaotic good chaotic evil chaotic good
Attacks: 1 1 1 1 1
Damage: 1-6 2-8 2-12 3-18 3-24
There are many types of were-creatures, since the legend usually centers around the most
dangerous and terrifying animal known. Thus we find were-wolves in Europe, were-tigers in
India, were-leopards in Africa and were-sharks in Polynesia. The commonest types found in
dungeons are:
All were-creatures are unaffected by normal weapons. Silver and magic weapons score
normal hits on them. Some lycanthropes must spend part of the time in human form (referee's
discretion) and are vulnerable to all weapons in that form. All were-creatures are repelled by
wolfsbane.
Anyone seriously wounded by a lycanthrope (50% of possible hit points) will become a
lycanthrope in 2-24 days unless treated with a Cure Disease spell by a cleric.
Lycanthropes will often assume their human form to deceive their victims.
All were-creatures are intelligent in their animal form. Werebears are often good and may
render assistance. Wererats spend much of their time in a giant part-rat, part-human form.
They can move more silently, and can summon 10 to 100 rats as a vampire.
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Manticore
Move: 120 feet/turn, Treasure Type: D

Hit Dice: 6+1 hit point Attacks: 2 claws + 1 bite
Armor Class: 4 Damage: 1-6 each
A huge lion-bodied monstrosity with a human face, dragon wings, and a tail full of iron
spikes. There are 24 spikes in a manticore's tail and they can be fired, 6 at a time, like
crossbow bolts with a 180 foot range. Their favorite prey is man.
Medusa

Treasure Type: F
Human of form with the living bodies of snakes (asps) growing from its head instead of hair.
This monster is usually female. The gaze of the medusa turns creatures to stone, the bite of
the asps on its head is poisonous and it will attempt to beguile victims into looking at it. It can
be looked at in a mirror without harm, and if it sees its own gaze in a mirror, it is turned to
stone.
Minotaur

Hit Dice: 6 Attacks: 2 horns + 1 bite
Treasure Type: C
The minotaur is a bull-headed man (and all of us who have debated game rules are well
acquainted with such). They are bigger than human size and are man-eaters. They will always
attack and pursue as long as their prey is in sight. They usually inhabit tunnels, mazes and
labyrinths.
Mummy

Armor Class: 5 Damage: 1-12 hit points
Treasure Type: D
Mummies are also members of the undead. They do not drain life levels, but their touch (if
they make a hit) causes the dreaded rotting mummy disease which makes wounds take ten
times the usual rate of healing. A cleric can reduce this healing time to only twice normal
with a Cure Disease spell if it is administered within an hour.
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Only magic weapons can hit mummies, and they take only half damage from a hit. Note,
however, that mummies are vulnerable to fire, including the ordinary kinds such as a torch,
although it only does half damage to them.
When a mummy is first seen a saving throw vs. a spell must be made or the individual is
paralyzed with fear and cannot move until the mummy strikes him or another member of the
party. If the party numbers above 5 each member gains a +2 on his saving throw, as their
numbers help dispel fear.
Nixie
Move: 60 feet/turn, Treasure Type: B

120 feet swimming Alignment: neutral
These water sprites will attempt to charm humans, lure them under water and enslave them
for one year. For every 10 nixies seen, one Charm Person spell will be thrown on the party.
They carry javelins and daggers and travel in the water with 1-4 giant pike.
Ochre Jelly

Ochre jelly is a giant amoeba which can only be killed by fire or cold. It is, of course, ochre
colored. Hits with weapons or lightning merely make it into several smaller ochre jellies. It
does 2 dice of damage per turn to exposed flesh but can not eat through metal or stone. It will
destroy wood, leather or cloth and it seeps through small cracks easily.
Octopus, Giant
Move: 120 feet/turn Treasure Type: R

Hit Dice: 3 Attacks: 6 tentacles
Armor Class: 7 Damage: see below
Giant octopi will readily attack swimmers or seize small vessels in order to eat the crew. A
giant octopus will attack with 6 of its 8 tentacles, using 2 to anchor itself. If the octopus
makes a ―hit‖ with a tentacle it will not do any damage immediately, but will pull the victim
underwater and try to drown him. Any creature will be struck only by 1 tentacle at a time,
which grip with a strength of 18. To break free a tentacle must be severed, each one taking 4
hit points of damage. If 3 or more tentacles are severed, the octopus will retreat, blowing
forth a cloud of black impenetrable ink 40 foot high x 60 foot wide x 60 foot long.
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Ogre

Treasure Type: C + 1,000 gp
These large and fearsome humanoid monsters range from 7 to 10 feet in height and are of
various disgusting colors. Encountered outside of their "lair" they will be carrying 100-600
gold pieces each in their giant-like sacks.
Orc

Treasure Type: D
There are many tribes or nations of orcs. Members of different orc tribes cooperate poorly
and attack members of another tribe on sight unless under a strong commander.
In large numbers they are likely to be accompanied by more powerful creatures. For every
100 orcs the chances are:
1 -6 ogres 20%
1-4 trolls 10%
In full daylight orcs suffer a -1 off their attack dice.
Owl Bear

Treasure Type: C
These are huge bears with the heads of owls. A male will stand 8 feet tall, weigh 1,500
pounds and have claws 2" long. Owl bears have ugly dispositions and will attack with beak,
claw and bear-hug.
Pegasi

480 feet flying Alignment: lawful good
Hit Dice: 2+2 hit points Attacks: 2
Winged horses are wild and shy and difficult to capture. They will serve only lawful good
characters.
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Piercer

Piercers are indistinguishable from stalactites found on cave roofs. They are attracted by
noise and heat, and when a living creature passes beneath their position above, they will drop
upon it in order to kill and devour it. A piercer will surprise opponents on a roll of 1-5 on a
six-sided die.
Pike, Giant

Giant pike are aggressive predators and will not hesitate to attack any creature which in
nearby when they are hungry. These creatures see well, and they move with great speed,
surprising prey on a 1-4 on a 6-sided die. Giant pike are often tamed by nixies.
Pixie
Move: 90 feet/turn, Treasure Type: R+S

180 feet flying Alignment: neutral/chaotic good
Small air sprites who are invisible unless they want to be seen or have a Detect Invisible spell
thrown against them. Unlike most invisible creatures, they can attack while invisible, and
always gain surprise on attacking. After that surprise wears off and defenders note minor
shadows and air distortions caused by the pixies. They can fly for three turns, then must rest a
turn. They use short bows, small spears, and daggers. Their royalty are powerful magic-users.
All are friendly with elves and fairies.
Purple Worm

Treasure Type: D
These huge and hungry monsters lurk nearly everywhere beneath the surface of the earth.
Some reach a length of 50 feet and a diameter of 10 feet. There is a poisonous sting at the tail,
and if it hits a saving throw vs. poison must be made. Its mouth is the more fearsome weapon
for it is able to swallow opponents in a single gulp. Any hit more than 2 over the minimum
necessary to hit indicates the purple worm has swallowed its victim. In six turns the
swallowed creature will be dead, in twelve it will be digested and unrecoverable. Purple
worms are unintelligent and always attack.
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Rat, Giant
Move: 120 feet/turn Treasure Type: C

60 feet swimming Attacks: 1
Hit Dice: ½ (1-4 hit points) Damage: 1-3 points
Armor Class: 7
Also known as Sumatran rats, these creatures are a plague in crypts and dungeons. Any
creature bitten by a giant rat has a 5% per wound inflicted chance of contracting a serious
disease. If such infection is indicated the victim is diseased unless a saving throw versus
poison is successful. The disease thus caught is a bacterial infestation which has a duration of
60 days, is fatal in 25% of the cases, and takes 10 weeks to recover from if it is not fatal.
Giant rats will avoid attacking strong parties unless commanded to fight by such creatures as
wererats or vampires. They are fearful of fire and flee from it; however, they swim quite well
and can even attack in water.
Rust Monster

Treasure Type: nil
This inoffensive looking little creature is the bane of anyone wearing metal. Hits by a rust
monster or hits delivered to one cause armor and weapons, even magic weapons, to rust
instantaneously. The creature is fast and attracted by the smell of metal. It eats the rust and
corroded metal created by its anti-metallic attack.
Scorpion, Giant
Move: 100 feet/turn Treasure Type: D

Hit Dice: 5+5 hit points Attacks: 2 pincers + 1 sting
Armor Class: 6 Damage: 1-10/pincer, 1-4/sting
Giant scorpions are vicious predators that are likely to attack any creature which approaches.
The monster seeks to grab prey with its huge pincers while its segmented tail lashes forward
to sting its victim to death with poison. If the victim fails the saving throw, it will die
immediately. The giant scorpion can fight up to three opponents at once.
Shadow

Treasure Type: F
Non-corporeal intelligent creatures who can be harmed only by magic weapons. Their touch,
should they score a hit, also drains 1 point of Strength (for 8 turns). If a creature is brought to
0 points it becomes a shadow.
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Shadows are not turned by clerics nor are they affected by Sleep or Charm spells.
Shrieker

Armor Class: 7 Damage: nil
Shriekers are a form of mindless fungus which is ambulatory. They live in dark places
beneath the ground. Light within 30' or movement within 10' will cause them to emit a
piercing shriek which lasts from 1-3 melee rounds. This noise has a 50% chance of attracting
wandering monsters each round thereafter.
Skeleton

Hit Dice: ½ (1-4 hit points) Attacks: 1
Treasure Type: nil
Animated skeletons act only under instructions of their motivator, an evil magic-user or
cleric. They are commonly found near graveyards, dungeons, or deserted places but may be
located elsewhere to guard a treasure. They do not have any treasure of their own. They can
be dispelled by a good cleric but will otherwise always attack until totally wiped out. They
are members of the "undead" and therefore unaffected by Sleep, Charm and mind reading
spells. They usually make no noise since they do not move unless they are attacking.
Snake, Giant

Armor Class: 5 Damage: 1-6 bite/2-8 constriction
The victim of a giant snake bite must make a saving throw or die from its poison. A giant
snake does 2-8 points of damage per round of constriction.
Spectre

These monsters have no corporeal body and are totally impervious to all normal weaponry
including silver-tipped arrows. The "Nazgul" of Tolkien fall into this category. They drain
two life energy levels each time they score a hit. Men-types killed by a spectre become low-
strength spectres under the control of the one who made them. Magical weapons score full
hits on spectres.
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Spider
Large Huge Giant

60', 30',
Move: 180'
150' in web 120' in web
Hit Dice: 1+1 2+2 4+4
Armor Class: 8 6 4
Treasure Type: J-N J-N, Q C
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1 1-6 2-8
All spiders are aggressive predators – even if not hungry, they will attack creatures who
disturb their web. They dwell both above and below ground in all climates. All spider’s bites
are poisonous.
Large Spider: These creatures scurry about on walls, ceilings, and floors, always searching
for victims. Their poison is relatively weak, so saving throws are at +2.
Huge Spider: These are not web builders but roving hunters. They can leap up to 30 feet to
attack prey. Some of this sort build places of concealment and rush forth upon prey, i.e.
trapdoor spiders of huge size. These creatures surprise prey on a roll of 1-5 on a 6-sided die,
and saving throws versus their poison are at +1.
Giant Spider: These monsters build giant, sticky webs either vertically in tunnels or
horizontally in shafts or wells. Their webs are as tough as a Web spell (Strength of 18 takes
one melee round to get free, 17 takes 2 rounds, etc.), but are quite inflammable. The victim of
a bit of a giant spider must save vs. poison or be killed. A giant spider will flee from an
encounter with a clearly superior foe; they alone among the spiders have intelligence, albeit
low. Their alignment is chaotic evil.
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Sprites
Move: 90 feet/turn Alignment: neutral/chaotic good

Treasure Type: R+S
These small creatures of the earth have the power to become invisible, and remain so in
battle! Unless of course they want to be seen or have a Detect Invisible spell thrown against
them. When sprites attack, always gaining surprise in the process, they suffer no casualties
during the first round of melee; thereafter, surprise wears off and the defenders are able to
note minor shadows and air distortions caused by the sprites. They use short bows, small
spears, and daggers.
Stirge

Treasure Type: Q
Large bird-like creatures with long proboscises, rather like feathered ant-eaters. A hit scored
by a stirge indicates that it has attached itself to its prey in order to suck its blood, and it will
drain blood at a rate of 1-4 hit points per melee round thereafter. The stirge will continue to
bloat itself with blood until killed or until its prey is a bloodless corpse. Attacks at +2 on all
die rolls.
Tick, Giant

These over-grown insects live on blood. A hit indicates that they have attached themselves
and will draw 4 hit points worth of blood per melee round until killed or burned. Fire makes
them detach themselves. After a hit by a giant tick it is necessary to Cure Disease because the
creature's bite carried a disease fatal in 2-8 days. Ticks are ambulatory and pursue prey, but
usually drop from the ceiling or trees.
Toad, Giant
Move: 60 feet + 60 foot hop/turn Treasure Type: nil

Hit Dice: 2+4 hit points Attacks: 1 bite
Giant toads are prone to devour any creature which appears edible. When they hop, they can
clear objects of a height equal to one-third the length of their jump. They can attack in mid-
air or at the end of their leap.
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Troglodyte

Treasure Type: A
Troglodytes are a race of reptilian humanoids who loathe all humans and seek to slaughter all
whom they encounter. They have a chameleon-like power, and thus surprise on a 1-4, unless
they are angry. When aroused for battle trogs emit a secretion which is disgusting to humans
(including dwarves, elves and hobbits). Those failing their saving throw vs. poison are
nauseated and lose 1 point of Strength (not hit points) each round for 1-6 rounds; the effect is
cumulative. Loss of strength lasts 10 melee rounds after it has taken final effect.
Troll

Hit Dice: 6+3 hit points Attacks: 2 claws + 1 bite
Treasure Type: D
Thin and rubbery, loathsome trolls are able to regenerate, even if cut to pieces. The only way
to prevent the regeneration is to burn the dead bodies or immerse them in acid. Trolls
regenerate at a rate of 3 hit points per turn, beginning in the third melee round after they have
been injured. They will resume combat when they have regenerated to 6 or more hit points.
Although they have the strength of ogres, they attack with talons and fangs and do only 1 die
of damage per hit.
Unicorn
Move: 240 feet/turn Alignment: lawful good

Hit Dice: 4 Attacks: 2 hooves, 1 horn
Treasure Type: nil
Unicorns are fierce and elusive. Only a pure maiden (in the strictest sense of the term) can
subdue and ride them. They typically avoid humans. They can run 240 feet per turn or
magically transport themselves and a rider 360 feet instantaneously through a Dimension
Door spell once per day. They resist all magic on a roll of 8 or better on a 20-sided die.
Vampire
Move: 120 feet/turn, Treasure Type: F

180 feet flying in bat form Alignment: lawful evil
Hit Dice: 7-9 Attacks: 1
Vampires drain two life energy levels, as do spectres, when they hit an opponent in combat.
Magic weapons score full hits against them, but if their hit points are reduced to zero they
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merely assume a gaseous form and escape. They regenerate hit points beginning immediately
on being hit and at a rate of 3 hit points per turn.
Vampires can only be killed by being impaled through the heart with a wooden stick, exposed
to direct sunlight or immersed in running water. Silver weapons have no effect.
Vampires cast no reflection in a mirror and they withdraw from garlic, a mirror, or a cross (or
similar holy symbol) if it is strongly presented. All vampires, regardless of religious
background, are affected by the cross which is sovereign against them. They will not flee
these symbols, but it can keep them from their intended victim if interposed between the
vampire and its prey.
Men-types killed by a vampire become vampires under the control of the one who made
them. Vampires can also call up 10 to 100 rats or 3 to 18 wolves to their aid. They can
polymorph themselves into gaseous form or into a huge bat at will.
Vampires charm men-types by looking into their eyes (treat as a Charm spell with a minus 2
on the victim's saving throw against the spell).
Weasel, Giant

Giant weasels are very vicious and hunt prey aggressively. They will attack until destroyed.
In addition to its bite, a giant weasel will lock its jaws and suck blood from the victim at a
rate of 1d6 points of damage per round. Their pelts are very valuable.
Werewolf, etc. — see Lycanthrope
Wight

Treasure Type: B
Barrow wights (as per Tolkien) are nasty nearly immaterial creatures who drain away life
energy levels when they score a hit in melee, one level per hit. Thus, a third level fighter
would drop to second, losing hit die. An opponent totally drained of life energy by a wight
becomes a wight under the control of the draining creature.
Normal weapons have no effects on wights, although fire will do half damage. Silver tipped
arrows score normal damage and magic arrows double damage against them.
Magic weapons of other types score full damage and those with a special bonus add the
bonus to the number of hit points inflicted on the wight per hit.
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Wolf

Hit Dice: 2+2 hit points Attacks: 1 bite
These carnivores always hunt in packs and may attack if hungry. If encountered in their lair
there is a 2 in 6 chance that there will be 1-4 cubs per pair of adult wolves.
Wraith

These monsters are immaterial and drain life energy, 1 level per hit. They are like wights, but
have more hit dice and are harder to hit. Silver tipped arrows score ½ die of damage. Magic
arrows score only normal damage. They are impervious to normal weapons.
Yellow Mold
Move: non-mobile Treasure Type: nil

Hit Dice: 2 per 10² feet of mold Attacks: 0
Armor Class: always hit Damage: 1-6 points
This deadly fungus can be killed only by fire. It does one die of damage to exposed flesh and
eats through wood or leather but does not harm metal or stone. Its worst threat is its spores.
Rough contact with yellow mold has a 50% chance of releasing a cloud of asphyxiating
spores 10'x10'x10'. All those caught within must make a saving throw against poison or be
killed.
Zombie

Treasure Type: nil
Corpses animated by the will of some evil magic-user or evil cleric. They may be placed to
guard some item, but have no treasure of their own. They can be dispelled by a lawful cleric
and destroyed by normal weapons. They are immune to spells of Sleep, Charm and ESP and
make no noise until they attack. By nature they are slow, getting only one attack every other
melee round. Zombies are poisoned by salt.
97
SECTION 7: Treasure
As can be seen from the Monsters section, many monsters carry treasure or secrete it in their
"lair," cave, or dungeon room. The treasure types are listed in the table below and
descriptions and additional tables are given later. There are many more magical and
wondrous items described in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and the Dungeon Master can
easily invent treasure items of his own. The tables are designed to maintain some sort of
balance between the value of the dungeon's treasures and the risks involved in obtaining it. It
is highly recommended, for this reason, that neophyte Dungeon Masters use the tables.
Determination of exactly how much treasure any monster has can be a difficult matter. To
give too little will increase the probability of characters being slain before they are able to
increase their level, and small treasures also tend to dampen enthusiasm for the game. On the
other hand, too generous treasure stocking quickly turns the game into a give away show,
where characters rocket through the levels without actually earning them, and such players
seldom become truly able, often losing interest in the game because there is no challenge, no
thrill of "risking your life."
Base Treasure Values
Gems
The base value of gems is determined by rolling percentile dice to generate a random number
from 01-00:
Roll Base Value

01-20 10 gold pieces
96-00 1,000 gold pieces
For every gem found roll a 6-sided die. Each 1 rolled indicates the gem is of the next higher
value, up to a maximum of 1,000 gold pieces.
Jewelry
Jewelry is worth from 300-1,800 gold pieces per piece. Roll three 6-sided dice to determine
the value of each piece of jewelry.
Damaged jewelry is worth only one-half the value obtained by the dice. Jewelry is damaged
by such things as very hot fire (such as a Fire Ball from a magic wand), Lightning Bolts,
smashing, and similar rough treatment.
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Use of the Treasure Table
The Treasure Types Table (shown hereafter) is recommended for use only when there are
exceptionally large numbers of low level monsters guarding them, or if the monsters are of
exceptional strength (such as dragons). A good guide to the amount of treasure any given
monster should be guarding can be found in the Monster & Treasure Assortments.
Under each category of treasure is a possible number and a percentage. This means that, for
example, Treasure Type A will contain between 1 to 6 thousand silver pieces 30% of the
time. To use this information, after deciding to place a monster in a dungeon and have it
guard a Type A treasure (from the Monster List), the Dungeon Master rolls two 10-sided
dice and reads them off as a percentage. For the silver, anything rolled 30 or less means that
silver is present. A six-sided die is then rolled to see how many thousands of silver pieces
will be present. The Dungeon Master records this so that the players, when they reach the
treasure, can be immediately told what they have found. It must be stressed that treasures
shown are very large and generally only for use when large numbers of monsters are
encountered.
99
1000’s 1000’s 1000’s 1000’s 1000’s Gems and
of of of of of Jewelry* Maps or
Type Copper Silver Electrum Gold Platinum Magic
30%: any 3
10%: weapon,
A 1-6: 25% 1-6: 30% 1-4: 20% 2-12: 35% 1-4: 25% 6-36: 50%
armor, or
misc. weapon
B 1-8: 50% 1-6: 25% 1-4: 25% 1-3: 25% nil 1-6: 25% 10%: any 2
1-12: 15%: any 2 +
C 1-4: 30% 1-4: 10% nil nil 1-4: 25%
20% 1 potion
25%: any 3 +
D 1-8: 10% 1-12: 15% nil 1-6: 60% nil 1-8: 30%
1 scroll
30%: no
weapons,
1-10:
E 1-12: 30% 1-4: 25% 1-8: 25% nil 1-10: 10% any other
05%
3 + 1 potion
and scroll
2-24: 20% 35%: any 4 +
F nil 2-20: 10% 1-8: 20% 1-12: 45% 1-6: 30%
1-12: 10% 1 scroll
15%: any 4 +
10-40: 3-18: 25%
G nil nil nil 1-12: 50% 1 potion and
50% 1-10: 25%
1 scroll
1-100:
3-24: 1-100: 10-40: 10-60: 10-40: 50% 1 potion and
H
25% 50% 50% 50% 25% 10-40: 1 scroll
50%
I nil nil nil nil 3-18: 30% 2-16: 50% 15%: any 1
3-24
J pieces per nil nil nil nil nil nil
individual
3-18
K nil pieces per nil nil nil nil nil
individual
2-12
L nil nil pieces per nil nil nil nil
individual
2-8
M nil nil nil pieces per nil nil nil
individual
1-6
N nil nil nil nil pieces per nil nil
individual
O 1-4: 25% 1-3: 10% nil nil nil nil nil
P nil 1-6: 30% 1-2: 10% nil nil 1-4: 50% nil
Q nil nil nil nil nil 5-20: 55% nil
10-60:
R nil nil nil 2-8: 40% 2-12: 45% nil
50%
40%: 2-8
S nil nil nil nil nil nil
potions
50%: 1-4
T nil nil nil nil nil nil
scrolls
*Roll for each category (Gems and Jewelry), probability shown if different for either
category.
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Maps and Magic Categories
"Any" means the treasure may contain a map or a magic item. Roll of a "percentage" of 76 or
higher means a map, lower than 76, a magic item from the lists described next. Maps must be
made up by the Dungeon Master in advance, showing the location of treasures in the dungeon
or its vicinity. Such treasures would be guarded by appropriate monsters and the maps need
not be complete, entirely accurate, or might be written as a riddle, etc.
Magic items may be swords, other weapons, potions, scrolls, rings, wands or staves, or
miscellaneous magical items. The die rolls to determine the items are given below.
Magic Items Die Roll

Die Roll Item
01-20 Sword
21-40 Other Weapons and Armor
41-65 Potion
66-85 Scroll
86-90 Ring
91-95 Wand or Staff
96-00 Miscellaneous Magic
Once the category of magic items is determined (from the table or a die roll), go to the
appropriate table below and roll a die for identification of the item. Magic items are described
in the next section.
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Swords
Die Roll Item
1 Sword +1
2 Sword +1, +2 vs. Lycanthropes
3 Sword +1, Flaming, +2 vs. Trolls, +3 vs. Undead
4 Sword +2
5 Sword +1, Locating Object Ability
6 Sword +1, +3 vs. Dragons
7 Sword +1, +2 vs. Magic-Users and Enchanted Monsters
8 Sword +3
9 Sword -1 Cursed
10 Sword -2 Cursed
Armor and Weapons

Die Item
Roll
1 Shield +1
2 Armor +1
3 Arrows +1 (x10)
4 Bow +1
5 Dagger +1 vs. man-sized opponents, +2 vs. goblins and kobolds
6 Dagger +2 vs. man-sized opponents, +3 vs. orcs, goblins and kobolds
7 Axe +1
8 War Hammer +1
9 War Hammer +2
10 War Hammer +3
11 Spear +1
12 Cursed Armor, looks like +1 Armor but adds +2 to opponent’s likelihood of hitting
the wearer!
Potions
Die Roll Item
1 Delusion
2 Diminution
3 Flying
4 Gaseous Form
5 Giant Strength
6 Growth
7 Haste
8 Healing
9 Invisibility
10 Poison
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Scrolls
Die Roll Item
1 Any one spell
2 Any two spells
3 Any three spells
4 Cursed scrolls, curse affects the reader immediately
5 Protection from Lycanthropes
6 Protection from Undead
7 Protection from Magic
8 Any potion spell except Delusion or Poison
9 Any ring spell except Wishes or Regeneration
10 Any wand spell
Rings
Die Roll Item
1 Animal Control
2 Contrariness
3 Fire Resistance
4 Invisibility
5 Plant Control
6 Protection +1
7 Regeneration
8 Three Wishes
9 Water Walking
10 Weakness
Wands and Staves

Die Item Miscellaneous Magic Items
Roll Die Roll Item
1 Rod of Cancellation 1 Bag of Devouring
2 Staff of Healing 2 Bag of Holding
3 Snake Staff 3 Broom of Flying
4 Staff of Striking 4 Crystal Ball
5 Wand of Cold 5 Elven Cloak and Boots
6 Wand of Fear 6 Gauntlets of Ogre Power
7 Wand of Fire Ball 7 Helm of Evil/Good
8 Wand of Magic Detection 8 Helm of Telepathy
9 Wand of Paralyzation 9 Medallion of ESP
10 Wand of Secret Door & Trap 10 Rope of Climbing
Detection
103
Explanation of Magical Items
Magical Weapons and Armor

Weapons with a plus after them are magical and the user adds the plus to his die roll for a hit.
In addition some monsters can only be injured by magical weapons. Some magic weapons
also do additional damage besides increasing the probability of a hit. Any sword that is +2 or
+3 against particular opponents (trolls, undead, etc.) does the indicated additional damage.
Any magic arrow, in addition to being +1 on their chance of scoring a hit, also does +1
additional damage, unless specified otherwise due to the type of monster being shot. Magic
bows merely confer +1 on the probability of a hit, the arrows do no additional damage. A
magic arrow shot from a magic bow has a +2 probability of a hit.
Magical weapons other than swords always add their bonus to both hit probability and to the
points of damage scored. Thus, a War Hammer +2 adds to the chance of hitting and also
does 2 additional hit points when it does strike.
Magic armor and shields subtract their bonus from any attacker's ability to hit the wearer.
Cursed armor increases the probability that the wearer will be hit by anyone attacking him.
War Hammer +3 — the Hammer +3 has double range (6") only if being used by a dwarf,
and the same is true regarding its automatic return. Any other user of a +3 Hammer will
throw it as if it were a +1 or +2 weapon as far as range is concerned, and it will not fly back
to them. When used by a dwarf it does two dice of damage, and when striking a giant gains a
damage bonus of +3 (5-15 damage points when a hit is scored). Otherwise it gains no damage
bonus when striking, for it already does from 2-12 points of damage.
Magical Potions
Potions will affect anyone who takes them. Some method of detecting the effects of the
potion must be found. If the characters lack a Detect Magic spell, they may dare a tiny sip to
see what the result may be. This would leave enough potion to accomplish its complete
effect. Most potions come in small vials or flasks containing a single dose. The effects of
most potions last somewhat longer than 6 turns. The Dungeon Master rolls a secret die to
determine the number of additional turns and only informs the player when the effect of the
potion has worn off.
Delusion — causes the user to think he has undergone the effect of any of the other potions
on this list, whichever he seems to desire. In actuality, nothing happens to him.
Diminution — a full dose reduces anyone taking it to 6 inches in height.
Fly — user can fly at will up to 120 feet per turn until the potion wears off.
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Gaseous Form — the user’s body assumes gaseous form, his weapons and armor drop off
and he can penetrate any barrier which is not airtight. User retains cohesion and control over
his new gaseous body.
Giant Strength — confers the full advantages of stone giant prowess, including doing 3-18
points of damage when scoring a hit, and having the same hit probability as a stone giant.
Growth — a full dose will cause anyone to reach 30 feet in height. Partial doses can be
taken.
Haste — user moves at twice normal speed and can deliver twice the usual number of blows
during combat for the durations of the potion effect.
Healing — like a healing spell, repairs a six-sided die + 1 number of points of damage.
Invisibility - acts like an Invisibility spell except that the duration is determined as above.
Poison — the Dungeon Master will, on careful questioning, give a hint that the potion is
dangerous. If taken, the character is allowed his saving throw against poison.
Scrolls
Select the spells from the appropriate list by some random method. Scrolls may contain any
of the spells previously described under Spells or described here as potions, rings, wands, etc.
The spells written on the scrolls can be read only by magic-users, except for the protection
spells. The scroll can be used only once, the words fade from the scroll if it is read, leaving it
blank. The magic-user can carefully unroll the top of the scroll and read the title without
setting off the spell.
The exception is the curse, which takes effect immediately when the scroll is first opened.
The curse may change the reader of the scroll into a toad or an insect, or it may teleport to
him an enraged monster chosen from the appropriate list by the Dungeon Master. The reader
of the cursed scroll is allowed his saving throw to see if the curse takes effect.
Protection scrolls can be read by anybody. They ring the reader and anyone near him with a
10 foot circle of protection against the specified evil which lasts for six turns. The sphere of
protection from magic does not allow spells to be projected out of it anymore than it allows
them to be projected into it.
Rings
Rings must be worn to take effect so a ring can be carried and put on only when desired. Only
one magic ring can be worn on each hand. Rings can be used by anyone.
Animal Control — allows the wearer to command 3–18 small animals, 2-16 medium-
sized animals or 1-6 large ones. The effect lasts indefinitely, so long as the wearer
concentrates upon the control.
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Contrariness — the wearer will not wish to remove this ring and it cannot be removed
without a Remove Curse spell. Causes the wearer to do the exact (or nearly exact) opposite of
normal or of what is requested. If, for example, the wearer is told to not kill himself, he will
agree — and instead attempt to kill the person suggesting he not kill himself.
Fire Resistance — normal fires will have no effect on the wearer of this ring. Adds +2 to
saving throws against Fire Balls or dragon fire and subtracts 1 hit point from each die of
damage done by them.
Invisibility — the invisibility lasts as long as the ring is worn. If the wearer attacks
anything, however, he becomes visible and remains visible during any hostile action.
Plant Control — allows the wearer to control plants, including fungi, 1-6 in number if
large, or a 10 x 10 foot area of ground covered with plants or grasses, but concentration must
be maintained.
Protection +1 — adds +1 to armor class, i.e. a magic-user with no armor (armor class 9)
would be treated as if he had armor class 8. Also, +1 is added to all saving throws.
Regeneration — regenerates injury to the wearer at a rate of 1 hit point per turn, even is
the wearer is killed and dismembered, unless the ring wearer is treated as a troll.
Three Wishes — the wishes of the ring must be limited in power in order to maintain the
balance of the game. This requires the utmost discretion on the part of the Dungeon Master.
Greedy characters will typically ask for more wishes. The Dungeon Master should put that
character in an endless closed time loop, moving him back to the time he first obtained the
ring. Wishes for powerful items or great treasure should, if possible, be granted in such a way
that they are of no benefit to the wisher. Wishes that unfortunate adventures had not
happened should be granted. Often absolutely literal fulfilment of the wish wording is
sufficient to limit its beneficial effects.
Water Walking — allows the wearer to walk on the surface of any body of water.
Weakness — affects the wearer immediately when it is placed on the finger, and it cannot
be removed without a cleric's Remove Curse spell. Each turn the wearer of the ring becomes
10% weaker until he is at only one-half his normal Strength. Weakness is reflected in
defense, attack, and carrying ability. The only good thing about this ring is that there is a 5%
chance that the curse will work in reverse when it is first put on, thus making the wearer
stronger (up to the maximum 18, naturally). A weakness ring which does not work in reverse
will never do so, but one which does work in reverse for one person still has a 95% chance
for causing weakness in any other who wears it.
Wands and Staves

Wands that have projectiles or rays are considered to do six 6-sided dice of damage and to
have 100 charges or projectiles. Wands and staves can be used only by magic-users, or, when
specified, by clerics.
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Rod of Cancellation — a rod of about four feet in length which can be employed by any
character. It will function but once, but if it strikes any magic item its charge drains all
magical properties from that item permanently. The character employing the rod adds 2 to his
die roll to score hits.
Staff of Healing — a clerical staff which heals 2-7 hit points of damage with a touch. Can
be used only once per day on any particular person, but will heal any number of different
people in a day.
Snake Staff— a clerical staff which has a +1 chance of hitting and does 1 die +1 points of
damage per hit. On command it will also coil around the creature hit rendering him helpless
or preventing a counterattack for 1-4 turns. It then crawls back to the cleric who possesses it.
It can also be commanded by its owner to release its victim.
Staff of Striking — does not add to the probability of a hit, but if a hit is scored with it, it
does 2-12 hit points of damage. It can be wielded only by a magic-user.
Wand of Cold — creates a cone shaped area of cold the same dimensions as the fear wand.
Creatures that make their saving throw take half damage.
Wand of Enemy Detection — this wand reveals when hidden or invisible enemies are
within a radius of 60 feet, providing the enemies are aware of the Wand’s user (or his
associates) presence, for it is mental emanations which trigger the detection device.
Wand of Fear — this wand can affect all creatures in a cone shaped area emanating from
it, 60 feet long and 30 feet wide at the base. All within must make their saving throw or be
panicked and flee, dropping everything they are holding and running away at top speed for 1-
3 turns.
Wand of Fire Balls — on activation, the wand produces a fire ball which will travel any
distance, up to 240 feet, desired by the user and then explode with a burst radius of 20 feet,
doing 6 dice of damage to anyone within range who fails their saving throw (half damage if
saving throw is made). Fire ball blasts in confined spaces generally conform to the shape of
the space (so watch out!).
Wand of Magic Detection — when held, the wand causes any magic item within 20 feet
to glow or otherwise signal its presence.
Wand of Paralyzation — projects a ray the same dimensions as the fear wand. Those not
making their throws are paralyzed for 6 turns.
Wand of Petrifaction — the target of this wand who fails his saving throw will be turned
to stone, as if he had met the gaze of a medusa.
Wand of Secret Doors and Trap Detection — the wand gives warning or points to
any hidden door, panel, trap, etc. within 20 feet.
107
Miscellaneous Magical Items
Bag of Devouring — looks just like a Bag of Holding but is actually an extension of an
extra-dimensional monster. Anything placed within it is devoured in 7-12 turns.
Bag of Holding — sack sized magic bag which will hold 10,000 gold pieces or an object
up to 10 feet x 5 feet x 3 feet in size. The bag will then weigh 600 gold pieces in weight, or
300 for the gold and no more.
Broom of Flying — the user must know the "Word of Command," but then the broom will
carry the user 240 feet per turn or come to him a distance of up to 240 feet on command.
Carrying an extra person reduces the flying speed to 180 feet. The command word should be
magically engraved on the broom or otherwise distinguished but not impossible to obtain by
the broom's owner.
Crystal Ball — a magic-user can see things at a distance through the ball but can only use
it three times a day or he will be driven mad. Use for an extended period requires a day of
rest afterwards. Objects and places are best seen if they are familiar to the user of the ball and
are close by. Unfamiliar and distant scenes are hard to perceive, the vision fades quickly and
can not be regained. Spells can not be sent through the ball.
Elven Boots — allows for completely silent movement. The Elven Cloak and Boots can be
used by any character.
Elven Cloak — makes the wearer next to invisible (i.e. seen only on roll of 6 or a Detect
Invisible spell).
Gauntlets of Ogre Power — the character wearing these gauntlets adds from 2-8 points
to damage caused when striking with any weapon — doing 2-8 hit points merely with his fist
— because of the additional power these gauntlets bestow. This power also allows him to
grasp and crush things with great ease, just as if he were an ogre (18 Strength). The wearer is
able to carry weight equal to an additional 1,000 gold pieces in his hands without suffering
from being over loaded or encumbered. The gauntlets do not add to hit probability.
Helm of Evil/Good — when a character places this helmet upon his or her head it
immediately changes their alignment to the exact opposite: lawful good to chaotic evil,
chaotic good to lawful evil, and vice versa. A neutral person wearing the helm will simply be
totally self-seeking and do nothing to help anyone else in any way. The device can be
removed only with a cleric's Remove Curse spell, and the person wearing the helm will do
everything in his power to resist removal of the device.
Helm of Telepathy — anyone putting on this helmet can read the thoughts of any creature
within 90 feet. If more intelligent than the creature or character the wearer of the helm may
be able to impress his will upon the creature. For monsters subtract 2 from their saving throw
against this spell, for characters subtract 1. Suggestions to kill oneself or do other acts
contrary to the victim’s nature will not be carried out, but an attack could be stopped once
begun.
108
Medallion of ESP — any character can use this device, which functions like an ESP spell,
but malfunctions on a roll of 6. Each time it is used the Dungeon Master should check it with
a die roll.
Rope of Climbing — this thin, strong line is fifty feet long, and it has the ability to obey
certain commands from its owner. The rope will snake downwards or climb upwards and
fasten itself upon being so instructed by the user. It can then be used to climb upwards or
downwards, and it will bear up to 10,000 gold pieces in weight without breaking. It takes up
only a small amount of space when folded or coiled, having the appearance of perhaps a coil
of normal rope about ten feet in length.
109
SECTION 8: Dungeon Master Information
Dungeon Mastering as a Fine Art

Before players can take their bold characters on adventures into the misty mysterious
dungeons, the Dungeon Master must sit down, pencil in hand, and map out the dungeons on
graph paper. There should be several levels and each level should have access above and
below and be made up of interlocking corridors, passages, stairs, closed rooms, secret doors,
traps, and surprises for the unwary. The Dungeon Geomorphs usable with this game contain
many suggestions and will prove very useful. The introductory module In Search of the
Unknown will be usable for initial adventuring as well as provide ideas for dungeon
construction.
Each new room or area is given a code number and a record made on a separate page of what
it contains, treasure, monsters, hidden items, etc. Place a few special items first, then
randomly assign treasure and monsters to the other rooms using the selection provided in the
game or appropriate tables. Many rooms should be empty. Roll a 6-sided die for each room.
A roll of 1 or 2 indicates that some monster is there. Ochre jellies, green slime, black
puddings, etc. are randomly distributed, usually without treasure, most often in corridors and
passageways. Wandering monsters are usually determined randomly as the game progresses.
Traps should not be of the "Zap! You're dead!" variety but those which a character might
avoid or overcome with some quick thinking and a little luck. Falling into a relatively shallow
pit would do damage only on a roll of 5 or 6 (1-6 hit points at most) but will delay the party
while they get the trapped character out. Hidden rooms, movable walls, teleportation devices,
illusion rooms, dead ends, etc., make interesting variations.
Since the game (and the dungeons) are limited only by the imagination of the Dungeon
Master and the players, there is no end to the variation possible. Try to keep the dangers
appropriate to the levels of the characters and the skill of your players. The possibility of
"death" must be very real, but the players must be able to win through with luck and courage,
or they will lose interest in the game and not come back.
Once the game begins, try to keep the action moving at a dramatic pace. If the going gets
rough, the characters have the option of turning around and going back to the surface. If time
runs out the characters can always be left at some appropriate spot within the dismal depths,
time suspended, and the action taken up again another day. Dramatize the adventure as much
as possible, describe the scenery, if any. Non-player characters should have appropriate
speech, orcs are gruff and ungrammatical, knights talk in flowery phrases and always say
"thou" rather than "you." When characters swear they call on the wrath of their appropriate
deities, be it Zeus, Crom, Cthulhu or whatever. The dramatic talents of the Dungeon Master
should be used to their fullest extent. It adds to the fun.
One player should map the dungeon from the Dungeon Master's descriptions as the game
progresses. This is easiest done if he uses a piece of graph paper marked North, East, South,
West with the entrance to the dungeon level drawn in near the center. One of the players
should keep a "Chronicle" of the monsters killed, treasure obtained, etc. Another should act
as "caller" and announce to the Dungeon Master what action the group is taking. Both
110
mapper and caller must be in the front rank of the party. If the adventurers have a leader, the
caller would logically be that player.
The following examples can be played with maps and pencil and paper. If miniature figures
are used, they can be arranged in battle order on the table top and the movement through
passages and rooms imagined, the pieces rearranged for combat or other changes of
formation. Figures are available for all the character types of Dungeons & Dragons as well
as for most of the monsters.
Obviously, the success of an expedition depends on the Dungeon Master and his creation, the
dungeon. Many gamesters start with a trip across country to get to the entrance to the
dungeon — a trip apt to be punctuated by attacks by brigands or wandering monsters or
marked by strange and unusual encounters. The party then enters the underworld, tries to
capture the maximum treasure with the minimal risk and escape alive. The Dungeon Master
should have all this completely mapped out, hit points and attack die rolls calculated and
recorded, so that the game will proceed most rapidly at the exciting moments when the
enemy is encountered. Do not hesitate to have lawful or helpful characters chance by at
times, your adventurers may need a little help!
The imaginary universe of Dungeons & Dragons obviously lies not too far from the Middle
Earth of J.R.R. Tolkien's great Lord of the Rings trilogy. The D&D universe also impinges on
the fantasy worlds of Fritz Leiber, Robert E. Howard, Gardner F. Fox, classical mythology
and any other source of inspiration the Dungeon Master wants to use.
111
Wandering Monsters
In setting up his dungeon, the Dungeon Master should be guided by the Wandering
Monsters table, so that the adventurers have a reasonable chance of survival. There is endless
opportunity for inventiveness in the game, however, and if a high hit dice monster is desired,
ways can be invented to scale it down so that a low level party can have a chance of defeating
it. If one wanted to use a chimera, for instance, in a campaign with low level characters, the
creature could be scaled down. Maybe it ran into a high level magic-user and was partially
shrunk by a magic spell, reducing its hit points. Or there might be a special magic sword,
effective only against this chimera, hidden in the dungeon, and the adventurers given a hint or
a legend that might lead them to it. In the interest of maintaining the balance of the game,
however, a small or weak monster must not have a treasure anything like the hoard of a
normal monster.
At the end of each three turns the Dungeon Master can roll a die to see if a wandering
monster has come down the corridor. A roll of 6 means that something has come "strolling"
along. If the party has someone watching they will see or hear the monster up to 120 feet
away unless it is coming around a corner, very quiet, etc. If it is uncertain how far away the
monster is, roll two six-sided die and multiply by 10. The result is the distance in feet (i.e. a
roll of 5+2 = 7 or 70 feet). The referee could then place a figure representing the monster or
monsters on the table at the appropriate distance from the adventurers, if figures are being
used.
The wandering monsters may be pre-selected by the Dungeon Master, such as a guard of
skeletons or goblins that walks up and down the main corridor every five turns, or the
wandering creatures may be selected from a table by random number generation. Where a
slash (/) appears between two monsters, roll again to see which of the two appears.
The number of wandering monsters appearing should be roughly equal to the strength of the
party encountering them. First level adventurers encountering monsters typically found on the
first level of a dungeon should be faced with roughly equal numbers, i.e. a party of three
would encounter 2-6 orcs, 3-12 giant rats, etc. However, if the party were second level, or the
first level monsters were encountered on the second level of the dungeon, the number of
wandering monsters encountered should be doubled. In a like manner, the number of
monsters should be tripled for third level adventures or in the third level of the dungeon if the
monsters appearing are first level. If justification is needed, simply consider that a small party
is relatively quiet, thus attracting less attention than a large group, and powerful characters
will similarly bring more numbers of monsters.
The basic number of monsters appearing in an encounter with wandering monsters is shown
in parentheses after each monster. Modify the number as required to suit the situation. Roll
the appropriate die or dice to generate the random number falling within the parameters
indicated for the possible number of the specific type of monster the party has encountered,
and then adjust the number according to your modification. Numbers shown should not be
reduced below the lowest number shown.
112
Wandering Monster Table I (1d12)
Level Beneath Consult Monster Level Table Number
the Surface 1 2 3
One 1-8 9-11 12
Two 1-3 4-9 10-12
Three 1 2-4 5-12
Wandering Monster Table II (1d12)

Die 1 Level Below Ground 2 Levels Below Ground 3 Levels Below Ground
1 Kobolds (3-12) Orcs (5-20) Hobgoblins (5-20)
2 Goblins (2-8) Hobgoblins (2-8) Zombies (2-5)
3 Bandits (1-4) Gnomes (2-5) Bugbears (2-8)
4 Orcs (2-5) Ghouls (1-4) Ogres (1-4)
5 Skeletons/Zombies (1-6/1-4) Bandits (2-5) Wights (1-3)
6 Bandits (2-5) Skeletons (1-4) Displacer Beasts (1-2)
7 Berserkers (1-4) Bandits (2-5) Dopplegangers (1-4)
8 Stirges (2-5) Orcs (2-8) Grey Ooze (1)
9 Orcs (1-4) Dwarves (4-16) Blink Dogs (2-5)
10 Dwarves (2-5) Elves (3-12) Harpies (1-3)
11 Elves (1-6) Giant Ticks (1-3) Wererats (1-4)
12 Gelatinous Cube (1) Carrion Crawler (1) Ochre Jelly (1)
Magical Research
Scrolls
Scrolls are written in magic runes that fade from the page as they are read, so a scroll also can
only be used once. Magic users may make a scroll of a spell they already "know" (i.e. have in
their magic book) at a cost of 100 gold pieces and 1 week's work for each spell of the first
level, 200 gold pieces and 2 weeks for a second level spell (if the magic-user is third level),
etc.
New Spells
It is possible for a magic-user, through the expenditure of much money for research, to create
new spells. The Dungeon Master must agree that the spell is appropriate to the level of the
character trying to create it, the magic-user must spend 2,000 gold pieces per level of spell
and one week of time. He then has a 20% chance of success. A roll of 20 or anything less
than 20 means the spell research was successful, the magic-user writes it into his book and
may use the spell, subject to the rules and the restrictions given in the Spells section.
Note Regarding Hirelings and Magic Items

If a character, fearing to contact some harmful magic item, has a hireling or non-player
character flunkie try out a newly found piece of equipment, the Dungeon Master must take
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stringent measures against the character. The morale of those in the character's employ will
plummet if they learn of such conduct. The person made to act as guinea pig by testing the
magic item will, of course, demand to keep it if it proves to be beneficial, or if it is a harmful
item the person putting it on will seek revenge on the character who had him try the item out.
Sample Dungeon
Background — 100 years ago the sorcerer Zenopus built a tower on the low hills overlooking
Portown. The tower was close to the sea cliff west of the town and, appropriately, next door
to the graveyard.
Rumor has it that the magician made extensive cellars and tunnels underneath the tower. The
town is located on the ruins of a much older city of doubtful history and Zenopus was said to
excavate in his cellars in search of ancient treasures.
Fifty years ago, on a cold wintry night, the wizard's tower was suddenly engulfed in green
flame. Several of his human servants escaped the holocaust, saying their master had been
destroyed by some powerful force he had unleashed in the depths of the tower. Needless to
say the tower stood vacant for a while after this, but then the neighbors and the night
watchmen complained that ghostly blue lights appeared in the windows at night, that ghastly
screams could be heard emanating from the tower at all hours, and goblin figures could be
seen dancing on the tower roof in the moonlight. Finally the authorities had a catapult rolled
through the streets of the town and the tower was battered to rubble. This stopped the
hauntings but the townsfolk continue to shun the ruins. The entrance to the old dungeons can
be easily located as a flight of broad stone steps leading down into darkness, but the few
adventurous souls who have descended into crypts below the ruin have either reported only
empty stone corridors or have failed to return at all.
Other magic-users have moved into the town but the site of the old tower remains abandoned.
Whispered tales are told of fabulous treasure and unspeakable monsters in the underground
passages below the hilltop, and the story tellers are always careful to point out that the
reputed dungeons lie in close proximity to the foundations of the older, prehuman city, to the
graveyard, and to the sea.
Portown is a small but busy city linking the caravan routes from the south to the merchant
ships that dare the pirate-infested waters of the Northern Sea. Humans and non-humans from
all over the globe meet here. At the Green Dragon Inn, the players of the game gather their
characters for an assault on the fabulous passages beneath the ruined Wizard's tower.
The Dungeon Master should read the background material above to the assembled players
and then let them decide how they will proceed. Because of the nature of some of the traps in
the dungeon, it is highly recommended that no one attempt it alone. If only one player is
taking his or her character into the dungeon, the Dungeon Master should recommend
employing one or more men-at-arms. These non-player characters can then be "rolled up" and
hired out for a share of the treasure. The stairway from the surface leads twenty five feet
straight down and ends in the corridor marked START on the Dungeon Master's map.
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Illustration of Sample Floor Plan
North
↑
A — This is a large room, 120 ft. x 100 ft. There are doors in the east, west and the south
wall. The room is furnished with rough tables and benches and as many beds as there are
occupants. The occupants are goblins. There are at least three goblins. The Dungeon Master
should increase the number of goblins if the party of adventurers is a large one — i.e., if more
than three are in the party, have five goblins, more than five, seven or eight goblins, etc.
The goblins wear leather armor and carry swords and daggers. They can each take one 8-
sided die of hits, minus one point, i.e. roll a regular hit die, subtract one — the result is the
goblin's hits. If one is rolled do not subtract. If half their number is killed, the other(s) will try
to escape through one of the doors or surrender. If surrender is accepted the captured goblins
will offer to lead the party to a treasure but will, in reality, try to guide them to one of the
dangerous trap rooms and then run.
There are small wooden chests under each bed and several leather sacks hanging on pegs
along the wall. Most of the sacks contain junk, dirty clothes, old bones, etc., but two contain
coins, 500 silver pieces each. There are several cloaks hanging on pegs and in a pocket of one
cloak there is a magical potion of growth in a glass vial. One of the chests contains an
additional 2,000 copper pieces but the chest is boobytrapped and an opening releases a cloud
of sleep gas filling an area 6 x 6 x 6 feet. Anyone within this area who fails to make his
saving throw against poison falls deeply asleep for a number of turns. The Dungeon Master
determines the exact number of turns of unconsciousness by secret roll of a 6-sided die,
subtracting a 1 if the character has a high constitution.
B — This is a 50 ft. x 50 ft. room with a north door and an open door at the south end. The
four deep niches in the walls can be seen from the north doorway but they are covered with
cobwebs and nothing can be seen within them. The room is totally dark and the floor is
covered with an inch of undisturbed dust.
There are four skeletons in the niches. They do not attack unless someone advances over ten
feet into the room, then they all rush out and attack until destroyed or turned away. A first
level cleric must roll a 7 or more with two 6-sided dice to turn them and then make a second
roll to see how many are turned away. If turned, they run out the door at the end of the room
farthest from the cleric.
There is no treasure in this room.
C — C is an empty corridor. All corridors in this dungeon are 10 feet wide and 10 feet high.
(The magic-user's secret corridor (S to F) is 5 feet by 5 feet.) Remember that at the end of 3
turns a wandering monster might appear — corridors are likely places for this to happen.
D — An almost empty room with a 6 ft. tall stone statue in the center. There is a door in the
middle of each wall, north, south, east and west. The statue is facing the door by which the
party just entered. Doors to this room always open from the outside, but at the same time the
statue will rotate on its base to face the opening door. Once it has been opened, the door starts
to slowly shut, activated by a powerful spring in the hinges — it will stay open to allow the
party to enter. The door opens outward into the corridor.
From inside the room all doors are firmly held shut except the one the statue is facing — that
door can be easily opened. To open any door, then, the statue must be rotated on its base (it
turns easily) until it faces the door. Then the door opens easily. Doors can not be forced open,
they are held by the equivalent of a "wizard lock."
E — Room E is always an empty room. The size of the rooms and the number of doors is
variable, as shown on the Dungeon Master's map.
F — This is a magic-user's room. He is an evil theurgist (fourth level) who has been trying to
take over the dungeon level. The room is 50 ft. by 60 ft. There is a large door in the south
wall and a smaller one in the north wall. The magic-user himself is standing behind a work
table in the southwest corner. Near him is a second level fighting man whom he holds under a
Charm spell. Actually this man is one of the smugglers from the sea cave whose curiosity
allowed him to wander too far into the underground.
The fighter is basically neutral but will attack fiercely on command from the magic-user.
Armor class 5 (chainmail), he carries a magic +1 sword. He wears a jeweled belt (stolen)
with rubies worth 1,000 gold pieces.
S12 I10 W9 C13 D10 C12 Level 2, Hits 11
The theurgist (4th level magic-user) knows six spells: Read Magic, Charm Person (neither
memorized, but in his magic books, which he has in his tower), Magic Missile (two missiles),
Protection from Good (he is lawful evil), Wizard Lock and Web. He carries a scroll of
levitation. When caught in this room he will (a) direct the fighter to attack, and (b) try to exit
through the secret door behind him. While doing this there is a 50% chance that he will drop
the magic scroll.
S9 I16 W9 C1O D11 C12 Level 4, Hits 9
If he can get out the door he will put a Wizard Lock on it and run up the stairs to his tower.
The rest of room F is occupied by 3 stone statues of men. They are men turned to stone by the
magic-user with a special wand which he has in his tower. He will use the wand on anybody
entering his hideaway.
G — Gloomy. Piles of rocks and rubbish four feet high cover the floor. There is a door in the
center of every wall except the north.
There are 2-8 giant rats in the room, but they are hiding in the shadows and not easily seen.
An elf or a dwarf might spot them (on a roll of say 1 or 2 on a six-sided die). They will attack
if the room is entered.
The rats are armor class 7 (leather), have 2 hit points each, and have a treasure. Concealed in
a mass of old bones, chewed leather straps and bits of armor in its nest is a belt attached to
which is a silver dagger (50 gold piece value) in a sheath and a bag containing 50 electrum
pieces. It takes a turn of careful searching in the refuse to come up with these things.
H — A room 80 ft. x 50 ft., with doors in the north and south walls. There is a river running
through the room, 50 ft. wide. It enters and exits through holes in the east and west wall with
less than a foot of air space over the water. The channel is 10 feet deep and the current is
swift. Anyone falling in will be swept away unless he has a Strength of 15 or better. Men in
metal armor will sink to the bottom if they fall in. They may be able to shed their armor (50%
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chance) in one turn and get to the surface. The current will deposit anyone swept away in
room K at the end of a turn. Being dragged under the rock wall between rooms is dangerous.
Anyone with a Constitution of 12 or better will survive unhurt, others run a 50% chance of
taking a die of damage from drowning.
The walls of room H are fitted granite blocks as is the ceiling 20 feet above. The Dungeon
Master will have to evaluate the characters' attempts to cross. The floor is also rock, 15 feet
wide on each bank and the drop into the river is sheer.
I — Doors in the north, south and east walls give entrance to this room. In the center of the
room is a bronze sundial on a low pedestal. Set into the stone of the west wall is a bronze
mask, about the size of a manhole cover. The eyes and mouth are shut. Below the mask, in
common language, is an inscription: "I'll answer questions, one, no more. I never speak til it
be four."
The magic is activated by shining the light of a single torch, lantern, etc. on the sundial so the
shadow of the gnomon falls on the Roman numeral IV. The bronze mask then opens its eyes
and says "Speak, I'll answer." It will give a reasonable answer to any brief pertinent question
and then say, "I've answered one, now go away. I will not speak again today."
Since the shadow has to be held on IV, there is little chance of triggering the magic
accidentally, even by walking around the sundial with a light.
J — A room 60 by 50 feet. The ceiling is out of sight in the darkness but there are large
spider-webs in the corners. There are doors in the middle of all 4 walls.
A giant spider lurks in the darkness of the roof, thirty-five feet above. He will drop on
unwary adventurers. He is armor class 3 (plate mail), has 4+4 hit dice (21 hit points), and his
bite causes 2-8 points of damage and is poisonous.
If the party enters and does not see the spider, the monster will select a victim (by random
number assignment of some sort) and try to drop on top of him.
If the spider makes his first hit he has dropped on the character and knocked him down. If he
misses he lands beside the victim on the floor and the battle proceeds from there. If the spider
gets a knock-down it is a surprise (naturally), and the spider gets the next blow. The character
knocked down makes his first hit with a -2 off his roll, after that he hits normally. There is no
treasure in this room, but a +1 dagger is imbedded in the spider's body (evidently a souvenir
from some previous battle); it can be found only if the beast is cut open.
K — A cavern, about 10 feet high, irregularly shaped, with the river running through it.
There is a shallow beach where flotsam from the river is deposited. There is an exit to the
west. The cave is completely dark, characters without lights or infravision will have to feel
their way out.
L — Another cave with the river running through it. There is phosphorescent fungus growing
on the rocks, so anyone can see without lights. There are east and west entrances on both
sides of the river to the sandy beach. The river is only 3-4 feet deep at the center of the
channel and can be forded.
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There is a giant crab concealed under the sand on the south beach. It will attack anything that
moves on either beach. It runs 60 feet in 1 turn, in armor class 3 (plate mail), and takes 2 hit
dice (8 hit points). It strikes with its giant claws one at a time as fast as a man, doing 2-12
points of damage per hit.
M — A large sea cave with entrances to the north and south. There is a sandy beach, on
which are drawn up two row-boats. The entrance to the sea is to the west about 500 feet. If it
is day up above, the cave will be dimly illuminated by sunlight coming through the tunnel. If
it is night, torches in the hands of the occupants will shed a dim glow.
The cave is used by smugglers and pirates. There are four pirates present now, sitting in one
of the boats, talking. They are normal men (one 6-sided hit die), armor class 7, and are armed
with cutlasses. (At the Dungeon Master's discretion he may increase the number of pirates.)
Each pirate carries 2-12 gold pieces in his purse (roll two 6-sided dice). The pirates use the
cave to hide treasure and there are chests in the first boat and a prisoner in the second boat.
Every turn there is a 25% chance of another boatload of 2-5 pirates rowing in.
The prisoner is a girl, Lemunda the Lovely, whose father is a powerful lord in the city above.
Lemunda is a good fighter in her own right and carries a concealed dagger in her girdle, but
right now she is bound and gagged. She is lying in the bottom of the second boat, not the one
occupied by the pirates. Her family would be very grateful to get her back.
Lemunda the Lovely:
S10 I14 W12 C15 D12 C17 Level 2, Hit Dice 2
The treasure is in two chests in the first boat. One chest contains 2,000 silver pieces, the other
1,000 electrum pieces and 12 gems each worth 100 gold pieces.
Exit from the underground can be made by rowing out to the sea, although there is a
possibility of meeting another boat coming in. There is a large octopus at the bottom of the
sea cave, 3 hit dice (16 hit points), armor class 7 (leather), which will attack boats. The
pirates always throw the monster a large fish or the body of one of their victims and so it does
not attack their boats. If the octopus makes a "hit" with a tentacle it will not do any damage
immediately but will pull the victim overboard and try to drown him. See H for more
information about drowning; assume that all characters know how to swim. The octopus gets
6 attacks per melee round!
N — This large room — 120 feet by 70 feet — is part of the catacombs of the city. The north
wall has caved in and there are doors only at the east and west ends of the tomb. Ten stone
sarcophagi are scattered about, four empty with the tops off. Six, however, are closed. If the
adventurers open one, roll a die to see which they have chosen.
- 1 contains only moldering bones but releases a cloud of noxious gas which
renders unconscious anyone within 3 feet unless they make their saving throw
against poison. Unconsciousness lasts 1 to 6 turns, depending on the Dungeon
Master's die roll.
- 2 contains a partially clothed skeleton which holds a jeweled dagger in the bony
hands folded across its chest. If the dagger is removed it will flash away into the
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air, turn and attack the one who touched it. It strikes as a 1 hit die monster and will
continue to attack until it draws blood, doing 1 die of damage, or its intended
victim runs from the room. It will then return to the coffin with its owner. The
dancing dagger is hard to hit — armor class 3 — and if hit it falls to the floor and
remains motionless for 3 melee rounds and then takes up the attack again! Putting
it back in the sarcophagus will stop the attacks of course.
- skeletal form wears rings and a coronet worth 300 gold pieces.
- 4 skeletal form wears jewelry worth 900 gold pieces.
- 5 seven foot tall animated skeleton (7 hit points), dressed in the rusty remnants of
chain mail armor (armor class 7) and armed with a curved scimitar. It will attack
as soon as the lid is removed.
- 6 skeletal form in chainmail holds a magic sword +1. Any warrior-type drawing it
from the scabbard will feel the surge of magical power it gives.
When the party enters the room there is a 50% chance a giant rat will burst through the loose
dirt at the north end of the room and attack. Armor class 7, 4 hit points. At the end of each
turn or each 10 melee rounds there is another 50% chance that a rat will enter from the
tunnels. The rats will not, however, leave room N except to go back to the tunnels.
The sarcophagus lids are heavy. Four or more men can lift them off, one man would have to
slide the lid off, and this would take 1 turn. Thus it will take several turns to get them all open
and the rats are pretty sure to show up.
P — This room is 50 by 80 feet and has doors in all four walls. It contains two ghouls and
some smashed coffins. The ghouls are armor class 6, and if they score a hit they can paralyze
their opponent (unless he is an elf). They can take 2 hit dice (11, 9 hit points respectively).
The coffins contain, in addition to indescribable odds and ends, 50 platinum pieces and 5
gems each worth 10 gold pieces.
The east door leads to a short dirt tunnel which ends blindly under the cemetery.
RT— Rat tunnels. They are only 3 feet in diameter, round and dug through the soft earth of
the cemetery. A man could crawl through them, but it should be hard for him to fight (a -2
from his attack die roll). A hobbit or dwarf would be at no particular disadvantage. Every 100
feet there is a 50% chance of meeting a rat, every 200 feet a 50% chance of coming on 5 gold
pieces. The tunnels form an endless maze and there is no end to the rats. The tunnels intersect
the dungeons at the northernmost corridor and at room N. Rats are described under room N.
S — Spiral Staircase. The spiral staircase begins at floor level at the north wall and winds
around up to the roof 25 feet above, making 1 full turn. The stair ends in a closed trap door in
the ceiling, leading up to room S1.
The room contains a giant snake, armor class 6 (leather and shield), 2 hit dice (13 hit points),
and moves 100 feet per turn.
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There are two visible doors at ground level, north and south as well as the trap doors in the
ceiling. There is a secret door under the stairs, opened by pressing a hidden catch.
S1 — Ground floor of the magician's tower, entered through the trap door in the floor. There
is a door to the north and a spiral stair leading up, just like the one in the room below, ending
in a trap door in the ceiling. The door to the street outside and the trap in the ceiling are both
open. There are a fireplace, cooking utensils and a few chairs. The room is unoccupied. The
trap door above leads to room S2.
S2 — Just above S1 and shaped the same, also with a spiral stair leading to the roof, trap door
closed. No doors, but narrow (2 foot wide), tall windows in each wall. This is the wizard's
study, and here he has his two giant volumes of magic spells, table, lamps, chemicals, skulls,
loose pages of parchment, mystic designs on the floor, etc.
Against the south wall there is an ape in an iron cage. The key is in the lock of the cage door.
The ape is 2 hit die (due to its weakened state) and is armor class 7 (leather), and will attack
as soon as he gets out — he hates the cage and has been waiting to get even. If the magic-user
opens the cage there is a 25% chance the ape will attack him. If anyone else opens the cage,
the ape will attack someone in the room and then try to escape through a window, down the
side of the tower and off through the city streets.
The magic-user keeps his magic books of spells and a wand of petrifaction (turns flesh to
stone if he makes a hit with it) hidden in a secret compartment of the table (only 5% chance
of locating this compartment). Hidden among the undecipherable parchment notes on the
table is a scroll which reverses the wand effect, but only for 1 person and only once.
The magic-user himself is described in room F. If he is not in room F he will be found here.
By the time the adventurers have worked their way through this, the Dungeon Master will
probably have lots of ideas of his or her own to try out. Design your own dungeon or dig new
passages and levels in this one. What lies in the (undiscovered) deeper levels where Zenopus
met his doom? Do the pirates have other treasure troves hidden in the sea caves? What
inhuman rites are practiced deep in the ghoul haunted passages beneath the graveyard? What
are the townspeople going to do when they discover that our friends are tampering with
Things Better Left Alone?
Final Word
A final word to the Dungeon Master from the authors. These rules are intended as guidelines.
No two Dungeon Masters run their dungeons quite the same way, as anyone who has learned
the game with one group and then transferred to another can easily attest. You are sure to
encounter situations not covered by these rules. Improvise. Agree on a probability that an
event will occur and convert it into a die roll — roll the number and see what happens! The
game is intended to be fun and the rules modified if the players desire. Do not hesitate to
invent, create and experiment with new ideas. Imagination is the key to a good game. Enjoy!
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Appendix
Demi-human Thieves
From the Greyhawk supplement:
Dwarves, elves, or hobbits may be thieves, and in this class there will be no limit to
their continuing to advance to the highest levels.
Dwarves can work simultaneously as fighters and thieves, but no bonuses for abilities
above the normal are then given, and earned experience is always divided evenly
between fighting and thievery even when the dwarf can no longer progress in the
fighter class. When acting as thieves dwarves can wear only leather armor.
Elven thieves work in all three categories at once (fighter, magic-user, and thief)
unless they opt to never be anything other than in the thief category. Thus, experience
is always distributed proportionately in the three categories even when the elf can no
longer gain additional levels in a given category. The only limit on how high in the
thief category the elf can progress will be that placed upon him by the division of
experience points. When acting in the thief capacity the elf can wear only leather
armor.
Hobbits can be either fighters or thieves, and as thieves they have better chances for
doing most things and are not limited to how high in levels they can progress.
From the above it seems that dwarves can only be a fighter/thief and not just a thief, elves can
either be a fighter/magic-user/thief or just a thief, and hobbits can be a fighter or a thief, but
not both.
Bonuses to Dwarves. Elves, and Hobbits as Thieves

Open Remove Pick Move Hide in Hear
Type Lock Trap Pocket Silently Shadows Noise
Dwarf 5% 15% - 5% 5% -
Elf - - 5% 10% 15% -
Hobbit 10% 5% 5% 10% 10% +1
Saving Throws: Demi-human thief saving throws are problematic in a revised Holmes game.
In the Greyhawk supplement it states: ―Treat Thieves as Clerics for purposes of advance in
steps – four levels/group (1-4, 5-8, 9-12, etc.). With regards to saving throws treat Thieves as
Magic-Users.‖ Now since magic-users advance five levels/group, it’s a fair assumption that
although the thief would use magic-user saving throw numbers, ―for the purposes of advance
in steps‖ he would do so four levels/group, otherwise things would get very confusing, very
quickly.
To make things more complicated, this is one area where Holmes chose to deviate from the
original rules. Holmes lumps thieves in with fighters when it comes to saving throws,
however, he doesn’t state when the thief will improve either his attack or saving throw
scores. In discussing the fighter he does state ―After they reach the fourth level of experience
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they also increase their ability to get hits on an opponent...‖, which is in line with the original
rules. That being the case, it seems to me that the easiest solution to working out saving
throw numbers for higher level thieves is to wed the fighter saving throw numbers to the
thief’s advancement of four levels/group.
The complexity doesn’t end there however, since in respect to demi-human saving throws,
Holmes once again chose to deviate from the original rules. Men & Magic says (of dwarves)
―they have a high level of magic resistance, and they thus add four levels when rolling saving
thows (a 6th level dwarf equals a 10th level human)‖, and (of hobbits) ―they will have magic-
resistance equal to dwarves (add four levels for saving throws)‖. Holmes uses a different
system that gives dwarves and hobbits superior saving throws to the fighter, but improved
only by 2 in all categories except vs. dragon breath, which is only improved by 1. What
seems logical then, when using demi-human thieves in a Holmes game, is to continue
improving their saving throws in this manner when they achieve higher levels as a thief. The
following table does just that:
Dwarf and Hobbit Saving Throws

Fighter Thief Spell or Magic Death Ray Turned to Dragon
1-3 1-4 14 11 10 12 14
4*-6** 5-8 12 9 8 10 12
9-12 10 7 6 8 9
13-16 8 5 4 6 7
17+ 6 3 2 3 4
*Highest level for a hobbit fighter

**Highest level for a dwarf fighter
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Damage Done by Weapon Type
Adapted from the Greyhawk supplement:
Against Opponent
Weapon Type Man-Sized Larger
Arrow or Quarrel 1-6 1-6
Axe, Battle* 1-8 1-8
Axe, Hand 1-6 1-4
Dagger 1-4 1-3
Flail*** 1-8 1-8
Halberd*** 1-10 2-12
Hammer, Dwarven 1-6 1-4
Lance, Mounted 1-8 2-24
Mace 1-6 1-4
Military Pick* 1-6 1-4
Morning Star** 1-8 1-6
Pike**** or Pole Arm**** 1-8 1-12
Sling Stone 1-4 1-6
Spear (set vs. charge) 1-10 2-16
Spear (thrust vs. charge) 1-8 2-12
Spear (thrown/thrust) 1-6 1-8
Sword 1-8 1-12
Sword, Two-Handed*** 1-10 3-18
*requires not less than 4' of space either side of wielder

**requires not less than 5' of space either side of wielder
***requires not less than 6' of space either side of wielder
****not usable in dungeons as a general rule due to length
Reviser’s Notes
The first step in producing this revised version of Holmes was to reformat the text along the
lines of the second edition of Basic D&D (Moldvay). Since Holmes suffers the same problem
that makes reading the original booklets difficult, that of having the discussion of specific
rules spread throughout the document rather than just in one place, it was necessary to draw
bits and pieces together from various often unrelated sections. The result of this is that some
phrases, which were repeated almost word for word, have been deleted. I also made some
minor edits of things like references to other TSR products included in the Basic Rules box
set.
Secondly, using as a guide the ―Zenopus76‖ article, List of Changes Made to the Holmes
Rulebook (1st/3rd), I set about expanding the ―missing‖ material - various weapons
mentioned in the rulebook but not in the equipment list, monsters mentioned but not found in
the Monster List, magic items likewise referred to but not listed. The missing material was
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sourced from the original books of Men & Magic, Greyhawk and even Chainmail. I have
listed these additions below.
The third step was to expand Holmes beyond the third level, but to do so in a way that was
faithful to Holmes intention of producing an introductory version of the original D&D game.
(I should mention here that the belief that Holmes was an introduction to the AD&D game
has well and truly been laid to rest, although a few diehards stubbornly cling to it despite all
evidence to the contrary. It was a belief based mainly on the 8 references to AD&D that Gary
Gygax later admitted had been inserted by TSR into the finished manuscript in order to direct
customers to the as yet unfinished advanced game, even though it was ―obviously a different
game system‖ – From the Sorcerer’s Scroll, The Dragon #35, March 1980.) Geoffrey
McKinney’s research into the origins of the material in the Holmes rulebook concluded that
―Holmes is about 98% derived from the 1974 D&D boxed set and from Supplement I:
GREYHAWK‖.* And so I too have used these two books, and only these two, in expanding
the levels.
Although Holmes used the Thief class and alternate hit dice from Greyhawk, the bulk of the
rules are based mainly on the original three booklets. Holmes himself said ―I even used the
words of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Collectors Edition (the original books) whenever
possible.‖ (Basic D&D points of view, The Dragon #52, August 1981.) In doing so, he left in
a few references to the Chainmail booklet that had no explanation in regards to rule
mechanics, such as refering to pegasi as fighting ―as a heavy war horse‖ and unicorns ―as a
mounted lance or spear and as a heavy horse‖, and so consequently I deleted those references.
In expanding the levels, I too relied more on Men & Magic than Greyhawk, and given that
Holmes is largely an edited version of the former, this made for a seamless process, except in
one area – 3rd level magic-user spells. While Men & Magic lists spells at 3rd level as three 1st
level spells and one 2nd, Holmes instead has two 1st level and one 2nd level spells. I’m
guessing he did this because it seemed a more logical progression. It caused me to make a
decision, either to ignore Holmes and use the Men & Magic progression, or go with Holmes
and house rule my own spells per level list for higher levels. I chose to go with the former.
The closest I came to house ruling the rules was the addition of a few Greyhawk spells – the
4th level magic-users spells of Monster Summoning II and Ice Storm, and the 3rd level clerical
spells of Prayer and Speak With Dead, all from the Greyhawk supplement. I did so to balance
the numbers so to speak. In Men & Magic there are two more 5th level magic-user spells than
4th level ones, and six 4th and 5th level clerical spells, compared with only four 3rd level spells.
My solution is a nice balance and true to Holmes use of Greyhawk spells to increase the size
of his spell lists.
The only other quirk I allowed through was Holmes strange reference to zombies and salt
(see below).
*Geoffrey Mickinney’s Origins of stuff in Holmes:
http://odd74.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=holmes&action=display&thread=2237
and his follow-up investigation into non-original D&D elements in Holmes:
http://odd74.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=holmes&action=display&thread=1088&page=3
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Additional Notes
Reversible Spells: While the Holmes Basic rulebook clearly states some clerical spells are
reversible (see below), nothing is said about magic-users — not directly at least. However, in
the Sample Dungeon (page 00), the ―baddie‖, a 4th level magic-user, knows the spell
Protection from Good, with the explanation that ―he is lawful evil‖. The inference here is that
evil magic-users also have access to reversible spells. And of course in the original D&D
booklet of Men & Magic, at least one magic-user spell is reversible – Stone to Flesh.
Good Clerics and Reversible Spells: In the description of the spell The Finger of Death
(page 43) it states ―A cleric-type may use this spell in a life-or-death situation, but misuse
will immediately turn him into an anti-cleric‖, which suggests the use of any reversible spell
by a good cleric is treacherous path to take. Certainly Men & Magic states ―Clerics of 7th
level and greater are either ―Law‖ or ―Chaos‖, and there is a sharp distinction between them.
If a Patriarch...changes sides, all the benefits will immediately be removed!‖
Spell Components: In the section Spell Casting Constraints (page 24) the following
statement is made: ―conjuring a water elemental (5th level) requires the presence of water, a
sleep spell requires a pinch of sand‖, although this is not backed by either spell description.
Obviously, with no actual spell component system in the rules it is left to the Dungeon
Master to create one, or not.
Scrolls: In the Sample Dungeon (page 114), the ―baddie‖, a 4th level magic-user has in his
possession, along with a wand of petrifaction, a scroll that seems to contain the 6th level
spell Stone to Flesh, a spell normally usable only by magic-users of level 12 and above.
Given that the text states ―a scroll which reverses the wand effect, but only for 1 person and
only once‖, the inference here is that it is usable by any magic-user of any level, including a
1st level magic-user PC wishing to restore to flesh a petrified party member. It seems highly
unlikely that Holmes, in an introductory adventure, intended players to have to leave the
dungeon, find a willing 12th level magic-user to return to the location with them in order to
use the spell and restore a petrified victim to flesh.
Zombies and Salt: The Monster Saving Throws section (page 67) states ―undead are
unaffected by poison (except zombies who are poisoned by salt).‖ This appears to be a pure
―Holmesism‖ and appeared only in the first print of the rulebook. I have chosen not only
retained it to add some Holmes-flavor, but have added the statement to the zombie
description (page 97).
Wandering Monster Tables: Holmes lists wandering monster tables for three levels
below ground, whereas as Men & Magic has six tables. While I would’ve liked to have added
those additional levels in expanding the Holmes rulebook to higher experience levels,
unfortunately the two sets of tables were incompatible. Holmes included a random number
generation system in his tables, which wasn’t used in the Men & Magic tables. He also
deleted all references to character types when recreating the tables for his rulebook (indeed he
complained that someone at TSR had changed his tables and it wasn’t until the third edition
of Holmes that they seem to have been corrected, with at least three different versions
occurring across various printings – Basic D&D points of view, The Dragon #52, August
1981). In order to faithfully add tables 4 to 6, I would’ve had to not only swap character types
for Holmes monsters, but also pluck random numbers out of the air to make the tables match
126
– or in other words I would’ve had to house rule the tables, which I wasn’t willing to do. If
you want more wandering monster tables, write them yourself. As the Holmes rulebook says
―These rules are intended as guidelines...The game is intended to be fun and the rules
modified if the players desire. Do not hesitate to invent, create and experiment with new
ideas.‖
List of Changes and Additions

For those wanting a pure Holmes without the higher levels and additional items, or for those
who are just curious about where, why and how, here is a list of the changes made in
expanding this rulebook:
Additional Weapons
Horse Bow (short composite bow)

Javelin
Quarter Staff
Scimitar
Sling (Stone)
Note: I didn’t add the ―curare tipped blowgun dart‖ since such a weapon is not detailed in any
of the previous rules. I have given horse barding an armor class of 5, since according to the
Chainmail combat tables, in almost all cases barding improves horse AC by 2.
Additional Spells
All magic-user spells of 4th to 6th level.

All clerical spells of 3rd to 5th level.
Additional Monsters
The following monsters are mentioned in Holmes, but not in the monster list:
Ape Dragon, Blue Scorpion, Giant

Balrog Elementals Snake, Giant
Bear Invisible Stalker Sprite
Beholder Lizard, Giant Wolf
Centaur Octopus, Giant
Crab, Giant Pike, Giant
In most cases monster stats and descriptions were sourced from Chainmail, Men & Magic
and Greyhawk, although in some cases they were adapted from the 1st Edition AD&D
Monster Manual, a book that was contemporary with the Holmes rulebook and released the
same year (interestingly it has the same five-fold alignment system as Holmes and uses the
original D&D armor class ratings, rather than the different AD&D system).
Although they were mentioned, I didn’t include the following because they didn’t appear in
any of the previously mentioned rulebooks – normal snakes, vampire bat, were-leopards and
127
were-sharks (it should be noted that Holmes used the latter monster in his own campaign and
fiction writings), nor the non-standard skeleton in the sample dungeon.
While Holmes mentioned only water elementals, I added the complete set of four. The
sample dungeon has a ―large‖ octopus, but I have listed it as ―giant‖. The giant pike is the
―large fierce fish‖ from the nixie description (which appears in the 1st print only), a notion
that has been borrowed from the Monster Manual nixie write-up.
For those rare few who have only ever seen a first printing copy of the Holmes rulebook,
several additional monsters were added to the list in the second printing: fire beetle, giant ant,
giant centipede, giant rat, gnoll, shrieker, spider (large, huge and giant), and troglodyte.
Additional Magic Items
Warhammers, +2 and +3.
D&D-Related Bibliography and Further Reading

Apart from the Holmes Basic D&D rulebook, Holmes also wrote the following D&D related
items:
 Five short stories for the Alarums & Excursions zine:

- Warrior For Hire, #11, May 1976
- Were-Shark, #13, July 1976
- The Adventure of the Giant Chameleon, #14, August 1976
- The Adventure of the Lost City Part One, #17, November 1976
- The Adventure of the Lost City Part Two, #19, January 1977
 Article Lovecraftian Mythos in D&D, The Dragon #12, February 1978
 Three short stories for The Dragon magazine:
- Trollshead, #31, November 1979
- The Sorcerer’s Jewel, #46, February 1981
- In the Bag, #58, February 1982
 Article Confessions of a Dungeon Master in Psychology Today, November 1980
 Article Basic D&D points of view in The Dragon #52, August 1981
 The book Fantasy Roleplaying Games, Hippocrene Books, November 1981
 The novel Maze of Peril, published by Space & Time, November 1986
128

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What is this?

— A Word from the Reviser

Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures

By Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson

Revised without permission by Anon

Cover art by Mark Quist

© 1974, 1977 TACTICAL STUDIES RULES

About the Editor

Preface 4 Monster Reactions 57

How to use this Book

Using the Dice

Use of the Word Level

Creating Characters: An Overview

First generate a random number for "hit points."

Constitution (CON) is a combination of health and endurance. It will influence how a

Constitution Add to Each

*never less than 1 hit point

Dexterity Fire Any

Ability Prime Requisites Table

Adjusting Ability Scores

In no case can any ability be lowered below 9.

Cleric Level Progression

*No bonus to hit points from Constitution after this level

Cleric vs. Undead Table

Number = score this number or greater to turn away

Fighter Level Progression

*Highest level for elf and hobbit

Magic-User Level Progression

*Highest level for elf

Thief Level Progression

* No bonus to hit points from Constitution after this level

Thief Skills Table

Dwarves, Hobbits and Elves

Additional Character Classes

Character Death and Inheritance

Any languages should be selected before the character begins play.

Money & Coins

Livestock and Transport

Spell Casting Constraints

Book of Fourth Book of Fifth Book of Sixth

Book of Fourth Book of Fifth

Evil Cleric Spells

Cause Disease Darkness

Saving Throws vs. Spells

Intelligence New Saving throw every:

Contact Higher Plane

Plane # of Questions Chance of Knowing Veracity Insanity

Cure Light Wounds

Finger of Death — see Raise Dead

Allows the target to fly at 120' per turn.

Invisibility 10' Radius

A spell which will part water up to 10' deep.

Protection from Evil

Protection from Evil, 10' Radius

Protection from Normal Missiles

Once cast, the target becomes completely impervious to normal missiles.

Speak with Animals

Speak with Plants

Instantaneous transportation from place to place, regardless of the distance involved,