AKA Baby’s First AD&D Very glanceable DM screen. Most AD&D DM screens are illegible due to tiny font and clutter. There’s no preview. Here’s one from the creator’s Instagram. I didn’t feel the need to use every page.
Osric 3 vs 1e. https://rancourt.substack.com/p/ad-and-d-1e-osric-30-changelog
Whenever something seems complicated, check and see what Holmes does and try using that instead.
OSR Discord Advice
eepyka
Also I don’t know if OSRIC fixes this but I’d also add the 1e Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (aka the Old Gray Box) as a resource for running 1e. Not saying you have to run your game in the FR of course but it has stuff like an actually written down, sane paladin code to give your players. Seeing how some of the 1e quirks are actually represented in a setting (another example that comes to mind is the Druid level up system) helps a lot, I think.
One of the 1e DMG appendices has an absolutely amazing, literally best ever, example of how coin-based encumbrance works. Grab it in its entirety. I looked it up; it’s Appendix O. It literally shows a complete play structure with encumbrance, including equipping before the adventure, finding treasure, using containers, and having to drop loot to outrun a monster. It’s a testament to how insane Gygax’s organization is that it’s buried in an appendix to the DMG because it’s a great player aid.
Rules to skip until you want them:
- XP for mission bonuses
- Segments.
- OSRIC initiative. Use side-based initiative. 1-3 = players go. 4-6 = enemies go.
- Weapons vs AC
Things to adjust to if you played a simpler old D&D
- When recovered as treasure, magic items grant their GP value as XP. You get 10% if you keep them.
- There are twin requirements for leveling: XP and training. Training requires money.
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- AD&D modules and random generation include more GP for players to find. If you’re using a module for something else, you’ll need to modify treasure amounts. (Is there a good formula or rule-of-hand for this?)
- Some classes can lose their abilities if they act against their alignment.
- Characters don’t immediately die at 0 hit points.
Chapters of OSRIC 3.0 Gamemaster Guide to read thoroughly
- 1: Combat and XP
- 3: Running A Dungeon Adventure
- 4: Wilderness-Exploration and Adventures (unless you’re just running a megadungeon)
Chapters of OSRIC 3.0 Gamemaster Guide that aren’t particularly relevant during session play
Reference between sessions or if you need something you forgot to prep:
- 2: Non-player Characters
- 7: Designing A Dungeon Adventure
- 8: Designing City Adventures
- 9: Wilderness Encounter Tables
- 10 : Monster Statistics
- 11: Creating Your Own Monsters
- 12: Treasure and Loot Classes
- 13: Magic Items
- 14: High Level Play (until your players become high level, anyway)
Learning the game:
- 6 An Example Dungeon