Fantasy Adventure Game Basic Rulebook
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1 TM 1 FANTASY ADVENTURE GAME BASIC RULEBOOK The Original Fantasy Role Playing Game For 3 or More Adults, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS' is a Registered © 1980 TSR Hobbies Inc. All Rights Reserved Trademark owned by TSR Hobbies, Inc. Ages 10 and Up TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1: INTRODUCTION B3 Saving Throws B26 What D&D Is All About B3 Saving Throws Table B26 How To Use This Book B3 Saving Throws for Higher Level Characters B26 Definitions of Standard D&D Terms B3 HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT B26 Use of the Word "Level" B4 Character Attacks B27 How To Use the Dice B4 Monster Attacks B27 How To "Win" B4 Missile Fire Ranges B27 PART 2: PLAYER CHARACTER Variable Weapon Damage B27 INFORMATION B5 Morale (OPTIONAL) B27 How to Create a Player Character B5 EXAMPLE OF COMBAT B28 Summary B5 PART 6: MONSTERS B29 Character Abilities B6 MONSTER LIST: Acolyte to Zombie B30 Ability Score Adjustments B6 PART 7: TREASURE B45 Hit Points and Hit Dice B6 Treasure Types B45 Bonuses and Penalties Due to Abilities B7 General Magic B46 Character Class Tables B8 MAGIC ITEMS B46 Thieves' Abilities B8 Swords B46 Character Classes B9 Weapon/Armor B46 CLERICS B9 Potion B46 DWARVES B9 Scroll B46 ELVES B9 Ring B46 FIGHTERS BIO Wand/Staff/Rod B46 HALFLINGS BIO Miscellaneous Magic Items B46 MAGIC-USERS BIO COINS B47 THIEVES BIO GEMS B47 Character Alignment Bll JEWELRY B47 Cost of Weapons and Equipment B12 MAGIC ITEMS B47 ARMOR CLASSES B12 EXPLANATION OF MAGIC ITEMS B48 Languages B13 Swords, Weapons, and Armor B48 Inheritance B13 Potions B48 "Hopeless Characters" B13 Scrolls B49 EXAMPLE OF CREATING A PLAYER Rings B49 CHARACTER B13 Wands, Staves, and Rods B49 PART 3: SPELLS B15 Miscellaneous Magic Items B50 CLERICAL SPELLS B15 PART 8: DUNGEON MASTER First Level Clerical Spells B15 INFORMATION B51 MAGIC-USER AND ELF SPELLS B16 A. CHOOSE A SCENARIO B51 First Level Magic-User and Elf Spells B16 B. DECIDE ON A SETTING B51 Second Level Magic-User and Elf Spells B17 C. DECIDE ON SPECIAL MONSTERS HIGHER LEVEL CLERIC AND TO BE USED B51 MAGIC-USER SPELLS B18 D. DRAW THE MAP OF THE DUNGEON B52 PART 4: THE ADVENTURE B19 E. STOCK THE DUNGEON B52 BEGINNING THE ADVENTURE B19 Contents & Treasure B52 Party Size and Composition B19 Room Traps B52 Organizing a Party B19 Treasure Traps B52 Time B19 Specials B52 Movement B19 Treasure B52 Encumbrance (optional) B20 Unguarded Treasure B52 Character Movement B20 F. FILLING IN FINAL DETAILS B52 Weights and Movement B20 CREATING AN NPC PARTY B52 Encumbrance B20 WANDERING MONSTERS B53 Light B21 AN EXAMPLE OF DUNGEON DESIGN: Doors B21 THE HAUNTED KEEP (1st Level) B55 Retainers B21 DUNGEON KEY B56 Retainer Reactions B21 DUNGEON MAPS B57 Traps B22 Sample Dungeon Expedition B59 Wandering Monsters B22 Dungeon Mastering as a Fine Art B60 GIVING EXPERIENCE POINTS B22 CREDITS B61 PART 5: THE ENCOUNTER B23 AFTERWORD B61 Order of Events in One Game Turn B23 INSPIRATIONAL SOURCE Monster Reactions B24 MATERIAL B62 COMBAT B24 FICTION: YOUNG ADULT FANTASY B62 Combat Sequence B24 NON-FICTION: YOUNG ADULT B62 Defensive Movement B24 FICTION: ADULT FANTASY B62 How To Attack B25 SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS B62 DAMAGE B25 NON-FICTION B62 Missile Fire B25 GLOSSARY B63 FANTASY ADVENTURE GAME BASIC RULEBOOK By Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson Edited by Tom Moldvay Previous edition edited by J. Eric Holmes © 1974,1977,1978,1981 TSR Hobbies, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Illustrations by Jeff Dee James Roslof David S. LaForce Bill Willingham Erol Otus Cover by Erol Otus DUNGEONS & DRAGONS* and D&D® are registered trademarks owned by TSR Hobbies. Inc. This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written consent of TSR Hobbies. Inc. Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random House. Inc. and in Canada by Random House of Canada. Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. Printed in the U.S.A. First printing — January. 1981 ISBN 0-935696-48-2 Bl FOREWORD I was busy rescuing the captured maiden when the dragon showed up. Fifty feet of scaled terror glared down at us with smoldering red eyes. Tendrils of smoke drifted out from between fangs larger than daggers. The dragon blocked the only exit from the cave. Sometimes I forget that D&D® Fantasy Adventure Game is a game and not a novel I'm reading or a movie I'm watching. The original D&D rules are a classic. They gave the first gaming system for fantasy role playing and, in my opinion, are still the best set of rules on the market. When I revised the rules I tried to maintain the spirit of the earlier rules. Those rules were written for people with a background of gaming experience. This revision was designed to be easily read and used by individuals who have never before played a role playing game. In the half-dozen years since the original rules were published, the TSR staff has answered thousands of rule's questions. The answers helped find problem areas in those rules, areas which could either stand minor improvements or were difficult for novice gamers to understand. This revision was aided not only by the collected gaming experience of TSR personnel but by the gaming experience of the thousands of players and DMs who sent us letters in the mail. The D&D game has neither losers nor winners, it has only gamers who relish exercising their imagination. The players and the DM share in creating adventures in fantastic lands where heroes abound and magic really works. In a sense, the D&D game has no rules, only rule suggestions. No rule is inviolate, particularly if a new or altered rule will encourage creativity and imagination. The important thing is to enjoy the adventure. I unwrapped the sword which the mysterious cleric had given me. The sword was golden-tinted steel. Its hilt was set with a rain- bow collection of precious gems. I shouted my battle cry and charged. My charge caught the dragon by surprise. Its titanic jaws snapped shut inches from my face. I swung the golden sword with both arms. The swordblade bit into the dragon's neck and continued through to the other side. With an earth-shaking crash, the dragon dropped dead at my feet. The magic sword had saved my life and ended the reign of the dragon-tyrant. The country- side was freed and I could return as a hero. Tom Moldvay 3 December 1980 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors and editors wish to extend their thanks to the following individuals who helped make this book possible through their ideas and contributions: Brian Blume, Dave Cook, Ernie Gygax, Allen Hammack, Kevin Hendryx, Harold Johnson, Tim Kask, Jeff Key, Rob Kuntz, Alan Lucien, Steve Marsh, Frank Mentzer, Mike Mornard, Jon Pickens, Brian Pitzer, Michael Price, Patrick Price, Paul Reiche III, Evan Robinson, Gordon Schick, Lawrence Schick, Edward G. Sollers, Don Snow, Stephen D. Sullivan, Ralph Wagner, Jim Ward, Jean Wells, and Bill Wilkerson. Special thanks to Harold Johnson and Frank Mentzer for their care and dedication in reorganizing and fine tuning this book. PART 1: INTRODUCTION What The D&D® Game Is All About Whenever possible, the other rule booklets will be divided into the same eight parts to make them easy to combine into one larger set DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® Fantasy Adventure Game ("D&D® of rules. Every page of the D&D BASIC rules are numbered "B#", Game" for short) is a role playing adventure game for persons 10 and each page also lists the section it is from. years and older. In the D&D rules, individuals play the role of char- acters in a fantasy world where magic is real and heroes venture Read the whole book through (except for the sample dungeon). out on dangerous quests in search of fame and fortune. Characters D&D rules all fit together, and rules that seem confusing at first will gain experience by overcoming perils and recovering treasures. As become more understandable when used with the rest of the characters gain experience, they grow in power and ability. game. This is not like any other game you've ever played before: it is more important that you understand the ideas in the rules than At least two persons are needed to play this game, though the that you know every detail about the game. When you understand game is most enjoyable when played by a group of four to eight how they work, the rules will become more understandable. people. This game, unlike others, does not use a playing board or actual playing pieces. All that is needed to play are these rules, the While the material in this booklet is referred to as rules, that is not dice included in this set, pencil and paper, graph paper, and really correct. Anything in this booklet (and other D&D booklets) imagination. The game may be more exciting if miniature lead should be thought of as changeable — anything, that is, that the figures of the characters and monsters are used, but the game can Dungeon Master or referee thinks should be changed. This is not to be played without such aids. say that everything in this booklet should be discarded! All of this material has been carefully thought out and playtested. However, if, after playing the rules as written for a while, you or your referee How To Use This Book (the Dungeon Master) think that something should be changed, first think about how the changes will affect the game, and then go This book contains all the basic rules necessary to play ahead.