AD&D Combat - House Rules

Here are some house rules changes to the AD&D (1st edition) combat system intended to tune it a bit to suit my sensibilities. I think shields should be more important, helmets meaningful, and a few smaller tweaks.

•  There is no free attack or attack routine against a combatant breaking off from melee. Chase them down. (See The Princess Bride for an example of why, when Inigo first confronts Count Rugen in the hallway.)
• During surprise segments, missile weapons get their normal rate of fire per segment, not triple rate of fire. (This seems to have been a mistake in the original text.)
• Only spears held in two hands get ×2 damage when set to receive a charge. (This seems obvious, but as written is not mentioned.)
• Multiple attacks due to weapon speed factor (DMG, p. 66) occur on tied initiative as usual, but also when the attacker has won initiative. (I dislike the possibility that having better initiative may mean fighting less effectively.)
• When a character reaches 0 or fewer HP from injury, they are unconscious and mortally wounded. If they reach -4 or fewer HP from injuries, they are immediately dead. A mortally wounded character loses an additional 1 HP per round until their wounds are tended to and stabilized. If the total reaches -6 HP or fewer, the character gains a permanent injury, such as a scar, missing limb or extremity, or the like. If the total reaches -10 HP, the character is dead. HP loss from poisons or other non-injury sources will kill at 0 HP or fewer. (Mainly, this attempts to clarify one interpretation of the rules as written.)
• Shield Block: Members of any classes that are permitted shields who have a shield and are struck by a damaging attack (except gaseous ones) can attempt a Shield Block by making a save vs. Breath Weapon, with Fighter-types, except Witch Hunters, getting a +1 bonus to this save (and Paladins being able to use their additional +2 as normal). Bucklers may not Block actual Breath Weapons. Monsters with shields save as Fighters always, but do not get the bonus +1. On a success, the attack does no damage but the shield must save (as thin wood, usually, but with the normal +5 against a normal or crushing blow—but not other types of attack—for being "in its own mode" and the normal bonus for a magical item with a plus). On a successful save, the shield is battered and takes a permanent -1 against future saving throws (only). On a failed save, the shield is shattered, unless it has magic bonuses in which case it takes a -1 until repaired for 100% the cost of a shield per -1. Repairing battered shields costs 5% the cost of a shield per -1 to saves removed. (While this may look complex at first glance, the intent is simple in principle. Characters trained to use shields may use them to get a saving throw to avoid attacks, with the possibility of losing the shield.)
• Critical Hits: On an attack that rolls a natural 20, if the attack hits and the target is not wearing a helmet then the attack does maximum damage. If the target is wearing a helmet and the attack otherwise hits, then the helmet makes a save against the appropriate type (normal blow, crushing blow, or whatever attack type) with the normal bonuses (and an additional +5 for a great helm; note that great helms have penalties outside of their normal combat function, such as reduced vision and hearing). Success means that the helmet is battered and takes a permanent -1 to future saving throws and the attack inflicts normal damage. Failure means that the helmet is destroyed and the attack inflicts maximum damage. Also do not use the normal 1E helmet rule. (I agree that a "good" roll should give some benefit, but most systems that do so are even more cumbersome than my shield block rule. This also gives value to wearing a helmet without requiring "hit location" rolls or whatever.)
• Critical Failures: If an attack rolls a natural 1, then the attacker, if using a weapon only, must make a save vs. Breath Weapon, at +1 for Fighter-types, except Witch Hunters, -1 for Magic-User-types, and add or subtract any Dexterity Reaction/Attacking Adjustment. Success means no effect. Failure means the weapon is dropped (if necessary to know how far away, use 1d30 (or 1d20) feet in a random direction). If not using a weapon, then make the same save or fall down. (Another case of wanting to make extreme rolls have an effect on play, without cluttering things up too much.)

 

In addition to these, I've adjusted the Monk (d6 instead of d4 hit dice, other changes), clarified 0-level Fighter hit points, reworked the Weapon Proficiency categories so that, for example, a Long Sword and a Broad Sword aren't two entirely separate proficiencies. I've also added Combat Maneuvers, on the model of Martial Arts in Oriental Adventures, to give Fighters and most Fighter subclasses (and Monks) some other things to expend Weapon Proficiency slots on in exchange for various combat bonuses, without resorting to clumsy and overpowered "Weapon Specialization". Among other things unrelated to combat. All told, not including new class level limits or minor changes to Experience Points, I have four pages of house rules or so, including character creation options like various methods of rolling attributes, lists of available subclasses, and so on.