* * * Wizards Community Thread * * * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Thread : AD&D and 3rd edition math comparison Started at 03-12-08 12:14 PM by Alas Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1002880 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 1] Author : Alas Date : 03-12-08 12:14 PM Thread Title : AD&D and 3rd edition math comparison I've been going back through my old AD&D books for a lark, doing a little "through the ages" tracing of mechanics and tropes. I realized I'm a little rusty on designing for AD&D, so I had to do some number crunching to translate mechanics into terms I'm more practiced in. The first little bit I did was converting the AD&D attack tables into 3rd edition base attack bonuses. My conversion assumes that AD&D AC 0 equals 3rd edition AC 20. This conversion has doubtless been done before, but I thought I'd share it for fun. Level Fighter Cleric Thief M-U 3.5 Full 3.5 3/4 3.5 Half 1 +0 +0 -1 -1 +1 +0 +0 2 +0 +0 -1 -1 +2 +1 +1 3 +2 +0 -1 -1 +3 +2 +1 4 +2 +2 -1 -1 +4 +3 +2 5 +4 +2 +1 -1 +5 +3 +2 6 +4 +2 +1 +1 +6 +4 +3 7 +6 +4 +1 +1 +7 +5 +3 8 +6 +4 +1 +1 +8 +6 +4 9 +8 +4 +4 +1 +9 +6 +4 10 +8 +6 +4 +1 +10 +7 +5 11 +10 +6 +4 +4 +11 +8 +5 12 +10 +6 +4 +4 +12 +9 +6 13 +12 +8 +6 +4 +13 +9 +6 14 +12 +8 +6 +4 +14 +10 +7 15 +14 +8 +6 +4 +15 +11 +7 16 +14 +10 +6 +7 +16 +12 +8 17 +16 +10 +8 +7 +17 +12 +8 18 +16 +10 +8 +7 +18 +13 +9 19 +16 +11 +8 +7 +19 +14 +9 20 +16 +11 +8 +7 +20 +15 +10 21 +16 +11 +10 +9 N/A N/A N/AI won't offer any value judgement on AD&D's attack tables except to say they made me miss 2nd edition's THAC0. :) Also, it's kinda fun to look for where the numbers synch up between the editions, like looking for the spot where Celsius and Farenheit are 1-to-1. Here they come pretty close at 11th level before they diverge again. The next thing I'm going to tackle is the editions' age category modifiers to ability scores-- I've always thought them an overlooked wrinkle in the D&D rules. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 2] Author : Alas Date : 03-12-08 02:00 PM Thread Title : I grow old, I grow old Next up, Mr. Average (a human with a base 10 in every ability score) grows old with AD&D and 3rd edition... Base YA Mature MA Old Venerable Str 10 10 11 10 8 7 Dex 10 10 10 10 8 7 Con 10 11 11 10 9 8 Int 10 10 10 11 11 12 Wis 10 9 10 11 12 13 Cha 10 10 10 10 10 10YA=Young Adult, MA=Middle Aged Base Adult MA Old Venerable Str 10 10 9 7 4 Dex 10 10 9 7 4 Con 10 10 9 7 4 Int 10 10 11 12 13 Wis 10 10 11 12 13 Cha 10 10 11 12 13MA=Middle AgedA few interesting observations: A character ages a little more gracefully in AD&D, especially when you consider that ability modifiers are restricted to the extreme ends of the scale and the years of a given age categories tend to be broader. If I read the book right, there is no point at which an AD&D character's abilities aren't modified by age. That makes the "mature" bracket a bit of a loophole for AD&D elves and halflings. AD&D characters' aging has no effect on Charisma. Not too surprising, I suppose. Middle-age is kind of a "sweet spot" in both editions. I take some comfort in that. Makes grandfathering AD&D characters into a 3rd edition game an appealing prospect... :rimshot: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Downloaded from Wizards Community (http://forums.gleemax.com) at 05-10-08 08:22 AM.