Obviously this is something that might not interest those of us who have defected to, uh, converted to ;) 3.5E (just kidding!). But specifically I'm wondering about the monsters presented in the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium, as well as the Inheritor and possible new classes.
Seriously speaking, I have been thinking a fair bit recently about my own approach to the rules. My reasons for not moving on from OD&D are simply that I am familiar with it, and feel that it's the most flexible rules set. Obviously this stems from having no compunction about ripping the rules apart and sticking them back together with whatever else I feel like...
And on that note, after getting Sages & Specialists this week, I have also been seriously thinking about revising the OD&D class system to allow professional classes in addition to adventurer classes. I'm sure I heard somewhere that this is a feature of 3.5E...?
I'm also interested in prestige classes and the way they work. It seems to me that it could also be a rule easily assimilated into OD&D.
It's a shame that I have this little idea at 9:13 am, just before leaving for work that will end at 8 pm this evening... Damn, why do I always start thinking about D&D on Tuesday, my busiest day?
:PBut I think that Inheritor in OD&D should be trated like Minrothad or Darokin Merchants (Princes). An additional class becouse Inheritors could be fighters, thieves, clerics and magic-users.
As for monsters... I think they could be used nearly as they are, couldn't they?
Although Im mainly using 3E these days, I wouldnt mind seeing and perhaps helping a bit in conversion projects to BECMI. To be honest converting to BECMI from any other version of (A)D&D is so much easier than going the other way.
An OD&D SC compilation would be useful, perhaps even to those who arent using those rules.
The RC already has some suggestions for conversions to OD&D from 2E, so that will come in handy. You may be forced into making some tough decisions (What do to with that elven cleric now that he is just gonna be a regular elf), but that is not neccesarily a bad thing.
The inheritor and the Red Curse was handled in the VotPA though it had a different take on things than the 2E boxed set. Arcanda's sollution is a possibility or it could also be handled similarly to the Crafts of Glantri. Just a thought.
What is Sages & Specialists? Yes, 3E has NPC classes: Adept, Expert, Aristocrat & Warrior which are pretty much what you are asking about. Going that way will depart from one central difference between OD&D and 3E namely than in OE non adventurers are all 1st level...
Okay, that was all I had time for this tuesday. Maybe I'll have some more thoughts later tonight...
Håvard
I play with AD&D2ed, becouse I feel it the most flexible ruleset ;)
But I think that Inheritor in OD&D should be trated like Minrothad or Darokin Merchants (Princes). An additional class becouse Inheritors could be fighters, thieves, clerics and magic-users.
As for monsters... I think they could be used nearly as they are, couldn't they?
Yes, that's one of the advantages of OD&D and AD&D -- they're almost compatible.
For monsters, I'd just recompute TPL-equivalents (see the Master Set), just to be sure that the correct amount of XPs is given.
For Inheritors, I suppose your idea could work, though I'd rather go for something like the Glantrian Secret Crafts -- as in AD&D Inheritors get one power every three levels, which I think could become one every four or even five levels in OD&D.
There's really little more to convert -- except Weapon Mastery tables for firearms.
As for professional classes, I don't feel they're really needed: why would non-adventurers need more hit points or combat abilities? They aren't adventurers, so they aren't supposed to be fighting as much as adventurers.
If you look at 3e, basically Warriors and Experts are simplified Fighters and Rogues (with less "special powers"). But since in OD&D/AD&D Fighters and Thieves don't get special powers, there's nothing to simplify.
The Commoner class is what you would typically consider a 0-level character, and the Aristocrat is probably the only useful class.
BTW, 3e needs NPC classes because of the skill system used -- in 3e high skill levels are only available to high-level characters, so your master chef would need to be an high-level Expert (or Commoner, etc.).
In [O|A]D&D, OTOH, skills are basically related to ability scores, not level, so your chef could simply be a 0-level with high Intelligence (or with several skill slots devoted to the same skill/NWP).
Now, I said the Aristocrat could be useful, and that's because traditionally *D&D lacks this kind of class -- Charisma-based abilities, low-average combat abilities, several skills, but not special skills (as the Thief). An example could be the Noble class from the D20 Star Wars rpg.
The nearest *D&D example I know of is the Guilder class from Birthright -- basically a Thief who can wear any armor and use any weapon, has no thieving skills, but has twice as many general skills (NWP, in AD&D) than other characters.