Shannon's AD&D House Rules2nd Edition

Creating Character
1. Players roll 4d6 (dropping the lowest die roll). They may put the scores in any
order they wish.
2. Ability Score Adjustments (B6): it is possible to raise ones score in a prime
requisite by lowering the scores of some of the other abilities. This adjustment
shows that a character may practice hard and learn how to fight or reason
well, but at the cost of not developing another ability. When adjusting abilities,
no score may be lowered below 9. When an adjustment is made, a prime
requisite ability will be raised 1 point for every 2 points that the adjusted
ability is lowered.
a. Strength may be lowered magic-users in order to raise Intelligence,
and by clerics in order to raise Wisdom.
b. Intelligence may be lowered by fighters, dwarves, halflings, thieves,
and clerics in order to raise a prime requisite of their class.
c. Wisdom may be lowered by magic-users, fighters, dwarves, elves,
halflings, and thieves in order to raise a prime requisite for their class.
d. Dexterity may not be lowered, though it can be raised if it is a prime
requisite.
e. Constitution and Charisma may not be raised or lowered.
3. First-level characters get their full hit point total.
4. There are no weapon restrictions for clerics or magic-users, except for the
following. Clerics may only use the weapon associated with their gods. If their
god is not associated with a weapon, then the cleric should use a blunt
weapon. Magic-users can use any weapon they wish. Clerics and magic-users
can only master one weapon, unlike other classes.
5. Level limits apply to demi-humans.
Combat
1. Two-Weapon Fighting: fighters, thieves, and demi-humans with a Dexterity
score of 13 or greater may choose to fight with a one-handed melee weapon
in each hand. A character may wield two weapons without the Dexterity but
gains no special benefit for doing so (though the character has an extra
weapon in case something happens to his primary one).
Unless a character has a Strength of 13 or better, he may only fight effectively
with a Small weapon in his "off-hand." Strong characters may use One-Handed
weapons in their off-hand.
On a successful attack roll, the player may roll damage dice for both weapons,
and choose the best result of the two. For example, a fighter using a sword
and dagger may roll a d8 and a d4 on a successful hit, and use the better of
the two dice rolls for his damage.
If a character has a damage bonus from a high strength, the damage is added
to whichever dice is chosen (i.e. it doesn't matter whether or not the character
is using an off-hand weapon to inflict damage, the strength bonus in melee is
due to the character's might allowing for better muscling/maneuvering in
addition to a stronger blow).
2. Shields Shall be Splintered!: shields will reduce your Armour Class by one
(unless a character is using the Defensive Movement of Retreat (B24).
However, any time a character takes damage, the player can opt instead to
have his characters shield absorb the force of the blow. The shield is
shattered and must be discarded, but the character does not take any
damage from the hit. For magic shields, each +1 gives the shield a 10%
chance to survive the blow.

3. Fighter/Dwarf/Halfling Feats: Fighters, dwarves, and halflings can select

one feat every 4 levels (starting at 4th) to expand their combat abilities.
Dwarves are limited to a maximum of three feats, and halflings are limited to
two. Some feats are limited to specific classes.
FIGHTER/DWARF/HALFLING FEATS
1. Great Cleave: Whenever the character drops an enemy in melee
combat, he gets an immediate, bonus attack. This may result in other,
extra attacks.
2. Great Fortitude: The character gains a +4 bonus to saves against
poison, disease, and death magic.
3. Great Strength: The character adds +2 to Strength. Limited to fighters
and dwarves.
4. Iron Will: The character gains a +4 bonus to saves against mental
attacks (including charm, fear, illusions, etc.).
5. Mounted Combat: Any attacks made from horseback are at +1 to hit.
Also, the character can urge their mount to +50% speed for up to 6
turns. Limited to fighters.
6. Rapid Shot: The character gets one extra attack per round with any
missile weapon. Limited to fighters and halflings.
7. Rapid Strike: The character gets one extra attack per round with any
melee weapon.
8. Running: The character can add +50% speed when running, and can
maintain this rate for 8 hours.
9. Toughness: The character gains +2 hit points per level.
10. Tracking: The character has a 4-in-6 chance of tracking prey. Add +1
for soft ground, large party, etc. Subtract -1 for each day's lead, hour of
rain, etc.
11. Weapon Specialization: The character picks one weapon type, and
gains +1to hit and +2 damage with that weapon.
Death and Death Saves
If a player is reduced to 0 hit points, he or she falls unconscious. During that players
next turn, he or she must make a saving throw vs. Death Ray. If the result of the
roll is less than the number given on the chart, the saving throw has failed.
The saving throw is the only action the character has on that turn. If a player rolls
three failures, the character dies. Successful rolls mean that the character is stable. If
the player rolls a natural 20, the character regains consciousness and has 1d4 hit
points.
However, if the character is attacked while unconscious, he or she may continue to
accrue damage down to -10. If other characters try to heal an unconscious player,
bind wounds, start respiration, administer a draught of spirits, before the unconscious
players third failed death save or negative 10 hit points are reached, that character
is considered stable (character is at 0 hit points). The player will not lose anymore hit
points, but remain unconscious until a healing potion or spell is cast upon them.
Ability Checks
Sometimes a character tries to do something to which no specific skill really applies.
In these cases, you make an ability check. Roll ability score or less. The number of
dice to roll depends upon the difficulty.
Easy: 2d6
Moderate: 3d6
Hard: 4d6
Very hard: 5d6

In some cases, an action is a straight test of one's ability with no luck involved. Just
as you wouldn't make a height check to see who is taller, you don't make a Strength
check to see who is stronger.
Ability

2d6

3d6

4d6

5d6

8.33

0.46

16.6

1.85

0.08

4.63

0.39

0.01

9.26

1.16

0.08

58.3

16.2

2.70

0.27

72.2

25.9

5.40

0.72

83.3

37.5

9.72

1.62

91.6

50

15.9

3.24

Score

7
5

27.7

41.6

8
7
7
8
9
10

7
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

97.2

62.5

23.9

100

74.0

33.5

83.8

44.3

15.2

90.7

55.6

22.1

95.3

66.4

30.5

98.1

76.0

39.9

99.5

84.1

50

100

90.2

60.0

94.6

69.4

100
100
100
100
100
100
100

100

5.88
9.8

Magic System: Spell Points

Number of Spell Points Earned per Level:
Each spell slot is worth a number of spell points equal to the spell level it would be
used to cast. A 1st level spell is worth 1 spell point. A 5th level spell is worth 5 spell
points. Zero level spells (cantrips) are worth a half point under this method. Thus, a
5th level magic-user or elf could memorize 2 1st level spells (2 spell points), 2 2nd
level spells (4 spell points), and 1 3rd level spell (3 spell points) would get 9 spell
points to cast spells with. A 5th level cleric could cast 2 1st level spells (2 spell
points) and 2 2nd level spells (4 points), so she would have 6 spell points to spend.
See chart at the end of the section.
Spell Point Cost to Cast:
Likewise, spells themselves cost a number of spell points equal to the level cost of
the spell. Thus, a 1st level spell costs 1 spell point, and a 9th level spell would cost 9
spell points. The big limiting factor in casting spells is that your class level dictates
the upper limit of what sort of magic you can cast; if you havent gotten spell points
for 5th level spells yet because you wouldnt get them, then you cant cast fifth level
spells, plain and simple.
Recovering Spell Points:
Under this system, magic-users or elves and clerics alike are casting on the fly.
They dont need to prepare spells in advance, though they do need to spend time in
the morning praying or prepping their mental mnemonics. Likewise, they need to
spend time resting to recover spell points. A resting spell caster recovers 1 spell point
for every ten minutes of total rest. A spell caster who is walking or hiking about
recovers 1 spell point every hour. And a spell caster running all over the place,
fighting, riding a horse, and so forth recovers one spell point every six hours.
Spell Point Advancement Charts:
These charts will let you figure out how many spell points and your caster limit by
level for the Cleric and Magic-user/Elf charts:
Level
Magic-user/Elf
1
1
2
2
3
4
4
6
5
9
6
12
7
17
8
23
9
31
10
40*
11
47
12
60
13
69
14
73
Maximum amount of spell points for an Elf.

Cleric
0
1
2
4
6
13
21
28
36
43
51
58
66
71

Cantrips
The cantrip is a tiny spell created by practicing students of the magical arts during
their apprenticeship and while a minor dweomer they still have some uses to the
adventuring Magic-User. Elves do not obtain cantrips at first level as they dont learn
such in their youth, though a friendly Magic User may teach them at a later date.

A 1st level Magic User starts out with 1d4 + Intelligence modifier of cantrips known
and written in their spell book. Others may be obtained during adventures just as any
other spell.
CANTRIPS LIST
1. Anatomics
2. Bug
3. Clean
4. Enrich
5. Exterminate
6. Firefinger
7. Hairy
8. Haunting
9. Legerdemain
10. Repair
11. Temperature
12. Transmogrify
13. Unseen Hand
Anatomics (Evocation)
Level: 0
Area of Effect: One person
Duration: 1 action
Saving Throw: None
When this cantrip is cast, the subject will involuntarily emit a body noise or reaction
of the casters choosing. Such simple reactions can be a belch, blink, nod, yawn, etc;
but nothing sophisticated.
Bug (Summoning)
Level: 0
Area of Effect: 10 feet
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
When this cantrip is used, the caster summons an insect from someplace where is
of no importance, for the creature appears in seconds. The bug will appear in
whatever spot the caster is gazing at, up to a 10 foot distance from him or her. The
bug is, of course, annoyed, and it is 90% likely to sting or bite (if possible) any living
creature it finds itself upon. (This will certainly cause the subject to react violently if it
would otherwise be so affected by such).
Clean (Abjuration)
Level: 0
Area of Effect: 4 sq. yards
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
This cantrip enables the caster to remove heavy soil, dirt, and like foreign objects
from floors, walls, dishes, windows, clothing, etc. The subject surfaces are then
spotless, but care must be taken in removal of pigments and the like, so usually only
one type of material will be treated in a single application. The reverse of this cantrip
dirties and befouls any surface equal to the area of effect.
Enrich (Enchantment)
Level: 0
Area of Effect: One object
Duration: up to 6 turns

Saving Throw: None

This cantrip enables the caster to give the subject a superior or better or different
aspect of its to the senses; be they sight, smell, sound, touch or taste. Thus, mush
can be made to taste as if it were lobster bisque, but the dweomer will not actually
affect quality or wholesomeness. It can also be used to restore faded hues or to tinge
those already colored with a different hue. A rough canvas garment can be made to
feel like silk or velvet. A rotten egg can smell like fresh daisies, and an irritating
sound can be made to sound like a canarys song. However, the cantrip may only
affect one sense per casting.
Exterminate (Abjuration)
Level: 0
Area of Effect: One small creature
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: See below
When this cantrip is used, the caster may kill a small pest such as a fly, mouse, (nongiant) rat, beetle, or the like. It is useful for indoor and outdoor applications. If the
subject is very small, an area of up to 1/2 cubic foot can be rid of pests. This cantrip
is effective against magical creations and normal-sized creatures magically shrunk to
insect-size, with a saving throw applicable to negate. The dweomer however has no
effect on polymorphed creatures and similarly enchanted beings.
Firefinger (Alteration)
Level: 0
Area of Effect: 1/3 line
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: None
The firefinger cantrip enables the caster to cause a jet of flame up to one-half foot in
length to shoot forth from his or her finger. The flame is very hot and will ignite
combustible materials such as parchment, twigs, kindling, and the like without
difficulty, providing the materials are relatively dry. The flame persists for up to 1
round. The reverse of this Cantrip extinguishes a small flame such as used in a
lantern or candle. A torch is too large a flame to be effected with this cantrip.
Hairy (Alteration)
Level: 0
Area of Effect: One object
Duration: permanent
Saving Throw: none
While this cantrip is not actually one of the standard useful ones which apprentices
reverse for mischievousness, it is one which is generally used for no good purpose. It
causes hair, fur, or hairlike growth to thicken and lengthen. Thus, a head of hair, a
peach, a beard, a cat, or whatever could be affected. The growth will cause the
subject material to increase from 2-12 inches in length. The subject material must be
trimmed or cut to remove the cantrips effect. This cantrip can be reversed to shorten
growth or effectively shave, but since the effect on short material (growth under 1
inch in length) is complete absence of growth for 2-12 days, it is not often used.
Haunting (Illusion)
Level: 0
Area of Effect: Special
Duration: See below
Saving Throw: yes
This cantrip creates the illusion of any number of ghostly sounds such as a faint
groan, creak, footfalls, etc. Naturally, those creatures within hearing distance are

allowed a saving throw versus spells, and if it succeeds, the individual will hear no
such noise. The sound only lasts from 1-20+ Magic Users level in seconds.
Legerdemain (Illusion)
Level: 0
Area of Effect: One small item
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: nil
This cantrip enables the caster to secret or cause to appear a small object in his hand
without seeming to do so. The item created to appear from nowhere is illusory, and
will disappear in 1 round.
Repair (Alteration)
Level: 0
Area of Effect: One object
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
This cantrip repairs small breaks in objects. It will weld a broken ring, chain link,
medallion or ripped material, providing but one break exists. Ceramic or wooden
objects with multiple breaks can be invisibly rejoined to be as strong as new. A hole in
a leather sack or wineskin is completely healed over by a Repair cantrip. This cantrip
will not repair magic items of any kind.
Temperature (Evocation)
Level: 0
Area of Effect: 1 cube
Duration: special
Saving Throw: none
A cantrip of this nature allows the caster to cause non-living liquid or solid material to
become about 40F (~4C) warmer or cooler than it was, subject to a minimum
temperature of freezing. The warming or chilling effect lasts for but an instant, after
which the subject returns slowly back to ambient temperature as normal for the
current climate.
Transmogrify (Alteration)
Level: 0
Area of Effect: One creature/item
Duration:
Saving Throw: See below
By means of a transmogrify cantrip, the caster alters one small object to another,
although the change must be within the same kingdom, and only animal and
vegetable objects are affected. Thus, a piece of parchment can be changed to a
brightly colored cloth square, then the cloth can be changed to a rose by another use
of the cantrip. Likewise, a bird can be changed into a bat, the bat to a flying squirrel
by another use of the same type of cantrip, and so forth. Each alteration requires a
transmogrify cantrip. The cantrip will not cause more than a 50% increase or
decrease in size/volume, and the effect will last for a base time of 1 turn. If the
change is radical, then the time will be reduced accordingly; i.e., changing a
dead object to a live one is a radical change and will last only 1 round. On the other
hand, a very slight alteration such as color change or the like will last for 1 or more
days. A saving throw against this magic does not apply as long as small, animalintelligence, non-magical creatures of normal sort are concerned.
Unseen Hand (Conjuration)
Level: 0

Area of Effect: One creature/item

Duration: 1 action
Saving Throw: Save vs. Magic to avoid a 1 round distraction.
By means of this cantrip, the caster causes an unseen hand to perform simple
actions such as open/close a door, lift a small object and carry it (1 lbs. limit) within
10 feet radius of the caster, and poke or pinch a target as desired. If this cantrip is
used on a spellcaster, the target must make a saving throw vs. magic, with success
meaning that the target is not distracted. Failure causes a 1 round distraction and
may interrupt spell casting at DMs discretion.