Gold Box SSI's Gold Box Series Thread

[Null Null]

When it says I've alerted the guards and there's like 10 goblin leaders and 10 normal goblins, did I do something bad? Or do I have to kill these guys no matter what?

I've looked through the dump Simeon Pilgrim did of the text of the game and no, you can't avoid that. It's the only text there.

Think about it--bashing, picking, or casting knock will all make noise and alert them.

 

[Jaesun]

So what is it with the Goldbox license? Is it stuck on some corporate hellhole like System Shock 2 was or simply collecting dust bunnies in some Activision desk drawer?

Nobody knows. UBISoft bought SSI. They now own all of SSI's properties. UBISoft does NOT own D&D, so all the D&D games more than likely belong to WotC/HASBRO. I'm sure it is some completely complicated mess... like SS2.

 

[Null Null]

So what is it with the Goldbox license? Is it stuck on some corporate hellhole like System Shock 2 was or simply collecting dust bunnies in some Activision desk drawer?

Nobody knows. UBISoft bought SSI. They now own all of SSI's properties. UBISoft does NOT own D&D, so all the D&D games more than likely belong to WotC/HASBRO. I'm sure it is some completely complicated mess... like SS2.

Sounds pretty clear to me: the company that owns the rights to the games doesn't have the rights to make D&D games, and there isn't enough money involved to make fighting two corporate Level X monsters worthwhile. But I am a noob, and legal battles always have layers upon layers.

 

[Invictus]

Everything with D&D went to shit when Wizards of the Coast bought them; the killed off Ravenloft, Dark Sun & Planescape, "revamped" Dragonlance and then they themsves got lost in the shuffle at Hasbro
Frankly I don't even post in the SSI new company because I am waiting to see what they can do, they did pretty well with their own IP and a Gold Box inspired game by them would be a dream come true...cortesy of kickstarter and unity no doubt

 

[Servo]

What do bracers do? Because apparently nothing.

AC is armor plus DEX (i.e. minus DEX), right?

Damage is weapon plus STR? My fighter has STR 18/99, two-handed sword damage 1d10+5. I assume the additional +1 is from his STR/99?

Edit: my other fighter has STR 17, short bow +1 damage is 1d6+1. Shouldn't that be 1d6+3 or 4?

 

[octavius]

Bracers AC 6 lowers AC from 10 to 6. Armour is not cumulative. Dex is, and so is bonus from magical gear like Rings and Cloaks of Protection.
Bracers are designed for mages, but the more powerful ones (like Bracers AC 2) can be better than armour for the fighter types.

18(99) STR gives a THAC0 bonus of 2 and a Damage bonus of 5. I assume you meant "additional +5" instead of +1?

 

[Servo]

Bracers AC 6 lowers AC from 10 to 6. Armour is not cumulative. Dex is, and so is bonus from magical gear like Rings and Cloaks of Protection.
Bracers are designed for mages, but the more powerful ones (like Bracers AC 2) can be better than armour for the fighter types.

18(99) STR gives a THAC0 bonus of 2 and a Damage bonus of 5. I assume you meant "additional +5" instead of +1?

Well, I'm used to 3.5e where STR 18 would give a damage bonus of +4. I was trying to figure out where the extra +1 was was coming from (making it +5 total).

So there is no damage bonus for anyone with STR 18 or lower? It's entirely based off of the number after the slash (/)?

 

[Telengard]

In AD&D all bows are normal bows with a flat pull, so no Strength bonus. Much later, special Strength bows were added to the game that only those with a specific Strength could wield, though that's pnp only. And then much later still, Strength bows became the defacto norm.

So, a bow+1 is 1d6+1 only.

EDIT: They were really aggressive about not giving bonuses to combat back when.
to hit/damage
16 is +0/+1
17 is +1/+1.
18 is +1/+2

 

[Servo]

In AD&D all bows are normal bows with a flat pull, so no Strength bonus. Much later, special Strength bows were added to the game that only those with a specific Strength could wield, though that's pnp only. And then much later still, Strength bows became the defacto norm.

So, a bow+1 is 1d6+1 only.

Right, I knew that. But even with a long sword my other fighter (STR 17) has only 1d8+1 damage. I don't understand how damage bonuses are calculated in this game.

 

[Telengard]

May as well complete my chart (I edited my earlier post)

They were really aggressive about not giving bonuses to combat back when.
to hit/damage
16 is +0/+1
17 is +1/+1
18 is +1/+2
18 (01-50) is +1/+3
18 (51-75) is +2/+3
18 (76-90) is +2/+4
(91-99) you know
18 (100) is +3/+6

 

[octavius]

Actually Fine Longbows exist in Pool of Radiance, and they do deal extra damage if the wielder has exceptional Str, assuming it works the same as in FRUA (been a while since I played PoR). Nothing like an Enlarged, Hasted Fighter dealing 4 x 20 Damage per turn from a safe distance.

 

[Telengard]

In AD&D all bows are normal bows with a flat pull, so no Strength bonus. Much later, special Strength bows were added to the game that only those with a specific Strength could wield, though that's pnp only. And then much later still, Strength bows became the defacto norm.

So, a bow+1 is 1d6+1 only.

EDIT: They were really aggressive about not giving bonuses to combat back when.
to hit/damage
16 is +0/+1
17 is +1/+1.
18 is +1/+2

That's - To Hit on left and Damage on right. They were split rather than being one bonus.

 

[Jaesun]

The Gold Box games use D&D First Edition rules, in case you want to look up some tables.

 

[Servo]

The Gold Box games use D&D First Edition rules, in case you want to look up some tables.

I thought it was AD&D. And I assumed those wouldn't be available on the web since they weren't OGL.

 

[ProphetSword]

You can always download the documentation for Pool of Radiance here:
http://www.replacementdocs.com/download.php?view.745

You could also download the OSRIC PDF ruleset which I believe is pretty close to AD&D if not exact:
http://www.knights-n-knaves.com/osric/downloads/OSRIC.pdf

 

[Servo]

You can always download the documentation for Pool of Radiance here:
http://www.replacementdocs.com/download.php?view.745

You could also download the OSRIC PDF ruleset which I believe is pretty close to AD&D if not exact:
http://www.knights-n-knaves.com/osric/downloads/OSRIC.pdf

yeah the docs aren't very specific on AC or damage bonuses or anything. Will have to check out the OSRIC though - this is news to me.

 

[Telengard]

Actually Fine Longbows exist in Pool of Radiance, and they do deal extra damage if the wielder has exceptional Str, assuming it works the same as in FRUA (been a while since I played PoR). Nothing like an Enlarged, Hasted Fighter dealing 4 x 20 Damage per turn from a safe distance.

Probably is in there, if you remember it. I'd trust your memory over mine about the finer details of the Gold Box games. But it would be something I missed, certainly.

 

[Telengard]

I thought it was AD&D. And I assumed those wouldn't be available on the web since they weren't OGL.

In the convoluted naming process that is D&D, AD&D/D&D 1st Edition are the same thing.

And AD&D material can indeed be found on the web, in case you want it. People probably shouldn't reproduce it, but they do.

Those Gold Box manuals were a butt to learn the game from, truly. Some important charts can be found in the appendix, though. Why there, I don't know. They thought it would be easier to do a brief overview, and leave the detail only for those who wanted it, I guess. Attribute, Race Level Limits, and Class Attack charts can all usually be found there.

 

[Servo]

I've been looking over the OSRIC but I can't find the rules for +1 weapons and armor. Nor can I find them in the game manual or adventurer's journal. I'm trying to figure out exactly what it modifies, but it's probably as simple as:

weapon +1 = +1 to hit and +1 to damage
armor +1 = -1 to AC

Sound right?

Edit: pg. 30 for rules on magic armor, still looking for magic weapons.

 

[octavius]

Right. Also, some monsters can only be hit by magic weapons.
Rings and Cloaks of Protection also lower the Saving Throws in addition to the AC bonus.

 

[Servo]

Ok one more question (for now). My dwarf has STR 18/99 and a THAC0 of 17. He has a two-handed sword. He gets +2 to hit because of his STR, but where's the extra +1 to hit coming from? Also he's not blessed.

OSRIC pg. 3 says (when describing dwarves):

+1 to hit against goblins, half-orcs, hobgoblins, and orcs

Do the GB games just give you this bonus all the time because programming is hard or what?

Edit: dammit my other fighter (STR 17) has THAC0 18 with and without the short bow +1 equipped. So foncusing.

 

[Invictus]

Yup 1st and 2nd Edition D&D is a bit confusing with the THACO, racial adjustments, etc.
I used to be a DM in my teens and it was quite a hassle, although using Ravenloft those campaigns tended to be much less combat intensive.
The to hit and to damage values always botherd me: they tried fixing it on the 3rd edition by making dex the "king skill" so it affected your chance to hit and to avoid beign hit, but honestly 2nd edition was better overall

 

[Null Null]

Ok one more question (for now). My dwarf has STR 18/99 and a THAC0 of 17. He has a two-handed sword. He gets +2 to hit because of his STR, but where's the extra +1 to hit coming from? Also he's not blessed.

OSRIC pg. 3 says (when describing dwarves):

+1 to hit against goblins, half-orcs, hobgoblins, and orcs

Do the GB games just give you this bonus all the time because programming is hard or what?

Edit: dammit my other fighter (STR 17) has THAC0 18 with and without the short bow +1 equipped. So foncusing.

I never said this was easy.

First of all, a fighter's THAC0 is 21 minus his level (minus any other additional bonuses, usually from strength or dexterity and magic stuff). So a 1st level fighter with an 18(99) strength and a nonmagic weapon should have a THAC0 of 18. You said you get +5 damage, so you probably don't have a magic sword or it would be +6. Is your fighter 2nd level?

Thus, the lowest possible THAC0 in Pool of Radiance is an 8th level fighter wielding a long sword +5 with 18(00) strength: 13-5-6=2.

As for your fighter with the THAC0 of 18 with and without the short bow +1--what's his dexterity and strength? If you have no weapon readied,it calculates your THAC0 and damage as if you were making a melee attack with your fist (1d2+ Strength bonuses). This can lead to confusing results when you unready your bow and switch from Dexterity to Strength bonuses.

There's something else. Elves get a +1 to hit with long or short sword or bow, so it could be from that.

As for the bonus to hit against goblins, etc., I don't believe it is reflected in the character display screen.

 

[ProphetSword]

I'm looking at the 1st Edition DM's Guide right now, and the THAC0 for a 1st level fighter is 20, not 21. It then drops by 2 every odd level (1-2: 20, 3-4: 18, 5-6: 16, etc). By 8th level, it is only 14.

Do the Gold-Box games not follow this convention?

Also, according to AD&D, the lowest possible THAC0 based on what you've suggested at 8th level should be:

14 (base) - 3 (Strength 18/00) - 5 (+5 Long Sword) = 6.

I think you are awarding a +6 to hit for 18/00, but in reality it's a +3 to hit with a +6 bonus to damage.

 

[Null Null]

I'm looking at the 1st Edition DM's Guide right now, and the THAC0 for a 1st level fighter is 20, not 21. It then drops by 2 every odd level (1-2: 20, 3-4: 18, 5-6: 16, etc). By 8th level, it is only 14.

Do the Gold-Box games not follow this convention?

Also, according to AD&D, the lowest possible THAC0 based on what you've suggested at 8th level should be:

14 (base) - 3 (Strength 18/00) - 5 (+5 Long Sword) = 6.

I think you are awarding a +6 to hit for 18/00, but in reality it's a +3 to hit with a +6 bonus to damage.

Rats. This is why I wish RPG Codex had an edit button. Thanks for catching that.

However, there was an optional rule that allowed a +1 to hit at even levels, which looks like it was implemented. I've just pulled up my end-of-game save, in which I have the fighter we've just described, and her THAC0 is in fact 5 when armed with a +5 Longsword.

Also note that there are Potions of Giant Strength you can drink, dropping your THAC0 to 4 if you are an 8th level fighter wielding a Longsword +5. (Frost Giant Strength: 21 STR, +4 to hit, +9 damage)