mr-frog@sdcsvax.UUCP (06/04/84)
I would never be one to support the movement system in AD&D. I've spoken with people who fight in the SCA, and they claim that while plate armor encumbers certain body movements, it doesn't slow one down too much, since the weight (unlike a backpack) is evenly distributed around the body. The "movement rate" in AD&D is one of the silliest things that I've ever seen. I've conducted some informal tests, and found out that at about 3/4 speed (and I'm no sprinter) that I can cover 60 yards in about 12 seconds. The DMG states that a man with a light burden can cover 30 miles per day (DMG pp 58). The PH pp 102 says, "if the party is fleeing, all movement ... is 10 times faster, so each move takes only 1/10 of a turn, or 1 round. The same movement rate applies to combat situations...". A table follows, one entry of which is the "combat" move rate of 12" (normal human movement) which allows a human to move all of 12' per every six seconds, which turns into 120 feet per every one minute, which turns into 7200 feet every hour, which boils down to the lightning-quick rate of 1.36 mph. So what all this comes down to is that running away, the party moves about three times more slowly than if they were WALKING outdoors. This means that if the party were outdoors and running away, their movement rate would approximate walking pace (walking = 30 miles/8 hours = 3.7 mph which is reasonable for normal people walking). I find this movement rate system pathetic in the extreme. The solution, for our group, was to change the table, rather than removing the spell casting times! A 12" movement rate translated into 30' per every 6 seconds walking speed, and a "charge move" (i.e. running or combat speed) gives you 12" movement = 90' per six seconds. This still doesn't excuse Mr. Maurer for removing the time factor for casting spells. I ask him, what's the advantage to casting a "power word" over a meteor swarm? Both spells, under your system, get off equally quickly. Answer? There is no advantage. Why throw low level spells? Answer? Only if you've run out of high level ones. Game balance has been tossed in the dumper; I sure wouldn't want to be a fighter under his system. Dave Pare [ucbvax | dcdwest]!sdcsvax!mr-frog "A megaton of prevention..." (Keith Laumer)
weutil@ih1ap.UUCP (David L. Pope) (06/06/84)
There ARE a scattered few of us out here who have decided to make the
spell casters less 'omnipotent' and give the weapon wielders a shot at
superhero play. Alowing a fighter one attack per segment is no less
REALISTIC than having missiles leap from your finger to unerringly
strike your target. The books are guidelines, and there is no 'pure'
AD&D campaign. (Well, I've yet to see it.:-)
David L. Pope at AT&T Network Software Center.
ih1ap!nwuxc!random