Thief Options: A Basic Fantasy Supplement

[cbarchuk]

Very true. I used to think that it was for balance reasons. But I don't really see a much of a difference between monsters in 0e, and 1e compared to BX/BECMI. They all basically have the same stats. Anyways I just wanted to get your feedback before adding it in just in case you knew something that I didn't.

[Solomoriah]

If you think 0e and 1e monsters are interchangeable, you need to look closer. At lower hit dice, yeah, more or less, but get up into the bigger critters and 1e stats are sometimes significantly higher.

[cbarchuk]

I'm using OSE advanced and OSRIC and I'm sure there are some differences here and there but I'm mainly talking about AC, HD, and THACO. I'm sitting looking through the OSE monsters guide along with the OSRIC book trying to find some major differences. Almost all of the dragons in the OSE book have a lower AC than the ones in OSRIC. Now I'm not seeing any demons or devils in the OSE book so I can't make any comparisons there. But I've looked at most major baddies that I can think of and they're all either the same or have a difference of 1 in one of the stats I mentioned. So 1 more or less AC, 1 more or less HD, 1 more or less THACO etc...And the minor difference often favors the OSE monster.

THACO
1e HD16+ = 7
OSE goes up to HD21+ = 5

Now characters are stronger in 1e as they have higher HD along with multiple attacks etc...Anyways I'm just not seeing any reason why a normal backstab progression couldn't be added without any issue which was my original concern. I thought it was left out on purpose for balance concerns. Now I admit maybe I'm not seeing things I should be. But heck even Gygax's preliminary thief from the Great Plains Games Players Newsletter had an even higher multiplier if I'm not mistaken. And this was year or so before Greyhawk. And this would've been before the variable HD and weapon damage dice I believe.

[Seven]

Probably not. Depends on how easy you go on your thieves' Move Silently and Hide in Shadows abilities.

One thing I do about that now is make it a lot easier against an outnumbered group.
Like, it's pretty easy to for a thief to circle around silently and backstab an opponent that is engaged in combat, but not if there are other opponents watching the thief. So in one case, a single roll, otherwise several rolls.