TEXT: B/X	House	Rules	v1.0	
  By Ken Marin (ken-do-nim) 
  Last updated October 27, 2018 
   
  Mechanics	
  • 
  Saving throws - as per Expert pg. X24, instead of B26. 
  • 
  Searching - The chance for finding a trap or secret door is above and beyond what verbally describing the searching 
  accomplishes.  As per B22, all characters can search for large traps like pressure plates 1 in 6 (dwarves 2 in 6), so when thieves 
  do so they get that roll in addition to their own ability roll (which initially starts out with a lower percentage). Only thieves may 
  search for smaller traps like a poisoned needle in a lock, so they don’t get the extra 1 in 6 roll when doing so. 
  • 
  Hit Points – 0 hit points is unconscious; negative beyond the character’s level is death.  At -1 through that value, the character 
  must save vs. death each round; success means 1 hit point healed; failure is 1 hit point further damaged.  If an ally binds the 
  wounds, the save is made at +1 for each round spent doing so, up to a +3 benefit after 3 rounds or 3 allies helping all at once.  
  Character	Abilities	
  • 
  All halflings can speak the Halfling language (p. B13). 
  • 
  Backstab – Backstab damage increases (after doubling) by +1d6 at 5th level, +2d6 at 9th level, and +3d6 at 13th level. 
  • 
  M/U Elf Spells – Spells learned are chosen by the player. 
  • 
  Turn undead – This can only be attempted once per encounter per type of undead per cleric, with lower hit dice undead being 
  affected before higher ones, and a failure against any type stopping any further attempts at stronger ones the next round.  Undead 
  are turned for the duration of the encounter, rounded up to the next turn.  
  • 
  Multiple Attacks – Fighters, dwarves, elves, and halflings gain multiple attacks against weaker creatures as follows: 
   
  Hit 
  Dice 
   
  1 
   
  2 
   
  3 
   
  4 
   
  5 
   
  6 
  Level 
  7 
   
  8 
   
  9 
   
  10 
   
  11 
   
  12 
   
  13 
   
  14 
  < 1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  2 
  3 
  3 
  4 
  4 
  5 
  5 
  6 
  6 
  7 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  4 
  4 
  4 
  2 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  4 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  5 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  A creature with a hit die bonus counts as the next higher hit die, so bugbears are effectively 4 HD and ogres 5 HD. 
  Equipment	
  • 
  Encumbrance – Encumbrance for magic armor is as per Expert (X48, which adjusts from the Basic values on B48).  
  Encumbrance ranges are adjusted +/- 100 coins for strength bonuses & penalties, as the table below demonstrates.  Leather 
  armor carries a maximum of 30’/90’ movement rate and metal armor 20’/60’ regardless of how strong the character is. 
   
  Movement 
  Rate 
  Strength 
  3 
  4-5 
  6-8 
  9-12 
  13-15 
  16-17 
  18 
  40’/120’ 
  1-100 
  1-200 
  1-300 
  1-400 
  1-500 
  1-600 
  1-700 
  30’/90’ 
  101-300 
  201-400 
  301-500 
  401-600 
  501-700 
  601-800 
  701-900 
  20’/60’ 
  301-500 
  401-600 
  501-700 
  601-800 
  701-900 
  801-1000 
  901-1100 
  10’/30’ 
  501-1300 
  601-1400 
  701-1500 
  801-1600 
  901-1700 
  1001-1800 
  1101-1900 
   
  • 
  Armor – Time to remove armor is 11 – the armor class in rounds. Donning armor is double. An assistant cuts these times in half.   
  • 
  Crossbows – Can be fired every other round (X4); can stay loaded indefinitely.  They can be fired from a prone position. 
  • 
  Staves – These do 1-6 damage, not 1-4, as per the snake staff (B50) and staff of striking (X49).  Magic-users may use staves. 
  • 
  Polearms – These allow an attack on an advancing opponent with a shorter weapon who has otherwise won initiative. Polearms 
  used without enough space are at -2 to hit, such as when an opponent has maneuvered a polearm user up against a wall), or when 
  one is wielded from the second rank when the front rank is composed of allies just as tall or taller.  A human in the second rank 
  wielding one over the head of a dwarf or halfling would not have this penalty, nor would an elf behind a halfling. 
  • 
  Halflings use short swords with one hand and normal swords with two hands. 
  
  Spells	
  • 
  Detect Invisible – Range 10’ per level of the caster, duration 6 turns, affects the spellcaster only.  The spellcaster can see all 
  invisible creatures and objects within range. 
  • 
  Dispel Evil – This spell can be used to restore a level lost through energy drain within the same time limit as raise dead 
  specifies.  For the spell to work, the cleric must succeed on a turn undead check against the creature who caused the loss. 
  • 
  Sleep – This spell does not have an area of effect.  The caster chooses the target spot, and creatures are put to sleep according to 
  their proximity to that spot, up to the hit dice allowed by the spell.  Creatures that cannot be put to sleep do not count towards its 
  hit dice total.  It is possible for the caster to put himself to sleep if the hit die total is not reached. 
  Combat	
  • 
  Readied Actions – An arrow ready to be shot or a wand ready to fire can be performed in initiative order prior to any other 
  action in the round.  See the combat example where Morgan loses initiative but fires an arrow at a charging hobgoblin. 
  • 
  Initiative - Two-handed weapons are not delayed in the initiative order.  On a tie, each side does each phase together (all move, 
  then all fire missiles, etc.).  All special abilities (turn undead, breath weapon) occur during the magic phase.  An initiative winner 
  may delay and choose to go at the same time as another, or after them. 
  • 
  Guarding – A combatant that moves (encounter movement) but does not take a further action or makes a fighting withdrawal is 
  considered to be guarding and can attack an oncoming opponent simultaneously, unless one side has a polearm in which case 
  that weapon goes first.  Once that attack is made, the combatant is no longer considered to be on guard. 
  • 
  Full Move – Any combatant still guarding at round’s end and not engaged by any foe may move up to 2/3 their full (running) 
  movement rate.  Thus, a character wishing to advance their full movement rate first makes an encounter move, then if not 
  engaged may complete the advance at the end of the round.  Both sides execute final movement simultaneously.  
  • 
  Missiles – Opponents who are engaged in melee or in a large group may have cover (B26) from missile fire, and if that cover is 
  an ally, the ally could be hit instead (check on a miss due to the cover penalty).  Dropping to prone against opposing missile fire 
  generally improves ac by 2. 
  • 
  Two-Weapon Fighting – Humans and elves can use maces, shortswords, clubs, and daggers as the secondary weapon.  Dwarves 
  can only use clubs and daggers, and halflings only daggers.  An additional attack can be made, but at the expense of accuracy, as 
  all attacks are made at one row less on the attack chart than the character would otherwise be capable of, with 1st-3rd level 
  characters instead making two attacks as a ‘normal man’. 
  • 
  Grappling – A grappling attack on an opponent wielding a weapon who otherwise lost initiative grants that opponent an attack 
  (much as advancing on a polearm-wielder would).  A grappler needs to succeed on a “to hit” roll to establish a hold.  If a group 
  is trying to do so, use the attacker with the best “to hit” chance as the base.  Humans, elves, and similarly sized creatures helping 
  add +2 to the attack roll, dwarves, halflings, and other smaller folk helping add +1.  Someone coming to help grapple later on an 
  opponent that is already held does so as if attacking from the rear.  Held opponents with a strength score can try to wrestle their 
  way out on their turn making an opposed strength check (each side rolls 1d20 + strength, groups have strength of highest, +2/+1 
  for each additional helper as above, reroll on a tie).  Held opponents with natural attacks, or with a dagger already in hand can try 
  to force their attacker(s) to release them with any successful hit from their attack routine, though each attack is at -2. The 
  attacker hit takes normal damage in addition to losing their hold.  If multiple attackers are involved, each must be hit in this 
  fashion before the hold is fully released.  An ally of the held individual can also make such attacks, and anyone involved in a 
  grapple is attacked as if from the rear.  A held opponent can try to draw a dagger if one is not in hand with a successful save vs. 
  petrification; that counts as their action for that round.  A hold can be improved to a pin if the attacker or attacking group 
  succeeds on another attack roll.  This attack ignores shield benefits to ac but not dexterity.  For a creature with natural attacks, 
  one attacker is required to pin each limb capable of making an attack.  A pinned opponent gets one chance to free itself per turn.  
  If the opponent has a strength score, make an opposed strength check, otherwise use hit dice, but either way the pinned opponent 
  is at -4 on the roll.  Pinned opponents cannot try to draw a dagger. 
  Monsters	
  • 
  Animals – Typical dogs are 1+1 hit dice, ac 7, and bite for 1-4.  War dogs are 2+2 hit dice, ac 6, and bite for 2-8. 
  • 
  Insect Swarm – Damage is just 1 point for an armored character actively trying to ward off the swarm, 2 points for an armored 
  character who is not warding off the swarm (perhaps he is locked in combat with another foe) or an unarmored character who is, 
  and 4 points for an unarmored character who is not warding off the swarm. 
  • 
  Stirge – When attached, attacks from allies are at rear attack bonuses, and thieves may backstab them.  Generally only daggers 
  can be used to cut them off and avoid injuring the victim. 
  Magic	
  • 
  Ring of Regeneration – The Ring only regenerates damage taken while the ring has been worn. 
  • 
  Gauntlets of Ogre Power – As per the unarmed combat rule X25, damage from a punch is 1-2 +3 like any other character with 
  18 strength. 
  • 
  Girdle of Giant Strength – A punch will do double the damage of an 18 strength character; i.e. 2-4 +6. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Old School Revival (OSR(ic))/[Basic Compatible, BX]/Basic Supplemental/BX House Rules v1.0.pdf