[House Rules]Specially Unequal

One of the great things about  B/X and (by extension) ACKS, is its simplicity.  So many of the elements of the system show off this simplicity that it’s really a shining point if you are looking for a game that plays fast and quick.

But simplifying everything does, occasionally, leave some things to be desired.

One area where I personally don’t appreciate the simplicity is in grading the ‘Special’ experience bonus.  To say that a creature’s ability to Energy Drain a target is worth the same bonus experience as another creature’s ability to fly is disingenuous I believe.  In the Advanced versions of the game, this was ‘fixed’ in a variety of ways.  Based on my own experience, I’m going to incorporate a bit of that in ‘grading’ how much my monsters should be worth.  Yes, this means that pcs will get a bit more experience for defeating a monster, but when a creature has an ability that can permanently destroy a character with a lucky roll…I’m okay with that.  When you consider that this means a wight would be worth a whopping 30 xp more, versus its ability to steal a level…yeah,  no problem here.

Bonus                   Power

*                             AC of 9+ (0- in descending AC games)

*                             Blood Drain

*                             Breath Weapon that does less than 20 points max damage

**                           Breath Weapon that does more than 21 points max damage

*                             Cast level 1 or 2 spells

**                           Cast level 3+ spells

*                             Cleave

*                             Disease

***                        Level Drain (one level)

****                      Level Drain (two levels)

*                             Flight

*                             High Constitution (+1 or +2 HP per HD)

**                           High Constitution (+3 or +4 HP per HD)

*                             High Dexterity (+1 or +2 to Init and AC)

**                           High Dexterity (+3 or +4 to Init and AC)

*                             High Intelligence

*                             High Strength (+1 or +2 to hit/damage)

**                           High Strength (+3 or +4 to hit/damage)

*                             Hit only by silver/magic

**                           Hit only by +3 or greater magic

*                             Immunity to a spell

*                             Immunity or half damage from any type of weapon

*                             Invisibility

*                             Missile weapon use

**                           Multiple attacks that can cause over 30 damage

**                           Paralysis attack

***                         Petrification  attack

**                           Poison

**                           Single attack that causes more than 20 points of damage

**                           Special unlisted attack (webbing, entrapment, etc)

*                             Special Defenses such as Undead immunities

**                           Swallows targets whole

*                             Thief Abilities

*                             Using magical items against the party

**                           Weakness or fear effects