Fantasy Game House Rules (TLDR edition)

• See the full rules for more info.
• Use the spells from [Advanced Labyrinth Lord].

Abilities

• Roll abilities 3d6 in order, then swap one pair if desired.
• Ability modifiers apply only outside combat.
• Situational advantage/disadvantage (roll two d20, take the higher/lower) may apply in combat.

Clerics

• Clerics get a spell at first level, but Turn Undead is a spell.
• When a cleric prays for spells, they get all random spells, but…
• A cleric may swap out any prepared spell for a Turn Undead or Cure Light Wounds spell at any point during play.

Fighters

• When rolling hit points, fighters roll two hit dice, and choose the higher roll.
• Fighters have a significantly better attack bonus than other classes.
• Fighters deal more damage than other classes.

Magic-Users

• Magic-users start with Read Magic, one spell rolled at random, and one spell chosen by the player.
• Other spells must be found during adventures or discovered by research.

Elves

• Elves cast magic-user spells while wearing any armor.
• After third level, elves keep only a quarter of the experience points they earn.
• Elves roll hit points, attack, and deal damage like magic-users rather than fighters.
• Elves ignore aging and fear effects, Sleep, Charm, Hold, and ghoul paralysis.

Dwarves

• Dwarves act as fighters.
• They save with a +4 bonus.
• Dwarves know about stonework, gems, engineering, and metalwork.
• On 1–2 in 6, dwarves notice secret doors simply by passing near them.
• After level 6, dwarves suffer a 50% reduction in subsequent earned experience.

Alignment

• Law, Chaos, or Neutrality.
• Law and Chaos do not necessarily correspond neatly to Good and Evil.

Hit Dice

• All hit dice are d6.
• Fighters roll two hit dice, and choose the higher roll.

Experience and Advancement

• Treasure gives XP. Killing monsters does not.
• Exploring new rooms/hexes gives an XP bonus.

Armor, Encumbrance, Wandering Monsters

• Armor determines movement rate.
• Movement rate determines the likelihood of a random encounter.
• Use ascending armor class.

Combat, Damage, Death

• Running away is always an option.
• A “20” attack roll deals double damage and triggers a morale check.
• A “1” attack roll breaks the attacking weapon.
• Most attacks do d6 damage.
• Fighters deal d8 damage, or d10 with two-handed weapons.
• At zero or fewer hit points, roll on the Death or Dismemberment table.