People keep buying products. But all you need is paper and something to write one. Sure, for this I used 4″ x 6″ cards with pre-printed grids. But, I didn’t really need those. Just a pencil and paper would have done. If you are struggling to come up with a campaign map or dungeons. Here’s […]| Fluid — Druid
Call of the Wild RPG A few years ago, I started down the path of making a role-playing game about the Klondike and Alaskan gold rushes, tentatively titled Call of the Wild. I never finished it. Primarily because I came to the conclusion that I didn’t know how to make it fun. These gold rushes […]| Fluid — Druid
This is a dueling method for AD&D. It is not recommended for regular combat. Really, only used voluntarily if both parties choose to do so. This breaks the 1-minute round into component segment…| Fluid -- Druid
In AD&D 1e height and weight are important characteristics due to the fact that grappling and overbearing use height and weight as part of determining how effective such an attack might be. Aft…| Fluid -- Druid
7 posts published by Fluid the Druid during September 2025| Fluid -- Druid
This is the same approach as here. Read that first. Here’s a quicker version of the above. It eliminates the new weapon table and uses the original AD&D damage table. It replaces the previous armor dice with what is shown below. Otherwise, it is the same procedure.| Fluid — Druid
It could be argued that the Alternative Combat System that appears in th original Dungeons and Dragons is what distinguishes Dungeons and Dragons from the earlier game Chainmail. From one viewpoint, OD&D is just Chainmail with the ACS bolted on. But, that’s not what this post is about. What this post is about is continuing […]| Fluid — Druid
I cover unarmed combat for dragons here. Jousting with dragons here. There is still a bit more information to cover when jousting with dragons. First there is the lance. Given the ratio of neck to body of a dragon, the lances used in dragon jousting are specialized instruments quite a bit different from those used […]| Fluid — Druid
I’ve never been a great fan of the Dragonlance setting, modules, or novels. However, that does not mean I’m not a fan of dragons and lances. I’ve posted before about an expanded method that both allows the use of the Chainmail jousting matrix in AD&D. I’ve now extended this method to jousting with dragons. Procedure: […]| Fluid — Druid
Overbearing in AD&D means an unarmed action where an attacker attempts to knock his opponent off his feet. The base chance of success is exactly the same as for grappling (discussed here and here). Where overbearing differs is in the effect. The biggest difference is effect is modified by only the attacker’s strength, not the […]| Fluid — Druid
In my previous post of unarmed combat in AD&D, I discussed the basic mechanisms and gave an example of pummeling. Here is an example regarding grappling human versus ogre. A few years ago, when…| Fluid -- Druid
One of the great things about Hal Foster’s seminal Prince Valiant is that from very early on, Foster demonstrates how medieval combat was inextricably entwined with wrestling. The sequence below is one of the earliest examples, Val is losing versus the quarterstaff and resorts to grappling. It’s an early example, but the strip is full […]| Fluid — Druid
As of this date, I haven’t really done any product reviews. I don’t reckon I’ll be doing many. Unless, discussion of old games is considered a product review. But, nonetheless, I …| Fluid -- Druid
In an earlier post, I discussed the spear versus the dagger efficacy versus the armors available in AD&D. I also present, more generally, the entire list of weapons and how they’d fare ve…| Fluid -- Druid
This post is inspired by this X post discussing random wilderness encounters. He’s not wrong. But, he’s not right, either. I’ll explain. Plus he’s got this blog post. What h…| Fluid -- Druid
This post is inspired by this video. Though this one pretty much sums up my conclusions pretty well. In summary, Shad’s argument goes like this, when held up next to one another a dagger and …| Fluid -- Druid
Here’s a short one with no real conclusion. This really is just a place to memorialize where I am in thinking about this subject. And, to inspire anyone who also might be interested in the to…| Fluid -- Druid
Recently on Twitter/X there was a discussion of what would be needed for a simple, yet still interesting, campaign game. Mr. Wargaming set out the criteria he was looking for. This made me think th…| Fluid -- Druid
Let’s face it, does AD&D 1e really need another pole arm? Not really. Gary Gygax already provided a pretty detailed list. Plus, given the variation in historical pole axes, the already pr…| Fluid -- Druid
In a prior post, I looked at AD&D movement rates in relation to missile fire. In that piece I used the DMG overland movement rates and terrain classification to explicate short-term movement ra…| Fluid -- Druid
At the end of the recent Arbiter of Worlds stream, with Alexander Macris and Harmony Ginger, the issue of game rulings and precedent came up. I commented in the chat my view that rulings should not…| Fluid -- Druid
In AD&D, a typical movement rate is 12″ per round. Cursory review of the missile weapon ranges shows that for most weapons an infantry unit moving to engage in melee with a unit of missil…| Fluid -- Druid
In my previous column here, I suggested that cavalry may be the best unit type to use against trolls in AD&D. Not just because the damage advantage of the lance at the charge, but because the c…| Fluid -- Druid
This is a scenario I’ve run for Mr. Wargaming of the Joy of Wargaming. He’s done me some favors in the past, now is time to help him out. Mr. Wargaming generated an AD&D 1e encounte…| Fluid -- Druid
AD&D 1e gets a fair amount of flack for being awkward and clunky. This is mostly from people who haven’t played it for any length of time. Gygax’s rather florid style which challenges their com…| Fluid -- Druid
This is a follow-up on my piece about firearms for AD&D. Presented are my approach to Renaissance artillery for AD&D 1e. The rules here use the War Machine rules on page 108 & 109 of th…| Fluid -- Druid
The discussion that follows is best understood with a copy of both the first edition DMG and a copy of the Boot Hill rules. Gary Gygax was against functioning gunpowder in AD&D. For him, gunpow…| Fluid -- Druid
Jeffro’s been talking about convergence for a long time. Bdubs too. They contrast diffusion with convergence. As I understand the thesis, his point is the great moments of gaming occur during perio…| Fluid -- Druid
