Advanced Dungeons & Dragons®

Table of Contents

Foreword to the 2nd Edition

Credits

Foreword

Introduction

A Word About Organization

The Fine Art of Being a DM

Chapter 1: Player Character Ability Scores

Giving Players What They Want

Choosing a Character Creation Method

Method I (3d6, In Order):

Method II (3d6 twice, keep desired score):

Method III (3d6, arranged to taste):

Method IV (3d6 twice, arranged to taste):

Method V (4d6, drop lowest, arrange as desired):

Method VI (points plus dice):

Super Characters

Identifying Too-Powerful Characters

Dealing with Too-Powerful Characters

Hopless Characters

Dealing with Hopless Characters

Dealing with Dissatisfied Players

Wishes and Ability Scores

Players with Multiple Characters

Multiple Character Problems

Character Background

Letting Players Do the Work

Problem Backgrounds

Background as Background

Chapter 2: Player Character Races

A Non-Human World

Racial Level Restrictions

Slow Advancement (Optional Rule)

Standard Class and Level Limits DMG

Exceeding Level Limits (Optional Rule)

Creating New Player Character Races

Chapter 3: Player Character Classes

Class, Level, and the Common Man

0-Level Characters

Adventures and Society

Fighters

Paladins

Rangers

Wizards

Priests

Thieves

Bards

Character Classes in Your Campaign

High-Level Characters

Defining “High-Level”

Changing Campiagn Styles

Above 20th Level

Beginning Character Levels

Mixing New and OId Characters

Pre-Rolled Characters

Creating New Character Classes (Optional Rule)

Chapter 4: Alignment

Player Character Alignment

Role-Playing Alignment

NPC Alignment

The Limits of NPC Alignment

Society Alignment

Using Area Alignments

Varying Social Alignment

Alignment of Religions

Alignment of Magical Items

Magical Alignment Changes

Alignment as a World View

Alignments in Conflict

Never-Ending Conflict

Alignment as a Tool

Detecting Alignment

Asking

Casting a Spell

Class Abilities

Keeping Players in the Dark

Changing Alignment

Deliberate Change

Unconscious Change

Involuntary Change

Charting the Changes

Effects of Changing Alignment

Chapter 5: Proficiencies (Optional)

Weapon Proficiencies

Min/Maxing

NPC Proficiencies

Nonweapon Proficiencies

Adding New Proficiencies

Chapter 6: Money and Equipment

Monetary Systems

A Short History of Commerce

Goods

Letters of Credit

Barter

Coins

Types of Coins

Expenses

Squalid Conditions

Poor Conditions

Middle-Class Conditions

Wealthy Conditions

Draining the Coffers

Expanding the Equipment Lists

Altering Prices

Equipment by Time Period

The Ancient World

The Dark Ages

The Middle Ages

The Renaisssance

Adjusting Equipment Lists

Quality of Equipment

Lock Quality

Horse Quality

Horse Traits

Horse Traits (Optional Rule)

Risks of Horse Buying

Weapon Quality

Ornamentation

Armor Made of Unusual Metals (Optional Rule)

Damaging Equipment

Item Saving Throws

Attack Forms

Chapter 7: Magic

Inital Wizard Spells

Player Choice

DM Choice

Player/DM Collaboration

Acquisition of Spells Beyond the 1st Level

Gaining Levels

Copying from Spell Books

Scroll Research

Study with a Mentor

DM Control of Spell Acquisition

Spell Books

All Sizes and Shapes

Spell Book Preparation

Spell Book Cost

How Many Pages in a Spell Book

Expanding the Schools of Magic

Adding New Spells

Expansion Through CampaignDetail

Spell Research

Suggesting a New Spell

Analyzing a Spell

Solving the Problem of a New Spell

Setting a Spell’s Level

Determining Spell Components (Optional Rule)

Determining Research Time

The Cost of Spell Research

Adding a New Spell to the Spell Book

Researching Extra Wizard Spells (Optional Rule)

Chapter 8: Experience

The Importance of Experience

Too Little or Too Much?

Constant Goals

Fun

Character Survival

Improvement

Variable Goals

Story Goals

Experience Point Awards

Group Awards

Individual Experience Awards (Optional Rule)

When to Award Experience Points

Effects of Experience

Training (Optional Rule)

Rate of Advancement

Chapter 9: Combat

Creating Vivid Combat Scenes

More Than Just Hack-and-Slash

Definitions

The Attack Roll

Figuring the To-Hit Number

Modifiers to the Attack Roll

Weapon Type vs. Armor Modifiers (Optional Rule)

The Various Types of Weapons

Impossible To-Hit Numbers

Calculating THAC0

Combat and Encounters

The Combat Round

What You Can Do in One Round

The Combat Sequence

Initiative

Standard Initiative Procedure

Initiative Modifiers

Group Initiative (Optional Rule)

Individual Initiative (Optional Rule)

Multiple Attacks and Initiative

Spellcasting and Initiative

Weapon Speed and Initiative (Optional Rule)

Magical Weapon Speeds

Attacking

Number of Attackers

Facing

Weapon Length

Position of Attackers and Attack Rolls

Pole Arms and Weapon Frontage (Optional Rule)

Shields and Weapon Frontage (Optional Rule)

Hitting a Specific Target

Called Shots

Movement in Combat

Movement in Melee

Movement and Missile Combat

Charging and Opponent

Retreat

Attacking Without Killing

Punching and Wrestling

Overbearing

Weapons in Non-Lethal Combat

Non-Lethal Combat and Creatures

Touch Spells and Combat

Critical Hits (Optional Rule)

Critical Fumbles

Parrying (Optional Rule)

Missile Weapons in Combat

Range

Rate of Fire

Ability Modifiers in Missile Combat

Firing Into a Melee

Taking Cover Against Missile Fire

Grenade-Like Missiles

Boulders as Missile Weapons

Special Attacks

Attacking with Charmed Creatures

Gaze Attacks

Innate Abilities

Breath Weapons

Special Defenses

The Saving Throw

Rolling Saving Throws

Saving Throw Priority

Voluntarily Failing Saving Throws

Ability Checks as Saving Throws

Modifying Saving Throws

Magic Resitance

Effects of Magic Resistance

When Magic Resistance Applies

Successful Magic Resistance Rolls

Turning Undead

Evil Preists and Undead

Immunity to Weapons

Effect of Weapon Hits

Silver Weapons

Creature vs. Creature

Using Immune Monsters in a Campaign

Morale

The Role-Playing Solution

Dicing fror Morale

How to Make a Morale Check

Failing a Morale Check

Injury and Death

Wounds

Special Damage

Falling

Paralysis

Energy Drain

Poison

Treating Poison Victims

Creating New Poisons

Specific Injuries (Optional Rule)

Is This Injury Necessary?

Healing

Natural Healing

Magical Healing

Herbalism and Healing Proficiencies

Character Death

Death from Poison

Death from Massive Damage

Inescapable Death

Raising the Dead

Hovering on Death’s Door (Optional Rule)

Unusual Combat Situations

Siege Damage

Mounted Combat

Mounts–Trained and Untrained

Fighting from Horseback

Being Dismounted

Aerial Combat (Tournament Rule)

Maneuverability Classses

Levitation

Altitude

Combat Procdure

Air-to-Ground Combat

Escaping

Damage

Aerial Combat (Optional Rules)

Movement

Climbing and Diving

Attacking

Underwater Combat

Breathing

Movement

Vision

Natural and Artifical Light

Obscured Vision

Infravision

Combat

Combat Problems of Surface Dwellers

Underwater Magic

Chapter 10: Treasure and Magical Items

Who Needs Money?

Forms of Treasure

Placement of Treasure

Who’s Got the Treasure?

Planned and Random Encounter Treasures

Treasure Tables

Maintaining Balance

Too Little Treasure

Monty Haul Campaigns

Magical Items

Creatures and Magical Items

Buying Magical Items

Magic-Rare or Common?

Researching Magical Items

The Nature of Magical Fabrication

Scrolls and Potions

Scrolls

Potions

Creating Other Magical Items

Recharging Magical Items

Destroying Magical Items

Artifacts and Relics (Optional Rules)

Designing an Artifact or Relic

Sample Artifacts and Relics

Chapter 11: Encounters

What is an Encounter?

Planned Encounters

Keys

Triggers

Combining Keys and Triggers

Random Encounters

Should You Use Random Encounters?

Characteristics of Random Encounter Tables

Creating Encounter Tables

The 2-20 Table

The Percentile Table

Dungeon Encounter Tables

Wildernesss Encounter Tables

Special Encounter Tables

Spicing Up Encounter Tables

DMing Encounters

Encounter Checks

Is This Encounter Necessary?

Encounter Size

Surprise

Encounter Distance

Encounter Reactions

Fixing Things in Play DMG

The Encounter is Too Difficult

The Encounter Gave Away Too Much Treasure

The Encounter Was Too Easy

Chapter 12: NPCs

Hirelings

Medieval Occupations

The Assassin, the Spy, and the Sage

Assassins

Spies

Sages

Soldiers

Descriptions of Troop Types

Employing Hirelings

Who Might Be Offended?

Depopulate at Your Own Risk

Securing Permission

Finding the Right People

The Weekly Wage

Henchmen

An NPC Becomes a Henchman

The Player Takes Over

Role-Playing Henchmen

Henchman Bookkeeping

Officals and Social Rank

Titles, Offices, and Positions

Spellcasters

Finding a Spellcaster

Convincing the NPC to Help

NPC Magical Items

Personality

Walk-On NPCs

Significant NPCs

Other NPC Characteristics

Morale

Quick NPCs

Chapter 13: Vision and Light

Effects of Light Sources

Being Seen

Creatures and Light Sources

Light Tricks and Traps

Infravision

Standard Infravision

Optional Infravision

Other Forms of Sight

Darkness

Invisibility

Detecting Invisible Creatures

Chapter 14: Time and Movement

Detailed Timekeeping

Preparing a Calendar

Time as a Game-Balancer

Movement

Mounted Overland Movement

Advantages of Mounted Movement

Increasing Overland Speed

Care of Animals

Vehicles

Terrain and Vehicles

Terrain Effects and Movement

Darkness and Ice

Terrain Modifiers in Overland Movement

Roads and Trails

Terrain Obstacles and Hindrances

Movement on Water

Ocean Voyaging

Weather and Ship Travel

Aerial Movement

Getting Lost

Just Lost

Hopelessly Lost

Dealing With Lost Characters

Chapter 15: A DM’s Miscellany

Listening

Doors

Concealed and Secret Doors

Lycanthropy

Other Magical Diseases

The Planes of Existance

The Prime Material Planes

The Ethereal Planes

The Inner Planes

The Astral Plane

The Outer Planes

Appendix 1: Treasure Tables

Coins

Gems

Ornamental Stones

Semi-Precious Stones

Fancy to Precious

Gems and Jewels

Objects of Art

Appendix 2: Magical Item Tables

Appendix 3: Magical Item Descriptions

Potions

Identifying Potions

Combining Potions

Potion Duration

List of Potions

Scrolls

Spell Level of Scroll Spells

Magical Spell Failure

Use of Scroll Spells

Casting Scroll Effects

Protection Scroll Effects

Who Can Use Scroll Spells?

Spell Level Range

Cursed Scrolls

Maps

List of Protection Scrolls

Rings

List of Rings

Rods

Command Words (Optional Rule)

List of Rods

Staves

Command Words (Optional Rule)

List of Staves

Wands

Command Words (Optional Rule) III

List of Wands

Miscellaneous Magic

Categories of Magical Items

List of Magical Items

Armor and Shields

Magical Weapons

Light Generation

Unknown or Unusual Qualities

List of Magical Weapons

Intelligent Weapons

Intelligent Weapon Alignment

Weapons Abilities

Weapon Ego

Weapons Versus Characters

Tables

Table 1: Method I Characters

Table 2: Method II Characters

Table 3: Method III Characters

Table 4: Method IV Characters

Table 5: Method V Characters

Table 6: Method VI Characters

Table 7: Racial Class and Level Limits

Table 8: Prime Requisite Bonuses

Table 9: Maximum Levels for Variant Races

Table 10: 0-Level Hit Points by Title

Table 11: Race

Table 12: Combat Value Used

Table 13: Saving Throw Table Used

Table 14: Hit Dice Per Level

Table 15: Armor Allowed

Table 16: Weapons Allowed

Table 17: Hit Points Per Level Beyond 9th

Table 18: Optional Abilities

Table 19: Thief Average Ability Table

Table 20: Restrictions

Table 21: Base Experience Points

Table 22: Player Character Living Expenses

Table 23: Equipment By Time Period

Table 24: Lock Quality

Table 25: Horse Quality

Table 26: Horse Traits

Table 27: Unusual Metal Armors

Table 28: Hit Points of Items

Table 29: Item Saving Throws

Table 30: Spell Book Capacities

Table 31: Creature Experience Point Values

Table 32: Hit Dice Value Modifiers

Table 33: Common Individual Awards

Table 34: Individual Class Awards

Table 35: Combat Modifiers

Table 36: Weapon Type Vs. Armor Modifiers

Table 37: THAC0 Advancement

Tabel 38: Calculated THAC0S

Table 39: Creature THAC0

Table 40: Standard Modifiers to Initiative

Table 41: Optional Modifiers to Initiative

Table 42: Armor Modifiers for Wrestling

Table 43: Punching and Wrestling Results

Table 44: Cover and Concealment Modifiers

Table 45: Grenade-Like Missile Effects

Table 46: Character Saving Throws

Table 47: Turning Undead

Table 48: Hit Dice Vs. Immunity

Table 49: Morale Ratings

Table 50: Situational Modifiers

Table 51: Poison Strength

Table 52: Structural Saving Throws

Table 53: Mounted Missile Fire

Table 54: 2-20 Encounter Table

Table 55: Dungeon Level

Table 56: Frequency & Chance of Wilderness Encounters

Table 57: Surprise Modifiers

Table 58: Encounter Distance

Table 59: Encounter Reactions

Table 59: Encounter Reactions

Table 60: NPC Professions

Table 61: Fields of Study

Table 62: Sage Modifiers

Table 63: Research Times

Table 64: Military Occupations

Table 65: Common Wages

Table 66: Europeans Titles

Table 67: Oriental Titles

Table 68: Religious Titles

Table 69: NPC Spell Costs

Table 70: General Traits

Table 71: Permanent Morale Modifiers

Table 72: Optional Degrees of Darkness

Table 73: Terrain Effects on Movement

Table 74: Terrain Costs for Overland Movement

Table 75: Terrain Modifiers

Table 76: Boat Movement

Table 77: Ship Types

Table 78: Sailing Movement Modifiers

Table 79: Weather Conditions

Table 80: Aerial Movement Modifiers

Table 81: Chance of Getting Hopelessly Lost

Table 82: Lost Modifiers

Table 83: Chance to Heat Noise by Race

Table 84: Treasure Types

Table 85: Gem Table

Table 86: Gem Variations

Table 87: Objects of Art

Table 88: Magical Items

Table 89: Potions and Oils (D6)

Table 90: Scrolls (D6)

Table 91: Rings (D6)

Table 92: Rods

Table 93: Staves

Table 94: Wands

Table 95: Miscellaneous Magic: Boooks, Librams, Manuals, Tomes

Table 96: Miscellaneous Magic: Jewels, Jewelry, Phylacteries (D6)

Table 97: Miscellaneous Magic: Cloaks and Robes

Table 98: Miscellaneous Magic: Boots, Bracers, Gloves

Table 99: Miscellaneous Magic: Girdles, Hats, Helms

Table 100: Miscellaneous Magic: Bags, Bottles, Pouches, Containers

Table 101: Miscellaneous Magic: Candles, Dusts, Ointments, Incense, and Stones

Table 102: Miscellaneous Magic: Household Items and Tools

Table 103: Miscellaneous Magic: Musical Instruments

Table 104: Miscellaneous Magic: The Weird Stuff

Table 105: Armor Type

Table 106: Armor Class Adjustment

Table 107: Special Armors

Table 108: Weapon Type (D6)

Table 109: Attack Roll Adjustment

Table 110: Special Weapons (D10)

Table 111: Potion Compatibility

Table 112: Spell Failure

Table 113: Weapon Intelligence and Capabilities

Table 114: Weapon Alignment

Table 115: Weapon Primary Abilities

Table 116: Weapon Extradinary Powers

Table 117: Special Purpose Weapons

Table 118: Languages Spoken by Weapon

Table 119: Weapon Ego

Trident of Fish Command: This three-tined fork atop a stout 6-foot long rod appears to be a barbed
military fork of some sort. However, its magical properties enable its wielder to
cause all fish within a 60-foot radius to roll saving throws vs. spell. This
uses one charge of the trident. Fish failing this throw are completely under
empathic command and will not attack the possessor of the trident nor any creature
within 10 feet of him. The wielder of the device can cause fish to move in
whatever direction is desired and can convey messages of emotion (i.e., fear,
hunger, anger, indifference, repletion, etc.). Fish making their saving throw are
free of empathic control, but they will not approach within 10 feet of the trident.

In addition to ordinary fish, the trident affects sharks and eels. It doesn’t
affect mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and similar sorts
of nonpiscine marine creatures. A school of fish should be checked as a single
entity.

A trident of this type contains 1d4+16 charges. It is otherwise a +1 magical
weapon.

Table of Contents

Sword -2, cursed: This is a sword that gives off a magical aura and performs well against
targets in practice, but when it is used against an opponent in combat it lowers its
user’s attack rolls by -2. Only by careful observation can this lowering be
detected.

All damage scored is reduced by 2 hit points, but never below a 1 in any
event. The sword will always force the character to employ it against enemies,
appearing in the character’s hand. It can be gotten rid of only by means of limited wish or wish.

Table of Contents

Sword +1, flame tongue, +2 vs. regenerating creatures, +3 vs. cold-using
inflammable, or avian creatures, +4 vs. undead: This sheds light when its possessor speaks a command word or phrase. When
activated, the flame tongue sword’s fire illuminates the area as brightly as a torch. The flame from this
sword easily ignites oil, burns webs, or sets fire to paper, parchment, dry
wood, etc. Cold-using creatures are those whose attack mode involves cold (ice
toads, white dragons, winter wolves, yeti, etc.).

Table of Contents

Scimitar of Speed: This is a magical weapon, usually of +2 bonus, that automatically grants its
wielder the first attack in a melee round, even though some magical effect might
have otherwise slowed his speed and reaction time. It also allows more than
one strike in some rounds, increasing the wielder’s figure for attacks per melee
round by one place, so that if one attack is normal, then the improvement is to
two attacks per round. This increase in attacks is cumulative with any other
bonus attacks (such as those provided by a haste spell).

The order of attacks in the round is determined normally after the wielder of
the scimitar of speed has made his first attack to begin activity in the round. It is possible, for
instance, that a wielder entitled to three attacks in the round will attack
once before any other action takes place, and then (because of poor initiative
rolls or other factors) take his remaining two attacks at the very end of the
round.

There is a chance (25%) that the weapon will have a bonus of something other
than +2; if this occurs, roll percentile dice and refer to the following table
to determine the appropriate bonus:

Table of Contents

Hammer of Thunderbolts: This appears to be a large, extra-heavy hammer. A character less than 6 feet
tall and with Strength less than 18/01 will find it too unbalanced to wield
properly in combat. However, a character of sufficient Strength and size will find
that the hammer functions with a +3 bonus and gains double damage dice on any
hit.

If the wielder wears a girdle of giant strength and gauntlets of ogre power and he knows the hammer’s true name, the weapon can be used to full effect:
When swung or hurled it gains a +5 bonus, double damage dice, all girdle and gauntlet bonuses, and it strikes dead any giant upon which it scores a hit.

(Depending on the campaign, the DM might wish to limit the effect to exclude
storm giants and include ogres, ogre magi, trolls, ettins, and clay, flesh, and
stone golems.)

When hurled and successfully hitting, a great noise, like a clap of thunder,
stuns all creatures within 90 feet for one round. Throwing range is 180 feet.
(Thor would throw the hammer about double the above range.) The hammer of thunderbolts is difficult to hurl, so only one throw every other round can be made. After
five throws within the space of any two-turn period, the wielder must rest for
one turn.

Hammers can be hurled as hand axes.

Table of Contents

DungeonSat Jun 12 10:57:30 1999

Players.hlp9 DMG00009.htm

Players.hlp9 DMG00009.htm

Monster.hlp43 DMG00043.htm

Monster.hlp43 DMG00043.htm

Players.hlp43 DMG00043.htm

Players.hlp45 DMG00045.htm

Players.hlp50 DMG00050.htm

Players.hlp51 DMG00051.htm

Players.hlp52 DMG00052.htm

Players.hlp53 DMG00053.htm

Tome.hlp53 DMG00053.htm

Tome.hlp53 DMG00053.htm

Players.hlp54 DMG00054.htm

Players.hlp55 DMG00055.htm

Players.hlp56 DMG00056.htm

Players.hlp107 DMG00107.htm

Players.hlp107 DMG00107.htm

Players.hlp108 DMG00108.htm

Players.hlp110 DMG00110.htm

Players.hlp116 DMG00116.htm

Players.hlp124 DMG00124.htm

Players.hlp124 DMG00124.htm

Players.hlp125 DMG00125.htm

Players.hlp126 DMG00126.htm

Players.hlp131 DMG00131.htm

Players.hlp143 DMG00143.htm

Players.hlp150 DMG00150.htm

Tome.hlp150 DMG00150.htm

Tome.hlp150 DMG00150.htm

Players.hlp159 DMG00159.htm

Tome.hlp159 DMG00159.htm

Tome.hlp159 DMG00159.htm

Players.hlp168 DMG00168.htm

Tome.hlp168 DMG00168.htm

Tome.hlp168 DMG00168.htm

Players.hlp169 DMG00169.htm

Players.hlp179 DMG00179.htm

Tome.hlp179 DMG00179.htm

Tome.hlp179 DMG00179.htm

Players.hlp197 DMG00197.htm

Players.hlp205 DMG00205.htm

Players.hlp206 DMG00206.htm

Players.hlp206 DMG00206.htm

Players.hlp209 DMG00209.htm

Players.hlp225 DMG00225.htm

Players.hlp239 DMG00239.htm

Players.hlp251 DMG00251.htm

Tome.hlp251 DMG00251.htm

Tome.hlp251 DMG00251.htm

Players.hlp251 DMG00251.htm

Tome.hlp251 DMG00251.htm

Tome.hlp251 DMG00251.htm

Players.hlp256 DMG00256.htm

Players.hlp257 DMG00257.htm

Players.hlp258 DMG00258.htm

Players.hlp301 DMG00301.htm

Players.hlp312 DMG00312.htm

Players.hlp313 DMG00313.htm

Players.hlp318 DMG00318.htm

Players.hlp327 DMG00327.htm

Players.hlp327 DMG00327.htm

Tome.hlp338 DMG00338.htm

Tome.hlp342 DMG00342.htm

Tome.hlp349 DMG00349.htm

Players.hlp379 DMG00379.htm

Players.hlp386 DMG00386.htm

Monster.hlp386 DMG00386.htm

Players.hlp387 DMG00387.htm

Players.hlp406 DMG00406.htm

Players.hlp430 DMG00430.htm

Players.hlp438 DMG00438.htm

Players.hlp446 DMG00446.htm

Players.hlp459 DMG00459.htm

Players.hlp465 DMG00465.htm

Monster.hlp475 DMG00475.htm

Monster.hlp476 DMG00476.htm

players.hlp557 DMG00557.htm

Players.hlp558 DMG00558.htm

Players.hlp560 DMG00560.htm

Players.hlp572 DMG00572.htm

Players.hlp572 DMG00572.htm

Monster.hlp605 DMG00605.htm

Players.hlp607 DMG00607.htm

Players.hlp612 DMG00612.htm

Players.hlp673 DMG00673.htm

Players.hlp673 DMG00673.htm

Players.hlp674 DMG00674.htm

Players.hlp707 DMG00707.htm

Monster.hlp719 DMG00719.htm

Monster.hlp727 DMG00727.htm

Monster.hlp736 DMG00736.htm

Monster.hlp756 DMG00756.htm

Monster.hlp762 DMG00762.htm

Monster.hlp762 DMG00762.htm

Players.hlp771 DMG00771.htm

Players.hlp783 DMG00783.htm

Players.hlp835 DMG00835.htm

Monster.hlp873 DMG00873.htm

Players.hlp893 DMG00893.htm

Players.hlp898 DMG00898.htm

Table 118:

Languages Spoken by Weapon

The DM should determine languages spoken by the weapon based on his campaign
and the history of the weapon. Thus, an intelligent warhammer fashioned by the
dwarves would certainly understand dwarvish as one of its powers.

Table of Contents

Trident of Warning: A weapon of this type enables its wielder to determine the location, depth,
species, and number of hostile or hungry marine predators within 240 feet. A trident of warning must be grasped and pointed in order for the person using it to gain such
information, and it requires one round to scan a hemisphere with a radius of 240
feet. There are 19-24 charges in a trident of this type, each charge sufficient
to last for two rounds of scanning. The weapon is otherwise a +2 magical weapon.

Table of Contents

Sword of Dancing: On the first round of melee this weapon is +1, on the second +2, on the third
+3, and on the fourth it is +4. On the fifth round, it drops back to +1 and the
cycle begins again. In addition, after four rounds of melee its wielder can
opt to allow it to “dance.”

Dancing consists of loosing the sword on any round (after the first) when its
bonus is +1. The sword then fights on its own at the same level of experience
as its wielder. After four rounds of dancing, the sword returns to its wielder,
who must hold it (and use it) for four rounds before it can dance again. In
other words, it is loosed to dance for four more rounds, going from +1 to +4, and
must then be held by its wielder at a +1 state and physically used for four
successive rounds of melee combat.

When dancing, the sword will leave its owner’s hand and may go up to 30 feet
distant. At the end of its fourth round of solo combat, it will move to its
possessor’s hand automatically. Note that when dancing the sword cannot be
physically hit, although certain magical attacks such as a fireball, lightning bolt, or transmute metal to wood spell could affect it.

Finally, remember that the dancing sword fights alone exactly the same; if a 7th-level thief is the wielder, the sword
will so fight when dancing. Relieved of his weapon for four melee rounds, the
possessor may act in virtually any manner desired–resting, discharging
missiles, drawing another weapon and engaging in hand-to-hand combat, etc.–as long as
he remains within 30 feet of the sword. If he moves more than 30 feet from the
weapon, it falls lifeless to the ground and is a +1 weapon when again grasped.

Table of Contents