Thursday, January 31, 2019

Dumps 'n Documentation

Download a BASIC source code repository here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Kmm3lPfkgI65cPAMMYil5SWZ6hKmiQFs

I was curious about how several gameplay mechanics in DND actually work, most of all the spells. The source code available may or may not correspond exactly to the version that I played, but it seems to match as far as I can tell. But I went through it and now understand more or less precisely what each spell does, with the single exception of Fear.

A lot of these effects involve a “3d6” roll. This means rolling three six-sided dice and adding them, for a possible range of 3 to 18. Note that the 3-18 probability is not evenly distributed. Assuming that the BASIC RNG itself is fair, 90% of the 3d6 rolls will be between 6 and 15, and the odds of rolling 3 or 18 are less than half a percent each.

First, the mage spells. Misspellings are probably Lawrence’s.

Level Spell Duration Effect
1 Magic missle Combat 1d6 damage
1 Charm Combat Incapacitates if [(INT + CHA)/2 + level - monster level] >= 3d6.
Never works on undead or dopplegangers.
Monster breaks charm if [CHA + level – monster level] < 3d6.
1 Shield 1d10 steps -20% chance to get hit
1 Sleep Combat Incapacitates if [INT + level – monster level] >= 3d6.
Never works on undead or dopplegangers.
Monster wakes up if [INT + level – monster level] <= 3d6.
1 Protection from evil 1d10 steps -10% chance to get hit.
-5% chance to be drained by energy attacks.
1 Light 1d10 steps Reveals things and secret doors on the map.
2 Phantasmal forces Combat Kills if [INT + 1 + level – monster level] > 3d6.
2 Web Combat Incapacitates if [(INT + DEX)/2] >= 3d6.
2 Lightning bolt Combat 1d6 damage per level.
Monster can save for half damage if [6 + monster level – level] > 1d10.
2 Strength 1d10 steps +3 strength for damage calculations.
2 Levitate 2d10 steps Prevents falling in pits.
2 Invisibility 2d10 steps 70% chance that monsters don’t see you.
3 Fireball Combat 1d10 damage per level.
Monster can save for half damage if [monster level – level] > 4.
3 Confuse Combat Monster attacks itself.
Never works on dopplegangers. Fails if INT < 3d6.
3 Pass-wall 1 step Move through a wall
3 Hold monster Combat Incapacitates if [CHA + level – monster level] >= 3d6.
Never works on dopplegangers.
3 Fear 3d20 steps 80% chance of something happening during each encounter,
but I have no idea what.
3 Continual light 3d20 steps Same effect as light but longer.
4 Teleport 1 step Randomly teleport somewhere. Kills you if [INT+1] < 3d6.
4 Power word kill Combat Kills if INT > 3d6.
Kills you if 3d6 rolls three sixes.
Dopplegangers have 50% chance to resist.
4 Prismatic wall Combat 70% chance monster goes away.
4 Time stop 1d10 steps No monster encounters.
Disables Excelsior transporter.
4 Wall of fire Combat 30% chance of killing.
30% monster goes away.
40% chance of nothing.
4 Summon demon Combat Performs two rolls of [INT-1] >= 3d6.
Nothing happens if the first one fails.
Kills if both succeed.
You fight a demon in the monster’s place if the first succeeds but the second fails.


And the cleric spells. Some spells are the same as mage spells. For instance, Holy word and Blade barrior are just Power word kill and Prismatic wall renamed.

Level Spell Duration Effect
1 Protection from evil 1d10 steps -10% chance to get hit.
-5% chance to be drained by energy attacks.
1 Light 1d10 steps Reveals things and secret doors on the map.
1 Cure light wounds 1 step Restore 1d6 + 1 HP.
1 Turn undead Combat Undead leave if [WIS + level – monster level -3] >= 3d6.
2 Detect traps 2d10 steps 90% of recognizing trapped treasure.
2 Silence 2d10 steps Get first strike if [15 + level – monster level] > 1d20.
2 Pray 2d10 steps +5% chance to hit.
-10% chance to get hit.
-5% chance to be drained by energy attacks.
2 Hold monster Combat Incapacitates if [CHA + level – monster level] >= 3d6.
Never works on dopplegangers.
3 Cure serious wounds Instant Restore 2d6 + 2 HP.
3 Dispell undead Combat Kills undead if [WIS – 2] >= 3d6.
3 Continual light 3d20 steps Same effect as light but longer.
3 Plague Combat Kills if [WIS-2] >= 3d6.
If successful, 10% chance it kills you too.
4 Holy word Combat Kills if INT > 3d6.
Kills you if 3d6 rolls three sixes.
Dopplegangers have 50% chance to resist.
4 Finger of death Combat Kills if WIS > 1d20.
4 Blade barrior Combat 70% chance monster goes away.
4 Raise dead Instant Does nothing. Really.

2 comments:

  1. I think the flag that is set in the 80% case of "Fear" leads to treasure being dropped after combat.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Raise dead is cast automatically when a cleric character dies if he has level 4 spells left. The character loses 1 Constitution and the spell fails ramdomly depending on character's Constitution.

    ReplyDelete

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