The Black Hack/Labyrinth Lord House Rules

I was asked yesterday to share how I’m combining these two systems. To share this with my players (coworkers of mine), I’m storing everything in the company wiki. It makes it easy to have the rules, session write-ups, maps, setting details, and my own notes stored on there (we have a permissions system so I can hide my notes from my players – very useful!).

Some of these changes are just for flavor. Some of them are trying to cut closer to the old-school feel. Some of them are just practicalities around trying to run a megadungeon with a system that only offers milestone leveling. Some of them are simply to speed things up. Some of them are just because I think they’re cool.


Base Rules

Assume The Black Hack unless overridden below.

House Rules

Character Creation

Classes

Conjurer

Conjurers are additionally proficient in Daggers.

Races

From The Race Hack, only the Race as Class option (Part 2) is allowed.

Dwarves

Dwarves are additionally proficient in Battleaxes and Warhammers.

Alignment

From Labyrinth Lord (Law/Neutrality/Chaos).

Subclasses

Every class also gets a random subclass.

See http://blog.koshergiraffe.com/2016/07/subclasses-for-the-black-hack/ for the list of subclasses based on class.

Starting Gold and Equipment

Starting gold per Labyrinth Lord (3d8x10 gp). Equipment list (except for armor) from Labyrinth Lord. Additionally, fast packs are available for purchase.

See http://discourseanddragons.blogspot.com/2009/09/ye-fast-pack-revised-for-ll.html for the fast packs that I’m using.

Armor

Use ‘Better’ Armor from Additional Things.

Adventuring

Experience

Experience is gained by removing loot from the dungeon. 1 gp = 1 xp. Every PC gets a share, men-at-arms get a half share, and torch-bearers don’t get anything. Characters advance in level per Labyrinth Lord.

Darkness

Use Panic and Light from Additional Things.

Healing

Healing per the Resting section of The Black Hack is not allowed. Healing per the Damage and Healing section of Labyrinth Lord is allowed (1d3 hp per full day of rest).

Combat

Initiative

Group initiative per Rolling Initiative section in Labyrinth Lord. Each side rolls a 1d6, higher goes first. In the event of a tie, players go first.

Dual Wielding

If wielding two one-handed weapons, determine damage by rolling your damage die twice and taking the higher value.

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