Delving Deeper Reference Rules

Abstract

Delving Deeper Reference Rules v4 (Immersive Ink) is a full-scope OD&D-faithful rules reconstruction organized as a single online reference. It tracks the original three-book gameplay envelope in modernized structure: heroes/magic, delving/exploration, and monsters/treasures. In this wiki it serves as the primary OD&D proxy, just as Old-School Essentials serves as the primary B/X proxy.

Where OSE clarifies and regularizes B/X presentation, Delving Deeper preserves OD&D-era texture: inch-based movement scales, combat adjudication guided by referee judgement, matrix-based attacks, treasure-first XP economy, and broad support for open-ended class/race experimentation.

Character Creation

Abilities: Roll 3d6 in order for Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, Charisma.

Alignment: Law, Neutrality, or Chaos.

Prime requisite XP adjustment (Table 1.1): - 3-5: -20% - 6-8: -10% - 9-12: no modifier - 13-15: +5% - 16-18: +10%

Starting wealth: 30-180 gp.

Languages: Common tongue + alignment tongue baseline; additional languages scale with Intelligence (Table 1.3).

Core ability effects: - Strength: load thresholds, open doors chance, fighter melee damage bonus at high STR. - Dexterity: initiative and missile hit modifiers (Table 1.4). - Constitution: hp-per-die modifier and shock survival probability (Table 1.5). - Charisma: max retainers, loyalty adjustment, reaction adjustment (Table 1.6).

Classes

Delving Deeper baseline mirrors OD&D priorities while explicitly including an optional thief track.

Demihuman support remains strongly OD&D-coded: - Halflings and dwarfs as fighter variants with level caps and strong save perks. - Elves as fighter/magic-user switchers with dual-class style bookkeeping.

Advancement

XP is primarily treasure-driven: 1 XP per gp recovered. Monster XP defaults to 100 XP per HD defeated, with referee scaling for extraordinary threat traits.

Key advancement behavior: - XP from monster defeat scales by dungeon-level-to-character-level ratio, reinforcing risk-appropriate delving. - A character can gain at most one level per adventure (excess toward a second level is discarded). - Core tables run to level 12 with explicit beyond-12 extrapolation guidance.

XP breakpoints (selected): - Cleric: 1,500 (2nd), 50,000 (7th), 160,000 (9th), 400,000 (12th) - Fighter: 2,000 (2nd), 65,000 (7th), 240,000 (9th), 600,000 (12th) - Magic-User: 2,500 (2nd), 60,000 (7th), 200,000 (9th), 500,000 (12th) - Thief: 1,250 (2nd), 40,000 (7th), 120,000 (9th), 300,000 (12th)

Core Resolution

Combat hit resolution: d20 attack roll against descending AC attack matrix (Table 2.8).

Damage baseline: - Most successful attacks: 1d6. - Spears set vs charge and charging lances: 2d6. - Multi-attack versus normal-types resolves each hit at 1d6.

Saving throws: five OD&D categories by class/level: - Poison - Wands/Rays - Paralysis/Petrification - Breath Weapon - Spells

Reaction checks: 2d6 procedure for first contact and negotiation posture (Table 2.7).

Morale checks: 2d6 procedure under life-threatening pressure (Table 2.9), modified by loyalty, monster traits, and battlefield conditions.

Combat Sequence

DD combat is deliberately abstract and referee-forward.

Typical round cadence: 1. Determine surprise (possible unanswered turn; +2 to hit) 2. Declare intent 3. Referee adjudicates initiative order (fiction-first) or roll d6 by side/individual 4. Resolve missiles, movement, spells, and melee in adjudicated order 5. Resolve morale or reaction inflection points as needed

Important combat characteristics: - Fighters and many monsters throw one attack roll per HD versus normal-types. - Spellcasting can be interrupted if initiative is lost when melee joins. - Parry, overbearing, mounted modifiers, and subdual procedures are explicit. - Space/formation matters (frontage, encirclement, rear attack bonus).

Magic

Prepared casting from memory for clerics and magic-users.

Spell infrastructure: - Spell books are central to arcane advancement. - Scroll casting and scroll creation are explicit procedures. - Reversible spells and cumulative magic handling are codified. - New spell research exists as a live campaign vector.

Progression highlights: - Cleric spell table spans levels 1-5 (Table 1.7 and 1.20). - Magic-user spell table spans levels 1-6 (Table 1.12 and 1.21).

Undead control subsystem: - Cleric turning is a dedicated 2d6 table by undead HD vs cleric HD (Table 1.9). - High outcomes shift from repulsion to outright destruction.

Logistics and Encumbrance

DD retains classic resource-pressure play: - 20 coins = 1 pound. - Strength table defines load brackets and movement effects. - Encumbered movement materially impacts exploration throughput.

Scale model: - Dungeon combat: 1" = 10 ft, 1 turn = 1 minute. - Dungeon exploration: 1 turn = 10 minutes. - Wilderness exploration: 1" = 1 mile/day.

Rest and recovery pressure: - Natural healing: 1 hp per 2 days complete rest. - Wilderness travel expects mandatory rest cadence.

Equipment

Equipment economy is broad and campaign-facing: - Supplies table includes staple delve tools (lantern oil, spikes, rope, poles, mirrors, iron rations). - Armor table uses descending AC: leather 7, mail 5, plate 3, shield improves AC by -1. - Arms and missile tables support historical-fantasy baseline with weight/cost discipline. - Livestock and transport pricing scales from mule/cart to ocean-going vessels.

Notable startup pressure: - Starting gold is swingy but bounded (30-180 gp), forcing early prioritization. - Equipment load and transport choices feed directly into expedition tempo.

Monsters

Section III compiles monster procedures and full entries: - Summary matrix (Table 3.1 and continuations) - Expanded treatment for dragons, giants, elementals, golems, living statues, and men-types - Monster-specific morale/reaction implications integrated with core procedures

Dragon subsystem depth is especially high: - Type table, age categories, and per-color tables (3.2-3.9) - Breath, scale, and threat handling align with OD&D high-volatility play

Treasures and Magic Items

Treasure generation is central and mathematically explicit.

Treasure engine: - Lair treasure keyed by type (Table 3.13 A1-I) - Independent presence/quantity rolls per coin and valuables category - Maps, gems, jewelry, and magic item sub-tables chained from treasure type results

Key generators: - Any Treasure (3.14) - Maps (3.15) - Gem value (3.16) - Jewelry value (3.17) - Magic item category split (3.18)

Magic item categories then expand into detailed tables and item descriptions: - Armor/shields, miscellaneous items, miscellaneous weaponry, potions, rings, spell books/scrolls, staves/wands, magic swords.

Delving Deeper as OD&D Proxy

This reference is the OD&D anchor for the wiki, analogous to OSE as B/X anchor.

Practical distinction from OSE proxy use: - Use OSE when you need highly regularized B/X table-ergonomics. - Use Delving Deeper when you need OD&D-faithful assumptions: referee arbitration, exploration-scale abstraction, and original-style subsystem texture.

DD-specific traits that matter in comparative design: - Optional thief rather than always-core thief. - Strong treasure-first XP framing. - Explicit class/race experimentation guidance beyond default class list. - Rich domain/stronghold and campaign operations in the same reference body.

Named Tables and Locators

See Also

• Old-School Essentials Classic Fantasy Rules Tome
• OD&D Variant Rules
• The OD&D Engine
• B/X Quick Start Rules
• Reaction and Morale Procedures
• Classic Exploration Procedure and Turn Structure
• OSR Design Principles

Sources

• https://ddo.immersiveink.com/dd.html