In the Glaive system, the THAC0 system is not used. Instead, a system of "higher is better" is used. This is optional, but recommended. It doesn't have a funky name yet, but we generally call it the AR system.

AR stands for Attack Rating. It is a measure of the fighting ability of the character. AR is calculated from the tables (for glaive) or from 20-normal THAC0 (standard AD&D). So a 6th level fighter (THAC0 15) has a AR of +5.

AV stands for Armour Value. It is a measure of the protective ability of armour. AV is determines by taking the normal AC of armour in standard AD&D, and subtracting it from 20. Thus chainmail (AC 5) is AV 15, and platemail (AC 3) is AV 17.

A hit is scored if the d20 roll is higher, plus the AR, is higher than the AV.

The advantages of the system are:

  1. In all things, higher is better. High AV or high AR are both good. A +5 sword addds it's plus directly onto the AR.
  2. Easier to calculate in combat. Rather than have three sums of math in the head, it is only two.
  3. Allows a good system of criticals.
  4. Rolling 1st level creatures is really easy. They hit the DV equal to the roll. Saves DM time.

Criticals hits:

If a 20 is rolled on the d20, the d20 is rolled again and added. If a 20 is rolled this time, it is rolled again etc. If a 1 is rolled, the reverse occurs. Thus a 20 is not necessarily a hit anymore, nor is a 1 automatically a miss.

Example: Horace the tenth level fighter with a +3 sword (total AR +12) swings at the goblin (AV 12). Horace's player rolls a twenty, and then another twenty, then a 5. He hit AV (20 {first roll} +20 {second} +5 {third} +12 {AR from level and sword)=37. As 37 is higher then 12, the goblin is hit.

For every 20 points over the minimum required to hit, one level of critical is scored. Thus Horace hit by 25 over the minimum required, and scores a critical. One very dead goblin.

In the reverse case, with rolling ones, for every 20 points at a miss occurs by, one level of critical miss occurs.

Note that very powerful creatures fighting weaker creatures can still critically hit on a roll of 2 (or even 1!), and the weaker creature may still miss on a roll of 20. Such events are rare in the extreme.

The critical hit table will be posted when I finish writing it.

Made with vi! Glenn Butcher / knight