House Rules for White Box: Abilities and Class

House rules are usually best developed during play, but Sword & Wizardry: White Box literally demands to be house-ruled right off the bat. As in, a) it gives constant suggested house rules in boxed text next to the core rules, and b) it simply doesn't contain rules for many kinds of adventuring activities. So here then are my tried-and-true OD&D house rules, imported into White Box:

Attributes: After rolling 3d6 for each in order, the player rolls 3d6 a seventh time. He may swap that roll with that of any attribute. A score of 18 gives a +2 bonus.

• Strength modifies attack rolls for everyone, but only modifies damage for fighters. This means that fighters are the only class that gain a damage benefit from wielding battle-axes, two-handed swords, and pole-arms. It also modifies encumbrance, as will be explained later.
• Intelligence modifies a magic-user's spell effectiveness as suggested in S&W, as well as saving throws against illusions. Additional languages accrue as shown, but literacy must be "purchased" with a separate language "slot." The character may also use a language "slot" to purchase special Knowledges, as will be explained in a later post. To successfully learn a new spell, the magic-user must roll below his Intelligence score on 1d20.
• Wisdom modifies a cleric's spell effectiveness and turning undead as suggested in S&W, and modifies experience and saving throws against illusions, charms, and enchantments for everyone. In additions, fighters with a Wisdom bonus may use it to modify rolls to forage/hunt, maintain course, and track in the wilderness.
• Constitution modifies hit points as shown, as well as saving throws against direct attacks on a character's health (disease, poison, death spells, etc.). In addition, a character suffering an extreme shock, such as being raised from the dead, must roll below his Constitution score on 2d8 in order to survive.
• Dexterity modifies missile attacks, individual initiative, and armor class, as well as saving throws where quickness is a factor (e.g., dodging a trap). Dexterity also modifies one's stealth/surprise checks for characters who are unencumbered and not wearing metal armor (this is in addition to the automatic +1 such characters receive, as will be explained later).
• Charisma modifies loyalty, reaction rolls, and saving throws against attempts to charm or otherwise dominate the character. It also modifies experience. Characters with a 15+ Charisma roll 4d6 x 10 for their starting money; those with 6- roll only 2d8 x 10.

Class works as written, with the following options:

• Clerics may opt to pursue the Way of Peace or the Long Road of the Paladin. Peacemakers swear off using any metal weapon or armor, but cast spells and turn undead as a cleric two levels higher, and once per day per three levels may swap out any prepared spell for a curative spell (cure light wounds, cure disease, etc.) of the same level or lower. Paladins advance as fighters and cast spells as a cleric two levels lower, but have no level restrictions. Chaotic priests likewise have no weapons restrictions, but cast only the reversed form of spells and cannot turn undead.
  
• Fighters of at least 4th level (a Hero) may attack a number of opponents whose collective Hit Dice do not exceed his own. Any "plus" to the Hit Dice (e.g., a hobgoblin's 1+1 HD or an ogre's 4+1) means that it is counted as the next higher whole number. So, for example, our Hero could attack four goblins (1-1 HD), four orcs (1 HD), or two hobgoblins (1+1 HD, counting as 2 HD each) each round. Having a higher level opponent within melee range automatically requires the fighter's attention; so, for example, a Hero attacked by four orcs led by a hobgoblin could only attack any three (1 + 1 + 2 HD) opponents per round, whether or not he chose to direct any of those attacks against the hobgoblin.
  
  A fighter of at least 8th level is reknowned as a Weaponmaster (Swordmaster, Blademaster, etc.). Opponents of less than 2 HD who are facing a known Weaponmaster without an equivalent hero on their side must make an immediate morale check.
  
• Magic-Users may create scrolls at any time at a cost of 100 sp and 1 week of time per spell level. Even those without the Alchemy knowledge may create potions at 5th level at a cost of roughly 200 sp and 2 week's time per level of the spell that the potion emulates (some potions, such as heroism, will require referee adjudication). They may make charged magical items at 7th level and permanent magical items at 11th level. Charged items typically have the same cost per spell level / charge as the equivalent scroll, and 1 month per spell level; A wand of fireballs with 20 charges, for example, would cost 6000 sp and take 3 months to make. A staff of wizardry with 20 charges, on the other hand, would cost 30,000 sp and take 15 months to complete.
  
  For the most part, a wizard's spell books are too heavy and valuable to take on adventures, and those travelling long distance may require a mule specifically for their books. However, some wizards have been known to scribe "travelling spellbooks" which weigh 20 lbs and can carry up to 20 spell levels (e.g., ten 1st level spells and five 2nd level spells). This costs 200 sp and 1 week per spell level to scribe. Replacing one's core spellbooks from memory, on the other hand, costs 1000 sp and 2 weeks per spell level to recreate.
  
  When attempting to learn a new spell, whether by scroll, book, or instruction, the magic-user requires 100 sp and 3 days per level of the spell, at the end of which, he must roll under his intelligence score on 1d20 to succeed. Learning from a scroll always uses up the magic in the scroll. If the magic-user fails, he cannot attempt to learn the same spell again until he has gained a level.