More Confounded Rules! Exploring Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Rules
- Dungeoneers Guild Games
- Nov 28
- 27 min read
Once more, I delve into a trove of challenging rules in First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
By R. Nelson Bailey
Welcome to the third installment in this series, where I examine difficult and obscure rules found in First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D). This article continues the work begun in Confounded Rules! and Again, Confounded Rules!.
As most players know, many rules in AD&D are notoriously difficult to grasp. The causes range from unclear writing to typographical errors to poor organization. This article sheds light on some of the game’s more arcane and perplexing rules, explaining how they function and, in some cases, the rationale for their inclusion. Often, multiple sources must be consulted to uncover the official answer. To facilitate this, page numbers are cited throughout the text.
All of this contributes to a system deliberately rich in ambiguity. At times, the rules are vague or only partially explained. Don’t get me wrong—this is not a flaw. Ambiguity and loosely defined mechanics grant Dungeon Masters (DMs) the latitude to make rulings and shape their campaigns. That flexibility is a central part of the appeal of the early editions of Dungeons & Dragons. Much of it is lost when the game becomes too rigid, categorized, and systematized.
Confounded Rules! is not intended to tell you how to run your campaign, nor to insist that you adopt a particular rule exactly as written. Rather, it seeks to uncover the closest thing to an “official” answer found in AD&D’s published sources—for those who want to know. If your table handles things differently, this article does not ask you to abandon that approach. Still, a deeper understanding of AD&D’s foundations benefits both DMs and players, offering greater insight into the game as a whole.
Alignment Language
A unique concept found in all editions of Dungeons & Dragons up through First Edition is that of alignment languages. These secret languages allow intelligent creatures of the same alignment to communicate in a limited fashion. [1] A character who changes alignment loses the ability to speak their former alignment language. [2] Assassins are the only class permitted to learn an alignment language other than their own. [3]
The notion of alignment language has long been regarded as bewildering and was never fully embraced by many players of D&D. Because it does not function like most languages, the majority of players and Dungeon Masters either gloss over it or disregard it entirely. The rules do not explain how an alignment language is acquired, nor how it is abruptly and completely forgotten upon a change in alignment. [4] The absence of a rationale for these mechanics has often hindered their acceptance, as the details strain logic nearly to the breaking point.
There is a rationale for alignment language that fits within the game’s framework. Deities & Demigods tells us that “[The Outer Planes] are the source of alignment.” [5] In other words, alignment is not merely a philosophical abstraction—it is a real force that permeates the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse. Each of the nine alignments emanates from a corresponding Outer Plane, such as the Seven Heavens, Nirvana, or the Nine Hells. [6]
The structure of each Outer Plane is shaped by the physical manifestation of this pure alignment force—the very “stuff” or “substance” of alignment itself. [7] These emanations extend across the multiverse and can be received by any intelligent being attuned to that alignment. In this sense, alignment functions much like a radio frequency, with each alignment representing its own channel.
Alignment language, then, is not something learned but something “picked up” through resonance with that frequency. It is only understood by beings who share the same alignment. When a creature’s alignment changes, it naturally begins to receive—and express—a different alignment channel.
[1] Gary Gygax, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide (TSR, 1979), p. 24.
[2] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 25.
[3] Gary Gygax, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook (TSR, 1978), p. 29.
[4] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 25.
[5] James M. Ward & Robert J. Kuntz, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Deities & Demigods (TSR, 1980),
p. 114.
[6] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 120. This work notes that the deities who inhabit the Outer Planes are the source of alignment. However, the wording was altered in Deities & Demigods so that alignment emanates from the plane itself, rather than the deities.
[7] Jeff Grubb, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Manual of the Planes (TSR, 1987), p. 80.
Breathing Undead
A player’s evil cleric animates a dozen slain orcs as zombies. While traveling through a dungeon, this grim procession encounters a water-filled chamber. The cleric commands the undead into the pool. Once the cold water covers their heads, the Dungeon Master announces, “All the zombies have drowned.” The bewildered player protests, “They are undead—they do not need to breathe. How can they drown?” The DM replies, “Well, it doesn’t say in the Monster Manual that they can breathe water.”
Most players would scoff at such a ruling. The idea of undead drowning seems absurd. Common understanding—reinforced by literature, film, and folklore—holds that the undead do not require breath. It is a trope so ingrained that we rarely question it.
Yet what about the game itself? What do the rulebooks actually say? The Dungeon Masters Guide defines undead as a “class of malevolent, soulless monsters which are neither truly dead nor alive.” [8] This evocative description provides little guidance regarding their biological functions. Do they breathe, eat, or sleep? The rules remain silent. What they do offer are lists of resistances, but even these are inconsistent. For example, it is commonly assumed that all undead are immune to being put to sleep. In practice, only twenty-one of the twenty-nine types listed across the Monster Manual, Monster Manual II, and Fiend Folio explicitly note such immunity. A groaning spirit is described as resisting sleep, but a ghost, curiously, is not. Furthermore, the rules specify immunity only to magical sleep. They say nothing about natural or poison-induced sleep, nor do they clarify whether undead need rest at all. Similarly, only six types are listed as immune to poison. Taken literally, this would suggest that skeletons and zombies—icons of undeath—could be destroyed by toxins.
Such inconsistencies present a dilemma for Dungeon Masters. Should rulings adhere strictly to the letter of the text, so that monsters possess only those qualities explicitly stated? Or should DMs rely on logic, precedent, and shared cultural assumptions to fill in the gaps? At its heart, this is a question of literal versus interpretive readings of the rules.
The ambiguity is not accidental. It reflects the design of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Unlike later editions, which strive for systematic and comprehensive codification, First Edition often leaves matters undefined. Monsters—even categories as central as the undead—are not given exhaustive qualities or biological laws. This lack of precision can be frustrating when clarity is required, but it also affords freedom. Each DM is empowered to interpret, improvise, and shape rulings according to the needs of their table. No two campaigns need to be alike.
Returning to the opening example, the rules do not state whether zombies can drown. Nor do they inform us whether humans must sleep, whether dragons can breathe underwater, whether dogs have a good sense of smell, or whether fire elementals are immune to fire-based attacks (this last one is a real thing), among many other similar traits. The game relies instead on common sense and shared assumptions—the cultural “folk knowledge” of monsters and fantasy tropes. Thus, AD&D occupies a hybrid realm, part codified system and part unwritten tradition. The tension between those elements is both a challenge and a strength, requiring DMs to balance textual evidence with reasoned judgment.
So, back to the original question: do undead need to breathe air to survive? Of course not. [9]
[8] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 230.
[9] “Sage Advice” (Dragon, Issue 54, Oct. 1981), p. 22. "Do undead breathe, and could they live on an airless world? No, they don’t, and yes, they could. Their bodies do not require food, water and air to sustain themselves like ours do."
Ambiguity and loosely defined mechanics grant Dungeon Masters the latitude to make rulings and shape their campaigns. That flexibility is a central part of the appeal of the early editions of Dungeons & Dragons.
Deities & Deicide
“What kind of game would let players kill Odin—a major deity—and take his +5 spear, Gungnir? What were the people who made this thinking?”
Such a claim—that gods are merely powerful monsters—misrepresents and distorts the spirit of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. In truth, Deities & Demigods (later retitled Legends & Lore) makes it clear that deities were never meant to be adversaries for player characters to battle. The idea that gods are nothing more than ultra-powerful monsters comes from a superficial glance at their stat blocks in the rulebooks. A closer reading reveals that AD&D’s designers never intended deities to be treated as ordinary foes for players to kill and loot.
The rulebooks state this outright. On page 2 of Deities & Demigods:
“Characters who become a match for [the gods] are obviously to be ranked amongst their number [and should] be removed to another place and plane and treated accordingly.”
Page 5 reinforces the point:
“The purpose of this book is not to provide adversaries for players’ characters.”
And page 8 makes it explicit:
“The gods are not lists of armor classes, hit points and attack forms; treating them as such reduces them to the role of mere monsters.”
What if characters did try to fight a deity? Deities wield overwhelming powers. They can inspire awe or terror, anticipate opponents’ actions, teleport away from danger, and summon followers instantly. [10] Manual of the Planes further increases these abilities, especially when a deity is encountered on its home plane. [11] Against such advantages, the chance of mortals actually defeating a god is effectively zero.
But let’s push the hypothetical further: suppose the characters somehow managed to slay a god. Even then, the victory would be hollow. On the Prime Material Plane, the god’s possessions would vanish unless the Dungeon Master ruled otherwise. [12] A deity is only permanently slain on its home plane. [13] Worse still, such an act would provoke the wrath of the entire pantheon, which would exact vengeance on the mortals responsible.
In Q1 Queen of the Demonweb Pits, the players’ explicit goal is to confront and slay Lolth. She is a unique case, being both a demon lord and a goddess. While mortals (and other beings) can slay demon lords, this makes her an exception rather than the norm. Even if destroyed permanently, however, another entity will eventually evolve to take her place. [14]
AD&D was never about slaying gods and looting their possessions. Deities were written as symbols of myth and cosmic power—forces beyond the grasp of mortals. To treat them as stat blocks and treasure hoards is to miss the spirit of the game entirely.
[10] Ward & Kuntz, Deities & Demigods, p. 8.
[11] Grubb, Manual of the Planes, pp. 124–126.
[12] Ward & Kuntz, Deities & Demigods, p. 11.
[13] Ward & Kuntz, Deities & Demigods, p. 11.
[14] Grubb, Manual of the Planes, p. 102.
Hit Points
The world of Dungeons & Dragons is both similar to our own and profoundly different. It rests at the edge of the known world, where it meets the shadowy, formless realms of myth, folklore, and imagination. Our world provides the foundation for D&D’s fantasy settings and informs their underlying structure. There are trees, hills, towns, animals, and people—familiar, yet not quite the same. Likewise, the natural laws that govern our world generally exist in D&D. Gravity functions normally, and water gets things wet. Humans behave as humans, and horses behave much like horses.
This grounding in mundane realism forms the foundation that supports the fantasy, giving it shape and life. Realism lends plausibility, allowing players to accept the fantastic more readily. Yet D&D is first and foremost a game, not a reality simulator. While it borrows heavily from the real world, its mechanics and fantastical elements often collide with realism. Could a fifteen-foot-tall frost giant exist? Probably not. Who would devote the time, money, and effort to installing elaborate traps in a dungeon? Few would. Are the weapons and armor in Dungeons & Dragons accurate when compared to their real-world counterparts? Again, probably not.
This tension between realism and fantasy is most evident in the concept of hit points. Hit points are not merely a measure of toughness—how much physical punishment a creature can endure. For some creatures, such as elephants, hit points primarily reflect physical sturdiness. For others, particularly player characters, they represent a blend of skill, luck, willpower, magical resilience, and even divine or supernatural intervention. [15] As characters advance in class level, their hit points increase accordingly. These additional hit points do not reflect physical hardiness alone but rather the extraordinary nature of such individuals. Heroes such as Sigurd, Perseus, Cú Chulainn, Conan, and Elric embody this quality, standing as exceptional figures whose boldness sets them apart from ordinary people.
As the Players Handbook notes: “Your character is unusual, exceptional as compared to the norm.” [16] Adventurers are a special breed, distinct from the average farmer or man-at-arms, and hit points are one measure of this distinction. By contrast, non-classed humans do not gain any additional hit points. A 0-level human can achieve a maximum of 7 hit points, or 9 with a Constitution score of 16 or higher. [17]
A sword blow delivering full damage would likely kill a 0-level human. To a 5th-level fighter, however, the same strike might amount to little more than a scratch. [18] This difference stems not from greater physical toughness but from skill, resilience, and even supernatural favor that mitigates the severity of the blow. Yet should such a character be helpless—whether asleep or paralyzed—even a dagger could end their life in an instant. Hit points, then, represent a character’s ability to deflect, absorb, or lessen the impact of the so-called “killing stroke.”
Crucially, hit points were never meant to reflect realism; they are a game abstraction whose use often defies natural law. A character might leap from a sixty-foot cliff to escape a pursuing monster, surviving with only a handful of hit points left. In the real world, such a fall would be fatal; in Dungeons & Dragons, it dramatizes the mythic resilience of heroes—figures who endure impossible odds and shrug off wounds that would kill ordinary mortals.
At the heart of the game lies a paradox: Dungeons & Dragons is both rooted in realism and elevated into myth. Balance is essential—too much realism and rationalization drain the game of mythic vitality, while too much fantasy and implausibility reduce it to nonsense. The true strength of D&D lies in its ability to sustain equilibrium between these opposing forces.
[15] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 82.
[16] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 35.
[17] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 88.
[18] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 82.
Hit Point Recovery
When healing magic is unavailable to restore lost hit points, player characters can recover through natural healing. The Players Handbook states that natural healing occurs at a rate of 1 hit point per day. After thirty days, this rate increases to 5 hit points per day. [19]
As with many aspects of AD&D, these rules were revised in the Dungeon Masters Guide. [20] This method supersedes that described in the Players Handbook. Under it, characters heal 1 hit point per day during the first week. Characters with a negative Constitution Hit Point Adjustment must deduct that amount from the weekly total. During this time, the healing character may not engage in any activities such as spellcasting or combat. After the first continuous week, a character with a positive Constitution Hit Point Adjustment may add that bonus to the weekly healing total. After four weeks of uninterrupted rest, all of a character’s wounds are fully healed.
[19] Gygax, Players Handbook, pp. 105‒106.
[20] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 82.
Monster Resistances
Monsters in AD&D possess a variety of immunities and resistances to different forms of attack. These include, but are not limited to, fire, cold, electricity, acid, gas, and poison. Typically, these special defenses mitigate or negate the effects of such attacks to varying degrees.
Full Immunity: The effect causes no damage or adverse effects to the creature. No saving throw or magic resistance check is required, if applicable.
Half Immunity: The creature takes half damage on a failed saving throw and no damage on a successful one. However, if the effect is magical and the creature has magic resistance, a successful check negates the attack entirely.
Partial Immunity: The creature has limited resistance to the attack form, usually expressed as a fixed reduction in damage (e.g., “–1 point per die of damage”). The same caveat regarding magic resistance applies here as well.
Unless noted otherwise, immunity to an attack form applies to both magical and nonmagical sources. Thus, a wight’s cold immunity extends to both magical effects, such as a white dragon’s breath weapon, and natural conditions, such as polar weather.
Note that “electricity,” “electrical attacks,” and “lightning” are used interchangeably in monster descriptions and are treated as synonymous for purposes of resistance.
Weapon Immunity: Many monsters are also immune to normal weapons, meaning only enchanted weapons can harm them. Nonmagical melee and missile weapons—those without a “plus”—have no effect. However, this immunity does not extend to other nonmagical attack forms, such as lightning or poison. For example, while nonmagical weapons cannot harm gargoyles, they remain vulnerable to fire, lightning, cold, poison, etc. [21]
[21] “Dispel Confusion” (Polyhedron, Issue 2, Autumn 1981), p. 3.
Balance is essential—too much realism and rationalization drain the game of mythic vitality, while too much fantasy and implausibility reduce it to nonsense.
Monster Spell Abilities
Many monsters in AD&D possess the ability to use spells. There are two types of monster spell abilities: spell-casting powers and spell-like powers.
Spell-Casting Abilities: These monsters possess the ability to learn a repertoire of spells as if they were clerics, druids, magic-users, or illusionists. Such creatures include couatls, nagas, and sylphs. Their descriptions specify what level of caster they are. For example, a couatl has the spell-casting abilities of a 5th-level magic-user, a 7th-level cleric, or both. It casts spells according to its casting level. Thus, if it casts a fireball, the spell is resolved as though it were cast by a 5th-level magic-user, inflicting 5d6 damage.
The rulebooks make no mention of whether monsters must keep spellbooks or whether they can learn new spells. Liches, however, must keep and consult spellbooks. [22]
Though spell-casting monsters do not require verbal, somatic, or material components, their spell-casting can still be disrupted and spoiled by attacks.
Spell-Like Abilities: These are powers that mimic spells that have been cast. Monsters such as demons, devils, devas, sprites, and djinn all possess these powers. Spell-like abilities operate by the caster simply willing them into existence. They require minimal effort to use and can even be used in silence or while immobilized. Beings employing these innate powers need not memorize spells, maintain spellbooks, or use any components. Furthermore, all spell-like abilities take 1 segment to cast and generally cannot be spoiled when the caster is struck with an attack in melee. [23]
Unless noted in the monster’s description, all spell-like abilities function at a level equal to the monster’s Hit Dice. The rules seem to indicate that monsters with Hit Dice of n + 4 or greater round up to the next highest Hit Die, much like determining THAC0. Thus, a monster with 5 + 5 Hit Dice is treated as a 6th-level caster. [24]
Powerful, unique monsters, such as demon lords, demon princes, arch-devils, and dukes of Hell, do not appear to follow this rule. All of these beings use their powers as 20th-level casters unless the text specifies otherwise. [25]
[22] “Dispel Confusion” (Polyhedron, Issue 30, 1985), p. 29. “The official ruling is that liches do indeed need their spellbooks to memorize spells, just as they did when they were living mortal spellcasters.”
[23] See “Sage Advice” (Dragon, Issue 76, Aug. 1983), p. 64 and “Dispel Confusion” (Polyhedron, Issue 9, 1982), p. 6. The exact answer found here is: “Spell-like powers are not spells, and do not need to be "cast." They can be produced in total silence, for example, and in 1 segment of concentration. Thus, they can only be interrupted if a blow connects during that same segment and if the creature sees a swing coming, it can easily delay a bit to avoid interruption.”
[24] Gary Gygax, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual II (TSR, 1983). Page 6 notes that casting levels are tied to Hit Dice. See “annis” and “ultrodaemon” entries in this book for examples of monsters casting one level higher than their listed Hit dice.
[25] Monster Manual II lists these types of beings as casting spells at 20th-level ability.
Dungeons & Dragons rules
Monster Hit Dice
The Monster Manual lists a few monsters—unique beings such as demon lords, the beholder, and golems—with fixed hit points. They do not have hit point ranges determined through Hit Dice. However, a monster’s Hit Dice also determine its attack roll numbers and saving throws. This omission might seem perplexing. The correct answer is to determine the Hit Dice of such monsters by dividing their hit points by 4.5. [26] [27] Doing so shows:
Beholder: 10–17 Hit Dice
Clay golem: 11 HD
Flesh golem: 9 HD
Iron golem: 18 HD
Stone golem: 13 HD
Orcus: 27 HD
Asmodeus: 44 HD
[26] “Dispel Confusion” (Polyhedron, Issue 6, 1982), p. 11.
[27] Sage Advice” (Dragon, Issue 43, Nov. 1980), p. 17.
Multiple Attack Routines
Multiple attacks occur when a character class or monster makes more than one attack in a single melee round. This is the case for high-level fighters, monks, certain individuals, and some monsters, such as a verbeeg. It does not include monsters whose standard attack routine already consists of multiple attacks—for example, a troll with its claw/claw/bite sequence.
In most games I have played, a fighter with two melee attacks (or using a bow) takes both attacks during their turn on their side’s initiative roll. However, this is not the system described in the Dungeon Masters Guide. [28]
According to the DMG, when multiple attacks are involved, the creature with the extra routines strikes before everyone else, regardless of initiative—unless the opposing side also has multiple attacks. Those with two attack routines always strike first and last in the round. With three routines, they strike first and last as well, with initiative only determining who goes in the middle. Initiative really only matters for (a) who controls the “middle slots,” and (b) when both sides have the same number of routines.
Below are initiative timelines illustrating how attack routines unfold during combat:
One Routine Each: Normal initiative is rolled; Side A goes first, Side B last.
Two Routines (One Side): Side A attacks first and last; Side B acts in the middle.
Two Routines (Both Sides): Initiative decides who gets first and third vs. second and last.
Three Routines (One Side): Side A attacks first, middle (initiative decides order), and last, while Side B acts in between.
What is extraordinary about this mechanic is that creatures with multiple attacks effectively always win initiative when facing opponents who lack them. It greatly favors such characters and monsters, giving them a significant edge in combat.
[28] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, pp. 62–63.
Recouping Spent Spells
The Dungeon Masters Guide explains how spellcasters recover spent spells. [29] Recovery begins with a period of rest or sleep, the length of which depends on the highest level of spell to be regained:
1st–2nd level spells: 4 hours
3rd–4th level spells: 6 hours
5th–6th level spells: 8 hours
7th–8th level spells: 10 hours
9th-level spells: 12 hours
After this rest, the caster must then pray for (clerics) or memorize (magic-users) spells at a rate of 15 minutes per spell level.
Example: A 5th-level magic-user expends all of his spells. To recover them, he must first rest for 6 hours, then spend another 3.75 hours (15 minutes × 15 spell levels) studying to prepare them. To fully recover his repertoire of spells, the magic-user requires a total of 9.75 hours.
[29] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 40.
Spell Functions in AD&D
Spells are a central and ubiquitous element of every edition of Dungeons & Dragons. So essential are they that roughly half of the First Edition Players Handbook—about 60 of its 120 pages—is devoted to spell descriptions. As a result, the functioning of a particular spell is often a source of contention at the table. Vagueness, ambiguous wording, and omissions create frequent opportunities for misinterpretation. Moreover, the rules explicitly empower the Dungeon Master to modify or remove any spell in their campaign. [30] For example, the DM might rule that chant requires one round to cast instead of one turn, or that magic missile requires a successful attack roll to deal damage. Every DM eventually develops an individual approach.
With this in mind, the following sections analyze the functioning of several spells according to the AD&D rules.
Area of Effect: Spells such as fireball or stinking cloud fill a defined volume of space. These spells are generally indiscriminate, striking anyone within their area of effect, including the caster and allies. Some spells specify that the caster selects the targets (e.g., hold person), but others—such as haste, slow, sleep, and stinking cloud—do not. A DM may alternatively rule that casters can select targets. However, this significantly increases a spell’s efficacy and can have drastic consequences on game balance.
Line of Sight Spells: These include spells such as magic missile and lightning bolt. They require that the caster see the intended target. If the target is not visible, it generally cannot be affected. For example, a magic-user cannot strike an orc hidden around a corner with a magic missile spell.
Spell Range: Ranges are tripled when spells are cast outdoors. However, this increase never applies to the spell’s area of effect. [31]
Charm Person/Monster
Creatures affected by these spells do not become obedient slaves. [32] Instead, the caster is regarded as a trusted friend. A caster might ask the charmed character to avoid a fight with the caster’s allies, and the request would be obeyed. However, the charmed creature would not comply with commands to attack its allies.
The charm powers of monsters, such as harpies and vampires, function similarly to the charm person spell, but are more powerful. Charmed creatures obey their master’s orders, even fighting against former allies. [33] In both cases, commands to inflict self-harm are ignored.
Continual Light
This spell produces illumination nearly equal to full daylight. [34] Unless contained within a solid, lightproof container, its light remains visible. Thin coverings such as pouches or pockets do not suffice. Because of its intensity, the spell has drawbacks in dark areas: nearby creatures may be temporarily blinded, much like when a car headlight shines directly into one’s eyes.
This leads to the question of whether a continual light spell has any effect on undead. As noted in the Monster Manual, some undead, such as spectres, wraiths, and vampires, are powerless in daylight. However, the spell does not produce actual daylight. A continual light spell causes them to recoil for 1d3 rounds before attacking. [35]
Curative Spells (cure light wounds, et. al.)
These spells do not function on non-living creatures such as undead or golems.
Detect Evil/Good
These spells are not lesser versions of know alignment. They detect only strongly aligned monsters (e.g., powerful dragons or extra-planar beings) or strongly aligned characters of at least 8th-level, such as clerics, paladins, and monks. [36]
Enlarge
This spell increases only the size of a living creature, not its armor or equipment. [37] A creature enlarged to a great enough size becomes subject to damage adjustments under the Size vs. Large rules.
Fireball
When cast in confined spaces, a fireball expands evenly from its point of detonation to fill 33 ten-foot cubes (10′ × 10′ × 10′). [38] A careless caster can easily strike themselves or their allies.
Grease
The spell description does not state that the substance is flammable. Its purpose is to make surfaces slippery, not to ignite them.
Haste
A haste spell ages its recipients by one year. [39] They must therefore make a successful System Shock roll or die. [40] Combatants under haste automatically win initiative unless opposed by another hasted creature. [41] Because the spell does not specify that the caster may designate targets, it affects all creatures within its area of effect.
Invisibility
The Dungeon Masters Guide warns of common abuses of this spell (see pp. 59–60). Invisibility does not conceal sound or scent. Depending on the monster, these other senses may render the spell ineffective. Creatures with keen perception, such as dogs or cloud giants, can detect invisible foes more readily. Other beings detect through vibrations, echolocation, or electrical impulses (as sharks do). For instance, as a gray ooze possesses no eyes or ears, it probably has some other sense, such as sensing vibrations, making invisibility ineffective against it. The invisible creature can even leave telltale signs that make it easy to detect, such as bleeding visibly, dripping water if wet, or emitting smoke and odors if burned.
Protection from Evil
In addition to the attack penalty and saving throw bonus it confers, this spell prevents summoned monsters and extra-planar creatures of any alignment from physically touching or attacking the protected subject. [42] This includes natural attacks (such as claws or bites) and melee weapon strikes, but not missile, magical, or indirect attacks. [43] The warded creature also cannot be magically controlled (e.g., through a charm spell). [44]
Raise Dead & Resurrection
These spells function only on humans, half-elves, halflings, dwarves, and gnomes. [45] They do not work on elves, half-orcs, or most other creatures. [46]
Shocking Grasp
This spell, like all others that deliver their effects by touch, remains in effect until it is discharged or until the caster casts another spell. [47]
Silence, 15′ Radius
This spell completely negates all sound. [48] Enemies within the radius immediately notice the sudden absence of noise. Because no sound passes through the effect, it also blocks noises traveling along narrow areas such as passages. This makes silence-based scouting imperfect. If cast on an enemy (and the saving throw fails), clever foes may even exploit the spell by moving close to opposing spellcasters.
Slow
Creatures affected by slow receive no saving throw. [49] Slowed combatants always lose initiative against those not affected. [50] Like haste, this spell does not allow the caster to select targets.
Sleep
This spell allows the caster to select an initial target or none at all. If a target is chosen, that creature is affected first. In either case, the spell then affects creatures beginning with those of the lowest Hit Dice. [51]
Stinking Cloud
Creatures overcome by this spell’s vapors are rendered “helpless.” [52] Although the text does not explicitly define this condition, it may be treated as equivalent to being stunned (i.e., cannot act, drops anything held, gains no benefit from Dexterity or shield, and opponents gain +4 “to hit”).
[30] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 40.
[31] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 39.
[32] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 43.
[33] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 65.
[34] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 46.
[35] REF5 Lords of Darkness (TSR, 1988), p. 86.
[36] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 60.
[37] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 65.
[38] “Sage Advice” (Dragon, Issue 139, Nov. 1988), p. 66.
[39] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 74.
[40] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 12.
[41] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 105.
[42] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 44.
[43] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 41.
[44] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 65.
[45] Gygax, Players Handbook, pp. 50, 53.
[46] Ward & Kuntz, Deities & Demigods, p. 10.
[47] “Dispel Confusion” (Polyhedron, Issue 21, 1984), p. 29.
[48] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 45.
[49] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 75.
[50] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 105.
[51] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 45.
[52] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 72.
Spellbooks — Learning & Scribing
A magic-user’s (or illusionist’s) spellbook is their most valuable possession. Without it, they are nearly useless, unable to re-memorize the spells that define their class. Unfortunately, the AD&D rulebooks are often obscure on this subject. The Players Handbook covers the mechanics of how a spellcaster learns a new spell, [53] while Unearthed Arcana adds details on the physical characteristics of spellbooks, including their capacity. [54] What is less clear is the process by which a magic-user actually inscribes a newly found spell into their spellbook. By pulling together the scattered references across the rulebooks, we can identify the following methods.
Learning a Spell
According to Unearthed Arcana, learning a spell from another’s spellbook or from a scroll requires 2d4 hours per level of the spell. [55] The caster must first employ read magic (or read illusionist magic) to comprehend the script. [56] If learning from a scroll, the spell disappears from the scroll once the attempt is made, whether successful or not. [57]
If the caster fails their know spell roll (based on Intelligence), or if the spell is of a level higher than they can currently cast, they cannot add it to their spellbook. In such cases, the write spell may be required to transcribe the magic successfully.
Bonus Magic-User Spells
Upon reaching a new experience level, player character magic-users and illusionists gain one new spell. [58] Presumably, the spellcaster acquires it through research and knowledge, though the Dungeon Masters Guide does not specify. Likewise, it provides no details about the type of spell gained, its level, whether the character must make a “know spell” roll, or whether the choice belongs to the Dungeon Master or the player. [59] Ultimately, this decision is left to the discretion of each Dungeon Master.
Transcribing into a Spellbook
The usual method is to obtain a scroll with the desired spell and then copy it into the spellbook. The process works as follows:
The caster must first use read magic (or read illusionist magic) to decipher the scroll. [60]
Scribing the spell into a spellbook takes one full day per spell level, during which the caster must remain undisturbed. [61]
Once transcribed, the spell disappears from the scroll. [62]
Spellbooks require special inks similar to those used for scrolls. [63] These inks cost 100 g.p. per level of the spell. [64]
[53] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 10.
[54] Gygax, Unearthed Arcana, p. 79.
[55] Gygax, Unearthed Arcana, p. 80.
[56] Gygax, Unearthed Arcana, p. 80.
[57] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 10.
[58] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 39.
[59] “Dispel Confusion” (Polyhedron, Issue 30, 1985), p. 29.
[60] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 118.
[61] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 117.
[62] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, pp. 39, 118.
[63] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 117.
[64] Gygax, Unearthed Arcana, p. 79.
Spellcasting During Melee
First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons includes many rules and safeguards to prevent spellcasters from dominating the game. As a result, casting spells in melee comes with numerous restrictions that ensure it is never an easy option. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of those safeguards:
Declaration before initiative: The player must announce which spell their character is casting before initiative is rolled. [65]
Disruption by attacks: Any jarring movement or successful attack—whether by weapon, punch, grapple, or overbearing—will disrupt the spellcasting and spoil the spell. [66]
No movement while casting: The caster cannot move during the casting process. [67] (The rules’ language here is tricky; the intent is not that the caster loses their whole round’s movement, but rather that movement while casting invalidates the attempt.)
Lost spells: If disrupted, the spell is treated as if it had been successfully cast but is wasted. The same is true if a spell attack hits the caster and they fail a saving throw. [68]
Timing of Attacks
Initiative segment: All attacks directed at a spellcaster occur on the segment in which the spell is being cast. This means that even if opponents lose initiative, they can still strike the caster. [69] In this way, the rules guarantee that spellcasters are always vulnerable to being attacked mid-cast.
Weapon speed vs. casting time: Even if the spellcaster’s side wins initiative, the opposing side may still interrupt the spell. Compare the weapon’s speed factor to the spell’s casting time to see if the attack lands before, simultaneously with, or after the spell completes. [70]
These last two rules, while thorough, are cumbersome in play and often overly punitive for spellcasters (in this DM's experience, anyway). They add layers of calculations that bog down combat, and they tilt the balance heavily against characters attempting to cast spells in melee.
[65] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 64.
[66] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 70.
[67] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 64.
[68] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 64.
[69] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 64.
[70] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, pp. 66–67.
AD&D was never about slaying gods and looting their possessions. Deities were written as symbols of myth and cosmic power—forces beyond the grasp of mortals. To treat them as stat blocks and treasure hoards is to miss the spirit of the game entirely.
Spell Abilities for Rangers & Paladins
Once again, the rulebooks omit a key detail about character classes—they fail to specify at what level of power rangers and paladins cast their spells. They also do not state whether these classes gain bonus spells from a high Wisdom score, as clerics and druids do. The official clarifications, given in multiple sources, are as follows:
Caster Level: Rangers and paladins cast their spells at the level they first gain access to them. [71] [72] [73] For example, an 8th-level ranger gains access to druidic spells and casts them as a 1st-level druid. At 9th-level, the ranger casts as a 2nd-level druid, and so on.
Bonus Spells: Rangers and paladins do not receive bonus spells for high Wisdom scores. [74] [75] This benefit applies only to clerics and druids.
Magic-User Spells: Rangers must make a successful “know spell” check to learn a new spell. [76] They must adhere to the minimum and maximum number of spells as determined by their Intelligence score, as noted on p. 10 of the Players Handbook. [77] Like a magic-user, a ranger must keep a spellbook. [78] When a ranger first gains access to magic-user spells, they gain read magic plus one offensive, one defensive, and one miscellaneous spell. [79] See Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 39.
Scrolls: Neither paladins nor rangers can use or create spell scrolls. [80]
[71] “Dispel Confusion” (Polyhedron, Issue 25, 1985), p. 29.
[72] “Dispel Confusion” (Polyhedron, Issue 7, 1981), p. 3.
[73] “Sage Advice” (Dragon, Issue 139, Nov. 1988), p. 66.
[74] “Dispel Confusion” (Polyhedron, Issue 22, 1984), p. 25.
[75] “Sage Advice” (Dragon, Issue 139, Nov. 1988), p. 66.
[76] “Sage Advice” (Dragon, Issue 64, Aug. 1982), pp. 21‒22.
[77] “Sage Advice” (Dragon, Issue 64, Aug. 1982), pp. 21‒22.
[78] “Sage Advice” (Dragon, Issue 64, Aug. 1982), pp. 21‒22.
[79] “Sage Advice” (Dragon, Issue 139, Nov. 1988), p. 66.
[80] Gygax, Players Handbook, pp. 22, 24.
Spells — Number of Cast Per Round
Here’s a curious quirk of how information was presented in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rulebooks. Every player knows the game has certain intrinsic characteristics that seem self-evident: fighters need 2,001 XP to reach 2nd level; arrows inflict 1d6 damage; elves are adept at finding secret doors. We know these things because the rules and rulebooks clearly tell us. We also “know” that spellcasters can cast only one spell per round, right?
While this is true in practice, it is never explicitly stated anywhere in the rulebooks. It seems as if the authors considered it so obvious that they never bothered to spell it out for players new to the game. Reading between the lines of the rulebooks, one can infer that only a single spell may be cast in a round. Rules on spellcasting in the Players Handbook [81] suggest this limitation, but do not state it outright. The Dungeon Masters Guide likewise notes in Step 4.D of the combat sequence that participants may make “magical device attacks or cast spells,” but the wording is vague. [82]
Complicating matters further, spell casting times are measured in segments. [83] [84] Because not every spell takes a full round to cast, one can interpret this to mean that a magic-user could cast more than one spell in a round, so long as the segment cost fits within the combat round. The rulebooks never explicitly shut down this interpretation.
The clearest evidence for the “one spell per round” rule comes not from the text but from the examples of combat in the Players Handbook [85] and the Dungeon Masters Guide, [86] both of which show spellcasters casting only one spell per round.
Why was this left unsaid? Most likely, the authors assumed it was self-evident to the reader that a spellcaster could cast only a single spell in a round. By leaving it implicit, the rulebooks treated it as common knowledge, even though many new players would have benefited from an explicit statement.
[81] Gygax, Players Handbook, pp. 100, 104.
[82] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 61.
[83] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 100.
[84] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, pp. 65, 67.
[85] Gygax, Players Handbook, p. 105.
[86] Gygax, Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 71.
Concluding Thoughts
First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons is an expansive game that evolved from its inception in 1977 to its end in 1989. Because of this expansion and evolution, the game’s rules are not conveniently or neatly located in a single source; instead, they are spread across multiple books and articles over the game’s 12-year run. As a result, Dungeon Masters who wish to know the official ruling are often at an impasse: should they track down the official ruling, or make up their own? If the DM is unable to locate the “correct” ruling, they may always decide to the best of their ability using the rules and knowledge available to them. With Confounded Rules!, I have attempted to provide answers to unclear or unusual rules so that DMs do not have to spend hours finding them. However, where interpretation is ambiguous in a rule, each DM is free to use their own judgment to develop a ruling that best fits their campaign.
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