From: Cas Liber
Speaking of definitions, it seems to me that the
characteristics of orcs in TFT (i.e. like humans but
a tad more fangy and clawy and mildly to moderately
more rambunctious) equate more with half-orcs in old
AD&D than true orcs, which seem more primitive,
bestial and outright nasty. Actually, there is a
flavor of that overall in that humanoids (as opposed
to demihumans) in AD&D were more evil/primitive.
Apart hobgoblins who seem similar in both. Goblins
are canny merchants in one, cannon fodder nasty
minor villains in the other. Also reptile men/ lizard
men (copyright issues here??) and giants/hill giants?
Several schools of thought on this. On Ty?s web page, as most of us already know, there are sections on converting games like AD&D to TFT. The section appears to have been written by Steve Jackson himself. Who am I to disagree. For those who haven?t seen it, here is the link.
http://www.reese.org/tft/DNDTFTMN.htmMy old GM used the rule that one Level in AD&D was equal to three (3) character points in TFT. He would convert AD&D monsters on the fly. Take its Hit Dice x 3, add to a base 30 point character, and try to make a TFT character that can do what the AD&D description says they can do. I find this approach doesn?t even come close. AD&D has unbelievable powers. Saving throw vs. death on sight! Magic missile never misses? Or what about psionics used by monster on non psionic characters? Cas, I see that you are dealing with the relationships between the definitions and not the numbers. I am going to dive into the numbers for second, just a detour, so I can talk about the differences from another possition. In my comparisons of TFT to other game systems I did uncover a few things. In TFT a shortsword does 2D-1. Average damage 6. Two average blows from a shortsword will kill a myrmidon. In AD&D a shortsword does 1D damage. Average damage 3.5. The average fighter has 5.5 hit points to start, so two average blows will kill him to. The results for the word ?shortsword? in TFT and AD&D are similar. As one goes down to the dagger or up to the greatsword, the difference becomes greater. In TFT it takes five average stabs with a dagger to kill a myrmidon, in AD&D only two or three stabs. With a greatsword TFT averages one blow equals one kill, and AD&D?s greatsword does almost enough damage to kill not just one but two beginning fighters. I was developing a campaign once where I wanted to emphasize the difference in fighting styles between various schools of fighting through out the land. Back then I automatically assumed a new system would be required as no published system could handle such specific and subtle differences. Then I realized that AD&D and TFT are two different schools of fighting. I further realized that it is possible to play a TFT, character in a duel with an AD&D charcter, and not convert from either system. A fight that specifically used the differences between the games to show that the combatants weren?t just from different spots on the map, but were from completely different game worlds. The AD&D looked at his targets armor and rolled 1D20 to hit a weak spot. The TFT character subtracted his opponents armor from the damage he did. To convert AD&D damage to TFT, multiply by two. TFT to AD&D one half. Then the players can really tell how deadly the AD&D great sword truly is. Now put it in the hands of an AD&D lizard man. By ratio the AD&D greatsword does a lot more damage, but its dagger does less. In TFT not only do the daggers do more damage, but the wizards can throw a whole heck of a lot more spells. Enough spells to more than compensate for AD&D big sword damage. This illustrates how two words from different games can have almost the same meaning, but other words from those same games have completely different meanings. AD&D has a ?long sword?, and a ?bec-de-corbin? which are not even on the weapon list in Advanced Melee. I prefer not to translate from other game systems, to leave the Runequest Trolls as they are, and bring them into the game unconverted. To let their own unique ability to devastate be revealed with its massive damage bonuses, and free parry every round, and free defense roll every round, and divine intervention if necessary to keep the fight going. Only later, if the Troll is subdued or befriended, and only if the Troll wishes to convert fully to the TFT school of fighting will I actually translate it into TFT statistics. This way the Runequest Troll gets to keep its unique flavor and taste in open contrast to the TFT troll. Don?t AD&D trolls regenerate?
David Michael Grouchy II
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