OD&D Class Distribution

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I wrote a program simulating the distribution of character types in OD&D, accounting for the total prime requisite bonuses players receive for high scores in ability categories.

By class:

  • 39% become fighters.
  • 28% become mages.
  • 34% become clerics.

By XP bonus:

  • 37% receive +10% (PR ≥ 15).
  • 28% receive +5% (15 > PR ≥ 13).
  • 34% receive +0% (13 > PR ≥ 9).
  • 2% receive a penalty (9 > PR).

Maybe the PR boundaries could be fiddled with, since it looks kind of like a weird distribution. It makes sense if you were using 3d6 raw, but not if you're virtually increasing PR. By the way, the average virtual PR is ~13.6.

I wanted to also simulate a new class determination method. Roll d4 representing a mage, d6 representing a cleric/expert, and d8 representing a fighter. The highest die of the three is your class, and the number is your hit points. The result:

  • 55% become fighters (average hp: 5.8).
  • 13% become mages (average hp: 3.3).
  • 32% become experts (average hp: 4.6).
  • Total average hp: 5.1.

Isn't that neat! Too bad for the mage. You can still pick them, though; just deal with the lesser hit points.

Could do the same thing with RAW OD&D as well. You'd need to distinguish the different d6s, but then it's back to 3d6 (and your hit points would be the highest 1 of 3d6, an average of 5 which would turn into 6 for a fighter).

By the way, I've published a workbook for my bite-sized dungeon generation procedure!

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