AD&D Variant Rules: Alternative Rules

Critical Hits: A natural 20 results in a Threat. Roll again -- if you hit the second time (a normal hit, not another natural 20), you score a Critical Hit and do double damage.

Ability Saves: The following table will be used to save vs. ability scores, when required.  This includes nonweapon proficiency rolls. 

Note that this table is a "this number or higher" table, like the combat and saving throw tables; this should help players remember which way to read their dice.  The overall effect is to lower the average character's chance of success from 50-55% (10.5 == 10-11 Ability Score is average for 3d6, so 10-11 or less on 1d20) to 45% (12+ on 1d20).  It also makes additional bonus levels of nonweapon proficiency more useful.

Ability
Score		 Roll   Ability
Score		 Roll
1 17   18 9
2 16   19 8
3 15   20 7
4-5 14   21 6
6-8 13   22 5
9-12 12   23 4
13-15 11   24 3
16-17 10   25 2

Wizard Spells: Wizard spell users do not have to memorize their spells in advance.  Such a character may cast any spell he or she knows at any time, so long as he or she has an available "slot" to cast it.  If the character does not have an available slot of the correct level, he or she may use an available higher-level slot instead; this gives no bonus, and is referred to as "demotion".