L^: mu1	-	R#: 3" + (1")*	-	D^: 5r*
C^: v.s.m	-	CT: 1	-	S^: None
A^: S	-		-	MP: 6, 19

Effect: When a M-U casts a spell, he || she
will usually cause a comatose slumber to come upon one || more
creatures [other than undead and certain other creatures specifically
excluded (see AD&D, MM) from the spell's effects].

All creatures to be affected by the  spell must be within a 3" diam. circle.
The # of creatures which can be affected is a function of their life energy levels, expressed as HD and HP:
 
 

Creatures HD	# Affected By  Spell
up to 1	4-16 (4d4)
1+1 to 2	2-8 (2d4)
2+1 to 3	1-4 (1d4)
3+1 to 4	1-2 (1/2d4, round off)
4+1 to 4+4	0 to 1 (d4, 3 or 4)

The AREA of effect is determined by the range and AREA center decided upon by the spell caster.
Slapping || wounding will awaken affected creatures, but noise will not do so.
Awakening requires 1 complete melee round.
Note that sleeping creatures con be slain automatically at a rate of 1 per <SLAYER> per melee round.
<Unless a general melee is in progress. See Magically Sleeping and Held Opponents.>

DMG: Unless a single creature is designated as the TARGET of a  spell in a mixed group,
the  spell will first affect the lowest Ievel/HD targets.

Sleep: Although this is specified as an 
area spell in the PH, the DMG notes that 
one can target it on a specific creature 
within the spell range and that any 
residual power will affect other vulnerable 
creatures within the area of effect.  If 
this targeting option is chosen, the spell 
does NOT necessarily affect the lowest HD 
creatures 1st.
(Imagine #29)

MC: A pinch of fine sand, rose petals, || a live cricket.
 

Variant: (this spell has been incorrectly
written; the sleep it causes lasts only 1
round, and its range fluctuates from
casting to casting, from 1" to 3" , at random)
- Shandaril's Workbook
 

Untamo (god of sleep)
 

Q: How do you determine the effect
of a sleep spell on a group of mixed
creature types?

A: This is up to the DM.

1) He may rule that
weaker creatures are affected first, or he
may

2) allow the caster to choose whether
the more powerful creatures or the
weaker creatures are affected first.

3) He may also rule that creatures closest to the
center of the spell's AREA of effect are
affected first.

The DM can choose any of
these methods as long as he uses the same
method all of the time.

If weaker creatures are affected first,
the DM should roll to see how many of
them are put to sleep and apply the effects.
If all of the weaker creatures were
put to sleep by the spell, and if the number
of potential victims rolled was greater
than the number actually affected, the DM
may then take half of that difference
(dropping fractions) and apply that to the
next most powerful group of victims.

For
example, a magic-user faces a group of six
1-1-HD creatures, two 1-HD creatures,
and one 3-HD creature. The DM rolls 4d4
and gets a 10. The six 1-1-HD creatures
fall asleep, leaving a difference of 4. Half
of 4 is two, so the two 1-HD creatures fall
asleep, leaving the 3-HD creature unaffected.,
In another example, the magic-user
faces four 1-HD creatures and one 4 + 1-
HD creature. The DM rolls 2d4 and gets a
5. Four 1-HD creatures fall asleep; the
difference is 1, but nothing remains after
1 is reduced by half and all fractions are
dropped. Even if the result of the 2d4 roll
had been an 8, the 4 + 1-HD creature
would not be affected (8 - 4 = 4, ½ x 4 = 2,
but no monsters were present in the 2 + 1
to 3-HD category). The PC should not have
everything his own way!
(154.7)

<virel.gif>
Quote:
Originally Posted by Virel
Gary,

In early 1980's when my group started playing 1st ed AD&D or as you say OAD&D, we had the following question come up based on the way the sleep spell is worded. We were unsure of how the spell was intended to work. We scoured the Players Hand Book and the note in DMG on page 45. Most of us assumed this note meant the caster did not get to specifically pick which of the possible multiple targets were effected, that this would be determined by level/HD and baring that randomly. Others insisted the caster could pick and choose who was or wasn't effected as the caster desired mixing and matching among of the levels or hit dice involved as long as the total wasn't exceeded.

The caster did not get to choose amongst multiple targets when a sleep spell was used.

Quote:
Say a sleep spell is cast at a group of ten characters, say four fighters all 1st level, two clerics both 2nd level, two magic users both 2nd level and two thieves both 1st level. The dice indicate a total of 6 one HD creatures or levels can be effected. All of the targets are with very close together and with in range and area of effect.

Can the caster specifically select the six creatures or six levels he or she wants to be effected?

No. Six of the 1st level NPCs would be affected at random.

Quote:
Can the caster specifically designate: one wizard the one to the right, one cleric the one of the left, two fighters in the front rank he wants effect but declare the spell will not effect the two fighters in the rear rank, the wizard on the left, the cleric on the right, and two thieves?

No.

Quote:
Or would who is effected be determined by lowest level/HD first in the group until all of the levels effected were used up?

Just so,

Quote:
Allowing the caster to pick and choose who was and wasn't effect with in a group seemed too powerful for a 1st level spell to some of us (DM's) and about right to some of the others (players).

Agreed.

Cheers,
Gary
 
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Virel
Indeed Gary, thank you for taking the time to post, share tidbits, answer questions and giving us the wonderful game of AD&D.
As i have said before, I am honored that so many people are interested in what I have to say.
Besides that, I enjoy the virtual conversation with fellow gamers
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Virel
A friend of mine wanted me to ask about this specific example:

Cias asked:

I understand that, according to Gary's last reply, if a magic-user casts sleep at a group of enemies, the magic-user cannot select specifically to affect (or attempt to affect) some enemies while excluding others.

But how does this affect PCs and other allies of the magic-user if they are near the monsters that the sleep spell is targeting?

For example, There are 5 goblins, 2 bugbears, and 3 1st level PC fighters all in melee together and the PC magic-user casts sleep at the goblins and bugbears.
Will the spell also affect the PCs or can the magic-user select groups of creatures, just not individuals within those groups?

Thank You again for your time.

V

To clarify, as the DM I would allow the spell caster to select one specific target, and by so doing nerrow the scope of a sleep sopell to that individual.
If ut were used as an area spell, then all characters in the area would be affected up to the spell's maximum, and that includes PCs associated with the casting magic-user.
In the example you give, the sleep spell would get the five goblins first, then the three 1st level PCs, and if more than eight could be affected, then the two bugbears.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottyG
Gary, I have a question about the spell sleep.
The target tiers HD and number affected are:
up to 1 4d4
1+1 to 2 2d4
2+1 to 3 1d4
3+1 to 4 1d2
4+1 to 4+4 0-1
How are PCs handled? Would a 1st level PC fall into the 'up to 1' or the 1+1 catagory, and do charters with multiple starting HD (monks and rangers) go by level or HD?
Thanks,
Scott
 

Each character level equates to one HD on the table above, and even if a 1st level character has two HD, the level of the character is the determinant.
So the uppermost range, 4+1 to 4+4 doesn't generaly apply.

BTW, for a multi-class character, the highest level and half of the second and third levels are added to discover effective level.
In such hase the uppermost range might apply, viz. 3rd level fighter, 3rd level thief, = 4.5 which falls into the uppermost rage above.

Cheers,
Gary