Help needed with Knave for OSR monster stats

Hi,

I just both Knave mainly because I like simple rules for some set ups(and complicated for others) and want to play OSR-like adventure(i.e. Winter Daughter) with my kids - without buying or reading i.e 288 pages of Old-School Essentials Classic Fantasy...

Knave was supposed to be easy and compatible with such adventure modules - and most OSR in general. But there is only one lite paragraph of how to use monsters from OSR(because I think this the only problem). And either:
- I'm just stupid(possible, but highly unlikely - like every stupid person think...) or...
- it is written and understandable only for people that already knows the rules for old DnD or OSR and how it works

I see quite some people are playing and GM Knave here(BTW how do you like it?). So my question is:

We have example stats:
Religious Objects
AC 5 [14], HD 1 (hp 3, 3, 4, 5), Att 1 × bash (1d4), THAC0 19 [+0], MV 90’ (30’) flying, SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1), ML 12, AL Lawful, XP 10.
Some of those glyphs are understandable for me, but still I don't know how players should fight with such monster with Knave rules - what stats and how to use them?
Finally: are Knave rules really so easy and someone could write here me some short example how to use them with Knave PC or...

The true is brutal: I have to buy some OSR/DnD book, read hundreds of pages of it, analyze, become expert... sighhh... and then... will be able to use monster stats from OSR adv modules with very simple Knave... ?? :))

Be honest with me... :)))

I'm going to start with a "Throw it All Out the Window" recommendation: try using 24XX BLUE if you really want to simplify old school modules.

Now, setting aside that out-of-bounds recommendation, here's a breakdown of that statblock.

Knave uses Armor as a roll-over target that you have to beat in order to hit the creature. Old school DnD used descending AC where lower numbers were harder to hit. To convert old school to knave, you subtract the old school AC from 19. that's the AC 5 [14] that you see, where [14] is Knave's Armor value.

Knave uses 8-sided HD for monster's hit points. 3, 3, 4, 5 are pre-gen values for max hit points.

Att x1 bash (1d4) is one bashing attack per round does 1d4 damage if it hits.

THAC0 is old school way of judging whether the creature's attack can hit your AC. In Knave that translates to an Attack Bonus [+0] simply by subtracting the old school THAC0 from 19.

"SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1), ML 12, AL Lawful, XP 10." is gibberish that you can ignore as far as Knave is concerned.

Thanks a lot! No it make sense:)

So you think that 24 BLUE is better for OSR adventures? Nothing is set in stone, so I can choose that one. If yes, why do you think so?

I think so because OSR rules are deficient at the high end of the power spectrum. This is something I was just thinking about in the car ...

Let's say you have the famous scene with Bard the Bowman and Smaug.

In D&D game, the dragon has 100 hp and Bard can do 1d8 damage with a long bow. If he hits the dragon with about 30 arrows, he will kill it.

In 24XX, the dragon is invulnerable except for its hollow spot, and Bard has d12 archery skill. If he rolls 5+, he hits the hollow spot and kills the dragon. If he rolls 2-, he's burnt to cinders. 3 or 4, some middle thing happens - maybe a Pyrrhic victory.

Mild counterpoint: minimalist games like 24XX can ask a lot of the GM, and seem to me better geared towards folks who have a bit of experience. Knave was initially put together to both be easy for people to learn (Milton's classroom kids), and to be directly compatible with old D&D and OSR materials. It's *made* to run that stuff.

I'll say this about OSE -- those monster statblocks aren't as easy as you'll find in the OSR. The Swords & Wizardry monsters are simpler, for one. I'd grab a PDF of a solid S&W monster book with all the usual suspects if you find the OSE blocks a pain.

On converting -- happy to walk though a couple of monster conversions from that adventure, which I've run live with White Box Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game (also recommended). Knave monsters, like with many OSR games, really boil down to this:

How many hit dice, how many hit points, how much damage does it do when it attacks, what does it have for an attack bonus, what's its saving throw bonus, does it move slower or faster than the party? Add in special abilities and you're good to go.

This, from Knave itself, is pretty solid:

Religious Objects
AC: 14 (Roll 1d20. Roll equal to or higher for a successful ranged (add WIS bonus) or melee (add STR bonus) attack)
HD: 1 (Monster Level and the stat bonus for combat actions)
HP: Hit Points - at zero, monsters and characters are dead.
Att: 1 × bash (1d4) This means one attack, the bashing type if you're keeping track, for 1d4+1 (don't forget the level is the STR bonus) damage
Move: 90'/30' (90 is flying, 30 is on the ground)
SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1) These are saving throws (SV) D=Death, W=Wands, P=Poison, B=Breath Weapons, S=Spells. The (1) is the bonus to save (i.e. level is the bonus to add to the d20 roll.)
ML 12 This is the Morale rating, roll 2d6 and compare to the rating. Equal to or higher means the monster or NPC will flee (or other reaction.) Obviously low morale will be more likely to run away.
AL Lawful Some people don't use Alignment, I do, up to you. You'll have to research this, it's too complicated for this post - at least I think so.
XP 10 This is the experience you give for defeating this monster. If more than one monster, multiply it by the number of monsters. Split this between the PCs.
Knave is super simple. I've played several modules on the fly with this version of B/X D&D. Easy and quick. Beginner friendly. If you like to have more safety rails in your games it's obviously not for you. If you don't mind doing White Box or Basic Red Box D&D this is pretty cool. I've also used it for different genres of games, even wrote a game book (GAMMA-K) based on Knave. Hope this helps.

Fiddle Black Hand
Level 1
XP: 0
DEFENSE ABILITY BONUS
13 STR +3
12 DEX +2
12 CON +2
11 INT +1
12 WIS +2
12 CHA +2

DEFENSE ARMOR BONUS
12 Gambeson +2

HP MAX: 9
Current: 9

Equipment Slots - Max:12
Chalk
5 Spikes
Net
Quill and Ink
Gambeson
(Defense 12, 1 slot, 3 quality)
Sword
(d8 damage, 2 slots, 1 hand, 3 quality)
Total Slots: 7

Fiddle is at a Masquerade Ball, held at the palace. He has disguised himself and wants to bluff his way in.
(Fiddle's player makes a CHA check. DM has determined the Difficulty Class to be 13. Fiddle's player rolls 11, and adds his CHA bonus of +2 for a total of 13 - success!)

After mingling a bit and having a sip of red wine, he wants to sneak upstairs. He looks for an alternate route and finds himself outside on a wide veranda. He sees a vine that leads to a wide balcony above. He makes sure he will not be seen. He waits for a couple to walk off into a cul'de sac for privacy. Once they disappear he climbs the vine up.
(Fiddle's player mkaes a DEX check. The GM has determined Difficulty Class of 15 due to the thorny nature of the vines. He rolls a D20 and the result is 16 (D20 = 14 + Bonus of 2 = 16) Success!)

He finds himself in a posh bedroom and sees a jeweled necklace and some expensive rings on a vanity. He pilfers the jewelry and places them in a small sack he ties shut and places on his belt loop. He hears the sound of a door opening. The two lovers from below enter the room.
(GM checks for surprise for the couple, Fiddle's player rolls a 5 on 1d6 and is not surprised. GM rolls a 4 and the two are not surprised)

The young man draws a weapon, so does Fiddle and initiative is rolled (1d6 + bonus).

Round 1
Fiddle (1d6 + 2 DEX bonus): 6
Dartin 5

Fiddle goes first
He attacks with his Sword
(He rolls D20 and the result is 15 + 3 for a total of 18! A sucessful hit!)
Damage Roll
(He rolls a D8 + 3 (STR bonus for melee for a total of 7!)
He skewers the young lad leaving him lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood!
The young lady screams, "Murder! Murder most foul!"

Fiddle climbs down the vine (Rolls a 12 total. He falls from the wall to the veranda taking 3 hp of damage (he now has 6) He now has to deal with the palace guard...

Hope that helps.