D&D -vs- T&T: Character Generation

Or, How To Roll Yer Own! 

Being a comparison of original Dungeons & Dragons (1974 Boxed Set) with 5th Edition Tunnels & Trolls (T&T).

Dice
D&D: polyhedral dice, based on platonic solids
T&T: six-siders only, but bring a bunch of them

Note: and here we encounter the first notable difference between the two systems, the dice. However one may feel about this design decision, in 1975 when T&T was published (and 1 year after D&D was published) d6 were a lot easier to come by than polyhedral dice.

Character Record
Both: use 3 x 5 index cards, though D&D quickly moved away from that model.

Ability Scores
D&D: strength, intelligence, wisdom, constitution, dexterity, charisma
T&T: strength, intelligence, luck, constitution, dexterity, charisma

Note: at first? The only difference is a seemingly cosmetic one. Instead of wisdom T&T uses luck, and T&T refers to all 6 abilities as prime attributes. As one reads this section of rules, however, more differences arise. Abilities, all of them, can and will change as the character gains experience. Ability scores also figure much more prominently into T&T's rules system.

• Strength: determines how much you can carry and which weapons you can wield, and depleting your strength to zero kills your character. 
• Intelligence: used similarly to D&D to determine number of languages spoken. It also determines how high a level of spell your wizard can cast, a feature added to OD&D with the release of its first supplement. 
• Luck: used for a lot of saving rolls. Luck's D&D counterpart, wisdom, would come to modify saving throws in later editions of the game though not in OD&D. 
• Constitution: these are basically your hit points in T&T and if they reach zero? Better grab 3d6 and get to rolling. 
• Dexterity: used similarly to D&D to modify missile combat rolls. But, see below. 
• Charisma: similar to D&D's charisma, though negative scores are possible. 
• Strength + Luck + Dexterity = "Adds" and Adds are added to your combat rolls, though it's worthy of note adds can also be negative so one may wonder why they weren't termed "mods." 

Starting Gold
Both: use 3d6 x 10

Equipment
Both: short list of general supplies, somewhat longer list of weapons.

Note: T&T weapon damage is variable by type and weapons have both a strength and dexterity requirement; you can also poison your weapons if you wish (poison is not "save or die"). The best armor in T&T is out of reach of starting players.

Alignment:
D&D: Law, Neutral, Chaos
T&T: no alignment

Note: no alignment sheds a lot of role-playing baggage with regard to D&D's wargaming roots. 

Races
D&D: human, dwarf (and gnome), elf, hobbit
T&T: human, dwarf, elf, fairy, hobbit, leprechaun, were-creatures

Note: T&T also includes height and weight charts for your player-character.

Classes
D&D: fighting-man, magic-user, cleric
T&T: warrior, wizard, rogue, warrior-wizard

Note: OD&D has no thief but added one quickly with the release of its first supplement. T&T has no cleric but never added one to its rules. T&T's warrior-wizard is much improved over D&D's closest analog, the elf, being able to function in both classes simultaneously with most of the benefits of both. Unfortunately, the warrior-wizard is difficult to qualify for.

Levels
D&D: each class has its own progression chart
T&T: every class uses the same chart, and adds to their abilities with progression

Next up: more on player classes, with additional information about the races.