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Post by Vile Traveller on Jul 15, 2015 2:32:31 GMT -5
I'm torn between Holmes and B/X. To the extent that the second edition of BLUEHOLME™ will be a mash-up of the two.
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Post by captaincrumbcake on Jul 25, 2015 19:07:12 GMT -5
I like Holmes, and Greyhawk supp.1 combined; add some Blackmoor, EW and H&DG and that's all I need.
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Post by Admin Pete on Jul 25, 2015 22:29:34 GMT -5
I like Holmes, and Greyhawk supp.1 combined; add some Blackmoor, EW and H&DG and that's all I need. Welcome aboard and have an Exalt! for posting right away.
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Post by captaincrumbcake on Jul 26, 2015 14:02:25 GMT -5
Thank you, PD. Glad to be here.
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Mike
Wanderer
Posts: 6
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Post by Mike on Oct 19, 2015 23:43:39 GMT -5
My first taste of D&D was Moldvay Basic. Still got it too. So that's the flavour that tastes best to me. It has lots of character ("Tell them Gary sent us"), is well written and brilliantly organised.
Labyrinth Lord is very handy but it's dry and lacking some kind of special "vibe" or voice. Plus the book looks horrible compared to Moldvay's version and doesn't like dwarves for some reason.
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Post by Admin Pete on Oct 20, 2015 8:05:28 GMT -5
Have an Exalt Mike! I am getting ready to do some reviews of the retro-clones (retro-emulations) of OD&D. I think it is hard to stay within the OGL and keep all the life and flavor of the original. In some ways I think writing an emulation is a strong test of are you a good enough writer to have captured lightening in a bottle if you had been there bitd. Is your emulation - fantastic or merely good. Merely good is nothing to sneeze at grant you but I am not sure how many new players it brings in.
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Post by dizzysaxophone on Oct 20, 2015 9:10:10 GMT -5
B/X is my favorite of the classic D&D sets. Still super slick and simple and the basic book is small enough to hand to players without intimidating them. LL is a great clone for how much you can modify it.
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Post by merias on Oct 21, 2015 7:10:26 GMT -5
Labyrinth Lord is very handy but it's dry and lacking some kind of special "vibe" or voice. Plus the book looks horrible compared to Moldvay's version and doesn't like dwarves for some reason. I feel this way about a lot of the clones, as well. I think it is the overall feel, rather than just the writing. Artwork helps a lot here, but is not sufficient in and of itself to recapture the feel of the original. Anyway, I would say Holmes is my favorite, someone mentioned the spell caster rules - I use the Holmes scroll creation rules in the games I run (S&W White Box right now).
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Post by waysoftheearth on Oct 21, 2015 7:15:12 GMT -5
I use the Holmes scroll creation rules in the games I run. I was looking for this the other day... can someone point to a page reference for me?
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Post by merias on Oct 21, 2015 7:22:30 GMT -5
I was looking for this the other day... can someone point to a page reference for me? In both my 2nd and 3rd editions it is on p. 13 under the 'Magic Spells' heading. "Magic users may make a scroll of a spell they already "know" (i.e. have in their magic book) at a cost of 100 gold pieces and 1 week's work for each spell of the first level, 200 gold pieces and 2 weeks for a second level spell (if the magic-user is third level), etc."
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Post by waysoftheearth on Oct 21, 2015 16:18:23 GMT -5
Ah, so it's "magic-users" and not "wizards" who can pen scrolls Zenopus confirms this rule appears in the Holmes manuscript and was not edited by TSR.
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Post by Vile Traveller on Oct 21, 2015 18:51:18 GMT -5
If there's one rule that prompted me to go for a Holmes clone, it was scroll creation.
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Post by rastusburne on Oct 28, 2015 19:05:48 GMT -5
For me, I really enjoy B/X, but if we are to include retroclones I would go with Swords & Wizardry Complete (OD&D + Supplements). Labyrinth Lord is great too.
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Post by LouGoncey on May 10, 2017 0:01:07 GMT -5
My favorite form of old D&D is AD&D. But not really AD&D -- the combat system is straight up D6 initiative OD&D with the weapons having different damages vs. Large and Normal opponents. Magic was "every spell has vocals and gestures" but no material components. Basically a bunch of young kids who read Basic once and are too busy playing D&D to actually read the rules thoroughly.
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Post by magremore on May 10, 2017 8:14:41 GMT -5
Basically a bunch of young kids who read Basic once and are too busy playing D&D to actually read the rules thoroughly. This. When I came back to D&D about 7 years ago, after being away from it for more than 20 years, I was shocked to see that Moldvay didn't use the nine-point alignment system or have thieves’ cant, as Moldvay Basic was the only rule set I owned, but I always used those. Of course what I ran were AD&D modules, so I must have picked stuff up from there; and my friend down the road, who was more often the DM, ran AD&D, so I was familiar with the core AD&D books, esp. the Players Handbook. When I look back, it's amazing how much we didn't look up. * * * To answer the original question: it’s a tie. • BX for its organization and my memory of first opening the Moldvay box. • Holmes for his added touches and fanciful flavor. • LBB for their original, direct, and open approach, and the mechanics I most often now follow. I find it hard, if not impossible, to play strictly by one rule set or the other.
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Post by distortedhumor on Sept 23, 2017 16:26:41 GMT -5
B/X for overall simple package BECMI to learn how to play D&D Though now I play OD&D white box with many BX ideas.
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Sept 23, 2017 16:45:14 GMT -5
I have owned each of the rules sets over the years and I have enjoyed them for various reasons. I dig the Holmes vibe of being a little different from the rest and iirc a lead in to AD&D. The B/X rules just seem to ooze fantasy adventure in the art, fonts, and overall presentation. I enjoyed the BECMI iteration of the rules but they felt a little "too polished" for me at the time. In contrast, the RC compilation really hit all the good bits for me. Overall, I would probably go with the B/X rules being my favorite because I probably used them more than any other Classic D&D set. If there was a great idea for a "what if" product then my pick would be a compiled version of these two rule books in a nice hardcover. I don't mean just taking the contents as is and printing it but re-assembling these rules with all appropriate sections integrated together in one volume. I would buy that in an instant! You know, I really think that is what Labyrinth Lord is. It is a really great, integrated B/X ruleset. I like it a lot. If only it had Otus art!
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Post by simrion on Oct 1, 2017 14:47:31 GMT -5
Moldvay/Cook/Marsh is what I cut my proverbial D&D teeth on, it has a permanent place of status in my heart! B/X Blackrazor blog offers a phenomenal Companion rule book that compliments B/X quite nicely too. RC for the single volume win though.
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Feb 6, 2018 4:01:15 GMT -5
I started with 1e AD&D, but I am leaning towards B/X (or a clone there of) or OD&D + Supplements (old & New ones). I like the vibe of B/X based games but I like the openness of OD&D. IF I use OD&D+Supplements I'll likely either create a doc with better art & get it printed out since I like print copies or use a good clone of it. I own S&W Complete but I don't like the vague travel rules & I own LL 2008 version.
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Post by Admin Pete on Feb 6, 2018 10:59:07 GMT -5
I started with 1e AD&D, but I am leaning towards B/X (or a clone there of) or OD&D + Supplements (old & New ones). I like the vibe of B/X based games but I like the openness of OD&D. IF I use OD&D+Supplements I'll likely either create a doc with better art & get it printed out since I like print copies or use a good clone of it. I own S&W Complete but I don't like the vague travel rules & I own LL 2008 version. There are a number of good OD&D clones, I am fond of (in alphabetical order): Delving Deeper Iron Falcon Seven Voyages of Zylarthen I think these are top flight. Scott Anderson wrote Treasure Hunters and is working on Mythical Journeys which is on hold right now, but he does very good work and has great ideas I have heard good things about, but have not looked at Arrows of Indra Microlite74 Warriors of the Red Planet These are a few to look at.
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Feb 6, 2018 14:55:29 GMT -5
I have Delving Deeper & Iron Falcon, but I haven't read through them yet. Scott's Treasure Hunters is all kinds of goodness from what I've read so far. It was the search for his TH referee's Companion that initially brought me here in the first place (I need to read it). I hope that Scott will be able to find a editor to assist him with the Mythic Journeys project after he has finished his work on his novel. I love how he writes in his game books, they are concise but are fun to read.
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Post by Admin Pete on Feb 6, 2018 16:38:06 GMT -5
I have Delving Deeper & Iron Falcon, but I haven't read through them yet. Scott's Treasure Hunters is all kinds of goodness from what I've read so far. It was the search for his TH referee's Companion that initially brought me here in the first place (I need to read it). I hope that Scott will be able to find a editor to assist him with the Mythic Journeys project after he has finished his work on his novel. I love how he writes in his game books, they are concise but are fun to read. Yeah, scottanderson is a great guy and does great work!
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Post by mao on Feb 9, 2018 17:56:31 GMT -5
I have Delving Deeper & Iron Falcon, but I haven't read through them yet. Scott's Treasure Hunters is all kinds of goodness from what I've read so far. It was the search for his TH referee's Companion that initially brought me here in the first place (I need to read it). I hope that Scott will be able to find a editor to assist him with the Mythic Journeys project after he has finished his work on his novel. I love how he writes in his game books, they are concise but are fun to read. Crypts and Things is 50% REH and 50% Lovecraft and 100% OD&D, give it a look see.
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Post by hengest on Feb 9, 2018 22:58:09 GMT -5
I love the RC even though I sold my copy.
But in the end you don't really need an edition, I guess. Some core understandings and your ruleset around that.
But for flavor and tone...RC.
I think.
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Feb 10, 2018 2:22:33 GMT -5
mao, I'll give it a look, as it sounds like something I'd like. hengest, I like how RC consolidates BECMI but I don't need another 300+ rulebook, I might get OSRIC in print but that is doubtful - I'd rather just play OD&D, B/X or one of their clones. I've gotten so sick of RPGs with expansive rules; I'd rather have a solid core rules of between 100-150 pages & then house rule it. I own 2008 versions of both Labyrinth Lord & Basic Fantasy RPG ; plus the latest version of Sword & Wizardry Complete & Lamentations of the Flame Princess. But even with them I am tempted to go straight OD&D or B/X.
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Post by hengest on Feb 10, 2018 5:27:48 GMT -5
mao, I'll give it a look, as it sounds like something I'd like. hengest, I like how RC consolidates BECMI but I don't need another 300+ rulebook, I might get OSRIC in print but that is doubtful - I'd rather just play OD&D, B/X or one of their clones. I've gotten so sick of RPGs with expansive rules; I'd rather have a solid core rules of between 100-150 pages & then house rule it. I own 2008 versions of both Labyrinth Lord & Basic Fantasy RPG ; plus the latest version of Sword & Wizardry Complete & Lamentations of the Flame Princess. But even with them I am tempted to go straight OD&D or B/X. Oh, I hear that. It's just my fave, I wouldn't expect that anyone on here would need it for anything.
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Post by Mighty Darci on Feb 10, 2018 11:59:38 GMT -5
Although an RC of OD&D plus the supplements (with lots of optional labels) would be a good thing.
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Post by hengest on Feb 10, 2018 12:42:04 GMT -5
Although an RC of OD&D plus the supplements (with lots of optional labels) would be a good thing. Uh, that would be pretty sweet, Mighty Darci. I guess we're not likely to see one from WoTC? And I'm not sure which of the retro-clones comes closest...S&W White Box is the closest that I remember, but google now advises me there's Full Metal Plate Mail, which I haven't looked at. Nice. What I enjoy about the RC is the feeling of "most stuff I would ever want, pretty practical, in one nice volume, good flavor, assembled at a (to me) special time in D&D history."
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Feb 10, 2018 13:46:52 GMT -5
Although an RC of OD&D plus the supplements (with lots of optional labels) would be a good thing. Oh hell yeah, that would be perfect.
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Feb 21, 2018 1:47:38 GMT -5
Although an RC of OD&D plus the supplements (with lots of optional labels) would be a good thing. Uh, that would be pretty sweet, Mighty Darci . I guess we're not likely to see one from WoTC? And I'm not sure which of the retro-clones comes closest...S&W White Box is the closest that I remember, but google now advises me there's Full Metal Plate Mail, which I haven't looked at. Nice. What I enjoy about the RC is the feeling of "most stuff I would ever want, pretty practical, in one nice volume, good flavor, assembled at a (to me) special time in D&D history." hengest, have you seen that DriveThruRPG has the RC out as a POD version? If you need to replace it, this is the opportune time.
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